Luke Pollard
Labour (Co-op) - Plymouth, Sutton and Devonport
First elected: 8th June 2017
Shadow Minister (Defence)
(since February 2022)3 APPG memberships (as of 8 Apr 2024)
Armed Forces, National Trust, South West27 Former APPG memberships
Air Ambulances, Armed Forces Covenant, Basketball, Bees and Pollinators, Blood Donation, Carbon Monoxide, Dance, Electoral Reform, Environment, Falkland Islands, General Aviation, Hockey, Hospitality, Hospitality and Tourism, Kosovo, Mayflower 400, Mayflower Pilgrims, Religious Education, Shared Ownership Housing, Shellfish Aquaculture, Shipbuilding and Ship Repair, Social Media, South West Rail, Veterans, Water, Western Rail Link to Heathrow, Women in DefenceDivision Voting information
Debates during the 2019 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
(39 debate interactions)
(25 debate interactions)
Department Debates
(331 debate contributions)
(81 debate contributions)
(25 debate contributions)
(17 debate contributions)
Legislation Debates
(28,078 words contributed)
(8,170 words contributed)
(8,019 words contributed)
(4,785 words contributed)
Plymouth, Sutton and Devonport Petitions
e-Petitions are administered by Parliament and allow members of the public to express support for a particular issue.
If an e-petition reaches 10,000 signatures the Government will issue a written response.
If an e-petition reaches 100,000 signatures the petition becomes eligible for a Parliamentary debate (usually Monday 4.30pm in Westminster Hall).
of 51,973 signatures (1.17%)
of 71,542 signatures (0.30%)
of 74,580 signatures (0.22%)
of 65,156 signatures (0.21%)
of 199,592 signatures (0.16%)
of 51,973 signatures (1.17%)
of 199,592 signatures (0.16%)
of 71,542 signatures (0.30%)
of 74,580 signatures (0.22%)
of 65,156 signatures (0.21%)
Petition Closed
Update the Equality Act to make clear the characteristic “sex” is biological sex
Gov Responded - 26 Jan 2023 Debated on - 12 Jun 2023 View Luke Pollard's petition debate contributionsclosed 1 year ago
The Government must exercise its power under s.23 of the Gender Recognition Act to modify the operation of the Equality Act 2010 by specifying the terms sex, male, female, man & woman, in the operation of that law, mean biological sex and not "sex as modified by a Gender Recognition Certificate"
Petition Closed
Commit to not amending the Equality Act's definition of sex
Gov Responded - 25 Jan 2023 Debated on - 12 Jun 2023 View Luke Pollard's petition debate contributionsclosed 11 months, 1 week ago
It has been reported that the Government may amend the Equality Act to "make it clear that sex means biological sex rather than gender." The Government has previously committed to not remove legal protections for trans people, an already marginalised group, but this change would do so.
Petition Closed
Ensure Trans people are fully protected under any conversion therapy ban
Gov Responded - 12 May 2022 Debated on - 13 Jun 2022 View Luke Pollard's petition debate contributionsclosed 1 year, 6 months ago
Ensure any ban fully includes trans people and all forms of conversion therapy.
Petition Closed
Reform the Gender Recognition Act.
Gov Responded - 7 Oct 2020 Debated on - 21 Feb 2022 View Luke Pollard's petition debate contributionsclosed 3 years, 2 months ago
Reform the GRA to allow transgender people to self-identify without the need for a medical diagnosis, to streamline the administrative process, and to allow non-binary identities to be legally recognised.
Petition Closed
Change the law to include laboratory animals in the Animal Welfare Act.
Gov Responded - 20 Aug 2021 Debated on - 7 Feb 2022 View Luke Pollard's petition debate contributionsclosed 2 years, 3 months ago
The Government needs to change the law so laboratory animals are included in the Animal Welfare Act. Laboratory animals are currently not protected by the Act and are therefore victims of 'unnecessary suffering' (see section 4 of the Act: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2006/45/section/4).
Petition Closed
Tom’s Law - Give police the power to suspend driving licences
Gov Responded - 11 Feb 2021 Debated on - 10 Jan 2022 View Luke Pollard's petition debate contributionsclosed 3 years ago
We want Police Officers to be able to provide a suspension notice from the moment an offender is caught drink, drug or dangerous driving until they appear in court. It would then be for the Judge to decide whether a ban continues or they are able to continue to drive again.
