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1717400

registered interest
date	13/05/2024
answering body	Ministry of Defence
answering dept id	11
answering dept short name	Defence
answering dept sort name	Defence
hansard heading	Armed Forces: Recruitment
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask His Majesty's Government what are the current arrangements for the assessment of literacy and numeracy competence at the first stage of recruitment into any branch of the armed forces; what provision exists for adult education for (1) literacy, (2) numeracy, and (3) broader educational purposes, after the first two stages of the recruitment process; and what specialist and current expertise exists to assist senior officers in their responsibility to deliver professional and educational support.
tabling member printed	Lord Blunkett
uin	HL4565
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/05/2024 answer text <p>The Armed Forces conduct a range of eligibility checks and assessments within recruitment pipelines, and these include the requirement for candidates to have minimum educational qualifications for entry into the Armed Forces. The single Services set their own minimum educational entry standards, and these are specific to the individual requirements of employment groups. Minimum educational qualifications for entry are regularly reviewed and amended to reflect the most up to date requirements of employment groups.</p><p> </p><p>Following initial training, 95% of enlisted personnel are enrolled onto apprenticeships, which require Functional Skills standards. We support all Service personnel up to Level 2 Functional Skills English and Maths and provide further additional support for those with Specific Learning Differences. The Ministry of Defence (MOD) also promotes lifelong learning among members of the Armed Forces, using the Elective Education Schemes to gain higher level qualifications. MOD, and each of the Armed Forces, have specialist education and training policy teams to assist senior officers.</p> answering member printed The Earl of Minto question first answered 21/05/2024 14:51:23 answering member 4952 label Biography information for The Earl of Minto
tabling member	395 label Biography information for Lord Blunkett

1717401

registered interest
date	13/05/2024
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Overseas Students
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 impact on the economy of the fall in applications by international students to study in the UK.
tabling member printed	Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth
uin	HL4566
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 24/05/2024 answer text <p>It has not proved possible to respond to this question in the time available before Prorogation. Ministers will correspond directly with the Member.</p> answering member printed Baroness Barran question first answered 24/05/2024 13:39:23 answering member 4703 label Biography information for Baroness Barran
tabling member	4282 label Biography information for Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth

1717402

registered interest
date	13/05/2024
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	Smoking
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 health benefits of the proposed generational ban on smoking.
tabling member printed	Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth
uin	HL4567
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/05/2024 answer text <p>Smoking is responsible for approximately 80,000 deaths a year in the United Kingdom and causes around one in four UK cancer deaths. Smoking is one of the most important preventable causes of disparities in health, and a significant contributor to the gap in life expectancy.</p><p>Reduced smoking rates lead to fewer people dying from smoking-related diseases and fewer children exposed to second-hand smoke or living in smoking-induced poverty. There are four major diseases that together account for almost 60% of all ill health and early deaths attributable to smoking: chronic obstructive pulmonary disease; coronary heart disease; lung cancer; and strokes. By 2075, our modelling suggests that between 48,000 and 115,000 cases of these diseases would be avoided, improving people’s lives and avoiding the pain of loss for families.</p><p>Smoking also costs society £21.8 billion a year and puts a huge burden on the National Health Service. Our Impact Assessment on the Tobacco and Vapes Bill found that there would be savings of more than £2 billion, in 2019 prices, in reduced healthcare usage costs over 30 years from 2027. Health and economic gains are expected further in the future, saving the health and care system up to £18 billion and boosting the economy by up to £85 billion by 2075, cumulatively and undiscounted. Someone who avoids a smoking-related death can be expected to live eight to nine years longer as a result of this change, as set out in the command paper from October 2023.</p> answering member printed Lord Markham grouped question UIN HL4568 question first answered 23/05/2024 12:04:29 answering member 4948 label Biography information for Lord Markham
tabling member	4282 label Biography information for Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth

1717403

registered interest
date	13/05/2024
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	Smoking
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask His Majesty's Government what estimate they have made of the cost saving to the NHS of the proposed generational ban on smoking from 2027 onwards.
tabling member printed	Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth
uin	HL4568
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/05/2024 answer text <p>Smoking is responsible for approximately 80,000 deaths a year in the United Kingdom and causes around one in four UK cancer deaths. Smoking is one of the most important preventable causes of disparities in health, and a significant contributor to the gap in life expectancy.</p><p>Reduced smoking rates lead to fewer people dying from smoking-related diseases and fewer children exposed to second-hand smoke or living in smoking-induced poverty. There are four major diseases that together account for almost 60% of all ill health and early deaths attributable to smoking: chronic obstructive pulmonary disease; coronary heart disease; lung cancer; and strokes. By 2075, our modelling suggests that between 48,000 and 115,000 cases of these diseases would be avoided, improving people’s lives and avoiding the pain of loss for families.</p><p>Smoking also costs society £21.8 billion a year and puts a huge burden on the National Health Service. Our Impact Assessment on the Tobacco and Vapes Bill found that there would be savings of more than £2 billion, in 2019 prices, in reduced healthcare usage costs over 30 years from 2027. Health and economic gains are expected further in the future, saving the health and care system up to £18 billion and boosting the economy by up to £85 billion by 2075, cumulatively and undiscounted. Someone who avoids a smoking-related death can be expected to live eight to nine years longer as a result of this change, as set out in the command paper from October 2023.</p> answering member printed Lord Markham grouped question UIN HL4567 question first answered 23/05/2024 12:04:29 answering member 4948 label Biography information for Lord Markham
tabling member	4282 label Biography information for Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth

1717404

registered interest
date	13/05/2024
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	Smoking
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask His Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with (1) the British Medical Association, and (2) other health organisations, concerning the proposed generational ban on smoking.
tabling member printed	Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth
uin	HL4569
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/05/2024 answer text <p>The Department meets with the British Medical Association (BMA) on a range of issues. Along with other health stakeholders, the BMA was invited to provide views via the Creating a smokefree generation and tackling youth vaping consultation, and to take part in ministerial roundtables during the development of our Smokefree Generation policy.</p><p>Ministers and officials regularly meet with a number of health organisations to discuss the Smokefree Generation policy. These include royal colleges, non-government organisations, and academics. All senior officials’ and ministerial external meetings are published on the GOV.UK website, in an online only format.</p> answering member printed Lord Markham question first answered 23/05/2024 12:22:20 answering member 4948 label Biography information for Lord Markham
tabling member	4282 label Biography information for Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth

1717405

registered interest
date	13/05/2024
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	Tobacco and Vapes Bill
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask His Majesty's Government what data they collected on other countries that have restricted smoking when drafting the Tobacco and Vapes Bill.
tabling member printed	Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth
uin	HL4570
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 20/05/2024 answer text <p>Smoking is responsible for approximately 80,000 deaths a year in the United Kingdom and causes around one in four UK cancer deaths. It also costs society £21.8 billion a year and puts a huge burden on the National Health Service. The latest estimates from Action on Smoking and Health put the cost of smoking to the NHS and social care at £3 billion a year.</p><p>As part of our impact assessment, we reviewed evidence and data from a range of countries. This included modelling from New Zealand, Singapore, and the Solomon Islands on the estimated impact of a smokefree generation policy on smoking prevalence, smoking attributable mortality, and other health impacts. We also considered evidence and data from countries that have already implemented an increase in the age of sale for tobacco to a particular age. For example, we analysed data and evidence from the United States on the impact that raising the age of sale from 18 to 21 years old had on smoking prevalence.</p><p>This was in addition to considering evidence and data from the UK on the impact that previous increases in the age of sale for tobacco have had on smoking prevalence. A copy of our Tobacco and Vapes Bill - impact assessment is attached.</p> answering member printed Lord Markham question first answered 20/05/2024 15:06:35 answering member 4948 label Biography information for Lord Markham attachment 1 file name tobacco-vapes-bill-impact-assessment.pdf title tobacco-vapes-bill-impact-assessment
tabling member	4282 label Biography information for Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth

1717203

registered interest
date	10/05/2024
answering body	Treasury
answering dept id	14
answering dept short name	Treasury
answering dept sort name	Treasury
hansard heading	Apprentices: Taxation
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask His Majesty's Government how much money (1) was raised by the apprenticeships levy, and (2) was passed onto the devolved nations from levy receipts, in each financial year since 2017–18.
tabling member printed	Lord Blunkett
uin	HL4557
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 24/05/2024 answer text <p>Monthly receipts data for the Apprenticeship Levy is published by HM Revenue and Customs in their Tax and NIC Receipts publication which can be found online[1] at: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/hmrc-tax-and-nics-receipts-for-the-uk" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/hmrc-tax-and-nics-receipts-for-the-uk</a></p><p>While the Apprenticeship Levy is UK wide, apprenticeship policy and spending is devolved. From FY2017-18 to FY2019-20, the devolved administrations received a population share of the Office for Budget Responsibility’s apprenticeship Levy forecast. Beyond 2019-20, the devolved administrations received funding through the Barnett formula in relation to English apprenticeship spending. The Block Grant Transparency publication which is available on GOV.UK sets out all Barnett consequentials generated at both departmental and programme level. It is for the devolved administrations to allocate their funding in devolved areas as they see fit, including investing in their skills programmes.</p><p> </p><p>[1] HM Revenue &amp; Customs (2024), <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/hmrc-tax-and-nics-receipts-for-the-uk" target="_blank">HMRC tax receipts and National Insurance contributions for the UK</a></p> answering member printed Baroness Vere of Norbiton question first answered 24/05/2024 11:42:03 answering member 4580 label Biography information for Baroness Vere of Norbiton
tabling member	395 label Biography information for Lord Blunkett

