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Wednesday16 June 2021Session 2021-22No. 17PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES(HANSARD)HOUSE OF LORDSWRITTEN STATEMENTS ANDWRITTEN ANSWERSWritten Statements . 1Written Answers . 2
[I] indicates that the member concerned has a relevant registered interest. The full register of interests can be found /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 internetat http://www.parliament.uk/writtenanswers/.Ministers and others who make Statements or answer Questions are referred to only by name, not their ministerial orother title. The current list of ministerial and other responsibilities is as follows.MinisterResponsibilitiesBaroness Evans of Bowes ParkLeader of the House of Lords and Lord Privy SealEarl HoweDeputy Leader of the House of LordsLord Agnew of OultonMinister of State, Treasury and Cabinet OfficeLord Ahmad of WimbledonMinister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeLord Ashton of HydeChief WhipBaroness BarranParliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Digital, Culture, Media and SportLord BenyonParliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Environment, Food and RuralAffairsBaroness BerridgeParliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Education and Department forInternational TradeLord BethellParliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Health and Social CareBaroness Bloomfield of HintonWaldristWhipLord CallananParliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Business, Energy and IndustrialStrategyEarl of CourtownDeputy Chief WhipLord FrostMinister of State, Cabinet OfficeBaroness GoldieMinister of State, Ministry of DefenceLord Goldsmith of Richmond ParkMinister of State, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and Foreign,Commonwealth and Development OfficeLord GreenhalghMinister of State, Home Office and Ministry of Housing, Communities and LocalGovernmentLord Grimstone of BoscobelMinister of State, Department of Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy and Departmentfor International TradeLord Parkinson of Whitley BayWhipBaroness PennWhipBaroness Scott of BybrookWhipBaroness Stedman-ScottParliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Work and PensionsLord Stewart of DirletonAdvocate-General for ScotlandLord TrueMinister of State, Cabinet OfficeBaroness Vere of NorbitonParliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for TransportBaroness Williams of TraffordMinister of State, Home OfficeLord Wolfson of TredegarParliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Ministry of JusticeViscount Younger of LeckieWhip Parliamentary Copyright House of Lords 2021This publication may be reproduced under the terms of the Open Parliament licence,which is published at www.parliament.uk/site-information/copyright/
Written Statements16 June 2021Written StatementsWednesday, 16 June 2021Counter-Terrorism and Security Act: Postlegislative Scrutiny[HLWS91]Baroness Williams of Trafford: My rt hon Friend theSecretary of State for the Home Department (Priti Patel)has today made the following Written MinisterialStatement:The Government has today submitted a Memorandumto the Home Affairs Committee regarding post-legislativescrutiny of the Counter-Terrorism and Security Act 2015.The Home Office has carried out the post-legislativescrutiny, which includes an assessment of how the Acthas worked in practice, and set out its findings in aCommand Paper to the Committee.The Memorandum has been laid before the House as aCommand Paper (CP 455) and published on GOV.UK.Copies will also be available from the Vote Office.Page 1Parliament the Electoral Commission’s new PerformanceStandards for Electoral Registration Officers.The Electoral Administration Act 2006 gave theElectoral Commission powers to set and monitorperformance standards for electoral services. Under theseprovisions, the Commission can determine and publishstandards of performance for relevant electoral officers inGreat Britain.Following a consultation, the Electoral Commissionestablished a new set of standards which will be used byElectoral Registration Officers and the Commissionthroughout the year to understand and improve ElectionRegistration Officers' performance, ensuring that registersare as accurate and complete as possible, enablingeveryone who is eligible and wants to, to be able to vote.I welcome the Electoral Commission’s updates to theperformance standards to reflect the current environmentfor Electoral Registration Officers, though more broadly,further measures are needed to strengthen electoralintegrity and prevent electoral fraud - which will bedelivered through the forthcoming Elections Bill. It isimportant that performance standards keep pace as weimprove electoral registration further.The Statement includes the following attached material:Electoral Commission’s PerformanceStandards for Electoral Registration Officers[HLWS90]Lord True: My Hon. friend, the Minister of State forthe Constitution and Devolution (Chloe Smith MP), hastoday made the following written statement:In accordance with section 9A of the Political Parties,Elections and Referendums Act 2000, I am laying beforePerformance Standards [(Unnumbered Act Paper) - PerformanceStandards for Electoral Registration Officers, Standard Print.pdf]Performance Standards (Large Print) [(Unnumbered Act Paper) Performance Standards for Electoral Registration Officers, LargePrint.pdf]The material can be viewed online ent/Lords/2021-06-16/HLWS90/
