Asked by: Ben Lake (Plaid Cymru - Ceredigion)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the Jet Zero strategy's alignment with the UK's (a) Nationally Determined Contributions under the Paris Agreement and (b) sixth Carbon Budget.
Answered by Robert Courts - Solicitor General (Attorney General's Office)
The approach set out in the Jet Zero Consultation, which commits the UK aviation sector to net zero by 2050 and sets out our proposals for how that will be achieved, is aligned to our economy wide and legally-binding net zero commitment.
Our Nationally Determined Contribution and the Sixth Carbon Budget are both informed by the net zero commitment, and guidance from the Climate Change Committee.
We have committed to include the UK’s share of International Aviation and Shipping (IAS) emissions in the Sixth Carbon Budget. Emissions from IAS are not included in the scope of the UK’s Nationally Determined Contribution, in line with international expectations and the guidance of the CCC.
Asked by: Ben Lake (Plaid Cymru - Ceredigion)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the implications for his policies of the Climate Change Committee’s recommendation in its June 2021 Progress Report to develop a demand management framework for aviation.
Answered by Trudy Harrison
The Jet Zero Consultation set out our vision for the aviation sector to reach net zero by 2050. The consultation presented a draft strategy to decarbonise the sector, focussing on the rapid development of technologies in a way that maintains the benefits of air travel and maximises the opportunities that decarbonisation can bring for the UK.
Analysis developed for the Jet Zero Consultation shows that there are scenarios that can achieve net zero aviation by 2050 without capping demand. Indeed, our ‘high ambition’ scenario is in line with the Climate Change Committee’s Balanced Pathway, with similar levels of residual emissions by 2050.
As a responsible government, we recognise that we will need to keep our strategy under review and intend to assess progress on the sector’s emission reduction pathway and update our strategy where necessary through five-year reviews.
We plan to publish the final Jet Zero Strategy early next year.
Asked by: Ben Lake (Plaid Cymru - Ceredigion)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what plans his Department has to introduce a decibel limit as part of the MOT test.
Answered by Rachel Maclean
The MOT already includes a non-metered check of exhaust noise. The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) oversees authorised garages to ensure MOT standards are correctly applied. The DVSA has no plans to implement a dB limit and a metered check of it, primarily due to the practical challenges of such a check, but this is kept under review as technology changes.
Asked by: Ben Lake (Plaid Cymru - Ceredigion)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether official in his Department have held discussions with the Welsh Government on Highways England's proposal to to undertake infilling work to the bridge at Pont Llanio, Ceredigion.
Answered by Rachel Maclean
No discussions have taken place with either the Welsh Government or with representatives of Ceredigion County Council as there are no proposals by Highways England to undertake infilling work to the bridge at Pont Llanio, Ceredigion.
Asked by: Ben Lake (Plaid Cymru - Ceredigion)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether official in hi department have held discussions with representatives of Ceredigion County Council on the Highways England proposal to to undertake infilling work to the bridge at Pont Llanio, Ceredigion.
Answered by Rachel Maclean
No discussions have taken place with either the Welsh Government or with representatives of Ceredigion County Council as there are no proposals by Highways England to undertake infilling work to the bridge at Pont Llanio, Ceredigion.
Asked by: Ben Lake (Plaid Cymru - Ceredigion)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the total value is of contracts awarded under the High Speed Two project to suppliers based in Wales.
Answered by Andrew Stephenson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Across Wales, 26 suppliers have already worked on HS2, a figure which continues to grow and can be seen on HS2 Ltds supply chain map (click here) and the total value of the contracts awarded to suppliers based in Wales so far is £12,524,479.
Asked by: Ben Lake (Plaid Cymru - Ceredigion)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether EU nationals whose driving licences are valid in the UK will need to amend or exchange their driving licenses after the transition period.
Answered by Rachel Maclean
Department for Transport officials are engaging in bilateral discussions with individual EU Member States to agree the arrangements that will apply from 1 January 2021. These discussions are still ongoing. We intend to publish the future arrangements that are agreed with Member States in respect of driving licences before the end of the transition period.
Asked by: Ben Lake (Plaid Cymru - Ceredigion)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 14 September 2020 to Question 85098 on a hydrogen hub, what assessment his Department has made of the role of hydrogen passenger vehicles in hydrogen transport.
Answered by Rachel Maclean
The Government’s £23m Hydrogen for Transport Programme is increasing the uptake of fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs) and growing the number of publicly accessible hydrogen refueling stations. The programme is delivering new refueling stations, upgrading some existing stations as well as deploying hundreds of new hydrogen vehicles. Our FCEV Fleet Support Scheme has also increased the number of hydrogen passenger vehicles in use, by supporting both public and private sector fleets to become early adopters of FCEV cars and vans. We are investing in hydrogen buses and 62 are being delivered through our Low and Ultra Low Emission Bus Schemes.
Asked by: Ben Lake (Plaid Cymru - Ceredigion)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps he is taking to bring forward plans for a hydrogen hub.
Answered by Rachel Maclean
The Transport Secretary is exploring options for green hydrogen in transport across freight, buses, trains, maritime and aviation and how the UK can lead the world in its deployment and use. Further details will follow in due course.
Asked by: Ben Lake (Plaid Cymru - Ceredigion)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps he is taking to bring forward plans for hydrogen trains.
Answered by Rachel Maclean
The Government supports using hydrogen powered trains on the railway to help deliver our target of net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. The Department is working with Network Rail and the rail industry to determine which parts of the network will be best suited to electrification, and which to hydrogen as well as battery. This work will support the Department’s Transport Decarbonisation Plan, to be published at the end of this year.
The Government is supporting development of hydrogen technology through innovation funding and research, including work on safety and wider issues that will have to be considered to allow the smooth entry into service on the network of hydrogen trains.