Found: OFFICIAL OFFICIAL Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill Minister of State for Rail Great Minster House

Found: recently challenged in the House of Lords when the question of disability access was asked of Lord Hendy

Found: bodies Former or current Ministers who may be invited to give evidence include: • Lord Berkeley • Lord Hendy

Found: OFFICIAL-SENSITIVE OFFICIAL-SENSITIVE Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill Minister of State for Rail

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask His Majesty's Government further to the Written Answer by Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill (HL10676), how and why they reached the conclusion that the Strikes (Minimum Service Levels) Act 2023 was "unworkable for public transport when it was passed".

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

Minimum Service Levels (MSLs) legislation was brought in under the last Government. While many public transport employers had the opportunity to use MSLs, none chose to as they deemed it either unworkable or unnecessary. This legislation does not support a positive and productive relationship between employers, employees, and their trade unions. The legislation would have also been unable to deal with the need for individual or small numbers of staff at critical operational locations. For these reasons, this Government is repealing the legislation.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill on 12 September (HL9963), what action they will take to follow up on their report Low Traffic Neighbourhoods, published in March 2024, which noted insufficient research on the economic impact of low traffic neighbourhoods.

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

The Government is clear that traffic management measures such as low traffic neighbourhoods (LTNs) are a matter for local authorities as they know their areas best. The Department has no plans to undertake further research on the impacts of LTNs.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill on 6 August (HL9825), how the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency records the sex of driving licence holders on its databases; and whether those records reflect (1) biological sex, (2) any valid gender recognition certificate, or (3) self-identification.

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

A driving licence number reflects the gender of the licence holder as notified to the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA). The seventh character of the number will be a zero or one if the driver record shows the licence holder is male, and five or six if the record shows the licence holder is female.

The DVLA records gender according to the information provided by the applicant and as indicated on the evidence of identity that is provided at the time the licence is applied for.

Those wishing to change their gender will need to apply to the DVLA and provide supporting evidence, which can include a deed poll, statutory declaration or a gender recognition certificate.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill on 28 July (HL9485), what plans they have to undertake permanent repairs to the bridge on the A1 at Water Newton following the "temporary maintenance and technology works" referred to; and whether the repairs will require the reimposition of lane closures following their reopening on 12 September.

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

National Highways has confirmed that detailed design work for the permanent repair will commence once the current project to realign the southbound carriageway has been completed.

Realignment work (temporary repair) started on 8 September 2025. Most of the work is scheduled to take place over several weekend closures between 12 September and 20 October 2025.

Lane closures on the southbound carriageway are not expected to be reimposed until the programme of permanent repairs commences, which is currently anticipated to be in late 2026. All traffic will remain subject to a temporary 40mph speed restriction until permanent repairs are complete. This measure is necessary as the newly realigned driving lanes will be narrower than the standard width.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill on 28 July (HL9485), what caused the delay to the remedial work taking place on the A1 at Water Newton between the imposition of lane closures on 1 November 2024 and July 2025.

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

National Highways has had to take into account and work within several engineering, environmental, and archaeological constraints. The nature of the required works at this location were both challenging and complex.

The constraints included the presence of numerous public utilities in the immediate area, including a large water main situated close to the carriageway and the existing culvert. The site also includes Billing Brook which runs beneath the A1 at Water Newton and flows into a designated Site of Special Scientific Interest. Finally, the proximity of the nearby historic Roman town of Durobrivae which meant that archaeological factors have needed to be taken into account.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the remarks by Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill on 14 July 2025 (HL Deb cols 1678–1681), whether they will publish for each of the road schemes for which funding was confirmed (1) the benefit-cost ration, (2) the latest cost estimate with the date of that cost estimate, and (3) the appraisal made under the Department for Transport’s capital spend review announced in July 2024.

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

(1) Detailed information on Strategic Road Network (SRN) schemes is available in the applications for planning consent, available on the Planning Inspectorate’s website. Benefit-cost ratio information for Major Road Network/Large Local Majors (MRN/LLM) schemes is part of the business case evidence and analysis which is provided by Local Authorities. This information is therefore available directly from them, once a scheme is approved at the Full Business Case (FBC) stage.

(2) Scheme costs for the SRN schemes will be confirmed as part of the setting of the third Road Investment Strategy, planned to be published by the end of March 2026. For MRN/LLM schemes, individual financial details cannot be provided ahead of assessing the Full Business Case, as doing so would jeopardise procurement exercises and contract negotiations.

(3) The Capital Review provided strategic advice to the Secretary of State. It did not appraise any specific projects, programmes or portfolios.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill on 21 July (HL9261), what plans they have to impose a ban on all tree and shrubbery clearance work by Network Rail from March to August inclusive to avoid disturbing songbirds during nesting season.

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

The government has no plans to impose a ban on tree and shrubbery clearance work by Network Rail. As stated in the previous answer (HL9261), Network Rail has processes in place for managing tree removal around nesting season. Network Rail has committed to increase biodiversity across the rail estate by 2035 but ultimately must prioritise the safe and efficient operation of the railway. Vegetation with suspected or identified nesting birds would only be removed if safety concerns were significant and following consultation with ecologists, lawyers and the British Transport 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 11 February (HL4485), what assessment have they made, if any, of the number of potholes in the car park of Penrith Station; and what steps they are taking, if any, to ensure that Network Rail will repair any potholes.

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

No assessment has been made by officials about the number of potholes in the car park at Penrith. We understand from Avanti West Coast and Network Rail that a temporary repair of potholes has been put in place at the station front, and a re-surfacing of the road at the station is expected within the coming year. Avanti West Coast will raise with Network Rail the importance of the car park in any plans for pothole repairs.

