Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether her Department has made an estimate of the number of UK-based (a) kitchen and (b) kitchen components manufacturers that have (i) entered administration and (ii) ceased trading since 1 January 2024.

Answered by Lucy Rigby - Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)

The Government has taken a number of measures to make the tax system competitive and give businesses, including those in the kitchen manufacturing sector, the stability and predictability they need to invest and grow.

In the Corporate Tax Roadmap, the Government committed to maintain the Small Profits Rate and marginal relief at their current rates and thresholds, as well as to maintain the £1 million Annual Investment Allowance. The Government also protected the smallest businesses from the impact of the increase to Employer National Insurance by more than doubling the Employment Allowance to £10,500.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of Government policies over the last 12 months on the financial stability of small and medium-sized kitchen manufacturers.

Answered by Lucy Rigby - Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)

The Government has taken a number of measures to make the tax system competitive and give businesses, including those in the kitchen manufacturing sector, the stability and predictability they need to invest and grow.

In the Corporate Tax Roadmap, the Government committed to maintain the Small Profits Rate and marginal relief at their current rates and thresholds, as well as to maintain the £1 million Annual Investment Allowance. The Government also protected the smallest businesses from the impact of the increase to Employer National Insurance by more than doubling the Employment Allowance to £10,500.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if she will take steps to improve the competitiveness of UK-based kitchen manufacturers through the tax system.

Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

The government has taken a number of measures to make the tax system competitive and give businesses, including those in the kitchen manufacturing sector, the stability and predictability they need to invest and grow.

For instance, the Corporate Tax Roadmap, published at Autumn Budget 2024, committed to capping the CT rate at 25% for the duration of parliament, the lowest headline rate of CT in the G7. These taxes are also by some of the most generous business investment tax reliefs and allowances in the OECD, such as the Annual Investment Allowance of £1 million per year and Full Expensing, to encourage investment and increase the competitiveness of UK companies internationally.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what recent discussions he has had with the kitchen manufacturing industry on (a) demand, (b) fixed costs and (c) access to (i) investment and (ii) restructuring support.

Answered by Blair McDougall - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

The department has not held recent specific discussions with the kitchen manufacturing industry regarding demand, fixed costs, or access to investment and restructuring support.

However, the department maintains regular engagement with manufacturing sectors across the economy through various forums and stakeholder meetings. This includes addressing broader business concerns such as energy costs, supply chain resilience, and access to finance.

The government remains committed to supporting UK manufacturing, including through the Advanced Manufacturing Sector Plan and the British Business Bank's investment programmes and business support services that are available to all manufacturing sectors.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the judgement in George Greenwood v The Information Commissioner & Anor, [2025] UKFTT 391 (GRC), whether his Department has issued guidance to government bodies on whether staff who have left a public authority are subject to the Freedom of Information Act 2000.

Answered by Chris Ward - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

The Cabinet Office has not issued Freedom of Information guidance to departments relating to the judgement in George Greenwood v The Information Commissioner & The Cabinet Office, [2025] UKFTT 391 (GRC).

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what representations his Department has received on the use of ANPR in municipal car parks since 4 July 2024.

Answered by Miatta Fahnbulleh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

In January 2024, Parking and Traffic Regulations Outside London (PATROL), together with the British Parking Association and the Local Government Association written jointly to the department and the Department for Transport recommending that the government grant ANPR powers for civil parking enforcement.

The use of ANPR, or indeed any surveillance technology, as the sole means of enforcement of parking contravention by Local Authorities has been restricted by the Deregulation Act 2015. This means that local authorities cannot issue Penalty Charge Notices via post following the detection of a parking contravention by surveillance technology in all but a limited number of cases; for example, if the motorist drives away before the ticket can be issued or in certain circumstances on-street like bus lanes and red routes. This is to make non-compliant motorists aware that they are contravening parking restrictions at the time of the contravention.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 8 September 2025 to Question 71207 on National Security: Finance, if she will place publish a copy of the (a) Government’s and (b) NATO guidance on the definition of (i) defence and (bii) security related expenditure, for the purposes of the UK Government meeting its NATO commitments.

