To match an exact phrase, use quotation marks around the search term. eg. "Parliamentary Estate". Use "OR" or "AND" as link words to form more complex queries.


Keep yourself up-to-date with the latest developments by exploring our subscription options to receive notifications direct to your inbox

Written Question
Nuclear Power Stations: Wales
Monday 23rd January 2023

Asked by: Lord West of Spithead (Labour - Life peer)

Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:

To ask His Majesty's Government what plans, if any, they have to build nuclear power stations at Wylfa Newydd.

Answered by Lord Callanan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

Great British Nuclear is being set up to develop a resilient pipeline of nuclear new builds in the UK. Wylfa is recognised as a strong site, among others, and will be considered as part of this process. Once decisions have been made on which sites to develop, timelines for build and operations will be established.


Written Question
Offshore Structures: Protection
Monday 10th October 2022

Asked by: Lord West of Spithead (Labour - Life peer)

Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:

To ask His Majesty's Government who is responsible for coordinating protection of (1) oil and gas installations, (2) pipelines, (3) offshore windfarms, (4) undersea electrical cables and interconnectors, and (5) fibreoptic cables, in (a) UK territorial seas, and (b) UK exclusive economic zones; and where this coordination takes place.

Answered by Lord Callanan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

The Government takes the protection and resilience of subsea and offshore infrastructure seriously and departments work together to protect it from malicious and other hazards such as accidental damage. The Cabinet Office is responsible for coordinating interdepartmental efforts. The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy is the lead department for the energy sector, including subsea energy infrastructure. The Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport is the lead department for telecommunications policy, including telecommunications subsea cables. The Ministry of Defence is responsible for defending UK interests within the UK Marine Area (UK Territorial Waters and Exclusive Economic Zones) and forms part of HMG’s efforts to counter state threats.


Written Question
Newport Wafer Fab: Nexperia
Monday 18th July 2022

Asked by: Lord West of Spithead (Labour - Life peer)

Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:

To ask Her Majesty's Government to what extent the decision regarding the merger of Nexperia and Newport Wafer Fab will be based on (1) the risk of Chinese ownership of the UK semiconductor industry, or (2) the risk of damage to the UK semiconductor industry.

Answered by Lord Callanan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

On 25 May, the Secretary of State called in the acquisition by Nexperia of Newport Wafer Fab for a full national security assessment under the National Security and Investment Act. That process is underway and will proceed in line with statutory timescales. It would not be appropriate to comment further on the Government’s assessment at this stage.

Separately to this case, the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport is undertaking a review of the semiconductor sector, working closely with industry experts and representative bodies. The outcome of that review will be concluded later in the year.


Written Question
Newport Wafer Fab: Nexperia
Monday 18th July 2022

Asked by: Lord West of Spithead (Labour - Life peer)

Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:

To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the decision of the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy regarding the merger of Nexperia and Newport Wafer Fab will be taken prior to the publication of their Semiconductor Strategy.

Answered by Lord Callanan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

On 25 May, the Secretary of State called in the acquisition by Nexperia of Newport Wafer Fab for a full national security assessment under the National Security and Investment Act. That process is underway and will proceed in line with statutory timescales. It would not be appropriate to comment further on the Government’s assessment at this stage.

Separately to this case, the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport is undertaking a review of the semiconductor sector, working closely with industry experts and representative bodies. The outcome of that review will be concluded later in the year.


Written Question
Sizewell C Power Station
Tuesday 12th July 2022

Asked by: Lord West of Spithead (Labour - Life peer)

Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:

To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they plan to make the Government Investment Decision for Sizewell C before the summer recess; and what assessment they have made of the impact if that decision were delayed.

Answered by Lord Callanan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

The Government is in constructive negotiations with the developer over the proposed Sizewell C project. The Department cannot comment on negotiations given the commercially sensitive nature of discussions. The project is also subject to an ongoing application for development consent, entirely separate from the commercial negotiations.


Written Question
Global Navigation Satellite Systems
Tuesday 19th April 2022

Asked by: Lord West of Spithead (Labour - Life peer)

Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:

To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have drafted a national Position, Navigation and Timing (PNT) strategy; and if so, when it will be published.

Answered by Lord Callanan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

I refer the noble Lord to the answer I gave him on 5th April 2022 to Question HL7407.


Written Question
Global Navigation Satellite Systems
Tuesday 5th April 2022

Asked by: Lord West of Spithead (Labour - Life peer)

Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:

To ask Her Majesty's Government when the national PNT strategy will be released.

Answered by Lord Callanan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

The Government has not yet produced a national PNT strategy.

In 2021 Cabinet Office produced a draft document presenting PNT use cases across CNI sectors and identifying requirements for greater resilience. Government departments are now establishing coordination mechanisms for sector requirements, risk appetite and mitigation options and the findings of the Cabinet Office work will form part of their work going forward.


Written Question
Galileo System
Monday 4th April 2022

Asked by: Lord West of Spithead (Labour - Life peer)

Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:

To ask Her Majesty's Government when they expect the Galileo PRS system to be fully operational.

Answered by Lord Callanan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

The UK no longer receives information from the European Commission on the expected date by which the Galileo system and its different services will become fully operational.


Written Question
Global Navigation Satellite Systems
Monday 4th April 2022

Asked by: Lord West of Spithead (Labour - Life peer)

Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what progress they have made in the (1) design, and (2) implementation, of a UK Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) at Medium Earth Orbit which (a) delivers secure PNT signals, and (b) meets UK security requirements, as a result of the UK GNSS research programme; and whether the Space Based PNT Programme (SBPP) continued that work.

Answered by Lord Callanan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

The SBPP has now reported on options for improving the resilience of space-based PNT services and Government is considering the findings to determine the next steps as part of the business planning process.


The Government is committed to strengthening PNT resilience. Departments across Government are now looking at their resourcing for greater coordination of PNT requirements and risk appetite in relevant CNI sectors.


Once appropriate mechanisms are established, the outputs from GNSS and SBPP will provide a solid foundation to take forward further PNT resilience work.


Written Question
OneWeb
Monday 4th April 2022

Asked by: Lord West of Spithead (Labour - Life peer)

Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what their fallback system is for OneWeb in the event that the GPS is disrupted by (1) an enemy, or (2) malicious entity; and what consideration they have given to a ground based system.

Answered by Lord Callanan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

OneWeb’s first generation satellites were not designed with Positioning, Navigation and Timing (PNT) services in mind.