Lord Browne of Ladyton

The Government is concerned by instances of local authorities and other public bodies pursuing boycotts and divestment activity. These campaigns can undermine community cohesion and are often inconsistent with UK Government foreign policy. Complete details of representations are not held centrally, but we are not aware of representations about specific boycotts from such sources.

The National Cyber Strategy 2022 set outcomes for critical national infrastructure (CNI) (in the private and public sector) to better understand & manage cyber risk and minimise the impact of cyber incidents when they occur. In addition, at CyberUK 2023, the Deputy Prime Minister announced specific and ambitious cyber resilience targets for all CNI sectors (public and private sector) to meet by 2025.

Over the past year, the Cabinet Office has been progressing foundational work to support the creation of common but flexible resilience standards across CNI and do more on the assurance of CNI, including cyber assurance preparedness, by 2030. This includes work to evaluate the impact and effectiveness of all regulation that applies to CNI, including (but not limited to) NIS regulations, and to bring more private sector businesses working in CNI within the scope of cyber resilience regulations.

The Government is also committed to ensuring cyber security in the public sector, which is why GovAssure was launched in April 2023. Under GovAssure, government organisations regularly review the effectiveness of their cyber defences against common cyber vulnerabilities and attack methods. We are currently evaluating the first year’s assessments. GovAssure will enable government organisations to accurately assess their levels of cyber resilience across their critical services, highlight priority areas for improvement and provide the Government with a strategic view of cyber capability, risk and resilience across the sector.

The current list on GOV.UK is up to date.

There is an undertaking in the Biological Security Strategy for the Governance Board to report progress to the Ministerial National Security Council. The progress report is in its final stages of drafting and will be submitted to the National Security Council when this has cleared the process.

The bodies referred to were part of a number of sub-Committees of the National Security Council. The Cabinet Office regularly publishes lists of Cabinet Committees and their membership on GOV.UK.

Since July 2019, the National Security Council itself now considers matters relating to national security, foreign policy, defence, international relations and development, resilience, energy and resource security.

On 8 May the UK Government announced a landmark economic deal with the United States, making the UK the first country to reach an agreement with President Trump.

The US is one of our most important and longstanding international partners on civil nuclear. We welcome future opportunities to work closely with the US administration to jointly develop our nuclear industries and set global standards together.

We have had early discussions with the US Government about deepening our partnership on advanced technologies, but we are unable to comment on the scope of ongoing negotiations.

The UK is party to over 80 Bilateral Investment Treaties and the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership, which contain investment protection and Investor-State Dispute Settlement (ISDS) provisions.

The UK is a significant capital exporter and investment protection provisions backed by ISDS provide UK investors with legal protection against arbitrary, discriminatory or unfair treatment and expropriation without compensation. ISDS provides a framework to resolve disputes with host governments through independent arbitration.

The US is our foremost important science and technology partner, and we look forward to strengthening collaboration on shared priorities, including AI, to drive economic growth and technological advancement.

We have had early discussions with the US Government about deepening our partnership on advanced technologies and there is appetite on both sides. Whilst areas of potential collaboration are wide ranging, it would be inappropriate to comment on the scope and impact of future discussions.

We continue to consider international context when developing policy and are committed to a proportionate AI regulatory framework which supports our vision for growth and security.

The UK Cyber Security Council was established to develop professional standards so that cyber security can be appropriately recognised as a profession, similar fields such as accounting and engineering. In October 2023, the Council announced that over 100 cyber security practitioners had been awarded professional titles (including chartered status) and this number is increasing. The Council has used its standards to outline pathways into and through the cyber security profession by creating a Cyber Careers Framework. The Council continues to work with stakeholders in government, industry, and academia to ensure that the standards it sets are relevant, accessible, and demand consistent high quality from cyber security practitioners throughout the UK.

The government is inviting views on a proposed Cyber Governance Code of Practice until 19^th March. This is part of a package of action in the £2.6 billion National Cyber Strategy to drive up improvements in organisational cyber resilience. Co-designed with the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) and industry experts, the Code consolidates critical cyber governance areas for directors' ownership. As part of this package, the NCSC revised their Board Toolkit (BTK) and intends to develop an online Cyber Governance Training Pack for Boards, integrating the Code and BTK. This comprehensive package will help boards ensure that cyber resilience is embedded throughout their organisation, including its people and processes.

