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1276932

registered interest
date	14/01/2021
answering body	Department for Work and Pensions
answering dept id	29
answering dept short name	Work and Pensions
answering dept sort name	Work and Pensions
hansard heading	Ventilation: Coronavirus
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Stedman-Scott on 4 November 2020 (HL9402), and the identification of new variants of COVID-19, what plans they have to update their guidance for the ventilation of (1) existing, and (2) new, buildings.
tabling member printed	Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle
uin	HL12137
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 28/01/2021 answer text <p>The Health and Safety Executive’s guidance outlines control measures that should protect against virus transmission and these remain unchanged. Ensuring good ventilation, staying at home, working from home where you can, social distancing, hand washing and cleaning surfaces are all measures that will reduce infection risk.</p> answering member printed Baroness Stedman-Scott question first answered 28/01/2021 15:24:19 answering member 4174 label Biography information for Baroness Stedman-Scott
tabling member	4719 label Biography information for Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle

1275965

registered interest
date	12/01/2021
answering body	Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
answering dept id	7
answering dept short name	Housing, Communities and Local Government
answering dept sort name	Housing, Communities and Local Government
hansard heading	Armed Forces: Coronavirus
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government (1) how much money has been allocated in total to the COVID-19 Secure Marshal programme, (2) how many marshals have been employed, (3) for how long such marshals have been contracted to work, (4) in which local authorities those marshals are located, and (5) what assessment they have made of the impact of such marshals on the level of adherence to social distancing rules.
tabling member printed	Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle
uin	HL12041
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 25/01/2021 answer text <p>In October last year, the Government announced £30 million of ringfenced grant funding to unitary and lower tier authorities to support COVID-19 compliance and enforcement activity. The funding can be used for a range of activity to encourage business, individual and community adherence to COVID-19 rules. It is ringfenced for any activity which will support compliance and enforcement of COVID-19 regulations guidance, including funding for COVID-19 Marshals or their equivalents such as stewards or ambassadors, thereby helping to control the spread of COVID-19 across individuals, businesses and in the community.</p><p>Local authorities are best placed to determine how best to use their grant allocations to encourage adherence to COVID-19 rules. To date, authorities have reported grant allocations have been used to recruit COVID-19 Marshals or their equivalents and for overtime costs of existing staff, staff training to work on COVID-19 compliance and communications activity to promote understanding of COVID-19 regulatory and guidance requirements. The Department has issued a request for all local authorities in receipt of the grant to report the activity funded and its impact.</p> answering member printed Lord Greenhalgh question first answered 25/01/2021 12:10:14 answering member 4877 label Biography information for Lord Greenhalgh
tabling member	4719 label Biography information for Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle

1275473

registered interest
date	11/01/2021
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	Sugar Beet: Neonicotinoids
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the process of approving the use of neonicotinoid pesticides for sugar beet seed included assessments of the (1) general human health, (2) obesity, and (3) dietary, impacts of the crop on which they were proposed to be used; and, if so, what were the conclusions of these assessments.
tabling member printed	Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle
uin	HL11958
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 25/01/2021 answer text <p>The process for considering emergency authorisation for a pesticide is derived from the legislation. This process was followed for the application to use the neonicotinoid seed treatment Cruiser SB on sugar beet in 2021. This included an assessment of the risks to people and to the environment that may result from use of the product. This assessment, which considers risks to people from pesticide residues associated with eating treated crops, did not identify any concerns about risks to human health. The assessment did not extend to consideration of the impacts of the crop, for example on obesity.</p> answering member printed Lord Gardiner of Kimble question first answered 25/01/2021 17:08:42 answering member 4161 label Biography information for Lord Gardiner of Kimble
tabling member	4719 label Biography information for Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle

1275474

registered interest
date	11/01/2021
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	Sugar Beet: Neonicotinoids
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 the decision to approve a neonicotinoid pesticide for use on sugar beet seed on (1) the population numbers and population health of bees and other pollinators, (2) soil health and loss, (3) other insects, (4) fish and other water-dwelling species, and (5) other species of animals.
tabling member printed	Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle
uin	HL11959
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 25/01/2021 answer text <p>The process for considering emergency authorisation for a pesticide is derived from the legislation and includes consideration of potential risks to people and to the environment. This process was followed for application to use the neonicotinoid seed treatment Cruiser SB on sugar beet in 2021.</p><p> </p><p>The assessment of risks included consideration of risks to bees, other insects, soil organisms, fish, aquatic invertebrates, birds and mammals. Risks to bees were identified arising from soil residues taken up by flowering weeds or following crops. Mitigation measures were therefore built into the requirements of the emergency authorisation. These included a reduced application rate, effective control of weeds and minimum periods set between the planting of treated sugar beet and a subsequent flowering crop. For most crops this period was set at 22 months but a longer period of 32 months was chosen for oilseed rape as it is particularly attractive to bees</p> answering member printed Lord Gardiner of Kimble question first answered 25/01/2021 17:08:00 answering member 4161 label Biography information for Lord Gardiner of Kimble
tabling member	4719 label Biography information for Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle

1275475

registered interest
date	11/01/2021
answering body	Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
answering dept id	7
answering dept short name	Housing, Communities and Local Government
answering dept sort name	Housing, Communities and Local Government
hansard heading	Building Safety Fund
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the Building Safety Fund imposes restrictions on recipients communicating with journalists about repairs without prior written approval; and, if so, why.
tabling member printed	Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle
uin	HL11960
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 15/01/2021 answer text <p>The building safety fund does not impose restrictions on leaseholders or residents in their private capacity as individual flat owners commenting on remediation projects or government policy. Funding agreements for the fund include a clause which is standard in commercial agreements between building owners and funders of construction of work which applies to communication with the media about the individual construction project. The clause applies to applicants to the fund who we expect to discuss with delivery partners in the first instance any queries about the remediation project or the funding agreement. We want a constructive working relationship with building owners who apply to the fund, which ensures that the Government’s provision of £1.6 billion of funding will make buildings safe for residents as swiftly as possible.</p><p> </p> answering member printed Lord Greenhalgh question first answered 15/01/2021 13:07:56 answering member 4877 label Biography information for Lord Greenhalgh
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

1275007

registered interest
date	08/01/2021
answering body	Department of Health and Social Care
answering dept id	17
answering dept short name	Health and Social Care
answering dept sort name	Health and Social Care
hansard heading	Test and Trace Support Payment
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government how many local authorities (1) have used up the Government grant provided in September 2020 to make payments under the Test and Trace Support Payment scheme, (2) are topping up such payments from other sources, and (3) are no longer making those payments; and what is the average wait time between an application being made and receipt of payment.
tabling member printed	Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle
uin	HL11912
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 15/03/2021 answer text <p>This information is not currently held centrally. However, data on the scheme will be published in due course, subject to assuring the quality of the data submitted by local authorities.</p> answering member printed Lord Bethell question first answered 15/03/2021 14:58:20 answering member 4708 label Biography information for Lord Bethell
tabling member	4719 label Biography information for Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle

1275008

registered interest
date	08/01/2021
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	Development Aid: Agriculture
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government how much of the UK Official Development Assistance spend is directed towards agriculture; and what percentage of that spend is directed towards (1) agroecological approaches, and (2) small farms; and whether they benchmark those figures against the level of such provision from other countries.
tabling member printed	Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle
uin	HL11913
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/01/2021 answer text <p>The UK Government is committed to supporting the agricultural sector in developing countries. In 2018 the UK Government spent £322 million in Official Development Assistance on agriculture projects and provided significant additional funding for agriculture through its core funding of multilateral institutions working in the sector. This makes us a middle-ranking donor in the sector.</p><p>Whilst the UK Government does not break down expenditure on agroecological approaches or small farms, we are supporting a wide range of programmes in both these areas. For example, we have been supporting smallholder farmers and their agriculture systems in 47 countries through our bilateral agriculture programmes as well as the multilateral flagships Adaptation for Smallholder Agriculture Programme and Global Agriculture and Food Security Programme.</p> answering member printed Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon question first answered 22/01/2021 11:09:32 answering member 4210 label Biography information for Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
tabling member	4719 label Biography information for Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle

1275009

registered interest
date	08/01/2021
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	Environmental Land Management Schemes
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government whether Environmental Land Management Schemes are being established on an open data basis; and what plans they have to ensure that (1) data are available to inform local and national knowledge, and (2) rapid feedback loops are put in place so that best practice can be shared and incentivised, through such Schemes.
tabling member printed	Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle
uin	HL11914
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/01/2021 answer text <p>The Environmental Land Management Scheme is being developed in partnership with farmers, other land managers and stakeholders from initial concept to full launch. We already have around 3000 farmers and other land managers involved in the Environmental Land Management Test and Trials and initial reports can be accessed on GOV.UK <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/environmental-land-management-tests-and-trials" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/environmental-land-management-tests-and-trials</a></p><p> </p><p>Ahead of full launch of the new Environmental Scheme in 2024 there will be a National Pilot, starting later this year, where the focus is on learning from farmers and other land managers as they apply different scheme components and begin to deliver outcomes. The focus will be on sharing their feedback with them and with scheme designers, building on the co-design work started through our Test and Trials and wider evidence reviews.</p><p> </p><p>We will use GOV.UK, open to all, to share comprehensive information about the purpose of the scheme and its components, how to apply and how best to deliver outcomes it pays for. There is already overview information published at <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-environmental-land-management-scheme-an-overview" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-environmental-land-management-scheme-an-overview</a>, with more information following in the coming months. Using feedback from farmers, other land managers and their advisers the National Pilot will help us refine and improve the information on GOV.UK relating to the new Environmental Scheme.</p> answering member printed Lord Gardiner of Kimble question first answered 22/01/2021 14:42:23 answering member 4161 label Biography information for Lord Gardiner of Kimble
tabling member	4719 label Biography information for Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle