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Written Question
Animal Breeding: Animal Experiments
Monday 13th February 2023

Asked by: Virginia Crosbie (Conservative - Ynys Môn)

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether it is her Department's policy to ban the commercial breeding of animals for use in animal testing; whether she is taking steps to reduce the use of animals in animal testing; and what policies her Department has in place to help ensure the protection and welfare of animals that are commercially bred to be used in animal testing.

Answered by Tom Tugendhat - Minister of State (Home Office) (Security)

This Government is committed to the protection and welfare of animals and ensuring that animals are only ever used in science where there are no alternatives.

The Government’s position on commercially breeding animals for use in scientific procedures to deliver benefits, protecting animals and promoting alternatives, were set out in the recent Westminster Hall Debate on Commercial Breeding for Laboratories, on 16 January 2023.

The Hansard record can be found here: https://hansard.parliament.uk/Commons/2023-01-16/debates/CE7E0DD2-CD4E-4C47-A58D-983D6E2BC128/CommercialBreedingForLaboratories.


Written Question
Environment Protection and Sustainable Development: Curriculum
Monday 8th November 2021

Asked by: Lord Taylor of Warwick (Non-affiliated - Life peer)

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to introduce environmental sustainability across all National Curriculum and A-Level courses.

Answered by Baroness Barran - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

The department believes it vital that young people are taught about important matters such as environmental sustainability in school.

Topics relating to the environment are covered in the National Curriculum in the science and geography curricula and in GCSEs. In both subjects, at key stages 1 and 2, pupils are taught about seasons and habitats, as well as covering climate zones and how environments can change. Secondary geography includes study of the climate, how human and physical processes interact to influence and change landscapes, environments and the climate. In science key stages 3 and 4 and at GCSE, pupils study climate and ecosystems including how human interaction with ecosystems impacts on biodiversity. We have also introduced a new environmental science A level which became available to pupils in 2017. This will enable pupils to study topics that will support their understanding of climate change and how it can be tackled.

Pupils also cover content on the environment in citizenship education which has been a compulsory subject in maintained schools since 2002. Pupils are taught what improves and harms the environment, and how economic choices affect sustainability. Teachers have the flexibility and freedom to determine how they deliver the content in the way that best meets the needs of their pupils and can choose to cover particular topics in greater depth if they wish.

On 27 October, there was a Westminster Hall Debate on 'Sustainability and Climate Change (National Curriculum)': https://hansard.parliament.uk/commons/2021-10-27/debates/F638FCEC-9A64-4B21-BD6A-A34D96D26DC8/SustainabilityAndClimateChange(NationalCurriculum).


Written Question
Children: Day Care
Wednesday 20th October 2021

Asked by: Zarah Sultana (Labour - Coventry South)

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of commissioning an independent review of childcare funding and affordability in the UK.

Answered by Will Quince

The department’s officials are in regular discussions with Her Majesty's Treasury, and as we prepare for the forthcoming Spending Review settlement for the 2022-23 financial year and beyond, we will continue to press the importance of the early years sector across government. We will not be launching an independent review of childcare at this time.

This issue was debated in Westminster Hall on 13 September pursuant to e-petition 586700, and I refer the hon. Member for Coventry South to the transcript of this debate available here: https://hansard.parliament.uk/Commons/2021-09-13/debates/55E6BB12-54B7-4C08-8D68-00140DFFB5B1/Childcare.


Written Question
Westminster Hall: Debates
Thursday 14th January 2021

Asked by: Rachael Maskell (Labour (Co-op) - York Central)

Question to the Leader of the House:

To ask the Leader of the House, what discussions he has had with the House authorities on enabling full virtual participation in Westminster Hall debates.

Answered by Jacob Rees-Mogg

On 13 January, the House agreed a motion to suspend sittings in Westminster Hall. I refer the Hon. lady to my words during the debate on the question of virtual participation in Westminster Hall.


Written Question
Members: Coronavirus
Monday 16th November 2020

Asked by: Caroline Lucas (Green Party - Brighton, Pavilion)

Question to the Leader of the House:

To ask the Leader of the House, whether he has made an assessment of the effect on the transmission of covid-19 of providing additional ways for hon. Members to work from home during the November 2020 covid-19 lockdown restrictions; if he will take steps to allow hon. Member to (a) contribute remotely to debates in Westminster Hall and (b) vote remotely in divisions during that period; whether he has asked Public Health England for advice on the effect on the transmission of covid-19 of hon. Members travelling to and from their constituencies to Westminster during that period; and if he will make a statement.

