theodi/ndl-core-corpus huggingface dataset:
lordswrans/lordswrans2025-01-29 conversation_18
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-01-29)

UK Parliament Hansard data: lordswrans/lordswrans2025-01-29 conversation_18

Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle:To ask His Majesty's Government what steps the Health and Safety Executive is taking to ensure that workers are (1) protected from sexual harassment, and (2) able to travel between work and home safely, particularly those working non-standard hours. \p Baroness Sherlock: Health and Safety Executive (HSE) ensures workers are protected from work-related violence and harm within the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974. For sexual harassment, existing protections under the Equality Act 2010, enforced by the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC), provide a robust framework. HSE complements these protections by promoting safe working environments and referring cases to the appropriate regulatory bodies. With the updated legal duties to the Equality Act 2010 in October 2024, employers have enhanced responsibilities to prevent sexual harassment, reinforcing the comprehensive framework already in place.

Travel between work and home is not a work activity so outside of HSE’s remit. Protection from sexual harassment during such journeys is the responsibility of others including the police.
lordswrans/lordswrans2025-01-29 conversation_19
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-01-29)

UK Parliament Hansard data: lordswrans/lordswrans2025-01-29 conversation_19

Baroness Northover:To ask His Majesty's Government how much funding they provided to combatting female genital mutilation globally in each year from 2019 onwards. \p Lord Collins of Highbury: Since 2019, the UK has committed up to £35.5 million towards the Supporting the Africa-Led Movement to End Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) programme. This includes funding to the UN Joint Programme for the Elimination of FGM. Since 2019 we have also funded £20 million towards the Sudan Free of FGM programme. The breakdown of these investments by year is in the table below. In addition, the FCDO funds several programmes on ending gender-based violence (GBV) that include FGM. In total FCDO spent £53.4 million on ending GBV in 2023, including FGM.

Year

Total

2019

£505, 242

2020

£1,499,174

2021

£4,371,113

2022

£1,609,123

2023

£6,703,605

2024

£11, 655,218
lordswrans/lordswrans2025-01-29 conversation_20
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-01-29)

UK Parliament Hansard data: lordswrans/lordswrans2025-01-29 conversation_20

Lord Roberts of Llandudno:To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Collins of Highbury on 23 December 2024 (HL3321), which individuals have been designated as perpetrators of sexual violence in Syria since 2023. \p Lord Collins of Highbury: In March 2023, Amjad Youssef was sanctioned, for involvement in repressing the civilian population in Syria, including through systematic rape and killing of civilians, as a member of '227 Region Branch'. In June 2023, Abdel Karim Mahmoud Ibrahim, former Chief of the General Staff of Syrian Army, was sanctioned. He was involved in the repression of the Syrian population through commanding military forces where there was systematic use of rape. Ali Mahmoud Abbas, former Syrian Minister of Defence, was also sanctioned in June 2023, for his commanding role of the Syrian armed forces who have systematically used rape against civilians.
lordswrans/lordswrans2025-01-29 conversation_21
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-01-29)

UK Parliament Hansard data: lordswrans/lordswrans2025-01-29 conversation_21

The Lord Bishop of St Albans:To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they intend to take in response to reports of abductions of Rohingya refugees from camps in the Teknaf area of Bangladesh. \p Baroness Chapman of Darlington: The UK is at the forefront of international efforts to support Rohingya refugees and the communities which host them. In Bangladesh, this includes engaging with the UN and non-government organisations to address protection risks. We are closely monitoring the reports of abduction of Rohingya refugees in Teknaf. We continue to engage with the Interim Government in Bangladesh and other partners on the security situation in the camps, including on the need to improve policing in the camps. As a leading donor to the Rohingya response in Bangladesh, we have provided £405 million to support the Rohingya and host communities since 2017.
lordswrans/lordswrans2025-01-29 conversation_22
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-01-29)

UK Parliament Hansard data: lordswrans/lordswrans2025-01-29 conversation_22

Lord Blunkett:To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to support the BBC World Service to reopen their Arabic language provision. \p Baroness Chapman of Darlington: The BBC Arabic language service continues to operate. Through its digital and TV services it reaches an audience of 35 million across the Middle East and North Africa. The emergency radio service for Gaza reaches approximately 700,000 people a week.

The BBC are operationally and editorially independent and decide the most appropriate way to deliver the World Service, therefore the closure of BBC Arabic radio service in 2023 was a decision for them.

The Government is providing a funding uplift of £32.6 million in 2025/26 to ensure the World Service continues operating in all 42 languages.

