It is a great pleasure to follow the hon. Member for Oldham West and Royton (Jim McMahon). I draw the House’s attention to my interest, which I think is in my entry in the Register of Members’ Financial Interests, as a vice-president of the Local Government Association. The hon. Gentleman...
It is a great pleasure to follow the hon. Member for Oldham West and Royton (Jim McMahon). I draw the House’s attention to my interest, which I think is in my entry in the Register of Members’ Financial Interests, as a vice-president of the Local Government Association. The hon. Gentleman...
I like the Minister, but that was a load of sententious guff that has nothing to do with the question in hand. Yesterday, the Government marked World Day Against the Death Penalty by declaring, as the Minister has again today, that they are committed
“to oppose the use of the death...
I like the Minister, but that was a load of sententious guff that has nothing to do with the question in hand. Yesterday, the Government marked World Day Against the Death Penalty by declaring, as the Minister has again today, that they are committed
“to oppose the use of the death...
Some months ago, in this House, I reminded the Prime Minister of the fact that my constituency contains more cows than any other. I have that on firm authority, although the exact source has slipped my mind, and as far as I know Somerton and Frome’s bovine supremacy is under...
Some months ago, in this House, I reminded the Prime Minister of the fact that my constituency contains more cows than any other. I have that on firm authority, although the exact source has slipped my mind, and as far as I know Somerton and Frome’s bovine supremacy is under...
I add my voice to that of my right hon. Friend in hoping that Ministers are fully aware of the misbehaviours of supermarkets and are prepared to push them in the right direction, but farmers also need to know what to expect.
My constituency is ornamented with innumerable orchards and fruit...
I add my voice to that of my right hon. Friend in hoping that Ministers are fully aware of the misbehaviours of supermarkets and are prepared to push them in the right direction, but farmers also need to know what to expect.
My constituency is ornamented with innumerable orchards and fruit...
Heavens! You caught me by surprise there, Mr Deputy Speaker. I was not ready for that at all. Anyway, thank you very much for calling me to speak. I refer hon. Members to my entry in the Register of Members’ Financial Interests.
Yes, I did vote for Brexit and yes, I...
Heavens! You caught me by surprise there, Mr Deputy Speaker. I was not ready for that at all. Anyway, thank you very much for calling me to speak. I refer hon. Members to my entry in the Register of Members’ Financial Interests.
Yes, I did vote for Brexit and yes, I...
When the last Agriculture Bill went through this place in 1947, we were genuinely concerned about our ability to feed ourselves. In the year that potatoes hit the ration list, food security was the core component of the legislation. Times have now changed and so have our priorities. I welcome...
When the last Agriculture Bill went through this place in 1947, we were genuinely concerned about our ability to feed ourselves. In the year that potatoes hit the ration list, food security was the core component of the legislation. Times have now changed and so have our priorities. I welcome...
The House of Commons Library has published a briefing paper on the level of funding for free childcare provision for 3 and 4-year-olds (CBP-8052), which is available to view here.
Some Members have suggested that the Government might provide relief from business rates for childcare providers, and a petition to Parliament calling for such relief recently closed (6 October 2018) having attracted 10,915 signatures. The Government is due to respond to this in due course. Currently, there is no relief scheme specifically directed at nurseries in England. It is possible, however, that they would be able to claim other forms of relief:
Two additional temporary sources of relief were introduced in the March 2017 Budget:
The Government’s most recent response to questions about the impact of business rates on childcare providers is that it has “commissioned new research to understand provider’s current costs.”
On 13 September 2017, Derek Mackay, the Scottish Finance Secretary, announced that day nurseries in Scotland would be exempt from paying business rates from April 2018. This followed a report into non-domestic business rates by the Barclay review groups, published in August 2017, which recommended 100 per cent business rate relief which, it estimated, would save the childcare sector in Scotland approximately £8 million annually.
On 27 September 2018, the Welsh Finance Secretary, Mark Drakeford announced that business rates will be scrapped for day nurseries in Wales. This followed calls from campaigners, including the NDNA (National Day Nurseries Association) Cymru, who claimed that it would aid the private sector to support the Welsh Government’s delivery of 30 hours funded childcare to working parents of three and four-year-olds. This will come into force from April 2019 and will be fully available across Wales by 2020, with a review of the policy scheduled in 2022.
Members may find the following further reading material to be of use when preparing for this debate.
Scrap business rates to help struggling nurseries, government urged
Children & Young People Now, 8 October 2018
Childcare access falls in disadvantaged areas, new report reveals
Nursery World, 1 October 2018
CEEDA DATA: 2017/18 annual report - Pressure and pride
Nursery World, 30 September 2018
Business rates scrapped for children's day nurseries in Wales
BBC News, 27 September 2018
English nurseries want business rates scrapped after Wales becomes exempt
Daynurseries.co.uk, 27 September 2018
Nursery closures rise 66 per cent since 30 hours began
Nursery World, 16 September 2018
Government urged to find funding solution to save nursery schools
Nursery World, 12 September 2018
Free childcare scheme 'closing' nurseries, education charity says
BBC News, 4 September 2018
[Details of this survey carried out by the Pre-School Learning Alliance are available here]
30 hours: nearly one year on, government must wake up to warning signs
National Day Nurseries Association, 20 June 2018
Small childcare providers struggle to make ends meet
Federation of Small Businesses, 20 June 2018
Funding gap leaves nurseries struggling to pay minimum wage
Financial Times, 20 June 2018 [available to view via Parliamentary accounts]
Closures rise, as nurseries struggle with funding and admin
Nursery World, 19 June 2018
Business of childcare will fail so long as toddlers are the cash-cows
The Conversation, 30 May 2018
Scottish spending watchdog concerned about nursery funding
BBC News, 15 February 2018
Ceeda Data: About Early Years 2 - No such thing as free?
Nursery World, 5 February 2018
A thousand nurseries close as free childcare scheme falters
The Observer, 18 November 2017
Federation of Small Businesses report, Handle with Care: Challenges facing small childcare providers, 19 April 2018
National Day Nurseries Association, Nursery Survey England, June 2018
National Day Nurseries Association, Annual Nurseries Survey 2018, 20 June 2018
The House of Commons Library has published a briefing paper on the level of funding for free childcare provision for 3 and 4-year-olds (CBP-8052), which is available to view here.
Some Members have suggested that the Government might provide relief from business rates...
Once again, my hon. Friend makes a good point about the need for long-term certainty of investment and policy. The CCS decision was an example of a shambolic state of affairs, given that many hundreds of millions of pounds had been invested for the future. That future was basically taken...
Once again, my hon. Friend makes a good point about the need for long-term certainty of investment and policy. The CCS decision was an example of a shambolic state of affairs, given that many hundreds of millions of pounds had been invested for the future. That future was basically taken...
We have had an excellent debate, with informed contributions all round, and I congratulate the hon. Member for Falkirk (John Mc Nally) on securing it. As hon. Members have said, this is a very important debate because the Budget is so close and because there are wider issues relating to...
We have had an excellent debate, with informed contributions all round, and I congratulate the hon. Member for Falkirk (John Mc Nally) on securing it. As hon. Members have said, this is a very important debate because the Budget is so close and because there are wider issues relating to...
My hon. Friend makes an excellent point; it is absolutely essential that we remain in the customs union. Of course, I will come on to the importance of frictionless trade and the supply of labour later in my speech; indeed, I hope that everybody will speak about that.
The second choice...
My hon. Friend makes an excellent point; it is absolutely essential that we remain in the customs union. Of course, I will come on to the importance of frictionless trade and the supply of labour later in my speech; indeed, I hope that everybody will speak about that.
The second choice...
It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Mr Hollobone. I congratulate my hon. Friend the Member for Falkirk (John Mc Nally) on introducing what is clearly a timely debate, given that the Budget is forthcoming. As he rightly said, that Tory Budget cannot undermine the future of the...
It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Mr Hollobone. I congratulate my hon. Friend the Member for Falkirk (John Mc Nally) on introducing what is clearly a timely debate, given that the Budget is forthcoming. As he rightly said, that Tory Budget cannot undermine the future of the...
DOI: https://doi.org/10.58248/PN588
Antibiotics are widely used to treat infectious disease in animals and humans. A recent government review of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) recommended reducing antibiotic use in agriculture. This POSTnote discusses the current use of antibiotics in animals and the options available for reducing that use.
