Asked by: Greg Knight (Conservative - East Yorkshire)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether her Department has published advice for local authorities on the (a) control and (b) removal of giant hogweed on land near to public right of way where there may be a risk to public health.
Answered by Trudy Harrison
Giant hogweed is listed as a species of special concern under the Invasive Alien Species (Enforcement and Permitting) Order 2019, which makes an offence of planting or otherwise causing giant hogweed to grow in the wild. As giant hogweed is widespread in the UK, there is no legal requirement to report it, nor is it compulsory to remove it. Although there are currently no plans for a large-scale eradication of giant hogweed, we support local eradication projects where this is feasible as part of management measures for this species.
Defra, in collaboration with Natural England and Environment Agency, has published guidance on how to stop the spread and dispose of invasive non-native plants that can harm the environment in England.
The GB Non-Native Species Secretariat website is the primary site for publicly available information on individual invasive species such as giant hogweed and includes links to management guidance documents produced by a range of organisations. The Secretariat carries out many public awareness campaigns, publishes articles, and provides training in which giant hogweed frequently features due to its human health impact.
Asked by: Greg Knight (Conservative - East Yorkshire)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to help reduce fly-tipping on private land in rural areas.
Answered by Rebecca Pow - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
We appreciate the difficulty and cost that fly-tipping poses to landowners. We are working with a wide range of interested parties through the National Fly-Tipping Prevention Group, such as the National Farmers Union, Environment Agency, Country Land and Business Association, National Police Chief's Council and local authorities, to promote and disseminate good practice, including how to prevent fly-tipping on private land.
As part of the Government’s commitment to unleash rural opportunity, we will fund a post within the new National Rural Crime Unit to explore how the police’s role in tacking fly-tipping can be optimised, with a focus on rural areas.
Across two rounds of our fly-tipping grant scheme, we have awarded nearly £1.2m to help more than 30 councils purchase equipment, such as CCTV, to tackle fly-tipping at known hot-spots, including in rural areas. We have recently launched another grant opportunity that could see a further £1m handed out in grants next year to help more councils tackle the issue.
Asked by: Greg Knight (Conservative - East Yorkshire)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of motorcycle air vests in reducing injuries to motorcyclists; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Richard Holden - Minister without Portfolio (Cabinet Office)
Research on ‘Inflatable Protective Clothing for Motorcyclists’ was commissioned in December 2016. As the draft findings were inconclusive, the Department decided not to put any further resource into this research and the draft report was not finalised for publication. The Department does advise riders to wear protective clothing. Rule 84 in The Highway Code states: “Strong boots, gloves and suitable clothing may help to protect you if you are involved in a collision”.
Asked by: Greg Knight (Conservative - East Yorkshire)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, whether he plans to publish consultation submissions to the private parking charges and debt recovery fees call for evidence.
Answered by Jacob Young - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities)
The Call for Evidence closed on 8 October and officials are now working through the submissions. The intention is to publish the Impact Assessment together with a consultation on options for handling parking charges and debt recovery fees, to make sure that the consultation is as well informed as it can be.
The Government will publish a response to the Call for Evidence in due course.
I thank him for his continued support on this issue and for his work in steering the legislation through the house. We will implement it in full at the earliest possible moment.
Asked by: Greg Knight (Conservative - East Yorkshire)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, if he will outline his planned timetable for the Parking (Code of Practice) Act 2019 impact assessment, in the context of the closure of the private parking code of practice call for evidence on 8 October 2023.
Answered by Jacob Young - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities)
The Call for Evidence closed on 8 October and officials are now working through the submissions. The intention is to publish the Impact Assessment together with a consultation on options for handling parking charges and debt recovery fees, to make sure that the consultation is as well informed as it can be.
The Government will publish a response to the Call for Evidence in due course.
I thank him for his continued support on this issue and for his work in steering the legislation through the house. We will implement it in full at the earliest possible moment.
Asked by: Greg Knight (Conservative - East Yorkshire)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of removing VAT on motorcycle air vests to help increase their usage.
