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1204164

	registered interest
	date	16/06/2020
	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	Care Homes: Coronavirus
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the remarks made by the Rt Hon Jeremy Hunt MP on 12 June that “whilst the impact of such discharges meant the NHS was never short of beds or ventilators, it seems extraordinary that no one appeared to consider the clinical risk to care homes despite widespread knowledge that the virus could be carried asymptomatically.”
	tabling member printed	Lord Alton of Liverpool
	type	WrittenParliamentaryQuestion
	uin	HL5739
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 07/07/2020 answer text <p>Throughout our coronavirus response we have kept our policies under continuous review based on the emerging international and domestic evidence and have worked tirelessly with the care sector and public health experts to reduce transmission and save lives.</p><p>On 15 April, we published COVID-19: Our Action Plan for Adult Social Care. This set out that all patients are required to be tested prior to discharge to a care home. A copy is attached.</p><p>Patients are discharged when it is clinically safe and they no longer need acute care. Wherever possible, people who are clinically ready should be supported to return to their place of residence, where assessment of longer-term needs will take place. This approach follows the ‘discharge to assess’ model, to support timely and appropriate discharge from hospital.</p><p>As our understanding of the virus has changes throughout the course of the pandemic, we have continued to develop our policy. Our current policy is that due to evidence of asymptomatic spread, during periods of sustained transmission we recommend that all residents being discharged from hospital or interim care facilities to the care home and new residents admitted from the community should be isolated for 14 days within their own room. For care home residents, around 70% of people living in care homes for the over 65s have dementia. It is important they return to their familiar environments when they are clinically ready, with the personalised support and daily activities in place that help them to live well with dementia. This can be better achieved in their care home, rather than the hospital.</p><p>We have made £1.3 billion funding available via the National Health Service to help patients who no longer need urgent treatment to get home from hospital safely and quickly. We have also made £3.2 billion available to local authorities so they can address pressures on local services caused by the pandemic, including in adult social care. On 13 May we announced an additional £600 million to support care home providers through a new Adult Social Care Infection Control Fund.</p> answering member printed Lord Bethell question first answered 07/07/2020 17:15:53 answering member 4708 label Biography information for Lord Bethell attachment 1 file name covid-19-adult-social-care-action-plan.pdf title Adult Social Care Action Plan
	tabling member	738 label Biography information for Lord Alton of Liverpool

