Asked by: Clive Betts (Labour - Sheffield South East)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 15 April 2019 to Question 242018 on Aircraft: Accidents, whether he plans to have discussions with representatives of the football industry on the Piper PA-46 Malibu crash of 21 January 2019.
Answered by Jesse Norman
Whilst the investigation into this accident is under way, the Secretary of State has no plans to hold discussions with representatives of the football industry on the Piper PA-46 crash of 21 January 2019.
We would encourage anyone with relevant evidence on this accident to report it to the Air Accident Investigation Branch.
Asked by: Clive Betts (Labour - Sheffield South East)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will require commercial air transport operations to demonstrate to passengers that flights are operated by people with an air operator certificate.
Answered by Jesse Norman
Licensed commercial operators already have to demonstrate to passengers that flights are operated by people with an Air Operator Certificate (AOC) and produce proof of their permissions.
Any individual, organisation or company that intends to undertake commercial air transport is required by law to hold an AOC and an Operating Licence (OL). It is an offence to operate a commercial air transport flight without an AOC or OL. Ultimately it is the responsibility of the pilot in command of each flight to make sure it is operated legally.
The CAA has previously conducted campaigns to raise awareness of the dangers of illegal public transport operations, and to guide consumers on what to look for when chartering an aircraft to ensure the flight is legal. These campaigns have targeted specific sectors where the CAA believed illegal activity may be taking place. The aviation industry was directly involved in promoting these campaigns.
Following the tragic accident on 21 January, the CAA are planning further work to educate consumers about the rules, and potential risks of illegal charter flights.
Asked by: Clive Betts (Labour - Sheffield South East)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will require operators of commercial flights to provide passengers with confirmation of the pilots eligibility to operate that flight.
Answered by Jesse Norman
Any individual, organisation or company that intends to undertake commercial air transport is required by law to hold an Air Operator Certificate (AOC) and an Operating Licence (OL). It is an offence to operate a commercial air transport flight without an AOC or OL.
The AOC, aircraft registration, pilots licence and maintenance certificate are already required to be carried on each flight and to be able to be viewed by a passenger upon request.
The CAA has previously conducted campaigns to raise awareness of the dangers of illegal public transport operations, and to guide consumers on what to look for when chartering an aircraft to ensure the flight is legal. These campaigns have targeted specific sectors where the CAA believed illegal activity may be taking place. The aviation industry was directly involved in promoting these campaigns.
Following the tragic accident on 21 January, the CAA are planning further work to educate consumers about the rules, and potential risks of illegal charter flights.
Asked by: Clive Betts (Labour - Sheffield South East)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether he plans to require all aircraft to display a notice detailing that they are licensed for such operations.
Answered by Jesse Norman
The Government currently has no plans to require all aircraft to display a notice detailing that they are licensed for such operations.
Any individual, organisation or company that intends to undertake commercial air transport is required by law to hold an Air Operator Certificate (AOC) and an Operating Licence (OL). It is an offence to operate a commercial air transport flight without an AOC or OL. There is no requirement for the AOC to be displayed in the aircraft. However, it must be available to be inspected upon request by passengers and authorities along with the appropriate licence, aircraft registration document and maintenance certificate.
It is ultimately the responsibility of the pilot in command of each flight to make sure it is operated legally. As part of their initial training a pilot studies, and is examined on, air law. This covers the regulations to be met to carry fare paying passengers. A private pilot will therefore know that they do not have the necessary approvals to undertake a commercial flight.
The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has advised me that they do not believe that the introduction of a notice within the aircraft would be a deterrent to illegal activity taking place unless all passengers are aware of the legal requirements and potential impact of illegal public transport flying. Many aircraft can be used for both commercial and non-commercial flights and so on many occasions could be legally flown without the need for an AOC.
Asked by: Clive Betts (Labour - Sheffield South East)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when the requirement was for companies to cover pension costs as part of the franchising arrangements was first introduced.
Answered by Andrew Jones
The Railways Pension Scheme was established in 1994, replacing the previous British Rail scheme. Contributions in to the Railways Pension Scheme are split according to a shared cost arrangement, whereby employers (the Train Operating Companies) pay 60% and employees pay the remaining 40%. Since franchising arrangements were first introduced Train Operating Companies have been, and continue to be, responsible for paying employer pension contributions during a franchise term.
Asked by: Clive Betts (Labour - Sheffield South East)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps he is taking to ensure that at the introduction of the new East Midlands Trains Franchise journey times on all services be as as least as good as they were before the timetable changes in May 2018.
Answered by Andrew Jones
Abellio will invest £600 million in trains and stations in the new franchise, while the Government continues with its £1.5 billion upgrade to the Midland Main Line, the biggest upgrade to the line since it was completed in 1870. This is part of the Government’s £48 billion investment to modernise our railways over the next five years. £200m was spent last year to provide new track, signalling and a new platform at Derby Station in preparation for the 2020 timetable change, which will help to reduce journey times between Nottingham and Sheffield and London.
The upgrade of the Midland Main Line means that, from the December 2020 timetable change, the new franchise operator will be able to introduce new fast services on the Corby-London route, on modern express trains, with more seats. Inter-city services will receive brand new trains and passengers will see faster journey times over long-distances, while regional services will receive modern diesel trains replacing the current aging rolling stock.
Asked by: Clive Betts (Labour - Sheffield South East)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps his Department will be take to make all rolling stock on the East Midlands Trains service compliant with disability discrimination legislation by 2020.
Answered by Andrew Jones
We take PRM compliance very seriously and will work with the Abellio in this regard. Abellio has committed to developing solutions with industry partners to deliver the most appropriate outcome for passengers.
Asked by: Clive Betts (Labour - Sheffield South East)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, on which parts of the East Midlands Trains franchise hydrogen powered trains will run; by what date such trains will run; where those trains will be manufactured; and where those trains will be refuelled.
Answered by Andrew Jones
In line with our specification for the new franchise, Abellio will be trialling hydrogen fuel cell trains.
Plans for the trains and their service trials are at a very early stage, so I am unable to provide any further details at this point. However, I am pleased that the next East Midlands franchise will be at the forefront of the government’s commitment to deliver a cleaner, greener rail network.
Asked by: Clive Betts (Labour - Sheffield South East)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether the current east midlands trains franchise was the first one to require bidders to cover pension costs.
Answered by Andrew Jones
The Railways Pension Scheme was established in 1994, replacing the previous British Rail scheme. Contributions in to the Railways Pension Scheme are split according to a shared cost arrangement, whereby employers (the Train Operating Companies) pay 60% and employees pay the remaining 40%. Train Operating Companies are and continue to be responsible for paying employer pension contributions during a franchise term, and in the vast majority of franchises, have been on full risk for changes to those contributions during their franchise term since the Railways Pension Scheme was established.
In the new East Midlands franchise, the operator is exposed to no additional risks or demands when compared to current franchisees. Indeed, the new franchise includes a risk sharing mechanism with the government, which reduces the risk that the operator will be exposed to. In this, the operator retains the risks that it is able to manage, which are the contributions which cover employee’s pension rights arising from future service.
Asked by: Clive Betts (Labour - Sheffield South East)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when new trains will be provided for the Sheffield to London Service; by what date all such new trains will be running and how those trains will be powered.
Answered by Andrew Jones
Brand-new trains, capable of operating under electric or diesel power, will be introduced into service by April 2022 with the full fleet required to be in service by the end of 2022. As an interim measure, from May 2020, modern diesel trains will begin to replace the current fleet on Midland Main Line intercity services.