theodi/ndl-core-corpus huggingface dataset:
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Neil Duncan-Jordan:To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if she will make an estimate of the number of households that will receive (a) up to £25, (b) between £25 and £50, (c) between £50 and £75, (d) between £75 to £100 and (e) more than £100 less per week as a result of proposals in Pathways to Work: Reforming Benefits and Support to Get Britain Working Green Paper, published on 18 March 2025. \p Sir Stephen Timms: No such estimates have been made.

Information on the impacts of the Pathways to Work Green Paper will be published in due course with some information published this week alongside the Spring Statement.

A further programme of analysis to support development of the proposals in the Green Paper will be developed and undertaken in the coming months.
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Andy McDonald:To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if she will make an estimate of the change in number of recipients of personal independent payments in Middlesbrough and Thornaby East constituency as a result of the green paper entitled Pathways to Work: Reforming Benefits and Support to Get Britain Working. \p Sir Stephen Timms: No such estimate has been made.

Information on the impacts of the Pathways to Work Green Paper will be published in due course with some information published this week alongside the Spring Statement.

A further programme of analysis to support development of the proposals in the Green Paper will be developed and undertaken in the coming months.
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Wendy Morton:To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what discussions she has had with the Secretary of State for Justice on the potential impact of changes to disability benefits on the court appeals system. \p Sir Stephen Timms: DWP will work with the Ministry of Justice to prepare a Justice Impact Test to assess the impacts of proposed policy changes on the justice system.
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Neil Coyle:To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that Motability vehicles benefit the person they are intended to support. \p Sir Stephen Timms: The Motability Foundation (Motability) is a registered charity, incorporated by Royal Charter, to help disabled people with their mobility and transport needs. Only those claimants in receipt of an eligible benefit can choose to join the Motability Scheme. When a claimant elects to join the Scheme, the Department directly transfers the mobility allowance to Motability Operations on behalf of the eligible claimant. Any misuse of a scheme vehicle is taken very seriously, and Motability Operations has a dedicated unit that works to prevent, detect and handle such cases, taking action as appropriate.
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Andy McDonald:To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if she will launch a consultation on proposals to rebalance Universal Credit (a) standard allowance, (b) health element and (c) new payment rates. \p Sir Stephen Timms: We urgently need reform to stop people from falling into inactivity, restore trust and fairness in the system and promote the interests of disabled people. Therefore, there are some measures announced in the Pathways to Work Green Paper on the 18 March 2025, that we will not be consulting on.

The Pathways to Work Green Paper sets out our wider plan to reform the system by rebalancing the levels of the Universal Credit (UC) standard allowance and the UC health element. Our objective is a social security system which is pro-work but provides adequate financial support for people when they are not working, regardless of the reason. The changes to UC payment rates will be introduced in primary legislation, and so will be fully debated in Parliament, and are not subject to consultation.
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Ellie Chowns:To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 9 August 2024 to Question HL407 on Rodenticides: Safety, to which species the Government Oversight Group is considering extending the monitoring of Second-Generation Anticoagulant Rodenticide residues. \p Sir Stephen Timms: A final decision on which additional species to include in the residues monitoring programme has not yet been taken. However, the species under consideration include red kite, buzzard, sparrowhawk, peregrine falcon, red fox, otter and hedgehog.
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Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi:To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what recent discussions he has had with (a) local businesses and (b) residents on the coverage of full-fibre broadband in (i) Slough constituency and (ii) South East England. \p Chris Bryant: The government is committed to delivering 2030 nationwide gigabit connectivity coverage, with 86% of premises now able to access a gigabit-capable connection thanks to a pro-competition regulatory environment. There is now a thriving market of over 100 providers, investing over £40bn rolling out gigabit broadband all over the UK.

Project Gigabit primarily focuses on the rural areas which are the hardest to reach commercially. We anticipate that the majority of urban areas will receive gigabit-capable broadband through commercial investment. While there is no planned build in Slough under Project Gigabit, the government continues to review the best ways to address gaps in coverage in urban areas.

