Written questions by Arthur.

What plans her Department has to help support the development of standardised high voltage battery diagnostics for electric vehicles to enable repair and reuse.

Awaiting answer.

What steps her Department is taking to increase the level of collaboration with the EU on transport policy.

Awaiting answer.

What recent discussions she has had with her European counterparts on mutual recognition of UK pilot licences for flying EU registered aircraft.

Awaiting answer.

What steps her Department is taking to support the taxi and private hire sectors during the introduction of automated passenger services; and what (a) fiscal and (b) training support will be made available to drivers displaced by autonomous vehicle technology.

Awaiting answer.

If she will publish guidance on maximising the potential safety impact of Advanced Driver Assistance Systems technologies through calibration.

As set out in the Road Safety Strategy, the Government is committed to taking advantage of vehicle technologies to make our roads safer. The Strategy adopts the internationally recognised Safe System approach, acknowledging that vehicle technologies can significantly reduce risk when they function as intended, and that responsibility for safety is shared across government, manufacturers, repairers and the wider transport sector. My Department is currently exploring options for future policy decisions to maximise the benefits of vehicle technologies. This includes engagement on a wide range of issues related to advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS), including vehicle maintenance. My Department is also consulting on mandating a range of ADAS in new vehicles, alongside a call for evidence seeking views on the ongoing maintenance of these systems. Given the importance of properly maintained vehicles for road safety, the Government keeps the MOT under continual review to ensure it remains effective as vehicle technology evolves. This includes considering how increasingly sophisticated systems, such as ADAS, can be appropriately monitored as part of wider vehicle safety assurance. Officials continue to gather and assess evidence to inform any future changes.

Whether she is considering mandating the calibration of Advanced Driver Assistance Systems when vehicle’s windscreens are replaced.

As set out in the Road Safety Strategy, the Government is committed to taking advantage of vehicle technologies to make our roads safer. The Strategy adopts the internationally recognised Safe System approach, acknowledging that vehicle technologies can significantly reduce risk when they function as intended, and that responsibility for safety is shared across government, manufacturers, repairers and the wider transport sector. My Department is currently exploring options for future policy decisions to maximise the benefits of vehicle technologies. This includes engagement on a wide range of issues related to advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS), including vehicle maintenance. My Department is also consulting on mandating a range of ADAS in new vehicles, alongside a call for evidence seeking views on the ongoing maintenance of these systems. Given the importance of properly maintained vehicles for road safety, the Government keeps the MOT under continual review to ensure it remains effective as vehicle technology evolves. This includes considering how increasingly sophisticated systems, such as ADAS, can be appropriately monitored as part of wider vehicle safety assurance. Officials continue to gather and assess evidence to inform any future changes.

Whether she has assessed the potential impact of (a) defective and (b) poorly maintained Advanced Driver Assistance Systems on road (i) fatalities and (ii) serious injuries over the last decade.

As set out in the Road Safety Strategy, the Government is committed to taking advantage of vehicle technologies to make our roads safer. The Strategy adopts the internationally recognised Safe System approach, acknowledging that vehicle technologies can significantly reduce risk when they function as intended, and that responsibility for safety is shared across government, manufacturers, repairers and the wider transport sector. My Department is currently exploring options for future policy decisions to maximise the benefits of vehicle technologies. This includes engagement on a wide range of issues related to advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS), including vehicle maintenance. My Department is also consulting on mandating a range of ADAS in new vehicles, alongside a call for evidence seeking views on the ongoing maintenance of these systems. Given the importance of properly maintained vehicles for road safety, the Government keeps the MOT under continual review to ensure it remains effective as vehicle technology evolves. This includes considering how increasingly sophisticated systems, such as ADAS, can be appropriately monitored as part of wider vehicle safety assurance. Officials continue to gather and assess evidence to inform any future changes.

Whether she is considering mandating an assessment of Advanced Driver Assistance Systems as part of the MOT test.

