Written questions by Mayer.

What recent assessment her Department has made of the adequacy of training and skills available within local transport authorities to effectively (a) manage and (b) resolve issues related to Real-Time Information data provision and accuracy.

The government is committed to delivering better bus services, and part of this work is working closely with bus operators and local transport authorities to improve the information available to passengers about their bus services. The Bus Open Data Service (BODS) was launched in 2020 and requires all bus operators of local services in England to provide passengers with high-quality, accurate and up-to-date passenger information including timetables, fares, tickets and vehicle location information. Bus operators are obliged to have working systems to provide real-time information for bus services in order to fulfil the requirements of the Public Service Vehicles (Open Data) (England) Regulations. As part of this work, the government understands the importance of having real time information widely accessible in a range of spaces that passengers use, and is conscious of the need to continually consider new ways to improve access to real-time information, whilst staying in line with wider government digital and data strategies. The government also recognises the importance of building local transport authority (LTA) capacity and capability to improving bus services. The government has allocated funding in 25/26 to each LTA in England outside London to support the capacity and capability of local areas. This builds on the work of the government-funded Bus Centre of Excellence which seeks to deliver a long-term programme of activities to support and upskill the bus sector.

What steps his Department is taking to increase the speed of the delivery of the school vaccination programme.

The National Health Service is supporting catch-up efforts to return the coverage of school aged vaccination programmes back to their pre-pandemic levels. School aged immunisation service providers are commissioned to deliver a 100% offer for adolescent vaccine programmes, including for children not in mainstream education.Catch-up initiatives are also in place via schools and community clinic settings, and those who miss out on the adolescent immunisation sessions remain eligible in older years. General practices are also commissioned by NHS England to deliver catch ups for school aged children and young people on an opportunistic basis, to maximise vaccine uptake.NHS England continues to work with all key stakeholders at a regional level to strengthen local initiatives and encourage innovative models to approach the robust delivery of school aged vaccinations.

With reference to her Department's consultation entitled Ending the sale of new, non-zero emission buses, coaches and minibuses, what the end sale date is for diesel coaches.

In spring 2022 the Department held a call for evidence about the decarbonisation of coaches, alongside a consultation on ending the sale of new, non-zero emission buses. An end of sale date has not been set for coaches.

Whether his Department plans to include updating circulator pumps in the Warm Homes Plan.

There are currently no plans to update Ecodesign regulations for circulator pumps. We are currently aligned with EU circulator regulations; however the Government will assess all new EU regulation on a case-by-case basis and will consider aligning where we see fit.

How many dentists have been recruited via the dental recruitment incentive scheme in (a) Bedfordshire and (b) the East of England.

Within the NHS Bedfordshire, Luton and Milton Keynes Integrated Care Board (ICB), five dentists have been recruited under the dental recruitment incentive scheme. In the East of England in total, 11 dentists have been recruited under the dental recruitment incentive scheme. ICBs continue to work with practices in their area to support recruitment to these posts.This recruitment incentive will see up to 240 dentists receiving payments of £20,000 to work in those areas that need them most, for three years.

Food and Rural Affairs, if he will outline his Department’s planned timetable for reviewing the funding formula for flood defences.

We will launch a consultation in the coming months which will include a review of the existing flood funding formula to ensure that the challenges facing businesses and rural and coastal communities are adequately taken into account when delivering flood protection. Feedback will be sought on the advantages and disadvantages of potential reforms to the flood funding formula.

What steps his Department is taking to promote the awareness of energy-saving benefits through regular energy examinations for (a) businesses and (b) households.

Mandatory energy audits required under the Energy Savings Opportunity Scheme provide large businesses with cost-effective ways to save energy and reduce bills. Our Business Energy Advice Service pilot in the West Midlands is also delivering subsidised energy assessments and grant funding for energy efficiency measures to SMEs in the region and we are currently considering options for support for SME decarbonisation across England. For households, the Government offers a digital service ‘Find Ways to Save Energy in your Home’ (www.gov.uk/improve-energy-efficiency) which provides tailored recommendations for home improvements to increase energy efficiency and clean heat. This service is complimented by our Energy Efficient Home website which supports consumers with wider information on energy saving tips and further investment (including grant opportunities) for energy efficient measures.

