Asked by: Lord Patten (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of their cooperation with the government of Tunisia on (1) intelligence, and (2) defence matters.
Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)
The UK has engaged in long-standing cooperation with Tunisia across a range of areas, in particular in relation to defence and security. We support the strengthening of Tunisia's capabilities to contribute to regional stability, including through its UN peacekeeping role in Africa. Tunisia is also a Mediterranean Dialogue partner for NATO. The visit of the Defence Senior Advisor for the Middle East and North Africa's (DSAME) in February 2025 included senior level discussions on how to strengthen cooperation moving forward. Bilateral UK-Tunisia defence cooperation is delivered in full compliance with international standards and principles.
As with all countries, we keep our travel advice to Tunisia under regular review.
Asked by: Lord Patten (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of whether all areas of Tunisia are safe for UK citizens to visit.
Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)
The UK has engaged in long-standing cooperation with Tunisia across a range of areas, in particular in relation to defence and security. We support the strengthening of Tunisia's capabilities to contribute to regional stability, including through its UN peacekeeping role in Africa. Tunisia is also a Mediterranean Dialogue partner for NATO. The visit of the Defence Senior Advisor for the Middle East and North Africa's (DSAME) in February 2025 included senior level discussions on how to strengthen cooperation moving forward. Bilateral UK-Tunisia defence cooperation is delivered in full compliance with international standards and principles.
As with all countries, we keep our travel advice to Tunisia under regular review.
Asked by: Lord Patten (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of their relations with the government of Tunisia.
Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)
The UK has engaged in long-standing cooperation with Tunisia across a range of areas, in particular in relation to defence and security. We support the strengthening of Tunisia's capabilities to contribute to regional stability, including through its UN peacekeeping role in Africa. Tunisia is also a Mediterranean Dialogue partner for NATO. The visit of the Defence Senior Advisor for the Middle East and North Africa's (DSAME) in February 2025 included senior level discussions on how to strengthen cooperation moving forward. Bilateral UK-Tunisia defence cooperation is delivered in full compliance with international standards and principles.
As with all countries, we keep our travel advice to Tunisia under regular review.
Asked by: Lord Patten (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the dangers caused by cyclists riding on the pavement.
Answered by Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill - Minister of State (Department for Transport)
It is an offence under Section 72 of the Highways Act 1835 to cycle on the pavement and the only exception to this is for designated shared use paths. While there is no assessment of the dangers caused by pavement cycling, new offences in the Crime and Policing Bill are being introduced for cyclists who cause the death or serious injury of another person. These new offences will mean that cyclists will face the same penalties as those who commit motoring offences.
Asked by: Lord Patten (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the danger, if any, caused by cyclists using headphones on roads.
Answered by Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill - Minister of State (Department for Transport)
No such assessment has been made, and it is not an offence to use headphones while cycling. However, if this is done in such a way as to put other road users in danger, the police may choose to bring a prosecution for careless or dangerous cycling.
Rule 66 of the Highway Code states that people should “avoid any actions that could reduce control of your cycle” and Rule 67 says that people should “be aware of traffic coming up behind you, including other cyclists”. Wearing headphones could indirectly affect a person’s ability to comply with either of these rules.
Asked by: Lord Patten (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask His Majesty's Government what is their assessment of the danger, if any, caused by cycling on roads with one hand on the handlebars while using a mobile phone with the other.
Answered by Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill - Minister of State (Department for Transport)
Nobody should hold a mobile phone while cycling as this could affect their concentration and situational awareness. While no assessment of the dangers caused by this has been made, and it is not an offence to cycle and use a mobile phone, cyclists could be prosecuted by the police for careless or dangerous cycling.
Asked by: Lord Patten (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage on 1 April (HL15919), whether the National Planning Policy Framework contains strong protections for the setting of the Stonehenge World Heritage site from vans, buses and travellers' vehicles in the skyline beyond the site.
Answered by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
The National Planning Policy Framework provides strong protections for World Heritage Sites and their settings including where any development relating to vehicles, for example, car parks or roads, is proposed.
Asked by: Lord Patten (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the spread or recession of common ragwort in the countryside, especially along road-side verges.
Answered by Baroness Hayman of Ullock - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
An assessment of the spread or recession of common ragwort in the countryside has not been made, although the latest data from the Botanical Society of Britain & Ireland indicate that it is still widespread. There is no general legal duty on Government to monitor levels of ragwort across the countryside.
Defra’s code of practice on how to prevent the spread of ragwort [see attached] states that humans may be at risk from ragwort poisoning through direct contact (e.g. hand pulling) however the Food and Environment Research Agency’s 2013 review of evidence concerning ragwort impacts, ecology and control options concluded that there is no evidence of human illness or fatalities resulting from ragwort. Links to further evidence can be found in this FOI release: Risk to humans from ragwort poisoning - GOV.UK [see attached].
Ragwort is classified as an Injurious Weed under the Weeds Act because it can be toxic to livestock when included in dry hay, or where livestock have nothing else to eat. Ragwort is a native plant that is valuable to a wide diversity of generalist pollinators, particularly in parched summer conditions when it can be the main nectar resource in a landscape.
Asked by: Lord Patten (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the dangers of ingesting or handling common ragwort.
Answered by Baroness Hayman of Ullock - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
An assessment of the spread or recession of common ragwort in the countryside has not been made, although the latest data from the Botanical Society of Britain & Ireland indicate that it is still widespread. There is no general legal duty on Government to monitor levels of ragwort across the countryside.
Defra’s code of practice on how to prevent the spread of ragwort [see attached] states that humans may be at risk from ragwort poisoning through direct contact (e.g. hand pulling) however the Food and Environment Research Agency’s 2013 review of evidence concerning ragwort impacts, ecology and control options concluded that there is no evidence of human illness or fatalities resulting from ragwort. Links to further evidence can be found in this FOI release: Risk to humans from ragwort poisoning - GOV.UK [see attached].
Ragwort is classified as an Injurious Weed under the Weeds Act because it can be toxic to livestock when included in dry hay, or where livestock have nothing else to eat. Ragwort is a native plant that is valuable to a wide diversity of generalist pollinators, particularly in parched summer conditions when it can be the main nectar resource in a landscape.
Asked by: Lord Patten (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask His Majesty's Government what estimate they have made of the cost of the programme of new towns to be constructed in England.
Answered by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
The precise funding offer for each new town location will be confirmed once final decisions have been made on the programme. Final decisions on locations will be confirmed later this year once the New Towns Draft Programme consultation has closed and all necessary environmental assessments have been completed.