Asked by: Lord Berkeley (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they have plans to remove the word Empire from honours awarded.
Answered by Baroness Twycross - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
There are no plans to amend the name of the Order of the British Empire.
Asked by: Lord Berkeley (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to investigate the performance of professional bodies, including the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors and Institution of Civil Engineers, in their compliance with their duties under their Royal Charters to ensure the maintenance of professional standards in their industries rather than the maximising of professional fees.
Answered by Baroness Neville-Rolfe - Shadow Minister (Treasury)
The Privy Council has no jurisdiction to investigate or intervene in the internal affairs of Chartered bodies. The only role that the Privy Council has in relation to Chartered bodies is the reactive one of considering amendments to Charters and Bylaws that are submitted to it for approval by the Chartered body.
The grant of a Royal Charter confers independent legal personality on a body and defines its objectives, constitution and powers to govern its own affairs. Incorporation by Royal Charter is a prestigious way of acquiring legal personality. Complaints against a Chartered body should be addressed to the body itself or, if a member, by raising issues directly with the organisation.
Asked by: Lord Berkeley (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the proposed Border Target Operating Model, when details will be published to provide support to businesses in preparing for its implementation from October.
Answered by Baroness Neville-Rolfe - Shadow Minister (Treasury)
In April 2023, the Government published through Written Ministerial Statement UIN HLWS695 https://questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-statements/detail/2023-04-17/hlws695 the launch of the Border Target Operating Model, in collaboration with the Scottish and Welsh Governments. This sets out plans to introduce security and biosecurity controls from the 31st October 2023 in a way which implements critical protections at the UK border, while ensuring that these new controls are as simple as possible for businesses to comply with. By harnessing data and technology and taking a proportionate, risk-based approach to these controls, we have developed a model that works best for the UK.
On Friday 28 April 2023 we published a detailed risk categorisation of animal products, plants and plant products of EU and EFTA origin. This provides clarity to importers on what controls will be applied to the different risk categories, including when health certificates will be required to import goods from 31st October 2023. Following the publication of this additional information we are working to update our early estimate of the impact and cost of the new model, driving down cost wherever possible.
The relevant business stakeholders told us before publication that they will need time to prepare for these changes, and our phased approach gives them this time. We are working to ensure that UK and international businesses and their supply chains are aware of and understand the new requirements and are ready for these changes.
The Government is using the current period of engagement to listen and gather views through a series of thematic in-person and virtual workshops with the UK’s major supermarkets, logistics and transport firms, and with Business Representative Organisations, to further explore the costs of implementing the new model, and to ensure importing is as smooth as possible where checks are needed.
We will publish a final version of the Border Target Operating Model, reflecting feedback from stakeholders, in the summer.
Asked by: Lord Berkeley (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the proposed Border Target Operating Model, what assessment they have made of the timescales required by businesses to prepare for its implementation.
Answered by Baroness Neville-Rolfe - Shadow Minister (Treasury)
In April 2023, the Government published through Written Ministerial Statement UIN HLWS695 https://questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-statements/detail/2023-04-17/hlws695 the launch of the Border Target Operating Model, in collaboration with the Scottish and Welsh Governments. This sets out plans to introduce security and biosecurity controls from the 31st October 2023 in a way which implements critical protections at the UK border, while ensuring that these new controls are as simple as possible for businesses to comply with. By harnessing data and technology and taking a proportionate, risk-based approach to these controls, we have developed a model that works best for the UK.
On Friday 28 April 2023 we published a detailed risk categorisation of animal products, plants and plant products of EU and EFTA origin. This provides clarity to importers on what controls will be applied to the different risk categories, including when health certificates will be required to import goods from 31st October 2023. Following the publication of this additional information we are working to update our early estimate of the impact and cost of the new model, driving down cost wherever possible.
The relevant business stakeholders told us before publication that they will need time to prepare for these changes, and our phased approach gives them this time. We are working to ensure that UK and international businesses and their supply chains are aware of and understand the new requirements and are ready for these changes.
The Government is using the current period of engagement to listen and gather views through a series of thematic in-person and virtual workshops with the UK’s major supermarkets, logistics and transport firms, and with Business Representative Organisations, to further explore the costs of implementing the new model, and to ensure importing is as smooth as possible where checks are needed.
We will publish a final version of the Border Target Operating Model, reflecting feedback from stakeholders, in the summer.
Asked by: Lord Berkeley (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the proposed Border Target Operating Model, what assessment they have made of the costs to businesses of preparing for its implementation.
Answered by Baroness Neville-Rolfe - Shadow Minister (Treasury)
In April 2023, the Government published through Written Ministerial Statement UIN HLWS695 https://questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-statements/detail/2023-04-17/hlws695 the launch of the Border Target Operating Model, in collaboration with the Scottish and Welsh Governments. This sets out plans to introduce security and biosecurity controls from the 31st October 2023 in a way which implements critical protections at the UK border, while ensuring that these new controls are as simple as possible for businesses to comply with. By harnessing data and technology and taking a proportionate, risk-based approach to these controls, we have developed a model that works best for the UK.
