Asked by: Christine Jardine (Liberal Democrat - Edinburgh West)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how much his Department spent on recruitment consultants in each of the last three years.
Answered by Jesse Norman - Shadow Leader of the House of Commons
The records available to the Department for Transport via the Crown Commercial Service (CCS), as declared by suppliers on their permanent recruitment frameworks, for each of the last three years are as follows:
2020/21 | £100,044.62 |
2021/22 | £45,532.00 |
2022/23 | £189,376.90 (to date) |
Note: Recruitment consultancies are used by the department to attract the talent and specialist skills required to deliver its strategic objectives and services. It is possible, but unlikely, that some spend has occurred that has not been declared by suppliers, although the Department’s internal finance system does not record data in such a way that allows this to be cross-checked. These totals are inclusive of recruitment to the Department for Transport and its Executive Agencies (DVSA, DVLA, MCA, VCA and ATE) and for both senior civil service (SCS) and delegated grade recruitment. The figure for 20/21 was higher than expected due to a higher volume of recruitment targeted at individuals with specialist/hard to recruit skills. The increase in 22/23 over the previous year results from a renewed focus on the department’s places for growth agenda and a growing focus on recruiting outside London.
Asked by: Christine Jardine (Liberal Democrat - Edinburgh West)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how much his Department has spent on head-hunters in each of the last three years.
Answered by Jesse Norman - Shadow Leader of the House of Commons
Due to the financial reporting system in the department it is not possible to separate out spend associated with external recruitment consultancy services from all other consultancy spend for the majority of departmental recruitment.
Asked by: Christine Jardine (Liberal Democrat - Edinburgh West)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the cost to the public purse has been of Ministerial severance pay in his Department in each year since 1 January 2016.
Answered by Jesse Norman - Shadow Leader of the House of Commons
Under the Ministerial and Other Pensions and Salaries Act 1991, eligible Ministers who leave office are entitled to a one off payment equivalent to one quarter of their annual salary at the point at which they leave Government.
This applies only where a Minister is under 65 and is not appointed to a ministerial office within three weeks of leaving government.
Individuals may waive the payment to which they are entitled. That is a matter for their personal discretion, but this approach has been taken in the past.
Details of such payments are published in departmental annual reports and accounts, and ministerial salaries are published on GOV.UK at https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1027301/Salaries_of_Members_of_Her_Majestys_Government_-_Financial_Year_2021-22_-_Publication.pdf.
Asked by: Christine Jardine (Liberal Democrat - Edinburgh West)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent progress he has made on reaching a reciprocal arrangement for the recognition of driving licences with Italy.
Answered by Trudy Harrison
The Department for Transport has successfully agreed arrangements with Italy for the mutual recognition of photocard licences. As such, visitors with UK photocard licences will not need to carry an additional International Driving Permit when driving in Italy.
We have also secured interim arrangements with the Italian authorities which will allow UK licence holders resident in Italy to continue to use their valid UK licence until the end of this year. We are working with the Italian Government to finalise a permanent licence exchange agreement as soon as possible.
Asked by: Christine Jardine (Liberal Democrat - Edinburgh West)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the end of freedom of movement on the haulage industry; and what steps the Government is taking to tackle HGV driver shortages.
Answered by Trudy Harrison
The Trade and Co-operation Agreement between the UK and the EU delivers a good outcome for UK-based international hauliers. The vast majority of journeys to and from the EU will be able to continue without the need for any additional permits, and UK hauliers also retain rights to do work within and between EU Member States, again with no extra bureaucracy.
UK hauliers will, of course, have to ensure that they comply with the immigration rules applied by EU Member States. The rules for British Citizens taking up work or providing a service in the EU will depend on the rules in individual EU Member States, as some Member States may require a visa and/or work permit from British Citizens intending to work or to provide a service there.
The Department for Transport is working across Government and with the road haulage industry to address the current HGV driver shortage, which is an issue affecting many countries worldwide. For example, the International Road Transport Union predicts a gap of 185,000 drivers by 2027 in Germany.
