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Tuesday
23 January 2018
P A R L I A M E N T A R Y D E B A T E S
(HANSARD)
HOUSE OF LORDS
WRITTEN STATEMENTS AND
WRITTEN ANSWERS
Written Statements ................................................ 1
Written Answers ..................................................... 3
Session 2017-19
No. 55
[I] indicates that the member concerned has a relevant registered interest. The full register of interests can be found at
http://www.parliament.uk/mps-lords-and-offices/standards-and-interests/register-of-lords-interests/
Members who want a printed copy of Written Answers and Written Statements should notify the Printed Paper Office.
This printed edition is a reproduction of the original text of Answers and Statements, which can be found on the internet
at http://www.parliament.uk/writtenanswers/.
Ministers and others who make Statements or answer Questions are referred to only by name, not their ministerial or
other title. The current list of ministerial and other responsibilities is as follows.
Minister Responsibilities
Baroness Evans of Bowes Park Leader of the House of Lords and Lord Privy Seal
Earl Howe Minister of State, Ministry of Defence and Deputy Leader of the House of Lords
Lord Agnew of Oulton Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Education
Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office
Lord Ashton of Hyde Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
Lord Bates Minister of State, Department for International Development
Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local
Government and Wales Office
Baroness Buscombe Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Work and Pensions
Lord Callanan Minister of State, Department for Exiting the European Union
Baroness Chisholm of Owlpen Whip
Earl of Courtown Deputy Chief Whip
Lord Duncan of Springbank Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Northern Ireland Office and Scotland Office
Baroness Fairhead Minister of State, Department for International Trade
Lord Gardiner of Kimble Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Environment, Food and Rural
Affairs
Baroness Goldie Whip
Lord Henley Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Business, Energy and Industrial
Strategy
Lord Keen of Elie Advocate-General for Scotland and Ministry of Justice Spokesperson
Lord O'Shaughnessy Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Health and Social Care
Baroness Stedman-Scott Whip
Baroness Sugg Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Transport, Whip
Lord Taylor of Holbeach Chief Whip
Baroness Vere of Norbiton Whip
Baroness Williams of Trafford Minister of State, Home Office
Lord Young of Cookham Whip
Viscount Younger of Leckie Whip
© Parliamentary Copyright House of Lords 2018
This publication may be reproduced under the terms of the Open Parliament licence,
which is published at www.parliament.uk/site-information/copyright/
Written Statements 23 January 2018 Page 1
Written Statements Tuesday, 23 January 2018
Armed Forces Pay
[HLWS413]
Earl Howe: My right hon. Friend the Parliamentary
Under Secretary of State and Minister for Defence People
and Veterans (The Rt Hon Tobias Ellwood) has made the
following Written Ministerial Statement.
I would like to thank all honourable and right
honourable Members for their contributions to the
Opposition Day Debate about Armed Forces pay held on
1 November 2017. The passionate and constructive
comments of Members regarding pay, allowances,
pensions and accommodation clearly demonstrated this
House’s support for our Armed Forces.
The Armed Forces are among the most extraordinarily
talented and hardworking people in our society. We can
all be rightly proud that we have the most professional
and effective Armed Forces in the world. The
Government is committed to ensuring that the overall
package they, and other public sector workers receive,
reflects the value we place on their work.
The 2015 Spending Review and Autumn Statement
budgeted for 1% average basic pay and progression pay
awards. However, the Government recognises that in
some parts of the public sector, more flexibility may be
required, particularly in areas of skill shortage and in
return for improvements to public sector productivity.
There continues to be a need for pay discipline over the
coming years to ensure the affordability of the public
services and the sustainability of public sector
employment.
Armed Forces’ pay levels are recommended by the
independent Armed Forces’ Pay Review Body. The
Government values hugely the role of the Pay Review
Bodies, and with a more flexible pay policy it is more
important than ever that their recommendations are based
on independent advice and robust evidence. They are in
the process of considering evidence to inform their
recommendations for the 2018 report which we look
forward to receiving in due course.
Carillion
[HLWS416]
Lord Young of Cookham: The Chancellor of the
Duchy of Lancaster has today made the following Written
Ministerial Statement.
On Monday 15 January 2018 I notified the House of the
steps taken by the Government in regards to the
compulsory liquidation of Carillion plc.
Throughout this unfolding situation the Government
has prioritised the continued delivery of public services.
Taxpayers should not, and will not, bail out a private
sector company for private sector losses or allow rewards
for failure.
The failure of this company has understandably caused
concern for many people over their jobs, their pensions
and their local services. The court has appointed an
Official Receiver from the Insolvency Service who has
taken control of the delivery of public services contracts
and we are supporting them to do so. We will support the
Official Receiver to provide these services until a suitable
alternative is found, either through another contractor or
through in-house provision.
I would like to provide further reassurance that all
employees working on public services should continue to
turn up to work, as they have been doing since the
announcement of the liquidation, confident in the
knowledge that they will be paid for the work they are
providing.
In order to safeguard our public services, we have been
implementing contingency plans that have been
developed since July 2017. Since I last updated the
House, there has been no significant disruption to service
delivery in schools, hospitals, prisons, defence and other
public services as staff have continued to provide
services. We have been engaging with all devolved
administrations with exposure to Carillion to ensure that
robust contingency plans are being implemented.
A number of Carillion’s joint venture partners such as
Kier, Eiffage, Balfour Beatty, KBR, Amey and Galliford
Try have committed to stepping into the respective public
sector contracts to ensure continuity of these vital
services. Public sector construction sites have been
secured and construction will begin following the
appointment of a new contractor. I would like to express
my thanks to all those who have worked hard to ensure
the continuity of public services.
Over 90% of Carillion’s private sector facilities
management service customers have indicated that they
will provide funding for the Official Receiver to maintain
interim services while new suppliers can be identified to
deliver these, ensuring the retention and employment of
staff on these contracts. In addition, we are making sure
the usual level of support from Government to affected
employees is available from JobCentre Plus, the
Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy,
the Pension Protection Fund (PPF), HMRC and also
dedicated websites from the Insolvency Service.
At present, seven Carillon pensions schemes, covering
6000 members, have moved to the Pensions Protection
Fund Assessment period, this occurs automatically when
all the sponsoring employers become insolvent. The
remaining 21,000 members are in schemes which have at
least one sponsor not in insolvency, and are therefore not
in the Pension Protection Fund (PPF).
Where pensions have moved into the PPF, the PPF is
making sure current pensioners continue to receive their
pensions at 100% of their usual rate, and are assessing the
eligibility of Carillion’s pension schemes to enter the PPF
to protect current employees’ future pensions. We have
Page 2 23 January 2018 Written Statements
also set up a special additional helpline with the Pensions
Advisory Service for members of Carillion’s pension
schemes (0800 7561012). We have responded to over 500
calls to the Pensions Advisory Service line since it opened
last week.
The Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) has
worked with the Education and Skills Funding Agency to
ensure funding is available to support former Carillion
apprentices. Over 1400 apprentices have been contacted
and the CITB is offering every former Carillion
apprentice a face-to-face session with CITB
Apprenticeships to find out their individual learning
needs. To date, the CITB have matched 400 Carillion
apprentices to new employers, and they continue to assess
the industry offers they have received to find placements
for the remaining Carillion apprentices.
HMRC will provide practical advice and guidance to
affected businesses in Carillion’s supply chain through its
Business Payment Support Service (BPSS). The BPSS
connects businesses with HMRC staff who can offer
practical help and advice on a wide range of tax problems,
providing a fast and sympathetic route to agreeing the
best way forward and addressing immediate concerns
with practical solutions. HMRC has also offered to
provide affected families with cash support through the
tax credit system and has published details on how to
contact them to arrange.
The Secretary of State for Business, Energy and
Industrial Strategy [Rt Hon Greg Clark MP], Economic
Secretary to the Treasury, [John Glen MP], and
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Business,
Energy and Industrial Startegy [Andrew Griffiths MP],
met with several banks on 17 January 2018 to seek
assurances that they will support small businesses
affected by Carillion’s liquidation. Lenders are contacting
customers and, where appropriate, are putting in place
emergency measures, including overdraft extensions,
payment holidays and fee waivers to ensure those facing
short term issues can be helped to stay on track. Three
lenders have made a fund of £225m available to support
small businesses exposed to Carillion’s liquidation.
Furthermore, the Secretary of State for Business, Energy
and Industrial Strategy has set up a taskforce to monitor
and advise on mitigating the impacts of Carillion’s
liquidation on construction firms, particularly SMEs and
those working in the sector. He chaired the first meeting
of the taskforce on 18 January 2018 and will be holding a
further series of meetings with stakeholders in the coming
weeks.
The Official Receiver has also taken immediate action
to stop severance and bonus payments to former
Directors. The Secretary of State for Business, Energy
and Industrial Strategy has written to the Insolvency
Service and the Official Receiver asking that the statutory
investigation into the conduct of Carillion’s directors is
fast-tracked and extended in scope to include previous
directors. He has also asked the Financial Reporting
Council to conduct an investigation into the preparation of
Carillion’s accounts past and present, as well as the
company’s auditors.
Officials in my department have been in touch with
various members’ offices last week following their
queries through the dedicated helplines we set up. I shall
be holding drop-in sessions for members to meet with
Cabinet Office ministers and relevant officials to answer
any further queries. Alongside ministerial colleagues, I
will keep the House updated on this ongoing situation.
Prime Minister’s Trade Envoys
[HLWS415]
Baroness Fairhead: My Rt hon Friend the Secretary of
State for International Trade and President of the Board of
Trade (Dr Liam Fox MP) has today made the following
statement.
The Prime Minister has approved two new
appointments to the Trade Envoy programme. Ranil
Jayawardena MP has been appointed as the Trade Envoy
for Sri Lanka and Julian Knight MP, as the Trade Envoy
for Mongolia. These new Trade Envoys take the total
number to 30 parliamentarians covering 59 markets.
The Trade Envoy programme is an unpaid and
voluntary cross-party network, who support the UK’s
ambitious trade and investment agenda in global markets.
They have contributed to business wins worth around
£19.5 billion.
Security Industry Authority (SIA) Annual
Report and Accounts
[HLWS414]
Baroness Williams of Trafford: My rt hon Friend the
Minister of State for Policing and the Fire Service (Nick
Hurd) has today made the following Written Ministerial
Statement:
The 2016-17 Annual Report and Accounts for the
Security Industry Authority (HC 744) is being laid before
the House today and published on www.gov.uk. Copies
will be available in the Vote Office.
Written Answers 23 January 2018 Page 3
Written Answers Tuesday, 23 January 2018
Apprentices
Asked by Lord Aberdare
To ask Her Majesty's Government what measures
they are taking to increase (1) the availability, and (2)
the take-up, of part-time apprenticeships. [HL4524]
Asked by Lord Aberdare
To ask Her Majesty's Government how they intend to
consult with employers and other stakeholders
regarding the flexibility that apprenticeship levy payers
have in spending their apprenticeship vouchers.
[HL4525]
Lord Agnew of Oulton: In May 2017 we amended
apprenticeships funding rules (attached) to allow more
flexibility in working arrangements. The new rules place
emphasis on ensuring apprentices have enough hours in
their working week to undertake sufficient and regular
training and on-the-job activity, rather than being overly
prescriptive on the number of hours apprentices must
work. If the circumstances for a particular learner mean
they are unable to undertake an apprenticeship in full-time
hours (30 hours or more per week), the employer and
training provider can structure the apprenticeship with
fewer weekly hours and a longer overall duration to
ensure all of the necessary training and assessment can be
carried out.
The department is undertaking a range of ongoing
communications and engagement activity to encourage
the take-up of apprenticeships. A new phase of our
communications campaign starts in early 2018 to
encourage employers to offer high quality apprenticeship
opportunities and to promote these to potential
apprentices. This will build on the National
Apprenticeship Service’s ongoing engagement and
communications activity to increase awareness and
promote benefits of apprenticeships among employers and
learners.
The government will continue to work with employers
to ensure that the apprenticeships funding system meets
employers’ skills needs.
We meet regularly with employers and providers to get
feedback on the new funding system, introduced in May
2017, including through the Apprenticeships Stakeholder
Board.
The Answer includes the following attached material:
Apprenticeship funding: rules and guidance for emp [HL4524
Attachment Apprencticeship Funding Rules and Guidance for
Employers 11.01.18.pdf]
The material can be viewed online at:
http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Lords/2018-01-09/HL4524
Apprentices: Taxation
Asked by Lord Aberdare
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they plan
to review the current cap of 10 per cent on the
proportion of apprenticeship levy funds that can be
transferred by levy-paying employers to other
employers; and if so, when the results of such a review
will be published. [HL4526]
Lord Agnew of Oulton: This planned change has
come about through listening to employers concerns
about increased flexibility in this area. We want to
introduce transfers in a gradual and well-managed way,
allowing levy payers to benefit from added flexibility
whilst protecting the integrity and affordability of the
programme and the interests of non-levied employers. We
will carefully monitor the implementation of transfers
after April 2018, including how the 10% limit is working.
Brexit
Asked by Lord Taylor of Warwick
To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are
taking to safeguard businesses from the possibility of a
"no deal" Brexit; and what is their assessment of the
survey by the manufacturers' organisation EEF that
only about one in three manufacturers have contingency
plans for such an event. [HL4773]
Lord Callanan: The Government is engaging with
businesses in order to understand the challenges and
opportunities as we leave the European Union. We
understand the importance of clarity for the business
community, and are working with a wide range of
organisations including EEF to get the right deal for
industry and ensure the UK remains the best possible
place to do business.
