Written questions by McMurdock.

What assessment she has made of the availability of charging facilities for households without off-street parking.

The Government’s £400 million Local Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (LEVI) Fund is expected to deliver over 100,000 further local public charge points for drivers without off-street parking. The Department is also working with local authorities to encourage the use of cross-pavement solutions and in July last year, announced the £25 million EV Pavement Channel Grant. This will ensure that more people without off-street parking can benefit from cheaper and more convenient domestic EV charging. We remain committed to accelerating the roll-out of affordable charging infrastructure so that everyone, no matter where they live or work, can make the transition to an EV. As of March 2025, the Government and industry have supported the installation of 118,321 publicly available charging devices in England and Wales.

What estimate she has made of the total cost of electric vehicle ownership, including a) purchase price, b) insurance, c) maintenance, d) charging costs and e) vehicle excise duty.

Electric vehicles (EVs) are typically cheaper to own and run than petrol equivalents when purchased using salary sacrifice or when making use of the best available home off-peak charging tariffs. EVs continue to benefit from preferential tax breaks compared to the most polluting vehicles, including via salary sacrifice, and the Electric Car Grant offers up to £3,750 off eligible new EVs. Drivers of a new EV can save as much as £1,400 a year compared to petrol car drivers on running and maintenance costs if they can charge at home using off-peak tariffs. A breakdown of how this is calculated is available here: https://cleanenergy.campaign.gov.uk/electric-vehicle/. Analysis suggests that the average EV driver will pay around £20 a month under the Government’s eVED proposals once the new policy starts in 2028, roughly half the equivalent rate for a petrol car.

What assessment she has made of the potential impact of the average difference in the purchase price of electric vehicles compared with petrol and diesel vehicles on consumers.

The £2 billion Electric Car Grant (ECG) is encouraging more drivers to purchase EVs by reducing upfront costs by up to £3750. Since launch in July 2025, the grant has helped over 75,000 drivers to choose an EV.The grant has been designed to make lower-cost, sustainably manufactured EVs more widely available and only applies to vehicles priced at or below £37,000.Industry intelligence suggests that some EVs on the used market are now similar in price to their petrol and diesel equivalents, with two in five used EVs available for under £20,000.

What assessment she has made of the potential impact of the transition to electric vehicles on the number and proportion of vehicles disposed of annually.

The Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) Mandate and the Government’s Electric Car Grant both require vehicle manufacturers to provide a warranty of at least 8 years or 100,000 miles on electric vehicle (EV) batteries, ensuring vehicles and their batteries have long useable lives. The latest evidence on vehicle lifespans shows that EVs last just as long as their petrol equivalents. Battery replacements remain rare, and do not require the full vehicle to be disposed of. The number and proportion of vehicles scrapped annually is not expected to be affected by the transition to ZEVs.

What assessment she has made of the potential for increased vehicle scrappage if electric vehicle batteries require replacement earlier than expected.

The latest evidence on electric vehicle (EV) battery lifespans shows that average degradation is much slower than originally expected, with different studies suggesting the average battery retains between 81.6 and 85% of its original capacity after eight years. Battery replacements remain rare and do not require the full vehicle to be scrapped. Old batteries must be recycled.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. The Government expects a significant positive downstream effect in the used EV market.The Government is exploring options to adopt battery health regulations which would provide consumers with clearer information on an EV’s remaining battery capacity. These measures would further strengthen consumer confidence in second-hand EV purchases.

What steps she is taking to increase the availability of rapid and ultra-rapid charging infrastructure in rural areas.

As of January 2026, 20.3% of rapid and ultra-rapid EV chargers were in rural areas, higher than the proportion of the population of England and Wales that live in rural areas (17.5%).There are currently over 26,378 open-access 50kW+ chargers in the UK. This includes over 6,400 charge points within one mile of the Strategic Road Network (SRN, motorways and major A-roads in England), which have more than quadrupled in the last three years (July 2022 – October 2025, Zapmap). The Government will continue to work closely with industry to target support where it is needed, including gaps in charging provision on the SRN. This includes support through a £10 million innovation fund, which is open to applications until later this month.

With reference to his Department’s press release entitled £271 million to clean up shipping and power coastal communities, what estimate he has made of the level of private investment expected to be leveraged by the £271 million clean maritime funding package.

