Patrick Grady

The UK has long recognised the unequivocal threat that climate change and environmental degradation pose to the lives and wellbeing of individuals and communities across the world, including the most marginalised and vulnerable.

The UK has been committed to amplifying the voices of young people from across the world through our COP26 presidency and domestic frameworks.

In the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs’ 25 Year Environment Plan, the Government sets out a plan for how the natural environment will be protected and enhanced for our, and future, generations. One of the actions it commits to is to help children and young people from all backgrounds engage with nature and improve the environment.

We support many of the principles in the Declaration on Children, Youth and Climate Action and will carefully consider how to engage with it.

I will answer Oral Questions in the House on a regular basis. Written questions can be tabled to myself as the President of COP26.

The House of Commons Commission has not received a request from the Government to arrange for Big Ben to chime to mark the UK’s departure from the EU.

The Commission is aware of EDM No. 2, tabled by the right hon. Member for Rayleigh and Wickford, which calls on Mr Speaker and the House Authorities to make arrangements for Big Ben to chime at 11.00 pm on 31 January 2020.

The Commission is further aware that an amendment in the names of Mark Francois and other signatories has been tabled to the European Union (Withdrawal Agreement) Bill that moves the following clause;

Exit day chimes of Big Ben

(1) The United Kingdom leaves the European Union, in accordance with Article 50 (2) of the Treaty on European Union, at 11.00pm Greenwich Mean Time on Friday 31 January 2020.

(2) The Speaker of the House of Commons and the Corporate Officer of the House of Commons, together with any other relevant parliamentary authorities, must make arrangements for the occasion in subsection (1) to be marked by the sounding of the hourly chimes including eleven strikes of the principal bell (Big Ben) of the Great Clock in the Elizabeth Tower of the Houses of Parliament at 11.00pm Greenwich Mean Time on Friday 31 January 2020.

In May 2018, the Commission agreed that, during the Elizabeth Tower refurbishment project, Big Ben should sound only for Remembrance Sunday, Armistice Day and over the New Year.

The Speaker’s Advisory Committee on Works of Art produces an annual report which is published and considered by the House’s Finance Committee. The Commission does not receive routine updates. The last annual report was published on the Committee’s website in October 2018. This year’s annual report is due to be considered by the Advisory Committee in September and will be published later in the year.

Whilst the House of Commons is sitting the Serjeant at Arms (or an Associate) is positioned within the Chamber to manage any incidents which occur within it. Serjeants are supported by a team of Doorkeepers who are led by a Duty Principal Doorkeeper.

After eight minutes of a division, the entry doors to each lobby are locked by Doorkeepers, whilst the exit remains open. Doorkeepers remain with locked doors (and keys) to ensure they can be unlocked quickly if required in an emergency.

In the event of a fire (or other) evacuation, Doorkeepers will be directed to immediately unlock the doors and direct Members to evacuate by the most appropriate route – depending on the location of the incident.

Doorkeepers are first aid trained and have immediate access to equipment including first aid kits and an automated external defibrillator. Doorkeepers are also able to summon the nurse from Lower Waiting Hall.

The Serjeant at Arms is happy to discuss such procedures in detail with the hon. Member.

Whilst the House of Commons is sitting the Serjeant at Arms (or an Associate) is positioned within the Chamber to manage any incidents which occur within it. Serjeants are supported by a team of Doorkeepers who are led by a Duty Principal Doorkeeper.

After eight minutes of a division, the entry doors to each lobby are locked by Doorkeepers, whilst the exit remains open. Doorkeepers remain with locked doors (and keys) to ensure they can be unlocked quickly if required in an emergency.

In the event of a fire (or other) evacuation, Doorkeepers will be directed to immediately unlock the doors and direct Members to evacuate by the most appropriate route – depending on the location of the incident.

Doorkeepers are first aid trained and have immediate access to equipment including first aid kits and an automated external defibrillator. Doorkeepers are also able to summon the nurse from Lower Waiting Hall.

The Serjeant at Arms is happy to discuss such procedures in detail with the hon. Member.

The range and premises were vacated by the Rifle Club by 2 April 2015. The House of Lords Administration and Works Committee agreed the closure of the rifle range to provide a cost-effective location for fire safety equipment. A minute setting out the reasons for the decision was made publicly available: http://www.parliament.uk/documents/lords-committees/admin-and-works/Minutes20Jan2015.pdf.

The range was opened in 1916 and the decision to close it was taken by the House of Lords Administration and Works Committee on 20 January 2015. Assurances were routinely notified to the House Authorities regarding the safety and security arrangements as inspected by the Police.

The Commission is not aware of any representations having been made.

