Written questions by Holden.

If she will publish the analysis commissioned to inform the motorcycles in bus lanes consultation.

The Department will publish the report on the Department’s website as soon as is practical and will place a copy in the libraries of both Houses.

Pursuant to the Answer of 10 March 2026 to Question 118041 on Airports: Cars, whether her Department provides guidance to airports on the development, content, and monitoring of Surface Access Strategies.

The expectations around the development and monitoring of airports’ surface access plans were first set out in the Department’s “Guidance on Airport Transport Forums and Airport Surface Access Strategies” in 1999. It is for the airport operator, working with local stakeholders through its Airport Transport Forum to create the strategy, taking into consideration national and local policy guidance and frameworks, planning conditions and local infrastructure considerations. Recent approvals by this government on airport expansion projects at Gatwick and Luton also highlight specific surface access targets which must be met such as through the Green Controlled Growth Framework at Luton and mode share targets at Gatwick.

Pursuant to the Answer of 13 February 2026 to Question 110890, what assessment her Department has made of the effectiveness of the HGV Parking and Driver Welfare Matched Funding Scheme.

The Department for Transport has commissioned an independent evaluation of the HGV Parking and Driver Welfare Matched Funding Scheme, to consider the application and delivery process, the role of the scheme in improving lorry driver facilities in England and the impact of the site improvements for drivers. The report is due to be published in Summer 2026.

What additional resource requirements have been identified by the Government Property Agency or departments arising from greenhouse gas emissions reporting requirements over the current Spending Review period.

I refer to my answer for 116583. The GPA calculates greenhouse gas emissions for office space occupied by GPA staff and provides utility consumption data for departments occupying other buildings within its managed estate. As this activity is performed by staff as part of their wider duties, the exact amount of time allocated to this specific activity is not centrally recorded.

Pursuant to the Answer of 17 March 2026 to Question 117909, how many customers have been referred to DVSA Driving Examiner roles via Jobcentre Plus in each of the six priority locations.

A total of 85 customers were referred by DWP to DVSA Test Centres across the six priority locations. From this number, 37 passed the assessment and have been offered roles. DVSA provided feedback on a further 26 who were unsuccessful but showed clear potential and stated it would like to support these customers with a further test if DWP can provide refresher training. The remaining 22 customers were unsuccessful.

What the cost was of the 1.) Network Railcard, 2.) 16-17 Saver, 3.) 16-25 Railcard, 4.) 26-30 Railcard, 5.) Family & Friends Railcard, 6.) Two Together Railcard, 7.) Senior Railcard, 8.) Disabled Persons Railcard and 9.) Veterans Railcard in each financial year since 2019.

Railcard schemes are run by the Rail Delivery Group, and scheme costs are covered by the revenue generated.

Pursuant to the Answer of 18 March 2026 to Question 119493, what roles and functions the 210 staff transferring to DfT Operator Ltd on 1 April 2026 will undertake; from which directorates and business units within her Department those staff are being transferred; how many of those staff are employed in rail policy, rail operations and rail contracting functions; what proportion of those roles are newly created as part of the transition to public ownership; and what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of those transfers on staffing capacity within the core Department.

The functions in scope to transfer from DfT to DFTO include the majority of the Rail Services Group, as well as a small number of teams in the Rail Reform and Strategy Group and the Corporate Delivery Group. The majority of roles transferring relate to rail policy, rail operations and rail contracting functions, with the exception of a few supporting and administrative roles. The final number of people transferring may change before 1 April due to new joiners and leavers in the 210 roles currently in scope to transfer. None of the roles in scope to transfer are newly created, as the transition to public ownership is delivered through existing teams, including the Public Ownership Programme Directorate. In preparation for the transfer the Department has mobilised a new sponsorship model and team, ensuring capacity in the Department and a simplified interface with DFTO.

Pursuant to the Answer of 17 March 2026 to Question 118908, what assessment underpins increases in rateable values of up to 295% for UK civil airports between 1 April 2021 and 1 April 2024; and what specific economic indicators were used to determine those increases.

All assessments are underpinned by statutory assumptions defined in Schedule 6 of the Local Government Finance Act 1988. For the 2026 revaluation, we consider general economic circumstances and the receipts and expenditure relevant to individual airports at the valuation date 1 April 2024. As this is the first revaluation since Covid, a large number of ratepayers may see a significant increase in rateable value compared to the previous valuation date 1 April 2021, when the country was in a pandemic lockdown.

Pursuant to the answer of 18 March 2026 to Question 120007, whether any elements of the HS2 programme’s scope, specification or associated works are expected to change in order to align the programme with the Spending Review settlement for FY2025-26 to FY2029-30.

