Asked by: Lord Mendelsohn (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to issue guidance to transport operators whose services cross the border between England and Scotland in relation to the different policies on COVID-related mask-wearing in the two countries.
Answered by Baroness Vere of Norbiton - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
Guidance for transport operators is now available on GOV.UK to reflect step 4 changes. Operators are advised to make to themselves aware of any changes in rules when providing services that cross the border from England into one of the other UK nations and where possible to communicate this to passengers. Links to the rules for Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales are included in the operator guidance. Passengers are also advised to make themselves aware of any rule changes when travelling from England to another of the UK nations.
Asked by: Lord Mendelsohn (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the reports that the UK requires £100 billion of investment in electric vehicle infrastructure by 2030 to meet projected growth in electric vehicles; what are their plans to ensure this level of investment is met; and what proportion will be provided by the (1) public, and (2) private sector.
Answered by Baroness Vere of Norbiton - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
We have not made any specific assessment of the recent report that £100 billion of investment will be required into electric vehicle infrastructure by 2030. We are committed to a cost-effective deployment of an electric vehicle infrastructure network that is affordable, accessible, reliable and secure and want to fairly balance the cost of the investment required between the public and private sector.
The Government’s vision is to have one of the best electric vehicle infrastructure networks in the world. We have a wide-ranging package of support available, including grants for chargepoints at homes, workplaces and on-street. Our funding and leadership, alongside private sector investment, has supported the installation of more than 17,000 public chargepoints. This includes over 1,700 rapid chargepoints – one of the largest networks in Europe.
Asked by: Lord Mendelsohn (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what is their target for the number of (1) electric vehicles, (2) electric vehicle charging points, and (3) rapid charging points in the UK by (a) 2020, (b) 2030, (c) 2040, and (d) 2050.
Answered by Baroness Vere of Norbiton - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Government’s vision is to have one of the best electric vehicle infrastructure networks in the world but has not set targets for the number of chargepoints. We want to encourage and leverage private sector investment to build and operate a self-sustaining public network supported by the right policy framework. In many cases, the market is better-placed than the Government to identify the right locations for chargepoints and it is essential that viable commercial models are in place to ensure continued maintenance and improvements to the network. Highways England has a commitment of £15m to ensure there are chargepoints (rapid where possible) every 20 miles on 95% of the Strategic Road Network by 2020. The Government’s grant schemes to support chargepoint infrastructure at homes, workplaces and residential streets, alongside our £400m public-private Charging Infrastructure Investment Fund will see thousands more chargepoints installed across the UK.
The Government is technology neutral, but recognises that the vast majority of vehicle manufacturer plans include plug-in battery powertrains. As set out in the Road to Zero strategy, the Government is also playing a role in supporting the development of the UK’s hydrogen refuelling network.
Asked by: Lord Mendelsohn (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the recommendation by the Committee on Climate Change that 30 to 70 per cent of cars in the UK should be electric by 2030; and what is their target for the proportion of cars that will be electric by 2030.
Answered by Baroness Vere of Norbiton - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Committee on Climate Change (CCC) recommended in its 2018 progress report that the UK should be aiming for 60% new ultra low emission vehicle uptake in 2030. This is consistent, in terms of carbon, with the ambitions set out in the Government’s 2018 Road to Zero strategy of up to 70% of new car sales to be ultra low emission by 2030 alongside up to 40% of new vans. By 2040, we expect the majority of new cars and vans sold to be 100% zero emission and all new cars and vans to have significant zero emission capability. By 2050 we want almost every car and van in the UK to be zero emission.
Subsequently, the CCC report, published in May 2019, recommended the UK legislate as soon as possible to meet net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050; and that by 2035 at the latest all new cars and vans should be electric (or use a low carbon alternative such as hydrogen). The Government will respond to the CCC’s advice in a timeframe which reflects the urgency of this crucial issue.
