Lord Rennard Portrait

Lord Rennard

Liberal Democrat - Life peer

Became Member: 21st July 1999


Secondary Legislation Scrutiny Committee
4th Jun 2020 - 13th Jun 2020
Political Polling and Digital Media Committee
29th Jun 2017 - 20th Mar 2018
Information Committee (Lords)
25th Nov 2009 - 14th May 2014
Constitution Committee
19th Jan 2011 - 1st May 2012


Division Voting information

During the current Parliament, Lord Rennard has voted in 424 divisions, and never against the majority of their Party.
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Debates during the 2019 Parliament

Speeches made during Parliamentary debates are recorded in Hansard. For ease of browsing we have grouped debates into individual, departmental and legislative categories.

Sparring Partners
Lord True (Conservative)
Leader of the House of Lords and Lord Privy Seal
(20 debate interactions)
Lord Bethell (Conservative)
(18 debate interactions)
Baroness Scott of Bybrook (Conservative)
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities)
(13 debate interactions)
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Department Debates
Cabinet Office
(56 debate contributions)
Department of Health and Social Care
(33 debate contributions)
Leader of the House
(8 debate contributions)
View All Department Debates
Legislation Debates
Elections Act 2022
(8,733 words contributed)
Parliamentary Constituencies Act 2020
(7,847 words contributed)
Health and Care Act 2022
(4,042 words contributed)
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View all Lord Rennard's debates

Lords initiatives

These initiatives were driven by Lord Rennard, and are more likely to reflect personal policy preferences.


Lord Rennard has not introduced any legislation before Parliament

Lord Rennard has not co-sponsored any Bills in the current parliamentary sitting


Latest 50 Written Questions

(View all written questions)
Written Questions can be tabled by MPs and Lords to request specific information information on the work, policy and activities of a Government Department
23rd Oct 2023
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Answer by Baroness Neville-Rolfe on 21 November 2022 (HL Deb, col 1170), whether they update the House on claims made as a result of the Public Duty Costs Allowance (PDCA); when and how a review of the PDCA will take place; and how the National Audit Office is able to distinguish between the costs of paying staff, travel, and accommodation expenses etc. occurring as a result of them working on commercial projects such as memoirs, paid speaking engagements etc. and costs which arise wholly and exclusively as a result of being an ex-Prime Minister.

The Public Duty Cost Allowance is specifically reviewed by the National Audit Office (NAO) as part of its annual audit of the Cabinet Office. The 2022-23 NAO audit review was completed in October 2023. The 2023-24 audit review will commence in May 2024.

The offices of the former Prime Ministers receive guidance which stipulates what type of expenses can be reimbursed by the Allowance. Claims, including those for office staff time, are then received by Cabinet Office Finance and include supporting evidence showing how much is related to the Allowance and how much is not.

I would note that the same audit provisions applied when former Liberal Democrat Deputy Prime Minister, Nick Clegg, claimed the Allowance.

Baroness Neville-Rolfe
Minister of State (Cabinet Office)
23rd Feb 2023
To ask His Majesty's Government when the next review of the Public Duty Costs Allowance will take place; who will be consulted; what plans they have for recipients to be required to declare their claims upon the fund in a similar fashion to MPs; and whether the review will examine how the use of the allowance for public duties can be distinguished from costs incurred in (1) making fee paying speeches or (2) publishing books.

The Public Duty Costs Allowance was introduced to assist former Prime Ministers who are still active in public life. It has operated under successive administrations, including the last Labour Government and the Coalition Government. Exceptionally, a total of £444,775 was paid to the former Liberal Democrat Deputy Prime Minister, Sir Nick Clegg, before he became a senior executive at Facebook.

The allowance is reviewed annually by the Government. The allowance has an annual limit of £115,000, which has remained frozen since 2011. The amount received by each claimant is published annually in the Cabinet Office Annual Report and Accounts.

It is not a form of salary; payments are made only to reimburse actual administrative costs incurred in the fulfilment of public duties. Generally, these costs can include managing an office (staffing, payroll and administration); handling correspondence as a former Prime Minister; and support with visits and similar activities. Invoices are submitted to the Cabinet Office to cover relevant costs. In this light, no review of the matters of (1) or (2) is required.

Baroness Neville-Rolfe
Minister of State (Cabinet Office)
23rd Feb 2023
To ask His Majesty's Government how many Ministers have had legal costs relating to inquiries by the House of Commons Privileges Committee funded by taxpayer money since 2010; and how much taxpayer money was used in each case.

Until the current matter referred to the Privileges Committee on 21 April 2022, since 2010 no Ministers have been the subject of an inquiry by either the Committee of Privileges or the Committee on Standards and Privileges relating to a matter of privilege and their conduct as a minister.

There is an established precedent across multiple administrations that former Ministers may be supported with legal representation after they have left office when matters relate to their time and conduct as a Minister.

Baroness Neville-Rolfe
Minister of State (Cabinet Office)
23rd Feb 2023
To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have for taxpayer funded legal costs for former Prime Minister Boris Johnson in relation to his investigation by the House of Commons Privileges Committee to be set against any claims he should make from the Public Duty Costs Allowance.

There are no such plans. There is an established precedent across multiple administrations that former Ministers may be supported with legal representation after they have left office when matters relate to their time and conduct as a Minister. The Public Duty Cost Allowance exists for a different purpose.

I refer the Noble Lord to the transcript of the Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee meeting on 26 January 2023, where Alex Chisholm, the Permanent Secretary of the Cabinet Office, provided oral evidence on this matter: https://committees.parliament.uk/oralevidence/12604/pdf/ (Q299-315).

Baroness Neville-Rolfe
Minister of State (Cabinet Office)
24th Nov 2022
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the answer by Baroness Neville-Rolfe on 21 November (HL Deb col 1170) concerning the Public Duty Costs Allowance (PDCA), and the statement that the “Government keep these matters under review and that the level of the limit is reviewed by the Prime Minister, at the start of a Parliament and annually”, when the next review of the PDCA will take place; on what basis the review of the PDCA will be undertaken; and who will be consulted.

The review of the Public Duty Costs Allowance is undertaken by the Prime Minister at the start of a Parliament and annually. It is for the Prime Minister to consider the level, operation and coverage of the allowance. This review will take place in due course.

Baroness Neville-Rolfe
Minister of State (Cabinet Office)
24th Nov 2022
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the answer by Baroness Neville-Rolfe on 21 November (HL Deb col 1170) concerning the Public Duty Costs Allowance (PDCA), and the statement that the “Government keep these matters under review and that the level of the limit is reviewed by the Prime Minister, at the start of a Parliament and annually”, whether the Prime Minister is entitled to set the level of allowance which would be available to that Prime Minister after ceasing to occupy that role; and whether the Prime Minister remains able, at their discretion, to make the PDCA available to former Deputy Prime Ministers, or other ex-Ministers.

