Asked by: Mike Hancock (Independent - Portsmouth South)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the effect on ferry companies operating from Portsmouth International Port of (a) port and (b) local transport infrastructure investment under the Solent Local Enterprise Partnership.
Answered by John Hayes
I have made no formal assessment of this kind. However, the Solent Local Enterprise Partnership has secured £124.8M for the first phase of its Strategic Economic Plan, and this will bring benefits through reducing journey times to Portsmouth which stand to benefit ferry users there generally, in parallel with the specific improvements benefiting Southampton services to the Isle of Wight.
Asked by: Mike Hancock (Independent - Portsmouth South)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many meetings (a) Ministers and (b) officials of his Department have had with representatives of Condor Ferries Ltd since 1 May 2010.
Answered by John Hayes
Condor Ferries Limited attended attended a workshop organised by officials on ro-ro vessels and their stability in 2011. The Department for Transport’s Marine Accident Investigation Branch also met Condor Ferries Limited in relation to two accident investigations involving the ro-ro ferry Commodore Clipper; a fire on 16 June 2010 and a grounding on 14 July 2014. There have been no other meetings between officials and Condor Ferries Limited.
Asked by: Mike Hancock (Independent - Portsmouth South)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what correspondence there has been between (a) Ministers and (b) officials of his Department with Condor Ferries Ltd since 1 May 2010; and what the subject of each instance of correspondence was.
Answered by John Hayes
Officials at the Department for Transport have had correspondence with Condor Ferries Limited on maritime security and accident investigation since 1 May 2010.
Some of the correspondence was with Marine Accident Investigation Branch on two accident investigations involving the ro-ro ferry Commodore Clipper: a fire on 16 June 2010 and a grounding on 14 July 2014. There was also correspondence on minor accidents involving vessels operated by Condor Ferries. The other correspondence related to pre-arrival security exemption and the impact of offshore renewable energy installation on the company.
Asked by: Mike Hancock (Independent - Portsmouth South)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when he last met (a) officials and (b) trades union representatives from Portsmouth International Port.
Answered by John Hayes
The Secretary of State for Transport has, to date, met neither officials nor trades union representatives from Portsmouth International Port. I am, however, keen to meet union representatives and arrangements are currently being made to bring such a meeting about, if the unions wish to have a meeting.
Asked by: Mike Hancock (Independent - Portsmouth South)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how much has been invested in road infrastructure in (a) Portsmouth South constituency and (b) Hampshire in each of the last four years.
Answered by Robert Goodwill
The Department for Transport is responsible for the strategic road network which is managed by the Highways Agency on behalf of the Secretary of State for Transport. The remaining roads are the responsibility of local highway authorities under the Higways Act 1980.
Highways Agency spending on improving road infrastructure (including smaller schemes and technology improvements) on the strategic road over the last four financial years in Hampshire is as follows:
Financial Year
| Funding (£m)
| |
2010/11
| 49.415
| |
2011/12
| 65.526
| |
2012/13
| 51.296
| |
2013/14
| 71.830
| |
The strategic road network does not extend into Portsmouth South.
The Department for Transport also provides funding to local highway authorities through Integrated Transport and Highways Maintenance Block grants. This funding can be used to improve local roads that the authorities manage if they so wish. The following tables provide this information.
Highways Maintenance Block & Top-Up Funding
Year
| Portsmouth City Council (£m)
| Hampshire County Council (£m)
|
2010-11
| 1.316
| 21.392
|
March 2011 – Pothole Funding
| 0.259
| 6.016
|
2011-12
| 1.260
| 24.268
|
2012-13
| 1.099
| 23.230
|
2013-14
| 1.108
| 22.052
|
2013-14 Top-Up (as announced in December 2012 Autumn Statement)
| 0.201
| 3.990
|
2013-14 – Flood Repairs
| 0.147
| 11.509
|
The Department for Transport is also supporting the Portsmouth highways maintenance project and a street lighting project in Hampshire which are both being funded through the private finance initiative. The total Department for Transport funding being provided for the scheme over a twenty five period is as follows:
Scheme
| Total Cost (£m)
|
Portsmouth Highways Maintenance PFI Project
| 253.775
|
Hampshire Street Lighting PFI project
| 234.328
|
Integrated Transport Block & Top-Up Funding
Year
| Portsmouth City Council (£m)
| Hampshire County Council (£m)
|
2010-11
| 2.067
| 10.017
|
2011-12
| 1.484
| 6.547
|
2011-12 Top-Up Funding
| 0.247
| 1.091
|
2012-13
| 1.583
| 6.984
|
2013-14
| 1.583
| 6.984
|
Local authorities are also able to use revenue funding allocated by the Department for Communities and Local Government through the Revenue Support Grant for maintaining their local highways.
Neither capital nor revenue highways maintenance funding is ring-fenced and it is for local highway authorities to decide upon their spending priorities across the whole range of services they provide.
In addition, the Department for Transport also provides capital funding for local major schemes, costing over £5 million. The Department for Transport has agreed to provide a funding contribution to two schemes being promoted by Portsmouth City Council.