Asked by: Lord Browne of Belmont (Democratic Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to address the issue of increased operating costs for hauliers, including those related to (1) fluctuating fuel prices, and (2) administrative requirements relating to the Windsor Framework.
Answered by Lord Davies of Gower - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Government has continued its support for haulage companies by freezing HGV Vehicle Excise Duty and the HGV Levy for 2024-25, as announced at Autumn Statement 2023. This has resulted in a tax saving for one of the most popular HGVs (a 38-44 tonne articulated lorry with 3 axles, EURO VI) of £47 per annum. These measures form a package of support for hauliers, alongside the freezing of Fuel Duty as announced at Spring Budget 2024.
More broadly, at Autumn Statement 2023, the Chancellor announced that full expensing would be made permanent, meaning companies can claim 100% capital allowances on qualifying main rate plant and machinery investments, so that for every pound invested its taxes is cut by up to 25p. Following representations from industry – including the haulage sector – at Spring Budget 2024, the Chancellor confirmed that draft legislation on extending full expensing to assets for leasing will soon be published for a period of technical consultation. The extension will remain under consideration for a future fiscal event.
Additionally, the Windsor Framework will ensure the smooth flow of goods within the UK internal market. Under the new UK internal market system, which will come into force later this year, there will be no checks save those conducted by UK authorities as part of a risk-based or intelligence-led approach to tackle criminality, abuse of the scheme, smuggling and disease. The requirements in the old Protocol for both international customs paperwork and supplementary declarations will also be scrapped.
The Department for Transport does not hold a formal assessment of the specific impacts of fuel prices on businesses, nor on haulage and transport industries. However, the department is in regular contact with haulage and other transport sectors where discussions include the impact of fuel prices among other economic factors.
The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero publishes weekly fuel prices and the Office for National Statistics conducts a regular survey of business sectors on concerns such as energy prices.
Asked by: Lord Browne of Belmont (Democratic Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to increase the number of UK ratings now employed in the cruise industry who were previously in the Royal Navy.
Answered by Baroness Vere of Norbiton - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) has developed a pathway for those leaving the Royal Navy, with the relevant skills and experience, to obtain a UK Merchant Navy Rating or Able Seafarer qualification.
These qualifications lead to an internationally recognised certificate, which is a requirement for those who wish to apply for roles as a rating on vessels such as cruise ships.
The MCA continues to work with its stakeholders, to develop flexible pathways to provide skilled UK seafarers to the maritime sector.
Asked by: Lord Browne of Belmont (Democratic Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask Her Majesty's Government how many successful prosecutions have resulted from the activities of Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency enforcement officers in (1) 2019, and (2) 2020 to date.
Answered by Baroness Vere of Norbiton - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
The following table shows the total number of successful prosecutions resulting from enforcement activity by Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) officers.
2019 (January to December) | 160,623 |
2020 (January to November) | 53,390 |
Asked by: Lord Browne of Belmont (Democratic Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to support UK (1) shipping, and (2) ports, with the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Answered by Baroness Vere of Norbiton - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Department has been working closely with the maritime sector, including shipping and ports, as they have continued to operate throughout the pandemic and provide vital freight and passenger services.
As the economy continues its safe re-opening, the Department will continue to engage widely across the maritime sector to understand any challenges they face, including the ongoing financial health of maritime companies, shipping and our ports.
Asked by: Lord Browne of Belmont (Democratic Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask Her Majesty's Government in what discussions, if any, they are currently involved to explore ways of reducing airport job losses in the UK.
Answered by Baroness Vere of Norbiton - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
The aviation sector can draw on the unprecedented package of economic measures we have put in place during this time. These measures include: HMRC’s Time to Pay flexibilities with tax bills, including VAT deferrals; the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme; HMT and the Bank of England’s Covid Corporate Financing Facility; and the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme for large and small businesses.
If airlines or airports find themselves in trouble as a result of coronavirus, even following the Government’s cross-economy wage and financial interventions, the Transport Secretary and Chancellor have confirmed that we are prepared to enter discussions with individual companies seeking bespoke support as a last resort, having exhausted all other options. Any intervention would need to represent value for money for taxpayers.
