Richard Holden MP: written questions
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Written questions
DfT Operator: FinanceDepartment for TransportTabled 16 Mar 2026AnsweredUIN 120878More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when the Department expects DfT Operator Limited to deliver a 3.5 per cent real return as set out in paragraph 11.43 of the Consolidated Budgeting Guidance.
Answer: DfT Operator Ltd (DFTO) is the government’s public sector rail owning group. As a head office it is responsible for overseeing its rail operator subsidiary companies. DfT Operator Ltd therefore has minimal external trading activity and therefore it is not...
Answered 19 Mar 2026
Original Parliament recordMinistry of Defence: ProcurementMinistry of DefenceTabled 16 Mar 2026AnsweredUIN 120877More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether procurement contracts issued by the Ministry of Defence must include provisions relating to (a) diversity, equality and inclusion and (b) climate change or sustainability targets or reporting requirements
Answer: The Ministry of Defence (MOD) mandates the inclusion of the Equality Defence Condition (DEFCON 516) in all its procurement contracts. This condition obligates suppliers to comply with the Equality Act 2010. The MOD request that industry provide a Carbon R...
Answered 24 Mar 2026
Original Parliament recordNorthern: Rolling StockDepartment for TransportTabled 16 Mar 2026AnsweredUIN 120876More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the average number of carriages has been on Northern Rail services operating on the Clitheroe–Manchester line during each of the last 18 months; and how many short-formed services have operated on that lin
Answer: Between 16 September 2024 and 16 March 2026, 35.5 per cent of Northern services on the Clitheroe-Manchester line had two carriages, while 64.5 per cent had four carriages. In the same period, Northern ran 16,149 services, of which 3,430 (21.2 per cent) ha...
Answered 24 Mar 2026
Original Parliament record9 Downing Street: Repairs and MaintenanceCabinet OfficeTabled 16 Mar 2026AnsweredUIN 120875More
Question: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 8 July 2025 to Question 64569, on 9 Downing Street: Repairs and Maintenance, whether OCS has submitted an application for payment for the costs of the 9 Downing Street media suite.
Answer: I refer the Rt Hon Member to the answer of 25th March 2026, Official Report, PQ 116506.
Answered 25 Mar 2026
Original Parliament recordParking: Fees and ChargesMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 16 Mar 2026AnsweredUIN 120874More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what information his Department holds on the level of disputes over charges regarding private parking operators belonging to accredited trade associations since 4 July 2024.
Answer: The department holds baseline information on private parking appeals, provided through stakeholder engagement. The government also has a new strategy to enable the regular collection of data regarding the private parking industry, as outlined in the 2025 ...
Answered 19 Mar 2026
Original Parliament recordParking: Private SectorDepartment for TransportTabled 16 Mar 2026AnsweredUIN 120873More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment her Department has made of the adequacy of oversight arrangements governing access to vehicle keeper data held by the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency by private parking operators through acc
Answer: Regulation 27 of the Road Vehicles (Registration and Licensing) Regulations 2002 permits the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) to release vehicle keeper details in certain limited circumstances, subject to appropriate safeguards.Vehicle keeper da...
Answered 24 Mar 2026
Original Parliament recordDrax Power Station: Employment Tribunals ServiceDepartment for Energy Security and Net ZeroTabled 13 Mar 2026AnsweredUIN 120628More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether his Department is reviewing documents released to the media in March 2025 in relation to the employment tribunal involving the Drax whistleblower; and whether any findings from that m
Answer: DESNZ does not hold these documents, so is not reviewing them and has not shared them with Ofgem.
Answered 18 Mar 2026
Original Parliament recordDepartment for Energy Security and Net Zero: ContractsDepartment for Energy Security and Net ZeroTabled 11 Mar 2026AnsweredUIN 120048More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, a) what services were provided under contract PS24098 awarded to Guidehouse Europe Limited titled “Consulting service for internal assurance of existing sustainability assurance arrangement”;
Answer: Following a report published by the National Audit Office in January 2024, titled “the government’s support for biomass”, the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero commissioned Guidehouse to review the robustness of the biomass sustainability assura...
