Lord Black of Brentwood Portrait

Lord Black of Brentwood

Conservative - Life peer

Became Member: 9th July 2010


Draft Online Safety Bill (Joint Committee)
22nd Jul 2021 - 30th May 2024
Democracy and Digital Technologies Committee
13th Jun 2019 - 16th Jun 2020
Sexual Violence in Conflict Committee
11th Jun 2015 - 22nd Mar 2016
Information Committee (Lords)
22nd Jun 2010 - 30th Mar 2015
Privacy and Injunctions (Joint Committee)
18th Jul 2011 - 12th Mar 2012


Division Voting information

During the current Parliament, Lord Black of Brentwood has voted in 1 divisions, and never against the majority of their Party.
View All Lord Black of Brentwood Division Votes

Debates during the 2024 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 Merron (Labour)
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
(2 debate interactions)
Lord Livermore (Labour)
Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)
(2 debate interactions)
Baroness Chapman of Darlington (Labour)
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
(2 debate interactions)
View All Sparring Partners
Department Debates
Department of Health and Social Care
(3 debate contributions)
HM Treasury
(3 debate contributions)
Department for Education
(2 debate contributions)
View All Department Debates
Legislation Debates
Holocaust Memorial Bill 2022-23
(790 words contributed)
View All Legislation Debates
View all Lord Black of Brentwood's debates

Lords initiatives

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


3 Bills introduced by Lord Black of Brentwood


A bill make provision for an inquiry into police conduct of Operation Conifer to be established

Lords - 20%

Last Event - 1st Reading
Wednesday 29th January 2020
(Read Debate)

A bill to make provision about the commercial breeding of cats; and for connected purposes.

Lords - 20%

Last Event - 1st Reading: House Of Lords
Monday 8th June 2015

First reading took place on 24 July. This stage is a formality that signals the start of the Bill's journey through the Lords.Second reading - the general debate on all aspects of the Bill - is yet to be scheduled.The 2014-15 session of Parliament has prorogued and this Bill will make no further progress. A bill to make provision about the commercial breeding of cats; and for connected purposes.

Lords - 20%

Last Event - 1st Reading: House Of Lords
Thursday 24th July 2014

Lord Black of Brentwood has not co-sponsored any Bills in the current parliamentary sitting


Latest 23 Written Questions

(View all written questions)
Written Questions can be tabled by MPs and Lords to request specific information information on the work, policy and activities of a Government Department
3rd Sep 2024
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of the increase in the energy price cap and the means testing of the winter fuel allowance on pet ownership and, in particular, the ability of older people to maintain their pets when faced with rising fuel bills.

The Government has made no assessment on the impact of the energy price cap on pet ownership. The Government is committed to supporting households struggling with their energy bills, and we are continuing to deliver the Warm Home Discount which provides a £150 rebate off energy bills to eligible low-income households.

The Department of Energy Security and Net Zero does not administer the Winter Fuel Payment.

Lord Hunt of Kings Heath
Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
25th Jul 2024
To ask His Majesty's Government what restrictions they place on taxpayer-funded bodies in terms of their lobbying of parliamentarians and Government in relation to public policy affecting them, and in particular whether any such restrictions have been placed on the Press Recognition Panel.

The Department for Culture, Media and Sport does not have policy responsibility for the Press Recognition Panel to ensure that there is no Government interference in its independent work. There is a long-standing principle that public bodies must be politically impartial, and must ensure the proper use of public money at all times. As a public body, the Press Recognition Panel is bound by the Cabinet Office rules for all such bodies.

Baroness Twycross
Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
16th Oct 2024
To ask His Majesty's Government how many overseas pupils are currently studying at independent schools; and what assessment they have made of the impact on those pupils of adding VAT on independent school fees.

The department does not hold this information for private schools. However, data from the 2024 Independent Schools Council (ISC) shows that there are 62,708 non-British pupils at ISC schools. There are 1,411 ISC schools, which make up roughly half of all private schools in England. This research can be found here: https://www.isc.co.uk/research/annual-census/.

The government is working to carefully consider the impact of charging VAT on private schools’ fees. Following scrutiny of the government’s costing by the independent Office for Budget Responsibility, details of the government’s assessment of the expected impacts of these policy changes will be published at the Budget.

Baroness Smith of Malvern
Minister of State (Education)
30th Oct 2024
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they intend to ban the use of neonicotinoid pesticides, including thiamethoxam.

This Government has been clear that we will change existing policies to ban the use of neonicotinoid pesticides that threaten bees and other vital pollinators before the next General Election. This includes thiamethoxam.

Baroness Hayman of Ullock
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
30th Oct 2024
To ask His Majesty's Government when they intend to make a decision on the application by British Sugar and the National Farmers’ Union to be allowed to use the neonicotinoid Cruiser SB, which contains thiamethoxam, on sugar beet in 2025; and how many representations they have received on the issue.

A decision on the emergency authorisation application from British Sugar and the National Farmers’ Union to use the neonicotinoid Cruiser SB, which contains thiamethoxam, on sugar beet in 2025 will be taken in line with legal requirements. The Secretary of State will take full account of the available evidence and expert advice, and a decision will be made in due course.

