Lord Krebs Portrait

Lord Krebs

Crossbench - Life peer

Became Member: 28th March 2007


Lord Krebs is not an officer of any APPGs
3 APPG Memberships
Environment, Obesity, Science and Technology in Agriculture
1 Former APPG Officer Position
Environment
Food, Diet and Obesity Committee
24th Jan 2024 - 28th Mar 2025
Science and Technology Committee (Lords)
28th Jan 2021 - 31st Jan 2024
Science and Technology Committee
28th Jan 2021 - 31st Jan 2024
National Plan for Sport and Recreation Committee
15th Oct 2020 - 28th Jan 2021
Food, Poverty, Health and Environment Committee
13th Jun 2019 - 23rd Jun 2020
EU Energy and Environment Sub-Committee
12th Jun 2015 - 2nd Jul 2019
Science and Technology Committee (Lords)
13th Nov 2007 - 14th May 2014
Science and Technology Committee (Lords)
22nd Jun 2010 - 14th May 2014
Science and Technology Committee
22nd Jun 2010 - 14th May 2014
Science and Technology Committee
13th Nov 2007 - 14th May 2014
Science and Technology: Sub-Committee I
16th Dec 2008 - 13th Sep 2011


Division Voting information

During the current Parliament, Lord Krebs has voted in 5 divisions, and never against the majority of their Party.
View All Lord Krebs Division Votes

Debates during the 2024 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
Baroness Merron (Labour)
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
(6 debate interactions)
Baroness Hayman of Ullock (Labour)
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
(4 debate interactions)
Lord Hunt of Kings Heath (Labour)
(4 debate interactions)
View All Sparring Partners
View all Lord Krebs's debates

Lords initiatives

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


1 Bill introduced by Lord Krebs


A Bill to make provision for a statutory objective requiring public bodies to contribute to delivery of targets set under the Environment Act 2021 and Climate Change Act 2008; to place a duty on public bodies to meet this objective in the exercise of their functions; and for connected purposes.

Lords - 60%

Last Event - Committee Stage
Friday 13th June 2025

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


Latest 13 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
29th Apr 2025
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to integrate the planned updates to the Environmental Improvement Plan and the Carbon Budget Delivery Plan.

Nature and climate action must be taken together and will underpin the delivery of this Government’s missions, from clean energy to economic growth.

Our revised Environmental Improvement Plan will set out the vital role of nature in mitigating and adapting to climate change, such as through tree planting and management and peatland restoration, recognising that tackling climate change in turn supports nature’s recovery.

DESNZ will deliver an updated plan that sets out the policy package out to the end of Carbon Budget 6 in 2037 for all sectors by October 2025. This will outline the policies and proposals needed to deliver Carbon Budgets 4-6 and our Nationally Determined Contribution commitments on a pathway to net zero.

Baroness Hayman of Ullock
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
25th Mar 2025
To ask His Majesty's Government, following the identification of a case of avian influenza in a sheep in Yorkshire, what action they have taken to introduce additional monitoring of livestock to detect other cases of avian influenza crossing the species barrier.

Influenza of avian origin (H5N1) has been detected in a sheep in England, following routine surveillance of co-located livestock on a premises where highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) H5N1 had been confirmed in other captive birds. To mitigate the risk of further disease spread the affected birds and the infected ewe have been humanely culled. Further official testing of the remaining flock of sheep was all negative for the presence of avian influenza virus. Surveillance in the disease control zones in force in the area surrounding these premises will be undertaken, and these zones will remain in force until all disease control and surveillance activities have been successfully completed.

While this is the first time avian influenza virus has been detected in a sheep, it is not the first time influenza of avian origin has been detected in livestock in other countries. Whist we remain vigilant for any changes in risk, there is no evidence to suggest an increased risk to the nation's livestock population.

