Asked by: Lord Oates (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what joint working, if any, is taking place across Government to unlock additional benefits of the Cycle to Work Scheme to (1) support workers with the rising cost of commuting, and (2) drive outcomes in (a) public health, and (b) reducing carbon emissions.
Answered by Baroness Vere of Norbiton - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
Cycling to work can reduce the costs of commuting whilst improving physical and mental health for employees and can help reduce carbon emissions. The Cycle to Work scheme enables people do this more cost effectively and in 2019 the Department revised the guidance on the scheme to make it simpler for employers to offer it to their employees.
The Department regularly promotes the Cycle to Work Scheme and has previously commissioned Business in the Community and Sustrans to publish best practice guidance for employers and local authorities highlighting how employers can enable more of their staff to cycle to work using the scheme. The Department and HMRC are in regular contact on these and other issues and the Department regularly meets with the Cycle to Work Alliance to identify opportunities to further increase take up of the scheme.
Asked by: Lord Oates (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they have taken to increase take-up of the Cycle to Work Scheme in line with their priorities around boosting active travel.
Answered by Baroness Vere of Norbiton - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
Cycling to work can reduce the costs of commuting whilst improving physical and mental health for employees and can help reduce carbon emissions. The Cycle to Work scheme enables people do this more cost effectively and in 2019 the Department revised the guidance on the scheme to make it simpler for employers to offer it to their employees.
The Department regularly promotes the Cycle to Work Scheme and has previously commissioned Business in the Community and Sustrans to publish best practice guidance for employers and local authorities highlighting how employers can enable more of their staff to cycle to work using the scheme. The Department and HMRC are in regular contact on these and other issues and the Department regularly meets with the Cycle to Work Alliance to identify opportunities to further increase take up of the scheme.
Asked by: Lord Oates (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have made representations to Ryanair about that company's practice of requiring South African nationals to fill in questionnaires in Afrikaans before boarding flights in the UK.
Answered by Baroness Vere of Norbiton - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
The recent language test requirement for passengers travelling with Ryanair was not a UK Government requirement. My officials have engaged with Ryanair on this matter and they have since confirmed that the language test is no longer in use.
Asked by: Lord Oates (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the potential of green hydrogen to replace existing maritime fuels.
Answered by Baroness Vere of Norbiton - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
DfT-commissioned analysis supporting the publication of the 2019 Clean Maritime Plan provided an assessment of emission reduction options for shipping such as low emission fuels. This includes hydrogen and hydrogen-derived fuels such as ammonia and methanol.
The Government’s approach is technology neutral and it would be premature to speculate precisely which technologies might and might not be able to deliver our long-term ambitions.
The Government announced the winners of the Clean Maritime Demonstration Competition on 15 September. Some of the winners of the competition are working on hydrogen maritime solutions.
Asked by: Lord Oates (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with the International Civil Aviation Organisation about the inclusion of indirect non-CO2 climate impacts of aviation, such as climate forcing caused by condensation trails, in the Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation.
Answered by Baroness Vere of Norbiton - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
Currently, the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (CORSIA) only applies to CO2 emissions. Due to the uncertainties surrounding aviation’s non-CO2 climate impacts, ICAO does not include these in its climate policies.
The UK continues to negotiate in ICAO for increased environmental ambition and supports continued work on aviation’s non-CO2 climate impacts and possible mitigation measures, taking into account their trade-offs with CO2. As a UN specialised agency, ICAO’s policies are the result of extensive technical work and negotiation between its Contracting States.
Asked by: Lord Oates (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what analysis they have carried out into the trade-off between additional CO2 emissions generated by rerouting aircraft for contrail prevention and the climate mitigation benefits of condensation trail prevention.
Answered by Baroness Vere of Norbiton - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
Alongside “Aviation 2050 – The Future of UK Aviation: A Consultation”, the Government published a short paper commissioned from Professor David Lee of Manchester Metropolitan University entitled “The current state of scientific understanding of the non-CO2 effects of aviation on climate”.