All projects in UK SHORE competitions winners are required to provide match-funding from industry, which guarantees sector support and investment. We anticipate the two new competitions will progress innovation even further and attract additional private investment, having a positive impact on future greenhouse gas emissions and interim emissions reductions targets as set out in the Maritime Decarbonisation Strategy. The level of emissions savings and investment will be assessed as part of the project bidding process.

With reference to his Department’s press release entitled £271 million to clean up shipping and power coastal communities, what estimate he has made of the greenhouse gas emissions reductions expected from projects funded through the £271 million clean shipping investment.

All projects in UK SHORE competitions winners are required to provide match-funding from industry, which guarantees sector support and investment. We anticipate the two new competitions will progress innovation even further and attract additional private investment, having a positive impact on future greenhouse gas emissions and interim emissions reductions targets as set out in the Maritime Decarbonisation Strategy. The level of emissions savings and investment will be assessed as part of the project bidding process.

With reference to his Department’s press release entitled £271 million to clean up shipping and power coastal communities, what assessment he has made of the adequacy regional distribution of funding from the £271 million clean maritime investment.

Regional investment levels will be assessed as part of the project bidding process, which operates through fair and open competition and is independently assessed. Since 2021, the UK Shipping Office for Reducing Emissions (UK SHORE) has allocated £260 million in funding to over 200 projects in all 12 regions and nations of the UK, and we expect similar coverage for the recently announced £271m. To ensure the funding is widely communicated and all regions benefit from the competitions, we are working through Innovate UK to host industry events across the country. Innovate UK hosted a national briefing event online on the 19th of March, where details of the Clean Maritime Demonstration Competition Round 7 were shared. This event is open to all organisations who are interested in applying to the CMDC7 competition. Further events will be held for the Zero Emission and Vessel Infrastructure scheme.

With reference to his Department’s press release entitled £271 million to clean up shipping and power coastal communities, how much of the £271 million has been allocated to ports in Essex.

All UK SHORE funding, including the Clean Maritime Demonstration Competition and the Zero Emission Vessels and Infrastructure scheme, is allocated through fair and open competition. Assessments of the bids will be made once the application window closes, 15 July for CMDC Round 7 and 16 September for ZEVI Round 2. To date, UK SHORE funding has supported eleven different organisations in Essex, eight of which were small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). This is out of a total of 500 businesses across the UK, including 250 small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). The first two Clean Maritime Decarbonisation Competition (CMDC) rounds alone supported over 750 new and existing jobs. Ports in Essex have received £129,152 of UK SHORE funding to date.

With reference to his Department’s press release entitled £271 million to clean up shipping and power coastal communities, what estimate he has made of the number of jobs in (a) the South Basildon and East Thurrock constituency and (b) Essex expected to be created and supported as a result of the £271 million investment in clean maritime technologies and infrastructure.

All UK SHORE funding, including the Clean Maritime Demonstration Competition and the Zero Emission Vessels and Infrastructure scheme, is allocated through fair and open competition. Assessments of the bids will be made once the application window closes, 15 July for CMDC Round 7 and 16 September for ZEVI Round 2. To date, UK SHORE funding has supported eleven different organisations in Essex, eight of which were small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). This is out of a total of 500 businesses across the UK, including 250 small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). The first two Clean Maritime Decarbonisation Competition (CMDC) rounds alone supported over 750 new and existing jobs. Ports in Essex have received £129,152 of UK SHORE funding to date.

With reference to his Department’s press release entitled £271 million to clean up shipping and power coastal communities, what proportion of projects funded through the Clean Maritime Demonstration Competition and the Zero Emission Vessels and Infrastructure Fund are expected to involve small and medium-sized enterprises.

All UK SHORE funding, including the Clean Maritime Demonstration Competition and the Zero Emission Vessels and Infrastructure scheme, is allocated through fair and open competition. Assessments of the bids will be made once the application window closes, 15 July for CMDC Round 7 and 16 September for ZEVI Round 2. To date, UK SHORE funding has supported eleven different organisations in Essex, eight of which were small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). This is out of a total of 500 businesses across the UK, including 250 small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). The first two Clean Maritime Decarbonisation Competition (CMDC) rounds alone supported over 750 new and existing jobs. Ports in Essex have received £129,152 of UK SHORE funding to date.

Whether she plans to introduce minimum national standards for highway drainage maintenance.