We are committed to deploying carbon capture, usage and storage (CCUS) this decade as we work towards net zero by 2050 and see an opportunity for the UK to become a global leader in CCUS.

We are determined to realise the key strategic opportunities of CCUS in a way that is affordable and value for money for the consumer and taxpayer. As part of this we continue to work closely with industry to design business models which provide value to the economy, drive decarbonisation and are compatible with existing market frameworks.

Our intention is to respond to our consultation on CCUS business models in due course.

It has not proved possible to respond to this question in the time available before Prorogation. I will correspond directly with the noble Lord.

It has not proved possible to respond to this question in the time available before Prorogation. I will correspond directly with the noble Lord.

The 2016 combined Health Surveys, estimated that 1.2% of people who gamble are likely to be problem gamblers, with a further 2% at moderate risk, and 4.4% at low risk of experiencing some harm related to gambling. The Health Surveys use two validated screening questionnaires to assess problem gambling, which ask whether respondents have experienced a range of negative behaviours and outcomes related to gambling including spending more than they could afford to lose, chasing losses and borrowing money to pay gambling debts.

Recently published analysis of banking transaction data has demonstrated a correlation between higher rates of gambling spend as a proportion of income and indicators of lower financial inclusion, wellbeing and healthiness. These correlations were generally strongest after the 75th percentile of spend levels. The analysis found that the majority of people who gamble spend only a small proportion of their income on gambling, and did not establish a causative link between gambling spend and the indicators identified.

The government launched its Review of the Gambling Act 2005 on 8 December with the publication of a Call for Evidence. The Review will be wide-ranging and evidence led, and aims to make sure that the regulation of gambling is fit for the digital age.

The funding package for the Family Hubs and Start for Life programme is for all 75 local authorities. The published funding methodology can be found attached. This publication sets out how each local authority received their funding allocation. For parenting support, each local authority will receive up to £250,000 across the three-year programme duration.

The funding package for the Family Hubs and Start for Life programme is for all 75 local authorities. The published funding methodology can be found attached. This publication sets out how each local authority received their funding allocation. Each local authority will receive up to £500,00 across the three-year programme duration to transform their Family hubs services into a Family Hub model.

The funding package for the Family Hubs and Start for Life programme is for all 75 local authorities. The published funding methodology can be found attached. This publication sets out how each local authority received their funding allocation. Each local authority will receive up to £500,00 across the three-year programme duration to transform their Family hubs services into a Family Hub model.

The department does not hold the data on the number of parents of children under four years of age that are in full time education or training.

In the Spring Budget 2023, the government announced a number of transformative reforms to childcare for parents, children and the economy. By 2027/28, the government will expect to be spending in excess of £8 billion every year on free hours and early education, helping working families with their childcare costs. This represents the single biggest investment in childcare in England ever.

The announcement included the expansion of the 30 hours free childcare offer, through which eligible working parents in England will be able to access 30 hours of free childcare per week for 38 weeks per year from when their child is 9 months old to when they start school. The key objective of this measure is to support parental participation in the labour market, which is why the offer is conditional on work.

All students, who work in addition to their studies and earn the equivalent of at least 16 hours a week at national minimum/living wage, and under £100,000 adjusted net income per year, will be eligible for this offer. If they are unable to meet this threshold, they will remain eligible for the universal 15 hours of free early education, which is available to all 3- and 4-year-olds regardless of family circumstances.

The department recognises the value of parents continuing in education and provides a range of support for students in further or higher education (HE) to support them with childcare.

Eligible undergraduate students attending full-time HE courses qualify for fee loans to meet the full costs of their tuition and partially means-tested loans as a contribution towards their living costs.

Additional support is provided for full-time students with dependent children. This support includes the Childcare Grant and Parents’ Learning Allowance which are based on a student’s household income.