In response to the unprecedented global outbreak of HPAI H5N1 in recent years, the UK's avian influenza national reference laboratory has increased its surveillance for avian influenza virus in mammals and genome analysis of the virus itself. The case definition for influenza of avian origin has been updated and provides guidance for animal keepers and veterinary professionals on how and when to report suspicion in mammals. Additional information on how we monitor influenza of avian origin in wild mammals and how the public can report suspicion is available via GOV.UK/birdflu.

Following this detection, the Human Animal Infections and Risk Surveillance group have carried out a risk assessment, and assessed the probability of infection with influenza of avian origin from lactating livestock as very low for the general population and low for individuals interacting with infected lactating livestock.

While risk levels remain low, keepers are encouraged to maintain strict biosecurity in order to protect the health and welfare of their animals.

Baroness Hayman of Ullock
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
25th Mar 2025
To ask His Majesty's Government, following the identification of a case of avian influenza in a sheep in Yorkshire, what assessment they have made of the risk of transmission to other livestock, and the risk to human health.

Influenza of avian origin (H5N1) has been detected in a sheep in England, following routine surveillance of co-located livestock on a premises where highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) H5N1 had been confirmed in other captive birds. To mitigate the risk of further disease spread the affected birds and the infected ewe have been humanely culled. Further official testing of the remaining flock of sheep was all negative for the presence of avian influenza virus. Surveillance in the disease control zones in force in the area surrounding these premises will be undertaken, and these zones will remain in force until all disease control and surveillance activities have been successfully completed.

While this is the first time avian influenza virus has been detected in a sheep, it is not the first time influenza of avian origin has been detected in livestock in other countries. Whist we remain vigilant for any changes in risk, there is no evidence to suggest an increased risk to the nation's livestock population.

In response to the unprecedented global outbreak of HPAI H5N1 in recent years, the UK's avian influenza national reference laboratory has increased its surveillance for avian influenza virus in mammals and genome analysis of the virus itself. The case definition for influenza of avian origin has been updated and provides guidance for animal keepers and veterinary professionals on how and when to report suspicion in mammals. Additional information on how we monitor influenza of avian origin in wild mammals and how the public can report suspicion is available via GOV.UK/birdflu.

Following this detection, the Human Animal Infections and Risk Surveillance group have carried out a risk assessment, and assessed the probability of infection with influenza of avian origin from lactating livestock as very low for the general population and low for individuals interacting with infected lactating livestock.

While risk levels remain low, keepers are encouraged to maintain strict biosecurity in order to protect the health and welfare of their animals.

Baroness Hayman of Ullock
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
24th Mar 2025
To ask His Majesty's Government how the passenger and freight trains on East West Rail will be powered.

At the recent non-statutory consultation, EWR Co confirmed their preference for discontinuous electrification to power passenger services once the full route is open from the mid-2030s. The rolling stock used for freight services will be a matter for freight operators to decide.

Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill
Minister of State (Department for Transport)
24th Mar 2025
To ask His Majesty's Government how many passengers they expect to travel between Oxford and Cambridge each day on East West Rail.

EWR Co are continuing to model forecast passenger numbers and are working with the Government to understand overall trends.

Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill
Minister of State (Department for Transport)
24th Mar 2025
To ask His Majesty's Government how many freight trains they expect to use East West Rail per day.

The current scope of EWR enables up to two new freight train paths per day per direction from Felixstowe, routed via Cambridge, through to Oxford and beyond, and around two new freight train paths per day from Southampton, routed via Oxford, Bletchley and onto the West Coast Main Line. Other enhancements on the network would be required for freight to exceed these levels.

Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill
Minister of State (Department for Transport)
24th Jun 2025
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of minimum unit pricing on alcohol-related cancer incidence.

Under our Health Mission, the Government is committed to prioritising preventative public health measures to support people to live longer, healthier lives. The Department will continue to work across the Government to better understand how we can best reduce alcohol-related harms.

The National Cancer Plan will build on the shift from sickness to prevention set out by the 10-Year Health Plan and will seek to reduce risk factors. The plan will cover the entirety of the cancer pathway, from referral and diagnosis to treatment and ongoing care, as well as prevention. This will include alcohol consumption alongside other risk factors, given that alcohol is linked to an increased risk of seven types of cancer, namely: mouth; pharynx, or throat; larynx, or voice box; oesophagus; breast, in women; liver; and bowel, which includes colon and rectum cancer.

