Asked by: Sarah Olney (Liberal Democrat - Richmond Park)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether there have been any power cuts on their Department's property in each of the last three years.
Answered by Anthony Browne - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
There have been 3 power cuts recorded in the central department. We do not regularly record the details across all the sites of the Executive Agencies.
Asked by: Sarah Olney (Liberal Democrat - Richmond Park)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what data their Department holds on the (a) number and (b) cost of replacing (i) laptops, (ii) mobile phones, (iii) memory sticks and (iv) external hard drives that have been (A) lost and (B) stolen in the last 12 months.
Answered by Anthony Browne - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The response below covers the central Department and the five Executive Agencies: VCA, DVLA, MCGA, ATE and DVSA. Please note: DfT(c) handle all IT devices for Active Travel England (ATE) and so these figures are included in the DfT(c) figures.
(a,i,A) The number of lost laptops was 30.
(a,ii,A) The number of lost mobile phones was 86.
(a,i,B) The number of stolen laptops was 24.
(a,ii,B) the number of stolen mobile phones was 20.
(b,i,A) the cost of replacing lost laptops was between £1185 incl VAT and £1856.40 incl VAT, per item.
(b,ii,A) the cost of replacing lost mobile phones was between £240 incl VAT and £790.78 incl VAT, per item.
(b,i,B) the cost of replacing stolen laptops was between £1185 and £1856.40 incl VAT, per item.
(b,ii,B) the cost of replacing stolen mobile phones was between £240 incl VAT and £790.78 incl VAT, per item..
(iii and iv) we do not issue memory sticks or external hard drives, so do not hold data on them.
Asked by: Sarah Olney (Liberal Democrat - Richmond Park)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential (a) likelihood of flight delays for over two hours at Heathrow Airport in December 2023 and (b) impact of flights delays on trends in the level of night flights to and from that airport; and whether he plans to take steps to ensure that that airport does not exceed its night flight restrictions.
Answered by Jesse Norman
Heathrow Airport operates in the private sector and is responsible for managing its own performance. It has its own specific target to reduce the number of nights with late-running operations. The Department will continue to work closely with Heathrow throughout the winter season to understand the plans it has in place to manage passenger demand.
The Department also closely monitors night movements at Heathrow Airport to ensure compliance with night flight restrictions set by the Secretary of State.
Asked by: Sarah Olney (Liberal Democrat - Richmond Park)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to page 3 of Stakeholder Engagement Appendix G, Heathrow's Airspace Modernisation (FASI South) Stage 2 Gateway submission, if his Department will make an assessment of the potential ecological impact of diverting flight paths over Richmond Park.
Answered by Jesse Norman
The airspace modernisation programme is an important national infrastructure project that aims to deliver quicker, quieter and cleaner journeys for the benefit of those who use and are affected by UK airspace.
All sponsors of airspace change must follow the Civil Aviation Authority's regulatory requirements as set out in airspace change process (CAP1616). CAP1616 requires sponsors to undertake comprehensive environmental assessments for airspace options that are under consideration. The requirements of CAP1616 can be scaled up or down depending on the nature and impacts of the airspace change proposal.
Heathrow airport is currently at Stage 2 of the CAP1616 process. Heathrow needs to pass through the Stage 2 gateway before it can progress to Stage 3. It is at that stage that the sponsors of permanent airspace change proposals will undertake a full options appraisal before undertaking a formal public consultation with all interested stakeholders, including local communities.
Asked by: Sarah Olney (Liberal Democrat - Richmond Park)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 29 June 2023 to Question 191207 on Cars: Insurance, how often he met representatives of the car insurance industry to discuss insurance premiums in the last 12 months; and when the most recent meeting was held.
Answered by Richard Holden - Minister without Portfolio (Cabinet Office)
The Department regularly is involved with the insurance industry to discuss insurance premiums. The setting of premiums is a commercial decision for individual insurers and the Government does not intervene or seek to control the market.
Asked by: Sarah Olney (Liberal Democrat - Richmond Park)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 29 June 2023 to Question 191207, if he will publish further details of his Department's engagement with the insurance industry on car insurance premiums and their impact on policy holders between 1 January and 5 July 2023.
Answered by Richard Holden - Minister without Portfolio (Cabinet Office)
The Department has not held specific discussions with the insurance industry to discuss insurance premiums and their impact on policyholders. The setting of premiums is a commercial decision for individual insurers and the Government does not intervene or seek to control the market.
Asked by: Sarah Olney (Liberal Democrat - Richmond Park)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether he has discussed with the French Government negotiating acceptance of the UK Blue Badge in French car parks.
Answered by Richard Holden - Minister without Portfolio (Cabinet Office)
The UK Blue Badge scheme provides a range of concessions in respect of on-street parking. These do not apply to off-street car parks. Reciprocal arrangements discussed with other countries, including France, recognise that acceptance of the UK Blue Badge abroad will be based on that country’s disabled parking policy, which may not include off-street parking concessions.
Asked by: Sarah Olney (Liberal Democrat - Richmond Park)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether he has had recent discussions with the car insurance industry on insurance premiums and their impacts on policyholders.
Answered by Richard Holden - Minister without Portfolio (Cabinet Office)
The Department regularly engages with the insurance industry on a range of topics.
Asked by: Sarah Olney (Liberal Democrat - Richmond Park)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether his Department has taken recent steps to prevent vehicle manufacturers from selling vehicles that contain emissions defeat devices.
Answered by Richard Holden - Minister without Portfolio (Cabinet Office)
The Government is committed to reducing air pollution from all forms of transport, which has significantly reduced since 2010. The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency’s (DVSA’s) Market Surveillance Unit conducts an annual emissions-testing programme to test vehicle emissions in the real world. Where testing identifies non-compliant emissions the DVSA works with the manufacturer to implement improvement plans.
In 2018, the Government strengthened restrictions against the use of illegal emissions technology by passing legislation making it an offence for manufacturers to place motor vehicles on the market which contain prohibited defeat systems. The Government will also bring forward legislation to enable it to require vehicles to be recalled on environmental grounds, as well as exploring other means of strengthening enforcement.
Asked by: Sarah Olney (Liberal Democrat - Richmond Park)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, which consultations published by their Department are awaiting a response; and when each of those responses (a) were initially planned to and (b) will be published.
Answered by Jesse Norman
The Department, its executive agencies and arm’s-length bodies publish a large number of consultations and calls for evidence, and collating the information requested would come at a disproportionate cost for the Department. Consultations and calls for evidence are accompanied by other forms of engagement with the public and stakeholders. The Department always aims to publish government responses to consultations in a timely fashion, in line with the Government Consultation Principles, and to keep stakeholders updated on progress.