The review of the Public Duty Costs Allowance is undertaken by the Prime Minister at the start of a Parliament and annually. It is for the Prime Minister to consider the level, operation and coverage of the allowance. This review will take place in due course.

Baroness Neville-Rolfe
Minister of State (Cabinet Office)
24th Nov 2022
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the answer by Baroness Neville-Rolfe on 21 November (HL Deb col 1170) concerning the Public Duty Costs Allowance (PDCA), and the statement that the “Government keep these matters under review and that the level of the limit is reviewed by the Prime Minister, at the start of a Parliament and annually”, whether the next review will consider transferring responsibility for the PDCA to the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority (IPSA) to operate in a similar fashion to the way in which MPs expenses and allowances are regulated under the “Scheme of MPs’ Staffing and Business Costs”, designed to ensure MPs are reimbursed for costs incurred in the performance of their parliamentary functions; and whether similar details of claims made using the PDCA will in future be made public along similar lines to the way in which MPs allowances and expenses are published.

The review of the Public Duty Costs Allowance is undertaken by the Prime Minister at the start of a Parliament and annually. It is for the Prime Minister to consider the level, operation and coverage of the allowance. This review will take place in due course.

Baroness Neville-Rolfe
Minister of State (Cabinet Office)
24th Nov 2022
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the answer by Baroness Neville-Rolfe on 21 November (HL Deb col 1170) concerning the Public Duty Costs Allowance (PDCA), and the statement that the “Government keep these matters under review and that the level of the limit is reviewed by the Prime Minister, at the start of a Parliament and annually”, what have been the total sums paid to each recipient of the PDCA in each of the years for which they have been able to claim; and what have been the total costs of the scheme to date.

The Government does not hold a full record of claims against the Public Duty Costs Allowance (PDCA) going back to 1991 when the allowance was established. The table above provides information from 2009/10 collated from government data.

From the financial year 2013/14, the annual amount of PDCA claimed by each former Prime Minister has been included in the Cabinet Office Annual Reports and Accounts which is published on GOV.UK. The years that have been published in this way are highlighted in Table 1. Prior to 2013, in line with the approach taken on Parliament’s Office Costs Allowance, to which the PDCA was linked, details of claims made by former Prime Ministers were not published.

I would also refer the noble Lord to a written answer provided on 6 April 2010 by the late Baroness Jowell, then Minister for the Cabinet Office (reference 311222) which provides details of total annual claims made against the PDCA in 1997/98-2008/09.

https://hansard.parliament.uk/Commons/2010-04-06/debates/1004064000076/PublicDutyCostsAllowance?highlight=office%20costs%20allowance#contribution-1004064000990

Table 1:

The Government does not hold a full record of claims against the Public Duty Costs Allowance (PDCA) going back to 1991 when the allowance was established. The table above provides information from 2009/10 collated from government data.

From the financial year 2013/14, the annual amount of PDCA claimed by each former Prime Minister has been included in the Cabinet Office Annual Reports and Accounts which is published on GOV.UK. The years that have been published in this way are highlighted in Table 1. Prior to 2013, in line with the approach taken on Parliament’s Office Costs Allowance, to which the PDCA was linked, details of claims made by former Prime Ministers were not published.

I would also refer the noble Lord to a written answer provided on 6 April 2010 by the late Baroness Jowell, then Minister for the Cabinet Office (reference 311222) which provides details of total annual claims made against the PDCA in 1997/98-2008/09.

https://hansard.parliament.uk/Commons/2010-04-06/debates/1004064000076/PublicDutyCostsAllowance?highlight=office%20costs%20allowance#contribution-1004064000990

Table 1:

The Rt Hon Baroness Margaret Thatcher

The Rt Hon Sir John Major

The Rt Hon Tony Blair

The Rt Hon Gordon Brown

The Rt Hon David Cameron

The Rt Hon Sir Nick Clegg

The Rt Hon Theresa May

Pensions

Total PDCA

2009-10

103,812

103,812

103,812

10,381

321,817

2010-11

104,133

109,125

109,191

93,698

10,912

427,059

2011-12

109,192

115,000

115,000

114,998

25,096

479,286

2012-13

70,693

114,996

115,000

100,316

15,832

385,172

2013-14

114,765

115,000

101,348

-

-

-

76,000

407,113

2014-15

115,000

115,000

112,450

-

-

-

115,463

226,987

2015-16

115,000

115,000

114,763

-

101,911

-

21,435

468,109

2016-17

115,000

115,000

114,838

50,227

114,982

-

28,020

538,067

2017-18

115,000

115,000

114,920

111,544

115,000

-

39,524

610,988

2018-19

114,935

115,000

114,057

110,413

112,882

-

21,425

588,712

2019-20

115,000

115,000

114,802

111,457

-

34,836

11,500

502,595

2020-21

115,000

115,000

113,712

113,423

-

57,832

55,381

571,348

2021-22

115,000

115,000

114,655

106,747

-

80,083

11,500

542,985

Total

387,830

1,477,633

1,478,003

1,325,557

603,811

444,775

172,751

179,879

6070,239

Baroness Neville-Rolfe
Minister of State (Cabinet Office)
24th Nov 2022
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Answer by Baroness Neville-Rolfe on 21 November (HL Deb col 1170) concerning the Public Duty Costs Allowance (PDCA), how a distinction is made between the staff and office costs involved through working on recognised public duties conducted by former Prime Ministers, such as non fee-paying public appearances, and commercial activities, such as writing books and paid media or public appearances, or party-political campaigning.

The Public Duty Costs Allowance is administered by the Cabinet Office.

Former Prime Ministers may only be reimbursed for legitimate staff salary, office or other expenses incurred in meeting the demands of the former Prime Minister’s public life up to the annual limit, which has been set at £115,000 since 2011. The allowance cannot be paid in advance of need and cannot be backdated.

Invoices to cover such costs are submitted to the Cabinet Office. Supporting documentation (for example receipts and salary details, including where relevant the proportion of salary being claimed) are retained by the claimant and made available on request by either Cabinet Office Finance or the National Audit Office for audit purposes.

Baroness Neville-Rolfe
Minister of State (Cabinet Office)
27th May 2021
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord True on 14 December 2020 (HL10908), what progress has been made on discussions between the Cabinet Office and HMRC about how to better inform people about how to register to vote; and in particular on providing (1) an electronic link, or (2) specific written reference, to the electoral registration website in the National Insurance number letters that they issue.

