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Debates during the 2024 Parliament
Speeches made during Parliamentary debates are recorded in Hansard. For ease of browsing we have grouped debates into individual, departmental and legislative categories.
Sparring Partners
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
(2 debate interactions)
Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
(1 debate interactions)
Department Debates
(3 debate contributions)
(3 debate contributions)
Legislation Debates
Baroness Rock has not made any spoken contributions to legislative debateLords initiatives
These initiatives were driven by Baroness Rock, and are more likely to reflect personal policy preferences.
Baroness Rock has not introduced any legislation before Parliament
Baroness Rock has not co-sponsored any Bills in the current parliamentary sitting
Latest 16 Written Questions
(View all written questions)The principle and processes for making regulated public appointments are set out in the Governance Code on Public Appointments. No instructions have been given from 10 Downing Street or the Cabinet Office on removing non-executives from Government Departments.
Leader of the House of Lords and Lord Privy Seal
The Commissioner for Public Appointments has no direct role in the decision making of individual public appointments, including their removal from office. The Commissioner’s functions, as set out in the Public Appointments Order in Council and the Governance Code on Public Appointments, is to provide independent assurance that public appointments are made in accordance with the Principles of Public Appointments and the processes set out in the Code.
The principle and processes for making regulated public appointments are set out in the Governance Code. The Cabinet Office has not issued specific guidance relating to the termination of individuals’ appointments.
Leader of the House of Lords and Lord Privy Seal
The Commissioner for Public Appointments has no direct role in the decision making of individual public appointments, including their removal from office. The Commissioner’s functions, as set out in the Public Appointments Order in Council and the Governance Code on Public Appointments, is to provide independent assurance that public appointments are made in accordance with the Principles of Public Appointments and the processes set out in the Code.
The principle and processes for making regulated public appointments are set out in the Governance Code. The Cabinet Office has not issued specific guidance relating to the termination of individuals’ appointments.
Leader of the House of Lords and Lord Privy Seal
6 Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Questions
(View all Baroness Rock's Defra questions)The farming blog published on Wednesday 12 March set out Defra’s spend over the next two years (24/25 and 25/26).
Defra will manage that budget flexibly to respond to demand, and achieve our intended outcomes for farm productivity, environment, climate and animal health and welfare.
In line with its obligations under the Agriculture Act 2020, Defra regularly publishes an annual report setting out commitments in the previous financial year. Defra intends to publish the annual report for the financial year 2024/25 later this year, which will set out how money was spent in that financial year.
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Sustainable Farming Incentive Expanded Offer (SFI EO) is an online application and by close of business on the 11 March there are 6,626 applications currently started but not submitted on the Rural Payments Portal.
We have closed SFI for new applications on the 11 March because the current SFI budget had been successfully allocated, with large-scale uptake of the scheme and 37,000 live SFI agreements delivering towards our environmental target.
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
We will be reforming the Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) offer to direct funding towards SFI actions which are most appropriate for the least productive land and have the strongest case for enduring public investment.
We expect to publish more information about the reformed SFI offer in summer 2025. This will include an indication of when we expect to re-open SFI for applications.
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Secretary of State attended the National Farmers Union (NFU) conference in February. Minister Zeichner has had 1:1 bilateral meetings on the Sustainable Farming Incentive specifically with the NFU, National Beef Association, British Poultry Council, Soil Association, Royal Association of British Dairy Farmers, National Pig Association, National Sheep Association, British Egg Industry Council, National Federation of Young Farmers, British Free Range Egg Producers Association, LAA, Tenant Farmers Association and Country, Land and Business Association.
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
I refer the noble Lady to the reply previously given on 28 October 2024 to question HL1473.
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Government published information about the reforms to agricultural property relief and business property relief on gov.uk. Around 500 estates across the UK are expected to be affected each year from 2026-27.
In accordance with standard practice, a Tax Information and Impact Note will be published alongside the draft legislation before the relevant Finance Bill.
Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)
6 Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government Questions
(View all Baroness Rock's MHCLG questions)On 5 February the government formally invited unitary proposals from all the councils in two tier areas and their neighbouring small unitaries. It is for councils to develop robust and sustainable proposals that are in the best interests of their whole area.
During the local government reorganisation process, it is expected that assets and liabilities remain locally managed by councils. There is a suite of general continuity regulations for local government reorganisation made under the Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Act 2007 which ensure smooth transfer to new unitary councils. These general regulations provide transitional and supplementary arrangements, so that the councils can undertake specific functions to enable a successful move to the single tier of local government. These provisions relate to continuity of services and functions, staffing, local authority plans and schemes, transfer of assets, property and reserves, and can include farm estates. We will review and if necessary update relevant legislation to ensure that powers currently designated to county councils are provided to new unitary councils.
The Government has not made an assessment of the impact of local government reorganisation on council farms. Although local government reorganisation may impact who administers farming tenancies, it will not alter council farm tenants' succession rights.
We are committed to working with colleagues across Government, and with the LGA and its sector support group to ensure councils have the information, tools and expertise to develop the solutions that are right for their area, so new authorities are set up for success. I am happy to meet Noble Lords at any point to discuss local government reorganisation, and Baroness Hayman and I stand ready to meet Baroness Rock to discuss the issues she has raised.
Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
On 5 February the government formally invited unitary proposals from all the councils in two tier areas and their neighbouring small unitaries. It is for councils to develop robust and sustainable proposals that are in the best interests of their whole area.
During the local government reorganisation process, it is expected that assets and liabilities remain locally managed by councils. There is a suite of general continuity regulations for local government reorganisation made under the Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Act 2007 which ensure smooth transfer to new unitary councils. These general regulations provide transitional and supplementary arrangements, so that the councils can undertake specific functions to enable a successful move to the single tier of local government. These provisions relate to continuity of services and functions, staffing, local authority plans and schemes, transfer of assets, property and reserves, and can include farm estates. We will review and if necessary update relevant legislation to ensure that powers currently designated to county councils are provided to new unitary councils.
The Government has not made an assessment of the impact of local government reorganisation on council farms. Although local government reorganisation may impact who administers farming tenancies, it will not alter council farm tenants' succession rights.
We are committed to working with colleagues across Government, and with the LGA and its sector support group to ensure councils have the information, tools and expertise to develop the solutions that are right for their area, so new authorities are set up for success. I am happy to meet Noble Lords at any point to discuss local government reorganisation, and Baroness Hayman and I stand ready to meet Baroness Rock to discuss the issues she has raised.
Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
On 5 February the government formally invited unitary proposals from all the councils in two tier areas and their neighbouring small unitaries. It is for councils to develop robust and sustainable proposals that are in the best interests of their whole area.
During the local government reorganisation process, it is expected that assets and liabilities remain locally managed by councils. There is a suite of general continuity regulations for local government reorganisation made under the Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Act 2007 which ensure smooth transfer to new unitary councils. These general regulations provide transitional and supplementary arrangements, so that the councils can undertake specific functions to enable a successful move to the single tier of local government. These provisions relate to continuity of services and functions, staffing, local authority plans and schemes, transfer of assets, property and reserves, and can include farm estates. We will review and if necessary update relevant legislation to ensure that powers currently designated to county councils are provided to new unitary councils.
The Government has not made an assessment of the impact of local government reorganisation on council farms. Although local government reorganisation may impact who administers farming tenancies, it will not alter council farm tenants' succession rights.
We are committed to working with colleagues across Government, and with the LGA and its sector support group to ensure councils have the information, tools and expertise to develop the solutions that are right for their area, so new authorities are set up for success. I am happy to meet Noble Lords at any point to discuss local government reorganisation, and Baroness Hayman and I stand ready to meet Baroness Rock to discuss the issues she has raised.
Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
On 5 February the government formally invited unitary proposals from all the councils in two tier areas and their neighbouring small unitaries. It is for councils to develop robust and sustainable proposals that are in the best interests of their whole area.
During the local government reorganisation process, it is expected that assets and liabilities remain locally managed by councils. There is a suite of general continuity regulations for local government reorganisation made under the Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Act 2007 which ensure smooth transfer to new unitary councils. These general regulations provide transitional and supplementary arrangements, so that the councils can undertake specific functions to enable a successful move to the single tier of local government. These provisions relate to continuity of services and functions, staffing, local authority plans and schemes, transfer of assets, property and reserves, and can include farm estates. We will review and if necessary update relevant legislation to ensure that powers currently designated to county councils are provided to new unitary councils.
The Government has not made an assessment of the impact of local government reorganisation on council farms. Although local government reorganisation may impact who administers farming tenancies, it will not alter council farm tenants' succession rights.
We are committed to working with colleagues across Government, and with the LGA and its sector support group to ensure councils have the information, tools and expertise to develop the solutions that are right for their area, so new authorities are set up for success. I am happy to meet Noble Lords at any point to discuss local government reorganisation, and Baroness Hayman and I stand ready to meet Baroness Rock to discuss the issues she has raised.
Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
On 5 February the government formally invited unitary proposals from all the councils in two tier areas and their neighbouring small unitaries. It is for councils to develop robust and sustainable proposals that are in the best interests of their whole area.
During the local government reorganisation process, it is expected that assets and liabilities remain locally managed by councils. There is a suite of general continuity regulations for local government reorganisation made under the Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Act 2007 which ensure smooth transfer to new unitary councils. These general regulations provide transitional and supplementary arrangements, so that the councils can undertake specific functions to enable a successful move to the single tier of local government. These provisions relate to continuity of services and functions, staffing, local authority plans and schemes, transfer of assets, property and reserves, and can include farm estates. We will review and if necessary update relevant legislation to ensure that powers currently designated to county councils are provided to new unitary councils.
The Government has not made an assessment of the impact of local government reorganisation on council farms. Although local government reorganisation may impact who administers farming tenancies, it will not alter council farm tenants' succession rights.
We are committed to working with colleagues across Government, and with the LGA and its sector support group to ensure councils have the information, tools and expertise to develop the solutions that are right for their area, so new authorities are set up for success. I am happy to meet Noble Lords at any point to discuss local government reorganisation, and Baroness Hayman and I stand ready to meet Baroness Rock to discuss the issues she has raised.
Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)