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1718580

registered interest
date	15/05/2024
answering body	Ministry of Justice
answering dept id	54
answering dept short name	Justice
answering dept sort name	Justice
hansard heading	Prisoners
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask His Majesty's Government how many prisoners were recalled to prison under (1) imprisonment for public protection sentences, and (2) all categories, in 2023.
tabling member printed	Lord Blunkett
uin	HL4681
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 Lord Bellamy question first answered 24/05/2024 13:28:21 answering member 4941 label Biography information for Lord Bellamy
tabling member	395 label Biography information for Lord Blunkett

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

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

1715935

registered interest
date	07/05/2024
answering body	Department for Culture, Media and Sport
answering dept id	217
answering dept short name	Culture, Media and Sport
answering dept sort name	Culture, Media and Sport
hansard heading	Dormant Assets Scheme
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask His Majesty's Government when they plan to distribute the next allocation from the Dormant Asset Scheme, and how much this allocation will be.
tabling member printed	Lord Blunkett
uin	HL4385
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/05/2024 answer text <p>The Dormant Assets Scheme is expected to release £350 million for England between 2024 and 2028. HM Government intends to allocate this equally between the four causes we have set out: youth, financial inclusion, social investment wholesalers, and community wealth funds. Further details will be published in due course.</p><p> </p> answering member printed Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay question first answered 21/05/2024 13:38:12 answering member 4728 label Biography information for Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay
tabling member	395 label Biography information for Lord Blunkett

1715031

registered interest
date	30/04/2024
answering body	Ministry of Justice
answering dept id	54
answering dept short name	Justice
answering dept sort name	Justice
hansard heading	Prisoners: Self-harm
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask His Majesty's Government, further to remarks by Lord Stewart of Dirleton on 29 April (HL Deb col 1704), what are (1) the make-up, and (2) the objectives, of the Imprisonment for Public Protection (IPP) safety team, in relation to prisoners on IPP sentences in danger of self-harm.
tabling member printed	Lord Blunkett
uin	HL4204
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 13/05/2024 answer text <p>HMPPS Safety Group supports the safety of all prisoners, and within the group, one member of staff focuses on IPP prisoners, which includes taking forward the safety actions identified in the IPP Action Plan.</p><p>Our refreshed IPP Action Plan, which will be published this summer along with our IPP Annual Report, now has a workstream dedicated to Safety with the main objective of supporting prisons to deliver safety improvements for those serving an IPP sentence.</p><p>Our primary focus is on raising awareness of the heightened risk of self-harm and suicide of IPP prisoners and we have developed an IPP Safety Toolkit to support prisons.</p><p>We will continue to monitor, analyse and share any changing or emerging trends in published IPP prisoner data with staff and to inform and update our guidance where appropriate.</p> answering member printed Lord Bellamy question first answered 13/05/2024 15:56:47 answering member 4941 label Biography information for Lord Bellamy
tabling member	395 label Biography information for Lord Blunkett

1702568

registered interest
date	19/04/2024
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Department for Education: Finance
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask His Majesty's Government which organisations (1) receiving funding through the Department for Education, or (2) holding contracts related to the work of the Department, between 1 January and 22 April have been notified of either (a) a reduction in, or (b) the cancellation of, their funding, broken down by category; which of those organisations will have funding withdrawn (i) in the current financial year, or (ii) over the next two financial years; and what is the total amount that will be withdrawn for such organisations over those periods.
tabling member printed	Lord Blunkett
uin	HL3970
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 29/04/2024 answer text <p>The information is not held centrally and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.</p> answering member printed Baroness Barran question first answered 29/04/2024 12:33:26 answering member 4703 label Biography information for Baroness Barran
tabling member	395 label Biography information for Lord Blunkett

1701607

registered interest
date	16/04/2024
answering body	Ministry of Justice
answering dept id	54
answering dept short name	Justice
answering dept sort name	Justice
hansard heading	Prison Sentences
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask His Majesty's Government what specific budget is allocated for the implementation of the current Imprisonment for Public Protection action plan.
tabling member printed	Lord Blunkett
uin	HL3838
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 25/04/2024 answer text <p>HM Prison and Probation Service is using existing resources to deliver the requirements of the IPP Action Plan, ensuring that it is used to best effect to support those serving IPP sentences to achieve their sentence plan objectives and reduce their risks. HMPPS does not allocate funding in such a way as it would be possible to disaggregate specific amounts dedicated to sentence planning, offender management and support for IPP offenders.</p><p>Unto that end, the Action Plan focuses on ensuring offenders can access the required services or interventions in order to take positive steps towards a future release, a sustainable life in the community and, ultimately, the end of their sentence altogether. Further, when it comes to those serving the IPP sentence in prison, the Action Plan requires that they have an up to date sentence plan and are held in a prison which provides the intervention(s) specified in the sentence plan. It is expected that the latest IPP Annual Report and Action Plan will be published in mid-May.</p><p>We have taken significant action through the Victims and Prisoners Bill to curtail IPP licence periods to give offenders the opportunity to move on with their lives. In addition to these changes, the actions this Government is taking are working; the number of prisoners serving the IPP sentence who have never been released now stands at 1,180 as of 31 March 2024, down from more than 6,000 in 2012.</p><p> </p> answering member printed Lord Bellamy question first answered 25/04/2024 11:23:41 answering member 4941 label Biography information for Lord Bellamy
tabling member	395 label Biography information for Lord Blunkett

1697307

registered interest
date	19/03/2024
answering body	Ministry of Justice
answering dept id	54
answering dept short name	Justice
answering dept sort name	Justice
hansard heading	Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to update the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974.
tabling member printed	Lord Blunkett
uin	HL3361
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 04/04/2024 answer text <p>This government has recently reviewed and made significant changes to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (ROA) 1974. The Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022 amended the ROA to significantly reduce the length of time that someone needs to disclose most criminal records. These reforms will improve access to employment, which we know is a key factor in supporting rehabilitation and enabling former offenders to reintegrate into the community. Serious violent, sexual, or terrorist offences are excluded from these changes and continue to never be spent.</p><p>Where a person has a conviction disclosed, we are clear that this should not be an automatic bar to employment. Our guidance for employers states that they should make a balanced judgment on whether someone’s convictions make them unsuitable for a particular job. This should take into account the person’s age at the time of the offence, how long ago it took place, the nature of the offence and its relevance to the position in question, among other factors.</p><p>The ROA is kept under review. There are no current plans to make further changes, but please see further the answer I gave on 4 April to Question <a href="https://questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-questions/detail/2024-03-19/hl3362" target="_blank">HL3362</a>.</p> answering member printed Lord Bellamy question first answered 04/04/2024 15:13:52 answering member 4941 label Biography information for Lord Bellamy
tabling member	395 label Biography information for Lord Blunkett