Norman Lamb Portrait

Norman Lamb

Liberal Democrat - Former Member for North Norfolk

First elected: 7th June 2001

Left House: 6th November 2019 (Standing Down)


Liaison Committee Sub-committee on the effectiveness and influence of the select committee system
13th Feb 2019 - 6th Nov 2019
Liaison Committee (Commons)
6th Nov 2017 - 6th Nov 2019
Science and Technology Committee (Commons)
12th Jul 2017 - 6th Nov 2019
Science and Technology Committee
12th Jul 2017 - 6th Nov 2019
Science, Innovation and Technology Committee
12th Jul 2017 - 6th Nov 2019
Liberal Democrat Spokesperson (Health)
29th Jul 2015 - 12th Oct 2017
Minister of State (Department of Health)
6th Sep 2012 - 8th May 2015
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Business, Innovation and Skills) (Employment Relations, Consumer and Postal Affairs)
3rd Feb 2012 - 6th Sep 2012
Assistant Whip (HM Treasury)
12th May 2010 - 3rd Feb 2012
Liberal Democrat Spokesperson (Health)
20th Jul 2006 - 11th May 2010
Liberal Democrat Spokesperson (Trade and Industry)
14th Jul 2005 - 20th Jul 2006
Liberal Democrat Spokesperson (Treasury)
18th Jul 2002 - 21st Jul 2005
Treasury Committee
7th Jan 2003 - 12th Jul 2005
Liberal Democrat Spokesperson (International Development)
19th Jul 2001 - 18th Jul 2002


Division Voting information

Norman Lamb has voted in 2133 divisions, and 17 times against the majority of their Party.

1 Apr 2019 - EU: Withdrawal and Future Relationship (Votes) - View Vote Context
Norman Lamb voted Aye - against a party majority and against the House
One of 1 Liberal Democrat Aye votes vs 5 Liberal Democrat No votes
Tally: Ayes - 273 Noes - 276
1 Apr 2019 - EU: Withdrawal and Future Relationship (Votes) - View Vote Context
Norman Lamb voted Aye - against a party majority and against the House
One of 2 Liberal Democrat Aye votes vs 4 Liberal Democrat No votes
Tally: Ayes - 261 Noes - 282
27 Mar 2019 - EU: Withdrawal and Future Relationship Votes - View Vote Context
Norman Lamb voted Aye - against a party majority and against the House
One of 1 Liberal Democrat Aye votes vs 1 Liberal Democrat No votes
Tally: Ayes - 188 Noes - 283
27 Mar 2019 - EU: Withdrawal and Future Relationship Votes - View Vote Context
Norman Lamb voted Aye - against a party majority and against the House
One of 1 Liberal Democrat Aye votes vs 1 Liberal Democrat No votes
Tally: Ayes - 264 Noes - 272
9 Mar 2016 - Enterprise Bill [Lords] - View Vote Context
Norman Lamb voted No - against a party majority and against the House
One of 3 Liberal Democrat No votes vs 4 Liberal Democrat Aye votes
Tally: Ayes - 317 Noes - 286
2 Dec 2015 - ISIL in Syria - View Vote Context
Norman Lamb voted Aye - against a party majority and against the House
One of 2 Liberal Democrat Aye votes vs 6 Liberal Democrat No votes
Tally: Ayes - 211 Noes - 390
2 Dec 2015 - ISIL in Syria - View Vote Context
Norman Lamb voted No - against a party majority and against the House
One of 2 Liberal Democrat No votes vs 6 Liberal Democrat Aye votes
Tally: Ayes - 397 Noes - 223
16 Nov 2015 - Council of Europe - View Vote Context
Norman Lamb voted Aye - against a party majority and against the House
One of 1 Liberal Democrat Aye votes vs 1 Liberal Democrat No votes
Tally: Ayes - 34 Noes - 171
28 Oct 2015 - Human Rights (Joint Committee): Nomination of Committee - View Vote Context
Norman Lamb voted No - against a party majority and against the House
One of 2 Liberal Democrat No votes vs 3 Liberal Democrat Aye votes
Tally: Ayes - 485 Noes - 61
11 Sep 2015 - Assisted Dying (No. 2) Bill - View Vote Context
Norman Lamb voted Aye - against a party majority and against the House
One of 3 Liberal Democrat Aye votes vs 3 Liberal Democrat No votes
Tally: Ayes - 118 Noes - 330
18 Nov 2014 - Small Business, Enterprise and Employment Bill - View Vote Context
Norman Lamb voted No - against a party majority and against the House
One of 23 Liberal Democrat No votes vs 24 Liberal Democrat Aye votes
Tally: Ayes - 284 Noes - 269
15 Jun 2010 - Backbench Business Committee - View Vote Context
Norman Lamb voted No - against a party majority and in line with the House
One of 17 Liberal Democrat No votes vs 31 Liberal Democrat Aye votes
Tally: Ayes - 171 Noes - 263
1 Apr 2009 - Nick Cousins - View Vote Context
Norman Lamb voted No - against a party majority and against the House
One of 10 Liberal Democrat No votes vs 36 Liberal Democrat Aye votes
Tally: Ayes - 304 Noes - 103
3 Jul 2008 - Members’ Salaries - View Vote Context
Norman Lamb voted No - against a party majority and in line with the House
One of 16 Liberal Democrat No votes vs 19 Liberal Democrat Aye votes
Tally: Ayes - 155 Noes - 196
3 Jul 2008 - Members’ Salaries - View Vote Context
Norman Lamb voted No - against a party majority and in line with the House
One of 14 Liberal Democrat No votes vs 21 Liberal Democrat Aye votes
Tally: Ayes - 141 Noes - 216
1 Nov 2006 - Legislative Process - View Vote Context
Norman Lamb voted No - against a party majority and in line with the House
One of 17 Liberal Democrat No votes vs 36 Liberal Democrat Aye votes
Tally: Ayes - 122 Noes - 354
5 Jul 2006 - Ambulances (County Durham) - View Vote Context
Norman Lamb voted Aye - against a party majority and in line with the House
One of 21 Liberal Democrat Aye votes vs 26 Liberal Democrat No votes
Tally: Ayes - 409 Noes - 53
View All Norman Lamb Division Votes

All Debates

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
Jeremy Hunt (Conservative)
Chancellor of the Exchequer
(50 debate interactions)
Liz Kendall (Labour)
Shadow Secretary of State for Work and Pensions
(41 debate interactions)
Paul Burstow (Liberal Democrat)
(38 debate interactions)
View All Sparring Partners
Department Debates
Department of Health and Social Care
(1043 debate contributions)
HM Treasury
(52 debate contributions)
Ministry of Justice
(44 debate contributions)
View All Department Debates
View all Norman Lamb's debates

North Norfolk Petitions

e-Petitions are administered by Parliament and allow members of the public to express support for a particular issue.

If an e-petition reaches 10,000 signatures the Government will issue a written response.

If an e-petition reaches 100,000 signatures the petition becomes eligible for a Parliamentary debate (usually Monday 4.30pm in Westminster Hall).

Petition Debates Contributed

Developers, and other interested parties are circumventing laws protecting birds by 'netting' hedgerows to prevent birds from nesting.

This facilitates the uprooting of hedgerows which aid biodiversity and provide the only remaining nesting sites for birds, whose numbers are in sharp decline.

Fur farming was banned in England and Wales in 2000, followed by Scotland in 2002. However fur products can still be legally imported from other countries and sold here in the UK. Much of this fur comes from countries that have very weak or no animal welfare laws at all.

Fireworks cause alarm, distress and anxiety to many people and animals. We call on the Secretary of State to make appropriate provision to secure that the risk of public use is the MINIMUM that is compatible with fireworks being used, as stated in Fireworks Act 2003 sect 2.

That this Government without delay recognises the need for a non-means tested bridging pension for women born on or after 6/4/1950 who are affected by the 1995 and 2011 Pension Acts and compensate those at risk of losing up to around £45,000, to also give proper notification for any future changes.


