Written questions by Pinkerton.

Whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of updating standards relating to the (a) design, (b) spacing, and (c) visibility of vehicle number plates.

The Government recognises the impact of number plate fraud and is committed to addressing this issue. The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) collaborates with the National Police Chiefs’ Council, the Home Office, and other departments to enhance the identification and enforcement of number plate offences. On road enforcement remains the responsibility of the police.The government published its new Road Safety Strategy on 7 January, setting out its vision for a safer future on our roads for all. As part of this, the Department for Transport is reviewing motoring offences and has published a consultation which seeks views on the introduction of penalty points and vehicle seizure for the offence of being in charge of a motor vehicle with an incorrect/altered/false number plate. The consultation can be found online at www.gov.uk/government/consultations/proposed-changes-to-penalties-for-motoring-offences.The DVLA is a member of the British Standards Institution committee, which has proposed updates to number plate standards. These changes aim to prevent the production of plates with raised or ‘ghost’ characteristics and require all finished plates to be flat. The public consultation on these proposals closed on 13 December 2025 and the committee will review feedback shortly.Efforts are underway to strengthen application and audit processes for number plate suppliers. The Department and its agencies maintain close cooperation with law enforcement and other stakeholders to ensure effective information sharing. The police have established access to DVLA records for crime prevention and detection.DVLA enforcement officers work with the police and Trading Standards to conduct compliance visits to number plate suppliers, inspecting practices and records as necessary.

What steps she is taking to help ensure that the transport system supports economic growth in (a) Surrey and (b) Surrey Heath constituency.

In the Spending Review of 2025 this government announced Local Transport funding of £38.19 million to Surrey County Council for the period from April 2026 to April 2030 for local transport improvements.Surrey County Council has also been allocated £38.2 million of Local Authority Bus Grant for 2026/27 to 2028/29. Local authorities will have the flexibility to use this funding to meet local needs, which could include introducing local fares schemes to further reduce the cost of bus travel.In respect of rail travel, the Chancellor and Transport Secretary have announced that regulated rail fares will be frozen for a year from March 2026, for the first time in 30 years. Over a billion journeys are going to be affected by this freeze with season tickets, anytime returns on commuter routes, and off-peak returns on longer-distance routes all subject to the freeze. Commuters in the Surrey Heath constituency could save over £200 on season tickets into London.

What steps she is taking to help reduce rail fares in (a) Surrey and (b) Surrey Heath constituency.

For some stations in Surrey, we have simplified the complicated web of tickets by having one Peak and one Off-Peak price, with some fares changing and others being removed as part of improvements to ticketing via pay-as-you-go with contactless expansion. This will allow passengers greater flexibility in their choice of tickets, with some seeing a reduction in their ticket price. On 23 November the Chancellor and Transport Secretary announced that rail fares will be frozen for the first time in 30 years. Over a billion journeys are going to be affected by this freeze with season tickets, anytime returns on commuter routes, and off-peak returns on longer-distance routes all subject to the freeze. For specifics on the savings his constituents can make, I refer the Honourable Member to the response provided to him for Question 98719 on 17 December. https://questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-questions/detail/2025-12-09/98719

What guidance has been issued to transport operators to ensure passenger safety during cold weather alerts in (a) Surrey and (b) Surrey Heath constituency.

The Department expects bus operators, working with local authorities, to provide passengers with up-to-date information about local services during instances of bad weather to help ensure passenger safety. This includes information about any disruption to services, for example due to ice and snow during cold weather alerts. Surrey County Council provides information on where passengers can go to find information about disruption to local bus services on its website at: https://www.surreycc.gov.uk/roads-and-transport/buses-and-other-transport/bus-timetable-changes/disruption-due-to-adverse-weather. In relation to the railways, this is a matter for South Western Railway and Network Rail to manage as the safety duty holders.

What steps she is taking to help tackle the illegal use of e-scooters on (a) public roads and (b) pavements in (i) Surrey and (ii) Surrey Heath constituency.

Enforcement of illegal e-scooter use on public roads and pavements is a matter for the police. A range of motoring offences and penalties already apply, such as criminal prosecution, points on the user’s driving licence, and having the e-scooter seized. Surrey councils and Surrey police are responsible for their local area. The Government has committed to pursuing legislative reform for micromobility vehicles, which will include e-scooters, when parliamentary time allows. This will help the police to crack down on those who use them in an unlawful or irresponsible way. The Government will continue to support the police to ensure they have the necessary tools to enforce road traffic legislation.

What recent assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of non-compliant vehicle registration plates on the enforcement of motor insurance requirements.

The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) is working with the National Police Chiefs’ Council and other Government departments to improve the identification and enforcement of number plate crime, including the use of cloned and ghost number plates. On-road enforcement of number plate offences and insurance requirements is a matter for the police. However, the DVLA works with the Motor Insurers Bureau (MIB) to identify uninsured vehicles by comparing the DVLA’s vehicle records against those held on the MIB’s Motor Insurance Database. The Department welcomes the recent report by the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Transport Safety and is considering the report’s recommendations. Options to support more robust application and audit processes, which would enable tighter checks on number plate suppliers are also being considered. The Government has set out its intention in the Road Safety Strategy to consult on addressing the growing problem of illegal number plates, including ‘ghost’ number plates.

