Lord Birt Portrait

Lord Birt

Crossbench - Life peer

Became Member: 11th February 2000


2 APPG memberships (as of 24 Jan 2024)
Media, Metal, Stone and Heritage Crime
1 Former APPG membership
Sri Lanka
Lord Birt has no previous appointments


Division Voting information

During the current Parliament, Lord Birt has voted in 111 divisions, and never against the majority of their Party.
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Debates during the 2019 Parliament

Speeches made during Parliamentary debates are recorded in Hansard. For ease of browsing we have grouped debates into individual, departmental and legislative categories.

Sparring Partners
Lord Callanan (Conservative)
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
(24 debate interactions)
Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay (Conservative)
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
(19 debate interactions)
Baroness Vere of Norbiton (Conservative)
Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
(14 debate interactions)
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Legislation Debates
Media Bill 2023-24
(963 words contributed)
Health and Care Act 2022
(750 words contributed)
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Lords initiatives

These initiatives were driven by Lord Birt, and are more likely to reflect personal policy preferences.


Lord Birt has not introduced any legislation before Parliament

Lord Birt has not co-sponsored any Bills in the current parliamentary sitting


Latest 50 Written Questions

(View all written questions)
Written Questions can be tabled by MPs and Lords to request specific information information on the work, policy and activities of a Government Department
12th Feb 2024
To ask His Majesty's Government what is their assessment of the account of the workings of the communications function across Government set out in the chapter entitled “Government (Mis)Communications” in Dame Kate Bingham’s book The Long Shot.

During a crisis, effective communication is essential. As public bodies we must be the source of accurate, relevant and timely information. The Government Communication Service has recently published a new operating model for Crisis Communications to ensure that we learn lessons from previous experiences, including the UK’s Covid response. This sets out clear guidelines for preparing for, responding to and recovering from crises. Our response to emergencies are kept under constant review.

Baroness Neville-Rolfe
Minister of State (Cabinet Office)
5th Dec 2023
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Markham (HL391), whether they will now answer the question put, namely, whether they intend to review the processes and systems of supervision and governance in respect of projects commissioned by the Government.

The Infrastructure and Projects Authority (IPA) is the government’s centre of expertise for infrastructure and major projects. The IPA leads the government project delivery function and sits at the heart of government, reporting to the Cabinet Office and HM Treasury. The IPA and HM Treasury have the final decision on which projects and programmes join the Government Major Project Portfolio (GMPP). The IPA is responsible for the tracking and monitoring of GMPP projects. The IPA supports GMPP projects with expert advice and support, intervening early to ensure that projects are set up for success. Overall accountability to Parliament sits with responsible Accounting Officers; this includes supervising their governance processes and monitoring performance to ensure they are sufficient and proportionate. For projects not part of the GMPP, where IPA does not provide independent assurance, it is the responsibility of the Accounting Officer to ensure that a suitable assurance process is in place.

The IPA was established to provide support to priority projects. However, in recent years the IPA has developed a number of tools to support Accounting Officers and senior project leaders across government to set projects up for success. These tools are reviewed periodically to ensure they reflect current best practice.

Baroness Neville-Rolfe
Minister of State (Cabinet Office)
19th Sep 2023
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they intend to review the processes operating in the public sector for protecting data, including data about individuals held by suppliers to public sector bodies.

The Government takes its data protection responsibilities very seriously, including where data is held by suppliers to the Government and suppliers to public sector bodies. Data protection processes are kept under continuous review. As the relevant National Technical Authority, the National Cyber Security Centre provides the Government, public sector bodies and the private sector with expert advice on protecting data from unauthorised access.

The Government Cyber Security Strategy was published last year. This sets out our plans significantly to harden the Government’s critical functions against cyber attack by 2025, with all organisations across the public sector being resilient to known vulnerabilities by 2030 at the latest.

Baroness Neville-Rolfe
Minister of State (Cabinet Office)
5th Sep 2023
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they allow special advisers in government to review and delay responses to freedom of information requests.

All Freedom of Information requests are processed according to the provisions of the Act. In 2022, government departments and other monitored bodies responded to 86% of requests within the permitted time limits. FOI statistics are published regularly and can be found at https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/government-foi-statistics


It is in line with the Code of Conduct for Special Advisers to give assistance and advice on any aspect of department business, including on requests for information made under the Freedom of Information Act, and to convey a minister’s views to officials. This has been the case under successive Administrations. The Cabinet Office has circulated a guidance note to cross-government practitioners which sets out the roles of special advisers in the process of responding to requests for information and which is available on Parliament’s website at https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm5803/cmselect/cmpubadm/576/report.html#heading-1.

Baroness Neville-Rolfe
Minister of State (Cabinet Office)
4th Sep 2023
To ask His Majesty's Government, following the data breach at the Electoral Commission, what plans they have to review the effectiveness of cyber defences of the Government's own technology platforms and those of other public bodies.

The Government Cyber Security Strategy published last year sets out our plans to significantly harden the Government’s critical functions against cyber attack by 2025, with all organisations across the public sector being resilient to known vulnerabilities by 2030.

We have already made significant progress against the strategy. Earlier this year the Government launched GovAssure, the new cyber security assurance process for government organisations. Under GovAssure, government organisations will regularly review the effectiveness of their cyber defences against common cyber vulnerabilities and attack methods. GovAssure will enable government organisations to accurately assess their levels of cyber resilience across their critical services, highlight priority areas for improvement and provide the Government with a strategic view of cyber capability, risk and resilience across the sector.

