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1251086

registered interest
date	11/11/2020
answering body	Ministry of Justice
answering dept id	54
answering dept short name	Justice
answering dept sort name	Justice
hansard heading	Immigration: Solicitors
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of reports that UK solicitors are travelling to Calais to offer support to refugees and migrants seeking to reach the UK.
tabling member printed	Lord Blencathra
uin	HL10203
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 25/11/2020 answer text <p>Under the framework established by the Legal Services Act 2007 the legal services sector in England and Wales is independent of Government, and solicitors are regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA). The Government has not made any such assessment.</p> answering member printed Baroness Scott of Bybrook question first answered 25/11/2020 17:01:29 answering member 4553 label Biography information for Baroness Scott of Bybrook
tabling member	497 label Biography information for Lord Blencathra

1251087

registered interest
date	11/11/2020
answering body	Ministry of Justice
answering dept id	54
answering dept short name	Justice
answering dept sort name	Justice
hansard heading	Malik and Malik
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps, if any, they have taken to cease to fund through legal aid the work of the Malik & Malik who have been found to have filed false asylum claims; and whether they have reported that firm to the Solicitors Regulation Authority.
tabling member printed	Lord Blencathra
uin	HL10204
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 25/11/2020 answer text <p>Malik &amp; Malik were last issued with a civil legal aid contract in 2007 and did not receive public funding in connection with any of the cases being enquired about. There was accordingly no basis for the Legal Aid Agency to make any referral to the SRA in connection with those matters. As at the time of writing, the firm no longer hold a legal aid contract of any kind.</p> answering member printed Baroness Scott of Bybrook grouped question UIN HL10206 question first answered 25/11/2020 17:08:53 answering member 4553 label Biography information for Baroness Scott of Bybrook
tabling member	497 label Biography information for Lord Blencathra

1251089

registered interest
date	11/11/2020
answering body	Ministry of Justice
answering dept id	54
answering dept short name	Justice
answering dept sort name	Justice
hansard heading	Legal Aid Scheme: Immigration
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government how much legal aid has been disbursed to those working on the immigration cases that have been refused on the grounds of being without merit in the last five years.
tabling member printed	Lord Blencathra
uin	HL10206
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 25/11/2020 answer text <p>Malik &amp; Malik were last issued with a civil legal aid contract in 2007 and did not receive public funding in connection with any of the cases being enquired about. There was accordingly no basis for the Legal Aid Agency to make any referral to the SRA in connection with those matters. As at the time of writing, the firm no longer hold a legal aid contract of any kind.</p> answering member printed Baroness Scott of Bybrook grouped question UIN HL10204 question first answered 25/11/2020 17:08:53 answering member 4553 label Biography information for Baroness Scott of Bybrook
tabling member	497 label Biography information for Lord Blencathra