1204165

	registered interest
	date	16/06/2020
	answering body	Ministry of Justice
	answering dept id	54
	answering dept short name	Justice
	answering dept sort name	Justice
	hansard heading	Prisons: Coronavirus
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	Her Majesty's Government how many COVID-19 (1) cases, and (2) deaths, there have been in the UK since 23 March; what steps they have taken to prevent transmission of COVID-19 in prisons; what measures are in place to mitigate the risks of suicide, particularly among young offenders; whether those measures include extending the amount of time prisoners may spend out of their cell each day; and how many low risk prisoners have been released early to reduce overcrowding in cells during the COVID-19 pandemic.
	tabling member printed	Lord Alton of Liverpool
	type	WrittenParliamentaryQuestion
	uin	HL5740
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 30/06/2020 answer text <p>The Government acted quickly to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in prisons by implementing restricted regimes to comply with national social distancing guidance and limiting inter-prisons transfers. Prisons are also implementing a ‘compartmentalisation’ strategy to isolate the sick, shield the vulnerable and quarantine new arrivals. Latest public health advice suggests these measures have contained the spread of the virus and minimised the number of deaths.</p><p>As of Friday 12 June, we are aware of 495 prisoner and 963 prison staff COVID-19 cases across England and Wales. These figures reflect the total cumulative number of recorded positive cases – not the number of live cases – of COVID-19, and includes individuals that have since recovered. Figures are subject to revision as more information becomes available.</p><p>As of Friday 12 June, 23 prisoners and 9 members of prison staff have sadly died having tested positive for COVID-19 or having shown symptoms. It is a matter for the coroners to determine cause of death.</p><p>The restricted regimes introduced to protect prisoners and staff from COVID-19 mean that prisoners are spending longer in their cells than normal which raises new and different risks to safety and the mental health of prisoners. The Government takes its responsibilities for these issues very seriously.</p><p>To this end, the Government is supporting prison Governors to devise and implement local safety and welfare plans designed to mitigate these safety risks. Prisons across the estate are giving prisoners access to educational and entertainment material intended to support their wellbeing. Prisoners confined to their cells continue to access healthcare and time in the open air, where possible. They also have access to telephones, extra phone credit and, where available, video calls to contact their loved ones. We continue to make the Samaritans phone service available, and are working with the Samaritans to ensure that the listener peer support scheme continues to function effectively.</p><p>Within the Youth Custody Service (YCS) there has been a focus on delivering essential activities such as regular phone calls (with young people having been allocated additional free phone credits), access to showers and education materials, and time in the fresh air, as well as activities children can undertake in small groups or in their rooms, including workouts and access to entertainment.</p><p>‘SECURE STAIRS’ -the integrated framework of care jointly led by NHS England and NHS Improvement and the YCS, provides the foundations as to how the YCS works with children - has been adopting an approach that underlines the importance of connectivity, whilst adhering to the guidance on physical distancing.</p><p>The YCS is continuously assessing the situation, and is keen to expand the regime as soon as it is safe and sustainable to do so.</p><p>On 4 April, the Government announced the End of Custody Temporary Release scheme. This scheme enables risk-assessed prisoners, who are within two months of their release date, to be temporarily released from custody, as part of the national approach to managing public services during this challenging period. As of Friday 12 June, 113 offenders have been released under this scheme. Our plans for early release form one part of a package of measures to create headroom in the estate to allow us to fully implement compartmentalisation. We are also working to expedite remand cases and temporarily expanding the estate through the installation of single occupancy units.</p> answering member printed Lord Keen of Elie question first answered 30/06/2020 16:19:25 answering member 4538 label Biography information for Lord Keen of Elie
	tabling member	738 label Biography information for Lord Alton of Liverpool

1204166

	registered interest
	date	16/06/2020
	answering body	Department for Education
	answering dept id	60
	answering dept short name	Education
	answering dept sort name	Education
	hansard heading	Education and Unemployment: Young People
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the report by the Resolution Foundation Class of 2020: Education leavers in the current crisis, published in May, in particular its (1) finding that youth unemployment in Britain could reach one million over the coming year, and (2) recommendation that policies should be pursued to assist young people to continue to study, including the provision of maintenance support.
	tabling member printed	Lord Alton of Liverpool
	type	WrittenParliamentaryQuestion
	uin	HL5741
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 13/07/2020 answer text <p>We welcome the focus that the Resolution Foundation report draws to the challenge of supporting young people to progress into work and training.</p><p>The Government is actively considering ways to help young people continue to develop the skills they will need for the future. We want to give young people the best chance to succeed, despite these challenging and unsettling times.</p><p>As part of raising the participation age legislation Local Authorities have duties to track all academic age 16 and 17 year olds, identify those not in education, employment or training (NEET) or at risk of becoming so and supporting them to re-engage in education or training. This includes a September guarantee where Local Authorities need to ensure that all year 11 students and year 12 students on a one year course have a suitable offer of education or training for the following September.</p><p>The department provides a range of financial support for students aged 16 to19, to enable them to participate and stay in further education, including free meals, bursaries to help with the cost of travel, books, equipment, IT and connectivity, plus support for childcare and residential costs. Further information can be found here: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/guidance/16-to-19-education-financial-support-for-students" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/guidance/16-to-19-education-financial-support-for-students</a></p><p>For those learners aged 19 and over, the DfE supports a broad spectrum of learning provision from non-formal, unaccredited learning which helps to engage disadvantaged learners through to Apprenticeships and Traineeships where learners can gain the skills and qualifications needed to get into work.</p><p>Learners aged 19 or over who are studying on a further education course and facing financial hardship may be eligible for Learner Support to pay for things like: accommodation and travel, course materials and equipment and childcare. Further information can be found here: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/learner-support" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/learner-support</a></p><p>On apprenticeships, we are continuing to support employers and training providers in dealing with, and responding to, the impacts of COVID-19. While we do not yet know the full impact of COVID-19, our priority is ensuring that apprentices and employers can continue to access high quality training, both now and in the future. We continue to support traineeships and have introduced flexibilities to enable providers to continue to deliver them where possible, given that traineeships will play an important part in supporting young people back into learning and work.</p><p>In early June this year, we launched a £7 million Alternative Provision Transition Fund to enable Alternative Provision schools to support all their Year 11 pupils to transition successfully into post-16 settings this summer, and avoid becoming NEET.</p> answering member printed Baroness Berridge question first answered 13/07/2020 10:57:34 answering member 4218 label Biography information for Baroness Berridge
	tabling member	738 label Biography information for Lord Alton of Liverpool

