Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 10 March 2026 to Question 118041 on Airports: Cars, whether her Department provides guidance to airports on the development, content, and monitoring of Surface Access Strategies.
Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The expectations around the development and monitoring of airports’ surface access plans were first set out in the Department’s “Guidance on Airport Transport Forums and Airport Surface Access Strategies” in 1999. It is for the airport operator, working with local stakeholders through its Airport Transport Forum to create the strategy, taking into consideration national and local policy guidance and frameworks, planning conditions and local infrastructure considerations.
Recent approvals by this government on airport expansion projects at Gatwick and Luton also highlight specific surface access targets which must be met such as through the Green Controlled Growth Framework at Luton and mode share targets at Gatwick.
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, pursuant to the Answer of 18 March 2026 to Question 120645 on Competition and Markets Authority: Costs, whether the Competition and Markets Authority holds internal management information on the resource or cost associated with its Sustainability Taskforce.
Answered by Kate Dearden - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The Competition and Markets Authority (“CMA”) holds internal management information on the resource and costs associated with its Sustainability Taskforce since its establishment:
FY | Staff Costs | Non-Staff Costs | Total Cost | Full-Time Equivalent |
2023-24 | £418,715.01 | £3,335.36 | £422,050.37 | 5.4 |
2024-25 | £342,306.01 | £677.18 | £342,983.19 | 3.9 |
Non-staff costs cover other programme expenditure such as travel and subsistence. The CMA is not able to provide an estimated annual cost for the Sustainability Taskforce for 2025/26 before its accounts for the financial year are finalised.
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, pursuant to the Answer of 20 March 2026 to Question 120043 on Department for Culture, Media and Sport: Official Cars, whether she will provide a hyperlink to the Department’s Travel and Subsistence policy.
Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The travel and subsistence policy is an internal DCMS document which is currently under review by the department. Officials will follow the general principles for travel section of the policy attached.
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 16 February 2026 to Question 111456, what mechanisms are available to airports to meet surface access environmental targets.
Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
In order to meet surface access environmental targets, airport operators and their local stakeholders are responsible for determining the specific interventions that are best-suited to their unique operational contexts taking into account local infrastructure, planning considerations and obligations, and regional transport policies.
The Government welcomes the significant investments airports are making in sustainable surface transport options for staff and passengers, from zero-emission bus fleets to improved cycling facilities, which are vital to balancing aviation sector growth with our environmental commitments.
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what changes have been implemented by his Department as a result of operational lessons identified from the war in Ukraine, including (a) force structure and procurement priorities, (b) stockpiling and supply chain resilience for munitions and equipment and (c) integration of new technologies into frontline capability, including artificial intelligence and autonomous systems.
Answered by Luke Pollard - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
The UK's Armed Forces are learning much from the war in Ukraine, particularly the need for a much faster 'learn and adapt' cycle to accelerate developments in our capabilities, doctrine and tactics. More broadly, the Strategic Defence Review considered all aspects of Defence, including the capabilities required by the UK to meet the challenges, threats and opportunities of the twenty-first century. The Defence Supply Chain Capability Programme is strengthening the resilience of our supply chain, and the Strategic Defence Review also confirmed that we will invest in "Always On" munitions production for our most critical ammunition types, and Ukraine lessons have been incorporated as we assess munitions choices across the force. The Strategic Defence Review also highlighted the importance of autonomous systems within the UK's Integrated Force. Decisions on our equipment requirements, including artificial intelligence and autonomous systems, will be set out in the forthcoming Defence Investment Plan.
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the decision to end the PSO route to Cornwall on the economy.
Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The decision not to proceed with the Public Service Obligation (PSO) was a matter for Cornwall Council. The Department continues to work with Cornwall Council to explore commercial options for the route. It is important to note that connectivity continues to be preserved with flights operating between Newquay to London Stansted with additional services to London Gatwick being introduced in June.
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what information his Department holds on the number of marriages between uncle and niece legally contracted overseas by people now residing in England and Wales.
Answered by Jake Richards - Assistant Whip
The Ministry of Justice does not collect data on overseas marriages.
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether her Department has had discussions with garage owners on the potential impact of the cost of taking EV cars to have their pay per mile mileage checked for eVED on motorists.
Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
As announced at Budget 2025, the Government is introducing Electric Vehicle Excise Duty (eVED) from April 2028, to create a fair tax system whilst also taking steps to ensure that driving an electric vehicle (EV) remains an attractive choice for consumers.
The Government published a consultation which set out further detail on how eVED will work and sought views on its design and implementation. This included a commitment to engage with garages on the costs of mileage checks and MOT fees.
As part of the consultation process, the government has undertaken a programme of engagement involving a range of stakeholders, including garages, and is committed to continuing to engage closely on the implementation of eVED in the lead up to April 2028.
The consultation closed on 18 March 2026. The government is considering responses and will publish a response in due course.
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 3 March 2026 to Question 115998, if she will publish the full list of factors used to calculate the (a) rate for each vehicle and (b) rates and thresholds rates and thresholds of taxes and reliefs.
Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
Vehicle Excise Duty (VED) is a tax on vehicles used or kept on public roads, and as in my previous response, rates for different vehicles vary according to a range of factors.
The rates payable for different vehicle types and the factors which determine them are set out in the V149 and V149/1 rates tables published by the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA), and which can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/rates-of-vehicle-tax-v149
The Government annually reviews the rates and thresholds of taxes and reliefs to ensure that they are appropriate and reflect the current state of the economy. The Chancellor makes decisions on tax policy at fiscal events in the context of the public finances.
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment he has made of the potential implications for his Department's policies of the lessons from the Russia-Ukraine war on the use of unmanned systems in warfare; and what steps his Department is taking to (a) incorporate lessons from Ukrainian battlefield use of drones into UK doctrine and (b) improve the UK’s defensive capabilities against hostile drone activity.
Answered by Al Carns - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans)
The UK’s Armed Forces are learning much from the war in Ukraine, particularly the need for a much faster ‘learn and adapt’ cycle to accelerate developments in our capabilities, doctrine, and tactics. More broadly, the Strategic Defence Review considered all aspects of Defence, including the capabilities required by the UK to meet the challenges, threats, and opportunities of the twenty-first century. The Strategic Defence Review also highlighted the importance of autonomous systems both within the UK’s Integrated Force and the threats they pose to that force. Decisions on our equipment requirements, including artificial intelligence and autonomous systems, will be set out in the forthcoming Defence Investment Plan.