CityFibre and Gigaclear are delivering Project Gigabit-funded contracts across the South East of England. Alongside them, we continue to engage closely with local businesses and residents regarding rollout.
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Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi:To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what estimate he has made of the number of data centres built in England in each of the last five years. \p Chris Bryant: The Government has not historically collected figures on the growth of data centre capacity but has monitored the market periodically and through industry engagement. Other sources for this historical data are available, for example through Tech UK or CBRE's market outlooks.
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Chi Onwurah:To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether he has had discussions with (a) his international counterparts and (b) regulators in (i) Germany and (ii) Romania on (A) Online Safety Act 2023 and (B) foreign interference in elections. \p Feryal Clark: International collaboration is crucial in tackling the global threat of online harms. DSIT Ministers and officials meet regularly with international partners to discuss online safety, including foreign interference in elections. Tackling foreign interference is crucial to uphold our democratic values, and we are committed to promoting a free, open and secure internet. The latest list of DSIT ministerial meetings (July – September 2024) can be found here:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/dsit-ministerial-gifts-hospitality-travel-meetings-july-to-september-2024
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Alex Brewer:To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether his Department (a) monitors and (b) regulates the use of AI in apps aimed at children and teenagers. \p Feryal Clark: The Online Safety Act places new duties on both user-to-user and search services. The strongest protections in the Act are for children, who will be protected from both illegal content, and legal content which is nonetheless harmful to children (including content which is AI generated) Ofcom has set out steps providers can take to fulfil their child safety duties, which will be in force in the Summer.

The vast majority of AI systems should be regulated at the point of use, and the UK’s existing expert regulators are best placed to do this. We remain committed to introducing targeted rules on companies developing the most powerful AI models to ensure we can realise the benefits of these systems safely.
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Chi Onwurah:To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether his Department is funding research into (a) sensory processing sensitivity and (b) mitigations for that sensitivity. \p Feryal Clark: UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) delivers a substantial portfolio of researcher-led projects and strategic investments, including research into sensory processing sensitivities, such as autism and ADHD. Research is funded by different Research Councils, including the Medical Research Council through its Neurosciences and Mental Health Board.

Additionally, the Department of Health and Social Care funds health research through the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR). The NIHR welcomes proposals for research into a range of conditions, including sensory processing sensitivity, at https://www.nihr.ac.uk/get-involved/suggest-a-research-topic
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Dan Aldridge:To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the UK's contingency plans to tackle quantum cyber threats; and if he will conduct a comparative assessment on the effectiveness of these measures compared to those used by his international counterparts. \p Feryal Clark: The government recognises the cyber threats posed by quantum computing. The NCSC recently issued new guidance to help organisations prepare for and protect against threats posed by future developments in quantum computing [https://www.ncsc.gov.uk/guidance/pqc-migration-timelines]. The guidance is focused on migrating to post-quantum cryptography to mitigate the potential future quantum threat to encryption services, and identifying and mitigating cyber risks during the migration.

The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology and NCSC have also commissioned external research to understand industry barriers and incentives to migrate to post-quantum cryptography. This will be used to inform future policy interventions to drive the transition.

The government continues to monitor developments in quantum computing and uptake of post-quantum cryptography, including working with other countries to keep UK citizens and organisations secure. The government continues to assess wider cyber risks from critical and emerging technologies on an ongoing basis.
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Dan Aldridge:To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether the Cyber Security and Resilience Bill will ensure that data centres are (a) secure and (b) resilient. \p Feryal Clark: Our current cyber security laws – the NIS Regulations (2018) – are inherited from the EU and are the UK’s only cross-sector cyber security-specific legislation. The cyber threat has since evolved since 2018 due to AI and other technology and geopolitical trends. The laws therefore require an urgent update to ensure UK infrastructure and economy is not comparably more vulnerable. This is why we announced the Cyber Security and Resilience Bill, which will improve the UK’s cyber defences, strengthen our regulatory approach and protect more digital services and supply chains.

The government announced in September 2024 that data centres have been designated as critical national infrastructure, meaning the sector will benefit from greater government support in preparing for and managing critical incidents. Further details on the content of the Cyber Security and Resilience Bill will be published in due course.
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Dan Aldridge:To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of (a) AI-enabled and (b) other cyber attacks on economic (i) security and (ii) competitiveness. \p Feryal Clark: Cyber security is a priority for the government. We are taking action to protect businesses, citizens and essential services against cyber threats. Last year the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) said AI will almost certainly increase the volume and heighten the impact of cyber attacks over the next two years, however the impact on the cyber threat would be uneven. The full report is at https://www.ncsc.gov.uk/report/impact-of-ai-on-cyber-threat .