The Government has already taken firm action, including through training for jobseekers, additional funding for apprenticeships, and taking measures to increase lorry driver testing capacity to bring new drivers into the industry as soon as possible.
Asked by: Christine Jardine (Liberal Democrat - Edinburgh West)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether he plans to undertake a consultation on the (a) steps needed to encourage the use of sustainable aviation fuels and (b) creation of a British sustainable aviation industry.
Answered by Robert Courts
The Government believes that sustainable aviation fuels (SAF) have an important role to play in reducing aviation emissions and we are already providing strong support to the sector through the Renewable Transport Fuel Obligation (RTFO) and industry competitions.
To further build on this support, as part of the Prime Minister's 10 Point Plan, the Government announced an additional £18m in funding as well as an intention to consult on a blending mandate to drive SAF uptake in the UK. This consultation is planned for the summer and will be complemented by supporting ambitions presented in the department’s upcoming Transport Decarbonisation Plan and Net Zero Aviation Consultation.
Beyond this, the Government is committed to continue working with stakeholders through the Jet Zero Council’s SAF Delivery Group (15 meetings convened to date since November 2020) and other existing channels to explore what further policies are needed to support the sector’s development.
Asked by: Christine Jardine (Liberal Democrat - Edinburgh West)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether he is taking steps to change the DVSA driving test booking system to prioritise rebooking by people who had booked and paid for their tests prior to the covid-19 lockdown.
Answered by Baroness Maclean of Redditch
Practical driving tests resumed in England on 22 July 2020. The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) did prioritise driving tests for candidates who had booked and paid for a test before the COVID-19 lockdown. From 16 July 2020, the DVSA sent emails and text messages to those candidates in batches, and invited them to go online and book a test. Test bookings for new candidates restarted from 21 August 2020.
Asked by: Christine Jardine (Liberal Democrat - Edinburgh West)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if his Department will make an assessment of the potential merits of updating the Highway Code to include the British Horse Society’s advice to drivers on how to pass horses safely on roads.
Answered by Jesse Norman - Shadow Leader of the House of Commons
The Government announced on 18 October 2018 that, as part of the Cycling and Walking Investment Strategy (CWIS) Safety Review, The Highway Code would be reviewed to help keep cyclists and pedestrians safe on the roads. The Government recognises that horse riders and carriage drivers are also vulnerable road users and that advice on, for example, overtaking or passing cyclists applies equally to them.
The full scope of the review has yet to be determined but as is normal practice it will be conducted in consultation with all relevant stakeholders, including those representing equestrians.
Asked by: Christine Jardine (Liberal Democrat - Edinburgh West)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if the Government will raise awareness of the requirement on taxis and private hire vehicles not to refuse carriage to assistance dog owners.
Answered by Nusrat Ghani
Assistance dogs perform a vital role for their owners, helping them to go about their lives independently, confidently and with dignity, and it is unacceptable that a minority of taxi and private hire vehicle (PHV) drivers continue to refuse their carriage.
We plan to issue for consultation this year draft revised best practice guidance for local licensing authorities (LLAs), including strengthened recommendations on the provision of an inclusive service.
It is our intention that the guidance will encourage LLAs to ensure that taxi and PHV drivers understand their legal duty to carry assistance dogs, and that non-compliance is addressed effectively.
Asked by: Christine Jardine (Liberal Democrat - Edinburgh West)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if the Government will raise awareness of the requirement on taxis and private hire vehicles not to refuse carriage to assistance dog owners.
Answered by Nusrat Ghani
Assistance dogs perform a vital role for their owners, helping them to go about their lives independently, confidently and with dignity, and it is unacceptable that a minority of taxi and private hire vehicle (PHV) drivers continue to refuse their carriage.
We plan to issue for consultation this year draft revised best practice guidance for local licensing authorities (LLAs), including strengthened recommendations on the provision of an inclusive service.
It is our intention that the guidance will encourage LLAs to ensure that taxi and PHV drivers understand their legal duty to carry assistance dogs, and that non-compliance is addressed effectively.