Answered by Jacob Rees-Mogg

It is the Government’s view that we best serve our constituents when we are here in Westminster, carrying out our essential functions. At a time when the nation is dealing with the widespread impacts of coronavirus, this work could not be more important. The House authorities have worked hard to put in place robust and effective measures to ensure that the House of Commons is a covid-secure workplace and all Members should follow the government’s guidance when travelling to Parliament.

In October, the House took the decision to extend the current arrangements for virtual participation to March 2021 and ensured that people who cannot be here for a range of reasons can vote by proxy and participate in interrogative proceedings. This was agreed without debate and without division. The hon. Member asks specifically about Westminster Hall and remote voting. Technical limitations meant it was only possible to resume business in Westminster Hall last month. However, the Government's understanding is that, owing to House capacity constraints, it is not currently possible to extend Westminster Hall debates to Members participating virtually. On remote voting, in the context of a physical return of Parliament, not returning to physical voting would be a significant anomaly and I welcome the House’s agreement to the new voting system, which is an effective way of managing safe physical voting.

The Government is sympathetic to those Members who are currently unable to participate in some aspects of our proceedings. However, the Government has done everything it can to mitigate that, including a wide scale roll out of proxy voting and providing for remote participation in scrutiny proceedings, including select committees. In addition, I am working with the House authorities to see how we can support additional virtual participation in the Commons for those who are clinically extremely vulnerable.


Written Question
Parliament: Sign Language
Monday 7th October 2019

Asked by: Rachael Maskell (Labour (Co-op) - York Central)

Question

To ask the right hon. Member for Carshalton and Wallington, representing the House of Commons Commission, whether the Commission plans to provide British Sign Language interpreters for all Parliamentary debates.

Answered by Tom Brake

British Sign Language (BSL) has been provided for a number of debates in Westminster Hall over the past two years, with signing successfully integrated into the video output on parliamentlive.tv. A studio area has now been established in 7 Millbank where filming of BSL interpreters can take place.

I am pleased to inform the hon. Member that funding has been approved for BSL interpretation of Prime Minister’s Questions for the period November 2019 to March 2020 and funding for BSL interpretation beyond this period is being considered. This service will be reviewed by February 2020 and further consideration given to wider use of BSL for other Parliamentary proceedings.

A proposal for live subtitling of all proceedings in the House of Commons Chamber to be shown on parliamentlive.tv is also currently being considered.


Written Question
Pension Funds: Investment
Wednesday 3rd July 2019

Asked by: Paul Farrelly (Labour - Newcastle-under-Lyme)

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether she is taking steps to ensure that pension companies declare investments in the fossil-fuel industry; and if she will make a statement.

Answered by Guy Opperman - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

The Government recognises that climate change is a key national and international issue we have made sure that pension schemes understand their role responding to its effects. In September 2018, following extensive consultation with the pensions industry, this Government laid regulations (https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/pension-trustees-clarifying-and-strengthening-investment-duties) to clarify and strengthen trustees’ investment duties, including taking account of the financial risks of climate change when developing their investment strategies. There has been extensive stakeholder engagement since. The regulations come into force from October this year.

Defined contribution occupational pension schemes will be required to publish their policy on consideration of climate risks by October 2019, with most defined benefit schemes being required to follow suit by October 2020.

The FCA are consulting on corresponding provisions for workplace personal pension schemes. As the Minister for Pensions and Financial Inclusion I have spoken extensively about the new requirements and the Government expectations of pension schemes, including at the Westminster Hall debate regarding Pension Funds: Financial and Ethical Investments on the 22 May 2019:

“For too long there has been a perception by too many trustees -I am happy to clarify this as a Government Minister- that the environmental practices of the firms they invest in are purely ethical concerns, which they do not need to worry about: that is utterly wrong. Aside from the ethical considerations, there are real financial risks resulting from climate change. With the long-term horizons of pension investing, trustees must now consider that when they set out their investment strategies. Trustees who do not consider those matters will be breaching their statutory and potentially their fiduciary duties not only to current but future members.”

The full debate can be viewed here:

https://hansard.parliament.uk/commons/2019-05-22/debates/D3194408-7581-4635-AEDC-6D22AD6F0EBC/PensionFundsFinancialAndEthicalInvestments

The Government is very keen to support trustees in making responsible investment decisions.


Written Question
Pensions
Thursday 13th June 2019

Asked by: Kerry McCarthy (Labour - Bristol East)

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps the Government is taking to encourage the pension industry to (a) divest pension funds from carbon-intensive industries and fossil fuel and (b) adopt the recommendations of the task force on climate-related financial disclosures on reporting structures.