Page 216 June 2021Written AnswersWednesday, 16 June 2021BBC: Broadcasting ProgrammesAsked by Baroness BenjaminTo ask Her Majesty's Government what steps theyplan to take to ensure that the BBC does not reduce thenumber of quotas related to delivering public valuecontent, including those related to (1) radio, and (2)children’s programming. [HL914]Baroness Barran: The government is clear that theBBC has to provide high quality, distinctive content andservices. However, it is ultimately a matter for Ofcom asthe independent regulator on how to enforce theseobligations through appropriate regulation. It is thereforefor Ofcom, not the government, to set and amend quotasfor the BBC’s public services.BBC: Royal ChartersAsked by Baroness BenjaminTo ask Her Majesty's Government how their midterm review of the BBC Charter will be informed byOfcom’s review of the BBC’s operating licence.[HL913]Baroness Barran: Ofcom is independent of thegovernment and the government has no say over Ofcom’soperational decisions. A review of the BBC's operatinglicence and service requirements is therefore for Ofcom asthe BBC’s regulator.The Mid-Term Review of the Royal Charter offers anopportunity for the government to consider whethercurrent governance and regulatory arrangements for theBBC are working effectively, including the effectivenessof the regulation by Ofcom.We will start the preparations now, ahead of the reviewstarting formally next year, as the Royal Charter sets out.Cryptocurrencies: Environment ProtectionAsked by Lord MendelsohnTo ask Her Majesty's Government, further to theestablishment of the Bitcoin Mining Council, whatsteps they will take (1) to encourage the use ofrenewable power and sustainable Bitcoin mining, and(2) to monitor the effectiveness of the Council. [HL787]Asked by Lord MendelsohnTo ask Her Majesty's Government whether (1) theCryptoasset Taskforce, or (2) any governmentdepartment,collectsorcollates dataonthe environmental impact of cryptocurrencies; and if so,when any such data will be published. [HL788]Written AnswersAsked by Lord MendelsohnTo ask Her Majesty's Government what assessmentthey have made of the level of energy use in the miningof Bitcoin, as identified by the Cambridge BitcoinElectricity Consumption Index; and what steps they willtake to address the environmental harms ofcryptocurrencies. [HL789]Lord Agnew of Oulton: The Government has beenmonitoring developments within the cryptoasset industry,including rising energy usage.The Cryptoasset Taskforce, comprising HM Treasury,the Financial Conduct Authority, and the Bank ofEngland, considers the impact of cryptoassets andassesses what, if any, regulation is required in response.The Government stands ready to respond to emergingrisks or changes in the market and will continue tomonitor developments in cryptoassets.In November 2020, the Chancellor announced that theUK will implement a green taxonomy – a commonframework for determining which activities can bedefined as environmentally sustainable – which willimprove understanding of the impact of firms’ activitiesand investments on the environment and support ourtransition to a sustainable economy. More details on thegreen taxonomy will be announced in due course.The Government has already taken action to ensure theUK is the world-leading centre for green financeincluding through announcing an intention to makedisclosures aligned with the Taskforce on Climate-relatedFinancial Disclosures (TCFD) fully mandatory across theeconomy by 2025, making the UK the first country to doso.Cryptocurrencies: RegulationAsked by Lord Taylor of WarwickTo ask Her Majesty's Government what assessmenttheyhavemadeofareportbyTheCityUK Cryptoassets: Shaping UK regulation forinnovation and global leadership', published on 25 May;and what steps they are taking to encourage cryptobased innovation in the UK. [HL821]Lord Agnew of Oulton: The Government welcomesTheCityUK’s contribution on the regulatory treatment ofcryptoassets, including their view that the Governmentshould take a proportionate, risk-based approach toregulation, and foster innovation.The Government has taken a number of actions tomitigate risks and foster innovation in the cryptoassetindustry.The Government established a Cryptoassets Taskforcein 2018, consisting of HM Treasury, the Bank of England,and the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). TheTaskforce’s objectives include exploring the risks andopportunities of cryptoassets, the potential benefits andchallenges of Distributed Ledger Technology (DLT) in
