theodi/ndl-core-corpus huggingface dataset:
wrans/answers2025-03-03 conversation_480
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-03)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-03-03 conversation_480

Andrew Rosindell:To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps she is taking to promote the economic diversification of the Sark economy. \p Emma Reynolds: Sark, a self-governing jurisdiction within the Crown Dependency of the Bailiwick of Guernsey, is responsible for its own domestic affairs, including economic policy. While HM Treasury recognises the importance of the UK-Crown Dependency economic relationship to our jurisdictions, including Sark, the UK Government is not directly responsible for promoting economic diversification on Sark, and HM Treasury has not been approached to discuss this topic by the Sark Government.
wrans/answers2025-03-03 conversation_481
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-03)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-03-03 conversation_481

Blair McDougall:To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what information her Department holds on the amount of interest that has been raised from the Chelsea Football Club Fund for Ukraine since February 2022. \p Emma Reynolds: The Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation (OFSI), part of HM Treasury, is the authority for the implementation of financial sanctions in the UK.

An asset freeze does not involve a change in ownership of the frozen funds or economic resources, nor are they transferred to HM Treasury. The proceeds from the sale of Chelsea FC are therefore not held by the UK Government. They are currently frozen in a UK bank account after OFSI issued a licence to permit the sale of the football club.

Any interest accrued on these assets is subject to the asset freeze, to be frozen immediately by the person in possession or control of them.

In the latest Annual Review published in December 2023, OFSI announced that £22.7 billion in Russian Assets has been reported as frozen as of October 2023. This figure is provided in aggregate so as not to disclose the value of any funds held by particular designated persons and is a cumulative total of assets reported.
wrans/answers2025-03-03 conversation_482
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-03)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-03-03 conversation_482

Andrew Rosindell:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps she is taking to reduce congestion on the (a) A12 and (b) A127. \p Lilian Greenwood: A12

The A12 (Chelmsford to A120) widening scheme is designed to ease congestion and cope with increasing traffic demands. The Development Consent Order (DCO) was granted in January 2024 and the scheme is being considered alongside other road projects as part of Phase 2 of the Spending Review which is due to conclude in late spring 2025.

Also on the A12, Suffolk County Council is developing a Full Business Case for a scheme to improve junctions between the A12 / A14 Seven Hills and the A12 Woods Lane and provide dualling between the B1438 and the B1079. The Council plans to submit this to the Department in autumn 2025.

A127

Essex County Council has submitted a Strategic Outline Case proposing a package of improvements on the A127 between M25 Junction 29 and Noak Bridge, Essex. Officials in the Department are currently working with Council officials to resolve points of clarification on the business case before advice is put to Ministers.

These business cases from Suffolk and Essex County Councils will also be considered in the light of the current Spending Review.
wrans/answers2025-03-03 conversation_483
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-03)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-03-03 conversation_483

Nick Timothy:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 5 February 2025 to Question 26900 on Highways England: Vehicles, whether her Department plans to sell National Highway’s (a) diesel and (b) plug-in hybrid vehicles before 2027; and when those vehicles were purchased. \p Lilian Greenwood: Operational decisions on its vehicle fleet are made by National Highways; the fleet replacement strategy is to retain vehicles for an operational period of around 3 to 4 years, subject to factors such as mileage, general condition, and suitability for ongoing operational use. National Highways contracts with vehicle disposal agents that use auction services to repurpose and sell its vehicles at the end of their operational life.

The table below details the current number of diesel and plug-in hybrid vehicles which were added to National Highways’ fleet (by year, since 2018) to align with the governments’ Road to Zero Strategy for vehicle replacements.

On fleet date

Number of Vehicles

Fuel Type

2018

1

Diesel

0

PHEV

2019

5

Diesel

2

PHEV

2020

5

Diesel

15

PHEV

2021

0

Diesel

128

PHEV

2022

0

Diesel

174

PHEV

2023

0

Diesel

195

PHEV

2024

0

Diesel

75

PHEV
wrans/answers2025-03-03 conversation_484
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-03)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-03-03 conversation_484

Grahame Morris:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when the Government delegation to the fifth meeting of the Special Tripartite Committee of the Maritime Labour Convention at the International Labour Organization in Geneva on 7-11 April will be announced. \p Mike Kane: The UK Government delegation to the Special Tripartite Committee of the Maritime Labour Convention will be confirmed to the International Labour Organization in the usual way. We expect that the UK delegation will be led by DfT’s Head of Seafarers with additional support and technical expertise provided by officials from DfT and the MCA.
wrans/answers2025-03-03 conversation_485
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-03)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-03-03 conversation_485

Mr Bayo Alaba:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of using bunker oil to power large ships on busy waterways on air quality. \p Mike Kane: The main pollutants affecting air quality from bunker fuels are nitrous oxides (NOx), sulphur dioxide (SOx) and particulate matter (PM). These pollutants are well understood and international regulations have been in place for several years. The International Maritime Organization (IMO) introduced regulation limiting the sulphur content of fuel in 2020, which led to an immediate 70% reduction in sulphur oxide emissions.

