First elected: 7th May 2015
Left House: 6th November 2019 (Defeated)
Speeches made during Parliamentary debates are recorded in Hansard. For ease of browsing we have grouped debates into individual, departmental and legislative categories.
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).
Restore nature on a massive scale to help stop climate breakdown
Gov Responded - 2 May 2019 Debated on - 28 Oct 2019 View Stephen Gethins's petition debate contributionsTo avoid a climate emergency we need to act fast. Rewilding and other natural climate solutions can draw millions of tonnes of CO2 out of the air through restoring and protecting our living systems. We call on the UK government to make a bold financial and political commitment to nature's recovery.
These initiatives were driven by Stephen Gethins, 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.
Stephen Gethins has not been granted any Adjournment Debates
Stephen Gethins has not introduced any legislation before Parliament
European Union (Withdrawal) (No. 2) Act 2019
Sponsor - Hilary Benn (Lab)
European Union Withdrawal (Evaluation of Effects on Health and Social Care Sectors) Bill 2017-19
Sponsor - Brendan O'Hara (SNP)
Banking and Post Office Services (Rural Areas and Small Communities) Bill 2017-19
Sponsor - Luke Graham (Con)
Representation of the People (Young People's Enfranchisement and Education) Bill 2017-19
Sponsor - Jim McMahon (LAB)
Armed Forces Representative Body Bill 2017-19
Sponsor - Martin Docherty-Hughes (SNP)
Transparency and Accountability (European Union) Bill 2015-16
Sponsor - Caroline Lucas (Green)
The Government is fighting hard to fix the aspects of our EU membership that cause so much frustration in the United Kingdom - so we get a better deal for our country and secure our future. We are confident that the right agreement can be reached.
The Government is focused on delivering a successful renegotiation: it believes it can and will succeed in reforming our relationship with the EU.
Climate change is one of the most serious threats we face, not just to the environment, but to our economic prosperity, poverty eradication and global security, hitting developing countries the hardest. The Government is committed to combatting the effects of climate change, and supporting the world’s poorest to become more resilient to the effects of a changing climate and to take the clean energy path to growth and prosperity.
The Government has committed to substantially increase the amount of funding we are providing through the International Climate Fund (ICF) to help the most vulnerable countries protect themselves from the effects of climate change. The UK’s money for climate activities will be increased by at least 50%, to a further £5.8 billion of funding from April 2016 to March 2021, including £1.76bn in 2020, from within the existing ODA budget.
Whilst the details of how this new funding will be allocated are still being decided, our support so far has already reached many people and communities, and the UK government stands by our aim to spend 50% of the ICF on adaptation. The ICF to date has helped 15 million adapt, and given 2.6 million people improved access to clean energy. For example, through my Department’s support for the GET FiT programme in Uganda we are helping to create reliable sources of clean energy to support households, businesses and communities which in turn improves the communities’ health and education, and enables businesses to grow. Our investment in the ICF demonstrates Britain’s role in combating climate change and in creating a safer and more prosperous future for us all.
I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave the hon. Member for Leeds North West on 10 November 2015 to Question 14810:
The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills has received a few representations, mainly on behalf of the ‘Keep Me Posted Campaign’, (and nine from hon. Members in 2014 on behalf of their constituents) which have included reference to the desire for paper bills to be supplied free of charge.
All Prosperity Fund Official Development Assistance (ODA) spending must comply with the International Development Act 2002 and Gender Equality Act 2014. Large, multi-year Prosperity Fund programmes are being developed, building on the foundations laid by smaller projects in 2016/17.
The multi-year Prosperity Fund programmes will include an assessment on gender equality and inclusion. We are implementing a gender strategy to develop these assessments using specialist capability. An external monitoring and evaluation mechanism is in place that will provide information on the impact of programmes on gender equality.
The Prosperity Fund is implementing a gender strategy covering programme selection, design, monitoring and evaluation. The multi-year Prosperity Fund programmes currently being developed will include an assessment of how programmes address the issue of gender inequality and inclusion. Measurement of progress will be part of the Prosperity Fund’s monitoring and evaluation.
