Asked by: Lord Evans of Rainow (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether funding for Mobile Power (MOPO), funded through the Transforming Energy Access programme, will be provided in the form of loans rather than grants; and, if so, what the terms of the loans will be.
Answered by Lord Wood of Anfield - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) uses a combination of grants and other instruments, including loans, as most appropriate to deliver the intended outcomes and provide the best value for money. No existing FCDO International Climate Finance programmes have been switched from grants to loans linked with the recent announcement of £2 bus fares.
Asked by: Lord Evans of Rainow (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether funding for the Ecosystem Restoration Concession funded through Partnerships for Forests will be provided in the form of loans rather than grants; and, if so, what the terms of the loans will be.
Answered by Lord Wood of Anfield - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) uses a combination of grants and other instruments, including loans, as most appropriate to deliver the intended outcomes and provide the best value for money. No existing FCDO International Climate Finance programmes have been switched from grants to loans linked with the recent announcement of £2 bus fares.
Asked by: Lord Evans of Rainow (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether funding for the Water Sector Resilience Nexus for Sustainability project in Barbados will be provided in the form of loans rather than grants; and, if so, what the terms of the loans will be.
Answered by Lord Wood of Anfield - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) uses a combination of grants and other instruments, including loans, as most appropriate to deliver the intended outcomes and provide the best value for money. No existing FCDO International Climate Finance programmes have been switched from grants to loans linked with the recent announcement of £2 bus fares.
Asked by: Lord Evans of Rainow (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what consideration they have given to legislating to prevent disruption from protestors in (1) Parliament Square, (2) Whitehall, and (3) Old Palace Yard Car Park.
Answered by Lord Hanson of Flint - Minister of State (Home Office)
The police have powers to respond to disruptive protests, including those that take place around Parliament.
Under the Public Order Act 1986, the police can place conditions on public processions and assemblies. Measures in the Crime and Policing Act 2026, which came into force on 29 June, further equip police with powers to manage evolving protest tactics.
Asked by: Lord Evans of Rainow (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they have carried out an impact assessment of the potential effect of lowering drink-driving limits on consumer behaviour in (1) rural communities, and (2) rural pubs.
Answered by Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill - Minister of State (Department for Transport)
An academic study following the reduction in the drink drive limit in Scotland in 2014 showed no impact on the hospitality industry. All evidence received as part of the consultation process will be considered before any decisions are made.
Asked by: Lord Evans of Rainow (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Chapman of Darlington on 4 December 2025 (HL12406), whether they have a framework for assessing Palestinian Authority curriculum reform targets; and if so, how that framework differs from that used by the European Commission.
Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington
I refer the Noble Lord to the answer provided in the House of Commons on 16 December 2025 to Question 98592, which - for ease of reference - is reproduced below:
We welcome the Palestinian Authority (PA) contracting an independent audit firm to complete a review of curriculum reform in early 2026, and we would expect the results of that audit to be made public. The UK will continue to press for implementation of the PA's reform commitments, and will assess progress in the education area based on the audit results.
Asked by: Lord Evans of Rainow (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Chapman of Darlington on 4 December 2025 (HL12405), what specific evidence they have received or reviewed that demonstrates progress on Palestinian Authority curriculum reform.
Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington
I refer the Noble Lord to the answer provided in the House of Commons on 16 December 2025 to Question 98592, which - for ease of reference - is reproduced below:
We welcome the Palestinian Authority (PA) contracting an independent audit firm to complete a review of curriculum reform in early 2026, and we would expect the results of that audit to be made public. The UK will continue to press for implementation of the PA's reform commitments, and will assess progress in the education area based on the audit results.
Asked by: Lord Evans of Rainow (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether those working in hospitality venues that sell restricted products such as alcohol, cigarettes and solvents will receive equal protection under the new offence of assaulting a retail worker under the Crime and Policing Bill.
Answered by Lord Hanson of Flint - Minister of State (Home Office)
Through our Crime and Policing Bill, this Government has introduced a new specific standalone offence of assaulting a retail worker to help tackle the epidemic of shop theft and violence towards shop workers that we have seen in recent years and protect the hardworking and dedicated staff that work in stores.
This definition of a retail worker captures someone working in or about retail premises for or on behalf of the owner or occupier of the retail premises.
