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 1,281–1,300 of 3,277 · this parliament
What the cancellation rate on Northern services has been in each month since June 2024.
Information on train cancellations and punctuality is published by the Office of Rail and Road (ORR). It is published quarterly and by rail periods. Cancellations Data Periodic data on trains cancelled by operator can be found in ORR Table 3124 - Trains planned and cancellations by operator (periodic): Table 3124 - Trains planned and cancellations by operator (periodic) | ORR Data Portal
What steps she is taking to ensure that funding for bus services results in improved (a) passenger outcomes, (b) service frequency, (c) reliability and (d) bus stops.
On 5 December 2025, the Government confirmed investment of over £3 billion from 2026/27 for the rest of the spending review period to support local leaders and bus operators across the country to improve bus services for millions of passengers. This includes multi-year allocations for local authorities under the Local Authority Bus Grant (LABG) totalling nearly £700 million per year, ending the short-term approach to bus funding and giving councils the certainty they need to plan ahead. While local leaders have the freedom to use LABG funding as they see fit to deliver local priorities, LABG funding will be linked to an Outcomes Framework, which will track the impact of funding against indicators aligned with the issues that matter most to passengers, including for example punctuality and reliability. This framework will help the Department for Transport to identify where local transport authorities may need additional support to deliver the improvements their communities expect.
What steps she is taking to support modal shift to lower emissions from the transport sector.
The Government is supporting people to make more sustainable travel choices by improving public transport services and active travel infrastructure deployment. The Bus Services Act 2025 puts the power over local bus services back in the hands of local leaders and is intended to ensure bus services reflect the needs of communities. The Government has reaffirmed its commitment to investing in bus services by confirming over £3 billion from 2026/27 over the rest of the spending review period to support local leaders and bus operators across the country to improve bus services for millions of passengers. For active travel, we are allocating £626 million up to 2030 for local authorities to deliver walking and cycling schemes, and we will be publishing the third Cycling and Walking Investment Strategy in the spring. To incentivise the shift of freight away from more polluting modes, the Mode Shift Revenue Support grant continues to encourage the movement of freight by rail or inland waterway instead of road, where journeys by rail or inland waterway would otherwise be more expensive.
What progress her Department has made on standardising signage for national and local cycle routes; and whether she plans to introduce a national approach to cycle route signage.
Signing for national and local cycle routes has been standardised since 1981. Current signs are prescribed in the Traffic Signs Regulations and General Directions 2016. Active Travel England routinely checks signage quality on their route check tool, to make sure the use of signs is consistent.
By what a) number and b) proportion station staffing levels have changed on TransPennine Express services since 4 July 2024.
The increases over 2024/25 were mainly to fill vacancies that had been paused pending the previous Government’s proposals for the closure of ticket offices, which they reversed after significant public criticism. In mid-2024, TransPennine Express gradually increased the Hull station headcount by an additional four full-time employees to support station resilience. It has increased overall station staffing by a further 19 full-time employees to improve reliability and resilience of the delivery of passenger assistance and other customer services (e.g. retailing); many of these roles are currently being recruited into.
What assessment her Department has made of trends in the level and frequency of local bus services since 4 July 2024; and what the minimum service levels are in each local authority area.
The Department for Transport publishes statistics on vehicle distance travelled on local bus services, which can be used as a proxy for bus service levels. These figures are not specifically available from 4 July 2024 onwards, but are available for the year ending March 2025 in the Department's published Annual Bus Statistics. This data can be found in Table BUS02: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/bus-statistics-data-tables#local-bus-vehicle-distance-travelled-bus02. The Department does not currently hold a dataset that provides local bus service frequency in a readily available format. The Government believes that local authorities, working with bus operators, are best placed to determine the design of local bus networks in their areas, and there are no centrally-prescribed minimum service levels. The Government has taken steps to help raise service levels across the country, including by introducing the Bus Service Act 2025 which puts passenger needs, reliable services and local accountability at the heart of local bus services by putting the power back in the hands of local leaders right across England. The Act includes a measure on socially necessary services that requires local authorities and bus operators to have to consider the alternatives to changing or cancelling these services. The Government also reaffirmed its commitment to investing in bus services long-term, confirming over £3 billion from 2026/27 over the rest of the spending review period to support local leaders and bus operators across the country to improve bus services for millions of passengers. This includes funding allocated to local authorities, which could be used to improve local bus service levels.
What assessment she has made of the potential impact of the time taken for the publication of the Cycling and Walking Investment Strategy 3 on local authorities’ ability to plan and deliver active travel schemes; and whether the final Strategy will include measurable objectives to support effective delivery and accountability.
Decisions on future active travel objectives will be confirmed in the third Cycling and Walking Investment Strategy when it is published in the spring. The Strategy, coupled with over £900m of investment, will provide long term certainty for local authorities to plan and deliver local networks with their communities.
Whether she plans to introduce legislation to permit the use of side road zebra crossings in England; and what assessment her Department has made of the safety and cost-effectiveness of those crossings.
The Department is considering options for future legislative change to permit the use of side road zebra crossings in England, but no decisions have yet been made. An amendment to the Traffic Signs Regulations and General Directions 2016 (TSRGD) would be required to permit zebra crossings to be placed without zig-zag lines or yellow globes. The Department has been working with Active Travel England who have been carrying out further research, including on safety, to inform good practice advice to support possible future legislative change.
How many instances of failed Assisted Travel were recorded on Northern services in the last 12 months.
