The Department for Education published statistics in March 2018 which shows that while absence rates related to illness are slightly higher in girls than boys, the gap in absence rates between boys and girls is very similar regardless of disadvantage. This suggests period poverty does not have a significant, nation-wide impact on attendance. However, no girl should be held back from reaching her potential because of her gender or background and we are keeping this matter under close review.<\/p>
<\/p>
Schools are best placed to identify and address the needs of their pupils; have discretion over how they use their funding; and can make sanitary products available to disadvantaged pupils if they identify this as a barrier to attainment or attendance.<\/p>
<\/p>
We support schools in addressing the needs of disadvantaged pupils through the provision of the Pupil Premium, equivalent to more than £2.4 billion of additional funding this year alone.<\/p>
Our guidance on \u2018Sex and Relationship Education\u2019 and the draft \u2018Relationships Education, Relationships and Sex Education and Health Education\u2019 guidance (both attached) encourages schools to make sensitive arrangements to help girls cope with menstruation. Lastly, as a government, in the previous round of the Tampon Tax Fund we provided £1.68 million for the \u2018Let\u2019s Talk. Period\u2019 project, which is distributing sanitary products to young women and girls in need across England.<\/p>
The Government keeps all taxes under review, including VAT on e-publications.<\/p> Any amendments to the VAT regime as it applies to physical publications and e-publications must be carefully assessed against policy, economic, and fiscal considerations.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1091", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Bates"}
}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Lord Bates"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2019-01-24", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2019-01-24T12:28:38.877Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "14"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Treasury"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Treasury"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2019-01-10", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Electronic Publishing: VAT"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "2"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25277", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Lords"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Bates on 26 November (HL11364), whether they have begun assessing the equalities impact of applying a zero VAT rate to e-publications; and whether any such assessments will include the impact on literacy rates in relation to children from disadvantaged backgrounds.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4564", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Bird"}
}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Lord Bird"}
], "uin" : "HL12736"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1027163", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1027163/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " Supported housing is an invaluable service for vulnerable people across the country. In August, we announced that we will undertake a review of housing related-support, to help us better understand how housing and support fit together. The review will give us a fuller picture into how housing-related support is provided for supported housing across England.<\/p> The Government is committed to reducing homelessness and rough sleeping. No one should ever have to sleep rough. That is why this summer we published the cross-government Rough Sleeping Strategy. This sets out an ambitious £100 million package to help people who sleep rough now but also puts in place the structures that will end rough sleeping once and for all. The Government has now committed over £1.2 billion to tackle homelessness and rough sleeping over the spending review period.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4282", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth"}
}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2018-12-21", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2018-12-21T13:41:29.753Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "7"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Housing, Communities and Local Government"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Housing, Communities and Local Government"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2018-12-17", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Homelessness"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "2"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25277", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Lords"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact that the ending of the Supporting People programme has had on funding for floating support services for people recovering from, or at risk of, homelessness; and whether those services will be included in their planned review of housing-related support.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4564", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Bird"}
}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Lord Bird"}
], "uin" : "HL12345"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1017363", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Education"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1017363/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " My right hon. Friend, the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced that £400 million will be made available to schools in 2018-19. This funding is not available to further education (FE) colleges, as these receive capital funding in a different way from schools.<\/p> FE colleges are eligible for capital funding via the £12 billion Local Growth Fund, of which £130 million is for skills capital. This is administered by Local Enterprise Partnerships. The government has also recently announced £38 million capital funding for the first providers of T levels. We understand the pressure FE colleges are facing and are considering future capital funding arrangements for FE colleges through the Spending Review in 2019.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4689", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Agnew of Oulton"}
}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Lord Agnew of Oulton"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2018-12-12", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2018-12-12T17:36:35.6Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "60"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Education"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Education"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2018-11-29", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Further Education: Capital Investment"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "2"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25277", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Lords"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the case for extending the £400 million of extra capital funding for schools, announced in this year's autumn statement, to further education colleges; and whether they have any plans to provide such funding in future.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4564", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Bird"}
}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Lord Bird"}
