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528948

registered interest
date	27/06/2016
answering body	Department for Transport
answering dept id	27
answering dept short name	Transport
answering dept sort name	Transport
hansard heading	Transport: Infrastructure
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the potential contribution of the British steel industry to future transport infrastructure projects in the UK.
tabling member constituency	Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland
tabling member printed	Tom Blenkinsop
uin	41298
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 30/06/2016 answer text <p>The Department has been working closely with BIS, Cabinet Office and industry to consider how Government can help the UK steel industry meet the challenges it has been facing.</p><p> </p><p>The bulk of infrastructure projects within the Department are being delivered by the Department’s Arm’s Length Bodies (ALB), in particular, Network Rail, Highways England and HS2. Cabinet Office guidance on the approach to steel procurement has been circulated to the Accounting Officers of each ALB and procurement and commercial teams within these organisations are aware of the need to:</p><p> </p><ul><li>Signal the future pipeline of requirements on steel sourcing and best practice in pre-procurement market engagement;</li></ul><p> </p><ul><li>Ensure there is clear visibility of opportunities at sub-contractor level where the source of steel has not been defined by a Tier 1 contractor;</li></ul><p> </p><ul><li>Assess the health and sustainability of potential suppliers in the supply chain at selection stage, including compliance with relevant health and safety and employment legislation;</li></ul><p> </p><ul><li>Ensure that the price or cost calculations are based on an assessment of the whole-life cost and not lowest purchase price;</li></ul><p> </p><ul><li>Take account of appropriate social and environmental impacts at the award stage where they are linked to the subject of the contract.</li></ul><p> </p><p>As with the rest of the materials for construction, steel is procured by the supply chain for the majority of our infrastructure projects. The Department and its ALBs are complying with the Cabinet Office guidance and ensuring that, for instance, where appropriate, assessment of social and environmental impacts are considered as part of the evaluation criteria. The Department and its ALBs also positively encourage bids from British companies and are holding discussions with UK suppliers to make sure they are in the best possible position to win contracts.</p><p> </p><p>Activity currently underway is as follows:</p><p><br><strong>Network Rail</strong></p><ul><li>Network Rail buys approximately 120,000 tonnes of steel for rails per annum directly from British Steel in Scunthorpe, which is around 96% of Network Rail’s total aggregated demand by value.</li></ul><p> </p><p><strong> </strong></p><p><strong>Highways England</strong></p><ul><li>Highways England does not procure steel materials directly, however over the last five years Highways England has used a category management framework as the main method of procuring steel gantries for the Strategic Road Network.</li></ul><p> </p><ul><li>To date circa 95% of this steel has been drawn from British Steel in the UK, which equates to approximately 11,000 tonnes of steel. The approximate framework spend is £30 million, of which about 35% will be steel procurement i.e. raw materials, and will equate to around £10.5 million.</li></ul><p> </p><p><strong>Crossrail</strong></p><ul><li>The 57km of steel required for the rails of Crossrail’s brand new central tunnel section is being sourced entirely from British Steel in Scunthorpe. This equates to 7,000 tonnes of steel.</li></ul><p> </p><ul><li>Crossrail Ltd does not directly procure steel as this is undertaken by their tier 1 contractors and their supply chains. However, Crossrail keeps an oversight of its critical contracts and estimates that 85% of its supply chain providing steel to the project is UK based.</li></ul><p><strong>HS2 </strong></p><ul><li>It is estimated that HS2 will need approximately 2 million tonnes of steel over the next 10 years. The procurement for the main civil engineering works between Euston and Birmingham is now underway with procurements for the stations and rail systems expected to commence later this year and for rolling stock in early 2017. Subject to Royal Assent, the project will start construction in 2017.</li></ul><p> </p><ul><li>As with the rest of the materials for construction, steel is procured by the supply chain. HS2 positively encourages bids from British companies and is already holding discussions with UK suppliers to make sure they are in the best possible position to complete for contracts for the steel that will be needed for track, concrete reinforcements, overhead wires and other structures.</li></ul> answering member constituency Scarborough and Whitby answering member printed Mr Robert Goodwill question first answered 30/06/2016 14:22:12 answering member 1562 label Biography information for Sir Robert Goodwill
tabling member	4037 label Biography information for Tom Blenkinsop

