Asked by: Carla Lockhart (Democratic Unionist Party - Upper Bann)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what discussions he has had with public transport bodies on (a) partnering with AccessAble and (b) providing equivalent information to improve accessibility for disabled passengers.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
Innovative approaches to providing accessible information has an important role to play in delivering transport networks which allows disabled people to be able to travel easily, confidently and with dignity. Improving accessibility is a collaborative effort, with operators, industry, and entrepreneurs all having key parts to play – alongside disabled passengers. Initiatives such as those developed by AccessAble provide an example of how this can be achieved. As detailed in the Department’s response to the Transport Committee inquiry into accessible travel, the Department for Transport is undertaking discovery work to capture bus and rail accessibility assets within the National Public Transport Access Nodes (NaPTAN) which is a national dataset of all public transport ‘stops’ in England, Scotland and Wales. This discovery work is the starting point for accessibility journey planning.
Asked by: Carla Lockhart (Democratic Unionist Party - Upper Bann)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what her planned timetable is for the publication of the Motor Insurance Taskforce's final report; and whether it will include regional breakdowns of findings and recommendations.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
The cross-Government Motor Insurance Taskforce remains a priority, with active policy development underway. Further details, including the Taskforce’s conclusions, will be set out in due course.
The Taskforce is comprised of Ministers from relevant government departments, the Financial Conduct Authority and the Competition and Markets Authority. It is supported by a separate stakeholder panel of industry experts representing the insurance, motor, and consumer sectors.
We continue to engage with interested parties, including consumer groups. A meeting of the stakeholder panel was held on 2 July.
We are also aware of the unique features of the motor insurance market in Northern Ireland. The Secretary of State met with the Northern Ireland Executive’s Minister for the Economy and officials from the Department for Infrastructure on 6 May, to hear their perspective on the market and relevant policy options. I met with the Minister of Finance and Minister for Infrastructure on 8 July to discuss motor insurance.
Asked by: Carla Lockhart (Democratic Unionist Party - Upper Bann)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, which (a) consumer representatives and (b) regional insurers in Northern Ireland have been consulted by the Motor Insurance Taskforce.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
The cross-Government Motor Insurance Taskforce remains a priority, with active policy development underway. Further details, including the Taskforce’s conclusions, will be set out in due course.
The Taskforce is comprised of Ministers from relevant government departments, the Financial Conduct Authority and the Competition and Markets Authority. It is supported by a separate stakeholder panel of industry experts representing the insurance, motor, and consumer sectors.
We continue to engage with interested parties, including consumer groups. A meeting of the stakeholder panel was held on 2 July.
We are also aware of the unique features of the motor insurance market in Northern Ireland. The Secretary of State met with the Northern Ireland Executive’s Minister for the Economy and officials from the Department for Infrastructure on 6 May, to hear their perspective on the market and relevant policy options. I met with the Minister of Finance and Minister for Infrastructure on 8 July to discuss motor insurance.
Asked by: Carla Lockhart (Democratic Unionist Party - Upper Bann)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether the Motor Insurance Taskforce has considered the motor insurance market in Northern Ireland.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
The cross-Government Motor Insurance Taskforce remains a priority, with active policy development underway. Further details, including the Taskforce’s conclusions, will be set out in due course.
The Taskforce is comprised of Ministers from relevant government departments, the Financial Conduct Authority and the Competition and Markets Authority. It is supported by a separate stakeholder panel of industry experts representing the insurance, motor, and consumer sectors.
We continue to engage with interested parties, including consumer groups. A meeting of the stakeholder panel was held on 2 July.
We are also aware of the unique features of the motor insurance market in Northern Ireland. The Secretary of State met with the Northern Ireland Executive’s Minister for the Economy and officials from the Department for Infrastructure on 6 May, to hear their perspective on the market and relevant policy options. I met with the Minister of Finance and Minister for Infrastructure on 8 July to discuss motor insurance.
Asked by: Carla Lockhart (Democratic Unionist Party - Upper Bann)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps her Department plans to take to ensure that the recommendations of the Motor Insurance Taskforce are implemented equitably in all regions; and how she plans to monitor this.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
The cross-Government Motor Insurance Taskforce remains a priority, with active policy development underway. Further details, including the Taskforce’s conclusions, will be set out in due course.
The Taskforce is comprised of Ministers from relevant government departments, the Financial Conduct Authority and the Competition and Markets Authority. It is supported by a separate stakeholder panel of industry experts representing the insurance, motor, and consumer sectors.
We continue to engage with interested parties, including consumer groups. A meeting of the stakeholder panel was held on 2 July.
We are also aware of the unique features of the motor insurance market in Northern Ireland. The Secretary of State met with the Northern Ireland Executive’s Minister for the Economy and officials from the Department for Infrastructure on 6 May, to hear their perspective on the market and relevant policy options. I met with the Minister of Finance and Minister for Infrastructure on 8 July to discuss motor insurance.
