Rebecca Smith MP: written questions 2026
171 published records · newest first.
Written questions
Minibuses: 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 recordTeachers: Part-time EmploymentDepartment for EducationTabled 22 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 11867More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of amending the School Teachers’ Pay and Conditions Document to require schools to provide part-time teachers with confirmed work schedules before cont
Answer: For most teachers, resignation arrangements, including dates, are set out in the Burgundy Book. This is a national agreement negotiated with employers by the six teachers’ unions. The department has no authority or responsibility for the Burgundy Book. Re...
Answered 25 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordTeachers: Part-time EmploymentDepartment for EducationTabled 22 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 11866More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of schools issuing timetables and working patterns after teacher resignation deadlines on part time teachers.
Answer: For most teachers, resignation arrangements, including dates, are set out in the Burgundy Book. This is a national agreement negotiated with employers by the six teachers’ unions. The department has no authority or responsibility for the Burgundy Book. Re...
Answered 25 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordLarge Goods Vehicles: Electric VehiclesDepartment for TransportTabled 18 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 11325More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the answer of 15 June 2026 to Question 8838, whether her Department has modelled the impact of a heavy goods vehicle zero emission vehicle mandate on (a) haulage costs, (b) food and grocery prices,
Answer: We will conduct a full review of all aspects of any final proposal for regulation.
Answered 23 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordGreater Thameslink Railway: CrewDepartment for TransportTabled 18 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 11324More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the answer of 15 June 2026 to Question 7116, how many of the planned increase of approximately 75 full-time equivalent drivers are expected to be allocated to (a) Thameslink and (b) Great Northern s
Answer: To boost reliability and punctuality of train services, we are supporting Greater Thameslink Railway in expanding its driver workforce. Of the planned net increase of approximately 75 full-time equivalent drivers across the Thameslink and Great Northern n...
Answered 26 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordLarge Goods Vehicles: Operating CostsDepartment for TransportTabled 18 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 11323More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 15 June 2026 to Question 8838, what estimate her Department has made of the average total cost of ownership of (a) a diesel heavy goods vehicle and (b) an equivalent zero emission heav
Answer: The total cost of ownership is expected to fall over time as vehicle prices decline and battery energy density improves. As these trends continue, battery electric HGVs are projected to become cheaper to operate than diesel across many duty cycles, streng...
Answered 24 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordRailway Stations: Air PollutionDepartment for TransportTabled 18 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 11322More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 15 June 2026 to Question 7215 on Railway Stations: Nitrogen Dioxide, from which budgets funding for Air Quality Improvement Plans is drawn where approval is granted at local level.
Answer: Information on the specific budgets used to fund individual Air Quality Implementation Plans (AQIPs) is not held centrally within Network Rail. Funding to deliver AQIP actions is not typically provided as a standalone allocation and is generally planned t...
Answered 24 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordNetwork Rail: BiodiversityDepartment for TransportTabled 18 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 11321More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 15 June 2026 to Question 7211 on Network Rail: Biodiversity, what funding provision within the Final Determination covers the preparation and implementation of habitat management plans
Answer: Funding for the preparation and implementation of habitat management plans is not separately identified within the Final Determination, but the work is part of business-as-usual activity within Network Rail’s broader allocations for operations, maintenanc...
Answered 24 Jun 2026
Original Parliament record
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