Asked by: Lord Walney (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, what plans they have to re-assess official predictions of (1) medium, and (2) long term passenger growth in (a) international flights, (b) domestic flights, (c) long distance rail travel, and (d) motorway usage.
Answered by Baroness Vere of Norbiton - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
A new long-term forecast for travel demand in international and domestic flights is not feasible due to the uncertainty arising from COVID-19 concerning forecasting and appraisal. The Government is monitoring the evolving situation and engaging regularly with industry on their forecasts.
We have conducted long distance rail demand scenarios using assumptions on potential drivers subject to ongoing update, refinement and review. We will continue to review and evaluate the evidence for motorway usage. Our priority is to understand potential impacts resulting from COVID-19 following the update of road forecasts.
We plan to issue updated guidance in February on how to incorporate the impact of COVID-19 in medium and long-term forecasts for transport. More widely, the Government will continue to closely monitor the impact of the pandemic and to consider how to reflect this uncertainty with other drivers, including technological change and travel behaviour.
Asked by: Lord Walney (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of whether the assumptions about passenger growth contained in the HS2 Phase One full business case, published on 15 April, remain accurate following the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic; and what plans they have to revise this business case.
Answered by Baroness Vere of Norbiton - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
The rapid development and the uncertain outcome of the COVID-19 outbreak mean it has not yet been possible to undertake specific analysis to determine its impact on HS2. The Department for Transport is working with colleagues across Government to understand the impact on transport demand and the pandemic’s wider effect on the economy, and how this will affect future business cases for transport infrastructure investment.
The Full Business Case for Phase One published in April looked at both high and low demand scenarios, underpinned by population and economic growth forecasts. That analysis showed that even in a scenario where demand is relatively low, there is still a clear case for pressing ahead with HS2.
We are confident that the strategic case for HS2, including its subsequent stages to Crewe, Manchester and Leeds remains clear, and that there remains a case for increasing capacity on the UK rail network, bringing cities closer together and levelling up regions across the UK. HS2 also remains key to achieving net-zero by 2050, a commitment which remains unchanged despite the challenges presented by the pandemic.
Asked by: Lord Walney (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what (a) incentives and (b) sanctions are available to Highways England to promote compliance with its instructions on roadworks undertaken by utility companies.
Answered by Jesse Norman
The New Roads and Street Works Act 1991 enables Highways England to apply charges where works are unreasonably prolonged (i.e. take longer in duration than agreed) and to prosecute utility companies for offences (including failure to comply with directions given).
Asked by: Lord Walney (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if the Government will reverse its decision not to extend the lane rental scheme to trunk roads operated by Highways England.
Answered by Jesse Norman
The Lane Rental Scheme mentioned is available to all highway authorities that wish to use it and that apply to the Secretary of State in line with bidding guidance published in September 2018.
Highways England believe that they have sufficient powers under the New Roads and Street Works Act 1991, and other procedures in place, to encourage utility companies to complete works on the Strategic Road Network quickly and effectively. The Department has not made any decision to exclude authorities from Lane Rental Schemes.
Asked by: Lord Walney (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will mandate Northern Rail to operate replacement buses on the Furness line in circumstances where cancelled or reduced services affect children's ability to travel to and from school.
Answered by Paul Maynard - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
Northern are already obliged by their Franchise Agreement to use all reasonable endeavours to provide or secure the provision of alternative transport arrangements to enable passengers affected by any disruption to complete their intended journeys. This includes ensuring that alternative transport arrangements are of reasonable quality and of a reasonably similar frequency to the advertised timetable.
Officials will raise this specific concern on the Furness Line with the operator.
Asked by: Lord Walney (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what plans he has to open a consultation on improvements to the A595 near Grizebeck before the end of the current parliamentary session.
Answered by Jesse Norman
The A595 in this location is a local road and the responsibility of Cumbria County Council.
Later this year the Department for Transport plans to consult on its plans to establish a Major Road Network, which would include the most important local authority A-Roads. A share of the National Road Fund, funded by Vehicle Excise Duty, will be set aside to fund improvements on this Network, which could include roads such as the A595 at Grizebeck.
Asked by: Lord Walney (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, on how many occasions his Department has made appointments by exception since 2010; and who was appointed for each such post.
Answered by Claire Perry
As reported in the Civil Service Commissioners Audit report, the number of appointments made by exception since 2010 are as follows:
| Year | Number of exceptions |
| Grade 6 and below | |
| 2010/11 | 220 |
| 2011/12 | No appointments were made by exception during the year within the Department and its agencies, |
| although it is possible that some former Civil Servants (below SCS Level 2) may have | |
| been re-appointed under Exception 5, Re appointment of former Civil Servants | |
| 2012/13 | 31 |
| 2103/14 | 29 |
Information on who was appointed to each post is not held centrally.
Asked by: Lord Walney (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how much his Department spent on iPhones in each year since 2010.
Answered by Claire Perry
The Department for Transport and its executive agencies spend (all figures are net of VAT) on iPhones in each year since 2010 is in the table below.
Year
| DfT iPhone spend
|
2010
| Nil
|
2011
| Nil
|
2012
| £1,425
|
2013
| £22,265
|
2014
| £15,905
|
Total
| £39,595
|
The majority of the spend has been incurred by the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency. This is as part of its new operating model ‘Next Generation Testing’, with the need to ensure staff have immediate access to support functions whilst they are working remotely. This includes the ability to visually and audibly show vehicle defects when having conversations with technical support specialists, with live video and interaction supported through the 'facetime' functionality, and access to electronic manuals and technical information on the move.
Asked by: Lord Walney (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how much his Department has spent on legal fees over prevention of release of information requested by Freedom of Information requests since 2010.
Answered by Claire Perry
The amount spent by this Department and its Executive Agencies on external legal fees in relation to withholding information requested under the Freedom of Information Act 2000, namely payments to the Treasury Solicitor’s Department and counsel, in each of the last five financial years, is as shown in the table below.
Financial year
| External legal spend (excluding VAT)
|
2009/10
| £17,495
|
2010/11
| £32,404
|
2011/12
| £311
|
2012/13
| £3,068
|
2013/14
| £69
|
2014/15
| £38,475
|
Asked by: Lord Walney (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many Freedom of Information requests his Department has declined to answer in full since 2010.
Answered by Claire Perry
Statistics on the number of Freedom of Information (FOI) requests answered by the Department for Transport are published by the Ministry of Justice. The published figures include information on the number of requests where the Department withheld some or all of the requested information. These reports can be accessed on the following webpage:
https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/government-foi-statistics