Every parliamentary written question tabled by Richard Holden this session, with the full answer and department. See how every department answers, or back to the MP page.
Showing 2,041–2,060 of 2,912 · this parliament
Whether any public body holds information on the pension liabilities of former UK Members of the European Parliament; and which public body administers those pensions.
The Trustees of the Consolidated Fund provide details of pension scheme liabilities for the European Parliamentary (United Kingdom Representatives) Pension Scheme, which was open to UK Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) elected up to 2009. This information is in the public domain.
Whether the National Security Adviser plays a role in the (a) recruitment and (b) selection of civil servants working on national security issues; and whether he has had discussions with the Civil Service Commission on this issue.
Special advisers are bound by the Special Adviser Code of Conduct which states they should not be involved in the line management of civil servants or in matters affecting a civil servant’s career such as recruitment, promotion, reward and discipline. The commission ensures the integrity of recruitment, including in the NSS, in the usual way.
If he will publish the (a) media grid and (b) media plan for the Government response to the Strategic Defence Review 2025.
Communications plans and products were drafted and issued in line with standard procedures. On Monday 2 June 2025, Ministers conducted 21 interviews with 16 outlets.
Pursuant to the Answer of 2 June 2025 to Question 51450 on Freedom of Information and Written Questions: Costs, what the hourly rate of assessing staff time is for the Parliamentary Question disproportionate cost threshold.
As set out in paragraph 219 of the guide to Parliamentary work, the disproportionate cost threshold is set at 140% of the Freedom of Information cost limit for central government, which is currently £600. The Freedom of Information and Data Protection (Appropriate Limit and Fees) Regulations 2004 set out that costs for these purposes are to be estimated at a rate of £25 per hour.
Whether the No10 (a) press office and (b) grid team were involved in releasing the Strategic Defence Review to the media.
The Strategic Defence Review was announced in Parliament on June 2 by my Rt Hon Friend, the Secretary of State for Defence.
Representing the House of Commons Commission, whether there is a limit on the number of ordinary written parliamentary questions that Rt hon. and hon. Members can table in hard copy on a sitting day.
There is no limit to the number of questions for ordinary written answer which a Member may table in hard copy on each sitting day (see Erskine May, 25th Edition, paragraph 22.4).
Which aircraft from the RAF Command Support Aircraft Fleet are available for ministerial visits from across government; and what the call-signs are of each aircraft.
The Ministry of Defence provides two Envoy aircraft, for Ministerial visits from across Government. I am not prepared to release the details of the call-signs for security reasons.
With reference to his Department's publication entitled CS EDI Expenditure Review Data, published on 29 May 2025, which external organisations provided consultancy to advice by third party providers in 2023-24.
The Civil Service Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Expenditure Review, which was commissioned by the previous administration, asked for consultancy expenditure. It did not collect specific information regarding consultancy providers.
Who the lead policy official is in 10 Downing Street.
The Director of the Policy Unit is the lead policy civil servant in the Prime Minister’s Office.
Media and Sport, what steps she is taking to ensure greater transparency on the individual works of art displayed by public bodies from the Government Art Collection.
The Government Art Collection contains over 15,000 works of art which are displayed in UK government buildings in the UK, and in more than 125 countries around the world. All artworks in the Government Art Collection are listed online and their locations can be searched.
Pursuant to the Answer of 23 April 2025 to Question 44962 on Government Departments: Cost Effectiveness, whether the 2025-26 baseline for the 15% saving in administration budgets includes departmental efficiency savings announced in July 2024.
The savings and efficiencies announced in July 2024 helped to address spending pressures identified through the public spending audit. These included a 2% savings against government administration budgets.In the Spring Statement, the Chancellor announced that all departments would be expected to make a 15% reduction in their administration budgets by 2029-30. This used 2025-26 budgets as published at Autumn Budget 24 as the baseline, which included in-year changes, for example employers’ National Insurance Contributions.
How many full time equivalent permanent staff were assigned to work in the Office for Investment in June (a) 2024 and (b) 2025.
