Written questions by Timothy.

How many (a) petrol, (b) diesel, (c) hydrogen, (d) hybrid, (e) plug-in hybrid and (f) fully electric vehicles were purchased by National Highways in each year since 2014.

The number of vehicles purchased by National Highways since 2014, broken down by engine type, is as follows: No. Vehicles Purchased by Engine TypeYearPetrolDieselHydrogenHybridPlug-In HybridFully Electric201401000020150240000201605400002017010000201801950000201902280036020200104003802021012000128120220131001751920230200195182024012007574

How many vehicles were purchased by National Highways by car manufacturer in each year since 2014.

The number of vehicles purchased, per year since 2014 and by car manufacturer, by National Highways is on the attached table.

If she will make an estimate of what the level of carbon emissions from National Highways will be in each year between 2025 and 2040.

National Highways set-out its ambitions for putting roads at the heart of Britain’s net zero future within its ‘Net zero highways: our 2030 / 2040 / 2050 plan’ published in 2021. This includes details on emissions reductions goals and the steps that National Highways will take within the period 2025 to 2040. Additionally, the ‘Strategic road network initial report: 2025-2030’, published in 2023, proposes how National Highways in the next five years will specifically support the third road investment strategy (RIS3) development objective of improved environmental outcomes, set out in the ‘Planning Ahead for the Strategic Road Network’ document. The contribution of RIS3 to National Highways’ carbon emissions will be considered as part of the underpinning analysis when RIS3 is set later in 2025.

How many vehicles in the National Highways fleet are aged (a) up to one year, (b) between one and two years, (c) between three and five years and (d) older than five years.

The National Highways fleet consists of:147 vehicles aged up to one year;195 vehicles aged between one and two years;708 vehicles aged between three and five years; and108 vehicles older than five years. National Highways continues to manage its fleet efficiently to ensure operational effectiveness and value for money.

Pursuant to the Answer of 5 February 2025 to Question 26897 on Data Centres: Planning, what assessment his Department has made of the grid (a) capacity and (b) infrastructure that will be required for new data centres.

The National Electricity System Operator (NESO) is investigating the future power consumption of data centres, as well as grid constraints, lead times for developers, and how to improve connection processes.

What the value was of vehicles (a) purchased and (b) sold by National Highways in each year since 2014.

The value of vehicles purchased and sold by National Highways since 2014 is broken down as follows: YearTotal Vehicle SpendTotal Revenue from Vehicle Sales2014£34,640.3002015£773,767.3002016£2,145,237.4802017£48,811.5002018£11,556,927.8802019£17,113,959.8902020£17,576,940.21£150,802.732021£25,525,278.82£823,805.282022£29,611,298.66£3,303,299.372023£12,515,348.93£2,195,094.382024£11,352,979.81£1,603,758.81

Innovation and Technology, when Research England informed his Department of their plans for the (a) Research Excellence Framework 2029 and (b) people, culture and environment pilot.

Research England has notified the Department about their plans for developing the Research Excellence Framework (REF) 2029, which includes the People, Culture, and Environment pilot. This pilot aims to assess the feasibility and practicality of incorporating this element into the REF. The findings will guide future developments of the REF. Final decisions on the REF's structure will be made after the pilot concludes and further engagement with the sector.

Pursuant to the Answer of 5 February 2025 to Question 26900 on Highways England: Vehicles, whether her Department plans to sell National Highway’s (a) diesel and (b) plug-in hybrid vehicles before 2027; and when those vehicles were purchased.

Operational decisions on its vehicle fleet are made by National Highways; the fleet replacement strategy is to retain vehicles for an operational period of around 3 to 4 years, subject to factors such as mileage, general condition, and suitability for ongoing operational use. National Highways contracts with vehicle disposal agents that use auction services to repurpose and sell its vehicles at the end of their operational life. The table below details the current number of diesel and plug-in hybrid vehicles which were added to National Highways’ fleet (by year, since 2018) to align with the governments’ Road to Zero Strategy for vehicle replacements. On fleet dateNumber of VehiclesFuel Type20181Diesel0PHEV20195Diesel2PHEV20205Diesel15PHEV20210Diesel128PHEV20220Diesel174PHEV20230Diesel195PHEV20240Diesel75PHEV

Innovation and Technology, whether it is his policy to allow the Research Excellence Framework people, culture and environment pilot to go forward.

Research England has notified the Department about their plans for developing the Research Excellence Framework (REF) 2029, which includes the People, Culture, and Environment pilot. This pilot aims to assess the feasibility and practicality of incorporating this element into the REF. The findings will guide future developments of the REF. Final decisions on the REF's structure will be made after the pilot concludes and further engagement with the sector.

Innovation and Technology, whether he plans to accept Research England’s proposed changes to the research excellence framework.

Research England has notified the Department about their plans for developing the Research Excellence Framework (REF) 2029, which includes the People, Culture, and Environment pilot. This pilot aims to assess the feasibility and practicality of incorporating this element into the REF. The findings will guide future developments of the REF. Final decisions on the REF's structure will be made after the pilot concludes and further engagement with the sector.

