Asked by: Lord Hunt of Chesterton (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure that the UK funding of the operational hydrology and water programmes of the World Meteorological Organisation continues at present levels and is not affected by the proposed reorganisation of that agency.
Answered by Lord Henley
The UK’s Permanent Representative to the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) is actively engaged in discussions around the WMO budget, strategic plan and governance reform, with appropriate support from the UK Hydrological Adviser. The UK will remain closely involved in the ongoing assessment of options and the development of proposals over the next 12 months, up to the World Meteorological Congress in May - June 2019, where they will be further discussed and decisions made.
Asked by: Lord Hunt of Chesterton (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask Her Majesty's Government, following their indication that they will to continue to collaborate with European partners on science and research initiatives post-Brexit, how they intend to support the development of links between UK and European scientific organisations and institutions.
Answered by Lord Henley
In March, the UK and EU negotiation teams reached an important milestone in the Brexit process by agreeing the terms of a time-limited implementation period, which provides for UK entities’ continued access to EU programmes, including Horizon 2020, for their duration.
Furthermore, as my rt. hon. Friend the Prime Minister said in her Mansion House speech, we want to establish a far-reaching science and innovation pact with the EU, facilitating the exchange of ideas and researchers. This could include continuing to cooperate through specific policies and programmes that are greatly to our mutual advantage.
The most substantial areas that we are interested in exploring include Framework Programme 9, Euratom Research and Training and the Copernicus programme. Specifically, we would like the option to fully associate to these programmes – we feel that this is in our joint interests. The scale and strength of the UK’s research and innovation is such that we should be looking for a bespoke relationship. We would like to discuss the details as soon as possible.
Asked by: Lord Hunt of Chesterton (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Neville-Rolfe on 8 November 2016 stating that the re-injection of waste and produced waters will not be permitted from shale gas wells in the UK, what steps they are taking to inform the public about the possible risks associated with fracking, including those related to water injection.
Answered by Lord Henley
The Government has been clear that shale development must be safe and environmentally sound.
The Government believes that early engagement is vital with communities who may host shale gas developments and we acknowledge that public confidence in the process is important to the success of the industry. We are continuously working with the regulators to ensure that the public understand how our regulatory regime works, and with the industry to encourage effective engagement which addresses local communities’ concerns.
Asked by: Lord Hunt of Chesterton (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of recent statements made by the World Meteorological Organization regarding long-term trends in relation to the frequency and intensity of tropical cyclones.
Answered by Lord Prior of Brampton
The Government has not conducted a specific scientific assessment of the statements by the World Meteorological Organization regarding the devastating effects of Hurricanes Harvey and Irma on low-lying Caribbean islands and the USA, and possible links between these storms and human-made climate change.
The mechanics of tropical cyclones and how they interact with our changing climate is extremely complex. According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, there is a greater than 50% chance that human-induced warming over the next century will lead to an increase in the frequency of intense tropical cyclones in some areas and there is strong evidence that increasing sea temperatures increase the intensity of tropical storms when they develop. Heavier rainfall is also expected as global temperatures rise because a warmer atmosphere holds more moisture. Additionally, rising sea levels increase the risk of coastal flooding as hurricanes make landfall.
Asked by: Lord Hunt of Chesterton (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask Her Majesty's Government, in the light of concerns expressed by the UK scientific community regarding future participation in EU funded research projects, what funds will be made available to UK research teams following Brexit.
Answered by Lord Prior of Brampton
This Government wants the UK to be the go-to place for researchers, innovators and investors across the world. This is why we are increasing research and development investment by £4.7 billion over the period 2017-18 to 2020-21, an increase of around 20% to total government R&D spending, more than any increase in any parliament since 1979.
We would welcome an agreement to continue to collaborate with our European partners on major science, research, and technology initiatives. On 6 September we published a future partnership paper on collaboration on science and innovation. As part of our ambition for a new deep and special partnership with the EU, recognising our shared interest in maintaining and strengthening research collaboration, the UK will seek an agreement that promotes science and innovation across Europe now and in the future.
While we remain a member of the EU, UK businesses and universities should continue to bid for competitive EU funds, and we will work with the Commission to ensure payment when funds are awarded. The Government will underwrite the payment of such awards, even when specific projects continue beyond the UK’s departure from the EU. This includes awards that are bid for before exit that are successful after exit.
Asked by: Lord Hunt of Chesterton (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact within the UK of the relocation, following Brexit, of EU medical research and related facilities which are currently based in the UK to other EU member states; and what estimate they have made of the (1) short-term, (2) medium-term, and (3) long-term, costs of those relocations.
