Every parliamentary written question tabled by Nick Timothy this session, with the full answer and department. Back to the MP page.
Showing 681–700 of 953 · this parliament
How many trees have been planted by Highways England in each year between 2014 and 2024; and what the cost to the public purse was of this work.
National Highways (NH) does not keep a central record of the number of trees they have planted across England in any given year. However, as outlined in their ‘Net zero highways: our 2030 / 2040 / 2050 plan’, NH aims to plant at least 3 million trees by 2030 (in addition to the trees planted as ‘essential mitigation’ for projects).
Pursuant to the Answer of 21 January 2025 to Question 23517, on Crime: Westminster Bridge, what steps her Department is taking to tackle (a) unlawful parking and (b) unlicensed pedicabs on Westminster Bridge; and if she will initiate discussions with the relevant responsible authority.
Westminster Bridge is owned and managed by Transport for London (TfL). Ministers and officials have regular conversations with TfL on a variety of issues but decisions about unlawful parking and unlicenced pedicabs on Westminster Bridge are solely for them to make. However, the Department for Transport has recognised the need to regulate the Pedicabs industry in London through the passing of the Pedicabs (London) Act 2024. This legislation will be applied through regulations that TfL are currently consulting on until 7 March 2025.
If she will make an estimate of the potential cost to the public purse of building (a) charging infrastructure and (b) on-road services for electric vehicles in each year between 2014 and 2024.
The Government is committed to accelerating the roll-out of charging infrastructure so that everyone, no matter where they live or work, can make the transition to an electric vehicle (EV). We will work closely with stakeholders to accelerate the rollout of chargepoints, and to ensure the benefits of the transition are felt across all of society. The On-Street Residential Chargepoint Scheme (ORCS) has awarded £83 million in grant funding to 219 LAs since 2017 and will see more than 21,300 chargepoints installed.Between 2017 and 2024, over £14m was spent by National Highways to advance the rollout of chargepoint infrastructure on the Strategic Road Network, including £4.5 million through a project to install chargepoints and £9.5m through the Energy Storage Systems project to support ultra rapid chargepoints at motorway service areas. In addition, Ofgem has run a £300m Green Recovery Scheme to accelerate network investment, including to support charging at motorway service areas.The £381m Local EV Infrastructure (LEVI) Fund supports local authorities in England to work with industry and transform the availability of EV charging for drivers without off-street parking. The funding backed by substantial private investment, will support the installation of at least 100,000 on-street chargepoints, ensuring the rollout continues at pace to support drivers in every part of the country.In addition, the Government confirmed in the October 2024 Budget that it wants to support the uptake of EVs by investing over £200 million in 2025/26 to accelerate EV chargepoint rollout.
What recent discussions (a) ministers, (b) special advisers and (c) officials within his Department have had with technology companies on the energy infrastructure needed for new data centres.
Details of Ministers' and Permanent Secretaries' meetings with external individuals and organisations are published quarterly in arrears on GOV.UK.
If he will take steps to allow the National Policy Statements for Energy and Planning Policy Guidance to approve grid infrastructure for new data centres.
The Planning and Infrastructure Bill will provide the powers to accelerate the infrastructure needed to deliver on the Government’s ambitions. The Government published a working paper [1] on the proposals on the 26th January 2025 and more detail will be available in due course. [1] https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/planning-reform-working-paper-streamlining-infrastructure-planning/planning-reform-working-paper-streamlining-infrastructure-planning
Pursuant to the Answer of 21 January 2025 to Question 23517 on Crime: Westminster Bridge, which public bodies are responsible for law enforcement in relation to (a) unlawful gambling, (b) unlawful street vendors, (c) red line parking and (d) unlicensed pedicabs on Westminster Bridge.
Localised incidents of illegal gambling are the responsibility of the relevant licensing authority and relevant police force. In the case of Westminster Bridge, this is Westminster City Council and the Metropolitan Police. The police are able to ask street vendors to show their licence. Westminster Bridge is on the Transport for London Road Network and enforcement action against illegally parked vehicles there is a matter for Transport for London (TfL). The Pedicabs (London) Act 2024 conferred powers onto TfL to regulate London’s pedicab industry for the first time, and TfL has now begun the process of consulting on the proposed regulations.
If he will take steps to bring grid infrastructure for new data centres under the Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project regime.
The Planning and Infrastructure Bill will provide the powers to accelerate the infrastructure needed to deliver on the Government’s ambitions. The Government published a working paper [1] on the proposals on the 26th January 2025 and more detail will be available in due course. [1] https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/planning-reform-working-paper-streamlining-infrastructure-planning/planning-reform-working-paper-streamlining-infrastructure-planning
If she will make an estimate of the number and proportion of Highways England vehicles that were (a) petrol, (b) diesel, (c) hydrogen, (d) hybrid, (e) plug-in hybrid and (f) fully electric in each year between 2014 and 2024.
National Highways keeps records of the vehicles that make up its fleet; the breakdown of vehicle fuel type between 2014 and 2024 can be found in the table below. Vehicle TypeYearPetrolDieselHydrogenHybridPlug-in HybridFully Electric20140685000020150717000020160730000120170755000120180784000120190826003512020083300312192021083300440202022076200616392023059700811572024046000883132 National Highways have an ambitious plan for their non-traffic officer vehicles to be 100% electric by 2027, with traffic officer vehicles to be 100% electric by 2030 (as laid out in their Net zero highways: our 2030 / 2040 / 2050 plan).
What proportion of lighting on (a) motorways and (b) A roads has been replaced with LEDs in each year between 2014 and 2024; and what the cost to the public purse was of this work.
