Asked by: Mark Tami (Labour - Alyn and Deeside)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, for what reasons Ecuador has been included in the red list in respect of covid-19 restrictions for international travel.
Answered by Robert Courts - Solicitor General (Attorney General's Office)
Ecuador has been on the red list since 15 January 2021 due to the ongoing presence of variants of concern. Government scientists will continue to engage with countries still on the red list and keep the evidence on variants of concern, especially Lambda and Mu, under close review in order to ensure the UK’s approach remains proportionate.
Decisions on red country assignment and associated border measures will continue to be taken by Ministers, who take into account the JBC risk assessments alongside wider public health factors.
The data for all countries and territories will be kept under regular review and the Government will not hesitate to take action where a country’s epidemiological picture changes.
Asked by: Mark Tami (Labour - Alyn and Deeside)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many applications his Department received to the Levelling Up Fund by the closing date of 18 June 2021 for amounts (a) up to and (b) over £20 million.
Answered by Andrew Stephenson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The first round of the Levelling Up Fund received significant interest from England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland bidding authorities, across the three investment priorities of the Fund. Bids are currently being assessed in line with the published assessment process. Outcomes from the first round of bids for the Levelling Up Fund will be announced later in the year and bidding authorities will be informed in due course.
Asked by: Mark Tami (Labour - Alyn and Deeside)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many applications his Department received to the UK Levelling Up Fund by the closing date of 18 June 2021 from local authorities in Wales.
Answered by Andrew Stephenson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Levelling Up Fund received significant interest from Local Authorities in Wales, across the three investment priorities of the Fund. Bids are currently being assessed in line with the published assessment process. Outcomes from the first round of bids for the Levelling Up Fund will be announced later in the year and bidding authorities will be informed in due course.
Asked by: Mark Tami (Labour - Alyn and Deeside)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the impact of car parking charges and fines at car parks associated with railway stations on the number of drivers completing part of their journey by rail.
Answered by Chris Heaton-Harris - Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
The Department for Transport has not conducted a specific assessment relating to the impact of car parking charges and fines at station car parks. Station car parks are managed and run by train operating companies and Network Rail based on the needs of passengers and the local community, including the availability of other nearby car parks or limitations posed by either being in city centre or rural locations. The Department encourages a wide range of modes of travelling to and from stations, to improve active travel connections to stations.
Asked by: Mark Tami (Labour - Alyn and Deeside)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what discussions he has had with representatives of Ryanair on (a) continuing to fly to countries where British holidaymakers will not be admitted due to covid-19 restrictions, and (b) Ryanair's policies on refunds to passengers on the grounds that those flights have gone ahead.
Answered by Robert Courts - Solicitor General (Attorney General's Office)
It is a commercial decision for airlines on whether to continue to fly to countries where COVID-19 related border restrictions apply as the restrictions may not apply equally to all customers. We have urged airlines and travel agents to be reasonable and flexible in their refund and rescheduling policies. Customers who are restricted by destination border conditions, applied after they booked travel, should discuss any compensation claims with the airline or their travel insurance provider, in the first instance.
Asked by: Mark Tami (Labour - Alyn and Deeside)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what information his Department (a) holds and (b) publishes on the rating and qualifications of driving instructors.
Answered by Andrew Jones
Approved Driving Instructors (ADI) are required to successfully pass a three part qualification process to gain access to the Register of Approved Driving Instructors and to periodically undergo further reassessment, through a standards check, to demonstrate that they have maintained the minimum level of instructional ability to remain on the register.All of these assessments are conducted by specially trained Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) examiners; the Agency does not hold any information about external qualifications attained by instructors.
Instructors are graded following the standards check based upon their level of performance. Whilst the overall number of ADIs at each grade is published on a quarterly basis, the Agency has never routinely published the grading of individual instructors.DVSA is, however, taking steps to allow ADIs to voluntarily publish their grading through its on-line Find Your Nearest instructor facility on GOV.UK.DVSA is also in discussion with the ADI National Association Strategic Partnership with regards the development of an earned recognition scheme, the principle being that instructors which voluntarily demonstrate compliance with standards would earn recognition from the Agency and benefit from reduced oversight and reassessment.As part of this, DVSA is also exploring what additional information about instructors could be published to enable consumers to make a more informed choice as to which ADI best meets their learning needs.
Asked by: Mark Tami (Labour - Alyn and Deeside)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, for what reasons his Department no longer publishes information on the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency's rating of driving instructors; and if he will take steps to make such information routinely available.
Answered by Andrew Jones
Approved Driving Instructors (ADI) are required to successfully pass a three part qualification process to gain access to the Register of Approved Driving Instructors. They are also required to periodically undergo further reassessment, through a standards check, to demonstrate that they have maintained the minimum level of instructional ability to remain on the register. ADIs are graded following the standards check, based upon their level of performance. Whilst the overall number of ADIs at each grade is published on a quarterly basis, the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) has never routinely published the grading of individual instructors. DVSA is, however, taking steps to allow ADIs to voluntarily publish their grading through its on-line Find Your Nearest instructor facility on GOV.UK.Asked by: Mark Tami (Labour - Alyn and Deeside)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps the Government has taken to promote research into sustainable aviation fuels and advanced fuels technologies.
