Written questions by Pinkerton.

Communities and Local Government, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that infrastructure upgrades are delivered alongside new housing developments arising from grey belt designations in Surrey Heath constituency.

The revised National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) published on 12 December 2024 makes clear that ‘Golden Rules’ should apply to major development involving the provision of housing on land released from the Green Belt through plan preparation or review, or on sites in the Green Belt subject to a planning application. These ‘Golden Rules’ include necessary improvements to local or national infrastructure. The point at which infrastructure is delivered is a matter for local planning authorities and will depend on the nature of the site. Requirements can be set out as planning conditions or agreed through section 106 planning obligations. The government’s planning practice guidance on viability makes clear that where development is subject to the ‘Golden Rules’, site specific viability assessment should not be used for the purpose of reducing developer contributions. The guidance is available on gov.uk here. We are currently reviewing planning practice guidance and will publish updates in due course.

What estimate he has made of the projected cost to British businesses of the European Union's carbon border taxes.

The EU Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism’s (EU CBAM) definitive regime begins January 2026. UK businesses may face administrative costs providing emissions data to EU importers to support their compliance with the EU CBAM. The cost of certificates for the carbon price liability of embedded emissions is borne by EU importers.To support business readiness, the Department for Business and Trade has compiled a comprehensive package, including webinars, and an upcoming explainer on business.gov.uk. The Government is also engaging with the European Commission on emissions trading scheme linking, which is expected to facilitate a mutual UK-EU CBAM exemption in due course.

Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of negotiating regulatory alignment with the European Chemicals Agency on economic growth.

We have reset our relations with our European partners, and we now need to use our strengthened relations to deliver a long-term UK-EU strategic partnership. We are committed to continue ongoing dialogue. As set out in our Rationale for UK REACH Priorities statement, we aim for new protections from chemicals risks to be applied more quickly, more efficiently, and in a way which is more aligned with our closest trading partners. In doing so we can reduce business complexity and trade barriers and provide industry with the certainty they need to grow and invest, whilst continuing to protect people and the environment in the right way.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to improve (a) nutrient pollution control and (b) ecological water quality in river water-courses in Surrey Heath constituency.

The Environment Agency works closely with the relevant industries to mitigate these impacts. Wastewater inputs will be reduced via the Water Industry National Environment Programme (WINEP), which Thames Water are committed to deliver. Agricultural nutrient sources are addressed through farm inspections and enforcement where necessary and Natural England advisors operate in the catchment.

What assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of negotiating regulatory alignment with the European Medicines Agency.

The Department continuously monitors the medicine regulations of our international partners, including the European Union, to determine whether to adopt similar regulations, whilst protecting the safety and competitive advantage of the United Kingdom.The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency works closely with a range of international regulatory authorities, including the European Medicines Agency, through several international regulatory groups such as the International Council for Harmonisation, the International Coalition of Medicines Regulatory Authorities, and the International Medical Device Regulators Forum.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether her Department has made an estimate of the cost to British businesses of not securing a Sanitary and Phytosanitary agreement with the European Union.

Defra commissioned research highlights significant non-tariff measure costs for exporting GB agri-food and plant products to the EU:Export Health Certificates cost up to £200 for agri-food goods.Phytosanitary Certificates cost approximately £25 alongside inspection fees of at least £127.60.Organic Certificates of Inspection, required for the export of organic lamb and cheese, cost on average £35.Identity check fees on meat and dairy exports adds £31 per load on average.For beef and salmon, queueing times for checks can add costs of up to £149 per load.Additional driver charges, paid to hauliers for border-related friction, typically £200 per shipment.Sampling can add approximately £1,200 to a cheese load, £1,400 to a salmon shipment, £440 to a load of apples, and £1,200 to a beef load.The SPS Agreement will significantly reduce these costs. The details of the Agreement are subject to negotiation.

Innovation and Technology, what recent assessment her Department has made of the potential merits of negotiating with (a) the European Union and (b) UK telecoms providers to abolish additional mobile roaming charges.