Latest EDMs signed by Norman Lamb

15th October 2019
Norman Lamb signed this EDM on Monday 4th November 2019

Prison officer pension age

Tabled by: Grahame Morris (Labour - Easington)
That this House recognises the dangerous working conditions in the Prison Service; expresses concern at the increasing number of violent assaults on prison staff; believes that prison officers approaching the age of 70 should not be expected to deal with violent and dangerous criminals aged in their twenties, thirties and …
75 signatures
(Most recent: 5 Nov 2019)
Signatures by party:
Labour: 36
Scottish National Party: 19
Democratic Unionist Party: 7
Independent: 7
Conservative: 3
Plaid Cymru: 2
Liberal Democrat: 1
28th October 2019
Norman Lamb signed this EDM on Monday 28th October 2019

People's Vote

Tabled by: Jo Swinson (Liberal Democrat - East Dunbartonshire)
That this House calls on the Government to bring forward legislation to hold a People’s Vote on whether the United Kingdom should remain a member of the European Union or should leave the European Union on the final terms agreed between the Government and the European Union.
25 signatures
(Most recent: 5 Nov 2019)
Signatures by party:
Liberal Democrat: 19
Labour: 4
Plaid Cymru: 1
Independent: 1
View All Norman Lamb's signed Early Day Motions

Commons initiatives

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

MPs who are act as Ministers or Shadow Ministers are generally restricted from performing Commons initiatives other than Urgent Questions.


Norman Lamb has not been granted any Urgent Questions

4 Adjournment Debates led by Norman Lamb

Monday 27th November 2017
Thursday 3rd December 2015
Wednesday 21st March 2012

3 Bills introduced by Norman Lamb

Introduced: 10th May 2012

A bill to set up a Groceries Code Adjudicator with the role of enforcing the Groceries Code and encouraging compliance with it.

This Bill received Royal Assent on 25th April 2013 and was enacted into law.


A Bill to amend the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 to provide for the lawful production, packaging, marketing, sale, purchase, possession and consumption of herbal cannabis in specific circumstances by certain persons; and for connected purposes.

Commons - 20%

Last Event - 1st Reading: House Of Commons
Wednesday 23rd March 2016

A Bill to establish an independent commission to examine the future of the National Health Service and the social care system; to take evidence; to report its conclusions to Parliament; and for connected purposes.

Commons - 20%

Last Event - 1st Reading: House Of Commons
Wednesday 6th January 2016

25 Bills co-sponsored by Norman Lamb

Planning (Affordable Housing and Land Compensation) Bill 2017-19
Sponsor - Helen Hayes (Lab)

Climate Change (Emissions Targets) Bill 2017-19
Sponsor - Rachel Reeves (Lab)

Hares Preservation Bill 2017-19
Sponsor - George Eustice (Con)

Tobacco Companies (Transparency) Bill 2017-19
Sponsor - Bob Blackman (Con)

European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2019
Sponsor - Yvette Cooper (Lab)

Counsellors and Psychotherapists (Regulation) and Conversion Therapy Bill 2017-19
Sponsor - Karen Lee (Lab)

Access to Welfare (Terminal Illness Definition) Bill 2017-19
Sponsor - Madeleine Moon (Lab)

House of Peers Bill 2017-19
Sponsor - Christine Jardine (LD)

European Union (Withdrawal) (No. 4) Bill 2017-19
Sponsor - Yvette Cooper (Lab)

National Health Service (Prohibition of Fax Machines and Pagers) Bill 2017-19
Sponsor - Alan Mak (Con)

Health Impacts (Public Sector Duty) Bill 2017-19
Sponsor - Luciana Berger (LD)

Homelessness (End of Life Care) Bill 2017-19
Sponsor - Ed Davey (LD)

Tobacco Bill 2017-19
Sponsor - Kevin Barron (Lab)

Mental Health Units (Use of Force) Act 2018
Sponsor - Steve Reed (LAB)

European Union (Withdrawal) (No. 2) Bill 2017-19
Sponsor - Nick Boles (Ind)

Alcohol (Minimum Pricing) (England) Bill 2017-19
Sponsor - Fiona Bruce (Con)

Universal Credit (Application, Advice and Assistance) Bill 2017-19
Sponsor - Philippa Whitford (SNP)

Representation of the People (Young People's Enfranchisement) Bill 2017-19
Sponsor - Peter Kyle (Lab)

Abortion Bill 2017-19
Sponsor - Diana Johnson (Lab)

DiGeorge Syndrome (Review and National Health Service Duty) Bill 2017-19
Sponsor - David Duguid (Con)

Reproductive Health (Access to Terminations) Bill 2016-17
Sponsor - Diana Johnson (Lab)

Queen's Sapphire Jubilee Bill 2016-17
Sponsor - Andrew Rosindell (Con)

Companies Documentation (Transgender Persons) Bill 2016-17
Sponsor - Baroness Morgan of Cotes (Con)

Maternity and Paternity Leave (Premature Birth) Bill 2016-17
Sponsor - Steve Reed (LAB)

Landlord and Tenant (Reform) Bill 2015-16
Sponsor - Tom Brake (LD)


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
1 Other Department Questions
4th Jan 2016
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, when he plans to commence the provisions on the imposition of financial penalties on respondent employers who fail to pay an employment tribunal award in section 150 of the Small Business, Enterprise and Employment Act 2015.


