theodi/ndl-core-corpus huggingface dataset:
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Lee Anderson:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what recent assessment she has made of the potential impact of the increase in National Insurance contributions on organisations that deliver services for SEND children. \p Catherine McKinnell: Most children with special educational needs and disabilities receive their education in mainstream schools. With the increase in employers’ National Insurance contributions from April 2025, the department is providing additional funding of over £930 million in the 2025/26 financial year to support mainstream schools and special schools.
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Rachel Gilmour:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if her Department will make an assessment of the potential merits of implementing a duty of care on universities in relation to extra-curricular activities carried out by affiliated student groups. \p Janet Daby: The department’s position is that a duty of care in higher education (HE) may arise in certain circumstances. Such circumstances would be a matter for the courts to decide, based on the specific facts and context of the case being considered and will be dependent on the courts’ application of accepted common law principles.

The department would expect HE providers and their affiliated student groups to comply with relevant existing legislation and any other guidance. For example, that published by the provider and/or the National Union of Students on matters such as health and safety.
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James McMurdock:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the potential implications for her policies of challenges in finding work placements for T-level courses. \p Janet Daby: High quality industry placements are an important part of what makes T Levels a success. Overall completion rates on industry placements remain high, with 97.5% of students finishing their T Level last summer successfully completing their placement. However, the department recognises that schools and colleges face challenges securing high quality placements for their students in some sectors and regions.

To address this, we have updated our delivery approaches to allow for greater flexibility in how placements can be delivered, including increasing the number of placement hours that can be completed remotely. We also continue to work closely with stakeholders to increase awareness and engagement on T Levels amongst employers of all types. We recently confirmed additional support for T Levels which includes a targeted Employer Support Fund for the 2025/26 financial year, and the extension of the department’s T Level provider and employer support packages for a further year.
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Matt Bishop:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to monitor the administration of CPR training in schools. \p Catherine McKinnell: All state-funded schools in England are required to teach their pupils first aid training, which includes basic first aid and dealing with common injuries, within their statutory health education provision. In addition, pupils in secondary schools are taught further first aid, for example, how to administer CPR and the purpose of defibrillators.

The department does not monitor the administration of CPR training in schools. When undertaking their first aid needs assessments, schools should consider the needs of their staff, pupils and other non-employees such as visitors, and put in place appropriate provision, including in relation to training, as recommended by the Health and Safety Executive and the department’s first-aid guidance for schools
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Gregory Stafford:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what discussions she has had with representatives of the Council for Disabled Children on the potential impact of SEND reforms on (a) special needs children and (b) EHCP allocation. \p Catherine McKinnell: The department regularly works with a range of stakeholders, including the Council for Disabled Children (CDC), on a number of areas relating to special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) policy. We regularly meet the CDC to discuss the development of SEND reforms and their impact on children and young people with SEND and their families. We have appointed Dame Christine Lenehan, former director of the CDC, as SEND adviser to my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education.
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Blake Stephenson:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to the national flood risk assessment data, published on 25 March 2025, whether her Department plans to improve the flood defences of schools in flood zones (a) two and (b) three. \p Stephen Morgan: The department’s Schools Water Strategy team works with delivery partners such as the Environment Agency, water companies and lead local flood authorities to deliver flood prevention measures in schools through a number of workstreams.

The Sustainable Drainage Systems (SuDS) in schools project collaborates with industry experts to jointly fund SuDS’ installation in schools at risk of surface water, reducing their flood risk.

The Environment Agency Partnership contributes funding to enable large-scale community flood schemes to be delivered.

The Property Flood Resilience assesses and implements property flood resilience and recovery measures across the school estate, targeting schools in high-risk areas and schools that have suffered repeated disruption.

Awareness and Education signposts or provides schools with appropriate information and tools to manage their water-related climate risks, as well as educational materials to support this and necessary behavioural changes.

