Asked by: Lord Laird (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have a definition of a war; and if so, what it is.
Answered by Earl Howe - Shadow Deputy Leader of the House of Lords
UK Defence Doctrine (Joint Doctrine Publication 0-01, 5th Edition, November 2014) defines war as 'a state of armed conflict between different countries, or different groups within a country'.
Asked by: Lord Laird (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they intend to take to replace the EU–US Privacy Shield insofar as it relates to the UK, following Brexit.
Answered by Lord Ashton of Hyde
The EU-US Privacy Shield contains protections only available to those within the EU. We will therefore discuss with the US how best to ensure that the current protections afforded to UK citizens can be maintained post exit. We want a smooth and orderly transition to our new arrangements.
Asked by: Lord Laird (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the Court of Justice of the European Union will continue to have jurisdiction in the UK after Brexit in relation to the General Data Protection Regulation.
Answered by Lord Ashton of Hyde
The Data Protection Bill was introduced on 13 September. The Bill is intended to create a new data protection framework fit for the digital age, which incorporates the provisions of the EU’s GDPR into domestic law. It builds on existing standards for protecting personal data, in accordance with the GDPR, giving people more control over use of their data, and providing new rights to move or delete personal data.
The EU (Withdrawal) Bill will ensure that the remainder of the GDPR is incorporated into domestic law.
In leaving the European Union, we will bring about an end to the direct jurisdiction of the CJEU in the UK.
Asked by: Lord Laird (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what consultations they have held with the parties in Northern Ireland on whether Northern Ireland will be subject to the General Data Protection Regulation after Brexit.
Answered by Lord Ashton of Hyde
The Data Protection Bill, which includes the implementation of GDPR into UK law, will apply to Northern Ireland post Brexit. We have engaged with Northern Ireland Executive in the creation of the Bill.
Asked by: Lord Laird (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what will be the status in the UK after Brexit of previous decisions by the Court of Justice of the European Union, such as the Judgement of 6 October 2015 in Maximillian Schrems v Data Protection Commissioner.
Answered by Lord Ashton of Hyde
Clause 6 of the EU (Withdrawal) Bill provides that UK courts must continue to interpret unmodified retained EU law in accordance with retained EU case law and retained EU general principles, so far as they are relevant to that retained EU law. EU case law is retained to the extent it relates to anything falling within clauses 2-4 of the Bill, and is not excluded by clause 5 and Schedule 1.
Clause 6 also provides that the UK Supreme Court and High Court of Justiciary will be able to depart from pre-exit CJEU case law, using the the same tests they do when departing from their own case law.
This is without prejudice to the detail of the implementation period, which will be for negotiations.
Asked by: Lord Laird (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure that civil servants are well-trained and that performance management steps are taken when necessary.
Answered by Lord Young of Cookham
The Civil Service is committed to building the capability of all its employees and supporting their development. Our core learning offer provided via Civil Service Learning (CSL) incorporates 130 topics including leadership and management, customer service, finance and policy development. Learning is provided via free online modules, workshops and practical exercises. Job specific/technical learning is developed in partnership with professions and functions. To support easier access, a new Learning Platform for Government will begin rollout in 2018.
Civil servants discuss their development with their manager and can access an online self-assessment tool to help identify their learning needs. A key manager role is building capability in others and a ‘Management Fundamentals’ package linked to the Chartered Management Institute’s Level 3 (Team Leader) has been available since December 2017.
Our 4000 Senior Civil Servants now have access to the Civil Service Leadership Academy (CSLA), launched in October 2017. The CSLA offers a wide range of learning approaches tailored to SCS needs, including case study events, master-classes, newsletters, coaching, peer mentoring and 360 degree feedback.
All departments take Performance management (PM) seriously; it is a key element of development and building. The Civil Service PM policy, introduced in 2012, has helped identify different levels of performance and ensure people are able to continuously develop. Where performance and/or capability is below the required standard, departments have policies and measures in place to ensure individuals are given the support and learning they need to improve. Further action is taken where performance does not improve within acceptable timescales.
The new Performance Management Framework introduced in 2017 continues to identify different levels of performance and also places a greater focus on coaching and supporting civil servants to help them perform effectively.
Asked by: Lord Laird (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask Her Majesty's Government under what legislation the siting of cycle lanes is arranged in UK cities and towns; and what steps are taken to ensure that legislation is properly applied.
Answered by Baroness Sugg
The Traffic Signs Regulations and General Directions 2016 prescribe the traffic signs and road markings that can be used on the UK road network including those used for cycle lanes. Local authorities are responsible for the design and installation of cycle lanes and for ensuring that they are signed and marked in compliance with the legislation.
Asked by: Lord Laird (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are proposing to reduce the overall number of cigarettes smoked in England.
Answered by Lord O'Shaughnessy
The Government continues to provide leadership and guidance on the most effective interventions, ensuring that the new legislation is implemented well and that organisations with national responsibilities are joined up and effective in achieving these ambitions. We will aim to provide access to training for all health professionals on how to help patients quit, promote links to stop smoking services across the health and care system and strive to achieve a smokefree National Health Service.
We will support local councils to identify local solutions, particularly where prevalence remains high so they can help people to quit. The Government will maintain high duty rates for tobacco products to make tobacco less affordable and will ensure that sanctions in current legislation are effective and fit for purpose. Our end goal is a smoke-free generation.
Asked by: Lord Laird (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the effectiveness of policies designed to reduce the use of plastic bags by retailers and consumers; and what further policies they envisage in that area.
Answered by Lord Gardiner of Kimble
Since the introduction of the 5 pence carrier bag charge in October 2015, retailer reporting shows a dramatic drop in the consumption of single use plastic carrier bags, with the seven major retailers distributing around nine billion fewer single use plastic bags (a reduction of around 83%) compared to typical pre-charge levels.
The Single Use Carrier Bags Charges (England) Order 2015 requires the Secretary of State to carry out a review of this order before 5 October 2020.
Asked by: Lord Laird (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government on which dates in the last five years the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland held briefings about developments and policy in the province; and who attended each of those meetings.
Answered by Lord Duncan of Springbank
The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland holds a range of meetings on developments and policy, including regular events for Parliamentarians with an interest in Northern affairs.
External meetings are published on the Northern Ireland Office website, which can be found here:
https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/northern-ireland-office.