Asked by: Rosie Cooper (Labour - West Lancashire)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what guidance his Department has issued to the British Transport Police on the timescales for responding to correspondence from Members of Parliament.
Answered by Lord Johnson of Marylebone
The Department does not issue guidance to the British Transport Police (BTP) on the timescales for responding to correspondence from Members of Parliament. However, the Department understands that the BTP aims to acknowledge receipt of correspondence from MPs, that are received in the Chief Constable’s office, within 2 days and to provide a formal response within 2 weeks of receipt.
I understand that this deadline was not met in relation to a recent piece of correspondence from the Hon Member. I am assured by the BTP that this oversight was exceptional and that steps have been put in place to ensure the correspondence from all Members of Parliament will be dealt with promptly.
Asked by: Rosie Cooper (Labour - West Lancashire)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether there is a time frame in which the DVLA must (a) respond and (b) take action after the reporting of untaxed or abandoned vehicles on public roads.
Answered by Jesse Norman - Shadow Leader of the House of Commons
There is no specific timescale within which the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) must respond or take action after receiving a report of a potentially unlicensed vehicle.
The DVLA has an online service for members of the public to notify possibly unlicensed vehicles. A report of notifications received via this service is sent weekly to the DVLA’s national wheel clamping contractor. The licensing status of any vehicles listed in the report will be checked, and appropriate action taken if they are seen on the public road.
The DVLA’s database also automatically recognises when a vehicle is non-compliant and highlights this so that enforcement action can be taken. Often action is under way that may not be immediately visible to the public.
The DVLA is not responsible for the removal of abandoned vehicles. Local authorities are able to do so using powers contained in the Cleaner Neighbourhoods and Environment Act 2006. Alternatively, the police can remove any vehicle that is causing an obstruction, is likely to cause danger, or is broken down or abandoned without lawful authority.
Asked by: Rosie Cooper (Labour - West Lancashire)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether his Department provides guidance to airlines on the timeline for issuing compensation packages to customers.
Answered by John Hayes
The Civil Aviation Authority, as the enforcement body for the Regulation 261/2004 establishing common rules on compensation and assistance to passengers in the event of denied boarding and of cancellation or long delay of flights, ensures that airlines are compliant with the Regulation and has issued guidance material to the airlines. Case law on the Regulation has clarified that passengers have 6 years after the disruption to submit a claim for compensation.
We will expect all airlines to process the claims and pay out compensation where it is due in a timely manner.
Asked by: Rosie Cooper (Labour - West Lancashire)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether he has received representations on the late or non-payment of compensation packages by the airline Ryanair; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by John Hayes
The Department for Transport has not received any official representations regarding late or non-payment of compensation by Ryanair. According to the Regulation 261/2004 as clarified by case law, passengers have 6 years to bring the compensation claims to the airline. We will expect all airlines to process the claims and pay out compensation where it is due in a timely manner.
During the recent mass cancellation of flights by Ryanair, the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) as the enforcement body to the Regulation took enforcement action against Ryanair due to the airline not giving out complete information to affected passengers of their rights. The Government fully supports this action which resulted in Ryanair changing its messaging.
Asked by: Rosie Cooper (Labour - West Lancashire)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when he plans to announce his decision on funding for the Burscough Curves rail scheme in West Lancashire.
Answered by Paul Maynard
No application for funding has been received from relevant local bodies.
Asked by: Rosie Cooper (Labour - West Lancashire)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if his Department will make an assessment of the adequacy of funding provision for the electrification of rail services operating through West Lancashire.
Answered by Paul Maynard
The Hendy Review in 2015 re-planned Network Rail’s enhancement programme and as a result Network Rail is spending around £15bn on enhancements. A key part of this programme is the ongoing assessment of investment decisions so that passengers and taxpayers get maximum value. There are no current electrification schemes in the West Lancashire constituency in this enhancement programme.
Asked by: Rosie Cooper (Labour - West Lancashire)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when he plans to announce his decision on the reopening of the Burscough Curves rail service in West Lancashire.
Answered by Paul Maynard
In line with our devolution policies it is for local bodies to decide whether to promote this reopening as a solution to local economic and transport objectives and to secure appropriate funding, including from that made available from Government for these purposes.
Asked by: Rosie Cooper (Labour - West Lancashire)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the feasibility of train operators or Network Rail taking over the operation of train ticket offices previously operated by local authorities.
Answered by Claire Perry
No local authorities operate train ticket offices, therefore no such assessment has been made.
Asked by: Rosie Cooper (Labour - West Lancashire)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the proposed timescales are for the completion of the business case work for the electrification of the Southport to Salford Crescent and Kirkby to Salford Crescent railway lines set out in the March 2015 report of the North of England Electrification Task Force.
Answered by Andrew Jones
The report of the independent North of England Electrification Task Force made recommendations on the prioritisation for a rolling programme of electrification of all currently unelectrified lines in the North, in three tiers. It recommended that full business case analysis of all Tier 1 schemes should be urgently progressed. Both Southport-Salford Crescent and Kirby-Salford Crescent were placed in Tier 1.
The Task Force’s recommendations are being taken into account by Network Rail as it prepares an updated national electrification strategy based on a comprehensive sifting and appraisal process. The strategy will be subject to public consultation this year and will inform the Government’s Rail Investment Strategy for 2019-2024.