Speeches made during Parliamentary debates are recorded in Hansard. For ease of browsing we have grouped debates into individual, departmental and legislative categories.
These initiatives were driven by Baroness Buscombe, and are more likely to reflect personal policy preferences.
Baroness Buscombe has not introduced any legislation before Parliament
Baroness Buscombe has not co-sponsored any Bills in the current parliamentary sitting
Nature-based solutions, like restoring peat and planting trees, are key to tackling climate change and averting its impacts.
In recognition of the energy intensive nature of the sector, Controlled Environment Horticulture sites will be eligible to apply for Phase 3 of the Industrial Energy Transformation Fund. Phase 3 will open for applications later this month.
The British Business Bank is responsible for the administration of the Bounce Back Loan Scheme. The Bank intends to publish data on the performance of each scheme, including levels of prevented and suspected fraud.
The data will also include lender-by-lender information on the number and value of original facilities, and the number and value of claims settled under the terms of the scheme Guarantees.
This data will be made available to the public via the Bank website in the near future.
Data relating to settled claims and suspected fraud within the Bounce Back Loan Scheme is captured on a cumulative basis.
As of 31 March 2022, c.£351 million in settled claims on the scheme guarantee have been paid to lenders, of which c.£72 million [20%] have a suspected fraud marker as reported by lenders to the British Business Bank.
The lenders under the Scheme are not law enforcement agencies, it is the courts who determine whether or not a fraud has been committed. These statistics are an indicator of levels of suspected fraud rather than actual, proven levels.
As of the end of December 2021, the British Business Bank, on behalf of government, has settled guarantee claims by lenders in relation to the Bounce Back Loan Scheme of £70m. Of this, less than 20% was flagged by lenders as suspected fraud. Figures for January 2022 are currently not available.
The Gambling Commission is responsible for running the competition for the fourth National Lottery licence. Under the National Lottery Act 1993, the Commission must ensure that any person who either runs or benefits from the running of the National Lottery is fit and proper and that the Licensee’s operation meets high standards of propriety.
Fit and proper checks examine the identity, integrity, criminality and financial standing of those who run, or benefit from running, the National Lottery, or are applying to do so. As part of its duties under the Act, the Commission cannot award the licence unless it is satisfied that the proposed licensee is fit and proper. The Commission is required to revoke a licence if it becomes satisfied that the licensee is no longer, or indeed never was, fit and proper.
In addition, following the announcement of Allwyn as the preferred applicant in March 2022, standard vetting checks (Baseline Personnel Security Standard or BPSS level) are being carried out, on behalf of the Commission, by UK Security Vetting on key people connected with the proposal. These include Qualifying Direct Shareholders, which is any person who holds at least 5% interest in the licensee.
Defra recognises the crucial role that the domestic ornamental horticulture industry plays both in promoting people’s well-being and to the economy. The Ornamental Horticulture Roundtable Group (OHRG) report and associated action plan identifies how barriers to the sector’s growth can be unlocked through a collaborative approach between Government and industry.
Whilst no specific assessment of this has been made, Defra has been working closely with the OHRG and the sector to build on good work already happening within the industry, and will ensure that where Government can help, it will support the opportunities outlined in the report and its associated action plan.
The Christmas Bonus will be paid this year. The Christmas Bonus is an annual, tax-free, lump sum payment to pensioners and to working aged people who, during the relevant week (which is usually the first full week in December) are entitled to payment of certain qualifying benefits and who are resident in the UK, an EEA state or Switzerland.
The qualifying benefits are:
State Pension; Pension Credit; Widowed Mother's/Parent's Allowance; Widows' Pension; Industrial Death Benefit by way of Widow's or Widower's Pension; War Widow's Pensions; Long-Term Incapacity Benefit; Personal Independence Payment; Adult Disability Payment; Child Disability Payment; Transitionally-Protected Severe Disablement Allowance; Attendance Allowance; Disability Living Allowance; Unemployability Supplement or Constant Attendance Allowance paid under Industrial Injuries or War Pensions schemes; Carer's Allowance; Mobility Supplement; War Disablement Pension (if over age 65); Armed Forces Independence payment; and contribution-based Employment and Support Allowance (once the main phase is entered after the first 13 weeks of claim)
In most cases the bonus is paid automatically with whichever qualifying benefit an individual receives, which ensures administration costs are kept to a minimum.
The number of benefit claimants expected to receive the annual Christmas bonus, based on 2022/23 forecasts are 16,443,000.
The total cost in real terms, based on 2022/23 forecasts is £164 million.
Source: Benefit expenditure and caseload tables 2022 - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
The Department is determined to take decisive action and bring the collective weight of government to bear on this growing challenge
We stated in the recent Treasury Minutes (Government Response to the Committee of Public Accounts on the Twenty-Second to the Twenty Sixth reports from Session 2021-22), that following confirmation from Her Majesty’s Treasury on the Department’s funding, we will be setting our Fraud and Error targets shortly.
We are developing the options for setting an overall fraud and error target. Targets will reflect the recent announcement of an additional £510m investment and the attendant initiatives we are developing to further reduce the fraud and error rate.
We will provide more information on this in our 2022 Annual Report and Accounts.
The Government is committed to creating a level playing field for all sectors by ensuring that everyone pays the right amount of tax at the right time. Like all other businesses, those which exclusively accept cash must meet their tax obligations.
HMRC’s approach to tax evasion aims to tackle current non-compliance and change future behaviours. Their activities include national campaigns and specialist task forces that incorporate intensive bursts of activity in targeted high risk trade sectors (including the retail and service industry) and locations across the UK. HMRC also works with customer groups and third parties, such as other local and central Government agencies, to reduce error and fraud within these sectors. This includes providing customer education highlighting the importance of keeping accurate records.
HMRC take any report of suspected tax evasion seriously and operate a confidential Fraud Telephone Hotline and an online reporting tool available on GOV.UK.
The UK has a competitive offer for global visitors. All visitors to the UK from across the globe (including those from the EU) are permitted to come for up to 6 months maximum on any single visit as per our Immigration Rules - Immigration Rules - Immigration Rules Appendix V: Visitor - Guidance - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk),
There are no current plans to change the Visitor route duration period. The permitted length of stay for visitors to the UK does not depend on the length of stay available to UK citizens which inevitably vary globally. We operate our immigration system in the interest of the UK.
Police officer recruits are welcomed from all backgrounds, subject to passing the recruitment standards set by the College of Policing. This includes those who have served in the military and our unprecedented recruitment campaign sought to promote and amplify these opportunities.
The Police Uplift Programme engaged with relevant organisations to encourage applications from those with armed forces experience and a specific military access pathway pilot, led by Nottinghamshire Police, has recently concluded. Further roll out of this scheme is currently being considered by the College of Policing as part of wider work on police entry routes.
A survey of new police officer recruits, conducted in 2022 as part of the Police Uplift Programme, found that 3% of the preceding year’s recruits had military experience prior to joining the police. However, the Home Office does not hold data to allow an assessment of whether this proportion reflects the backgrounds of the wider police force.
The Home Office does not hold information on serving officers’ professional background.
A survey of new police officer recruits, conducted in 2022 as part of the Police Uplift Programme, found that 3% of the preceding year’s recruits had military experience prior to joining the police. However, the Home Office does not hold data to assess whether this proportion reflects the backgrounds of the wider police force.
All visitors to the UK (including those from the EU) are permitted to come for up to 6 months, regardless of their nationality or whether they require a visa in advance of travelling to the UK.
Nationals of EU Member States do not currently require a visa to visit the UK.