Asked by: Lord Willoughby de Broke (Non-affiliated - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they have taken to ensure that the government of China observes the conditions of the Sino-British Joint Declaration.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Foreign Secretary is engaging actively with a range of international partners to explain our position and impress on them the gravity of situation. We want to build up a groundswell of those who share our commitment to international law. We believe that is the most effective means of getting China to live up to its obligations and responsibilities as a leading member of the international community. We will also work within international institutions such as the UN Human Rights Council to ensure that China upholds the commitments they made as co-signatory to the Joint Declaration. The UK and the US raised the issue at the UN Security Council on 28 May.
Asked by: Lord Willoughby de Broke (Non-affiliated - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they have taken to ascertain the safety of Martin Lee and other supporters of democracy in Hong Kong arrested in April.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
We are concerned by the arrests of Martin Lee and other pro-democracy figures in Hong Kong. We are following these cases closely. Senior Officials have raised our concern about the arrests with the authorities in Hong Kong, Beijing and with the Chinese Embassy in London. We will continue to make our views clear publicly and privately.
Asked by: Lord Willoughby de Broke (Non-affiliated - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to (1) suspend the construction of HS2, and (2) use any money saved as a result to support communities and businesses affected by COVID-19.
Answered by Baroness Vere of Norbiton - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Government will do whatever is necessary to deal with COVID-19 now and will also continue to invest in the country’s future infrastructure.
Asked by: Lord Willoughby de Broke (Non-affiliated - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask Her Majesty's Government, following the recent adverse weather conditions, what consideration they have given to suspending the requirement for farmers to grow three different crops in order to qualify for payments under the Basic Payment Scheme in 2020.
Answered by Lord Gardiner of Kimble
We are working closely with the Rural Payment Agency (RPA) to look at all the available options to support farmers who are being affected by wet weather issues.
The RPA has published online guidance to provide advice around crop diversification requirements and force majeure. We encourage farmers to look at that guidance in the first instance.
We are currently exploring what options are available to us to offer flexibility to the 2020 Basic Payment Scheme rules now we have left the EU.
Asked by: Lord Willoughby de Broke (Non-affiliated - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they intend to permit Swiss financial institutions to continue to operate in London until the UK leaves the EU.
Answered by Lord Young of Cookham
Switzerland is an important financial partner for the UK. Swiss financial institutions can operate in the UK in line with existing applicable UK and EU law.
The UK has also taken steps to ensure the continuity of this relationship once we exit the European Union, including the transition of the EU-Swiss Direct Insurance Agreement into a UK-Swiss Direct Insurance Agreement.
Asked by: Lord Willoughby de Broke (Non-affiliated - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask Her Majesty's Government why they have permitted Natural England to revoke general bird control licences before the result of any legal challenge to these licences is known.
Answered by Lord Gardiner of Kimble
I refer the Noble Lord to the letter sent from the Chairman of Natural England to the Secretary of State www.gov.uk/government/publications/general-licences-for-controlling-wild-birds-letter-from-natural-england-chair-to-environment-secretary
Natural England has issued three new licences.
Furthermore, the Secretary of State has now taken over ultimate decision making powers for general licences relating to the purposes covered by the three revoked general licences, recognising the scale of interest and concern that has been generated by the decision by Natural England to revoke the general licences that were in place prior to 25 April.
Asked by: Lord Willoughby de Broke (Non-affiliated - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what is the legal basis for the withdrawal at one day’s notice by Natural England of the general licences for bird control.
Answered by Lord Gardiner of Kimble
I refer the Noble Lord to the letter sent from the Chairman of Natural England to the Secretary of State www.gov.uk/government/publications/general-licences-for-controlling-wild-birds-letter-from-natural-england-chair-to-environment-secretary
Natural England has issued three new licences.
Furthermore, the Secretary of State has now taken over ultimate decision making powers for general licences relating to the purposes covered by the three revoked general licences, recognising the scale of interest and concern that has been generated by the decision by Natural England to revoke the general licences that were in place prior to 25 April.
Asked by: Lord Willoughby de Broke (Non-affiliated - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what are the salaries of (1) the Permanent Secretary of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, and (2) the Chief Executive Officer of the Rural Payments Agency.
Answered by Lord Gardiner of Kimble
The most recently published salaries for the Permanent Secretary of the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and the Chief Executive Officer of the Rural Payments Agency are £160,000-£165,000 and £85,000-£90,000 respectively.
Asked by: Lord Willoughby de Broke (Non-affiliated - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether all participants in the Higher Level Stewardship scheme have received the payments due to them in 2016 and 2017.
Answered by Lord Gardiner of Kimble
Over 99% of Environmental Stewardship agreement holders have received their 2016 advance and final payments. For 2017 just under 98% have received their advance payment and 80% have received their 2017 final payment. The Rural Payments Agency (RPA) has been working hard to ensure that remaining payments are issued as quickly as possible. The RPA took on administration of Environmental Stewardship in October 2018 and is continuing to simplify the administration of the scheme as far as possible under the current EU system, streamlining processes and boosting the workforce to speed up processing.
Asked by: Lord Willoughby de Broke (Non-affiliated - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether payments to participants in the Countryside Stewardship scheme have been delayed; and if so for what reason.
Answered by Lord Gardiner of Kimble
Over 99% of Countryside Stewardship participants have received their payment for 2017 claims and payments for 2018 claims are underway. The Rural Payments Agency took on administration of Countryside Stewardship in October 2018 and is continuing to simplify the administration of the scheme as far as possible under the current EU system, streamlining processes and boosting the workforce to speed up processing.