Lord Adonis Portrait

Lord Adonis

Labour - Life peer

Became Member: 16th May 2005


1 APPG membership (as of 24 Jan 2024)
Germany
4 Former APPG memberships
Crossrail Two, Cyprus, EU Relations, Western Rail Link to Heathrow
Shadow Spokesperson (Treasury)
7th Oct 2011 - 18th Sep 2015
Secretary of State for Transport
6th Jun 2009 - 6th May 2010
Minister of State (Department for Transport)
5th Oct 2008 - 5th Jun 2009
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Children, Schools and Families) (Schools and Learners)
29th Jun 2007 - 5th Oct 2008
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education and Skills) (Schools)
10th May 2005 - 28th Jun 2007


Division Voting information

During the current Parliament, Lord Adonis has voted in 264 divisions, and 6 times against the majority of their Party.

25 Mar 2021 - Covid-19 Pandemic and the Coronavirus Act 2020 - View Vote Context
Lord Adonis voted No - against a party majority and in line with the House
One of 4 Labour No votes vs 6 Labour Aye votes
Tally: Ayes - 119 Noes - 279
12 Jan 2021 - Medicines and Medical Devices Bill - View Vote Context
Lord Adonis voted No - against a party majority and in line with the House
One of 1 Labour No votes vs 3 Labour Aye votes
Tally: Ayes - 42 Noes - 278
30 Dec 2020 - European Union (Future Relationship) Bill - View Vote Context
Lord Adonis voted Aye - against a party majority and against the House
One of 7 Labour Aye votes vs 117 Labour No votes
Tally: Ayes - 101 Noes - 466
30 Nov 2020 - High Speed Rail (West Midlands–Crewe) Bill - View Vote Context
Lord Adonis voted No - against a party majority and in line with the House
One of 3 Labour No votes vs 5 Labour Aye votes
Tally: Ayes - 57 Noes - 234
30 Nov 2020 - High Speed Rail (West Midlands–Crewe) Bill - View Vote Context
Lord Adonis voted No - against a party majority and in line with the House
One of 2 Labour No votes vs 4 Labour Aye votes
Tally: Ayes - 38 Noes - 222
23 Jun 2020 - Corporate Insolvency and Governance Bill - View Vote Context
Lord Adonis voted Aye - against a party majority and against the House
One of 10 Labour Aye votes vs 104 Labour No votes
Tally: Ayes - 155 Noes - 326
View All Lord Adonis 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
Baroness Vere of Norbiton (Conservative)
Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
(24 debate interactions)
Lord Frost (Conservative)
(19 debate interactions)
Lord True (Conservative)
Leader of the House of Lords and Lord Privy Seal
(19 debate interactions)
View All Sparring Partners
Department Debates
Cabinet Office
(50 debate contributions)
Department for Transport
(47 debate contributions)
Leader of the House
(36 debate contributions)
View All Department Debates
View all Lord Adonis's debates

Lords initiatives

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


1 Bill introduced by Lord Adonis


A Bill to reduce the voting age to 16 for UK parliamentary elections and all local elections in England

Lords - 40%

Last Event - 2nd Reading
Friday 28th January 2022

Lord Adonis has not co-sponsored any Bills in the current parliamentary sitting


Latest 35 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
25th Jan 2021
To ask Her Majesty's Government what (1) assessment they have made of, and (2) discussions they have had with the Office for National Statistics about, the reasons behind the decision to carry out the census for England and Wales on 21 March while the COVID-19 pandemic is ongoing.

The information requested falls under the remit of the UK Statistics Authority. I have therefore asked the Authority to respond.

Professor Sir Ian Diamond | National Statistician

The Rt Hon. the Lord Adonis

House of Lords

London

SW1A 0PW

02 February 2021

Dear Lord Adonis,

As National Statistician and Chief Executive of the UK Statistics Authority, I am responding to your Parliamentary Questions relating to Census 2021 in England and Wales and the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Your questions asked about the reasons behind the decision to carry out the census for England and Wales on 21 March while the pandemic is ongoing (HL12462); ensuring the accuracy of the census in the light of the impact of the pandemic (HL12463); the impact of the number of people who, due to the pandemic, will not be resident at their normal addresses on 21 March, and mitigating any such impact (HL12464); the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the accuracy of the census (HL12465); and what consultation the UK Statistics Authority undertook before the decision was made to proceed with the census in England and Wales on 21 March during the COVID-19 pandemic (HL12466).

The Office for National Statistics (ONS) is working to deliver a successful census in England and Wales in March 2021. Since the start of the pandemic, the ONS has updated the operational design to build in safety and flexibility to allow for continued success. The ONS has also continued to adapt its plans as the course of the pandemic has changed. Additional assurance has been carried out in the form of regular readiness assessments. The last assessment was in December and the ONS’s operational readiness was externally assured by the Infrastructure and Projects Authority. These assessments have been shared with UK Government.

Following the announcement of national lockdowns in England and Wales in December 2020, the ONS again assessed its readiness to deliver a successful census safely and securely. A statement was published by the ONS on 22 January setting out why it is important to conduct the census in 2021 and how the ONS is ensuring everyone can be safely counted in the context of the coronavirus pandemic.[1] Again, the ONS’s assessment was discussed with the UK Government at this stage. The Government’s position on continuing with the census in March 2021 is set out in a written statement of 3 February.[2]

The quality of census outputs relies on optimising response rates, which is at the heart of the design and collection operation. The ONS has designed Census 2021 to be simple, straightforward and safe to complete. This will be a digital-first census and the ONS will be encouraging people to respond online if they can on their mobile phones, laptops, PCs or tablets, with a comprehensive range of support for those who are not able to complete the census online. The main census field operation will begin only after Census Day (21 March); the primary role of field officers is to give help and encouragement to those who have not yet filled in their census questionnaire online or on paper, and to direct them to the support services they need. Census field staff will never enter people’s houses; they will be supplied with PPE, will always be socially distanced and will work in line with all government guidance. They will be operating in the same way as a postal or food delivery visit.

Every census uses proven statistical methodologies to ensure the best possible estimates as a standard approach. The ONS will build upon our Census Coverage Survey approach,[3] with increased use of administrative and survey data to maximise data quality.

