Contributions
2,622 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARDDriving LicencesWe have no current plans to restrict anybody on the basis of age. However, as my noble friend will agree, sometimes some people will feel that they are no longer able to drive, or…05 Jun 2023HANSARDDriving LicencesAt the moment, the Government are undertaking an enormous research project in this area because we feel that we need the evidence base. If one looks across all the different…05 Jun 2023HANSARDDriving LicencesThe noble Baroness raises a very important point, and that leads back into the graduated learning scheme that we are looking at to ensure that new drivers have the opportunity to…05 Jun 2023HANSARDStrategic Highways Company (Name Change and Consequential Amendments) Regulations 2023It has absolutely no role in the management of roads in Scotland and Wales. It never has had and never will have. I commend this instrument to the Committee.05 Jun 2023HANSARDStrategic Highways Company (Name Change and Consequential Amendments) Regulations 2023My Lords, I am enormously grateful for noble Lords’ contributions in this brief debate on this statutory instrument. I will do my best to answer their questions and perhaps…05 Jun 2023HANSARDTrains: Wifi Provision for PassengersIf I knew what Project Gigabit was, I would be able to answer the noble Earl’s question. I will find out and write to him. If there are not-spots for 4G and 5G—or perhaps we…25 May 2023HANSARDTrains: Wifi Provision for PassengersI can say only what the evidence is from asking passengers. We have asked the train operating companies to look at the provision of wifi, to establish a business case which sets…25 May 2023HANSARDTrains: Wifi Provision for PassengersOf course, the Government regularly survey passengers to find out what they really appreciate about the railways such as reliability, good services, punctuality and clean…25 May 2023HANSARDTrains: Wifi Provision for PassengersI would hope that my noble friend would have got the ticket in the wallet on her phone because she would have needed it to go through the station anyway. Free wifi will remain…25 May 2023HANSARDTrains: Wifi Provision for PassengersI will revert to where I started on this. No decisions have been taken. As part of the business planning process, we have asked the train operating companies to look again at the…25 May 2023HANSARDTrains: Wifi Provision for PassengersAs I have said many times, business cases will be drawn up by the train operating companies, and those considerations will be top of mind.25 May 2023HANSARDTrains: Wifi Provision for PassengersThe wifi on trains usually runs off the same 4G and 5G system that my noble friend will have on his smartphone, so sometimes there can be reliability issues. It also depends on…25 May 2023HANSARDTrains: Wifi Provision for PassengersThe proof is in the pudding—between 10% and 20% of people on trains use the wifi. Most people nowadays use 4G and 5G networks.25 May 2023HANSARDTrains: Wifi Provision for PassengersOf course, I cannot say that at the moment because there is no plan to completely withdraw all wifi from across the network. That is the whole point. However, once the business…25 May 2023HANSARDTrains: Wifi Provision for PassengersMy Lords, the way we currently operate our railways is not financially sustainable. It is unfair to continue to ask taxpayers to foot the bill, which is why reforms are essential.…25 May 2023HANSARDTrains: Wifi Provision for PassengersI do not think I can necessarily disagree with the noble Baroness, but that is a very absolutist approach and there is some balance to be had here. She says that the Government…25 May 2023HANSARDTrains: Wifi Provision for PassengersI for one would be very disappointed if the noble Lord were unable to vote. I will take up the issue of where the Government are at the moment. Prior to the pandemic there was no…25 May 2023HANSARDRailways: Trans-Pennine ExpressI must have missed the Prime Minister scrapping GBR, because the Secretary of State has set out his ambition for a customer-focused, commercially led industry. The creation of GBR…23 May 2023HANSARDRailways: Trans-Pennine ExpressI have already outlined to the noble Baroness some of the things that can be achieved now. The creation of Great British Railways in full does require legislation, which we will…23 May 2023HANSARDRailways: Trans-Pennine ExpressMy Lords, for many months we have made it clear to TPE’s management that its services have been unacceptable. Passengers have faced significant disruption and the northern economy…23 May 2023