The Prosperity Fund is focused on high impact projects to promote economic
development and poverty reduction in the developing world. All Official Development
Assistance spend under the cross-government Prosperity Fund (PF) is fully
consistent with the International Development Act (including the Gender Equality
2014) and OECD DAC criteria. The Fund’s priorities were set out in the UK Aid
Strategy (2015) and the Strategic Defence Security Review (SDSR 2015). The Fund
also supports the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals, particularly SDG
8 to “Promote inclusive and sustainable growth, employment and decent work for all”.
Workforce planning is primarily the responsibility of each department. The Civil Service constantly reviews its capabilities in order to deliver the Government's commitment to leave the EU and get the best deal for the UK. Civil Service HR is working with all departments, functions and professions across the Civil Service to better understand their capacity and capability requirements.
The Civil Service is focused on delivering this Government’s commitment to leave the EU and get the very best deal for the UK. We are equipping ourselves with the right people and the right skills across government to make this happen.
Workforce planning is primarily the responsibility of each department. The Civil Service constantly reviews its capabilities in order to deliver the Government's commitment to leave the EU and get the best deal for the UK. Civil Service HR is working with all departments, functions and professions across the Civil Service to better understand their capacity and capability requirements.
The Civil Service is focused on delivering this Government’s commitment to leave the EU and get the very best deal for the UK. We are equipping ourselves with the right people and the right skills across government to make this happen.
I spoke to EU Council President Tusk, EU Commission President Juncker, German Chancellor Merkel and French President Hollande to discuss the UK’s objectives in the negotiations and future relationship with the EU.
The UK Government is committed to working with the Devolved Administrations as we prepare for our negotiations with the EU which is why we set up the Joint Ministerial Committee on EU Negotiations.
The Cabinet Office is responsible for the majority of cross-cutting government services that make corporate changes easier, including supporting new departments to build their capability. For the two most recently established departments (the Department for Exiting the European Union and the Department for International Trade) we provided practical guidance, and for the Department for Exiting the European Union in particular, interim Estates, IT, HR, finance, security and telephony services.
The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply.
Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.
The UK has just been nominated to host COP 26, next year’s crucial UN climate change conference, in partnership with Italy. The main summit, the largest the UK will have hosted, will be held in Glasgow and will be the culmination of a year of activity, raising awareness of the climate action in regions and cities across the whole country.
The first phase of this landmark year will launch at Green GB & NI week early next year, where we will showcase the opportunities, benefits and challenges of reducing our emissions to net zero, ending the UK’s contribution to climate change whilst growing our low carbon economy.
The first Green GB & NI week saw over 100 events held across the UK including business panels, webinars and a range of community events, alongside Government announcements and over 60 business pledges worth millions to cut emissions while continuing to grow the green economy.
It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.
At the beginning of this month, I met the rt. hon. Member for Orkney and Shetland, the hon. Member Argyll and Bute, and other parliamentary colleagues to discuss industry proposals for developing the wave and tidal energy sectors. Wave and tidal stream projects are eligible to enter the forthcoming Contract for Difference allocation round.
As Parliament has agreed, the government will not publish anything that would undermine our ability to negotiate the best deal for the United Kingdom. It is not standard practice to provide an ongoing commentary on internal work that is being carried out within government.
It is not possible to quantify the specific cost or time spent on contingency plans. This work is a standard part of policy development, as a responsible government prepares for all potential outcomes. As ever, we are committed to spending public money in an efficient, effective and economic manner.
The Department has engaged, and continues to engage, with a range of stakeholders on all of the published position papers relevant to the work of the Department.
The Government is working towards a mutually beneficial outcome to the withdrawal negotiations. Nevertheless, a responsible government plans for contingency scenarios. The Department is actively considering all options in order to minimise disruption for UK businesses and avoid the introduction of new regulatory barriers. We continue to engage with UK stakeholders to understand their concerns and interests.
The Government is working towards a mutually beneficial outcome to the withdrawal negotiations. Nevertheless, a responsible government plans for contingency scenarios. The Department is actively considering all options in order to minimise disruption for UK businesses and avoid the introduction of new regulatory barriers. We continue to engage with UK stakeholders to understand their concerns and interests.
