Asked by: Baroness Young of Old Scone (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask Her Majesty's Government how many gastroenterology specialist nurses were employed by the NHS in each of the past five years.
Answered by Baroness Manzoor
The information is not held centrally.
Asked by: Baroness Young of Old Scone (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have carried out an environmental impact assessment of the current dredging of the channel at the Port of Ramsgate; if so, whether, and when, the Environment Agency evaluated and accepted that impact assessment; and when approval was given for the dredging to begin.
Answered by Lord Gardiner of Kimble
The Environment Agency was consulted by the Marine Management Organisation on the application from Ramsgate Royal Harbour for the current dredging project at the Port of Ramsgate, on the 10 December 2015.
The application included an environmental impact assessment and the Environment Agency submitted comments on the 22 December 2015.
The Environment Agency accepted the proposal with the condition that material deposited within European Union bathing waters is only deposited outside the European Union bathing season.
The dredging activity does not put at risk the Water Framework Directive, therefore there is not a significant risk to the environment.
Permission was given for the activity by the Marine Management Organisation on the 29 March 2016.
Asked by: Baroness Young of Old Scone (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to commemorate the centenary of the end of the First World War; and whether there are plans to dedicate any lasting natural memorials.
Answered by Lord Ashton of Hyde
The final year of the Government's four year programme to commemorate the centenary of the First World War will see a series of events to commemorate the end of the War, and the path to peace. On Monday 26 March an event was held to commemorate the centenary of the appointment of Marshal Foch as Supreme Allied Commander on the Western Front, at the statue of the Marshal in Lower Grosvenor Gardens. It was attended by the French Ambassador, and the French Minister of State for Veterans and Remembrance.
On 8 August we will commemorate the centenary of the the Battle of Amiens and the subsequent 'Hundred Days' Offensive with an event for 2,000 guests in Amiens Cathedral in Northern France. It is being delivered in partnership with the governments of Australia, Canada, France and the United States of America.
The government’s programme of centenary events will culminate on 11 November 2018 with a series of events across the UK to mark the centenary of the Armistice. The National Service of Remembrance at the Cenotaph will follow traditional lines, to respect its wider purpose in remembering the fallen of all conflicts. The traditional veterans’ parade will then be followed by a civilian procession made up of 10,000 members of the public who wish to show their thanks to a generation who gave so much for the freedoms we enjoy today. An announcement regarding the public ballot for tickets to participate in this procession will be made shortly. During the day, church and other bells will ring out as they did in 1918 to mark the end of the war.
The commemorations will conclude in the evening with a national service of thanksgiving at Westminster Abbey in London. Similar services will also take place in Glasgow, Cardiff and Belfast.
In addition to the national events, the other elements of government programme, such as the Schools' Battlefields Tours, the schools 'Great War Debates', the Victoria Cross Paving Stones, and funding for the repair and restoration of War Memorials will continue, to ensure that the final year of the War and the Armistice are commemorated appropriately. Historic England will also continue to research and conserve not only war memorials and historic buildings, but trenches and other fieldworks constructed during the war for training purposes, to make sure that our history can be enjoyed by present and future generations. Two of these, the practise trenches at Short Fell, Northumberland, and the earthwork model training trenches at Cannock Chase, Staffordshire, have been added to the National Heritage List for England. A range of information, including detailed research on various sites across the country, can be found on their website.
The Government has no plans to create any lasting natural memorials to the First World War, but I am aware of, and commend, the Woodland Trust’s First World War Centenary Woods initiative involving the planting of millions of trees in four Centenary Woods across the UK, creating beautiful places for the next generation to enjoy whilst providing a living legacy to all those affected by the conflict.
Asked by: Baroness Young of Old Scone (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether, and if so when, they will publish a list of the statutory instruments that will be laid subsequent to the passing of the European Union (Withdrawal) Bill, in order to complete the transfer of EU law covering environmental issues; and which of those statutory instruments will be laid under (1) the negative procedure, and (2) the affirmative procedure.
Answered by Lord Gardiner of Kimble
The Government is still making detailed assessment of what corrections will be required to make that law function appropriately on exit day. Our current assumption is that we will require 26 SIs to be laid in order to complete the transfer of EU law covering environmental issues, 12 of which will require the affirmative procedure.
We are currently not in a position to publish the list of these SIs as it is subject to change. In particular, the SIs rely on powers and procedures set out in the European Union (Withdrawal) Bill which is still being considered by Parliament. There will, however, be consultation where appropriate on the detail of the proposed changes.
Asked by: Baroness Young of Old Scone (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
Her Majesty's Government which EU-based environmental legislation and regulations will be transposed into UK law through the European Union (Withdrawal) Act, (1) without change, (2) with minor changes to enable operability, and (3) with substantial changes requiring secondary legislation to ensure operability.
Answered by Lord Gardiner of Kimble
The European Union (Withdrawal) Bill ensures, so far as possible, that the same rules and laws will apply on the day after exit as on the day before.
