Lord Berkeley

The role of the Independent Assessor in hybrid bill procedure is to summarise the issues raised in comments received on the environmental statement (and any supplementary environmental information subsequently deposited) relating to a hybrid bill and to make a report (or reports). The second reading of a hybrid bill cannot be moved until at least 14 days after the report relating to the environmental statement has been submitted.

The procedure in relation to the Independent Assessor is well-established. It is set out in detail in House of Lords Private Business Standing Order 83A. HL SO 83A was agreed by the House of Lords on 25 July 2013, following a recommendation by the Procedure Committee (2^nd Report, Session 2013-14, HL Paper 33). An Independent Assessor was appointed in relation to the High Speed Rail (London – West Midlands) Bill and the High Speed Rail (West Midlands – Crewe) Bill.

In common with other legislation, the Equality Act 2010 maintains the long standing principle that it is not appropriate for The Sovereign, personally, to be the subject of legal action in a Court or Tribunal. However, the Royal Household has formal arrangements in place that provide a means of hearing and remedying any complaint that might be raised under the Act.

There are no plans to review this position.

In 2016, a review of hybrid bill procedure was commissioned by the Senior Deputy Speaker and the Chairman of Ways and Means in the House of Commons. It was planned to take place in two stages. The first stage was completed in 2017 and resulted in a number of changes to the Private Business Standing Orders in both Houses. On the 22 March, I wrote to the Leader of the House of Lords and Lord Privy Seal informing her that a consultation in relation to the second stage would begin soon. It will last for two to three months. It will be a public consultation and evidence will be invited. This is a joint review, and the Chairman of Ways and Means has written to the Lord President of the Council and Leader of the House of Commons in similar terms.

The Senior Deputy Speaker has asked me, as Chair of the Services Committee, to respond on his behalf. Both Houses recognise the value that suppression systems can add to an overall package of Fire Safety. A requirement to install suppression systems when major refurbishment works are undertaken in all Parliamentary buildings is part of our current fire safety strategy, any decision to use suppression assesses risks and takes account of the historic fabric of our buildings.

As part of the recent Fire Safety Improvement Works a High Pressure Water Mist suppression system was installed in the Palace basement, and the Elizabeth Tower refurbishment has included the installation of a full sprinkler system. Further works on the roof and other parts of the Palace are subject to future projects likely to be delivered through Restoration and Renewal. Design of the plans, including Fire Safety, is the responsibility of the Sponsor Board and Delivery Authority, with input from House Officials. I understand that suppression is being considered, as part of a suite of fire safety options, in the ongoing work to create the outline business case.

Section 6 of the Regency Act 1937 provides for a power to delegate Royal functions to Counsellors of State in the event of the Sovereign being either overseas, or intended to be overseas, or in the event of illness (stopping short of incapacity).

The Regency Act itself specifies that the Counsellors of State shall be the wife or husband of the Sovereign (if the Sovereign is married), and the four persons who are next in the line of succession to the Crown.

Changes to the list of those who can be appointed as Counsellors of State would require amending the Regency Act.

My answer to the noble Lord’s question on 6 December 2021 referred to recent correspondence from the Rt Hon Member for Ashton-under-Lyne, in connection with the Government's policies towards General Aviation. The Minister for Aviation's response to the Opposition is a matter of public record.

The Independent Adviser, in relation to the question about the Secretary of State for Transport's interests, confirmed that he was content that the Transport Secretary had followed the process required under the Ministerial Code for the declaration of his private interests. It was this matter to which I was referring.

As set out on page 57, section 2.10 of the Cabinet Office Annual Account (2019-2020) and available on gov.uk, expenditure on consultancy reduced from £43.647 million in 2018-19 to £35.380 million in 2019-20.

Cabinet Office publishes all contracts over £10,000. Details of all consultancy contracts can be found on Contracts Finder.

