Asked by: Graeme Downie (Labour - Dunfermline and Dollar)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if she will conduct an audit of transport infrastructure identified as critically important to national interests to identify whether they contain Chinese-made components.
Answered by Mike Kane
The Government takes the security and resilience of our critical infrastructure extremely seriously. We balance this with ongoing cooperation with China on trade and investment, supporting UK businesses to engage with the world’s second largest economy while being clear-eyed about any risks.
We work with the National Cyber Security Centre, National Protective Security Authority and across government to advise owners and operators of critical national infrastructure on supply chains and the risks posed by components manufactured overseas. We may also consider powers afforded by the Procurement Act 2023, which allow the Government to exclude and debar any company from public procurement on grounds of national security if required. We continue to actively monitor for any threats and, where risks are identified, will not hesitate to take action, with policy options kept under review.
Asked by: Graeme Downie (Labour - Dunfermline and Dollar)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what guidance her Department provides to define (a) stranded, (b) stranded and (c) abandoned vessels under section 252 of the Merchant Shipping Act 1995.
Answered by Mike Kane
The gov.uk website provides a definition of abandoned when discussing derelict vessels. Guidance is available on Wreck and salvage law - GOV.UK and port association websites.
Asked by: Graeme Downie (Labour - Dunfermline and Dollar)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will published updated guidance to define (a) sunk, (b) stranded and (c) abandoned vessels for the under the terms of s.252 of the Merchant Shipping Act 1995.
Answered by Mike Kane
At present there is no evidence that the department has received that suggests that the definitions require updating. The department keeps all of its guidance under review and should there be a need to, updates guidance accordingly.
Asked by: Graeme Downie (Labour - Dunfermline and Dollar)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what guidance exists to define (a) sunk", (b) stranded and (c) abandoned vessels for the under the terms of s.252 of the Merchant Shipping Act 1995.
Answered by Mike Kane
Guidance can be found here https://www.gov.uk/guidance/wreck-and-salvage-law. Local port acts may contain additional definitions that may vary from act to act.
Asked by: Graeme Downie (Labour - Dunfermline and Dollar)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if she will hold discussions with her counterpart in the Scottish Government on compelling the removal of derelict small boats in Scottish harbours.
Answered by Mike Kane
While DFT keeps in regular contact with our counterparts in Transport Scotland, Ports policy is devolved and any issues regarding Scottish ports and harbours would be for colleagues at Transport Scotland and the relevant Scottish minister to oversee.
DfT has not been made aware that there is a substantial issue around derelict small boats in Scottish harbours, either by Scottish authorities during our regular engagement or members of the public. The department would of course welcome a meeting with the relevant Scottish authorities if they felt there was a need to do so.
Asked by: Graeme Downie (Labour - Dunfermline and Dollar)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 8 January 2024 to Question 21874 on Motor Vehicles: Lighting, when the independent research started; which organisation is undertaking the work; and if she will publish the terms of reference for the research.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
The research started in October last year and is being carried out by the Transport Research Laboratory (TRL). There are no plans to publish the Terms of Reference for the research, but further details can be found on the TRL website.
https://www.trl.co.uk/news/trl-works-with-dft-to-understand-more-about-the-causes-of-glare
Asked by: Graeme Downie (Labour - Dunfermline and Dollar)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what requirements to differentiate between male and female physiology car manufacturers must fulfil in safety testing.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
For the majority of vehicle safety testing, it is not necessary to differentiate between male and female physiology to deliver the desired outcome. For example, where a force is required on a brake control or to release a seat belt buckle, that force will be set well within the physical capabilities of most males and females.
However, there are some contexts in which differing injury thresholds between the sexes is important. For this reason, the latest international vehicle regulation covering frontal impact protection uses crash test dummies representative of both male and female occupants. The Government is currently considering mandating this regulation as part of an extensive package of vehicle safety measures.
Asked by: Graeme Downie (Labour - Dunfermline and Dollar)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of the safety of LED headlights on (a) cars and (b) other vehicles.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
National collision statistics, which can record headlamp dazzle as a contributory factor, do not show any discernible trend to suggest that advances in lighting technology are contributing negatively to road vehicle collisions.
However, noting increased public concern, Government has commissioned independent research to better understand the root causes of headlamp glare and develop potential countermeasures. This work is underway and is due to deliver in summer 2025.
Asked by: Graeme Downie (Labour - Dunfermline and Dollar)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps she plans to take to increase awareness of the changes to the hierarchy of road users in Highway Code Rules H1 to 3.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
Following a review of the Highway Code in 2022, the Department introduced a hierarchy of road users, which ensures that those who can do the greatest harm have the greatest responsibility to reduce the danger or threat they may pose to others.
Communications to raise awareness of the changes were launched via a factual awareness raising campaign in 2022. This was followed by broader behaviour change campaigns in the summers of 2022 and 2023, to help embed the changes and encourage understanding and uptake of the guidance. Over £2.4 million has been spent on media across the campaign, utilising channels such as radio, digital audio, video on demand and social media advertising.
Campaign outcomes included 86% of road users having heard of the changes by September 2023, and 9 in 10 of those who recognised a campaign advert saying they had taken action as a result.
We continue to promote The Highway Code changes on THINK! and Department for Transport social media channels and via our partner organisations. We continually review allocation of communications spend across road safety issues based on the latest insights and evidence.
Asked by: Graeme Downie (Labour - Dunfermline and Dollar)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many journeys have been booked using a Veterans Railcard in each month since its introduction.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
Data on the number of journeys made using a Veteran's Railcard is collected by the Rail Delivery Group but is not published due to its commercially sensitivity. Access to this data can be requested, on application, from RDGPublicAffairs@raildeliverygroup.com.