Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 11 February 2026 to Question 108458, whether the £199 million in the Support for Rail Passenger Services budget line in 2028–29 will result in changes to a) service levels, b) fare policy and c) subsidy support for train operating services.

Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

The £199 million efficiencies in the Support for Rail Passenger Services line are expected to be delivered mostly from more efficient workforce management, economies of scale as private sector operating companies move into public ownership, and ticketing and retail reform including the creation of a single GBR online retail offer. These efficiencies contribute to the more than 50 per cent reduction in the rail passenger services subsidy from £2.4 billion in 2024-25.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 11 February 2026 to Question 108458, what measures within the Support for Rail Passenger Services budget line will generate £199 million; and if she will publish a breakdown of the individual initiatives and their estimated savings.

Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

The £199 million efficiencies in the support for Rail Passenger Services line are expected to be delivered mostly from more efficient workforce management, economies of scale as private sector operating companies move into public ownership, and ticketing and retail reform including the creation of a single Great British Railways online retail offer.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what criteria are used to determine payments for patient pathways removed from the elective waiting list as a result of data validation; and what safeguards his Department has put in place to prevent potential abuses of the data validation system, including perverse incentives and data manipulation.

Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

Validation is a routine part of providers’ waiting list management which ensures patient records are accurate, that patients are on the best pathway to meet their needs, and that they still need their appointments. There are safeguards in place to ensure patients are not wrongfully removed from waiting lists. This includes clinical oversight of the validation process. There is also published national guidance from NHS England to support National Health Service trusts to deliver effective validation and make best use of clinical time.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessments her Department has made of the potential impact of wire rope safety barriers on the safety of motorcyclists; and whether any research has been conducted into this area.

Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury

The safety of all road users remains important to the Department, and we work with partners to reduce motorcycle casualties through safer riding, better training and a safer road environment while considering motorcyclists’ needs in improving safety on the Strategic Road Network. The current requirements for road restraint systems are reflected in the updated standards within the Design Manual for Roads and Bridges, published in February 2026:

https://www.standardsforhighways.co.uk/search/ef2e5866-3fb9-4e99-81aa-95a41adff4e7

National Highways has commissioned research from TRL Limited on the safety of motorcyclists and roadside barriers (including wire rope systems), which has been published at: https://www.trl.co.uk/uploads/trl/documents/PPR2051-Motorcyclists-and-Barriers-on-the-SRN.pdf.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what guidance exists for Government departments on responding to the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman's (a) findings of maladministration and (b) recommendations for financial redress.

Answered by Chris Ward - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

Guidance for Government departments on responding to the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman's findings and recommendations is published on gov.uk (‘Handling of Parliamentary Ombudsman Cases’, Cabinet Office, May 2022).

Financial redress is governed by HM Treasury’s ‘Managing Public Money’ principles that payments must be fair, reasonable and proportionate.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to help ensure that Initial Teacher Training equips new teachers with the skills required to deliver adaptive teaching for children with speech and language challenges.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)

The department is committed to improving support for all children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), including pupils with speech and language needs.

Courses must incorporate the minimum entitlement set out in the Initial Teacher Training and Early Career Framework. It remains for individual providers to design courses that are appropriate to the needs of trainees and for the subject, phase and age range that the trainees will be teaching.

Ofsted’s recent report on thematic monitoring visits found that, in the majority of the providers visited, the coverage of SEND in Initial Teacher Training is comprehensive and well integrated into programmes in the primary and secondary phases.

We have recently reviewed the content of the Initial Teacher Training and Early Career Framework, adding significantly more content related to adaptive teaching and improving inclusivity for pupils with SEND. We have also committed to a further full review of early career teacher training in 2027, which will include a focus on SEND.

This will complement work to upskill the sector on best practice for effective teaching for all pupils, including those with SEND, such as a review of our suite of national professional qualifications and a £200 million training package to upskill staff in every school, college and nursery.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how much and what proportion of the Teacher Training Core Content Framework includes specific requirements relating to supporting pupils with speech, language and communication needs.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)

The department is committed to improving support for all children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), including pupils with speech and language needs.

Courses must incorporate the minimum entitlement set out in the Initial Teacher Training and Early Career Framework. It remains for individual providers to design courses that are appropriate to the needs of trainees and for the subject, phase and age range that the trainees will be teaching.

Ofsted’s recent report on thematic monitoring visits found that, in the majority of the providers visited, the coverage of SEND in Initial Teacher Training is comprehensive and well integrated into programmes in the primary and secondary phases.

We have recently reviewed the content of the Initial Teacher Training and Early Career Framework, adding significantly more content related to adaptive teaching and improving inclusivity for pupils with SEND. We have also committed to a further full review of early career teacher training in 2027, which will include a focus on SEND.

This will complement work to upskill the sector on best practice for effective teaching for all pupils, including those with SEND, such as a review of our suite of national professional qualifications and a £200 million training package to upskill staff in every school, college and nursery.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether (a) ministers, (b) advisors, and (c) officials in her Department have held conversations with the European Federation for Transport and Environment since 4 July 2024.

Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

The Department has engaged with Transport and Environment as part of routine stakeholder engagement.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether (a) ministers, (b) advisors, and (c) officials in her Department have held conversations with Clean Cities Campaign since 4 July 2024.

Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

The Department has engaged with Clean Cities Campaign as part of routine stakeholder engagement.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 9 February 2026 to Question 108807, what progress her Department has made towards the 2030 public electric vehicle charge point target.

Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

An estimate of potential future demand for charge points was originally published in the 2022 “Taking Charge: the National Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure Strategy” and ranged from 280,000 to 720,000 in 2030.

This analysis was updated in 2024 to a range of 250,000 to 550,000 in 2030. Both the 2024 NAO ‘public chargepoints for electric vehicles’ report, and the Climate Change Committee 2025 Progress report, concluded that rollout is on track.

As of 1 February 2026, there are 88,513 public charging devices across the country. The majority of public chargepoints will be delivered by industry, who have already committed £6 billion of private sector investment before 2030.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to the October 2025 publication of FCDO spending on government procurement cards over £500, a) what furniture was bought from SOHO HOME LTD for £28,979.00 and b) where the furniture will be located within the FCDO Estate.

Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

The expenditure in question was not subject to direct ministerial approval, but I am informed that it related to furnishings for representational areas within the UK's mission at the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) in Paris, and will be reused across the representational areas of our overseas estate over the course of their lifespan.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, how many meetings (a) he, (b) Ministers in his Department and (c) officials in his Department have had with metro mayors to discuss the devolution of powers to enable the implementation of an overnight visitor levy since the 2024 General Election; and how many such meetings took place (i) before the launch of the consultation on 26 November 2025 and (ii) since that date.

Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

Ahead of launching its consultation, the government considered a range of evidence on the case for a visitor levy power, including economic analysis and the success of international examples. Ministers engage regularly with Mayors on devolution-related issues, including through the quarterly Mayoral Council meetings. As the government set out in response to Question UIN 98784 answered on 22 December 2025, the government received representations from Mayors on a visitor levy power ahead of the announcement of the consultation on 25 November.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what evidence his Department considered when determining whether to consult on the principle of introducing an overnight visitor levy.

Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

Ahead of launching its consultation, the government considered a range of evidence on the case for a visitor levy power, including economic analysis and the success of international examples. Ministers engage regularly with Mayors on devolution-related issues, including through the quarterly Mayoral Council meetings. As the government set out in response to Question UIN 98784 answered on 22 December 2025, the government received representations from Mayors on a visitor levy power ahead of the announcement of the consultation on 25 November.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether her Department has made recommendations to UK airports on increasing modal shift away from private car use.

Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

My Department has introduced a range of measures to encourage and support UK airports in moving passengers and staff away from private car use. All major UK Airports have been required to have a Surface Access Strategy since 2000, with clear modal‑shift and sustainable transport objectives. Specific targets for airports to reduce private car modal share typically come from planning obligations linked to expansion proposals. In addition, my Department continues to invest in public transport networks to provide passengers with credible and convenient alternatives to car travel.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 24 February 2026 to Question 113159, whether the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency holds contact details for individuals who have previously failed the Approved Driving Instructor Part 3 test; and whether it has assessed the potential merits of using that cohort as a potential recruitment pool for driving examiner vacancies.

Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

As with any customer who uses the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency’s (DVSA) services, their data will be retained on record for a period of time. There are, however, Data Protection rules regulating how this data can be used. As stated in the answer to Question 113159, DVSA seeks to attract applications from as wide a pool as possible, and not just from those who may have a driving instructor background. DVSA are aware, however, that driving examiner (DE) vacancies likely attract a significant proportion of approved driving instructors (ADI) via our regular advertising.

All DE vacancies are publicly advertised on Civil Service Jobs on GOV.UK. DVSA also uses online jobsites and places posters in driving test centres to publicise roles.

DVSA uses the Government Recruitment Service hosted applicant tracking system, through a contract with the Department for Transport. DVSA cannot get details of applicant referral sources from this service.

DVSA can collect click-through rates for some areas, such as some forms of advertising.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 24 February 2026 to Question 113161, whether (a) her Department and (b) the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency collects data on traffic, click-through rates and referral sources for driving examiner applications.

Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

As with any customer who uses the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency’s (DVSA) services, their data will be retained on record for a period of time. There are, however, Data Protection rules regulating how this data can be used. As stated in the answer to Question 113159, DVSA seeks to attract applications from as wide a pool as possible, and not just from those who may have a driving instructor background. DVSA are aware, however, that driving examiner (DE) vacancies likely attract a significant proportion of approved driving instructors (ADI) via our regular advertising.

All DE vacancies are publicly advertised on Civil Service Jobs on GOV.UK. DVSA also uses online jobsites and places posters in driving test centres to publicise roles.

DVSA uses the Government Recruitment Service hosted applicant tracking system, through a contract with the Department for Transport. DVSA cannot get details of applicant referral sources from this service.

DVSA can collect click-through rates for some areas, such as some forms of advertising.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether Rule H1 was developed as part of the Government’s active travel or modal shift objectives; and what steps she took to consult motorcyclist and motorist organisations during drafting.

Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury

The previous Government updated the Highway Code in 2022 to improve road safety for people walking, cycling and riding horses including the introduction of a hierarchy of road users. This review of the Highway Code was announced as part of the Cycling and Walking Investment Strategy Safety Review in September 2017.

When undertaking the review of The Highway Code the Department for Transport worked closely with representative organisations to seek their views and experiences, including motoring groups. The consultation on the proposed changes ran for 3 months and generated a huge response with nearly 21,000 replies received from a wide range of road users.

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