Answered by Andrew Jones
The Department for Transport ran an Advanced Fuels Call for Evidence in 2013/14 to examine the potential of advanced fuels in aviation and other transport sectors that cannot be easily decarbonised without low-carbon fuels. A summary of the evidence received was published with the Department’s response to the consultation on the post-implementation review of the Renewable Transport Fuel Obligation (RTFO) in April 2014. Amendments to the RTFO earlier this year increased rewards for gaseous fuels, such as biomethane used in freight, to better reflect their energy content.
The Department also commissioned an independent feasibility study to examine the economic benefits and potential of advanced biofuels in the UK, published in February 2014, the study informed the design of the Advanced Biofuels Demonstration Plant Competition for £25m of matched grant funding. Winning projects were announced on 7th September 2015.
The Department for Transport and the Low Carbon Vehicle Partnership established a Transport Energy Task Force in September 2014 to examine options to meet our renewable energy and greenhouse gas reduction targets, including through the wider deployment of sustainable biofuel. The Task Force included input from representatives of the Sustainable Aviation group.
The Task Force’s report was published in March 2015 by the Low Carbon Vehicle Partnership. The Task Force acknowledged that sustainable biofuels have a valuable role in reducing carbon emissions from transport, particularly in sectors where there are limited alternatives such as aviation and I met with Task Force representatives, including Sustainable Aviation, in July to discuss that report.
Following the report of the Transport Energy Task Force, we are assessing the benefits of making aviation biofuels eligible for certificates under the Renewable Transport Fuel Obligation (RTFO) and support under that scheme for synthetic fuels from renewable electricity. We aim to include proposals in a public consultation next year on potential amendments to the RTFO scheme.
Asked by: Mark Tami (Labour - Alyn and Deeside)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of including producers of aviation fuel in the Renewable Transport Fuels Obligation.
Answered by Andrew Jones
The Department for Transport ran an Advanced Fuels Call for Evidence in 2013/14 to examine the potential of advanced fuels in aviation and other transport sectors that cannot be easily decarbonised without low-carbon fuels. A summary of the evidence received was published with the Department’s response to the consultation on the post-implementation review of the Renewable Transport Fuel Obligation (RTFO) in April 2014. Amendments to the RTFO earlier this year increased rewards for gaseous fuels, such as biomethane used in freight, to better reflect their energy content.
The Department also commissioned an independent feasibility study to examine the economic benefits and potential of advanced biofuels in the UK, published in February 2014, the study informed the design of the Advanced Biofuels Demonstration Plant Competition for £25m of matched grant funding. Winning projects were announced on 7th September 2015.
The Department for Transport and the Low Carbon Vehicle Partnership established a Transport Energy Task Force in September 2014 to examine options to meet our renewable energy and greenhouse gas reduction targets, including through the wider deployment of sustainable biofuel. The Task Force included input from representatives of the Sustainable Aviation group.
The Task Force’s report was published in March 2015 by the Low Carbon Vehicle Partnership. The Task Force acknowledged that sustainable biofuels have a valuable role in reducing carbon emissions from transport, particularly in sectors where there are limited alternatives such as aviation and I met with Task Force representatives, including Sustainable Aviation, in July to discuss that report.
Following the report of the Transport Energy Task Force, we are assessing the benefits of making aviation biofuels eligible for certificates under the Renewable Transport Fuel Obligation (RTFO) and support under that scheme for synthetic fuels from renewable electricity. We aim to include proposals in a public consultation next year on potential amendments to the RTFO scheme.
Asked by: Mark Tami (Labour - Alyn and Deeside)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps his Department has taken to promote the development of sustainable aviation fuels in the UK.
Answered by Andrew Jones
The Department for Transport ran an Advanced Fuels Call for Evidence in 2013/14 to examine the potential of advanced fuels in aviation and other transport sectors that cannot be easily decarbonised without low-carbon fuels. A summary of the evidence received was published with the Department’s response to the consultation on the post-implementation review of the Renewable Transport Fuel Obligation (RTFO) in April 2014. Amendments to the RTFO earlier this year increased rewards for gaseous fuels, such as biomethane used in freight, to better reflect their energy content.
The Department also commissioned an independent feasibility study to examine the economic benefits and potential of advanced biofuels in the UK, published in February 2014, the study informed the design of the Advanced Biofuels Demonstration Plant Competition for £25m of matched grant funding. Winning projects were announced on 7th September 2015.
The Department for Transport and the Low Carbon Vehicle Partnership established a Transport Energy Task Force in September 2014 to examine options to meet our renewable energy and greenhouse gas reduction targets, including through the wider deployment of sustainable biofuel. The Task Force included input from representatives of the Sustainable Aviation group.
The Task Force’s report was published in March 2015 by the Low Carbon Vehicle Partnership. The Task Force acknowledged that sustainable biofuels have a valuable role in reducing carbon emissions from transport, particularly in sectors where there are limited alternatives such as aviation and I met with Task Force representatives, including Sustainable Aviation, in July to discuss that report.
Following the report of the Transport Energy Task Force, we are assessing the benefits of making aviation biofuels eligible for certificates under the Renewable Transport Fuel Obligation (RTFO) and support under that scheme for synthetic fuels from renewable electricity. We aim to include proposals in a public consultation next year on potential amendments to the RTFO scheme.