Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether they plan to launch a review into the planning decisions and financial mismanagement of the HS2 project.

Answered by Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill - Minister of State (Department for Transport)

We recognise the scale of the challenges highlighted by James Stewart and we accept his findings on HS2 in full. This Government is committed to implementing these recommendations and applying the lessons learned to improve its approach to infrastructure delivery, including on HS2.  In addition, the Prime Minister has asked the Cabinet Secretary to consider the implications for the Civil Service and wider public sector of the issues raised in the report, including whether further action of investigation is warranted.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill on 3 June (HL7863), what plans they have to introduce legislation to counter environmental noise nuisance and support local enforcement.

Answered by Baroness Hayman of Ullock - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

The Statutory Nuisance Regime under Section 79 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 (EPA) is designed to provide protection from nuisances including noise, odour, smoke, fumes, artificial light, infestations and accumulations.

Local authorities are responsible for investigating nuisance problems brought to their attention under the EPA. If they agree that a statutory nuisance is happening, has happened or will happen in the future, councils must serve an abatement notice (usually on the person responsible). This could result in an unlimited fine if the recipient does not follow the rules of the abatement notice. It could also result in prosecution and an additional fine if found guilty in a Magistrates Court.

Local Authority Environmental Health Officers are qualified to make decisions on what can be considered a statutory nuisance within the local context and issue an abatement notice immediately. At this present time, there are no plans to change the regime.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether they plan to introduce digital identity documents.

Answered by Baroness Jones of Whitchurch - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

Digital identities already exist. The digital verification services provisions in the Data (Use and Access) Act look to enable people and organisations to use secure digital identities with greater confidence, they don’t create new digital identity documents.

The government plans to introduce digital versions of existing government-issued documents through the GOV.UK Wallet, a secure digital service for storing government-issued credentials on users’ smartphones. People will be able to use these documents to help prove things about themselves, such as eligibility to access services within government and more widely. The rollout begins this summer with the Veterans Card, followed by driving licences later in the year. All central government credentials are expected to be available by 2027. The GOV.UK Wallet is not, however, creating new identity documents.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill on 3 June (HL7863), what action has been taken by police and local authorities under the Road Vehicles (Construction and Use) Regulations 1986 against exhausts and silencers that have been deliberately modified or not kept in good working order.

Answered by Lord Hanson of Flint - Minister of State (Home Office)

The Home Office collects and publishes data on fixed penalty notices and other outcomes for motoring offences, including noise offences, as part of its annual ‘Police Powers and Procedures: Roads policing’ statistical release.

In 2023, the latest year for which published data are available, excluding offences that were subsequently cancelled, there were 1,073 noise offences recorded by the police in England and Wales. Of these, 973 resulted in a fixed penalty notice.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill on 3 June (HL7863), how many times the police have taken action under the Road Vehicles (Construction and Use) Regulations 1986 in the past year; and how many stops, fines and arrests have been made as a result of excessive vehicle noise.

Answered by Lord Hanson of Flint - Minister of State (Home Office)

The Home Office collects and publishes data on fixed penalty notices and other outcomes for motoring offences, including noise offences, as part of its annual ‘Police Powers and Procedures: Roads policing’ statistical release.

In 2023, the latest year for which published data are available, excluding offences that were subsequently cancelled, there were 1,073 noise offences recorded by the police in England and Wales. Of these, 973 resulted in a fixed penalty notice.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether they have estimated the cost to the NHS of implementing the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill.

Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill impact assessment considered the impacts of the bill at the end of Committee Stage in the House of Commons and, where possible, provided indicative cost ranges to the National Health Service for illustrative purposes.

If the will of Parliament is to pass the bill, detailed work on a delivery model and its cost implications would need to be developed.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether they will be permitting new development licences for oil and gas in the North Sea.

Answered by Lord Wilson of Sedgefield - Lord in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

The Government recently consulted on the implementation of its commitment not to issue new licences to explore new fields, and we will publish a response in due course. We are committed to accelerating the transition to the North Sea’s clean energy future to harness the power of the North Sea, boost Britain’s energy security and ensure good, long-term jobs.