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1684604

registered interest
date	23/01/2024
answering body	Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities
answering dept id	211
answering dept short name	Levelling Up, Housing and Communities
answering dept sort name	Levelling Up, Housing and Communities
hansard heading	Teesworks
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask His Majesty's Government when the report commissioned by the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities in May 2023 about the activity of the Tees Valley combined authority with regard to Teesworks Ltd. and the sale of land formerly part of the Redcar Steelworks will be published.
tabling member printed	Baroness Armstrong of Hill Top
uin	HL1831
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 06/02/2024 answer text <p>The independent panel’s <a href="https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/65b3d8810c75e30012d8014c/Tees_Valley_Review_Report.pdf" target="_blank">report</a> was published on Monday 29 January and found no evidence of illegality of corruption. The report also made several recommendations on governance and oversight. The Secretary of State asked the mayor to consider these carefully, working with the Combined Authority and partners as appropriate, to provide him with an initial report by 8 March on how he intends to respond to the panel’s recommendations.</p><p>The Secretary of State is clear that he will not take decisions on further action until he has considered that response.</p><p>As they were appointed to do so independently of government, the panel themselves have made their own assessments of all relevant evidence presented within the <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/independent-review-teesworks-joint-venture-reviewer-appointment-letters-and-terms-of-reference/terms-of-reference" target="_blank">terms of reference</a> within which they were established.</p> answering member printed Baroness Penn attachment 1 file name Tees_Valley_Review_Report.pdf title Tees Valley Review Report 2 file name Terms of Reference.pdf title Terms of reference grouped question UIN HL1833 HL1834 HL1835 question first answered 06/02/2024 15:09:54 answering member 4726 label Biography information for Baroness Penn
tabling member	4150 label Biography information for Baroness Armstrong of Hill Top

1684605

registered interest
date	23/01/2024
answering body	Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities
answering dept id	211
answering dept short name	Levelling Up, Housing and Communities
answering dept sort name	Levelling Up, Housing and Communities
hansard heading	Combined Authorities: Audit
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the auditing arrangements for combined authorities.
tabling member printed	Baroness Armstrong of Hill Top
uin	HL1832
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 01/02/2024 answer text <p>All combined authorities are legally required to have an audit committee. The Cities and Local Government Devolution Act 2016, and the Combined Authorities (Overview and Scrutiny Committees, Access to Information Audit Committees) Order 2017, set the requirements for audit committees in combined authorities. These arrangements ensure that there is independent assurance of combined authorities governance, internal control and risk management arrangements, as well as the statutory financial reporting process.</p><p>Separately, combined authorities, in line with the requirements on all local authorities, are required to publish audited annual financial accounts. Combined authorities are not immune to the cross-system challenges currently facing the local audit market. The government working with system partners has developed proposals to tackle the exceptional circumstance of the current backlog and ensure a return to timely delivery of high-quality financial reporting and external audit in local bodies. We will consult on these imminently.</p> answering member printed Baroness Penn question first answered 01/02/2024 16:56:48 answering member 4726 label Biography information for Baroness Penn
tabling member	4150 label Biography information for Baroness Armstrong of Hill Top

1684606

registered interest
date	23/01/2024
answering body	Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities
answering dept id	211
answering dept short name	Levelling Up, Housing and Communities
answering dept sort name	Levelling Up, Housing and Communities
hansard heading	Teesworks
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask His Majesty's Government whether they have scrutinised the published accounts for Teesworks Ltd. in 2022–23; and what assessment they have made of the price at which the 90 acres of land were sold to Teesworks Ltd.
tabling member printed	Baroness Armstrong of Hill Top
uin	HL1833
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 06/02/2024 answer text <p>The independent panel’s <a href="https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/65b3d8810c75e30012d8014c/Tees_Valley_Review_Report.pdf" target="_blank">report</a> was published on Monday 29 January and found no evidence of illegality of corruption. The report also made several recommendations on governance and oversight. The Secretary of State asked the mayor to consider these carefully, working with the Combined Authority and partners as appropriate, to provide him with an initial report by 8 March on how he intends to respond to the panel’s recommendations.</p><p>The Secretary of State is clear that he will not take decisions on further action until he has considered that response.</p><p>As they were appointed to do so independently of government, the panel themselves have made their own assessments of all relevant evidence presented within the <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/independent-review-teesworks-joint-venture-reviewer-appointment-letters-and-terms-of-reference/terms-of-reference" target="_blank">terms of reference</a> within which they were established.</p> answering member printed Baroness Penn attachment 1 file name Tees_Valley_Review_Report.pdf title Tees Valley Review Report 2 file name Terms of Reference.pdf title Terms of reference grouped question UIN HL1831 HL1834 HL1835 question first answered 06/02/2024 15:09:54 answering member 4726 label Biography information for Baroness Penn
tabling member	4150 label Biography information for Baroness Armstrong of Hill Top

1684607

registered interest
date	23/01/2024
answering body	Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities
answering dept id	211
answering dept short name	Levelling Up, Housing and Communities
answering dept sort name	Levelling Up, Housing and Communities
hansard heading	Metals: Sales
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of whether the process for the sale of scrap metal from the ex-Redcar Steelworks has brought value for money for the public.
tabling member printed	Baroness Armstrong of Hill Top
uin	HL1834
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 06/02/2024 answer text <p>The independent panel’s <a href="https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/65b3d8810c75e30012d8014c/Tees_Valley_Review_Report.pdf" target="_blank">report</a> was published on Monday 29 January and found no evidence of illegality of corruption. The report also made several recommendations on governance and oversight. The Secretary of State asked the mayor to consider these carefully, working with the Combined Authority and partners as appropriate, to provide him with an initial report by 8 March on how he intends to respond to the panel’s recommendations.</p><p>The Secretary of State is clear that he will not take decisions on further action until he has considered that response.</p><p>As they were appointed to do so independently of government, the panel themselves have made their own assessments of all relevant evidence presented within the <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/independent-review-teesworks-joint-venture-reviewer-appointment-letters-and-terms-of-reference/terms-of-reference" target="_blank">terms of reference</a> within which they were established.</p> answering member printed Baroness Penn attachment 1 file name Tees_Valley_Review_Report.pdf title Tees Valley Review Report 2 file name Terms of Reference.pdf title Terms of reference grouped question UIN HL1831 HL1833 HL1835 question first answered 06/02/2024 15:09:55 answering member 4726 label Biography information for Baroness Penn
tabling member	4150 label Biography information for Baroness Armstrong of Hill Top

1684608

registered interest
date	23/01/2024
answering body	Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities
answering dept id	211
answering dept short name	Levelling Up, Housing and Communities
answering dept sort name	Levelling Up, Housing and Communities
hansard heading	South Tees Development Corporation
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of whether the governance arrangements for the South Tees Development Corporation are adequate to oversee the public interest.
tabling member printed	Baroness Armstrong of Hill Top
uin	HL1835
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 06/02/2024 answer text <p>The independent panel’s <a href="https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/65b3d8810c75e30012d8014c/Tees_Valley_Review_Report.pdf" target="_blank">report</a> was published on Monday 29 January and found no evidence of illegality of corruption. The report also made several recommendations on governance and oversight. The Secretary of State asked the mayor to consider these carefully, working with the Combined Authority and partners as appropriate, to provide him with an initial report by 8 March on how he intends to respond to the panel’s recommendations.</p><p>The Secretary of State is clear that he will not take decisions on further action until he has considered that response.</p><p>As they were appointed to do so independently of government, the panel themselves have made their own assessments of all relevant evidence presented within the <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/independent-review-teesworks-joint-venture-reviewer-appointment-letters-and-terms-of-reference/terms-of-reference" target="_blank">terms of reference</a> within which they were established.</p> answering member printed Baroness Penn attachment 1 file name Tees_Valley_Review_Report.pdf title Tees Valley Review Report 2 file name Terms of Reference.pdf title Terms of reference grouped question UIN HL1831 HL1833 HL1834 question first answered 06/02/2024 15:09:55 answering member 4726 label Biography information for Baroness Penn
tabling member	4150 label Biography information for Baroness Armstrong of Hill Top

