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1676523

registered interest
date	07/12/2023
answering body	Department for Culture, Media and Sport
answering dept id	217
answering dept short name	Culture, Media and Sport
answering dept sort name	Culture, Media and Sport
hansard heading	Charities and Food Banks: Government Assistance
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to support local charities and food banks during the increased cost of living.
tabling member printed	Lord Taylor of Warwick
uin	HL1006
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/12/2023 answer text <p>His Majesty’s Government understands that the cost of living is affecting many civil society organisations, which are seeing increased demand as well as higher running costs. That is why, in the Budget this Spring, the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced a package of over £100 million for charities and community organisations across England.</p><p>This funding is split into two strands and is supporting organisations in need right now. The £76 million Community Organisations Cost of Living Fund has closed for applications, and is awarding funding to frontline organisations supporting vulnerable people and households.</p><p>The second strand, the £25.5 million Voluntary, Community, and Social Enterprise Energy Efficiency Scheme, is now open for applications. Eligible frontline organisations can first apply for an independent energy assessment, and can then apply for a capital grant of between £2,000 and £150,000 to install capital energy measures. Applications for assessments are now open, and applications for capital funding will be open from January 2024. More information can be found at <a href="http://www.groundwork.org.uk/vcseenergyefficiency" target="_blank">www.groundwork.org.uk/vcseenergyefficiency</a>.</p><p>HM Government is also supporting all organisations, including civil society ones, with their energy bills until March 2024 through the Energy Bills Discount Scheme.</p> answering member printed Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay question first answered 11/12/2023 16:31:25 answering member 4728 label Biography information for Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay
tabling member	1796 label Biography information for Lord Taylor of Warwick

1675026

registered interest
date	04/12/2023
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	Energy: Meters
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to mitigate financial burdens to households which arise from malfunctioning smart meters leading to an inaccurate energy bill.
tabling member printed	Lord Taylor of Warwick
uin	HL846
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/12/2023 answer text <p>Energy suppliers are obligated under licence conditions to ensure their customers’ smart meters continue to function. Ofgem is responsible for regulating energy suppliers against their obligations. The Department is actively working with suppliers to increase the number operating in smart mode.</p><p> </p><p>Around 92% of smart meters are operating as they should. Smart meters not operating in smart mode will continue to record consumption accurately like a traditional meter, with meter readings taken manually to ensure billing on the basis of actual energy use.</p><p> </p><p>Government encourages any consumer experiencing a loss of smart services to speak to their supplier for further advice and remedy.</p> answering member printed Lord Callanan question first answered 08/12/2023 09:48:34 answering member 4336 label Biography information for Lord Callanan
tabling member	1796 label Biography information for Lord Taylor of Warwick

1674536

registered interest
date	30/11/2023
answering body	Women and Equalities
answering dept id	31
answering dept short name	Women and Equalities
answering dept sort name	Women and Equalities
hansard heading	Equal Pay: Ethnic Groups
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask His Majesty's Government, with reference to the ethnicity pay gap data published by the Office for National Statistics on 29 November, what steps they are taking to combat ethnicity pay gaps in the UK.
tabling member printed	Lord Taylor of Warwick
uin	HL781
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 14/12/2023 answer text <p>The Government published guidance for employers on ethnicity pay reporting in April, which sets out best practice on measuring, analysing and reporting ethnicity pay gaps. Alongside this, we are supporting employers who wish to measure their pay gaps and are identifying examples of good practice.</p><p> </p><p>We also launched an Inclusion at Work Panel earlier this year. The Panel, made up of academics and practitioners in business, will develop and disseminate resources that can help employers achieve fairness and inclusion in the workplace.</p><p> </p><p>These actions are part of our ambitious Inclusive Britain strategy, published in March 2022, which set out 74 bold actions to tackle entrenched ethnic disparities in employment, education, health and criminal justice.</p><p> </p> answering member printed Baroness Barran question first answered 14/12/2023 16:37:18 answering member 4703 label Biography information for Baroness Barran
tabling member	1796 label Biography information for Lord Taylor of Warwick

1674537

registered interest
date	30/11/2023
answering body	Department for Business and Trade
answering dept id	214
answering dept short name	Business and Trade
answering dept sort name	Business and Trade
hansard heading	Motor Vehicles: Manufacturing Industries
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to facilitate knowledge transfer between academia and the automotive industry to integrate artificial intelligence into mainstream vehicle manufacturing.
tabling member printed	Lord Taylor of Warwick
uin	HL782
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 13/12/2023 answer text <p>1000 jobs were announced at the Summit and work is now underway to deliver a strong legacy from it, with more investments expected as a result, including follow up activity such as the No. 10 hosted venture capital roundtable, aimed at encouraging venture capital investment into Northern Ireland. We also offered support for Joe Kennedy III’s incoming mission to Northern Ireland in October 2023 (US Special Economic Envoy to Northern Ireland).</p> answering member printed Lord Johnson of Lainston question first answered 13/12/2023 12:55:44 answering member 4949 label Biography information for Lord Johnson of Lainston
tabling member	1796 label Biography information for Lord Taylor of Warwick

