Asked by: Baroness Valentine (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what measures are in place to ensure that families and co-habitees can exercise outside together unhindered; and in particular, what discussions, if any, they have had with the Lawn Tennis Association about opening tennis courts for such purposes.
Answered by Baroness Barran - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
I am aware of the strain that many charities are under during this time of financial uncertainty and increased demand on their services. On 8 April, the government announced a £750 million funding package for charities delivering frontline services. Unfortunately not all charities will be able to benefit from this, so they should also consider whether they are eligible for other existing government schemes, such as the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme and deferring VAT payments.
Asked by: Baroness Valentine (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what advice has been given to food retailers operating supermarkets in the UK about those who wish to make bulk purchases for local foodbanks during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Answered by Lord Gardiner of Kimble
The Government has well-established ways of working with the food industry during disruption to supply situations. Our retailers already have highly resilient supply chains and they are working around the clock to ensure people have the food and products they need.
We welcome the efforts of industry to support food banks and front-line charities through donations of food and funds. Additionally, the Government has announced a £3 million fund for food redistribution organisations to prevent good food going to waste.
We are working closely with food banks and food aid charities to understand the impacts the outbreak is having on their operations, to ensure that those who are financially vulnerable have access to essential supplies.
The Government has begun to deliver food parcels to those identified by the NHS as being extremely clinically vulnerable.
We are working quickly to support people who do not fall into the category of being clinically vulnerable, but still need help getting essential food supplies. This could include those who are elderly, disabled or who have health conditions that make it difficult for them to get the food they need.
As stock on shelves begin to replenish many supermarkets have now begun to lift buying restrictions on products to help people shop for others.
Asked by: Baroness Valentine (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Earl Howe on 9 May (HL15423), whether the Ministry of Defence has consulted Blackpool Council about the potential to locate jobs elsewhere on the Fylde Coast; and whether the decision to relocate the jobs from Norcross is in line with the guidance from the Government Property Unit.
Answered by Earl Howe - Deputy Leader of the House of Lords
The Department is in the process of finalising its preferred course of action, and no final decision has yet been made on the future location of Defence Business Services (DBS) sites in the north-west. As part of the approval process, and before a final decision is made, a full investment appraisal process will be conducted, incorporating full consultation with Local Authorities, including Blackpool Council, and other Government Departments such as the Government Property Agency.
Asked by: Baroness Valentine (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether, in determining the relocation of 370 Ministry of Defence jobs at Norcross, Blackpool, Blackpool Council has been consulted on the possibility of co-locating these jobs with other civil servants at the proposed civil service hub near Blackpool North station; and what assessment of value for money of that option has been made.
Answered by Earl Howe - Deputy Leader of the House of Lords
In line with the Government Estates Strategy, Defence Business Services (DBS) are considering how to make the most efficient and cost-effective use of its property in the North West.
Civilian staff employed at the DBS Norcross site have been informed of the Department's planning assumption to vacate by 2023 and due process remains ongoing to ratify the preferred option for DBS's future presence in the North West. The Department is very much aware of the impact these changes may have on its staff and local communities, and officials will continue to carry out the necessary consultations with the Local Authorities and other Government Departments concerned, including the Trade Unions.
Asked by: Baroness Valentine (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the statement by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon on 14 December 2015 (HL Deb, col 1885) on aviation capacity, what additional work is now being undertaken on (1) air quality, (2) noise, (3) carbon emissions, (4) surface access to airports, (5) managing the wider impacts of airports on local communities, and (6) the funding and financing of new runways; and when this work will be complete.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
We are testing the Airports Commission’s work on air quality further against the Government’s new air quality plan, as recommended by the Environmental Audit Committee. This is additional work to test compliance, and build confidence that expansion can take place within legal limits. The further work on air quality is only one element of a wider package of further work.
We are dealing with concerns about noise to get the best outcome for residents, and doing more work on carbon to address concerns on sustainability, particularly during construction. We want to make sure that communities get the best possible mitigation deal.
In addition, we are doing due diligence on the plans for surface access to the airports by talking to both the promoters and the key delivery bodies.
We are also carrying out extra assurance to assess the runways’ potential both locally and nationally so it can deliver more jobs, more growth and more apprenticeships.
On funding and financing, the Airports Commission has provided an extensive examination of the costs, financing, and commercial viability of airport expansion. The Airports Commission and the scheme promoters have made it clear that new runway capacity will be privately delivered and financed.
We anticipate that all this further work will conclude over the summer.
Asked by: Baroness Valentine (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what was the maximum immigration control queue waiting time at each of London Gatwick’s terminals on Sunday 4 January; and why the immigration control desks were not fully staffed at times of high demand.
Answered by Lord Bates
There were no breaches of the published service standard at Gatwick on Sunday 4th January 2015; the maximum immigration queue waiting times on that day were as follows:
North Terminal: 35 minutes for non-EEA passengers and 20 minutes for EEA passengers.
South Terminal: 32 minutes for non-EEA passengers and 12 minutes for EEA passengers.
The published service standard for queue times at the border specifies that 95% of British, EEA and Swiss passengers should wait no longer than 25 minutes at passport control and 95% of non-EEA passengers should wait no longer than 45 minutes.
The operational managers continually monitor the situation with regard to queuing times to ensure staff are flexibly deployed in the right numbers at the right times. The security of the border and the safety of the public are our priorities. At Gatwick, eligible travellers also have the option of using the e-Passport gates, of which there are 20 (15 in the South Terminal and 5 in the North Terminal), all of which were in operation on the day in question.