Richard Holden MP: written questions
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Written questions
Railways: Artificial IntelligenceDepartment for TransportTabled 10 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 8695More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what artificial intelligence systems, including generative artificial intelligence and AI agents, are being utilised by Network Rail; for what operational, maintenance, asset management, customer service and co
Answer: Network Rail is applying and exploring AI and advanced analytics across operations, maintenance and asset management to improve situational awareness, identify performance risks, understand knock-on effects of delays and support decision-making during dis...
Answered 25 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordGrowth and Skills LevyDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 10 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 8694More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what proportion of employers paying the Growth and Skills Levy recovered less than (a) 25%, (b) 50%, (c) 75% and (d) 100% of levy contributions through funded training in the latest year for which figur
Answer: The UK wide apprenticeship levy, which is paid at a rate of 0.5% by employers with an annual pay bill of over £3 million, is not legally hypothecated and, as such, revenues from the levy are paid into the Consolidated Fund and not directly allocated to ap...
Answered 29 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordAnimal Experiments: DogsHome OfficeTabled 10 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 8693More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment her Department has made of trends in the level of the use of beagles bred at MBR Acres in UK laboratories for international research projects; how many such animals have been used in s
Answer: The Home Office does not hold information centrally on the number of animals supplied by particular establishments that are used in specific studies, including those supporting international research projects or regulatory submissions to overseas regulato...
Answered 16 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordAnimal Experiments: DogsHome OfficeTabled 10 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 8692More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment her Department has made of trends in the level of the use of beagles supplied by MBR Acres in the United Kingdom in GLP studies conducted at UK facilities that support regulatory submi
Answer: The Home Office does not hold information centrally on the number of animals supplied by particular establishments that are used in specific studies, including those supporting international research projects or regulatory submissions to overseas regulato...
Answered 16 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordRailways: NationalisationDepartment for TransportTabled 10 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 8691More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what estimate her Department has made of the annual net cost to the public purse of operating passenger rail services under public ownership inclusive of inherited operational liabilities and the annual allocat
Answer: For 2026-27, for the 8 Train Operating Companies that were publicly owned at 31/3/26, the contracted annual net subsidy was for £1.5bn. This includes their collective contribution to the British Transport Police for 2026-27 of £71m. Since the start of the...
Answered 15 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordRailway Stations: Greater ManchesterDepartment for TransportTabled 9 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 8189More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if she will publish any representations made to her Department by the Mayor of Greater Manchester to (a) upgrade and (b) improve (i) Orrell, (ii) Gardwood, (iii) Bryn, (iv) Pemberton, (v) Ince, (vi) Daisy Hill,
Answer: The Secretary of State has regular discussions with the Mayor of Greater Manchester about a range of issues, including plans to upgrade and improve rail stations across Greater Manchester, which includes proposals for a new station at Golborne.Since 2017,...
Answered 15 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordLight DuesDepartment for TransportTabled 9 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 8187More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 8 June 2026 to Question 4261, what changes have been made to the level of light dues since 4 July 2024; and what (a) proposals and (b) projections her Department has made for future ch
Answer: There was no change to the level of light dues in 2024 or 2025. The Merchant Shipping (Light Dues) (Amendment) Regulations 2026, which came into force on 1 April 2026, increased the light dues rate from 45 pence to 46 pence per net registered tonne, and i...
Answered 17 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordVehicle Number PlatesDepartment for TransportTabled 9 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 8103More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, which vanity number plates are granted to each foreign government by her Department.
Answer: Vehicles registered in the UK to foreign governments are generally issued with a specific format of registration number: three numbers, a single letter, followed by a further three numbers. The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency may issue a personalised ...
Answered 17 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordRailways: FaresDepartment for TransportTabled 9 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 8102More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many and what proportion of rail journeys saw a fare increase in 2026 versus the same journey in 2025.
Answer: The Department does not centrally hold information on how many, or what proportion of, rail journeys saw a fare increase in 2026 versus the same journey in 2025. While detailed fares data exist within industry systems, the Department does not routinely co...
Answered 15 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordHM Coastguard: Voluntary WorkDepartment for TransportTabled 9 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 8101More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what alternative options the Maritime and Coastguard Agency considered following the Court of Appeal judgment in Maritime and Coastguard Agency v Groom [2026] EWCA Civ 6 before deciding to introduce a revised v
Answer: Changing the Coastguard Rescue Service operating model was not something which we wanted to do but is a mandated consequence of the Court of Appeal ruling. His Majesty’s Coastguard has 3000+ Coastguard Rescue Officers, all with unique personal circumstanc...
Answered 15 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordOrrell Station: AccessDepartment for TransportTabled 9 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 8100More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what plans her Department has to upgrade Orrell railway station to provide step-free access; and if she will consider allocating funding for that station under the next round of the Access for All programme.
Answer: In 2022 the previous Government received 310 nominations for step-free station upgrades as part of the Access for All programme. Future funding will be considered as part of the next Spending Review, which may provide an opportunity for stations such as O...
Answered 15 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordWales Office: LanyardsWales OfficeTabled 9 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 8099More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, how much her Department has spent on lanyards since 4 July 2024; what designs of lanyards have been purchased; and what the cost and number of each lanyard design purchased was.
Answer: The Wales Office has spent £173.17 on lanyards since 4 July 2024. There was one design, bilingual Wales Office branding which was included in the cost of the lanyards.
