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Written Question
Food: Coronavirus
Wednesday 6th May 2020

Asked by: Baroness Smith of Basildon (Labour - Life peer)

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask Her Majesty's Government, for the purposes of COVID-19 measures, what guidance and advice is available to shops and retail outlets that have essential and non-essential goods for sale.

Answered by Lord True - Leader of the House of Lords and Lord Privy Seal

The Prime Minister has given important instructions to enforce social distancing to reduce the chance of transmission. To help this vital effort, he has announced the closure of all shops selling non-essential goods.

The Government has not asked all businesses to shut – indeed it is important for business to carry on - and comprehensive guidance on the exceptions can be found on gov.uk: (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/further-businesses-and-premises-to-close) Only some non-essential shops and public venues have been asked to close.

The UK Government, working with Public Health England and the Health and Safety Executive, has published guidance on social distancing, which it continues to update to provide greater clarity for employers and employees on these measures which can be found on gov.uk: https://www.hse.gov.uk/news/social-distancing-coronavirus.htm

Businesses that do have people onsite should ensure that employees and customers are able to follow Public Health England guidelines including, where possible, maintaining a two metre distance from others. This guidance can also be found on gov.uk: (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/guidance-to-employers-and-businesses-about-covid-19/guidance-for-employers-and-businesses-on-coronavirus-covid-19)

In addition to this, the Prime Minister has said we will take every step that we can to ensure that businesses are protected; this includes essential businesses experiencing difficulties. There is specific business advice available; the first port of call for advice and guidance should be the dedicated gov.uk pages referenced above. There is a dedicated Business Support Helpline (0300 456 3565) which has also been strengthened so businesses can speak directly to an adviser.


Written Question
Written Questions
Thursday 21st February 2019

Asked by: Baroness Smith of Basildon (Labour - Life peer)

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what advice and guidance is available to ministers about answering written parliamentary questions.

Answered by Lord Young of Cookham

Guidance on responding to Parliamentary Questions, and details of ministerial responsibilities, can be found on Gov.uk. This guidance states that Ministers must:

  1. Adhere to the Ministerial Code
  2. Give relevant information fully, as concisely as possible and in accordance with guidance on disproportionate cost.
  3. Not omit information sought merely because disclosure could lead to political embarrassment or administrative inconvenience.
  4. Provide an explanation if it is concluded that information should be withheld.
  5. Take care to avoid answers which are literally true but likely to give rise to misleading inferences.
  6. Provide responses to answers as follows:
  • Named Day – on the day specified
  • Ordinary Written – within 5 working days
  • House of Lords Written – within 10 working days

Written Question
Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport: Advertising
Thursday 9th November 2017

Asked by: Baroness Smith of Basildon (Labour - Life peer)

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask Her Majesty's Government how much they and their agencies spent on commercial advertising on (1) TV, and (2) radio, in each year since 2009, broken down by region.

Answered by Lord Young of Cookham

The Government only holds this information from 2011. The majority of spend is conducted on a network (national) basis and splitting this spend by region is not possible.

Year

TV

Radio

2011

£33,379,859

£9,186,954

2012

£48,351,924

£15,243,673

2013

£39,254,363

£17,577,155

2014

£32,729,643

£14,308,621

2015

£51,729,850

£18,884,897

2016

£48,669,686

£11,927,962


Written Question
Constituencies
Monday 6th November 2017

Asked by: Baroness Smith of Basildon (Labour - Life peer)

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the effectiveness of advertising the boundary commission consultations on commercial radio.

Answered by Lord Young of Cookham

None. The conduct of the boundary review is a matter for the four independent and impartial Boundary Commissions.


Written Question
Schools: Electoral Register
Thursday 9th March 2017

Asked by: Baroness Smith of Basildon (Labour - Life peer)

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask Her Majesty’s Government (1) how many, and (2) what proportion of, schools in the UK work in partnership with electoral registration offices.

Answered by Lord Young of Cookham

The Government does not hold this data. Responsibility for such partnerships rests with local Electoral Registration Officer’s.


Written Question
Electoral Register: Students
Thursday 9th March 2017

Asked by: Baroness Smith of Basildon (Labour - Life peer)

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the answer by Lord Young of Cookham on 25 January (HL Deb, col 661), when they will publish analysis of the voter registration initiative trialled at Sheffield University; and what criteria will be used to determine the success of the initiative.

Answered by Lord Young of Cookham

The Government is currently evaluating the initiative trialled at the University of Sheffield and will be publishing its findings in due course.


Written Question
Brexit
Monday 12th December 2016

Asked by: Baroness Smith of Basildon (Labour - Life peer)

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment has been made of the current levels of Civil Service personnel and of their ability to manage the Brexit process.

Answered by Baroness Chisholm of Owlpen

The UK is well placed to deal with the challenges, and take advantage of the opportunities, that lie ahead as this nation makes a success of Brexit.

The Civil Service is focused on delivering this Government’s commitment to leave the EU and get the very best deal for the UK. We are equipping ourselves with the right people and the right skills across government to make this happen.


Written Question
Strathclyde Review
Monday 23rd November 2015

Asked by: Baroness Smith of Basildon (Labour - Life peer)

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the answer by the Lord Privy Seal on 28 October (HL Deb, col 1176), whether Lord Strathclyde’s review of the powers of the House of Lords will define "financial measure".

