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44613

	registered interest
	date	24/03/2014
	answering body	Department for Work and Pensions
	answering dept id	29
	answering dept short name	Work and Pensions
	answering dept sort name	Work and Pensions
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what recent steps they have taken to ensure that information on the engagement activities of pension funds and other institutional investors with investee companies is made fully accessible.
	tabling member printed	Lord Harrison
	uin	HL6270
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 31/03/2014 answer text <p /> <p /> <p /> <p>The Government supports the principles set out in the Financial Reporting Council (FRC) UK Stewardship Code including schemes becoming active stewards of their investments and reporting on that stewardship. The Code sets out a number of areas of good practice to which the FRC believes institutional investors should aspire, and operates on a 'comply or explain' basis. It includes guidance for pension schemes and other asset owners on steps they can take to protect and enhance the value that accrues to the ultimate beneficiary. The FCA requires UK authorised asset managers to report on whether or not they apply the Code.</p><p> </p><p>The UK stewardship code is voluntary, however we would encourage workplace pensions schemes to comply with the principles set out in the code. In addition we are developing governance standards of workplace defined contribution schemes, and have asked the Law Commission to investigate how fiduciary duties currently apply in the investment chain. The Pensions Regulator's defined contribution Code of Practice also sets out the legal requirements and standards they expect trustees of defined contribution schemes to attain. This includes a section on investment which also references the FRC Stewardship code. These initiatives are part of our on-going work to ensure schemes are governed and administered to deliver in members' interests.</p> answering member printed Lord Freud grouped question UIN HL6271 HL6272 question first answered 31/03/2014 12:00:00 answering member 3893 label Biography information for Lord Freud
	tabling member	2488 label Biography information for Lord Harrison

44614

	registered interest
	date	24/03/2014
	answering body	Department for Work and Pensions
	answering dept id	29
	answering dept short name	Work and Pensions
	answering dept sort name	Work and Pensions
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the case for large occupational defined contribution pension schemes to be active owners or stewards of their assets, in line with the definition of stewardship as outlined in the Financial Reporting Council's Stewardship Code.
	tabling member printed	Lord Harrison
	uin	HL6271
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 31/03/2014 answer text <p /> <p /> <p /> <p>The Government supports the principles set out in the Financial Reporting Council (FRC) UK Stewardship Code including schemes becoming active stewards of their investments and reporting on that stewardship. The Code sets out a number of areas of good practice to which the FRC believes institutional investors should aspire, and operates on a 'comply or explain' basis. It includes guidance for pension schemes and other asset owners on steps they can take to protect and enhance the value that accrues to the ultimate beneficiary. The FCA requires UK authorised asset managers to report on whether or not they apply the Code.</p><p> </p><p>The UK stewardship code is voluntary, however we would encourage workplace pensions schemes to comply with the principles set out in the code. In addition we are developing governance standards of workplace defined contribution schemes, and have asked the Law Commission to investigate how fiduciary duties currently apply in the investment chain. The Pensions Regulator's defined contribution Code of Practice also sets out the legal requirements and standards they expect trustees of defined contribution schemes to attain. This includes a section on investment which also references the FRC Stewardship code. These initiatives are part of our on-going work to ensure schemes are governed and administered to deliver in members' interests.</p> answering member printed Lord Freud grouped question UIN HL6270 HL6272 question first answered 31/03/2014 12:00:00 answering member 3893 label Biography information for Lord Freud
	tabling member	2488 label Biography information for Lord Harrison

