Asked by: Lord Teverson (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with industry and other sector bodies about the role that decarbonising the maritime sector can play in achieving the UK's target to bring all greenhouse gas emissions to net zero by 2050.
Answered by Baroness Vere of Norbiton - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
The domestic maritime sector falls under the UK’s national net zero target, and in common with the wider economy will need to be decarbonised by 2050 in order to achieve net zero.
The Department has regular meetings with industry and civil society representatives on the issue of decarbonisation, to discuss both domestic Net Zero and the international work to address greenhouse gas emissions being undertaken at the International Maritime Organization.
The Department has also established the Clean Maritime Council, a grouping of senior UK stakeholders who engage on environmental issues. This forms part of the Department’s Clean Maritime Plan.
Council members have provided input to the Departments plans on green recovery and decarbonisation and hope to be able to meet again soon.
Asked by: Lord Teverson (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 sustainable aviation fuels to decarbonise aviation.
Answered by Baroness Vere of Norbiton - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
Under the Renewable Transport Fuel Obligation (RTFO), biofuels reported as being made from waste have risen from 12% of total biofuel supply in the first year of the obligation (2008/09) to 66% in 2017/18. Building on that success the Government introduced changes to the RTFO last year which will almost double the use of renewable fuels from 2018 to 2020, and set targets out to 2032 providing industry with long term certainty.
In addition, as part of a fifteen year strategy for low carbon fuels the Government extended eligibility for rewards under the RTFO to aviation fuels last year, and is making available up to £20 million of matched capital funding to projects that will produce low carbon waste-based fuels to be used in aeroplanes and lorries through the Future Fuels for Flight and Freight Competition. The department is also engaging with industry on whether fuels produced from non-biogenic wastes, including those that are difficult to recycle, should be supported under the RTFO.
Through the Aviation Strategy the Government will consider policies it can put in place to further assist the long-term uptake of sustainable alternative fuels in this sector.
Asked by: Lord Teverson (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what measures they will take to ensure that the Renewable Transport Fuel Obligation supports the sustainable fuels industry.
Answered by Baroness Vere of Norbiton - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
Under the Renewable Transport Fuel Obligation (RTFO), biofuels reported as being made from waste have risen from 12% of total biofuel supply in the first year of the obligation (2008/09) to 66% in 2017/18. Building on that success the Government introduced changes to the RTFO last year which will almost double the use of renewable fuels from 2018 to 2020, and set targets out to 2032 providing industry with long term certainty.
In addition, as part of a fifteen year strategy for low carbon fuels the Government extended eligibility for rewards under the RTFO to aviation fuels last year, and is making available up to £20 million of matched capital funding to projects that will produce low carbon waste-based fuels to be used in aeroplanes and lorries through the Future Fuels for Flight and Freight Competition. The department is also engaging with industry on whether fuels produced from non-biogenic wastes, including those that are difficult to recycle, should be supported under the RTFO.
Through the Aviation Strategy the Government will consider policies it can put in place to further assist the long-term uptake of sustainable alternative fuels in this sector.
Asked by: Lord Teverson (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what action they are taking to support processes that remove hard to recycle waste from the waste stream in order to help deliver low-carbon fuels through the Renewable Transport Fuel Obligation.
Answered by Baroness Vere of Norbiton - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
Under the Renewable Transport Fuel Obligation (RTFO), biofuels reported as being made from waste have risen from 12% of total biofuel supply in the first year of the obligation (2008/09) to 66% in 2017/18. Building on that success the Government introduced changes to the RTFO last year which will almost double the use of renewable fuels from 2018 to 2020, and set targets out to 2032 providing industry with long term certainty.
In addition, as part of a fifteen year strategy for low carbon fuels the Government extended eligibility for rewards under the RTFO to aviation fuels last year, and is making available up to £20 million of matched capital funding to projects that will produce low carbon waste-based fuels to be used in aeroplanes and lorries through the Future Fuels for Flight and Freight Competition. The department is also engaging with industry on whether fuels produced from non-biogenic wastes, including those that are difficult to recycle, should be supported under the RTFO.
