MPs call for new regulatory approach to secure thriving future for defined benefit pension schemes

Changes to proposed regulation and improvements in governance standards are urgently needed to ensure private sector defined benefit (DB) pension schemes remain an active and thriving part of the pensions landscape and work in the best interest of scheme members, MPs say today.

The Work and Pensions Committee report concludes that despite a steady decline in number in recent years, DB pension schemes are still of critical importance to both savers and the UK economy.

It warns however that two decades of regulatory and policy caution from DWP and The Pensions Regulator (TPR) have led to a low-risk approach to investment that threatens to inadvertently finish off the few remaining DB schemes still open to new members.

With an improvement in funding levels over the past decade presenting new challenges and opportunities for schemes, the report calls for a fresh approach both to funding regulation and the treatment of surpluses in pension and compensation schemes.

Among recommendations on the latter, the report calls for DWP and TPR to look at ways of ensuring the reasonable expectations of scheme members for benefit enhancement are met where there has been a history of discretionary increases.

On the new funding regime proposed by the Government to come into force in September, the Committee’s inquiry heard concerns that open schemes would be forced to de-risk unnecessarily, potentially leading to premature closure.

The Committee calls for the Government to address such concerns in the final version of the Funding Code and for TPR’s objective to protect the Pension Protection Fund to be replaced with a new duty to protect future, as well as past, service benefits.

PPF reserves now stand at £12 billion and the report calls for legislation to allow the levy to be reduced to zero and for compensation levels to be improved.

To encourage better governance, the Committee welcomes the introduction of a trustee register to improve TPR oversight. The report notes TPR’s view that consolidation, including through pension Superfunds, is one of the main ways to improve governance, and calls for the required legislation as soon as possible.

Rt Hon Sir Stephen Timms MP, Chair of the Work and Pensions Committee, said: “Defined benefit pension schemes are hugely important to savers planning for a comfortable retirement and for the UK economy.

“The improvement in scheme funding levels presents opportunities for both to benefit, but a new approach to regulation and governance is needed to protect the best interest of scheme members and allow still open schemes to thrive.

“The flexibility afforded by the much-improved financial position of the PPF, which we applaud, gives the Government an opportunity to ensure open schemes are not hindered by overly cautious restrictions imposed by regulations.

“While many trustee boards operate to high standards, new standards for trustees can foster confidence that this is the case across DB schemes.”

The report follows up on some of the points raised during the Committee’s previous inquiry into DB pensions with Liability Driven Investments, which examined the events of autumn 2022. The Committee heard that a repeat of the events was now unlikely given the steps taken to improve resilience.

A full list of the Committee’s conclusions and recommendations is available on Pp 54–58 of the report.

Edinburgh politicians pledge to protect fishing

Major exhibition inspires over three days at Scottish Parliament

MORE THAN 50 MSPs including three party leaders have put their names to a pledge that commits them to protect and support Scotland’s vital fishing industry and coastal communities.

Among the signatories to the pledge include MSP for Edinburgh Eastern, Ash Regan, over half of all backbench MSPs, Anas Sarwar, Edinburgh Western’s Alex Cole-Hamilton and Douglas Ross, Scottish party leaders of Labour, Liberal Democrats and the Conservatives respectively, as well as senior figures from the SNP and Alba.

The backing comes as the sector is represented by a moving exhibition featuring portraits and accounts of those working in and around fishing, including vessel owners, skippers, deckhands, scientists and analysts.

“Pride in the Seas” is an exhibition and campaign run by the Scottish Fishermen’s Federation (SFF) in partnership with renowned photographer Ian Georgeson and was held in the Garden Lobby at Holyrood between 19 and 21 March.

Mairi Gougeon, Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs, Land Reform and Islands said: “The spirit and vitality of our fishing industry and coastal communities is something of which we should all be rightly proud, and which is powerfully captured by this exhibition. 

“The Scottish fishing industry is world renowned and remains at the forefront of sustainable fishing practices. It helps support many jobs around the country and is embedded in our culture.

“The Scottish Government shares the Scottish Fishermen’s Federation’s vision of a fishing industry that endures and thrives.

“Through robust evidence and marine planning we will continue to work with all sectors to manage the increased competition for our shared marine space, supporting commitments to net zero, protection of the marine environment, energy security, food security, and thriving communities.”

