Every parliamentary written question tabled by Edward Morello this session, with the full answer and department. Back to the MP page.
Showing 1,181–1,200 of 1,693 · this parliament
Whether her Department plans to integrate (a) e-scooter and (b) e-bike infrastructure with rural bus services.
The Government aims to deliver an integrated transport system that reduces emissions, improves journeys, and gives people choice over how they travel, and we are carefully considering how shared micromobility and active travel schemes can help to deliver these objectives right across the country.
What steps her Department is taking to improve the accessibility of (a) e-scooters, (b) e-bikes and (c) bicycles in rural areas.
The Government wants to make smaller, lighter vehicles an everyday transport option, including for those in rural areas where it works for their journeys. On 28 March the Government announced to Parliament its intention to publish a third Cycling and Walking Investment Strategy (CWIS3) following the conclusion of the Spending Review. This will allow us to say more on the long-term ambition and funding for active travel as required by the legislation. The Government will consult on the strategy, with relevant stakeholders, ahead of its publication. The Government recognises the benefits that rental schemes can bring, especially for those who otherwise could not afford to purchase a e-scooter, cycle or e-cycle. We are giving local leaders the powers to manage schemes in their areas, to give them the confidence they need that these schemes can work for whole communities, including through tackling anti-social behaviour and poor parking.
What steps her Department is taking to encourage children to cycle to school.
Local authorities have a duty to promote the use of sustainable travel on journeys to and from places of education in their area. This includes children who are not eligible for free school travel provided by the local authority. Local authorities must publish a sustainable modes of travel strategy which sets out their vision for improving the infrastructure for sustainable travel and promoting sustainable travel to places of education. It should aim to provide health benefits for children and their families through active journeys and environmental improvements through reduced congestion and improved air quality. Further information is available in the department's statutory guidance for local authorities, which can be accessed at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/home-to-school-travel-and-transport-guidance.Active Travel England is the government’s executive agency responsible for promoting walking, wheeling and cycling as the preferred choice of travel in England. They support local authorities with grant funding for the development and construction of walking, wheeling and cycling facilities and schemes and are responsible for a number of schemes which promote active travel to school. Further information can be found at: https://www.activetravelengland.gov.uk/.
What steps she is taking to help teach children about active travel to school.
Local authorities have a duty to promote the use of sustainable travel on journeys to and from places of education in their area. This includes children who are not eligible for free school travel provided by the local authority. Local authorities must publish a sustainable modes of travel strategy which sets out their vision for improving the infrastructure for sustainable travel and promoting sustainable travel to places of education. It should aim to provide health benefits for children and their families through active journeys and environmental improvements through reduced congestion and improved air quality. Further information is available in the department's statutory guidance for local authorities, which can be accessed at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/home-to-school-travel-and-transport-guidance.Active Travel England is the government’s executive agency responsible for promoting walking, wheeling and cycling as the preferred choice of travel in England. They support local authorities with grant funding for the development and construction of walking, wheeling and cycling facilities and schemes and are responsible for a number of schemes which promote active travel to school. Further information can be found at: https://www.activetravelengland.gov.uk/.
What steps her Department is taking to (a) support Community Speed Watch schemes and (b) deter (i) antisocial driving and (ii) street racing in rural areas.
Community Speedwatch schemes are initiatives coordinated by the police working with local volunteers to target speeders, and decisions on whether to operate local schemes are operational matters for the police. The Department for Transport agrees that these schemes can be a useful way of monitoring speeds and encouraging drivers to stay within speed limits. However, it has not made any assessment of the effectiveness of the programmes in the West Dorset constituency. Turning to the deterrence of antisocial driving and street racing in rural areas, the Crime and Policing Bill, introduced to Parliament in February, includes proposals to give the police greater powers to clamp down on all vehicles involved in anti-social behaviour including street racing, with officers no longer required to issue a warning before seizing these vehicles.
What steps her Department is taking to improve road safety for horse riders in West Dorset constituency.
In my answer of 28 April 2025 to WPQ-45414, WPQ-45415 and WPQ-45416 on horse rider safety, I stated that The Highway Code was updated in 2022 to improve the safety of all road users, particularly the most vulnerable. Key changes included the introduction of a Hierarchy of Road Users, which ensures that those who do the greatest harm have the greatest responsibility to reduce the danger or threat that they pose to others, along with the strengthening of guidance on safe passing distances and speeds when overtaking horse riders.The Government's flagship road safety campaign, THINK!, ran campaigns to alert road users of the changes as they came into effect and broader behaviour campaigns to encourage understanding and uptake of the guidance. Results from the last campaign showed that by September 2023 93% of drivers agreed it was their responsibility to give space to vulnerable road users. We will continue to promote The Highway Code changes on THINK! and DfT social media channels and via our partner organisations.Local authorities are responsible for road safety on the local road network. Section 39 of the Road Traffic Act (RTA) 1988 puts a 'statutory duty' on the local authorities to provide a safe local road network. This includes road construction, accident investigation and analysis, traffic calming and setting speed limits. The Government treats road safety with the utmost seriousness and provides local authorities with guidance on road safety measures, but it should be noted that it is up to individual authorities to determine how they meet their statutory duty.