The ONS published its Statistical design for the 2021 Census in October 2020[4]; this sets out its end-to-end statistical design to ensure that census results are of high quality and are fit for purpose. This document takes into account the impact of the coronavirus, both on the operational plans for the census and in other ways.[5] The ONS continues to work with a wide range of users of census statistics to ensure census outputs meet their needs. It ran a series of webinars at the end of last year as part of its ongoing engagement activity, to update users on its current plans, and will be running further output engagement later this year.

The ONS has been examining closely the impact of the pandemic on how people will respond to the census, including for people who may be resident in different locations as a result. Clear guidance is being prepared and tested about how people should complete the census if the pandemic has affected their circumstances. This includes students for whom we will provide guidance as to where they should be counted. The ONS will publish this revised guidance when the testing and development has been concluded. In quality assuring the census results, the ONS will be comparing the census data with a wide range of other sources to check that the estimates are as accurate as possible.

The ONS engages with stakeholders and data users on an ongoing basis. The pandemic has impacted its ability to carry out some of our planned stakeholder engagement activities, but the ONS has expanded its use of innovative methods of digital communication to engage stakeholders. This has been very effective and attendance at virtual meetings with stakeholders has been much higher than might have been expected in face-to-face meetings, and much more frequent engagement has been possible. The virtual engagement has continued during the current national lockdowns and will continue.

The ONS engages with local authorities and community groups representing those people who may face barriers to completing the census. It engages with local authorities through regular newsletters and a series of workshops held online through 2020 on different aspects of the census operation. It has also established a Local Authority Quality Assurance Working Group with 17 local authorities. It engages with community groups and leaders at a national and local level, with a particular focus on communities that face barriers to completing the census for cultural, motivational, understanding and other reasons. The ONS works with representatives of other sectors (central government, health, business and academia), through Census Advisory Groups and e-mail updates, to ensure they are consulted on the census and their views considered in its design and delivery.

The ONS also held a programme of eight census webinars to showcase our plans for design and quality assurance, through November and December 2020. The series included a high-level introductory overview as well as 'In Focus' sessions that outlined specific aspects in more detail, including maximising response, quality assurance and census outputs. These webinars, each of which were attended by around 90 people, provided stakeholders and users the opportunity to ask questions (including on the impact of the pandemic), give feedback and influence our future engagement activities to meet their needs.

Yours sincerely,

Professor Sir Ian Diamond

[1] https://www.ons.gov.uk/news/statementsandletters/census2021andcoronavirus

[2] https://questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-statements/detail/2021-02-03/hcws755

[3] Information on how the Census Coverage Survey worked in 2011 can be found in chapter 4 of the 2011 Census General Report: https://www.ons.gov.uk/file?uri=/census/2011census/howourcensusworks/howdidwedoin2011/2011censusgeneralreport/2011censusgeneralreportforenglandandwaleschapter4_tcm77-384967.pdf (pdf)

[4]https://www.ons.gov.uk/census/censustransformationprogramme/censusdesign/statisticaldesignforcensus2021englandandwales

[5] The operational planning response to the pandemic is covered in more detail in an article published at the same time: https://www.ons.gov.uk/census/censustransformationprogramme/censusdesign/operationalplanningresponsetothecoronaviruscovid19forcensus2021englandandwales

Lord True
Leader of the House of Lords and Lord Privy Seal
25th Jan 2021
To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with the Office for National Statistics about ensuring the accuracy of the census for England and Wales, due to be held on 21 March, in the light of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The information requested falls under the remit of the UK Statistics Authority. I have therefore asked the Authority to respond.

Professor Sir Ian Diamond | National Statistician

The Rt Hon. the Lord Adonis

House of Lords

London

SW1A 0PW

02 February 2021

Dear Lord Adonis,

As National Statistician and Chief Executive of the UK Statistics Authority, I am responding to your Parliamentary Questions relating to Census 2021 in England and Wales and the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Your questions asked about the reasons behind the decision to carry out the census for England and Wales on 21 March while the pandemic is ongoing (HL12462); ensuring the accuracy of the census in the light of the impact of the pandemic (HL12463); the impact of the number of people who, due to the pandemic, will not be resident at their normal addresses on 21 March, and mitigating any such impact (HL12464); the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the accuracy of the census (HL12465); and what consultation the UK Statistics Authority undertook before the decision was made to proceed with the census in England and Wales on 21 March during the COVID-19 pandemic (HL12466).

The Office for National Statistics (ONS) is working to deliver a successful census in England and Wales in March 2021. Since the start of the pandemic, the ONS has updated the operational design to build in safety and flexibility to allow for continued success. The ONS has also continued to adapt its plans as the course of the pandemic has changed. Additional assurance has been carried out in the form of regular readiness assessments. The last assessment was in December and the ONS’s operational readiness was externally assured by the Infrastructure and Projects Authority. These assessments have been shared with UK Government.

Following the announcement of national lockdowns in England and Wales in December 2020, the ONS again assessed its readiness to deliver a successful census safely and securely. A statement was published by the ONS on 22 January setting out why it is important to conduct the census in 2021 and how the ONS is ensuring everyone can be safely counted in the context of the coronavirus pandemic.[1] Again, the ONS’s assessment was discussed with the UK Government at this stage. The Government’s position on continuing with the census in March 2021 is set out in a written statement of 3 February.[2]

The quality of census outputs relies on optimising response rates, which is at the heart of the design and collection operation. The ONS has designed Census 2021 to be simple, straightforward and safe to complete. This will be a digital-first census and the ONS will be encouraging people to respond online if they can on their mobile phones, laptops, PCs or tablets, with a comprehensive range of support for those who are not able to complete the census online. The main census field operation will begin only after Census Day (21 March); the primary role of field officers is to give help and encouragement to those who have not yet filled in their census questionnaire online or on paper, and to direct them to the support services they need. Census field staff will never enter people’s houses; they will be supplied with PPE, will always be socially distanced and will work in line with all government guidance. They will be operating in the same way as a postal or food delivery visit.

Every census uses proven statistical methodologies to ensure the best possible estimates as a standard approach. The ONS will build upon our Census Coverage Survey approach,[3] with increased use of administrative and survey data to maximise data quality.

