Baroness Sheehan Portrait

Baroness Sheehan

Liberal Democrat - Life peer

Became Member: 2nd October 2015


Science and Technology Committee (Lords)
1st Jul 2019 - 31st Jan 2023
Liberal Democrat Lords Spokesperson (International Development)
28th Oct 2016 - 4th Jan 2021
EU Energy and Environment Sub-Committee
14th Dec 2015 - 2nd Jul 2019


Division Voting information

During the current Parliament, Baroness Sheehan has voted in 537 divisions, and 1 time against the majority of their Party.

16 Mar 2022 - Health and Care Bill - View Vote Context
Baroness Sheehan voted No - against a party majority and in line with the House
One of 18 Liberal Democrat No votes vs 33 Liberal Democrat Aye votes
Tally: Ayes - 145 Noes - 179
View All Baroness Sheehan Division Votes

Debates during the 2019 Parliament

Speeches made during Parliamentary debates are recorded in Hansard. For ease of browsing we have grouped debates into individual, departmental and legislative categories.

Sparring Partners
Lord Callanan (Conservative)
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
(102 debate interactions)
Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon (Conservative)
Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
(29 debate interactions)
Lord Bethell (Conservative)
(21 debate interactions)
View All Sparring Partners
Department Debates
HM Treasury
(27 debate contributions)
View All Department Debates
Legislation Debates
Financial Services and Markets Act 2023
(7,492 words contributed)
Energy Act 2023
(5,914 words contributed)
Environment Act 2021
(4,704 words contributed)
Medicines and Medical Devices Act 2021
(4,028 words contributed)
View All Legislation Debates
View all Baroness Sheehan's debates

Lords initiatives

These initiatives were driven by Baroness Sheehan, and are more likely to reflect personal policy preferences.


2 Bills introduced by Baroness Sheehan


A Bill to prohibit licensing to search and bore for petroleum and onshore hydraulic fracturing activities; to amend the principal objective for the Oil and Gas Authority to be to meet the carbon reduction target for 2050 under the Climate Change Act 2008; and to provide for the Oil and Gas Authority to produce strategies which include the phasing out of the extraction and use of petroleum and transitional planning towards renewable energies

Lords - 20%

Last Event - 1st Reading
Thursday 24th March 2022
(Read Debate)

A Bill to prohibit licensing to search and bore for petroleum and onshore hydraulic fracturing activities; to amend the principal objective for the Oil and Gas Authority to be to meet the carbon reduction target for ​2050 under the Climate Change Act 2008; and to provide for the Oil and Gas Authority to produce strategies which include the phasing out of the extraction and use of petroleum and transitional planning towards renewable energies

Lords - 20%

Last Event - 1st Reading
Wednesday 15th January 2020
(Read Debate)

Baroness Sheehan has not co-sponsored any Bills in the current parliamentary sitting


Latest 50 Written Questions

(View all written questions)
Written Questions can be tabled by MPs and Lords to request specific information information on the work, policy and activities of a Government Department
1 Other Department Questions
14th Dec 2020
To ask the Leader of the House what plans there are for consideration of Private Members' Bills to resume.

I expect private members’ bills to start being considered again in early 2021.

6th Jul 2023
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the response by Lord Callanan on 3 July (HL Deb col 983) that most of the pellets used for biomass are “by-product from normal sustainable commercial forests”, what evidence they have to support the claim; and whether that evidence been corroborated and verified by independent experts.

Recent evidence on the feedstocks used in the production of wood pellets is available from a number of sources, for example, from the Sustainable Biomass Program’s 2021 Annual Review, a 2022 Fibre Study by independent experts for the Wood Pellet Association of Canada, and a 2022 review by the US Forest Service on wood pellet production in the US (the primary source of biomass for energy use).

Lord Callanan
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
6th Jul 2023
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the response by Lord Callanan on 3 July (HL Deb col 984) that "the “Panorama” programme provided an inaccurate representation of practices by the forestry and biomass sector on the ground", what evidence they have for that assertion.

DESNZ officials engaged with forestry experts and relevant officials to understand the evidence about the claims made in the Panorama programme and found no evidence that biomass pellets used in the UK are unsustainable or were associated with forest destruction. In addition, as part of ongoing scheme compliance monitoring, Ofgem opened an additional assurance audit of Drax. Based on the evidence reviewed to date, Ofgem has not established any non-compliance that would affect the issue of Renewables Obligation Certificates to Drax.

Lord Callanan
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
6th Jul 2023
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the response by Lord Callanan on 3 July (HL Deb col 983), when they expect the investigation by Ofgem on Drax Plc to conclude.

Ofgem has assured the Government that this matter is a priority for them and they are progressing the investigation at pace. Ofgem is engaging constructively with Drax, however, due to the sizeable amount of evidence that needs to be scrutinised in the course of this investigation and the fact that at this stage it is unclear whether further information will have to be collected, Ofgem cannot provide a timeline for when this investigation may be concluded.

Lord Callanan
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
29th Jun 2023
To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to "implement legislation for heat network zoning in England and Wales this parliamentary session and provide Ofgem with powers to regulate heat networks", as recommended by the Climate Change Committee in their 2023 Progress Report to Parliament.

