Richard Holden MP: written questions
2152 published records · newest first.
Written questions
Driving Instruction: VacanciesDepartment for TransportTabled 4 Mar 2026AnsweredUIN 117908More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether DVSA has considered using the GOV.UK instructor page as a recruitment channel.
Answer: As stated in the answer to Question 113159 the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) keeps its recruitment activity under regular review to ensure it attracts applications from as wide a pool as possible, and not just from those who may have a drivin...
Answered 12 Mar 2026
Original Parliament recordAviation: FuelsMinistry of DefenceTabled 4 Mar 2026AnsweredUIN 117907More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what estimate his Department has made of (a) the projected market price per litre of conventional aviation turbine fuel (Jet A-1) in each year from 2025 to 2040 and (b) the marginal cost difference per litre betw
Answer: The Royal Air Force in conjunction with the Ministry of Defence Directorate Analytics are able to provide an estimated cost of the price per litre of both Conventional Aviation Turbine and Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) in each year from 2025-2040, and t...
Answered 9 Mar 2026
Original Parliament recordDriving Tests: VacanciesDepartment for TransportTabled 4 Mar 2026AnsweredUIN 117906More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many driving examiner vacancies existed in (a) January 2026 and (b) February 2026.
Answer: As stated in the answer to Question 113159 the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) keeps its recruitment activity under regular review to ensure it attracts applications from as wide a pool as possible, and not just from those who may have a drivin...
Answered 12 Mar 2026
Original Parliament recordDriving Tests: VacanciesDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 4 Mar 2026AnsweredUIN 117905More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what criteria DVSA used to designate Bedford, Bletchley, Bromley, Slough, Southampton and Tottenham as priority sites for the Driving Examiner recruitment pilot; what the average driving test waiting ti
Answer: DVSA identified priority locations that had 5 or more live vacancies and provided the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) with a list. Following their external recruitment drive in January 2026, DVSA advised DWP that some of the locations initially ide...
Answered 18 Mar 2026
Original Parliament recordTyres: ImportsTreasuryTabled 3 Mar 2026AnsweredUIN 117439More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 26 February 2026 to Question 114105 on Tyres: Imports, what consideration her Department has given to using different codes; and whether her Department plans to implement different codes fo
Answer: The UK commodity codes are formed from the World Custom’s Organization’s (WCO) Harmonized System and, as a WCO contracting party, the UK has recently participated in WCO discussions about tyres. These are resulting in a change to code 4004, which will be ...
Answered 11 Mar 2026
Original Parliament recordGreat British Railways: FinanceDepartment for TransportTabled 3 Mar 2026AnsweredUIN 117438More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 2 March 2026 to Question 115554 on Great British Railways: Finance, whether she plans to publish the (a) internal modelling, (b) business case documentation and (c) analytical assessme
Answer: The Department has no plans to publish the internal modelling or initial business case development which informed the savings from corporate initiatives in the Department’s Efficiency Plan.
Answered 11 Mar 2026
Original Parliament recordHigh Speed 1 Line: InvestmentDepartment for TransportTabled 3 Mar 2026AnsweredUIN 117437More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 3 March 2026 to Question 115062, if her Department will make an assessment of the potential impact of increases in business rates on planned private sector investment in Channel Tunnel
Answer: The 2026 business rates revaluation, which is a continuing process, is a matter for the operationally independent Valuation Office Agency (VOA). The VOA is due to publish its final ratings list this Spring.
Answered 11 Mar 2026
Original Parliament recordBuses: Electric VehiclesDepartment for TransportTabled 3 Mar 2026AnsweredUIN 117436More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of remote access and deactivation capability in Chinese-manufactured electric buses on (a) cybersecurity and (b) publicly funded zero-emission bus
Answer: The Government takes national security extremely seriously and recognises the systemic challenges of increased connectivity and the cyber security implications for almost every area of government policy, including electric buses. The Department works clos...
