Asked by: Lee Rowley (Conservative - North East Derbyshire)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what estimate his Department has made of the number of journeys made from Dronfield train station to Manchester Oxford Road train station in the 2017-18 financial year.
Answered by Chris Heaton-Harris
Passenger demand flows between specific stations and on specific routes are not publicly available as this data is commercially sensitive. However, the Office of Rail and Road (ORR) publish data on the estimates of the total number of passengers entering and exiting each station in Great Britain.
Total number of station entries and exits, 2017-18 financial year
Station name | Entries and exits |
Dronfield | 202,622 |
Manchester Oxford Road | 8,558,308 |
Liverpool Lime Street | 16,032,460 |
Manchester Piccadilly | 27,724,962 |
Additional years are available at the following link:
https://dataportal.orr.gov.uk/statistics/usage/estimates-of-station-usage/
Asked by: Lee Rowley (Conservative - North East Derbyshire)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of using British Model Flying Association drone registration data to avoid duplicate registrations in the UK Drone Registration Scheme.
Answered by Paul Maynard
Small unmanned aircraft (SUAs) can be enormously beneficial, both commercially and as a leisure pursuit. However, SUAs also have the potential to pose a safety and security threat so it is important that those operating them understand the law and their responsibilities as a remote pilot of an aircraft in UK airspace.
The changes to the Air Navigation Order laid before Parliament in May 2018 require that all operators of SUAs of all types weighing 250g – 20kg must register their aircraft by 30 November 2019.
The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) is working with the British Model Flying Association to see whether, as a service to their members, they may want to assist in the initial upload of data. The CAA will be launching an awareness-raising campaign to ensure that new and existing operators and remote pilots of small unmanned aircraft (SUAs) are aware of the requirement to register and take a competency test by 30 November 2019.
Asked by: Lee Rowley (Conservative - North East Derbyshire)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what plans his Department has to publicise the UK Drone Registration Scheme to (a) new and (b) drone owners.
Answered by Paul Maynard
Small unmanned aircraft (SUAs) can be enormously beneficial, both commercially and as a leisure pursuit. However, SUAs also have the potential to pose a safety and security threat so it is important that those operating them understand the law and their responsibilities as a remote pilot of an aircraft in UK airspace.
The changes to the Air Navigation Order laid before Parliament in May 2018 require that all operators of SUAs of all types weighing 250g – 20kg must register their aircraft by 30 November 2019.
The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) is working with the British Model Flying Association to see whether, as a service to their members, they may want to assist in the initial upload of data. The CAA will be launching an awareness-raising campaign to ensure that new and existing operators and remote pilots of small unmanned aircraft (SUAs) are aware of the requirement to register and take a competency test by 30 November 2019.
Asked by: Lee Rowley (Conservative - North East Derbyshire)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what criteria his Department used to calculate the £950,000 cost of the annual upgrade of the UK Drone Registration Scheme.
Answered by Grant Shapps
The Civil Aviation Authority’s (CAA) consultation document explains that the predicted 170,000 unmanned aircraft operator registration figure has been calculated using adoption rates for other national registration schemes (such as those in Ireland and the United States) against the UK population, and available research on drone use and attitudes.
The document also sets out the rationale for the cost of ongoing upgrades to the service. The initial scheme will be launched with a minimum scope and service level and, in common with best practice and the Government Digital Service framework, the CAA plans to make minor service improvements and major functionality improvements. Major improvements may include a renewal invitation process and incorporate the existing unmanned aircraft service for commercial operators.
Asked by: Lee Rowley (Conservative - North East Derbyshire)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, on what evidence his Department based its estimate of the predicted registration of 170,000 drone users within the first 18 months of the UK Drone Registration Scheme.
Answered by Grant Shapps
The Civil Aviation Authority’s (CAA) consultation document explains that the predicted 170,000 unmanned aircraft operator registration figure has been calculated using adoption rates for other national registration schemes (such as those in Ireland and the United States) against the UK population, and available research on drone use and attitudes.
The document also sets out the rationale for the cost of ongoing upgrades to the service. The initial scheme will be launched with a minimum scope and service level and, in common with best practice and the Government Digital Service framework, the CAA plans to make minor service improvements and major functionality improvements. Major improvements may include a renewal invitation process and incorporate the existing unmanned aircraft service for commercial operators.
Asked by: Lee Rowley (Conservative - North East Derbyshire)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment his Department has made of the potential effect of the UK Drone Registration Scheme on levels of criminal activity involving drones.
Answered by Grant Shapps
The Government’s response to the 2018 consultation on ‘Taking Flight: The Future of Drones in the UK’ sets out that it is likely that the majority of users of small unmanned aircraft (SUAs) who break the law, do so unintentionally. Therefore, the introduction of a registration and education scheme will raise awareness of how to safely fly an unmanned aircraft. SUAs will be required to display their registration number on their aircraft, which will help law enforcement agencies identify the operator of the aircraft where an offence has been committed whether intentionally or otherwise.
The Government recognises that a requirement to register will not prevent criminals intent on breaking the law from causing damage and disruption. That is why it plans to introduce the Unmanned Aircraft Bill, which includes new police powers to help tackle the misuse of unmanned aircraft.
The Department for Transport is also working closely with Home Office, other Government departments, police forces, airports and other stakeholders to ensure a joined up, holistic approach to safety and security in relation to unmanned aircraft.
Asked by: Lee Rowley (Conservative - North East Derbyshire)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if her Department will make an assessment of the potential merits of making the HS2 Rural Support Zone scheme eligible for property owners through trusts that do not occupy those properties.
Answered by Nusrat Ghani
Extending the RSZ schemes to non-owner occupiers in this way would be inconsistent with the eligibility requirements for statutory blight upon which the eligibility requirements of HS2 non-statutory property compensation schemes are broadly based.
HS2 property compensation schemes will be, however, kept under review for the entirety of the programme to ensure that people who are directly affected by HS2 are properly supported.
Under established arrangements people with special circumstances who are not eligible to apply under HS2 non-statutory property compensation schemes can request that their circumstances are considered atypically.