Asked by: Samantha Niblett (Labour - South Derbyshire)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps her Department is taking to increase the availability of practical driving tests.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
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 2024, DVSA set out a 7-point plan to reduce driving test waiting times across the country. Details of which are available on gov.uk (https://www.gov.uk/government/news/dvsa-sets-out-plan-to-reduce-driving-test-waiting-times).
On 23 April, the Secretary of State announced further action that the government is taking to reduce driving test wait times. Details of these measures have also been published on gov.uk (https://www.gov.uk/government/news/transport-secretary-acts-to-make-thousands-of-extra-driving-tests-available-each-month).
Asked by: Kevin Hollinrake (Conservative - Thirsk and Malton)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether the Access for All funding allocated to Thirsk Station has been placed on hold.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The feasibility work for Thirsk station is underway and we expect all 50 of the feasibility studies announced last year to be complete in the spring. We expect to be able to confirm which stations will move forward over the summer. The Access for All programme continues to be heavily oversubscribed.
We remain committed to improving the accessibility of the railway and recognise the valuable social and economic benefits this brings to communities.
Asked by: Grahame Morris (Labour - Easington)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to the Report to the Shipbuilding Enterprise for Growth Group by the Centres of Excellence Task & Finish Group, published in September 2024, what recent discussions she has had with the Secretary of State for Defence on potential domestic maritime employment opportunities in the pipeline of shipbuilding contracts identified in that report.
Answered by Mike Kane - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
Shipbuilding skills and employment is led by the National Shipbuilding Office (NSO), which is hosted by the Ministry of Defence. My officials are in regular contact with the NSO to understand where the Department can support their work.
Asked by: Kim Johnson (Labour - Liverpool Riverside)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether her Department holds data on (a) vessel operation and (b) maritime skills recorded as part of Clean Maritime Demonstration Competition projects funded by the UK Shipping Office for Reducing Emissions in her Department.
Answered by Mike Kane - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Clean Maritime Demonstration Competition (CMDC) is funded by the UK Shipping Office for Reducing Emissions (UK SHORE) programme in the Department for Transport. The CMDC has supported a range of feasibility studies, pre-deployment trials and short demonstrations.
We are committed to a robust evaluation of the UK SHORE programme. The Department has commissioned Frontier Economics and SYSTRA Ltd to conduct a comprehensive independent evaluation of the UK SHORE programme, which is assessing the processes and impact of all UK SHORE schemes, including environmental impacts and job creation.
In March 2025, the Department for Transport published a report setting out the early outcomes of the evaluation of the UK SHORE programme to date, including completed projects in the CMDC. The majority of the CMDC demonstration projects only concluded at the end of March 2025. Therefore, data about their impact will be captured through the ongoing evaluation, due to conclude later this year.
Asked by: Stephen Gethins (Scottish National Party - Arbroath and Broughty Ferry)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps her Department is taking to increase the availability of practical driving tests at (a) Arbroath Test Centre and (b) Dundee Test Centre.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
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 2024, 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 to recruit DEs at Arbroath and Dundee driving test centres (DTC) and is currently working through the recruitment process from recent campaigns. As part of this, DVSA has two potential new DEs, one is booked on a training course and one is undergoing pre-employment checks. Additionally, one DE successfully passed training and is now conducting driving tests at Dundee and Arbroath.
Asked by: Kim Johnson (Labour - Liverpool Riverside)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, who the sub-contractors were who were involved in (a) the supply of crew to operate the Pacific Grebe during the sea trials phase and (b) other aspects of the Winds of Change project funded by the UK Shipping Office for Reducing Emissions.
Answered by Mike Kane - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Winds of Change project was awarded funding through the third round of the Clean Maritime Demonstration Competition (CMDC). The CMDC is funded by the UK Shipping Office for Reducing Emissions (UK SHORE) Research and Development programme in the Department for Transport and delivered and managed by Innovate UK, on behalf of the Department.
Applications for CMDC funding undergo an independent assessment process, managed by Innovate UK. Project partners of all successful bids are published online. Innovate UK and the Department for Transport are not responsible for the procurement of subcontractors, but the rules around the use of subcontractors are set out in the competition scope.
Asked by: Kim Johnson (Labour - Liverpool Riverside)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent discussions she has had with (a) InnovateUK and (b) the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology on the appraisal of projects funded in each round of the Clean Maritime Demonstration Competition.
Answered by Mike Kane - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Clean Maritime Demonstration Competition (CMDC) is funded by the UK Shipping Office for Reducing Emissions (UK SHORE) programme in the Department for Transport, to support innovation in the maritime sector. The CMDC is delivered and managed by Innovate UK on behalf of the Department.
We are committed to a robust evaluation of the UK SHORE programme. The Department has commissioned Frontier Economics and SYSTRA Ltd to conduct a comprehensive independent evaluation of the UK SHORE programme, which is assessing the processes and impact of all UK SHORE schemes and will inform future policy development.
In March 2025, the Department for Transport published a report setting out the early outcomes of the evaluation of the UK SHORE programme to date, including completed projects in the CMDC, with the final report due in Autumn 2025.
Officials regularly discuss the appraisal of CMDC projects with Innovate UK, who play a key role in collecting project monitoring data to inform the evaluation programme.
We work jointly across Government to develop policies, regulation and mechanisms to support maritime environment and decarbonisation, including with the Department of Science, Innovation and Technology.
Asked by: Edward Morello (Liberal Democrat - West Dorset)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether the revised Lyme Regis and Bridport Harbour Order (revision of October 2022) for Dorset Council will include provisions to allow the granting of longer leases; and what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of the revised order on potential leaseholders.
Answered by Mike Kane - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The department does not manage the process of Harbour orders, as this process is led by the Marine Management Organisation (MMO). The MMO is unusually busy with Harbour orders at present but is working continuously to process all harbour orders.
Whilst the department is a consultee of all HROs, the department does not comment on the content of orders unless it affects the position or powers of the department. As such, no assessment has been made on the impact of the order on leaseholders.
For an accurate status update of the harbour order in question and for an update as to its content, we suggest the Council contacts the MMO directly.
Asked by: Edward Morello (Liberal Democrat - West Dorset)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the time taken to consider the revised Lyme Regis and Bridport Harbour Order (revision of October 2022) on Dorset Council.
Answered by Mike Kane - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The department does not manage the process of Harbour orders, as this process is led by the Marine Management Organisation (MMO). The MMO is unusually busy with Harbour orders at present but is working continuously to process all harbour orders. While the Department is keen to work with the MMO to understand how we can support more sustainable efficiencies in the longer term, no assessment has been made of the impact of time taken for this order or any other.
For an accurate status update of the harbour order in question, we suggest the Council contacts the MMO directly.
Asked by: John Hayes (Conservative - South Holland and The Deepings)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if the Maritime and Coastguard Agency has offered apprenticeships in each year since 2010.
Answered by Mike Kane - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Maritime & Coastguard Agency has offered apprenticeships in each year, since 2018.