Asked by: Lord West of Spithead (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Bates on 22 July (HL1355), what assessment the UK Border Agency has made of whether it will have access to adequate aerial surveillance platforms in 2016.
Answered by Lord Bates
Border Force is making plans with its law enforcement partners and other organisations to ensure that it has a sufficient air surveillance capability in place from January 2016 when the contract with its current supplier expires.
Asked by: Lord West of Spithead (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is the proposed timetable for the passage of a new communications data bill through both Houses in order to meet the present legislation's sunset deadline of December 2016.
Answered by Lord Bates
The Government are committed to introducing a Bill on investigatory powers early next year, so that it can receive Royal Assent before the sunset clause in the Data Retention and Investigatory Powers Act comes into effect at the end of 2016. In order to meet that timetable and allow the full parliamentary scrutiny, we intend to bring forward a draft Bill for consideration in the autumn, which will be subject to full pre-legislative scrutiny, including by a Joint Committee of both Houses.
Asked by: Lord West of Spithead (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assets are now involved in humanitarian operations in the central Mediterranean; and for how long they are committed.
Answered by Lord Bates
The UK currently has two Border Force patrol vessels in the Mediterranean directly tasked with saving lives.
In addition, HMS ENTERPRISE, supported by a Merlin helicopter, is the UK’s contribution to the EU operation in the Mediterranean to disrupt the smuggling networks. She will participate in search and rescue when required. We keep our commitment under close review, depending on operational need.
Asked by: Lord West of Spithead (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Earl Howe on 7 July (HL941), what aerial surveillance capability the Border Agency operates separately from the Ministry of Defence; and what assessment they have made of whether civilian assets currently available will be available next year.
Answered by Lord Bates
We do not comment on specific operational matters that impact on national security. A variety of assets ensure the integrity of the UK border.