Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle Portrait

Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle

Green Party - Life peer

Became Member: 7th October 2019



Division Voting information

During the current Parliament, Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle has voted in 521 divisions, and 3 times against the majority of their Party.

15 Dec 2021 - Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restrictions) (Entry to Venues and Events) (England) Regulations 2021 - View Vote Context
Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle voted Aye - against a party majority and against the House
One of 1 Green Party Aye votes vs 1 Green Party No votes
Tally: Ayes - 38 Noes - 205
17 Jan 2022 - Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill - View Vote Context
Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle voted Aye - against a party majority and in line with the House
One of 1 Green Party Aye votes vs 1 Green Party No votes
Tally: Ayes - 216 Noes - 160
9 Feb 2022 - Dissolution and Calling of Parliament Bill - View Vote Context
Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle voted Aye - against a party majority and against the House
One of 1 Green Party Aye votes vs 1 Green Party No votes
Tally: Ayes - 120 Noes - 230
View All Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle Division Votes

Debates during the 2019 Parliament

Speeches made during Parliamentary debates are recorded in Hansard. For ease of browsing we have grouped debates into individual, departmental and legislative categories.

Sparring Partners
Lord Callanan (Conservative)
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
(100 debate interactions)
Lord Benyon (Conservative)
Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
(71 debate interactions)
Lord Bethell (Conservative)
(63 debate interactions)
View All Sparring Partners
Department Debates
Department of Health and Social Care
(164 debate contributions)
Home Office
(146 debate contributions)
View All Department Debates
Legislation Debates
Environment Act 2021
(29,089 words contributed)
Financial Services Bill 2019-21
(22,048 words contributed)
Health and Care Act 2022
(18,765 words contributed)
Levelling-up and Regeneration Act 2023
(18,415 words contributed)
View All Legislation Debates
View all Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle's debates

Lords initiatives

These initiatives were driven by Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle, and are more likely to reflect personal policy preferences.


1 Bill introduced by Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle


A Bill to make provision about elections to, and membership of, the House of Lords; and for connected purposes

Lords - 20%

Last Event - 1st Reading
Wednesday 15th January 2020
(Read Debate)

Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle has not co-sponsored any Bills in the current parliamentary sitting


Latest 50 Written Questions

(View all written questions)
Written Questions can be tabled by MPs and Lords to request specific information information on the work, policy and activities of a Government Department
7 Other Department Questions
17th May 2023
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the report Burnt Out Britain published by the think tank Onward on 3 April, regarding (1) gender disparities in time spent on childcare, (2) gender disparities in time spent on housework, (3) the fragmentation of free time, and (4) the effect of the foregoing on the mental health of Britons.

The ‘Burnt Out Britain’ Onward report raises a number of important issues, particularly in relation to the ways in which modern life has a disproportionate impact on women. The report highlights areas of particular concern to women including pay disparities and more time spent on domestic tasks and childcare (in comparison to men). It attributes overarching issues regarding the pace of modern lifestyles to digital technology and different choices that people make with regards to employment and domestic arrangements. The report also recognises that, while Government does have a part to play in responding to and tackling particular aspects of these issues, this is a limited role in many cases.

Government is committed to enabling all women to thrive and to reach their full potential, which is why steps have been taken to ensure that all parents are able to balance work and family life.

Actions include:

  • Over £3.5 billion in each of the past 3 years on our early education entitlements to support families with the cost of childcare. At this year’s Budget, the Chancellor announced that by 2027-28, this Government will expect to be spending in excess of £8bn every year on free hours and early education. This represents the single biggest investment in childcare in England ever.

  • Shared parental leave and pay, so that both parents can be part of those crucial early years. Our online tool is now making it easier for parents to check if they are eligible for leave and pay, and plan their leave and pay.

  • Making it easier for everyone to access flexible working. We have committed to give all employees the right to request flexible working from their first day of employment, through support for the Employment Relations (Flexible Working) Private Members’ Bill. This will ensure that an additional estimated 2.2 million people will be able to request changes to the hours, times, or place of work; so that they can also have more control over their free time.

  • The Government’s Women’s Health Strategy, published last year, set out our 10 year ambitions for boosting the care of women and girls. One of the priority areas identified by the strategy was mental health and wellbeing, with the report outlining how the Government will ensure delivery partners are equipped to develop tailored plans and interventions that meet the needs of different groups.

Baroness Scott of Bybrook
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities)
20th Jan 2023
To ask the Senior Deputy Speaker whether the air handling units in the House of Lords have had electrostatic precipitators installed for the purposes of air filtration, particularly for viruses and bacteria.

There are no electrostatic filters in the air handling units (AHUs) in the House of Lords areas of the parliamentary estate. There are electrostatic filters in two AHUs in other parts of the parliamentary estate. They were installed in 2014-16 to act as a general particulate arrest system and were not installed to deal with viruses and bacteria.