The number of staff (FTE) in the Office for Investment (OfI) was approximately 30. The target operating model for the expanded OfI, which launched on the 5th of June 2025, includes approximately 230 FTE (including overseas OfI representatives). This will be subject to revisions in line with Government policy.
Whether she plans to use digital technologies in Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency services to improve driver identity verification during vehicle (a) registration and (b) ownership transfer.
The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) takes the accuracy of its vehicle register seriously. It is crucial that registered keeper details are accurate for road safety and law enforcement purposes. The latest available data shows that more than 92 per cent of vehicle keepers are contactable and traceable from the information held on the DVLA’s records. Of the remainder, six per cent are in the motor trade which means that there will be no registered keeper details on the vehicle record. The DVLA works closely with a range of key stakeholders on these important issues. The DVLA gathers information and intelligence regarding illegal and improper conduct and will follow up any notifications of fraudulent activity with the relevant authorities. The DVLA also sends the police ‘vehicle of interest’ reports so that the police can use automatic number plate recognition cameras to identify potential offenders. These reports include vehicles which have no registered keeper details, no insurance or no valid MOT. Evidence of identity, which can be a passport, driving licence or utility bill, must be presented when a vehicle is being registered for the first time. However, to ensure that services remain both easy for customers to use and cost effective for taxpayers, there are no plans to introduce checks when a vehicle subsequently changes hands. It would be very difficult for ordinary members of the public to verify or authenticate the identity documents being provided to them when selling their vehicle privately. It is already an offence to provide false or misleading information or to use a vehicle on the road without a valid driving licence. The police have existing powers to seize vehicles which are not complying with legal requirements.
What steps her Department is taking with the (a) police and (b) Home Office to help tackle (i) unlicensed drivers obtaining vehicles though registration loopholes and (ii) vehicles disappearing from systems but still using the roads.
The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) takes the accuracy of its vehicle register seriously. It is crucial that registered keeper details are accurate for road safety and law enforcement purposes. The latest available data shows that more than 92 per cent of vehicle keepers are contactable and traceable from the information held on the DVLA’s records. Of the remainder, six per cent are in the motor trade which means that there will be no registered keeper details on the vehicle record. The DVLA works closely with a range of key stakeholders on these important issues. The DVLA gathers information and intelligence regarding illegal and improper conduct and will follow up any notifications of fraudulent activity with the relevant authorities. The DVLA also sends the police ‘vehicle of interest’ reports so that the police can use automatic number plate recognition cameras to identify potential offenders. These reports include vehicles which have no registered keeper details, no insurance or no valid MOT. Evidence of identity, which can be a passport, driving licence or utility bill, must be presented when a vehicle is being registered for the first time. However, to ensure that services remain both easy for customers to use and cost effective for taxpayers, there are no plans to introduce checks when a vehicle subsequently changes hands. It would be very difficult for ordinary members of the public to verify or authenticate the identity documents being provided to them when selling their vehicle privately. It is already an offence to provide false or misleading information or to use a vehicle on the road without a valid driving licence. The police have existing powers to seize vehicles which are not complying with legal requirements.
What assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of unlicensed drivers acquiring vehicles without mandatory (a) identity, (b) licence and (c) company checks during ownership transfers on risks to public safety.
The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) takes the accuracy of its vehicle register seriously. It is crucial that registered keeper details are accurate for road safety and law enforcement purposes. The latest available data shows that more than 92 per cent of vehicle keepers are contactable and traceable from the information held on the DVLA’s records. Of the remainder, six per cent are in the motor trade which means that there will be no registered keeper details on the vehicle record. The DVLA works closely with a range of key stakeholders on these important issues. The DVLA gathers information and intelligence regarding illegal and improper conduct and will follow up any notifications of fraudulent activity with the relevant authorities. The DVLA also sends the police ‘vehicle of interest’ reports so that the police can use automatic number plate recognition cameras to identify potential offenders. These reports include vehicles which have no registered keeper details, no insurance or no valid MOT. Evidence of identity, which can be a passport, driving licence or utility bill, must be presented when a vehicle is being registered for the first time. However, to ensure that services remain both easy for customers to use and cost effective for taxpayers, there are no plans to introduce checks when a vehicle subsequently changes hands. It would be very difficult for ordinary members of the public to verify or authenticate the identity documents being provided to them when selling their vehicle privately. It is already an offence to provide false or misleading information or to use a vehicle on the road without a valid driving licence. The police have existing powers to seize vehicles which are not complying with legal requirements.