The UK position paper ‘Continuity in the availability of goods for the EU and the UK’ was published following discussion and agreement with other Government Departments, including the Scotland Office. We will continue to work with other Government departments to inform our negotiating position as discussions with the EU progress. My department is actively considering all options in order to minimise disruption for businesses and avoid the introduction of new regulatory barriers. My officials are in contact with their counterparts in the Scottish Government on issues relating to the movement of goods following the UK’s exit from the EU. We will continue to work with other Government departments, including the Scotland Office, to inform our approach.
The UK position paper ‘Continuity in the availability of goods for the EU and the UK’ was published following discussion and agreement with other Government Departments, including the Scotland Office. We will continue to work with other Government departments to inform our negotiating position as discussions with the EU progress. The Department is actively considering all options in order to minimise disruption for businesses and avoid the introduction of new regulatory barriers. My officials are in contact with their counterparts in the Scottish Government on issues relating to the movement of goods following the UK’s exit from the EU. We will continue to work with other Government departments, including the Scotland Office, to inform our approach.
The Department has received a wide range of representations from businesses on the withdrawal from the European Union, and specifically on the position of goods placed on the market at that point, both before and after the UK Government paper published on this subject. We continue to engage stakeholders with the aim of ensuring a smooth and orderly exit from the European Union.
The Department has received a wide range of representations from organisations on the withdrawal from the European Union, and specifically on the position of goods placed on the market at that point, both before and after the UK Government paper published on this subject. This includes discussions with trade unions on the withdrawal from the European Union and I plan shortly to hold a roundtable with trade unions on their priorities for the UK’s exit from the EU.
The Government is working towards a mutually beneficial outcome to the withdrawal negotiations. Nevertheless, a responsible government plans for contingency scenarios. The Department is actively considering all options in order to minimise disruption for UK businesses and avoid the introduction of new regulatory barriers. We continue to engage with UK stakeholders to understand their concerns and interests.
The Government is working towards a mutually beneficial outcome to the withdrawal negotiations. Nevertheless, a responsible government plans for contingency scenarios. The Department is actively considering all options in order to minimise disruption for UK businesses and avoid the introduction of new regulatory barriers. We continue to engage with UK stakeholders to understand their concerns and interests.
The Government is working towards a mutually beneficial outcome to the withdrawal negotiations. Nevertheless, a responsible government plans for contingency scenarios. The Department is actively considering all options in order to minimise disruption for UK businesses and avoid the introduction of new regulatory barriers. We continue to engage with UK stakeholders to understand their concerns and interests.
The UK position paper ‘Continuity in the availability of goods for the EU and the UK’ was published following discussion and agreement with other Government Departments, including the Scotland Office. We will continue to work with other Government departments to inform our negotiating position as discussions with the EU progress. The Department is actively considering all options in order to minimise disruption for businesses and avoid the introduction of new regulatory barriers. Officials are in contact with their counterparts in the Scottish Government on issues relating to the movement of goods following the UK’s exit from the EU. We will continue to work with other Government departments, including the Scotland Office, to inform our approach.
Officials in the Department are working closely with the Department for Exiting the European Union and other Government departments to engage with the Devolved Administrations, Crown Dependencies and the Overseas Territories to build consensus around our negotiating position.
Officials in the Department have engaged, and continue to engage, with businesses across the United Kingdom, including those in Scotland, on a wide range of issues relating to our withdrawal from the European Union. This has included discussion on the important issue of the availability of goods on the market.
There is no record of any specific discussion between Ministers in this department and Scottish trade union representatives on the position paper, “Continuity in the availability of goods for the EU and the UK”. I plan shortly to hold a roundtable with trade unions on their priorities for the UK’s exit from the EU and will invite representation from Scotland.
The Department has engaged, and continues to engage, with a range of stakeholders on all of the published position papers relevant to the work of the Department.
In leaving the European Union, we will bring about an end to the direct jurisdiction of the Courts of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) in the UK. The UK and the EU therefore need to agree governance arrangements to ensure continuity in the availability of goods for the EU and the UK in line with the Government’s proposals. The Dispute Resolution and Enforcement future partnership paper published on 23 August 2017 explores a number of existing precedents for such arrangements.