The Electoral Commission is independent of Government and is accountable to Parliament through the Speaker’s Committee on the Electoral Commission. However, we have supported the Commission via the National Cyber Security Centre, who have provided the Commission with expert advice and support to aid their recovery after the cyber incident was first identified.

Baroness Neville-Rolfe
Minister of State (Cabinet Office)
4th Jul 2022
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord True on 22 June (HL862), (1) by what date, and (2) by what means, the Whitehall Boiler System will be fully decarbonised.

The date and means to fully decarbonise the Whitehall Boiler System are not currently known, as the next phase (Phase 2) of the project to reduce carbon emissions / decarbonise is currently undergoing a feasibility / options appraisal and is anticipated to be the subject of an investment decision as part of the next spending review (SR).

Phase 1 includes installation of pipework lagging (completed 2021/22) and replacing heat exchangers to lower the operating temperature (to be completed from 2022/23). Phase 1 will result in a carbon saving of approximately 17%.

Phase 2 is anticipated to run from 2024 to 2028 and include delivery of Ground Source Heat Pumps to achieve carbon savings of approximately 71% (including Phase 1 carbon savings).

Phase 3 is a further potential scheme that could connect into a wider district heating system anticipated from 2026 to 2035. Phase 3 could achieve carbon savings of approximately 92% (against current emissions).

Lord True
Leader of the House of Lords and Lord Privy Seal
13th Jun 2022
To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to decarbonise the heating of buildings accommodating government departments (1) on, and (2) close to, Whitehall.

The primary source of heating for government offices in Whitehall is the Whitehall District Heating System, which is operated by the Government Property Agency (GPA). GPA has ongoing plans to reduce carbon emissions from and decarbonise the district heating system.

  • In 2021/22FY, a pipework lagging project was completed to reduce heat losses and provide carbon savings.

  • In 2022/23FY, it is planned to start a project to lower the operating temperature of the system from 145oC to 95oC.

  • Forecast reductions in Carbon from the completion of both projects is approximately 17%.

  • GPA has plans from 2025 to consider a decarbonisation of the Whitehall Boiler System that feeds the district heating system.

Other government office projects are ongoing in and around Whitehall to reduce energy consumption and carbon emissions through upgrades to LED lighting and HVAC (heating, ventilation and air conditioning) systems.

Lord True
Leader of the House of Lords and Lord Privy Seal
6th Jun 2022
To ask Her Majesty's Government what estimate they have made of the percentage of British businesses that have stopped trading with the EU since 1 January 2021.

A response to the noble Lord’s Parliamentary Question of 6 June is below and attached.

Professor Sir Ian Diamond | National Statistician

The Lord Birt
House of Lords
London
SW1A 0PW

17 June 2022

Dear Lord Birt,


As National Statistician and Chief Executive of the UK Statistics Authority, I am responding to your Parliamentary Question asking what estimate has been made of the percentage of British businesses that have stopped trading with the EU since 1 January 2021 (HL603).

Unfortunately, the Office for National Statistics does not hold or publish data on the percentage of British businesses that have stopped trading with the EU since 1 January 2021.

Through the Business Insights and Conditions Survey (BICS), however, we do collect some data on the changes businesses have made to how and where they import and export since 1 January 2021.

Estimates from early May 2022 show that 4% of trading exporting businesses changed from exporting their goods and services to EU countries to nations from outside the EU. The percentage of trading importing businesses who changed from importing from within the EU to outside the EU was 2%. Table 1 provides the estimates from BICS at the start of 2021 and May 2022, where we asked businesses that have exported or imported in the last 12 months if they have changed where they have exported/imported goods or services to in the last three months.[1]

In early March 2022, estimates from BICS show that 7% of businesses made changes to supply chains due to the end of the EU transition period. Table 2 provides the time series from BICS, where we asked businesses if they made changes to supply chains due to the end of the EU transition period.

The UK leaving the EU and the subsequent transition period, along with the impact of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, global recession and supply chain disruption, have caused higher levels of volatility in trade statistics in the past two years. We have investigated the impacts of EU exit and COVID-19 on UK trade in goods [2] and UK trade in services [3] in recent articles, and have also examined the extent to which supply chains have shifted following theend of the EU exit transition period in UK trade in goods, year in review: 2021. [4]

However, it continues to be difficult to assess the extent to which trade movements reflect short-term trade disruption or longer-term supply chain adjustments.

Yours sincerely,

Professor Sir Ian Diamond

Table 1: Have you changed where you have exported/imported your goods or services to in the last three months?

Percentage of businesses currently trading and have exported or imported in last 12 months, weighted by count, UK, 8 February 2021 to 15 May 2022

Reference period

Changed from EU to non-EU

Changed from non-EU to EU [5]

No Changes Made

Not Sure

Exporting businesses

8 February to 21 February 2021

2.1%

[c]

93.1%

4.3%

3 May to 15 May 2022

4.2%

1.0%

92.5%

2.3%

Importing businesses

8 February to 21 February 2021

1.7%

1.2%

95.2%

2.5%

3 May to 15 May 2022

1.6%

[c]

91.6%

5.9%

Source: Business Insights and Conditions Survey (BICS) [6]

Table 2: Has your business made changes to supply chains due to the end of the EU transition period?