Since the UK is no longer party to the EU Roaming Regulation, known as ‘Roam Like at Home’, it is for mobile operators to decide whether to impose a surcharge on their consumers travelling to the EU for their mobile phone usage.

Food and Rural Affairs, what recent assessment she has made of the potential implications for her policies of trends in nitrate levels in river water-courses in Surrey Heath constituency.

The Environment Act sets targets to reduce phosphate entering rivers from sewage treatment. In Surrey Heath, the phosphorous permit at Camberley STW will be reduced to 0.25 mg/l as part of a Water Industry National Environment Programme (WINEP) improvement scheme. The Environment agency is actively working with water companies to review nitrate levels in the river Thames and influence the safeguard zone action plans.

Food and Rural Affairs, what recent assessment she has made of the potential implications for her policies of trends in phosphate levels in river water-courses in Surrey Heath constituency.

The Environment Act sets targets to reduce phosphate entering rivers from sewage treatment. In Surrey Heath, the phosphorous permit at Camberley STW will be reduced to 0.25 mg/l as part of a Water Industry National Environment Programme (WINEP) improvement scheme. The Environment agency is actively working with water companies to review nitrate levels in the river Thames and influence the safeguard zone action plans.

How many motorists have paid for replacement vehicle registration plates as a result of (a) number plate cloning and (b) number plate misuse in each year since 2020.

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 number plates. It is already illegal to use a vehicle displaying cloned number plates. The law requires that anyone who supplies number plates for road use in the UK must be registered with the DVLA. It is a legal requirement for suppliers to carry out checks to ensure that number plates are only sold to those who can prove they are entitled to the registration number. Number plate suppliers must also keep records of the plates they have supplied. Selling a number plate without carrying out these required checks carries a maximum penalty of a fine of £1,000 and the potential removal from the Register of Number Plate Suppliers (RNPS). The DVLA is currently considering options to ensure a more robust, auditable RNPS process which would enable tighter checks on number plate suppliers. The DVLA is also part of the British Standard Institute (BSI) committee that has recently reviewed the current standard for number plates. The proposed amendments are intended to stop the production of number plates with raised characters 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 are currently subject to a public consultation that closes on 13 December 2025 and can be found online at https://standardsdevelopment.bsigroup.com/projects/2025-01059. No estimate has been made of the administrative costs incurred by motorists when resolving cases of (a) cloned and (b) misused registration marks. The table below shows the number of occasions where members of the public have contacted the DVLA about correspondence, fines or penalties that they have received from third parties about the use of vehicles which they do not recognise or accept responsibility for. The table also includes the number of replacement vehicle registration numbers the DVLA has issued following receipt of these notifications. Replacement registration numbers are provided free of charge but the purchase of new number plates is the responsibility of the registered keeper. It is important to note that potential cloning is just one of the possible reasons why someone might receive such correspondence. A proportion of these cases will have been made as a result of errors for example, where a vehicle registration number has been entered incorrectly. Information about how many of these cases resulted in penalties, fines or enforcement action being withdrawn from affected motorists is not held.Calendar YearNumber of reportsNumber of replacement VRNs20207,37711220217,4306120227,83710120239,84887202410,4611362025 (to 31/10)9,385137

What progress the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency has made on reducing driving test waiting times in the South East since April 2025.

The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency fully acknowledges car practical driving test waiting times remain high and understands the impact this continues to have on learner drivers. The agency is intensifying its efforts to reduce waiting times and improve access to driving tests.On the 12 November, the Secretary of State for Transport, updated the Transport Select Committee on the government’s ongoing response to high driving test waiting times, and announced further actions. The government remains committed to breaking down barriers to opportunity as part of the government’s Plan for Change. DVSA is continuing with recruitment campaigns across the country, including in the Southeast to provide as many tests as possible. Since July last year, DVSA has recruited and trained 344 driving examiners (DE) who are now in post and delivering driving tests. A full-time DE can be expected to add approximately 1,200 tests per year to the booking system.Between June - October 2025, DVSA has conducted an extra 56,336 total tests when compared to the same period in 2024. This increase can largely be attributed to the additional test allowance scheme the agency introduce in June 2025.

