Asked by: Calum Miller (Liberal Democrat - Bicester and Woodstock)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that (a) environmental and (b) animal welfare standards are maintained in planning reforms.
Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
I refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 28 January 2025 to the hon Member for West Dorset, PQ 25127.
Asked by: Calum Miller (Liberal Democrat - Bicester and Woodstock)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what representations he made to his Egyptian counterpart to allow access to Alaa Abdel El-Fattah on 23 January 2025.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK remains committed to securing Alaa Abd El-Fattah's release so he can be reunited with his family. We continue to prioritise Mr El-Fattah's case in our engagement with the Egyptian government. The Foreign Secretary has repeatedly raised this case with the Egyptian Foreign Minister, including most recently on 23 January in Cairo. The National Security Adviser, Jonathan Powell, also raised this case with the Foreign Minister on 2 January during his visit to Cairo. The Foreign Secretary met Mrs Laila Soueif on 27 November 2024, and the Minister for the Middle East spoke with Mrs Laila Soueif on 24 December 2024 by telephone. FCDO officials remain in regular contact with the family to check on their welfare.
Asked by: Calum Miller (Liberal Democrat - Bicester and Woodstock)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will take steps to introduce a right to consular assistance in cases of human rights violations.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Government is committed to strengthening consular services, including introducing a right to consular assistance in cases of human rights violations. The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development is considering a package of measures to achieve this, which we will announce in due course.
Asked by: Calum Miller (Liberal Democrat - Bicester and Woodstock)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when he plans to publish the National Land Use Strategy.
Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Government plans to publish a 12-week consultation on land use shortly. The consultation will inform the publication of a Land Use Framework, planned for later in the year.
Asked by: Calum Miller (Liberal Democrat - Bicester and Woodstock)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps her Department is taking with local planning authorities to promote net zero standards for new homes.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The Government intend to amend building regulations later this year as part of the introduction of future standards that will set more ambitious energy efficiency and carbon emissions requirements for new homes.
The new standards will ensure that all new homes are future-proof, with low-carbon heating and very high-quality building fabric. This will help us to deliver our commitment to reach net-zero emissions by 2050, and reduce bills, tackle fuel poverty, grow skills, foster diverse job markets, and make Britain energy secure.
We also recently amended the National Planning Policy Framework to emphasise the importance of climate considerations in both plan-making and decisions made by local planning authorities.
Asked by: Calum Miller (Liberal Democrat - Bicester and Woodstock)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of US policies enacted between 20 January 2017 and 20 January 2021 on the UK renewable energy industry.
Answered by Douglas Alexander - Minister of State (Cabinet Office)
The UK government is committed to monitoring US policies and considering what action is best to promote and safeguard UK business interests.
Between January 2017 and January 2021, we engaged the US administration extensively on a range of US policies, including in the context of UK-US FTA negotiations. Beyond 2021, we have continued engaging with the US to improve access to the US market for UK exporters, including by securing the removal of Section 232 tariffs on steel and aluminium products.
Asked by: Calum Miller (Liberal Democrat - Bicester and Woodstock)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of US policies enacted between 20 January 2017 and 20 January 2021 on the UK steel industry.
Answered by Douglas Alexander - Minister of State (Cabinet Office)
The UK government is committed to monitoring US policies and considering what action is best to promote and safeguard UK business interests.
Between January 2017 and January 2021, we engaged the US administration extensively on a range of US policies, including in the context of UK-US FTA negotiations. Beyond 2021, we have continued engaging with the US to improve access to the US market for UK exporters, including by securing the removal of Section 232 tariffs on steel and aluminium products.
Asked by: Calum Miller (Liberal Democrat - Bicester and Woodstock)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of US policies enacted between 20 January 2017 and 20 January 2021 on the Scotch whisky industry.
Answered by Douglas Alexander - Minister of State (Cabinet Office)
The UK government is committed to monitoring US policies and considering what action is best to promote and safeguard UK business interests.
Between January 2017 and January 2021, we engaged the US administration extensively on a range of US policies, including in the context of UK-US FTA negotiations. Beyond 2021, we have continued engaging with the US to improve access to the US market for UK exporters, including by securing the removal of Section 232 tariffs on steel and aluminium products.
Asked by: Calum Miller (Liberal Democrat - Bicester and Woodstock)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of US policies enacted between 20 January 2017 – 20 January 2021 on UK small businesses.
Answered by Douglas Alexander - Minister of State (Cabinet Office)
The UK government is committed to monitoring US policies and considering what action is best to promote and safeguard UK business interests.
Between January 2017 and January 2021, we engaged the US administration extensively on a range of US policies, including in the context of UK-US FTA negotiations. Beyond 2021, we have continued engaging with the US to improve access to the US market for UK exporters, including by securing the removal of Section 232 tariffs on steel and aluminium products.
Asked by: Calum Miller (Liberal Democrat - Bicester and Woodstock)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of US policies enacted between 20 January 2017 and 20 January 2021 on the UK aluminium industry.
Answered by Douglas Alexander - Minister of State (Cabinet Office)
The UK government is committed to monitoring US policies and considering what action is best to promote and safeguard UK business interests.
Between January 2017 and January 2021, we engaged the US administration extensively on a range of US policies, including in the context of UK-US FTA negotiations. Beyond 2021, we have continued engaging with the US to improve access to the US market for UK exporters, including by securing the removal of Section 232 tariffs on steel and aluminium products.