Petition Closed
Ban Water Companies discharging raw sewage into water courses.
Gov Responded - 5 May 2021 Debated on - 15 Nov 2021 View Luke Pollard's petition debate contributionsclosed 2 years, 6 months ago
Ensure Water companies treat the sewage they are responsible for. Not discharge it into rivers and water courses. After all what goes into the ocean comes back as the fish we eat.
Petition Closed
Fern’s Law: Compulsory to scan & check microchips to reunite stolen dogs, cats.
Gov Responded - 2 Apr 2020 Debated on - 28 Jun 2021 View Luke Pollard's petition debate contributionsclosed 3 years, 7 months ago
Many missing microchipped pets are never reunited as it’s optional to scan & check microchip registration. It’s time veterinary professionals, authorities and rescues checked pet & keeper match on the original database at a pets 1st consultation or yearly checkup. It’s their only chance to get home
Petition Closed
Vets to scan prior to euthanasia for Rescue Back up and confirm keeper details
Gov Responded - 7 May 2020 Debated on - 28 Jun 2021 View Luke Pollard's petition debate contributionsclosed 3 years, 7 months ago
A healthy young dog with RBU was euthanised. The person who requested euthanasia was not the registered keeper.
Petition Closed
The UK should ban the importation of Shark Fins.
Gov Responded - 3 Nov 2020 Debated on - 7 Jun 2021 View Luke Pollard's petition debate contributionsclosed 3 years, 7 months ago
Now that we have left the EU, the UK has the ability to finally stop the importation of Shark Fins. They had previously stated that 'Whilst in the EU, it is not possible to unilaterally ban the import of shark fins into the UK.'
Petition Closed
Ban the exploitative import of young puppies for sale in the UK.
Gov Responded - 8 Sep 2020 Debated on - 7 Jun 2021 View Luke Pollard's petition debate contributionsclosed 3 years, 3 months ago
Plenty of dogs from UK breeders & rescues need homes. Transporting young pups long distances is often stressful, before being sold for ridiculous prices to unsuspecting dog-lovers. Government must adjust current laws, ban this unethical activity on welfare grounds & protect these poor animals ASAP.
Petition Closed
Stop the rising number of ear-cropped dogs in the UK
Gov Responded - 9 Mar 2021 Debated on - 7 Jun 2021 View Luke Pollard's petition debate contributionsclosed 2 years, 7 months ago
Leading veterinary and welfare bodies are concerned by the alarming rise in ear-cropped dogs in the UK. Ear cropping is illegal in the UK and an unnecessary, painful mutilation with no welfare benefit. The practice involves cutting off part of the ear flap, often without anaesthesia or pain relief.
Petition Closed
Pet Theft Reform: Amend animal welfare law to make pet theft a specific offence.
Gov Responded - 16 Jul 2019 Debated on - 19 Oct 2020 View Luke Pollard's petition debate contributionsclosed 4 years, 7 months ago
We propose to amend the Animal Welfare Act 2006 to make pet theft a specific offence, distinct from that of inanimate objects; and in sentencing, the courts must consider the fear, alarm or distress to the pet and owners and not monetary value.
Petition Closed
Make pet theft crime a specific offence with custodial sentences.
Gov Responded - 31 Mar 2020 Debated on - 19 Oct 2020 View Luke Pollard's petition debate contributionsclosed 3 years, 7 months ago
Pet Theft Reform 2020: Revise the sentencing guidelines in the Theft Act 1968 to reclassify pet theft as a specific crime. Ensure that monetary value is irrelevant for the categorisation of dog and cat theft crime for sentencing purposes. Recognise pet theft as a category 2 offence or above.
Petition Closed
Recognise animal sentience & require that animal welfare has full regard in law
Gov Responded - 13 Mar 2019 Debated on - 16 Mar 2020 View Luke Pollard's petition debate contributionsclosed 4 years, 7 months ago
EU law recognises animals as sentient beings, aware of their feelings and emotions. Animals are at risk of losing these vital legal protections, post-Brexit. We want a BetterDealForAnimals: a law that creates a duty for all Ministers in the UK to fully regard animal welfare in policy making.
