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1061347

	registered interest
	date	14/02/2019
	answering body	Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
	answering dept id	13
	answering dept short name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
	answering dept sort name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
	hansard heading	Zoos: Safety
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to review the safety systems and processes in UK zoos to protect staff, customers and animals.
	tabling member printed	Lord Birt
	uin	HL13727
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 27/02/2019 answer text <p>The Government is committed to ensuring that zoos are safe places to work and visit, and that there are high standards of welfare for all animals.</p><p> </p><p>The Zoo Licensing Act 1981 sets out comprehensive licensing and inspection requirements for zoos. Responsibility for administering these requirements rests with local authorities. Defra supports this by providing the Secretary of State’s Standards of Modern Zoo Practice, which sets out minimum standards that zoos are expected to meet, covering welfare and safety.</p><p> </p><p>The standards are kept under review by Defra’s Zoos Expert Committee, a group of independent experts that advises Defra on zoo issues. Zoos must also comply with the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 which ensures the safety of staff.</p> answering member printed Lord Gardiner of Kimble question first answered 27/02/2019 12:54:42 answering member 4161 label Biography information for Lord Gardiner of Kimble
	tabling member	2533 label Biography information for Lord Birt

1199365

	registered interest
	date	02/06/2020
	answering body	Leader of the House of Lords
	answering dept id	92
	answering dept short name
	answering dept sort name	Leader of the House of Lords
	hansard heading	Written Questions: Coronavirus
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	The Leader of the House what percentage of (1) topical questions for written answer, and (2) normal questions for written answer, have not been answered within the expected timeframes for responding to such questions since the COVID-19 lockdown was imposed.
	tabling member printed	Lord Birt
	uin	HL4914
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/06/2020 answer text <p>Since the lockdown was imposed on 23 March 82 topical questions for written answer were tabled. 49% of these were not answered within the expected timeframe. There were 2434 standard questions for written answer tabled, 25% of which were not answered within the standard time frame. These figures are correct as of 11 June.<strong> </strong></p> answering member printed Baroness Evans of Bowes Park question first answered 11/06/2020 13:30:36 answering member 4329 label Biography information for Baroness Evans of Bowes Park
	tabling member	2533 label Biography information for Lord Birt

1535203

	registered interest
	date	24/10/2022
	answering body	Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
	answering dept id	10
	answering dept short name	Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
	answering dept sort name	Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
	hansard heading	Wembley Stadium: Anti-social Behaviour
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask His Majesty's Government whether all of the issues of accountability identified in the report by Baroness Casey of Blackstock into the disorder at Wembley Stadium in the UEFA Euro 2020 Final, published on 3 December 2021, have been resolved; whether her recommendations for action have been implemented; and whether His Majesty's Government will publish an overview of all the measures taken by the different parties involved.
	tabling member printed	Lord Birt
	uin	HL2798
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 07/11/2022 answer text <p>The safety of spectators at sporting events is of the highest importance to His Majesty’s Government. We continue to work closely with all relevant authorities to ensure that football fans can continue to enjoy the sport whilst attending matches safely.</p><p>This review was commissioned by, and reported to, the English Football Association, with reference made to the Government in four of the recommendations. Our approach with respect to these recommendations is outlined in our evidence to the DCMS Select Committee of the House of Commons’ Inquiry into Safety at Major Sporting Events, a copy of which I will place in the Library.</p><p>The action taken by the Government includes extending football banning orders to cover offences of the selling and taking of Class A drugs at football games (under the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022), commissioning the Sports Ground Safety Authority to conduct and act on research about the stewarding capacity in the events sector, and working with numerous relevant parties on issues related to Zone Ex, with a particular focus on issues faced at Wembley. The Government is further considering its role in the oversight and co-ordination of major sporting events to inform a revision of the Gold Framework guidance on UK-level support available when bidding for and staging major sporting events.</p> answering member printed Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay question first answered 07/11/2022 15:51:43 answering member 4728 label Biography information for Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay
	tabling member	2533 label Biography information for Lord Birt

1546209

	registered interest
	date	28/11/2022
	answering body	Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
	answering dept id	10
	answering dept short name	Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
	answering dept sort name	Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
	hansard heading	Wembley Stadium: Anti-social Behaviour
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answers by Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay on 7 November (HL2798) and 24 November (HL3333), whether they have (1) monitored the implementation of all of the recommendations of the report by Baroness Casey of Blackstock into the disorder at Wembley Stadium in the UEFA Euro 2020 Final, or (2) received updates from (a) the Football Association and its key partners, or (b) the Sports Ground Safety Authority, on the implementation of those recommendations; and if so, what progress has been made in respect of each recommendation, and when they expect all the recommendations to have been implemented.
	tabling member printed	Lord Birt
	uin	HL3798
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 12/12/2022 answer text <p>DCMS has continued to work closely with key parties, including the Home Office, the UK Football Policing Unit, the Football Association, and the Sports Ground Safety Authority, to ensure that the recommendations from Baroness Casey of Blackstock’s report were carefully considered and, where necessary, acted upon.</p><p>Our approach with respect to these recommendations is outlined in our evidence to the DCMS Select Committee of the House of Commons’s Inquiry into Safety at Major Sporting Events, a copy of which I have placed in the Library.</p><p>In the case of Wembley Stadium, significant work has been undertaken by the Football Association and its key partners following Baroness Casey’s report, as successfully demonstrated during the UEFA Women’s Euros and other high-profile events.</p><p>The safety of spectators at sporting events is of the highest importance to His Majesty’s Government.</p><p> </p> answering member printed Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay question first answered 12/12/2022 15:18:17 answering member 4728 label Biography information for Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay
	tabling member	2533 label Biography information for Lord Birt

860824

	registered interest
	date	12/03/2018
	answering body	Cabinet Office
	answering dept id	53
	answering dept short name	Cabinet Office
	answering dept sort name	Cabinet Office
	hansard heading	Weather
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to review the preparedness of the UK to deal with severe cold weather conditions.
	tabling member printed	Lord Birt
	uin	HL6223
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 26/03/2018 answer text <p>The Government constantly reviews preparedness for the risks facing the UK, drawing on the National Risk Assessment (NRA) and Resilience Capabilities Programme (RCP). This includes preparedness to respond to and recover from severe cold weather. In addition, following any major event, debriefs are undertaken by relevant Departments and agencies to identify any lessons learned and improve future responses. This is the case with respect to the recent period of cold weather, where the Water Services Regulation Authority (Ofwat) is considering the recent water supply issue, identifying the causes of the problems and reviewing the response of the water companies. The results will be published by 15 June.</p> answering member printed Lord Young of Cookham question first answered 26/03/2018 15:55:50 answering member 57 label Biography information for Lord Young of Cookham
	tabling member	2533 label Biography information for Lord Birt

773533

	registered interest
	date	19/10/2017
	answering body	Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
	answering dept id	13
	answering dept short name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
	answering dept sort name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
	hansard heading	Water: Greater London
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have any plans to change the regulatory regime governing London's water infrastructure.
	tabling member printed	Lord Birt
	uin	HL2248
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 02/11/2017 answer text <p>The Government has no plans to change the regulatory regime governing London's water infrastructure.</p><p> </p><p>In September, the Government laid in Parliament a strategic policy statement (SPS) to Ofwat. This set out clear priorities for Ofwat to secure the water industry’s resilience to drought, flooding and other risks and to protect customers who may struggle to afford their charges or are vulnerable in other ways. The SPS makes clear that we expect Ofwat to challenge companies to improve planning and investment in services to meet the needs of current and future customers.</p> answering member printed Lord Gardiner of Kimble question first answered 02/11/2017 13:27:59 answering member 4161 label Biography information for Lord Gardiner of Kimble
	tabling member	2533 label Biography information for Lord Birt

1505628

	registered interest
	date	06/09/2022
	answering body	Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
	answering dept id	13
	answering dept short name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
	answering dept sort name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
	hansard heading	Water Supply
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps, if any, they intend to take to ensure that water infrastructure has the capacity to withstand periods of drought without requiring hosepipe bans.
	tabling member printed	Lord Birt
	uin	HL2201
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/09/2022 answer text <p>Despite the dry summer, water companies in England have assured us that essential water supplies remain resilient across the country. It is their duty to maintain those supplies. Defra ministers expect water company action in accordance with their pre-agreed drought plans. Water companies have taken action to mitigate the effects of this prolonged dry weather using the range of tools available to them, including Temporary Use Bans (aka 'hosepipe bans ').</p><p>The Government recognises the need to improve the resilience of our water supplies. The National Framework for Water Resources, published in March 2020, sets out the strategic water needs for England to 2050 and beyond. The Framework sets out how we will reduce demand, halve leakage rates, develop new water supply infrastructure, move water to where itis needed, increase drought resilience of water supplies, and reduce the need for drought measures.</p><p>The National Framework takes forward the recommendation from the National Infrastructure Commission on improved drought resilience of public water supplies. The Government is requiring water companies to plan to deliver resilience to a one in 500-year drought, that is not needing to resort to emergency measures, such as stand pipes and rota cuts.</p><p>Water companies are using the £469 million made available by Ofwat in the current Price Review period (2019-2024) to progress the infrastructure required to improve the resilience of water supplies. In the Autumn 2022, water companies will publish their statutory draft Water Resources Management Plans for consultation, which set out how they will secure water supplies in the long term.</p> answering member printed Lord Benyon question first answered 23/09/2022 10:41:03 answering member 1547 label Biography information for Lord Benyon
	tabling member	2533 label Biography information for Lord Birt

