Became Member: 13th October 2015
Left House: 26th September 2025 (Death)
Speeches made during Parliamentary debates are recorded in Hansard. For ease of browsing we have grouped debates into individual, departmental and legislative categories.
These initiatives were driven by Lord Campbell of Pittenweem, and are more likely to reflect personal policy preferences.
Lord Campbell of Pittenweem has not introduced any legislation before Parliament
Lord Campbell of Pittenweem has not co-sponsored any Bills in the current parliamentary sitting
It is my department’s usual policy not to comment on any live investigation. In the period referred to there have been no Shawcross exercises in respect of any concluded SFO cases.
It would not be appropriate to give a running commentary on SFO investigations. I am aware of the provisions within paragraph 4(b)4 of the Protocol, which state that if any such direction were to be made then I would make a report to Parliament, so far as was compatible with national security.
Deferred Prosecution Agreements (DPAs) became available to prosecutors on 24 February 2014. The DPA Code of Practice sets out the procedure to be followed. Letters of invitation to a company to enter into DPA negotiations are confidential.
The Serious Fraud Office (SFO) does not receive Mutual Legal Assistance (MLA) requests directly, but in appropriate cases the United Kingdom Central Authority (UKCA) will refer an MLA request to the SFO for execution. the table below details the number of requests for mutual legal assistance in relation to corruption have been referred to the SFO by the UKCA in each of the past 4 years.
2010 10
2011 9
2012 11
2013 14
A breakdown by country is not provided as it may lead to the identification of an individual MLA request and it is Government policy neither to confirm nor deny the existence, content or status of any individual MLA request.
The National Crime Agency does not routinely disseminate Suspicious Activity Reports (SARs) to the Serious Fraud Office.
The SFO has direct access to the SARs database through a secure online portal which it regularly searches to assist any investigation into financial crime including corruption.
Self-reports are not necessarily made relating to specific legislation, and it is for the prosecutor to determine the relevant legislation in each case when considering charging.
Further, given the small number and seriousness of cases investigated by SFO, it would not be desirable to provide a breakdown of this data because of the need to protect individuals and the risk of prejudicing investigations.
The Government has already addressed procedural issues raised by this case, through the implementation of the recommendations made by Nigel Boardman’s review of COVID-19 communications contracts.
We have published updated guidance on the options available to contracting authorities when undertaking procurements in an emergency (PPN01/21) and the management of conflicts of interest in commercial environments (PPN04/21). Further updated transparency guidance is due to be published shortly.
The Government’s Procurement Green Paper sets out how we will reform public procurement to simplify processes, reduce bureaucracy and create a fair, open and competitive system.
To protect the interests of all involved the Government does not comment on the specifics of ongoing process.
The Prime Minister will make any decision on the matter public once the process has concluded.
The US and UK are very close allies and partners, with a uniquely broad and deep security relationship. The Government engages regularly and at all levels with the US authorities on national security issues vital to the UK's security and prosperity, and will continue to do so.
It has not proved possible to respond to this question in the time available before Prorogation. Ministers will correspond directly with the Member.
The Government’s priority is to support the UK’s world class R&D sector. We have put in place this additional funding to shore up talent and invest in R&D infrastructure across the UK, while also aiming to secure the UK fusion sectors’ commercial leadership and capabilities.
We are committed to levelling up and where funding delivered via UKRI is England only, there will be an additional funding allocation for the Devolved administrations. The approach to funding distribution is being developed and my Hon. Friend the Minister of State for Science, Research and Innovation has written to DA colleagues on this matter. Further details will be announced in due course.
We are strongly committed to supporting UK manufacturing, which plays a vital role in the UK economy by driving innovation, exports, job creation, and productivity growth.
We are also committed to ongoing engagement with industry to ensure?our manufacturers?have the support?they need to maintain production effectively. We have put in place an unprecedented package of Government support for businesses during the current COVID-19 pandemic.
The Business Productivity Review announced a £56 million package of support and set out the steps we will take to boost business productivity, focusing on leadership and management skills, technology adoption, and external support. These measures will help businesses respond to and recover from the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic..
Through our Business Basics Programme, we are also testing new ways of encouraging small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), including those in the manufacturing sector, to adopt tried and tested technology and management practices that can boost productivity.
