Written questions by Robertson.

What information his Department has provided to members of the Northern Ireland Assembly on the relationship between the UK ETS maritime extension and potential CBAM impacts prior to the Assembly’s consideration of the relevant statutory instrument.

The Common Understanding published in May 2025 following the UK-EU Summit with the EU to work towards establishing a link between the UK ETS and the EU ETS. This sets out the parameters for a linking agreement, including that the link should apply in respect of domestic and international maritime. It also states that linking will facilitate an exemption from the EU CBAM, removing a major barrier to trade and lowering costs for UK businesses. UK exports of goods in scope of EU CBAM are worth almost £7bn, and without a CBAM exemption, UK exporters could face large administrative and direct costs.

What criteria were used to determine exemptions from the UK Emissions Trading Scheme maritime extension; and for what reason Isle of Wight ferry services were not included in the exemptions.

There is a high bar for exemptions as these undermine the policy objectives. However, the Government agreed to exempt ferries serving Scotland’s islands because of the unique and pressing challenges they face, alongside the legal duties to consider island populations under the Islands (Scotland) Act 2018.

Pursuant to the answer of 18 March 2026 to Question 120007, how much of the average annual real-terms reduction in HS2 capital spending between 2025-26 and 2029-30 will be achieved through (a) efficiency savings, (b) reprofiling of expenditure, (c) changes to project scope and (d) changes to the delivery timetable.

The HS2 Spending Review settlement reflects the scope of work that the HS2 programme plans to deliver over the period 2026/27 to 2029/30. The average annual real-terms growth rate of -7.9% detailed in the Spending Review report reflects changes in annual spend over this period, based on the expenditure profiles HS2 Ltd agreed with the Department for Transport to deliver Phase 1 scope. It reflects the stages of the programme and supports the reset of the programme Mark Wild is conducting.

What the average domestic electricity standing charge is; and how this has changed since 2021.

The department publishes statistics on the cost of domestic electricity and gas.Annual domestic energy bills - GOV.UK This includes tables (2.2.4 for electricity and 2.3.4 for gas) outlining the average fixed cost (standing charge) in £/year for the United Kingdom and by region, alongside the average unit price in £/kWh. These are calculated using data supplied directly to the department by a sample of domestic energy suppliers.

What the latest electric vehicle market share is as a proportion of new car registrations; and what projections her Department has made for that figure.

The zero emission vehicle share of new cars registered in 2025 was 22.9% according to DfT's faster indicators of transport activity, updated March 2026: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/developing-faster-indicators-of-transport-activity#:~:text=Cars%20and%20light%20goods%20vehicles%20registered%20for%20the%20first%20time%20by%20body%20type%20and%20fuel%20type The Government last published projections for new zero emission vehicle sales in the Cost Benefit Analysis for the Vehicle Emissions Trading Schemes (Amendment) (No.2) Order 2025. The Government regularly updates its analysis to account for changes in the market environment.

How many potholes were filled on local roads in England in each of the last three financial years; what estimate her Department has made of the number of potholes filled in (a) 2024–25 and (b) 2025–26 to date; what baseline year is being used to measure the Government’s commitment to fix an additional one million potholes per year; and how many additional potholes have been repaired above that baseline since July 2024.

Under section 41 of the Highways Act 1980, local highway authorities are responsible for the condition of their local road networks, including repairing defects such as potholes. Data on the number of potholes repaired by each local highway authority during the last five years is published in authorities’ highways maintenance transparency reports. The record £7.3 billion funding settlement over the next four years will bring annual funding for local authorities to repair and renew their roads and fix potholes to over £2 billion annually, doubling annual funding by 2029-30 compared to 2024-25 levels. This funding increase is enough to enable local authorities to fill millions of additional potholes in each year of this Parliament when compared to 2024-25. At the same time, the Department is also expecting local highway authorities to adopt best practice in highways maintenance, which includes a greater focus on preventative maintenance so that fewer potholes form in the first place and a greater focus on permanent pothole repairs to reduce the need for repeated and more costly temporary repairs.

What estimate his Department has made of current battery costs per kWh; and what assumptions underpin projections for future cost reductions.