Answered by James Murray - Chief Secretary to the Treasury

The NATO definition of defence expenditure, and defence and security related expenditure can be found on the NATO website:

NATO - Topic: Defence expenditures and NATO’s 5% commitment

These definitions are used by the UK and all NATO allies when reporting their NATO qualifying expenditure.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 8 September 2025 to Question 71255 on Restoring your railway fund, if she will publish a copy of the (a) environmental principles assessment and (b) public sector equality duty assessment relating to the cancellation of the Restoring Your Railway fund.

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

The decision to close the Restoring Your Railway fund was taken in the context of a wider review of Public Spending by the Chancellor, where she confirmed the steps the Government was taking to address the pressures on the public finances by cancelling unfunded policy announcements made by the previous government. No environmental principles assessment or public sector equality duty assessment was made by my Department on the specific element of the decision to close the Restoring Your Railway fund.

My Department has due regard for Public Sector Equality Duty and Environmental Principles as decisions are taken about progressing projects and these will also have been considered by HM Treasury in the review of Public Spending, as my Right Honourable Friend’s previous response indicated.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 8 September 2025 to Question 71253 on Railways: Facilities Agreements, if she will publish a copy of the extant facility time agreements in place for (a) her Department, (b) Great British Railways and (c) DfT Operator Limited.

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

In rail, facility time agreements are between individual train operating companies or Network Rail and the trade unions (TUs), not between the Department for Transport or DfT Operator Limited and the TUs. Great British Railways has not yet been established so has no facility time agreements.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many public electric vehicle chargepoints have been installed but are not operational due to grid connection delays or other technical issues.

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

The Government does not hold a centralised figure on the number of public electric vehicle chargepoints that have been installed but are not yet operational due to grid connection delays or other technical issues.

In December 2024, the Government published the outcome of a review aimed at improving the grid connection process for EV charging infrastructure.

Since then, the Energy Networks Association has launched a Transport Decarbonisation Portal with guidance on grid connections, and the Office for Zero Emission Vehicles has collated and shared best practice from distribution network operators and chargepoint operators regarding energisation timeframes.

The Government will continue to monitor the effectiveness of these actions to determine whether further measures are needed.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 4 September to Question 74024 on Electric Vehicles: Finance, what is the timeframe for the Government's spend of £4.5 billion.

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

The expected timeframe for Government to spend the total £4.5 billion is between the years 2025 - 2035. However, over £2 billion of this total will be spent before the end of financial year 2029/30.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 8 September 2025 to Question 71258 on Road Traffic Control: Oxford, whether (a) Oxfordshire County Council and (b) Oxford City Council have made enquiries to DVLA to access vehicle registration data for the purposes of (i) congestion charging and (ii) traffic filters.

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

In line with the relevant legislation, the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) provides vehicle information to Oxfordshire County Council for a number of specified purposes. These include management of the zero emission zones scheme and moving traffic offences.

The data sharing contract governing requests for vehicle information relating to local authority schemes in Oxford is between the DVLA and Oxfordshire County Council.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when her Department plans to introduce legislation on the regulation of electric scooters, in the context of the ongoing rental trials currently extended until May 2026.

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

The government will pursue legislative reform for micromobility vehicles when parliamentary time allows.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 18 June 2025 to Question 59359 on Motorcycles: Bus Lanes, how many respondents responded to the consultation on allowing motorcycles to access bus lanes by default; and what number of respondents were (a) for and (b) against.

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

This information is contained in the ‘Motorcycles in bus lanes consultation outcome’ published on 21 November 2024 and available here: Motorcycles in bus lanes consultation outcome - GOV.UK .

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 8 September 2025 to Question 71238 on Buses and Large Goods Vehicles: Licensing, for what reason the consultation response has been delayed.

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

The previous government did not publish a response to its consultation before it left office.

This government is now working closely with operators to obtain further evidence and will then consider next steps.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many public electric vehicle chargepoints need to be installed each year between 2025 and 2030 to meet the government’s target of 300,000 public chargepoints by 2030.

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

An estimate of potential future demand for chargepoints 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 resulting in a range of 250,000 to 550,000 in 2030. Both the 2024 NAO ‘public chargepoints for electric vehicles’ report, which presents annual projections out to 2030, and the Climate Change Committee 2025 Progress report, concluded that rollout to date is on track.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of industrial action by train guards on passengers.

