Asked by: Baroness Randerson (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the current shore power capacity at ports in the UK; and what will be the percentage expansion of capacity required by 2050 to achieve their net zero targets.
Answered by Baroness Vere of Norbiton - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Government continues to work with the sector on opportunities to deploy additional shore power and other infrastructure. The Government is considering shore power within the wider context of net zero ports and will launch a call for evidence in due course. This will gather further information on future electricity grid capacity needs to support additional infrastructure, including shore power.
On 11 September, the government announced £29.5m of R&D funding for shore power projects at the Port of Aberdeen, Atlantic and Peninsula’s Falmouth Port and Portsmouth International Port under the Zero Emission Vessels and Infrastructure competition. These projects will help to reduce emissions at these locations in the short term and will also provide valuable evidence over the multi-year demonstration period to inform future policy and regulation.
Asked by: Baroness Randerson (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask His Majesty's Government what detailed information they have about freight train operators who have replaced electric locomotives with diesel over the past year because of the higher costs of electricity; and whether they have had meetings with any such operators to discuss the impact of these changes on His Majesty's Government’s net zero strategy.
Answered by Baroness Vere of Norbiton - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
Officials and the Rail Minister have discussed this with the freight operating companies who are closely monitoring the situation and will review when electricity prices come down. The decision about which locomotives to use for freight trains is a commercial decision for each individual freight operating company. The Government cannot intervene in such decisions but we continue to work closely to help incentivise the freight industry to meet our net zero targets.
Asked by: Baroness Randerson (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking, if any, to strengthen the International Civil Aviation Organisation agreement and the Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation.
Answered by Baroness Vere of Norbiton - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
At the 41st Assembly of the International Civil Aviation Organization in 2022, the UK played a leading role in securing agreement on a net zero by 2050 CO2 emissions goal for international aviation. This agreement sends a clear signal of collective ambition and provides the platform for the development of further international measures and policies. UK experts are contributing to technical work on the monitoring of progress towards the goal, and the UK is currently engaged in negotiations to define the role that sustainable aviation fuels will play in meeting it.
The Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (or CORSIA), the first global market-based measure to address emissions from a single sector, was first agreed in 2016 and airlines have been monitoring their emissions under the scheme since 2019. A further agreement, which the UK was also influential in securing at last year’s Assembly, preserves the integrity of the scheme by setting its baseline at a level stringent enough to ensure airlines begin offsetting their emissions on flights between 125 countries from next year.
The UK is also working to strengthen compliance with CORSIA by supporting other states to implement it. As offsetting begins and experience grows, we will use the scheme’s Periodic Reviews to negotiate for it to be strengthened such that it fully supports the new net zero goal.
Asked by: Baroness Randerson (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of (1) the staffing shortages at NATS Holdings, (2) the reasons for a staff shortage at NATS Holdings, and (3) the impact of the staffing shortage on air services this summer; and what consideration they have given to imposing financial penalties on NATS Holdings.
Answered by Baroness Vere of Norbiton - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Government regrets the delays to passengers caused by staffing issues in the Gatwick air traffic control tower on 14 September 2023.
My officials have and will continue to engage with the relevant stakeholders to ensure robust plans are in place to mitigate disruption, recognising that the safety of the operation must always be the paramount consideration for air navigation service providers.
Officials have met with NATS Holdings, the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), Gatwick airport and easyJet to review their plans and to gain assurances that they are working together to deliver for the passenger.
UK aviation operates in the private sector and tower services, including staffing, are a commercial matter between the airport operator and the service provider. NATS Holdings is an independent company and does not receive Government funding.
Asked by: Baroness Randerson (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the letter from Transport for London and other organisations, dated 18 July, calling for improved compulsory basic training for motorcyclists; and what plans they have, if any, to implement the recommendations set out in that letter.
Answered by Baroness Vere of Norbiton - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
One of the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency’s priorities, as outlined in its strategic plan, is to improve motorcyclist and instructor training, which includes compulsory basic training (CBT).
The newly formed motorcycle strategic focus group is working closely with industry stakeholders to consider how to improve the safety of those involved in the rider gig economy, coupled with changes to motorcycle training and testing to ensure riders have the skills and knowledge they need for a lifetime of safe and sustainable journeys.
