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1624011

registered interest
date	26/04/2023
answering body	Department for Transport
answering dept id	27
answering dept short name	Transport
answering dept sort name	Transport
hansard heading	Railways: Disability
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when he expects his Department to complete the review of the Disabled Persons Railcard being conducted with the Rail Delivery Group and the Disabled Persons Transport Advisory Committee.
tabling member constituency	Southampton, Itchen
tabling member printed	Royston Smith
uin	182897
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/05/2023 answer text <p>The Department is currently working alongside the Rail Delivery Group and the Disabled Persons Transport Advisory Committee to undertake a review of the Disabled Persons Railcard and expects to complete the review in the coming months.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Bexhill and Battle answering member printed Huw Merriman question first answered 03/05/2023 12:51:06 answering member 4442 label Biography information for Huw Merriman
tabling member	4478 label Biography information for Royston Smith

1484231

registered interest
date	28/06/2022
answering body	Department for Transport
answering dept id	27
answering dept short name	Transport
answering dept sort name	Transport
hansard heading	Passenger Ships: Coronavirus
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps his Department has taken to help the cruise industry recover following the covid-19 pandemic.
tabling member constituency	Southampton, Itchen
tabling member printed	Royston Smith
uin	26807
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 04/07/2022 answer text <p>COVID-19 had a devastating impact on the cruise industry. I am pleased that during this time the relationship between government and industry has gone from strength to strength as we have worked together to ensure a safe and sustainable return of cruises.</p><p> </p><p>The cruise industry is vital to UK coastal communities. According to Maritime UK, the sector contributed a total of £9.4bn to the UK economy and supported 82,000 jobs in 2017.</p><p> </p><p>Following a successful restart of both domestic and international cruises, my Department continues to work closely with the cruise industry to ensure that we understand the challenges they face and any barriers to growth.</p><p> </p><p>Government is committed to the wider recovery of the maritime sector and recognises that cruise is a key part of this recovery, particularly in our coastal communities. Government recently published the Maritime Recovery Route map, setting out the short and medium-term actions that government and industry together will take to help the sector recover from the impacts of the pandemic, whilst turbocharging delivery of Maritime 2050.</p><p> </p><p>We are developing a governance system to monitor the delivery of Maritime 2050’s recommendations and ensure that stakeholders across government and industry are involved in setting key priorities for delivery.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Witney answering member printed Robert Courts question first answered 04/07/2022 13:43:05 answering member 4589 label Biography information for Robert Courts
tabling member	4478 label Biography information for Royston Smith

1484232

registered interest
date	28/06/2022
answering body	Department for Transport
answering dept id	27
answering dept short name	Transport
answering dept sort name	Transport
hansard heading	P&O Ferries: Redundancy
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what discussions he has had with Cabinet colleagues on Government support for the P&O Ferries staff who were made redundant on 17 March 2022.
tabling member constituency	Southampton, Itchen
tabling member printed	Royston Smith
uin	26808
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 05/07/2022 answer text <p>The Secretary of State and the Minister for Aviation, Maritime and Security have had numerous discussions with colleagues across Government to ensure that the staff made redundant by P&amp;O Ferries are fully supported. Cross-Government working continues to be essential in ensuring successful delivery of our seafarer protections nine-point plan, which aims to improve seafarer pay and welfare and to ensure that the actions taken by P&amp;O Ferries cannot happen again.</p> answering member constituency Witney answering member printed Robert Courts question first answered 05/07/2022 16:03:07 answering member 4589 label Biography information for Robert Courts
tabling member	4478 label Biography information for Royston Smith

