Tag: Richard Burden

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Richard Burden on 2016-04-08.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what arrangements Highways England have agreed with Amey to provide services for Area 7 of the network on (a) reporting to Highways England, (b) monitoring fulfilment of that contract and (c) options for early termination.

Andrew Jones

For Area 7, Amey will report to Highways England on a monthly basis using robust bespoke performance management. This is designed to drive continuous improvement and ensure compliance with their Maintenance and Response (M&R) Contract, using a combination of quantitative metrics and performance indicators.

Amey will also be subject to an annual review and, every three years, a full Service Review will be carried out on the appropriateness of the service required and the method of payment.

The M&R Contract includes provision for early termination for poor performance. Highways England will monitor the response to poor performance and invoke appropriate action through an escalation process which includes the right for Highways England to bring in another contractor if performance is not addressed satisfactorily. Continued poor performance may lead to early termination.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Richard Burden on 2016-03-23.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment his Department has made of the effects on the incidence of hearing loss of mobile phones and other similar devices which do not have a volume control; and if he will make a statement.

Alistair Burt

The Department has made no assessment of the effects on the incidence of hearing loss of mobile phones and other similar devices which do not have a volume control.

The Department’s Policy Research Programme is funding COSMOS (Cohort Study of Mobile Phone Use and Health) which is conducted by Imperial College London and expected to end in 2019. This study will investigate possible health effects from long term use of mobile phones and other wireless technologies, on a United Kingdom cohort of 105,000 adults. One of the health outcomes investigated will be tinnitus (ringing in the ears). Hearing loss is one of the factors that may be involved in the development of tinnitus and this study will monitor the incidence of tinnitus in mobile phone users.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent discussions his Department has had with the Department of Energy and Climate Change on ensuring the Government meets its EU renewable energy targets.

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.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Richard Burden on 2016-04-14.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what his policy is on the Maritime and Coastguard Agency retaining core responsibility for the (a) commercial promotion and (b) auditing and assurance of the Red Ensign Group of Shipping Registers.

Mr Robert Goodwill

The Secretary of State for Transport has ultimate responsibility for the safety of all British shipping and has delegated authority to the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) to ensure that the standards maintained by Red Ensign Group (REG) shipping registries operated by UK Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies are in accordance with their International obligations.

Commercial promotion and marketing is the responsibility of the individual shipping registries. The registers operate on the basis of mutual support rather than in direct commercial completion.

The MCA’s promotion of the REG shipping registries is limited to ensuring that they all maintain the same core high standards and international obligations as the REG ship registers are represented as a single member state within the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) by the UK.

Overseeing, monitoring, enforcing of standards, the audit and assurance of the REG shipping registries, is undertaken by the MCA’s Business Improvement and Assurance (BI&A) team which is independent from the UK Ship Register (UKSR). As part of this process, the BI&A team will monitor REG members to ensure that they have in place the necessary resources and infrastructure appropriate to the types and size of ships they wish to register.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Richard Burden on 2016-04-28.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to the oral evidence given by the Minister of State to the Transport Committee on 25 April 2016, what further testing or retesting his officials are carrying out; and if he will make a statement.

Andrew Jones

Our initial testing programme, launched in the wake of the VW emissions scandal, is now complete and the results were published on 21 April. The Department for Transport will be establishing a new unit focused on checking that vehicles meet type approval requirements. The unit will have a budget of £1 million a year and will involve the department’s agencies, the Vehicle Certification Agency and the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency. It will initially focus on emissions testing and enforcement. The unit will be operational later this year.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Richard Burden on 2016-05-04.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when he expects the outcome of the current review of the Maritime and Coastguard Agency’s (a) status and (b) governance; and if he will ensure that a copy of that review is placed in the Library when it is complete.

Mr Robert Goodwill

This work is focused on options for making the commercial functions of the MCA, such as the UK Ship Register, more attractive. An initial review of these options is expected to be completed by the autumn and will be published.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Richard Burden on 2016-05-23.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when he plans to publish a draft of the Modern Transport Bill announced in the Queen’s Speech.

Mr Robert Goodwill

The final date for the introduction of the Modern Transport Bill will be announced in due course.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Richard Burden on 2016-06-08.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to the Answer of 12 April 2016 to Question 32352, whether the memorandum of understanding between the Home Office, the Civil Aviation Authority and the police has been agreed.

Mr Robert Goodwill

I can confirm that the memorandum of understanding between the Department for Transport, the Home Office, the Civil Aviation Authority and the police has been signed and is operational.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Richard Burden on 2016-07-11.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether his Department plans to include provisions in the Modern Transport Bill to (a) develop a licensing regime for the sale of safe driverless vehicles and (b) establish regulations for driverless vehicles in the testing phase.

Mr Robert Goodwill

At this stage, we have not developed plans for changes to primary road traffic legislation other than relating to motor vehicle insurance for automated vehicles. We have also announced plans to change the Highway Code and regulations to support the safe use of advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS). The Centre for Connected and Autonomous Vehicles launched a consultation on these issues on 11 July.

We will consider further legislative, regulatory, and guidance changes as ADAS and automated vehicles continue to develop and reach the market, so that people and businesses can safely take advantage of the benefits that they offer.

We do not consider that legislative change is needed to facilitate testing of automated vehicle technologies; testing of automated vehicle technologies can be carried out on any UK road as long as carried out in line with UK traffic laws and guidance – further details are set out in the Code of practice for testing of automated vehicle technologies – https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/automated-vehicle-technologies-testing-code-of-practice.

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The below Parliamentary question was asked by Richard Burden on 2016-07-20.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, whether she has had discussions with her European counterparts on the letter signed in July 2016 by eight European Ambassadors to Israeli officials on the confiscation of EU-funded structures in Jabal al Baba; and if she will make a statement.

Rory Stewart

I have not had discussions with my European counterparts about the letter regarding EU-funded structures, and the UK Ambassador to Israel was not asked to sign this letter. I understand that a group of international donors to the Occupied Palestinian Territories UN Humanitarian Pooled Fund wrote to the Israeli authorities to note their concerns about confiscation of several humanitarian assistance projects. The UK is not part of this fund.

The UK remains extremely concerned at the large increase in demolitions and confiscations in the Occupied Palestinian Territories since the start of 2016, compared to the monthly average in 2015, and continues to raise this with the Israeli authorities. Demolitions and the evictions of Palestinians from their homes cause unnecessary suffering, are harmful to the peace process, and in all but the most exceptional of cases are contrary to international humanitarian law.