Asked by: Paul Kohler (Liberal Democrat - Wimbledon)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether the car insurance taskforce has been formally established; and whether its remit has been defined.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
The cross-Government motor insurance taskforce was launched in October. It is comprised of ministers from relevant government departments and the Financial Conduct Authority and Competition and Markets Authority. The taskforce is supported by a separate stakeholder panel of industry experts representing the insurance, motor, and consumer sector.
The 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, while maintaining appropriate levels of cover. It will look at the increased insurance costs on consumers and the insurance industry, including how this impacts different demographics, geographies, and communities.
We will provide updates on the taskforce’s work in due course.
Asked by: Paul Kohler (Liberal Democrat - Wimbledon)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what estimate her Department has made of the potential impact of trends in the level of use of electric vehicles on emissions in the next 15 years.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
The main driver of electric vehicle uptake in the UK is expected to be the Zero Emission Vehicle mandate for cars and vans. This has legislated zero emission vehicle targets for sales of new cars, rising from 22% of new car sales in 2024 to 80% in 2030, and for sales of new vans, rising from 10% in 2024 to 70% in 2030. A cost benefit analysis was published alongside the regulation that estimates that this uptake of zero emission vehicles will deliver greenhouse gas savings of 29 Mt CO2e across carbon budget 5 (2028-2032), 79 Mt CO2e across carbon budget 6 (2033-2037), and a total of 420 Mt CO2e savings from 2024-2050.
Asked by: Paul Kohler (Liberal Democrat - Wimbledon)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether her Department has developed contingency plans to respond to potential legal challenges to the proposed expansion to Heathrow airport.
Answered by Mike Kane
The Government will take all necessary and appropriate actions to ensure a sound legal basis for its decisions.
Asked by: Paul Kohler (Liberal Democrat - Wimbledon)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what independent modelling her Department has used to conduct cost-benefit analysis of Heathrow expansion; and whether this analysis included consideration of (a) air pollution-related illnesses and premature deaths and (b) NHS expenditure.
Answered by Mike Kane
The Government has invited proposals for a third runway at Heathrow to be brought forward by the summer. Once proposals have been received, the government will review the Airports National Policy Statement, which provides the basis for decision making on granting development consent for a new runway at Heathrow. The Government has been clear that any airport expansion proposals need to demonstrate that they contribute to economic growth, can be delivered in line with the UK’s legally binding commitments on carbon and meet strict environmental requirements on air quality and noise pollution.
Asked by: Paul Kohler (Liberal Democrat - Wimbledon)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what estimate her Department has made of the potential impact of the expansion of (a) Heathrow and (b) Gatwick Airport on the level of nitrogen dioxide emissions in (i) Greater London and (ii) the South East.
Answered by Mike Kane
The Government has invited proposals for a third runway at Heathrow to be brought forward by the summer. Once proposals have been received, the government will review the Airports National Policy Statement, which provides the basis for decision making on granting development consent for a new runway at Heathrow. The Government has been clear that any airport expansion proposals need to demonstrate that they contribute to economic growth, can be delivered in line with the UK’s legally binding commitments on carbon and meet strict environmental requirements on air quality and noise pollution.
On 27 February the Secretary of State has said she is ‘minded to approve’ the expansion of Gatwick Airport. Gatwick Airport is now asked to respond to the Secretary of State on the matters raised by 24 April 2025. The Secretary of State will make her final decision on or before 27 October. As this is a live planning application and the Secretary of State has a quasi-judicial role in this process we therefore cannot comment on it further.
Asked by: Paul Kohler (Liberal Democrat - Wimbledon)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential impact of the proposed Heathrow airport expansion on trends in the level of particulate matter.
Answered by Mike Kane
The Government has invited proposals for a third runway at Heathrow to be brought forward by the summer. Once proposals have been received, the government will review the Airports National Policy Statement, which provides the basis for decision making on granting development consent for a new runway at Heathrow. The Government has been clear that any airport expansion proposals need to demonstrate that they contribute to economic growth, can be delivered in line with the UK’s legally binding commitments on carbon and meet strict environmental requirements on air quality and noise pollution.