We expect to commence the financial penalty provision in section 150 of the Small Business, Enterprise and Employment Act 2015 from April 2016.

17th Nov 2016
To ask the Attorney General, how many working days were lost due to mental illness in the Law Officers' Departments in each of the last three years.

The Attorney General’s Office, Government Legal Department and Her Majesty’s Crown Prosecution Service Inspectorate report quarterly sickness absence statistics to Cabinet Office and define mental disorders as absences for reasons of stress; mood affective disorders; disorders of personality & behaviour and schizophrenia.

Based on these definitions, the number of working days lost due to mental disorders in these three departments in each of the last three financial years is as follows:

Year Days lost to Mental Disorders

AGO GLD HMCPSI

01/04/2013 – 31/03/2014 23 1,843 15

01/04/2014 – 31/03/2015 0 1,704.5 168

01/04/2015 – 31/03/2016 0 1,551 28

In the last 3 financial years the following numbers of absence days have been recorded by the Serious Fraud Office for reasons of Anxiety, Depressive Disorder or Mental Disorder:

Year Days lost to Mental Disorders

2013/14 18 days

2014/15 176.5 days

2015/16 507 days

In addition to this the following number of absence days have been recorded as Stress or Work Related Stress:

Year Days lost to Mental Disorders

2013/14 105 days

2014/15 195 days

2015/16 529 days

The number of working days lost to mental illness in the Crown Prosecution Service for the last three financial years is shown in the table below:

Financial Year

Total Number of working days lost due to Mental Illness, including stress.

Number of working days lost which were attributed to stress.

01/04/2013-31/03/2014

16028

7844

01/04/2014-31/03/2015

15989

7807

01/04/2015-31/03/2016

11854

5856

The absence reasons which are included in the Mental Illness category are categorised in line with World Health Organisation (WHO).

30th Oct 2019
To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office, who is responsible for digitisation in his Department; and what mechanisms the person with responsibility for digitisation uses to champion digitisation.

The Government Digital Service leads the Government’s Digital, Data and Technology (DDaT) function, helping departments build and run services that are digital by default and focused on the needs of citizens.

GDS does this in a number of ways. It works with departments to set the government's strategy for digital transformation, including the Government Transformation Strategy. It runs the GDS Academy, which has upskilled over 10,000 civil servants in the skills that are essential to building public services in the 21st century, and deploys specialist DDaT teams across government to accelerate the delivery of priority projects. GDS establishes, and assures projects against, clear best practice standards to help departments deliver world-class digital services that are designed around user needs. It also helps departments to build these services by providing advice and developing solutions to common problems and making them available for reuse across government’s digital estate; removing duplication and freeing up resources for departments to focus on solving the hard problems that are unique to them.

Within government we have a strong focus on the concept of “digital maturity” which encapsulates not only delivery of excellent digital services, but improving government’s processes, tools, and infrastructure, developing digital, data and technology (DDaT) capability, and upskilling decision makers to ensure we build on these foundations to deliver digital transformation at scale.

Simon Hart
Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasury (Chief Whip)
28th Oct 2019
To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office, where responsibility for the healthy emotional and social development of babies and young children sits within government.

The Cabinet Office previously led on the inter-ministerial group (IMG) on early years family support. The IMG has concluded its work and has now disbanded. The recommendations are presently with Secretaries of State for consideration of next steps. We will consider publication once their view is clearer. Given that the emotional and social development of babies and young children is a broad and complicated issue, the responsibility for the area sits across multiple departments including MHCLG, DfE, DHSC and DWP.

Oliver Dowden
Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster
28th Oct 2019
To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether he plans to publish the recommendations of the inter-ministerial group on early years family support.

The Cabinet Office previously led on the inter-ministerial group (IMG) on early years family support. The IMG has concluded its work and has now disbanded. The recommendations are presently with Secretaries of State for consideration of next steps. We will consider publication once their view is clearer. Given that the emotional and social development of babies and young children is a broad and complicated issue, the responsibility for the area sits across multiple departments including MHCLG, DfE, DHSC and DWP.

