Asked by: Baroness Clark of Kilwinning (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Scotland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what discussions he has had with (a) the Scottish Government and (b) his ministerial colleagues on the sustainability of employment and exploration levels in the North Sea oil and gas industry; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by David Mundell
My Rt hon Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland has regular discussions with colleagues and industry leaders on support for the Oil and Gas sector in Scotland.
The UK Government has demonstrated its long term commitment to supporting this vital industry with a package of fiscal measures designed to ease the tax burden on the industry and expected to drive around £7 billion of additional investment. We are also delivering the full implementation of the Wood Review recommendations.
Asked by: Baroness Clark of Kilwinning (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps his Department has taken to contact the families of the seafarers serving on the bulk carrier Cemfjord; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by John Hayes
The Department has had no direct contact with the families of the seafarers serving on the Cemfjord. There were no Britons among its crew. The crew’s next of kin are being kept informed of developments in the investigation through the ship’s owner. Nevertheless, we will ensure that any information that becomes known is made available.
Asked by: Baroness Clark of Kilwinning (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what discussions he has had with representatives of the (a) Cyprus ship registery, (b) ship management company and (c) ship owner on the sinking of the Cemfjord in the Pentland Firth on 3 January 2015.
Answered by John Hayes
As part of its investigation into this tragic accident, the Marine Accident Investigation Branch has made contact with all the key stakeholders and in particular with the Marine Accident and Incident Investigation Committee of Cyprus, which is providing its support in accordance with the requirements of Directive 2009/18/EC. Interviews and meetings will continue in the coming weeks.
Asked by: Baroness Clark of Kilwinning (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when he expects the Marine Accident Investigation Branch to produce initial findings from its investigation into the causes of the sinking of the bulk carrier Cemfjord in the Pentland Firth on 3 January 2015.
Answered by John Hayes
In the absence of any survivors of this tragic accident, and with challenging weather and tidal conditions at the wreck site, it is unlikely that the Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) will be able to establish the causes and circumstances for some time. The Chief Inspector of Marine Accidents has advised me that a full assessment of why the Cemfjord foundered will not be possible until a survey of the wreck site has been undertaken and analysed.
Asked by: Baroness Clark of Kilwinning (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how the (a) Northern Lighthouse Board and (b) Maritime and Coastguard Agency responded to the sinking of the Cemfjord in the Pentland Firth on 3 January 2015.
Answered by John Hayes
After the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) received a report of a capsized hull in the Pentland Firth Her Majesty’s Coastguard immediately coordinated a search and rescue (SAR) response. The SAR response included four lifeboats, two SAR helicopters and other vessels in the Pentland Firth area. The emergency towing vessel was sent to mark the position of the capsized ship and to offer expert advice on any salvage effort. Five Coastguard Rescue Teams, based either on Orkney or on the north Scottish coast, assisted in the search.
The Northern Lighthouse Board (NLB) sent its lighthouse vessel PHAROS to the area to determine if the wreck was a hazard to navigation and to survey the seabed to locate the CEMFJORD. The wreck was found close to its final reported sinking position at a depth of around 70m, and is not a hazard to shipping.
The MCA also arranged for additional flying of its surveillance aircraft to check that there were no signs of the crew in liferafts.
Asked by: Baroness Clark of Kilwinning (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether his Department has conducted an impact assessment of proposed changes to the widowed parent's allowance; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Steve Webb
Bereavement benefits including Widowed Parent’s Allowance will be replaced by Bereavement Support Payment from April 2017. Those already in receipt of the existing benefit will not be affected by the change.
An impact assessment was published in April 2014: “Replacement of existing Bereavement Benefits for New Claims from April 2017 – Bereavement Benefits for the 21st Century (in Great Britain)”
Asked by: Baroness Clark of Kilwinning (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if he will take steps to prevent households which do not have a television receiving correspondence from the TV licensing Authority threatening them with legal action.
Answered by Lord Vaizey of Didcot
TV Licensing is responsible for all operational decisions regarding enforcement of the licence fee, including correspondence. Any changes to the enforcement regime, including outcomes from the TV Licence Fee Enforcement Review, would need to be considered as a part of the review of the BBC's Royal Charter.
Asked by: Baroness Clark of Kilwinning (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many times the Maritime Rescue Co-ordination Centres at Belfast and Stornoway were staffed at below risk-assessed levels at the same time in 2014.
Answered by John Hayes
Where there are specific issues at a Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC), Her Majesty’s Coastguard uses the current long established pairing arrangements between MRCCs. This enables each MRCC to be connected to at least one other MRCC which is available to provide mutual support.
These historic risk assessed watch level assessments at MRCCs err strongly on the side of caution. As each MRCC joins the evolving national network the number of Coastguards at any of the individual centres becomes less significant. The flexibility of the new arrangements means that it is more important to consider the number of Coastguards available on the growing network.
Based on the risk assessment which characterised the previous model, during December 2014 Belfast MRCC was staffed below risk assessed levels on 23 occasions out of 62 shifts and Stornoway was staffed below risk assessed levels on 41 occasions out of 62 shifts.
During 2014 the MRCCs at Belfast and Stornoway were staffed below risk assessed levels at the same time 126 occasions out of 730 shifts during 2014.
I have asked for a fresh appraisal of the relationship between the available levels of resource and need in the light of the benefit of the new structure.
Asked by: Baroness Clark of Kilwinning (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many times the Maritime Rescue Co-ordination Centre at Stornoway was staffed at below risk-assessed levels in December 2014.
Answered by John Hayes
Where there are specific issues at a Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC), Her Majesty’s Coastguard uses the current long established pairing arrangements between MRCCs. This enables each MRCC to be connected to at least one other MRCC which is available to provide mutual support.
These historic risk assessed watch level assessments at MRCCs err strongly on the side of caution. As each MRCC joins the evolving national network the number of Coastguards at any of the individual centres becomes less significant. The flexibility of the new arrangements means that it is more important to consider the number of Coastguards available on the growing network.
Based on the risk assessment which characterised the previous model, during December 2014 Belfast MRCC was staffed below risk assessed levels on 23 occasions out of 62 shifts and Stornoway was staffed below risk assessed levels on 41 occasions out of 62 shifts.
During 2014 the MRCCs at Belfast and Stornoway were staffed below risk assessed levels at the same time 126 occasions out of 730 shifts during 2014.
I have asked for a fresh appraisal of the relationship between the available levels of resource and need in the light of the benefit of the new structure.
Asked by: Baroness Clark of Kilwinning (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many times the Maritime Rescue Co-ordination Centre at Belfast was staffed at below risk-assessed levels in December 2014.
Answered by John Hayes
Where there are specific issues at a Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC), Her Majesty’s Coastguard uses the current long established pairing arrangements between MRCCs. This enables each MRCC to be connected to at least one other MRCC which is available to provide mutual support.
These historic risk assessed watch level assessments at MRCCs err strongly on the side of caution. As each MRCC joins the evolving national network the number of Coastguards at any of the individual centres becomes less significant. The flexibility of the new arrangements means that it is more important to consider the number of Coastguards available on the growing network.
Based on the risk assessment which characterised the previous model, during December 2014 Belfast MRCC was staffed below risk assessed levels on 23 occasions out of 62 shifts and Stornoway was staffed below risk assessed levels on 41 occasions out of 62 shifts.
During 2014 the MRCCs at Belfast and Stornoway were staffed below risk assessed levels at the same time 126 occasions out of 730 shifts during 2014.
I have asked for a fresh appraisal of the relationship between the available levels of resource and need in the light of the benefit of the new structure.