Richard Holden MP: written questions
2152 published records · newest first.
Written questions
Roads: ClosuresDepartment for TransportTabled 26 Mar 2026AnsweredUIN 124215More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 25 March 2026 to Question 121310 on Roads: Closures, what plans her Department to make a formal national assessment of the potential impact of long-term road and bridge closures on sma
Answer: The impacts of long‑term road or bridge closures on small businesses vary significantly depending on local circumstances and the mitigation measures put in place. Responsibility for managing and mitigating these impacts sits with local highway authorities...
Answered 17 Apr 2026
Original Parliament recordParking: Private SectorDepartment for TransportTabled 26 Mar 2026AnsweredUIN 124214More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 25 March 2026 to Question 121409 on Parking: Private Sector, when did the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency last review the £2.50 fee charged for the release of vehicle keeper data;
Answer: The £2.50 fee for the release of vehicle keeper data is currently being reviewed. If there are any changes made to the fee as a result of that review, these will be communicated at the appropriate time.
Answered 22 Apr 2026
Original Parliament recordDriving Tests: RecruitmentDepartment for TransportTabled 26 Mar 2026AnsweredUIN 124211More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 25 March 2026 to Question 122543 on Driving Tests: Recruitment, what data the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency collects on the source of applications for driving examiner roles at t
Answer: All driving examiner (DE) applications are made through Civil Service Jobs on GOV.UK. At the point of submitting an application on Civil Service Jobs no applicant source information is recorded.Answer to Question 122526, 20 March 2026, provides details of...
Answered 17 Apr 2026
Original Parliament recordVehicle Certification Agency: Fees and ChargesDepartment for TransportTabled 26 Mar 2026AnsweredUIN 124209More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 25 March 2026 to Question 122545 on the Vehicle Certification Agency: Fees and Charges, whether her Department has produced internal estimates of the additional annual revenue expected
Answer: The Vehicle Certification Agency (VCA) recently consulted on changes to certain fees. As part of the fee setting process the government considers all the evidence provided as well as long standing principles included in Managing Public Money. Any fee chan...
Answered 17 Apr 2026
Original Parliament recordDriving Tests: RecruitmentDepartment for TransportTabled 26 Mar 2026AnsweredUIN 124208More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 25 March 2026 to Question 122525, what estimate her Department has made of the proportion of click-throughs from (a) social media advertising and (b) DVSA job alert emails that resulte
Answer: All driving examiner (DE) applications are made through Civil Service Jobs on GOV.UK. At the point of submitting an application on Civil Service Jobs no applicant source information is recorded.Answer to Question 122526, 20 March 2026, provides details of...
Answered 17 Apr 2026
Original Parliament recordDriving TestsDepartment for TransportTabled 26 Mar 2026AnsweredUIN 124198More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many driving examiners started to practice in each month from July 2024 to the latest month for which figures are available.
Answer: The table below shows the number of recruited driving examiners (DE) who successfully completed training and were posted to a driving test centre, each month from July 2024 to February 2026. Please note, the data shows the month DEs successfully passed tr...
Answered 13 Apr 2026
Original Parliament recordRailways: ConcessionsDepartment for TransportTabled 26 Mar 2026AnsweredUIN 124197More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what was the purchase price for an individual of an a) Network Railcard, b) 16-17 Saver, c) 16-25 Railcard, d) 26-30 Railcard, e) Family & Friends Railcard, f)) Two Together Railcard, g) Senior Railcard, h) Dis
Answer: The table below contains the prices of these railcards for each of the last 10 years (or from their introduction if this is more recent). In addition, the final column shows what the cost would be now in 2025/26 if the price had been increased by RPI cumu...