Oliver Dowden
Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster
28th Oct 2019
To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office, what steps the Government is taking as a result of the recommendations of the inter-ministerial group on early years family support.

The Cabinet Office previously led on the inter-ministerial group (IMG) on early years family support. The IMG has concluded its work and has now disbanded. The recommendations are presently with Secretaries of State for consideration of next steps. We will consider publication once their view is clearer. Given that the emotional and social development of babies and young children is a broad and complicated issue, the responsibility for the area sits across multiple departments including MHCLG, DfE, DHSC and DWP.

Oliver Dowden
Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster
14th Oct 2019
To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many meetings (a) members of the Cabinet and (b) their predecessors have had with EU officials in each of the last 12 months.

The requested information is not held centrally.

30th Sep 2019
To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many meetings he had with his Department’s Chief Scientific Adviser from 1 June to 31 August 2019.

I refer the Right Honourable Member to the answer given to Question 198752 on 7 January 2019.

30th Sep 2019
To ask the Prime Minister, how many meetings he had with his Department’s Chief Scientific Adviser from 1 June to 31 August 2019.

I have regular meetings with ministerial colleagues, officials and others.

12th Jun 2019
To ask the Prime Minister, how many meetings she held with her Chief Scientific Adviser between 1 March 2019 and 31 May 2019.

I have regular meetings with ministerial colleagues, officials and others.

12th Jun 2019
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many meetings he held with the Government's Chief Scientific Adviser between 1 March 2019 and 31 May 2019.

I refer the Right Honourable Member to my answer given to Question 198752 on 7 January.

8th Mar 2019
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many meetings he held with his Department's Chief Scientific Adviser between 1 December 2018 and 28 February 2019.

I refer the Right Honourable Member to my answer given to Question 198752 on 7 January 2019.

8th Mar 2019
To ask the Prime Minister, how many meetings she held with her Department’s Chief Scientific Adviser between 1 December 2018 and 28 February 2019.

I have regular meetings with ministerial colleagues, officials and others.

15th Jan 2019
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many Lords Lieutenants have an ethnicity other than white British.

The Cabinet Office does not hold this information centrally.

15th Jan 2019
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how much money from the public purse was spent by each of the Lords Lieutenants on (a) travel, (b) hospitality, (c) clothing and (d) other costs in each year since 2008.

The Cabinet Office publishes total Lord Lieutenancy Expenditure as part of its Annual Financial Accounts. Therefore the total amount of money from the public purse spent by Lord-Lieutenants on their expenses each year, dating back to 2008, is publicly available online using the following link.

https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/cabinet-office-annual-reports-and-accounts

The information requested on travel, hospitality, clothing and other costs for each Lieutenancy could only be obtained at a disproportionate cost.

15th Jan 2019
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many Royal Warrants have been withdrawn in each year since 2008; and if he will list those that have been withdrawn.

Government ministers are not involved in the process of awarding or withdrawing royal warrants. Information on the awarding of warrants can be found on the Royal Household's website or requested from the Lord Chamberlain's Office.

15th Jan 2019
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether goods obtained by the Royal Household from Royal Warrant holders are obtained at the normal commercial rate.

Government ministers are not involved in the process of awarding or withdrawing royal warrants. Information on the awarding of warrants can be found on the Royal Household's website or requested from the Lord Chamberlain's Office.

15th Jan 2019
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what procedure is in place to ensure that members of the Royal Warrant Holders Association do not use their membership of that body to disadvantage competitors in their personal business dealings or otherwise act to advantage themselves.

Government ministers are not involved in the process of awarding or withdrawing royal warrants. Information on the awarding of warrants can be found on the Royal Household's website or requested from the Lord Chamberlain's Office.

15th Jan 2019
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what the process is to determine whether to grant a request for a royal warrant.

Government ministers are not involved in the process of awarding or withdrawing royal warrants. Information on the awarding of warrants can be found on the Royal Household's website or requested from the Lord Chamberlain's Office.

15th Jan 2019
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many royal warrants are extant for (a) HM The Queen, (b) the Duke of Edinburgh and (c) the Prince of Wales.

Government ministers are not involved in the process of awarding or withdrawing royal warrants. Information on the awarding of warrants can be found on the Royal Household's website or requested from the Lord Chamberlain's Office.

