Speeches made during Parliamentary debates are recorded in Hansard. For ease of browsing we have grouped debates into individual, departmental and legislative categories.
These initiatives were driven by Baroness Hayman, and are more likely to reflect personal policy preferences.
A Bill to make provision empowering the House of Lords to expel or suspend members.
This Bill received Royal Assent on 26th March 2015 and was enacted into law.
A Bill to make provision about planning applications for onshore wind installations
A bill to make provision about the allocation of contracts for difference; resume the allocation of contracts for difference to onshore wind projects; and make provision about planning applications for onshore wind installations.
A Bill Make provision for permanent leave of absence from the House of Lords; to provide for the expulsion of members of the House of Lords in specified circumstances; to make provision for the appointment of a Commission to make recommendations to the Crown for the creation of life peerages; and to restrict membership of the House of Lords by virtue of hereditary peerages.
Baroness Hayman has not co-sponsored any Bills in the current parliamentary sitting
The Government is considering the views of stakeholders in business, civil society, and Parliament and will inform Parliament of the outcome in due course.
The Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund (SHDF) is a 10-year, £3.8bn 2019 manifesto commitment. £6 billion of new Government funding will be made available from 2025 to 2028 in addition to the £6.6 billion allocated in this Parliament to energy efficiency and clean heat in buildings. Conversations are continuing with HM Treasury to assess SHDF’s share of the £6bn to be made available from 2025 to 2028, and provide long-term funding certainty, support the growth of supply chains and ensure we can scale up our delivery over time.
Eligibility, timescales and method of delivery for the Energy Bills Support Scheme Alternative Funding will be announced in the coming weeks.
The value of expenditure on all UK energy, by sector, for 2019, 2020 and 2021, is published as part of the Digest of UK Energy Statistics (DUKES) value balances.
Statistics on energy expenditure for 2022 will be published in July 2023 and will reflect the support government has announced for both non-domestic and domestic energy consumers over the winter. For example, the Energy Price Guarantee will save the typical household around £700 on its energy bill over six months to March 2023.
Over the longer-term, policies to improve energy efficiency and increase low carbon energy supply will help to reduce both the amount of energy consumed and exposure to volatile international fossil fuel prices.
Imports and exports of primary oil are published in the Digest of UK Energy Statistics table 3.1.
Imports and exports of petroleum products are published in the Digest of UK Energy Statistics table 3.2.
Imports and exports of natural gas are published in the Digest of UK Energy Statistics table 4.1.
Export destinations of primary oils are published in the Digest of UK Energy Statistics table 3.10.
Export destinations of natural gas are published in the Digest of UK Energy Statistics table 4.5.
To note, the UK records exports of crude oil and natural gas but does not separately identify oil and gas that was originally extracted from the UKCS. Exports shown will include oil and gas produced in the North Sea as well as oil and gas that originated elsewhere and has subsequently been re- exported.
No decision has yet been made regarding the proposed Cambo field.
The UK was the first major economy to commit to Net Zero by 2050, and to achieve that ambition, we want to ensure that every financial decision takes climate change into account. This will require a drastic increase in the quantity, quality and comparability of climate-related disclosures. That is why, in November 2020, my Rt. Hon. Friend Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer announced the UK’s intention to make disclosures in line with the recommendations of the Task Force for Climate-related Financial Disclosures mandatory in the UK across the economy, including the financial services sector, by 2025. This commitment is world-leading and significant progress towards achieving our ambition, including new requirements for premium-listed firms to disclose their greenhouse gas emissions, has already been made.
We have committed to implementing a green taxonomy that will establish a common definition for ’sustainable economic activities’ and improve understanding around the impact of firms’ activities and investments on the environment. Together, these measures will ensure that firms across the whole economy are disclosing robust and comparable climate and sustainability-related information that is decision-useful for investors. This will help close the sustainability data gap, as well as preventing greenwashing and supporting the greening of the UK economy.
Finance is one of the four over-arching goals of the UK Government’s COP26 Presidency. At the core of the COP26 finance campaign is the creation of a private finance system for net zero. This entails building a virtuous cycle of innovation and investment, making sure that policies, business plans and investment decisions all align with net zero targets. As a result, we are already seeing very positive momentum within the private finance sector. For example, the Glasgow Financial Alliance for Net Zero has secured commitments from 160 firms (together responsible for assets in excess of $70tn) across the global financial system to accelerate the transition to net zero emissions. All members must be accredited by the UN Race to Zero campaign and use science-based guidelines to reach net zero emissions, covering all emissions scopes (including a 2030 interim target). Hence, there is already a large push for voluntary setting of net zero targets by financial institutions.