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

The Department regrets the impact any industrial action by guards may have on passengers. The Department works with its contracted train operators to minimise the impact of any industrial action and encourages them and the trade unions to resolve matters, through discussion, as quickly as possible.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether there is an annual allowance for (a) works, (b) fittings and (c) fixtures for Ministerial residences in (i) Downing Street, (ii) Carlton Gardens and (iii) Admiralty House.

Answered by Anna Turley - Minister without Portfolio (Cabinet Office)

The Government Property Agency (GPA) does not have an annual allowance for works, fittings and fixtures for Ministerial residences.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of extending existing VAT reliefs on defibrillators to cover direct purchases by (a) community groups, (b) sports clubs and (c) small businesses.

Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

VAT is a broad-based tax on consumption, and the 20 per cent standard rate applies to most goods and services. Exceptions to the standard rate have always been limited and balanced against affordability considerations.

The Government currently provides VAT reliefs to aid the purchase of defibrillators. For example, when an Automated External Defibrillator is purchased with funds provided by a charity and then donated to an eligible body, no VAT is charged. Furthermore, all state schools in England have been fitted with AEDs.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what representations her Department has received from local authorities and parking operators on the use of automatic number plate recognition in municipal car parks since 4 July 2024.

Answered by Miatta Fahnbulleh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 77649 on 13 October 2025.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to the FOI response Ref: FOI-00045627, if she will publish that response.

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

Although the Department for Transport maintains a monthly disclosure log of Freedom of Information requests on GOV.UK it does not routinely publish individual replies. Copies of individual replies with personal information redacted are available on request.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 8 September 2025 to Question 71264 on Driving under Influence, whether she has made an assessment of the potential impact of the lower limit in Scotland on the economic viability of pubs in Scotland.

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

The power to set the drink drive limit in Scotland is devolved to the Scottish Government. The Department of Transport has not made an assessment of the impact on the economic viability of pubs in Scotland.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the total amount of public funding committed to electric vehicle charging infrastructure to date is; and what estimate her Department has made of the average cost per operational public chargepoint delivered.

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

In the 2025 Spending Review £400 million of capital funding was allocated to support the rollout of charging infrastructure in the four financial years from 2026/27 to 2029/30.

The cost of deploying public chargepoints varies widely due to a range of factors including location, speed, anticipated utilisation, and grid connection costs, with many chargepoints delivered without any public funding. Where funding is provided, we monitor average public chargepoint costs via data from DfT grants to ensure value for money for the taxpayer. The Government’s Local Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Fund has been designed to minimise cost to the public by encouraging local authorities to leverage significant private investment.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what estimate her Department has made of the proportion of the 300,000 public chargepoints required by 2030 that will come from the installation of the 100,000 local chargepoints announced on 13 June 2025.

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

An estimate of potential UK future demand for chargepoints 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 resulting in a range of 250,000 to 550,000 in 2030. While the precise number of public chargepoints needed is uncertain, the majority of these will be delivered by industry. The Government’s LEVI Fund will support the installation of at least 100,000 chargepoints across England, nearly all in addition to over 86,000 publicly available chargepoints to date.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what estimate her Department has made of the number of public electric vehicle chargepoints that will be installed in each year between 2025 and 2030.

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

An estimate of potential future demand for chargepoints 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 resulting in a range of 250,000 to 550,000 in 2030. Both the 2024 NAO ‘public chargepoints for electric vehicles’ report, which presents annual projections out to 2030, and the Climate Change Committee 2025 Progress report, concluded that rollout to date is on track.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 8 September 2025 to Question 71274 on THINK! Campaign, what the total amount of savings from reduced spending on the THINK! Road Safety communications campaign is since July 2024.

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

For the financial year 2024/2025, the budget for the THINK! road safety campaign has reduced by £1,299,424 compared to the previous financial year. This was in line with the Government’s review of campaign spending.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many public electric vehicle chargepoints were installed in each year since 2020; and how many have been installed to date in 2025.

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

The net increase in the number of charging devices in the UK’s public charging network in each year since 2020 is presented in the below table.

The figures in this table represent the net increase in the number of public charging devices in the source dataset from year to year. This is the number of devices added to the source data minus the number of devices removed from the source data (e.g. if decommissioned) each year.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment the Department has made of the potential impact of (a) rostering and (b) minimum service agreements on the number of (i) lightly used and (ii) empty trains operating on the network.

