Asked by: Gareth Thomas (Labour (Co-op) - Harrow West)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of adopting Hong Kong MTR Corporation’s Rail plus Property (R+P) model for incentivising housing development near or over railway lines; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Huw Merriman - Minister of State (Department for Transport)
We are committed to the role of private sector in UK rail, increasing private investment, and learning lessons from international models. Our railways can be a catalyst for regeneration and development. Currently for station upgrades, we consider a range of possible models and how these might be combined with development opportunities around the station. In future, Great British Railways will work proactively with partners to support better development near stations and share best practice, using the essential understanding of how to develop sites alongside operational railways that it will take on from Network Rail.
Asked by: Gareth Thomas (Labour (Co-op) - Harrow West)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 28 June 2023 to Question 190246 on India: Aviation, what the remaining restrictions are on air services between UK regional airports and points in India; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Jesse Norman
There are no restrictions on the frequency of air services, using any type of aircraft, that might be operated between UK regional airports and New Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Chennai, Hyderabad, and Kolkata. For air services between points in the UK and any other points in India, there is a limit of 7 services per week, using any type of aircraft.
Asked by: Gareth Thomas (Labour (Co-op) - Harrow West)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what information his Department holds on how many flights (a) in total and (b) to Gujarat made were made from each airport in the UK by airport in (i) 2020/21, (ii) 2021/22 and (iii) 2022/23; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Jesse Norman
Air services between the UK and India are subject to the UK-India Air Services Agreement (ASA – a bilateral treaty that determines who can fly where and when). The ASA allows a wide range of “traffic rights” between our two countries and additional frequencies were recently agreed following bilateral negotiations in New Delhi.
There are very few remaining restrictions on air services between UK regional airports and points in India and, for example, there are no restrictions on air services by UK or Indian airlines between points in the UK and Gujarat. However, whether or not to operate is a commercial decision for airlines.
Under the terms of the ASA, both Parties are able to designate airlines to operate direct scheduled services between the UK and India. Currently two Indian airlines have been formally designated by the Indian authorities to operate such services and hold Foreign Carrier Permits issued by the UK CAA.
Data on commercial flight operations is collected and published by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA). The total number of commercial flights operated at each airport in the UK between April 2020 and March 2023 is available from Table 6 of monthly CAA UK airport data: https://www.caa.co.uk/data-and-analysis/uk-aviation-market/airports/uk-airport-data/.
The total number of commercial flights operated from UK airports to airports in each destination country including India between April 2020 and March 2023 is available from the “Full Analysis Arrival Departure” tables of monthly CAA flight punctuality statistics: https://www.caa.co.uk/data-and-analysis/uk-aviation-market/flight-punctuality/uk-flight-punctuality-statistics/.
Asked by: Gareth Thomas (Labour (Co-op) - Harrow West)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will renegotiate the Air Services Agreement with India to increase the number of flights flown from UK airports to (a) India b) regional airports in India and (c) Gujarat; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Jesse Norman
Air services between the UK and India are subject to the UK-India Air Services Agreement (ASA – a bilateral treaty that determines who can fly where and when). The ASA allows a wide range of “traffic rights” between our two countries and additional frequencies were recently agreed following bilateral negotiations in New Delhi.
There are very few remaining restrictions on air services between UK regional airports and points in India and, for example, there are no restrictions on air services by UK or Indian airlines between points in the UK and Gujarat. However, whether or not to operate is a commercial decision for airlines.
Under the terms of the ASA, both Parties are able to designate airlines to operate direct scheduled services between the UK and India. Currently two Indian airlines have been formally designated by the Indian authorities to operate such services and hold Foreign Carrier Permits issued by the UK CAA.
Data on commercial flight operations is collected and published by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA). The total number of commercial flights operated at each airport in the UK between April 2020 and March 2023 is available from Table 6 of monthly CAA UK airport data: https://www.caa.co.uk/data-and-analysis/uk-aviation-market/airports/uk-airport-data/.
The total number of commercial flights operated from UK airports to airports in each destination country including India between April 2020 and March 2023 is available from the “Full Analysis Arrival Departure” tables of monthly CAA flight punctuality statistics: https://www.caa.co.uk/data-and-analysis/uk-aviation-market/flight-punctuality/uk-flight-punctuality-statistics/.