Church Schools: Catholicism
Asked by Lord Patten
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the
Written Answer by Lord Agnew of Oulton on 6
December 2017 (HL3948), what is their assessment of
the value of Catholic schools. [HL4566]
Lord Agnew of Oulton: There are 1,967 state funded
Catholic schools in England.
They are more likely to be rated good or outstanding by
Ofsted than other schools and achieve consistently higher
exam results than the national average.
The Catholic Church has been providing education in
England since 1847 and the government recognises the
enormous contribution the Catholic Church has provided
over the last 170 years.
Page 4 23 January 2018 Written Answers
Community Orders
Asked by Lord Laming
To ask Her Majesty's Government how many
community sentences were handed down in each year
from 2008 to 2016; and what action they are taking in
response to reported reductions in the number of such
sentences handed down. [HL4476]
Lord Keen of Elie: The number of community
sentences handed down in each year from 2008 to 2016
can be viewed in the attached table and also on the
following link:
https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/
attachment_data/file/614418/cjs-outcomes-by-offence-
tool-2016.xlsx Our data shows that between 2008 and
2016, the number of community orders issued fell by
46%. The fall in number of defendants appearing before
court and changes in the mix of offences coming to court
are key factors in overall decreased numbers of
community sentences. The sentencing framework already
gives courts the flexibility to select community order
requirements which are a robust alternative to custody,
and are tailored to address the specific issues that
contribute to reoffending. We are committed to ensuring
that community penalties are tough, effective and
command the confidence of sentencers.
Total number of community sentences handed down in each year, England and Wales, 2008 - 2016 (1)(2)
Total community
sentences
2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016
190,172 195,977 189,333 177,603 151,183 126,535 112,638 114,286 102,938
(1) The figures given in the table relate to persons for whom these offences were the principal offences for which they were dealt with. When a defendant has been found guilty of two or more offences it is the offence for which the heaviest penalty is imposed. Where the same disposal is
imposed for two or more offences, the offence selected is the offence for which the statutory maximum penalty is the most severe.
(2) Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by the courts and police forces. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data
collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used.
Source: Justice Statistics Analytical Services - Ministry of Justice.
Ref: HL4476
Councillors: Council Tax
Asked by Lord Storey
To ask Her Majesty's Government what is their
guidance to council tax payers in cases where a
monitoring officer has not intervened when councillors
who have not paid their own council tax take part in
the council's annual budget meeting. [HL4766]
Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth: If a local resident has a
concern with the actions of their local monitoring officer,
they should use the council’s formal complaints process,
so that the council becomes aware of the problem and can
take appropriate action. Councils are independent and
responsible for their own staff management and
disciplinary procedures.
Devolution: Wales
Asked by Lord Temple-Morris
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they are
considering further devolution of powers to the Welsh
Assembly; and if so, what. [HL4863]
Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth: The Wales Act 2017
devolves further powers to the National Assembly for
Wales and the Welsh Government in areas such the
environment, transport and elections. Most of these new
powers will come into force on 1 April.
In addition, the UK Government is in discussions with
the Welsh Government on where powers should best sit
following EU exit and where common frameworks will
need to be maintained. The Government expects the
outcome of this work will lead to a significant increase in
the decision making powers of the National Assembly for
Wales.
Driving Tests
Asked by Lord Mawson
To ask Her Majesty's Government, for each of the last
five years, what percentage of those taking the DVLA
theory test have sat that test more than three times.
[HL4597]
Baroness Sugg: The following data shows the
percentage of Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency
(DVSA) learners who took their theory test more than
three times in the last five years:
Year Category Delivery Volume
More than 3 attempts
% taking more than
3 attempts
2013 Bike 50175 383 0.76%
2013 Car 1441604 79201 5.49%
2013 CAR-
ABRIDGED
19 1 5.26%
2013 LGV-CPC 17190 685 3.98%
2013 LGV-CPC-
Conversion
126 5 3.97%
2013 LGV-HPT 28999 534 1.84%
Written Answers 23 January 2018 Page 5
2013 LGV-MC 31586 966 3.06%
2013 PCV-CPC 7478 1011 13.52%
2013 PCV-CPC-
Conversion
79 2 2.53%
2013 PCV-HPT 7518 145 1.93%
2013 PCV-MC 8044 192 2.39%
Year Category Delivery
Volume
More than
3 attempts
% taking
more than 3 attempts
2014 Bike 60600 573 0.95%
2014 Car 1663153 96729 5.82%
2014 CAR-
ABRIDGED
26 5 19.23%
2014 LGV-CPC 24574 1004 4.09%
2014 LGV-CPC-Conversion
234 22 9.40%
2014 LGV-HPT 33402 619 1.85%
2014 LGV-MC 37871 1283 3.39%
2014 PCV-CPC 6683 896 13.41%
2014 PCV-CPC-Conversion
106 18 16.98%
2014 PCV-HPT 7640 152 1.99%
2014 PCV-MC 8355 249 2.98%
Year Category Delivery Volume
More than 3 attempts
% taking more than
3 attempts
2015 Bike 69888 690 0.99%
2015 Car 1847968 115082 6.23%
2015 CAR-
ABRIDGED
30 1 3.33%
2015 LGV-CPC 31715 1112 3.51%
2015 LGV-CPC-
Conversion
411 39 9.49%
2015 LGV-HPT 46471 623 1.34%
2015 LGV-MC 51677 1909 3.69%
2015 PCV-CPC 6733 776 11.53%
2015 PCV-CPC-
Conversion
114 3 2.63%
2015 PCV-HPT 8102 135 1.67%
2015 PCV-MC 8851 262 2.96%
Year Category Delivery
Volume
More than
3 attempts
% taking
more than 3 attempts
2016 Bike 74054 950 1.28%
2016 Car 1955241 142417 7.28%
2016 CAR- 38 2 5.26%
ABRIDGED
2016 LGV-CPC 35261 1288 3.65%
2016 LGV-CPC-
Conversion
717 82 11.44%
2016 LGV-HPT 46584 619 1.33%
2016 LGV-MC 54266 2282 4.21%
2016 PCV-CPC 6728 665 9.88%
2016 PCV-CPC-
Conversion
155 8 5.16%
2016 PCV-HPT 7789 86 1.10%
2016 PCV-MC 8982 300 3.34%
Year Category Delivery
Volume
More than
3 attempts
% taking
more than 3 attempts
2017 Bike 72481 924 1.27%
2017 Car 1915556 143568 7.49%
2017 CAR-
ABRIDGED
40 3 7.50%
2017 LGV-CPC 35158 1447 4.12%
2017 LGV-CPC-Conversion
1078 146 13.54%
2017 LGV-HPT 43505 468 1.08%
2017 LGV-MC 52899 2245 4.24%
2017 PCV-CPC 6140 629 10.24%
2017 PCV-CPC-Conversion
153 6 3.92%
2017 PCV-HPT 6821 74 1.08%
2017 PCV-MC 8388 326 3.89%
East Africa: Overseas Aid
Asked by Lord Ahmed
To ask Her Majesty's Government what is the
breakdown of financial support for (1) Ethiopia, (2)
Sudan, and (3) Somalia, in the past three years.
