Written questions by Stephenson.

What steps he is taking to help reduce employment costs for the automotive industry.

Jobs will be at the heart of our modern Industrial Strategy, which will focus on tackling barriers to growth, creating the right conditions for increased investment, high-quality jobs and ensuring tangible impact in communities right across the UK. The strategy will build on existing support for the sector, including the Budget commitment of over £2 billion of funding to 2030 for zero emission vehicle manufacturing.We have also made significant changes to the ZEV Mandate to help drive investment and support the transition. Additionally, we speak regularly to all major UK automotive stakeholders to understand the health of the sector and factors that impact competitiveness.

With reference to the press release entitled Multi-billion pound investment secured as Universal theme park and resort set to be built in Bedford, published on 9 April 2025, if she will request that East West Rail add an additional station to their consolidated plan on the Marston Vale line.

East West Rail Company consulted on options for stations and services along the Marston Vale Line as part of its 2024 non-statutory consultation. It is now considering feedback to this as well as the recent Government announcement of a new Universal Studios theme park in Bedfordshire. Further details on serving Universal’s site will be presented at a future statutory consultation on East West Rail.

Whether she has made a comparative assessment of the Standard Rate of Air Passenger Duty in (a) the UK, (b) Germany, (c) France, (d) Italy and (e) Spain.

Air Passenger Duty (APD) applies to airlines and is the principal tax on the aviation sector. For a given distance-based band, the standard rate applies to travel in any non-economy class of travel or where the seat pitch is more than 1.016 metres (40 inches). This includes premium economy, as well as first class and business class. The Government is clear that APD is an appropriate tax that ensures airlines make a fair contribution to the public finances, particularly given that tickets are VAT free and aviation fuel incurs no duty. Other countries also have different forms of aviation taxes.

What estimate she has made of the amount of new rolling stock required to be purchased to deliver East West Rail services.

Work is ongoing to establish demand levels and the optimal Train Service Specification (TSS) between Oxford & Cambridge, this details the frequency and stopping pattern of the proposed services and rolling stock requirements. These factors continue to evolve and develop as East West Rail Company refines the proposals for the scheme which will be set out in a Statutory Consultation

If she will make an estimate of the number of SME owners that have left the UK since 5 July 2024.

Business Population Estimates show trends in the number of businesses in the UK by size, alongside sectoral and regional distribution: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/business-population-estimates-2024/business-population-estimates-for-the-uk-and-regions-2024-statistical-release. The ONS also publishes data on business demography, showing the annual change in the number of UK businesses (“birth” and “death” rates): https://www.ons.gov.uk/businessindustryandtrade/business/activitysizeandlocation/bulletins/businessdemography/latest. At Autum Budget 2024, the Government announced generous tax reforms to support small businesses including: more than doubling the employment allowance to £10,500; commitments in the Corporate Tax Roadmap to maintain the Small Profits Rate and marginal relief at their current rates and thresholds; and freezing the small businesses multiplier for 2025/26. The Government has also committed £250m in 25-26 for the British Business Bank’s small business loans programmes, including Start Up Loans and the Growth Guarantee Scheme.

Whether she plans to allocate a multi-year funding settlement for (a) revenue and (b) capital to Great British Railways.

The recent consultation on reforming our railways proposed that the Secretary of State will be required to issue a High-Level Output Specification (HLOS) and Statement of Funds Available (SoFA) for GBR’s Infrastructure Operations, Maintenance and Renewals. GBR would be required to create a business plan in response to the HLOS and SoFA, setting out its proposed activity over the next 5 years. Passenger services and enhancements would continue to be funded through the spending review process when these occur. The consultation has now closed, and Government will publish a response in due course.

Communities and Local Government, if she will make an assessment of the potential impact of the Planning and Infrastructure Bill on the UK’s target to protect at least 30 per cent of its land and sea for nature by 2030.

The Departmernt published an Impact Assessment (IA) for the Planning and Infrastructure Bill on 6 May 2025. It can be found here. The IA received a ‘Green’ rating from the Regulatory Policy Committee (RPC), indicating that it is ‘fit for purpose’.