The pledge signed by politicians called on enhanced support of Scotland’s fishing communities, fishing’s role in food security, the importance of protection against loss of access to key fishing grounds and ensuring that policies recognise and support fishing’s role in producing low carbon, healthy and nutritious food.

Elspeth Macdonald, Chief Executive with the SFF, said: “It has been heartening to see so many MSPs and their teams engage very positively with us over the last few days.

“Given Scotland’s geography, many have coastal fishing communities within their constituencies and know first hand of the pressures that they – and the industry as a whole – has been under in recent years. It was great also to have MSPs from more urban and inland parts of Scotland recognise the importance of our sector, and to give us their support.

“Fishing has a vital role in food security and the country’s net zero aspirations – and the provision of sustainably sourced and low-carbon protein has never been more vital.

“This exhibition taps into the inherent pride and responsibility that those working in fishing feel and whilst there will always be things we can improve on, it is characterised by responsible, innovative businesses seeking to improve conditions for the next generation.”

Following its debut, the exhibition will be available for tour across towns, schools, museums and other public facilities around the country. 

Celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2023 the Scottish Fishermen’s Federation was established to represent a sustainable, prosperous fishing industry in Scotland.

It was borne in response to the need for greater political engagement when the UK joined the EU and in adapting to the first oil exploration which saw the proliferation of other activities in the historic fishing grounds of the North Sea. 

Fighting for the interests of 450 fishing vessels in Scotland’s fleet, the federation is made up of eight Associations which represent the sector from small creel boats to large pelagic and white fish trawlers.

The Pledge:

I pledge to support Scotland’s fishing communities by:

  • Supporting fishermen at sea and their colleagues ashore as a vital part of Scotland’s food story
  • Being a champion of the healthy, nutritious and sustainable food they produce
  • Being proud of this low carbon, climate-smart food sector
  • Supporting the call for strong, focused science to increase understanding
  • Backing the sector to get a fair deal in our crowded seas
  • Agreeing that food security is as important as energy security
  • Working with fishermen and fishing communities to ensure that they don’t just survive but will thrive in the decades to come.

I have Pride in our Seas, and all those who feed us from them.

Pride in the Seas case studies:

  • Trevor Spouse, Skipper in Eyemouth 
  • Mark Anderson, Skipper, and son Nicol, Deckhand, in Shetland 
  • Colin Stephen, Skipper in Peterhead
  • Mark Robertson, part-owner, and sons Paul and Adam, Skippers, in Fraserburgh
  • Willie John McLean, Skipper in Mallaig 
  • Erin Mackenzie, Deckhand in Mallaig
  • Dr Steve Mackinson, Chief Scientist, Scottish Pelagic Fishermen’s Association
  • Dr Paul Macdonald, Senior Fisheries Analyst, Scottish Fishermen’s Organisation
  • Elena Balestri, Senior Fisheries Policy and Science Manager, Scottish Fishermen’s Federation

The full exhibition and case studies are now available to view on the SFF website: https://www.sff.co.uk/news/category/pride-in-the-seas

Boyack: SNP government’s ‘neglect’ of Edinburgh’s housing emergency

Labour Lothian MSP Sarah Boyack has today challenged the Scottish Government to finally intervene in Edinburgh’s housing emergency.

This comes after recent ONS figures illustrated the scale of Edinburgh’s crisis.

The figures revealed that the average rent in Edinburgh had an annual increase of 14.9%, almost 5% higher than the 10.9% increase across the whole of Scotland.

This is despite the Scottish Government having introduced a rent cap.

The average house price has also risen faster in Edinburgh, compared to the country as a whole.

The average price jumped 5.4% compared to last year, whereas it only rose 4.8% across all of Scotland.

These figures come after Edinburgh Council unanimously declared a housing emergency at the tail end of last year.

However, the Scottish Government refused to follow suit and voted down plans to declare a nationwide housing emergency.

Commenting on the ONS figures, Ms Boyack said: “These latest ONS figures have merely illustrate what we in Edinburgh have known all along – there is a serious housing emergency.

“The only Edinburgh resident who doesn’t recognise this crisis is the one living in Bute House.

“The decision by the SNP, not to intervene to alleviate this situation shows their neglect for our capital city.

“Myself and other Scottish Labour MSPs will continue to push the Scottish Government to act.