Answered by Lord Prior of Brampton
Science and research are vital to our country’s prosperity, security and wellbeing. This Government wants the UK to be the go-to place for innovators and investors across the world, and we intend to secure right outcome for the UK research base as we exit the European Union.
We have a world class research base and world beating universities and businesses that mean the UK life sciences will continue to thrive. As shown by the recent investment decisions by GSK, Alnylam and Novo Nordisk, the UK remains open for business.
The Government is committed to ensuring the UK remains a world leader in international research and innovation, including medical research.
Asked by: Lord Hunt of Chesterton (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
Her Majesty's Government what joint response they are making with the governments of other European countries in response to the US announcement of its withdrawal from the Paris Climate Accord; and what action they are taking to ensure that all G20 countries fulfil their obligations under that agreement.
Answered by Lord Prior of Brampton
The UK underlined our commitment to the Paris Agreement at the G7 Environment Ministers’ meeting earlier this month and at the EU Foreign Affairs and Environment Affairs Councils last week, where, along with European partners, we were clear that we deeply regret the US decision to withdraw from the Paris Agreement.
We welcome the continued support that the Paris Agreement has received from other political parties here in the UK, other countries, and subnational and non-state actors in the US and around the world. We will continue to work with the US to encourage them to show the leadership they have in the past on reducing carbon emissions.
We will continue to work through the G20, and other international fora, to promote the swift and effective implementation of the Paris Agreement. For example, the Government remains committed to the success of the Green Climate Fund as the key new vehicle for helping developing countries adapt to climate change and follow low carbon development paths. Besides the US, 42 Governments have pledged funding to the GCF, including Germany, France, Sweden, Mexico and Colombia.
Asked by: Lord Hunt of Chesterton (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government how they will ensure that, following Brexit, UK research groups will receive appropriate funding and organisational assistance to enable them to collaborate with EU research programmes and networks, in the same manner in which research groups in non-EU countries undertake such collaboration.
Answered by Lord Prior of Brampton
In the Autumn Statement 2016 the Government announced that we will make Britain the global go-to nation for scientists, innovators and tech investors, by investing an extra £2 billion a year in R&D by 2020/21.
This Government intends to secure the best possible outcome for the UK research base as we exit the European Union. We would welcome an agreement to continue to collaborate with our European partners on major science, research, and technology initiatives. However, whatever happens in the future, the Government is committed to ensuring the UK remains a world leader in international research and innovation.
Asked by: Lord Hunt of Chesterton (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they have discussed the objectives of the Paris Agreement with the government of the United States; and whether they intend to continue to work with the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change and other UN agencies to implement those objectives.
Answered by Lord Prior of Brampton
Her Majesty’s Government is committed to tackling global climate change. We play a leading role internationally and we are delivering on our commitments to create a safer, more prosperous future for us all.
As he stated in the House of Commons on 28 March, my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary raised climate change during his recent visit to Washington. My hon. Friend the Minister for Energy and Industry also raised it during his visit to the United States including during his meeting with Energy Secretary Rick Perry.
As my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister said in her speech in Philadelphia earlier this year, climate change does not respect national borders and so is a challenge best faced by leading together, including through multinational institutions, like the United Nations (UN), that encourage cooperation and partnership.
We remain committed to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change process, the Paris Agreement and the institutions that underpin it such as the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. These bodies are invaluable in coordinating global efforts to tackle climate change and ensuring that these efforts are based on robust scientific and economic analysis.
Asked by: Lord Hunt of Chesterton (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they will be making representations to the government of the US about reports of the elimination and non-disclosure of scientific data for the Arctic region; and whether they will make representations to UN agencies about the maintenance of this data collection as the Arctic climate changes.
Answered by Lord Prior of Brampton
Whilst this Government does recognise that countries will make their own judgments about how best to contribute to and maintain the scientific record, we fully acknowledge the importance of the integrity of the scientific record. We place significant value on science and evidence-based policy making and we will continue to advocate transparent and open scientific data sharing with our international partners.
At present, it would not be appropriate to comment on specifics without further evidence of the reports being made. The UK and the US do however have a long and successful history of working together on a wide range of scientific and technical disciplines. The UK-US scientific partnership is one of the world’s strongest - nearly 30% of the UK’s international co-authored papers are with the US, producing an impact 50% higher than the UK research base average. We expect this collaboration to continue long into the future.