Written Answers16 June 2021financial services; as well as assessing what, if any,regulation is required in response.Last year, the Government issued a consultation on aproposal to bring certain cryptoassets, including Bitcoin,into the scope of financial promotions regulation. Thiswould ensure that relevant cryptoasset promotions areheld to the same high standards for fairness, clarity, andaccuracy that pertain in the financial services industry.The Government will be publishing its response in duecourse.The Government launched a consultation on itsregulatory approach to cryptoassets and stablecoins on 7January. This set out the Government’s position that newinnovations in the sector could deliver substantialbenefits, but also present new challenges and risks.The Government is considering responses and willoutline next steps in due course. Any steps taken in lightof this consultation will aim to balance the potential riskto consumers with the ambition to foster competition andinnovation in the sector.Education: DisadvantagedAsked by Lord McNicol of West KilbrideTo ask Her Majesty's Government, further to theSocial Mobility Commission's report The road nottaken: the drivers of course selection, published on 30March, what steps they intend to take (1) to focus oneducational inequalities up to age 16, and (2) to targetspecific disadvantaged groups. [HL782]Asked by Lord McNicol of West KilbrideTo ask Her Majesty's Government, further to theSocial Mobility Commission's report The road nottaken: the drivers of course selection, published on 30March, what steps they intend to take to providetargeted support resources to address the challengesfaced by disadvantaged pupils. [HL783]Baroness Berridge: Enabling every child, irrespectiveof their background, to realise their potential at school hasbeen at the centre of this government’s education policysince 2010. We do not design education policy thatexclusively targets specific groups of pupils, for examplebased on their ethnicity or gender. Our policies are aimedat improving the education of all disadvantaged childrenand young people, especially as we know that theireducation has been impacted most heavily by the COVID19 outbreak.In June 2020, as part of the 1 billion Covid catch uppackage, we announced 350 million to fund the NationalTutoring Programme for disadvantaged students for theacademic years 2020/21 and 2021/22. There is extensiveevidence that tutoring is one of the most effective ways toaccelerate pupil progress, and we want to extend thisopportunity to disadvantaged and vulnerable pupils. Theprogramme provides additional, targeted support for thosechildren and young people who have been hardest hitfrom disruption to their education as a result of schoolPage 3closures. Teachers and school leaders should exerciseprofessional judgement when identifying which pupilswould benefit most from this additional support. Thisinvestment was announced in tandem with the 650million Catch-Up Premium, additional funding for allschools to support education recovery in academic year2020/21.On 24 February 2021, we announced a 700 millionEducation Recovery package, building on the 1 billionfrom last year. As well as a range of measures to supportall pupils to recover lost learning, the package includessignificant funding aimed at addressing the needs ofdisadvantaged pupils. This includes a new one-off 302million Recovery Premium, which includes 22 million toscale up proven approaches, for state funded schools inthe 2021/22 academic year. This grant will further supportpupils who need it most. Allocations will reflectdisadvantage funding eligibility and will have additionalweighting applied to specialist settings, recognising thesignificantly higher per-pupil costs they face.In addition to this we announced a further recoverypackage on 2 June 2021, which provides an additional 1.4 billion to support education recovery for childrenaged 2 to 19 in schools, colleges and early years settings.It focuses on high quality tutoring and great teaching,where the evidence shows that this investment will havethe greatest immediate impact on disadvantaged children.The government has also invested over 400 million tosupport vulnerable children in England to continue theireducation at home. To date, over 1.3 million laptops andtablets have been delivered to schools, trusts, localauthorities and further education providers.The ongoing provision of Pupil Premium funding,which is worth 2.5 billion this financial year, aims toclose the attainment gap between disadvantaged pupilsand their peers. School leaders use this extra funding totailor their support, based on the needs of