The department has invested in measures to reduce risk to flooding at 573 schools to the end of 2024/25 through the Schools Water Strategy and will continue to invest in flood prevention in schools at risk of flooding in line with the published Sustainability and Climate Change strategy.
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Mark Pritchard:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will take steps with education unions to investigate links between viewing online violent social media content on personal mobile devices and physical attacks on teaching staff in schools. \p Stephen Morgan: All pupils and staff should feel safe and protected at school, and nobody should face violence or abuse. The department will always support our hard working teachers to ensure they can work in safe and calm classrooms. All school employers have a duty to take reasonable steps to protect the health, safety and welfare of their employees.

Schools should prohibit the use of mobile phones and other smart technology with similar functionality throughout the school day, including during lessons, the time between lessons, breaktimes and lunchtime, as set out in the 2024 ‘Mobile phones in schools’ guidance. The department expects all schools to take steps in line with this guidance to ensure mobile phones do not disrupt pupils’ learning.

From July this year, the child safety duties under the Online Safety Act will be in force, requiring online services to protect children from content that is harmful to them, including violent and abusive content. The government recognises concerns about the impact of social media on children, which is why the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology commissioned a feasibility study, led by the University of Cambridge, to investigate methods and data to understand the links between children’s smartphone use, social media and their wellbeing.
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James Naish:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether her Department provides funding for equestrian activities for children with special educational needs and disabilities. \p Catherine McKinnell: The department provides funding for local authorities, schools and other education providers so that they can discharge their statutory duties relating to children with special educational needs and disabilities. It is for local authorities and schools to decide what provision to make available to support their education, and whether that support would include equestrian activities. The department does not collect information on the extent to which such activities are offered.
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Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of financial support available for therapy for adoptive children. \p Janet Daby: The adoption and special guardianship support fund (ASGSF) continues to offer adopted and kinship children a good standard of support, tailored to meet their individual needs. Where needed, local authorities and regional adoption agencies can use their own funding to increase the amount of therapy.

The ASGSF is an important source of support, but it is not the only support available to adoptive families. The department is funding Adoption England with £8.8 million this year to improve services, including specific projects to improve adoption support. This includes the establishment of Centres of Excellence as multidisciplinary teams across health, social care and education.

We are also making £500 million available to local authorities to roll out Family Help and Child Protection nationally to transform services and transition towards earlier intervention. This will nearly double direct investment in preventative services.
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Matt Vickers:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what discussions she has had with small businesses on their needs from the apprenticeship system. \p Janet Daby: Small businesses are a vital part of our economy and apprenticeship system. They provide valuable opportunities in priority sectors for young people and apprentices from disadvantaged areas.

This is why the department will continue to provide an effective levy-funded training offer for learners and employers. Our new growth and skills offer, with apprenticeships at the heart, represents a positive step towards better meeting the skills needs of employers, delivering greater flexibility for learners and employers in England.

The department engages with small employers regularly to promote apprenticeships. During National Apprenticeship Week 2025, we held a round table with small and medium employers and other key partners to better understand the challenges they are facing in recruiting apprentices. This insight allows us to better target engagement activities with small businesses.

Moreover, Skills England will play a key role in engagement with businesses and will be establishing effective forums for collaboration, ensuring that employer voices shape the skills agenda and drive meaningful outcomes. It will work with large and small businesses in the delivery of its functions to identify and tackle skills needs.
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Rachel Gilmour:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will make an assessment of the adequacy of the level of funding for state secondary schools. \p Catherine McKinnell: The overall core schools budget is increasing by £3.7 billion in 2025/26, meaning that it will total £65.3 billion, compared to £61.6 billion in 2024/25. This is a 6% overall increase which, against the backdrop of a challenging fiscal picture, demonstrates the government’s commitment to enabling every child to achieve and thrive through delivery of the Opportunity Mission.