Key points in the POSTnote iclude:
POSTnotes are based on litereature reviews and inerviews with a range of stakeholders and are externally peer reviewed. POST would like to thank interviewees and peer reviewers for kindly giving up their time during the preparation of this briefing including:
*Rhiannon Wilson, Policy Bristol for organising the meeting with the DIALS consortium
*Dr Kristen Reyher, University of Bristol
*Prof David Barrett, University of Bristol
*Dr Matthew Avison, University of Bristol
*Dr Kin Wing Chan, University of Exeter
*Dr. Katie Adam, University of Edinburgh
*Alison Bard, University of Bristol
*Dr Ginny Gould, University of Bristol
*Hannah Schubert, University of Bristol
*Jon Massey, University of Bristol
*Rhiannon Wilson, Policy Bristol
*Aled Davies, Pruex
*Nigel Underwood, Elanco
*DrJoshua Onyango, Innovation for Agriculture
*Richard Lloyd, Innovation for Agriculture
*Paul Thompson, Garth Vet
*Lydia Stratton, RSPCA Assured
*Sconaid Wastie, RSPCA Assured
*Dr Helen R. Stebbins, Micron Bio-systems
*Dr Georgina Crayford, National Pig Association
*Craig Lewis, European Forum of Farm Animal Breeders
*Mike Bryan, Galebreakers
*Cheryl Williams, Galebreakers
*Dr Coll Hutchison, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Health
*Dr Bianca D'Souza, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Health
*Dr Liz Sockett, University of Nottingham
*Dr Liz Bowles, Soil Association/ Labelling Matters
*Dr Donal Murphy, National Office of Animal Health
*Prof Sharon Peacock, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Health
*Jess Sloss, Red Tractor
*Dr Bryan Charlston, Pirbrite Institute
*Dr Karin Darpel, Pirbrite Institute
*Dr Erica Bickerton, Pirbrite Institute
*Dr Andrew Broadbent, Pirbrite Institute
*Lizelle Gouverneur, Pirbrite Institute
*Dr Pantelis Georgiou, Imperial College London
*Dr Jesus Rodriguez Manzano, Imperial College London
*Nicolas B G Moser, Imperial College London
*Dr Matt BurneyCancer Research UK
*Dr Cóilín Nunan, Alliance to Save our Antibiotics
*Suzi Shingler, Alliance to Save our Antibiotics
*Prof Brendan Wren, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Health
*Jon Cuccui, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Health
*Dr Lindsay Evans, Imperial College London
*Dr Andrew Edwards, Imperial College London
*Dr Alberto Giubilini, University of Oxford
*Dr Susanna Williamson, Animal and Plant Health Agency
*Prof Cathy Dwyer, Scotland's Rural College Institution
*Sarah Golding, University of Surrey
*Dr Mandy Nevel, Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board
*Dr Robert Atterbury, University of Nottingham
*John Tuer, Protexin
*Prof Dov Stekel, University of Nottingham
*Catherine McLaughlin, RUMA Alliance/NFU
*John Fishwick, British Veterinary Association
*Michael Mcgilligan, British Veterinary Association
*Prof Mick Bailey, University of Bristol
Fraser Broadfoot, Veterinary Medicines Directorate
Dr Ana Vidal, Veterinary Medicines Directorate
Niloy Acharyya, Veterinary Medicines Directorate
*Dr Gabrielle Laing, House of Lords
*Dr Amanda Carson, Animal and Plant Health Agency
Dr Claire Burney, University Hospitals Bristol
*Dr Christopher Brown, Society for Applied Microbiology
Mike Biddle, Innovate UK
*Paul Williams, MSD Animal Health
*Professor the Lord Trees, House of Lords
*Dr Stella Mascarenhas-Keyes, Consultant Social Scientist
* Denotes exteranl reviewers
DOI: https://doi.org/10.58248/PN588
Antibiotics are widely used to treat infectious disease in animals and humans. A recent government review of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) recommended reducing antibiotic use in agriculture. This POSTnote discusses the current use of antibiotics in animals and the options available for reducing that use.
Key points in the...
I might need a bit more notice to answer that question, if that is all right. There is a point here for all of us, whether we run a big industry or not. If we want to rely on palm oil, and if there is an enormous demand for palm...
I might need a bit more notice to answer that question, if that is all right. There is a point here for all of us, whether we run a big industry or not. If we want to rely on palm oil, and if there is an enormous demand for palm...
It is a pleasure to take part in the debate with you in the Chair, Mr Streeter. I congratulate the hon. Member for South Shields (Mrs Lewell-Buck) on securing this important debate, and on the way she presented her argument. I pay tribute to her for the work that she...
It is a pleasure to take part in the debate with you in the Chair, Mr Streeter. I congratulate the hon. Member for South Shields (Mrs Lewell-Buck) on securing this important debate, and on the way she presented her argument. I pay tribute to her for the work that she...
I respectfully disagree with the hon. Gentleman’s perspective. Four weeks is an acceptable deposit. Introducing the possibility of an increase to a maximum of six weeks is unnecessary, and I urge the Government to look at that again.
Before I move on to amendments 3, 1 and 2, I would like...
I respectfully disagree with the hon. Gentleman’s perspective. Four weeks is an acceptable deposit. Introducing the possibility of an increase to a maximum of six weeks is unnecessary, and I urge the Government to look at that again.
Before I move on to amendments 3, 1 and 2, I would like...
I rise to support the Tenant Fees Bill, which has been so clearly presented today by the Minister. The abolition of most up-front fees, the capping of security deposits at six weeks’ rent, the reduction of costs to tenants in the private sector potentially by hundreds of pounds and the...
I rise to support the Tenant Fees Bill, which has been so clearly presented today by the Minister. The abolition of most up-front fees, the capping of security deposits at six weeks’ rent, the reduction of costs to tenants in the private sector potentially by hundreds of pounds and the...
The subject for this debate was determined by the Backbench Business Committee.
You may watch the debate on parliamentlive.tv.
MPs and campaigners have criticised the fees charged by the Home Office for applications to register children as British citizens. The fees are said to be prohibitively expensive, preventing children from exercising their right to apply for British citizenship. The Government denies accusations that it seeks to make a profit from such children. It points out that such applications are not mandatory and that the money raised helps to fund the visa system and border control. In June the Independent Chief Inspector of Borders and Immigration launched an inspection of the Home Office’s approach to charging for services in such cases. In July campaigners instigated proceedings in the High Court challenging the current fee.
The subject for this debate was determined by the Backbench Business Committee.
You may watch the debate on parliamentlive.tv.
MPs and campaigners have criticised the fees charged by the Home Office for applications to register children as British citizens. The fees are said to be prohibitively...
There are multiple areas where the United Kingdom’s departure from the European Union may affect how antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is addressed. AMR is a global health issue, with strategic coordination occurring at several levels to address the issue—from the World Health Organisation, to the EU, and in the UK’s national health strategy. The World Bank has predicted that, globally, AMR will lead to increases in morbidity and mortality, increase the burden on healthcare systems, increase extreme poverty, and that it could inflict heavy losses on the global economy.
Access to the latest effective antibiotics is important for the treatment of patients and the mitigation of resistance development, and may be affected by changes in the development and regulation of new medicines—both of which pose particular challenges with regards to antimicrobials, and especially antibiotics. The UK has been heavily involved in medicine development and regulation in the EU, and the European Medicines Agency is currently based in London (though it will relocate to Amsterdam following the UK’s departure from the EU). The UK Government has stated that it wishes to continue to participate in the European Medicines Agency under new arrangements that recognise the UK will not be a member state.
Trade agreements regarding food and agriculture have been highlighted by commentators as presenting both risk and opportunity in the context of AMR. Responsible antimicrobial use on farms is a key issue for AMR, and whether the UK maintains or reduces regulation in this area may be dependent on future trading arrangements. Michael Gove, Secretary of State for Environment, Food, and Rural Affairs, has stated there should be no compromise on animal welfare and environmental standards, and that the high levels of antibiotic use in agriculture in the United States are a concern. The UK Government has argued that being outside the EU Common Agricultural Policy would provide the freedom to apply higher animal welfare standards.
A key part of the EU’s strategy against AMR is the development of epidemiological surveillance infrastructure across the member states. The UK Government has proposed continued close collaboration with the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control including access to alert systems, databases, and networks.
There are multiple areas where the United Kingdom’s departure from the European Union may affect how antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is addressed. AMR is a global health issue, with strategic coordination occurring at several levels to address the issue—from the World Health Organisation, to the EU, and in the UK’s national...
My hon. Friend makes an interesting point. It is very dispiriting to see charities and other institutions that one imagines would be on the side of morality and fairness being caught up with offshore tax evaders and individuals who are unscrupulously taking money from leaseholders hand over fist and not...
My hon. Friend makes an interesting point. It is very dispiriting to see charities and other institutions that one imagines would be on the side of morality and fairness being caught up with offshore tax evaders and individuals who are unscrupulously taking money from leaseholders hand over fist and not...
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, on which occasions he or Ministers of his Department have met the manufacturers of Cow and Gate infant formula in each of the last five years.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, on which occasions he or Ministers of his Department have met the manufacturers of Cow and Gate infant formula in each of the last five years.
Details of all Ministerial meetings with external stakeholders are published quarterly in arrears on the GOV.UK website at:
https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/ministerial-gifts-hospitality-overseas-travel-and-meetings
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will bring forward legislative proposals to safeguard the welfare of (a) dairy cows, (b) beef cattle, (c) sheep, (d) ducks, (e) turkeys, (f) farmed fish, (g) decapod crustaceans and (h) cephalopods after the UK leaves the...