1565229

registered interest
date	09/01/2023
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	River Tees: Pyridine
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask His Majesty's Government what progress they have made in their investigation into pyridine in the River Tees.
tabling member printed	Baroness Armstrong of Hill Top
uin	HL4529
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 31/01/2023 answer text <p>Defra is not progressing any further investigative work into the presence of pyridine in the River Tees at this time. We are however finalising the development and validation of a detection method to reliably quantify the amounts of pyridine in crab tissues. Once completed, we will use this test to assess the levels of pyridine in environmental crab tissues associated with the impacted and non-impacted areas, to better understand the significance of pyridine in crustacea, including the potential for its endogenous production post-mortem.</p><p>The Government Chief Scientific Adviser has conveyed an independent external expert panel to review all the scientific evidence relating to this issue and report published on Friday 20 January<ins class="ministerial">.</ins></p><p>Defra scientists continue to engage with the wider academic community with regard to ongoing research and development work into the ecological status of the Tees and the wider North Sea.</p> answering member printed Lord Benyon question first answered 31/01/2023 17:00:55 question first ministerially corrected 01/02/2023 11:22:23 answering member 1547 label Biography information for Lord Benyon previous answer version 51824 answering member printed Lord Benyon answering member 1547 label Biography information for Lord Benyon
tabling member	4150 label Biography information for Baroness Armstrong of Hill Top

1565230

registered interest
date	09/01/2023
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	River Tees: Pyridine
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask His Majesty's Government who has been appointed to the expert panel established to investigate pyridine in the River Tees.
tabling member printed	Baroness Armstrong of Hill Top
uin	HL4530
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 30/01/2023 answer text <p>The expert panel announced in November has been convened and is made up of experts from outside government and its agencies, with representatives from over 10 leading marine science organisations. They will assess the evidence and consider all explanations for the mortality of crabs and lobsters that occurred in 2021, using all available data and informed by wider scientific research and expert opinions. <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/news/panel-of-independent-experts-publish-findings-into-crab-deaths" target="_blank">The panel’s findings</a>, and details of its membership and terms of reference, has now been published.</p> answering member printed Lord Benyon question first answered 30/01/2023 15:59:10 answering member 1547 label Biography information for Lord Benyon attachment 1 file name Independent_Expert_Assessment_of_Unusual_Crustacean_Mortality_in_the_north-east_of_England_in_2021_and_2022.pdf title Expert Panel Findings
tabling member	4150 label Biography information for Baroness Armstrong of Hill Top

1565231

registered interest
date	09/01/2023
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	River Tees: Pyridine
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask His Majesty's Government whether they will ensure that no dredging will take place in the River Tees until after (1) publication, and (2) consideration, of the expert panel report.
tabling member printed	Baroness Armstrong of Hill Top
uin	HL4531
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 26/01/2023 answer text <p>The MMO uses a weight of evidence approach to inform its decision making and, to date, there is no robust scientific evidence to suspend the marine licences for this work. The MMO have conducted marine licence inspections on the dredging works in question and following this they remain satisfied that the works are being conducted in line with the relevant marine licence(s). Inspections on the licenced activities will continue on a periodic basis throughout the length of the licence. The findings of the Expert Panel will steer consideration of further action.</p><p><br> Capital and maintenance dredging are common activities around the coast of England and have taken place on the Tees for many decades. The decisions on dredging methodologies and disposal of dredge material are fundamental to the continued operation of ports and associated industries. Requirements of dredging techniques may be entirely dependent on local conditions, and an assessment is made pre-determination as a part of the licensing process as to the type of dredging allowed to take place and any mitigation required is included as licence conditions.</p> answering member printed Lord Benyon question first answered 26/01/2023 12:56:24 answering member 1547 label Biography information for Lord Benyon
tabling member	4150 label Biography information for Baroness Armstrong of Hill Top

