Written questions by Kirkham.

Whether businesses that re-power existing buses will be eligible for future government funding rounds for zero-emissions buses.

Awaiting answer.

Whether small to medium-sized commercial work and fishing vessels could be incorporated in the RTFO framework, allowing carbon credits to be applied to each litre of fuel and reducing the cost per litre of HVO.

Last year the Government published the Maritime Decarbonisation Strategy, setting out the pathway to zero emissions by 2050. This will be delivered through five key policies, including fuel regulation and emissions trading. Alongside this we published a Call for Evidence on decarbonising smaller vessels, and we will publish a summary of responses to this later this year.

What steps her Department is taking to ensure that contracts for Trinity House multi-function vessels are awarded to UK shipyards.

Trinity House is the contracting authority for this contract. It is following the requirements of the Procurement Act 2023 which include a fair, open and transparent competition allowing all eligible suppliers to compete on an equal basis. This competition is the perfect opportunity for UK yards to demonstrate their strengths, skills and competitiveness on an international stage. Regardless of which supplier is ultimately awarded the contract, this programme will also generate significant value for the UK through ongoing maintenance, support services and sub-contracting opportunities. We are continuing to support the growth of the UK shipbuilding industry through the excellent work of the National Shipbuilding Office.

Whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of allowing HGV drivers with controlled Type 1 diabetes to renew their Class 1 licence every three years.

The medical standards for driving require Group 2 (lorry and bus) drivers with diabetes to have an annual medical assessment to ensure they meet the higher medical standards required for Group 2 drivers. The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency keep standards under review in conjunction with the Secretary of State for Transport’s Honorary Medical Advisory Panel on Diabetes and Driving. However, there are no plans to change the existing requirements and allow Group 2 drivers with controlled Type 1 diabetes to renew driving licence every three years.

When she plans to announce details of the next steps of the Maritime Decarbonisation Plan, including responses to calls for evidence on net zero ports and decarbonising small vessels.

We are already meeting the commitments set out in the 2025 Maritime Decarbonisation Strategy. This includes expanding the UK Emissions Trading Scheme to the domestic maritime sector from July this year and a further £448 million for the UK SHORE programme supporting the research and development of clean maritime fuels and technologies. As set out in the Maritime Decarbonisation Strategy, we committed to publishing a review of the Strategy within five years of publication and an update following the adoption of the International Maritime Organization’s (IMO’s) mid-term measures. We remain committed to working with other Member States to progress adoption of the mid-term measures this year, which is vital for climate action and providing industry with the certainty it needs. We will provide a summary of responses to the calls for evidence on net zero ports and smaller vessels in due course.

What assessment she has made of the potential merits of making the use of headphones whilst (a) cycling and (b) driving a strict liability offence.

The Department for Transport has not carried out an assessment of the potential merits of making the use of headphones whilst cycling and driving a strict liability offence.Any incident found to be caused by the use of headphones whilst riding a cycle on the road is covered by Rule 66 of The Highway Code that says people should “avoid any actions that could reduce your control of your cycle”, and this could include being distracted due to the use of headphones.Correspondingly, any incident found to be caused by the use of headphones while driving a vehicle on the road is covered by Rule 148 of the Highway Code that says ‘Safe driving and riding needs concentration. Avoid distractions when driving or riding such as loud music (this may mask other sounds) and starting or adjusting any music or radio’Breaches of rules 66 and 148 of the Highway Code are not offences in themselves but may be taken into consideration when determining whether a person is guilty of an offence under the Road Traffic Acts, such as those offences relating to dangerous or careless riding or driving.The Road Traffic Acts provide for a range of sanctions where an offence is committed including fixed penalty notices, criminal prosecution, points on their driving licence (or future driving licence if they do not hold one at the time), and having their vehicle seized.The safety of all road users is a top priority for the Government. As part of the development of our Road Safety Strategy, the Government is considering a range of policies relating to motoring offences, and we’ll set out next steps for the strategy in due course.

What steps she is taking to help ensure school bus travel is (a) affordable and (b) accessible in rural areas.

The Government knows how important affordable and reliable bus services are in enabling people to get to education, particularly in rural areas. On 1 January, we introduced a £3 cap on single bus fares in England outside London to help passengers continue to access cheaper bus services and better opportunities. At the Spending Review we announced the cap would be extended until March 2027.At present, the majority of bus services operate on a commercial basis by private operators, and any decisions regarding the level at which fares are set outside the scope of the £3 bus fare cap are commercial decisions for operators. Bus operators can choose to offer discounted fares for young people, and in the year ending March 2025, youth discounts were offered by at least one commercial bus operator in 73 out of 85 local authority areas in England outside London.As part of the Autumn 2024 Budget, the Government allocated £955 million to support and improve bus services in 2025/26. This includes £712 million for local authorities, this can be used to expand services and improve reliability, which are currently massive obstacles for too many people. Cornwall Council has been allocated £10.6 million of this funding. Funding allocated to local authorities to deliver better bus services can be used in whichever way they wish to improve services for passengers, which could include introducing new fares initiatives to reduce the cost of bus travel for young people.

What steps she has taken to prevent (a) insolvent and (b) financially restricted organisations in the Aircraft Engineering Industry continuing to issue Certificates of Release to Service outside of effective regulatory compliance.

The UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) is responsible for the oversight of Approved Maintenance Organisations which are governed by the Part 145 regulatory framework. Part 145 approval is granted to organisations that demonstrate compliance with requirements including personnel qualifications, facilities, equipment, maintenance procedures, and quality control systems. If a Part 145 approved maintenance organisation enters insolvency or a period of financial difficulties, the CAA may decide to increase the frequency and level of oversight, including unannounced audits, to ensure that it remains complaint with the requirements of Part 145. If the CAA are notified of a senior management change or change in the financial situation of an approved maintenance organisation, the CAA asks the approved maintenance organisation to demonstrate that there is sufficient funding for the intended maintenance activities carried out under its approval. In cases where it is established that an organisation is no longer able to fulfil the requirement of the regulations, its Part-145 maintenance approval will be suspended.

What the average waiting time is for a practical driving test in Cornwall.

The table below shows the average waiting time in weeks for driving test centres (DTCs) that serve customers in Cornwall, as of 5 May 2025. DTCAverage waiting time as of the 5 May 2025 (in weeks).Bodmin24Cambourne24Launceston24

Whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of enabling local authorities to apply to use ANPR to enforce designated pedestrian zones.

Moving traffic contraventions, including entry into a designated pedestrian zone, may be civilly enforced by designated local authorities using CCTV prescribed by regulations made under the Traffic Management Act 2004.By using these cameras local authorities are able to capture not just the number plate and location, but the wider context, to establish whether a contravention has occurred. In the Department’s view, ANPR technology could not in isolation provide the functionality needed for fair and effective civil enforcement.

What steps she is taking to ensure that local SME bus operators are able to participate in future bus franchising schemes.

The Bus Services Act 2017 already requires an authority to make a statement on how they will facilitate SMEs in service provision as part of the franchising process. On 9 September 2024, the Department consulted on updates to bus franchising guidance, these updates aim to reduce the technical barriers to franchising and support safer, more accessible services. The Department is currently reviewing the feedback received, including valuable insights from bus operators and organisations representing small-to-medium-sized operators, and will respond shortly.The Department will continue working with local authorities to develop different franchising models that could be smaller scale, require less financial commitment and support SME participation.