Answered 11 Mar 2026
Original Parliament recordPets: TaggingDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 3 Mar 2026AnsweredUIN 117435More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many pet microchip databases are authorised for use in England; what regulatory oversight she exercises over (i) pricing structures, (ii) subscription models and (iii) data access
Answer: Since the introduction of compulsory dog microchipping in 2016, the number of compliant database operators has increased from four to 24. While this gives consumers more choice, it has made it harder for authorised users to access records quickly. Defra i...
Answered 10 Mar 2026
Original Parliament recordPets: DatabasesDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 3 Mar 2026AnsweredUIN 117434More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether she plans to introduce a Central Microchip Portal to enable authorised users, including (i) veterinary professionals, (ii) local authorities, (iii) animal wardens and (iv) poli
Answer: Since the introduction of compulsory dog microchipping in 2016, the number of compliant database operators has increased from four to 24. While this gives consumers more choice, it has made it harder for authorised users to access records quickly. Defra i...
Answered 10 Mar 2026
Original Parliament recordBus Services: Fixed PenaltiesDepartment for TransportTabled 3 Mar 2026AnsweredUIN 117433More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 2 March 2026 to Question 115052, whether permitting (a) contractors to issue fixed penalty notices under bus byelaws for profit and (b) payment structures linked to the number of fines
Answer: The guidance for local transport authorities on the byelaws provisions in the Bus Services Act 2025 is still being developed and will be published in due course.
Answered 11 Mar 2026
Original Parliament recordRoads: Repairs and MaintenanceDepartment for TransportTabled 3 Mar 2026AnsweredUIN 117432More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 2 March 2026 to Question 113833, what consideration her Department has given to introducing a national standard definition of a pothole, including minimum size and safety thresholds.
Answer: The Well‑managed Highway Infrastructure Code of Practice, which is in the process of being updated, advises that local highway authorities should use a risk‑based approach when assessing and repairing defects. The Code does not define a national pothole s...
Answered 9 Mar 2026
Original Parliament recordRoads: Repairs and MaintenanceDepartment for TransportTabled 3 Mar 2026AnsweredUIN 117431More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 2 March 2026 to Question 115060, what examples her Department has identified of (a) decarbonisation of road maintenance operations and (b) preventative lower-carbon treatments referred
Answer: Examples of activities relevant under this metric include the more efficient management of vehicle movements to both increase operational efficiency and cut carbon emissions. They also include the greater adoption of preventative road surface treatments,...
Answered 9 Mar 2026
Original Parliament recordDepartment of Health and Social Care: TyresDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 3 Mar 2026AnsweredUIN 117430More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 2 March 2026 to Question 114110, what information his Department holds on tyre procurement by its arm’s-length bodies, including NHS trusts and other agencies; and whether
Answer: The Department does not hold any information on tyre procurement by its arm’s length bodies and does not intend to collect data on the proportion of retread and single-use imported tyres by those bodies. NHS England reports that that emergency ambulances ...
Answered 11 Mar 2026
Original Parliament recordUK Emissions Trading SchemeDepartment for Energy Security and Net ZeroTabled 3 Mar 2026AnsweredUIN 117429More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, pursuant to the Answer of 2 March 2026 to Question 115442, what his evidential basis is that linking the UK Emissions Trading Scheme with the EU Emissions Trading Scheme will minimise adminis
Answer: Linking the UK and EU emissions trading schemes is expected to bring significant economic benefits to the UK, including a cheaper path towards decarbonisation by providing businesses with access to a larger, more stable and liquid carbon market which will...
Answered 9 Mar 2026
Original Parliament recordDepartment for Energy Security and Net Zero: TyresDepartment for Energy Security and Net ZeroTabled 2 Mar 2026AnsweredUIN 117003More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, pursuant to the Answer of 2 March 2026 to Question 114111, whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of centrally collecting data on the procurement of retread and single-use
Answer: No such assessment has been made.
Answered 10 Mar 2026
Original Parliament recordMarriage: RelativesDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 2 Mar 2026AnsweredUIN 117002More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the Freedom of Information response reference FOI-251202287377 of 9 January 2026, if he will place a copy of the training modules on close relative marriage and genetic risk for (
Answer: The NHS Learning Hub originally had five training modules on close relative marriage and genetic risk. Three of these modules were retired in October 2025. The remaining two modules were subsequently updated and can be found online on the NHS Learning Hub...
