Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask His Majesty's Government how many miles of the King Charles III England Coast Path (1) have been, and (2) are still to be, completed.

Answered by Baroness Hayman of Ullock - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

The King Charles III England Coast Path is expected to be completed by Spring 2026. This government has inherited a delivery programme that has been delayed by several factors such as rising costs of materials and constrained capacity in local authorities.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask His Majesty's Government when they expect the King Charles III England Coast Path to be completed.

Answered by Baroness Hayman of Ullock - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

The King Charles III England Coast Path is expected to be completed by Spring 2026. This government has inherited a delivery programme that has been delayed by several factors such as rising costs of materials and constrained capacity in local authorities.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Livermore on 5 February (HL4291), how many individuals have made partial contributions towards state pension through National Insurance between 2006 and 2018.

Answered by Lord Livermore - Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)

With regards to how many individuals are eligible to make voluntary contributions for gaps in their National Insurance records for 2006-2018 before the 5 April deadline, HMRC is not able to provide this information as it is not centrally held and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.

HMRC are confident that all voluntary payments are accurately recorded on customers’ accounts and these are visible to the customer in the ‘Check your National Insurance record’ available via GOV.UK.

HMRC does not record how many people have made partial contributions between 2006 and 2018. Since the enhanced online Check your State Pension forecast service launched on 29 April 2024, it has enabled 60,000 people to top up £62 million.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Livermore on 5 February (HL4291), why HMRC does not hold this information on National Insurance contributions by individuals.

Answered by Lord Livermore - Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)

With regards to how many individuals are eligible to make voluntary contributions for gaps in their National Insurance records for 2006-2018 before the 5 April deadline, HMRC is not able to provide this information as it is not centrally held and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.

HMRC are confident that all voluntary payments are accurately recorded on customers’ accounts and these are visible to the customer in the ‘Check your National Insurance record’ available via GOV.UK.

HMRC does not record how many people have made partial contributions between 2006 and 2018. Since the enhanced online Check your State Pension forecast service launched on 29 April 2024, it has enabled 60,000 people to top up £62 million.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government which organisations have presented to the Child Poverty Taskforce ministerial advisory sessions; and on what topics.

Answered by Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

The Child Poverty Taskforce is drawing in evidence and expertise from all relevant departments, as is reflected in the broad membership of the Ministerial Taskforce. The Taskforce is co-chaired by the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions and the Secretary of State for Education. The Secretaries of State or their delegates from the following departments are members of the Taskforce: the Cabinet Office; the Department for Housing, Communities and Local Government; HM Treasury; the Department for Culture, Media and Sport; the Department for Business and Trade; the Department for Energy and Net Zero; the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs; the Department for Health and Social Care; the Wales Office; the Northern Ireland Office; and the Scotland Office.

The Taskforce has consulted external experts from a range of organisations, including local and regional government, charities, think tanks, businesses, and the public sector on a range of topics.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government who the members of its Child Poverty Taskforce are.

Answered by Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

The Child Poverty Taskforce is drawing in evidence and expertise from all relevant departments, as is reflected in the broad membership of the Ministerial Taskforce. The Taskforce is co-chaired by the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions and the Secretary of State for Education. The Secretaries of State or their delegates from the following departments are members of the Taskforce: the Cabinet Office; the Department for Housing, Communities and Local Government; HM Treasury; the Department for Culture, Media and Sport; the Department for Business and Trade; the Department for Energy and Net Zero; the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs; the Department for Health and Social Care; the Wales Office; the Northern Ireland Office; and the Scotland Office.

The Taskforce has consulted external experts from a range of organisations, including local and regional government, charities, think tanks, businesses, and the public sector on a range of topics.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Hayman of Ullock on 18 February (HL4686), whether they will now answer the question put, namely how many miles of the King Charles III England Coast Path (1) have been, and (2) are still to be, completed.

Answered by Baroness Hayman

The Government is continuing to make progress on the King Charles III England Coast Path (KCIIIECP), with over 51% of the path completed and now open for public use.

Of the remaining 1,270 miles, establishment works are underway on 976 miles, with less than 300 miles still to be approved. The entire project is set to be completed by Spring 2026, and when finished, the KCIIIECP will become the longest waymarked and managed coastal walking route in the world.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask His Majesty's Government what the budget for the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs was and is in 2021–22, 2022–23, 2023–24 and 2024–25.

Answered by Baroness Hayman of Ullock - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs budgets are published as Supplementary Estimates each year.

The table provided below shows the Departmental Expenditure Limits following Supplementary Estimates for the Resource and Capital Budgets, excluding Annually Managed Expenditure and Non-Budget Expenditure.

Further details can be found by searching for the published Central Government Supply Estimates for the relevant years on GOV.UK.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether the Office for Environmental Protection intends to give advice to a Minister of the Crown with regard to the Great British Energy Bill on its own initiative, in line with section 30(3) of the Environment Act 2021.

Answered by Lord Hunt of Kings Heath - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

Section 30(1) of the Environment Act 2021 states that the Office for Environmental Protection (OEP) must give advice to a Minister of the Crown about any proposed changes to environmental law, or any other matter relating to the natural environment, on which the Minister requires it to give advice.

Section 30(3) of the Environment Act 2021 states that the OEP may give advice to a Minister of the Crown about any changes to environmental law proposed by a Minister of the Crown.

The Great British Energy Bill does not propose any change to environmental law. Therefore, as there is no basis for the minister to form a view on the need for advice from the OEP on any matter relating to the natural environment, the OEP is not providing advice.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether a Minister of the Crown asked the Office for Environmental Protection for advice with regards to the Great British Energy Bill, in line with section 30(1) of the Environment Act 2021; and if not, why not.

Answered by Lord Hunt of Kings Heath - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

Section 30(1) of the Environment Act 2021 states that the Office for Environmental Protection (OEP) must give advice to a Minister of the Crown about any proposed changes to environmental law, or any other matter relating to the natural environment, on which the Minister requires it to give advice.

Section 30(3) of the Environment Act 2021 states that the OEP may give advice to a Minister of the Crown about any changes to environmental law proposed by a Minister of the Crown.

The Great British Energy Bill does not propose any change to environmental law. Therefore, as there is no basis for the minister to form a view on the need for advice from the OEP on any matter relating to the natural environment, the OEP is not providing advice.

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