On Friday 28 April 2023 we published a detailed risk categorisation of animal products, plants and plant products of EU and EFTA origin. This provides clarity to importers on what controls will be applied to the different risk categories, including when health certificates will be required to import goods from 31st October 2023. Following the publication of this additional information we are working to update our early estimate of the impact and cost of the new model, driving down cost wherever possible.
The relevant business stakeholders told us before publication that they will need time to prepare for these changes, and our phased approach gives them this time. We are working to ensure that UK and international businesses and their supply chains are aware of and understand the new requirements and are ready for these changes.
The Government is using the current period of engagement to listen and gather views through a series of thematic in-person and virtual workshops with the UK’s major supermarkets, logistics and transport firms, and with Business Representative Organisations, to further explore the costs of implementing the new model, and to ensure importing is as smooth as possible where checks are needed.
We will publish a final version of the Border Target Operating Model, reflecting feedback from stakeholders, in the summer.
Asked by: Lord Berkeley (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the potential impact on supply chains of implementing the Border Target Operating Model from October.
Answered by Baroness Neville-Rolfe - Shadow Minister (Treasury)
In April 2023, the Government published through Written Ministerial Statement UIN HLWS695 https://questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-statements/detail/2023-04-17/hlws695 the launch of the Border Target Operating Model, in collaboration with the Scottish and Welsh Governments. This sets out plans to introduce security and biosecurity controls from the 31st October 2023 in a way which implements critical protections at the UK border, while ensuring that these new controls are as simple as possible for businesses to comply with. By harnessing data and technology and taking a proportionate, risk-based approach to these controls, we have developed a model that works best for the UK.
On Friday 28 April 2023 we published a detailed risk categorisation of animal products, plants and plant products of EU and EFTA origin. This provides clarity to importers on what controls will be applied to the different risk categories, including when health certificates will be required to import goods from 31st October 2023. Following the publication of this additional information we are working to update our early estimate of the impact and cost of the new model, driving down cost wherever possible.
The relevant business stakeholders told us before publication that they will need time to prepare for these changes, and our phased approach gives them this time. We are working to ensure that UK and international businesses and their supply chains are aware of and understand the new requirements and are ready for these changes.
The Government is using the current period of engagement to listen and gather views through a series of thematic in-person and virtual workshops with the UK’s major supermarkets, logistics and transport firms, and with Business Representative Organisations, to further explore the costs of implementing the new model, and to ensure importing is as smooth as possible where checks are needed.
We will publish a final version of the Border Target Operating Model, reflecting feedback from stakeholders, in the summer.
Asked by: Lord Berkeley (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the remarks by Lord True on 25 October (HL Deb cols 1393-4), why the (1) actual, or (2) potential, business of the King is treated differently from business owned by others.
Answered by Baroness Neville-Rolfe - Shadow Minister (Treasury)
It is a longstanding Parliamentary requirement that consent of the Sovereign is required if the bill affects the prerogative of the Crown or the hereditary revenues of the Crown, the Duchy of Lancaster, the Duchy of Cornwall or the personal property or other personal interests of the Crown. It is a procedural requirement and a decision as to whether a Bill requires consent is for the House Authorities.
Asked by: Lord Berkeley (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what is the role of Counsellors of State; who are the present holders of this office; under what legislation they operate; and how the current office holders can be changed.
Answered by Lord True - Shadow Leader of the House of Lords
Section 6 of the Regency Act 1937 provides for a power to delegate Royal functions to Counsellors of State in the event of the Sovereign being either overseas, or intended to be overseas, or in the event of illness (stopping short of incapacity).
The Regency Act itself specifies that the Counsellors of State shall be the wife or husband of the Sovereign (if the Sovereign is married), and the four persons who are next in the line of succession to the Crown.
Changes to the list of those who can be appointed as Counsellors of State would require amending the Regency Act.
Asked by: Lord Berkeley (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the remarks made by Lord True on 6 December (HL Deb, col 1640), what was the case that was determined relating to the operation of the Ministerial Code; which (1) ministers, and (2) officials, were involved; and what plans they have, if any, to place a copy of (a) a report by the independent advisor concerning the Transport Secretary's declaration of private interests, or (b) any other report, in the Library of the House.
Answered by Lord True - Shadow Leader of the House of Lords
My answer to the noble Lord’s question on 6 December 2021 referred to recent correspondence from the Rt Hon Member for Ashton-under-Lyne, in connection with the Government's policies towards General Aviation. The Minister for Aviation's response to the Opposition is a matter of public record.
The Independent Adviser, in relation to the question about the Secretary of State for Transport's interests, confirmed that he was content that the Transport Secretary had followed the process required under the Ministerial Code for the declaration of his private interests. It was this matter to which I was referring.
Asked by: Lord Berkeley (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government how much was spent on consultancy services by the Cabinet Office and its related agencies in the 2019/20 financial year; and what was the (1) cost of, and (2) reason for, each such contract.
Answered by Lord True - Shadow Leader of the House of Lords
As set out on page 57, section 2.10 of the Cabinet Office Annual Account (2019-2020) and available on gov.uk, expenditure on consultancy reduced from £43.647 million in 2018-19 to £35.380 million in 2019-20.
Cabinet Office publishes all contracts over £10,000. Details of all consultancy contracts can be found on Contracts Finder.