theodi/ndl-core-corpus huggingface dataset:
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-29)

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Llinos Medi:To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the 10 per cent tariff introduced by the United States on the level of exports from Wales to that country. \p Gareth Thomas: We continue to work closely with the Welsh Government to monitor the impacts, and to support Welsh exporters. Additionally on 3 April, we launched a Request for Input from businesses, to help inform the UK’s response to US tariffs.

We continue to support businesses of all sizes to grow and export globally, including to the US. Through Great.gov.uk, businesses can access export support programmes including the Export Academy, International Markets Network, Growth Hubs and Help to Grow: Management scheme.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-29)

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James Naish:To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what recent progress has been made on the appointment of a new chair for the Competition and Markets Authority; and when this position is likely to be filled. \p Justin Madders: Doug Gurr was appointed Interim Chair of the Competition and Markets Authority (“CMA”) on 21 January 2025 for a period of up to 18 months. The Secretary of State is grateful for the leadership Doug Gurr has shown in re-focusing the CMA on growth, investment and building business confidence while protecting consumers.

An open competition to appoint a new permanent Chair will be launched in due course.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-29)

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Kevin Hollinrake:To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of the repeal of the Trade Union Act 2015 on (a) the likelihood of future industrial action in local authorities relating to the collection of household rubbish and (b) intimidation on municipal picket lines. \p Justin Madders: The government published an impact assessment on the repeal of the Trade Union Act 2016 in October 2024. The Act places unnecessary red tape on trade union activity that works against their core role of negotiation and dispute resolution. As such, the government is substantively repealing it.

The repeal of the 2016 Act will not impact legislation that provides for picketing to lawfully take place. This picketing must be peaceful and those on picket lines must not intimidate workers who attend work. The Code of Practice on Picketing will also continue to remain in effect.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-29)

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Ben Obese-Jecty:To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, how many (a) phones, (b) laptops and (c) other electronic devices have been lost by their Department since 5 July 2024. \p Justin Madders: 193 mobile phones and 29 laptops were reported lost in financial year 2024/25 including up to 14th April 2025. There were no other electronic devices reported lost.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-29)

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Clive Lewis:To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, pursuant to the Answer of 9 September 2025 to Question 2958 on Carbon Emissions: Business, whether the Government plans to endorse the International Sustainability Standards Board. \p Justin Madders: The Government will shortly publish a consultation covering the endorsement of International Sustainability Standards Board (ISSB) Standards. It will seek views on UK versions of the ISSB Standards, which will be known as UK Sustainability Reporting Standards. The Government will take endorsement decisions later this year, following the consultation.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-29)

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Greg Smith:To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what recent discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on the impact of the Extended Producer Responsibility scheme on small and medium-sized enterprises. \p Justin Madders: The Government has listened to feedback from small businesses and introduced support measures to help compliance with EPR, including: exemptions from fee obligations for producers with annual turnover below £2 million and packaging tonnage below 50 tonnes; exemptions from reporting for businesses with turnover below £1 million and packaging tonnage below 25 tonnes; and flexibility for those with obligations to pay in quarterly instalments.

Both Secretaries of State will shortly be meeting representatives from across the impacted sectors, from Small and Medium Enterprises to larger companies alike, to discuss the economic impact of EPR in more detail.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-29)

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Mr James Frith:To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether he has had meetings with providers of digital content subscription services on the potential impact of proposals on cooling-off rights within the new subscription contract regime under the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024. \p Justin Madders: The Government’s Consultation on the implementation of the new subscriptions contract regime included proposals for how refunds should work when consumers exercise their statutory cooling-off rights. The overarching aim set out in that document is for a framework that is fair for both businesses and consumers. Officials have met regularly with digital content subscription businesses and their trade bodies to hear their views. We are analysing all the responses to the consultation, including those from businesses that supply digital content or services, and will publish a Government Response in due course.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-29)

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Mr Richard Holden:To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what discussions Ministers in his Department had relating to Government business at Labour Party Conference in 2024; whether (a) meetings and (b) other engagement will be recorded in transparency returns; and whether all discussions relating to Government business were reported back to civil servants. \p Justin Madders: Meetings and engagements held in a political capacity are not declared in transparency returns. Those not held in a political capacity, including at the 2024 Labour Party Conference, can be found at Gov.uk between returns for July to September, and October to December, which will be published soon.
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Melanie Ward:To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of introducing mandatory minimum expiry dates on gift vouchers. \p Justin Madders: The Department asked the Law Commission to examine the protection given to consumer prepayments, including gift cards and vouchers, and consider whether such protections should be strengthened. The Law Commission concluded that that there was no need to introduce additional measures for gift cards and vouchers including in relation to expiry dates.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-29)

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Sir John Hayes:To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what guidance his Department is providing to local authorities to help them (a) manage and (b) enforce firework safety regulations in areas where firework misuse has led to (i) vandalism and (ii) antisocial behaviour. \p Justin Madders: Enforcement powers exist for local authorities to take action when fireworks are unsafe, sold illegally or misused. Local authorities and the police also have powers to tackle anti-social behaviour caused by the misuse of fireworks. It is for local areas to decide how best to deploy these powers, based on their circumstances.

New Respect Orders will enable police and local councils to enforce strict behavioural conditions on persistent perpetrators of antisocial behaviour - banning them from local town centres and neighbourhoods including high streets and parks. Offenders could be required to address causes of their behaviour through mandatory rehabilitative conditions.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-29)

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Seamus Logan:To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether he plans to bring forward legislative proposals to (a) introduce a common charger for electrical devices and (b) require producers to provide accessible user information for how the charger works that is suitable for disabled people. \p Justin Madders: The Government considers that it would potentially help businesses and deliver consumer and environmental benefits if we were to introduce standardised charger requirements for mobile phones and certain other portable electrical/electronic devices across the UK. Accordingly, we sought views through a Call for Evidence from manufacturers, importers, distributors, trade associations, and consumers as to whether it would be helpful to do so. This Call for Evidence closed in December 2024. The Government is considering the evidence received and will respond in due course.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-29)

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Connor Naismith:To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps his Department is taking to help protect workers on sponsored visas from mistreatment by unscrupulous employers. \p Justin Madders: The Government is committed to tackling serious labour abuse and exploitation. Workers on sponsored visas have the same protections and rights under employment law as British and settled workers. All employers are expected to comply with UK employment law.

The Gangmasters and Labour Abuse Authority (GLAA), Employment Agency Standards Inspectorate and HM Revenue and Custom’s National Minimum Wage enforcement team work together to ensure that workers are aware of their rights. If anyone thinks they are not getting their employment rights, they should contact Acas on xx-xxxx-xxxx for advice on next steps.

Through the Employment Rights Bill and the Fair Work Agency we are delivering a much-needed upgrade to employment rights enforcement, including for workers on sponsored visas.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-29)

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Kirsty Blackman:To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, how many (a) press, (b) media and (c) other communications posts there are in his Department; and what the salary band is for each post. \p Ian Murray: The Scotland Office has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-29)

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Graeme Downie:To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, when he last met with Scottish Power to discuss the future of the former generating station at Longannet. \p Ian Murray: I am in contact with Scottish Power on a range of issues relating to the UK’s transition to Net Zero. I last met with them in March, at a stakeholder forum hosted by my department, where the topic of clean energy jobs was discussed. The representative from Scottish Power did not raise the future of the former generating station at Longannet but my door is always open to the energy sector in Scotland.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-29)

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Kirsty Blackman:To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, how many (a) press, (b) media and (c) other communications posts there are in her Department; and what the salary band is for each post. \p Jo Stevens: The Wales Office has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-29)

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Blake Stephenson:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if she will make an assessment of the potential impact of the proposed (a) railway station and (b) new town at Tempsford on (i) journey times and (ii) capacity on Thameslink services. \p Simon Lightwood: Network Rail will consider the impact of any new station at Tempsford as part of business case development for any East Coast Main Line infrastructure investment at the southern end of the route, including journey time and capacity implications for Thameslink services.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-29)

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Olly Glover:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what discussions her Department has had with Network Rail on the December 2025 East Coast Main Line timetable. \p Simon Lightwood: The Department has been in regular discussion with Network Rail since 2018 on the new East Coast Main Line (ECML) timetable including through industry planning forums. Last year, the Department commissioned an industry taskforce, including Network Rail, to oversee the readiness for this change and make a recommendation to implement. On their advice, I approved this timetable for implementation in December 2025 to enable the full benefits of a £4 billion investment in the route.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-29)

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Gregory Stafford:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of the cost of rolling stock contract renegotiations on the nationalisation of South Western Railways. \p Simon Lightwood: South Western Railways services will transfer into public ownership on 25 May 2025, as its National Rail Contract with the Department expires. New rolling stock leases will be in place prior to the date of transfer. The expected cost of renewing leases were already recognised in the expected future budget requirements.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-29)

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Ben Obese-Jecty:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether she has made an assessment of the potential impact of (a) the completion of (i) Alconbury Weald and (ii) other new housing in Huntingdon, (b) planned commercial development at Brampton Cross and (c) the expansion of RAF (A) Wyton and (B) Molesworth on passenger numbers on the East Coast Main line. \p Simon Lightwood: The upcoming East Coast Main Line timetable recast in December 2025 will create additional capacity through the introduction of additional peak services between Letchworth and London King’s Cross helping to alleviate pressure on Thameslink services and the peak Peterborough to King’s Cross service, which should ease passenger numbers at stations such as Hitchin.

Any significant increase in rail passenger demand, including from the developments mentioned, and subsequent requirement for potentially increased services would guide the Department’s future infrastructure planning.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-29)

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Ben Obese-Jecty:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what new transport infrastructure her Department plans to build to support the new Universal Studios Theme Park in Bedfordshire. \p Simon Lightwood: As part of the Plan for Change, the government is working towards delivering a major investment in infrastructure around the site to support the delivery of the project and ensure it is well connected and easily accessible.

The details of negotiations between private investors and the Government are currently confidential. Further information on plans for infrastructure investment around the site will be set out in due course.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-29)

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Blake Stephenson:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether Great British Railways will consider housing growth in capacity planning. \p Simon Lightwood: An integrated, affordable and sustainable transport network plays a vital role in unlocking homes and providing access to jobs and essential services.

Great British Railways (GBR) will work closely with the Department for Transport, MHCLG and other government departments to align housebuilding with future transport infrastructure strategy and investment.  This will include considering housing growth as part of future capacity planning to help us deliver 1.5 million homes over the next 5 years.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-29)

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Tristan Osborne:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps her Department is taking to improve the reliability of the Thameslink service to Rainham; and if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of Southeastern trains making additional stops at Higham in the event of Thameslink service cancellations to Rainham. \p Simon Lightwood: My Department is working with Southeastern, Govia Thameslink Railway and Network Rail to address reliability issues on the Rainham route, particularly following a rise in cancellations since the beginning of the year driven by employee sickness and training demands linked to new technology.

Higham station currently has two Thameslink services per hour with additional Southeastern services at peak times. Station coverage is monitored to ensure a minimum service of one train per hour in each direction and Southeastern services can be scheduled to make additional stops at Higham if required.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-29)

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David Chadwick:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether the East West Rail will be designated as an England and Wales project. \p Simon Lightwood: East West Rail is set to cover the route from Oxford to Cambridge and is therefore part of the RNEP portfolio which covers funding for projects in England and Wales. The RNEP portfolio can be distributed to any scheme across England and Wales.
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Ben Obese-Jecty:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent assessment Network Rail has made of the need for a new East Coast Mainline station at Alconbury Weald. \p Simon Lightwood: The Department are aware of the long-standing local aspirations for an East Coast Main Line station at Alconbury Weald that would align with the new housing being developed in the area. We continue to work closely with the Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government to ensure an integrated approach to infrastructure planning.
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Ben Obese-Jecty:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if she will make an estimate of the potential impact of the new Universal Studios Theme Park in Bedfordshire on passenger numbers on the East Coast mainline. \p Simon Lightwood: Rail passenger impact calculations have been considered throughout and there are not expected to be significant impacts on the East Coast Mainline.

The Universal Studios Theme Park will be well-served by rail, with a new station at Wixams which is currently under construction on the Midland Main Line. Much of the park’s passenger demand will be in the opposite direction to normal commuter flows, thereby utilising existing capacity.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-29)

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Blake Stephenson:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 13 March 2025 to Question 35855 on Govia Thameslink Railway: Standards, what information her Department holds on when Great British Railways plans to publish provisional (a) timetables and (b) capacity improvement plans for services on the Bedford line. \p Simon Lightwood: The Government will establish a new access and charging framework in primary legislation, enabling Great British Railways to be a true directing mind for the railway. We will simplify the operational running of the railways by bringing together responsibility for managing allocation of railway capacity and timetabling with the management of infrastructure.

Legislation will be introduced later this session to make these vital reforms.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-29)

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Julia Buckley:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what her planned timescales are for considering local bus service improvement plans. \p Simon Lightwood: Bus Service Improvement Plans (BSIPs) are developed by Local Transport Authorities (LTAs) and set out the vision, objectives and delivery plans of LTAs and their partners to drive improvements to local bus services. While the government expects BSIPs to be published and readily accessible to all, they remain under the full control of local leaders and the Department no longer reviews the BSIPs before approving funding allocations.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-29)

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Fabian Hamilton:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether her Department is taking steps to encourage bus companies to install cycle racks on their vehicles in (a) rural and (b) other areas. \p Simon Lightwood: The government is committed to delivering better bus services that meet passengers’ needs, including in rural areas, and has set out ambitious plans to reform bus services, including through the Bus Services (No.2) Bill and investing over £1 billion to support and improve bus services. The majority of bus services operate on a commercial basis, and decisions about the management and design of their bus fleet are for bus operators to make, including whether to install cycle racks.

The government recognises that bus services are part of a wider transport ecosystem, and it is vital to view them in the context of an integrated transport network designed with passengers as the priority. We have announced plans to develop an Integrated National Transport Strategy to set the long-term vision for transport in England. This will focus on how transport should be designed, built and operated to better serve the people who use it and ensure that the transport network is complementary, including the interaction between different modes of travel.
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Neil O'Brien:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether her Department plans to mark the 200th anniversary of the Rainhill trials. \p Simon Lightwood: Whilst it doesn't form part of the bi-centenary celebrations, the Railway 200 team in Network Rail are working with local stakeholders to support their plans to mark the 2029 anniversary of the Rainhill Trials.
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Sir John Hayes:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether Active Travel England has offered apprenticeships in each year since it was set up. \p Simon Lightwood: Active Travel England has not yet advertised apprenticeships for external candidates. Existing employees can access the Department’s apprenticeship offer of level 2 – 7 apprenticeships across a range of skills, including data, finance and project delivery, as part of their personal development. The agency has supported one new joiner to complete an apprenticeship they were part-way through.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-29)

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Rupert Lowe:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what (a) religious and (b) cultural holidays are observed by their Department. \p Mike Kane: The UK Civil Service only formally observes the government-set bank holidays.
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Neil O'Brien:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many staff in (a) her Department and (b) HS2 Ltd have job titles which include the words (i) equality, (ii) diversity, (iii) inclusion, (iv) gender, (v) LGBT and (vi) race. \p Mike Kane: As of the latest available data:

(a) Department for Transport (DfTc) A total of 9 staff have job titles that include at least one of the specified terms:

Inclusion: 6

Diversity: 4

Equality: 1

Gender: 0

LGBT: 0

Race: 0

Please note: Some roles contain more than one of the listed terms. For example, “Diversity and Inclusion Partner” includes both “diversity” and “inclusion” and therefore contributes to both counts.

(b) HS2 Ltd A total of 10 staff have job titles with at least one of the terms:

Inclusion: 10

Diversity: 3

Equality: 3

Gender: 0

LGBT: 0

Race: 0

As with DfTc, some job titles are counted under multiple categories if they contain more than one relevant term.
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Ben Obese-Jecty:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many (a) phones, (b) laptops and (c) other electronic devices have been lost by their Department since 5 July 2024. \p Mike Kane: The response below covers the central department (DfTc) and the five Executive Agencies: Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA), Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA), Vehicle Certification Agency (VCA), Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) and Active Travel England (ATE).

Please note: DfT(c) handle all IT devices for Active Travel England (ATE) and DfT Ministerial Private Offices, so they are included in the returns for DfT(c).

Central department and five executive agencies

Number of phone(s) reported as lost since 5 July 2024

Number of laptop(s) reported as lost since 5 July 2024

Number of other electronic device(s) reported as lost since 5 July 2024

DfTc includes ATE and DfT Ministerial Private Offices

65

7

0

DVLA

0

0

0

DVSA

10

3

4 bodyworn cameras 1 iPad

MCA

4

0

0

VCA

0

1

0

Total

79

11

5
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Kevin McKenna:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of including improving health as a key theme in the Integrated National Transport Strategy. \p Lilian Greenwood: The Integrated National Transport Strategy will set the long-term vision for transport in England, focusing on how transport should be designed, built and operated to better serve the people who use it. The strategy’s scope is still being determined, but the Government is aware that there are further opportunities to encourage and facilitate active travel which could deliver wider societal benefits for public health and the environment.