National Insurance Number letters issued by HMRC state that you need your National Insurance Number to register to vote. Cabinet Office officials continue to engage with colleagues in HMRC regarding what further information could be included in the letters to help inform individuals about the registration process, and whether there is scope to include reference to the Register to Vote website in the National Insurance number letters. The Government is committed to making registration as easy as possible and we encourage everyone who is eligible to register to vote.

Lord True
Leader of the House of Lords and Lord Privy Seal
27th May 2021
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the number of people aged under 25 and living in London who have neither a passport nor a photographic driving licence.

The Cabinet Office commissioned a nationally representative survey in 2021 to explore photographic ID ownership of residents eligible to vote in Great Britain. The list of identification accepted for voting purposes will not be limited to UK passports or driving licences and will include a broad range of documents already in use, such as various concessionary travel passes, Proof of Age Standards Scheme (PASS) cards and photocard parking permits issued as part of the Blue Badge scheme.

The survey estimates that 99% of respondents from London (with the 95% confidence interval placing this estimate between 97.8%-100%) and 99% of 18-24 year olds (with the 95% confidence interval placing this estimate between 97.5%-100%) hold at least one of the forms of photographic identification accepted under the planned policy.

Further information on photographic identification ownership for voting can be found at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/voter-identification-photographic-id-ownership-in-great-britain.

Lord True
Leader of the House of Lords and Lord Privy Seal
27th May 2021
To ask Her Majesty's Government what was the cost of printing and distributing polling cards to voters in the 2019 general election.

The cost of printing and distributing polling cards to voters at the 2019 general election will not be known until all of the Returning Officers’ expenses claims for those polls have been reviewed, agreed and settled.

Lord True
Leader of the House of Lords and Lord Privy Seal
27th May 2021
To ask Her Majesty's Government, following the Electoral Commission's publication of electoral data from the 2019 United Kingdom Parliamentary general election, what assessment they have made of (1) the reasons for tendered ballot papers having to be issued, and (2) how the number of tendered ballots compares to the total votes cast; and what plans they have to work with the Electoral Commission and professional bodies representing Returning Officers to assess the possible reasons for tendered ballot papers being issued.

A tendered ballot paper may be issued to a voter in a number of circumstances at an election; for example, if an elector goes to a polling station and finds that the register has been marked to show that somebody has already voted for them, and the elector believes this is an error. As noted in the question, the Electoral Commission included information on the number of tendered ballot papers issued in the electoral data it compiled from the 2019 General Election. The Government will continue to work with the Electoral Commission and other relevant bodies to support the delivery of elections and will consider a wide range of issues as part of this work.

Lord True
Leader of the House of Lords and Lord Privy Seal
27th May 2021
To ask Her Majesty's Government how many attainers are currently registered to vote in (1) England, (2) Northern Ireland, (3) Scotland, and (4) Wales; and how many were registered each year from 2015 to 2020.

The number of attainers registered to vote can be found on the Office for National Statistics (ONS) website: https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/elections/electoralregistration/datasets/electoralstatisticsforuk.

The number of attainers included in the local government register, by year, are:

England

Wales

Scotland

Northern Ireland

2020

196,346

14,640

29,599

490

2019

265,624

13,170

14,577

319

2018

268,396

13,172

20,232

574

2017

279,388

13,001

20,788

608

2016

293,430

13,810

22,035

5,000

2015

244,781

12,462

21,343

5,350

An elector must be 18 years old to be included on the UK Parliamentary register. As such, attainers are not included in UK Parliamentary registers.

Lord True
Leader of the House of Lords and Lord Privy Seal
1st Mar 2021
To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to allow individual local authorities to request that applicants for postal or proxy voting arrangements provide proof of (1) identification, and (2) residence; whether (a) they, or (b) the Electoral Commission, have approved the addition of any such requests to relevant application forms; and what assessment they have made of the impact of such requests on the number of applications to vote by post or proxy.

Electoral Registration Officers (EROs) are responsible for processing applications for a postal or proxy vote, and for applying the legislative requirements. Postal or proxy voters must, by law, supply their date of birth and signature at application and again when they return their postal ballot at an election or referendum. The law does not require applicants to verify their identity or address when applying for a postal or proxy vote. EROs do not have the power to reject or refuse an absent vote application if the applicant does not provide additional proof of identity or residence.

Lord True
Leader of the House of Lords and Lord Privy Seal
23rd Feb 2021
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of whether sufficient information concerning elections and candidates can be obtained via (1) the internet, and (2) the media; and further to this, what assessment they have made of the reasons behind the significant level of spending of political parties on unsolicited literature delivered to voters prior to the 2019 general election.

Democracy should not be cancelled because of covid. As outlined in my Written Ministerial Statement of 8 February 2021 (HLWS766), the Government has confirmed that the set of council, mayor and Police and Crime Commissioner elections scheduled for May will go ahead, and made a firm commitment that the Government will support the sector to deliver them.

The Government has published a Delivery Plan for the May elections, setting out how the Government will support local elections teams to deliver effective polls that are covid-secure for voters and staff. The Medical Officers advised Ministers in drawing up this delivery plan. The Government has committed to further engage with political parties through the Parliamentary Parties Panel and the Local Government Association; we are committed to ensuring we take into consideration the views of independent candidates as effectively as possible.

Campaigning is an essential part of democracy. Voters deserve to be well informed before going to the polls and there must be a level playing field for candidates. On 22 February the Prime Minister announced the Government’s roadmap out of lockdown and we have since published guidance on campaigning reflecting the updated COVID restrictions/guidance.

The whole of England remains in a national lockdown and will do so until 29 March. The current restrictions do not support door-to-door campaigning or leafleting by individual campaigners. Leaving home to undertake leafleting increases the risk of unnecessary social interactions and viral transmission both during travel and on doorsteps. Campaigners should instead ensure leafleting is carried out through existing commercial delivery services, which are already operating and delivering during the national lockdown. Any spending on this which is incurred during a regulated period must count towards a candidate’s spending limit.


From 8 March, individual activists will be able to campaign outdoors in a COVID-secure way. The rules will allow for individual campaigners to deliver leaflets and to engage with electors on their doorsteps - but they should always be socially distanced and not enter inside people’s homes.

Lord True
Leader of the House of Lords and Lord Privy Seal
23rd Feb 2021
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of grouping Questions for Written Answer on the quality of the information provided in response to these questions; and in particular, further to the reply by Lord True on 22 February (HL Deb col 610), whether they will now say what representations were made by political parties supporting an increase in national party expenditure limits prior to the Government’s statement made on 3 December 2020 (HLWS610) about uprating them in line with inflation since 2000.

As outlined in the ‘Guide to Parliamentary Work’, all departments must make the utmost effort to give accurate and helpful answers to all written questions.

