Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Reform UK - Romford)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what financial arrangements and contractual agreements exist with the owners of Lydden Hill Race Circuit and the former Folkestone Racecourse concerning the management of possible traffic congestion in Kent resulting from the EU Entry Exit System.
Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
As part of preparations to mitigate the risk of potential disruption during Summer 2026, the Kent and Medway Resilience Forum (KMRF) identified the need to have contingency sites available to provide welfare facilities to passenger vehicles in the case of severe disruption. These sites support the Forum's wider traffic management plans to maintain traffic flow and minimise disruption on Kent's road network. The sites used were at Lydden Hill Race Circuit and Folkstone Racecourse.
The Department for Transport (DfT) has worked closely with the KMRF to support their preparations, although the use and deployment of these sites by KMRF is operationally independent from the Department. DfT has put in place agreements with the owners of Lydden Hill and Folkstone Racecourse to enable these sites to be used as contingency sites over the summer period.
Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Reform UK - Romford)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what was the cost of the temporary acquisition of both Lydden Hill Race Circuit and the former Folkestone Racecourse in anticipation of EU Entry Exit System traffic congestion in Kent during summer 2026.
Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
As part of preparations to mitigate the risk of potential disruption during Summer 2026, the Kent and Medway Resilience Forum (KMRF) identified the need to have contingency sites available to provide welfare facilities to passenger vehicles in the case of severe disruption. These sites support the Forum's wider traffic management plans to maintain traffic flow and minimise disruption on Kent's road network. The sites used were at Lydden Hill Race Circuit and Folkstone Racecourse.
The Department for Transport (DfT) has worked closely with the KMRF to support their preparations, although the use and deployment of these sites by KMRF is operationally independent from the Department. DfT has put in place agreements with the owners of Lydden Hill and Folkstone Racecourse to enable these sites to be used as contingency sites over the summer period.
Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Reform UK - Romford)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, If he will take steps to increase the speed of upgrades to the Devonport nuclear submarine dock.
Answered by Luke Pollard - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Huntingdon (Mr. Obese-Jecty) to question 19170 (questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-questions/detail/2026-07-15/19170)
Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Reform UK - Romford)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will take steps to increase the speed of the a) development and b) deployment of new autonomous vessels for the Royal Navy.
Answered by Luke Pollard - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
Yes, we are already doing work on the Type 91-94 and Common Combat Vessel. Further detail will be released as appropriate as these programmes develop.
Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Reform UK - Romford)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether a non-animal method that is scientifically satisfactory for a particular purpose but has not undergone formal (a) validation and (b) qualification must be used in place of a regulated procedure under section 2A(2)(a) of the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986.
Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)
Under section 2A of the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 (“ASPA”), a regulated procedure must not be used where a scientifically satisfactory alternative method or testing strategy that does not entail the use of a protected animal is available for the intended purpose. Formal validation or qualification are not specified in section 2A as separate legal preconditions or thresholds.
Whether a method is scientifically satisfactory and applicable in the particular circumstances is assessed on the available scientific evidence. Validation or qualification may provide relevant evidence in making that assessment, including where results must meet wider regulatory requirements, but the absence of either does not, by itself, permit animal use where the non-animal method is otherwise scientifically satisfactory for the intended purpose.
Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Reform UK - Romford)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps he has taken to work with Transport for London to reduce casualties at (a) underground and (b) overground train stations in Greater London.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
Ministers and officials have regular conversations with Transport for London on a variety of issues. Transport in London is devolved to the Mayor of London, and Transport for London is responsible for the safe operation of London Underground and London Overground stations.
Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Reform UK - Romford)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps he has taken to work with Transport for London to improve the timeliness of public transport provision.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Department works regularly with Transport for London (TfL) and the Mayor of London on transport issues affecting the capital. The Government recently agreed a multi-year capital funding settlement of almost £2.2 billion for TfL to support investment in London's transport network. Responsibility for the operation and performance of London's transport services is devolved to the Mayor and TfL.
Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Reform UK - Romford)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if he will make it his department's policy to reduce the volume of cases of the early release of prisoners.
Answered by Catherine McKinnell - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)
This Government inherited a prisons system days from collapse. We had no choice but to take decisive action to stop our prisons overflowing and keep the public safe. Our landmark Sentencing Act 2026 will now deliver a more sustainable solution to the prison capacity crisis we inherited, including through the progression model, which will help ensure there are always enough prison places for the courts to be able to send people to custody.
The Prime Minister’s review informed decisions relating to implementation of the progression model and subsequent offence exclusions. The Government carefully considered concerns raised by victims, survivors, parliamentarians and the wider public and acted on those concerns. Representations received from Thames Valley police, other policing stakeholders, and a range of victims including the family of PC Harper during the review formed part of the evidence considered as part of that process. Ministers continue to engage with a range of stakeholders on implementation.
As a result, offenders convicted of unlawful killing offence such as manslaughter, causing death by dangerous driving, as well as further historic child sex offences, will now be excluded, on top of rape and serious child sex offences. This also includes offenders convicted of offences involving the killing of an emergency worker. A full list of exclusions can be found here: Sentencing Act 2026 offence exclusions - GOV.UK.
These exclusions are in addition to the existing exclusion of more than 18,000 offenders serving more serious sentences.
The progression model amends release points for offenders serving Standard Determinate Sentences.
The date from which the progression model will apply, and the date of the first tranche of releases is 1 October 2026. Offenders released under the progression model will be controlled under strict licence conditions and can be recalled to custody where they breach those conditions or their risk can no longer be safely managed in the community.
We have published the modelled estimates of the volumes of offenders to be released on the first day of each tranche. Current published estimates do not identify releases from individual prisons, including HMP Isle of Wight. This information is now available at: Sentencing Act 2026 offence exclusions - GOV.UK.
Work is underway to implement the change announced, including the completion of complex sentence calculations necessary to support delivery. The Ministry of Justice also routinely publishes Accredited Official Statistics on prison population and prisoner releases as part of the Offender Management Statistics Quarterly (OMSQ) publication.
Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Reform UK - Romford)
Question to the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade, if he will publish an annual assessment of China's economic footprint in the United Kingdom.
Answered by Blair McDougall - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade) (Jointly with the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade regularly publishes statistics on our international trade and investment relationship with China on gov.uk. The latest release can be found at: China: UK trade and investment factsheets 31 July 2026.
Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Reform UK - Romford)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if he will make it his department's policy to raise mandatory sentences of a) sex offences and b) domestic violence offences.
Answered by Alex Davies-Jones - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Justice)
We have a comprehensive framework of offences to deal with a range of sexual and domestic abuse offending, supported by robust maximum penalties, including life imprisonment for the most serious offences. These penalties reflect the gravity with which such offending is treated.