“It is vital that Edinburgh gets the help it urgently needs, before this emergency escalates any further.”

Greenpeace bring Project Climate Vote to Edinburgh

LOCAL Greenpeace volunteers were door-knocking in Bruntsfield yesterday to spread the word about Greenpeace’s current UK-wide campaign Project Climate Vote.

Project Climate Vote aims to recruit one million climate voters ahead of the next general election, in order to pressure all political parties to commit to bolder action on climate change. Climate voters pledge to show visible support for climate policies and vote with the planet in mind.

Edinburgh volunteers went door to door in Bruntsfield having conversations with residents about their concerns about the climate crisis and wider connected issues. As climate voters, locals were asked to place a poster in their window and to voice their concerns about the climate crisis should local candidates come to their door in the run-up to the election.

Sue, a volunteer from Bruntsfield said: “The conversations we’re having show that the climate crisis is a key concern for the majority of people and they want bolder action from our leaders. It’s encouraging that so many people want to sign up…the hardest part is finding folk in on a sunny afternoon!”

Today follows numerous other door-knocking sessions Greenpeace volunteers have carried out in Edinburgh since September 2023, including in Pilton in North Edinburgh in February. The group will be out canvassing again during future weekends, right up until the general election, which is currently expected to take place in the latter half of this year.

Zoë, a volunteer from Newington said: “Project Climate Vote is a very exciting and crucial campaign aiming to hold politicians to account on delivering the action that we need in order to ensure a liveable future.

The climate crisis is already happening up and down the country. People can see it with their own eyes and are playing their part to mitigate their own impact on the environment. What we need now are our leaders to step up to the plate.”

Greenpeace UK are hosting weekly online training sessions for those interested in taking part in the canvassing campaigns in their local areas. Anyone is welcome to join a canvassing team, regardless of if they have any past experience with Greenpeace.

UK voters can sign up to be a Climate Voters and order their posters on the Greenpeace website.

UK Government launches new social media campaign to ‘stop the boats’

Today marks the launch of the latest phase of the government’s global campaign to warn migrants of the consequences of entering the UK illegally

Every year, thousands of people are sold lies by organised criminal gangs who put profit before human life, smuggling people to the UK across one of the busiest shipping lanes in the world, the English Channel.

The Home Secretary has launched a new campaign that will be rolled out in Vietnam, following successful social media activity in Albania last year which contributed to a 90% reduction in Albanian small boat arrivals.

Using real testimonies from those who regret coming to the UK illegally, the adverts highlight the risks and consequences people face if they turn to criminal gangs and attempt the dangerous journey.  

A migrant, referred to as K, shares his reality of sleeping in a camp in Calais for 5 nights under the supervision of armed guards, before taking the long journey across the Channel to the UK. He says: “Never again would I risk my life in a small boat, even if you bribed me.”

An increasing proportion of small boat migrants are Vietnamese, and they are 1 of the top 10 nationalities for migrants crossing the Channel illegally. 

The latest phase of the campaign, which will begin today (Monday 25 March), will harness social media adverts on Facebook and YouTube to directly target people who may be considering making dangerous and illegal journeys to the UK.  

The social media posts emphasise the consequences of travelling to the UK illegally and the dangers people can expect to face, as well as set out the risks of being indebted to and exploited by the people smuggling gangs who profit from facilitating small boat crossings. 

Home Secretary James Cleverly said: “This is a powerful campaign which demonstrates first-hand that life for people arriving here illegally is a far cry from the lies they have been sold by the gangs on the other side of the Channel. 

“Last year, similar work contributed to a 90% reduction in small boat arrivals from Albania, and overall numbers are down by a third, but there is more to do. 

“Expanding our campaign to Vietnam, another key partner in our work to tackle illegal migration, will help us to save more lives and dent the business model of the criminals who profit from this vile trade.”

The campaign warns prospective migrants of the reality of living in the UK illegally with no right to be in the UK and no access to public services or funding. 

It includes testimonies from Home Office Immigration Enforcement and Border Force officers, who all too often encounter illegal migrants who have been sold into modern slavery or illegal working by their smugglers. 

Illegal migrants can be forced to live in inhumane, cramped and hazardous conditions by criminal gangs, with no access to basic hygiene, healthcare or legal employment. 