Latest EDMs signed by Luke Pollard
Food insecurity
Tabled by: Ian Byrne (Labour - Liverpool, West Derby)That this House recognises the horrific levels of food insecurity in the UK being experienced by approximately 11 million people; acknowledges the profound and devastating consequences of food insecurity on the health, wellbeing and livelihoods of people in our communities; notes with concern that the need for emergency food parcels …
(Most recent: 19 Apr 2022)
Signatures by party:
Labour: 31
Scottish National Party: 5
Liberal Democrat: 4
Independent: 3
Plaid Cymru: 3
Democratic Unionist Party: 1
Alba Party: 1
Green Party: 1
Recognising the service of House of Commons staff member Will Conway
Tabled by: Charlotte Nichols (Labour - Warrington North)That this House wholeheartedly thanks Will Conway for his 28 years of service as a member of House of Commons staff; offers gratitude for his over two decades of service as the Branch Secretary of the GMB Union representing House of Commons staff; thanks him for his support and assistance …
(Most recent: 24 Jan 2022)
Signatures by party:
Labour: 15
Scottish National Party: 2
Democratic Unionist Party: 1
Liberal Democrat: 1
Alba Party: 1
Green Party: 1
Commons initiatives
These initiatives were driven by Luke Pollard, and are more likely to reflect personal policy preferences.
MPs who are act as Ministers or Shadow Ministers are generally restricted from performing Commons initiatives other than Urgent Questions.
2 Urgent Questions tabled by Luke Pollard
1 Adjournment Debate led by Luke Pollard
3 Bills introduced by Luke Pollard
A Bill to prohibit the keeping of pump action firearms in homes, with exemptions for professional pest controllers and farmers; to make provision about medical requirements for holders of firearms certificates; to make provision about the disclosure of mental health concerns relating to holders of firearms certificates; to extend offences of stirring up hatred to cover hatred on the basis of sex or gender; to make motivation by misogyny an aggravating factor in sentencing for violent crimes; and for connected purposes.
Friday 6th May 2022
A Bill to prohibit the keeping of pump action firearms in homes, with exemptions for professional pest controllers and farmers; to make provision about medical requirements for holders of firearms certificates; to make provision about the disclosure of mental health concerns relating to holders of firearms certificates; to extend offences of stirring up hatred to cover hatred on the basis of sex or gender; to make motivation by misogyny an aggravating factor in sentencing for violent crimes; and for connected purposes.
Wednesday 20th July 2022
The Bill failed to complete its passage through Parliament before the end of the session. This means the Bill will make no further progress. A Bill to require the Government to prepare a strategy for recycling out-of-service Royal Navy nuclear submarines and to report annually on progress, to consult on extending decommissioning powers in Part 1 of the Energy Act 2004 to include the recycling of Royal Navy nuclear submarines, and to publish estimates of the taxpayer liability associated with such submarines; and for connected purposes.
7 Bills co-sponsored by Luke Pollard
Dartmoor National Park (Access) Bill 2022-23
Sponsor - Anthony Mangnall (Con)
Pets (Microchips) Bill 2021-22
Sponsor - James Daly (Con)
Social Housing (Emergency Protection of Tenancy Rights) Bill 2021-22
Sponsor - Helen Hayes (Lab)
Short and Holiday-Let Accommodation (Registration) Bill 2021-22
Sponsor - Karen Buck (Lab)
Co-operatives (Employee Company Ownership) Bill 2021-22
Sponsor - Christina Rees (LAB)
Fur Trade (Prohibition) Bill 2019-21
Sponsor - Taiwo Owatemi (Lab)
National Health Service Bill 2017-19
Sponsor - Eleanor Smith (Lab)
Latest 50 Written Questions
(View all written questions)5 Other Department Questions
The Government remains committed to protecting everyone from these conversion practices.
It is important that we get this right. As the newly appointed Minister, I will give careful consideration to our public consultation on the issue and respond in due course.
In the meantime, we have launched a support service open to all victims or those at risk of conversion practices.