Future Government funding for the World Service will be determined through the Spending Review process.
lordswrans/lordswrans2025-01-29 conversation_23
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-01-29)

UK Parliament Hansard data: lordswrans/lordswrans2025-01-29 conversation_23

The Lord Bishop of St Albans:To ask His Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the government of Thailand regarding Uyghur asylum seekers detained there. \p Baroness Chapman of Darlington: The United Kingdom has raised the issue of the Uyghurs detained in Thailand with the Thai authorities on multiple occasions, most recently in January 2025. The United Kingdom remains committed to upholding the principle of non-refoulement, and has repeatedly urged other countries to honour their obligations in line with international law, and not to force people to return to a country where they are likely to face torture or ill treatment.
lordswrans/lordswrans2025-01-29 conversation_24
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-01-29)

UK Parliament Hansard data: lordswrans/lordswrans2025-01-29 conversation_24

The Lord Bishop of St Albans:To ask His Majesty's Government whether they will make representations to the interim government of Bangladesh to strengthen security in and around Rohingya refugee camps. \p Baroness Chapman of Darlington: The UK is committed to improving the security of Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh and we regularly engage with the Interim Government in Bangladesh about security in and around Rohingya refugee camps. In November 2024, during Minister Wests' visit to Bangladesh, she discussed the situation of Rohingya refugees with Chief Adviser Yunus. The UK Government continues to work closely with UN agencies and the Interim Government in Bangladesh to provide basic services to Rohingya refugees while they remain in Bangladesh. UK funding (£405 million since 2017) is providing life-saving assistance including food, repairs to shelters and water and sanitation infrastructure, healthcare and community-based protection services for women and children.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-01-29)

UK Parliament Hansard data: lordswrans/lordswrans2025-01-29 conversation_25

Lord Spellar:To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to remove copycat third-party websites that re-sell government services. \p Baroness Chapman of Darlington: In 2024 the National Cyber Security Centre's (NCSC) Takedown Service resolved over 2.3 million attacks of which 57,000 directly targeted HMG brands. The NCSC Takedown Service reduces the return on investment for attackers by removing sites and blocking any attack to infrastructure. As part of the Takedown Service, members of the public can report a scam website [https://www.ncsc.gov.uk/collection/phishing-scams/report-scam-website]. The NCSC also offers a suspicious email reporting service which links into the Takedown Service, this analyses emails and when they are found to contain links to malicious sites, seeks to disrupt them. The email reporting service is xxx@xxx.xx.
lordswrans/lordswrans2025-01-29 conversation_26
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-01-29)

UK Parliament Hansard data: lordswrans/lordswrans2025-01-29 conversation_26

Baroness Helic:To ask His Majesty's Government what proportion of Official Development Assistance has been dedicated to peacebuilding and mediation support programmes in each year between 2016 and 2025. \p Lord Collins of Highbury: Official Development Assistance (ODA) spending on civilian peace-building, conflict prevention and resolution, as defined by the Development Assistance Committee within the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (sector code 15220), has declined in real terms in every year from 2016-2022 and has dropped from 2.7% to 0.8% of total ODA between 2016 and 2023. At the same time the prevalence of conflict has increased. Last September at the UN General Assembly, the Prime Minister said, "We must put new energy and creativity into conflict resolution and conflict prevention, reverse the trend towards ever-greater violence, [and] make the institutions of peace fit for purpose." Data for subsequent years is not yet available.

Bilateral UK ODA spent on Civilian peace-building, conflict prevention and resolution (15220), 2016 - 2023 (£millions)

2016

2017

2018

2019

2020

2021

2022

2023

Civilian peace-building, conflict prevention and resolution (15220)

360.6

303.7

277.1

198.7

xx-xxxx-xxxx

144.9

115.4

128.2

Total UK ODA (£millions)

13,377

14,051

14,542

15,176

14,478

11,423

12,786

15,344

% of total UK ODA

2.7%

2.2%

1.9%

1.3%

1.1%

1.3%

0.9%

0.8%

Source: Statistics on International Development Totals may not sum due to rounding
lordswrans/lordswrans2025-01-29 conversation_27
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-01-29)

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Lord Taylor of Warwick:To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the potential for funding into AI tools and projects (1) to increase the productivity and efficiency of small businesses, and (2) to affect the market share of larger businesses. \p Lord Vallance of Balham: The adoption of trustworthy AI across the UK public and private sectors will drive productivity and growth across the whole economy, supporting the government to deliver its Plan for Change.