14th Jan 2019
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how much his Department spent on gifts for members of the Royal Family to disburse in each year since 2009.

The Cabinet Office does not allocate spending for dispersal by members of the Royal Family.

14th Jan 2019
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, which (a) towns or cities and (b) other bodies have sought permission from his Department to use the word Royal in a proposed name since 1 January 2014; and which of those requests for permission have been (i) approved and (ii) refused.

Use of the protected title ‘Royal’ is conferred by the Queen acting on the advice of
Ministers. No grants to towns and cities have been made since 2014

Details of the applications are not disclosed to protect their confidentiality, however the
number of applications received by the Cabinet Office for all protected titles including
those containing the word ‘Royal’, was 906 in 2018. The Cabinet Office objected to 107 of
these, issued a non-objection to 703 and approved 14. The remaining cases are still being
considered or were closed without a resolution.

14th Jan 2019
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what criteria his Department apply when determining whether to grant permission to an external body seeking to use the word Royal in a proposed name.

The Cabinet Office considers whether the applicant can demonstrate the following when determining whether to advise Her Majesty the Queen to grant an application for the protect title ‘Royal’: (i) a specific and strong connection with royalty (ii) a pre-eminent and outstanding reputation and (iii) national standing. Other issues may inform decision making on a case by case basis such as whether the application is linked with a specific event or a milestone anniversary.

4th Dec 2018
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many meetings he had with his Department’s Chief Scientific Adviser between 1 September and 30 November 2018.

The Cabinet Office draws from a range of scientific advice and expertise, including from the Government Chief Scientific Adviser, the Chief Scientific Advisers in individual Government Departments, and academics and researchers. The Cabinet Office does not have its own Chief Scientific Adviser.

4th Dec 2018
To ask the Prime Minister, how many meetings she had with the Government’s Chief Scientific Adviser between 1 September and 30 November 2018.

I have regular meetings with ministerial colleagues, officials and others

23rd May 2018
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many meetings he had with the Government’s Chief Scientific Adviser between 1 January and 31 March 2018.

My Rt Hon Friend the Chancellor of Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for Cabinet Office and I met with Professor Chris Whitty, the then Acting Government Chief Scientific Adviser and Rupert Lewis, Director of Government Office for Science on 28 Feb 2018.

Cabinet Office officials and Ministers regularly meet with government scientific advisers.

Oliver Dowden
Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster
23rd May 2018
To ask the Prime Minister, how many meetings she had with the Government's Chief Scientific Adviser between 1 January and 31 March 2018.

I have regular meetings with ministerial colleagues, officials and others.

23rd Jan 2018
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many meetings he had with the Government’s Chief Scientific Adviser between October and December 2017.

The Minister for the Cabinet Office did not have any meetings with the Government Chief Scientific Adviser between October and December 2017.

The Government Chief Scientific Adviser regularly meets Ministers throughout Government.

23rd Jan 2018
To ask the Prime Minister, how many meetings she had with the Government Chief Scientific Adviser between October and December 2017.

I have regular meetings with ministerial colleagues, officials and others.

6th Oct 2017
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many buildings owned by Government Departments are currently empty in (a) Norfolk and (b) North Norfolk; and if he will provide a list of those buildings, the Departments to which they belong and the plans he has for their future use.

Cabinet Office only has records of core central property that have been provided by departments. The Government Property Unit is responsible for minimising vacancy by supporting departments to sell, sublet, find alternative use, and to do early surrenders. Interventions such as these have contributed significantly to minimising the vacancy rates and cost to the taxpayer.

As shown in the State of the Estate Report 2015-16 published in February 2017, total vacant space represents 1.4% of the entire Central Estate, a drop of 2% from 2014–15. This is well below the average in the private sector of 8.9%.

No buildings appear on the unit’s electronic property system as vacant in North Norfolk area. In the wider Norfolk area, there is one building that is vacant and records show that this building was used for vehicle testing and is being marketed for sale:

List A: Vacant building in Norfolk

Property Name

Property Address

Department

(Erstwhile) CRIMPLESHAM TEST STATION

BEXWELL AIRFIELD KING'S LYNN NORFOLK PE33 9DU

Department for Transport

14th Sep 2017
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many meetings he has had with the Government Chief Scientific Adviser in the last three months.

