Every parliamentary written question tabled by Greg Smith this session, with the full answer and department. Back to the MP page.
Showing 41–60 of 114 · Department for Transport
Pursuant to the answer of 24 March 2026 to Question 120039, what the purpose was of each flight to Qatar; which Ministers and senior officials approved each visit; how many officials travelled on each occasion and at what grade; what the cost was of each visit; and whether she assessed the potential merits of (a) conducting the engagements remotely and (b) combining the engagements with other travel.
Awaiting answer.
Pursuant to the Answer of 24 March 2026 to Question 120039, (a) what the purpose was of each flight to Maldives; (b) which Ministers and senior officials approved each visit; (c) how many officials travelled on each occasion and at what grade; (d) what the cost was of each visit; and (e) whether an assessment was made of whether those engagements could be (i) conducted remotely and (ii) combined with other travel.
It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.
Pursuant to the answer of 24 March 2026 to WPQ 120039, what the purpose was of each flight to Pakistan; which Ministers and senior officials approved each visit; how many officials travelled on each occasion and at what grade; what the cost was of each visit; and whether an assessment was made of whether those engagements could be (a) conducted remotely and (b) combined with other travel.
Awaiting answer.
Pursuant to the answer of 24 March 2026 to WPQ 120039, what the purpose was of each flight to the Philippines; which Ministers and senior officials approved each visit; how many officials travelled on each occasion and at what grade; what the cost was of each visit; and whether an assessment was made of whether those engagements could be (a) conducted remotely and (b) combined with other travel.
Awaiting answer.
Pursuant to the Answer of 30 March 2026 to Question 123516, whether her Department plans to begin holding data on average or individual replacement battery costs for electric vehicles.
The Department has no plans to collect and hold the data on average or individual replacement battery costs for EVs, but will closely monitor this issue through continued engagement with industry and consumer groups. The Zero Emission Vehicle Mandate regulations require manufacturers to provide a warranty of 8 years or 100,000 miles on EV batteries. During the warranty period, if battery capacity drops below 70% for cars or 65% for vans, the manufacturer must provide a replacement battery. Additionally, eligibility for the Government’s Electric Car Grant requires manufacturers to offer customers a 2-year extension on the warranty to 10 years, ensuring vehicles and their batteries have long useable lives.
What recent assessment she has made of the effectiveness of the level of parking penalty charge notices in deterring nuisance parking.
The British Parking Association, the Local Government Association and other key stakeholders have been collaborating to gather comprehensive evidence on the effectiveness of current PCN levels in England outside London. Their findings and recommendations have been submitted to the Department for Transport which will be carefully considered before any decisions are taken.
Pursuant to the Answer of 30 March 2026 to Question 123517 on Electric Vehicles: Costs, when her Department expects to conclude its exploration of regulatory options on battery state of health information; and whether she plans to lay proposals before the House.
On 13 April 2026, the Department launched a public consultation on updating the minimum emission standards for new road vehicles to Euro 7. As part of these proposals, manufacturers would be required to fit electric vehicles with accurate, accessible and comparable battery health monitors. The consultation will remain open until 25 May 2026. The Government is seeking views on these proposals through that consultation. No final decisions have been taken. Should the proposals be taken forward, they would be laid before the House.
What steps she is taking following the trial of higher parking penalty charge notices in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council in August 2025.
Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole (BCP) Council has published a report on their month‑long trial of higher PCNs. The Department is reviewing the findings of this trial.
Pursuant to the Answer of 30 March 2026 to Question 122220, what the total cost is of mobilising the new sponsorship model and team referred to in that Answer.
There has been no additional cost to the public purse in establishing the new DFTO sponsorship model and team. The team was formed by redeploying existing staff.
Pursuant to the answer of 24 March 2026 to WPQ 120039, what the purpose was of each flight to Albania; which Ministers and senior officials approved each visit; how many officials travelled on each occasion and at what grade; what the cost was of each visit; and whether an assessment was made of whether those engagements could be (a) conducted remotely and (b) combined with other travel.
There was a single return flight to Albania, and this was to enable an official to attend a conference of the joint United Nations and World Health Organisation Pan European Programme for Transport, Health and the Environment. A single official at HEO grade attended and no ministers or senior officials were present. The cost of the flight was £144.96. There was no option to attend this event remotely.
What assessment has been made of the role ferry services to the Isle of Wight play in providing access to essential services, including healthcare, education and employment.
The Government recognises that communities rely on Cross-Solent ferry services for accessing jobs, education and healthcare. They operate in a commercial environment without intervention from the Government. The Department has regular discussions on these services.
Pursuant to the Answer of 10 March 2026 to Question 118043, how many applications for driving examiner roles were received by the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency in each of the last three years.
The table below shows the number of completed applications received for driving examiner (DE) roles in the years 2023 to 2025.YearTotal completed applications received20233,53620246,693202511,132 This data includes only completed application forms on Civil Service Jobs. It does not include those started but not completed. For any recruitment campaign a candidate must complete the application on Civil Service Jobs by the application deadline. If a candidate starts the initial application but does not complete it, this application will not be considered as part of the final sift of applications.
Whether she has reviewed the design of the Government Fleet Commitment to ensure that short-term vehicle hire is captured within its targets.
Short term vehicle hires, which can happen at short notice, are subject to vehicle availability at the time and the policies of each hire company. The previous Government did not include vehicles hired for fewer than six days within the Government Fleet Commitment, when it established the commitment, and the Department is not considering changing this. Departments are expected to continue to take action to reduce their impact on the environment, including for example working with lease operators and hire companies to minimise the carbon intensity of their fleets and rental vehicles.
Pursuant to the Answer of 13 February 2026 to Question 110890, what estimate her Department has made of (a) the total number of HGV parking spaces originally expected to be delivered under the HGV Parking and Driver Welfare Matched Funding Scheme and (b) the revised number expected to be delivered following project withdrawals and scope changes.
The HGV Parking and Driver Welfare Match Funding Grant Scheme was initially estimated to have the potential to create up to an additional 1500 spaces. These figures were based on information provided to the Department by operators as part of the application process for projects where reconfiguration and expansion were taking place. To date 16 projects have been withdrawn by operators with an estimated reduction of up to 177 parking spaces, reducing the initial estimate to up to 1,323 spaces.
Whether the funding allocation for the Zero Emission Truck and Van represents a capped budget; and what estimate she has made of the total potential liability.
The Zero Emission Van and Truck Grants are subject to a set budget of £877 million to 2030 and will close when available funding has been allocated for this period.
In which month will the first East West Rail services operate from Oxford to Oxford Park Way.
The Department continues to work closely with Chiltern Railways and other partners to confirm a start date for the first EWR services between Oxford and Oxford Parkway. For passenger services to commence, trains will need to have been modified and fully tested, and driver training will need to have been completed. Winslow station also needs to be fully handed over, and future staffing arrangements also remain to be agreed.
Pursuant to the answer of 16 March 2026 to Question 119471 on the Vehicle Certification Agency, what internal efficiency measures are being undertaken by the Vehicle Certification Agency; what the estimated annual savings from those measures are; and over what timeframe those savings are expected to be realised.
The Vehicle Certification Agency is taking forward a number of measures, including service digitisation, and updating legacy systems. This is estimated to deliver circa £1-1.5m in additional efficiency savings in the 2026/27 financial year.
Pursuant to the Answer of 10 March 2026 to Question 118042, what alternative methods the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency uses to identify the source of applications for driving examiner roles.
All driving examiner (DE) applications are made through Civil Service Jobs on GOV.UK.Whilst the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) cannot get details of applicant referral sources from the Government Recruitment Service, for campaigns up to November 2025, DVSA used the data available from the civil service recruitment standard applicants survey. This shows which advertising routes generate candidates, however the information does not give 100% coverage.In December 2025, DVSA introduced a DVSA specific survey. This is sent to everyone who is offered an interview. This is then followed by another survey sent to anyone who successfully moves onto training. DVSA will cross-reference the data from these two surveys going forward, but for now DVSA has data for only one complete and one ongoing campaign.
A) what assessment she has made of progress towards delivering an additional one million pothole repairs per year; b) whether the Government is currently on track to meet that target in (i) 2025–26 and (ii) 2026–27; c) what steps she plans to take if delivery is below the level required to meet that commitment.
The Government’s record £7.3 billion investment over the next four years will bring annual funding for local authorities to repair and renew their roads and fix potholes to over £2 billion annually, doubling annual funding by 2029-30 compared to 2024-25 levels. This funding increase is enough to enable local authorities to fill millions of additional potholes in each year of this Parliament when compared to 2024-25. At the same time, the Department is also expecting local highway authorities to adopt best practice in highways maintenance, which includes a greater focus on preventative maintenance so that fewer potholes form in the first place and a greater focus on permanent pothole repairs to reduce the need for repeated and more costly temporary repairs.
Pursuant to the Answer of 9 March 2026 to Question 116554, whether her Department has corroborated the findings of Thatcham Research; whether any UK fire and rescue services have provided data on hybrid vehicle fire incidence rates; and what steps her Department is taking to ensure that policy is based on transparent and independently verifiable evidence.
The Department has not corroborated the findings of Thatcham Research, nor has it received data on hybrid vehicle fire incidents from Fire & Rescue Services. The Chief Scientific Advisors at the Department for Transport and Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government co-chair a regular Technical Steering Group, attended by Government officials, industry representatives, Fire & Rescue Service representatives, and academic experts to review current scientific literature relating to electric vehicle fires, identify gaps in understanding, and advise on how these may be addressed.