524481

registered interest
date	10/06/2016
answering body	Department for Transport
answering dept id	27
answering dept short name	Transport
answering dept sort name	Transport
hansard heading	Bridges: Tees Valley
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to paragraph 9.2.7 of the report by Lord Heseltine, Tees Valley: opportunity unlimited, published in June 2016, if he will make it his policy to provide a new strategic road Tees crossing.
tabling member constituency	Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland
tabling member printed	Tom Blenkinsop
uin	40244
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 15/06/2016 answer text <p>The first Road Investment Strategy (RIS) recognises that tackling congestion on the A19 is a priority and includes a scheme to widen the A19 between the A1027 (Norton) and A689 (Wynyard).</p><p> </p><p>In addition, the Tees Valley Combined Authority and the local authorities are working in partnership with Highways England to identify options for a new crossing of the Tees to enhance the road network. The Combined Authority has made a bid to the Department’s Large Majors scheme for 2016/17 to develop proposals. The results of bids into this fund are due to be published in July 2016.</p><p><strong> </strong></p><p>Highways England has begun gathering evidence to support the development of the second RIS period which commences in 2020/21. The evidence from Lord Heseltine’s Report will be taken into account in this process.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency Harrogate and Knaresborough answering member printed Andrew Jones question first answered 15/06/2016 10:43:22 answering member 3996 label Biography information for Andrew Jones
tabling member	4037 label Biography information for Tom Blenkinsop

524029

registered interest
date	08/06/2016
answering body	Department for Transport
answering dept id	27
answering dept short name	Transport
answering dept sort name	Transport
hansard heading	Railways: Electrification
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of the inclusion of the Northallerton to Teesport line in the rail electrification scheme.
tabling member constituency	Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland
tabling member printed	Tom Blenkinsop
uin	39946
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 13/06/2016 answer text <p>The Transpennine Route Upgrade is an ambitious and challenging programme which is due to be delivered by December 2022. There are currently no plans within this scope to electrify the line between Northallerton and Teesport. However, this does not preclude the thinking of future electrification as a further phase following the delivery of the current scope in 2022.</p><p> </p><p>I can confirm that the current assumption for services between Manchester and Middlesbrough is that these will operated by new bi-mode trains i.e. capable of diesel and electric operation. The new bi-mode will offer significant journey time savings for passengers on this route.</p> answering member constituency Harrogate and Knaresborough answering member printed Andrew Jones question first answered 13/06/2016 15:30:40 answering member 3996 label Biography information for Andrew Jones
tabling member	4037 label Biography information for Tom Blenkinsop

515006

registered interest
date	22/04/2016
answering body	Department for Transport
answering dept id	27
answering dept short name	Transport
answering dept sort name	Transport
hansard heading	Railway Stations: Disability
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent progress has been made on increasing the number of wheelchair accessible stations from street to platform level at National Rail and London Underground stations.
tabling member constituency	Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland
tabling member printed	Tom Blenkinsop
uin	35128
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 27/04/2016 answer text <p>We take improving station accessibility very seriously and the Access for All programme has delivered step free access at over 150 stations with a further 68 projects in construction or development. In addition, whenever infrastructure work is carried out at stations it must meet current accessibility standards. For example, when Crossrail fully opens in 2019, all 40 stations on the route will also have step free access.</p><p> </p><p>Step free access to London Underground is a matter for Transport for London, but I understand that 66 Tube stations and 57 London Overground stations currently have step-free access, and Docklands Light Railway stations are all step-free.</p> answering member constituency Devizes answering member printed Claire Perry question first answered 27/04/2016 16:40:41 answering member 3974 label Biography information for Claire Perry
tabling member	4037 label Biography information for Tom Blenkinsop

515007

registered interest
date	22/04/2016
answering body	Department for Transport
answering dept id	27
answering dept short name	Transport
answering dept sort name	Transport
hansard heading	Bus Services: Disability
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 ensure that broken accessibility equipment on buses is considered as a priority for repair.
tabling member constituency	Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland
tabling member printed	Tom Blenkinsop
uin	35129
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 27/04/2016 answer text <p>From 1 January 2016 all single-deck buses designed to carry over twenty-two passengers on local and scheduled routes must comply with the Public Service Vehicles Accessibility Regulations (PSVAR), which require them to incorporate a wheelchair space and boarding facility, priority seating and other features to make journeys easier for a range of disabled people. Double deckers must comply by January 2017, and coaches by 2020.</p><p> </p><p>Currently 89% of buses are compliant, and last year just 47 of the 7,343 public service vehicles subject to routine checks were found to have PSVAR related defects. Operators of vehicles found to be non-compliant are required to rectify faults promptly or risk enforcement action.</p><p> </p><p>We expect all operators to comply with the law and are working with the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency to ensure it continues to be enforced effectively.</p> answering member constituency Harrogate and Knaresborough answering member printed Andrew Jones question first answered 27/04/2016 15:32:57 answering member 3996 label Biography information for Andrew Jones
tabling member	4037 label Biography information for Tom Blenkinsop

515011

registered interest
date	22/04/2016
answering body	Department for Transport
answering dept id	27
answering dept short name	Transport
answering dept sort name	Transport
hansard heading	Bus Services: Disability
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 bus operators educate their drivers on wheelchair use of the accessible space on buses.
tabling member constituency	Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland
tabling member printed	Tom Blenkinsop
uin	35131
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 27/04/2016 answer text <p>Buses subject to the Public Service Vehicles Accessibility Regulations (PSVAR) must incorporate a designated wheelchair space.</p><p> </p><p>Priorities for the use of this facility are currently the subject of proceedings at the Supreme Court.</p><p> </p><p>The assistance provided by drivers can be key to giving many disabled people the confidence to travel by bus however, and we have asked Mott MacDonald to review disability-awareness training from across the transport sector to inform the development of best practice guidance for bus operators. Our aim is to ensure that every bus driver has the skills and knowledge to provide disabled customers with a first class service.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Harrogate and Knaresborough answering member printed Andrew Jones question first answered 27/04/2016 15:37:20 answering member 3996 label Biography information for Andrew Jones
tabling member	4037 label Biography information for Tom Blenkinsop

485736

registered interest
date	23/03/2016
answering body	Department for Transport
answering dept id	27
answering dept short name	Transport
answering dept sort name	Transport
hansard heading	Bus Services: North East
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of bus services in Middlesbrough, Redcar and Cleveland and Teesside.
tabling member constituency	Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland
tabling member printed	Tom Blenkinsop
uin	32397
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/04/2016 answer text <p>The bus market outside London is deregulated and decisions regarding service provision is primarily a commercial matter for bus operators. Decisions about the provision of subsidised services are a matter for individual English local authorities, in the light of their other spending priorities.</p><p> </p><p>The Government is committed to supporting bus services in England. We are taking forward a Buses bill to provide local authorities with the tools they need to improve local bus services.</p> answering member constituency Harrogate and Knaresborough answering member printed Andrew Jones question first answered 11/04/2016 13:03:22 answering member 3996 label Biography information for Andrew Jones
tabling member	4037 label Biography information for Tom Blenkinsop

436852

registered interest
date	09/12/2015
answering body	Department for Transport
answering dept id	27
answering dept short name	Transport
answering dept sort name	Transport
hansard heading	Railways: North of England
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the timetable is for the replacement of pacer trains that form part of the Northern franchise deal with Arriva Rail North Limited.
tabling member constituency	Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland
tabling member printed	Tom Blenkinsop
uin	19363
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 14/12/2015 answer text <p>As we have stated, Pacers will be removed by the end of 2019. It is for the new operator to decide how and when (by that date) this occurs.</p> answering member constituency Harrogate and Knaresborough answering member printed Andrew Jones question first answered 14/12/2015 16:57:27 answering member 3996 label Biography information for Andrew Jones
tabling member	4037 label Biography information for Tom Blenkinsop

428226

registered interest
date	13/11/2015
answering body	Department for Transport
answering dept id	27
answering dept short name	Transport
answering dept sort name	Transport
hansard heading	Driving Licences
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent assessment he has made of the time the DVLA takes to process reapplications for a driving license after a suspension of that license for medical reasons.
tabling member constituency	Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland
tabling member printed	Tom Blenkinsop
uin	16314
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/11/2015 answer text <p>The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency does not hold specific information about the processing times for driving licence applications, which were submitted following the revocation of a licence for medical reasons.</p><br /><p>The DVLA aims to complete 90% of all cases that require further medical investigations within 90 working days and is working hard to identify ways of improving the time taken to deal with these cases. Additional caseworkers and medical advisers have been employed and new processes introduced to speed up the time it takes to receive the necessary information. Longer term, the DVLA is considering digital solutions to improve the service it provides in this area.</p> answering member constituency Harrogate and Knaresborough answering member printed Andrew Jones question first answered 18/11/2015 16:06:56 answering member 3996 label Biography information for Andrew Jones
tabling member	4037 label Biography information for Tom Blenkinsop

427263

registered interest
date	09/11/2015
answering body	Department for Transport
answering dept id	27
answering dept short name	Transport
answering dept sort name	Transport
hansard heading	Motor Vehicles: Insurance Premium Tax
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the effect on the ability of young drivers to gain insurance cover of the recent increase in the insurance premium tax.
tabling member constituency	Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland
tabling member printed	Tom Blenkinsop
uin	15548
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/11/2015 answer text <p>My officials have not made an assessment. There are a number of behavioural, educational and technological interventions that have the potential to help improve young driver safety and hence have an impact on insurance premiums. We need better evidence about what works best, so we’re working with insurance companies to see how we can assess the impact of telematics products, amongst other things, on young driver safety.</p> answering member constituency Harrogate and Knaresborough answering member printed Andrew Jones question first answered 16/11/2015 17:24:46 answering member 3996 label Biography information for Andrew Jones
tabling member	4037 label Biography information for Tom Blenkinsop