The Cyber Security and Resilience Bill will require regulated organisations to adopt cyber security measures which protect against a wide range of cyber threats, including AI-enabled threats. Further details on the Cyber Security and Resilience Bill will be published in due course.

Cyber attacks cost the UK economy billions of pounds per year, resulting in serious disruption for businesses and individuals, and disruption to supply chains and public services. Cyber attacks harm confidence and investment in UK technology, while intellectual property can be stolen which has cost billions of pounds to develop. The Cyber Security Breaches Survey [https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/cyber-security-breaches-survey] sets out further details on the impact of cyber threats and we will publish further research on this in due course.
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Chi Onwurah:To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether Ofcom has made an estimate of the reduction in fraud on in-scope platforms from the Illegal Content Codes of Practice. \p Feryal Clark: The Online Safety Act gives user-to-user and search service providers new duties for tackling illegal fraud. These duties took effect on 17 March. Providers will need to conduct risk assessments and ensure they put in place systems and processes that proactively tackle fraud. Ofcom set out details about how providers can comply with their duties in its illegal harms codes of practice. Ofcom will keep the effectiveness of its codes under review and strengthen the codes as needed. The department is not aware of any specific estimate for fraud reduction by Ofcom.
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Jade Botterill:To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what progress his Department has made on the rollout of Project Gigabit in Ossett and Denby Dale constituency. \p Chris Bryant: According to the independent website Thinkbroadband.com, over 99% of premises in the Ossett and Denby Dale constituency can access superfast broadband speeds (>=30 Mbps) and over 96% have access to a gigabit-capable broadband connection (>1000 Mbps).

To improve this coverage further, Quickline is delivering several Project Gigabit contracts across Yorkshire, targeted at bringing gigabit-capable broadband to premises in hard-to-reach areas that are unlikely to be otherwise reached by suppliers’ commercial rollout. Work has already commenced in parts of Ossett and Denby Dales.
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Chi Onwurah:To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether he has carried out an impact assessment for the decision to delay implementation of measures in the Online Safety Act 2023 on fraudulent advertising for Category One services. \p Feryal Clark: Ofcom expects to publish the draft Codes of Practice on the remaining duties on categorised services by early 2026, later than it originally anticipated. The fraudulent advertising duties rely on these codes being in force. Separately, the illegal content duties are now in force and user-to-user services must have appropriate measures to protect users from user-generated fraud. The government has published an enactment impact assessment for the Online Safety Act but has not carried out an impact assessment specifically on the timing of the fraudulent advertising duties coming into effect.
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Chi Onwurah:To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether his Department monitors (a) UK research and development capacity and (b) the impact of reductions in funding by university departments on that capacity. \p Feryal Clark: Research England engages regularly with leaders at all research-intensive universities on a range of issues including R&D capacity. The government is concerned about the potential impact of cuts by universities on UK R&D capacity and is monitoring the situation.

We are determined to work with the sector to transition to sustainable research funding models, including by increasing research grant cost recovery as announced by UKRI last week. However, universities also need to take their own steps to ensure they are working as efficiently as possible and cost their research appropriately.
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Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi:To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Environment, Farming and Rural Affairs on the implications of the use of Artificial Intelligence on the water supply. \p Feryal Clark: My department has discussed the implications of Artificial Intelligence with DEFRA, and representatives from UK water companies, on multiple occasions. We also engage the AI data centre industry to understand how water is used and explore potential alternatives or ways to minimise any potential impact on supplies and output of wastewater. Data centres, and the compute they provide, will also play a major role in powering the high-tech solutions to environmental challenges.
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Bobby Dean:To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether his Department is following the UK Science and Technology Framework, published on 6 March 2023; and whether he plans to implement the objectives of that framework by 2030. \p Feryal Clark: The Science and Technology Framework is the integrated, systems-level approach to science and technology (S&T) with a holistic set of ten critical levers that the government can use to drive growth and improve the lives of citizens.

The government is committed to the Framework and to applying these levers to ensure S&T is at the heart of delivering our core priorities including the Plan for Change, the Five National Missions and the Industrial Strategy.
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Imran Hussain:To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether he has considered including transparency and public accountability requirements as part of any regulatory model for advanced artificial intelligence systems. \p Feryal Clark: The government is clear in its ambition to bring forward legislation which allows us to safely realise the enormous benefits and opportunities of the most powerful AI systems for years to come.