Secondary pupils are attracting £7,316 per pupil on average through the dedicated schools grant in 2025/26. The additional funding to support schools and high needs settings with staff pay awards announced on 22 May, as well as funding in respect of the increases to National Insurance contributions, will be paid on top of that.
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Steve Darling:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she plans to take steps to close the pay gap between (a) school teachers and (b) college teachers to achieve equity within the higher education sector. \p Janet Daby: Further education (FE) colleges, rather than government, are responsible for setting and negotiating pay within colleges. Colleges are not bound by the national pay and conditions framework for school teachers but are free to implement their own pay arrangements in line with their own local circumstances.

On 22 May, the department announced an investment of £160 million for colleges and other 16-19 providers in the 2025/26 financial year. This funding will boost opportunities for learners across the country and drive forward delivery of the critical skills needed to grow our economy.

Additional funding of over £30 million will also be included within 16-19 allocations. This funding comes from within the overall funding envelope of £615 million for 2025/26, announced alongside the 2025/26 school teachers’ pay award. Together, this means that a total additional sum of over £190 million will be available for 16-19 funding in the 2025/26 financial year.
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Noah Law:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of including geology in the Key Stage 3 curriculum, in the context of the Critical Minerals Strategy. \p Catherine McKinnell: The national curriculum in England provides a broad framework within which schools have the flexibility to develop the content of their own curricula. Topics related to geology can be taught within the geography and science curricula.

The government has established an independent Curriculum and Assessment Review for England, chaired by Professor Becky Francis CBE. The Review wants to ensure a rich, broad, inclusive and innovative curriculum that readies young people for life and work. The Review Group published an interim report on 18 March, and the final report with recommendations will be published in the autumn.
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Natasha Irons:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to ensure that schools provide (a) children and (b) young people with information on support available for victims of domestic abuse. \p Janet Daby: ‘Keeping children safe in education’ (KCSIE), our statutory safeguarding guidance for schools and colleges, is clear that all staff should be aware of and provide support to children and young people who might be victims of domestic abuse. KCSIE provides staff with advice on the signs and impact of domestic abuse, and signposts to support for child victims, including the National Domestic Abuse Helpline, the NSPCC Childline and the Operation Encompass helpline.

Through compulsory relationships education, all primary and secondary pupils learn about positive and respectful relationships, and the concepts and laws around sexual harassment and sexual violence.

The department is currently reviewing the relationships, sex and health education (RSHE) guidance to ensure it enables schools to tackle harmful behaviour, starting in primary. As part of the review, we will consider how content on tackling violence against women and girls, including domestic abuse, can be strengthened. We intend to publish final revised RSHE guidance in 2025.
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Natasha Irons:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she has made a comparative assessment of the cost to the public purse of (a) increasing funding for early interventions and (b) conducting late-stage interventions in children’s social care. \p Janet Daby: This government recognises that early intervention improves outcomes and reduces overall public spending.

In the 2023/24 financial year, local authorities’ gross expenditure on children and young people's services was £14.8 billion, a 12% increase in cash terms from 2022/23. £8.1 billion was spent on looked-after children (LAC), an increase of nearly 16% from 2022/23. More than 50% of this increase owed to growth in residential care spending, which increased by 24% and accounted for 39% of LAC spend.

Early intervention has been shown to impact spending on LAC by keeping more families together. An evaluation of the Supporting Families programme highlighted a 32% reduction in the number of LAC over 24 months and estimated that every pound spent on the programme generated £2.28 in benefits.

Building on this evidence, the government has provided over £500 million in the 2025/26 financial year for the Families First Partnership programme, rolling out reforms to Family Help, multi-agency child protection, and family group decision making.

