Lord Inglewood

There are gas or combined gas and electricity lamps in New Palace Yard, Peers Car Park and Old Palace Yard and Black Rod’s Garden. Those in New Palace Yard have been degassed ready for conversion to electricity, with planning consent granted in 2019. The lamp columns and globes will remain unchanged after conversion and engagement continues with Westminster City Council and Historic England to ensure the new LED lights are comparable in appearance to the original gas. There are no immediate plans to convert other lamps to electricity, but all are due to be converted in the near future in tandem with other works impacting on gas supply pipes and in line with work to make Parliament more environmentally sustainable.

Non-affiliated members who wish to be considered for appointment to select committees should write to me, as the Chairman of the Committee of Selection, setting out which particular committee they would like to be considered for and why. Representations that I receive are then put to the Committee of Selection for consideration when agreeing proposals to the House for membership of committees. In deciding whether to recommend a nomination the Committee of Selection will take account of the particular experience that the member concerned would bring, the current composition of the committee and the nature of its work, as well as any other relevant factors.

The information requested is not held centrally and could only be provided at disproportionate cost. However, in July 2011 the Government put in place its Guiding Principles for EU Legislation, which state that the Government will not go beyond the minimum requirements of the measure which is being transposed, save in exceptional circumstances. Since the Guiding Principles have applied there have been only five instances of new “gold-plating” of EU Directives that have placed additional costs on business which is attached.

The membership of the Council of the Nations and Regions is drawn from the directly elected leaders of central, devolved and local government across the UK with additional devolved powers. On 16 July 2024 the Deputy Prime Minister wrote to all areas that do not have a devolution deal to invite them to come forward with a proposal. New Mayors established through this process would also be eligible to sit on the Council of the Nations and Regions. The Government is committed to working productively with local government and has established the Leaders Council to bring together other local government leaders and Ministers to identify and tackle the strategic challenges facing local government.

The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply.

Dear Lord Inglewood,

As National Statistician and Chief Executive of the UK Statistics Authority, I am replying to your Parliamentary Question asking what estimate has been made of people who are UK (1) citizens, and (2) residents who (a) have, or (b) are entitled to dual nationality of another EU member state (HL13401).

The Office for National Statistics (ONS) publishes estimates of the UK population by country of birth and nationality based on the Annual Population Survey (APS)[1]. The latest estimates are for the year July 2017 to June 2018 and these show the number of British citizens resident in the UK was 59,216,000, with a confidence interval of plus or minus 364,000, and the citizens of other EU member states resident in the UK as 3,723,000, with a confidence interval of plus or minus 91,000 (all figures rounded to the nearest thousand).

In the 2011 census, ONS collected data about dual passport holders which is the closest approximation to dual nationality available. Table 1 below shows the numbers from the census. ONS has no data about entitlement to dual nationality.

Yours sincerely,

John Pullinger

[1]https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/populationandmigration/internationalmigration/datasets/populationoftheunitedkingdombycountryofbirthandnationality

The Government does not hold this information.

The Government does not collect data on annual increases in construction costs at local level. At national level, ONS data shows that the overall cost of construction, which takes into account materials, labour and overheads, has increased by 24% between December 2019 and December 2024. In addition, data published by DBT show that the cost of construction materials has increased by 37.1% between January 2020 and January 2025. Construction wage rates correspond to activity in the sector. ONS statistics show that the annual growth for regular pay in the construction sector was 6.6% in the year to December 2024.

The geological disposal facility will isolate and secure radioactive waste against credible threats, in accordance with regulatory requirements. The design of the facility will incorporate international learning, to contain the waste in engineered vaults at a depth of hundreds of metres, so that no harmful quantity of radioactivity reaches the surface environment. The independent Office for Nuclear Regulation is responsible for assessing the safety and approving security arrangements for the facility, and for securing compliance with those arrangements once a nuclear site licence has been granted.