Whether her Department has conducted public awareness campaigns on the dangers of mobile phone use while driving.
THINK! is the Government’s flagship road safety campaign, which aims to reduce the number of people killed or seriously injured on our roads by addressing a range of issues, including mobile phone distraction. In 2022, the Government ran a THINK! Campaign targeting 17-24 year old men and women, which coincided with the broadening of the legal offence of using a handheld phone while driving. The campaign led to 75% of young men agreeing that it is always dangerous to use a handheld phone when you are at the wheel, with between two thirds to 80% of the audience taking action to change their behaviour after seeing the campaign’s short films. Previous THINK! campaigns have addressed the role of passengers in distracting drivers, including through mobile phone use. Mobile phone campaigns also ran in 2017 and 2018 after the 2017 increase in penalties for driving while using a handheld phone. A radio advert asking drivers to ‘Put your phone away’ runs throughout the year via the Fillers service, through which radio stations run public service adverts at no cost.
Whether her Department plans to introduce stricter penalties for mobile phone use while driving.
Government keeps motoring offences under review, and is considering possible interventions.
Whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of extending 20mph zones in rural villages in West Dorset constituency.
Decisions on making local speed limits on roads in England rest with traffic authorities who have responsibility for roads in local areas. The Department for Transport issues best practice guidance to assist authorities setting local speed limits, designed to make sure that speed limits are appropriately and consistently set while allowing for flexibility to deal with local circumstances.The guidance suggests that while government policy is that a 30mph speed limit should be the norm through villages, it may be appropriate to consider 20mph limits in built-up village streets that are primarily residential in nature, or where pedestrian and cyclist movements are high, where there is a safety case and local support.The Department for Transport has made no assessment of the potential merits of extending 20mph limits or zones in rural villages in West Dorset constituency.
What criteria her Department uses to determine speed limits in villages.
Decisions on making local speed limits on roads in England rest with traffic authorities who have responsibility for roads in local areas. The Department for Transport issues best practice guidance to assist authorities setting local speed limits, designed to make sure that speed limits are appropriately and consistently set while allowing for flexibility to deal with local circumstances.The guidance suggests that while government policy is that a 30mph speed limit should be the norm through villages, it may be appropriate to consider 20mph limits in built-up village streets that are primarily residential in nature, or where pedestrian and cyclist movements are high, where there is a safety case and local support.The Department for Transport has made no assessment of the potential merits of extending 20mph limits or zones in rural villages in West Dorset constituency.
Whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential impact of mobile phone usage while driving on the number of road accidents in the past five years.
Statistics on road collisions are available based on data reported to the Department by police forces via the STATS19 data collection system. Within STATS19, reporting officers can record up to 6 factors which they consider may have contributed to the collision occurring. The number of reported road injury collisions in Great Britain where a police officer attended and assigned ‘driver using mobile phone’ as a contributory factor are shown in the table for the last 5 years for which data are available. YearNumber of collisions with ‘driver using mobile phone’ as a contributory factor20194202020368202144020224682023463
What steps her Department is taking to facilitate the carriage of (a) e-scooters and (b) e-bikes on rural train services.
It is for individual train operators to decide whether e-scooters and e-bikes are accepted on their trains, following risk assessments to determine the safety of accepting these vehicles onboard. In general, e-scooters are not permitted on train services, whilst e-bikes are permitted provided they meet certain conditions. This includes being road-legal, stored in a designated area and not charged on trains.In terms of wider public transport, the government recognises the benefits that e-scooters and e-bikes can bring and published guidance to public transport operators in February 2024, aimed at ensuring that responses to fire risks are appropriately targeted, effective, and proportionate, so that the potential of these forms of transport is not unnecessarily limited.
Whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of supporting driving instructors with operational costs.
The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency does not employ driving instructors and so has no power or control over what they charge for their services, including lessons. Fees charged by Approved Driving Instructors (ADI) for driving lessons anywhere in the country, including rural areas are a commercial business arrangement. The department has not offered any form of financial support to ADIs since the register's inception and there are no plans to change this.
Whether her Department plans to improve enforcement measures against street racing in West Dorset constituency.
Tackling anti-social behaviour is a top priority for the Government and a key part of the Safer Streets Mission.On 25 February 2025, the Crime and Policing Bill was introduced to Parliament. The Bill includes proposals to give the police greater powers to clamp down on all vehicles involved in anti-social behaviour including street racing, with officers no longer required to issue a warning before seizing these vehicles.This will strengthen the law and send a clear message that antisocial street racing will not be tolerated.Excess speed is a major cause of death and serious injury on our roads and anyone who breaks the speed limit should expect to face the full force of the law.
