Asked by: Desmond Swayne (Conservative - New Forest West)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether he has taken steps to pilot the use of acoustic cameras to identify vehicles that breach noise limits.
Answered by Richard Holden - Minister without Portfolio (Cabinet Office)
The results of the Department’s initial research into the use of a prototype noise camera for the detection of excessively noisy vehicles was published in August 2021. This research showed that the technology demonstrated some potential, but required further development to be suitable for enforcement.
Further trials were commissioned in 2022, which included the assessment of the latest noise camera technology on a test track and at the roadside. Roadside trials commenced on 18 October 2022 and finished on 1 February 2023. The Department is awaiting a final report of the trial outcomes before considering next steps.
Asked by: Desmond Swayne (Conservative - New Forest West)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what estimate he has made of the impact of increases in the rate of inflation on the ability of highways authorities to deliver maintenance programmes.
Answered by Richard Holden - Minister without Portfolio (Cabinet Office)
The Department is keenly aware of the impact of inflation, both on our own programme of works and on those of partners such as local authorities.
The Department is working closely with local highways authority representatives and stakeholders, along with other Government Departments, to understand and address wider inflationary pressures on local authorities.
Asked by: Desmond Swayne (Conservative - New Forest West)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, for what reasons South Africa has been retained on the Covid-19 travel red list.
Answered by Robert Courts - Solicitor General (Attorney General's Office)
South Africa was added to the red list on 24 December 2020 and remains on the red list as the country presents a high public health risk to the UK from known variants of concern.
Asked by: Desmond Swayne (Conservative - New Forest West)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will extend the period in which the holders of foreign driving licences may drive lawfully in the UK to reflect delays in availability of driving tests.
Answered by Rachel Maclean
There are no plans to extend the period for which holders of international driving licences can drive in GB using that licence.
The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) is adding new capacity to the system all the time and shorter notice tests do become available as customers cancel booked tests.
Asked by: Desmond Swayne (Conservative - New Forest West)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what advice he is issuing to recipients of AstraZeneca covid-19 vaccine batches 4120Z001, 4120Z002, 4120Z003 on travel to Europe in summer 2021.
Answered by Robert Courts - Solicitor General (Attorney General's Office)
All AstraZeneca vaccines given in the UK are the same product and appear on the NHS COVID Pass as Vaxzevria. We are not aware of any advice from the European Medicines Agency or the EU not to accept these batches of vaccines. There was a temporary misunderstanding regarding travel to Malta. This has now been resolved.
Asked by: Desmond Swayne (Conservative - New Forest West)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will provide exemptions to covid-19 travel restrictions to permit family reunifications in circumstances where a family relationship can be established notwithstanding there being no marriage or civil partnership.
Answered by Robert Courts - Solicitor General (Attorney General's Office)
The decision to introduce enhanced border measures is in direct response to scientific and medical data, which represents an increased risk to UK public health and an increased risk of community transmission of the new COVID-19 variants identified in other countries. These are intended to be temporary measures and the government keeps data for countries and territories under constant review.
The government has made it consistently clear that it will take decisive action to contain the virus, including adding further countries to the red list if the public health risk of people returning from a particular country without self-isolating becomes too high.
There are an extremely limited number of exemptions from enhanced border measures, and only introduced where absolutely necessary for reasons of national importance. Exemptions from enhanced border measures are set out on Gov.uk and are kept under regular review.
Asked by: Desmond Swayne (Conservative - New Forest West)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will take steps to prevent the exclusion of British flagged commercial vessels from operating in EU waters specifically but not limited to charter vessels under 24 meters; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Robert Courts - Solicitor General (Attorney General's Office)
As part of the UK-EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement we have agreed measures that will guarantee legal certainty to UK companies providing international maritime transport services, including both passenger and freight transport between Member States of the EU. UK vessels will continue to enjoy non-discriminatory access to ports, the use of port infrastructure and maritime auxiliary services.
In line with precedent in other UK and EU free trade agreements, the UK-EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement excludes maritime cabotage. This allows each country to decide who can provide cabotage services. Some countries in the EU and EEA do not restrict cabotage, and UK flagged commercial vessels will continue to have access to these markets.
The Maritime and Coastguard Agency has been engaging with EU Member States to remove technical barriers to enable provision of cabotage services by UK vessels in specific EU Member States. We will continue to engage with relevant countries to seek to unblock technical and regulatory restrictions to maritime cabotage, where they exist. However, companies that currently provide such services in the waters of EU Member States will need to be aware of the local rules that apply.
Asked by: Desmond Swayne (Conservative - New Forest West)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether his restriction on direct flights from Portugal includes Madeira; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Robert Courts - Solicitor General (Attorney General's Office)
From 4am on 15th January 2021, the government introduced travel restrictions to the UK from several South American destinations, Portugal, Madeira, the Azores, Panama and Cape Verde in order to prevent the spread of a new strain of coronavirus into the UK. This includes a flight ban on countries with direct flights to the UK, including Argentina, Brazil, Cape Verde and Portugal (including Madeira and the Azores). The decision to ban travel from these destinations follows the discovery of a new coronavirus variant first identified in Brazil, that may have spread to countries with strong travel links to Brazil.
Asked by: Desmond Swayne (Conservative - New Forest West)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what progress the Global Travel Taskforce has made on assessing the steps that can be taken to facilitate business travel without the need for a quarantine period during the covid-19 pandemic.
Answered by Robert Courts - Solicitor General (Attorney General's Office)
The Government is actively working on the practicalities of using testing to release people from self-isolation earlier than 14 days. The Global Travel Taskforce is working at pace to consider how testing, technology and innovation can drive a recovery for international travel and tourism, without adding to infection risk or infringing on our overall NHS test capacity.
The Taskforce is also considering what steps we can take to facilitate business and tourist travel on a bilateral and global basis, through innovative testing models and other non-testing means.
Asked by: Desmond Swayne (Conservative - New Forest West)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what plans he has to introduce traffic cameras with detectors to identify and record modified exhaust systems which amplify engine sound levels.
Answered by Rachel Maclean
The Department’s initial trials of a prototype acoustic camera have concluded and the results will be published shortly. The outcome of the trials is currently being considered, including what further development would be required to enable the technology to be used for more targeted and efficient enforcement.
It is too early in the development of the device to provide a plan for its introduction, but we are optimistic that it will provide an effective enforcement tool in the future.