Routine external inspections were carried out by the Police, consistent with the practices applied to other private rifle clubs and ranges. Ad hoc internal checks were carried out by Black Rod and Black Rod staff.

The UK has some of the strongest equality legislation and policies in the world. This will continue to be the case after we leave the EU. The Government Equalities Office will continue to follow an ambitious programme of work to ensure that everyone has a fair chance and that no one is discriminated against because of their background.

The main Parliamentary Estate has the following pedestrian entrances available to passholders (see exceptions to this below):

House of Commons

• Canon Row/Derby Gate
• 1 Parliament Street
• Carriage Gates Turnstiles
• Subway – Westminster Tube
• Cromwell Green Visitor Entrance
• St Stephen's Entrance
• Portcullis House
• 53 Parliament Street

House of Lords

• Black Rod’s Garden
• Chancellor's Gate
• Peers’ Entrance – By convention and practice, only Peers and their spouses or partners are allowed to use this entrance. Members of the House of Lords are allowed to invite up to six guests in via this route unless dispensation to bring in more is given by Black Rod. Guests must be booked in by name before they are allowed access.

Pedestrian entry points to outbuildings which form part of the Parliamentary Estate are not restricted to particular categories of passholder.

Holders of the following passes have restricted access to certain pedestrian entrances on the Estate:

• Former Member Passes – Subway, St Stephen's, Portcullis House entrances only
• House of Commons Nursery Passes – 1 Parliament Street entrance only
• Westminster Gym Passes – Derby Gate entrance only
• MEP Passes – MEPs are only able to access the House of Lords via Black Rod’s Garden entrance and can only use readers within the House of Lords.

All student loans issued on behalf of government are issued by the Student Loans Company. Statistics on the loans issued annually by the Student Loans Company are published separately for BIS and each devolved administration in the Statistical First Releases available at the link:

http://www.slc.co.uk/official-statistics/financial-support-awarded.aspx

The outstanding balance for Income Contingent Repayment (ICR) Loans issued by the Student Loans Company is published separately for BIS and each devolved administration in the Statistical First Releases available at the link:

http://www.slc.co.uk/official-statistics/student-loans-debt-and-repayment.aspx

Students starting courses prior to 1998 were eligible for “mortgage style” loans—such loans have since been sold to independent companies who now administer the collection of loan repayments, but do not issue loans. BIS is not able to state the amount currently owed to these companies. The companies in question are Finance for Higher Education Ltd, Honours Trustee Ltd and Erudio Student Loans Ltd.

UK Trade and Investment (UKTI) supports UK companies who want to grow their business overseas. We provide tailored support packages for companies from first time exporters to medium sized businesses, whilst also providing digital and online support to all businesses. We continue to proactively support UK renewable companies and recognise the huge potential in developing country markets. Support from UK Export Finance (principally in the form of insurance to exporters, guarantees to banks and loans to overseas buyers) is also available for UK exporters in all sectors including the renewable energy sector.

There are no plans to ban support for exports of goods and services to coal plants and coal mining overseas. However, applications to UK Export Finance (UKEF) which fall within the ambit of the OECD Common Approaches for Officially Supported Export Credits and Environmental and Social Due Diligence will require that coal projects meet international, environmental, social, and human rights standards to qualify for support.

UKEF is participating in discussions in the OECD with the aim of achieving a multilateral agreement on limiting the provision of export credits for coal-fired power projects and an agreement is expected to be reached later in November.

UK Export Finance (UKEF) has risk capacity available to support UK based businesses in the renewable energy industry looking to export to, and invest in, developing countries, through the provision of export credit guarantees, financing and insurance.

UKEF continues to promote its products and services to companies in the renewable sector so they are aware of the support that is available if it is required.

The Government considers that the carefully regulated use of animals in scientific research remains a vital tool in improving the understanding of how biological systems work and in the development of safe new medicines, treatments and technologies.

At the same time, the Government believes that animals should only be used when there is no practicable alternative and it actively supports and funds the development and dissemination of techniques that replace, reduce and refine the use of animals in research (the 3Rs), in particular through funding for the National Centre for the 3Rs, and also through ongoing UK-led efforts to encourage greater global uptake of the 3Rs.

Advances in biomedical science and technologies - including stem cell research, in vitro systems that mimic the function of human organs, imaging and new computer modelling techniques - are all providing new opportunities to reduce reliance on the use of animals in research. As part of this, Innovate UK is awarding £4m this year to fund collaborative projects with industry to support the development and application of new non-animal technologies.

EU and UK law requires safety testing on animals before human trials for new medicines can begin and animal research still plays an important role in providing vital safety information for potential new medicines.