16th Nov 2022
To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to educate the public about the legal status of guide dogs for the blind and other assistance dogs; and what steps they plan to take to penalise businesses which have failed to educate their staff about their legal status.

The Equality Act 2010 (the Act) provides for protection of disabled people, including those needing assistance dogs, in employment and the supply of goods, services, public functions and in clubs and associations. It does not have universal application to the public, or in other settings, and general public education campaigns about it would not be proportionate. However, the Government runs under contract the Equality Advisory and Support Service (EASS), an equalities and human rights helpline, which receives about 35,000 customer contacts a year, more than 60% of which concern disability issues. The EASS can intervene directly with or assist the complainant to take the problem up with the relevant service provider in many cases, including those involving assistance dogs.

It is the responsibility of all businesses to ensure that they are aware of their obligations to their customers and employees under the Act. To help them in this, Government and relevant independent bodies offer a range of technical guidance and statutory codes of practice that clearly explain what businesses should and should not do to ensure that their conduct is lawful and not discriminatory.

The Act places a duty on businesses and service providers to make reasonable adjustments to improve disabled people’s access to goods and services so they are not placed at a substantial disadvantage compared to non-disabled people. This reasonable adjustment duty is an anticipatory duty therefore those who provide goods, facilities and services to members of the public are expected to anticipate the reasonable adjustments that disabled customers may require, including auxiliary aids.

The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) is the public body responsible for enforcing the Act. In 2017, the EHRC published two pieces of guidance - a guide to help businesses understand what they can do to meet their legal duties to assistance dog owners, and a guide to help tourism businesses welcome people with access requirements. The EHRC supports disabled individuals who have experienced discrimination to take their cases to court.

In recent years, case law has strengthened the equalities law for people with assistance dogs. There have been a number of significant cases brought under the Equality Act involving assistance dogs, which have been successfully litigated, for example, Bloch v Kassim (assistance dogs in taxis); Clutton and Williams v Pen-y-Bryn Group (assistance dogs in restaurants); and McCafferty v Miah (assistance dogs in shops).

21st Jul 2022
To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they have taken, if any, to ensure that delegates to the COP27 conference in Sharm el Sheik are able to travel by land/sea routes and otherwise minimise carbon emissions from their journeys to and from the conference.

It is unclear which specific land routes and land transport modes to Sharm el Sheik the Noble Baroness is recommending. To demonstrate our commitment to sustainability, we will continue to offset the carbon emissions associated with COP Unit staff and the COP26 President travelling on official business. This will include travel to COP27.


The ‘COP26 Sustainability Report’ sets out the measures we took to deliver a sustainable summit, including those relating to attendee travel. The ‘Carbon Management Plan: PAS 2060 Qualifying Explanatory Statement’ details our commitment to carbon neutrality and the steps we took to achieve and verify it. Both documents are available to view on the sustainability section of our website.

Lord True
Leader of the House of Lords and Lord Privy Seal
24th Nov 2021
To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to work with (1) other European states, and (2) the government of Egypt, to ensure that delegates to the COP27 climate change conference are able to travel to Egypt by low-carbon routes such as (a) rail, and (b) ferry.

Egypt, as COP27 Presidency, will put in place logistics arrangements for the COP27 conference in Sharm el Sheikh. However, as the current COP Presidency, we will work closely with Egypt over the coming year and will share our experience of organising a carbon-neutral COP, including transport planning.

In addition, we will work closely with all Parties, including European ones, throughout the UK’s COP Presidency and, where appropriate, we will work with international partners to help to ensure that access for delegates to COP27 is through low or zero carbon travel.

26th Oct 2021
To ask Her Majesty's Government how many additional train services (1) within the UK, and (2) in continental Europe, are running to assist COP26 delegates in getting to and from the conference.

The UK Government and Transport Scotland have worked closely with rail operators to ensure that adequate cross border rail options are available to delegates wishing to travel between England and Scotland.

Delegates travelling from Europe and within the UK have been encouraged to travel by rail where possible. This has been supported by rail operators within the UK and Europe.

24th Nov 2022
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the public health impacts, including on loneliness, lack of opportunities for physical activity and provision of services locally to where people live, of the sale of public buildings and spaces each year in England.

Any decision involving the sale of public buildings will consider social cost and public value, in line with HM Treasury Green Book guidance. Property sales may form part of a wider programme. Where this is the case, the net social value will form part of the overall cost benefit analysis.

Baroness Neville-Rolfe
Minister of State (Cabinet Office)
21st Jul 2022
To ask Her Majesty's Government what progress they have made on the updating of the National Resilience Strategy; when it will be published; and whether they intend to incorporate the recommendations from the Institute for Government report Managing Extreme Risks, published on 20 July.

