Debates between Grant Shapps and Fay Jones during the 2019 Parliament

Mon 13th Sep 2021

HGV Driver Shortages

Debate between Grant Shapps and Fay Jones
Monday 13th September 2021

(2 years, 6 months ago)

Commons Chamber
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Grant Shapps Portrait Grant Shapps
- Parliament Live - Hansard - -

I agree with the hon. Gentleman that we want to drive up the standards, but he somewhat misrepresents the picture of improving quality of not only our roads, thanks to our enormous £27 billion investment in our roads, but of air quality as the standard of trucks gets better and better. He may have missed it, but I recently introduced a consultation on the ending of the sale of diesel trucks in this country. We will be one of the first countries, if not the first country in the world that manufactures to do so. I will welcome his response to that consultation, which will help clean the air up for everybody on our roads.

Fay Jones Portrait Fay Jones (Brecon and Radnorshire) (Con)
- Parliament Live - Hansard - - - Excerpts

I am grateful that the Department is getting after these issues so urgently. During the summer, I met A.E. Gough and Sons, which has been trucking from Llandrindod Wells in my constituency since 1926. It is a family-run business. It is very proud of its industry, and sees a bright future for it, but it has concerns about the conditions that its drivers experience, such as poor rest facilities. Will the Secretary of State meet me to discuss its concerns and ensure that we keep this historic business going?

Grant Shapps Portrait Grant Shapps
- Parliament Live - Hansard - -

I thank my hon. Friend for that great question. Similar to the point made earlier, we want to see truck stops improve. We want to see the overnight facilities improved. We want to attract people into this industry. We are starting to see that movement, not only because there has been a welcome increase in salaries and wages, but because of campaigns, including by The Sun newspaper, to “Keep on trucking”, which is encouraging more people into this industry. I or my roads Minister would be happy to meet my hon. Friend.