theirdisadvantaged pupils, and invest in proven practice toimprove outcomes, such as that showcased in resourcespublished by the Education Endowment Foundation.Asked by Lord McNicol of West KilbrideTo ask Her Majesty's Government, further to theSocial Mobility Commission's report The road nottaken: the drivers of course selection, published on 30March, what steps they intend to take (1) to promoteprogression routes, (2) to combine technical andacademic courses, and (3) to ensure T Levels tions. [HL784]Baroness Berridge: The department is reviewing post16 qualifications at level 3 and below, to ensure that everyqualification approved for public funding has a distinctpurpose, is high quality and supports progression topositive outcomes.Our recent consultation on level 3 qualifications andcall for evidence on study at level 2 and below set out
Page 416 June 2021proposals to ensure students have the best opportunitiesfor progression into further or higher education, or intoskilled employment, including support for students notready to start level 3 at age 16. The consultation set outour proposals for clear academic and technical routespost-16, with A levels and T Levels as the qualificationsof choice for each route. We are considering responses tothe consultation and call for evidence, and will publish afull response to the level 3 consultation, and proposals forconsultation at level 2 and below, later this year.Alongside this, we need outstanding information,advice and guidance to support students to make the bestdecisions at age 16, including both academic andtechnical options. The Skills for Jobs White Paper set outa roadmap for how we will achieve this, including supportfor students to choose the route that best supports theircareer and study aims.The consultation above recognised the need for mixedprogrammes on the academic route to allow students tocombine A levels with a number of high qualityalternative qualifications. T Levels are technicalprogrammes but are classroom-based delivered by afurther education provider, where students will spend80% in the classroom and 20% on the job during anindustry placement of a minimum of 315 hours.Higher Technical Qualifications are largely classroombased, taught in further education colleges, universities orindependent training providers. Although HigherTechnical Qualifications are primarily designed for entryinto skilled employment or those looking to retrain orupskill, they can also allow progression to further studyand/or training.T Levels, once fully rolled out, will give access to highquality technical education for thousands of youngpeople, so they can progress to the next level, whetherthat is getting a job, going on to further study or anapprenticeship. T Levels are more rigorous andsubstantial than most existing technical qualifications andearn UCAS points in line with 3 A levels. Therefore, weexpect T Levels to provide a route into higher leveltechnical study, including degree courses and higherapprenticeships in relevant subject areas. We are workingwith a wide range of higher education providers andemployers to ensure that they are able to make ajudgement about the suitability of T Levels for theircourses and recruitment approach.The content of T Levels has been developed incollaboration with panels of over 250 employers rangingfrom leading national businesses to small and mediumsized enterprises. These panels set out the knowledge andskills needed to perform skilled occupations in theirindustry, using the approved standards which are commonto apprenticeships. They also advised on specific maths,English and digital requirements necessary foroccupational competence. The core content of the T Levelprovides underpinning knowledge and breadth of skills tosupport adaptability and prepare the student for work intheir chosen industry. This breadth of knowledge andunderstanding, combined with core employability skillsWritten Answersrelevant to all occupations in the route, like problemsolving, teamwork or communication skills, provides afirm foundation for a variety of roles. The occupationalspecialism, which students will choose, will developtechnical competence in the area the student wishes towork in.All students who take T Levels will undertake asubstantial industry placement for a minimum of 45 days,so students can be confident that they will get theopportunity to gain real experience of work and developmany transferable skills that employers look for.Education: FinanceAsked by Lord McNicol of West KilbrideTo ask Her Majesty's Government, further to theSocial Mobility Commission's report The road nottaken: the drivers of course selection, published on 30March, what steps they intend to take to reintroduce aform of Education Maintenance Allowance in England.