Asked by: Lord Spellar (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent assessment his Department has made of the reasons for (a) congestion and (b) delays at Felixstowe docks.
Answered by Robert Courts
The last quarter of 2020 saw an unprecedented global demand surge for container freight, with shipping lines and ports worldwide handling volumes in excess of usual peak capacities and duration.
This is not an issue unique to Felixstowe, or UK ports, but is being experienced at many locations internationally.
Asked by: Lord Spellar (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what financial and other support his Department is providing for the roll-out of hydrogen powered buses; and how many of those buses have been (a) ordered and (b) delivered.
Answered by Baroness Maclean of Redditch
The Government has supported the use of a range of low carbon bus technologies, including hydrogen buses and supporting infrastructure, through funds including the Low Emission and Ultra-Low Emission Bus Schemes.
As set out in the Ten Point Plan for a Green Industrial Revolution and the Spending Review 2020 the Government will invest £120 million in 2021-22 to start the delivery of the 4,000 zero emission buses announced by the Prime Minister in February. The Department is considering all funding mechanisms, and the role that all technologies can play, in delivering these ZEBs and the infrastructure needed to support them. Further details on how funding will be distributed will be announced in due course.
Asked by: Lord Spellar (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps he has taken to support Taiwan's membership of the International Civil Aviation Organization.
Answered by Robert Courts
The UK believes that the people of Taiwan have a valuable contribution to make on issues of global concern. We therefore support Taiwanese participation in International Organisations, where there is precedent for their involvement and where there is no pre-requisite of nationhood for participation. This includes meetings of the International Civil Aviation Organization.
Asked by: Lord Spellar (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what his Department's policy is on the use of (a) food and (b) animal feed crops for the production of renewable diesel.
Answered by Baroness Maclean of Redditch
The Government recognises that some crop derived biofuels can lead to an increase in greenhouse gas emissions due to indirect land use change factors, and concerns regarding the potential for increases in food prices as land and crops are diverted to fuel rather than food production.
Given these concerns the Renewable Transport Fuel Obligation (RTFO), a certificate trading scheme which promotes a market for sustainable renewable fuels, limits the contribution crop based biofuels can make towards a suppliers obligation (both bioethanol and biodiesel). This sliding cap on crop based biofuels decreases from 4% in 2020 to 2% in 2032. The RTFO provides additional support for low carbon fuels that do not compete with food and save significant greenhouse gas emissions compared to fossil fuels. Biofuels made from wastes and residues receive twice number of tradeable certificates than would be rewarded for the supply of biofuels made from crops.
Asked by: Lord Spellar (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, for what reason the DVLA notified local authorities on 30 March 2020 that all enforcement action undertaken on vehicles under devolved powers was to stop; and when he plans to reintroduce that action.
Answered by Baroness Maclean of Redditch
During the height of the pandemic, The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency adopted a pragmatic approach to vehicle excise duty enforcement, including the pausing of local authority devolved powers. This approach ensured that those impacted by the pandemic were not further disadvantaged and that a vehicle that may have been needed in an emergency was not immobilised or removed.
DVLA enforcement activity has now recommenced. The onus remains with the registered keeper of a vehicle to ensure that their legal obligations are fulfilled and that vehicles are licensed on time.
Asked by: Lord Spellar (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 7 September to Question 77508 on Motor Vehicles: Excise Duties, how many paper driving licence applications were waiting to be processed on 7 September 2020.
Answered by Baroness Maclean of Redditch
The number of paper driving licence applications waiting to be processed fluctuates on a daily basis as licences are issued and new applications received. On 7 September, there were 109,940 paper driving licence applications sent directly to the DVLA, awaiting processing.
Asked by: Lord Spellar (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to his Answer of 21 July 2020 to Question 72801 on Official Cars: Production, how many Ford Mondeo hybrid cars there are in the Government Car Service fleet.
Answered by Chris Heaton-Harris
There are 21 Ford Mondeo hybrid cars in the Government Car Service (GCS) fleet. These are due for replacement with Ultra Low Emission Vehicles (ULEV’s) within the next 18 months.
Asked by: Lord Spellar (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, on which days in (a) July and (b) August 2020 he was physically present in his office in Great Minster House.
Answered by Grant Shapps
Based on my diary for the period, I was present in Great Minster House on the 1st, 15th and 21st July. I was also present at the Houses of Parliament on 2nd, 6th, 14th and 20th July.
I was in self-isolation following my return from Spain from 29th July to 12th August.
Asked by: Lord Spellar (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what discussions his Department has had with trade unions representing workers in the aviation sector on the effect of changing quarantine regulations on employment in that sector.
Answered by Kelly Tolhurst
Government recognises that international travel corridors provide a vital lifeline for UK travel operators and for those whose jobs rely on the travel industry, as well as of the impacts from removing a country or territory from the exemption for self-isolation requirement for arrivals due to the continued risk from Covid-19.
The Department for Transport is leading engagement across the transport sector to implement and communicate any changes for self-isolation requirement to operators and passengers. Unions remain part of the Department’s regular engagement on all matters currently impacting the sector.
Asked by: Lord Spellar (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when he last held meetings with representatives of trade unions representing transport workers.
Answered by Chris Heaton-Harris
The Secretary of State met representatives from RMT on 26th June. Junior Ministers from the Department are in regular contact with representatives from the trade unions.