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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
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

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
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
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

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
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
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
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
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

1204174

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	Credit: Coronavirus
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure that consumers’ future ability to access credit is not adversely impacted by any payment holidays taken during the COVID-19 pandemic.
tabling member printed	Baroness Brady
uin	HL5756
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 30/06/2020 answer text <p>The Government recognises the important role payment holidays play in providing temporary support to consumers through this period and continues to work closely with the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) to support consumers facing financial difficulty as a result of the COVID-19 outbreak.</p><p> </p><p>Lenders must act responsibly when deciding whether and how much credit to issue. This includes assessing consumers’ ability to repay. The information on a consumer’s credit file is an important part of this assessment. FCA guidance makes clear that, during a payment holiday, accounts should be recorded to ensure the consumers’ current credit data position is maintained or frozen for the duration of the payment holiday period. The Government expects that this should not impact on a consumer’s credit file.</p><p> </p><p>Consumers should speak to their lender about their options when coming to the end of their payment holiday.</p> answering member printed Lord Agnew of Oulton question first answered 30/06/2020 15:57:29 answering member 4689 label Biography information for Lord Agnew of Oulton
tabling member	4339 label Biography information for Baroness Brady

1204175

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	Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme: Maternity Leave
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to carry out an equality impact assessment of women who are on maternity leave and using the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme.
tabling member printed	Baroness Brady
uin	HL5757
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/06/2020 answer text <p>The Government has taken various steps in developing the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme to help ensure women are not disadvantaged.</p><p> </p><p>Employers can claim through the CJRS for enhanced (earnings related) contractual pay for employees who qualify for either maternity pay, adoption pay, paternity pay, or shared parental pay. Parents who have been furloughed whose period of family-related statutory pay begins on or after 25 April 2020 will have their entitlement calculated on the basis of their usual earnings, and not their furloughed wages. The amount that an employee receives in pay should not be affected due to being on furlough during the relevant 8-week period used to determine entitlement to family-related statutory payments and the earnings-related rates of Statutory Maternity Pay, Statutory Adoption Pay and Maternity Allowance.</p><p>In addition, the Government has ensured that women returning from maternity leave after 10 June are able to access the CJRS even if they have not been previously furloughed.</p><p> </p><p>Detailed information is available in the online guidance.</p><p> </p> answering member printed Lord Agnew of Oulton question first answered 23/06/2020 14:04:18 answering member 4689 label Biography information for Lord Agnew of Oulton
tabling member	4339 label Biography information for Baroness Brady

1204176

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	Hospitals: Coronavirus
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	Her Majesty's Government, following the COVID-19 pandemic, (1) what measures are in place to restart outpatient clinics while ensuring that those who visit do not contract the virus, and (2) how these measures are being communicated to patients.
tabling member printed	Baroness Gale
uin	HL5759
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 30/06/2020 answer text <p>Whilst routine treatments were suspended to provide capacity to treat COVID-19 patients, we are now working closely with the National Health Service and other partners to restart these in a safe way, with excellence in infection prevention and control as a key principle. Guidance has already been issued on this, and approaches are being tailored at local level according to local capacity and local demand, with the most urgent services being restarted first.</p><p>The NHS ‘Help us to help you’ media campaign encourages all patients in need of urgent or emergency medical care to seek appropriate treatment.</p> answering member printed Lord Bethell question first answered 30/06/2020 14:08:33 answering member 4708 label Biography information for Lord Bethell
tabling member	2503 label Biography information for Baroness Gale