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  • Tom Watson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Tom Watson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Watson on 2014-04-02.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what progress has been made by the cross-government working group on remotely piloted aircraft systems.

    Mr Robert Goodwill

    The Cross Government Working Group has been discussing its draft Terms of Reference (extract copied below) and its membership. The focus of its work so far has been to gather information from the relevant departments to identify areas of common interest requiring collaboration.

    RPAS Cross Government Working Group Vision and Activities

    Vision : To provide a consistent government message on RPAS issues.

    Objectives:

    • Inform RPAS-related Departmental policies and publish a UK Cross Government vision / strategy for UAS.
    • To identify Cross Government synergies and opportunities for efficiencies.
    • To identify and address barriers to a successful UK industry base, to support the Government’s growth agenda.

    Approach

    • Focus for the co-ordination of all UK Government RPAS related activities.
    • Developing a better knowledge and a shared understanding of Departmental priorities, activities, ambitions & concerns.
    • Help industry understand Government needs and vision.
    • Identify opportunities.
    • Identify key questions.
    • Community of users [identification of user requirements].
    • UK PoC for RPAS.

    Issues to Address

    • Identifying the extent to which the UK can support safe and secure RPAS operations in the UK, including options for the certification of RPAS, pilot licensing, and associated systems.
    • Identifying the key characteristics of RPAS infrastructure, including the potential radio spectrum for RPAS operations in the UK.
    • Seek to identify common Cross Government user requirements to understand future concepts for shared assets / system procurement and maintenance.
    • Determining how the UK might best position itself to take advantage of RPAS industry and technology.

    Engagement

    Understand the potential benefits of RPAS to Government.

    Inform and be informed by active industry associations e.g.

    • Aeronautical and Aerospace and Defence Knowledge Transfer Network Autonomous Systems National technical committee.
    • Robotics and Autonomous Systems Special Interest Group.
    • Through identification of best practice and successful projects.
    • UK industry

  • Tom Watson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Tom Watson – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Watson on 2014-04-02.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will bring forward proposals to update the current Air Navigation Order to define and categorise unmanned aircraft systems.

    Mr Robert Goodwill

    The safe operation of civil Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPA) in the UK is governed by the requirements of the Air Navigation Order 2009 (ANO). RPA with an operating mass of more than 20kg are subject to regulation as though they are manned aircraft.

    RPA with an operating mass of 20kg or less are referred to as ‘small unmanned aircraft’. Small unmanned aircraft are exempt from the majority of the regulations that normally apply to manned aircraft, however their use is specifically covered by two articles within the ANO, which legislate for the ‘general’ flying aspects and the flight of those equipped for surveillance. As well as these specific articles however, a more general article which prevents a person ‘causing or permitting an aircraft to endanger the safety of any person or property’ also remains applicable. There are no current plans to further categorise RPA.

  • Lilian Greenwood – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Lilian Greenwood – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lilian Greenwood on 2014-04-02.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what fines or penalties his Department has been required to pay HM Treasury (a) following the employment of staff through personal service companies and (b) for any other reason since May 2010.

    Stephen Hammond

    The Department had a sanction imposed by HM Treasury of £398,500 in March 2014. This took the form of a budget reduction rather than the payment of a fine or penalty.

    This related to the Chief Executive and Finance Director at Directly Operated Railways Ltd who were originally engaged off-payroll and brought onto the payroll more than six months after the guidance came into effect.

    There have been no other similar cases in the Department for Transport.

  • Lilian Greenwood – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Lilian Greenwood – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lilian Greenwood on 2014-04-02.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent discussions he has had with the Association of Train Operating Companies on the National Rail Conditions of Carriage.

    Stephen Hammond

    Information on all Ministerial meetings and their purpose is available on the Gov.uk website at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/ministerial-and-special-adviser-meetings-data-for-department-for-transport.

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  • Frank Field – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Frank Field – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Frank Field on 2014-04-02.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent assessment his Department has made of the appropriate age at which people must renew their driving licence; and what evidence his Department took into account when so doing.