The Integrated Review committed the Government to publishing a Resilience Strategy and in 2021 the Cabinet Office ran a Call for Evidence to inform this. The Strategy draws on a wide evidence base including international best practice; experience of recent crises; and external reports and recommendations on issues such as risk and critical national infrastructure from a range of organisations including Parliamentary Committees and formal advisory bodies.

The Strategy will be published at the earliest opportunity by the incoming administration.

Lord True
Leader of the House of Lords and Lord Privy Seal
7th Apr 2022
To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to publish environmental and greenhouse gas emission figures beside the quarterly GDP figures.

The information requested falls under the remit of the UK Statistics Authority.

A response to the hon. Member’s Parliamentary Question of 7 April is attached.

Professor Sir Ian Diamond | National Statistician

Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle
House of Lords
London
SW1A 0PW

13 April 2022

Dear Lady Bennett,
As National Statistician and Chief Executive of the UK Statistics Authority, I am replying to your Parliamentary Question asking what plans the Government have to publish environmental and greenhouse gas emission figures beside the quarterly GDP figures (HL7794).

The Office for National Statistics (ONS) is planning to publish a pilot publication of climate change-related statistics on the same day as the quarterly preliminary estimate of UK Gross Domestic Product [1], scheduled for 12 May 2022. Subject to assessment of impact and feedback, the intention would be for this to become a regular quarterly publication.

The ONS also produces annual estimates of residence-based greenhouse gas emissions [2]. These enable direct sectoral comparison with the national accounts. Options have been under review for a quarterly estimate of this emissions measure, and an initial methodological publication is planned for May 2022. Further progress will be informed by stakeholder and user feedback.

Yours sincerely,

Professor Sir Ian Diamond

1 https://www.ons.gov.uk/economy/grossdomesticproductgdp
2 https://www.ons.gov.uk/economy/environmentalaccounts/bulletins/ukenvironmentalaccounts/2021

Lord True
Leader of the House of Lords and Lord Privy Seal
22nd Mar 2022
To ask Her Majesty's Government how many contractors have been refused government contracts in excess of £5 million on the basis of guidelines for prompt payment in government contracting; and what assessment they have made of the level of compliance in public sector contracts with the provision that 95 per cent of invoices should be paid within 60 days.

Individual departments are responsible for the implementation of the prompt payment exclusion measure and decisions on their own procurements. The Cabinet Office has been made aware of at least seven suppliers that have been excluded from procurements wholly, or in part, on grounds of non-compliance with the requirements to pay their suppliers promptly.

The UK’s large businesses are required to report on a half yearly basis on their payment practices, policies and performance. All information is publically available. Since the implementation of the prompt payment measure in Central Government contracts in September 2019, through businesses' published payment data, there have been some significant improvements in the prompt payment performance of key Government suppliers.

Lord True
Leader of the House of Lords and Lord Privy Seal
21st Feb 2022
To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans, if any, they have (1) to ban the deployment of the spyware tool Pegasus, and (2) to set up an inquiry into its impact on the UK.

It is essential that nation states and other cyber actors use capabilities in a way that is legal, responsible and proportionate, and to ensure cyberspace remains free, open, peaceful and secure.

The UK and its allies are committed to ensuring key technologies are not misused in a way that threatens human rights and, as such, it is right that their trade is appropriately controlled. We continue to promote with our international partners the need for tighter export controls to ensure cyber capabilities are used legally and responsibly, and do not threaten or undermine human rights.

Unauthorised access to a computer system to upload spyware, such as Pegasus, would be likely to constitute an offence under the Computer Misuse Act 1990.

Our national security framework is one of the most robust and transparent in Europe. One of the key pieces of legislation is the Investigatory Powers Act 2016 which sets out the regulatory framework for authorising such conduct. Any such conduct requires a warrant, which provides assurance that the conduct/access is authorised, necessary and proportionate.

Lord True
Leader of the House of Lords and Lord Privy Seal
12th Apr 2021
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the collapse of Greensill Capital, what assessment they have made of the Crown Representative programme.

Crown Representatives act as independent advisors to support the Government’s relationships with strategic suppliers. They help the Government to act as a single customer and work across departments to:

  • ensure a single and strategic view of the government’s needs is communicated to the market

  • identify areas for cost savings

  • act as a point of focus for cross-cutting supplier-related issues.

Crown Representatives cover all sectors of service provision including small and medium enterprises, voluntary sector organisations, mutually owned organisations, large suppliers and specific sectors. All Crown Representatives complete Conflict of Interest declarations every six months.

Lord True
Leader of the House of Lords and Lord Privy Seal
10th Mar 2021
To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to widen consultation on the operation of elections in future to include (1) independent representatives, and (2) parties with at least one MP.

Where it is appropriate to consult with political parties on the conduct of elections, the Government is committed to ensuring that all relevant views are taken into account. In developing recent guidance to support campaigning ahead of the May elections, the Government consulted a number of groups, including the Parliamentary Parties Panel, the Green Party and others, as well as the Local Government Association. We are committed to ensuring we take into consideration the views of independent candidates as effectively as possible.

