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1698028

registered interest
date	21/03/2024
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	Rivers: Environment Protection
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask His Majesty's Government how many river habitats in England have good ecological status; how many are polluted by chemical waste, including raw sewage and agricultural waste; and what steps they are taking to ensure the existing regulatory framework for managing the water environment in the UK is more effectively applied.
tabling member printed	The Marquess of Lothian
uin	HL3522
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 14/05/2024 answer text <p>The last Water Framework Directive (WFD) full water body classification results in 2019 showed 16% of all surface water bodies (14% for river water bodies), in England achieved good ecological status (GES) (or good ecological potential for artificial and heavily modified water bodies), and 64% of surface water bodies achieved moderate ecological status (or potential).</p><p> </p><p>The next full results will be published by the Environment Agency (EA) in 2025. The headline reporting for WFD creates a simplified picture and is just one way of understanding the water environment. For example, the last classification results for England showed the 79% of elements the EA test for GES were classed at Good.</p><p> </p><p>Most water bodies failing to reach GES are subject to multiple pressures. The top three pressures are physical modification of water bodies, diffuse agricultural pollution and waste water management. More detailed information on water body reasons for not achieving good are publicly available on the EA’s Catchment Data Explorer.</p><p> </p><p>The EA has developed a Prioritisation and Early Warning System (PEWS) for chemicals of emerging concern to assess their presence and quantities in our rivers. This allows the Agency to prioritise suitable management. Additionally, EA has developed a list of priority chemicals of concern which are regularly monitored alongside appropriate measures to protect aquatic wildlife and human health.</p><p> </p><p>The government is committed to achieving the goals of the Environment Improvement Plan to bring 75% of our water to as close to its natural state as soon as practicable. Our Plan for Water, published last year will go further and faster towards that goal and deliver a safe, reliable, resilient supply of clean and plentiful water underpinned by increased investment in infrastructure, increased regulation and stronger enforcement.</p> answering member printed Lord Douglas-Miller question first answered 14/05/2024 11:47:03 answering member 5006 label Biography information for Lord Douglas-Miller
tabling member	259 label Biography information for The Marquess of Lothian

1698029

registered interest
date	21/03/2024
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	Hong Kong: Human Rights
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the statement by Lord Cameron of Chipping Norton in a press release on 19 March that the new Article 23 National Security Legislation in Hong Kong "undermines Hong Kong’s implementation of binding international obligations including the Sino-British Joint Declaration and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights", what steps they are taking to ensure that human rights and civil liberties in Hong Kong are protected.
tabling member printed	The Marquess of Lothian
uin	HL3523
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 12/04/2024 answer text <p>We will continue to raise our strong opposition to the continued erosion of rights and freedoms in Hong Kong and China's ongoing non-compliance with the Sino-British Joint Declaration in international fora and at the highest levels of government. The Foreign Secretary last did so with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on 16 February. Our Permanent Representative to the UN in Geneva also set out our concerns at the Human Rights Council on 20 March, noting the view of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights that the law was likely incompatible with international law. We will monitor the application of the new Safeguarding National Security Ordinance in Hong Kong closely and not hesitate to speak out in defence of international rights and norms.</p> answering member printed Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon question first answered 12/04/2024 09:36:34 answering member 4210 label Biography information for Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
tabling member	259 label Biography information for The Marquess of Lothian

1698030

registered interest
date	21/03/2024
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	Gaza: UNRWA
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask His Majesty's Government whether they have spoken to Israeli authorities concerning the incident on 18 March when Philippe Lazzarini, the Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations and Commissioner-General of UNRWA, was denied entry to Gaza; and what assessment they have made of the incident.
tabling member printed	The Marquess of Lothian
uin	HL3524
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 15/04/2024 answer text <p>We are aware of the situation referenced in the question.</p><p>The UK Government continues to press Israel for increased access for aid, an expansion of the types of aid allowed into Gaza, and for increased capacity inside Gaza.</p> answering member printed Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon question first answered 15/04/2024 11:00:48 answering member 4210 label Biography information for Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
tabling member	259 label Biography information for The Marquess of Lothian

