Asked by: Lee Rowley (Conservative - North East Derbyshire)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, on what evidence his Department based its estimate of the predicted registration of 170,000 drone users within the first 18 months of the UK Drone Registration Scheme.
Answered by Grant Shapps - Secretary of State for Defence
The Civil Aviation Authority’s (CAA) consultation document explains that the predicted 170,000 unmanned aircraft operator registration figure has been calculated using adoption rates for other national registration schemes (such as those in Ireland and the United States) against the UK population, and available research on drone use and attitudes.
The document also sets out the rationale for the cost of ongoing upgrades to the service. The initial scheme will be launched with a minimum scope and service level and, in common with best practice and the Government Digital Service framework, the CAA plans to make minor service improvements and major functionality improvements. Major improvements may include a renewal invitation process and incorporate the existing unmanned aircraft service for commercial operators.
Asked by: Lee Rowley (Conservative - North East Derbyshire)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment his Department has made of the potential effect of the UK Drone Registration Scheme on levels of criminal activity involving drones.
Answered by Grant Shapps - Secretary of State for Defence
The Government’s response to the 2018 consultation on ‘Taking Flight: The Future of Drones in the UK’ sets out that it is likely that the majority of users of small unmanned aircraft (SUAs) who break the law, do so unintentionally. Therefore, the introduction of a registration and education scheme will raise awareness of how to safely fly an unmanned aircraft. SUAs will be required to display their registration number on their aircraft, which will help law enforcement agencies identify the operator of the aircraft where an offence has been committed whether intentionally or otherwise.
The Government recognises that a requirement to register will not prevent criminals intent on breaking the law from causing damage and disruption. That is why it plans to introduce the Unmanned Aircraft Bill, which includes new police powers to help tackle the misuse of unmanned aircraft.
The Department for Transport is also working closely with Home Office, other Government departments, police forces, airports and other stakeholders to ensure a joined up, holistic approach to safety and security in relation to unmanned aircraft.
Asked by: Lee Rowley (Conservative - North East Derbyshire)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if her Department will make an assessment of the potential merits of making the HS2 Rural Support Zone scheme eligible for property owners through trusts that do not occupy those properties.
Answered by Nusrat Ghani - Minister of State (Minister for Europe)
Extending the RSZ schemes to non-owner occupiers in this way would be inconsistent with the eligibility requirements for statutory blight upon which the eligibility requirements of HS2 non-statutory property compensation schemes are broadly based.
HS2 property compensation schemes will be, however, kept under review for the entirety of the programme to ensure that people who are directly affected by HS2 are properly supported.
Under established arrangements people with special circumstances who are not eligible to apply under HS2 non-statutory property compensation schemes can request that their circumstances are considered atypically.
Asked by: Lee Rowley (Conservative - North East Derbyshire)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if his Department will assess the potential merits of introducing a discretionary compensation scheme for tenants of properties let on a non-commercial basis who are impacted by the HS2 line construction.
Answered by Nusrat Ghani - Minister of State (Minister for Europe)
The Secretary of State has no plans to assess the potential merits of introducing a discretionary compensation specifically for tenants of non-commercial properties who are directly impacted by the construction of the HS2 line.
The Secretary of State remains satisfied that existing statutory compensation arrangements, set out in the response to the hon. Member’s written question 206029 on 14 January 2019, remain the most appropriate way to support tenants who are directly impacted by the construction of the line.
A package of non-statutory measures already exists, and continues to be developed by the Government, in order to properly support tenants and owners of properties which will not be required for construction but are in close proximity to HS2 works.
Asked by: Lee Rowley (Conservative - North East Derbyshire)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether the HS2 compensation scheme can be extended to include tenants of properties affected by construction of the line.
Answered by Nusrat Ghani - Minister of State (Minister for Europe)
Along with the power to compulsorily acquire land for HS2, there is an obligation on the Secretary of State to pay full and fair compensation. Tenants who are directly displaced by the HS2 project by the compulsory purchase of land may be eligible to receive statutory compensation comprising:
Asked by: Lee Rowley (Conservative - North East Derbyshire)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, for what reason owners of properties through trusts that do not occupy those properties are not eligible for Rural Support Zone scheme compensation in areas affected by the High Speed Two route.
Answered by Nusrat Ghani - Minister of State (Minister for Europe)
For eligibility purposes for the HS2 statutory and non-statutory property compensation schemes (including the Rural Support Zone), the Government’s policy is that unless the owner is also the occupier of that property, they cannot qualify to apply under any of the schemes. Occupation is a long-standing requirement under the Government’s wider property compensation framework.
The only exception within HS2 relates to the non-statutory Need to Sell property compensation scheme, if the person seeking to sell the property to the Secretary of State is classed as a ‘reluctant landlord’. This is where the person can demonstrate they had a compelling reason to sell at the time they moved out of the property in order to avoid or escape a situation of unreasonable burden, and that letting the property could provide only temporary relief from this burden, and they do not own another home.
The Government has no plans to alter these arrangements.
Asked by: Lee Rowley (Conservative - North East Derbyshire)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps the Government is taking to reduce road congestion on A-roads in the East Midlands.
Answered by Jesse Norman
The Government is investing over £15 billion to improve the Strategic Road Network in England and this includes substantial investment in A-roads in the East Midlands.
The £150 million A453 upgrade near Nottingham and the £42 million A14 improvement at Kettering have already been completed. Schemes on the A5, A6, A38, A45, A46 and A52 are in development.
On local roads, the Government announced last autumn that local highway authorities in the East Midlands would receive £21 million of funding from the National Productivity Investment Fund to tackle congestion, boost economic growth and access sites for housing.
Asked by: Lee Rowley (Conservative - North East Derbyshire)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of trends in the level of congestion on A-roads in the East Midlands.
Answered by Jesse Norman
Information is held on average delay on locally managed ‘A’ roads by region in England, and the most recent data published by the Department is as follows.
CGN0502b: Average delay on locally managed ‘A’ roads
| Average delay (seconds per vehicle per mile) | Percentage changes | |||
| 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2015 to 2016 | 2016 to 2017 |
East Midlands | 31.4 | 32.1 | 33.7 | +2.5% | +4.9% |
England | 44.6 | 45.9 | 46.9 | +2.8% | +2.3% |
Average delay is commonly used as a measure of congestion. An increase in average delay indicates an increase in the level of congestion.
These statistics come from the table CGN0502b, which is published annually in February. The full table can be accessed using the following link: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/average-speed-and-delay-on-local-a-roads-cgn05#table-cgn0502
The Department does not produce statistics for congestion at the regional level for the Strategic Road Network. Highways England keeps the trunk road and motorway network in England under constant review, but has made no recent specific assessment of trends in the level of congestion through the East Midlands. In March 2017, Highways England published its Route Strategies presenting a high level view of performance and constraints on the existing road network as well as recommending areas for further study. More information can be found here:
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/future-investment-in-englands-motorways-and-major-roads#route-strategies
Asked by: Lee Rowley (Conservative - North East Derbyshire)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what progress his Department has made on securing funding for a third New Stations Fund.
Answered by Lord Johnson of Marylebone
The first two rounds of the New Stations Fund have provided funding for 10 new stations. We continue to keep the case for a further round under review. Applications for any new funding would need a strong business case, support from the industry and must underwrite operational and maintenance costs for the first three years if these are not met by additional revenue.
We have also launched a call for promoters to put forward creative, commercial ideas to enhance the railway and published ‘Guidance for Market-led Proposals’ to provide clarity on the types of projects we are looking for. Further details are available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/rail-market-led-proposals