theodi/ndl-core-corpus huggingface dataset:
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Melanie Onn:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what discussions her Department had with teachers on the removal of the application window for the 2024–25 Student Finance England teacher student loan reimbursement scheme to March 2026, and what assessment she has made of the potential impact of this change on teachers’ (a) cash flow and (b) financial wellbeing. \p Josh MacAlister: In September 2025, the department communicated to eligible teachers that the application window for the Teacher Student Loan Reimbursement (TSLR) scheme was being rescheduled from autumn 2025 to March 2026, so that eligible teachers commit to teaching for the full academic year before they can claim this incentive.

Eligible teachers have always claimed TSLR payments retrospectively, as the policy allows teachers to claim back the student loan repayments they made in the previous financial year if they remain teaching in eligible schools. The rescheduling of the application window to 2 March 2026 is consistent with the policy intent of incentivising teacher retention.

TSLR provides a one-off annual incentive payment on top of the teacher’s salary, which eligible teachers will continue to receive.
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Mr Andrew Snowden:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of an International Student Levy on the ability for universities to deliver (a) high-priority and (b) high-cost courses. \p Josh MacAlister: This government is committed to supporting the aspiration of every person who meets the requirements and wants to attend higher education. We must, therefore, reform the higher education system to better support disadvantaged students. That is why the government will reintroduce targeted maintenance grants before the end of this Parliament. The grants will support students from low-income households studying courses aligned with the government’s missions and the Industrial Strategy, funded by a levy on international student fees.

We will set out further details on the levy and targeted means-tested maintenance grants at Autumn Budget.

The government provides funding through the Strategic Priorities Grant (SPG) on an annual basis to support teaching of expensive-to-deliver subjects. For the 2025/26 academic year, more than two thirds of the £1.3 billion SPG recurrent budget allocated to providers will support the provision of high-cost subjects, for example medicine, dentistry, science, engineering and technology.
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Mr Andrew Snowden:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of an International Student Levy on the ability for universities to deliver on the Industrial Strategy. \p Josh MacAlister: In the Industrial Strategy we recognised the critical role of universities as engines for innovation and skills and announced that the Strategic Priorities Grant will be more effectively targeted towards provision which supports future skills needs in the Industrial Strategy.

On the International Student Levy, we will set out further details including an impact analysis in the Autumn Budget. This will include setting out the amount of the levy and the way in which proceeds will be reinvested into our higher education and skills system through targeted means-tested maintenance grants for students studying courses that support our missions and Industrial Strategy.
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Robbie Moore:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to the National Audit on Group-Based Child Sexual Exploitation and Abuse, published in June 2025, what progress her Department has made on implementing recommendation nine. \p Josh MacAlister: Baroness Casey’s Audit into Group-Based Child Sexual Exploitation and Abuse highlighted a decline in child sexual abuse and exploitation within the department’s children in need data, which is published annually. We are undertaking work to better understand how children who experience child sexual abuse and exploitation are represented in both child in need assessment data and child protection data and will publish analysis by the end of the year.

This will include analysis of demographics, outcomes, trends, local area variation over time and analysis of serious incident notifications.
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Jim Shannon:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to increase substitute funding for schools. \p Georgia Gould: Education is a devolved matter, and the response outlines the information for England only.

The department does not specifically fund substitute provision. However, the overall core schools budget (CSB) is increasing by £3.7 billion in the 2025/26 financial year. Each school has the autonomy to allocate its budget to best meet the needs of its pupils and ensure they have the best opportunities in life. This may involve decisions concerning the hiring of supply staff, since schools, academies and local authorities are responsible for staff recruitment.

The department is also committed to helping schools get better value for their money when hiring supply staff. We are working closely with the Crown Commercial Service on their agency supply deal, which supports schools to obtain value for money when hiring agency supply teachers and other temporary school staff. The deal has established a list of preferred suppliers that schools can access, all of which will be transparent with schools about the rates they charge.

