Asked by: Baroness Hoey (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether his Department has undertaken modelling of the effect on train services to and from London Victoria station that pass through Clapham High Street station of stopping at that station to determine whether or not to make changes to those services.
Answered by Andrew Jones
The Department did not complete modelling of stops at Clapham High Street but the Department estimates that each stop would add 3-4 minutes journey time. The Department also determined that the length of platforms at Clapham High Street would be too short for existing South Eastern services to stop at.
Asked by: Baroness Hoey (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether his Department has made an assessment of the of the potential effect on the journey time of train services between Victoria and Dartford of those services stopping Clapham High Street station.
Answered by Andrew Jones
The Department estimates that each additional stop at Clapham High Street would typically add 3-4 mins journey time to services between Victoria and Dartford.
Asked by: Baroness Hoey (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps his Department took to avoid conflicts of interest in the preparation of the Invitation to Tender for the Southeastern franchise.
Answered by Andrew Jones
DfT Passenger Services has in place well established Conflicts of Interest and Confidentiality (CoIC) Guidance and procedures which are designed to prevent conflicts of interests arising during all franchise competitions, including the Southeastern franchise. Both civil servants and the Department’s external advisors are obliged to comply with the procedures set out in the guidance. The Passenger Services CoIC procedures include a requirement for all individuals, before being party to any aspect of the competition, (including developing the ITT specification) to sign a conflicts of interest and confidentiality declaration confirming that they have no conflicts of interest relevant to that competition.
Both civil servants and the Department’s external advisors have an ongoing obligation to declare any conflict of interests that may arise during the franchise letting processes.
Asked by: Baroness Hoey (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to his Department's response to the recommendations of the report of the Taxi and Private Hire Vehicle Licensing Task and Finish Group, what the timeframe is for the implementation of those recommendations; and whether primary legislation will be required to enact those recommendations.
Answered by Nusrat Ghani
The Government’s response to the report of the Taxi and Private Hire Licensing Task and Finish Group sets out which of the recommendations the Department proposes to take forward. Many of the short-term recommendations made by the Chair of the Task and Finish Group in his report are for licensing authorities to make full use of their extensive existing powers and these are a matter for licensing authorities to consider.
Work has already started to take forward some of the recommendations, for example the Department launched, on 12 February, its consultation on draft statutory guidance to be issued to licensing authorities on the use of their powers to protect children and vulnerable adults from harm which will run until 22 April. Those reforms that require legislative change, for example national minimum standards, will be made through primary legislation when time allows.
Asked by: Baroness Hoey (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the merits of revising the Highway Code to include advice by the British Horse Society's dead slow campaign on how to pass horses safely while driving.
Answered by Jesse Norman - Shadow Leader of the House of Commons
Several sections of the Highway Code already cover horse riders. The Government announced on 18 October 2018 that, as part of the Cycling
and Walking Investment Strategy (CWIS) Safety Review, the Highway Code would be reviewed to help keep cyclists and pedestrians safe on the roads.
The full scope of the review has yet to be determined but in accordance with normal practice it will be conducted in consultation with all of our stakeholders, including those representing equestrians such as the British Horse Society.
Asked by: Baroness Hoey (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to the Answer of 15 May 2003 to Question 113237 on rail strikes, whether South Western Railway has made an application in the last twelve months for reimbursement for revenues lost as a result of official industrial action.
Answered by Lord Johnson of Marylebone
Any such request would be a commercial matter between South Western Railway and the Secretary of State. However, no payments have been made under the relevant Franchise Agreement provisions.
Asked by: Baroness Hoey (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to the Answer of 15 May 2003 to Question 113237 on rail strikes, whether (a) he and (b) officials of his Department have had discussions with South Western railway in the last twelve months on reimbursing that company for revenue lost as a result of official industrial action.
Answered by Lord Johnson of Marylebone
Any such discussions would be a commercial matter between South Western Railway and the Secretary of State and his Officials.
Asked by: Baroness Hoey (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 11 September 2017 to Question 6953, on taxis: conditions of employment, if his Department will publish the names of (a) formal members of that group, (b) other people who have been invited to discussions or to give evidence to that group and the (c) the organisations which those people represent.
Answered by Nusrat Ghani
The membership and terms of reference of the Task and Finish Group on Taxi and Private Hire Vehicle licensing were placed in the libraries of both Houses on 27 September 2017 following agreement of these by the Group.
The Group is nearing the conclusion of its considerations and is expected to submit its report shortly. The Government will consider the report and options for publication in due course.