The IMO also has strict controls on nitrous oxide (NOx) emissions, with global limits on NOx emissions from marine engines and additional Emissions Control Areas subject to even more stringent controls. The production of particulate matter is not currently regulated by the IMO, but domestic targets were introduced under the Environment Act 2021.

Air quality is expected to improve with the switch to future fuels as part of the transition to net zero and my department will continue to develop the evidence base to understand any air quality impacts.
wrans/answers2025-03-03 conversation_486
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-03)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-03-03 conversation_486

Clive Jones:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to the oral contribution by the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Transport in response to the question from the hon. Member for Wokingham of 17 December 2024, Official Report, column 87WH, when she intends to write regarding Twyford car park. \p Lilian Greenwood: Network Rail is intending to resurface the station car park at Twyford as part of its renewals programme. This will be done in accordance with current standards, which will likely result in fewer parking spaces in the car park. Great Western Railway is working with Network Rail and local stakeholders on options to provide additional car parking spaces at Twyford.
wrans/answers2025-03-03 conversation_487
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-03)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-03-03 conversation_487

Ben Obese-Jecty:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent assessment Network Rail has made of the potential merits of proceeding with the proposed new East Coast Main Line station at Alconbury Weald. \p Lilian Greenwood: The Department is aware of long-standing local aspirations for an East Coast Main Line station at Alconbury Weald that would align with the new housing being developed in the area.

In December 2024 the Chancellor launched the second stage of the Spending Review. This is a zero-based Spending Review, to ensure every line of spending – including the transport infrastructure portfolio – delivers the Plan for Change and provides good value for taxpayers. This will support the development of a long-term strategy for transport, that delivers a modern and integrated network with people at its heart. It will consider a fundamental reset to how we approach capital projects, to ensure that transport infrastructure can be delivered efficiently and on time, supporting our strategic objectives. We expect the Spending Review to conclude by June 2025, and will therefore be unable to comment on the status of individual scheme proposals until that point.
wrans/answers2025-03-03 conversation_488
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-03)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-03-03 conversation_488

Andrew Griffith:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what proportion of public transport procurement projects contracted by her Department have included net zero requirements since 5 July 2024; and what estimate she has made of the cost of those requirements. \p Simon Lightwood: The Department for Transport does not record the net-zero requirements included in procurement projects.
wrans/answers2025-03-03 conversation_489
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-03)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-03-03 conversation_489

Nick Timothy:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the value was of vehicles (a) purchased and (b) sold by National Highways in each year since 2014. \p Lilian Greenwood: The value of vehicles purchased and sold by National Highways since 2014 is broken down as follows:

Year

Total Vehicle Spend

Total Revenue from Vehicle Sales

2014

£34,640.30

0

2015

£773,767.30

0

2016

£2,145,237.48

0

2017

£48,811.50

0

2018

£11,556,927.88

0

2019

£17,113,959.89

0

2020

£17,576,940.21

£150,802.73

2021

£25,525,278.82

£823,805.28

2022

£29,611,298.66

£3,303,299.37

2023

£12,515,348.93

£2,195,094.38

2024

£11,352,979.81

£1,603,758.81
wrans/answers2025-03-03 conversation_490
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-03)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-03-03 conversation_490

Nick Timothy:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many (a) petrol, (b) diesel, (c) hydrogen, (d) hybrid, (e) plug-in hybrid and (f) fully electric vehicles were purchased by National Highways in each year since 2014. \p Lilian Greenwood: The number of vehicles purchased by National Highways since 2014, broken down by engine type, is as follows:

No. Vehicles Purchased by Engine Type

Year

Petrol

Diesel

Hydrogen

Hybrid

Plug-In Hybrid

Fully Electric

2014

0

1

0

0

0

0

2015

0

24

0

0

0

0

2016

0

54

0

0

0

0

2017

0

1

0

0

0

0

2018

0

195

0

0

0

0

2019

0

228

0

0

36

0

2020

0

104

0

0

38

0

2021

0

120

0

0

128

1

2022

0

131

0

0

175

19

2023

0

2

0

0

195

18

2024

0

12

0

0

75

74
wrans/answers2025-03-03 conversation_491
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-03)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-03-03 conversation_491

Mike Martin:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of the National Highways A3/M25 junction upgrade on RHS Garden Wisley; and whether her Department plans to provide financial compensation to mitigate losses incurred by the charity due to construction-related disruptions. \p Lilian Greenwood: The impact of the M25 Junction 10 scheme on the RHS Garden Wisley was discussed and considered during the early stages of the development of the project starting in 2016. Based on the outcome of these engagements, National Highways incorporated mitigation measures in the scheme where it was possible to do so. The development and implementation of the scheme has considered major planned events at RHS Wisley, incorporating measures to enhance traffic flow for their visitors. Additionally, National Highways has scheduled major M25 and A3 weekend closures to avoid conflicts with key RHS events. Extensive signage has also been installed to ensure RHS visitors have the most direct and convenient routes through National Highways’ works.

National Highways provides compensation as established in legislation across all its projects, to ensure appropriate use of taxpayers’ money. RHS Wisley may make a claim to National Highways under Section 7 of the Compulsory Purchase Act 1965 or 152 Planning Act 2008. While there are compensation arrangements for permanent adverse impacts, it is a generally held principle that the public purse does not compensate business for loss of earnings during temporary road works.
wrans/answers2025-03-03 conversation_492
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-03)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-03-03 conversation_492

Mrs Elsie Blundell:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of re-introducing the hard shoulder on all motorways. \p Lilian Greenwood: The latest set of safety data published by National Highways continues to show that, overall, smart motorways are safer than conventional motorways for deaths or serious injuries. However, the risk of a collision between a moving and a stopped vehicle is greater on smart motorways without a permanent hard shoulder than on other motorway types, which is why National Highways continues to take action aimed at reducing this risk, rolling out over 150 additional emergency areas and improving operational technology performance. We will continue to assess the safety of these roads as well as evaluating the effectiveness of the additional investment in safety measures.

It should also be noted that whilst hard shoulders offer a place of relative safety, they are not a safe place to stop, with one out of every 20 fatal casualties on motorways occurring on a hard shoulder.
wrans/answers2025-03-03 conversation_493
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-03)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-03-03 conversation_493

Jade Botterill:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what progress her Department has made on upgrading the Penistone rail line. \p Lilian Greenwood: The Penistone Line is a Levelling Up Fund programme scheme valued at £47.9m and is subject to business case approval. Funding for Levelling Up Fund schemes is currently only confirmed until the end of financial year 2025/26. Funding for local transport capital schemes beyond March 2026, including for Levelling Up Fund schemes, will be considered as part of the Spending Review, due to conclude in Spring.
wrans/answers2025-03-03 conversation_494
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-03)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-03-03 conversation_494

Andrew Griffith:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many infrastructure contracts awarded by her Department since 5 July 2024 have included mandatory collective bargaining clauses. \p Mike Kane: There are no infrastructure contracts awarded by the Department since 5 July 2024 that have included mandatory collective bargaining clauses.
wrans/answers2025-03-03 conversation_495
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-03)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-03-03 conversation_495

Nick Timothy:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many vehicles in the National Highways fleet are aged (a) up to one year, (b) between one and two years, (c) between three and five years and (d) older than five years. \p Lilian Greenwood: The National Highways fleet consists of:

147 vehicles aged up to one year;

195 vehicles aged between one and two years;

708 vehicles aged between three and five years; and

108 vehicles older than five years.

National Highways continues to manage its fleet efficiently to ensure operational effectiveness and value for money.
wrans/answers2025-03-03 conversation_496
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-03)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-03-03 conversation_496

Nick Timothy:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if she will make an estimate of what the level of carbon emissions from National Highways will be in each year between 2025 and 2040. \p Lilian Greenwood: National Highways set-out its ambitions for putting roads at the heart of Britain’s net zero future within its ‘Net zero highways: our 2030 / 2040 / 2050 plan’ published in 2021. This includes details on emissions reductions goals and the steps that National Highways will take within the period 2025 to 2040. Additionally, the ‘Strategic road network initial report: 2025-2030’, published in 2023, proposes how National Highways in the next five years will specifically support the third road investment strategy (RIS3) development objective of improved environmental outcomes, set out in the ‘Planning Ahead for the Strategic Road Network’ document. The contribution of RIS3 to National Highways’ carbon emissions will be considered as part of the underpinning analysis when RIS3 is set later in 2025.
wrans/answers2025-03-03 conversation_497
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-03)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-03-03 conversation_497