1717204

registered interest
date	10/05/2024
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Department for Education: Apprentices
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask His Majesty's Government what was the total value of the Department for Education’s apprenticeships budget in each financial year since 2017–18.
tabling member printed	Lord Blunkett
uin	HL4558
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 24/05/2024 answer text <p>The department’s apprenticeships budget is used to fund training and assessment for new apprenticeship starts in apprenticeship levy and non-levy paying employers to cover the ongoing costs of apprentices already in training and any additional payments made to employers and providers.</p><p>The table below provides the total value of the department’s apprenticeship budget for England for each financial year since 2017/18.</p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td><p><strong>Financial Year</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>2017/18</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>2018/19</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>2019/20</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>2020/21</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>2021/22</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>2022/23</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>2023/24</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>2024/25</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p>DfE Apprenticeships Budget (£ million)</p></td><td><p>2,010</p></td><td><p>2,231</p></td><td><p>2,469</p></td><td><p>2,467</p></td><td><p>2,466</p></td><td><p>2,554</p></td><td><p>2,585</p></td><td><p>2,729</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p><p>The budget figure for the 2024/25 financial year reflects the Spending Review 2021 settlement, as well as additional funding that has recently been announced to support apprenticeships, including the growth pilot announced at the Autumn Statement, and the additional funding the Prime Minister announced in March to boost apprenticeships for young people in smaller business and meet overall increased demand for apprenticeships.</p> answering member printed Baroness Barran question first answered 24/05/2024 12:34:43 answering member 4703 label Biography information for Baroness Barran
tabling member	395 label Biography information for Lord Blunkett

1717205

registered interest
date	10/05/2024
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Apprentices: Taxation
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask His Majesty's Government what percentage of apprentice levy-paying employers have transferred the maximum 25 per cent of their levy contributions to other employers in each financial year since 2017–18.
tabling member printed	Lord Blunkett
uin	HL4559
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 24/05/2024 answer text <p>Levy paying employers have been able to transfer a proportion of their annual funds to other employers since April 2018, when the maximum transfer allowance was 10%. This was increased to 25% in April 2019 and from 22 April 2024, the department has doubled the levy transfer allowance to 50%.</p><p> </p><p>The table below shows the percentage of levy-paying employers who spent all of their transfer allowance in each financial year from 2018/19 to 2023/24.</p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td><p><strong>Financial year in which funds were transferred </strong></p></td><td><p><strong>Percentage of total levy-paying employers who used all their transfer allowance</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2018/19</p></td><td><p>0.0%</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2019/20</p></td><td><p>0.4%</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2020/21</p></td><td><p>1.0%</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2021/22</p></td><td><p>1.6%</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2022/23</p></td><td><p>2.0%</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2023/24</p></td><td><p>2.0%</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p><p>Transfers provide levy paying employers with more flexibility about how they spend the funds available to them, including supporting other businesses such as smaller employers, flexi-job apprenticeship agencies and charities to help meet local and sector-specific needs. The department has improved the transfer system, introducing a pledge and match service on GOV.UK, to make it easier to find other employers who wish to take on apprentices with transferred funds. Since the service was introduced in September 2021, over 500 employers have pledged to transfer over £37 million to support apprenticeships in businesses of all sizes, as of 9 February 2024.</p> answering member printed Baroness Barran question first answered 24/05/2024 12:33:08 answering member 4703 label Biography information for Baroness Barran
tabling member	395 label Biography information for Lord Blunkett

1717206

registered interest
date	10/05/2024
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	Sahel: Politics and Government
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 threats to democratic governance in the Sahel region of Africa, and whether they intend to take measures to strengthen civil society in the region.
tabling member printed	Lord Boateng
uin	HL4560
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/05/2024 answer text <p>The UK condemns recent restrictions to democratic space in the Sahel and, in coordination with our international partners, we regularly raise our concerns with governments in the region. The UK remains committed to providing humanitarian assistance and supporting access to basic services for the people of the Sahel region. In doing so we seek to build resilience and address the root causes of insecurity and poverty, including by supporting inclusive political dialogue and engaging civil society actors.</p> answering member printed Lord Benyon question first answered 23/05/2024 12:28:15 answering member 1547 label Biography information for Lord Benyon
tabling member	147 label Biography information for Lord Boateng