The Childcare Grant is available for parents in HE undertaking a full-time undergraduate course and is paid to help with weekly childcare costs. The amount of childcare grant payable in 2023/24 will be based on 85% of actual childcare costs, subject to a maximum grant of £188.90 per week for one child only or £323.85 per week for two or more children. The Parents’ Learning Allowance is for full-time undergraduate students with one or more dependent children. For the 2023/24 academic year, students could receive up to £1,915 a year depending on household income. Students whose household incomes are £39,796 or less qualify for the full Childcare Grant and Parents Learning Allowance applied for.

In addition to the standard student support package set out above, eligible nursing, midwifery and allied health profession students receive a non-repayable training grant of a minimum of £5,000 per academic year. Eligible students with child dependants can also access a further £2,000 per academic year.

The department does not hold the data on the number of parents of children under four years of age that are in full time education or training.

In the Spring Budget 2023, the government announced a number of transformative reforms to childcare for parents, children and the economy. By 2027/28, the government will expect to be spending in excess of £8 billion every year on free hours and early education, helping working families with their childcare costs. This represents the single biggest investment in childcare in England ever.

The announcement included the expansion of the 30 hours free childcare offer, through which eligible working parents in England will be able to access 30 hours of free childcare per week for 38 weeks per year from when their child is 9 months old to when they start school. The key objective of this measure is to support parental participation in the labour market, which is why the offer is conditional on work.

All students, who work in addition to their studies and earn the equivalent of at least 16 hours a week at national minimum/living wage, and under £100,000 adjusted net income per year, will be eligible for this offer. If they are unable to meet this threshold, they will remain eligible for the universal 15 hours of free early education, which is available to all 3- and 4-year-olds regardless of family circumstances.

The department recognises the value of parents continuing in education and provides a range of support for students in further or higher education (HE) to support them with childcare.

Eligible undergraduate students attending full-time HE courses qualify for fee loans to meet the full costs of their tuition and partially means-tested loans as a contribution towards their living costs.

Additional support is provided for full-time students with dependent children. This support includes the Childcare Grant and Parents’ Learning Allowance which are based on a student’s household income.

The Childcare Grant is available for parents in HE undertaking a full-time undergraduate course and is paid to help with weekly childcare costs. The amount of childcare grant payable in 2023/24 will be based on 85% of actual childcare costs, subject to a maximum grant of £188.90 per week for one child only or £323.85 per week for two or more children. The Parents’ Learning Allowance is for full-time undergraduate students with one or more dependent children. For the 2023/24 academic year, students could receive up to £1,915 a year depending on household income. Students whose household incomes are £39,796 or less qualify for the full Childcare Grant and Parents Learning Allowance applied for.

In addition to the standard student support package set out above, eligible nursing, midwifery and allied health profession students receive a non-repayable training grant of a minimum of £5,000 per academic year. Eligible students with child dependants can also access a further £2,000 per academic year.

Defra has received the Health and Safety Executive’s (HSE) final opinion on a proposed UK REACH Restriction on lead in ammunition and we are assessing their proposals. Given the need to work through the detail of HSE’s proposal a decision is expected in the summer, which will be taken with the consent from the Devolved Governments of Scotland and Wales.

With regard to access to the countryside, England has a comprehensive network of public rights of way and the public has the ‘right to roam’ over many areas of wild, open countryside. The Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000 currently provides the public with a right of access to areas of mountain, moor, heath, down, registered common land and coastal margin in England. There are no plans to change this.

The Government recognises the importance of providing access to the outdoors for people’s health and wellbeing and is committed to ensure that everyone lives within 15 minutes’ walk of a green or blue space. As part of this we are completing work on the 2,700 mile King Charles III England Coast Path, and delivering the £16m Access for All programme across our protected landscapes, national trails, forests and the wider countryside to make access to green and blue spaces more inclusive.

The UK REACH restriction process relating to lead in ammunition was initiated in 2021 by the then Defra Secretary of State, with the agreement of the Scottish and Welsh Governments. This triggered a process under the UK REACH regulations, with the dossier preparation and recommendations process led by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE).

HSE expects to issue their final restriction opinions later this year. The decision to apply any restrictions, or not to do so, will subsequently be made by the Defra Secretary of State, with the consent of the Scottish and Welsh Ministers, and published on GOV.UK.

Since becoming Minister for Investment, I have discussed current challenges and opportunities with a range of automotive companies.