The department continues to conduct policy research into the supply market.
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Neil O'Brien:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many staff were involved in conducting the Equality Impact Assessment of the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill, published in March 2025; and how many hours were spent by (a) Departmental staff and (b) external consultants in its preparation. \p Georgia Gould: The department published an equality impact assessment for the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill upon introduction of the Bill to Parliament. This was last updated 21 March 2025, to reflect changes to the Bill during its Commons passage.

This assessment was prepared by officials responsible for the measures in the Bill. Given the broad scope of this Bill, it is not possible to provide the number of hours spent preparing this document.

No external consultants were involved in the preparation of the equality impact assessment.

The department will continue to monitor the equalities impact of all policies as the Bill progresses through Parliament and update the published impact assessment.
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Mr Andrew Snowden:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what progress her Department has made in reducing delays in issuing Education, Health and Care Plans. \p Georgia Gould: The department knows that parents have struggled to get the right support for their children, particularly through long and difficult education, health and care (EHC) plan processes. We want to ensure that local authorities complete EHC needs assessments promptly, and high quality plans are issued in line with statutory deadlines, so that children and young people can access the support they need.

The department continues to monitor and work closely with local authorities that have issues with EHC plan timeliness. Where there are concerns about a local authority’s capacity to make required improvements, the department will help them identify barriers and develop an effective recovery plan, including support from special educational needs and disabilities advisers where needed.
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Chris Evans:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether her Department plans to take legislative steps to put safeguarding in extracurricular settings on the same statutory footing as (a) schools and (b) statutory services. \p Georgia Gould: The government is committed to safeguarding children across all education settings, including extracurricular providers outside the statutory education and childcare system, referred to as out-of-school settings (OOSS).

All OOSS have a legal duty of care to ensure the safety of children attending their settings. To support providers to meet this duty, the department has published guidance and free accompanying e-learning outlining the safeguarding standards we expect them to meet.

The department has also published guidance for parents and carers to help them make informed decisions when choosing OOSS, which includes potential issues to watch out for and steps to take if concerns arise. These resources are regularly reviewed, including with key stakeholders such as safeguarding partners, sector representatives, and parent groups.

Whilst the department believes most OOSS offer enriching education in a safe environment, we want this to be true for all. That’s why the government launched a call for evidence on 29 May to better understand safeguarding practices in the sector and invite views on approaches for further strengthening safeguarding, including potential regulation. This closed on 21 September, and we are currently analysing responses. We will publish our response, including next steps, in due course.
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Mr Andrew Snowden:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to help ensure equal access to higher education for deaf students. \p Josh MacAlister: Support for people with hearing impairments in higher education (HE) is guided by legal duties under the Equality Act 2010, with tailored provisions depending on the setting and the needs of the individual.

All education and training providers, including HE, and other related service providers, have a duty to make reasonable adjustments for disabled people, including those with hearing impairments, so they are not placed at a substantial disadvantage compared to non-disabled students.

Reasonable adjustments can include adapting teaching methods (providing materials in accessible formats or using assistive technology), modifying assessments (offering extra time or alternative formats), ensuring physical accessibility (ramps or accessible accommodation), and offering personalised support services (including note takers, interpreters, or mental health support).

In addition, Disabled Students’ Allowance is available for eligible HE students for the provision of more specialist support. This might include specialist equipment, travel costs and non-medical helpers such as British Sign Language interpreters or specialist notetakers for students who are deaf or have hearing loss.
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Mr Andrew Snowden:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will commission an independent audit to confirm that no structural materials are present that pose risks to the (a) safety and (b) integrity of all school and college buildings. \p Josh MacAlister: It is the responsibility of those who run our schools, such as academy trusts and local authorities, to collect and record information about their buildings and to ensure they are safe, well-maintained and comply with relevant regulations. The department provides guidance on this in the ’Good estate management for schools’ guidance, which is available here: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/good-estate-management-for-schools.

