Asked by: Lord Balfe (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
Her Majesty's Government what measures they are taking to obviate danger to civil aircraft posted by remotely piloted aircraft as required by the International Civil Aviation Organization as communicated to contracting states in letter AN13/55-17/38.
Answered by Lord Callanan - Shadow Minister (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Department for Transport and the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) work with a wide range of partners, including the British Airline Pilots' Association and the Police, to ensure our understanding of potential hazards to aircraft remains up to date. Work is underway to better understand the risk posed by drones to commercial aircraft and ensure that the regulatory and industry responses remain fit for purpose. The Government has conducted a consultation to determine if further measures are needed in this area and will be responding to this soon with its intended future actions.
We have also been working closely with the CAA and industry to adapt and strengthen existing measures and mitigations as drone use and the related technology evolves. This has led to a safety awareness and education campaign aimed at leisure drone users, the launch of a new www.dronesafe.uk website, and a free new app ‘Drone Assist’ by NATS, which shows users where they should and should not fly in their locality.
Asked by: Lord Balfe (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they plan for passenger rights to compensation for delay, cancellation, denied boarding and involuntary downgrading on air flights, as laid out in EU Regulation 261/2004, to be transposed in their entirety into UK law upon withdrawal from the EU.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
The Government is considering carefully all the potential implications arising from the UK’s exit from the EU, including future arrangements for passenger rights. The Great Repeal Bill will provide a functioning statute book on the day the UK leaves the EU. In addition to repealing the European Communities Act, the Bill will convert EU law into UK law as it stands at the moment before we leave the EU; and create temporary powers to make secondary legislation. The Bill aims to maximise certainty for individuals and businesses as we leave the EU. The Department for Transport is working closely with consumers and industry to best understand their requirements.
Asked by: Lord Balfe (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government, before introducing the ban on the carriage of personal electronic devices in cabins on certain flights, what assessment they made of (1) the additional risk of lithium battery fires in aircraft holds, and (2) the safety implications of implementing a ban on lithium batteries being transported in any part of the aircraft.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
The International Civil Aviation Organisation Technical Instructions for the Safe Transport of Dangerous Goods by Air (and the International Air Transport Association Dangerous Goods Regulations) detail the conditions for the carriage of consumer Portable Electronic Devices (PEDs) containing lithium ion/metal batteries by passengers and crew. Carriage within checked/hold baggage is permitted with the devices switched off and packed such that they are afforded suitable protection from damage and inadvertent operation.
The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has provided further advice to air carriers on the procedures to be followed in relation to the carriage of devices containing lithium batteries in the hold of an aircraft. With assurance that these procedures are in place and that passengers are complying with the operators’ safety instructions, the CAA’s assessment is that the safety risk in relation to this issue can be managed.