Author Archives: HM Government

Reaffirming the Government’s commitment to work with all parts of the UK as we leave the EU, Minister for Exiting the EU Robin Walker embarked on a two day tour across Scotland this week.

With negotiations firmly underway, the visit comes as the UK Government has stepped up its engagement with businesses from all parts of the United Kingdom. During the trip, the Minister travelled across the country, hearing from a wide range of Scottish industries, from farming and fishing to life sciences and energy.

He attended roundtables on financial services and oil and gas, and met with representatives from the Scottish Whisky Association and the Scottish Fishermen’s Federation. He also paid visits to the Easter Grangemuir Farm in Fife and ROVOP in Aberdeen.

UK Government Minister for Exiting the EU, Robin Walker, said:

Over the past two days, I’ve met with many of Scotland’s most important sectors about their priorities as we leave the European Union.

We’ve been crystal clear that we want businesses to work as freely as they do now, which is why we’re determined to work with businesses from all parts of the UK to protect our internal market and get a deal that works in the interest of the whole of the United Kingdom.”

Earlier this month, the UK Government introduced the Repeal Bill which will transfer all EU law into UK law on exit day. As part of the process, it is expected that there will be a significant increase in the decision making power of each devolved administration.

As powers are repatriated from the EU, the Government will ensure they are exercised within the UK in a way that ensures no new barriers to living and doing business within the UK are created.

This will protect the UK internal market, ensuring we have the ability to strike the best trade deals around the world, protect our common resources, and fulfil our international obligations.

The UK Government is continuing to have intensive discussions with the devolved administrations, which will identify where we need to retain common frameworks and what these should be.

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Additional funding for UK businesses and researchers to realise the potential of quantum technologies brings total up to £9 million.

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Changes to driver licensing rules will make it easier for van drivers to switch to electric vehicles, the government has announced today (28 July 2017).

Van drivers will be able to operate heavier electric or gas-powered vehicles without having to apply for a new licence, as part of moves to improve air quality in towns and cities across the country.

The reforms are a step towards the government’s aim for nearly all cars and vans on our roads to be zero emission by 2050.

Currently, a motorist with an ordinary category B licence for a car can drive a van weighing up to 3,500kg. Cleaner vans, especially those powered by electricity from batteries, are generally heavier than conventional diesel vans because of the battery they carry. This reduces the amount of goods they can carry or means van drivers have to apply for a category C licence with the associated costs and medical report requirements.

Now the Department for Transport has published plans to allow motorists to drive vans weighing up to 4,250kg if they are powered by electricity, natural gas, LPG or hydrogen.

Transport Minister Jesse Norman said:

Vans have become essential to our economy and are vital for our builders, small businesses and delivery drivers. We have more of them on our roads than ever before. That’s a good sign for the economy, but our challenge is to try to tackle their impact on air quality.

We want to make it easier for businesses to opt for cleaner vehicles, and these proposals are designed to do just that.

Road traffic estimates show there has been a rapid rise in light goods vehicle traffic over the last 20 years, in part powered by the growth in internet shopping.

In 2016 vans clocked up 49.1 billion vehicle miles – an increase of 23% when compared with 2006. Vans spend much of their time driving around our towns and cities and over 96% of them are diesel powered so making them greener is essential for people’s health and the environment.

Head of Fleet at Ocado Stuart Skingsley said:

At Ocado, we are very keen to incorporate the latest low-emission technologies in our vehicle fleet, but we have been unable to do so, due to the extra weight of the technology and category B licence restrictions.

This vital derogation would allow us to field the latest alternatively fuelled vans, reducing harmful emissions and improving the UK’s air quality.

A public consultation is now open on the proposed new measures and will last 12 weeks. They will help level the playing field by addressing the payload penalty which currently puts operators of cleaner vans at a commercial disadvantage compared to operators of equivalent conventionally-fuelled vehicles.

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