Lord Cromwell

No such assessments have been made, but this government is committed to increasing awareness of/access to 'green' friendly schemes.

The Government does not hold data on the average monetary or environmental cost of producing and installing an electricity pylon. Such assessments are undertaken by the relevant planning applicant and considered as part of the decision-making process by the Secretary of State. A wide range of context specific, qualitative and quantitative factors determine said value.

The environmental impact of proposed pylon developments is assessed on a scheme-by-scheme basis with the method, content and scope of assessment dependent on the likely significance of the proposed scheme’s environmental impact based on its size, nature, location and the relevant legislative and policy frameworks.

The Government, working with Ofcom, closely monitors the financial health of the telecoms market. Ofcom have powers to request financial information from providers where appropriate.

We recently held a public consultation on proposed updates to the Telecommunications Security Code of Practice, which provides guidance on how public telecoms providers can meet their statutory requirements to secure their networks and services. These include requirements relating to reviews, governance and board responsibilities. Ofcom monitor and enforce these requirements.

In response to the consultation, the Chartered Institute of Internal Auditors raised the matter of independent assurance arrangements. We are now carefully reviewing all feedback to the consultation to ensure that any updates to the Code of Practice are appropriate and proportionate.

The Government, working with Ofcom, closely monitors the financial health of the telecoms market. Ofcom have powers to request financial information from providers where appropriate.

We recently held a public consultation on proposed updates to the Telecommunications Security Code of Practice, which provides guidance on how public telecoms providers can meet their statutory requirements to secure their networks and services. These include requirements relating to reviews, governance and board responsibilities. Ofcom monitor and enforce these requirements.

In response to the consultation, the Chartered Institute of Internal Auditors raised the matter of independent assurance arrangements. We are now carefully reviewing all feedback to the consultation to ensure that any updates to the Code of Practice are appropriate and proportionate.

The Government, working with Ofcom, closely monitors the financial health of the telecoms market. Ofcom have powers to request financial information from providers where appropriate.

We recently held a public consultation on proposed updates to the Telecommunications Security Code of Practice, which provides guidance on how public telecoms providers can meet their statutory requirements to secure their networks and services. These include requirements relating to reviews, governance and board responsibilities. Ofcom monitor and enforce these requirements.

In response to the consultation, the Chartered Institute of Internal Auditors raised the matter of independent assurance arrangements. We are now carefully reviewing all feedback to the consultation to ensure that any updates to the Code of Practice are appropriate and proportionate.

The Government may step in and clear waste in exceptional circumstances to protect the public and the environment. However, as with any other type of crime the Government cannot and should not fund a general clean-up service for criminals at the expense of the taxpayer. We do however acknowledge that this approach can sometimes leave waste in situ for long periods of time.

The Government is committed to tackling waste crime and continues to keep under review how best to do this.

It is a long-established policy that landowners are responsible for clearing dumped or abandoned waste from their land.

We continue to work with stakeholders, such as the National Farmers Union (NFU) and local authorities, through the National Fly-Tipping Prevention Group to share good practice, including how to prevent fly-tipping on private land. The Environment Agency also conducts communications campaigns around tackling and preventing waste crime, including working through landowner associations such as the NFU or The Country Land and Business Association.

We recognise the financial burden that clearing fly-tipped waste places on landowners. However, central Government generally does not compensate victims of non-violent crime. It is important not to create a perverse incentive for some people to dump, or facilitate the dumping of, waste. However, where there is sufficient evidence, fly-tippers can be prosecuted and, on conviction, a cost order can be made by the court so that a landowner’s costs can be recovered from the perpetrator.

Section 89 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 imposes duties on local authorities to ensure that certain land is, so far as is practicable, kept clear of litter and refuse. The Code of Practice on Litter and Refuse (see attached) provides guidance on discharging these duties. It does not specify the distance from the highway for which it is the responsibility of the local authority to clear fly-tipping.

Local authorities are responsible for most trunk roads and other, more minor roads. National Highways is responsible for motorways and certain trunk roads. Landowners are responsible for the land that they own. We encourage local authorities to investigate all incidents of fly-tipping, including those on private land. The Environment Agency may investigate waste that has the potential to damage the environment, such as hazardous waste.

We recently published a Pride in Place Strategy in which we committed to bringing forward statutory enforcement guidance on littering and modernising the code of practice on Litter and Refuse that outlines the cleaning standards expected of local authorities.

