Rebecca Smith MP: written questions
165 published records · newest first.
Written questions
A66: Repairs and MaintenanceDepartment for TransportTabled 3 Jul 2026AnsweredUIN 15871More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether the A66 Northern Trans-Pennine project has been subject to any funding reprofiling since 11 June 2026; and what the planned expenditure on the project is in each financial year from 2026-27 to 2029-30.
Answer: The A66 Northern Trans-Pennine project is being delivered in line with the funding position set out following the Spending Review and the subsequent Road Investment Strategy.As with all major projects subject to Government approvals, the Full Business Cas...
Answered 9 Jul 2026
Original Parliament recordRoads: FinanceDepartment for TransportTabled 3 Jul 2026AnsweredUIN 15870More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether any strategic road schemes have been subject to funding reprofiling since 11 June 2026; and if she will list each scheme affected, the reason for the reprofiling, and the revised annual expenditure prof
Answer: There has been no funding reprofiling to enhancement schemes on the strategic road network since 11 June 2026.
Answered 9 Jul 2026
Original Parliament recordBridges: Repairs and MaintenanceDepartment for TransportTabled 2 Jul 2026AnsweredUIN 15613More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many local authority-owned highway bridges are subject to weight restrictions or closures because the estimated repair costs exceed the funding currently available.
Answer: Local highway authorities have a duty under Section 41 of the Highways Act 1980 to maintain the highways network in their area. My Department does not collect data on the reason for every weight restriction or closure applied to a bridge by a local highwa...
Answered 8 Jul 2026
Original Parliament recordHammersmith Bridge: Repairs and MaintenanceDepartment for TransportTabled 2 Jul 2026AnsweredUIN 15612More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how much funding has been provided by her Department towards Hammersmith Bridge since its closure in April 2019; and how much further funding has been requested by the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham.
Answer: The Government has provided the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham with £17m since the closure of Hammersmith Bridge in 2019. We would expect the Borough to request any further project funding via the Structures Fund, where it will be considered alo...
Answered 8 Jul 2026
Original Parliament recordAerospace Industry: BTEC QualificationsDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 2 Jul 2026AnsweredUIN 15611More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that students who have studied BTEC Level 3 in Aerospace Engineering and similar qualifications are not prevented from accessing employer-led levy funded en
Answer: A learner is able to undertake an apprenticeship at a lower level and in the same sector as training they have previously received, providing the apprenticeship offers sufficient new learning to meet our minimum duration requirements. The government will ...
Answered 8 Jul 2026
Original Parliament recordAviation: EngineeringDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 2 Jul 2026AnsweredUIN 15610More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment Skills England has made of the aviation sector’s reliance on overseas-based licensed engineers.
Answer: Occupations related to aviation engineering such as Electrical and electronics technicians and Engineering technicians are included in the Migration Advisory Committee’s Temporary Shortage List review. As part of this review, government departments have b...
Answered 8 Jul 2026
Original Parliament recordAviation: EngineeringDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 2 Jul 2026AnsweredUIN 15609More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether Skills England has undertaken an assessment of current and projected workforce shortages in aviation engineering, including the implications of new apprentice registrations remaining below pre-p
Answer: Skills England published an updated assessment of current demand for occupations in 2025. This is available here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/occupations-in-demand/2025. The assessment, based on a range of indicator...
Answered 8 Jul 2026
Original Parliament recordMinibuses: DrivingDepartment for TransportTabled 29 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 14291More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment her Department has made of the relationship between the age of commercial minibus drivers and collision risk; and whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of changing the minim
Answer: The Department has not made a specific assessment of the relationship between the age of commercial minibus drivers and collision risk. The Driver Licensing Call for Evidence published in 2023 considered a range of driver licensing issues. The summary of ...
Answered 2 Jul 2026
Original Parliament recordRailways: Belfast and DublinDepartment for TransportTabled 29 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 14290More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of a high-speed railway between Belfast and Dublin.
Answer: The railway in Northern Ireland is a fully devolved matter, including assessment of any new rail projects and proposals. The Northern Ireland Executive is responsible for their Infrastructure Strategy, including cross border cooperation with the Republic ...
Answered 7 Jul 2026
Original Parliament recordShipping: CrewDepartment for TransportTabled 29 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 14288More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment her Department has made of the adequacy of the exemptions in the regulations governing the employment of young seafarers.
Answer: Regulations relating to seafarer employment are developed in consultation with social partners including the maritime trade unions and shipowner representatives. They may be subject to post-implementation review.
Answered 2 Jul 2026
Original Parliament recordAir Traffic Control: StaffDepartment for TransportTabled 29 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 14114More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many people have (a) applied for, (b) commenced and (c) successfully completed air traffic controller training in each of the last five years.
Answer: The Department for Transport and the Civil Aviation Authority do not hold data on the number of individuals who applied for, started, or successfully completed air traffic controller training in each of the last five years. Since 2022-23, the Civil Aviati...
Answered 7 Jul 2026
Original Parliament recordDepartment for Transport: Public RelationsDepartment for TransportTabled 29 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 14113More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether her Department has undertaken any review of whether expenditure by its arm's length bodies on external affairs and public affairs complies with Cabinet Office guidance on lobbying using public funds sin
Answer: Accounting Officers of DfT public bodies are bound by Managing Public Money and Cabinet Office guidance. Section 4.1 of the Code of Conduct for Board Members of Public Bodies also states, 'it will always be an improper use of public funds for public bodie...
