Asked by: Viscount Waverley (Crossbench - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Vere of Norbiton on 20 September (HL10119), whether they have made an assessment of the effectiveness of the Generation Logistics campaign; and whether they will make an assessment of the merits of further funding for Generation Logistics, beyond the £300,000 secured for 2024.
Answered by Lord Davies of Gower - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
Assessments of Generation Logistics have been completed by both the Department for Transport and the industry campaign programme team. Positive messages about the logistics sector and its career pathways have been spread amongst under-represented groups through the first year of the campaign. It exceeded expectations by achieving over 3.5 million engagements with social media activities and 789,000 visits to its online hub. Since establishing an Ambassadors Network, over 330 logistics professionals are now championing this important sector through engagement opportunities with young people. [1]
We consider Generation Logistics to have been successful in its aim of raising awareness of, and positive sentiment towards, the logistics sector. Following the launch of its second year in October, we continue to work closely with The Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport, Logistics UK, and all the campaign sponsors and partners, to ensure this messaging reaches young people in schools and colleges. We will continue to monitor and evaluate the campaign as it progresses through its second year to determine the merits of further funding.
[1] Year 1 campaign statistics provided by the programme team’s evaluation piece from The Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport and Logistics UK.
Asked by: Viscount Waverley (Crossbench - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether Border Force have a list of democratically elected heads of state, heads of government and ministers to ensure that inappropriate questioning does not occur when such persons enter or transit through the UK.
Answered by Lord Sharpe of Epsom - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)
Border Force are legally mandated to carry out checks on 100% of scheduled arrivals into the UK, including diplomats, ministers and VIPs. Border Force do not retain a list of all Heads of State and other government diplomats, however work closely with the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office on any official visits.
There is specific guidance on the way Border Force handle government travel available on GOV.UK: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/exempt-exm/exempt-exm
Asked by: Viscount Waverley (Crossbench - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether the terms and conditions of civil servant contracts initiated after the COVID-19 pandemic specify (1) a location of work, or (2) the amount of time that civil servants must be present in an office location.
Answered by Baroness Neville-Rolfe - Minister of State (Cabinet Office)
Decisions on flexible working requests are made locally by departments, based on their business needs and delivery requirements. As departments are individual employers they set out their employees’ terms and conditions, including any flexible working policies.
Ministers are clear that civil servants should be in the workplace where needed to drive delivery and they should adhere to their contractual obligations. Workplace attendance has an important role in effective service delivery to the public.
To deliver value for the taxpayer means ensuring we maximise the use of the estate and proactively manage workplace attendance. Therefore, in addition to the thousands of civil servants working in such places as prisons, courts and our UK borders, office-based workers will be expected to spend a minimum of 60% of working time in the workplace.
Asked by: Viscount Waverley (Crossbench - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they have a record of any head of a state that is a close ally of the UK being subjected to questioning by Border Force when transiting through a UK airport.
Answered by Lord Sharpe of Epsom - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)
Border Force does not hold the data in an easily accessible format on Heads of State being subject to questioning.
There is specific guidance on the way Border Force handle government travel available on GOV.UK: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/exempt-exm/exempt-exm
Asked by: Viscount Waverley (Crossbench - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to conduct a review of the UK's relationship with the overseas territories.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
At the November UK-OT Joint Ministerial Council, the UK Government agreed a Declaration with the elected Governments of the Overseas Territories (OTs), providing a new framework for our relationship with the OTs that is based on our shared values, and is fit for the 21st Century.
This refresh and modernisation of the relationships between UK and OTs will continue with the ongoing development, announced by the former Foreign Secretary in the Spring, of a new UK Strategy for the Overseas Territories, building on the 2012 White Paper.
Asked by: Viscount Waverley (Crossbench - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether the government of Rwanda has requested the extradition of individuals associated with genocide-related activities; if so, whether those individuals have been extradited; and, if not, why.
Answered by Lord Sharpe of Epsom - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)
In July 2017, extradition requests from Rwanda for five individuals accused of involvement in the genocide were refused by the High Court. The Government does not interfere in these judicial decisions.
Asked by: Viscount Waverley (Crossbench - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government which directorate produced the list of invitees for the recent Ukraine Recovery Conference; and what were the criteria for selection for the invitees.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
As co-hosts for the Ukraine Recovery Conference (URC), the programme and attendance was agreed between the Governments of Ukraine and the UK. In addition to the countries and organisations which participated in previous URCs, we invited representatives from Africa, Asia, the Middle East and South America, recognising the global economic consequences of the war. Over 500 international businesses participated - selected in coordination with the Department of Business and Trade - to promote the potential of the private sector to support Ukraine's recovery. Representatives from Ukrainian and international civil society were selected from a diverse range of sectors at national, regional and local levels.
Asked by: Viscount Waverley (Crossbench - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they keep a list of exporters for the purposes of determining who to invite to government sponsored trade conferences held in the UK; and what are the criteria for selection for invitees to such conferences.
Answered by Lord Offord of Garvel - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The Department for Business and Trade (DBT) does not maintain an official list of exporters for this particular purpose. The criteria for selecting businesses invited by the Department to specific events vary depending on several factors. These factors differ based on the type of events, whether organised by DBT or third parties. Invitations to events are extended to businesses based on the Department's contacts with them, collaboration with stakeholders, or broader promotional efforts.
Asked by: Viscount Waverley (Crossbench - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask His Majesty's Government which directorate produces the list of invitees for the Uzbek–British Trade and Industry Council; and what are the criteria for selection for the invitees.
Answered by Lord Offord of Garvel - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The British Embassy have set up a registration site that is open to all interested parties. The event is published publicly on the GREAT website, and the Department for Business and Trade and Uzbekistan's Ministry of Investment work together to amplify and raise awareness of the event among businesses. No criteria is applied to those that wish to register and attend.
Asked by: Viscount Waverley (Crossbench - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask His Majesty's Government which directorate produces the list of invitees for the Kazakh–British Trade and Industry Council; and what are the criteria for selection for the invitees.
Answered by Lord Offord of Garvel - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The Kazakh-British Trade and Industry Council no longer exists.