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1059189

	registered interest
	date	11/02/2019
	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	Parliamentary Session
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask the Leader of the House when she expects the current session of Parliament to end.
	tabling member printed	Lord Foulkes of Cumnock
	uin	HL13578
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 20/02/2019 answer text <p>A date for the prorogation of the current session has not yet been set. The length of the first session was extended to give Parliament more time to consider the crucial legislation relating to Brexit.</p> answering member printed Baroness Evans of Bowes Park question first answered 20/02/2019 11:32:10 answering member 4329 label Biography information for Baroness Evans of Bowes Park
	tabling member	579 label Biography information for Lord Foulkes of Cumnock

1059235

	registered interest
	date	11/02/2019
	answering body	The Senior Deputy Speaker
	answering dept id	204
	answering dept short name
	answering dept sort name	Senior Deputy Speaker (HoL)
	hansard heading	House of Lords: Disability
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask the Senior Deputy Speaker whether he is satisfied that the present arrangements in the Chamber and Committee Rooms meet the needs of those with hearing or visual impairments.
	tabling member printed	Lord Trefgarne
	uin	HL13620
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 25/02/2019 answer text <p>The House of Lords provides support for Members, staff and visitors to Parliament affected by hearing loss through the use of audio loop and infrared systems that help to amplify sound for hearing aid users. Loop systems are installed in the Chamber and all Committee rooms, with infrared systems additionally available within Committee rooms 1 to 4, 2A, 3A and the Moses Room. Handheld radio transmitters are also available to hearing-aid users when in the Chamber, to reduce interference from electrical equipment and improve the quality of sound provided by the audio loop.</p><p> </p><p>We are currently exploring options to provide an audio description service for Chamber and Committee proceedings. This will provide blind and partially sighted members, committee witnesses and members of the public with a voiced description of which member or witness is currently speaking, transmitted directly via an audio service. A feasibility study was commissioned in January 2019 and will report back later this year.</p><p> </p><p>Further microphones are due to be added to the Chamber this year, which will improve the quality of service provided to hearing aid users. A greater number of microphones situated closer to the people speaking minimises background noise and gives a cleaner sound on the audio which is sent directly to hearing aids via the loop system. The large number of microphones used in Committee meetings, whether automated or operated by an engineer, help to keep the sound clear and maximise the quality of sound experienced by hearing aid users.</p><p> </p><p>For those with hearing impairments which do not require the use of a hearing aid, overall audibility in Committee Rooms 2A, 3A and 4A is generally good. In Committee rooms 1 to 4, however, factors such as high ceilings and furniture arrangements mean that the current acoustic set-up is sub-optimal. A facilities upgrade is currently being trialled in House of Commons Committee Room 6 and, subject to approval, House of Lords Committee rooms will also benefit from these improvements in due course. There are also plans to replace the speakers embedded in the benches within the Chamber next year, which should deliver improvements to general levels of audibility.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The business of the House is of course dependent upon Members, staff and visitors such as committee witnesses being able to hear and be heard, although the capacity to deliver improvements can sometimes be limited by the nature of operations in a building with heritage restrictions. Equality Impact Assessments will be carried out as part of the Restoration and Renewal process, during which extensive works are likely to offer the potential for further improvements to facilities. In the interim, the Director of Facilities would be happy to speak to any member with specific suggestions for improvement.</p> answering member printed Lord McFall of Alcluith question first answered 25/02/2019 17:21:43 answering member 4148 label Biography information for Lord McFall of Alcluith
	tabling member	1813 label Biography information for Lord Trefgarne