The department publishes pupil numbers in the annual 'Schools, Pupils and their Characteristics' statistical release. The most recent figures for January 2021 are available here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/school-pupils-and-their-characteristics.
Between January and October 2020 the number of pupils in state funded primary schools in Inner London decreased by 8,106 from 249,818 to 241,712. Over the same period the number of pupils in state funded secondary schools increased by 4,820 from 181,758 to 186,578. This gives an overall decrease across both phases of 3,286 pupils.
Core school funding increased by £2.6 billion in financial year 2020/21 and will increase by £4.8 billion and £7.1 billion in 2021/22 and 2022/23 respectively, compared to 2019/20. Schools in London will receive an additional £124.5 million this year, 2021/22, taking total funding to £6.7 billion. On average, schools in London will receive £5,914 per pupil this year, far greater than the national average of £5,228.
The schools national funding formula (NFF) continues to distribute this funding fairly, based on the needs of schools and their pupil cohorts. The vast majority of funding is distributed on the basis of pupil numbers and pupils’ characteristics, which ensures that resources are delivered where they are needed most. In addition, schools in more expensive areas, like London, have higher funding per pupil than other parts of the country to reflect the higher costs they face. All schools also attract a lump sum of £117,800, irrespective of their size.
The funding system is “lagged” - this means that schools’ allocations in any given year are based on pupil numbers from the previous autumn school census. The lagged funding system gives schools certainty over their budgets, as they know how many pupils they will receive funding for in the next year. This means that when pupil numbers fall, schools have time to respond before this starts to affect their budgets.
Decisions on International Travel Corridors, and therefore whether visitors to the UK from specific countries have to self-isolate, are currently informed by risk assessments provided by the Joint Biosecurity Centre (JBC), working closely with Public Health England (PHE), using methodology endorsed by the four Chief Medical Officers (CMO) of the UK.
JBC and PHE monitor over 250 countries, territories and islands to inform these risk assessments. This includes African nations. Factors taken into consideration include:
The pension industry stakeholder roundtables planned this spring will explore interpretations of fiduciary duty in relation to climate change and responsible investments. Following these the Department will ensure a briefing session is held in which interested Parliamentarians will have the opportunity to provide insight and discuss the conclusions drawn from these events.
The Government welcomes the work of the Financial Markets Law Committee’s working group. Working with the Pensions Regulator, we will look closely at what insights we can draw from their report as we gather further evidence on how trustees are considering ESG factors in their approach to investment in the interests of their members.
This report is a useful resource for trustees, but we are keen to hear views from across the pension sector and wider stakeholders as to what further clarification, or guidance, if any, is needed. We plan to do this starting with a series of roundtable events this spring.
The Government welcomes the work of the Financial Markets Law Committee’s working group. Working with the Pensions Regulator, we will look closely at what insights we can draw from their report as we gather further evidence on how trustees are considering ESG factors in their approach to investment in the interests of their members.
This report is a useful resource for trustees, but we are keen to hear views from across the pension sector and wider stakeholders as to what further clarification, or guidance, if any, is needed. We plan to do this starting with a series of roundtable events this spring.
The Government already requires occupational pension schemes over a certain size to report in line with the Taskforce on Climate-related Financial Disclosures recommendations.
With regards to fiduciary duties, The Pension Regulator already provides guidance setting out that climate-related risks should be managed alongside other risks that trustees consider as part of their fiduciary duties.
I would like to assure the Baroness that, as set out in the consultation response Climate and investment reporting: setting expectation and empowering savers, we will review requirements on disclosures and stewardship activities in the second half of 2023. The exact form and publication timeline of the review are being determined in conjunction with wider and ongoing stewardship review activities.
The Department commissions research through the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR). The NIHR is not currently funding any specific research into how many people with terminal illnesses die as a result of suicide per year, but welcomes funding applications for research into any aspect of human health. Applications are subject to peer review and judged in open competition, with awards being made based on the importance of the topic to patients and health and care services, value for money and scientific quality.
