Asked by: Earl Attlee (Conservative - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill on 1 December (HL12185), whether the consortium appointed by Network Rail to deliver infrastructure works to the west of Leeds as part of the Transpennine Route Upgrade programme has made payments to crane hire companies to cover the cost of police escorts in connection with the movements of cranes and vehicles; and, if so, how much has been spent since October 2024 by their largest supplier of crane or lifting services, and for how many movements.
Answered by Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill - Minister of State (Department for Transport)
The cost for police to escort abnormal loads to Transpennine Route Upgrade worksites, when required, is included within crane hire companies’ costs to the consortium. The Department does not hold information on the breakdown of crane suppliers’ costs or the number of movements they undertake.
Asked by: Earl Attlee (Conservative - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask His Majesty's Government what is the tax-free overnight allowance for HGV drivers and when was it last uprated in line with inflation.
Answered by Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill - Minister of State (Department for Transport)
The agreed industry scale rate for lorry drivers’ overnight subsistence allowance is currently £34.90, or 75% of this figure (£26.20) where the driver uses a sleeper cab. These are the maximum amounts that can be paid free of Income Tax and National Insurance Contributions under the agreed industry scale rate.
There is no commitment to uplifting agreed industry scale rates in line with inflation. In order to seek an increase in the rate, haulage operators would need to provide evidence to His Majesty’s Revenue and Customs (HMRC) that drivers are incurring expenses that exceed the current benchmark rate.
Alternatively, employers can reimburse drivers for their actual travel costs incurred when staying away from home rather than pay the set benchmark scale rate.
Asked by: Earl Attlee (Conservative - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill on 1 December (HL12185), whether Network Rail’s Transpennine Route Upgrade programme is largely funded by central and local government.
Answered by Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill - Minister of State (Department for Transport)
I can confirm that the TransPennine Route Upgrade programme is wholly funded by central government.
Asked by: Earl Attlee (Conservative - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they will publish each occasion in this Parliament when a Minister of the Crown rode in an Ajax armoured fighting vehicle cross country or off metalled roads.
Answered by Lord Coaker - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
There have been two occasions where a Minister of His Majesty’s Government has ridden in an Ajax armoured fighting vehicle during this session of Parliament.
The first occasion was on 17 July 2025 and the second occasion was on 5 November 2025. Both occasions took place on a concrete hard surface test track.
Asked by: Earl Attlee (Conservative - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they will publish each occasion in this Parliament when a Minister of the Crown rode in an Ajax armoured fighting vehicle on metalled roads or a parade square.
Answered by Lord Coaker - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
There have been two occasions where a Minister of His Majesty’s Government has ridden in an Ajax armoured fighting vehicle during this session of Parliament.
The first occasion was on 17 July 2025 and the second occasion was on 5 November 2025. Both occasions took place on a concrete hard surface test track.