1565232

registered interest
date	09/01/2023
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	River Tees: Pyridine
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to monitor pyridine in the River Tees; and what assessment they have made of whether preparation for the Teesside Freeport is safe to fishing interests.
tabling member printed	Baroness Armstrong of Hill Top
uin	HL4532
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 26/01/2023 answer text <p>The Environment Agency carries out routine monitoring of water quality in the River Tees, which includes testing for Pyridine. Monthly samples are taken at 10 locations within the Tees Estuary and adjacent coastal waters.</p><p>The Tees South Bank Quay licence application required a full Environmental Impact Assessment under the Marine Work (Environmental Impact Assessment) Regulations (2017) and Marine and Coastal Access Act (2009), which included an assessment of likely significant effects to fish ecology and fishery receptors. Various mitigation measures were stipulated on the licence and the full detail of the licensing and consultation process can be found on the MMO Public Register.</p><p>Meanwhile, the Marine Management Organisation uses internationally accepted guidelines including from The Convention for the Protection of the Marine Environment of the North-East Atlantic 1992 (OSPAR) to help inform its licensing decisions.</p><p>The UK is a contracting party to OSPAR, and OSPAR guidance is used to identify chemicals for testing. Pyridine is not routinely measured in sediment, and there are currently no plans to monitor for pyridine in sediments generally, including for dredge and disposal applications. Pyridine is not listed as a Chemical for Priority Action (contaminant of concern, based on persistency, liability to bioaccumulate, and toxicity) by either OSPAR (<a href="https://www.ospar.org/work-areas/hasec/hazardous-substances/priority-action" target="_blank">https://www.ospar.org/work-areas/hasec/hazardous-substances/priority-action</a>) [copy attached to this answer] or the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA).</p> answering member printed Lord Benyon question first answered 26/01/2023 12:38:17 answering member 1547 label Biography information for Lord Benyon attachment 1 file name OSPAR Commission _ Protecting and conserving the North-East Atlantic and its resources.pdf title OSPAR
tabling member	4150 label Biography information for Baroness Armstrong of Hill Top

1472283

registered interest
date	21/06/2022
answering body	Home Office
answering dept id	1
answering dept short name	Home Office
answering dept sort name	Home Office
hansard heading	Asylum: Middle East and Somalia
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what they consider safe, legal routes to be for asylum seekers from (1) Afghanistan, (2) Iraq, (3) Iran, and (4) Somalia.
tabling member printed	Baroness Armstrong of Hill Top
uin	HL1132
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/07/2022 answer text <p>The UK welcomes refugees and people in need of protection through its existing resettlement schemes. The government encourages eligible individuals to use established safe and legal pathways. These include the UK Resettlement Scheme, Community Sponsorship, Mandate Resettlement Scheme, the Afghanistan Citizens Resettlement Scheme, and the Afghanistan Relocations and Assistance Policy.</p><p>Individuals from the listed countries may be eligible for resettlement through these existing schemes.</p><p>In addition to our refugee resettlement schemes, family reunion policy allows a spouse/partner and the children under 18 of those granted protection in the UK to join them here if they formed part of the family unit before the sponsor fled their country.</p><p>Since 2015, we have resettled more than 27,000 refugees through safe and legal routes directly from regions of conflict and instability – around half of whom are children.</p><p> </p><p>With worldwide displacement now standing at around 80 million people, we cannot help everyone. We will, however, continue to maintain clear, well-defined safe, and legal routes for people who need protection. Access to the UK’s asylum system should be based on need, not on the ability to pay people smugglers. Those already in a safe country should claim asylum there.</p><p>More information on safe and legal routes is available on GOV.UK</p><p> </p> answering member printed Baroness Williams of Trafford question first answered 21/07/2022 11:30:24 answering member 4311 label Biography information for Baroness Williams of Trafford
tabling member	4150 label Biography information for Baroness Armstrong of Hill Top