Asked by: Tobias Ellwood (Conservative - Bournemouth East)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what maritime assets are being sent to the Middle East following Iran's drone and missile attack on Israel.
Answered by Leo Docherty - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for the Armed Forces)
As of 22 April 2024, there are no plans to reposition additional maritime assets to the Middle East. However, the UK remains ready to respond to the evolving situation as required. The Ministry of Defence has bolstered its contribution to maritime security in the region with the deployment of HMS Diamond, in support of Op PROSPERITY GUARDIAN, joining HMS Lancaster deployed in support of the long standing Op KIPION.
Asked by: Tobias Ellwood (Conservative - Bournemouth East)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how much funding has been provided to BCP council to fix potholes.
Answered by Guy Opperman - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
In 2023/24 the Government provided Bournemouth, Christchurch & Poole Council with £6.24 million of capital funding for local highway maintenance. This was an increase of around 30% compared to the previous year, made possible in part by reallocating £604,000 of funding that would otherwise have been spent on the HS2 programme. In total, Bournemouth, Christchurch & Poole Council will receive an uplift of over £18 million over the next decade as a result of the decision to reallocate HS2 funding.
It is up to Bournemouth, Christchurch & Poole Council to determine how best to use this funding based on local needs, priorities and circumstances. Bournemouth, Christchurch & Poole Council has published on its website details of how it intends to spend the additional funding the Government has provided (https://www.bcpcouncil.gov.uk/roads-and-transport/projects-plans-and-consultations/highway-maintenance)
Asked by: Tobias Ellwood (Conservative - Bournemouth East)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what funds his Department has allocated to help improve local traffic movements in the last five years.
Answered by Guy Opperman - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Department has a number of funding streams which can help improve local traffic movements. These include the Integrated Transport Block, which can support small-scale local improvements, and the Highway Maintenance Block which helps deliver smoother roads. Details of the funding provided under each are available at www.gov.uk/government/publications/roads-funding-information-pack/roads-funding-information-pack.
In addition, there are a number of wider Government funds such as the Levelling Up Fund, Active Travel Fund and Future High Streets all of which have supported improvements to local roads.
As announced in the Plan for Drivers, the Department has provided £50 million to local authorities to upgrade traffic signals to help improve traffic flow. This includes £30 million to replace outdated equipment, and £20 million to reduce poor traffic light sequencing through innovative technology that responds to live traffic conditions. Details of the funding allocations are available at www.gov.uk/government/publications/traffic-signal-obsolescence-grant-and-green-light-fund-allocations”
Asked by: Tobias Ellwood (Conservative - Bournemouth East)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, how much levelling up funding his Department has allocated to Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole council.
Answered by Jacob Young - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities)
BCP Council have received a variety of levelling up support since 2019, including through some specific awards such as:
Asked by: Tobias Ellwood (Conservative - Bournemouth East)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what air defence systems are in use in the (a) Royal Navy, (b) Army and (c) RAF as of 17 April 2024.
Answered by James Cartlidge - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
As of 17 April 2024, the following air defence systems are in use:
Royal Navy:
Army:
Royal Air Force:
Asked by: Tobias Ellwood (Conservative - Bournemouth East)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what guidance his Department issues to local authorities on consultation with local residents before the introduction of 20 mph zones.
Answered by Guy Opperman - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The guidance can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/setting-local-speed-limits/setting-local-speed-limits. On setting 20mph speed limits and zones, it states ‘A comprehensive and early consultation of all those who may be affected by the introduction of a 20mph scheme is an essential part of the implementation process. This needs to include residents, all tiers of local government, the police and emergency services, public transport providers and any other relevant local groups (including, for example, groups representing pedestrians, cyclists, drivers or equestrians)’.
Local authorities are expected to consider this best practice guidance; though the final decision is for the authority together with the police, who would carry out any enforcement activity.
Asked by: Tobias Ellwood (Conservative - Bournemouth East)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether his Department plans for councils to set their own charges for parking on single and double yellow lines.
Answered by Guy Opperman - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Department has no such plans.
Asked by: Tobias Ellwood (Conservative - Bournemouth East)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps her Department is taking to help improve digital inclusion for people that are unable to access the internet.
Answered by Julia Lopez - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The Government recognises that access to the internet is increasingly essential for full participation in society and has taken steps to ensure households across the UK are able to access fast, reliable mobile and broadband services.
The Government has worked closely with the telecoms industry to ensure superfast broadband connections extend to over 97% of the UK. Similarly, 4G mobile coverage is available to 99% of the population from at least one network provider. The Government is also investing £5 billion through our flagship Project Gigabit programme to bring gigabit broadband to reach hard-to-reach communities.
We recognise that infrastructure is only part of the story. To support those for whom cost may be a barrier, the Government has worked closely with the telecoms industry to ensure market provision of broadband and mobile social tariffs. These low-cost, commercial products are available from 28 different providers, across 99% of the UK and start at just £10 per month.
Asked by: Tobias Ellwood (Conservative - Bournemouth East)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to help maintain (a) Bournemouth's coastline and (b) the cleanliness of bathing water.
Answered by Robbie Moore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Government is taking a range of steps to maintain Bournemouth’s coastline. The Environment Agency (EA) has developed and maintains a strong professional partnership with the local authority, Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council, through which the EA has jointly secured an investment of £36 million between 2020 and 2027 for a flood management scheme to better protect 3,361 homes from coastal erosion and deliver over £1 billion of benefit to the local community. £17.5 million was invested between 2015 and 2020 in beach management to renourish the beach and replace timber groynes. Additionally, there are currently works on site at Hengistbury Head to the eastern end of Poole Bay to repair and upgrade the vital coastal asset known as ‘Long Groyne’ with new rock, at a cost of £12 million. In addition, there are numerous ongoing studies into flood and erosion risk, such as investigating more locally sustainable sources of beach nourishment for Bournemouth, and the delivery of a cliff management strategy for the whole of Poole Bay to better manage historic poor drainage and land instability of the cliff top.
The Government is committed to improving the quality of our bathing waters. Almost 90% of bathing waters in England met the highest standards of ‘good' or ‘excellent’ in 2023, up from just 76% in 2010 and despite the classification standards becoming stricter in 2015. Bournemouth has eight designated bathing waters; last season one was classified as ‘good’ and seven as ‘excellent’.
Asked by: Tobias Ellwood (Conservative - Bournemouth East)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to the Spring Budget 2024, whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of locating one of the 15 new special free schools in Bournemouth.
Answered by Damian Hinds - Minister of State (Education)
The department received a total of 85 applications from local authorities to open a special free school in the most recent, very competitive application round, including two applications from Bournemouth, Christchurch, and Poole Council.
The department plans to select 15 successful applications from the pool of applications. This will remain a competitive process. The approach means the department can move quickly to appoint trusts to run these schools.
The department plans to announce those local authorities which have been successful for the additional special free schools by May 2024.