Tag: Richard Burden

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Richard Burden on 2016-04-28.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the remit of the Cross-Government Working Group on drones is; when it has met; and who has attended each meeting of that group.

Mr Robert Goodwill

I refer the Honourable Member to my answer give on 25 January UIN 23389

(http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-questions-answers/?page=1&max=20&questiontype=AllQuestions&house=commons%2clords&uin=23389).

Noting that the first meeting in 2016 took place in March not February and the below additions to the membership of the group:

Department for International Development

Surveillance Commissioner

UK Fire Service

Police

Border Force

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The below Parliamentary question was asked by Richard Burden on 2016-05-04.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many UK-registered offshore supply vessels (OSVs) have been laid up in Aberdeen port since January 2015; and what the average period of inactivity was for UK-registered OSVs (a) at that port and (b) in total during that period.

Mr Robert Goodwill

According to commercial world fleet data sourced from IHS Global Limited, there were two UK registered offshore vessels with a ‘laid-up’ status on 31 December 2015.

We do not have any further data available for use on laid-up vessels since this time. The data is not in a format from which inactivity periods are readily obtainable.

According to online vessel search engines, the last known ship positions for the two UK registered offshore vessels that were laid-up at the end of 2015 were Port Elizabeth (South Africa) on 24 August 2015 and Elefsis (near the Athens port of Piraeus, Greece) on 19 September 2015.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Richard Burden on 2016-05-23.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the potential effect on maritime exports from UK ports to the EU of the UK voting to leave the EU.

Mr Robert Goodwill

At the February European Council, the Government negotiated a new settlement, giving the United Kingdom a special status in a reformed European Union. The Government’s position is that the UK will be stronger, safer and better off remaining in a reformed EU.

If the outcome of the EU Referendum is a vote to leave, the effect on maritime exports from UK ports to the EU would depend on the relationship agreed between the EU and the UK. This would have to be negotiated using the detailed processes set out in the EU Treaty.

The Government has published several information documents, setting out the Government’s views on UK membership of the EU, the process for withdrawing from the EU and alternatives to EU membership. The documents can be viewed at www.eureferendum.gov.uk.

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The below Parliamentary question was asked by Richard Burden on 2016-06-08.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to the Answer of 26 April 2016 to Question 34503, if he will release a summary or redacted version of risk assessments carried out by the Cross-Government Working Group on RPAS.

Mr Robert Goodwill

The Cross-Government Working Group on RPAS commissioned a piece of work, led by the Ministry of Defence, to analyse the potential use of drones for criminal purposes including the potential use of drones for terrorist purposes. This work is ongoing and being kept under review. I will place a redacted summary of the work to date in the Libraries of both Houses before the Summer Recess.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Richard Burden on 2016-06-24.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps his Department is taking to (a) support the updating of the European NCAP and (b) promote new road safety technology.

Andrew Jones

The Department for Transport, as a founding member of Euro NCAP, takes a keen interest in their work on improving car safety through financial support and active participation on the Board of Directors.

Euro NCAP regularly updates the assessment criteria to reflect new technologies and improved designs. As such it has been fundamental to improving the safety of new cars in the UK, and the organisation provides a valuable source of information to UK consumers.

The British Road Safety Statement, published in December 2015, sets out a range of measures to improve vehicle safety. These include actions to increase the awareness of the Euro NCAP star rating system so that consumers are better able to consider safety in their purchasing decisions, as well as engaging with fleet buyers in both public and private sectors.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Richard Burden on 2016-07-20.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what representations he has made to the Palestinian authorities on reports that three death sentences were issued or upheld by Gaza Military Court on 19 July 2016; and if he will make a statement.

Mr Tobias Ellwood

We have not raised this issue with the Palestinian Authority (PA) as the sentences were issued by the de-facto authorities in Gaza and the PA, at this present time, has no control over the Gaza Strip. However, the EU missions in Jerusalem and Ramallah issued a statement on 21 July condeming the death sentances, calling for the de facto authorities in Gaza to refrain from carrying out any executions of prisoners and comply with the moratorium on executions put in place by the PA.

On 19 August, I issued a statement condemning the latest death sentence issued in Gaza on 17 August and also called on the de-facto authorities in Gaza to respect the PA’s moratorium on implementation of the death penalty.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Richard Burden on 2016-09-09.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what discussions she has had with (a) Germany, (b) Sweden and (c) other European countries on best practice for the management of the system for relocating refugees.

Mr Robert Goodwill

The UK has not opted in to any of the EU relocation proposals. The Government remains of the view that relocation of asylum seekers between Member States risks creating unintended consequences or perverse incentives for people to put their lives into the hands of traffickers in order to get to an EU Member State.

However, we continue to work closely with EU partners on addressing all aspects of the migration crisis. We are supporting the implementation of the EU-Turkey agreement and border hotspots, including through the deployment of UK officials to support Frontex and European Asylum Support Office missions in Greece and Italy. We also continue to work with other EU Member States to improve the operation of the Dublin Regulation, in particular the provisions on family reunification.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Richard Burden on 2016-10-19.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what the budget is for projects in (a) Israel and (b) the Palestinian territories within the Conflict, Security and Stability Fund (i) in 2016-17 and (ii) as projected for 2017-18.

Mr Tobias Ellwood

​(i) The total allocation for 2016-17 for both Israel and the OPTs is £7m. It is not separated into individual, distinct budgets as some of our projects and implementing partners deliver simultaneously in both (a) and (b).

(ii) We do not yet have a projected budget for 2017-18 so cannot provide this information.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Richard Burden on 2015-11-03.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent representations he has received on the appointment of two community board members to the Dover Harbour Board; and if he will make a statement.

Mr Robert Goodwill

Three representations have been received on this matter over the past 4 months. I and officials from the Department are working with Dover Harbour Board and other stakeholders to take forward a Harbour Revision Order (HRO) that would allow two community directors to be appointed to the Board as well as other changes to the Board’s constitution. This includes matters raised in response to a consultation on the draft HRO earlier in 2015. I fully support the appointment of the community directors and I hope this work can be completed shortly to allow progress to be made.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Richard Burden on 2015-11-09.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the implications for his policies of the finding in the RAC report, Motoring 2015, published in September 2015, that 12 per cent of motorists think it is acceptable to make a short call on a hand-held mobile device whilst driving; and what measures his Department plans to take to research the potential effectiveness and enforcement of legislation on the use of such devices for (a) phone calls and (b) using social media whilst driving.

Andrew Jones

It is illegal to use a hand held device to make phone calls or use social media whilst driving. The Department is considering the findings of the research study undertaken by the Transport Research Laboratory (TRL) which looked at the prevalence of phone use across England and Scotland. This study will help inform future policy decisions. Effective enforcement will remain a key priority. The previous Government in 2013 increased the fixed penalty level for using a mobile phone at the wheel to £100 and the Department will continue to keep further deterrent measures under consideration.