1204167

	registered interest
	date	16/06/2020
	answering body	Treasury
	answering dept id	14
	answering dept short name	Treasury
	answering dept sort name	Treasury
	hansard heading	Economic Situation: Coronavirus
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the findings in the report by McKinsey & Company COVID-19 in the United Kingdom: Assessing jobs at risk and the impact on people and places that (1) “UK Gross Domestic Product in 2020 is expected to shrink by 9 per cent”, (2) “7.6 million jobs are at risk”, (3) “people and places with the lowest incomes are the most vulnerable to job loss… with nearly 50 per cent of all the jobs at risk are in occupations earning less than £10 per hour”; and what measures they intend to put in place to address those findings.
	tabling member printed	Lord Alton of Liverpool
	type	WrittenParliamentaryQuestion
	uin	HL5742
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 30/06/2020 answer text <p>The UK, along with the rest of the world, is continuing to face significant economic disruption in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic, with both the OBR and Bank of England publishing scenarios that are consistent with significant falls in GDP this year.</p><p> </p><p>The Government has announced unprecedented support for the economy, including via the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme, the Self-Employment Income Support Scheme, the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Schemes and the Bounce Back Loan Scheme. However, despite these policies, there will be challenging times ahead, and we will not be able to protect every single job or save every single business.</p><p> </p><p>The Government is committed to supporting the lowest paid workers and helping unemployed people go back into work and so is continuing to review what can be done to support those most vulnerable to job loss and to aid the UK’s economic recovery. We are working to ensure our labour market policy response is appropriate and effective.</p> answering member printed Lord Agnew of Oulton question first answered 30/06/2020 15:56:02 answering member 4689 label Biography information for Lord Agnew of Oulton
	tabling member	738 label Biography information for Lord Alton of Liverpool

1204168

	registered interest
	date	16/06/2020
	answering body	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
	answering dept id	16
	answering dept short name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
	answering dept sort name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
	hansard heading	Eritrea: Coronavirus and Malnutrition
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of reports (1) of widespread starvation in Eritrea, in particular in Southern and Northern Red Sea regions, and (2) that COVID-19 has been used by the Eritrean regime to target Red Sea Afar people.
	tabling member printed	Lord Alton of Liverpool
	type	WrittenParliamentaryQuestion
	uin	HL5743
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 24/06/2020 answer text <p>We are concerned that the people of Eritrea are facing food insecurity as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. COVID-19 and the desert locust outbreak have impacted existing humanitarian need as a result of lasting effects of war and climate change. Humanitarian and development programmes in Eritrea are being adapted to address current food security challenges. DFID funds life-saving activity in Eritrea, including providing £4m to UNICEF in 2019-20 to help treat malnutrition in under-fives and provide access to safe hygiene and sanitation services.</p><p>We are also aware of reports that the Government of Eritrea is targeting the Red Sea Afar people during the COVID-19 pandemic. We raise our concerns about human rights in Eritrea with the Government at every opportunity, and we will continue to make clear that measures taken by them to tackle COVID-19 must be necessary, proportionate, time-bound, transparent and regularly reviewed. Eritrea remains a priority country for the FCO under our annual human rights reporting, and we will continue to monitor the situation there.</p> answering member printed Baroness Sugg question first answered 24/06/2020 10:55:17 answering member 4584 label Biography information for Baroness Sugg
	tabling member	738 label Biography information for Lord Alton of Liverpool

