Oral Answers to Questions

Peter Aldous Excerpts

Thursday 3rd December 2020 Commons Chamber

[Grant Shapps]

The hon. Gentleman is absolutely right to point that out, but he will recall that the pandemic in between has created problems not just for the bus sector but for the entire economy, which has, by necessity, meant that a huge amount of money—hundreds of millions of pounds—has gone into supporting buses operating at all. The pledge for 4,000 buses remains, and £120 million was announced at the spending review to get on with the first several hundred of them.

[Peter Aldous (Waveney) (Con)]

What steps his Department is taking to help the maritime industry to decarbonise.

[Caroline Ansell (Eastbourne) (Con)]

What steps his Department is taking to help the maritime industry to decarbonise.

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Transport (Robert Courts)]

The Government have recently committed £20 million to support clean maritime technology, and further plans will be set out in the forthcoming transport decarbonisation plan.

[Peter Aldous]

The inclusion of clean maritime in the 10-point plan and the announcement of the £20 million demonstration project are extremely welcome. Can the Minister confirm that he is working with the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy and the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs to produce a comprehensive strategy for investment in new green port infrastructure so that ports such as Lowestoft can make the most of the exciting opportunities emerging in renewable energy and sustainable fishing?

[Robert Courts]

My hon. Friend is absolutely right: there can be no clean maritime without clean ports. He is absolutely right to raise the opportunities that exist for our ports, and I thank him for his tireless, passionate advocacy for Lowestoft. I can confirm that my Department, DEFRA and BEIS meet regularly to ensure that our work is aligned and, in particular, that our work on renewable energy and maritime decarbonisation is complementary in approach, because providing the former is a big part of providing the latter.

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[Robert Courts]

We are happy to look at any scheme in detail in order to be assured that it is delivered in the safest, speediest and most practical way possible.

[Peter Aldous (Waveney) (Con)]

The county all- jparty group is shortly to a publish a report on rural bus services, which will highlight both the vital importance of buses for those living and working in rural areas, and the fact that real-terms funding has fallen by 30% in the 10 years to 2019. Will the Minister assure the House that the needs of rural communities will be prioritised in the forthcoming national bus strategy?

[Robert Courts]

This issue is of enormous importance to all rural communities. I represent a rural area, so I understand the points my hon. Friend makes. The Government entirely understand the importance of sustainability of rural transport for communities across the UK. The national bus strategy we are developing will set out how national and local government, and the private sector, together, will meet the needs of these communities.