Asked by: Lord Lucas (Conservative - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask His Majesty's Government when they expect to complete their review of beaver release policy in England.
Answered by Baroness Hayman of Ullock - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
This is a devolved matter, and the information provided therefore relates to England only.
We will continue to work with Natural England to develop our approach to beaver reintroductions in England. Further information on this will be published in due course.
Asked by: Lord Lucas (Conservative - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask His Majesty's Government when they expect to publish the report of the review of data, statistics and research on sex and gender, led by Professor Alice Sullivan.
Answered by Lord Vallance of Balham - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The review, led by Professor Alice Sullivan, is an independent review into data and statistics on sex and gender. Ministers are currently considering next steps on the review and will make decisions, including on publication, in due course.
Asked by: Lord Lucas (Conservative - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask His Majesty's Government what plans, if any, they have to use the powers in clauses 2 and 4 of the Data (Use and Access) Bill to require the Student Loans Company to collect data on the courses its customer attended when incurring their student debt and their subsequent career progression in order (1) to assess the long-term value of those courses, (2) to propose course improvements, and (3) to enable universities to improve the quality of the data they provide to prospective students about likely career destinations and progression for students of each course.
Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Education)
The government has no plans to ask the Student Loans Company for data about its customers for these purposes.
The Office for Students (OfS) uses Graduate Outcomes survey data to monitor providers’ compliance with registration condition B3, which stipulates that at least 60% of a providers’ students must progress into professional employment or further study within 15 months of graduating. Students can see how providers are performing against this target on the OfS's website.
The OfS considers B3 and National Student Survey (NSS) data alongside submissions from providers and students to award ratings of Gold, Silver or Bronze to providers which take part in its Teaching Excellence Framework.
Students can also find information about different courses on the Discover Uni website, which is the official source of information about higher education across the UK and uses the NSS, Graduate Outcomes survey and Longitudinal Education Outcomes data.
Asked by: Lord Lucas (Conservative - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the extent to which local authorities in England are fulfilling their obligation to publish information on the admissions arrangements for all state schools in their area, including full admissions rules and details of the outcomes of the previous admissions round.
Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Education)
Local authorities are required to comply with the School Admissions Code, which sets out various requirements to ensure they provide information on local admission arrangements to parents.
This includes a requirement to publish a composite admissions prospectus for parents. This must include information on the admission arrangements for each state-funded school, the number of parental preferences expressed for the school the previous year, and information relating to how to apply for schools in that area. Local authorities must also produce an annual report on admissions for all the state-funded schools in their area, which is published on the authority’s website and sent to the Schools Adjudicator.
Whilst the department does not routinely assess whether the required information is made available, if a parent or other party is unhappy that information is not available they can complain to the local authority through their complaints process. If they remain dissatisfied after exhausting the complaints procedure, they can complain to the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman. Additionally, if my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education, becomes aware of an issue she can, if necessary, use her powers to direct the local authority, where it is failing in its duty.
Asked by: Lord Lucas (Conservative - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask His Majesty's Government what consideration they have given to extending the number of applicable delivery years to three for solar photovoltaic in future contracts for difference auctions to enable large-scale development projects to bid.
Answered by Lord Hunt of Kings Heath - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Solar projects over 5MW were eligible to apply for Allocation Round 6. The Government is committed to accelerating solar deployment to meet clean power 2030 and reviews the Contracts for Difference scheme before every round to ensure it continues to deliver this and other objectives. We will confirm details for Allocation Round 7, including eligibility and delivery years, in due course.
Asked by: Lord Lucas (Conservative - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the potential impact of a delay of trial trenching requirements for solar farms until after consent is granted upon the protection of archaeological sites from disturbance.
Answered by Lord Hunt of Kings Heath - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Criteria for assessing potential impacts of large-scale solar projects on the historic environment are set out in planning guidance. In most cases, applicants are required to seek expert assessment. Where assessments include investigative work, such as trial trenching, this should be proportionate.
Conducting this work during the pre-application planning phase enables developers to consider findings and, if necessary, mitigate impacts by adapting project design at an early stage.
Asked by: Lord Lucas (Conservative - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the potential impact of large-scale development consent order solar projects being able to bid in contracts for difference auctions on achieving the objectives of Clean Power 2030.
Answered by Lord Hunt of Kings Heath - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Solar projects over 5MW were eligible to apply for Allocation Round 6. The Government is committed to accelerating solar deployment to meet clean power 2030 and reviews the Contracts for Difference scheme before every round to ensure it continues to deliver this and other objectives. We will confirm details for Allocation Round 7 in due course.
Asked by: Lord Lucas (Conservative - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they have undertaken an impact assessment of trial trenching requirements on ground-mounted solar farm project developers.
Answered by Lord Hunt of Kings Heath - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
No formal impact assessment has been made.
Planning guidance and consents set requirements for archaeological surveys where appropriate, and techniques used may include trial trenching. The most appropriate technique is likely to depend on the specific circumstances in each case.
Asked by: Lord Lucas (Conservative - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the level of remuneration recently offered to recruit a chief technology officer for the army by comparison to roles of equivalent seniority and experience in the private sector, and what assessment they have made of the implications for the security of the UK.
Answered by Lord Coaker - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
Over the past twelve months, the British Army has undertaken civil service recruitment for two Chief Technology Officers. Both roles were advertised with salaries aligned with centrally approved remuneration frameworks, set by the Cabinet Office. This includes applicable allowances for the Digital, Data, and Technology (DDaT) profession, which remain under constant review.
Asked by: Lord Lucas (Conservative - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what plans there are, if any, for (1) the asexual, and (2) the aromantic pride flags, to be displayed at 10 Downing Street.
Answered by Baroness Twycross - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
There are currently no plans to display the asexual and aromantic pride flags at 10 Downing Street.