Answered 16 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordLeader of the House of Commons: LanyardsLeader of the HouseTabled 9 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 8098More
Question: To ask the Leader of the House, how much his Office has spent on lanyards since 4 July 2024; what designs of lanyards have been purchased; and what the cost and number of each lanyard design purchased was.
Answer: The Office of the Leader of the House of Commons has not incurred costs for lanyards since 4th July 2024.
Answered 17 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordNorthern Ireland Office: LanyardsNorthern Ireland OfficeTabled 9 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 8097More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how much (a) his Department, (b) its agencies and (c) its public bodies has spent on lanyards since 4 July 2024; what designs of lanyards have been purchased; and what the cost and number of each lanyard
Answer: The Northern Ireland Office (NIO) spent £714.00 (inc VAT) on lanyards for staff since 4 July 2024. The design features NIO branding. 100 lanyards were purchased at a cost of £5.95 each.In the same time period, the NIO’s public bodies made the following pu...
Answered 17 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordDepartment for Science, Innovation and Technology: LanyardsDepartment for Science, Innovation and TechnologyTabled 9 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 8096More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, how much (a) her Department, (b) its agencies and (c) its public bodies has spent on lanyards since 4 July 2024; what designs of lanyards have been purchased; and what the cost and numb
Answer: In 2024, the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology spent £3,972+VAT on 5,000 lanyards for its staff. These lanyards were of one design, containing the words Science, Innovation and Technology. In 2025, 100 lanyards were purchased for members o...
Answered 22 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs: LanyardsDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 9 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 8095More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how much (a) her Department, (b) its agencies and (c) its public bodies has spent on lanyards since 4 July 2024; what designs of lanyards have been purchased; and what the cost and num
Answer: Since 4 July 2024, core Defra (excluding its agencies and arm’s-length bodies) has spent £7,251 on lanyards, purchasing a total of 12,870 items. These comprised ‘staff’, ‘escorted’ and ‘unescorted’ designs used to facilitate access to Defra group building...
Answered 24 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordMotor Vehicles: Manufacturing IndustriesDepartment for Business and TradeTabled 8 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 7531More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment he has made of trends in the level of UK vehicle production since 2020.
Answer: The Government recognises that UK vehicle production has been affected by global shocks since 2020. Output declined during the Covid19 pandemic and was further impacted by supply chain disruption and volatile consumer demand. We want to make the UK one of...
Answered 11 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordNorthern: Rolling StockDepartment for TransportTabled 8 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 7499More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 4 June 2026 to Question 3326 on Northern Trains: Rolling Stock, how many and what proportion of short-formed services there were for each of those routes in the 18 months prior to 4 Ju
Answer: DFT Operator expects operators to provide appropriate capacity in response to expected demand and holds operators to account for short -formed services. While DFT Operator generally monitors levels of short formation at an operator level every four weeks,...
Answered 22 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordElectricity: PricesDepartment for Energy Security and Net ZeroTabled 8 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 7496More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, with reference to paragraph 14 of the National Audit Office report on Sizewell C, HC 33, published in May 2026, whether his Department plans to analyse the potential impact of projected elect
Answer: The department estimates that RAB levies for Sizewell C will add on average approximately £1 a month to a typical household bill. Eligible Energy Intensive Industries are exempt from RAB levies.There will be £2 billion per year savings to the energy syste...
Answered 11 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordTransport: InnovationDepartment for TransportTabled 8 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 7495More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 4 June 2026 to Question 5446, what criteria her Department uses to define a proportionate and flexible approach to business case approvals for innovative transport projects; and whethe
Answer: Business cases for innovative projects are assessed through the Department’s investment boards, in line with the published principles in the Green Book. The objective of the use of a proportionate and flexible approach is to use the most appropriate metho...
Answered 11 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordScotland Office: LanyardsScotland OfficeTabled 8 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 7494More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, how much (a) his Department, (b) its agencies and (c) its public bodies has spent on lanyards since 4 July 2024; what designs of lanyards have been purchased; and what the cost and number of each lanyard design
Answer: The Scotland Office has spent nil on lanyards since 4 July 2024.
Answered 11 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordMinistry of Justice: LanyardsMinistry of JusticeTabled 8 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 7493More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how much (a) his Department, (b) its agencies and (c) its public bodies has spent on lanyards since 4 July 2024; what designs of lanyards have been purchased; and what the cost and number of each lanyard design p
Answer: The information requested is not centrally held in an accessible form. Due to this any response could only be collated and verified for the purposes of answering this question at disproportionate cost.
Answered 18 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordMinistry of Defence: LanyardsMinistry of DefenceTabled 8 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 7492More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how much (a) his Department, (b) its agencies and (c) its public bodies has spent on lanyards since 4 July 2024; what designs of lanyards have been purchased; and what the cost and number of each lanyard design p
Answer: The information is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
Answered 15 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordHome Office: LanyardsHome OfficeTabled 8 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 7491More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how much (a) her Department, (b) its agencies and (c) its public bodies has spent on lanyards since 4 July 2024; what designs of lanyards have been purchased; and what the cost and number of each lany
Answer: This information would only be available at disproportionate cost.
Answered 11 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordTreasury: LanyardsTreasuryTabled 8 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 7490More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how much (a) her Department, (b) its agencies and (c) its public bodies has spent on lanyards since 4 July 2024; what designs of lanyards have been purchased; and what the cost and number of each lanyard design purc
Answer: The information requested is not held.
Answered 16 Jun 2026
Original Parliament record
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