Asked by: Lord Blencathra (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they plan to consult on a proposal to close all large shops on Remembrance Sunday.
Answered by Baroness Lloyd of Effra - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
The Department for Business and Trade has no current plans to consult on a proposal to close all large shops on Remembrance Sunday.
The Government recognises the significance of Remembrance Sunday and supports national and local commemorations, including the National Service of Remembrance held at the Cenotaph.
Asked by: Lord Blencathra (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to evaluate the impact of additional Environment Agency funding on its ability to undertake effective enforcement action against waste crime.
Answered by Baroness Hayman of Ullock - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Environment Agency (EA) reports its performance every quarter through its published Corporate Scorecard. We are working with the EA to develop improved measures for the scorecard, as well as considering an evaluation approach for the package of measures recently announced in the government’s Waste Crime Action Plan.
The EA is also looking at technology-based opportunities to measure levels of waste crime, such as the potential to use satellite technology and machine learning. This will improve the EA’s insights and business intelligence to inform its strategic approach and prioritisation.
Asked by: Lord Blencathra (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they intend to take to ensure that additional funding provided to the Environment Agency will support enforcement action on waste crime that is sufficient to act as a deterrent.
Answered by Baroness Hayman of Ullock - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Government has published its new Waste Crime Action Plan which is the toughest ever crackdown on illegal waste. In conjunction with this the Environment Agency (EA) has set out its ten-point plan to tackle waste crime. The additional funding being provided will support EA’s delivery of these measures, which together comprise a comprehensive Government response to the scourge of waste crime.
More information can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/waste-crime-action-plan/waste-crime-action-plan and https://engageenvironmentagency.uk.engagementhq.com/waste-crime-stand-with-us-to-end-waste-crime. Copies are attached to this answer.
Asked by: Lord Blencathra (Conservative - Life peer)
Question
To ask The Senior Deputy Speaker whether the pedestrian walkway that will be reinstated as part of the final full scaffolding build will enable peers to (1) use the pavement on the eastern side of Millbank and Abingdon Street, and (2) access the pedestrian walkway continuously from Black Rod’s Garden to about 40 meters south of Peers' Entrance; if not, why not; and what is the planned timescale for the completion of the full scaffolding build.
Answered by Lord Gardiner of Kimble
Once the pedestrian routes closed during the current phase of works to Victoria Tower are reinstated, they will enable peers and others to make full use of the pavement on the eastern side of Millbank and Abingdon Street and also access the permanent visitor and passholder entrances at Black Rod’s Garden entrance, which will reopen. The full scaffolding build is currently due to complete in mid-2028. However, we plan to reinstate pedestrian access well ahead of that, and subject to the necessary enabling works and gantry installation being delivered on schedule, this is currently expected to be possible in the second quarter of 2027.
Asked by: Lord Blencathra (Conservative - Life peer)
Question
To ask The Senior Deputy Speaker what action will be taken to clear blockages by tour groups and others from the pavement at the pedestrian lights and Peers' Entrance to enable members to enter.
Answered by Lord Gardiner of Kimble
In the event that pedestrian numbers were to become a risk to Members’ safety and ability to access Parliament, contingency arrangements are in place to ensure that Members can continue to enter and exit the estate in order to carry out their duties. Doorkeepers and Security Officers will continue to monitor the situation throughout the duration of the works.
Asked by: Lord Blencathra (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they will take to require the Medical Practitioners' Tribunal Service to prioritise consideration of the victims of sexual offences and the need to prevent reoffending when imposing sanctions on doctors found to have committed serious sexual offences.
Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The General Medical Council (GMC) is independent of the Government, directly accountable to Parliament, and is responsible for operational matters concerning the discharge of its statutory duties. The Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service is a statutory committee of the GMC. The United Kingdom’s model of healthcare professional regulation is founded on the principle of regulators operating independently from the Government.
The Department discusses a range of issues with the GMC, including cases of sexual misconduct. We will continue to engage with the GMC on this issue, including to understand how the new guidance may impact the outcomes of tribunal findings in cases of sexual misconduct.