1059216

	registered interest
	date	11/02/2019
	answering body	Attorney General
	answering dept id	88
	answering dept short name	Attorney General
	answering dept sort name	Attorney General
	hansard heading	Sir Philip Green
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government whether Sir Phillip Green or any company, trust or other entity associated with him, has obtained an injunction against Her Majesty's Government or any government departments, agencies or public bodies since May 2010; if so, when any such injunction was granted; and when it was withdrawn.
	tabling member printed	Lord Myners
	uin	HL13602
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/02/2019 answer text <p>The Government Legal Department (GLD) conducts civil litigation on behalf of most government departments and many (but not all) executive agencies and non-departmental public bodies.</p><p>GLD has no record of any injunctions obtained by Sir Philip Green, or any entity known by GLD to be connected with him, against any of the departments, agencies or bodies to which GLD provides litigation services.</p> answering member printed Lord Keen of Elie question first answered 21/02/2019 12:19:00 answering member 4538 label Biography information for Lord Keen of Elie
	tabling member	3869 label Biography information for Lord Myners

1059186

	registered interest
	date	11/02/2019
	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	Natural Gas: Storage
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government, following the closure of the Rough gas storage facility, how many days’ worth of natural gas can now be stored in the UK, based on the UK’s average daily consumption.
	tabling member printed	Lord Birt
	uin	HL13575
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 20/02/2019 answer text <p>The UK currently has a total gas storage capacity of 2.5 billion cubic metres (bcm), in the form of Liquified Natural Gas (LNG) stored at terminals (1.2bcm) and gas stored underground (1.3bcm)[1].</p><p> </p><p>Based on the average daily demand (209 million cubic metres/day)<sup>1</sup>, the UK’s total gas storage capacity is equivalent to 12 days of average demand (6 days from LNG stocks, and 6 days from underground storage).</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>[1] <em>Capacity and demand data sources: </em><a href="https://www.nationalgridgas.com/data-and-operations/transmission-operational-data" target="_blank">https://www.nationalgridgas.com/data-and-operations/transmission-operational-data</a></p><p> </p> answering member printed Lord Henley question first answered 20/02/2019 13:13:40 answering member 2616 label Biography information for Lord Henley
	tabling member	2533 label Biography information for Lord Birt

1059187

	registered interest
	date	11/02/2019
	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	Petrol
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government how many days of reserve petrol stock are currently held by the UK, both inside and outside its borders; and how many days of stock will be held within the UK post-Brexit.
	tabling member printed	Lord Birt
	uin	HL13576
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 25/02/2019 answer text <p>The UK currently holds 39 days of petrol stocks. The UK is also currently a net exporter of petrol as our refineries produce more than the UK consumes.</p><p> </p><p>The UK has two international obligations to hold emergency oil stocks that can be released in response to disruptions to the oil market, as required by the EU Oil Stocking Directive (2009/119/EC) and under International Energy Agency (IEA) rules. The EU Oil Stocking Directive requires Member States to maintain stocks at the higher of 90 days of net imports or 61 days of inland consumption. The IEA obligation requires 90 days of net oil imports.</p><p> </p><p>UK oil stocking obligations after we exit the European Union will depend on the terms of our exit, including whether there is a transition period. Under any scenario, the UK will continue to be bound by the IEA requirement to hold oil stocks equal to 90 days of net imports. Many countries around the world subscribe to the same obligation, a level widely considered appropriate to protect against oil disruption.</p> answering member printed Lord Henley question first answered 25/02/2019 12:10:36 answering member 2616 label Biography information for Lord Henley
	tabling member	2533 label Biography information for Lord Birt

1059188

	registered interest
	date	11/02/2019
	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	Company Accounts
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what (1) is the composition, and (2) are the terms of reference of the working group that has been set up to look at requirements for companies to disclose distributable reserves.
	tabling member printed	Baroness Bowles of Berkhamsted
	uin	HL13577
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 25/02/2019 answer text <p>The Government has not established a working group to look at this matter.</p><p> </p><p>In its response to the Insolvency and Corporate Governance consultation last year the Government said that it would explore the strength of the case for a comprehensive review of the UK’s dividend regime, including whether any such review should consider the option of requiring companies to disclose their distributable reserves. That consideration is ongoing.</p> answering member printed Lord Henley question first answered 25/02/2019 12:14:27 answering member 2616 label Biography information for Lord Henley
	tabling member	4562 label Biography information for Baroness Bowles of Berkhamsted