The government’s investment in 2025/26 is a significant step in our ambition to rebalance the children’s social care system towards early intervention, enable local authorities to move towards financial sustainability, and deliver improved outcomes. The government will set out funding plans for future years in phase 2 of the spending review on 11 June 2025.
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Stephen Gethins:To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, pursuant to the Answer of 7 May 2025 to Question 48500 tabled on British Coal Staff Superannuation Scheme, what the Government’s timetable is for considering proposals put forward by British Coal Staff Superannuation Scheme Trustees. \p Sarah Jones: I met the British Coal Staff Superannuation Scheme Trustees in April and am due to meet them again shortly. Officials have recently received the analysis we jointly commissioned from the Government Actuary’s Department and will now use that to inform our consideration of the Trustees’ proposals.
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Sarah Bool:To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment her Department has made of the safety of Battery Energy Storage Systems used for solar farms located close to rural communities. \p Michael Shanks: The Government considers that the safety risks posed by BESS are small and well managed under the robust regulatory framework overseen by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE). This framework requires responsible parties to take measures to ensure health and safety throughout all stages of a battery system’s deployment.

The safety standards framework for BESS is kept under review to respond to changing circumstances. Government, working alongside the industry-led Electricity Storage Health and Safety Governance Group, will continue to monitor events in the sector to ensure that a robust framework is sustained.
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Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi:To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether he has had discussions with Cabinet colleagues on an unified security clearance system across the (a) Ministry for Defence, (b) Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office and (c) Home Office for prospective suppliers in the defence sector. \p Luke Pollard: I can confirm that there is a unified security clearance system for His Majesty's Government, provided by United Kingdom Security Vetting (UKSV), which is part of the Cabinet Office. UKSV is the single government vetting provider of National Security Vetting, including for suppliers, or prospective suppliers, where personnel require a national security clearance. I am meeting cross government colleagues shortly to continue His Majesty’s Government co-ordination of our vetting efforts.
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James Cartlidge:To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to paragraph 61 of the policy paper entitled Security and defence partnership between the European Union and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, published on 19 May 2025, if he will report the regular reviews of progress made in the SDP to Parliament. \p Luke Pollard: The Security and Defence Partnership (SDP) agreed with the EU will strengthen NATO, the cornerstone of the UK’s defence. It will complement our core European bilateral partnerships – particularly France, Germany, Poland, Italy, and Norway.

The SDP will enable dialogue and cooperation on key issues like Ukraine, space, hybrid, maritime security and resilience of critical infrastructure. These exchanges will be flexible and scalable according to need. For example, we are working to ensure that our personnel and assets can more easily move across the European continent in times of both peace and crisis, including exploring participation in PESCO projects that bolster our NATO warfighting plans.

Implementation will be overseen jointly by the Defence Secretary and the Foreign Secretary. The detail of the terms and the modalities for implementation are under discussion, including any exploration of an Administrative Arrangement with the European Defence Agency, UK participation in additional EU crisis management activity and attendance at working level policy and information exchanges or secondments.

Any commitment– whether financial or non-financial – will provide value to the UK taxpayer and deliver the UK’s defence.
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Ben Obese-Jecty:To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 15 May 2025 to Question 46138 on Unmanned Air Systems: Procurement, how many variants within the FPV drones procured by his Department have a NATO stock number; and what those stock numbers are. \p Maria Eagle: Aside from MOD’s procurement of circa 30,000 FPV drones for Ukraine the Army has procured 450 FPVs with a further 3,000 for delivery August 2025. The Royal Navy and Royal Air Force have procured a small number of FPVs for test and evaluation by the Defence Uncrewed Systems Design Authority and the Air and Space Warfare Centre. Details on specific FPV drones for operational purposes are sensitive and therefore any further commentary, including details of NATO stock numbers, would be inappropriate.
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Ben Obese-Jecty:To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will publish a list of which historic medal claims are currently under review by the Independent Advisory Military Sub-Committee (AMSC). \p Al Carns: The Advisory Military Sub-Committee (AMSC) last met on 28 March 2025. The following list consists of all the medallic recognition claims which were considered during that meeting and remain under review, pending the sourcing of further evidence and information. These claims seek to establish new medals or institute new clasps for existing medals, and will be further considered when the AMSC next meets on 9 July 2025.