Answered by Guy Opperman - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

The Government wants to support trustees in making responsible investment decisions. However, it does not seek to direct pension schemes to invest or divest in any particular way.

We recognise that climate change is a key national and international issue and we have made sure that pension schemes understand their role responding to its effects. In September 2018, following extensive consultation with the pensions industry, this Government laid regulations to clarify that trustees should be taking account of the financial risks of climate change when developing their investment strategies. The regulations come into force from October this year. The FCA are consulting on corresponding provisions for workplace personal pension schemes.

As the Minister for Pensions and Financial Inclusion I have spoken extensively about the new requirements and the Government expectations of pension schemes, including during the Westminster Hall debate regarding Pension Funds: Financial and Ethical Investments on the 22 May 2019:

“For too long there has been a perception by too many trustees -I am happy to clarify this as a Government Minister- that the environmental practices of the firms they invest in are purely ethical concerns, which they do not need to worry about: that is utterly wrong. Aside from the ethical considerations, there are real financial risks resulting from climate change. With the long-term horizons of pension investing, trustees must now consider that when they set out their investment strategies. Trustees who do not consider those matters will be breaching their statutory and potentially their fiduciary duties not only to current but future members.”

The full debate can be viewed here:

https://hansard.parliament.uk/commons/2019-05-22/debates/D3194408-7581-4635-AEDC-6D22AD6F0EBC/PensionFundsFinancialAndEthicalInvestments


Written Question
Pensions
Thursday 13th June 2019

Asked by: Kerry McCarthy (Labour - Bristol East)

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what recent discussions she has had with representatives from the pensions industry about (a) the divestment of pensions funds from carbon-intensive industries and from fossil fuels and (b) incorporating climate-related risk into their investment decision-making.

Answered by Guy Opperman - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

The Government wants to support trustees in making responsible investment decisions. However, it does not seek to direct pension schemes to invest or divest in any particular way.

We recognise that climate change is a key national and international issue and we have made sure that pension schemes understand their role responding to its effects. In September 2018, following extensive consultation with the pensions industry, this Government laid regulations to clarify that trustees should be taking account of the financial risks of climate change when developing their investment strategies. The regulations come into force from October this year. The FCA are consulting on corresponding provisions for workplace personal pension schemes.

As the Minister for Pensions and Financial Inclusion I have spoken extensively about the new requirements and the Government expectations of pension schemes, including during the Westminster Hall debate regarding Pension Funds: Financial and Ethical Investments on the 22 May 2019:

“For too long there has been a perception by too many trustees -I am happy to clarify this as a Government Minister- that the environmental practices of the firms they invest in are purely ethical concerns, which they do not need to worry about: that is utterly wrong. Aside from the ethical considerations, there are real financial risks resulting from climate change. With the long-term horizons of pension investing, trustees must now consider that when they set out their investment strategies. Trustees who do not consider those matters will be breaching their statutory and potentially their fiduciary duties not only to current but future members.”

The full debate can be viewed here:

https://hansard.parliament.uk/commons/2019-05-22/debates/D3194408-7581-4635-AEDC-6D22AD6F0EBC/PensionFundsFinancialAndEthicalInvestments


Written Question
Pensions
Thursday 13th June 2019

Asked by: Kerry McCarthy (Labour - Bristol East)

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what discussions she has had with the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government on encouraging local government pensions funds to divest from carbon-intensive industries and fossil fuels.

Answered by Guy Opperman - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

The DWP has regular discussions with the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government. However, much like with trustees of occupational pension schemes, the local pension committees of the individual Local Government Pension Funds are responsible for their own investment decisions.

As I said during the Westminster Hall debate regarding Pension Funds: Financial and Ethical Investments on the 22 May 2019:

“For too long there has been a perception by too many trustees -I am happy to clarify this as a Government Minister- that the environmental practices of the firms they invest in are purely ethical concerns, which they do not need to worry about: that is utterly wrong. Aside from the ethical considerations, there are real financial risks resulting from climate change. With the long-term horizons of pension investing, trustees must now consider that when they set out their investment strategies. Trustees who do not consider those matters will be breaching their statutory and potentially their fiduciary duties not only to current but future members.”

The full debate can be viewed here:

https://hansard.parliament.uk/commons/2019-05-22/debates/D3194408-7581-4635-AEDC-6D22AD6F0EBC/PensionFundsFinancialAndEthicalInvestments