Asked by: Lord Blunkett (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask His Majesty's Government what conversations Ministers of the Department of Business and Trade have had with major companies, including former publicly owned utilities, about withdrawing provision for customers to talk to staff directly via telephone, rather than via online communication such as “chat bots” or live online chat services; and what plans they have to ensure that accessible forms of communication are maintained so that companies comply with the Equality Act 2010.
Answered by Baroness Jones of Whitchurch - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
Ministers maintain a regular schedule of business visits and meetings, with firms of all sizes, including on the topic of customer engagement. Outside of this routine engagement the use of chat bots has not recently been recorded as part of these discussions. However, the Government expects all businesses to treat their consumers fairly, and businesses are required under the Consumer Contracts (Information, Cancellation and Additional Charges) Regulations 2013 to provide contact information in a clear and comprehensible manner which is easily, directly and permanently accessible.
Furthermore, former publicly owned utilities are matters for the relevant regulator or sponsor department and most utilities will be subject to specific sector licencing conditions and are bound by the Equality Act.
Asked by: Lord Blunkett (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to support the BBC World Service to reopen their Arabic language provision.
Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The BBC Arabic language service continues to operate. Through its digital and TV services it reaches an audience of 35 million across the Middle East and North Africa. The emergency radio service for Gaza reaches approximately 700,000 people a week.
The BBC are operationally and editorially independent and decide the most appropriate way to deliver the World Service, therefore the closure of BBC Arabic radio service in 2023 was a decision for them.
The Government is providing a funding uplift of £32.6 million in 2025/26 to ensure the World Service continues operating in all 42 languages.
Future Government funding for the World Service will be determined through the Spending Review process.
Asked by: Lord Blunkett (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage on 7 January (HL3639 and HL3640), how many local authorities have requested an extension to the deadline on 10 January for expressions of interest about establishing combined authorities following the English Devolution White Paper, published on 16 December; and whether they have responded to such requests sympathetically.
Answered by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
We have had no formal written requests to extend the deadline for expressions of interest.
Asked by: Lord Blunkett (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what are the current geographic locations, where known, for the residences of all living recipients of Companions of Honour.
Answered by Baroness Twycross - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
There are currently 63 living recipients of the Companion of Honour. Data is collected using the region that the recipient gave as their correspondence address when the honour was originally awarded, therefore current address data for recipients prior to the New Year Honours 2025 round is not held. In the New Years Honours 2025 list, there was 1 Companion of Honour awarded to a recipient in the London region.
Statistical information held in relation to the regional breakdown of recipients at all levels for the King’s New Year Honours List 2025 can be found below. Percentages are rounded to 1 decimal point. Data for CBE and higher levels has been aggregated and is also included below. Data reflects the correspondence address provided by recipients.
Data is collected using city/town and county, then aggregated into regional figures at the time that the recipients were sounded for an award, not when they were originally nominated. There were 17 individuals who noted their location as South Yorkshire in the New Year Honours 2025 List, none of which were above OBE level. There were 11 individuals who noted their location as Sheffield, none of which were above OBE level.
Information on the number of nominations by mayoral authority in South Yorkshire is not captured, as we are unable to break down the data in that way. However, of those who listed their location as South Yorkshire, 1 individual received an award above MBE level.
56 recipients of honours in the New Year's Honours List 2025 received recognition in previous honours lists.
This data relates only to the main Prime Minister’s List and does not include data from the Defence List or the Overseas and International List, which are not administered by the Cabinet Office.
Transparency data for the list by county, the level of award received and the service for which each recipient has been recognised, as well as information on recipients recognised in previous honours lists, is publicly available on gov.uk.
Honours are awarded on merit basis. A key aim of the honours system is to ensure that it is more representative of the country as a whole and we will continue to encourage more nominations from every corner of the UK, including South Yorkshire, in future honours lists.
Asked by: Lord Blunkett (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government how many honours, by each award level, were received in each region or nation of the UK in the New Year’s Honours List 2025; and what percentage of the population of each such region or nation that number represents.
Answered by Baroness Twycross - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
There are currently 63 living recipients of the Companion of Honour. Data is collected using the region that the recipient gave as their correspondence address when the honour was originally awarded, therefore current address data for recipients prior to the New Year Honours 2025 round is not held. In the New Years Honours 2025 list, there was 1 Companion of Honour awarded to a recipient in the London region.
Statistical information held in relation to the regional breakdown of recipients at all levels for the King’s New Year Honours List 2025 can be found below. Percentages are rounded to 1 decimal point. Data for CBE and higher levels has been aggregated and is also included below. Data reflects the correspondence address provided by recipients.