Lord True
Leader of the House of Lords and Lord Privy Seal
23rd Feb 2021
To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to widen consultation over how elections are run to include (1) independent representatives, and (2) parties with at least one MP.

Democracy should not be cancelled because of covid. As outlined in my Written Ministerial Statement of 8 February 2021 (HLWS766), the Government has confirmed that the set of council, mayor and Police and Crime Commissioner elections scheduled for May will go ahead, and made a firm commitment that the Government will support the sector to deliver them.

The Government has published a Delivery Plan for the May elections, setting out how the Government will support local elections teams to deliver effective polls that are covid-secure for voters and staff. The Medical Officers advised Ministers in drawing up this delivery plan. The Government has committed to further engage with political parties through the Parliamentary Parties Panel and the Local Government Association; we are committed to ensuring we take into consideration the views of independent candidates as effectively as possible.

Campaigning is an essential part of democracy. Voters deserve to be well informed before going to the polls and there must be a level playing field for candidates. On 22 February the Prime Minister announced the Government’s roadmap out of lockdown and we have since published guidance on campaigning reflecting the updated COVID restrictions/guidance.

The whole of England remains in a national lockdown and will do so until 29 March. The current restrictions do not support door-to-door campaigning or leafleting by individual campaigners. Leaving home to undertake leafleting increases the risk of unnecessary social interactions and viral transmission both during travel and on doorsteps. Campaigners should instead ensure leafleting is carried out through existing commercial delivery services, which are already operating and delivering during the national lockdown. Any spending on this which is incurred during a regulated period must count towards a candidate’s spending limit.


From 8 March, individual activists will be able to campaign outdoors in a COVID-secure way. The rules will allow for individual campaigners to deliver leaflets and to engage with electors on their doorsteps - but they should always be socially distanced and not enter inside people’s homes.

Lord True
Leader of the House of Lords and Lord Privy Seal
28th Oct 2020
To ask Her Majesty's Government what the fatality rate from COVID-19 is among (1) individuals with a residence permit with the condition of no recourse to public funds, and (2) individuals who are not subject to the residency condition of no recourse to public funds.

The information requested falls under the remit of the UK Statistics Authority. I have therefore asked the Authority to respond.


Dear Lady Bennett,

As National Statistician and Chief Executive of the UK Statistics Authority, I am responding to your Parliamentary Question asking what the fatality rate from COVID-19 is among (1) individuals with a residence permit with the condition of no recourse to public funds, and (2) individuals who are not subject to the residency condition of no recourse to public funds (HL9704).

The Office for National Statistics (ONS) publishes statistics on deaths in England and Wales. Mortality statistics are based on the information provided by doctors and coroners through death registration, which focuses on the causes of death and does not include all the circumstances of the deceased. We are unable to provide figures related to residency status.

Yours sincerely,

Professor Sir Ian Diamond

Lord True
Leader of the House of Lords and Lord Privy Seal
30th Sep 2020
To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to monitor (1) the level of political funding from companies and individuals associated with (a) the arms trade, (b) tobacco companies (c) private medical companies, (d) pharmaceutical companies, and (e) the financial sector, and (2) the percentage, individually and collectively, that funding by companies and individuals constitutes of the total amount of political spending.

Lawfully constituted UK companies may make permissible political donations. The Electoral Commission is responsible for regulating party financing. The Commission publishes information relating to donations and loans over £7,500, including the name of the donor and other appropriate such as their address and company registration number. Details are available online.

Lord True
Leader of the House of Lords and Lord Privy Seal
30th Sep 2020
To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to respond to the findings of the Electoral Reform Society's report, Democracy in the Dark: Digital Campaigning in the 2019 General Election and Beyond, published on 24 September, and in particular, the finding that online campaigning spend and non-party campaigning activity increased significantly, although in an undocumented manner, during the 2019 general election campaign.

The Government is taking forward a programme of work that will strengthen and update the UK’s electoral regulation to ensure it is fit for the modern age; provides a robust framework for campaign finance; and supports public confidence in our processes.

Political parties, registered third parties and candidates are already required to report expenses that qualify as electoral expenditure and this includes digital campaigning. We have launched a consultation on digital imprints which will require political parties, campaigners and others to clearly show who they are when promoting campaign content online.

Across all of this work the intention is to improve transparency to ensure voters can make informed choices, and to enforce spending rules.

Lord True
Leader of the House of Lords and Lord Privy Seal
14th Jul 2020
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of (1) the level of corporate debt in companies providing essential public services through outsourcing, and (2) any risks such outsourcing presents to the continuation of public services.

The private sector has a vital role to play in delivering good value, innovative, and high quality public services. We continue to regularly monitor the financial health of suppliers, including all of our strategic suppliers. Throughout these unprecedented times, suppliers have worked with Government to protect the delivery of vital public services and aid the response to the pandemic.