Further to my answer in the House of Lords on 22 February, last year the Government engaged with representatives of the Local Government Association, political groups, the Parliamentary Parties Panel and other political parties last year on uprating spending limits at reserved polls. A range of views were received and following that engagement, we uprated candidate spending limits at local elections in England. We have committed to review candidate and party spending limits, at reserved polls this year, with a view to uprating them in line with inflation.

Lord True
Leader of the House of Lords and Lord Privy Seal
23rd Feb 2021
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the reply by Baroness Evans of Bowes Park on 28 January (HL Deb col 1804), and the Written Answers from Lord True on 17 February (HL12832 and HL12833), whether (1) NHS England, (2) the Department for Health and Social Care, (3) the Chief Scientific Officer, and (4) the Chief Medical Officer, provided advice that informed the distinction between (a) volunteer, and (b) paid, delivery of leaflets, as set out in the Minister for the Constitution’s letter of 22 January.

Democracy should not be cancelled because of covid. As outlined in my Written Ministerial Statement of 8 February 2021 (HLWS766), the Government has confirmed that the set of council, mayor and Police and Crime Commissioner elections scheduled for May will go ahead, and made a firm commitment that the Government will support the sector to deliver them.

The Government has published a Delivery Plan for the May elections, setting out how the Government will support local elections teams to deliver effective polls that are covid-secure for voters and staff. The Medical Officers advised Ministers in drawing up this delivery plan. The Government has committed to further engage with political parties through the Parliamentary Parties Panel and the Local Government Association; we are committed to ensuring we take into consideration the views of independent candidates as effectively as possible.

Campaigning is an essential part of democracy. Voters deserve to be well informed before going to the polls and there must be a level playing field for candidates. On 22 February the Prime Minister announced the Government’s roadmap out of lockdown and we have since published guidance on campaigning reflecting the updated COVID restrictions/guidance.

The whole of England remains in a national lockdown and will do so until 29 March. The current restrictions do not support door-to-door campaigning or leafleting by individual campaigners. Leaving home to undertake leafleting increases the risk of unnecessary social interactions and viral transmission both during travel and on doorsteps. Campaigners should instead ensure leafleting is carried out through existing commercial delivery services, which are already operating and delivering during the national lockdown. Any spending on this which is incurred during a regulated period must count towards a candidate’s spending limit.


From 8 March, individual activists will be able to campaign outdoors in a COVID-secure way. The rules will allow for individual campaigners to deliver leaflets and to engage with electors on their doorsteps - but they should always be socially distanced and not enter inside people’s homes.

Lord True
Leader of the House of Lords and Lord Privy Seal
23rd Feb 2021
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the reply by Baroness Evans of Bowes Park on 28 January (HL Deb col 1804), and the Written Answers from Lord True on 17 February (HL12832 and HL12833), what representations they received from members of political parties prior to the Minister of the Constitution’s letter of 22 January which stated the Government view that campaigning activity should distinguish between volunteer distribution of campaign leaflets and identical activity by people paid by commercial organisations; and whether they received representations on this issue from (1) Conservative Campaign Headquarters (CCHQ), or (2) people who may have been acting on CCHQ's behalf.

Democracy should not be cancelled because of covid. As outlined in my Written Ministerial Statement of 8 February 2021 (HLWS766), the Government has confirmed that the set of council, mayor and Police and Crime Commissioner elections scheduled for May will go ahead, and made a firm commitment that the Government will support the sector to deliver them.

The Government has published a Delivery Plan for the May elections, setting out how the Government will support local elections teams to deliver effective polls that are covid-secure for voters and staff. The Medical Officers advised Ministers in drawing up this delivery plan. The Government has committed to further engage with political parties through the Parliamentary Parties Panel and the Local Government Association; we are committed to ensuring we take into consideration the views of independent candidates as effectively as possible.

Campaigning is an essential part of democracy. Voters deserve to be well informed before going to the polls and there must be a level playing field for candidates. On 22 February the Prime Minister announced the Government’s roadmap out of lockdown and we have since published guidance on campaigning reflecting the updated COVID restrictions/guidance.

The whole of England remains in a national lockdown and will do so until 29 March. The current restrictions do not support door-to-door campaigning or leafleting by individual campaigners. Leaving home to undertake leafleting increases the risk of unnecessary social interactions and viral transmission both during travel and on doorsteps. Campaigners should instead ensure leafleting is carried out through existing commercial delivery services, which are already operating and delivering during the national lockdown. Any spending on this which is incurred during a regulated period must count towards a candidate’s spending limit.


From 8 March, individual activists will be able to campaign outdoors in a COVID-secure way. The rules will allow for individual campaigners to deliver leaflets and to engage with electors on their doorsteps - but they should always be socially distanced and not enter inside people’s homes.

Lord True
Leader of the House of Lords and Lord Privy Seal
23rd Feb 2021
To ask Her Majesty's Government what was the legal basis for the view set out in the Minister of the Constitution’s letter of 22 January distinguishing between volunteer distribution of campaign leaflets and identical activity by people paid by commercial organisations; what reference is made to this distinction in the COVID-19 regulations, and what assessment they have made of whether holding elections on 6 May with (1) this restriction, and (2) other restrictions related to the COVID-19 pandemic, will contribute to reduced turnout and campaign activity.

Democracy should not be cancelled because of covid. As outlined in my Written Ministerial Statement of 8 February 2021 (HLWS766), the Government has confirmed that the set of council, mayor and Police and Crime Commissioner elections scheduled for May will go ahead, and made a firm commitment that the Government will support the sector to deliver them.

The Government has published a Delivery Plan for the May elections, setting out how the Government will support local elections teams to deliver effective polls that are covid-secure for voters and staff. The Medical Officers advised Ministers in drawing up this delivery plan. The Government has committed to further engage with political parties through the Parliamentary Parties Panel and the Local Government Association; we are committed to ensuring we take into consideration the views of independent candidates as effectively as possible.

Campaigning is an essential part of democracy. Voters deserve to be well informed before going to the polls and there must be a level playing field for candidates. On 22 February the Prime Minister announced the Government’s roadmap out of lockdown and we have since published guidance on campaigning reflecting the updated COVID restrictions/guidance.

The whole of England remains in a national lockdown and will do so until 29 March. The current restrictions do not support door-to-door campaigning or leafleting by individual campaigners. Leaving home to undertake leafleting increases the risk of unnecessary social interactions and viral transmission both during travel and on doorsteps. Campaigners should instead ensure leafleting is carried out through existing commercial delivery services, which are already operating and delivering during the national lockdown. Any spending on this which is incurred during a regulated period must count towards a candidate’s spending limit.


