Written questions by Holden.

Whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential impact of removing interest charges from student loans for UK nationals on costs to the public purse.

Education is a devolved matter, and this response outlines the information for England only.The government keeps the student finance system under continuous review to ensure that it delivers good value for both students and taxpayers.Student loans are subject to interest to ensure that those who can afford to do so contribute to the full cost of their degree. To consider both students and taxpayers and ensure the real value of the loans over the repayment term, interest rates are linked to inflation.Interest rates do not impact monthly repayments made by student loan borrowers. Regular repayments are based on a borrower’s monthly or weekly income, not on interest rates or the amount borrowed. Outstanding debt, including interest built up, is cancelled after the loan term ends (or in case of death or disability) at no detriment to the borrower.A full equality impact assessment of how the student loan reforms may affect graduates under Plan 5 was produced and published in February 2022, and can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/higher-education-reform-equality-impact-assessment.

What assessment she has made of the potential impact of ghost plates pose on (a) national security and (b) the ability of hostile or organised criminal actors to evade detection by ANPR technology; and whether she has commissioned a cross-government review on the potential impact of the use of illegal plates on investigative leads, including those related to violent crime, terrorism, and serious organised criminal activity.

Under the new Road Safety Strategy, published on 7 January by the Department for Transport, the Government has announced firm action to tackle illegal or ‘ghost’ numberplates. This includes consulting on tougher penalties, including penalty points and vehicle seizure, more robust checks on number plate suppliers, and higher industry standards for numberplates. We also intend to commission targeted research to explore the potential use of artificial intelligence to identify illegal plates.In addition, the Government has pledged £2.7m for each of the next three years to support a roads policing innovation programme. As part of this innovation programme, the Department for Transport and Home Office are working in collaboration with National Police Chiefs' Council and others to consider new approaches to tackling the issue of illegal plate usage.

Pursuant to the Answer of 9 December 2025 to Question 96260 on Railways: Government Assistance, what her Department’s latest estimate is of the level of net Government support to the rail sector per passenger journey in the 2027-28 financial year.

Given the forecast steady decrease in the level of the Department's support for the 14 contracted operators and Network Rail, the level of support in 2027/28 is estimated to be slightly higher than in 2028/29.

Pursuant to the Answer of 23 June 2025 to Question 60138 on Road Traffic Control: Finance, whether she is providing central support for congestion improvement measures.

The Department provides a range of funding mechanisms to local authorities to enable them to deliver their objectives. It is for them to determine how best to use this to manage their roads to fulfil their Network Management Duty.

Pursuant to the Answer of 5 November 2025 to Question 86754 on Railways: Industrial Disputes and 2 December 2025 to Question 93782 on British Transport Police: Industrial Disputes, if she will make an assessment of the adequacy of Section 280 of the Trade Union and Labour Relations (Consolidation) Act 1992 when applied to the British Transport Police.

Section 280 of the Trade Union and Labour Relations (Consolidation) Act 1992 is applicable to the British Transport Police as it is for a Home Office force. The effect of section 280(1) is to remove police officers from the statutory protections set out in legislation for those who take industrial action. Therefore, if BTP constables were to strike they would have no access to the legal protections provided in the Trade Union and Labour Relations (Consolidation) Act 1992 that other workers have when they strike. The definition of “police service” is set out in section 280(2) of the Trade Union and Labour Relations (Consolidation) Act 1992 and would include the constables of the British Transport Police.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps the Government is taking to help ensure that British investors and pension funds are not prevented from challenging harmful actions by Chinese actors in Cayman Islands courts.

Financial Services regulation is a devolved matter for the Cayman Islands Government. The UK Government works closely with the Cayman Islands authorities to uphold the rule of law and ensure robust legal frameworks. Cayman Islands courts operate independently under a well-established legal system based on English common law, providing avenues for parties to challenge harmful actions. I discussed with Premier Ebanks at the recent Joint Ministerial Council how to work together to promote further trade and investment ties, and welcomed the important steps taken by the Cayman Islands Government to promote greater corporate transparency.The UK Government respects the impartiality of the Cayman Islands Courts. The Judicial Committee of the Privy Council is the highest court of appeal for the Overseas Territories, and its decisions are binding.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to the recent ruling on 51Job, Inc. by the Grand Court of the Cayman Islands, what steps he is taking to ensure that Cayman Islands institutions have the (a) capability and (b) willingness to protect (i) British investors and (ii) pension funds from harmful actions by Chinese actors.

Financial Services regulation is a devolved matter for the Cayman Islands Government. The UK Government works closely with the Cayman Islands authorities to uphold the rule of law and ensure robust legal frameworks. Cayman Islands courts operate independently under a well-established legal system based on English common law, providing avenues for parties to challenge harmful actions. I discussed with Premier Ebanks at the recent Joint Ministerial Council how to work together to promote further trade and investment ties, and welcomed the important steps taken by the Cayman Islands Government to promote greater corporate transparency.The UK Government respects the impartiality of the Cayman Islands Courts. The Judicial Committee of the Privy Council is the highest court of appeal for the Overseas Territories, and its decisions are binding.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, in light of the recent ruling on 51Job, Inc. by the Grand Court of the Cayman Islands, what steps she is taking to ensure that Overseas Territory courts comply with Privy Council rulings in cases involving (a) British investors and (b) pension funds.

Financial Services regulation is a devolved matter for the Cayman Islands Government. The UK Government works closely with the Cayman Islands authorities to uphold the rule of law and ensure robust legal frameworks. Cayman Islands courts operate independently under a well-established legal system based on English common law, providing avenues for parties to challenge harmful actions. I discussed with Premier Ebanks at the recent Joint Ministerial Council how to work together to promote further trade and investment ties, and welcomed the important steps taken by the Cayman Islands Government to promote greater corporate transparency.The UK Government respects the impartiality of the Cayman Islands Courts. The Judicial Committee of the Privy Council is the highest court of appeal for the Overseas Territories, and its decisions are binding.

