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1314958

registered interest
date	17/05/2021
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	Deep Sea Mining
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what consideration they have given to supporting the call by the European Commission and others for a moratorium on deep sea mining.
tabling member printed	Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle
uin	HL252
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 02/06/2021 answer text <p>There is no deep sea mining currently happening in areas beyond national jurisdictions, there are no exploitation licences for deep sea mining, and no exploitation regulations have yet been agreed. Any mining licenced under future regulations is unlikely to begin for several years. In addition, the UK has committed not to sponsor or support the issuing of any exploitation licences for deep sea mining projects unless and until there is sufficient scientific evidence about the potential impact on deep sea ecosystems and strong and enforceable environmental regulations and standards have been developed by the International Seabed Authority (ISA) and are in place.</p><p> </p><p>Under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), it is the role of the ISA to regulate and control all mineral-related activities in the international seabed area for the benefit of mankind as a whole. In so doing, the ISA has the duty to ensure the effective protection of the marine environment from harmful effects that may arise from deep seabed activities.</p><p> </p><p>The UK has a strong and respected voice in these international negotiations and the UK position emphasises the need to ensure that the highest possible environmental standards are met in the development of this new industry. We judge that engaging fully with these negotiations is the most effective way for the UK to work with others so that no deep sea mining takes place in the absence of strong and enforceable environmental regulations and standards. This includes requiring that Regional Environmental Management Plans are adopted for each region before any exploitation licence can even be considered, as well as the adoption of strong and enforceable environmental Standards as well as Guidelines.</p><p> </p><p>Finally, on terminology, we note that the European Commission, in its recent sustainable blue economy strategy, has not made reference to a moratorium, but has set out that “In international negotiations, the EU should advocate that marine minerals in the international seabed area cannot be exploited before the effects of deep-sea mining on the marine environment, biodiversity and human activities have been sufficiently researched, the risks are understood and the technologies and operational practices are able to demonstrate no serious harm to the environment.” We understand from the statement that the outcomes we and the Commission are arguing for are essentially the same, that no deep sea mining should take place in the absence of strong and enforceable environmental regulations and standards.</p><p> </p> answering member printed Lord Callanan question first answered 02/06/2021 12:47:36 answering member 4336 label Biography information for Lord Callanan
tabling member	4719 label Biography information for Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle

1314959

registered interest
date	17/05/2021
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	Spaceflight: China
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 landing of a Chinese rover on Mars; and what plans they have, if any, to support the 1979 Moon Agreement, and in particular its principle that the resources of space should not be appropriated by any commercial or state interest.
tabling member printed	Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle
uin	HL253
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 01/06/2021 answer text <p>Her Majesty’s Government has noted with interest the successful landing of the Zhurong rover on Mars and we welcome the increased scientific research and understanding of Mars that it will enable.</p><p> </p><p>Her Majesty’s Government is not a signatory to the Agreement Governing the Activities of States on the Moon and Other Celestial Bodies; therefore, its principles do not apply to the United Kingdom.</p><p> </p><p>However, the Government continues to support the principle that all nations operating rovers on Mars and other celestial bodies abide by the provisions of the UN Outer Space Treaty. The UK actively participates in the UN Committee on Peaceful Uses of Outer Space and its Subcommittees to define best practice and associated guidelines.</p><p> </p> answering member printed Lord Callanan question first answered 01/06/2021 11:14:17 answering member 4336 label Biography information for Lord Callanan
tabling member	4719 label Biography information for Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle

1299431

registered interest
date	03/03/2021
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	Green Homes Grant Scheme
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answers by Lord Callanan on 15 February (HL12862) and 23 February (HL13155), what is the average time for individual payments for each of the final two stages of delivery of Green Homes Grant funds; and what is the longest time it has taken to complete individual payments for each stage.
tabling member printed	Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle
uin	HL13862
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/03/2021 answer text <p>The scheme administrator is prioritising the payment of the vouchers and we are continuing to see an increase in the number of vouchers being paid out to installers once work is complete.</p> answering member printed Lord Callanan question first answered 18/03/2021 12:42:58 answering member 4336 label Biography information for Lord Callanan
tabling member	4719 label Biography information for Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle

1285381

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	Green Homes Grant Scheme
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking (1) to ensure that installers of measures under the Green Homes Fund are being paid promptly, and (2) to prevent those installers from (a) laying off staff, or (b) going out of business, due to delays in payment.
tabling member printed	Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle
uin	HL13155
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/02/2021 answer text <p>Installer payment is a four stage process: I refer the noble Baroness to the answer I gave the noble Lord Stunell on 15th February 2021 to Question HL12862. The Scheme Administrator, ICF, will release payment once the process is complete including all required checks. ICF are currently prioritising the payment of installers.</p><p> </p><p>BEIS officials are working with consumers and installers to ensure they are clear on the information and checks required as part of the payment process, so that installers can be paid as quickly as possible. We will continue to work closely with ICF to identify further process improvements, increase the number of vouchers issued, and payments released.</p> answering member printed Lord Callanan question first answered 23/02/2021 16:21:26 answering member 4336 label Biography information for Lord Callanan
tabling member	4719 label Biography information for Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle

1275005

registered interest
date	08/01/2021
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	Green Homes Grant Scheme
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government whether a value for money test is applied to all quotations submitted for partial support under the Green Homes Grant scheme; and if so, whether any such assessments are required to be made by appropriately qualified persons with knowledge of local conditions.
tabling member printed	Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle
uin	HL11910
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/01/2021 answer text <p>The scheme administrator checks all applications to ensure that they are eligible for the scheme, and that the applications are value for money and reflective of typical market prices. These checks take account of factors such as different sizes of property, types of system and geographic area. This ensures that government funding is spent appropriately.</p><p> </p><p>The Green Homes Grant scheme aims to ensure that households are given the best possible service when installing greener adaptations. All primary installers must be TrustMark registered, as well as Microgeneration Certification Scheme (MCS) certified for heat and Publicly Available Specification (PAS) certified for energy efficiency. It is through this that it is ensured that installations are of the highest quality.</p> answering member printed Lord Callanan question first answered 22/01/2021 14:06:52 answering member 4336 label Biography information for Lord Callanan
tabling member	4719 label Biography information for Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle

1275006

registered interest
date	08/01/2021
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	Business: Regulation
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Statement by Lord Callanan on 15 December (HLWS646), what plans they have to consult with civil society groups and the wider public as part of their review into how regulatory impacts are assessed in advance of setting the next Business Impact Target.
tabling member printed	Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle
uin	HL11911
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/01/2021 answer text <p>The Government is required by the Small Business, Enterprise, and Employment (SBEE) Act 2015 to set a Business Impact Target at the start of each Parliament, ensuring that we remain accountable and transparent to both business and the public for the decisions we make. As set out in the Manifesto, we <em>“will strive to achieve the right regulatory balance between supporting excellent business practice and protecting workers, consumers and the environment” </em><em>(p.33). </em>The Government does not believe that the current methods for assessing regulatory impacts allow for this. Therefore, we will consult with civil society groups and the wider public to ensure the impact of regulations are reflected more effectively, so as to continue to provide the necessary protections without placing unnecessary burdens on business. The Government will set out the details of who we intend to consult when we come to announce proposals for the review of the Business Impact Target.</p> answering member printed Lord Callanan question first answered 22/01/2021 14:05:59 answering member 4336 label Biography information for Lord Callanan
tabling member	4719 label Biography information for Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle

1275010

registered interest
date	08/01/2021
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	Art Works: Trade Agreements
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government how artworks created in the UK but from materials originating elsewhere will be treated by the EU under the region of origin rules as set out in the Trade and Cooperation Agreement reached between the United Kingdom and the European Union, published on 24 December 2020.
tabling member printed	Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle
uin	HL11915
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/01/2021 answer text <p>Artworks classified in Chapter 97 of the Harmonised System (Works of art, collectors’ pieces and antiques) are currently eligible for import at zero tariffs under both the UK Global Tariff and the EU Common External Tariff. This means that businesses who trade artwork between the UK and EU do not need to comply with Rules of Origin under the Trade and Cooperation Agreement to export or import under zero tariffs.</p><p>Traders should refer to the UK Global Tariff: (<a href="https://www.gov.uk/guidance/tariffs-on-goods-imported-into-the-uk" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/guidance/tariffs-on-goods-imported-into-the-uk</a>)</p><p>and to the EU Common External Tariff: (<a href="https://ec.europa.eu/info/business-economy-euro/trade-non-eu-countries/import-eu_en" target="_blank">https://ec.europa.eu/info/business-economy-euro/trade-non-eu-countries/import-eu_en</a>)</p><p> </p><p>If in the future the EU Common External Tariff changed to make artwork subject to tariffs, artwork produced in the UK would have to comply with Rules of Origin to export zero tariff to the EU under the Trade and Cooperation Agreement. In that scenario, UK producers should refer to the full Rules of Origin requirements set out in the text of the Trade and Cooperation Agreement. Detailed guidance is available on GOV.UK: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/rules-of-origin-for-goods-moving-between-the-uk-and-eu" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/rules-of-origin-for-goods-moving-between-the-uk-and-eu</a></p><p> </p> answering member printed Lord Callanan question first answered 22/01/2021 14:43:45 answering member 4336 label Biography information for Lord Callanan
tabling member	4719 label Biography information for Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle

1274564

registered interest
date	07/01/2021
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	Bank Services: Payments
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 risk to consumers of untransparent terms and conditions for online payments, and in particular, the risk of signing up to continuous payments in error; and what steps they plan to take to address any such risk.
tabling member printed	Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle
uin	HL11856
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/01/2021 answer text <p>Under the Consumer Rights Act 2015, all terms of written contracts must be fair and transparent. If terms in a consumer contract are assessed by a court as unfair, they will not be binding on the consumer, even if the consumer has “accepted” them.</p><p> </p><p>The Government is working closely with Citizens Advice and the Consumer Protection Partnership, which brings together key partners within the consumer protection framework, to examine ways to make it easier for consumers to cancel unwanted subscriptions and avoid them facing unreasonable charges.</p> answering member printed Lord Callanan question first answered 21/01/2021 16:07:25 answering member 4336 label Biography information for Lord Callanan
tabling member	4719 label Biography information for Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle

1274480

registered interest
date	06/01/2021
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	Green Homes Grant Scheme
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government how many (1) applications have been made to, and (2) vouchers issued under, the Green Homes Grant scheme; what is the total value of any such (a) applications, and (b) vouchers; and what is the regional distribution of (i) the applications, (ii) issued vouchers, and (iii) payouts, relating to that scheme.
tabling member printed	Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle
uin	HL11794
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 20/01/2021 answer text <p>As of 16:22, 11 January 2021, 60,759 grant applications have been received, corresponding to 93,569 vouchers and a total cost of works of £464.3m applications received<strong><sup>1</sup></strong>. Of these, 14,902 vouchers have been issued [reporting 12:19:59, 11.01.2021].</p><p>Grant applications<strong><sup>2</sup></strong>, given by region, are as follows [reporting 16:22:00, 11.01.2021]:</p><p> </p><ul><li>North East: 2,139</li><li>Yorkshire and the Humber: 8,621</li><li>North West: 10,481</li><li>East Midlands: 6,032</li><li>West Midlands: 7,243</li><li>London: 5,894</li><li>East of England: 6,083</li><li>South East: 7,153</li><li>South West: 6,831</li></ul><p> </p><p>Grant applications<strong><sup>3</sup></strong> that have been issued vouchers, given by region, are as follows [reporting 16:22:00, 11.01.2021]:</p><p> </p><ul><li>North East: 492</li><li>Yorkshire and the Humber: 1,593</li><li>North West: 1,601</li><li>East Midlands: 1,491</li><li>West Midlands: 1,640</li><li>London: 1,373</li><li>East of England: 1,727</li><li>South East: 1,895</li><li>South West: 1,359</li></ul><p> </p><p>The first vouchers have been redeemed, and more vouchers are being redeemed every day. BEIS will continue to monitor application data as the scheme progresses.</p><p> </p><p>Homeowners and landlords submit grant applications for energy efficiency and clean heat measures they want to install in their properties, under the scheme. Once approved, vouchers are issued for each measure that has been applied for.</p><p> </p><p><em><strong><sup>1</sup></strong> This value has been derived by taking the sum of the cost of all works applied for within the scheme, for all applications to date.</em></p><p><em> </em></p><p><em><strong><sup>2</sup></strong> The total grant applications by region is 60,477. This differs from the headline total of 60,759 due to a slightly different reporting period.</em></p><p><em><strong> </strong></em></p><p><em><strong><sup>3</sup></strong> The values provided for this figure describes the regional breakdown of grant applications that have been issued vouchers. This is different to the regional breakdown of vouchers, in that more one application may generate more than one voucher. </em></p> answering member printed Lord Callanan question first answered 20/01/2021 16:57:07 answering member 4336 label Biography information for Lord Callanan
tabling member	4719 label Biography information for Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle

1273530

registered interest
date	30/12/2020
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	Railways
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Callanan on 23 December (HL11338), what suggestions the International Union of Railways have made "to enhance the take up of rail travel to Glasgow from Europe".
tabling member printed	Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle
uin	HL11637
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 13/01/2021 answer text <p>The International Union of Railways is one of a number of organisations and transport operators that are engaged as the COP26 Unit develops the transport plan. In order to enhance the take up of rail travel from Europe to Glasgow, a robust communications campaign that encourages those who can, to travel by rail to the UK, will be put in place.</p> answering member printed Lord Callanan question first answered 13/01/2021 17:09:49 answering member 4336 label Biography information for Lord Callanan
tabling member	4719 label Biography information for Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle