Asked by: Lord Ravensdale (Crossbench - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the economic benefits of the Midlands Rail Hub project; and how they are broken down by council or local authority area.
Answered by Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill - Minister of State (Department for Transport)
We are working with Network Rail, Midlands Connect, and West Midlands Rail Executive, to maximise the benefits of Midlands Rail Hub throughout the region. Midlands Connect are leading the development of the rationale for the scheme, including the distribution of socio-economic benefits, and will be able to provide more detail.
Asked by: Lord Ravensdale (Crossbench - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have (1) to conduct research on the practical, technical and economic impacts of regulating for embodied carbon emissions, and (2) to consult on measuring and reducing embodied carbon in buildings and the timing of any such consultation.
Answered by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
My department has been conducting research into the practical, technical and economic impacts of regulating embodied carbon in new buildings. This research is now nearing completion and will inform future policy decisions, including when and how to seek views on the measurement and reduction of embodied carbon.
Asked by: Lord Ravensdale (Crossbench - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask His Majesty's Government when they intend to legislate to bring in the Future Homes Standard and Future Buildings Standard; and when these will apply to all new (1) domestic, and (2) non-domestic, buildings respectively.
Answered by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
The Future Homes and Buildings Standards consultation was published in December 2023 and closed in March 2024, and a government response has not yet been issued. The consultation proposed that the new standards would apply to all new domestic and non-domestic buildings.
We fully support the need for low carbon homes and buildings, fit for a net zero future. We are reviewing proposals and feedback from the Future Homes and Buildings Standards consultation and will publish the government response in due course.
Asked by: Lord Ravensdale (Crossbench - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask His Majesty's Government what strategic plans they have to increase private investment in the Midlands Rail Hub.
Answered by Lord Davies of Gower - Shadow Minister (Home Office)
The Government has committed in Network North to delivering Midlands Rail Hub in full and increasing funding to £1.75bn, and we have recently released £123m to Network Rail to move the first phase into the detailed design stage. As the scheme progresses through this next stage, we will work with key partners to identify and pursue opportunities for private funding.
Asked by: Lord Ravensdale (Crossbench - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the remarks by the Chancellor of the Exchequer in the Budget Statement on 15 March 2023 that "subject to consultation, nuclear power will be classed as environmentally sustainable in our green taxonomy" (HC Deb col 841), when they will publish the associated consultation.
Answered by Baroness Vere of Norbiton
The Government reiterated its commitment in the 2023 Green Finance Strategy to delivering a UK Green Taxonomy and remains committed to implementing a UK Green Taxonomy, an important tool to increase transparency into the market to mobilise private investment into green activities and to tackle greenwashing.
Developing a usable and useful taxonomy is a complex and technical exercise. The government continues to work at pace and expects to publish in due course.
Asked by: Lord Ravensdale (Crossbench - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether the sites currently listed in the current nuclear National Policy Statement EN-6, will be included in the forthcoming EN-7.
Answered by Lord Callanan - Shadow Minister (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Department recently consulted on a proposed policy for siting new nuclear power stations after 2025, which set out a criteria based approach. While EN-7 will be the primary basis for development consent decisions on nuclear power stations after 2025, we recognise that the sites listed in EN-6 are likely to retain many inherent advantages. EN-6 will not be withdrawn, and we expect it to remain an important and relevant consideration in any planning decision for projects at any of the sites listed in EN-6.
Asked by: Lord Ravensdale (Crossbench - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government how much of their overseas aid budget is spent directly on climate mitigation and adaptation; and how much of that is spent or allocated to countries in (1) Africa, (2) the Middle East, and (3) South Asia.
Answered by Lord Benyon - Lord Chamberlain (HM Household)
In 2020 the UK spent over £1.3 billion of Official Development Assistance addressing climate change through multilateral and bilateral channels. Of this at least £224 million of bilateral climate finance was spent in Africa, £2 million in the Middle East (through the "SEED OPTs" programme), and £81 million in South Asia. The UK's main climate programme in the Middle East ("PHENOMENAL") started the following year in 2021. In line with our international obligations our official International Climate Finance figures are reported through the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, for which 2020 is the most recent year of reporting.
Asked by: Lord Ravensdale (Crossbench - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the remarks by the Minister of State for the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities when she stated that they "intend to do a fuller review of the national planning policy framework to ensure it contributes to climate change mitigation and adaptation as fully as possible" (HC Deb col 787), when they will do so.
Answered by Baroness Penn
The existing National Planning Policy Framework is clear that the planning system should support the transition to a low carbon future. Plans should take a proactive approach to mitigating and adapting to climate change, taking into account the long-term implications, in line with the objectives and provisions of the Climate Change Act 2008.
We will publish proposed changes to national planning policy in due course, including those arising from the introduction of the Levelling Up and Regeneration Act and the creation of National Development Management Policies.
Asked by: Lord Ravensdale (Crossbench - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the remarks by Earl Howe on 4 September (HL Deb col 282), whether the consultation on their approach to measuring and reducing embodied carbon in new buildings will be launched before the end of the year; and which “specific interventions” will be included in the consultation.
Answered by Baroness Penn
The Government remains committed to consulting on our approach to measuring and reducing embodied carbon in due course.
Government is listening to calls for a change to the Building Regulations. This consultation, and the in-depth research which informs it, will support the development of future policy.
Asked by: Lord Ravensdale (Crossbench - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the rise of greenhouse gas emissions associated with fertiliser production since 1990; and what plans they have for lowering such emissions.
Answered by Lord Callanan - Shadow Minister (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
UK territorial greenhouse gas emissions from the fertiliser manufacturing industry between 1990 and 2020 (the latest available year data) have fluctuated between 525 and 812 thousand tonnes carbon dioxide equivalent, with no clear trend.
To reduce future emissions the Government is promoting better nutrient use efficiency through the Sustainable Farming Incentive. The Government is supporting the development of new technologies to manufacture less environmentally damaging fertiliser products through the Farming Innovation Programme and plans to reform the fertiliser regulatory regime.