1674227

registered interest
date	29/11/2023
answering body	Department for Business and Trade
answering dept id	214
answering dept short name	Business and Trade
answering dept sort name	Business and Trade
hansard heading	Retail Trade: Inflation
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to support retailers in continuing the downward path of inflation.
tabling member printed	Lord Taylor of Warwick
uin	HL740
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 13/12/2023 answer text <p>In his Autumn Statement, the Chancellor announced a business rates support package worth £4.3 billion over the next five years to support small businesses and the high street.  The small business multiplier will be frozen for a fourth consecutive year, and Retail, Hospitality and Leisure relief will be extended, ensuring the most vulnerable businesses continue to be supported.</p><p> </p><p>HM Treasury estimates also suggest that making full expensing permanent will benefit the retail sector by around £1 billion per year.</p><p> </p><p>Government is committed to using our post-Brexit freedoms to help businesses expand, create more jobs and grow the UK economy. We have already secured trade deals with 73 countries, plus the EU, that accounted for £1.1 trillion of UK bilateral trade last year. We are focused on priority trade barriers, which could boost UK exports by around £20 billion over five years.</p> answering member printed Lord Offord of Garvel question first answered 13/12/2023 16:53:25 answering member 4931 label Biography information for Lord Offord of Garvel
tabling member	1796 label Biography information for Lord Taylor of Warwick

1674228

registered interest
date	29/11/2023
answering body	Treasury
answering dept id	14
answering dept short name	Treasury
answering dept sort name	Treasury
hansard heading	Debts
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 risk of an increase in unaffordable consumer debt, including credit-card debt, in the new year.
tabling member printed	Lord Taylor of Warwick
uin	HL741
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 12/12/2023 answer text The Government regularly engages with the Bank of England, Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) and the Money and Pensions Service (MaPS) to monitor personal finances.<p> </p><p>The Government remains committed to helping people in problem debt access the support they need to get their finances back on track. This is why the Government continues to maintain record levels of debt advice funding for MaPS to provide debt advice in England, bringing their debt advice budget to £92.7 million in 2023/24.</p> answering member printed Baroness Vere of Norbiton question first answered 12/12/2023 17:47:47 answering member 4580 label Biography information for Baroness Vere of Norbiton
tabling member	1796 label Biography information for Lord Taylor of Warwick

1674229

registered interest
date	29/11/2023
answering body	Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities
answering dept id	211
answering dept short name	Levelling Up, Housing and Communities
answering dept sort name	Levelling Up, Housing and Communities
hansard heading	Private Rented Housing
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask His Majesty's Government, following reports that the average tenant household spends 35.3 per cent of their income on rent, what steps they are taking to alleviate financial strain on tenants in the private rental sector.
tabling member printed	Lord Taylor of Warwick
uin	HL742
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 12/12/2023 answer text <p>The Government recognises the cost of living pressures that tenants are facing, and that paying rent is likely to be a tenant’s biggest monthly expense. We are continuing to support households with the high cost of living, providing support worth £104 billion over 2022-25, or £3,700 per household on average.</p><p>From April 2024, we will be investing £1.2 billion restoring Local Housing Allowance rates to the 30<sup>th</sup> percentile of local market rents. This significant investment will mean 1.6 million low income households will gain, on average, nearly £800 per year in additional help towards their rental costs in 2024/25.</p><p>Discretionary Housing Payments are available to help meet a shortfall in housing costs, Cost of Living Payments are available this year to households on mean-tested benefits, those on disability benefits, and pensioners, and the Household Support Fund has been extended to help with the cost of essentials.</p> answering member printed Baroness Penn question first answered 12/12/2023 13:44:26 answering member 4726 label Biography information for Baroness Penn
tabling member	1796 label Biography information for Lord Taylor of Warwick

