Richard Holden MP: written questions
3381 published records · newest first.
Written questions
Taxis: VATTreasuryTabled 28 Aug 2026AnsweredUIN 21980More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if his department will consult on changes to VAT on taxi and private hire fares.
Answer: Private hire vehicle (PHV) services provided by VAT-registered businesses are, and always have been, subject to the standard rate of VAT (20%). At Budget 2025 the Government announced that it would put an end to the use of a VAT administration scheme, de...
Answered 7 Sept 2026
Original Parliament recordDepartment for Transport: Public RelationsDepartment for TransportTabled 28 Aug 2026AnsweredUIN 21979More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 21 July 2026 to Question 16600 on Department for Transport: Public Relations, if she will place in the Library a copy of each live public relations contract held by the Department and
Answer: Given the commercial sensitivity of contracting with suppliers, we do not routinely publish contracts in the House of Commons Library. However, high level information on the purpose and value of contracts awarded by the Department and its arm’s length bo...
Answered 8 Sept 2026
Original Parliament recordNational Highways: Public RelationsDepartment for TransportTabled 28 Aug 2026AnsweredUIN 21982More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 14 July 2026 to Question 16599 on National Highways: Expenditure, if she will place a copy of the contract with Lexington referred to in that Answer in the Library.
Answer: Given the commercial sensitivity of contracting with suppliers, National Highways does not routinely publish its contracts in the House of Commons Library. Details of all contracts awarded by the Department and its arm’s length bodies above the relevant t...
Answered 8 Sept 2026
Original Parliament recordElectric Vehicles: PublicityDepartment for Energy Security and Net ZeroTabled 28 Aug 2026AnsweredUIN 21981More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, pursuant to the Answer of 13 July 2026 to Question 16636 on Department for Transport: Public Relations, how much was spent on 23rd's work on the Electric Vehicles campaign, and what services
Answer: The expenditure on 23red’s work for the Electric Vehicles campaign was met from the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero’s budget for the Clean Energy Mission campaign. 23red is engaged primarily as a partnership agency supporting delivery of campa...
Answered 8 Sept 2026
Original Parliament recordElectric Vehicles: PublicityDepartment for Energy Security and Net ZeroTabled 28 Aug 2026AnsweredUIN 21978More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, pursuant to the Answer of 13 July 2026 to Question 16636 on Department for Transport: Public Relations, from which Department's budget the expenditure on 23red's work for the Electric Vehicle
Answer: The expenditure on 23red’s work for the Electric Vehicles campaign was met from the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero’s budget for the Clean Energy Mission campaign. 23red is engaged primarily as a partnership agency supporting delivery of campa...
Answered 8 Sept 2026
Original Parliament recordRailway Stations: ConstructionDepartment for TransportTabled 28 Aug 2026AnsweredUIN 21977More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 1 July 2026 to Question 12083 on Railway Stations: Construction, which organisations hold records of the original approved budgets and final outturn costs for completed rail station co
Answer: The records of approved budgets and final outturn costs for completed station construction projects since 2020 will be held across a variety of organisations depending on the project sponsor and funder. While records are usually held by Network Rail, reco...
Answered 8 Sept 2026
Original Parliament recordLarge Goods Vehicles: LicensingDepartment for TransportTabled 28 Aug 2026AnsweredUIN 21972More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what progress her Department has made on reform of the operator licensing regime for road freight operators; and when she expects to publish further detail on proposed changes.
Answer: My department is considering the Goods Vehicle Operator Licensing regime to ensure it remains effective, proportionate and supports a safe and competitive road freight sector. Work is ongoing to consider potential reforms to operator licensing requirement...
Answered 8 Sept 2026
Original Parliament recordLarge Goods Vehicle DriversDepartment for TransportTabled 28 Aug 2026AnsweredUIN 21975More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether she plans to bring forward legislative changes to permit the electronic recording of domestic drivers’ hours to be recognised as the true record of activity.
Answer: The Drivers’ Hours (Goods Vehicles) (Keeping of Records) Regulations 1987 prescribe the form and completion of records used to demonstrate compliance with the GB domestic drivers’ hours rules, including a requirement for entries to be made in writing. The...
