Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to deliver major infrastructure projects to boost growth in the economy.

Answered by Lord Livermore - Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)

The Government announced its new fiscal rules at the Budget in October, including an investment rule. This rule keeps debt on a sustainable path while allowing the step change needed in investment, by targeting a measure of debt that captures not just the debt that government owes but also financial assets that are expected to generate future returns. This will deliver an additional £100 billion of growth-enhancing capital spending, which catalyses private sector investment in more housing, better transport links, and clean energy.

In January, the Chancellor also set out our support for private investment, including a third runway at Heathrow, a £10 billion in a data centre in Northumberland and a £1 billion advanced manufacturing investment in North Wales.

As part of the Government's growth agenda, we will publish a 10-year Infrastructure Strategy alongside the 2025 Spending Review, which seeks to reduce uncertainty by bringing together a long-term plan for the country’s social, economic, and housing infrastructure.

The newly created National Infrastructure and Service Transformation Authority will bring oversight of strategy and delivery under one roof, supporting the development and implementation of the 10-year infrastructure strategy in conjunction with industry.

The Planning and Infrastructure Bill, currently before Parliament, will streamline the planning system to deliver a faster and more certain consenting process for major infrastructure projects. This is part of the government's wider actions to deliver a pro-growth planning system, including revising the National Planning and Policy Framework and reviewing the role of statutory consultees.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask His Majesty's Government what plans, if any, they have to expand HMP Highpoint.

Answered by Lord Timpson - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)

The Ministry of Justice is delivering an additional c.700 places at HMP Highpoint through the construction of three four-storey houseblocks and supporting ancillaries. Construction work started at HMP Highpoint in November 2024, with prisoners expected in the new accommodation by the end of 2027.

This expansion programme is being delivered as part of the 20,000 Prison Place Programmes. In the 10-Year Prison Capacity Strategy, published in December 2024, the Lord Chancellor committed to delivering the remaining 14,000 places of the programmes, with an aim to complete delivery by 2031.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask His Majesty's Government what plans, if any, they have to locate a prison at Wethersfield in Essex.

Answered by Lord Timpson - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)

The Ministry of Justice continues to consider all options for delivering additional prison capacity.

Any decision to deliver a prison at Wethersfield will be dependent on planning conditions and a balance of operational and physical factors.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure that sufficient prison places of appropriate standard are available on the prison estate.

Answered by Lord Timpson - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)

As set out in the December 2024 10-Year Prison Capacity Strategy, the Ministry of Justice is committed to delivering an additional 14,000 modern prison places and aims to do so by 2031. These places will be delivered through the construction of four new prisons, including the recently opened HMP Millsike which will deliver c.1,500 places, as well as the expansion and refurbishment of the existing estate and through temporary accommodation.

We are also investing £220 million in prison and probation service maintenance in 2024-2025 and up to £300 million in 2025-2026. We are committed to undertaking critical maintenance work to allow prisons to hold offenders safely, securely and in decent conditions.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether British troops have ever been subject to human radiation experiments; and, if so, whether they will provide details of those experiments giving dates, locations, and any subsequent care provided to those exposed.

Answered by Lord Coaker - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)

It is taking time to collate the required information to answer the noble Lord’s Question. I will write to him when the information is available, and a copy of this letter will be placed in the Library of The House.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the threat presented by Asian hornets to native biodiversity; and what action, if any, they propose to take in response.

Answered by Baroness Hayman of Ullock - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

A risk assessment was completed for Vespa velutina nigrithorax, the Asian hornet in 2011. The assessment concluded that Asian hornets eat a wide range of insect species including honey bees and that if this species were to become established in the UK, it would have a serious impact on biodiversity. For this reason, Defra and Welsh Government developed an Asian hornet contingency plan which outlines the government response and what actions will be taken when incursions of Asian hornet occur. Contingency action has been taken against all credible sightings of Asian hornet that have been reported in the UK since the first occurred in 2016.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the level of patient demand for antibiotics from pharmacists; and what action, if any, they are taking to reduce this.

Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

Under Pharmacy First, pharmacists can supply prescription-only medicines, including some antibiotics, under Patient Group Directions (PGDs). PGDs are strict protocols that allow certain healthcare professionals to supply prescription-only medicines in very specific circumstances and without a prescription from a general practitioner. The service design was informed by best practice with input from an expert panel of clinicians.

The impacts of the service are being assessed via multiple routes. As part of the Pharmacy Quality Scheme 2025/26, participating contractors will be expected to complete a clinical audit, focusing on the clinical advice and consultations provided to patients. NHS England has completed a review of the Pharmacy First service. The National Institute of Health and Care Research has commissioned research to assess the impact, safety, and effectiveness of Pharmacy First. NHS England will keep the clinical scope of the service under review.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to protect NHS services and patients from the development of drug-resistant pathogens.

Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

Pathogens develop resistance to antimicrobial treatments, such as antibiotics, through inappropriate use and unintentional exposure through the environment and our food. This is driving rates of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and is creating a generation of ‘superbugs’ that cannot be treated with existing medicines and treatments, leading to longer hospital stays and more complex treatment pathways.

The Government’s UK 5-year action plan for antimicrobial resistance 2024 to 2029, a copy of which is attached, is committed to reducing the rate of drug-resistant infections and AMR through a series of commitments that aim to reduce the need for, and unintentional exposure to, antimicrobials. This aims to preserve the effectiveness of antimicrobials. The national action plan also commits to meeting specific targets to reduce drug-resistant infections by 2029, including preventing their increase in humans and any increase in gram-negative bloodstream infections from the specified 2019/20 financial year baseline.

NHS England implements its responsibilities under the national action plan through a set of workstreams, each with responsibility for a set of these commitments. The central AMR programme team within NHS England works with partners within the UK Health Security Agency and the Department to co-ordinate and ensure delivery. Regional NHS England leads work with integrated care boards to advise on, and support actions locally, to reduce infection and the need for antimicrobials.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure that water companies have sufficient supplies of water to meet customer needs.

Answered by Baroness Hayman of Ullock - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

This Government has made it a priority to ensure safe and secure supplies of water for customers. Statutory Water Resources Management Plans (WRMPs) set out how water companies intend to deliver a secure supply of water for customers. Every 5 years water companies are required to publish new WRMPs, and the latest (2024) plans have been scrutinised by the Environment Agency and Ofwat to ensure companies can meet future challenges.

The 2024 WRMPs include:

• Halving leakage by 2050 (compared to 2019)

• Reducing consumption to 110 litres per person per day by 2050

• 75% of households on smart water meters by 2040

• 10 new reservoirs and 1 reservoir enlargement

• 9 new desalination schemes

• 7 new water recycling schemes

• multiple new internal and inter-company transfers to share resources

The Government is supporting delivery of the WRMP commitments, for instance the planned implementation of a mandatory water efficiency label, which will require water efficiency labelling of plumbing products and water-using white goods, enabling consumer choice based on efficiency.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what action they have taken, if any, to ensure that possible war crimes committed against British citizens Andrew Bagshaw and Chris Parry in Ukraine on or about 7 January 2023 are properly investigated.

Answered by Lord Collins of Highbury - Lord in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

The Office of the Prosecutor General in Ukraine has already recorded over 160,000 allegations of war crimes committed since Russia's barbaric invasion in February 2022. The majority of these will be investigated by Ukraine and where appropriate tried in Ukrainian courts. The UK has provided over £11.3 million in funding to support Ukraine's domestic accountability efforts to ensure allegations of war crimes can be fully and fairly investigated, by independent, effective, and robust legal mechanisms. Investigations into the deaths of Andrew Bagshaw and Chris Parry are a matter for the Ukrainian authorities, and we would respond to any requests for UK support through the usual judicial co-operation channels. It would not be appropriate to comment on any such requests or cooperation.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what practice they have adopted in relation to the investigation of alleged war crimes against British citizens.

Answered by Lord Collins of Highbury - Lord in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

This government has made a strong commitment to international justice, including through its continuing support for institutions such as the International Criminal Court (ICC) and through programme work which supports countries to deal with alleged war crimes fully, fairly and in line with international standards. The UK is committed to securing accountability for those responsible for atrocity crimes, and any allegations must be thoroughly investigated.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the risks associated with their current practices in assessing incidents of religious and racial hatred; and what plans they have to change these practices.

Answered by Lord Hanson of Flint - Minister of State (Home Office)

The Home Secretary has agreed that the National Police Chiefs' Council (NPCC), supported by the College of Policing, will conduct a review on the use and effectiveness of non-crime hate incidents, including those incidents involving religious and racial hatred. The review will cover when the police should record information that has not yet reached the criminal threshold, but which is still deemed necessary to monitor community tensions and keep the public safe. It will also consider the fundamental right of freedom of expression and recent court rulings in this area. The Government welcomes this review and will work closely with the NPCC and the College as they develop their findings and any proposals.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask His Majesty's Government what consideration they have given to introducing a tourism tax.

Answered by Lord Livermore - Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)

Tourism is a significant economic, cultural and social asset to the UK. The sector is a powerful engine for economic growth and job creation across all regions. Tourism contributes not only economically, but also in creating pride in local communities and contributing to the UK's soft power.

The Government regularly receives representations about visitor levies in England.

Found: registration fee, boat rental fee or mooring charges.” 59/1 HL Bill 60—VI BARONESS WHITAKER LORD BOURNE OF ABERYSTWYTH

Found: BARONESS WHITAKER LORD BOURNE OF ABERYSTWYTH 206B★_ After Clause 63, insert the following new Clause

Found: BARONESS WHITAKER LORD BOURNE OF ABERYSTWYTH BARONESS BAKEWELL OF HARDINGTON MANDEVILLE 252_ Clause