Richard Holden MP: written questions
2152 published records · newest first.
Written questions
Permanent Secretaries: RecruitmentCabinet OfficeTabled 14 May 2026AnsweredUIN 1225More
Question: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many Permanent Secretary and Second Permanent Secretary roles are (a) being advertised through open and fair competition, (b) have advertised but the recruitment is now closed and the appointment has not yet
Answer: There are currently five permanent secretary recruitment processes underway. One is open for applications through an external advert. Four are now closed but the appointment has not yet been made. Three were advertised externally and one was advertised in...
Answered 21 May 2026
Original Parliament recordUK Emissions Trading SchemeDepartment for TransportTabled 14 May 2026AnsweredUIN 1224More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the evidential basis was for not exempting large islands such as the Isle of Wight from the UK Emissions Trading Scheme.
Answer: The UK Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) is a key and effective policy lever for reducing greenhouse gas emissions across the economy and there is a high bar for any exemptions from the scheme. A uniform carbon price applied consistently, without multiple ca...
Answered 22 May 2026
Original Parliament recordRailways: CybersecurityDepartment for TransportTabled 14 May 2026AnsweredUIN 1223More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps her Department is taking to mitigate the risk of cyber-attacks affecting the rail sector.
Answer: The Department for Transport (DfT) views the cyber security of the rail sector as a priority, working across Government to introduce relevant standards, guidance, and policy to ensure the cyber security and resilience of our essential services.DfT uses bo...
Answered 19 May 2026
Original Parliament recordRailways: East of EnglandDepartment for TransportTabled 14 May 2026AnsweredUIN 1222More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to the Answer of 24 March 2026 to Question 118920, if she will develop new Outline Business Cases for the Haughley Junction upgrades.
Answer: The Haughley Junction upgrade will be considered in future as funding becomes available.
Answered 26 May 2026
Original Parliament recordElectric Vehicles: Charging PointsDepartment for TransportTabled 13 May 2026AnsweredUIN 373More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to her Department's press release published on 25 March 2026 entitled £1 billion to cut costs for businesses, drive growth and clean up UK roads, how much of the £1 billion announced funding pack
Answer: Of the £1 billion out to 2030 announced on 25 March 2026, £877 million is for zero emission vehicle purchase grants through the Zero Emission Truck Grant and Zero Emission Van Grant. £171 million is for infrastructure support through the Depot Charging Sc...
Answered 22 May 2026
Original Parliament recordAviation: TrainingDepartment for EducationTabled 13 May 2026AnsweredUIN 368More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, for what reasons the National Vocational Qualification for Pilots was removed in 1999 and what consideration has been made of introducing a new qualification that is not subject to VAT for pilot training.
Answer: Decisions around qualifications taken in 1999 were made by a previous government and the department has no further information to add to that made available at the time.The First Officer Pilot Apprenticeship Standard, developed by industry, was introduced...
Answered 18 May 2026
Original Parliament recordDriving Tests: Waiting ListsDepartment for TransportTabled 13 May 2026AnsweredUIN 367More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if she will provide, for each driving test centre in Great Britain, the car practical driving test waiting time in weeks in a) February 2026; b) March 2026; c) April 2026 and d) May 2026.
Answer: The answer to questions 122397 (31 March 2026) and 127873 (24 April 2026) provide the monthly average car practical driving test waiting time data (based on the national average waiting time metric of when a minimum of 10% of test slots are available) for...
Answered 20 May 2026
Original Parliament recordAvanti West Coast: InternetDepartment for TransportTabled 13 May 2026AnsweredUIN 366More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to the Answer of 28 April 2026 to Question 128563 on Avanti West Coast: Internet, what timetable has been set for (a) the upgrade of onboard Wi-Fi systems across Avanti West Coast services and (b
Answer: The work to upgrade Avanti West Coast (AWC) Wi-Fi systems is expected to be complete by Spring 2027 but this is subject to contractual agreement with suppliers. The AWC window etching project is due to complete testing by the end of March 2027, with full ...
Answered 20 May 2026
Original Parliament recordAviation: FuelsDepartment for TransportTabled 13 May 2026AnsweredUIN 365More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of introducing formal trigger mechanisms or objective thresholds for future slot alleviation measures relating to aviation fuel disruption.
Answer: The Department for Transport is working closely with the aviation industry to understand pressures arising from the Middle East conflict, including any potential impacts on aviation fuel supply. The Government has been monitoring jet fuel stocks closely a...
Answered 22 May 2026
Original Parliament recordImmobilisation of VehiclesDepartment for TransportTabled 22 Apr 2026AnsweredUIN 129277More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 20 April 2026 to Question 125015 on Immobilisation of Vehicles, what steps she is taking to reduce the number of immobilisation devices unlawfully removed from vehicles.
Answer: The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) works closely with its national wheel clamping contractor to monitor where wheel clamps have been forcibly removed and to identify patterns of concern.When a vehicle is clamped, the registered keeper can secu...
Answered 28 Apr 2026
Original Parliament recordDriving Licences: HealthDepartment for TransportTabled 22 Apr 2026AnsweredUIN 129274More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the average number of days taken by the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency to reach a licensing decision was in cases where a medical condition required investigation, in each month from January 2024 to A
Answer: The table below shows the average number of days to make a licensing decision for driving licence applications where a medical condition required investigation before a licence could be issued in each month from January 2024 to March 2026. The final figur...
