Asked by: Owen Thompson (Scottish National Party - Midlothian)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps he is taking to ensure that potential reforms to flight compensation regulations do not result in a lower level of compensation for customers.
Answered by Robert Courts - Solicitor General (Attorney General's Office)
The Aviation Consumer Policy Reform Consultation explored a range or reforms to protect consumers whilst ensuring fairness for both consumers and businesses. It included proposals for new and extended compensation for customers, such as for mobility aid damage and for delays to domestic flights of less than 3 hours. The consultation has now closed, and we have received responses from across industry, consumer groups and the general public. We are now conducting a comprehensive review and analysis of the responses and will set out next steps in due course.
Asked by: Baroness Randerson (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what is the remit of the Airfield Advisory Team within the Department for Transport; how many staff work as part of that team; and what budget has been allocated to their work.
Answered by Baroness Vere of Norbiton - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Airfield Advisory Team (AAT) are a team within the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) and were set up to provide independent non-regulatory advice and support to General Aviation airfields on a range of matters affecting their operations. The team is currently comprised of 2 personnel.
The annual budget for the AAT in Financial Year 21/22 is £375,000. This funding is made available by the DfT under sections 12 and 16 of the Civil Aviation Act 1982, which permits the department to provide the CAA funding for specific activities.
GA Airfields are the critical infrastructure which supports all aviation activity in the UK by developing a skilled workforce, the safety processes to support the entire industry, and can offer the potential as a test bed for new technology before its adoption by the commercial sector.
The GA sector including its airfields contributes around £4bn to the economy and supports around 40,000 jobs, most of which are STEM roles.
Asked by: Lord Berkeley (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the remarks made by Lord True on 6 December (HL Deb, col 1640), what was the case that was determined relating to the operation of the Ministerial Code; which (1) ministers, and (2) officials, were involved; and what plans they have, if any, to place a copy of (a) a report by the independent advisor concerning the Transport Secretary's declaration of private interests, or (b) any other report, in the Library of the House.
Answered by Lord True - Leader of the House of Lords and Lord Privy Seal
My answer to the noble Lord’s question on 6 December 2021 referred to recent correspondence from the Rt Hon Member for Ashton-under-Lyne, in connection with the Government's policies towards General Aviation. The Minister for Aviation's response to the Opposition is a matter of public record.
The Independent Adviser, in relation to the question about the Secretary of State for Transport's interests, confirmed that he was content that the Transport Secretary had followed the process required under the Ministerial Code for the declaration of his private interests. It was this matter to which I was referring.
Asked by: Sarah Olney (Liberal Democrat - Richmond Park)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what (a) funding his Department has provided to ICF Consulting Services and (b) assessment he has made of the outcomes of that funding.
Answered by Robert Courts - Solicitor General (Attorney General's Office)
The total paid to ICF Consulting Services to provide support to General Aviation airfields through the Airfield Development Advisory Fund (ADAF) was £1,297,466.14.
The scheme provided vital support to over 90 General Aviation airfields and associated businesses to help improve their operations and future-proof their business. The scheme offered a range of support and advice, including on business planning, operational advice, marketing, and communications. Over 90% of applicants for the scheme were approved.
Asked by: Sarah Olney (Liberal Democrat - Richmond Park)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what is the (a) remit and (b) annual budget of the Civil Aviation Authority's Airfield Advisory Team.
Answered by Robert Courts - Solicitor General (Attorney General's Office)
The Civil Aviation Authority’s Airfield Advisory Team (AAT) were set up to provide independent non-regulatory advice and support to General Aviation airfields on a range of matters affecting their operations.
The annual budget for the AAT in FY21/22 is £375,000.
Asked by: Emily Thornberry (Labour - Islington South and Finsbury)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, with reference to her Department's procurement exercise for the General Aerospace Legal Panel, reference 260167/1011745, if she will publish the business case for the expenditure of £40 million on the provision of a General Aerospace Legal Panel.
Answered by Mike Freer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Justice)
The purpose of the General Aerospace Legal Panel is to procure a panel of law firms to provide specialist legal advice and representation to UK Export Finance (UKEF), primarily in relation to when it provides ‘financing’ support to exporters in the aviation sector. The cost of such legal advice provided by the panel firm is typically met by the borrower rather than UKEF. The contract value advertised is the maximum value that can be spent through the framework during its four year term through subsequent call-off contracts and not the value of any committed spend.
Asked by: Ruth Cadbury (Labour - Brentford and Isleworth)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what plans he has to make aircraft noise a statutory nuisance.
Answered by Robert Courts - Solicitor General (Attorney General's Office)
The government is supportive of the need to protect communities from the adverse effects of aircraft noise. However, noise from general transport, including aircraft, is not included as a statutory nuisance under the Environmental Protection Act 1990 as we believe it is not practical for local authorities to enforce these rules. Aviation noise is better managed through specific government policies tailored to individual noise sources, and we believe there are sufficient mechanisms in place to protect communities from the effects of aircraft noise.
Asked by: Bim Afolami (Conservative - Hitchin and Harpenden)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of making aircraft noise a statutory nuisance.
Answered by Robert Courts - Solicitor General (Attorney General's Office)
The government is supportive of the need to protect communities from the adverse effects of aircraft noise. However, noise from general transport, including aircraft, is not included as a statutory nuisance under the Environmental Protection Act 1990 as we believe it is not practical for local authorities to enforce these rules. Aviation noise is better managed through specific government policies tailored to individual noise sources, and we believe there are sufficient mechanisms in place to protect communities from the effects of aircraft noise.
Asked by: Stewart Malcolm McDonald (Scottish National Party - Glasgow South)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what criteria were used by the Civil Aviation Authority in deciding whether to allow General Atomics to fly its SkyGuardian drone in the UK in summer 2021; and whether General Atomics or his Department submitted the request to the CAA to conduct those flights.
Answered by James Heappey
During the deployment, SkyGuardian will always operate in controlled airspace in agreement with the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) and NATS. Whilst flying in the UK, SkyGuardian will be governed by and will operate accordance with CAA regulations and guidance - primarily the Air Navigation Order and CAA Publication CAP722, "Unmanned Aircraft System Operations in UK Airspace". SkyGuardian has previously flown in UK airspace in 2018 when it took part in the Royal International Air Tattoo.
Asked by: Barry Sheerman (Labour (Co-op) - Huddersfield)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what discussions she has had with Cabinet colleagues on ensuring that the use of private planes during the covid-19 pandemic has not been in breach of international travel restrictions.
Answered by Kit Malthouse
We keep all of our measures, including arrivals to the UK by any mode, under constant review and we are ready to strengthen our border policy where appropriate to protect public health.
All persons arriving in the UK (with a few exemptions for certain occupations), wherever they are coming from, are required to show proof of a negative Covid test taken in the last 72 hours, complete a Passenger Locator Form, and to isolate for 10 days on arrival. This applies to those travelling to the UK on private flights (General Aviation) as well as scheduled flights, ferries and trains.
On 24 December 2020, we introduced travel bans on all arrivals from South Africa, later extending the ban to what is currently 35 countries, sometimes called “red-list” countries. No direct flights are allowed from these countries including via General Aviation. Furthermore, we look to refuse entry to non-UK residents who have been in one of these countries in the last 10 days.
Passengers who have been in or through any of the “red-list” countries and cannot be refused entry must quarantine in a managed quarantine hotel further information can be found at https://www.gov.uk/guidance/transport-measures-to-protect-the-uk-from-variant-strains-of-covid-19
More information regarding travelling to the UK can be found at https://www.gov.uk/uk-border-control/before-you-leave-for-the-uk