Baroness Boycott Portrait

Baroness Boycott

Crossbench - Life peer

Became Member: 9th July 2018


Environment and Climate Change Committee
14th Apr 2021 - 31st Jan 2024
Food, Poverty, Health and Environment Committee
13th Jun 2019 - 23rd Jun 2020


Division Voting information

During the current Parliament, Baroness Boycott has voted in 0 divisions, and never against the majority of their Party.
View All Baroness Boycott Division Votes

Debates during the 2024 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
Baroness Sherlock (Labour)
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
(2 debate interactions)
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Department Debates
Department for Work and Pensions
(1 debate contributions)
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Legislation Debates
Baroness Boycott has not made any spoken contributions to legislative debate
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Lords initiatives

These initiatives were driven by Baroness Boycott, and are more likely to reflect personal policy preferences.


2 Bills introduced by Baroness Boycott


A Bill to introduce the crime of ecocide; and for connected purposes.

Lords - 20%

Last Event - 1st Reading
Thursday 30th November 2023

A bill to provide for the provision of free period products

Lords - 20%

Last Event - 1st Reading
Tuesday 4th February 2020
(Read Debate)

Baroness Boycott has not co-sponsored any Bills in the current parliamentary sitting


Latest 10 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
25th Jul 2024
To ask His Majesty's Government when they expect to introduce free breakfast clubs in primary schools.

The government is committed to breaking down barriers to opportunity and giving every child the best start in life. Breakfast clubs will remove barriers to opportunity by ensuring every child, no matter their circumstances, is set-up for the day and ready to learn by providing a supportive start to the day. The government is committed to making quick progress to deliver on its commitment to offer breakfast clubs in every primary school.

The department has taken decisive action by announcing in the King’s Speech that, under the Children’s Wellbeing Bill, every primary school in England will offer a breakfast club. Legislating for breakfast club provision will give schools the certainty they need to plan for the future. Before the legislation comes into force, the department will work closely with the sector to make sure the right support, including funding, guidance and resources are in place.

Baroness Smith of Malvern
Minister of State (Education)
25th Jul 2024
To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to ensure that primary schools have sufficient resources and staff time for free breakfast clubs to be delivered effectively.

The government is committed to breaking down barriers to opportunity and giving every child the best start in life. Breakfast clubs will remove barriers to opportunity by ensuring every child, no matter their circumstances, is set-up for the day and ready to learn by providing a supportive start to the day. The government is committed to making quick progress to deliver on its commitment to offer breakfast clubs in every primary school.

The department has taken decisive action by announcing in the King’s Speech that, under the Children’s Wellbeing Bill, every primary school in England will offer a breakfast club. Legislating for breakfast club provision will give schools the certainty they need to plan for the future. Before the legislation comes into force, the department will work closely with the sector to make sure the right support, including funding, guidance and resources are in place.

Baroness Smith of Malvern
Minister of State (Education)
25th Jul 2024
To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to ensure children that are from the most deprived households will be able to access free breakfast clubs.

The government is committed to breaking down barriers to opportunity and giving every child the best start in life. Breakfast clubs will remove barriers to opportunity by ensuring every child, no matter their circumstances, is set-up for the day and ready to learn by providing a supportive start to the day. The government is committed to making quick progress to deliver on its commitment to offer breakfast clubs in every primary school.

The department has taken decisive action by announcing in the King’s Speech that, under the Children’s Wellbeing Bill, every primary school in England will offer a breakfast club. Legislating for breakfast club provision will give schools the certainty they need to plan for the future. Before the legislation comes into force, the department will work closely with the sector to make sure the right support, including funding, guidance and resources are in place.

Baroness Smith of Malvern
Minister of State (Education)
25th Jul 2024
To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to expand the monitoring and enforcement of school food standards to ensure that free breakfasts are nutritionally beneficial.

The government is committed to breaking down barriers to opportunity and giving every child the best start in life. Breakfast clubs will remove barriers to opportunity by ensuring every child, no matter their circumstances, is set-up for the day and ready to learn by providing a supportive start to the day. The government is committed to making quick progress to deliver on its commitment to offer breakfast clubs in every primary school.