], "uin" : "HL11923"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1005586", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Work and Pensions"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1005586/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " We are unable to forecast the number of people who are yet to naturally migrate to Universal Credit. This is because Natural Migration claimants are those who have had a relevant change of circumstances that would cause a new claim to be made to a different legacy benefit, but they cannot make such a claim to legacy benefits because these have been replaced by UC.<\/p> <\/p> We take seriously the need to support vulnerable claimants moving to Universal Credit. Work Coaches provide continuous support for all claimants, including vulnerable claimants throughout their journey.<\/p> Additionally we have introduced a number of measures to assist claimants during the transition to Universal Credit including: the removal of waiting days; the UC Transitional Housing payment; Universal Support; 100 per cent advances and a longer repayment period.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/3349", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Baroness Buscombe"}
}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Baroness Buscombe"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2018-11-26", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2018-11-26T15:21:39.167Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "29"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Work and Pensions"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Work and Pensions"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2018-11-12", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Universal Credit"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "2"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25277", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Lords"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask Her Majesty's Government what estimate they have made of the number of people who are yet to be moved to Universal Credit as part of the natural migration process; and what support will be available for vulnerable claimants, including those who have disabilities, during this process.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4564", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Bird"}
}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Lord Bird"}
], "uin" : "HL11357"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1005587", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1005587/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " With the Cabinet Office, the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) is currently implementing a package of measures for the future of social value and procurement. This includes training for government commercial staff and will help unlock more opportunities for voluntary, community and social enterprise (VCSE) organisations. This work is part of government's long term ambition to grow social value commissioning and strengthen the Social Value Act as set out in the Civil Society Strategy.<\/p> Officials are working with Claire Dove, VCSE Crown Representative to ensure that VCSE\u2019s have a powerful voice in both commissioner and supplier communities.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4247", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Ashton of Hyde"}
}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Lord Ashton of Hyde"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2018-11-26", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2018-11-26T12:10:22.547Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "10"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Digital, Culture, Media and Sport"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Digital, Culture, Media and Sport"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2018-11-12", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Government Departments: Procurement"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "2"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25277", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Lords"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to encourage more (1) social enterprises, (2) charities, (3) mutuals, and (4) co-operatives to apply for and win government contracts; and what consideration they have given to strengthening the provisions of the Public Services (Social Value) Act 2012.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4564", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Bird"}
}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Lord Bird"}
], "uin" : "HL11358"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1005588", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1005588/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " Public libraries play an important role in giving everyone opportunities to improve their life chances and achieve their full potential. They support individuals, communities and society by providing access to books and information, bringing people together and providing them with support and guidance at every stage of their lives.<\/p> <\/p> The Libraries Taskforce, jointly established by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) and the Local Government Association, published Libraries Deliver: Ambition for Public Libraries in England 2016-2021 in December 2016. This strategy sets out seven strategic outcomes that libraries support, along with information and evidence about the impact they have in relation to:<\/p> <\/p> The Taskforce reviews progress against the Ambition aspirations and action plan annually. DCMS continues to work with the Libraries Taskforce and its member organisations to support the libraries sector. This includes developing and strengthening the evidence base on the impact of public library services on the outcomes, and to encourage good practice and innovation in achieving these aims. DCMS also advocates the value and contribution of public libraries across central and local government.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4247", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Ashton of Hyde"}
}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Lord Ashton of Hyde"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2018-11-26", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2018-11-26T12:09:53.377Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "10"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Digital, Culture, Media and Sport"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Digital, Culture, Media and Sport"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2018-11-12", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Public Libraries"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "2"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25277", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Lords"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of public libraries on (1) inclusive economic growth, (2) learning and skills, (3) health and well-being, (4) digital literacy, (5) business support, and (6) poverty prevention.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4564", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Bird"}
}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Lord Bird"}
