Asked by: Lord Stone of Blackheath (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Williams of Trafford on 3 April (HL14709), what assessment they have made of the impact of the ban on direct flights to Sharm el-Sheikh on the current UK terrorist threat level.
Answered by Baroness Williams of Trafford - Shadow Chief Whip (Lords)
As indicated prior, the threat level to the UK from international terrorism is kept under constant review by the independent Joint Terrorist Analysis Centre, whose judgements about the threat level are made on the basis of the very latest reporting and intelligence. This can change at any time as different information becomes available.
The current threat level from international terrorism is judged to be SEVERE, meaning an attack is highly likely.
Asked by: Lord Stone of Blackheath (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have of the likelihood of a terror attack in the UK as a result of tensions resulting from their ban on direct flights to Sharm el-Sheikh.
Answered by Baroness Williams of Trafford - Shadow Chief Whip (Lords)
The terrorist threat level to the UK is kept under constant review by the independent Joint Terrorist Analysis Centre, whose judgements about the threat level are made on the basis of the very latest intelligence. The current threat level from international terrorism is judged to be SEVERE, meaning an attack is highly likely.
Asked by: Lord Stone of Blackheath (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the resumption of flights by Italy and Germany to Sharm el-Sheikh; what plans they have to allow the resumption of such flights from the UK; and what assessment they have made of the impact of the UK's ban on flights to that city on the likelihood of terror attacks in the UK.
Answered by Baroness Sugg
It is for each country to define the security requirements they need to protect their citizens. We do not comment on the aviation security measures that other countries have in place, nor do we assess other impacts on the current restrictions on flights.
The UK continues to work closely with the Egyptian authorities, sharing aviation security expertise, and we look forward to achieving the return of flights when the situation allows.
The terrorist threat level to the UK is kept under constant review by the independent Joint Terrorist Analysis Centre, whose judgements about the threat level are made on the basis of the very latest intelligence. However, it is long standing government policy not to comment in detail on security arrangements.
Asked by: Lord Stone of Blackheath (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of their ban on direct flights to Sharm el-Sheikh, and in particular of any resulting decline of employment in the tourism sector there, on the prevalence of terrorism in that city.
Answered by Baroness Sugg
The Department for Transport conducts expert assessments on aviation security at overseas airports. We do not assess the impact on the tourism and airline industries of any restrictions on flights.
The UK continues to work closely with Egypt, sharing aviation security expertise and we look forward to achieving the return of flights when the situation allows.
Asked by: Lord Stone of Blackheath (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Sugg on 5 November 2018 (HL11004), what criteria they use to assess the security requirements of airports.
Answered by Baroness Sugg
As stated in my written answer on 5 November 2018 (HL11004), it is long standing government policy not to comment in detail on security matters, including what criteria we use to assess security requirements at airports.
The UK Government continues to work closely with its Egyptian counterparts, sharing its expertise in establishing effective security arrangements at all Egyptian airports including Sharm el-Sheikh. We hope to be in a position to resume direct flights when the circumstances are right.
Asked by: Lord Stone of Blackheath (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they plan to allow flights to Sharm el-Sheikh again; if so, when; and if not, why not.
Answered by Baroness Sugg
The UK Government continues to work closely with its Egyptian counterparts, sharing its expertise in establishing effective security arrangements at all Egyptian airports including Sharm el-Sheikh.
It is long standing government policy not to comment in detail on security matters. However, we look forward to achieving the return of flights once we can be assured that the necessary security requirements can be sustained.
Asked by: Lord Stone of Blackheath (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what funding they will make available in 2019–20 for nature-based solutions to reduce future flood risk in the UK, as recommended in the United Nations report Nature-based solutions for water, published on 19 March.
Answered by Lord Gardiner of Kimble
Natural flood management (NFM) measures are often integrated alongside more traditional approaches in flood and coastal risk management schemes. This includes within the Government’s £2.6 billion six year capital flood and coastal erosion risk management investment programme.
The six year programme is focused on reducing flood risk to at least 300,000 homes, regardless of the type of flood risk management intervention, and the Environment Agency therefore does not hold a separate figure for annual natural flood management spend.
In November 2016, the Government announced £15 million to test natural flood management measures on catchment scale projects that:
reduce flood, or coastal erosion risk, to homes;
improve habitats and increase biodiversity;
contribute to research and development of NFM techniques and interventions; and
support and promote partnership working with and between communities.
The £15 million will be spent over the remainder of the six-year programme ending in March 2021, with £4.7 million of this Flood Defence Grant-in-Aid (GiA) funding forecast to be spent in the financial year 2019-20 on NFM.
Asked by: Lord Stone of Blackheath (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the risk to UK citizens resulting from their decision to ban flights between the UK and Sharm el Sheikh.
Answered by Baroness Sugg
Department for Transport makes regular assessments of the risk posed to flights inbound to and outbound from the UK. We share the former with the relevant host government, to agree on appropriate security measures, but for obvious reasons do not publish such assessments.
Asked by: Lord Stone of Blackheath (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Sugg on 7 November (HL2559), when they last carried out an assessment of Sharm el Sheikh airport; and whether that assessment involved UK officials visiting that airport.
Answered by Baroness Sugg
Further to my response on 7 November (HL2559), Department for Transport officials have regularly visited Sharm el Sheikh airport. However, it is long-standing government policy not to publish the detail of aviation security assessments, including the dates of those assessments, for any location for reasons of both security and protecting international relations.
Asked by: Lord Stone of Blackheath (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have reviewed the ban on direct flights between the UK and Sharm el Sheikh, in the light of such flights being available from other European states, including Italy, Germany, and Belgium.
Answered by Baroness Sugg
The Department for Transport carries out regular assessments of aviation security at all last points of departure airports to the UK from Egypt. The Government works closely with international partners, including airlines, airports and the Egyptian Government, on security standards. Global aviation security arrangements are kept under constant review. It is the responsibility for each Government to determine their own advice on where it is safe for their citizens or carriers to fly.