Owen Thompson

COP26 needs to deliver for all countries, including the most climate vulnerable. This is why developed countries’ commitment to jointly mobilise $100 billion of climate finance a year is critically important; it helps developing countries raise their climate ambition and supports their transition.

Through the UK’s COP26 and G7 Presidencies, we have been pushing developed countries to meet existing commitments and come forward with ambitious post-2020 climate finance pledges, to achieve the $100 billion a year goal. We have seen progress. I have asked Germany and Canada to lead on the development of a Delivery Plan which sets out how donor countries will meet the goal; the intention is for this to be published ahead of the COP. I urge countries which have yet to commit, or who are looking to increase their existing commitments, to do so now.

The UK is ensuring a large majority of our own international climate finance is grant-based. We are pressing other donor countries for similarly ambitious commitments. Under our G7 Presidency, the G7 committed to scaling up adaptation finance, and we have seen concrete new individual pledges from Canada, Japan, the US, and Denmark in recent months to this effect.

The UK has committed to delivering a balance through our scaled up ICF and has launched - with other bilateral donors Ireland, Sweden, the Netherlands and Denmark - a Champions Group on Adaptation Finance, with a commitment to deliver a balance of adaptation in climate finance, in response to calls from developing countries. Since launching, Finland and Germany have joined.

Finance needs to be accessible, particularly for the most marginalised communities. Locally led adaptation is a central priority for the COP26 Presidency, amplifying the calls for greater support for locally led action, and also addressing the barriers that restrict and prevent finance flowing to the local level. Locally led adaptation means communities are directly involved in the design of the solutions.

The UK and Chile regularly discuss environmental issues. The UK has been pressing all leaders through a programme of regular engagement and events to commit to ambitious climate action to limit the rise in global temperatures to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels.

I refer the hon. Member to my answer to PQs 95141 and 95143 and my answer to PQ 95142.

The Government consultation on Sexual Harassment in the Workplace focussed on ensuring that laws to protect people from harassment at work are operating effectively.

We are considering the responses we received and will publish our response to this consultation in due course.

As has been the case under successive administrations, details of internal policy discussions are not routinely disclosed.

The Government is determined to do more to ensure pregnant women and new mothers are not disproportionately affected by redundancy. The Government has committed to extend the statutory redundancy protection which a mother currently enjoys while on maternity leave, shared parental leave or adoption leave for a period for six months following a return to work. BEIS will bring these measures forward as soon as there is an appropriate opportunity.

As has been the case under successive administrations, details of internal policy discussions are not routinely disclosed.

The Government is determined to do more to ensure pregnant women and new mothers are not disproportionately affected by redundancy. The Government has committed to extend the statutory redundancy protection which a mother currently enjoys while on maternity leave, shared parental leave or adoption leave for a period for six months following a return to work. BEIS will bring these measures forward as soon as there is an appropriate opportunity.

My Department holds regular discussions with the Research Councils, including on cost effectiveness and their ability to compete internationally for the best researchers.

As announced in Budget 2014, Research Council Institutes have been exempted from the wider public sector pay cap.

As at 1 July 2015, the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) fund 96 people on current awards as principal investigator or co-investigator. Records indicate that they work in a department within the Midlothian constituency.

There are 79 people employed at the Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC) site at the UK Astronomy Technology Centre (UKATC) in Edinburgh.

There are other jobs in universities and businesses indirectly supported by science funding from Research Councils and Innovate UK.

The Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) supports the Roslin Institute and is committed to its future through Institute Strategic Programme Grants and Core Funding. The current funding plan involves support of £8.02m in financial year 15/16 and £8.04m in financial year 16/17. BBSRC also supports the Easter Bush Campus and made an investment for major capital works of £2.75m in financial year 12/13, which contributed towards the development of an avian research facility.

