Richard Holden MP: written questions
2152 published records · newest first.
Written questions
Ports: PlanningDepartment for TransportTabled 10 Feb 2026AnsweredUIN 112228More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 4 February 2026 to Question 107165, in which month the final text of the National Policy Statement for Ports is expected to be published.
Answer: I expect the final text to be laid in March 2026.
Answered 17 Feb 2026
Original Parliament recordPregnancy: CannabisDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 10 Feb 2026AnsweredUIN 112227More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 5 February 2026 to Question 108297, whether his Department holds any evidence on rates of neonatal and post-neonatal death, including accidental suffocation and overlaying
Answer: The Mothers and Babies: Reducing Risk through Audits and Confidential Enquiries across the UK (MBRRACE-UK) programme is responsible for reviewing stillbirths and neonatal deaths across the United Kingdom to identify causes, improve clinical care, and redu...
Answered 20 Feb 2026
Original Parliament recordAirports: Fees and ChargesDepartment for TransportTabled 10 Feb 2026AnsweredUIN 112226More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 30 January 2026 to Question 107163, what information her Department holds on airport kerbside drop-off charges.
Answer: There is no requirement for airports or airport car park providers to provide details of drop-off charges to the Department. We regularly engage with airports on surface access strategies and drop-off charges form part of these wider discussions. Informat...
Answered 23 Feb 2026
Original Parliament recordUK Emissions Trading Scheme: FerriesDepartment for Energy Security and Net ZeroTabled 10 Feb 2026AnsweredUIN 112225More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, pursuant to the Answer of 5 February 2026 to Question 110095, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the absence of route-level ferry fare modelling risks on consumer price im
Answer: The Government has not undertaken route level ferry fare modelling for the UK ETS domestic maritime expansion. This is because, as we set out in the Impact Assessment, operators’ commercial decisions, vessel utilisation and fare structures vary widely. Th...
Answered 18 Feb 2026
Original Parliament recordDepartment for Transport: FinanceDepartment for TransportTabled 10 Feb 2026AnsweredUIN 112224More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to her oral contribution of 9 December 2025 in the debate on the Railways Bill, Official Report, column 207, how the £150 million figure relates to the £663 million per year efficiency saving pro
Answer: The oral contribution on 9 December 2025 in the debate on the Railways Bill referred to savings from management and performance fees payable to private sector operators. These savings are factored into the Department's Spending Review settlement but are n...
Answered 23 Feb 2026
Original Parliament recordDepartment for Transport: FinanceDepartment for TransportTabled 10 Feb 2026AnsweredUIN 112223More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 19 January 2026 to Question 105896, whether equivalent gross efficiency and implementation cost breakdowns have been produced for other components of the Departmental Efficiency Plan,
Answer: As set out in the Departmental Efficiency Plan, the department plans to deliver efficiencies of £663m in 28/29. We do not currently hold a breakdown on how these efficiencies breakdown by gross efficiencies and implementation costs in regulated settlement...
Answered 26 Feb 2026
Original Parliament recordDepartment for Transport: Official HospitalityDepartment for TransportTabled 9 Feb 2026AnsweredUIN 111874More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 29 January 2026 to Question 107278, what items of hospitality were provided at that reception; and if she will publish the relevant food and drink invoices and procurement contracts.
Answer: The items of hospitality provided at the Department for Transport Operator Group’s (DFTO) parliamentary reception on 19 January 2026 were: canapés, tea and coffee, bottled water, and various soft drinks totalling £1,646.99. As this was below the contractu...
Answered 26 Feb 2026
Original Parliament recordDepartment for Transport: Artificial IntelligenceDepartment for TransportTabled 9 Feb 2026AnsweredUIN 111873More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 2 February 2026 to Question 108459 on Department for Transport: Artificial Intelligence, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of AI-enabled initiatives opera
Answer: Please see the previous response to Question 108459 which answers this question.
Answered 12 Feb 2026
Original Parliament recordOffice of Rail and RoadDepartment for TransportTabled 9 Feb 2026AnsweredUIN 111872More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 19 January 2026 to Question 105894, what estimate the Department has made of the proportion of efficiency savings attributed to regulated settlements that arise from funding constraint
Answer: As set out in Question 105894, the Office for Rail and Road do not set funding constraints as these are determined via the overall funding settlement.
