Topical Questions 2023-04-20
2023-04-20
TAGS
Response quality
Questions & Answers
Q1
Direct Answer
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Context
The Government has announced measures to decarbonise transport.
If he will make a statement on his departmental responsibilities. Last month I announced measures to decarbonise transport, including the second round of the advanced fuels fund and further measures to progress the 2025 sustainable aviation fuel mandate. The House will be aware that we announced the zero-emission vehicle mandate.
Last month I announced measures to decarbonise transport, including the second round of the advanced fuels fund and further measures to progress the 2025 sustainable aviation fuel mandate. That included Phil New's independent report on attracting more sustainable aviation fuel investment to the UK, which I discussed with the industry and academia while chairing the Jet Zero Council on Monday. The House will also be aware that we announced the zero-emission vehicle mandate.
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Assessment & feedback
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Q2
Direct Answer
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Context
The establishment of the Cromarty Firth freeport will hopefully mean more freight travels through Invergordon, which has a railhead.
What are the Government doing to make sure more freight is taken off the roads and on to rail? The establishment of HS2 will surely mean that capacity is freed up on other lines that could be used to move freight.
HS2, as I frequently say but is not always well understood, is about freeing up capacity on the west coast main line both for passenger services and for freight. In my George Bradshaw address, I made it clear that later this year Great British Railways will set a freight target to get more freight off our roads and on to our railway network to help decarbonise our transport system.
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Assessment & feedback
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Q3
Partial Answer
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Context
In Burnley and Padiham, a young man named Joe Skinner has made it his mission to improve disabled access on buses.
When disabled access requirements were last reviewed? Will my right hon. Friend come to Burnley to meet Joe and talk about this? Will he praise Joe for the work he does?
I thank my hon. Friend for that; he has been a great champion of this cause. I absolutely join him in praising Joe Skinner. Let me also praise Cameron Wood in my constituency, who has been equally hard-working in pressing the case for the improvement of disabled access.
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Assessment & feedback
Specific request to visit Burnley and review requirements was not addressed
Response accuracy
Q4
Partial Answer
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Context
The Prime Minister said last year that smart motorways are unpopular because they are unsafe.
Will the Secretary of State tell the House how many breakdowns were missed by the stationary vehicle detection system on our smart motorway network last year?
Smart motorways remain the safest roads on the strategic road network, which is why the existing smart motorways are going to remain in place and we are finishing the construction of the two that are almost completed. However, the public do not have as much confidence in smart motorways as we would hope.
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Assessment & feedback
Specific statistic requested was not provided
The Public Does Not Have Enough Confidence In Smart Motorways.
Response accuracy
Q5
Partial Answer
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Context
Last year, more than 4,000 breakdowns were missed by the faulty technology used in smart motorways.
Will the Secretary of State urgently reinstate the hard shoulder?
This is a very good example of why the Labour party is not fit for government. The hon Lady does not want to face up to difficult choices. If she wants to reinstate the hard shoulder and maintain the capacity of the road network, that would mean spending billions of pounds on road improvements and she has no plan to pay for that.
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Assessment & feedback
The question was about reinstating the hard shoulder
Labour Party Is Not Fit For Government
No Plan To Reinstate
Response accuracy
Q6
Partial Answer
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Context
Recent fatal road accidents in West Dorset have led the MP to set up a road safety taskforce.
Confirm the standards and conditions expected for white lines, cat's eyes, signage etc. by local authorities and National Highways?
There were two incidents in 2021 on the roads in his constituency where a police officer attended and said a contributory factor was a poor or defective road surface. This is up to the local authorities; they have a statutory duty to maintain their roads. There should also be a proper inspection scheme for all of the areas that he talks about.
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Assessment & feedback
Specific standards and conditions not provided
Response accuracy
Q7
Partial Answer
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Context
The Government's spending on Active Travel in England is significantly lower than in Scotland and Wales, with less than £1 per head compared to £50 in Scotland.
The Government had a relative paucity of ambition on Active Travel before slashing the budget. They now plan to spend less than £1 per head in England outside London, compared with £17 per head in Wales and £50 in Scotland—5,000% more. In the Transport Committee yesterday, the Secretary of State spoke of other Active Travel spending not in core funding, but we have that, too, with the Advanced Manufacturing Innovation District Scotland—AMIDS—levelling-up project and the River Cart walking and wheeling bridge city deal project in my constituency. Without the waffle, what will the Government do to deliver transformational change?
The Government are spending £3 billion on this area over the current spending period. Active Travel England is making an enormous difference to the quality of schemes throughout England. Significant amounts of money are going in through the levelling-up fund and through City Region Sustainable Transport Settlements and other schemes, so we believe that we are on track to meet our targets.
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Assessment & feedback
The specific disparity between regions was not addressed; only general funding figures were provided without comparing them across regions.
Response accuracy
Q8
Partial Answer
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Context
Barrow and Sileby train stations are currently in need of accessibility improvements. The Access for All scheme has not reopened for applications yet.
Can the Minister please provide me with an update on when the Access for All scheme will reopen for applications and whether there are any other pots of funding available for accessibility improvements in the meantime?
The Department commissioned station nominations for Access for All in May of last year and is currently assessing more than 300 stations that were put forward. They include Barrow-upon-Soar and Sileby. I hope to be in a position later this year to announce the successful projects.
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Assessment & feedback
Did not provide information on alternative funding sources or timeline for reopening applications.
Response accuracy
Q9
Partial Answer
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Context
ScotRail pays significant track access charges, causing disruption to services. The questioner advocates for full devolution of rail infrastructure.
