Asked by: Greg Mulholland (Liberal Democrat - Leeds North West)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent discussions he has had with the Information Commissioner's Office about the DVLA selling driver registration plate numbers to car parking firms.
Answered by Andrew Jones
The table below shows the income received by the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) from processing requests for information from private parking management companies over the last five financial years. The DVLA sets fees to recover the cost of processing requests and does not make a profit from providing this information.
Year | Total Revenue |
2010/11 | £2,910,850 |
2011/12 | £3,657,859 |
2012/13 | £4,831,355 |
2013/14 | £6,097,898 |
2014/15 | £7,573,298 |
The DVLA releases vehicle keeper information to those who can show reasonable cause for receiving it. The following table shows the number of requests from private car parking management companies for vehicle keeper information processed via electronic links over the last five financial years.
Year | Electronic Requests |
2010/11 | 1,178,034 |
2011/12 | 1,574,397 |
2012/13 | 1,897,572 |
2013/14 | 2,430,130 |
2014/15 | 3,083,276 |
The vast majority of requests for vehicle keeper information are made electronically but information can also be requested using a paper application form. However, these requests come from a range of customers including private car parking management companies and the figures are not broken down by customer type.
The DVLA meets regularly with the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) to discuss a range of issues, including the provision of information for private parking management. The ICO’s most recent audit resulted in a high assurance rating relating to the release of information from the DVLA’s vehicle record.
Asked by: Greg Mulholland (Liberal Democrat - Leeds North West)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when he expects the public inquiry into the New Generation Transport trolleybus scheme to report.
Answered by Claire Perry
We are considering the Inspector’s Report following the public inquiry, and will announce our decision shortly. My Right Honourable Friend the Secretary of State has delegated responsibility for this decision to my Noble Friend Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon.
Asked by: Greg Mulholland (Liberal Democrat - Leeds North West)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent estimate he has made of the cost of the public inquiry into the New Generation Transport trolleybus scheme; and what he expects the final cost of that inquiry to be.
Answered by Claire Perry
Leeds City Council and the West Yorkshire Combined Authority as promoters of this scheme are responsible for providing the inquiry venue and facilities; paying for professional experts to present their case; and meeting the Planning Inspectorate’s costs in providing an Inspector. The Planning Inspectorate charged £157,162 for this inquiry, based on the time spent by the Inspector preparing for, travelling to and holding the inquiry; the time spent by the Inspector writing his report; and his travelling and subsistence. Other parties to the inquiry were responsible for meeting their own costs.
Asked by: Greg Mulholland (Liberal Democrat - Leeds North West)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps he is taking to deal with the problem of aircraft being targeted by laser pens.
Answered by Robert Goodwill
The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), as independent aviation safety regulator, is co-ordinating an industry-wide initiative to decide what further measures are needed to reduce the risk of an accident from laser pens. As part of this process, the CAA is working with a wide range of key stakeholders including relevant Government Departments, emergency services, air traffic control, airports, and airlines. The CAA has also published a Safety Notice providing guidance on the action that aircraft crew and air traffic controllers should take during and after an incident.
Asked by: Greg Mulholland (Liberal Democrat - Leeds North West)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps he is taking to tackle vehicle parking on pavements.
Answered by Andrew Jones
Local authorities are best placed to assess the need for pavement parking controls in their area and the effectiveness of any restrictions in place. It would be for the relevant traffic authorities to conduct an assessment of legislation specific to London.
Last year this Department received around a thousand communications from Guide Dogs campaigners in support of two Private Members’ Bills on pavement parking. Departmental officials met with Guide Dogs officials as recently as 13 October this year.
Local authorities already have the powers to introduce enforceable pavement parking restrictions where they consider it appropriate. My Department’s guidance to local authorities makes clear that, during the appraisal of their parking policies, an authority should consider whether pavement parking is problematic in any part of its area. If it is, and is not covered by an existing Traffic Regulation Order, the authority should consider amending the existing Order or making a new one. We have issued councils with authorisation to place specifically designed traffic signs without the need for Whitehall approval.
