Every parliamentary written question tabled by Ian Byrne this session, with the full answer and department. See how every department answers, or back to the MP page.
Showing 1–9 of 9 · Department for Transport
What assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of changes to remuneration arrangements for Coastguard Rescue Officers on levels of public safety.
Changing the Coastguard Rescue Service operating model was not something which we wanted to do but is a mandated consequence of the Court of Appeal ruling. The revised model is due to be implemented in September 2026. Public safety remains our priority a...
If she will request the Maritime and Coastguard Agency to pause the implementation of changes to Coastguard Rescue Officer remuneration while further consultation with Coastguard Rescue Officers and their teams
Changing the Coastguard Rescue Service operating model was not something which we wanted to do but is a mandated consequence of the Court of Appeal ruling. The revised model is due to be implemented in September 2026. Public safety remains our priority a...
What alternative models of compensating Coastguard Rescue Officers for training, operational duties and emergency callouts were considered before the Maritime and Coastguard Agency decided to remove hourly remu
Changing the Coastguard Rescue Service operating model was not something which we wanted to do but is a mandated consequence of the Court of Appeal ruling. The revised model is due to be implemented in September 2026. Public safety remains our priority a...
Whether her Department has conducted an equality impact assessment of the Maritime and Coastguard Agency’s decision to remove hourly remuneration for Coastguard Rescue Officers.
Changing the Coastguard Rescue Service operating model was not something which we wanted to do but is a mandated consequence of the Court of Appeal ruling. The revised model is due to be implemented in September 2026. Public safety remains our priority a...
What assessment the Maritime and Coastguard Agency has made of the potential impact of ending hourly remuneration for Coastguard Rescue Officers on team availability for emergency callouts.
Changing the Coastguard Rescue Service operating model was not something which we wanted to do but is a mandated consequence of the Court of Appeal ruling. The revised model is due to be implemented in September 2026. Public safety remains our priority a...
Whether his Department plans to introduce free bus travel for people under the age of 22; and what assessment he has made of the potential impact of transport costs on young people’s access to education, training, and employment.
The Government knows how important affordable and reliable bus services are in enabling people to get to education, work and access vital services. On 1 January, we introduced a £3 cap on single bus fares in England outside London to help passengers continue to access cheaper bus services and better opportunities. At the Spending Review we announced the cap would be extended until March 2027. At present, the majority of bus services operate on a commercial basis by private operators, and any decisions regarding the level at which fares are set outside the scope of the £3 bus fare cap are commercial decisions for operators. Bus operators can choose to offer discounted fares for young people, and in the year ending March 2025, youth discounts were offered by at least one commercial bus operator in 73 out of 85 local authority areas in England outside London. As part of the Autumn 2024 Budget, the Government allocated over £1 billion to support and improve bus services in 25/26 and make fares more affordable. This includes £712 million for local authorities, this can be used to expand services and improve reliability, which are currently massive obstacles for too many people. Liverpool City Region Combined Authority has been allocated £20.8 million of this funding. Funding allocated to local authorities to deliver better bus services can be used in whichever way they wish to improve services for passengers, which could include introducing new fares initiatives to reduce the cost of bus travel for young people.
Whether she has made an assessment of the adequacy of legal powers held by councils to tackle pavement-parked cars.
The Department has been considering all the views expressed in response to the 2020 pavement parking consultation and is currently working through the policy options and the appropriate means of delivering them. We will announce the next steps and publish our formal response as soon as possible.
What steps her Department is taking to ensure that UK airports provide autism-friendly (a) facilities and (b) support; and whether she plans to introduce national standards for accessibility provision for neurodiverse passengers.
Aviation must be accessible to all. To support this, the Department for Transport established the Aviation Accessibility Task and Finish Group, which published 19 recommendations on 16 July to improve aviation accessibility. Two of these focus on non-visible impairments, including neurodivergence. One calls for pan-impairment requirements in airport accessibility reviews to ensure facilities, services, and support meet the needs of all passengers. The other recommends awareness campaigns to build confidence among passengers with non-visible impairments and improve understanding among staff and the public. The Group will now support the sector in championing and implementing these recommendations.
What steps she is taking to help reduce rail fares.
We are committed to reforming the overcomplicated fares system with a view to simplifying it. While it is our ambition, through public ownership, to deliver a more affordable railway, any long-term changes or concessions made to rail fares policy require balancing against the potential impacts on passengers, taxpayers and the railway.This year's 4.6 per cent increase will be the lowest absolute increase in three years and will support the Government's long-term plan to achieve financial sustainability of the railway.