Asked by: Lord Roberts of Llandudno (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask His Majesty's Government what new trade agreements they are discussing with the government of the United States of America.
Answered by Baroness Gustafsson - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The UK-US relationship is very strong, with trade of around £300 billion, and shared investment of over £1.2 trillion at the end of 2023. The Prime Minister and President Trump met on 27 February and agreed to deepen this relationship and to work together on a trade deal focused on tech. The Trade Secretary has also been engaging with the US Administration including Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, and US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer, to make the case for stronger UK-US trade that benefits both our countries, and will continue to make every effort to support British business.
Asked by: Lord Roberts of Llandudno (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask His Majesty's Government what different trade arrangements they are discussing with the government of the USA.
Answered by Baroness Gustafsson - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The UK-US relationship is very strong, with trade of around £300 billion, and shared investment of over £1.2 trillion at the end of 2023. The Prime Minister and President Trump met on 27 February and agreed to deepen this relationship and to work together on a trade deal focused on tech. The Trade Secretary has also been engaging with the US Administration including Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, and US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer, to make the case for stronger UK-US trade that benefits both our countries, and will continue to make every effort to support British business.
Asked by: Lord Roberts of Llandudno (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether there are British military personnel in Yemen.
Answered by Lord Coaker - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
There are no British military personnel currently stationed in Yemen.
Asked by: Lord Roberts of Llandudno (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask His Majesty's Government what is their assessment of the implications for the UK of any changes to trade agreements between the United States of America and Commonwealth countries within the last 12 months.
Answered by Baroness Jones of Whitchurch - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
It is not for the UK to comment on another country's trade relationships. Clearly there are ongoing discussions between the US and Commonwealth countries on their relationship and interests. The UK deeply values its strong trading ties with both the US and the Commonwealth countries, and we will continue to build on these relationships in the future.
Asked by: Lord Roberts of Llandudno (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Chapman of Darlington on 5 March (HL5369), what assessment they have made of the potential impact on the UK’s soft power of cutting the aid budget to 0.3 per cent by 2027.
Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Prime Minister has set out a new strategic vision for government spending on defence and security and Official Development Assistance (ODA). Detailed decisions on the future allocation of resources will be worked through as part of the ongoing Spending Review based on various factors including impact assessments.
Asked by: Lord Roberts of Llandudno (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government which countries will be affected by cutting the aid budget to 0.3 per cent by 2027.
Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Prime Minister has set out a new strategic vision for government spending on defence and security, and Official Development Assistance (ODA). Detailed decisions on how the ODA budget will be used will be worked through as part of the ongoing Spending Review based on various factors including impact assessments and value for money.
Asked by: Lord Roberts of Llandudno (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what provisions they have in place to audit adherence to treaty agreements between the UK and countries in the Middle East.
Answered by Lord Collins of Highbury - Lord in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
The UK enjoys a wide range of agreements with the countries of North Africa and the Middle East. We keep all aspects of our relationships, including participation in any bilateral or multilateral agreements, under review.
Asked by: Lord Roberts of Llandudno (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what rules exist to prevent foreign nationals who are convicted felons from entering the UK.
Answered by Lord Hanson of Flint - Minister of State (Home Office)
Part 9 of the Immigration Rules provides for the refusal of entry clearance or permission to enter or stay in the UK for foreign nationals with previous criminal convictions. Each case is considered on its individual merits. Mandatory grounds for refusal apply where a person has a previous criminal conviction which resulted in a custodial sentence of 12 months or more; is a persistent offender; has committed an offence which caused serious harm; or whose presence in the UK is not conducive to the public good. Refusal is also mandatory for visitors and those coming to the UK for less than 6 months if they have received a custodial sentence of less than 12 months or a non-custodial sentence, unless a period of at least 12 months has passed.
Asked by: Lord Roberts of Llandudno (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask His Majesty's Government what measures they have in place to ensure that the beliefs of different faiths are respected.
Answered by Lord Khan of Burnley - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
Our country is strengthened by individuals of different faiths and beliefs, and the valuable contribution they make to our communities. I regularly meet leaders and representatives of major faiths and beliefs, and in the first six months in my role, I am proud to have engaged with all faith groups in the UK. The insights of faith and belief groups play an important role in shaping policies that promote inclusivity, understanding, and respect across our society.
Departmental officials also hold strong relationships with many faith and belief representatives, as interfaith practitioners.
This government also recognises and respects the importance of the various festivals commemorated by our different faiths. These are marked through attendance at events and receptions, and on the department’s social media channels.
Asked by: Lord Roberts of Llandudno (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to reopen or replicate (1) the Homes for Ukraine Sponsorship Scheme, and (2) Ukraine Family Scheme visas.
Answered by Lord Hanson of Flint - Minister of State (Home Office)
The Homes for Ukraine scheme remains open, uncapped and free of charge for Ukrainians in need of temporary sanctuary to apply to come to the UK for 18 months.
These applications must be sponsored by someone who is British, Irish or settled in the UK. Homes for Ukraine provides guests with the right to live, work and access benefits and services while in the UK.
The Ukraine Family scheme closed on 19 February 2024, in favour of a single visa application route (Homes for Ukraine) for Ukrainians to come to the UK and another (the Ukraine Permission Extension Scheme) for those seeking to extend their leave already in the UK. This simplifies the schemes and provides greater clarity for applicants whilst ensuring consistency in accommodation and safeguarding checks.
The Government continues to keep the Ukraine schemes under consistent review in line with developments in the ongoing war.