Access to accurate and up-to-date information tailored to occupants and owners is a key part of improving the energy performance of homes effectively.

The Simple Energy Advice Service (SEA), launched in 2018, is a digital and phoneline service to provide homeowners, landlords and tenants with impartial and tailored advice on energy efficiency measures. This includes advice on insulating external walls.

At a local level, the Government is also supporting skills development and advice provision through a number of local supply chain demonstration pilots, which are testing new approaches to delivering home energy retrofit in the able-to-pay sector and recognises the importance of locally provided advice.

Royal Mail, a private company, has well-established contingency plans to mitigate disruption to postal services which are overseen by Ofcom, the independent regulator responsible for monitoring the delivery of the universal postal service.

In its statement of 14 January 2021, Ofcom recognises that the pandemic is an emergency under its regulatory framework and that it is continuing to monitor Royal Mail’s performance carefully, remaining in close contact with the company to ensure it is providing the best service it can to customers. The full statement is available on Ofcom’s website.

There is no exclusion for reporting emissions from military sources under the Paris Agreement. The UK sets its Greenhouse Gas (GHG) inventory in accordance with international guidelines and emissions from some military sources (e.g. aircraft and shipping) are already included.

At COP26, Parties will develop the products required for full implementation of the Enhanced Transparency Framework of the Paris Agreement. This includes the tables and formats Parties will use to report their GHG emissions in accordance with international guidelines.

Offshore wind developers are required to carry out an Environmental Impact Assessment as part of any planning application. The Environmental Impact Assessment affords protection to the environment by ensuring that the planning authority considers any significant effects as part of the decision-making process and that the local community are informed of any impacts.

Planning applications for offshore wind projects in England and Wales above 100MW capacity are determined by my Rt. Hon. Friend the Secretary of State through the Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects regime. In respect of these, details are publicly available on the Planning Inspectorate’s website: https://infrastructure.planninginspectorate.gov.uk/

In addition, DEFRA has undertaken strategic assessments of the environmental impacts of offshore wind developments, including assessments of the marine environment and ecology, potential compensatory measures, and net gain. Given the Government’s ambitions for offshore wind, BEIS and DEFRA are working closely with other Government bodies, the Crown Estate, industry and wider stakeholders. This work will prepare for and mitigate against the environmental impacts of growth in this sector. Included in this is the Offshore Wind Enabling Actions programme, a £4.3m action programme to be jointly run by DEFRA and BEIS and the Offshore Wind Evidence and Change Programme (a partnership between BEIS, DEFRA, The Crown Estate and Crown Estate Scotland) to deliver upon its aims.

Offshore wind developers are required to carry out an Environmental Impact Assessment as part of any planning application. The Environmental Impact Assessment affords protection to the environment by ensuring that the planning authority considers any significant effects as part of the decision-making process and that the local community are informed of any impacts.

Planning applications for offshore wind projects in England and Wales above 100MW capacity are determined by my Rt. Hon. Friend the Secretary of State through the Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects regime. In respect of these, details are publicly available on the Planning Inspectorate’s website: https://infrastructure.planninginspectorate.gov.uk/.

In addition, DEFRA has undertaken strategic assessments of the environmental impacts of offshore wind developments, including assessments of the marine environment and ecology, cabling impacts, and underwater noise. Given the Government’s ambitions for offshore wind, BEIS and DEFRA are working closely with other Government bodies, the Crown Estate, industry and wider stakeholders. This work will prepare for and mitigate against the environmental impacts of growth in this sector. Included in this is the Offshore Wind Enabling Actions programme, a £4.3m action programme to be jointly run by DEFRA and BEIS and the Offshore Wind Evidence and Change Programme (a partnership between BEIS, DEFRA, The Crown Estate and Crown Estate Scotland) to deliver upon its aims.

Rolls-Royce has made clear that the restructuring and global site review reflects the change in medium-term market conditions which have been impacted by the global COVID19 pandemic. Rolls-Royce has announced proposals to consolidate work into the UK including consolidating all widebody engine Assembly & Test capability in Derby, as well as closing a site in the US and consolidating the advanced manufacturing capabilities into Derby and Washington, Tyne & Wear.

The Government understands that Rolls-Royce do not intend to close the site at Barnoldswick but will continue production of fan blades for some of their engines and retain a fan blade product development and technical support centre. Rolls-Royce has also announced proposals to bring back work into the UK. For example, it is proposing to withdraw from its Singapore Assembly & Test facility for widebody engines, consolidating all widebody engine Assembly & Test capability in the UK. It has also closed a site in the US consolidating any future workload in the UK.