We are targeting high-growth Industrial Strategy sectors and supporting diffusion across the whole economy, which includes addressing the challenges faced by SMEs. The cross-government Technology Adoption Review will set out recommendations for how government should work with industry to support businesses to adopt AI.

This builds on Innovate UK's £100 million BridgeAI programme, which has so far provided £68 million in funding to nearly 800 businesses to boost AI-enabled productivity.
lordswrans/lordswrans2025-01-29 conversation_28
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-01-29)

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Lord Taylor of Warwick:To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the need to research new artificial intelligence (AI) technologies; and whether they intend to invest in universities to encourage more AI research. \p Lord Vallance of Balham: The Government actively supports AI research through a range of research programmes, infrastructure investments, and skills and talent initiatives. The UK’s publicly funded portfolio of AI R&D investments is worth £1 billion, including investments in centres for doctoral training, the Alan Turing Institute, Bridge AI, Responsible AI UK, and the AI hubs.

The AI Opportunities Action Plan includes several new initiatives, including expanding the Turing AI Fellowships offer and acting immediately to double the capacity of the AI Research Resource (AIRR). Furthermore, we are opening AIRR access to a wider pool of researchers to drive forward new AI-enabled innovations.
lordswrans/lordswrans2025-01-29 conversation_29
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-01-29)

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Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle:To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to place restrictions on the allocation of public funds to research intended to develop mirror life. \p Lord Vallance of Balham: Engineering Biology is a critical technology for the UK. This Government is committed to capitalising on growing opportunities as well as ensuring that innovation is responsible and secure. DSIT works with academics, businesses and funders, including through the Engineering Biology Responsible Innovation Advisory Panel, to assess the opportunities and risks around novel engineering biology capabilities. DSIT will continue to work with these stakeholders, including UKRI, to capitalise on opportunities and appropriately manage risk.
lordswrans/lordswrans2025-01-29 conversation_30
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-01-29)

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Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle:To ask His Majesty's Government how much public bodies have spent on research intended to develop mirror life. \p Lord Vallance of Balham: UKRI is the main public funder of research and innovation. It has not funded research directly intending to develop mirror life. However, HMG recognises the importance of funding blue skies research including on stereoisomers
lordswrans/lordswrans2025-01-29 conversation_31
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-01-29)

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Lord Lancaster of Kimbolton:To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Coaker on 19 December (HL3498), what full or part time posts have been created within the armed forces to support the role of Service Complaints Ombudsman, broken down by service. \p Lord Coaker: While the Service Complaints Ombudsman for the Armed Forces (SCOAF) is a public appointment, entirely independent from the Ministry Of Defence (MOD) and has an office outside the MOD estate, the Department has a responsibility to ensure the Ombudsman is provided with sufficient funding.

Since the establishment of the SCOAF in January 2016, the MOD has worked closely with the current Ombudsman and her predecessors to regularly review and identify the required resources for them to carry out the functions associated with the role. Should additional resource be required, the MOD will work with the Ombudsman to determine how best to address the need.

The work of the Ombudsman is currently supported by two full time Civil Servants working within the Royal Navy, in addition to one Regular Officer (0.75 full time equivalent) and two full time Civil Servants within the Army. The Royal Air Forces does not have any formal positions established to directly support the SCOAF.
lordswrans/lordswrans2025-01-29 conversation_32
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-01-29)

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Lord Lancaster of Kimbolton:To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Coaker on 19 December (HL3498), what filtering mechanisms exist within the service complaints system to prevent vexatious complaints. \p Lord Coaker: The following guidance is provided in Joint Service Publication 831 (Redress of Individual Grievances: Service Complaints) for complaint handlers should it be considered that a complaint may be vexatious:

All complaints are to be taken seriously and handled professionally and with consideration. If it is considered that a complaint may be vexatious, legal advice should be sought before making a decision on admissibility. Decision makers will need to consider if the complaint is substantially the same as a Service Complaint that has already been submitted and which has either been decided previously under the Service Complaints system or is currently being considered under the Service Complaints Process.
lordswrans/lordswrans2025-01-29 conversation_33
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-01-29)

UK Parliament Hansard data: lordswrans/lordswrans2025-01-29 conversation_33

Lord Colgrain:To ask His Majesty's Government what is the current national budget of the Reserve Forces' and Cadets' Associations. \p Lord Coaker: Accurate financial information for the Reserve Forces’ and Cadets’ Associations (RFCAs) can be found in the published Consolidated Financial Statements in their Annual Reports and Accounts, the latest three of which were placed in the Library of the House on 22 October 2024. These documents extend to Financial Year (FY) 2022-23 and can be found as Deposited Papers at the following website: https://depositedpapers.parliament.uk/depositedpaper/2286623/details.

