Written questions by Smith.

With reference to the RAC Report on Motoring 2025, published in October 2025, what assessment she has made of that report's recommendations on vehicle cloning.

The Department has noted the recent publication of the RAC Report on Motoring 2025, and is considering the recommendations.Improving road safety is one of my Department’s highest priorities. This Government treats road safety seriously and is committed to reducing the numbers of those killed and injured on our roads. Our Road Safety Strategy is under development and will include a broad range of policies. We intend to publish by the end of the year.

Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of real-terms reductions in core funding on the delivery of statutory services by Buckinghamshire Council.

The government has been listening closely to the views expressed by the public, local authorities and other bodies on the proposals set out in the Fair Funding Review 2.0 consultation. No final decisions on the outcome of the review have yet been taken. The vast majority of councils with social care responsibilities will see their Core Spending Power increase in real terms over the multi-year Settlement. We will publish further information in the government’s consultation response in Autumn, followed by the provisional Local Government Finance Settlement later this year.

When passenger services from Oxford to Milton Keynes will commence on East West Rail.

The Department is working closely with Chiltern Railways and other partners to confirm a start date for the service. We are looking forward to commencing services as soon as all necessary authorisations and agreements are in place. Passenger services will commence once train testing and driver training have been completed.

What recent assessment she has made of the potential impact of the Zero Emission Vehicle mandate on the development of non-electric technologies to power motor cars.

The Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) Mandate sets annual targets for the proportion of new zero emission cars and vans sold in the UK. This regulation does not require that new zero emission vehicles be electric, only that they emit no CO2 from the tailpipe. The ZEV Mandate therefore considers any vehicles that meet that criteria to be zero emission, including, for example, hydrogen fuel cell vehicles. Currently, battery electric is the leading ZEV technology.

How many night time freight movements are permitted on East West Rail.

A noise assessment for East West Rail (EWR) was undertaken for the Environmental Statement supporting the Transport and Works Act Order application for the railway. The assessment assumed a traffic flow of 8 freight trains composed of 36 wagons during the nighttime period (23:00 – 07:00). Mitigations have been provided for this in line with the Noise Insultation (Railways and Other Guided Transport Systems) Regulations.

What conditions for night time rail freight movements have been placed on the Oxford to Milton Keynes stretch of East West Rail.

A noise assessment for East West Rail (EWR) was undertaken for the Environmental Statement supporting the Transport and Works Act Order application for the railway. The assessment assumed a traffic flow of 8 freight trains composed of 36 wagons during the nighttime period (23:00 – 07:00). Mitigations have been provided for this in line with the Noise Insultation (Railways and Other Guided Transport Systems) Regulations.

Whether she has had recent discussions with Chiltern Railways on the refurbishment of Haddenham & Thame Parkway car park.

My Officials have been in regular contact with Chiltern Railways regarding the refurbishment of Haddenham & Thame Parkway car park, particularly in light of the closure of the upper deck and the resulting capacity challenges. The Department will continue to engage with Chiltern Railways to ensure that car park improvements deliver meaningful benefits for rail users and the wider local community.

What support is available to help Buckinghamshire NHS Healthcare Trust to recruit and retain specialist cancer (a) nurses and (b) other professionals.

Recruitment to National Health Service roles is managed locally by NHS trusts and partner employers. However, NHS England is taking a range of actions to support the recruitment and retention of staff.As set out in the 10-Year Health Plan, the Government is committed to making the NHS the best place to work, by supporting and retaining our hardworking and dedicated healthcare professionals. To support this ambition, the Government will introduce a new set of standards for modern employment in April 2026. The new standards will reaffirm our commitment to improving retention by tackling the issues that matter to staff.Over 1,000 Cancer Nurse Specialist (CNS) grants were made available to new and aspiring CNSs. This will benefit trusts across the country, including Buckinghamshire NHS Healthcare Trust. Additionally, NHS England funds the Aspirant Cancer Career Education and Development Framework, which sets out an end-to-end career pathway for nurses and other staff working in cancer to build their competencies to deliver the best possible care.We will work with the university sector and colleagues across Government to ensure that we train the doctors, nurses and healthcare professionals that we need and maximise the contribution that our great research institutions make to the country.  We are committed to training the staff we need to ensure patients are cared for by the right professional, when and where they need it.Furthermore, we will ensure that the number of medical specialty training places meets the demands of the NHS in the future. Over the next three years, we will create 1,000 new specialty training posts with a focus on specialties where there is greatest need. This will benefit patients across the country, including Buckinghamshire.

