Asked by: Neil Parish (Conservative - Tiverton and Honiton)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what the timeframe is for (a) his Department to issue guidance on the (i) operation and (ii) management of private parking facilities and (b) the appointment of an independent office to deal with parking appeals under the Parking (Code of Practice) Act 2019.
Answered by Luke Hall - Minister of State (Education)
The government is committed enacting the Parking (Code of Practice) Act 2019 as soon as possible. It will lead to the creation of an independent code of practice for private parking companies and, if the Code requires it, a single independent service for parking appeals. We are currently considering the options for the delivery of the Code, including the design of the levy on industry, as well as the format for stakeholder engagement. We will make an announcement in due course. We are also committed to carrying out a public consultation on the draft Code of Practice, allowing all interested parties to directly respond to the proposals.
Asked by: Neil Parish (Conservative - Tiverton and Honiton)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will review the Government's decision not to include eggs and egg products on the proposed tariff list.
Answered by George Eustice
The Government will continue to listen to stakeholder views on the temporary tariff policy announced on 13 March. The Government does this through a variety of channels including direct correspondence and meetings with consumer organisations, business and business representative organisations, and other interest groups.
In the short-term, the Government would remain responsive to the needs of UK businesses and consumers as the UK leaves the EU. The temporary tariff will apply for up to 12 months. During this time, the Government would provide a mechanism to hear business and consumer feedback and would consider exceptional changes where clear evidence is provided by stakeholders against the criteria set out in the Taxation (Cross-border Trade) Act. We will provide further details on this mechanism in due course.
The Government has also committed to conducting a public consultation to inform our permanent tariff policy, which will take effect after the temporary period. This will enable the views of a wide range of businesses to be heard. We will provide details of this public consultation in due course.
Asked by: Neil Parish (Conservative - Tiverton and Honiton)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that local authorities receive adequate funding to ensure that public toilets are sufficiently accessible for people with disabilities.
Answered by Rishi Sunak - Prime Minister, First Lord of the Treasury, Minister for the Civil Service, and Minister for the Union
Local authorities have discretion over the range of services they provide and will see their core spending power increase to £46.4 billion in 2019-20, a cash-increase of 2.8 per cent. To support the running of all public toilets, the Chancellor announced at Autumn Budget a new 100 per cent business rates relief for standalone public lavatories in England.
Asked by: Neil Parish (Conservative - Tiverton and Honiton)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment his Department has made of the potential environmental effect of (a) scrubber technology and (b) marine sulphur dumping on UK coastlines.
Answered by Nusrat Ghani - Minister of State (Minister for Europe)
The Government has not seen any evidence that the use of scrubbing technology would have a significant effect on the marine environment.
All scrubbers must comply with mandatory Guidelines, which were developed by the International Maritime Organization, before they are allowed to become operational. The potential effects of the use of scrubber technologies on the marine environment was taken into consideration when developing the Guidelines. To be compliant, the systems collect and store any sulphur residue and solid particulate matter on-board the vessel, to be deposited at a port waste reception facility.
Some scrubbers discharge treated wash water back into the sea – which is also controlled under the IMO Guidelines. There are ongoing studies which are looking at the impact of wash water discharges within European waters, which we are monitoring. At this stage, we are not aware of any significant issues which have been found. However, we will respond appropriately at international level, if these or any other studies, conclude that further controls are needed.
Asked by: Neil Parish (Conservative - Tiverton and Honiton)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the merits of a potential role for the vehicle rental and leasing sector in increasing uptake of electric vehicles; and if he will bring forward the 2 per cent company car tax rate to April 2019 to help achieve that.
Answered by Robert Jenrick
The vehicle rental and leasing sector has an important role to play in helping to achieve the government’s ambition for the majority of new cars to be zero emission by 2040.
The vehicle tax system incentivises the uptake of cars with low CO2 emissions with favourable rates of Vehicle Excise Duty and company car tax.
Asked by: Neil Parish (Conservative - Tiverton and Honiton)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether he plans to (a) amend the Clean Air Act 1993 or (b) repeal that Act and include its provisions in the primary legislation proposed in the Government’s Clean Air Strategy.
Answered by Thérèse Coffey
On 18 July the Prime Minister announced that the Government will bring forward the first Environment Bill in over 20 years. This will incorporate a range of issues including improving air quality and builds on the vision set out in our 25 Year Environment Plan. As we develop these proposals, we will consider the best way to reform the existing legislative framework.
Asked by: Neil Parish (Conservative - Tiverton and Honiton)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether a local authority should consider its housing need when assessing a proposed Neighbourhood Plan and its proposals to build new local homes; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Dominic Raab
Government wants to ensure that plans start from an honest assessment of need for new homes, the draft revised National Planning Policy Framework proposes that local authorities provide designated neighbourhood planning areas with a housing requirement figure.
Our guidance is also clear that local planning authorities should provide constructive comments on an emerging neighbourhood plan before it is submitted for examination. Following examination a Local Planning Authority is required to decide whether a plan meets the basic conditions, which include whether the making of the neighbourhood plan is in general conformity with the strategic policies contained in the development plan for the area.
Asked by: Neil Parish (Conservative - Tiverton and Honiton)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether the Government has carried out any assessment of the effect of emissions from older diesel locomotives on public health.
Answered by Lord Johnson of Marylebone
While the rail sector as a whole is a relatively minor contributor to overall levels of outdoor air pollution, emissions from older diesel trains can contribute to local air quality issues. In February 2018, the Government challenged the rail industry to phase out diesel only trains by 2040.
New diesel rolling stock, including those commissioned for the Greater Anglia, Trans-Pennine, Northern and West Midlands franchises, are required to meet the latest emissions standards. This will replace the oldest trains, built in the 1980s, on the network. Overall this will significantly reduce pollution from the sector.
Asked by: Neil Parish (Conservative - Tiverton and Honiton)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether the Government has made an assessment of the potential effects on cleanliness of engines of retrofitting cleaner diesel engines into older trains and locomotives.
Answered by Lord Johnson of Marylebone
While the rail sector as a whole is a relatively minor contributor to overall levels of outdoor air pollution, emissions from older diesel trains can contribute to local air quality issues. In February 2018, the Government challenged the rail industry to phase out diesel only trains by 2040.
New diesel rolling stock, including those commissioned for the Greater Anglia, Trans-Pennine, Northern and West Midlands franchises, are required to meet the latest emissions standards. This will replace the oldest trains, built in the 1980s, on the network. Overall this will significantly reduce pollution from the sector.
Asked by: Neil Parish (Conservative - Tiverton and Honiton)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether the Government has made an assessment of the potential effects on cleanliness of engines of retrofitting cleaner diesel engines into older trains and locomotives.
Answered by Lord Johnson of Marylebone
While the rail sector as a whole is a relatively minor contributor to overall levels of outdoor air pollution, emissions from older diesel trains can contribute to local air quality issues. In February 2018, the Government challenged the rail industry to phase out diesel only trains by 2040.
New diesel rolling stock, including those commissioned for the Greater Anglia, Trans-Pennine, Northern and West Midlands franchises, are required to meet the latest emissions standards. This will replace the oldest trains, built in the 1980s, on the network. Overall this will significantly reduce pollution from the sector.