Written questions by Holden.

What estimate she has made of the cost to the public purse of the rail fare freeze.

I refer the Honourable Member to the response I provided him to question 95968 on 4 December 2025.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps the Government is taking to help ensure that British investors and pension funds are not prevented from challenging harmful actions by Chinese actors in Cayman Islands courts.

Financial Services regulation is a devolved matter for the Cayman Islands Government. The UK Government works closely with the Cayman Islands authorities to uphold the rule of law and ensure robust legal frameworks. Cayman Islands courts operate independently under a well-established legal system based on English common law, providing avenues for parties to challenge harmful actions. I discussed with Premier Ebanks at the recent Joint Ministerial Council how to work together to promote further trade and investment ties, and welcomed the important steps taken by the Cayman Islands Government to promote greater corporate transparency.The UK Government respects the impartiality of the Cayman Islands Courts. The Judicial Committee of the Privy Council is the highest court of appeal for the Overseas Territories, and its decisions are binding.

What estimate she has made of the net fiscal cost of freezing rail prices in each of the next five years.

I refer the Honourable Member to the response I provided him to question 95968 on 4 December 2025.

What potential new treatments for glioblastoma have been trialled in the NHS.

The Department of Health and Social Care enables research via its research arm, the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR), and is committed to furthering our investment and driving scientific advancements in research into the causes and treatment of brain tumours. Between 2018/19 and 2023/24, the NIHR directly invested £11.8 million via research programmes and training. UK Research and Innovation, funded by the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology, invested £46.8 million.During the same period, the NIHR’s wider investments of approximately £37.5 million in research infrastructure and the research workforce have enabled the delivery of an additional 261 brain tumour research studies, allowing over 11,400 more people to participate in brain tumour research. NIHR infrastructure provides world-class research expertise, specialist facilities, a research delivery workforce, and support services to enable and deliver research across the National Health Service and wider health and care system.For example, the CITADEL-123 trial, supported by the NIHR’s University College London Hospital (UCLH) Clinical Research Facility and the UCLH Biomedical Research Centre, is trialling the use of resection surgery followed by implantation of a medical device which delivers radioactive therapy in patients with recurrent glioblastoma. A separate trial of a drug derived from olive oil has shown promise in early studies for patients with glioblastoma. The NIHR Biomedical Research Centre at the Royal Marsden and the Institute of Cancer Research and Experimental Cancer Medicine Centre Network, which the NIHR jointly funds, support the work of the Drug Development Unit, which supported the study.The Win-Glio trial, also supported by the NIHR’s UCLH Clinical Research Facility, is testing immunotherapy treatment using the drug ipilimumab prior to standard treatment in patients with glioblastoma.The NIHR continues to welcome funding applications for research into any aspect of human health and care, including glioblastoma. These applications are subject to peer review and judged in open competition, with awards being made on the basis of the importance of the topic to the public and health and care services, value for money, and scientific quality.

If he will publish a list of the countries from which electric vehicles are currently (a) eligible for a zero per cent import tariff and (b) not eligible for a zero per cent import tariff when entering the United Kingdom market.

Such a list is already available as the list of electric vehicle tariffs by country can be found on the Government’s Online Tariff Tool here (https://www.trade-tariff.service.gov.uk/find_commodity), which provides the most up-to-date details on import tariffs for every country.

When she expects the Office for National Statistics to (a) determine a timescale for its review of rolling stock leasing agreements and (b) identify which leases or train operating companies will form part of the review sample.

Timescales for its work in this area are for the ONS to determine, as an independent body.

Pursuant to the Answer of 17 November 2025 to Question 90397 on Road Traffic Control: Oxford, what information the DVLA holds on which intermediary companies are currently used by (a) Oxford City Council and (b) Oxfordshire County Council.

While the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency is aware of the third-party providers used by the councils referenced to facilitate requests for vehicle keeper information, this relates to a commercial arrangement between them and the third parties and it would not be appropriate to disclose that information.

What recent assessment he has made of the impact of rising carbon costs on the viability of UK oil refineries.

The Government recognises the competitiveness challenges facing the refining industry and is determined to support the industry to address them and ensure the long-term future of the refining sector in the UK. In the Autumn Budget, the Government announced it is considering the feasibility and impacts of including refined products in the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism in future. The Emissions Trading Scheme Authority also recently published its Free Allocation review response which confirmed the sector remains eligible for free allocation, with current benchmarks maintained until 2028. UK Emissions Trading Scheme: free allocation review - GOV.UK.

What assessment she has made of the potential merits of including oil refining within the UK Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism.

The government recognises that refineries play a role in energy security and the UK’s industrial base, and will publish a call for evidence on the fuel sector. The government is also considering the feasibility and impacts of including refined products in the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) in future.

What steps she is taking to attract private sector investment to increase the number of hydrogen refuelling stations.

The Department for Transport has launched a number of technology agnostic match-funding programmes across modes, attracting private sector investment in zero emission solutions (for which hydrogen and its associated infrastructure have been eligible). One of the biggest lessons learned from these programmes has been to ensure that hydrogen supply, including refuelling stations, and fleet demand are matched.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether she has made an estimate of the cost to port operators of surveying mudflats required under (a) environmental assessment and (b) marine licensing processes; and whether she has made an assessment of the (i) consistency and (ii) proportionality of those requirements across England.