The department has taken decisive action by announcing in the King’s Speech that, under the Children’s Wellbeing Bill, every primary school in England will offer a breakfast club. Legislating for breakfast club provision will give schools the certainty they need to plan for the future. Before the legislation comes into force, the department will work closely with the sector to make sure the right support, including funding, guidance and resources are in place.

Baroness Smith of Malvern
Minister of State (Education)
25th Jul 2024
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they intend to update the school food standards to ensure that breakfasts served in free breakfast clubs are nutritionally beneficial.

The government is committed to breaking down barriers to opportunity and giving every child the best start in life. Breakfast clubs will remove barriers to opportunity by ensuring every child, no matter their circumstances, is set-up for the day and ready to learn by providing a supportive start to the day. The government is committed to making quick progress to deliver on its commitment to offer breakfast clubs in every primary school.

The department has taken decisive action by announcing in the King’s Speech that, under the Children’s Wellbeing Bill, every primary school in England will offer a breakfast club. Legislating for breakfast club provision will give schools the certainty they need to plan for the future. Before the legislation comes into force, the department will work closely with the sector to make sure the right support, including funding, guidance and resources are in place.

Baroness Smith of Malvern
Minister of State (Education)
26th Jul 2024
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they intend to introduce an obesity strategy.

Supporting people in staying healthier for longer is at the heart of the Government’s health mission. We face a childhood obesity crisis, and the Government will take action to tackle it head on, easing the strain on the National Health Service and creating the healthiest generation of children ever.

As set out in the King’s Speech, we will bring forward the necessary secondary legislation to ban junk food advertising to children, and stop the sale of high-caffeine energy drinks to under 16-year-olds. The Government recognises that prevention will always be better than a cure. Further action on obesity under the Government’s health mission will be set out in due course.

Baroness Merron
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
26th Jul 2024
To ask His Majesty's Government what consideration they have given to the lack of verifiable identification such as driving licences for 16-year-olds with regards to the introduction of a ban on the sale of high caffeine energy drinks to children under 16.

As set out in the King’s Speech, we plan to bring forward the necessary secondary legislation to deliver on our commitment to end the sale of high-caffeine energy drinks to under 16-year-olds in the first parliamentary session. We are developing plans which will take into account enforcement and other issues, and will set these out in a consultation in due course.

Baroness Merron
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
26th Jul 2024
To ask His Majesty's Government what is the timeline for banning the sale of high caffeine energy drinks to children under 16.

As set out in the King’s Speech, we plan to bring forward the necessary secondary legislation to deliver on our commitment to end the sale of high-caffeine energy drinks to under 16-year-olds in the first parliamentary session. We are developing plans which will take into account enforcement and other issues, and will set these out in a consultation in due course.

Baroness Merron
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
26th Jul 2024
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the effectiveness of voluntary sugar reduction programmes.

The effectiveness of the United Kingdom’s voluntary sugar reduction programme has been assessed. Four reports have been published to date, which are available on the GOV.UK website, reviewing the progress made by businesses in delivering the 20% reduction target set.

The most recent report, detailing progress between 2015 and 2020, showed that reductions had been delivered in all food categories included in the programme. The greatest reductions in sales weighted average sugar levels per 100 grams were made in breakfast cereals, with a 14.9% reduction in sugar, and yogurts and fromage frais, with a 13.5% reduction. Overall, a reduction of only 3.5% in sales weighted average sugar levels per 100 grams has been delivered by the programme. This is lower than the reductions made in individual categories because of substantial increases in sales in products with high sugar levels such as chocolate confectionary. Reductions were also seen in the calorie levels per single serving of some products. Mixed progress was seen across different companies and brands, and the out of home sector generally delivered less than retailers and manufacturers.

Juices and milk-based drinks are included in the voluntary programme, as they are excluded from the Soft Drinks Industry Levy, and were required to deliver 5% and 20% reductions, respectively, in sugar levels per 100 millilitres. The most recent progress data shows that between 2017 and 2020, retailers and manufacturers had not met the 5% target reductions in juices, while out of home blended juices had delivered reductions of approximately 9%. The 20% reduction target has been achieved in three out of six categories for retailer and manufacturer milk-based drinks, with some reduction in calories. In the out of home sector, there has been a 10% sugar reduction in hot and cold drinks, but this category has also seen a 14% increase in calories. Out of home milkshakes have also seen an approximate 12% increase in both sugar and calories.

Baroness Merron
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)