The RFCA’s Annual Report and Accounts for FY 2023-24 are not yet finalised but will be published in due course. The RFCA’s budget for FY 2024-25 is held across a number of different funding lines and will be published in due course through the Annual Report and Accounts process.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-01-29)

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Lord Alton of Liverpool:To ask His Majesty's Government when they expect the Strategic Defence Review to complete its work and to publish its findings and recommendations. \p Lord Coaker: The Reviewers will make their final report to the Prime Minister, the Chancellor of the Exchequer and the Secretary of State for Defence in the spring of 2025. The Secretary of State for Defence will subsequently publish a version of that report to Parliament. It will then be implemented by the Department.
lordswrans/lordswrans2025-01-29 conversation_35
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-01-29)

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Viscount Trenchard:To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the usefulness of the annual reports of the external scrutiny team of the Council of Reserve Forces' and Cadets' Associations, and of whether the reports are genuinely independent of the Ministry of Defence under the current arrangements. \p Lord Coaker: Defence Ministers are very grateful for the hard work of the External Scrutiny Team (EST) led by Maj Gen (Retd) Simon Lalor. My hon. Friend Alistair Carns DSO MC OBE, Minister for Veterans and People, expressed the same sentiment on 17 December 2024, when he placed a copy in the Library of the House the EST’s Annual Statutory Report 2024 on the health of the Reserve Forces. A copy of that Report and Alistair Carns’ response can be found at the following link: https://questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-statements/detail/2024-12-17/hcws326

I am clear that the EST is indeed independent, since it directs its own business, and I greatly value its reports as a result. The future of the EST will likely be a topic for discussion once the new Armed Forces Commissioner is appointed.

Reserve Forces and Cadets Association  (docx, 15.4KB)
lordswrans/lordswrans2025-01-29 conversation_36
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-01-29)

UK Parliament Hansard data: lordswrans/lordswrans2025-01-29 conversation_36

Lord West of Spithead:To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Coaker on 19 November 2024 (HL2338), whether the investigations referred to are now complete. \p Lord Coaker: Investigations into this matter are still ongoing and I will write to the Gallant and Noble Lord once these investigations are complete.

A copy of my letter will be placed in the Library of the House.
lordswrans/lordswrans2025-01-29 conversation_37
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-01-29)

UK Parliament Hansard data: lordswrans/lordswrans2025-01-29 conversation_37

Lord Foster of Bath:To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Hunt of Kings Heath on 24 December 2024 (HL3494), what assessment they have made of the alignment between the United Kingdom’s Nationally Determined Contribution for 2030, which requires that emissions do not exceed around 260 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent, and the existing legally binding framework set by the fifth carbon budget, which limits emissions for the period 2028 to 2032 to around 345 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent per year. \p Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: The UK’s 2030 nationally determined contribution - to reduce economy-wide greenhouse gas emissions by at least 68% on 1990 levels – represents an increase in ambition on the UK’s fifth carbon budget, which covers the period 2028-2032. The UK will need to overachieve on the fifth carbon budget to meet the 2030 NDC and stay on track for the sixth carbon budget. In its advice to Government on the setting of the UK’s sixth carbon budget, the Climate Change Committee advised that it did not consider it necessary for Government to reset existing targets, and instead advised that once the 2030 NDC and sixth carbon budget were set on the path to net zero, that these would provide a clear target for UK emissions reductions.
lordswrans/lordswrans2025-01-29 conversation_38
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-01-29)

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Baroness Whitaker:To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the role of wave and tidal energy in the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero’s Clean Power 2030 Action Plan. \p Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: The Government expects tidal stream to play a role in the 2030 energy mix, with even more potential to help meet the UK’s longer-term decarbonisation objectives beyond 2030.