Asked by: Carla Lockhart (Democratic Unionist Party - Upper Bann)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether the Motor Insurance Taskforce (a) has analysed and (b) will publish regional insurance pricing data.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
The cross-Government Motor Insurance Taskforce remains a priority, with active policy development underway. Further details, including the Taskforce’s conclusions, will be set out in due course.
The Taskforce is comprised of Ministers from relevant government departments, the Financial Conduct Authority and the Competition and Markets Authority. It is supported by a separate stakeholder panel of industry experts representing the insurance, motor, and consumer sectors.
We continue to engage with interested parties, including consumer groups. A meeting of the stakeholder panel was held on 2 July.
We are also aware of the unique features of the motor insurance market in Northern Ireland. The Secretary of State met with the Northern Ireland Executive’s Minister for the Economy and officials from the Department for Infrastructure on 6 May, to hear their perspective on the market and relevant policy options. I met with the Minister of Finance and Minister for Infrastructure on 8 July to discuss motor insurance.
Asked by: Carla Lockhart (Democratic Unionist Party - Upper Bann)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps her Department is taking to support university-led research and development into hydrogen-powered transport technologies; and whether he plans to make further funding streams available to support academic–industry collaboration in this field.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
The Department for Transport (DfT) considers that hydrogen and hydrogen derivatives could play an important role in decarbonising the transport sector, particularly in heavier transport such as aviation and maritime.
We are supporting the deployment of hydrogen-powered vehicles including through the Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) Mandate and the Zero Emission HGV and Infrastructure Demonstrators (ZEHID).
The Government is funding academic research and development for hydrogen-powered transport technologies, including through ZEHID’s Zero Emission National (ZEN) Freight project that is working with Imperial College London and the UK Shipping Office for Reducing Emissions (UK SHORE) programme’s £3.7m funding to the Clean Maritime Research Hub - a consortium of 13 UK universities.
This is in addition to other research funding allocated under the Clean Maritime Demonstration Competition and support for the Civil Aviation Authority's Hydrogen in Aviation Regulatory Challenge.
The Government will continue to assess the need for further funding for academic research on hydrogen in transport as more evidence becomes available.
Asked by: Carla Lockhart (Democratic Unionist Party - Upper Bann)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps her Department is taking to support the (a) research and development and (b)deployment of hydrogen-powered vehicles; and whether specific targets have been set for infrastructure rollout to support hydrogen car adoption.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
The Department for Transport (DfT) considers that hydrogen and hydrogen derivatives could play an important role in decarbonising the transport sector, particularly in heavier transport such as aviation and maritime.
We are supporting the deployment of hydrogen-powered vehicles including through the Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) Mandate and the Zero Emission HGV and Infrastructure Demonstrators (ZEHID).
The Government is funding academic research and development for hydrogen-powered transport technologies, including through ZEHID’s Zero Emission National (ZEN) Freight project that is working with Imperial College London and the UK Shipping Office for Reducing Emissions (UK SHORE) programme’s £3.7m funding to the Clean Maritime Research Hub - a consortium of 13 UK universities.
This is in addition to other research funding allocated under the Clean Maritime Demonstration Competition and support for the Civil Aviation Authority's Hydrogen in Aviation Regulatory Challenge.
The Government will continue to assess the need for further funding for academic research on hydrogen in transport as more evidence becomes available.
Asked by: Carla Lockhart (Democratic Unionist Party - Upper Bann)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps her Department is taking to improve transport (a) connectivity and (b) infrastructure in under-served regions (i) in rural areas, (ii) in semi-rural areas and (iii) across the UK.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
Transport is a devolved matter, and the Department for Transport is predominantly responsible for transport in England only on most issues.
The government knows that integrated public transport is vital to keeping communities connected. We also know that in rural and semi-rural areas, bus services can be a lifeline for many and can be the only means of accessing services, including other modes of transportation such as rail links.
The government introduced the Bus Services (No.2) Bill on 17 December to put the power over local bus services back into the hands of local leaders. In addition, the government has confirmed £955 million for the 2025 to 2026 financial year to support and improve bus services and infrastructure in England outside London.
In the financial year 2025 to 2026 the government is also providing over £390 million for local transport infrastructure investment to boost growth and connectivity beyond city regions in England. This funding will enable local leaders to invest in local priorities, supporting the government’s Plan for Change. Future funding for areas outside of major city regions will be announced following the conclusion of the multi-year spending review.
Asked by: Carla Lockhart (Democratic Unionist Party - Upper Bann)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recommendations the Motor Insurance Taskforce has made on reducing motor insurance costs.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
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. It will look at the impact of increased insurance costs on consumers and the insurance industry, including how this impacts different demographics, geographies, and communities.
The cross-Government Motor Insurance Taskforce most recently met on 28 April 2025 and further meetings are being planned. The Secretary of State also met with the Northern Ireland Executive’s Minister for the Economy and officials from the Department for Infrastructure on 6 May 2025, to hear their perspective on the market and relevant policy options.
The Taskforce has yet to make recommendations. The Government will provide updates on the Taskforce in due course.