My Department does not publish an official estimate and for benchmarking we reference internationally trusted, independent sources.Battery technology is becoming increasingly important for our national resilience. Global demand for batteries is surging, the battery value chain from raw material extraction to cell production is very concentrated.We work closely with international partners to improve security of supply, and the Industrial Strategy published last year clearly shows the importance of building a competitive domestic battery supply in delivering economic resilience and growth for the UK.

Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to WPQ 119491, whether the Department holds a project-level financial breakdown of NO2 Programme expenditure as part of its reporting to the Government Major Projects Portfolio.

Appropriate programme level reporting of spend and forecasts are provided regularly to the Government Major Projects Portfolio in line with agreed reporting requirements.

Pursuant to the Answer of 9 March 2026 to Question 116584 on Aviation: Colour Vision Deficiency, what assessment she has made of the effectiveness of the published evidence and legal findings relating to operational colour vision assessments in other jurisdictions.

While some national aviation authorities have begun to explore operational colour vision assessments, the UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) is not aware of any peer‑reviewed evidence demonstrating their validation or safety equivalence to established testing methods. The UK CAA does liaise with other regulators that have implemented operational colour vision assessments. This includes discussions on their experience with these assessments, which will be taken into consideration to inform future UK CAA policy.

What assessment she has made of the increase in income generated by West Midlands Police from escorting abnormal loads over the past five years; and what guidance her Department provides to police forces on charging haulage operators for such escorts.

West Midlands Police is responsible for how guidance on charging for abnormal roads is implemented in its area. Local variation in the management of abnormal loads may be necessary to account for factors such as geography and road infrastructure.NPCC guidance for police forces on managing abnormal loads, and the charging framework, were updated in March and May 2025 respectively. These seek to promote greater national alignment across forces, where possible, noting the need for variations. The NPCC has committed to review this guidance twelve months after publication to ensure it remains fit for purpose.

Pursuant to the Answer of 5 March 2026 to Question 116791, which organisations representing disabled people were engaged in relation to the guidance entitled Floating Bus Stops: Provision and Design; on what dates that engagement began and concluded; and what form that engagement took.

Three workshops were held on the floating bus stop guidance, one in-person (17 November 2025) and two online (18 and 24 November 2025). All three workshops were facilitated by Transport for All and attended by officials from the Department and ATE. They consisted of facilitated discussions about the draft guidance. The groups attending and representing the interests of disabled people were Guide Dogs, Mencap, Motability Foundation, Transport for All and Wheels for Wellbeing. Age UK represented issues affecting older people, including mobility and accessibility. Seventeen disabled people with lived experience attended, representing eight different impairment types and using 12 types of mobility aids. Other groups represented included the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Cycling and Walking, Bikeability Trust, Campaign for Better Transport, Confederation of Passenger Transport, Cycling UK, Parliamentary Advisory Council for Transport Safety, Policy Connect, and Walk Wheel Cycle Trust. Officials from the department held meetings online to discuss the guidance with representatives from the Disabled Persons Transport Advisory Committee (DPTAC) on 9 June 2025 and 19 January 2026, with Guide Dogs on 17 October 2025, and with Living Streets on 22 October 2025. All of the above organisations and the Royal National Institute of Blind People, were asked to comment on the draft guidance, circulated via email, from 26 November to 2 December 2025. The department and ATE also sought feedback from the Urban Transport Group, Transport for London, and ATE’s Technical Oversight and Advisory Group. A full list of those involved in the consultation process is included in the guidance: www.gov.uk/government/publications/floating-bus-stops-provision-and-design/floating-bus-stops-provision-and-design#consultation-requirements.

Pursuant to the Answer of 4 March 2026 to Question 115449, in which month in Q2 2026 the Department expects to publish the findings of the Call for Evidence on Restricting the generation of surplus funds from traffic contraventions.

It remains the Department’s plan to publish the findings of the Call for Evidence: 'Restricting the generation of surplus funds from traffic contraventions' in March. This was commissioned by the previous Government as part of its Plan for Drivers.

What assessment her Department has made of the adequacy of the number of train driver training places.