1695966

registered interest
date	13/03/2024
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	Israel: Arms Trade
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask His Majesty's Government whether they have raised with the government of the United States the number of weapons packages to Israel it has approved since October 2023; and whether these include (1) precision-guided munitions, (2) small-diameter bombs, (3) bunker busters, (4) small arms, and (5) other lethal aid.
tabling member printed	The Marquess of Lothian
uin	HL3251
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 28/03/2024 answer text <p>The US has its own domestic export licensing criteria and processes. We have been clear that all parties to the conflict in Gaza must respect International Humanitarian Law and protect civilians. We have regular engagement with our allies, included the US, on the conflict.</p> answering member printed Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon question first answered 28/03/2024 13:01:36 answering member 4210 label Biography information for Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
tabling member	259 label Biography information for The Marquess of Lothian

1695967

registered interest
date	13/03/2024
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	Esthwaite Water: Sewage
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask His Majesty's Government whether the Environment Agency is monitoring the untreated sewage being discharged into Esthwaite Water by United Utilities; if not, why; if so, how often United Utilities is discharging untreated sewage into Esthwaite Water; and why these discharges are permitted in a Site of Special Scientific Interest.
tabling member printed	The Marquess of Lothian
uin	HL3252
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 26/03/2024 answer text <p>It is important to highlight that no storm overflows currently discharge into Esthwaite Water, and the only source of sewage pollution is likely to come from Emergency overflows.</p><p>Emergency overflows are only permitted to operate in exceptional circumstances to prevent environmental damage or harm to the public, such as due to electrical power failure or mechanical failure.</p><p>The Environment Agency is ensuring there is monitoring on all emergency overflows from 2025. This includes at Esthwaite Lodge Pumping Station. The Environment Agency already require water companies to report any discharge of sewage in emergency overflows as pollution incidents. The Environment Agency has not had any reports from United Utilities of emergency overflow discharges from Esthwaite Lodge Pumping Station. The Environment Agency investigate any instances where permits are not being followed and will always take enforcement action if necessary. The permit for Esthwaite Lodge Pumping Station is in place to protect Esthwaite Water SSSI and that the emergency overflow provision is part of that permit.</p> answering member printed Lord Douglas-Miller question first answered 26/03/2024 13:47:56 answering member 5006 label Biography information for Lord Douglas-Miller
tabling member	259 label Biography information for The Marquess of Lothian

1695968

registered interest
date	13/03/2024
answering body	Department for Transport
answering dept id	27
answering dept short name	Transport
answering dept sort name	Transport
hansard heading	Railways: Standards
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask His Majesty's Government how many trains per day have been cancelled so far in 2024; how this compares to the daily figure for 2023; and what action they are taking to work with the operating companies to reduce the number of cancellations.
tabling member printed	The Marquess of Lothian
uin	HL3253
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 25/03/2024 answer text <p>The Department recognises that cancellations can be very inconvenient for passengers and prevents them from travelling with confidence. That is why the Department holds train operators to account for cancellations. The type of scrutiny depends on the reasons for these cancellations and the inconvenience to passengers.</p><p> </p><p>The Office of Rail and Road (ORR) publishes official cancellation statistics on its online Data Portal, which show that the number of services planned to run in Great Britain between 8 January 2023 and 6 January 2024 was 7,012,172. Of these, 336,289 were either fully or partially cancelled. Between 7 January 2024 and 2 March 2024, the number of services planned to run were 1,106,087, of which 47,904 services have been either fully or partially cancelled.</p> answering member printed Lord Davies of Gower question first answered 25/03/2024 16:59:40 answering member 4499 label Biography information for Lord Davies of Gower
tabling member	259 label Biography information for The Marquess of Lothian

