Does my noble friend recollect the very important statement he made in Grand Committee that nuclear research infrastructure would be part of the overall scientific infrastructure arrangements that he announced? Does he recognise that if infrastructure is to be protected, it is no use unless the running and operating expenses are given similar long-term assurances? Will they be within the arrangements that he described as taking us up to 2020 and beyond?

Does my noble friend recollect the very important statement he made in Grand Committee that nuclear research infrastructure would be part of the overall scientific infrastructure arrangements that he announced? Does he recognise that if infrastructure is to be protected, it is no use unless the running and operating expenses are given similar long-term assurances? Will they be within the arrangements that he described as taking us up to 2020 and beyond?

My Lords, I am sure my noble friend is well aware that, in London, busking is very widely supported by a large number of people. The Mayor of London has gone so far as to say that busking is what gives London its joie de vivre—not least, I might add, for those who use the Underground, where a lot of busking takes place. My noble friend Lord Clement-Jones referred to the mayor’s appointment of a busking task force, of which he is a member, which includes representatives of the Metropolitan Police. Can she confirm that one of the jobs of the task force is to suggest ways of dealing with irresponsible busking?

My Lords, I am sure my noble friend is well aware that, in London, busking is very widely supported by a large number of people. The Mayor of London has gone so far as to say that busking is what gives London its joie de vivre—not least, I might add, for those who use the Underground, where a lot of busking takes place. My noble friend Lord Clement-Jones referred to the mayor’s appointment of a busking task force, of which he is a member, which includes representatives of the Metropolitan Police. Can she confirm that one of the jobs of the task force is to suggest ways of dealing with irresponsible busking?

To ask Her Majesty’s Government how much public money is spent annually on research into Alzheimer’s disease; and what is their estimate of the amount spent on such research by commercial and charitable sources.[HL31]

To ask Her Majesty’s Government how much public money is spent annually on research into Alzheimer’s disease; and what is their estimate of the amount spent on such research by commercial and charitable sources.[HL31]

To ask Her Majesty’s Government when they intend to publish drafts of the several orders and regulations implementing the electricity market reforms under the Energy Act 2013; when they plan to table motions in both Houses of Parliament to enable the drafts to be debated; and when they expect that...

To ask Her Majesty’s Government when they intend to publish drafts of the several orders and regulations implementing the electricity market reforms under the Energy Act 2013; when they plan to table motions in both Houses of Parliament to enable the drafts to be debated; and when they expect that...

My Lords, is not the Question of my noble friend Lord Higgins extremely timely given yesterday’s publication of a very important report by the Economic Affairs Committee? It made

the point that the rapid and effective development of shale gas in this country is one of the real steps that we could take to reduce Europe’s dependence on Russian gas. Can we assume an early acceptance of the very important recommendations of this report?

My Lords, is not the Question of my noble friend Lord Higgins extremely timely given yesterday’s publication of a very important report by the Economic Affairs Committee? It made

the point that the rapid and effective development of shale gas in this country is one of the real steps that we could take to reduce Europe’s dependence on Russian gas. Can we assume an early acceptance of the very important recommendations of this report?

I draw my noble friend’s attention to the excellent report produced by the Department of Energy and Climate Change on the severe weather over Christmas 2013. This indicates that a great deal can and has been done but one needs to know about it and find out what it all is. Would not a report of that kind, produced by my noble friend’s department, be extremely valuable?

I draw my noble friend’s attention to the excellent report produced by the Department of Energy and Climate Change on the severe weather over Christmas 2013. This indicates that a great deal can and has been done but one needs to know about it and find out what it all is. Would not a report of that kind, produced by my noble friend’s department, be extremely valuable?

To ask Her Majesty’s Government when couples wishing to convert their civil partnerships into marriages will be able to do so; and why the process will not be available at the same time as same sex marriages are to be allowed.[HL5196]

To ask Her Majesty’s Government when couples wishing to convert their civil partnerships into marriages will be able to do so; and why the process will not be available at the same time as same sex marriages are to be allowed.[HL5196]

My Lords, I do not think that my noble friend really gave a proper answer to the very relevant question asked by the noble Lord,

Lord Berkeley. There have been many complaints by the residents of the Somerset Levels that the Environment Agency seems to be prioritising birds over the needs of people. What is the Environment Agency’s answer to that charge, which seems to be very widely felt by the people in the area?

My Lords, I do not think that my noble friend really gave a proper answer to the very relevant question asked by the noble Lord,

Lord Berkeley. There have been many complaints by the residents of the Somerset Levels that the Environment Agency seems to be prioritising birds over the needs of people. What is the Environment Agency’s answer to that charge, which seems to be very widely felt by the people in the area?

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what action they are taking to respond to the suggestion in the Department of Energy and Climate Change's December 2013 Impact Assessment that the Department has underestimated the extent to which wholesale prices will rise in response to tight capacity margins.[HL4553]

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what action they are taking to respond to the suggestion in the Department of Energy and Climate Change's December 2013 Impact Assessment that the Department has underestimated the extent to which wholesale prices will rise in response to tight capacity margins.[HL4553]

Can my noble friend assure us that before the switchover, he will be able to guarantee that one does not get these periodic silences in the middle of a digital programme, which can sometimes be very trying?

Can my noble friend assure us that before the switchover, he will be able to guarantee that one does not get these periodic silences in the middle of a digital programme, which can sometimes be very trying?

