Richard Holden MP: written questions
2152 published records · newest first.
Written questions
Railways: Industrial DisputesDepartment for TransportTabled 16 Sept 2025AnsweredUIN 77637More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of industrial action by train guards on passengers.
Answer: The Department regrets the impact any industrial action by guards may have on passengers. The Department works with its contracted train operators to minimise the impact of any industrial action and encourages them and the trade unions to resolve matters,...
Answered 15 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordElectric Vehicles: FinanceDepartment for TransportTabled 15 Sept 2025AnsweredUIN 77166More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 4 September to Question 74024 on Electric Vehicles: Finance, what is the timeframe for the Government's spend of £4.5 billion.
Answer: The expected timeframe for Government to spend the total £4.5 billion is between the years 2025 - 2035. However, over £2 billion of this total will be spent before the end of financial year 2029/30.
Answered 14 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordManufacturing IndustriesDepartment for Business and TradeTabled 15 Sept 2025AnsweredUIN 77165More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what recent discussions he has had with the kitchen manufacturing industry on (a) demand, (b) fixed costs and (c) access to (i) investment and (ii) restructuring support.
Answer: The department has not held recent specific discussions with the kitchen manufacturing industry regarding demand, fixed costs, or access to investment and restructuring support.However, the department maintains regular engagement with manufacturing sector...
Answered 13 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordManufacturing Industries: Small BusinessesTreasuryTabled 15 Sept 2025AnsweredUIN 77164More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if she will take steps to improve the competitiveness of UK-based kitchen manufacturers through the tax system.
Answer: The government has taken a number of measures to make the tax system competitive and give businesses, including those in the kitchen manufacturing sector, the stability and predictability they need to invest and grow. For instance, the Corporate Tax Roadm...
Answered 13 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordManufacturing Industries: Small BusinessesTreasuryTabled 15 Sept 2025AnsweredUIN 77163More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether her Department has made an estimate of the number of UK-based (a) kitchen and (b) kitchen components manufacturers that have (i) entered administration and (ii) ceased trading since 1 January 2024.
Answer: The Government continues to monitor the UK corporate sector, including insolvency trends, using official data and engaging with firms and business groups to inform policy decisions. The Government has taken a number of measures to make the tax system comp...
Answered 13 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordManufacturing Industries: Small BusinessesTreasuryTabled 15 Sept 2025AnsweredUIN 77162More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of Government policies over the last 12 months on the financial stability of small and medium-sized kitchen manufacturers.
Answer: The Government continues to monitor the UK corporate sector, including insolvency trends, using official data and engaging with firms and business groups to inform policy decisions. The Government has taken a number of measures to make the tax system comp...
Answered 13 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordElectric Vehicles: Charging PointsDepartment for TransportTabled 15 Sept 2025AnsweredUIN 77161More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many public electric vehicle chargepoints have been installed but are not operational due to grid connection delays or other technical issues.
Answer: The Government does not hold a centralised figure on the number of public electric vehicle chargepoints that have been installed but are not yet operational due to grid connection delays or other technical issues. In December 2024, the Government publishe...
Answered 14 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordElectric Vehicles: Charging PointsDepartment for TransportTabled 15 Sept 2025AnsweredUIN 77160More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many public electric vehicle chargepoints were installed in each year since 2020; and how many have been installed to date in 2025.
Answer: The net increase in the number of charging devices in the UK’s public charging network in each year since 2020 is presented in the below table. Year202020212022202320242025 (up to 1st September)Increase in public charging devices4,2707,6008,68016,62219,65...
Answered 17 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordElectric Vehicles: Charging PointsDepartment for TransportTabled 15 Sept 2025AnsweredUIN 77159More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many public electric vehicle chargepoints need to be installed each year between 2025 and 2030 to meet the government’s target of 300,000 public chargepoints by 2030.
Answer: An estimate of potential future demand for chargepoints was originally published in the 2022 “Taking Charge: the National Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure Strategy” and ranged from 280,000 to 720,000 in 2030. This analysis was updated in 2024 resu...
Answered 15 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordElectric Scooters: RegulationDepartment for TransportTabled 15 Sept 2025AnsweredUIN 77158More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when her Department plans to introduce legislation on the regulation of electric scooters, in the context of the ongoing rental trials currently extended until May 2026.
Answer: The government will pursue legislative reform for micromobility vehicles when parliamentary time allows.
Answered 14 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordRailways: FaresDepartment for TransportTabled 15 Sept 2025AnsweredUIN 77157More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when her Department plans to publish the regulated rail fare levels for 2026.
Answer: No decisions have yet been taken on the regulated fares change for 2026, but our aim is that prices balance affordability for both passengers and taxpayers. There will be an update on changes to regulated rail fares in due course.
Answered 17 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordRolling Stock: LeasingDepartment for TransportTabled 15 Sept 2025AnsweredUIN 77156More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what estimate her Department has made of the annual cost to the public purse for payments associated with rolling stock leasing agreements following the transfer of train operating companies into state control.
Answer: It is expected that future transfers will see existing rolling stock leasing arrangements novate to the new public sector operator on existing terms as part of the transfer of operations into public ownership. Therefore, we do not expect changes to curren...
Answered 17 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordRolling Stock: LeasingDepartment for TransportTabled 15 Sept 2025AnsweredUIN 77155More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the cost to the public purse is for (a) direct and (b) indirect liability for rolling stock leasing debt following the transfer of train operating companies into public ownership.
Answer: The Department does not expect any changes to current rolling stock debt liabilities as a direct consequence of the transfer of train operating companies into public ownership.