The First Secretary has not had meetings with the Government Chief Scientific Adviser in
the last three months.

14th Sep 2017
To ask the Prime Minister, how many meetings she has had with the Government Chief Scientific Adviser in the last three months.

I have regular meetings with ministerial colleagues, officials and others.

17th Nov 2016
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many working days were lost due to mental illness in his Department in each of the last three years.

The table below sets out information about working days lost in my Department due to sickness absence related to mental illness over the last three calendar years.

Calendar Year

2013

2014

2015

Working Days Lost due to Mental Illness

1574

1382

1443

As % of All Sick Absence

39%

31%

29%

As % of Total Workforce

1.7%

1.6%

1.7%

The Cabinet Office is committed to reducing work related absence due to mental illness and has a number of services in place to support members of staff suffering from such conditions. Our Workwell community is staffed by volunteers who aim to make Cabinet Office a happy and healthy workplace through a number of interventions including a listening service for staff. We also offer a 24 hour counselling support helpline through our Employee Assistance Programme provider and advocate early referral to our occupational health service where appropriate for advice on a number of conditions including mental health.

4th Jul 2016
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the petition on the change.org website, entitled Restore truthful politics - create an independent office to monitor political campaigns, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of creating such an office; and if he will make a statement.

The Government will consider this and other issues relating to the regulation of campaigning at referendums, following the publication of the Electoral Commission's report on the administration of the referendum on the United Kingdom's membership of European Union.

26th Apr 2016
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, for what reasons the exemption from the anti-lobbying clause is limited to Research Councils, National Academies and the Higher Education Funding Council for England; and if he will delay the implementation of that clause until a full consultation has taken place.

As I made clear in the House on 27 April, we are continuing to consider the comments of all interested parties, ahead of the introduction into grant agreements of the clause aimed at protecting taxpayers' money from being wasted on government lobbying government. We are pausing the implementation, pending a review of the representations made, and to give further time to consider any necessary adjustments to the wording of the clause, or the policy on its implementation, to help to deliver this policy in the best possible way for all involved.

1st Feb 2016
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what the main causes of death are for (a) men and (b) women aged (i) five to 19 and (ii) 20 to 34 in England.

The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply.

30th Oct 2019
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, who is responsible for digitisation in her Department; and what mechanisms the person with responsibility for digitisation uses to champion digitisation.

The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) and its partner organisations have digital strategies exploring opportunities to transform services using modern technologies and aligning with the objectives in the Single Departmental Plan and the Secretary of State’s agreed priorities.

We make use of agile project management methodologies and work closely with our colleagues at the Government Digital Service to ensure we are using best practice service design techniques, creating the digital services that citizens and businesses need the most.

The core Department takes a blended approach to resourcing digital projects with work performed by in-house teams, externally-sourced teams or a combination of these depending on the skills required for a given project.

1st Oct 2019
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, how many meetings she had with her Department’s Chief Scientific Adviser from 1 June 2019 to 31 August 2019.

Since taking office, the Secretary of State had meetings with the Chief Scientific Adviser (CSA) in her department twice in this period.

12th Jun 2019
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, how many meetings he held with his Department’s Chief Scientific Adviser between 1 March 2019 and 31 May 2019.

My rt. hon. Friend the Secretary of State met with his Department’s Chief Scientific Adviser on one occasion between 1 March 2019 and 31 May 2019.

4th Jun 2019
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether he plans to carry forward part of the second carbon budget in to the third budgetary period.

The UK has a world-leading record in tackling climate change. We are rightly proud of our performance against our carbon targets, having overperformed for the second time, leading us to cut our emissions faster than any G7 country. We remain firmly committed to tackling the threat of climate change and to meeting our future carbon targets through the ambitious plans and policies set out in the Clean Growth Strategy.

The decision to reserve part of the second carbon budget is a technical one which does not impact the Government’s commitment to taking strong domestic action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and tackle climate change.

The Government has deposited letters in the Libraries of the House confirming its decision.

11th Mar 2019
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether in the event that the UK leaves the EU without a deal principal investigators in receipt of European Research Council funding who are based outside the UK will qualify for the Government's Horizon 2020 underwrite if they move their research base to the UK (a) before or (b) after the date of EU exit.

In the event of a no deal, the Government underwrite will cover the payment of awards to UK beneficiaries for all successful bids to Horizon 2020, including the European Research Council, for the lifetime of projects.

