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1088558

	registered interest
	date	13/03/2019
	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: Gender
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to reduce the gender pay gap; when they estimate that gap to close; and what steps they are taking to hasten the closure of that gap.
	tabling member printed	Baroness Brady
	uin	HL14518
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 27/03/2019 answer text <p>The rate at which the gender pay gap will narrow is dependent on a large number of complex factors but this government is working hard to help employers close the gap as soon as possible. Whilst we are pleased that the gap is at a record low of 17.9%, having dropped by 9.6 percentage points since 1997, there is more to do to ensure this progress continues.</p><p>In 2017 we introduced ground-breaking regulations requiring large employers to publish their gender pay gaps annually. We are now supporting employers to develop action plans and take effective steps to reduce their gaps.</p><p>The government is also:</p><p>- Spending around £6billion in 2019-20 on childcare support and we have already doubled the childcare entitlement for working parents of 3 and 4 year olds.</p><p>- Set up a taskforce to make flexible working a possibility for all employees; and last year ran a £1.5million campaign promoting Shared Parental Leave.</p><p>- Supporting the Hampton-Alexander Review, aiming to get more women into senior leadership positions and improve gender diversity in the executive pipeline.</p><p>Taking steps to break down gender stereotypes, including funding programmes in schools and colleges to encourage more girls to consider careers in science, technology, engineering and maths.</p> answering member printed Baroness Williams of Trafford question first answered 27/03/2019 17:07:43 answering member 4311 label Biography information for Baroness Williams of Trafford
	tabling member	4339 label Biography information for Baroness Brady

1144105

	registered interest
	date	03/09/2019
	answering body	Ministry of Justice
	answering dept id	54
	answering dept short name	Justice
	answering dept sort name	Justice
	hansard heading	Domestic Abuse: Sentencing
	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 victims of domestic violence, following the sentencing of an offender, receive (1) the precise sentence outcome, (2) accurate and relevant information about the possible impact of a sentence, and (3) the date of an offenders bail and prison release, to ensure that safeguarding mechanisms can be put in place; and what plans they have to enable victims of such violence to appeal sentencing decisions.
	tabling member printed	Baroness Brady
	uin	HL17593
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/09/2019 answer text <p>Under the Code of Practice for Victim’s of Crime, all victims have the right to be notified of the offender’s sentence and receive a short explanation about the meaning and effect of the sentence. We committed in the Victims Strategy published last year to review the process for informing victims of offenders’ sentences and what they mean and we are currently consulting on proposals for revising the code, which will be followed by a consultation on a draft revised code.</p><p> </p><p>The statutory National Probation Service Victim Contact Scheme is available to victims of violent and sexual offences, where the offender receives a sentence of 12 months or more. The Scheme provides victims with information and advice about the criminal justice process – including explaining the sentence to them and ensuring that they are informed of the offender’s release.</p><p> </p><p>In such cases, victims also have the statutory right to request conditions that can be attached to the offender's release licence. These can include a no contact condition, and an exclusion zone covering areas where the victim lives, works, or travels too frequently. The offender risks being recalled to prison should they breach any of their licence conditions.</p><p> </p><p>Offenders who have committed an eligible sexual or violent offence and sentenced to 12 months or more imprisonment will be managed under the Multi-Agency Public Protection Arrangements (MAPPA). Under MAPPA, the Prison, Probation and Police Services are required to work together to assess and manage the risks presented by such offenders. Thus, the MAPPA plan for managing the risk to such offenders must include measures to protect previous victims from further harm.</p><p> </p><p>Additionally, Multi Agency Risk Assessment Conferences (MARACs) develop strategies to help and protect domestic abuse victims at high risk of murder or serious harm. Agencies including the Police, providers of probation services, health and child protection, as well as Independent Domestic Violence Advisers, share information and develop actions to protect the victim.</p><p> </p><p>In respect of appealing sentencing decisions, the Unduly Lenient Sentence scheme enables anyone, including victims, the ability to ask the Attorney General to consider referring sentences for certain offences which he believes to be unduly lenient, to the Court of Appeal. The offences covered by the scheme are indictable only offences that are heard in the Crown Court, and certain triable either way offences when heard in the Crown Court. The scheme has a statutory 28-day time limit for referrals to be made. The scheme ensures there is a route for victims, their families, and the public, to question sentences imposed by the court for certain cases.</p><p> </p><p>If a case is referred, it will be a matter for the Court of Appeal to determine whether the sentence should remain as it is, be increased, or whether guidance should be issued for future cases.</p><p> </p> answering member printed Lord Keen of Elie question first answered 09/09/2019 16:34:20 answering member 4538 label Biography information for Lord Keen of Elie
	tabling member	4339 label Biography information for Baroness Brady