President of the Board of Trade
The seal mascot is owned by Glasgow City Council. The seal is an existing mascot that has been in use since the Glasgow 2018 European Championships. The cost of the COP26 uniform came from the volunteering programme budget; this will be laid out along with other costs for COP26 after the event.
In total, there are 21 documented items made of ivory or containing ivory that are owned by the Houses of Parliament.
There are 18 accessioned objects documented within the Parliamentary Heritage Collections. Of these 12 are small objects from the Parliamentary Art Collection made between the 17th and 19th centuries. The remaining six are items of 19th century historic furniture or fabric which contain small amounts of ivory decoration.
There are two accessioned items documented in the Parliamentary Archives which contain ivory. These are a Book of Common Prayer containing decorative ivory crosses and a set of ink stamps with ivory handles. There are no accessioned items documented in either the House of Lords Library or House of Commons Library made of, or containing, ivory.
A non-accessioned First World War book of remembrance in the House of Lords includes an ivory Tudor rose in the binding. There may be other non-accessioned items containing ivory in the Houses that have not yet been identified.
In 2020 the Church Commissioners reviewed their policy on trail hunting and suspended any directly issued licences which previously permitted trail hunting. Where trail hunting continues to take place across Commissioners’ tenanted land (and which is beyond our direct control owing to the tenant’s security of tenure) we are seeking to assist farm tenants with the regularisation of any informal trail hunting arrangements.
Second Church Estates Commissioner
The Attorney General’s Office has not made any estimates of the number of ivory items owned or collated by the Department.
Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice
The Cabinet Office endeavours to respond to all Subject Access Requests (SARs) received within the Statutory timescales listed within the DPA2018 and UK GDPR legislation which is within one month. This commitment is reflected in our performance data for SARs responses: in the last fiscal year (2022-2023) we received 686 requests, of which 678 requests (over 98%) were responded to within the legal deadline of one calendar month. We extended the deadline for the remaining 8 requests due to their complexity and responded to these requests within the 3 month extension period.
The Cabinet Office Data Protection Officer (DPO) is responsible for investigating any SAR complaints. The DPO’s investigation provides independent oversight to resolve complaints. In all of our responses to subject requestors, we proactively emphasise that there is a complaints process, and advise anyone who has concerns about how their personal data has been handled to contact the department's DPO directly. We also inform the subject requester of their legal right to make a complaint to the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO), the independent regulatory body, should further resolution be required. We, in the Cabinet Office, fully cooperate with any subsequent investigations by the ICO.
Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
The Cabinet Office endeavours to respond to all Subject Access Requests (SARs) received within the Statutory timescales listed within the DPA2018 and UK GDPR legislation which is within one month. This commitment is reflected in our performance data for SARs responses: in the last fiscal year (2022-2023) we received 686 requests, of which 678 requests (over 98%) were responded to within the legal deadline of one calendar month. We extended the deadline for the remaining 8 requests due to their complexity and responded to these requests within the 3 month extension period.
The Cabinet Office Data Protection Officer (DPO) is responsible for investigating any SAR complaints. The DPO’s investigation provides independent oversight to resolve complaints. In all of our responses to subject requestors, we proactively emphasise that there is a complaints process, and advise anyone who has concerns about how their personal data has been handled to contact the department's DPO directly. We also inform the subject requester of their legal right to make a complaint to the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO), the independent regulatory body, should further resolution be required. We, in the Cabinet Office, fully cooperate with any subsequent investigations by the ICO.
Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
Officials from the Office for Veterans’ Affairs continue to engage with Stoll regarding the sale of Sir Oswald Stoll Mansions and the support being provided to residents during the transition period.
This Government has dedicated nearly £30m towards the provision of veteran housing. This includes £8.55m through the Reducing Veteran Homelessness Programme for veteran supported housing; the launch of Op FORTITUDE as the single referral pathway for homeless veterans and the £20m Capital Housing Fund which will increase the stock of veteran housing through the refurbishment of existing properties and the construction of new builds.
We remain committed to upholding the Armed Forces Covenant and ensuring that the UK becomes the best place in the world to be a veteran.
