Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will make it her policy to prevent the police from charging victims of theft whose cars have been stolen for the cost of holding or releasing those vehicles.

Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Home Office)

The Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984 (RTRA) empowers the police to remove vehicles that are dangerously, illegally, or obstructively parked, or broken down or abandoned, which includes vehicles abandoned after theft.

Removals and storage entail a cost, which would have to be paid for out of police budgets if not met by the vehicle owner. As a result, the police are empowered to charge the owner prescribed sums, which are set by Statutory Instrument and vary according to the size of the vehicle and other factors.

In 2021, the previous government conducted a consultation on the charges for the removal, storage and disposal of vehicles, and published a response to the findings of that consultation exercise in March 2023.

This response stated that: “When a vehicle owner has their vehicle stolen and restored to them, they can either decide to pay the recovery fee themselves, pass the recovery fee onto their insurance provider, or choose not to have their vehicle returned.” It did not propose any change to these arrangements.

Nevertheless, it is important to note that – in addition to the options above – the police are also empowered to waive the recovery fee at their discretion, taking into account any special circumstances, including the ability of the owner to pay, but this remains an operational matter for their judgement.

We will keep this matter under review, but at present, it remains the case that the charging of recovery fees is the most sustainable means of funding the costs incurred by the police in removing and storing abandoned vehicles.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, if his Department will take steps to ensure the Port of Dover has sufficient energy supply to the Port to implement electric ferry charging points.

Answered by Michael Shanks - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

The Government published the Maritime Decarbonisation Strategy on 25 March, which outlines domestic goals and commitments to decarbonise maritime transport, and a call for evidence on Net Zero Ports was launched to assess future energy demand at ports like Dover.

More broadly, the Government is working with Ofgem to ensure their price controls support necessary investment in the electricity network for the clean energy and growth missions, including maritime transport electrification. The next distribution price control, RIIO-ED3 covering 2028 to 2033, which will be informed by Regional Energy Strategic Plans to support strategic network investments.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of using disused mine shafts for clean energy creation using heat pump technology in Dover and Deal constituency.

Answered by Miatta Fahnbulleh - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

To achieve net zero at lowest cost, we must look at how to accelerate all low carbon technologies including geothermal. The mine water from coal mines shows good potential as a renewable source for heat networks.

The government is therefore supporting mine water schemes at Gateshead and Seaham Garden Village through the Heat Network Investment Project and the Green Heat Network Fund. No specific assessment has been made in Dover and Deal and although the Mining Remediation Authority has released opportunity maps for Wales and ten UK cities these do not cover this area.