1136415

	registered interest
	date	02/07/2019
	answering body	Department of Health and Social Care
	answering dept id	17
	answering dept short name	Health and Social Care
	answering dept sort name	Health and Social Care
	hansard heading	Vitamins
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of (1) the safety, and (2) the effectiveness, of using IV vitamin drips and other related therapies offered by retail clinics.
	tabling member printed	Lord Birt
	uin	HL16865
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/07/2019 answer text <p>If retail clinics are intending to administer vitamin drips and other related therapies intravenously for a medicinal purpose then the products and associated advertising must be in compliance with all relevant aspects of medicines legislation which includes an assessment of the safety quality and efficacy for licensed medicines.</p><p>The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) is the United Kingdom body responsible for ensuring that medicines work and are acceptably safe.</p><p>Intravenous drips which are not intended for a medical purpose are not medicines and these products fall outside the MHRA’s jurisdiction.</p> answering member printed Baroness Blackwood of North Oxford question first answered 10/07/2019 15:27:10 answering member 4019 label Biography information for Baroness Blackwood of North Oxford
	tabling member	2533 label Biography information for Lord Birt

1285383

	registered interest
	date	09/02/2021
	answering body	Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
	answering dept id	201
	answering dept short name	Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
	answering dept sort name	Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
	hansard heading	Vaccine Taskforce
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of reports that decision-making by the UK Vaccine Task Force relating to COVID-19 vaccines has been delayed by the civil service.
	tabling member printed	Lord Birt
	uin	HL13157
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/02/2021 answer text <p>The Vaccine Taskforce has made, and continues to make, decisions rapidly to tackle COVID-19 and its variants. This has been recognised by the Public Accounts Committee in its recent report, that “the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, NHS England and NHS Improvement, and Public Health England have made major and world beating progress in buying and starting to roll-out the vaccines.”</p><p> </p><p>The Vaccine Taskforce has worked at pace, resulting in the UK being the first country to procure, authorise, and deploy the Pfizer/BioNTech and Oxford University/AstraZeneca vaccines. This is the largest immunisation programme in UK history and, as of 23 February, over 17.5 million people in the UK have received the first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine. This has been alongside various other achievements within the past 11 months, including:</p><p> </p><ul><li>The Government has struck agreements to buy 457 million doses of vaccines across eight leading candidates, including the Pfizer/BioNTech, Oxford University/AstraZeneca, and Moderna vaccines, which have shown positive efficacy results through clinical trials.</li></ul><p> </p><ul><li>The Government has invested over £300 million to ensure the country's vaccine manufacturing capabilities are scaled-up, so that effective vaccines can be made available to the public as quickly as possible.</li></ul><p> </p><ul><li>Over 440,000 people have enrolled in a national registry expressing their interest to take part in clinical trials to accelerate the development of a successful vaccine.</li></ul><p> </p><ul><li>The Government has committed to ensuring that everyone at risk of COVID-19, anywhere in the world, has access to safe and effective vaccines, and has donated £500 million to the COVAX international vaccine-sharing initiative to enable this.</li></ul> answering member printed Lord Callanan question first answered 23/02/2021 15:56:25 answering member 4336 label Biography information for Lord Callanan
	tabling member	2533 label Biography information for Lord Birt

1064196

	registered interest
	date	19/02/2019
	answering body	Treasury
	answering dept id	14
	answering dept short name	Treasury
	answering dept sort name	Treasury
	hansard heading	VAT: Electronic Government
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what is their estimate of the annual saving to HMRC of requiring VAT registered businesses to maintain their VAT records and to submit their VAT returns via Making Tax Digital; and what is their estimate of the incremental cost to the totality of VAT registered businesses of compliance with this requirement.
	tabling member printed	Lord Birt
	uin	HL13843
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 05/03/2019 answer text <p>HMRC’s revised assessment of impacts for Making Tax Digital (MTD) for VAT estimates that there will be an ongoing net cost to VAT registered businesses with a turnover above the VAT threshold of £37m. HMRC estimates that the behavioural impacts of Making Tax Digital will contribute over £1bn to the Exchequer by 2022 to 2023.</p> answering member printed Lord Bates question first answered 05/03/2019 13:57:15 answering member 1091 label Biography information for Lord Bates
	tabling member	2533 label Biography information for Lord Birt