Asked by: Mike Kane (Labour - Wythenshawe and Sale East)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will meet with (a) Manchester Airport and (b) other business in Manchester affected by service performance of TransPennine Express to discuss potential improvements to that service.
Answered by Huw Merriman - Minister of State (Department for Transport)
Ministers are always happy to discuss opportunities to work together with business partners to improve rail services for passengers across the North and the Northern economy. The Transport Secretary will shortly be meeting a number of Northern mayors to discuss these issues and we look forward to conversations with business and other stakeholders in the future.
Asked by: Mike Kane (Labour - Wythenshawe and Sale East)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether his Department has made changes to the Maritime 2050: People Route Map, published on 7 September 2019, following the (a) covid-19 pandemic and (b) the actions of P&O Ferries.
Answered by Richard Holden - Minister without Portfolio (Cabinet Office)
The Department has worked with the sector to publish a Maritime Recovery Route Map in June 2022 to help boost the sector’s recovery from the pandemic. The Route Map has a dedicated section on People and Skills and sets out progress on the Seafarer Protections Nine-Point Plan. Over £2.4m funding was announced alongside publication of the Route Map to support maritime skills, diversity, careers and seafarer wellbeing.
Asked by: Mike Kane (Labour - Wythenshawe and Sale East)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether he has received advice from the Maritime and Coastguard Agency on the safety of (a) roster patterns and (b) minimum crewing levels in the short sea ferry sector since 17 March 2022.
Answered by Richard Holden - Minister without Portfolio (Cabinet Office)
The Department is currently developing a new Seafarers’ Charter, which aims to boost long-term working conditions for seafarers. The Maritime and Coastguard Agency have been involved with the development of the Charter, along with the wider maritime industry. The Department for Transport and Maritime and Coastguard Agency are both of the view that roster patterns and crewing levels are important areas that require further research.
Asked by: Mike Kane (Labour - Wythenshawe and Sale East)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent steps his Department has taken to implement the Nine-point plan for seafarers, published on 6 July 2022.
Answered by Richard Holden - Minister without Portfolio (Cabinet Office)
Delivery of the nine-point plan continues at pace. A key aspect of this has been the development of the Seafarers’ Wages Bill, which progressed to Third Reading in the House of Lords on 07 November 2022. The Bill will now progress into the House of Commons, marking a major step towards ensuring that seafarers with close ties to the UK are paid at a rate at least equivalent to the UK National Minimum Wage.
We are continuing with delivery of the wider nine-point plan, including engagement with our near European neighbours to explore the creation of minimum wage equivalent corridors, as well as working through international organisations to create a step change in seafarer welfare.
Asked by: Mike Kane (Labour - Wythenshawe and Sale East)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether seafarer (a) training and (b) employment policies are within the remit of the UK Shipping Office for Reducing Emissions.
Answered by Richard Holden - Minister without Portfolio (Cabinet Office)
The first package of interventions announced by the UK Shipping Office for Reducing Emissions (UK SHORE) included a commitment to explore green skills initiatives, in partnership with the Department for Education and the National Shipbuilding Office.
UK SHORE will continue to work across government and industry on options to support the training and skills required for zero emission shipping.
Employment policy is not within the remit of UK SHORE.
Asked by: Mike Kane (Labour - Wythenshawe and Sale East)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the planned timetable is for the publication of the review conducted by the Civil Aviation Authority into (a) practices to ensure that legal responsibilities on providing care and assistance, refunds, and compensation are being met and (b) encouraging best practice.
Answered by Robert Courts - Solicitor General (Attorney General's Office)
Government and the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) have been clear with industry on their obligations to passengers in the event of flight disruptions. The CAA is undertaking engagement and information gathering with airlines. The CAA, as the regulator for aviation, will take enforcement action where they identify systemic failures.
CAA publishes guidance to industry to support good practice. Additionally, we are regularly engaging with industry through the weekly Strategic Risk Group and through our development of the Aviation Passenger Charter to encourage best practice.
It is essential that consumers have access to the information they need when travelling and are clear on their rights and responsibilities. The CAA and industry already publish guidance for consumers. To further support this, the Government is working with the CAA, industry, disability and consumer groups to develop and publish an Aviation Passenger Charter. The Charter will provide passengers with a single point of information to help understand their rights and responsibilities when travelling by air. The Charter will be published shortly.
Asked by: Mike Kane (Labour - Wythenshawe and Sale East)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to the Written Statement of 30 June 2022 entitled 22-point plan to tackle aviation disruption, when he plans to launch the Generation Aviation campaign to increase the number of people applying for jobs in the sector.
Answered by Robert Courts - Solicitor General (Attorney General's Office)
The Department for Transport will launch the Generation Aviation campaign in due course. The campaign will aim to work with industry to raise awareness of aviation careers and increase the number of people applying for jobs in the aviation sector.
Asked by: Mike Kane (Labour - Wythenshawe and Sale East)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether he received representations from representatives of industry on continuing the Airport and Ground Operations Support Scheme beyond January 2022.
Answered by Robert Courts - Solicitor General (Attorney General's Office)
We have received a large number of representations on a variety of issues from industry, all which are considered carefully.
Since the start of the pandemic, DfT estimates that the air transport sector (airlines, airport and related services) have benefitted from around £8bn of support, including grant awards made by the Airport and Ground Operations Support Scheme.
Since the UK became the first major economy in the world to remove all COVID-19 travel rules for anyone entering the UK on 18 March, now is the right time to start looking ahead to the future. We continue to take a flexible approach and keep all impacts and policies under review.
Asked by: Mike Kane (Labour - Wythenshawe and Sale East)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether (a) additional enforcement powers for the Civil Aviation Authority and (b) other consumer protections for air passengers will be implemented before the House rises for the Summer Adjournment on 21 July 2022.
Answered by Robert Courts - Solicitor General (Attorney General's Office)
The Department for Transport recently consulted on a range of aviation consumer policy reforms, including additional powers for the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) as the Regulator for aviation, to enforce consumer rights.
The consultation closed on the 27 March and we are conducting a comprehensive analysis and review of the responses. We will publish the Government’s response and set out next steps, including consideration of any potential legislative requirements, in due course.
Asked by: Mike Kane (Labour - Wythenshawe and Sale East)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when the new Aviation Passenger Charter will be published.
Answered by Robert Courts - Solicitor General (Attorney General's Office)
As announced in the Flightpath to the future and the recent plans for minimising disruption, Government is working alongside aviation industry, consumer and disability groups to develop the Aviation Passenger Charter.
The Charter will help passengers understand their rights and responsibilities when travelling by air.
The Charter will be published shortly.