The Government is working towards a mutually beneficial outcome to the withdrawal negotiations. Nevertheless, a responsible government plans for contingency scenarios. The Department is actively considering all options in order to minimise disruption for UK businesses and avoid the introduction of new regulatory barriers. We continue to engage with UK stakeholders to understand their concerns and interests.
Our ambition is to reach a comprehensive future agreement with the EU that builds on the commonalities between our systems. Both the UK and the EU benefit from a frictionless trading relationship in goods. The UK wants to minimise regulatory barriers as part of the future UK-EU partnership. We continue to engage with UK stakeholders to understand and represent their concerns in the future negotiations.
The future relationship between the UK and the EU in respect to compliance activities is a matter for future negotiations. It would not be appropriate to pre-judge the outcome of those negotiations.
Between 2011 and 2015 the UK received around €5bn or 11% of total funding under the Framework Programmes for Research & Innovation. Further information can be found in the EU Expenditure and Revenue documents published online annually by the European Commission.
This Government has set out its vision to meet R&D investment of 2.4% of GDP within ten years and 3% in the longer-term. R&D funding from the EU contributes to overall R&D expenditure in the UK and we would welcome an agreement to continue to collaborate with our European partners on major science, research, and technology initiatives.
While we remain a member of the EU, UK businesses and universities should continue to bid for competitive EU funds, and we will work with the Commission to ensure payment when funds are awarded. The Government will underwrite the payment of such awards, even when specific projects continue beyond the UK’s departure from the EU. This includes awards that are bid for before exit that are successful after exit.
Going forward, our ambition for R&D investment will be an important part of our Industrial Strategy and will require a concerted cross-government approach. We have already increased R&D investment by £4.7 billion over the period 2017-18 to 2020-21. This equates to an extra £2 billion per year by 2020-21 and is an increase of around 20% to total government R&D spending, more than any increase in any parliament since 1979.
EUREKA is an intergovernmental network which helps mostly small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) across Europe and aground the world to collaborate on R&D across borders to bring innovative ideas to market. The UK is a member of EUREKA in its own right and this does not change when the UK leaves the EU. The UK will continue to collaborate with European and international partners through the EUREKA network, and play a key role in this initiative. The UK will Chair the EUREKA Network from July 2018 to June 2019.
The UK’s membership of CERN is also unaffected by the UK leaving the EU. CERN is not an EU institution; it is an Intergovernmental Organisation subject to its own treaty. The European Space Agency (ESA) is a research organisation that is not part of the European Union. In December 2016, the Government committed €1.4 billion, reinforcing our intention to continue collaborating within the ESA on Space research and development.
Similarly, the European Bioinformatics Institute is a treaty organisation existing outside of the EU and UK participation is not impacted by the UK leaving the EU.
The Scottish Office met recently with the Principal at the Centre of Photonics for Applied Photonics at the University of Strathclyde.
The Centre for Applied Photonics is one of around 20 Fraunhofer Research Centres based around the world, including countries outside the EU, such as the Fraunhofer USA Center for Sustainable Energy Systems and the Faunhofer Center for Solar Energy Technologies in Chile. Fraunhofer Centres act in the same way as the Fraunhofer Institutes do in Germany, and form an integral part of a country’s innovation system while maintaining the core Fraunhofer principles and business model. Location in an EU member state is not a requirement for a Fraunhofer Centre.
Science and research are vital to our country’s prosperity, security and wellbeing, and are at the heart of our industrial strategy. As part of our commitment to the science base, we have already increased research and development investment by £4.7 billion over the period 2017-18 to 2020-21. This equates to an extra £2 billion per year by 2020-21 and is an increase of around 20% to total government R&D spending. Furthermore, the Government has guaranteed to underwrite the payments of any successful bids for competitive EU funding, such as funding from Horizon 2020, submitted by UK businesses and universities while we remain a member of the EU.
We have been clear from the start that the Scottish Government should be fully engaged in our exit from the EU. The UK Government’s paper, Collaboration on Science and Innovation: A Future Partnership Paper, provides a basis for further discussion, including with the Scottish Government, on the future partnership the UK wants to build with the EU. We are committed to positive and productive engagement with the Scottish Government, including at the Joint Ministerial Committee on EU Negotiations, as we seek a deal that works for the entire United Kingdom.
