Written questions by Wrigley.

If she will make an assessment of the potential impact of a reduction of the VAT costs of public EV chargers on the take-up of EV cars in Devon.

Awaiting answer.

What assessment she has made of the potential impact of private jets on the availability of jet fuel for commercial flights.

Awaiting answer.

If she will make an assessment of the potential merits of reducing VED for vehicles ages 20-39 years old by 50%.

At Budget 2014 the Government announced that it would introduce a rolling 40-year exemption from Vehicle Excise Duty (VED) for classic cars. This means that currently vehicles constructed before 1 January 1986 are exempt from paying VED. The law does not specifically define a vehicle as historic or classic for registration purposes, and it is widely recognised that there are many factors other than age which influence whether a car is considered classic. The Government at the time therefore set 40 years as being a fair cut-off date to distinguish classic cars from older cars. There are no current plans to reduce VED for cars aged 20 to 39 years. As with all taxes, VED is kept under review and any changes will be considered by the Chancellor in the context of the public finances.

What guidance the Department issues on the acceptable duration of full closures of rail lines for planned engineering works, with particular reference to the coastal route between Newton Abbot and Dawlish.

The Department for Transport does not set acceptability criteria for access to rail lines for engineering works. Access is agreed through the established regulatory and contractual framework. Network Rail engages train operators via the Network Code and Access Agreements to agree possessions, taking account of passenger and stakeholder impacts.

What the average duration has been of full closures of the rail line between Newton Abbot and Dawlish for planned works in the latest period for which data is available.

During the 2025-26 Financial Year, there were planned closures for two midweek nights during the last week of February, for 6 hours each night. On the first weekend in March, there was a planned closure for 52 hours. On the second weekend in March, there was a planned closure for 10 hours. All other access required for maintenance of our infrastructure is carried out during ‘rules of the route possessions’ when no trains are running, to avoid impact to train operators.

What assessment her Department made of the potential impact of onboard connectivity and mobile signal coverage on productivity and passenger experience on long-distance rail services in the South West.

The Department is committed to improving on-train Wi-Fi for passengers, including on the Great Western Railways route, where poor connectivity remains an issue. That is why we have secured £57 million as part of the recent Spending Review to improve on train Wi-Fi using low earth orbit satellite connectivity on our mainline trains, which will include services on the Great Western Railways route. Officials have also been working with the Peninsula Taskforce and Motion Applied on the trial Peninsula Taskforce funded to test low earth orbit and 5G connectivity. The tests on the train itself have evidently been successful. Other operators, such as London North Eastern Railways, have also shown that low earth orbit technology provides high speeds – up to 200 megabits per second, enabling passengers to receive a much better mobile connection through the on-train Wi-Fi than they receive today. Network Rail's Project Reach will also address mobile connectivity in 57 key mainline tunnels, which include ones on the Great Western Railways route, and this will complement the low earth orbit solution.

Whether her Department plans to support the rollout of enhanced onboard Wi-Fi services across Great Western Railway routes.

The Department is committed to improving on-train Wi-Fi for passengers, including on the Great Western Railways route, where poor connectivity remains an issue. That is why we have secured £57 million as part of the recent Spending Review to improve on train Wi-Fi using low earth orbit satellite connectivity on our mainline trains, which will include services on the Great Western Railways route. Officials have also been working with the Peninsula Taskforce and Motion Applied on the trial Peninsula Taskforce funded to test low earth orbit and 5G connectivity. The tests on the train itself have evidently been successful. Other operators, such as London North Eastern Railways, have also shown that low earth orbit technology provides high speeds – up to 200 megabits per second, enabling passengers to receive a much better mobile connection through the on-train Wi-Fi than they receive today. Network Rail's Project Reach will also address mobile connectivity in 57 key mainline tunnels, which include ones on the Great Western Railways route, and this will complement the low earth orbit solution.

What assessment her Department has made of the effectiveness of the pilot of enhanced onboard Wi-Fi services on Great Western Railway routes in the South West and South Wales.