The Infrastructure and Projects Authority (IPA) has not conducted a review of the Wendover area since its dedicated review in 2018. The review in 2018 of the Wendover area was of the process by which HS2 Ltd had considered and rejected the mined tunnel proposal. However, the IPA was not asked to review either the construction costs or the whole life costs, but whether HS2 Ltd had followed a competent process in making its decision. The review concluded that HS2 Ltd had followed a competent process in reaching its decision.

As stated within the Government’s publication: The Future Relationship with the EU, The UK’s Approach to Negotiations, the UK is committed to carbon pricing as a decarbonisation tool. We will establish a UK system that supports our world leading climate ambition, including net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. This will enable UK energy generators, heavy industry and aviation to decarbonise their operations in an efficient and cost-effective manner.

In the context of our approach to carbon pricing, the UK remains open to considering a link between any future UK Emissions Trading System (ETS) and the EU ETS (as Switzerland has done with its ETS), if it suited both sides’ interests.

We are aware of a petition on the Order of St Michael and St George. The premise of this petition is factually incorrect – the insignia for the Order of St Michael and St George was updated in 2011, and the design referred in the petition is no longer used. Any current recipient of a pre-2011 insignia is able to receive one with the updated design, on request.

Matters regarding insignia are for the Committee on the Grant of Honours, Decorations and Medals (also known as the ‘HD Committee’). The independent Officers of the Order of St Michael and St George may advise the Committee in relation to their Order. The Committee then gives advice to the Sovereign.

In light of the change in 2011, it is the view of Ministers in Her Majesty's Government that there is no need for any specific review.

The terms of reference will be announced in due course.

The Department did engage with both internal and external stakeholders on the decision not to participate. It would not be appropriate for the Department to comment on any value for money assessment given the ongoing commercial sensitivity around EU Space Programmes.

The Department did engage with both internal and external stakeholders on the decision not to participate. It would not be appropriate for the Department to comment on any value for money assessment given the ongoing commercial sensitivity around EU Space Programmes.

The Department did engage with both internal and external stakeholders on the decision not to participate. It would not be appropriate for the Department to comment on any value for money assessment given the ongoing commercial sensitivity around EU Space Programmes.

The Government remains open to considering well-developed proposals for harnessing the tidal range energy in the bays and estuaries around our coastlines, including barrage schemes and other alternatives. Any such proposal would need to demonstrate strong evidence of value for money in the context of other renewable technologies, as well as details of its associated energy system benefits and environmental impact mitigation strategies before the Government could take a view on its potential or on the funding models appropriate for exploration.

The UK Government is committed to ensuring that consumers are protected from unsafe goods. The General Product Safety Regulations 2005, and other product regulations, place obligations on manufacturers to ensure the safety of consumer goods including the batteries used to power them.

Manufacturers need to ensure that all products supplied meet the relevant product safety regulations before being placed on the market. In doing so, they may choose to apply standard EN 62133-2 which specifies requirements and safety tests necessary for the safe operation, including foreseeable misuse, of portable sealed secondary lithium cells and batteries.

The Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS) does not maintain a list of approved batteries for use in such vehicles, as the responsibility for the selection of such components rests with the manufacturer. However, OPSS works with Local Authorities and border authorities to help ensure that products imported and sold in the UK are safe and that action is taken against those who place unsafe or non-compliant products on the market, including their removal from the market.

The Space Based Positioning, Navigation and Timing Programme explored a range of innovative options for strengthening the resilience of PNT services from space. The scope of the programme did not include identification of a replacement for EGNOS.

The UK sought to negotiate a service access agreement on the European Geostationary Navigation Overlay Service (EGNOS) with the EU. However, the EU required participation in the programme along with the full associated costs of participation which would have equated to €30-€35 million per year. For all programmes under consideration, the Government was clear it would only participate where the terms were in the UK’s interests, and in this case, it was not considered value for money. The negotiations on EGNOS concluded in December 2020 and there are no plans to reopen the discussions on this matter.

Earlier this year the Department for Transport consulted on the Jet Zero Strategy, which will set out steps to reach net zero aviation emissions by 2050. Working towards this ambition, the Department is co-funding new, zero carbon UK aircraft technology through the Aerospace Technology Institute Programme. This is a commitment from both industry and the Government to co-invest £3.9 billion in aerospace research and development from 2013 to 2026.

