Asked by: Alex Cunningham (Labour - Stockton North)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether he has made a recent assessment of the (a) resilience and (b) safety of helicopter transport operations in the North Sea.
Answered by Anthony Browne - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Government is committed to ensuring that North Sea helicopter flying is as safe as possible. In 2014, the CAA published a comprehensive review of the safety of offshore helicopter operations. The Review examined the risks to helicopter operations to support the oil and gas industries in and around the North Sea. It identified a wide range of opportunities to improve the safety of those operations and to increase the chances of passengers and crew surviving an accident.
As the UK’s aviation safety regulator, the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) continues to monitor all aspects of the operations of offshore helicopter companies and any risks to safe operation through its ongoing programme of safety oversight - which includes implementation of the review findings and monitoring data from operators.
It is the role of the CAA as the independent regulator to collect safety data, it is not for the Department to do so.
Asked by: Tahir Ali (Labour - Birmingham, Hall Green)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps his Department is taking to help increase safety at regional airports.
Answered by Anthony Browne - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
Most airport operators are either in the commercial private sector or are public/private partnerships which operate commercially. As such, it is for airports to ensure they adhere to regulations and standards relating to safety and security.
The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) issues either an aerodrome licence or aerodrome certificate to regional aerodromes on the basis that the aerodrome, and its operation, meets the licencing/certification criteria. The CAA establishes an oversight programme for each licensed/certificated aerodrome in which the continued compliance with the regulatory requirements is verified. Additionally, the aerodrome operator is required to have a safety management system, the effectiveness of which falls within the scope of the CAA oversight Programme. These UK regulations are developed and implemented to adhere to and go beyond the minimum international safety Standards and Recommended Practices (SARPs) set by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).
Asked by: Alex Cunningham (Labour - Stockton North)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will make it his policy to (a) request data from operators of helicopter transport services in the offshore oil and gas sector on their annual flying hours between 2018 and 4 March 2024 and (b) place copies of that information in the Library.
Answered by Anthony Browne - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Government is committed to ensuring that North Sea helicopter flying is as safe as possible. In 2014, the CAA published a comprehensive review of the safety of offshore helicopter operations. The Review examined the risks to helicopter operations to support the oil and gas industries in and around the North Sea. It identified a wide range of opportunities to improve the safety of those operations and to increase the chances of passengers and crew surviving an accident.
As the UK’s aviation safety regulator, the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) continues to monitor all aspects of the operations of offshore helicopter companies and any risks to safe operation through its ongoing programme of safety oversight - which includes implementation of the review findings and monitoring data from operators.
It is the role of the CAA as the independent regulator to collect safety data, it is not for the Department to do so.
Asked by: Lord Alton of Liverpool (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact on aviation safety and regional stability of the decision on 30 January of the Civil Aviation Administration of China to adjust the M503, W122 and W123 flight routes near the Taiwan Strait median line.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK has regular discussions within the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) regarding the importance of communication and coordination in the protection of air safety, especially when it comes to changes to airspace such as this.
We do not support any unilateral attempts to change the status quo in the Taiwan Strait and have underscored the importance of peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait alongside partners in previous G7 Foreign and Development Ministers' and Leaders' communiques.
The UK's longstanding policy on Taiwan has not changed. We consider the Taiwan issue one to be settled peacefully by the people on both sides of the Taiwan Strait through constructive dialogue, without the threat or use of force or coercion.
Mar. 25 2024
Source Page: MIN 681 (M) Amendment 1: Helicopter aviation inspection bodiesFound: MIN 681 (M) Amendment 1: Helicopter aviation inspection bodies
Mentions:
1: Hyslop, Fiona (SNP - Linlithgow) We will continue to look closely at what further improvements can be made.Road safety is absolutely imperative - Speech Link
2: Adamson, Clare (SNP - Motherwell and Wishaw) Council’s decision to drastically cut school transport, the implications of that decision for child safety - Speech Link
Mar. 27 2024
Source Page: Vacancy: Inspector of Air Accidents (Operations) – closing 14th April 2024Found: Working at the leading edge of aviation safety on the world stage, these unique roles offer the opportunity
Mentions:
1: Baroness Randerson (LDEM - Life peer) My concern is that the UK has a reputation as an aviation leader, with high standards of safety compared - Speech Link
2: Baroness Vere of Norbiton (CON - Life peer) It is hard to find fault with much of what he said and we recognise that, when it comes to aviation safety - Speech Link
Mar. 18 2024
Source Page: Future of Flight action planFound: paper Future of Flight action plan A joint strategy for the industrialisation of emerging aviation
Mar. 28 2024
Source Page: Vacancy: Principal Inspector of Air Accidents (Operations) – closing 23rd April 2024Found: Working at the leading edge of aviation safety on the world stage, these unique roles offer the opportunity