What estimate her Department has made of the number of vehicles that are using roads that have no known registered (a) keeper and (b) owner.
The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) takes the accuracy of its vehicle register seriously. It is crucial that registered keeper details are accurate for road safety and law enforcement purposes. The latest available data shows that more than 92 per cent of vehicle keepers are contactable and traceable from the information held on the DVLA’s records. Of the remainder, six per cent are in the motor trade which means that there will be no registered keeper details on the vehicle record. The DVLA works closely with a range of key stakeholders on these important issues. The DVLA gathers information and intelligence regarding illegal and improper conduct and will follow up any notifications of fraudulent activity with the relevant authorities. The DVLA also sends the police ‘vehicle of interest’ reports so that the police can use automatic number plate recognition cameras to identify potential offenders. These reports include vehicles which have no registered keeper details, no insurance or no valid MOT. Evidence of identity, which can be a passport, driving licence or utility bill, must be presented when a vehicle is being registered for the first time. However, to ensure that services remain both easy for customers to use and cost effective for taxpayers, there are no plans to introduce checks when a vehicle subsequently changes hands. It would be very difficult for ordinary members of the public to verify or authenticate the identity documents being provided to them when selling their vehicle privately. It is already an offence to provide false or misleading information or to use a vehicle on the road without a valid driving licence. The police have existing powers to seize vehicles which are not complying with legal requirements.
Whether she plans to introduce mandatory verification of a (a) valid driving licence and (b) company number at the point of vehicle ownership registration.
The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) takes the accuracy of its vehicle register seriously. It is crucial that registered keeper details are accurate for road safety and law enforcement purposes. The latest available data shows that more than 92 per cent of vehicle keepers are contactable and traceable from the information held on the DVLA’s records. Of the remainder, six per cent are in the motor trade which means that there will be no registered keeper details on the vehicle record. The DVLA works closely with a range of key stakeholders on these important issues. The DVLA gathers information and intelligence regarding illegal and improper conduct and will follow up any notifications of fraudulent activity with the relevant authorities. The DVLA also sends the police ‘vehicle of interest’ reports so that the police can use automatic number plate recognition cameras to identify potential offenders. These reports include vehicles which have no registered keeper details, no insurance or no valid MOT. Evidence of identity, which can be a passport, driving licence or utility bill, must be presented when a vehicle is being registered for the first time. However, to ensure that services remain both easy for customers to use and cost effective for taxpayers, there are no plans to introduce checks when a vehicle subsequently changes hands. It would be very difficult for ordinary members of the public to verify or authenticate the identity documents being provided to them when selling their vehicle privately. It is already an offence to provide false or misleading information or to use a vehicle on the road without a valid driving licence. The police have existing powers to seize vehicles which are not complying with legal requirements.
What guidance she has issued on when there should be pre-legislative scrutiny of Bills that have constitutional implications.
Chapter 21 of the Guide to Making Legislation sets out the broad principles and process by which a bill is considered for publication in draft for pre-legislative scrutiny. Decisions in relation to whether a bill is published in draft are taken on a case by case basis in the broader context of the overall legislative programme.
Whether his Department provides (a) lectures, (b) reading lists and (c) other training on critical race theory for its staff.
The Cabinet Office centrally does not provide any lectures, reading lists or other training on Critical Race Theory for staff.
Innovation and Technology, whether the gov.uk One Login system’s certification with the register of digital verification services has been revoked.
In April 2025, GOV.UK One Login’s Trust Framework certification was suspended due to a supply chain issue where one supplier allowed their certification to lapse. This suspension is not due to any change in One Login’s product, approach, or security. GOV.UK One Login is working to recertify as a priority.