Show Search Form

Search Results

registered interest	true false
date	exactly: or between: and
answering body
answering dept id
answering dept short name
answering dept sort name
hansard heading
house id
legislature	pref label
question text
tabling member printed
uin
answer	is ministerial correction true false date of answer exactly: or between: and answer text answering member printed grouped question UIN question first answered answering member label
tabling member	label

Search

1131468

	registered interest
	date	11/06/2019
	answering body	Department for Education
	answering dept id	60
	answering dept short name	Education
	answering dept sort name	Education
	hansard heading	Children: Day Care
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to change the provision of free childcare for children from when they are born.
	tabling member printed	Baroness McGregor-Smith
	uin	HL16262
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/06/2019 answer text <p>The government is committed to making childcare more affordable and more accessible. We plan to spend around £3.5 billion on our early education entitlements this year alone – more than any previous government. All 3 and 4-year-olds and the most disadvantaged 2-year-olds can access 15 hours a week of early education. From September 2017, this government doubled the childcare entitlement for eligible working parents of 3 and 4-year-olds to 30 hours a week. Tax-Free Childcare provides additional financial help from government to help with any additional costs, worth up to £2,000 per child per year for children under 12 (or up to £4,000 per year for disabled children under 17). Those parents in receipt of Universal Credit can claim up to 85% of their childcare costs. The Childcare Choices website supports families’ understanding of what might be available to them. This can be found at: <a href="http://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk" target="_blank">www.childcarechoices.gov.uk</a>. The government has no plans to extend the package of free childcare to children from birth.</p><p> </p> answering member printed Lord Agnew of Oulton question first answered 21/06/2019 13:41:17 answering member 4689 label Biography information for Lord Agnew of Oulton
	tabling member	4554 label Biography information for Baroness McGregor-Smith

1131467

	registered interest
	date	11/06/2019
	answering body	Cabinet Office
	answering dept id	53
	answering dept short name	Cabinet Office
	answering dept sort name	Cabinet Office
	hansard heading	Public Appointments: Equality
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to increase the diversity of public appointees.
	tabling member printed	Baroness McGregor-Smith
	uin	HL16261
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 20/06/2019 answer text <p>The Government is committed to improving diversity in public appointments and has made good progress. Between 2015/16 and 2017/18, the number of appointments (including re-appointments) made to women rose from 45% to 48% and to those with a declared disability from 4% to 7%. In 2017/2018 appointments to candidates from a BAME background (where declared) were at 8.4%.</p><p>But there is still more to do. We have carefully considered the recommendations put forward by Lord Holmes of Richmond in his review. As I set out in my response to my Noble friend’s Oral question in 09 May, we are aiming to publish our response to his review’s recommendations, together with a refreshed Public Appointment Diversity Action Plan, around the end of June.</p> answering member printed Lord Young of Cookham grouped question UIN HL16260 question first answered 20/06/2019 11:26:10 answering member 57 label Biography information for Lord Young of Cookham
	tabling member	4554 label Biography information for Baroness McGregor-Smith

1131466

	registered interest
	date	11/06/2019
	answering body	Cabinet Office
	answering dept id	53
	answering dept short name	Cabinet Office
	answering dept sort name	Cabinet Office
	hansard heading	Opening up Public Appointments to Disabled People Review
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they intend to implement the recommendations of the review conducted by Lord Holmes of Richmond Opening up public appointments to disabled people, published in December 2018.
	tabling member printed	Baroness McGregor-Smith
	uin	HL16260
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 20/06/2019 answer text <p>The Government is committed to improving diversity in public appointments and has made good progress. Between 2015/16 and 2017/18, the number of appointments (including re-appointments) made to women rose from 45% to 48% and to those with a declared disability from 4% to 7%. In 2017/2018 appointments to candidates from a BAME background (where declared) were at 8.4%.</p><p>But there is still more to do. We have carefully considered the recommendations put forward by Lord Holmes of Richmond in his review. As I set out in my response to my Noble friend’s Oral question in 09 May, we are aiming to publish our response to his review’s recommendations, together with a refreshed Public Appointment Diversity Action Plan, around the end of June.</p> answering member printed Lord Young of Cookham grouped question UIN HL16261 question first answered 20/06/2019 11:26:10 answering member 57 label Biography information for Lord Young of Cookham
	tabling member	4554 label Biography information for Baroness McGregor-Smith

1131465

	registered interest
	date	11/06/2019
	answering body	Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
	answering dept id	201
	answering dept short name	Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
	answering dept sort name	Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
	hansard heading	Equal Pay: Ethnic Groups
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to introduce the mandatory reporting of ethnicity pay gaps for companies operating in the UK.
	tabling member printed	Baroness McGregor-Smith
	uin	HL16259
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/06/2019 answer text <p>My rt. hon. Friend the Prime Minister committed to introduce mandatory ethnicity pay reporting and consulted on how to do so. We received over 300 detailed responses to the consultation. We are working with stakeholders to understand how best to take forward the proposals and will announce next steps in due course. We are also grateful for your continuing support in helping us progress this important agenda.</p><p> </p> answering member printed Lord Henley grouped question UIN HL16258 question first answered 17/06/2019 12:30:47 answering member 2616 label Biography information for Lord Henley
	tabling member	4554 label Biography information for Baroness McGregor-Smith

1131464

	registered interest
	date	11/06/2019
	answering body	Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
	answering dept id	201
	answering dept short name	Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
	answering dept sort name	Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
	hansard heading	Equal Pay: Ethnic Groups
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government when they will publish the results of the consultation on ethnicity pay reporting, which closed on 11 January.
	tabling member printed	Baroness McGregor-Smith
	uin	HL16258
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/06/2019 answer text <p>My rt. hon. Friend the Prime Minister committed to introduce mandatory ethnicity pay reporting and consulted on how to do so. We received over 300 detailed responses to the consultation. We are working with stakeholders to understand how best to take forward the proposals and will announce next steps in due course. We are also grateful for your continuing support in helping us progress this important agenda.</p><p> </p> answering member printed Lord Henley grouped question UIN HL16259 question first answered 17/06/2019 12:30:46 answering member 2616 label Biography information for Lord Henley
	tabling member	4554 label Biography information for Baroness McGregor-Smith

1087542

	registered interest
	date	12/03/2019
	answering body	Department for Education
	answering dept id	60
	answering dept short name	Education
	answering dept sort name	Education
	hansard heading	Children: Day Care
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what action they are taking to ensure childcare costs are affordable in the UK.
	tabling member printed	Baroness McGregor-Smith
	uin	HL14463
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 26/03/2019 answer text <p>This government is making childcare more affordable and more accessible. Helping parents with their childcare costs is one of the best ways to support families with the cost of living and ensuring every child has the opportunity of a high-quality early education.</p><p>The government will spend around £3.5 billion on early education entitlements this year alone – more than any other government.</p><p>All 3 and 4-year-old children in England are eligible for 15 hours of free childcare. Children of working parents are eligible for an additional 15 hours, saving families up to £5,000 per year in total.</p><p> </p><p>15 hours free early education is also available to the most disadvantaged 2-year-olds.</p><p> </p><p>Tax-Free childcare provides additional financial help from government to help with any additional costs, worth up to £2,000 per child per year for children under 12 (or up to £4,000 per year for disabled children under 17).</p><p> </p><p>Those parents in receipt of Universal Credit can claim up to 85% of their childcare costs. The Childcare Choices website supports families’ understanding of what might be available to them. This can be found at: <a href="http://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk" target="_blank">www.childcarechoices.gov.uk</a>.</p><p> </p> answering member printed Lord Agnew of Oulton question first answered 26/03/2019 17:45:01 answering member 4689 label Biography information for Lord Agnew of Oulton
	tabling member	4554 label Biography information for Baroness McGregor-Smith

1087543

	registered interest
	date	12/03/2019
	answering body	Department for Education
	answering dept id	60
	answering dept short name	Education
	answering dept sort name	Education
	hansard heading	Children: Day Care
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to undertake a review of the cost of childcare and how it can be reduced for all parents.
	tabling member printed	Baroness McGregor-Smith
	uin	HL14464
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 26/03/2019 answer text <p>The government annually collects and reviews data on childcare affordability<strong>. </strong>The childcare providers and parent surveys are published annually as official statistics. These include data on childcare fees, the amount parents pay for childcare and parents’ experiences of childcare affordability. These are used extensively by the government to inform policy development and understand how existing policies benefit parents.</p><p> </p><p>In September 2010, 15 hours of free weekly childcare was introduced for all children aged 3 to 4, which was extended from September 2017 to 30 hours for working parents of 3 to 4-year-olds. In 2013, 15 hours of free weekly childcare was introduced for disadvantaged 2-year-olds. Tax-free childcare was launched in April 2017, giving eligible families up to £2,000 free per child towards childcare costs for children aged under 12. As part of Universal Credit, parents can claim up to 85% of their childcare costs.</p><p> </p><p>The government will spend around £3.5 billion on early education entitlements this year alone – more than any other government. More than 700,000 of the most disadvantaged 2-year-olds have benefited from 15 hours free childcare since 2013, and more than 340,000 3 and 4-year-olds benefitted from our 30 hours offer in its first year, meaning parents are spending less on childcare or are able to work more flexibly.</p><p> </p><p>The government entitlements are supporting as many families as possible with access to high quality, affordable childcare. Parents using the 30 hours can save up to £5,000 per year on the costs of childcare, and almost 4 in 5 parents using the 30 hours, report having more money to spend as a result.</p><p> </p> answering member printed Lord Agnew of Oulton question first answered 26/03/2019 17:43:53 answering member 4689 label Biography information for Lord Agnew of Oulton
	tabling member	4554 label Biography information for Baroness McGregor-Smith

1087544

	registered interest
	date	12/03/2019
	answering body	Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
	answering dept id	201
	answering dept short name	Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
	answering dept sort name	Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
	hansard heading	Employment: Equality
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what consideration they have given to the introduction of quotas for executive women in the workplace and for all BAME employees.
	tabling member printed	Baroness McGregor-Smith
	uin	HL14465
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 25/03/2019 answer text <p>The Government is committed to working with the business community to create more inclusive workplaces from the shop floor to the boardroom. The Government commissioned and supports several business-led independent reviews, such as the Hampton-Alexander Review to increase the representation of women on boards and senior leadership positions in FTSE 350 companies to 33% by 2020 and the Parker Review to increase the ethnic diversity of FTSE 350 boards by 2024.</p><p>These reviews form part of the Government’s modern Industrial Strategy which aims to build an economy that works for all.</p><p>This business-led approach is working, with, for example, the representation of women on FTSE 100 boards rising to 30.9% from 12.5% in 2011.</p><p>Government agreed with my Noble friend’s recommendation that companies should set and publish aspirational diversity targets; and committed to lead from the front in the public sector. In June 2018 we published targets for the Civil Service to tackle the under-representation of ethnic minority staff in our most senior roles. If successful, we will approximately double the current proportion of new recruits from an ethnic minority to 13.2% by 2025.</p> answering member printed Lord Henley question first answered 25/03/2019 11:55:14 answering member 2616 label Biography information for Lord Henley
	tabling member	4554 label Biography information for Baroness McGregor-Smith

1087547

	registered interest
	date	12/03/2019
	answering body	Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
	answering dept id	10
	answering dept short name	Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
	answering dept sort name	Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
	hansard heading	Social Enterprises
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what support they are giving to social enterprise start ups in the UK.
	tabling member printed	Baroness McGregor-Smith
	uin	HL14467
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/03/2019 answer text <p>The Civil Society Strategy sets out a long term vision for how government will work for and with civil society, and recognises the importance of responsible business and social enterprise in creating meaningful social value for civil society and the UK economy.</p><p> </p><p>To build on the UK’s reputation as a global leader in social enterprise, this government continues to champion procurement for social value, support campaigns that raise awareness about the positive impact of purposeful businesses, build the social investment market, and support social enterprises to address issues at scale.</p><p>For example, the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport has committed £3million to supporting the growth and sustainability of mutuals. This includes a package of support announced in January 2018 worth £1.7million to help new mutuals to emerge and existing ones to grow. The Department for Business, Economy and Industrial Strategy has also invested over £56m in the network of 38 Local Growth Hubs across England. In 2017-18 Growth Hubs helped over 130,000 businesses, including social enterprises, and over 8,000 individuals to start-up, thrive and grow. A further £12m has been committed for 2019-20.</p><p>The Business Support Helpline also provides trusted and impartial advice to businesses across England. In 2018 it helped around 31,500 businesses, of which 65% were entrepreneurs and start-ups. The government continues to develop online support through GOV.UK, ensuring businesses including social enterprises can access the key information they need on running their business any time they wish.</p><p><strong> </strong></p> answering member printed Lord Ashton of Hyde question first answered 21/03/2019 12:02:39 answering member 4247 label Biography information for Lord Ashton of Hyde
	tabling member	4554 label Biography information for Baroness McGregor-Smith

1087545

	registered interest
	date	12/03/2019
	answering body	Cabinet Office
	answering dept id	53
	answering dept short name	Cabinet Office
	answering dept sort name	Cabinet Office
	hansard heading	Public Sector: Procurement
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what action they are taking to ensure the principles of the Social Value Act 2012 are being properly embedded in all public procurement processes and contracts.
	tabling member printed	Baroness McGregor-Smith
	uin	HL14466
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 15/03/2019 answer text <p>We are committed to using the strength of the Government’s £49bn annual purchasing power to drive social change.</p><p>We are extending the requirements of the 2012 Social Value Act to ensure all major central Government procurements explicitly evaluate social value where appropriate, rather than just ‘consider’ it. This will provide a standard framework for key social outcomes and measures to be evaluated in tenders.</p><p>Additionally, we will also require all departments to report on the social impact of major new procurements, and we will train all 4,000 commercial buyers to take account of social value and procure successfully from social enterprises.</p><p>Furthermore, the Minister for Implementation announced a consultation at the Social Value Summit on 11th March on how government should take account of social value in the award of central government contracts, which closes on 10th June.</p><p> </p> answering member printed Lord Young of Cookham question first answered 15/03/2019 14:08:20 answering member 57 label Biography information for Lord Young of Cookham
	tabling member	4554 label Biography information for Baroness McGregor-Smith