[HL4530]
Lord Bates: The amount of direct bilateral Official
Development Assistance (ODA) the UK has provided in
the last three years is set out in the table below:
Table: UK bilateral ODA to Ethiopia, Sudan and Somalia 1
£ million.
2014 2015 2016
Ethiopia 322 339 334
Sudan 50 55 65
Somalia 124 122 152
1. All figures rounded to the nearest million
Source: Statistics on International Development 2017
Page 6 23 January 2018 Written Answers
ODA is a measure of official resource flows (aid) to
developing countries that promotes the economic benefit
and welfare of developing countries as the main objective.
East Coast Rail Franchise
Asked by Lord Greaves
To ask Her Majesty's Government which of the lines
and stations used by services included in the East Coast
franchise will be included in the proposed partnership
arrangement between Network Rail and the operator
from 2020, and which will be excluded. [HL4553]
Baroness Sugg: The Department for Transport is
currently considering the size and shape of the East Coast
Partnership as we do prior to all our competitions for rail
passenger services. Further details about the new East
Coast Partnership will be set out in the coming months.
Asked by Lord Myners
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether officials
prepared any estimates for the Secretary of State for
Transport of the value transferred, or to be
transferred, to the franchisees of the East Coast rail
franchise as a result of terminating that franchise; and if
so, when. [HL4560]
Baroness Sugg: The Department for Transport is
preparing contingency plans as we do not believe that the
franchise will be financially viable through to 2020. The
Secretary of State has a clear duty to do that for
passengers. The Department is in discussions to ensure
the needs of passengers and taxpayers are being met in the
short term whilst laying the foundations to bring forward
the reforms under a future long-term competitively
procured contract. When a conclusion to that work is
reached, the Secretary of State will make a statement in
the House as he undertook to do on 10 January.
East Coast Railway Line
Asked by Lord Greaves
To ask Her Majesty's Government, in relation to the
East Coast partnership arrangement that is proposed to
be set up from 2020, what proportion of the current
paths are allocated to each of the train operating
companies including the open access services and the
freight operators, by (1) the number of services, and (2)
the number of route miles. [HL4554]
Baroness Sugg: It should be noted there is a well-
defined, and regulated process for the allocation of train
paths and the introduction of the East Coast Partnership
from 2020 will be independent from this.
Currently, allocation on the East Coast Mainline is as
follows:
Franchised Operators out of King’s Cross Trains per Hour
GTR 10
VTEC 5
Open Access Operators out of King’s Cross
Grand Central 0.5
Hull Trains 0.5
Freight Operators on ECML 1
Franchised Operators between Doncaster and Edinburgh
CrossCountry 1.5
TPE 2
The Department for Transport does not hold
information on route miles per operator.
Egypt: Capital Punishment
Asked by Lord Ahmed
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment
they have made of the rise of death sentences and
executions being used to combat alleged terrorism in
Egypt. [HL4527]
Asked by Lord Ahmed
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether
they intend to make representations to the government
of Egypt that there should be a moratorium on all death
sentences in Egypt, especially in cases where
confessions have been obtained through torture.
[HL4528]
Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The executions of 15
men on 26 December 2017 and four men on 2 January
2018 in Egypt are deeply concerning. It is a longstanding
policy of the British Government to oppose the death
penalty, in all circumstances, as a matter of principle. We
continue to raise our human rights concerns with the
Egyptian authorities and we encourage Egypt to restrict
the application of the death penalty in line with the
minimum standards set out in the EU Guidelines on the
Death Penalty of 2008 and the provisions of the
International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, and
the Arab Charter on Human Rights.
Egypt: Human Rights
Asked by Lord Ahmed
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have
made any recent representations to the government of
Egypt regarding human rights and rule of law.
[HL4529]
Written Answers 23 January 2018 Page 7
Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The Government wants
to see more political freedoms and better protection of
human rights in Egypt. The Foreign Secretary and the
Minister for the Middle East and North Africa have
consistently raised this with our Egyptian counterparts.
Mr Burt raised our human rights concerns, including
those relating to media freedoms and restrictions on civil
society, with Foreign Minister Shoukry and Interior
Minister Ghaffar, during his visit to Egypt in August
2017. The Foreign Secretary last discussed human rights
with Foreign Minister Shoukry in October 2017, when he
raised the case of detained human rights lawyer Ibrahim
Metwally. The Foreign Secretary also emphasised the
importance of a free and open society when he met
President Sisi during his visit to Cairo in February 2017.
Egypt is an FCO Human Rights Priority Country and the
UK regularly raises concerns about human rights in Egypt
at the UN’s Human Rights Council.
Empty Property
Asked by Lord Hylton
To ask Her Majesty's Government what is their
estimate of the total number of empty dwellings in
England; how many of those dwellings are owned by
(1) housing associations, (2) local authorities, and (3)
private owners; and what steps are being taken to bring
structurally sound dwellings back into use. [HL4470]
Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth: Statistics on vacant
dwellings in England, are published in the Department’s
live table 615 (attached) which is available at the
following link. This table shows the annual totals of all
empty homes, those vacant longer than six months and of
vacant dwellings in the local authority, housing
association and other public sector tenures.
https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-
sets/live-tables-on-dwelling-stock-including-vacants
The number of long term empty homes is substantially
lower than when records began. Long-term empty homes
are those dwellings which have been unoccupied and
substantially unfurnished for over six months. In October
2009, there were 316,251 long term homes in England
and this had fallen to 200,145 by October 2016.
Figures are not directly comparable for Private
Registered Providers (Housing Association) and local
authority dwellings. Figures for March 2016, show there
were 11,482 long term vacant Private Registered
Providers dwellings and 22,928 local authority dwellings
(long and short term).
As to steps being taken to bring structurally sound
dwellings back to use, I refer to my answer to PQ
3618283/ UIN HL4471.
The Answer includes the following attached material:
Live table 615 [180110 live table 615 - HL4470.xls]
The material can be viewed online at:
http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Lords/2018-01-08/HL4470
Energy: UK Trade with EU
Asked by Lord Taylor of Warwick
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment
they have made regarding the impact of Brexit on
energy trading with Europe. [HL4771]
Lord Henley: The Government is currently considering
all aspects of its future relationship with the EU, including
in energy. Our priority is to maintain affordable, clean
and secure energy supplies for businesses and households.
We are undertaking a comprehensive programme of
analytical work across a range of scenarios. This work is
ongoing. However, we have been clear that we must not
publish material that could expose the UK in the
negotiations.
Ethiopia: Overseas Aid
Asked by Lord Ahmed
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment
they have made of UK funding being spent on masters
of science degrees for security officials in Ethiopia.
[HL4531]
Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: Through the Conflict,
Stability and Security Fund (CSSF), the British
Government funds an MSc in Security Sector
Management run in Ethiopia by Cranfield University. The
MSc is designed to support regional capacity in Peace
Support Operations activity and is attended by students
from across the region, including six (of 28) Ethiopians.
This programme began in 2017 and the first Annual
Review will be conducted in April, in line with standard
timings for CSSF programmes.
Faith Schools: Admissions
Asked by Lord Patten
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the
Written Answer by Lord Agnew of Oulton on 20
December 2017 (HL3949), what evidence they have, if
any, of why some Muslim parents send their children to
Catholic, or other faith, schools. [HL4568]
Lord Agnew of Oulton: The department does not
collect data about the preferences of parents from
particular faiths in relation to the choice of school for
their children. Catholic schools are often popular with
parents and over-subscribed and it is likely that this may
result in interest from Muslim parents as well as those
from other faiths and no faith.
Fisheries Convention
Asked by Baroness McIntosh of Pickering
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment
they have made of the implications for inshore
fishermen of their decision to withdraw from the
London Fisheries Convention of 1962; and whether, in
Page 8 23 January 2018 Written Answers
the light of withdrawal from that Convention, inshore
fishermen will be able to access the UK cod fishing
quota in future. [HL4649]
Lord Gardiner of Kimble: The UK gave notice of its
intention to withdraw from the 1964 London Fisheries
Convention on 3 July 2017. This is a procedural step to
make sure that we are able to control access to UK waters
after we leave the EU. Withdrawal from the Convention
will make sure that there is a clear and open basis on
which to start negotiations on future fisheries agreements.
It is estimated that between 2013 and 2015, UK vessels
caught between 500-600 tonnes of fish worth between
£519,000 and £862,000 in the 6-12nm zone of other
Member States. Between 11,000 and 12,000 tonnes of
fish per year is caught by non-UK vessels within the UK’s
6-12nm zone with an estimated value of between £16 and
£18 million. This estimate is applicable to vessels of 15
metres and over only. There are no estimates for vessels
of less than 15 metres.
When the UK leaves the EU, we will be an independent
Coastal State. We will have rights and obligations under
the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea to control and
manage our territorial waters (0-12nm) and Exclusive
Economic Zone (out to 200 nautical miles or the median
line with other states). Access to UK waters for non-UK
vessels and access for UK vessels to other Coastal States
waters will be a matter for negotiation. UK vessels will
continue to be able to fish against UK quotas in UK
waters.
Food: Imports
Asked by The Lord Bishop of St Albans
To ask Her Majesty's Government what proportion of
food consumed in the UK was imported from the EU in
(1) 1990, (2) 1995, (3) 2000, (4) 2005, (5) 2010, (6)
2015, and (7) 2017. [HL4655]
Lord Gardiner of Kimble: The proportion of food
consumed that was imported from the EU is shown in the
table below. Data is not yet available for 2017. The latest
figures are for 2016.
Origins of domestic consumption 1990 – 2016
1990 1995 2000 2005 2010 2015 2016
UK 66% 62% 56% 51% 51% 52% 49%
EU (a) 18% 21% 23% 28% 28% 29% 30%
i) Membership of the EU increased between 2002 and
2013, from 15 to 28 countries.
A full time series of data from 1988 and for all world
regions is available in the Agriculture section of the UK
Chapter 14 data set on the GOV.UK website.
Note that the origins of domestic consumption figures
are not the same as the production to supply ratio
(sometimes referred to as self-sufficiency). In 2016 the
UK production to supply ratio for all food was 60%.
High Rise Flats: Fire Extinguishers
Asked by Lord Patten
To ask Her Majesty's Government what is their
assessment of the commitment by Westminster City
Council to retrofit sprinklers in all of their blocks of
flats over 30 metres in height. [HL4567]
Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth: Sprinklers can be an
effective fire safety measure but they are one of many
such measures that can be adopted. It is for building
owners to decide whether to fit sprinklers, on the basis of
their assessment of the risk. Government advice is clear;
for new blocks of flats over 30 metres in height the
statutory guidance states that sprinklers should be fitted.
For existing buildings it is a decision for the building
owner whether to retro-fit sprinklers as part of a whole
fire-safety strategy for the building, based on expert
advice and taking into account of other fire safety
measures present.
Homelessness
Asked by Lord Farmer
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the
answer by Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth on 9 January
(HL Deb, col 113), which projects funded by the Fair
Chance Fund have been successful in reducing family
and relationship breakdown. [HL4586]
Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth: The £15 million Fair
Chance Fund (FCF) was an innovative three year
programme designed to improve accommodation,
education and employment outcomes for homeless young
people aged 18 - 24, who did not have priority need under
the homelessness legislation but had a range of support
needs which presented barriers to securing and sustaining,
accommodation and getting on in life.
Many of the participants had multiple needs, often
resulting in on-going problems and issues. This included a
history of family and relationship breakdown, alongside
other vulnerabilities. The causes of homelessness can be
multiple and complex. Where family and/or relationship
breakdown is present, it is often just one part of the wider
picture. That is why the FCF key workers in all 7 areas
worked intensely with the young people by offering
tailored support to meet their needs.
Two interim evaluations of the FCF were published last
year [ https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/fair-
chance-fund-evaluation-interim-reports ], and the final
evaluation will be published later this year. Findings are
being used to inform future policy work on supporting
young people experiencing homelessness and on the use
of social investment.
The Answer includes the following attached material:
Fair Chance Fund [180122 Fair Chance Fund interim report Year
One - HL4586.pdf]
Fair Chance Fund Year two report [180123 Fair Chance Fund
interim eport Year TwoHL4586.pdf]
Written Answers 23 January 2018 Page 9
The material can be viewed online at:
http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Lords/2018-01-10/HL4586
Iron and Steel: Dumping
Asked by Lord Taylor of Warwick
To ask Her Majesty's Government what
representations they have received from representatives
of the UK steel industry that the Taxation (Cross Border
Trade) Bill might not provide sufficient future
protection against unfair "dumping" of goods from
other nations; and what action they are taking in
response. [HL4618]
Baroness Fairhead: The Department has engaged
extensively with business organisations, including the UK
steel industry, and has incorporated a wide range of
business viewpoints in developing the UK trade remedies
framework set out in the Taxation (Cross-Border Trade)
and Trade Bills.