What recent progress he has made on establishing mutual recognition of professional qualifications between the UK and the EU.

HMG remains committed to making it easier for UK and EU professionals to have their qualifications recognised.The Trade and Cooperation Agreement contains provisions which allow the UK and EU to agree recognition of professional qualifications arrangements for specific sectors. HMG is encouraging and supporting UK regulators to work with their EU counterparts to use these provisions.In the UK-EU Common Understanding, the UK and EU committed to setting up dedicated dialogues on the implementation of the recognition of professional qualifications provisions. These dialogues will provide a dedicated space for deeper UK-EU collaboration on the recognition of professional qualifications.

Whether her Department plans to review the regulatory framework for vehicle number plate suppliers to tackle (a) the production of ghost plates and (b) number plate cloning.

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 number plates. It is already illegal to use a vehicle displaying cloned number plates. The law requires that anyone who supplies number plates for road use in the UK must be registered with the DVLA. It is a legal requirement for suppliers to carry out checks to ensure that number plates are only sold to those who can prove they are entitled to the registration number. Number plate suppliers must also keep records of the plates they have supplied. Selling a number plate without carrying out these required checks carries a maximum penalty of a fine of £1,000 and the potential removal from the Register of Number Plate Suppliers (RNPS). The DVLA is currently considering options to ensure a more robust, auditable RNPS process which would enable tighter checks on number plate suppliers. The DVLA is also part of the British Standard Institute (BSI) committee that has recently reviewed the current standard for number plates. The proposed amendments are intended to stop the production of number plates with raised characters 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 are currently subject to a public consultation that closes on 13 December 2025 and can be found online at https://standardsdevelopment.bsigroup.com/projects/2025-01059. No estimate has been made of the administrative costs incurred by motorists when resolving cases of (a) cloned and (b) misused registration marks. The table below shows the number of occasions where members of the public have contacted the DVLA about correspondence, fines or penalties that they have received from third parties about the use of vehicles which they do not recognise or accept responsibility for. The table also includes the number of replacement vehicle registration numbers the DVLA has issued following receipt of these notifications. Replacement registration numbers are provided free of charge but the purchase of new number plates is the responsibility of the registered keeper. It is important to note that potential cloning is just one of the possible reasons why someone might receive such correspondence. A proportion of these cases will have been made as a result of errors for example, where a vehicle registration number has been entered incorrectly. Information about how many of these cases resulted in penalties, fines or enforcement action being withdrawn from affected motorists is not held.Calendar YearNumber of reportsNumber of replacement VRNs20207,37711220217,4306120227,83710120239,84887202410,4611362025 (to 31/10)9,385137

What estimate her Department has made of the administrative costs incurred by motorists when resolving cases of (a) cloned and (b) misused registration marks.

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 number plates. It is already illegal to use a vehicle displaying cloned number plates. The law requires that anyone who supplies number plates for road use in the UK must be registered with the DVLA. It is a legal requirement for suppliers to carry out checks to ensure that number plates are only sold to those who can prove they are entitled to the registration number. Number plate suppliers must also keep records of the plates they have supplied. Selling a number plate without carrying out these required checks carries a maximum penalty of a fine of £1,000 and the potential removal from the Register of Number Plate Suppliers (RNPS). The DVLA is currently considering options to ensure a more robust, auditable RNPS process which would enable tighter checks on number plate suppliers. The DVLA is also part of the British Standard Institute (BSI) committee that has recently reviewed the current standard for number plates. The proposed amendments are intended to stop the production of number plates with raised characters 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 are currently subject to a public consultation that closes on 13 December 2025 and can be found online at https://standardsdevelopment.bsigroup.com/projects/2025-01059. No estimate has been made of the administrative costs incurred by motorists when resolving cases of (a) cloned and (b) misused registration marks. The table below shows the number of occasions where members of the public have contacted the DVLA about correspondence, fines or penalties that they have received from third parties about the use of vehicles which they do not recognise or accept responsibility for. The table also includes the number of replacement vehicle registration numbers the DVLA has issued following receipt of these notifications. Replacement registration numbers are provided free of charge but the purchase of new number plates is the responsibility of the registered keeper. It is important to note that potential cloning is just one of the possible reasons why someone might receive such correspondence. A proportion of these cases will have been made as a result of errors for example, where a vehicle registration number has been entered incorrectly. Information about how many of these cases resulted in penalties, fines or enforcement action being withdrawn from affected motorists is not held.Calendar YearNumber of reportsNumber of replacement VRNs20207,37711220217,4306120227,83710120239,84887202410,4611362025 (to 31/10)9,385137

What the average monthly pass rate for practical driving tests in the South East has been since May 2025.

