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Written Question
Shipping
Tuesday 22nd December 2020

Asked by: Joy Morrissey (Conservative - Beaconsfield)

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps the Government is taking to ensure that (a) the UK has access to sufficient shipping capacity and (b) capacity is not being withheld to manipulate shipping costs.

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

Shipping is a global commercial market, and shipping lines will adjust their operations and pricing to take account of demand and market fluctuations. Shipping lines are currently facing a period of exceptional demand versus capacity that is causing price rises on an international level, and causing operational challenges worldwide.

This includes operations into and out of the UK and Europe. Whilst this remains predominantly a commercial issue for the market to resolve, Government is liaising closely with shipping lines and ports to encourage mitigations and management of operations to minimise the impacts on the UK wherever possible.


Written Question
Large Goods Vehicle Drivers
Friday 18th December 2020

Asked by: Joy Morrissey (Conservative - Beaconsfield)

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps he is taking to introduce (a) programmes for people to retrain as qualified HGV drivers and (b) other schemes to tackle the shortage of those drivers.

Answered by Rachel Maclean

We are working with the Department for Work and Pensions and Jobcentre Plus to ensure that HGV drivers who are out of work can find employment as quickly as possible. The Flexible Support Fund is available for unemployed drivers who need to renew their Driver Certificate of Professional Competence (DCPC).

In addition, we are working with the sector to develop a suite of Trailblazer Apprenticeships to help them make the most of the apprenticeship levy. We have also provided a grant to Road to Logistics, a non-profit organisation, seeking to train ex-service personnel, the long term unemployed and ex-offenders to drive lorries.


Written Question
Freight: Felixstowe Port
Thursday 17th December 2020

Asked by: Joy Morrissey (Conservative - Beaconsfield)

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps the Government is taking to clear the backlog of containers at the port of Felixstowe.

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

The Government is liaising closely with the Port of Felixstowe, but also other UK ports, and international shipping lines on their response to the current global container demand surge. Ports are working hard to handle volumes of freight significantly in excess of normal peaks and under challenging Covid-19 operational circumstances. Whilst this is predominantly a commercial issue, Government is taking action to reduce supply chain pressures, for example a temporary relaxation of HGV drivers rules and we acted to remove the majority of PPE containers from Felixstowe.


Written Question
Cycling and Walking: Finance
Tuesday 1st September 2020

Asked by: Joy Morrissey (Conservative - Beaconsfield)

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps he has taken to allocate the £2 billion of funding for active travel announced in early 2020.

Answered by Chris Heaton-Harris - Secretary of State for Northern Ireland

On 28 July the Prime Minister launched ambitious plans to boost cycling and walking, which set a long-term vision for half of all journeys in towns and cities to be cycled or walked by 2030. The plans include a £2 billion package of funding for active travel over the next 5 years.

£225 million has been made available to local authorities this financial year for immediate measures including new cycle lanes, wider pavements and safer junctions. £25 million has been allocated to cycle maintenance initiatives, including the Fix Your Bike Voucher Scheme. Decisions on the remainder will be for the Spending Review in the autumn.


Written Question
High Speed 2 Railway Line: Costs
Friday 17th January 2020

Asked by: Joy Morrissey (Conservative - Beaconsfield)

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the potential implications for his policies of the findings in sections 7.6 and 7.7 of the report on HS2 published by Lord Berkeley on 5 January 2020.

Answered by Paul Maynard - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)

The Government commissioned Doug Oakervee to provide advice on how and whether to proceed with HS2 and his report will inform our decisions. We will of course give appropriate consideration to Lord Berkeley’s personal views.


Written Question
High Speed 2 Railway Line: Denham
Wednesday 15th January 2020

Asked by: Joy Morrissey (Conservative - Beaconsfield)

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many HS2 Ltd community engagement meetings have been cancelled in Denham in the last twelve months.

Answered by Paul Maynard - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)

HS2 Ltd and its contractors have not cancelled any community engagement activities in Denham during 2019.

Over the last twelve months HS2 Ltd and its contractors continued to engage regularly with residents, and local stakeholders such as the Parish Council, in the Denham area. The most recent community event was a drop-in session held on 10 December at Higher Denham Community Hall.


Written Question
High Speed 2 Railway Line: Denham
Wednesday 15th January 2020

Asked by: Joy Morrissey (Conservative - Beaconsfield)

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what financial compensation has been agreed by HS2 Ltd for the compulsory purchase of land in Denham.

Answered by Paul Maynard - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)

All compulsory purchase payments made by HS2 Ltd are in line with the compensation code – the body of statute, case law and established practice that underpins the approach to property compensation. Information regarding financial compensation for specific land or to individuals is not made publicly available as it is commercially sensitive.

HS2 Ltd publishes detailed information online regarding compulsory purchase compensation and procedures. This information can be found at:

https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/compulsory-purchase-system-guidance


Written Question
High Speed 2 Railway Line: Denham
Wednesday 15th January 2020

Asked by: Joy Morrissey (Conservative - Beaconsfield)

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many Compulsory Purchase Orders in Denham were undertaken by HS2 Ltd in the last five years.

Answered by Paul Maynard - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)

One compulsory purchase notice was issued in Denham since February 2017. This is the point at which powers to compulsorily acquire land for HS2 were conferred on the Secretary of State through the High Speed Rail (London – West Midlands) Act 2017.


Written Question
High Speed 2 Railway Line: Costs
Monday 13th January 2020

Asked by: Joy Morrissey (Conservative - Beaconsfield)

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to the report on HS2 published by Lord Berkeley on 5 January 2020, what recent assessment he has made of (a) the accuracy of the estimated cost benefit ratio of between 0.6 and 1 and (b) the value for money of the estimated cost of £107billion at 2019 detailed in that report.

Answered by Paul Maynard - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)

The Secretary of State commissioned the Oakervee Review to provide advice on how and whether to proceed with HS2, including examining the project’s costs and benefit. Doug Oakervee’s report will inform our assessment of the estimated cost if the Government decided to proceed. We will of course give appropriate consideration to Lord Berkeley’s personal views.


Written Question
High Speed 2 Railway Line: Scotland
Monday 13th January 2020

Asked by: Joy Morrissey (Conservative - Beaconsfield)

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to the oral contribution of the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Transport of 10 July 2019, official report, column 203-204WH, what the (a) budget and (b) timetable is for extending High Speed Two to Scotland.

Answered by Paul Maynard - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)

As currently planned, HS2 trains will run directly to Scotland via a connection to the West Coast Mainline, improving journey times with London. The Department for Transport has been working closely with Transport Scotland and Network Rail to look at further options which, subject to having a good business case, could further improve journey times. In August 2019 the Prime Minister asked Doug Oakervee to chair an independent review of HS2 to provide advice on how and whether to proceed. The Government will set out the next steps for High Speed 2 in due course.