Asked by: Greg Mulholland (Liberal Democrat - Leeds North West)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent representations he has received from local authorities, charities and disability groups on pavement parking.
Answered by Andrew Jones
Local authorities are best placed to assess the need for pavement parking controls in their area and the effectiveness of any restrictions in place. It would be for the relevant traffic authorities to conduct an assessment of legislation specific to London.
Last year this Department received around a thousand communications from Guide Dogs campaigners in support of two Private Members’ Bills on pavement parking. Departmental officials met with Guide Dogs officials as recently as 13 October this year.
Local authorities already have the powers to introduce enforceable pavement parking restrictions where they consider it appropriate. My Department’s guidance to local authorities makes clear that, during the appraisal of their parking policies, an authority should consider whether pavement parking is problematic in any part of its area. If it is, and is not covered by an existing Traffic Regulation Order, the authority should consider amending the existing Order or making a new one. We have issued councils with authorisation to place specifically designed traffic signs without the need for Whitehall approval.
Asked by: Greg Mulholland (Liberal Democrat - Leeds North West)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of legislation to prevent pavement parking in London.
Answered by Andrew Jones
Local authorities are best placed to assess the need for pavement parking controls in their area and the effectiveness of any restrictions in place. It would be for the relevant traffic authorities to conduct an assessment of legislation specific to London.
Last year this Department received around a thousand communications from Guide Dogs campaigners in support of two Private Members’ Bills on pavement parking. Departmental officials met with Guide Dogs officials as recently as 13 October this year.
Local authorities already have the powers to introduce enforceable pavement parking restrictions where they consider it appropriate. My Department’s guidance to local authorities makes clear that, during the appraisal of their parking policies, an authority should consider whether pavement parking is problematic in any part of its area. If it is, and is not covered by an existing Traffic Regulation Order, the authority should consider amending the existing Order or making a new one. We have issued councils with authorisation to place specifically designed traffic signs without the need for Whitehall approval.
Asked by: Greg Mulholland (Liberal Democrat - Leeds North West)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 1 July 2015 to Question 4425, when he expects Network Rail to publish an update to its industry electrification strategy.
Answered by Claire Perry
The Department expects that the industry electrification strategy will be published by Network Rail as a draft for consultation in early 2016, taking into account the outcome of the review by Sir Peter Hendy of Network Rail’s programme of rail investment.
Asked by: Greg Mulholland (Liberal Democrat - Leeds North West)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 21 July to Question 6770, what estimate he has made of the cost of a new link road; and from what sources funding for that link road will be provided.
Answered by Andrew Jones
We have not estimated the cost of constructing a link road to Leeds Bradford International Airport as this would be a local road and the relevant local authority would be responsible for developing a scheme proposal. The Government sponsored study into improving connectivity to Leeds Bradford International Airport used an estimate provided by Leeds City Council of £38m in 2012 prices.
The Aviation Policy Framework published in March 2013 makes clear that developers should pay the costs of upgrading transport links where there is a need to cope with increased passenger numbers, but that a public funding contribution will be considered if the scheme has a wider range of beneficiaries. The relevant local authorities would therefore be responsible for assembling a funding package for a link road, in partnership with developers and other local stakeholders. Local Growth Funding could be used to provide a public sector contribution, and the West Yorkshire Combined Authority is being provided with a contribution of up to £781m towards the West Yorkshire Plus Transport Fund between 2015/15 and 2034/35. The Fund has been set up to deliver transport improvements across West Yorkshire and York.
Asked by: Greg Mulholland (Liberal Democrat - Leeds North West)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps his Department is taking to tackle air pollution from road vehicles; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Andrew Jones
This Government is committed to tackling poor air quality. Our aim is for almost every car and van to be a zero emission vehicle by 2050.
£2 billion has been committed since 2011 to increase the uptake of ultra-low emission vehicles, green transport initiatives and supporting local authorities to take action. These measures will help address both particulate matter and nitrogen dioxide roadside levels in pollution hotspots.