The Strategy is being developed through open engagement with the transport sector and the general public, including an 11-stop Regional Roadshow, where one of the key themes attendees were asked to discuss was health and wellbeing. We will consider everything we hear through our engagement activities as the Strategy develops over the coming months.
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Blake Stephenson:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what proportion of her Department's funding for bus service improvements will be spent in Bedfordshire. \p Simon Lightwood: The Department for Transport has allocated £670 million to local transport authorities in 25/26 to support the delivery of Bus Service Improvement Plans as part of a more than £1 billion investment in buses confirmed at the Budget. Local transport authorities in Bedfordshire, consisting of Bedford Borough Council, Central Bedfordshire Council and Luton Borough Council, have collectively been allocated £11.4 million of this funding.
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Munira Wilson:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what her planned timeline is for publishing a new Airports National Policy Statement. \p Mike Kane: The government supports airport expansion and has invited proposals for a third runway at Heathrow. It expects any proposals to be brought forward by the summer and is clear that any scheme must be delivered in line with the UK’s legal, climate and environmental obligations.

Once proposals have been received, the government will review the Airports National Policy Statement (ANPS), which provides the basis for decision making on granting development consent for a new runway at Heathrow.

The Secretary of State will determine the scope of a review of the ANPS and we cannot speculate on the scope nor the timings of the review at this stage.
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Munira Wilson:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many times the Aviation Futures Forum has met. \p Mike Kane: The Department for Transport launched the new Aviation Futures Forum, uniting ministers and industry leaders to deliver the government's missions and strengthen the sector. The forum has met once since its launch on 19 March 2025.
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James Wild:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether his Department will be pursuing financial redress from the operators of the (a) MV Solong and (b) MV Stena Immaculate for the clean up operation, following the North Sea vessel collision on 10 March 2025. \p Mike Kane: HM Coastguard’s Counter Pollution and Salvage team are in the process of compiling a comprehensive cost recovery claim following the allision incident off the Humber Estuary between the MV SOLONG and MT STENA IMMACULATE. The claim will seek to recover the full costs of the government personnel, response equipment (including air surveillance) and the services of specialist technical advisors used in response to the incident and its aftermath.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-29)

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James Wild:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether (a) local authorities and (b) charities can claim financial compensation for environmental clean-up costs. \p Mike Kane: With regards to marine pollution, liability sits with the polluter. Local Authorities and other responders should work with the responsible party and its insurer to recover costs once clean-up operations are concluded.
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Sarah Gibson:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps she is taking to assess the potential impact of the extended £2 bus fare cap on residents' access to (a) essential services and (b) employment opportunities in Wiltshire. \p Simon Lightwood: The government is investing over £150 million to deliver the new £3 cap on single bus fares in England outside London from 1 January until 31 December 2025 to help keep bus fares affordable. Under the plans of the previous administration, the £2 cap on bus fares had been due to expire on 31 December 2024, and prior to the Budget, there was no further funding available to maintain a cap on bus fares beyond this point.

The final monitoring and evaluation report into the impact of the £2 bus fare cap was published on 12 February. An evaluation of the £3 fare cap is due to be commissioned shortly.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-29)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-04-29 conversation_455

James Wild:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what estimate his Department has made of the total cost of the environmental clean-up operation, following the North Sea vessel collision on 10 March 2025. \p Mike Kane: Both ships were insured by reputable insurance companies and UK authorities have spoken with both. Liability for the pollution sits with the shipowner and their insurers. The Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) and Local Authorities will work with them once clean-up operations are concluded to recover costs.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-29)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-04-29 conversation_456

Alex Mayer:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether her Department holds data on the types of tickets used by bus passengers for different journey purposes. \p Simon Lightwood: The Department regularly considers a range of evidence when considering the typical journey purposes of bus users using different types of tickets.