Answered by Baroness Stowell of Beeston

The Lord Privy Seal (Baroness Stowell of Beeston):

Lord Strathclyde is being supported in his review by a panel of external experts and a small secretariat of civil servants in the Cabinet Office. The secretariat does not include political advisers. The expert panel comprises Sir Stephen Laws, former First Parliamentary Counsel; Jacqy Sharpe, a former Clerk in the House of Commons and Clerk to the Joint Committee on Conventions; and Sir Michael Pownall, former Clerk of the Parliaments.

Several reviews have examined the powers of the House of Lords, including the Royal Commission on the reform of the House of Lords (2000) and the Joint Committee on Conventions referenced above (2006).

The review led by Lord Strathclyde is due to consider how to protect the ability of elected Governments to secure their business in Parliament in the light of the operation of certain conventions. The review will consider in particular how to secure the decisive role of the elected House of Commons in relation to its primacy on financial matters; and secondary legislation.

Ministers regularly discuss a wide range of issues with the Cabinet Secretary and Head of the Civil Service.

Lord Strathclyde will determine the way in which the review is undertaken and the content of his recommendations, including any definitions required. It is not possible to provide an estimate of the cost of the exercise at this stage, but neither Lord Strathclyde nor his panel of experts will be paid a fee. Lord Strathclyde is expected to seek views from a wide range of Parliamentarians, parties and groups in undertaking his review, and has issued a letter to all Parliamentarians inviting their input. He is also seeking views from the Clerk of the Parliaments and the Clerk of the House. Lord Strathclyde will report to the Prime Minister, and the Government will decide how to proceed upon receipt of his recommendations.



Written Question
Strathclyde Review
Monday 23rd November 2015

Asked by: Baroness Smith of Basildon (Labour - Life peer)

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether Lord Strathclyde’s review of the powers of the House of Lords will seek evidence from all political parties represented in Parliament.

Answered by Baroness Stowell of Beeston

The Lord Privy Seal (Baroness Stowell of Beeston):

Lord Strathclyde is being supported in his review by a panel of external experts and a small secretariat of civil servants in the Cabinet Office. The secretariat does not include political advisers. The expert panel comprises Sir Stephen Laws, former First Parliamentary Counsel; Jacqy Sharpe, a former Clerk in the House of Commons and Clerk to the Joint Committee on Conventions; and Sir Michael Pownall, former Clerk of the Parliaments.

Several reviews have examined the powers of the House of Lords, including the Royal Commission on the reform of the House of Lords (2000) and the Joint Committee on Conventions referenced above (2006).

The review led by Lord Strathclyde is due to consider how to protect the ability of elected Governments to secure their business in Parliament in the light of the operation of certain conventions. The review will consider in particular how to secure the decisive role of the elected House of Commons in relation to its primacy on financial matters; and secondary legislation.

Ministers regularly discuss a wide range of issues with the Cabinet Secretary and Head of the Civil Service.

Lord Strathclyde will determine the way in which the review is undertaken and the content of his recommendations, including any definitions required. It is not possible to provide an estimate of the cost of the exercise at this stage, but neither Lord Strathclyde nor his panel of experts will be paid a fee. Lord Strathclyde is expected to seek views from a wide range of Parliamentarians, parties and groups in undertaking his review, and has issued a letter to all Parliamentarians inviting their input. He is also seeking views from the Clerk of the Parliaments and the Clerk of the House. Lord Strathclyde will report to the Prime Minister, and the Government will decide how to proceed upon receipt of his recommendations.



Written Question
Strathclyde Review
Monday 23rd November 2015

Asked by: Baroness Smith of Basildon (Labour - Life peer)

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether the (1) Constitution Committee, (2) Procedure Committee, (3) Secondary Legislation Scrutiny Committee, and (4) Delegated Powers Committee, of the House of Lords, and (5) the Joint Committee on Human Rights, will be consulted prior to Lord Strathclyde’s review of the powers of the House of Lords being published.

Answered by Baroness Stowell of Beeston

The Lord Privy Seal (Baroness Stowell of Beeston):

Lord Strathclyde is being supported in his review by a panel of external experts and a small secretariat of civil servants in the Cabinet Office. The secretariat does not include political advisers. The expert panel comprises Sir Stephen Laws, former First Parliamentary Counsel; Jacqy Sharpe, a former Clerk in the House of Commons and Clerk to the Joint Committee on Conventions; and Sir Michael Pownall, former Clerk of the Parliaments.

Several reviews have examined the powers of the House of Lords, including the Royal Commission on the reform of the House of Lords (2000) and the Joint Committee on Conventions referenced above (2006).

The review led by Lord Strathclyde is due to consider how to protect the ability of elected Governments to secure their business in Parliament in the light of the operation of certain conventions. The review will consider in particular how to secure the decisive role of the elected House of Commons in relation to its primacy on financial matters; and secondary legislation.

Ministers regularly discuss a wide range of issues with the Cabinet Secretary and Head of the Civil Service.

Lord Strathclyde will determine the way in which the review is undertaken and the content of his recommendations, including any definitions required. It is not possible to provide an estimate of the cost of the exercise at this stage, but neither Lord Strathclyde nor his panel of experts will be paid a fee. Lord Strathclyde is expected to seek views from a wide range of Parliamentarians, parties and groups in undertaking his review, and has issued a letter to all Parliamentarians inviting their input. He is also seeking views from the Clerk of the Parliaments and the Clerk of the House. Lord Strathclyde will report to the Prime Minister, and the Government will decide how to proceed upon receipt of his recommendations.