If she will make an assessment of the potential impact of the Zero Emission Vehicle mandate on employment in the automotive industry in (a) Bedfordshire and (b) the UK.

In 2024, 132,000 people were employed in automotive manufacturing in the UK, and 3,570 businesses were operating across the sector. While the government does not hold data on how the Zero Emissions Vehicle Mandate has affected automotive employment in Bedfordshire or the UK more widely, we speak regularly to all the major UK automotive stakeholders to understand the health of the sector and factors impacting competitiveness. Government is committed to ensuring the transition to zero emissions works for industry. That is why we introduced significant changes to the Mandate, allowing for greater flexibility in meeting ZEV targets and extending the sale of hybrid vehicles.

Innovation and Technology, with reference to the press release entitled Children embrace the future with humanoid school project, published on 14 April 2025, how much (a) time and (b) money the Government has spent developing this project.

The humanoid robots school outreach project was part of the Government Office for Science's work to build scientific and technical literacy across the Government and the UK. It was part of a wider project developing advice for government assessing recent developments in humanoid robotics and the potential implications which took place between May 2024 and March 2025. The outreach elements including in depth evaluation - delivered in partnership with the UK Association for Science and Discovery Centres – with a total contribution of under £12,000.

If she will make an assessment of the potential merits of extending the Air Passenger Duty exemption for children under 16 years old to include those travelling in (a) Premium Economy and (b) any other cabin class.

Children under 16 years old on the date of the flight, and in the lowest class of travel, are exempt from Air Passenger Duty (APD). If children under 16 years old are travelling in any other class (such as premium economy) or in business jets, they are not exempt. Children under 2 years old without a seat are exempt from Air Passenger Duty for all classes of travel. Airline operators declare the number of chargeable passengers by destination band and by rate. They do not break down chargeable passengers by age, and therefore this is not information that HMRC collects. The government has published annual statistics and analysis on airline passenger numbers and Air Passenger Duty (APD) receipts in the UK which are administered by HM Revenue and Customs. It is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/air-passenger-duty-bulletin.

With reference to the press release entitled Government steps in to back British business in changing world, published on 14 April 2025, whether any of the funding is additional to funding provided at the Spring Statement 2025.

The Government is committed to supporting British businesses as the world enters a new era of global trade. The government has increased the capacity of UK Export Finance (UKEF) to provide support for exporters by £20 billion and has expanded the British Business Bank (BBB) Growth Guarantee Scheme. UKEF operates at no net cost to the taxpayer and increasing its limits does not have a fiscal cost. BBB support is funded within the overall spending plans set out at Spring Statement 2025.

What discussions she has had with the Secretary of State for Education on the potential disruption to the education sector of introducing the VAT levy on independent school fees in the middle of the academic year.

The Government carefully considered the timing of implementation of VAT on private school fees and decided to apply VATfrom January 2025, in order to raise the funding needed to help deliver its education priorities. As a result of the January start date, the VAT policy is forecast to raise £460 million in 2024/25. Schools and parents had five months to prepare for these changes, and HMRC put in place measures to support schools, including bespoke guidance, updated registration systems, and additional resources to process applications.

What estimate she has made of total revenue generated by Air Passenger Duty from children aged under 16 years old who travelled in Premium Economy in each of the last three years.

Children under 16 years old on the date of the flight, and in the lowest class of travel, are exempt from Air Passenger Duty (APD). If children under 16 years old are travelling in any other class (such as premium economy) or in business jets, they are not exempt. Children under 2 years old without a seat are exempt from Air Passenger Duty for all classes of travel. Airline operators declare the number of chargeable passengers by destination band and by rate. They do not break down chargeable passengers by age, and therefore this is not information that HMRC collects. The government has published annual statistics and analysis on airline passenger numbers and Air Passenger Duty (APD) receipts in the UK which are administered by HM Revenue and Customs. It is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/air-passenger-duty-bulletin.

