Asked by: Lord Bowness (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what consideration they have given to entering into a mutual recognition agreement with the government of Kosovo regarding driving licences; and what, if anything, is preventing the completion of such an agreement.
Answered by Baroness Vere of Norbiton - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
Holders of driving licences issued in Kosovo who become resident in or are visiting Great Britain can drive cars and motorcycles for up to one year from the date they arrive. To continue driving after this period Kosovan drivers must apply for a provisional driving licence and pass both a theory and practical driving test.
The UK does exchange driving licences with certain countries but Kosovo is not currently a designated country. The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency has received a request from the Embassy of Kosovo to consider a possible reciprocal driving licence exchange agreement and will provide the necessary information to progress this.
The recognition and designation of a country for licence exchange purposes depends on it having satisfactory arrangements in place for the issue of driving licences. This means that driving tests and licensing procedures are required to be comparable with our own here in Great Britain. Applications are subject to the assessment of testing and licensing standards, consultation, introduction of legislation and conclusion of an agreement for reciprocity.
Asked by: Lord Bowness (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with regional authorities in Spain regarding mutual recognition of disabled persons blue parking badges; and what progress has been made in those discussions.
Answered by Baroness Vere of Norbiton - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
Blue Badge recognition between countries has to date been based on informal arrangements. The Department for Transport continues to work towards reciprocal provision for Blue Badge holders but does not provide a commentary on the status of these negotiations.
Asked by: Lord Bowness (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have for OneWeb to obtain an alternative to the Russian Soyuz launch facility.
Answered by Lord Callanan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Following successful conversations earlier this year, OneWeb recently announced agreements with SpaceX and New Space India to launch satellites from alternative launch facilities in lieu of planned (now cancelled) Soyuz launches.
These launches are subject to the relevant regulatory clearances.
Asked by: Lord Bowness (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Callanan on 4 April (HL7258), how many of OneWeb’s satellites have been abandoned in Kazakhstan following the decision to suspend use of Russian Soyuz launch vehicles; what is their combined value; and what plans they have to seek their return.
Answered by Lord Callanan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
This information is commercially confidential and is a matter for the company.
Asked by: Lord Bowness (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask Her Majesty's Government how many satellite launches have been achieved by communications company OneWeb, and how does this number compare with the targeted number.
Answered by Lord Callanan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Since February 2019, OneWeb has launched 66% of its planned constellation over 13 successful launches. Following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, OneWeb suspended the remaining six launches from Baikonur.
Following successful conversations earlier this year, OneWeb announced plans for future launches with SpaceX and New Space India.
Asked by: Lord Bowness (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Callanan on 25 January (HL5301), whether OneWeb is still using Russian facilities for its launches after Russia's invasion of Ukraine; and how much is paid (1) directly, or (2) indirectly, to Russian organisations in respect of each launch.
Answered by Lord Callanan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Board of OneWeb voted on 3 March to suspend all launches from Baikonur, Kazakhstan. OneWeb’s launch service provider, Arianespace, announced on 4 March it was suspending the use of Russian Soyuz launch vehicles.
Details of OneWeb’s launch agreements with Arianespace are commercially sensitive.
Asked by: Lord Bowness (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government why EU citizens with pre-settled status have to re-apply at the end of the five year period to obtain settled status; and what are the consequences of a failure to make the second application within time.
Answered by Baroness Williams of Trafford - Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms (HM Household) (Chief Whip, House of Lords)
It has been the UK’s long-standing position that EU citizens and their family members granted pre-settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme will have to apply for settled status before their pre-settled status expires in order to stay in the UK. This will ensure they have the immigration status, and secure evidence of this, which they will need to access their rights and entitlements in the UK for years to come.
Requiring an application for settled status enables us to confirm the person has fulfilled the requisite criteria and passes appropriate criminality and security checks. They will be reminded of the need to make an application before the expiry of their pre-settled status. We will also allow late applications where there are reasonable grounds for doing so.
Asked by: Lord Bowness (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Callanan on 29 July (HL2255), whether the Space Board Positioning Navigation and Timing programme has now reported on the options for the development of these services to the UK; and if not, when the report is anticipated.
Answered by Lord Callanan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Programme has now reported on the options for improving the resilience of space-based PNT services, and the Government is considering the findings to determine the next steps as part of the business planning process.
Asked by: Lord Bowness (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Callanan on 28 July 2021 (HL2254), what progress they have made, if any, to manufacture satellites in the UK.
Answered by Lord Callanan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Details of satellite production and manufacturing are a commercial matter for the company.
The Government is using its position on the board of directors to encourage expansion of OneWeb’s UK content including onshoring the manufacture of its Generation 2 satellites.
Asked by: Lord Bowness (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Callanan on 28 July 2021 (HL2257), what is the investment to date in (1) Spaceport Cornwall, and (2) Saxa Vord in Shetland; what is the state of launch operations at both sites funded by grants to (a) Virgin Orbit, and (b) Lockheed Martin respectively; and when they anticipate that there will be any launches from sites in the UK.
Answered by Lord Callanan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Spaceport Cornwall:
Saxa Vord Spaceport: