Asked by: Richard Arkless (Scottish National Party - Dumfries and Galloway)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what plans he has for the UK to ratify the UN Declaration on the Construction of Main International Traffic Arteries 1950.
Answered by John Hayes
The Department for Transport has no current plans to ratify this Declaration.
Asked by: Richard Arkless (Scottish National Party - Dumfries and Galloway)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if the Government will continue to recognise the A75 (E18) and other main roads as Euro-Routes after the UK leaves the EU.
Answered by John Hayes
The E-Route numbering network is not part of the functions of the EU or the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE). The UK Government hasn’t ratified the E-Route Treaty and no decision has been taken on whether the UK will join the scheme in the future.
Asked by: Richard Arkless (Scottish National Party - Dumfries and Galloway)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what plans his Department has to encourage an increase in the number of HGV drivers in the UK to meet demand for such drivers.
Answered by Andrew Jones
The Department’s agencies are taking action on HGV driver testing and licensing. This includes recruiting 78 new driving examiners, as well as 65 in training and 41 offered posts. Licence renewal times where there are not medical issues have reduced and changes are being made to the operation of parts of the medical renewals process. The Department is working with other parts of Government to encourage and enable more people to become lorry drivers, including via apprenticeships and action related to Jobcentre Plus.
I note that over 55,000 tests were conducted in 2014-15, the highest total since 2008-09. Further, the number of Large Goods Vehicle practical and theory tests of all types conducted during July to September 2015 was 34 per cent higher than in the same quarter of 2014.
Asked by: Richard Arkless (Scottish National Party - Dumfries and Galloway)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether a security review has been initiated for the purpose of strengthening port security between Northern Ireland and Scotland.
Answered by Robert Goodwill
All maritime security requirements are risk informed and are kept under constant review. The Department for Transport (DfT) works closely with ports, ferry operators and other agencies to ensure the safety of the travelling public.
The DfT also has a set of comprehensive maritime security requirements which port facilities and ships are required to implement, with a well-established monitoring and oversight programme in place to ensure compliance with this regime.