Asked by: Lord Dodds of Duncairn (Democratic Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what representations he has received from people with disabilities who are holders of parking permits and from other key stakeholders on the ability of people with disabilities to continue to benefit from all associated parking facilities in EU countries after the UK leaves the EU and vice versa.
Answered by Jesse Norman
The Department for Transport receives occasional enquiries from members of the public and Members of Parliament on this issue. The Government recognises the benefits of mutual recognition of disabled parking cards across the EU for UK citizens, and vice versa. We are considering carefully the future of these arrangements. Until we leave, and during the implementation period, we expect to continue applying the current arrangements.
Asked by: Lord Dodds of Duncairn (Democratic Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent assessment his Department has made of the effectiveness of the exemption from MOT testing of classic vehicles which are at least 40 years old.
Answered by Jesse Norman
EU Directive 2014/45 enabled Member States to exempt vehicles over 30 years old from periodic roadworthiness testing. Following implementation of this Directive, changes to the MOT exemption criteria for vehicles of historic interest came into force on 20 May 2018, in Great Britain. These changes were made following public consultation and publication of an impact assessment. No further formal review of the effectiveness of these changes has been conducted.
Asked by: Lord Dodds of Duncairn (Democratic Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what discussions he has had with his counterparts in EU member states on ensuring reciprocity of air traffic management systems after the UK leaves the EU.
Answered by Chris Grayling
The Government recognises the need for UK air traffic management arrangements to remain interoperable with those of the rest of Europe. Safe and efficient air traffic management remains a high priority for Government.
The Government is considering carefully all the potential implications arising for our aviation industry from the UK’s exit from the EU, including the implications for air traffic management.
We have not yet commenced negotiations with the EU on transport, but we are prepared for when they do start.
Asked by: Lord Dodds of Duncairn (Democratic Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent discussions he has had with the relevant EU authorities on ensuring reciprocity of air traffic management systems with the EU after the UK leaves the EU.
Answered by Chris Grayling
The Government recognises the need for UK air traffic management arrangements to remain interoperable with those of the rest of Europe. Safe and efficient air traffic management remains a high priority for Government.
The Government is considering carefully all the potential implications arising for our aviation industry from the UK’s exit from the EU, including the implications for air traffic management.
We have not yet commenced negotiations with the EU on transport, but we are prepared for when they do start.
Asked by: Lord Dodds of Duncairn (Democratic Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent assessment the Government has made of the effectiveness of the National Maritime Single Window pilot exercise.
Answered by Nusrat Ghani - Minister of State (Minister for Europe)
The Department is continuing to review stakeholder feedback to the UK’s National Maritime Single Window pilot exercise in conjunction with our Government partners. We are making further upgrades to the system to improve usability and access to data by the appropriate authorities as a result.
Asked by: Lord Dodds of Duncairn (Democratic Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what training is provided to members of the merchant navy who are involved in assisting to retrieve passengers from migrant vessels.
Answered by Nusrat Ghani - Minister of State (Minister for Europe)
The International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers (STCW), 1978 and the International Safety Management Code (ISM) require all merchant navy seafarers to be prepared for the recovery of anyone in the water, hyperthermia, drowning and applicable emergency drills.
Asked by: Lord Dodds of Duncairn (Democratic Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent assessment he has made of the effect on vehicle owners of the ruling by the European Court of Justice of 13 July 2017 on third party insurance for vehicles.
Answered by Jesse Norman
The CJEU’s judgment of 13 July 2017 in case C-368/16 Assens Havn v Navigators Management (UK) Ltd, concerned an insurance policy covering liability relating to shipping. The Court decided that the provisions in Council Regulation (EC) No 44/2001, dealing with the validity of jurisdiction clauses in insurance contracts relating to shipping, must be interpreted as meaning that a victim entitled to bring a direct action against an insurer in his home jurisdiction is not bound by any agreement on jurisdiction concluded between the insurer and the insured. This judgment does not directly affect motor vehicle owners involved in a traffic accident. In the case of contracts for compulsory motor insurance, the rules (now set out in Regulation 1215/2012 which replaced Regulation 44/2001) restrict the ability of contracting parties to enter into jurisdiction clauses, and ensure that policy holders are protected. A direct right of action against the insurer by an injured party, exercisable in the injured party’s home jurisdiction under Regulation 1215/2012, is provided for by article 18 of the Motor Insurance Directive (Directive 2009/103/EC). The Lord Chancellor transposed this requirement into UK law through the European Communities (Rights Against Insurers) Regulations 2002.
Asked by: Lord Dodds of Duncairn (Democratic Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment his Department has made of the consistency of application of EC Regulations 1071/2009 (a) generally and (b) in respect of minibus driver licensing in the community and voluntary sectors.
Answered by Nusrat Ghani - Minister of State (Minister for Europe)
The Department wrote to organisations who issue section 19 and section 22 permits under the Transport Act 1985 in July 2017, and then to local authorities in November 2017 about the proper application of EU Regulation 1071/2009.
The forthcoming consultation in on the issue and use of permits will provide further clarity about the scope of exemptions to the regulation.
Asked by: Lord Dodds of Duncairn (Democratic Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the proportion of trade is in and out of each of the UK's major ports which is directly linked to intra EU trade.
Answered by Nusrat Ghani - Minister of State (Minister for Europe)
The proportion of port freight tonnage handled by each major UK sea port on routes to the EU in 2016 is shown in the attached table (excel file), broken down by direction (inwards or outwards).
Asked by: Lord Dodds of Duncairn (Democratic Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the proportion of trade is in and out of each of the UK's major ports which is directly linked to intra EU trade.
Answered by Nusrat Ghani - Minister of State (Minister for Europe)
The proportion of port freight tonnage handled by each major UK sea port on routes to the EU in 2016 is shown in the attached table (excel file), broken down by direction (inwards or outwards).