What assessment he has made of the potential impact of electrifying heavy goods vehicles on future demand on the energy grid.

The zero emission HGV sector is at early stages of deployment, but the demand is expected to grow as more trucks come to market. Government is taking a range of short and long-term actions, including new national and regional strategic planning processes, to ensure electricity infrastructure meets future demand. This includes working with Ofgem and NESO to input into these actions and raise the awareness of future transport requirements, as well as encouraging a direct dialogue with transport stakeholders to provide clarity and evidence on electricity requirements to ensure strategic planning can properly prepare for future demand.

What steps he is taking to meet the future energy demand placed on the grid by electrifying heavy goods vehicles.

The government is delivering a major expansion of electricity networks to ensure there is sufficient grid capacity to meet future electricity demand, including from the electrification of heavy goods vehicles. We are working with Ofgem and the National Energy System Operator to speed up delivery of new network infrastructure through reforms to planning and regulation, support for communities and strategic network design. We are radically reforming the grid connections process to ensure that both generation and demand can connect in a timely manner.

Innovation and Technology, when she expects the Life Sciences Competitiveness Indicators 2025 report to be published.

I refer the Hon. Member to the answer I gave on 15 October 2025 to Question UIN 77607.

What steps her Department is taking to support the uptake of low carbon fuels in the logistics sector.

The Department for Transport is actively supporting the uptake of low carbon fuels across the logistics sector through a range of measures. The Renewable Transport Fuel Obligation (RTFO) remains a key policy tool, which has delivered 55 MtCO2e of greenhouse gas (GHG) savings since its inception in 2008, that’s about two thirds of transport’s GHG savings between 2008 and 2022. In addition, the Department is advancing the production and use of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) through the introduction of a SAF Mandate, the Advanced Fuels Fund to support UK producers, and the development of a revenue certainty mechanism to unlock private investment in domestic projects. Recognising that achieving net zero in logistics will also require a transition to zero emission vehicles, we are accelerating the deployment of zero emission heavy goods vehicles (HGVs) and the necessary refuelling and charging infrastructure through the Zero Emission HGV and Infrastructure Demonstrator programme. The logistics sector plays a vital role in both economic growth and the UK’s net zero ambitions, and the Department remains committed to working closely with industry to support this transition.

Communities and Local Government, what steps he is taking to support (a) local authorities and (b) housing associations to evict anti-social tenants more easily.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 45072 on 23 April 2025.

Media and Sport, what steps she is taking to encourage foreign investment.

This Government is committed to encouraging international investment to drive economic growth. DCMS’s work to promote investment into the culture and creative industries, media and sport sectors is an important part of this.Most recently, through the Creative Industries Sector Plan we committed to provide £10 million to expand the National Film and Television School which will unlock £11 million of private investment, including from major overseas companies. We have also recently brought together sporting stakeholders and investors in the third annual One Goal Investment Symposium to highlight opportunities for foreign investment into the sport sector.The whole Government uses its international engagements to encourage investment from overseas, India being a prime example. On her visit to India earlier this year, the Secretary of State signed a cultural cooperation agreement that will boost cultural exchange and encourage long-term institutional partnerships. On the Prime Minister’s recent visit to India, with a large business and cultural delegation, we secured a commitment from Yash Raj Films to bring new productions to the UK, attracted to the UK by our skillsbase and competitive tax system. This will create over 3,000 jobs and boost the economy by millions of pounds. On the same visit, the Government announced that the Science Museum has received an unprecedented eight-figure donation from the Serum Institute of India to support the transformation of one of the museum’s most iconic spaces.