Wave energy technologies have promise and the Government is closely monitoring the strides being made by the sector. These technologies are currently at the research and design (R&D) stage and may still have an important role to play in the UK energy system post-2030.
lordswrans/lordswrans2025-01-29 conversation_39
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-01-29)

UK Parliament Hansard data: lordswrans/lordswrans2025-01-29 conversation_39

Baroness Lister of Burtersett:To ask His Majesty's Government whether they will announce funding for a multi-year extension to the holiday activities and food programme to allow for more strategic planning by local authorities. \p Baroness Smith of Malvern: The department’s budget for 2025/26 will be confirmed in due course, including the exact funding available for this type of support for children, young people and families during the holidays. The current spending review is for one year, and a multi-year spending review will take place later this year.
lordswrans/lordswrans2025-03-14 conversation_1
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-14)

UK Parliament Hansard data: lordswrans/lordswrans2025-03-14 conversation_1

Lord Taylor of Warwick:To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the statement by the British Retail Consortium that 160,000 part-time retail jobs may be at risk as a result of regulatory changes and increased employer costs. \p Baroness Jones of Whitchurch: The Government is creating a fairer business rate system and transforming the apprenticeship levy to support business and boost opportunities.

Delivering on our plan to Make Work Pay is a core part of the Government's Plan for Change, supporting the mission to grow the economy, raise living standards and create opportunities for all. The Department has published a set of Impact Assessments that provide a comprehensive analysis on the potential impact of the Employment Rights Bill. This analysis includes consideration of increases in labour costs for businesses and the subsequent effects. This analysis is available at: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/employment-rights-bill-impact-assessments.
lordswrans/lordswrans2025-03-14 conversation_2
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-14)

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Baroness D'Souza:To ask His Majesty's Government what impact the reduction of the overseas aid budget, announced by the Prime Minister on 25 February, will have on support for women and girls in Afghanistan. \p Baroness Chapman of Darlington: The Prime Minister has set out a new strategic vision for government spending on defence and security and Official Development Assistance (ODA). Detailed decisions on how the ODA budget will be used will be worked through as part of the ongoing Spending Review based on various factors including impact assessments.
lordswrans/lordswrans2025-03-14 conversation_3
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-14)

UK Parliament Hansard data: lordswrans/lordswrans2025-03-14 conversation_3

Baroness Redfern:To ask His Majesty's Government what action they plan to take regarding the plight of Iranian women and girls who have been jailed for engaging in peaceful rights activism and for supporting freedom equality and basic civil liberties. \p Lord Collins of Highbury: We continue to stand with women and girls in Iran in their daily fight for equal rights and fundamental freedoms. The UK was instrumental in delivering the Iran human rights resolution, adopted by the UN Third Committee in November 2024, which called on Iran to release women human rights defenders imprisoned for exercising their rights. On the second anniversary of the death of Mahsa Amini, we issued a joint statement alongside international partners, emphasising our commitment to holding Iran accountable for its rights violations. We continue to support the UN Fact-Finding Mission on Iran, which is essential for monitoring rights abuses committed during the protests of 2022-23, especially against women and children.
lordswrans/lordswrans2025-03-14 conversation_4
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-14)

UK Parliament Hansard data: lordswrans/lordswrans2025-03-14 conversation_4

Lord Alton of Liverpool:To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of reports of escalating violence and targeted attacks by armed groups against Christian and Muslim minorities in Nigeria and what steps they are taking to address the religious persecution of these minorities, particularly in the northern and central regions of Nigeria. \p Lord Collins of Highbury: Ongoing security challenges in Nigeria, including violent extremism and intercommunal violence, continue to impinge on the rights of Nigerians to Freedom of Religion or Belief (FoRB). In the North East, terrorist groups including Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa target all those who do not subscribe to their extremist views, including both Christians and Muslims. These incidents are distinct from the ongoing intercommunal violence elsewhere in Nigeria. The UK supports programmes working to address the complex root causes of intercommunal violence in Nigeria through locally led peace-building efforts. This support aims to reduce intercommunal tensions by improving access to security and justice, and natural resource management in specific areas across northern Nigeria. In addition, the UK-Nigeria Security and Defence Partnership (SDP) works with Nigeria's security forces to tackle violence against all civilian communities, including those of different religious backgrounds and belief systems.
lordswrans/lordswrans2025-03-14 conversation_5
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-14)

UK Parliament Hansard data: lordswrans/lordswrans2025-03-14 conversation_5

The Lord Bishop of Southwark:To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the peace and reconstruction plan for Gaza that was endorsed by the Arab League summit on 4 March. \p Lord Collins of Highbury: The Government welcomes the Arab initiative of a recovery and reconstruction plan for Gaza. The plan proposes a realistic pathway to the reconstruction of Gaza and, if implemented, will alleviate the catastrophic living conditions for the Palestinians living in Gaza. Reconstruction must be based upon a solid political and security framework acceptable to both Israelis and Palestinians. The Government is clear that Hamas must not govern Gaza, and there should be a central role for the Palestinian Authority. On 8 March, the Foreign Secretary issued a joint statement with European partners commending the serious efforts of the Arab states in developing this plan.
lordswrans/lordswrans2025-03-14 conversation_6
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-14)

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Baroness Helic:To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the use of the Western Balkans as a transit route for irregular migration, arms smuggling and drug trafficking; and what concrete steps they have taken since June 2024 with European allies to strengthen partnerships aimed at disrupting criminal networks in the Western Balkans that facilitate irregular migration. \p Lord Hanson of Flint: The Western Balkans is a notable transit route for third country nationals being trafficked to the UK, as well as being a route of concern for the trafficking of illicit commodities.