What assessment his Department has made of the effectiveness of Community Speed Watch programmes in reducing speeding in West Dorset constituency.
Community Speedwatch schemes are initiatives coordinated by the police working with local volunteers to target speeders, and decisions on whether to operate local schemes are operational matters for the police. The Department for Transport agrees that these schemes can be a useful way of monitoring speeds and encouraging drivers to stay within speed limits. However, it has not made any assessment of the effectiveness of the programmes in the West Dorset constituency. Turning to the deterrence of antisocial driving and street racing in rural areas, the Crime and Policing Bill, introduced to Parliament in February, includes proposals to give the police greater powers to clamp down on all vehicles involved in anti-social behaviour including street racing, with officers no longer required to issue a warning before seizing these vehicles.
Whether her Department is taking steps to help reduce the cost of driving lessons for learners in rural areas.
The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency does not employ driving instructors and so has no power or control over what they charge for their services, including lessons. Fees charged by Approved Driving Instructors (ADI) for driving lessons anywhere in the country, including rural areas are a commercial business arrangement. The department has not offered any form of financial support to ADIs since the register's inception and there are no plans to change this.
Whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of integrating cycling infrastructure with rural train stations.
We have recently announced £222.5 million to local authorities outside of London for the delivery of active travel schemes and community engagement. It is for local authorities to make their own decisions about where to prioritise investment in local transport networks, including links between different transport modes. The Government agrees on the importance of a properly integrated national transport system and will be saying more on this in due course in a new Integrated Transport Strategy. Active Travel England works with local authorities to help design and deliver high-quality networks that are properly integrated with other local transport services.
What guidance her Department provides to drivers prescribed medicinal cannabis on (a) driving safety and (b) legal responsibilities.
There is a requirement on drivers to notify DVLA of a medical condition that affects their ability to drive safely. The DVLA will make an assessment on their fitness to drive. Information can be found on GOV.UK www.gov.uk/health-conditions-and-drivingThe DVLA advise that medical prescribers should give patients advice on driving while using medical cannabis, as they would with any other medication.This advice covers the main point that the patient should not drive if they feel impaired, and sometimes includes more specific guidance to support safe consumption.DVLA publish this advice on GOV.UK www.gov.uk/guidance/assessing-fitness-to-drive-a-guide-for-medical-professionals In 2015 the Government introduced a new offence in regard to driving with a specific controlled drug in the body above that drug’s accepted limit. The Government took a zero tolerance approach to 8 drugs most associated with illegal use, with limits set at a level where any claims of accidental exposure can be ruled out. This includes cannabis, including both illicit and medically prescribed. Advice is published on GOV.UK www.gov.uk/government/collections/drug-driving.
What support her Department provides to local councils for reducing speed limits in villages.
Decisions on making local speed limits on roads in England rest with traffic authorities who have responsibility for roads in local areas. The Department for Transport issues best practice guidance to assist authorities setting local speed limits, designed to make sure that speed limits are appropriately and consistently set while allowing for flexibility to deal with local circumstances.The guidance suggests that while government policy is that a 30mph speed limit should be the norm through villages, it may be appropriate to consider 20mph limits in built-up village streets that are primarily residential in nature, or where pedestrian and cyclist movements are high, where there is a safety case and local support.The Department for Transport has made no assessment of the potential merits of extending 20mph limits or zones in rural villages in West Dorset constituency.
What steps he plans to take to ensure that GPs continue to receive (a) funding and (b) support following the dissolution of NHS England.
We inherited a broken National Health Service which penalises hard working staff by hampering them with layers of bureaucracy, unclear lines of accountability, and a fragmented, duplicative system. It is a bad use of taxpayers’ money to have two national organisations doing the same jobs. This has left patients worse off and staff unable to do their jobs properly.Creating a more efficient, leaner centre will free up capacity and help deliver significant savings of hundreds of millions of pounds a year which will be reinvested in frontline services and cutting waiting lists.We remain committed to fixing the front door of the NHS, building on the progress to date to deliver meaningful reform to establish a modern general practice (GP) at the heart of a neighbourhood health service.We are investing an additional £889 million in GPs to reinforce the front door of the NHS, bringing total spend on the GP Contract to £13.2 billion in 2025/26. This is the biggest increase in over a decade. The 7.2% boost to the GP Contract is faster than the 5.8% growth to the NHS budget as a whole, helping to reverse the decade-long trend of GPs receiving an ever-decreasing percentage of NHS funding.GPs will continue to be a core element of the future of the NHS during and after the integration of NHS England into the Department.