Speeches made during Parliamentary debates are recorded in Hansard. For ease of browsing we have grouped debates into individual, departmental and legislative categories.
These initiatives were driven by Lord Barker of Battle, and are more likely to reflect personal policy preferences.
Lord Barker of Battle has not introduced any legislation before Parliament
Lord Barker of Battle has not co-sponsored any Bills in the current parliamentary sitting
Her Majesty’s Government continues to engage with India on the Bangalore/Mumbai Economic Corridor (BMEC). BMEC was most recently discussed on 11 February 2015 in a meeting between Chief Executive of UKTI, Dominic Jermey, and Indian Commerce Minister, Nirmala Sitharaman.
The feasibility report has not yet been completed by Egis, a French company commissioned by Government of India. The report will be the property of the Government of India and it will be their decision as to how it circulated when complete.
DECC Ministers and officials meet regularly with Ministers and officials in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and UKTI to discuss a range of issues. Her Majesty’s Government continues to engage with India on the Bangalore/Mumbai Economic Corridor (BMEC). BMEC was most recently discussed on 11 February in a meeting between Chief Executive of UKTI, Dominic Jermey, and Indian Commerce Minister, Nirmala Sitharaman. We are looking forward to seeing the outcome of the BMEC perspective plan.
The Government is exploring the potential for the UK Green Investment Bank (GIB) to assist in investing some of the UK’s international climate fund (ICF). DECC is currently working with the Green Investment Bank and colleagues in BIS, DFID and the Shareholder Executive to assess the feasibility of the GIB developing and managing some ICF projects.
The 24th Conference of the Parties (COP24) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) took place in Katowice, Poland, from 2-15 December. In the negotiations we succeeded in securing our main objectives by delivering an operational rulebook that would enable the historic Paris Agreement to be effectively implemented. Inevitably there is still work to be done, but the overall picture is of a rulebook that will drive genuine climate action, providing a common set of rules while allowing for flexibility and support for those countries that need it.
The UK was a strong voice recognising the seriousness of the latest climate science during COP. We played a central role in the progressive alliance of countries striving for a final outcome that coupled robust rules with a call for more ambitious climate action. We did this through supporting the High Ambition Coalition’s Stepping Up Climate Ambition statement and through regularly convening the Cartagena Dialogue of progressive countries.
Outside the negotiations, the UK had a visible presence in Katowice. We celebrated one year of the Powering Past Coal Alliance, 10 years since the passage of the Climate Change Act, and held over 50 events showcasing UK international support, domestic action and low carbon expertise at a UK ‘Green is Great’ Pavilion. We were also pleased to support Poland as COP Presidency with three political initiatives, co-developing their e-mobility declaration and supporting declarations on the importance of a just transition, and forests.
The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy published statistics provide information on insulation measures that have been delivered through the Government’s energy efficiency schemes.
Between January 2010 and September 2018 (the latest date for when data is available), there have been 2.4 million cavity wall insulation measures and 4.6 million loft insulation measures installed to homes across Great Britain.
We estimate that in Great Britain there are a further 5.3 million homes suitable for cavity wall insulation; of which 4.0 million are considered to be easy to treat; and 8.1 million homes have the potential for additional loft insulation; of which 5.8 million are considered to be easy to treat.
At the end of September, we estimate there were 805,000 domestic solar PV installations1,2. A small proportion of homes may have more than one installation but it is not possible to identify these in the available data.
The Government is currently looking at policy options for setting a long-term trajectory for energy performance standards across the private rented sector, with the aim of as many private rented homes as possible being upgraded to EPC Band C by 2030, where practical, cost-effective and affordable. We intend to consult on the trajectory and policy design in 2019.
The next potential opportunity for the UK to host COP is the 26th Conference of the Parties (COP26) in 2020. The UK is engaging with others to determine who is best placed to preside over COP26. Whoever takes on the COP26 Presidency in 2020 we will need to work with a wide range of partners to ensure it is a success and brings us closer to the long term goals of the Paris Agreement.
The Green Investment Group (GIG) have recently reported on their progress in the year since the completion of their sale in August 2017. Over that year they have made or arranged £1.6bn of investments across of range of sectors including offshore and onshore wind, solar, and waste to energy.
In addition, they have launched new green infrastructure advisory services out of their London and Edinburgh offices to support the growth of the global green economy, and have expanded their operations to encompass Asia and North America.
They have also continued to engage proactively within the green investment community, such as publishing a comprehensive progress report in October 2018, holding or supporting a number of sectoral stakeholder events, and being a member of the Green Finance Institute’s Advisory Board.
Since our world leading Climate Change Act became law in 2008, we have cut emissions by 29%, while growing the economy by 12%.
Under the Act, we have legislated for five carbon budgets which are amongst the most stringent targets in the world. We have met the first carbon budget, and are on track to meet the second and third. The Clean Growth Strategy, published in 2017, will help us meet our stretching future targets and build on the UK’s success in cutting emissions while creating wealth.
In October, just a week after the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s Special Report on 1.5 degrees, we commissioned advice from our independent advisers, the Committee on Climate Change, on the implications of the Paris Agreement for our long-term emissions reduction targets, including on the setting of a net zero target.
We expect to receive their response in spring 2019 and will consider their recommendations carefully.
While EU Member States have all committed to taking action to reduce their emissions, the UK’s performance has been consistently strong over the past decade, reducing emissions faster than our closest European counterparts.
Furthermore, PwC’s independent Low Carbon Economy Index 2018 shows that since 2000, the UK has improved the carbon intensity of its economy faster than all other G20 countries.
A description of how the Government has met its objectives was issued in its “Report to Parliament on the disposal of the Crown’s shares in the UK Green Investment Bank” which can be found attached.
This also described the Special Share arrangements put in place to protect the bank’s green objectives.
UK International Climate Finance (ICF) helps countries build resilience to the effects of climate change, reduces global greenhouse gas emissions, and supports sustainable management of natural resources, such as forests.
The latest year for which data on UK ICF spend has been published is 2016/17. In that financial year the following countries and UK overseas territories directly received UK ICF:
Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Brazil, Cameroon, Congo, Caribbean, Ethiopia, Ghana, Guyana, India, Indonesia, Kenya, Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi, Mexico, Montserrat, Mozambique, Myanmar, Nepal, Nigeria, Pakistan, Philippines, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Africa, South Sudan, St Helena, Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe.
In 2016-17 UK ICF also financed regional and multi-country programmes and contributed to three multilateral climate funds, the Green Climate Fund (GCF), the Climate Investment Funds (CIFs) and the Global Environment Facility (GEF).
The UK pledged £1.1 billion to the Global Fund over 2017-19. Of this, £200 million was to double private sector contributions for tackling malaria, and £90 million was linked to successful delivery against a demanding performance agreement. In 2017, the UK contributed £317.06 million to the Global Fund. The outcome of this contribution is assessed annually, including in terms of the number of lives saved and reduction in new HIV infections and TB and malaria cases worldwide as a result of investments by the Global Fund.
The Department for International Trade undertook 139 trade missions outside of the United Kingdom in 2017, in 43 countries as follows:
Australia, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, China, Czech Republic, Denmark, Ethiopia, Estonia, France, Germany, Ghana, Guinea, India, Iran, Ireland, Japan, Kazakhstan, South Korea, Kuwait, Malaysia, Mexico, Netherlands, Nigeria, Norway, Peru, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, Uganda, United Arab Emirates, United States, Vietnam, and Zambia.
Of these missions, eight were supported by the Department’s Ministers, in eight countries as follows:
Ethiopia, Uganda (Secretary of State for International Trade, Rt Hon Liam Fox)
China (Minister of State for Trade & Export Promotion, Baroness Fairhead)
Spain, United States (Minister of State for Trade Policy, Rt. Hon Greg Hands)
France, Germany, India (Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Investment, Mark Garnier)
Highways England regularly monitors the performance of the Strategic Road Network to ensure its efficient operation and performance.
The A21 Tonbridge to Pembury improvement scheme started construction in Spring 2015 and was completed in summer 2017.
The impact of the completed scheme, which is expected to reduce congestion and improve journey times, will be studied next year (2019) as part of Highways England’s programme of Post Opening Project Evaluation. This will consider journey times and other features of the performance on this section of the A21.
Development work is underway on a new connection at Ashford between High Speed 1 and the Marshlink line, with the aim of improving journey times in the Hastings area. Network Rail reports that work is 80% complete at the design stage. The delivery of the new connection is subject to both identifying a feasible option and funding being secured for it. Design is expected to be complete in January 2019 and will be followed by estimating activity and completion of the business case in February 2019.
Electrification of the railway between Ore and Ashford forms Phase 3 of the High Speed to Hastings & Bexhill initiative (the railway between Bexhill and Ore is already electrified to 750v DC). Currently no funding has been provided for the development of this phase, however bi-mode rolling stock can deliver the desired journey time reductions without incurring the high costs and disruption of electrification.
Highways England currently has five improvement schemes on the A21 planned in the next six to twelve months:
To inform decisions about investment schemes in the period 2020 to 2025, under the second Road Investment Strategy, the Government is using the evidence it has gathered about local priorities such as the A21. Those decisions will be confirmed in late 2019.
The UK implements a wide variety of UN, EU and OSCE sanctions regimes, of which many contain arms embargoes and other trade restrictions.
In 2015, the countries subject to such trade restrictions were: Afghanistan, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Burma, China, Central African Republic, Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Democratic Republic of Congo, Eritrea, Iran, Iraq, the Cote d’Ivoire, Lebanon, Liberia, Libya, Russia, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Syria, Ukraine (Crimea), Yemen, Zimbabwe. Trade restrictions were also in place against certain terrorist organisations.
In 2016, UN sanctions regimes relating to the Cote d’Ivoire and Liberia were lifted including all trade restrictions. In 2017, the EU introduced a sanctions regime including trade restrictions against Venezuela. The other sanctions regimes outlined above remained in place.
Further information is on the Department for International Trade pages on gov.uk.