The ONS published its Statistical design for the 2021 Census in October 2020[4]; this sets out its end-to-end statistical design to ensure that census results are of high quality and are fit for purpose. This document takes into account the impact of the coronavirus, both on the operational plans for the census and in other ways.[5] The ONS continues to work with a wide range of users of census statistics to ensure census outputs meet their needs. It ran a series of webinars at the end of last year as part of its ongoing engagement activity, to update users on its current plans, and will be running further output engagement later this year.

The ONS has been examining closely the impact of the pandemic on how people will respond to the census, including for people who may be resident in different locations as a result. Clear guidance is being prepared and tested about how people should complete the census if the pandemic has affected their circumstances. This includes students for whom we will provide guidance as to where they should be counted. The ONS will publish this revised guidance when the testing and development has been concluded. In quality assuring the census results, the ONS will be comparing the census data with a wide range of other sources to check that the estimates are as accurate as possible.

The ONS engages with stakeholders and data users on an ongoing basis. The pandemic has impacted its ability to carry out some of our planned stakeholder engagement activities, but the ONS has expanded its use of innovative methods of digital communication to engage stakeholders. This has been very effective and attendance at virtual meetings with stakeholders has been much higher than might have been expected in face-to-face meetings, and much more frequent engagement has been possible. The virtual engagement has continued during the current national lockdowns and will continue.

The ONS engages with local authorities and community groups representing those people who may face barriers to completing the census. It engages with local authorities through regular newsletters and a series of workshops held online through 2020 on different aspects of the census operation. It has also established a Local Authority Quality Assurance Working Group with 17 local authorities. It engages with community groups and leaders at a national and local level, with a particular focus on communities that face barriers to completing the census for cultural, motivational, understanding and other reasons. The ONS works with representatives of other sectors (central government, health, business and academia), through Census Advisory Groups and e-mail updates, to ensure they are consulted on the census and their views considered in its design and delivery.

The ONS also held a programme of eight census webinars to showcase our plans for design and quality assurance, through November and December 2020. The series included a high-level introductory overview as well as 'In Focus' sessions that outlined specific aspects in more detail, including maximising response, quality assurance and census outputs. These webinars, each of which were attended by around 90 people, provided stakeholders and users the opportunity to ask questions (including on the impact of the pandemic), give feedback and influence our future engagement activities to meet their needs.

Yours sincerely,

Professor Sir Ian Diamond

[1] https://www.ons.gov.uk/news/statementsandletters/census2021andcoronavirus

[2] https://questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-statements/detail/2021-02-03/hcws755

[3] Information on how the Census Coverage Survey worked in 2011 can be found in chapter 4 of the 2011 Census General Report: https://www.ons.gov.uk/file?uri=/census/2011census/howourcensusworks/howdidwedoin2011/2011censusgeneralreport/2011censusgeneralreportforenglandandwaleschapter4_tcm77-384967.pdf (pdf)

[4]https://www.ons.gov.uk/census/censustransformationprogramme/censusdesign/statisticaldesignforcensus2021englandandwales

[5] The operational planning response to the pandemic is covered in more detail in an article published at the same time: https://www.ons.gov.uk/census/censustransformationprogramme/censusdesign/operationalplanningresponsetothecoronaviruscovid19forcensus2021englandandwales

Lord True
Leader of the House of Lords and Lord Privy Seal
25th Jan 2021
To ask Her Majesty's Government what consultation the UK Statistics Authority undertook before the decision was made to proceed with the census in England and Wales on 21 March during the COVID-19 pandemic; and what assessment they have made of the responses to any such consultation.

The information requested falls under the remit of the UK Statistics Authority. I have therefore asked the Authority to respond.

Professor Sir Ian Diamond | National Statistician

The Rt Hon. the Lord Adonis

House of Lords

London

SW1A 0PW

02 February 2021

Dear Lord Adonis,

As National Statistician and Chief Executive of the UK Statistics Authority, I am responding to your Parliamentary Questions relating to Census 2021 in England and Wales and the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Your questions asked about the reasons behind the decision to carry out the census for England and Wales on 21 March while the pandemic is ongoing (HL12462); ensuring the accuracy of the census in the light of the impact of the pandemic (HL12463); the impact of the number of people who, due to the pandemic, will not be resident at their normal addresses on 21 March, and mitigating any such impact (HL12464); the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the accuracy of the census (HL12465); and what consultation the UK Statistics Authority undertook before the decision was made to proceed with the census in England and Wales on 21 March during the COVID-19 pandemic (HL12466).

The Office for National Statistics (ONS) is working to deliver a successful census in England and Wales in March 2021. Since the start of the pandemic, the ONS has updated the operational design to build in safety and flexibility to allow for continued success. The ONS has also continued to adapt its plans as the course of the pandemic has changed. Additional assurance has been carried out in the form of regular readiness assessments. The last assessment was in December and the ONS’s operational readiness was externally assured by the Infrastructure and Projects Authority. These assessments have been shared with UK Government.

Following the announcement of national lockdowns in England and Wales in December 2020, the ONS again assessed its readiness to deliver a successful census safely and securely. A statement was published by the ONS on 22 January setting out why it is important to conduct the census in 2021 and how the ONS is ensuring everyone can be safely counted in the context of the coronavirus pandemic.[1] Again, the ONS’s assessment was discussed with the UK Government at this stage. The Government’s position on continuing with the census in March 2021 is set out in a written statement of 3 February.[2]

The quality of census outputs relies on optimising response rates, which is at the heart of the design and collection operation. The ONS has designed Census 2021 to be simple, straightforward and safe to complete. This will be a digital-first census and the ONS will be encouraging people to respond online if they can on their mobile phones, laptops, PCs or tablets, with a comprehensive range of support for those who are not able to complete the census online. The main census field operation will begin only after Census Day (21 March); the primary role of field officers is to give help and encouragement to those who have not yet filled in their census questionnaire online or on paper, and to direct them to the support services they need. Census field staff will never enter people’s houses; they will be supplied with PPE, will always be socially distanced and will work in line with all government guidance. They will be operating in the same way as a postal or food delivery visit.

