Asked by: Lord Lucas (Conservative - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Attorney General:
To ask His Majesty's Government, with regard to the prosecution of Greg Hadfield in the Birmingham Magistrates’ Court on 17 November, what discussions they have had with the Crown Prosecution Service about why they brought an exhibit to the court that the judge found was not an accurate record; what assessment they have made of the implications for freedom of speech; and what actions they are taking in response.
Answered by Lord Hermer - Attorney General
The Crown Prosecution Service makes prosecution decisions independently.
CPS prosecutors are committed to protecting the principles of free expression and to prosecuting objectively and fairly, in accordance with the two-stage test in the Code for Crown Prosecutors.
Asked by: Lord Lucas (Conservative - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask His Majesty's Government what species are proposed to be planted in the new national forest in the Oxford-Cambridge corridor to generate an economic return given the relative lack of rainfall in that area and the expectation that there will be even less in future.
Answered by Baroness Hayman of Ullock - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The design of the new forests will be led by delivery partners on the ground, so exact species mix is not known at this time. We know that the UK climate is more likely to experience frequent extreme weather events (such as summer droughts and winter storms) and therefore it is important for us to plant a wide range of tree species that will adapt to these future changes, in line with our National Adaptation Plan commitment to ensure new woodlands have current and future climate conditions considered in their design and species choice, whilst also being selected carefully on a site-by-site basis to suit multiple functions, such as recreation, flood management, timber production and wildlife habitat .
Asked by: Lord Lucas (Conservative - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to ensure voltage stability if Torness power station closes as planned in 2028.
Answered by Lord Vallance of Balham - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
In December 2024, EDF announced the extension of the lifetime of Torness by a further 2 years until March 2030. As set out in our Clean Power 2030 Action Plan, nuclear will continue to play a key role in the energy system beyond 2030 with the continued operation of Sizewell B and delivery of new build projects such as Hinkley Point C, Sizewell C and advanced nuclear projects including GBE-N's SMR programme.
Energy security is a priority for the government. The Capacity Market is the UK Government’s main tool for ensuring continued security of electricity supply.
The National Energy System Operator (NESO) is responsible for the secure and efficient operation of the electricity system, including maintaining voltage stability across the network. NESO has the necessary tools, expertise, and statutory powers to fulfil this role and ensure the continued stability of the system.
Asked by: Lord Lucas (Conservative - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they have conducted any evidence-based research into the benefits of providing stable, ultrafast internet connectivity to train passengers, and if not, why not; and whether they will use this research to inform railway development policy and funding decisions with the aim of enabling passengers to make productive use of their rail journeys, stimulating economic growth, reducing road congestion, and supporting the environment.
Answered by Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill - Minister of State (Department for Transport)
As part of a project called the 'Yellow Trains Exercise', the Department has asked Network Rail to collect data related to mobile signal strengths (2G, 3G, 4G and 5G) along the rail network, using antennas mounted on the top of Network Rail’s yellow engineering trains (“the yellow trains”). We will use this data to understand where areas of intervention are needed based on the signal strength data collected and this will be used to inform policy making. We expect the exercise to be completed next year.
In addition to this, the Department was also successful in securing funding as part of the Spending Review to fit all mainline trains with Low Earth Orbit satellite technology to upgrade on-train Wi-fi.
This works by installing satellite panels on the roof of a train - either one or two depending on the length of the train and equipment on board the train coverts this satellite signal into a Wi-Fi connection for passengers.
Trials using LEO have proven this technology provides high speeds – up to 200 megabits per second, enabling passengers to receive a much better mobile connection through the on-train Wi-Fi than they receive today.
The Department has also been working with Network Rail to deliver improved connectivity on the rail network. Project Reach, which will renew fibre optic cables and address 4G / 5G mobile signals in key mainline tunnels and stations was signed 26 June 2025 between Network Rail, and telecoms companies, Neos Networks and Freshwave.
Asked by: Lord Lucas (Conservative - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether, in view of the judgment in Lindsey Smith, R (on the application of) v The Chief Constable of Northumbria Police, they intend to review the rules that allow civil servants to display political symbols.
Answered by Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
The Government notes the judgment in Lindsey Smith, R (on the application of) v The Chief Constable of Northumbria Police, and is considering any wider implications for the Civil Service.
Civil servants are expected to carry out their roles serving the government of the day in accordance with the core values of integrity, honesty, objectivity and impartiality and the standards of behaviour set out in the Civil Service Code.
Asked by: Lord Lucas (Conservative - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government how many (1) police officers of the rank of constable up to chief inspector, and (2) police civilian employees, have been made redundant in the last year from each police force.
Answered by Lord Hanson of Flint - Minister of State (Home Office)
The Home Office collects and publishes data annually on the number of police officers, police community support officers, police staff, designated officers and special constables leaving the police force as at 31 March each year in the ‘Police Workforce, England and Wales’ statistical bulletin. However, this does not include a specific category for redundancies, and that information is not centrally held by the Home Office.
Asked by: Lord Lucas (Conservative - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask His Majesty's Government, for each year following the coming into force of section 496 of the Education Act 1996, how many parental appeals have been made to the Secretary of State under that section, and how many such appeals have (1) been granted and (2) resulted in a request that the local authority reconsider the case.
Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The department’s School Complaints Compliance Unit (SCCU) considers how maintained schools and academies handle complaints on behalf of my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education. For maintained schools, SCCU considers whether a school has dealt with a complaint in line with education legislation and any relevant statutory policies. If they find a maintained school has not acted reasonably under education law, and identify a practical action to take, they can instruct the school accordingly. These actions are usually a technical or procedural change in a school’s policy, to ensure they carry out their duties in line with education legislation. If the school does not make the required changes, sections 496 and 497 of the Education Act 1996 allow my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education to intervene and issue a direction to the school.
The department does not hold data in relation to complaints about maintained schools prior to 2013. The table below shows the number of in scope complaints received by the SCCU about maintained schools. From 2013 to 31 August 2023, the SCCU did not record if complaints were from parents, but from 1 September 2023 onwards this has been recorded. No directions have been issued in relation to a complaint about a maintained school.
Calendar year | Number of in-scope maintained school complaints | Number of complaints partially upheld/upheld* |
2013 | 12 | 6 |
2014 | 209 | 81 |
2015 | 273 | 44 |
2016 | 302 | 28 |
2017 | 340 | 23 |
2018 | 447 | 23 |
2019 | 354 | 35 |
2020 | 268 | 15 |
2021 | 259 | 20 |
2022 | 343 | 39 |
1 January to 31 August 2023 | 192 | 2 |
1 September to 31 December 2023 | 91 | 7 |
2024 | 330 | 53 |
Total | 3420 | 376 |
*Outcome data split under sections 496 and 497 is not recorded.
Asked by: Lord Lucas (Conservative - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask His Majesty's Government, for each year following the coming into force of section 437 of the Education Act 1996, how many parental appeals have been made to the Secretary of State under that section, and how many such appeals have (1) been granted and (2) resulted in a request that the local authority reconsider the case.
Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
It is important that parents have a right of appeal when they disagree with a local authority’s decision to not revoke a School Attendance Order. Section 442 of the Education Act 1996 gives parents this right of appeal to my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education. If a person is convicted under section 443 of the Education Act, they may be able to appeal the decision of the magistrate through the criminal courts in the usual way. Section 437 does not provide for a specific parental appeal process, but the parent could apply for the School Attendance Order to be revoked under section 442.
The government is committed to ensuring that the section 442 process is as robust and transparent as possible for those parents who make use of it. However, we are unable to publish the requested information as it could potentially lead to the identification of individuals and the outcomes of these requests, which would go against the intentions behind the revocation process.
This potential for identification and outcomes is due to the low number of individuals who have requested the revocation of a School Attendance Order within the specified timeframe.
Asked by: Lord Lucas (Conservative - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask His Majesty's Government, for each year following the coming into force of section 443 of the Education Act 1996, how many parental appeals have been made to the Secretary of State under that section, and how many such appeals have (1) been granted and (2) resulted in a request that the local authority reconsider the case.
Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
It is important that parents have a right of appeal when they disagree with a local authority’s decision to not revoke a School Attendance Order. Section 442 of the Education Act 1996 gives parents this right of appeal to my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education. If a person is convicted under section 443 of the Education Act, they may be able to appeal the decision of the magistrate through the criminal courts in the usual way. Section 437 does not provide for a specific parental appeal process, but the parent could apply for the School Attendance Order to be revoked under section 442.
The government is committed to ensuring that the section 442 process is as robust and transparent as possible for those parents who make use of it. However, we are unable to publish the requested information as it could potentially lead to the identification of individuals and the outcomes of these requests, which would go against the intentions behind the revocation process.
This potential for identification and outcomes is due to the low number of individuals who have requested the revocation of a School Attendance Order within the specified timeframe.
Asked by: Lord Lucas (Conservative - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask His Majesty's Government, for each year following the coming into force of section 497 of the Education Act 1996, how many parental appeals have been made to the Secretary of State under that section, and how many such appeals have (1) been granted and (2) resulted in a request that the local authority reconsider the case.
Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The department’s School Complaints Compliance Unit (SCCU) considers how maintained schools and academies handle complaints on behalf of my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education. For maintained schools, SCCU considers whether a school has dealt with a complaint in line with education legislation and any relevant statutory policies. If they find a maintained school has not acted reasonably under education law, and identify a practical action to take, they can instruct the school accordingly. These actions are usually a technical or procedural change in a school’s policy, to ensure they carry out their duties in line with education legislation. If the school does not make the required changes, sections 496 and 497 of the Education Act 1996 allow my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education to intervene and issue a direction to the school.
The department does not hold data in relation to complaints about maintained schools prior to 2013. The table below shows the number of in scope complaints received by the SCCU about maintained schools. From 2013 to 31 August 2023, the SCCU did not record if complaints were from parents, but from 1 September 2023 onwards this has been recorded. No directions have been issued in relation to a complaint about a maintained school.
Calendar year | Number of in-scope maintained school complaints | Number of complaints partially upheld/upheld* |
2013 | 12 | 6 |
2014 | 209 | 81 |
2015 | 273 | 44 |
2016 | 302 | 28 |
2017 | 340 | 23 |
2018 | 447 | 23 |
2019 | 354 | 35 |
2020 | 268 | 15 |
2021 | 259 | 20 |
2022 | 343 | 39 |
1 January to 31 August 2023 | 192 | 2 |
1 September to 31 December 2023 | 91 | 7 |
2024 | 330 | 53 |
Total | 3420 | 376 |
*Outcome data split under sections 496 and 497 is not recorded.