No train operators currently record individual instances of failed passenger assists. However, the Office of Rail and Road (ORR) carries out surveys, and its 2024-25 survey showed that 20 per cent of all respondents reported their requests for passenger assistance on Northern were not fulfilled. ORR subsequently requested, and in December 2025 approved, a plan from Northern to improve its passenger assistance service.This includes: reviewing the staffing model for assistance at large stations (including Leeds); providing additional staff training on communication between boarding and alighting stations; introducing a dedicated team to remotely support passengers who require assistance, using tools such as WhatsApp; and trialling a new process to allow passengers travelling from unstaffed stations who have not pre-booked, to alert conductors to their assistance needs.
How many Class 357 units operated by c2c have been upgraded in the last 12 months.
The following upgrades and modifications of Class 357 units operated by c2c have been completed for the 25/26 calendar year:Train Painting & Corrosion Repairs: 27 unitsLED Lighting Upgrades: 10 unitsDoor Overhaul: 74 unitsTight Lock Auto Coupler Overhaul: 74 units
Food and Rural Affairs, when the consultation on licensing domestic rescue and rehoming organisations will be launched; and what her planned timetable is for its conclusion and response.
As set out in the Animal Welfare Strategy, the Government will launch a consultation on licensing domestic rescue and rehoming organisations in due course.
What assessment she has made of the potential impact of the time taken to publish the Integrated National Transport Strategy on national and local transport planning; and how the Strategy will improve whole-journey integration between rail, bus, road and active travel.
The Department will publish the integrated national transport strategy shortly, which will set the long‑term vision for domestic transport across England.While developing the strategy, we have worked across government to ensure it aligns with forthcoming guidance and tools for local authorities and transport partners, including Outcome Frameworks and cross-government Integrated Settlements for Established Mayoral Strategic Authorities. We have undertaken regular engagement with stakeholders such as the Local Government Association and the Urban Transport Group, helping ensure the strategy addresses the main barriers people face in accessing good transport and supports effective planning at both the national and local levels.On whole-journey integration, the strategy will set out this government’s priorities for creating a transport network that works well for people across England, enabling more seamless journeys however they choose to travel.
Pursuant to the Answer of 17 December 2025 to Question 94028, whether he plans to (a) implement the recommendations of Lord Darzi’s report on eating disorders and (b) set future targets to improve community care for young people with eating disorders.
Lord Darzi conducted an independent investigation into the National Health Service in England. He did not issue a report on eating disorders and in his independent investigation, in line with the agreed terms of reference, made no specific policy recommendations regarding eating disorders. Through the 10-Year Health Plan, the Government will overhaul the NHS and ensure that those living with mental health conditions, including eating disorders, are given the support they need, including by recruiting an extra 8,500 new mental health workers across child and adult mental health services to cut waiting times and ensure people can access treatment and support earlier.
How many Greater Anglia trains have been fitted with advanced monitoring equipment.
Greater Anglia has fitted two units with infrastructure monitoring equipment. Some technology is cloud-based and is therefore not fitted ‘per train’. For example, existing CCTV footage can be analysed by AI to identify overgrown vegetation. There are plans to fit further systems to the fleet throughout 2026.
Whether his Department has a definition of healthy eating.
The definition of healthy eating is represented visually by the United Kingdom’s national food model, the Eatwell Guide. The Eatwell Guide depicts the dietary recommendations made by the Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition, which result from robust independent risk assessments of the scientific evidence. The Eatwell Guide represents the proportion of each of the main food groups we should consume to have a balanced diet which helps meet nutrient requirements and promote long term health at a population level. Consuming a healthy diet means making food choices that are in line with both calorie requirements and the principles of a healthy, balanced diet, as set out in the guide.
Pursuant to the Answer of 16 December 2025 to Question 92691 on Great British Railways: Finance, if she will publish the hyperlink to the Spending Review settlement and additional commentary referenced in that Answer.
The links are below.https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/6849171796e63bce58e4e705/E03349913_HMT_Spending_Review_June_2025_Elay.pdfhttps://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/68492799d0ca5d7801e4e709/Efficiency_delivery_plans_-_supplementary_document_-_FINAL.pdf
Whether contracts for new rolling stock for Northern are expected to be signed in 2027.
It is anticipated that Northern’s new rolling stock contract could be signed in 2027, subject to the completion of Northern’s current live procurement.
How many Northern trains have had sanding systems upgraded in each month since January 2024.
The number of Northern trains that have had sanding systems upgraded in each month since January 2024 is set out in the table below. Jan-247Feb-2421Mar-2465Apr-24116May-2420Jun-245Jul-247Aug-2474Sep-2468Oct-2421Nov-241Dec-241Jan-250Feb-251Mar-253Apr-250May-258Jun-2514Jul-2543Aug-2558Sep-2559Oct-2540Nov-2540Dec-2523 Figures up to 31 December 2025
What the expected completion date is for Southeastern’s rolling stock procurement process.
The Southeastern rolling stock procurement is currently live and is subject to evaluation and all necessary governance for approvals. We are unable to confirm exact timescales due to the confidential nature of the live procurement, but subject to business case approval, it is anticipated that the contract award will be in 2026. Southeastern will keep all stakeholders informed as this progresses.
What discussions her Department has had with Basildon Borough Council on the (a) proposed 27,000 home increase in the Borough and (b) potential impact of that increase on demand for C2C and Greater Anglia services.
We expect operators to work with local stakeholders, including local councils such as Basildon Borough Council, in relation to housing developments and their potential increase on demand for rail services. Estimates of future demand are being used to inform strategic planning across the Essex Thameside area, with collaboration across operators, Network Rail and local stakeholders such as councils.