Minister of State (Cabinet Office) (Minister for Veterans' Affairs)
Officials from the Office for Veterans’ Affairs continue to engage with Stoll regarding the sale of Sir Oswald Stoll Mansions and the support being provided to residents during the transition period.
This Government has dedicated nearly £30m towards the provision of veteran housing. This includes £8.55m through the Reducing Veteran Homelessness Programme for veteran supported housing; the launch of Op FORTITUDE as the single referral pathway for homeless veterans and the £20m Capital Housing Fund which will increase the stock of veteran housing through the refurbishment of existing properties and the construction of new builds.
We remain committed to upholding the Armed Forces Covenant and ensuring that the UK becomes the best place in the world to be a veteran.
Minister of State (Cabinet Office) (Minister for Veterans' Affairs)
Officials from the Office for Veterans’ Affairs continue to engage with Stoll regarding the sale of Sir Oswald Stoll Mansions and the support being provided to residents during the transition period.
This Government has dedicated nearly £30m towards the provision of veteran housing. This includes £8.55m through the Reducing Veteran Homelessness Programme for veteran supported housing; the launch of Op FORTITUDE as the single referral pathway for homeless veterans and the £20m Capital Housing Fund which will increase the stock of veteran housing through the refurbishment of existing properties and the construction of new builds.
We remain committed to upholding the Armed Forces Covenant and ensuring that the UK becomes the best place in the world to be a veteran.
Minister of State (Cabinet Office) (Minister for Veterans' Affairs)
Officials from the Office for Veterans’ Affairs continue to engage with Stoll regarding the sale of Sir Oswald Stoll Mansions and the support being provided to residents during the transition period.
This Government has dedicated nearly £30m towards the provision of veteran housing. This includes £8.55m through the Reducing Veteran Homelessness Programme for veteran supported housing; the launch of Op FORTITUDE as the single referral pathway for homeless veterans and the £20m Capital Housing Fund which will increase the stock of veteran housing through the refurbishment of existing properties and the construction of new builds.
We remain committed to upholding the Armed Forces Covenant and ensuring that the UK becomes the best place in the world to be a veteran.
Minister of State (Cabinet Office) (Minister for Veterans' Affairs)
Officials from the Office for Veterans’ Affairs continue to engage with Stoll regarding the sale of Sir Oswald Stoll Mansions and the support being provided to residents during the transition period.
This Government has dedicated nearly £30m towards the provision of veteran housing. This includes £8.55m through the Reducing Veteran Homelessness Programme for veteran supported housing; the launch of Op FORTITUDE as the single referral pathway for homeless veterans and the £20m Capital Housing Fund which will increase the stock of veteran housing through the refurbishment of existing properties and the construction of new builds.
We remain committed to upholding the Armed Forces Covenant and ensuring that the UK becomes the best place in the world to be a veteran.
Minister of State (Cabinet Office) (Minister for Veterans' Affairs)
Officials from the Office for Veterans’ Affairs continue to engage with Stoll regarding the sale of Sir Oswald Stoll Mansions and the support being provided to residents during the transition period.
This Government has dedicated nearly £30m towards the provision of veteran housing. This includes £8.55m through the Reducing Veteran Homelessness Programme for veteran supported housing; the launch of Op FORTITUDE as the single referral pathway for homeless veterans and the £20m Capital Housing Fund which will increase the stock of veteran housing through the refurbishment of existing properties and the construction of new builds.
We remain committed to upholding the Armed Forces Covenant and ensuring that the UK becomes the best place in the world to be a veteran.
Minister of State (Cabinet Office) (Minister for Veterans' Affairs)
Officials from the Office for Veterans’ Affairs continue to engage with Stoll regarding the sale of Sir Oswald Stoll Mansions and the support being provided to residents during the transition period.
This Government has dedicated nearly £30m towards the provision of veteran housing. This includes £8.55m through the Reducing Veteran Homelessness Programme for veteran supported housing; the launch of Op FORTITUDE as the single referral pathway for homeless veterans and the £20m Capital Housing Fund which will increase the stock of veteran housing through the refurbishment of existing properties and the construction of new builds.
We remain committed to upholding the Armed Forces Covenant and ensuring that the UK becomes the best place in the world to be a veteran.