Every census uses proven statistical methodologies to ensure the best possible estimates as a standard approach. The ONS will build upon our Census Coverage Survey approach,[3] with increased use of administrative and survey data to maximise data quality.

The ONS published its Statistical design for the 2021 Census in October 2020[4]; this sets out its end-to-end statistical design to ensure that census results are of high quality and are fit for purpose. This document takes into account the impact of the coronavirus, both on the operational plans for the census and in other ways.[5] The ONS continues to work with a wide range of users of census statistics to ensure census outputs meet their needs. It ran a series of webinars at the end of last year as part of its ongoing engagement activity, to update users on its current plans, and will be running further output engagement later this year.

The ONS has been examining closely the impact of the pandemic on how people will respond to the census, including for people who may be resident in different locations as a result. Clear guidance is being prepared and tested about how people should complete the census if the pandemic has affected their circumstances. This includes students for whom we will provide guidance as to where they should be counted. The ONS will publish this revised guidance when the testing and development has been concluded. In quality assuring the census results, the ONS will be comparing the census data with a wide range of other sources to check that the estimates are as accurate as possible.

The ONS engages with stakeholders and data users on an ongoing basis. The pandemic has impacted its ability to carry out some of our planned stakeholder engagement activities, but the ONS has expanded its use of innovative methods of digital communication to engage stakeholders. This has been very effective and attendance at virtual meetings with stakeholders has been much higher than might have been expected in face-to-face meetings, and much more frequent engagement has been possible. The virtual engagement has continued during the current national lockdowns and will continue.

The ONS engages with local authorities and community groups representing those people who may face barriers to completing the census. It engages with local authorities through regular newsletters and a series of workshops held online through 2020 on different aspects of the census operation. It has also established a Local Authority Quality Assurance Working Group with 17 local authorities. It engages with community groups and leaders at a national and local level, with a particular focus on communities that face barriers to completing the census for cultural, motivational, understanding and other reasons. The ONS works with representatives of other sectors (central government, health, business and academia), through Census Advisory Groups and e-mail updates, to ensure they are consulted on the census and their views considered in its design and delivery.

The ONS also held a programme of eight census webinars to showcase our plans for design and quality assurance, through November and December 2020. The series included a high-level introductory overview as well as 'In Focus' sessions that outlined specific aspects in more detail, including maximising response, quality assurance and census outputs. These webinars, each of which were attended by around 90 people, provided stakeholders and users the opportunity to ask questions (including on the impact of the pandemic), give feedback and influence our future engagement activities to meet their needs.

Yours sincerely,

Professor Sir Ian Diamond

[1] https://www.ons.gov.uk/news/statementsandletters/census2021andcoronavirus

[2] https://questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-statements/detail/2021-02-03/hcws755

[3] Information on how the Census Coverage Survey worked in 2011 can be found in chapter 4 of the 2011 Census General Report: https://www.ons.gov.uk/file?uri=/census/2011census/howourcensusworks/howdidwedoin2011/2011censusgeneralreport/2011censusgeneralreportforenglandandwaleschapter4_tcm77-384967.pdf (pdf)

[4]https://www.ons.gov.uk/census/censustransformationprogramme/censusdesign/statisticaldesignforcensus2021englandandwales

[5] The operational planning response to the pandemic is covered in more detail in an article published at the same time: https://www.ons.gov.uk/census/censustransformationprogramme/censusdesign/operationalplanningresponsetothecoronaviruscovid19forcensus2021englandandwales

Lord True
Leader of the House of Lords and Lord Privy Seal
25th Jan 2021
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the accuracy of the census for England and Wales due to take place on 21 March.

The information requested falls under the remit of the UK Statistics Authority. I have therefore asked the Authority to respond.

Professor Sir Ian Diamond | National Statistician

The Rt Hon. the Lord Adonis

House of Lords

London

SW1A 0PW

02 February 2021

Dear Lord Adonis,

As National Statistician and Chief Executive of the UK Statistics Authority, I am responding to your Parliamentary Questions relating to Census 2021 in England and Wales and the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Your questions asked about the reasons behind the decision to carry out the census for England and Wales on 21 March while the pandemic is ongoing (HL12462); ensuring the accuracy of the census in the light of the impact of the pandemic (HL12463); the impact of the number of people who, due to the pandemic, will not be resident at their normal addresses on 21 March, and mitigating any such impact (HL12464); the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the accuracy of the census (HL12465); and what consultation the UK Statistics Authority undertook before the decision was made to proceed with the census in England and Wales on 21 March during the COVID-19 pandemic (HL12466).

The Office for National Statistics (ONS) is working to deliver a successful census in England and Wales in March 2021. Since the start of the pandemic, the ONS has updated the operational design to build in safety and flexibility to allow for continued success. The ONS has also continued to adapt its plans as the course of the pandemic has changed. Additional assurance has been carried out in the form of regular readiness assessments. The last assessment was in December and the ONS’s operational readiness was externally assured by the Infrastructure and Projects Authority. These assessments have been shared with UK Government.

Following the announcement of national lockdowns in England and Wales in December 2020, the ONS again assessed its readiness to deliver a successful census safely and securely. A statement was published by the ONS on 22 January setting out why it is important to conduct the census in 2021 and how the ONS is ensuring everyone can be safely counted in the context of the coronavirus pandemic.[1] Again, the ONS’s assessment was discussed with the UK Government at this stage. The Government’s position on continuing with the census in March 2021 is set out in a written statement of 3 February.[2]

The quality of census outputs relies on optimising response rates, which is at the heart of the design and collection operation. The ONS has designed Census 2021 to be simple, straightforward and safe to complete. This will be a digital-first census and the ONS will be encouraging people to respond online if they can on their mobile phones, laptops, PCs or tablets, with a comprehensive range of support for those who are not able to complete the census online. The main census field operation will begin only after Census Day (21 March); the primary role of field officers is to give help and encouragement to those who have not yet filled in their census questionnaire online or on paper, and to direct them to the support services they need. Census field staff will never enter people’s houses; they will be supplied with PPE, will always be socially distanced and will work in line with all government guidance. They will be operating in the same way as a postal or food delivery visit.

