Asked by: Sarah Edwards (Labour - Tamworth)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of excluding used battery electric vehicles from eligibility for the new Electric Car Grant on (a) market uptake, (b) affordability and (c) value for money.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
The Electric Car Grant (ECG) is designed to cut costs for drivers who want to switch to a new electric car, as well as supporting environmentally sustainable manufacturing processes. The Government expects that the ECG will have some benefit in the used market due to a higher supply of affordable vehicles in future years, and the grant’s requirement for an 8-year or 100,000-mile warranty for the vehicle’s battery. We continue to work with industry to support a sustainable second-hand zero emission vehicle market.
Asked by: Sarah Edwards (Labour - Tamworth)
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 extending the eligibility criteria for the Electric Car Grant to include used electric vehicles.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
The Electric Car Grant (ECG) is designed to cut costs for drivers who want to switch to a new electric car, as well as supporting environmentally sustainable manufacturing processes. The Government expects that the ECG will have some benefit in the used market due to a higher supply of affordable vehicles in future years, and the grant’s requirement for an 8-year or 100,000-mile warranty for the vehicle’s battery. We continue to work with industry to support a sustainable second-hand zero emission vehicle market.
Asked by: Sarah Edwards (Labour - Tamworth)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if she will issue guidance to local authorities on ensuring that bus stop bypasses are accessible to blind and partially sighted people.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The government has committed to publishing new statutory guidance for local authorities on the design of floating bus stops, also known as bus stop bypasses, within three months of the Bus Services (No.2) Bill receiving Royal Assent. We will engage with the Disabled Persons Transport Advisory Committee on the guidance and will also work with relevant stakeholders, including groups representing the needs of blind and partially sighted people.
The Bill also seeks a new power for the Secretary of State to develop statutory guidance on the safety and accessibility of bus stops and stations. It is our intention that the design guidance will complement the safety and accessibility guidance, helping to ensure that people are not prevented from using bus services because of inadequate accessibility.
Asked by: Sarah Edwards (Labour - Tamworth)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many roadside inspections on Operator License Operated Mini Buses have been undertaken in each of the last 10 years.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The table below shows volumes of roadside inspections the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) has carried out for public service vehicle (PSV) minibuses that had an operator licence recorded. DVSA only holds records for this data as far back as 2019:
Year | PSV Minibus Operator Licence Encounters |
2019/20 | 1330 |
2020/21 | 145 |
2021/22 | 898 |
2022/23 | 1009 |
2023/24 | 862 |
2024/25 | 654 |
Grand Total | 4898 |
DVSA does not record if any school or other type of minibus it inspects, whether at the side of the road or at annual MOT tests for PSVs, are subject to a section 19 permit.
Asked by: Sarah Edwards (Labour - Tamworth)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many (a) school and (b) other minibuses have failed inspections under Section 19 of the Transport Act 1985 in the last 10 years.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The table below shows volumes of roadside inspections the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) has carried out for public service vehicle (PSV) minibuses that had an operator licence recorded. DVSA only holds records for this data as far back as 2019:
Year | PSV Minibus Operator Licence Encounters |
2019/20 | 1330 |
2020/21 | 145 |
2021/22 | 898 |
2022/23 | 1009 |
2023/24 | 862 |
2024/25 | 654 |
Grand Total | 4898 |
DVSA does not record if any school or other type of minibus it inspects, whether at the side of the road or at annual MOT tests for PSVs, are subject to a section 19 permit.
Asked by: Sarah Edwards (Labour - Tamworth)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many roadside inspections of Permit 19 Minibuses have been undertaken in each of the last ten years.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) does not record if any minibuses it inspects at the side of the road are subject to a section 19 permit. Roadside inspections of minibuses could be completed by DVSA, local Police or local authorities.
Asked by: Sarah Edwards (Labour - Tamworth)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what plans the Government has for land that was formerly earmarked for HS2.
Answered by Huw Merriman
Any property that is no longer required will be disposed of and a programme is being developed to do this. We will ensure it is compliant with requirements on the disposal of surplus government property, delivers value for money for taxpayers and does not disrupt local property markets.
Asked by: Sarah Edwards (Labour - Tamworth)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether he is taking steps to ensure that school minibus drivers have formal qualifications.
Answered by Guy Opperman
To drive a school minibus the driver must have the relevant driving licence entitlement. Drivers who passed their car test before 1 January 1997 were automatically entitled to the minibus licence category D1(101), allowing them to drive minibuses not for hire or reward, such as school minibuses. Drivers who passed after 1 January 1997 are not automatically entitled to the minibus D1(101) category and may need to take a D1 driving test.