Percentage of businesses not permanently stopped, weighted by count, UK, 22 March 2021 to 20 March 2022

Reference Period

Yes

No

Not Sure

Not applicable

22 March to 4 April 2021

3.7%

59.6%

4.6%

32.1%

5 April to 18 April 2021

4.3%

57.0%

4.2%

34.5%

19 April to 2 May 2021

3.8%

56.8%

5.3%

34.1%

3 May to 16 May 2021

3.7%

56.9%

3.8%

35.6%

17 May to 30 May 2021

3.6%

47.1%

5.1%

44.2%

31 May to 13 June 2021

4.0%

51.1%

4.2%

40.6%

14 June to 27 June 2021

4.5%

45.0%

5.1%

45.3%

12 July to 25 July 2021

4.3%

36.3%

6.7%

52.7%

9 August to 22 August 2021

4.1%

40.4%

6.4%

49.0%

6 September to 19 September 2021

4.4%

39.2%

6.7%

49.7%

18 October to 31 October 2021

4.9%

48.8%

5.2%

41.2%

15 November to 28 November 2021

5.0%

51.6%

5.0%

38.5%

13 December to 26 December 2021

4.7%

48.3%

4.9%

42.1%

10 January to 23 January 2022

4.7%

41.0%

6.0%

48.2%

7 February to 20 February 2022

4.7%

43.4%

5.6%

46.3%

7 March to 20 March 2022

6.6%

47.8%

4.5%

41.1%

Source: Business Insights and Conditions Survey (BICS)

1 https://www.ons.gov.uk/economy/economicoutputandproductivity/output/datasets/businessinsightsandimpactontheukeconomy

2 https://www.ons.gov.uk/businessindustryandtrade/internationaltrade/articles/theimpactsofeuexitandthecoronavirusonuktradeingoods/2021-05-25

3 https://www.ons.gov.uk/economy/nationalaccounts/balanceofpayments/articles/theimpactsofeuexitandcoronaviruscovid19onuktradeinservices/latest

4 https://www.ons.gov.uk/economy/nationalaccounts/balanceofpayments/articles/uktradeingoodsyearinreview/2021

5 [c] represents data that has been removed for confidentiality reasons, such as percentages less than 1%.

6 Further time periods are available: https://www.ons.gov.uk/economy/economicoutputandproductivity/output/datasets/businessinsightsandimpactontheukeconomy

Lord True
Leader of the House of Lords and Lord Privy Seal
22nd Apr 2022
To ask Her Majesty's Government how many (1) civil servants, (2) special advisers, and (3) contractors, were employed in the Cabinet Office in (a) 2001, (b) 2011, and (c) 2021.

The number of (1) civil servants, (2) special advisors, and (3) contractors, were employed in the Cabinet Office in (a) 2001, (b) 2011, and (c) 2021 is set out in the table below.

Figures for contractors in 2001 and 2011 were not held centrally during those years and are therefore unavailable.

In 2011, the role and remit of the Cabinet Office was largely to act in support of the Prime Minister and the operation of Government. Since then, the role of the Cabinet Office in managing the Civil Service has grown significantly to include centralisation of a number of functions including Human Resources, Commercial, Digital, Communications, and Security.

The Cabinet Office also supports the Government in its response to national events, such as – in recent years – EU Exit, COVID-19, and COP26.

Headcount

2001

2011

2021

Civil Servants

1,890

1,641

1807 - Secretariats and Policy 8,437 - Corporate Centre for Government, Inquiries, Equalities Hub, COP 26 and COVID Taskforce

Special Advisors

25

43

58

Contractors

N/A

N/A

429

Lord True
Leader of the House of Lords and Lord Privy Seal
1st Mar 2024
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of reports that Royal Mail are not meeting their delivery targets for letters.

As the independent regulator for the postal sector, it is for Ofcom to monitor Royal Mail’s delivery of the universal service obligation and decide how to respond should Royal Mail fail to meet its obligations.

Ofcom fined the business £5.6m for failing to meet its service delivery targets in 2022-23 and is closely monitoring Royal Mail’s performance to ensure service issues are addressed as a priority.

Lord Offord of Garvel
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
5th Mar 2024
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the report by BBC Panorama that Drax power station is burning wood from forests defined by the government of British Columbia as "old growth" primary forests which provide unique habitats, structures and ecological functions.

Government continues to engage with the Canadian Authorities to discuss interactions between sustainable sourcing requirements and old growth areas, such as raised in the BBC report mentioned. Electricity generators only receive subsidies for the electricity they generate from biomass that has demonstrated compliance with stringent sustainability criteria, and the regulator, Ofgem, is responsible for ensuring compliance with these criteria.

Lord Callanan
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
17th Oct 2023
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the answer by Lord Callanan on 3 July (HL Deb col 984) on the use of Biomass at the Drax Power Station, on the basis of what evidence officials advised that “the Panorama Programme provided an inaccurate representation of practices by the forestry and business sector on the ground”, as set out in a briefing note obtained through a Freedom of Information request and published on 12 October.

I refer the noble Lord to the answer I gave to him on 18 September to Question UIN HL9759.

Lord Callanan
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
5th Sep 2023
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the estimated full unit cost of (1) energy produced from various carbon fuels utilising carbon capture and storage, and (2) energy produced by various renewable means.

The Government regularly publishes its view of the levelised cost of generating a unit of electricity from various technologies, including renewables and gas-fired power generation with CCUS, in the Electricity generation costs report which was updated in 2023.

Lord Callanan
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
4th Sep 2023
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of whether the annual ‘limited assurance’ report commissioned by Drax provides an adequate and appropriate level of assurance with respect to the accuracy of its sustainability data.

