Asked by: Graham Brady (Conservative - Altrincham and Sale West)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what his planned timetable is for publication of the final report of the union connectivity review.
Answered by Chris Heaton-Harris - Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
Sir Peter has published his Union Connectivity Review as of Friday the 26th of November, the Government thanks Sir Peter for his work and will respond to his recommendations in due course.
Asked by: Graham Brady (Conservative - Altrincham and Sale West)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment his Department made of business case for the Golborne Link section of the Phase 2b portion of HS2 as part of the Integrated Rail Plan.
Answered by Andrew Stephenson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Integrated Rail Plan noted that there is a strong case for a connection to the West Coast Mainline (WCML) north of Crewe and that the Union Connectivity Review (UCR) was considering this further. The UCR, undertaken by Sir Peter Hendy, has considered whether any alternatives to the Golborne Link could further improve connectivity to Scotland. Evidence from the Review suggests that alternative connections to the WCML could slightly reduce journey times further compared to the ‘Golborne Link’. However, Sir Peter states that it is clear that further work is required to better understand the case for and against any such options; and has recommended the Government review options for alternative connections north of Crewe between HS2 and the WCML. The government will respond to Sir Peter’s recommendations in due course.
Asked by: Graham Brady (Conservative - Altrincham and Sale West)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment his Department made of the potential merits of removing the Golborne Link section of the Phase 2b portion of HS2 as part of the Integrated Rail Plan.
Answered by Andrew Stephenson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Integrated Rail Plan noted that there is a strong case for a connection to the West Coast Mainline (WCML) north of Crewe and that the Union Connectivity Review (UCR) was considering this further. The UCR, undertaken by Sir Peter Hendy, has considered whether any alternatives to the Golborne Link could further improve connectivity to Scotland. Evidence from the Review suggests that alternative connections to the WCML could slightly reduce journey times further compared to the ‘Golborne Link’. However, Sir Peter states that it is clear that further work is required to better understand the case for and against any such options; and has recommended the Government review options for alternative connections north of Crewe between HS2 and the WCML. The government will respond to Sir Peter’s recommendations in due course.
Asked by: Graham Brady (Conservative - Altrincham and Sale West)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if his Department will establish a dedicated channel for people arriving from Hong Kong with British national overseas status to obtain driving licences.
Answered by Trudy Harrison
Holders of a full Hong Kong car or motorcycle driving licence can exchange this for a GB equivalent without the need to apply for a provisional licence or take a driving test. Information on the average time taken to issue a driving licence to applicants from Hong Kong is not available.
The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) has been working with the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government about the potential number of applicants who may arrive from Hong Kong with British national overseas status over the next five years. The DVLA is confident that these applications can be absorbed within its existing processes and there are no plans to introduce a dedicated channel.
Asked by: Graham Brady (Conservative - Altrincham and Sale West)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the average length of time taken by his Department was from an application being received to issuing driving licenses to applicants arriving from Hong Kong with British national overseas status.
Answered by Trudy Harrison
Holders of a full Hong Kong car or motorcycle driving licence can exchange this for a GB equivalent without the need to apply for a provisional licence or take a driving test. Information on the average time taken to issue a driving licence to applicants from Hong Kong is not available.
The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) has been working with the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government about the potential number of applicants who may arrive from Hong Kong with British national overseas status over the next five years. The DVLA is confident that these applications can be absorbed within its existing processes and there are no plans to introduce a dedicated channel.
Asked by: Graham Brady (Conservative - Altrincham and Sale West)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if his Department will make an assessment of the potential merits of taking steps to extend the validity of Driver Certificate of Professional Competence theory tests in response to the delays in obtaining access to the practical section of the Driver Certificate for Professional Competence.
Answered by Rachel Maclean
The requirement to undertake a driving theory test and the case studies test before a practical driving test and the practical demonstration test is set out in legislation. This specifies a two-year duration for the theory test and the case studies test. This duration is for road safety reasons to ensure the learners knowledge is current.
Ensuring new drivers have current relevant knowledge and skills is a vital part of the preparation for new drivers. It is important that lorry drivers understand, and can react appropriately, to the potential risks which are present when interacting with other road users, particularly vulnerable road users such as cyclists, pedestrians, and motorcyclists. It is also important they understand how a vehicle is loaded and unloaded safely, how to couple and un-couple a trailer and the consequences for road safety. This also tests their understanding of drivers hours rules which are in place to ensure drivers take regular breaks and rests and do not continue driving when tired.
