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1088550

registered interest
date	13/03/2019
answering body	Department for Exiting the European Union
answering dept id	203
answering dept short name	Exiting the European Union
answering dept sort name	Exiting the European Union
hansard heading	Borders: Northern Ireland
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Callanan on 13 March (HL13776), how they will ensure that both Houses of Parliament and their relevant select committees are given timely information about the progress and details of the evaluation of "alternative arrangements" and "technologies"; and whether they will publish the joint work stream agreed with the EU.
tabling member printed	Lord Bassam of Brighton
uin	HL14510
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 26/03/2019 answer text <p>The UK and EU have agreed to consider a joint work stream to develop alternative arrangements, including the use of technology, to ensure the absence of a hard border, and this work will form an important strand of the next phase of negotiations. Our aim is to ensure that, even if the full future relationship is not in place by the end of the implementation period, the backstop is not needed, because we will have a set of alternative arrangements ready to go. We have secured a legally binding commitment that both sides will aim to replace the backstop with alternative arrangements by December 2020 - and that they do not need to replicate the backstop in any respect.</p><p>The Government is doing everything we sensibly can to provide for ongoing scrutiny through the negotiating process. We will continue to report regularly to select committees in person and by responding fully to inquiries and reports.</p><p> </p> answering member printed Lord Callanan question first answered 26/03/2019 13:22:36 answering member 4336 label Biography information for Lord Callanan
tabling member	3504 label Biography information for Lord Bassam of Brighton

1088553

registered interest
date	13/03/2019
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Social Mobility: Employment
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the Social Mobility Pledge; and what steps they are taking to support its uptake by employers.
tabling member printed	Lord Bird
uin	HL14513
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 25/03/2019 answer text <p>The Social Mobility Pledge (SMP) initiative represents an excellent opportunity for businesses to become SMP accredited employers, by committing to enhance support for people from disadvantaged backgrounds.</p><p> </p><p>We recognise the importance of the pledge. It fits with the aims of the government’s own strategies for social mobility. We are leading by example - the attached Civil Service Workforce Plan sets out how government provides exemplary leadership on social mobility as an employer and leads the way for other organisations. In addition, the department was ranked 18th out of 106 employers who submitted entries to the 2018 Social Mobility Employer Index. This index ranks Britain’s employers on the actions they are taking to improve access and progression.</p><p> </p><p>We offer similar initiatives to the SMP which supports employers to improve social mobility. For example, the Department for Education’s ‘Skills Partner’ initiative encourages employers to sign a statement of action with the government, demonstrating collective commitment to a strong skills programme that gives every individual the opportunity to succeed.</p> answering member printed Lord Agnew of Oulton question first answered 25/03/2019 16:58:19 answering member 4689 label Biography information for Lord Agnew of Oulton attachment 1 file name HL14513_Civil_Service_Workforce_Plan.pdf title HL14513_Civil_Service_Workforce_Plan
tabling member	4564 label Biography information for Lord Bird

1088555

registered interest
date	13/03/2019
answering body	Department for Work and Pensions
answering dept id	29
answering dept short name	Work and Pensions
answering dept sort name	Work and Pensions
hansard heading	State Retirement Pensions: Females
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to reinstate the deferred pensions of those women born in the 1950s who were meant to receive their pensions aged 60; and what assessment they have made of whether those women were given sufficient notice of the deferment.
tabling member printed	Lord Bird
uin	HL14515
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 25/03/2019 answer text <p>Successive governments of different political persuasions have taken the same approach to increased life expectancy and equality between 1995–2019. The Government has no plans to revisit the policy on women’s State Pension age as brought forward by the 1995 pensions Act or the 2011 Pensions Act, and does not intend to make further concessions. The changes in the 2011 Act occurred following a public Call for Evidence and extensive debates in Parliament. A concession limiting the increase in State Pension age under the 2011 Act in any individual case to 18 months, relative to the 1995 Act timetable, has already been made during the passage Act (at the cost of £1.1 billion).</p><p> </p><p>In the years after the 1995 legislation (1995 to 2011) this equalisation was frequently reported in the media and debated at length in parliament. People were notified with leaflets, an extensive advertising campaign was carried out, and later individual letters were posted out.</p><p> </p><p>Evidence submitted to the House of Commons Work and Pensions Committee ‘Communication of state pension age changes’ in 2016 noted that there were more than 600 mentions of State Pension age equalisation in the national broadsheet and tabloid press between 1993 and 2006, an average of just under one per week between 1993 and 2006. There were 54 mentions in the press in 1995, the year in which equalisation was legislated for. This was a significant event to change the age at which women received their State Pension that had existed since 1940. This was news worthy, particularly to those that it affected. Further media coverage occurred around the Pension Acts 2007, 2011 and 2014.</p> answering member printed Baroness Buscombe question first answered 25/03/2019 13:57:39 answering member 3349 label Biography information for Baroness Buscombe
tabling member	4564 label Biography information for Lord Bird

1088557

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

1088560

registered interest
date	13/03/2019
answering body	Attorney General
answering dept id	88
answering dept short name	Attorney General
answering dept sort name	Attorney General
hansard heading	Lord Janner of Braunstone
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government when the Crown Prosecution Service were first made aware of the omission in the report by Sir Richard Henriques, An Independent Review of the Metropolitan Police Service's handling of non-recent sexual offence investigations alleged against persons of public prominence, published on 8 November 2016, to refer to exculpatory unused material in relation to criminal offences, accusations, references to known persons with criminal records and other material held in Government records which might affect decisions in the case of Lord Janner of Braunstone.
tabling member printed	Lord Campbell-Savours
uin	HL14520
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 26/03/2019 answer text <p>Sir Richard Henriques was commissioned by the Metropolitan Police Service to review their handling of Operation Midland; his report was published in November 2016.</p><p> </p><p>It would therefore have had no bearing on decisions made by the Crown Prosecution Service in the prosecution of Lord Janner, which concluded in March 2016.</p> answering member printed Lord Keen of Elie question first answered 26/03/2019 13:26:11 answering member 4538 label Biography information for Lord Keen of Elie
tabling member	499 label Biography information for Lord Campbell-Savours

1088564

registered interest
date	13/03/2019
answering body	Department for International Development
answering dept id	20
answering dept short name	International Development
answering dept sort name	International Development
hansard heading	World Bank: Public Appointments
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they intend to press for the publication of the names of candidates short listed for the post of President of the World Bank in advance of an appointment being made.
tabling member printed	Lord Hodgson of Astley Abbotts
uin	HL14524
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 25/03/2019 answer text <p>Nominations for President of the World Bank closed on 14 March and a single candidate was formally nominated: David Malpass, Under Secretary for International Affairs, US Treasury. This information was published in a press release from the World Bank on 14 March.</p> answering member printed Lord Bates question first answered 25/03/2019 16:11:11 answering member 1091 label Biography information for Lord Bates
tabling member	1651 label Biography information for Lord Hodgson of Astley Abbotts

1087519

registered interest
date	12/03/2019
answering body	Department for International Development
answering dept id	20
answering dept short name	International Development
answering dept sort name	International Development
hansard heading	Pakistan: Public Sector
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Pakistan Annual Statistical Bulletin of Federal Government Employees 2017–18, published by the government of Pakistan on 26 February, what assessment they have made of (1) the number of people employed from that country’s religious minorities, (2) the nature of the occupations open to them, and (3) the numbers working in either menial jobs or senior management grades; and what assessment they have made of the impact that UK aid programmes have had on those statistics.
tabling member printed	Lord Alton of Liverpool
uin	HL14445
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 25/03/2019 answer text <p>We have not conducted an assessment of the composition of federal government employees as reported in the Annual Statistical Bulletin of Federal Government Employees 2017–18. However, DFID and the FCO continue to raise the issue of human rights of minorities at the highest levels of government, including in our annual Bilateral Assistance Talks. We advocate greater tolerance and action against abuses when they occur. DFID Pakistan’s Skills Development Programme will provide 330,000 poor and vulnerable people, including those from minority communities, with technical and vocational training to improve their employment prospects.</p><p> </p><p>Our aid relationship with any government is based on an assessment of its commitment to our Partnership Principles, including to promote and safeguard human rights. Our aid targets the poor, regardless of race, religion, social background or nationality. Our portfolio of programmes contributes either directly or indirectly to the protection of minority rights by strengthening systems for delivery of services and by adopting a ‘do no harm’ approach.</p> answering member printed Lord Bates question first answered 25/03/2019 16:10:50 answering member 1091 label Biography information for Lord Bates
tabling member	738 label Biography information for Lord Alton of Liverpool