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their latest estimate is of the likely impact on the wholesale price of electricity of losing the capacity represented by Eggborough Power Station’s Unit 2 which is planned to close in September.[HL4554]

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their latest estimate is of the likely impact on the wholesale price of electricity of losing the capacity represented by Eggborough Power Station’s Unit 2 which is planned to close in September.[HL4554]

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their latest estimate of the likely impact on the wholesale price of electricity should the entire capacity represented by Eggborough Power Station be lost.[HL4555]

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their latest estimate of the likely impact on the wholesale price of electricity should the entire capacity represented by Eggborough Power Station be lost.[HL4555]

My Lords, the House is becoming very well aware that the party opposite does not approve of the removal of the spare bedroom subsidy. Could the Minister confirm that if the policy were reversed, it might cost as much as £1 billion over the next two years? Would the Opposition not be a little more convincing if they could give us some idea of how they would replace that?

My Lords, the House is becoming very well aware that the party opposite does not approve of the removal of the spare bedroom subsidy. Could the Minister confirm that if the policy were reversed, it might cost as much as £1 billion over the next two years? Would the Opposition not be a little more convincing if they could give us some idea of how they would replace that?

My Lords, does my noble friend accept that the real case for more gas storage is to protect this country from spikes in the world gas price?

My Lords, does my noble friend accept that the real case for more gas storage is to protect this country from spikes in the world gas price?

My Lords, I hope this will not be regarded as a breach of our convention that we do not criticise the other place, but I express the hope that we do not try to go down the road that they have increasingly followed in recent years where a debate turns into little more than a conversation between the Minister who is trying to make a speech and Back-Benchers who are incessantly interrupting.

My Lords, I hope this will not be regarded as a breach of our convention that we do not criticise the other place, but I express the hope that we do not try to go down the road that they have increasingly followed in recent years where a debate turns into little more than a conversation between the Minister who is trying to make a speech and Back-Benchers who are incessantly interrupting.

My noble friend may remember that during the passage of the Local Government Finance Act 2012 I expressed some anxiety about the effect of the localisation of council tax benefits. But does she accept that, having kept closely in touch with the Local Government Association since then—I declare my interest as a vice-president of the association—I have been considerably reassured by the efforts that most councils are now making in order to protect the most vulnerable of their council tax payers? Will she also accept that the transitional grant to which she referred has been a considerable help to them?

My noble friend may remember that during the passage of the Local Government Finance Act 2012 I expressed some anxiety about the effect of the localisation of council tax benefits. But does she accept that, having kept closely in touch with the Local Government Association since then—I declare my interest as a vice-president of the association—I have been considerably reassured by the efforts that most councils are now making in order to protect the most vulnerable of their council tax payers? Will she also accept that the transitional grant to which she referred has been a considerable help to them?

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they take to ensure that those responsible for the phytosanitary checks that are made on imports of controlled wood used as biofuel carry out that task; and what checks are made on the process of identifying the material declared at import.[HL5463]

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they take to ensure that those responsible for the phytosanitary checks that are made on imports of controlled wood used as biofuel carry out that task; and what checks are made on the process of identifying the material declared at import.[HL5463]

To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord De Mauley on 1 February (WA 361–2), who is responsible for conducting the phytosanitary checks that are made on imports of controlled wood used as biofuel; and who conducts the physical inspection to ensure that the material is...

To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord De Mauley on 1 February (WA 361–2), who is responsible for conducting the phytosanitary checks that are made on imports of controlled wood used as biofuel; and who conducts the physical inspection to ensure that the material is...

My Lords, I share the concerns about Centrica and discussed them at some length yesterday with EDF. I have a much more serious concern to raise with my noble friend. I am very worried about how the Cumbria county councillors were persuaded to vote against moving to the next

stage of a nuclear waste consultation. I will quote from an e-mail that was inadvertently sent to a Copeland councillor, and obviously sent by an anti-nuclear campaigner. It contains a chilling message. It says that they need a campaign to tell the councillors of,

“the threat that they might be personally liable for irrational or reckless decisions, particularly ones which do not put care of their constituency at their heart”.

It goes on that,

“the point is, to scare the crap out of them personally when they go to vote”.

Is that any way to treat a serious government consultation? Why is it no one’s business to try to rebut these mischievous statements that have circulated around the county over the past three months?

My Lords, I share the concerns about Centrica and discussed them at some length yesterday with EDF. I have a much more serious concern to raise with my noble friend. I am very worried about how the Cumbria county councillors were persuaded to vote against moving to the next

stage of a nuclear waste consultation. I will quote from an e-mail that was inadvertently sent to a Copeland councillor, and obviously sent by an anti-nuclear campaigner. It contains a chilling message. It says that they need a campaign to tell the councillors of,

“the threat that they might be personally liable for irrational or reckless decisions, particularly ones which do not put care of their constituency at their heart”.

It goes on that,

“the point is, to scare the crap out of them personally when they go to vote”.

Is that any way to treat a serious government consultation? Why is it no one’s business to try to rebut these mischievous statements that have circulated around the county over the past three months?

Will my noble friend accept my congratulations to the Secretary of State on his appointment of Dr Paul Howarth to the national nuclear council, because that seems to me an admirable demonstration of the importance which the Government attach to nuclear research? Dr Howarth is, of course, the managing director of the National Nuclear Laboratory. I take this opportunity to wish him well.

Will my noble friend accept my congratulations to the Secretary of State on his appointment of Dr Paul Howarth to the national nuclear council, because that seems to me an admirable demonstration of the importance which the Government attach to nuclear research? Dr Howarth is, of course, the managing director of the National Nuclear Laboratory. I take this opportunity to wish him well.