Further to this, the BBSRC has invested £5m alongside the Scottish Government and Edinburgh University in order to develop a new innovation hub on the campus. This builds on BBSRC’s previous significant capital investment which enabled the Roslin Institute to move into new purpose built buildings in June 2011.

The Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC) Higgs Centre for Innovation, currently under construction at the UKATC, is a £12.7 million investment in a state-of-the-art facility. It will house business incubation facilities, employing 30-40 people in high-tech, start-up companies and providing direct links with the European Space Agency (ESA) and the Harwell Campus.

Institutions in Midlothian and across Scotland are eligible to apply for grants from all seven of the UK Research Councils, which are awarded to support excellent research driven by both researcher curiosity (responsive mode grants) and strategic priorities (managed mode grants).

The number of Engineering and Physical Science Research Council (EPSRC) jobs in Scotland directly supported by science funding from the Department of Business Innovation and Skills (BIS) is 823.

The Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) currently supports 583 people as principal investigator or co-investigator in academic departments within Scotland.

The Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) currently employs 287 people and the Medical Research Council employs 13 staff in hearing research and regulatory support across Scotland.

BIS science funding administered by the Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC), Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) and Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) also positively impacts on HEIs and the wider economy in Scotland, but the number of posts is not immediately quantifiable due to the nature of how certain grants are funded.

Institutions across Scotland are eligible to apply for grants from all seven of the UK Research Councils, which are awarded to support excellent research driven by both researcher curiosity (responsive mode grants) and strategic priorities (managed mode grants). It is however important to note that the impact of science funding extends far beyond those directly funded from Research Council grants. For example, much of the research done by the academics, researchers and technicians noted above will be carried out in partnership with private industry, charities or other public organisations and consequently will indirectly support jobs in those organisations through increased innovation, competitiveness and efficiency.

The National Living Wage is a compulsory increase in pay for all workers over 25. It will come into effect in April 2016 at £7.20, 70p above the current National Minimum Wage.

The introduction of the National Living Wage will not change the nature of the relationship between a worker’s wages and the calculation of employer contributions or of overtime payments.

The welfare of this country's veterans is a high priority for this government. We set up the Office for Veterans’ Affairs in 2019 to sit at the heart of government in the Cabinet Office. It coordinates and drives forward work across the UK Government to support veterans.

The Veterans' Strategy Action Plan launched in January 2022 sets out over 60 UK Government commitments with a combined value of over £70m to help support veterans and their families between 2022-2024. We are already making good progress with 24% of commitments already completed at the 6 month point.

Veterans UK provide ongoing welfare support for veterans of any age, and their families through the Veterans Welfare Service. The NHS’ veterans health and wellbeing service, Op COURAGE, provides a bespoke mental health pathway for veterans, as well as supporting links to other organisations which can help with veterans’ wider health and wellbeing needs. The Veterans’ Gateway provides a first point of contact to ensure veterans are directed to the right services via a website and telephone, SMS and live chat advisors. The Government strongly encourages any veterans who need support to engage with it.

The Office for Veterans’ Affairs is working with the Office for National Statistics to develop plans for the new method of reporting and recording veteran suicides. The OVA engages regularly with the Scottish Government on our data and research programme, including on the development of this new methodology. The Scottish Government are members of the OVA and MoD led Veterans and Covenant Data Working Group, which brings together analysts from across government to collaborate and share best practice.

I recognise the importance of transparency in government and, for that reason, I opt to routinely publish minutes from my expert committee on veterans issues - The Veterans Advisory Board. Once published, minutes may only be amended to correct factual errors.

The Veterans Advisory Board provides valuable insight into issues affecting the veteran community, helping to develop appropriate policy interventions. At the meeting of 24 November, the board offered insight into the perspective of veterans accessing services provided by Veterans UK. A summary of this meeting and all others may be found on GOV.UK.

I recognise the importance of transparency in government and, for that reason, I opt to routinely publish minutes from my expert committee on veterans issues - The Veterans Advisory Board. Once published, minutes may only be amended to correct factual errors.

