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  • Roger Godsiff – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Roger Godsiff – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Roger Godsiff on 2016-04-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, whether Parliamentary authority is required for UK ratification of the EU-Canada Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement.

    Anna Soubry

    We expect the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement will be a mixed agreement covering areas of both EU and Member State competence. In that case, it will be subject to agreement by each EU Member State, the EU Council and the European Parliament. As part of this process the agreement will be laid before Parliament for scrutiny before it is ratified by the UK. We will confirm the procedures for Parliamentary approval when it is presented for signature.

  • Nusrat Ghani – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Nusrat Ghani – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nusrat Ghani on 2016-04-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what information his Department holds on the number of households eligible for the property compensation scheme proposed by Gatwick Airport Limited under the current proposal for the expansion of Gatwick Airport.

    Mr Robert Goodwill

    The property compensation scheme proposed by Gatwick Airport Limited consists of two elements, compulsory purchase and a voluntary purchase scheme (‘Home Owner Support Scheme’). Approximately 168 properties will be eligible for compulsory purchase compensation. The number of properties eligible for voluntary purchase will be determined by the promoters published eligibility criteria in due course.

  • Nusrat Ghani – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Nusrat Ghani – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nusrat Ghani on 2016-04-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what operational mitigation measures have been proposed by (a) Heathrow Airport Limited and (b) Gatwick Airport Limited to reduce the effect of aviation noise in the event of expansion of those airports.

    Mr Robert Goodwill

    Heathrow Airport Ltd. and Gatwick Airport Ltd. have published proposals on their respective websites to mitigate the impacts of aviation noise. The Government is continuing to engage with promoters for all three schemes shortlisted by the Airports Commission to develop the best possible packages of mitigation measures, including on noise.

  • Royston Smith – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Royston Smith – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Royston Smith on 2016-04-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps will be taken to ensure the safety of driverless cars.

    Andrew Jones

    We have developed ‘Pathway to Driverless Cars: a Code of Practice for testing’ to promote the safe and responsible testing of automated vehicle technology on UK roads. It clearly and simply sets out that testers must obey all relevant road traffic laws and that test vehicles must be roadworthy; a suitably trained driver or operator must be ready, able, and willing to take control if necessary; and appropriate insurance must be in place. Alongside this we are funding research and demonstration projects and working with international regulatory bodies to develop an appropriate framework for the safe sale and use of automated vehicle technology.

  • Royston Smith – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Royston Smith – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Royston Smith on 2016-04-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will make an assessment of the potential effect of the introduction of driverless cars on UK roads on levels of insurance premiums.

    Andrew Jones

    We know that the insurance industry is keen to recognise and reward technologies that will make vehicles safer; the latest safety features, like autonomous emergency braking, can help reduce insurance premiums. As highly automated, and fully automated, vehicle technology should help reduce collisions, we believe this should be reflected in insurance premiums.

  • Jonathan Ashworth – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Jonathan Ashworth – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jonathan Ashworth on 2016-04-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, (a) how many and (b) what proportion of officials of his Department resigned in each of the last six years.

    Mr Robert Goodwill

    The information requested is in the table below.

    TIMEFRAME

    NUMBERS OF VOLUNTARY RESIGNATIONS

    % PROPORTION OF OFFICIALS (based on headcount not Full Time Equivalent Data)

    01/04/2015 – 31/03/2016

    462

    3.3

    01/04/2014 – 31/03/2015

    489

    2.8

    01/04/2013 – 31/03/2014

    428

    2.5

    01/04/2012 – 31/03/2013

    378

    2.1

    01/04/2011 – 31/03/2012

    421

    2.3

    01/04/2010 – 31/03/2011

    374

    2.0

    The Department for Transport data relates to the central department and its agencies during the timeframe indicated, Highways England are therefore excluded from the 15/16 figures.

  • 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 2016-04-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what his Department’s current projections are for Government annual spending on the (a) Cycle City Ambition Grant, (b) Bikeability cycle training, (c) Highways England Funding, (d) Access Funds and (e) any other under the cycling and walking strategy programmes for each of the next five years.

    Mr Robert Goodwill

    The projected budgets for the next five years for the (a) Cycle City Ambition Grant, (b) Bikeability cycle training, (c) Highways England Funding and (d) Access Funds are as follows:

    Programme

    Total

    Cycle Cities Ambition grant

    £99m

    Bikeability cycle training grant

    £50m

    Highways England Fund

    £85m

    Sustainable Travel Transition Year / Access Fund

    £80m

    Much more widely, however, other Government funding streams will also contribute to projects which will deliver improved cycling and walking. Through the Local Growth Fund, an investment of at least £476m is planned by local enterprise partnerships for cycling infrastructure.

    From the Integrated Transport Block funding, local authorities will use £194m to invest in cycling and walking.

    Regarding highways maintenance, from 2018/19 the plan is to change the formula used to allocate local highways maintenance capital funding so that it also takes into account footways and cycleways as well as the roads, bridges and street lighting, which it is currently based on. Once implemented, around 9% of the funding for local highways maintenance will be based on footway and cycleway lengths and equates to £196m.

    In addition, a record £6bn will be spent on tackling potholes and improving local roads between 2015 and 2021, which will benefit all road users, including cyclists.

  • 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 2016-04-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when he plans to (a) announce the criteria and (b) begin the bidding process for allocating the funding available through the Pothole Action Fund.

    Andrew Jones

    The Pothole Action Fund is worth £250 million over the next five years to local highway authorities in England, outside London. On 7 April the Government announced the share each local highway authority will receive from the £50 million available for 2016/17. Funding is allocated according to the size of the road network the local highway authority is responsible for.

    Further details can be found here:

    https://www.gov.uk/government/news/cash-for-councils-to-fill-almost-1-million-potholes

    “

  • 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 2016-04-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, for what reason the Cycling and Walking Investment Strategy consultation document does not contain measureable targets for walking.

    Mr Robert Goodwill

    The draft Cycling and Walking Investment Strategy contains two objectives for walking.

  • Richard Burden – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Richard Burden – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Richard Burden on 2016-04-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, by what methodology his Department measures the proportion of UK transport using renewable fuels.

    Andrew Jones

    The Renewable Transport Fuel Obligation (RTFO) requires larger fossil fuel suppliers to demonstrate that sufficient renewable fuel has been supplied to meet their obligation. The obligation is set as a proportion of a supplier’s overall fuel supply by volume.

    Renewable fuels supplied for use in transport in the UK are also reported under the RTFO on a volume basis, in litres or kilograms. The energy content of renewable fuels used in transport is calculated using the default energy values set out in Annex III of the Renewable Energy Directive (Directive 2009/28/EC).

    Officials from the Department for Transport and the Department for Energy and Climate Change are in regular contact on the development of proposals to meet EU renewable energy targets, under the Directive.