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Written Question
Shipping: Carbon Emissions
Monday 4th July 2022

Asked by: Alan Whitehead (Labour - Southampton, Test)

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to the paper by the Tyndall Centre at the University of Manchester entitled Decarbonising Shipping, published in June 2022, if he will make it his policy to set interim 2030 targets for its (a) domestic and (b) international shipping emissions.

Answered by Robert Courts - Solicitor General (Attorney General's Office)

The Department for Transport has committed to publishing a consultation on the ‘Course to Zero’ for the domestic maritime sector. This consultation will seek views and evidence on the optimal pathway to net zero emissions in 2050, including where there is scope to accelerate decarbonisation across various domestic maritime sub-sectors. Following the outcome of this consultation, we will establish indicative decarbonisation targets for the domestic maritime sector, from 2030 onwards.

Internationally, the UK is committed to acting through the International Maritime Organization’s Initial Strategy on Reduction of Green House Gas Emissions from ships, which includes a target of at least a 40% improvement in carbon intensity of ships by 2030. The UK continues to have a leading role at the IMO, building consensus to raise the ambition of the Initial GHG Strategy ahead of its revision in 2023 and to ensure it, and any interim targets, are consistent with a 1.5°C degree pathway.


Written Question
Renewable Transport Fuel Obligation
Monday 28th February 2022

Asked by: Alan Whitehead (Labour - Southampton, Test)

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when he will publish his Department's conclusions on proposed reforms to the Renewable Transport Fuel Obligation.

Answered by Trudy Harrison

Following a consultation on Renewable Transport Fuel Obligation (RTFO) reforms last year, in July 2021 we published “Targeting net zero - next steps for the Renewable Transport Fuels Obligation: government response”. Parliament approved the Renewable Transport Fuel Obligations (Amendment) Order 2021 in December, which delivers the bulk of the changes set out in that government response.

Further to last year’s consultation we are also continuing to develop proposals that would extend support under the RTFO to recycled carbon fuels (RCFs). The consultation generated significant evidence, including on criteria RCFs must meet, and we will be publishing a further targeted consultation later this year. In addition, a government response on proposals to reward renewable fuels from non-biological origin, such as hydrogen, more flexibly under the RTFO will be published shortly.


Written Question
Biofuels: Agriculture
Monday 29th November 2021

Asked by: Alan Whitehead (Labour - Southampton, Test)

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps his Department is taking to support rural production of (a) biogas and (b) biomethane on farms for use as a vehicle fuel to replace red diesel.

Answered by Trudy Harrison

Recognising the potential environmental benefits of biomethane, the Renewable Transport Fuel Obligation scheme was amended in 2015 to reward biomethane used in transport and non-road mobile machinery on the basis of its energy content rather than volume. As a consequence biomethane is eligible to receive 1.9 RTFCs per kg, an increase on 1 RTFCs per kg, and double that number when produced from wastes such as manure.


Written Question
Biomethane: Rural Areas
Monday 29th November 2021

Asked by: Alan Whitehead (Labour - Southampton, Test)

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of the use of biomethane to replace diesel in the rural haulage sector.

Answered by Trudy Harrison

The Low Emission Freight and Logistics Trials funded by the department included emissions testing on a range of dedicated gas heavy goods vehicles and compared emissions to equivalent diesel models. This research estimates the use of biomethane could reduce CO2 emissions from between 67-85%, however emissions of harmful air pollutant emissions were in some cases higher than the diesel comparators they were tested against.


Written Question
Biomethane and Hydrogen: Rural Areas
Monday 29th November 2021

Asked by: Alan Whitehead (Labour - Southampton, Test)

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 Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on the use of biomethane and hydrogen in rural areas that are not connected to the gas grid.

Answered by Trudy Harrison

Renewable fuels such as biomethane and green hydrogen for use in transport are supported by the Department’s Renewable Transport Fuel Obligation (RTFO).

The use of biomethane and hydrogen in applications outside transport would be a matter for the Department of Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS).


Written Question
Ferries: Isle of Wight
Friday 12th March 2021

Asked by: Alan Whitehead (Labour - Southampton, Test)

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will make an assessment of the potential effect that the Solent Freeport will have on existing (a) road, (b) rail and (c) ports infrastructure.

