The below Parliamentary question was asked by Daniel Zeichner on 2016-02-04.
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when he plans to respond to the report by the Law Commission on taxi and private hire services, published in May 2014.
Andrew Jones
I refer the hon Member to the answer I gave on 20 November 2015, http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2015-11-09/15469/.
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The below Parliamentary question was asked by Daniel Zeichner on 2016-02-10.
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answers of 18 November 2015 to Question 16782 and of 11 December 2015 to Questions 19723 and 19724, if he will estimate how many miles of local authority road are in poor structural condition in England.
Andrew Jones
I refer the Hon Member to my previous answers to Questions 16782, 19723 and 19724.
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The below Parliamentary question was asked by Daniel Zeichner on 2016-02-24.
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what information his Department holds on the relationship between the bus service operators grant and the cost of bus fares.
Andrew Jones
We have been reviewing the Bus Service Operators Grant scheme in recent years with a view to improving its effectiveness in supporting bus services. In their assessment of the impact of any changes in policy associated with the Bus Service Operators’ Grant, departmental economists normally assume operators pass subsidy received on to passengers 50% through lower fares and 50% through increased service levels. Under these assumptions, they estimate that BSOG has the impact of keeping fares 3% lower than they would be in its absence in England outside of London.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Daniel Zeichner on 2016-03-08.
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 3 March 2016 to Question 28183, using what evidence base his departmental economists (a) normally assume operators pass subsidy received on to passengers at a rate of 50 per cent through lower fares and at a rate of 50 per cent through increased service levels and (b) estimate that the Bus Service Operators’ Grant has the effect of keeping fares 3 per cent lower in England outside London.
Andrew Jones
The department assumed that the Bus Service Operators Grant (BSOG) was passed on to passengers 50% through lower fares and 50% through increased service levels as a working assumption made in the absence of better relevant evidence. The estimate of the effect of keeping fares lower as a result of BSOG was derived by using the National Bus Model, which combined assumptions based on the evidence available with actual data on passenger numbers, fares and service levels.
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.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Daniel Zeichner on 2016-05-03.
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if he will commission an independent review into the sentencing regime for imprisonment for public protection which will involve those criminal justice agencies that manage the sentence and incorporate the experiences of prisoners and their families.
Andrew Selous
The Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders 2012, abolished the sentence of imprisonment for public protection (IPP) and introduced a new sentencing scheme for dangerous offenders.
In respect of IPP sentences already imposed, the government considered that it would not be right or appropriate retrospectively to alter sentences that had been lawfully imposed, particularly because in this case those sentences were imposed with public protection issues in mind.
Significant numbers of IPP prisoners continue to be released where the Parole Board is satisfied that they can be safely managed in the community, but other prisoners currently remain too high risk to be released. It is a priority for us to help remaining IPP prisoners progress towards release, by ensuring that their parole reviews take place on time, through greater efficiency in the parole process, and by giving their opportunity to complete relevant interventions and work in order to demonstrate reduced risk to the Parole Board.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Daniel Zeichner on 2016-05-19.
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to the Answer of 26 November 2015 to Question 16942, for what reason his Department does not publish statistics on the number of buses in England that are fitted with audio-visual systems; and whether the Buses Bill will make provision to do so.
Andrew Jones
The Department’s annual survey of local bus operators was amended in 2013/14 to include a question on the number of buses providing audio/visual information.
In line with the Code of Practice for Official Statistics, statistics should be produced to a level of quality that meets users’ need. To date, the statistics relating to this question have not been published by the Department because of concerns about the robustness of the data.
The Department, as part of it’s statistical quality management process, will take steps to improve the quality of the audio/visual data. Once these quality concerns are met so that what is produced does not risk misleading users, the Department will look to publish the information, in line with the majority of data collected through the local bus survey.
The Government, therefore, does not consider it necessary to legislate on this issue through the Bus Services Bill.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Daniel Zeichner on 2016-06-20.
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 13 June 2016 to Question 39847, what assessment he has made of the effect of the cycling and walking investment strategy on his Department’s estimates of future trips by mode.
Mr Robert Goodwill
The Cycling and Walking Investment Strategy contains a target to double cycling by 2025 and an objective to increase walking activity. We are currently consulting on a programme of activity to work towards these increases.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Daniel Zeichner on 2016-07-21.
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what discussions he has had with (a) ARM, (b) SoftBank and (c) representatives of those companies on SoftBank’s takeover of ARM prior to that takeover being announced to the public.
Mr David Gauke
In line with the practice of successive administrations details of ministerial discussions are not routinely disclosed.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Daniel Zeichner on 2016-09-02.
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps he is taking to ensure vehicle technicians hold the necessary skills to work with electric vehicle technology.
Mr John Hayes
The government recognises the need to develop servicing skills to support the UK’s transition to ultra low emission vehicles (ULEVs).
The Institute for the Motor Industry estimates there are currently around 1,000 vehicle technicians qualified to work on electric vehicles, with another 1,000 in training and due to be qualified by 2018. The 2020 Vision for English Apprenticeships supports an industry-led approach to skills training that puts employers in the driving seat of new apprenticeship standards.
The establishment of the employer-led Institute for Apprenticeships and the introduction of an employer levy fund provides an opportunity for the ULEV sector to lead the development of training programmes to meet the skills needs they have identified.