The Veterans Advisory Board provides valuable insight into issues affecting the veteran community, helping to develop appropriate policy interventions. At the meeting of 24 November, the board offered insight into the perspective of veterans accessing services provided by Veterans UK. A summary of this meeting and all others may be found on GOV.UK.

Cabinet Office transparency spending data by month can be found on GOV.UK.

Reflecting the security practices of successive administrations, Downing Street does not publish information on details of visitors admitted to No.10 Downing Street. Details of formal meetings with external organisations are published on GOV.UK.

Cabinet Office transparency spending data by month can be found on GOV.UK.

Reflecting the security practices of successive administrations, Downing Street does not publish information on details of visitors admitted to No.10 Downing Street. Details of formal meetings with external organisations are published on GOV.UK.

Cabinet Office transparency spending data by month can be found on GOV.UK.

Ministers holding meetings with external organisations on government business are routinely accompanied by a Private Secretary or other official. Where a Minister finds themselves discussing official business without an official present, any significant content is passed back to the department as soon as possible, in line with the expectations of paragraph 8.14 of the Ministerial Code.

Civil servants will make a judgment on what formal, structured meetings should be minuted, and what meetings should be recorded as having taken place, in light of the Civil Service Code, more specific best practice such as ‘Guidance on the management of Private Office Papers’, and the Cabinet Office guidance on Ministerial quarterly returns.

I note that there has been Parliamentary scrutiny of this issue in relation to the debate in this House on ‘Randox Covid Contracts’ of 17 November 2021. Following that debate, the Government has committed to publishing before Parliament a range of background papers relating to the Randox procurement.

Civil servants will make a judgment on what formal, structured meetings should be minuted, and what meetings should be recorded as having taken place, in light of the Civil Service Code, more specific best practice such as ‘Guidance on the management of Private Office Papers’, and the Cabinet Office guidance on Ministerial quarterly returns.

I note that there has been Parliamentary scrutiny of this issue in relation to the debate in this House on ‘Randox Covid Contracts’ of 17 November 2021. Following that debate, the Government has committed to publishing before Parliament a range of background papers relating to the Randox procurement.

The Civil Service Nationality Rules reflect a long-standing legislative framework and govern eligibility for employment in the Civil Service on the grounds of nationality. Under the rules, there are routes for Commonwealth or EEA nationals who hold indefinite leave to remain to be eligible to work in non-reserved posts in the Civil Service. Existing routes, such as exemption certificates, are available where a role needs to be filled by someone who would not ordinarily meet the standard eligibility requirements.

The Civil Service Nationality Rules reflect a long-standing legislative framework and govern eligibility for employment in the Civil Service on the grounds of nationality. Under the rules, there are routes for Commonwealth or EEA nationals who hold indefinite leave to remain to be eligible to work in non-reserved posts in the Civil Service. Existing routes, such as exemption certificates, are available where a role needs to be filled by someone who would not ordinarily meet the standard eligibility requirements.

The exact structures and decision-making frameworks are still being decided. The Cabinet Office lead on the review and are working closely with departments across Whitehall. They will regularly engage with a range of stakeholders and legal experts to review retained EU law, and seek their input into decision-making.

We have already committed to creating a new standing commission to receive ideas from any British citizen on how to repeal or improve regulation. This standing commission will feed into the relevant committees and decision-making fora.

I refer the Honourable member to the answer to PQ56701.

The Government notes the work of the Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs and Treasury Committees, as well as the forthcoming Standards Matter 2 report from the Committee on Standards in Public Life. Once these reports have been published, we will consider their work alongside Mr Boardman’s recommendations and set out a substantive Government policy statement to Parliament in due course.

The Cabinet Office will lead this review, working with departments across Whitehall and a range of stakeholders.