The department has undertaken extensive work to address risks associated with structural materials in the estate. We have removed Intergrid and Laingspan buildings and have committed to removing reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete, or starting rebuilding schemes to replace affected buildings, by the end of this parliament.

The department is continuing this work through a £5 million research programme by leading material and engineering experts. This will identify if there are emerging structural safety risks in the post-war estate. We have regular discussions with relevant professional bodies and material specialists about evidence regarding the safety of construction types and materials.
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Gareth Snell:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many looked after children there were in each year since 1994 by reason the episode of care ceased. \p Josh MacAlister: Information on children looked after, including those ceasing care, for the latest five years is published in the annual statistical release: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/children-looked-after-in-england-including-adoptions/2024.

Data on placements with foster carers, for the last five years, is available at: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/data-tables/permalink/769dd855-b3f1-4884-95dc-08de11382822. Information is not collected on the specific relationship to the child, so we are not able to distinguish between friends, relatives or parents as the responsible person(s).

Information for the latest five years, as at 31 March, on children looked after by legal status can be found at: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/data-tables/permalink/f866f48d-beea-4067-95e8-08de11382822.

Information for the latest five years on the children who ceased care, by reason episode ceased and age on ceasing, can be found at: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/data-tables/permalink/e784faaa-438e-4d3e-7abd-08de11c58191.

Figures for years from 2006 are contained in previous years’ releases at: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/statistics-looked-after-children.

Figures for years 1995 to 2003 can be found in the statistical release children looked after by local authorities, year ending 31 March: http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20130107105354/http:/www.dh.gov.uk/en/Publicationsandstatistics/Statistics/StatisticalWorkAreas/Statisticalsocialcare/DH_4086766.

Similarly data for 2003/04 can be located at: https://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/ukgwa/20110906154947/http://www.education.gov.uk/rsgateway/DB/SFR/s000533/index.shtml.

Data for 2004/05 can be found at: https://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/ukgwa/20110906153807/http://www.education.gov.uk/rsgateway/DB/SFR/s000615/index.shtml.
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Kim Johnson:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to implement (a) foster care reforms, (b) initiatives to improve the (i) recruitment and (ii) retention of foster carers and (c) other measures outlined in the Government’s response to the Education Select Committee’s report on Children’s Social Care published on 17 October 2025. \p Josh MacAlister: We must take urgent action to substantially increase foster care numbers. The government is delivering a regional programme for fostering recruitment and retention to streamline the process for prospective carers. There are ten regional fostering recruitment hubs, covering over 60% of local authorities in England. The hubs will continue to rollout the Mockingbird Programme, which offers peer-support to foster carers and children in their care.

Foster care is one of my top priorities as Minister for Children and Families, and we will need to go further and faster with recruiting and retaining more carers. We are prioritising fostering in our reform of children’s social care, as evidenced by the announcement of an additional £40 million investment over the next two financial years. This will benefit thousands of fostered children. We will set out more detail on our planned investments and reforms for fostering in due course.
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Tom Morrison:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will make an assessment of the potential impact of making care experience a protected characteristic on (a) inequities and (b) levels of discrimination against (i) children in care and (ii) care leavers. \p Josh MacAlister: The government is committed to tackling the stigma, discrimination, and poor outcomes experienced by care-experienced young people. We believe the most effective way to address this is by raising awareness of the challenges they face, which will be achieved through introducing corporate parenting responsibilities across government departments and relevant public bodies.

By placing a duty on government departments and relevant public bodies, the corporate parenting duty will create a culture shift to support improved outcomes for young people in the care system and those with care experience.

The legislation captures the bodies that we believe have the biggest impact on the lives of children in care and care leavers, including departments and bodies linked to educational attainment, employment support, and the criminal justice system. The government does not have plans to amend legislation to make care experience a protected characteristic.