General Service Medal (GSM) 1918 with Korean War post-armistice clasp.

Greek Civil War Medal.

GSM 1962 and GSM 2008 with Afghanistan Clasp.

GSM 1962 and GSM 2008 with Iraq Clasp.

GSM 1962 and GSM 2008 with Middle East Clasp.

In addition to the above list, new claims received after 28 March 2025 will be considered by the AMSC when it next meets on 9 July 2025.

Any cases approved by the AMSC will then be considered by the Committee on the Grant of Honours, Decorations and Medals (HD Committee) and, if supported, would be passed to His Majesty The King for his approval.
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Ben Obese-Jecty:To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how the Defence and Security Accelerator is funded. \p Maria Eagle: The Defence and Security Accelerator operating costs are centrally funded by the Ministry of Defence.

Funding for Defence and Security innovation competitions come from the competition sponsor.
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Ben Obese-Jecty:To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, on what date the new National Armaments Director Group will be fully operational. \p Maria Eagle: The National Armaments Director Group will become fully operational through phased implementation and will continue to mature and increase its support to operational readiness as it evolves in line with strategic priorities.

Financial Year 2025-26 is a transitional year, with quarterly reform programme milestones and the bulk of the transformation expected to be complete by Financial Year 2026-27.
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Ben Obese-Jecty:To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when the UK Defence Innovation organisation will become fully operational; and who it will be led by. \p Maria Eagle: UK Defence Innovation (UKDI) will be up and running with an initial operating model by July 2025, transitioning to full operational capability in July 2026. It will be led by a suitably empowered Senior Civil Servant and be accountable to the National Armaments Director (NAD) and the Secretary of State for Defence for its delivery, and closely connected to relevant other Government Departments.
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Clive Jones:To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of China's rare earth export restrictions on the defence sector's supply chain. \p Maria Eagle: The (Ministry of Defence) MOD is actively engaged in de-risking critical defence supply chain vulnerabilities, working collaboratively across Government, with industry and our international partners, including NATO, to mitigate risks.

The Department recognises China's influence in global Rare Earth Element (REE) supply chains and the wide-ranging applications of REEs in the defence supply chain. MOD's initial assessment is that China's REE export restrictions pose a low risk to defence outputs at present. But we will keep this under constant review.
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Shaun Davies:To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of raising the retirement age of reservists from 60 to 65. \p Al Carns: I am grateful for the contribution of our Reserve Forces who provide the UK with the ability to meet the threats we face at home and overseas, with the scale, skills, agility and connection to society that it needs, in a cost-effective way.

Alongside the Strategic Defence Review’s interest in Reserves, and in tandem with the transformational work already underway in Defence, I am reviewing the Reserves landscape, in a meaningful and impactful way, to ensure that we are making the most of the unique skills our Reserves offer Defence.

A total of 2,860 Reservists are aged between 55 and 60. Of those, 450 will turn 60 in 2025 if they remain on strength.
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Dr Caroline Johnson:To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will make it his policy to (a) maintain and (b) expand the Greater Lincolnshire Defence and Security Cluster. \p Maria Eagle: This Government recognises the invaluable role Regional Defence and Security Clusters (RDSC) have played in the sector since the first such Cluster was instituted in 2020. Their success in bolstering collaboration between regional industry, academia, local Government and the Ministry of Defence (MOD), and in connecting non-traditional SMEs to the Defence Supply Chain, has been reflected in the sustained expansion of the RDSC network. We welcome today’s launch of its latest member- East RDSC.

