Select committee: Transport Committee
Conclusion 2
First Report - Road freight supply chain
Published 1 Jun 2022
Paragraph 21
Addressed to Department for Transport
Transport Committee Road freight supply chain All items in this report Report on parliament.uk ↗ Inquiry on parliament.uk ↗
Conclusion (the committee's words)
In the past, the Department for Transport argued that the haulage sector itself was primarily responsible for addressing driver recruitment and retention. The unprecedented nature of the recent crisis led the Government to take a different tack. That change was welcome. However, the Government’s piecemeal approach has involved a range of limited and/or temporary measures. Government intervention also gives the impression that the issue of driver shortages is for the Government alone to fix. Whilst the Government has a role to play, this is a private sector industry, and we believe the private sector needs to put its own house in order.
From: Transport Committee, First Report - Road freight supply chain (HC 162), paragraph 21, 1 June 2022
Government response
The government responded to the whole report on 30 September 2022 (deadline 1 August 2022).
Summary written by Accountability Index from the government's response. It is not the government's own words.The Government welcomes the report and sets out 33 measures on the HGV driver shortage, noting most recommendations while agreeing that more freight should move to rail and water and that industry has more to do to attract and retain talent.
- On driver training costs, the Government "notes this recommendation" and says the Driver Certificate of Professional Competence review report will be published "in due course", with its conclusions "taken forward to public consultation".
- On lorry parking, it does "not at this stage intend to set up a Government-Industry taskforce". It is launching a £32.5M matched-funding grant "later this year", with the National Lorry Parking Survey to be published "early in 2023".
- On the Supply Chain Levy, the Government "notes this recommendation" and states that "taxes are a matter for HM Treasury and all taxes are kept under review".
- On modal shift, the Government "agrees that more freight should be taken from the road and on to rail and water". It refers to a rail freight growth target on which it "will consult on shortly".