44615

	registered interest
	date	24/03/2014
	answering body	Department for Work and Pensions
	answering dept id	29
	answering dept short name	Work and Pensions
	answering dept sort name	Work and Pensions
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the case for large occupational defined benefit pension schemes to be active owners or stewards of their assets, in line with the definition of stewardship as highlighted in the Financial Reporting Council's Stewardship Code.
	tabling member printed	Lord Harrison
	uin	HL6272
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 31/03/2014 answer text <p /> <p /> <p /> <p>The Government supports the principles set out in the Financial Reporting Council (FRC) UK Stewardship Code including schemes becoming active stewards of their investments and reporting on that stewardship. The Code sets out a number of areas of good practice to which the FRC believes institutional investors should aspire, and operates on a 'comply or explain' basis. It includes guidance for pension schemes and other asset owners on steps they can take to protect and enhance the value that accrues to the ultimate beneficiary. The FCA requires UK authorised asset managers to report on whether or not they apply the Code.</p><p> </p><p>The UK stewardship code is voluntary, however we would encourage workplace pensions schemes to comply with the principles set out in the code. In addition we are developing governance standards of workplace defined contribution schemes, and have asked the Law Commission to investigate how fiduciary duties currently apply in the investment chain. The Pensions Regulator's defined contribution Code of Practice also sets out the legal requirements and standards they expect trustees of defined contribution schemes to attain. This includes a section on investment which also references the FRC Stewardship code. These initiatives are part of our on-going work to ensure schemes are governed and administered to deliver in members' interests.</p> answering member printed Lord Freud grouped question UIN HL6270 HL6271 question first answered 31/03/2014 12:00:00 answering member 3893 label Biography information for Lord Freud
	tabling member	2488 label Biography information for Lord Harrison

46995

	registered interest
	date	03/04/2014
	answering body	Ministry of Justice
	answering dept id	54
	answering dept short name	Justice
	answering dept sort name	Justice
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what action they have taken to respond to the recommendation by Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Prisons in his recent report on HMP Belmarsh that the library should increase its opening hours so that all prisoners have access to it.
	tabling member printed	Baroness Stern
	uin	HL6603
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/04/2014 answer text <p /> <p /> <p>1. The prisoner regime includes a programme to allow access to the library once a week for those not attending education. The implementation of New Ways of Working, which includes the introduction of a new Core Day, will increase the opportunity for prisoners to access the library.</p><p> </p><p>2. All in use cells on the High Security Unit / Special Secure Unit are appropriately furnished in compliance with national guidelines, which are also included as part of the unit's operating standards. The cells are also equipped to the specification required for accommodating Category A prisoners. The accommodation on the unit is inspected monthly, to ensure compliance and to maintain decency; this system is audited.</p><p> </p><p><em>3. </em>The Governor has a programme of visits throughout the establishment; this includes visits to the HSU / SSU. The requirement for a weekly visit is completed by the Governor or the Deputy Governor, and the visits will ensure that all prisoners and staff are frequently seen and any emerging issues are heard and noted. These visits are now recorded for audit and inspection purposes.</p><p> </p> answering member printed Lord Newby grouped question UIN HL6604 HL6605 question first answered 16/04/2014 12:00:00 answering member 1916 label Biography information for Lord Newby
	tabling member	2475 label Biography information for Baroness Stern

46996

	registered interest
	date	03/04/2014
	answering body	Ministry of Justice
	answering dept id	54
	answering dept short name	Justice
	answering dept sort name	Justice
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what action they have taken to respond to the recommendation by Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Prisons in his recent report on HMP Belmarsh that not all cells in the High Security Unit and Special Security Unit were equipped with furniture and furnishings in line with the Prison Service's operating standards for such units.
	tabling member printed	Baroness Stern
	uin	HL6604
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/04/2014 answer text <p /> <p /> <p>1. The prisoner regime includes a programme to allow access to the library once a week for those not attending education. The implementation of New Ways of Working, which includes the introduction of a new Core Day, will increase the opportunity for prisoners to access the library.</p><p> </p><p>2. All in use cells on the High Security Unit / Special Secure Unit are appropriately furnished in compliance with national guidelines, which are also included as part of the unit's operating standards. The cells are also equipped to the specification required for accommodating Category A prisoners. The accommodation on the unit is inspected monthly, to ensure compliance and to maintain decency; this system is audited.</p><p> </p><p><em>3. </em>The Governor has a programme of visits throughout the establishment; this includes visits to the HSU / SSU. The requirement for a weekly visit is completed by the Governor or the Deputy Governor, and the visits will ensure that all prisoners and staff are frequently seen and any emerging issues are heard and noted. These visits are now recorded for audit and inspection purposes.</p><p> </p> answering member printed Lord Newby grouped question UIN HL6603 HL6605 question first answered 16/04/2014 12:00:00 answering member 1916 label Biography information for Lord Newby
	tabling member	2475 label Biography information for Baroness Stern