In July 2022, the Government confirmed that Ofgem will be the heat network regulator and introduced the Energy Bill to Parliament. The Energy Bill is being driven forward this session and will provide Ofgem with powers to regulate heat networks. The Energy Bill will also facilitate the introduction of heat network zoning. We will consult further on zoning and intend to lay Regulations to ensure zoning will be established in England in 2025. Zoning policy is devolved.

Lord Callanan
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
9th Feb 2023
To ask His Majesty's Government what consideration they have given to withdrawal from the Energy Charter Treaty; and what recent discussions they have held with the EU on this.

The UK has been a strong advocate for ECT modernisation. At the Energy Charter Conference on 22 November, the decision to adopt the modernised Treaty was postponed. The UK has been closely monitoring the situation surrounding the Energy Charter Treaty’s modernisation process, including the positions taken by other Contracting Parties. The UK holds regular meetings with members of the Energy Charter Treaty Modernisation Group, including the EU and EU Member States, with respect to the modernisation of the ECT.

Lord Callanan
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
16th Nov 2022
To ask His Majesty's Government what consideration they have given to their continuing participation in the Energy Charter Treaty in light of the recent withdrawals by other signatories.

The Government is closely monitoring the positions of other Contracting Parties to the Energy Charter Treaty and takes into account these positions in its own interaction with the modernisation process of the Energy Charter Treaty (ECT).

Lord Callanan
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
21st Jul 2022
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the data presented in the Net Zero Strategy: Build Back Greener, published on 19 October 2021, showing that they anticipate the UK emitting 2073 MtCO2e over the period covered by Carbon Budget 4 (2023–2027), how they intend to meet their binding commitment of 1950 MTCO2e set out in the Carbon Budget Order 2011.

The Government’s Net Zero Strategy sets out a decarbonisation pathway to meet all carbon budgets. The figure quoted includes emissions from international aviation and shipping, which are not in scope for Carbon Budget 4 (CB4). Table 9 of the technical annex shows emissions contributing to CB4 (which does not include international aviation and shipping emissions) would be 359 MtCO2e on average per year, equivalent to 1793 MtCO2e over the five-year budget. This figure also uses the global warming potential methodology which was agreed internationally at COP 26.

Lord Callanan
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
21st Jul 2022
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether clause 111 of the Energy Bill, which seeks to amend the definition of carbon removals in section 29 of the Climate Change Act 2008, would allow the meeting of emission reductions targets by the purchase of offsets or other traded instruments.

The clause does not have this effect. The intention behind clause 111 is to broaden the definition of “removals” of greenhouse gases beyond nature-based greenhouse gas removal methods (GGRs), such as tree planting, to include those achieved by engineered GGRs, such as Bioenergy with Carbon Capture and Storage.

The Government does not currently intend to purchase offsets to set towards its carbon budgets, although it has retained the option to do so in the future if appropriate, as permitted by the Climate Change Act 2008.

Lord Callanan
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
24th Mar 2022
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the World Health Organisation’s recommendation that the ideal room temperature for healthy and appropriately dressed people is 18 degrees Celsius, what plans they have, if any, to introduce an information campaign to encourage people to reduce their room temperatures.

The Met Office’s WeatherReady campaign, run in partnership with Cabinet Office and expert partners, is a year-round campaign to help individuals, communities and businesses prepare for and cope with severe weather and its impacts. It includes webpages on heating your home in winter and getting your home winter ready and provides advice on keeping homes at a comfortable temperature, even if this is slightly below 18°C, for healthy adults under the age of 65 and wearing appropriate clothing. Warmer indoor temperatures may be required for vulnerable individuals, including younger children.

Lord Callanan
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
25th Jan 2022
To ask Her Majesty's Government what, if any, advice have they received from the Chief Scientific Adviser about the implications of increases in the concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere on a warming planet, in light of the highest recorded concentration of 419 parts per million at the Mauna Loa Observatory in 2021.

Both the Government and its Chief Scientific Advisors are informed by the latest scientific evidence, as presented by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. The Panel’s reports set out in detail how, as carbon dioxide concentrations in the atmosphere rise, global temperatures are also expected to rise, with severe impacts to people and nature.

Lord Callanan
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
9th Dec 2021
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the costs of decommissioning (1) existing oil and gas infrastructure, and (2) extant oil and gas licences which have not yet been granted planning approval.

According to the Oil and Gas Authority’s ‘UKCS Decommissioning Cost Estimate 2021’ report (copy attached), the total cost of decommissioning UK Continental Shelf offshore oil and gas infrastructure has reduced to £46bn[1] equating to a projected saving of nearly £14bn (23%) since the 2017 cost reduction target[2] was first established.

With extant oil and gas licences which have not yet been granted planning approval, we do not know which will be developed, so it is not possible to say how much they will cost to decommission, although the Oil and Gas Authority’s UK Continental Shelf full portfolio estimate referenced in the report attached includes £2bn for planned but as yet unsanctioned/not-built projects.

