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  • Justin Madders – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Prime Minister

    Justin Madders – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Prime Minister

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Justin Madders on 2016-01-26.

    To ask the Prime Minister, pursuant to the Answer of 14 September 2015 to Question 9202, what steps he has taken to reduce the number of peers.

    Mr David Cameron

    The Leader of the House of Lords has convened cross-party talks to consider the best way forward in addressing the size of the House. Those talks are ongoing.

  • Daniel Zeichner – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Daniel Zeichner – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Daniel Zeichner on 2016-01-26.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps he is taking to monitor and evaluate levels of cycling and attitudes to cycling in (a) London, (b) the Cycle Cities and (c) the rest of the UK.

    Mr Robert Goodwill

    Transport is largely a devolved matter in the UK, and the delivery of scheme-level monitoring and evaluation is the responsibility of the transport authority implementing the intervention. In London, transport is the responsibility of the Mayor and Transport for London (TfL). The Department has no direct involvement and therefore does not undertake monitoring and evaluation of cycling levels or attitudes in London; this work is the responsibility of Transport for London.

    Outside of London, there are a number of work-streams that the Department is involved in which directly or indirectly monitor uptake of and / or attitudes to cycling. These are listed below. Much of this monitoring and evaluation work applies to England only; where the work expands geographically, this is clarified below.

    • The Department is working with the Eight Cycle Cities on the Cycling Ambition to capture evidence on levels of cycling and attitudes to cycling.
    • Active Lives Survey (formerly known as the Active People Survey) publishes data on cycling by adults in England. This is available at Local Authority level, and DfT is currently funding a temporary boost in numbers of people completing the survey in Cambridge, Norwich and Oxford.
    • On attitudes to cycling, we fund a specific transport module on the British Social Attitudes survey.
    • The National Travel Survey (NTS) also captures information on uptake of cycling. From 2013 onwards, the National Travel Survey has covered England only.
    • The Department will deliver an analysis of programme-level findings (also known as a ‘meta-analysis’) from the twelve Large Projects from the Local Sustainable Transport Fund (LSTF) 2011 -15. We estimate around a third of LSTF funding is invested in cycling interventions. An interim meta-analysis was published in November 2015 and a final meta-analysis is due Spring 2017.

  • Daniel Zeichner – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Daniel Zeichner – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Daniel Zeichner on 2016-01-26.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if his Department will undertake a survey of existing cycling and walking infrastructure in English local authorities.

    Mr Robert Goodwill

    On a local level, provision of cycling and walking infrastructure is for local authorities. The Department encourages them to ensure cycling and walking are considered as part of the process of planning new development. The Government will continue to support sustainable transport with a new £580 million ‘Access’ fund. This will build on the legacy of the Local Sustainable Transport Fund and support growth in both cycling and walking.

  • Daniel Zeichner – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Daniel Zeichner – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Daniel Zeichner on 2016-01-26.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how much funding for cycling (a) London and (b) each of the cities which received Cycle City Ambition Grants received in 2014-15; and what the average level of such funding other areas received in that period.

    Mr Robert Goodwill

    CYCLE FUNDING FOR LONDON

    The Department for Transport provides the Greater London Authority with a substantial transport grant for Transport for London (TfL). It is for TfL and ultimately the Mayor of London to decide how best to prioritise spending the grant.

    CYCLING CITY FUNDING

    CYCLING CITIES GRANT RECIPIENTS

    Region

    2013/14 capital (£m)

    2014/15 capital (£m)

    Total Funding Allocation for 2014-15 (£m)

    Newcastle City Council

    North East

    5.7

    –

    5.7

    Cambridgeshire County Council

    East of England

    2.2

    1.9

    4.1

    Bristol City Council

    South West

    1.6

    6.2

    7.8

    Manchester (Transport for Greater Manchester)

    North West

    20.0

    –

    20.0

    Birmingham City Council

    West Midlands

    17.0

    –

    17.0

    West Yorkshire ITA (covering Leeds and Bradford)

    Yorkshire and the Humber

    18.1

    –

    18.1

    Norwich City Council

    East of England

    1.1

    2.6

    3.7

    Oxfordshire County Council

    South East

    –

    0.8

    0.8

    Total Cities Grants

    65.6m

    11.5m

    77.2m

    In 2014-15 the Department for Transport awarded the Cycling Cities Ambition grants to improve and develop cycling facilities and infrastructure. Some of the cities received their funding upfront in 2013-14 under the Cities Deal arrangement. Only four cities received funding in 2014-15.

    REGIONAL FUNDING

    REGIONS RECEIVING CYCLE FUNDING

    2014/15 – DfT £m

    2014/15 – Total (DfT + Local Contribution) £m

    East Midlands

    3.6

    13.4

    East of England

    4.7

    19.3

    North East

    4.3

    17.5

    North West

    8.7

    34.1

    South East

    10.0

    37.8

    South West

    8.1

    37.1

    West Midlands

    7.3

    25.7

    Yorkshire & Humber

    5.3

    28.2

    Total Regions Average Funding

    52.0m

    213.1m

    The 2014-15 figures include some funding streams, such as the Local Sustainable Transport Fund, which benefit a range of locations across England and cannot be easily disaggregated. The figures above therefore contain elements of funding which also benefit the eight cycle cities.

  • Liz McInnes – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Liz McInnes – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Liz McInnes on 2016-01-26.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when meetings have taken place between the Rail North board and his Department in the last six months; and what the subject of those meetings was.

    Andrew Jones

    On 21st December 2015, a meeting took place between Rail North Ltd Directors and the Department at which the two Project Directors presented the outcome of the Northern and TransPennine Express franchise competitions.

  • Robert Flello – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Robert Flello – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Robert Flello on 2016-01-26.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what progress he has made on an exemption from the European Commission on the Directive 2006/125/EC on driving licences to enable electric vehicles over 3.5 tonnes to be driven on a B licence.

    Andrew Jones

    The UK has not sought an exemption from Directive 2006/126/EC to enable electric vehicles over 3.5 tonnes to be driven on a Category B licence. Any driver that holds a full category B licence issued before 1 January 1997 has a “grandfather right” to drive vehicles in category C1 – not for hire and reward. We will continue to monitor the situation.

  • Liz McInnes – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Liz McInnes – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Liz McInnes on 2016-01-26.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what rail routes are planned to be designated driver controlled operation in the Northern Franchise.

    Andrew Jones

    This is an operational matter for the new franchisee to discuss with its staff and their trade union representatives after they have taken over the franchise on 1st April.

  • Liz McInnes – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Liz McInnes – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Liz McInnes on 2016-01-26.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether meetings of Rail North will be held in public.

    Andrew Jones

    Whether Rail North holds its meetings in public is a matter for that organisation.

  • Liz McInnes – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Liz McInnes – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Liz McInnes on 2016-01-26.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what involvement Rail North will have in designating which routes are driver controlled operation in the Northern Franchise.

    Andrew Jones

    Rail North will not have a role in designating which routes are driver controlled operation in the Northern Franchise.

  • Rosie Cooper – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    Rosie Cooper – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Rosie Cooper on 2016-02-01.

    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what the current rate of men diagnosed with prostate cancer is and what the change in that rate over the last (a) five and (b) 10 years.

    Mr Rob Wilson

    The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply.