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

1697676

	registered interest
	date	20/03/2024
	answering body	Department for Energy Security and Net Zero
	answering dept id	215
	answering dept short name	Energy Security and Net Zero
	answering dept sort name	Energy Security and Net Zero
	hansard heading	Small Modular Reactors
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the delay in Great British Nuclear's selection of small modular reactor designs for public support and its awarding of contracts for development.
	tabling member printed	Lord Naseby
	uin	HL3468
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 26/03/2024 answer text <p>At Spring Budget, we announced the launch of the next phase of the Great British Nuclear (GBN) Small Modular Reactor selection process, allowing vendors to bid for potentially multi-billion-pound technology development contracts. It is important that this process is robust. Companies will have until June to submit their tender responses, at which point GBN will assess these and negotiate final contracts, with the goal of announcing successful bidders later in 2024. The aim is for the competition to be the fastest of its kind in the world.</p> answering member printed Lord Callanan question first answered 26/03/2024 12:27:57 answering member 4336 label Biography information for Lord Callanan
	tabling member	1251 label Biography information for Lord Naseby

1697652

	registered interest
	date	20/03/2024
	answering body	Department of Health and Social Care
	answering dept id	17
	answering dept short name	Health and Social Care
	answering dept sort name	Health and Social Care
	hansard heading	Veterans: Health Services
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask His Majesty's Government what initiatives are currently in place to ensure that military veterans receive timely access to (1) physical rehabilitation services, and (2) mental health services, specifically those suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder.
	tabling member printed	Lord Browne of Belmont
	uin	HL3444
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 26/03/2024 answer text <p>Op RESTORE is a bespoke physical health and wellbeing service, commissioned by NHS England, which supports individuals who have served in, or are leaving, the British Armed Forces and have physical health injuries and related medical problems attributed to their time in the armed forces.</p><p>NHS England also commissioned Op COURAGE, which is the comprehensive veterans’ mental health and wellbeing service. Access to Op COURAGE is via referral or by direct contact from veterans. A campaign to raise awareness of Op COURAGE launched on 9 January 2024.</p><p>In addition, The National Rehabilitation Centre (NRC), which is part of the Government’s New Hospital Programme, is a new 70-bed facility which will benefit all patients, including veterans. Construction started in 2023.</p> answering member printed Lord Markham question first answered 26/03/2024 17:36:16 answering member 4948 label Biography information for Lord Markham
	tabling member	3801 label Biography information for Lord Browne of Belmont

1697657

	registered interest
	date	20/03/2024
	answering body	Department of Health and Social Care
	answering dept id	17
	answering dept short name	Health and Social Care
	answering dept sort name	Health and Social Care
	hansard heading	NHS: Vacancies
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to address the shortage of NHS staff in rural and understaffed areas.
	tabling member printed	Lord Hay of Ballyore
	uin	HL3449
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 26/03/2024 answer text <p>The Government recognises the importance of expanding the National Health Service workforce, particularly in parts of the country which are understaffed, including rural areas. The NHS Long Term Workforce Plan (LTWP) commits to doubling the number of medical school places, with new medical schools and additional places in geographical areas with the greatest staff shortfalls. Further medical expansion will build on the impact of five new medical schools that have already opened in historically hard-to-recruit rural and coastal locations in Tyne and Wear, West Lancashire, Essex, Lincolnshire, and Kent.</p><p>The LTWP also sets out an aim to further adjust the distribution of postgraduate specialty training places, so that more medical students carry out their postgraduate training in parts of the country with the greatest shortages. Doctors are more likely to settle and practice in the areas they train. Therefore, expansion of places will help to address the need for more staff in these areas.</p> answering member printed Lord Markham question first answered 26/03/2024 17:37:00 answering member 4948 label Biography information for Lord Markham
	tabling member	4352 label Biography information for Lord Hay of Ballyore

