Asked by: Alun Cairns (Conservative - Vale of Glamorgan)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made on the potential for synthetic fuel to drive motor vehicles to help meet the 2035 ban on diesel and petrol cars.
Answered by Baroness Maclean of Redditch
The Government is consulting on ending the sale of new petrol, diesel and hybrid cars and vans from 2040 to 2035, or earlier if feasible. This is in line with advice from the independent Committee on Climate Change on what is required to achieve net zero emissions in 2050. Existing vehicles will be unaffected by this.
Renewable fuels, including renewable synthetic fuels, are incentivised through the Renewable Transport Fuel Obligation and are an important measure to reduce greenhouse gas emissions as we transition to zero emission vehicles.
Vehicles fuelled by renewable synthetic equivalents of petrol and diesel have the potential to reduce greenhouse gas emissions but are unlikely to offer the air quality benefits of battery electric or hydrogen fuelled vehicles.
Asked by: Alun Cairns (Conservative - Vale of Glamorgan)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what plans he has to provide exemptions to specialist automotive sectors from the proposed ban on the sale of petrol and diesel vehicles in 2035.
Answered by Grant Shapps
The Prime Minister announced last week that we are consulting on bringing forward the end to the sale of new petrol and diesel cars and vans to 2035, or earlier if a faster transition appears feasible, as well as including hybrids for the first time. We are consulting on the Committee on Climate Change recommendation that any new vehicles sold after the phase out date must be zero emission at the tailpipe. We understand the concerns of low volume manufacturers and we will be engaging with stakeholders on a package of support allowing us to seize the opportunities and lead the world in the shift to zero emission vehicles.
As part of this consultation, we are asking what the accompanying package of support will need to be to enable the transition and minimise the impacts on businesses and consumers across the UK, building on the significant demand and supply side measures already in place. The Government will continue to work with all sectors of industry to accelerate the rollout of zero emission vehicles - helping to deliver new green jobs in the UK.
Asked by: Alun Cairns (Conservative - Vale of Glamorgan)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many driving licences were (a) revoked and (b) suspended for medical reasons in each of the last five years.
Answered by Grant Shapps
The table below provides a breakdown of revocations or applications refused on medical grounds, for drivers with car and motorcycle entitlement (group one) and for drivers with lorry and bus entitlement (group two) for the last five calendar years.
Year | Group1 (car/motorcycle) | Group 2 (lorry/bus) |
2015 | 47,658 | 8,095 |
2016 | 61,354 | 10,665 |
2017 | 59,163 | 11,213 |
2018 | 61,482 | 12,242 |
2019 | 62,613 | 10,371 |
Some individuals may be recorded in both groups as their licences to drive all vehicles have been revoked or refused. Others may not meet the higher medical standards required for driving lorries or buses but may have been allowed to retain their entitlement to drive cars and motorcycles.
The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency does not temporarily suspend driving licences for medical reasons.
Asked by: Alun Cairns (Conservative - Vale of Glamorgan)
Question to the Department for Transport:
What steps his Department is taking to connect more towns to the rail network.
Answered by Paul Maynard
We have pledged £500m to begin reopening closed railway lines and stations. We are funding plans to reopen the lines to Fleetwood in Lancashire and Ashington in Northumberland, and are making up to £20m available for new stations. We have written to my honourable friends inviting them to a briefing on 4th February where we will explain how they can put forward ideas for reopening and seek funding to develop existing and new schemes.