Pursuant to the Answer of 6 February 2025 to Question 27405 on Highways England: Carbon Emissions, what the carbon emissions were by (a) source and (b) activity in each year since 2014.

Below is a breakdown of National Highways’ (NH) Carbon Emissions, covering the period 2021/22 to 2023/24.Carbon emissions prior to this were not reported to this level and are not available.YearBreakdown by activity/source2021-22 Activity/emission sourcetCO2eElectricity (kWh used)39,797Building heating (kWh used)4,584Fleet (miles travelled)4,159Business travel (miles travelled)1,848Total50,3882022-23 Activity/emission sourcetCO2eElectricity (kWh used)35,165Building heating (kWh used)4,770Fleet (miles travelled)2,887Business travel (miles travelled)1,987Total44,8092023-24 Activity/emission sourcetCO2eElectricity (kWh used)35,840Building heating (kWh used)5,029Fleet (miles travelled)2,212Business travel (miles travelled)2,185Total45,266

How many migrants on Health and Care Worker visas claimed asylum in each year since 2020.

The information requested is not currently available from published statistics, and the relevant data could only be collated and verified for the purpose of answering this question at disproportionate cost.However, the Home Office publishes data on visas and asylum in the ‘Immigration System Statistics Quarterly Release’. The ‘How many people claim asylum in the UK?’ chapter of the release provides the following information: “Internally matched data for asylum claims suggests that around 20% of people claiming asylum in 2023 held a valid visa within 7 days of lodging an asylum claim”.

How many migrants on Health and Care Visas have claimed asylum since 2020.

The information requested is not currently available from published statistics, and the relevant data could only be collated and verified for the purpose of answering this question at disproportionate cost.However, the Home Office publishes data on visas and asylum in the ‘Immigration System Statistics Quarterly Release’. The ‘How many people claim asylum in the UK?’ chapter of the release provides the following information: “Internally matched data for asylum claims suggests that around 20% of people claiming asylum in 2023 held a valid visa within 7 days of lodging an asylum claim”.

How many migrants on (a) work, (b) student and (c) family visas have claimed asylum since 2010.

The information requested is not currently available from published statistics, and the relevant data could only be collated and verified for the purpose of answering this question at disproportionate cost.However, the Home Office publishes data on visas and asylum in the ‘Immigration System Statistics Quarterly Release’. The ‘How many people claim asylum in the UK?’ chapter of the release provides the following information: “Internally matched data for asylum claims suggests that around 20% of people claiming asylum in 2023 held a valid visa within 7 days of lodging an asylum claim”.

If she will publish a breakdown of migrants removed since 5 July 2024 by (a) voluntary and (b) enforced removals; and by nationality.

The Home Office publishes data on the number of returns from the UK in the ‘Immigration System Statistics Quarterly Release’. The latest data on returns are presented in table Ret_D01 of the ‘returns detailed tables’, where the data can be broken down by return type, quarter and nationality. The latest data goes up to September 2024.  Data up to the end of December 2024 is due to be published on 27 February 2025. Information on enforced and voluntary returns from 5th July to 31st January is published at Returns from the UK since 5 July 2024 - GOV.UK.

If she will take steps to bar Mohamed Hoblos from entry into the UK.

As the Honourable Member will be aware, it is longstanding policy that the Home Office does not comment on individual cases.However, we have robust safeguards to ensure that those who intend to sow hatred and division in our communities are refused entry to our country, and we make no apology for this. Our priority remains maintaining the safety and security of the UK and our communities.

How many migrants subject to voluntary removals received payments to ensure departure since 5 July 2024; and what the (a) total, (b) average, (c) lowest and (d) highest payment made was.

I refer the Honourable Member to the Answer I gave on 6 February to Question UIN 28420.

Media and Sport, how many times (a) Ministers and (b) officials in her Department have met with the Centre for Media Monitoring since 4 July 2024.

Ministers and officials in the Department for Culture, Media and Sport have not met with the Centre for Media Monitoring since 4 July 2024.

Whether her Department plans to align carbon pricing under the UK Emissions Trading Scheme with the EU Emissions Trading Scheme.

Under the terms of the Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA), the UK Government and EU agreed to give serious consideration to linking our respective carbon pricing schemes and to cooperate on carbon pricing. As part of our reset with the EU the Government continues to explore all options to improve trade and investment.

If his Department will make an assessment of the potential impact of increasing the UK carbon price to £147/tCO2 by 2030 on (a) energy-intensive manufacturing industries and (b) chemical industries.

The Department has no plans to make an assessment of the potential impact of increasing the UK carbon price to £147/tCO2 by 2030. The Department previously published an impact assessment in July 2023 of the impact of the moving to the current United Kingdom Emissions Trading Scheme (UK ETS) using the analysis at that time : https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/64b91b522059dc00125d267b/developing-uk-ets-main-impact-assessment.pdf The Department produces its own traded carbon values for modelling purposes which are used to estimate the financial cost of purchasing allowances in the UK ETS under different scenarios. This figure of £147/tCO2 is higher than in any of the scenarios in those projections. The Department’s most recent projections can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/traded-carbon-values-used-for-modelling-purposes-2024/traded-carbon-values-used-for-modelling-purposes-2024