In relation to ensuring public awareness of the link between alcohol and cancer, the Government has a responsibility to provide the most up to date health information to enable people to make informed choices about their drinking. Both the UK Chief Medical Officers’ low-risk drinking guidelines, and National Health Service webpage on alcohol, clearly state that alcohol consumption can increase the risk of developing seven types of cancer.

Published evidence on the impact of minimum unit pricing does not break down how the policy impacts alcohol-related cancer.

Baroness Merron
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
24th Jun 2025
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of public awareness levels of the link between alcohol consumption and cancer risk.

Under our Health Mission, the Government is committed to prioritising preventative public health measures to support people to live longer, healthier lives. The Department will continue to work across the Government to better understand how we can best reduce alcohol-related harms.

The National Cancer Plan will build on the shift from sickness to prevention set out by the 10-Year Health Plan and will seek to reduce risk factors. The plan will cover the entirety of the cancer pathway, from referral and diagnosis to treatment and ongoing care, as well as prevention. This will include alcohol consumption alongside other risk factors, given that alcohol is linked to an increased risk of seven types of cancer, namely: mouth; pharynx, or throat; larynx, or voice box; oesophagus; breast, in women; liver; and bowel, which includes colon and rectum cancer.

In relation to ensuring public awareness of the link between alcohol and cancer, the Government has a responsibility to provide the most up to date health information to enable people to make informed choices about their drinking. Both the UK Chief Medical Officers’ low-risk drinking guidelines, and National Health Service webpage on alcohol, clearly state that alcohol consumption can increase the risk of developing seven types of cancer.

Published evidence on the impact of minimum unit pricing does not break down how the policy impacts alcohol-related cancer.

Baroness Merron
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
24th Jun 2025
To ask His Majesty's Government whether the national cancer plan for England will address alcohol consumption as a modifiable risk factor for cancer.

Under our Health Mission, the Government is committed to prioritising preventative public health measures to support people to live longer, healthier lives. The Department will continue to work across the Government to better understand how we can best reduce alcohol-related harms.

The National Cancer Plan will build on the shift from sickness to prevention set out by the 10-Year Health Plan and will seek to reduce risk factors. The plan will cover the entirety of the cancer pathway, from referral and diagnosis to treatment and ongoing care, as well as prevention. This will include alcohol consumption alongside other risk factors, given that alcohol is linked to an increased risk of seven types of cancer, namely: mouth; pharynx, or throat; larynx, or voice box; oesophagus; breast, in women; liver; and bowel, which includes colon and rectum cancer.

In relation to ensuring public awareness of the link between alcohol and cancer, the Government has a responsibility to provide the most up to date health information to enable people to make informed choices about their drinking. Both the UK Chief Medical Officers’ low-risk drinking guidelines, and National Health Service webpage on alcohol, clearly state that alcohol consumption can increase the risk of developing seven types of cancer.

Published evidence on the impact of minimum unit pricing does not break down how the policy impacts alcohol-related cancer.

Baroness Merron
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
24th Jun 2025
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to reduce alcohol consumption as a modifiable risk factor for cancer.

Under our Health Mission, the Government is committed to prioritising preventative public health measures to support people to live longer, healthier lives. The Department will continue to work across the Government to better understand how we can best reduce alcohol-related harms.

The National Cancer Plan will build on the shift from sickness to prevention set out by the 10-Year Health Plan and will seek to reduce risk factors. The plan will cover the entirety of the cancer pathway, from referral and diagnosis to treatment and ongoing care, as well as prevention. This will include alcohol consumption alongside other risk factors, given that alcohol is linked to an increased risk of seven types of cancer, namely: mouth; pharynx, or throat; larynx, or voice box; oesophagus; breast, in women; liver; and bowel, which includes colon and rectum cancer.