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will bring forward legislative proposals to safeguard the welfare of (a) dairy cows, (b) beef cattle, (c) sheep, (d) ducks, (e) turkeys, (f) farmed fish, (g) decapod crustaceans and (h) cephalopods after the UK leaves the...
The UK already has some of the highest standards of animal welfare, underpinned by existing legislation and farmed animal welfare codes.
This Government has made clear that we intend to retain our existing environmental and animal welfare standards once we have left the EU.
The EU (Withdrawal) Act will convert the existing body of EU environmental and animal welfare law into UK law.
We are committed to maintaining our high animal welfare standards and to keep improving where possible.
I think the hon. Gentleman for that intervention, but of course she did no such thing. The people of Scotland went into the referendum in September 2014 in the full knowledge that a referendum on our membership of the European Union was coming down the tracks. It had been promised...
I think the hon. Gentleman for that intervention, but of course she did no such thing. The people of Scotland went into the referendum in September 2014 in the full knowledge that a referendum on our membership of the European Union was coming down the tracks. It had been promised...
It is a pleasure to follow the hon. Member for Morecambe and Lunesdale (David Morris), who has perhaps taught us that the Union is more complicated than rocket science.
What is our Union based on? Is it based on history, reality, identity, economics, cultural friendship or kinship—or is it based on...
It is a pleasure to follow the hon. Member for Morecambe and Lunesdale (David Morris), who has perhaps taught us that the Union is more complicated than rocket science.
What is our Union based on? Is it based on history, reality, identity, economics, cultural friendship or kinship—or is it based on...
The current framework means that last year the number of affordable homes provided under section 106 agreements was only half the 32,000 peak in Labour’s last year in office. Despite that, Southwark’s Labour council has built 535 council homes in just four years, with over 1,000 more in the pipeline. However, the waiting list is 11,000, so will the Minister tell us whether right to buy will now be banned for those seeking not a home to live in, but a cash cow to rent out? Will he also say how the imminent Green Paper will empower Southwark to build the genuinely affordable council homes that local people need?
The current framework means that last year the number of affordable homes provided under section 106 agreements was only half the 32,000 peak in Labour’s last year in office. Despite that, Southwark’s Labour council has built 535 council homes in just four years, with over 1,000 more in the pipeline. However, the waiting list is 11,000, so will the Minister tell us whether right to buy will now be banned for those seeking not a home to live in, but a cash cow to rent out? Will he also say how the imminent Green Paper will empower Southwark to build the genuinely affordable council homes that local people need?
The right to buy has been a powerful and important initiative in ensuring that people have places that they can call their home. We will set out an approach in the new NPPF that will reduce delays from the use of viability assessments to negotiate developer contributions by front-loading that. The Government are taking steps to speed up home delivery, which is something the hon. Gentleman should welcome.
My Lords, I say at the outset how much I am looking forward to the maiden speech of the noble Baroness, Lady Boycott, with all her expertise. We hope to hear a lot of her expertise in the years to come.
I start by recounting the story of Labour’s deputy leader...
My Lords, I say at the outset how much I am looking forward to the maiden speech of the noble Baroness, Lady Boycott, with all her expertise. We hope to hear a lot of her expertise in the years to come.
I start by recounting the story of Labour’s deputy leader...
As my hon. Friend the Member for Ochil and South Perthshire (Luke Graham) said, we were elected last year on a manifesto commitment to take our country, the United Kingdom, out of the European Union, the single market and the customs union, and to do so in a way that...
As my hon. Friend the Member for Ochil and South Perthshire (Luke Graham) said, we were elected last year on a manifesto commitment to take our country, the United Kingdom, out of the European Union, the single market and the customs union, and to do so in a way that...
I welcome the contribution of the Scottish Government to the Aberdeen city region deal, but the hon. Lady must acknowledge that the deal would not have happened if the UK Government had not driven it ahead.
For goodness sake, give me strength. The argument about the financial transactions capital funding is...
I welcome the contribution of the Scottish Government to the Aberdeen city region deal, but the hon. Lady must acknowledge that the deal would not have happened if the UK Government had not driven it ahead.
For goodness sake, give me strength. The argument about the financial transactions capital funding is...
I am grateful for the hon. Gentleman’s interest in this issue. Although I agree that it would be great to see more Members of Parliament in the Chamber, one of the problems is that this issue did not get the coverage or attention it deserves until relatively recently. I hope...
I am grateful for the hon. Gentleman’s interest in this issue. Although I agree that it would be great to see more Members of Parliament in the Chamber, one of the problems is that this issue did not get the coverage or attention it deserves until relatively recently. I hope...
One of the things that is important to many former child migrants is that this never happens to children again. The story that the hon. Gentleman tells, of a Government cowed by the power and the
patronage of those involved, is a story that quite honestly could be repeated today....
One of the things that is important to many former child migrants is that this never happens to children again. The story that the hon. Gentleman tells, of a Government cowed by the power and the
patronage of those involved, is a story that quite honestly could be repeated today....
To ask Her Majesty's Government what estimate they have made, if any, of the size of the dairy herd in England.
To ask Her Majesty's Government what estimate they have made, if any, of the size of the dairy herd in England.
The size of the dairy herd in England in 2017 was 1.2 million animals. The dairy herd is defined as dairy cows aged two years and over with offspring.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.58248/PN578
POSTnotes are based on literature reviews and interviews with a range of stakeholders, and are externally peer reviewed. POST would like to thank interviewees and peer reviewers for kindly giving up their time during the preparation of this briefing, including:
*Denotes those who acted as external reviewers of the briefing.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.58248/PN578
My Lords, it is already apparent that this debate has raised the opportunity for significant injustices and gross underperformance to be noted in this House. I declare two previous interests: first, as a founding member of the Metropolitan Police advisory committee appointed by the noble Lord, Lord Howard, in 1990;...
My Lords, it is already apparent that this debate has raised the opportunity for significant injustices and gross underperformance to be noted in this House. I declare two previous interests: first, as a founding member of the Metropolitan Police advisory committee appointed by the noble Lord, Lord Howard, in 1990;...
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the extent to which healthy start vouchers cover the cost of powdered baby milk products.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the extent to which healthy start vouchers cover the cost of powdered baby milk products.
The Healthy Start scheme is a targeted scheme which helps to encourage a healthy diet for pregnant women, families and children under four from low income households. Healthy Start beneficiaries receive one £3.10 voucher every week. Children aged under one receive two vouchers, worth £6.20 in total, every week. These vouchers can be used to buy, or put towards the cost of:
- Plain cow’s milk - whole, semi-skimmed or skimmed. It can be pasteurised, sterilised long-life or UHT.
- Plain fresh or frozen fruit and vegetables. These can be whole, chopped, packaged or loose.
- Cow’s milk-based infant formula milk. This must be labelled as suitable for use from birth.
The Department has made no assessment as to whether Healthy Start vouchers cover the cost of powdered baby milk products.
I beg to move,
That this House has considered the provision of healthcare on English islands.
It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Mr Hanson. I thank the Speaker’s Office for granting this debate and the Minister for coming to respond to it.
I will outline three arguments. First, I will...
I beg to move,
That this House has considered the provision of healthcare on English islands.
It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Mr Hanson. I thank the Speaker’s Office for granting this debate and the Minister for coming to respond to it.
I will outline three arguments. First, I will...
Yes, that is absolutely right. There are about 70 million day visits a year to national parks in this country, because of the landscape. Quite apart from the farming that goes on there, stewardship by upland farmers contributes to the fact that so many people want to visit those areas.
The...
Yes, that is absolutely right. There are about 70 million day visits a year to national parks in this country, because of the landscape. Quite apart from the farming that goes on there, stewardship by upland farmers contributes to the fact that so many people want to visit those areas.
The...
We think it is the most advanced and ambitious trade deal that the EU has produced so far. That is not to say that it could not have been more ambitious in some areas, such as services. There is, of course, room for improvement in the future.
Canada is an important...
We think it is the most advanced and ambitious trade deal that the EU has produced so far. That is not to say that it could not have been more ambitious in some areas, such as services. There is, of course, room for improvement in the future.
Canada is an important...
My Lords, this order designates the EU-Canada Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement, or CETA, as an EU treaty pursuant to Section 1(3) of the European Communities Act 1972. This is a necessary step towards UK ratification of the agreement and part of the process to be followed in laying the...
My Lords, this order designates the EU-Canada Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement, or CETA, as an EU treaty pursuant to Section 1(3) of the European Communities Act 1972. This is a necessary step towards UK ratification of the agreement and part of the process to be followed in laying the...
Norwich City football club supports safe standing, as do many of the fans. One concern many fans have, however, is that some clubs may use the increase in supply as a cash cow, to generate more money from sales, rather than increase the supply of tickets for those loyal fans,...
