Asked by: Alan Brown (Scottish National Party - Kilmarnock and Loudoun)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the estimated cost of HS2 (a) phase 1, (b) phase 2a, (c) phase 2b and (d) HS2 East is.
Answered by Huw Merriman - Minister of State (Department for Transport)
A cost estimate for each Phase of the HS2 scheme was provided in the most recent Parliamentary Report published in October 2022. The Department remains committed to providing regular updates to Parliament on the progress of the programme with a further update due in early spring.
Asked by: Alan Brown (Scottish National Party - Kilmarnock and Loudoun)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when HS2 (a) phase 1; (b) phase 2a (c) phase 2b and (d) HS2 East will be completed.
Answered by Huw Merriman - Minister of State (Department for Transport)
The latest delivery into service estimates for each Phase of HS2 were set out in October’s six-monthly report to Parliament with Phase 1’s range being 2029-2033; Phase 2a’s between 2030 and 2034; and Phase 2b Western Leg between 2035 and 2041. No delivery into service range has yet been set for HS2 East as this remains in early development. These ranges may be amended and Government will update Parliament accordingly.
Asked by: Alan Brown (Scottish National Party - Kilmarnock and Loudoun)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 6 February 2023 to Question 133995 on Seaborne Freight, how much his Department spent in total on fees to commercial advisors for advice on the 2018-19 ferry contracts.
Answered by Richard Holden - Minister without Portfolio (Cabinet Office)
The potential value of the contracts entered into, which provided contingency arrangements for the transport of critical goods, was £102.5 million, including the subsequently cancelled Seaborne Freight contract. The total paid by the Department for Transport in fees to commercial advisers outside Government for advice on negotiating and terminating the 2018-19 ferry contracts was £2.1 million.
Asked by: Alan Brown (Scottish National Party - Kilmarnock and Loudoun)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 24 January 2023 to Question 127806 on Seaborne Freight, how much his Department paid in fees to commercial advisors for advice on (a) negotiating and (b) terminating the 2018-19 ferry contracts.
Answered by Richard Holden - Minister without Portfolio (Cabinet Office)
As advice on prospective arrangements for termination was partly embodied in that provided for negotiations, it is not possible to give an accurate breakdown between the two.
Asked by: Alan Brown (Scottish National Party - Kilmarnock and Loudoun)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the final costs associated with the awarding of a contract to Seabourne Freight was broken down by (a) monies paid to Seaborne, (b) compensation to other cross-channel operators and (c) all legal costs associated with negotiations and court cases.
Answered by Richard Holden - Minister without Portfolio (Cabinet Office)
No monies were paid to Seaborne Freight. No compensation was paid to other cross-Channel operators.
The Department incurred internal legal costs and fees to its commercial legal adviser for advice on negotiating and subsequently terminating the 2018-19 ferry contracts entered into on a precautionary basis for critical goods, in relation to then-impending exit from the European Union.
Asked by: Alan Brown (Scottish National Party - Kilmarnock and Loudoun)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if rail operating companies are indemnified and receive compensation when strikes occur among (a) train drivers and (b) signalmen.
Answered by Huw Merriman - Minister of State (Department for Transport)
No compensation has been paid by the Department to train operators to cover lost revenue due to strike action. Under the terms of the operator agreements put in place since the onset of COVID, the Government is on revenue risk not operators and hence operators are not financially affected by any fluctuations in revenue.
Asked by: Alan Brown (Scottish National Party - Kilmarnock and Loudoun)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy on using hydrogen as a fuel for road vehicles as an alternative to electrification while serving as an early market for low-carbon hydrogen projects.
Answered by Jesse Norman
The Department for Transport’s (DfT) pioneering R&D programmes, such as its £200m zero emission HGV demonstrator and the £23m Tees Valley Hydrogen Transport Hub, are co-locating transport supply with demand in order to address some of the early challenges seen with refuelling infrastructure.
The Government’s Hydrogen Strategy states that transport is a ‘crucial’ early market for hydrogen, which will drive some of the earliest low carbon production in the UK. DfT is working closely with the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) to meet this challenge.
Thus, in March 2022 the Government announced £30 million for the West Midlands Combined Authority to deploy 124 hydrogen fuel cell buses and accompanying refuelling infrastructure through its Zero Emission Bus Regional Areas scheme. The Government has also provided £750,000 towards the UK’s first hydrogen train, Hydroflex, through the First of a Kind scheme.
The Government expects there to be cascade benefits for light duty vehicles from its R&D support programmes for heavier modes, for example through the expansion of publicly accessible refuelling infrastructure, available to all road transport.