[1] Costs shown in 2016 prices, for expenditure in 2017 and after

[2] Basis of 2017 estimate, 2016 Annual OGA Stewardship survey

Lord Callanan
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
8th Nov 2021
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the response by Lord Callanan on 3 November (HL Deb col 1215), what estimate they have made of the amount of (1) oil, (2) gas, and (3) coal, currently accessible and expected to be extracted from open sites in UK jurisdictions.

The Oil and Gas Authority’s estimate for proven and probable (2P) UK petroleum reserves as at end 2020 is 4.4 billion barrels of oil equivalent, and the estimate for the UK’s contingent (2C) resources as at end 2020 is 6.8 billion barrels of oil equivalent.

It is not possible to say with certainty how much of this will be extracted as this will be driven by a range of commercial and regulatory factors.

As of June 2021, the Coal Authority estimates that overall there are 3,814 million tonnes of coal resources. There are five current commercial projects* with a projected tonnage of around 35 million tonnes, of which around 14 million tonnes has been worked.

*Not including Forest of Dean gales.

Lord Callanan
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
8th Nov 2021
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the response by Lord Callanan on 3 November (HL Deb, col 1215), what estimate they have made of the amount of (1) oil, (2), gas, and (3) coal, needed for domestic consumption during the transition to net zero.

Like our independent advisers, the Climate Change Committee (CCC), the Government sees continued but declining use of fossils fuels during the transition to net zero. The recently published Net Zero Strategy (figure 14, page 81) shows that we expect both natural gas and oil consumption to more than halve by 2037 as fossil fuels are replaced by new sources of energy.

Lord Callanan
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
5th May 2020
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether charities based in the UK which advocate for street children are include in the support being offered to small and medium enterprises during the COVID-19 pandemic.

A £750 million funding package announced on 8 April is aimed at charities who provide frontline services to vulnerable people affected by the pandemic in the UK. The Government funding will be allocated based on evidence of service need. There are three tranches of money;

  • £360m from individual government departments to charities in England based on evidence of service need;
  • £370m for small and medium-sized charities (£60m through the Devolved Administrations) will provide support for thousands of charities on the frontline of helping vulnerable people affected by Covid-19.
  • Match funding of the, so far, £35m raised during the BBC’s Big Night In. The first £20m of this will go to the National Emergencies Trust and the remaining will go through the BBC charities who will be administering this funding.

The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government is providing £6 million of emergency funding to homelessness charities directly affected by the coronavirus. The funding will be distributed to local frontline homelessness services via the charity Homeless Link and will support organisations at risk of having to cut services and staff or cease operations due to the pandemic. Applications are now open via the Homeless Link website.

Charities are also eligible for support under the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme (CBILS). CBILS provides businesses with annual turnover of under £45m with access to working capital of up to £5m. It supports a wide range of business finance products, including term loans, overdrafts, invoice finance and asset finance facilities. Since Monday 27 April, registered charities have been exempted from the requirement that the applicant derives at least 50% of its income from trading activity.

Charities are also eligible for the Bounce Back Loan Scheme (BBLS), which launched on Monday 4 May and supports the smallest SMEs by providing loans from £2,000 up to 25% of the business’ turnover with a maximum loan size of £50,000. By providing lenders with a 100% government-backed guarantee and standardising the application form, businesses and charities applying for these loans could receive them within days.

Further details on CBILS and BBLS can be found on GOV.UK or the British Business Bank website.

On 1 May, my Rt. Hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy announced that a further up to £617 million is being made available to Local Authorities in England to allow them to provide discretionary grants. It is the Government’s intention that charity properties in receipt of charitable business rates relief should be considered as one of the priority businesses for these funds.

Any enquiries regarding eligibility for, or provision of the Small Business Grant Fund should be directed to the relevant local authority.

These schemes are part of a wider package of measures designed to support small businesses and charities facing difficulties in this period of uncertainty, which for charities could include, for example, the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme, the Tax Deferral scheme, a temporary freeze on evictions and the Self-Employed Income Support Scheme.

Lord Callanan
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
22nd Apr 2020
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they imposed any public interest conditions to the £14 million granted to the 21 new coronavirus research projects that were announced on 17 April.

These projects were funded through a joint UKRI-DHSC rapid response call that was launched in February 2020 and has since announced a total of £24.6m worth of funding for 27 projects. Of the 21 projects announced on 17 April, 20 projects will receive their grants through UKRI terms and conditions which can be found on the UKRI website.

In addition to this, as researchers undertaking work relevant to public health emergencies they are required to set in place mechanisms to share quality-assured interim and final data as rapidly and widely as possible, including with public health and research communities and the World Health Organization in accordance with the Joint statement on sharing research data and findings relevant to the novel coronavirus outbreak. This can be viewed on the Wellcome website.

The project contracted by DHSC was under standard policy research programme terms available from the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) website. This contract has a range of terms that allow DHSC to ensure that public interest is delivered by the research.

Lord Callanan
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
28th Jun 2021
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of reports that schoolchildren in the UK have been punished for taking part in pro-Palestine protests.

The Government is aware that many young people will have a strong personal interest in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Schools should ensure that political expression by senior pupils in school is conducted sensitively, avoiding disruption or an atmosphere of intimidation or fear for other pupils and staff.