Asked by: Graham Brady (Conservative - Altrincham and Sale West)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps his Department is taking to support research into (a) improving aircraft efficiency and (b) new technologies to enable electric and hybrid powered flight.
Answered by Kelly Tolhurst
The focus of our policy development and analysis to date has been on ways to meet our 2050 net zero carbon commitment. We have not specifically made an assessment of the savings that could be made if the focus were the next five or ten years, but we continue to develop policies to reduce emissions over both the short term and the medium term.
The Transport Secretary recently announced the Jet Zero Council, which will provide leadership and strategic direction to cut aviation emissions. The Council will focus on developing UK capabilities to deliver zero emission flight.
Through the Aerospace Growth Partnership, Government and industry are committing a total of £3.9bn in funding for mid-stage aerospace research and development between 2013 and 2026.
DfT’s Future Fuels for Flight and Freight Competition makes £20 million of capital funding available for projects that will produce low carbon waste-based fuels for use in aircraft and heavy goods vehicles. This government funding will be matched by the private sector, and is expected to support construction of first-of-a-kind plants by 2021. The sustainable aviation fuel produced in these plants is expected to have emissions savings of at least 70% when compared to traditional jet fuel.
Asked by: Graham Brady (Conservative - Altrincham and Sale West)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what plans his Department has for airspace modernisation.
Answered by Kelly Tolhurst
Airspace modernisation is vital to the future of aviation, to delivering net zero and, now, to supporting the aviation sector’s recovery from the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. It is a critical infrastructure programme of national importance.
However, in light of the pandemic, we recognise that the timescales in which airspace modernisation will take place will change. We are working with the CAA to review the Airspace Modernisation Strategy, to consider the recommendations from ACOG’s recent report ‘Remobilising the Airspace Change Programme’, and will advise stakeholders of our preferred approach in the early Autumn.
Asked by: Graham Brady (Conservative - Altrincham and Sale West)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what estimate his Department has made of the carbon emissions reductions that could be achieved in the next (a) five and (b) 10 years from (i) more sustainable aviation fuels, (ii) more efficient aircraft, (iii) hybrid and electric flight and (iv) airspace modernisation.
Answered by Kelly Tolhurst
The focus of our policy development and analysis to date has been on ways to meet our 2050 net zero carbon commitment. We have not specifically made an assessment of the savings that could be made if the focus were the next five or ten years, but we continue to develop policies to reduce emissions over both the short term and the medium term.
The Transport Secretary recently announced the Jet Zero Council, which will provide leadership and strategic direction to cut aviation emissions. The Council will focus on developing UK capabilities to deliver zero emission flight.
Through the Aerospace Growth Partnership, Government and industry are committing a total of £3.9bn in funding for mid-stage aerospace research and development between 2013 and 2026.
DfT’s Future Fuels for Flight and Freight Competition makes £20 million of capital funding available for projects that will produce low carbon waste-based fuels for use in aircraft and heavy goods vehicles. This government funding will be matched by the private sector, and is expected to support construction of first-of-a-kind plants by 2021. The sustainable aviation fuel produced in these plants is expected to have emissions savings of at least 70% when compared to traditional jet fuel.
Asked by: Graham Brady (Conservative - Altrincham and Sale West)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps his Department is taking to support the commercialisation of sustainable aviation fuel in the UK.
Answered by Rachel Maclean
To help overcome barriers to the production of sustainable fuels for aviation on a commercial scale, the Department’s Future Fuels for Flight and Freight Competition (F4C) makes capital funding available. As part of the competition we are currently supporting two projects to build plants capable of supplying advanced fuels for use in aviation.
In addition, the Renewable Transport Fuel Obligation (RTFO), a certificate trading scheme, promotes a market for low carbon fuels. Sustainable aviation fuels are eligible for support under the RTFO and are categorised as a development fuel, so potentially benefit from a higher tradeable certificate value.
On 12 June the Department announced the Jet Zero Council to create a partnership between industry and Government and bring together Ministers and CEO-level stakeholders to drive high ambition in the delivery of new technologies and innovative ways to cut aviation emissions. The Council will be jointly chaired by the Secretary of State for Transport and the Secretary of State for BEIS.