Tag: Richard Burden

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Richard Burden on 2016-04-11.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what position the UK representative at the MaMa-COHAFA meeting in Brussels on 11 April 2016 took on proposals to (a) demand compensation from the Israeli authorities for demolition of structures in the Occupied Palestinian Territory funded by the EU and its member-states and (b) make the EU damages registry publicly available.

Mr Tobias Ellwood

We do not comment on ongoing discussions between EU Member States in the Council, as they are confidential. However, our position on demolitions is clear: they cause unnecessary suffering of ordinary Palestinians and undermine the prospects for a two-state solution.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Richard Burden on 2016-04-14.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when he plans to publish proposals for changing the status of the UK Ship Register within the Maritime and Coastguard Agency; and whether he plans that those proposals will be subject to public consultation.

Mr Robert Goodwill

Work by the department to explore options for ensuring the future competitiveness of the UK Ship Register is in progress. Any proposals for a change in status that are developed will be subject to appropriate consultation.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Richard Burden on 2016-04-27.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what work his Department is carrying out to follow up the International Maritime Organisation summit on shipping emissions in April 2016; and whether the UK will play an active role in the working group established at that summit.

Mr Robert Goodwill

The Department and the Maritime and Coastguard Agency are working closely with other Government departments, as well as the European Commission and European Union and IMO Member States, to reach an agreement on the development of a work plan and timetable to define shipping’s fair share of global efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

The UK is committed to ensuring that the international maritime sector plays its part in achieving a global solution to limit average temperature increases as set out in the Paris Agreement, reached at the 2015 United Nations Climate Change Conference, and will play an active role in the working group on this issue as set up at the 69^th session of the International Maritime Organization’s Marine Environment Protection Committee in April 2016.

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 have been re-flagged under open registers in each month since January 2015.

Mr Robert Goodwill

Since January 2015, 11 offshore supply vessels have left the UK flag. Out of these 11 vessels, 10 have re-flagged under open registers. One left in January 2015; three in April 2015; two in May 2015; and one in each of June 2015, July 2015, November 2015 and March 2016.

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.