The Early Day Motion (EDM 373) rightly draws attention to the UK life science sector’s Concordat on openness in animal research which was launched last year, and provides new opportunities for transparency and debate in this area. www.understandinganimalresearch.org.uk/news/communications-media/concordat-annual-report-2015/.

The economic impact of universities on local areas was estimated in a report by Universities UK published in 2014 entitled “The economic impact of higher education institutions in England”. Information is not disaggregated for specific providers or campuses, although several universities have undertaken individual studies of their impact on their local area.

The report can be viewed at the following link:

http://www.universitiesuk.ac.uk/highereducation/Documents/2014/TheEconomicImpactOfHEIsInEngland.pdf

A Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education (QAA) inquiry into satellite campuses was published in December 2014. In light of this report, tighter controls were introduced for Higher Education Tier 4 sponsors, setting out requirements for sponsorship across multiple sites, and clamping down on inappropriate promotion of work rights. This came into effect from April 2015. The Department continues to work with QAA and the higher education sector to ensure standards are maintained.

A thematic enquiry into the quality and standards of higher education at the London campuses of universities located in other parts of the UK was published by The Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education (QAA) in 2014. The report identified 13 UK universities with operational London campuses.

The report can be viewed at the following link:

http://www.qaa.ac.uk/en/Publications/Documents/London-campuses-of-UK-universities.pdf

A late sitting can refer to either an occasion when the House sits beyond its likely scheduled rise (i.e. 10.30pm on Monday, 7.30pm on Tuesday and Wednesday, 5.30pm on Thursday); or whenever the House sits beyond 10.00pm.

Two types of payments are made to staff in order to support evening sittings, including late sittings: the Unsocial Hours Payment (UHP), an annual flat-rate allowance paid across the year to staff required to work to an unspecified time during evening sittings; and the Evening Additional Hours (EAH) payment which reflects the number of additional hours worked after 6pm, paid at a standard rate from 1800 to 2230 and at a higher rate after 2230. Additionally, in certain circumstances overtime may be paid to staff which may or may not be related to the House’s sitting hours. These payments are not reflected in this answer as the records do not indicate in which circumstances they were made to support late sittings. A late night taxi service is provided to staff who are required to work late; this service is only available after 2300.

Security staff are employed by the Metropolitan Police Service and are paid in accordance with their terms and conditions of employment.

The costs of UHP, EAH and the late night taxi service in each year since 2010–11 was as follows:

* Inclusive of NI and pension contributions

It is not possible meaningfully to equate these staffing costs related to evening sittings to an average overall cost per hour of late night sittings for two reasons: firstly, costs for other types of marginal expenditure related to late sittings, such as utilities charges, are not recorded separately; secondly, the staffing costs are paid to facilitate all sittings after 6.00pm, rather than “late” sittings specifically, whether defined as after 10.00pm or beyond the likely scheduled rise.

A late sitting can refer to either an occasion when the House sits beyond its likely scheduled rise (i.e. 10.30pm on Monday, 7.30pm on Tuesday and Wednesday, 5.30pm on Thursday); or whenever the House sits beyond 10.00pm.

Two types of payments are made to staff in order to support evening sittings, including late sittings: the Unsocial Hours Payment (UHP), an annual flat-rate allowance paid across the year to staff required to work to an unspecified time during evening sittings; and the Evening Additional Hours (EAH) payment which reflects the number of additional hours worked after 6pm, paid at a standard rate from 1800 to 2230 and at a higher rate after 2230. Additionally, in certain circumstances overtime may be paid to staff which may or may not be related to the House’s sitting hours. These payments are not reflected in this answer as the records do not indicate in which circumstances they were made to support late sittings. A late night taxi service is provided to staff who are required to work late; this service is only available after 2300.

Security staff are employed by the Metropolitan Police Service and are paid in accordance with their terms and conditions of employment.

The costs of UHP, EAH and the late night taxi service in each year since 2010–11 was as follows:

* Inclusive of NI and pension contributions

It is not possible meaningfully to equate these staffing costs related to evening sittings to an average overall cost per hour of late night sittings for two reasons: firstly, costs for other types of marginal expenditure related to late sittings, such as utilities charges, are not recorded separately; secondly, the staffing costs are paid to facilitate all sittings after 6.00pm, rather than “late” sittings specifically, whether defined as after 10.00pm or beyond the likely scheduled rise.

We have had no such discussions. Operational matters, which include decisions relating to Royal Mail’s postage stamps, are the direct responsibility of the company’s management (subject to an agreed convention and criteria governing the designs of postage stamps carrying an image of The Queen’s head, which are overseen by this Department).

The company maintains Country Definitives on an ongoing basis and has no current plans to change existing designs or its policy on such stamps. Country Definitives are available on an ongoing basis from post offices in the respective countries, and available direct from Royal Mail.

