Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Reform UK - Romford)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of the effectiveness of British railways safety standards.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
Britain’s railways consistently rank among the safest in the world, partly due to the robust safety requirements established in legislation. These requirements include the Railways and Other Guided Transport Systems Safety Regulations 2006 and a range of mandatory standards, including National Technical Specification Notices, rail group standards and rail industry standards, which are enforced by the independent railway safety regulator, the Office of Rail and Road (ORR). The effectiveness of the regulatory regime for Great Britain’s railways was reflected in the ORR’s latest annual health and safety report published on 17 July 2025, which found that safety levels on the network remain high. The Government keeps rail safety regulations under regular review, including by undertaking post-implementation reviews with industry, to ensure they remain fit for purpose and up to date.
Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Reform UK - Romford)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps she has taken to work with relevant authorities to ensure the safety of commuters at (a) overground and (b) underground railway stations in England.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
All rail operators and infrastructure owners, including those responsible for overground and underground railway stations, have statutory duties to ensure the safety of those using and working on the railways, including by managing issues such as crowding. These duties are set out in The Railways and Other Guided Transport Systems (Safety) Regulations 2006 (ROGS) and are supplemented by other health and safety laws. These laws, which are enforced by the independent railway safety regulator, the Office of Rail and Road, give the UK one of the safest railways in Europe.
Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Reform UK - Romford)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps she has taken to ensure the safety of ground operations at English airports.
Answered by Mike Kane
The safety of aviation, the travelling public and aviation workers is a priority for the government.
Ground handling in the UK is transitioning to a more regulated environment to ensure that we uphold the excellent safety record of the UK aviation sector and continue to be compliant with International Civil Aviation Organization standards. The Civil Aviation Authority is working on new Ground Handling Regulation that will be applicable at all UK Certified and Licensed Aerodromes. The development of these new rules acknowledges the important role of ground handling in keeping aviation safe for passengers and employees.
Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Reform UK - Romford)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps she has taken to improve aviation interconnectivity between the four nations of the UK.
Answered by Mike Kane
Airports serve our local communities by supporting thousands of jobs in the regions and acting as a gateway to international opportunities, alongside maintaining social and family ties and strengthening the bonds between the four nations.
The Government supports connectivity across the union through our joint-funding of three Public Service Obligation (PSO) routes into London from Newquay, Dundee and Derry/Londonderry.
Furthermore, the Aviation Futures Forum, which I Co-Chair, has agreed to establish a number of working groups including one on Regional Aviation. The Group will report back to the Forum in due course.
Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Reform UK - Romford)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of the effectiveness of British aviation safety standards.
Answered by Mike Kane
Recognised international metrics show that UK airspace and airlines are amongst the safest in the world. We have an exemplary record that ensures consumer confidence and international trust in the UK’s regulatory regime. The UK remains steadfast in our commitment to maintaining the highest standards of aviation safety.
The effectiveness of the standards are maintained through robust processes in place to ensure the safety of passengers. The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) sets global standards for aviation safety to ensure there is a harmonization of standards. As a signatory to the Chicago Convention, we are responsible for ensuring compliance of all UK aviation authorities (UKAAs) we oversee, such as the UK Civil Aviation Authority, the Crown Dependencies and British Overseas Territories. Both the DfT and the UKAAs are responsible for rulemaking processes regarding aviation safety and ensuring ICAO obligations are met.
Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Reform UK - Romford)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps her Department is taking to tackle the use of cloned vehicle registration plates.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
The Government understands how distressing this criminal activity can be for innocent motorists. The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) is working with the National Police Chiefs’ Council and other government departments to improve the identification and enforcement of number plate crime, including the use of cloned number plates.
The law requires that anyone who supplies number plates for road use in the UK must be registered with the DVLA. It is a legal requirement for suppliers to carry out checks to ensure that number plates are only sold to those who can prove they are entitled to the registration number. Number plate suppliers must also keep records of the plates they have supplied.
The DVLA assists the police and Trading Standards in their enforcement against number plate suppliers who trade illegally. When notified, the DVLA will investigate and pass on intelligence to the police who are responsible for investigating this criminal matter.
Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Reform UK - Romford)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps she has taken to support the (a) safety and (b) financial viability of black taxi drivers in London.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The taxi industry in London is the direct responsibility of Transport for London, including considering the safety and costs to drivers as part of their regulatory regime. The Department for Transport has supported the work of TfL and other licensing bodies by providing the “Taxis and private hire vehicles licensing best practice guidance for licensing authorities” which is clear that licensing authorities must consider ways to protect those working in the trade as well as those that use its services.
In addition, DfT has provided funding of over £75m to support with the cost of purchasing over 10,500 zero emission capable taxis through the Plug in Taxi Grant.
Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Reform UK - Romford)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps she has taken to work with relevant authorities to improve the safety of bus drivers in (a) England and (b) Romford constituency.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The government have introduced the Bus Services (No.2) Bill which focuses on delivering safe, more reliable bus networks. The Bill sets requirements for mandatory training on how to recognise and respond appropriately to incidents of criminal and anti-social behaviour, on buses for staff, including drivers and those who deal directly with the travelling public or with issues related to the travelling public.
Provisions in the Bus Services (No.2) Bill would also give all local transport authorities (LTAs) the power to make bus byelaws, which can be enforced by local authority officers on vehicles and at bus stations and stops. This, combined with targeted enforcement should lead to safer networks. Transport Safety Officers or Transport Safety and Enforcement Officers are also already operating in some areas.
All LTAs in England are required to publish Bus Service Improvement Plans (BSIPs) with information on how they intend to improve services in their area. LTAs have been informed that BSIPs should include plans on how LTAs and local bus operators will work together to ensure that bus services are safe and perceived to be safe by all. This may include measures such as appropriate passenger safety training for bus drivers to deal with emergency situations on or off the bus and encouraging bus operators to liaise with local police and other stakeholders to address safety concerns.
Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Reform UK - Romford)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps she has taken with relevant authorities to improve the safety of train drivers in (a) England and (b) Romford constituency.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
Ensuring the continued safety of train drivers across the national rail network remains a priority for my department. Train operators are subject to strict legal duties, which are enforced by the Office of Rail and Road (ORR), to ensure that the train drivers they employ can work in safety. My department works closely with the ORR, the Rail Safety and Standards Board and the wider rail industry to keep these measures under review and to identify areas for improvement. This has included supporting research to improve the industry’s understanding of issues such as fatigue management and access to welfare facilities and the development of improved standards and guidance to codify best practice.
Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Reform UK - Romford)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of the impact of regulation on small and medium-sized enterprises involved in the development and deployment of sustainable aviation fuel; and whether she plans to simplify relevant processes.
Answered by Mike Kane
I refer the hon Member to the answer I gave on 23/06/2025, to Question UIN 60297.