Asked by: Euan Stainbank (Labour - Falkirk)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when she plans to publish the Ten-year pipeline of projected bus orders.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
My Department is planning to publish the ten-year pipeline of projected orders shortly.
Asked by: Euan Stainbank (Labour - Falkirk)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether she intends to conduct a review of technical service arrangements involving non-European vehicle manufacturing and regulatory entities to ensure alignment with UK/EU regulatory standards.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
I am satisfied that that the current type approval regime ensures that only reputable and trustworthy entities are involved in the certification process.
Asked by: Euan Stainbank (Labour - Falkirk)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of requiring vehicle manufacturers to disclose the role of entities involved in vehicle certification processes.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
I am satisfied that that the current type approval regime ensures that only reputable and trustworthy entities are involved in the certification process.
Asked by: Euan Stainbank (Labour - Falkirk)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of creating a public registry detailing entities involved in vehicle certification approvals.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
I am satisfied that that the current type approval regime ensures that only reputable and trustworthy entities are involved in the certification process.
Asked by: Euan Stainbank (Labour - Falkirk)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of requiring a) all certification bodies involved in vehicle approvals to be formally listed as designated Technical Services under UN ECE regulations and b) introducing penalties for misrepresentation by certification bodies or manufacturers of vehicles on UK roads.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
I am satisfied that that the current type approval regime ensures that only reputable and trustworthy entities are involved in the certification process.
Asked by: Euan Stainbank (Labour - Falkirk)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps she has taken to establish an independent audit mechanism for ISO/SAE 21434 and UN R155/156 compliance.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
Approval certificates for UN Regulations 155 and 156 can be issued by an applicable national approval authority, which is the Vehicle Certification Agency (VCA) in the UK, and are mutually recognised internationally. Any country’s approval authority must have its methods and criteria used for assessment of compliance to the regulations scrutinised by other approval authorities before it can issue any approvals.
ISO/SAE 21434 is not part of the legislative requirement but provides useful guidance for compliance with R.155 and R156.
Asked by: Euan Stainbank (Labour - Falkirk)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made with Cabinet colleagues of the potential security implications of the operation of buses that have been bought from China that can potentially be remotely deactivated.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Government takes national security extremely seriously and recognises the systematic challenges of increased connectivity and the cyber security implications for almost every area of government policy, including vehicles. The Department works closely with the transport sector, the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC), the National Protective Security Authority (NPSA) and other government departments to understand and respond to cyber vulnerabilities.
Asked by: Euan Stainbank (Labour - Falkirk)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of the recommendations of Project Willow on the HEFA Cap delay.
Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Government launched Project Willow to find an industrial future for Grangemouth – identifying nine low-carbon and renewable energy business models that could create 800 jobs by 2040.
Government is ready to take these forward as co-investment projects with the private sector. Backed by £200 million from the National Wealth Fund, investment agencies are working to find investors for these proposals and other low carbon and clean energy proposals in the Grangemouth area. So far c.100 enquiries have been received.
HEFA (hydroprocessed esters and fatty acids) is a fuel developed from oils or fats, such as used cooking oil. The Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) Mandate caps the amount of HEFA that can be used to meet the main obligation under the Mandate to encourage the development of more advanced fuels. The suggested delay to the HEFA cap would undermine this approach and is not being considered.
To ensure the Mandate remains aligned with technological and commercial developments, it will be continuously monitored. Formal reviews will be published at least every five years, with the first scheduled for 2030. These reviews will also ensure continued alignment with broader government policies and strategies.
Asked by: Euan Stainbank (Labour - Falkirk)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether her Department has emergency contingency plans in the event of remote de-activation of buses by a foreign manufacturer.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Government takes national security extremely seriously and recognises the systematic challenges of increased connectivity and the cyber security implications for almost every area of government policy, including vehicles. The Department works closely with the transport sector, the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC), the National Protective Security Authority (NPSA) and other government departments to understand and respond to cyber vulnerabilities.