The answer could only be provided at a disproportionate cost.
Media and Sport, pursuant to the Answer of 21 January 2025 to Question 23517 on Crime: Westminster Bridge, what steps her Department is taking to tackle unlawful gambling on Westminster Bridge; and if she will initiate discussions with the relevant responsible authority.
Localised incidents of unlawful gambling such as those on Westminster Bridge are the responsibility of the relevant licensing authority and police force. In the case of Westminster Bridge, this is Westminster City Council and the Metropolitan Police. The Gambling Commission also provides guidance for licensing authorities about illegal gambling on its website.
Pursuant to the Answer of 21 January 2025 to Question 23517 on Crime: Westminster Bridge, what role the Government has (a) in policing and (b) tackling crime within Whitehall’s Government Secure Zone; and whether Westminster Bridge is in the Government Secure Zone.
Departmental responsibility for tackling crime, whether on Westminster Bridge, or in the Hon Member’s own constituency of West Suffolk is a matter for the relevant local police force.
Whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of building new data centres on (a) sites of decommissioned power stations and (b) other brownfield sites.
The suitability of any site for a data centre depends on a number of factors including grid capacity, state of grid infrastructure and availability of data connectivity. Future AI Growth Zones will be selected taking into account these factors.
What assessment he has made of the potential impact of his policies on the construction of off-grid infrastructure for new data centres, including on (a) gas-fired power plants, (b) nuclear power plants, (c) small modular reactors, and (d) renewables.
Data centres are normally connected to the transmission and distribution grid rather than off-grid connection as this gives them resilience to planned and forced outages of an individual power source. Consequently, my Department has not made any assessment of off-grid infrastructure requirements.
What discussions his Department has had with (a) Highways England and (b) Distribution Network Operators on steps to accelerate the upgrades to substations near charging points on (i) motorways and (ii) A roads.
Government is committed to accelerating the rollout of EV charging infrastructure to support long journeys in line with ambitions for a zero emission car, van and HGV fleet. Access to a comprehensive ultra-rapid chargepoint network will enable more consumers to confidently purchase electric vehicles. There has been good progress on chargepoints on our Strategic Road Network (SRN), covering motorways and major A Roads in England. There are now over 4,500 rapid and ultra rapid chargers within one mile of the strategic road network, a major increase since January 2022 (Zapmap). Within this, there are over 1,100 open-access rapid and ultra-rapid chargepoints (industry data) at motorway service areas in England, which is an over 40% increase in the last year. Government is taking a range of actions to support improvements in charging infrastructure on the SRN, including to address gaps in the network, and has been engaging closely with industry, including distribution network operators (DNOs). This includes working with Ofgem and distribution network operators to develop a new, more affordable, approach so power capacity use at charging sites can be increased over time in line with demand, and on the Green Recovery Scheme, a £300m scheme to accelerate network investment. Government has worked with National Highways to deliver a joint Energy Storage Systems (ESS) project (£11m) to fund batteries, and on a £70m pilot scheme to part-fund grid upgrades, both to support charging at motorway sites.
Innovation and Technology, with reference to Clean Power 2030 Action Plan, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the AI Opportunities Action Plan on future (a) instances of judicial review, (b) environmental impact assessments and (c) local planning decisions on grid infrastructure for new data centres.
The AI Opportunities Action Plan sets out measures to support AI infrastructure development, including tackling challenges like planning and energy access. As part of this, the Government is considering how best to ensure an efficient regulatory and planning framework while maintaining high environmental and legal standards. This includes engagement with local authorities and relevant regulators to explore ways to manage planning processes effectively, including for grid infrastructure linked to new data centres.
If she will make an estimate of the potential cost to the public purse for Highways England to decarbonise (a) internal operations by 2030, (b) road maintenance and construction by 2040, and (c) travel on roads by 2050.
The draft third Road Investment Strategy (RIS3), which will cover five years from April 2026 to March 2031, will be published in due course. This will set out the Government’s objectives for the Strategic Road Network and the funding available. This includes in relation to National Highways’ climate obligations and commitments.
How many electric vehicle pilots were administered by Highways England in each year between 2014 and 2024; and what the cost to the public purse was per pilot.
National Highways has an electric vehicle pilot working group. It has undertaken 3 electric vehicle trials as follows: 2023 – present: £337,382.832024 – present: £453,487.402024 – present: £16,206.05 The first two pilot projects listed were supported via the National Highways designated funds programme to support its commitment to progress towards a zero-emission fleet. The third pilot was provided as a business demonstrator, provided on a loan basis by the vehicle manufacturer.
If she will list all (a) start and (b) end dates for lease agreements held by Highways England for their vehicle fleet.
National Highways does not currently have any lease agreements for vehicles in place for its vehicle fleet.
If he will take steps to provide additional support to the (a) Planning Inspectorate, (b) statutory consultees, (c) local planning authorities, and (d) government consenting teams on taking forward grid infrastructure for new data centres.
Reforming the planning system is key to unlocking our country’s economic growth, to deliver the critical infrastructure that we need. The Government has announced a £46 million package of investment into the planning system to support capacity and capability. The Government will deliver workforce reform, enhanced training, and reformed career development packages. Resourcing in key organisations, including the Planning Inspectorate and Government consenting teams are currently being reviewed to determine the required support.
Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 21 January 2025 to Question 23517, on Crime: Westminster Bridge, what steps her Department is taking to tackle unlawful street vendors on Westminster Bridge; and if she will initiate discussions with the relevant responsible authority.
I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 9942 on 22 November 2024.