Asked by: Clive Lewis (Labour - Norwich South)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answer of 29 February 2024 to Question 15463 on Academies: Sports, if she will publish a list of academy trusts where consent was granted by her Department of freehold sale of publicly funded land which were not subject to conditions specifying that capital receipt should be reinvested in improving sports provision.
Answered by Damian Hinds - Minister of State (Education)
The department’s general policy is that the freehold sale of playing field land requires improvement to playing field in the educational estate by reinvesting capital receipt in sporting provision. Capital receipt from the sale of non-playing field land can be used for other benefits to the education estate, such as capital projects, save for any exceptional circumstances.
The department currently publishes a list of all playing field land disposals considered by the School Playing Field Advisory Panel since 2010, including freehold disposals, which is available on GOV.UK. This list is currently being updated for the period May to December 2023. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/school-land-decisions-about-disposals/decisions-on-the-disposal-of-school-land.
Asked by: Clive Lewis (Labour - Norwich South)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps she is taking to help ensure that British multinationals operate to domestic environmental standards when operating overseas.
Answered by Greg Hands - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
All British multinationals must comply with relevant British and international law as applicable to their location and operation. The Government is committed to the implementation of the revised OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises on Responsible Business Conduct, which includes recommendations to multinational enterprises on the environment.
Asked by: Clive Lewis (Labour - Norwich South)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with Ofwat about water companies at risk of bankruptcy.
Answered by Robbie Moore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Government and Ofwat take the financial resilience of the water sector very seriously.
Ofwat continues to monitor the financial position of all water and wastewater companies. It sets out its assessment of the financial resilience of each company in its annual Monitoring Financial Resilience report. The Government is prepared for a range of scenarios across our regulated industries - including water - as any responsible government would be.
Asked by: Clive Lewis (Labour - Norwich South)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether his Department has made an assessment of the (a) physical and (b) mental feasibility of people being able to continue working (i) until the existing state pension age and (ii) beyond that age.
Answered by Jo Churchill - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The Department provides information to support people to make informed decisions such as Midlife MOT sessions in Jobcentres, and the digital Midlife MOT offer available to everyone online which offers financial, health and career guidance. There is no requirement for people to work beyond the State Pension age, however some people may choose to.
Asked by: Clive Lewis (Labour - Norwich South)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what criteria the Government uses to assess whether to amend the state pension age.
Answered by Paul Maynard - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
Under Section 27 of the Pensions Act 2014, the Secretary of State has a duty to periodically review whether the existing rules about State Pension age are appropriate. He must consider evidence about life expectancy and appoint an independent reviewer to report to him on other factors that are relevant for the review.
The second Government Review of State Pension age was published on 30 March 2023. Government concluded that the planned increase in State Pension age from 66 to 67 will take place between 2026-2028. Government also concluded that due to uncertainties in relation to life expectancy data, labour markets and the public finances, there will be a further review within two years of the next Parliament to consider age 68. The further review will be supported by the latest evidence, including life expectancy projections, updated with 2021 Census data, and the economic position.
Asked by: Clive Lewis (Labour - Norwich South)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answer of 29 February 2024 to Question 15463 on Academies: Sports, what steps her Department takes to monitor compliance by academy trusts with her Department's conditions of consent for the sale of publicly funded playing field land.
Answered by Damian Hinds - Minister of State (Education)
In addition to the requirement for an academy trust’s Accounting Officer to sign and return an acknowledgement letter, the department is considering measures to monitor compliance of conditions by academy trusts and other Responsible Bodies.
Measures under consideration include carrying out spot checks on cases, contacting academy trusts directly for confirmation that the conditions have been met and asking trusts to notify the department once they have been met.
Asked by: Clive Lewis (Labour - Norwich South)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to the second National Infrastructure Report, published on 18 October 2023, what progress his Department has made on responding to the recommendation to (a) review action on transport decarbonisation annually and (b) develop adaptive policies in case of a future shortfall.
Answered by Guy Opperman - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Government set out its plan for decarbonising transport in its 2021 Transport Decarbonisation Plan, which we have continued to build on since. We regularly review our transport decarbonisation policies to ensure we are on track to deliver our projected carbon savings and are committed to publishing our progress and reviewing our net zero pathway at least every five years.
Asked by: Clive Lewis (Labour - Norwich South)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, pursuant to the Answer of 29 February 2024 to Question 15306, which organisations (a) Ministers and (b) officials in his Department have met on reforms to the leasehold system; and whether any of those organisations made representations to his Department requesting that the leasehold system be maintained.
Answered by Lee Rowley - Minister of State (Minister for Housing)
I refer the Hon Member to the answer I gave to Question UIN 15306 on 29 February 2024.
In line with the practice of successive administrations, details of internal discussions are not normally disclosed.
Asked by: Clive Lewis (Labour - Norwich South)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, if she will request that Shell publishes its environmental impact assessments in respect of the areas of the Niger Delta where SPDC currently operates.
Answered by Andrew Bowie - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Environmental Impact Assessments for Shell’s activities in Nigeria since 2014 are published on the company’s website. Please see https://www.shell.com.ng/sustainability/environment/environment-impact-assessments.html
Asked by: Clive Lewis (Labour - Norwich South)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps she is taking to help ensure that Shell has in place plans for the safe decommissioning of its infrastructure in Nigeria prior to selling its Nigerian operation SPDC.
Answered by Andrew Bowie - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
SPDC is a Nigerian registered subsidiary of Shell whose operations in the Niger Delta are as a member of a Joint Venture in which it has a minority stake (the majority - 55% - stake is held by Nigerian state-owned company NNPC Ltd). This Joint Venture operates under a regulatory regime set and enforced by the Government of Nigeria. It would not be appropriate for His Majesty's Government, as a foreign government, to seek to influence the regulatory process.