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Tag: Lord Luce

  • Lord Luce – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    Lord Luce – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Luce on 2016-01-27.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many public libraries there are in the UK, and how many there were in 2010.

    Baroness Neville-Rolfe

    Local authorities have a statutory duty to provide a comprehensive and efficient library service that takes account of local needs within available resources. Statistics for the number of public libraries published by the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy do not include figures for Northern Ireland, so it is not possible to provide the number of public libraries in the UK. However, in the rest of the country, the total number of public library service points open ten hours or more per week at 31 March 2015 was 3,917, compared with 4,356 in 2010. Based on desk research undertaken by the Department, we estimate that from January 2010 to January 2016 only approximately 110 static public libraries in England closed. Government has the power to ensure public libraries comply with the law, and where individual authorities have failed to meet this duty we will – and have – intervened.

    This Government is helping libraries innovate, to ensure they serve the needs of local communities – particularly through the expansion of their digital offer. In the latest spending round we secured extra funding for our Libraries Task Force, set up in 2014, to promote the role of digital and share best practice between councils, and we have funded the rollout of free Wi-Fi in 99% of public libraries in England. E-book loans have rocketed more than four-fold from nearly 445,000 in 2011/12 to over 2.3 million in 2014/15.

  • Lord Luce – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Lord Luce – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Luce on 2015-10-13.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether NATO has a policy concerning the access of Russian ships to NATO ports.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    Access to ports in North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) Member countries is the responsibility of national authorities. NATO Allies can and do coordinate with NATO on the transit of ships but NATO does not set policy.

  • Lord Luce – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Lord Luce – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Luce on 2015-10-13.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they are taking to ensure that the public will be properly and impartially informed about the full range of consequences of withdrawal from membership of the European Union.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    The Prime Minister, my right hon. Friend the Member for Witney (Mr Cameron), is focused on success: he believes he can and will succeed in reforming and renegotiating our relationship with the EU and campaigning to keep the UK in the EU on that basis. The public will expect Ministers to set out the results of the renegotiation, how the relationship with Europe has been changed and if, and how, those changes address their concerns. As the Chancellor of the Exchequer, my right hon. Friend the Member for Tatton (Mr Osborne), said in response to Oral Questions to the Treasury on 16 June 2015, Official Report Column 166: ‘I am sure that the Treasury will publish assessments of the merits of membership and the risks of a lack of reform in the European Union, including the damage that that could do to Britain’s interests.’

  • Lord Luce – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Lord Luce – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Luce on 2014-04-08.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what were the circumstances of the incursion by a Spanish state research vessel accompanied by a Spanish Guardia Civil vessel into British Gibraltar territorial waters on 1 April; whether they consider that such incursions present any danger to human safety; and what naval and police resources are available in Gibraltar to counter such incidents and to secure the safety of personnel.

    Lord Wallace of Saltaire

    On the evening of 1 April, the Spanish state research vessel, Angeles Alvarino, entered British Gibraltar Territorial Waters (BGTW). The vessel was shadowed by Royal Navy Gibraltar Squadron and Royal Gibraltar Police vessels. The Angeles Alvarino departed BGTW after approximately three hours. The Government publicly summoned the Spanish Ambassador to the UK on 2 April to make a formal diplomatic protest. In his statement of the same day, the Minister for Europe, my Rt. Hon. Friend the Member for Aylesbury (Mr Lidington), made clear that not only were the actions of the survey vessel unlawful, but the dangerous manoeuvring of the accompanying Spanish Guardia Civil vessel presented a significant safety concern on the waters.

    Although unlawful, incursions are a violation of British sovereignty, not a threat to it. They do not weaken or undermine the legal basis in international law for British sovereignty over Gibraltar including British Gibraltar Territorial Waters.

    Maritime security in Gibraltar is provided by the Royal Navy’s Lifespan Patrol Vessels, HMS SCIMITAR and HMS SABRE, and up to three Rigid Hull Inflatable Boats (RHIBs), all operated by the Royal Navy Gibraltar Squadron. The Gibraltar Defence Police have two 15 metre launches and three Arctic 24 RHIBs for maritime force protection. Ordinarily three police officers are assigned to marine duties, drawing on a cadre of some 20 personnel. Larger Royal Navy ships visit Gibraltar regularly in relation to operational and training activity, reflecting its utility as a permanent joint operating base.

    The Royal Gibraltar Police is responsible for law enforcement in Gibraltar. Their Marine Section has two patrol vessels, one of them with a small deployable RHIB onboard, three RHIB interceptors, one ‘jet boat’ and three jet skis.

    All elements of the situation, including the maritime security capabilities available to the Royal Navy Gibraltar Squadron, are kept under review. We are ready to provide additional assets to the Squadron or augment our broader maritime posture as necessary.