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1666439

registered interest
date	23/10/2023
answering body	Department for Transport
answering dept id	27
answering dept short name	Transport
answering dept sort name	Transport
hansard heading	High Speed 2 Line: Costs
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask His Majesty's Government who were the accounting officers for HS2 and the Department for Transport in (1) March 2014, (2) January 2016, (3) April 2016, and (4) July 2019; when they were made aware of allegations of deceptions and fraud as reported in the Sunday Times on 22 October; and on which dates and to whom in Government they reported any concerns about cost overrun.
tabling member printed	Lord Berkeley
uin	HL10713
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 26/10/2023 answer text <p>The Accounting Officers at HS2 Ltd and the Department for Transport were as follows:</p><p>HS2 Ltd</p><ul><li>Alison Munro (January 2009 – September 2014)</li><li>Simon Kirby (September 2014 – December 2016)</li><li>Roy Hill (December 2016 – March 2017)</li><li>Mark Thurston (March 2017 – September 2023)</li><li>Sir Jonathan Thompson (September 2023 - Present)</li></ul><p> </p><p>DfT</p><ul><li>Sir Robert Devereux (2007 - December 2011)</li><li>Dame Linda Margaret Homer (December 2011 – March 2012)</li><li>Sir Philip McDougall Rutnam (March 2012 – April 2017)</li><li>Dame Bernadette Kelly (April 2017 – Present)</li></ul><p> </p><p>The Government and its public bodies take any allegations raised seriously and will ensure they are thoroughly investigated.</p><p>The National Audit Office (NAO) examined historic allegations in 2018 and determined that these were unfounded. There is one new allegation which relates to a live whistleblowing investigation by HS2 Ltd.</p><p> </p><p>It would be inappropriate to comment while the investigation is ongoing.</p> answering member printed Baroness Vere of Norbiton question first answered 26/10/2023 10:45:15 answering member 4580 label Biography information for Baroness Vere of Norbiton
tabling member	3526 label Biography information for Lord Berkeley

1666440

registered interest
date	23/10/2023
answering body	Department for Transport
answering dept id	27
answering dept short name	Transport
answering dept sort name	Transport
hansard heading	High Speed 2 Line
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask His Majesty's Government why advice from the Infrastructure and Projects Authority that "The project (HS2) will remain fundamentally flawed unless transparency and frankness is provided to the true level of uncertainty and confidence variations of time, cost and benefits", as reported in the Sunday Times on 22 October, was not provided to Parliament before it approved authorisation for Phase 1 of HS2
tabling member printed	Lord Berkeley
uin	HL10714
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 26/10/2023 answer text <p>On 11 February 2020, the then Prime Minister announced that the Government intended to proceed with HS2. This decision was made having considered the conclusions of the Independent Review of HS2, led by Douglas Oakervee, and an accounting officer assessment that demonstrated the ongoing compliance of the programme with HM Treasury managing public money guidance. This assessment followed four previous assessments undertaken at regular intervals in 2019.</p><p> </p><p>Since the HS2 Phase 1 Notice-to-Proceed decision, comprehensive governance arrangements have been put in place to increase Ministerial oversight, transparency, and accountability of the HS2 project. Since October 2020, the Department has published six-monthly reports to Parliament, while the Infrastructure and Projects Authority’s Annual Report includes assessments on HS2. HS2 Ltd is held to account in several ways, including through a monthly Sponsor Board meeting that oversees the company’s performance and reviews the latest Management Information. HS2 Ltd’s Board was also strengthened with new Non-Executive Directors, including a representative from the Department for Transport.</p><p> </p><p>The National Audit Office has published multiple reports examining the delivery of HS2, and the programme is scrutinised by Parliament on a regular basis.</p> answering member printed Baroness Vere of Norbiton question first answered 26/10/2023 10:44:01 answering member 4580 label Biography information for Baroness Vere of Norbiton
tabling member	3526 label Biography information for Lord Berkeley

1666441

registered interest
date	23/10/2023
answering body	Department for Transport
answering dept id	27
answering dept short name	Transport
answering dept sort name	Transport
hansard heading	High Speed 2 Line: Cost Effectiveness
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask His Majesty's Government what guidance they provide concerning the criteria for approval of major infrastructure projects, in particular on the economic benefit to cost ratio; what advice they received from the consultancy OXERA concerning the projected benefit cost ration for HS2; what action they took in response to that advice; and what changes they required HS2 Ltd to make in order to improve this benefit to cost ratio.
tabling member printed	Lord Berkeley
uin	HL10715
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 26/10/2023 answer text <p>All major infrastructure projects are required to follow the HMT five-case model as outlined in the business case guidance for projects and programmes. The Department for Transport uses a Value for Money Framework to inform its investment decisions.</p><p> </p><p>The Oakervee Review of HS2 commissioned Oxera to carry out sensitivity analysis on the business case for HS2. The outcome of the Oxera analysis is set out in the published Oakervee Review.</p> answering member printed Baroness Vere of Norbiton question first answered 26/10/2023 10:42:49 answering member 4580 label Biography information for Baroness Vere of Norbiton
tabling member	3526 label Biography information for Lord Berkeley

1666453

registered interest
date	23/10/2023
answering body	Department for Transport
answering dept id	27
answering dept short name	Transport
answering dept sort name	Transport
hansard heading	Aviation: Cyprus
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask His Majesty's Government on what grounds direct flights between the UK and the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) are currently prohibited whilst flights to Taiwan are permitted; and what plans they have, if any, to review these in order to facilitate direct flights from the UK to the TRNC.
tabling member printed	Lord Hannan of Kingsclere
uin	HL10728
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 26/10/2023 answer text <p>The Government recognises the inconvenience caused to passengers by the situation regarding air travel from the north of Cyprus to the UK. Under the Chicago Convention, only the Republic of Cyprus may designate Ercan airport as an international customs airport and grant permission for flights to operate from within its territory. It has not done so. As such, those travelling from Ercan airport to Turkey and then onwards to the UK do so on two distinctly separate flights. To do otherwise would be contrary to the UK’s obligations under the Chicago Convention.</p><p> </p><p>This means that no direct air services between the north of Cyprus and the UK can take place. Ultimately, a just and lasting settlement on the island is the best chance of resolving these complex issues. The UK’s commitment to helping the sides achieve this remains unwavering.</p><p> </p><p>It is not relevant to compare Taiwan and the north of Cyprus given that the Chinese authorities have designated a number of airports in Taiwan as international customs airports.</p> answering member printed Baroness Vere of Norbiton question first answered 26/10/2023 10:42:29 answering member 4580 label Biography information for Baroness Vere of Norbiton
tabling member	4905 label Biography information for Lord Hannan of Kingsclere

1666464

registered interest
date	23/10/2023
answering body	Department for Transport
answering dept id	27
answering dept short name	Transport
answering dept sort name	Transport
hansard heading	Avanti West Coast: Standards
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask His Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with Avanti about that company's plans to reduce services between London, Birmingham, Manchester and North Wales from December; whether they were aware of those reductions when they awarded the company a new nine year contract for the franchise; and if they were, whether they required Avanti to make those service reductions as part of the contract.
tabling member printed	Baroness Randerson
uin	HL10739
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 26/10/2023 answer text <p>Planned timetable reductions, between 10 December 2023 and 1 January 2024, were agreed in accordance with the requirements set out in Avanti’s contract. These temporary changes are necessary to ensure that Avanti can provide a more reliable service for its passengers and to minimise unplanned, short-notice cancellations. It is expected that service levels will be fully restored in the new year.</p> answering member printed Baroness Vere of Norbiton question first answered 26/10/2023 10:36:54 answering member 4580 label Biography information for Baroness Vere of Norbiton
tabling member	4230 label Biography information for Baroness Randerson

1666471

registered interest
date	23/10/2023
answering body	Department for Transport
answering dept id	27
answering dept short name	Transport
answering dept sort name	Transport
hansard heading	Cars: Diesel and Petrol
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure they are prepared to implement the ban on the sale of new petrol and diesel cars from 2035.
tabling member printed	Lord Taylor of Warwick
uin	HL10751
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 26/10/2023 answer text <p>The introduction of the world-leading zero emission vehicle mandate will support the future supply of zero emission vehicles, by setting a minimum percentage of manufacturer’s new car and van sales to be zero emission each year from 2024.</p><p> </p><p>To facilitate the transition to zero emission vehicles, the Government is also working with industry to increase the number of electric vehicle (EV) chargepoints. The Government’s Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Strategy sets out the steps being taken to support the deployment of these chargepoints across the country.</p> answering member printed Baroness Vere of Norbiton question first answered 26/10/2023 10:44:19 answering member 4580 label Biography information for Baroness Vere of Norbiton
tabling member	1796 label Biography information for Lord Taylor of Warwick

1666477

registered interest
date	23/10/2023
answering body	Department for Transport
answering dept id	27
answering dept short name	Transport
answering dept sort name	Transport
hansard heading	Air Traffic Control: Greater London
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the efficacy of the arrangements for controlling air traffic with the UK's airspace, further to the recent disruption to the London Flight Information Region.
tabling member printed	Lord Trefgarne
uin	HL10757
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 26/10/2023 answer text <p>The Government regrets the recent air traffic control issues and the impact these have had on airlines and their customers. NATS has an outstanding aviation safety record and is regulated against service targets which are set by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA). It is important that we await the findings of the independent review which the CAA has announced into the technical failure which impacted NATS systems on 28 August 2023 and that any recommendations from this are responded to accordingly.</p><p> </p><p>My officials have and will continue to engage with the relevant stakeholders to ensure robust plans are in place to mitigate any disruption to air traffic control services, recognising that the safety of the operation must always be the paramount consideration for air navigation service providers.</p> answering member printed Baroness Vere of Norbiton question first answered 26/10/2023 08:29:45 answering member 4580 label Biography information for Baroness Vere of Norbiton
tabling member	1813 label Biography information for Lord Trefgarne

1666484

registered interest
date	23/10/2023
answering body	Department for Transport
answering dept id	27
answering dept short name	Transport
answering dept sort name	Transport
hansard heading	Motorcycles: Driving Licences
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to simplify the licensing regime for mopeds, motorcycles and other forms of powered light vehicle (PLV) within the current parliament.
tabling member printed	Lord Berkeley
uin	HL10716
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 26/10/2023 answer text <p>There are no current plans to make changes to the driver licensing regime for these vehicles.</p> answering member printed Baroness Vere of Norbiton question first answered 26/10/2023 10:44:29 answering member 4580 label Biography information for Baroness Vere of Norbiton
tabling member	3526 label Biography information for Lord Berkeley

1666501

registered interest
date	23/10/2023
answering body	Department for Transport
answering dept id	27
answering dept short name	Transport
answering dept sort name	Transport
hansard heading	Electric Vehicles: Prices
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 implications for his policies of trends in the price of electric cars (a) in 2022-2023 and (b) predicted for 2023-24.
tabling member constituency	Strangford
tabling member printed	Jim Shannon
uin	203843
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 26/10/2023 answer text <p>The cost of electric cars is projected to fall rapidly over the next two to three years as energy prices normalise and electric car production costs continue to fall. DfT forecasts are that by 2026, a typical fully electric car will cost the same to lease and operate as an equivalent petrol car, once lower running costs are considered. From 2027 onwards the forecast is that it will be cheaper to lease and operate a fully electric car than a petrol equivalent.</p> answering member constituency Hereford and South Herefordshire answering member printed Jesse Norman question first answered 26/10/2023 07:19:00 answering member 3991 label Biography information for Jesse Norman
tabling member	4131 label Biography information for Jim Shannon

1666502

registered interest
date	23/10/2023
answering body	Department for Transport
answering dept id	27
answering dept short name	Transport
answering dept sort name	Transport
hansard heading	Buses: Driving
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will publish a summary of the outcomes of the Bus and Coach Driver Summit hosted by his Department and the Confederation of Passenger Transport in November 2022.
tabling member constituency	East Londonderry
tabling member printed	Mr Gregory Campbell
uin	203762
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 26/10/2023 answer text <p>The Department for Transport and Confederation of Passenger Transport co-chaired a Bus and Coach Summit in November 2022. The summit brought together experts from industry, national and local government to look at issues facing driver recruitment and retention to bus and coach operators, and identified ideas and actions to help address these. Many of these are owned by industry, who as aforementioned, are responsible for recruiting drivers.</p><p> </p><p>While the Department has no current plans to publish the full list of outcomes from the summit, some of the issues raised require action from the Department for Transport.</p> answering member constituency North West Durham answering member printed Mr Richard Holden question first answered 26/10/2023 06:55:31 answering member 4813 label Biography information for Mr Richard Holden
tabling member	1409 label Biography information for Mr Gregory Campbell