Government has made no such assessment. Generating stations, including Drax, must provide an annual independent sustainability audit report to Ofgem, not to Government, to verify the information it reports each month. Ofgem may conduct a compliance investigation to establish whether a generator is in breach of its sustainability reporting requirements relating to the Renewables Obligations scheme if there is reason to suspect non-compliance.

Lord Callanan
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
4th Sep 2023
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Callanan on 27 July (HL9538), in what ways was the Panorama on Drax (1) accurate, and (2) inaccurate, in its representation of practices by the forestry and biomass sector.

After speaking to Canadian experts and reviewing various sources of information about forestry and harvesting in Canada and British Columbia, officials advised that the Panorama programme presented a useful overview of forestry and biomass practices. They advise that the narrative would have benefited from a fuller picture about how harvesting decisions are made in practice, more detail on the operation of the harvest licensing regime, more clarity on how the grading system is used for wood products and biomass materials, and clearer evidence supporting claims about the use of wood pellets in the UK.

Lord Callanan
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
7th Jul 2023
To ask His Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with OFGEM regarding the time taken to launch its investigation into allegations, first aired by BBC Panorama in October 2022, that Drax Power Limited was in breach of the Renewables Obligation Scheme.

The Government engages regularly with Ofgem, as they are the Renewable Obligations Scheme’s scheme administrator. Ofgem has assured us that this matter is a priority for them and they are progressing the investigation at pace.

Lord Callanan
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
5th Jul 2023
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the reply by Lord Callanan on 3 July (HL Deb col 984) which stated that the BBC Panorama programme on Drax misrepresented the practices of the forestry and biomass sector, whether they will publish the assessment undertaken by officials of the programme.

The Government does not intend to publish the assessment which was conducted internally by the Department.

Ofgem is investigating whether Drax Power Limited is in breach of annual profiling reporting requirements relating to the Renewables Obligation Scheme and other related matters. The opening of this investigation does not imply that Ofgem has made any findings about possible non-compliance by Drax Power Limited.

Lord Callanan
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
8th Jun 2023
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they plan to ensure that the cost of using electricity to heat homes and buildings will fall below the cost of using hydrocarbons.

The Government understands that green, lower-carbon products are more efficient and cheaper to run. However, current distortions in electricity and gas prices do not always make this the case. We want to make it easier for consumers to make the switch to green products, such as heat pumps, by ‘rebalancing’ prices between electricity and gas to remove these distortions.

In ‘Powering Up Britain’, the Government accepted the recommendation from the Independent Review of Net Zero that Government should commit to outlining a clear approach to gas and electricity price rebalancing by the end of 2023/24 and should make significant progress affecting relative prices by the end of 2024.

The Department will provide further information in the coming year.

Lord Callanan
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
9th May 2023
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of concerns expressed by (1) Dr Geoffrey Hinton, and (2) other employees of Google and Microsoft, reported in the New York Times on 7 April, about the risk AI technologies are being introduced before the risks can be fully assessed.

In March 2023, the Office for AI published a white paper on AI regulation. The framework proposes a proportionate, collaborative approach to AI regulation, and aims to promote innovation while protecting the UK’s values. The AI regulatory framework will ensure government is able to adapt and respond to the risks and opportunities that emerge as the technology develops at pace.

As part of the development of the AI regulation white paper, government officials heard from over 130 stakeholders, including civil society groups like trade bodies, unions, and rights focused groups, as well as academics and UK and global businesses at the forefront of AI development. This engagement included a focus on ensuring that the regulatory framework would be adaptable and responsive to emerging risk. Additionally in May 2023 our Secretary of State and I met with Dr Hinton to discuss AI risks and opportunities, and the role of government. The government is also working with international partners to address AI risks while promoting the UK’s values, including through key multilateral fora, such as the OECD, the G7, the Global Partnership on AI (GPAI), the Council of Europe, and UNESCO, and through bilateral relationships.

While direct regulation of AI will remain the responsibility of existing regulators in order to ensure a context-based approach focused on outcomes, government recognises the significance of cross-sectoral risks associated with AI. The AI regulation white paper therefore proposed a range of new central functions, including functions intended to improve government's ability to anticipate, assess and respond appropriately to emerging risks such as:

  • Horizon scanning to identify and monitor emerging trends, risks and opportunities in AI.

  • Cross-sectoral risk assessment to develop and maintain a cross-economy, society-wide AI risk register to facilitate structured assessment of cross-cutting risks and allowing effective, coherent mitigation planning.

  • Monitoring and evaluation to ensure that the overall regulatory framework for AI is achieving its policy objectives and is future proof and adaptable.

These central functions - together with others as set out in the white paper - will complement the existing work conducted by regulators and other government departments to tackle risks arising from AI.

Government understands that a collaborative approach is fundamental to governments’ and policy-makers’ ability to tackle AI risk and support responsible AI development and use for the benefit of society. As set out in the white paper, we will continue to convene a wide range of stakeholders - including frontier researchers from industry - to ensure that we hear the full spectrum of viewpoints. The UK’s continued leadership and cooperation in international debates on AI will also enable the development of a responsive and compatible system of global AI governance, allowing us to work together on cross-border AI risks and opportunities. This breadth of collaboration will be integral to the Government's ability to monitor and improve the framework, ensuring it remains effective in the face of emerging AI risks.

We are in a formal consultation period for the AI regulation white paper and encourage anyone interested to respond before 21 June.

Viscount Camrose
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
19th Apr 2023
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the implications for British citizens of the evidence obtained by a Reuters investigation which suggests that Tesla employees have viewed and shared camera recordings obtained from Tesla cars in private domestic settings while the vehicle was not in use; and whether the viewing of such material relating to British citizens is lawful.

