Lord Berkeley of Knighton Portrait

Lord Berkeley of Knighton

Crossbench - Life peer

Became Member: 26th March 2013


1 APPG membership (as of 24 Jan 2024)
Classical Music
Lord Berkeley of Knighton has no previous appointments


Division Voting information

During the current Parliament, Lord Berkeley of Knighton has voted in 254 divisions, and never against the majority of their Party.
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Debates during the 2019 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 Barran (Conservative)
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
(30 debate interactions)
Baroness Vere of Norbiton (Conservative)
Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
(18 debate interactions)
Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay (Conservative)
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
(16 debate interactions)
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Department Debates
Home Office
(20 debate contributions)
Cabinet Office
(12 debate contributions)
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Lords initiatives

These initiatives were driven by Lord Berkeley of Knighton, and are more likely to reflect personal policy preferences.


Lord Berkeley of Knighton has not introduced any legislation before Parliament

Lord Berkeley of Knighton has not co-sponsored any Bills in the current parliamentary sitting


Latest 3 Written Questions

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Written Questions can be tabled by MPs and Lords to request specific information information on the work, policy and activities of a Government Department
13th Oct 2020
To ask Her Majesty's Government, what assessment they have made of river pollution caused by existing chicken farms; and what discussions they have had with the Welsh Government about possible river pollution from chicken farms which have planning permission pending.

Agriculture is recorded as the industry most responsible for Water Framework Directive 'Reasons for Not Achieving Good' (RNAG) status in England. The sector accounts for a third of all reasons, the majority coming from nutrients in livestock manure when it is inadequately applied to land. When fertiliser, including from chicken farming, is spread at the wrong time and in the wrong place it can run off to water courses during rainfall events.

We are unable to attribute the contribution by livestock sector. Whist poultry will contribute to this, other sectors, such as dairy, beef and pigs, are more intensive. They create larger quantities of manure and slurry and are likely to have a higher influence on overall pollution incidents.

We devolve environmental policy to the other UK administrations. England's approach differs from that in Wales by using a designation process to determine the location of Nitrate Vulnerable Zones (NVZs). These at-risk areas require landowners to follow rules for storing and applying organic manure. In 2018 Defra introduced the Farming Rules for Water which standardise good farming practices and offer a new, modern approach to regulation whereby farmers and land managers can determine which approach is best for their land. Under these rules, farmers must consider the soil and crop needs of their farm before applying manure.

Both England and Wales use the Environmental Permitting Regulations for intensive poultry farming (above 40,000 poultry places). Permitted poultry farms are obliged to control manure and other pollution risks. A new development will need to have both planning permission and an environmental permit before it can operate.

My department has not held discussions with the Welsh Government about possible river pollution from chicken farms which have planning permission pending. The responsibility for Town and Country Planning in Wales is a devolved matter for the Welsh Government. Guidance to local planning authorities in Wales is provided by Welsh Ministers, according to planning policies for Wales.

14th Dec 2021
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of female genital mutilation in England.

NHS Digital’s Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) Enhanced Dataset collects data on women and girls with FGM being cared for by the National Health Service in England. The latest data shows that in the period April 2020 to March 2021 there were 5,395 individual women and girls with an attendance where FGM was identified.

The total number of individual women and girls with an attendance where FGM was identified has been relatively stable this year but remains reduced in comparison to total attendances and individuals recorded for the previous year.

29th Feb 2024
To ask His Majesty's Government whether the Treasury has made any assessment of the economic effect of post-Brexit arrangements for the music industry, including the altered ability of British artists to tour and perform in Europe.

We are committed to supporting and promoting a thriving live music industry and ensuring the continued growth of this vital and vibrant sector. The music industry is one of the UK's greatest success stories, producing an extraordinary level of talent recognised and respected the world over.

Since the UK’s exit from the EU, the vast majority of Member States have clarified arrangements or introduced easements to allow visa and work permit free routes for UK performers for some short-term touring. This includes most of the UK’s biggest touring markets such as France, Germany, and the Netherlands. It also includes Spain, which changed its position following engagement from the UK Government and industry.

The Government works closely with the sector and continue to engage with the few remaining Member States to improve arrangements or clarify guidance.

The Government is committed to supporting the UK's brilliant artists to adapt to the new arrangements as part of the Creative Industries Sector Vision, that is why we announced that funding for the Music Exports Growth Scheme (MEGS) will be tripled to £3.2 million over the next two years. This will enable touring artists to break into new international markets.

The Government also provides generous support for orchestras to tour through orchestra tax relief, which currently has a rate of 50%. At Spring Budget 2024, the Government announced that orchestras will permanently receive a rate of 45% from 1 April 2025.

Baroness Vere of Norbiton
Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)