The Government is committed to high standards of workers’ rights and environmental protections. The initiative referred to by the hon. Member is about ensuring that we have a regulatory environment which is the right fit for the UK as an independent nation.

The Cabinet Office will lead this review, working with departments across Whitehall and a range of stakeholders.

The Government is committed to high standards of workers’ rights and environmental protections. The initiative referred to by the hon. Member is about ensuring that we have a regulatory environment which is the right fit for the UK as an independent nation.

The Cabinet Office will lead this review, working with departments across Whitehall and a range of stakeholders.

The Government is committed to high standards of workers’ rights and environmental protections. The initiative referred to by the hon. Member is about ensuring that we have a regulatory environment which is the right fit for the UK as an independent nation.

The Cabinet Office will lead this review, working with departments across Whitehall and a range of stakeholders.

The Government is committed to high standards of workers’ rights and environmental protections. The initiative referred to by the hon. Member is about ensuring that we have a regulatory environment which is the right fit for the UK as an independent nation.

The extension of the franchise for UK parliamentary elections will enable greater participation in our democracy. Most British citizens who move overseas retain deep ties to the UK. And it is only British citizens who have been registered to vote or resident in the UK who will be eligible, as this denotes a strong degree of connection to the UK.

​​As is currently the case, individuals will register in respect of only one UK address and will have to demonstrate their connection to that address, as well as prove their identity. Electoral Registration Officers (EROs) who suspect fraud, for whatever reason, will not register an individual if they are not satisfied.

Registered overseas electors are eligible to make political donations, as important participants in our democracy; it is only right that they should be able to donate in the same way as other UK citizens registered on the electoral roll. The changes within this Bill will simply scrap the arbitrary 15 year limit on these rights. UK electoral law already sets out a stringent regime of spending and donations controls to ensure that only those with a legitimate interest in UK elections can donate or campaign. Measures in the Elections Bill go even further to stop ineligible foreign spending on electoral campaigning.

In the Green Paper, we propose embedding transparency by default throughout the commercial lifecycle, which will enable greater scrutiny of public procurement activity. Following the analysis of responses to the Green Paper consultation, the Government will table a Procurement Reform Bill which will be subject to full Parliamentary scrutiny.

Cabinet Office publishes expenditure on government communication spend, including our national campaigns, on a rolling monthly basis on gov.uk as part of routine government transparency arrangements at the link below:

www.gov.uk/government/collections/cabinet-office-spend-data.

We work closely across all four nations to ensure that our communication activity reaches the intended audiences effectively.

Cabinet Office publishes expenditure on government communication spend, including our national campaigns, on a rolling monthly basis on gov.uk as part of routine government transparency arrangements at the link below:

www.gov.uk/government/collections/cabinet-office-spend-data(opens in a new tab).

We work closely across all four nations to ensure that our communication activity reaches the intended audiences effectively.

This is the first free trade agreement the EU has ever reached based on zero tariffs and zero quotas. The Agreement ensures there will be zero tariffs or quotas on trade between the UK and the EU, where goods meet the relevant rules of origin, and includes provisions to facilitate trade and address non-tariff barriers for UK exports to the EU and vice versa. This will benefit businesses across the UK.

On the movement of goods from Great Britain to Northern Ireland, the UK-EU Joint Committee agreement on the Northern Ireland Protocol complements the Trade and Cooperation Agreement to ensure trade is as streamlined as possible and minimises burdens for businesses.

Through our work to extend the use of the Social Value Act we will ensure that all major central government procurements will, where appropriate, explicitly evaluate social value.

In terms of the Government's approach to procurement during the Covid-19 pandemic, I refer to the answers I gave in Cabinet Office oral questions on 17 December.

Through our work to extend the use of the Social Value Act we will ensure that all major central government procurements will, where appropriate, explicitly evaluate social value.

In terms of the Government's approach to procurement during the Covid-19 pandemic, I refer to the answers I gave in Cabinet Office oral questions on 17 December.