Asked by: Lord Jones of Cheltenham (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for International Development:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what discussions they have held with international partners on tackling the difficulties being experienced by low-lying island states due to rises in sea levels and the increased frequency of tropical storms.
Answered by Baroness Anelay of St Johns
The UK Government is engaged in regular discussions with partner Governments, other donors, the private sector and key stakeholders to help target support to build the resilience of communities vulnerable to the impacts of climate change, for example through coastal flooding and tropical storms. At the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in 2015 the UK led an initiative to focus attention on the vulnerability of Commonwealth small island states.
Asked by: Lord Jones of Cheltenham (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for International Development:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government, in the light of the extension in service of the RMS St Helena, whether there are any plans for the ship to visit Tristan da Cunha.
Answered by Baroness Verma
The St Helena Line has no current plans for the Royal Mail Ship (RMS) St Helena to visit Tristan da Cunha.
Asked by: Lord Jones of Cheltenham (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for International Development:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what plans they have for the official opening of the airport on St Helena.
Answered by Baroness Verma
The St Helena Government is responsible for planning the official opening of the airport on St Helena.
Asked by: Lord Jones of Cheltenham (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for International Development:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government when they will announce the new opening date for the airport on St Helena in order to bring certainty to investors in the island and to enable potential visitors to make appropriate travel plans from January 2016.
Answered by Baroness Verma
St Helena Government recently announced that subject to final certification and operational readiness, St Helena Airport is expected to be accepting commercial flights before the planned official opening of the Airport in May 2016. They plan to issue further information at the end of January 2016.
Asked by: Lord Jones of Cheltenham (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for International Development:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what initiatives they are planning to encourage tourists to use the new airport on St Helena.
Answered by Baroness Verma
The UK Government is providing financial support of £4.8 million between 2013 and 2016 to Enterprise St Helena, the island’s economic development agency. Enterprise St Helena is supporting the tourism sector through tourist promotion, international advertising, hospitality training, and small business development grants. It is also working with Comair, the St Helena Government’s airline partner, to encourage tourists to visit the island.
Asked by: Lord Jones of Cheltenham (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for International Development:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what plans they have to increase the number of tourist beds on St Helena; what progress has been made in this regard since the decision to build an airport on the island was made in 2010; and what incentives they are offering to encourage inward investors to provide tourist facilities on the island.
Answered by Baroness Verma
The Department for International Development supports Enterprise St Helena (ESH), the St Helena Government’s development agency. Enterprise St Helena offers grants to assist local businesses with proposals to increase the quantity and quality of tourist accommodation. Fifteen new serviced rooms have been added since 2010, with an additional 38 serviced rooms planned for construction between 2015 and 2016. The Saint Helena Government has introduced a range of tax incentives for investors, including tax credits, rollover reliefs and accelerated depreciation.
Asked by: Lord Jones of Cheltenham (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for International Development:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many proposals to create more tourist beds on St Helena (1) have been passed, (2) are currently under consideration, and (3) have been rejected, by the island’s planning authority.
Answered by Baroness Verma
St Helena Government has confirmed that since July 2014, five applications for additional accommodation have been approved by St Helena’s Planning Authority and two are currently under consideration. None have been rejected.
Asked by: Lord Jones of Cheltenham (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for International Development:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many tourist beds will be required on St Helena to support one weekly flight when the island’s airport opens in February 2016.
Answered by Baroness Verma
St Helena Government estimates that 80 to 160 tourist beds will be required when the air service becomes operational.
Asked by: Lord Jones of Cheltenham (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for International Development:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many tourist beds (1) are currently available, and (2) are under construction, on St Helena.
Answered by Baroness Verma
St Helena Government confirms that 101 tourist beds are currently available in serviced rooms, with an additional 38 serviced rooms planned for construction between 2015 and 2016. There are also 90 self-catering rooms on the island.
Asked by: Lord Jones of Cheltenham (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for International Development:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government when the first commercial flights to St Helena will commence.
Answered by Baroness Verma
The first commercial flight to St Helena will be in February 2016, subject to completion of the remaining airport construction works and to meeting all regulatory requirements.