Answered by Victoria Atkins - Secretary of State for Health and Social Care
Whilst there are currently no plans to remove VAT on motorcycle air vests, the Government remains committed to ensuring the safety of motorcyclists. For example, motorcycle helmets, which satisfy the requirements of regulation 8(2) of the Personal Protective Equipment Regulations 2002, are zero-rated for VAT. Further information can be found here: Protective equipment (VAT Notice 701/23) - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
VAT has been designed as a broad-based tax on consumption, and the twenty per cent standard rate applies to the vast majority of goods and services, including motorcycle air vests. While there are exceptions to the standard rate, these have always been strictly limited by both legal and fiscal considerations.
VAT is the UK’s third largest tax forecast to raise £161 billion in 2023/24, helping to fund key spending priorities such as important public services, including the NHS, education and defence. In addition, this request should be viewed in the context of over £50 billion of requests for relief from VAT received since the EU referendum.
The Government keeps all taxes under review.
Asked by: Greg Knight (Conservative - East Yorkshire)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps he plans to take to improve the (a) education and (b) literacy of adults in prison; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Damian Hinds - Minister of State (Education)
We are delivering a new Prisoner Education Service to improve the literacy, numeracy and vocational skills of prisoners. This will support positive employment outcomes and reduce reoffending.
This year we have appointed new Heads of Education Skills and Work and Neurodiversity Support Managers to more than 100 prisons, introducing senior educational expertise and knowledge to improve support for prisoners with additional learning needs; developed a new reading assessment tool and rolled out whole prison reading strategies in all prisons; and committed £1.8m to charities to pilot new reading initiatives. We have also enabled prisoners released on temporary licence to undertake apprenticeships.
This week, we have opened a major competition for new Core Education contracts. These will go live from 2025 and be focussed on improving outcomes and delivering value for money.
Asked by: Greg Knight (Conservative - East Yorkshire)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when the western carriageway of the A46 between Lincoln and Newark was last examined for defects; and when that stretch of carriageway is scheduled to be resurfaced.
Answered by Richard Holden - Minister without Portfolio (Cabinet Office)
The last inspection on the westbound A46 between Lincoln and Newark was conducted on 7 September 2023. National Highways did not identify any safety critical defects during their last inspection.
NH currently has a resurfacing scheme ongoing:
These works are due to be completed in October 2023.
National Highways are also currently in the process of scheduling some short-term road surface repairs between Brough and Hykeham. They currently anticipate these will be completed by the end of 2023.
Asked by: Greg Knight (Conservative - East Yorkshire)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, if he will hold discussions with local authorities on the potential merits of their continuing to accept cash payments from members of the public using local authority car parks; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Dehenna Davison
All local authorities have existing statutory duties to ensure that they do not discriminate in their decision making against older people or those with vulnerabilities. The Secretary of State recently wrote to all local authorities in England setting out his expectations that parking services for which councils are responsible remain accessible.
Asked by: Greg Knight (Conservative - East Yorkshire)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how much was spent on fixing potholes in East Yorkshire in each of the last five years.
Answered by Richard Holden - Minister without Portfolio (Cabinet Office)
Local highway authorities, including the East Riding of Yorkshire Council, have a duty under Section 41 of the Highways Act 1980 to maintain the highway network in their area. Local highway authorities do not have a requirement to routinely inform the Department of their spend on pothole repairs.
During the past five financial years the Department has provided over £73 million to East Riding of Yorkshire Council for local highway maintenance, including the repairs of road defects such as potholes.
Year | Highways Maintenance Block £m | Pothole Action Fund £m | Pothole Fund £m | Total £m |
2019/20 | 10.741 | 0.623 |
| 11.364 |
2020/21 | 10.741 | 0.609 | 7.306 | 18.656 |
2021/22 | 7.663 |
| 6.130 | 13.793 |
2022/23 | 7.663 |
| 6.130 | 13.793 |
2023/24 | 7.663 |
| 8.582[1] | 16.245 |
Total | 44.471 | 1.232 | 28.148 | 73.851 |
The Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities also provides revenue funding to all local authorities, including the East Riding of Yorkshire Council, via the annual Revenue Support Grant. This is unringfenced and local authorities can use it for local highways maintenance.
[1] Includes East Riding’s share of the extra £200 million for the year 2023/24 announced in the Budget 2023: