The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Myners on 2016-04-26.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether the Pensions Regulator will appoint an investment bank and retail consultancy to support its investigation into the events preceding BHS going into administration.
Baroness Altmann
Parliament gave the Pensions Regulator independence in how it operates. It is for the Regulator to determine how it wishes to undertake any investigation into matters relating to the BHS pension scheme.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Morris of Aberavon on 2016-04-26.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what funding increases they have proposed for type 1 diabetes in 2016–17 and in subsequent years.
Lord Prior of Brampton
Clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) commission services for people with type 1 diabetes and we would expect them to prioritise their funding in accordance with local needs and within the overall resources available.
The effective treatment and care of diabetes is one of the clinical priority areas highlighted in the CCG Improvement and Assessment Framework recently published by NHS England.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Moonie on 2016-04-26.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many members of the armed forces left or were discharged in the last year on mental health grounds.
Earl Howe
In the 12 months to 31 March 2015, 359 UK Regular Armed Forces personnel were medically discharged with a principal cause of Mental and Behavioural Disorders.
Comprehensive statistical information on medical discharges among UK Regular Armed Forces personnel is published on an annual basis. The latest report, covering medical discharges during the five Financial Years 2010-11 to 2014-15 can be found at the following address:
https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/medical-discharges-among-uk-service-personnel-statistics-index
Information covering Financial Year 2015-16 is scheduled for publication on 14 July 2016.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Moonie on 2016-04-26.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many males and females left the armed forces in the last year before reaching the age of 18.
Earl Howe
In the 12 months to 30 September 2015, 12,250 males and 1,330 females joined the UK Regular Armed Forces. In the same period, 380 males and 30 females aged under 18 years left the UK Regular Armed Forces.
A full breakdown of these figures can be found in, respectively, tables six and 11 of our Biannual Diversity Statistics publication (the Microsoft Excel spreadsheet) at the following address:
https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/uk-armed-forces-biannual-diversity-statistics-2015
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Moonie on 2016-04-26.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many male and female enlistments in the armed forces there were in the past year.
Earl Howe
In the 12 months to 30 September 2015, 12,250 males and 1,330 females joined the UK Regular Armed Forces. In the same period, 380 males and 30 females aged under 18 years left the UK Regular Armed Forces.
A full breakdown of these figures can be found in, respectively, tables six and 11 of our Biannual Diversity Statistics publication (the Microsoft Excel spreadsheet) at the following address:
https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/uk-armed-forces-biannual-diversity-statistics-2015
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Moonie on 2016-04-26.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the effects on (1) the individual, and (2) the armed forces, of the enlistment of persons under the age of 18.
Earl Howe
The Ministry of Defence (MOD) operates in a competitive employment market and will continue to recruit from the widest available talent pool, including from the age of 16 in order to sustain the required manning levels for the UK Armed Forces. Young people bring fresh ideas, knowledge and talent to the Armed Forces. MOD policy dictates that no one under the age of 18 can join the Armed Forces without specific parental consent, both for the recruiting process to begin and again prior to joining; nor can they be deployed on front line operations.
All recruits aged under 18 benefit from key skills education in literacy and numeracy, should they need it, and all are enrolled onto apprenticeships. The Armed Forces remain the UK’s largest apprenticeship provider, equipping young people with valuable and transferable skills for life. Ofsted regularly inspects our care of newly joined young recruits, and we are very proud of the standards we achieve.
The provision of education and training for 16 year-old school leavers provides a route into the Armed Forces that complies with Government education policy and offers a significant foundation for emotional, physical and educational development throughout an individual’s career.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Moonie on 2016-04-26.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many members of the armed forces were convicted by court martial or in civilian courts of sexual assault or rape in the past year.
Earl Howe
In 2015, the Courts Martial convicted 13 Service personnel of sexual assault and two personnel of rape.
The Ministry of Defence does not hold information on convictions which may have been obtained by the civilian courts.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Moonie on 2016-04-26.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many allegations of sexual assault and rape were made (1) by, and (2) against, members of the armed forces in the past year.
Earl Howe
All allegations of sexual assault and rape made by or against members of the Armed Forces are taken very seriously by the Ministry of Defence (MOD).
This information is not held in the requested format. Only allegations of sexual assault and rape made by a member of the Armed Forces against another member of the Armed Forces (or Person Subject to Service Law) are investigated by the Service Police. Allegations of such offences made by civilians in the UK are usually investigated by the appropriate civilian police force, while allegations made by civilians overseas will be investigated in accordance with the appropriate agreement in place between the UK and that country. The MOD does not hold information on investigations conducted by civilian police forces.
In 2015 the Service Police investigated 20 cases of rape and 49 cases of sexual assault. Of the 20 allegations of rape, 19 cases were against 22 members of the Armed Forces; the status of the suspect in one case is unidentified. Eight of the victims of these alleged offences were members of the Armed Forces.
Of the 49 allegations of sexual assault, 46 cases were against 49 members of the Armed Forces; in one case the suspect was a civilian subject to Service Law and the status of the suspects in two cases is unidentified. 49 of the victims of these alleged offences were members of the Armed Forces.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Lester of Herne Hill on 2016-04-26.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government why they propose to increase immigration and asylum chamber fees, and what assessment they have made of the likely impact of those increased fees on access to justice.
Lord Faulks
We’re protecting the most vulnerable from any fee increase, including those who receive asylum support and cases involving children being supported or housed by a local authority. But it is also right that the taxpayer does not subsidise those who choose to challenge a decision made by the Home Office before the Tribunal.
We have a duty to the public to reduce the deficit and ensure sustainable funding for Her Majesty’s Courts and Tribunal Service.
We have published a full impact assessment alongside the consultation document published on the Government website.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Farmer on 2016-04-26.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether professionals who work with children, such as social workers and teachers, are legally required to leave their professions if they continue to live, or resume living, with a convicted sex offender to whom they are married, or with whom they have had children who are no longer minors, after that offender has served a custodial or community sentence.
Lord Nash
Arrangements within the Childcare Act 2006 and the Childcare (Disqualification) Regulations 2009 disqualify a person from providing, working in, or managing childcare provision on the grounds that a person in their household has committed a relevant offence. A number of the qualifying offences are of a sexual nature.
A person disqualified from working in any childcare setting for these reasons is able to apply to Ofsted for a waiver against disqualification. Where a waiver is granted the disqualified person is permitted to work in childcare.
The Department publishes guidance (attached) to assist schools, childcare providers and those working in childcare and help them understand the arrangements.