Asked by: Steve Double (Conservative - St Austell and Newquay)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether the scope of the Global Travel Taskforce’s report due to be published on 12 April 2021 on the reopening of international travel will include the cruise sector; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Robert Courts
The successor to the Global Travel Taskforce report will consider a safe and sustainable return to international travel. It will include the cruise sector and will determine the timelines for international cruise restart.
The report’s recommendations will be aimed at facilitating a return to international travel as soon as is possible, while still managing risk from imported cases and variants of concern. The Taskforce will report on 12 April to the Prime Minister and will work with UK representatives of the travel sector, including cruise operators and trade associations. Following that, the Government will determine when international travel should resume, which will be no earlier than 17 May.
I am in regular contact with the cruise sector and will engage with them once timelines have been determined.
Asked by: Steve Double (Conservative - St Austell and Newquay)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent discussions he has had with representatives of the maritime industry on funding for feasibility projects relating to maritime decarbonisation.
Answered by Robert Courts
On 18 November the Prime Minister announced, as part of his Ten Point Plan for a Green Industrial Revolution, £20 million for a Clean Maritime Demonstration Competition to develop clean maritime technology, such as feasibility studies on key sites. My officials and I have had preliminary discussions with representatives from the maritime sector concerning the commitments in the Ten Point Plan, including the Clean Maritime Demonstration Competition. Further information on the terms of the competition will be published in due course.
Asked by: Steve Double (Conservative - St Austell and Newquay)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent discussions he has had with representatives of UK ports on their role in contributing to the Government's net zero emissions target.
Answered by Robert Courts
The Department has regular meetings at both Ministerial and Official level with individual ports and their trade representatives on wide a range of issues including decarbonisation.
The UK’s ports are covered by both the Net Zero 2050 target, and our national carbon budgets under the Climate Change Act. Ports will need to decarbonise alongside the wider UK economy.
Most recently I have met with the board members of the UK Major Ports Group, one of the two port trade associations in the UK, on the 27th of November. We discussed a range of issues of interest to the sector including decarbonisation.
Asked by: Steve Double (Conservative - St Austell and Newquay)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps he is taking to make rail fares more flexible for commuters in (a) St Austell and Newquay constituency and (b) throughout the UK to reflect the change in working patterns (i) during and (ii) after the covid-19 outbreak.
Answered by Chris Heaton-Harris
Government recognises that the Covid-19 pandemic has caused a fundamental change in working patterns and that this could have long-term effects on commuter behaviours.
In response, the Department for Transport has proactively worked with the rail industry, and is currently considering proposals received from train operators, including Great Western Railway, to try to ensure better value and convenience for part-time and flexible commuters.
Asked by: Steve Double (Conservative - St Austell and Newquay)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps he is taking to reform the regulations governing rail fares to reflect changes in working patterns throughout the UK.
Answered by Chris Heaton-Harris
The Government remains committed to modernising rail fares and ticketing and recognises that the Covid-19 pandemic has caused a fundamental change in working patterns which could have long-term effects on commuter behaviours. We are actively considering how we can modernise our fares and ticketing offer, to develop more convenient and better value options for passengers.
However, these are unprecedented times and our immediate focus is on ensuring that we keep the railway available and safe for those who rely upon it.