At the time of writing, Defra has received a significant number of representations on this issue, reflecting the strength of interest from a range of interested organisations and members of the public.

Baroness Hayman of Ullock
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
30th Oct 2024
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the use of neonicotinoid pesticides on wildlife in England and Wales, and in particular on bees.

This Government has been clear that we will change existing policies to ban the use of neonicotinoid pesticides that threaten bees and other vital pollinators by the next General Election. This is because there is clear and abundant evidence that neonicotinoids are harmful to species other than those they are intended to control, and particularly pollinators, including bees.

Baroness Hayman of Ullock
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
16th Oct 2024
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the prevalence of kitten farming; and whether they will take steps to address it.

Under the Animal Welfare (Licensing of Activities Involving Animals) (England) Regulations 2018, anyone breeding and selling cats as pets needs a valid licence from their local authority. Licensees must meet strict statutory minimum welfare standards which are enforced by local authorities who have powers to issue, refuse or revoke licences.

Local authorities are charged with enforcing the 2018 Regulations and may retain records of enforcement activity relating to illegal cat breeding. Information about local authority enforcement activity is not held centrally and to obtain it would incur disproportionate costs.

It is an offence under the Animal Welfare Act 2006 to carry on a licensable activity without a licence. Upon conviction, an offender faces 6 month's imprisonment, an unlimited fine, or both. Section 30 of the Animal Welfare Act allows for local authorities to prosecute for any offences under that Act.

Baroness Hayman of Ullock
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
16th Oct 2024
To ask His Majesty's Government what is their timetable for the implementation of legislation to ban the use of electronic shock collars on cats and dogs in England.

The Government will introduce the most ambitious programme for animal welfare in a generation and will bring forward plans in due course. The Government is considering available evidence around the use of electronic collars and their effects on the welfare of animals.

Baroness Hayman of Ullock
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
3rd Sep 2024
To ask His Majesty's Government how many deaths in the UK there have been from AIDS-related illnesses in each of the last 10 years for which figures are available.

While the information is not collected in the format requested, the following table shows the most recent HIV Action Plan monitoring and evaluation framework report, where UKHSA presented an estimated number of HIV-related deaths (30% of all-cause mortality in people with HIV) in England. Below is a summary table:

2019

2020

2021

2022

Total number of deaths (all-cause mortality)

571

741

732

603

Estimated number of HIV-related deaths (30% of all-cause mortality)

171

222

220

181

An in-depth analysis of 2022 deaths showed that 25% (103) of the 402 deaths from known causes were HIV related or possibly HIV related and 14% (55 deaths) included an AIDS-related condition as primary cause of death.

HIV is a priority for the government and, as set out in the Labour manifesto, the government have committed to commissioning a new plan to end new HIV transmissions within England by 2030. Ministers have commissioned officials for advice including engaging stakeholders from across the system to build upon the work of the previous Plan.

Baroness Merron
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
25th Jul 2024
To ask His Majesty's Government what action they are taking to improve women’s health, and whether they are committed to implementing the Women’s Health Strategy for England.

The Government is committed to prioritising women’s health, and will be considering how to take forward the Women’s Health Strategy for England in due course.

Baroness Merron
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
7th Oct 2024
To ask His Majesty's Government whether the decriminalisation of homosexuality in Commonwealth countries is on the agenda for the Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting in Samoa.

At the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM), Commonwealth leaders will discuss upholding the human rights and freedoms of all Commonwealth citizens. In Samoa, I will be speaking at multiple events including at the launch of The Commonwealth Equality Network's (TCEN) Shadow CHOGM report, and at a plenary session on intersectional leadership where I will be advocating for the decriminalisation of homosexuality in all Commonwealth countries.

Lord Collins of Highbury
Lord in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
3rd Sep 2024
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they have made any representations to the government of South Sudan about the death of Christopher Allen in 2017 following the publication in March 2024 of the report by the South Sudan Investigation Committee into his death.

The UK consistently pressed the Government of South Sudan to conduct a thorough and credible investigation into the death of Christopher Allen which resulted in the formation of the South Sudan Investigative Committee in 2023. We continue to press the Government of South Sudan to ensure protection of journalists and humanitarian workers. We champion the importance of media freedom and civil space, including urging the government to hold to account those who abuse or restrict media freedom.

Lord Collins of Highbury
Lord in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
16th Oct 2024
To ask His Majesty's Government what estimate they have made of the amount of revenue that will be lost by overseas pupils choosing not to study in the UK as a result of VAT being added to independent schools.

The Government has carefully considered the impact that changes to the tax treatment of private schools will have on state and private schools. Following scrutiny of the Government’s costing by the independent Office for Budget Responsibility, the Government will confirm its approach to these reforms at the Budget on 30 October, and set out its assessment of the expected impacts of these policy changes the usual way.

Lord Livermore
Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)
16th Oct 2024
To ask His Majesty's Government which other countries in (1) the EU, and (2) the rest of the world, charge VAT or equivalent on school fees.

