The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Marlesford on 2016-03-10.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many valid British passports are currently held, and how many of those passport holders also hold passports of another state.
Lord Bates
There are 49 million valid UK passports in circulation. Records are not held centrally of persons holding both a UK passport and foreign passport.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Marlesford on 2016-05-19.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what are the proposed locations and planned commencement dates of construction for the establishment of new universities referred to in the Queen’s Speech.
Baroness Evans of Bowes Park
Government is legislating to increase choice and competition in the higher education sector. These measures will enable the establishment of high-quality new universities where there is a need in terms of student and employer demand.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Marlesford on 2016-03-17.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what investigations they have made, or caused to be made, into security at the airport at Sharm el-Sheikh in Egypt, and when they expect to be able to advise airlines flying from the UK that it is safe to resume flights to Sharm el-Sheikh.
Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
The Government continues to work with the Egyptian Authorities towards a resumption of direct flights to Sharm el-Sheikh as soon as possible. Meanwhile, the Department for Transport remains in close contact with airlines that were operating flights from the UK to Sharm el-Sheikh.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Marlesford on 2016-05-19.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government, in the light of a letter from the Home Secretary, Theresa May, to Lord Marlesford, how a series of sophisticated search algorithms and the search systems incorporating them would be able to make the link between a UK passport holder’s passport and a second passport of another nationality held by the same person if there is not a record of such second passports held by British passport holders held on a central UK government database available online to immigration officers.
Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
It is longstanding policy not to disclose details of how search systems work, as to do so would not be in the interest of border and national security.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Marlesford on 2015-10-29.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they have considered seeking UN authority to establish safe holding areas outside the EU, to which refugees seeking to enter the EU could be transferred.
Lord Bates
The current migration crisis requires a global response. This may necessitate radical measures to address the unprecedented situation. We regularly engage with EU and multilateral partners, including the UN on a wide range of migration issues in order to find an effective and sustainable solution. Ideas about establishing safe centres outside the EU are at an early stage of development and we will consult appropriate organisations as discussions on these with EU and other partners progress.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Marlesford on 2016-03-17.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the amount of litter currently on the verges of (1) the A13 trunk road between the Limehouse Link and the junction with the A130, and (2) the A12 between the junction with the A130 and the junction with the A14 at Ipswich, and what steps the Highways Agency is taking to monitor the cleanliness of those roads.
Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
Due to the devolution of the highways network, it is necessary to be explicit on who has responsibility for litter on the verges.
The A13 between the Limehouse Link and the Greater London Boundary, nominally the A1306 junction at Wennington, is the responsibility of Transport for London. Between the A1306 Wennington junction and the A1089 junction near Grays, this is the responsibility of Highways England, through its supplier, Connect Plus. For the A13 from the A1089 junction near Grays to the A130 junction near Basildon, this is the responsibility of the local authorities.
The A12 between the A130 junction near Chelmsford and the A14 junction at Ipswich is the responsibility of the local authorities.
Highways England is aware that litter is unsightly and detrimental to the environment and spends significant sums annually in ensuring it is cleared from the strategic road network each year. They are satisfied that Connect Plus grades the route and clears litter in accordance with the requirements of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 but is keen to work collaboratively with the local authority, Thurrock Council, to do more.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Marlesford on 2016-05-19.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they are taking to ensure that all employees at British airports with access to aircraft are being vetted to ensure that they do not constitute a security risk.
Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
All employees with access to a security restricted area of an UK airport and access to aircraft undergo, as a minimum, background and criminal record checks, on recruitment and thereafter. Those undertaking aviation security duties are subject to additional security vetting. We keep our aviation security measures under constant review in light of new threat information from a wide range of sources.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Marlesford on 2015-10-29.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government when they will publish the scoping study on littering from vehicles legislation, and why such legislation was not implemented nationally in April.
Lord Gardiner of Kimble
We expect to publish the study later this month.
Before any regulations to tackle littering from vehicles are implemented, it will be important to get the details right. This will include matters such as the size of the fine, the form and content of the penalty notice, and exceptions to the keeper’s liability (for example if the vehicle has been stolen). We will therefore want to seek Local Authorities’ and others’ views before legislating. Any such regulations must be approved by both Houses of Parliament before coming into effect.
Legislation to enable the seizure of vehicles involved in fly-tipping came into force in April 2015. As set out in our manifesto, we will be giving councils the power to tackle small scale fly-tipping through Penalty Notices, as an alternative to prosecutions, in spring 2016, and we will review the case for increasing fixed penalties for littering.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Marlesford on 2016-03-17.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they will review the arrangements with which the Highways Agency ensures that contractors responsible for keeping trunk roads clean fulfil their obligations, and whether they use photographic evidence to record the cleanliness of trunk roads.
Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
Highways England as a Government Owned Company, is responsible for complying with the mandatory legal requirements under the Environmental Protection Act 1990, which includes removing litter on England’s motorways and some trunk roads.
Contractors have clear specifications, aligned to the Environmental Protection Act. Compliance is monitored by Highways England, with the use of photographic evidence as one possible method.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Marlesford on 2016-05-24.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon on 23 May (HL174), what steps they are taking in particular to ensure that all employees at British airports with access to aircraft are vetted to ensure that they do not hold Islamist fundamentalist views.
Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
I would refer my noble friend to my Written Answer of 23 May (HL174) to his earlier question on this issue. Those staff undertaking aviation security duties are subject to additional security vetting following the minimum checks that must be completed. These arrangements, like our overall security regime, are kept under close review in light of all current threats. For security reasons, we would not comment on specific staff vetting arrangements.