Answered 18 Feb 2026
Original Parliament recordNational Highways and Network Rail: FinanceDepartment for TransportTabled 9 Feb 2026AnsweredUIN 111871More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 19 January 2026 to Question 105895 on National Highways and Network Rail: Finance, what estimate he has made of the net efficiency savings attributable to Network Rail after accounting
Answer: The technology and systems investments cited contribute to Network Rail’s £3.9 billion Control Period 7 efficiency target but their costs are not directly comparable, given that the investments confer benefits beyond financial efficiency as well as contri...
Answered 26 Feb 2026
Original Parliament recordPublic Transport: ResearchDepartment for TransportTabled 9 Feb 2026AnsweredUIN 111870More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to her Department's research and analysis document entitled Factors influencing multi-modal public transport use, published on 29 January 2026, what was the total cost of commissioning and produc
Answer: The research report on ‘Factors influencing multi-modal public transport use’ was published on 29 January 2026. The work was conducted in full by the external research contractor, Verian (previously Kantar) and was commissioned as part of the ‘TROO0282 - ...
Answered 25 Feb 2026
Original Parliament recordUK Export Finance: Carbon EmissionsDepartment for Business and TradeTabled 9 Feb 2026AnsweredUIN 111869More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what the cost to UK Export Finance was of mitigating operational emissions arising from (a) its office footprint and b) business travel in 2024-25.
Answer: UKEF’s office footprint is managed by the Government Property Agency, which is responsible for the provision of all energy and utility services. UKEF mitigates operational emissions arising from business travel through policies to reduce the cost of busin...
Answered 12 Feb 2026
Original Parliament recordFire and Rescue Services: DatabasesMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 9 Feb 2026AnsweredUIN 111868More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 3 February 2026 to Question 108300, when the rollout of the Fire and Rescue Data Analysis Platform (FaRDAP) will be completed; and from what date Fire a
Answer: The Fire and Rescue Data Platform (FaRDaP) Version 1 was successfully rolled out to 48 Fire and Rescue Services in England, Scotland and Wales by 14 November 2025. At present, Fire and Rescue Services are not required to record whether fires involve lithi...
Answered 16 Feb 2026
Original Parliament recordInsolvency Service: Climate ChangeDepartment for Business and TradeTabled 9 Feb 2026AnsweredUIN 111867More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, pursuant to the Answer of 30 January 2026 to Question 107769, what estimate he has made to the Insolvency Service of compliance with Net Zero, sustainability and climate-related disclosure requirements
Answer: I have made no such assessment, however the Insolvency Service’s total emissions have been reported in the Agency’s Annual Report and Accounts since 2012/13. Progress on wider sustainability requirements is reported quarterly to the Department for Busines...
Answered 12 Feb 2026
Original Parliament recordCompetition and Markets Authority: ExpenditureDepartment for Business and TradeTabled 9 Feb 2026AnsweredUIN 111866More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what the Competition and Markets Authority’s total expenditure was in 2024–25, broken down by project and function.
Answer: The Competition and Markets Authority’s published Annual Report and Accounts contains details of its expenditure, including a breakdown of total gross expenditure by operating segment. It can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/cma-a...
Answered 16 Feb 2026
Original Parliament recordBritish Business Bank: Carbon Emissions and Environment ProtectionDepartment for Business and TradeTabled 9 Feb 2026AnsweredUIN 111865More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, pursuant to the Answer of 2 February 2026 to Question 108798 what the British Business Bank’s total programme expenditure, staffing costs, and consultancy and professional services costs were in 2024–2
Answer: The British Business Bank’s total staffing costs in 2024-25 were £71.591 million. In the same year, the BBB incurred total expenditure of £26.456 million on professional fees. These comprise fees relating to investment scheme design and transactions and o...
Answered 12 Feb 2026
Original Parliament recordDepartment for Business and Trade: Carbon EmissionsDepartment for Business and TradeTabled 9 Feb 2026AnsweredUIN 111864More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether his Department issues guidance to teams on the proportion of staff time or budget that should be allocated to net zero strategy or corporate sustainability activity.
Answer: The department does not issue guidance to teams on the proportion of staff time or budget that should be allocated to net zero strategy or corporate sustainability activity.