Through the Made Smarter programme, we are investing up to £167 million to help UK manufacturers to adopt and innovate in industrial digital technologies that will make our firms more productive. We are investing up to £147 million for a Manufacturing Made Smarter Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund programme to develop innovative solutions to manufacturing challenges, as well as £20 million through our Made Smarter North West Pilot to support up to 3000 manufacturing SMEs to adopt and exploit digital technologies to increase their productivity. This could add £115 million to the North West economy and increase productivity by up to 25% by 2030.
As of April 2019, UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) investment in AI relevant research and innovation activities totals over £1bn. This breaks down as follows:
Businesses have matched £742m of Innovate UK and EPSRC investments by at least £265m cash and in-kind contributions. The Catapult network, supported by UKRI and additional third-party investments, also have a key role to play in this space in enabling AI and data capabilities across sectors and leveraging further private investment.
Almost 300 organisations receive funding from UKRI for AI research and innovation. Industry organisations receiving funding include, Five AI Ltd, Oxbotica Ltd, Nissan Motor Manufacturing, Westfield Sports Car Ltd, and Vivacity Labs Ltd. Our most active institutions in this area include; University College London, The University of Oxford, Imperial College London, The University of Manchester, and The University of Edinburgh.
We are supporting the aerospace industry through the Aerospace Growth Partnership (AGP) with £1.95 billion of funding for research and development (R&D), matched by industry, over 13 years up to 2026. UK Research & Innovation (UKRI) is also providing £125 million to the Future Flight Challenge for research on greener ways of flying through advances in electric and autonomous flight technology, which is expected to generate an additional £175 million of match-funding from industry. We are also co-investing in aerospace productivity improvement and innovation programmes to support small and medium-sized businesses backed with over £135 million of public funding.
In addition, aerospace companies are currently drawing upon the unprecedented £330 billion package of additional COVID-19 business support measures that the Government has put in place. We are in discussion with the sector, through the AGP, about how to best support the industry to recover.
Aviation is also an important sector for the UK’s economy, and businesses across the industry will also be able to draw on our package of economic measures. This includes a Bank of England scheme for firms to raise capital, two business interruption loan guarantee schemes for businesses of all sizes, Time to Pay flexibilities with tax bills, financial support for employees, and VAT deferrals.
If businesses across these sectors face severe and urgent financial difficulties due to COVID-19 following the Government’s cross-economy wage and financial interventions, we remain open to discussions about bespoke financial support as a last resort. Any intervention would need to protect the interests of taxpayers. Requests may be made formally, in writing, to the Business Secretary.
Furthermore, the Government has a long-standing programme of support to maintain the competitiveness of the UK automotive sector. Through our landmark Automotive Sector Deal, we have secured joint investment and long-term commitments to develop world-leading battery technologies, positioning the UK as the location of choice for the development and deployment of connected and autonomous vehicle technologies.
The Government, alongside industry, has jointly committed almost £1.5 billion through the Advanced Propulsion Centre and Faraday Battery Challenge to research, develop, and commercialise low-carbon automotive innovations. In October last year, we announced up to £1 billion of new money to support R&D to support electric vehicle manufacture.
SAGE is not a membership body. The participants of SAGE depend on the nature of the emergency. There are roughly 20 scientists at each meeting, but they will not be the same people at every meeting. Expert participation varies depending on the subjects being discussed.
The Government Chief Scientific Adviser and Chief Medical Officer will decide who or what expertise is needed for each meeting, typically drawing from leading experts from within government and from the fields of academia and industry. As SAGE responds to emergencies the capacity for participants to respond quickly is also a factor.
The Government monitors acquisitions and mergers closely. When a takeover may have a significant impact on the UK we will not hesitate to investigate further and take appropriate action. We are examining this deal carefully to understand its impact on the UK.
The final conclusions of the Government’s Telecoms Supply Chain Review in relation to high risk vendors were announced on 28 January. The Government has been clear, however, that as risks, threats and technology changes we need to keep the position under review. On the 15th May the US Department of Commerce announced that they were taking further action against Huawei. The National Cyber Security Centre is considering what the impact of the US sanctions might be.