1484233

registered interest
date	28/06/2022
answering body	Department for Transport
answering dept id	27
answering dept short name	Transport
answering dept sort name	Transport
hansard heading	P&O Ferries: Crew
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 25 May 2022 to Question 6742 on P&O Ferries: Crew, what progress his Department has made on the investigation into reports that some people formerly employed by P&O Ferries have not been able to retrieve their personal belongings from the premises of their former employer.
tabling member constituency	Southampton, Itchen
tabling member printed	Royston Smith
uin	26809
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 05/07/2022 answer text <p>The Maritime &amp; Coastguard Agency is monitoring the return of belongings to dismissed P&amp;O Ferries crew members –. P&amp;O Ferries states that as of 26 May over 600 crew had received their belongings, and 90 had faced issues with their return. The company has advised that its team is now concluding the process of returning belongings. The MCA is in regular contact with P&amp;O Ferries about this matter and I have also written to P&amp;O personally to raise this as an issue of importance. The MCA encourages any affected seafarers who are yet to have items returned to contact it at <a href="mailto:exams@mcga.gov.uk" target="_blank">exams@mcga.gov.uk</a> with a list of the belongings that are outstanding so it can seek to facilitate the swift resolution of these cases.</p><p> </p><p><strong> </strong></p><p> </p> answering member constituency Witney answering member printed Robert Courts question first answered 05/07/2022 16:11:03 answering member 4589 label Biography information for Robert Courts
tabling member	4478 label Biography information for Royston Smith

1379021

registered interest
date	16/11/2021
answering body	Department for Transport
answering dept id	27
answering dept short name	Transport
answering dept sort name	Transport
hansard heading	Large Goods Vehicle Drivers: Driving Licences
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many HGV licence renewal applications his Department has received each month between November 2020 and October 2021.
tabling member constituency	Southampton, Itchen
tabling member printed	Royston Smith
uin	75931
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 24/11/2021 answer text <p>Information on the number of HGV licence renewal applications received or awaiting processing each month between November 2020 and October 2021 is not held. This is because it is not possible to distinguish between HGV and other vocational licence applications until they have been processed.</p><p> </p><p>The table below shows the number of HGV licence renewal applications processed each month between November 2020 and October 2021 where full or provisional HGV entitlement (Category C and/or CE) has been renewed. The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) has focused extra resource on vocational driving licence applications to support the driver shortage. This has been successful with routine applications for vocational driving licences, including for HGVs, now being processed within normal turnaround times of five working days. It may take longer to process cases where medical investigations are needed.</p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td><p>Month</p></td><td><p>Volumes</p></td><td><p> </p></td></tr><tr><td><p>November 2020</p></td><td><p>12,302</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>December 2020</p></td><td><p>10,078</p></td><td><p> </p></td></tr><tr><td><p>January 2021</p></td><td><p>15,617</p></td><td><p> </p></td></tr><tr><td><p>February 2021</p></td><td><p>13,710</p></td><td><p> </p></td></tr><tr><td><p>March 2021</p></td><td><p>13,980</p></td><td><p> </p></td></tr><tr><td><p>April 2021</p></td><td><p>11,247</p></td><td><p> </p></td></tr><tr><td><p>May 2021</p></td><td><p>11,412</p></td><td><p> </p></td></tr><tr><td><p>June 2021</p></td><td><p>11,392</p></td><td><p> </p></td></tr><tr><td><p>July 2021</p></td><td><p>13,312</p></td><td><p> </p></td></tr><tr><td><p>August 2021</p></td><td><p>12,964</p></td><td><p> </p></td></tr><tr><td><p>September 2021</p></td><td><p>15,959</p></td><td><p> </p></td></tr><tr><td><p>October 2021</p></td><td><p>25,559</p></td><td><p> </p></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p><p> </p><p>The DVLA has accuracy checking measures in place, including regular supervisory checks on vocational renewal applications. DVLA staff are issued with comprehensive operating instructions which are updated regularly and receive clear communications about any changes to processing requirements.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Copeland answering member printed Trudy Harrison grouped question UIN 75932 75933 75934 question first answered 24/11/2021 14:27:24 answering member 4593 label Biography information for Trudy Harrison
tabling member	4478 label Biography information for Royston Smith