Answered 16 Feb 2026
Original Parliament recordIntellectual Property Office: Environment ProtectionDepartment for Science, Innovation and TechnologyTabled 9 Feb 2026AnsweredUIN 111863More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, pursuant to the Answer of 4 February 2026 to Question 108801, what the estimated cost to the Intellectual Property Office of policies, programmes or staffing related to net zero, sustai
Answer: We currently have a small amount of staff resource allocated to delivering our sustainability, net zero and green innovation objectives. Based on the planned continuation of this work at current levels, the estimated average annual cost over the next five...
Answered 3 Mar 2026
Original Parliament recordUK Emissions Trading Scheme: FerriesDepartment for Energy Security and Net ZeroTabled 9 Feb 2026AnsweredUIN 111862More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, pursuant to the Answer of 5 February 2026 to Question 110095, whether the Department plans to publish route-specific or island impact assessments before domestic maritime is brought into scop
Answer: The Impact Assessment set out that it is not possible to robustly break down compliance costs to the level of individual routes or service types, as ticket prices, fare structures and commercial operating decisions vary widely. The Assessment therefore co...
Answered 17 Feb 2026
Original Parliament recordMotor Vehicles: TechnologyDepartment for TransportTabled 9 Feb 2026AnsweredUIN 111861More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether her Department is considering mandating the TechSafe framework as a national safety, competence and assurance framework to support implementation of the Automated Vehicles Act and related vehicle techno
Answer: The Department is currently running a public Call for Evidence in support of the regulatory framework for automated vehicles. Responses to this Call for Evidence will inform a public consultation on the proposed regulations later in the year. The Departme...
Answered 19 Feb 2026
Original Parliament recordMotorcycles: Motor InsuranceDepartment for TransportTabled 9 Feb 2026AnsweredUIN 111860More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether the Motor Insurance Taskforce examined motorcycle insurance as part of its work leading to the Final Report published on 10 December 2025.
Answer: The taskforce was given a strategic remit to set the direction for government policy, in order to identify short- and long-term actions that may stabilise or reduce motor insurance premiums, but not the cost of motorcycle insurance specifically. The scope...
Answered 17 Feb 2026
Original Parliament recordRoads: Safety BarriersDepartment for TransportTabled 9 Feb 2026AnsweredUIN 111859More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 1 December 2025 to Question 93460 on Roads: Safety Barriers if she will publish the (a) location and route section, (b) date granted, c) reason of each departure from standard; what pl
Answer: The locations, routes and dates of approval for the departures from standard allowing steel crash barrier to be replaced with new steel barrier, rather than concrete, are as follows:M4 Junctions 13-14: 20/08/2025M6 Junction 37-38: 12/05/25M5 Junctions 23-...
Answered 17 Feb 2026
Original Parliament recordDriving Tests: Waiting ListsDepartment for TransportTabled 9 Feb 2026AnsweredUIN 111858More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, for each month since November 2025, how many driving test centres recorded the maximum waiting time of 24 weeks for a practical car test; and if she will publish a list of those test centres for each month sinc
Answer: The answer of 9 January 2026 to Question 101472 provided information on which driving test centres had a waiting time of 24 weeks in each month from July 2024, including for November 2025.The answer of 22 January 2026 to Question 104863 provided informat...
Answered 25 Feb 2026
Original Parliament recordBuses: ProcurementDepartment for TransportTabled 9 Feb 2026AnsweredUIN 111857More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what percentage weighting is given to social value in the evaluation of bids under each Government-funded scheme supporting the procurement of new buses, including zero-emission, electric, hydrogen and hybrid b
Answer: Social value, through community benefits, was one of the criteria considered when assessing the Zero Emission Bus Regional Area (ZEBRA) 2 funding announced in March 2024. The strategic case, including community benefits, had a 10% weighting. The published...
Answered 12 Feb 2026
Original Parliament recordDepartment for Transport: RedundancyDepartment for TransportTabled 9 Feb 2026AnsweredUIN 111856More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 22 January 2026 to Question 105752, what estimate her Department has made of the number of job losses expected as a result of workforce reform associated with the corporate initiatives
Answer: The Department has set out its forecasted efficiencies in the Departmental Efficiency Plan as well as making a further commitment to reduce our administration budget in line with the government’s overall aim to reduce administration costs by 15% by the en...
Answered 26 Feb 2026
Original Parliament record
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