DCMS stood up the Cross-Whitehall Counter Disinformation Unit on 5 March 2020, bringing together cross-government monitoring and analysis capabilities. Its primary function is to provide a comprehensive picture of the extent, scope and impact of disinformation and misinformation on the response to Covid-19. Where misinformation and disinformation is identified, the Unit works with partners to ensure appropriate action is taken on this, including direct rebuttal on social media. We are working closely with social media platforms to help them identify and remove incorrect claims about the virus, in line with their terms and conditions, as well as promote authoritative sources of information. The Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport held a roundtable with major platforms earlier this month to explore how they can further limit the spread of misinformation.
Government is also running a counter disinformation campaign, “Don’t feed the Beast” which aims to increase audience resilience by educating and empowering those who see, inadvertently share and are affected by false and misleading information. The campaign promotes the SHARE checklist, providing the public with five easy steps to identify false content, encouraging users to stop and think before they share content online.
The Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport formally referred the merger of Sky with 21st Century Fox to the Competition and Markets' Authority (CMA) for a Phase 2 investigation on 20 September. From the point of referral the CMA has 24 weeks in which to report to the Secretary of State; the statutory deadline for this report is 6 March 2018. Following receipt of the CMA's report the Secretary of State has 30 days in which to come to a final decision on the merger.
The World Service is one of BBC's most distinctive services and it is a vital part of UK's soft power influence around the world. The government has protected licence fee funding for the World Service at £254m a year for the next five years, with additional Exchequer funding of £34m in 2016/17 and £85m per year for the following three years.
BBC Monitoring provides a valuable service to the Government in monitoring and recording media output around the world. It is important that BBC has full editorial and managerial independence and integrity in the provision of BBC Monitoring, and this includes funding decisions. However, BBC Monitoring must be provided in accordance with the Monitoring Agreement agreed between BBC and the Cabinet Office.
The department has already introduced the new compulsory Relationships, Sex and Health Education (RSHE) curriculum. From next term we expect the RSHE curriculum to be implemented in full. School leaders have been asked to dedicate time from INSET days to consider how best to do this.
The department is updating statutory guidance for Keeping Children Safe in Education for this September. This will ensure schools have even clearer guidance on how to deal with reports of sexual abuse. It will support teachers and other school staff to spot the signs of abuse and to respond quickly, sensitively, and appropriately to children and young people.
We will also be investing additional money to further test the impact of support and supervision models for designated safeguarding leads in up to 500 more schools.
Our latest guidance on remote education during COVID-19 is available here: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/remote-education-during-coronavirus-covid-19
The department is continuing to assess the impact of school closures on children and young people’s education. We are working closely with educational providers, sector organisations, international institutions and across government to understand the risks to education attainment and wellbeing, and identify how best to support children and young people make up for time spent out of school.
We are committed to ensuring that all children can continue to learn remotely in a number of ways during these very difficult circumstances, and are supporting sector-led initiatives such as the Oak National Academy. This brand-new enterprise has been created by 40 teachers from schools across England and is providing 180 free video lessons each week, across a broad range of subjects for every year group from Reception through to year 10. By 24 May, over 2.3 million users had visited the Oak Academy site and over 8.6 million lessons had been accessed.
Additionally, the Government has committed over £100 million to boost remote education, including by providing devices and internet access for those who need it most, ensuring every school that wants it has access to free, expert technical support to get set up on Google for Education or Microsoft’s Office 365 Education, and offering peer support from schools and colleges leading the way with the use of education technology.
It is up to each school to determine how to deliver education to its pupils and we recognise that many schools have been working hard to share resources – both online and printed resources – for children who are at home.
These are rapidly developing circumstances; we continue to keep the situation under review and will keep Parliament updated accordingly.
As my right hon. Friends the Prime Minister and Chancellor of the Exchequer have both made clear, the government will do whatever it takes to support people affected by Covid-19.
Our latest guidance on supporting vulnerable children is set out below:
Attending school is a strong protective factor for many vulnerable children and young people and educational establishments remain open for them. We are closely monitoring the attendance of vulnerable children and are encouraging attendance where that would be in their best interests. My right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education, has written to leaders of all education settings and directors of children’s services in England to encourage attendance for these children.
69,000 vulnerable children were attending educational settings on Thursday 7 May, compared to 58,000 on Thursday 30 April.