If the Minister's Portillo-style tour of the railways takes him north of the border, will he reflect on the eye-watering track access charges paid by ScotRail and the eye-watering disruption caused to ScotRail services by problems with that track? Is it not just common sense that train tracks as well as train services should be fully devolved to Scotland?
The hon. Gentleman I hope knows that the way track access charges are paid for is in two parts. If he looks at the total charges paid for track access by ScotRail, he will see that they are done on the same basis as in the rest of the United Kingdom. It is a very fair deal for ScotRail, and I do not think that there is anything for the hon. Gentleman to complain about.
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Assessment & feedback
Did not address disruptions or costs; focused on fairness of charges instead.
Response accuracy
Q10
Direct Answer
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Context
The Army and Navy roundabout is a notorious traffic jam in Chelmsford. The outline business case has been submitted.
People in Chelmsford spend too much time in traffic jams. It is hitting our economic growth, and the Army and Navy junction is a notorious pinch point. The outline business case for the new junction has been submitted. Will our excellent team of Transport Ministers help me to get the funds that we need from the Treasury to get the new junction delivered?
I thank my hon. Friend for welcoming me on my recent visit to her constituency where I saw the Army and Navy roundabout. The outline business case has been submitted by Essex County Council. It is currently proceeding through our assessment and decision-making process, which includes consideration by Ministers in my Department and also in the Treasury. I look forward to a positive announcement before too long.
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Q11
Partial Answer
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Context
The questioner commends PCC Kim McGuinness and NEXUS for an app to enhance public transport safety.
What assessment has the Minister made of measures to improve safety on public transport? In particular, does he commend PCC Kim McGuinness and NEXUS for creating an app to keep the public safe when travelling in the Northumbria force area?
Safety on public transport is a vital matter. Like me, I am sure the hon. Lady is delighted to see the extra money that the Government are making available through our largest bus service improvement plan right across the country, and for the north-east of England, which covers her constituency and mine. Indeed, funds from that will be made available for transport safety in the future.
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Assessment & feedback
Did not directly address the app or commend PCC Kim McGuinness and NEXUS.
Response accuracy
Q12
Direct Answer
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Context
An extra £3 million has been allocated to Nottinghamshire, but the exact availability date is unclear.
I welcome the £3 million allocated to Nottinghamshire in the recent Budget to tackle potholes. That is in addition to the extra £50 million that Nottinghamshire County Council is spending on top of the regular budget. When will that extra money become available? Given the widespread severity of the issue and the depth of public concern over it, will he join me in asking the Treasury for further funds in future spending rounds?
My hon. Friend will never need to encourage me to ask the Treasury for more cash for our road network. Potholes are a menace for all road users. The funding will be available in May. I will also be visiting Nottinghamshire in May, so I may be able to tack on a visit to his wonderful constituency during that time.
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Q13
Direct Answer
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Context
Nearly a quarter of TransPennine Express services were cancelled in February and March, affecting the economy in the north.
In February and March, nearly a quarter of TransPennine Express services were cancelled, continuing a pattern that has been going on for more than a year. In the north, our economy and our residents are suffering as a result of TransPennine's failures. Surely there cannot be any question of rewarding those failures with a contract extension.
Every week I review the figures and performance related to TransPennine Express. It has been said before that those figures are not good enough; there has been some improvement, but they are still not good enough. As the Prime Minister and my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State have informed the House, the contract expires on 28 May 2023. We have made clear that all options are on the table and a decision will be announced in the House shortly.
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Assessment & feedback
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Q14
Partial Answer
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Context
The Union Connectivity Review recommends good connectivity for HS2 with the north Wales main line.
Recommendation 7 of Sir Peter Hendy's Union connectivity review says that the north Wales main line should get good connectivity with HS2 and electrification. Given that the massive white elephant of HS2 no longer comes anywhere near north Wales, can the Minister confirm that at least the Government will be proceeding with the electrification of the north Wales main line and give us an idea of when that might happen?
I know how important not only rail connectivity, but road connectivity is to people in north Wales. I urge the hon. Gentleman to work with me and partners across Government to ensure that transport connectivity is a top priority for people across north Wales.
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Assessment & feedback
Did not confirm or deny electrification plans; focused on working together instead of providing concrete details.
Response accuracy
Q15
Partial Answer
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Context
The question is prompted by ongoing issues with bus driver shortages affecting service quality in Newcastle, leaving constituents stranded. The minister has promised improvements but none have materialized.
I am concerned about the persistent lack of better bus services for my constituents who are left stranded at bus stops. When will you deliver on your promises and hold the bus companies accountable?
I am holding the bus companies to account. We have seen an 80% reduction in driver shortage issues locally, and I have held meetings with local residents and Go North East. The government is providing over £100 million for long-term funding for the north-east.
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Assessment & feedback
Did not specify a timeline or concrete actions to improve bus services in Newcastle beyond general statements of accountability and previous meetings
Holding Meetings
Providing General Statistics
Response accuracy
Q16
Partial Answer
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Context
The A1 is Britain's longest road and faces traffic congestion issues when it reaches the constituency of North Bedfordshire, particularly around Sandy and Biggleswade. The questioner seeks intervention from the Secretary of State for further discussions.
At 410 miles long, the A1 is Britain's longest road but faces significant disruptions in my constituency where it passes through four roundabouts causing traffic congestion. To improve this situation, will you agree to a meeting with the Secretary of State?
I thank my hon. Friend for those important points. I am aware of the issues in Sandy and Biggleswade as I drive up the A1 regularly. I will continue to work with National Highways and the Secretary of State to improve life for my hon. Friend's constituents.
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Assessment & feedback
Did not commit to a specific meeting or timeline, instead stated an intention to keep working on the issue without providing concrete next steps
Will Continue To Work
Response accuracy