Asked by: Lord Stoddart of Swindon (Independent Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what plans they have to review the case for, and powers of, the existing non-ministerial departments, agencies and other public bodies.
Answered by Lord Bridges of Headley
The Government's Public Bodies Reform Programme, introduced in 2010, has reduced the number of arm's-length bodies, including executive agencies and non-ministerial departments, by a third. To date, this has delivered cumulative savings in excess of £2.6bn.
As part of this Programme, there is a requirement that both non-departmental public bodies and executive agencies are subject to regular review.
Asked by: Lord Stoddart of Swindon (Independent Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether the charity Common Purpose receives funding from government sources.
Answered by Lord Bridges of Headley
The Cabinet Office has no records of current funding from Cabinet Office to Common Purpose.
Asked by: Lord Stoddart of Swindon (Independent Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon on 10 March (HL5107) concerning England's traditional counties, whether, in the light of their pride in waving the flag of St George they intend to hold a referendum on the establishment of an English parliament with equal status and powers to the Scottish Parliament.
Answered by Lord Wallace of Saltaire - Liberal Democrat Lords Spokesperson (Cabinet Office)
I refer the noble Lord to the answers I gave on 8 December 2014, 16 January 2015, 26 January 2015 and 23 February 2015 to HL3166, HL3924, HL4275 and HL4634.
The Government has no plans to hold a referendum in England to ascertain the level of support for an English Parliament. Discussions on this issue and other proposals relating to 'the English question' are ongoing.
Asked by: Lord Stoddart of Swindon (Independent Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Wallace of Saltaire on 26 January (HL4275) concerning a referendum for an English parliament, since the Command Paper on devolution did not consider the possibility of an English parliament, whether they plan to consult on devolution for England and on the possibility of a referendum on devolution for England including an English parliament.
Answered by Lord Wallace of Saltaire - Liberal Democrat Lords Spokesperson (Cabinet Office)
I refer the noble Lord to the answers I gave on 8 December 2014, 16 January 2015 and 26 January 2015 to HL4275, HL3924 and HL3166.
The Government has no plans to hold a referendum in England to ascertain the level of support for an English Parliament. Discussions on this issue and other proposals relating to 'the English question' are on-going.
Asked by: Lord Stoddart of Swindon (Independent Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what are the latest available figures for the number of (1) men, and (2) women, employed in the Home Civil Service.
Answered by Lord Wallace of Saltaire - Liberal Democrat Lords Spokesperson (Cabinet Office)
The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply.
Asked by: Lord Stoddart of Swindon (Independent Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Wallace of Saltaire on 16 January (HL3924) concerning an English parliament, why Scottish and Welsh people were consulted through referenda about their future governance but English people are not to receive similar consultation about how they are to be governed.
Answered by Lord Wallace of Saltaire - Liberal Democrat Lords Spokesperson (Cabinet Office)
The Government has been clear that just as the people of Scotland will have more power over their affairs, it follows that the people of England, Wales and Northern Ireland must have a bigger say over theirs. The Government published a Command Paper on the implications of devolution for England which contains separate proposals from each of the Coalition parties.
Asked by: Lord Stoddart of Swindon (Independent Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Wallace of Saltaire on 8 December 2014 (HL3166), what plans they have to hold a referendum in England to ascertain the level of support for an English parliament.
Answered by Lord Wallace of Saltaire - Liberal Democrat Lords Spokesperson (Cabinet Office)
The Government has no plans to hold a referendum in England to ascertain the level of support for an English Parliament. The Government has published a Command Paper on the implications of devolution for England which contains separate proposals from each of the Coalition parties.
Asked by: Lord Stoddart of Swindon (Independent Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they will introduce legislation to create an English parliament; and if not, why not.
Answered by Lord Wallace of Saltaire - Liberal Democrat Lords Spokesperson (Cabinet Office)
The Government is considering the various constitutional issues that arise from further devolution, including the so-called West Lothian question.
Discussions on this issue and other proposals relating to 'the English question' are ongoing. The Government does not believe at present there is public support for a separate English Parliament which would increase the cost of politics and the number of politicians.