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

The Department requires train operators to provide services across a wide range of markets to support access to transport and connectivity to jobs and services. This means that some trains do operate with low passenger numbers and operational reasons mean it is not practical to match demand to capacity on every service. We expect operators to provide their services in a way that best balances passenger needs, performance and value for money for taxpayers.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 8 September 2025 to Question 71243 on c2c: Nationalisation, how many (a) senior management and (b) specialist operational staff have left c2c since its transfer to public ownership on 20 July 2025; and what steps her Department has taken to retain such expertise within the publicly owned rail network.

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

Since c2c’s transfer to public ownership two months ago no senior management have left. Eight operational staff have left and have been or are being replaced. This is within usual levels of attrition and c2c continues to deploy its workforce planning strategies to ensure sufficient expertise.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when her Department plans to publish the regulated rail fare levels for 2026.

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

No decisions have yet been taken on the regulated fares change for 2026, but our aim is that prices balance affordability for both passengers and taxpayers. There will be an update on changes to regulated rail fares in due course.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 8 September 2025 to Question 71256 on Railways: Automation, if she will make it her policy to link government investment to conditions on greater take-up of automated train operation technology.

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

The Government is committed to investing in a modern railway that is reliable for passengers and supports economic growth for taxpayers. This has included investment in automated train operation in recent years, as noted in the answer of 8 September, on schemes such as Thameslink and the Elizabeth Line, and I would expect this to continue to be a consideration for future investment where it can drive efficiency and improved performance for the railway.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that passenger service levels for trains are aligned with levels of demand for train services.

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

The Department requires its operators to plan services and rail timetables that are designed to meet expected passenger demand. These should be resilient and provide value for money for the taxpayer. We expect all operators to regularly review their timetabled services to ensure they are both attractive to passengers and reduce the tax-payer support required for the railway. Great British Railways will be created as a new arm’s length body, bringing together the management of the network and the delivery of passenger services to deliver a more sustainable, affordable and reliable railway.

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 rail workers' (a) contracts and (b) rosters on the level of subsidy for running (i) lightly-used and (ii) empty rail services.

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

Rail workers' contracts and rosters are a matter for train operating companies, and while inevitably for operational reasons some services will have low loadings, we expect all operators to regularly review their timetabled services to ensure they are both attractive to passengers and reduce the tax-payer support required for the railway. Great British Railways will be created as a new arm’s length body, bringing together the management of the network and the delivery of passenger services to deliver a more sustainable, affordable and reliable railway.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what estimate her Department has made of the annual cost to the public purse for payments associated with rolling stock leasing agreements following the transfer of train operating companies into state control.

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

It is expected that future transfers will see existing rolling stock leasing arrangements novate to the new public sector operator on existing terms as part of the transfer of operations into public ownership. Therefore, we do not expect changes to current cost estimates as a result of the transfer of operations into public ownership.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the cost to the public purse is for (a) direct and (b) indirect liability for rolling stock leasing debt following the transfer of train operating companies into public ownership.

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

The Department does not expect any changes to current rolling stock debt liabilities as a direct consequence of the transfer of train operating companies into public ownership.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what discussions her Department has had with (a) The Office of the Mayor of London and (b) Transport for London on the London Underground strikes in the week of 8 September 2025.

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

Transport in London is devolved to the Mayor and TfL, and strike action on London’s transport network is for TfL to manage. The Government encourages all sides to work together to resolve this dispute as quickly as possible. The Secretary of State met with TfL on this matter during the week of 8 September 2025.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 8 September 2025 to Question 71266 on Department for Transport: Buildings, what the make and model of soundproof meeting pods were; and how many were purchased.

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

Three Kolo Midi soundproof meeting pods were purchased.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 8 September 2025 to Question 71268 on Department for Transport: Ministers' Private Offices, what the expenditure of £2,769.49 was on; and if she will provide a breakdown of each item of spending.

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

Since 4 July 2024 the Department has spent £211.34 on redecoration of Ministers' Private Offices. Following a review and a correction to the answer to Question 71268, I can confirm that no costs were incurred on furniture and fittings.

Agriculture