Any changes to the training and licencing regime, including CBT, will form part of a wider package of reforms when parliamentary time allows.
Asked by: Baroness Randerson (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask His Majesty's Government why they have paused funding for retrofitting diesel buses with selective catalytic reduction (SCR) exhausts; and whether they will provide details of the poor SCR performance as referred to in their letters to local authorities.
Answered by Baroness Vere of Norbiton - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Government has paused the roll out of Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR) bus retrofit technology, following research by the Scottish Government and internal monitoring.
The Department are conducting a short, focused investigation into the performance of this technology. The results of this work will inform any final conclusions.
Asked by: Baroness Randerson (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask His Majesty's Government how many buses have been fitted with selective catalytic reduction (SCR) exhausts; and how much have they spent each year since 2016 on retrofitting buses with SCR exhausts.
Answered by Baroness Vere of Norbiton - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
Bus Retrofit technology has been supported through a range of schemes since 2013, including a series of pilot schemes over 2013-2015 which considered a range of technologies including Selective Catalytic Reduction. Government has funded the retrofit of around 6,000 buses across England.
The Department does not hold funding information in the form requested. Government has provided £64 million via the 2017-2019 Clean Bus Technology Fund and further funding has been provided for specific retrofit initiatives under the NO2 Programme (2017-present).
Asked by: Baroness Randerson (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of (1) the impact of their requirement for all submissions to their consultation on the closure of railway ticket offices to be made by email on the balance of opinion in the responses to the consultation, and (2) whether this requirement will exclude those who use ticket offices because they do not have access to the internet.
Answered by Baroness Vere of Norbiton - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
If passengers wish to raise views, they can send a letter to both passenger bodies – London TravelWatch or Transport Focus – using the same freepost address: RTEH-XAGE-BYKZ, PO Box 5594, Southend on Sea, SS1 9PZ. Train operators have also made information relating to their consultations available on their websites.
Under the Ticketing and Settlement Agreement process, train operating companies are required to put notices at stations advising passengers of any proposals. We would expect train operating companies to make sure their consultations are accessible. To propose any changes to the opening hours of a station ticket office, or propose its closure, train operating companies must follow the longstanding process set out in the Ticketing and Settlement Agreement.
Asked by: Baroness Randerson (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the benefits and value for money of the Dollands Moor to Wembley W12 gauge enhancement project; what steps they are taking to implement this project; and what discussions they have had with businesses to unlock private investment in this project.
Answered by Baroness Vere of Norbiton - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Government engages regularly with the international rail sector to discuss a range of issues, including freight traffic flows and proposals to operate additional rail freight services through the Channel Tunnel. It is ultimately a commercial decision for rail freight operators as to whether to facilitate new services, but the Government is open to engaging with industry-led proposals to support opportunities for rail freight and potential new operators where there is a commercial proposition.
With respect to gauge enhancement, the Government is engaging with Network Rail on their developing proposals on Kent routes (including the Dollands Moor to Wembley route) to support Channel Tunnel traffic, and we await further details on this, including potential benefits and delivery mechanisms. Any investment decision will be subject to the usual business case process to ensure value for money.
Asked by: Baroness Randerson (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to increase international rail freight journeys through the Channel Tunnel; and what assessment they have made of the benefits and value for money of rail gauge enhancement projects as a way to increase the number of rail freight journeys.
Answered by Baroness Vere of Norbiton - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Government engages regularly with the international rail sector to discuss a range of issues, including freight traffic flows and proposals to operate additional rail freight services through the Channel Tunnel. It is ultimately a commercial decision for rail freight operators as to whether to facilitate new services, but the Government is open to engaging with industry-led proposals to support opportunities for rail freight and potential new operators where there is a commercial proposition.
With respect to gauge enhancement, the Government is engaging with Network Rail on their developing proposals on Kent routes (including the Dollands Moor to Wembley route) to support Channel Tunnel traffic, and we await further details on this, including potential benefits and delivery mechanisms. Any investment decision will be subject to the usual business case process to ensure value for money.