Asked by: Lord Stone of Blackheath (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the risk to UK citizens resulting from their decision to ban flights between the UK and Sharm el Sheikh.
Answered by Baroness Sugg
Department for Transport makes regular assessments of the risk posed to flights inbound to and outbound from the UK. We share the former with the relevant host government, to agree on appropriate security measures, but for obvious reasons do not publish such assessments.
Asked by: Lord Stone of Blackheath (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Sugg on 7 November (HL2559), when they last carried out an assessment of Sharm el Sheikh airport; and whether that assessment involved UK officials visiting that airport.
Answered by Baroness Sugg
Further to my response on 7 November (HL2559), Department for Transport officials have regularly visited Sharm el Sheikh airport. However, it is long-standing government policy not to publish the detail of aviation security assessments, including the dates of those assessments, for any location for reasons of both security and protecting international relations.
Asked by: Lord Stone of Blackheath (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have reviewed the ban on direct flights between the UK and Sharm el Sheikh, in the light of such flights being available from other European states, including Italy, Germany, and Belgium.
Answered by Baroness Sugg
The Department for Transport carries out regular assessments of aviation security at all last points of departure airports to the UK from Egypt. The Government works closely with international partners, including airlines, airports and the Egyptian Government, on security standards. Global aviation security arrangements are kept under constant review. It is the responsibility for each Government to determine their own advice on where it is safe for their citizens or carriers to fly.
Asked by: Lord Stone of Blackheath (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the security implications of increasing unemployment in Sharm el Sheikh arising from the continued ban on flights between Sharm el Sheikh and the UK.
Answered by Baroness Anelay of St Johns
We are not aware of any indications to date that the UK and Russian suspension of flights to Sharm el-Sheikh is having a negative impact on the security situation there. We are conscious of the economic impact which flight suspension and the resulting drop in tourism continues to have. We look forward to achieving the return of flights once we can be assured that the necessary security environment can be sustained. The safety of British nationals is our main concern.
Asked by: Lord Stone of Blackheath (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Anelay of St Johns on 19 September (HL1630), when flights between the UK and Sharm el-Sheikh will resume.
Answered by Baroness Anelay of St Johns
The Government has not yet concluded that it is right to lift the restrictions on direct UK flights to and from Sharm el-Sheikh. The security of British nationals is the Government's top priority. Our security experts take account of many factors in providing advice on whether it is safe to fly to certain destinations.
UK aviation security experts have worked closely with their Egyptian counterparts on the ground, sharing their expertise in establishing effective security arrangements. We continue to work in partnership in a spirit of cooperation, and are grateful for Egypt's close engagement and partnership. We look forward to achieving the return of flights once we can be assured that the necessary security environment can be sustained.
Asked by: Lord Stone of Blackheath (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they are taking to strengthen ties, and build a partnership, with Egypt to fight terrorism and promote peace and British interests in the region.
Answered by Baroness Anelay of St Johns
The UK is building ties with Egypt both at the political level and through cooperation and assistance in a number of areas including through work on security, the economy, governance and education. The former Prime Minister (The Right Hon. David Cameron), invited President Sisi to London in November 2015 and the Prime Minister spoke to President Sisi on 3rd of August to discuss future cooperation.
The UK plans to spend £50m from 2016 to 2020 inclusive to support the country’s continued stability, protect ordinary Egyptians, tackle radicalisation and safeguard tourists and British nationals. UK cooperation includes supporting scientific innovation through the seven year £25m Newton Mosharafa fund, funding which will be matched by the Egyptian government. We are also fostering interfaith understanding through the UK – Al Azhar Religious Studies Scholarship which provides opportunities for future religious leaders to undertake doctoral studies in the UK. And we are working closely with the Egyptian authorities to provide technical assistance on financial reform.
The UK and Egypt have a shared interest in the fight against terrorism, and we are committed to working together in a number of areas to combat the terrorist threat. These include aviation security and the protection of tourist resorts. The UK armed forces have also provided their Egyptian counterparts with counter-IED and close protection training. The former Foreign Secretary, my Rt Hon. Friend the Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr Hammond) and Foreign Minister Shoukry signed a Memorandum of Understanding during President Sisi's visit to the UK in November 2015. This committed the Home Office and Egyptian Ministry of Interior to a regular high-level dialogue to increase cooperation across a wide range of areas, including counter-terrorism, illegal migration and organised crime.
Asked by: Lord Stone of Blackheath (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the impact on the Egyptian economy and tourism industry of their continued advice against all but essential travel by air to or from Sharm el Sheikh.
Answered by Baroness Anelay of St Johns
Prior to the downing of Metrojet 9268, tourism accounted for around 12% of Egypt’s GDP.
The Egyptian Tourist Minister stated in November that flight suspensions following the Metrojet attack have resulted in direct losses estimated at upwards of $280m a month. This figure includes the impact of flight suspensions by a number of countries including Russia, which has suspended flights to the whole of Egypt. 865,000 British nationals visited Egypt in 2015 accounting for around 1% of Egypt’s GDP. British tourists continue to visit Egypt, for example popular resorts such as Hurghada. We expect that our current suspension of direct UK flights to and from Sharm el Sheikh will mean that the overall numbers are significantly lower this year. We are cooperating closely with the Egyptian government on Aviation Security and have agreed a Joint Action Plan to resume flights between the UK and Sharm el-Sheikh.
Asked by: Lord Stone of Blackheath (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many statutory instruments were made in the first five months of (1) the 2010–15 Parliament, and (2) this Parliament.
Answered by Lord Bridges of Headley
For the period 18 May 2010 to 18 October 2010, 290 statutory instruments were made or laid in draft. For the period 18 May 2015 to 18 October 2015, 268 statutory instruments were made or laid in draft.
Asked by: Lord Stone of Blackheath (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government, in the light of the statistics provided in response to a request under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 showing that the London Borough of Merton did not comply with 87 per cent of the decisions by independent adjudicators regarding the issuing of parking penalty fines, what assessment they have made of (1) the value for money of, and (2) the efficacy of, independent adjudicators who consider and make recommendations on such fines.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
No such assessment has been made. The adjudication services are not administered by central Government. However there is a distinction between recommendations, which do not have to be followed by authorities, and adjudicators’ directions following successful appeals, which must be complied with in law.
Asked by: Lord Stone of Blackheath (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government, in the light of the growth of the use of military, commercial, and private drones, what plans, if any, they have to license or control their use, especially in relation to the potential aural and visual impact of non-military drones on urban, rural and coastal airspaces.
Answered by Baroness Kramer - Liberal Democrat Lords Spokesperson (Treasury and Economy)
Civilian Remotely Piloted Aircraft operations are closely regulated by the Civil Aviation Authority and are treated in the same manner as that of an equivalent manned aircraft. However, until such time that remotely piloted aircraft systems can demonstrate that they are both airworthy and capable of avoiding other airspace users, all operations must be contained within segregated airspace, to which access for manned aircraft is prevented or closely controlled.
The Department for Transport is currently developing its policy in respect of civil Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems, and in 2015 intends to engage in a public dialogue on issues such as environmental impact, safety and privacy.