Asked by: Navendu Mishra (Labour - Stockport)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether his Department has had recent discussions with local authorities on the potential merits of increasing funding for the processing of blue badge applications.
Answered by Richard Holden - Minister without Portfolio (Cabinet Office)
Local authorities are responsible for the day-to-day administration of the Blue Badge scheme, although the Department for Transport provide the overall criteria nationally, and officials regularly engage with them about different aspects of the scheme.
Asked by: Navendu Mishra (Labour - Stockport)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what information his Department holds on passenger numbers through Manchester Airport in each of the last five years.
Answered by Jesse Norman
Information on the number of air passengers at UK airports is collected and published by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA). Table 9 of the UK airport data publications provides information on the number of passengers at Manchester Airport in each of the last five years:
https://www.caa.co.uk/data-and-analysis/uk-aviation-market/airports/uk-airport-data/
Asked by: Navendu Mishra (Labour - Stockport)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if his Department will make an assessment of the adequacy of cargo infrastructure at Manchester Airport.
Answered by Jesse Norman
The UK aviation market operates predominantly in the private sector.
Asked by: Navendu Mishra (Labour - Stockport)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 11 September 2023 to Question 197626 on Blue Badge Scheme, if he will make an estimate of the average cost to process a blue badge application in each local authority in England.
Answered by Richard Holden - Minister without Portfolio (Cabinet Office)
Local authorities are responsible for administration of the Blue Badge scheme in their area. The Department for Transport does not hold this information.
Asked by: Navendu Mishra (Labour - Stockport)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps his Department has taken to increase the (a) production and (b) distribution of sustainable aviation fuel.
Answered by Jesse Norman
The Government is making good progress on UK SAF. Five projects have already been awarded a share of the £165m Advanced Fuels Fund, which will support them to reach commercial scale. The Department for Transport is now considering applications for the second round of funding. The Government has also published the second SAF mandate consultation, setting out details on how the scheme will operate towards a target of at least 10% SAF in the UK jet fuel mix by 2030. In addition, it has announced the University of Sheffield as the delivery partner for the UK SAF Clearing House to support testing and certification of new SAF and has announced a commitment to implement a revenue certainty mechanism for SAF, and has published a delivery plan for such a mechanism. This delivery plan sets out the timelines associated with the design and implementation of such a mechanism and how it could be delivered by the end of 2026.
Asked by: Navendu Mishra (Labour - Stockport)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether officials in his Department have had discussions with relevant stakeholders on the potential merits of reducing the age at which people become eligible for an older person's bus pass.
Answered by Richard Holden - Minister without Portfolio (Cabinet Office)
Whilst councils can choose to expand the criteria for concessionary travel in their areas, there are no plans to force them to do so.
Asked by: Navendu Mishra (Labour - Stockport)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether his Department has made an assessment of the condition of the Stockport Viaduct.
Answered by Huw Merriman - Minister of State (Department for Transport)
Network Rail maintain a rigorous cyclical inspection process for all their bridges and structures, which includes Stockport Viaduct. The most recent detailed inspection of the viaduct was conducted over 2018/2019, to ensure its continued safety and structural integrity. These detailed inspections take place every six years, with visual examinations being completed by Network Rail’s structural engineers once a year. Network Rail’s structures team have confirmed that some brick work repairs are planned later this year, with additional drainage repairs scheduled to take place in 2024.
Asked by: Navendu Mishra (Labour - Stockport)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether he has made an estimate of the average cost to process a blue badge application per local authority in England.
Answered by Richard Holden - Minister without Portfolio (Cabinet Office)
The Department has not made any such assessment.
Asked by: Navendu Mishra (Labour - Stockport)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential economic benefits of the extension of the Metrolink tram system into Stockport town centre.
Answered by Richard Holden - Minister without Portfolio (Cabinet Office)
Light rail is a devolved matter in England and it is for local authorities to develop proposals for potential new schemes, including cost estimates and appraisals of economic benefits.
Local authorities are best placed to assess place-based transport challenges and opportunities, and prioritise schemes accordingly while being accountable to the public.
The Department for Transport is providing £1.07 billion to Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) between 2022/23 and 2026/27 through Greater Manchester’s City Region Sustainable Transport Settlement. This includes funding for transformational local transport projects prioritised by GMCA.
Asked by: Navendu Mishra (Labour - Stockport)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent estimate his Department has made of the cost of the proposed extension of the Metrolink tram system into Stockport town centre.
Answered by Richard Holden - Minister without Portfolio (Cabinet Office)
Light rail is a devolved matter in England and it is for local authorities to develop proposals for potential new schemes, including cost estimates and appraisals of economic benefits.
Local authorities are best placed to assess place-based transport challenges and opportunities, and prioritise schemes accordingly while being accountable to the public.
The Department for Transport is providing £1.07 billion to Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) between 2022/23 and 2026/27 through Greater Manchester’s City Region Sustainable Transport Settlement. This includes funding for transformational local transport projects prioritised by GMCA.