As outlined in the answer to HL549, the Group of Creditors to Cuba (GCC), including the UK, agreed in 2021 to defer payments due under the 2015 Agreement. This was on the basis of the Republic of Cuba’s economic and financial situation and the Cuban Government’s efforts to support Cuban economic development in the context of Covid-19.

The GCC and Cuba have confirmed their willingness to preserve the 2015 Agreement and commitment to ensure its full implementation. The GCC has not published the terms of implementation.

In 2021, the Group of Creditors to Cuba (GCC), including the UK, agreed to defer payments due under the 2015 Agreement. This was on the basis of the Republic of Cuba’s economic and financial situation and the Cuban Government’s efforts to support Cuban economic development in the context of Covid-19.

The GCC and Cuba have confirmed their willingness to preserve the 2015 Agreement and commitment to ensure its full implementation.

The Paris Club is an informal group of official creditors who coordinate on providing debt treatments for debtor countries. The UK does not make any financial contributions to the Paris Club, nor does the Paris Club have a function in providing any finance directly to countries. Any debt treatments agreed by the Paris Club are implemented on a bilateral basis between the official creditor and debtor countries.

In 2015, the Group of Creditors of Cuba (GCC), including the UK, agreed a debt treatment with the Government of the Republic of Cuba to restructure USD 2.6 billion of debt in arrears, over an 18-year period. In 2021, the GCC agreed to defer payments due under the 2015 agreement.

There is limited data relating to injuries caused by pedicabs in London owing to the lack of a licensing regime and limited enforcement activity. Pedicabs are the only form of unregulated public transport on London’s roads – this has led to Government being made aware of common occurrences of anti-social, unsafe and nuisance behaviour from certain pedicab operators and drivers.

Government has introduced the Pedicabs (London) Bill so that passengers, pedestrians and other road users can go about their lives safe in the knowledge pedicabs, their drivers and operators are properly licensed and accountable.

The Passenger Assistance lounge at Euston station, which is usually staffed with at least three assistants, is equipped with six wheelchairs to help passengers from the drop-off point at the taxi-rank to the lounge. Passengers who have pre-booked their assistance can be met at the drop-off point by staff with a wheelchair. If a passenger hasn’t pre-booked, they can contact the passenger assistance lounge using the help point at the taxi rank and be collected. The help point at the taxi-rank is fully operational.

The distance from the Passenger Assistance lounge to the parked buggies at Euston Station is around 15 metres. To help passengers from the lounge to the buggies, Network Rail can provide passengers with wheelchairs, or take them by the arm for support, depending on their needs. In some cases, when the station is quiet, staff can drive the buggy to the entrance of the Passenger Assistance lounge to make this journey shorter.

The buggies have barriers by the rear seats for the safety of riding passengers, reducing the risk of passengers falling.

For the safety of passengers, buggy drivers are instructed to take passengers under the concourse to services on platforms 1 and 2. This is to reduce the amount of congestion on the concourse where passengers are waiting, departing or arriving.

Following a temporary waiver during 2020/2021 due to COVID, Avanti West Coast resumed its contractual obligation from June 2021 to provide a complimentary catering service for First Class passengers which is available 7 days a week. This provision of First Class catering will continue in the National Rail Contract set to commence on 15 October 2023.

Law enforcement is an operational matter for the police, it is for them to enforce the law and investigate incidents using their professional judgement.

The Government will continue to support the police to ensure they have the tools needed to enforce road traffic legislation, including in relation to offences involving e-cycles and e-scooters.

The next release of statistics covering the number of pedestrians killed and injured in collisions involving e-scooters is planned for the end of September 2023, covering the publishing year 2022.

There is no specific definition of an e-bike within the STATS19 data collection system, and therefore no reliable way of identifying these types of vehicles.

The trees adjacent to the taxi rank at Euston station were removed in February 2023 to enable the diversions of utilities, piling for the London Underground Interchange, and civil engineering work for the Euston Square link.

The trees adjacent to the taxi rank at Euston station have been removed as part of the HS2 works at Euston. These trees were removed in February in advance of the nesting season which starts in March.

The Department has published guidance for local authorities and e-scooter operators on the conduct of e-scooter trials. This makes clear that there will need to be sufficient parking provision in trial areas. Where a dockless operating model is being used, local authorities should ensure that e-scooters do not become obstructive to other road users and pedestrians, particularly those with disabilities.