46997

	registered interest
	date	03/04/2014
	answering body	Ministry of Justice
	answering dept id	54
	answering dept short name	Justice
	answering dept sort name	Justice
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the conclusion of Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Prisons in his recent report on HMP Belmarsh that the requirement in the operating standards for the Governor to visit the High Security Unit and the Special Security Unit once a week had not been met.
	tabling member printed	Baroness Stern
	uin	HL6605
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/04/2014 answer text <p /> <p /> <p>1. The prisoner regime includes a programme to allow access to the library once a week for those not attending education. The implementation of New Ways of Working, which includes the introduction of a new Core Day, will increase the opportunity for prisoners to access the library.</p><p> </p><p>2. All in use cells on the High Security Unit / Special Secure Unit are appropriately furnished in compliance with national guidelines, which are also included as part of the unit's operating standards. The cells are also equipped to the specification required for accommodating Category A prisoners. The accommodation on the unit is inspected monthly, to ensure compliance and to maintain decency; this system is audited.</p><p> </p><p><em>3. </em>The Governor has a programme of visits throughout the establishment; this includes visits to the HSU / SSU. The requirement for a weekly visit is completed by the Governor or the Deputy Governor, and the visits will ensure that all prisoners and staff are frequently seen and any emerging issues are heard and noted. These visits are now recorded for audit and inspection purposes.</p><p> </p> answering member printed Lord Newby grouped question UIN HL6603 HL6604 question first answered 16/04/2014 12:00:00 answering member 1916 label Biography information for Lord Newby
	tabling member	2475 label Biography information for Baroness Stern

47751

	registered interest
	date	08/04/2014
	answering body	Department for Work and Pensions
	answering dept id	29
	answering dept short name	Work and Pensions
	answering dept sort name	Work and Pensions
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what training on autism awareness is offered to career and employment advisers and to Jobcentre Plus staff; and what proportion of each have been trained.
	tabling member printed	Baroness Uddin
	uin	HL6699
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/04/2014 answer text <p /> <p /> <p>All Jobcentre Plus staff have access to a comprehensive learning programme which includes a specific focus on taking consideration of individuals' personal circumstances. This training ensures staff are aware that disabilities and health conditions including autism can affect individuals in different ways.</p><p> </p><p>Specialist help can be provided by Disability Employment Advisers who have extensive additional courses appropriate to this specialist area. This training has been designed with input from Specialist DWP Work Psychologists to enable these advisers to support people with particular complex needs. This training includes case studies relating to autism.</p><p> </p><p>The Skills Funding Agency contracts to deliver the National Careers Service in England. All National Careers Service careers advisers are required to have a recognised careers guidance qualification. This will include training on how to respond to the needs of different customers. The Skills Funding Agency, which is an Executive Agency of the Department for Business, Innovation, and Skills, maintains the responsibility for ensuring that Careers Advisers are appropriately skilled and qualified.</p><p><strong> </strong></p> answering member printed Lord Freud question first answered 16/04/2014 12:00:00 answering member 3893 label Biography information for Lord Freud
	tabling member	1827 label Biography information for Baroness Uddin

50224

	registered interest
	date	07/05/2014
	answering body	Department for Work and Pensions
	answering dept id	29
	answering dept short name	Work and Pensions
	answering dept sort name	Work and Pensions
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what provisions exist to safeguard monies identified by the Independent Living Fund (ILF) as needed to meet the critical and substantial need of recipients; and whether such funds will be ring-fenced by local authorities to ensure monies are used exclusively for continuation of care when the ILF ceases.
	tabling member printed	Baroness Uddin
	uin	HL6942
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 14/05/2014 answer text <p /> <p /> <p>All the funding that would have been allocated to the ILF in 2015/16 to support its users from July 2015 onwards will be transferred to local authorities in England and to the devolved administrations in other parts of the UK. Local government social care funding is not ring-fenced, allowing local authorities the flexibility to manage their budgets locally in line with local needs and priorities. Local authorities have a statutory duty to assess and fund the eligible care needs of all disabled people, including former users of the Independent Living Fund. The Public Sector Equality Duty applies to local government in the same way as it does to central government.</p> answering member printed Lord Freud question first answered 14/05/2014 12:00:00 answering member 3893 label Biography information for Lord Freud
	tabling member	1827 label Biography information for Baroness Uddin

49949

	registered interest
	date	06/05/2014
	answering body	Ministry of Justice
	answering dept id	54
	answering dept short name	Justice
	answering dept sort name	Justice
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what is their policy on the release of prisoners on temporary licence.
	tabling member printed	Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth
	uin	HL6905
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 14/05/2014 answer text <p /> <p /> <p>Carefully managing prisoners into the community on temporary licence toward the end of their sentence is a key part of efforts to rehabilitate them back into society. Release on Temporary Licence (ROTL) plays an important role in public protection by ensuring that offenders are tested in the community under strict conditions before being released. It also provides a valuable means of helping prisoners prepare for their resettlement in the community by, for example, finding work or rebuilding links with their families, which helps to reduce reoffending.</p><p> </p><p>But this should never be at the expense of public safety which remains our absolute priority.</p><p> </p><p>In March this year, the Government announced plans to improve temporary release policy and practice following reviews prompted by three very serious incidents last year. A key part of these plans is to have a new scheme of restricted ROTL for serious offenders. In those cases, there will be more stringent risk assessment procedures, with greater involvement of psychology and probation professionals and more restrictive licence conditions. In addition, and as soon as suitable equipment is available, we will be able to tag offenders on temporary release.</p><p> </p><p>In the vast majority of cases ROTL is used effectively and successfully. Prisoners fail to comply with licence conditions in less than one tenth of one per cent of cases.</p><p> </p> answering member printed Lord Faulks question first answered 14/05/2014 12:00:00 answering member 4183 label Biography information for Lord Faulks
	tabling member	4282 label Biography information for Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth

47750

	registered interest
	date	08/04/2014
	answering body	Department for Work and Pensions
	answering dept id	29
	answering dept short name	Work and Pensions
	answering dept sort name	Work and Pensions
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure that young people with autism are accurately assessed and supported into work; and whether they plan to ensure guaranteed access of such young people to trained careers and employment advisers.
	tabling member printed	Baroness Uddin
	uin	HL6698
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/04/2014 answer text <p /> <p /> <p>DWP is committed to supporting disabled people to find a suitable, sustainable job in their local area, and delivers support through its network of advisers, including Disability Employment Advisers. All advisers in Jobcentres receive training enabling them to support people with disabilities, including those with autism. They help people identify and overcome their personal barriers to work rather than assessing disabled people purely according to their health condition. We ensure that anyone with autism and/or other hidden impairments can access the services of the Disability Employment Adviser and will continue to do so.</p><p> </p><p>Those customers with autism spectrum conditions who require greater support have access to specialist services including specialist provision or the support of Work Psychologist services via the Disability Employment Adviser.</p><p> </p><p>As part of the “Think Autism” review DWP has been involved in a number of stakeholder consultation events at which people with autism and other interested stakeholders were given the opportunity to put forward their views and opinions on how DWP could improve its services for people with Autistic Spectrum Conditions and associated Hidden Impairment Conditions.</p><p> </p><p>DWP is the Lead Department supporting the Disability Confident campaign. This is a positive action campaign launched by the Prime Minister to promote the skills, talents and abilities of disabled people, including those with autism, to the widest possible business community.</p><p> </p><p>Access to Work provides additional support for individuals whose health or disability affects the way they do their job. It provides individuals and their employers with advice and support with extra costs which may arise because of an individual's needs.</p><p> </p> answering member printed Lord Freud question first answered 16/04/2014 12:00:00 answering member 3893 label Biography information for Lord Freud
	tabling member	1827 label Biography information for Baroness Uddin