Asked by: Lord Berkeley (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with the Imperial War Museum about (1) returning its research facilities to their opening hours from before the COVID-19 pandemic, (2) providing more research spaces, and (3) its response times to enquires, compared to those of similar institutions.
Answered by Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay - Shadow Minister (Culture, Media and Sport)
Imperial War Museums (IWM) is an arm’s-length body of DCMS, so it operates independently on matters such as this.
IWM intends to return its research facilities to pre-COVID-19 opening times as soon as staff vacancies have been filled. Recruitment is currently underway and, once completed, IWM also intends to expand its research spaces. IWM aims to answer enquiries within 10 days, but this can take longer depending on the complexity of the enquiry.
Asked by: Lord Berkeley (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have, if any, to encourage the Royal Parks to close permanently the South Carriageway and the North Carriageway in Hyde Park to vehicular traffic in order to improve the quality of the environment and safety of pedestrians and cyclists in Hyde Park.
Answered by Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay - Shadow Minister (Culture, Media and Sport)
The Royal Parks manages Hyde Park on behalf of HM Government, and is responsible for decision-making about operational matters.
This is therefore an operational matter for The Royal Parks. We understand, however, that South Carriage Drive has been closed since March 2020 as part of a trial to reduce through-traffic in Hyde Park. Whilst the original trial was focused on weekend restrictions, the road has also been closed for safety reasons on weekdays during this period due to the introduction of a temporary cycle path, immediately outside the park, by Transport for London.
We understand that The Royal Parks is currently assessing evidence of the trial on the weekend restrictions, and plans to make an announcement about the closure later this year.
Asked by: Lord Berkeley (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what support is available for small businesses in the holiday lets sector who have been unable to continue their businesses due to the restrictions in place to address the COVID-19 pandemic on customers (1) travelling to, or (2) hiring, accommodation and who (a) have lost income from hire charges for holiday lets, or (b) need to return deposits in order to comply with the advice from the Competition and Markets Authority.
Answered by Baroness Barran - Shadow Minister (Education)
We recognise that COVID-19 has significantly impacted many holiday accommodation businesses. We continue to engage with holiday rentals stakeholders to assess how we can most effectively support the sector through this crisis.
Holiday lets businesses can access the Government’s comprehensive economic support package. This includes the recently extended the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme, the Self-Employed Income Support Scheme, VAT payment deferrals for firms and various loan schemes. In particular, the Bounce Back Loan Scheme helps small businesses access loans of up to £50,000, with a 100% government-backed guarantee for lenders.
We have also allocated additional funding to Local Authorities in England in the form of a discretionary grant fund of up to £617m. This is aimed at certain small businesses who were not eligible for the existing business grants fund schemes.
We understand the significant disruption and personal impact that results from the cancellation of holiday and travel bookings and we will continue working with businesses, consumers and everyone concerned.
Asked by: Lord Berkeley (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the notification by Lord Taylor of Holbeach on 17 January (HL Deb, col 649), which prerogatives and interests the Prince of Wales had consented to place at the disposal of Parliament for the purposes of the Data Protection Bill.
Answered by Lord Ashton of Hyde
As set out in clause 202, the Data Protection Bill will bind the Crown, the Royal Household, the Duchy of Lancaster and the Duchy of Cornwall. This will maintain the position under section 63 of the Data Protection Act 1998. The Prince of Wales’s consent is required for the Bill in its entirety due to its express application to personal data processed by the Duchy of Cornwall.
Asked by: Lord Berkeley (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether the Royal Parks supports the provision of safer and improved cycleways, even at the expense of reduced space for cars and carriages.
Answered by Lord Ashton of Hyde
The Royal Parks seeks to balance the needs of all visitors while protecting the intrinsic qualities of the parks. It aims to achieve a safe coexistence between drivers, cyclists and pedestrians. The addition of new cycle provision is one of a number of ways of delivering this.
Asked by: Lord Berkeley (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government why the Royal Parks have not yet completed the construction of the sections of the East-West London Super Cycle highway which are planned to pass through Hyde Park and St James Park; and when it is expected that the work will be complete and open to cyclists.
Answered by Lord Ashton of Hyde
The East West Cycle Superhighway is a Transport for London (TfL) project carried out by their contractors. The Royal Parks has issued licenses to TfL to permit the work to take place within the parks. Part of the cycle route in Hyde Park is already open. TfL estimates that the remainder of the Hyde Park route will be open in the New Year.
The work in St James’s and Green Parks is being planned in stages and the complete route should be finished by next summer although parts may be open sooner.
Asked by: Lord Berkeley (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what compulsory purchase rights mobile telephone companies have to enable them to erect or maintain their transmitters and other equipment.
Answered by Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth
The Electronic Communications Code, set out in Schedule 2 to the Telecommunications Act 1984 and amended by the Communications Act 2003, enables electronic communications operators to place apparatus on land. Paragraph 5 offers recourse to the County Court (or the Sherriff’s Court in Scotland) for communications operators to apply for compulsory access to land subject to appropriate compensation and consideration being paid to the occupier of the land.
There are also provisions in Schedule 4 to the Communications Act 2003 which allow the compulsory acquisition of land by communications operators.
Asked by: Lord Berkeley (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what criteria determine when flags on Government buildings are flown at half mast; and for what reason it was done on Wednesday 21 January.
Answered by Lord Gardiner of Kimble
On Friday 23 January, flags on Government buildings were flown at half mast following the death of King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia. In line with long-standing arrangements, the Union Flag is flown at half-mast on Government buildings following the death of foreign monarchs.