Asked by: Lord Beamish (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, pursuant to the Answer of 7 February to Question 12549 on Harland and Wolff: Export Credit Guarantees, what progress her Department has made on negotiations with Harland & Wolff in relation to compliance with applicable subsidy control rules.
Answered by Greg Hands
For reasons of commercial sensitivity, UK Export Finance does not comment on ongoing commercial discussions.
Asked by: Lord Beamish (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what discussions he has had with Cabinet colleagues on compensation for infected blood scandal victims in the last 12 months.
Answered by Laura Trott - Shadow Secretary of State for Education
This was an appalling tragedy, and my thoughts remain with all those affected. The Government has accepted the moral case for compensation and justice must be delivered for the victims.
As such, the Government intends to respond in full to Sir Brian Langstaff’s recommendations for wider compensation following the publication of the Inquiry’s final report in May 2024.
Asked by: Lord Beamish (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will take steps to expedite compensation for those affected by the infected blood scandal.
Answered by John Glen
The Government will respond in full to Sir Brian Langstaff’s recommendations on compensation following the publication of the Inquiry’s final report. Additionally, we will bring forward amendments at Report Stage of the Victims and Prisoners Bill in the Other Place with the intention of speeding up the implementation of the Government’s response to the Infected Blood Inquiry.
Asked by: Lord Beamish (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of reviewing the surplus-sharing arrangements of the Mineworkers’ Pension Scheme.
Answered by Graham Stuart
The Government considers the current arrangements to be working well for all parties. We will consider any suggested changes to the arrangements in the usual way.
Asked by: Lord Beamish (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, pursuant to the Answer of 15 March 2024 to Question 18074 on Falkland Islands: Ports, whether the Falkland Islands Government sought advice from his Department prior to the awarding of a contract to Harland & Wolff to support delivery of a port facility.
Answered by David Rutley
The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office played no role in Harland & Wolff being named as the preferred bidder for the delivery of a new port facility in Stanley. Further to my answer of 15 March 2024 to written PQ 18074, any potential redevelopment of the port facility in Stanley is a matter for the Falkland Islands Government and the awarding of contracts for the redevelopment of the port is a commercial matter between the Falkland Islands Government and the companies involved.
Asked by: Lord Beamish (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 18 March 2024 to Question 18400 on Special Forces: Afghanistan and Iraq, what the Minister for Veterans’ Affairs' planned timetable is for concluding his review.
Answered by John Glen
The Minister for Veterans' Affairs' will await the findings of the Inquiry before assessing the record.
Asked by: Lord Beamish (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when his Department expects to take delivery of new Chinook H-47 extended range aircraft.
Answered by James Cartlidge - Shadow Secretary of State for Defence
The programme will deliver a total of 14 Extended Range Chinook Helicopters to the Department with delivery from 2027.
Asked by: Lord Beamish (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, when she intends to respond to Questions 16291 and 16292, tabled on 29 February 2024 by the Rt hon member for North Durham for answer on 5 March.
Answered by Kevin Hollinrake - Shadow Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities
A response was provided to Questions 16291 and 16292 on 15 March 2024.
Asked by: Lord Beamish (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, when the Minister for Veterans plans to correct the record of his oral contribution of 7 January 2020, Official report, column 362.
Answered by John Glen
The Minister for Veterans' Affairs is reviewing the record in light of the Afghanistan Inquiry which is currently underway. The Minister is fully aware of his obligations to Parliament and holds his responsibilities to the House in the highest regard.
Asked by: Lord Beamish (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what was the procurement process for the awarding of the contract by Post Office Limited to TB Cardew in 2019.
Answered by Kevin Hollinrake - Shadow Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities
Information on Post Office’s contract with TB Cardew can be accessed here - https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/notice/a6c99396-8da9-419f-a9df-284360e2b765?origin=SearchResults&p=1
Post Office’s management, together with the Board of Directors, are responsible for running Post Office day-to-day and taking commercial decisions.
As a public sector organisation Post Office is bound by the Public Contracts Regulations 2015. Post Office’s procurement policy is reviewed regularly by the Post Office Board and the Board scrutinises procurements that are high-value or novel and/or contentious. In addition, as per the Articles of Association Post Office requires the prior written consent of the Shareholder for any undertaking to incur any expenditure in excess of £50 million.