The Government is committed to ensuring the security and resilience of the UK’s telecommunications networks and services, including supporting informed purchasing decisions by businesses and other organisations.

The Telecommunications (Security) Act 2021 (TSA) amended the Communications Act 2003 to establish a robust security framework for UK public telecoms networks and services. Ofcom provides guidance to businesses purchasing telecommunications services and enforces protections for business customers through the General Conditions of Entitlement, which all telecommunications operators must meet to provide services in the UK.

The Government will continue to keep the security of telecoms networks under review.

The Telecommunications (Security) Act 2021 (TSA) established a robust security framework for UK public telecoms networks and services, placing new legal duties on public telecoms providers to identify and mitigate security risks. The framework is designed to ensure that security is embedded within the networks and services, so those using them can have confidence in their security.

DSIT works with Ofcom and the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) to ensure providers are aware of their obligations. Ofcom produces annual security reports for the Secretary of State on providers’ compliance with their obligations in the Act, and their progress against the guidance measures set out in the accompanying Telecommunications Security Code of Practice. These measures have staggered implementation timeframes based on factors such as their complexity and cost.

The first report was published on GOV.UK in January 2025, and is available to organisations purchasing telecommunications services. The report helps the Government monitor compliance approaches across the sector, including progress against guidance measures in the Code of Practice as they fall due.

The Government is committed to ensuring the security and resilience of the UK’s telecommunications networks and services. This includes regular assessment of security and resilience risks relating to such networks and services.

The Telecommunications (Security) Act 2021 (TSA) amended the Communications Act 2003 to establish a robust security framework for UK public telecoms networks and services, placing new legal duties on public telecoms providers to identify and mitigate security risks.

Some essential services may use private telecoms networks outside the scope of the TSA. However, under the Network and Information Systems (NIS) Regulations 2018, operators of essential services are required to manage risks to those services resulting from their use of such networks. In addition, the National Security and Investment Act 2021 includes powers to scrutinise and, if necessary, intervene in foreign acquisitions or investments in the UK telecoms sector that may pose national security risks.

The UK government also works closely to promote the adoption of appropriate and proportionate telecoms security regulations by other countries.

Ofcom’s central duty is to further the interests of citizens and consumers, where appropriate by promoting competition, and having regard, amongst other things, to encouraging investment and innovation. Resultantly, Ofcom’s regulatory regime supports the drivers of economic growth in the markets they regulate, and the impact of this on these sectors can be seen, for example, in how the telecoms market has grown 25% in the last ten years.

The current statement of Strategic Priorities for Telecommunications, Spectrum Management and Postal Services was designated in 2019. The digital landscape and market conditions have changed significantly since then, and we are currently updating the Statement to respond to these changes and set out the Government’s key priorities for these sectors that support Government’s mission to kickstart economic growth.

The implications of the European referendum result for our membership of the European Atomic Energy Community have yet to be determined. It will be for the Government, under the new Prime Minister, to begin negotiations to exit the EU and determine our future relationship with the European Atomic Energy Community.

It has not proved possible to respond to this question in the time available before Prorogation. Ministers will correspond directly with my noble Friend.

The principle of BBC First - where the BBC has the opportunity to try and resolve complaints about its content before consideration by Ofcom - was formalised by the BBC’s current Charter. The Framework Agreement then sets out considerations the BBC should take into account as part of its complaints procedures, including that complaints must be considered and resolved effectively.

If a complainant is not satisfied by the BBC’s initial response to their complaint, they have the option to escalate it for consideration by the independent regulator, Ofcom. The Framework Agreement requires Ofcom’s timely and effective handling of complaints referred on to it.

The forthcoming Charter Review will look at how the BBC can remain independent and accountable to the public it serves and continue to provide trusted and truthful news to combat an era of growing disinformation.

The principle of BBC First - where the BBC has the opportunity to try and resolve complaints about its content before consideration by Ofcom - was formalised by the BBC’s current Charter. The Framework Agreement then sets out considerations the BBC should take into account as part of its complaints procedures, including that complaints must be considered and resolved effectively.

