Asked by: Deidre Brock (Scottish National Party - Edinburgh North and Leith)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how much the Department spent on communications staff in (a) 2019-20, (b) 2020-21 and (c) 2021-22.
Answered by Andrew Stephenson
The figures below cover how much the core department and its executive agencies have spent on communications staff over the last 3 financial years:
19/20: £11,269k
20/21: £13,336k
21/22: £11,443k
The figures reflect the total payroll cost including Employers’ NI and pension contributions.
Asked by: Deidre Brock (Scottish National Party - Edinburgh North and Leith)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many communications staff are employed by his Department (a) full time, (b) part time and (c) on flexible working arrangements as of 19 April 2022.
Answered by Andrew Stephenson
As of 19 April 2022, communications staff within the department and agencies are below. Please note the definitions as follows:
Full time - Anyone working 37 hours over 5 days a week.
Part-time - anyone working fewer than 37 hours per week as standard.
Flexible working - anyone working 37 hours in fewer than 5 days eg compressed hours, 10 days in 9 etc.
DfTc:
Total staff = 87
Full time = 80
Part time = 2
Flexible working = 5
The figures include the central communications directorate, including 5 corporate team members, one of whom is a contractor, and 21 communications professionals embedded in policy teams across the department. The two part time members of staff are a job share.
DVLA:
Total staff = 46
Full time = 36
Part time = 10
DVSA:
Total staff = 45
Full time = 32
Part time = 11
Flexible working = 3
The figures include 5 full time contractors and 1 communications person working in Operations who is a part-time FTA.
MCA:
Total staff = 13
Full time = 10
Part time = 3
VCA:
Total staff = 3
Full time = 3
Asked by: Deidre Brock (Scottish National Party - Edinburgh North and Leith)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what plans he has to enable priority access to filling station forecourts for food and drink wholesalers to ensure the delivery of provisions to key public sector organisations.
Answered by Trudy Harrison
This is a matter for the Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy
Asked by: Deidre Brock (Scottish National Party - Edinburgh North and Leith)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what estimate his Department has made of the average delay to hauliers exporting to the EU under the terms of the UK-EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement compared to Customs Union membership.
Answered by Baroness Maclean of Redditch
Now the that transition period has ended goods are required to undergo further checks than those required when the UK was in the EU customs union. We have always been clear there would be changes now that we are out of the customs union and single market, so full compliance with the new rules is vital to avoid disruption, and the best way to ensure readiness is to follow the guidance on gov.uk and use the ‘Check an HGV’ service.
As yet it is too early to use observed data to provide an estimate, as freight volumes have been low, as they usually are in early January. We stand ready to help keep goods flowing smoothly as we adjust to our new relationship with the EU and ensure we take advantage of the opportunities it brings.