What assessment her Department has made of the recommendations in the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Transport Safety's report on vehicle registration plates published on 9 December 2025.

The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) is working with the National Police Chiefs’ Council and other Government departments to improve the identification and enforcement of number plate crime, including the use of cloned and ghost number plates. On-road enforcement of number plate offences and insurance requirements is a matter for the police. However, the DVLA works with the Motor Insurers Bureau (MIB) to identify uninsured vehicles by comparing the DVLA’s vehicle records against those held on the MIB’s Motor Insurance Database. The Department welcomes the recent report by the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Transport Safety and is considering the report’s recommendations. Options to support more robust application and audit processes, which would enable tighter checks on number plate suppliers are also being considered. The Government has set out its intention in the Road Safety Strategy to consult on addressing the growing problem of illegal number plates, including ‘ghost’ number plates.

What recent assessment her Department has made of the potential merits of strengthening the regulation of the vehicle registration plate supply chain.

The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) is working with the National Police Chiefs’ Council and other Government departments to improve the identification and enforcement of number plate crime, including the use of cloned and ghost number plates. On-road enforcement of number plate offences and insurance requirements is a matter for the police. However, the DVLA works with the Motor Insurers Bureau (MIB) to identify uninsured vehicles by comparing the DVLA’s vehicle records against those held on the MIB’s Motor Insurance Database. The Department welcomes the recent report by the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Transport Safety and is considering the report’s recommendations. Options to support more robust application and audit processes, which would enable tighter checks on number plate suppliers are also being considered. The Government has set out its intention in the Road Safety Strategy to consult on addressing the growing problem of illegal number plates, including ‘ghost’ number plates.

What recent assessment her Department has made of the potential for connected and autonomous vehicle technology to support vehicle (a) identification and (b) compliance with insurance requirements.

The Automated Vehicles Act 2024 sets out the regulations for insurance requirements of automated vehicles. The operator or owner of an automated vehicle must hold a policy of insurance that satisfies the conditions in section 145 of the Road Traffic Act 1988. The recent call for evidence launched in December 2025 seeks views on various aspects of the automated vehicles regulatory framework, including insurance. Responses received will support future consultation on the proposed regulations and implementation of the full Act in the second half of 2027.

What steps her Department is taking to help reduce hit-and-run incidents where drivers cannot be identified.

Failing to stop and report an incident is unacceptable, particularly in cases where an individual has been seriously or fatally injured. On 7 January 2026 we published our new Road Safety Strategy, setting out our vision for a safer future on our roads for all. As part of this, we are reviewing the motoring offences and have published a consultation. The consultation includes questions about failure to stop and report incidents and seeks views on possible changes to the law.

If she will make an estimate of the potential impact of uninsured driving on the cost of motor insurance premiums for other motorists.

The Department for Transport is a party to the Uninsured and Untraced Drivers’ Agreements with the Motor Insurers’ Bureau (MIB), an independent organisation within the motor insurance industry and separate from Government. It is responsible for investigation and payment of compensation for victims of uninsured and untraced drivers. The MIB is non-profit making and the Road Traffic Act 1988 provides for the MIB to cover its costs by charging a levy on all motor insurers, the levy for 2024 totalled around £507m, as shown in the MIB’s 2024 Annual Report and Accounts. Data provided by the MIB as part of the Financial Conduct Authority's ‘Motor Insurance Claims Analysis’, published in July 2025, indicated that the cost of claims associated with uninsured drivers accounted for around 2.2% of the average premium paid by policyholders in 2024.

What assessment her Department has made of any correlation between (a) uninsured driving and (b) other driving related offences.

The Department for Transport has not carried out an assessment of the correlation between uninsured driving and other driving related offences. However, on 7 January 2026 we published our new Road Safety Strategy, setting out our vision for a safer future on our roads for all. As part of this, we are reviewing the motoring offences and have published a consultation. As part of this consultation, we are considering the minimum penalties for uninsured driving and whether they should be increased.

What estimate her Department has made of the number of illegal or non-compliant vehicle number plates that have been (a) seized or (b) required to be replaced in each of the last five years.

The Department for Transport does not hold the information requested. On-road enforcement of number plate offences is a matter for the police. The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency is working with the National Police Chiefs’ Council and others to improve the identification and enforcement of number plate crime, including the use of cloned and ghost number plates.

What assessment her Department has made of trends in the misuse of number plates to evade enforcement.

The Department for Transport does not hold the information requested. On-road enforcement of number plate offences is a matter for the police. The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency is working with the National Police Chiefs’ Council and others to improve the identification and enforcement of number plate crime, including the use of cloned and ghost number plates.

What recent estimate her Department has made of the proportion of vehicles on UK roads that are uninsured.

My Department does not hold information in respect to how many and what proportion of vehicles on UK roads are uninsured.

What assessment her Department has made of the potential merits of introducing mandatory security features for number plates to prevent (a) cloning and (b) unauthorised reproduction.