Local highway authorities have a duty under Section 41 of the Highways Act 1980 to maintain the highways network in their area. It is for each individual local highway authority to assess which parts of its network need repair and what standards should be applied, based upon their local knowledge and circumstances. Although the Government does not currently assess the adequacy of drainage maintenance practice in each authority, it does encourage authorities to maintain their drainage assets through guidance.

What assessment she has made of the adequacy of drainage maintenance practices by local highway authorities.

Local highway authorities have a duty under Section 41 of the Highways Act 1980 to maintain the highways network in their area. It is for each individual local highway authority to assess which parts of its network need repair and what standards should be applied, based upon their local knowledge and circumstances. Although the Government does not currently assess the adequacy of drainage maintenance practice in each authority, it does encourage authorities to maintain their drainage assets through guidance.

What assessment she has made of the potential impact of the availability of secure lorry parks on freight crime levels.

The Department has not assessed the impact of secure lorry parking or enhanced lighting and CCTV at lorry parks on levels of freight crime. The 2022 survey of HGV parking in England identified a lack of security measures and secure parking as a priority for drivers. This informed the design of the Lorry Parking and Driver Welfare Match Funding Grant Scheme which included funding for security measures such as enhanced lighting and CCTV. A new National Lorry Parking Survey is currently underway to provide up to date evidence on the availability, security and quality of lorry parking in England and by region. Transport Focus published a survey of HGV drivers in December 2025 which found that visible security measures are a priority for drivers and support both vehicle security and driver welfare. Crime recording is a matter for the Home Office. Police‑recorded crime data does not separately identify freight crime or its location, therefore no assessment can be done on the number of incidents at secure lorry parks or analysis of trends over time. However, a Home Office pilot of a flag to improve the identification of freight‑related offences is underway with a small number of police forces. The National Vehicle Crime Intelligence Service (NaVCIS), publish data on HGV and cargo related crime notifications received from police forces and members as follows: YearNo. of Offences20204,46820214,44820225,10320235,37020244,879 DfT officials have worked with NaVCIS to identify areas of high HGV and cargo related crimes. This unpublished analysis is supporting future policy development.

What assessment she has made of the potential impact of a) enhanced lighting and b) CCTV at lorry parks on levels of freight crime.

The Department has not assessed the impact of secure lorry parking or enhanced lighting and CCTV at lorry parks on levels of freight crime. The 2022 survey of HGV parking in England identified a lack of security measures and secure parking as a priority for drivers. This informed the design of the Lorry Parking and Driver Welfare Match Funding Grant Scheme which included funding for security measures such as enhanced lighting and CCTV. A new National Lorry Parking Survey is currently underway to provide up to date evidence on the availability, security and quality of lorry parking in England and by region. Transport Focus published a survey of HGV drivers in December 2025 which found that visible security measures are a priority for drivers and support both vehicle security and driver welfare. Crime recording is a matter for the Home Office. Police‑recorded crime data does not separately identify freight crime or its location, therefore no assessment can be done on the number of incidents at secure lorry parks or analysis of trends over time. However, a Home Office pilot of a flag to improve the identification of freight‑related offences is underway with a small number of police forces. The National Vehicle Crime Intelligence Service (NaVCIS), publish data on HGV and cargo related crime notifications received from police forces and members as follows: YearNo. of Offences20204,46820214,44820225,10320235,37020244,879 DfT officials have worked with NaVCIS to identify areas of high HGV and cargo related crimes. This unpublished analysis is supporting future policy development.

What proportion of freight crimes reported in the last 12 months occurred at secure lorry parks.

The Department has not assessed the impact of secure lorry parking or enhanced lighting and CCTV at lorry parks on levels of freight crime. The 2022 survey of HGV parking in England identified a lack of security measures and secure parking as a priority for drivers. This informed the design of the Lorry Parking and Driver Welfare Match Funding Grant Scheme which included funding for security measures such as enhanced lighting and CCTV. A new National Lorry Parking Survey is currently underway to provide up to date evidence on the availability, security and quality of lorry parking in England and by region. Transport Focus published a survey of HGV drivers in December 2025 which found that visible security measures are a priority for drivers and support both vehicle security and driver welfare. Crime recording is a matter for the Home Office. Police‑recorded crime data does not separately identify freight crime or its location, therefore no assessment can be done on the number of incidents at secure lorry parks or analysis of trends over time. However, a Home Office pilot of a flag to improve the identification of freight‑related offences is underway with a small number of police forces. The National Vehicle Crime Intelligence Service (NaVCIS), publish data on HGV and cargo related crime notifications received from police forces and members as follows: YearNo. of Offences20204,46820214,44820225,10320235,37020244,879 DfT officials have worked with NaVCIS to identify areas of high HGV and cargo related crimes. This unpublished analysis is supporting future policy development.

