Asked by: Theresa Villiers (Conservative - Chipping Barnet)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of whether (a) Madeira and (b) other similar island locations pose a lower covid-19 risk than other locations on the UK's red list of countries for which hotel quarantine is required.
Answered by Robert Courts - Solicitor General (Attorney General's Office)
The government introduced a travel ban for Madeira, along with mainland Portugal and the Azores, on 15 January 2021 and since 15 February individuals who have been in Madeira in the 10 days before they arrive in the UK must quarantine in a government approved hotel.
The decision to introduce additional measures for arrivals who have been in Madeira and other countries on the red list in the 10 days before they arrive in the UK, is in direct response to scientific and medical data, which represents an increased risk to UK public health and an increased risk of community transmission of the new COVID-19 variants identified in other countries.
The government has made it consistently clear that it will take decisive action to contain the virus, including imposing travel bans if the public health risk of people returning from a particular country without self-isolating becomes too high.
Asked by: Theresa Villiers (Conservative - Chipping Barnet)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will make it his policy to oppose a third runway at Heathrow.
Answered by Robert Courts - Solicitor General (Attorney General's Office)
On 16 December 2020 the Supreme Court overturned the earlier Court of Appeal decision and declared that the Airports National Policy Statement is lawful. We are carefully considering the Court’s judgment.
The Government have always been clear that Heathrow expansion is a private sector project which must meet strict criteria on air quality, noise and climate change, as well as being privately financed, affordable, and delivered in the best interest of consumers.
Asked by: Theresa Villiers (Conservative - Chipping Barnet)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made for the implications of his policies of Transport for London's capacity to manage its projects to build flats over station car parks.
Answered by Rachel Maclean
The Government has agreed a further extraordinary funding and financing package for TfL of up to £1.7bn to ensure the continuation of public transport services in London.
As part of this deal, by 11 January 2021 TfL will produce a single, comprehensive management plan with options as to how a trajectory to financial sustainability by 2023 can be achieved, including their contribution to capital projects within London. As transport in London is devolved, it is for the Mayor and TfL to assess the merits of capital projects in which they wish to invest, and their capacity to deliver such projects.
Asked by: Theresa Villiers (Conservative - Chipping Barnet)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to his Department's negotiations with the Mayor of London for a bail-out for Transport for London (TfL), what assessment he has made of TfL's capacity to deliver major capital projects such as proposals to build over London Underground station car parks.
Answered by Rachel Maclean
The Government has agreed a further extraordinary funding and financing package for TfL of up to £1.7bn to ensure the continuation of public transport services in London.
As part of this deal, by 11 January 2021 TfL will produce a single, comprehensive management plan with options as to how a trajectory to financial sustainability by 2023 can be achieved, including their contribution to capital projects within London. As transport in London is devolved, it is for the Mayor and TfL to assess the merits of capital projects in which they wish to invest, and their capacity to deliver such projects.
Asked by: Theresa Villiers (Conservative - Chipping Barnet)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps he is taking to ensure young people using e-scooters are educated on using them safely and with appropriate regard to pedestrians.
Answered by Rachel Maclean
In a number of local areas across the country, trials of rental e-scooters are underway. They will run for 12 months and the results will be closely scrutinised to inform future policy. In all trial areas, e-scooter rental operators provide digital training to users as well as in person training at events. E-scooter operators use geofencing technology to limit the speeds e-scooters can reach and the areas they can operate in. They also incentivise considerate parking of vehicles, for example, by rewarding users who utilise parking bay zones. In order to register to use a trial e-scooter, a form of driver licence is required, therefore, no one under 16 years of age is legally able to use a rental e-scooter.
Asked by: Theresa Villiers (Conservative - Chipping Barnet)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what discussions he has had with Transport for London on whether (a) the proposed building over of station car parks and (b) other capital projects are excluded from the Government’s funding proposals for Transport for London announced on 21 October 2020.
Answered by Rachel Maclean
The Government has agreed a further extraordinary funding and financing package for TfL of up to £1.7bn to ensure the continuation of public transport services in London.
As part of this deal, the Mayor has chosen to make £160 million in savings over the next 6 months to move TfL onto a more financially sustainable footing.
Matters relating to the Mayor’s plans for housing development in London are devolved and subject to local planning consents.
Asked by: Theresa Villiers (Conservative - Chipping Barnet)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will take steps to exclude (a) the proposed building over of station car parks and (b) other capital projects from the scope of the Government’s funding proposals for Transport for London announced on 21 October 2020.
Answered by Rachel Maclean
The Government has agreed a further extraordinary funding and financing package for TfL of up to £1.7bn to ensure the continuation of public transport services in London.
As part of this deal, the Mayor has chosen to make £160 million in savings over the next 6 months to move TfL onto a more financially sustainable footing.
Matters relating to the Mayor’s plans for housing development in London are devolved and subject to local planning consents.
Asked by: Theresa Villiers (Conservative - Chipping Barnet)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what discussions he has had with the Mayor of London on his plans to build over London Underground station car parks.
Answered by Rachel Maclean
Matters relating to the Mayor’s plans for housing development in London are devolved and subject to local planning consents.
Asked by: Theresa Villiers (Conservative - Chipping Barnet)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will include in his Department's upcoming agreement with Transport for London for additional funding a condition that it cannot be used to facilitate building over London Underground station car parks.
Answered by Rachel Maclean
The Government has agreed a further extraordinary funding and financing package for TfL of up to £1.7bn to ensure the continuation of public transport services in London.
Matters relating to the Mayor’s plans for housing development in London are devolved and subject to local planning consents.
Asked by: Theresa Villiers (Conservative - Chipping Barnet)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether it is his policy that the additional funding for Transport for London which his Department is negotiating will include capital projects.
Answered by Rachel Maclean
We are currently in discussions with Transport for London and the Mayor on a further extraordinary funding agreement. The Mayor has many choices to make to balance the books of Transport for London over the long term. When he has made those choices, they will become conditions attached to support from the UK taxpayer. It would be inappropriate to disclose any further details while those discussions are ongoing.