1087528

registered interest
date	12/03/2019
answering body	Attorney General
answering dept id	88
answering dept short name	Attorney General
answering dept sort name	Attorney General
hansard heading	Obscenity: Prosecutions
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with the (1) Director of Public Prosecutions, and (2) Crown Prosecution Service, on whether an imported child sex doll falls within the definition of an obscene article under the Customs Consolidation Act 1876.
tabling member printed	Baroness Howe of Idlicote
uin	HL14452
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 25/03/2019 answer text <p>The Crown Prosecution Service has prosecuted the importation of child sex dolls under the provisions of the Customs Consolidation Act 1876, in conjunction with the Customs and Excise Management Act 1979, where there is sufficient evidence to do so and a prosecution is required in the public interest. The CPS intends to issue guidance to assist prosecutors considering such allegations shortly.</p><p> </p> answering member printed Lord Keen of Elie question first answered 25/03/2019 13:45:06 answering member 4538 label Biography information for Lord Keen of Elie
tabling member	3610 label Biography information for Baroness Howe of Idlicote

1087541

registered interest
date	12/03/2019
answering body	Department for Transport
answering dept id	27
answering dept short name	Transport
answering dept sort name	Transport
hansard heading	Dartford-Thurrock Crossing: Tolls
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Sugg on 11 March (HL14007), what investigations they make into the reasons why the Dart Charge payment has not been made when communicating with those who have defaulted on such a payment; and what options they are considering to improve compliance with the payment of that charge.
tabling member printed	Lord Lucas
uin	HL14462
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 25/03/2019 answer text <p>Highways England is able to consider reasons for non-compliance when customers opt to challenge their Penalty Charge Notices (PCNs) through the relevant representations process. Highways England considers the reasons presented on a case by case basis. If the representation is rejected, the customer may appeal that decision through the Traffic Penalty Tribunal.</p><p>The current compliance rate is 95 per cent, demonstrating that the vast majority of customers are using the scheme successfully. Highways England undertakes a variety of measures to enable and encourage compliance, providing a range of payment options, including pre-pay accounts; allowing for payment up to midnight the day after a crossing is made; and allowing an additional 14 days for payment for first time offences. In addition, it also has a comprehensive signage strategy which includes the use of advance directional signs, variable message signs and safety signs. This is reinforced by public communications campaigns to inform drivers, both in the UK and overseas, about the payment arrangements and the road layout.</p> answering member printed Baroness Sugg question first answered 25/03/2019 14:26:03 answering member 4584 label Biography information for Baroness Sugg
tabling member	1879 label Biography information for Lord Lucas

1087549

registered interest
date	12/03/2019
answering body	Department for Transport
answering dept id	27
answering dept short name	Transport
answering dept sort name	Transport
hansard heading	A14: Road Signs and Markings
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government why the Highways Agency is considering the removal of the signs on the A14 to the Naseby battlefield site.
tabling member printed	Lord Naseby
uin	HL14469
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 25/03/2019 answer text <p>Highways England has advised that it will not be removing the tourist signs (brown signs) for the Naseby battlefield site on the A14. Highways England had previously advised that these tourist signs would be removed as part of future planned works on the A14, a decision that was driven by the standards relating to tourist signs on the strategic road network.</p><p> </p><p>Highways England reviewed its decision because it appreciates the significance of the site, and the signs on the A14 will remain in place.</p><p> </p> answering member printed Baroness Sugg question first answered 25/03/2019 14:36:29 answering member 4584 label Biography information for Baroness Sugg
tabling member	1251 label Biography information for Lord Naseby