Clive Jones:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps she is taking to improve the reliability of signalling on the Great Western Main Line out of Twyford. \p Simon Lightwood: Ministers have met with both Great Western Railway and Network Rail on operational performance which is the Secretary of State’s key focus for improvement. Recent performance for Network Rail has improved including the infrastructure on the mainline around Twyford. Improving signalling is part of an ongoing project between Network Rail western region and Great Western Railway.
wrans/answers2025-03-03 conversation_498
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-03)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-03-03 conversation_498

Nick Timothy:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 6 February 2025 to Question 27405 on Highways England: Carbon Emissions, what the carbon emissions were by (a) source and (b) activity in each year since 2014. \p Lilian Greenwood: Below is a breakdown of National Highways’ (NH) Carbon Emissions, covering the period 2021/22 to 2023/24.

Carbon emissions prior to this were not reported to this level and are not available.

Year

Breakdown by activity/source

2021-22

Activity/emission source

tCO2e

Electricity (kWh used)

39,797

Building heating (kWh used)

4,584

Fleet (miles travelled)

4,159

Business travel (miles travelled)

1,848

Total

50,388

2022-23

Activity/emission source

tCO2e

Electricity (kWh used)

35,165

Building heating (kWh used)

4,770

Fleet (miles travelled)

2,887

Business travel (miles travelled)

1,987

Total

44,809

2023-24

Activity/emission source

tCO2e

Electricity (kWh used)

35,840

Building heating (kWh used)

5,029

Fleet (miles travelled)

2,212

Business travel (miles travelled)

2,185

Total

45,266
wrans/answers2025-03-03 conversation_499
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-03)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-03-03 conversation_499

Jerome Mayhew:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of amending the Highways Act 1980 to increase roadside trees planting. \p Lilian Greenwood: The Department does not have plans to amend the Highways Act 1980 on this particular topic. The Department does, however, encourage local highway authorities to recognise the contribution that trees make to the economic, social and environmental well-being of communities, while National Highways is, as part of its efforts to deliver on environmental goals and achieve Net Zero Targets, aiming to plant at least 3 million trees by 2030 (in addition to the trees planted as ‘essential mitigation’ for projects), to provide landscape and biodiversity benefits and help lock up carbon.
wrans/answers2025-03-03 conversation_500
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-03)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-03-03 conversation_500

Mark Sewards:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps her Department is taking to tackle dangerous driving. \p Lilian Greenwood: The Government takes road safety seriously, and we are committed to reducing the numbers of those killed and injured on our roads. We are currently considering policy options in this area.

THINK! is the Government’s flagship road safety campaign. It aims to reduce the number of people killed and seriously injured on the roads in England and Wales by changing attitudes and behaviours among those at most risk.

The primary audience for THINK! is young men aged 17-24, who are four times more likely to be killed or seriously injured on the road than drivers aged 25 and over.

The latest phase of the THINK! speeding campaign is currently live and highlights the risks of driving too fast for the conditions on rural roads, circumstances that contribute to high numbers of young driver casualties. The campaign features advertising in cinemas, radio, digital audio and gaming environments, as well as working with content creators and influential platforms to tackle speeding via the voices the young audience trust.

The enforcement of road traffic law and how available resources are deployed is the responsibility of individual Chief Officers and Police and Crime Commissioners, taking into account the specific local problems and demands with which they are faced.
wrans/answers2025-03-03 conversation_501
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-03)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-03-03 conversation_501

Natalie Fleet:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many bus routes have been registered in Derbyshire in each of the last five years. \p Simon Lightwood: The Traffic Commissioners for Great Britain only publish data on a Traffic Area wide basis. The North Western Traffic Area includes the counties of Derbyshire, Cumbria, Lancashire, Cheshire, and the metropolitan boroughs of Merseyside and Greater Manchester. Between the 2019-20 and 2023-24 reporting years the Traffic Commissioner annual reports detail the following:

Applications Processed

Live local bus registrations

New

Variations

Existing registrations cancelled

2023-24

1665

541

1014

752

2022-23

2028

420

1569

617

2021-22

2679

487

1952

560

2020-21

2847

258

2393

254

2019-20

3177

548

1875

577

An existing registration being cancelled does not always mean a bus route was closed. For example, a registration could have been cancelled and replaced with another registration that covers much of the same route, or the route continues to be served by different operator.