The Spending Review settlement profiles reflects the scope, specification and associated works that the HS2 programme plans to deliver over the period. The HS2 programme reset work that Mark Wild is currently undertaking is underpinned by the Spending Review settlement.

Whether her Department has assessed the implications for its policies of findings from the Swedish Civil Contingencies Agency indicating that hybrid vehicles experience approximately 3,475 fires per 100,000 vehicles compared to around 1,500 per 100,000 for petrol and diesel vehicles; and what discussions her Department has had with international counterparts on comparative vehicle fire risk data.

The safety of hybrid-electric vehicles is of paramount importance to the Government and is kept under regular review. According to data from Thatcham Research, 2022, which compares claims data from the Motor Insurance Anti-Fraud and Theft Register against the number of that powertrain on the roads, hybrids are on average less likely to be involved in a fire than their petrol or diesel counterparts. The proportion of hybrids involved in fires per year is reported by Thatcham as 3 per 100,000, compared with petrol at 7 per 100,000 and diesel at 11 per 100,000. There are stringent requirements already in place for hybrid vehicles (as there are for all road vehicles). UNECE Regulation No. 100, as applied in GB Type Approval, ensures hybrid EV (fire) safety through requirements to minimise fire risks associated with high-voltage components. The United Kingdom, along with international partners, plays an active role in the development of these regulations, which are informed by research and data from across the world. The same research indicates that the risk of fire is lower still in battery electric vehicles - 1 per 100,000 per year.

What assessment he has made of the potential impact of current electricity costs on the rate of electric vehicle uptake; and what assessment he has made of the effect of electricity pricing mechanisms on those costs.

On electric vehicle uptake, the Department for Transport has not assessed the potential impact of current electricity costs on the rate of uptake, and it is too early to determine how changes in fuel and electricity prices may influence electric vehicle adoption. The Department for Transport will monitor closely and remains fully committed to the ZEV transition. On energy pricing, Ofgem are reviewing how we could recover energy system costs from consumers (including consumers who own electric vehicles) in ways that are fairer and more efficient through their Cost Allocation and Recovery Review. DESNZ are working closely with the regulator on this.

Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 16 February 2026 to Question 112231, whether his Department holds data on (a) the number of fires involving road vehicles of all types attended by Fire and Rescue Services in England each year and (b) fires involving electric vehicles as a distinct category.

MHCLG collects data on incidents attended by Fire and Rescue Services (FRSs) in England through the Fire and Rescue Data Analysis Platform (FaRDaP), and previously through the Incident Recording System (IRS). This includes information on primary fires, fire-related fatalities, and non-fatal casualties in road vehicles. Data on the number of fires involving road vehicles of all types attended by FRSs in England is published in the Department’s fire statistics data tables, available on gov.uk here. In particular, table FIRE 0302 ‘Primary fires, fatalities and non-fatal casualties in road vehicles by motive and vehicle type, England’ presents the number of primary fires for each recorded type of road vehicle per year. However, the data currently collected by FRSs does not identify whether a vehicle involved in a fire was an electric vehicle. The Department is therefore not able to provide data on fires involving electric vehicles as a distinct category. Work is ongoing to update the data FaRDAP will collect covering both the questions and answer categories to capture lithium-ion batteries, electric vehicles, and more.

What assessment she has made of the effectiveness of current processes for handling incidents involving harassment, alarm or distress motivated by homophobia where relevant evidence cannot be admitted or relied upon in court; and what steps she is taking to ensure that such cases are still appropriately investigated and that victims receive adequate protection and support.

On the 14th February, the government tabled an amendment to the Crime and Policing Bill to extend existing aggravated offences under the Crime and Disorder Act 1998 to ensure equal protection across the protected characteristics of race, religion, sexual orientation, disability, transgender identity and sex.The police are operationally independent and responsible for investigating alleged offences, working closely with the Crown Prosecution Service to build cases that meet the evidential and public interest tests. A range of offences may apply depending on the circumstances, including under the Public Order Act 1986 and the Protection from Harassment Act 1997, and where hostility based on sexual orientation is proven, courts may apply statutory sentencing uplifts.Where particular evidence cannot be admitted or relied upon in court, the police are expected to pursue all reasonable lines of enquiry using admissible material, and to seek early investigative advice from the Crown Prosecution Service where appropriate. Where the evidential threshold for a charge is not met, the police can still take steps to protect victims, including the use of bail conditions and other protective measures where the relevant legal tests are satisfied.Victims of hate crime are entitled to support under the Victims’ Code, including being kept informed of progress and signposted to appropriate services. The Government continues to fund local and national victim support services and works closely with policing partners, the Crown Prosecution Service and the College of Policing to promote consistent, evidence-led responses to hate-motivated incidents so that victims are protected and offenders are brought to justice wherever possible.

