Asked by: Patrick Grady (Scottish National Party - Glasgow North)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of the number of people who qualify to continue driving while waiting for the DVLA to process their application for renewal of their driving licence under Section 88 of The Road Traffic Act 1988 but cannot obtain car insurance coverage due to that situation.
Answered by Rachel Maclean
No figures are available on the number of drivers who continue to drive under the Section 88 provisions of the Road Traffic Act 1988. This is because drivers must consider whether they can meet the relevant criteria.
Insurance cover in these circumstances would be a matter for the driver and their insurer.
Asked by: Patrick Grady (Scottish National Party - Glasgow North)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of extending the cycle to work scheme to self-employed people as a result of the covid-19 outbreak.
Answered by Chris Heaton-Harris - Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
No assessment of the potential merits of extending the cycle to work scheme to self-employed people has been made at this point.
On the 9th May the Government announced a £2bn package of funding for cycling and walking. This includes £250m which will encourage cycling to work through the provision of pop up bike lanes with protected space for cycling, as well as vouchers for cycle repairs and greater provision for bike fixing facilities. This builds on the refreshed Cycle to Work Scheme Guidance published in 2019 which made it easier for employers to provide bicycles and equipment including e-bikes and adapted bikes worth over £1,000.
Asked by: Patrick Grady (Scottish National Party - Glasgow North)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of of 18 May 2020 to Question 46711 on Driving Tests: Coronavirus, whether he plans refund people if their driving theory test certificate expires while they are unable to undertake their practical driving test due to restrictions during the covid-19 outbreak.
Answered by Rachel Maclean
The two-year validity period of the theory test certificate is set in legislation. This is so the candidate’s theoretical knowledge and ability to identify developing hazards remains current. To extend the validity period would require legislative change.
Candidates who have had their practical driving test suspended as a result of COVID-19 will receive an email from the DVSA telling them the date of their rescheduled test. The test will be rescheduled automatically, and free of charge. The candidate can, if they prefer, request a refund of their practical test fee.
Asked by: Patrick Grady (Scottish National Party - Glasgow North)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of extending the validity period of theory test certificates for people who cannot undertake their practical driving test as a result of the coronavirus public health measures.
Answered by Rachel Maclean
The two-year validity period of the theory test certificate is set in legislation. This is so the candidate’s theoretical knowledge remains current. To extend the validity period would require legislative change. To do this, the relevant parliamentary process would need to take place. This situation is being given urgent attention.
Asked by: Patrick Grady (Scottish National Party - Glasgow North)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of a preventative duty on employers to require them to take reasonable, proactive steps to protect workers from sexual harassment and victimisation.
Answered by Victoria Atkins - Secretary of State for Health and Social Care
Earlier this year, we consulted on the evidence for a preventative duty on employers. The consultation closed on 2 October and we are currently considering the responses received.
Asked by: Patrick Grady (Scottish National Party - Glasgow North)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many D4 medical examination reports have been completed during (a) each of the five years prior to December 2014 and (b) each year since December 2014.
Answered by Michael Ellis
As not all applications need to be supported by a D4 medical examination report, the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency does not hold the information requested.
The table below shows the number of applications processed from applicants for entitlement to drive lorries and buses. However, examples of group 2 licence applications that do not include a D4 medical examination report, include but are not limited to, the renewal of a driving licence before the age of 45 and when adding an additional driving entitlement within 12 months of submitting a D4 (e.g. adding a bus provisional when holding HGV entitlement).
Year | Group 2 licence applications |
2009 | 245,486 |
2010 | 230,129 |
2011 | 244,482 |
2012 | 259,966 |
2013 | 256,248 |
2014 | 263,535 |
2015 | 282,751 |
2016 | 288,654 |
2017 | 289,202 |
2018 | 389,741 |
2019 (until the end of May) | 175,221 |
Asked by: Patrick Grady (Scottish National Party - Glasgow North)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many D4 medical examination applications have been refused during (a) each of the five years prior to December 2014 and (b) each year since December 2014.
Answered by Michael Ellis
The table below shows the number of lorry or bus driving licence applications that have been refused or revoked for medical reasons over the last 10 years. However, not all these applications will have been supported by a D4 medical examination report.
Year | Group 2 licence applications |
2009 | Not held |
2010 | 4,583 |
2011 | 5,539 |
2012 | 6,122 |
2013 | 7,464 |
2014 | 7,494 |
2015 | 8,095 |
2016 | 10,665 |
2017 | 11,213 |
2018 | 12,242 |
2019 (until the end of May) | 4,639 |
Asked by: Patrick Grady (Scottish National Party - Glasgow North)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many DVLA centres are licensed to complete D4 medical examination reports.
Answered by Michael Ellis
The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) does not license centres or doctors to complete D4 medical examination reports. The D4 medical examination and report must be conducted by a qualified medical practitioner who is registered with the General Medical Council and licensed to practice in the UK, or registered within the EU (if the form is completed outside the UK). The examining practitioner must carry out the examination in accordance with requirements outlined in DVLA guidance.
Asked by: Patrick Grady (Scottish National Party - Glasgow North)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of the EU decision to phase out the use of palm oil in transport fuels by 2030.
Answered by Jesse Norman
The revised Renewable Energy Directive includes a provision restricting biofuels with a high risk of causing indirect land use change (ILUC) from counting towards EU renewable energy targets. Details of the provision are to be determined by the Commission in a delegated Act by February 2019.
The Government’s position is that all biofuels should deliver genuine greenhouse gas savings compared to fossil fuels. In the UK we ensure that measures to promote a market for biofuels, including rewards provided through the Renewable Transport Fuel Obligation (RTFO), avoid supporting biofuels with high ILUC impacts. The latest verified data for 2016/17 shows the average greenhouse savings of biofuels supplied under the RTFO is 71% compared to fossil fuels, even when emissions from indirect land use change are taken into account.
Asked by: Patrick Grady (Scottish National Party - Glasgow North)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 18 July 2018 to Question 165618, what his Department’s policy is on the construction of a new fixed link between Britain and France.
Answered by Lord Johnson of Marylebone
The department maintains a strategic overview of capacity utilisation across the rail network as part of long term planning.