All Government Departments are currently reviewing the EU laws that apply in their policy areas and how our withdrawal from the EU will affect the operation of those laws.
Where laws need to be fixed, the Government will ensure this is done. There are decades of EU law to consider, and we must ensure our statute book works on exit and that we provide the maximum possible certainty for individuals and businesses as we leave the EU.
This Government is committed to be the first generation to leave the natural environment in a better state than we inherited it. Leaving the EU means we now have a unique opportunity to design a set of policies to drive environmental improvement with a powerful and permanent impact, tailored to the needs of our country. This will make sure we can create a healthy environment and strong economy – and delivering on our commitment to leave the environment in a better state than we found it.
Asked by: Baroness Young of Old Scone (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government which parts of which primary and secondary legislation pertaining to the environment (1) they, (2) the Environment Agency, and (3) Natural England, judge to be unviable to transpose into UK and devolved law through the Great Repeal Bill; and when they will publish a list of that legislation.
Answered by Lord Gardiner of Kimble
The Government is aware of the desire for certainty around what exiting the EU means for our environmental policy and legislative framework. That is why the Prime Minister announced last year our plans for a Great Repeal Bill that will convert current EU law into domestic UK law. Our intention is to ensure a smooth and orderly transition via the Great Repeal Bill.
All Government departments are currently reviewing the EU laws that apply in their policy areas and how our withdrawal from the EU will affect the operation of those laws. Defra has a significant challenge in handling the return of legislative competence from the EU. Over 1100 core pieces of directly applicable EU legislation and national implementing legislation have been identified as Defra-owned. There are some policy areas where this transition may present more challenges than in other areas, for example where functions are currently delivered by EU agencies, systems or resources. However, where laws need to be fixed, the Government will ensure this is done. There are decades of EU law to consider, and we must ensure our statute book works on exit and that we provide the maximum possible stability, without pre-judging future decisions Parliament may make.
The Government will bring forward legislation in the next session that, when enacted, will repeal the European Communities Act 1972 and ensure a functioning statute book on the day we leave the EU. This ‘Great Repeal Bill’ will end the authority of EU law and return power to the UK. The Bill will convert existing European Union law into domestic law, wherever practical.
The Government will bring forward a White Paper on the Great Repeal Bill in due course that provides more detail about our approach. We will ensure it is published in time to allow Parliament sufficient time to digest its contents in advance of introduction of the Great Repeal Bill in the next session.
Asked by: Baroness Young of Old Scone (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government when they will publish their response to the report of the Select Committee on National Policy on the Built Environment, <i>Building Better Places</i>, published on 19 February.
Answered by Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth
The Department for Communities and Local Government has been coordinating the Government's response to the report of the Select Commitee on National Policy on the Built Environment. The response was published (attached) on Tuesday 8 November, see below the link.
Asked by: Baroness Young of Old Scone (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many House of Lords Select Committee reports published in the (1) 2015–16, and (2) current, session of Parliament, except those published within the last two months, have not received a Government response.
Answered by Baroness Chisholm of Owlpen
Following discussions last year between the Leader of the House of Lords and the then Chairman of the Liaison Committee, data on response times is now collected and made available by the House of Lords Committee Office. The Liaison Committee's annual reports set out which Select Committee reports required Government responses and when those responses were sent. The figures for 2015-16 are included in the Committee's report, Investigative Select Committee Activity in Session 2015-16 (1st Report of Session 2016-17). The figures for this session will be published in due course. The Government values the work of Select Committees and will always aim to respond to reports within two months. However, it will often be the case that formulating responses require discussions across a range of departments and stakeholders, which means that in some cases they can take longer.
Asked by: Baroness Young of Old Scone (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what percentage of House of Lords Select Committee reports received a Government response within the two months period set out in paragraph 11.39 of the Companion to the Standing Orders and Guide to the Proceedings of the House of Lords in the years (1) 2009–10, (2) 2015–16, and (3) 2016–17 to date.
Answered by Baroness Chisholm of Owlpen
Following discussions last year between the Leader of the House of Lords and the then Chairman of the Liaison Committee, data on response times is now collected and made available by the House of Lords Committee Office. The Liaison Committee's annual reports set out which Select Committee reports required Government responses and when those responses were sent. The figures for 2015-16 are included in the Committee's report, Investigative Select Committee Activity in Session 2015-16 (1st Report of Session 2016-17). The figures for this session will be published in due course. The Government values the work of Select Committees and will always aim to respond to reports within two months. However, it will often be the case that formulating responses require discussions across a range of departments and stakeholders, which means that in some cases they can take longer.
Asked by: Baroness Young of Old Scone (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether Natural England are planning to report on net loss of biodiversity measurements in relation to Phase 1 of the HS2 project, as called for in the Report published in February of the House of Commons Select Committee on the High Speed Rail (London–West Midlands) Bill (HC129); and if so, when that report will be published.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Department for Transport plans to publish both Natural England’s review of the No Net Loss to Biodiversity metric and the Government’s response before the end of the HS2 Select Committee in the Lords.