These proposals will be highly targeted, will build on the voluntary commitments already secured at the Seoul and Bletchley AI Safety Summits, and will be designed to be future-proofed and effective against this fast-evolving technology.

The government is continuing to refine its proposals, which will incentivise innovation and investment, and will launch a public consultation in due course.
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Bobby Dean:To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, if the International Technology Strategy is still being followed. \p Feryal Clark: The 2023 International Technology Strategy set out an international approach guided by four principles: Open; Responsible; Secure; and Resilient. The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology remains supportive of such principles and continues to prioritise the five critical technologies first outlined in the UK Science and Technology Framework. Collaborating with international partners on technology allows us to access global expertise, accelerate innovation and drive economic growth. For example, Oracle, the US based tech firm, recently announced £3.8 billion of investment in the UK to create jobs, grow the economy, and spur on cloud/ AI development. The forthcoming Industrial Strategy will include more detail on how we are leveraging international partnerships and trade to support this growth driving sector.
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Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi:To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps he is taking to help increase the numbers of leading international scientists who choose to undertake their research in the UK. \p Feryal Clark: The UK boasts a world-leading science base, supported by top universities and research institutions. We are open for business in science and technology and aim to be the destination of choice for globally mobile top talent.

DSIT is committed to working with the R&D sector, including academia and industry, to attract and retain top talent in the UK. This includes funding through UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) and the National Academies, which offer prestigious fellowships and professorships.

The UK's association with the Horizon Europe programme has also opened more opportunities for British scientists and researchers, providing access to extensive funding streams and a collaborative environment that attracts top-tier talent globally.
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Dr Neil Shastri-Hurst:To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, how many meetings his Department has had with representatives of the civilian space sector since 5 July 2024. \p Chris Bryant: Ministers and officials have regular meetings with a range of stakeholders representing the civilian space sector.

Details of ministerial meetings, including the purpose of meetings, are published quarterly on the gov.uk website: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/dsit-ministerial-gifts-hospitality-travel-and-meetings
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Kirsteen Sullivan:To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether he has made an assessment of the potential impact of allocating dedicated radio spectrum access to energy (a) distribution and (b) transmission networks on (i) the resilience and (ii) decarbonisation of those networks. \p Chris Bryant: The government is considering how it can support the development of telecommunications infrastructure for a decarbonised energy system, and whether spectrum access would be appropriate. As part of this, my officials are in regular discussion with the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, Ofgem and Ofcom on energy system telecommunications needs.
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Martin Wrigley:To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what plans his Department has to enable Ofcom to regulate poor customer service. \p Chris Bryant: Ofcom’s principal duty, established by the Communications Act 2003, is to further the interests of citizens and consumers, and Ofcom sets its regulatory framework to promote good outcomes for consumers, in line with this duty.

For telecoms, Ofcom has a duty to set General Conditions with which communications providers must comply. These are published on Ofcom’s website and include conditions on complaints handling and dispute resolution. In addition to this, for example, Ofcom has introduced requirements to send end-of-contract notifications and published guidance to help providers support vulnerable consumers. Ofcom also publishes the Comparing Customer Service (CCS) report to show how customer service levels compare across the telecoms industry.
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Martin Wrigley:To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what discussions he has had with (a) Connecting Devon and Somerset and (b) Airband on (i) resuming full-scale operations and (ii) the effectiveness of communications between the three parties. \p Chris Bryant: Building Digital UK (BDUK) is working with both Connecting Devon and Somerset (CDS) and Airband to identify premises which will no longer be connected via its Superfast contracts for the area. Premises that have been descoped from the Airband contracts and are not in any commercial plans are now eligible for support through Project Gigabit.

However, approximately 6,000 premises across the area are likely to remain in scope of Airband’s subsidised delivery. The supplier expects to resume this work in June and complete it by the end of 2027. BDUK is in regular contact with both parties to monitor this delivery.
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Dr Rupa Huq:To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps his Department is taking to help prevent the public provision of personally identifiable information online. \p Chris Bryant: All organisations in the UK that process personal data must comply with the requirements of the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018 (DPA).

The legislation sets out a series of principles with which organisations must comply. These include the need to process personal data lawfully, fairly, transparently and securely, unless certain limited exemptions apply. The legislation also gives people rights in relation to their personal data, such as the right to seek access to it, object to its processing or seek its erasure.

