Richard Holden MP: written questions 2025
1652 published records · newest first.
Written questions
Refineries: Carbon EmissionsDepartment for Energy Security and Net ZeroTabled 4 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 97176More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether his Department has had discussions with Exxon Mobil Corp on the potential impact of rising carbon costs on the viability of UK refineries since its evidence to Parliament in October 2
Answer: Details of Ministers' and Permanent Secretaries' meetings with external individuals and organisations are published quarterly in arrears on GOV.UK.
Answered 12 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordRefineries: Carbon EmissionsDepartment for Energy Security and Net ZeroTabled 4 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 97175More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what recent assessment he has made of the impact of rising carbon costs on the viability of UK oil refineries.
Answer: The Government recognises the competitiveness challenges facing the refining industry and is determined to support the industry to address them and ensure the long-term future of the refining sector in the UK. In the Autumn Budget, the Government announce...
Answered 9 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordElectric Vehicles: Import DutiesDepartment for Business and TradeTabled 4 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 97174More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, if he will publish a list of the countries from which electric vehicles are currently (a) eligible for a zero per cent import tariff and (b) not eligible for a zero per cent import tariff when entering
Answer: Such a list is already available as the list of electric vehicle tariffs by country can be found on the Government’s Online Tariff Tool here (https://www.trade-tariff.service.gov.uk/find_commodity), which provides the most up-to-date details on import tar...
Answered 9 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordHydrogen Refuelling Stations: InvestmentDepartment for TransportTabled 4 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 97173More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps she is taking to attract private sector investment to increase the number of hydrogen refuelling stations.
Answer: The Department for Transport has launched a number of technology agnostic match-funding programmes across modes, attracting private sector investment in zero emission solutions (for which hydrogen and its associated infrastructure have been eligible). One...
Answered 15 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordRailways: FaresDepartment for TransportTabled 4 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 97172More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether Great British Railways will charge a commission percentage on ticket sales made through its digital platforms once it is established.
Answer: Commission rates currently payable in connection with the sale of rail tickets are available to view on the Rail Delivery Group (RDG) website: https://www.raildeliverygroup.com/our-services/retail-commercial/how-to-become-a-retailer/documents/13079-rail-i...
Answered 15 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordRailways: FaresDepartment for TransportTabled 4 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 97171More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what commission percentage is charged on ticket sales made through the digital platforms of all train operating companies managed by DfT Operator Limited.
Answer: Commission rates currently payable in connection with the sale of rail tickets are available to view on the Rail Delivery Group (RDG) website: https://www.raildeliverygroup.com/our-services/retail-commercial/how-to-become-a-retailer/documents/13079-rail-i...
Answered 15 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordMudflatsDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 4 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 97170More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether she has made an estimate of the cost to port operators of surveying mudflats required under (a) environmental assessment and (b) marine licensing processes; and whether she has
Answer: Costs for surveying mudflats vary. If surveying is a condition of a marine licence, the Marine Management Organisation charges a fee, to review evidence provided as part of a condition on a marine licence.
Answered 11 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordPre-school Education: FinanceDepartment for EducationTabled 4 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 97169More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to her Department's policy paper entitled Giving every child the best start in life, updated on 12 September 2025, whether the review of early years funding will include an assessment of food cos
Answer: To make sure that the early years (EY) funding system properly supports those children and parts of the country that have higher levels of additional need, the department will review EY funding, including the EY national funding formulae, consulting on a ...
Answered 7 Jan 2026
Original Parliament recordAir Passenger DutyTreasuryTabled 4 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 97168More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of changes to the Air Passenger Duty in the Autumn Budget 2025 on the competitiveness of the UK aviation sector compared to other European countries.
Answer: The government is committed to the long-term future of the aviation sector in the UK and recognises the benefits of the connectivity it creates between the UK and the rest of the world. The government remains committed to maintaining a competitive and dyn...
Answered 12 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordRoad Traffic Control: OxfordDepartment for TransportTabled 4 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 97165More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 17 November 2025 to Question 90397 on Road Traffic Control: Oxford, what information the DVLA holds on which intermediary companies are currently used by (a) Oxford City Council and (b
Answer: While the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency is aware of the third-party providers used by the councils referenced to facilitate requests for vehicle keeper information, this relates to a commercial arrangement between them and the third parties and it w...
Answered 9 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordGreat British Railways: Parliamentary ScrutinyDepartment for TransportTabled 3 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 97082More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether she plans to lay Great British Railways’ draft and final Integrated Business Plans before Parliament for scrutiny.
Answer: The new funding period review set out in the Bill will require the publication of Great British Railway’s (GBR) integrated business plan, including updates, and a summary of the advice provided by the Office of Rail and Road to the Secretary of State on t...
Answered 15 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordRefineries: Carbon EmissionsDepartment for Energy Security and Net ZeroTabled 3 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 97081More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether he has considered providing temporary relief from CO2 compliance costs for UK refineries, in the context of two of the six UK refineries closing.
Answer: The Government recognises the vital role UK refineries play in energy security and continues to work closely with the industry. The UK Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS), incentivises cost-effective decarbonisation, and the ETS Authority decides any changes t...
Answered 12 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordBBC Wales: Conflict of InterestsDepartment for Culture, Media and SportTabled 3 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 97068More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether she has had discussions with the BBC on managing conflicts of interest at BBC Wales.