The Outsourcing Playbook, which was updated in June 2020, includes 11 key policy reforms which help government and industry work better together to deliver quality public services.

Lord True
Leader of the House of Lords and Lord Privy Seal
7th Jul 2020
To ask Her Majesty's Government how much they have spent on paid for sponsored advertising in (1) the Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday, (2) the Times, (3) the Telegraph, (4) the Express, and (5) in total, since 23 March; what is their planned future spend for such advertising; and which department is responsible for overseeing such advertising and its cost.

The Government has developed a strong national campaign to provide information and reassurance to the public about COVID-19. As part of this, we have utilised advertising in over 600 national, regional and local titles across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

The Cabinet Office is responsible for overseeing these advertising costs. Cabinet Office publishes expenditure, including on public information campaigns, on a rolling monthly basis on GOV.UK as part of routine government transparency arrangements.

Lord True
Leader of the House of Lords and Lord Privy Seal
27th Feb 2020
To ask Her Majesty's Government why they do not wish the UK to align with EU regulations on environmental standards and workers' rights at the end of the transition period when they have committed to maintain or go further than those regulations.

The UK is committed to high standards, and has led the way in areas such as workers’ rights and environmental protection.

After the transition period, which ends on 31 December 2020, the UK will choose its own standards and regulations. This is a fundamental right of a sovereign nation; our Government will uphold our high standards, not because of obligations to European institutions and courts but through our own free will and that of our democratically elected Parliament.

Lord True
Leader of the House of Lords and Lord Privy Seal
5th Feb 2020
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the remarks by the Lord Privy Seal (Baroness Evans of Bowes Park) on 3 February (HL Deb, col 1663), what is their timetable for COP26 negotiations.

The Prime Minister demonstrated his focus on climate action on Tuesday 4 February 2020 by launching the COP26 Climate Summit. The text of the speech is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/speeches/pm-speech-at-cop-26-launch-4-february-2020

Regarding meetings of the Cabinet, it is a long established precedent that information about the discussions that have taken place in Cabinet and its Committees, and how often they have met, is not shared publicly.

The negotiations timetable for COP26 will be set by the UK, as President of COP26, including the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change Secretariat. The timetable will be informed by the outcome of negotiations, including at the intersessional meeting in Bonn in June. Details of the timetable for high level and public events will be announced by the Government in due course.

The UK Government is working closely with the Scottish Government and with operational delivery partners, including Police Scotland and Glasgow City Council, to ensure the successful delivery of COP26 in Glasgow. The security plan for the COP26 venue will be jointly developed and agreed on by the United Nations security team and UK counterparts. Discussions with delivery partners regarding costs for COP26 are ongoing, and final budgets and details are yet to be confirmed.

The UK Government is committed to working with the Scottish Government, Welsh Government and Northern Ireland Executive to deliver an ambitious and successful summit for the whole of the UK. Details of Ministerial meetings are published quarterly on GOV.UK

Earl Howe
Deputy Leader of the House of Lords
5th Feb 2020
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they expect the COP26 venue to operate as one unit without internal security checks or other barriers for all its parts.

The Prime Minister demonstrated his focus on climate action on Tuesday 4 February 2020 by launching the COP26 Climate Summit. The text of the speech is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/speeches/pm-speech-at-cop-26-launch-4-february-2020

Regarding meetings of the Cabinet, it is a long established precedent that information about the discussions that have taken place in Cabinet and its Committees, and how often they have met, is not shared publicly.

The negotiations timetable for COP26 will be set by the UK, as President of COP26, including the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change Secretariat. The timetable will be informed by the outcome of negotiations, including at the intersessional meeting in Bonn in June. Details of the timetable for high level and public events will be announced by the Government in due course.

The UK Government is working closely with the Scottish Government and with operational delivery partners, including Police Scotland and Glasgow City Council, to ensure the successful delivery of COP26 in Glasgow. The security plan for the COP26 venue will be jointly developed and agreed on by the United Nations security team and UK counterparts. Discussions with delivery partners regarding costs for COP26 are ongoing, and final budgets and details are yet to be confirmed.

The UK Government is committed to working with the Scottish Government, Welsh Government and Northern Ireland Executive to deliver an ambitious and successful summit for the whole of the UK. Details of Ministerial meetings are published quarterly on GOV.UK

Earl Howe
Deputy Leader of the House of Lords
5th Feb 2020
To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with the First Minister of Scotland about COP26.

The Prime Minister demonstrated his focus on climate action on Tuesday 4 February 2020 by launching the COP26 Climate Summit. The text of the speech is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/speeches/pm-speech-at-cop-26-launch-4-february-2020

Regarding meetings of the Cabinet, it is a long established precedent that information about the discussions that have taken place in Cabinet and its Committees, and how often they have met, is not shared publicly.

The negotiations timetable for COP26 will be set by the UK, as President of COP26, including the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change Secretariat. The timetable will be informed by the outcome of negotiations, including at the intersessional meeting in Bonn in June. Details of the timetable for high level and public events will be announced by the Government in due course.

The UK Government is working closely with the Scottish Government and with operational delivery partners, including Police Scotland and Glasgow City Council, to ensure the successful delivery of COP26 in Glasgow. The security plan for the COP26 venue will be jointly developed and agreed on by the United Nations security team and UK counterparts. Discussions with delivery partners regarding costs for COP26 are ongoing, and final budgets and details are yet to be confirmed.

The UK Government is committed to working with the Scottish Government, Welsh Government and Northern Ireland Executive to deliver an ambitious and successful summit for the whole of the UK. Details of Ministerial meetings are published quarterly on GOV.UK

Earl Howe
Deputy Leader of the House of Lords
5th Feb 2020
To ask Her Majesty's Government how many times the Prime Minister has convened the Cabinet Sub-Committee on Climate Change; and when it will next meet.

The Prime Minister demonstrated his focus on climate action on Tuesday 4 February 2020 by launching the COP26 Climate Summit. The text of the speech is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/speeches/pm-speech-at-cop-26-launch-4-february-2020

Regarding meetings of the Cabinet, it is a long established precedent that information about the discussions that have taken place in Cabinet and its Committees, and how often they have met, is not shared publicly.

The negotiations timetable for COP26 will be set by the UK, as President of COP26, including the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change Secretariat. The timetable will be informed by the outcome of negotiations, including at the intersessional meeting in Bonn in June. Details of the timetable for high level and public events will be announced by the Government in due course.

The UK Government is working closely with the Scottish Government and with operational delivery partners, including Police Scotland and Glasgow City Council, to ensure the successful delivery of COP26 in Glasgow. The security plan for the COP26 venue will be jointly developed and agreed on by the United Nations security team and UK counterparts. Discussions with delivery partners regarding costs for COP26 are ongoing, and final budgets and details are yet to be confirmed.

The UK Government is committed to working with the Scottish Government, Welsh Government and Northern Ireland Executive to deliver an ambitious and successful summit for the whole of the UK. Details of Ministerial meetings are published quarterly on GOV.UK

Earl Howe
Deputy Leader of the House of Lords
29th Jan 2020
To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they plan to take to ensure that the Constitution, Democracy and Rights Commission is unbiased, and perceived to be unbiased.

I refer the noble Baroness to the answer I gave to PQ HL36 on 7 January 2020. Further details will be announced in due course.

Earl Howe
Deputy Leader of the House of Lords
29th Jan 2020
To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they plan to take to ensure that the Constitution, Democracy and Rights Commission enjoys broad public support, engagement and input.

I refer the noble Baroness to the answer I gave to PQ HL36 on 7 January 2020. Further details will be announced in due course.

Earl Howe
Deputy Leader of the House of Lords
29th Jan 2020
To ask Her Majesty's Government when they expect to publish (1) proposals, and (2) the terms of reference, for the Constitution, Democracy and Rights Commission.

I refer the noble Baroness to the answer I gave to PQ HL36 on 7 January 2020. Further details will be announced in due course.

Earl Howe
Deputy Leader of the House of Lords
29th Jan 2024
To ask His Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with producers of personal protective equipment regarding regulatory or technological solutions to the issue of short use-by dates for such equipment.

The Personal Protective Equipment Regulation 2016/425 sets out essential safety requirements that PPE must meet. This includes an obligation on the manufacturer to give, if possible, the month and year of obsolescence, if it is known that the design performance may be significantly affected by ageing.

The Government has had no discussions with PPE producers about changing this requirement in the Regulation, but welcomes new technological innovation to improve short PPE use-by dates.

Lord Offord of Garvel
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
15th Jan 2024
To ask His Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with the personal protective equipment (PPE) industry about regulatory and technological solutions to improve short PPE use-by dates.

The Personal Protective Equipment Regulation 2016/425 sets out essential safety requirements that PPE must meet. This includes an obligation on the manufacturer to give, if possible, the month and year of obsolescence, if it is known that the design performance may be significantly affected by ageing.

The Government has had no discussions with industry about changing this requirement in the Regulation, but welcomes new technological innovation to improve short PPE use-by dates.

Lord Offord of Garvel
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
23rd Nov 2023
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to strengthen the environmental duties and responsibilities of British mining companies operating overseas.

Last year my Department published the UK’s Critical Minerals Strategy to accelerate domestic production, collaborate with international partners, and enhance international markets to strengthen supply chains.

The Strategy commits to boost global environmental, social and governance (ESG) performance to support a more transparent, responsible, and sustainable critical minerals and mining industry. The UK is playing a leading role in international efforts to drive up ESG performance through its bilateral and multilateral engagements, including the Minerals Security Partnership and Sustainable Critical Minerals Alliance.