Norwich City football club supports safe standing, as do many of the fans. One concern many fans have, however, is that some clubs may use the increase in supply as a cash cow, to generate more money from sales, rather than increase the supply of tickets for those loyal fans,...
The House of Commons Library has developed a new classification of constituency and local authority areas according to the size of the settlements people live in. The classification is intended to assist in analysing data, and understanding differences, trends and inequalities across Great Britain. Each constituency and local authority is assigned to one of six categories, e.g. “Core City” or “Small Town”, which most closely matches its population distribution. This is intended to offer an alternative to rural/urban classifications in analysing variation.
Read our Insight article to see what this classification tells us about variation in house prices, population age and migration, and young people going to university.
(Classification summary; click for larger, or see downloads section for a a full-size pdf)
Classifying areas according to whether they are urban or rural is a familiar concept. Recently, however, interest has grown in the varying fortunes of different-sized settlements – for example, whether cities have fared better than towns since the financial crisis. Rural/urban classifications don’t always provide a good way of dividing between towns and cities – for example, Cardiff (population 350,000) and North Walsham (population 12,500) are both classified as ‘urban city and town’. So the urban/rural classification wouldn’t be able to tell us about variation between settlements of different sizes, since it classifies both small towns and large cities with the same broad brush.
Since there was no existing classification of constituencies & local authorities in terms of cities and towns, we set out to fill the gap. This classification provides an alternative way to analyse information for constituencies and local authorities. It is not intended as a replacement for other classifications: for many datasets, differences between urban and rural areas are the right thing to capture. But sometimes we can learn more by looking at variation between cities, towns, and villages. See our Insight article published today for some examples.
At its simplest, the classification categorises each constituency and local authority according to the type of settlement in which the largest proportion of its population lives. To achieve this, settlements are classified according to an adjusted version of the taxonomy recently developed by the Centre for Towns:
This classification isn’t intended to resolve long-standing disputes about which settlements deserve to be called ‘cities’, ‘towns’, or ‘villages’. In fact, it takes no account of the ceremonial definition of ‘city’, using the term only as a way to identify larger settlements. For instance, St Albans is identified as a ‘large town’ here because its population is 86,000 – even though it has city status. Luton, on the other hand, doesn’t have city status, but is classified here as an ‘Other City’ because its population is 225,000.
The precise division between ‘large’, ‘medium’ and ‘small’ towns is, to a large extent, subjective. The distinctions used here aim to provide a useful distribution of settlements across six categories for the purposes of analysis at constituency and local authority level.
Settlements classified in South Yorkshire
As noted above, we have made some changes to Centre for Towns' settlement taxonomy in order to create a classification of constituencies and local authorities which best captures variation between different types of areas. Most notably, we have added a new 'Other City' category which captures the largest settlements that are not Core Cities. Because of this, we also altered the thresholds for the lower settlements categories in order to maintain a good distribution of settlements. In addition, we have used only a single category for villages and small communities, since distinctions between smaller settlements are less salient at the constituency and local authority level. Smaller differences and additions to Centre for Towns' taxonomy are explained below.
The analysis matches almost 200,000 Census Output Areas to Built-up-areas and Built-up-area subdivisions* - geographies developed by the Office for National Statistics as part of the census. The set of output areas making up each Built-up-area and subdivision are the boundaries of the settlement for the purposes of this analysis. 2016 population estimates for output areas are then aggregated to estimate the population of each settlement.
The next step is to match each Output Area to a constituency and a local authority on a best-fit basis. Based on this, a population breakdown of each area is produced based on the settlements contained in the constituency.
An area’s City and Town Classification is the category that accounts for the largest percentage of the population. For example, 70% of Lancaster & Fleetwood constituency lives in a medium town, and 30% live in villages (or smaller settlements), so the constituency is classed as a ‘Medium Town’ constituency.
Constituencies classified in South Yorkshire
Some constituencies and local authorities contain a range of different settlement types, meaning that it’s difficult to assign them to a main City and Town Classification. For instance, Redcar and Cleveland local authority is an even split between Medium Town, Other City, Village, and Small Town. To aid with cases like this, a column is provided showing the percentage of the population in each constituency and local authority that lives in the primary classification. For many analyses using the classification it may be appropriate to exclude areas where a relatively small percentage of the population lives in the primary classification, as these may not be representative of the category. The main classification spreadsheets highlight each case where a summary classification does not account for the majority of the population. Alternatively, it may be appropriate to divide an area's data between multiple categories using the flat data sheets in the spreadsheet download.
Some towns form part of a larger conurbation with a core city. For example, the large town of Sutton Coldfield is ‘attached’ to Birmingham, the medium town of West Bridgford forms part of the Nottingham area, and the small town of Caterham is contiguous with London. Constituencies and local authorities in these areas are noted as being ‘in Conurbation’. This allows analysis of whether (for example) towns which are near to core cities have different experiences to towns which are not.
The ‘in conurbation’ flag is only used for towns near core cities – towns that are associated with non-core cities are not listed as conurbations. Also, the flag is used only in cases where towns are roughly contiguous with a core city – for example, while Morley is listed as being ‘in conurbation’ due to its proximity to Leeds, Halifax is not. Much like the decision about where to place the distinction between small/medium/large towns, the decision around whether to count areas as being ‘in conurbation’ is sometimes subjective.
Finally, for core cities only, a distinction is made between London and core cities outside of London. Since London’s population is greater than all other core cities combined, this allows analyses to correct for the fact that London is, on some indicators, unlike other core cities.
The boundaries of core cities include only their main administrative areas and not their broader built-up areas – e.g. the core city of Manchester includes only Manchester built up area subdivision and not Stockport, Salford, Trafford, etc. If you wish to look at trends for broader core cities, then you should include ‘in conurbation’ areas.
* Some of these details apply to England and Wales only: in Scotland, Datazones are used instead of Output Areas, and Localities instead of Built-up-Areas. Note that because built up areas are used as the basis for calculating populations, the populations used for each settlement won’t necessarily match other measures like parish boundaries.
The spreadsheet in the downloads section (below) contains the information needed to undertake your own research using the city & town classification of constituencies and local authorities. It includes:
The output area data is also available as a CSV download.
You can use spreadsheet software to match the geography codes provided with those used in published data, and then aggregate the data using city/town classifications. In Microsoft Excel, for instance, this may involve using the vlookup and pivot table functions.
Constituency and local authority data to use in analysis can be sourced from a range of publishers. We have aggregated a range of data on our website.
ONS Geography, boundary data and lookups
ONS, Population estimates for small areas, 2016
National Records of Scotland, Mid-2016 population estimates
Scottish Government, Settlement and Locality datasets
The House of Commons Library has developed a new classification of constituency and local authority areas according to the size of the settlements people live in. The classification is intended to assist in analysing data, and understanding differences, trends and inequalities across Great Britain. Each constituency and local authority is assigned to...
I am not one of the awkward squad, I trust, in the Chamber today. I hope that I am a paragon of reasonableness, but today I really must protest because my constituency is the elephant in the room. It is one of the two largest constituencies in the United Kingdom....
I am not one of the awkward squad, I trust, in the Chamber today. I hope that I am a paragon of reasonableness, but today I really must protest because my constituency is the elephant in the room. It is one of the two largest constituencies in the United Kingdom....
It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Mr Walker.
Many Members will be familiar with the Dunny-on-the-Wold by-election. The winning candidate, S. Baldric of the Adder party, stood to represent a constituency whose population consisted of three rather mangy cows, a dachshund named Colin and a small hen in...
It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Mr Walker.
Many Members will be familiar with the Dunny-on-the-Wold by-election. The winning candidate, S. Baldric of the Adder party, stood to represent a constituency whose population consisted of three rather mangy cows, a dachshund named Colin and a small hen in...
This has been a good debate, and Members on both sides of the House have demonstrated a desire to take a collaborative approach to counter-terrorism legislation. I am heartened by that, and delighted that we can start the process in that spirit. Every point that I have heard today has...
This has been a good debate, and Members on both sides of the House have demonstrated a desire to take a collaborative approach to counter-terrorism legislation. I am heartened by that, and delighted that we can start the process in that spirit. Every point that I have heard today has...
I am grateful for the opportunity to speak in the debate and to follow some excellent speeches. I hope that we do not have to wait a further 65 years before we have the opportunity to debate this important matter again. My right hon. Friend the Member for Arundel and...
I am grateful for the opportunity to speak in the debate and to follow some excellent speeches. I hope that we do not have to wait a further 65 years before we have the opportunity to debate this important matter again. My right hon. Friend the Member for Arundel and...
It is a delight to speak in this debate. Ironically, if I was not here, I would be back in Torbay, helping to present the “Love Your High Street” awards. One recipient was the Kind Grind in Lucius Street in Torquay and another was a bar called Peaky Blinders in...
It is a delight to speak in this debate. Ironically, if I was not here, I would be back in Torbay, helping to present the “Love Your High Street” awards. One recipient was the Kind Grind in Lucius Street in Torquay and another was a bar called Peaky Blinders in...
On the high street, there are very few things sadder than a boarded up storefront. It is the sign of a dream denied, a lost opportunity and of course lost jobs. I will not deny that in Stirling city centre we are finding it tough. On Friday afternoon, I spent...
On the high street, there are very few things sadder than a boarded up storefront. It is the sign of a dream denied, a lost opportunity and of course lost jobs. I will not deny that in Stirling city centre we are finding it tough. On Friday afternoon, I spent...
I know the points the hon. Gentleman will make, so I hope he will forgive me if I do not allow him to intervene. Time is pressing.
The hon. Member for Ellesmere Port and Neston (Justin Madders) made an interesting speech in which he talked particularly about the loss of banks....
I know the points the hon. Gentleman will make, so I hope he will forgive me if I do not allow him to intervene. Time is pressing.
The hon. Member for Ellesmere Port and Neston (Justin Madders) made an interesting speech in which he talked particularly about the loss of banks....
It is a privilege to speak in this important debate. I would like to recognise the expertise of many members of the Transport Committee, on which I have the honour of serving.
Listening to the debate, I cannot help feeling a sense of déjà vu. The shortcomings of privatisation and the...
It is a privilege to speak in this important debate. I would like to recognise the expertise of many members of the Transport Committee, on which I have the honour of serving.
Listening to the debate, I cannot help feeling a sense of déjà vu. The shortcomings of privatisation and the...
After eight years of the Government’s austerity agenda, the NHS is on its knees. People in Lincoln commonly wait hours for an ambulance, including those having a heart attack. If a Health Minister happens to be in Lincoln any time soon, they might want to ask about that, because call-to-balloon...
After eight years of the Government’s austerity agenda, the NHS is on its knees. People in Lincoln commonly wait hours for an ambulance, including those having a heart attack. If a Health Minister happens to be in Lincoln any time soon, they might want to ask about that, because call-to-balloon...
It is a pleasure to follow the hon. Member for Harrow East (Bob Blackman). Some Members may be wondering why I, a Welsh Member, am speaking in this debate, because housing is devolved to the National Assembly for Wales, and the Welsh
Government will be bringing their own Bill before...
It is a pleasure to follow the hon. Member for Harrow East (Bob Blackman). Some Members may be wondering why I, a Welsh Member, am speaking in this debate, because housing is devolved to the National Assembly for Wales, and the Welsh
Government will be bringing their own Bill before...
It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Sir Henry. It is also a pleasure to speak to this report. I commend the Committee for it. It is a very interesting read, and I am pleased to hear that the Minister and the Charity Commission in England will pay...
It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Sir Henry. It is also a pleasure to speak to this report. I commend the Committee for it. It is a very interesting read, and I am pleased to hear that the Minister and the Charity Commission in England will pay...
Update (5 September 2018): The Combat Air Strategy was published on 16 July 2018. A new library briefing paper - The Combat Air Strategy: From Typhoon to 'Tempest'? - provides a short overview of the strategy and replaces the briefing paper below.
This briefing paper - Prospects for Combat Air: What follows Typhoon and Lightning? - was written before the Strategy was published and provides a more detailed analysis of the RAF's current and future combat aircraft fleet (up to Lightning), the UK aerospace industry and recent developments in the UK/France and France/Germany future combat aircraft sector. It also provides some context to calls for the Strategy and Parliamentary debate. It also contains a very short discussion of a potential defence space strategy. This will be the subject of a forthcoming library paper.
Update (5 September 2018): The Combat Air Strategy was published on 16 July 2018. A new library briefing paper - The Combat Air Strategy: From Typhoon to 'Tempest'? - provides a short overview of the strategy and replaces the briefing paper below.
This briefing paper - Prospects for Combat Air:...
I recognise that for some employers, particularly microbusinesses in which there might be only two, three or even four employees, it is not about wanting to be nasty, but about the position of a business that is operating hand to mouth incurring the costs of agency staff and so on....
I recognise that for some employers, particularly microbusinesses in which there might be only two, three or even four employees, it is not about wanting to be nasty, but about the position of a business that is operating hand to mouth incurring the costs of agency staff and so on....
Thank you, Mr Rosindell; it is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship.
I also thank my hon. Friend the Member for Havant (Alan Mak) for securing this debate and for being part of the all-party parliamentary group for UK Islands. His presence here is very welcome and he spoke very...
Thank you, Mr Rosindell; it is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship.
I also thank my hon. Friend the Member for Havant (Alan Mak) for securing this debate and for being part of the all-party parliamentary group for UK Islands. His presence here is very welcome and he spoke very...
The right hon. Gentleman makes a very good point, and I am happy to take that correction. Post-Brexit, we need to change the rules for farming so that we have smaller abattoirs or mobile slaughtermen who can kill animals humanely on the farm to allow them to go into the...
The right hon. Gentleman makes a very good point, and I am happy to take that correction. Post-Brexit, we need to change the rules for farming so that we have smaller abattoirs or mobile slaughtermen who can kill animals humanely on the farm to allow them to go into the...
My Lords, with regard to Amendment 1, the noble Baroness, Lady Randerson, and I are in complete accord that the Bill is far too narrowly drafted. We have here a sizeable opportunity for the United Kingdom and one that is part of our industrial strategy, yet we are introducing a...
My Lords, with regard to Amendment 1, the noble Baroness, Lady Randerson, and I are in complete accord that the Bill is far too narrowly drafted. We have here a sizeable opportunity for the United Kingdom and one that is part of our industrial strategy, yet we are introducing a...
The hon. Gentleman speaks with wisdom and experience. No doubt, he too has looked at the European position, which is completely the opposite of the one taken by the RCVS. There is a European directive on organic products, which states in article 24(2) of Commission regulation (EC) No. 889/2008, that
“Phytotherapeutic”—
that...
The hon. Gentleman speaks with wisdom and experience. No doubt, he too has looked at the European position, which is completely the opposite of the one taken by the RCVS. There is a European directive on organic products, which states in article 24(2) of Commission regulation (EC) No. 889/2008, that
“Phytotherapeutic”—
that...
One or two things have been “going off”, as they say nowadays, for the last few weeks, including questions and marches.
To sum up, in veterinary medicine there is room for all. Of course there is room for conventional medicine; we cannot produce a calf from a struggling cow unless we...
One or two things have been “going off”, as they say nowadays, for the last few weeks, including questions and marches.
To sum up, in veterinary medicine there is room for all. Of course there is room for conventional medicine; we cannot produce a calf from a struggling cow unless we...
HMRC publishes data on businesses that import from and export to non-EU countries (equivalent data on trade with EU countries does not exist). The information published is business name, address and the type of goods being traded.
The spreadsheet below lists these businesses (as of January 2018) by constituency, along with a description of the type of goods that are traded. Goods are classified according to the EU’s Combined Nomenclature (CN). This classification determines the rate of customs duty to be levied on the goods when they enter the EU, and is also used for trade statistics.
However, it should be noted that the data:
The spreadsheet only displays up to three different categories of goods imported or exported per business. Some businesses import and/or export across more than three categories of goods. The complete, detailed breakdown of the type of goods traded can be found by searching for the business in question in HMRC’s Exporter details page and Importer details page.
HMRC publishes data on businesses that import from and export to non-EU countries (equivalent data on trade with EU countries does not exist). The information published is business name, address and the type of goods being traded.
The spreadsheet below lists these businesses (as of January 2018) by constituency,...
My Lords, finally we have a chance to debate a report that the Select Committee, of which I was a member, produced over a year ago under what I might call the benign and able chairmanship of my noble friend Lord Patel. The bland response from the Government could have...
My Lords, finally we have a chance to debate a report that the Select Committee, of which I was a member, produced over a year ago under what I might call the benign and able chairmanship of my noble friend Lord Patel. The bland response from the Government could have...
My Lords, in my 20-odd years in your Lordships’ House I have lost count of the number of times I have spoken on health and social care issues and called attention to the challenges of maintaining and developing a system of health and care on which we all depend. Like...
My Lords, in my 20-odd years in your Lordships’ House I have lost count of the number of times I have spoken on health and social care issues and called attention to the challenges of maintaining and developing a system of health and care on which we all depend. Like...
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This brief provides: · A statistical overview of the area covered by Transport for the South East (Medway, Kent, Surrey, Hampshire, East and West Sussex, the Isle of Wight and the Berkshire Local Transport Body area); · An overview of Transport for the South East (TfSE), its priorities and the devolved context within which it sits; · An overview of key transport infrastructure in the TfSE area, including ports, airports, rail and road networks; and · Some key transport challenges for the TfSE area, including cross-area connectivity, Dover, Gatwick and the road and rail networks. |
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This brief provides: · A statistical overview of the area covered by Transport for the South East (Medway, Kent, Surrey, Hampshire, East and West Sussex, the Isle of Wight and the Berkshire Local Transport Body area); · An overview of Transport for the... |
My Lords, it is really me. Is the Minister aware that a recent report from Canada showed that children who were fed on whole milk for the first eight years of their life were much healthier than those not, and they were not obese? Why on earth did we ever start skimming milk when human breast milk has the same amount of fat as cows’ milk? As far as I know, we have not started skimming human breast milk yet.