], "uin" : "HL11359"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1005589", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Treasury"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1005589/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " The Government believes it is right that a history of paying rent should be recognised in credit and affordability assessments carried out by credit reference agencies and credit service providers.<\/p> <\/p> That\u2019s why, at Autumn Budget 2017, we announced the Rent Recognition Challenge: a £2million competition seeking technology solutions to enable tenants to record and share their rental data.<\/p> <\/p> The credit reference agency Experian recently announced that rental payments will now be reflected in their credit score reports, and has partnered with some of the Challenge\u2019s participants, Credit Ladder and Canopy.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1091", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Bates"}
}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Lord Bates"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2018-11-26", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2018-11-26T15:56:53.153Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "14"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Treasury"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Treasury"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2018-11-12", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Tenants: Credit Rating"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "2"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25277", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Lords"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure that where tenants share the payment of rent, their individual payment histories will be taken into account by (1) credit reference agencies, and (2) credit service providers.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4564", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Bird"}
}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Lord Bird"}
], "uin" : "HL11360"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1005590", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Cabinet Office"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1005590/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " There are a number of similarities in what Wales are currently doing in relation to the Future Generations Act, and what the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) proposes to do within the Environment (Principles and Governance) Bill, which they will publish before Christmas. This includes setting out environmental principles in primary legislation and monitoring the application of the principles. However, the main focus of the Environment (Principles and Governance) Bill is to be broadly equivalent to the governance provided by Europe relating to the environment and this is wider than just considering principles.<\/p> <\/p> We have learnt a great deal from the good work that Wales has done on the Well-Being of Future Generations Act and will continue to do so as we develop our policy statement on the principles as well as wider considerations on environmental governance. This includes reflecting on how the legislative framework is set out and the outcomes that they seek to achieve.<\/p> <\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/57", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Young of Cookham"}
}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Lord Young of Cookham"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2018-11-26", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2018-11-26T17:47:04.997Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "53"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Cabinet Office"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Cabinet Office"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2018-11-12", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Future Generations Commissioner for Wales"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "2"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25277", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Lords"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask Her Majesty's Government what lessons they have learned from measures to improve social, economic, environmental and cultural well-being undertaken by the Future Generations Commissioner for Wales.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4564", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Bird"}
}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Lord Bird"}
], "uin" : "HL11361"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1005591", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Home Office"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1005591/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " The Vulnerable Children\u2019s Resettlement Scheme (VCRS) resettles \u2019at-risk\u2019 refugee children from the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, including their families. Our aim is to resettle up to 3,000 people (children and families, where the child at risk is part of a family unit) through the scheme by 2020.<\/p>
<\/strong><\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4689", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Agnew of Oulton"}
}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Lord Agnew of Oulton"}
, "attachment" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1041199/answer/attachment/1", "fileName" : {"_value" : "HL12781_sex_and_relationship_education_guidance.pdf"}
, "title" : "HL12781_Sex_and_Relationship_Education_Guidance"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1041199/answer/attachment/2", "fileName" : {"_value" : "HL12781_20170718_ Draft guidance for consultation.pdf"}
, "title" : "HL12781_Relationships_Education_&_Health_Education"}
], "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2019-01-23", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2019-01-23T16:39:48.037Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "60"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Education"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Education"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2019-01-14", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Pupils: Sanitary Products"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "2"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25277", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Lords"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have, if any, to provide free menstrual products to all school children in England.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4564", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Bird"}
}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Lord Bird"}
], "uin" : "HL12781"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1038899", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Treasury"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1038899/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
The scheme does not solely target unaccompanied children, but on UNHCR\u2019s advice also extends to vulnerable \u2018children at risk\u2019, such as those threatened with child labour, child marriage and other forms of abuse or exploitation. It is open to all at risk groups and nationalities within the region. There is therefore no specific quota on the number of unaccompanied children who may be referred to, or resettled through, the scheme.<\/p>
The numbers resettled in a particular period depend on a range of factors in-cluding the flow of referrals from UNHCR in the field and the availability of suitable accommodation and care packages in the UK<\/p>