Asked by: Lord Berkeley (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to support the ocean sciences sector in protecting coastal areas; and what assessment they have made of the research opportunities such protection creates, particularly in relation to (1) climate change adaptation, (2) energy security, and (3) developing new and innovative technology.
Answered by Lord Vallance of Balham - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) and Defra have funded a £14.8 million Resilient Coastal Communities and Seas Programme which will fund projects to enhance our knowledge of how to strengthen the resilience, health and wellbeing of UK coastal communities.
UKRI has also invested in the coastal economy, for example through the ECOflow and ECOWind programmes, supporting the rollout of clean energy in offshore wind, and an £11 million programme to build resilience to climate change in coastal communities and support their economic development.
More widely, Defra is working with the sector to help establish support it in the establishment of Marine Science UK (MSUK). MSUK acts as a collective voice for marine science across UK universities and research organisations, to champion the ocean and to communicate robust and coherent marine science evidence to government, industry and the wider community.
Asked by: Lord Berkeley (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to support ocean sciences and the growth of the blue economy.
Answered by Lord Vallance of Balham - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The government has a strong track record of supporting marine science, including through the £10 million ‘Biological influence on future ocean storage of carbon’ (BIO-Carbon) programme, funded by UK Research and Innovation’s (UKRI) Natural Environment Research Council (NERC), which aims to better understand the role of ocean life in climate sequestration. NERC also supports and partners with the National Oceanography Centre and other marine delivery partners to underpin the UK’s marine science capabilities.
More widely, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) supports the Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science, supporting global efforts to tackle the challenges of climate change, biodiversity loss and food security. DEFRA also works to foster international ocean science co-operation on ocean sustainability issues, and is working closely with our fishing and seafood sectors to ensure they are profitable and sustainable. In addition, the investment provided by the £360 million Fishing and Coastal Growth Fund, which will support the next generation of fishermen and coastal communities over the next 12 years.
Asked by: Lord Berkeley (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask His Majesty's Government what estimate they have made of the costs of reinstating the UK’s membership of the European Geostationary Navigation Overlay Service.
Answered by Lord Vallance of Balham - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Government is considering options for UK access to a satellite-based augmentation system, following our withdrawal from the EU's European Geostationary Navigation Overlay (EGNOS) system. This work is ongoing and no decision has yet been made. The Government engages with the European Commission and European Space Agency on space programmes but has not specifically discussed access to EGNOS.
Asked by: Lord Berkeley (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of alternatives to the European Geostationary Navigation Overlay Service; when any alternatives would be operational; and what they would cost.
Answered by Lord Vallance of Balham - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
This Government recognises the importance of Positioning, Navigation and Timing (PNT) technologies for our security and prosperity. We are implementing the Government Policy Framework for Greater PNT Resilience, including developing proposals for a National Timing Centre and enhanced long-range navigation system. The Government is considering options for UK access to a satellite-based augmentation system (SBAS). This work is ongoing and no decision has yet been made.
Asked by: Lord Berkeley (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they have made an assessment of the reasons why the European Union has provided European Geostationary Navigation Overlay Service services to non-EU countries, including Iceland and Serbia, at no cost; and what steps they are taking to ensure that the UK receives fair and equitable treatment in its access to the service.
Answered by Lord Vallance of Balham - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Government has not made an assessment of the EU's reasons for providing European Geostationary Navigation Overlay Service (EGNOS) services to Iceland and Serbia, and respects the EU's decision-making independence on whether to grant EGNOS working agreements to non-EU countries. UK businesses and organisations are able to use the freely available "open" EGNOS signal. The Government is considering options for future UK access to a Satellite Based Augmentation System such as EGNOS, and no decision has been taken.
Asked by: Lord Berkeley (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the role of UK-based infrastructure in supporting the European Geostationary Navigation Overlay Service (EGNOS); and what discussions they have had with European counterparts on the potential for the UK’s continued hosting of that infrastructure to facilitate the restoration of EGNOS services for UK aviation.
Answered by Lord Vallance of Balham - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The UK continues to host two Ranging Integrity Monitoring Stations, in Glasgow and Swanwick, that support European Geostationary Navigation Overlay Service (EGNOS) services. The Government is considering options for future UK access to a Satellite Based Augmentation System such as EGNOS, and no decision has been taken. The Government has not had any discussions with European counterparts on the restoration of EGNOS services.