Answered 6 Jul 2026
Original Parliament recordElectric Vehicles: BatteriesDepartment for Business and TradeTabled 29 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 14112More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of introducing additional tariffs on battery electric vehicles manufactured in China.
Answer: The UK continues to remain concerned about overcapacity and underlying market distorting practices, in particular the impact this could have on UK domestic industries such as battery electric vehicles. We continue to carefully assess options for addressin...
Answered 2 Jul 2026
Original Parliament recordElectric VehiclesDepartment for TransportTabled 29 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 14111More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what her Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of introducing (a) procurement and (b) local content requirements for publicly supported vehicle purchases.
Answer: The Government is committed to supporting British businesses, including vehicle producers. All public procurement and Government subsidy must be compatible with our obligations under international agreements and UK Government Procurement Guidance. All pro...
Answered 2 Jul 2026
Original Parliament recordVans: Electric VehiclesDepartment for TransportTabled 29 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 14110More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what information her Department holds on the number and proportion of light commercial vans that, under normal operating conditions, would require (a) no en route charging, (b) one charging stop, (c) two chargi
Answer: The Department does not hold data on how many charging stops a particular number or proportion of light commercial vans (LCV) would require during a typical working day.The charging requirements of a van depend on a wide range of factors, including vehicl...
Answered 3 Jul 2026
Original Parliament recordSocial Security Benefits: VeteransDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 24 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 12994More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many veterans with amputations or other permanent injuries were reassessed for disability-related benefits in each of the last three years.
Answer: The information could only be provided at disproportionate cost.
Answered 2 Jul 2026
Original Parliament recordArmed Forces Compensation SchemeDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 24 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 12993More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether he has made an assessment of the impact of treating Armed Forces Compensation Scheme payments as income for means-tested benefit assessments.
Answer: Lump sum compensation from the Armed Forces Compensation Scheme is not treated as income, rather as capital which Universal Credit disregards for 12 months and may be disregarded indefinitely when it is held in a trust or used to purchase an annuity. The ...
Answered 1 Jul 2026
Original Parliament recordElectric Bicycles: Road Traffic OffencesDepartment for TransportTabled 23 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 12565More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many prosecutions were brought relating to the use of electrically assisted pedal cycles that exceeded the (a) legal power and (b) speed limits in each of the last five years.
Answer: The collection of statistics concerning criminal prosecutions are matters for the Ministry of Justice. They do not however hold information regarding prosecutions concerning the use of e-bikes that do not comply with the power and speed limitations set ou...
Answered 1 Jul 2026
Original Parliament recordVehicle Number Plates: FraudDepartment for TransportTabled 23 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 12564More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many motorists were prosecuted for displaying an illegally altered or obscured registration plate in each of the last five years.
Answer: The Department for Transport and the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency do not hold the information requested. On road enforcement of number plate offences is a matter for the police.
Answered 1 Jul 2026
Original Parliament recordFreightDepartment for TransportTabled 23 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 12322More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to her Department's press release entitled Government boost for businesses to drive freight innovation, published on 3 December 2025, whether she will publish the Freight Plan during 2026.
Answer: The government is committed to supporting a strong and resilient freight and logistics sector that enables economic growth across the UK. My department is working closely with industry and the Freight Council to develop a new freight plan which reflects t...
Answered 29 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordActive TravelDepartment for TransportTabled 23 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 12321More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether Active Travel England undertakes realised value for money assessments of completed active travel schemes.
Answer: Active Travel England is coordinating independent process, impact and value for money evaluation of active travel interventions. In particular, the Active Travel Fund (ATF) 2 evaluation will be published later this year and will cover a range of different...
Answered 29 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordRailway Stations: ConstructionDepartment for TransportTabled 23 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 12319More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, for each railway station project in England approved since 2015, if she will set out the (a) original budget, (b) latest budget, (c) original completion date, (d) current expected completion date where applicab
Answer: The Department does not hold the information requested. Information on railway station projects approved since 2015, including original and latest budgets and planned and actual completion dates, is not held centrally by Network Rail.
Answered 29 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordTransport: InfrastructureDepartment for TransportTabled 23 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 12318More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what proportion of local transport infrastructure schemes funded through City Region Sustainable Transport Settlements have experienced cost increases since approval in each of the last three years.
Answer: City Region Sustainable Transport Settlements (CRSTS) provides £5.7 billion of devolved funding to the eight eligible Mayoral Strategic Authorities (MSAs) for the period 2022/23 to 2026/27 - to enable Mayors to invest in transport interventions as they se...
Answered 1 Jul 2026
Original Parliament recordLiverpool Street Station: ConstructionDepartment for TransportTabled 23 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 12317More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how much funding has been allocated to progress the Liverpool Street Station redevelopment scheme from committee resolution to a legally implementable planning permission; if she will set out who is funding tha
Answer: The Liverpool Street Redevelopment scheme is being promoted by Platform 4 on a commercial basis – no Government funding has been allocated. Any specific queries regarding this scheme should be directed to Platform 4 (info@platform4.com).
Answered 1 Jul 2026
Original Parliament recordTrain Operating Companies: FinanceDepartment for TransportTabled 22 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 11946More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 17 June to Question 9171, what passenger revenue assumptions underpinned the forecast £464.6 million reduction in Support for Passenger Rail Services in 2025-26; and what the actual pa
Answer: The £464.6m reduction to 2025-26 Estimates was on the assumption of an increase in revenue compared to 2024/25. Revenue outturn was lower than the 2025/26 forecast due to a number of factors, including changing consumer behaviour, with passengers taking m...
Answered 29 Jun 2026
Original Parliament record
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