The recent announcements about proposed redundancies will be very distressing news for employees and their families. Government recognises the challenges facing the aviation industry and remains committed to an open dialogue with the sector and unions, to minimise the damage to industry and retain jobs. We encourage airports and unions to engage constructively with each other, striving to provide employees with as much certainty as possible during this challenging time.
Asked by: Lord Browne of Belmont (Democratic Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure flights between Northern Ireland and Great Britain continue during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Answered by Baroness Vere of Norbiton - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
In May the Government announced a £5.7 million funding package of measures,?supporting?two airlinks,?from Belfast and Londonderry to London,?and associated airport services at City of Derry Airport and Belfast City Airport.
The funding package has ensured that lifeline connectivity services continue to both Belfast and Londonderry during the COVID-19 pandemic. These routes provide critical connectivity for key workers, repatriation, and access to healthcare services.
This approach was taken to ensure in the immediate term the continuity of service for passengers and specifically places an obligation on the operators to ensure the services continue at a minimum appropriate level.
The support provided is a temporary arrangement for up to 3 months. We are continuing to monitor Northern Ireland to Great Britain connectivity as part of the Department’s work on restart and recovery of the sector and are pleased to see commercial services resuming between London and Belfast as well as in other parts of the UK.
Asked by: Lord Browne of Belmont (Democratic Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the (1) flash frequency, and (2) brightness, of bicycle lights is regulated; if so, how it is enforced; and what assessment they have made of the impact of such lights' frequency and brightness on people with photosensitive epilepsy.
Answered by Baroness Vere of Norbiton - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
Published research identifies that flashing lights at certain intensities have the potential to trigger seizures in those who suffer from photosensitive epilepsy. It also reports the likelihood of such effects to be low and the frequency range most likely to cause such a response is 5-30 flashes per second (5-30Hz).
As such, the Road Vehicles Lighting Regulations 1989 (as amended) permit flashing bicycle lamps only if they have a frequency of no greater than 4 Hz, and not so bright as to cause undue dazzle or discomfort to other road users.
Enforcement of road traffic law is generally an operational matter for individual Police Forces and their Officers can issue verbal warnings, fixed penalty notices or report riders for formal prosecution.
Asked by: Lord Browne of Belmont (Democratic Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what progress they have made with the introduction of "pot-hole spotter systems".
Answered by Baroness Sugg
The Department for Transport announced in January 2017 that it was undertaking an innovative trial on the way potholes are identified and managed.
The Department for Transport is working in partnership with Thurrock, York and Wiltshire councils and two private sector SME’s, Soenecs and Gaist, to undertake the pothole spotter trial which allows high-definition cameras to be mounted to refuse collection vehicles to help identify road surface problems before they become potholes.
Data has been collected from the trial and is currently being assessed. A “lessons learned” report will be published by end March 2019.
Asked by: Lord Browne of Belmont (Democratic Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what categories of crime have (1) increased, and (2) decreased, on (a) railways, and (b) buses, in each year since 2014.
Answered by Baroness Sugg
It is important to consider the following data in the context of an increase in passenger numbers on the railway, with crimes per million passengers remaining relatively low and indeed decreasing from 17.2 crimes per million passenger journeys in 2013/14 to 16.1 in 2016/17.
In terms of absolute numbers, on the railways, numbers recorded of violence against the person and sexual crimes have increased each year since 2014. Criminal damage/malicious mischief decreased in 2014 but has increased each year since then. Motor vehicle / cycle crime and robbery both decreased in 2015 and 2016 before increasing in 2017. Public disorder offences increased in 2014, decreased in 2015 and increased in 2016 and 2017.
Theft of railway or commercial property / burglary and fraud have decreased each year since 2014. Drug crime increased in 2014 but has decreased in every year since. Theft of passenger property has decreased each year since 2014 apart from a small increase in 2016.
The Government does not hold data on crimes on buses, which would be recorded by the local police force.
Asked by: Lord Browne of Belmont (Democratic Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many disqualification decisions taken in another EU member state have been given effect in the UK, in each of the last three years, under the terms of the European Convention on Driving Disqualifications.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
After committing a driving offence in another EU member state, 26 drivers were disqualified in the UK in 2014 under the terms of the European Convention on Driving Disqualifications. There are no numbers for 2015 & 2016 as the convention ceased to apply in December 2014 following the UK’s Treaty of Lisbon opt-out.