Asked by: Philip Davies (Conservative - Shipley)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent estimate he has made of the cost to the public purse to provide the additional train services between London Kings Cross, Shipley and Bradford as set out in the East Coast franchise.
Answered by Chris Heaton-Harris
An additional service between Kings Cross, Shipley and Bradford will be delivered in July 2020. The outstanding committed services will be delivered as soon as capacity is available.
The introduction of the additional services was originally delayed from May 2019 because of delays to the introduction of LNER’s new Azuma trains, in line with guidance from the Industry Programme Management Office Steering Group established following the May 2018 timetable issues. Since then it has become clear that capacity constraints in the Bradford area mean that integrating the LNER services with the existing, intensive Northern commuter services, while protecting their reliability, will be challenging. Infrastructure upgrades may be needed to resolve these capacity constraints
I and my officials met by video conference with Network Rail and LNER, with the Honourable Member present, on 1 June 2020.
The Department has not made a specific recent estimate of the cost to the public purse. The additional services were contracted as part of an overall package in 2015 from Virgin Trains East Coast, the then franchisee, and delivery of them was not affected by the transfer of services to LNER. LNER expects the additional services to be revenue generative, and to have additional wider economic benefits for the areas and communities they serve
Asked by: Philip Davies (Conservative - Shipley)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when (a) Network Rail and (b) the East Coast Franchise Operator first notified his Department that the scheduled additional train services between London Kings Cross, Shipley and Bradford would not meet the 2019 timescale set out in the franchise.
Answered by Chris Heaton-Harris
The Department became aware in late 2018 that the additional train services would not be delivered in May 2019 due to delays to the delivery of the IEP fleet and as a consequence of the revised industry approach to timetable development following the May 2018 timetable change. Following our recent meeting on this issue, I look forward to working with my Honorable Friend to ensure these services are delivered as soon as is feasible.
Asked by: Philip Davies (Conservative - Shipley)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many times the (a) Union Jack, (b) St George's flag, (c) Scottish Saltire and (d) flag of Wales has been flown from the headquarters of his Department in London in each year since 2015.
Answered by Chris Heaton-Harris
The Union Jack has been flown every day since 2015 at the Department for Transport’s London headquarters building. The Department does not own any of the other flags mentioned.
Asked by: Philip Davies (Conservative - Shipley)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many (a) Union Jack, (b) St George, (c) Scottish Saltire and (d) Flag of Wales flags his Department owns.
Answered by Chris Heaton-Harris
The Department for Transport owns 5 Union Jack flags. The Department does not own any of the other flags mentioned.
Asked by: Philip Davies (Conservative - Shipley)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, by what date all of the additional direct trains between Shipley/Bradford and London under the East Coast franchise will be introduced.
Answered by Chris Heaton-Harris
LNER intends to introduce the outstanding direct services as soon as possible and is working to finalise timescales. I’ve asked LNER to meet the Honourable gentleman to provide an update.
Asked by: Philip Davies (Conservative - Shipley)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what plans his Department has to mark International Men's Day on 19 November 2019.
Answered by Chris Heaton-Harris
The Department for Transport celebrates International Men’s Day in several ways. The central department will hold a panel discussion on “Men Inspiring Men”. Our Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency will be marking the day with an opportunity for staff to network and meet inspirational role models. Our Maritime and Coastguard Agency will promote shared parental leave to men as well as male health and wellbeing.
No one should suffer unfair treatment because of their gender. Every year International Men’s Day offers an opportunity to highlight how outcomes for men and boys can be improved and to talk about some of the important work going on every day across Government to do this.
The work ranges from the introduction of shared parental leave, which allows men to take time away from the workplace and bond with their new children, benefitting that crucial long-term relationship for both parent and child, to our programme tackling LGBT bullying in schools which seeks to protect those who may be victimised by outdated and stereotypical ideas of what it means to be a ‘real man’.
Government is also working with local authorities to ensure their suicide prevention plans support more men, and in the Domestic Abuse Bill we propose to create a statutory definition of domestic abuse that makes clear men also can be victims of this abhorrent crime.
Asked by: Philip Davies (Conservative - Shipley)
Question to the Department for Transport:
Whether it is his policy to include services to and from Bradford in Northern Powerhouse Rail.
Answered by Paul Maynard
The Prime Minister pledged in July to fund a new route between Leeds and Manchester. The Northern Powerhouse Rail business case contains a range of options for improving connectivity between Leeds and Manchester, including options which would serve Bradford.
Asked by: Philip Davies (Conservative - Shipley)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how much his Department has spent on schemes to encourage staff of his Department to cycle to work since 2015; and how much his Department has spent on (a) installing bicycle racks and (b) bonus schemes for bicycle use in that time period.
Answered by Chris Heaton-Harris
The Department encourages employees to cycle to work and provides a range of facilities including cycle racks, dedicated changing rooms, showers and drying facilities.
Since 2015 the Department and its Executive Agencies have spent £48,000 on installing and refurbishing bike racks.
The Department offers employees the opportunity to save on the cost of purchasing a bike through the cycle to work salary sacrifice scheme. Interest-free cycle loans are also available.
Asked by: Philip Davies (Conservative - Shipley)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when his Department plans to complete the Shipley Eastern Bypass.
Answered by Jesse Norman - Shadow Leader of the House of Commons
Officials from the Department for Transport are working closely with Bradford Metropolitan District Council as it takes forward its feasibility study for a road scheme in Shipley. To take forward plans for the road scheme, the Council will need to identify its preferred option and then provide a detailed business case for the Department to review.
Asked by: Philip Davies (Conservative - Shipley)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the average age was of bulk carrier merchant ships using UK ports in each year since 2010; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Nusrat Ghani
Figures are shown in the table
Year | Average age of bulk carriers (years) |
2010 | 11.3 |
2011 | 9.8 |
2012 | 8.4 |
2013 | 7.8 |
2014 | 8.1 |
2015 | 7.8 |
2016 | 8.0 |
2017 | 8.0 |
Source: DfT Analysis of vessel data supplied by Lloyds List Intelligence and DfT Maritime Statistics