Asked by: Baroness Neville-Rolfe (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the reply by Lord Livermore on 14 July (HL Deb col 562), what legal advice they have received on the compatibility of a revised UK-EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement with the UK's obligations under the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership and UK-US Economic Prosperity Deal.
Answered by Lord Pitt-Watson - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
The UK and EU are committed to building a closer relationship and are negotiating agreements that will boost trade, enhance energy security and create opportunities for young people. The government takes all its international partnerships seriously and will ensure that UK-EU agreements are consistent with the UK’s wider international obligations.
Asked by: Baroness Neville-Rolfe (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Statement of 29 June (HL Deb cols 868–70), how many letters and complaints about Nottingham maternity and neonatal services were received by the Department of Health and Social Care from MPs in the 13 years covered by the report.
Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The information requested can only be provided at a disproportionate cost to the Department.
However, the Department has listened to the significant concerns that families have raised about their care, experiences, and devastating outcomes at Nottingham maternity and neonatal services.
In May 2022, NHS England commissioned an independent review of Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust maternity services after significant concerns were raised in relation to quality and safety of care, and concerns of local families. On 24 June, the independent report into Nottingham University Hospitals was published, and we will carefully consider Donna Ockenden’s recommendations in full and take the decisive action needed. Both former and current ministers have met with families affected by the failings at Nottingham maternity services, to listen to their experiences.
Asked by: Baroness Neville-Rolfe (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they will publish an annual report on the work of the Defending Democracy Taskforce.
Answered by Lord Hanson of Flint - Minister of State (Home Office)
Parliament is regularly updated about the progress and priorities of the Defending Democracy Taskforce.
Most recently, in March 2026 the previous Security Minister updated Parliament in his statement on the work the Taskforce is undertaking to defend our democracy and those who serve within it.
Asked by: Baroness Neville-Rolfe (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the potential economic impact of the full implementation of financial risk assessments on gambling on the horse racing industries.
Answered by Baroness Twycross - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
The Government recognises the significant contribution that racing makes to British sporting culture and its importance to the British economy. Horseracing is the only sport in receipt of a direct government-mandated levy which helps to drive improvements in the sport.
The Government remains committed to supporting the implementation of key measures in the 2023 white paper, including the introduction of Financial Risk Assessments (FRAs).
Following the conclusion of its pilot on FRAs, the Gambling Commission has continued to engage with gambling operators and other stakeholders. As the independent regulator, the Gambling Commission will decide how to implement FRAs based on the best available evidence.
The Gambling Commission has recently published an updated blog on its pilot findings and plans to publish the pilot data, including updated impact assessment results following implementation decision, as is standard practice.
Asked by: Baroness Neville-Rolfe (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of their plans for dynamic alignment with the EU on food and drink on (1) trade deals with other nations, and (2) the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership; and whether such dynamic alignment with the EU would take precedence over those existing trade deals.
Answered by Lord Stockwood
It has not proved possible to respond to this question in the time available before Prorogation. Ministers will correspond directly with the Member.
Asked by: Baroness Neville-Rolfe (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they expect the NHS workforce plan to be published before the end of the current parliamentary session.
Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
We will publish the 10 Year Workforce Plan in Spring 2026. A specific publication date has not been agreed.
Asked by: Baroness Neville-Rolfe (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether their workforce plan, due to be published in the spring, will cover resourcing of occupational health.
Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Government is committed to publishing a 10 Year Workforce Plan to set out action to create a workforce ready to deliver the transformed service set out in the 10-Year Health Plan. The 10 Year Workforce Plan will ensure the National Health Service has the right people in the right places, with the right skills to care for patients, when they need it. We are working through how the plan will articulate the changes for different professional groups.
Asked by: Baroness Neville-Rolfe (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether voluntary exit or redundancy packages offered to civil servants are subject to a maximum cap; if so, whether that cap includes pension elements or pension-related costs; and what the current limits, eligibility criteria and conditions are for those packages across departments, including the Treasury.
Answered by Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent - Captain of the King's Bodyguard of the Yeomen of the Guard (HM Household) (Deputy Chief Whip, House of Lords)
The maximum cap for a Voluntary Exit (VE) or Voluntary Redundancy (VR) scheme relates to a salary cap of £149,820, mandatory for calculating higher value exit payments. There is no overall maximum cap, although exit offers should provide value for money. Pension top-ups are only mandatory for a VR scheme.
For both VE and VR, the minimum qualifying service is two years, although departments may exercise discretion.
Asked by: Baroness Neville-Rolfe (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government which Government departments, Executive Agencies and Arm’s-Length Bodies operate salary sacrifice arrangements; and what categories of benefit are provided under those arrangements.
Answered by Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent - Captain of the King's Bodyguard of the Yeomen of the Guard (HM Household) (Deputy Chief Whip, House of Lords)
The Cabinet Office does not hold information about what salary sacrifice schemes government departments offer.
Asked by: Baroness Neville-Rolfe (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government which Government departments, Executive Agencies and Arm’s-Length Bodies operate optional remuneration arrangements; and what categories of benefit are provided under those arrangements.
Answered by Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent - Captain of the King's Bodyguard of the Yeomen of the Guard (HM Household) (Deputy Chief Whip, House of Lords)
As individual employers, decisions on remuneration are delegated to individual departments for grades below the Senior Civil Service (SCS). This information is not held centrally by the Cabinet Office.