1695969

registered interest
date	13/03/2024
answering body	Ministry of Justice
answering dept id	54
answering dept short name	Justice
answering dept sort name	Justice
hansard heading	Prisons: Overcrowding
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of, and what action they are taking to reduce, overcrowding in prisons in England and Wales.
tabling member printed	The Marquess of Lothian
uin	HL3254
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 26/03/2024 answer text <p>In prisons where we have crowding in place, a rigorous cell certification process is undertaken that ensures the use of cells is subject to formal assessment of safety and decency.</p><p>We continue to pursue the package of longer-term measures the Lord Chancellor announced on 16 October 2023 to reform the justice system and continue to address the prison capacity challenges. The measures include: the extension of the Early Removal Scheme, introducing a presumption to suspend sentences of 12 months or less, curtailing the licence period for IPP sentences and extending the use of Home Detention Curfew. On 11 March, the Lord Chancellor announced the next steps in our plan, to allow us to go further and faster in removing foreign national offenders (FNOs). This includes expediting prisoner transfers with our priority partners such as Albania, and the creation of a new taskforce across the Home Office and Ministry of Justice to change the way we process FNO cases radically.</p><p>To meet pressing demand, we are building c.20,000 modern, rehabilitative prison places – the biggest prison build programme since the Victorian era. We have already delivered c.5,900 of these, including through our two new 1,700 places prisons, HMP Five Wells and HMP Fosse Way, and c.590 Rapid Deployment Cells across 11 sites. By the end of 2025, we are on track to have delivered around 10,000 places in total.</p><p>The Government will continue to monitor the evolving situation with demand for prison places carefully, so that we can make sure we have the right approaches in place to maintain the capacity required for a safe and effective criminal justice system.</p> answering member printed Lord Bellamy question first answered 26/03/2024 17:23:52 answering member 4941 label Biography information for Lord Bellamy
tabling member	259 label Biography information for The Marquess of Lothian

1695970

registered interest
date	13/03/2024
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	Kashmir: Politics and Government
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask His Majesty's Government whether the Prime Minister discussed the security situation in Jammu and Kashmir with the Prime Minister of India before or since the Prime Minister of India’s visit there on 7 March, including when he expects the regional polls ordered by the Supreme Court of India to take place.
tabling member printed	The Marquess of Lothian
uin	HL3255
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 27/03/2024 answer text <p>The Prime Minister spoke with Prime Minister Modi on 12 March. Although the situation in Jammu and Kashmir was not discussed, the UK's long-standing position remains that it is for India and Pakistan to find a lasting political resolution on Kashmir, taking into account the wishes of Kashmiri people. Elections in Indian administered Jammu and Kashmir are a matter for the Government of India.</p> answering member printed Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon question first answered 27/03/2024 16:39:50 answering member 4210 label Biography information for Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
tabling member	259 label Biography information for The Marquess of Lothian

1695971

registered interest
date	13/03/2024
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	Haiti: Politics and Government
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 political and security situation in Haiti; and what action they are taking with international partners to help stabilise the country and end the violence there.
tabling member printed	The Marquess of Lothian
uin	HL3256
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 27/03/2024 answer text <p>The UK remains committed to supporting a Haitian-led political solution to the escalating violence in Haiti and supporting the efforts of Caribbean partners to achieve a return to security and stability. The UK government assists Haiti through our financial contributions to UN agencies and the World Bank.</p><p>Ensuring the safety and security of people in the neighbouring UK overseas territory of Turks and Caicos Islands is vital and the UK government has increased its support for the Turks and Caicos Islands (TCI) to secure their borders. Minister Rutley, as Minister for the Caribbean, attended the Caribbean Heads of Government meeting (CARICOM) in Guyana on 26 February and heard their concerns on the security situation in Haiti.</p> answering member printed Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon question first answered 27/03/2024 17:05:22 answering member 4210 label Biography information for Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
tabling member	259 label Biography information for The Marquess of Lothian

1694829

registered interest
date	08/03/2024
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 and Food Supply: Floods
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 impact of flooded and saturated farmland on farming and food production, following recent data from the UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, which show that soil moisture levels at most of the sites it monitors were at high or above capacity in December 2023 and January 2024.
tabling member printed	The Marquess of Lothian
uin	HL3159
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 02/04/2024 answer text <p>The Government recognises the impact flooded and saturated farmland has on farming and food production and sympathises with those affected.</p><p> </p><p>On 6 January, we announced we would set up the Farming Recovery Fund to support farmers affected by exceptional flooding. The focus of the Fund is in those local authority areas where the Flood Recovery Framework has been activated. Farmers who have been impacted by flooding in these areas will be written to by the Rural Payments Agency inviting them to apply for a grant of up to £25,000 to support them in restoring agricultural land to the conditions it was in before the flooding.</p><p> </p><p>The Government has recently announced £75 million funding for Internal Drainage Boards to protect agricultural land and rural communities from flooding, helping areas recover from recent flooding events and modernising infrastructure to lower costs for farmers and increase their resilience to climate change.</p> answering member printed Lord Douglas-Miller question first answered 02/04/2024 13:18:00 answering member 5006 label Biography information for Lord Douglas-Miller
tabling member	259 label Biography information for The Marquess of Lothian