Asked by: Earl of Clancarty (Crossbench - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they plan to negotiate a cabotage exemption for the creative industries within the EU.
Answered by Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill - Minister of State (Department for Transport)
The Department for Transport is committed to working closely with the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, Department for Culture, Media and Sport, Cabinet Office and other relevant Whitehall departments to address key challenges facing the UK’s creative professionals and their support staff when touring in the EU.
We are working hard to reset the relationship with our European friends and know that strengthening this relationship will take time. This Government is ambitious and wants to make swift progress, with clear manifesto priorities for the creative and cultural sectors.
Asked by: Earl of Clancarty (Crossbench - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to improve cabotage arrangements for UK musicians touring in the EU.
Answered by Baroness Vere of Norbiton
The dual registration measure came into force in July 2022 to enable eligible specialist events hauliers to transfer their vehicles temporarily between their two operator licences without needing to change vehicle mid-tour.
The measure allows specialist hauliers to undertake journeys in GB on the basis of their GB operator licence and to do the same in the other location on the basis of their EU Community Licence or other third country operator licence. This means specialist events hauliers using the measure benefit by not having their journeys limited by cabotage rules that apply to international operators within each territory, when touring for cultural events.
The Department understands that seven operators – which have an operating base in GB and in the EU or other third country – are currently making use of this measure.
Asked by: Earl of Clancarty (Crossbench - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Vere of Norbiton on 15 February (HL5298), how many car accidents occurred in England between 2000 and 2016 in which the glare of car lights was recorded as either the (1) main, or (2) a contributory, factor leading to the crash.
Answered by Baroness Vere of Norbiton
The number of reported personal injury road collisions in England involving at least one car, and which had the contributory factor ‘vision affected by dazzling headlights’ assigned to the collision by a police officer attending the scene is shown in the table, for each year between 2005 and 2016. Data on contributory factors was not collected prior to 2005.
Statistics on collisions involving dazzling headlights are produced based on contributory factors assigned by police officers attending the scene of collisions. A reporting officer can assign up to six factors which in their judgement may have contributed to the collision. These factors are not based on a full investigation, and some factors may not be obvious to the officer and are therefore likely to be underreported. No distinction is made as to whether or not a factor is a ‘main’ factor.
Year | Collisions involving at least one car, where ‘vision affected by dazzling headlights’ was recorded as a contributory factor | Total collisions involving at least one car where a police officer attended and at least one contributory factor was recorded |
2005 | 373 | 116,005 |
2006 | 411 | 114,834 |
2007 | 341 | 110,142 |
2008 | 348 | 102,916 |
2009 | 305 | 100,244 |
2010 | 245 | 94,911 |
2011 | 316 | 92,553 |
2012 | 267 | 90,105 |
2013 | 296 | 84,807 |
2014 | 276 | 90,739 |
2015 | 248 | 84,637 |
2016 | 240 | 78,038 |
Asked by: Earl of Clancarty (Crossbench - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the reply by Baroness Vere of Norbiton on 30 January (HL Deb col 415), how many car accidents have occurred in the UK in each of the last five years in which the glare of car lights was recorded as either the main or a contributory factor leading to the crash.
Answered by Baroness Vere of Norbiton
The number of reported personal injury road collisions in Great Britain involving at least one car, and which had the contributory factor ‘vision affected by dazzling headlights’ assigned to the collision by a police officer attending the scene, is shown in the table for each of the last 5 years for which data are available.
Year | *A - Vision affected by dazzling headlights | *B - Total collisions involving at least one car |
2017 | 292 | 81,385 |
2018 | 250 | 74,507 |
2019 | 258 | 69,249 |
2020 | 180 | 51,813 |
2021 | 208 | 57,915 |
Notes
*A - Collisions involving at least one car, where ‘vision affected by dazzling headlights’ was recorded as a contributory factor
*B - Total collisions involving at least one car where a police officer attended and at least one contributory factor was recorded
Asked by: Earl of Clancarty (Crossbench - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the remarks by Baroness Vere of Norbiton on 18 May that "a large proportion of the UK touring industry can continue to operate" (HL Deb col 449), whether a "large proportion" means the majority.
Answered by Baroness Vere of Norbiton
In its recent consultation, held in February 2022, DfT sought views on possible measures, designed through close work with the specialist events haulage sector, to help this specific sector adapt to the rules under the UK-EU Trade and Co-operation Agreement. The consultation received widespread support for the proposed dual registration measure and it was announced on 6 May 2022 that we would proceed with this approach.
The dual registration measure is open to all eligible specialist events haulage firms. Each operator will need to make its own business decisions on utilising the measure, based on their specific needs and resources; for some, this might include partnering with a company with a European operating base. Whether a “large proportion” or a “majority” of specialist events haulage firms utilise the measure as a means for continuing operation is a matter for individual operators.
Asked by: Earl of Clancarty (Crossbench - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the remarks by Baroness Vere of Norbiton on 18 May that "the EU will not accept greater amounts of cabotage" (HL Deb col 447), what is the basis for those remarks.
Answered by Baroness Vere of Norbiton
During negotiations on the UK-EU Trade and Co-operation Agreement, the UK requested special arrangements, including cabotage easements, for the specialist events haulage sector, which includes UK-based performing arts organisations touring in the EU, but the EU did not agree to this.
Asked by: Earl of Clancarty (Crossbench - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the reply by Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay on 21 February (HL Deb col 2), what options they are considering for own account operators regarding musicians touring the EU.
Answered by Baroness Vere of Norbiton
The Government is continuing to support the touring sector to adapt to new arrangements with the EU. Under the UK-EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA), UK hauliers can undertake up to two additional laden journeys within the EU after a laden international journey from the UK, with a maximum of one cabotage movement outside Ireland. In its recent consultation, which closed on 18 February 2022, the Department sought views on possible measures to help this specific sector to adapt to the rules under the TCA.
‘Own-account’ operators (those carrying their own goods rather than using vehicles for hire-and-reward) are not exempt from the provisions in the TCA, as all vehicles carrying goods internationally for a commercial purpose – including own account operators – are subject to the market access provisions of the TCA, including rules on cabotage and cross-trade.
The TCA agreement has been concluded and there is no intention to reopen negotiations at this time. The Department for Transport continues to assess what, if anything, can be done regarding international market access for own account operators at this time.
Asked by: Earl of Clancarty (Crossbench - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with the EU about an exemption from cabotage rules for UK-based performing arts organisations touring in the EU; and whether the Secretary of State for Transport and the Director General of the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Mobility and Transport (1) have met, or (2) will meet, to facilitate such an exemption.
Answered by Baroness Vere of Norbiton
During negotiations on the Trade and Co-operation Agreement, the UK requested special arrangements for the specialist events haulier sector, which includes UK-based performing arts organisations touring in the EU, but the EU did not agree to this.
The Secretary of State for Transport and the Director General of the European Commission have not met, and there is no future engagement planned between them. We are however gathering the views from the public and affected parts of the industry on a proposal to support specialist hauliers by introducing a dual registration measure.
Asked by: Earl of Clancarty (Crossbench - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the revised Highway Code will be available in high street outlets; and if so, when.
Answered by Baroness Vere of Norbiton
The new edition of The Highway Code will be available in print from all the usual outlets, for example bookshops, in April 2022.
In the meantime, the updated Highway Code is available in full on the Government website.
Asked by: Earl of Clancarty (Crossbench - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they intend to hold, if any, with the EU concerning the effect of challenges with cabotage on the ability of performing artists based in the UK to conduct tours in the EU.
Answered by Baroness Vere of Norbiton
The EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement has ensured that the vast majority of journeys will continue as they did before the end of the transition period, despite leaving the Single Market and Customs Union.
During negotiations, the UK pressed the EU hard on liberalised access for hauliers carrying equipment for cultural events, but the EU did not agree to our asks. We have, however, made it clear that our door remains open to discussing these proposals should the EU position change.