1248991

registered interest
date	04/11/2020
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	Television Licences: Fees and Charges
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Barran on 3 November (HL9410), (1) whether they will now answer the question put, namely, which regulations set the frequency and amount of instalments by which TV licence fees can be paid; what are the prescribed (a) weekly, (b) monthly, and (c) quarterly, instalment amounts of such fees, and (2) whether there is any prohibition in the regulations governing the TV licence fee on the payment of the fee by cheque.
tabling member printed	Lord Blencathra
uin	HL9980
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/11/2020 answer text <p>The regulations which set the frequency and amount of instalments by which TV licence fees can be paid are the Communications (Television Licensing) Regulations 2004. The Communications (Television Licensing) (Amendment) Regulations 2020 provided the amended instalment amounts for the period beginning 1 April 2020.</p><p>However, the actual frequency and amount of the instalments for a TV licence may be affected by the payment method chosen or the individual circumstances of the customer, such as the date of renewal or whether the customer had a period of unlicensed use before the renewal. Payments may also be affected if the customer is in the first year of their TV licence, which is often paid for over the first 6 months of the licence period, and in some cases must be paid for upfront.</p><p>The TV Licensing website sets out that licence fee instalment amounts for a weekly or fortnightly payment licence are set out in an individual payment plan when a customer signs up for a Payment Card: <a href="https://www.tvlicensing.co.uk/pay-for-your-tv-licence/ways-to-pay/payment-card" target="_blank">https://www.tvlicensing.co.uk/pay-for-your-tv-licence/ways-to-pay/payment-card</a>.</p><p>The TV Licensing website also sets the monthly, quarterly and annual payment instalments for direct debit plans: <a href="https://www.tvlicensing.co.uk/pay-for-your-tv-licence/ways-to-pay/direct-debit" target="_blank">https://www.tvlicensing.co.uk/pay-for-your-tv-licence/ways-to-pay/direct-debit</a>.</p><p>For customers moving to the BBC’s 75+ payment plan, the BBC issued a general notice setting out the weekly, fortnightly or monthly instalment amounts which are payable: <a href="https://www.bbc.com/aboutthebbc/reports/consultation/age-related-tv-licence-policy/general-notice" target="_blank">https://www.bbc.com/aboutthebbc/reports/consultation/age-related-tv-licence-policy/general-notice</a></p><p>Certain customers can also pay for their TV licence in monthly or fortnightly instalments as part of the Simple Payment Plan, which is a payment instalment scheme specifically designed for people who struggle to pay the TV licence fee. These instalments can be found in the Communications (Television Licensing) (Amendment) (No.2) 2020.</p><p>There is no provision in the Communications (Television Licensing) Regulations 2004 which prohibits the payment of the TV licence fee by cheque. However it is the BBC, not the government, that administers these schemes and is responsible for the collection and enforcement of the licence fee, including methods of payment. TV Licensing’s website explains that, at present, only annual licence fee payments can be made by cheque: <a href="https://www.tvlicensing.co.uk/pay-for-your-tv-licence/ways-to-pay/cheque-or-postal-order" target="_blank">https://www.tvlicensing.co.uk/pay-for-your-tv-licence/ways-to-pay/cheque-or-postal-order</a>.</p> answering member printed Baroness Barran question first answered 18/11/2020 16:11:28 answering member 4703 label Biography information for Baroness Barran
tabling member	497 label Biography information for Lord Blencathra

1246947

registered interest
date	29/10/2020
answering body	Cabinet Office
answering dept id	53
answering dept short name	Cabinet Office
answering dept sort name	Cabinet Office
hansard heading	Asia: Intelligence Services
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the comment on 14 October by the Director General of MI5 that MI5 is "looking to do more against Chinese activity", what representations they intend to make to the other members of the Five Eyes alliance on the possibility of including additional countries geographically close to China, and in particular (1) India, (2) Japan, (3) Taiwan, and (4) South Korea, in that alliance.
tabling member printed	Lord Blencathra
uin	HL9755
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 12/11/2020 answer text <p>The UK works closely with partners across the world and through a range of formal and informal multilateral fora, including the UN, the G7 and G20, NATO, Five Eyes and the E3. We strongly value our long-standing relationship with our Five Eyes partners and will continue to work closely with them in pursuit of shared policy interests.</p><p> </p> answering member printed Lord True question first answered 12/11/2020 17:48:14 answering member 4200 label Biography information for Lord True
tabling member	497 label Biography information for Lord Blencathra