Answered 8 Sept 2026
Original Parliament recordParking Offences: Bournemouth, Christchurch and PooleDepartment for TransportTabled 28 Aug 2026AnsweredUIN 21976More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 13 July 2026 to Question 16605 on Parking Offences: Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole, when the trial of higher-level Penalty Charge Notices in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole is
Answer: Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council (BCP) concluded its trial of higher-level penalty charge notices at the end of August 2026. The publication, or otherwise, of its assessment will be a matter for BCP.
Answered 15 Sept 2026
Original Parliament recordSocial Security Benefits: PolygamyMinistry of JusticeTabled 28 Aug 2026AnsweredUIN 21974More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, pursuant to the Answer of 14 July 2026 to Question 15459 on Marriage: Family Relations, for what reason overseas polygamous marriages are treated differently from marriages between an (a) uncle and niece and (b)
Answer: The marriages described are treated differently because they are subject to separate rules.When an overseas polygamous marriage is lawful where it took place, it will normally be recognised in England and Wales provided it complies with the required condi...
Answered 9 Sept 2026
Original Parliament recordHigh Speed 2 LineDepartment for TransportTabled 28 Aug 2026AnsweredUIN 21973More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 29 June 2026 to Question 12808 on High Speed 2 Line, what is meant by the term ultimately.
Answer: The Government set out its intentions clearly in its press release of 14 January 2026 -https://www.gov.uk/government/news/northern-powerhouse-rail-to-drive-biggest-travel-upgrade-in-the-north-in-a-generation
Answered 8 Sept 2026
Original Parliament recordDrax Power Station: BiofuelsDepartment for Energy Security and Net ZeroTabled 28 Aug 2026AnsweredUIN 21971More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether any review has been undertaken of biomass sustainability verification procedures following allegations raised in the Drax whistleblower case.
Answer: The Government keeps arrangements for assuring compliance with biomass sustainability requirements under review and is committed to a process of continuous improvement in biomass sustainability standards, compliance, and verification. This includes consid...
Answered 7 Sept 2026
Original Parliament recordDrax Power Station: BiofuelsDepartment for Energy Security and Net ZeroTabled 28 Aug 2026AnsweredUIN 21968More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether information arising from the Drax whistleblower case has informed the development of future biomass sustainability monitoring and reporting requirements.
Answer: The Government keeps arrangements for assuring compliance with biomass sustainability requirements under review and is committed to a process of continuous improvement in biomass sustainability standards, compliance, and verification. This includes consid...
Answered 7 Sept 2026
Original Parliament recordDrax Power Station: Carbon Capture and StorageDepartment for Energy Security and Net ZeroTabled 28 Aug 2026AnsweredUIN 21967More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what criteria her Department will use to determine whether Bioenergy with Carbon Capture and Storage at Drax represents value for money.
Answer: No final decisions around the deployment of large-scale BECCS projects have been made. Any potential projects must go through due process in a CCUS allocation round including eligibility checks, assessment, and due diligence ahead of any project-specific ...
Answered 8 Sept 2026
Original Parliament recordElectricity: Data CentresDepartment for Energy Security and Net ZeroTabled 28 Aug 2026AnsweredUIN 21970More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what criteria she will use when considering requests by Drax Power Station to supply electricity directly to data centres under future support arrangements.
Answer: The low-carbon dispatchable Contract for Difference (LCD CfD) signed with Drax Power Station for the period 2027-31 contains a provision for the generator to request the ability to provide up to 500MW of power to a data centre via a private wire. The Gove...
Answered 7 Sept 2026
Original Parliament recordDriving Tests: SwindonDepartment for TransportTabled 28 Aug 2026AnsweredUIN 21969More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 24 June 2026 to Question 11466 on Driving Tests: Swindon, for how many months since 4 July 2024 the published practical driving test waiting time at Swindon Driving Test Centre has bee
Answer: The newly published data-sets, referenced in the Answer of 24 June 2026 to Question 11466, provide this data for driving test centres (DTC), including for Swindon DTC and other DTCs serving the area. This information can be found on GOV.UK in data-set DR...
