Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill on 16 September 2024 (HL568), under which special order certificate the tram movement from the Very Light Rail Innovation Centre in Dudley to the Metro Maintenance Centre in Wednesbury on 15 February 2024 was made.

Answered by Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill - Minister of State (Department for Transport)

The trams were moving under Special Order permit (certificate) number P37/2024 signed on the 29^th January 2024 cleared for in Special Order application ref: RFS/2988.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill on 16 September 2024 (HL568), under which movement classification the movement notification to National Highways about the tram movement from the Very Light Rail Innovation Centre in Dudley to the Metro Maintenance Centre in Wednesbury on 15 February 2024 was made.

Answered by Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill - Minister of State (Department for Transport)

The actual movement notification for the tram movements was submitted under ‘STGO AIL Cat 3’ on ref: RFS/3062 on the 25^th January 2024.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill on 16 September 2024 (HL568), whether any special order other than that referenced in Special Order P35/2024 dated 29 January 2024 was granted under section 44 of the Road Traffic Act 1988 for the movement of a tram from the Very Light Rail Innovation Centre in Dudley to the Metro Maintenance Centre in Wednesbury on 15 February 2024.

Answered by Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill - Minister of State (Department for Transport)

Yes. In addition to the above referenced Special Order P35/2024, a second application was also cleared on 29th January 2024 for tram movements between the same two sites, with a Special Order number of P37/2024.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether they have directly, indirectly, or through agents or sub-contractors partially or wholly funded the supply of any cars or light vehicles for West Yorkshire Police in connection with or via the Transpennine Route Upgrade project.

Answered by Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill - Minister of State (Department for Transport)

The consortium appointed by Network Rail to deliver infrastructure works to the west of Leeds as part of the Transpennine Route Upgrade programme, has transferred funds to West Yorkshire Police, for the provision of vehicles to help maintain the delivery schedule of abnormal loads to programme work sites.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask His Majesty's Government how many abnormal load movement notifications were received by National Highways Yorkshire and North East in each of the past five years for which figures are available.

Answered by Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill - Minister of State (Department for Transport)

For the years that information is available, the figures are:

• 2022 – 71,849

• 2023 – 115,931

• 2024 – 156,591

• 2025 to end October – 149,619

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether they have received evidence on whether financial service providers (1) have been, and (2) are currently, discriminating against small and medium-sized enterprises involved with defence or military equipment.

Answered by Lord Livermore - Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)

HM Treasury is aware that SMEs and startups operating in the defence sector face barriers to accessing finance.

The Ministry of Defence is looking at these issues as part of the Defence Finance and Investment Strategy (DFIS) to be published in early 2026. The DFIS will look at the entire spectrum of defence companies, from start-ups through to primes, and provide recommendations to the Defence Secretary on how barriers to investment in defence can be removed.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether West Yorkshire Police has been supplied, or been wholly or partially funded for, any cars or light vehicles by His Majesty's Government directly, indirectly, or through agents or sub-contractors in connection with or via the Transpennine Route Upgrade project.

Answered by Lord Hanson of Flint - Minister of State (Home Office)

Police forces in England and Wales are operationally independent of Government. Decisions on the procurement or allocation of resources, including vehicles, are matters for Chief Constables and directly elected Police and Crime Commissioners or equivalents and are not matters the Home Office would routinely be involved in.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether the Department for Transport has directly, indirectly, or through agents or sub-contractors partially or wholly funded the supply of any cars or light vehicles for West Yorkshire Police in connection with or via the Transpennine Route Upgrade project.

Answered by Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill - Minister of State (Department for Transport)

The consortium appointed by Network Rail to deliver infrastructure works to the west of Leeds as part of the Transpennine Route Upgrade programme, has transferred funds to West Yorkshire Police, for the provision of vehicles to help maintain the delivery schedule of abnormal loads to programme work sites.

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), how many light vehicles, excluding those used for covert purposes, are operated by West Yorkshire Police.

Answered by Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill - Minister of State (Department for Transport)

The Department for Transport does not hold information on the number of vehicles that are operated by West Yorkshire Police.

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 they will publish the livery, if any, of the vehicles funded by the consortium, and whether that livery was specially designed for escorting abnormal loads or suitable for general policing duties.

Answered by Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill - Minister of State (Department for Transport)

The vehicles funded by the West Alliance as part of the Transpennine Route Upgrade Programme are Volvo XC90s. The vehicles have standard police livery, and in addition of ‘Abnormal Load Escort’ on the rear side windows. The vehicles are only used for abnormal load escorts and not general roads policing duties. Transfer of funds took place on 26 March 2025 and 20 June 2025, amounting to £175,000.

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 they will publish the make and model of all of the vehicles funded in whole or in part by the consortium.

Answered by Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill - Minister of State (Department for Transport)

The vehicles funded by the West Alliance as part of the Transpennine Route Upgrade Programme are Volvo XC90s. The vehicles have standard police livery, and in addition of ‘Abnormal Load Escort’ on the rear side windows. The vehicles are only used for abnormal load escorts and not general roads policing duties. Transfer of funds took place on 26 March 2025 and 20 June 2025, amounting to £175,000.

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 they will publish the date and amount of all relevant transfers of funds from the consortium to West Yorkshire Police.

Answered by Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill - Minister of State (Department for Transport)

The vehicles funded by the West Alliance as part of the Transpennine Route Upgrade Programme are Volvo XC90s. The vehicles have standard police livery, and in addition of ‘Abnormal Load Escort’ on the rear side windows. The vehicles are only used for abnormal load escorts and not general roads policing duties. Transfer of funds took place on 26 March 2025 and 20 June 2025, amounting to £175,000.

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