1697333

	registered interest
	date	19/03/2024
	answering body	Department for Education
	answering dept id	60
	answering dept short name	Education
	answering dept sort name	Education
	hansard heading	Apprentices: Finance
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask His Majesty's Government how many small and medium-sized enterprises have received funds for apprenticeship training as a result of levy-paying businesses using their apprenticeship service account to transfer unused levy funds in (1) 2020–21, (2) 2021–22, and (3) 2022–23.
	tabling member printed	Baroness Wolf of Dulwich
	uin	HL3436
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 26/03/2024 answer text <p>Transfers are a great way for large employers to use their levy funds to support apprenticeships in other businesses, including small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs), flexi-job apprenticeship agencies and charities, to help meet local or sector specific needs.</p><p>As announced this week, from April the department are increasing the proportion of their funds that levy-paying employers can transfer to support more apprenticeships in other businesses, including those in their local area or supply chain, from 25% to 50%. This will help SMEs hire more apprentices by reducing their costs and enabling them to benefit from the support and experience that larger employers can provide.</p><p>Hundreds of large levy-paying employers have already taken advantage of the opportunity to transfer their unused levy funds to other businesses. Since September 2021, over 550 employers including ASDA, HomeServe, and BT Group, have pledged to transfer over £37 million to support apprenticeships in businesses of all sizes.</p><p>​The below table shows the number of non-levy paying employers that have received levy transfer funding and the value of that funding. It is extremely encouraging that use of transfers continues to increase year-on-year. The department does not hold transfer data specific to SMEs (currently defined as businesses with fewer than 250 employees) but can confirm that most non-levy paying employers are SMEs.</p><table><tbody><tr><td><p><strong>F</strong><strong>inancial Year</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>2</strong><strong>020-21</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>2</strong><strong>021-22</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>2</strong><strong>022-23</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>N</strong><strong>umber of non-levy employers receiving transfer funding</strong></p></td><td><p>2,370</p></td><td><p>3,700</p></td><td><p>5,080</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>Value of funding transferred (£ million)</strong></p></td><td><p>£13</p></td><td><p>£19</p></td><td><p>£26</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p>To note: <em>Values include new apprenticeship starts and those who started in previous years but are still being funded. If an employer receives a transfer for an apprenticeship which continues across more than one financial year, they will appear in each year’s employer count. Values are actual payments made to date - they do not represent the total committed cost of transfers into future months and years.</em></p> answering member printed Baroness Barran grouped question UIN HL3435 question first answered 26/03/2024 13:42:56 answering member 4703 label Biography information for Baroness Barran
	tabling member	4347 label Biography information for Baroness Wolf of Dulwich

1697332

	registered interest
	date	19/03/2024
	answering body	Department for Education
	answering dept id	60
	answering dept short name	Education
	answering dept sort name	Education
	hansard heading	Apprentices: Finance
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask His Majesty's Government how much money has been transferred to small and medium-sized enterprises by levy-paying businesses using their apprenticeship service account to transfer unused levy funds in (1) 2020–21, (2) 2021–22, and (3) 2022–23.
	tabling member printed	Baroness Wolf of Dulwich
	uin	HL3435
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 26/03/2024 answer text <p>Transfers are a great way for large employers to use their levy funds to support apprenticeships in other businesses, including small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs), flexi-job apprenticeship agencies and charities, to help meet local or sector specific needs.</p><p>As announced this week, from April the department are increasing the proportion of their funds that levy-paying employers can transfer to support more apprenticeships in other businesses, including those in their local area or supply chain, from 25% to 50%. This will help SMEs hire more apprentices by reducing their costs and enabling them to benefit from the support and experience that larger employers can provide.</p><p>Hundreds of large levy-paying employers have already taken advantage of the opportunity to transfer their unused levy funds to other businesses. Since September 2021, over 550 employers including ASDA, HomeServe, and BT Group, have pledged to transfer over £37 million to support apprenticeships in businesses of all sizes.</p><p>​The below table shows the number of non-levy paying employers that have received levy transfer funding and the value of that funding. It is extremely encouraging that use of transfers continues to increase year-on-year. The department does not hold transfer data specific to SMEs (currently defined as businesses with fewer than 250 employees) but can confirm that most non-levy paying employers are SMEs.</p><table><tbody><tr><td><p><strong>F</strong><strong>inancial Year</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>2</strong><strong>020-21</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>2</strong><strong>021-22</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>2</strong><strong>022-23</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>N</strong><strong>umber of non-levy employers receiving transfer funding</strong></p></td><td><p>2,370</p></td><td><p>3,700</p></td><td><p>5,080</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><strong>Value of funding transferred (£ million)</strong></p></td><td><p>£13</p></td><td><p>£19</p></td><td><p>£26</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p>To note: <em>Values include new apprenticeship starts and those who started in previous years but are still being funded. If an employer receives a transfer for an apprenticeship which continues across more than one financial year, they will appear in each year’s employer count. Values are actual payments made to date - they do not represent the total committed cost of transfers into future months and years.</em></p> answering member printed Baroness Barran grouped question UIN HL3436 question first answered 26/03/2024 13:42:56 answering member 4703 label Biography information for Baroness Barran
	tabling member	4347 label Biography information for Baroness Wolf of Dulwich

