Asked by: Damian Green (Conservative - Ashford)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps he is taking to ensure that the introduction of the EU Entry/Exit System does not delay cross-Channel rail travellers.
Answered by Huw Merriman - Minister of State (Department for Transport)
I recognise the importance of smooth passenger flows for international rail services and it is the Government’s priority to support pragmatic solutions to address the potential impact of the EU’s Entry Exit System (EES) at juxtaposed controls. My officials have and continue to work closely with Home Office (as the lead Department) and industry partners, including HS1 Ltd, Eurostar and Eurotunnel to prepare for the implementation of EES later this year.
Asked by: Damian Green (Conservative - Ashford)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps he is taking to expand the use of international rail as sustainable transport.
Answered by Huw Merriman - Minister of State (Department for Transport)
The Government fully supports the growth and development of international rail services given the environmental benefits these provide, as well as the social and economic benefits for UK citizens and businesses.
My officials regularly engage with infrastructure managers, other Government Departments and European partners to discuss new routes and potential market entrants, and continue to welcome engagement with prospective operators where there is a credible commercial proposition to develop new services.
Asked by: Damian Green (Conservative - Ashford)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what discussions his Department has had with Eurostar on reopening international rail services from Ashford since 1 January 2024.
Answered by Huw Merriman - Minister of State (Department for Transport)
I fully recognise the important benefits international rail services provide for the areas and communities they serve, including for the people and businesses in Kent. I last met with Eurostar in December 2023 and emphasised the UK Government’s desire to see the return of international services at Ebbsfleet and Ashford as soon as reasonably possible.
My officials have and will continue to engage regularly with Eurostar on this matter and press for the reinstatement of services at Kent stations once it is commercially viable for them to do so.
Asked by: Damian Green (Conservative - Ashford)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what progress his Department has made on fulfilling its commitments on environmental mitigations for the Sevington Inland Border Facility.
Answered by Richard Holden - Minister without Portfolio (Cabinet Office)
My Department has already delivered biodiversity enhancements within the Inland Border Facility boundaries by implementing a landscaping scheme to achieve a positive biodiversity net gain as habitats mature.
The Department owns the adjacent land to the east of Sevington Inland Border Facility (IBF), known as Sevington East, and intends to use to further offset the environmental impact of the IBF development by creating a local biodiversity asset. Extended archaeological investigations have had an impact on the delivery of this. Those investigations and the work on land formations have now concluded and plans are being updated to deliver the seeding and planting for the biodiversity scheme later this year.
Asked by: Damian Green (Conservative - Ashford)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what progress has been made on negotiations for UK drivers resident in Spain to continue to use their existing licences after 31 December 2021; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Trudy Harrison
The Government is making every effort to reach an understanding with Spain regarding long-term licence exchange arrangements, without the need for a practical test, for UK licence holders resident in Spain, and vice-versa. Updated advice will be published on gov.uk before the expiry of the current arrangements on 31 December 2021.
Asked by: Damian Green (Conservative - Ashford)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will publish any impact assessment on the Government's decision to provide financial support to the aviation industry but not to the international sector.
Answered by Chris Heaton-Harris - Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
The Government has been engaging closely with transport providers across the UK since the outbreak of Covid-19 earlier this year to understand and monitor the impact and will continue to do so.
Companies across the UK economy, including those in the transport sector, are able to draw on an unprecedented package of support including the Bank of England’s Coronavirus Corporate Financing Facility, the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme, two business interruption loan schemes and flexibilities with tax bills.
Asked by: Damian Green (Conservative - Ashford)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what plans he has to introduce an air bridge to Namibia; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Robert Courts - Solicitor General (Attorney General's Office)
Namibia is not currently on the list of countries exempt from self-isolation requirements. The Government takes a range of factors into account when deciding which countries to add or remove from the Travel Corridor list. These include an estimate of the proportion of the population that is currently infectious in each country, virus incidence rates, trends and rates of change, transmission status and international epidemic intelligence, information on a country’s testing capacity, testing regime and test positivity rate, an assessment of the quality of the data available, the effectiveness of measures being deployed by a country and the volume of travel between the UK and that country. ?The Government keeps the list of travel corridors under constant review. We will make further exemptions when we are sure that we can do so safely and responsibly.
Asked by: Damian Green (Conservative - Ashford)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what his timescale is for the introduction of improvements to the Thameslink service to Maidstone East.
Answered by Chris Heaton-Harris - Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
Officials continue to work with the industry to resolve the issues which have so far prevented a regular service from being introduced and to provide passengers in Maidstone with a regular all-day service to the City at the earliest opportunity.
Asked by: Damian Green (Conservative - Ashford)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the performance of the DVLA since April 2020.
Answered by Rachel Maclean
The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) has a wide range of services available online which offer the quickest and easiest way to transact with the DVLA. These online services have worked well and as normal throughout the pandemic with more than 36 million online driver and vehicle transactions processed since March. The majority of DVLA’s customer interactions are digital or automated allowing businesses and motorists to transact with DVLA at a time and place that suits them.
The DVLA’s 6,000 staff are predominantly based in one office in Swansea and to adhere to social distancing requirements there has been a greatly reduced number of staff on-site at any one time. As a result, there have been delays in dealing with paper applications that have been posted to the DVLA as these have to be dealt with in person. The DVLA has implemented measures to reconfigure its office space to accommodate more operational staff within the two metre social distancing requirements in Wales and ensure it remains covid secure.
The DVLA has also accelerated the development of new online services to further reduce paper applications and has launched a publicity campaign to encourage the use of online services.
In June, the DVLA launched a new service allowing vehicle keepers to change their address online. This service was developed and introduced at pace in response to the pandemic and has been very successful with more than 213,000 change of address transactions completed online by the end of August. Further digital service enhancements are underway. Ministers are regularly briefed on the latest position as it relates to the DVLA’s services.
Asked by: Damian Green (Conservative - Ashford)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what representations he has received from Maidstone Borough Council on establishing a new rail halt between Charing and Lenham in Kent; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Chris Heaton-Harris - Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
The Department has not received any representations from Maidstone Borough Council about a new rail halt between Charing and Lenham in Kent.