Answer: The Secretary of State meets with the BBC regularly and discusses a range of issues. The BBC has duties under the Charter to be independent, to act in the public interest and provide impartial services. The BBC is operationally independent of the Governme...
Answered 15 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordHigh Speed 2 Line: Environmental Impact AssessmentDepartment for TransportTabled 3 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 96800More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many environmental assessments relating to HS2 have been carried out since 4 July 2024; in which months those assessments took place; and what the cost was of each assessment.
Answer: Assessments published by HS2 since 4 July 2024 include an Environmental Sustainability Progress Report, Supplementary Environmental Information reports and reports on Noise & Vibration and Air Quality. These are all made publicly available on gov.uk.
Answered 17 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordAirports: Business RatesTreasuryTabled 3 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 96785More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of business rates increases at airports on i.) passenger ticket prices and ii.) airline route planning.
Answer: The government is committed to enabling investment so that airports can play their full role in the growth mission. Properties seeing large bill increases as a result of the business rates revaluation - including airports - will benefit from a redesigned ...
Answered 11 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordAir Passenger Duty: ChildrenTreasuryTabled 3 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 96784More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether she plans to extend the child Air Passenger Duty exemption to Premium Economy cabins.
Answer: Air Passenger Duty (APD) applies to airlines, not individual passengers, and is the principal tax on the aviation sector. It is expected to raise £4.7 billion in 2025-26 and it aims to ensure that airlines make a fair contribution to the public finances, ...
Answered 10 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordParkinson's Disease: Health ProfessionsDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 3 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 96706More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many a) neurologists with specialist training in Parkinson’s, b) geriatricians with specialist training in Parkinson’s, and c) specialist Parkinson’s nurses are currently practising in the NHS.
Answer: While the Department does not hold data specifically on the number of Parkinson’s specialist staff in England, we do hold data on the number of doctors working in the wider specialities of neurology and geriatric medicine. As of August 2025, there were 2,...
Answered 16 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordCongenital AbnormalitiesDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 3 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 96699More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 26 November 2025 to Question 92671 on Congenital Abnormalities, if he will publish the guidance issued by NHS England on submitting consanguinity and pregnancy data to the
Answer: NHS England has published guidance on how to submit data about consanguinity and pregnancy to the Maternity Services Dataset (MSDS). The guidance is publicly available on NHS Digital’s website under “MSDS Consanguinity Data Quality Guidance”.
Answered 17 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordDriving TestsMinistry of DefenceTabled 3 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 96698More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 27 November 2025 to Question 93956 on Driving Tests, what the marginal cost charged to the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency by the Ministry of Defence is for the deployment of defence
Answer: I refer the right hon. Gentleman to my answer to Question 95727 which answered this same question.https://questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-questions/detail/2025-12-01/95727
Answered 11 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordMotor Vehicles: ChinaDepartment for Business and TradeTabled 3 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 96697More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, pursuant to the answer of 27 November 2025 to WPQ 92058, whether he has had discussions with manufacturers who also sell products in China on reluctance to engage with the Trade Remedies Authority beca
Answer: No, neither the Secretary of State nor I have had any such discussions. However, the Government and the Trade Remedies Authority (TRA) regularly engage with UK manufacturers to understand their concerns, and they may always submit applications anonymously...
Answered 9 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordRoads: BiodiversityDepartment for TransportTabled 3 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 96696More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 28 November 2025 to Question 93219 on Roads: Biodiversity, whether those schemes undertaking biodiversity net gain requirements are on a voluntary basis.
Answer: All Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects which are already delivering biodiversity net gain (BNG) are doing so on a voluntary basis. This will remain the case until the legal requirement applies to schemes that submit development consent applica...
Answered 16 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordVenezuela: DetaineesForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 3 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 96695More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to WPQ 93853, whether she has made any representations on behalf of Carlos Correa and others arbitrarily detained in Venezuela, since the Statement at the Human Righ
Answer: I refer the Rt Hon Member to the response provided on 13 October to Question 77020.
Answered 9 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordLevel CrossingsDepartment for TransportTabled 3 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 96694More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 28 November 2025 to Question 93226 on Level Crossings, for what reason responsibility for assessing and managing level-crossing down-time rests solely with Network Rail rather than bei
Answer: Level crossings form part of the rail estate and legal responsibility for their safe operation falls to the relevant infrastructure manager, such as Network Rail. Infrastructure managers must operate level crossings in line with their statutory duties but...
Answered 17 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordMotor Vehicles: ChinaCabinet OfficeTabled 3 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 96693More
Question: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what guidance or advice the National Cyber Security Centre has given to Government Departments regarding the maintenance, purchase or leasing of (a) internal combustion engine based vehicles and (b) electric and
Answer: The Government does not routinely publish details of operational security matters or specific threats. The Cabinet Office works closely with agencies such as the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC), alongside other government departments, to fully under...
Answered 15 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordAirports: Business RatesTreasuryTabled 3 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 96692More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to WPQ 93776, if she will provide a hyperlink to that information, as set out as correct practice in paragraph 234 of the Government's Guide To Parliamentary Work.
Answer: Apologies. The draft 2026 Rating List valuations, and current 2023 List valuations, which can be filtered using the advanced search by special category code, can be viewed at: www.gov.uk/find-business-rates
Answered 11 Dec 2025
Original Parliament record
Published records only — not a full account of an MP’s work. How we work →