My Lords, it is really me. Is the Minister aware that a recent report from Canada showed that children who were fed on whole milk for the first eight years of their life were much healthier than those not, and they were not obese? Why on earth did we ever start skimming milk when human breast milk has the same amount of fat as cows’ milk? As far as I know, we have not started skimming human breast milk yet.
I am trying to imagine how that might work. The noble Lord makes an important point which he also made in a debate the other day, that our understanding of dietary needs is changing. In some ways, we are rediscovering old truths about the importance of fat and reduction of sugar. That is part of the approach that Public Health England is promoting.
I absolutely agree. The value of the creative industries to our economy is not simply in the money they bring in; it is in creating our culture and events for young people to enjoy, as well as bringing tourists to the country and maintaining that industry. The problem we face...
I absolutely agree. The value of the creative industries to our economy is not simply in the money they bring in; it is in creating our culture and events for young people to enjoy, as well as bringing tourists to the country and maintaining that industry. The problem we face...
I thank my hon. Friend for her intervention, and I will never stop speaking out about all forms of racism, including anti-Semitism.
I say that I have spoken out, but it is important to say that I have been able to speak out because I am resilient, but at a later...
I thank my hon. Friend for her intervention, and I will never stop speaking out about all forms of racism, including anti-Semitism.
I say that I have spoken out, but it is important to say that I have been able to speak out because I am resilient, but at a later...
Between the revolutions of 1688-89 and the Great Recession of the late 2000s, the amount of money both collected and spent by the government increased dramatically, from less than 10% of GDP to well over 30%.
Much of the government’s money was raised and spent on the wars it fought during this period. The Napoleonic Wars in particular cost an immense amount of money, and military spending still made up the majority of all government spending right into the mid-nineteenth century.
An increasing proportion of spending also went on the civil service, poverty relief, and a number of other areas. Total civil spending in 1692 came to a modern-day equivalent of around £90 million, roughly equivalent now to the spending of public bodies like Historic England. Spending on all of these areas began to accelerate in the nineteenth century, but only started to approach modern levels with the establishment of the welfare state after the Second World War.
Money was raised to support this spending through two major streams: taxation and debt. Both saw temporary increases in times of war, with large step changes after the two World Wars of the twentieth century. The makeup of taxes has also changed, with taxes on products and production making up the vast majority of tax income over the last three centuries, only being overtaken by taxes on income and wealth in the twentieth century.
Debt has also increased, although its current level (as a percentage of GDP) is well below where it was during both the Napoleonic Wars and the World Wars. Both the national debt and the deficit are at levels that are not historically unusual, although recent years have seen economic shocks making impacts previously only seen in times of war.
The government has tried other ways of raising money over the years, through annuities, lotteries, and other more esoteric methods. Some of these are still in existence, although some (such as the Post Office) no longer contribute to the public finances.
Parliamentary scrutiny of the public finances has ebbed and flowed in its intensity, with a general trend for more scrutiny over the years. Some recent changes look to be improving this even further.
Between the revolutions of 1688-89 and the Great Recession of the late 2000s, the amount of money both collected and spent by the government increased dramatically, from less than 10% of GDP to well over 30%.
Much of the government’s money was raised and spent...
Today is a political lesson in never giving up. Despite all the lobbying noise of vested interests, constant denials of market failure and numerous attempts to persuade energy bill payers to shop around, the Government could no longer ignore the fact that the majority of energy bill payers were—and are—being...
Today is a political lesson in never giving up. Despite all the lobbying noise of vested interests, constant denials of market failure and numerous attempts to persuade energy bill payers to shop around, the Government could no longer ignore the fact that the majority of energy bill payers were—and are—being...
My Lords, I support the noble Baroness, Lady Jones of Moulsecoomb, on Amendment 30, to which I have added my name. Coming as it does after the previous vital group of amendments on family law, this group is on a very different aspect of the impact of the Bill. As...
My Lords, I support the noble Baroness, Lady Jones of Moulsecoomb, on Amendment 30, to which I have added my name. Coming as it does after the previous vital group of amendments on family law, this group is on a very different aspect of the impact of the Bill. As...
My Lords, I thank the Minister for his response and all noble Lords who have contributed to the debate. I would like to offer them all a hug but I fear I might be infringing HR regulations. I am aware that the Whips have been looking anxiously at the clock...
My Lords, I thank the Minister for his response and all noble Lords who have contributed to the debate. I would like to offer them all a hug but I fear I might be infringing HR regulations. I am aware that the Whips have been looking anxiously at the clock...
My Lords, I declare an interest as the owner of a few Red Poll cattle, which are the local cows of my part of Suffolk. I also was one of the longest-serving Ministers of Agriculture, and this is a matter of very great importance to me. I hope that my...
My Lords, I declare an interest as the owner of a few Red Poll cattle, which are the local cows of my part of Suffolk. I also was one of the longest-serving Ministers of Agriculture, and this is a matter of very great importance to me. I hope that my...
Having spent many hours with the Dowler family, Christopher Jefferies and many others, may I say on behalf of all the victims that many of us will feel that the Secretary of State has shoved another little knife in our heart? In all honesty, we had hoped that the promises...
Having spent many hours with the Dowler family, Christopher Jefferies and many others, may I say on behalf of all the victims that many of us will feel that the Secretary of State has shoved another little knife in our heart? In all honesty, we had hoped that the promises...
I am grateful for the opportunity to talk about this very important health issue. I should first declare an interest as an active member of the all-party parliamentary group on diabetes, ably chaired and led by my right hon. Friend the Member for Leicester East (Keith Vaz).
We have come a...
I am grateful for the opportunity to talk about this very important health issue. I should first declare an interest as an active member of the all-party parliamentary group on diabetes, ably chaired and led by my right hon. Friend the Member for Leicester East (Keith Vaz).
We have come a...
It is a pleasure, as always, to see you in the Chair, Mr Hollobone. I commend the hon. Member for St Austell and Newquay (Steve Double) for opening the debate on behalf of the Petitions Committee. Before I move to the substance of my speech and the Scottish National party’s...
It is a pleasure, as always, to see you in the Chair, Mr Hollobone. I commend the hon. Member for St Austell and Newquay (Steve Double) for opening the debate on behalf of the Petitions Committee. Before I move to the substance of my speech and the Scottish National party’s...
I thank the Foreign Secretary for that response. Last week, 527 people were killed in Ghouta, including 129 children. The bombardment killed over 250 people in just two days—the deadliest 48 hours in the conflict since the 2013 gas attack, also on Ghouta. This House failed them then; now surely...
I thank the Foreign Secretary for that response. Last week, 527 people were killed in Ghouta, including 129 children. The bombardment killed over 250 people in just two days—the deadliest 48 hours in the conflict since the 2013 gas attack, also on Ghouta. This House failed them then; now surely...
I congratulate the hon. Member for Leeds North West (Alex Sobel) on bringing this debate to Westminster Hall for consideration. I am pleased to participate and to see whether we can persuade the Minister to do what everyone wants her to do: put more focus on basketball in this place...
I congratulate the hon. Member for Leeds North West (Alex Sobel) on bringing this debate to Westminster Hall for consideration. I am pleased to participate and to see whether we can persuade the Minister to do what everyone wants her to do: put more focus on basketball in this place...
My Lords, I too welcome the Bill. I hope we will be able to persuade this House and the Government to strengthen it a bit because we need a Bill that is capable of dealing with standards, as many noble Lords have said, and we need to respond to emerging...
My Lords, I too welcome the Bill. I hope we will be able to persuade this House and the Government to strengthen it a bit because we need a Bill that is capable of dealing with standards, as many noble Lords have said, and we need to respond to emerging...
I thank the hon. Gentleman for his series of questions. He asked first about the economic analysis of the impact of Brexit on different parts of the United—United!—Kingdom. He will be aware that a room in Parliament Street has been made available to Members who wish to look at that...
I thank the hon. Gentleman for his series of questions. He asked first about the economic analysis of the impact of Brexit on different parts of the United—United!—Kingdom. He will be aware that a room in Parliament Street has been made available to Members who wish to look at that...
My Lords, I am sure I am not alone in your Lordships’ House in having had an initial feeling of guilt in taking part in this debate. As the noble and learned Lord, Lord Hope, has said, the inconveniences that this decision will entail will in all probability not affect...
My Lords, I am sure I am not alone in your Lordships’ House in having had an initial feeling of guilt in taking part in this debate. As the noble and learned Lord, Lord Hope, has said, the inconveniences that this decision will entail will in all probability not affect...
I completely agree with the hon. Gentleman.
How are my constituents meant to afford these excessive costs? Hard-working nurses, doctors, porters, cleaners and receptionists go to work to help people. Those hard-working staff are paying £1,680 a year to support families whose loved ones are dying. They are paying £1,680 a...
I completely agree with the hon. Gentleman.
How are my constituents meant to afford these excessive costs? Hard-working nurses, doctors, porters, cleaners and receptionists go to work to help people. Those hard-working staff are paying £1,680 a year to support families whose loved ones are dying. They are paying £1,680 a...
I congratulate the right hon. Member for Harlow (Robert Halfon) on securing this important debate.
It is clear from hon. Members’ speeches that the scandal of hospital parking charges must come to an end. Gravely ill people and people visiting relatives while in a state of distress should not be treated...
I congratulate the right hon. Member for Harlow (Robert Halfon) on securing this important debate.
It is clear from hon. Members’ speeches that the scandal of hospital parking charges must come to an end. Gravely ill people and people visiting relatives while in a state of distress should not be treated...
The hon. Lady is making a compelling case, as have most Members. Public transport has its place for out-patients and so on, where it is available, but imagine someone going into labour and saying, “Can I wait for the No. 2 bus, please?” This is farcical. We need car parks...
The hon. Lady is making a compelling case, as have most Members. Public transport has its place for out-patients and so on, where it is available, but imagine someone going into labour and saying, “Can I wait for the No. 2 bus, please?” This is farcical. We need car parks...
It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Mr Bone, and to start the summing up speeches.
We have had an interesting debate, but the most interesting aspect of it was what nobody said. Despite the fact that the overwhelming majority of those who spoke were Conservative MPs, nobody suggested...
It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Mr Bone, and to start the summing up speeches.
We have had an interesting debate, but the most interesting aspect of it was what nobody said. Despite the fact that the overwhelming majority of those who spoke were Conservative MPs, nobody suggested...
My Lords, that was not a warm-up act; it was a very moving and powerful speech, and I echo much of what the noble Lord said. I too felt obliged to speak today for similar reasons. I have two sons who are much older than his children—they are in their...
My Lords, that was not a warm-up act; it was a very moving and powerful speech, and I echo much of what the noble Lord said. I too felt obliged to speak today for similar reasons. I have two sons who are much older than his children—they are in their...
It is a circumstance of the urgency and the emergency in this country of this great and unfolding tragedy.
I appeal today, therefore, to the cowed bunch of pro-EU Tory MPs, for whom I have great respect, to find the strength to put country before party and save Britain, especially for...
It is a circumstance of the urgency and the emergency in this country of this great and unfolding tragedy.
I appeal today, therefore, to the cowed bunch of pro-EU Tory MPs, for whom I have great respect, to find the strength to put country before party and save Britain, especially for...
As ever, Mr Deputy Speaker, it is a pleasure and a privilege to serve under your chairmanship. It is also a pleasure to follow the right hon. and learned Member for Rushcliffe (Mr Clarke).
In the referendum, people were asked to decide whether or not we should leave the European Union....
As ever, Mr Deputy Speaker, it is a pleasure and a privilege to serve under your chairmanship. It is also a pleasure to follow the right hon. and learned Member for Rushcliffe (Mr Clarke).
In the referendum, people were asked to decide whether or not we should leave the European Union....
My Lords, it is now a year since your Lordships’ House began its debate on the Article 50 Bill and 10 months since the article itself was triggered. It is generally agreed that both the withdrawal agreement and the agreement on our future relations with the EU have to be...
My Lords, it is now a year since your Lordships’ House began its debate on the Article 50 Bill and 10 months since the article itself was triggered. It is generally agreed that both the withdrawal agreement and the agreement on our future relations with the EU have to be...
Further to that point of order, Madam Deputy Speaker. I think I saw the hon. Member for Portsmouth South (Stephen Morgan) down on my island during Cowes Week last year, sitting in a VIP tent, so I presume that he was there in part because of his role as a...
Further to that point of order, Madam Deputy Speaker. I think I saw the hon. Member for Portsmouth South (Stephen Morgan) down on my island during Cowes Week last year, sitting in a VIP tent, so I presume that he was there in part because of his role as a...
It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Mr Hanson. This is my first opportunity to respond to a Westminster Hall debate, so I trust that you will be gentle with me.
I pay warm tribute to the hon. Member for Clwyd South (Susan Elan Jones), not only for introducing...
It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Mr Hanson. This is my first opportunity to respond to a Westminster Hall debate, so I trust that you will be gentle with me.
I pay warm tribute to the hon. Member for Clwyd South (Susan Elan Jones), not only for introducing...
The data in this briefing relates to 2017. For up to date data, please see our dashboard Constituency data: broadband coverage and speeds.
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Ofcom releases annual data on broadband connectivity and speeds for fixed lines at postcode level as part of its Connected Nations report. We have analysed this data to produce estimates of connectivity in the UK's constituencies and wards.
You can download a data file at the bottom of this page featuring full data for each constituency and ward in the UK. For more information on the UK Government's proposed Universal Service Obligation, see our briefing paper.
According to our analysis of Ofcom's data, the average download speed for fixed broadband lines in the UK was 44.6 Mbps in May 2017 - up from 37.8 Mbps in 2016. However, there is a wide range of speeds being received across the country. For those with superfast lines (over 30 Mbps), the average download speed is 77.3 Mbps. But for those without superfast lines, the average is 11.8 Mbps - 74% lower than the overall average. Meanwhile 2.3% of lines are receiving speeds under 2 Mbps, 24% of lines are receiving speeds under 10 Mbps, and 49% are receieving superfast speeds (over 30 Mbps).
Speeds also vary in different parts of the UK. The table below shows the ten constituencies with the highest speeds. Note that York has the highest take-up of 'ultrafast' lines (those capable of delivering speeds over 300 Mbps) in the UK, which helps to explain why its two constituencies rank highest here. The lowest average speeds are found in Ross, Skye & Lochaber (19.1 Mbps), Orkney & Shetland (19.3 Mbps), Arfon (20 Mbps), and the Cities of London and Westminster (20 Mbps).
The average download speed being received in a constituency depends on a number of different factors. Higher superfast availability can lead to higher average speeds. However, speeds are also dependent on take-up of superfast services - some consumers choose not to subscribe to superfast packages, which may result in lower averages in some areas. 49% of lines are receiving superfast speeds, compared with availability of 91%.
Differences in average speeds don't just depend on superfast availability and takeup. For example, Ilford South and Sleaford constituencies have approximately the same percentage of lines receiving superfast speeds - but the average download speed in Ilford South is 53 Mbps, 36% higher than the 39 Mbps average in Sleaford. Other factors, such as the distance between the premises and the cabinet, can have an effect.
In May 2017 around 3% of premises couldn't receive 'decent' download speeds - defined by Ofcom as 10 Mbps. The inability to receive 10 Mbps is an eligibility criterion for the planned Universal Service Obligation.
In the majority of constituencies, less than 2% of lines were unable to receive 10 Mbps. However, there are parts of the UK where the figure was much higher. The table below shows our estimate of the ten constituencies with the highest proportion of lines unable to receive decent download speeds.
The example map below shows an example of how, even in areas with generally good connectivity, there were still some postcodes where all lines are unable to receive 10 Mbps.
Ofcom defines 'superfast' speeds as over 30 Mbps, in contrast to the UK Government's definition of 24 Mbps. On Ofcom's definition, around 91.4% of premises in the UK had a line capable of delivering superfast download speeds in May 2017. This is up from 88.0% in 2016.
In 255 of 650 UK constituencies, superfast availability was above 95% of premises. 57 constituencies had availability below 80%. The table below shows the ten constituencies with the lowest estimated availability in 2017.
Around 2% of premises could recieve fibre direct to the property in May 2017. Also known as "full fibre", this technology can deliver ultrafast speeds in excess of 300 Mbps. 35 of 650 constituencies had full fibre availability over 10%, with the highest being 64% in Hull West & Hessle. Two-thirds of constituencies had less than 1% availability of full-fibre services.
As one would expect, urban areas have better connectivity on average than rural areas. The table below shows our analysis of Ofcom's data at LSOA level in England and Wales. Urban areas had superfast availability of 95% in May 2017, compared with 66% for rural villages. Average download speeds in villages & hamlets are were just over half those in urban areas.
The urban/rural pattern is not quite so simple as it may seem above. City centres, especially in large cities, often have poorer connectivity than surrounding suburban areas. The example map below shows Manchester. Orange areas in the city centre are receiving slower average speeds, and purple areas in the suburbs are receiving higher average speeds.
Manchester is not unusual in this regard - the same effect can also be seen in London, Birmingham, Nottingham, Leeds and Glasgow, among other places.
This map shows which parts of the UK couldn't receive superfast broadband as of May 2017. A PDF version is available to download below.
