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Written Question
Department of Transport: Public Expenditure
Thursday 21st March 2024

Asked by: Patricia Gibson (Scottish National Party - North Ayrshire and Arran)

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the Spring Budget 2024 on his Department’s spending plans.

Answered by Anthony Browne - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

The Spring Budget was not a Spending Review, and as such departmental spending limits are unaffected.


Written Question
Railways: Scotland
Thursday 26th October 2023

Asked by: Patricia Gibson (Scottish National Party - North Ayrshire and Arran)

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether he has had discussions with Cabinet colleagues on the potential impact of the cancellation of the second stage of HS2 on rail travel in Scotland.

Answered by Huw Merriman - Minister of State (Department for Transport)

£36 billion will be reinvested from the scrapping of Phase Two of the HS2 project. Under our Network North plan, connections across the UK will be strengthened, including through funding for targeted improvements to the A75 in Scotland. Rail is devolved in Scotland, so decisions on rail travel in Scotland are for the Scottish Government.


Written Question
Driving Licences: Foreign Nationals
Friday 2nd December 2022

Asked by: Patricia Gibson (Scottish National Party - North Ayrshire and Arran)

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether he has had recent discussions with the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency on taking steps to review the conditions to apply for a driving licence for (a) newly-settled Ukrainians and (b) other non-UK nationals living in the UK so they are able to apply for (i) bus driver and (ii) jobs in other sectors in which there are a shortage of drivers.

Answered by Richard Holden - Minister without Portfolio (Cabinet Office)

All non-UK nationals who are normally and lawfully resident in GB can apply for a provisional licence to drive buses and lorries. All applicants must hold a GB licence to drive cars, provide proof of identity and meet medical and conduct standards. Non-UK nationals will need to provide evidence that they have leave to remain in the UK.

Lorry and bus licences issued by EEA countries can be exchanged for the GB equivalent, as can licences issued in Switzerland for some categories of lorry and bus. Officials are progressing the work needed to introduce an exchange arrangement for Ukrainian lorry and bus licences as soon as possible. Exchange agreements are also being progressed with other countries.


Written Question
Motor Vehicles: Testing
Thursday 13th October 2022

Asked by: Patricia Gibson (Scottish National Party - North Ayrshire and Arran)

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to consumer surveys that indicate a significant number of drivers inadvertently forget to arrange an annual test of vehicle safety for a vehicle, and in the context of the availability of the GOV.UK MOT reminder service, if he will hold discussions with Cabinet colleagues on introducing additional measures so that drivers are encouraged to check their MOT certificate remains valid and in-date.

Answered by Katherine Fletcher

The MOT ensures a vehicle meets the minimum safety standard at a point in time. However, it is vital that the vehicle should be maintained throughout the year to avoid becoming defective and unroadworthy.

The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) has relaunched the ‘MOT reminder service’ to make it easier for users to manage their subscriptions and change the vehicles they want a reminder for.

Motorists can also use the ‘MOT history service’ (www.gov.uk/check-mot-history), for all categories of vehicle, to check if the vehicle has a current MOT, when the next MOT is due, and see any defects or advisories listed against the vehicle.

The DVSA also provides a ‘bulk data service’ (https://dvsa.github.io/mot-history-api-documentation/), which is used by over 700 companies. The service enables companies to download the MOT history data and create their own reminder services, producing a collaborative approach to improve compliance and vehicle safety awareness.


Written Question
Travel: Coronavirus
Monday 10th January 2022

Asked by: Patricia Gibson (Scottish National Party - North Ayrshire and Arran)

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will have discussions with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on additional support for the UK travel industry in response to the (a) imposition of covid-19 related restrictions on and (b) reductions in international travel.

Answered by Robert Courts - Solicitor General (Attorney General's Office)

The Secretary of State for Transport speaks regularly to Chancellor of the Exchequer and colleagues on a wide range of subjects, including the impacts of Covid-19 on the travel sector.


Written Question
Aviation: Dispute Resolution
Monday 6th December 2021

Asked by: Patricia Gibson (Scottish National Party - North Ayrshire and Arran)

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will bring forward proposals for a mandatory dispute resolution scheme for the airline industry.

Answered by Robert Courts - Solicitor General (Attorney General's Office)

The Government remains absolutely committed to ensuring consumers are protected when travelling by air. As announced in both the Global Travel Taskforce report in April, and the announcement by Lord Frost on Regulatory Reforms, we will be consulting on additional, flexible and modern tools to enforce consumer rights, including consumer rights enforcement powers for the Civil Aviation Authority.


Written Question
Aviation
Monday 6th December 2021

Asked by: Patricia Gibson (Scottish National Party - North Ayrshire and Arran)

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will bring forward proposals to strengthen the powers of the Civil Aviation Authority in order that it can effectively and efficiently protect consumer rights in that sector.

Answered by Robert Courts - Solicitor General (Attorney General's Office)

The Government remains absolutely committed to ensuring consumers are protected when travelling by air. As announced in both the Global Travel Taskforce report in April, and the announcement by Lord Frost on Regulatory Reforms, we will be consulting on additional, flexible and modern tools to enforce consumer rights, including consumer rights enforcement powers for the Civil Aviation Authority.


Written Question
Dispute Resolution
Wednesday 1st December 2021

Asked by: Patricia Gibson (Scottish National Party - North Ayrshire and Arran)

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if the Government will introduce mandatory alternative dispute resolution (ADR) to help consumers resolve disputes in respect of the airline sector in the context of most other regulated sectors having mandatory ADR schemes.

Answered by Robert Courts - Solicitor General (Attorney General's Office)

The Government remains absolutely committed to ensuring consumers are protected when travelling by air. As announced in both the Global Travel Taskforce report in April, and the recent announcement on Regulatory reforms, we will consult on additional, flexible and modern tools to enforce consumer rights.


Written Question
Driving Licences
Monday 15th November 2021

Asked by: Patricia Gibson (Scottish National Party - North Ayrshire and Arran)

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent steps he has taken to help tackle the backlog of applications awaiting a decision at the DVLA; and what recent progress the DVLA has made in reducing those backlogs.

Answered by Trudy Harrison

The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA)’s online services are the quickest and easiest way to make an application. There are no delays in successful online applications and customers should receive their documents within a few days. However, many people still choose or have to make a paper application. The latest information on turnaround times for paper applications can be found here.

The DVLA has introduced additional online services, recruited more staff and has secured extra office space in Swansea and Birmingham to help reduce waiting times while providing future resilience and business continuity.

Work is ongoing to reduce the backlog of paper applications. There has been a particular focus on vocational driving licence applications to support the HGV driver shortage. This has been successful with vocational applications now back to normal turnaround times.

The DVLA understands the impact that delays can have on people’s everyday lives and continues to work as quickly as possible to process paper applications and return people’s documentation to them.


Written Question
Motorways: Accidents
Wednesday 8th September 2021

Asked by: Patricia Gibson (Scottish National Party - North Ayrshire and Arran)

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment his Department has made of the potential effect of Smart Motorways on the number of fatalities caused by a collision.

Answered by Rachel Maclean

One year on from the publication of the Smart Motorway Safety Evidence Stocktake and Action Plan, National Highways (formerly Highways England) published a report which shows that in terms of fatality rates, smart motorways are the safest roads in the country. Per mile travelled, fatal casualty rates are a third higher on conventional motorways (0.16 per hundred million vehicle miles, hmvm) than on All Lane Running (ALR) motorways (0.12 per hmvm). Per mile travelled, fatal casualty rates on strategic road network A-roads (0.44 per hmvm) are more than three and a half times the rate on ALR motorways.