1110679

	registered interest
	date	09/04/2019
	answering body	Home Office
	answering dept id	1
	answering dept short name	Home Office
	answering dept sort name	Home Office
	hansard heading	Knives: Sales
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to prevent the online sale of machetes in the UK.
	tabling member printed	Baroness Brady
	uin	HL15143
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 24/04/2019 answer text <p>In 2016, the Government agreed a set of commitments with major retailers to prevent the underage sales of knives, including machetes, in their stores and online. This also covered staff training, the display and packaging of knives. A number of major retailers have signed up to this, including Tesco, eBay UK, Lidl UK, Amazon UK, Wilko, Argos, Asda, Poundland, Morrisons, Sainsbury’s, John Lewis, Waitrose, Boots, the Co-op, B&amp;Q, Aldi, TKMaxx and Debenhams. We continue to work with retailers to strengthen the agreement, including in relation to the display of these products in stores.</p><p><br>It is an offence to sell articles with a blade, which includes machetes, to a person under 18, whether that be face to face or online. In addition, the Offensive Weapons Bill will further strengthen the law, with specific new knives offences, including making it an offence to possess certain offensive weapons in private, and stopping bladed products being sent to residential addresses after they are bought online unless the seller has made arrangements with a delivery person or company not to hand that item over to a person under 18 at that address.</p><p>This means that businesses will still be able to sell and dispatch bladed products, which could include machetes, to residential addresses, but they will need to have the necessary arrangements in place to ensure that their products are not delivered into the hands of anyone aged under 18.</p> answering member printed Baroness Williams of Trafford question first answered 24/04/2019 14:24:52 answering member 4311 label Biography information for Baroness Williams of Trafford
	tabling member	4339 label Biography information for Baroness Brady

1133034

	registered interest
	date	18/06/2019
	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	Measles
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to address any increase in the number of people infected with measles; and whether they have any plans to introduce compulsory measles vaccinations for children before they start school.
	tabling member printed	Baroness Brady
	uin	HL16452
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 02/07/2019 answer text <p>Vaccinations in the United Kingdom are undertaken through informed consent. Although there has been a small decline in coverage in England since 2013, measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine coverage through the routine programme (first dose given at one year and the second at three years and four months) remains high. Public Health England has said that the majority of recent measles cases are in those not eligible through this routine programme. A new MMR vaccine catch-up programme for 10- and 11-year olds that previously missed the MMR vaccine was introduced in April this year. In addition, the MMR vaccine can also be given on the National Health Service to children who missed routine vaccination and adults who may need it.</p><p>In January 2019, the UK Measles and Rubella elimination strategy was published. A multi-agency group has been established to take forward the actions in the strategy in England. Local teams are expected to work with local stakeholders to develop measles and rubella elimination action plans.</p><p>Public Health England monitors vaccine uptake and works with NHS England to increase uptake. This year, NHS England is undertaking a fundamental review of general practitioner vaccinations and immunisation standards, funding, and procurement. This will support the goal of improving immunisation coverage, using local coordinators to target variation and improve groups and areas with low vaccine uptake.</p> answering member printed Baroness Blackwood of North Oxford question first answered 02/07/2019 14:50:18 answering member 4019 label Biography information for Baroness Blackwood of North Oxford
	tabling member	4339 label Biography information for Baroness Brady

1110677

	registered interest
	date	09/04/2019
	answering body	Department for Transport
	answering dept id	27
	answering dept short name	Transport
	answering dept sort name	Transport
	hansard heading	Automatic Number Plate Recognition
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to ensure that Automatic Number Plate Recognition technology is used only to detect and deter criminal activity rather than to enable the generation of parking fines.
	tabling member printed	Baroness Brady
	uin	HL15141
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 12/04/2019 answer text <p>The Government has prohibited the use of CCTV and ANPR for local authority on-street parking enforcement since 2015 under the Deregulation Act 2015 and the Civil Enforcement of Parking Contraventions (England) General (Amendment No. 2) Regulations 2015. For reasons of child safety and congestion management, parking restrictions near schools, on red routes, in bus lanes, and at bus stand clearways are exempt from this ban. As part of its work to improve the safety of cycling, the Government intends to introduce another exemption that will enable the use of approved camera devices for enforcing parking restrictions in mandatory cycle lanes.</p><p> </p> answering member printed Baroness Sugg question first answered 12/04/2019 10:06:54 answering member 4584 label Biography information for Baroness Sugg
	tabling member	4339 label Biography information for Baroness Brady