A key priority for the forthcoming Defence Industrial Strategy is to use Defence procurement and investment to actively generate wealth, boost export potential and create high quality jobs across all the nations and regions of the UK. RDSCs are vital partners in this endeavour and the MOD will be providing further support to them in due course, including via the recently-announced UK Defence Innovation and SME Support Centre.
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Mr Gregory Campbell:To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many new build Chinook H-47(ER) aircraft will be supplied to the armed forces in the next four years. \p Maria Eagle: The MOD's Chinook Capability Sustainment Programme will commence delivery in 2027, with fourteen H-47(ER) to be delivered within the next four years.
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Dr Rosena Allin-Khan:To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, if she will take steps to encourage local authorities to provide free period products in public buildings. \p Seema Malhotra: The Government supports a number of schemes so that those in most need can access period products. All women and girls being cared for by the NHS are entitled to be given, on request, appropriate period products free of charge. Similarly, the Department for Education run a scheme to provide free period products to girls and women in their place of study; with all state-maintained primary and secondary schools, and 16-19 educational organisations, eligible.

We recognise that period poverty is a symptom of wider poverty and the wider pressures of the cost of living, which is the government is taking steps to improve the overall affordability of products.
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Carla Denyer:To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, with reference to the Government's Code of Practice on consultations, if she will hold discussions with the Chair of the EHRC of the potential merits of extending the EHRC's six-week consultation to 12 weeks. \p Dame Nia Griffith: The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) is independent of government. It is for the EHRC to ensure that the consultation process is appropriate and meaningfully engages with a variety of stakeholders.

The Government expects them to do this widely and broadly, listening to diverse voices, and has engaged EHRC on this. We will then consider the EHRC’s updated draft once they have submitted it.
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Adam Jogee:To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, if she will take steps to mark Age Without Limits Day. \p Dame Nia Griffith: We acknowledge the commitment of the organisers of the Age Without Limits Day and will follow it with interest. Ageism has no place in our society where we want to see and build inclusion, not exclusion.

Questions on Ageism have been likely used in the past to possibly probe a perceived void in Government for looking after the interests of older people, but we continue to monitor and support legislation to tackle ageism or age discrimination. The Equality Act 2010 provides protection against direct and indirect age discrimination in employment. These protections have been in place for some years and were most recently set out in Part 5 of the 2010 Act. The 2010 Act therefore makes it unlawful for an employer to discriminate against an employee or a job applicant because of their age.
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Rachael Maskell:To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, when she plans to enact the socioeconomic measures in the Equality Act 2010. \p Dame Nia Griffith: The Government is committed to commencing the socio-economic duty in the Equality Act 2010. The duty will require specified public bodies, when making strategic decisions, to consider actively how their decisions might help to reduce the inequalities associated with socio-economic disadvantage.

We will work in partnership with public authorities, civil society and others in order to ensure that the implementation of the duty is as effective as possible. As part of this, we have included questions in relation to the socio-economic duty in a call for evidence on equality law, which was launched on 7 April and will be open until 30 June. This will enable public authorities and others to input into plans in relation to the socio-economic duty at an early stage.
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Rachel Taylor:To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, what steps she will be taking to consult a wide range of stakeholders before the publication of the Code of Practice guidance by the Equality and Human Rights Commission in response to the Supreme Court judgement in the case of For Women Scotland v The Scottish Ministers of 16 April 2025. \p Dame Nia Griffith: The Government has set out our expectation that employers and other duty bearers follow the clarity the Supreme Court ruling provides. Where necessary, they should take appropriate specialist legal advice.

The EHRC have opened their consultation on the draft updated statutory Code of Practice, seeking views from affected stakeholders. We encourage people to ensure their views are heard by submitting a response to the consultation by Monday 30th June. We will consider the final draft Code once it has been submitted and are engaging with the EHRC to ensure it provides the further certainty and clarity service providers need, in line with the ruling.

