Asked by: Sammy Wilson (Democratic Unionist Party - East Antrim)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when the Motor Insurance Taskforce (a) last met and (b) is next scheduled to meet.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The cross-Government Motor Insurance Taskforce met for the first time on 16 October 2024 and the Secretary of State is keen to reconvene again soon. We will provide updates on the Taskforce in due course.
Asked by: Sammy Wilson (Democratic Unionist Party - East Antrim)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of seafarers' welfare, in the context of roster patterns.
Answered by Mike Kane - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Government is committed to strengthening workers’ rights at sea, which is why as part of the Employment Rights Bill we are introducing powers for Ministers to create a legally-binding Seafarers’ Charter. This will protect and improve seafarer working conditions, including by addressing seafarer fatigue.
We will continue to work with like-minded states and through international forums to raise international standards for seafarer welfare.
Asked by: Sammy Wilson (Democratic Unionist Party - East Antrim)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps her Department is taking to help the (a) ports and (b) shipping industries (a) cut emissions and (b) transition to clean fuels.
Answered by Mike Kane - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
We have recently published our Maritime Decarbonisation Strategy that sets out our plans to decarbonise the domestic maritime sector. This Strategy includes a package of policy and regulatory measures across both the port and shipping industries. Reducing emissions builds on the increased efficiency of operators, combined with a transition to cleaner zero, and near-zero greenhouse gas emission fuels and energy sources, and this Strategy considers the role of these fuels, and how we will support their uptake.
All policies laid out in the Strategy will be developed further and will be subject to formal consultation before implementation.
Asked by: Sammy Wilson (Democratic Unionist Party - East Antrim)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what progress she has made on developing a port strategy.
Answered by Mike Kane - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Maritime Decarbonisation Strategy sets out Government’s plans for decarbonising the domestic maritime sector, including goals for reducing greenhouse gas emissions and policies to support this. The Maritime Strategy will be published later this year. It will focus on our four priorities of people, growth, environment and safety. Ports have a crucial role to play across all of these.
Asked by: Sammy Wilson (Democratic Unionist Party - East Antrim)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what meetings (a) she and (b) Ministers in her Department have had with motorcycle manufacturers.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
Ministers have not met with motorcycle manufacturers. Officials continue to meet with the Motorcycle Industry Association (MCIA), which represents and oversees the interests of motorcycle, moped, scooter and Powered Light Vehicle (PLV) industry.
Asked by: Sammy Wilson (Democratic Unionist Party - East Antrim)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps she is taking to improve the uptake of (a) mopeds, (b) motorcycles and (c) other powered light vehicles.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
At present, the Government has no policy to encourage greater use of motorcycles, mopeds or other powered light vehicles.
The Government supports the purchase of zero emission motorcycles with the plug-in motorcycle grant for those who want to switch to an electric motorcycle. This is available until at least March 2025 and since 2016 has supported the purchase of over 12,000 mopeds and motorcycles.
Resolving the longstanding problems and missed opportunities of micromobility, including e-scooters, is a priority for the Department for Transport and we will work with colleagues across Government to tackle this as soon as possible.
In November, the Government launched its plan to develop an Integrated National Transport Strategy, which will set out how all modes of transport should be designed, built and operated to better serve all the people who use it, and enable them to live fulfilling lives.
Asked by: Sammy Wilson (Democratic Unionist Party - East Antrim)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of the licensing regime proposed in the report entitled A licence to net zero, published by the Motorcycle Industry Association in October 2023.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Department for Transport has received additional evidence from the Motorcycle Industry Association on the road safety considerations for the proposals set out in their report ‘A Licence to Net Zero’, which proposed changes to the existing licensing regime for mopeds, motorcycles and light powered vehicles. Officials are currently analysing this.
Asked by: Sammy Wilson (Democratic Unionist Party - East Antrim)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 11 September 2024 to Question 4347 on Motorcycles: Driving Licences, when the Motorcycle Strategic Focus Group is next scheduled to meet; and whether that meeting will discuss user licensing reform.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The planned meeting of The Motorcycle Strategic Focus Group for autumn 2024 has now been rescheduled for 20 January 2025. The Government is considering plans to review existing requirements for motorcycle training, testing and licensing, taking account of long-standing Department for Transport and Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency plans and recent sector proposals.
Asked by: Sammy Wilson (Democratic Unionist Party - East Antrim)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 11 September 2024 to Question 4347 on Motorcycles: Driving Licences, whether the Motorcycle Strategic Focus Group met in autumn 2024.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The planned meeting of The Motorcycle Strategic Focus Group for autumn 2024 has now been rescheduled for 20 January 2025. The Government is considering plans to review existing requirements for motorcycle training, testing and licensing, taking account of long-standing Department for Transport and Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency plans and recent sector proposals.
Asked by: Sammy Wilson (Democratic Unionist Party - East Antrim)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of simplifying the licensing process for (a) mopeds, (b) motorcycles and (c) other powered light vehicles.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Department for Transport has received additional evidence from the Motorcycle Industry Association on the road safety considerations for the proposals set out in their report ‘A Licence to Net Zero’, which proposed changes to the existing licensing regime for mopeds, motorcycles and light powered vehicles. Officials are currently analysing this.