This paper makes clear that contrail avoidance through rerouting would require accurate meteorological prediction of potential contrail-forming areas and an agreed metric by which to ascertain that the flight’s total climate impact was being reduced. Neither of these are available today but the Government continues to follow developments closely.
The Government has not commissioned any further analysis into the climate trade-offs associated with rerouting aircraft for contrail prevention, though we continue to keep the issue under close review and in this vein I refer the Noble Lord to the answer I gave on 22 December 2020 to Question UIN HL11424
Asked by: Lord Oates (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of (1) linear motor technology developed in the UK, and (2) how such technology can be used to decarbonise the transfer and delivery of goods.
Answered by Baroness Vere of Norbiton - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
Decarbonising transport will require us to embrace new technology and innovation, and multiple solutions will have essential parts to play. Innovate UK is currently part-funding a UK based project to identify the standards and procedures required to design, build, operate and qualify an Underground Freight Transportation system using linear motors, which will report in 2021.
Testing new technology and business models at scale is essential and that is why we have already invested £92 million in four Future Transport Zones (FTZs). These will support local leaders and industry to trial new approaches and we have committed £20m towards mass scale demonstration of zero emission freight in the next year. Our further plans for the decarbonisation of freight will form part of the Transport Decarbonisation Plan which is due to be published by Spring 2021.
Asked by: Lord Oates (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what measures they are taking to support the introduction of (1) linear motors, and (2) other new technologies, which can be used to decarbonise the transfer and delivery of goods.
Answered by Baroness Vere of Norbiton - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
Decarbonising transport will require us to embrace new technology and innovation, and multiple solutions will have essential parts to play. Innovate UK is currently part-funding a UK based project to identify the standards and procedures required to design, build, operate and qualify an Underground Freight Transportation system using linear motors, which will report in 2021.
Testing new technology and business models at scale is essential and that is why we have already invested £92 million in four Future Transport Zones (FTZs). These will support local leaders and industry to trial new approaches and we have committed £20m towards mass scale demonstration of zero emission freight in the next year. Our further plans for the decarbonisation of freight will form part of the Transport Decarbonisation Plan which is due to be published by Spring 2021.
Asked by: Lord Oates (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the potential for existing road and rail corridors to be utilised for automated goods movement systems; and whether they have included technologies such as linear motors in any such assessment.
Answered by Baroness Vere of Norbiton - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
Decarbonising transport will require us to embrace new technology and innovation, and multiple solutions will have essential parts to play. Innovate UK is currently part-funding a UK based project to identify the standards and procedures required to design, build, operate and qualify an Underground Freight Transportation system using linear motors, which will report in 2021.
Testing new technology and business models at scale is essential and that is why we have already invested £92 million in four Future Transport Zones (FTZs). These will support local leaders and industry to trial new approaches and we have committed £20m towards mass scale demonstration of zero emission freight in the next year. Our further plans for the decarbonisation of freight will form part of the Transport Decarbonisation Plan which is due to be published by Spring 2021.
Asked by: Lord Oates (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact on the climate from indirect warming caused by condensation trails from cruising aircraft.
Answered by Baroness Vere of Norbiton - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
The recent publication “The Contribution of global aviation to anthropogenic climate forcing for 2000 to 2018” by Lee et al., 2020 presents the most up to date scientific analysis of aviation’s climate impacts, including contrails. The publication shows that contrail cirrus formation accounts for a large proportion of aviation's climate impact, however large uncertainties remain in determining the climate effects of contrail formation.
As stated in the 2018 Aviation 2050 consultation, the Government will continue to keep non-CO2 emissions from aviation under review and adjust its policy as more evidence becomes available.
I will place a copy of “The Contribution of global aviation to anthropogenic climate forcing for 2000 to 2018” by Lee et al., 2020 in the libraries of both Houses.