Asked by: Baroness McGregor-Smith (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
Her Majesty's Government when the initial findings into the causes of the Grenfell Tower fire will be released.
Answered by Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth
The Prime Minister has announced that a full independent public inquiry will consider the causes of the Grenfell Tower fire. The inquiry will be chaired by Sir Martin Moore-Bick and conducted under the Inquiries Act 2005 including the power to compel the production of documents, and to summon witnesses to give evidence on oath. We expect the inquiry to produce an interim report as early as possible. The Metropolitan Police launched a criminal investigation into the fire on 15 June, which is ongoing.
Asked by: Baroness McGregor-Smith (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure key workers are able to afford to buy their own homes.
Answered by Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth
This Government wants to support everybody, including key workers, by making homes more affordable with steps outlined in the Housing White Paper to increase supply. Currently the Government funds a range of home ownership schemes including Help to Buy Equity Loans and Shared Ownership to support all who might need it, including key workers, to buy a home where they are unable to afford market prices locally.
Asked by: Baroness McGregor-Smith (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to implement the recommendations of the report Race in the Workplace.
Answered by Lord Prior of Brampton
Following the approach we set out in the Government response, we have been working with Business in the Community in supporting companies to make the necessary changes to make their workplaces more inclusive. This includes the development of a simple guide on how to discuss race in the workplace, ensuring easy access to an online portal of best practice and celebrating success through a list of the top 100 BME employers.
We also intend that the new Diversity and Inclusion Group will provide a forum to discuss progress as well as identify emerging issues and opportunities, and provide a sounding board for new ideas. This will be chaired by a BEIS Minister, and bring together key business leaders. We are delighted that the noble lady has agreed to be part of the group.
Asked by: Baroness McGregor-Smith (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
Her Majesty's Government whether they have published, or intend to publish, plans that show the long-term outlook for each industry in the UK post-Brexit, in particular the services industries.
Answered by Lord Prior of Brampton
The Government is committed to securing a new, deep and special partnership with the EU to support the long-term success of UK industry post-Brexit.
The Government has already taken the opportunity to publish the Industrial Strategy Green Paper which builds on our strengths and prepares us for the years ahead. Part of our approach is to use “sector deals” to transform and upgrade sectors based on proposals from industry. These sector deals will be open to all parts of the economy, established and emerging sectors, and to businesses of all sizes.
The Government is currently analysing the responses to its Green Paper and will publish the outcome in due course.
Asked by: Baroness McGregor-Smith (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their response to the report by Gary Sturgess <i>Just Another Paperclip? Rethinking the Market for Complex Public Services</i>, published by the Business Services Association on 31 March.
Answered by Lord Young of Cookham
In considering the long-term provision of public services via third-party contracts, the Government Chief Commercial Officer must work with Departments to address the five points made in Dr Sturgess’s report: sustainability, relationships, contracting process, capability and allocation of risks. It is recognised that much needs to be done; but recent progress has been rapid with the introduction of commercial operating standards, a central recruitment hub backed by an Assessment Centre, and more attractive remuneration for commercial specialists. The system of commercial standards drives adherence to policy, and departmental and functional governance ensure our commercial behaviours are on-market and sustainable.
Asked by: Baroness McGregor-Smith (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government, in the light of the new powers for cities to adopt charges to tackle vehicle pollution, what plans they have to give financial help to drivers of diesel cars.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
In light of both updated information on real world emissions from diesel vehicles and the High Court judgement last year, we are developing a revised air quality plan for nitrogen dioxide. The consultation will address the measures needed to reduce nitrogen dioxide concentrations.
Asked by: Baroness McGregor-Smith (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what the annual black and minority ethnic employment rate has been for (1) men, (2) women, and (3) overall, in each year since 1979, and how that contrasts with both (a) the general population employment rate, and (b) employment rates by gender in the general population, in each year since 1979.
Answered by Lord Freud
This table shows the annual averaged employment rates, from 1993 – 2015, for BME groups and the whole population. This is also split by gender.
| All BME Groups % | BME – men % | BME – Women % | Whole Population % | All men % | All women % |
1993 | 51.9 | 59.9 | 44.1 | 68.7 | 75.3 | 62.1 |
1994 | 51.6 | 59.1 | 44.6 | 69.2 | 75.9 | 62.5 |
1995 | 52.5 | 61.0 | 44.5 | 69.8 | 76.6 | 63.1 |
1996 | 52.8 | 60.7 | 45.2 | 70.2 | 76.8 | 63.7 |
1997 | 55.4 | 64.5 | 46.7 | 71.2 | 78.0 | 64.4 |
1998 | 56.0 | 65.0 | 47.5 | 71.7 | 78.5 | 64.9 |
1999 | 56.7 | 66.6 | 47.5 | 72.2 | 79.0 | 65.6 |
2000 | 57.0 | 66.4 | 48.2 | 72.7 | 79.4 | 66.1 |
2001 | * | * | * | * | * | * |
2002 | 57.6 | 66.6 | 48.8 | 72.8 | 79.2 | 66.6 |
2003 | 57.8 | 66.5 | 49.6 | 73.0 | 79.4 | 66.7 |
2004 | 59.0 | 68.2 | 50.1 | 73.2 | 79.5 | 66.9 |
2005 | 58.6 | 67.4 | 50.3 | 73.1 | 79.3 | 67.0 |
2006 | 60.2 | 70.2 | 50.7 | 73.0 | 79.0 | 67.0 |
2007 | 60.1 | 69.6 | 51.0 | 72.8 | 79.0 | 66.7 |
2008 | 60.4 | 70.2 | 51.1 | 72.8 | 78.7 | 66.9 |
2009 | 59.1 | 68.0 | 50.6 | 71.1 | 76.2 | 66.1 |
2010 | 59.6 | 68.4 | 51.2 | 70.6 | 75.6 | 65.6 |
2011 | 59.1 | 67.9 | 50.6 | 70.4 | 75.4 | 65.5 |
2012 | 59.5 | 68.9 | 50.5 | 71.1 | 76.2 | 66.0 |
2013 | 59.8 | 68.1 | 51.7 | 71.7 | 76.6 | 66.8 |
2014 | 61.4 | 70.0 | 53.1 | 73.0 | 78.0 | 68.1 |
2015 | 62.8 | 70.8 | 55.3 | 73.9 | 78.7 | 69.0 |
* Data suppressed due to change in ethnicity question on LFS. | ||||||
NOTES
Asked by: Baroness McGregor-Smith (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what the annual black and minority ethnic unemployment rate has been for (1) men, (2) women, and (3) overall, and how that contrasts with (a) the general population unemployment rate, and (b) unemployment rates by gender in the general population, in each year since 1979.
Answered by Lord Freud
This table shows the annual averaged unemployment rates, from 1993 – 2015, for BME groups and the whole population. This is also split by gender.
| All BME Groups % | BME – men % | BME – Women % | Whole Population % | All men % | All women % |
1993 | 21.8 | 23.9 | 18.8 | 10.3 | 12.2 | 7.9 |
1994 | 20.2 | 23.1 | 16.2 | 9.5 | 11.1 | 7.4 |
1995 | 18.8 | 20.1 | 17.1 | 8.6 | 10.0 | 6.9 |
1996 | 18.1 | 20.0 | 15.4 | 8.1 | 9.4 | 6.4 |
1997 | 15.4 | 16.3 | 14.1 | 6.9 | 7.8 | 5.9 |
1998 | 13.4 | 14.0 | 12.6 | 6.2 | 6.9 | 5.4 |
1999 | 13.1 | 13.2 | 12.9 | 5.9 | 6.6 | 5.2 |
2000 | 12.4 | 13.1 | 11.5 | 5.4 | 5.9 | 4.9 |
2001 | * | * | * | * | * | * |
2002 | 11.4 | 11.8 | 10.8 | 5.2 | 5.7 | 4.5 |
2003 | 11.8 | 12.5 | 10.8 | 5.0 | 5.5 | 4.4 |
2004 | 10.5 | 10.6 | 10.4 | 4.7 | 5.1 | 4.3 |
2005 | 10.4 | 11.0 | 9.7 | 4.8 | 5.2 | 4.4 |
2006 | 11.7 | 11.5 | 11.9 | 5.4 | 5.8 | 5.1 |
2007 | 11.0 | 10.8 | 11.2 | 5.4 | 5.6 | 5.1 |
2008 | 11.0 | 11.1 | 10.8 | 5.7 | 6.2 | 5.2 |
2009 | 13.2 | 13.1 | 13.3 | 7.6 | 8.6 | 6.5 |
2010 | 13.1 | 12.9 | 13.4 | 7.9 | 8.6 | 7.0 |
2011 | 13.7 | 13.2 | 14.4 | 8.1 | 8.7 | 7.5 |
2012 | 13.5 | 12.7 | 14.6 | 8.0 | 8.4 | 7.5 |
2013 | 13.7 | 13.4 | 14.0 | 7.6 | 8.0 | 7.2 |
2014 | 11.3 | 10.5 | 12.2 | 6.2 | 6.4 | 5.9 |
2015 | 9.9 | 9.8 | 10.1 | 5.4 | 5.5 | 5.2 |
* Data suppressed due to change in ethnicity question on LFS. | ||||||
NOTES
Asked by: Baroness McGregor-Smith (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what proportion of the UK’s energy supply was produced from fossil fuels in each year between 1997 and 2015.
Answered by Baroness Neville-Rolfe - Minister of State (Cabinet Office)
The proportion of the UK’s energy supply produced from fossil fuels in each year between 1997 and 2015 is shown in the table.
Year | Proportion (%) |
1997 | 88.1 |
1998 | 88.3 |
1999 | 88.6 |
2000 | 89.9 |
2001 | 89.6 |
2002 | 89.5 |
2003 | 89.8 |
2004 | 90.2 |
2005 | 89.9 |
2006 | 90.1 |
2007 | 91.2 |
2008 | 91.2 |
2009 | 88.9 |
2010 | 89.5 |
2011 | 87.3 |
2012 | 87.1 |
2013 | 85.8 |
2014 | 84.3 |
2015 | 82.0 |
Data are published by the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) in the Digest of United Kingdom Energy Statistics (DUKES) 2016, table 1.1.1.