Answered 8 Sept 2026
Original Parliament recordDriving TestsDepartment for TransportTabled 28 Aug 2026AnsweredUIN 21966More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 22 June 2026 to Question 8600 on Driving Tests: Offices, how many driving examiners were assigned to each driving test centre before it (a) closed and (b) ceased conducting practical c
Answer: The table below shows how many permanent driving examiners (DE) were conducting car practical driving tests, at each driving test centre, before it either closed or ceased conducting car practical driving tests. This also includes the locations and dates ...
Answered 8 Sept 2026
Original Parliament recordLumo: RochdaleDepartment for TransportTabled 28 Aug 2026AnsweredUIN 21960More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether she has had discussions with the Office of Rail and Road on Lumo’s application for a new direct rail service between Rochdale and London Euston.
Answer: Under existing legislation, decisions on applications for track access rights are a matter for the Office of Rail and Road (ORR). This includes Lumo's application to operate direct services between Rochdale and London Euston.The Secretary of State is unab...
Answered 8 Sept 2026
Original Parliament recordActive Travel: FinanceDepartment for TransportTabled 28 Aug 2026AnsweredUIN 21963More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how much (a) capital funding and (b) maintenance funding Active Travel England has allocated to each local authority since its establishment.
Answer: The breakdown of information by Local Authority is published on gov.uk under Active Travel Fund (ATF), Consolidated Active Travel Fund (CATF), and devolved consolidated and integrated funding allocations for the Spending Review 2025 period, available at t...
Answered 8 Sept 2026
Original Parliament recordDepartment for Transport: Air DisplaysDepartment for TransportTabled 28 Aug 2026AnsweredUIN 21962More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, which Ministers in her Department attended the Farnborough International Airshow 2026; on which dates each Minister attended; and what meetings each Minister held during the event.
Answer: No Ministers from the Department attended the Farnborough International Airshow in 2026. A Minister had been scheduled to attend but because of the Government reshuffle the same week this was no longer possible because Ministerial portfolios and responsib...
Answered 15 Sept 2026
Original Parliament recordAviation: EU Emissions Trading SchemeDepartment for TransportTabled 28 Aug 2026AnsweredUIN 21964More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of the European Commission's proposal to extend the EU Emissions Trading Scheme on the competitiveness of UK airlines and airports.
Answer: We are monitoring developments regarding the EU ETS with interest, particularly given the context of ongoing negotiations to link the UK ETS and EU ETS. These are initial proposals and subject to consideration and potential amendment by the Council and th...
Answered 8 Sept 2026
Original Parliament recordAerospace IndustryDepartment for TransportTabled 28 Aug 2026AnsweredUIN 21965More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment her Department has made of the adequacy of staffing and resources at the Civil Aviation Authority, in the context of delivering timely certification of new aviation products and technologies.
Answer: To fulfil the State of Design obligations and appropriately meet demand for certification activity from UK industry, the Civil Aviation Authority's (CAA) certification function has been subject to substantial planned growth since EU Exit. The time taken t...
Answered 8 Sept 2026
Original Parliament recordAerospace IndustryDepartment for TransportTabled 28 Aug 2026AnsweredUIN 21961More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of Civil Aviation Authority certification times on investment, innovation and growth in the aerospace sector.
Answer: The 2023 Independent Review of the CAA included significant stakeholder engagement and made recommendations to improve the CAA's service delivery. In response, the CAA launched its Customer Experience and Modernisation Programme to modernise key regulator...
Answered 8 Sept 2026
Original Parliament recordUK Emissions Trading Scheme: ShippingDepartment for Energy Security and Net ZeroTabled 28 Aug 2026AnsweredUIN 21959More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of the extension of the UK Emissions Trading Scheme to maritime on defence manufacturing businesses on the Isle of Wight.
Answer: The UK Emissions Trading Scheme expanded to include maritime emissions earlier this year. The Scheme applies to ship owners and operators, who are responsible for monitoring and reporting emissions from in-scope activities and surrendering allowances. Thi...
Answered 8 Sept 2026
Original Parliament recordDefence: UK Emissions Trading SchemeMinistry of DefenceTabled 28 Aug 2026Awaiting answerUIN 21958More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of the extension of the UK Emissions Trading Scheme to maritime on the resilience, costs and competitiveness of defence manufacturing and defence su
Answer: No published answer in this record yet.
Original Parliament record
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