Our most recent published work in this area was the evaluation of the £2 bus fare cap, published on GOV.UK in February 2025, and the research report 'Increasing bus patronage through an audience strategy', published on GOV.UK in June 2023. These reports identified the main ticket types and journey purposes of key passenger groups.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-29)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-04-29 conversation_457

James Wild:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether his Department has made an estimate of the cost of the environmental clean-up operation to (a) charities and (b) local authorities, following the North Sea vessel collision on 10 March 2025. \p Mike Kane: Liability for the pollution sits with the shipowner, and the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) and Local Authorities will work with them once clean-up operations are concluded to recover costs. The ‘polluter pays’ principle is a dominating principle in international environmental law and under this principle it is not the responsibility of a government to meet the costs involved in prevention or remedial action for environmental damage.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-29)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-04-29 conversation_458

Tim Roca:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many meetings were held by her Department with external stakeholders to discuss the weight limits of volumetric concrete mixers prior to the publication of the Call for evidence outcome: Volumetric concrete mixers review on 18 March 2025. \p Lilian Greenwood: My Department has engaged with hon. Members and the Volumetric Concrete Mixer (VCM) industry through correspondence prior to the announcement.

The call for evidence on this topic conducted from October to December 2023 was an opportunity for interested parties to present evidence, but it did not reveal significant new evidence supporting a change in policy.

The decision announced reflects the continuation of the existing policy, as set out in 2018, that the temporary weight exemption for VCMs will come to an end in 2028.
wrans/answers2025-04-29 conversation_459
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-29)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-04-29 conversation_459

Sir John Hayes:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the average waiting time is for a practical driving test in (a) Lincolnshire and (b) the East Midlands. \p Lilian Greenwood: The average waiting time for a practical driving test at test centres in both (a) Lincolnshire and (b) the East Midlands, is 24 weeks respectively, as of 21 April 2025.

The current national average for a practical driving test as of March 2025 is 21.7 weeks.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-29)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-04-29 conversation_460

Ben Obese-Jecty:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps her Department is taking to ensure sufficient electric vehicle charging infrastructure for all cars parked off-street in privately owned car parks. \p Lilian Greenwood: All new residential and non-residential buildings with off-street parking are required to install chargepoints. Elsewhere, the Government continues to offer grant funding for the purchase and installation of charging infrastructure. This includes flats, rented accommodation, domestic and commercial landlords, workplaces, charities, schools, and public sector organisations.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-29)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-04-29 conversation_461

Seamus Logan:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if she will take steps to help increase the affordability of taxis for disabled people. \p Simon Lightwood: General policy on taxi and private hire vehicle (PHV) licensing is devolved in Scotland (where PHVs are known as private hire cars), Wales and Northern Ireland. In England, licensing authorities can set maximum taxi fares for journeys within their area to protect passengers hailing taxis in the street or at a rank where passengers have little choice over which vehicle they hire. The setting of fares by private hire vehicle operators is a commercial matter for the company in question; as such services must be pre-booked passengers can shop around, comparing factors such as price, reliability and availability.

Disabled people are particularly reliant on taxi and PHV services and, thus, can be especially sensitive to high fares. We encourage licensing authorities to use the government’s Taxi and private hire vehicle licensing best practice guidance for licensing authorities in England which emphasises the importance of licensing authorities continuing to improve the inclusivity of the taxi and PHV services they regulate to ensure services in their area are safe, available, affordable and accessible. The Equality Act 2010 is however clear that operators and drivers cannot charge disabled people, including wheelchair users and assistance dog owners, more for their carriage or for providing assistance required by law.

Local authorities in England can also choose to provide an additional scheme to the English National Concessionary Travel Scheme (ENCTS), whereby a person eligible for free bus travel under the ENCTS, may agree with the local authority to surrender their pass in return for alternative travel concessions, such as travel tokens (which may be used on taxi and PHV services) or a railcard.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-29)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-04-29 conversation_462

Brian Mathew:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps her Department plans to take to reduce the backlog of drivers waiting for a driving test. \p Lilian Greenwood: The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency’s (DVSA) main priority is upholding road safety standards while it works hard to reduce car practical driving test waiting times.

On the 23 April, the Secretary of State for Transport appeared before the Transport Select Committee and announced that DVSA will take further actions to reduce driving test waiting times across the country.