The impact of the measures in the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill on business, equalities and child rights has been evaluated and is accessible at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/childrens-wellbeing-and-schools-bill-impact-assessments.
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Jim McMahon:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what funding his Department is providing to Greater Manchester to fund the removal of Clean Air Zone signage in the region. \p Simon Lightwood: The Department for Transport 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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Mr Richard Holden:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 24 October 2025 to Question 82409 on Railways: Public Ownership, whether she has defined best practice standards for publicly-owned train operating companies since 10 October 2025. \p Keir Mather: Publicly owned train operating companies will continue to have regard to a range of industry best practices and deliver services under Services Agreements with the Secretary of State, which sets out specific requirements and performance expectations. As part of the transition towards the establishment of Great British Railways, the Department continues to work with DfT Operator Limited (DFTO) as they identify and share examples of effective practice across public sector operators.
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Mr Richard Holden:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether her Department plans to retain statutory independence for the Office of Rail and Road in relation to its (a) appeal and (b) enforcement functions following the establishment of Great British Railways. \p Keir Mather: Following the establishment of Great British Railways, the Office for Rail and Road will continue to have an independent statutory role, including in hearing appeals and providing enforcement across key areas. More detail on the proposed role of the Office of Rail and Road can be found in the Government response to the consultation ‘A railway fit for Britain’s future’.
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Mr Richard Holden:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 28 October 2025 to Question 84697 on Railways: Fares, what definition her Department uses for the right fare within the Great British Railways ticketing model; whether that definition requires passengers to be offered the lowest available fare for the train they travel on; and whether the fare simplification reforms will apply to open access operators. \p Keir Mather: What constitutes the right fare differs depending on passenger needs. For example, some passengers may require more flexibility to travel at an earlier or later time than others.

Open access operators will remain able to set their own fare structures in the future, but the government supports all efforts to make the system easier for passengers to navigate.
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Mr Richard Holden:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 15 October to Question 77637 on Railways: Industrial Disputes, whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of taking steps to introduce minimum service levels legislation in the context of industrial action on the transport network since 4 July 2024. \p Keir Mather: Minimum Service Levels (MSLs) legislation was brought in under the Conservative Government and the Labour Government is repealing it. MSLs do not support a positive and productive relationship between employers, employees, and their trade unions. The implementation of MSLs legislation only exacerbated the national rail disputes, which led to two years of widespread strikes under the last Government. There has been no such industrial action since the General Election.
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Mr Richard Holden:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 28 October 2025 to Question 84697 on Railways: Fares, what estimate her Department has made of the number and proportion of passengers who will pay a higher fare; and if she will publish the (a) calculations and (b) methodology that inform this estimate. \p Keir Mather: Future passenger fares under GBR are subject to ministerial decisions not yet made. Estimates therefore cannot be provided at this time.
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Mr Richard Holden:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to her written statement of 4 December 2024 on Railway Passenger Services, HCWS281, which working practices she intends to reform as part of the Department's plans to modernise the railways; and if she will publish (a) a list of the practices under review and the (b) potential impact of changes to those practices on (i) staff, (ii) service reliability and (iii) costs to the public purse. \p Keir Mather: Reforms to working practices are taking place via the usual processes, i.e. led by train operators locally, in partnership with trade unions.
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Mr Richard Holden:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 15 October 2025 to Question 77637 on Rail Strikes, whether she made an assessment of the potential merits of using powers under the Strikes (Minimum Service Levels) Act 2023 in the context of industrial action on the transport network since 4 July 2024. \p Keir Mather: Minimum Service Levels (MSLs) legislation was brought in under the Conservative Government and the Labour Government is repealing it. MSLs do not support a positive and productive relationship between employers, employees, and their trade unions. The implementation of MSLs legislation only exacerbated the national rail disputes, which led to two years of widespread strikes under the last Government. There has been no such industrial action since the General Election.
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Mr Richard Holden:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what estimate her Department has made of the impact of the Sustainable Aviation Fuel Mandate on average airline ticket prices in (a) 2025, (b) 2026 and (c) each of the next ten years. \p Keir Mather: I refer the hon Member to the answer I gave on 23 October 2025, to Question UIN 78707 page 61 of the Sustainable Aviation Fuel Mandate Final stage Cost Benefit Analysis, covers estimates on air fares.