Data is collected using city/town and county, then aggregated into regional figures at the time that the recipients were sounded for an award, not when they were originally nominated. There were 17 individuals who noted their location as South Yorkshire in the New Year Honours 2025 List, none of which were above OBE level. There were 11 individuals who noted their location as Sheffield, none of which were above OBE level.
Information on the number of nominations by mayoral authority in South Yorkshire is not captured, as we are unable to break down the data in that way. However, of those who listed their location as South Yorkshire, 1 individual received an award above MBE level.
56 recipients of honours in the New Year's Honours List 2025 received recognition in previous honours lists.
This data relates only to the main Prime Minister’s List and does not include data from the Defence List or the Overseas and International List, which are not administered by the Cabinet Office.
Transparency data for the list by county, the level of award received and the service for which each recipient has been recognised, as well as information on recipients recognised in previous honours lists, is publicly available on gov.uk.
Honours are awarded on merit basis. A key aim of the honours system is to ensure that it is more representative of the country as a whole and we will continue to encourage more nominations from every corner of the UK, including South Yorkshire, in future honours lists.
Asked by: Lord Blunkett (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government how many honours above OBE level were awarded to people who were (1) living in, or (2) working or providing service to, the Sheffield City Region at the time of their nomination for an honour in the New Year’s Honours List 2025.
Answered by Baroness Twycross - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
There are currently 63 living recipients of the Companion of Honour. Data is collected using the region that the recipient gave as their correspondence address when the honour was originally awarded, therefore current address data for recipients prior to the New Year Honours 2025 round is not held. In the New Years Honours 2025 list, there was 1 Companion of Honour awarded to a recipient in the London region.
Statistical information held in relation to the regional breakdown of recipients at all levels for the King’s New Year Honours List 2025 can be found below. Percentages are rounded to 1 decimal point. Data for CBE and higher levels has been aggregated and is also included below. Data reflects the correspondence address provided by recipients.
Data is collected using city/town and county, then aggregated into regional figures at the time that the recipients were sounded for an award, not when they were originally nominated. There were 17 individuals who noted their location as South Yorkshire in the New Year Honours 2025 List, none of which were above OBE level. There were 11 individuals who noted their location as Sheffield, none of which were above OBE level.
Information on the number of nominations by mayoral authority in South Yorkshire is not captured, as we are unable to break down the data in that way. However, of those who listed their location as South Yorkshire, 1 individual received an award above MBE level.
56 recipients of honours in the New Year's Honours List 2025 received recognition in previous honours lists.
This data relates only to the main Prime Minister’s List and does not include data from the Defence List or the Overseas and International List, which are not administered by the Cabinet Office.
Transparency data for the list by county, the level of award received and the service for which each recipient has been recognised, as well as information on recipients recognised in previous honours lists, is publicly available on gov.uk.
Honours are awarded on merit basis. A key aim of the honours system is to ensure that it is more representative of the country as a whole and we will continue to encourage more nominations from every corner of the UK, including South Yorkshire, in future honours lists.
Asked by: Lord Blunkett (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government, in the combined Mayoral authority of South Yorkshire, how many residents have received an award above the level of MBE in the New Year’s Honours List 2025.
Answered by Baroness Twycross - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
There are currently 63 living recipients of the Companion of Honour. Data is collected using the region that the recipient gave as their correspondence address when the honour was originally awarded, therefore current address data for recipients prior to the New Year Honours 2025 round is not held. In the New Years Honours 2025 list, there was 1 Companion of Honour awarded to a recipient in the London region.
Statistical information held in relation to the regional breakdown of recipients at all levels for the King’s New Year Honours List 2025 can be found below. Percentages are rounded to 1 decimal point. Data for CBE and higher levels has been aggregated and is also included below. Data reflects the correspondence address provided by recipients.
Data is collected using city/town and county, then aggregated into regional figures at the time that the recipients were sounded for an award, not when they were originally nominated. There were 17 individuals who noted their location as South Yorkshire in the New Year Honours 2025 List, none of which were above OBE level. There were 11 individuals who noted their location as Sheffield, none of which were above OBE level.
Information on the number of nominations by mayoral authority in South Yorkshire is not captured, as we are unable to break down the data in that way. However, of those who listed their location as South Yorkshire, 1 individual received an award above MBE level.
56 recipients of honours in the New Year's Honours List 2025 received recognition in previous honours lists.
This data relates only to the main Prime Minister’s List and does not include data from the Defence List or the Overseas and International List, which are not administered by the Cabinet Office.
Transparency data for the list by county, the level of award received and the service for which each recipient has been recognised, as well as information on recipients recognised in previous honours lists, is publicly available on gov.uk.