Further information on these actions and progress on the DVSA’s 7-point plan, which was set out last year, can be found on GOV.UK.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-29)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-04-29 conversation_463

Lisa Smart:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether her Department plans to review speed limits on non-residential roads. \p Lilian Greenwood: Traffic authorities (including National Highways for the Strategic Road Network) have the power to set local speed limits on the roads for which they are responsible where they consider that the national speed limit is not right for the road. The Department for Transport issues best practice guidance on setting local speed limits designed to make sure that speed limits are appropriately and consistently set while allowing for flexibility to deal with local circumstances.

Measures to address speeding will be considered for inclusion within the forthcoming road safety strategy.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-29)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-04-29 conversation_464

Dr Al Pinkerton:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps she is taking with Cabinet colleagues to ensure hospital road infrastructure is sufficient to meet growing population demand in Surrey Heath constituency. \p Lilian Greenwood: Surrey County Council are the local transport authority for Surrey Heath and also have responsibility for the local highway network. It is up to the respective local authority to invest in its local transport network based on local needs and priorities.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-29)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-04-29 conversation_465

Liz Jarvis:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the average waiting time for driving tests is in Eastleigh constituency. \p Lilian Greenwood: The table below shows the average waiting time in weeks for driving test centres that serve customers living in the Eastleigh constituency, as of 21 April 2025.

Driving test centre (DTC)

Average car practical driving test waiting time (21 April 25)

Southampton (Maybush)

24

Winchester

24

The current national average for driving tests as of March 2025 is 21.7 weeks.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-29)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-04-29 conversation_466

Tristan Osborne:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment her Department has made of the potential merits of penalties for reselling driving tests for profit. \p Lilian Greenwood: To ensure fairness for everyone wanting to book a practical driving test, the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) continues to work hard to combat the unscrupulous practice of reselling tests and has announced further measures to review the driving test booking system.

On the 18 December 2024, a call for evidence was launched, seeking views on the current rules to book tests. This will lead to consultation on improving processes, with potential future legislative changes. On the 23 April the Secretary of State for Transport appeared before the Transport Select Committee and announced, amongst other measures, that this consultation has been fast-tracked to May 2025.

On 6 January 2025, DVSA introduced new terms and conditions for use of the service driving instructors and trainers use to book and manage practical driving tests for their pupils. Since this change DVSA has issued 25 warnings, 4 suspensions, and closed 90 business accounts.
wrans/answers2025-04-29 conversation_467
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-29)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-04-29 conversation_467

Ben Obese-Jecty:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment has she made of the potential merits of upgrading the A1 at Buckden roundabout as part of delivery of the new Universal Studios Theme Park in Bedfordshire. \p Lilian Greenwood: Whilst the Buckden roundabout on the A1 is out of scope of the Universal support package, National Highways are undertaking traffic modelling to assess peak travel demand in this region to understand how potential mitigation measures, such as junction upgrades on its network, could accommodate future growth.

Any proposals would then be considered for possible delivery through the Government’s Road Investment Strategy (RIS) process.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-29)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-04-29 conversation_468

Dr Al Pinkerton:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if she will provide an update on the progress of implementing the DVSA’s seven-point plan aimed at reducing driving test waiting times. \p Lilian Greenwood: The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) continues to work on implementing its 7-point plan to reduce waiting times and to encourage learner drivers to only book their driving test when they are ready.

DVSA’s progress so far against the measures has seen:

154 new driving examiners complete their training and carrying out driving tests

the introduction of tougher terms and conditions for driving instructors who can book tests for their pupils (6 January).

a call for evidence concluded on booking driving tests, which received almost 27,000 responses. DVSA expects to launch the consultation in spring 2025.

on 8 April 2025 DVSA implemented changes to the short notice cancellation period, increasing the notice required from 3 to 10 days for learner drivers to cancel their driving test and receive a refund.

On the 23 April the Secretary of State for Transport appeared before the Transport Select Committee and announced that DVSA will take further action to help reduce driving test waiting times.

Further information on these actions and progress on the 7-point plan can be found on GOV.UK.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-29)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-04-29 conversation_469

Gregory Stafford:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of requiring airlines operating in UK airports to be members of the Civil Aviation Authority approved alternative dispute resolution scheme. \p Mike Kane: Air passenger rights remain a priority, and the Department will continue to consider opportunities to ensure passengers are provided with the highest level of protection possible.