Minister of State (Cabinet Office) (Minister for Veterans' Affairs)
The information requested falls under the remit of the UK Statistics Authority.
A response to the Hon gentleman’s Parliamentary Question of 27 November is attached.
Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
From April 2023, my team of advisors and I travelled extensively across the country to visit bridging hotels to meet Afghan families and officials from across Central and Local Government who supported this cohort, ahead of their move into long-term settled accommodation. That effort continues to this day.
Minister of State (Cabinet Office) (Minister for Veterans' Affairs)
Since asking me to lead on convening departments to increase our support to Afghans who have been resettled in the UK to access independent accommodation in February 2023, in October this year the Prime Minister further tasked me with coordinating cross government support for departments responsible for relocating eligible Afghans and their families under the ARAP and ACRS schemes.
Minister of State (Cabinet Office) (Minister for Veterans' Affairs)
I am proud to be taking on the role of Cross-Government Care Leaver Lead, championing the interests of care leavers across Government, as I have, and continue to do, for veterans across the country.
I shall be working closely with my hon. Friend, the member for East Surrey, to secure improved care leaver outcomes, achieving the missions set out in the Stable Homes, Built on Love implementation strategy.
I will have more to say in due course about our work to improve outcomes for this vulnerable cohort of young people.
Minister of State (Cabinet Office) (Minister for Veterans' Affairs)
Individual departments are responsible for the payment of salaries and severance payments to current and former Ministers and, as such, the information you have requested is not held centrally. Departments are required to publish compensation payments paid to former Ministers as part of their Annual Report & Accounts.
Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)
No ministers in the Cabinet Office resigned from the Government in July 2022 and therefore no severance pay was issued.
Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)
The Prime Minister accompanied pilots on a routine training flight and, therefore, no extra cost was incurred.
The information requested falls under the remit of the UK Statistics Authority.
A response to the hon. Member’s Parliamentary Question of 18 February is attached.
We have not made any estimates of the number of ivory items owned by or collated in this Department, or by any institutions owned or managed by the Government.
I am responding on behalf of the Prime Minister’s Office. Ministers are required to make essential visits across the country for official government business. The security authorities allow for a wide variety of transport in order for this to be done safely and efficiently.
The Prime Minister set out the target for the G7 Summit to be sustainable and carbon neutral. The Summit has now received independent ISO20121 certification, the highest international standard for sustainable event management.
The Summit Carbon Management Plan includes offsetting all Leaders’ travel, investing in sustainability projects in developing countries which are independently verified by the Gold Standard Impact Registry. The plan is being updated as we continue to assess the full output from the Summit.
Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
I am responding on behalf of the Prime Minister’s Office. Ministers are required to make essential visits across the country for official government business. The security authorities allow for a wide variety of transport in order for this to be done safely and efficiently.
The Prime Minister set out the target for the G7 Summit to be sustainable and carbon neutral. The Summit has now received independent ISO20121 certification, the highest international standard for sustainable event management.
The Summit Carbon Management Plan includes offsetting all Leaders’ travel, investing in sustainability projects in developing countries which are independently verified by the Gold Standard Impact Registry. The plan is being updated as we continue to assess the full output from the Summit.
Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The Cabinet Office is working closely with local partners to agree their roles and plans to support the Summit. Details will be set out in due course.
Lord President of the Council and Leader of the House of Commons
We are working with community partners, including the police, St Ives Town Council and Cornwall Council, to minimise local disruption in and around St Ives.
The G7 Summit presents a huge opportunity for the local area, supporting local businesses and creating a lasting legacy. We are looking at ways that we can engage local schoolchildren as a part of that legacy, using the Summit to educate and inspire.
Lord President of the Council and Leader of the House of Commons
I am ultimately responsible for leading the G7 Presidency and discussions with other G7 leaders. There are no current plans for a separate Ministerial appointment.
Further to the answer given to PQ143093, there will be some limited local transport disruption as a result of essential security measures.
We are discussing necessary health and safety measures for delegates with G7 partners and others.
Lord President of the Council and Leader of the House of Commons
Further to the answer given to PQ143093, there will be some limited local transport disruption as a result of essential security measures.
We are discussing necessary health and safety measures for delegates with G7 partners and others.