The Office for National Statistics is unable to collect data on suicide where a terminally ill person has taken their own life, as information on the deceased’s terminal illness is not generally recorded
The Department commissions research through the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR). The NIHR is not currently funding any specific research into how many people with terminal illnesses die as a result of suicide per year, but welcomes funding applications for research into any aspect of human health. Applications are subject to peer review and judged in open competition, with awards being made based on the importance of the topic to patients and health and care services, value for money and scientific quality.
The Office for National Statistics is unable to collect data on suicide where a terminally ill person has taken their own life, as information on the deceased’s terminal illness is not generally recorded
The Department commissions research through the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR). The NIHR is not currently funding any specific research into how many people with terminal illnesses die as a result of suicide per year, but welcomes funding applications for research into any aspect of human health. Applications are subject to peer review and judged in open competition, with awards being made based on the importance of the topic to patients and health and care services, value for money and scientific quality.
The Office for National Statistics is unable to collect data on suicide where a terminally ill person has taken their own life, as information on the deceased’s terminal illness is not generally recorded
Regional officials worked closely with the local and district authorities, the Director of Public Health for Norfolk and the company in Watton to support the Incident Management Team’s (IMT) meetings and facilitate the deployment of mobile testing units (MTU) to enable testing of the workforce to take place.
The outbreak was escalated by the Norfolk local authorities to the Joint Biosecurity Centre Regional Lead for the East of England and to the Escalation and Response Unit.
The Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs set up an animal welfare cell as part of the IMT to mitigate the impact of the public health measures on animal welfare where possible. The factory is being supported to participate in the lateral flow testing scheme. This will allow the company to carrying out routine testing and help reduce the risk of further workforce outbreaks at the factory.
To provide a more comprehensive response to a number of outstanding Written Questions, this has been answered by an information factsheet Science of COVID-19 which is attached, due to the size of the data. A copy has also been placed in the Library.
Section 27 of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2023 adds the UK's net zero target and environmental targets into the regulatory principles for the Prudential Regulation Authority and the Financial Conduct Authority.
The requirement for the regulators to have regard to the need to contribute to achieving the net zero target will come into force two months after Royal Assent, on 29 August. The commencement regulations that did this, the Financial Services and Markets Act 2023 (Commencement No. 1) Regulations 2023, were made on 10 July.
The requirement to have regard to the need to contribute to achieving the environmental targets will come into force at a later date. This requirement was added by amendment late in the passage of the Act, and the regulators will need time to consider how to operationalise this requirement. The government is working with the regulators to explore the earliest date that this requirement can come into force.
The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) regulates around 51,000 firms, of which around 1,500 are also regulated by the Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA). As set out in the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 and the Bank of England Act 1998, the letters of recommendations issued by the Chancellor of the Exchequer to the FCA and the Prudential Regulation Committee (PRC) apply to the advancement of the regulators’ objectives and the discharge of their duties. As such, where relevant and practical, the letters of recommendations apply to the FCA and PRA’s policymaking in all areas they regulate.
The Financial Services Act 2021 introduced a number of different measures which are vital to enhance the UK’s world-leading prudential standards, promote financial stability, promote openness between the UK and international markets, and maintain an effective financial services regulatory framework and sound capital markets. The government’s assessment of the Financial Services Act 2021 was set out in the accompanying Impact Assessment.
Under the Financial Services Act 2021, both the FCA and PRA must have regard to the UK’s net zero emissions target when making rules that introduce the Investment Firms Prudential Regime (IFPR) and implement the remaining Basel standards as contained in the Capital Requirements Regulation respectively. This provision applies to those rules made after 1 January 2022.
As noted in the Impact Assessment for the Financial Services Act 2021, there are currently around 3,200 investment firms which fall under the IFPR. There are around 1,500 firms subject to the Capital Requirements Regulation.
The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) regulates around 51,000 firms, of which around 1,500 are also regulated by the Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA). As set out in the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 and the Bank of England Act 1998, the letters of recommendations issued by the Chancellor of the Exchequer to the FCA and the Prudential Regulation Committee (PRC) apply to the advancement of the regulators’ objectives and the discharge of their duties. As such, where relevant and practical, the letters of recommendations apply to the FCA and PRA’s policymaking in all areas they regulate.
The Financial Services Act 2021 introduced a number of different measures which are vital to enhance the UK’s world-leading prudential standards, promote financial stability, promote openness between the UK and international markets, and maintain an effective financial services regulatory framework and sound capital markets. The government’s assessment of the Financial Services Act 2021 was set out in the accompanying Impact Assessment.