This programme has agreed grants of £1.7 million to Hybrid Air Vehicles. The same programme has supported 343 aerospace technology projects, with total Government and industry funding of £3.2 billion across the UK, including the emerging green aerospace cluster in South Yorkshire.

On 13 September 2021 we published draft parameters ahead of the fourth Contracts for Difference (CfD) allocation round which did not include a minimum for geothermal energy. The final budget notice will be published ahead of the CfD round opening in December.

Large scale renewable heat generation will be supported in a number of ways, including through the Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme, the Industrial Energy Transformation Fund, the Green Heat Network Fund and the Green Gas Support Scheme. Further information on each of the schemes can be found on the GOV.UK website.

The UK and the EU agreed the terms for our association to Horizon Europe under the Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA).

As the underpinning EU legislation was not yet adopted when the TCA was agreed, this was accompanied by a Joint Declaration on Participation in Union Programmes and Access to Programme Services, which set out the parties’ intention to formalise our participation at the earliest opportunity.

Now that the EU legislation underpinning the Horizon Europe programme is in force, the UK stands ready to formalise our participation.

The Government had already committed £1.5 billion to support the early market and remove barriers to ZEV ownership. Alongside the new phase out dates for new petrol and diesel cars and vans, we have pledged a further £2.8 billion package of measures to support industry and consumers to make the switch to cleaner vehicles. These ambitions will include up to £1 billion to support the electrification of UK vehicles and their supply chains, £1.3 billion to accelerate the roll out of charging infrastructure and £582 million for plug in vehicle grants.

The March 2020 Budget included the extension of favourable benefit in kind tax rates for zero emission vehicles out to 2025: company car tax is 1% in 2021/22 and 2% in 2022/23 through to 2024/25; and all zero emission cars are exempt from vehicle excise duty (VED)

We are currently consulting on the proposed regulatory framework for the UK with regard to all newly sold road vehicles which includes the option for a ZEV mandate. The consultation closes on 22 September.

The Government had already committed £1.5 billion to support the early market and remove barriers to ZEV ownership. Alongside the new phase out dates for new petrol and diesel cars and vans, we have pledged a further £2.8 billion package of measures to support industry and consumers to make the switch to cleaner vehicles. These ambitions will include up to £1 billion to support the electrification of UK vehicles and their supply chains, £1.3 billion to accelerate the roll out of charging infrastructure and £582 million for plug in vehicle grants.

The March 2020 Budget included the extension of favourable benefit in kind tax rates for zero emission vehicles out to 2025: company car tax is 1% in 2021/22 and 2% in 2022/23 through to 2024/25; and all zero emission cars are exempt from vehicle excise duty (VED)

We are currently consulting on the proposed regulatory framework for the UK with regard to all newly sold road vehicles which includes the option for a ZEV mandate. The consultation closes on 22 September.

As part of their domestic immigration rules, each EU Member State has the power to set the cost of visas and/or work permits. This has resulted in a wide range of costs that Member States can continue to change, and at a time of their choosing. Each Member State is responsible for communicating and updating such costs, and each remains the most accurate and applicable source of this information; the UK Government does not hold this information. We urge all UK nationals to check the rules in the country they are travelling to ahead of time. These rules will differ depending on length of stay and activities undertaken abroad.

The Government is committed to supporting individuals and businesses. We will continue to engage regularly with our embassies to better understand the requirements in Member States. We will also continue to enhance guidance for businesses to best support travel for work purposes under our new trading relationship with the European Union.

Under the terms of the Contract for Difference, neither taxpayer nor consumer is liable to contribute to the construction cost of Hinkley Point C. The Contract for Difference defines a Commissioning Window for each of the two nuclear reactors. These are from 1^st May 2025 to 30^th April 2029 for Reactor One and 1^st November 2025 to 31^st October 2029 for Reactor Two.