Since July 2024, this Government has sought to further cooperation across the region to target a range of threats from organised crime groups based in the Western Balkans. This has included agreeing a series of joint operational initiatives with Albania in December 2024 to further our work on preventing irregular migration and the smuggling of illicit commodities, and in November 2024 reaching new agreements with Kosovo and Serbia on preventing organised immigration crime, and with North Macedonia on working together to disrupt the activities of organised criminals who seek to undermine border security.

The UK is hosting the Berlin Process later this year, bringing together Western Balkan states and other European partners to discuss shared solutions to these issues.
lordswrans/lordswrans2025-03-14 conversation_7
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-14)

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Lord Keen of Elie:To ask His Majesty's Government what proportion of prisoners released early under the prisoner early release scheme have been recalled to custody due to breaches of their licence conditions. \p Lord Timpson: Data on SDS40 recalls forms a subset of data intended for future publication via the Offender Management Statistics Quarterly (available at https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/offender-management-statistics-quarterly).
lordswrans/lordswrans2025-03-14 conversation_8
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-14)

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Lord Sedwill:To ask His Majesty's Government what proportion of Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy applicants who served with British forces (1) prior to October 2014, and (2) after October 2014, were successful; and what is their assessment of the reason for any discrepancy. \p Lord Coaker: It is not possible to provide a comprehensive breakdown of figures by employment dates or job roles, including those who served with British Forces. This is because, this information is not presented in a format that is readily available, nor included in published statistics.

Each application is assessed individually against the eligibility criteria using a case-by-case approach which takes into account the evidence available. The ARAP eligibility criteria are outlined under the Immigration Rules: Appendix ARAP. Further information on this can be found in the attached document.

ARAP Eligibility Criteria  (pdf, 253.5KB)
lordswrans/lordswrans2025-03-14 conversation_9
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-14)

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Lord Berkeley:To ask His Majesty's Government, in the light of comments by the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, reported in New Civil Engineer on 4 March, that spending "vast sums" on High Speed 2's bat tunnel is "ludicrous", why they have allowed construction to continue at a cost of £119 million. \p Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill: The cost of the Sheephouse Wood bat structure is £95m in 2019 prices. It has been designed and constructed to comply with species protection laws as they currently stand, and to fulfil the requirements of the licence issued by Natural England in 2023. Abandoning construction in advance of any changes to the relevant legislation would be a breach of the conditions under which the new railway can be legally operated, and a presumption of the will of Parliament. Furthermore, and in common with much of the civil engineering structures for HS2, construction of the bat mitigation structure is well advanced and forms part of an integrated design for the railway in the Calvert area. In such circumstances, decommissioning and removing the elements of the structure already built, and redesigning and then constructing an alternative scheme for this section of railway would - at this stage in the construction schedule - cost more than completing the existing structure.
lordswrans/lordswrans2025-03-14 conversation_10
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-14)

UK Parliament Hansard data: lordswrans/lordswrans2025-03-14 conversation_10

Lord Wigley:To ask His Majesty's Government for what duration they estimate that services between London Paddington and Cardiff Central stations will be disrupted to facilitate the development of HS2; and from what date disruptions will begin. \p Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill: The construction works at Old Oak Common are scheduled to take place in stages, with several planned possessions through to the early 2030’s, of which the most extensive will be over the Christmas periods. Network Rail’s current plans do not involve widespread weekend closures; while most of the construction work will take place during the Christmas period closures, it is expected only two of the four tracks will be available on the Great Western Mainline at times.

The Government is working with Network Rail, HS2 Ltd, Transport for London, and the train operating companies to minimise the impacts of disruption, synchronising the timing of works with other works planned on the route wherever possible and ensuring the continued operation of rail services.