Under the Financial Services Act 2021, both the FCA and PRA must have regard to the UK’s net zero emissions target when making rules that introduce the Investment Firms Prudential Regime (IFPR) and implement the remaining Basel standards as contained in the Capital Requirements Regulation respectively. This provision applies to those rules made after 1 January 2022.
As noted in the Impact Assessment for the Financial Services Act 2021, there are currently around 3,200 investment firms which fall under the IFPR. There are around 1,500 firms subject to the Capital Requirements Regulation.
The UK was the first major economy to commit to Net Zero by 2050, and to achieve that ambition, we want to ensure that every financial decision takes climate change into account. This will require a drastic increase in the quantity, quality and comparability of climate-related disclosures, to provide the information necessary for everyone to make informed decisions.
That is why, in November 2020, the Chancellor announced the UK’s intention to make disclosures in line with the recommendations of the Task Force for Climate-related Financial Disclosures – including that firms must disclose how they identify, assess and manage climate-related risks – fully mandatory in the UK across the economy by 2025. This includes the financial services sector. This commitment is world-leading and significant progress towards achieving our ambition, including new requirements for premium-listed firms, has already been made.
We have also committed to implementing a green taxonomy that will establish a common definition for ’sustainable economic activities’ and improve understanding around the impact of firms’ activities and investments on the environment.
Together, these measures will ensure that firms across the whole economy are disclosing robust and comparable climate and sustainability-related information that is decision-useful for investors. This will help close the sustainability data gap, as well as preventing greenwashing and supporting the greening of the UK economy.
In addition to this work, ahead of COP26, the UK launched the Glasgow Financial Alliance for Net Zero (GFANZ), a global net zero alliance for the whole financial sector to ensure credibility and generate momentum behind private sector commitments to reach net zero emissions by 2050. GFANZ will mobilise and elevate net zero ambition by motivating financial institutions to make credible net zero commitments by the time of Glasgow and beyond and establishing defined and agreed ways for all financial institutions to meaningfully commit to net zero by 2050.
The Government has announced that it will be launching a Green Technical Advisory Group to provide independent advice on how to effectively implement a Green Taxonomy in the UK. This group will be made up of experts drawn from taxonomy users, academia, science, and NGOs. The Green Finance Institute will act as the secretariat for this group. As a first step, the GFI will provide independent advice, in consultation with industry, on the group’s membership and its work plan. we will provide more details on this in due course.
The Government is required to make Technical Screening Criteria (TSC) for climate change mitigation, and climate change adaptation no later than 1 January 2023. These TSC will be subject to appropriate, open consultation prior to making.
The UK Taxonomy will use the EU framework which is already part of UK law, as amended by the EU Withdrawal Act. The UK will be establishing a Green Technical Advisory Group to advise the government on an ongoing basis on any improvements or additions that could be made to the taxonomy for the UK context. We will set out more details on this in due course.
This Government is working to improve quality and standards in social housing. Last month the Government launched a consultation on Awaab’s law, which includes timescales for repair work in social housing. That consultation is available here Awaab’s Law: Consultation on timescales for repairs in the social rented sector. We will shortly launch a consultation on improving energy efficiency standards in social housing.
We are pleased that many social housing providers are working towards improving the energy efficiency of their homes, and we continue to support the improvement of energy efficiency in the sector through the Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund (SHDF).
We want to see more social homes that are safer, more decent, with cheaper energy bills and more energy efficiency.
Onshore wind has deployed successfully to date and is an important part of our energy mix. The Government currently has no plans to revisit national planning policy for onshore wind energy schemes. The National Planning Policy Framework confirms planning’s important role in tackling climate change and making the transition to a low carbon economy, setting out that plans should provide a positive strategy for energy supply from renewable sources. In the case of wind energy, national planning policy sets out that planning permission for new wind energy projects should only be granted if the development site is in an area identified as suitable for wind energy development in a local or neighbourhood plan and, following consultation, it can be demonstrated that the planning impacts identified by the affected local community have been fully addressed and the proposal has their backing.
The Ministry of Justice oversees the legal framework that governs the coronial system but does not have operational responsibility for coroner services. Ministers and officials meet with the Chief Coroner, individual coroners and local authorities from time to time to discuss a range of issues including suicide. We have not had recent discussions on the issue or the number of people with terminal illnesses who take their own lives.