1246886

registered interest
date	28/10/2020
answering body	Ministry of Justice
answering dept id	54
answering dept short name	Justice
answering dept sort name	Justice
hansard heading	Prisoners: Transgender People
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answers by Baroness Scott of Bybrook on 27 October (HL9110 and HL9111), how many transgender prisoners who have obtained a gender recognition certificate there are in each women’s prison; how many of those were sentenced to that prison term because of an assault against a woman; and what risk assessment they have carried out of the potential impact of those prisoners being held in women’s prison units.
tabling member printed	Lord Blencathra
uin	HL9709
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/11/2020 answer text <p>We are committed to ensuring that transgender individuals are treated fairly, lawfully and decently, with their rights and safety properly respected. Regardless of where a transgender individual is being held, we expect that they will be respected and addressed in the gender with which they identify.</p><p>Data is not held on the number of prisoners with Gender Recognition Certificates (GRCs) within the prison estate. There is no legal obligation for an individual with a GRC to disclose this as, under the Gender Recognition Act 2004, once an individual obtains a GRC, their acquired gender becomes legally recognised and they are entitled to the rights appropriate to anyone else of that gender.</p><p>Where it is known that an individual is transgender, a Local Case Board is held, as per our ‘Care and Management of Individuals who are Transgender’ policy framework, to consider what support should be provided and to consider any risks posed to, or from, the individual. Cases can then be referred to a centrally managed Complex Case Board (CCB), chaired by a senior prison manager, where the referral criteria are met. However, thorough and appropriate assessment of risk is of paramount importance for all those in our care, regardless of an individual’s gender or any protected characteristic they may or may not have.</p><p>Further information on the policy framework, the CCB referral criteria and the risk factors considered by CCBs can be found on the following link:- https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-care-and-management-of-individuals-who-are-transgender.</p> answering member printed Baroness Scott of Bybrook question first answered 10/11/2020 17:30:04 answering member 4553 label Biography information for Baroness Scott of Bybrook
tabling member	497 label Biography information for Lord Blencathra

1245647

registered interest
date	21/10/2020
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	Television Licences: Fees and Charges
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government which regulations set the frequency and amount of instalments by which TV licence fees can be paid; what are the prescribed (1) weekly, (2) monthly, and (3) quarterly, instalment amounts of such fees; and whether those instalments can be paid by cheque.
tabling member printed	Lord Blencathra
uin	HL9410
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/11/2020 answer text <p>The payment instalment schemes for the TV licence fee are set out in the Communications (Television Licensing) Regulations 2004.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Schedule 2 of the Communications (Television Licensing) Regulations 2004 detail the instalment amounts and their frequency as prescribed by each instalment scheme.</p><p> </p><p>It is the BBC, not the government, that administers these schemes and is responsible for the collection and enforcement of the licence fee, including methods of payment. TV Licensing’s website explains that, at present, only annual licence fee payments can be made by cheque: <a href="https://www.tvlicensing.co.uk/pay-for-your-tv-licence/ways-to-pay/cheque-or-postal-order" target="_blank">https://www.tvlicensing.co.uk/pay-for-your-tv-licence/ways-to-pay/cheque-or-postal-order</a>.</p><p> </p> answering member printed Baroness Barran question first answered 03/11/2020 12:06:27 answering member 4703 label Biography information for Baroness Barran
tabling member	497 label Biography information for Lord Blencathra

1242777

registered interest
date	13/10/2020
answering body	Ministry of Justice
answering dept id	54
answering dept short name	Justice
answering dept sort name	Justice
hansard heading	Prisoners: Transgender People
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of compliance with the Equality Act 2010 of decisions to move male prisoners who are gender transitioning to female prison units.
tabling member printed	Lord Blencathra
uin	HL9110
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 27/10/2020 answer text <p>We are committed to ensuring that transgender offenders are treated fairly, lawfully and decently, with their rights and safety properly respected. Regardless of where a transgender individual is being held, we expect that they will be respected and addressed in the gender with which they identify.</p><p>In 2019 the Ministry of Justice conducted a review into the care and management of individuals who are transgender and this led to the publication of a revised Policy Framework which strengthened the risk and safeguarding process. The Framework was developed in consultation with a range of internal and external stakeholders, and comprehensive consideration was given to HMPPS’s responsibilities under the Equality Act 2010 throughout the process. The Framework emphasises the requirement to protect both the welfare and rights of the individual, and the welfare and rights of others around them. This includes staff and other prisoners. All decisions made on the location of transgender individuals are made in line with this policy, and decisions to locate an individual in the opposite side of the estate to their legal gender can only be made by a Complex Case Board (CCB), chaired by a senior prison manager, following a full assessment of all known risks posed both to, and from, the individual</p><p><br> Under the Gender Recognition Act 2004, once an individual obtains a GRC, their acquired gender becomes legally recognised and they are entitled to the rights appropriate to anyone else of that gender. This means that a transgender female with a GRC entering the prison estate would be placed in a women’s prison, unless there were exceptional circumstances. Where such circumstances are identified, a referral is made to the CCB to consider all available evidence relating to an individual’s care and management, including risks posed both to and from the individual, before making a decision on an individual’s location.</p><p>Further information can be found on the following link:- https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-care-and-management-of-individuals-who-are-transgender</p> answering member printed Baroness Scott of Bybrook grouped question UIN HL9111 question first answered 27/10/2020 17:43:12 answering member 4553 label Biography information for Baroness Scott of Bybrook
tabling member	497 label Biography information for Lord Blencathra

