Tag: Zac Goldsmith

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Zac Goldsmith on 2016-10-07.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what her Department’s policy is on seeking a ban on ivory sales.

Dr Thérèse Coffey

The Government is deeply concerned by the continued poaching of elephants for their ivory, which is why we are committed to maintaining the current global ban on any international trade in new ivory. The UK has made no formal assessment of the impact of other countries’ additional measures to restrict trade in ivory. However, as a further step in delivering the Government’s manifesto commitment to press for a total ban on ivory sales, on 21 September the Secretary of State announced plans for a ban on sales of items containing ivory dated between 1947 and the present day, putting UK rules on ivory sales among the world’s toughest. We will consult on plans for the ban early next year. This will complement the existing UK approach not to permit the trade of raw ivory tusks.

The Government also successfully lobbied for the EU-wide adoption of the existing UK ban on sales of raw ivory tusks, which was advocated through the EU Council Conclusions on an EU Action Plan on Wildlife Trafficking and adopted in June. This urged EU Member States not to issue export or re-export documents under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) for raw, pre-Convention ivory (pre-1990) and to consider further measures to put a halt to commercial trade in ivory from elephants.

At the CITES Conference that took place from 24 September to 5 October the UK was involved in negotiations that successfully secured a strong agreement calling for the closure of domestic ivory markets where they contribute to poaching or illegal trade. This was agreed by all 183 Parties to CITES.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Zac Goldsmith on 2016-06-08.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how many rodent reintroduction incidents have occurred on South Georgia since the commencement of the rodent eradication project.

James Duddridge

There has been one confirmed sighting of a rodent in October 2014. It was found in an area baited as part of the rodent eradication project. The source of the rodent is not known. On its sighting a pre-prepared plan was enacted. After intensive monitoring of the area, no signs of rodents have been seen, and it is believed the response was effective and the area remains rodent free.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Zac Goldsmith on 2015-10-12.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the potentially constraining effect on Heathrow airport’s growth of that airport’s future carbon emissions.

Mr Robert Goodwill

The Government is currently considering the large amount of very detailed analysis contained in the Airports Commission’s final report before taking any decisions on next steps.

The Government will carefully consider all the evidence set out, including that on noise, air quality and costs, when making a decision on additional runway capacity.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Zac Goldsmith on 2015-10-12.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what estimate his Department has made of the number of people who will experience an increase in the effect of noise as a result of the current plan to modernise London’s airspace; what assessment his Department has made of the geographical extent of that increase; and what effect the proposed Heathrow expansion would have on those estimates.

Mr Robert Goodwill

The Government has not undertaken any such an assessments.

Proposals for airspace change in the UK are subject to the Civil Aviation Authority’s (CAA) Airspace Change Process. A key part of this process is the requirement for airspace change sponsors to consider the potential noise impacts of their proposal and to consult those who may be affected. The CAA takes full account of the potential noise impact when making its decision.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Zac Goldsmith on 2015-10-12.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what estimate he has made of the potential (a) direct and (b) indirect costs to the public purse of the proposed expansion of Heathrow airport.

Mr Robert Goodwill

The Government is currently considering the large amount of very detailed analysis contained in the Airports Commission’s final report before taking any decisions on next steps.

The Government will carefully consider all the evidence set out, including that on noise, air quality and costs, when making a decision on additional runway capacity.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Zac Goldsmith on 2015-10-12.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the safety and noise pollution implications of new flight paths likely to be required as a result of Heathrow expansion.

Mr Robert Goodwill

The Government is currently considering the large amount of very detailed analysis contained in the Airports Commission’s final report before taking any decisions on next steps.

The Government will carefully consider all the evidence set out, including that on noise, air quality and costs, when making a decision on additional runway capacity.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Zac Goldsmith on 2015-10-12.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps his Department took to ensure Sir Howard Davies was not subject to any conflicts of interest when he was appointed as Chair of the Airports Commission.

Mr Robert Goodwill

Sir Howard Davies was required to complete and sign a register of interest disclosure form stating any potential conflict with his work in leading the independent Airports Commission. Registers of all the Commissioners’ interests are available on the Airports Commission’s website at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/airports-commissioners-conflicts-of-interest-disclosure

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The below Parliamentary question was asked by Zac Goldsmith on 2015-10-12.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the implication for his policy of evidence in the Airports Commission consultation of November 2014 which shows that Heathrow expansion will result in no overall increase in the number of UK passengers, business passengers, flights or connectivity because it would be fed by re-distributing growth from other UK airports; and what assessment he has made of the potential effect of Heathrow expansion on the diversification of economic growth throughout the UK.

Mr Robert Goodwill

The Government is currently considering the large amount of very detailed analysis contained in the Airports Commission’s final report before taking any decisions on next steps.

The Government will carefully consider all the evidence set out, including that on noise, air quality and costs, when making a decision on additional runway capacity.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Zac Goldsmith on 2015-10-09.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if her Department will revise its consultation paper on air quality draft plans, published on 12 September 2015, to take into account findings by the US Environmental Protection Agency of car manufacturers cheating in vehicle emissions tests.

Rory Stewart

The projections modelled in the draft plans were based on road transport emission factors from COPERT (Computer Programme to calculate Emissions from Road Transport). These take into account the gap between real world emissions and those from testing.