Asked by: Lord Randall of Uxbridge (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Statement by Baroness Penn on 27 April (HLWS735), when they plan to publish the consultation into chemical recycling; and whether they intend to explain why there has been a delay in publishing it.
Answered by Baroness Penn
To signal support for the developing chemical recycling sector, at Tax Administration and Maintenance Day, the government announced a consultation on allowing a mass balance approach for calculating recycled content in packaging made from chemically recycled plastic, for the purposes of the Plastic Packaging Tax. The government also confirmed the consultation would be published this year.
The government is committed to developing an approach which supports the commercialisation of the UK chemical recycling sector, whilst maintaining the integrity and supporting the objectives of the Plastic Packaging Tax.
Asked by: Lord Randall of Uxbridge (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they have set a date for the Joint Ministerial Council with the Overseas Territories in respect of the meeting postponed in November 2022.
Answered by Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park
The UK Government greatly values the Joint Ministerial Council with the Overseas Territories as the main forum to discuss issues of mutual interest and to agree actions to tackle shared challenges. The next Joint Ministerial Council will be held on 11-12 May 2023.
Asked by: Lord Randall of Uxbridge (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether the Welfare of Farmed Animals (England) Regulations 2007 and its devolved equivalents constitute EU-derived subordinate legislation in the context of the Retained EU Law (Revocation and Reform) Bill; and if so, what plans they have to ensure that those provisions which go further than EU requirements, such as the banning of sow stalls, are preserved.
Answered by Lord Benyon
Defra is in the process of analysing and assessing its retained EU law stock to determine what should be preserved as part of domestic law, and what should be repealed, or amended. This work will determine how we use the powers in the Bill, including in relation to the Welfare of Farmed Animals (England) Regulations 2007. Having said this, there are no plans to remove the ban on sow stalls.
Asked by: Lord Randall of Uxbridge (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the (1) environmental, and (2) health, impact of disposable vapes; and what plans they have, if any, to ban the sale of such products.
Answered by Lord Markham
The Nicotine vaping in England: an evidence update including health risks and perceptions, 2022 report published in September 2022 found that in the short and medium term, vaping poses a small fraction of the risks of smoking, but that vaping is not risk-free, particularly for people who have never smoked. A copy of the report is attached.
Whilst there are no immediate plans to introduce a ban on disposable vapes, the Government is concerned by the increasing use of disposable vaping products, particularly amongst children, and their impact on the environment when they become waste. We are exploring a range of measures to address these issues.
Asked by: Lord Randall of Uxbridge (Conservative - Life peer)
Question
To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to hold further consultations on charity lottery limits; and when they will be held.
Answered by Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay
Society lottery limits were last increased as part of a wider package of reforms in 2020. These reforms were reviewed 12 months after they were implemented. The results of the review were published in March 2022, and can be accessed on the gov.uk website. The review concluded that it was too soon to reach any firm view on the impact of the changes, especially during a time when the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic made evaluation more difficult, and that more data on annual growth of the sector were required before considering any further changes. Officials continue to work with the Gambling Commission, as part of its regulatory role, to keep the sector under review.
Asked by: Lord Randall of Uxbridge (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 impact on their ability to halt biodiversity loss arising from the relevant officials being diverted to work on the Retained EU Law (Revocation and Reform) Bill.
Answered by Lord Benyon
There is no impact. In reviewing retained EU law, Defra’s aim is to ensure that environmental law is fit for purpose and able to drive improved environmental outcomes, whilst also ensuring regulators can deliver efficiently.
Asked by: Lord Randall of Uxbridge (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask His Majesty's Government what requirements are in place for declarations of interest concerning planning inspectors; and whether there is a code of practice.
Answered by Baroness Scott of Bybrook - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities)
Planning Inspectors and other Planning Inspectorate officials are bound by the organisation's Code of Conduct, which covers declarations of interest among other issues.
Asked by: Lord Randall of Uxbridge (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they will retain the protections for species afforded by the the Conservation of Habitats and Species Regulations 2017.
Answered by Lord Benyon
My department is carefully considering the retained EU law (REUL) caught by the sunset clause in the REUL Bill, which will include the Conservation of Habitats and Species Regulations 2017 (the Habitats Regulations). In reviewing retained EU law, Defra’s aim is to ensure that environmental law is fit for purpose and able to drive improved environmental outcomes, whilst also ensuring regulators can deliver efficiently. This will ensure the UK regulatory framework is appropriate and tailored to the UK. The Government has been clear that any changes to REUL will not have the effect of reducing the levels of environmental protection.
Asked by: Lord Randall of Uxbridge (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they intend to engage with environmental groups before making any decisions regarding the exercise of the powers proposed in the Retained EU Law (Revocation and Reform) Bill; and if so, how.
Answered by Lord Benyon
Defra has routinely met environmental stakeholders since the introduction of the Retained EU Law (Revocation and Reform) Bill to sight them on developments as the Bill passes through Parliament. Defra will continue to engage stakeholders as it takes steps to create laws and regulations in the interests of the UK. Defra is committed to engaging with stakeholders to ensure policy decisions are well-informed and result in benefits for both citizens and business.
Defra is in the process of analysing its REUL stock to determine what should be preserved as part of domestic law, and what should be repealed, or amended. In reviewing retained EU law, Defra’s aim is to ensure that environmental law is fit for purpose and able to drive improved environmental outcomes, whilst also ensuring regulators can deliver efficiently. This will ensure the UK regulatory framework is appropriate and tailored to the UK.
Asked by: Lord Randall of Uxbridge (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 potential impact of the Retained EU Law (Revocation and Reform) Bill on (1) legal protections for European protected species, and (2) the population of such protected species in England.
Answered by Lord Benyon
Nature is in need of our help. We have been clear about the importance of environmental protection across the United Kingdom, not least through our world leading Environment Act, which sets a new legally binding target to halt the decline in species abundance by 2030 and we are developing an extensive policy programme to deliver that.
In reviewing retained EU law, Defra’s aim is to ensure that environmental law is fit for purpose and able to drive improved environmental outcomes, whilst also ensuring regulators can deliver efficiently. This will ensure the UK regulatory framework is appropriate and tailored to the UK. The Government has been clear that any changes to REUL will not have the effect of reducing the levels of environmental protection.