Written questions by Holden.

How many civil servants are working on rail reform.

This information is already published as part of the Q2 Government Major Projects Portfolio Return.

How much (a) their Department and (b) its arm’s length bodies have spent on (i) installing electric vehicle charging facilities and (ii) purchasing electric vehicles since 4 July 2024; and what estimate their Department has made of the difference in capital cost between (A) the electric vehicles purchased by their Department and (B) comparable (1) petrol and (2) diesel models.

The Department and its arm’s length bodies have not purchased any electric vehicles, nor installed any electric vehicle charging facilities since 4 July 2024.

Pursuant to the Answer of 27 October 2025 to Question 84309 on High Speed 2, what her Department’s latest estimate is of (a) the additional cost arising from the four-year deferral of works between Delta Junction and Handsacre Junction, (b) the revised total cost of the HS2 programme and (c) the expected date for completion of the final connection between High Speed 2 and the West Coast Main Line.

The previous Government paused works between Delta Junction and Handsacre Junction in March 2023. HS2 Ltd provided an estimate at the time in 2023 that the cost of demobilisation of these works was c.£35m (2019 prices). Further deferral will not incur demobilisation costs as the work has already been demobilised. Any additional costs are being considered as part of Mark Wild’s comprehensive review of HS2. As part of his reset work, he will advise on a revised cost estimate and schedule for HS2, including the scope between Delta Junction and Handsacre Junction.

How much (a) their Department and (b) its arm’s length bodies have spent on (i) installing electric vehicle charging facilities and (ii) purchasing electric vehicles since 4 July 2024; and what estimate their Department has made of the difference in capital cost between (A) the electric vehicles purchased by their Department and (B) comparable (1) petrol and (2) diesel models.

Since 4 July 2024, the Department and its arm’s length bodies have spent £3,537 on the installation of electric vehicle charging facilities.Since 4 July 2024, the Department and its arm's length bodies have spent £483,909 on the purchase of electric vehicles.The Department estimates that the capital cost of the electric vehicles purchased is approximately £11,545 higher than comparable petrol or diesel models.

How much (a) their Department and (b) its arm’s length bodies have spent on (i) installing electric vehicle charging facilities and (ii) purchasing electric vehicles since 4 July 2024; and what estimate their Department has made of the difference in capital cost between (A) the electric vehicles purchased by their Department and (B) comparable (1) petrol and (2) diesel models.

The Wales Office has not incurred any expenditure on the installation of electric vehicle charging facilities or purchased any electric vehicles since 4 July 2024.The Department does not have any arm’s length bodies.

Whether she plans to retain the rail freight growth target of 75% growth in freight carried by rail by 2050; and whether she plans to (a) put that target on a statutory footing, (b) introduce interim milestones and (c) adopt regional targets.

The Government recognises that the economic and environmental potential of rail freight is significant and is committed to the target of at least a 75% increase in freight moved by rail by 2050. The recently published draft Railways Bill sets out a duty on the Secretary of State to set a growth target and for GBR to have regard to it. The Secretary of State is currently considering whether to set interim targets for 2040 and what those targets will be. In addition, Network Rail has the target of a 7.5% increase in rail freight growth by the end of March 2029.

How much (a) their Department and (b) its arm’s length bodies have spent on (i) installing electric vehicle charging facilities and (ii) purchasing electric vehicles since 4 July 2024; and what estimate their Department has made of the difference in capital cost between (A) the electric vehicles purchased by their Department and (B) comparable (1) petrol and (2) diesel models.

The department and its arm’s length bodies have not incurred any expenditure on the installation of electric vehicle charging facilities or purchased any electric vehicles since 4 July 2024.

Media and Sport, how much (a) their Department and (b) its arm’s length bodies have spent on (i) installing electric vehicle charging facilities and (ii) purchasing electric vehicles since 4 July 2024; and what estimate their Department has made of the difference in capital cost between (A) the electric vehicles purchased by their Department and (B) comparable (1) petrol and (2) diesel models.

The Department has not incurred any expenditure on the installation of electric vehicle charging facilities since 4 July 2024. The Department has also not purchased any electric vehicles since 4 July 2024. We are unable to provide data relating to the expenditure of arm’s length bodies on the installation of electric vehicle charging facilities or the purchase of electric vehicles as we do not collect such data centrally. The Department has not made an estimate of the difference in capital cost between the electric vehicles purchased and comparable petrol or diesel models.

How much (a) their Department and (b) its arm’s length bodies have spent on (i) installing electric vehicle charging facilities and (ii) purchasing electric vehicles since 4 July 2024; and what estimate their Department has made of the difference in capital cost between (A) the electric vehicles purchased by their Department and (B) comparable (1) petrol and (2) diesel models.

The Department and its arm’s length bodies have not incurred any expenditure on the installation of electric vehicle charging facilities since 4 July 2024.The Department and its arm’s length bodies have not purchased any electric vehicles since 4 July 2024.The Department has not made an estimate of the difference in capital cost between the electric vehicles purchased and comparable petrol or diesel models.

How much (a) their Department and (b) its arm’s length bodies have spent on (i) installing electric vehicle charging facilities and (ii) purchasing electric vehicles since 4 July 2024; and what estimate their Department has made of the difference in capital cost between (A) the electric vehicles purchased by their Department and (B) comparable (1) petrol and (2) diesel models.

The Department for Transport has not spent money on electric vehicle (EV) charging device installations on the central Department estate since July 2024. The Department for Transport does not hold information on money spent by its arm’s-length bodies on EV charging infrastructure or vehicles. According to industry statistics the average upfront price difference between new electric and new petrol cars is 19%, compared to 29% last year. DfT analysis shows that by switching to an EV, drivers could save as much as £1,500 a year compared to petrol car drivers on running and vehicle maintenance costs.

What estimate his Department has made of the annual cost to the public purse for NHS of treating (a) congenital and (b) genetic disorders arising from consanguineous unions.

The Department does not hold this information.

How much (a) their Department and (b) its arm’s length bodies have spent on (i) installing electric vehicle charging facilities and (ii) purchasing electric vehicles since 4 July 2024; and what estimate their Department has made of the difference in capital cost between (A) the electric vehicles purchased by their Department and (B) comparable (1) petrol and (2) diesel models.

The Department occupies GPA and HMRC estate and therefore has not purchased any electric vehicle charging points at its sites or purchased any electric vehicles. Data for arms-length-bodies is not held centrally.

How much (a) their Department and (b) its arm’s length bodies have spent on (i) installing electric vehicle charging facilities and (ii) purchasing electric vehicles since 4 July 2024; and what estimate their Department has made of the difference in capital cost between (A) the electric vehicles purchased by their Department and (B) comparable (1) petrol and (2) diesel models.

The Scotland Office and its associated arm’s length bodies have not incurred any expenditure on the installation of electric vehicle charging facilities or purchased any electric vehicles since 4 July 2024.

How much (a) their Department and (b) its arm’s length bodies have spent on (i) installing electric vehicle charging facilities and (ii) purchasing electric vehicles since 4 July 2024; and what estimate their Department has made of the difference in capital cost between (A) the electric vehicles purchased by their Department and (B) comparable (1) petrol and (2) diesel models.

Since 4 July 2024, the Department for Business and Trade and its arm’s length bodies have spent £9,066.00 on the installation of electric vehicle charging facilities.The Department and its arm’s length bodies have not purchased any electric vehicles since 4 July 2024.

How much (a) their Department and (b) its arm’s length bodies have spent on (i) installing electric vehicle charging facilities and (ii) purchasing electric vehicles since 4 July 2024; and what estimate their Department has made of the difference in capital cost between (A) the electric vehicles purchased by their Department and (B) comparable (1) petrol and (2) diesel models.

