Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Conservative - Romford)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment her Department has made of trends in the level of aircraft noise in Havering.
Answered by Katherine Fletcher
My Department does not monitor individual aviation noise complaints by location; as complaints should be directed towards, and addressed by, the relevant airport.
The Government sets noise-related restrictions at the noise-designated airports (Heathrow, Gatwick and Stansted) and ensures these airports assess their noise impacts on an annual basis. In the case of Heathrow Airport, the Civil Aviation Authority produces summer noise exposure contours. These inform Government of the areas most significantly affected by aircraft movements from Heathrow, and therefore those communities most likely to suffer aircraft noise-related health outcomes which should be prioritised by policy interventions.
As for other airports, such as London City, restrictions are set locally, usually through the planning system. It is the responsibility of the local planning authority to conduct any necessary noise assessment and to enforce any restrictions.
Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Conservative - Romford)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many complaints have been received by the relevant authorities on aircraft noise in Havering.
Answered by Katherine Fletcher
My Department does not monitor individual aviation noise complaints by location; as complaints should be directed towards, and addressed by, the relevant airport.
The Government sets noise-related restrictions at the noise-designated airports (Heathrow, Gatwick and Stansted) and ensures these airports assess their noise impacts on an annual basis. In the case of Heathrow Airport, the Civil Aviation Authority produces summer noise exposure contours. These inform Government of the areas most significantly affected by aircraft movements from Heathrow, and therefore those communities most likely to suffer aircraft noise-related health outcomes which should be prioritised by policy interventions.
As for other airports, such as London City, restrictions are set locally, usually through the planning system. It is the responsibility of the local planning authority to conduct any necessary noise assessment and to enforce any restrictions.
Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Conservative - Romford)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many people in (a) Romford and (b) Havering have a Freedom Pass.
Answered by Lucy Frazer - Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport
The Department for Transport does not hold this information. Transport in London is devolved and this includes concessionary travel. The Freedom Pass scheme is operated by London Councils on behalf of the thirty-three London boroughs.
Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Conservative - Romford)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent estimate she has made of the increase in cost of (a) running and repairing streetlights, (b) road maintenance and (c) building new roads and other local infrastructure, in Havering, in the context of the increased rate of inflation.
Answered by Katherine Fletcher
Transport in London is devolved and is the responsibility of the Mayor of London and Transport for London (TfL). While the Department for Transport works closely with TfL on a range of issues, decisions on spending are entirely matters for TfL and/or the London boroughs where funding is devolved at the borough level. The Department is working closely with local government (including the Association for Directors of Environment, Economy, Planning and Transport) to understand increases in the cost of road maintenance, as well as associated supply chain issues.
Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Conservative - Romford)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps his Department is taking to protect people from trespassing on railways.
Answered by Wendy Morton
The rail industry in partnership with the British Transport Police has a well-established programme of work to target trespass and disruption on the rail network. We are working hard to support these work streams to safeguard the vulnerable and deliver a safer transport network.
Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Conservative - Romford)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the implications for his policies of the sixth recommendations from the tenth meeting on covid-19 of the World Health Organisation's International Health Regulations (2005) Emergency Committee on international traffic bans; and if he will make it his policy to only introduce such bans in extreme circumstances and when data show is it proportionate to do so.
Answered by Robert Courts - Solicitor General (Attorney General's Office)
This is a matter for the Department of Health and Social Care.
As part of our long-term plan on living with COVID-19, the Government is developing a contingency toolbox of options to be used at the border, including a more agile toolbox tailored depending on the nature and source of the threat, and deployed only in extreme circumstances where measures are proportionate and effective in slowing ingress to avert pressure on public services such as the NHS. We remain committed to reopening travel in a safe and sustainable way and to provide certainty for travellers in the future.
Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Conservative - Romford)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether a taxi operator licensed under the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1976 is required to enter into a contractual obligation with the passenger, and is therefore liable for paying VAT.
Answered by Trudy Harrison
Interpretation of the law is ultimately a matter for the courts. In reaching its declaration on the legislation that applies to private hire vehicle operators in London, the High Court considered that which applies in the rest of England (except Plymouth) and Wales, but it did not make a declaration on the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1976.
The recent High Court case was not a tax case, and so therefore does not have a direct bearing on the tax position. However, VAT is a tax that applies to transactions and is intended to tax what actually happens. Therefore, where a private hire vehicle operator supplies transport services to the passenger it should account for VAT on its fares accordingly.
Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Conservative - Romford)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether his Department has undertaken an assessment of the impact of the cost of the (a) Ultra Low Emission Zone and (b) Congestion Charge on businesses in (a) the London Borough of Havering, (b) outer London boroughs and (c) Greater London.
Answered by Trudy Harrison
Transport in London is devolved and is the responsibility of the Mayor of London and Transport for London (TfL). While the Department for Transport works closely with TfL on a range of issues, the operation and monitoring of the Ultra Low Emission Zone and the Congestion Charge are entirely matters for them.
Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Conservative - Romford)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps his Department plans to take to mitigate the impact of forthcoming London Underground strikes on (a) the London Borough of Havering, (b) other outer London boroughs.
Answered by Trudy Harrison
Transport in London is devolved and is the responsibility of the Mayor of London and Transport for London (TfL). While the Department for Transport works closely with TfL on a range of issues, operational decisions are entirely a matter for them including contingency planning for any potential disruption.
Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Conservative - Romford)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether his Department has conducted an assessment of the impact on tourism of the Civil Aviation Authority’s decision to allow Heathrow Airport to increase charges to its airline customers by 50 per cent.
Answered by Robert Courts - Solicitor General (Attorney General's Office)
The Civil Aviation Authority is the independent economic regulator of Heathrow Airport and its primary duty is to further the interests of consumers. In doing so, it must also have regard to, amongst other things, the need for Heathrow Airport to be able to finance the investment necessary to keep the airport safe, secure and resilient. The Civil Aviation Authority has imposed a ‘holding’ price cap of £30.19 per passenger for 2022, which will be trued up or down once the five-year (2022-2026) regulatory settlement is finalised later this year. The setting of air fares is a commercial matter for individual airlines.