On 27 February the Secretary of State has said she is ‘minded to approve’ the expansion of Gatwick Airport. Gatwick Airport is now asked to respond to the Secretary of State on the matters raised by 24 April 2025. The Secretary of State will make her final decision on or before 27 October. As this is a live planning application and the Secretary of State has a quasi-judicial role in this process we therefore cannot comment on it further.
Asked by: Paul Kohler (Liberal Democrat - Wimbledon)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what discussions she has had with (a) statistical and (b) land registry authorities on the availability of land for use as public (i) walkways and (ii) cycleways.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Secretary of State has not had any such discussions. It is a matter for individual local authorities to establish what land is available in their areas for public walkways and cycleways.
Asked by: Paul Kohler (Liberal Democrat - Wimbledon)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many additional miles of (a) public footpaths, (b) bridleways, (c) restricted byways and (d) other public walkways and cycleways her Department plans to deliver by 2030.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Government recognises that investment in high quality active travel infrastructure delivers high value for money and supports its economic growth, health and net zero missions. Encouraging more active travel helps to revitalise high streets, enable people to live longer and healthier lives and helps to reduce transport emissions and to promote greener journeys.
On 12 February, the Department announced the details of almost £300 million of funding for active travel in 2024/5 and 2025/6, which will deliver 300 miles of brand-new footpaths and cycle tracks. Total estimated benefits of this investment are £1.3 billion, including £9 million every year to the economy through improved productivity, equivalent to 43,000 fewer sick days a year, by making it easier to walk and cycle to work and for everyday journeys.
Beyond the funding announced by the Department on 12 February, any further mileage for active travel routes, delivered up until 2030, will be dependent on the outcome of the Spending Review.
Local authorities are empowered to decide where investment is made in their areas. As such, it is for local authorities to consider whether disused railway lines in their areas would be suitable for active travel routes and to work with National Highways, in their role as custodians of the Historical Railways Estate, to assess the viability of any particular routes.
Asked by: Paul Kohler (Liberal Democrat - Wimbledon)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if she will make an estimate of the number of miles of disused rail lines that could be developed into (a) cycleways and (b) walkways.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Government recognises that investment in high quality active travel infrastructure delivers high value for money and supports its economic growth, health and net zero missions. Encouraging more active travel helps to revitalise high streets, enable people to live longer and healthier lives and helps to reduce transport emissions and to promote greener journeys.
On 12 February, the Department announced the details of almost £300 million of funding for active travel in 2024/5 and 2025/6, which will deliver 300 miles of brand-new footpaths and cycle tracks. Total estimated benefits of this investment are £1.3 billion, including £9 million every year to the economy through improved productivity, equivalent to 43,000 fewer sick days a year, by making it easier to walk and cycle to work and for everyday journeys.
Beyond the funding announced by the Department on 12 February, any further mileage for active travel routes, delivered up until 2030, will be dependent on the outcome of the Spending Review.
Local authorities are empowered to decide where investment is made in their areas. As such, it is for local authorities to consider whether disused railway lines in their areas would be suitable for active travel routes and to work with National Highways, in their role as custodians of the Historical Railways Estate, to assess the viability of any particular routes.
Asked by: Paul Kohler (Liberal Democrat - Wimbledon)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of dedicated (a) cycleways and (b) walkways on the economy.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Government recognises that investment in high quality active travel infrastructure delivers high value for money and supports its economic growth, health and net zero missions. Encouraging more active travel helps to revitalise high streets, enable people to live longer and healthier lives and helps to reduce transport emissions and to promote greener journeys.
On 12 February, the Department announced the details of almost £300 million of funding for active travel in 2024/5 and 2025/6, which will deliver 300 miles of brand-new footpaths and cycle tracks. Total estimated benefits of this investment are £1.3 billion, including £9 million every year to the economy through improved productivity, equivalent to 43,000 fewer sick days a year, by making it easier to walk and cycle to work and for everyday journeys.
Beyond the funding announced by the Department on 12 February, any further mileage for active travel routes, delivered up until 2030, will be dependent on the outcome of the Spending Review.
Local authorities are empowered to decide where investment is made in their areas. As such, it is for local authorities to consider whether disused railway lines in their areas would be suitable for active travel routes and to work with National Highways, in their role as custodians of the Historical Railways Estate, to assess the viability of any particular routes.