Asked by: Thangam Debbonaire (Labour - Bristol West)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what discussions the Government has had with representatives of (a) Cathay Pacific Airways and (b) the Aircrew Officers Association Europe on Cathay Pacific's proposal to close its Heathrow pilot base.
Answered by Robert Courts - Solicitor General (Attorney General's Office)
I have met with representatives from Cathay Pacific Airways to understand the rationale for the base closure and discuss alternative options, including what support could be offered to the pilots who may be affected by the commercial decision the airline is proposing. Moreover, I met with representatives of the Aircrew Officers Association Europe, including pilots who may be directly affected by the closure of the Heathrow pilot base.
Asked by: Thangam Debbonaire (Labour - Bristol West)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps he is taking to monitor the effect of the recent industrial dispute at the DVLA in Swansea on (a) employees of that organisation and (b) the public; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Rachel Maclean
The safety and welfare of Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) staff is of paramount importance as it has been throughout the pandemic. Extensive measures are in place to support the wellbeing of staff and information on the services available to staff is regularly communicated.
The DVLA’s online services remain available and are the quickest and easiest way to transact. Motorists are strongly advised to use these channels where possible. Paper applications are taking longer to process because of reduced numbers of staff on site. The ongoing industrial action by the Public and Commercial Services union is inevitably harming some of the most vulnerable in society, as these are often the people who rely on less automated services which require DVLA staff to be working on site.
Asked by: Thangam Debbonaire (Labour - Bristol West)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when his Department plans to publish the outcome of its consultation on Electric Vehicle Charging in Residential and Non-residential Buildings that closed in October 2019.
Answered by Rachel Maclean
We are analysing the feedback from respondents and aim to make an announcement early next year.
Asked by: Thangam Debbonaire (Labour - Bristol West)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the (a) merits of recent requests to provide covid-19 testing at airports and (b) potential merits of allocating funding to airport management companies to enable them to provide that service.
Answered by Robert Courts - Solicitor General (Attorney General's Office)
The Government is actively working on the practicalities of using testing to release people from self-isolation earlier than 14 days. The Global Travel Taskforce is working at pace to consider how testing, technology and innovation can drive a recovery for international travel and tourism, without adding to infection risk or infringing on our overall NHS test capacity.
Public Health England prepared a paper on the effectiveness of ‘double testing’ travellers coming to the UK. The paper is available at:
Asked by: Thangam Debbonaire (Labour - Bristol West)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to the Answer of 17 May 2019 to Question 252001 on Bus Service Operators Grant, by what date he plans to bring forward plans to reform the Bus Service Operators Grant.
Answered by Rachel Maclean
At the present time it is still our intention to proceed with plans to reform the Bus Service Operators Grant, however due to the ongoing pandemic these plans have temporarily been placed on hold and no specific date is envisaged at this time. The digitalisation of the grant process has also been placed on hold, however the department is committed to delivering this as part of the Governments Digital by Default Agenda and we aspire to resuming this before the end of the year.
Asked by: Thangam Debbonaire (Labour - Bristol West)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps he is taking to ensure the provision of medical examinations to maintain an adequate level of certified Heavy Goods Vehicle drivers.
Answered by Rachel Maclean
The Government has temporarily waived the requirement for bus and lorry drivers to provide a medical report when renewing their licences. This change was announced on 17 April 2020 for those applying to renew licences that expire on or after 1 January 2020.
It remains a legal requirement for drivers to notify the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency of the onset or worsening of a medical condition that may impact their driving.
Asked by: Thangam Debbonaire (Labour - Bristol West)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what changes he is making to the requirement for heavy goods vehicle drivers to be periodically tested for a Certificate of Professional Competence while test centres are closed as a result of the covid-19 outbreak.
Answered by Rachel Maclean
Most professional lorry and bus drivers must complete 35 hours of periodic training every 5 years to maintain their Driver Certificate of Professional Competence (CPC) qualification. This is evidenced by a Driver CPC card (sometimes called a ‘driver qualification card’ or ‘DQC’).
Periodic training is available remotely from commercial providers, via online video platforms. The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency encourages drivers to continue to undertake training wherever possible, but not as an activity that needs extra travel and only in compliance with general government advice.
The validity of DQCs with expiry dates from 1 February 2020 to 31 August 2020 have been extended by 7 months.
Drivers will not be issued with a new card to reflect the new expiry date, and must continue to carry their DQC.
Drivers who have a DQC that has an expiry date from 1 September 2020 must not drive until it is renewed.
Asked by: Thangam Debbonaire (Labour - Bristol West)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of pay increases for each level of staff employed in Highways England in the last ten years.
Answered by Kelly Tolhurst
Highways England was established on 1 April 2015. The Department for Transport has not carried out an assessment of the adequacy of pay increases for each level of staff in Highways England over the period since its establishment.
Responsibility for setting pay levels within Highways England sits with the Company, overseen by its Remuneration Committee. Annual pay increases within Highways England are based on a number of factors, including affordability and guidance from the Department for Transport and the Cabinet Office.
I would like to assure you that the Secretary of State is placing significant focus on pay in the Department’s arm’s length bodies.
Asked by: Thangam Debbonaire (Labour - Bristol West)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what meetings his Department has had with Bristol City Council to discuss preparations for the UK leaving the EU without a withdrawal agreement.
Answered by Chris Heaton-Harris - Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
DfT supports MHCLG’s Brexit discussions with local authority leaders and local authority Chief Executives to outline its work on Brexit preparedness and to address transport queries.
No meetings have taken place with Bristol City Council, but DfT is directly engaging with Avon and Somerset Local Resilience Forum, which includes emergency responders, councils and other public services.
Asked by: Thangam Debbonaire (Labour - Bristol West)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, who is responsible for monitoring compliance by transport companies with the law on disability access.
Answered by Nusrat Ghani - Minister of State (Minister for Europe)
This varies according to the mode of transport that each company operates.
The Office of Rail and Road monitors compliance by train operating companies, the Civil Aviation Authority monitors compliance by airports and airlines, the Maritime and Coastguard Agency monitors compliance by maritime operators, the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency monitors compliance by bus operators, and each local authority monitors compliance by taxi and private hire vehicle operators in their authority.