Asked by: Lord Jackson of Peterborough (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask His Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with London North Eastern Railway about the December 2025 timetable changes and its impact on the experience of passengers travelling to and from Peterborough and Kings Cross in the peak morning travel period.
Answered by Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill - Minister of State (Department for Transport)
The Department is aware of local concerns regarding Peterborough-London services in the morning peak, following the December 2025 timetable change. Following continued collaboration between the Department for Transport and LNER, and informed by passenger feedback, I am pleased to confirm that an additional LNER fast train to London Kings Cross will stop at Peterborough at 0743.
Asked by: Lord Jackson of Peterborough (Conservative - Life peer)
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.
Asked by: Lord Jackson of Peterborough (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask His Majesty's Government what is the policy of the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency on self-identification, both with and without a gender recognition certificate, in relation to the recording of legal sex.
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.
Asked by: Lord Jackson of Peterborough (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether driving licence numbers are adjusted or encoded to reflect the sex of the licence holder; and if so, how.
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.
Asked by: Lord Jackson of Peterborough (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to improve punctuality and service quality on the East Coast Mainline.
Answered by Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill - Minister of State (Department for Transport)
The Department has invested £1.2 billion in route-wide upgrades across the East Coast Main Line (ECML) as part of the ECML Enhancements Programme. These investments will deliver significant improvements in journey times, reliability, and capacity, which will be realised through the introduction of the major timetable change in December 2025.
In addition, a further £105 million has been allocated to a package of enhancements at Darlington Station. Once completed by the end of the year, these works will support improved performance and reliability for passenger services across the northern section of the route.
The December 2025 major East Coast Upgrade Timetable will deliver a range of benefits, including:
Faster Anglo-Scottish journeys operated by LNER and Lumo
An additional hourly LNER service between London and Newcastle
Over 60,000 extra seats per week between London and Newcastle
Improved connectivity across East Coast Main Line stations
Increased local services north of Newcastle
Additional services between Newcastle and Reading, enhancing both capacity and connectivity
New trains operating between Sheffield and Leeds
Faster commuter services on the Cambridge line, supporting a full service at the new Cambridge South station
Provision for new services linking Middlesbrough, Sunderland, and Newcastle, as well as Nottingham and Lincoln
To ensure successful implementation, an industry readiness taskforce is in place to support the delivery of the new timetable from day one with a focus on maintaining high performance standards across the route.
Asked by: Lord Jackson of Peterborough (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask His Majesty's Government what progress they have made in their discussions with the motor insurance industry on (1) the above-inflation increase in car insurance premiums, and (2) the wider efficiency of the motor industry marketplace.
Answered by Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill - Minister of State (Department for Transport)
This Government committed in its manifesto to tackle the high costs of motor insurance. To deliver on this commitment, the UK Government has formed a cross-government Taskforce on motor insurance, co-chaired by the Department for Transport and His Majesty’s Treasury, which met for the first time on 16th October.
The Taskforce is comprised of ministers from relevant government departments and by the Financial Conduct Authority and Competition and Markets Authority. The Taskforce is supported by a separate Stakeholder Panel of industry experts representing the insurance, motor, and consumer sector.
This Taskforce has a strategic remit to set the direction for UK Government policy, identifying short- and long-term actions for departments that may contribute to stabilising or reducing premiums, while maintaining appropriate levels of cover. It will evaluate the impact of increased insurance costs on consumers and the insurance industry, including how this impacts different demographics, geographies, and communities.
Asked by: Lord Jackson of Peterborough (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask His Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with (1) train operating companies, and (2) other stakeholders, on improving rail services to Stansted airport.
Answered by Lord Davies of Gower - Shadow Minister (Home Office)
Officials meet regularly with the owners of Stansted Airport, Manchester Airport Group, and attend the annual Stansted Airport Surface Access Forum, along with other stakeholders.
Officials also engage regularly with Greater Anglia and CrossCountry about Stansted Airport services.
As a result, off-peak and weekend Stansted Express services doubled from December 2023 to give a 15-minute frequency to London.
The aspiration for full hourly CrossCountry services from Birmingham to Stansted Airport should be met when resources allow.
Asked by: Lord Jackson of Peterborough (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask His Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with the Manchester Airports Group regarding its ambition to develop new long-haul airline routes from Stansted airport as a means of driving growth in the region.
Answered by Lord Davies of Gower - Shadow Minister (Home Office)
Ministers and officials regularly meet with Manchester Airports Group (MAG) to discuss a range of issues. Where opportunities for new commercial flights exist, airports and other stakeholders can work together to establish the case for commercial flights and work with airline partners to create new connections for their communities.
Asked by: Lord Jackson of Peterborough (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask His Majesty's Government what discussions, if any, they have had with the airline industry regarding the expansion of long haul routes from Stansted Airport as a means of driving economic prosperity in the wider eastern England.
Answered by Baroness Vere of Norbiton
Department for Transport Ministers and officials hold regular discussions with airlines, airports and international partners to facilitate global connectivity. Air services between the United Kingdom and other countries are governed by a portfolio of bilateral air services agreements, which set the framework in which airlines from both countries operate. Officials continually review these agreements to ensure they remain up to date and meet the needs of airlines and airports, including Stansted Airport.
However, it is for individual airlines to determine whether to take advantage of the rights and routes available to them within any air services agreement.
Asked by: Lord Jackson of Peterborough (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to support the dualling of the A47 from Peterborough to Kings Lynn.
Answered by Baroness Vere of Norbiton
The Government recognises the need to improve the A47 in the East of England. That is why we are already delivering a number of schemes to improve it as part of RIS2. We are also considering the case for further improvements as part of future strategies, informed principally by National Highways evidence-led Route Strategies process.