Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the average time was between (a) a roadside drug test, (b) the taking of an evidential sample, (c) receipt of toxicology results and (d) the first court hearing for drug driving cases in the latest period for which data is available.

Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)

The Department does not hold data on the average time between each of the stages specified. Operational information relating to roadside testing, evidential samples and forensic toxicology is held by the police and forensic service providers, while court listing is a matter for the independent courts.

The Department has not estimated the number of people arrested or charged for a drug-driving offence who were subsequently arrested for a further alleged drug-driving offence before the conclusion of the original proceedings in each of the last five years. This information is not held centrally by the Department for Transport.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what estimate she has made of the number of people arrested or charged for a drug driving offence who were subsequently arrested for a further alleged drug driving offence before the conclusion of the original proceedings in each of the last five years.

Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)

The Department does not hold data on the average time between each of the stages specified. Operational information relating to roadside testing, evidential samples and forensic toxicology is held by the police and forensic service providers, while court listing is a matter for the independent courts.

The Department has not estimated the number of people arrested or charged for a drug-driving offence who were subsequently arrested for a further alleged drug-driving offence before the conclusion of the original proceedings in each of the last five years. This information is not held centrally by the Department for Transport.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the speech by Baroness Merron on 3 March 2026 on the proposed retail licensing scheme for tobacco, vaping and nicotine products, Official Report, House of Lords, columns 1169 to 1171, when he plans to consult on that scheme; and what assessment his Department has made of the implications for the enforcement of restrictions on the packaging, appearance and retail display of vaping and nicotine products.

Answered by Sharon Hodgson

On 10 July, we launched a United Kingdom-wide consultation on new proposals to restrict tobacco, vape, and nicotine product packaging, flavour descriptors, device appearance, and changing where and how vapes and nicotine products are displayed in shops. Enforcement authorities will be able to take proportionate enforcement action against non-compliance with future regulations made under the Tobacco and Vapes Act 2026.

A future retail licensing scheme for tobacco, vapes, and nicotine products will strengthen enforcement and support law-abiding retailers, while tackling those who break the law. Those found to be in breach of a condition of their licence, or other statutory requirements, could face potential licence revocation. Whilst the specific grounds on which a licence may be granted, suspended, revoked, or varied will be subject to consultation, we want to ensure retailers are operating responsibly and in line with legal requirements.

We intend to consult on our proposals for a retail licensing scheme for tobacco, vapes, and nicotine products in 2027.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of the implications for her policies of the use of roadside evidential drug testing devices in other countries; and whether she plans to introduce comparable technology in England and Wales.

Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)

The Department for Transport has consulted on the potential use of alternative specimens, including oral fluid, saliva and sweat, in drug-driving forensic analysis. We are considering the responses received and will set out next steps in the usual way. No decision has been taken on whether to introduce roadside evidential drug-testing devices in England and Wales.

The Department works very closely with the Home Office, policing partners and scientific advisers on drug-driving enforcement and emerging testing technologies.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what discussions her Department has had with the Home Office on the introduction of roadside evidential drug testing devices for drug driving offences since 4 July 2024.

Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)

The Department for Transport has consulted on the potential use of alternative specimens, including oral fluid, saliva and sweat, in drug-driving forensic analysis. We are considering the responses received and will set out next steps in the usual way. No decision has been taken on whether to introduce roadside evidential drug-testing devices in England and Wales.

The Department works very closely with the Home Office, policing partners and scientific advisers on drug-driving enforcement and emerging testing technologies.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what protected species licensing requirements Network Rail is required to comply with when undertaking (a) maintenance and (b) enhancement projects on the railway network.

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

Network Rail is required to comply with a range of protected species legislation when undertaking both maintenance and enhancement activities on the railway network. The primary legislation includes the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 (as amended), the Protection of Badgers Act 1992, and the Conservation of Habitats and Species Regulations 2017. Licencing requirements in relation to the species protected by those laws are determined by the relevant statutory nature conservation body (Natural England, Natural Resources Wales or NatureScot).

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many knife-enabled crimes were recorded by the British Transport Police as having occurred on board trains in each of the last 30 years.

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

British Transport Police (BTP) holds readily extractable, comparable data for knife-enabled crimes on board trains over the past five years. Providing comparable figures for each of the last 30 years would require a manual review of historic records which was not possible within the required timescales.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what estimate has been made of the level of buy-out under the sustainable aviation fuel Mandate that would prompt a review of the trajectory of the advanced fuel and power-to-liquid sub-mandates.

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

There is not a specified level of buyout that would prompt a review of the Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) Mandate. We consistently monitor the performance of the SAF Mandate and it has a built-in review process so the government can take action if necessary. On 16 June the government published a call for evidence titled “SAF Mandate: SAF supply and industry certainty in an evolving market”. The call for evidence explicitly asks respondents whether they believe any changes to the HEFA cap or PtL obligation are required. We look forward to industry’s engagement in this exercise.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what factors are preventing the acceptance and entry into passenger service of the Class 810 fleet.

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

The first Class 810 trains entered passenger service in December 2025 and entry into service is continuing. Delays from the train manufacturer, Hitachi Rail, including technical issues, are currently affecting the rollout of new trains to East Midlands Railway.

Found: meeting Members present: Layla Moran (Chair); Danny Beales; Josh Fenton-Glynn; Andrew George; Joe Robertson