Asked by: Lord Mendelsohn (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask Her Majesty's Government which sub-central public bodies associated with the Department of Transport are within scope of Regulation 113 of the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 requiring contracting authorities to pay undisputed invoices within 30 days and to publish their payment performance online.
Answered by Baroness Sugg
The information required to answer this PQ is not held in the format requested.
As a guide, the Department for Transport’s Executive Agencies (the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency, Maritime and Coastguard Agency, Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency, and Vehicle Certification Agency) in the main operate under the Public Contracts Regulations 2015, whilst arm’s length bodies such as HS2 and Network Rail ordinarily operate under the Utilities Contracts Regulations 2016 whenever they are procuring works, services or supplies contracts.
Asked by: Lord Mendelsohn (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they intend to publish the results of research carried out by the Civil Aviation Authority into allergen exposure in aircraft cabins; if so, when; and what plans they have to address severe allergic reactions on aircraft.
Answered by Baroness Sugg
The Civil Aviation Authority has undertaken an evidence review of passenger exposure to peanuts and tree nut allergens on airlines to establish the scientific evidence for the risks, and to identify what mitigation measures, if any, would be appropriate on the basis of the evidence. The report is due to be published before the end of the year.
In its forthcoming Aviation Strategy green paper, the government is proposing a policy to provide consistent standards for allergy sufferers to make certain that consumers know what to expect when they fly.
Asked by: Lord Mendelsohn (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Sugg on 25 October (HL10562), what is their forecast for the level of growth in (1) the UK’s port unit load traffic, and (2) port productivity for each of the next five years; and what is their forecast in the event of a no-deal outcome to the Brexit negotiations.
Answered by Baroness Sugg
The Department for Transport is currently preparing port freight demand forecasts, and will publish these once complete. The Government does not produce forecasts of port productivity.
The Government expects to complete a withdrawal deal, but our aim in the event of a no-deal outcome is to ensure that unit-load traffic can continue to flow as expeditiously and efficiently as possible so that the volume of trade in aggregate can be maintained.
Asked by: Lord Mendelsohn (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what meetings (1) ministers, and (2) officials have held with UK port-owning companies to discuss (a) preparations for Brexit, and (b) current operational weaknesses.
Answered by Baroness Sugg
Ministers and officials have met UK port-owning companies on numerous occasions to discuss preparations for exiting the European Union. This includes various port visits by Ministers from the Department for Transport and other Departments, and officials' meetings involving ports under the aegis of the Border Delivery Group, including a systematic programme of engagement by Border Force with all UK ports engaged in international trade.
Any operational weaknesses, that may be found in commercial systems, are a matter for the ports themselves to resolve.
Asked by: Lord Mendelsohn (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what is their assessment of the efficiency of IT infrastructure at UK ports; and what plans they have to support improvements in IT infrastructure at UK ports in time for Brexit.
Answered by Baroness Sugg
The efficiency of operational IT infrastructure is a commercial matter for each port. HMG has however assessed cyber security at several key ports. In addition, we have published guidance for industry as a whole. The Network and Information Systems Regulations, which came into force in May 2018, have placed mandatory cyber security requirements on the most critical UK operators.
HMRC and Border Force are familiar with the IT arrangements in relation to the CHIEF system, and its successor, CDS, for handling border control declarations.
Asked by: Lord Mendelsohn (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what is their assessment of the impact the Port of Felixstowe’s IT problems are having on small and medium-sized enterprises.
Answered by Baroness Sugg
Operations at the ports of Felixstowe and at Southampton Container Terminal are matters for the operators themselves in consultation with customers and port users, including SMEs. I understand that the situation at Felixstowe has now improved following difficulties with the 'nGen' system, and that congestion recently affecting Southampton was expected to be transient.
UK container port capacity overall is easily sufficient to meet demand in the pre-Christmas period, and there is also scope for further consented expansion to meet future growth in global trade including the largest vessels currently in world fleets.