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  • Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth on 2014-04-09.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what they are doing to ensure the protection of bees.

    Lord De Mauley

    The importance of pollinators, including the honeybee, and their value to both food security and sustaining the natural environment is recognised as a high priority. In view of this, Defra has taken action on a number of fronts, including:

    · contributing £2.5 million over five years to the Insect Pollinators Initiative;

    · establishing the Healthy Bees Plan, a ten year plan to protect and improve the health of honeybees in England and Wales, of which five years has already been completed;

    · continuing to fund the long-established National Bee Unit bee health programme, which includes inspection of colonies, diagnosis of bee pests and diseases, and training for beekeepers; and

    · launching a public consultation on the National Pollinator Strategy this month.

  • Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth on 2014-04-09.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what they are doing to help young people buy their own homes.

    Baroness Stowell of Beeston

    This Government is committed to supporting people’s aspirations to own their own home. That is why we have introduced schemes such as Help to Buy Equity Loan and Mortgage Guarantee, and reinvigorated Right to Buy. Since the spring of 2010, these, together with our affordable housing schemes have helped or are helping nearly 112,000 people to buy a home of their own. Since April 2010, 420,000 homes have been built, with new housing construction output now at its highest level since 2007.

  • Lord Willis of Knaresborough – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    Lord Willis of Knaresborough – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Willis of Knaresborough on 2014-04-09.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government, according to the latest data available, how many young people in England were claiming Jobseeker’s Allowance at age (1) 18, (2) 19, (3) 20, (4) 21, (5) 22, (6) 23 and (7) 24; and, for each age group, how many were claiming for (a) less than 3 months, (b) 3–6 months, (c) 6–12 months, and (d) 12 or more months.

    Lord Wallace of Saltaire

    The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply.

  • Lord Mawhinney – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Northern Ireland Office

    Lord Mawhinney – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Northern Ireland Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Mawhinney on 2014-04-09.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many so-called peace walls currently exist in Belfast; what is their total size (meaning their height multiplied by their breadth); and what were the equivalent figures in 2000 and 2010, or their best estimates of those figures.

    Lord Bates

    This is a devolved matter and the responsibility of the Northern Ireland Minister of Justice. The Noble Lord may, however, wish to note the Community Relations Council publication at: http://www.community-relations.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/Peace-Monitoring-Report-2014.pdf. This refers to the number of peace walls as part of its report.

    The Northern Ireland Office does not keep statistics on peace walls which became the responsibility of the Northern Ireland Executive following the devolution of policing and justice matters in 2010. The Noble Lord may wish to contact the Department of Justice to obtain the information he seeks.

    “

  • – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Northern Ireland Office

    – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Northern Ireland Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by on 2014-04-09.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the answer by Baroness Randerson on 8 April (HL Deb, cols 1237–9), in the event that the police fail to provide the review led by Lady Justice Hallett with adequate information in respect of whether they are currently seeking evidence on on the runs”

    Lord Bates

    I understand the PSNI are working closely with Lady Justice Hallett’s team to provide access to the information they require in order to fulfil their remit. It will be a matter for Lady Justice Hallett to consider and, if she so wishes comment on, the levels of cooperation received from all relevant parties, and to make recommendations. Her Majesty’s Government will respond appropriately to any recommendations which Lady Justice Hallett makes.

  • Lord Storey – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    Lord Storey – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Storey on 2014-04-09.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Wallace of Saltaire on 20 March (WA 52), how much each former Prime Minister received by way of public duty cost allowances in the financial year 2013–14.

    Lord Wallace of Saltaire

    This information will be published in the Cabinet Office annual report.

  • Lord Storey – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Lord Storey – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Storey on 2014-04-09.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what measures they are taking to ensure that (1) social workers are prepared to identify and intervene in cases of mental or emotional abuse towards children, and (2) social services are adequately funded to carry out such investigations to the highest standards.

    Lord Nash

    Working Together to Safeguard Children, 2013, defines abuse and neglect including emotional abuse. Social workers will use this definition when deciding what action to take to protect a child. Some level of emotional abuse is involved in all types of maltreatment of a child, though it may occur alone.

    To be registered as a social worker, students will have undertaken an approved course providing an understanding of forms of harm, relevant legislation and policy, and the ability to assess risks and intervene appropriately.

    Following the Narey review of social work education, the Chief Social Worker is leading work on a definitive document that will define more clearly the knowledge and skills required by children’s social workers. The ability to identify and intervene in cases of mental or emotional abuse will be a key part of the document.

    Local authority funding for safeguarding children and young people is included within core funding for children’s social care which comes from the Department for Community and Local Government’s Formula Grant and local taxation. Funding is not ringfenced and it is for local authorities to decide how to apply their funding across the services they deliver. A report from the Audit Commission[1] published in November 2013 found that children’s social care has been largely protected from spending reductions from 2010/11 to 2013/14.

    [1] http://www.audit-commission.gov.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/Tough-Times-2013-Councils-Responses-to-Financial-Challenges-w1.pdf

  • Lord Storey – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Lord Storey – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Storey on 2014-04-09.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of Action for Children’s proposed Cinderella neglect law.

    Lord Faulks

    The Government believes protecting children from harm is fundamental and that child cruelty is an abhorrent crime which should be punished. All children should be able to grow up in a safe, happy environment.

    Officials at the Ministry of Justice have been exploring the views of relevant experts in England and Wales to ascertain whether there are any gaps in the criminal law on child cruelty.

    We are currently considering the outcome of this work with a view to determining next steps.

  • Lord Inglewood – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Lord Inglewood – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Inglewood on 2014-04-09.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their assessment of the timetable for the negotiations on the United Kingdom’s opt-in to the European Arrest Warrant and other European Union Justice and Home Affairs measures; whether they agree with the statement made by the Presidency of the European Union in note 7519/14 that they will need to finalise their position by June 2014 so that national internal procedures can take place before the summer recess; and if so, whether those procedures will include a debate in the House of Lords on the final text of the instruments.

    Lord Taylor of Holbeach

    As my Rt. Hon. Friend the Home Secretary stated to Parliament on 7 April 2014, Official Report, column 27, ‘Detailed and constructive discussions are taking place with the European Commission and other member states. The Government is keen to avoid the possibility of an operational gap that will ensue if we have not settled the matter before 1 December when the UK’s opt-out takes full effect.

    Our aim is therefore to reach an "in principle" deal well ahead of that date.’ As I stated to the House on 23 January 2014, Official Report, column 846, the Government remains committed ‘to holding another vote on the final package of measures that we will apply to rejoin.’ We remain of the view that Parliament should be given the opportunity to scrutinise this matter fully.

  • Lord Greaves – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Lord Greaves – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Greaves on 2014-04-09.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is the average waiting time for completion of disclosure and barring service checks in the (1) standard, (2) enhanced, and (3) enhanced with list checks, categories.

    Lord Taylor of Holbeach

    For the financial year 2013-14 the average turnaround times were as follows :-

    All Enhanced Disclosures: 11.9 Days (3,715,222 Disclosures)
    All Standard Disclosures: 4.8 Days (233,511 Disclosures)

    Enhanced disclosures are broken into :-

    Enhanced Disclosures with List Checks: 12 Days (3,554,721 Disclosures)
    Enhanced Disclosures with NO List Checks: 10.9 Days (160,501 Disclosures)