The Centre for Applied Photonics at the University of Strathclyde is one of around 20 Fraunhofer Research Centres based around the world, including countries outside the EU, such as the Fraunhofer USA Center for Sustainable Energy Systems and the Fraunhofer Center for Solar Energy Technologies in Chile. Fraunhofer Centres act in the same way as the Fraunhofer Institutes do in Germany, and form an integral part of a country’s innovation system while maintaining the core Fraunhofer principles and business model. Location in an EU member state is not a requirement for a Fraunhofer Centre.
Science and research are vital to our country’s prosperity, security and wellbeing, and are at the heart of our industrial strategy. As part of our commitment to the science base, we have already increased research and development investment by £4.7 billion over the period 2017-18 to 2020-21. This equates to an extra £2 billion per year by 2020-21 and is an increase of around 20% to total government R&D spending. Furthermore, the Government has guaranteed to underwrite the payments of any successful bids for competitive EU funding, such as funding from Horizon 2020, submitted by UK businesses and universities while we remain a member of the EU.
My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State and I are committed to positive and productive engagement with UK space companies and want our companies and our universities to continue participating in key EU space programmes. There is regular contact with UKspace, the trade association of the UK space industry and the UK Government’s paper provides a basis for further discussion on the future partnership the UK wants to build with the EU. It considers areas where there are precedents for countries outside the EU to participate in pan-European programmes such as Galileo, Copernicus and Space Surveillance and Tracking.
Glasgow is recognised is home to award-wining companies such as Clyde Space, supplier of CubeSats and small satellite systems as well as The Scottish Centre of Excellence in Satellite Applications (SoXSA) at the University of Strathclyde. Scotland is very much part of the UK space success which boasts growth averaging over 8% a year over the last decade, a turnover in excess of £11 billion a year and ambitious plans to achieve 10% of the global space market by 2030. We are committed to positive and productive engagement as we seek a deal that works for the entire United Kingdom.
We have been clear from the start that the Scottish Government should be fully engaged in our exit from the EU. The UK Government’s paper, Collaboration on Science and Innovation: A Future Partnership Paper, provides a basis for further discussion, including with the Scottish Government, on the future partnership the UK wants to build with the EU. We are committed to positive and productive engagement with the Scottish Government, including at the Joint Ministerial Committee on EU Negotiations, as we seek a deal that works for the entire United Kingdom.
We have been clear from the start that the Scottish Government should be fully engaged in our exit from the EU. The UK Government’s paper, Collaboration on Science and Innovation: A Future Partnership Paper, provides a basis for further discussion, including with the Scottish Government, on the future partnership the UK wants to build with the EU. We are committed to positive and productive engagement with the Scottish Government, including at the Joint Ministerial Committee on EU Negotiations as we seek a deal that works for the entire United Kingdom.
This Government is committed to ensuring the UK remains among the best places in the world for science and innovation. This is why we are increasing research and development investment by £4.7 billion over the period 2017-18 to 2020-21, an increase of around 20% to total government R&D spending, more than any increase in any parliament since 1979.
This Government wants the UK to be the go-to place for researchers, innovators and investors across the world, and we intend to secure the right outcome for the UK research base as we exit the European Union.
As my Rt Hon. Friend the Prime Minister has said, we would welcome an agreement to continue to collaborate with our European partners on major science, research, and technology initiatives. However it is too early to speculate on the UK’s future relationship with specific EU research programmes, including Horizon 2020 and successor programmes.
On 6 September we published a future partnership paper on collaboration on science and innovation. As part of the new deep and special partnership with the EU, recognising our shared interest in maintaining and strengthening research collaboration, the UK will seek an agreement that promotes science and innovation across Europe now and in the future.
UK businesses and universities should continue to bid for competitive EU funds while we remain a member of the EU and we will work with the Commission to ensure payment when funds are awarded. The Government will underwrite the payment of such awards, even when specific projects continue beyond the UK’s departure from the EU. This includes awards that are bid for before exit that are successful after exit.
The Government is committed to ensuring the UK remains a world leader in international research and innovation.
The UK is keen to engage positively and productively in the discussions around Framework Programme 9. The Government has made clear our interest in continued collaboration with EU partners on research and innovation. We look forward to continuing discussions with the Commission and all other interested parties.