Every census uses proven statistical methodologies to ensure the best possible estimates as a standard approach. The ONS will build upon our Census Coverage Survey approach,[3] with increased use of administrative and survey data to maximise data quality.

The ONS published its Statistical design for the 2021 Census in October 2020[4]; this sets out its end-to-end statistical design to ensure that census results are of high quality and are fit for purpose. This document takes into account the impact of the coronavirus, both on the operational plans for the census and in other ways.[5] The ONS continues to work with a wide range of users of census statistics to ensure census outputs meet their needs. It ran a series of webinars at the end of last year as part of its ongoing engagement activity, to update users on its current plans, and will be running further output engagement later this year.

The ONS has been examining closely the impact of the pandemic on how people will respond to the census, including for people who may be resident in different locations as a result. Clear guidance is being prepared and tested about how people should complete the census if the pandemic has affected their circumstances. This includes students for whom we will provide guidance as to where they should be counted. The ONS will publish this revised guidance when the testing and development has been concluded. In quality assuring the census results, the ONS will be comparing the census data with a wide range of other sources to check that the estimates are as accurate as possible.

The ONS engages with stakeholders and data users on an ongoing basis. The pandemic has impacted its ability to carry out some of our planned stakeholder engagement activities, but the ONS has expanded its use of innovative methods of digital communication to engage stakeholders. This has been very effective and attendance at virtual meetings with stakeholders has been much higher than might have been expected in face-to-face meetings, and much more frequent engagement has been possible. The virtual engagement has continued during the current national lockdowns and will continue.

The ONS engages with local authorities and community groups representing those people who may face barriers to completing the census. It engages with local authorities through regular newsletters and a series of workshops held online through 2020 on different aspects of the census operation. It has also established a Local Authority Quality Assurance Working Group with 17 local authorities. It engages with community groups and leaders at a national and local level, with a particular focus on communities that face barriers to completing the census for cultural, motivational, understanding and other reasons. The ONS works with representatives of other sectors (central government, health, business and academia), through Census Advisory Groups and e-mail updates, to ensure they are consulted on the census and their views considered in its design and delivery.

The ONS also held a programme of eight census webinars to showcase our plans for design and quality assurance, through November and December 2020. The series included a high-level introductory overview as well as 'In Focus' sessions that outlined specific aspects in more detail, including maximising response, quality assurance and census outputs. These webinars, each of which were attended by around 90 people, provided stakeholders and users the opportunity to ask questions (including on the impact of the pandemic), give feedback and influence our future engagement activities to meet their needs.

Yours sincerely,

Professor Sir Ian Diamond

[1] https://www.ons.gov.uk/news/statementsandletters/census2021andcoronavirus

[2] https://questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-statements/detail/2021-02-03/hcws755

[3] Information on how the Census Coverage Survey worked in 2011 can be found in chapter 4 of the 2011 Census General Report: https://www.ons.gov.uk/file?uri=/census/2011census/howourcensusworks/howdidwedoin2011/2011censusgeneralreport/2011censusgeneralreportforenglandandwaleschapter4_tcm77-384967.pdf (pdf)

[4]https://www.ons.gov.uk/census/censustransformationprogramme/censusdesign/statisticaldesignforcensus2021englandandwales

[5] The operational planning response to the pandemic is covered in more detail in an article published at the same time: https://www.ons.gov.uk/census/censustransformationprogramme/censusdesign/operationalplanningresponsetothecoronaviruscovid19forcensus2021englandandwales

Lord True
Leader of the House of Lords and Lord Privy Seal
25th Jan 2021
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of the number of people who, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, will not be resident at their normal addresses on 21 March when the census for England and Wales is carried out; and what discussions they have had with the Office for National Statistics about mitigating any such impact.

The information requested falls under the remit of the UK Statistics Authority. I have therefore asked the Authority to respond.

Professor Sir Ian Diamond | National Statistician

The Rt Hon. the Lord Adonis

House of Lords

London

SW1A 0PW

02 February 2021

Dear Lord Adonis,

As National Statistician and Chief Executive of the UK Statistics Authority, I am responding to your Parliamentary Questions relating to Census 2021 in England and Wales and the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Your questions asked about the reasons behind the decision to carry out the census for England and Wales on 21 March while the pandemic is ongoing (HL12462); ensuring the accuracy of the census in the light of the impact of the pandemic (HL12463); the impact of the number of people who, due to the pandemic, will not be resident at their normal addresses on 21 March, and mitigating any such impact (HL12464); the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the accuracy of the census (HL12465); and what consultation the UK Statistics Authority undertook before the decision was made to proceed with the census in England and Wales on 21 March during the COVID-19 pandemic (HL12466).

The Office for National Statistics (ONS) is working to deliver a successful census in England and Wales in March 2021. Since the start of the pandemic, the ONS has updated the operational design to build in safety and flexibility to allow for continued success. The ONS has also continued to adapt its plans as the course of the pandemic has changed. Additional assurance has been carried out in the form of regular readiness assessments. The last assessment was in December and the ONS’s operational readiness was externally assured by the Infrastructure and Projects Authority. These assessments have been shared with UK Government.

Following the announcement of national lockdowns in England and Wales in December 2020, the ONS again assessed its readiness to deliver a successful census safely and securely. A statement was published by the ONS on 22 January setting out why it is important to conduct the census in 2021 and how the ONS is ensuring everyone can be safely counted in the context of the coronavirus pandemic.[1] Again, the ONS’s assessment was discussed with the UK Government at this stage. The Government’s position on continuing with the census in March 2021 is set out in a written statement of 3 February.[2]

The quality of census outputs relies on optimising response rates, which is at the heart of the design and collection operation. The ONS has designed Census 2021 to be simple, straightforward and safe to complete. This will be a digital-first census and the ONS will be encouraging people to respond online if they can on their mobile phones, laptops, PCs or tablets, with a comprehensive range of support for those who are not able to complete the census online. The main census field operation will begin only after Census Day (21 March); the primary role of field officers is to give help and encouragement to those who have not yet filled in their census questionnaire online or on paper, and to direct them to the support services they need. Census field staff will never enter people’s houses; they will be supplied with PPE, will always be socially distanced and will work in line with all government guidance. They will be operating in the same way as a postal or food delivery visit.

