Asked by: Chris Green (Conservative - Bolton West)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what his Department's planned timetable is for the publication of new statutory guidance on the preparation of local transport plans.
Answered by Guy Opperman
The Department for Transport is considering next steps on this matter in the light of the Prime Minister’s Network North announcement, which represents a significant change in the Government’s funding of local transport schemes, and will make an announcement in due course.
Asked by: Chris Green (Conservative - Bolton West)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what data his Department holds on the number of Taxi and Private Hire Licences (a) refused and (b) revoked by (i) Bolton and (ii) Wigan Council.
Answered by Richard Holden - Shadow Secretary of State for Transport
The Department gathers data on the number of private hire vehicle operator licences that have been refused and revoked. This information is published on GOV.UK in the taxis, private hire vehicles and their drivers (TAXI) data set. Information about private hire vehicle operator licences can be found in the TAXI0111 table. Neither Bolton or Wigan Metropolitan Borough Councils refused or revoked a private hire vehicle operator licence between 1 April 2021 and 31 March 2022.
The Department does not gather or hold data on the number of private hire or taxi vehicle licences that have been refused or revoked.
The Department holds data on the number of refusals and revocations of taxi and private hire vehicle driver licences which have been recorded on the National Register for Revocations, Refusals and Suspensions (NR3S):
| Refusals recorded on the NR3S database (April 2021-March 2022) | Revocations recorded on the NR3S database (April 2021-March 2022) |
Bolton Metropolitan Borough Council | 3 | 6 |
Wigan Metropolitan Borough Council | 28 | 0 |
Asked by: Chris Green (Conservative - Bolton West)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to the National Register of Taxi and Private Hire Licence Revocations and Refusals (NR3), which local authorities with large numbers of registered taxi and private hire drivers made the least use of NR3 searches in 2022; and how many NR3 searches and entries were submitted by those authorities in 2022.
Answered by Richard Holden - Shadow Secretary of State for Transport
Use of the National Register for Refusals and Revocations (NR3) is recommended in the Department’s Statutory Taxi and Private Hire Vehicle Standards which was published in 2020. The Department is monitoring usage of the NR3 and communicates with local authorities on this matter regularly.
Five largest licensing authorities that make infrequent/no use of NR3:
Licensing Authority | Drivers Licensed (31 March 2022) | NR3 Searches (Jan-Dec 2022) | NR3 Entries (Jan-Dec 2022) |
Birmingham City Council | 6,280 | 1 | 0 |
Manchester City Council | 5,789 | 0 | 0 |
Sefton Council | 5,701 | 0 | 0 |
Newcastle City Council | 4,576 | 0 | 0 |
Liverpool City Council | 3,360 | 0 | 0 |
For context, Manchester City Council activated its NR3 account in August 2022 whereas other authorities had activated accounts from the start of the year.
Asked by: Chris Green (Conservative - Bolton West)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what discussions he has had with Cabinet colleagues on using the NHS Test and Trace database system.
Answered by Chris Heaton-Harris
The Department fully supports the NHS Test and Trace system and has been investigating ways that the system can be used on the transport network to play its part in tackling Covid-19. We have been working closely with the Department for Health and Social Care to understand how best the system can be used going forward. Some areas across the Departmental Group have already introduced using QR codes within their public only areas. Currently, the Department has not needed to allocate any financial resource from its budget. However, as policy and the technology develops, this will be kept under review. It is also worth noting that Test and Trace data will only be used to tackle Covid and won’t be used for other purposes.
Asked by: Chris Green (Conservative - Bolton West)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether his Department plans to use the NHS Test and Trace database system.
Answered by Chris Heaton-Harris
The Department fully supports the NHS Test and Trace system and has been investigating ways that the system can be used on the transport network to play its part in tackling Covid-19. We have been working closely with the Department for Health and Social Care to understand how best the system can be used going forward. Some areas across the Departmental Group have already introduced using QR codes within their public only areas. Currently, the Department has not needed to allocate any financial resource from its budget. However, as policy and the technology develops, this will be kept under review. It is also worth noting that Test and Trace data will only be used to tackle Covid and won’t be used for other purposes.
Asked by: Chris Green (Conservative - Bolton West)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether he has allocated any financial or other resources from his Department's budget to investigate potential future uses by his Department of the NHS Test and Trace database system.
Answered by Chris Heaton-Harris
The Department fully supports the NHS Test and Trace system and has been investigating ways that the system can be used on the transport network to play its part in tackling Covid-19. We have been working closely with the Department for Health and Social Care to understand how best the system can be used going forward. Some areas across the Departmental Group have already introduced using QR codes within their public only areas. Currently, the Department has not needed to allocate any financial resource from its budget. However, as policy and the technology develops, this will be kept under review. It is also worth noting that Test and Trace data will only be used to tackle Covid and won’t be used for other purposes.