We recognise the importance of protecting consumers from excessive costs, and this principle is embedded in both the SAF Mandate and the Revenue Certainty Mechanism.

The SAF Mandate includes a built-in review process, enabling Government intervention if costs become excessive. Meanwhile, the Revenue Certainty Mechanism helps reduce the cost of producing SAF in the UK by lowering the cost of capital for domestic plants.

To ensure the Mandate remains aligned with technological and commercial developments, it will be continuously monitored, including its impact on consumers. Formal reviews will be published at least every five years, with the first scheduled for 2030. These reviews will also ensure continued alignment with broader government policies and strategies.
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Mr Richard Holden:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 20 October 2025 to Question 78709 on Great British Railways: Staff, if she will make an estimate of the number of staff who will be employed by Great British Railways once those transfers are complete. \p Keir Mather: GBR will be established as a consolidated new arms-length body from more than 17 existing organisations, and as a result, we estimate it will employ around 90,000 staff. We are developing GBR’s design and resourcing model to ensure GBR is an agile and efficient public service, and we will continue to engage on our plans and the impact on staff.
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Mr Richard Holden:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 17 October 2025 to Question 77648 on Railways: Automation, whether the take-up of automated train operation technology will form part of the bespoke performance standards to be applied to future rail investment decisions. \p Keir Mather: The Government will continue to consider the most appropriate ways to deliver a modern railway that provides benefits for passengers and taxpayers, including through improved performance. We will always assess the opportunity for making best use of technology in achieving this goal.
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James Wild:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps her Department is taking to improve public transport connections in (a) North West Norfolk constituency and (b) rural areas. \p Lilian Greenwood: The Government knows that a modern public transport network is vital to providing access to services and keeping communities connected. We have introduced the Bus Services Act 2025 to put power over local bus services back into the hands of local leaders, including in rural areas. In addition, the Government has confirmed over £1 billion for the 2025 to 2026 financial year to support and improve bus services in England outside London. Norfolk County Council has been allocated £15.9 million of this funding, helping to improve bus services and connectivity across the area, including North West Norfolk.

Rail services in North West Norfolk are supported by requirements on train operators to plan services and design timetables to meet both current and future passenger demand, while also ensuring value for money for the taxpayer. The Government commitment to public ownership through Great British Railways will also help to deliver a unified system that focuses on reliable, affordable, high-quality and efficient transport services, whilst also ensuring safety and accessibility. Under public ownership, passenger services can be operated in the interests of passengers, not shareholders.

The Government also intends to publish its Integrated National Transport Strategy. It will focus on creating a transport network that works well for people, including those in rural areas.
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Mr Richard Holden:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what discussions she has had with (a) Innovate UK and (b) the Secretary of State for Business and Trade on (i) supporting research, development and commercialisation of (A) advanced road surfacing materials and (B) graphene-enhanced and recycled products; and (ii) assessing the potential for British manufacturing and export growth arising from those low-carbon technologies. \p Simon Lightwood: Advanced road surfacing materials, including graphene-enhanced and recycled products have the potential to deliver significant benefits to the UK, through helping deliver cost effective and long-lasting road surfaces. They may also present an opportunity for British innovators and manufacturers.

While the Secretary of State for Transport has not had discussions with Innovate UK or the Secretary of State for Business and Trade about these matters, the Department is supporting innovation in relation to such products through its Transport Research and Innovation Grants, and as part of its £30 million Live Labs 2 programme.