    Stephen Hammond

    Increasing the driving licence renewal age was proposed as part of the recent review of the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA).

    No detailed assessment has yet been made about this proposal. Any such decision would not be taken until a full consultation had been carried out and supporting evidence considered.

  • Grahame M. Morris – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Grahame M. Morris – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Grahame M. Morris on 2014-04-02.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent assessment he has made of the effect on passenger survivability in the North Sea of side-floating helicopter schemes that (a) comply and (b) do not comply with the relevant Civil Aviation Authority statutory specifications.

    Mr Robert Goodwill

    The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), as part of its Offshore Helicopter Review, looked at improvements that could be made to helicopters to increase the survivability of passengers in the event of a ditching in the sea. The CAA has made recommendations to industry concerning the use of flotation devices. However, the CAA does not have statutory specifications for side-floating helicopter schemes.

    The requirements for such equipment are being developed by the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), which commissioned a study that was conducted by Eurocopter and Aerazur.　 Previous research by both the CAA and the US Federal Aviation Administration has shown that the majority of fatalities following a ditching or water impact event were due to drowning following the capsize of the helicopter.　 Future requirements for such equipment, which are intended to mitigate the risk of capsize, will be determined by EASA.

  • Nicholas Soames – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Nicholas Soames – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Nicholas Soames on 2014-04-02.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what estimate his Department has made of the level of traffic congestion in Mid Sussex constituency in each year since 1997.

    Mr Robert Goodwill

    Estimates of road congestion levels for Parliamentary constituencies are not held centrally.

    We do however hold data at the local authority level. Road congestion is measured in the Department by morning peak speeds, defined as 7am to 10am. In 2013, the average weekday morning peak speed, on locally managed ‘A’ roads in West Sussex County (local authority), which contains Mid Sussex constituency, was estimated to be 30.2 miles per hour.The equivalent figure for the whole of England in 2013 was 24.7 miles per hour.

    Equivalent figures for earlier years back to 2007, and all other local highway authorities in England, can be found on the Department for Transport’s website at:

    https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/279125/cgn0206.xls

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  • Jake Berry – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Jake Berry – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jake Berry on 2014-04-02.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent estimate his Department has made of the level of congestion on roads in Rossendale and Darwen constituency.

    Mr Robert Goodwill

    Estimates of road congestion levels for Parliamentary constituencies are not held centrally.

    We do however hold data at the local authority level. Road congestion is measured in the Department by morning peak speeds, defined as 7am to 10am. In 2013, the average weekday morning peak speeds, on locally managed ‘A’ roads in Blackburn with Darwen (local authority) and Lancashire County, both of which partly contain Rossendale and Darwen constituency, were estimated to be 19.3 and 25.3 miles per hour respectively. The equivalent figure for the whole of England in 2013 was 24.7 miles per hour.

    Equivalent figures for earlier years back to 2007, and all other local highway authorities in England, can be found on the Department for Transport’s website at:

    https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/279125/cgn0206.xls

    “

  • Grahame M. Morris – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Grahame M. Morris – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Grahame M. Morris on 2014-04-02.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what proportion of the helicopter fleet operating in the offshore oil and gas industry is fitted with a side-floating helicopter scheme that is compliant with the Civil Aviation Authority’s relevant statutory specifications.

    Mr Robert Goodwill

    The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), as part of its Offshore Helicopter Review, looked at improvements that could be made to helicopters to increase the survivability of passengers in the event of a ditching in the sea. The CAA has made recommendations to industry concerning the use of flotation devices. However, the CAA does not have statutory specifications for side-floating helicopter schemes.

    The requirements for such equipment are being developed by the European Aviation Safety Agency.

  • Gloria De Piero – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Gloria De Piero – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Gloria De Piero on 2014-04-02.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many and what proportion of social housing tenants have been affected by the implementation of the under-occupancy penalty in each local authority area.

    Esther McVey

    The information is not available in the format requested.

    The information at regional level is provided in our impact assessment from:

    https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/214329/social-sector-housing-under-occupation-wr2011-ia.pdf

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