Asked by: Baroness Randerson (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask His Majesty's Government when they will respond to their consultation on sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) mandate published on 30 March 2023; whether it is still their policy to have five SAF plants under construction by 2025; and, if so, what is their progress towards meeting that target.
Answered by Lord Davies of Gower - Shadow Secretary of State for Wales
The Government is on track to introduce the UK sustainable aviation fuels (SAF) mandate in 2025, with a target of at least 10% SAF in UK jet fuel by 2030. We will publish the government response to the second mandate consultation, setting out our final policy positions, in the Spring.
There are currently two commercial-scale sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) plants operational or under construction in the UK. The Government’s Advanced Fuels Fund has allocated £135m across 13 projects to supporting our aim to have at least five commercial SAF plants under construction in the UK by 2025.
Asked by: Baroness Randerson (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask His Majesty's Government what conversations Ministers and officials have had with local authorities which have published local guidance against, or sought to restrict, the use of cable gullies or cable protectors to charge electric vehicles; and what was the outcome of those conversations.
Answered by Lord Davies of Gower - Shadow Secretary of State for Wales
As part of the Plan for Drivers, the Government has committed to providing guidance for local authorities on the safe and effective use of cross-pavement solutions. This guidance is being drafted and officials have engaged several local authorities as part of this process, including site visits. Local authority feedback will be reflected in the guidance, which we intend to publish in Spring 2024.
Asked by: Baroness Randerson (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government, in the light of the newly established Children and Young People Cancer Task Force, how they will ensure that there is an integrated and coherent strategy between that and the Tessa Jowell Centre of Excellence for Children in child neuro-oncology; how they will ensure that resources are not unnecessarily duplicated; and how their work will be monitored and reported.
Answered by Lord Markham
The Department is taking steps to ensure that there is strategic integration and alignment between the newly established Children and Young People Cancer Taskforce and other important cancer initiatives, including the Tessa Jowell Centre of Excellence for Children.
The Children and Young People Cancer Taskforce is intended to be a unifying force, driving progress in the research, detection, diagnosis, and treatment of cancers affecting children and young people. The taskforce will be embedded in the landscape of cancer reform, mapping work already underway, identifying opportunities to go further, and ensuring that commitments are delivered, including those from the NHS Long Term Plan.
A vital part of the taskforce’s work will be to engage with initiatives such as the Tessa Jowell Brain Cancer Mission. The initiative for the Tessa Jowell Centre of Excellence for Children aims to recognise and award paediatric neuro-oncology centres that provide excellent treatment, care and research activities for children with brain tumours, and their families. The programme aims to uncover gaps and best practice through comprehensive data collection and is the first of its kind to understand and assess paediatric brain cancer care across the United Kingdom.
Both the taskforce and the centre will benefit from strategic coordination, senior official engagement and ongoing collaboration to ensure integration, best use of resources, and effective outcomes. While they have different timeframes and scopes, both will be subject to ongoing monitoring and reporting, with ministers being kept informed of progress at every stage.
Asked by: Baroness Randerson (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the recommendations of the APPG Report Brain Tumours–Pathway to a Cure, and in particular recommendation 6 with reference to paediatric cancer diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma.
Answered by Lord Markham
The Department welcomed the All-Party Parliamentary Group report and will continue to work through its recommendations with the Department of Science, Innovation and Technology, UK Research and Innovation, the Medical Research Council, and the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR).
With regards to recommendation six, the NIHR welcomes funding applications for research into any aspect of human health, including childhood brain tumours and paediatric diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma. The usual practice of the NIHR is not to ring-fence funds for specific disease areas, as research proposals in all areas compete for the funding available. Applications are subject to peer review and judged in open competition, with awards being made on the basis of the importance of the topic to patients and health and care services, value for money, and scientific quality. In all disease areas, the amount of NIHR funding depends on the volume and quality of scientific activity.
We rely on researchers to submit high-quality research proposals. Given the relatively small brain tumour clinical research community, we have been taking action to grow the field. The NIHR is working closely with the Tessa Jowell Brain Cancer Mission in hosting customised workshops for researchers, and training for clinicians, to grow capacity for brain cancer research, attract new researchers, develop the community, and support researchers to submit high-quality research funding proposals.
The NIHR is committed to the involvement, engagement and participation of children and young people in research, supporting researchers and funders, as well as empowering children and young people to lead their own journey with research.