Found: although they have recognised that this is ultimately a commercial decision.32 Rail Minister Lord Hendy

Found: qualified the right to time off for union officials in clause 61 with a reasonableness test.58 Lord Hendy

Found: qualified the right to time off for union officials in clause 61 with a reasonableness test.58 Lord Hendy

Found: Clause 72 LORD SHARPE OF EPSOM LORD HUNT OF WIRRAL 149A_ Leave out Clause 72 After Clause 72 LORD HENDY

Found: Rt Hon Heidi Alexander  1/1 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A Rt Hon Louise Haigh  1/1 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A Lord Hendy

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Found: value of Hospitality (£) Heidi Alexander Nil Return Nil Return Nil Return Nil Return Nil Return Lord Hendy

Found: Received gifts only) Heidi Alexander Nil Return Nil Return Nil Return Nil Return Nil Return Nil Return Lord Hendy

Found: Powerhouse Rail and Bradford Station Nick Bisson 2025-04-01 Greater Manchester Combined Authority, Lord Hendy

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Found: programme Board London; UK Train N/A £219.40 N/A N/A £219.40 Farha Sheikh 2025-06-25 2025-06-26 RSG Lord Hendy

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Found: Heidi Alexander 21/07/2025 Airlines UK Drink No £10 Heidi Alexander 30/07/2025 Nexus Lunch No £10 Lord Hendy

Found: Received gifts only) Heidi Alexander Nil Return Nil Return Nil Return Nil Return Nil Return Nil Return Lord Hendy

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Found: Received gifts only) Heidi Alexander Nil Return Nil Return Nil Return Nil Return Nil Return Nil Return Lord Hendy

Found: Value of Hospitality (£) Heidi Alexander Nil Return Nil Return Nil Return Nil Return Nil Return Lord Hendy

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Found: Rt Hon Heidi Alexander 1/1 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A Rt Hon Louise Haigh 1/1 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A Lord Hendy

Found: Rt Hon Heidi Alexander  1/1 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A Rt Hon Louise Haigh  1/1 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A Lord Hendy

Found: Heidi Alexander  1/1  N/A  N/A  N/A  N/A  N/A  Rt Hon Louise Haigh  1/1  N/A  N/A  N/A  N/A  N/A  Lord Hendy

Found: The Rail Minister, Lord Hendy, is meeting British Transport Police (BTP) Chief Constable, Lucy D’Orsi

Found: The Rail Minister, Lord Hendy, is meeting British Transport Police (BTP) Chief Constable, Lucy D’Orsi

Found: Professor Brian Cantor 2 01/06/2016 30/11/2024 3/5 Judith Donovan 2 02/01/2019 31/08/2027 5/5 Lord Hendy

Found: Letter dated 18/09/2025 from Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill to Lord Moylan and Lord Lucas regarding further

Found: Letter dated 28/07/2025 from Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill to Lord Moylan in response to a Written Parliamentary

<p>Thank you. I think that's probably a good place for us to finish this session. Can I thank you, Lord Hendy, very much for your attendance this afternoon? We very much appreciate the evidence that you've shared with us. It'll greatly enrich our consideration of the situation here in Wales, and we certainly do share, I think, that aspiration that you outlined at the end for better services. You will, of course, be sent a copy of the draft transcript to check for accuracy and to check whether that interjection from the test of the fire alarm will be included, but, with that, can I sincerely say diolch yn fawr—thank you for being with us this afternoon?</p>

<p>Thank you, Lord Hendy. In 2022, Jo Stevens MP said that it's utterly illogical to designate HS2 as an England-and-Wales project, estimating that Wales was owed £4.6 billion in consequential funding from the full scheme. Many of us in the Senedd have also called for that funding. In 2023, you said that something is amiss with the way that the Barnett formula is applied to HS2.&nbsp;Do you believe that the designation for HS2 will change?</p>

<p>Good afternoon, Lord Hendy. I'm going to ask you some questions regarding fair funding and future commitments. We have lots of debates about this in our Senedd. Do you believe that Wales has received fair and reasonable levels of investment in its rail infrastructure?</p>

<p>We'll move on, therefore, to the main focus of our meeting this afternoon. We will be discussing the implications of UK rail policy for Wales. We are delighted to be taking evidence from Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill, Minister of State at the UK Government Department for Transport, who is joining us this afternoon. A warm welcome to you, Lord Hendy.&nbsp;We do have an hour for this session, so we'll proceed directly to questions, and I'll invite Carolyn Thomas to ask the first questions.</p>

<p>Good afternoon, Lord Hendy. I'm going to move on now to the overview on rail reform. I'm quite interested for you to outline how the Welsh Government and Transport for Wales are being involved in planning both statutory and non-statutory elements of that, and if you can give any particular examples of how plans have changed, or might change, to reflect that input.</p>

<p>Diolch, Cadeirydd. Lord Hendy, it's a pleasure to have you with us. Thank you ever so much. I wanted to come back to what you'd said about HS2, just to begin with, if I may. You'd said that your previous comments on HS2 were made before you were a Minister, and we appreciate that. The facts haven't changed, though, have they?</p>

<p>Yes, please. You talked about having a business case, which is why I believe getting the work done at Padeswood et cetera is coming forward. There was talk about electrification of the north Wales line. So, could you confirm, Lord Hendy, then, that that is something that really couldn't have been brought forward, because there isn't the business case developed for it?</p>