Asked by: Catherine West (Labour - Hornsey and Wood Green)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent discussions he has had with representatives of airlines on disruption and delays at UK airports.
Answered by Robert Courts - Solicitor General (Attorney General's Office)
Since the beginning of the year, Ministers and Officials have been engaging extensively with the sector to gain a greater understanding of the issues facing the industry. We have taken action in a range of areas, including security alleviations, skills and recruitment to support the aviation industry. This includes the Secretary of State changing the law on the 29 April to alleviate pressures on industry background checks for new recruits going through training and has allowed HMRC Employment History letters to be used as part of the background check, with suitable safeguards in place. This will help speed up the recruitment process.
On 12 May Minister Hinds, Minister of State for Security and Borders and I, hosted a roundtable with leaders from across the aviation industry. This meeting addressed the upcoming increase in passenger demand for the May Half Term and Summer holidays as well as providing industry with a comprehensive update from Border Force on their preparations.
At the same time Senior Officials established the Summer Resilience Group ahead of the May half-term that brings together Operational Directors to work through key resilience issues, which continues to meet regularly in addition to regular bilateral meetings.
On 1 June, the Secretary of State and I chaired a meeting with airports, airlines and ground handlers in order to understand the specific issues they were facing over half term and the actions they were taking to result these.
An action from this meeting was to set up the Strategic Risk Group which I am now chairing on a weekly basis. This will bring together senior representatives of airlines, airports and ground handlers to focus on solutions that minimise disruption over the summer for the public.
Asked by: Catherine West (Labour - Hornsey and Wood Green)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent discussions he has had with airport leaders on disruption and delays at UK airports.
Answered by Robert Courts - Solicitor General (Attorney General's Office)
Since the beginning of the year, Ministers and Officials have been engaging extensively with the sector to gain a greater understanding of the issues facing the industry. We have taken action in a range of areas, including security alleviations, skills and recruitment to support the aviation industry. This includes the Secretary of State changing the law on the 29 April to alleviate pressures on industry background checks for new recruits going through training and has allowed HMRC Employment History letters to be used as part of the background check, with suitable safeguards in place. This will help speed up the recruitment process.
On 12 May Minister Hinds, Minister of State for Security and Borders and I, hosted a roundtable with leaders from across the aviation industry. This meeting addressed the upcoming increase in passenger demand for the May Half Term and Summer holidays as well as providing industry with a comprehensive update from Border Force on their preparations.
At the same time Senior Officials established the Summer Resilience Group ahead of the May half-term that brings together Operational Directors to work through key resilience issues, which continues to meet regularly in addition to regular bilateral meetings.
On 1 June, the Secretary of State and I chaired a meeting with airports, airlines and ground handlers in order to understand the specific issues they were facing over half term and the actions they were taking to result these.
An action from this meeting was to set up the Strategic Risk Group which I am now chairing on a weekly basis. This will bring together senior representatives of airlines, airports and ground handlers to focus on solutions that minimise disruption over the summer for the public.
Asked by: Catherine West (Labour - Hornsey and Wood Green)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent progress he has made on tackling the backlog of practical driving test appointments.
Answered by Trudy Harrison
The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) recognises there is a high demand for learners who are wanting to take their practical driving test following the suspension of routine driver training and testing during the pandemic.
The DVSA is working hard to provide as many practical driving test appointments as possible and has a number of measures in place to do this.
These include:
The DVSA is also launching a new national campaign to recruit an extra 161 examiners across Great Britain to help meet the increasing demand for driving tests. This is in addition to its previous campaign to recruit more than 300 additional examiners.
Asked by: Catherine West (Labour - Hornsey and Wood Green)
Question to the Department for Transport:
What discussions he has held with airlines on the practice of running empty or near-empty flights to retain landing slots at airports.
Answered by Robert Courts - Solicitor General (Attorney General's Office)
My officials and I have had regular engagement with industry throughout the pandemic and have worked constructively together on many cross-cutting issues.
Targeted consultations have taken place with airports, airlines and industry bodies to discuss and gather evidence for what measures are appropriate. Our most recent consultation with industry took place between 15 November and 13 December which assisted us in our decision to continue with alleviation from normal slot usage rules for the Summer 2022 season.