1379022

registered interest
date	16/11/2021
answering body	Department for Transport
answering dept id	27
answering dept short name	Transport
answering dept sort name	Transport
hansard heading	Large Goods Vehicle Drivers: Driving Licences
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many HGV licence renewal applications were awaiting processing each month between November 2020 and October 2021.
tabling member constituency	Southampton, Itchen
tabling member printed	Royston Smith
uin	75932
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 24/11/2021 answer text <p>Information on the number of HGV licence renewal applications received or awaiting processing each month between November 2020 and October 2021 is not held. This is because it is not possible to distinguish between HGV and other vocational licence applications until they have been processed.</p><p> </p><p>The table below shows the number of HGV licence renewal applications processed each month between November 2020 and October 2021 where full or provisional HGV entitlement (Category C and/or CE) has been renewed. The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) has focused extra resource on vocational driving licence applications to support the driver shortage. This has been successful with routine applications for vocational driving licences, including for HGVs, now being processed within normal turnaround times of five working days. It may take longer to process cases where medical investigations are needed.</p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td><p>Month</p></td><td><p>Volumes</p></td><td><p> </p></td></tr><tr><td><p>November 2020</p></td><td><p>12,302</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>December 2020</p></td><td><p>10,078</p></td><td><p> </p></td></tr><tr><td><p>January 2021</p></td><td><p>15,617</p></td><td><p> </p></td></tr><tr><td><p>February 2021</p></td><td><p>13,710</p></td><td><p> </p></td></tr><tr><td><p>March 2021</p></td><td><p>13,980</p></td><td><p> </p></td></tr><tr><td><p>April 2021</p></td><td><p>11,247</p></td><td><p> </p></td></tr><tr><td><p>May 2021</p></td><td><p>11,412</p></td><td><p> </p></td></tr><tr><td><p>June 2021</p></td><td><p>11,392</p></td><td><p> </p></td></tr><tr><td><p>July 2021</p></td><td><p>13,312</p></td><td><p> </p></td></tr><tr><td><p>August 2021</p></td><td><p>12,964</p></td><td><p> </p></td></tr><tr><td><p>September 2021</p></td><td><p>15,959</p></td><td><p> </p></td></tr><tr><td><p>October 2021</p></td><td><p>25,559</p></td><td><p> </p></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p><p> </p><p>The DVLA has accuracy checking measures in place, including regular supervisory checks on vocational renewal applications. DVLA staff are issued with comprehensive operating instructions which are updated regularly and receive clear communications about any changes to processing requirements.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Copeland answering member printed Trudy Harrison grouped question UIN 75931 75933 75934 question first answered 24/11/2021 14:27:24 answering member 4593 label Biography information for Trudy Harrison
tabling member	4478 label Biography information for Royston Smith

1379023

registered interest
date	16/11/2021
answering body	Department for Transport
answering dept id	27
answering dept short name	Transport
answering dept sort name	Transport
hansard heading	Large Goods Vehicle Drivers: Driving Licences
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many HGV licence renewal applications his Department has processed each month between November 2020 and October 2021.
tabling member constituency	Southampton, Itchen
tabling member printed	Royston Smith
uin	75933
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 24/11/2021 answer text <p>Information on the number of HGV licence renewal applications received or awaiting processing each month between November 2020 and October 2021 is not held. This is because it is not possible to distinguish between HGV and other vocational licence applications until they have been processed.</p><p> </p><p>The table below shows the number of HGV licence renewal applications processed each month between November 2020 and October 2021 where full or provisional HGV entitlement (Category C and/or CE) has been renewed. The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) has focused extra resource on vocational driving licence applications to support the driver shortage. This has been successful with routine applications for vocational driving licences, including for HGVs, now being processed within normal turnaround times of five working days. It may take longer to process cases where medical investigations are needed.</p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td><p>Month</p></td><td><p>Volumes</p></td><td><p> </p></td></tr><tr><td><p>November 2020</p></td><td><p>12,302</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>December 2020</p></td><td><p>10,078</p></td><td><p> </p></td></tr><tr><td><p>January 2021</p></td><td><p>15,617</p></td><td><p> </p></td></tr><tr><td><p>February 2021</p></td><td><p>13,710</p></td><td><p> </p></td></tr><tr><td><p>March 2021</p></td><td><p>13,980</p></td><td><p> </p></td></tr><tr><td><p>April 2021</p></td><td><p>11,247</p></td><td><p> </p></td></tr><tr><td><p>May 2021</p></td><td><p>11,412</p></td><td><p> </p></td></tr><tr><td><p>June 2021</p></td><td><p>11,392</p></td><td><p> </p></td></tr><tr><td><p>July 2021</p></td><td><p>13,312</p></td><td><p> </p></td></tr><tr><td><p>August 2021</p></td><td><p>12,964</p></td><td><p> </p></td></tr><tr><td><p>September 2021</p></td><td><p>15,959</p></td><td><p> </p></td></tr><tr><td><p>October 2021</p></td><td><p>25,559</p></td><td><p> </p></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p><p> </p><p>The DVLA has accuracy checking measures in place, including regular supervisory checks on vocational renewal applications. DVLA staff are issued with comprehensive operating instructions which are updated regularly and receive clear communications about any changes to processing requirements.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Copeland answering member printed Trudy Harrison grouped question UIN 75931 75932 75934 question first answered 24/11/2021 14:27:24 answering member 4593 label Biography information for Trudy Harrison
tabling member	4478 label Biography information for Royston Smith