Of course, we will continue to engage with a broad range of stakeholders on equalities issues as we have always done.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-06-05)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-06-05 conversation_345

Kenneth Stevenson:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps her Department is taking to support the decarbonisation of Heavy Duty Vehicles. \p Lilian Greenwood: The Government is committed to decarbonising heavy-duty vehicles, and is supporting this through programmes such as the Plug-in Truck Grant, the Zero Emission HGV and Infrastructure Demonstrator (ZEHID) programme, further funding for the Zero Emission Bus Regional Areas programme, and a bus decarbonisation measure in the Bus Services Bill, which is currently going through Parliament.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-06-05)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-06-05 conversation_346

Kenneth Stevenson:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent assessment her Department has made of the potential economic merits of introducing a Zero Emission Vehicle Mandate for Heavy Duty Vehicles. \p Lilian Greenwood: The Government believes that more needs to be done to decarbonise the road freight sector. We are considering our regulatory approach to decarbonise new non-zero emission heavy goods vehicles and will engage with stakeholders in due course.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-06-05)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-06-05 conversation_347

John Whitby:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what estimate she has made of the level of emission reductions that will be required in the transport sector to meet the targets set out in the sixth carbon budget. \p Lilian Greenwood: As the UK’s largest source of greenhouse gas emissions, decarbonising transport will play an important role in meeting economy-wide carbon budgets. Transport emissions reduced by 10% between 2019 to 2023, but emissions must fall faster to achieve our legal targets. The Government will deliver an updated delivery plan for meeting legislated carbon budgets later this year, with policy detail for all sectors provided up to the end of Carbon Budget 6 in 2037.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-06-05)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-06-05 conversation_348

Callum Anderson:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps her Department is taking to increase the number of available driving tests in Buckingham and Bletchley constituency. \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 waiting times for all customers across Great Britain.

Further information on these actions and progress of DVSA’s plan to reduce driving test waiting times, which was announced in December 2024, can be found on GOV.UK.

The nearest driving test centres to Buckingham are Aylesbury, Bletchley (Milton Keynes) and Leighton Buzzard. As a result of a recent recruitment campaign, the DVSA is in the process of interviewing applicants. So far one applicant has been successful with the interview process for Aylesbury or Bletchley, with a further two applicants currently undertaking the drive element of the recruitment process. The DVSA is continuing with its recruitment campaigns, including for these areas.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-06-05)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-06-05 conversation_349

Sarah Bool:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many public electric charging vehicle points there are in South Northamptonshire. \p Lilian Greenwood: As of 1st April 2025, there were 112 public electric vehicle charging devices in the South Northamptonshire constituency.

Data on public electric vehicle charging devices in the UK are held by the Department for Transport, and are sourced from the electric vehicle charging platform Zapmap. Charging devices not recorded on Zapmap are not included and the true number of charging devices may be slightly higher than recorded in these figures.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-06-05)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-06-05 conversation_350

Rebecca Long Bailey:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what funding her Department has allocated for highways investment. \p Lilian Greenwood: The Autumn 2024 Budget announced nearly £1.6 billion in capital funding for local highways maintenance in England for the financial year 2025 to 2026. This includes £500 million of additional funding when compared to funding levels for 2024 to 2025.

National Highways is responsible for the operation, maintenance, renewal and enhancement of the strategic road network of major A-roads and motorways in England. £4.842 billion of funding for this has been announced for the 2025 to 2026 financial year as part of an Interim Road Investment Strategy published on 24 March.

Funding allocations for highways investment beyond 2025/26 will be determined as part of the Spending Review.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-06-05)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-06-05 conversation_351

Nadia Whittome:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps her Department is taking to improve safety for (a) pedestrians, (b) cyclists, and (c) other road users, in the context of the increase in the use of electric bikes and scooters. \p Simon Lightwood: The Government understands that perceived safety can be a barrier to more people choosing to walk, wheel or cycle. This is why the Department has recently announced almost £300 million of funding for active travel in 2024/5 and 2025/6. While it is for local authorities to make decisions on investment in their active travel networks, Active Travel England works with officers to help support compliance with best practice when delivering walking, wheeling and cycling schemes.