It is the responsibility of operators to determine their own workforce requirements, including the number of train drivers they need to recruit and train.  However, we recognise that the rail industry faces an acute shortage of train drivers and that a system-wide approach is needed to address this.  We therefore look to the Department for Transport Operator (DfTO) and, ultimately, Great British Railways, to provide industry leadership and coordination in this area. In the interim, the Department has asked train operators to develop comprehensive plans to address train driver availability and resilience in the short and medium term.  The Department is also taking legislative steps to make it easier to recruit and train drivers, including reducing the legal minimum age to become a train driver from 20 to 18, which is scheduled to come into force on 30 June 2026, subject to Parliamentary approval.

What international case studies her Department has examined to establish best practice for the enhancement of key data and insight capabilities on the freight and logistics system.

The Department recognises the value of international comparisons when developing freight and logistics analytical projects. Recent examples include:Australia’s National Freight Data Hub, which provides a central platform for sharing freight data to improve supply‑chain visibility.The United States’ Bureau of Transportation Statistics national commodity flow survey to understand performance monitoring.Republic of Korea’s Transport Database to understand integration of multimodal transport data to support long‑term planning. The Department will continue to monitor international best practice as we strengthen the evidence base for the freight and logistics system.

What the staff costs are of each nationalised train operator company under the control of DfT Operator Limited.

Official statistics on train operator costs are published on the Office of Rail and Road portal. Rail industry finance (UK) | ORR Data Portal Rail industry finance (UK) – April 2024 to March 2025 Table 7223 – Franchised Passenger Train Operator Finances by Franchise(latest year) | ORR Data Portal

When she expects the DVLA Fee Strategy to be published.

While the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency keep its fees under constant review, there are currently no plans to publish a fees strategy.

What steps her Department is taking in 2025-26 to reduce the fee deficit of the Maritime and Coastguard Agency.

The MCA undertakes services, such as vessel surveys, seafarer certification and the registration of seamen and shipping for which it charges fees. These activities are pivotal to maritime safety, helping to prevent loss of life and pollution incidents at sea. For the year (2024/25), the Agency incurred costs of £14.1m and received income of £11.0m based on the charges for these services as set in the Merchant Shipping (Fees) Regulations 2018, resulting in a deficit of £3.1m. A public consultation on the replacement for the Merchant Shipping (Fees) Regulations 2018 will be held in 2026. Following the public consultation, the Agency will aim to implement these regulations in a timely manner to ensure it can recover costs incurred in delivering its statutory services.

Communities and Local Government, what evidence his Department considered when determining whether to consult on the principle of introducing an overnight visitor levy.

Ahead of launching its consultation, the government considered a range of evidence on the case for a visitor levy power, including economic analysis and the success of international examples. Ministers engage regularly with Mayors on devolution-related issues, including through the quarterly Mayoral Council meetings. As the government set out in response to Question UIN 98784 answered on 22 December 2025, the government received representations from Mayors on a visitor levy power ahead of the announcement of the consultation on 25 November.

Communities and Local Government, how many meetings (a) he, (b) Ministers in his Department and (c) officials in his Department have had with metro mayors to discuss the devolution of powers to enable the implementation of an overnight visitor levy since the 2024 General Election; and how many such meetings took place (i) before the launch of the consultation on 26 November 2025 and (ii) since that date.

Ahead of launching its consultation, the government considered a range of evidence on the case for a visitor levy power, including economic analysis and the success of international examples. Ministers engage regularly with Mayors on devolution-related issues, including through the quarterly Mayoral Council meetings. As the government set out in response to Question UIN 98784 answered on 22 December 2025, the government received representations from Mayors on a visitor levy power ahead of the announcement of the consultation on 25 November.

Whether her Department has made recommendations to UK airports on increasing modal shift away from private car use.

My Department has introduced a range of measures to encourage and support UK airports in moving passengers and staff away from private car use. All major UK Airports have been required to have a Surface Access Strategy since 2000, with clear modal‑shift and sustainable transport objectives. Specific targets for airports to reduce private car modal share typically come from planning obligations linked to expansion proposals. In addition, my Department continues to invest in public transport networks to provide passengers with credible and convenient alternatives to car travel.