It should also be noted that prior to 2019-20 the total number of live local bus service registrations included an element of double-counting as services running across multiple local authority areas were recorded multiple times, e.g. a service running between Derbyshire and Greater Manchester was presented as two services when it should have been counted as a single service. This has now been rectified.
wrans/answers2025-03-03 conversation_502
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-03)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-03-03 conversation_502

Gregory Stafford:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to her Department's document entitled Local highways maintenance: additional funding from 2023 to 2034, updated on 23 January 2025, whether the £132 million of Network North funding for Hampshire County Council will be provided between the 2023-24 and 2034-35 financial years. \p Lilian Greenwood: This Government is determined to help local authorities such as Hampshire County Council tackle the poor state of our roads. The previous Government made a series of questionable funding promises in its Network North plan, and this Government has had to review their affordability. We have already announced a £500 million funding uplift for local highway authorities for 2025/26 and will say more on future years’ funding after the conclusion of the Spending Review. Hampshire County Council will benefit from an additional £14.1 million in 2025/26, an increase of around 36% on top of the Network North uplift in 2024/25, to help it carry out vital preventative maintenance works across the county.
wrans/answers2025-03-03 conversation_503
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-03)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-03-03 conversation_503

Mr Lee Dillon:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether her Department plans to provide additional funding to National Highways to improve road safety on the A34 around Newbury constituency. \p Lilian Greenwood: Safety remains the Department and National Highways top priority as we develop the third Road Investment Strategy, which will set out National Highways strategic objectives, deliverables and funding to operate and maintain the strategic road network for the period 2026 – 2031.
wrans/answers2025-03-03 conversation_504
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-03)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-03-03 conversation_504

Kevin Hollinrake:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 27 January 2025 to Question 27600 on Electric Vehicles: Charging Points, what steps her Department has taken to introduce a unified consent regime for all street charging point (a) consents and (b) permits since 5 July 2024. \p Lilian Greenwood: The Government is committed to accelerating the roll-out of charging infrastructure so that everyone, no matter where they live or work, can make the transition to an electric vehicle. Several changes have been made over time to simplify and accelerate the installation of public chargepoints, such as local authorities being able to appoint operators to install chargepoints on-street without applying for planning permission.

In December, the Government announced that it will legislate to allow chargepoint operators access to street works permits and Street Manager, which is the DfT’s online service for planning and managing works in use by every authority and utility company in England. This will remove the need for them to obtain costly and time-consuming licences. The Government also confirmed further changes to permitted development rights, cutting costs and required permissions for chargepoint installation. These changes will speed up public and private EV chargepoint deployment in England, ensuring a rapidly expanding and available network.
wrans/answers2025-03-03 conversation_505
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-03)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-03-03 conversation_505

Grahame Morris:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of the potential implications for her policies of the recent report submitted to the International Maritime Organisation by the International Transport Workers Federation on cases of seafarer abandonment in the shipping industry. \p Mike Kane: The report was submitted for consideration at the 112th Legal Committee of the International Maritime Organization. As with all papers submitted to the committee, we are currently reviewing in advance of the Committee in March.
wrans/answers2025-03-03 conversation_506
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-03)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-03-03 conversation_506

Grahame Morris:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent discussions she has had with the Maritime and Coastguard Agency on the level of support provided to (a) Gibraltar and (b) other Red Ensign Group shipping registries for discharging Port State Control responsibilities, in the context of the Maritime Labour Convention. \p Mike Kane: There has been no discussion between the Secretary of State and the Maritime and Coastguard Agency on level of support provided to Gibraltar and other Red Ensign Group ship registers for the discharging of Port State Control responsibilities in the context of the Maritime Labour Convention.
wrans/answers2025-03-03 conversation_507
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-03)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-03-03 conversation_507

Grahame Morris:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps her Department has taken to consult maritime trade unions ahead of the fifth meeting of the Special Tripartite Committee of the Maritime Labour Convention at the International Labour Organization in Geneva on 7-11 April. \p Mike Kane: The Department regularly engages with the maritime trade unions, including through meetings of the UK Tripartite Working Group on the Maritime Labour Convention.
wrans/answers2025-03-03 conversation_508
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-03)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-03-03 conversation_508