1379024

registered interest
date	16/11/2021
answering body	Department for Transport
answering dept id	27
answering dept short name	Transport
answering dept sort name	Transport
hansard heading	Large Goods Vehicle Drivers: Driving Licences
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps his Department is taking to help ensure that HGV licence renewals application are processed accurately.
tabling member constituency	Southampton, Itchen
tabling member printed	Royston Smith
uin	75934
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 24/11/2021 answer text <p>Information on the number of HGV licence renewal applications received or awaiting processing each month between November 2020 and October 2021 is not held. This is because it is not possible to distinguish between HGV and other vocational licence applications until they have been processed.</p><p> </p><p>The table below shows the number of HGV licence renewal applications processed each month between November 2020 and October 2021 where full or provisional HGV entitlement (Category C and/or CE) has been renewed. The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) has focused extra resource on vocational driving licence applications to support the driver shortage. This has been successful with routine applications for vocational driving licences, including for HGVs, now being processed within normal turnaround times of five working days. It may take longer to process cases where medical investigations are needed.</p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td><p>Month</p></td><td><p>Volumes</p></td><td><p> </p></td></tr><tr><td><p>November 2020</p></td><td><p>12,302</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>December 2020</p></td><td><p>10,078</p></td><td><p> </p></td></tr><tr><td><p>January 2021</p></td><td><p>15,617</p></td><td><p> </p></td></tr><tr><td><p>February 2021</p></td><td><p>13,710</p></td><td><p> </p></td></tr><tr><td><p>March 2021</p></td><td><p>13,980</p></td><td><p> </p></td></tr><tr><td><p>April 2021</p></td><td><p>11,247</p></td><td><p> </p></td></tr><tr><td><p>May 2021</p></td><td><p>11,412</p></td><td><p> </p></td></tr><tr><td><p>June 2021</p></td><td><p>11,392</p></td><td><p> </p></td></tr><tr><td><p>July 2021</p></td><td><p>13,312</p></td><td><p> </p></td></tr><tr><td><p>August 2021</p></td><td><p>12,964</p></td><td><p> </p></td></tr><tr><td><p>September 2021</p></td><td><p>15,959</p></td><td><p> </p></td></tr><tr><td><p>October 2021</p></td><td><p>25,559</p></td><td><p> </p></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p><p> </p><p>The DVLA has accuracy checking measures in place, including regular supervisory checks on vocational renewal applications. DVLA staff are issued with comprehensive operating instructions which are updated regularly and receive clear communications about any changes to processing requirements.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Copeland answering member printed Trudy Harrison grouped question UIN 75931 75932 75933 question first answered 24/11/2021 14:27:24 answering member 4593 label Biography information for Trudy Harrison
tabling member	4478 label Biography information for Royston Smith