Pedestrians have the right to use the footway without undue hazards. Rule 70 of The Highway Code advises, but does not require, people to park their cycles where they will not cause an obstruction or hazard to other road users.

The Department supports the use of trial e-scooters in public spaces. To identify trends in the numbers of injuries because of e-scooter use, it is using STATS19 data and working directly with some NHS Trusts. The Department also collects evidence on rental e-scooter casualties, including the type and severity of injuries, through A comprehensive monitoring and evaluation programme.

Finally, the Department assesses e-scooter trials, international experience and further research to improve safety and inform policy development.

The Department has published guidance for local authorities and e-scooter operators on the conduct of e-scooter trials. This makes clear that there will need to be sufficient parking provision in trial areas. Where a dockless operating model is being used, local authorities should ensure that e-scooters do not become obstructive to other road users and pedestrians, particularly those with disabilities.

Pedestrians have the right to use the footway without undue hazards. Rule 70 of The Highway Code advises, but does not require, people to park their cycles where they will not cause an obstruction or hazard to other road users.

The Department supports the use of trial e-scooters in public spaces. To identify trends in the numbers of injuries because of e-scooter use, it is using STATS19 data and working directly with some NHS Trusts. The Department also collects evidence on rental e-scooter casualties, including the type and severity of injuries, through A comprehensive monitoring and evaluation programme.

Finally, the Department assesses e-scooter trials, international experience and further research to improve safety and inform policy development.

Cycling on the pavement, other than in designated areas such as on shared used paths, is illegal. It is also illegal to use privately-owned e-scooters on the road, cycle lanes or pavements. In those areas where trials of rental e-scooters are taking place, their use on pavements, other than shared use paths, is not permitted. Enforcement of these matters is the responsibility of the police. The Government is considering bringing forward legislation to introduce new offences around dangerous cycling, to tackle those rare instances where victims have been killed or seriously injured by irresponsible cycling behaviour. This follows an earlier review exploring the case for specific dangerous cycling offences, to which the Department will publish a response as soon as possible.

In the Plan for Rail we set out the intention to simplify fares and allow long distance operators more commercial freedom, and in the Bradshaw Address we committed to trialling demand-based pricing on some London North Eastern Railway services to better manage capacity. Trialling this approach on certain routes will provide useful learning about the passenger experience which we will carefully consider before taking decisions on any wider extension. We will announce more details in due course.

We are planning to publish our response to the cycling offences consultation as soon as we can and have already announced that we are considering bringing forward legislation to introduce new offences around dangerous cycling. We will do that as part of a suite of measures to improve the safety of all road and pavement users.

It is important that both cyclists and e-scooter users know that, like other road users, the rules of the Highway Code and road traffic law apply to them. The use of cycles and rental e-scooters on the pavement is illegal, other than in designated areas such as on shared use paths, and enforcement is a matter for the police. Privately-owned e-scooters remain illegal to use on all public roads and existing penalties may apply.

Rule 66 of The Highway Code states that cyclists should be considerate of other road users, particularly blind and partially sighted pedestrians, and should alert them to their presence when necessary.

The Department continues to look at how we can improve road safety for everyone who uses our roads and pavements. Should new legislation be introduced to change the rules for e-scooters, the Department will review the Highway Code and whether any amendments may be appropriate.

The See It. Say It. Sorted. phrasing is an alliterative campaign slogan, which has been demonstrated to promote vigilance and improve recall of the method for contacting British Transport Police (BTP).

The announcements successfully communicate the option of discretely reporting to BTP by text. This has translated into a higher volume of reports relating to criminality, including terrorism, on the railways, since the introduction of the campaign. It also encourages reporting through alternative means, such as speaking with a member of rail staff.

Once a member of the public has reported a potential issue, they have done their part. The threat will be assessed, and if further follow up is required, it will be ‘sorted’ in the form of direct police engagement or a priority emergency response.

Operators are working to remove unnecessary announcements from their automated systems in line with existing maintenance schedules, with work due to complete by the end of 2022. Passengers will already be hearing fewer automated announcements on some routes, alongside a reduction in ‘live’ announcements as onboard staff have been issued with updated guidance.

Messages that play a safety critical role, or that ensure the railways are accessible for all, will remain. This includes ‘See it, Say it, Sorted’.

The Department has no plans to return to use the former Station Master's house at Penrith North Lakes railway station.

The Department has no plans to return to use the former Station Master's house at Penrith North Lakes railway station.