1697263

	registered interest
	date	19/03/2024
	answering body	Department for Education
	answering dept id	60
	answering dept short name	Education
	answering dept sort name	Education
	hansard heading	School Milk
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the potential (1) social, and (2) economic, benefits of expanding the School Milk Subsidy Scheme to provide a free one third of a pint portion of milk to all primary school age children each day attending school.
	tabling member printed	Lord Hampton
	uin	HL3385
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 26/03/2024 answer text <p>Milk is an excellent food for children’s growth and development. This is why, as part of the School Food Standards, schools are already required to ensure milk is available to all pupils who want it during school hours. The National School Milk Subsidy Scheme can be used by primary schools to reduce the cost of milk for all their pupils.</p><p> </p><p>Thanks to Universal Infant Free School Meals, pupils under seven years old are already eligible for free milk when it is offered as part of their school lunch. Older pupils entitled to benefits related free school meals are also eligible for free milk when made available during the school day. This is in addition to the free milk provided for children under five-years-old thanks to the Nursery Milk Scheme.</p><p> </p><p>As with free school meals, the department believes it is important to support those most in need and to ensure policy remains affordable and deliverable for schools. The department does not have plans to change the current eligibility conditions for the scheme.</p> answering member printed Baroness Barran question first answered 26/03/2024 13:45:47 answering member 4703 label Biography information for Baroness Barran
	tabling member	4951 label Biography information for Lord Hampton

1697292

	registered interest
	date	19/03/2024
	answering body	Department for Energy Security and Net Zero
	answering dept id	215
	answering dept short name	Energy Security and Net Zero
	answering dept sort name	Energy Security and Net Zero
	hansard heading	Solar Power
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask His Majesty's Government what consideration they have given to limiting the size of solar plants in areas of best and most versatile agricultural land.
	tabling member printed	The Lord Bishop of Southwell and Nottingham
	uin	HL3422
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 26/03/2024 answer text <p>Planning policy and associated guidance set out that the effective use of land should be prioritised by directing large scale solar projects to locate on previously developed and non-greenfield land.</p><p> </p><p>If a developer proposes to use any land falling under Natural England’s ‘best and most versatile agricultural land’, they are required to justify using such land and design their projects to avoid, mitigate and where necessary, compensate for any impacts.</p><p> </p><p>The planning system also sets out how decision-makers should consider the impact of cumulative impacts, for example where a number of solar projects are deployed in close proximity.</p><p>Further detail can be found in the National Policy Statement (EN-3), National Planning Policy Framework, and associated planning practice guidance for renewable and low carbon energy.</p> answering member printed Lord Callanan question first answered 26/03/2024 11:59:15 answering member 4336 label Biography information for Lord Callanan
	tabling member	4940 label Biography information for The Lord Bishop of Southwell and Nottingham

1697265

	registered interest
	date	19/03/2024
	answering body	Department of Health and Social Care
	answering dept id	17
	answering dept short name	Health and Social Care
	answering dept sort name	Health and Social Care
	hansard heading	Autism: Mental Health Services
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask His Majesty's Government what measures are in place to train healthcare professionals in understanding and supporting the specific medical needs of individuals with autism.
	tabling member printed	Lord Hay of Ballyore
	uin	HL3387
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 26/03/2024 answer text <p>There are several measures being put in place to train healthcare professionals in understanding and supporting the needs of autistic people.</p><p>From 1 July 2022, the Health and Care Act 2022 requires providers registered with the Care Quality Commission to ensure their staff receive specific training on learning disability and autism appropriate to their role. We are rolling out the Oliver McGowan Mandatory Training on Learning Disability and Autism to support this. This training will help to ensure that staff have the right skills and knowledge to provide safe and compassionate care, including how to provide reasonable adjustments, for autistic people. Over 1.4 million people have completed the first part of Oliver’s Training, an e-learning package.</p><p>NHS England has commissioned the Royal College of Psychiatrists to deliver the National Autism Training Programme for Psychiatrists in response to the need and demand for better autism training from within the profession. The training is co-produced and co-delivered with autistic people and offers a short foundation training course for psychiatrists working across a variety of settings, and a longer, more enhanced development course, aimed at psychiatrists and higher trainees who are seeking to increase their specialist knowledge and skills in autism. The provision of this training will help reduce diagnostic overshadowing, play a significant role in preventing unnecessary admissions to mental health hospitals for autistic people and improve autism appropriate care. The ambition is that this may contribute to reducing the number of inappropriate admissions, interventions such as seclusion and segregation along with the length of stay for those who need hospital care.</p> answering member printed Lord Markham question first answered 26/03/2024 17:35:05 answering member 4948 label Biography information for Lord Markham
	tabling member	4352 label Biography information for Lord Hay of Ballyore