1673805

registered interest
date	28/11/2023
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Employment: Artificial Intelligence
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of any potential benefits of using artificial intelligence to develop skills for the workplace.
tabling member printed	Lord Taylor of Warwick
uin	HL682
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 12/12/2023 answer text <p>Artificial Intelligence (AI) has the potential to transform society. The department wants to capitalise on the opportunities that technology, such as AI, presents for education, as well as addressing its risks and challenges.</p><p> </p><p>When used appropriately, technology (including generative AI), has the potential to reduce workload across the education sector, and free up teachers’ time, allowing them to focus on delivering excellent teaching.</p><p> </p><p>The department wants schools, colleges, universities and families to have digestible rigorous evidence on education technology products at their fingertips so that they can effectively choose and implement technology. This includes the use of generative AI in educational settings.</p><p> </p><p>The department is building the evidence base for how generative AI is best used in education and learning from the experience and expertise of the sector. The department published the response to our call for evidence on generative AI in education on 28 November 2023. The department is working with Faculty Science Ltd in partnership and the National Institute of Teaching to run a Generative AI Hackathons project. The department has endowed the Education Endowment Foundation, an independent charity, with a further £137 million to encourage innovative and effective evidence-based teaching, including using technology.</p><p> </p><p>The department is ensuring everyone has the essential digital skills they need to engage with modern technology. In August 2020, the department introduced a new digital entitlement to fully fund adults to study towards an essential digital skills qualification, up to Level 1, and from September 2023, digital functional skills qualifications. These qualifications give adults the essential digital skills they need to participate actively in modern day life, work and further study.</p><p> </p><p>To support the UK’s development of AI talent, the department are creating 1000 new AI PhDs through Centres for Doctoral Training, with £117 million of government investment.</p> answering member printed Baroness Barran question first answered 12/12/2023 12:52:07 answering member 4703 label Biography information for Baroness Barran
tabling member	1796 label Biography information for Lord Taylor of Warwick

1673806

registered interest
date	28/11/2023
answering body	Treasury
answering dept id	14
answering dept short name	Treasury
answering dept sort name	Treasury
hansard heading	Economic Situation
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to sustain and increase economic confidence among consumers.
tabling member printed	Lord Taylor of Warwick
uin	HL683
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/12/2023 answer text <p>Consumer and business confidence is intrinsically linked to the broader economic outlook. To sustain consumer confidence, consumers need to feel assured that their government is taking the long-term decisions necessary to strengthen the economy and build a brighter future.</p><p>Promoting macroeconomic stability is central to the Government’s economic priorities. In January 2023 the Prime Minister set out three economic priorities: to halve inflation, grow the economy and reduce debt. Progress is being made against all three of these:</p><ul><li>Inflation is less than half its peak.</li><li>Economic growth has been resilient, and the economy is now expected to grow in every year of the forecast period, as assessed by the OBR in their recent forecast.</li><li>Debt is forecast to fall as a proportion of GDP over the medium term, with greater headroom than at Spring Budget 2023.</li></ul><p>Consumers are directly benefitting from the responsible approach taken to prioritising economic stability and making work pay. The cut in National Insurance contributions means the average worker on £35,400 will receive a tax cut in 2024-25 of over £450. From 1 April 2024, the National Living Wage (NLW) will increase by 9.8% to £11.44, representing an increase of over £1,800 to the annual earnings of a full-time worker on the NLW.</p> answering member printed Baroness Vere of Norbiton question first answered 08/12/2023 09:54:35 answering member 4580 label Biography information for Baroness Vere of Norbiton
tabling member	1796 label Biography information for Lord Taylor of Warwick

1673807

registered interest
date	28/11/2023
answering body	Department for Transport
answering dept id	27
answering dept short name	Transport
answering dept sort name	Transport
hansard heading	Public Transport: Sexual Harassment
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the recent survey conducted by the Rail, Maritime and Transport Union, which found that 40 per cent of women public transport workers have been sexually harassed at work, what steps they are taking to combat sexual harassment in the transport sector and prevent it from worsening.
tabling member printed	Lord Taylor of Warwick
uin	HL684
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 06/12/2023 answer text <p>As part of the 2021 cross-government tackling Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) Strategy, the government appointed the independent VAWG Transport Champions. In March 2022, the VAWG Transport Champions published 13 recommendations which have been crucial in informing the work of DfT on tackling VAWG on transport.</p><p> </p><p>The safety and security of female rail workers is and will continue to be of paramount importance for the Government and for train operators. The Department funds the national Rail Delivery Group ‘Zero Tolerance’ campaign against sexual harassment on the railway. The campaign aims to educate passengers and staff of what constitutes sexual harassment and informs people of the action they can take to report it if they witness it or are a victim themselves. A dedicated CrimeStoppers line is in operation for all those who wish to report anonymously.</p><p /><p>The British Transport Police will investigate every report of sexual harassment on the railway; incidents can be reported to British Transport Police via text on 61016, via the Railway Guardian App, online, or in an emergency by dialling 999.</p><p> </p><p>All Train Operators are also required to develop, maintain and implement a Safeguarding on Rail Scheme, accredited by the British Transport Police.</p> answering member printed Lord Davies of Gower question first answered 06/12/2023 15:23:08 answering member 4499 label Biography information for Lord Davies of Gower
tabling member	1796 label Biography information for Lord Taylor of Warwick