The UK has re-affirmed its commitment as a member of the Extractives Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI), advocating for better governance of the extractives and critical minerals sectors. At COP 15 the UK, along with Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Japan and the United States, signed up to the Canada-led Sustainable Critical Minerals Alliance, committing to promote high environmental, social and governance (ESG) standards and net zero mining practices, employing a nature forward approach.

The UK Government is supporting the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) to rationalise the range of existing mining sustainability standards and bring them together.

Lord Offord of Garvel
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
19th Sep 2023
To ask His Majesty's Government whether maintaining trust in audit remains a priority for them; and, following Carillion and Patisserie Valerie’s collapse, what assessment they have made of the extent to which reducing the risk of corporate failure is a national priority.

The Prime Minister set out his five priorities earlier this year. The Department's work to increase trust in the UK's audit, corporate reporting and corporate governance system contributes to the second priority, growing the British economy, in part by helping to manage risks that could lead to disorderly corporate failures.

Earl of Minto
Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
10th Jul 2023
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the performance of Royal Mail against its universal service obligation; and what discussions they have had with Royal Mail about the effect of the current number of vacant posts in that organisation on its ability to fulfil that obligation.

It is for Ofcom, as the independent regulator of postal services, to set and monitor Royal Mail’s performance of its universal service obligations. In May, Ofcom announced it had opened an investigation into Royal Mail’s failure to meet its delivery targets for 2022/23. This will consider whether the reasons for its failure were within the company’s control or if there were exceptional factors to explain why it missed its targets. Ministers and officials meet Royal Mail in its capacity as the universal service provider however, as it is a private business, operational decisions, including staffing levels, are the direct responsibility of Royal Mail management.

Earl of Minto
Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
2nd May 2023
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure that post boxes remain within an appropriately close distance to all homes so that universal provision of the service is maintained.

Ofcom’s regulatory framework requires Royal Mail to ensure that, for the UK as a whole, the premises of not less than 95% of users of postal services are within 5 kilometres of an access point (such as a post box, a Post Office or a Customer Service Point within a Delivery Office) and, in all postcode areas, the premises of 95% of users of postal services are within 10 kilometres of such an access point.

In its 2022 review of postal regulations, which included a public consultation, Ofcom decided to maintain this regulation as it considered that it remained appropriate to ensure widespread access to the universal postal service.

Earl of Minto
Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
18th Dec 2023
To ask His Majesty's Government what consideration they have given to extending the £7,000 available to homeowners to support air source heat pump installation through the Boiler Upgrade Scheme to support heat networks; and what other steps they are taking to encourage heat pump installations in areas of terraced housing where ground or air source heat pump installation may prove impractical.

The Boiler Upgrade Scheme provides upfront grants to support the installation of air source heat pumps, ground source heat pumps and biomass boilers in individual properties. Ground source heat pumps attached to a shared ground loop are eligible, where the system capacity does not exceed 45kW.

We are working with industry and local authorities to develop new heat networks and improve existing ones, including through an additional £530m to extend the Heat Network Transformation Programme to 2028, and introducing heat network zoning in 2025 to identify areas where heat networks are expected to be the lowest cost solution for decarbonising heat.

Lord Callanan
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
8th Nov 2023
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.

This is a devolved matter. Environmental assessments of projects in Northern Ireland are carried out by the NI Environment Agency.

Lord Callanan
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
14th Jun 2023
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the Campaign for the Protection of Rural England’s report Shout from the rooftops, published on 23 May, regarding the recommendation for a target for 60 per cent of solar energy to come from rooftop, brownfield, and grey spaces; and whether they plan to set such a target.

The Government is aiming for 70 gigawatts of solar capacity by 2035 which will require significant increases in deployment of all types of solar – rooftop on domestic, industrial, and commercial buildings; and ground-mount mainly on brownfield, industrial and low and medium grade agricultural land.

The Government has no plans to set sub targets for solar as flexibility is needed to allow for technology changes and emerging opportunities out to 2035.

Lord Callanan
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
27th Apr 2023
To ask His Majesty's Government whether climate change emissions from British Overseas Territories are part of the UK's total accounting for emissions and included in the Net Zero by 2050 target; and what (1) organisational structures, and (2) staffing levels, they have in place to work with those Overseas Territories to reduce emissions.

Only emissions from the UK territory are in scope of domestic Carbon Budgets and the Net Zero target, in accordance with Section 89 of the Climate Change Act 2008. Emissions from UK Crown Dependencies and Overseas Territories (CDOTS) are not included. The UK’s ratification of the Paris Agreement, including its 2030 Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC), is being extended to include CDOTS. To date, the Paris Agreement, and the NDC, have been extended to the Crown Dependencies of Jersey and the Isle of Man and the Overseas Territory of Gibraltar. The UK Government will meet with CDOTS to discuss progress against the NDC.