The Department is committed to improving on-train Wi-Fi for passengers, including on the Great Western Railways route, where poor connectivity remains an issue. That is why we have secured £57 million as part of the recent Spending Review to improve on train Wi-Fi using low earth orbit satellite connectivity on our mainline trains, which will include services on the Great Western Railways route. Officials have also been working with the Peninsula Taskforce and Motion Applied on the trial Peninsula Taskforce funded to test low earth orbit and 5G connectivity. The tests on the train itself have evidently been successful. Other operators, such as London North Eastern Railways, have also shown that low earth orbit technology provides high speeds – up to 200 megabits per second, enabling passengers to receive a much better mobile connection through the on-train Wi-Fi than they receive today. Network Rail's Project Reach will also address mobile connectivity in 57 key mainline tunnels, which include ones on the Great Western Railways route, and this will complement the low earth orbit solution.

What assessment she has made of the adequacy of county councils’ statutory powers to coordinate utility works during major transport infrastructure projects.

The Department has recently strengthened the powers available to local highway authorities through the Street and Road Works (Charges and Penalties) (Amendments) (England) Regulations 2025. These measures are intended to support councils in coordinating utility works more effectively and encourage timely completion of roadworks, including during major transport infrastructure projects. These enforcement powers operate alongside lane rental schemes, which allow authorities to charge up to £2,500 per day for works on the busiest roads at the busiest times. As the Regulations only came into force in January 2026, it is too early to assess their full impact. The Department will review the strengthened penalty regime and the expanding use of lane rental schemes as evidence becomes available, to ensure they collectively support more efficient coordination of street works and reduce disruption to road users.

Pursuant to the Answer of 12 February 2026, what assessment her Department has made of the effectiveness of doubling fixed‑penalty notices and extending overrun charges for utility companies whose roadworks exceed agreed deadlines.

The Department has recently strengthened the powers available to local highway authorities through the Street and Road Works (Charges and Penalties) (Amendments) (England) Regulations 2025. These measures are intended to support councils in coordinating utility works more effectively and encourage timely completion of roadworks, including during major transport infrastructure projects. These enforcement powers operate alongside lane rental schemes, which allow authorities to charge up to £2,500 per day for works on the busiest roads at the busiest times. As the Regulations only came into force in January 2026, it is too early to assess their full impact. The Department will review the strengthened penalty regime and the expanding use of lane rental schemes as evidence becomes available, to ensure they collectively support more efficient coordination of street works and reduce disruption to road users.

Pursuant to the Answer of 10 February 2026 to Question 108386 on the Dawlish sea wall, if she will make an assessment of the potential implications for her policies of updated assessments indicating that seven areas of damage were identified following Storm Ingrid and other recent severe weather events; and how this affects her Department’s plans for long‑term coastal resilience improvements along this section of railway.

The government recognises the importance of a resilient railway that passengers can rely on. Significant government investment has already ensured the South West coastline is better protected against extreme weather, boosting the region’s connectivity and economy for years to come. The new Dawlish sea wall successfully withstood its biggest test during the recent disruptive weather in January 2026, with the structure performing as designed. There were only two significant areas of damage; on the sea wall at Dawlish and near the line at Teignmouth. Urgent repairs were undertaken by Network Rail, which has responsibility to ensure the railway is safe and reliable. The Department will continue to work in partnership with Network Rail to ensure the line remains resilient and is fit for purpose for the local communities it serves. More broadly, the Wales and Western Region will see a £2.6 billion asset renewals programme and £1.6 billion invested to maintain existing assets during Control Period 7. Network Rail is also addressing severe weather events through a comprehensive weather resilience and climate change adaption plan, focusing on safeguarding assets, embedding resilience into daily operations, and adapting to climate change impacts across the route.

Whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential impact of dynamic pricing practices used by airlines during school holiday periods on families with school-aged children.

The UK aviation sector operates as a private market, with airlines independently determining their routes and fare structures. The Minister for Aviation and DfT officials regularly meet airlines to discuss a range of topics, including pricing.The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has statutory competition functions in relation to airline markets. The CMA and the CAA both have responsibilities for enforcing consumer protections relating to price transparency, contract terms and passenger rights, including those during flight disruption.