1088557

	registered interest
	date	13/03/2019
	answering body	Department for International Development
	answering dept id	20
	answering dept short name	International Development
	answering dept sort name	International Development
	hansard heading	Overseas Aid
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what measures are in place to test the effectiveness of aid spending through the UK Official Development Assistance budget.
	tabling member printed	Baroness Brady
	uin	HL14517
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 25/03/2019 answer text <p>UK ODA is scrutinised by the Independent Commission for Aid Impact (ICAI), which focuses on the delivery of value for money and maximising the impact and effectiveness of UK aid. ICAI reports directly to Parliament through the International Development Committee (IDC) ensuring both independence and accountability of the ODA. The National Audit Office also scrutinises departmental spending including the effectiveness of ODA spending.</p><p> </p><p>As part of DFID’s programme approval process, an accredited Evaluation Advisor reviews the evaluation plan for the ongoing effectiveness of the programme. DFID reviews all programmes annually, providing an assessment of performance, ongoing relevance, value for money, lessons learned, and any remedial action required. Individual government departments are responsible for design, evaluation and governance of their Overseas Development Assistance (ODA) budget. However, DFID makes available some relevant evaluation tools to support other departments.</p> answering member printed Lord Bates question first answered 25/03/2019 16:12:07 answering member 1091 label Biography information for Lord Bates
	tabling member	4339 label Biography information for Baroness Brady

1110678

	registered interest
	date	09/04/2019
	answering body	Department for Education
	answering dept id	60
	answering dept short name	Education
	answering dept sort name	Education
	hansard heading	Students: Loans
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to review the rates of interest charged on student loans to ensure they properly reflect the Bank of England interest rate.
	tabling member printed	Baroness Brady
	uin	HL15142
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 25/04/2019 answer text <p>The system for setting interest rates on student loans is set out in The Education (Student Loans) (Repayment) Regulations 2009, as amended. The Department for Education sets the interest rate as instructed by the regulations.</p><p> </p><p>For post-2012 student loans, the department regularly monitors the interest rates set on student loans against the interest rates prevailing on the market. The most appropriate comparators for undergraduate student loans are the effective interest rates available on unsecured personal loans, as published by the Bank of England (data series CFMBJ77 and CFMBJ94). Both rates continue to be above the maximum interest rate charged on student loans.</p> answering member printed Viscount Younger of Leckie question first answered 25/04/2019 14:52:48 answering member 4169 label Biography information for Viscount Younger of Leckie
	tabling member	4339 label Biography information for Baroness Brady

1088559

	registered interest
	date	13/03/2019
	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	Sports: Females
	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 number of girls aged between 14 and 18 years old who stop participating in sports in and outside school; and what steps they intend to take to actively encourage such girls' participation in sports.
	tabling member printed	Baroness Brady
	uin	HL14519
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 25/03/2019 answer text <p>The first set of data from Sport England’s world-leading Active Lives: Children and Young People survey was released in December 2018. It shows that only 10% of girls in years 9-11 (13-16) are reaching the Chief Medical Officers’ guidance of 60 minutes of physical activity every day. Levels of activity for girls aged over 16 are captured by the Active Lives (adult) survey, which has a slightly different methodology and so cannot be directly compared. Both surveys are available on Sport England’s website.</p><p> </p><p>Government is committed to addressing the gender gap in physical activity levels for boys and girls, including the drop-off in engagement from primary to secondary school. It is important that girls have access to the right sporting opportunities, both in and out of school.</p><p>This is something government committed to tackle in the Sporting Future strategy. This will also be addressed as part of the new School Sport and Activity Action Plan which will be published in the spring.</p><p> </p> answering member printed Lord Ashton of Hyde question first answered 25/03/2019 11:57:24 answering member 4247 label Biography information for Lord Ashton of Hyde
	tabling member	4339 label Biography information for Baroness Brady