During the All-Line Blocks where no trains will be able to go to London Paddington, a limited number of services will be diverted to London Euston (to continue to provide service access into Central London), and other trains will terminate at Reading or Ealing Broadway (where passengers can use London Underground services to continue their journey to Central London). As the minister responsible for the delivery of HS2 Phase 1, I understand that minor and preparatory works for Old Oak Common will proceed in parallel with routine maintenance on the line, while I expect that the significant possessions required to bring Old Oak Common into use will not happen for several years.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-10)

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Baroness Coffey:To ask His Majesty's Government whether they have started preparing a shadow body of the Voluntary Assisted Dying Commissioner. \p Lord Ponsonby of Shulbrede: The Government has not started preparing a shadow body of the Voluntary Assisted Dying Commissioner. This is a provision of the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill, on which the Government remains neutral and which is still under consideration by Parliament.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-10)

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Baroness Hodgson of Abinger:To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Ponsonby of Shulbrede on 1 April (HL6113), what assessment they have made of why the average time to complete coroner inquests in the Isle of Wight is more than double the average time across all of England and Wales. \p Lord Ponsonby of Shulbrede: The Government is committed to supporting an inquest process which is as swift as possible and which puts the bereaved at the heart of the process. We recognise the impact of delays on bereaved families and wider systems.

However, while the Ministry of Justice is responsible for coroner law and policy, operational responsibility for coroner services lies with individual local authorities (known as “relevant authorities”) which are responsible for funding, administration and coroner appointments for each of the 77 coroner areas in England and Wales. For the Isle of Wight coroner area, the relevant authority is the Isle of Wight Council.

For this reason, the Ministry of Justice does not hold information on the longest running inquest in the Isle of Wight coroner area. More generally, however, the Coroner Statistics for 2023 (the most recent year for which data is available) indicate that 46 inquests had been open for more than two years in the area at 31 December 2023. The Statistics are available at Coroners and burials statistics - GOV.UK. Statistics for 2024 will be published on 8 May 2025.

I understand there has been significant pressure on accommodation for inquest hearings, and in terms of staffing and coroner resources, in the Isle of Wight coroner area. To address this, the refurbishment of a court is now nearing completion; and the Isle of Wight Council is currently recruiting for two additional Assistant Coroners. It is anticipated that, once in place, these measures will help address the issue of inquest backlog.

We will continue to work closely with the Chief Coroner, local authorities and other key partners to reform and deliver a framework for the future development of coroner services across England and Wales.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-10)

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Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth:To ask His Majesty's Government what action they are taking to ensure that the ban on keeping XL Bullies is enforced effectively. \p Baroness Hayman of Ullock: This Government is committed to ensuring that the ban on XL Bully dogs is fully implemented and enforced to ensure our communities are protected from dangerous dogs. Defra have supported the police to deliver additional training to Dog Legislation Officers to make sure the ban is effectively enforced, and we are continuing to engage closely with the Police to monitor the impacts of the XL Bully dog ban.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-10)

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Lord Grantchester:To ask His Majesty's Government what is their assessment of the role of all farms in hitting the Government's targets for (1) the environment, (2) the climate, and (3) food security. \p Baroness Hayman of Ullock: Farms have a key role to play in achieving our environment and climate targets and food security, and Defra is working closely with farmers and the wider food industry. The transition to more climate-friendly agricultural practices goes hand in hand with food security and farm productivity as well as supporting many of our environment targets. We need to support farmers to adopt low carbon farming practices, increasing the carbon stored on their land while boosting profitability. This is vital in achieving a resilient, secure and healthy food system that works with nature and supports British farmers.

Food security is national security. We need a resilient and healthy food system, that works with nature and supports British farmers, fishers and food producers. That is why this Government will introduce a new deal for farmers to boost rural economic growth and strengthen Britain's food security.

The UK has a resilient food supply chain and is equipped to deal with situations with the potential to cause disruption. We produce 62% of all the food we need, and 75% of food which we can grow or rear in the UK for all or part of the year.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-10)

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Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth:To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of increasing water bills on consumers, and what action they will take to limit that impact. \p Baroness Hayman of Ullock: For too long, investment has not kept pace with the challenges of an ageing infrastructure system, a rapidly growing population and climate change. Bills will therefore now need to rise to invest in our crumbling infrastructure and deliver cleaner waterways.

Ofwat published their final determinations for Price Review 2024 in December, which sets company expenditure and customer bills for 2025-2030. These bill rises equate to around £3 additional per month on average before inflation.

The Government expects water companies to put robust support measures in place to ensure that vulnerable customers across the country are supported and is working with industry to keep current support schemes under review to ensure that customers are sufficiently supported.