The NIHR, together with the United Kingdom health departments, the Little Princess Trust and Cancer Research UK, jointly fund Experimental Cancer Medicine Centres (ECMCs) to support the most promising innovations into the cancer medicines of tomorrow. For 2023 to 2028, the NIHR is providing £21.6 million in funding for the ECMCs in England, the ECMC Paediatric Network, and the Network Programme Office. Additionally, the NIHR Clinical Research Network cancer portfolio has a dedicated children and young people’s cancer subspecialty, which has a subspecialty lead who promotes and supports research within their local National Health Service trusts.
The Department has also now set up the Children and Young People Cancer Taskforce to progress our mission to deliver world-leading cancer services. This dedicated work focusing on cancers affecting children and young people will explore research and innovation, which may include targeting research funding, reviewing children’s access to clinical trials, gaining greater access to data, and informing future therapies and treatments.
Asked by: Baroness Randerson (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they have taken to establish the UK position regarding tariffs on Chinese electric vehicle imports; whether they will adopt similar tariffs to the EU; and what is their impact assessment of the effect of increased tariffs on the UK automotive industry.
Answered by Lord Johnson of Lainston
My officials continue to liaise closely with industry to understand any future impact of an EU tariff and will continue to monitor developments closely. Industry have been advised that they may apply to the Trade Remedies Authority to investigate the potential need for an anti-dumping or anti-subsidy trade remedy measure.
Asked by: Baroness Randerson (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask His Majesty's Government what action they are taking to address the discrepancy in fares paid by rail passengers purchasing train tickets at vending machines compared with passengers using online retailers.
Answered by Lord Davies of Gower - Shadow Secretary of State for Wales
Ticket Vending Machines are typically used to purchase low price, short distance fares on the day of travel, rather than advanced fares. We are working closely with industry to improve the rail retailing offer and make it quicker and more convenient for passengers to buy tickets, including by rolling out pilots on simpler fares and pay-as-you-go technology.
Asked by: Baroness Randerson (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask His Majesty's Government when they will publish their guidance for local authorities on Local Transport Plans and what is the reason for the delay in publishing this guidance.
Answered by Lord Davies of Gower - Shadow Secretary of State for Wales
As a result of changes including the unprecedented uplift in local transport funding announced as part of the Prime Minister’s Network North agenda, the Department is reconsidering the case for guidance to local authorities on Local Transport Plans. The Department aims to publish, in the spring of this year, advice to local authorities on the new local transport funds announced as part of Network North. In the meantime, local authorities should continue to update their Local Transport Plans as they see fit, giving regard to published national transport policy and local priorities.
Asked by: Baroness Randerson (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask His Majesty's Government what statistical analysis they have undertaken of delays and cancellations of flights caused by adverse weather since aircraft pilots have been unable to use the European Geostationary Navigation Overlay Service system within the UK; and what were the estimated costs of these delays and cancellations to airlines, including the reported welfare costs paid by airlines to passengers affected.
Answered by Lord Davies of Gower - Shadow Secretary of State for Wales
The Department for Transport has conducted no statistical analysis on this point.
Asked by: Baroness Randerson (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to reduce delays in decisions on applications for funding under the Turing Scheme; and what assessment have they made of the impact of those delays on students from poorer backgrounds.
Answered by Baroness Barran
The Turing Scheme is a demand led, competitive programme with an annual application cycle. Decisions on allocations of funding each year depends on the number of applications that are successful, and how much funding successful organisations apply for. That means the department can only confirm how much funding each organisation can receive once all applications have been assessed.
In the past three academic years, successful applicant institutions have been notified of their funding allocation according to the department’s published timeline, before the start of the academic year and before the funding period for international placements commences. Once the grant agreement is in place, it is the responsibility of grant recipients to make timely requests for payments so that they can disburse funding to their participants at the point of need. All payments to grant recipients making valid payment requests have been disbursed to providers on time according to the agreed process.
The department has published information for 2024/25 applications to the Turing Scheme, which is available at: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/turing-scheme-apply-for-funding-for-international-placements. Schools, colleges and universities, across the UK can now review the guidance and prepare their applications for funding ahead of the application window opening in February 2024.
Asked by: Baroness Randerson (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they intend to postpone the introduction of tariffs for electric vehicles traded between the UK and Europe; and when they expect to be able to announce the outcome of their discussions on this issue.
Answered by Lord Offord of Garvel
We know a key concern for both UK and EU automotive industries is the 2024 change in the Trade and Cooperation Agreement’s Rules of Origin for Electric Vehicles and batteries. We have listened to the concerns of the sector on both sides and made it a priority to find a joint solution. The UK and the EU have a shared ambition to grow domestic Electric Vehicle manufacturing and battery supply chains. The European Commission’s 6th December proposal to extend the current rules for 3-years is a positive step towards providing long term certainty to industry, ensuring it remains globally competitive.