This includes Horizon 2020 grants that have been transferred to the UK before the date of EU exit. We will seek to publish further guidance in due course on how the underwrite will apply to Horizon 2020 grantees based outside of the UK that are planning to move their research base to the UK.

30th Nov 2018
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, how many meetings he had with his Department’s Chief Scientific Adviser between 1 September and 30 November 2018.

My rt. hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy met with his Department’s Chief Scientific Adviser on 6 occasions between 1 September and 30 November 2018.

8th Oct 2018
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what assessment he has made of the potential effect of European Commission proposals to change EU summertime arrangements on Government policy, in the event that the UK leaves the EU in March 2019.

The Commission’s proposal does not present a strong evidence base that shows why the change is necessary nor that demonstrates the benefits to Member States, their citizens, or the EU.

4th Jun 2018
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, pursuant to the Answer of 23 April 2018 to Question 136508, what proportion of the Medical Research Council's budget was spent on mental health research in 2017-18.

Information on the Medical Research Council’s (MRC) spend on research relating directly to mental health and total research spend for 2017/18 will be made available once the MRC’s Annual Report and Accounts are laid before Parliament. We would expect the data to be available by the end of the Summer.

23rd May 2018
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, how many meetings he had with his Department’s Chief Scientific Adviser between 1 January and 31 March 2018.

Between 1 January 2018 and 31st March 2018, my rt. hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) met with the Chief Scientific Adviser for BEIS five times in person.

18th Apr 2018
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what proportion of the Medical Research Council budget was spent on mental health research in each of the last three years to 2017-18.

The Medical Research Council’s spend on research relating to directly to mental health and total research spend for 2014/15 to 2016/17 can be found in the table below. Data for 2017/18 is not yet available.

Year

Mental Health Research £m

MRC Total Research Expenditure £m

2014/15

£26m

£801m

2015/16

£25m

£928m

2016/17

£24m

£755m

5th Mar 2018
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy how much funding from the public purse was allocated though the Small Business Research Initiative programme by each Government Department in 2016-17.

The value of Small Business Research Initiative contracts in 2016/17 as reported to Innovate UK by Departments is set out below:

Department/Public Body

Total Contract Value (£k)

Department for Business Innovation and Skills

£649

Department of Health

£20,579

NHS England

£13,437

Home Office

£4,777

MoD

£13,996

NC3Rs (National Centre for Replacement and Refinement and Reduction of Animals in Research)

£2,294

Department for Culture Media and Sport

£450

Department for Education

£125

Department for International Development

£497

UK Space Agency

£737

Innovate UK

£2,028

Devolved Administrations

£14,811

Pre-Commercial Procurement (PCP) projects

£4,641

Total

£79,021

Source: Innovate UK Management Data

23rd Feb 2018
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, how much funding has been allocated to research opportunities for digital currency technology and its potential applications.

The Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) leads the cross Council Digital Economy (DE) Theme, which incorporates the digital currency technology and associated distributed ledger technology activities, announced in the March 2015 Budget. To date, the DE Theme has invested around £7.2 million in the following activities:

  • A £260,000 project - Third Party Dematerialisation and Rematerialisation of Capital.
  • An 18-month £0.4 million project investigating the phenomena of cryptocurrencies and their associated underlying technology - Cryptocurrency Effects in Digital Transformations (CREDIT)
  • A £3.7 million for seven interdisciplinary feasibility studies that will explore and understanding transformative use cases of distributed ledger technology “Applications of Distributed Ledger Technology” resulting in. Details of the projects are available on the EPSRC website at: http://gow.epsrc.ac.uk/NGBOViewPanelROL.aspx?PanelId=1-3X22ML&RankingListId=1-3X22MS
  • Three projects relevant to research in applications of distributed ledger technology were supported under “Broad applications of distributed ledger technologies” as one of six focal areas in a £10 million call for research proposals on the Trust, Identity, Privacy and Security in the Digital Economy call (2015) - see http://gow.epsrc.ac.uk/NGBOViewPanel.aspx?PanelId=1-37PAUA)

Innovate UK has funded projects that develop and commercial digital currency technologies with various sectoral applications, related to blockchain and distributed ledger projects for use in areas like provenance tracking of goods. Since 2004 Innovate UK has invested nearly £2 million into these technologies.