Asked by: Gareth Bacon (Conservative - Orpington)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether her Department plans to fund operational trials of zero-emission aircraft.
Answered by Mike Kane - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
As a private sector, the introduction of new forms of aircraft is primarily a matter for industry. The Government is however supportive of new forms of zero-emission aircraft being brought into commercial use.
The Department for Business and Trade is co-investing with industry through the Aerospace Technology Institute Programme in R&D on aerospace technology, including projects focussed on zero emission aircraft. The budget confirmed a five-year extension to the programme with nearly £1bn funding.
In addition, the Civil Aviation Authority’s Hydrogen in Aviation Regulatory Challenge is being supported by a £0.9m grant from the Government’s Regulatory Pioneers Fund. Future government funding will be considered within the ongoing Spending Review.
Asked by: Gareth Bacon (Conservative - Orpington)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what comparative assessment she has made of trends in the level of investment in (a) operational trials and (b) infrastructure development for zero-emission aviation by (i) the UK and (ii) other countries.
Answered by Mike Kane - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Government is supportive of new forms of zero-emission aircraft being brought into commercial use.
The Department for Business and Trade is co-investing with industry through the Aerospace Technology Institute Programme in R&D on aerospace technology, including projects focussed on zero emission aircraft. The budget confirmed a five-year extension to the programme with nearly £1bn funding.
In addition, from January 2025 the use of low carbon hydrogen as an aviation fuel is eligible for reward under the SAF mandate where it meets sustainability criteria. The Civil Aviation Authority’s Hydrogen in Aviation Regulatory Challenge is being supported by a £0.9m grant from the Government’s Regulatory Pioneers Fund. Future government funding will be considered within the ongoing Spending Review.
The Jet Zero Taskforce Expert Group, convening representatives from government, industry, and academia with an interest in aviation decarbonisation, have agreed to establish a dedicated group to unlock barriers to the commercial operation of zero-carbon hydrogen aircraft.
The Department for Transport has not made a comparative assessment of trends in operational trials nor infrastructure development.
Asked by: Gareth Bacon (Conservative - Orpington)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps she is taking to facilitate the commercialisation of hydrogen-powered aircraft for passengers; and whether she is allocating additional resources for that process.
Answered by Mike Kane - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Government is supportive of new forms of zero-emission aircraft being brought into commercial use.
The Department for Business and Trade is co-investing with industry through the Aerospace Technology Institute Programme in R&D on aerospace technology, including projects focussed on zero emission aircraft. The budget confirmed a five-year extension to the programme with nearly £1bn funding.
In addition, from January 2025 the use of low carbon hydrogen as an aviation fuel is eligible for reward under the SAF mandate where it meets sustainability criteria. The Civil Aviation Authority’s Hydrogen in Aviation Regulatory Challenge is being supported by a £0.9m grant from the Government’s Regulatory Pioneers Fund. Future government funding will be considered within the ongoing Spending Review.
The Jet Zero Taskforce Expert Group, convening representatives from government, industry, and academia with an interest in aviation decarbonisation, have agreed to establish a dedicated group to unlock barriers to the commercial operation of zero-carbon hydrogen aircraft.
The Department for Transport has not made a comparative assessment of trends in operational trials nor infrastructure development.
Asked by: Gareth Bacon (Conservative - Orpington)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if she will publish the CrossCountry performance remedial agreement with XC Trains Ltd made (a) in August 2024 and (b) at any subsequent date.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
A copy of the Remedial Agreement letter between the Secretary of State and XC Trains Limited, dated 9 August 2024, has been published on the GOV.UK website. The Remedial Agreement between the Secretary of State and XC Trains Limited runs from August 2024 to March 2025.
Asked by: Gareth Bacon (Conservative - Orpington)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether she plans to provide funding for support for maritime training beyond March 2025.
Answered by Mike Kane - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
Funding for the Support for Maritime Training (SMarT) scheme will be determined as part of the ongoing departmental business planning process for the financial year 2025/26. We will share more when we are able to do so.
Asked by: Gareth Bacon (Conservative - Orpington)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether she plans to publish her Department’s plans to decarbonise (a) shipping and (b) the wider maritime sector.
Answered by Mike Kane - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
Maritime has a key role to play in supporting the Governments missions, from clean energy, to growth, and supporting public health through tackling air pollution. We will shortly set our next steps for reducing the emissions from both shipping and the wider maritime sector in a forthcoming maritime decarbonisation plan, which will include a package of policy and regulatory measures.
Asked by: Gareth Bacon (Conservative - Orpington)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 10 December 2024 to Question 18188 on Railways: Employers' Contributions, whether she plans to increase regular contract payments in line with the cost of changes to employer National Insurance contributions made at the Autumn Budget 2024.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
Regular contract payments will take account of the increase in the cost of changes to employer National Insurance contributions made at the Autumn Budget 2024.
Asked by: Gareth Bacon (Conservative - Orpington)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 13 November 2024 to Question 12975 on Department for Transport: Data Processing, what the operational scope is of her Department's Organisational AI programme; and which Departmental area it is placed within.
Answered by Mike Kane - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Department for Transport’s Organisational AI Programme, sets out a holistic framework for the adoption of AI within the Department itself, and shares learning across the wider operational agencies and arm’s length bodies. It is led and coordinated out of the Decarbonisation, Technology and Strategy Group.
Asked by: Gareth Bacon (Conservative - Orpington)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what discussions (a) she and (b) her predecessor has had with her counterpart in the Welsh government since July 2024.
Answered by Mike Kane - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Secretary of State has not held discussions or met with her counterpart in Wales since her appointment on 29th November. Louise Haigh held discussions with her Welsh counterpart.
Asked by: Gareth Bacon (Conservative - Orpington)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 13 November 2024 to Question 13063 on High Speed 2 Line: Construction, what information her Department holds on levels of compliance by contractors with the HS2 Environmental Minimum Requirements.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The HS2 Environmental Minimum Requirements contain a range of controls to ensure compliance with (amongst other things) the environmental provisions in the High Speed Rail (London - West Midlands) Act. More information is available in the HS2 Information Paper E1: Control of Environmental Impacts https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5a82e5cae5274a2e87dc386e/E1_-_Control_of_Environmental_Impacts_v1.7.pdf
HS2 Ltd publishes regular reports on compliance with the Code of Construction Practice provisions on managing noise, vibration, air quality and dust impacts on local communities. Latest reports are available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/monitoring-the-environmental-effects-of-hs2-2024. This is supplemented by annual reports setting out an assessment of how the HS2 programme is affecting the environment, how contractors are reducing their impact and examines progress in setting and meeting environmental controls. These reports are available here: https://www.hs2.org.uk/documents/collections/hs2-environmental-sustainability-progress-reports/
HS2 Ltd is required by the General Principles of the High Speed Rail (London – West Midlands) Environmental Minimum Requirements to report any new significant environmental effects that exceed those which were reported in the Phase 1 Environmental Statement (as amended). A Supplementary Environmental Information report for each case is published on Gov.UK here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/sei-reports-for-new-significant-environmental-effects-on-the-hs2-phase-one-route.