The Government’s first priority is to ensure that UK
industries have the protections they need if they suffer
injury. That is why the trade remedies provisions will
provide real and robust protections to UK industries
suffering injury. In order to ensure as much continuity as
possible, the Department has also issued a call for
evidence, to identify and maintain existing EU trade
remedy measures which matter to UK businesses.
There are differing opinions between individual
businesses within the steel industry on remedies and trade
defence measures.
Israel: Palestinians
Asked by Baroness Tonge
To ask Her Majesty's Government what
representations they are making to the government of
Israel concerning reports that Israeli and Palestinian
children are being treated differently by the Israeli
criminal justice system. [HL4574]
Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: We regularly raise
concerns about the treatment of Palestinian minors in
detention. In December 2017, our Ambassador to Tel
Aviv raised with the Israeli Justice Minister the issue of
Palestinian children in detention. The Minister for the
Middle East most recently raised our concerns with the
Israeli authorities during his visit to Israel in August
2017.
Jerusalem
Asked by Baroness Tonge
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the
Written Answer by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon on 21
December (HL4170), what action they intend to take to
protect the rights of Palestinians in East Jerusalem.
[HL4573]
Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The Government will
continue to make clear our serious concerns about the
situation in East Jerusalem to the Israeli authorities and
the Municipality of Jerusalem. The UK also supports the
rights of Palestinian communities in East Jerusalem
facing demolition or eviction through our funding to the
Norwegian Refugee Council legal aid programme. This
helps residents to challenge decisions in the Israeli legal
system. We also remain deeply concerned about
restrictions on freedom of movement to and from East
Jerusalem. Through our Embassy in Tel Aviv we have
lobbied the appropriate authorities on the issue of
movement and access and continue to call on Israel to
ease restrictions on access.
Migrant Workers: EU Nationals
Asked by Lord Taylor of Warwick
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment
they have made on the UK’s reliance on EU workers,
and the effects of Brexit on industries that rely on these
workers. [HL4769]
Lord Callanan: We have been clear that following our
exit from the EU, we will continue to welcome those with
the skills, drive and expertise to make a positive
contribution. We are also committed to avoiding labour
shortages in key sectors.
The Government has commissioned the Migration
Advisory Committee (MAC) to gather evidence on
patterns of EU migration and the role of migration in the
wider economy, ahead of our exit from the EU. The MAC
will build on the significant analysis already underway in
government, but we want the MAC’s credible,
independent advice to inform our decisions on our future
immigration arrangements.
The MAC commission provide a clear channel for
business and other employers to express their views, and
their findings will be used to inform decisions about the
post EU exit immigration arrangements.
Overseas Aid
Asked by The Marquess of Lothian
To ask Her Majesty's Government how they assess
the return on investment to the British economy from
foreign aid spending. [HL4686]
Lord Bates: Aid is squarely in the UK national interest.
Developing countries will be major markets and
important trading partners for the UK in the future. Our
support will promote trade, investment and stability, in
addition to the development impact on the lives of the
poorest.
Page 10 23 January 2018 Written Answers
Palace of Westminster: Repairs and
Maintenance
Asked by Lord Norton of Louth
To ask the Senior Deputy Speaker what is the
estimated earliest date by which both Houses of
Parliament could decant the Palace of Westminster in
the event of a decision so to do for the purposes of the
restoration and renewal of the Palace; and what is the
estimated cost to the public purse for the repair and
maintenance of the Palace in the period between now
and both Houses decanting. [HL4602]
Lord McFall of Alcluith: Neither House has yet
considered the recommendation of the Report of the Joint
Committee on the Palace of Westminster (House of Lords
Paper No. 41, HC 659, Session 2016–17), published in
September 2016, that both Houses should leave the Palace
temporarily while the essential restoration and renewal
work is carried out. The future schedule for the
Restoration & Renewal Programme will depend largely
on when both Houses take a decision on the preferred
delivery option, and on what that decision is. If both
Houses accept the Joint Committee’s recommendation,
then it will be necessary to acquire, design and fit out
temporary accommodation, and to complete the
refurbishment of the House of Commons Northern Estate,
before decant can take place. There will also be several
years of design work, including consultation with
Members of both Houses and more widely, which will be
followed by a procurement phase for the works. The Joint
Committee recommended the establishment, by statute, of
an independent Sponsor Board and Delivery Authority to
deliver the Programme. Assuming that a decision on the
future direction of the Programme can be taken soon, we
expect that this work could be completed in time for
decant to take place in 2025.
The forecast cost of repair and maintenance of the
Palace of Westminster from 2017/18 to 2021/22, the end
of the current Medium Term Investment Plan period, is
set out in the table below. This includes both planned
preventative and reactive maintenance, and current and
planned Strategic Estates projects, including a further
round of mechanical and electrical engineering work
intended to keep the building habitable until 2025.
2017/18 2018/19 2019/20 2020/21 2021/22
Planned preventative &
reactive maintenance
£10,950,421 £10,906,124 £11,044,424 £11,366,324 £10,969,424
Current & planned Strategic Estates
projects
£82,423,288 £106,455,026 £98,110,475 £35,684,761 £25,058,596
Medium-term mechanical and
electrical works
– £801,903 £3,494,211 £18,301,903 £18,301,903
Total £93,373,709 £118,163,052 £112,649,110 £65,352,988 £54,329,923
Costs include VAT and optimism bias where
appropriate, but no allowance has been made for inflation.
There is not yet a reliable forecast for routine
maintenance beyond the end of the current Medium Term
Investment Plan period in 2021/22. It is possible that
reactive maintenance costs may rise in future as the
condition of the Palace continues to deteriorate.
It is assumed that, as the start date for the Restoration &
Renewal Programme approaches, wherever possible,
work which can be deferred until the Programme starts
will be.
Parental Leave
Asked by Baroness Lister of Burtersett
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the
answer by Lord Henley on 9 January (HL Deb, cols
109–110), when they expect to complete the evaluation
of shared parental leave; and whether they will invite
stakeholders, including interested voluntary
organisations, to submit evidence to the evaluation.
[HL4755]
Lord Henley: We have started to evaluate the Shared
Parental Leave and Pay schemes and will gather and
analyse information from a wide variety of sources.
Subject to the progress of data collection, we anticipate
publishing findings in spring 2019.
Parliament: Broadcasting
Asked by Lord Campbell-Savours
To ask the Senior Deputy Speaker, further to the
Written Answer by the Senior Deputy Speaker on 19
July 2017 (HL599) concerning the resource costs of
£1,104K to the House of Lords for Parliamentary
Broadcasting, what amount of that sum, if any, is
provided to the BBC. [HL4662]
Lord McFall of Alcluith: None of the recharged
resource costs referred to in HL599 is provided to the
BBC.