[HL786]Baroness Berridge: The department provides a rangeof financial support for students to enable them toparticipate in post-16 education. This includes free meals,bursaries to help with the cost of education (travel, booksand equipment), support for childcare and assistance withresidential costs.We have recently changed the way we allocate fundingfor discretionary bursaries to colleges, school sixth formsand other providers of 16-19 education, following aconsultation. As a result, institutions whose students willtend to face higher travel costs, who travel further or livein rural areas, will receive more funding to providesupport to students who need it. As normal with the 16-19bursary fund, it will be for those institutions to identifywhich students need this support and how to provide this,for example, to purchase or contribute to the cost of atravel pass. We are now transitioning to the newallocation method, beginning in the 2020/21 academicyear. Overall, this will ensure a better match betweenbursary allocations and the needs of students.We have no plans to reintroduce an EducationMaintenance Allowance.Financial Services: Carbon EmissionsAsked by Baroness HaymanTo ask Her Majesty's Government, further to theGreenpeace UK and WWF-UK report The Big Smoke,published on 26 May, what assessment they have madeof the recommendation that legislation should beintroduced before COP26 to require all UK-regulatedfinancial institutions to adopt and implement atransition plan that is in keeping with the goal oflimiting global temperature rises to 1.5 degrees C.[HL745]Lord Agnew of Oulton: The UK was the first majoreconomy to commit to Net Zero by 2050, and to achieve
Written Answers16 June 2021that ambition, we want to ensure that every financialdecision takes climate change into account. This willrequire a drastic increase in the quantity, quality andcomparability of climate-related disclosures, to providethe information necessary for everyone to make informeddecisions.That is why, in November 2020, the Chancellorannounced the UK’s intention to make disclosures in linewith the recommendations of the Task Force for Climaterelated Financial Disclosures – including that firms mustdisclose how they identify, assess and manage climaterelated risks – fully mandatory in the UK across theeconomy by 2025. This includes the financial servicessector. This commitment is world-leading and significantprogress towards achieving our ambition, including newrequirements for premium-listed firms, has already beenmade.We have also committed to implementing a greentaxonomy that will establish a common definitionfor ’sustainable economic activities’ and improveunderstanding around the impact of firms’ activities andinvestments on the environment.Together, these measures will ensure that firms acrossthe whole economy are disclosing robust and comparableclimate and sustainability-related information that isdecision-useful for investors. This will help close thesustainability data gap, as well as preventinggreenwashing and supporting the greening of the UKeconomy.In addition to this work, ahead of COP26, the UKlaunched the Glasgow Financial Alliance for Net Zero(GFANZ), a global net zero alliance for the wholefinancial sector to ensure credibility and generatemomentum behind private sector commitments to reachnet zero emissions by 2050. GFANZ will mobilise andelevate net zero ambition by motivating financialinstitutions to make credible net zero commitments by thetime of Glasgow and beyond and establishing defined andagreed ways for all financial institutions to meaningfullycommit to net zero by 2050.Financial Services: TechnologyAsked by Lord Taylor of WarwickTo ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they aretaking to assist financial technology companies inpursuing environmentally sustainable technology.[HL822]Lord Agnew of Oulton: The Government set out via aWritten Statement to Parliament on 26th April the actionsbeing taken in response to the Kalifa Review of UKFintech.This Statement included confirmation that the FinancialConduct Authority (FCA) will be taking forward variousinitiatives as part of a Regulatory Scalebox, including tobuild on its existing Regulatory and Digital Sandboxes,which enable firms to test innovative products andservices. As part of these initiatives, the FCA will soonPage 5launch the second phase of its Digital Sandbox pilot,inviting applications from industry to test proof ofconcepts to solve sustainability and climate changefinancial challenges. This in line with the Government’swider vision for an increasingly green financial servicessector.More broadly, the UK is leading by example in bothclimate-related financial disclosures and environmentalimpact reporting. In November 2020 we became the firstcountry in the world to announce our intention to makeTaskforce on Climate-related Financial Disclosures’(TCFD)- aligned disclosures fully mandatory across theUK economy, and urge others to follow suit.Concurrently, the Chancellor announced the creation of aUK green