If she will make an estimate of the average impact of judicial reviews on the cost of road infrastructure projects between 2015 and 2025.

The impact of judicial reviews on the cost of road infrastructure projects will vary by scheme. National Highways has calculated that the increase in costs to its schemes, caused by legal challenges, is between £66 million and £121 million per scheme.

If she will make it her policy to defer the ban on the sale of new (a) petrol and (b) diesel vehicles; and whether she will make an assessment of the potential impact of deferring the ban on the sale of new (a) petrol and (b) diesel vehicles on carbon emissions.

On 7 April the Government confirmed that we are committed to phasing out the sale of new cars that rely solely on a petrol or diesel engine by 2030 and phasing out all new non-zero emission cars and vans by 2035. We are providing industry with the clear direction it needs to invest in the transition, which will drive growth and create jobs as we cut carbon emissions.

Pursuant to the Answer of 11 April 2025 to Question 44055 on Govia Thameslink Railway: Fares, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the annual increases in fares on service experience for passengers.

As much as we appreciate the impact of fares increases on passengers, we need to balance affordability for both passengers and taxpayers as we reform fares and deliver Great British Railways, ensuring everyone gets a fair deal. Delivering better quality services, and increased reliability of trains, alongside a clearer fares offer will ensure an enhanced passenger experience. A proportionate, annual increase in fares is necessary to support crucial investment and to ensure the long-term financial sustainability of the railway.

Whether he has made an assessment of the potential impact of not replacing Challenger 2 tanks.

The Challenger 3 Main Battle Tank (MBT) upgrade has been developed to deliver multiple improvements to the existing Challenger 2 platform. Challenger 3 MBT will upgrade and replace 148 Challenger 2 platforms from 2027.

With reference to the press release entitled Crack teams get patients off waiting lists at twice the speed, published on 16 March 2025, if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of sending doctors into areas of highest economic inactivity on waiting lists in areas from which the doctors were seconded.

No assessment is currently planned regarding the potential impact of sending doctors into areas with the highest economic inactivity on waiting lists in the areas from which the doctors were seconded.As set out in the Elective Reform Plan, we continue to target waiting list performance across the country, so that 92% of patients return to waiting no longer than 18 weeks from referral to treatment by March 2029. In March 2025, performance against this standard was 59.8%, 2.6% higher than a year earlier.The Further Faster 20 programme is supporting these efforts by ensuring that this improvement is seen in areas that can benefit the most. The positive progress made from October 2024 to March 2025, with waiting lists across these areas being reduced by over 57,000, means that almost half, specifically 47.9%, of the national reduction in the overall waiting list between those months has come from the 20 hospitals involved in the scheme.

What assessment he has made of the potential impact of the target to reach net zero on the number of imports of electric vehicles from China in each of the next ten years.

The Secretary of State and I regularly meet stakeholders from the Auto sector to discuss net zero related issues, including imports of electric vehicles from China. China has rapidly become a major automotive manufacturer and brings competitive challenges for the sector. Government is closely monitoring the monthly data and analysing how this impacts the UK automotive sector, especially given our ambitious policies on Zero Emission Vehicles. To ease the transition to Electric Vehicles, we announced significant changes to the Zero Emission Vehicle Mandate on 7 April, allowing for greater flexibility in meeting ZEV targets and extending the sale of hybrid vehicles.

If she will make an assessment of the potential impact of the Zero Emissions Vehicle mandate on automotive manufacturing.

The Government recognises the importance of reviewing the impacts of this significant legislation. The Government has committed to publish reviews in 2027 and 2029 to assess the overall impact of the ZEV Mandate. The Government will continue to work with stakeholders to increase the uptake of ZEVs, deliver green growth, protect and sustain UK manufacturing jobs, and provide confidence to infrastructure investors. This is especially important now as recent geopolitical challenges have created marked instability for the automotive sector. The Government has committed £2 billion through the Automotive Transformation Fund to help manufacturers make the switch to EVs, supporting manufacturing, giga factories, and supply chain alongside £320 million to support consumers through targeted grants and support for charging infrastructure.