Asked by: Helen Morgan (Liberal Democrat - North Shropshire)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the end of the air quality grant scheme on pollution levels.
Answered by Robbie Moore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The awards were withdrawn because I had concerns that the Local Air Quality Grant Scheme would not deliver the most positive outcomes for local air quality at this particular time and so I have asked Defra officials to consider redesigning the Scheme in the future, to be able to better deliver those positive outcomes and therefore enhanced value for money for taxpayers.
The latest published National Atmospheric Emissions Inventory shows that up to the year 2022, the UK met and is compliant with our current domestic and international emission reduction commitments. This Government has delivered significant reductions in emissions since 2010 – with emissions of fine particulate matter falling by 24%, and nitrogen oxides down by 48%.
Asked by: Helen Morgan (Liberal Democrat - North Shropshire)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to the press release of 4 August 2023 entitled £6 million to improve air quality in local communities, what proportion of that funding will be spent in each Parliamentary constituency; and for what purpose.
Answered by Robbie Moore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Minister used his discretion not to fund the Local Air Quality Grant Scheme for the 2023-2024 financial year. He has asked Defra officials to consider the future of the scheme and how it might be redesigned to better deliver positive outcomes for local air quality and public health and therefore enhanced value for money for taxpayers.
Asked by: Helen Morgan (Liberal Democrat - North Shropshire)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how much funding his Department has provided through the Air Quality Grant in each constituency in (a) each of the last three years and (b) the 2024-25 financial year.
Answered by Robbie Moore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The information regarding how much funding has been provided through the Air Quality Grant Scheme over the last three years is available on gov.uk (Air quality grant scheme - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)). This includes a breakdown of which local authorities have been successful in being awarded a grant.
Decisions regarding the scheme for the financial year 24/25 have not yet been made.
Asked by: Helen Morgan (Liberal Democrat - North Shropshire)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps her Department is taking to help ensure farmers will continue to be able to use GPS equipment after the 3G switch-off.
Answered by Julia Lopez - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The government welcomes legacy networks being switched off in a responsible way, as this will increase network efficiency, minimise energy consumption and free up spectrum for 4G and 5G networks and beyond.
Ofcom has published details of how it expects the mobile network operators (MNOs) to conduct the switch off in line with their regulatory obligations, and the mobile network operators have committed to offer broadly the same level of coverage via their 4G networks as they currently offer on their 3G (and 2G) networks.
Given MNOs’ assurances that 4G coverage should be available in place of 3G following switchover, farmers currently using 3G for navigation should therefore be able to rely on 4G coverage or, failing that, satellite navigation systems.
The Shared Rural Network aims to extend 4G coverage to 95% of UK landmass by the end of 2025, while further coverage improvements in the more hard-to-reach areas will continue to be delivered until the start of 2027. 4G coverage is already available to over 93% of the UK landmass.
Asked by: Helen Morgan (Liberal Democrat - North Shropshire)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps her Department is taking to help ensure that areas without access to 4G signal will continue to access signal after the 3G switch-off.
Answered by Julia Lopez - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The government welcomes legacy networks being switched off in a responsible way, as this will increase network efficiency, minimise energy consumption and free up spectrum for 4G and 5G networks and beyond.
Ofcom has published details of how it expects the mobile network operators (MNOs) to conduct the switch off in line with their regulatory obligations, and the mobile network operators have committed to offer broadly the same level of coverage via their 4G networks as they currently offer on their 3G (and 2G) networks.
Given MNOs’ assurances that 4G coverage should be available in place of 3G following switchover, farmers currently using 3G for navigation should therefore be able to rely on 4G coverage or, failing that, satellite navigation systems.
The Shared Rural Network aims to extend 4G coverage to 95% of UK landmass by the end of 2025, while further coverage improvements in the more hard-to-reach areas will continue to be delivered until the start of 2027. 4G coverage is already available to over 93% of the UK landmass.
Asked by: Helen Morgan (Liberal Democrat - North Shropshire)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what progress has been made on the reopening of the Oswestry to Gobowen railway line.
Answered by Huw Merriman - Minister of State (Department for Transport)
Under Network North, it was announced that the Oswestry to Gobowen line Restoring Your Railway scheme would progress to delivery, subject to successful business cases. Progress is being made with Network Rail and others on next steps, including on a schedule for development work and costs. The Department expects that such development work will begin in the coming months.
Asked by: Helen Morgan (Liberal Democrat - North Shropshire)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps his Department is taking to help increase the number of miles travelled by bus in Shropshire.
Answered by Guy Opperman - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
Most bus services outside London are commercially operated. The Government recognises the importance of local bus services to helping communities stay connected and has announced over £4.5 billion to support and improve bus services since 2020. This includes over £2 billion to help local authorities deliver their Bus Service Improvement Plans (BSIPs) and make bus services more frequent, reliable, cheaper, and easier to use. Shropshire Council has been allocated £4.8 million to deliver its BSIP. Local authorities can use BSIP funding to target areas they believe will deliver the best overall outcomes in growing long term patronage and revenues; helping to maintain service levels.
The Government also makes over £200 million available to bus operators every year through the Bus Service Operators Grant (BSOG) to help them maintain their networks. A further £42 million in BSOG funding is provided directly to local authorities to help subsidise socially necessary bus services that might otherwise be commercially unviable. Shropshire Council receives £512,447 of this funding every year.
The Government is also investing almost £600 million to deliver the £2 fare cap scheme in England, helping passengers save on their travel costs, and ultimately encouraging more people to use the bus.
Asked by: Helen Morgan (Liberal Democrat - North Shropshire)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of social rented properties which do not include floor coverings in all habitable rooms on the health of tenants.
Answered by Jacob Young - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities)
Landlords must ensure homes are of a decent standard and investigate and respond to complaints quickly. All residents have the right to a safe, warm and decent home. If residents are unhappy, they can contact the Housing Ombudsman.
The Government is currently reviewing the Decent Homes Standard and has been considering the question of floor coverings in social housing as part of this work.
Asked by: Helen Morgan (Liberal Democrat - North Shropshire)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, whether he has had discussions with (a) housing associations and (b) local authorities on the full provision of flooring social housing.
Answered by Jacob Young - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities)
Landlords must ensure homes are of a decent standard and investigate and respond to complaints quickly. All residents have the right to a safe, warm and decent home. If residents are unhappy, they can contact the Housing Ombudsman.
The Government is currently reviewing the Decent Homes Standard and has been considering the question of floor coverings in social housing as part of this work.
Asked by: Helen Morgan (Liberal Democrat - North Shropshire)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps her Department is taking to support mobile phone owners whose device is not 4G compatible when the 3G signal is switched off.
Answered by Julia Lopez - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The government welcomes legacy networks being switched off in a responsible way, as this will free up spectrum for 4G and 5G networks and beyond. Ofcom has published details of how it expects the mobile network operators to conduct the switch off in line with their regulatory obligations. These expectations include providing customers with a minimum of three to six months’ notice of any steps they need to take as a result of their provider switching off their 3G networks; communicating in a clear and timely way, using a range of communication channels to raise customer awareness of the proposed changes; and providing additional support to vulnerable customers.
The mobile network operators have set out advice to their customers on 3G switch off plans on each of their websites.
We will continue to monitor the MNOs’ progress in switching off their 3G networks.