What estimate she has made of the cost to the public purse of the rail fare freeze.

I refer the Honourable Member to the response I provided him to question 95968 on 4 December 2025.

What estimate she has made of the net fiscal cost of freezing rail prices in each of the next five years.

I refer the Honourable Member to the response I provided him to question 95968 on 4 December 2025.

What potential new treatments for glioblastoma have been trialled in the NHS.

The Department of Health and Social Care enables research via its research arm, the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR), and is committed to furthering our investment and driving scientific advancements in research into the causes and treatment of brain tumours. Between 2018/19 and 2023/24, the NIHR directly invested £11.8 million via research programmes and training. UK Research and Innovation, funded by the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology, invested £46.8 million.During the same period, the NIHR’s wider investments of approximately £37.5 million in research infrastructure and the research workforce have enabled the delivery of an additional 261 brain tumour research studies, allowing over 11,400 more people to participate in brain tumour research. NIHR infrastructure provides world-class research expertise, specialist facilities, a research delivery workforce, and support services to enable and deliver research across the National Health Service and wider health and care system.For example, the CITADEL-123 trial, supported by the NIHR’s University College London Hospital (UCLH) Clinical Research Facility and the UCLH Biomedical Research Centre, is trialling the use of resection surgery followed by implantation of a medical device which delivers radioactive therapy in patients with recurrent glioblastoma. A separate trial of a drug derived from olive oil has shown promise in early studies for patients with glioblastoma. The NIHR Biomedical Research Centre at the Royal Marsden and the Institute of Cancer Research and Experimental Cancer Medicine Centre Network, which the NIHR jointly funds, support the work of the Drug Development Unit, which supported the study.The Win-Glio trial, also supported by the NIHR’s UCLH Clinical Research Facility, is testing immunotherapy treatment using the drug ipilimumab prior to standard treatment in patients with glioblastoma.The NIHR continues to welcome funding applications for research into any aspect of human health and care, including glioblastoma. These applications are subject to peer review and judged in open competition, with awards being made on the basis of the importance of the topic to the public and health and care services, value for money, and scientific quality.

If he will publish a list of the countries from which electric vehicles are currently (a) eligible for a zero per cent import tariff and (b) not eligible for a zero per cent import tariff when entering the United Kingdom market.

Such a list is already available as the list of electric vehicle tariffs by country can be found on the Government’s Online Tariff Tool here (https://www.trade-tariff.service.gov.uk/find_commodity), which provides the most up-to-date details on import tariffs for every country.

When she expects the Office for National Statistics to (a) determine a timescale for its review of rolling stock leasing agreements and (b) identify which leases or train operating companies will form part of the review sample.

Timescales for its work in this area are for the ONS to determine, as an independent body.

What recent assessment he has made of the impact of rising carbon costs on the viability of UK oil refineries.

The Government recognises the competitiveness challenges facing the refining industry and is determined to support the industry to address them and ensure the long-term future of the refining sector in the UK. In the Autumn Budget, the Government announced it is considering the feasibility and impacts of including refined products in the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism in future. The Emissions Trading Scheme Authority also recently published its Free Allocation review response which confirmed the sector remains eligible for free allocation, with current benchmarks maintained until 2028. UK Emissions Trading Scheme: free allocation review - GOV.UK.

Pursuant to the Answer of 17 November 2025 to Question 90397 on Road Traffic Control: Oxford, what information the DVLA holds on which intermediary companies are currently used by (a) Oxford City Council and (b) Oxfordshire County Council.

While the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency is aware of the third-party providers used by the councils referenced to facilitate requests for vehicle keeper information, this relates to a commercial arrangement between them and the third parties and it would not be appropriate to disclose that information.

What assessment she has made of the potential merits of including oil refining within the UK Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism.

The government recognises that refineries play a role in energy security and the UK’s industrial base, and will publish a call for evidence on the fuel sector. The government is also considering the feasibility and impacts of including refined products in the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) in future.

What steps she is taking to attract private sector investment to increase the number of hydrogen refuelling stations.

The Department for Transport has launched a number of technology agnostic match-funding programmes across modes, attracting private sector investment in zero emission solutions (for which hydrogen and its associated infrastructure have been eligible). One of the biggest lessons learned from these programmes has been to ensure that hydrogen supply, including refuelling stations, and fleet demand are matched.

Whether, following the Government’s decision to abolish the Valuation Office Agency and transfer its functions into HM Revenue and Customs, she plans to maintain the current Valuation Office Agency methodology for assessing business-rates valuations.

At Budget 2025, the government published a Call for Evidence on Business Rates and Investment which will explore concerns raised by a small number of ratepayers whose properties are valued on the ‘Receipts & Expenditure’ methodology and options to improve predictability and stability.

Whether Great British Railways will charge a commission percentage on ticket sales made through its digital platforms once it is established.

Commission rates currently payable in connection with the sale of rail tickets are available to view on the Rail Delivery Group (RDG) website: https://www.raildeliverygroup.com/our-services/retail-commercial/how-to-become-a-retailer/documents/13079-rail-industry-commission-rates-from-1st-october-2024/file.html. Further detail on the setup of Great British Railway's (GBR's) retailer and the future governance of the rail retail market, when GBR has taken on RDG functions, will be set out in due course.

Whether his Department has had discussions with Exxon Mobil Corp on the potential impact of rising carbon costs on the viability of UK refineries since its evidence to Parliament in October 2025.

Details of Ministers' and Permanent Secretaries' meetings with external individuals and organisations are published quarterly in arrears on GOV.UK.