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 26 March 2026 to Question 122319, what performance metrics the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency uses to assess the effectiveness of recruitment campaigns for driving examiners; and what the outcomes were for each campaign in terms of (a) applications received, (b) candidates progressing to interview and (c) appointments made.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Department for Transport has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 26 March 2026 to Question 122592 on Electric Vehicles: Hire Services, when the review of the Greening Government Commitments framework will be completed.
Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
I refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 26 February to the hon. Member for Bristol Central to PQ UIN 114247.
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 6 March 2026 to Question 116229 on Department for Business and Trade: Carbon Emissions and Sustainable Development, on what date did his Department (a) allocate funding to Mott MacDonald to review the Dominican Republic’s state-owned energy company's and (b) receive a copy of the review's findings.
Answered by Chris McDonald - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
In 2024, the UK signed a Government-to-Government Arrangement with the Dominican Republic to help deliver infrastructure projects that promote mutual economic growth. My department awarded Mott MacDonald a contract to review the Dominican Republic's state-owned energy company's, Empresa de Generación Hidroeléctrica Dominicana, national energy masterplan. This provided recommendations to prioritise renewable energy projects aligned with national targets and opportunities for UK supply chain involvement. The funding was allocated to Mott MacDonald on 31 January 2025 and we received a copy of the review's findings on 31 March 2025.
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when she plans to complete the review of the Greening Government Commitments, including the Government fleet commitment.
Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
I refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 26 February to the hon. Member for Bristol Central to PQ UIN 114247.
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what estimate her Department has made of the total number of passenger rail journeys in Great Britain in 2025–26; what figure for passenger journeys underpins its estimate of subsidy per passenger journey for that year; and what her Department's estimates for underpinning passenger numbers are in the next five years.
Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
Data relating to the total number of passenger rail journeys in Great Britain for 2025–26 is not yet available and is scheduled for publication in June. Historic data on journeys is published here: Passenger rail usage | ORR Data Portal.
Using the most recent ORR data available (2024-25), the subsidy per passenger journey is £8.21. This captures all journeys made with the 14 DfT operators. The subsidy figure includes Department for Transport’s support for the 14 DfT operators and Network Rail.
Finally, with respect to departmental estimates of underpinning passenger numbers over the next five years, the Department does not routinely publish forecasts of passenger numbers.
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 31 March 2026 to Question 123237, whether her Department is considering the introduction of mandatory Restricted R plates or an equivalent post-test probationary scheme for newly qualified drivers in Great Britain.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
Whilst we are not considering mandatory Restricted ‘R’ plates for newly qualified drivers in Great Britain, we are consulting on a Minimum Learning Period in England, Scotland, and Wales before learner drivers can take their test.
We know that introducing a Minimum Learning Period has potential to reduce the number of deaths and serious injuries. This is why we are consulting on the introduction of pre-test measures and combining these with the post-test measures already in place through the New Drivers Act.
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential impact of contrails on its Airspace Modernisation Strategy.
Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Airspace Modernisation Strategy supports the aviation sector in reducing emissions through aircraft flying more direct routes.
Contrails arise from a combination of jet fuel combustion, air particles, water vapour and atmospheric conditions, and as such are considered through the Department’s work with the sector via the Jet Zero Strategy and Taskforce, which look at aviation decarbonisation holistically.
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 25 March 2026 to Question 122594, what her Department’s estimate is for the date by which trains for those services will be (i) modified and (ii) fully tested.
Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
Chiltern subleases the trains that will be used on East West Rail from West Midlands Trains. The operators continue to work jointly with the train owner and the industry supply chain on the schedule for the final modifications which are expected to be delivered and tested in the coming months.
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the cost will be of the Zero Emission Truck and Van funding package over its lifetime, including associated grant schemes.
Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The cost of this package is set out at: www.gov.uk/government/news/1-billion-to-cut-costs-for-businesses-drive-growth-and-clean-up-uk-roads
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 18 March 2026 to Question 120628, whether any Government department or agency holds documents released to the media in March 2025 in relation to the employment tribunal involving the Drax whistleblower.
Answered by Satvir Kaur - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
The Cabinet Office does not hold any documents released to the media in March 2025 in relation to the employment tribunal involving the Drax whistleblower. As this matter related to an employment tribunal at a private company, it is not a matter in which the Department was involved.