Oral Answers to Questions

Stephen Hammond Excerpts

Thursday 27th June 2013 Commons Chamber

[Karl MᶜCartney (Lincoln) (Con)]

3. What steps he is taking to reduce incidents of dangerous driving.

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Transport (Stephen Hammond)]

We are taking forward the measures set out in the strategic framework for road safety. In 2012, a new offence of causing serious injury by dangerous driving came into force. We are also creating a new drug-driving offence and will consult on the limits shortly. We have also consulted on changes to make the enforcement of drink-driving laws more effective. Additionally, we intend to publish a Green Paper on young drivers later this year.

[Karl MᶜCartney]

My hon. Friend will be aware that in certain areas of our country there are drivers who have never taken a driving test. Has his Department investigated the potential benefits of requiring drivers to take a test every five or 10 years in order to reduce such incidents and make our roads safer by removing those who drive illegally?

[Stephen Hammond]

The Department has not investigated the potential benefits of that. We do not regard it as a priority, partly because if those people are driving illegally, they are unlikely to take the test. However, I can reassure my hon. Friend that we take illegal driving very seriously, and that the automatic number plate recognition system is helping us to crack down on illegal drivers.

[John Robertson (Glasgow North West) (Lab)]

Does the Minister now regret the axing of the targets on deaths and serious accidents on the roads, particularly in the light of the first increases in both categories for more than 10 years?

[Stephen Hammond]

I am afraid that the hon. Gentleman is out of touch. If he looks at the 2012 figures published this morning, he will see that deaths and serious injuries have reverted to the trend we had expected, and have fallen.

[Dr Sarah Wollaston (Totnes) (Con)]

When will the Minister’s Department implement part 6 of the Traffic Management Act 2004 to prevent dangerous driving and to allow the prosecution of those who drive in cycle lanes and commit other moving traffic offences?

[Stephen Hammond]

My hon. Friend will be pleased to hear that we are having cross-departmental discussions on the matter. No decision has been taken yet, but I hope we will come to a conclusion in the near future.

[Jim Fitzpatrick (Poplar and Limehouse) (Lab)]

When the Government announced trials of 80 mph limits on our motorways, there was dismay at the prospect of higher emissions, higher costs for drivers and collisions at higher speeds. The Minister announced in a recent speech that the trials were still on track, whereas the Secretary of State suggested in a press interview last Sunday that they were off the table. If there is one thing we need in road safety, it is clarity. Will the Minister tell us whether the Government are still pressing ahead with such a dangerous policy?

[Stephen Hammond]

The Government made an initial assessment of the possibility of introducing trials of 80 mph limits, but it is not a priority. What is a priority for this Government is the transformational investment that is delivering growth and road safety. Yesterday’s announcement by the Chancellor will give us the means to deliver that transformational change.

[Peter Aldous (Waveney) (Con)]

4. What progress he is making on funding the refurbishment of railway stations.

--- Later in debate ---

[Robert Halfon (Harlow) (Con)]

Q5. What steps he is taking to support motorists; and if he will make a statement.

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Transport (Stephen Hammond)]

Roads are vital to people and to the economy, but they have suffered from a lack of investment, and we expect traffic to increase in the years to come. Yesterday, the Chancellor announced the largest programme of investment on our roads for half a century to tackle congestion and support growth. As my hon. Friend will know, since we came to power we have been working hard to minimise costs for hard-pressed families by keeping fuel duty down.

[Robert Halfon]

The best way of helping Harlow motorists would be to provide an extra junction on the M11, junction 7a, which would reduce traffic and help businesses in my constituency. May I urge the Minister to give it his strong support?

[Stephen Hammond]

My hon. Friend will recall that I visited him in Harlow a few years ago and saw the scheme for myself. I know that there will be consultation on it over the summer, and that it is a priority for Essex county council. I do not think that I should prejudge the consultation, but, as he knows, I should be happy to meet him and his constituents to discuss the matter.

[Robert Flello (Stoke-on-Trent South) (Lab)]

Will the Minister join me in congratulating Driver First Assist? It has provided great support for motorists, piloting work with the emergency services and the road haulage industry to promote crash-scene first aid and crash management skills among drivers. Will the Minister and the Secretary of State keep an eye out for an invitation to the national roll-out launch, which I believe is winging its way to their inboxes?

[Stephen Hammond]

I am delighted to support that initiative, and I look forward to the invitation. Let me also congratulate the road haulage industry on the work it has been doing to make its drivers aware of the danger posed to cyclists by vehicles, and on its excellent work in upgrading the technology in a number of vehicles.