Furthermore, we expect companies to hold themselves accountable for their commitment to end Water Poverty by 2030 and will work with the sector to ensure that appropriate measures are taken to this end.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-10)

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Lord Patten:To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the number of homes at risk of surface flooding, broken down by (1) those built, (2) those under construction, and (3) those with planning permission awaiting construction. \p Baroness Hayman of Ullock: The Government has committed £2.65 billion over the next two years to maintain, repair and build flood defences to protect communities across the country.

The Environment Agency’s National Assessment of Flood and Coastal Erosion Risk was published in December 2024. The report estimates that 4.6 million properties are in areas at risk of surface water flooding. This report enables 8.4 million people in more than 3.1 million residential properties to access more detailed information on their local surface water flood risk.

The number of properties at risk relate to properties that are already built, not properties that are under construction or those awaiting construction. The Environment Agency does publish a list of initial objections made, on the basis of flood risk, to planning applications. This is available here: Environment Agency objections to planning applications based on flood risk and water quality - GOV.UK.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-10)

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Lord Jackson of Peterborough:To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the finding in the independent report published on 19 March, Independent review of data, statistics and research on sex and gender, by Professor Alice Sullivan, that there is a 'partisan climate on certain issues, including gender' within the Office for National Statistics. \p Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent: The information requested falls under the remit of the UK Statistics Authority.

Please see the letter attached from the National Statistician and Chief Executive of the UK Statistics Authority.

Professor Sir Ian Diamond | National Statistician

The Lord Jackson of Peterborough

House of Lords

London

SW1A 0PW

8 April 2025

Dear Lord Jackson,

As National Statistician and Chief Executive of the UK Statistics Authority, I am responding to your Parliamentary Question asking what assessment has been made of the finding in the independent report published on 19 March, Independent review of data, statistics and research on sex and gender, by Professor Alice Sullivan, that there is a 'partisan climate on certain issues, including gender' within the Office for National Statistics (ONS) (HL6248).

The ONS has a long history of engagement with a wide range of stakeholders on all the census questions. We listen impartially and objectively to all voices to safeguard the production of official statistics that serve the public good in line with the Code of Practice for Statistics[1].

We welcome the Independent review of data, statistics and research on sex and gender and are reviewing the findings in detail. We are committed to working with others to improve the comparability, consistency, and coherence of government statistics. This year, the Government Statistical Service (GSS) is holding a series of regional listening events to inform ongoing work on the topics of sex and gender identity.

Yours sincerely,

Professor Sir Ian Diamond

[1]https://code.statisticsauthority.gov.uk/
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-10)

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Lord Gascoigne:To ask His Majesty's Government, in the light of their discussions on a proposed new security and defence pact with the EU, whether they intend to make a financial contribution to the EU as part of any such arrangements; and whether it is their position that there should be a link between those discussions and other aspects of their negotiations to "reset" the UK’s relationship with the EU. \p Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent: We are ready to negotiate a Security and Defence Partnership agreement with the EU which builds on the EU’s existing partnership agreements with other third countries, while recognising the unique nature of our security relationship. We are ready to look at strengthening our wider cooperation with the EU on defence and security matters, given the shared challenges facing us both, but as we’ve consistently said, we won’t be giving a running commentary on our discussions with the EU.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-10)

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Lord Booth:To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent on 20 March (HL5765), which arm's-length bodies are in the process of being set up, and what estimate they have made of the annual cost of each. \p Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent: The Cabinet Office considers an ALB to be in the process of being set up when we have either received a business case for a proposed new body, or the proposal has been allowed to seek approval retrospectively. We then conduct a detailed process to ensure there is sufficient due diligence to establish a clear rationale for a proposed new body. The following bodies are in the process of being set up: There are currently 26 proposed public bodies, which are as follows:

Skills England

Armed Forces Commissioner

Infected Blood Compensation Authority

NISTA

Fair Work Agency

Industrial Strategy Council

Independent Football Regulator

Great British Energy - NDPB

School Support Staff Negotiating Body

National Data Library

Regulatory Innovation Office

National Wealth Fund - NMD

Anti-Money Laundering Supervision Reform Body

Technical Advisory Panel

"Project Seahorse"

Border Security Command

Passenger Standards Authority

National Care Service

National Centre of Policing

Ethics and Integrity Commission

Building Standards Regulatory Body

AI Regulation Body

Adult Social Care Negotiating Body

Local Audit Office

Office of Product Standards and Safety

Tax Advisory Body - Advisory NDPB

Animal Welfare Advisory Body

Heat Network Technical Assurance Scheme (HNTAS)

Ploughshare