Richard Holden MP: written questions 2025
1652 published records · newest first.
Written questions
Large Goods Vehicles: Electric VehiclesDepartment for TransportTabled 20 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 83388More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of the cost of (a) electric and (b) hydrogen HGVs for small and medium-sized enterprises since July 2024; and whether she has made an assessment of the potential impact of the (i) 2
Answer: More needs to be done to ensure that UK haulage companies can switch to zero emission HGVs (battery electric or hydrogen fuel cell). This is particularly true as most UK haulage companies are SMEs and operate on small profit margins. As more zero emission...
Answered 28 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordLarge Goods Vehicles: Electric VehiclesDepartment for TransportTabled 20 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 83387More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment her Department has made of the total cost of the Zero Emission HGV and Infrastructure Demonstrator (ZEHID) programme to date; whether any underspends or project delays have been identified; and
Answer: The Government has committed up to £200 million to the Zero Emission HGV and Infrastructure Demonstrator (ZEHID) to deploy zero emission HGVs and their associated recharging and refuelling sites, most of which will be delivered by March 2026. ZEHID is mak...
Answered 28 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordElectric Vehicles: Tax AllowancesTreasuryTabled 20 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 83386More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate she has made of the total cost of electric vehicle (a) incentives and (b) tax reliefs for fleet and company car (i) leasing and (ii) purchases to the exchequer; and what assessment she has made of the
Answer: The Government publishes annual statistics on HMRC’s taxable benefits in kind for company cars and company car fuel. These reports document the number of benefit in kind recipients, the CO2 emissions of company cars and their total taxable value. The late...
Answered 23 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordRoads: Repairs and MaintenanceDepartment for TransportTabled 20 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 83384More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps her Department is taking to help ensure that (a) rural and (b) smaller local authorities can access funding to (i) trial and (b) adopt (A) faster, (B) cheaper and (C) lower-carbon road repair technol
Answer: The Department has made available £1.6bn in funding for local highway authorities to maintain their networks in 2025/26, a £500 million uplift compared to the previous year. It is for each individual local highway authority to assess which parts of its ne...
Answered 28 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordRailways: YorkshireDepartment for TransportTabled 20 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 83383More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many people signed up to take part in the digital rail tickets trial scheme between Harrogate and Leeds (a) before and (b) after it began.
Answer: The Digital Pay As You Go trials are an opportunity for passengers to test cutting-edge technology and benefit from simpler, more flexible tickets. We have had good engagement from passengers across the trial routes so far, with 656 users on Trial 2. Befo...
Answered 28 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordRailways: SafetyDepartment for TransportTabled 20 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 83382More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the total cost was of the (a) rebrand, (b) design, (c) production and (d) promotion of the rebranded See it. Say it. Sorted. campaign.
Answer: The total cost for the relaunch of the See It. Say It. Sorted. campaign was £333,751.00 (+ VAT). This was the first update of the campaign since its launch in 2016. Rail operators are mandated by security regulations to print and disseminate the campaign ...
Answered 28 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordPrize Money: RegulationDepartment for Culture, Media and SportTabled 20 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 83381More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if she will make it her policy to require large-scale commercial prize draws to return a statutory minimum percentage of proceeds to charitable causes.
Answer: This Government recognises that prize draws are a significant and growing market, and we want to ensure that people who participate in prize draws are confident that proportionate protections are in place. Independent research was commissioned in 2023, wh...
Answered 28 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordPrize Money: RegulationDepartment for Culture, Media and SportTabled 20 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 83380More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if she will make it her policy to ensure that large-scale commercial prize draws are subject to the same advertising regulations as other gambling products.
Answer: This Government recognises that prize draws are a significant and growing market, and we want to ensure that people who participate in prize draws are confident that proportionate protections are in place. Independent research was commissioned in 2023, wh...
