(South Holland
and The Deepings) (Con): Much of what we consume is delivered to
us by heavy goods vehicles, yet the Leader of the House will know
that hauliers are suffering a driver shortfall of 100,000. Robert
Louis Stevenson said:
“To travel hopefully is a better thing than to arrive”,
but goods cannot travel at all, let alone arrive, without skilled
drivers. Will the Leader of the House therefore arrange a
statement to the House explaining the absurdity of the
Government’s cancellation of the delegated training scheme to
allow firms in my constituency and elsewhere to train drivers
themselves, and letting the House know what the Department for
Transport intends to do about the crisis, so that the fine
Lincolnshire produce demanded across the country can be delivered
quickly and efficiently?
Mr Rees-Mogg: I have had the privilege of visiting my right hon.
Friend’s constituency, whose fine produce is absolutely
remarkable. I think that he introduced me to the largest pumpkin
grower in England—by which I mean that he grows the most
pumpkins, not the biggest pumpkins.
On 20 July, the Government announced a further package of
measures to help industry to tackle the issues caused by the HGV
driver shortage. Those measures include support for the
recruitment and retention of drivers, such as proposals to
streamline the process to obtain a licence, offering financial
assistance for training, and backing industry-led initiatives to
improve the working conditions for driving. I have also noticed
reports that wages for HGV drivers are going up. This is, as so
often, a market solution.