The automotive industry globally has seen the impact of a downturn in demand, exacerbated by the COVID crisis. The UK government has already taken unprecedented steps - welcomed by the sector - to protect businesses and workers. The Department for International Trade has been very active in helping companies access these schemes.

We are also delivering a sustained, strategic programme of support to enable the development, manufacture and adoption of low and zero-emission technologies.

UK automotive is a great success story and we are determined to ensure its recovery from the COVID crisis and its prosperity in a zero-carbon future.

The Written Ministerial Statement of 7^th July 2020 explained and set out details of the revised methodology developed to comply with the Court of Appeal’s judgment of 20^th June 2019 and applied to re-take the decisions remitted by the Court of Appeal on the correct legal basis.

HM Government have no plans to publish the assessments to which the Noble Lord refers. Such assessments use all available sources of information – including some that are necessarily confidential and sensitive – so we are not able to provide details of the assessments.

The Written Ministerial Statement of 7^th July 2020 explained and set out details of the revised methodology developed to comply with the Court of Appeal’s judgment of 20^th June 2019 and applied to re-take the decisions remitted by the Court of Appeal on the correct legal basis.

HM Government have no plans to publish the assessments to which the Noble Lord refers. Such assessments use all available sources of information – including some that are necessarily confidential and sensitive – so we are not able to provide details of the assessments.

The Written Ministerial Statement of 7^th July 2020 explained and set out details of the revised methodology developed to comply with the Court of Appeal’s judgment of 20^th June 2019 and applied to re-take the decisions remitted by the Court of Appeal on the correct legal basis.

HM Government have no plans to publish the assessments to which the Noble Lord refers. Such assessments use all available sources of information – including some that are necessarily confidential and sensitive – so we are not able to provide details of the assessments.

There are no extant licences granted for Colombia that may be used for such surveillance.

For context, all export licence applications are assessed on a case-by-case basis against the Consolidated EU and National Arms Export Licensing Criteria (the ‘Consolidated Criteria’). In reaching a decision, the Department for International Trade (DIT) receives advice from a number of Departments including the Ministry of Defence (MoD) and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO). Together, we draw on all available information, including reports from Non-Government Organisations (NGOs) and our diplomatic missions. The Consolidated Criteria provides a thorough risk assessment framework and requires us to think hard about the impact of exporting any items.

Assessments under Criterion 2 in particular include the respect of rights and freedoms in the country of final destination. A licence will not be issued if to do so would be inconsistent with the Consolidated Criteria, including where there is a clear risk that the proposed export might be used for internal repression. Accordingly, we continue to monitor global developments closely and are able to review licences – and suspend or revoke as necessary – when circumstances require, in line with the Consolidated Criteria.

The Department for Transport holds data on the number and type of vessels within the world fleet, and as of 31 December 2023 there were 15,700 chemical and oil tankers in the world fleet with a total deadweight tonnage of 714 million tonnes.

The Government are aware of 'going dark' activities conducted by vessels since the Russian invasion of Ukraine. However, it is not possible to ascertain the exact figure of 'dark vessels' or 'dark periods', as while they can be due to deceptive practices, they may also be for safety reasons in high-risk areas or arise from technical issues and GPS jamming. The Joint Maritime Security Centre (JMSC) have established a (Russian) Maritime Sanctions Assessment Team focusing on the movements of oil tankers that are assessed to be associated with the movement of Russian oil.

The Government agrees that there is a unique opportunity for developing countries to play a key role in the decarbonisation of the international freight shipping sector, including through the production of alternative fuels. For example, according to a study conducted by EDF, the introduction of electrofuels in Chile could unlock investment worth up to 90 billion US dollars for the country.

Ahead of COP26, the Government is working with other States to explore the global landside infrastructure solutions that can unlock clean shipping for all. At the International Maritime Organization (IMO), the UK remains committed to being an ambitious voice at negotiations on the reduction of greenhouse gases from international shipping, and to working collaboratively with our peers to ensure that the specific needs of developing countries are being met.

There are no costs to the taxpayer of refunding future bookings. If the booking is covered by the ATOL scheme, then the refund will be paid out of the Air Travel Trust Fund. For other bookings, the customer may be able to reclaim the costs from a credit or debit card provider or from their travel insurance provider.

