Asked by: Baroness Boycott (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of reports that Ofgem has said that the volume of grid connection applications from data centres “exceeds even the most ambitious demand forecasts” and will put at risk meeting carbon budgets.
Answered by Lord Whitehead - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
As Ofgem states in its recent publication, Government is working closely with the regulator, NESO, and network companies, to develop and deliver a coordinated package of reforms to the grid connection process for demand projects.
This includes measures described in the November 2025 ‘Delivering AI Growth Zones’ announcement to manage speculative data centre demand and secure capacity for viable data centre connections while ensuring delivery of a clean and secure energy system.
Asked by: Baroness Boycott (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask His Majesty's Government what government representatives accompanied Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor in his visit to Ukraine as Special Representative for International Trade and Investment in April 2010.
Answered by Lord Stockwood - Minister of State (HM Treasury)
It would not be appropriate to comment on a live investigation.
Asked by: Baroness Boycott (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask His Majesty's Government who accompanied Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor in his visits to Azerbaijan as Special Representative for International Trade and Investment in (1) June 2008, (2) November 2008, (3) June 2009, and (4) December 2009.
Answered by Lord Stockwood - Minister of State (HM Treasury)
It would not be appropriate to comment on a live investigation.
Asked by: Baroness Boycott (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask His Majesty's Government who accompanied Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor in his visit to Mongolia as Special Representative for International Trade and Investment in October 2007.
Answered by Lord Stockwood - Minister of State (HM Treasury)
It would not be appropriate to comment on a live investigation.
Asked by: Baroness Boycott (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they plan to publish additional documents up to 2005 about Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor in his role as Special Representative for International Trade and Investment; and if so, when they will publish those documents.
Answered by Lord Stockwood - Minister of State (HM Treasury)
It would not be appropriate to comment on a live investigation.
Asked by: Baroness Boycott (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they plan to (1) track, and (2) publish, the number of learning days lost to extreme weather events, such as those that cause flooding or overheating.
Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The department publishes attendance data, including reasons for absence such as setting closures.
Decisions on closures rest with individual settings and responsible bodies, based on their own risk assessments.
Closures should be a last resort, with the priority to keep settings open where safe. Settings are expected to provide remote education and the department’s emergency planning guidance explains how schools should deliver remote education. The guidance can be accessed here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/emergency-planning-and-response-for-education-childcare-and-childrens-social-care-settings/emergency-planning-and-response-for-education-childcare-and-childrens-social-care-settings#exam-and-assessment-disruption.
Drawing on lessons from Covid, the department has strengthened monitoring of disruptions to provide faster support and reduce lost learning time.
Asked by: Baroness Boycott (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask His Majesty's Government how many schools have implemented measures to be climate resilient in (1) a two degree centigrade, and (2) a four degree centigrade, rise in average global temperatures.
Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
As part of our Sustainability and Climate Change Strategy, we are helping all education settings to develop and implement climate action plans through a package of online and in person support. All climate action plans include taking action to become more climate resilient.
The department’s specification for the design and construction of new school buildings includes the requirement that they are built for a 2 degree rise in average global temperatures, and future-proofed for a 4 degree rise.
Engagement with the support has been positive. The department does not currently collect data relating to the number of schools with plans.
Asked by: Baroness Boycott (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask His Majesty's Government how many schools have produced climate action plans.
Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
As part of our Sustainability and Climate Change Strategy, we are helping all education settings to develop and implement climate action plans through a package of online and in person support. All climate action plans include taking action to become more climate resilient.
The department’s specification for the design and construction of new school buildings includes the requirement that they are built for a 2 degree rise in average global temperatures, and future-proofed for a 4 degree rise.
Engagement with the support has been positive. The department does not currently collect data relating to the number of schools with plans.
Asked by: Baroness Boycott (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask His Majesty's Government what estimate they have made of the number of marine mammals that have been caught by fishing vessels in UK waters in 2023 and 2024.
Answered by Baroness Hayman of Ullock - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Bycatch Monitoring Programme is currently producing the 2024 report on marine mammal bycatch estimates and is expected to be published by the end of the year.
According to the UK Cetacean Strandings Investigation Programme there were twenty cases of cetacean bycatch and entanglement in 2023 and fifteen in 2024. This data is taken from necropsy data only and does not include data collected on beaches/at sea by volunteer schemes from non-necropsied animals.
Asked by: Baroness Boycott (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask His Majesty's Government how many reports of marine mammal bycatch were made in 2023 and 2024.
Answered by Baroness Hayman of Ullock - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
In 2023 there were 17 reports of marine mammal bycatch, six incidents of which resulted in injury or death. In 2024 there were 12 incidents reported, and none resulted in injury or death.