Through the Aviation Strategy the Government will consider policies it can put in place to further assist the long-term uptake of sustainable alternative fuels in this sector.
Asked by: Lord Teverson (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have plans to maintain a central register of ballast water discharge data, as undertaken in the United States by the Smithsonian Environmental Research Centre.
Answered by Baroness Sugg
At present, there are no plans to maintain a central register of ballast water discharge data as this is not required under the International Convention.
Asked by: Lord Teverson (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what training requirements are mandated for ships’ crews and port operatives to ensure compliance with the International Maritime Organisation’s 2017 International Convention for the Control and Management of Ships' Ballast Water and Sediments.
Answered by Baroness Sugg
There are no mandatory training requirements for ships’ crews and port operatives set out in the International Convention for the Control and Management of Ships' Ballast Water and Sediments.
The Ballast Water Management Plans required on board ships, and any ballast treatment systems fitted to comply with the Convention, may require appropriate crew training to be undertaken in some cases. This training will fall under the mandate of the ship’s existing safety management system.
Asked by: Lord Teverson (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what measures are (1) in place, and (2) planned, for the Maritime and Coastguard Agency to determine whether obligations under the International Maritime Organisation’s 2017 International Convention for the Control and Management of Ships' Ballast Water and Sediments to prevent the spread of aquatic invasive species are being met by visiting ships.
Answered by Baroness Sugg
The UK is yet to transpose the International Convention for the Control and Management of Ships' Ballast Water and Sediments. In the interim, the Maritime and Coastguard Agency has issued guidance to support the implementation of the requirements.
The Government is committed to implementing the Convention domestically and officials are currently working to develop appropriate legislation. The UK implementation will include specific requirements for inspection and enforcement through Port State Control, for vessels visiting UK ports.
Asked by: Lord Teverson (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what action they are taking to ensure that, following Brexit, airlines based in the UK will still be able to operate European flights; and what assurances they are able to give to the public, airports and airlines, that tickets sold up to eighteen months ahead can be honoured post-Brexit.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Government plans to negotiate the best possible relationship between the UK and the EU in the field of aviation with a smooth and orderly transition. The Department for Transport is working closely with the industry to best understand their requirements and to ensure that the outcome of the negotiations serves the interests of both passengers and the aviation industry.
Asked by: Lord Teverson (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they intend to negotiate, during the Brexit negotiations, a transitional aviation regime for UK airlines operating European routes, in order to avoid a sudden end to the operation of those routes; and if so, (1) how they intend to conduct, and (2) when they expect to conclude, those negotiations.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Government plans to negotiate the best possible relationship between the UK and the EU in the field of aviation with a smooth and orderly transition. The Department for Transport is working closely with the industry to best understand their requirements and to ensure that the outcome of the negotiations serves the interests of both passengers and the aviation industry.
Asked by: Lord Teverson (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what measures they are taking, if any, to ensure that driving test requirements, and driving penalties, reflect the need to improve the quality of driving on rural roads and adherence to the Countryside Code, particularly with regard to passing non-motorised transport such as bicycles and horses.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) is taking measures to make the theory and practical driving tests more reflective of a real life driving journey, including a greater emphasis on driving safely on rural roads.
Theory Test:
The DVSA is currently refreshing the Hazard Perception Test and associated learning materials, which includes focussing on encountering and dealing safely with vulnerable rural road users such as cyclists, horses and horse riders.
Practical Test:
The DVSA is about to conclude a two year trial that aims to make the practical driving test more reflective of a real life driving journey.
Proposals include:
- expanding test routes to incorporate higher risk rural roads where statistically new drivers are more likely to be involved in crashes, which will test a candidate's ability to deal with vulnerable road users such as cyclists, horses and horse riders.
- extending the period of independent driving from 10 to 20 minutes and the introduction of the use of satellite navigation for this period, which will further test a candidate's ability to cope with distraction.
All road users are required to comply with road traffic law, in the interests of their own safety and that of other road users. If road users do not adopt a responsible attitude, or if their use of the highway creates an unsafe environment or causes nuisance, there are already laws in place that can make them liable for prosecution.