As set out in the Road Safety Strategy, the Government is committed to taking advantage of vehicle technologies to make our roads safer. The Strategy adopts the internationally recognised Safe System approach, acknowledging that vehicle technologies can significantly reduce risk when they function as intended, and that responsibility for safety is shared across government, manufacturers, repairers and the wider transport sector. My Department is currently exploring options for future policy decisions to maximise the benefits of vehicle technologies. This includes engagement on a wide range of issues related to advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS), including vehicle maintenance. My Department is also consulting on mandating a range of ADAS in new vehicles, alongside a call for evidence seeking views on the ongoing maintenance of these systems. Given the importance of properly maintained vehicles for road safety, the Government keeps the MOT under continual review to ensure it remains effective as vehicle technology evolves. This includes considering how increasingly sophisticated systems, such as ADAS, can be appropriately monitored as part of wider vehicle safety assurance. Officials continue to gather and assess evidence to inform any future changes.

What the timetable is for the UK’s potential accession to EUROFIMA; and what the next steps are in the Government’s consideration of participation.

The Department is exploring a range of financing structures to support investment in rolling stock, in partnership with private finance. The Department remains in active engagement with Eurofima, as one element of this work, to assess how its financing mechanisms could support future investment in the UK rolling stock market. The Government will update the House in due course once decisions have been taken on accession to the Eurofima Convention, to support wider rolling stock investment plans.

Whether any lessons from the previous Rapid Charging Fund have informed the design of the new fund; what methodology will be used, as part of the new fund, to assess connection costs within applications; and what timetable has been set for the new fund to open to applicants.

A reliable, accessible public charging network to support electric vehicle drivers on long journeys is essential to support the electric vehicle transition.  The market has changed significantly since the £950 million Rapid Charging Fund was announced in 2020, with over 6,400 open-access, rapid and ultra-rapid charge points within one mile of the Strategic Road Network – more than quadrupling in the last three years (July 2022 – Oct 2025, Zapmap). We’re adapting our approach to meet the needs of industry today. We are using lessons from the Rapid Charging Fund pilot and continue to work with industry to deliver the right financial support, targeted where it is needed most. For example, improving provision at some motorway service areas where high connection costs have made charging infrastructure rollout uncommercially unviable. We expect to share more information later this year via a targeted industry consultation.

Whether she has made an assessment of the potential implications for her Department’s policies on (a) electric vehicle uptake, (b) automotive production, and (c) transport affordability for lower-income households of the French social leasing scheme.

The Department regularly engages with French counterparts on policy, including support for zero emission vehicles, and is carefully reviewing the recent (10 April) announcement of the third iteration of the French Government’s Social Leasing scheme.

What steps she is taking to help reduce the upfront costs of EVs.

The Government is reducing the upfront costs of zero emission vehicles by providing grants for zero emission cars, vans, trucks, and wheelchair accessible vehicles; this includes the £2 billion Electric Car Grant, which has already helped over 90,000 drivers to choose an electric vehicle.

When her Department plans to publish its response to the Net Zero Ports consultation.

We received 65 responses to the Net Zero Ports call for evidence, and plan to set out the findings later this year. These valuable stakeholder insights will shape our policy approach to the role of ports in maritime decarbonisation.

What progress his Department has made on implementing United Nations Global Technical Regulation No.22 on EV battery health.

On 13 April 2026, the Department launched a public consultation on updating the minimum emission standards for new road vehicles to Euro 7. As part of these proposals, manufacturers would be required to meet the requirements of United Nations Global Technical Regulation No.22 by fitting electric vehicles with accurate, accessible and comparable battery health monitors. The consultation will remain open until 25 May 2026. The Government is seeking views on these proposals through that consultation. No final decisions have been taken, and the timetable for introducing any new battery health measures will be determined following careful consideration of the responses received.

What recent assessment she has made of the level of demand electric vehicles; and whether her Department has assessed the potential merits of aligning the ZEV mandate trajectory with the 2035 European transition timeline in the light of current consumer and business rental demand.