What assessment she has made of the adequacy of the phase 5 rail resilience programme in the context of water levels in 2026.

We remain committed to concluding the works necessary on this route to mitigate the remaining risks identified in the Southwest Rail Resilience Programme. Network Rail is commencing work on a drainage trial, removing water from a section of the cliffs between Parsons Tunnel and Teignmouth. This trial, along with further ground investigation work, will provide detailed data to inform consideration of a proposal for a long-term solution in due course. Despite the intensity of recent weather, the railway was only closed during the storms themselves, and the impact on the area covered by Phase 5 of the Programme did not affect the availability of the line.

What steps her Department is taking to integrate climate change projections and increased storm frequency into long-term planning for transport and coastal defence infrastructure in Newton Abbot constituency.

The Department for Transport has plans in place and underway with industry to adapt to and mitigate the risks of extreme weather caused by climate change. In 2024, the rail industry agreed a set of climate scenarios. This will harmonise data and methods and will help the industry develop consistent approaches to assess physical risks.Network Rail is undertaking a programme of adaptation pathways across the network, including in Wales and Western region, which covers the Newton Abbot constituency, to develop a long-term strategic adaptation plan and identify priority areas for further adaptation investment. This approach will help identify those parts of the network which may require transformational change to enable safe and reliable services to continue in the future. Network Rail has also produced regional weather resilience and climate change adaptation plans (WRCCA). These explain Network Rail’s understanding of how weather and climate change can affect infrastructure at a more targeted, local level. This work is already informing discussions for future funding periods.In addition, the Department has requested its train operating companies, including Great Western Railway, South Western Railway and CrossCountry, to produce their own WRCCA strategies due at the end of January 2026 and these will add further detail to our understanding of regional risks.

What assessment her Department has made of the recent damage to the Dawlish sea wall and related coastal infrastructure in Devon caused by Storm Ingrid and other severe weather events; and what plans her Department has to support long-term coastal resilience improvements for that infrastructure.

The £165 million of investment into storm resilience around Dawlish after storms in 2014 has significantly improved resilience in this area. Despite the frequency of recent storms and their intensity, the works done since 2014 held up well and there were only two areas of damage, one a low wall between the coastal path and the railway, and the other a small breach some distance from the line, both of which have been made safe. The railway was not closed for long other than during the storms themselves, and held up remarkably well, a tribute to the works done since 2014. Nevertheless, Network Rail will continue to plan for similar events and pursue actions to keep the railway running reliably.

If her Department will meet with Network Rail to discuss funding for the final phase of the South West Resilience Programme in the context of storm Ingrid.

Departmental officials meet with Network Rail regularly to discuss and review investment proposals across the Western route. While the cliffs at Teignmouth were not affected by storms Ingrid and Chandra, officials are monitoring progress with the drainage and ground investigations work we have funded so far on Phase 5 of the South West Rail Resilience Programme, which will inform options for a longer-term solution. The investment made to date in storm resilience around Dawlish after storms in 2014 has significantly improved resilience in this area and held up well despite the frequency of recent storms and their intensity. Nevertheless, Network Rail will continue to plan for similar events and pursue actions to keep the railway running reliably.

If she will take steps to create a public awareness campaign to promote the new highway code rules.

Injuries and fatalities from road collisions caused by driving are unacceptable, and this Government will work hard to prevent these tragedies for all road users.That is why on 7 January 2026, we published our new Road Safety Strategy, setting out our vision for a safer future on our roads for all.Following updates to the Highway Code in 2022, the department ran large-scale THINK! advertising campaigns to raise awareness of the changes. Via the THINK! campaign, we are also running year-round radio filler adverts encouraging compliance with the guidance to improve safety for those walking, cycling and horse riding. We will also continue to promote the changes via THINK! and Department for Transport social media channels, as well as through partner organisations. However, as set out in the strategy, more work is needed to continue embedding these changes and overall awareness of the Highway Code. We are considering options in this area, and further details will be shared in due course. As our road environment and technologies evolve, providing education for all road users throughout their lifetime is vital to improving road safety. As announced in the strategy to support a Lifelong Learning approach in the UK, the government will publish for the first time national guidance on the development and delivery of road safety education, training and publicity. Alongside this, the government will publish a manual to support the implementation of a Lifelong Learning approach for road safety.

