Written questions by Nichols.

Whether the third Road Investment strategy (RIS3) can include specific funding to enable National Highways to pay its employees the £1,500 Pay Remit Guidance payment (which has been withheld by National Highways since 2022/23).

National Highways is responsible for setting pay awards that are both affordable and aligned within its overall RIS3 budget. During 2022, the organisation awarded a larger pay deal compared to the core Civil Service and as such took the decision to not offer the £1500 non-consolidated payment.

If she will make it her policy that the inclusion of an AED and bleed kit should be mandatory for a) new cars and b) company car leases.

The Department is reviewing recommendations for the carriage of safety and other equipment in cars. However, this will be working within the context of the current provisions in the Highway Code that are advisory rather than mandatory. Mandating equipment in cars would require monitoring to ensure compliance, as well as measures to ensure that the equipment remained serviceable. It would also add cost to new vehicles and vehicle owners.

How she plans to roll out at-home electric vehicle charging points for people in terrace housing with no off-street parking.

The Department is working with local authorities to encourage the use of cross-pavement solutions and on the 13 July, announced the £25m Electric Vehicle Pavement Channel grant to further support local authorities in England to adopt pavement channels. This will allow EV drivers to access their domestic electricity tariffs by safely connecting a home EV charger to their vehicle parked on-street and adds to published local authority guidance and home charging grants that the Government already provides.

If she will make it her policy to ensure that (a) all cars sold in the UK must have had safety tests undertaken on them that include specifically-female crash dummies in both the driver and passenger seats and (b) data from such tests is (i) recorded and (ii) published.

The latest international vehicle regulations covering frontal impact protection developed under the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) currently use a crash test dummy representative of a female occupant in the front passenger seat. The Government is currently considering mandating this regulation in Great Britain as part of an extensive package of vehicle safety measures. The UNECE has also established a group of experts, in which the Department for Transport is an active member, which is reviewing its Regulations to ensure all vehicle occupants benefit from comparable levels of protection irrespective of their sex, age or stature. This is likely to require testing with a greater number of female occupant locations. The Department for Transport remains a member of the European New Car Assessment Programme (Euro NCAP). This programme is complementary to regulation and includes impact tests using crash test dummies representative of a female occupant in the driver and opposite rear passenger seating positions. Data from regulatory testing is recorded by the Type Approval Authority responsible for approval, but the data is highly technical and not routinely published. Summarised data from Euro NCAP testing is translated into easily understood safety information and is always published on its website - www.euroncap.com

Whether her Department plans to introduce incentives for (a) manufacturers and (b) motorists to encourage take-up of electric cars.

In the Autumn Budget the Government announced over £2bn of capital and R&D funding to 2030 that will support the latest research and development, accelerate commercial scale up, and unlock capital investment in zero emission vehicles, batteries and the wider supply chain. In addition, in 2025-26 Government is investing £200m to expand electric vehicle (EV) chargepoints, providing £120m for new electric van grants, and strengthening consumer incentives by widening the differentials in Vehicle Excise Duty First Year Rates between EVs and hybrids vs. internal combustion engine cars. EVs continue to get the best rates available for salary sacrifice schemes, which strongly incentivises the uptake of EVs.

Whether she plans to take steps to increase the amount of freight transported by rail.

The Government recognises that the economic and environmental potential of rail freight is significant and is committed to supporting its growth.There will be a statutory duty on Great British Railways to promote the use of rail freight and there will be an overall rail freight growth target set by the Secretary of State, with clear and meaningful targets for rail freight growth within pre-defined periods.

With reference to paragraph 3.19 of the Autumn Budget 2024, published on 30 October 2024, HC 295, when she plans to publish further information on her plan to increase capacity on the West Coast main line.

The delivery of High Speed Two (HS2) is expected to nearly double seat capacity between London and Birmingham, which is the most congested section of the West Coast Main Line. We are taking into consideration the recent proposal from the Mayors of Greater Manchester and the West Midlands for enhancing rail connectivity between the Midlands and the North West, and will set out a clear plan to address capacity and connectivity issues in due course.

With reference to paragraph 4.72 of the Autumn Budget 2024, published on 30 October 2024, HC 295, whether she plans to publish a consultation on the proposed rolling stock strategy.

Once Great British Railways is established then it will be making integrated decisions on Rolling Stock, bringing together track and train. This will include a Rolling Stock Strategy which will include considerations around the timelines for new build, refurbishments, and provide more visibility to the rolling stock market.

What steps she is taking to simplify railway ticket pricing.

This Government is committed to reviewing the overcomplicated fares system with a view to simplifying it. We have already begun simplifying fares through our pay as you go schemes and work to simplify fares with LNER. More details will be announced in due course.