In relation to ensuring public awareness of the link between alcohol and cancer, the Government has a responsibility to provide the most up to date health information to enable people to make informed choices about their drinking. Both the UK Chief Medical Officers’ low-risk drinking guidelines, and National Health Service webpage on alcohol, clearly state that alcohol consumption can increase the risk of developing seven types of cancer.

Published evidence on the impact of minimum unit pricing does not break down how the policy impacts alcohol-related cancer.

Baroness Merron
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
18th Jun 2025
To ask His Majesty's Government further to the Written Statement by Baroness Merron on 22 May (HLWS662), whether the commitment by advertisers and broadcasters to implement the advertising restrictions for less healthy food and drink in October 2025 is based on the February 2024 proposed guidance from the Advertising Standards Authority, or the updated guidance discussed in the consultation update on 13 January.

The Government is committed to implementing advertising restrictions for less healthy food and drink on television and online, as part of its ambition to raise the healthiest generation of children ever. These restrictions are expected to remove up to 7.2 billion calories from United Kingdom children’s diets per year and deliver £2 billion in health benefits.

The Government received representations from a range of stakeholders in response to the Advertising Standards Authority's (ASA) revised implementation guidance and prior to the written statement on 22 May announcing a revised approach to implementing the advertising restrictions. This included written correspondence from the food and drink industry and the advertising industry, however, representations did not reference legal action against the Government or the ASA. We listened carefully to the concerns raised by all stakeholders and worked with the Department of Culture, Media and Sport to find a successful resolution.

The resolution was agreed on the basis that advertisers and broadcasters, with the support of online platforms and publishers, have made a unique and public commitment to comply with the restrictions as though they would still come into force from 1 October 2025. The consistent position of the Government is that brand advertising is not in scope of the advertising restrictions, and this was clearly understood by Parliament during the passage of the Health and Care Bill. We have engaged with industry stakeholders and understand that businesses are using the implementation guidance the ASA consulted on between December 2023 and February 2024 as a guide to comply with the restrictions.

Ofcom was appointed as the statutory regulator for the advertising restrictions, and this was set out in primary legislation via the Health and Care Act 2022. Following consultation, Ofcom appointed the ASA as the frontline regulator. The ASA is required by law to consult my Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care on its non-statutory implementation guidance ahead of publication.

Baroness Merron
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
18th Jun 2025
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Statement by Baroness Merron on 22 May (HLWS662), what representations they received from (1) the food and drink industry, and (2) the advertising industry; and whether those representations contained references to legal action against (a) His Majesty's Government, or (b) the Advertising Standards Authority.

The Government is committed to implementing advertising restrictions for less healthy food and drink on television and online, as part of its ambition to raise the healthiest generation of children ever. These restrictions are expected to remove up to 7.2 billion calories from United Kingdom children’s diets per year and deliver £2 billion in health benefits.

The Government received representations from a range of stakeholders in response to the Advertising Standards Authority's (ASA) revised implementation guidance and prior to the written statement on 22 May announcing a revised approach to implementing the advertising restrictions. This included written correspondence from the food and drink industry and the advertising industry, however, representations did not reference legal action against the Government or the ASA. We listened carefully to the concerns raised by all stakeholders and worked with the Department of Culture, Media and Sport to find a successful resolution.

The resolution was agreed on the basis that advertisers and broadcasters, with the support of online platforms and publishers, have made a unique and public commitment to comply with the restrictions as though they would still come into force from 1 October 2025. The consistent position of the Government is that brand advertising is not in scope of the advertising restrictions, and this was clearly understood by Parliament during the passage of the Health and Care Bill. We have engaged with industry stakeholders and understand that businesses are using the implementation guidance the ASA consulted on between December 2023 and February 2024 as a guide to comply with the restrictions.

Ofcom was appointed as the statutory regulator for the advertising restrictions, and this was set out in primary legislation via the Health and Care Act 2022. Following consultation, Ofcom appointed the ASA as the frontline regulator. The ASA is required by law to consult my Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care on its non-statutory implementation guidance ahead of publication.

Baroness Merron
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)