According to industry figures, battery electric vehicles (BEVs) represent 22.4% of new car sales in the year to date. In March, new BEV volumes were up 24.2% on March last year, with 86,120 BEV sales, the highest month of BEV sales by volume ever in the UK. New BEV sales increased by almost a quarter in 2025 compared to 2024, while BEVs showed the strongest growth on the second-hand market, up by 45.7%. The Government continues to monitor regulatory approaches to support the transition to zero emission vehicles (ZEVs) in other countries and in the EU. These vary depending on economic, market, and geographic circumstances. Transitioning to ZEVs is essential to meeting the UK’s objectives on air quality, energy security and industrial policy, and to delivering on our climate commitments. The Government has a long-standing commitment to publish a review of the ZEV Mandate by early 2027, with preparations beginning this year.

How many driving tests (a) took place, (b) were cancelled and (c) went unused at the Currie Driving Test Centre in each month of 2025; and what the pass rate was in the same period.

The attached Excel spreadsheet shows how many practical car driving tests were conducted and cancelled, including pass rates at Currie driving test centre in each month for 2025. Also included is the number of practical car driving test slots that were available to book during this period but were not used. It is not possible to include data on the number of tests cancelled that then go on to be unused. Please note this data is up to 31 March 2025. Data for individual driving test centres is updated annually. The next update to this information will be published in June/July. DVSA publishes some of this data which is available on GOV.UK.

What assessment her Department has made on the potential impact of the expiry of the Plug-in Motorcycle Grant on riders in the gig-economy, the use of illegal e-bikes, and road safety.

The Plug in Motorcycle Grant has supported almost 16,000 vehicle purchases since 2016 and will close at the end of the 2025/26 financial year or when budgets have been exhausted, whichever comes first. The grant is currently available for L3 motorcycles costing under £10,000 with a range of at least 31 miles. There is no evidence to suggest a link between the grant’s closure and wider road safety risks.

What recent discussions her Department has had with industry on the number of flight instructors; and assessment she has made of the capacity of flight schools to train commercial airline pilots.

Ministers and officials engage regularly with industry and trade bodies (including the British Airline Pilots’ Association (BALPA) on all aviation skills issues. As the UK aviation sector operates predominantly in the private sector, it is for individual airlines to recruit and train pilots to meet today’s demand and the demand of the future. A major training organisation has now been approved to deliver the first officer apprenticeship, which would provide training completely cost-free to young people. We are working with the Department for Work and Pensions and Skills England to encourage airlines to deliver this apprenticeship.

Whether funding from expansion of the UK Emissions Trading Scheme to maritime will be used to support maritime decarbonisation.

Receipts from the UK Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) support the Government’s priorities, including spending that helps deliver the transition to net zero. The Government recognises that decarbonising the maritime sector requires a suite of policies, and continues to provide funding, guidance and policy support to facilitate the uptake of cleaner technologies across the sector. In September 2025, the Government announced a further £448m funding for the UK Shipping Office for Reducing Emissions (UK SHORE) research and development (R&D) programme between 2026 and 2030, representing the biggest government investment ever in the UK's commercial maritime industry.

If she will make an assessment of the potential impact of the road safety strategy on deaths and serious injuries from cycling and walking.

The Road Safety Strategy sets an ambitious target to reduce the number of people killed or seriously injured on British roads by 65% by 2035. This target will focus the efforts of road safety partners across Britain, with measures to protect vulnerable road users, update vehicle safety technologies and review motoring offences. One of the Safety Performance Indicators which will be monitored alongside delivery of the Strategy is: the rate of cyclists/pedestrians killed or seriously injured on England’s roads, measured as the number of fatalities and serious injuries per billion miles walked and cycled. Monitoring this should enable government to understand the impact that the Strategy is having on deaths and serious injuries of those cycling or walking. Our roads aren’t just for motorists; it is vitally important that everyone using our roads is kept safe. With that in mind on the 10 December 2025 we announced that we are allocating £626 million for local authorities from 2026-27 to 2029-30 to deliver walking, wheeling and cycling schemes.