The campaign’s social media adverts direct users to a new website with additional video content from Immigration Enforcement and Border Force officers who describe some of the shocking cases they’ve encountered and their experiences of rescuing small boat migrants from life-threatening danger in the Channel. 

This stage of the campaign follows successful social media activity by the UK government in Albania, France and Belgium, and is the latest step in the UK’s efforts to work jointly with countries across the world to tackle the global migration crisis.  

Similar campaigns are also being considered for other priority countries. 

UK and Vietnamese authorities already work closely to prevent illegal journeys to the UK and remove those with no right to be here. 

Senior officials from the UK and Vietnam are due to meet in London on 17 April to discuss working in even closer partnership on migration issues.

Building a fairer Scotland?

Yousaf: Delivering priorities on first anniversary of appointment

Fairness is at the heart of everything the Scottish Government does, First Minister Humza Yousaf said, as he looks forward to his first anniversary in post this week.

During his time as First Minister, Humzah Yousaf says he has focused on tackling poverty through investment in public services, building a new relationship with business, and helping people with the cost-of-living crisis.

Recently published analysis estimates that 100,000 children will be kept out of poverty in 2024-25 as a direct result of Scottish Government policies.

The First Minister set out the outcomes his Government aims to achieve by 2026 in Equality, opportunity, community: New leadership – A fresh start at the beginning of his tenure.

The First Minister said: “I have set clear missions for the Government I lead which are in the interests of everyone in Scotland. What drives me is fairness for all as we work to achieve better equality, greater opportunity, and safer communities.

“It is my passionate belief that Scotland will only reach its potential as a country when every single one of its citizens is able to reach their own potential.

“That means supporting them at times in their lives when they need it, and also ensuring they have access to high-quality jobs and thriving public services.

“Over the last year, my team in government has worked with the clear aims of delivering a just society and supportive business environment.

“We have worked with councils to agree a Council Tax freeze to provide much needed financial relief to Scottish households during the cost-of-living crisis, and we’ve invested a record £19.5 billion in our NHS – without losing a single day to pay-related strike action in our health system, uniquely in the UK.

“We have invested in and driven progress on Scotland’s huge renewables potential, which will support economic growth, with a pledge of up to £500 million to support the offshore wind industry.

“Unlike the UK as whole, Scotland has avoided entering a recession while recent business survey data shows stronger employment growth than anywhere else in the UK on top of long term growth in GDP per person almost double the UK average since 2007.

“And through our Techscaler network of start-up incubators, we are well on our way to delivering one of the finest state-funded entrepreneurial systems in the world, dedicated to the creation of high-growth businesses.

“Crucially, the policies of my Government will keep 100,000 children out of relative poverty and 70,000 out of absolute poverty in the coming year, according to recent modelling.

“We are making important progress on the missions I laid out for my Government – equality, opportunity and community, despite limited powers, and real terms cuts from the UK Government to Scotland’s budget.

“However, there is so much more we could do with the full powers of independence – that’s why we have published eleven papers so far in the Building a New Scotland series, with a twelfth publishing this week, to ensure voters are equipped with the information they need to make an informed choice on Scotland’s future.

“I am honoured every day to lead a government driven by clear values, and I am absolutely committed to continuing to make Scotland a better place to live, work and study for everyone who makes it their home.”

Benefit levels in the UK: MPs call for annual uprating guarantee

Committee calls for cost of living benchmark

The UK Government must outline the extent to which benefits should be supporting people with daily living costs and bring forward a plan so that benefit levels meet the new benchmark, a House of Commons committee said yesterday.

The Work and Pensions Committee’s report on benefit levels in the UK also calls on the Government to introduce a new ‘uprating guarantee,’ to uprate working-age benefits and the Local Housing Allowance rate each year, to end the uncertainty faced  by people claiming benefits.

The Committee also recommends that the Household Support Fund, which enables local authorities to help those in need, be made a permanent part of the social security system.

The recommendations follow a year-long inquiry launched after the Committee’s recommendation in its 2022 cost of living report to review the adequacy of benefits levels. The 2022 report highlighted evidence that a root cause of the financial challenges faced by households “lay in the fundamental inadequacy of social security support”, but the Government insisted that there was no objective way of deciding what benefits should be.

In response to that challenge, Thursday’s report says that the Government should develop a framework of principles and set a benchmark and objectives linked to living costs to measure the effectiveness of benefit levels.

If DWP finds that it is not meeting these objectives, it should set out how it intends to reach them, for example by increasing benefit levels when the financial situation allows.

The report also says that the Government should make an ‘uprating guarantee’ to increase benefits annually, based on, for example, prices. It would be required to set out its reasoning to Parliament if it decided to deviate from this guarantee.

On the Household Support Fund, the Committee welcomes the extension announced in Spring Budget 2024. The report says that it should become a permanent feature of the social security system to improve the ability of local authorities to plan their provision of discretionary support to households.

Rt Hon Sir Stephen Timms MP, Chair of the Work and Pensions Committee, said: “It is right that our benefit system incentivises work, but it should also provide an effective safety net for jobseekers, people on low incomes, carers and those with disabilities.  

“We have heard plenty of evidence that benefits are currently at a level that leaves many unable to afford daily essentials or meet the unavoidable extra costs associated with having a health impairment or disability.

“The Government has previously said that it is not possible to come up with an objective way of deciding what benefits should be.  Our recommendations are a response to that challenge, and the ball is now back in the Government’s court.

“On top of acknowledging and acting on a new benchmark and objectives linked to living costs, Ministers should commit to consistent uprating of benefits each year.  It is time to end the annual ‘will they or won’t they’ speculation and all the worry that brings to those who rely on the social security system for financial support.

“The Household Support Fund has provided a vital layer of additional support for households during the cost of living crisis.

“The Government should build on the extension announced in the Budget, and make it a permanent part of the social security system to allow councils to continue to reach those in their local areas who most need help.”

A full list of the Committee’s conclusions and recommendations is available on P74 of the report. The Report is also available in British Sign Language, audio and EasyRead formats.

Choudhury: “Strengthen Bill to provide a true Circular Economy”

Labour MSP Foysol Choudhury has rang alarm bells that the Scottish Government’s Circular Economy (Scotland) Bill does not go far enough to tackle overconsumption and create a true circular economy, to meet climate change targets.

Mr Choudhury spoke in the debate in the Scottish Parliament’s Chamber yesterday (20th March 2024), to highlight the need for a more thorough and detailed plan. 

MSP Choudhury said: “The current Circular Economy (Scotland) Bill does not go far enough and seems more like a recycling bill, rather than a full circular economy bill.

“It does not provide a thorough enough framework for action for the Bill’s aims to be successfully implemented, monitored and evaluated across all areas of a Circular Economy, in particular on carbon consumption reduction targets, to ensure Scotland meets important climate targets.

“The Scottish Government also needs to show it has embedded climate justice approaches into its circular economy plan, upskill workers with reuse skills to create more sustainable economic opportunities and enable more robust monitoring of exported materials to ensure that Scotland doesn’t simply move its waste to other countries, shifting the climate burden in its mission to meet its own waste targets.”

Mr Choudhury pointed out in particular the need to work with businesses and local authorities on the Bill to avoid the mistakes of the failed Deposit Return Scheme.

He said: “If we have learnt anything from the Deposit Return Scheme debacle, it is that the Scottish Government must create thorough, actionable policies which have been thought out in partnership with businesses and local authorities and do not place significant bureaucratic burdens on small and medium enterprises.

Some sectors have already been able to take steps to re-use materials and the Scottish Government should build on that by helping local businesses improve their reuse/recycle processes.

“The Scottish Government will also need to work alongside, and properly resource, local authorities.

“Instead, there has so far been a significant underestimation of funding needed to enable our local authorities to deliver on a Circular Economy-leaving our local authorities with yet another funding crisis they will have to precariously juggle.”

Mr Choudhury says he will continue to scrutinise the Bill as it progresses through Parliament, to ensure that Scotland’s commitment to climate action is progressed and a more sustainable planet can be built for all.

Foysol Choudhury MSP speech on 20/03/24 on the Circular Economy (Scotland) Bill can be viewed here: https://youtu.be/DgEJp04Uu5Q

Worried and Waiting: Record waiting times for children in NHS Lothian

NHS Lothian has the longest patients waiting times for treatment, with 69.1% of total patients waiting over 12 weeks. 2382 out of 3448 paediatric patients in NHS Lothian waited over 12 weeks for treatment.

In NHS Highland 48.9% of patients were waiting over 12 weeks at that time. This is in comparison to NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde where over 12 week waits made up only 19.2%, and NHS Grampian which stood at 12.9%.

The report by the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health, Worried and waiting: A review of paediatric waiting times in Scotland 2024, stated that –

It is worrying that children and young people are waiting longer than 12 weeks to be seen in paediatrics. However, what is the most concerning is that in September 2023, 13 out of 14 health boards in Scotland were experiencing very high waits over 12 weeks, with only NHS Western Isles achieving the national standard rate.

Lothian MSP, Miles Briggs, said: “It is extremely concerning that young people in Lothian are waiting over 12 weeks for treatment.

“Over two thirds of young people are now waiting over the 12 week waiting target which is unacceptable.

“SNP mismanagement of our NHS means that hundreds of children are not being seen a quickly as they should be, nowhere more so than in NHS Lothian.

“We urgently need to see our health service properly run. 

“It is also important that NHS Lothian receives funding parity with other health boards.

“This tired SNP Government has had no answers for years.”

“A code red for humanity”?

How should the UK Government tackle the security threats posed by climate change?

Today the Environmental Audit Committee (EAC) has launched a new inquiry, ‘Climate change and security’. The inquiry will explore the UK Government’s approach to anticipating, preventing and responding to the threats climate change poses to national security.

The UN’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change warned in 2021 that the global threat level posed by climate change was “a code red for humanity”. Climate change is a major source of global instability, causing and heightening tensions, prolonging conflicts, and polarising nations.

Extreme weather caused by climate change can generate insecurity in food, water and housing, potentially leading to mass displacement within and across borders. It can also threaten physical infrastructure, from naval bases to transport hubs. 

EAC is keen to explore the scale of the challenge that climate change poses to UK security. It is likely to consider how climate change will affect the UK’s national security, including access to natural resources and how the UK should respond to extreme weather events, as well as how the risks to the UK compare to those facing other countries.

The Committee will also consider possible solutions. Members will consider whether the Government’s current plans do enough to mitigate the dangers of insecurity caused by climate change.

They will also consider how the UK Government can cultivate cooperation on climate security issues, how funding can be targeted towards adaptation, and the role of technology in addressing potential security issues caused by climate change.

Environmental Audit Committee Chair, Rt Hon Philip Dunne MP, said: “February was the ninth consecutive month that global temperature records were broken; record breaking temperatures are now a regular part of our lives. At the same time, the world is also growing ever more unstable. Regional conflicts are having knock-on effects across the rest of the world.

“Many might not realise that these two trends are deeply linked. Climate change can prolong instability, and in turn, instability can stifle efforts to address climate change.

“In its next inquiry, the Environmental Audit Committee is examining the true extent of the challenge climate change poses to our national security, and how the UK should best respond. I encourage anyone with views or expertise to give evidence.”

The Committee invites written submissions addressing any or all of the issues raised in the following terms of reference, by 17:00 on Monday 29th April 2024:

Understanding the challenge

What challenges to UK national and human security are posed by climate change in the next five, ten, and twenty years? In particular:

  1. What is the relationship between climate change and population growth, and what are the effects of this relationship on displacement and population flows, both within the UK and across borders?
  2. How might climate change and its effects affect the UK’s access to natural resources such as water, food, and energy?
  3. How does climate change affect UK infrastructure and land use, including military assets, in ways that create and exacerbate insecurities?
  4. How well prepared is the UK to respond to extreme weather events, such as wildfires and flooding?
  5. How do the risks to the UK compare to those facing other countries?

Potential solutions

What is the UK Government’s current approach to anticipating, preventing and responding to the threats in part 1? How could that approach be strengthened? In particular:

  1. Which solutions would have the largest impact across the widest range of areas for the UK?
  2. What updates to Government policy and strategy documents, such as the National Adaptation Programme, the Integrated Review of Security, Defence, Development and Foreign Policy, and the Defence Command Paper, would improve the UK’s ability to address the security implications of climate change?
  3. How can the UK Government fully embed mitigation of security risks in its plans to achieve its targets for climate and the environment?
  4. What technological innovations could strengthen the UK Government’s approach to addressing the security implications of climate change?
  5. How best can funding be targeted towards climate adaptation and emergency response solutions?
  6. What more can the UK Government do to encourage global co-operation on climate security issues?