Further consultation on whether alleviation is necessary for the Winter 2022 season and what form this might take will take place shortly.
Asked by: Catherine West (Labour - Hornsey and Wood Green)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will take steps to stop UK airlines running empty or near-empty flights to retain landing slots at airports.
Answered by Robert Courts - Solicitor General (Attorney General's Office)
The Government acted swiftly to tackle the risk of empty or near empty aircraft continuing to fly during the pandemic solely to retain their slots. The rules requiring airlines to fly 80% of their slots in order to retain them for the subsequent season were fully suspended for the Summer 2020, Winter 2020/21 and Summer 2021 slot scheduling seasons.
The Government secured more flexible powers through the Air Traffic Management and Unmanned Aircraft (ATMUA) Act 2021. This allows the Government to amend the usual landing slot rules, where the evidence supports, preventing airlines operating empty or near-empty flights.
For the current Winter 2021/22 season, the Government has used the ATMUA Act 2021 to introduce a package of measures designed to support the recovery of the sector and protect air carriers from operating empty or near-empty flights. For the Summer 2022 season, further alleviation is planned which will support the recovery in passenger demand and give airlines the flexibility not to operate their slots where there are COVID-19 related restrictions.
We will consult with airlines, airports and aviation industry bodies shortly on whether further alleviation is needed for the Winter 2022 season and beyond.
Asked by: Catherine West (Labour - Hornsey and Wood Green)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of bringing forward legislative proposals to make road insurance mandatory for e-scooter owners driving on roads.
Answered by Trudy Harrison
E-scooters are currently classed as motor vehicles under the Road Traffic Act 1988. This means users must comply with the requirements for motor vehicles, which includes having appropriate insurance. It is currently an offence to ride an e-scooter without insurance. The Department is now considering options for a new regulatory framework for e-scooters. This includes working with industry to consider whether to require insurance and, if so, what kind.
Asked by: Catherine West (Labour - Hornsey and Wood Green)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will require taxi and minicab drivers to complete disability equality training.
Answered by Trudy Harrison
Effective disability awareness training can help ensure that taxi and private hire vehicle (PHV) drivers have the knowledge, skills and confidence to provide passengers with appropriate assistance, so that they can travel independently and with confidence.
The Department wants every local licensing authority to require taxi and PHV drivers to complete this training, and will make this clear in updated best practice guidance, due to be published for consultation later in the year.
The Government also remains committed to introducing mandatory disability awareness training for taxi and PHV drivers through new National Minimum Standards for licensing authorities when Parliamentary time allows.
Asked by: Catherine West (Labour - Hornsey and Wood Green)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to the Air Quality Expert Group's report on Non-Exhaust Emissions from Road Traffic, what assessment he has made of the implications for his policies of the report's findings that fully electric cars cause dust pollution from car brakes and tyres.
Answered by Trudy Harrison
The Department for Transport recognises that fully electric cars, in common with all road vehicles, contribute particulate pollution from road, tyre and brake wear.
In February 2021, the Department commissioned a leading UK research provider to investigate the measurement techniques, materials properties and control parameters of brake and tyre wear emissions from road vehicles. The study will report in 2023 and will be used to inform policy decisions and any potential legislation that may be required to control and reduce these emissions, including from electric vehicles.
Asked by: Catherine West (Labour - Hornsey and Wood Green)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, for what reason Colombia is on the covid-19 red list for international travel.
Answered by Robert Courts - Solicitor General (Attorney General's Office)
Colombia has been on the red list since 15 January 2021 due to the ongoing presence of variants of concern. Government scientists will continue to engage with countries on the red list and keep the evidence on variants of concern, especially Lambda and Mu, under close review in order to ensure the UK’s approach remains proportionate.
Decisions on red country assignment and associated border measures will continue to be taken by Ministers, who take into account the JBC risk assessments alongside wider public health factors.
The data for all countries and territories will be kept under review and the Government will not hesitate to take action where a country’s epidemiological picture changes.
Asked by: Catherine West (Labour - Hornsey and Wood Green)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if his Department will take steps to give priority access to key workers and disabled people to fuel their cars during fuel supply chain pressures.
Answered by Trudy Harrison
This is a matter for the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy.