Asked by: Lord Rosser (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask Her Majesty's Government which members of the inquiry set up to look into the causes of the Thameslink 2018 new timetable problems are from companies or bodies whose roles in the run up to the introduction of the new timetable, and subsequently, are likely to be considered by the inquiry.
Answered by Baroness Sugg
The independent Office of Rail and Road (ORR) is wholly responsible for the conduct of the inquiry and ensuring that any potential conflicts are appropriately managed. A panel of experts will advise the Inquiry. The inquiry panel members are Dame Deirdre Hutton DBE, Mike Brown MVO, Anne Heal (a Non-Executive member of the ORR Board) and Michael Beswick. The panel is also one of the means which will ensure that the ORR’s own role, as regulator of Network Rail and of the train operating companies, is properly assessed by the Inquiry.
Asked by: Lord Rosser (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask Her Majesty's Government who are the members of the inquiry set up to look into the causes of the Thameslink 2018 new timetable problems.
Answered by Baroness Sugg
The Inquiry is being conducted by the independent Office of Rail and Road (ORR). Professor Stephen Glaister CBE, Chair of the ORR is leading the inquiry and has appointed a panel of expert advisers to inform the inquiry. The members are Dame Deirdre Hutton DBE, Mike Brown MVO, Anne Heal and Michael Beswick. Further details about the inquiry and the panel members are published on ORR’s website: orr.gov.uk.
Asked by: Lord Rosser (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask Her Majesty's Government which single body or individual is responsible, and accountable, for the overall performance of the rail network.
Answered by Baroness Sugg
The railway is a partnership between the public and private sectors which has delivered a doubling in demand and significant investment over the past two decades.
Network Rail is responsible for the performance of the infrastructure, working with train operating companies who are responsible for the passenger services running on the network. The Government has set out plans to introduce more integrated working between Network Rail and train operators, to present a single accountable face of overall railway performance to passengers.
The Department for Transport takes a number of decisions which influence the evolution of the railway, including infrastructure investment and the approach to its passenger service franchises, as do other funders and franchising authorities.
Asked by: Lord Rosser (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the list of ministerial responsibilities published on 28 June, what are the specific responsibilities under the heading of Rail Industrial Relations that come under the Minister of State for Transport.
Answered by Baroness Sugg
Specific responsibilities are not broken down in this manner. Any dispute between a transport operator and a union is first and foremost a matter for both parties to resolve.
Asked by: Lord Rosser (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the list of ministerial responsibilities published on 28 June, what are the specific responsibilities under the heading of Rail that come under the Minister of State for Transport.
Answered by Baroness Sugg
The Minister of State for Transport is responsible for rail infrastructure in England and Wales and franchising in England. The Secretary of State has overall responsibility for the policies of the Department for Transport.
Asked by: Lord Rosser (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the European Union Whole Vehicle Type Approval framework and technical directives will apply in the UK following the UK's exit from the EU; and if not, what assessment they have made of the impact on the UK automotive industry.
Answered by Baroness Sugg
We want to agree an approach that minimises disruption and any additional costs for the automotive industry and consumers in the UK and the EU as of the day of exit. A decision on whether to continue to apply EU whole vehicle type approval will depend on the outcome of the negotiations with the EU.
Departments are working with the Department for Exiting the European Union to understand the impacts that withdrawal from the EU will have on businesses, consumers and other economic factors.
Asked by: Lord Rosser (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the ability of UK-registered railway undertakings to obtain European single safety certificates following the UK's exit from the EU.
Answered by Baroness Sugg
In order to run rail services at present, in accordance with Directive 2004/49/EC UK-based railway undertakings, including train operators, are required to obtain a safety certificate. Safety certificates are issued in the UK by the Office of Rail and Road as the national safety authority.
European single safety certificates are not due to enter into force until after the UK leaves the EU. The ability for UK-based train operators to obtain these certificates will be a matter for negotiations.
The cross-border services that link us with the EU have greatly benefited citizens and businesses in both the UK and the EU. We want to see these services continue without disruption.
Asked by: Lord Rosser (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to guarantee the rights of disabled rail passengers following the UK's exit from the EU.
Answered by Baroness Sugg
Under provisions in the EU Withdrawal Bill, EU law, including rules that enshrine rights for disabled passengers, will be brought into UK law. Any future changes to the relevant laws will be a matter for Parliament.
Many aspects of UK rail passenger rights already go beyond the minimum EU requirements. The Equality Act 2010 requires all train operating companies to take reasonable steps to ensure that they do not discriminate against disabled people. As part of their licence to operate each train operating company is also required to have a Disabled Persons’ Protection Policy (DPPP) in place. This sets out the level of services and facilities that disabled passengers can expect, how to get staff assistance and how to get help if things do go wrong.”
These protections will be unaffected by the UK’s withdrawal from the EU.
Asked by: Lord Rosser (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have any plans to keep UK vehicle standards in line with EU vehicle standards after the UK has left the EU.
Answered by Baroness Sugg
The Government’s intention is that all existing EU law will be incorporated into UK law when the UK leaves the EU.
The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) is unable to say what changes, if any, might be made and whether, for example, a higher standard than EU vehicle standards might be implemented. Much of this is dependent on policy decisions yet to be taken, together with further work on secondary legislation is to be brought forward.
Asked by: Lord Rosser (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the remarks by Lord Callanan on 25 October (HL Deb, cols 946–7), whether the internal review being carried out in response to the insolvency of Monarch Airlines will be fed into their wider review and consultation on consumer protection in the aviation industry; and whether the conclusions and proposals of the internal review will be published.
Answered by Baroness Sugg
We are reviewing consumer protection in the aviation sector as a whole through our aviation strategy. As Lord Callanan indicated in in the ATOL Bill debate of 25 October, we will take on board the lessons learned from Monarch and intend to explore these further in the forthcoming Green Paper on consumer protection to be issued as part of our aviation strategy.