Asked by: Baroness McIntosh of Pickering (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to meet with the government of Greece to discuss (1) immigration policy, and (2) how the UK, Greece and the EU can cooperate to reduce illegal migration from North Africa into Europe.
Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)
We engage closely with the Greek Government on migration issues and are committed to supporting Greece's efforts to manage migration effectively. At Ministerial level, this has included meetings between our Prime Ministers and Foreign Ministers at the end of 2024, and between the Minister of State, Stephen Doughty, and his Greek counterpart (most recently in New York in July 2025). We continue to work with Greek partners to identify opportunities for further cooperation around irregular migration to and through Greece.
Asked by: Baroness McIntosh of Pickering (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the recommendations in the report of the Independent Water Commission published on 21 July; what plans they have to introduce legislation to implement the recommendations; and by when.
Answered by Baroness Hayman of Ullock - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Government has already responded to a number of Sir Jon’s recommendations, as set out in the statement made by the Secretary of State on 21 July.
This set out the Government’s intention to establish a single regulator for water, to include a regional element within the new regulator, to establish a new statutory water ombudsman, to end operator self-monitoring and transition to Open Monitoring, and to issue an interim Strategic Policy Statement to Ofwat and give Ministerial directions to the Environment Agency, setting out our expectations and requirements.
The Government will respond to Sir Jon’s recommendations in full via a White Paper, published for consultation this autumn, and a new Water Reform Bill to be introduced early this Parliament.
Asked by: Baroness McIntosh of Pickering (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to implement the recommendations contained in the Dimbleby Report on the National Food Strategy.
Answered by Baroness Hayman of Ullock - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Towards a Good Food Cycle, the UK Government food strategy for England, published on 15 July, sets out the Government's plans to transform the food system. A UK government food strategy for England - GOV.UK
The food strategy will work to make good, healthy food more accessible and affordable, as part of the Government's Plan for Change. Our strategy builds on existing evidence and analysis, such as The National Food Strategy. We have an opportunity to convert the “junk food cycle”, identified by Henry Dimbleby, into a “good food cycle” that delivers growth, while improving health, climate and environment and food security outcomes from the food system.
Asked by: Baroness McIntosh of Pickering (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to engage with water companies to ensure that farmers have access to water for their crops and livestock.
Answered by Baroness Hayman of Ullock - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Environment Agency (EA) is engaging with water companies to ensure that water is abstracted in the best way for all users and the environment and that water companies are following their drought plans.
Water companies’ drought plans set out the actions they will take to monitor and manage the impact of drought on their customers (including farmers) and the environment. It is their responsibility to act in line with these plans.
Regional Water Resources Groups are made up of the EA, water companies, the National Farmers Union and Abstractor Groups. The regional groups are considering how they can work together to ensure there is sufficient water in the system to provide availability for all users. This may include, for example, water companies abstracting lower volumes at specific points, so water moves downstream and allows farmers to abstract water.
Asked by: Baroness McIntosh of Pickering (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they will ensure that surplus energy generated by solar panels on roofs of warehouses and other commercial buildings can be exported back to the grid.
Answered by Lord Wilson of Sedgefield - Lord in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
Generation from rooftop solar can be exported to the grid provided there is capacity to accommodate it. This may require investment in distribution and/or transmission networks. Ofgem has raised the threshold for generation connection projects requiring a transmission network impact assessment from 1 Megawatt to below 5 Megawatts in England and Wales. This will reduce connection timescales and costs for rooftop solar schemes previously above the threshold. Reform of the transmission connections process will facilitate connections for projects that remain above the threshold, provided they are progressing and align with the Clean Power 2030 Action Plan.
Asked by: Baroness McIntosh of Pickering (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask His Majesty's Government how the energy stored in battery storage plants will be distributed for use, and whether local communities will be the priority for use of that energy.
Answered by Lord Wilson of Sedgefield - Lord in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
Energy from battery storage plants is distributed to consumers in order to maximise benefits to the electricity system overall and depending on where in the network the plant is connected. The Government is considering introducing a mandatory community benefits scheme for low carbon energy infrastructure under which developers would contribute to community funds, directly supporting local priorities and services. The government has sought views on the scope of such a scheme, and how a scheme should be administered and enforced.
Asked by: Baroness McIntosh of Pickering (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to protect those who live close to a battery storage plant from fire risks.
Answered by Lord Wilson of Sedgefield - Lord in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
Grid-scale batteries are regulated by the Health and Safety Executive within a robust framework which requires responsible parties to manage risks at every stage of the system’s deployment. Developers are responsible for minimising fire risks and work closely with fire services to develop site emergency response plans.
The Government will consult on including grid-scale batteries in the Environmental Permitting Regulations (EPR). EPR requires battery sites to demonstrate to the Environment Agency that risks are avoided or controlled and provides for ongoing regulatory inspections.
Asked by: Baroness McIntosh of Pickering (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they plan to take to remove rail bottlenecks such as those at Ely and Haughley junctions to ensure that rail freight can move smoothly and efficiently between East Anglia and Yorkshire.
Answered by Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill - Minister of State (Department for Transport)
The Secretary of State updated Parliament on the 7th of July regarding which rail and road infrastructure projects will progress following the completion of the 2025 Spending Review. The Ely Area Capacity Enhancement and upgrades to Haughley Junction were not among those projects funded at this time.
We are focused on prioritising the schemes that will make the greatest difference for passengers and support economic growth as quickly as possible. The previous government had committed to a number of infrastructure projects that were unfunded, this includes the EACE and Haughley Junction schemes.
Asked by: Baroness McIntosh of Pickering (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the potential contribution of conscription to UK defence.
Answered by Lord Coaker - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
This Government has no plans to reintroduce conscription. Since 1963, it has been the policy of successive Governments that the best way of providing for the defence of our country is by maintaining professional Armed Forces which are manned by volunteers.
Asked by: Baroness McIntosh of Pickering (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask His Majesty's Government what alternatives to custodial sentences they are considering for women with babies and young families, particularly for offences such as shop theft, and what rehabilitation measures are in place to prevent those women from reoffending.
Answered by Lord Timpson - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)
This Government has a clear goal of reducing the number of women in prison and supporting more in the community. That is why we created the Women’s Justice Board. The Board’s initial focus is on early intervention and diversion; community solutions; and addressing issues specific to young women, pregnant women, and mothers with dependent children in the Criminal Justice System.
We are taking forward the Independent Sentencing Review’s recommendations on short and suspended sentences, which will reduce the number of women in custody, including those with babies and young families. We have also accepted in principle the Review’s recommendation to increase the availability of Intensive Supervision Courts to tackle root causes of offending, particularly for repeat offenders.
Women’s specific Commissioned Rehabilitative Service providers have been appointed in every HMPPS region to deliver bespoke and specialist support to women on probation to address their offending behaviour. Additionally, the Government is investing £7.2 million in community support in 2025/26, with funding for women’s centres and other organisations focused on diverting women from prison and addressing their often-complex needs.