Asked by: Olly Glover (Liberal Democrat - Didcot and Wantage)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what guidance her Department has issued to the police on detecting and enforcing traffic contraventions committed by autonomous vehicles where no human driver is actively controlling the vehicle.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
Section 39 of the Automated Vehicles Act 2024 (“AV Act”) sets out the Secretary of State’s duty to identify and investigate incidents involving automated vehicles which have potential regulatory consequences. Chapter 2 of the ongoing Call for Evidence, “Developing the Automated Vehicles Regulatory Framework”, seeks views on the most appropriate methods of detection and enforcement of relevant incidents, including traffic infractions.
In addition, guidance specifically relating to forthcoming pilots of automated vehicles, prior to the introduction of the full AV Act, is currently being drafted in conjunction with first responders.
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of airport surface access planning conditions and sustainability requirements on the level of car parking and drop-off charges paid by passengers.
Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
Surface access strategies give airports the tools they need to stay connected, cut congestion and meet environmental targets. The Department has not undertaken a specific assessment of the potential impact of airport surface access planning conditions and sustainability requirements on the level of car parking and drop-off charges paid by passengers. We continue to engage with operators to ensure that, where airports do choose to charge, they do so in a way that is fair and transparent.
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether she intends to make changes to the existing Airports National Policy Statement in the context of the potential of a third runway at Heathrow; and what assessment she has made of the likelihood of securing planning consent for a third runway by 2029.
Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
Government launched a review of the Airports National Policy Statement (ANPS) on 22 October, to reflect changes in legislation, policy and data. We will consult on any proposed amendments to the ANPS in summer 2026.
When the ANPS has been reviewed, and depending on the outcome of the review, it will be for scheme promoters to decide when to submit a Development Consent Order application for a third runway scheme but the government’s ambition is for a planning decision this parliament.
Asked by: Lisa Smart (Liberal Democrat - Hazel Grove)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of DVLA's new casework system on processing times and the number of cases that have not been processed.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) is rolling out a new casework system for driving licence applications where a medical condition must be investigated. This will deliver significant improvements, including improved turnaround times, increased capacity, increased automation, higher levels of digital functionality and increased digital communication.
The DVLA will also be launching a new digital medical services portal in April. These enhancements alongside the recruitment of additional staff to deal with medical applications and answer telephone calls, will deliver real improvements in services and turnaround times for customers.
Asked by: Neil Duncan-Jordan (Labour - Poole)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps she is taking to improve Poole train station.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
South Western Railway (SWR) is responsible for making sure its stations are well-maintained and meet the standards that passengers expect. Now SWR is in public ownership, it is working more closely with Network Rail and together jointly developing a strategic station plan to improve the station building and facilities. SWR is also planning a station adoption group with local stakeholders to improve the general look of the station.
Asked by: Helen Maguire (Liberal Democrat - Epsom and Ewell)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps her Department is taking to help increase pothole repairs.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Government has provided a record investment of £7.3 billion for local highways maintenance over the next four years. This new four-year funding settlement is in addition to the Government’s investment of £1.6 billion this financial year, a £500 million increase compared to last year. By confirming funding allocations for the next four-year period, authorities have certainty to plan ahead and move away from expensive, short-term pothole repairs and to instead invest in preventative road surface treatments so that roads can be fixed properly and kept in good condition for longer so that fewer potholes form in the first place.
In addition, in January 2026 the Department released a new traffic light rating system for local highway authorities. Under this system, all local highway authorities in England received a red, amber or green rating based on the condition of their roads, how much they spend to maintain their roads, and whether they do so using best practice. These ratings are designed to promote good asset management and encourage a preventative approach to highways maintenance. The ratings enable the Department to identify where councils need to improve and to support them. As part of this, the Department is providing development support to help councils adopt best practice and to improve their rating and the condition of their roads.