Our data protection laws impose strict obligations on both individuals and organisations to process people’s data fairly, lawfully and transparently to ensure that any data collected is processed in a way which individuals would expect.

The UK’s data protection laws are enforced independently of the Government by the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO). Organisations that fail to comply may be subject to enforcement action by the Information Commissioner’s Office. The Information Commissioner can impose significant financial penalties for non-compliance. The Data Protection Act 2018 also gives the ICO the power to prosecute those who commit criminal offences under the Act. Criminal offences under the Act include unlawfully obtaining, disclosing, or retaining personal data without the consent of the data controller.

Viscount Camrose
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
18th Apr 2023
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of concerns that AI technologies are being introduced prematurely to customers before their potential risks can be fully assessed.

The AI Regulation White Paper, published 29 March 2023 set out a framework for regulating AI that seeks to balance the need to address risk and support innovation.

As part of the regulatory framework, the UK is proposing a range of central functions through which the government will monitor known and emerging risks as AI technologies evolve. This will support us in assessing the effectiveness of our framework to address AI risks, and identify gaps in our risk mitigation efforts. For example, we are creating a horizon scanning function and a central risk function which will enable the government and regulators to monitor future risks, including ‘high impact but low probability’ risks such as existential risks, or AI biosecurity risks, in a rigorous, coherent and balanced way.

Tools for trustworthy AI - including internationally developed standards, and assurance techniques - will play a central role in the implementation of the framework, especially for those technologies already being introduced to the market. Through AI assurance, businesses and consumers are better able to decide whether a product or service using AI is legitimate and trustworthy. Impact assessments, performance testing and, possibly, pre-release verification or certification against AI standards in the longer term, are a few of the assurance mechanisms that can help organisations innovate responsibly while also determining whether an AI system complies with applicable standards and regulations.

The collaborative, adaptable framework outlined in the AI regulation white paper will use the proposed central functions to convene and learn from the expertise of frontier researchers, industry, academics, representatives of the public and other key stakeholders as we continue to develop policy in this evolving area.

Viscount Camrose
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
10th Oct 2022
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Callanan on 20 September (HL2203), what plans they have to increase the UK’s gas storage capacity.

Gas storage is considered among other options in strengthening the UK’s energy security.

Lord Callanan
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
6th Sep 2022
To ask Her Majesty's Government what is the current storage capacity for gas in the UK in terawatt-hours; and what assessment they have made of how this compares to capacity in (1) Germany, (2) Italy, and (3) France.

Great Britain has seven gas storage facilities (16.5 terawatt-hours of estimated working gas volume). Britain’s diverse source of gas supply greatly reduces reliance on natural gas storage, distinguishing it from some European countries who lack indigenous gas supply. AGSI European storage data indicates Germany has a capacity of 245TWh, Italy 193TWh and France 132TWh.

In addition, according to Rystad Energy data, Britain has the second largest import Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) infrastructure in Europe, providing 401TWh regasification capacity annually compared to 273TWh/year in France, 123TWh/year in Italy and none in Germany.

Lord Callanan
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
5th Apr 2022
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Callanan on 31 March (HL7081), how many days’ supply of gas is available in contingency emergency reserves, based on average levels of consumption.

Great Britain does not have contingent emergency storage reserves.

The UK has highly diverse sources of gas supply, made up of supplies from the UK Continental Shelf (UKCS), our long-term energy partner Norway, and international markets via LNG and interconnectors to the Continent. Though gas storage provides flexibility to balance demand and supply of gas, it is not intended as a source for gas supply.

Lord Callanan
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
18th Mar 2022
To ask Her Majesty's Government what is the UK's gas storage capacity in billions of kWh, compared with (1) Germany, (2) Italy, and (3) France.

An assessment of the UK’s gas storage capacity is provided by Ofgem in GB Gas Storage Facilities 2021. There are no any gas storage sites in Northern Ireland. The Government does not hold publicly available datasets on British gas storage compared to European counterparts.

Lord Callanan
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
25th Jan 2022
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of whether Distribution Network Operators’ plans to upgrade local systems will meet additional power needs should their electric vehicle and domestic heat pump targets be met by 2030.

The regulation of electricity networks is the responsibility of Ofgem as the independent energy regulator and the Distribution Network Operators. Ofgem use price controls, known as RIIO, to determine the revenues that Distribution Network Operators recover, the investment they make and the performance standards they must deliver. As part of this process, Distribution Network Operators forecast likely take-up of electric vehicles and heat pumps.

In December, the Distribution Network Operators published their final business plans for the upcoming electricity distribution price control due to commence in April 2023. Within these plans, Distribution Network Operators have committed to addressing the barriers to electric vehicle uptake and have forecast heat pump deployment that is compatible with Government’s ambition to deploy 600,000 heat pumps a year by 2028. Ofgem is working to enable future changes via various mechanisms, including a Net Zero Re-Opener, whereby DNOs can seek additional funding for Net Zero related projects, such as catering for greater uptake of electric vehicles and heat pumps.

Lord Callanan
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
14th Dec 2021
To ask Her Majesty's Government (1) what percentage of the annual investment in the mathematical sciences has been in pure mathematics and not invested in mathematics defined as maths of the “physical and material universe” in the past five years; and (2) what percentage of such annual investment is planned for future expenditure.

The UK is a world leader in Mathematics. British mathematicians publish a large volume of highly regarded work. When compared to international colleagues, British mathematicians have the 5th largest share of publications in the world. When looking at the top 1% of most cited publications, UK mathematicians are responsible for the third largest share.