Asked by Lord Campbell-Savours
To ask the Senior Deputy Speaker, further to the
Written Answer by the Senior Deputy Speaker on 19
July 2017 (HL599) concerning the resource costs of
£1,104K to the House of Lords for Parliamentary
Written Answers 23 January 2018 Page 11
Broadcasting, what proportion of the total cost of the
shared service that sum represents. [HL4663]
Lord McFall of Alcluith: The £1,104k represents 40%
of the total Parliamentary Broadcasting Unit spend,
excluding depreciation. This is in line with the agreed
40:60 split of broadcasting costs between the House of
Lords and the House of Commons.
Poultry: Campylobacter
Asked by Baroness Jones of Whitchurch
To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are
taking to address the high levels of campylobacter
infection which are resistant to antibiotics in UK
chickens. [HL4753]
Lord Gardiner of Kimble: The use of antibiotics is a
driver of selection of resistance. Therefore, Defra is
working with the livestock industry to implement the
sector specific targets published in October 2017 to
promote reduction in antibiotic use, while encouraging
best husbandry practice and responsible use of antibiotics.
The UK meat poultry industry has significantly reduced
the use of antibiotics including those of critical
importance to public health; the British Poultry Council,
representing 90% of the meat poultry industry, reported a
72% reduction in the use of fluoroquinolones between
2012 and 2016.
The Government monitors resistance levels in
Campylobacter in meat poultry at slaughter. Latest results
show very low resistance levels to Erythromycin, an
antibiotic considered to be a last resort for the treatment
of Campylobacter infections in people, and low levels of
multidrug resistance.
Recycling
Asked by Baroness Finlay of Llandaff
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have
undertaken an impact assessment of a refundable
deposit scheme for glass bottles, plastic bottles and
metal cans; if so, what was the outcome; and at what
levels refundable deposits would need to be set to make
such a scheme cost-effective. [HL4550]
Lord Gardiner of Kimble: The UK has made progress
on our packaging recycling rates, including for drinks
containers. Current policies and regulations have seen the
recycling rate for packaging waste rise to 60% in 2015,
from around 46% in 2005.
This Government has not yet undertaken a formal
Impact Assessment of a deposit return scheme. However,
Defra analysed the costs and benefits of implementing a
deposit return system for single use drink containers as
part of the 2011 Review of Waste Policy in England, and
to seek views in the 2012 consultation on higher
packaging recycling targets.
From 2 October to 20 November 2017 an independent
working group set up under the Litter Strategy for
England held a call for evidence on measures to reduce
littering of drinks containers and promote recycling. The
focus was rigid and flexible plastic, glass or metal drinks
containers that are sold sealed, and used for the sale of
alcoholic or non-alcoholic beverages, often for
consumption ‘on-the-go’. This included seeking evidence
on the costs, benefits and impacts of deposit and reward
and return schemes.
The working group is due to provide advice to
Ministers on potential incentives for drinks containers in
the next couple of months. Any decisions on appropriate
measures to take forward will then be made, supported by
the development of an impact assessment as necessary.
Social Security Benefits
Asked by The Lord Bishop of Durham
To ask Her Majesty's Government how many families
with three or more children have been affected by the
benefit cap in each month since April 2017; how many
children were included in each affected family; how
many families were (1) lone parent families or (2) two-
parent families; and how many of those families had
one or more parents in work. [HL4636]
Baroness Buscombe: The table below shows the
number of households with three or more children that
had their Housing Benefit capped at each month since
April 2017 by family type and number of children, for
lone parent families and two-parent families.
The information requested on the number of families
with three or more children that have been affected by the
benefit cap in each month since April 2017 with one or
more parents in work is not readily available and to
provide it would incur disproportionate cost.
Households receiving Universal Credit with earning of
£520 a month and households receiving Working Tax
Credit are exempt from the benefit cap. At August 2017
38,795 households that had previously had their Housing
Benefit capped and were no longer capped had an open
Working Tax Credit claim, indicating that they had
moved into work.
Number of households with three or more children that had their Housing Benefit capped at each month since April 2017 by family type
and number of children
Apr-17
Family Type
Couple with child
dependant(s)
Single with child
dependant(s)
Total
- Number of
Children
- 3
dependants
5,987 21,349 27,335
- 4
dependants
3,614 11,752 15,368
- 5
dependants
1,543 3,463 5,008
Page 12 23 January 2018 Written Answers
Family
Type
Couple with
child
dependant(s)
Single with
child
dependant(s)
Total
- More than 5
dependants
639 1,024 1,663
- Total 11,789 37,592 49,378
May-17
Family Type
Couple with child
dependant(s)
Single with child
dependant(s)
Total
- Number of
Children
- 3
dependants
6,251 21,539 27,793
- 4
dependants
3,742 12,100 15,840
- 5
dependants
1,590 3,550 5,142
- More than 5
dependants
677 1,045 1,721
- Total 12,255 38,238 50,501
Jun-17
Family
Type
Couple with
child dependant(s)
Single with
child dependant(s)
Total
- Number of
Children
- 3 dependants
6,233 21,958 28,192
- 4 dependants
3,704 12,068 15,773
- 5 dependants
1,607 3,595 5,198
- More than 5 dependants
681 1,058 1,739
- Total 12,224 38,676 50,898
Jul-17
Family
Type
Couple with
child
dependant(s)
Single with
child
dependant(s)
Total
- Number of
Children
- 3
dependants
6,149 22,466 28,610
- 4
dependants
3,575 12,045 15,628
- 5 dependants
1,581 3,529 5,108
- More than 5 dependants
651 1,043 1,693
- Total 11,959 39,086 51,046
Aug-17
Family Type
Couple with child
dependant(s)
Single with child
dependant(s)
Total
- Number of
Children
- 3
dependants
5,948 22,439 28,384
- 4
dependants
3,522 11,848 15,370
- 5
dependants
1,572 3,472 5,043
- More than 5
dependants
639 1,051 1,697
- Total 11,677 38,812 50,485
INFO Statistical disclosure control has been applied to these tables to avoid the
release of confidential data. Totals may not sum due to the disclosure
control applied.
Source: Department for Work and Pensions
Southern Africa: Overseas Aid
Asked by Lord German
To ask Her Majesty's Government which aid
programmes they have supported in (1) Swaziland, (2)
Botswana, and (3) Lesotho, since May 2015. [HL4592]
Lord Bates: The UK provided £5.7million of bilateral
Official Development Assistance (ODA) to Lesotho in
2016. DFID provided £4.8 million of this total in drought
response through the United Nations Humanitarian appeal
for assistance for food security, access to water, and
recovery of livelihoods and the contribution helped to
provide targeted assistance to 375,000 people affect by
the drought.
UK bilateral ODA to Botswana and Swaziland in 2016
supported education programmes funded through the
Foreign and Commonwealth Office.
The table below shows the amount of UK bilateral
ODA that was received by Botswana, Lesotho and
Swaziland between 2015 and 2016.
Millions £ 2015 2016
Botswana 1.1 0.3
Lesotho 0.4 5.7
Swaziland 0.2 0.0
Source: Statistics on International Development (SID)
2017 (see below)
Full details on all the projects supported in these
countries can be found on gov.uk website.
Written Answers 23 January 2018 Page 13
Tourism: Marketing
Asked by Lord Porter of Spalding
To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they
have to market English tourist destinations in 2018.
[HL4569]
Lord Ashton of Hyde: VisitBritain and VisitEngland
promote England both domestically and abroad. In 2018,
they have two main campaigns: “Join The World,
Discover the UK” (in partnership with VisitScotland and
VisitWales) promoting the UK domestically and “I Travel
For”, a global campaign promoting English destinations.
Ongoing work includes the English Gateways
partnership with regional airports, a partnership with
Expedia featuring English destinations, promoting
England through English Tourism Week and supporting
the Great Exhibition of the North.
The three year £40m Discover England Fund is also
developing a range of products promoting English
destinations to markets abroad. Projects include support
for the South West Coastal Path (in Somerset, Devon and
Cornwall) and the Coastal Pass (which runs along the
East Coast of England).
UN Committee on the Elimination of
Discrimination against Women
Asked by Baroness Jones of Moulsecoomb
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will
nominate a candidate to the UN Committee for Ending
Discrimination Against Women. [HL4558]
Baroness Williams of Trafford: The Committee on
the Elimination of Discrimination against Women is
composed of 23 members. There will be an election later
this year to replace 12 of these members, whose terms of
office expire on 31 December 2018. The Government is
not currently planning to make nominations for this
Committee.
Universal Credit
Asked by Baroness Lister of Burtersett
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the
Written Answer by Baroness Buscombe on 20
December 2017 (HL4048), what have been the annual
funding levels per capita per universal credit claimant
for delivery of universal support for each year since
2013–14 at constant prices. [HL4754]
Baroness Buscombe: The per capita payment for
Universal Support has remained unchanged since 2013/14
and is £25.66 per hour.
The allocated time for each claimant varies as follows:
Support Offered Rate per hour Time Allocated Payment per
Claimant
Assisted Digital
Support Live
Service
£25.66 60mins £25.66
Assisted Digital
Support Full
Service
£25.66 60mins £25.66
Personal
Budgeting
Support Live Service
£25.66 120mins £51.32
Personal Budgeting
Support Full
Service
£25.66 120mins £51.32
Work Capability Assessment
Asked by Baroness Thomas of Winchester
To ask Her Majesty's Government what progress they
have made on meeting their targets on work capability
assessments for disabled people. [HL4774]
Baroness Buscombe: The Department for Work and
Pensions (DWP) decision makers have no targets that
relate to the number of people placed in the Support
Group, Work Related Activity Group or found fit for
work following a work capability assessment.
The current contractual agreement between the DWP
and the Centre for Health and Disability Assessments
contains numerous performance targets including
throughput, claimant service and work capability
assessment report quality, which also contain automatic
financial remedies where there is service level failure.
There are no targets specifying that certain numbers of
people should be allowed or disallowed benefit.
The contractual performance of Centre for Health and
Disability Assessments is monitored closely by the DWP.
Since Centre for Health and Disability Assessments took
on the contract, we have halved work capability
assessment waiting times, down from 32 weeks in August
2014 to 16 weeks in March 2017.
Asked by Baroness Thomas of Winchester
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the
recruitment of healthcare professionals by third party
providers is sufficient to meet the current volume of
work capability assessments for disabled people; and
what are the minimum qualifications being sought as
part of the recruitment process. [HL4775]
Baroness Buscombe: Since the commencement of the
Health and Disability Assessment Service contract in
March 2015 the supplier, Centre for Health and Disability
Assessments (CHDA), has increased its number of
Healthcare Professionals by over 60%. As a result, CHDA
Page 14 23 January 2018 Written Answers
are on course to deliver the contractual volumes for work
capability assessments.
All Healthcare Professionals who undertake work
capability assessments are registered healthcare
professionals, doctors, nurses, physiotherapists or
occupational therapists, with a minimum of two years
broad - based post registration experience.
Asked by Baroness Thomas of Winchester
To ask Her Majesty's Government what is their
assessment of the quality of Work Capability
Assessment assessors. [HL4776]
Baroness Buscombe: All Healthcare Professionals
undertaking Work Capability Assessments are highly-
trained practitioners in their own field. They must be
registered practitioners who have at least two years post-
registration experience. They are subject to a rigorous
recruitment process followed by a comprehensive training
programme in disability assessment.
We are committed to ensuring claimants receive high
quality, fair and accurate assessments. All Healthcare
Professionals are subject to on-going quality audit to
ensure they continue to deliver high quality assessments.
Index to Statements and Answers
Written Statements ................................................. 1
Armed Forces Pay ................................................ 1
Carillion ................................................................ 1
Prime Minister’s Trade Envoys ............................ 2
Security Industry Authority (SIA) Annual Report
and Accounts ........................................................ 2
Written Answers ..................................................... 3
Apprentices ........................................................... 3
Apprentices: Taxation .......................................... 3
Brexit .................................................................... 3
Church Schools: Catholicism ............................... 3
Community Orders ............................................... 4
Councillors: Council Tax ..................................... 4
Devolution: Wales ................................................ 4
Driving Tests ........................................................ 4
East Africa: Overseas Aid .................................... 5
East Coast Rail Franchise ..................................... 6
East Coast Railway Line ...................................... 6
Egypt: Capital Punishment ................................... 6
Egypt: Human Rights ........................................... 6
Empty Property ..................................................... 7
Energy: UK Trade with EU .................................. 7
Ethiopia: Overseas Aid ......................................... 7
Faith Schools: Admissions ................................... 7
Fisheries Convention ............................................ 7
Food: Imports ....................................................... 8
High Rise Flats: Fire Extinguishers ...................... 8
Homelessness ....................................................... 8
Iron and Steel: Dumping ...................................... 9
Israel: Palestinians ................................................ 9
Jerusalem .............................................................. 9
Migrant Workers: EU Nationals ........................... 9
Overseas Aid ........................................................ 9
Palace of Westminster: Repairs and Maintenance
............................................................................ 10
Parental Leave .................................................... 10
Parliament: Broadcasting ................................... 10
Poultry: Campylobacter ..................................... 11
Recycling ........................................................... 11
Social Security Benefits ..................................... 11
Southern Africa: Overseas Aid .......................... 12
Tourism: Marketing ........................................... 13
UN Committee on the Elimination of
Discrimination against Women ......................... 13
Universal Credit ................................................. 13
Work Capability Assessment ............................. 13