Grahame Morris:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, which ferry operators have access to operate commercial services from UK ports under the International Ship and Port Facility Security Code. \p Mike Kane: There are ferry operators such as DFDS, Stena Line, Brittany Ferries, Irish Ferries, P&O Ferries, Condor Ferries and others operating commercial services from UK port facilities. The International Ship and Port Facility Security Code sets minimum standards for port and ship security which must be met by operators but does not itself grant access to operate commercial services. Decisions on commercial services are made by ports themselves.
wrans/answers2025-03-03 conversation_509
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-03)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-03-03 conversation_509

Mrs Elsie Blundell:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether she has had recent discussions with the Mayor of Greater Manchester on pavement parking. \p Lilian Greenwood: In 2020, the Department undertook a public consultation on options for changing the way pavement parking is managed outside London. When the Government has decided its preferred way forward this will be announced along with publication of a formal response to the consultation. In the meantime, local authorities can make use of existing powers to manage pavement parking.
wrans/answers2025-03-03 conversation_510
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-03)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-03-03 conversation_510

Mark Garnier:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of the impact of the unavailability of localiser performance with vertical guidance (LPV) approaches on (a) general aviation, (b) emergency medical services and (c) regional airports; and what steps her Department is taking to deal with the (i) economic and (ii) operational impact of the loss of European Geostationary Navigation Overlay Service (EGNOS) services at airports. \p Mike Kane: Larger UK airports and many regional airports have Instrument Landing Systems in place and therefore a satellite-based augmentation system) such as European Geostationary Navigation Overlay Service (EGNOS), is primarily beneficial at smaller regional airports and General Aviation aerodromes during periods of poor weather resulting in restricted visibility. Flights that are taking place continue to do so safely, following alternative Civil Aviation Authority approved procedures.

Helicopter Emergency Medical Services (HEMS) will, in the UK, be supported through a GNSS Point in Space ‘PinS’ approach to helicopter landing sites at trauma hospitals which will greatly assist in increasing the utility of air ambulance helicopters in poor visibility conditions.

Government is considering options for UK access to a satellite-based augmentation system, following our withdrawal from the EU's EGNOS system. This work is ongoing and no decision has yet been made.
wrans/answers2025-03-03 conversation_511
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-03)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-03-03 conversation_511

Daisy Cooper:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 13 February to Question 29060 on Electric Bicycles: Accidents, whether she plans to require police forces to report on the number of accidents involving an e-bike. \p Lilian Greenwood: Road injury collisions are reported to the Department by the police via a system known as STATS19. While there are no current plans to require forces to identify e-bikes within STATS19, the system is periodically reviewed to ensure that the collection remains relevant while managing reporting burdens for police forces. The identification of collisions involving e-bikes will be considered as part of the next such review.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-03)

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Jerome Mayhew:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps she is taking to plant trees alongside roads. \p Lilian Greenwood: The Department is not currently taking any specific steps with regards to tree planting as this a matter for National Highways and local highway authorities (for the strategic road network and local roads respectively).

The Department does, however, encourage local highway authorities to recognise the contribution that trees make to the economic, social and environmental well-being of communities, while National Highways is, as part of its efforts to deliver on environmental goals and achieve Net Zero Targets, aiming to plant at least 3 million trees by 2030 (in addition to the trees planted as ‘essential mitigation’ for projects) to provide landscape and biodiversity benefits and help lock up carbon.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-03)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-03-03 conversation_513

Sarah Olney:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of First Generation Sustainable Aviation Fuels on the environment. \p Mike Kane: Sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) is one of the key measures required to decarbonise aviation. The SAF Mandate could deliver up to 6.3 million tonnes of carbon savings per year by 2040.

The SAF Mandate encourages a diverse range of feedstocks and technologies. It also has strict sustainability criteria that SAF must meet to be eligible. SAF must be made from sustainable wastes or residues (such as used cooking oil or forestry residues), recycled carbon fuels (such as unrecyclable plastics), or power to liquid fuels made using low carbon (renewable or nuclear) electricity. This prevents negative environmental consequences such as the loss of biodiversity, deforestation and the clearance of land with high carbon stock (e.g. peatland) that could be associated with the cultivation of raw materials used in SAF production.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-03)

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Laurence Turner:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps Network Rail takes to monitor air quality at Birmingham New Street station. \p Simon Lightwood: Network Rail monitors air quality at Birmingham New Street station as part of a £4.5 million air quality monitoring network, which is funded by the Department for Transport and managed by the Rail Safety and Standards Board.

