Every parliamentary written question tabled by Kieran Mullan this session, with the full answer and department. See how every department answers, or back to the MP page.
Showing 121–140 of 155 · this parliament
What recent estimate she has made of the total cost to the public purse of extending HS2 from Old Oak Common to Euston Station.
The government is considering a range of development models and financing mechanisms to best meet the objectives of the Euston area while delivering value for money for the taxpayer. Decisions around any further investment at Euston are for the second pha...
Pursuant to the Answer of 15 October 2024 to Question 8568 on Roads: Freight, what steps her Department is taking to support road haulage businesses.
Small businesses including those in the road haulage sector are the beating heart of our communities, and essential to our economic success. This Government will draw on all resources to support these small businesses and boost productivity by delivering ...
With reference to the guidance by her Department entitled Disclosing your criminal record, published on 28 October 2023, on what evidential basis the guidance says that one in four people of working age have a cr
The statistic that approximately one in four people have a criminal record is based on Home Office data on the Police National Computer compared with population data.An updated estimate of the number of individuals of working age (16-64 and 16+) with a no...
What steps Shadow Great British Railways is taking to increase the volume of goods moved by rail.
The Secretary of State has tasked Shadow Great British Railways leaders with producing a delivery plan for both passengers and freight users. Priorities will be communicated in due course. In the future, Great British Railways will have a statutory duty t...
If she will provide additional funding for the Mode Shift Revenue Support scheme.
Live grant awards for this financial year total £20.8m, which is in line with historic levels of funding for this scheme. Future budgets are being determined as part of the continuing Spending Review.
What steps her Department is taking to increase the speed of rail electrification.
The Government expects electrification to play an important role in our programme to achieve our Net Zero 2050 target and improve the passenger experience.
How much and what proportion of the Control Period 7 funding settlement remains available to Network Rail; and if she will take steps to ensure that total funding level remains the same for the next financial y
The full regulated Control Period 7 funding settlement, as outlined in the Delivery Plan, remains available to Network Rail. The phasing of spend is subject to annual update of the Delivery Plan for the 5 year period as led by Network Rail working in conj...
What Network Rail’s year one projected spend profile is under the regulatory Control Period 7 funding settlement.
Network Rail’s year one projected spend profile for Control Period 7 can be found in Network Rail’s delivery plan for Control Period 7 which is published on its website. Please find below a link to the document:https://www.networkrail.co.uk/wp-content/upl...
If she will adjust the method of assessment for vehicle excise duty rates in the next fiscal year.
Vehicle Excise Duty (VED) is a tax on car ownership. The tax system encourages the uptake of cars with low carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions to help meet the UK’s legally binding climate change targets. Cars first registered between 1 March 2001 and 31 March...
If she will increase domestic aviation duty.
Air Passenger Duty (APD) exists to ensure that aviation makes a fair contribution to the public finances and applies to UK-departing flights. Reforms to APD took effect in April 2023. These included the introduction of the new domestic band for domestic f...
Whether she has received representations on an increase to the standard rate of vehicle excise duty in the next fiscal year.
Vehicle Excise Duty (VED) is a tax on car ownership. The tax system encourages the uptake of cars with low carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions to help meet the UK’s legally binding climate change targets. Cars first registered between 1 March 2001 and 31 March...
If she will re-band aviation duty.
Air Passenger Duty (APD) exists to ensure that aviation makes a fair contribution to the public finances and applies to UK-departing flights. Reforms to APD took effect in April 2023. These included the introduction of the new domestic band for domestic f...
What data her Department holds on the (a) number of applications for valuations of any type by the District Valuer that took longer than (i) three, (ii) six and (iii) 12 months to be completed from the point of appl
The Valuation Office Agency's (VOA) District Valuer Services (DVS) provides independent, impartial, valuation and professional property advice across the entire public sector, and where public money or public functions are involved. In 2023-24 in total DV...
Food and Rural Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government on the potential impact of planning reforms on areas of outstanding natura
I have been engaged in discussions with the Deputy Prime Minister and my other honourable friends to discuss the Government’s plan to reform planning. This Government was elected on a mandate to build the homes that Britain desperately needs while protect...
What the terms of the agreement were with the Associated Society of Locomotive Engineers and Firemen that led to industrial action being called off at London North Eastern Railway.
Following discussions, on 29 August London North Eastern Railway (LNER) and ASLEF found a resolution to their long running local dispute at no extra cost to the taxpayer and preventing 22 days of industrial action whilst ensuring an improved service for p...
What steps she plans to take to tackle (a) variances in employment terms and conditions and (b) the introduction of technological innovations in the rail sector.
We are committed to delivering the biggest overhaul of our railways in a generation, and ensure that Great British Railways (GBR) can drive innovation across the network. As we bring a fragmented industry together, we will need to consider a range of options on the right approach for future terms and conditions, taking account of employment law requirements. On the introduction of technological innovations, we expect a joined up industry to do more and faster in the use of technology for safety, cost reduction, revenue growth and accessibility, and we expect GBR to take a firm lead in this area. In the meantime, Network rail and train companies are working in this area, including through Shadow Great British Railways.
Whether she plans to fund (a) rail infrastructure and (b) fleet modernisation projects at (i) East Midlands Railway and (ii) West Midlands Trains (A) during and (B) following their potential transition to public ownership.
The process of transitioning railway passenger services into public ownership should not impact investment projects. Existing projects can continue unless there is a good reason for review; with new projects being considered on their merits. The Department will work closely with private sector train operating companies and Network Rail during the transition process to understand the position of any investment programmes, and build these into transition planning if appropriate. Railway passenger services currently operated by private sector companies under contract to the Secretary of State will transfer into DfT OLR Holdings Ltd (DOHL) when current contracts end, reach their contractual break point, or if they fail. DOHL is tasked with undertaking transfers efficiently and effectively, with no disruption to passengers and employees. It has managed four successful transfers in recent years and is scaling up to ensure the successful transfer of more services into public ownership.
What steps she plans to take to support open access operators.
We are committed to delivering benefits for both passengers and taxpayers, and there will remain a role for open access services where they provide improved connectivity and choice. We will also continue to work to protect access to the network for all operators as we take forward the Railways Bill.
How timetable adjustments will be managed (a) during and (b) after the transition of operations into public ownership.
There will not be any immediate changes to how timetable adjustments are managed during and immediately after the transition of passenger train operations into public ownership. Railway passenger services currently operated by private sector companies under contract to the Secretary of State will transfer into DfT OLR Holdings Ltd when current contracts end or reach their contractual break point, and timetable adjustments will be managed as they currently are. As announced in the King’s Speech 2024, forthcoming legislation will establish Great British Railways – an arm’s length body which will act as a “directing mind”, with a relentless focus on delivering for passengers and freight customers. As outlined in Getting Britain Moving, the Government’s vision is that, within the clear strategic direction set by the Secretary of State, Great British Railways will, once established, have operational independence and be responsible for planning timetables.
When she plans to set specific performance targets for the nationalisation of the railways.
Railway passenger services currently operated by private sector companies under contract to the Secretary of State will transfer into DfT OLR Holdings Ltd (DOHL) when current contracts reach their end date or contractual break point. The Government will continue to set targets for public sector train operating companies on a range of measures including punctuality, reliability and quality of service as appropriate, and will continue to hold them to account for performance against these targets. Modern service agreements, currently in development, will come into force for each train operator when operations transition into public ownership.