My right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education, has also stressed the need for schools, local authorities and social workers to maintain contact and support services for vulnerable children and young people throughout this period. Officials from the department, and re-deployed Ofsted inspection teams, are working with local authorities directly to ensure that the systems and processes for maintaining contact with vulnerable children are robust in every local authority in England. We have also issued detailed guidance for education settings on how they can support vulnerable children, including how to monitor and encourage attendance.
These are rapidly developing circumstances and we will continue to keep the situation under review and to keep Parliament updated accordingly.
At the Munich Security Conference, the Prime Minister outlined her vision of the UK continuing to cooperate with the EU on security and law enforcement and proposed a new UK/EU treaty on internal security.
To be fully effective, this treaty must be respectful of both the UK and EU’s sovereign legal orders. For example, when participating in EU agencies the UK will respect the remit of the European Court of Justice and a principled but pragmatic solution will be needed to respect the UK's status as a third country with our own sovereign legal order.
The E3 (the UK, France and Germany) have provided a EUR 5 million package of financial and material assistance to Iran via the World Health Organisation (WHO) and UN bodies to help with the response.
a) The UK is supporting political and economic reform in Jordan through the Arab Partnership, including support to committees in parliament to improve the quality of legislation and support improvements to parliamentary procedures. We are also working with different groups across Jordanian governorates to build concepts of good governance, including forming counsels from the local communities that work to monitor the performance of local governance institutions against its roles and responsibilities.
b) The UK is helping the Palestinian Authority (PA) to build strong institutions and deliver essential services. Our support is governed by a Memorandum of Understanding which reaffirms the PA’s commitment to non-violence and a negotiated two-state solution, as well as its respect for human rights and delivering clean and accountable governance in the Occupied Palestinian Territories. We are also helping deliver institutional reform and improve public financial management, and working with civil society to help citizens become more effective at holding the PA to account.
c) DFID does not does not have any anti-corruption or good governance programmes in Turkey.
d) The UK promotes good governance and anti-corruption in Nigeria through a range of technical assistance programmes which support democratisation, better use of Nigerian resources, improved transparency in the oil sector, increased capacity of civil society and more robust enforcement of anti-corruption legislation. No UK aid money goes directly to the Government of Nigeria to ward against corruption.
e) Since the revolution, UK funded programmes in Tunisia have supported the development and application of a code of conduct for public servants, have strengthened risk management, audit practices and the development of a whistle blowing framework, and have enhanced transparent public procurement. The UK has also supported the development of an anti-corruption strategy and strengthened the role of the National Anti-Corruption Agency.
f) DFID and FCO have developed a cross-governmental strategy to support effective, prioritised and coordinated action at the international and multilateral level to strengthen governance in Mali and the wider Sahel region. Our objective is to ensure that Sahelian States, including Mali, have governments that are politically inclusive, able to deliver basic services, enable growing prosperity and cooperate regionally.
The Prime Minister has consistently said that there is a Golden Thread of conditions that enables open economies and open societies to thrive: the rule of law, the absence of conflict, the absence of corruption, the presence of strong property rights and institutions. In fragile and conflict-affected states, DFID funds programmes on peace, governance and growth, working on issues such as preventing conflict, fighting corruption, improving the enabling environment for businesses, reducing barriers to trade, and giving women more voice in political processes. DFID is also working closely with other UK Government departments to ensure a whole of government approach to international peace and security. By January 2015, DFID’s programmes globally supported millions of women and men to vote in thirteen countries; supported 81 million people to have choice and control over their own development and to hold decision-makers to account; improved access to security and justice for 10 million women and girls; and helped 5.5 million people secure their land and property rights.
DFID requires partners to set key targets to measure the performance of their programmes and report achievements at regular intervals throughout the year. Partners’ ability to monitor their programming is of critical importance to DFID and DFID makes funding available for these systems. In areas accessible to DFID (currently most of Turkey, and Jordan, and parts of Iraq and Lebanon) DFID humanitarian advisers conduct field visits to observe partner programming on the ground and fact check reporting. In areas that are inaccessible to DFID (namely inside Syria) DFID conducts a more rigorous assessment of partner monitoring systems and has frequent engagement with these partners to assess performance. In 2015 DFID plans to commission an independent monitoring facility that will visit programmes in areas inaccessible to DFID, expanding our capacity to monitor and assess the performance of our programmes.
