Asked by: Lord Oates (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask His Majesty's Government when they will announce a new funding round for the Energy Catalyst programme.
Answered by Lord Vallance of Balham - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
DSIT’s departmental-level ODA allocation was confirmed by the Chancellor in June’s Spring Statement. The full detail of DSIT's spending plans from 2026 April are still being considered. We are unable to confirm whether a new funding round will be announced for the Energy Catalyst Programme. We expect to be in a position to provide further information on what activities DSIT’s ODA will support later on this year.
Asked by: Lord Oates (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they have had discussions with the chair, trustees and chief executive of the Samaritans regarding the implications of their decision to close at least half of their branches in the UK.
Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
We have made no such assessment. The decision to close some of their branches is a matter for Samaritans.
We engage with Samaritans and other voluntary, community, and social enterprise organisations closely and will continue to work with them in their important role in supporting suicide prevention efforts.
Department officials met recently with the Samaritans CEO, who set out this change programme and their plans.
Asked by: Lord Oates (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of the proposed closure of at least half of the Samaritans branches on efforts to reduce suicide rates in the UK.
Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
We have made no such assessment. The decision to close some of their branches is a matter for Samaritans.
We engage with Samaritans and other voluntary, community, and social enterprise organisations closely and will continue to work with them in their important role in supporting suicide prevention efforts.
Department officials met recently with the Samaritans CEO, who set out this change programme and their plans.
Asked by: Lord Oates (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government how many reports have been made through the "Report an error with your eVisa" Gov.uk online form in each of the past 12 months.
Answered by Lord Hanson of Flint - Minister of State (Home Office)
The information requested is not currently available from published data and could only be collated and verified for the purposes of answering this question at disproportionate cost.
Asked by: Lord Oates (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what representations they have made to Hamas and the government of Israel to encourage them to return to the previously agreed ceasefire, complete the release of all hostages, and negotiate a path out of conflict.
Answered by Lord Collins of Highbury - Lord in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
The Government does not engage with Hamas, and we are clear there can be no role for Hamas in Gaza's future. However, the Government regularly engages on these issues with the Israeli Government and Palestinian counterparts in the Palestinian Authority, the Palestine Liberation Organisation and Fatah. Since day one, this Government has been clear that we need to see an immediate ceasefire, the release of all hostages cruelly detained by Hamas, better protection of civilians, significantly more aid consistently entering Gaza, and a path to long-term peace and stability. All parties must engage with negotiations to get hostages out, surge aid, and secure a permanent end to this conflict. Diplomacy, not more bloodshed, is how we get security for Israelis and Palestinians.
The Foreign Secretary has most recently engaged on this with President Abbas and Prime Minister Mustafa, including during Prime Minister Mustafa's visit to the UK on 28 April 2025. The Foreign Secretary also raised his concerns in discussions with Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar on 21 May. On 19 May the UK, alongside France and Canada, issued a joint statement expressing concern over the worsening humanitarian situation in Gaza and the expansion of settlements in the West Bank. The statement called for the release of hostages, reaffirmed Israel's right to self-defence with an emphasis on proportionality, and voiced support for both a ceasefire and a two-state solution.
Asked by: Lord Oates (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the government of Israel regarding compliance with international humanitarian law and restoring humanitarian access to Gaza.
Answered by Lord Collins of Highbury - Lord in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
We call on the Government of Israel to abide by its international obligations to ensure full, rapid, safe and unhindered provision of humanitarian assistance to the population in Gaza, now. The Foreign Secretary regularly presses his Israeli counterparts on these issues. We are calling on the Government of Israel to allow a full resumption of aid into Gaza, and let the UN and humanitarians save lives. On 13 May the UK, along with European partners, called an urgent session of the UN Security Council to address the humanitarian situation in Gaza. On 20 May, the Foreign Secretary announced that we have suspended negotiations with the Israeli government on a new free trade agreement, decided to review cooperation with them under the 2030 Bilateral Roadmap, and imposed further sanctions on settlers.
Asked by: Lord Oates (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking towards the implementation of G7-Africa partnerships for agrivoltaics investments agreed at the G7 Development Ministers’ Meeting in October 2024, particularly with regard to (1) partnering with governments in Africa, (2) assisting with climate adaptation, and (3) promoting market solutions to address food, energy and water security needs in developing countries.
Answered by Lord Collins of Highbury - Lord in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
The UK has built long-term partnerships with African governments to promote market-based solutions to address food, energy and water security needs whilst adapting to climate change. In January, the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office partnered with the Africa Union (AU) on the Kampala Summit, where African Member States endorsed the third ten-year Comprehensive African Agriculture Development Plan (CAADP). The Kampala Declaration outcomes are mutually aligned with G7-Africa commitments, and most importantly are African-led. Through the Africa Food Trade and Resilience programme and our participation in the Development Partners Coordination Group we will continue to provide expertise to support the new Kampala Declaration.
Asked by: Lord Oates (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what measures they plan to take with other nations participating in the London conference on Sudan on 15 April to end the conflict in that country, to protect civilians and to ensure aid reaches those who most need it.
Answered by Lord Collins of Highbury - Lord in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
Alongside those states that attended the Sudan London Conference, the UK is taking coordinated action to strengthen the protection of civilians and to improve aid delivery. We continue to advocate for the implementation of relevant UN Security Council resolutions, including UNSCR 2736 (2024) on El Fasher, Darfur. Additionally, the UK and its partners are advocating for safe and unimpeded humanitarian access.
Asked by: Lord Oates (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they plan to increase flexible funding to support the most food-insecure people affected by the humanitarian crisis in Sudan.
Answered by Lord Collins of Highbury - Lord in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
Last financial year, the UK provided £226.5 million to Sudan and its neighbouring countries, supporting over 1 million people affected by the conflict. On 15 April, the Foreign Secretary announced an additional £120 million of life-saving aid for the current financial year. This includes 650,000 people to be reached with food assistance for 3 months, 205,000 people to benefit from financial assistance and 600,000 people who will receive nutrition, water and sanitation support.
Asked by: Lord Oates (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask His Majesty's Government what consideration they are giving to securing the full independence of the UK's nuclear deterrent.
Answered by Lord Coaker - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
I can assure the noble Lord that the United Kingdom’s nuclear deterrent is completely operationally independent. Only the Prime Minister can authorise the firing of our nuclear weapons, even if they are to be employed as part of a NATO response.
The UK has a longstanding, close relationship with the US on all defence nuclear issues, which has endured through many changes of Government in our two nations. Our extant long-term arrangements under the 1958 Mutual Defense Agreement and the 1963 Polaris Sales Agreement (as amended in 1982 for Trident) provide for co-operation and collaboration which has been, and continues to be, of considerable mutual benefit to both nations.