Answered 25 Mar 2026
Original Parliament recordCar SharingDepartment for TransportTabled 2 Mar 2026AnsweredUIN 117001More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 2 March 2026 to Question 115050, whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential impact of the exit of Zipcar from parts of the UK on the car-sharing market; and what as
Answer: The Department wants sustainable transport options to be available to all. The Department is assessing the evidence base and considering how best to support the car sharing sector and ensure the right measures are in place to support car clubs and other s...
Answered 10 Mar 2026
Original Parliament recordSpeed LimitsDepartment for TransportTabled 2 Mar 2026AnsweredUIN 117000More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 2 March 2026 to Question 115446, in which month and year the updated Setting Local Speed Limits guidance will be published.
Answer: Work to update the Setting Local Speed Limits guidance is expected to commence shortly. No timetable has yet been set for the publication of the revised guidance.
Answered 6 Mar 2026
Original Parliament recordRoads: Repairs and MaintenanceDepartment for TransportTabled 2 Mar 2026AnsweredUIN 116997More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the answer of 2 March 2026 to Question 115048 on local road maintenance, what specific guidance was provided, and whether it included advice on the political composition of councils.
Answer: Advice was provided to ministers in line with standard procedures.
Answered 9 Mar 2026
Original Parliament recordElectric VehiclesDepartment for TransportTabled 2 Mar 2026AnsweredUIN 116995More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether her Department has made an assessment of the effectiveness of the UK’s Zero Emission Vehicle Mandate in light of the February 2026 decision by the Government of Canada to repeal its EV sales mandate.
Answer: Government continues to monitor regulatory approaches to support the transition to zero emission vehicles in other countries. These vary depending on the economic, market, and geographic circumstances of each country. The UK remains a leader in the ZEV tr...
Answered 10 Mar 2026
Original Parliament recordA12: Repairs and MaintenanceDepartment for TransportTabled 2 Mar 2026AnsweredUIN 116792More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 10 February 2026 to Question 107159, whether the decision taken in March 2024 was made by Ministers; and what start date for construction was in place prior to that decision.
Answer: The decision taken in March 2024 to defer the start of construction on the A12 widening scheme was made by Ministers. Prior to this decision, the publicly committed start date for construction was 2023/24 but a new start date was being planned.
Answered 6 Mar 2026
Original Parliament recordBus Services: CyclewaysDepartment for TransportTabled 2 Mar 2026AnsweredUIN 116791More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether an Equality Impact Assessment was undertaken in relation to the guidance entitled Floating Bus Stops: Provision and Design.
Answer: Ahead of publishing the guidance on floating bus stops, in line with the Public Sector Equality Duty, I had due regard to impacts on people with protected characteristics, particularly disabled people, in making decisions regarding the guidance. This was ...
Answered 5 Mar 2026
Original Parliament recordBus Services: AccessDepartment for TransportTabled 2 Mar 2026AnsweredUIN 116790More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether she has had discussions with the Prime Minister on the impact of floating bus stop designs on the ability of blind, disabled and older people to board and alight from buses independently.
Answer: Statutory guidance on the provision and design of floating bus stops was published on 26 January under section 31 of the Bus Services Act 2025, which was cleared across government in the usual way.
Answered 5 Mar 2026
Original Parliament recordDriving under Influence: DrugsDepartment for TransportTabled 2 Mar 2026AnsweredUIN 116789More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what research her Department has commissioned and reviewed on emerging drug-driving testing technologies that are more cost-effective and provide faster processing than oral fluid tests; what steps she is takin
Answer: The enforcement of road traffic law and how available resources are deployed is the responsibility of individual Chief Officers and Police and Crime Commissioners, taking into account local problems and demands. The police are operationally independent. W...
Answered 10 Mar 2026
Original Parliament record
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