Additionally, The Highway Code was updated in 2022 to improve the safety of all road users, particularly the most vulnerable. Key changes included the introduction of a Hierarchy of Road Users, which ensures that those who do the greatest harm have the greatest responsibility to reduce the danger or threat that they pose to others, along with the strengthening of guidance on safe passing distances and speeds when overtaking cyclists and horse-riders.

No policy decisions on micromobility or e-scooter regulations have yet been made. The Department will consult on any new proposed regulations before they come into force. Until changes are made, private e-scooters remain illegal to use on public roads, cycle lanes and pavements and rental e-scooters can only be used as part of the Government’s rental e-scooter trials. Enforcement is a matter for the police.

The government is making our streets safer, by introducing new cycling offences to tackle those rare instances where victims have been killed or seriously injured by irresponsible cyclist behaviour.

This will ensure that all road users, whose behaviour results in the death or serious injury of another road user will face the same penalties.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-06-05)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-06-05 conversation_352

Wera Hobhouse:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of including renewable electricity supplied to EVs within the Renewable Transport Fuel Obligation. \p Lilian Greenwood: I refer the Honourable Member to my answer given on 19 May to PQ UIN 52503.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-06-05)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-06-05 conversation_353

Mr Andrew Snowden:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps her Department is taking to assess the quality of road construction in Fylde constituency. \p Lilian Greenwood: Local authorities are required to provide data to the Department for Transport each year on the condition of their classified roads. The data is available on gov.uk.

In September 2024, the Government released a new data standard for road condition monitoring (PAS 2161) that will help the sector to innovate and drive efficiencies. Local highway authorities will be required to gather road condition data using this standard from the 2026/27 financial year.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-06-05)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-06-05 conversation_354

Siân Berry:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when she plans to bring forward legislative proposals under the Environment Act 2021 on the compulsory recall of vehicles and engines on the grounds that relevant environmental standards are not met. \p Lilian Greenwood: Vehicle manufacturers are required by law to ensure that the vehicles they place on the market in the UK meet rigorous environmental standards and to recall or fix vehicles if they are found to not meet those standards when on sale. Where vehicle manufacturers do not comply with their obligations, the Market Surveillance Unit within the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency is already empowered to take restrictive measures to prevent vehicles from being made available on the market, or to recall them.

The Government is currently considering how a mandatory recall regime under the Environment Act 2021 could strengthen enforcement of vehicle environmental standards.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-06-05)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-06-05 conversation_355

Adam Jogee:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what progress she has made on reducing the average waiting time for driving tests in (a) Newcastle-under-Lyme and (b) Staffordshire. \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. Significant progress has already been made as part of the DVSA’s 7-point plan to reduce waiting times with 1.95 million tests delivered last year nationally, but there is more work to be done.

The current waiting time for a car practical driving test at Newcastle-under-Lyme and Stafford is 24 weeks.

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 waiting times for all customers across Great Britain. Further information on these actions and progress on DVSA’s 7-point plan, which was set out last year, can be found on GOV.UK.

DVSA is continuing to recruit as many DEs as possible. As a result of recent recruitment campaigns, offers of employment have been made to two potential new driving examiners (DE), one for Stoke-on-Trent (Cobridge) and one for Newcastle-under-Lyme.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-06-05)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-06-05 conversation_356

Alex Mayer:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that flexibilities introduced under the Zero Emission Vehicle mandate do not enable car manufacturers to borrow more compliance credits from future years than they will be able to repay by 2030. \p Lilian Greenwood: The caps on borrowing allowances in the Zero Emission Vehicle Mandate will limit borrowing to under 10% of the new cars a manufacturer registers from 2026 onwards.

As per the Vehicle Emissions Trading Schemes Order 2023, the Secretary of State can decline borrowing requests, where appropriate. This could include where there is reason to doubt a manufacturer will repay the borrowed allowances by 2030.