Richard Holden MP: written questions 2026
1407 published records · newest first.
Written questions
Marriage: RelativesDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 26 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 108307More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, when NHS England’s investigation into guidance and training materials relating to marriage between close relatives began; which guidance, training modules and programmes are within scope of that in
Answer: The internal review in response to recent concerns that National Health Service guidance stated the benefits of close relative marriage began on 19 January 2026. All public documents which constitute training modules, or guidance regarding marriage betwee...
Answered 10 Mar 2026
Original Parliament recordRoads: Repairs and MaintenanceDepartment for TransportTabled 26 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 108306More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how her Department assesses how effectively local highway authorities are spending pothole funding.
Answer: The Department assesses how effectively local highway authorities are spending highways maintenance funding through a combination of transparency requirements, incentive funding and rating mechanisms, enabling the provision of targeted support. The Depart...
Answered 10 Feb 2026
Original Parliament recordDriverless Vehicles: Pilot SchemesDepartment for TransportTabled 26 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 108305More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to her Department's press release entitled Driving innovation – 38,000 jobs on the horizon as pilots of self-driving vehicles fast-tracked, published on 10 June 2025, whether the autonomous vehic
Answer: The government intends to launch the Automated Passenger Services (APS) permitting scheme in Spring 2026; this scheme applies to Great Britain. The scheme will allow developers and potential operators to evaluate different areas for pilot deployments and ...
Answered 10 Feb 2026
Original Parliament recordShipping: SafetyDepartment for TransportTabled 26 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 108304More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what progress she has made on the development of a UK draft Maritime Autonomous Surface Ships Code; when she expects a draft to be published; and what engagement her Department has had with industry and interna
Answer: The Workboat Code Edition 3, including its annex for remotely operated unmanned vessels, came into force in December 2023. This followed public consultation, during which the Maritime and Coastguard Agency engaged extensively with the industry through mee...
Answered 29 Jan 2026
Original Parliament recordShipping: Alternative FuelsDepartment for TransportTabled 26 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 108303More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the current level of port and bunkering infrastructure on the uptake of e-fuels by UK-operating vessels; what steps the Government is taking to help incre
Answer: The Government provides the port sector with the right regulatory environment it needs to support investment, providing targeted support where there are clear public benefits, such as decarbonisation. In September 2025 the Government announced a further £...
Answered 29 Jan 2026
Original Parliament recordOil: RussiaTreasuryTabled 26 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 108302More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what discussions she has had with her G7 counterparts on (a) the potential impact of the oil price cap on the level of the Russian Federation's revenues to date and (b) the potential merits of reducing the level of
Answer: The implementation of the oil price cap has achieved its joint aims of 1) reducing Russian oil revenues by capping the price at which Russian oil can be transported using G7 maritime services (such as insurance and brokering for example), while also, 2) m...
Answered 2 Feb 2026
Original Parliament recordRailways: Greater ManchesterDepartment for TransportTabled 26 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 108301More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether trains carrying Greater Manchester Bee Network branding or livery will remain rail assets of Great British Railways or the Secretary of State, rather than assets of the Greater Manchester Combined Autho
Answer: Livery reflects who is responsible for the service, not who owns the trains. Aside from some devolved services, where there are instances of ownership by the devolved authority, rolling stock is leased from rolling stock companies and managed day-to-day b...
Answered 17 Feb 2026
Original Parliament recordElectric Vehicles: FiresMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 26 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 108300More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, how many fires involving electric vehicles have been recorded by fire and rescue services in England in the last five years; and whether the Government has received assessments o
Answer: The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government collects data on incidents attended by Fire and Rescue Services (FRSs) in England, including fires involving road vehicles. This data is published in the Department’s fire statistics releases. Howe...
Answered 3 Feb 2026
Original Parliament recordIron and SteelDepartment for Business and TradeTabled 26 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 108299More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, when his Department's steel strategy will be published.
Answer: The Government is developing a Steel Strategy to be published in early 2026 that will set out a long-term vision for a bright and sustainable steel sector in the UK and the actions needed to get there. The strategy will articulate what is needed to create...
Answered 2 Feb 2026
Original Parliament recordStudents: LoansDepartment for EducationTabled 26 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 108298More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answer of 6 January 2026 to Question 99801, what the estimated annual amount (a) accrued in interest and (b) repaid by British citizens with students loans was in each of the last five financial
Answer: The Department for Education and the Student Loans Company (SLC) are undertaking work to improve the quality and consistency of demographic data held across their systems, to support the timely answering of parliamentary questions. Changes in the applicat...
Answered 13 Feb 2026
Original Parliament recordPregnancy: CannabisDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 26 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 108297More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what guidance is issued to maternity services and safeguarding partners on cannabis use during pregnancy and while caring for new born babies.
Answer: Maternity services are required to provide care in line with National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidelines on antenatal care and pregnancy, reference code NG201, and complex social factors, reference code CG110. These guidelines specify tha...
Answered 5 Feb 2026
Original Parliament recordMaternity ServicesDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 26 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 108296More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what guidance NHS England has issued to maternity services on when and how pregnant patients are informed of their BMI, including requirements on explaining associated clinical risks and available
Answer: The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence provides detailed guidelines for maternity service staff in relation to body mass index (BMI) and managing weight during pregnancy.This includes the Antenatal Care Guidance which specifies that women s...
Answered 3 Feb 2026
Original Parliament recordDepartment for Business and Trade: Carbon EmissionsDepartment for Business and TradeTabled 26 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 108295More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what additional costs were incurred by his Department as a result of Net Zero or sustainability requirements applied to procurement contracts over £10,000 in 2024-25.