Answered 21 Apr 2026
Original Parliament recordDriving Tests: StaffDepartment for TransportTabled 26 Mar 2026AnsweredUIN 124195More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many full-time equivalent driving examiners recruited by the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) were (a) in post and (b) delivering practical car driving tests in i) January 2026, ii) February 2026
Answer: The answer to Question 122532, 20 March 2026, provides data for the months January 2026 and February 2026 respectively. The table below shows how many full-time equivalent (FTE) driving examiners were in post, and out of those, how many were available to ...
Answered 17 Apr 2026
Original Parliament recordLarge Goods Vehicles and Vans: Carbon EmissionsDepartment for TransportTabled 26 Mar 2026AnsweredUIN 124173More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the cost will be of the Zero Emission Truck and Van funding package over its lifetime, including associated grant schemes.
Answer: The cost of this package is set out at: www.gov.uk/government/news/1-billion-to-cut-costs-for-businesses-drive-growth-and-clean-up-uk-roads
Answered 14 Apr 2026
Original Parliament recordG20Foreign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 25 Mar 2026AnsweredUIN 123723More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps HM Government is taking to prepare for the G20 Summit in 2027.
Answer: Work is progressing in the normal way and further details will be confirmed in due course.
Answered 13 Apr 2026
Original Parliament recordSouth Africa: Development AidForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 25 Mar 2026AnsweredUIN 123722More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what plans her Department has to hold (a) discussions and (b) summits with the Government of South Africa on providing it with (i) aid and (ii) development.
Answer: Ministers and officials in the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office continue to work closely with their South African counterparts on a wide range of issues.
Answered 13 Apr 2026
Original Parliament recordArmed Forces: UniformsMinistry of DefenceTabled 25 Mar 2026AnsweredUIN 123721More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether he has had discussions with his Ukrainian counterparts regarding the fit of a) uniform and b) body armour for female soldiers in combat operations, and whether his Department has discussed lessons learnt
Answer: The Ministry of Defence remains firmly committed to ensuring that all service personnel are equipped with appropriate and effective protective equipment. As part of this commitment, we are delivering an update to body armour for UK personnel through the T...
Answered 17 Apr 2026
Original Parliament recordDual Use Goods and Technologies: RussiaDepartment for Business and TradeTabled 25 Mar 2026AnsweredUIN 123720More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, which companies the Department is aware are exporting dual-use components from the United Kingdom to the Russian Federation; what dual-use components are being exported to the Russian Federation; and w
Answer: The comprehensive sanctions put in place by HMG under the Russia (Sanctions) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019 following Russia's illegal full-scale invasion of Ukraine mean that UK companies have been banned from exporting military or dual-use goods to Russia s...
Answered 13 Apr 2026
Original Parliament recordRussia: UkraineForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 25 Mar 2026AnsweredUIN 123719More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether she has made representations to the Council of Europe regarding Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
Answer: We continue to work closely with the Council of Europe on a number of Ukraine-related initiatives, including the proposed establishment of the Claims Commission for Ukraine and the Special Tribunal on Crimes of Aggression Against Ukraine. Since Russia's f...
Answered 13 Apr 2026
Original Parliament recordUnmanned Air SystemsMinistry of DefenceTabled 25 Mar 2026AnsweredUIN 123718More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many times has the Drone Task Force met since 4 July 2024, which Ministers in Government Departments and private sector companies constitute it, and which a) countries and b) companies are they engaged with i
Answer: The Department does not recognise any body titled the “Drone Task Force”.
Answered 17 Apr 2026
Original Parliament recordAerospace Growth PartnershipDepartment for Business and TradeTabled 25 Mar 2026AnsweredUIN 123717More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, how many times the Aerospace Growth Partnership has met since 4 July 2024; and whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential economic merits of the Aerospace Growth Partnership .
Answer: Since 4 July 2024 the Aerospace Growth Partnership Board has met 12 times. Through our Industrial Strategy, government has committed to supporting the sector to increase its share of the global market from 10% to 15% and secure at least £35billion of addi...