This is one of the largest travel company failures we have ever seen. A failure of this size, and the number of passengers affected, is unprecedented. In these circumstances it is right that the Government should step in and help affected passengers return home as smoothly as possible.

We are seeking to minimise the impact on the Government and taxpayers by recovering tax payer funds expended in relation to the repatriation operation where appropriate through the ATOL scheme, credit card companies and travel insurance.

The majority of Thomas Cook passengers were ATOL protected. The costs for repatriating those passengers will be covered by the ATOL scheme.

The Health and Safety Executive is currently finalising its UK REACH opinion on further action to restrict the use of lead in ammunition and is considering the environmental principles policy statement.

As set out in the Annual Report and Accounts 2022-23 for the year ended 31 March 2023 (publishing.service.gov.uk) (P103), DWP does not use automation to replace human judgement when investigating fraud and error to either determine or deny a payment to a claimant. A final decision in these circumstances always involves a human agent.

The Department uses algorithms and automated decision making in some services and processes, which allow us to improve accuracy, speed up delivery and free up colleagues’ time so they can support the people who need it most.

DWP’s Personal Information Charter explains how and why we use personal information and citizen’s rights and responsibilities

We are encouraging employers to create a range of opportunities through the Kickstart Scheme for all young people aged 16 to 24 who are at risk of long–term unemployment including those who have disabilities. Job Centre Plus Work Coaches will identify those young people most in need of the extra support offered by the Kickstart Scheme. We encourage organisations that work with disabled young people to take part in the Kickstart scheme, acting as gateway organisations for their networks of small and medium employers, to encourage and support young people into a number of careers. This will help ensure that there is nothing to exclude young disabled people, or any disadvantaged groups, from accessing the Kickstart Scheme.

The Department for Work and Pensions also offers a range of support programmes including Access to Work and Disability Confident to advise and support employers looking to take on disabled jobseekers – this support can be accessed through local Jobcentres.

Through the Family Hubs and Start for Life Programme, up to £9.88 million was allocated to enable a small number of areas to pilot innovative start for life workforce models. Five local authority areas were successful in their applications to become a pilot site. These areas were Barnsley, Islington, Leicester, Norfolk, and Tower Hamlets.

The funding allocations for each area, this financial year, are due to be published shortly. The allocations for next financial year will be published once finalised.

£10 million is being distributed to 75 local authorities in England participating in the Programme to set up Parent Carer Panels and publish a Start for Life offer from 2022/23 to 2024/25. Local authorities determine the specific interventions they spend their funding allocation on, in line with the programme guide and local area need. A core minimum expectation of the programme is for local authorities to establish a Parent Carer Panel.

A copy of the published funding methodology for the programme is attached; this sets out how each local authority received their funding allocation.

£10 million is being distributed to all 75 local authorities participating in the programme to set up Parent Carer Panels and publish a Start for Life offer between 2022/23 and 2024/25. Local authorities determine the specific interventions they spend their funding allocation on, in line with the programme guide and local area need. A core minimum expectation of the programme is for local authorities to publish a digital and physical Start for Life offer.

A copy of the published funding methodology for the programme is attached; this sets out how each local authority received their funding allocation.

Of the £50 million, £47.2 million is being distributed to all 75 local authorities participating in the programme from 2022/23 to 2024/25. Local authorities determine the specific interventions they spend their funding allocation on, in line with the programme guide and local area need. Local authorities are responsible for allocating funding to their family hubs. The remaining funding has been held centrally to deliver a series of national initiatives which will support local delivery.

A copy of the published funding methodology for the programme is attached; this sets out how each local authority received their funding allocation.

Of the £100 million, £92.8 million is being distributed to the 75 local authorities participating in the programme from 2022/23 to 2024/25. Local authorities determine the specific interventions they spend their funding allocation on, in line with the programme guide and local area need. Local authorities are responsible for allocating funding to their family hubs. The remaining funding has been held centrally to deliver a series of national initiatives which will support local delivery.

A copy of the published funding methodology for the programme is attached; this sets out how each local authority received their funding allocation.