Answered 27 Apr 2026
Original Parliament recordDepartment for Transport: LebanonDepartment for TransportTabled 22 Apr 2026AnsweredUIN 129270More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 24 March 2026 to Question 120039 on Department for Transport: Aviation, what the purpose was of the flight to Lebanon; which Ministers and senior officials approved the visit; how many
Answer: It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation
Answered 29 Apr 2026
Original Parliament recordDepartment for Transport: ColombiaDepartment for TransportTabled 22 Apr 2026AnsweredUIN 129269More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 24 March 2026 to Question 120039 on Department for Transport: Aviation, what the purpose was of the flight to Colombia; which Ministers and senior officials approved the visit; how man
Answer: It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.
Answered 29 Apr 2026
Original Parliament recordDepartment for Transport: Netherlands AntillesDepartment for TransportTabled 22 Apr 2026AnsweredUIN 129268More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 24 March 2026 to Question 120039 on Department for Transport: Aviation, what the purpose was of each flight to Netherlands Antilles; which Ministers and senior officials approved each
Answer: It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.
Answered 29 Apr 2026
Original Parliament recordDepartment for Transport: Public ExpenditureDepartment for TransportTabled 22 Apr 2026AnsweredUIN 129258More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 20 April 2026 to Question 125029 on Department for Transport: Annual Reports, in respect of the £398 million Capital DEL expenditure attributed to the Decarbonisation, Technology and S
Answer: It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.
Answered 29 Apr 2026
Original Parliament recordAviation: VATTreasuryTabled 20 Apr 2026AnsweredUIN 128427More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what is the current revenue to the Exchequer of VAT from pilot training; and what would the estimated net cost to the Exchequer be of removing VAT from pilot training.
Answer: HMRC does not hold information on the VAT revenue from pilot training.This is because businesses are not required to provide a breakdown by product or service on their VAT returns, as this would impose an excessive administrative burden. I refer the Hono...
Answered 23 Apr 2026
Original Parliament recordAviation: TrainingDepartment for EducationTabled 20 Apr 2026AnsweredUIN 128424More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, for what reasons the National Vocational Qualification for Pilots was removed in 1999 and what consideration has been made of introducing a new qualification that is not subject to VAT for pilot training
Answer: It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.
Answered 29 Apr 2026
Original Parliament recordForeign Languages: QualificationsDepartment for EducationTabled 20 Apr 2026AnsweredUIN 128329More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will set out (a) which modern foreign languages are currently available as GCSE and A level qualifications in England; (b) which European languages are not currently available as GCSE or A level qualific
Answer: It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.
Answered 29 Apr 2026
Original Parliament recordImmigrationCabinet OfficeTabled 20 Apr 2026AnsweredUIN 128310More
Question: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many people aged 18 and over immigrated to the UK in each year from 2022 to 2025 from (a) Pakistan, (b) Kuwait, (c) Afghanistan, (d) Qatar, (e) the United Arab Emirates, (f) Sudan, (g) Mauritania, (h) Iraq,
Answer: The information requested falls under the remit of the UK Statistics Authority.A response to the Rt. Hon. Gentleman’s Parliamentary Question of 20th April is attached.
Answered 27 Apr 2026
Original Parliament recordA34: SafetyDepartment for TransportTabled 16 Apr 2026AnsweredUIN 127909More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 10 March 2026 to Question 117050 on A34: Safety, whether the road marking renewal works on the A34 from Chieveley to the M40 have now been completed; and if she will provide an updated
Answer: The programme of road marking renewal works on the A34 between Chieveley and the M40 is largely complete. One remaining closure is still required to complete the final element of the works, and National Highways is working with the local highway authority...
Answered 24 Apr 2026
Original Parliament recordM1: Repairs and MaintenanceDepartment for TransportTabled 16 Apr 2026AnsweredUIN 127907More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the answer of 13 March 2026 to Question 118274 on M1: Repairs and Maintenance, whether the roadworks on the M1 northbound between junctions 12 and 13 have been completed.
Answer: Repairs to the central reservation drainage on the M1 (Northbound) between junctions 12 and 13 have been completed. All traffic management was removed on 30 March 2026.
Answered 24 Apr 2026
Original Parliament recordAnimal Welfare: Public ConsultationDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 16 Apr 2026AnsweredUIN 127896More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when the consultation on licensing domestic rescue and rehoming organisations will be launched; and what her planned timetable is for its conclusion and response.
Answer: The Animal Welfare strategy sets out Government priorities until 2030. Policies will be delivered throughout this time. Next steps on the consultation will be announced in due course.
Answered 22 Apr 2026
Original Parliament recordDriving Tests: Waiting ListsDepartment for TransportTabled 16 Apr 2026AnsweredUIN 127873More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the monthly average waiting time was for a car practical driving test at each driving test centre and zone for a) March and b) April 2026.
Answer: The attached spreadsheet (WPQ-00066787) shows the average waiting time for car practical driving tests at each driving test centre, and zone, for March 2026. This data is based on the national average waiting time metric of when a minimum of 10% of test s...
Answered 24 Apr 2026
Original Parliament recordActive Travel: LightingDepartment for TransportTabled 16 Apr 2026AnsweredUIN 127856More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 15 April 2026 to Question 126073, when the forthcoming guidance from Active Travel England will be published.
Answer: On 25 March, Active Travel England set out the intention to publish guidance during 2026 to help authorities design safer streets for women and girls.
Answered 24 Apr 2026
Original Parliament recordHighway CodeDepartment for TransportTabled 15 Apr 2026AnsweredUIN 127597More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 19 March 2026 to Question 120036 on the Highway Code, which (a) organisations and (b) individuals were represented on the expert stakeholder group; and how many times that stakeholder
Answer: The expert stakeholder group convened by the previous government when it determined the new rule could be introduced included individuals from The Automobile Association (AA), British Horse Society (BHS), BRAKE, Chartered Institution of Highways and Trans...
Answered 23 Apr 2026
Original Parliament record
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