Written questions by Holden.

If she will take steps to allow local licensing authorities to (a) inspect, (b) suspend and (c) revoke (i) taxi and (ii) private hire licences issued by other authorities for vehicles operating in their area.

All taxi and private hire vehicle licensing authorities in England have advised the Department that for drivers they require the highest level of vetting available, an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service check and a check of both the children’s and adults’ Barred Lists. The Department for Transport will legislate to tackle inconsistent standards of taxi and private hire vehicle driver licensing more broadly. We are considering all options including out of area working, national standards and enforcement – seeking the best overall outcomes for passenger safety. In the interim the Department is reviewing licensing authorities’ compliance with existing guidance and determining how the statutory guidance on protecting children and vulnerable adults can be strengthened to further protect the public. Licensing authorities can already jointly authorise officers from other authorities so that compliance and enforcement action can be taken against licensees from outside their area. Such an agreement would set out the range of powers available, but these could include the ability to undertake compliance checks and immediately suspend a driver’s licence in the interests of public safety. This enables the use of the agreed powers regardless of which authority within the agreement the officer is employed by and which issued the licence. A consultation on making all local transport authorities responsible for taxi and private hire vehicle licensing, which would increase consistency in licensing and make better use of enforcement powers, will be launched shortly.

With reference to the Draft Road Investment Strategy 3, what proportion of funding originally allocated to enhancement schemes has been reallocated to (a) road renewals, (b) maintenance, (c) safety upgrades and (d) technology and carbon reduction initiatives.

The Final Road Investment Strategy 3 document (RIS3), and National Highways’s subsequent final Delivery Plan for RIS3, will set out in detail matters such as the amount of funding allocated to operations, maintenance, renewals and enhancements as well as wider investment to support specific outcomes. These will be informed by National Highways’s proposals in its draft Strategic Business Plan, and by the efficiency review of these proposals that is being carried out by the Office of Rail and Road.

With reference to her Department's policy paper entitled Draft Road Investment Strategy 3 (RIS3), published on 26 August 2025, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of changing costs on the RIS3 capital investment programme; and whether her Department plans to amend funding for that programme.

The Draft Road Investment Strategy provided the first public indication of the likely size, shape and priorities for RIS3 over the period 2026/27 to 2030/31. National Highways has produced a draft Strategic Business Plan setting out how it intends to deliver the Government’s objectives within the proposed funding available, which the Office of Rail and Road is in the process of reviewing. This review will inform whether the proposed funding set out in the draft RIS is appropriate to deliver these objectives, taking account of matters such as likely inflationary and other cost pressures over the period.

With reference to her Department's policy paper entitled Draft Road Investment Strategy 3 (RIS3), published on 26 August 2025, whether she plans to publish the final RIS3 by March 2026.

As set out in the draft RIS3 document published on 26 August 2025, the Department does indeed intend to publish the final Road Investment Strategy 3 by March 2026.

With reference to the consultation outcome entitled Exchange of car driving licences issued in Moldova, published on 9 July 2025, on what evidential basis the (a) DVLA and (b) DVSA assessed the Moldovan theory and practical driving tests as equivalent to those in Great Britain; and whether any independent safety assessments were conducted.

Current driver licensing and testing standards in Moldova have been assessed by the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) and the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA). The technical evaluation looks at the following, including: the minimum test vehicle requirements,the duration of the test,any specific requirements,the manoeuvres completed,and the standard of assessment applied. The training and quality assurance arrangements for driving examiners of the applying country are also evaluated, along with the arrangements, content, technical approach and marking system for theory and hazard perception testing.

With reference to the consultation outcome entitled Exchange of car driving licences issued in Moldova, published on 9 July 2025, whether her Department plans to review the 12-month period during which drivers from (a) non-EU and (b) non-EEA countries may drive in Great Britain without exchanging their licence.

My department does not currently have any plans to review the 12-month exchange period during which drivers from non-EU, or non-EEA countries may drive in Great Britain without exchanging their licence.

Whether she plans to review the rules for recognising overseas driving tests as equivalent to those in Great Britain.

My department does not have any current plans to review the rules for recognising overseas driving tests.

With reference to her Department’s guidance entitled Lane rental schemes: guidance for English highway authorities, updated on 3 April 2025, whether she has implemented the proposal to double the level of fixed penalty notice charges for offences under the New Roads and Street Works Act 1991.

