Asked by: Lord Lamont of Lerwick (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office launched a tender process before proposing an investment of up to £25 million in the ThomasLloyd Energy Impact Asian renewable energy investment trust.
Answered by Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park
The decision in principle to invest in the ThomasLloyd Energy Impact Trust is the outcome of an open competition. The 'Mobilising Institutional Capital in Public Markets' (MOBILIST) Competition was launched at a public event on 8th February 2021 and was publicised via HMG's website and through social media. All Expressions of Interest were subject to initial assessment and increasing levels of analysis and due diligence as the competition progressed. At each stage of the competition participants' proposals were evaluated against the same pre-defined selection criteria.
Asked by: Lord Lamont of Lerwick (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions, if any, they have had with Mr Nigel Boardman about the request of representatives of the late Lord Heywood to make representations to the review of Supply Chain Finance during the process of that review.
Answered by Lord True - Shadow Leader of the House of Lords
I refer the Noble Lord to my written statement of 22 July 2021. As the written statement notes, where actions have been attributed to individuals, some of which could be read as critical, the individuals concerned or their personal representative, where applicable, were given the opportunity ahead of the report being finalised to make representations on those sections of the report that could be perceived as criticisms to correct factual inaccuracies.
Lady Heywood has had access to papers that Lord Heywood would have been shown and, representing her late husband, has been treated on equivalent terms to others involved in the review.
During the course of the Review, Lady Heywood made representations to Mr Boardman about the process. Mr Boardman listened to these representations and agreed to undertake additional engagement with Lady Heywood prior to finalising his report.
Asked by: Lord Lamont of Lerwick (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they have taken to ensure the independence of Mr Nigel Boardman who is conducting their review of the use of Supply Chain Finance.
Answered by Lord True - Shadow Leader of the House of Lords
I refer the Noble Lord to my written statement of 22 July 2021.
Nigel Boardman is a distinguished legal expert, having undertaken a number of reviews scrutinising the Government. He was asked to lead this review following the appropriate consideration of relevant interests.
Asked by: Lord Lamont of Lerwick (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure that people (1) who only have a private GP, and (2) who are not registered with an NHS GP, are able to access COVID-19 vaccinations.
Answered by Lord Bethell
In planning for the COVID-19 vaccine programme, NHS England and NHS Improvement have sought to ensure that vaccinations are accessible to those who are not registered with a National Health Service general practitioner. The contractual agreement under which general practices will deliver COVID-19 vaccinations - The General Practice COVID-19 vaccination programme 2020/21 Enhanced Service Specification - enables practices, working within their Primary Care Network groupings, to vaccinate unregistered patients provided they are eligible for a vaccination. Individuals who are not registered with a general practice will therefore be able to access the vaccine.
Asked by: Lord Lamont of Lerwick (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Her Majesty's Government when they expect to reply to the letter sent by Lord Lamont of Lerwick to the Chancellor of the Exchequer on 1 September.
Answered by Lord Agnew of Oulton
The Chancellor hopes to reply to Lord Lamont’s letter shortly. He has asked his officials to look into Lord Lamont’s letter, and to consider the policy proposal contained therein.
Asked by: Lord Lamont of Lerwick (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what estimate they have made of the impact of (1) current social distancing measures on GDP, and (2) the impending recession referred to by the Chancellor of the Exchequer at the Economic Affairs Committee on 19 May, on GDP. [T]
Answered by Lord Agnew of Oulton
HM Treasury does not produce forecasts of the economy or public finances.
The Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) is responsible for producing forecasts of the economy and public finances. On 14 April the OBR published a reference scenario assessing the potential impact of coronavirus. In this scenario GDP is assumed to fall by 35 per cent in the second quarter of 2020 before recovering in subsequent quarters. The OBR note that the Government’s policy response should help limit the long-term damage to the economy and public finances.
Asked by: Lord Lamont of Lerwick (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the reply by Lord True on 4 May (HL Deb, col 373), what plans they have to name those responsible for speaking to the Sunday Times about plans to reform the House, as set out in the report in the Sunday Times Lords too old to sit - 'so they should stand down', published on 4 May. [T]
Answered by Lord True - Shadow Leader of the House of Lords
As both the Leader and I said in this House last week, this is not Government policy.
The Conservative manifesto committed to looking at the role of the Lords, but any reform needs careful consideration, not to be brought forward piecemeal.
Asked by: Lord Lamont of Lerwick (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for International Development:
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they, along with the governments of France and Germany, are drawing up any plans, as permitted under US and EU sanctions, to increase supplies of humanitarian goods, including equipment and medicines, to Iran in order to assist that country to combat Wuhan coronavirus.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
The UK, France and Germany have expressed their full solidarity with all impacted by COVID-19 in Iran. Together we are offering UN agencies in Iran a package of support to try to combat the rapid spread of the disease. The UK will continue to support global efforts to combat the outbreak of COVID-19 and direct our support to help the most vulnerable across the globe.
Asked by: Lord Lamont of Lerwick (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether extending the implementation period for the UK's withdrawal from the EU would mean that payments by the UK to the EU during that period would qualify for a full rebate.
Answered by Lord Bates
The financial terms of any extension to the implementation period would be subject to negotiations between the UK and the EU. However, the Government would not necessarily expect any option to extend the implementation period to be used. The draft legal text published by the UK and EU states that the implementation period will end on 31 December 2020, and the Government is working at pace to ensure that we have a future relationship in place by that date.
Asked by: Lord Lamont of Lerwick (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what criteria they use when deciding whether to permit sales of military equipment to the government of Saudi Arabia; and whether they anticipate the outcome of investigations into the disappearance of Jamal Khashoggi to affect such criteria.
Answered by Baroness Fairhead
Export licence applications are carefully assessed against the Consolidated EU and National Arms Export Licensing Criteria. A licence would not be granted if to do so was inconsistent with the Criteria. The policy remains as announced to parliament in a Written Ministerial Statement on 25 March 2014: https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201314/cmhansrd/cm140325/wmstext/140325m0001.htm#14032566000018.
The key test for the Government for our continued military exports to Saudi Arabia in relation to International Humanitarian Law (IHL) is whether there is a clear risk that those items might be used in the commission of a serious violation of IHL.
The situation in Saudi Arabia is kept under careful review and decisions are made on a case by case basis.