Asked by: Gareth Thomas (Labour (Co-op) - Harrow West)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many non-UK air carriers (a) in total and (b) based in India hold a foreign carriers licence; and if he will make a statement?
Answered by Jesse Norman
Air services between the UK and India are subject to the UK-India Air Services Agreement (ASA – a bilateral treaty that determines who can fly where and when). The ASA allows a wide range of “traffic rights” between our two countries and additional frequencies were recently agreed following bilateral negotiations in New Delhi.
There are very few remaining restrictions on air services between UK regional airports and points in India and, for example, there are no restrictions on air services by UK or Indian airlines between points in the UK and Gujarat. However, whether or not to operate is a commercial decision for airlines.
Under the terms of the ASA, both Parties are able to designate airlines to operate direct scheduled services between the UK and India. Currently two Indian airlines have been formally designated by the Indian authorities to operate such services and hold Foreign Carrier Permits issued by the UK CAA.
Data on commercial flight operations is collected and published by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA). The total number of commercial flights operated at each airport in the UK between April 2020 and March 2023 is available from Table 6 of monthly CAA UK airport data: https://www.caa.co.uk/data-and-analysis/uk-aviation-market/airports/uk-airport-data/.
The total number of commercial flights operated from UK airports to airports in each destination country including India between April 2020 and March 2023 is available from the “Full Analysis Arrival Departure” tables of monthly CAA flight punctuality statistics: https://www.caa.co.uk/data-and-analysis/uk-aviation-market/flight-punctuality/uk-flight-punctuality-statistics/.
Asked by: Gareth Thomas (Labour (Co-op) - Harrow West)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether his Department has made a recent estimate of future trends in the level of demand for flights to (a) Gujarat and (b) other parts of India; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Jesse Norman
In deciding whether to operate air services, airlines will, of course, assess demand. The UK through the Department for Transport works with international partners, such as India, to open-up market access and provide airlines with commercial opportunities.
Asked by: Gareth Thomas (Labour (Co-op) - Harrow West)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether he has had recent discussions with his Indian counterpart on reforming the air services agreement with Air India; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Jesse Norman
My officials are working with their Indian counterparts to review and update our bilateral air services arrangements with India.
Asked by: Gareth Thomas (Labour (Co-op) - Harrow West)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will hold discussions with the Mayor of London on the potential cost of installing a new signalling system on the Piccadilly Line to increase the frequency of trains; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Huw Merriman - Minister of State (Department for Transport)
Transport in London is devolved. It is for the Mayor and TfL to ensure adequate investment in transport services in London.
Under the long-term settlement, agreed on 30 August 2022, Government is providing TfL with just under £1.2 billion of grant funding to support transport, including major projects, tube upgrades, Active Travel schemes and less congestion for commuters.
This funding will support almost £3.6bn worth of critical infrastructure projects, matching the Mayor’s own pre-Covid capital spending plans.
This funding is in addition to the Government’s commitment at the Spending Review to invest £1 billion per year until 2025 for TfL’s capital programme through Business Rates Retention.
Asked by: Gareth Thomas (Labour (Co-op) - Harrow West)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to section 1 of the Road Traffic Offenders Act 1988, if he will take steps to amend the 14-day notice period for serving notice of intended prosecution to 28 days; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Richard Holden - Minister without Portfolio (Cabinet Office)
We keep all traffic offence legislation under review.
Asked by: Gareth Thomas (Labour (Co-op) - Harrow West)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when he expects to allocate the £165 million in funding for Sustainable Aviation Fuels; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Jesse Norman
Sustainable aviation fuels (SAF) can achieve lifecycle emissions savings of over 70% compared with conventional jet fuel, when fully replacing fossil kerosene.
The Jet Zero Strategy, published in July 2022, estimates that if SAF accounts for 10% of UK jet fuel supply, it could deliver a reduction of 2.41 Mt CO2 per year.
On 22 December the Department announced the five projects which will receive a share of the £165m Advanced Fuels Fund. The funding is available across three financial years, ending in 2024/2025.