Asked by: Lord Elliott of Ballinamallard (Ulster Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of declassified files stating that the Government “turned a blind eye” to IRA criminality, including murder; and whether they have plans to make a statement in response.
Answered by Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
The Government does not comment on National Archives releases or releases relating to previous Governments.
Asked by: Lord Elliott of Ballinamallard (Ulster Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to extend the provisions of the Farriers (Registration) Act 1975 to Northern Ireland.
Answered by Baroness Hayman of Ullock - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Farriers (Registration) Act 1975 promotes the proper shoeing of a horse, preventing suffering or cruelty to horses, and provides regulations for the establishment of a Farriers Registration Council to register persons engaged in farriery. There are no plans to amend this legislation currently.
Asked by: Lord Elliott of Ballinamallard (Ulster Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to improve co-operation with the Northern Ireland Executive and government of Ireland in order to facilitate movement of equine animals between their respective areas, and improve processes for their registration.
Answered by Baroness Hayman of Ullock - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Government recognises the importance of the equine sector to the UK economy. The majority of equine movements into and out of Great Britain take place with the island of Ireland, so we regularly engage with the Department for Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs in Northern Ireland and the Department for Agriculture, Food and the Marine in the Republic of Ireland.
Asked by: Lord Elliott of Ballinamallard (Ulster Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have for financing a 'just transition' for climate change.
Answered by Lord Hunt of Kings Heath - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The net zero transition is not only the economic opportunity of the century, but it will also support the creation of hundreds of thousands of good jobs across the UK, protect our economy from future price shocks that reliance on fossil fuels create, while delivering a range of social and health benefits.
Asked by: Lord Elliott of Ballinamallard (Ulster Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether any targets have not been met in relation to climate change policy, legislation and regulations.
Answered by Lord Hunt of Kings Heath - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Climate Change Act sets our commitment to reach net zero emissions by 2050 in law as well as interim ‘carbon budget’ targets which set a legal limit on net territorial emissions over 5-year periods. The UK over-achieved against the first, second and third UK-wide carbon budget targets. We are now in the fourth carbon budget (2023-2027). The UK has already halved its emissions, having cut them by around 53% between 1990 and 2023.
Looking ahead to future climate change targets, the Government will deliver an updated Carbon Budget Delivery Plan that will outline the policies and proposals needed to deliver carbon budgets 4-6 on a pathway to net zero by 2050. The Government will set Carbon Budget 7 by June 2026, in line with our statutory duties.
Asked by: Lord Elliott of Ballinamallard (Ulster Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether any road building schemes have been stopped because of climate change considerations.
Answered by Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill - Minister of State (Department for Transport)
No DfT-sponsored road schemes in England have been stopped due to climate change considerations. Environmental considerations, including climate change impacts, are considered at key stages of the development of road schemes.
Asked by: Lord Elliott of Ballinamallard (Ulster Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask His Majesty's Government what action they intend to take following the findings of Mr Justice Humphreys in the matter of an inquest into the deaths of Kevin Barry O’Donnell, Patrick Vincent, Peter Clancy and Sean O’Farrell.
Answered by Lord Coaker - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
We acknowledge concerns about the coroner’s findings in the Clonoe inquest and the Ministry of Defence is reviewing the coroner’s findings carefully. It would not be appropriate to comment further at this time.
Asked by: Lord Elliott of Ballinamallard (Ulster Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask His Majesty's Government what financial commitment there is to the Reserve Forces and Cadet Associations to ensure their positive roles are enhanced.
Answered by Lord Coaker - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
The Reserve Forces’ and Cadets’ Associations (RFCAs) provide a vital role in supporting Defence activity. Their future funding is assured as part of the Ministry of Defence’s Annual Budget Cycle processes. Financial information for the RFCAs can be found in the published Consolidated Financial Statements in their Annual Reports and Accounts, the latest three of which were placed in the Library of the House on 22 October 2024. These documents extend to Financial Year (FY) 2022-23 and can be found as Deposited Papers at the following website: https://depositedpapers.parliament.uk/depositedpaper/2286623/details.
Asked by: Lord Elliott of Ballinamallard (Ulster Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to strengthen the current structures of the Reserve Forces' and Cadets' Associations.
Answered by Lord Coaker - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
The 2019 Review of the Reserve Forces’ and Cadets’ Associations (RFCAs) recommended that the Council of RFCAs (CRFCA) and the 13 RFCAs should be merged into a single Executive Non-Departmental Public Body (NDPB). The Ministry of Defence is currently developing the requisite NDPB operating structure which will preserve the voice and influence of the membership, both at the national and regional level, and will also ensure that structures are consistent throughout the organisation.
Asked by: Lord Elliott of Ballinamallard (Ulster Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they have made representations to BBC Northern Ireland after it described the Special Air Service in an article published on 11 January as “one of the British Army's most infamous regiments”.
Answered by Lord Coaker - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
While I am unable to comment on UK Special Forces specifically, I can say that our military is respected worldwide for the highest standards of conduct and excellence on operations.