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Written Question
Motor Vehicles: Tyres
Monday 15th January 2024

Asked by: Drew Hendry (Scottish National Party - Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey)

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 making winter tyres mandatory on road vehicles during the autumn and winter.

Answered by Guy Opperman - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

Winter tyres do have improved grip in snow and icy conditions and some countries require these tyres at certain times of year. In those regions that may be exposed to prolonged periods of significant winter conditions, or where the driver knows that they will have no choice but to journey on roads that may be affected by snow and ice, the cost of equipping vehicles with winter tyres may be justified.

However, given the relatively low frequency of heavy snow and ice experienced in the UK, the Government currently has no plans to introduce a legal requirement mandating winter tyres.


Written Question
Aviation: Compensation
Monday 13th November 2023

Asked by: Drew Hendry (Scottish National Party - Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey)

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps his Department is taking to help improve the timeliness of airline compensation payments.

Answered by Huw Merriman - Minister of State (Department for Transport)

The Department for Transport and the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) have been clear that the aviation industry must meet its legal obligations to ensure consumers receive the best possible service.

The CAA has the power to take enforcement action when required to ensure the industry meets its legal obligations.

The Department has also committed, in its response to the Aviation Consumer Policy Reform Consultation, to further consultation on compensation and payment frameworks for flight delays, cancellations and denied boarding.


Written Question
Driving Licences: Fees and Charges
Tuesday 10th January 2023

Asked by: Drew Hendry (Scottish National Party - Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey)

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of revising DVLA driving license fee processes to accept other forms of payment as well as cheques and postal orders when a license is applied for by post.

Answered by Richard Holden - Minister without Portfolio (Cabinet Office)

The Driver Vehicle Licensing Agency is currently considering alternative payment methods with a view to moving away from paper-based payments and providing customers with options that match their needs. Improvements will aim to support reducing paper-based transactions and payment methods wherever possible in addition to providing a wider range of options for customers.


Written Question
Horticulture: Vehicles
Thursday 15th December 2022

Asked by: Drew Hendry (Scottish National Party - Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey)

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of information provided to horticultural businesses on the installation of tachographs in horticultural vehicles which operate within 100 kilometres of their home base and also deliver third party goods.

Answered by Richard Holden - Minister without Portfolio (Cabinet Office)

Whether or not a vehicle needs a tachograph depends on whether the vehicle falls under scope of Regulation (EC) 561/2006 (“the EU drivers’ hours rules”) as retained in UK Law. The EU drivers' hours rules, which require the use of tachographs and prescribe maximum limits on driving time and minimum requirements for breaks and rest periods, apply to drivers of most vehicles used for the carriage of goods, where the maximum permissible weight of the vehicle (or combinations of vehicle and trailer) exceeds 3.5 tonnes. In this context goods is defined as goods or burden of any description.

There are a number of specific exemptions and national derogations, including for: “Vehicles used or hired without a driver by agricultural, horticultural, forestry, farming or fishery undertakings for carrying goods as part of their own entrepreneurial activity within a radius of 100 km from the base of the undertaking.”.

If the vehicle is used for the delivery of third party goods, this national derogation would not apply and the vehicle would need to have a tachograph fitted. The driver would need to comply with the retained EU drivers’ hours rules.

This national derogation has been in place since 2007 and should be well known to the horticultural industry. There is detailed information on the gov.uk website on drivers’ hours, including advice on exemptions and national derogations. The Government has not made any assessment on the adequacy of information provided.


Written Question
Shipping: Russia
Thursday 1st December 2022

Asked by: Drew Hendry (Scottish National Party - Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey)

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether the Joint Maritime Security Centre is taking steps to ensure that the (a) beneficial ownership of Russian vessels is tracked when ships are transferred to open or international registries and (b) ban on Russian ships accessing UK ports is maintained if the beneficial owners commercially operate from Russia; and how many vessels with Russian beneficial owners, but who's flag has changed, have been identified as attempting to (i) circumvent the port ban and (ii) evade sanctions.

Answered by Richard Holden - Minister without Portfolio (Cabinet Office)

The Joint Maritime Security Centre provides Department for Transport officials with regular vessel tracking reports for Russian-linked commercial ships thought to be heading towards the UK Marine Area, including where Russia is identified as the country of beneficial ownership. This monitoring is not limited to Russian-flagged vessels, but all registries, where a Russian link is identified.

Department for Transport officials maintain close contact with the maritime industry to assist the port sector in undertaking their own due diligence. Government support has included the publication of six versions of industry guidance and regular intelligence reports containing Ships of Potential Interest, which are those identified as having a potential Russian connection. The legal duty under the Russia (Sanctions)(EU Exit) Regulations 2019, as amended (the Regulations) remains with UK ports to reach an assessment as to whether they know or have reasonable cause to suspect that a ship falls within scope of the port ban.

