Asked by: Viscount Waverley (Crossbench - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the likelihood of a "G2", similar to the G20, between China and the United States, and what steps they are taking to influence the establishment of such a group.
Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
We take a close interest in the relationship between the US and China as P5 members. We engage with the countries individually in pursuit of our interests. The US is an indispensable ally, and we are committed to the depth and breadth of the UK-US relationship across defence, intelligence and foreign policy. We will continue to work with the US on the basis of our shared values and interests. With China, we will take a consistent, long term and strategic approach to managing our relations, rooted in UK and global interests. We will co-operate where we can, compete where we need to, and challenge where we must.
Asked by: Viscount Waverley (Crossbench - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government to what extent pragmatic but stable engagement with China is integral to their foreign policy.
Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
As G20 countries and members of the UN Security Council, the UK and China have a shared responsibility to work together. This Government will take a long-term, consistent and strategic approach to UK-China relations; cooperating where we can, competing where we need to and challenging where we must.
Asked by: Viscount Waverley (Crossbench - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they have conducted an impact assessment of adding China on to the enhanced tier of the Foreign Influence Registration Scheme.
Answered by Lord Hanson of Flint - Minister of State (Home Office)
The Government is working at pace to implement the Foreign Influence Registration Scheme. We have recruited a case management team and are developing the IT arrangements. We expect the scheme to commence in Summer 2025.
It would not be appropriate to comment on the scope of any specifications under the enhanced tier at this stage. Work is underway to identify which foreign powers will be placed on the enhanced tier and an impact assessment will be published alongside any regulations which specify countries on the enhanced tier of the scheme.
The proposed foreign entities to be included on the enhanced tier will be subject to formal debate and agreement by both Houses of Parliament in due course.
Asked by: Viscount Waverley (Crossbench - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they have made an estimate of the reduction in foreign direct investment from China from adding it to the enhanced tier of the Foreign Influence Registration Scheme.
Answered by Lord Hanson of Flint - Minister of State (Home Office)
The Government is working at pace to implement the Foreign Influence Registration Scheme. We have recruited a case management team and are developing the IT arrangements. We expect the scheme to commence in Summer 2025.
It would not be appropriate to comment on the scope of any specifications under the enhanced tier at this stage. Work is underway to identify which foreign powers will be placed on the enhanced tier and an impact assessment will be published alongside any regulations which specify countries on the enhanced tier of the scheme.
The proposed foreign entities to be included on the enhanced tier will be subject to formal debate and agreement by both Houses of Parliament in due course.
Asked by: Viscount Waverley (Crossbench - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have of the impact on economic growth of adding China to the enhanced tier of the Foreign Influence Registration Scheme.
Answered by Lord Hanson of Flint - Minister of State (Home Office)
The Government is working at pace to implement the Foreign Influence Registration Scheme. We have recruited a case management team and are developing the IT arrangements. We expect the scheme to commence in Summer 2025.
It would not be appropriate to comment on the scope of any specifications under the enhanced tier at this stage. Work is underway to identify which foreign powers will be placed on the enhanced tier and an impact assessment will be published alongside any regulations which specify countries on the enhanced tier of the scheme.
The proposed foreign entities to be included on the enhanced tier will be subject to formal debate and agreement by both Houses of Parliament in due course.
Asked by: Viscount Waverley (Crossbench - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether the Chancellor of the Exchequer is planning to visit China in early 2025, and what level of priority they are giving to developing a relationship with China built on trade and investment.
Answered by Lord Livermore - Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)
A strong UK-China relationship is important for both countries, and investment and growth are priorities for this government. China is one of our biggest trading partners and therefore it is important to have serious, pragmatic discussions with its leaders, cooperating where we can, competing when needed and challenging where we must.
The Prime Minister met President Xi Jinping at the G20 Summit in November and agreed that the Chancellor should visit Beijing in 2025 to discuss economic and financial cooperation with her counterpart, Vice Premier He Lifeng. Ministerial travel will be confirmed in the usual way.
Asked by: Viscount Waverley (Crossbench - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the number of heat pump installers; and what measures they are taking to ensure that there are sufficient numbers of them to meet the targets contained in the Government's heat pump strategy.
Answered by Lord Hunt of Kings Heath - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Government is working closely with industry to ensure that sufficient installers are available to install heat pumps. The Heat Pump Association (HPA) estimate that as of 2023, the heat pump installer workforce is made up of between 4,000 and 10,000 trained and active installers. Nearly 8,000 individuals completed training in 2023, so we are well in line with current workforce training needs.
To meet future demand, the Government is supporting trainees in England taking training relevant to heat pumps and heat networks under the £5 million Heat Training Grant. Industry is also investing in upskilling the existing workforce. Octopus Energy has invested £10 million in a new training centre in Slough, Ideal Heating have announced a multi-million-pound training centre in Bridgehead near Hull, and Aira is investing £300m in the UK heat pump market, including setting up training academies.
Asked by: Viscount Waverley (Crossbench - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask His Majesty's Government to what extent they consider countries’ presence on the Financial Action Task Force's grey and black lists in assessing their suitability for (1) existing trade agreements or (2) trade agreement negotiations.
Answered by Baroness Jones of Whitchurch - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
The UK plays an active role within the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) and will continue to work with partners globally to tackle money laundering and the financing of terrorism. We will continue to seek provisions in our trade agreements that address the trade-distorting effects of corruption.
The Government is also committed to publishing a Trade Strategy in Spring 2025 that will be growth-based and future focused and will set out the government’s approach to future trade policy including our overarching approach to trade levers such as trade agreements.
Asked by: Viscount Waverley (Crossbench - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask His Majesty's Government what implications the presence of Croatia on the Financial Action Task Force grey list has for the provision of British banking services in relation to that country.
Answered by Lord Livermore - Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Financial Action Task Force (FATF) publicly lists jurisdictions with weak anti-money laundering and counter terrorism financing regimes. The Money Laundering Regulations 2017 (MLRs) require regulated businesses, including banks, to undertake ‘enhanced due diligence’ in respect of business relationships and transactions involving countries on the FATF’s lists, defined as ‘High Risk Third Countries’.
Croatia was listed by the FATF in June 2023, so is a High Risk Third Country for the purposes of the MLRs. While enhanced due diligence measures are required, there is no expectation that services linked to a particular country should be withdrawn due to a country’s listing by the FATF.
Asked by: Viscount Waverley (Crossbench - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether British citizens with residency in a Schengen Area country will be required to register biometrics and fingerprints on their first visit to the Schengen Area after the EU’s entry / exit system is introduced.
Answered by Lord Hanson of Flint - Minister of State (Home Office)
The EU’s Entry/Exit System (EES) is an automated IT system for registering non-EU nationals travelling for a short stay, each time they cross the external borders of any of the participating European countries.
However, non-EU nationals that hold a residency card or permit in a Schengen Area country and those holding documents showing they qualify as Withdrawal Agreement beneficiaries will not be required to register for EES, this includes British citizens.