1242778

registered interest
date	13/10/2020
answering body	Ministry of Justice
answering dept id	54
answering dept short name	Justice
answering dept sort name	Justice
hansard heading	Prisoners: Transgender People
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what criteria they use to assess decisions to move biologically male prisoners with a Gender Recognition Certificate into a female prison unit when the prison in question has a transgender unit.
tabling member printed	Lord Blencathra
uin	HL9111
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 27/10/2020 answer text <p>We are committed to ensuring that transgender offenders are treated fairly, lawfully and decently, with their rights and safety properly respected. Regardless of where a transgender individual is being held, we expect that they will be respected and addressed in the gender with which they identify.</p><p>In 2019 the Ministry of Justice conducted a review into the care and management of individuals who are transgender and this led to the publication of a revised Policy Framework which strengthened the risk and safeguarding process. The Framework was developed in consultation with a range of internal and external stakeholders, and comprehensive consideration was given to HMPPS’s responsibilities under the Equality Act 2010 throughout the process. The Framework emphasises the requirement to protect both the welfare and rights of the individual, and the welfare and rights of others around them. This includes staff and other prisoners. All decisions made on the location of transgender individuals are made in line with this policy, and decisions to locate an individual in the opposite side of the estate to their legal gender can only be made by a Complex Case Board (CCB), chaired by a senior prison manager, following a full assessment of all known risks posed both to, and from, the individual</p><p><br> Under the Gender Recognition Act 2004, once an individual obtains a GRC, their acquired gender becomes legally recognised and they are entitled to the rights appropriate to anyone else of that gender. This means that a transgender female with a GRC entering the prison estate would be placed in a women’s prison, unless there were exceptional circumstances. Where such circumstances are identified, a referral is made to the CCB to consider all available evidence relating to an individual’s care and management, including risks posed both to and from the individual, before making a decision on an individual’s location.</p><p>Further information can be found on the following link:- https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-care-and-management-of-individuals-who-are-transgender</p> answering member printed Baroness Scott of Bybrook grouped question UIN HL9110 question first answered 27/10/2020 17:43:12 answering member 4553 label Biography information for Baroness Scott of Bybrook
tabling member	497 label Biography information for Lord Blencathra

1241466

registered interest
date	07/10/2020
answering body	Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
answering dept id	208
answering dept short name	Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
answering dept sort name	Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
hansard heading	Human Rights
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government how many formal representations they have made to other governments about human rights abuses in each of the last five years; to which governments they have made such representations; and of those, which they have raised with (1) the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, or (2) at the UN Security Council.
tabling member printed	Lord Blencathra
uin	HL8848
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 19/10/2020 answer text <p>Respect for human rights and democratic freedoms underpins the UK's foreign policy. UK Ministers and officials have regular and frank discussions about the full range of human rights concerns, wherever they occur, and we use our bilateral relationships, our development programmes and our presence in multilateral institutions to drive progress. Our Annual Human Rights Report sets out in detail the UK's approach to human rights priority countries, and the work we have undertaken to promote and protect human rights around world.</p><p>In discussions with the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Ministers and officials raise the most pressing human rights issues of the day. We also set out concerns on a wide range of countries at every session of the Human Rights Council. For example, at the 45th session in October, we raised our concerns about human rights violations in China and Belarus, the case of Alexei Navalny in Russia, and led a resolution on the human rights situation in Syria. We also stand up for human rights at the UN Security Council; for example, in 2020 we spoke about the human rights situation in Libya and the Democratic Republic of Congo, including on issues related to conflict-related sexual violence, and the need for human rights to be at the core of peacekeeping.</p> answering member printed Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon question first answered 19/10/2020 15:11:18 answering member 4210 label Biography information for Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
tabling member	497 label Biography information for Lord Blencathra