The network, which began operating in 2022, has measured air quality at over 100 mainline stations across Great Britain, providing data on key pollutants that impact public health, such as nitrogen dioxide and particulate matter (PM10 and PM2.5).

In addition, Network Rail conducts occupational health monitoring to assess staff exposure to diesel engine exhaust emissions at its managed stations, including Birmingham New Street.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-03)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-03-03 conversation_515

Connor Naismith:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether her Department plans to (a) help improve road infrastructure and (b) tackle traffic congestion around the Nantwich Bypass. \p Lilian Greenwood: It is the responsibility of the local transport authority to determine investment priorities for its transport network. The Nantwich Bypass (A51/A500) is a local highway and therefore falls under the jurisdiction Cheshire East Council, the local highway authority. In 2025/26, Cheshire East Council will receive a share of the £1.6 billion in capital funding for local highways maintenance, amounting to £21 million (£15.5 million baseline funding and £5.5 million in new funding).

Cheshire East Council will also receive a share of the £650 million-plus funding for local transport announced in the Autumn Budget 2024. This funding aims to support everyday journeys and improve transport connections in our towns, villages, and rural areas, as well as in our major cities.

Future funding beyond 2025/26 will be considered as part of the multi-year spending review in the spring, aligned with the government's new Integrated Transport Strategy, ensuring we are taking decisions in the long-term interests of the country.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-03)

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Pippa Heylings:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps she is taking to improve road safety for vulnerable road users. \p Lilian Greenwood: The Government treats road safety with the utmost seriousness, and we are committed to reducing the numbers of those killed and injured on our roads. My Department is developing our road safety strategy and will set out more details in due course.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-03)

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Priti Patel:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what discussions she has had with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on future investment in strategic highway infrastructure. \p Lilian Greenwood: The third Road Investment Strategy (RIS3) for the Strategic Road Network will cover the five-year period from April 2026 to March 2031. We plan to publish RIS3 by the end of 2025. The draft RIS, including the funding envelope, will be published in late spring 2025. An Interim Settlement for National Highways will be in place from April 2025, covering the 2025-26, as announced by the Chancellor of the Exchequer in the 2024 Autumn Budget.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-03)

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Mr Andrew Mitchell:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps her Department is taking to increase the availability of practical driving tests in the West Midlands. \p Lilian Greenwood: The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency’s (DVSA) main priority is upholding road safety standards while it works hard to reduce car practical driving test waiting times.

On the 18 December, DVSA set out further plans to reduce driving test waiting times across the country. These steps include recruiting 450 driving examiners (DEs). Full details of these steps can be found on GOV.UK.

DVSA continues recruitment for DEs at driving test centres (DTCs) that serve customers in the West Midlands region and is currently working through the recruitment process from recent campaigns. As part of this, DVSA is currently aiming to recruit up to twelve potential new DEs in the Birmingham area, five in the Worcester area, two in Ludlow and two in Hereford. There is also the potential for five new DEs for DTCs in Gloucestershire, which might also serve customers in the West Midlands region.

Some of these candidates have started training, whilst others are currently undergoing checks as part of the recruitment process.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-03)

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Yuan Yang:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of the potential implications for her policies of increases in airport drop off charges since 2021. \p Mike Kane: Most airports in the UK are managed and operated as private businesses. The provision of and charging for car parking at airports, including drop-off and pick-up charges, is a matter for the airport operator as a commercial business.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-03)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-03-03 conversation_520

Nick Timothy:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many vehicles were purchased by National Highways by car manufacturer in each year since 2014. \p Lilian Greenwood: The number of vehicles purchased, per year since 2014 and by car manufacturer, by National Highways is on the attached table.