Every census uses proven statistical methodologies to ensure the best possible estimates as a standard approach. The ONS will build upon our Census Coverage Survey approach,[3] with increased use of administrative and survey data to maximise data quality.

The ONS published its Statistical design for the 2021 Census in October 2020[4]; this sets out its end-to-end statistical design to ensure that census results are of high quality and are fit for purpose. This document takes into account the impact of the coronavirus, both on the operational plans for the census and in other ways.[5] The ONS continues to work with a wide range of users of census statistics to ensure census outputs meet their needs. It ran a series of webinars at the end of last year as part of its ongoing engagement activity, to update users on its current plans, and will be running further output engagement later this year.

The ONS has been examining closely the impact of the pandemic on how people will respond to the census, including for people who may be resident in different locations as a result. Clear guidance is being prepared and tested about how people should complete the census if the pandemic has affected their circumstances. This includes students for whom we will provide guidance as to where they should be counted. The ONS will publish this revised guidance when the testing and development has been concluded. In quality assuring the census results, the ONS will be comparing the census data with a wide range of other sources to check that the estimates are as accurate as possible.

The ONS engages with stakeholders and data users on an ongoing basis. The pandemic has impacted its ability to carry out some of our planned stakeholder engagement activities, but the ONS has expanded its use of innovative methods of digital communication to engage stakeholders. This has been very effective and attendance at virtual meetings with stakeholders has been much higher than might have been expected in face-to-face meetings, and much more frequent engagement has been possible. The virtual engagement has continued during the current national lockdowns and will continue.

The ONS engages with local authorities and community groups representing those people who may face barriers to completing the census. It engages with local authorities through regular newsletters and a series of workshops held online through 2020 on different aspects of the census operation. It has also established a Local Authority Quality Assurance Working Group with 17 local authorities. It engages with community groups and leaders at a national and local level, with a particular focus on communities that face barriers to completing the census for cultural, motivational, understanding and other reasons. The ONS works with representatives of other sectors (central government, health, business and academia), through Census Advisory Groups and e-mail updates, to ensure they are consulted on the census and their views considered in its design and delivery.

The ONS also held a programme of eight census webinars to showcase our plans for design and quality assurance, through November and December 2020. The series included a high-level introductory overview as well as 'In Focus' sessions that outlined specific aspects in more detail, including maximising response, quality assurance and census outputs. These webinars, each of which were attended by around 90 people, provided stakeholders and users the opportunity to ask questions (including on the impact of the pandemic), give feedback and influence our future engagement activities to meet their needs.

Yours sincerely,

Professor Sir Ian Diamond

[1] https://www.ons.gov.uk/news/statementsandletters/census2021andcoronavirus

[2] https://questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-statements/detail/2021-02-03/hcws755

[3] Information on how the Census Coverage Survey worked in 2011 can be found in chapter 4 of the 2011 Census General Report: https://www.ons.gov.uk/file?uri=/census/2011census/howourcensusworks/howdidwedoin2011/2011censusgeneralreport/2011censusgeneralreportforenglandandwaleschapter4_tcm77-384967.pdf (pdf)

[4]https://www.ons.gov.uk/census/censustransformationprogramme/censusdesign/statisticaldesignforcensus2021englandandwales

[5] The operational planning response to the pandemic is covered in more detail in an article published at the same time: https://www.ons.gov.uk/census/censustransformationprogramme/censusdesign/operationalplanningresponsetothecoronaviruscovid19forcensus2021englandandwales

Lord True
Leader of the House of Lords and Lord Privy Seal
8th Jun 2020
To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to conduct a public consultation on removing the statue of Robert Clive on King Charles Street in Westminster.

There are no plans for a public consultation on removing the statue of Robert Clive on King Charles Street in Westminster.

The Government does not propose to remove statues or memorials on its property. We believe it is always legitimate to examine and debate Britain’s history, but removing statues is not the right approach.

The statues in our cities and towns were put up by previous generations, who had different perspectives and different understandings of right and wrong. But those statues play an important role in teaching us about our past, with all its faults.

The Government therefore believes that we should use heritage to educate people about all aspects of Britain’s complex past, good and bad, rather than airbrushing history.

Historic England, as the Government’s adviser on the historic environment, have set out why they believe removing difficult and contentious parts of the historic environment risks harming our understanding of our collective past. They and other heritage funding bodies invest significantly in improving public access to historical objects, providing contemporary interpretation of them and supporting diverse heritage projects around the country.

Baroness Barran
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
15th Oct 2020
To ask Her Majesty's Government how many state schools in England were closed to physical attendance by pupils because of COVID-19 at any point during the week of 12 October.

The table attached gives the number of state-funded schools[1] who responded to the daily education settings status survey, and the total number that indicated that they were closed for COVID-19 related reasons during each day of the week of 12 October.

[1] State-funded schools include primary, middle, secondary, all-through, special and alternative provision settings.

15th Oct 2020
To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to recommence Ofsted inspections of schools.

Routine inspections will remain suspended for the autumn term. During the autumn term, however, inspectors will visit a sample of schools to discuss how they are managing the return to education of all their pupils. The intention is for Ofsted to resume routine school inspections from January 2021, with this date being kept under review.

15th Oct 2020
To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have, if any, to proceed with the electrification of a Transpennine rail route from Manchester to Leeds; which towns and cities they plan to serve by such a route; and when such work would commence.

In July 2020, the Government released £589m of funding for design and development work to upgrade and electrify the Transpennine main line from Manchester to York via Huddersfield and Leeds, under the Transpennine Route Upgrade programme (TRU). This will enable electrification designs to be worked up for the sections between Manchester and Stalybridge, Huddersfield and Leeds, as well as Church Fenton and York. The Integrated Rail Plan also considers the case for TRU to deliver full Manchester to York electrification, with construction decisions to be taken once TRU’s full business case is approved.

Baroness Vere of Norbiton
Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
28th Apr 2020
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have requested, or required, reductions in executive remuneration, bonuses and other executive benefits in return for additional subsidies of train and bus operators to operate services granted since 1 March; if not, whether they intend to do so; and if so, what such reductions have been or will be.