[Jenny Chapman (Darlington) (Lab)]

6. What his policy is on the privatisation of east coast main line services; and if he will make a statement.

--- Later in debate ---

[Seema Malhotra (Feltham and Heston) (Lab/Co-op)]

11. What his plans are for future investment in London’s transport network.

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Transport (Stephen Hammond)]

In his spending round statement yesterday, my right hon. Friend the Chancellor announced that the Government will give the Mayor almost £9 billion of capital spending and additional financing power to the end of this decade. We will also consider the case for Crossrail 2. In return, we expect the Mayor to bear down on the running costs of Transport for London. The Chief Secretary to the Treasury will make a statement in a moment about investment in infrastructure, including investment in transport for London.

[Seema Malhotra]

The Piccadilly line is vital for thousands of my constituents travelling to work at the airport or to London and is a key route for Heathrow’s passengers. It is increasingly overcrowded and in need of upgrading. Will the Minister reassure me that where cuts are being made to Transport for London’s budget, made necessary by the Government’s failure to deliver growth, that will not put at risk this vital investment?

[Stephen Hammond]

The hon. Lady seems to have missed my response to her question, in which I said that we announced yesterday that we were giving the Mayor almost an extra £9 billion of capital. It is for the Mayor to make decisions about how he deploys that capital.

[Lyn Brown (West Ham) (Lab)]

Yesterday, when summing up the debate on HS2, the Minister of State, Department for Transport, failed to give comfort or even mention the Stratford solution to the congestion at Euston. Will the Government give a commitment to take seriously the cost-effective proposals for HS2 at Stratford to help the east of London, the City, Essex and Kent?

[Stephen Hammond]

My right hon. Friend obviously did not have quite enough time to mention Stratford in his closing remarks, but I assure the hon. Lady that the Government look at all these things seriously and will continue to do so.

[Simon Wright (Norwich South) (LD)]

T1. If he will make a statement on his departmental responsibilities.

--- Later in debate ---

[Mr David Ward (Bradford East) (LD)]

T5. My constituents face some of the highest car insurance premiums in the country. I am aware that many Departments have to be involved in this, but will the Minister reassure me that dealing with this terrible issue remains a top priority?

[Stephen Hammond]

I can indeed reassure the hon. Gentleman about that. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State and I hosted a follow-up summit on 25 March to discuss with the industry ways to bring down premiums. The Ministry of Justice has already banned referral fees and is consulting on steps to reduce the number of fraudulent whiplash claims. We are also taking steps to ensure that drivers are better prepared, the driving test is safer and there will be more responsible drivers on the road, which again will help to drive down premiums.

[Mr William Bain (Glasgow North East) (Lab)]

T2. In the past few years, rail fares have been rising almost three time as fast as wages, and are among the most expensive anywhere in Europe. What will the cap be on regulated rail fares by franchised rail operators in the 2015-16 financial year?

[Harriett Baldwin (West Worcestershire) (Con)]

T6. This week, a private developer announced plans to invest £400 million in private housing in Worcestershire; it is also going to help with the dualling of the southern link road. Will the Department commit to working with my county council to ensure that we use the opportunity to unlock further investment in Worcester Parkway station and a new bridge across the River Severn to the heart of cyber valley in Malvern?

[Stephen Hammond]

I am happy to assure my hon. Friend that we will of course be pleased to work with the county council, as we already do. I was delighted that we were able to approve the Worcester integrated transport scheme last year, and my door is always open should she wish to make the case for her constituents.

--- Later in debate ---

[Graham Jones (Hyndburn) (Lab)]

T8. Will the Minister look into the scandal of Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency checks on the practices of private parking companies? Schedule 4 to the Protection of Freedoms Act 2012 is supposed to protect motorists from rogue car parking companies, such as the operator of Eastgate car park in Accrington, but the answer to a freedom of information request on 18 June revealed that, in breach of the 2012 Act, the DVLA is not checking either notices or correspondence between car parking companies and motorists.

[Stephen Hammond]

I visited the DVLA only a couple of weeks ago to look at the various departments there, and I know that the agency is alert to the problems of fraudulent car park operators. If the hon. Gentleman brings this particular case to me, I will make sure that we look into it.

[Sir Alan Haselhurst (Saffron Walden) (Con)]

Does my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State accept that the transformation of the passenger experience at Stansted airport needs to be matched by a transformation in the time it takes to get to Stansted airport, specifically an improvement on the 51-minute journey, which I understand he undertook a week ago?