Answered 28 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordPrize Money: RegulationDepartment for Culture, Media and SportTabled 20 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 83379More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if she will make it her policy to prevent large-scale commercial prize draws from being able to accept credit card payments from participants.
Answer: This Government recognises that prize draws are a significant and growing market, and we want to ensure that people who participate in prize draws are confident that proportionate protections are in place. Independent research was commissioned in 2023, wh...
Answered 28 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordGambling: RegulationDepartment for Culture, Media and SportTabled 20 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 83378More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, with reference to p.17 of the report by NfP entitled An Unregulated Gamble, published in March 2025, what assessment her Department has made of the potential implications for its policies that 12
Answer: This Government recognises that prize draws are a significant and growing market, and we want to ensure that people who participate in prize draws are confident that proportionate protections are in place. Independent research was commissioned in 2023, wh...
Answered 28 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordLarge Goods Vehicles: ParkingDepartment for TransportTabled 20 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 83377More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what estimate her Department has made of the shortfall in secure overnight HGV parking spaces in each year since 2023-24.
Answer: The HGV Parking Matched Funding Grant Scheme (MFGS) was launched in 2022 to fund investment in HGV driver welfare facilities, lorry parking provision, site security, and decarbonisation. These priorities were identified through the National Survey of Lorr...
Answered 28 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordLarge Goods Vehicles: ParkingDepartment for TransportTabled 20 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 83376More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many (a) new and (b) upgraded HGV parking spaces have been provided through the HGV Parking and Driver Welfare Fund; and when each was completed.
Answer: The HGV Parking Matched Funding Grant Scheme (MFGS) was launched in 2022 to fund investment in HGV driver welfare facilities, lorry parking provision, site security, and decarbonisation. These priorities were identified through the National Survey of Lorr...
Answered 28 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordLarge Goods Vehicles: ParkingDepartment for TransportTabled 20 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 83375More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many HGV (a) parking and (b) roadside welfare upgrade projects funded through the HGV Parking and Driver Welfare Fund have been completed; and when each was (i) started and (ii) completed.
Answer: The HGV Parking Matched Funding Grant Scheme (MFGS) was launched in 2022 to fund investment in HGV driver welfare facilities, lorry parking provision, site security, and decarbonisation. These priorities were identified through the National Survey of Lorr...
Answered 28 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordAviation: Alternative FuelsDepartment for TransportTabled 20 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 83374More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of the sustainable aviation fuel mandate on (a) airline operating costs and (b) the average price of a passenger ticket in each financial year to
Answer: I refer the Right Honourable Member to the answer given to PQ UIN 78707 on 20 October 2025. The Cost Benefit Analysis for the SAF Mandate sets out our assessment of the potential costs and benefits of the policy.
Answered 23 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordDfT Operator: StandardsDepartment for TransportTabled 20 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 83373More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether her Department issued any formal directions to DfT Operator Limited in (a) 2024-25 and (b) 2025-26 in respect of (i) service performance and (ii) financial control.
Answer: The Department holds the individual DFTO Train Operating Companies (TOC) to account on both their service and financial performance, with close review of their performance against their service agreements. If the Department issues a DFTO TOC with a Notice...
Answered 27 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordAnimal WelfareDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 20 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 83352More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether her Department has made of the welfare conditions of animals kept by local authorities in public parks.
Answer: Defra has made no specific assessment of the welfare conditions of animals kept by local authorities in public parks. Local authorities that keep or exhibit animals must comply with the Animal Welfare (Licensing of Activities Involving Animals) (England) ...
Answered 27 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordAnimal WelfareDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 20 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 83351More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether local authorities are required to obtain a licence under the Animal Welfare (Licensing of Activities Involving Animals) (England) Regulations 2018 when (a) keeping and (b) exhi
Answer: Local authorities are responsible for ensuring that kept animals, including those accommodated or exhibited in public parks, are cared for in accordance with the Animal Welfare Act 2006.Local authorities are subject to the Animal Welfare (Licensing of Act...