In September 2019, the lead investor in Hinkley Point C published a statement on the project cost and schedule. This said that the capital cost is likely to be between £21.5Bn and £22.5Bn (these figures are in 2015 money). The developer is targeting power generation by the end of 2025.

In 2019, the UK became the first major economy in the world to legislate to end its contribution to global warming by 2050 by reaching net zero emissions.

This year, the Government has set out billions in support for our low-carbon economy. We are taking action in every sector including: over £3 billion to transform energy efficiency in homes and public buildings; £2 billion to kickstart a cycling and walking revolution; £1 billion support for ultra-low emission vehicles; £800 million to capture carbon from power stations and industry; a £640 million Nature Climate Fund; £350 million to cut emissions in heavy industry; and £100 million to research and develop Direct Air Capture technologies.

The transition to a low carbon economy constitutes one of the most significant challenges and opportunities for the UK and the world over the coming decades. In March, we published the first phase of our transport decarbonisation plan and will be setting our further plans over the coming months for other sectors of the economy including on energy, heat and buildings and the natural environment. Our forthcoming sector strategies, and wider plans to deliver a green economic recovery following the COVID-19 pandemic, will contain further proposals to put us on track to meeting our carbon reduction obligations which are among the most ambitious in the world

The Government has been clear that, after the end of the transition period, the UK will have its own domestic subsidy control regime. This will not align with EU State Aid rules. Work is ongoing to devise a modern system for supporting British business in a way that fulfils our interests. As part of this, consideration will be given on how to ensure compliance with the new regime. There are a number of possible options , of which an independent regulator is one. We will discuss these options with key stakeholders in due course..

However, as the Minister for Small Business, Consumers and Labour Markets has previously set out, the UK’s position on subsidies for the trade agreement negotiations with the EU does not necessarily require a domestic regulator (as demonstrated by other countries, like Canada, that do not maintain a domestic subsidy control regulator to fulfil their trade agreement obligations with the EU).

The Government recognises the importance of providing clarity to businesses. In advance of the introducing the domestic subsidy control regime, we will be seeking the views of business on the best approach to ensure we continue to have fair and open competition across the UK.

Floating offshore wind presents an exciting opportunity to support the UK’s low carbon ambitions, whilst maintaining a leadership position in offshore innovation. The Department, alongside the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government are in regular contact with the Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Local Enterprise Partnership, including in regard to their plans to transform the existing Wave Hub asset, off the coast of Cornwall, into a test site for floating offshore wind technologies.

The Government recently consulted on the forthcoming Contracts for Difference allocation round, due to open in 2021, and included questions on measures to support floating offshore wind. The Contracts for Difference approach could support the commercial build out of offshore zones in the Celtic Sea.

The Government’s top priority is to ensure we protect people and businesses throughout the present health crisis. The Government’s advice to avoid using public transport where possible, and instead try to walk, cycle, or drive is based on the present concern for public health.

Covid-19 has meant people have had to profoundly change the way they live, work and travel. Many people have rediscovered walking and cycling, and their benefits to both air quality and health. We are supporting that through the £225 million Emergency Active Travel Fund, which was announced on 9 May, and is the first stage of a £2 billion investment in active travel. We are also encouraging local authorities to consider rapid changes to road layouts such as pop up cycles lanes to make cycling safer and more attractive.

The COVID-19 crisis has not diminished the Government’s determination to meet our net zero target and we are committed to going further and faster to tackle climate change. Transport has a central role to play in decarbonising our economy whilst delivering growth. At the end of March, we published “Decarbonising Transport: Setting the Challenge” kicking off our work on preparing a Transport Decarbonisation Plan to ensure we meet the challenge of reaching net zero transport emissions by 2050.

The Government has introduced a number of support measures available to pubs during the current COVID-19 outbreak. These include a retail, hospitality and leisure business rates holiday scheme and grants scheme for these sectors, business interruption loans schemes, as well as job retention and self-employed income support schemes. The full details of all these measures have been published, and can be viewed on the GOV.UK website

The Government’s decisions on when and how to amend the current social distancing measures will be guided by the scientific advice.