Show Search Form

Search Results

registered interest	true false
date	exactly: or between: and
answering body
answering dept id
answering dept short name
answering dept sort name
hansard heading
house id
legislature	pref label
question text
tabling member printed
uin
answer	is ministerial correction true false date of answer exactly: or between: and answer text answering member printed question first answered answering member label
tabling member	label

Search

1668655

registered interest
date	08/11/2023
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Schools: Concrete
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask His Majesty's Government whether they will be providing funding to schools which identified safety issues relating to reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete and which began or finished the relevant repair work before July to fully cover the cost of such work.
tabling member printed	Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle
uin	HL91
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/11/2023 answer text <p>It is the responsibility of those who run schools - academy trusts, local authorities and voluntary-aided school bodies - to manage the safety and maintenance of their schools and to alert the department if there is a serious concern with a building. It has always been the case that where the department is made aware a building may pose an immediate risk, immediate action is taken.</p><p>The department will spend what it takes to keep children safe. The department will fund emergency mitigation work needed to make buildings safe, including installing alternative classroom space where necessary.</p><p>The department will fund refurbishment projects, or rebuilding projects where these are needed, to remove RAAC from the school estate. Schools and colleges will either be offered capital grants or rebuilding projects where these are needed, including through the School Rebuilding Programme. The department will set out further details for affected schools and colleges in due course.</p><p>The department will carefully consider claims submitted by responsible bodies for essential RAAC related works, taking into account the particular circumstances of each case.</p><p>The department recognises that some responsible bodies will already have carried out emergency mitigation works, where RAAC was deemed ‘critical,’ based on the advice of the department’s surveys or from other qualified professionals, and in most cases we will reimburse these costs.</p><p>Prior to 31 August 2023, the point at which the department’s advice on the risks of RAAC changed, some responsible bodies or schools may also have chosen to take action on RAAC in their buildings where it wasn’t deemed critical, and others may have chosen to go further and removed RAAC entirely. In these cases, as with any other capital works, the responsible bodies will have taken decisions as part of their own estate strategy, based on their assessment of any professional advice they'd received and the affordability of the project.</p><p>This work would typically have been funded through annual capital funding provided by the department to the sector, or from other sources of funding, such as a responsible body’s reserves. In these cases, the department is not providing additional funding to the funding the responsible bodies will have used to pay for the work.</p><p>In addition to the department’s support on RAAC, the department has committed £1.8 billion of capital funding for the 2023/24 financial year to improve the condition of school buildings, as part of over £15 billion allocated since 2015. Alongside this, the department will transform poor condition buildings at 500 schools and sixth form colleges over the coming decade through the School Rebuilding Programme.</p><p>The department will always put the safety and wellbeing of children and staff in schools and colleges at the heart of its policy decisions. The government has taken more proactive action to identify and mitigate RAAC in education settings than the devolved administrations in the UK, or indeed, governments overseas.</p> answering member printed Baroness Barran question first answered 22/11/2023 17:57:46 answering member 4703 label Biography information for Baroness Barran
tabling member	4719 label Biography information for Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle

1668656

registered interest
date	08/11/2023
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	NHS: Drugs
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask His Majesty's Government what action they plan to take to resolve the shortages of more than 100 medicines, as reported by the British Generic Manufacturers Association.
tabling member printed	Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle
uin	HL92
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 20/11/2023 answer text <p>Medicine supply problems can occur for several reasons. For example, they can be due to manufacturing difficulties, regulatory problems, problems with the supply of raw materials, sudden demand spikes or from issues which are related to the distribution of the product. The production of medicines is complex and highly regulated, and materials and processes must meet rigorous safety and quality standards. Occasionally, the National Health Service experiences temporary shortages of specific medicines.</p><p> </p><p>We know how frustrating and distressing the possibility of shortages can be and we acknowledge that there have been challenges recently with access to a limited number of medicines. We want to assure patients that the Department has well-established processes to prevent, manage and mitigate medicine shortages and works with the pharmaceutical industry, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency, NHS England, the devolved governments and others operating in the supply chain to help ensure patients have access to the treatments they need.</p><p> </p><p>The Department routinely shares information about medicine supply issues directly with the NHS so they can put management plans in place to mitigate the risk of the shortage impacting patients and inform their patients about what it might mean for them. If any patient is concerned about their treatment, they should discuss this with their pharmacist or general practitioner.</p> answering member printed Lord Markham question first answered 20/11/2023 14:08:02 answering member 4948 label Biography information for Lord Markham
tabling member	4719 label Biography information for Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle

1668657

registered interest
date	08/11/2023
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	Clothing: Fibres
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 Preferred Fiber & Materials Market Report by Textile Exchange, indicating that there are likely to be only 30 million tonnes available globally of "preferred materials" for fashion production, accounting for 19 per cent of global demand; and what steps are they taking to reduce the use of "non-preferred materials".
tabling member printed	Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle
uin	HL93
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 15/11/2023 answer text <p>Defra has not made an assessment of the Preferred Fiber and Materials Report by The Textiles Exchange. One of Defra’s delivery partners, WRAP (Waste and Resources Action Programme), manages Textiles 2030, which commits signatories, who represent 62% of the fashion industry, to meet ambitious targets to reduce water and carbon consumption. WRAP has also done research on sustainable clothing design and produced guidance on fibre and fabric selection.</p><p> </p><p>In July, Defra announced proposals for keeping textiles in use for longer and minimising textile waste. These proposals, which will be subject to consultation in 2024, include a requirement for non-domestic settings such as businesses to separate their textile waste from other types of waste so that it can be collected for reuse or recycling. This separately collected textile waste should not enter landfill or be incinerated. Defra is also proposing that certain retailers provide in store facilities so that customers can return their pre-loved textiles for recycling or reuse.</p> answering member printed Lord Benyon question first answered 15/11/2023 17:19:35 answering member 1547 label Biography information for Lord Benyon
tabling member	4719 label Biography information for Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle

1668702

registered interest
date	08/11/2023
answering body	Department for Energy Security and Net Zero
answering dept id	215
answering dept short name	Energy Security and Net Zero
answering dept sort name	Energy Security and Net Zero
hansard heading	Fossil Fuels: Storage
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 environmental impact of the planned redevelopment of Cloghan Point oil terminal into a storage and distribution hub for all forms of fossil fuels for Northern Ireland and beyond, including the impact on the UK's carbon emissions.
tabling member printed	Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle
uin	HL94
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/11/2023 answer text <p>This is a devolved matter. Environmental assessments of projects in Northern Ireland are carried out by the NI Environment Agency.</p> answering member printed Lord Callanan question first answered 21/11/2023 12:30:27 answering member 4336 label Biography information for Lord Callanan
tabling member	4719 label Biography information for Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle

1670097

registered interest
date	14/11/2023
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	Antimicrobials: Drug Resistance
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 combined impacts of microplastics and antimicrobial pollutants in driving antimicrobial resistance emergence in the environment, and what steps they are taking to mitigate these impacts.
tabling member printed	Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle
uin	HL264
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 30/11/2023 answer text <p>Defra, the Environment Agency and the UK Health Security Agency have a joint research programme on antimicrobial resistance in the environment. This includes examination of potential drivers of selection for antimicrobial resistance in environmental organisms. So far, this work has concentrated on the effect of antimicrobials and biocides so has not examined the additional role of microplastics, as this was not identified as likely to have a high impact and therefore be a high priority for the research. However, we continue to consider issues for further investigation as part of our ongoing research where emerging evidence suggests it is needed.</p> answering member printed Lord Benyon question first answered 30/11/2023 15:23:51 answering member 1547 label Biography information for Lord Benyon
tabling member	4719 label Biography information for Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle

1670098

registered interest
date	14/11/2023
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	Horticulture: Environment Protection
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Benyon on 25 October (HL10678), what steps they intend to take to ensure that the environmental horticulture industry, previously known as “ornamental” horticulture and not including food, receives adequate support and acknowledgement, and is regarded as part of the “green economy” in assessment.
tabling member printed	Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle
uin	HL265
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/11/2023 answer text <p>The Government recognises that the UK’s environmental (or ornamental) horticulture sector plays a crucial role as part of the ‘green economy’ and is aware that the priorities of the sector align with many of the environmental goals in the Environmental Improvement Plan.</p><p> </p><p>Ornamental horticulture is in scope of the majority of competitions in the Farming Innovation Programme. Under this programme we have committed over £80 million to 163 projects. Of that funding, around a quarter (£19 million) is earmarked for projects focusing on horticulture and just under two thirds of that (£12 million) has potential application across both edible and ornamental sectors.</p><p> </p><p>Beyond this, the Tree Production Capital Grant will reopen soon for new funding applications. This grant provides funding to increase domestic production of tree seed and saplings by supporting investments in expansion, automation and mechanisation of facilities and equipment. This will help to improve nursery resilience and sustainability and increase the diversity of tree species produced, as well as the quantity of trees and tree seed coming into the market.</p><p> </p><p>Defra will continue to engage with the ornamental horticulture industry to understand the issues they face.</p> answering member printed Lord Benyon question first answered 22/11/2023 11:56:13 answering member 1547 label Biography information for Lord Benyon
tabling member	4719 label Biography information for Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle

1670099

registered interest
date	14/11/2023
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	Nuclear Weapons: Testing
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask His Majesty's Government whether, in advance of the next UN General Assembly in December, they will reconsider their opposition to the UN Resolution Addressing the Legacy of Nuclear Weapons: Providing Victim Assistance and Environmental Remediation to Member States Affected by the Use or Testing of Nuclear Weapons, given that 171 countries supported the Resolution and only North Korea, France and Russia opposed it alongside the UK.
tabling member printed	Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle
uin	HL266
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 28/11/2023 answer text <p>The UK Government was not able to support this resolution as it was inconsistent with our position on the legacy of nuclear tests. However, the UK will continue to take a constructive approach to negotiations on any such resolutions at next year's United Nations General Assembly. The UK recognises significant efforts to address the impact of historic nuclear testing. We supports the call made in this resolution to all governments and international organisations with relevant expertise to consider giving remedial assistance in affected areas.</p> answering member printed Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon question first answered 28/11/2023 17:24:49 answering member 4210 label Biography information for Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
tabling member	4719 label Biography information for Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle

1670100

registered interest
date	14/11/2023
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	Water: Standards
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask His Majesty's Government, with regard to water quality, what assessment they have made of whether the replacements to the EU Water Framework Directive will result in the improved monitoring of water quality; whether they intend to create a UK specific Hazardous Watch List; and if so, whether this will consider antimicrobial resistance selection risk of chemicals in aquatic environments, as has been included in recent iterations of the EU Water Framework Directive’s Watch List.
tabling member printed	Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle
uin	HL267
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 30/11/2023 answer text <p>The Environment Agency (EA) has introduced a new long-term ‘river surveillance network’ monitoring programme for rivers to give a national overview of the state of England’s rivers. It does not replace the Water Framework Directive compliant monitoring which will still continue.</p><p> </p><p>This network is a key part of the ‘Natural Capital and Ecosystems Assessment’ which will provide a statistically robust assessment of the health of the water environment.</p><p> </p><p>The formalisation of a UK-wide Watchlist would be a matter for the UK and Devolved Administrations. In England the EA has developed a Prioritisation and Early Warning System for new substances of concern and monitors changes to the EU’s Watch List. The EA also works closely with the devolved agencies to share information and approaches to monitoring programmes for emerging chemicals of concern in the water environment, including pharmaceuticals which might contribute to Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR).</p><p> </p><p>Further, the UK has set out a 20-year vision for containing and controlling AMR through a One-Health approach. A cross-departmental project called Pathogen Surveillance in Agriculture, Food and the Environment (PATH-SAFE) was established in 2021 to understand how pathogens and AMR are spread in the environment and the agri-food system. This will inform future monitoring of the water environment and commitments within the UK National Action Plan on AMR.</p> answering member printed Lord Benyon question first answered 30/11/2023 15:55:51 answering member 1547 label Biography information for Lord Benyon
tabling member	4719 label Biography information for Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle

1670101

registered interest
date	14/11/2023
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	Forests: Supply Chains
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to reduce deforestation and other environmental impacts of commercial supply chains in the light of evidence indicating that they result in (1) the spread of infectious disease, and (2) the proliferation of antimicrobial resistance.
tabling member printed	Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle
uin	HL268
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 05/12/2023 answer text <p>The Government has introduced world-leading due diligence legislation through the Environment Act to help tackle illegal deforestation in UK supply chains. We ran a consultation from 3 December 2021 to 11 March 2022 to seek views on the details of regulations that will implement the Environment Act provisions, to ensure that these are designed effectively. The Government published a summary of responses to this consultation on 1 June 2022 and is committed to implementing due diligence provisions at the earliest opportunity through secondary legislation.</p><p> </p><p>The Government has funded the development of the <a href="https://eur03.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcommodityfootprints.earth%2F&amp;data=05%7C01%7Cpqteam%40defra.gov.uk%7C423d66e424d64189547208dbf2601232%7C770a245002274c6290c74e38537f1102%7C0%7C0%7C638370269455070235%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=ld9tnHiO4z9WkJFIcWprulmCrHTMyic4YAIlmH99whU%3D&amp;reserved=0" target="_blank">Global Environmental Impacts of Consumption indicator</a>, to better understand the deforestation and other environmental impacts of supply chains. This does not include impacts related directly to infectious disease and antimicrobial resistance (AMR), but does cover biodiversity loss, water stress and a range of other impact types.</p><p> </p><p>The UK is leading the way in the world’s fight against antimicrobial resistance, both at home and abroad. Our five-year national action plan for AMR, published in 2019, sets out our comprehensive One Health approach, acting across humans, animals, food and the environment. We are currently developing the next five-year national action plan on AMR, which is expected to be published in 2024 and run until 2029.</p> answering member printed Lord Benyon question first answered 05/12/2023 17:44:37 answering member 1547 label Biography information for Lord Benyon
tabling member	4719 label Biography information for Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle

1672032

registered interest
date	21/11/2023
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	Pesticides: Environment Protection
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 environmental impacts from including saponins, phosphorous peroxide, and other substances which are irritants or otherwise harmful to worms and other soil organisms, in products labelled as "soil conditioners" or "anti-worm caster"; and what guidance they have issued about the legality of doing so.
tabling member printed	Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle
uin	HL459
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 04/12/2023 answer text <p>No assessment has been made. The Environment Agency assesses the presence of many chemicals in the environment, but has very limited data for chemicals in soil and the potential impacts on individual species. Saponins are a very broad and diverse group of compounds with biosurfactant and biopesticide properties and with many applications including some personal care products. The Environment Agency has developed a Prioritisation and Early Warning System for chemicals of emerging concern to systematically consider this challenge and to integrate horizon scanning with environmental monitoring and international collaboration. Substances can be added for future assessment, depending on the availability of evidence.</p><p><strong> </strong></p><p>The Government recognises how vital healthy soil is for food production, water regulation, biodiversity, carbon storage and providing diverse habitats and agricultural opportunities. Earthworms are an excellent indicator of soil health, as they are impacted by pH, waterlogging, compaction, tillage, rotation and organic matter management.</p><p> </p><p>Pesticides are strictly regulated because of their potential impacts on human health and the environment (including impacts on earthworms and soil micro-organisms) and, if authorised, are subject to conditions to ensure safe use. For many products, professional use only by properly trained operatives is one of those conditions. There are no plant protection products that are currently authorised for the control of worm casts on turf.</p><p> </p><p>A consultation and call for evidence on a new fertiliser regulatory framework is planned for early 2024. The process of regulation development will be iterative as more research is needed into newer fertiliser types before requirements for these products can be drafted into law. Soil conditioners may be subject to regulation under the future revised framework for fertilisers.</p><p> </p> answering member printed Lord Benyon question first answered 04/12/2023 17:04:49 answering member 1547 label Biography information for Lord Benyon
tabling member	4719 label Biography information for Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle