Gareth Bacon MP: written questions
68 published records · newest first.
Written questions
Shipping: Carbon EmissionsDepartment for TransportTabled 29 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 49047More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps his Department is taking to support (a) ports and (b) shipping companies to (i) cut emissions and (ii) transition to clean fuels.
Answer: In March 2025, we published the Maritime Decarbonisation Strategy, setting out our plans for decarbonising the domestic maritime sector. Alongside the Strategy, we also published the Net Zero Ports call for evidence that explores the opportunities and bar...
Answered 6 May 2025
Original Parliament recordAsylum: ApplicationsHome OfficeTabled 22 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 46850More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department holds information on whether asylum (a) claimants and (b) applicants have previously successfully claimed asylum in an EU member state.
Answer: A proper account of a claimant’s immigration history is taken as part of the screening process, and during the substantive asylum interview where necessary, to fully understand the chronology and detail of how the person came to the UK, including the circ...
Answered 6 May 2025
Original Parliament recordHigh Speed 2 Line: BirminghamDepartment for TransportTabled 2 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 43480More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if she will make it her policy to retain passive provision for the HS2 junction north of Birmingham Interchange.
Answer: The Department’s priority is on delivering Phase 1 at the lowest reasonable cost. We continue to review the wider position we inherited on rail infrastructure and will announce more details in due course.
Answered 8 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordHigh Speed 2 Line: LichfieldDepartment for TransportTabled 2 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 43479More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if she will make it her policy to retain passive provision for the HS2 junction at Fradley/Streethay.
Answer: The Department’s priority is on delivering Phase 1 at the lowest reasonable cost. We continue to review the wider position we inherited on rail infrastructure and will announce more details in due course.
Answered 8 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordHigh Speed 2 LineDepartment for TransportTabled 28 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 42304More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if she will take steps to renew the land purchase powers contained in the HS2 West Midlands to Crewe hybrid Bill before they expire in February 2026.
Answer: I am aware of the limitations on land purchase powers contained in the High Speed Rail (West Midlands to Crewe) Act 2021. This government is carefully reviewing the position it has inherited on HS2 and wider rail infrastructure and I will set out detailed...
Answered 7 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordHigh Speed 2 Line: Euston StationDepartment for TransportTabled 28 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 42303More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps she is taking to ensure that more than ten HS2 services can be accommodated at Euston station when required.
Answer: The new HS2 Euston station will consist of 6 platforms, which can support up to 10 HS2 trains per hour. We are considering whether and how to future-proof the station with additional platforms, to accommodate any longer-term expansion.
Answered 7 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordHigh Speed 2 LineDepartment for TransportTabled 27 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 41999More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether current (a) northbound and (b) southbound calling patterns will be (i) maintained and (ii) increased at (A) Tamworth, (B) Lichfield, (C) Nuneaton, (D) Rugby and (E) Milton Keynes stations following the
Answer: No decisions have been made on the timetable that will operate when HS2 opens, including for the named stations on the West Coast Main Line. Detailed planning remains underway ahead of government decisions that will be made in due course, informed by cons...
Answered 7 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordHigh Speed 2 Line: Euston StationDepartment for TransportTabled 27 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 41997More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps she is taking to permit the earliest possible operation of some HS2 services into the Euston terminus, even on a temporary basis.
Answer: The Department for Transport is working with key partners to develop affordable, integrated plans for Euston Station, which will comprise the new HS2 station, an upgraded Network Rail station and enhancements to the London Underground station and local tr...
Answered 7 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordRailways: TimetablesDepartment for TransportTabled 27 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 41996More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, which body will have the directing role in confirming operational timetables exploiting released capacity.
Answer: The Department specifies the services it seeks to procure through its contracts with operators. Trains operate on very restricted infrastructure and timetables must be carefully planned to operate around other services. The scheduling service is conducte...
Answered 7 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordWest Coast Main LineDepartment for TransportTabled 27 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 41995More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when she plans to make train service options for the West Coast Main Line after introduction of HS2 services Old Oak Common to West Coast Main Line locations beyond the West Midlands available for discussion an
Answer: No decisions have been made on the timetable that will operate when HS2 opens. Train service options for HS2 and the broader West Coast Main Line will be made available in due course, and will be informed by consultation.
Answered 7 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordWest Coast Main LineDepartment for TransportTabled 27 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 41994More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when she plans to make train service options for the West Coast Main Line after introduction of HS2 services Old Oak Common to Birmingham available for discussion and consultation.
Answer: No decisions have been made on the timetable that will operate when HS2 opens. Train service options for HS2 and the broader West Coast Main Line will be made available in due course, and will be informed by consultation.
Answered 7 Apr 2025
Original Parliament recordGeneral Practitioners: Employers' ContributionsTreasuryTabled 5 Feb 2025AnsweredUIN 29050More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if she will make it her policy to allow GP practices to claim Employment Allowance.
Answer: The government has not changed the eligibility rules on the Employment Allowance beyond removing the £100k eligibility threshold, so that business size does not dictate whether an employer can benefit from the Employment Allowance. All the remaining eligi...
Answered 12 Feb 2025
Original Parliament recordGeneral Practitioners: Employers' ContributionsTreasuryTabled 5 Feb 2025AnsweredUIN 29049More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if she will make it her policy to exempt GPs who provide more than 90% of their services to the NHS from the increase in employers’ National Insurance contributions.
Answer: The Government will provide support for departments and other public sector employers for additional employer National Insurance Contributions, i.e. central government, public corporations and local government. General Practitioners are independent contra...
Answered 12 Feb 2025
Original Parliament recordAviation: HydrogenDepartment for TransportTabled 5 Feb 2025AnsweredUIN 29042More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps she is taking to facilitate the commercialisation of hydrogen-powered aircraft for passengers; and whether she is allocating additional resources for that process.
Answer: The Government is supportive of new forms of zero-emission aircraft being brought into commercial use. The Department for Business and Trade is co-investing with industry through the Aerospace Technology Institute Programme in R&D on aerospace technol...
Answered 10 Feb 2025
Original Parliament recordAviation: Carbon EmissionsDepartment for TransportTabled 5 Feb 2025AnsweredUIN 29041More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what comparative assessment she has made of trends in the level of investment in (a) operational trials and (b) infrastructure development for zero-emission aviation by (i) the UK and (ii) other countries.
Answer: The Government is supportive of new forms of zero-emission aircraft being brought into commercial use. The Department for Business and Trade is co-investing with industry through the Aerospace Technology Institute Programme in R&D on aerospace technol...
Answered 10 Feb 2025
Original Parliament recordAviation: Carbon EmissionsDepartment for TransportTabled 5 Feb 2025AnsweredUIN 29040More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether her Department plans to fund operational trials of zero-emission aircraft.
Answer: As a private sector, the introduction of new forms of aircraft is primarily a matter for industry. The Government is however supportive of new forms of zero-emission aircraft being brought into commercial use. The Department for Business and Trade is co-i...
Answered 12 Feb 2025
Original Parliament recordCross Country Trains: StandardsDepartment for TransportTabled 20 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 24941More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if she will publish the CrossCountry performance remedial agreement with XC Trains Ltd made (a) in August 2024 and (b) at any subsequent date.
Answer: A copy of the Remedial Agreement letter between the Secretary of State and XC Trains Limited, dated 9 August 2024, has been published on the GOV.UK website. The Remedial Agreement between the Secretary of State and XC Trains Limited runs from August 2024 ...
Answered 28 Jan 2025
Original Parliament recordShipping: TrainingDepartment for TransportTabled 12 Dec 2024AnsweredUIN 19817More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether she plans to provide funding for support for maritime training beyond March 2025.
Answer: Funding for the Support for Maritime Training (SMarT) scheme will be determined as part of the ongoing departmental business planning process for the financial year 2025/26. We will share more when we are able to do so.
Answered 19 Dec 2024
Original Parliament recordShipping: Carbon EmissionsDepartment for TransportTabled 12 Dec 2024AnsweredUIN 19816More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether she plans to publish her Department’s plans to decarbonise (a) shipping and (b) the wider maritime sector.
Answer: Maritime has a key role to play in supporting the Governments missions, from clean energy, to growth, and supporting public health through tackling air pollution. We will shortly set our next steps for reducing the emissions from both shipping and the wid...
Answered 19 Dec 2024
Original Parliament recordRailways: Employers' ContributionsDepartment for TransportTabled 12 Dec 2024AnsweredUIN 19812More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 10 December 2024 to Question 18188 on Railways: Employers' Contributions, whether she plans to increase regular contract payments in line with the cost of changes to employer National
Answer: Regular contract payments will take account of the increase in the cost of changes to employer National Insurance contributions made at the Autumn Budget 2024.
Answered 19 Dec 2024
Original Parliament recordDepartment for Transport: Data ProcessingDepartment for TransportTabled 5 Dec 2024AnsweredUIN 18201More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 13 November 2024 to Question 12975 on Department for Transport: Data Processing, what the operational scope is of her Department's Organisational AI programme; and which Departmental a
Answer: The Department for Transport’s Organisational AI Programme, sets out a holistic framework for the adoption of AI within the Department itself, and shares learning across the wider operational agencies and arm’s length bodies. It is led and coordinated out...
Answered 13 Dec 2024
Original Parliament recordHigh Speed 2 Line: ConstructionDepartment for TransportTabled 5 Dec 2024AnsweredUIN 18200More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 13 November 2024 to Question 13063 on High Speed 2 Line: Construction, what information her Department holds on levels of compliance by contractors with the HS2 Environmental Minimum R
Answer: The HS2 Environmental Minimum Requirements contain a range of controls to ensure compliance with (amongst other things) the environmental provisions in the High Speed Rail (London - West Midlands) Act. More information is available in the HS2 Information ...
Answered 13 Dec 2024
Original Parliament recordTrain Operating Companies: FinesDepartment for TransportTabled 5 Dec 2024AnsweredUIN 18199More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what penalties can be applied to rail operators for failure to provide adequate support for disabled passengers to access train services; and whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of introd
Answer: We know that too often assistance for passengers falls short of what they need and what they deserve. Train and station operators are required by their operating licences to establish and comply with an Accessible Travel Policy (ATP) which must be approve...
Answered 12 Dec 2024
Original Parliament recordNorthumberland LineDepartment for TransportTabled 5 Dec 2024AnsweredUIN 18198More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the planned timetable is for opening (a) Bedlington, (b) Blyth Bebside and (c) Northumberland Park station on the Northumberland Line.
Answer: Following the opening of Ashington and Seaton Delaval on 15 December, the final four stations on the Northumberland line at Newsham, Blyth Bebside, Bedlington, and Northumberland Park are expected to open next year.
Answered 12 Dec 2024
Original Parliament recordNorthumberland LineDepartment for TransportTabled 5 Dec 2024AnsweredUIN 18197More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the planned timetable is for reopening the Northumberland Line between Newcastle and Ashington.
Answer: Passenger trains will return to the Northumberland Line from Sunday 15 December 2024. The stations at Ashington and Seaton Delaval will open from that date with regular services to and from Newcastle. This is a major boost to the region and for the local ...
Answered 12 Dec 2024
Original Parliament record
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