If she will make an estimate of the potential cost to the public purse of utility companies completing street works late in each local authority in the last 12 months for which data is available.

My department does not have the data available to make a detailed assessment of the costs of congestion from overrunning works. If works do overrun, local authorities are able to impose charges of up to £10,000 per day to cover the costs of congestion. We have recently announced that these charges will also be applied to overruns at weekends and on bank holidays to reduce congestion and disruption during these times.

Food and Rural Affairs, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of extending the Flood Re scheme to non-owner occupiers.

The Flood Re scheme allows for insurers to offer discounted premiums to leasehold or landlord owned properties consisting of three or less units where the freeholder/landlord lives in the property. As larger blocks, of four or more units, are classified as a commercial business, the Flood Re scheme does not apply for buildings insurance. Tenants and leaseholders can obtain contents insurance supported by Flood Re, regardless of the size of the block. There are currently no plans to extend the scope of the scheme, however Defra regularly reviews all policies, including eligibility for Flood Re.

If she will review the decision to end the Union Learning Fund.

The department recognises the role that the Union Learning Fund (ULF) played in encouraging greater take up of learning in the workplace. Government funding for ULF ceased in March 2021.The Adult Skills Fund is now 60% devolved to Combined Authorities. Devolving adult skills funding provides these authorities, working alongside key stakeholders, including trade unions, with the ability to direct funding to best meet their local skills needs.The department and Skills England are committed to working with employers, providers, trade unions and Combined Authorities to ensure that high-quality qualification and training pathways are meeting skills needs, but there are no current plans to reintroduce funding for the ULF.

How many and what proportion of direct trains from London Euston to Leighton Buzzard have been cancelled in the last six months, listed by (a) day of the week and (b) time of day.

The percentage of trains cancelled on the London Euston - Leighton Buzzard route over the last six months was approximately four per cent. Cancellations were higher on Mondays at six per cent, 235 trains cancelled out of 3653, and lower on Tuesdays and Thursdays at two per cent of direct trains on this route. Based on the time of the day, most cancellations happened between 12:00-15:00. Proportionally, the highest percentage of cancellations happened after midnight, with three of trains cancelled. If an operator delivers consistently poor performance, the Department can intervene to act in passengers’ best interests. We will continue to press West Midlands Trains to run the most reliable service possible.

What steps his Department is taking to support business and trade in market towns.

Government values the historic role of market towns in the economic and social life of the United Kingdom and is focused on its plan to breathe life back into our high streets.This means addressing anti-social behaviour and crime, stamping out late payments, empowering communities to make the most of vacant properties, strengthening the Post Office network, and reforming business rates. We are also working with the banking industry to roll out banking hubs, to ensure essential banking services are maintained for businesses and residents.To drive further progress, we will publish a Small Business Strategy Command Paper later this year.

When the second stage of the process evaluation of the Active Travel Fund Tranche 2 will take place.

The Department recently published both stages 1 and 2 of the Active Travel Fund tranche 2 process evaluation. Active Travel England will continue to work with the University of Westminster and Sustrans to consider further evaluation of government investment in active travel and the impact of interventions to encourage more walking, wheeling and cycling.

What assessment her Department has made of the effectiveness of the roll out of the Bus Open Data Service.

