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1693199

registered interest
date	04/03/2024
answering body	Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
answering dept id	208
answering dept short name	Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
answering dept sort name	Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
hansard heading	Russia: Private Military and Security Companies
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of reports that Ukrainian special forces are combatting Russian mercenaries on Sudanese soil.
tabling member printed	The Lord Bishop of St Albans
uin	HL3008
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/03/2024 answer text <p>We are aware of reports of external support to both the Sudanese Armed Forces and Rapid Support Forces in the conflict in Sudan. The UK condemns any actions that further fuel the brutal conflict in Sudan. The UK strongly supports an immediate end to the hostilities in Sudan both for the sake of its own people and the wider region. We continue to place emphasis in all our international engagement on the importance of neutrality and of supporting a ceasefire and civilian political transition<strong>.</strong></p> answering member printed Lord Benyon question first answered 18/03/2024 17:39:39 answering member 1547 label Biography information for Lord Benyon
tabling member	4308 label Biography information for The Lord Bishop of St Albans

1537226

registered interest
date	28/10/2022
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	Bees
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask His Majesty's Government what is their latest assessment of the health of the bee population in England.
tabling member printed	Baroness Kennedy of Cradley
uin	HL3008
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/11/2022 answer text <p>The bee population is comprised of honey bee colonies managed by beekeepers and bee farmers, and wild bees, of which there are more than 250 species in the UK.</p><p> </p><p>Defra supports the honey bee population through the work of the National Bee Unit inspectorate, which operates our bee pest surveillance programmes and provides free training and advice to beekeepers, including on pest and disease recognition.</p><p> </p><p>Levels of American foulbrood (AFB) and European foulbrood (EFB), serious diseases of honey bees, have remained relatively low in recent years. In 2021, around 35,000 colonies across 5,500 apiaries were inspected in England and Wales. In England, AFB was found to be present in 0.13% of colonies inspected in 2021, and EFB in 2.73% of colonies.</p><p> </p><p>Our contingency planning and response work has proved effective in dealing with incursions of the invasive species Asian hornet, which poses a serious threat to honey bees and other pollinating insects. We have robust import controls and an extensive surveillance programme in place for other invasive pests such as Small hive beetle which, to date, has not been detected in the UK.</p><p> </p><p>Our annual Hive Count exercise indicates that numbers of managed honey bees have increased in recent years, from around 252,000 UK colonies in 2017 to 272,000 in 2021. To a large extent, numbers of honey bees are dependent on the number of people willing to keep bees.</p><p> </p><p>Defra's indicator recording the distribution of wild pollinating insects in England between 1980 and 2017 shows long term decline for the majority of the 377 assessed species of hoverflies and bees. In the short term, however, around 40% of these species have become less widespread, and around 40% have become more widespread. A greater number of recorded bee species are becoming more widespread in England than are becoming less widespread. The reverse is true for hoverflies. We cannot provide information on which species are declining and which are increasing. We are keeping these trends under review.</p><p> </p><p>Pollinators are a priority for HM Government, and we are taking action alongside many partners to implement the National Pollinator Strategy’s provisions including publication of the National Pollinator Strategy Action Plan in May 2022. Our Healthy Bees Plan 2030 sets out how we will protect and improve the health of honey bees in England.</p> answering member printed Lord Benyon question first answered 17/11/2022 11:43:24 answering member 1547 label Biography information for Lord Benyon
tabling member	4303 label Biography information for Baroness Kennedy of Cradley

1358926

registered interest
date	12/10/2021
answering body	Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
answering dept id	208
answering dept short name	Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
answering dept sort name	Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
hansard heading	Ethiopia: Special Envoy for Famine Prevention and Humanitarian Affairs
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what were the results of the visit to Ethiopia by the Special Envoy for Famine Prevention and Humanitarian Affairs in September.
tabling member printed	Baroness Helic
uin	HL3008
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 25/10/2021 answer text <p>The UK's Special Envoy for Famine Prevention and Humanitarian Affairs, Nick Dyer, visited Amhara and Mekelle in Ethiopia last month (September). The Minister for Africa Vicky Ford spoke to him immediately on his return. He concluded that the humanitarian situation has significantly deteriorated and the risk of famine is high. There are 6 million people, with 3 million of those being children, who are in dire need of food, health, water and sanitation assistance.</p><p>In Amhara the Special Envoy saw the World Food Programme (WFP) in action. He and Minister Ford have reiterated the need for WFP and other partners to have access to all areas so they can provide vital humanitarian aid. The UK Government is committed to continue to address the humanitarian crises in the north including Afar, Amhara, and Tigray regions. On 16 October - World Food Day - Minister Ford announced an additional £29m of humanitarian aid to people affected by the catastrophic conflict in northern Ethiopia. This increases the UK's commitment to the crisis to more than £75m - making the UK the second largest donor.</p><p>The Special Envoy has called for all sides to stop fighting and find a political solution to avoid civilian suffering. He raised this with the Ethiopian authorities when he met them during his visit, including the Ethiopian Minister of Finance.</p><p>The humanitarian situation in Tigray is a man-made crisis and it is completely unacceptable. Minister Ford urges all parties to urgently agree a ceasefire and to allow humanitarian aid to reach starving people.</p> answering member printed Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park question first answered 25/10/2021 12:50:26 answering member 4062 label Biography information for Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park
tabling member	4331 label Biography information for Baroness Helic

1189365

registered interest
date	22/04/2020
answering body	Department for Transport
answering dept id	27
answering dept short name	Transport
answering dept sort name	Transport
hansard heading	High Speed 2 Line: Costs
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to Full business case High Speed 2 Phase One, published on 15 April, what is the total amount of the ‘sunk costs’; what costs incurred before December 2019 were not included in the economic appraisal; what would the benefit-cost ratio figures be if those costs had been included; whether the writing off of development costs up to the time of Notice to Proceed is in compliance with the HM Treasury's Green Book; what other Government-funded projects have had the development costs written off; and whether any such costs were written off in order to improve the benefit-cost ratio figures.
tabling member printed	Lord Berkeley
uin	HL3008
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 06/05/2020 answer text <p>The spend to date on HS2 up to the end of 2019 was £7.5bn (2015Q1 prices, excluding VAT). However not all of this is treated as sunk costs in the economic case as the land and property costs could be recoverable were HS2 not to go ahead.</p><p><strong> </strong></p><p><strong>what would the benefit-cost ratio figures be if those costs had been included; </strong></p><p><strong> </strong></p><p>The benefit cost ratio figures including sunk costs are as follows:</p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td><p> </p></td><td><p>Full Network</p></td><td><p>Statement of Intent</p></td><td><p>Parliamentary Powers</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>BCR without WEIs</p></td><td><p>1.1</p></td><td><p>0.8</p></td><td><p>0.8</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>BCR with WEIs</p></td><td><p>1.3</p></td><td><p>1.0</p></td><td><p>1.0</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p><strong> </strong></p><p><strong>whether the writing off of development costs up to the time of Notice to Proceed is in compliance with the HM Treasury's Green Book; </strong></p><p><strong> </strong></p><p>The appraisal of HS2 has been undertaken in compliance with HM Treasury’s Green Book. The Green Book states that “what matters are costs and benefits affected by decisions still to be made<em>.”</em></p><p><strong> </strong></p><p><strong>what other Government-funded projects have had the development costs written off; and whether any such costs were written off in order to improve the benefit-cost ratio figures.</strong></p><p> </p><p>Costs have not been written off in the approval of HS2. HS2 Ltd’s delegated Funding Envelope (the “Target Cost”) for Phase One is £40bn (2019 prices). This Target Cost includes the costs already spent on the project.</p> answering member printed Baroness Vere of Norbiton question first answered 06/05/2020 16:45:44 answering member 4580 label Biography information for Baroness Vere of Norbiton
tabling member	3526 label Biography information for Lord Berkeley

785860

registered interest
date	07/11/2017
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	Agriculture: Environment Protection
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what advice they provide to farmers and food growers on protecting water quality and the management of soil and nutrients.
tabling member printed	Baroness Kennedy of Cradley
uin	HL3008
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 15/11/2017 answer text <p>The Environment Agency (EA) provides advice and guidance on pollution prevention to farmers and agricultural businesses to help them reduce the risk of causing environmental pollution and the costs of clean up. There are around 100,000 agricultural premises in England which can benefit from this guidance. This helps farmers become or remain compliant with regulations and the direct legislation which prohibits pollution. It is an offence under the Water Resources Act to cause pollution, so where serious or significant pollution does happen the EA will also take direct enforcement action.</p><p> </p><p>The EA bases its advice around a consistent set of integrated key actions which farmers can take to manage environmental impacts. These key advisory actions will help to improve and protect water quality through the management of soils and nutrients, secure water resources, adapt to a changing climate and reduce flood risk. Other specific advice includes information to help farmers control nutrient levels from organic fertiliser and manufactured fertiliser use, previously known as the Code of Good Agricultural Practice (CoGAP). Where appropriate the EA will also signpost farmers to other partners for specialist support as well as grants which may be available through programmes such as Catchment Sensitive Farming (CSF) and the Countryside Stewardship Scheme.</p><p> </p> answering member printed Lord Gardiner of Kimble question first answered 15/11/2017 13:22:50 answering member 4161 label Biography information for Lord Gardiner of Kimble
tabling member	4303 label Biography information for Baroness Kennedy of Cradley

628273

registered interest
date	03/11/2016
answering body	Cabinet Office
answering dept id	53
answering dept short name	Cabinet Office
answering dept sort name	Cabinet Office
hansard heading	Political Parties: Finance
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government what plans they have to change the law relating to political donations.
tabling member printed	Lord Kennedy of Southwark
uin	HL3008
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 15/11/2016 answer text <p>Despite a decade of talks, there is still no cross-party consensus on the broad issues of party funding at this time. It is ultimately a matter for the political parties - the Government cannot impose consensus from Whitehall.</p> answering member printed Baroness Chisholm of Owlpen question first answered 15/11/2016 14:08:45 answering member 4330 label Biography information for Baroness Chisholm of Owlpen
tabling member	4153 label Biography information for Lord Kennedy of Southwark

423744

registered interest
date	26/10/2015
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	Agriculture: Pay
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government what statistics are made publicly available on agricultural wages since the abolition of the Agricultural Wages Board.
tabling member printed	Baroness Jones of Whitchurch
uin	HL3008
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/11/2015 answer text <p>The Office for National Statistics publishes various agricultural wage statistics as part of the Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings.</p><br /><p>The latest statistical release containing agricultural wage rates is entitled “Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings, 2014 Provisional Results.”</p> answering member printed Lord Gardiner of Kimble question first answered 03/11/2015 12:57:41 answering member 4161 label Biography information for Lord Gardiner of Kimble
tabling member	3792 label Biography information for Baroness Jones of Whitchurch

157063

registered interest
date	20/11/2014
answering body	Cabinet Office
answering dept id	53
answering dept short name	Cabinet Office
answering dept sort name	Cabinet Office
hansard heading	National Income: South West
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government how much revenue (1) the South West of England, and (2) Bristol, has been responsible for in real terms as a percentage of the United Kingdom’s gross national product since May 2010.
tabling member printed	Baroness Royall of Blaisdon
uin	HL3008
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 02/12/2014 answer text <p>The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply.</p><p> </p> answering member printed Lord Wallace of Saltaire question first answered 02/12/2014 12:28:12 answering member 1816 label Biography information for Lord Wallace of Saltaire attachment 1 file name HL3008 Baroness Royall ONS Letter.pdf title UK Statistics Authority Reply
tabling member	3703 label Biography information for Baroness Royall of Blaisdon