To bring stability and certainty to the industry during this turbulent time, private sector train operating companies have seen a temporary suspension of their existing franchise agreements’ financial mechanisms, and all revenue and cost risk has been transferred to the Government. Emergency Measures Agreements (EMAs) commenced on 1 April 2020 (effective as of 1 March 2020) for an initial period of six months.

Under the EMAs, whilst basic pay will continue at the same levels as before the EMAs were agreed, any bonuses, rewards or discretionary benefits paid to any staff, directors or officers under any schemes which have not previously been approved by the Secretary of State in writing, are viewed as a disallowable cost.

In relation to bus operators, the COVID-19 Bus Services Support Grant (CBSSG) is designed to help bus operators cover the costs of operating an appropriate service level during the COVID-19 period. Executive remuneration and payouts are a disallowable expense for the purposes of this grant scheme.

Baroness Vere of Norbiton
Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
28th Apr 2020
To ask Her Majesty's Government what estimate they have made of the cost to Her Majesty's Treasury of running train and bus services, under new arrangements put in place by the Government since the outbreak of COVID-19, in the month to 25 April, or until the latest date for which they can make an assessment.

Since the outbreak of COVID-19, the Government has approved £3.5 billion of additional expenditure to ensure that vital rail services continue to operate. From this additional expenditure, £2.9 billion relates to the 2020/21 financial year. It is not yet possible to provide an estimate of the total cost incurred to date.

In respect to bus services, the Government has made available up to £167 million of new funding over twelve weeks under the new COVID-19 Bus Services Support Grant (CBSSG), of which over £7 million has been paid to local transport authorities and over £41 million to bus operators as of 12 May.

Baroness Vere of Norbiton
Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
28th Apr 2020
To ask Her Majesty's Government what applications or approaches have been made for financial assistance relating to the COVID-19 pandemic by Heathrow Airport Ltd since 1 March.

The aviation sector is important to the UK economy and the government recognises the challenging times facing the sector as a result of COVID-19. The aviation sector will be able to draw upon the unprecedented package of measures announced by the Chancellor, including a Bank of England scheme for firms to raise capital, Time to Pay flexibilities with tax bills, financial support for employees and VAT deferrals. It would not be appropriate to comment in individual cases.

The Department is continuing to work closely with the sector and has been clear that if individual companies find themselves in trouble as a result of coronavirus and have exhausted the measures already available to them, including raising capital from existing investors, then we are prepared to enter discussions with individual companies seeking bespoke support as a last resort. However, any intervention would need to represent value for money for taxpayers.

Baroness Vere of Norbiton
Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
11th Jun 2020
To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have received, if any, about poor employment practices at The Doctors Laboratory.

At present the Department has not received any representation with regards to employment practices at The Doctors Laboratory. The employment practices of The Doctors Laboratory are not a matter the Department can comment on, as neither the Department nor the National Health Service employ the staff working at The Doctors Laboratory.

The Doctors Laboratory is a private laboratory that provides pathology testing capacity to a number of hospitals in the London 2 path lab network.

11th Jun 2020
To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have, if any, to conduct a review of employment practices at The Doctors Laboratory.

The employment practices of The Doctors Laboratory are not a matter the Department can comment on, as neither the Department nor the National Health Service employ the staff working at The Doctors Laboratory.

The Doctors Laboratory is a private laboratory that provides pathology testing capacity to a number of hospitals in the London 2 path lab network. As such we are not involved in their employment practices and would not have protocols in place about how they manage their staff.

28th Apr 2020
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they intend to publish the letter of appointment, job description and correspondence with Heathrow Airport Ltd relating to Lord Deighton’s government post announced on 18 April.

Lord Deighton has kindly agreed to be an unpaid advisor to help the Government with the COVID-19 response. He is leading the Government’s efforts to secure sufficient critical personal protective equipment (PPE) and ensure this gets to where it is needed. As part of this, he will drive forward coordination of the end-to-end process design and manufacture of new domestic PPE supplies.

28th Apr 2020
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the Commissioner for Public Appointments advised on the appointment of Lord Deighton to his government post on 18 April, and whether they will publish that advice.

Lord Deighton has kindly agreed to be an unpaid advisor to help the Government with the COVID-19 response. He is leading the Government’s efforts to secure sufficient critical personal protective equipment (PPE) and ensure this gets to where it is needed. As part of this, he will drive forward coordination of the end-to-end process design and manufacture of new domestic PPE supplies.

28th Apr 2020
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of any conflicts of interest relating to Lord Deighton’s appointment to a government position on 18 April 2020 and his commercial work, including his chairmanship of Heathrow Airport Ltd, and whether they intend to publish these assessments.

Lord Deighton has kindly agreed to be an unpaid advisor to help the Government with the COVID-19 response. He is leading the Government’s efforts to secure sufficient critical personal protective equipment (PPE) and ensure this gets to where it is needed. As part of this, he will drive forward coordination of the end-to-end process design and manufacture of new domestic PPE supplies.

13th Jan 2021
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of British judges continuing to serve on the Hong Kong Court of Final Appeal.

British judges have played an important role in supporting the independence of Hong Kong's judiciary for many years. We want and hope that this can continue. The UK judiciary is independent of the Government and it is for them to make an assessment on this. It is therefore right that the Supreme Court continues to assess the situation in Hong Kong, in discussion with the Government.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
13th Jan 2021
To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have, if any, to ban British judges from serving on the Hong Kong Court of Final Appeal.

British judges have played an important role in supporting the independence of Hong Kong's judiciary for many years. We want and hope that this can continue. The UK judiciary is independent of the Government and it is for them to make an assessment on this. It is therefore right that the Supreme Court continues to assess the situation in Hong Kong, in discussion with the Government.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
13th Jan 2021
To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have, if any, to ban British barristers from being employed by the Hong Kong Department of Justice for the prosecution of Hong Kong residents for charges relating (1) to state security, and (2) to civil protest.

Anyone working on cases involving Hong Kong politicians and activists will want to assure themselves that the very highest legal standards, including fairness, are being upheld. The Government has been clear that the Hong Kong authorities must end their targeting of pro-democracy voices.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
13th Jan 2021
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the employment of British barristers by the Hong Kong Department of Justice for the prosecution of Hong Kong residents on charges relating to protests against the governments of Hong Kong and China.

