Asked by: Lord Birt (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask His Majesty's Government what proportion of global carbon emissions are created by (1) China, (2) the United States, (3) the EU, and (4) the UK.
Answered by Baroness Curran - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Estimates show China accounted for more than a quarter (26%) of global greenhouse gas emissions in 2023. The United States accounted for around 11% of the 2023 global total, the European Union around 6%, and the UK less than 1%. Nearly half of annual global GHG emissions were from countries which individually accounted for 3% or less of the global total. UK GHG emissions per capita were slightly lower than the global average in 2023. Over the period 1850-2023, the UK accounted for around 4% of cumulative global CO2 emissions. Figures include emissions from the land use, land use change and forestry (LULUCF) sector and are rounded to the nearest 100MtCO2e.
| Latest annual emissions | Cumulative emissions (1850-2023) | |||
| Emissions in 2023 (MtCO2e) | % of global emissions (2023) | Emissions per capita in 2023 (tCO2e) | 1850-2023 total (MtCO2) | Share of cumulative emissions |
World | 50,800 | 100% | 6.3 | 2,263,800 | 100% |
China | 13,200 | 26% | 9.3 | 345,900 | 15% |
US | 5,400 | 11% | 15.8 | 471,700 | 21% |
EU | 3,100 | 6% | 7.0 | 311,800 | 14% |
UK | 400 | 1% | 5.9 | 80,600 | 4% |
Sources and caveats: 2023 GHG emission data reported by Climate Watch, DESNZ GHG inventory for the UK. Historic CO2 emissions data sourced from the PRIMAP-hist v2.7 CO₂ emissions dataset. Population estimates are based on data from the UN World Population Prospects. Emissions estimates may differ from country’s official inventories reported to the UNFCCC.
Asked by: Lord Birt (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to review the process for supervising serious, serial violent offenders when they are released after having served their term.
Answered by Lord Lemos - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Justice)
This Government inherited a prisons system days from collapse. We had no choice but to take decisive action to stop our prisons overflowing and keep the public safe. Our landmark Sentencing Act 2026 will now deliver a more sustainable solution to the prison capacity crisis we inherited, including through the progression model, which will help ensure there are always enough prison places for the courts to be able to send people to custody.
The Prime Minister’s review informed decisions relating to implementation of the progression model and subsequent offence exclusions. The Government carefully considered concerns raised by victims, survivors, parliamentarians and the wider public and acted on those concerns and representations received during the review formed part of the evidence considered as part of that process. Ministers continue to engage with a range of stakeholders on implementation.
As a result, offenders convicted of unlawful killing offence such as manslaughter, causing death by dangerous driving, as well as further historic child sex offences, will now be excluded, on top of rape and serious child sex offences. This also includes offenders convicted of offences involving the killing of an emergency worker. A full list of exclusions can be found here: Sentencing Act 2026 offence exclusions - GOV.UK. These exclusions are in addition to the existing exclusion of more than 18,000 offenders serving more serious sentences.
The progression model amends release points for offenders serving Standard Determinate Sentences. The date from which the progression model will apply, and the date of the first tranche of releases is 1 October 2026. Offenders released under the progression model will be controlled under strict licence conditions and can be recalled to custody where they breach those conditions or their risk can no longer be safely managed in the community.
This Government is committed to strengthening public protection and ensuring the Probation Service has the tools and capacity it needs to keep communities safe and protect victims. We are investing £700 million into probation and community services, recruiting 1,300 additional probation officers this year, and ensuring every prison leaver is tagged unless there is clear reason not to. As part of that investment, we are delivering the biggest expansion of tagging in history, by investing £100 million to expand our ability to monitor even more individuals in the community with thousands of offenders having their every movement tracked. These changes will significantly strengthen probation’s ability to monitor offenders in real time and intervene quickly where risk escalates or conditions are breached.
Offenders may also be subject to a range of measures such as curfews and exclusion zones that are designed to manage risk and restrict their movements where necessary. With the conditions imposed upon them, this will allow probation to maintain oversight of offenders in the community and monitor compliance.
The Government is ensuring probation resources are focused on offenders who pose the highest risk of harm and prioritised on those most likely to reoffend. This enables probation practitioners to spend more time and attention managing the most serious offenders, strengthening public protection and better protecting victims.
All offenders released from custody are subject to robust supervision and risk management arrangements. Where released on licence, they may be subject to a range of restrictive licence conditions tailored to the risks they present, including electronic monitoring, exclusion zones and non-contact requirements. Probation practitioners monitor compliance with these requirements and may take enforcement action, including recall to custody, where an offender can no longer be safely managed in the community. Multi-Agency Public Protection Arrangements (MAPPA) provide additional oversight for those offenders who meet the relevant threshold.
From October 2026, the Probation Service will be given wider powers to impose new restrictive licence conditions, including prohibiting offenders on licence from driving, attending public events, and entering pubs, clubs and bars. We are also introducing Restriction Zones for the most serious sexual and violent offenders, which require an offender to remain within a designated area where this is necessary and proportionate to manage risk.
The Government is also committed to ensuring that victims' interests are reflected in release and supervision arrangements. Victims eligible for the Victim Contact Scheme have a statutory right to receive information about an offender's release and to make representations about licence conditions. When determining appropriate licence conditions, account may be taken of both the risk of physical harm and the risk of significant emotional or psychological harm to victims.