From 8 March, individual activists will be able to campaign outdoors in a COVID-secure way. The rules will allow for individual campaigners to deliver leaflets and to engage with electors on their doorsteps - but they should always be socially distanced and not enter inside people’s homes.

Lord True
Leader of the House of Lords and Lord Privy Seal
23rd Feb 2021
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether it is still their aim to ensure that there is a level playing field in the conduct of election campaigns; what assessment they have made of whether this aim is achievable in elections scheduled for this May, in which the delivery of campaign literature by volunteers has been discouraged by the Government whilst the delivery of campaign literature by commercial organisations for political parties is not; and whether advice to party volunteers is consistent with that for party leaders making campaign visits across the country.

Democracy should not be cancelled because of covid. As outlined in my Written Ministerial Statement of 8 February 2021 (HLWS766), the Government has confirmed that the set of council, mayor and Police and Crime Commissioner elections scheduled for May will go ahead, and made a firm commitment that the Government will support the sector to deliver them.

The Government has published a Delivery Plan for the May elections, setting out how the Government will support local elections teams to deliver effective polls that are covid-secure for voters and staff. The Medical Officers advised Ministers in drawing up this delivery plan. The Government has committed to further engage with political parties through the Parliamentary Parties Panel and the Local Government Association; we are committed to ensuring we take into consideration the views of independent candidates as effectively as possible.

Campaigning is an essential part of democracy. Voters deserve to be well informed before going to the polls and there must be a level playing field for candidates. On 22 February the Prime Minister announced the Government’s roadmap out of lockdown and we have since published guidance on campaigning reflecting the updated COVID restrictions/guidance.

The whole of England remains in a national lockdown and will do so until 29 March. The current restrictions do not support door-to-door campaigning or leafleting by individual campaigners. Leaving home to undertake leafleting increases the risk of unnecessary social interactions and viral transmission both during travel and on doorsteps. Campaigners should instead ensure leafleting is carried out through existing commercial delivery services, which are already operating and delivering during the national lockdown. Any spending on this which is incurred during a regulated period must count towards a candidate’s spending limit.


From 8 March, individual activists will be able to campaign outdoors in a COVID-secure way. The rules will allow for individual campaigners to deliver leaflets and to engage with electors on their doorsteps - but they should always be socially distanced and not enter inside people’s homes.

Lord True
Leader of the House of Lords and Lord Privy Seal
1st Feb 2021
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the reply by the Lord Privy Seal (Baroness Evans of Bowes Park) on 28 January (HL Deb col 1804), whether the Minister for the Constitution and Devolution received evidence from (1) NHS England, (2) the Department for Health and Social Care, and (3) the Chief Scientific and Medical Officers, prior to issuing the letter on campaign leaflets to political parties on 22 January.

Democracy should not be cancelled because of covid. As outlined in my Written Ministerial Statement of 8 February 2021 (HLWS766), the Government has confirmed that the set of council, mayor and Police and Crime Commissioner elections scheduled for May will go ahead, and made a firm commitment that the Government will support the sector to deliver them.

The Government has published a clear Delivery Plan for the May elections, setting out how the Government will support local elections teams to deliver effective polls that are covid-secure for voters and staff.

Current National Lockdown restrictions in England do not support door-to-door campaigning or leafleting by individual political party activists. However, campaigning is an essential part of democracy. Voters deserve to be well informed before going to the polls and there must be a level playing field for candidates. Further information on campaigning guidance and the interaction with prevailing covid restrictions will be issued in due course and well in advance of the polls.

Lord True
Leader of the House of Lords and Lord Privy Seal
1st Feb 2021
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the reply by the Lord Privy Seal (Baroness Evans of Bowes Park) on 28 January (HL Deb col 1804), what was the basis for the advice on local election campaign leaflets in relation (1) to leaflets delivered by volunteers, (2) to leaflets delivered by Royal Mail and other commercial organisations, and (3) to volunteers delivering COVID-19 safety information.

Democracy should not be cancelled because of covid. As outlined in my Written Ministerial Statement of 8 February 2021 (HLWS766), the Government has confirmed that the set of council, mayor and Police and Crime Commissioner elections scheduled for May will go ahead, and made a firm commitment that the Government will support the sector to deliver them.

The Government has published a clear Delivery Plan for the May elections, setting out how the Government will support local elections teams to deliver effective polls that are covid-secure for voters and staff.

Current National Lockdown restrictions in England do not support door-to-door campaigning or leafleting by individual political party activists. However, campaigning is an essential part of democracy. Voters deserve to be well informed before going to the polls and there must be a level playing field for candidates. Further information on campaigning guidance and the interaction with prevailing covid restrictions will be issued in due course and well in advance of the polls.

Lord True
Leader of the House of Lords and Lord Privy Seal
1st Feb 2021
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the reply by the Lord Privy Seal (Baroness Evans of Bowes Park) on 28 January (HL Deb col 1804), what representations they received from members of political parties prior to issuing the letter on campaign leaflets on 22 January.

Democracy should not be cancelled because of covid. As outlined in my Written Ministerial Statement of 8 February 2021 (HLWS766), the Government has confirmed that the set of council, mayor and Police and Crime Commissioner elections scheduled for May will go ahead, and made a firm commitment that the Government will support the sector to deliver them.

The Government has published a clear Delivery Plan for the May elections, setting out how the Government will support local elections teams to deliver effective polls that are covid-secure for voters and staff.

Current National Lockdown restrictions in England do not support door-to-door campaigning or leafleting by individual political party activists. However, campaigning is an essential part of democracy. Voters deserve to be well informed before going to the polls and there must be a level playing field for candidates. Further information on campaigning guidance and the interaction with prevailing covid restrictions will be issued in due course and well in advance of the polls.

Lord True
Leader of the House of Lords and Lord Privy Seal
1st Feb 2021
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the proposal by Lord Young of Cookham on 14 January (HL Deb col 889), what assessment they have made of the suggestion that local authorities should include information about registering to vote and voting by post with council tax bills; and whether this information can be delivered safely.

Electoral Registration Officers have the statutory responsibility for maintaining complete and accurate registers for their areas; decisions on what to include with local authority mailings is a matter for individual councils. The Electoral Commission (EC) also provides guidance for Electoral Registration Officers and will have a role in raising awareness of how people can vote by post or proxy. As part of their guidance to EROs on planning for the delivery of electoral registration, the EC advises that the online registration application form could be signposted on web pages that residents would most commonly use to carry out a transaction with the local authority, such as the page on which to register and pay for Council Tax.

1st Feb 2021
To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have (1) to introduce early voting for local elections in England, or (2) to allow polling to take place over the weekend.