1697273

	registered interest
	date	19/03/2024
	answering body	Department for Education
	answering dept id	60
	answering dept short name	Education
	answering dept sort name	Education
	hansard heading	Sign Language: GCSE
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to ensure that members of the British Deaf Community are offered opportunities to become tutors to teach the GCSE in British Sign Language in schools when it is introduced.
	tabling member printed	Lord Hunt of Kings Heath
	uin	HL3402
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 26/03/2024 answer text <p>The department published British Sign Language (BSL) GCSE subject content in December 2023, following a public consultation last summer. Exam boards are now able to develop detailed specifications, which must be reviewed and accredited by the Office of Qualifications and Examinations Regulation (Ofqual) before schools and colleges are able to teach them. The department does not play a role in developing or approving exam board specifications for GCSEs.</p><p> </p><p>Only ancient or modern foreign language (MFL) GCSEs count towards the languages pillar of the English Baccalaureate (EBacc). The BSL GCSE does not sit in the MFL suite as it is not a foreign language but an indigenous one and does not contain the speaking and listening elements common to all MFL GCSEs. While the BSL GCSE will therefore not count towards the EBacc, it will be a rigorous qualification that is internationally recognised and accepted in school and college performance tables.</p><p> </p><p>The department is considering the steps that can be taken to support the delivery of the BSL GCSE when it is introduced, such as engaging with initial teacher training providers. The department also expects stakeholder organisations and exam boards to play an important role in supporting the teaching workforce to deliver the BSL GCSE.</p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member printed Baroness Barran grouped question UIN HL3400 HL3401 HL3403 question first answered 26/03/2024 12:36:09 answering member 4703 label Biography information for Baroness Barran
	tabling member	2024 label Biography information for Lord Hunt of Kings Heath

1697271

	registered interest
	date	19/03/2024
	answering body	Department for Education
	answering dept id	60
	answering dept short name	Education
	answering dept sort name	Education
	hansard heading	Sign Language: GCSE
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask His Majesty's Government what progress they have made in developing approved exam board syllabuses for a GCSE in British Sign Language.
	tabling member printed	Lord Hunt of Kings Heath
	uin	HL3400
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 26/03/2024 answer text <p>The department published British Sign Language (BSL) GCSE subject content in December 2023, following a public consultation last summer. Exam boards are now able to develop detailed specifications, which must be reviewed and accredited by the Office of Qualifications and Examinations Regulation (Ofqual) before schools and colleges are able to teach them. The department does not play a role in developing or approving exam board specifications for GCSEs.</p><p> </p><p>Only ancient or modern foreign language (MFL) GCSEs count towards the languages pillar of the English Baccalaureate (EBacc). The BSL GCSE does not sit in the MFL suite as it is not a foreign language but an indigenous one and does not contain the speaking and listening elements common to all MFL GCSEs. While the BSL GCSE will therefore not count towards the EBacc, it will be a rigorous qualification that is internationally recognised and accepted in school and college performance tables.</p><p> </p><p>The department is considering the steps that can be taken to support the delivery of the BSL GCSE when it is introduced, such as engaging with initial teacher training providers. The department also expects stakeholder organisations and exam boards to play an important role in supporting the teaching workforce to deliver the BSL GCSE.</p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member printed Baroness Barran grouped question UIN HL3401 HL3402 HL3403 question first answered 26/03/2024 12:36:09 answering member 4703 label Biography information for Baroness Barran
	tabling member	2024 label Biography information for Lord Hunt of Kings Heath