The national pass rate for car practical driving tests in October 2025 was 49.9 percent. The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency publish data online including data on car practical driving test pass rates broken down by test centre, including those in the South East: drt122a-car-driving-test-by-test-centre.ods This data is updated annually and was last updated on 14 August 2025 with data to March 2025. The next update is due to be published in June 2026.

How many cases of number plate cloning reported to the DVLA have resulted in (a) penalties, (b) fines and (c) enforcement action being withdrawn from affected motorists since 2020.

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 number plates. It is already illegal to use a vehicle displaying cloned number plates. The law requires that anyone who supplies number plates for road use in the UK must be registered with the DVLA. It is a legal requirement for suppliers to carry out checks to ensure that number plates are only sold to those who can prove they are entitled to the registration number. Number plate suppliers must also keep records of the plates they have supplied. Selling a number plate without carrying out these required checks carries a maximum penalty of a fine of £1,000 and the potential removal from the Register of Number Plate Suppliers (RNPS). The DVLA is currently considering options to ensure a more robust, auditable RNPS process which would enable tighter checks on number plate suppliers. The DVLA is also part of the British Standard Institute (BSI) committee that has recently reviewed the current standard for number plates. The proposed amendments are intended to stop the production of number plates with raised characters 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 are currently subject to a public consultation that closes on 13 December 2025 and can be found online at https://standardsdevelopment.bsigroup.com/projects/2025-01059. No estimate has been made of the administrative costs incurred by motorists when resolving cases of (a) cloned and (b) misused registration marks. The table below shows the number of occasions where members of the public have contacted the DVLA about correspondence, fines or penalties that they have received from third parties about the use of vehicles which they do not recognise or accept responsibility for. The table also includes the number of replacement vehicle registration numbers the DVLA has issued following receipt of these notifications. Replacement registration numbers are provided free of charge but the purchase of new number plates is the responsibility of the registered keeper. It is important to note that potential cloning is just one of the possible reasons why someone might receive such correspondence. A proportion of these cases will have been made as a result of errors for example, where a vehicle registration number has been entered incorrectly. Information about how many of these cases resulted in penalties, fines or enforcement action being withdrawn from affected motorists is not held.Calendar YearNumber of reportsNumber of replacement VRNs20207,37711220217,4306120227,83710120239,84887202410,4611362025 (to 31/10)9,385137

Whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential impact of additional driving lessons caused by driving test booking backlogs in Surrey Heath constituency on families.

The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) fully acknowledges car practical driving test waiting times remain high and understands the impact this continues to have on learner drivers. The agency is intensifying its efforts to reduce waiting times and improve access.On 23 April, the Secretary of State for Transport appeared before the Transport Select Committee and announced that DVSA would take further actions to reduce waiting times for all customers across Great Britain.On the 12 November, the Secretary of State, updated the Transport Select Committee on the government’s ongoing response to high driving test waiting times, and announced further actions. The government remains committed to breaking down barriers to opportunity, particularly in rural areas where a driving licence is vital for accessing jobs and training, as part of the government’s Plan for Change.In the coming months, DVSA will:Change the booking service to allow only learner car drivers to book and manage their testsIntroduce a limit on the number of times a learner car driver can move or swap a test to twice and also limit the area they can move a test to once booked.Make use of Ministry of Defence (MOD) driving examiners for up to 12 months to help tackle driving test waiting times. Driving instructors are not directly employed by DVSA and DVSA has no control over what approved driving instructors charge for their services including lessons, test fees, and vehicle hire. To help with costs, learners might wish to consider private practice with family or friends. Guidance on supervising a learner driver is available on the ‘Ready to Pass?’ website as well as on GOV.UK at: www.gov.uk/guidance/supervise-a-learner-driver.