Projects funded as part of Live Labs 2 include the trialling and demonstration of sustainable materials and processes and the creation of toolkits and databases so that all local highway authorities can access findings and lessons learned from the programme.
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Mr Richard Holden:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 18 September 2025 to Question 76331 on the Road Investment Strategy 2, what the value is of each RIS2 scheme that was written off; and what the total value of the write-offs was. \p Simon Lightwood: The values of the written-off projects are detailed in the National Highways’ Annual Report and Accounts 2025.
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Mr Richard Holden:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps she is taking to help (a) promote UK-based innovation in road (i) maintenance and (ii) resurfacing and (b) ensure that (A) public procurement and (B) supply chain standards support the adoption of such technologies. \p Simon Lightwood: The Government takes the condition of local roads very seriously and is determined to support local highway authorities in adopting new and innovative technologies to maintain and improve their highway networks in a way that is cost effective and reduces carbon impacts.

For example, the Department has funded Live Labs 2, a three-year, £30 million programme designed to support the local highways sector to adopt innovation and reduce its carbon impacts. Projects funded under the programme include the trialling and demonstration of sustainable materials and processes, and the creation of toolkits and databases so that all local highway authorities can access findings and lessons learned from the programme. Each project is a collaboration between a local highway authority, a contractor, and at least one UK university.

Further to this, in March, the Prime Minister announced that to receive their full allocation of this year’s £500m uplift in highways maintenance funding, all councils in England must publish annual progress reports and prove public confidence in their work. These reports also require local highway authorities to set out how they are adopting innovation in highways maintenance. This is helping to highlight positive innovations and new technologies and encourages authorities to learn from each other.

Finally, the Department is currently updating the Code of Practice for Well Managed Highways Infrastructure. The Code provides guidance to local authorities on the delivery of safe, efficient, and sustainable highway services through a risk-based, evidence-led approach to asset management. This update will ensure the Code reflects the latest best practice on innovative and low-carbon road repair technologies.
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Mr Richard Holden:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to the oral contribution of the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Transport of 3 September 2025 on Pavement Parking, column 165WH, when she plans to publish the Government’s response to the consultation on Managing pavement parking which closed on 22 November 2020; and whether that response will include measures relating to (a) people with sight loss and (b) other disabled pedestrians. \p Lilian Greenwood: The previous government failed to publish a response to its own 2020 consultation on pavement parking. This Government fully understands the serious problems that vehicles parked on the pavement, and other obstacles on the pavement, can cause for pedestrians, especially for people with mobility or sight impairments and disabled people with wheelchairs, prams or pushchairs, and is currently working through policy options and the appropriate means of delivering them. We will announce next steps and publish a response as soon as possible.
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Jenny Riddell-Carpenter:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether she plans to respond to the consultation entitled Pavement parking: options for change, published on 31 August 2020. \p Lilian Greenwood: The Department has been considering all the views expressed in response to the 2020 pavement parking consultation and is currently working through the policy options and the appropriate means of delivering them. We will announce the next steps and publish our formal response as soon as possible.
wrans/answers2025-11-05 conversation_160
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-11-05)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-11-05 conversation_160

Mr Richard Holden:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 28 October 2025 to Question 83389 on Transport: Exhaust Emissions, what estimate she has made of (a) total transport-sector emissions between 2025 and 2050 and (b) emissions from (i) cars and vans, (ii) shipping, (iii) aviation, and (iv) rail, (c) total emissions savings from UK Government interventions in those sectors over that period (A) in megatonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent, (B) as a percentage of total projected emissions and (d) the total estimated cost of those interventions to (1) the public purse and (2) consumers. \p Keir Mather: The Government’s annual publication titled ‘Energy and Emissions Projections’ (EEP) provides estimates of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions out to 2050 after accounting for policies that have been implemented and planned policies where the level of funding has been agreed, and the policy design is near final. For transport, this includes GHG emissions estimates for domestic transport and international aviation and shipping. The latest publication can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/energy-and-emissions-projections-2023-to-2050.