Primary legislation states that the polls are to be held on 6 May. We do not consider there is a need for early voting. Advanced voting is already available to those who need or want it through postal voting on demand. Early voting in person would create unhelpful and unnecessary operational difficulties, by requiring additional polling venues and staffing requirements, in what is already a challenging environment for Returning Officers. We are instead supporting Returning Officers in delivering the elections on Thursday 6 May.

Lord True
Leader of the House of Lords and Lord Privy Seal
1st Feb 2021
To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to make arrangements for the local government election counts due to take place on 6 May in England to be conducted on a day soon after polling day to ensure that the counts can be COVID-19 secure.

The conduct of the count will be a matter for Returning Officers - the Government is working with the Electoral Commission to ensure guidance is available to support Returning Officers to effectively deliver the polls, as laid out in my Written Ministerial Statement of 8 February 2021 (HLWS766) and the Government’s Election Delivery Plan. In this process, we understand the importance of securing a safe environment for counts.

Lord True
Leader of the House of Lords and Lord Privy Seal
27th Jan 2021
To ask Her Majesty's Government what procedures are in place for citizens to complain against an individual civil servant in instances where they are believed to have broken the Civil Service Code; and where are complaints published.

All civil servants are required to adhere to the Civil Service Code values - integrity, honesty, objectivity and impartiality. If a member of the public wishes to complain about a civil servant, they should in the first instance contact the Department or Agency where the civil servant is employed. Each Department or Agency has its own complaints procedure that can be found on GOV.UK.

If the complainant is unsatisfied with the manner in which their complaint was handled, they can request that their Member of Parliament refer the matter to the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman to investigate.

Details of complaints investigated by the Parliamentary and Health Services Ombudsman are available in their published reports on their website, or included in the respective department's annual reports.

Lord True
Leader of the House of Lords and Lord Privy Seal
14th Dec 2020
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answers by Lord True on 23 November (HL10099) and 9 December (HL10705) and the letter sent by the Minister for the Constitution and Devolution to Electoral Returning Officers, published on 16 September, whether they will now answer the question put, namely, what plans they have, if any, to change requirements so (1) nomination papers require only two signatures, and (2) that nominations may be accepted by email.

The Government has considered issues around the nominations process for the May 2021 elections with the electoral sector and Public Health England and is of the view that the current process can be carried out in a covid-secure way. The Electoral Commission has published supplementary guidance to support this process and the Government is working to ensure that nominations activity is not affected by possible restrictions. There are no plans to change the number of signatures required for nomination papers at the May 2021 elections, or to allow nominations to be accepted by email. Returning Officers may allow parts of the nominations process to be carried out online, such as the arrangement of the necessary documents, but the final nomination papers must be delivered in person. The current procedures help ensure the veracity of the nominations process.

Lord True
Leader of the House of Lords and Lord Privy Seal
30th Nov 2020
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the remarks by Lord True on 26 November (HL Deb, col 397), what plans they have to ensure the provision of a link to the online electoral registration process in their electronic and other communications notifying people of their National Insurance numbers; and what steps they intend to take to consult with (1) the Electoral Commission, (2) Electoral Registration Officers, and (3) others, about the best ways of using such a process to improve the completeness of the electoral registers, without reducing accuracy, in a cost effective manner.

Electoral Registration Officers (EROs) have the statutory responsibility for maintaining complete and accurate registers for their areas. The Government’s role is to ensure EROs have the tools they need to do their jobs efficiently and effectively. This includes, for example, the recent changes to the annual canvass in Great Britain which will improve its overall efficiency considerably which will allow EROs to focus their efforts on hard to reach groups, and play an important role in helping to maintain register accuracy and completeness.

As it stands, National Insurance Number letters issued by HM Revenue and Customs state that you need your National Insurance Number to register to vote. Cabinet Office officials are in discussions with colleagues in HMRC regarding what further information could be included to help inform individuals about the registration process, and if it may be clarified.

The Government is committed to making registration as easy as possible and we encourage everyone who is eligible to register to vote.

Responsibility for the design of electoral registration forms, including the Invitation to Register form and all Canvass Communications lies with the Electoral Commission, with the Government providing final approval. The Electoral Commission undertakes extensive user testing of the forms to ensure they are as effective as possible at eliciting the appropriate response. Cabinet Office officials are regularly consulted by the Electoral Commission during the design stages of any new forms and also when changes are proposed to existing forms.

Lord True
Leader of the House of Lords and Lord Privy Seal
30th Nov 2020
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the remarks by Lord True on 26 November (HL Deb, col 397), what plans they have to provide a link to the online electoral registration process to those people provided with National Insurance numbers over the last two years in time for those people to register in time for the elections scheduled in May 2021; and what assessment they have made of the impact of such provision on the registration levels for that group.

Electoral Registration Officers (EROs) have the statutory responsibility for maintaining complete and accurate registers for their areas. The Government’s role is to ensure EROs have the tools they need to do their jobs efficiently and effectively. This includes, for example, the recent changes to the annual canvass in Great Britain which will improve its overall efficiency considerably which will allow EROs to focus their efforts on hard to reach groups, and play an important role in helping to maintain register accuracy and completeness.

As it stands, National Insurance Number letters issued by HM Revenue and Customs state that you need your National Insurance Number to register to vote. Cabinet Office officials are in discussions with colleagues in HMRC regarding what further information could be included to help inform individuals about the registration process, and if it may be clarified.

The Government is committed to making registration as easy as possible and we encourage everyone who is eligible to register to vote.

Responsibility for the design of electoral registration forms, including the Invitation to Register form and all Canvass Communications lies with the Electoral Commission, with the Government providing final approval. The Electoral Commission undertakes extensive user testing of the forms to ensure they are as effective as possible at eliciting the appropriate response. Cabinet Office officials are regularly consulted by the Electoral Commission during the design stages of any new forms and also when changes are proposed to existing forms.

Lord True
Leader of the House of Lords and Lord Privy Seal
30th Nov 2020
To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to consult with (a) Operation Black Vote, and (b) representatives of communities under represented on electoral registers, about ways (1) to increase representation on the electoral register, (2) to encourage participation in elections, (3) to increase social mobility through the availability of credit to those on the electoral register, and (4) to help to make juries, drawn from the electoral register, more representative.

Electoral Registration Officers (EROs) have the statutory responsibility for maintaining complete and accurate registers for their areas. The Government’s role is to ensure EROs have the tools they need to do their jobs efficiently and effectively. This includes, for example, the recent changes to the annual canvass in Great Britain which will improve its overall efficiency considerably which will allow EROs to focus their efforts on hard to reach groups, and play an important role in helping to maintain register accuracy and completeness.

As it stands, National Insurance Number letters issued by HM Revenue and Customs state that you need your National Insurance Number to register to vote. Cabinet Office officials are in discussions with colleagues in HMRC regarding what further information could be included to help inform individuals about the registration process, and if it may be clarified.