Whether her Department has made an assessment of the effectiveness of data-sharing arrangements between the (a) DVLA, (b) police forces and (c) local authorities in tracking cloned vehicle registration marks.

There are established data sharing arrangements in place which allow the police and local authorities to lawfully obtain up to date information about vehicles and their registered keepers. The police can also access details held on the Register of Number Plate Suppliers upon request. The table below shows the number of occasions where members of the public have contacted the DVLA about correspondence, fines or penalties that they have received from third parties about the use of vehicles which they do not recognise or accept responsibility for. The table also includes the number of replacement vehicle registration numbers the DVLA has issued following receipt of these notifications. Replacement registration numbers are provided free of charge but the purchase of new number plates is the responsibility of the registered keeper. It is important to note that potential cloning is just one of the possible reasons why someone might receive such correspondence. A proportion of these cases will have been made as a result of errors, for example where a vehicle registration number has been entered incorrectly. Information about how many of these cases resulted in penalties, fines or enforcement action being withdrawn from affected motorists is not held.Calendar YearNumber of reportsNumber of replacement VRNs20207,37711220217,4306120227,83710120239,84887202410,4611362025 (to 31/10)9,385137 Information on the total costs to motorists as a result of vehicle cloning incidents is not available.

What recent assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of driving test waiting times on the (a) mental health and (b) wellbeing of learner drivers in Surrey Heath constituency.

The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) fully acknowledges car practical driving test waiting times remain high and understands the impact this continues to have on learner drivers. The agency is intensifying its efforts to reduce waiting times and improve access.On 23 April, the Secretary of State for Transport appeared before the Transport Select Committee and announced that DVSA would take further actions to reduce waiting times for all customers across Great Britain.On the 12 November, the Secretary of State, updated the Transport Select Committee on the government’s ongoing response to high driving test waiting times, and announced further actions. The government remains committed to breaking down barriers to opportunity, particularly in rural areas where a driving licence is vital for accessing jobs and training, as part of the government’s Plan for Change.In the coming months, DVSA will:Change the booking service to allow only learner car drivers to book and manage their testsIntroduce a limit on the number of times a learner car driver can move or swap a test to twice and also limit the area they can move a test to once booked.Make use of Ministry of Defence (MOD) driving examiners for up to 12 months to help tackle driving test waiting times. Driving instructors are not directly employed by DVSA and DVSA has no control over what approved driving instructors charge for their services including lessons, test fees, and vehicle hire. To help with costs, learners might wish to consider private practice with family or friends. Guidance on supervising a learner driver is available on the ‘Ready to Pass?’ website as well as on GOV.UK at: www.gov.uk/guidance/supervise-a-learner-driver.

What recent assessment she has made of trends in the number of cloned registration mark reports received by the DVLA since 2020.

There are established data sharing arrangements in place which allow the police and local authorities to lawfully obtain up to date information about vehicles and their registered keepers. The police can also access details held on the Register of Number Plate Suppliers upon request. The table below shows the number of occasions where members of the public have contacted the DVLA about correspondence, fines or penalties that they have received from third parties about the use of vehicles which they do not recognise or accept responsibility for. The table also includes the number of replacement vehicle registration numbers the DVLA has issued following receipt of these notifications. Replacement registration numbers are provided free of charge but the purchase of new number plates is the responsibility of the registered keeper. It is important to note that potential cloning is just one of the possible reasons why someone might receive such correspondence. A proportion of these cases will have been made as a result of errors, for example where a vehicle registration number has been entered incorrectly. Information about how many of these cases resulted in penalties, fines or enforcement action being withdrawn from affected motorists is not held.Calendar YearNumber of reportsNumber of replacement VRNs20207,37711220217,4306120227,83710120239,84887202410,4611362025 (to 31/10)9,385137 Information on the total costs to motorists as a result of vehicle cloning incidents is not available.