The UK produces high quality, premium produce that is globally sought after and this Free Trade Agreement (FTA) will create new export opportunities for British farmers and businesses.
The Scoping Assessment, carried out before negotiations began, found that Wales and Scotland and all English regions benefit in all modelled scenarios from a UK-Australia FTA. A full impact assessment will be published prior to implementation of the agreement.
Defra and the Department for International Trade are working in lockstep with partners like the National Farmers Union (NFU), the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB) and the Food and Drink Federation to deliver tailored support on the ground for these farmers and food producers through schemes such as our Open Doors programme, helping them to capitalise on the enormous global demand for British food and drink and benefit from new trade deals.
The UK champions rules-based multilateral trade, and strongly supports the Director-General of the World Trade Organization’s (WTO) efforts to drive forward reform. WTO reform has been a central aspect of this year’s G7 Trade Track discussions, which are seeking to build momentum and common ground ahead of the 12th WTO Ministerial Conference. We are actively participating in discussions through bilateral, plurilateral and multilateral channels, including the G20 and Ottawa Group.
Examples of specific proposals include our co-sponsorship of a proposal at the WTO Council for Trade in Goods to enhance WTO monitoring and transparency requirements, co-sponsorship of the Ottawa Group’s Trade and Health proposal, and submission of textual proposals to the E-Commerce Joint Initiative negotiations.
There have been no orders from foreign companies for the Arrowhead 140 (T31) yet. UK Defence and Security Exports is currently supporting Babcock in their campaigns to export UK built ships, as well as the sale of the design to overseas customers.
Open General Export Licences (OGELs) are not granted for specific exports to specific destinations, rather they are pre-published licences that permit the export of specified items to a range of specified countries, following an online registration. They remove the need for exporters to apply for individual licences, providing the exporters can meet the terms and conditions set out in the licence.
There are also EU General Export Authorisations (EUGEAs) under the dual-use regulations. These permit the export of certain specified dual-use items to specified destinations, subject to the terms and conditions of the licences. They are equivalent to OGELs and are available for use by any exporter within the EU, as well as the United Kingdom for now.
At the end of the transition period, the EUGEAs will be retained as part of the retained Dual-Use Regulation. They will be renamed as “Retained General Export Authorisations” and will be available for use by exporters based in the United Kingdom, to export from the United Kingdom.
In total, there are 65 OGELs and six EUGEAs currently available. To provide actual registrations over the last five years can only be provided at disproportionate cost, as my Department would have to review each live and archived OGEL/EUGEA, which will include reviewing country additions/removal dates and analysing specific registrations over each period.
Open General Export Licences (OGELs) are not granted for specific exports to specific destinations, rather they are pre-published licences that permit the export of specified items to a range of specified countries, following an online registration. They remove the need for exporters to apply for individual licences, providing the exporters can meet the terms and conditions set out in the licence.
There are also EU General Export Authorisations (EUGEAs) under the dual-use regulations. These permit the export of certain specified dual-use items to specified destinations, subject to the terms and conditions of the licences. They are equivalent to OGELs and are available for use by any exporter within the EU, as well as the United Kingdom for now.
At the end of the transition period, the EUGEAs will be retained as part of the retained Dual-Use Regulation. They will be renamed as “Retained General Export Authorisations” and will be available for use by exporters based in the United Kingdom, to export from the United Kingdom.
In total, there are 65 OGELs and six EUGEAs currently available. To provide actual registrations over the last five years can only be provided at disproportionate cost, as my Department would have to review each live and archived OGEL/EUGEA, which will include reviewing country additions/removal dates and analysing specific registrations over each period.
Open General Export Licences (OGELs) are not granted for specific exports to specific destinations, rather they are pre-published licences that permit the export of specified items to a range of specified countries, following an online registration. They remove the need for exporters to apply for individual licences, providing the exporters can meet the terms and conditions set out in the licence.
There are also EU General Export Authorisations (EUGEAs) under the dual-use regulations. These permit the export of certain specified dual-use items to specified destinations, subject to the terms and conditions of the licences. They are equivalent to OGELs and are available for use by any exporter within the EU, as well as the United Kingdom for now.
