Every parliamentary written question tabled by Richard Holden this session, with the full answer and department. Back to the MP page.
Showing 841–860 of 2,875 · this parliament
Whether she has made an assessment of the potential impact of the increase in civil service remuneration approval to £174,000 on civil service salaries.
Civil Servant pay is set within a pay framework which is reviewed annually by the Senior Salaries Review Body. The senior pay control process, including approvals required from HM Treasury, acts as an additional layer of scrutiny to Senior Civil Servant salaries.
Pursuant to the answer of 3 June 2025 to Question 54279 on Cabinet Office: Repairs and Maintenance, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the refurbishment of the No. 9 media room.
A one-off refresh of the facility was undertaken in December 2024. Work was carried out to the appropriate standard.
Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to the letter from the Permanent Under-Secretary of the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office to the Rt hon Member for Basildon and Billericay on 24 July 2025, whether the application of the Civil Service and Diplomatic Code applies to political appointees.
Yes. Where such appointments are made, individuals are appointed on a standard Civil Service Fixed Term Contract and are subject to the provisions of the Civil Service Code.
What guidance will be issued to decision-makers on the application of paragraphs 4.7.34–4.7.35 of the draft National Policy Statement for Ports, including how “acceptable levels” of residual transport impact will be defined; and whether these provisions represent a change in policy from the 2012 Ports National Policy Statement.
We are currently considering the views received from consultation on, and Parliamentary scrutiny of, the draft revised NPS for Ports, and will lay a final text in due course.
Whether she has received a proposal for a community rail partnership for the C2C rail franchise; what assessment she has made of the potential merits of a community rail partnership for C2C services; and what steps she is taking to support the establishment of a community rail partnership for the C2C network.
Officials have not yet received a proposal for a community rail partnership from c2c. We understand the operator will be sharing a proposal in 2026/27 and officials will consider how this might best be facilitated.In terms of merits, Community Rail Partnerships bring benefits to local communities through social, environmental, and economic growth. Projects help improve the safety and inclusivity of the railway, as well as encouraging rail travel as a more sustainable mode of transport.
Pursuant to the Answer of 12 January 2026 to Question 101851, if she will publish any information held by her Department in whatever format it is held.
As set out in our answer to question 101851, the Department does not hold the data requested in a readily available form.
What English language proficiency requirements apply to (a) registered nurses and (b) care staff working in regulated settings; and how compliance is monitored and enforced.
To practise as a nurse in the United Kingdom, individuals must register with the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) which sets the standards for both domestic and internationally qualified nurses. All applicants must demonstrate they have sufficient competency in English to communicate safely in clinical settings to meet NMC registration standards.UK-qualified nurses meet this requirement through an NMC-approved nursing programme. International applicants can show proficiency by providing a recent International English Language Testing System or Occupational English Test score at the required level, completing an English-taught nursing programme with significant patient interaction in English, or having one year of recent practice in a majority English-speaking country.As an independent regulator, the NMC determines how English language competence is assessed for registration.Care providers must ensure staff have adequate English skills to communicate effectively. Under Regulation 19 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014, employers are required to only employ ‘fit and proper’ staff to provide care and treatment appropriate to their role. Failure to comply may lead to fixed penalties for providers and registered managers.Employers and providers should use robust recruitment and monitoring procedures to ensure employees are qualified and competent. NHS Employers guidance requires proportionate English language standards for public-facing roles, and human resources policies should be regularly checked against the English language requirement for public sector workers: code of practice.
What recent assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of community rail partnerships on local rail services; what funding her Department has allocated to community rail partnerships in this financial year; and what steps her Department is taking to promote and expand community rail activity.
Community Rail delivers projects which bring benefits to local rail through social, environmental, and economic growth. Work carried out by Community Rail Partnerships (CRPs) includes projects to establish community hubs in underused station spaces, creation and maintenance of gardens at stations, and supporting all members of the community to travel with confidence, for example by improving station environments to accommodate all members of the community. These projects help improve the safety and inclusivity of the railway, as well as encouraging rail travel as a more sustainable mode of transport.The Department has granted over £800,000 to the Community Rail Network (CRN) via core and project funding in this financial year (FY 2025-2026). The CRN provide access to grants and resources for its members (a mix of CRPs and Station Adoption Groups). Whilst the Department does not directly fund CRPs, financial support is provided directly via the train operating companies.The Department continues to support the community rail sector, and as we move towards establishing Great British Railways (GBR), Community Rail will be integral to helping us deliver our priorities and will continue to deliver for passengers and communities. We will continue to work closely with the Community Rail Network to identify opportunities to support the community rail sector ahead of the standup of GBR.
Pursuant to the Answer of 13 January 2026 to Question 99932, whether the estimates referred to in that Answer are held in a form that allows net Government support per passenger journey to be calculated, and whether she will publish those estimates and the underlying calculations.
The Department does not intend to publish estimates and underlying calculations. The Department does not routinely publish forecasts of passenger revenue due to the level of uncertainty inherent in those forecasts. The ORR publish data that enables this information to be derived on a backwards looking basis.
What the kerbside airport drop-off charges were at each of the major UK airports in (a) July 2024 and (b) today; and whether her Department has issued guidance on airport drop-off charges.
The provision and charging of car parking at airports, including drop-off charges, is a matter for the airport operator as a commercial business to manage and justify. Government expects fees to be set in a way that is both fair and transparent for consumers.
What assessment her Department has made of the risks associated with hybrid vehicle battery fires following road traffic collisions; and whether she plans to commission guidance for manufacturers and emergency services.