Vehicles purchased by NH - by manufacturer (docx, 42.9KB)
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-03)

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Mr Lee Dillon:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps her Department is taking to improve road safety on slip roads on the A34 in Newbury. \p Lilian Greenwood: In 2017, the Department commissioned National Highways to conduct an in-depth safety review of the route to study incident hotspots, which identified and delivered £12.1m of improvements to the route between Newbury and Oxford, including to the slip roads at East Illsley, West Berkshire. National Highways continues to review the safety performance of these sections of the strategic road network and consider the case for further investment where necessary. I have asked National Highways to engage with local MPs on the route regarding this work.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-03)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-03-03 conversation_522

Mrs Elsie Blundell:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps she is taking with Cabinet colleagues to increase the UKs (a) manufacturing and (b) refining capacity for sustainable aviation fuel. \p Mike Kane: Building a UK Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) industry represents a significant economic opportunity which can bring good, high-skilled jobs across the UK. The SAF Mandate, which is the UK’s key policy to decarbonise jet fuel, secures demand for SAF by obligating the supply of an increasing amount of SAF in the overall UK aviation fuel mix. We are putting £63 million into the Advanced Fuels Fund in 2025/2026 to help support UK SAF plants to reach commercial scale. The Government is also legislating to introduce a revenue certainty mechanism, giving SAF producers confidence to invest in new plants in the UK.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-03)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-03-03 conversation_523

Daisy Cooper:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of the potential of out-of-home delivery collection points to reduce the carbon footprint of home deliveries in the last-mile logistics sector. \p Lilian Greenwood: The Department for Transport has not made an assessment relating to out-of-home delivery collection points and associated carbon footprint reductions.

Tackling emissions from the freight sector, including last-mile deliveries, will support Government to make Britain a clean energy superpower and to meet the UK’s net zero commitments.

We have recently confirmed that zero emission vans will continue to receive a grant for the 2025/26 financial year worth up to £5,000 depending on the model.

The Department is currently consulting on proposals to reduce regulatory burdens for businesses operating zero emission vans (closes 3 March). This includes vehicles that may be used for last-mile deliveries and seeks views on measures to make it easier to use these vehicles in place of existing fossil fuel vans. The Government is also making it easier to switch to zero emission vehicles (ZEVs), by laying legislation on 25 February to amend driving licence rules for heavier ZEVs in line with their petrol and diesel equivalents. Subject to parliamentary approval, this change is expected to come into force in spring.

In addition, through the Freight Innovation Fund the Government has supported EAV Ltd, a UK based SME, to undertake a large-scale trial of its e-cargo bike offer supporting the decarbonisation of last-mile deliveries.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-03)

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Grahame Morris:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent assessment she has made of the contribution of the Maritime Labour Convention to (a) pay, (b) welfare standards and (c) safety within the UK shipping industry in the last ten years. \p Mike Kane: The UK takes seafarer safety and welfare seriously having implemented the Maritime Labour Convention (MLC), 2006, in the UK since 2014. The UK takes an active role in the international Committee which keeps the MLC under review. The UK also undertakes and publishes regular post-implementation reviews of its own MLC implementing legislation. The Government is preparing to attend the Special Tripartite Committee at the International Labour Organization in April 2025 to negotiate further amendments to improve safety and welfare for seafarers.

The MLC sets standards on the frequency and composition of seafarer wages but not the level of pay. Within the International Labour Organization, the Subcommittee on Wages of Seafarers of the Joint Maritime Commission set the international minimum wage for seafarers.

A joint Tripartite Working Group allows UK shipowner and seafarer representatives to meet with the Government on a regular basis to report safety or welfare concerns that arise.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-03)

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Jade Botterill:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether her Department has plans to provide disabled access at Shepley train station in Ossett and Denby Dale constituency. \p Simon Lightwood: We are carefully considering the best approach to the Access for All programme. Since April 2024, 19 stations have been completed with a further 8 due to be completed by April 2025. We will shortly be updating MPs and other stakeholders on our approach to Access for All. This Government is committed to improving the accessibility of the railway and recognises the social and economic benefits this brings to communities.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-03)

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Natalie Fleet:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps she is taking to protect bus services in Derbyshire that travel to (a) hospitals, (b) leisure attractions and (c) other key out of town locations. \p Simon Lightwood: The government introduced the Bus Services (No.2) Bill on 17 December as part of its ambitious plan for bus reform. The Bill puts the power over local bus services back in the hands of local leaders and is intended to ensure bus services reflect the needs of the communities that rely on them right across England, including ensuring access to vital local services such as hospitals or providing links to leisure attractions. The government has committed to increasing accountability by including a measure on socially necessary services so that local authorities and bus operators have to have regard for alternatives to changing or cancelling services.

In addition, the government has confirmed £955 million for the 2025 to 2026 financial year to support and improve bus services in England outside London. This includes £243 million for bus operators and £712 million allocated to local authorities, of which East Midlands Combined County Authority has been allocated £40.5 million. Local authorities can use this funding to introduce new bus routes, make services more frequent and protect crucial bus routes for local communities.