Between Financial Year 2015-2016 and September 2021, UK Research and Innovation’s (UKRI) council the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) committed £259.9m to research grants Mathematical Sciences. This includes commitment from the Additional Funding Programme. At this time, EPSRC are unable to make a direct comparison between specific types of Mathematics.

Following the Government’s announcement in January 2020 to invest additional funding into Mathematical Sciences, UKRI has awarded around £104 million of additional funding to the discipline, over and above EPSRC’s core Mathematical Sciences Theme budget. The additional funding has covered institutes, small and large research grants, fellowships, doctoral studentships and postdoctoral awards.

On the 27 October 2021, the Government announced the outcome of the Comprehensive Spending Review. BEIS and UKRI will now set out how we meet the commitment to invest additional funding into Mathematical sciences in forthcoming years, as part of the allocations process.

Lord Callanan
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
2nd Nov 2021
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of (1) the frequency with which Distribution Network Operators supply power outside the allowed fluctuations, and (2) the effects of such fluctuations on the safety devices on Electric Vehicle charging points.

The Electricity System Operator is responsible for keeping the overall frequency and voltage of the GB electricity network within the statutory limits and publishes annual data on system excursions. Conditions on the electricity distribution network, or internal wiring at a premises, can alter the voltage at a specific Electric Vehicle (EV) charging point. EV charging points are designed to operate over wide voltage and frequency ranges. They are also fitted with internal protective devices to limit damage should excursions exceed safe limits. Should any customers have concerns about voltage management at their premises, they can raise them with their Distribution Network Operator for investigation.

Lord Callanan
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
7th Jun 2021
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Callanan on 1 June (HL 257), whether OneWeb will be free to make decisions on the launchers it chooses on purely commercial grounds.

Although OneWeb will be encouraged to make use of the UK’s future launch capabilities, decisions on launches are entirely a business matter for OneWeb.

Lord Callanan
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
17th May 2021
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Callanan on 26 April (HL14697), what proportion of OneWeb launches are anticipated to use small launchers; and what is their assessment of the scale of the market for small launchers sited in Cornwall and Scotland.

Launch decisions are a business matter for OneWeb. The company is aware of the UK’s ambitions to launch satellites from Cornwall and Scotland by 2022 and will be encouraged to utilise this launch capability.

Based on market analysis conducted to date by the UK Space Agency, we are confident there is a market to support planned UK spaceports in Cornwall, Sutherland, and Shetland.

Lord Callanan
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
12th Apr 2021
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether OneWeb will use large or small launchers to create Low Earth Orbit satellite constellations.

OneWeb currently utilises heavy launch via their ArianeSpace contract executed through the Soyuz launcher. This is currently the most economical option for launching multiple Low Earth Orbit satellites at a single time.

The UK aims to develop domestic small satellite launch capabilities from Cornwall and Scotland by 2022, which OneWeb will be able to utilise as applicable to their business operations.

Lord Callanan
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
9th Feb 2021
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of reports that decision-making by the UK Vaccine Task Force relating to COVID-19 vaccines has been delayed by the civil service.

The Vaccine Taskforce has made, and continues to make, decisions rapidly to tackle COVID-19 and its variants. This has been recognised by the Public Accounts Committee in its recent report, that “the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, NHS England and NHS Improvement, and Public Health England have made major and world beating progress in buying and starting to roll-out the vaccines.”

The Vaccine Taskforce has worked at pace, resulting in the UK being the first country to procure, authorise, and deploy the Pfizer/BioNTech and Oxford University/AstraZeneca vaccines. This is the largest immunisation programme in UK history and, as of 23 February, over 17.5 million people in the UK have received the first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine. This has been alongside various other achievements within the past 11 months, including:

  • The Government has struck agreements to buy 457 million doses of vaccines across eight leading candidates, including the Pfizer/BioNTech, Oxford University/AstraZeneca, and Moderna vaccines, which have shown positive efficacy results through clinical trials.

  • The Government has invested over £300 million to ensure the country's vaccine manufacturing capabilities are scaled-up, so that effective vaccines can be made available to the public as quickly as possible.

  • Over 440,000 people have enrolled in a national registry expressing their interest to take part in clinical trials to accelerate the development of a successful vaccine.

  • The Government has committed to ensuring that everyone at risk of COVID-19, anywhere in the world, has access to safe and effective vaccines, and has donated £500 million to the COVAX international vaccine-sharing initiative to enable this.
Lord Callanan
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
6th Jan 2021
To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to offer financial assistance to the owners of small businesses that are required to close as a result of restrictions put in place to address the COVID-19 pandemic and who can furlough their employees but not themselves.

Substantial grant support is being made available for businesses that are required to close or which are severely affected by restrictions put in place to tackle Covid-19 and save lives.

Businesses that are mandated to close due to the national or local Covid restrictions are eligible for up to £1,500 for each 14-day period of closure. Local authorities may also choose to provide grant funding for businesses via the discretionary grant schemes.

Further to this, my Rt. Hon. Friend Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer announced on the 5th January an additional one-off top-up grant of up to £9,000 for business required to close. Additionally a top-up to the Additional Restrictions Grant of £500m has been announced, alongside the £1.1 bn of discretionary funds made available in November 2020.

The application deadline for three Coronavirus business interruption loan schemes – the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme, the Coronavirus Large Business Interruption Loan Scheme and the Bounce Back Loan Scheme – has been extended. Eligible businesses will be able to ‘top up’ existing Bounce Back Loans should they need additional finance.

Lord Callanan
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
28th Jul 2020
To ask Her Majesty's Government when they will publish their plans for meeting their Net Zero target for carbon emissions by 2050.

Tackling climate change and delivering our world-leading Net Zero target is a key priority for the Government.

In 2020-21, ahead of hosting COP26, we will bring forward ambitious new plans to reduce emissions across key sectors of the economy – including an Energy White Paper, Transport Decarbonisation Plan and Heat and Building Strategy.

This will build on the strong foundations we have established through our world-leading progress in decarbonising our economy, our ambitious manifesto commitments, and recent announcements from my Rt. Hon. Friends the Prime Minister and Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer of measures to cut emissions as we build back better in our economic recovery from Covid-19.

We look forward to the Committee on Climate Change’s advice on the sixth carbon budget in December this year, ahead of setting this next ambitious target on the path to Net Zero by June 2021 as required by the Climate Change Act.

Lord Callanan
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
23rd Jul 2020
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Callanan on 15 July (HL6348), how they propose to be publicly accountable for their investment in OneWeb.

The deal is subject to certain regulatory clearances and is expected to close before the end of the year.

We will have strong representation on the board, fully involved in setting the strategic direction of the business and developing the company’s business plan.

Mechanisms will be implemented for the continued monitoring and evaluation of the investment.

Lord Callanan
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
23rd Jul 2020
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the letter from the Permanent Secretary of the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy to the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy on 26 June, what assessment they have made of the accuracy of the statement “there is a possibility that the entirety of the investment is lost and no wider benefits accrued” in relation to the investment into OneWeb.

The Government carried out a detailed examination of the business which demonstrated a commercial case for investment.

The fact that we are investing alongside a private commercial investor indicates a rational commercial case for investing. The deal will support the UK to be a pioneer in the research, development, manufacturing of novel satellite technologies, whilst boosting UK manufacturing.

Lord Callanan
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
1st Jul 2020
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the reasons for the collapse of OneWeb in March; and, further to reports that they are considering investing in that company, why they are considering such an investment.

On July 3rd, 2020, the Government announced it had led a successful bid to acquire OneWeb, who develop cutting-edge satellite technology in the UK and in the United States. The move signals the government’s ambition for the UK to be a pioneer in the research, development, manufacturing, and exploitation of novel satellite technologies through the ownership of a fleet of Low Earth orbit satellites.

As part of developing our bid and making the acquisition, the UK Government undertook appropriate due diligence.

The deal will support the UK to be a pioneer in the research, development, manufacturing, and exploitation of novel satellite technologies, whilst boosting UK manufacturing.

It will also allow the UK to explore other potential strategic opportunities, working with our international allies.

Lord Callanan
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
30th Jun 2020
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Callanan on 23 June (HL5752), in what ways, if at all, the Horizon judgments considered the extent to which individuals were responsible for the failings of the Post Office

The Horizon Judgments did not attribute individual responsibility for the system failings. The Judgment on the first "Common Issues" trial, concerned the terms and interpretation of the contract between postmasters and Post Office, and the second "Horizon Issues" trial, concerned the function and reliability of the Horizon Point of Sale system.

The findings outlined throughout the Horizon judgments provided an extensive insight as to what went wrong at the Post Office, including an independent judicial view of the facts all sides were looking for. The Post Office has accepted that, in the past, it got things wrong in its dealings with a number of postmasters. Under the leadership of its new CEO, the Post Office is now committed to applying the lessons learnt from the litigation to build and strengthen the relationship with postmasters.

The Judge when handing down the Horizon Issues Judgment raised concerns in relation to the evidence provided by Fujitsu employees. He has referred these cases to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP).

Lord Callanan
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
16th Jun 2020
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Ministerial Statement by the Minister for Small Business, Consumers and Labour Markets on 10 June (HCWS280) announcing an Independent Review into the Post Office Horizon IT System and Trials, whether that Review (1) will take account of the “significant failings within Post Office Ltd over nearly two decades” identified by Mr Justice Fraser, (2) will have the power to require Ministers, Board Members, executives, staff and suppliers associated with the organisation throughout the period to appear before it, and (3) will have the power to access all relevant documentation from throughout the period. [T]

The?findings outlined throughout the Horizon judgments?provided an?extensive insight as to what went wrong at the Post Office, including an?independent?judicial view of the facts all sides were looking for. However, the Government accepts more needs to be done. The Government now wants to be fully assured that through the Independent Review there is a public summary of the failings that occurred at Post Office Ltd, drawing on the judgments from the Horizon case and by listening to those that have been most affected, without repeating the extensive findings of Justice Fraser.

Post Office Ltd have committed to fully cooperating with the Review. The Review will have sufficient strength and breadth and deliver in a timely manner. The Chair of the review will be fully independent of both the Post Office and Government. They will draw conclusions and make recommendations as he or she sees fit.

Lord Callanan
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
7th Jan 2020
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the reasons for the 0.3 per cent improvement in UK productivity over the last decade; and why UK productivity is below that of other comparable countries.

The UK has a longstanding ‘productivity gap’ with its main competitors. This has been exacerbated in recent years by weak productivity growth, commonly referred to as the ‘productivity puzzle’.

The slowdown in UK productivity growth in the last decade can largely be attributed to changes in the finance and manufacturing sectors which saw an outsized fall in their productivity growth. Economic shocks and pressures arising from the Financial Crisis and the Euro Area crisis also had a dampening effect on productivity.

Productivity is the main driver of long-run economic growth. The UK’s ability to improve living standards is almost entirely dependent on its ability to raise productivity. In 2017 the Government published a document on the Industrial Strategy that set out a long-term plan to boost productivity by backing businesses to create good jobs and increase the earning power of people throughout the UK with investment in skills, industries and infrastructure. The Government recently published the Business Productivity Review in response to the Industrial Strategy’s core priority of addressing the UK’s productivity issue.

Furthermore, the Industrial Strategy Council – an independent, non-statutory advisory group comprised of leading men and women from business, academia and civil society – was created to provide impartial and unbiased evaluation of the Government’s progress in delivering the Industrial Strategy. The Council published its success metrics on its website in Autumn 2019.

13th Mar 2024
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay on 13 March (HL2878), how the responsibility of the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport to safeguard the independence of the BBC should be exercised.

The BBC is operationally and editorially independent of HM Government, and the Government rightly therefore does not interfere in these matters. The licence fee model confers on the BBC a unique responsibility to its audiences to place a particular focus on impartiality, which is the bedrock of trust in the BBC as an institution.

It is right that the Government engages constructively with the BBC to ensure that it upholds these high standards expected by the public. When there is a risk that trust and faith in the organisation may be undermined, that should be of concern to the BBC, of concern to Ofcom, and of concern to the Government and Parliament.

Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
29th Feb 2024
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the comments made by the retiring Chair of the BBC about the increasing frequency of interventions on BBC matters by the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport.

The BBC is operationally and editorially independent of the Government. As it is a public service broadcaster funded by licence fee-payers, it is right that the Government engages constructively with the BBC to ensure that it upholds the highest standards expected by the public.

As its sponsor department, DCMS maintains regular contact with the BBC on a number of issues. DCMS is grateful for Dame Elan Closs Stephens's constructive engagement whilst Acting Chairman of the BBC.

Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
23rd Jan 2024
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they have ascertained that the UEFA has acted on all the recommendations from the Rodrigues Review into the events surrounding the Champions League Final played at the Stade de France in 2022.

In May 2023, UEFA announced a suite of measures to address recommendations made by the Paris 2022 Independent Review.

We continue to work closely with the Football Association, UEFA, and other operational partners in preparation for the UEFA Champions League Final 2024 to be held at Wembley, as well as preparing to host the UEFA European Championships 2028. All partners, including UEFA, are committed to delivering a safe and secure event, acting on the recommendations set out in the review, as well as our own domestic expertise in sports grounds safety.

The UK is proud of our great track record of hosting major sporting events in the UK; ensuring that they are delivered safely and securely is a priority.

Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
11th Sep 2023
To ask His Majesty's Government, following the findings and recommendations of the Rodrigues inquiry, regarding the experiences of Liverpool FC fans at the Champion's League Final at the Stade de France in 2022, what plans they have to discuss with the government of France the impact on English rugby fans of the crowd control measures in place at the Rugby World Cup match at the Stade Velodrome in Marseille on 9 September.

After some spectators experienced delays entering the Stade Vélodrome in Marseilles on 9 September, officials from HM Government engaged with the French authorities and their counterparts in the France 2023 Organising Committee and have received reassurance that improvements, including clearer signage, will be in place for future Rugby World Cup 2023 matches.

Improvements were in place for matches on Sunday 10 September. Officials continue to engage with the French authorities on security arrangements for the tournament more broadly.

The safety of all attendees at sporting events is of the highest importance to HM Government and the Secretary of State and the Sports Minister have engaged with their counterparts regularly following the Champions League Final in Paris in 2022. We continue to consider and reflect on the lessons learned from the events in Paris in 2022 to inform planning for the UEFA Champions League Final in 2024 at Wembley, as well as the UK and Ireland’s EURO 2028 bid.

Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
13th Jun 2023
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of whether the recommendations of the Rodrigues inquiry into events at the 2022 Champions League Final were applied by UEFA and the Turkish authorities ahead of and during the 2023 final in Istanbul.

The Government has always been clear that an independent investigation was needed to establish what happened on the night of the 2022 UEFA Champions League Final.

The Government welcomed the outcome of the independent review, which reflected the experiences of fans that evening, and the action plan published by UEFA to implement the recommendations of that review.

The Minister for Sport, Gambling and Civil Society was in Istanbul to observe the delivery of this year’s Champions League Final by UEFA and the Turkish authorities.

Discussions with fan representatives and others indicate that UEFA’s engagement has improved from last year. We continue to consult UEFA, the FA, fan representatives and others to ensure that we can continue to learn lessons for next year’s final at Wembley, as well as the UK and Ireland bid to host EURO 2028.

Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
14th Nov 2022
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay on 24 October (HL2798), by what date they expect appropriate safety measures to be in place for major sports events staged at (1) Wembley, and (2) other major arenas in the UK.

The safety and security of major sporting events across the UK is of paramount importance. Appropriate safety measures are put in place for major sports events, in line with the needs of the event and the venue, according to event-specific schedules. The adequacy of these plans are considered by locally-convened Safety Advisory Groups, and Safety Certificates are issued by the relevant local authority.

In the case of Wembley Stadium, which presents a number of unique challenges, significant work has been undertaken by the Football Association and its key partners since Baroness Casey of Blackstock’s report, as successfully demonstrated during the UEFA Women’s Euros and other high-profile events.

The Sports Grounds Safety Authority continues to offer world-leading expertise to sports venues in their regulatory and advisory capacities.

Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)