Asked by: Gareth Thomas (Labour (Co-op) - Harrow West)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether they will require their department and agencies to offer payroll deductions to all employees to enable them to join a credit union.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
This is a service that we do not current offer in DfT or our agencies. Staff can still make arrangements to contribute to a credit union via direct debit.
Asked by: Oliver Dowden (Conservative - Hertsmere)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether she plans to introduce address checks for driving licenses and vehicle registrations.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA)’s Driver and Vehicle Account provides motorists with a single online place to access all its services and information. The account allows customers to update their driving licence and vehicle information. To open an account, customers must verify their identify through GOV.UK One Login and this verification process includes an external identity check for verification of personal details, including the address. Information about the account can be found at www.gov.uk/driver-vehicles-account.
Anyone applying for a driving licence for the first time must provide evidence of their identity so that the DVLA can verify and authenticate them. While there is no requirement for an applicant to verify their address, the DVLA does ask applicants applying online to provide current and historical addresses where appropriate to help the identity verification process.
The DVLA also requires proof of identity when a vehicle is first registered. To ensure services are customer friendly and cost effective, when a subsequent application is sent to change the details of a registered keeper there is no requirement to provide proof of identity or address.
It is already an offence to provide false or misleading information and there are no plans to introduce additional checks for driving licence applications or vehicle transactions.
The DVLA’s operational fraud team monitors both vehicle and driving licence records for evidence of fraud and acts on intelligence received from the police and other sources. This includes investigating possible anomalies in the use of addresses provided.
Asked by: Oliver Dowden (Conservative - Hertsmere)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if she will review the policy of verifying addresses for vehicle registrations and driving licenses.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA)’s Driver and Vehicle Account provides motorists with a single online place to access all its services and information. The account allows customers to update their driving licence and vehicle information. To open an account, customers must verify their identify through GOV.UK One Login and this verification process includes an external identity check for verification of personal details, including the address. Information about the account can be found at www.gov.uk/driver-vehicles-account.
Anyone applying for a driving licence for the first time must provide evidence of their identity so that the DVLA can verify and authenticate them. While there is no requirement for an applicant to verify their address, the DVLA does ask applicants applying online to provide current and historical addresses where appropriate to help the identity verification process.
The DVLA also requires proof of identity when a vehicle is first registered. To ensure services are customer friendly and cost effective, when a subsequent application is sent to change the details of a registered keeper there is no requirement to provide proof of identity or address.
It is already an offence to provide false or misleading information and there are no plans to introduce additional checks for driving licence applications or vehicle transactions.
The DVLA’s operational fraud team monitors both vehicle and driving licence records for evidence of fraud and acts on intelligence received from the police and other sources. This includes investigating possible anomalies in the use of addresses provided.
Asked by: Oliver Dowden (Conservative - Hertsmere)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether she intends to introduce mandatory address verifications on driving license applications.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA)’s Driver and Vehicle Account provides motorists with a single online place to access all its services and information. The account allows customers to update their driving licence and vehicle information. To open an account, customers must verify their identify through GOV.UK One Login and this verification process includes an external identity check for verification of personal details, including the address. Information about the account can be found at www.gov.uk/driver-vehicles-account.
Anyone applying for a driving licence for the first time must provide evidence of their identity so that the DVLA can verify and authenticate them. While there is no requirement for an applicant to verify their address, the DVLA does ask applicants applying online to provide current and historical addresses where appropriate to help the identity verification process.
The DVLA also requires proof of identity when a vehicle is first registered. To ensure services are customer friendly and cost effective, when a subsequent application is sent to change the details of a registered keeper there is no requirement to provide proof of identity or address.
It is already an offence to provide false or misleading information and there are no plans to introduce additional checks for driving licence applications or vehicle transactions.
The DVLA’s operational fraud team monitors both vehicle and driving licence records for evidence of fraud and acts on intelligence received from the police and other sources. This includes investigating possible anomalies in the use of addresses provided.