The Bus Open Data Service (BODS) was launched in 2020 and requires all bus operators of local services in England to provide passengers with high-quality, accurate and up-to-date passenger information including timetables, fares, tickets and vehicle location information. 85% of bus operators in England have provided timetable, vehicle location and fares data to BODS. The government is committed to delivering better bus services, and part of this work is improving the information available to passengers about their bus services. Regulations like those for Bus Open Data therefore form an important part of the Department’s efforts to ensure passengers have access to high quality bus services, including up to date, reliable information on where services are. Publishing this data openly provides choice to parents, students and commuters in which apps they use for bus tracking, causing passengers to spend less time waiting at bus stops and helping to ensure they arrive at school or their workplace on time. Local authorities and bus operators also have better information on the punctuality and reliability of buses operating to provide school transport or home to work transport in their areas.

Pursuant to the Answer of 19 December 2024 to Question 20346 on Bus Services: ICT, if she will take steps to ensure all new buses include charging points.

The government is committed to delivering better bus services, and wants to make them a strong choice for passengers. Local bus operators have responsibility for managing and maintaining their bus fleets, and we expect them to consider how best to improve the experience for passengers when making decisions about their fleet, including considering making charging points available to passengers on their buses.

What estimate she has made of the proportion of rail journeys eligible for discounts through the 2025 Rail Sale.

Over two million tickets at discounts of up to 50 per cent are available for purchase as part of the Rail Sale. Train operating companies have decided on a commercial basis, the proportion of tickets available at discounted prices on their services.

What data her Department holds on the number of bus incidents where driver fatigue was identified as an issue in (a) 2024 and (b) the last five years for which data is available.

The Department publishes statistics on road collisions and casualties involving personal injury reported by police via the data collection system known as STATS19.Within this system, reporting police officers can assign up to 6 factors which, in their opinion, may have contributed to the collision. Please note that this does not assign blame for the collision to any specific road user but gives an indication of which factors the attending officer thought contributed to the collision.The number of buses or coaches involved in collisions where the contributory factor ‘fatigue’ was assigned to the driver in each of the last 5 years for which data is available are shown in the table. Figures for 2024 are scheduled for publication in September 2025. YearBus/coach in reported road injury collision with contributory factor ‘fatigue’ assigned to driver2019132020720215202212202318

How many Public Service Vehicle operator licences were issued in each of the last five years for which data is available.

The Traffic Commissioners for Great Britain collect annual data on the number of active and newly issued public service vehicle (PSV) operator licences and the vehicles authorised to operate under these licences. The number of new PSV operator licences issued in each of the last five years is as follows. Data for the reporting year ‘2024 – January 2025’ is accurate as of 14 January 2025. Reporting Year (April – March)Number of new PSV operator licences grantedNumber of vehicles authorised as a result of a new application2019/2047428102020/2131713232021/2226422922022/2331014632023/2436814512024 – January 20252731401

If she will make an assessment of the potential merits of removing (a) home-to-school and (b) home-to-work transport from the registration of local services requirements of the Bus Open Data Service.

The Bus Open Data Service (BODS) was launched in 2020 and requires all bus operators of local services in England to provide passengers with high-quality, accurate and up-to-date passenger information including timetables, fares, tickets and vehicle location information. 85% of bus operators in England have provided timetable, vehicle location and fares data to BODS. The government is committed to delivering better bus services, and part of this work is improving the information available to passengers about their bus services. Regulations like those for Bus Open Data therefore form an important part of the Department’s efforts to ensure passengers have access to high quality bus services, including up to date, reliable information on where services are. Publishing this data openly provides choice to parents, students and commuters in which apps they use for bus tracking, causing passengers to spend less time waiting at bus stops and helping to ensure they arrive at school or their workplace on time. Local authorities and bus operators also have better information on the punctuality and reliability of buses operating to provide school transport or home to work transport in their areas.

How many open access applications (a) were approved in 2024 and (b) are awaiting a decision from the Office of Rail and Road.

The Office of Rail and Road has confirmed to us that in 2024 they approved 2 applications from Open Access operators to provide completely new services and approved a further 8 applications from existing Open Access operators to either continue or make small-scale amendments to existing services.The Office of Rail and Road is currently considering 13 applications from Open Access operators. Details of all decisions and live applications are published on the Office of Rail and Road’s website.