Following consultation, the Government announced its intention to double fixed penalty notices, extend overrun charges to apply on bank holidays and weekends, and permit highway authorities to allocate 50% of surplus funds from lane rental schemes towards road maintenance. The relevant Statutory Instrument will be laid shortly to enable the necessary changes to come into force, with practical implementation in early 2026, the intervening period will help ensure the industry and Local Highway Authorities have time to adapt and be ready for them.

With reference to her Department’s guidance entitled Lane rental schemes: guidance for English highway authorities, updated on 3 April 2025, whether she has implemented the proposal to allow overrun charges under section 74 of the New Roads and Street Works Act 1991 to be applied on (a) weekends and (b) bank holidays.

Following consultation, the Government announced its intention to double fixed penalty notices, extend overrun charges to apply on bank holidays and weekends, and permit highway authorities to allocate 50% of surplus funds from lane rental schemes towards road maintenance. The relevant Statutory Instrument will be laid shortly to enable the necessary changes to come into force, with practical implementation in early 2026, the intervening period will help ensure the industry and Local Highway Authorities have time to adapt and be ready for them.

With reference to her oral contribution of 26 June 2025, Official Report, column 1241, whether her Department plans to restrict the practice of drivers obtaining (a) taxi and (b) private hire licences in one local authority while operating predominantly in another; and what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of this practice on (i) passenger safety and (ii) local licensing standards.

All taxi and private hire vehicle licensing authorities in England have advised the Department that for drivers they require the highest level of vetting available, an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service check and a check of both the children’s and adults’ Barred Lists. The Department for Transport will legislate to tackle inconsistent standards of taxi and private hire vehicle driver licensing more broadly. We are considering all options including out of area working, national standards and enforcement – seeking the best overall outcomes for passenger safety. In the interim the Department is reviewing licensing authorities’ compliance with existing guidance and determining how the statutory guidance on protecting children and vulnerable adults can be strengthened to further protect the public. Licensing authorities can already jointly authorise officers from other authorities so that compliance and enforcement action can be taken against licensees from outside their area. Such an agreement would set out the range of powers available, but these could include the ability to undertake compliance checks and immediately suspend a driver’s licence in the interests of public safety. This enables the use of the agreed powers regardless of which authority within the agreement the officer is employed by and which issued the licence. A consultation on making all local transport authorities responsible for taxi and private hire vehicle licensing, which would increase consistency in licensing and make better use of enforcement powers, will be launched shortly.

What assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of judicial review challenges on the construction (a) timelines and (b) costs of nationally significant road infrastructure projects.

Judicial review is an important legal process that allows democratic challenge to the lawfulness of a decision. While it plays a vital role in upholding accountability and transparency, the Department has assessed that in some cases judicial reviews can have an impact on the delivery of nationally significant road infrastructure projects.

With reference to her Department’s guidance entitled Lane rental schemes: guidance for English highway authorities, updated on 3 April 2025, whether she has implemented the requirement for highway authorities to spend a minimum of 50% of surplus lane rental funds on repairing potholes.

Following consultation, the Government announced its intention to double fixed penalty notices, extend overrun charges to apply on bank holidays and weekends, and permit highway authorities to allocate 50% of surplus funds from lane rental schemes towards road maintenance. The relevant Statutory Instrument will be laid shortly to enable the necessary changes to come into force, with practical implementation in early 2026, the intervening period will help ensure the industry and Local Highway Authorities have time to adapt and be ready for them.

With reference to the Draft Road Investment Strategy 3, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of (a) construction inflation and (b) other cost pressures on the (i) scope and (ii) delivery timetables of planned enhancement projects.

Following the publication of the Draft Road Investment Strategy (RIS), National Highways has produced a draft Strategic Business Plan setting out how it intends to deliver the Government’s objectives within the proposed funding available, which the Office of Rail and Road is now in the process of assessing in its Efficiency Review. This review will include detailed considerations on matters such as the treatment of cost pressures and deliverability and will inform the final RIS which is due to be published next year.

Pursuant to the Answer of 8 September to Question 71269 on Train Operating Companies: Conditions of Employment and Trade Unions, whether this information is held by DfT Operator Limited.