On 28 May 2021, my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education, wrote to schools to remind them of requirements on political impartiality and their responsibility to deal with antisemitic incidents with due seriousness. This followed a reported increase in such incidents in school during the recent conflict, including the expression of antisemitic views and bullying towards Jewish pupils and teachers.

All schools should set clear, reasonable, and proportionate expectations of pupil behaviour in line with the Department’s guidance on ‘Behaviour and discipline in schools’, published in 2016. It is for individual schools to develop their own best practice for managing behaviour in their school.

8th Sep 2021
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the risk that industrial-scale deep seabed mining will (1) damage ocean ecosystems, and (2) lead to permanent biodiversity loss.

The UK recognises the growing pressure to extract deep-sea resources, and is deeply concerned about the potential impacts of mining activities on the fragile marine environment.

We have commissioned an independent review of the existing literature in relation to deep sea mining, which will seek to include elements such as environmental, economic and societal considerations, and to identify key outstanding questions and evidence gaps. The terms of reference and a summary of the evidence review will be published in due course.

We have committed not to sponsor or support the issuing of any exploitation licences for deep sea mining projects, unless and until there is sufficient scientific evidence about the potential impact on deep sea ecosystems, and strong and enforceable environmental regulations and standards are in place.

Further and detailed environmental impact assessments would be required in advance of any exploitation licence being issued.

24th Jul 2020
To ask Her Majesty's Government what savings will make up the £2.9 billion package of reductions to the Government’s planned Official Development Assistance spend for 2020 announced by the First Secretary of State on 22 July, including (1) forecast underspends, (2) delays to planned activity, and (3) cancellation of planned spending.

The First Secretary led a careful review process to look at every strand of the ODA budget and assess the impacts of spend. Ministers prioritised programmes based on strategic objectives such as poverty reduction for the ‘bottom billion’, tackling climate change and reversing biodiversity loss, championing girls’ education, and the global response to Covid-19. Currently we are discussing specific savings with suppliers and partners and we will publish the revised ODA allocations in due course after this process has been completed.

24th Jul 2020
To ask Her Majesty's Government by what process they reached decisions on the £2.9 billion package of reductions to the Government’s planned Official Development Assistance spend for 2020 announced by the First Secretary of State on 22 July.

The First Secretary of State, supported by the International Development Secretary and ministers from ODA spending departments, led a cross government review to identify reductions in this year’s ODA budget needed to meet the 0.7% commitment. The careful review process looked at every strand of the ODA budget and assess the impacts of spend. Several review sessions were held in which Ministers prioritised programmes based on strategic objectives such as poverty reduction for the ‘bottom billion’, tackling climate change and reversing biodiversity loss, championing girls’ education, and the global response to Covid-19.

24th Jul 2020
To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to ensure that cuts made as part of the £2.9 billion package of reductions to the Government’s planned Official Development Assistance spend for 2020 announced by the First Secretary of State on 22 July will focus on programmes that have been found to be less effective in achieving poverty reduction.

The First Secretary led a careful review process to look at every strand of the ODA budget and assess the impacts of spend. ODA spend for 2020 was prioritised to focus on key strategic objectives including poverty reduction for the ‘bottom billion’, tackling climate change and reversing biodiversity loss, championing girls’ education, UK leadership in the global response to Covid-19, and protecting the UK’s science base. These priorities will help the government to deliver our manifesto commitments and ensure that the UK is a global force for good.

24th Jul 2020
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the First Secretary of State’s announcement of a £2.9 billion package of reductions to the Government’s planned Official Development Assistance (ODA) spend for 2020 on 22 July, what arrangements they have put in place to tailor ODA spending further during the remaining months of the year.

The Department, working with HM Treasury and other Government departments, is continually planning to ensure the UK meets its Official Development Assistance (ODA) commitment. As normal, there will continue to be adjustments in-year to individual departmental ODA spend to meet the 0.7% target. DFID has been preparing for this by working with our Ministers and other aid spending Departments to prioritise our lifesaving aid, stop the spread of coronavirus and ensure our aid delivers the best value for money for the British taxpayer.

10th Jul 2020
To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure that an inclusive approach, which includes older people, to humanitarian responses will continue to be one of the priorities of the new Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office.

The UK is committed to ensuring that our assistance reaches the most marginalised and vulnerable people who will be the worst affected by humanitarian crises and most at risk. This includes older people as well as other marginalised groups, such as women and girls, and people with disabilities.

We are deeply concerned about the significant impact of COVID-19 on older people, people with disabilities, and other marginalised groups. Through £50 million of support to over 29 countries, UK aid is helping to meet the needs of the most vulnerable groups, including older people, through effective communication about personal hygiene, particularly the importance of handwashing. DFID is also engaging internationally to push for greater consideration of vulnerable groups, including older people, across the COVID-19 response.

Support for the most marginalised and vulnerable populations remains part of this government’s mission. We will continue to prioritise those furthest left behind and champion the inclusion of vulnerable groups in our humanitarian responses.

20th May 2020
To ask Her Majesty's Government what proportion of the £744 million in aid they have committed to address COVID-19 has been allocated to provide frontline assistance to less economically developed countries.

We have committed up to £764 million of UK aid funding to date, to support global efforts to combat COVID-19.

This includes up to £296 million to support and enhance resilience in vulnerable countries, encompassing:

  • £145 million for UN appeals including: £75 million for the WHO; £20 million for UNICEF, £5 million for Education Cannot Wait, £20 million for the UN Refugee Agency; £15 million for the World Food Programme; and £10 million to UNFPA to provide lifesaving SRHR and gender based violence prevention.
  • £55 million to International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement appeals to provide medical supplies and equipment to hospitals and clinics and the building of quarantine areas and disinfection facilities.
  • £20 million for international NGO’s including UK charities using British expertise and experience to tackle COVID-19.
  • £50 million DFID funding matched with Unilever, advising one billion people about the importance of hygiene and the distribution of over 20 million products.
  • £6 million for medical and humanitarian expertise including the deployment of medical specialists from the UK Emergency Medical Team to vulnerable African countries.
  • Up to £20 million in the African Union’s new COVID-19 Response Fund to tackle the virus and save lives.

We have also provided up to £150 million of UK aid funding to the IMF’s Catastrophe Containment and Relief Trust to help developing countries meet their debt repayments so that they can focus their available resources on tackling COVID-19.

20th May 2020
To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to contribute to the UN’s COVID-19 Global Humanitarian Response Plan appeal; and when they intend to announce their contribution.

The UK strongly supports the UN’s Global Humanitarian Response Plan (GHRP) to tackle COVID-19. So far, we have pledged up to £764 million of UK aid to support the global effort to combat COVID-19. From this, £220 million has gone to UN agencies in the GHRP, such as the World Food Programme and UN Refugee Agency, as well as humanitarian organisations such as the Red Cross and international NGOs.

DFID is also adapting its programmes across its country network to respond to COVID-19 and address the needs of the most vulnerable, as outlined in the GHRP.

As a leading donor to the COVID 19 global response and one of the biggest humanitarian donors globally, we are ensuring that our support goes to those who need it the most, including refugees and other forcibly displaced populations. The UK has lobbied successfully at the UN to ensure that vulnerable groups such as refugees are taken into consideration and prioritised in the UN Global Humanitarian Response Plan.

5th May 2020
To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking, through the UN, to reinforce the need for formal registration documents for each child so that in times of crisis children with no fixed household can be identified.

The Government is committed to supporting efforts to meet Sustainable Development Goal 16.9 which aims to provide legal identity for all, including birth registration, by 2030. The Government continues to advocate for the issuance of civil documentation in specific post-conflict countries through UN mechanisms, including the Security Council Working Group for Children and Armed Conflict.

Last year DFID approved a four-year £15 million Digital Identity as an Enabler for Development programme to support the World Bank Group’s Identification for Development initiative to implement trusted, secure, universal and inclusive digital Identification and civil registration systems from birth to death in over 40 countries.

Children on the Move is a DFID-funded 3-year programme (2017-2020) working with UNICEF to help children on the move in Somalia, Ethiopia and Sudan. In Somalia the work includes providing children with a legal identity, without which they are at a greater risk of family separation, trafficking and illegal adoption. In 2019, 101,300 children were provided with legal identity documents including a birth certificate.

As well as this, some of the £30 million which DFID is providing to the Global Financing Facility (GFF) supports birth registration in DRC, Kenya, Liberia, Rwanda and Uganda.

28th Apr 2020
To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to educate and inform Rohingya refugees in the Kutupalong Camp about the COVID-19 pandemic.

The UK is reaching refugees with information and support to reduce rumours, myths, fear and panic about COVID-19, through the Communications with Communities Working Group. This includes a large array of methods to disseminate messages to refugees and the host community including community meetings where possible; radio, posters and leaflets, videos, loudspeakers and information service centres. Messages are being endorsed by the Cox’s Bazar Civil Surgeon, translated into the Rohingya language and Bangla, and are being developed in consultation with Rohingya people, including religious leaders, to ensure they are effective. Child-friendly messaging is also being used.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
28th Apr 2020
To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have, if any to provide additional support to Rohingya children in light of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The UK is working with partners to support and protect Rohingya children whose parents or care-givers become sick or die from COVID-19. This includes identifying temporary carers within the same camp block for children at risk of being left alone. These efforts are building on existing foster and child protection systems and will increase the number of Child Protection Volunteers within the Rohingya community in the camps. Although schools in the camps are closed, every effort will be made to get them up and running again as quickly as possible, and to ensure children return to education.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
28th Apr 2020
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the availability of aid workers in the Kutupalong refugee camp; and what action, if any, they are taking as a result.