Answer: My department did not incur any additional costs as a result of Net Zero or sustainability requirements applied to procurement contracts over £10,000 in 2024-25.
Answered 29 Jan 2026
Original Parliament recordDepartment for Business and Trade: Greenhouse Gas EmissionsDepartment for Business and TradeTabled 26 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 108294More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, how much his Department spent on measuring, reporting or validating greenhouse gas emissions across its estate in 2024-25.
Answer: The Government Property Agency (GPA) is responsible for collecting and providing all greenhouse gas emissions data for the estate occupied by the department. The Department for Business and Trade did not incur any third-party costs in 2024–25 for measurin...
Answered 29 Jan 2026
Original Parliament recordCarbon Emissions: FinanceDepartment for Business and TradeTabled 26 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 108293More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what funding his Department allocated for the development of its planned Net Zero strategy and action plan, including staffing and consultancy costs in the 2025-26 financial year.
Answer: Separate funding for the department's corporate sustainability activity, including net zero strategy and action planning, is not allocated. The associated work is dispersed across several functions and it is not possible to identify the cost of this. No c...
Answered 3 Feb 2026
Original Parliament recordForeign, Commonwealth and Development Office: Carbon EmissionsForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 26 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 108292More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what estimate her Department has made of the cost per tonne of carbon dioxide equivalent abated as a result of its UK estate Net Zero measures.
Answer: The Hon Member can find details of all programmes supported by the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), including those related to climate change, at the Development Tracker website on GOV.UK. Where available, details of additional expendi...
Answered 29 Jan 2026
Original Parliament recordAviation: Alternative FuelsDepartment for TransportTabled 22 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 107779More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 20 October 2025 to Question 78707, whether her Department has made a recent updated estimate of the additional cost per passenger per flight arising from the requirement for airlines t
Answer: I refer the Right Honourable Member to the answers I gave on 20 October, 23 October and 5 November 2025 to PQs UIN78707, UIN83374 and UIN85910. The estimated costs of the requirement were assessed and published prior to the introduction of the SAF mandate...
Answered 29 Jan 2026
Original Parliament recordElectronic Travel Authorisations: Dual NationalityHome OfficeTabled 22 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 107778More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the full enforcement of Electronic Travel Authorisation checks on travel disruption for British dual nationals; and what steps her Department is
Answer: UK nationals are not eligible for an ETA. Under UK immigration legislation, the requirement to obtain an ETA cannot be applied to British citizens (including those with dual nationality). A dual British citizen may only evidence their right of abode in th...
Answered 26 Jan 2026
Original Parliament recordMotorcycles: Excise DutiesTreasuryTabled 22 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 107777More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether she plans to retain the Vehicle Excise Duty exemption for vintage motorcycles.
Answer: At Budget 2014 the Government at the time announced that it would introduce a rolling 40-year exemption from Vehicle Excise Duty (VED) for historic vehicles, including motorcycles. This means that currently vehicles constructed before 1 January 1985 are e...
Answered 29 Jan 2026
Original Parliament recordMotorcycles: Motor InsuranceDepartment for TransportTabled 22 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 107776More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what estimate her Department has made of the number of uninsured motorcycles on UK roads in each of the last five years.
Answer: The Department does not hold this information.
Answered 30 Jan 2026
Original Parliament recordConsumer Prices IndexTreasuryTabled 22 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 107775More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to Chart 3.4 in the Office for Budget Responsibility’s Economic and Fiscal Outlook, what the annual percentage point contributions are to CPI inflation in each year by policy measure and output gap.
Answer: The contribution of each policy measure to CPI inflation in the Office for Budget Responsibility can be found in their supporting documents at the following link: https://obr.uk/download/november-2025-economic-and-fiscal-outlook-charts-and-tables-chapter-...
Answered 28 Jan 2026
Original Parliament recordVehicle Number Plates: FraudHome OfficeTabled 22 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 107774More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the answer of 15 January 2026 to Question 99931, whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential impact of illegal number plates on national security, serious organised crim
Answer: Vehicle registration marks are essential for identifying vehicles involved in crime. Individuals engaged in serious and organised crime, terrorism and other high‑harm offending often rely on the UK’s road network to facilitate their criminal activities.We...
Answered 30 Jan 2026
Original Parliament recordBicycles: TheftDepartment for TransportTabled 22 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 107773More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 16 January 2026 to Question 101850, if she will publish the British Transport Police’s crime-screening policy for pedal-cycle theft at railway stations.
Answer: The British Transport Police (BTP) Crime Screening Policy is an operational document owned by the BTP. Any decisions to publish the document are for BTP, as an operationally independent police service.
Answered 30 Jan 2026
Original Parliament recordChildbirth: Medical RecordsDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 22 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 107772More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many births recorded in the Maternity Services Dataset have been associated with the SNOMED CT codes i) 125678001, ii) 699110007, iii) 1269487002, iv) 1269486006 and v) 842009 in each year sinc
Answer: Validated data for the codes requested is not available. Guidance published in September 2024 set out how consanguinity and related information should be recorded however this guidance is not mandatory. Recording of these codes has been undertaken by a sm...
Answered 24 Apr 2026
Original Parliament recordLevel Crossings: SafetyDepartment for TransportTabled 22 Jan 2026AnsweredUIN 107771More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the collection and analysis of data on level-crossing barrier down-time, including average duration and frequency of extended closures, on the safe operat
Answer: Network Rail considers available information on barrier down time as part of the risk assessments it routinely carries out for level crossings with barriers. The Office of Rail and Road, as the independent rail safety regulator for Great Britain, is respo...
Answered 23 Feb 2026
Original Parliament record
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