Together, these measures will strengthen public protection, support victim safety and ensure that the most serious offenders receive the highest levels of supervision and risk management in the community.
Asked by: Lord Birt (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to review the process for allowing serious, serial violent offenders to be bailed.
Answered by Lord Lemos - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Justice)
The decision to remand an individual into custody or to grant bail is solely a matter for the independent judiciary acting in accordance with the criteria set out in the Bail Act 1976.
When courts (magistrates or judges) are presiding over a case they decide on a case-by-case basis based on the evidence put before the court whether the defendant presents such a bail risk as to warrant custody.
Risks that may be considered by a court in order to refuse bail include whether there are substantial grounds for believing that the defendant would commit further offences while on bail or engage in conduct that would cause physical or mental injury, or fear of injury, to an associated person.
Asked by: Lord Birt (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask His Majesty's Government what is their estimate of the additional electricity needed to power data centres by 2035; and how they intend that electricity to be generated.
Answered by Baroness Curran - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Data centre demand growth remains uncertain, reflecting factors including new connections, utilisation, efficiency improvements and wider AI adoption. The Department is working with NESO, Ofgem and industry to monitor developments and assess plausible demand scenarios and their implications for the electricity system.
Government is rapidly expanding renewable generation, providing access to increasingly clean power through the electricity network. Economy-wide demand projections will inform decisions on the generation, network and flexibility infrastructure needed to maintain a secure, affordable and decarbonised electricity system. In realising AI’s potential, the Government will also take seriously the potential risks identified by experts of its development.
Asked by: Lord Birt (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent on 29 June (HL1380), whether they will answer the question put, namely whether they will legislate to ensure that a Prime Minister of any faith can discharge all of his or her duties.
Answered by Baroness Twycross - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
The Government recognises that there are historical restrictions on duties in statute, particularly in relation to the making of and advising on Church appointments. We will keep this under review.
Asked by: Lord Birt (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to legislate to ensure a Prime Minister of any religious faith can discharge all of his or her responsibilities.
Answered by Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent - Captain of the King's Bodyguard of the Yeomen of the Guard (HM Household) (Deputy Chief Whip, House of Lords)
While religious faith does not prevent anyone from becoming Prime Minister, the Government recognises that there are some historical restrictions on duties in statute. In such cases the Government would make alternative arrangements, so that it can discharge its responsibilities in full.
Asked by: Lord Birt (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact on UK consumers of the decision by Google to mandate the use of their platform following their acquisition of Fitbit.
Answered by Lord Leong - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade)
The Government has not made an assessment of the impact on UK consumers of the decision by Google to mandate the use of its platform following its acquisition of Fitbit. As the UK’s principal competition authority, the Competition and Markets Authority is responsible for investigating the impact of firms’ conduct on markets and consumers.
Asked by: Lord Birt (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to commission an impartial and independent review of the impact of the United Kingdom's departure from the European Union, including the benefits and disbenefits.
Answered by Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent - Captain of the King's Bodyguard of the Yeomen of the Guard (HM Household) (Deputy Chief Whip, House of Lords)
The Government has no plans to commission an independent review of the impact of the United Kingdom’s departure from the European Union. Our focus is firmly on strengthening the UK’s Strategic Partnership with the EU to make the people across the UK safer, more secure and more prosperous.
Asked by: Lord Birt (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask His Majesty's Government what percentage of completed probate applications are granted within eight weeks.
Answered by Baroness Levitt
Grants of representation1 issued within 8 weeks, England and Wales
2025
Source: HMCTS Core Case Data
| Total grants issued | Issued within 8 weeks of application submission2,5 |
| Issued within 8 weeks of document receipt3,4,5 | ||
Year | Count | % of total issued |
| Count | % of total issued | |
2025 | 295,417 | 240,505 | 81% |
| 248,268 | 84% |
Notes:
1) All grant types including letters of administration with/without a Will.
2) Timeliness figures are calculated from the date of application (which may be from an earlier period) to the date the grant was issued.
3) Timeliness figures are calculated from the date of document receipt (which may be from an earlier period) to the date the grant was issued.
4) Document receipt occurs after payment has been made and all accompanying paperwork has been received by HMCTS. As such, it does not reflect the entire case journey from when an application is submitted by the user to when a grant is received. Instead these figures reflect the timeliness from when HMCTS staff are able to start working on the case.
5) Includes cases up to and including 8 weeks (56 days)
Due to revisions these figures may differ slightly to those published in Family Court Statistics Quarterly
Asked by: Lord Birt (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to publish a detailed plan to invest 3.5 per cent of GDP on core defence spending by 2035; and if so when.
Answered by Lord Livermore
On 30 June, the Government published the Defence Investment Plan (DIP), committing an additional £15bn over four years to defence spending. From 2027-28 onwards, the UK will spend 2.7% of GDP on core NATO defence spending, solidifying its position as the NATO Alliance’s third-largest cash spender, behind only the US and Germany.
The Government has committed to increasing defence spending to 3% of GDP in the next Parliament, with funding and plans to be set out at the next spending review. Alongside NATO allies, the UK has committed to reach 3.5% of GDP on defence spending by 2035. The UK remains committed to meeting its obligations to the Defence Investment Pledge. All Allies will review the trajectory and spend in 2029, when NATO next reviews its capability plans.