Answered 17 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordc2c: NationalisationDepartment for TransportTabled 15 Sept 2025AnsweredUIN 77154More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 8 September 2025 to Question 71243 on c2c: Nationalisation, how many (a) senior management and (b) specialist operational staff have left c2c since its transfer to public ownership on
Answer: Since c2c’s transfer to public ownership two months ago no senior management have left. Eight operational staff have left and have been or are being replaced. This is within usual levels of attrition and c2c continues to deploy its workforce planning stra...
Answered 17 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordRailways: StandardsDepartment for TransportTabled 15 Sept 2025AnsweredUIN 77153More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what estimate her Department has made of the potential impact of rail workers' (a) contracts and (b) rosters on the level of subsidy for running (i) lightly-used and (ii) empty rail services.
Answer: Rail workers' contracts and rosters are a matter for train operating companies, and while inevitably for operational reasons some services will have low loadings, we expect all operators to regularly review their timetabled services to ensure they are bot...
Answered 17 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordRailways: StandardsDepartment for TransportTabled 15 Sept 2025AnsweredUIN 77152More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that passenger service levels for trains are aligned with levels of demand for train services.
Answer: The Department requires its operators to plan services and rail timetables that are designed to meet expected passenger demand. These should be resilient and provide value for money for the taxpayer. We expect all operators to regularly review their timet...
Answered 17 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordRailways: StandardsDepartment for TransportTabled 15 Sept 2025AnsweredUIN 77151More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment the Department has made of the potential impact of (a) rostering and (b) minimum service agreements on the number of (i) lightly used and (ii) empty trains operating on the network.
Answer: The Department requires train operators to provide services across a wide range of markets to support access to transport and connectivity to jobs and services. This means that some trains do operate with low passenger numbers and operational reasons mean...
Answered 17 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordRailways: Industrial DisputesDepartment for TransportTabled 11 Sept 2025AnsweredUIN 76656More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what discussions her Department has had with train operating companies on industrial disputes relating to the scanning of electronic tickets.
Answer: The train operating companies are responsible for managing industrial relations with their workforces and trade unions. The Department engages regularly with all of its contracted train operating companies regarding their approach to industrial disputes, ...
Answered 19 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordOffice of Rail and RoadDepartment for TransportTabled 11 Sept 2025AnsweredUIN 76655More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what enforcement powers the Office of Rail and Road will retain once the Railways Bill is enacted; and in which circumstances her Department, will act as the primary regulator.
Answer: The Government is committed to delivering a simpler, more accountable railway with clear responsibilities. The design of the new system and the creation of Great British Railways will ensure that decisions are clear, robust and transparent. Key sector bod...
Answered 19 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordGreat British RailwaysDepartment for TransportTabled 11 Sept 2025AnsweredUIN 76654More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps she is taking to ensure scrutiny of Great British Railways’ decisions.
Answer: The Government is committed to delivering a simpler, more accountable railway with clear responsibilities. The design of the new system and the creation of Great British Railways will ensure that decisions are clear, robust and transparent. Key sector bod...
Answered 19 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordOffice of Rail and RoadDepartment for TransportTabled 11 Sept 2025AnsweredUIN 76653More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of transferring the Office of Rail and Road’s (a) regulatory and (b) oversight functions to Great British Railways on (i) passenger protections an
Answer: The Government is committed to delivering a simpler, more accountable railway with clear responsibilities. The design of the new system and the creation of Great British Railways will ensure that decisions are clear, robust and transparent and that Great ...
Answered 19 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordOffice of Rail and RoadDepartment for TransportTabled 11 Sept 2025AnsweredUIN 76652More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether the Office of Rail and Road will (a) remain independent of Government and (b) retain oversight over Great British Railways’ decisions on (i) funding, (ii) licensing and (iii) track access.
Answer: The Government is committed to delivering a simpler, more accountable railway with clear responsibilities. The design of the new system and the creation of Great British Railways will ensure that decisions are clear, robust and transparent. Key sector bod...
Answered 19 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordBuses: DrivingDepartment for TransportTabled 11 Sept 2025AnsweredUIN 76651More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of removing the 50km restriction for 18- to 20-year-old bus and coach drivers on the (a) number of available drivers and (b) quality of (i) rural
Answer: The previous government launched a consultation on amending licensing restrictions to allow 18 to 20-year-olds to drive a bus and coach for distances exceeding 50km when driving a regular service. The previous government did not publish a response to its ...
Answered 18 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordBuses and Large Goods Vehicle Drivers: Young PeopleDepartment for TransportTabled 11 Sept 2025AnsweredUIN 76650More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment the Department has made of the effectiveness of minimum age requirements for (a) articulated lorry drivers and (b) bus and coach drivers; and whether she plans to remove the 50km restriction for
Answer: The previous government launched a consultation on amending licensing restrictions to allow 18 to 20-year-olds to drive a bus and coach for distances exceeding 50km when driving a regular service. The previous government did not publish a response to its ...
Answered 18 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordBuses and Large Goods Vehicles: LicensingDepartment for TransportTabled 11 Sept 2025AnsweredUIN 76649More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 8 September 2025 to Question 71238 on Buses and Large Goods Vehicles: Licensing, when her Department plans to publish a response.
Answer: The previous government launched a consultation on amending licensing restrictions to allow 18 to 20-year-olds to drive a bus and coach for distances exceeding 50km when driving a regular service. The previous government did not publish a response to its ...
Answered 18 Sept 2025
Original Parliament record
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