If a complainant is not satisfied by the BBC’s initial response to their complaint, they have the option to escalate it for consideration by the independent regulator, Ofcom. The Framework Agreement requires Ofcom’s timely and effective handling of complaints referred on to it.

The forthcoming Charter Review will look at how the BBC can remain independent and accountable to the public it serves and continue to provide trusted and truthful news to combat an era of growing disinformation.

The average full time equivalent staff number employed by Historic England in (1) 2015/16 was 878, (2) 2019/20 was 828 and (3) 2024/25 was 982.

The Royal Parks, a public corporation and independent charity, is contracted by DCMS to manage the Royal parks, which are Crown land for which management responsibility rests with His Majesty’s Government. There are approximately 360 gas lamps within the sites which The Royal Parks manages, of which approximately 215 are listed. There is no programme currently in place to switch existing gas lamps to electricity, but such matters are kept under review. My Department is not aware of any other gas lamps within our own estate.

The feasibility of electronic licensing for the export of cultural objects is under active consideration by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport and Arts Council England. The Department recognises the potential benefits of an electronic system as a means of simplifying the export licensing system and speeding up processes at the border. We are working with Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs, Border Force, and organisations in the arts and museums sectors who export cultural objects, to understand what systems may need to be maintained or introduced by the end of the EU exit implementation period. We will set a target timeframe for introducing electronic licenses pending further investigation and decisions on the development and implementation options.

A comprehensive analysis of local provision needs for Newton Rigg and the surrounding area was undertaken in 2020 by the Further Education Commissioner and the Education and Skills Funding Agency. The core objective of this analysis was to establish if there was a need for college provision within the general vicinity of Newton Rigg campus. It considered the location of neighbouring further education colleges in relation to travel to learn options and identified that the majority of enrolments could be accommodated at other statutory further education institutions. Where gaps in provision were identified, alternative arrangements for the next academic year have been introduced to ensure continuity of delivery after Newton Rigg closes.

If further evidence of gaps in provision are highlighted as a result of the closure of Newton Rigg in support of local authorities’ statutory duty to secure provision in an area, the Education and Skills Funding Agency will consider requests to fill a gap in provision. Where this cannot be met through negotiation with good existing providers the requirements are put out to tender through open competition.

We routinely consider the legal implications of decisions that are made.

Officials from the Education and Skills Funding Agency continue to work closely with the Further Education Commissioner’s team with regard to the closure of Newton Rigg.

It has not proved possible to respond to this question in the time available before Prorogation. Ministers will correspond directly with the Member.

The Government recognises that there are registration anomalies relating to common land arising from the former Commons Registration Act 1965. These include issues such as incorrectly drawn boundaries, buildings mistakenly included within registered commons, and land recorded that did not meet the legal definition of common land. Schedule 2 of the Commons Act 2006 provides mechanisms to correct such historic registration errors.

To support this process, and as part of the partial implementation of Part 1 of the Commons Act 2006, the Government has provided grant funding to a limited number of local authorities to undertake this work. Funding was initially made available to seven “pioneer” authorities from October 2008 and later extended to two additional authorities in 2014. These authorities—Cumberland Council and North Yorkshire Council—continue to receive funding to carry out their statutory duties under the Act. To date, they have been allocated £494,858 and £326,339 respectively, with funding scheduled to run until March 2027.

There are currently no plans to roll out Part 1 of the Commons Act 2006 more widely across England, but we will keep this under consideration.

The Government has not made a formal assessment of the total amount of land incorrectly registered as common land. However, the Commons Act 2006 acknowledges that registration errors occurred under the Commons Registration Act 1965, including wrongly drawn boundaries, buildings mistakenly included, and land that did not meet the legal definition of common land. Schedule 2 of the Commons Act 2006 provides mechanisms to correct registration errors, but implementation is limited to specific areas with varying deadlines - applications closed in pioneer areas in December 2020, while deregistration applications in other English areas must be made by 15 March 2027.