1204169

	registered interest
	date	16/06/2020
	answering body	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
	answering dept id	16
	answering dept short name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
	answering dept sort name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
	hansard heading	Riot Control Weapons
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the report by Amnesty International Tear Gas: an investigation, published in June, which details examples of tear gas misuse in 22 countries including the territory of Hong Kong; what assessment they have made of the effects of tear gas (1) when fired directly at people in large volumes, (2) in response to peaceful protests, and (3) in confined spaces; what steps can be taken if UN Guidelines on its use are ignored; and what plans they have to press for more effective regulation of the design, trade and use of tear gas.
	tabling member printed	Lord Alton of Liverpool
	type	WrittenParliamentaryQuestion
	uin	HL5744
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 13/07/2020 answer text <p>Whilst the Department of Health Committee on Toxicity has approved the use of CS spray, actions taken by the police or security agencies during protest must be proportionate, necessary and in accordance with guidelines.</p><p>The Government takes strategic export control responsibilities seriously. We examine every strategic export application on a case-by-case basis against strict Criteria. We draw on a range of sources in making assessments, including NGOs and international organisations, our diplomatic posts, and reports from our overseas networks. Our export licensing system allows us to respond quickly to changing facts on the ground and we can take action when our assessment changes. The Department for International Trade would not issue a licence if to do so was inconsistent with the Consolidated Criteria. If it was being misused, the Foreign and Commonwealth office would advise them accordingly on export licence applications.</p><p>We continue to monitor developments closely, seeking further information where appropriate. As an example, on 25 June 2019, the then Foreign Secretary announced that we would not issue any further export licenses for crowd control equipment to Hong Kong until we are satisfied that concerns raised on human rights and fundamental freedoms have been thoroughly addressed. As we have said repeatedly, we believe the Hong Kong SAR Government should establish a robust and independent investigation into events.</p> answering member printed Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon question first answered 13/07/2020 14:55:28 answering member 4210 label Biography information for Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
	tabling member	738 label Biography information for Lord Alton of Liverpool

1204170

	registered interest
	date	16/06/2020
	answering body	Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
	answering dept id	201
	answering dept short name	Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
	answering dept sort name	Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
	hansard heading	Post Office Horizon IT Inquiry
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Ministerial Statement by the Minister for Small Business, Consumers and Labour Markets on 10 June (HCWS280) announcing an Independent Review into the Post Office Horizon IT System and Trials, whether that Review (1) will take account of the “significant failings within Post Office Ltd over nearly two decades” identified by Mr Justice Fraser, (2) will have the power to require Ministers, Board Members, executives, staff and suppliers associated with the organisation throughout the period to appear before it, and (3) will have the power to access all relevant documentation from throughout the period. [T]
	tabling member printed	Lord Birt
	type	WrittenParliamentaryQuestion
	uin	HL5752
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/06/2020 answer text <p>The findings outlined throughout the Horizon judgments provided an extensive insight as to what went wrong at the Post Office, including an independent judicial view of the facts all sides were looking for. However, the Government accepts more needs to be done. The Government now wants to be fully assured that through the Independent Review there is a public summary of the failings that occurred at Post Office Ltd, drawing on the judgments from the Horizon case and by listening to those that have been most affected, without repeating the extensive findings of Justice Fraser.</p><p> </p><p>Post Office Ltd have committed to fully cooperating with the Review. The Review will have sufficient strength and breadth and deliver in a timely manner. The Chair of the review will be fully independent of both the Post Office and Government. They will draw conclusions and make recommendations as he or she sees fit.</p> answering member printed Lord Callanan question first answered 23/06/2020 14:03:44 answering member 4336 label Biography information for Lord Callanan
	tabling member	2533 label Biography information for Lord Birt

