Richard Holden MP: written questions
3381 published records · newest first.
Written questions
Department for Transport: TrainingDepartment for TransportTabled 22 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 11745More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether (a) her Department's officials and (b) external training providers from her Department have delivered capacity development training sessions overseas since 4 July 2024.
Answer: Both department officials and external training providers have delivered capacity development training sessions overseas since July 2024.
Answered 25 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordDepartment for Transport: TrainingDepartment for TransportTabled 22 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 11744More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether her Department has paid for flights for external training providers approved by her Department since 4 July 2024.
Answer: Yes, we have.
Answered 3 Jul 2026
Original Parliament recordDepartment for Transport: CybersecurityDepartment for TransportTabled 22 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 11743More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether officials from her Department have delivered cyber security workshops overseas since 4 July 2024.
Answer: We have no record of officials from the Department for Transport delivering cyber security workshops overseas since 4 July 2024.
Answered 29 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordDepartment for Transport: British Overseas TerritoriesDepartment for TransportTabled 22 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 11742More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many monitoring visits officials from her Department have undertaken in the British Overseas Territories since 4 July 2024.
Answer: Since 4 July 2024, officials from the Department for Transport’s Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) have undertaken 10 monitoring visits to British Overseas Territories to ensure oversight of British Shipping Registers.
Answered 29 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordDriving Tests: SwindonDepartment for TransportTabled 19 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 11466More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of the impact on learner drivers of average practical driving test waiting times at Swindon Driving Test Centre; and what steps she is taking to reduce waiting times and increase te
Answer: The Government set out a comprehensive package of measures in April 2025 to tackle long waiting times, aiming to deliver around 10,000 additional tests per month. A key step was reintroducing overtime incentives.As well as this, the Driver and Vehicle Sta...
Answered 24 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordAirports: Fees and ChargesDepartment for TransportTabled 19 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 11465More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 17 June 2026 to Question 9188 on Airports: Fees and Charges, whether her Department monitors whether consumers are treated fairly.
Answer: Decisions on the provision and pricing of airport parking is a commercial matter for individual airport operators, to which general consumer protection law applies. The Department continues to engage with airport operators to ensure that fees and charges ...
Answered 29 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordDriving TestsDepartment for TransportTabled 19 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 11464More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many driving examiners ceased to practice in May 2026.
Answer: In May 2026, 9.91 full-time equivalent driving examiners left the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency. As of May 2026, there are 147 (10.3%) more full-time equivalent driving examiners in post than May last year (1,430).
Answered 25 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordDepartment for Transport: TrainingDepartment for TransportTabled 19 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 11463More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if she will publish a list of externally procured training programmes used by civil servants in her Department between 1 May 2026 and 31 May 2026.
Answer: The Department for Transport provides learning to civil servants primarily through Civil Service Learning Frameworks and internally developed learning. Occasionally, training is required that is not covered by the Learning Frameworks. For the purpose of t...
Answered 1 Jul 2026
Original Parliament recordAviation: SecurityDepartment for TransportTabled 19 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 11462More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many overseas visits officials from her Department have undertaken for aviation security purposes since 4 July 2024; what the destination was of each visit; what the cost was of each visit; what the purpose
Answer: The Department for Transport (DfT) works with international partners to support the strengthening of aviation security standards with some last points of departure to the UK. This engagement includes technical cooperation, working with multilaterals and i...
Answered 24 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordRailways: Greater ManchesterDepartment for TransportTabled 19 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 11461More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 19 March 2026 to Question 120882, what progress she has made on the work with Greater Manchester Combined Authority.
Answer: The Government is working with Greater Manchester Combined Authority to take forward the work set out in the Compact Agreement of 22 January 2026. This work is expected to report later in the year.
Answered 29 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordElectric Vehicles: Excise DutiesTreasuryTabled 19 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 11460More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 20 May 2026 to Question 968, on which date she will publish her Department's response to the consultation on the implementation of eVED.
Answer: At Budget 2025, the Government announced the introduction of Electric Vehicle Excise Duty (eVED) from April 2028 and published a consultation that set out how eVED will work and sought views on its implementation.The consultation closed on 18 March 2026. ...
Answered 29 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordAviation: SafetyDepartment for TransportTabled 19 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 11459More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many capacity building visits officials from her Department have undertaken to States on the UK Air Safety List since 4 July 2024; on which dates those visits took place; which Ministers and senior official
Answer: Since 4 July 2024, officials from the Department for Transport have undertaken four missions to assess and support States on the Air Safety List. The visits have taken place between January 2025 and June 2026, with one official on each visit at a range of...
Answered 8 Jul 2026
Original Parliament recordAviation: Alternative FuelsDepartment for TransportTabled 19 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 11458More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of Sustainable Aviation Fuel Mandate compliance costs on the commercial viability of domestic air routes.
Answer: The SAF Mandate is designed to protect against excessive costs being passed on to passengers with a buyout option for obligated suppliers. How airlines choose to balance costs between domestic and international routes will be a commercial decision for eac...