At the end of the transition period, the EUGEAs will be retained as part of the retained Dual-Use Regulation. They will be renamed as “Retained General Export Authorisations” and will be available for use by exporters based in the United Kingdom, to export from the United Kingdom.
In total, there are 65 OGELs and six EUGEAs currently available. To provide actual registrations over the last five years can only be provided at disproportionate cost, as my Department would have to review each live and archived OGEL/EUGEA, which will include reviewing country additions/removal dates and analysing specific registrations over each period.
The Government publishes Official Statistics (on a quarterly and annual basis) about export licences on GOV.UK. The number of licences granted for the export of military equipment to each of the countries in each of the last five years is attached.
The Government publishes Official Statistics (on a quarterly and annual basis) about export licences on GOV.UK. The number of licences granted for the export of military equipment to each of the countries in each of the last five years is attached.
Preparations to publish the outcome of the investigation are underway.
We are working closely with the EU Commission and other member states to mitigate the impact of US sanctions on businesses continuing to trade with Iran. This involves delivering a special purpose vehicle to support European companies engaged in legitimate trade with Iran, raising with the US the need to make allowance for trade in humanitarian goods, and updating the Blocking Regulation.
The Government is robustly defending the investigation by the US Department of Commerce and have made clear that Boeing’s case is unjustified. This is reflected in the comprehensive response to Boeing’s petition we have provided. The statements by the US Commerce Department on the 26 September and 6 October are only the initial findings. A further determination is expected in December.
We will continue to vigorously defend the interests of the UK aerospace industry and our aerospace workers. We continue to raise this issue with Boeing and with the U.S. Government at the highest levels.
It has not proved possible to respond to this question in the time available before Prorogation. Ministers will correspond directly with the Member.
The Government is considering carefully all the potential implications arising from the UK’s exit from the EU, and plans to negotiate the best possible relationship between the UK and EU in the field of aviation with a smooth and orderly transition.
Securing liberal market access to EU markets is a very high priority for the Department for Transport. The importance of air services to the health of the UK economy is recognised across Government.
We will work closely with the international aviation community to ensure that this global industry continues to be a major success story for the UK economy.
The National Health Service has continued to provide urgent and emergency services throughout the outbreak and has run the ‘Open for Business’ media campaign to encourage people with potentially serious health issues to continue to seek medical advice, particularly those with symptoms of cancer, heart attack and stroke.
NHS trusts and Cancer Alliances are working to identify ring-fenced diagnostic and surgical capacity for cancer so that they can deliver cancer surgery and treatment at cancer hubs, which have been set up to treat patients in non-COVID-19 environments. Full use is also being made of independent sector hospital and diagnostic capacity.
Referrals for cancer treatment from general practitioners (GPs) to hospital continue to go ahead and the NHS is working hard to increase these to pre-COVID-19 levels.
To ensure patients with heart disease are given the care they need, hospitals are prioritising capacity for cardiac surgery, cardiology services and neuroradiology. Secondary care is prioritised for patients with heart failure, valve disease and arrhythmia services.
Further cardiac and stroke services continue to operate throughout the COVID-19 response and GPs continue to refer into these services.
On 21 April 2020, the Government announced a total of £42.5 million to support clinical trials for the vaccines being developed at the University of Oxford and Imperial College London. This funding is in addition to the £4.7 million previously granted to the University of Oxford, Imperial College London and Public Health England for vaccine research through the joint UK Research and Innovation – Medical Research Council and the Department, via the National Institute for Health Research ‘Covid-19 Rapid Response Research Call’. This follows the Government’s £250 million pledge to develop a vaccine, and announcement of a new Vaccines Taskforce, putting the United Kingdom at the forefront of international efforts to fight the virus.
Nuclear cooperation remains an important element of the enduring special relationship between the US and the UK. The Foreign and Defence Secretaries hold regular discussions with their US counterparts on a range of issues, including on security policy. These discussions are reflected and supported by daily cooperation at official level on arms control, nuclear deterrence policy, counter proliferation and strategic stability between the UK and the US, as well as by wider cooperation with NATO Allies. We will continue to work closely with the US on security policy, including nuclear deterrence policy.