Cox’s Bazar District, where the Rohingya refugee camps are located, is subject to lockdown measures to help prevent the transmission of COVID-19. In addition, on World Health Organization advice, the Bangladeshi Government has instructed a reduction in humanitarian activity to an agreed list of critical (lifesaving) services. This means that fewer aid workers than normal are entering the refugee camps. For example, essential site management activities continue, but staff are reduced to 20% of their usual number. There are no education facilities open at the moment. However, critical UKAid funded services such as food and medical aid continue to be delivered to support the daily needs of refugees, including by refugee volunteers themselves. We consider this temporary reduction in staff accessing the camp a challenging, but important measure to try to prevent or at least delay the transmission of the virus in the camps. Social distancing arrangements have been put in place to prevent the possible spread of COVID-19 between humanitarian workers, and to provide medical care for those on the humanitarian frontline, coordinated by IOM. We are closely monitoring the situation, including access issues, and working with our humanitarian partners to best protect and prepare the Rohingya and host communities for an outbreak and to maintain critical services and assistance.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
28th Apr 2020
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of child trafficking and child marriage in Rohingya refugee camps; and what action, if any, they are taking as a result.

Approximately 40% of trafficking survivors in the Rohingya refugee camps are children, predominantly girls. Girls are at risk of early marriage both within the camps and through trafficking.

Irregular movements are not new to Cox’s Bazar district or Bangladesh, which is on the US’ Tier 2 Watch List for Trafficking in Persons. The UK has contributed significantly to the protection sector within the humanitarian response, through partners including the International Organisation for Migration, UN High Commissioner for Refugees and the UN Children’s Fund. Our support helps to raise awareness about the risks of trafficking and build capacity among law enforcement to prevent it. UK funding also supports efforts to identify and provide direct assistance to victims of trafficking, such as safe shelters, psycho-social support, and social workers for children.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
28th Apr 2020
To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to help the boats of Rohingya refugees that have been turned away from Bangladesh and Malaysia.

We are extremely concerned about the reports of hundreds of Rohingya still at sea and reports of failure to disembark vessels in distress. I have raised this with the Bangladesh Foreign Minister and with the Bangladesh High Commissioner in London. In addition, the British High Commission in Dhaka have raised this issue with the Government of Bangladesh. We continue to urge the Governments of Bangladesh, Thailand, Malaysia and other governments in the region to assist boats carrying Rohingya refugees to land.

We are working with UN partners, including the International Organisation for Migration and UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), to find out more and provide live-saving action where possible. The UN are already providing shelter and assistance to survivors from the boat which reached Bangladesh on 16 April and stand ready to help any further refugees who make it ashore. We agree with UNHCR that there is a need for greater coordination and responsibility-sharing by states to address the maritime movements of refugees and asylum-seekers in the Bay of Bengal and Andaman Sea. The UK is committed to protecting the Rohingya community, some of the world’s most vulnerable peoples.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
22nd Apr 2020
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the Department for International Development attached any public interest conditions to the £250 million granted to the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations for the development of a COVID-19 vaccine.

The UK is leading international efforts to develop a COVID-19 vaccine that is equitable and accessible.

Following a virtual summit of G20 leaders on the 26 March, the UK Prime Minister called on governments to work together to develop a vaccine as quickly as possible and make it available to anyone who needs it. As subsequently agreed by the G20, we support a global approach to the rapid development and scaled up manufacture of vaccines that are equitable and accessible. We are working with technical partners and WHO to support an approach to Research & Development, regulation and funding that will deliver that.

Our £250 million funding to the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) is the biggest donation of any country to date. CEPI is an innovative partnership between public, private, philanthropic, and civil society organisations, to develop vaccines to stop future epidemics. CEPI is leading the international coordination of vaccine research, making sure that the best experts from around the world get the investments they need to make rapid progress on a vaccine for this COVID-19 pandemic.

Furthermore, the UK is also the largest funder to Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance. Gavi will play a key role in working with CEPI to make a new coronavirus vaccine available and affordable.

22nd Apr 2020
To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have, if any, to support the creation of an international pooling mechanism for COVID-19 research set up by the World Health Organization.

The UK has long supported affordable and equitable access to essential medicines, vaccines and other health commodities, here in the UK and globally.

Measures to ensure access to products that may emerge from research include voluntary patent sharing and licensing, whereby patent holders allow others to manufacture, import, and/ or distribute their patented products to accelerate entry of generic medicines to market, pooled procurement and sharing and information exchange.

We are committed to collaborating with public and private partners in the UK and internationally, including exploring voluntary arrangements, such as existing mechanisms, to accelerate development and equitable access in all countries to affordable health technologies for responding to COVID-19. The shape of any agreements are being explored.

DFID is supporting global co-ordinating efforts through our support to the WHO R&D Blueprint. The Blueprint aims to accelerate research and innovation to contain the spread of the pandemic and ensure that those affected receive optimal care. This includes support to the ‘Solidarity’ trials which is testing four existing anti-viral agents or combinations which exist already that could be effective against COVID-19.

21st Apr 2020
To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to concentrate their international response to COVID-19 in low- and middle-income countries on those who are 60 years old and above.

We recognise that that older people, people with disabilities, people with pre-existing conditions, and those with complex needs are disproportionately impacted and at more serious risk of severe complications and fatality due to COVID-19. We are working hard to ensure that our help reaches those most in need, including older people, through close collaboration with our partners.

Our funding is supporting a range of initiatives and partners to ensure that it can reach those in need and strengthening fragile health services in the world’s poorest countries where there is a high chance of the disease spreading rapidly.