Answered 13 Apr 2026
Original Parliament recordAircraft: Exhaust EmissionsDepartment for TransportTabled 25 Mar 2026AnsweredUIN 123716More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential impact of contrails on its Airspace Modernisation Strategy.
Answer: The Airspace Modernisation Strategy supports the aviation sector in reducing emissions through aircraft flying more direct routes. Contrails arise from a combination of jet fuel combustion, air particles, water vapour and atmospheric conditions, and as su...
Answered 14 Apr 2026
Original Parliament recordRoyal Aeronautical SocietyDepartment for TransportTabled 25 Mar 2026AnsweredUIN 123715More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether her Department has held discussions with the Royal Aeronautical Society since July 2024.
Answer: My officials routinely engage with a broad range of aviation stakeholders, including the Royal Aeronautical Society, to support strong and effective collaboration between government and industry on aviation related matters.
Answered 17 Apr 2026
Original Parliament recordHigh Speed Two: StaffDepartment for TransportTabled 25 Mar 2026AnsweredUIN 123714More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many staff are employed by the HS2 Ltd Helpdesk.
Answer: Twenty FTE (Full Time Equivalent) staff are employed on the HS2 Ltd helpdesk.
Answered 17 Apr 2026
Original Parliament recordHigh Speed 2 Line: ProcurementDepartment for TransportTabled 25 Mar 2026AnsweredUIN 123713More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when she expects the procurement of the Washwood Heath Depot for HS2 to conclude.
Answer: The Department is going through their governance approval to conclude the procurement for Washwood Heath Depot (WWH). We expect to award the contract in the coming weeks.
Answered 17 Apr 2026
Original Parliament recordHigh Speed 2 Line: Affordable HousingDepartment for TransportTabled 25 Mar 2026AnsweredUIN 123712More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many social and affordable homes are planned as part of the redevelopment of land at and around Euston associated with the HS2 programme.
Answer: We are working at pace with our Master Development Partner, Lendlease, on a Masterplan for Euston, with an emphasis on growth and delivering much needed housing, and will set out a clear plan in due course. Further, the government has appointed Bek Seeley...
Answered 17 Apr 2026
Original Parliament recordHigh Speed 2 LineDepartment for TransportTabled 25 Mar 2026AnsweredUIN 123711More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to the written ministerial statement of 23 March 2026 on Rail Infrastructure, HCWS1433, if she will make an assessment of the potential impact of reducing the operating speed of HS2 on passenger
Answer: The Secretary of State has requested that Mark Wild look at ways to remove gold plating and complexity from the HS2 project, and if a slightly reduced specification could save time and money. We will not make the same mistakes of the past of making change...
Answered 17 Apr 2026
Original Parliament recordHigh Speed 2 LineDepartment for TransportTabled 25 Mar 2026AnsweredUIN 123710More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to the written ministerial statement of 23 March 2026 on Rail Infrastructure, HCWS1433, when she next plans to publish an update on the progress of the HS2 reset.
Answer: As the Secretary of State indicated in her interim parliamentary report of 23 March 2026, the government intends to publish a more detailed update on the progress of the HS2 reset shortly.
Answered 16 Apr 2026
Original Parliament recordMark WildDepartment for TransportTabled 25 Mar 2026AnsweredUIN 123709More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, on what date (a) Mark Wild’s contract as Chief Executive of HS2 Ltd was signed, (b) his appointment was publicly announced and (c) he took up his role.
Answer: Mark Wild’s contract with HS2 Ltd was signed on 10 May 2024, his appointment was announced on 24 May 2024, and he started the role on 2 December 2024.
Answered 16 Apr 2026
Original Parliament recordCabinet Office: Written QuestionsCabinet OfficeTabled 25 Mar 2026WithdrawnUIN 123708More
Question: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, when he plans to respond to Question 120875 from the Rt Hon. Member for Basildon and Billericay.
Answer: No published answer in this record yet.
Original Parliament record
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