Answered 17 Mar 2026
Original Parliament recordMaternity ServicesDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 11 Mar 2026AnsweredUIN 120047More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 23 February 2026 to Question 112364, whether the annual spend on maternity care reported in the NHS National Cost Collection includes or excludes payments made by NHS Reso
Answer: The annual spend on maternity in the NHS National Cost Collection does not include payments made by NHS Resolution.Payments for maternity clinical negligence claims are made from the clinical negligence scheme for trusts, which is managed by NHS Resolutio...
Answered 19 Mar 2026
Original Parliament recordPorts: National Policy StatementsDepartment for TransportTabled 11 Mar 2026AnsweredUIN 120046More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 23 February 2026 to Question 111444, whether her Department applies an economic test when determining whether costs are disproportionate to benefits for the purposes of assessing econo
Answer: The process of determining whether costs are disproportionate to benefits does itself amount to an economic test.
Answered 24 Mar 2026
Original Parliament recordBritish Business BankDepartment for Business and TradeTabled 11 Mar 2026AnsweredUIN 120045More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, pursuant to the Answer of 23 February 2026 to Question 112685, whether the British Business Bank has (a) invested in, (b) capitalised, or (c) supported through guarantees or co-investment any funds, sc
Answer: Yes. In each of these years, the British Business Bank has invested in, capitalised, and supported through guarantees or co-investment several funds, schemes and portfolio companies with the specified characteristics. This includes direct co-investment, i...
Answered 17 Mar 2026
Original Parliament recordAviation: United Arab EmiratesDepartment for TransportTabled 11 Mar 2026AnsweredUIN 120044More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what discussions she has had with the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs on British nationals in the UAE who were unable to travel on scheduled commercial flights and subsequen
Answer: My Department and I have worked in tandem with the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office and airlines, to ensure that any British National who wishes to leave the region can do so, whether via commercial routes or through Government-supported repat...
Answered 16 Mar 2026
Original Parliament recordDepartment for Culture, Media and Sport: Official CarsDepartment for Culture, Media and SportTabled 11 Mar 2026AnsweredUIN 120043More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether officials in her Department are permitted to use Government Car Service cars.
Answer: DCMS officials have a separate Travel and Subsistence policy, which does not include the use of the Government Car Service.
Answered 20 Mar 2026
Original Parliament recordDepartment for Business and Trade: Official CarsDepartment for Business and TradeTabled 11 Mar 2026AnsweredUIN 120042More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether officials in his Department are permitted to use Government Car Service cars.
Answer: The Government Car Service provides transport for Ministers and occasionally officials undertaking official duties. Its use is governed by the Ministerial Code and departmental travel policies to ensure journeys are necessary and represent value for money...
Answered 19 Mar 2026
Original Parliament recordAttorney General's Office: Official CarsAttorney GeneralTabled 11 Mar 2026AnsweredUIN 120041More
Question: To ask the Solicitor General, whether officials in their Department are permitted to use Government Car Service cars.
Answer: The Attorney General’s Office follows central government guidance on domestic ministerial travel, as set out in the Civil Service Management Code (2016).
Answered 19 Mar 2026
Original Parliament recordCivil Servants: Official CarsCabinet OfficeTabled 11 Mar 2026AnsweredUIN 120040More
Question: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many journeys were undertaken by civil servants using Government Car Service vehicles since 4 July 2024.
Answer: The Government Car Service (GCS) provides vehicles to government departments as a shared resource. Individual departments determine the allocation and use of these vehicles in line with the Ministerial Code and the Civil Service Management Code. Informati...
Answered 18 Mar 2026
Original Parliament recordDepartment for Transport: AviationDepartment for TransportTabled 11 Mar 2026AnsweredUIN 120039More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if she will publish a list of international flights undertaken by officials from her Department in the 2025 calendar year setting out the (a) destination, (b) date of travel, (c) number of officials travelling,
Answer: A supplementary Excel document has been provided to present the full dataset, as the level of detail requested cannot be appropriately conveyed within the main response. The response covers the central Department for Transport.
Answered 24 Mar 2026
Original Parliament recordDriving Licences: Older PeopleDepartment for TransportTabled 11 Mar 2026AnsweredUIN 120038More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 16 October 2025 to Question 74236, if she will set out (a) the decision-making process used by the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency when assessing applications to renew driving lice
Answer: The driver licensing framework in Great Britain is designed to be balanced and proportionate. Drivers of all ages are legally required to notify the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) if they develop a medical condition, or if an existing conditio...
Answered 20 Mar 2026
Original Parliament recordEnvironment Protection: Government DepartmentsDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 11 Mar 2026AnsweredUIN 120037More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether the Government plans to publish a new set of Greening Government Commitments to succeed the commitments covering April 2021 to March 2024.
Answer: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 26 February to the hon. Member for Bristol Central, PQ UIN 114247.
Answered 18 Mar 2026
Original Parliament recordHighway CodeDepartment for TransportTabled 11 Mar 2026AnsweredUIN 120036More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 4 March 2026 to Question 116553 on the Highway Code, what evidential basis was used when Rule H1 was drafted to include motorcycles.
Answer: The previous Government updated the Highway Code in 2022 to improve road safety for people walking, cycling and riding horses including the introduction of a hierarchy of road users. I understand that the Department for Transport worked with an expert sta...
Answered 19 Mar 2026
Original Parliament recordIntellectual Property Office: Environment ProtectionDepartment for Science, Innovation and TechnologyTabled 11 Mar 2026AnsweredUIN 120035More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, pursuant to the Answer of 3 March 2026 to Question 111863, what activities the Intellectual Property Office undertakes in relation to net zero, sustainability or green innovation object
Answer: Our sustainability initiatives are focused on meeting our obligations under the Greening Government Commitments, which aim to reduce the environmental impact of our estate and operations. We also ensure that we continue to meet the requirements of ISO 140...
Answered 20 Mar 2026
Original Parliament recordRoads: FloodsDepartment for TransportTabled 11 Mar 2026AnsweredUIN 120034More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many locations on the strategic road network have been identified by her Department as having significant flooding risks.
Answer: Current National Highways data (up to 28 February 2026) shows that there are 1,418 sub-catchments containing locations that have a high-flood risk (out of a total of 10,873 sub-catchments along the Strategic Road Network). Catchments are defined as a grou...
Answered 19 Mar 2026
Original Parliament recordTransport: CybercrimeDepartment for TransportTabled 11 Mar 2026AnsweredUIN 120033More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps her Department is taking to mitigate the risk of cyber-attacks affecting transport services and infrastructure.
Answer: The Department for Transport (DfT) views the cyber security of its sector as a priority and works with partners across UK government and law enforcement to employ policy and legislative levers to drive cyber security resilience levels up. DfT is responsi...
Answered 24 Mar 2026
Original Parliament recordAirports: Fees and ChargesDepartment for TransportTabled 10 Mar 2026AnsweredUIN 119502More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 23 February 2026 to Question 112226, what information on airport kerbside drop-off charges is discussed with her Department as part of engagement with airports on surface access strate
Answer: As part of the Department’s engagement with airports, discussions cover a broad range of issues, including how passengers and staff travel to and from airports. However, the provision and charging of airport parking, including drop-off charges, is a comme...
Answered 16 Mar 2026
Original Parliament recordParkinson's Disease: Health ServicesCabinet OfficeTabled 10 Mar 2026AnsweredUIN 119501More
Question: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether the Office for National Statistics plans to begin collecting data on the number of Parkinson’s specialist staff in England.
Answer: The information requested falls under the remit of the UK Statistics Authority. A response to the Rt Hon. gentleman’s Parliamentary Question of 10th March is attached.
Answered 18 Mar 2026
Original Parliament record
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