Answered 29 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordAviation: Alternative FuelsDepartment for TransportTabled 19 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 11457More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the answer of 15 June 2026 to Question 7033, what assumption on the proportion of Sustainable Aviation Fuel Mandate compliance costs being passed through to passengers was used in the Department's c
Answer: We recognise the need to protect consumers and factored this into the design of the Sustainable Aviation Fuel Mandate through the inclusion of a buyout option for obligated suppliers, which protects end users (passengers) from excessive costs.The Sustaina...
Answered 24 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordAir Routes: Public Service ObligationsDepartment for TransportTabled 19 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 11456More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 15 June 2026 to Question 6200 on Air Routes: Public Service Obligations, what factors are taken into account when determining whether a clear public interest case exists for the design
Answer: I refer the Rt Hon Member to Question 6200 answered on 15 June. The guidance is available here:https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/6571a404746930000d488999/dft-public-service-obligations-guidance-2023.pdf
Answered 29 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordElectric Vehicles: Charging PointsDepartment for TransportTabled 19 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 11455More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the answer of 15 June 2026 to Question 8188, how many public EV charging points have a rated output of (a) 100-149kW, (b) 150-249kW, (c) 250-349kW and (d) 350kW and above.
Answer: The information requested is not centrally collated. Data on EV chargers are published on gov.uk:https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/6a06e28fee62840dba48a311/evci0201_2026-04_EV_chargers_by_power_band_UK.ods.
Answered 26 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordLarge Goods Vehicles: Electric VehiclesDepartment for TransportTabled 19 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 11454More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the answer of 15 June 2026 to Question 8838, by what year her Department expects the total cost of ownership of zero emission heavy goods vehicles to reach parity with equivalent diesel vehicles wit
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 Heavy Goods Vehicles are projected to become cheaper to operate than diesel across many du...
Answered 24 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordRailway Stations: Air PollutionDepartment for TransportTabled 19 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 11453More
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, whether Network Rail holds estimated costs for actions proposed within individual Air Quality Improvement Plans; an
Answer: Information on the funding of specific measures to improve air quality at Network Rail-managed stations is not held centrally within the organisation.
Answered 29 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordNetwork Rail: BiodiversityDepartment for TransportTabled 19 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 11452More
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 proportion of habitat management plans completed by Network Rail have been produced using (a) in-house staff and (b) e
Answer: Network Rail does not centrally record what proportion of habitat management plans are produced by internal resource or external contractors.
Answered 24 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordMarriage: RelativesDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 19 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 11451More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 9 June 2026 to Question 1717 on Cousin Marriage, if he will publish (a) the current guidance (b) the current training materials, and (c) any amended versions of (i) guidan
Answer: I apologise to the Rt. Hon. Member for the delay in responding to his questions of 19 May and 19 June, and I refer him respectively to the answers he received on 9 June in response to Question 1717 and on 17 June in response to Question 8796.
Answered 22 Sept 2026
Original Parliament recordDepartment for Transport: Executive AgenciesDepartment for TransportTabled 17 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 10742More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the estimated financial deficits of the a) Vehicle Certification Agency b) Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency, c) Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency and d) Maritime and Coastguard Agency are in monetary
Answer: The Vehicle Certification Agency (VCA) reported a net deficit of £8.8m in its accounts for the 2024/25 financial year. Income was reported at £22.252m against costs of £31.031m. This is primarily because the hourly rate charged by the VCA for technical wo...
Answered 22 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordDepartment for Transport: Carbon EmissionsDepartment for TransportTabled 17 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 10741More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 4 June 2026 to Question 4263, what net zero, carbon reduction, emissions reduction or equivalent environmental sustainability targets have been adopted by (a) the Department for Transp
Answer: The Department has adopted the draft Greening Government Commitments targets (2025-2030). Those being: • By 2030, the government will reduce its direct (scope 1- gas, fuel in vehicles, fugitive emissions) emissions by 23% from 2025/26 levels.• By 2030, th...
Answered 22 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordHorizon IT System: Criminal InvestigationHome OfficeTabled 17 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 10740More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 9 June 2026 to Question 5450 on Horizon IT System: Sub-postmasters, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of the additional funding provided to support the police inve
Answer: The Home Office has already provided £6m to the MPS to date for Operation Olympos. The government is determined to see justice delivered as swiftly as possible. It is for PCCs and Chief Constables to determine the allocation of operational resources.
Answered 24 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordUK Emissions Trading SchemeDepartment for Energy Security and Net ZeroTabled 17 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 10739More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, pursuant to the Answer of 9 June 2026 to Question 6816 on the UK Emissions Trading Scheme and Northern Ireland routes, whether he plans to publish any (a) assessments, (b) modelling, (c) case
Answer: The Government published the final stage Impact Assessment for this policy on 25 November 2025. Overall, it found the policy delivers emissions reductions and wider economic benefits in the most cost-effective way possible. There are no plans to publish a...
Answered 26 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordCollective ResponsibilityCabinet OfficeTabled 17 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 10738More
Question: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 9 June 2026 to Question 1231 on collective Cabinet agreement, what metrics his Department has proposed for measuring the success of reforms to the process for collective Cabinet agreeme
Answer: Policy analysis on options for reforming collective agreement is ongoing and we have high ambitions for speeding up the government’s decision making processes. The operation of the system and efficacy of all changes will be kept under continuous review.
Answered 23 Jun 2026
Original Parliament record
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