Tag: Lord Palmer

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Palmer on 2016-05-03.

To ask the Chairman of Committees how much the Members’ Personal Safety and Security pamphlet cost to produce and distribute to members.

Lord Laming

The Lords Members’ Personal Safety and Security booklets cost £673.02 to design and print. We take the security of Members extremely seriously and regularly update our advice and guidance on the steps they can take to help keep themselves, their staff and their families safe. This was a longstanding, routine update on a booklet which has previously existed in a number of different editions.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Palmer on 2015-11-24.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the impact that the EU Tobacco Products Directive will have on the independent retail sector in the UK.

Lord Prior of Brampton

The Department assesses the impact of all proposed measures before laying legislation using standard government methodology. These assessments are set out in Impact Assessments which are scrutinised by the Regulatory Policy Committee before publication alongside the Statutory Instrument. Impact Assessments specifically look at the impacts on small and micro businesses including retailers. All of the tobacco measures contain commitments to further review the impact of the legislation within five years of them coming into force.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Palmer on 2016-05-10.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many times the cross-department ministerial group to tackle illicit trade in tobacco has met since it was announced in the budget of March 2015; and whether they will set out the membership of that group, the issues that were discussed at each meeting and the intended outcomes.

Lord O’Neill of Gatley

The cross-department ministerial group to tackle illicit tobacco will meet for the first time later this month. This follows a number of productive meetings between officials in HMRC and other departments to identify the challenges and opportunities in the UK and internationally and determine a clear agenda for ministerial action. Further details on the group will be issued in due course.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Palmer on 2015-11-24.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the link between rates of smoking prevalence and the level of tobacco control, as measured by the OECD.

Lord Prior of Brampton

The Government considers international comparisons of tobacco control produced by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development and other organisations, such as Joossens and Raw’s Tobacco Control Scale in Europe, which ranks the United Kingdom as number one in tobacco control activity of 34 European countries.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Palmer on 2016-05-23.

To ask the Chairman of Committees how much it cost to refurbish the Cholmondeley Room toilets, and why those toilets were out of service so soon after their six-month refurbishment.

Lord Laming

The works to the Cholmondeley Room toilets are not yet completed. They should be completed in the next month. The estimated budget is £650,000 (of which the Lords’ share is 40%).

A number of unforeseen technical difficulties mean that the works are slightly behind schedule; although two of the toilets have re-opened, some underlying problems are still being resolved.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Palmer on 2015-11-24.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what legal basis the WHO’s Framework Convention on Tobacco Control has in English law.

Lord Prior of Brampton

The World Health Organization’s Framework Convention on Tobacco Control is an international treaty establishing general guidelines and principles for international governance on tobacco control. The United Kingdom ratified the Treaty in 2004 and takes its obligations under the Convention very seriously.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Palmer on 2015-11-24.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether the Department of Health has sought independent legal advice in respect of the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, and if so, whether they will place a copy of that advice in the Library of the House.

Lord Prior of Brampton

Any legal advice the Department may have obtained in respect of this, or any other issue, is subject to the usual provisions relating to legal professional privilege and as such will not be disclosed.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Palmer on 2015-11-24.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government which contracts awarded by the Department of Health have conditions within them relating to the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, and in each case, whether legal advice was taken before the issuing of that tender.

Lord Prior of Brampton

The Government takes its obligations as a Party to the World Health Organization’s Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) very seriously, including the obligation to protect public health policy from the vested interests of the tobacco industry.

The Department considers the detail of Invitation to Tender (ITT) and contract documentation, including the legal aspects, on a case by case basis. The standard documentation includes a requirement to declare actual or potential conflicts of interest and some ITTs make specific reference to FCTC obligations.

This issue is considered as part of the evaluation process and through the contract monitoring process as appropriate.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Palmer on 2015-11-23.

To ask the Chairman of Committees on what basis the last Deputy Head of Catering and Retail Services left the employment of the administration.

Lord Laming

It is not appropriate for me to answer questions on individual employment matters.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Palmer on 2016-01-12.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government how much severance pay was offered, and subsequently paid, to the Chairman of the Environment Agency prior to his resignation.

Lord Gardiner of Kimble

Sir Philip Dilley will work until the end of January to allow a measured transition. He will receive no severance package.