This includes supporting the United Nation’s Global Humanitarian Response Plan to tackle COVID-19 and help to the most vulnerable across the globe. The plan explicitly identifies older people given their susceptibility to the virus and their broader vulnerability. Our latest UK aid announcement on 12 April of £200 million, is supporting humanitarian organisations to help reduce mass infections in developing countries that often lack the healthcare systems to track and halt the virus. This includes £130 million to UN agencies in response to their COVID-19 humanitarian appeals.

In order to reduce transmission, the UK government is also working with Unilever to fund a £100 million global hygiene programme. This campaign will be tailored to communities to ensure messages are inclusive and effective. It will reach up to a billion people worldwide, raising awareness and changing behaviour, to make sure that people are washing their hands with soap regularly and disinfecting surfaces. The programme will also provide over 20 million hygiene products in the developing world, including in areas where there is little or no sanitation.

In addition, we are redirecting existing support and programmes to be more responsive to COVID-19.

21st Apr 2020
To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure that older people in low- and middle-income countries have access to the information they need to minimise the risk of COVID-19.

We recognise that that older people are disproportionately impacted and at more risk of severe complications and death due to COVID-19. As well as the immediate risk of catching COVID-19, marginalised groups also experience secondary impacts of the virus. This includes reduced access to healthcare services and information, which is further compounded by existing accessibility barriers.

For example, healthcare information is not routinely distributed in accessible formats. Older people with visual impairments will need access to large print documentation, or may need other alternative communication methods that fit best with their needs. We are working hard to ensure that our help reaches those most in need, including older people, through close collaboration with our partners.

Our funding is supporting a range of initiatives and partners to ensure that it can reach those in need and strengthen fragile health services in the world’s poorest countries where there is a high risk of the disease spreading rapidly. This includes supporting the United Nation’s Global Humanitarian Response Plan to tackle COVID-19 and help to the most vulnerable across the globe. The plan explicitly identifies older people given their susceptibility to the virus and their broader vulnerability. Our latest UK aid announcement on 12 April of £200 million, is supporting humanitarian organisations to help reduce mass infections in developing countries that often lack the healthcare systems to track and halt the virus. This includes £130 million to UN agencies in response to their COVID-19 humanitarian appeals.

To help reduce transmission and inform the public, the UK government is also working with Unilever to fund a £100 million global hygiene programme. This campaign will be tailored to communities to ensure messages are inclusive and effective. It will reach up to a billion people worldwide, raising awareness and changing behaviour, to make sure that people are washing their hands with soap regularly and disinfecting surfaces. The programme will also provide over 20 million hygiene products in the developing world, including in areas where there is little or no sanitation.

In addition, we are redirecting existing support and programmes ensure responses to COVID-19 are fully inclusive, including supporting the needs of older people.

23rd Mar 2020
To ask Her Majesty's Government how the £46 million aid package to fight the spread of COVID-19, announced on 6 March, will be deployed to assist health systems in vulnerable countries.

The UK is at the forefront of the global response to COVID-19. We are using UK aid to its full effect to counter the health, humanitarian and economic risks of this pandemic. Since the £46 million was announced, the UK has committed further resources, up to £241 million of funding to support the global efforts to combat the outbreak of COVID-19.

These funds are supporting three main areas of work: helping developing countries manage the crisis by supporting the operations of the UN, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies and the provision of expert advice; supporting the International Monetary Fund to relieve debt servicing pressures on countries struggling with the virus; and supporting international scientific efforts to develop diagnosis tests and vaccines. Furthermore, through our ongoing overseas operations, DFID is supporting programmes in over 20 countries to improve health systems, such as by building capability for health security through disease surveillance and response.

23rd Mar 2020
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the Department for International Development will remain the UK Government Department responsible for administering overseas aid; and whether the goal of that Department will continue to be “to promote sustainable development and eliminate world poverty”.

DFID continues to lead the UK’s work to reduce poverty and deliver the Sustainable Development Goals, maximising opportunities to work jointly with other government departments as demonstrated by the cross-Government response, jointly led by DFID and FCO, to supporting global efforts to combat the COVID-19 pandemic. The PM has appointed a fully joint junior ministerial team, along with separate Secretaries of State for the Foreign Office and DFID, to ensure the departments will work more closely overseas to deliver the Government’s objectives. DFID ministers retain authority over decisions on DFID aid spending and accountability for all financial resources remains within existing departmental lines.

23rd Mar 2020
To ask Her Majesty's Government when they intend to publish the corporate report to replace the Single departmental plan: 2015 to 2020, which was withdrawn on 13 March.

Single Departmental Plans are updated annually setting out the Department’s plans to deliver the Global Goals. The most recent version was uploaded in June 2019 and can be found at:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/department-for-international-development-single-departmental-plan/department-for-international-development-single-departmental-plan--2

Plans will be updated once departments have prepared them as part of the normal government planning and performance process.

9th Mar 2020
To ask Her Majesty's Government what actions they are taking to protect the safety of (1) UK health workers, and (2) in-country frontline healthworkers in developing countries, following the outbreak of COVID-19.