The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) is working with the National Police Chiefs’ Council and other government departments to improve the identification and enforcement of number plate crime. Officials are considering options to ensure more robust application and audit processes which would enable tighter checks on number plate suppliers. On-road enforcement of number plate offences is a matter for the police. Officials are also considering potential options for making number plates more secure. The DVLA is part of the British Standards Institute committee that has recently reviewed the existing number plate standard. The committee has proposed a number of amendments which are intended to stop the production of number plates with raised characters, often referred to as 3D or 4D number plates and will prevent easy access to plates with ‘ghost’ characteristics. The proposals will also prevent suppliers from adding acrylic letters and numbers to the surface of the number, meaning any finished number plate must be flat. The proposed changes have been subject to a public consultation which closed on 13 December 2025. Standards on the use of automated number plate reader technology are a matter for the Home Office which issues guidance on its use as part of the National ANPR Standards for Policing and Law Enforcement.

What assessment her Department has made of the effectiveness of Automatic Number Plate Recognition systems in detecting vehicles using (a) cloned or (b) ghost number plates.

The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) is working with the National Police Chiefs’ Council and other government departments to improve the identification and enforcement of number plate crime. Officials are considering options to ensure more robust application and audit processes which would enable tighter checks on number plate suppliers. On-road enforcement of number plate offences is a matter for the police. Officials are also considering potential options for making number plates more secure. The DVLA is part of the British Standards Institute committee that has recently reviewed the existing number plate standard. The committee has proposed a number of amendments which are intended to stop the production of number plates with raised characters, often referred to as 3D or 4D number plates and will prevent easy access to plates with ‘ghost’ characteristics. The proposals will also prevent suppliers from adding acrylic letters and numbers to the surface of the number, meaning any finished number plate must be flat. The proposed changes have been subject to a public consultation which closed on 13 December 2025. Standards on the use of automated number plate reader technology are a matter for the Home Office which issues guidance on its use as part of the National ANPR Standards for Policing and Law Enforcement.

What steps her Department is taking to mitigate delays at (a) critical junctions and (b) motorways in the South East region during the Christmas period.

To mitigate delays, National Highways has suspended all non-essential works from 21 December to 2 January, lifting over 90% of roadworks across 1,700 miles of the network. At critical junctions, Operation Brock is in place from 16 to 23 December to manage traffic at the Port of Dover and Eurotunnel, supported by real-time monitoring and rapid incident response from the Regional Operations Centre. On motorways, essential works remain where removal would be unsafe, including a full closure of the M27 between junctions 9 and 11 and limited restrictions on the M25, M27, A34 and A27. Traffic officers are deployed to keep vehicles moving.

Whether her Department plans to review the British Standard for number plates to ensure it remains fit for purpose in supporting (a) enforcement and (b) public safety.

The British Standard for Retroreflective Number Plates (BS AU 145e) is published by the British Standards Institution (BSI). The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) is part of the BSI committee that has reviewed this standard and the committee has recently proposed a number of amendments. The proposed amendments are intended to stop the production of number plates with raised characters, often referred to as 3D or 4D number plates and will prevent easy access to plates with ‘ghost’ characteristics. The proposals will also prevent suppliers from adding acrylic letters and numbers to the surface of the number, meaning any finished number plate must be flat. The proposed changes have been subject to a public consultation which closed on 13 December 2025. The DVLA is working to further reduce the number of vehicles that have no registered keeper or are unlicensed. There are long-standing and robust measures, including legislative requirements, in place to ensure that keepers notify the DVLA when they buy and sell a vehicle. It is an offence to use a vehicle that does not have a registered keeper. The DVLA also has processes in place to correct records when it is made aware of inaccuracies. Based on the latest available data, more than 93 per cent of vehicle keepers are contactable and traceable based on the information held on the DVLA’s records. Of the remainder, around 6% are in the motor trade, where a vehicle may legitimately have no registered keeper.

What steps are being taken to improve (a) data quality and (b) error correction processes within vehicle-related databases relied upon by enforcement authorities.

The British Standard for Retroreflective Number Plates (BS AU 145e) is published by the British Standards Institution (BSI). The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) is part of the BSI committee that has reviewed this standard and the committee has recently proposed a number of amendments. The proposed amendments are intended to stop the production of number plates with raised characters, often referred to as 3D or 4D number plates and will prevent easy access to plates with ‘ghost’ characteristics. The proposals will also prevent suppliers from adding acrylic letters and numbers to the surface of the number, meaning any finished number plate must be flat. The proposed changes have been subject to a public consultation which closed on 13 December 2025. The DVLA is working to further reduce the number of vehicles that have no registered keeper or are unlicensed. There are long-standing and robust measures, including legislative requirements, in place to ensure that keepers notify the DVLA when they buy and sell a vehicle. It is an offence to use a vehicle that does not have a registered keeper. The DVLA also has processes in place to correct records when it is made aware of inaccuracies. Based on the latest available data, more than 93 per cent of vehicle keepers are contactable and traceable based on the information held on the DVLA’s records. Of the remainder, around 6% are in the motor trade, where a vehicle may legitimately have no registered keeper.