The legislation does not prevent individuals posting personal data online if it is done for domestic purposes, such as messaging friends, or sharing photos with their social networks, but the platforms that host the data will be subject to the legislation.

If individuals are concerned that organisations are processing their personal data unlawfully, they can complain to the Information Commissioner's Office which is responsible for regulating the legislation.
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Preet Kaur Gill:To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what assessment he has made of proposals to (a) integrate geospatial data into the National Data Library and (b) review licensing barriers to its use. \p Feryal Clark: This Government has been clear that it wants to maximise the benefits from public sector data assets to deliver better public services and cutting-edge innovation. The National Data Library will provide simple, secure and ethical access to our key public data assets for researchers, policy makers and business.

Work is underway to design the National Data Library, including consideration of the data to be included and how it should be licensed, and decisions on its design and implementation will be set out in due course.
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Mr Richard Holden:To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, with reference to the Succession Select AI tool published by his Department on 17 December 2024, whether the First Civil Service Commissioner was consulted about the use of AI for Civil Service appointments. \p Feryal Clark: Succession Select is designed solely as a search tool to identify current Senior Civil Servant (SCS) whose career profiles match the requirements for senior digital roles. This tool is not a part of the SCS hiring process and is an efficiency tool to aid internal talent management and is not used to fill vacancies. As the tool is not part of the hiring process, consultation with the First Civil Service Commissioner was not required or needed.
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Imran Hussain:To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of advanced AI systems on (a) recruitment, (b) performance management and (c) other employment practices; and whether his Department is considering safeguards to reduce this impact. \p Feryal Clark: We are already witnessing AI’s impact within the labour market. We are working to harness the benefits that AI can bring – such as productivity gains, rising living standards, and improved worker wellbeing; while mitigating the risks. DSIT has developed guidance for industry on the responsible adoption of AI in recruitment processes, utilising AI assurance techniques.

The Get Britain Working White Paper from DWP, HMT and DfE also sets out how government will address key labour market challenges. We will continue to work closely with these and other government departments through the AI Opportunities Action Plan on this rapidly developing area.
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Christine Jardine:To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the Online Safety Act 2023 on (a) small websites, (b) personal blogs and (c) community forums. \p Feryal Clark: Under the Online Safety Act, in-scope user-to-user and search services must risk assess for content that is illegal and harmful to children. Ofcom, the independent regulator for this regime, set out what steps small, low-risk providers need to take to fulfil their duties following their risk assessment. When implementing these duties, Ofcom is legally required to ensure burdens on providers are proportionate to their risk factors, size, and capacity. Ofcom recently launched an online digital toolkit, aimed at helping smaller services with compliance (https://www.ofcom.org.uk/online-safety/illegal-and-harmful-content/ofcom-launches-digital-safety-toolkit-for-online-services/
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Sir Julian Smith:To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps he is taking to ensure 4G coverage across Skipton and Ripon constituency in the context of (a) the Shared Rural Network and (b) future smart meter network upgrades. \p Chris Bryant: Skipton and Ripon has already benefited from the industry-funded part of the Shared Rural Network (SRN) which has now been completed. 4G coverage from all four mobile network operators has increased to 67% up from 60% and up from 87% to 90% from at least one mobile network operator since the programme was agreed in 2020. There are further improvements to come via the government funded element of the SRN which will see us upgrade six Home Office masts that will deliver new 4G coverage across Skipton and Ripon for the first time.

The Data Communications Company is required by licence conditions to assess opportunities to increase the overall level of smart meter Wide Area Network coverage and are examining a number of options to reach homes not currently able to get coverage as part of its Future Connectivity strategy, which includes consideration of a full range of technical solutions.
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Sir Julian Smith:To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether any properties in Skipton and Ripon constituency have been identified as very hard to reach by Project Gigabit. \p Chris Bryant: We expect most UK premises to be able to access a gigabit-capable connection through commercial rollout or Project Gigabit by 2030. Due to value for money constraints, very hard to reach premises are not within the scope of Project Gigabit.

As Project Gigabit progresses, we are building a more accurate picture of premises likely to be classed as very hard to reach. This is an iterative process with potential very hard to reach premises present across the UK.