There are currently no plans to review legislation affecting common land.

However, the Government has announced that we will bring forward an Access to Nature Green Paper by the end of this Parliament. This will provide an opportunity to feed in views on common land and related access issues.

The Government shares the public’s high regard for the UK’s environmental protections, food standards and animal welfare. All agri-food products must comply with the UK’s import requirements in order to be placed on the UK market. For example, hormone-treated beef and chlorinated chicken are banned in the UK and the Prime Minister has been clear that these will not be allowed to enter the UK market. This includes products from longstanding trading partners alongside products traded under the terms of new Free Trade Agreements.

The Forest Risk Commodities Scheme will be introduced through provisions in Schedule 17 of the Environment Act 2021. This new due diligence legislation requires regulated organisations to establish and implement a due diligence system for any regulated commodity, and any products derived from them, that they use in their commercial activities. The scheme will cover foodstuffs, including cattle products (excluding dairy), cocoa, palm oil and soy.

The Government is undertaking a wide range of continuing analysis and preparatory work, across a range of scenarios, looking at the implications of the UK’s withdrawal from the EU. Our overall programme of work is comprehensive, thorough and is continuously updated.

The Government has confirmed that when we bring forward the vote on the final deal, we will ensure that Parliament is presented with the appropriate analysis to make an informed decision. At this stage of the negotiation, it would not be practical or appropriate to set out the details of exactly how the Government will analyse the final deal.

The Government has always been clear that we are committed to engaging the Crown Dependencies and Overseas Territories as we exit the EU, to ensure that their interests and priorities are properly taken into account.

We are seeking a bold and ambitious economic partnership with the EU and want to have the greatest possible tariff- and barrier-free trade with our European neighbours, so that British companies, including Falkland Islands companies, have the maximum freedom to trade with and operate within European markets.

DExEU Minister of State Robin Walker most recently met Hon. Teslyn Barkman, the Falklands Legislative Assembly Member leading on Exit issues, at the 4th Joint Ministerial Council Overseas Territories EU Negotiations held on the 14th of June. Through discussions in this forum, supported by official level contact, the Government understands the importance to the economic wellbeing of the Falklands Islands of their access to the EU market for fish and meat.

We also welcome the substantive input we have received from the Falkland Islands’ Government as the UK prepares to exit the EU.

We are seeking a bold and ambitious economic partnership that is of greater scope and ambition than any such existing agreement.

We want to have the greatest possible tariff- and barrier-free trade with our European neighbours, as well as being able to negotiate our own trade agreements around the world. That means, for goods, we want a customs trading relationship and agreement on non-tariff barriers that enables as frictionless trade as possible between the UK and the EU.

With regards to services trade, we will be seeking the broadest ever agreement that limits the number of barriers that could prevent UK firms from setting up in the EU and vice versa and avoids discrimination of each other's service providers. We also want to agree an appropriate labour mobility framework that enables UK and EU businesses and self-employed professionals to travel in order to provide services to clients in person.

We want to ensure that UK companies have the maximum possible freedom to trade with and operate within European markets – and to let European businesses do the same in the UK.

The people voted in the referendum to leave the European Union. This is why the Prime Minister has been clear that we intend to bring an end to the jurisdiction of the European Court of Justice in the United Kingdom.

Leaving the European Union will mean that our laws will be made in Westminster, Edinburgh, Cardiff and Belfast, and those laws will be interpreted by judges not in Luxembourg, but in courts across this country.

The Prime Minister has been clear that she wants to protect the status of UK nationals already living in mainland Europe, and that of EU nationals already living here. The only circumstances in which that would not be possible is if British citizens’ rights in other EU member states were not protected in return. UK nationals that have lived lawfully and continuously for a period of 5 years in a given EU Member State will automatically have a permanent right to reside there.