1204171

	registered interest
	date	16/06/2020
	answering body	The Senior Deputy Speaker
	answering dept id	204
	answering dept short name
	answering dept sort name	Senior Deputy Speaker (HoL)
	hansard heading	Palace of Westminster: Coronavirus
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	The Senior Deputy Speaker whether the Palace of Westminster will be deep cleaned prior to the return of the House in September.
	tabling member printed	Lord Bowness
	type	WrittenParliamentaryQuestion
	uin	HL5753
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 30/06/2020 answer text <p>The Senior Deputy Speaker has asked me, as Chair of the Services Committee, to respond on his behalf. The Palace of Westminster and outbuildings will continue to be cleaned throughout the recess period, following the Public Health England guidelines for non-healthcare premises. In anticipation of the return of the House following the recess, before the House sits, the Chamber will be given a full clean to include all surfaces used by members and staff. Surfaces and areas around the Chamber will also be cleaned with sanitiser including; Royal Gallery, Prince’s Chamber and Peers’ Lobby. Heritage items in these areas will continue to be treated in line with the appropriate guidance. <br>As is currently in place; an enhanced cleaning regime will continue when the House returns, with hourly cleaning of contact points around the Chamber and the Principal Floor. Elsewhere in the Palace, more frequent cleaning of the toilets, tea points, kitchens and contact points will continue to take place. Hand sanitiser will continue to be supplied at all entrances and access points across the Estate.</p> answering member printed Lord Laming question first answered 30/06/2020 15:16:20 answering member 2079 label Biography information for Lord Laming
	tabling member	3496 label Biography information for Lord Bowness

1204172

	registered interest
	date	16/06/2020
	answering body	Cabinet Office
	answering dept id	53
	answering dept short name	Cabinet Office
	answering dept sort name	Cabinet Office
	hansard heading	Driving and Health Services: Reciprocal Arrangements
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	Her Majesty's Government what progress has been made in negotiations with the EU or bilaterally with individual member states on continued mutual recognition of (1) drivers licences, (2) EHIC cards, and (3) disabled blue parking badges.
	tabling member printed	Lord Bowness
	type	WrittenParliamentaryQuestion
	uin	HL5754
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 29/06/2020 answer text <p>The recognition of both driving licenses and blue badges is a member state competence and the Government is seeking to secure both with EU members via bilateral agreements. Discussions are ongoing in both of these areas. UK motorists will still be able to drive in the EU with their UK Driving Licence but some EU countries may require an International Driving Permit, which is available now from the Post Office. The UK Government is currently negotiating with the EU on future reciprocal healthcare arrangements as part of the negotiating group on ‘mobility and social security coordination’.</p> answering member printed Lord True question first answered 29/06/2020 11:18:57 answering member 4200 label Biography information for Lord True
	tabling member	3496 label Biography information for Lord Bowness

1204173

	registered interest
	date	16/06/2020
	answering body	Department for International Trade
	answering dept id	202
	answering dept short name	International Trade
	answering dept sort name	International Trade
	hansard heading	UK Trade with EU
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the implications under World Trade Organisation rules of goods entering from outside the EU if (1) there is no free trade agreement by 31 December, and (2) the UK permits the import of the same goods from the EU without the imposition of any tariffs.
	tabling member printed	Lord Bowness
	type	WrittenParliamentaryQuestion
	uin	HL5755
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 25/06/2020 answer text <p>The UK Global Tariff (UKGT) is the United Kingdom’s permanent most-favored-nation (MFN) tariff schedule. At the end of 2020 the United Kingdom will transition to MFN terms with all those nations that it does not have a free trade agreement with. In line with the Unit-ed Kingdom’s international commitments, the same tariffs will apply to all World Trade Or-ganisation (WTO) trading partners, unless an exception applies - for example, a free trade agreement (FTA) or other preferential arrangement is in place.</p><p>The UK Government intends to achieve an FTA with the EU by December 2020. We there-fore do not expect the UKGT to apply to EU imports. However, if we do not achieve an FTA by the end of the transition period, the UKGT will apply to the EU in line with the United Kingdom’s obligations under the WTO.</p><p>The UK Government will publish a Taxation Information and Impact Notice alongside the leg-islation for the UKGT as is standard practice. This notice will include the Government’s im-pact assessment.</p> answering member printed Lord Grimstone of Boscobel question first answered 25/06/2020 10:56:44 answering member 4876 label Biography information for Lord Grimstone of Boscobel
	tabling member	3496 label Biography information for Lord Bowness