Asked by: Lord Blencathra (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government what discussions they have held with the General Medical Council and the Professional Standards Authority regarding the Medical Practitioners' Tribunal Service not revoking the registrations of doctors accused of serious sexual offences.
Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The General Medical Council (GMC) is independent of the Government, directly accountable to Parliament, and is responsible for operational matters concerning the discharge of its statutory duties. The Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service is a statutory committee of the GMC. The United Kingdom’s model of healthcare professional regulation is founded on the principle of regulators operating independently from the Government.
The Department discusses a range of issues with the GMC, including cases of sexual misconduct. We will continue to engage with the GMC on this issue, including to understand how the new guidance may impact the outcomes of tribunal findings in cases of sexual misconduct.
Asked by: Lord Blencathra (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they will have discussions with UK industrial hemp producers regarding removing current restrictions on its production and use in UK constructions.
Answered by Lord Hanson of Flint - Minister of State (Home Office)
Cannabis is a Class B controlled drug and can only be cultivated under Home Office licence. The Home Office operates two licensing regimes in respect of cannabis cultivation. The standard cannabis cultivation regime permits the use of the controlled parts of the plant (e.g., leaves and flowers) and the cultivation of high-THC varieties indoors. There must be a lawful purpose, such as pharmaceutical production. The industrial hemp regime permits the cultivation of low-THC varieties to use the non-controlled parts of the plant (mature stalk and seeds), but not the controlled parts of the plant (e.g. flowers and leaves). The Government has introduced two reforms to make it easier for farmers to cultivate industrial hemp. In January 2025, the rules on site sensitively were removed. The duration of licences granted from January 2026 has been extended from three years to six years, with no additional fees, to help businesses plan. The Home Office works closely with DEFRA to ensure a balance between proportionate regulation of cannabis cultivation and provision of opportunity for UK businesses around the use of hemp. As part of this work, officials from both departments have met with UK hemp producers.
Asked by: Lord Blencathra (Conservative - Life peer)
Question
To ask The Senior Deputy Speaker, further to the Written Answers by Lord Gardiner of Kimble on 30 July 2025 (HL9539) and 18 February 2026 (HL14266), why a safety deck was constructed for the safety of workers but does not enable access for peers and others; and what the justification is for the apparent inconsistency between the assessment of the safety implications in those two scenarios.
Answered by Lord Gardiner of Kimble
The area around the base of Victoria Tower is currently a restricted access construction site with preparatory groundwork, including deep excavations, underway ahead of the full scaffolding build later this year. It is not safe for Member or public access or thoroughfare. The workers who need to access the area do so with numerous safety measures in place. A pedestrian walkway will be reinstated as part of the final full scaffolding build.
Asked by: Lord Blencathra (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask His Majesty's Government what information they have on the quantity and value of UK industrial hemp exported to France for house construction.
Answered by Lord Livermore - Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)
HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) is responsible for the collection and publication of data on imports and exports of goods to and from the UK. HMRC releases this information monthly, as an Accredited National Statistic called the Overseas Trade in Goods Statistics (OTS), which is available via their dedicated website at the following link: http://www.uktradeinfo.com/.
Commodity Codes are used to identify the goods being imported and exported and these can be found at the following link: https://www.gov.uk/trade-tariff. However, there is not a commodity code specifically covering industrial hemp used in the construction industry.
Hemp is classified to several commodity codes within headings 1404 (vegetable products note elsewhere specified or included), 5302 (true hemp) and 6808 (panels, board, tiles, blocks of vegetable fibre) of the Tariff. Whilst none of these are specific to hemp used in construction, 6808 includes hempcrete used as an insulation material with hemp fibres mixed with lime and water and made into, for example, insulating panels and boards. This may be the most appropriate heading containing the information requested.
The value and net mass in kilograms for the headings that may contain hemp for the years 2023 to 2025 are as follows:
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