Lord Callanan
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
8th Mar 2023
To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to protect Economy 7 energy customers from the high cost of energy they are now experiencing.

As with energy consumers on other tariff types, Economy 7 customers have been supported by, and continue to be helped by the Energy Price Guarantee (EPG), which limits the unit rate of energy. The average GB domestic consumer has saved £900 through the EPG.

The EPG provides the same unit discount across all domestic consumers regardless of region and payment method. This means that the underlying differences in the cost to serve different payment types and regions that underpins the Ofgem price cap is maintained.

Lord Callanan
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
2nd Feb 2023
To ask His Majesty's Government how many liquified petroleum gas retailers there are in the UK; how many have closed in the past year; and what plans they have to ensure supplies continue for the next decade.

The Government does not collect this data. However, Liquid Gas UK reports that they know of 31 companies which distribute liquid petroleum gas (LPG) to customers and businesses across the UK and none have closed in the past year.

The UK continues to enjoy a robust supply chain for LPG, which is met by domestic production and by imported cargoes. The Government works closely with industry to monitor the LPG supply position throughout the year and proactively take steps to mitigate any risks that may affect distribution to customers and essential services.

Lord Callanan
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
1st Feb 2023
To ask His Majesty's Government when they intend to publish the draft Audit Reform Bill.

The Government published its Response to the White Paper, ‘Restoring Trust in Audit and Corporate Governance’ on 31 May 2022. The Response stated that the reforms will be delivered by a variety of mechanisms. This includes changes already made by the regulator and by Ministerial Direction. The Government is committed to legislating when Parliamentary time allows.

Lord Callanan
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
19th Dec 2022
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they intend to make of the safety of menstrual and adult continence products, particularly with regard to skin sensitising and hormonal effects; and what plans they have to regulate tampons as medical devices.

The UK has a comprehensive regulatory framework that covers the safety of menstrual and adult continence products. This requires producers and distributors to ensure their products are safe before they are placed on the market.

The safety of these products is regulated by the General Product Safety Regulations 2005 in addition to other product specific laws. Manufacturers are required to ensure a product does not present any risk or only the minimum risks compatible with the product’s use.

There are no current plans to regulate tampons as medical devices.

Lord Callanan
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
2nd Dec 2022
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking (1) to identify, and (2) to support, the estimated two million households on non-digital pay-as-you-go energy meters; and what plans they have, if any, to assess the scale of energy self-disconnection this winter.

Traditional prepayment meter customers will automatically receive the same discount per unit of energy as other customers through the Energy Price Guarantee.

Ofgem’s rules require energy suppliers to identify and support prepayment meter customers at risk of self-disconnection through the provision of emergency credit and additional support credit. Ofgem has recently undertaken a Market Compliance Review assessing how suppliers support customers in vulnerable situations, including those on prepayment meters. To drive improvements, Ofgem has started compliance engagement with suppliers and asked them to take action to address the weaknesses that have been identified.

Lord Callanan
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
30th Nov 2022
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to stop all support for offshore hydrocarbon extraction in the Arctic region and foster co-operation with the Arctic Council on the issue.

In line with UK policy, the UK Government no longer provides new direct financial or promotional support for the fossil fuel energy sector overseas, other than in limited circumstances, such as to support clean cooking fuel in developing countries.

Decisions on oil and gas activities, including hydrocarbon extraction in the Arctic region, are matters for the relevant national authorities.

Decisions at all levels in the Arctic Council are the exclusive rights of the Arctic States with the involvement of the Permanent Participants, with the UK as a State Observer.

Lord Callanan
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
8th Nov 2022
To ask His Majesty's Government what diplomatic efforts they are making to encourage the inclusion of carbon emissions from militaries in UNFCCC emissions reporting; and what progress they have made.

The UK Government encourages Parties to report to the UNFCCC on all relevant emissions, including those from military sources, in line with UNFCCC best practice. The UK sets its Greenhouse Gas (GHG) inventory in accordance with international guidelines and emissions from some military sources (e.g. aircraft and shipping) are already included.

Lord Callanan
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
27th Oct 2022
To ask His Majesty's Government what progress they have made with the draft Audit Reform Bill; what resources they have allocated to drafting the bill; and when they expect to consult stakeholders on a draft of the bill.

Work is continuing towards a draft Bill on reform of audit and corporate governance, for publication in due course.

Lord Callanan
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
26th Oct 2022
To ask His Majesty's Government what consideration they have given to keeping British Summer Time through the winter to reduce energy demand.

The Government believes the current daylight-saving arrangements represent the optimal use of the available daylight across the UK.

While there is the potential for some benefits from a change in the current arrangements, there is also a real risk of negative impacts. A change to permanent summertime or double summertime may also have significant impacts on certain sectors and businesses.

There is insufficient evidence to support changing the current system of clock changes, including for energy usage.

Lord Callanan
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)