For these premises, we continue to explore alternative connectivity options to ensure people living and working in these communities have the connectivity they require to access online services.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-28)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-03-28 conversation_283

Andrew Gwynne:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to Answer of 19 March 2025 to Question 38013, what Quality Assurance she has that the monitoring undertaken is to the correct standard. \p Lilian Greenwood: National Highways undertakes inspections of the Strategic Road Network in line with the DMRB GS801 Asset Delivery Asset Inspections Requirements standard and the inspectors survey and grade the Strategic Road Network in accordance with The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs’ Code of Practice for Litter and Refuse.

The Office for Road and Rail (ORR), as Highways Monitor, also plays an important role in monitoring National Highways’ litter clearance on behalf of the Secretary of State and holding National Highways to account for its licence commitments. The ORR report annually to Parliament and the public on National Highways’ performance, including litter. If the ORR deem that National Highways is not complying with its statutory directions or complying with the requirements of the Road Investment Strategy, they may determine enforcement action to be appropriate.
wrans/answers2025-03-28 conversation_284
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-28)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-03-28 conversation_284

Preet Kaur Gill:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, will she make an assessment of the potential merits of delivering the next stage of the Midlands Rail Hub. \p Lilian Greenwood: Midlands Rail Hub would kickstart economic growth and break down barriers to opportunity by upgrading connectivity and reliability, and last year £123m was committed to design its first phase. In December, the Chancellor launched the second stage of the Spending Review. All infrastructure investment projects are subject to the outcome of the Spending Review, including the next stage of the Midlands Rail Hub.
wrans/answers2025-03-28 conversation_285
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-28)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-03-28 conversation_285

Andrew Gwynne:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to Answer of 19 March 2025 to Question 38013, what the last date of monitoring litter on the M67 and M60 in Denton was; and what grades each section were marked. \p Lilian Greenwood: National Highways undertakes weekly safety inspections on the M60 and M67. Although litter is not the primary purpose, it is taken into consideration as part of these inspections, and any concerns are recorded.

National Highways’ most recent inspection of the M67 and M60 in Denton took place on 20 March 2025.

The inspection identified the condition of the litter at various locations along these routes as Grade C, as defined in the Defra Code of Practice on Litter and Refuse (Code of practice on litter and refuse). National Highways is currently making arrangements for this litter to be removed.
wrans/answers2025-03-28 conversation_286
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-28)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-03-28 conversation_286

Andrew Gwynne:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 19 March 2025 to Question 38013, what Quality Assurance she has that the removal of litter and detritus is done within the timeframes set out in the Environmental Protection Act 1990; and whether it is done to standards deemed appropriate within the Act. \p Lilian Greenwood: National Highways’ Performance Specification includes a Performance Indicator for litter. This metric monitors the cleanliness of the Strategic Road Network and is the percentage of the Strategic Road Network where litter is graded at A or B as defined in the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs’ Code of practice on Litter and Refuse. National Highways performance indicator score for 2023-24 is 59.2% of the Network is graded at A or B.

National Highways is monitored against its Performance Specification by the Office of Rail and Road (ORR). The ORR report annually to Parliament and the public on National Highways’ performance, including litter. If the ORR deem that National Highways is not complying with its statutory directions or complying with the requirements of the Road Investment Strategy, they may determine enforcement action to be appropriate.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-28)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-03-28 conversation_287

Jonathan Davies:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency is taking to remind motorists when their vehicle tax is due for renewal. \p Lilian Greenwood: The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency sends renewal reminders around three weeks in advance of expiry to remind and encourage vehicle keepers to renew their Vehicle Excise Duty on time.

Vehicle keepers who have a Driver and Vehicles Account can also choose to receive email or text reminders. These are issued up to 21 days in advance of the Vehicle Excise Duty expiring. If the vehicle is not relicensed further emails or texts are sent seven days before expiry, on the day of expiry, and one day after expiry.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-28)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-03-28 conversation_288

Jonathan Davies:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether her Department has considered potential options to support people whose theory tests have expired while waiting for availability for practical tests. \p Lilian Greenwood: It is important that road safety knowledge and hazard perception skills are up to date at the critical point a person drives unsupervised for the first time.

The maximum duration of two years between passing the theory test and a subsequent practical test is in place to ensure that customers’ road safety knowledge and ability to identify developing hazards is current. This validity period is set in legislation, and the Government has no current plans to lay further legislation to extend it.

Ensuring learner drivers have current relevant knowledge and skills is a vital part of the learning to drive process as casualties on our roads are disproportionately new drivers. Learners therefore need to pass another theory test if their two-year theory test certificate expires.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-28)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-03-28 conversation_289

Mrs Elsie Blundell:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps she plans to take to support the use of shore power technology to aid maritime decarbonisation. \p Mike Kane: The Government has published its Maritime Decarbonisation Strategy and a core policy within this is taking action to reduce emissions from vessels whilst at berth. Whilst the Government remains technology neutral, we recognise that shore power will play a role in reducing emissions from vessels whilst at berth, supporting our mission to make Britain a Clean Energy Superpower.

The UK Shipping Office for Reducing Emissions programme has previously allocated over £33m to five shore power demonstrator projects at Aberdeen, Atlantic and Peninsula Falmouth, Cammel Laird shipyard, Leith and Portsmouth.

The Government has also published a call for evidence on Net Zero Ports which will explore the opportunities and barriers to reducing emissions at berth, with a focus on the role ports can play in enabling the shipping sector to decarbonise.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-28)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-03-28 conversation_290

Manuela Perteghella:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent assessment she has made of the effectiveness of the Access for All programme. \p Simon Lightwood: Since April 2024, 21 Access for All projects have been entered into public service, with a further 7 projects due to complete by the end of March. This will be the most stations completed in a single year since the programme began in 2006.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-28)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-03-28 conversation_291

Sarah Hall:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what her planned timetable is for when Northern Powerhouse Rail will be complete. \p Lilian Greenwood: As announced in the Autumn 2024 Budget, which can be accessed on the following webpage: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/autumn-budget-2024, the Government is maintaining momentum on Northern Powerhouse Rail by progressing planning and design works to support future delivery, building upon the Transpennine Route Upgrade. The Government will set out further details of its plans in due course.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-28)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-03-28 conversation_292

Callum Anderson:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent assessment his Department has made of the condition of roads in (a) Buckinghamshire and (b) Milton Keynes. \p Lilian Greenwood: The Government takes the condition of local roads very seriously and is committed to maintaining and renewing the local road network. Data on the condition of local roads is published annually and is available on gov.uk.

Buckinghamshire Council and Milton Keynes Council are the local highway authorities for their respective areas and are therefore responsible for the condition and maintenance of their local road networks.

At Budget 2024, the Chancellor announced an extra £500 million for local highway maintenance for the 2025/26 financial year. Buckinghamshire Council and Milton Keynes Council will receive around £20.7 million and £10.7 million respectively from this Department during 2025/26 to help them carry out their local highway maintenance responsibilities. In each case this represents an uplift of over 35% compared to the current financial year. These totals are subject to both councils meeting new reporting requirements that the Government has introduced. Councils that comply with these new requirements will receive their full funding uplifts, helping to deliver the manifesto commitment to fill a million extra potholes a year as part of the Government’s Plan for Change.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-28)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-03-28 conversation_293

Rebecca Smith:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the draft Sport or Pleasure Vessel Code on small businesses. \p Mike Kane: The public consultation for the Vessels in Commercial Use for Sport or Pleasure Code of Practice and underpinning Statutory Instrument ran from the 4th December 2024 to the 25th February 2025.

A De-Minimis Assessment for the Code of Practice and Statutory Instrument was undertaken to fully consider the potential impacts of the proposed updates on the Sport or Pleasure Vessel sector. The De-Minimis Assessment included specific consideration of the likely impacts on small and micro businesses. The De-Minimis Assessment was published on gov.uk as part of the consultation package and remains publicly available.

As part of the consultation a number of specific questions were posed. This included a question asking whether respondents were aware of small or micro businesses who may be disproportionally affected by the draft measures set out in the Code of Practice or Statutory Instrument. The consultation provided an opportunity for any evidence on potential impacts to be submitted. All consultation responses are currently being reviewed.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-28)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-03-28 conversation_294

Priti Patel:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether she has made an assessment of trends in the level of threats to (a) freedom of navigation in the Red Sea and (b) British (i) vessels and (ii) personnel in 2025. \p Mike Kane: The majority of international shipping ceased operating through the Red Sea after Houthi attacks began in November 2023 and has not returned. My Department continues to provide advice to UK-flagged shipping in the region, and this is kept under regular review.