Asked by: Tom Brake (Liberal Democrat - Carshalton and Wallington)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment his Department has made of the effect on the (a) UK road haulage industry (b) the workforce of that industry and (c) consumers of his Department's criteria for allocating European Council of Ministers Transport permits.
Answered by Chris Heaton-Harris - Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
The criteria used for allocating European Conference of Ministers of Transport road haulage permits were designed to deliver on the principles of obtaining the greatest economic benefit from the permits, protecting the interests of UK hauliers, and applying a fair and consistent process.
The Government has been clear that is does not intend to rely solely on ECMT permits if the UK leaves the EU without a deal.
The EU has agreed a regulation on basic road connectivity that guarantees rights for UK hauliers to continue providing services between the UK and the EU until at least 31 December 2019 meaning that most haulage trips to EU or EEA countries will not be affected. The European Commission has on 4 September 2019 published a proposal to extend the regulation until 31 July 2020. The proposal, when combined with the ECMT system, would ensure that 99% of trips to the EU could continue to operate as they currently do for the first four months of the Regulation.
A small proportion of operators may require ECMT permits for transit to third countries during November and December 2019 and these can be purchased from the DVSA.
The UK also has historic bilateral agreements and it is our view that the majority of them would revive in an absence of an EU wide measure.
Asked by: Tom Brake (Liberal Democrat - Carshalton and Wallington)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many applications his Department has received from UK hauliers for European Council of Ministers for Transport international driving permits; how many of those licences are available; and how many of those licences have been issued.
Answered by Chris Heaton-Harris - Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
The UK had an allocation of 1,610 annual European Conference of Minister of Transport (ECMT) permits and 4,824 short-term permits available for hauliers to use in 2019.
In preparation for leaving the EU in March 2019, 2,145 UK goods vehicle operator licence holders applied for 11,976 ECMT annual permits. 774 annual permits were subsequently issued, with many hauliers declining to take up their allocation. As of 30 August 2019, ECMT permits for use in November and December 2019 are available to purchase.
If we leave the EU without a deal on 31 October 2019, most journeys will be allowed until at least 31 December 2019 under an EU contingency regulation. A small proportion of journeys are not covered by the regulation. The European Commission has on 4 September 2019 published a proposal to extend the regulation until 31 July 2020. The proposal, when combined with the ECMT system, would ensure that 99% of trips to the EU could continue to operate as they currently do for the first four months of the Regulation.
UK hauliers who need to transit the EU/EEA to third countries or who carry out three cross-trade movements within seven days can now apply for short-term permits via the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency’s digital service for journeys during November and December 2019.
The UK also has historic bilateral agreements and it is our view that the majority of them would revive in an absence of an EU wide measure.
Asked by: Tom Brake (Liberal Democrat - Carshalton and Wallington)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many and what proportion of officials in his Department took sick leave for reasons relating to stress in the last 12 months; what proportion that leave was of total sick leave taken in his Department; and what the cost was to his Department of officials taking sick leave over that period.
Answered by Jesse Norman
The Department and its Agencies have provided the responses below for the period 1 May 2018 to 30 April 2019.
The Department has a number of sources of support for employees including a free-to-use Employee Assistance Programme, which offers up to six counselling sessions at a convenient location within days of referral, and a Wellbeing Buddy Network run by volunteers. It has also launched a Mental Health First Aid service run by trained volunteers for colleagues in immediate emotional distress.
The Department recognises the importance of the line manager in mental health, and has a resource available for line managers to provide guidance on managing colleagues with mental health difficulties/issues. It has also launched Wellbeing Action Plans, to guide line managers in conversations about wellbeing, including in relation to mental health.
Asked by: Tom Brake (Liberal Democrat - Carshalton and Wallington)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many staff in his Department who were transferred or seconded to work (a) in other departments or (b) on other departmental briefs on preparations for the UK to leave the EU, have since returned to his Department.
Answered by Jesse Norman
The Department has not historically collected information about the nature of work of members of staff on loan, transfer or secondment.
Of the information that is available, as at 30th April 2019, there were 5 or fewer staff from the Department for Transport on active loan to the Department for Exiting the European Union who have since returned. However, the Department is unable to confirm the exact nature of work carried out.
