Every parliamentary written question tabled by Richard Holden this session, with the full answer and department. See how every department answers, or back to the MP page.
Showing 761–780 of 2,912 · this parliament
What the average grant-supported cost per bus was under each bus procurement scheme in each of the last five years; and what assessment she has made of the potential impact of social value weightings on tendered prices.
My Department is not responsible for the procurement of buses and so does not hold this information.
What assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of airport surface access planning conditions and sustainability requirements on the level of car parking and drop-off charges paid by passengers.
Surface access strategies give airports the tools they need to stay connected, cut congestion and meet environmental targets. The Department has not undertaken a specific assessment of the potential impact of airport surface access planning conditions and sustainability requirements on the level of car parking and drop-off charges paid by passengers. We continue to engage with operators to ensure that, where airports do choose to charge, they do so in a way that is fair and transparent.
What the Government Property Agency’s total expenditure was in 2024–25 on measuring, collecting, reporting or validating greenhouse gas emissions across the Government estate; and what the Agency’s projected annual expenditure is for each of the next five financial years on those activities.
This information is not available. GPA do not manage the greenhouse gas emissions data across all of the government estate.
Pursuant to the Answer of 22 January 2026 to Question 105302 on Dartford-Thurrock Crossing: Privatisation, what steps she is taking to mitigate for the loss of revenue to her Department from the privatisation of the Dartford-Thurrock Crossing.
Under the Regulated Asset Base (RAB) model, ownership and operation of the Dartford Crossing would transfer to a new regulated private sector entity. This entity would be responsible for operating and maintaining both the Dartford Crossing and the new Lower Thames Crossing, ensuring a consistent and reliable service across both.The entity would be overseen by an independent regulator to ensure it performs effectively and protects the interests of users. Charges collected from both the Dartford Crossing and the new Lower Thames Crossing would be received by the entity and used to maintain the crossings and support more reliable journeys.This approach is designed to bring in private capital to fund the majority of construction, delivering better value for taxpayers and reducing pressure on public budgets. The Department has incorporated the effects of this approach into its financial forecasts and funding settlements with HM Treasury.
What steps her Department is tacking to help tackle anti-social behaviour on the bus network.
The Department is working across government and with partners, industry and local transport authorities, to ensure that everyone feels and is safe when travelling by bus. Through the Bus Services Act 2025 we have introduced measures to combat anti-social behaviour (ASB) on the bus network. This includes mandating training for staff working in the bus industry, introducing a power to enable the Secretary of State to publish statutory guidance on the inclusivity of bus stations and stops and giving local transport authorities the power to create byelaws and deploy officers who can deal with ASB and fare evasion on the bus network.In addition, the Department previously provided £2.5 million to pilot five Transport Safety Officer (TSO) teams on the network. The pilots ended in March 2025, and a full evaluation of the programme will be published in due course. We have also recently published TSO practitioner guidance for local authorities wanting to implement a scheme in their area.
When her Department plans to publish the updated Traffic Advisory Leaflet 1/24; and what assessment she has made of the potential merits of recommending that local authorities permit motorcycles to use bus lanes.
The Department for Transport does not currently have plans to update Traffic Advisory Leaflet 1/24.The Department for Transport undertook a consultation on the potential merits of recommending that local authorities permit motorcycles to use bus lanes in 2024. The responses received to the consultation did not provide a robust evidence base on which to amend the current policy that it is for local authorities to determine whether to allow motorcycles to use bus lanes in their areas.
Pursuant to the Answer of 22 January 2026 to Question 105288 on Railways: Repairs and Maintenance, what criteria is used to determine which rail infrastructure schemes are included in the Department’s longer-term rail infrastructure pipeline.
This government believes in the importance of rail investment to support economic growth and bring connections to people all across the country. The type and level of investment is determined by the needs of passengers, rail users and the network, while delivering value for money and meeting the government’s priorities.
What staffing or system costs are associated with monitoring, reporting and compliance activity relating to official travel emissions in his Department.
We can confirm that the Department for Business and Trade does not hold any information associated with monitoring, reporting and compliance activity relating to official travel emissions in his Department.
With reference to the provision of central reservation barriers on the National Highways motorway and trunk road network, how many crossover accidents, where vehicles have breached the central reservation, occurred in 2024 and 2025 on sections equipped with a) steel barriers, and b) rigid concrete barriers; and what is the total length and number of assets of life expired steel central reservation barrier on that network that require replacement.
Data on road traffic casualties on the roads in Great Britain is collected via the STATS19 process. The most recently available STATS19 dataset is for 2024 and was published by DfT in September 2025:https://www.data.gov.uk/dataset/cb7ae6f0-4be6-4935-9277-47e5ce24a11f/road-safety-data. STATS19 does not record the barrier type and so it is not possible to ascertain the answers to points (a) and (b). Based on the available asset data, there are approximately 10,400km of vehicle restraint barriers on the Strategic Road Network (SRN) operated by National Highways, which is made up of barriers in the central reservation and verges. This comprises 9,300km of steel barrier, 870km of concrete barrier and 230km of wire barrier. 1% (equivalent to approximately 100km of barrier) is categorised as the worst condition banding (i.e 'severely corroded / unserviceable / at end of life'). National Highways prioritises for intervention those assets in the worst condition and barriers in higher risk locations, such as the central reservation.
Pursuant to the Answers of 1 December 2025 to Questions 93461 and 93459, if she will publish the locations, route sections and lengths for a) the 52.6 km of rigid concrete barrier installed in each of the periods 2021-22, 2022-23, 2023-24 and 2024-25, b) the 14 km of forecast steel to concrete barrier replacement projects proposed for the Interim Settlement period 2025-26, and c) the projected total length of steel to concrete barrier replacement during RIS3 (2026 to 2030), including any year by year profile held.
The data requested in parts (a) and (b) is currently undergoing verification and will be supplied to the Rt. Hon Member shortly. With respect to part (c), the projected total length of steel to concrete barrier replacement has not yet been finalised for Road Period 3.
With reference to paragraph 4.3.2 of the draft National Policy Statement for Ports, what guidance will be available to decision-makers to support their interpretation of the terms compensation for as a last resort; and what guidance will be provided on the scale and proportionality of any compensation required.
The Government provides guidance on Habitats Regulations Assessments, including compensatory measures, from time to time. We are considering the Transport Committee’s report and responses to the consultation and will shortly lay a final text of the NPSP alongside a response to the Committee.
Whether she intends to make changes to the existing Airports National Policy Statement in the context of the potential of a third runway at Heathrow; and what assessment she has made of the likelihood of securing planning consent for a third runway by 2029.
Government launched a review of the Airports National Policy Statement (ANPS) on 22 October, to reflect changes in legislation, policy and data. We will consult on any proposed amendments to the ANPS in summer 2026. When the ANPS has been reviewed, and depending on the outcome of the review, it will be for scheme promoters to decide when to submit a Development Consent Order application for a third runway scheme but the government’s ambition is for a planning decision this parliament.
When she plans to publish the final National Policy Statement for Ports..
The final text of the revised National Policy Statement for Ports will be laid in Parliament in due course.
With reference to paragraph 4.5.12 of the draft amended National Policy Statement for Ports, published on 4 June 2025, what guidance will be available to decision-makers to support them interpreting the term economically reasonable; and what factors will be taken into account in assessing economic reasonableness.
The Department for Transport does not intend to publish supplementary guidance on the interpretation of this paragraph. The concepts of technical feasibility and economic reasonableness are generally well established, and encompass costs not being disproportionate to benefits. Technical guidance on flood risk assessment is published from time to time by the Environment Agency.
Pursuant to the Answer of 18 November 2025 to Question 87860, what HOPS Change Budget refers to; and whether the figures provided relate solely to spending on electric vehicle charging infrastructure and the purchase of electric vehicles.
The change budget is the capital property budget used to fund infrastructure installation costs only.
What assurances she has had from Network Rail on steps being taken to minimise unnecessary barrier down-time at level crossings, while maintaining safety; and how such assurances will be monitored.
Network Rail is responsible for the safe operation of level crossings across the rail network. The safety measures it puts in place are informed by risk assessments which include, where relevant, available information on barrier down-time. Network Rail is overseen in this by the independent rail safety regulator, the Office of Rail and Road, which requires duty holders to ensure that the safety mitigations they put in place are reasonably practicable and do not expose passengers, the public or workforce to risk at level crossings.
Whether estimates of net Government support per passenger journey are used internally by her Department for (a) budgeting, (b) business planning and (c) performance monitoring purposes; and in which internal documents such estimates are recorded.
As explained in response to Question 89632, the reduction in the rail passenger services subsidy over the Spending Review period will be primarily driven by passenger ridership and revenue continuing to recover post COVID-19 and efficiencies and savings being made through public ownership. Net Government support per passenger journey is a relevant metric when considering the affordability and acceptability of proposed business plans, and when monitoring performance against those plans.
Whether his Department provides (a) funding and (b) any other support for increasing (i) grid capacity and (ii) enabling electrification at Portsmouth International Port.
The Maritime Decarbonisation Strategy, published in March 2025, sets out domestic goals and commitments to decarbonise maritime transport, and a call for evidence on Net Zero Ports was launched to assess future energy demand at ports such as Southampton and Portsmouth International. While the Government does not directly fund increases in electricity network capacity, we support Ofgem in their work to incentivise electricity network companies to invest strategically, ensuring plans reflect emerging demands from electrifying sectors. Through the UK Shipping Office for Reducing Emissions, Portsmouth International Port received nearly £20m of R&D funding to support a shore power trial.
What estimate he has made of the additional cost to the public purse of the Royal Air Force transitioning to 100 per cent sustainable aviation fuel by 2040; and whether his Department has undertaken any assessment of the long-term fiscal implications of sustainable or synthetic aviation fuel prices for Defence aviation.
The Royal Air Force (RAF) procures its aviation fuel in the UK from commercial suppliers at market rates. As a result, this makes accurate long-term cost forecasting challenging. The price of aviation fuel, including Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF), is subject to market fluctuations, and the level of RAF fuel consumption varies due to numerous factors. The RAF has not committed to transitioning to 100% SAF by 2040. The RAF will follow the incremental transition to sustainable aviation fuel as set out in the UK Government's SAF mandate, which requires aviation fuel to contain 22% SAF by 2040. This date aligns with the RAF's aim to become a net-zero air force.
How many (a) Notices to Improve and (b) written instructions her Department issued to train operating companies for which the Department is the operator in relation to (i) service performance and (ii) financial control in January 2026.
The Department has not issued any Notices to Improve on any of the DfT Operator train operating companies in January 2026 because none have been in breach of their formal contractual terms. The Department regularly engages with all operators on service performance and financial management, aligned with this Government's priorities on improving performance and reducing subsidy.