Answered by Robert Courts - Solicitor General (Attorney General's Office)

I would like to congratulate the Solent Freeport on its successful bid. My Department recognises that appropriate links will be vital to ensure the success of the UK’s newly established Freeports. My Department will consider the implications of the Freeport business cases for our transport networks and future infrastructure investment decisions.


Written Question
Electric Vehicles: Charging Points
Monday 2nd March 2020

Asked by: Alan Whitehead (Labour - Southampton, Test)

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether it is his policy to (a) make electric vehicle charge point payments payable by debit or credit card or (b) continue the existing subscription system.

Answered by Rachel Maclean

A good consumer experience is vital to ensure electric vehicle (EV) uptake and drivers should find the charging experience as easy as refuelling an internal combustion engine car. We want drivers to be able to make quick and easy payments at rapid and high-powered chargers to help make ad-hoc, longer journeys fast and hassle free.

Last year the Government announced that we wanted to see all new rapid and higher powered chargepoints provide debit or credit card payment by spring 2020. We also announced that we wanted to see industry work together to deliver a roaming solution across the charging network, allowing EV drivers to use any public chargepoint through a single payment method without needing multiple smartphone apps or membership cards.

We are clear that we expect the market to respond, and follow the lead of those chargepoint operators, including BP Chargemaster, the largest chargepoint operator in the UK, who have already made a commitment that they will provide this facility at their chargepoints. The Government took powers through in the Automated and Electric Vehicles Act (AEVA) to regulate the EV infrastructure market. If the market does not make sufficient progress in this area quickly Government stands ready to require chargepoint operators to do so through regulation.


Written Question
Shipping: Exhaust Emissions
Thursday 27th February 2020

Asked by: Alan Whitehead (Labour - Southampton, Test)

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will make an assessment of the adequacy of the provision of shore-side power for sea-going ships in the UK.

Answered by Kelly Tolhurst

The Department undertook an assessment in early 2019 of the options to reduce emissions from shipping, including the use of shore-side power during the development of the Clean Maritime Plan.

This assessment considered both opportunities for shore-side power and the implications for the UK Energy System. This research has been published on Gov.UK.


Written Question
Shipping: Exhaust Emissions
Wednesday 26th February 2020

Asked by: Alan Whitehead (Labour - Southampton, Test)

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the effect on climate change of (a) particulate matter effecting air quality and (b) greenhouse gasses created by ships whilst in port.

Answered by Kelly Tolhurst

Assessment of the climate change and air quality impacts arising from shipping emissions are undertaken on both a national and international basis.

Nationally the UK’s National Atmospheric Emissions Inventory incorporates an assessment of emissions from ships, including those in port. The inventory includes both particulate matter and greenhouse gases. Additionally the Department published targeted research on shipping emissions in July 2019.

Internationally the UK provides fuel sales and consumption data to both the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and the International Maritime Organization, which informs international assessments of greenhouse gas emissions from shipping. The UK has also provided financial support to the IMO to progress this work.


Written Question
Electric Vehicles: Charging Points
Friday 14th February 2020

Asked by: Alan Whitehead (Labour - Southampton, Test)

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps he is taking to ensure the adequate availability of fast charging points to meet demand for electric vehicles between 2020-30.

Answered by Grant Shapps - Secretary of State for Defence

Our vision is to have one of the best infrastructure networks in the world for electric vehicles, and we want chargepoints to be accessible, affordable and secure. The number of rapid chargepoints is increasing quickly, with 2,400 devices currently publicly available, but we recognise there is more to do. Along with the private sector the Government will invest £1 billion in charging infrastructure – making sure that everyone is within 30 miles of a rapid charging station for electric vehicles.

Our grant schemes and the £400m Charging Infrastructure Investment Fund will see thousands more electric vehicle charge-points installed across the UK. In particular, the first £70 million of the Charging Infrastructure Investment fund is expected to deliver an additional 3,000 rapid chargepoints by 2024.

In July last year, work commenced to determine a vision for a core rapid charger network on England’s strategic road network. This will report in Spring 2020. Highways England has already committed £15m to ensure there are chargepoints (rapid where possible) every 20 miles on 95% of the Strategic Road Network by the end of 2020.