1328282

registered interest
date	26/05/2021
answering body	Department for Transport
answering dept id	27
answering dept short name	Transport
answering dept sort name	Transport
hansard heading	Driving Tests
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps his Department is taking to increase the number of available practical driving tests.
tabling member constituency	Southampton, Itchen
tabling member printed	Royston Smith
uin	7872
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/06/2021 answer text <p>The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) has put in place a number of measures to increase practical driving tests. These include offering overtime and annual leave buy back to examiners, asking all those qualified to conduct tests, but who do not do so as part of their current day job, to return to conducting tests, and conducting out of hours testing (such as on public holidays). The DVSA has also started a recruitment campaign to increase the number of examiners. The aim is to increase testing capacity and reduce the backlog as quickly as possible, whilst maintaining a COVID-secure service for customers and examiners.</p><p><strong> </strong></p><p>As of 24 May 2021, there were nationally circa 140,000 practical car tests still available to book over the next 24 weeks.</p><p> </p><p>The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) advises candidates to look for earlier dates by checking the ‘change your driving test’ service at: <a href="http://www.gov.uk/change-driving-test" target="_blank">www.gov.uk/change-driving-test</a>. The service is live and additional tests are added when they become available. Cancellations are also returned to the system by other candidates who often reschedule their test at short notice, freeing up test appointments for others to book. The DVSA also advises candidates to check availability at other nearby test centres.</p><p> </p><p>As of 24 May 2021, there are, on average, 30,000 practical car driving test appointments available each week. This is compared to, on average, 33,000 available tests each week pre-March 2020.</p><p> </p><p>The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) is currently only able to deliver a maximum of 6 tests, per examiner, each day. Out of hours tests are limited to weekends only. When the service returns to 7 tests a day, the DVSA will be able to reintroduce evening tests. The aim is that an increase in test slots, together with an increase in examiners, will see the number of available weekly test slots exceed that of pre-March 2020.</p><p> </p><p><strong> </strong></p><p><strong> </strong></p><p><strong> </strong></p><p><strong> </strong></p><p><strong> </strong></p><p><strong> </strong></p><p><strong> </strong></p><p><strong> </strong></p> answering member constituency Redditch answering member printed Rachel Maclean grouped question UIN 7873 7874 7875 question first answered 08/06/2021 16:26:09 answering member 4668 label Biography information for Rachel Maclean
tabling member	4478 label Biography information for Royston Smith

1328283

registered interest
date	26/05/2021
answering body	Department for Transport
answering dept id	27
answering dept short name	Transport
answering dept sort name	Transport
hansard heading	Driving Tests
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what (a) advice and (b) support his Department is providing to people who are unable to book practical driving tests due to limited availability.
tabling member constituency	Southampton, Itchen
tabling member printed	Royston Smith
uin	7873
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/06/2021 answer text <p>The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) has put in place a number of measures to increase practical driving tests. These include offering overtime and annual leave buy back to examiners, asking all those qualified to conduct tests, but who do not do so as part of their current day job, to return to conducting tests, and conducting out of hours testing (such as on public holidays). The DVSA has also started a recruitment campaign to increase the number of examiners. The aim is to increase testing capacity and reduce the backlog as quickly as possible, whilst maintaining a COVID-secure service for customers and examiners.</p><p><strong> </strong></p><p>As of 24 May 2021, there were nationally circa 140,000 practical car tests still available to book over the next 24 weeks.</p><p> </p><p>The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) advises candidates to look for earlier dates by checking the ‘change your driving test’ service at: <a href="http://www.gov.uk/change-driving-test" target="_blank">www.gov.uk/change-driving-test</a>. The service is live and additional tests are added when they become available. Cancellations are also returned to the system by other candidates who often reschedule their test at short notice, freeing up test appointments for others to book. The DVSA also advises candidates to check availability at other nearby test centres.</p><p> </p><p>As of 24 May 2021, there are, on average, 30,000 practical car driving test appointments available each week. This is compared to, on average, 33,000 available tests each week pre-March 2020.</p><p> </p><p>The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) is currently only able to deliver a maximum of 6 tests, per examiner, each day. Out of hours tests are limited to weekends only. When the service returns to 7 tests a day, the DVSA will be able to reintroduce evening tests. The aim is that an increase in test slots, together with an increase in examiners, will see the number of available weekly test slots exceed that of pre-March 2020.</p><p> </p><p><strong> </strong></p><p><strong> </strong></p><p><strong> </strong></p><p><strong> </strong></p><p><strong> </strong></p><p><strong> </strong></p><p><strong> </strong></p><p><strong> </strong></p> answering member constituency Redditch answering member printed Rachel Maclean grouped question UIN 7872 7874 7875 question first answered 08/06/2021 16:26:09 answering member 4668 label Biography information for Rachel Maclean
tabling member	4478 label Biography information for Royston Smith