The Government take the safety of healthcare workers very seriously. The COVID-19 Infection Prevention and Control guidance has been updated to ensure that healthcare workers are protected and all hospitals remain safe, now and in the future.

Infection prevention and control (IPC) measures are absolutely essential to ensure all healthcare workers are protected from infection with COVID-19.

The UK has announced up to £241 million of aid funding to support the global efforts to combat the outbreak of COVID-19. As part of this, we are supporting the World Health Organisation and UNICEF to strengthen infection prevention and control in health facilities, to protect health workers in developing countries.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
9th Mar 2020
To ask Her Majesty's Government which countries they are prioritising for the distribution of aid to counter the effects of COVID-19.

HMG is closely monitoring the global transmission of the Covid-19, in particular the capabilities and vulnerabilities of developing countries, using the State Party Self-Assessment Annual Reporting index provided by the World Health Organisation (WHO). The UK’s global response strategy is to support the WHO and other multilateral actors to contain Covid-19 and mitigate secondary health and socio-economic impacts, especially for vulnerable populations in Low- and Middle-Income Countries. Contributing to the WHO’s appeal will enable UK aid to support a strong international response alongside other key donors.

We are targeting our efforts where we have existing capacity to maximise our impact, and working with international partners to ensure aid is effectively distributed to vulnerable countries.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
5th Mar 2020
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the Department for International Development (DfID) will remain autonomous, following the announcement in the recent reshuffle that junior DfID and Foreign and Commonwealth ministers will have joint responsibilities.

The PM appointed separate Secretaries of State for the Foreign Office and DFID in the recent reshuffle.

The Prime Minister has also appointed a fully joint junior ministerial team to ensure DFID and the FCO will work more closely overseas to deliver the Government’s objectives.

DFID ministers retain authority over decisions on DFID aid spending and accountability for all financial resources remains within existing departmental lines.

5th Mar 2020
To ask Her Majesty's Government who makes the final decision on how Official Development Assistance is disbursed within a country.

As set out in the UK Aid Strategy, each department or public body spending Official Development Assistance (ODA) is accountable for their own spend. As such, there must be clear lines of accountability for all ODA programmes. Accounting Officers of departments or public bodies whose money is being spent on ODA, need to ensure they fulfil their obligations under HMT’s Managing Public Money as they remain personally accountable for ensuring the regularity, propriety and value for money of the use of public funds. Departments must ensure that spending on ODA is within their legal spending authority, meets the OECD eligibility criteria and complies with government aid policy as outlined in the UK Aid Strategy.

5th Mar 2020
To ask Her Majesty's Government who has responsibility for (1) programme design, and (2) delivery of, Official Development Assistance compliant projects; and whether that person will continue to have that responsibility.

Design and delivery of Official Development Assistance projects is the responsibility of the individual spending department.

DFID ministers retain authority over decisions on aid spending and accountability for all financial resources remains within existing departmental lines.

Departments will work more closely together overseas to deliver Her Majesty’s Government’s objectives and ensure the UK’s international operations are fully integrated.

23rd May 2022
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Grimstone of Boscobel on 27 April (HL7831), what checks are carried out to ensure that Israeli export goods originate from Israel and not from illegal Israeli settlements in Palestinian Occupied Territories.

Goods originating from illegal Israeli settlements are not covered by any United Kindgom trade agreement, so do not receive tariff preferences. Should HMRC have reasonable doubts regarding the origin of an imported good, or suspect that a certificate of origin has been erroneously completed, then a verification of the good’s origin can be requested.

7th Apr 2022
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they require businesses importing from Israel to specify that their products do not originate in the Occupied Palestinian Territories.

The existing United Kingdom-Israel Trade and Partnership Agreement requires that goods originating in Israel are declared as such upon import into the United Kingdom.

Goods imported from illegal Israeli settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territories are not entitled to benefits from preferential trade and we are committed to maintaining that approach.

22nd Nov 2021
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the finding by UK National Contact Point that JCB was in breach of Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development guidelines for Multinational Enterprises; and what steps they are taking to ensure that UK companies adhere to those guidelines.

The UK National Contact Point (UK NCP), which operates independently of the Department for International Trade, has not found that JCB violated human rights. However, in line with the OECD Guidelines, the UK NCP has advised JCB to develop a policy commitment to respect human rights and to carry out human rights due diligence in supply chains.

The UK NCP will request an update from JCB on the implementation of its recommendations in a year’s time and in the interim is available to provide support as necessary.

As part of its commitment to the OECD Guidelines, the UK NCP promotes the Guidelines to business, NGOs and trade unions, and is available to provide advice on adhering to the recommendations it contains.

22nd Feb 2021
To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to approve (1) investments, (2) loans, or (3) loan guarantees, for natural gas projects in states which do not have long-term decarbonisation plans.

On 12 December 2020, the Prime Minister announced that the British government will no longer provide any new direct financial or promotional support for the fossil fuel energy sector overseas, apart from a small number of tightly-bound exceptions that are still to be determined. The date of implementation of the new policy will be determined following the consultation that was launched on the same day.