Honours are awarded on merit basis. A key aim of the honours system is to ensure that it is more representative of the country as a whole and we will continue to encourage more nominations from every corner of the UK, including South Yorkshire, in future honours lists.
Asked by: Lord Blunkett (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government how many of the recipients of honours in the New Year's Honours List 2025 have already received recognition in previous honours lists.
Answered by Baroness Twycross - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
There are currently 63 living recipients of the Companion of Honour. Data is collected using the region that the recipient gave as their correspondence address when the honour was originally awarded, therefore current address data for recipients prior to the New Year Honours 2025 round is not held. In the New Years Honours 2025 list, there was 1 Companion of Honour awarded to a recipient in the London region.
Statistical information held in relation to the regional breakdown of recipients at all levels for the King’s New Year Honours List 2025 can be found below. Percentages are rounded to 1 decimal point. Data for CBE and higher levels has been aggregated and is also included below. Data reflects the correspondence address provided by recipients.
Data is collected using city/town and county, then aggregated into regional figures at the time that the recipients were sounded for an award, not when they were originally nominated. There were 17 individuals who noted their location as South Yorkshire in the New Year Honours 2025 List, none of which were above OBE level. There were 11 individuals who noted their location as Sheffield, none of which were above OBE level.
Information on the number of nominations by mayoral authority in South Yorkshire is not captured, as we are unable to break down the data in that way. However, of those who listed their location as South Yorkshire, 1 individual received an award above MBE level.
56 recipients of honours in the New Year's Honours List 2025 received recognition in previous honours lists.
This data relates only to the main Prime Minister’s List and does not include data from the Defence List or the Overseas and International List, which are not administered by the Cabinet Office.
Transparency data for the list by county, the level of award received and the service for which each recipient has been recognised, as well as information on recipients recognised in previous honours lists, is publicly available on gov.uk.
Honours are awarded on merit basis. A key aim of the honours system is to ensure that it is more representative of the country as a whole and we will continue to encourage more nominations from every corner of the UK, including South Yorkshire, in future honours lists.
Asked by: Lord Blunkett (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government how many honours above OBE level were awarded to people who were (1) living in, or (2) working or providing service to, the South Yorkshire area at the time of their nomination for an honour in the New Year’s Honours List 2025.
Answered by Baroness Twycross - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
There are currently 63 living recipients of the Companion of Honour. Data is collected using the region that the recipient gave as their correspondence address when the honour was originally awarded, therefore current address data for recipients prior to the New Year Honours 2025 round is not held. In the New Years Honours 2025 list, there was 1 Companion of Honour awarded to a recipient in the London region.
Statistical information held in relation to the regional breakdown of recipients at all levels for the King’s New Year Honours List 2025 can be found below. Percentages are rounded to 1 decimal point. Data for CBE and higher levels has been aggregated and is also included below. Data reflects the correspondence address provided by recipients.
Data is collected using city/town and county, then aggregated into regional figures at the time that the recipients were sounded for an award, not when they were originally nominated. There were 17 individuals who noted their location as South Yorkshire in the New Year Honours 2025 List, none of which were above OBE level. There were 11 individuals who noted their location as Sheffield, none of which were above OBE level.
Information on the number of nominations by mayoral authority in South Yorkshire is not captured, as we are unable to break down the data in that way. However, of those who listed their location as South Yorkshire, 1 individual received an award above MBE level.
56 recipients of honours in the New Year's Honours List 2025 received recognition in previous honours lists.
This data relates only to the main Prime Minister’s List and does not include data from the Defence List or the Overseas and International List, which are not administered by the Cabinet Office.
Transparency data for the list by county, the level of award received and the service for which each recipient has been recognised, as well as information on recipients recognised in previous honours lists, is publicly available on gov.uk.
Honours are awarded on merit basis. A key aim of the honours system is to ensure that it is more representative of the country as a whole and we will continue to encourage more nominations from every corner of the UK, including South Yorkshire, in future honours lists.
Asked by: Lord Blunkett (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking in relation to recruitment to the youth-led round tables and Youth Advisory Board in developing the National Youth Strategy.
Answered by Baroness Twycross - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
We will ensure that young people can influence decisions on the new Youth Strategy at every stage. A Youth Advisory Group is being established, with the first meeting scheduled for January 2025. Members of the group will comprise young people with diverse lived experience from across the country. We will also engage with other youth stakeholder groups through roundtables and a range of other activities.The Minister for Youth, the Secretary of State and DCMS officials have already met with a number of young people and youth sector organisations to hear their thoughts on the Strategy. We will continue to do so over the coming weeks and months.
We know there is existing work across the sector to understand issues faced by young people, propose solutions, and promote youth voice in decision-making. We will build on what already exists to co-produce the strategy.