The prohibition on UK port entry in the Regulations applies to certain ships including “a ship owned, controlled, chartered or operated by persons connected with Russia”. The definition of a person “connected with Russia” includes but is not limited to individuals who are “ordinarily resident in Russia” or “located in Russia”, or companies that are “incorporated or constituted under the law of Russia” or “domiciled in Russia”.

At the start of the conflict, at least twenty-eight ships were knowingly frustrated by the UK sanctions, having been refused entry by ports; diverted by their owner or operator; or having changed their ownership or operational structures to ensure compliance. We have now seen a wholesale change in Russian shipping activity which has seen an extensive reduction in the number of Russian-linked ships transiting UK waters and no recent attempts by such ships to enter UK ports.


Written Question
Invalid Vehicles: Charging Points
Wednesday 14th September 2022

Asked by: Drew Hendry (Scottish National Party - Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey)

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what discussions his Department has had with manufacturers of electric vehicle charging stations on the potential merits of the inclusion of charging provisions for mobility scooters in stations produced.

Answered by Robert Courts - Solicitor General (Attorney General's Office)

The Department for Transport have not had any discussions with manufacturers of electric vehicle charging stations on the inclusion of charging provisions for mobility scooters.

The law states that Class 2 and Class 3 vehicles may only be used by a disabled person, or by a non-disabled person who is demonstrating a vehicle before sale, training a disabled user or taking the vehicle to or from a place for maintenance or repair. A disabled person in this context is someone with an injury, physical disability or medical condition which means that they are unable to walk or have difficulty in walking. It would therefore be impractical to have charge points which would require mobility scooters to be stationary for long periods leaving the disabled person confined to their mobility scooter when out and about.


Written Question
Invalid Vehicles
Wednesday 14th September 2022

Asked by: Drew Hendry (Scottish National Party - Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey)

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of the inclusion of mobility scooters in road vehicle passing guidance within the highway code.

Answered by Robert Courts - Solicitor General (Attorney General's Office)

Rule H2 of The Highway Code states that pedestrians include wheelchair and mobility scooter users, and Rule 163 of The Highway Code makes it clear that drivers should allow at least 2 meters of space and keep to a low speed when passing a pedestrian in the road.


Written Question
Sanctions: Russia
Monday 5th September 2022

Asked by: Drew Hendry (Scottish National Party - Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey)

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if officials in his Department will hold discussions with representatives of UK-based airlines on ensuring that people who are sanctioned as a result of the conflict in Ukraine are unable to utilise those airlines' services anywhere in the world.

Answered by Robert Courts - Solicitor General (Attorney General's Office)

HMG has been clear that there would be consequences and a severe cost for any Russian military incursion into Ukraine and, in coordination with our international allies and partners, have developed an unprecedented package of sanctions. These sanctions apply to all persons present in the UK, as well as UK persons wherever they are in the world.

We have made clear to representatives of UK based airlines that people who are sanctioned as a result of the conflict in Ukraine should not utilise those airlines’ services anywhere in the world. We will continue to reiterate this message through our regular engagement with the industry.


Written Question
Electric Vehicles: Bicycles
Thursday 14th July 2022

Asked by: Drew Hendry (Scottish National Party - Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey)

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential impact on safe traffic flows of (a) allowing the unlicensed road usage by cyclists of gradient dependent dynamic variable electric bike motor power outputs over 250w, (b) motor output limitations on electric bike journey types and (c) gradient altered bike speeds.

Answered by Trudy Harrison

The Department has not made a detailed assessment of the impact that this would have on traffic flows, but any impact would be likely to be minimal. Most e-cycles already allow the rider to increase or reduce the amount of electrical assistance being provided, thus allowing more assistance to be provided in hillier settings if the rider wishes it. The current speed and power restrictions for Electrically Assisted Pedal Cycles (EAPCs) are in place for public safety. At speeds higher than 15.5mph, there is the potential for the rider to cause serious injury to themselves and others.

The Department reviewed the case for amending the current speed and power restrictions as part of the Future of Transport Regulatory Review Call for Evidence published in 2020 and has no plans to amend the existing regulations.


Written Question
Airports: Disability
Thursday 7th July 2022

Asked by: Drew Hendry (Scottish National Party - Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey)

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what discussions he has had with representatives of the Civil Aviation Authority on airport assistance for disabled passengers in the context of passengers requiring assistance while airside.

Answered by Robert Courts - Solicitor General (Attorney General's Office)

We have a legal accessibility framework to ensure disabled passengers and those with reduced mobility are provided assistance and we have been clear on the standards we expect from the aviation industry in terms of support for disabled and less mobile passengers, as we want all forms of transport to be accessible for everyone. We continue to have regular discussions with the CAA, including through the Ministerial weekly strategic risk group to ensure that airports and airlines are meeting the needs of disabled passengers and those with reduced mobility.