Tag: Lord Higgins

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Higgins on 2015-10-27.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they have taken to ensure that migrants rescued from drowning by the British Navy in the Mediterranean are no longer disembarked in the European Union, in order to discourage migrants from travelling in unseaworthy vessels provided by people smugglers.

Lord Bates

As set out in the Government’s response to written questions HL2307 and HL2339 under international law the UK has a duty to not return people who are rescued at sea to countries where they would be at risk of serious harm. Migrants rescued in the Mediterranean must therefore be disembarked at the nearest safe country.

The Government, however, maintains that the link must be broken between getting on a boat and automatically achieving residence in the Europe. The UK continues to push for action through the EU and UN to tackle the causes of illegal migration in order to discourage people from making these dangerous journeys. The UK is pursuing and disrupting the organised crime groups profiting from the people smuggling trade, including through the creation of an Organised Immigration Crime Task Force.

Migrants who do reach the EU need to be registered, screened and processed when they arrive to control their movement as well as to distinguish between those in real need of international protection and economic migrants. The UK is supporting the EU ‘Hotspots’ initiative which will help give effect to this.

The UK is leading the way for a sustainable and effective approach to the migrant situation and at the Justice and Home Affairs Council on 8 October the Home Secretary reiterated that in order for EU Member States to focus their resources on helping those in genuine need, an effective returns system for those not found to be in need of international protection is vital.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Higgins on 2015-10-29.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what estimate they have made of the effect on air pollution of the construction and use of bicycle lanes, particularly in London.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon

The Department for Transport has not completed any estimates specifically on the effect of construction and use of bicycle lanes on air pollution. But we recognise that encouraging car users to switch to alternative, more sustainable, forms of transport like cycling can generally have both health and carbon reduction benefits as well as improving local air quality.

When we appraise cycle schemes for funding, we apply WebTAG unit A5-1. This appraisal looks at outcomes only and does not consider impacts during the construction phase of a scheme. Where a scheme includes shifts away from mechanised modes and changes in congestion levels, we use marginal external costs, including air pollution. This is done at an individual scheme level and reported in the appraisal of each case; therefore no holistic study has been undertaken. This appraisal does not take account of potentially complex changes to motorists behaviour (such as speed and route choice) resulting from the introduction of cycle lanes.

Transport for London state that during the construction phase some localised short-term slight impacts on local air quality can be expected from the use of plant and vehicles. However, contractors are required to minimise dust and emissions to air and comply with the Greater London Authority and London Councils’ Control of Dust and Emissions from Construction and Demolition Best Practice Guidance.

Transport for London undertake air quality modelling to ascertain the impacts during operation. Schemes such as the East-West Cycle Superhighway show that the likely impact of the introduction of cycle lanes and changes to the road layout on air quality ranges from adverse to beneficial. The study shows that changes in traffic will redistribute emissions across the study area but will not increase overall emission levels.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Higgins on 2016-02-11.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what information they have about whether government documents are being issued by EU member states to those seeking asylum in countries in the Schengen area while they await a decision on their application for asylum.

Lord Bates

Under Article 6 of the Reception Conditions Directive 2013/13, EU member states are required to ensure that asylum applicants seeking international protection within their territory are provided with a document showing their status as an applicant or testifying that person is allowed to stay in the member state whilst the application is pending or being examined.

The process for issuing such a document will vary from country to country.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Higgins on 2016-02-11.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of whether EU member states within the Schengen area are issuing a standard form of passport or other document to those they accept as asylum seekers or whether individual countries decide on the format to use; whether they have examined any sample of such document; and if so, whether they will place in the Library of the House any examples they may have.

Lord Bates

Under Article 25 of the Qualification Directive asylum seekers accepted as refugees in an EU member state will be issued a refugee status travel document, in the form set out in the Schedule to the Geneva Convention, for the purpose of travel outside their territory unless there are compelling reasons of national security or public order which prevent this.

It is normal practice for member states to distribute specimen documents between states. All specimen documents are stored securely in the UK.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Higgins on 2016-03-17.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government, in the light of the increase in road congestion and the construction of Cycle Superhighways in London, how they will ensure that fire, ambulance, and other emergency service vehicles are able to use Superhighways in the event of a terrorist attack or other major incident.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon

London’s cycle superhighways are the responsibility of the Mayor and Transport for London (TfL). Emergency service vehicles operating under blue lights will always find the safest and fastest way possible to arrive at a major incident or terrorist attack. This could mean using any part of the highway, including, where necessary and where the road layout allows this, part of a cycle superhighway.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Higgins on 2015-09-17.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they plan to take steps to ensure that the United Kingdom can decide where to land migrants rescued from the Mediterranean by the Royal Navy, so as to ensure that they are not landed in the European Union.

Lord Bates

Under international law the UK has a duty not to return people who are rescued at sea to countries where they would be at risk of serious harm. That is why migrants rescued at sea are taken to Italy as this is considered the nearest safe country.

But we are pushing for the swift establishment of ‘hot spot’ screening centres and action to return those who do not need our protection to their countries of origin.