Asked by: Lord Palmer (Crossbench - Excepted Hereditary)
Question
To ask the Chairman of Committees, further to his Written Answer on 9 November 2015 (HL3053), whether the three sous chefs who left via a voluntary exit scheme were offered voluntary redundancy pay.
Answered by Lord Laming
There have been no redundancies in House of Lords Catering and Retail Services. In June 2015 three sous chefs applied to take Voluntary Exit following a restructuring of back of house services and received a Voluntary Exit package.
Asked by: Lord Palmer (Crossbench - Excepted Hereditary)
Question
To ask the Chairman of Committees why the refurbishment of the toilets outside the Cholmondeley Room has not yet been completed; and when it is expected to be completed.
Answered by Lord Laming
The works are due to be completed before June 2016. Alternative facilities are available down the corridor, which are signposted. The refurbishment of these toilets includes replacement of worn and damaged fixtures, and addressing a number of issues including drainage and ventilation. The Administration and Works Committee is received regular updates on progress.
Asked by: Lord Palmer (Crossbench - Excepted Hereditary)
Question
To ask the Chairman of Committees who sanctioned the change of use of the Peers' TV Room and whether it is envisaged that an alternative facility will be made available to members.
Answered by Lord Laming
The Accommodation Steering Group (comprising the Chairman of Committees, Government Chief Whip, Opposition Accommodation Whip, Liberal Democrat Chief Whip and Convenor of the Crossbench Peers) decided in July that that the Peers’ TV Room (on the Committee Corridor) should be converted into additional hot-desk space, initially for use by new Members. That decision was reported to the Administration and Works Committee, and was recorded in Red Benches and the Committee’s published minutes.
There are no plans to provide an alternative facility. I feel sure that Noble Lords will agree that limited space must be used efficiently to enable the House and its members to carry out their parliamentary functions effectively.
Asked by: Lord Palmer (Crossbench - Excepted Hereditary)
Question
To ask the Chairman of Committees, further to his Written Answer on 10 February (HL5554), whether partners and spouses of Catering and Retail Services staff are also entitled to receive meals without charge.
Answered by Lord Laming
Partners and spouses are not entitled to receive meals without charge.
Asked by: Lord Palmer (Crossbench - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Prior of Brampton on 8 December 2015 (HL3861), what assessment they have made of why, when the UK ranks number one in tobacco control activity of 34 European countries, nine other European countries have lower levels of smoking prevalence.
Answered by Lord Prior of Brampton
Countries use different ways to assess smoking prevalence within their population and there is variation as to whether they include daily, weekly, or occasional smokers within the figures. It is therefore not always possible to compare smoking prevalence rates directly between countries. In contrast, Joossens and Raws’s Tobacco Control Scale in Europe, which ranks the United Kingdom as number one in tobacco control activity of 34 European countries, uses a set criteria to assess the implementation of tobacco control policies across European countries, enabling a direct comparison to be made between the countries of tobacco control measures.
Asked by: Lord Palmer (Crossbench - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Prior of Brampton on 3 December 2015 (HL3859), which tobacco measures introduced in the last 10 years they have reviewed in respect of their effectiveness; what have been the results of those reviews; and whether they will place those measures and their reviews in the Library of the House.
Answered by Lord Prior of Brampton
The Department assesses the impact of tobacco control measures on an ongoing basis as it develops policy and considers new measures.
In September 2013, the Department published An Audit of the impact of the Department of Health’s Regulations upon business. A copy of the report is attached. The Audit report covered all regulations for which the Department has responsibility believed to have a potential cost to business, including those relating to tobacco control.
Costs and benefits were estimated where possible using standard government methodology and the impacts to society were estimated based on economic costs and benefits. As advised in the report, there is a robust cost-benefit case for the tobacco control regulations considered and experience shows that initiatives to reduce smoking prevalence work best in combination, with cumulative effects over time.
Asked by: Lord Palmer (Crossbench - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Prior of Brampton on 8 December 2015 (HL3862), what legal basis the World Health Organization's treaties have in English law.
Answered by Lord Prior of Brampton
Where the United Kingdom is party to a treaty which is in force, the United Kingdom government must comply, as a matter of international law, with its obligations under the treaty in good faith. This is required by the Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties.
Where a particular obligation under a treaty has not been implemented in domestic legislation it does not directly form part of English law and the English courts do not have jurisdiction to apply it. However, there is also a strong presumption in the common law that all domestic legislation will, where possible, be interpreted so as to ensure that the United Kingdom is acting compatibly with its treaty obligations.
Asked by: Lord Palmer (Crossbench - Excepted Hereditary)
Question
To ask the Chairman of Committees what is the new role of the previous manager of Catering and Retail Services; what are his responsibilities; and to whom he reports.
Answered by Lord Laming
The postholder has been transferred to lead the Catering and Retail Services Change Programme on a full time basis until programme closure and then to embed its success into the Department’s business as usual activities. He reports to the Director of Facilities.
Asked by: Lord Palmer (Crossbench - Excepted Hereditary)
Question
To ask the Chairman of Committees which members of House of Lords' staff are entitled to free food or refreshments in the House's facilities.
Answered by Lord Laming
Catering and Retail Services staff are provided with meals without charge during shifts, in accordance with arrangements made by the Head of Catering and Retail Services. This is standard practice in the hospitality industry.
Asked by: Lord Palmer (Crossbench - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government how much severance pay was offered, and subsequently paid, to the Chairman of the Environment Agency prior to his resignation.
Answered by Lord Gardiner of Kimble
Sir Philip Dilley will work until the end of January to allow a measured transition. He will receive no severance package.