Asked by: Claire Hanna (Social Democratic & Labour Party - Belfast South)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 12 June 2023 to Question 187126 on Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency: Post Office, how long the extension to the DVLA's contract with the Post Office to provide those DVLA services is.
Answered by Richard Holden - Minister without Portfolio (Cabinet Office)
An extension to the contract between the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency and the Post Office has been agreed, ensuring that DVLA services will be available at post offices to 31 March 2024.
Asked by: Claire Hanna (Social Democratic & Labour Party - Belfast South)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to EU regulation 2019/2144 on vehicle safety systems, whether the UK has adopted that regulation; and under what circumstances truck and vehicle manufacturers have to comply with that legislation.
Answered by Richard Holden - Minister without Portfolio (Cabinet Office)
EU regulation 2019/2144 was not retained in UK law and does not form part of the GB type approval scheme. Vehicles manufacturers will need to comply with the regulation if they intend to sell their products in Northern Ireland or into the EU.
Vehicle standards are kept under review and a decision will be taken in due course as to whether to introduce any of the relevant technologies in Great Britain as part of our wider programme to modernise vehicle standards
Asked by: Claire Hanna (Social Democratic & Labour Party - Belfast South)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of EU regulation 2019/2144 on the purchasing and selling of vehicles from the UK into the European Single Market; and whether he plans to adopt proposals similar to that regulation into UK law.
Answered by Richard Holden - Minister without Portfolio (Cabinet Office)
UK manufacturers selling their products into the EU must ensure their vehicles are approved to the relevant EU regulations, including the technical requirements laid out in Regulation (EU) 2019/2144.
Vehicle standards are kept under review and a decision will be taken in due course as to whether to introduce any of the relevant technologies in Great Britain as part of our wider programme to modernise vehicle standards.
Asked by: Claire Hanna (Social Democratic & Labour Party - Belfast South)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what discussions he has had with the Leader of the House to schedule parliamentary time to take forward the introduction of mandatory disability awareness training for taxi and PHV drivers through new National Minimum Standards for licensing authorities.
Answered by Wendy Morton
Effective disability awareness training can help ensure drivers have the knowledge, skills, and confidence to provide passengers with appropriate assistance, helping them to travel independently.
Taxi and private hire vehicle licensing is a devolved matter in all UK nations. The Department for Transport remains committed to introducing mandatory disability awareness training for taxi and PHV drivers in England through new National Minimum Standards for licensing authorities when Parliamentary time allows. We continue to work through the normal government channels to identify a suitable legislative vehicle and sufficient Parliamentary time to take forward this important measure.
In the meantime, we will publish a consultation on updated best practice guidance for local licensing authorities in England later in the year, including a stronger recommendation that every driver is required to complete disability awareness training.
Asked by: Claire Hanna (Social Democratic & Labour Party - Belfast South)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will make it his policy to introduce mandatory disability awareness training for taxi and private hire drivers through new national minimum standards for licensing authorities in 2022.
Answered by Wendy Morton
Effective disability awareness training can help ensure drivers have the knowledge, skills, and confidence to provide passengers with appropriate assistance, helping them to travel independently.
Taxi and private hire vehicle licensing is a devolved matter in all UK nations. The Department for Transport remains committed to introducing mandatory disability awareness training for taxi and PHV drivers in England through new National Minimum Standards for licensing authorities when Parliamentary time allows. We continue to work through the normal government channels to identify a suitable legislative vehicle and sufficient Parliamentary time to take forward this important measure.
In the meantime, we will publish a consultation on updated best practice guidance for local licensing authorities in England later in the year, including a stronger recommendation that every driver is required to complete disability awareness training.
Asked by: Claire Hanna (Social Democratic & Labour Party - Belfast South)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how much the Government spent on studies to examine the feasibility of building a bridge or tunnel between Northern Ireland and Scotland.
Answered by Trudy Harrison
The Fixed Link Feasibility Study forms part of the Union Connectivity Review, independently chaired by Sir Peter Hendy CBE. Sir Peter’s review has not yet concluded, so the final figure is not yet available.
Asked by: Claire Hanna (Social Democratic & Labour Party - Belfast South)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what discussions has he had with his EU counterparts on the transfer of UK issued licenses to EASA Licenses to allow Northern Ireland pilots to work in the EU under the terms of the NI Protocol.
Answered by Robert Courts - Solicitor General (Attorney General's Office)
There have been no discussions between the UK and EU on the transfer of UK issued licences to European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) licences under the terms of the NI Protocol.
The rights of individuals to live and work in the EU is subject to wider employment, immigration and visa policy.
Asked by: Claire Hanna (Social Democratic & Labour Party - Belfast South)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent discussions his Department has had with the EU on mutually recognised flight crew licenses.
Answered by Robert Courts - Solicitor General (Attorney General's Office)
There have been no recent discussions with the EU on the topic of flight crew licence recognition.
Following the end of the Transition Period, the UK and EU agreed a high-level Aviation Safety Agreement, with an annex on Airworthiness.
The Aviation Safety Agreement does include scope to agree further annexes such as on pilot licensing in the future, if both sides wish to do so. The government will keep this matter under review and hope to progress future discussions.
The Department will continue to engage with the EU and EASA on future areas of safety cooperation, where it can support industry.
Asked by: Claire Hanna (Social Democratic & Labour Party - Belfast South)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the Government's timeframe is for bringing forward legislative proposals on the safe use and conduct of personal water crafts.
Answered by Robert Courts - Solicitor General (Attorney General's Office)
We are continuing to develop the legislation necessary to bring personal watercraft within the safe use and conduct provisions of the Merchant Shipping Act 1995. A public consultation seeking comments on the draft legislation will be published once this process has been completed.
Local and harbour authorities already have significant powers to introduce measures deal with any issues in the waters they manage through byelaws and harbour directions.
Asked by: Claire Hanna (Social Democratic & Labour Party - Belfast South)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether Northern Ireland residents will require a motor insurance green card to drive freely from Northern Ireland to the Republic of Ireland and vice versa under the terms of the UK-EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement.
Answered by Rachel Maclean
Motor insurance does not form part of the UK-EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement. We have urged the EU to issue an Implementing Decision confirming the UK’s participation in the Green Card-free circulation zone as a third country. Until the EU issues such a decision, our advice to all UK motorists taking their vehicle into any EU Member State is to carry a green card.
The Council of Bureaux has confirmed that all national bureaux have agreed to continue their mutual cooperation with the UK Motor Insurers’ Bureau under the Multilateral Agreement, which guarantees that that Motor Insurers'
Bureaux will continue handling claims with MIB based on the system of 'deemed insurance cover' not requiring the existence of a Green Card, therefore at present a Green Card does not have to be carried to enter the UK.