Structural differences in countries’ education systems mean that there are limited meaningful comparisons that can be drawn between the UK and other nations. For example, comparatively high fees in the UK mean that private school participation in the UK is particularly concentrated in the wealthiest families relative to countries such as Germany, France, or the US.

Lord Livermore
Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)
7th Oct 2024
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of imposing VAT on school fees for peripatetic music teachers who teach at independent schools.

Where parents or families are paying fees for their child to attend a private school, they will pay VAT on those fees following this change.

Whilst developing these policies, the government has carefully considered the impact that they will have on pupils and their families across both the state and private sector, as well as the impact they will have on state and private schools. Following scrutiny by the independent Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR), details of the Government’s assessment of the expected impacts of these policy changes will be published at the Budget on 30 October in the usual way.

Lord Livermore
Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)
9th Sep 2024
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the compatibility of the proposal to impose VAT on independent school fees with the UK's obligations under Article 26(3) of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights; and what advice they have received on this issue.

On 29 July, the Government announced that, as of 1 January 2025, all education services and vocational training provided by a private school in the UK for a charge will be subject to VAT at the standard rate of 20 per cent. This will also apply to boarding services provided by private schools.

The Government has considered the policy’s interaction with Human Rights law, and is confident that it is compatible with the UK’s obligations under the Human Rights Act.

Lord Livermore
Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)
29th Jul 2024
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the compatibility of their proposal to levy VAT on fees at independent schools with Article 2 of the First Protocol of the European Convention on Human Rights; whether they have taken independent legal advice on this matter; and, if so, whether they plan publish such advice.

The Government is confident that the measure to introduce VAT on private school fees is compatible with the Human Rights Act 1998.

Lord Livermore
Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)
17th Jul 2024
To ask His Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with the Metropolitan Police concerning the future of its Wildlife Crime Unit; and whether they will meet them to discuss the ramifications of this move for animal welfare.

The Government recognises the importance of tackling wildlife crime. We are committed to safeguarding rural communities, with tougher measures to clamp down on anti-social behaviour, strengthened neighbourhood policing, and stronger laws to prevent farm theft and fly-tippers.

Along with the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, the Home Office directly funds the National Wildlife Crime Unit (NWCU) to help tackle these crimes. Future funding will be subject to a forthcoming Spending Review.

The NWCU works on behalf of all police forces to assist in the prevention and detection of wildlife crime and reduce the harm posed by organised crime.

The Metropolitan Police Wildlife Crime Unit is a separate MPS unit and as such is a matter for the Mayor of London.

Lord Hanson of Flint
Minister of State (Home Office)
17th Jul 2024
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they intend to re-introduce measures to make the reporting of child sex abuse mandatory; and if so, when.

Child sexual abuse is a despicable crime, and this Government will be taking robust action to better safeguard children and ensure that perpetrators face the full force of the law.

In its final report, the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse recommended the introduction of a mandatory reporting duty for certain individuals. We thank the Independent Inquiry for all their work on this important matter and pay tribute to all the brave survivors who shared their experience. We will be quickly identifying how we can move forward with delivery of the Inquiry’s recommendations.

Lord Hanson of Flint
Minister of State (Home Office)
3rd Sep 2024
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they will provide details of their proposals, including timetables, for the implementation of each of the provisions of the Leasehold Reform Act 2024.

As outlined in the King’s Speech, the Government will implement the Leasehold and Freehold Reform Act 2024 so that leaseholders can benefit from more rights, power and protections over their homes. A small number of provisions came into force on 24 July, two months after Royal Assent, relating to rentcharge arrears, building safety legal costs and the work of professional insolvency practitioners. The implementation of many of the reforms in the Leasehold and Freehold Reform Act 2024 will require a programme of secondary legislation. Any reforms to leasehold law are highly complex, and the Government will take the time required to get those changes right.

Baroness Taylor of Stevenage
Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
25th Jul 2024
To ask His Majesty's Government whether any payments have been made from the Exchequer to the Press Recognition Panel during the calendar year 2024; whether any future payments are scheduled; and if so, whether they will publish any success criteria attached to them.

The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) provides funding for the Press Recognition Panel (PRP) annually. MoJ made a payment to the PRP of £430k for the 2024/25 financial year in April 2024. Whilst the Lord Chancellor is the conduit for the PRP with HM Treasury, they have no responsibility under the Royal Charter that created the PRP, for setting the PRP’s success criteria. Instead, the Royal Charter sets out that the PRP Board must have regard to the need to ensure the PRP achieves value for money. The PRP report against this criteria, and other deliverables, in its annual report and accounts which are publicly available.

Lord Ponsonby of Shulbrede
Lord in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
25th Jul 2024
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessments they have made of the value for money of taxpayer funding made in 2022 and 2023 to the Press Recognition Panel; whether they will publish any such assessments; and if none were made, why not.

Value for money lies at the heart of all Government decisions, and the Royal Charter sets out that the Press Recognition Panel (PRP) Board must have regard to the need to ensure it achieves value for money. The PRP has an objective of ‘Ensuring our systems and processes are effective and provide value for money’ and reports on this annually in its annual report and accounts, which are published on its website.

Lord Ponsonby of Shulbrede
Lord in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)