Answered 27 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordApprentices and TrainingDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 17 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 82989More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of changes to funding for Level 7 apprenticeships on levels of workforce (a) up-skilling and (b) productivity in (i) all sectors and (ii) the transp
Answer: The government's decision on defunding Level 7 apprenticeships for those aged 22 and over, including a summary of the evidence that informed that decision, is published here: Written Statements - Hansard - UK Parliament. All UK employers with an annual pa...
Answered 28 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordBicycles: InfrastructureDepartment for TransportTabled 17 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 82988More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential impact of Section 6.2.2. of the British Standard BS 8300-1:2018 entitled Design of an accessible and inclusive built environment, published on 31 J
Answer: Section 6.2.2. of British Standard 8300-1:2018 gives advice on designing bus stops in relation to cycle facilities, including what are sometimes called ‘floating bus stops’. It has the status of good practice guidance as there is no requirement in legisla...
Answered 27 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordAviation: Alternative FuelsDepartment for TransportTabled 17 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 82986More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what estimate she has made of the number of UK-based sustainable aviation fuel production facilities that have commenced construction since July 2022; and how many jobs have been created through those productio
Answer: Through the Advanced Fuels Fund (AFF) the government is providing funding to support first-of-a-kind commercial and demonstration-scale SAF projects in the UK. The Government is also introducing a revenue certainty mechanism to support UK-based SAF projec...
Answered 27 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordAviation: Carbon EmissionsDepartment for TransportTabled 17 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 82985More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what estimate she has made of the cost per tonne of carbon dioxide reduction achieved through the Revenue Certainty Mechanism compared to other Sustainable Aviation Fuel pathways; and what assessment she has ma
Answer: The Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) Mandate is the UK’s key policy to decarbonise jet fuel, and could deliver up to 6.3 megatonnes of carbon savings in 2040. The SAF Revenue Certainty Mechanism (RCM) will support investment in UK SAF production and delive...
Answered 27 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordAviation: FaresDepartment for TransportTabled 17 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 82984More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what estimate she has made of the potential impact of (a) the Sustainable Aviation Fuel Bill and (b) the proposed Revenue Certainty Mechanism on average passenger air fares by 2030 and 2035; and whether passeng
Answer: The Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) Bill provides the legislative basis for the SAF Revenue Certainty Mechanism (RCM). The RCM will help producers get the investment they need to ramp up the production of SAF in the UK. The Government published a Cost Ben...
Answered 23 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordEast West Rail Line: ConstructionDepartment for TransportTabled 17 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 82983More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of the reasons for the re-baselining of Connection Stages 2 and 3 of the East West Rail project; and what steps her Department is taking to ensure that the Oxford–Bedford section ca
Answer: In the Spending Review in June, the Government announced £2.5bn of funding to progress the delivery of East West Rail. The Government has committed to accelerating work to deliver EWR services between Oxford-Bedford and the full Oxford-Cambridge service i...
Answered 23 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordRailways: StandardsDepartment for TransportTabled 17 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 82982More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to the Office of Rail and Road’s 2024–25 train operator statistics, whether she plans to use the data on (a) cancellations, (b) delay minutes and (c) compensation claims as a baseline for new rig
Answer: GBR will bring together track and train, and there will be a greater whole-industry focus for the growing group of public sector operators as we move towards GBR. The department will expect GBR to meet targets for punctuality, reliability, service quality...
Answered 27 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordRestoring Your Railway FundTreasuryTabled 17 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 82997More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 8 September 2025 to Question 71255 on the Restoring Your Railway Fund, if she will publish all the assessments undertaken by her Department relating to the decision to cancel the Restoring
Answer: In her first week on the 8th of July 2024, the Chancellor of the Exchequer instructed HM Treasury officials to undertake an audit of public spending and public finances left by the last government. The audit’s findings showed a devastating forecast oversp...
Answered 27 Oct 2025
Original Parliament record
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