The safety of hybrid-electric vehicles is of paramount importance to the Government and is kept under regular review. Insurance industry analysis suggests that hybrid vehicles are less likely to catch fire than internal combustion engine vehicles. Nevertheless, existing regulations covering vehicle construction include requirements to safeguard against the novel risks and potential concerns associated with hybrid-electric vehicles, including fire. In addition to the Department for Transport’s published guidance for road recovery operators, the National Police Chiefs’ Council and the National Fire Chiefs Council have produced guidance for their staff on dealing with hybrid and electric vehicles.
How decision-makers should interpret the requirement for applicants to assess the implications of port developments for Shoreline Management Plans, marine plans and coastal defence capital programmes; and whether applicants may be required to fund mitigation or adaptation measures beyond the direct impacts of the proposed development.
A final text of the National Policy Statement for Ports (NPSP) will be published in due course.
Pursuant to the Answer of 6 January 2026 to Question 98750, when the A12 widening scheme was deferred by the previous Government; on what date that decision was taken; what effect that decision had on the statutory Development Consent Order timetable; and what the evidential basis is for that statement.
A decision was taken in March 2024 to defer the start of construction on the A12 widening scheme. This had no impact on the statutory Development Consent Order as consent had been granted in January 2024.
When her Department expects to complete the (a) Manchester Route and Stations, (b) Platforming Scenarios, (c) East of Manchester Connection Scenario Study and (d) Manchester Piccadilly Integrated Study documents; and whether the Department plans to place the documents in the Library.
Northern Powerhouse Rail has been announced as a three-phase programme, with a £45bn (2025 prices) funding cap. The second phase will deliver a new route between Liverpool and Manchester, via Warrington and Manchester Airport. The Department continues to consider developments to the route which would improve passenger and operational experience. If these are taken forward, a detailed update will be provided as part of seeking necessary consents.
Pursuant to the Answer of 9 January 2026 to Question 100962 on Great British Railways: Marketing, whether (a) growing revenue and (b) delivering value for money for passengers will take priority in the rollout of Great British Railways branding.
As set out in the answer to the question 100962, both growing revenue and delivering value for money for passengers will be a priority.
Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 12 January 2026 to Question 101474, whether (a) his Department and (b) its arm's length-bodies have adopted any environmental targets.
I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 101474 answered on 12 January 2026.
Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what the total expenditure by her Department has been since 4 July 2024 on policies, projects and programmes contributing to achieving Net Zero targets.
The Hon Member can find details of all programmes supported by the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), including those related to climate change, at the Development Tracker website on GOV.UK. Where available, details of additional expenditure incurred in meeting the FCDO's net zero commitments is set out in the department's annual report and accounts.
Pursuant to the Answer of 12 January 2026 to Questions 89643, what health risks his Department has identified in relation to first cousin marriage; and whether the Department intends to publish the (a) evidence and (b) analysis informing those assessments.
The National Disease Registration Service is working with hospital trusts to continually improve the quality and completeness of data.The Born in Bradford study provides the most definitive United Kingdom based evidence of risk of congenital anomalies. Results of this are publicly available at the following link:https://borninbradford.nhs.uk/our-impacts/findings/?sf_paged=2This includes a summary of health risks associated with consanguinity, specifically in Born in Bradford Evidence Briefing on Genes and health: Inheritance and Risk, available at the following link:https://borninbradford.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/HG2954-BIHR-BiB-Evidence-Briefing-Genes-and-Health-4.pdfThe Born in Bradford data indicated the risk of genetic abnormalities doubles, from 3% to 6%, in infants where parents are first cousins, similar to the increase in risk for mothers of white British origin older than 34 years old. Further information on this is available at the following link:https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23830354/Other publicly available academic research also indicates that miscarriage, stillbirth, and neonatal mortality are higher among consanguineous couples than non-consanguineous couples, with further information available at the following two links:https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-024-69151-7#:~:text=Consanguinity%20and%20spontaneous%20abortion%20and,%3C%200.001%20in%20Model%20Ihttps://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC1508879/
What the (a) headcount and (b) full time equivalent police officer workforce was on (a) 1 July 2024 and (b) the most recent date for which data is available in Essex Police; and what the net change was over that period.
The Home Office collects and publishes data on the size of the police workforce in England and Wales, on a bi-annual basis, as at 31 March and 30 September each year in the ‘Police Workforce, England and Wales’ statistical bulletin, available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/police-workforce-england-and-wales.Data for this release are collected at Police Force Area (PFA) level as a snapshot at 31 March and 30 September only. As such, data for Essex Police as at 1 July 2024 is not available.The latest information covers the situation as at 31 March 2025. Information on the number of police officers (on both a full-time equivalent and headcount basis), broken down by PFA, at the end of each financial year (31 March) from 2007 to 2025 can be found in the ‘Police Workforce Open Data Table’ here: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/687f314d8adf4250705c96fa/open-data-table-police-workforce-230725.ods.Data on the police workforce as at 30 September 2025 is due to be published on 28 January 2026.
How many full-time equivalent police officers were recorded for Essex Police in each of the years 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2024; and what comparative data the Government holds on changes in officer numbers for Essex Police since 2019.
The Home Office collects and publishes data on the size of the police workforce in England and Wales, on a bi-annual basis, as at 31 March and 30 September each year in the ‘Police Workforce, England and Wales’ statistical bulletin, available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/police-workforce-england-and-wales.Data for this release are collected at Police Force Area (PFA) level as a snapshot at 31 March and 30 September only. As such, data for Essex Police as at 1 July 2024 is not available.The latest information covers the situation as at 31 March 2025. Information on the number of police officers (on both a full-time equivalent and headcount basis), broken down by PFA, at the end of each financial year (31 March) from 2007 to 2025 can be found in the ‘Police Workforce Open Data Table’ here: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/687f314d8adf4250705c96fa/open-data-table-police-workforce-230725.ods.Data on the police workforce as at 30 September 2025 is due to be published on 28 January 2026.