E-scooters: Trials

Debate between Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill and Lord Brennan of Canton

Tuesday 1st April 2025 Lords Chamber

[Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill (Lab)]

If the noble Lord is accurate, I must have been correct in what he reports I said, so I am sure that I did. I cannot immediately answer him on whether and to what extent there has been consultation in Northern Ireland, but I take his point. I will take it away and write to him about it.

[Lord Brennan of Canton (Lab)]

My Lords, they glide among us on illegal, uninsurable vehicles, delivering our groceries and our takeaways. What are the Government going to do to help the workforce who use these types of vehicles and go after the faceless bosses who employ them, rather than the low-paid workers themselves?

[Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill (Lab)]

My noble friend makes a really good point. That is one of the subjects which the Employment Rights Bill seeks to remedy. I do not think that we cannot do it directly through road traffic regulation, although when there are rules for these things, it will be incumbent on the employers of the people who ride them to comply with the rules as well as the people who ride them.

Airport Expansion

Debate between Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill and Lord Brennan of Canton

Tuesday 25th February 2025 Lords Chamber

[Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill (Lab)]

The noble Lord is right that sustainable aviation fuel is important in reducing the carbon footprint of air traffic. This Government have taken forward the SAF mandate, which came into force in January, which progressively increases the percentage of sustainable jet fuel used from this year onwards. It is also important, as the noble Lord says, that the UK is a supplier, and the actions of the Government are to make sure that there are jobs in Britain and that Britain is a leading supplier of this. On 29 January, the Government announced £63 million of funding for the advanced fuels fund in the next financial year to support SAF producers based across the United Kingdom. I do not have a jobs figure to hand for SAF, but I will willingly write to the noble Lord and tell him what we know about it.

[Lord Brennan of Canton (Lab)]

My Lords, on the subject of airport expansion, there are airports around the country that are under capacity currently, including Cardiff Airport. What consideration have the Government given to working with the Welsh Government on driving more business in the direction of airports such as Cardiff Airport?

[Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill (Lab)]

The Government recognise the importance of regional airports. I do not have in front of me what the Government are doing about the expansion of Cardiff Airport, but I will willingly write to my noble friend and tell him exactly what we know about Cardiff’s expansion and the Government’s role in helping it.