Asked by: Lord Harrison (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they will take steps to ensure that the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency improves its communications in line with the recommendation set out in the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman's report <i>Driven to Despair</i>.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) had made significant improvements in this area prior to the publication of the Parliamentary and Health Services Ombudsman’s report.
The DVLA worked closely with doctors and other medical professionals to improve the guidance for medical professionals to use when assessing fitness to drive. The revised guidance was published in March 2016 and has been very well received by medical professionals. Revised guidance for the general public on the medical standards for driving was published in October 2015
The DVLA has re-written customer facing letters to make them clearer and easier to understand. Officials have also reviewed and re-written letters to medical professionals to make them as clear as possible, helping to ensure that the DVLA receives the information it needs as quickly as possible.
The DVLA has also carried out a pilot which saw posters introduced into around 100 GP surgeries in the Birmingham area. The posters emphasise to patients the importance of speaking to their doctor about whether they should declare a medical condition to the DVLA. Doctors were also provided with letters to give to patients if they had discussed declaring a medical condition to the DVLA.
The DVLA has a dedicated team responsible for continuous improvement of communications and services, including an ongoing review of customer facing literature.
Asked by: Lord Harrison (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what action they are taking to address the recommendations in the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman's report <i>Driven to Despair</i>.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) had instigated a significant programme of improvements to the services offered to medical customers in 2014, prior to the publication of the Parliamentary and Health Services Ombudsman (PHSO)’s report. Significant progress has been made and the DVLA continues to concentrate efforts in this area.
The government accepted four of the six recommendations made by the PHSO. The DVLA’s Chief Executive has apologised and paid appropriate compensation to the eight customers upon whom the PHSO based its report. More staff and medical advisers have been recruited, which has led to significant improvements in the time taken to deal with medical licensing applications. The DVLA has also introduced a service which allows motorists to notify certain medical conditions online. This system will continue to be developed and improved over time.
The DVLA has also significantly improved communications in this area. Letters to medical professionals and customers have been re-written to make them clearer and officials have worked closely with doctors and medical professionals to publish revised online guidance.
The government does not accept the PHSO’s recommendation to put in place arrangements so that others affected by the issues identified can seek financial redress. The DVLA has a well established compensation scheme which conforms to HM Treasury guidelines. The PHSO’s report was based on only eight cases dating back to 2009 and the DVLA has dealt with more than four million medical applications since then, the vast majority of which have been handled efficiently and without issues. The government does not believe that it is proportionate to introduce further arrangements in this area.
The government also does not accept the PHSO’s recommendation relating to medical standards for driving. The existing medical standards for driving are based in law and are devised and agreed by medical experts. The legislation underpins the actions DVLA takes in relation to driver licensing decisions. The DVLA also takes advice from six medical advisory panels composed of relevant experts to inform decisions about the health standards required for safe driving.
Asked by: Lord Harrison (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whose responsibility it is to ensure the safety of lifts at Euston railway station; and what information they have about when those lifts were last inspected; and whether they will publish a report about lift safety at that station.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
Network Rail is the relevant safety duty holder with responsibility for ensuring that risks are controlled so far as reasonably practicable on its infrastructure and the stations it manages.
The Department does not hold information about when the lifts at Euston railway station were last inspected and operational issues such as these are a matter for Network Rail with oversight from the Office of Rail and Road in its role as the independent railway safety regulator.
Asked by: Lord Harrison (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they are considering phasing Flight-Plus out of the ATOL scheme in the context of ATOL reform and the new European Union Package Travel Directive.
Answered by Baroness Kramer - Liberal Democrat Lords Spokesperson (Treasury and Economy)
The European Commission’s proposal for a new Package Travel Directive expands the scope of the definitions to potentially include a range of holidays currently covered as flight-plus arrangements under the Air Travel Organisers’ Licensing (ATOL) scheme, and some holidays sold by airlines.
On 18 March 2013, the European Commission published a Communication on Passenger Protection in the Event of Airline Insolvency. The Commission committed to closely monitor the application of a range of measures, and after two years, review their performance and effectiveness and assess whether a legislative initiative is needed to guarantee the protection of passengers in the case of airline insolvency. We anticipate that the Commission’s review will commence next year.
We will carefully consider the outcome of these matters as part of our review of ATOL reform.
Asked by: Lord Harrison (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government when they will take a decision on including airlines within the ATOL scheme for Flight-Plus transactions in line with powers contained in the Civil Aviation Act 2012.
Answered by Baroness Kramer - Liberal Democrat Lords Spokesperson (Treasury and Economy)
The European Commission’s proposal for a new Package Travel Directive expands the scope of the definitions to potentially include a range of holidays currently covered as flight-plus arrangements under the Air Travel Organisers’ Licensing (ATOL) scheme, and some holidays sold by airlines.
On 18 March 2013, the European Commission published a Communication on Passenger Protection in the Event of Airline Insolvency. The Commission committed to closely monitor the application of a range of measures, and after two years, review their performance and effectiveness and assess whether a legislative initiative is needed to guarantee the protection of passengers in the case of airline insolvency. We anticipate that the Commission’s review will commence next year.
We will carefully consider the outcome of these matters as part of our review of ATOL reform.