Asked by: Lord West of Spithead (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have identified a clear timeline for allowing the cruise industry to restart.
Answered by Baroness Vere of Norbiton - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Prime Minister set out the Roadmap out of lockdown on 22 February which will take place over four steps. The Roadmap includes plans for a successor to the Global Travel Taskforce, which will consider a safe and sustainable return to international travel.
The timelines for international cruise restart will be determined through the Taskforce, which will report on 12 April. The report’s recommendations will be aimed at facilitating a return to international travel as soon as is possible, while still managing risk from imported cases and variants of concern. Following that, the Government will determine when international travel should resume, which will be no earlier than 17 May.
We will seek to align domestic cruises with the resumption of wider domestic tourism and indoor hospitality.
Asked by: Lord West of Spithead (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Vere of Norbiton on 5 February (HL12745), whether, in the event of the failure of satellite-based and radio-based navigation provisions, ships’ officers should use navigation methods that were in place before the introduction of those provisions.
Answered by Baroness Vere of Norbiton - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
Merchant ships’ navigation officers, under part of their certificates of competency, are provided practical training both ashore and on board to detect and adequately respond to failures of satellite-based and radio-based navigation systems. These responses already include reverting to use of navigation methods other than the satellite and radio-based navigation provisions.
In addition, merchant ships’ navigation watchkeeping procedures contain explicit instructions to routinely employ alternative navigations systems - such as radar for harbour and coastal waters, and celestial navigation for oceans – so as to not rely solely on the satellite and radio-based navigation provisions.
Asked by: Lord West of Spithead (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Goldie on 10 December 2020 (HL10934), what assessment they have made of whether UK ocean-going merchant ships will be able to use the Global Maritime Distress and Safety System (GMDSS) in the event of the failure of satellite-based communications, and whether those ships will be able to use the GMDSS to communicate in the event that commercial coast stations are closed.
Answered by Baroness Vere of Norbiton - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
UK-registered ocean-going merchant ships operate under the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) convention which contains common rules for radio equipment installations. The International Maritime Organization’s view is that it is important to maintain medium frequency (MF)/ high frequency (HF) communication systems in case of failure of satellite systems.
The UK relies on the IMO’s assessment of the availability of maritime HF communications in its ongoing review and modernisation of the Global Maritime Distress and Safety System (GMDSS). The availability of coast stations for general communications is considered adequate.
Should a coast station close, nation State search and rescue services will continue to respond to HF GMDSS Distress, Urgency and Safety radio traffic. Should the IMO consider the provision of service through HF GMDSS coast stations to be a concern and that could only be addressed at the international level, then it would take action.
Asked by: Lord West of Spithead (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Vere of Norbiton on 15 January (HL11793), what assessment they have made of the resilience of UK merchant ships’ ability to receive position, navigation and timing data in the event of a failure of satellite provision.
Answered by Baroness Vere of Norbiton - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
Merchant ships’ navigation officers, under part of their certificates of competency, are provided adequate practical training both ashore and on board to detect and respond to failures of satellite-based position, navigation and timing provisions.
They are, therefore, equipped to employ alternate methods and equipment, such as visual and radar lines of positions, and celestial navigation techniques for the coastal and oceanic phases of ships’ voyages respectively.
Asked by: Lord West of Spithead (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Goldie on 10 December 2020 (HL10934), what tests they have conducted with British merchant ships contacting UK maritime authorities using (1) High Frequency, or (2) Single Side Band, radio communications from the (a) North Atlantic, (b) South Atlantic, (c) Indian, and (d) Pacific, oceans since the closure of Portishead radio station.
Answered by Baroness Vere of Norbiton - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Maritime and Coastguard Agency has not conducted any specific testing of radiocommunications with UK merchant ships.
Under the Safety of Life At Sea Convention, it is the responsibility of operators of merchant ships to ensure that those ships carry communications equipment that is consistent with the Global Maritime Distress and Safety System (GMDSS), which provides an internationally operated maritime communications service.
UK-registered and regulated ships must have radio installations capable of GMDSS communications to shore for their sea areas of operation. In ocean regions they may choose to have either High Frequency (HF) radio or satellite communications, and in polar regions HF is mandatory.
Asked by: Lord West of Spithead (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to remain a member of the EU–US Open Skies Agreement.
Answered by Baroness Vere of Norbiton - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
The EU-US Air Transport Agreement will cease to apply to the United Kingdom on 31 December 2020, after the end of the transition period. The UK and US have concluded negotiations on a new bilateral Air Transport Agreement, which will apply from that point and ensures the continuity of air services between our two countries.
Asked by: Lord West of Spithead (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with the government of the United States about remaining part of the EU–US Open Skies Agreement.
Answered by Baroness Vere of Norbiton - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
The EU-US Air Transport Agreement will cease to apply to the United Kingdom on 31 December 2020, after the end of the transition period. The UK and US have concluded negotiations on a new bilateral Air Transport Agreement, which will apply from that point and ensures the continuity of air services between our two countries.
Asked by: Lord West of Spithead (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether, as part of the package of measures to ensure freight capacity support announced by the Secretary of State for Transport on 24 April, consideration was given to building a new Penzance to Scilly Islands ferry to be used to ensure the ongoing supply of critical freight.
Answered by Baroness Vere of Norbiton - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
The package of measures announced on Friday 24 April provides support for the continuation of vital services to the Isles of Scilly during the COVID-19 pandemic. The building of a new vessel was not part of those considerations and would be a decision for the operators to take.
Asked by: Lord West of Spithead (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what consideration they have given to building a new Penzance to Scilly Islands ferry at the Appledore shipyard.
Answered by Baroness Vere of Norbiton - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
The package of measures announced on Friday 24 April provides support for the continuation of vital services to the Isles of Scilly during the COVID-19 pandemic. The building of a new vessel was not part of those considerations and would be a decision for the operators to take.
Asked by: Lord West of Spithead (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made, if any, of the difference in carbon footprint of using a ship versus aircraft for travel to and from the Isles of Scilly.
Answered by Baroness Vere of Norbiton - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
No assessment has been made by the Government on the difference in carbon footprint of using a ship versus aircraft for travel to and from the Isles of Scilly.