Asked by: Lord Evans of Weardale (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the risk posed by the explosives on board the wreck of the SS Richard Montgomery; what plans they have to mitigate that risk; and to what extent they have been implemented.
Answered by Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill - Minister of State (Department for Transport)
We manage the wreck of the SS Richard Montgomery to ensure public safety. Our approach includes an exclusion zone, 24/7 monitoring and regular condition surveys which are published on gov.uk.
There is no indication that the risk has increased but we continue to take expert advice on further mitigation. Our current focus is on reducing the height of the wreck’s three masts. Additional surveys to inform that work remain ongoing and will inform future management strategies.
Asked by: Lord Evans of Weardale (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the efficacy of the facial recognition technology proposed for use at Heathrow airport; who has the regulatory responsibility for ensuring that technology is effective and meets security requirements; whether such technology is assessed against a set of published standards; and if so, who decides those standards.
Answered by Baroness Vere of Norbiton
The Government does not require London Heathrow Airport to use facial recognition technology for security checks. London Heathrow Airport has taken a commercial decision to use biometrics to streamline the passenger journey through the airport, however this use of biometrics does not change the security checks that are required to be in place. There are currently no regulations or standards for using facial recognition technology, however airports and other bodies do need to adhere to data protection regulations. The Department regularly discusses and reviews airport security with all regulated UK airports.