The Government is committed to making registration as easy as possible and we encourage everyone who is eligible to register to vote.

Responsibility for the design of electoral registration forms, including the Invitation to Register form and all Canvass Communications lies with the Electoral Commission, with the Government providing final approval. The Electoral Commission undertakes extensive user testing of the forms to ensure they are as effective as possible at eliciting the appropriate response. Cabinet Office officials are regularly consulted by the Electoral Commission during the design stages of any new forms and also when changes are proposed to existing forms.

Lord True
Leader of the House of Lords and Lord Privy Seal
30th Nov 2020
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the remarks by Lord True on 3 September (HL Deb, col 500), what plans they have to ensure that electoral registration forms are designed as effectively as possible using standards of best practice to increase the rate of return; and what steps they are taking to ensure that such forms, and any accompanying letters, consistently draw prominent attention to the legal requirements to comply with the registration process with reference to the appropriate maximum fines or penalties.

Electoral Registration Officers (EROs) have the statutory responsibility for maintaining complete and accurate registers for their areas. The Government’s role is to ensure EROs have the tools they need to do their jobs efficiently and effectively. This includes, for example, the recent changes to the annual canvass in Great Britain which will improve its overall efficiency considerably which will allow EROs to focus their efforts on hard to reach groups, and play an important role in helping to maintain register accuracy and completeness.

As it stands, National Insurance Number letters issued by HM Revenue and Customs state that you need your National Insurance Number to register to vote. Cabinet Office officials are in discussions with colleagues in HMRC regarding what further information could be included to help inform individuals about the registration process, and if it may be clarified.

The Government is committed to making registration as easy as possible and we encourage everyone who is eligible to register to vote.

Responsibility for the design of electoral registration forms, including the Invitation to Register form and all Canvass Communications lies with the Electoral Commission, with the Government providing final approval. The Electoral Commission undertakes extensive user testing of the forms to ensure they are as effective as possible at eliciting the appropriate response. Cabinet Office officials are regularly consulted by the Electoral Commission during the design stages of any new forms and also when changes are proposed to existing forms.

Lord True
Leader of the House of Lords and Lord Privy Seal
25th Nov 2020
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the case to consider changes to electoral arrangements for elections to be held in May 2021; what consultations they intend to hold with the Electoral Commission and others about any such arrangements; and what plans they have, if any, to change requirements so (1) nomination papers require only two signatures, and (2) that nominations may be accepted by email.

Further to the answer I have already given to PQ HL10099, the Government is working with the electoral administrators and Public Health England to identify and resolve challenges involved in delivering the May 2021 elections, including ensuring polling stations are safe and covid-secure places to vote. People will be able participate in the polls safely, and in a way of their choice, whether by post, proxy or in-person.

This was outlined in the Minister for the Constitution and Devolution’s letter to Electoral Returning Officers, which can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/letter-from-chloe-smith-mp-to-returning-officers

Lord True
Leader of the House of Lords and Lord Privy Seal
28th Apr 2020
To ask Her Majesty's Government what is the timetable for the next parliamentary boundary reorganisation process under the 2011 Parliamentary Voting System and Constituencies Act; what is the estimated cost for completing the work to be undertaken by the four Boundary Commissions under present legislation; and what plans they have to suspend the process.

Under existing legislation (Parliamentary Constituencies Act 1986 as amended by Parliamentary Voting System and Constituencies Act 2011), the next UK parliamentary boundary review is due to begin in early 2021 and to be completed before 1 October 2023.

The annual expenditure of the Boundary Commissions for England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland is, under current legislation, published in their respective annual reports which are available on their individual websites.

The Government’s plans with respect to UK parliamentary constituencies and boundary reviews were set out in a written statement of 24 March, ‘Update: Strengthening Democracy’ (HLWS179). The Government introduced primary legislation to set the framework of future boundary reviews, including the next review due to begin in early 2021, on 19 May.

The Government has engaged with stakeholders, including the political parties represented in the UK Parliament on its proposals, and taken into account reports made by the former Political and Constitutional Reform Committee and the Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee and representations made by Members of the House.

Lord True
Leader of the House of Lords and Lord Privy Seal
28th Apr 2020
To ask Her Majesty's Government on what basis they will consult on changes to the legislative rules applied to the Boundary Commission processes in the light of their intention to retain the number of MPs at 650; and what assessment they have made of the recommendations of the eighth report of the Political and Constitutional Reform Committee What next on the redrawing of parliamentary constituency boundaries? (HC600), published on 15 March 2015.

Under existing legislation (Parliamentary Constituencies Act 1986 as amended by Parliamentary Voting System and Constituencies Act 2011), the next UK parliamentary boundary review is due to begin in early 2021 and to be completed before 1 October 2023.

The annual expenditure of the Boundary Commissions for England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland is, under current legislation, published in their respective annual reports which are available on their individual websites.

The Government’s plans with respect to UK parliamentary constituencies and boundary reviews were set out in a written statement of 24 March, ‘Update: Strengthening Democracy’ (HLWS179). The Government introduced primary legislation to set the framework of future boundary reviews, including the next review due to begin in early 2021, on 19 May.

The Government has engaged with stakeholders, including the political parties represented in the UK Parliament on its proposals, and taken into account reports made by the former Political and Constitutional Reform Committee and the Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee and representations made by Members of the House.

Lord True
Leader of the House of Lords and Lord Privy Seal
28th Apr 2020
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the need to modernise and codify electoral legislation as recommended by the Law Commission.

The Government welcomes the Law Commission’s recently published Electoral Law report. The Government will consider the issues raised in the report, in conjunction with our wider programme of electoral integrity reforms, and will respond fully in due course.

Lord True
Leader of the House of Lords and Lord Privy Seal
27th Jan 2020
To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to implement the most recent Parliamentary Boundary Commission Review.

The final reports of the four Boundary Commissions in the 2018 Boundary Review were submitted to the Government and laid before Parliament in September 2018.

The Government will continue to monitor closely the current legal proceedings in relation to the Boundary Commission for Northern Ireland’s final report.

As we set out in our manifesto, the Government will ensure we have updated and equal parliamentary boundaries, making sure every vote has equal value.

Earl Howe
Deputy Leader of the House of Lords
27th Jan 2021
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the remarks by Lord Wolfson of Tredegar on 21 January (HL Deb, cols 95–6GC), whether they will place a copy of his legal opinion commending the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance definition of antisemitism in the Library of the House.

My noble Friend, Lord Wolfson of Tredegar, is keen to stress that this opinion — which he provided pro bono — is property of the client and legally privileged. However, the client has made the opinion publicly available online at the following link: https://antisemitism.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/Opinion-on-the-International-Definition-of-Antisemitism.pdf.

Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
29th Jul 2020
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the response by Baroness Berridge on 17 June (HL Deb, col 2180), when they intend to respond to the proposal to ask supermarkets involved in the free school meals scheme (1) to contribute to the cost of the scheme, and (2) to provide additional benefits to those using the vouchers; and what discussions they have had with supermarket chains about ways to support the poorest families during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Throughout the duration of the free school meal voucher scheme, we have been working closely with supermarkets. We recently wrote to and met with participating supermarkets to ensure their ongoing support and welcome their efforts to support families across the country. The voucher scheme and the COVID Summer Food Fund will shortly be coming to an end as children return to school in September and school kitchens re-open, providing free meals for those that are eligible.

13th May 2020
To ask the Leader of the House whether, and if so how, she is assessing the arrangements for conducting ballots to fill vacancies for hereditary peers after their suspension until 8 September; and how such arrangements will be put before the House.

The House resolved on 23 March that Standing Order 10(6) be suspended until 8 September. No further decisions of the House are required before the provisions of Standing Order 10(6) resume.

The Clerk of the Parliaments is responsible for making the arrangements for individual by-elections. In all recent by-elections those eligible to vote have been able to do so by post.

13th May 2020
To ask the Senior Deputy Speaker, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Evans of Bowes Park on 12 May (HL3709) what was the total cost in the parliamentary session 2017/2019 of allowances paid to peers elected by the process of conducting by-elections for hereditary members.

The total cost in the parliamentary session 2017/2019 of allowances paid to peers elected by the process of conducting by-elections for hereditary members was £1,674,929.

13th May 2020
To ask the Leader of the House whether any process for resuming the conduct of by-elections for hereditary peers will be put to a vote of the whole House of Lords before any more such by-elections take place.

The House resolved on 23 March that Standing Order 10(6) be suspended until 8 September. No further decisions of the House are required before the provisions of Standing Order 10(6) resume.

The Clerk of the Parliaments is responsible for making the arrangements for individual by-elections. In all recent by-elections those eligible to vote have been able to do so by post.

9th Feb 2023
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they have taken (1) to offer children with Congenital Hyperinsulinism continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) in order to avoid Hypoglycaemic incident and subsequent neurological harm, and (2) to ensure equality of funding for children with Hyperinsulinism regardless of geographical location in England.

NHS England is responsible for commissioning Highly Specialised Congenital Hyperinsulinism (CHI) Specialist Centres in London, Manchester, and Liverpool to provide a range of treatments for this condition. Care includes long-term monitoring of the glycaemic status of children with CHI to avoid hypoglycaemic incident and subsequent neurological harm. Additionally, the Specialist Centres engage with parents in the long-term care of children who also receive regular follow up at the centres with the involvement of a patient’s local healthcare provider to support care closer to home management. All patients with CHI are referred to and have access to these centres.

The Department has not had specific discussions with NHS England on Congenital Hyperinsulinism. Whilst no assessment has been made for prioritising early diagnosis thereof, it is acknowledged by the National Health Service and by practitioners involved in routine paediatric health assessment, surveillance and subsequent treatment, that the early diagnosis of CHI is important and that children usually start to show symptoms of CHI within the first few days of life, although very occasionally symptoms may appear later in infancy. The Specialist Centres also provide advice, education and support to local health care providers on CHI and the management of patients with CHI.

Lord Markham
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
9th Feb 2023
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the case for prioritising early diagnosis of Congenital Hyperinsulinism to prevent Hypoglycaemic incident and subsequent neurological harm in babies and children.

NHS England is responsible for commissioning Highly Specialised Congenital Hyperinsulinism (CHI) Specialist Centres in London, Manchester, and Liverpool to provide a range of treatments for this condition. Care includes long-term monitoring of the glycaemic status of children with CHI to avoid hypoglycaemic incident and subsequent neurological harm. Additionally, the Specialist Centres engage with parents in the long-term care of children who also receive regular follow up at the centres with the involvement of a patient’s local healthcare provider to support care closer to home management. All patients with CHI are referred to and have access to these centres.

The Department has not had specific discussions with NHS England on Congenital Hyperinsulinism. Whilst no assessment has been made for prioritising early diagnosis thereof, it is acknowledged by the National Health Service and by practitioners involved in routine paediatric health assessment, surveillance and subsequent treatment, that the early diagnosis of CHI is important and that children usually start to show symptoms of CHI within the first few days of life, although very occasionally symptoms may appear later in infancy. The Specialist Centres also provide advice, education and support to local health care providers on CHI and the management of patients with CHI.

Lord Markham
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
9th Feb 2023
To ask His Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with NHS England to embed knowledge of Congenital Hyperinsulinism among medical professionals and associations responsible for neo-natal, post-natal and paediatric care, to ensure urgent diagnosis to prevent neurological harm.

NHS England is responsible for commissioning Highly Specialised Congenital Hyperinsulinism (CHI) Specialist Centres in London, Manchester, and Liverpool to provide a range of treatments for this condition. Care includes long-term monitoring of the glycaemic status of children with CHI to avoid hypoglycaemic incident and subsequent neurological harm. Additionally, the Specialist Centres engage with parents in the long-term care of children who also receive regular follow up at the centres with the involvement of a patient’s local healthcare provider to support care closer to home management. All patients with CHI are referred to and have access to these centres.

The Department has not had specific discussions with NHS England on Congenital Hyperinsulinism. Whilst no assessment has been made for prioritising early diagnosis thereof, it is acknowledged by the National Health Service and by practitioners involved in routine paediatric health assessment, surveillance and subsequent treatment, that the early diagnosis of CHI is important and that children usually start to show symptoms of CHI within the first few days of life, although very occasionally symptoms may appear later in infancy. The Specialist Centres also provide advice, education and support to local health care providers on CHI and the management of patients with CHI.

Lord Markham
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
19th Jul 2022
To ask Her Majesty's Government what percentage of (1) paediatric, and (2) adult, cystic fibrosis centres in England had a (a) social worker, and (b) clinical psychologist, vacancy for more than six months for each year since 2015.

The information requested is not held centrally.

6th Apr 2022
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the status of the forthcoming medicines update of the NG28 Type 2 Diabetes Guideline; and how long it will take for updated guidance to be produced.

The National Institute of Health and Care Excellence (NICE) published the updated guidance Type 2 diabetes in adults: management on 31 March 2022. A copy of the guidance is attached. NICE made new recommendations on the use of medicines for adults with type 2 diabetes and chronic kidney disease in November 2021 and for adults with type 2 diabetes in February 2022. NICE is also updating its recommendations on medicines for type 2 diabetes in children and young people and expects to publish updated guidance in January 2024.