taxonomy to help companies and investorsdetermine which activities are sustainable. Both policieswill facilitate transition finance and preventgreenwashing.Football: FlagsAsked by Lord TriesmanTo ask Her Majesty's Government what advice theyare providing to national teams visiting the UK for theupcoming UEFA European Football Championshiptournament about the public display of partisan flags orother signs in the context of conflict in the Middle Eastand the implications for crowd unrest. [HL825]Baroness Barran: Advice to competing national teamsat EURO 2020 is a matter for UEFA. Any crowd unrestwill be addressed through effective policing andstewarding, as is the case at all football matchesFuture News Pilot FundAsked by Lord Roberts of LlandudnoTo ask Her Majesty's Government what plans theyhave (1) to provide funding for, and (2) to further thework of, the Future News Pilot Fund. [HL967]Baroness Barran: The government invested 2 millionin the pilot Future News Fund, which sought to invest innew technological prototypes, start-ups and innovativebusiness models to explore new ways of sustaining publicinterest news in a changing landscape. The pilot received178 applications and grants were awarded to 19 projects.The pilot fund came to an end in June 2020. We areconsidering options for taking forward innovationfunding, building on the model set by the Future NewsFund pilot and taking into account Nesta’s independentevaluation, sector feedback, and the changing landscapeas a result of Covid-19.Hammersmith Bridge: ClosuresAsked by Lord BirtTo ask Her Majesty's Government what assessmentthey have made of (1) the social cost, and (2) the loss to
Page 616 June 2021the UK economy, of the closure of HammersmithBridge. [HL706]Baroness Vere of Norbiton: Hammersmith bridge isowned by the London Borough of Hammersmith andFulham (LBHF) and therefore the Department forTransport has not undertaken any independentassessments of the social or economic impact of theclosure of the bridge. The submission of a satisfactory fullbusiness case, including analyses of the impact of closureand the benefits of reopening, is a condition for therelease of any Government funding contribution to thecost of repairing the bridge, as agreed in the TfLextraordinary funding and finance agreement of 1 June2021.Offences against ChildrenAsked by Baroness EatonTo ask Her Majesty's Government what progress hasbeen made on the Department for Education’s work totackle child sexual abuse following the publication ofthe Government’s Tackling Child Sexual AbuseStrategy. [HL729]Baroness Berridge: The department is working closelywith the Home Office and other government departmentson delivering the Tackling Child Sexual Abuse Strategy.Work is well underway with the rollout of statutoryRelationships, Sex and Health Education (RSHE) inschools, the appointment of national facilitators to supportsafeguarding partners to embed effective local practiceand the launch of the online resource Together We CanStop Sexual Abuse to build public awareness and signpostaccess to support.On 10 June, the department went further in itscommitment to tackling child sexual abuse, announcing arange of measures in response to Ofsted’srecommendations following their review of sexual abusein schools. Measures include better supporting teachersand school leaders to recognise sexual harassment andabuse and teach confidently about issues of ncouraging schools to dedicate inset day time to helptrain staff on how to deal with sexual abuse andharassment among pupils and how to deliver thegovernment’s new RSHE curriculum, strengtheningsafeguarding guidance to boost teacher confidence inidentifying and responding to these issues and providingsupervision to dedicated members of school and collegestaff in up to 10 more local authorities, whose role it is toidentify safeguarding concerns among pupils.Shipping: ContractsAsked by Lord BerkeleyTo ask Her Majesty's Government whether the termsof the Levelling Up Fund allow for the direct award ofcontracts without competitive tender for (1) harbourWritten Answersalterations, (2) the purchase of new vessels, (3) theownership of new vessels, (4) the operation ofpassenger and freight maritime services, and (5) othermaritime works; and if so, what are the circumstancesin which such contracts may be awarded withoutcompetitive tender. [HL704]Baroness Vere of Norbiton: It is for local areas todecide what bids they submit into the Levelling Up Fund,but any investment from the Fund must be compliant withthe UK’s obligations on subsidy control (or State Aid inNorthern Ireland) and other relevant procurementlegislation and regulations. This will be tested as part ofthe appraisal process and monitored thereafter.State Retirement PensionsAsked by Baroness AltmannTo ask Her Majesty's Government what steps theyhave taken to contact all people aged over 80 who arereceiving less th
Jun 16, 2021