Costs for surveying mudflats vary. If surveying is a condition of a marine licence, the Marine Management Organisation charges a fee, to review evidence provided as part of a condition on a marine licence.

Whether, following the Government’s decision to abolish the Valuation Office Agency and transfer its functions into HM Revenue and Customs, she plans to maintain the current Valuation Office Agency methodology for assessing business-rates valuations.

At Budget 2025, the government published a Call for Evidence on Business Rates and Investment which will explore concerns raised by a small number of ratepayers whose properties are valued on the ‘Receipts & Expenditure’ methodology and options to improve predictability and stability.

Whether Great British Railways will charge a commission percentage on ticket sales made through its digital platforms once it is established.

Commission rates currently payable in connection with the sale of rail tickets are available to view on the Rail Delivery Group (RDG) website: https://www.raildeliverygroup.com/our-services/retail-commercial/how-to-become-a-retailer/documents/13079-rail-industry-commission-rates-from-1st-october-2024/file.html. Further detail on the setup of Great British Railway's (GBR's) retailer and the future governance of the rail retail market, when GBR has taken on RDG functions, will be set out in due course.

What assessment he has made of the adequacy of the UK’s current regulatory framework for supporting cleaner hydrogen production for industrial sites.

Low carbon hydrogen will play a vital role in decarbonising industry, enabling the transition to a low carbon economy while protecting jobs and driving growth across the UK’s industrial heartlands. The current regulatory framework provides a strong foundation, including the framework to award Hydrogen Production Business Model support to producers to enable deployment. The Government will continue to ensure suitable regulatory frameworks for hydrogen as the industry develops, working with Devolved Governments and regulators. For instance, the Government published a response to consultation on an economic regulatory framework for hydrogen pipelines on 3 December.

Whether he plans to expand the UK Emissions Trading Scheme to cover international shipping.

The UK ETS Authority has published a consultation on expanding the UK ETS to international maritime voyages from 2028. We propose that 50% of emissions from international maritime voyages are covered by the scheme. The consultation runs until 20th January 2026.

What commission percentage is charged on ticket sales made through the digital platforms of all train operating companies managed by DfT Operator Limited.

Commission rates currently payable in connection with the sale of rail tickets are available to view on the Rail Delivery Group (RDG) website: https://www.raildeliverygroup.com/our-services/retail-commercial/how-to-become-a-retailer/documents/13079-rail-industry-commission-rates-from-1st-october-2024/file.html. Further detail on the setup of Great British Railway's (GBR's) retailer and the future governance of the rail retail market, when GBR has taken on RDG functions, will be set out in due course.

What assessment she has made of the potential impact of changes to the Air Passenger Duty in the Autumn Budget 2025 on the competitiveness of the UK aviation sector compared to other European countries.

The government is committed to the long-term future of the aviation sector in the UK and recognises the benefits of the connectivity it creates between the UK and the rest of the world. The government remains committed to maintaining a competitive and dynamic aviation sector that supports jobs, skills, and innovation across the UK. Following previous increases to Air Passenger Duty (APD) rates to account for below inflation rates, the government will uprate APD rates in line with RPI from 1 April 2027 and rounded to the nearest penny. This constitutes a real terms freeze. This will continue to ensure that airlines make a fair contribution to the public finances, particularly given that tickets are VAT free, and aviation fuel incurs no duty.

Whether his Department has had discussions with Exxon Mobil Corp on the potential impact of rising carbon costs on the viability of UK refineries since its evidence to Parliament in October 2025.

Details of Ministers' and Permanent Secretaries' meetings with external individuals and organisations are published quarterly in arrears on GOV.UK.

What assessment she has made of the adequacy of the proposed advisory role of the Office of Rail and Road under the Railways Bill in providing independent scrutiny of Great British Railways’ annual and five-year business plans; and whether she will introduce statutory requirements for the ORR to publish (a) efficiency assessments, (b) value-for-money analysis, and (c) compliance with the Long-Term Rail Strategy.

The Government considers the Office of Rail and Road’s (ORR) proposed advisory role under the Railways Bill provides effective independent scrutiny of Great British Railway’s (GBR) business plans. We would expect the ORR to assess efficiency, value for money, and compliance with strategic objectives and the ORR could publish this as part of its independent advisory function. There is no intention to put statutory constraints on the form or content of ORR advice.

Pursuant to the Answer of 6 November 2025 to Question 86957 on Bus Services: Concessions, whether the Government has made an assessment of the financial sustainability of expanding the English National Concessionary Travel Scheme to include eligibility for passes for the companions of disabled people.

The Department has not made a specific assessment of the cost of expanding the English National Concessionary Travel Scheme (ENCTS) to include companion passes. However, since my response to Question 86957 on Bus Services: Concessions, newly released figures show that the ENCTS cost around £795 million in the year ending March 2025, an increase of 8% on the previous year. The Government has confirmed over £3 billion from 2026/27 to support local leaders and bus operators across the country to improve bus services for millions of passengers over the remainder of the spending review period. This includes multi-year allocations for local authorities totalling nearly £700 million per year. Essex County Council will be allocated £59.3 million from 2026/27 to 2028/29, in addition to the £17.8 million they are already receiving this year. Funding allocated to local authorities to improve services for passengers can be used in whichever way they wish, including funding companion passes locally. In the year ending March 2025, 66% of local authorities offered companion passes to disabled people as a discretionary concession.