Aside from Ofcom, other sources also produce estimates of broadband coverage and speeds in the UK. Because different sources use different methods, and often cover different time periods, you should exercise caution in comparing the data presented here with other sources. When comparing with other sources, apparent differences in coverage levels in a particular location might be evidence of an change in coverage over time, but in some cases the difference may be better explained by differing methods of data gathering or estimation.
Note that some sources use the lower 24 Mbps measure of superfast broadband, rather than the 30 Mbps used by Ofcom, which can lead to apparent differences in local areas.
The data in this briefing relates to 2017. For up to date data, please see our dashboard Constituency data: broadband coverage and speeds.
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Ofcom releases annual data on broadband connectivity and speeds for fixed lines at postcode level as part of its Connected Nations report. We have...
I beg to move,
That this House has considered e-petition 200165 relating to leaving the European Union.
The e-petition states:
“Leave the EU immediately
The Government should walk away from the Article 50 negotiations and leave the EU immediately with no deal. The EU looks set to offer us a punishment deal out of...
I beg to move,
That this House has considered e-petition 200165 relating to leaving the European Union.
The e-petition states:
“Leave the EU immediately
The Government should walk away from the Article 50 negotiations and leave the EU immediately with no deal. The EU looks set to offer us a punishment deal out of...
When the UK leaves the EU (expected to be 29 March 2019), the UK’s relationship with EU law, the EU Treaties, Court of Justice rulings and other elements of the EU acquis will change. Even if, during a transition period, the UK continues to apply the acquis, it will be as a third state outside the EU. This new, unprecedented relationship has yet to be defined, and transition will be the main subject of phase two of the Brexit negotiations.
The European Union (Withdrawal) Bill currently going through Parliament creates a new category of domestic law for the UK: ‘retained EU law’, which will consist of all of the converted EU law and preserved EU-related domestic law in force the day before exit day.[1]
The debate about retained EU law has been largely about EU regulations and directives, with Decisions - which include a large and diverse range of EU acts - not much discussed. Some types of EU decisions are ‘exempt’ from preservation under the Bill, yet EU foreign policy decisions are the basis for many important UK obligations, in sanctions against third states and individuals, and arms export controls, for example. While some of these obligations will be upheld under clause 8 of the EUW Bill and provisions in other Bills, it is possible that there will be gaps.
EU decisions are a major category of EU acts – there are around 7,500.[2]
There are different types of EU decisions:
They have different purposes and are adopted using different procedures, depending on their nature, Treaty base and subject matter.
Under Article 288 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU), decisions are “binding in their entirety”. If they are addressed to a specific State, person or company, they are binding only on them and directly applicable.
Legislative decisions of the Council of the EU (comprising ministers from the Member States) or the EP and Council together are usually adopted using the Ordinary Legislative Procedure (OLP - co-decision) by a Qualified Majority Vote (QMV), or by the Council with the participation of the EP (consultation) under the special legislative procedure.
In the former Justice and Home Affairs ‘third pillar’ of the EU, decisions were taken by unanimity in sensitive areas such as immigration, asylum, border controls and cooperation in policing and criminal matters. Here, Member States cooperated ‘inter-governmentally’, without supranational law-making. The Lisbon Treaty incorporated JHA into Title V, the Area of Freedom, Security and Justice (AFSJ), in the Treaty on the Functioning of the EU. Since December 2009 AFSJ decisions have been taken mostly by QMV in the Council and with the European Parliament (the OLP). The UK has opt-out and opt-in arrangements in these areas in two Protocols (19 and 21) attached to the Treaties, so only certain provisions apply.
Lisbon also abolished framework decisions, which, like directives in the EC/EU ‘first pillar’, left the method of implementation to the Member States.
Non-legislative decisions of the Council usually implement the Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP). In Title V of the Treaty on European Union (TEU) on the EU’s external action and the CFSP, decisions are taken by the Council, while the Commission, EP and the Court of Justice of the EU (CJEU) have only a minor role.
Non-legislative Council decisions are also made before the opening of EU treaty negotiations and on the signing and conclusion of international agreements. The text of the agreement may be attached to the decision relating to it. Votes are taken by QM or by unanimity, depending on the subject matter of the agreement.
Under Articles 106 and 108 TFEU the European Commission also addresses decisions to Member States on competition rules and state aid.
The European Union (Withdrawal) Bill (the EUW Bill) cuts off the source of EU law in the UK by repealing the European Communities Act 1972 (ECA) and removing the competence of EU institutions to legislate for the UK.
Clauses 2 and 3 of the EUW Bill provide for directly effective EU decisions to become part of the new body of ‘retained EU law’ in the UK if they apply here at the point of Brexit.
Certain non-legislative Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP) decisions, and decisions on the conclusion of external agreements, might not be retained or converted.
Clause 8 of the Bill allows the Government to make provisions to prevent or remedy any breaches of the UK’s international obligations that might arise from Brexit.
The Commons Library Briefing 8079, European Union (Withdrawal) Bill covers all the provisions in the Bill, and was published on 1 September 2017. A series of briefings has been published on the Commons Committee stage. These are all available on the Parliamentary Brexit website, Brexit: next steps in UK's withdrawal from the EU.
Other Bills have been announced or have already been introduced, which aim to adjust and amend law and policies which cannot be achieved by the EUW Bill.
A new Sanctions and Anti-Money Laundering Bill will provide for EU decisions retained under the EUW Bill to be amended by secondary legislation, in line with future Government policy and in order to comply with UN and other international obligations.
EU decisions on the conclusion of EU Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) with third countries will not be retained, but a new Trade Bill includes provisions for the implementation of new agreements with partner countries which correspond to the EU’s current FTAs and other trade agreements in place before Brexit.
The Nuclear Safeguards Bill makes provision for nuclear safeguards after the UK leaves the European Atomic Energy Community (Euratom – which is a separate legal entity from the EU, but governed by the EU’s institutions). The Bill would allow the Government to make regulations for and implement international agreements on nuclear safeguarding. The new clause 76A of the Energy Act 2013, as inserted by clause 1 of this Bill, includes the first reference to ‘retained EU law’ outside the EUW Bill.
The Taxation (Cross-border Trade) Bill (the ‘Customs Bill’) would allow the Government to create a functioning customs, VAT and excise regime for the UK after Brexit. It also contains trade defence measures to protect UK industry from unfair competition from abroad and provisions on trade preferences which allow imports from developing countries to benefit from reduced customs duties.
Other primary legislation was announced in the Queen’s Speech (on immigration, agriculture and fisheries) and others might yet be needed, with further secondary powers allowing the Government to adapt UK law to the post-Brexit situation and probably for a transition period.
When the UK leaves the EU (expected to be 29 March 2019), the UK’s relationship with EU law, the EU Treaties, Court of Justice rulings and other elements of the EU acquis will change. Even if, during a transition period, the UK continues to apply the...
I rise to speak as the vice-chair of the British-Irish Parliamentary Assembly and the all-party parliamentary group on Ireland and the Irish in Britain. Despite the border being one of the principal issues in the phase 1 agreement, there has been very little debate or understanding in this House about...
I rise to speak as the vice-chair of the British-Irish Parliamentary Assembly and the all-party parliamentary group on Ireland and the Irish in Britain. Despite the border being one of the principal issues in the phase 1 agreement, there has been very little debate or understanding in this House about...
I beg to move,
That this House has considered local government funding on the Isle of Wight.
It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Ms Dorries. I am most grateful to the Minister for attending, and I extend to him an invitation to visit my wonderful constituency. I want to...
I beg to move,
That this House has considered local government funding on the Isle of Wight.
It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Ms Dorries. I am most grateful to the Minister for attending, and I extend to him an invitation to visit my wonderful constituency. I want to...
It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Ms Dorries, in my first Westminster Hall debate in my new role. I congratulate my hon. Friend the Member for Isle of Wight (Mr Seely) on securing this vital debate. In the short time that he has been in Parliament, he...
It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Ms Dorries, in my first Westminster Hall debate in my new role. I congratulate my hon. Friend the Member for Isle of Wight (Mr Seely) on securing this vital debate. In the short time that he has been in Parliament, he...
The hon. Lady makes a good point. I talk about the threat from the east because I would like to bring this in a bit later and I am trying to finish a thesis on contemporary Russian warfare. But she is right that in many ways the non-conventional warfare threat—migration...
The hon. Lady makes a good point. I talk about the threat from the east because I would like to bring this in a bit later and I am trying to finish a thesis on contemporary Russian warfare. But she is right that in many ways the non-conventional warfare threat—migration...
It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Mr Bone. I, too, congratulate the hon. Member for Worthing West (Sir Peter Bottomley) on securing the debate, on the way he has, alongside my hon. Friend the Member for Poplar and Limehouse (Jim Fitzpatrick), campaigned on the many abuses in...
It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Mr Bone. I, too, congratulate the hon. Member for Worthing West (Sir Peter Bottomley) on securing the debate, on the way he has, alongside my hon. Friend the Member for Poplar and Limehouse (Jim Fitzpatrick), campaigned on the many abuses in...
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