The House of Commons terms and conditions of employment include provision to compensate staff for working late and/or additional hours during late sittings of the House.

Staff in pay bands A–E (and some senior staff) required to work until the rise of the House or beyond are paid an Unsocial Hours Payment (UHP) for the commitment to work to an undefined time and a flat rate for each additional hour they work after 6pm once that have completed 8 hours work during that day. Staff who are not normally required to work to the rise of House or beyond, but agree to do so, may be eligible for paid overtime payments or time off in lieu (TOIL).

Staff in catering pay bands are required to work until 15 minutes after the rise of the House if they are contracted to work in venues that supply services to Members. Staff who work in these areas or volunteer to work in these areas are paid overtime for any additional hours worked.

Line managers have the discretion to agree flexibility around working hours by compensating individuals for additional hours worked by granting TOIL. Where business needs allow, TOIL can be granted to manage peaks and troughs in workloads. The extent to which TOIL is used varies between areas or roles, but is used frequently in some cases where workloads vary significantly between sitting and non-sitting periods. Work is under way to introduce a Flexible Time Management Policy.

Security staff are employed by the Metropolitan Police Service and are paid in accordance with their terms and conditions of employment.

For the financial year ending 2014/15 the Jubilee Café made a positive contribution of £22.8k to reducing the net cost of catering to the House of Commons.

My Department does not currently collect this information.

The recent “Speak Up for the Love of” climate lobby in Westminster – along with interventions from the Pope and other faith leaders on climate change shows that all sectors of society recognise that climate change is a serious threat.

The Papal Encyclical raises a number of important issues, including – the reduction of global poverty, the protection of the planet, and a process of sustainable development which will lead to a healthier life for all.

The UK is already acting to address these challenges. Our commitment to the 0.7% target for our international aid budget is a concrete sign of the UK’s solid support for sustainable development for all.

The UK Government also recognises the importance of tackling climate change. We were the first country to put in place a legally binding long-term target, and we have established five year carbon budgets for reducing emissions into the late 2020s.

Internationally we are leading the charge. The EU is on track to meet its commitments for 2020 and has agreed an ambitious emissions reduction target of at least 40% by 2030. We are also committed to securing a global deal on climate change at COP 21 in Paris.

Because it is based in Strasbourg.

Military assistants are serving members of the Armed Forces, seconded to Downing Street. The release of their details is a matter for the Ministry of Defence.

The Minister for Brexit Opportunities does not meet music industry representatives on this issue, as this falls largely within the remit of the Department of Culture, Media and Sport.

The Government is committed to supporting the touring sector to adapt to new arrangements with the EU. We have worked with the sector and directly with Member States to clarify arrangements, press for specific changes from Member States, and introduce unilateral measures where possible.

Government ministers and officials regularly engage with the music sector, including on the important issue of touring. This includes the DCMS-led touring group, which last met in June 2022, with attendance from the former DCMS Minister for Media, Data and Digital Infrastructure, officials from across government and devolved authorities, and representatives of the creative and cultural sectors.

The Government remains committed to engaging with devolved governments on the reviews into retained EU law, including engaging at Ministerial level.

To date, there have been regular official level discussions with the devolved administrations. We will continue to engage at an official level in areas of interest.

The Hon. Member for Arundel and South Downs was appointed as a Parliamentary Secretary in the Cabinet Office on 3 February 2022. He is a Minister of the Crown.

As has been the case under successive administrations, issues relating to staff employed by the governing party are a matter for that party.

I refer the Hon. Member to the reply I gave to the Hon. Member for Ashton-under-Lyne on 7 February 2022 (Hansard Volume 708, Column 695) and the answer I gave on 10 February to PQ 119903 to the Hon. Member for Luton South.

I refer the Hon. Member to the reply I gave to the Hon. Member for Ashton-under-Lyne on 7 February 2022 (Hansard Volume 708, Column 695) and the answer I gave on 10 February to PQ 119903 to the Hon. Member for Luton South.

I refer to the reply I gave to the Hon. Member for Ashton-under-Lyne on 7 February 2022 (Hansard Volume 708, from Column 695).

The Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster is a Minister of the Crown.

On 12 May, the Prime Minister confirmed that a public inquiry into COVID-19 will be established on a statutory basis, with full formal powers and that it will begin its work in spring 2022. A chair will be appointed by the end of the year. More details, including the terms of reference for the inquiry, will be set out in due course.

On 12 May, the Prime Minister confirmed that a public inquiry into COVID-19 would be established on a statutory basis, with full formal powers, and that it will begin its work in spring 2022.

Further details will be set out in due course.