Since 4 July 2024 neither the Department nor its arm’s length bodies have centrally purchased electric vehicles for their owned fleet. There has been no departmental investment in charging facilities for the central Government estate in this period, though arm’s length bodies have spent £100,000 on such assets.With regard to National Health Service budgets and estate, the Department has not allocated any national programme capital to the NHS for investment in electric vehicles or charging infrastructure. However, in line with the ambitions of the NHS’s Net Zero Travel and Transport Strategy, NHS trusts continue to use their operational capital allocations for investment in electric vehicles, including ambulances, where this aligns with local priorities. This spend data is held locally.The Department is also working with NHS England and the Office for Zero Emission Vehicles to support the rollout of charging infrastructure across the NHS estate through the £8 million NHS Chargepoint Accelerator Scheme, which is funded by the Department for Transport.The Department has not made an estimate of the difference in capital cost between electric vehicles and comparable petrol or diesel models. However, the NHS Travel and Transport Strategy has previously noted that transitioning to zero-emission vehicles in the NHS could deliver operational savings of £59 million per year through reduced fuel and maintenance costs.

Innovation and Technology, how much (a) their Department and (b) its arm’s length bodies have spent on (i) installing electric vehicle charging facilities and (ii) purchasing electric vehicles since 4 July 2024; and what estimate their Department has made of the difference in capital cost between (A) the electric vehicles purchased by their Department and (B) comparable (1) petrol and (2) diesel models.

The Department occupies GPA and HMRC estate and therefore has not purchased any electric vehicle charging points at its sites or purchased any electric vehicles. Data for arms-length-bodies is not held centrally.

How much (a) their Department and (b) its arm’s length bodies have spent on (i) installing electric vehicle charging facilities and (ii) purchasing electric vehicles since 4 July 2024; and what estimate their Department has made of the difference in capital cost between (A) the electric vehicles purchased by their Department and (B) comparable (1) petrol and (2) diesel models.

CDEL – HOPS Change BudgetRDEL – Resource BudgetFY CDEL RDEL20/21 £1,153,957.7721/22 £1,066,198.0322/23 £495,547.89 £721,655.0023/24 £442,482.0024/25 £1,123,253.8625/26 £318,642.00Sub Total £4,600,081.55 £721,655.00Total £5,321,736.55

Communities and Local Government, how much (a) their Department and (b) its arm’s length bodies have spent on (i) installing electric vehicle charging facilities and (ii) purchasing electric vehicles since 4 July 2024; and what estimate their Department has made of the difference in capital cost between (A) the electric vehicles purchased by their Department and (B) comparable (1) petrol and (2) diesel models.

The Department has not purchased any electric vehicles since 4 July 2024. The Department has also not incurred any expenditure on the installation of electric vehicle charging facilities since 4 July 2024. We do not hold information of this nature in relation to our arm’s length bodies.

What steps he is taking to (a) improve data collection and (b) integrate indicators related to (i) parental consanguinity and (ii) genetic risk into future (A) public health strategy and (B) NHS resource allocation frameworks.

The National Disease Registration Service (NDRS) in NHS England is directed by my Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care to collect data and report on the prevalence of cancer, and congenital and rare conditions in England, and this includes genomic data where available. NDRS publishes official national statistics on the birth prevalence of congenital conditions in England, presented by geographical region and stratified by the presence or absence of a known genomic cause. Parental consanguinity is a data item within the NDRS congenital conditions dataset, but reporting remains incomplete across many data providers. As a result, the data is insufficient to support routine reporting on the birth prevalence of congenital conditions in consanguineous families. NDRS is working with hospital trusts to continually improve the quality and completeness of data. Other relevant initiatives include the Born in Bradford study, which provides valuable insights into congenital conditions and associated risk factors, including consanguinity, in a defined population. Further information on the NDRS is available at the following link:https://digital.nhs.uk/ndrs/

Whether the Government has (a) commissioned and (b) plans to commission studies using (i) genomic datasets, (ii) UK Biobank and (iii) Genomics England to estimate levels of (A) inbreeding and (B) runs of homozygosity and F coefficients across UK populations.

The Department has not, and has no plans to, commission such research via Genomics England, UK Biobank, Our Future Health, or the National Institute for Health and Care Research.