Anyone working on cases involving Hong Kong politicians and activists will want to assure themselves that the very highest legal standards, including fairness, are being upheld. The Government has been clear that the Hong Kong authorities must end their targeting of pro-democracy voices.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
15th Oct 2020
To ask Her Majesty's Government what is the latest cost estimate for the refurbishment of Buckingham Palace.

The reservicing of Buckingham Palace, which includes replacing the ageing core services of the Palace to eliminate the very real risk of fire or flood, is a ten-year programme started in 2017 with an agreed maximum budget of £369 million.

The official business of The Queen, including the current reserving of Buckingham Palace, is primarily funded through the Sovereign Grant. This is paid from the Consolidated Fund, but calculated by reference to The Crown Estate's profits (currently set at 25%). In return, The Crown Estate's revenue profits are paid into the Consolidated Fund.

12th Oct 2020
To ask Her Majesty's Government who operates the Twitter account of the Home Office @ukhomeoffice, and whether ministerial agreement is required for any content posted.

The @UKHomeOffice account is managed by the Department’s communications team.

Tweets are not routinely agreed by Ministers before they are posted.

Baroness Williams of Trafford
Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms (HM Household) (Chief Whip, House of Lords)
12th Oct 2020
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the statement made by the Clandestine Channel Threat Commander on Twitter on 11 October that ‘I’ll do whatever it takes to stop these crossings’; whether legal advice was sought about that statement; and whether such statement accords with the law.

The Government has been clear that we will do everything we can to stop these crossings and make this route unviable.

Baroness Williams of Trafford
Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms (HM Household) (Chief Whip, House of Lords)
9th Oct 2020
To ask Her Majesty's Government what are the responsibilities of the Clandestine Channel Threat Commander.

The responsibilities of the Clandestine Channel Threat Commander can be found https://www.gov.uk/government/news/home-secretary-appoints-small-boat-commander

The new Clandestine Channel Threat Commander will collaborate closely with the French to build on the joint work already underway, urgently exploring tougher action in France, including stronger enforcement measures and adopting interceptions at sea and the direct return of boats. For more information see attached Press Release.

Baroness Williams of Trafford
Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms (HM Household) (Chief Whip, House of Lords)
9th Oct 2020
To ask Her Majesty's Government what additional measures the Clandestine Channel Threat Commander will implement to reduce the number of migrant boats crossing the English Channel.

The Clandestine Channel Threat Commander is focused on four key strategic objectives.

These include working with France to reduce the number of migrants in Calais seeking to cross the Channel; tackling the organised crime groups who facilitate many of the journeys; stopping attempts to cross the border illegally; and supporting reform of the asylum system, increased penalties and maximised returns – to remove the incentives for people to seek to reach the UK via small boat and other dangerous methods.

Baroness Williams of Trafford
Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms (HM Household) (Chief Whip, House of Lords)
9th Oct 2020
To ask Her Majesty's Government how the Clandestine Channel Threat Commander assesses the threats for which they are responsible.

The Clandestine Channel Threat Commander refers to threat assessments produced by intelligence experts from across law enforcement agencies and wider Government.

Baroness Williams of Trafford
Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms (HM Household) (Chief Whip, House of Lords)
9th Jun 2020
The Senior Deputy Speaker what plans there are to conduct a public consultation on the removal of the statue of Oliver Cromwell from outside the Palace of Westminster.

The statue of Oliver Cromwell outside the Palace of Westminster belongs to the House of Commons. Any such action in relation to the statue will therefore be for the House of Commons to determine.

2nd Jun 2020
To ask Her Majesty's Government what (1) meetings, and (2) communications, took place involving special advisers and officials of the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government and executives of the Northern and Shell Corporation in (a) 2019, and (b) 2020; and whether they will place the (i) participant lists, and (ii) records, of these meetings and communications in the Library of the House.

Details of Ministerial meetings with external organisations are published regularly and can be found at the following link on gov.uk:

https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/dclg-ministerial-data

The Secretary of State declined to discuss the application with both the Mayor of Tower Hamlets and the developers.

The Planning Inspector’s Report sets out a schedule of representations received by the Inspector. Special Advisers did not meet with the developers or local authority. Officials in MHCLG had no meetings and received no communications from executives of Northern and Shell.

2nd Jun 2020
To ask Her Majesty's Government what (1) meetings, and (2) communications, took place between the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government and Richard Desmond in (a) 2019, and (b) 2020; and whether they will place the records of these meetings and communications in the Library of the House.

Details of Ministerial meetings with external organisations are published regularly and can be found at the following link on gov.uk:

https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/dclg-ministerial-data

The Secretary of State declined to discuss the application with both the Mayor of Tower Hamlets and the developers.

The Planning Inspector’s Report sets out a schedule of representations received by the Inspector. Special Advisers did not meet with the developers or local authority. Officials in MHCLG had no meetings and received no communications from executives of Northern and Shell.

2nd Jun 2020
To ask Her Majesty's Government what communication they had, if any, with the Mayor of Tower Hamlets about Northern and Shell's planning application for Westferry Printworks.

Details of Ministerial meetings with external organisations are published regularly and can be found at the following link on gov.uk:

https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/dclg-ministerial-data

The Secretary of State declined to discuss the application with both the Mayor of Tower Hamlets and the developers.

The Planning Inspector’s Report sets out a schedule of representations received by the Inspector. Special Advisers did not meet with the developers or local authority. Officials in MHCLG had no meetings and received no communications from executives of Northern and Shell.

2nd Jun 2020
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government required the issue of any ministerial directions, or expressed any concerns as accounting officer, in respect of the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government’s decisions relating to the Northern and Shell Corporation’s planning application for the development of Westferry Printworks.
2nd Jun 2020
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government informed the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government of his previous contacts with (1) Richard Desmond, and (2) executives of the Northern and Shell Corporation, prior to the Department's decisions in respect of the Northern and Shell Corporation in the past year; and if so, what action was taken in response.

Planning Ministers act in accordance with the MHCLG Guidance on Planning Proprietary Issues. This guidance is published (attached) on gov.uk and is available here: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/5998/2091742.pdf