The Government’s Carbon Budget and Growth Delivery Plan (CBGDP) was published on 29 October 2025. EEP estimates provided the basis for the emissions baseline in the CBGDP, but some modelling adjustments were made to better align the EEP with sectoral modelling. This approach is explained in the CBGDP Technical Annex, at paragraphs 20 to 21: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/6901dfae71b575684c3cf78a/carbon-budget-and-growth-delivery-plan-technical-annex.pdf

The CBGDP published estimates of the impact of transport policies and proposals on GHG emissions between now and the end of the Carbon Budget 6 period in 2037. This includes transport policies captured in the EEP, and modelled proposals and policies. Estimates of transport policies’ impact on GHG emissions are included in Table 3 and Table 4 of the CBGDP: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/6901d0c2a6048928d3fc2b55/carbon-budget-and-growth-delivery-plan-report.pdf
wrans/answers2025-11-05 conversation_161
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-11-05)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-11-05 conversation_161

Mr Richard Holden:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of progress towards the (a) lower bound and (b) mid-point rollout figures of the 2030 demand projection range for public electric vehicle chargepoints; and what the projected annual installation rate is. \p Keir Mather: As of 1 October 2025, Government and industry have supported the installation of 86,021 publicly available charging devices, up 23% on this time last year.

The Department does not project an annual installation rate but, as noted by the National Audit Office (NAO) in its report published in December last year, the number of public chargepoints being installed is on track to meet the expected demand for 300,000 chargepoints in 2030. As published in the NAO report, the Department’s 2024 estimated range of potential future demand for chargepoints is around 250,000 – 550,000 in 2030. This expected range will likely be updated as the electric vehicle and charging market evolves.
wrans/answers2025-11-05 conversation_162
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-11-05)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-11-05 conversation_162

Alex Mayer:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether she plans to publish an update to the National Travel Attitudes Study statistics. \p Simon Lightwood: The National Travel Attitudes Study (NTAS) is currently paused whilst the department explores options for its future.
wrans/answers2025-11-05 conversation_163
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-11-05)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-11-05 conversation_163

Helen Maguire:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many MOT centres in England in (a) 2022-2023, (b)2023-2024 and (c)2024-2025 assessed for exhaust noise as per section 8.1.1. of the MOT inspection manual: cars and passenger vehicles. \p Simon Lightwood: It is a mandatory requirement for all MOT centres in England to assess for exhaust noise when conducting an MOT.

During the emissions test the tester is required to use their judgement to assess the exhaust noise, either as part of the emissions test or by raising the engine speed to around 2,500rpm or half the maximum engine speed.

The numbers below show how many active MOT testing stations there are in England, who have carried out MOTs. This would include being assessed for exhaust noise.

The numbers below show how many vehicles passed their MOT in (a) 2022-2023 (b) 2023-2024 and (c) 2024-2025. This would include being assessed for exhaust noise.
wrans/answers2025-11-05 conversation_164
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-11-05)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-11-05 conversation_164

Dr Al Pinkerton:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps her Department is taking to improve the accuracy of vehicle registration data held by the DVLA. \p Simon Lightwood: The latest available data shows more than 93 per cent of vehicle keepers are contactable and traceable from the information held on the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA)’s record. Of the remainder, around six per cent are in the motor trade where a vehicle may legitimately have no registered keeper.

The DVLA works to reduce the number of vehicles that have no registered keeper or are unlicensed through a combination of enforcement, collaboration and education. The DVLA works with more than 80 local authorities and police forces to identify and act on vehicles which do not have a registered keeper. The DVLA also deploys Automatic Number Plate Recognition vehicles to detect unlicensed or unregistered vehicles and sends reminders as well as promoting easier payment options to encourage people to license their vehicle on time.

There are long-standing legislative requirements in place to ensure that keepers notify the DVLA when they buy and sell a vehicle. It is an offence to use a vehicle that does not have a registered keeper.
wrans/answers2025-11-05 conversation_165
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-11-05)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-11-05 conversation_165

James McMurdock:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that nationalised rail operators (a) remain commercially viable and (b) ensure that lower-income passengers are able to commute. \p Keir Mather: Public sector train operators deliver passenger services under Services Agreements with the Secretary of State. Services Agreements are customer-focused, performance-focused and will support the financial sustainability of the railways for taxpayers.