What assessment she has made of trends in the level of freight crime over the last five years.

The Department has not assessed the impact of secure lorry parking or enhanced lighting and CCTV at lorry parks on levels of freight crime. The 2022 survey of HGV parking in England identified a lack of security measures and secure parking as a priority for drivers. This informed the design of the Lorry Parking and Driver Welfare Match Funding Grant Scheme which included funding for security measures such as enhanced lighting and CCTV. A new National Lorry Parking Survey is currently underway to provide up to date evidence on the availability, security and quality of lorry parking in England and by region. Transport Focus published a survey of HGV drivers in December 2025 which found that visible security measures are a priority for drivers and support both vehicle security and driver welfare. Crime recording is a matter for the Home Office. Police‑recorded crime data does not separately identify freight crime or its location, therefore no assessment can be done on the number of incidents at secure lorry parks or analysis of trends over time. However, a Home Office pilot of a flag to improve the identification of freight‑related offences is underway with a small number of police forces. The National Vehicle Crime Intelligence Service (NaVCIS), publish data on HGV and cargo related crime notifications received from police forces and members as follows: YearNo. of Offences20204,46820214,44820225,10320235,37020244,879 DfT officials have worked with NaVCIS to identify areas of high HGV and cargo related crimes. This unpublished analysis is supporting future policy development.

What recent data her Department holds on levels of freight crime affecting HGV drivers.

The Department has not assessed the impact of secure lorry parking or enhanced lighting and CCTV at lorry parks on levels of freight crime. The 2022 survey of HGV parking in England identified a lack of security measures and secure parking as a priority for drivers. This informed the design of the Lorry Parking and Driver Welfare Match Funding Grant Scheme which included funding for security measures such as enhanced lighting and CCTV. A new National Lorry Parking Survey is currently underway to provide up to date evidence on the availability, security and quality of lorry parking in England and by region. Transport Focus published a survey of HGV drivers in December 2025 which found that visible security measures are a priority for drivers and support both vehicle security and driver welfare. Crime recording is a matter for the Home Office. Police‑recorded crime data does not separately identify freight crime or its location, therefore no assessment can be done on the number of incidents at secure lorry parks or analysis of trends over time. However, a Home Office pilot of a flag to improve the identification of freight‑related offences is underway with a small number of police forces. The National Vehicle Crime Intelligence Service (NaVCIS), publish data on HGV and cargo related crime notifications received from police forces and members as follows: YearNo. of Offences20204,46820214,44820225,10320235,37020244,879 DfT officials have worked with NaVCIS to identify areas of high HGV and cargo related crimes. This unpublished analysis is supporting future policy development.

Pursuant to Answer of 26 February 2026 to Question 115137, how many new secure HGV parking spaces have been delivered in each region of England since 2022.

The Department has not assessed the impact of secure lorry parking or enhanced lighting and CCTV at lorry parks on levels of freight crime. The 2022 survey of HGV parking in England identified a lack of security measures and secure parking as a priority for drivers. This informed the design of the Lorry Parking and Driver Welfare Match Funding Grant Scheme which included funding for security measures such as enhanced lighting and CCTV. A new National Lorry Parking Survey is currently underway to provide up to date evidence on the availability, security and quality of lorry parking in England and by region. Transport Focus published a survey of HGV drivers in December 2025 which found that visible security measures are a priority for drivers and support both vehicle security and driver welfare. Crime recording is a matter for the Home Office. Police‑recorded crime data does not separately identify freight crime or its location, therefore no assessment can be done on the number of incidents at secure lorry parks or analysis of trends over time. However, a Home Office pilot of a flag to improve the identification of freight‑related offences is underway with a small number of police forces. The National Vehicle Crime Intelligence Service (NaVCIS), publish data on HGV and cargo related crime notifications received from police forces and members as follows: YearNo. of Offences20204,46820214,44820225,10320235,37020244,879 DfT officials have worked with NaVCIS to identify areas of high HGV and cargo related crimes. This unpublished analysis is supporting future policy development.