Due to the small number of instances, the exact figure is being withheld, as releasing this could lead to identification of individuals.
To prepare for the UK to leave the EU, the Department has reviewed and reprioritised workforce plans. This includes identification and cessation of non-priority work where appropriate. These plans have remained flexible to respond to the resourcing needs for the Department as this has changed over time.
The Department is not able to provide a figure on how many people within DfT have changed role, or the nature of how their work has changed, as a result of the Department’s preparations to leave the EU because this is not recorded in any HR systems.
Asked by: Tom Brake (Liberal Democrat - Carshalton and Wallington)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether all lanes closed as part of Operation Brock on the M20 are now open.
Answered by Jesse Norman
The coast-bound carriageway between junctions 8 and 9 of the M20 is currently operating as a three-lane motorway while the Operation Brock contraflow system is not active on this part of the motorway. The London-bound carriageway has two running lanes, operating with a 50mph speed limit.
The metal barrier that is currently in place on the London-bound carriageway between junctions 8 and 9 of the M20 will remain under regular review over the coming months but is unlikely to be removed before the end of October. This is to allow for the option of deploying the contraflow at short notice during times of cross-Channel disruption, caused by bad weather or industrial action, for example.
Highways England are responsible for operational decisions regarding the strategic road network in England, which includes the M20 in Kent. Decisions regarding significant changes to this road network – such as the removal of the barrier or the use of lanes on the M20 carriageways – are made on their advice and by taking into consideration the safety and convenience of all road users.
Asked by: Tom Brake (Liberal Democrat - Carshalton and Wallington)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 19 March 2019 to Written Question 232503, what the timeframe is for the Government to bring forward primary legislation to reform taxi and private hire licensing laws.
Answered by Nusrat Ghani - Minister of State (Minister for Europe)
Government will bring forward legislation in respect of the commitments made in the response to the Task and Finish Group on Taxi and Private Hire Vehicle Licensing when time allows.
Asked by: Tom Brake (Liberal Democrat - Carshalton and Wallington)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 9 April 2019 to Question 240585 on taxis: licensing, how his Department is planning to restrict cross-border hiring by private hire drivers; and what the timescale is for bringing forward legislative proposals.
Answered by Nusrat Ghani - Minister of State (Minister for Europe)
Government is considering how any restriction of out-of-area journeys by taxis and private hire vehicles proposed by the Chair of the Task and Finish Group might work in practice, with a view to legislating.
Asked by: Tom Brake (Liberal Democrat - Carshalton and Wallington)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will bring forward legislative proposals to provide statutory definitions of pre-booked and plying for hire, in order to maintain the two-tier taxi and private hire regulation system, as recommended by the Task and Finish Group on Taxi and Private Hire Licensing.
Answered by Nusrat Ghani - Minister of State (Minister for Europe)
Providing a statutory definition of plying for pre-booking and plying for hire was considered as part of the Government response to the report by the Chair of the Task and Finish Group. The response issued on 12 February explained that since the Law Commission concluded in 2014 that a statutory definition of plying for hire would not be a practical improvement on the current position and there being no change in the legal situation, the Government would not take forward that recommendation.
Asked by: Tom Brake (Liberal Democrat - Carshalton and Wallington)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent estimate he has made of the cost to his Department of preparations for the UK leaving the EU without a deal.
Answered by Chris Grayling
To date, the Department has allocated £74m specifically to ‘no deal’ preparations. As we further our preparations for EU Exit, we may allocate additional resources for no deal contingencies.
Asked by: Tom Brake (Liberal Democrat - Carshalton and Wallington)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to his Department's paper entitled, Future of Mobility : Urban Strategy policy paper, published on 19 March 2019, when his Department plans to publish information on local limited trials of micromobility vehicles, including e-scooters; and if he will publish the trimeframe for the proposed trials for e-scooters.
Answered by Jesse Norman
No trials of this kind have taken place. The Department is presently determining the scope and timing of the regulatory review announced in the Future of Mobility: Urban Strategy.
Officials have had introductory meetings with representatives from leading e-scooter hiring companies. However, active travel methods remain the best option for short urban journeys, and the Government is keen to stress the importance of these methods of travel.