Whether her Department plans to (a) publish guidance and (b) pursue agreements to help improve certainty for UK Blue Badge holders driving in EU member states.

The Blue Badge scheme in the UK is administered and enforced by local authorities and applies to on-street parking locations only. While the UK has informal reciprocal arrangements with EU Member States, acceptance of any non-UK badge is ultimately a matter for local authority discretion.The UK is a member of the European Conference of Ministers of Transport Resolution ECMT Resolution 97/4 and has accepted Resolution 97/4, but this is not mandatory, nor is it reflected in UK domestic legislation.The UK continues to recognise disabled parking cards issued in individual EU/EEA Nations for people visiting and travelling in the UK. Any confirmation of reciprocity of this goodwill gesture is not legally binding. It is for individual EU Member States to decide if they will recognise a Disabled Parking Card issued in another country. Using a Blue Badge in Europe - GOV.UKThe Department for Transport has ongoing discussions with individual countries regarding continued recognition of the UK Blue Badge across the European Union (EU).Through close working and partnership with our French and Spanish friends and allies, this Government has now secured the mutual recognition with France regarding each other’s disabled parking permits and are now currently working on the final agreement with Spain. This means that UK Blue Badge holders can now travel with confidence when heading to France for their holidays or travel and this will also apply to Spain in due course.

What discussions her Department has had with the European Commission and EU member states on the recognition of UK-issued Blue Badges for disabled drivers.

The Blue Badge scheme in the UK is administered and enforced by local authorities and applies to on-street parking locations only. While the UK has informal reciprocal arrangements with EU Member States, acceptance of any non-UK badge is ultimately a matter for local authority discretion.The UK is a member of the European Conference of Ministers of Transport Resolution ECMT Resolution 97/4 and has accepted Resolution 97/4, but this is not mandatory, nor is it reflected in UK domestic legislation.The UK continues to recognise disabled parking cards issued in individual EU/EEA Nations for people visiting and travelling in the UK. Any confirmation of reciprocity of this goodwill gesture is not legally binding. It is for individual EU Member States to decide if they will recognise a Disabled Parking Card issued in another country. Using a Blue Badge in Europe - GOV.UKThe Department for Transport has ongoing discussions with individual countries regarding continued recognition of the UK Blue Badge across the European Union (EU).Through close working and partnership with our French and Spanish friends and allies, this Government has now secured the mutual recognition with France regarding each other’s disabled parking permits and are now currently working on the final agreement with Spain. This means that UK Blue Badge holders can now travel with confidence when heading to France for their holidays or travel and this will also apply to Spain in due course.

Whether she plans to seek mutual recognition of UK Blue Badges for disabled drivers when travelling in EU member states.

The Blue Badge scheme in the UK is administered and enforced by local authorities and applies to on-street parking locations only. While the UK has informal reciprocal arrangements with EU Member States, acceptance of any non-UK badge is ultimately a matter for local authority discretion.The UK is a member of the European Conference of Ministers of Transport Resolution ECMT Resolution 97/4 and has accepted Resolution 97/4, but this is not mandatory, nor is it reflected in UK domestic legislation.The UK continues to recognise disabled parking cards issued in individual EU/EEA Nations for people visiting and travelling in the UK. Any confirmation of reciprocity of this goodwill gesture is not legally binding. It is for individual EU Member States to decide if they will recognise a Disabled Parking Card issued in another country. Using a Blue Badge in Europe - GOV.UKThe Department for Transport has ongoing discussions with individual countries regarding continued recognition of the UK Blue Badge across the European Union (EU).Through close working and partnership with our French and Spanish friends and allies, this Government has now secured the mutual recognition with France regarding each other’s disabled parking permits and are now currently working on the final agreement with Spain. This means that UK Blue Badge holders can now travel with confidence when heading to France for their holidays or travel and this will also apply to Spain in due course.