Our definition is intentionally narrow and does not include hospitality staff, given the vital need to provide legal clarity and ensure there is no ambiguity for courts in identifying whether an individual is a retail worker and impacted during their job. Any ambiguity in identifying whether an individual is a retail worker, will likely lead the courts to take the case forward as common assault meaning specific recording attributed to a retail worker would not occur.
Those workers whose roles are not included within the definition are already covered under other legislation such as the Offences against the Person Act 1861, which also covers more serious violence, such as actual bodily harm and grievous bodily harm.
Public facing workers, including those in the transport and hospitality sectors, are also covered under legislation such as the Offences against the Person Act 1861, which covers serious violence, such as actual bodily harm and grievous bodily harm.
We introduced a statutory aggravating factor for assault against any public facing worker via section 156 of the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022. The aggravating factor applies in cases of assault where an offence is committed against those providing a public service, performing a public duty or providing a service to the public. This ensures the courts treat the public-facing nature of a victim’s role as an aggravating factor when considering the sentence for an offence.
Asked by: Lord Evans of Rainow (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what measures are currently in place to address abuse and theft against (1) retail, (2) hospitality, and (3) leisure businesses.
Answered by Lord Hanson of Flint - Minister of State (Home Office)
Through our Crime and Policing Bill, this Government has introduced a new specific standalone offence of assaulting a retail worker to help tackle the epidemic of shop theft and violence towards shop workers that we have seen in recent years and protect the hardworking and dedicated staff that work in stores.
This definition of a retail worker captures someone working in or about retail premises for or on behalf of the owner or occupier of the retail premises.
Our definition is intentionally narrow and does not include hospitality staff, given the vital need to provide legal clarity and ensure there is no ambiguity for courts in identifying whether an individual is a retail worker and impacted during their job. Any ambiguity in identifying whether an individual is a retail worker, will likely lead the courts to take the case forward as common assault meaning specific recording attributed to a retail worker would not occur.
Those workers whose roles are not included within the definition are already covered under other legislation such as the Offences against the Person Act 1861, which also covers more serious violence, such as actual bodily harm and grievous bodily harm.
Public facing workers, including those in the transport and hospitality sectors, are also covered under legislation such as the Offences against the Person Act 1861, which covers serious violence, such as actual bodily harm and grievous bodily harm.
We introduced a statutory aggravating factor for assault against any public facing worker via section 156 of the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022. The aggravating factor applies in cases of assault where an offence is committed against those providing a public service, performing a public duty or providing a service to the public. This ensures the courts treat the public-facing nature of a victim’s role as an aggravating factor when considering the sentence for an offence.
Asked by: Lord Evans of Rainow (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether the definition of 'retail premises' in clause 37(2) of the Crime and Policing Bill extends to hospitality premises that also undertake retail activities.
Answered by Lord Hanson of Flint - Minister of State (Home Office)
Through our Crime and Policing Bill, this Government has introduced a new specific standalone offence of assaulting a retail worker to help tackle the epidemic of shop theft and violence towards shop workers that we have seen in recent years and protect the hardworking and dedicated staff that work in stores.
This definition of a retail worker captures someone working in or about retail premises for or on behalf of the owner or occupier of the retail premises.
Our definition is intentionally narrow and does not include hospitality staff, given the vital need to provide legal clarity and ensure there is no ambiguity for courts in identifying whether an individual is a retail worker and impacted during their job. Any ambiguity in identifying whether an individual is a retail worker, will likely lead the courts to take the case forward as common assault meaning specific recording attributed to a retail worker would not occur.
Those workers whose roles are not included within the definition are already covered under other legislation such as the Offences against the Person Act 1861, which also covers more serious violence, such as actual bodily harm and grievous bodily harm.
Public facing workers, including those in the transport and hospitality sectors, are also covered under legislation such as the Offences against the Person Act 1861, which covers serious violence, such as actual bodily harm and grievous bodily harm.
We introduced a statutory aggravating factor for assault against any public facing worker via section 156 of the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022. The aggravating factor applies in cases of assault where an offence is committed against those providing a public service, performing a public duty or providing a service to the public. This ensures the courts treat the public-facing nature of a victim’s role as an aggravating factor when considering the sentence for an offence.