1059226

	registered interest
	date	11/02/2019
	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	Manufacturing Industries
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of falls in factory output on the recent growth slowdown in the UK manufacturing sector.
	tabling member printed	Lord Taylor of Warwick
	uin	HL13611
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 19/02/2019 answer text <p>Whilst the latest Index of Production figures for December 2018 show that manufacturing output fell by 0.7% on the previous month, in fact, manufacturing output for the entirety of 2018 rose by 0.9% compared to 2017 levels.</p><p> </p><p>The government recognises that the manufacturing sector remains a vital contributor to the economy of the UK, driving innovation, exports, job creation, and productivity growth. The sector supports 2.7 million jobs, generates 49% of the UK total exports of goods and services, and accounts for 66% of all business expenditure on UK R&amp;D. Through our modern Industrial Strategy and Made Smarter – our key national industrial digitalisation programme – we are building an economy fit for the future. In the process, we are exploiting the wealth of opportunities from next generation technologies that foster competitive business environments, allowing for UK manufacturing to flourish. As the 9<sup>th</sup> largest global manufacturing economy, we are – and will continue to be – a major manufacturing nation.</p> answering member printed Lord Henley question first answered 19/02/2019 14:16:14 answering member 2616 label Biography information for Lord Henley
	tabling member	1796 label Biography information for Lord Taylor of Warwick

1059227

	registered interest
	date	11/02/2019
	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	Shipbuilding
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to (1) protect jobs, and (2) boost productivity, in the UK shipbuilding industry.
	tabling member printed	Lord Taylor of Warwick
	uin	HL13612
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 19/02/2019 answer text <p>The National Shipbuilding Strategy published in 2017 set out how the Ministry of Defence would transform the way it procures naval ships. The Strategy committed the government to work with the industry to improve public procurement, increase trade and drive innovation.</p><p>An industry led Maritime Enterprise Working Group is undertaking a long-term programme of improvements for the UK shipbuilding industry. Its membership includes the major UK shipbuilders, government and universities.</p><p>The Group commissioned a Shipbuilding Market Evaluation and Competitiveness Study that is due to report shortly. The findings of the study will enable the UK shipbuilding industry to focus on specific productivity improvements based on the opportunities for the industry in terms of the domestic and international markets for commercial and naval ships, which could secure jobs for the long term.</p> answering member printed Lord Henley question first answered 19/02/2019 14:16:56 answering member 2616 label Biography information for Lord Henley
	tabling member	1796 label Biography information for Lord Taylor of Warwick

1059237

	registered interest
	date	11/02/2019
	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	Fracking: Earthquakes
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to alter the current rules and regulations regarding permitted seismicity levels during fracking operations in the UK.
	tabling member printed	Lord Truscott
	uin	HL13621
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 20/02/2019 answer text <p>The Traffic Light System for monitoring induced seismicity was introduced after consideration of advice from three scientists, following operations at Cuadrilla’s Preese Hall site in 2011. The level of magnitude 0.5 at which operators must pause operations, was set in consultation with industry as an appropriate precautionary measure. There are no plans to review the traffic light system.</p> answering member printed Lord Henley question first answered 20/02/2019 12:26:37 answering member 2616 label Biography information for Lord Henley
	tabling member	3682 label Biography information for Lord Truscott

1059238

	registered interest
	date	11/02/2019
	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	Fracking
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the issues Cuadrilla Resources has faced whilst fracking near Blackpool; and whether they consider the UK fracking industry to be commercially viable.
	tabling member printed	Lord Truscott
	uin	HL13622
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 20/02/2019 answer text <p>The Government is reassured that our regulatory regime for shale gas is working as intended. The industry is at the very early stages of exploration and we do not yet know how much of the UK’s shale resources can be extracted technically or economically and what the contribution to the UK economy could be.</p><p> </p><p>We will continue to support responsible companies, working within our robust regulatory regime, who are prepared to invest in this industry as they proceed with the exploration process, to test the size and value of the potential reserves.</p> answering member printed Lord Henley question first answered 20/02/2019 12:27:09 answering member 2616 label Biography information for Lord Henley
	tabling member	3682 label Biography information for Lord Truscott