Asked by: Richard Fuller (Conservative - North East Bedfordshire)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how much funding will be available to the On-Street Residential Chargepoint Grant Scheme in the financial year 2020-21 and in each of the subsequent five financial years.
Answered by Rachel Maclean
We have already doubled the funding available for the On-Street Residential Grant Scheme (ORCS) over the last two years (to £5m in August 19, up from £2.5m, and to £10m for 2020/21, up from £5m) to ensure that more local authorities and residents can benefit from the scheme.
We have approved 73 grant applications since the scheme began, including one successful application from Luton Borough Council in 2018/19. We have not received any other applications from local authorities within Bedfordshire.
The scheme has supported over 60 local authorities to deliver over 2,000 chargepoints for residents who do not have off-street parking. Uptake of the scheme increased rapidly in 2019/20. In October, the Secretary of State wrote to all local authorities encouraging them to send their strategies for infrastructure deployment and to take advantage of ORCS funding.
We are currently consulting on bringing forward an end to the sale of new petrol, diesel and hybrid cars and vans from 2040 to 2035, or earlier if a faster transition appears feasible. This includes looking at the package of measures that are required to support an earlier date, such as support required for those who do not have off-street parking. Budgets for ORCS beyond 2020/21 have not yet been set, but responses to the consultation, especially from local authorities, will help to inform our understanding of what might be required.
Asked by: Richard Fuller (Conservative - North East Bedfordshire)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will list the accessibility improvements that have been made to train stations in (a) the East of England and (b) Bedfordshire in each of the last five years.
Answered by Chris Heaton-Harris - Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
In Control Period 5 (2014-2019), the Access for All programme delivered step free routes at 6 stations in the East of England, including Leighton Buzzard. In Control Period 6 (2019-2024) 8 of the 73 stations due to benefit from Access for All funding are in the East, including Luton and Biggleswade.
This is in addition to access improvements delivered as part of other major projects, and by the industry itself, which must meet current accessibility standards whenever it installs, replaces or renews station infrastructure.
Details of all of this work is held by the individual organisations and the information on the facilities available at stations is collected and held by the Rail Delivery Group, who you can contact using info@raildeliverygroup.com.
Asked by: Richard Fuller (Conservative - North East Bedfordshire)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether he has considered taking steps to prevent the overselling of seats on commercial flights.
Answered by John Hayes
Overbooking is a widespread commercial practice amongst airlines to reduce the number of empty seats, given the likelihood that a proportion of passengers will not check in. By reducing the number of empty seats, overbooking keeps fares lower than they would otherwise be.
However, the Government understands the frustration of passengers who are being denied boarding due to overbooking. Regulation (EC) 261/2004, with its passenger compensation levels set at levels penalising the industry, was introduced to discourage industry practices that were detrimental to the passenger. The Regulation requires air carriers to provide overbooked passengers prescribed minimum levels of financial compensation, which in particular on short-haul flights may exceed the flight ticket price. Additionally the passengers have a choice between re-routing and reimbursement.
The Government considers the consumer protection regime as sufficient deterrent to overbooking and has not considered further legislation.
Asked by: Richard Fuller (Conservative - North East Bedfordshire)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will create a register of ownership for motor vehicles for victims of theft to help prove ownership of their vehicles.
Answered by Andrew Jones
There are no plans to create a register of ownership for motor vehicles for victims of theft.
The purpose of the vehicle register held by the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) is to record vehicles and their keepers. The register is maintained to assist in revenue collection, road safety and law enforcement. It holds details of the keepers of vehicles and shows who is responsible for their day to day use. It is not a register of legal title or ownership of vehicles.
Asked by: Richard Fuller (Conservative - North East Bedfordshire)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 27 January 2016 to Question 23178, if he will announce a date for the introduction of section 165 of the Equality Act 2010.
Answered by Andrew Jones
The Government is continuing to actively consider how best to address problems wheelchair users face when using taxis and private hire vehicles, including the possible commencement of Section 165 of the Equality Act 2010.
Asked by: Richard Fuller (Conservative - North East Bedfordshire)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what deadline Govia Thameslink Railway Ltd has been set to meet the terms of its Remedial Plan.
Answered by Claire Perry
The Secretary of State has accepted Govia Thameslink Railway’s Remedial Plan that sets out the steps the operator is taking to improve their performance and it will shortly be published on the Government’s website. The plan covers the period to September 2018.
Asked by: Richard Fuller (Conservative - North East Bedfordshire)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether he has agreed the terms of the Remedial Plan with Govia Thameslink Railway since the issue of a Remedial Plan Notice in December 2015; and if he will publish that plan.
Answered by Claire Perry
The Secretary of State has accepted Govia Thameslink Railway’s Remedial Plan that sets out the steps the operator is taking to improve their performance and it will shortly be published on the Government’s website. The plan covers the period to September 2018.
Asked by: Richard Fuller (Conservative - North East Bedfordshire)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what plans he has to bring into force section 165 of the Equality Act 2010.
Answered by Andrew Jones
The Government is considering how best to address problems wheelchair users face when using taxis and private hire vehicles, including the possible commencement of Sections 165 and 167 of the Equality Act 2010.
Both taxis and private hire vehicles are a particularly valuable form of transport for disabled people. We would strongly encourage all taxi and private hire vehicle drivers to assist wheelchair users, wherever possible, and would also strongly discourage the practice of making additional charges to assist a disabled passenger.
Notwithstanding the status of section 165 of the Equality Act, disabled taxi and private hire vehicle passengers are protected from discrimination under the general provisions of the Act which prohibit any form of discrimination in the provision of good and services.
Asked by: Richard Fuller (Conservative - North East Bedfordshire)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when he plans to publish a response to the Law Commission report, Reforming the law on taxis and private hire services, Cm 8864, published in May 2014.
Answered by Andrew Jones
The Government is currently considering the Law Commission’s comprehensive report on reforming taxi and private hire vehicle legislation. In line with the protocol that exists between the Government and the Law Commission, we will provide a full response in due course.
Asked by: Richard Fuller (Conservative - North East Bedfordshire)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will bring forward legislative proposals to reduce the length of time a person who has had a seizure while asleep must surrender their driving licence from one year to three months without further seizures.
Answered by Claire Perry
There are no plans to reduce the length of time for surrendering a driving licence from one year to three months where a person has had an epileptic seizure whilst asleep.
Drivers who have suffered a sleep seizure over 12 months ago and have only had sleep seizures since (i.e. no awake seizures), may be licensed to drive, if it has been established over the 12 months that the history or pattern of the attacks have only ever occurred while asleep.
Rules around the length of time a driver must surrender their driving licence following a seizure are governed in the UK by European Directives. The minimum standards for the issue of driving licences must be implemented by all member states.