This Government is overhauling the fares and ticketing system to make it easier for passengers to trust that they are buying the right ticket and getting the best fare. We need to balance affordability for both passengers and taxpayers as we reform fares and deliver Great British Railways, ensuring everyone gets a fair deal.

Track and train will be brought together so that decisions can be made on a whole-industry basis, with a single view across railway costs and revenue, rather than being driven by what is best for individual organisations.

A proposed new funding process, to be established in legislation, will facilitate integrated decisions and enable Great British Railways to deliver its agreed business plans and the strategies of railway funders.
wrans/answers2025-11-05 conversation_166
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-11-05)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-11-05 conversation_166

James McMurdock:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether her Department is taking steps to ensure that nationalised rail operators retain discounts for off-peak travel. \p Keir Mather: This Government is overhauling the complex fares and ticketing system to make it easier for passengers to trust that they are buying the right ticketing and getting the best fare. We need to balance affordability for both passengers and taxpayers as we reform fares and deliver Great British Railways, ensuring everyone gets a fair deal.

On longer-distance routes, we need to move away from the inefficient and unacceptable situation where some ‘peak’ trains run nearly empty while some ‘off-peak’ trains are overcrowded. To address this, we are trialling more flexible, demand-based pricing on some London North Eastern Railway routes.
wrans/answers2025-11-05 conversation_167
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-11-05)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-11-05 conversation_167

James McMurdock:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if she will make an assessment of the potential impact of the withdrawal of discounts for off-peak travel on (a) passenger numbers on and (b) the commercial viability of the C2C line. \p Keir Mather: There are no plans to remove off-peak tickets on c2c services. The whole of the c2c network is part of the Pay As You Go (PAYG) network in the South East. So, peak and off-peak timings are now aligned with Transport for London (TfL). While PAYG with contactless does not currently include the ability to link railcards to contactless bankcard, I would like to assure you that we are working with TfL on the functionality to use Railcard discounts on PAYG with contactless. In the meantime, passengers will continue to be able to use Railcard discounts on the equivalent barcode, smartcard, and magstripe tickets.

From 1 October 2025, the Online Advance was removed and replaced with 1/3 Off Saver only available Fridays to Sundays. The changes made were designed to realign the offer with the target leisure travel market by limiting eligible journeys Fridays to Sundays, avoiding revenue abstraction from commuters and to reduce the available discount to a point that is more standard within the industry (for example, for Railcards and Groupsave) to simplify the messaging.

These changes are not expected to impact passenger numbers or the commercial viability of the c2c line.
wrans/answers2025-11-05 conversation_168
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-11-05)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-11-05 conversation_168

Mr Richard Holden:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 24 October 2025 to Question 82751 on HGV Parking and Driver Welfare Fund, what the total budget was for that fund; how much of that budget remains unspent; and how that fund relates to the £14 million in joint government and industry funding announced on 9 October 2024 for improvements to freight working conditions. \p Keir Mather: As set out in my response to Question 82751 there have been three funding windows of the Lorry Parking and Driver Welfare Matched Funding Grant Scheme launched in 2022, 2023 and 2024.

£13,849,303.45 of government investment has been awarded in total across the three windows. This does not include projects that have been cancelled by operators to date, subsequent to receiving an award.

The 9 October 2024 announcement included up to £4.5 million government investment awarded in window 3 of the Grant, matched by up to £8 million industry investment. Four projects that were awarded funding in the third window have subsequently been cancelled by operators. The remaining funds in that announcement were investment for 10 small and medium enterprises (SMEs) to trial new groundbreaking technology for decarbonising freight and driving innovation in the sector.

All applications that met the Lorry Parking and Driver Welfare Matched Funding Grant Scheme’s criteria were funded in each window. Investment therefore reflects demand from the truck stop and lorry parking industry. The Grant is on top of up to £30 million National Highways joint investment with industry in lorry parking.

Underspends against specific budgets are reallocated to other priorities within DfT where possible. Any departmental underspend at the end of the financial year is returned to HMT.