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 - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
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 - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
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 Rachel Maclean
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.
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, pursuant to the Answer of 15 July 2019 to Question 274650 on Large Goods Vehicles: EU Countries, which bilateral agreements he expects to be (a) revived and (b) reinstated.
Answered by Chris Heaton-Harris - Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
It is our view that, in the absence of an EU agreement, 21 historic bilateral agreements would revive in full on exit as they have not been expressly terminated. Agreements with Ireland, Denmark, Spain, Belgium and Italy have terminated, but offer a good basis for future discussions.
Some of the revived agreements may need some amendments to make them fit for purpose, which can be done by an exchange of notes between the Parties.
For those agreements that are no longer in force, we would expect to conclude new treaties in the absence of EU-wide arrangements.
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 (a) ECMT and (b) short-term ECMT international road haulage permits have been (i) applied for, (ii) approved and (iii) refused each month in the last 12 months.
Answered by Chris Heaton-Harris - Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
The monthly breakdown for the requested figures is as follows:
| Annual ECMT Permits | Short Term ECMT Permits | ||||
| Applied | Approved | Refused | Applied | Approved | Refused |
Oct-18 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Nov-18 | 3,781 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Dec-18 | 4,493 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Jan-19 | 3,118 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Feb-19 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Mar-19 | 582 | 1,602 | 10,408 | 9 | 0 | 0 |
Apr-19 | 0 | 467 | 0 | 2 | 11 | 0 |
May-19 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Jun-19 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
Jul-19 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
Aug-19 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 1 | 0 |
Sep-19 |
| 0 | 0 | 224 | 72 | 40 |
Short-term ECMT permits have only been refused where the proposed journey can be conducted without an ECMT permit.
As of 2 October 2019, 112 short-term ECMT permit requests are under consideration. These are usually within 10 working days, it may be longer where the need has to be established.
Annual ECMT permit applications were mostly made in anticipation of the UK leaving the EU on 29 March 2019 when there were no other confirmed market access arrangements in place.
On 25 March 2019 the EU adopted Regulation 2019/501 for basic road transport connectivity if the UK leaves the EU without a deal. Under the regulation, UK hauliers will be able to carry out road haulage to EU Member States until 31 December 2019 and make the vast majority journeys without a permit.
The European Commission has also, on 4 September 2019, published a proposal to extend this measure until 31 July 2020.
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 assessment she has made of the potential environmental impact of Operation Brock in the event that the UK leave the EU without a deal.
Answered by Chris Heaton-Harris - Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
Environmental assessments have been undertaken for Operation Brock. Specifically, by Highways England for measures on the M20 and by this Department for the Special Development Order for Manston lorry park.
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, pursuant to the Answer of 08 January 2019 to Question 206390 on Ferries: Scotland, if he will undertake a review of his policy on funding ferries services in the event that the UK leaves the EU without a deal as a result of the cancelling of the Seaborne Freight contract.
Answered by Nusrat Ghani - Minister of State (Minister for Europe)
The termination of the Seaborne Freight contract has not led the Government to review its policy in relation to ferry operations from Scottish ports.
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 procurement and tender process was followed for contracts to run additional freight ferries in the event of the UK leaving the EU without a deal.
Answered by Chris Grayling
These processes are described in the Written Ministerial Statement I made on 7 January.
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 Government support is available to ferry companies which may wish to operate ferries from Scottish ports to EU ports after the UK leaves the EU.
Answered by Nusrat Ghani - Minister of State (Minister for Europe)
HM Government has no immediate plans to offer additional government support to any ferry operators.