DFTO currently has oversight of six Train Operating Companies (TOCs). The TOCs are subsidiaries of DFTO and trade union agreements are negotiated, held and managed at the subsidiary level rather than by DFTO itself. Similarly operating practices on employees rights are also administered and managed by the TOCs rather than DFTO.

Pursuant to the Answer of 4 September 2025 to Question 71270 on Aviation: Fares, what her Department's policy is on airlines using (a) individualized and (b) surveillance pricing when setting air fares.

The UK aviation market operates predominantly in the private sector. The cost of air fares is therefore determined by airlines, but airlines must always be compliant with competition and consumer protection laws when setting fares.

Pursuant to the Answer of 5 September 2025 to Question 71209 on Motor Vehicles: Excise Duties, if she will make an estimate of the amount of tax that will be raised from Double Cab Pick Up vehicles being taxed as cars in (a) 2025-6, (b) 2026-7, (c) 2027-8, (d) 2028-9 and (e) 2029-30.

The estimated amount of tax that will be raised from double cab pick-up vehicles being treated as cars has been estimated as follows: 2025-262026-272027-282028-292029-30Exchequer Impact (£m)140235270280285As with most tax measures in the Budget the main uncertainties in this costing relate to the size of the tax base and the behavioural response to the measure in the usual way.

Pursuant to the Answer of 4 September 2025 to Question 71219 on Lobbying: Official Hospitality, if she will publish the relevant guidance on holding departmental receptions at the offices of consultant lobbying firms.

The Ministerial Code is published on GOV.UK. Guidance from the Registrar of Consultant Lobbyists is published on the Office of the Registrar of Consultant Lobbyists’ website.

Whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential implications for his policies of the BBC Panorama programme The Truth About Baby Food Pouches; and if he will make an assessment of the adequacy of existing regulations on (a) front-of-pack labelling, (b) permitted sugar content, and (c) minimum nutritional standards for commercial baby food.

Children’s early years provide an important foundation for their future health and strongly influence many aspects of wellbeing in later life.The BBC Panorama programme highlighted issues with levels of sugar and misleading labelling and nutrition claims in some commercial baby food products. The Government has recently published voluntary industry guidelines for commercial baby food and drink which challenge manufacturers to reduce levels of sugar and salt in their products. The guidelines also set out actions that businesses should take to improve the labelling and marketing of these products. Businesses have 18 months to deliver the required changes, and we will monitor and publish their progress towards achieving this. The guidelines are available at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/commercial-baby-food-and-drink-voluntary-industry-guidelines/commercial-baby-food-and-drink-voluntary-industry-guidelinesWe have regulations in place that set nutritional, compositional and labelling standards for commercial baby food. We continue to keep these regulations under review to ensure that the composition of infant food and drinks reflect the latest scientific advice and dietary guidelines. The voluntary industry baby food guidelines should support improvements in this area.

With reference to her Department's press releases entitled (a) London to Essex c2c services return to public control in step towards Great British Railways, published on 18 July 2025 and (b) New dawn for rail as South Western services return to public hands, published on 25 May 2025, what the rigorous performance standards are that each of the public sector operators will have to meet; when she plans to publish details of those performance standards; and whether those standards are outlined to companies before nationalisation takes place.

The standards will be set out in due course.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps (a) his Department and (b) Natural England are taking to help tackle large-scale illegal waste dumping in ancient woodlands; and if he will review the adequacy of enforcement processes where (i) substantial environmental damage and (ii) tax evasion are suspected.

In the first instance, landowners are responsible for the security and integrity of their property. The ownership of such woodland can often be complex and split across hundreds of individual parcels. The Environment Agency (EA) is the lead authority for investigating large scale illegal deposits of waste. However other partner agencies such as Natural England may also play a role in associated activity for example if tipping occurs within a Site of Special Scientific Interest. Where substantial environmental damage is suspected the EA will work quickly to gather evidence to show a risk of serious pollution to meet the legal requirements for a Restriction Order. Natural England also has a suite of enforcement powers that can address damage to protected sites. The EA hosts the Joint Unit for Waste Crime which brings together the EA, HMRC, National Crime Agency, the police, waste regulators from across the UK and other operational partners to share intelligence and tasking to disrupt and prevent serious organised waste crime. The EA has also launched its Economic Crime Unit which targets the financial motivation behind offending and uses financial mechanisms to inhibit the ability of offenders, including Organised Crime Groups, to operate.