What assessment she has made of the potential impact of the six-day minimum hire threshold on the proportion of zero emission vehicles counted towards the Government Fleet Commitment.

The scope of the Government Fleet Commitment relates to vehicles that are owned or leased by HMG, and to hire vehicles used for six days or more. Short term vehicle hires, which can happen at short notice, are subject to vehicle availability at the time and the policies of each hire company. The Greening Government Commitments, which include the GFC, are currently under review to ensure that they remain aligned with Government priorities. Departments are expected to continue to take action to reduce their impact on the environment, including working with lease operators and hire companies to minimise the carbon intensity of their fleets and rental vehicles.

If she will publish the DVSA's fees strategy.

As DVSA’s fees are set out in legislation, any changes require a statutory process, including public consultation and subsequent legislative amendments. DVSA will publish details of any fee changes when consulting as part of the statutory process.

Pursuant to the Answer of 16 March 2026 to Question 119492, if she will publish details of the (a) month and (b) year she expects the reset of the High Speed Two programme to be completed.

The HS2 programme reset is underway and we are committed to updating parliament on progress on the reset in due course.

What assessment she has made of the potential impact of the decision to end the PSO route to Cornwall on the economy.

The decision not to proceed with the Public Service Obligation (PSO) was a matter for Cornwall Council. The Department continues to work with Cornwall Council to explore commercial options for the route. It is important to note that connectivity continues to be preserved with flights operating between Newquay to London Stansted with additional services to London Gatwick being introduced in June.

Pursuant to the Answer of 18 March 2026 to Question 120628, whether any Government department or agency holds documents released to the media in March 2025 in relation to the employment tribunal involving the Drax whistleblower.

The Cabinet Office does not hold any documents released to the media in March 2025 in relation to the employment tribunal involving the Drax whistleblower. As this matter related to an employment tribunal at a private company, it is not a matter in which the Department was involved.

Pursuant to the Answer of 18 March 2026 to Question 117905 on Driving Tests: Vacancies, which DVSA driving test centres have had live Driving Examiner vacancies; what dates those vacancies were first listed; and how many Driving Examiner vacancies there were across all DVSA test centres in (a) July 2024 and (b) March 2026.

As stated in the answer to Question 117906 the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) does not hold centrally a snapshot of the total number of driving examiner vacancies by calendar month but continually reviews its workforce requirements in response to customer demand and operational need. Recruitment is managed through ongoing and periodic national and regional campaigns rather than fixed monthly vacancy totals.All driving examiner vacancies are publicly advertised on Civil Service Jobs on the GOV.UK website and DVSA also publishes information about available career opportunities through its “Working for DVSA” pages on GOV.UK. As part of this approach, DVSA has continued to run national recruitment campaigns for driving examiners, including a campaign launched in February 2026 advertising multiple driving examiner posts across the country. These campaigns are intended to address recruitment pressures and improve driving test capacity, particularly in areas with the greatest demand.

Pursuant to the Answer of 17 March 2026 to Question 120045 on British Business Bank, what the total monetary value is of support provided to funds, schemes and portfolio companies described as relating to (a) net zero, (b) decarbonisation, (c) sustainability, (d) climate transition and (e) the green economy in (i) 2024–25 and (ii) 2025–26 financial years; and if he will provide a breakdown by (A) programme and scheme, including but not limited to the Growth Guarantee Scheme, Start Up Loans, and the Green Growth Guarantee Scheme the (B) type of support, including direct investment, guarantees and co-investment and (C) the number of recipient businesses and funds supported under each category.

The British Business Bank does not centrally classify funds, schemes or portfolio companies under the categories of net zero, decarbonisation, sustainability, climate transition or the green economy in the form requested.The Bank’s approach is to embed support for the transition to net zero and sustainable growth across its full range of programmes, rather than through standalone business lines. As such, these objectives are reflected across its activities, including through direct co-investment, investment in venture and growth capital funds, and lending delivered through programmes such as Start Up Loans and the Growth Guarantee Scheme.As set out in the Answer of 17 March 2026 to Question 120045, the Bank has in both 2024-25 and 2025-26 invested in, capitalised, and supported through guarantees or co-investment a number of funds, schemes and portfolio companies with these characteristics.As these activities are embedded across programmes, a comprehensive breakdown of total monetary value by category, programme or scheme, type of support, and number of recipient businesses and funds is not held in a single reportable format.