The Anti-social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014 (‘the 2014 Act’) provides the police, local authorities and other local agencies with a range of flexible tools and powers that they can use to respond quickly and effectively to anti-social behaviour. The powers in the 2014 Act are deliberately local in nature, and it is for local agencies to determine whether their use is appropriate in the specific circumstances.

We receive representations from a wide range of stakeholders, all with a broad range of views on the issues and what action they would like to see. This includes representations from Local Authorities and Councillors and we are engaging with them to understand the issues they face with regards to fireworks.

The Government has regular engagement with the nuclear industry, including with Rolls-Royce, and has discussed the Rolls-Royce-led UK Small Modular Reactors (SMR) Consortium’s work to design and deploy SMRs.

In November 2019, UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) awarded an initial £18 million, matched by the UK SMR Consortium, for the development of a UK SMR under the Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund. The UK SMR Consortium is aiming for the design to be ready for operation in the early 2030s.

UKRI is monitoring progress closely, including the level of involvement of the UK SMR Consortium’s members, as well as progress against milestones and value for money. Decisions on further funding will be taken in due course.

The requirements for planning approvals are set out in the Planning Act 2008. New nuclear power stations are also subject to nuclear licensing and environmental permitting as regulated by the Office for Nuclear Regulation and the relevant environment agencies.

The Government believes that disputes are best handled through negotiation between the parties. Strikes and other forms of industrial action should be regarded as a last resort after attempts to resolve differences through dialogue have been exhausted. The independent Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service (Acas), which is funded by the Government, stands ready to assist the parties in reaching an agreement, where they both accept its involvement. We would encourage the parties to avail themselves of Acas’ conciliation and mediation services.

The Department has regular bilateral dialogue with Unite and Union representatives involved in the Aerospace Growth Partnership, which is our main method of engaging with the UK aerospace industry.

The Government’s financial support for Rolls-Royce is provided via various routes, including support for their exports and research and development (R&D) in areas such as civil aerospace, civil nuclear, and defence. This year, the Government’s support has included funding through the Bank of England’s Covid Corporate Financing Facility and a partial guarantee by UK Export Finance of a 5-year, £2 billion commercial term-loan facility.

One of the Government’s key funding streams is through Innovate UK, part of UK Research and Innovation. For the 2019/2020 competition year of the Aerospace Technology Institute programme, Rolls-Royce have had grant offers totalling £63,374,303 to support total project costs of £143,203,408. This money will be paid out across the life of the projects.

My Lords, the Government are in regular dialogue with Rolls-Royce and will continue to engage to understand what more can be done to save jobs and capabilities across the United Kingdom. The Government are supporting the aviation and aerospace sectors with around £9.5 billion in grants, loans and export guarantees over the next three years, which will help to create new, well-paid jobs for decades to come.

The Government cannot comment on individual planning applications. The Government’s position on shale gas policy remains unchanged, as set out in a Written Ministerial Statement on 4 November 2019, Official Report, HLWS68[1] . Planning authorities should continue to take national planning policy and guidance into account in considering any relevant applications.

[1] Energy Policy Update: Written statement - HLWS68: https://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-statement/Lords/2019-11-04/HLWS68/

The Government has published guidance to help ensure workplaces are as safe as possible, and this includes looking at any existing or new communal facilities such as showers and changing facilities. Employers are responsible for taking all reasonably practical steps to address health and safety risks; however, my Rt. Hon. Friend Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer has announced unprecedented support for business and workers to protect them against the current economic emergency.

People should only be going into work if they cannot work from home, and we encourage employers to agree alternative or flexible working hours with their employees. Whilst we have always said that those who cannot work from home can travel to work, we are giving those who have not been working the confidence to return to work and those businesses who suspended operations the guidelines they need to reopen safely.

Walking, running and cycling help to reduce pressure on the public transport system and the road network, which is why they are recommended as more people return to the workplace. We are also encouraging people to avoid rush hour if they can, to help maintain social distancing. This will also reduce peak demand on the transport system.

The use of plastic as a component in road surfacing is not widespread. Officials at the Department for Transport are aware that it has only been used in a small proportion of England’s strategic road network for high friction surfacing materials, and only on one short stretch of public road in England. Therefore, the Government has not made any assessment to date of any potential problems or nano pollution from the use of plastic in roads.

Officials have been in discussion with Cumbria County Council who are trialling the use of plastic in their road resurfacing and the company that supplies the material. They will continue to monitor the situation and any outcomes, positive or negative, from the trial currently taking place.

My Lords, the Government are investing billions of pounds across the north of England in order better to connect communities and build the northern powerhouse. In the spirit of devolution, it is of course for local enterprise partnerships and local transport authorities to decide whether the reopening of a railway line is the best way to address the economic needs of their area and to secure appropriate funding, including that made available by the Government.