The Department’s dedicated R&D funding for hydrogen is focussed on heavier applications, such as in maritime, aviation and road freight. Recent investments include £206 million for the UK Shipping Office for Reducing Emissions (UK-SHORE) and £200 million for the Department’s zero emission HGV demonstrator programme.
Asked by: Alan Brown (Scottish National Party - Kilmarnock and Loudoun)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps his Department is taking to support larger vehicles utilising hydrogen across the transport network.
Answered by Jesse Norman
The Department for Transport’s (DfT) pioneering R&D programmes, such as its £200m zero emission HGV demonstrator and the £23m Tees Valley Hydrogen Transport Hub, are co-locating transport supply with demand in order to address some of the early challenges seen with refuelling infrastructure.
The Government’s Hydrogen Strategy states that transport is a ‘crucial’ early market for hydrogen, which will drive some of the earliest low carbon production in the UK. DfT is working closely with the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) to meet this challenge.
Thus, in March 2022 the Government announced £30 million for the West Midlands Combined Authority to deploy 124 hydrogen fuel cell buses and accompanying refuelling infrastructure through its Zero Emission Bus Regional Areas scheme. The Government has also provided £750,000 towards the UK’s first hydrogen train, Hydroflex, through the First of a Kind scheme.
The Government expects there to be cascade benefits for light duty vehicles from its R&D support programmes for heavier modes, for example through the expansion of publicly accessible refuelling infrastructure, available to all road transport.
The Department’s dedicated R&D funding for hydrogen is focussed on heavier applications, such as in maritime, aviation and road freight. Recent investments include £206 million for the UK Shipping Office for Reducing Emissions (UK-SHORE) and £200 million for the Department’s zero emission HGV demonstrator programme.
Asked by: Alan Brown (Scottish National Party - Kilmarnock and Loudoun)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps his Department is taking to address challenges with hydrogen refuelling infrastructure and availability.
Answered by Jesse Norman
The Department for Transport’s (DfT) pioneering R&D programmes, such as its £200m zero emission HGV demonstrator and the £23m Tees Valley Hydrogen Transport Hub, are co-locating transport supply with demand in order to address some of the early challenges seen with refuelling infrastructure.
The Government’s Hydrogen Strategy states that transport is a ‘crucial’ early market for hydrogen, which will drive some of the earliest low carbon production in the UK. DfT is working closely with the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) to meet this challenge.
Thus, in March 2022 the Government announced £30 million for the West Midlands Combined Authority to deploy 124 hydrogen fuel cell buses and accompanying refuelling infrastructure through its Zero Emission Bus Regional Areas scheme. The Government has also provided £750,000 towards the UK’s first hydrogen train, Hydroflex, through the First of a Kind scheme.
The Government expects there to be cascade benefits for light duty vehicles from its R&D support programmes for heavier modes, for example through the expansion of publicly accessible refuelling infrastructure, available to all road transport.
The Department’s dedicated R&D funding for hydrogen is focussed on heavier applications, such as in maritime, aviation and road freight. Recent investments include £206 million for the UK Shipping Office for Reducing Emissions (UK-SHORE) and £200 million for the Department’s zero emission HGV demonstrator programme.
Asked by: Alan Brown (Scottish National Party - Kilmarnock and Loudoun)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps his Department is taking to support hydrogen use in public transport ecosystems.
Answered by Jesse Norman
The Department for Transport’s (DfT) pioneering R&D programmes, such as its £200m zero emission HGV demonstrator and the £23m Tees Valley Hydrogen Transport Hub, are co-locating transport supply with demand in order to address some of the early challenges seen with refuelling infrastructure.
The Government’s Hydrogen Strategy states that transport is a ‘crucial’ early market for hydrogen, which will drive some of the earliest low carbon production in the UK. DfT is working closely with the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) to meet this challenge.
Thus, in March 2022 the Government announced £30 million for the West Midlands Combined Authority to deploy 124 hydrogen fuel cell buses and accompanying refuelling infrastructure through its Zero Emission Bus Regional Areas scheme. The Government has also provided £750,000 towards the UK’s first hydrogen train, Hydroflex, through the First of a Kind scheme.
The Government expects there to be cascade benefits for light duty vehicles from its R&D support programmes for heavier modes, for example through the expansion of publicly accessible refuelling infrastructure, available to all road transport.
The Department’s dedicated R&D funding for hydrogen is focussed on heavier applications, such as in maritime, aviation and road freight. Recent investments include £206 million for the UK Shipping Office for Reducing Emissions (UK-SHORE) and £200 million for the Department’s zero emission HGV demonstrator programme.