Asked by: Lord Foster of Bath (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Hunt of Kings Heath on 7 January (HL3653), whether they considered the impact of (1) the removal of the ban on onshore wind generation, (2) the increase in offshore wind generation, (3) the increase in solar power generation, and (4) Great British Energy, in their assessments of the carbon dioxide equivalent emissions in 2030.
Answered by Lord Wilson of Sedgefield - Lord in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
We will deliver an updated plan that sets out the policy package out to the end of Carbon Budget 6 in 2037 for all sectors of the economy by October 2025. This will outline the policies and proposals needed to deliver Carbon Budgets 4-6 and our Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC) on a pathway to net zero, including for onshore wind, offshore wind and solar power generation, and describing Great British Energy’s potential role in supporting these sectors.
Asked by: Lord Foster of Bath (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask His Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with the Advertising Standards Authority and the Gambling Commission about Premier League football clubs that are sponsored by unlicensed gambling businesses.
Answered by Baroness Twycross - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
The Minister for Gambling and Heritage met with the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) in December 2024. However, sponsorship of this kind is not within the remit of the ASA, whose CAP Code includes a specific exclusion for ‘sponsorship’.
However, we regularly engage with the Gambling Commission on this issue. The Commission has been clear that sports organisations must diligently and continuously ensure that they are not advertising illegal gambling. Under current rules, sports organisations who engage in sponsoring and advertising arrangements with unlicensed gambling operators are at serious risk of committing the offence of advertising unlawful gambling under Section 330 of the Gambling Act 2005. The Commission has warned relevant club officials that they may be liable to prosecution and, if convicted, face a fine, imprisonment or both if they promote unlicensed gambling businesses that transact with consumers in Great Britain. The Commission is taking active steps to monitor online gambling activity for these unlicensed brands and to ensure they are blocked and inaccessible to consumers in Great Britain, and will take steps as necessary.
Asked by: Lord Foster of Bath (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer from Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent on 4 June (HL7658), in what contexts relating to border controls they describe British citizens as "UK nationals", and for what reasons.
Answered by Lord Hanson of Flint - Minister of State (Home Office)
In this specific context, this was in reference to the need for UK nationals to register for the EU’s Entry / Exit System once it has been implemented.
Asked by: Lord Foster of Bath (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment has been made of (1) number of trees felled, and (2) metres of hedgerow removed, on all sites related to the building of Sizewell C and the associated infrastructure.
Answered by Lord Wilson of Sedgefield - Lord in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
Sizewell C was granted development consent following the Planning Inspectorate’s examination of Sizewell C’s Development Consent Order (DCO) application and all works are fully in line with DCO permissions.
Sizewell C report that the project has carried out advanced planting of 4,000 more trees than it has removed, and when the power station is complete, 42 hectares of woodland will have been created, amounting to between 50,000 and 100,000 trees and shrubs, plus additional hedgerows. Sizewell C has also created three nature reserves around the site – and three further nature reserves are being created locally to further mitigate for any land take.
Asked by: Lord Foster of Bath (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to replace trees and hedgerows removed during the construction of Sizewell C and the associated infrastructure.
Answered by Lord Wilson of Sedgefield - Lord in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
Sizewell C was granted development consent following the Planning Inspectorate’s examination of Sizewell C’s Development Consent Order (DCO) application and all works are fully in line with DCO permissions.
Sizewell C report that the project has carried out advanced planting of 4,000 more trees than it has removed, and when the power station is complete, 42 hectares of woodland will have been created, amounting to between 50,000 and 100,000 trees and shrubs, plus additional hedgerows. Sizewell C has also created three nature reserves around the site – and three further nature reserves are being created locally to further mitigate for any land take.
Asked by: Lord Foster of Bath (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether British citizens are legally required to use a British passport on entering and exiting the UK; whether there has been a change in legal requirements for dual citizens since the introduction of the Electronic Travel Authorisation; and in what circumstances dual citizens may use a certificate of entitlement in a foreign passport to enter the UK.
Answered by Lord Hanson of Flint - Minister of State (Home Office)
The Government has published guidance on Electronic Travel Authorisations (ETAs) for dual British citizens, accessible via Gov.UK. Our communication and support offer is updated in line with feedback from users.
There is no single specific legal requirement that a British Citizen must travel on a British passport. However, primary legislation is clear that evidence of right of abode in the UK can only be demonstrated at the UK border through the production of either a British passport or other passport endorsed with a certificate of entitlement to the right of above (CoE). This is the means by which British citizens demonstrate their right to enter the UK.
The introduction of ETAs makes no change to legal requirements for dual British citizens.
Asked by: Lord Foster of Bath (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they plan to review and update the guidance for dual citizens in the light of the rollout of the Electronic Travel Authorisation; and what steps they are taking to ensure that such guidance is easily accessible to British citizens resident overseas.
Answered by Lord Hanson of Flint - Minister of State (Home Office)
The Government has published guidance on Electronic Travel Authorisations (ETAs) for dual British citizens, accessible via Gov.UK. Our communication and support offer is updated in line with feedback from users.
There is no single specific legal requirement that a British Citizen must travel on a British passport. However, primary legislation is clear that evidence of right of abode in the UK can only be demonstrated at the UK border through the production of either a British passport or other passport endorsed with a certificate of entitlement to the right of above (CoE). This is the means by which British citizens demonstrate their right to enter the UK.
The introduction of ETAs makes no change to legal requirements for dual British citizens.
Asked by: Lord Foster of Bath (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to improve adherence by gambling operators to self-exclusion schemes.
Answered by Baroness Twycross - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
Self-exclusion is an important tool to support customers at risk of gambling harms. As set out in the Gambling Commission’s Licence Conditions and Codes of Practice, all remote and non-remote operators must have self-exclusion arrangements in place and participate in a multi-operator self-exclusion scheme. Compliance is a condition of licences and any breach may lead the Gambling Commission to review an operator’s licence.
Compliance with self-exclusion schemes, such as GAMSTOP, is very high amongst remote gambling operators. In addition, a new, voluntary exclusion scheme, GamProtect, was launched by four of the largest operators last year and is being rolled out across the remote industry. This tool provides a single customer view of the most vulnerable customers across participating operators, ensuring they can be quickly and effectively excluded from harmful gambling without self referral.
We are aware that there are concerns about adherence to self-exclusion requirements in the adult gaming centre sector. We are seeking further assurance on how the sector is addressing these concerns. We will continue to work with our stakeholders, including the Gambling Commission and the gambling sector, to strengthen player protections.
Asked by: Lord Foster of Bath (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask His Majesty's Government what recent assessment they have made of the number of gambling venues operating with bingo licences but effectively operating as adult gaming centres.
Answered by Baroness Twycross - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
We recognise that, as noted in the Gambling Commission’s 2023 advice to the Gambling Act Review, there are gambling premises which are licensed solely as bingo venues, where gaming machines take up most of the floor space and which can give the appearance to consumers of being adult gaming centres.
As set out in the Gambling Commission’s Licence Conditions and Codes of Practice, in licensed bingo premises, gaming machines may only be made available for use where there are also substantive facilities for non-remote bingo available in the premises. Non-remote bingo licensees must also ensure that the function and presentation of their premises are such that a customer can reasonably be expected to recognise that it is a premises licensed for the purposes of providing bingo facilities. These are conditions of non-remote bingo licences. We are reviewing the current licensing regime for bingo venues, and we intend to consult on changes in due course.
Asked by: Lord Foster of Bath (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to establish a publicity campaign to reduce the stigma of suicide.
Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
While there are no specific plans to establish a publicity campaign to reduce the stigma of suicide, the Suicide Prevention Strategy for England 2023 – 2028 highlights the importance of reducing the stigma surrounding suicide. The strategy aims to destigmatise help-seeking for those who are at risk of suicide.
The Government believes that suicide prevention is everyone’s business. Every person, organisation, and service up and down the country has a role to play. In recent years, good progress has been made in tackling the stigma surrounding suicide and mental health.