What steps he is taking to ensure that people (a) living with and (b) beyond cancer receive (i) timely and (ii) personalised support following a cancer diagnosis in Mid Buckinghamshire constituency.

The Department is committed to ensuring that all cancer patients in England, including those in Mid Buckinghamshire constituency, receive timely, personalised care that is tailored to individual needs.Where appropriate, every person in England diagnosed with cancer will have access to personalised care, including needs assessment, a care plan and health and wellbeing information and support. This includes provision of information, empowering people to manage their care and the impact of their cancer. Personalised care ensures that each person’s care is planned holistically, covering mental and physical health as well as any practical or financial concerns.The National Cancer Plan will seek to improve the experience and outcomes for people living with cancer. Having consulted with key stakeholders and patient groups, the plan will be published early in the new year. It will look at how we can improve communication and coordination for patients, so that they feel informed and in control of their care.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment she has made of the risk of state sponsored terrorism from Palestine.

I refer the Hon Member to the answer provided on 17 September to Question 74028.

What steps he is taking to improve long-term quality of life for people (a) living with and (b) beyond cancer under the National Cancer Plan.

The National Cancer Plan, which will be published early in the new year, will have patients at its heart and will cover the entirety of the cancer pathway, from referral and diagnosis to treatment and ongoing care, as well as prevention, and research and innovation. It will seek to improve every aspect of cancer care to better the experience and outcomes for people with cancer. The National Cancer Plan will build on the three shifts set out by the 10-Year Health Plan. These shifts will enable rapid progress on the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of cancer, as well as supporting those living with cancer to better manage their condition and improve their quality of life.The National Cancer Plan will aim to improve how the physical and psychosocial needs of people with cancer can be met, with a focus on personalised care to improve quality of life. It will address how the experience of care can be improved for those diagnosed, treated, and living with and beyond cancer.

What steps he is taking to ensure that neighbourhood cancer care models in the National Cancer Plan have a role in reducing health inequalities.

Our vision for a Neighbourhood Health Service, as set out in the 10-Year Health Plan, is for our health system to fit around people’s lives. The Neighbourhood Health Service will mean that millions of patients are treated and cared for closer to their home by new teams of professionals, and neighbourhood health centres will provide easier, more convenient access to a full range of healthcare services on people’s doorsteps.It will involve care closer to the community, including a focus on prevention, as well as the redesign of outpatient and diagnostic services, and the re-design of urgent and emergency care.In the forthcoming National Cancer Plan, we will look at how to incorporate this neighbourhood approach into cancer care. The National Cancer Plan will also set out how we will work with organisations representing communities that experience health inequalities, to help us meet the needs of all cancer patients across England.

Whether he plans to publish a framework for neighbourhood cancer care as part of the National Cancer Plan.

Our vision for a Neighbourhood Health Service, as set out in the 10-Year Health Plan, is for our health system to fit around people’s lives. The Neighbourhood Health Service will mean that millions of patients are treated and cared for closer to their home by new teams of professionals, and neighbourhood health centres will provide easier, more convenient access to a full range of healthcare services on people’s doorsteps.It will involve care closer to the community, including a focus on prevention, as well as the redesign of outpatient and diagnostic services, and the re-design of urgent and emergency care.In the forthcoming National Cancer Plan, we will look at how to incorporate this neighbourhood approach into cancer care. The National Cancer Plan will also set out how we will work with organisations representing communities that experience health inequalities, to help us meet the needs of all cancer patients across England.

Innovation and Technology, when she plans to publish the 2025 UK Life Sciences Competitiveness Indicators.

The Office for Life Sciences will publicly announce the planned publication date of the Life Sciences Competitiveness Indicators one month in advance of its publication.