Lord President of the Council and Leader of the House of Commons
Further to the answer given to PQ48377, negotiations with the EU were led by Task Force Europe, a small central unit led by the Chief Negotiator Lord Frost. By December, there were 38 civil servants working in this team. Negotiations were a cross-departmental effort and accordingly involved a larger number of staff overall, including subject specialists in all key negotiating areas.
Lord President of the Council and Leader of the House of Commons
The UK Government is of the view that it would not be appropriate to impose an all-postal vote for the local and mayoral elections in England, and the Police and Crime Commissioner elections in England and Wales, in May 2021. All-postal voting increases fraud risks, and removes choice from voters who wish to cast their vote in person.
Postal voting on demand already allows any registered elector to apply for a vote by post.
The Government is working with the electoral administrators and Public Health England to identify and resolve challenges involved in delivering the May 2021 elections, including ensuring polling stations are safe and covid-secure places to vote. People will be able participate in the polls safely, and in a way of their choice, whether by post, proxy or in-person.
This work is outlined in my recent letter to Electoral Returning Officers, which can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/letter-from-chloe-smith-mp-to-returning-officers
I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to PQ66203 on 2 July 2020.
Lord President of the Council and Leader of the House of Commons
I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to PQ66203 on 2 July 2020.
Lord President of the Council and Leader of the House of Commons
I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to PQ66203 on 2 July 2020.
Lord President of the Council and Leader of the House of Commons
As has been the case under successive administrations, details of internal discussions are not usually disclosed.
Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
This issue cuts across multiple departmental responsibilities, as is the case for many complex concerns, and therefore engages various Ministers including in DHSC and DWP.
Details of Ministerial responsibilities can be found on GOV.UK.
The Government continues to support small businesses and entrepreneurs through a range of ways including:
- Start Up Loans which provide early-stage entrepreneurs with funding and intensive support including a year of free business mentoring for new entrepreneurs.
- Provision of information, advice and guidance through the Business Support Helpline, Growth Hubs and the Help to Grow campaign website - a digital one-stop shop set up to help businesses find the support they need to start, scale and grow.
Over 200 businesses have taken up Start Up Loans in Plymouth.
Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
8 Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Questions
(View all Luke Pollard's BEIS questions)The Government is aware of the EU’s proposal for a single charging solution for certain electronic devices. We are not currently considering replicating this requirement in domestic law.
In 2021 the Government introduced a new package of measures setting out standards to remove the worst performing fridges, washing machines, washer dryers and dishwashers from the market, as well as improvements to the energy labelling scheme to allow consumers to better identify the most efficient appliances.
The Government also published the Energy-Related Products Framework in November 2021, which set out our plans for developing further standards and improvements to labelling.
Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Government continues to actively support and fund the development and dissemination of the 3Rs (replacement, reduction and refinement) for the use of animals in scientific procedures. This is achieved through UK Research and Innovation’s funding of the National Centre for the 3Rs, which works nationally and internationally to drive the uptake of non-animal technologies, and through research into the development of alternatives by Innovate UK, the Medical Research Council, and the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council.
The Government is committed to the development of alternatives to using animals in scientific procedures and to avoiding unnecessary suffering. As laid out in the List of Ministerial responsibilities, I am the Minister with lead responsibility in this area.
The overarching Equality Impact Assessment which has been completed for all offices, including Plymouth, affected by the plan to restructure the Insolvency Service’s estate to eleven regional offices will be placed in the House Library.
It would not be appropriate to place a copy of the business case for the Insolvency Service’s move to regional centres in the Library as it contains commercially sensitive information.
This strategy involves closing 10 smaller sites and developing regional centres in the 11 locations in which the Insolvency Service currently has offices. These centres will enable it to provide services more efficiently, with greater flexibility to respond to future changes in demand for services. The Insolvency Service has put in place measures to support staff in affected offices to transfer to their nearest regional centre.
The Government has no plans to change the daylight-saving arrangements. The Government believes that the current daylight-saving arrangements represent the optimal use of the available daylight across the UK.
The Government has no plans to change the daylight-saving arrangements. The Government believes that the current daylight-saving arrangements represent the optimal use of the available daylight across the UK.