Asked by: Lord Berkeley (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the comparative availability of emissions-reducing technologies in (1) Scottish island ports, and (2) English island ports, including shore power, alternative fuels and port-side grid capacity; and how that assessment informed decisions to exempt only Scottish routes from the UK Emissions Trading Scheme.
Answered by Lord Whitehead - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Government is exempting ferries serving Scotland’s island and peninsulas due to unique challenges they face in accessing essential goods, healthcare, education and employment. This is in addition to the legal duties to consider island populations under the Islands (Scotland) Act 2018.
The Government will continue to work with industry to support the development of infrastructure and technologies needed to facilitate decarbonisation across the UK.
In September 2025, the Government announced £448m R&D funding for the UK Shipping Office for Reducing Emissions (UK SHORE) between 2026 and 2030. This represents the biggest government investment ever in our commercial maritime industry.
Asked by: Lord Berkeley (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the whether absence of a UK Emissions Trading Scheme exemption for English island lifeline ferry routes will result in higher fares and freight increases compared to protected Scottish routes; and whether they will publish that assessment.
Answered by Lord Whitehead - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Domestic Maritime Final Impact assessment was published on the 25th November 2025.
The Government has not undertaken route-level, ferry fare modelling. This is because, as set out in the Impact Assessment, operators’ commercial decisions, vessel utilisation and fare structures vary widely. The qualitative assessment indicates that any passthrough to consumers is likely to be modest.
The Government is exempting ferries serving Scotland’s island and peninsula communities because of the unique challenges they face in accessing essential goods, healthcare, education and employment. This is in addition to the legal duties to consider island populations under the Islands (Scotland) Act 2018.
Asked by: Lord Berkeley (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they plan to introduce a temporary or time-limited exemption from the UK Emissions Trading Scheme for English island lifeline ferry services.
Answered by Lord Whitehead - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
There are no plans for temporary or time-limited exemptions from the UK ETS for English island ferry services.
Any potential impacts of the scheme on ferry services to English islands will be considered in a review of the effectiveness of the maritime regime in 2028.
Asked by: Lord Berkeley (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask His Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with shipping companies serving Northern Ireland about higher emissions coverage on routes between Northern Ireland and Great Britain under the UK Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) than on routes between the Republic of Ireland and Great Britain under the EU ETS; and what further discussions they plan to have with affected operators before July.
Answered by Lord Whitehead - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Government is applying a 50% deduction in surrender obligation for voyages between Northern Ireland and Great Britain. This removes any disparity between the UK ETS and EU ETS, ensuring equivalent carbon pricing within the Irish Sea.
The Government consulted extensively with the maritime sector, to ensure all perspectives informed policy development.
During consultation, the Government provided bespoke engagement sessions including a roundtable for Northern Ireland stakeholders.
Government officials continue to engage and have subsequently held individual meetings with key stakeholders and industry bodies. Regulators are running a voluntary onboarding period which will help the sector engage with the ETS ahead of July.
Asked by: Lord Berkeley (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask His Majesty's Government why they have not extended the UK Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) lifeline ferry exemptions to English islands, including the Isle of Scilly and the Isle of Wight; and what assessment they have made of the risk that increased ferry costs under the UK ETS will impact healthcare accessibility and affordability for island residents.
Answered by Lord Whitehead - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Government is exempting ferries serving Scotland’s islands and peninsulas given the unique and pressing challenges they face in accessing essential goods healthcare, education and employment, in addition to the legal duties to consider island populations under the Islands (Scotland) Act 2018.
The Government will be evaluating any impacts of the scheme on consumers and businesses, including on the Isle of Wight, as well as the existing exemptions, in a review of the maritime regime in 2028.
Ferries serving the Isles of Scilly are out of scope of the UK ETS, as they are below the 5000 gross tonnage threshold.
Asked by: Lord Berkeley (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask His Majesty's Government what discussions the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero has had with shipping industry representatives, including ferry operators, deep-sea operators, offshore vessel operators and sector bodies, about the extension of the UK Emissions Trading Scheme to the maritime sector.
Answered by Lord Whitehead - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Government, as part of the UK ETS Authority, consulted extensively with the maritime sector to ensure all perspectives informed policy development.
During the consultation period, the Government provided online engagement sessions for operators and trade associations, as well as bespoke engagement sessions for island communities and ferry operators.
Government officials continue to engage with the sector and have subsequently held individual meetings with key stakeholders and industry bodies.
Asked by: Lord Berkeley (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they plan to ringfence a proportion of UK Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) revenues from the maritime sector to fund alternative fuel and port grid upgrades in line with the EU ETS extension to maritime.
Answered by Lord Whitehead - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Government’s Impact Assessment estimates that including domestic maritime in the UK ETS will increase allowance purchase revenue by around £1.9 billion over the 20-year appraisal period, averaging roughly £95 million a year.
Revenue from the UK ETS is not currently hypothecated, but is used to fund the government’s spending priorities, including spending and subsidies supporting the Net Zero transition.
The Government continues to support the maritime sector’s decarbonisation through existing funding, guidance and policies that support the uptake of cleaner technologies.
Asked by: Lord Berkeley (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether companies conducting autonomous vehicle trials are required to publish incident and near-miss data; and if not, whether they plan to mandate this before commercial deployment of autonomous vehicles.
Answered by Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill - Minister of State (Department for Transport)
Data related to incidents from automated vehicle trials with a safety driver would be captured under standard incident report that the Department for Transport regularly publishes. Companies wishing to apply to operate commercial pilots will have to comply with mandated reporting requirements. These reports will initially be submitted to the Department. The Department is considering approaches around the publication of this information.
Asked by: Lord Berkeley (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of whether penalty points can be applied to a safety operator supervising an autonomous system when the vehicle commits an offence without manual input.
Answered by Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill - Minister of State (Department for Transport)
Whereas the drivers of normal road vehicles require driving licences, onto which penalty points may be endorsed if they commit relevant offences, this is not the case with operators of automated vehicles.
As set out in the Automated Vehicles Act 2024, a range of civil and criminal sanctions will be available to the in-use regulatory scheme to ensure that operators are held accountable for the behaviour of their vehicles, and for any failures to comply with regulatory requirements. Views are being sought on these sanctions as part of the continuing Call for Evidence, “Developing the Automated Vehicles Regulatory Framework”.
Asked by: Lord Berkeley (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the readiness of autonomous taxi technology for public use.
Answered by Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill - Minister of State (Department for Transport)
Government intends to introduce the Automated Passenger Services (APS) permitting scheme in Spring 2026 to provide a clear legal route to deploying passenger services, such as taxi-, private hire- and bus-like services, with no human driver, providing certainty for operators to enter the GB market. Both the service and the technology will be assessed before an APS permit is granted and the vehicle is listed as self-driving. These assessments will be undertaken by agencies of the department, on behalf of the Secretary of State.