There is no plan to make an assessment of the responsibilities of local authorities in relation to clearing up fly-tipping that takes place on a private land more than 10 metres from the highway.

Landowners are responsible for clearing waste from land that they own.

Section 89 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 imposes duties on local authorities to ensure that certain land is, so far as is practicable, kept clear of litter and refuse. The Code of Practice on Litter and Refuse provides guidance on discharging these duties. This is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/code-of-practice-on-litter-and-refuse (attached).

Landowners are responsible for clearing waste from land that they own.

In the past 12 months, no notices in relation to ragwort control have been served to National Highways, and there have been no prosecutions under the Weeds Act 1959 or the Code of Practice.

The Department does not hold data on notices or prosecutions relating to ragwort control by local highway authorities.

High blood pressure is a significant risk factor for developing heart valve disease. Early detection of high blood pressure in patients supports prevention of heart valve disease. That is why pharmacies in England can provide the NHS Hypertension Case-Finding Service (HCFS), under which eligible patients can have their blood pressure checked for free in a community pharmacy. The HCFS aims to identify patients with high blood pressure so that they can be referred to their general practice for treatment.

As set out in the 10-Year Health Plan, to accelerate progress on the ambition to reduce premature deaths from heart disease and stroke by 25% within a decade, we will publish a new Cardiovascular Disease Modern Service Framework in spring.

The framework will prioritise ambitious, evidence-led, and clinically informed approaches to prevention, treatment, and care, and as part of its development we are engaging widely to identify and consider the role of community pharmacies across the cardiovascular disease pathway.

Russia's forcible deportation of Ukrainian children is a despicable and systematic attempt to erase Ukrainian identity, and with it, Ukraine's future. We are playing our full part in international efforts to reunite these children with their families. In November 2024, we announced a third round of sanctions targeting those involved in forcibly deporting and indoctrinating Ukrainian children. We do not comment on any potential future designations as to do so could lessen their impact.

We have raised this issue with Russia on multiple occasions at the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), which meets at ambassador-level almost every week. On 29 May, our Ambassador reiterated the need for Russia to return forcibly deported children as critical to achieving a just and lasting peace. We have supported multiple invocations of the OSCE's fact-finding mission, the Moscow Mechanism, to examine Russian human rights abuses in Ukraine. Their May 2023 report focused on Ukrainian children. We have also raised this issue with Russia at the UN Security Council, most recently on 15 May and 8 April.

The International Criminal Court (ICC) has issued warrants of arrest for Putin and Maria Lvova-Belova for crimes linked to the deportation of children. It is an independent court and carries out its investigations impartially and without government interference. We are supporting the work of the Office of the Prosecutor General of Ukraine and the ICC to ensure allegations of war crimes in Ukraine are fully and fairly investigated by independent and robust legal mechanisms. We welcome progress made by the ICC in its active investigation, including the arrest warrants for individuals connected to the forced deportation of Ukrainian children.

Engagement with Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) has indicated that for smaller companies the defence procurement was too slow, too complex, and too hard to navigate. We are giving SMEs a single point of access for advice, support, and opportunities in defence, bringing together services from Ministry of Defence's (MOD) trade associations and investors in one place. Further information, including contact details, can be found at the following website: https://www.digital.mod.uk/sme-dosbg/about-us.

The £20 million fund to offer accelerated contracts to small, innovative British startups is led by the MOD’s Commercial X team which aims to get ground-breaking technologies and innovation into the MOD's hands at pace. The parameters of the fund are currently being determined, and an update will be shared by the end of February. For more information, please contact defcomrcl-comrclx@mod.gov.uk

It is vital we utilise defence as an engine for innovation and growth including investing in novel technologies. With further investment from this Government, innovation will thrive in every region and nation of the United Kingdom.

Drones, including unmanned aerial systems, are integral to the modern way of warfighting, exemplified in the lessons learnt from the war in Ukraine. The Strategic Defence Review announced a doubling in autonomy investment in this Parliament, taking total Defence investment in autonomy to circa £4 billion.

Work to deliver the Strategic Defence Review recommendations, including on autonomy and drones, will be prioritised appropriately against the threat as part of the Integrated Force.

The British Army continues to revolutionise its fighting capabilities, improving their range, persistence, precision and mass. Learning from ongoing conflicts as well as independent first-principle thinking, the ability of our Armed Forces to counter the threat of highly developed uncrewed air systems is of vital importance. For reasons of operational security and commercial sensitivity, I am unable to disclose further details.