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1289112

registered interest
date	23/02/2021
answering body	Cabinet Office
answering dept id	53
answering dept short name	Cabinet Office
answering dept sort name	Cabinet Office
hansard heading	Elections
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to widen consultation over how elections are run to include (1) independent representatives, and (2) parties with at least one MP.
tabling member printed	Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle
uin	HL13557
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/03/2021 answer text <p>Democracy should not be cancelled because of covid. As outlined in my Written Ministerial Statement of 8 February 2021 (HLWS766), the Government has confirmed that the set of council, mayor and Police and Crime Commissioner elections scheduled for May will go ahead, and made a firm commitment that the Government will support the sector to deliver them.</p><p> </p><p>The Government has published a Delivery Plan for the May elections, setting out how the Government will support local elections teams to deliver effective polls that are covid-secure for voters and staff. The Medical Officers advised Ministers in drawing up this delivery plan. The Government has committed to further engage with political parties through the Parliamentary Parties Panel and the Local Government Association; we are committed to ensuring we take into consideration the views of independent candidates as effectively as possible.</p><p> </p><p>Campaigning is an essential part of democracy. Voters deserve to be well informed before going to the polls and there must be a level playing field for candidates. On 22 February the Prime Minister announced the Government’s roadmap out of lockdown and we have since published guidance on campaigning reflecting the updated COVID restrictions/guidance.</p><p> </p><p>The whole of England remains in a national lockdown and will do so until 29 March. The current restrictions do not support door-to-door campaigning or leafleting by individual campaigners. Leaving home to undertake leafleting increases the risk of unnecessary social interactions and viral transmission both during travel and on doorsteps. Campaigners should instead ensure leafleting is carried out through existing commercial delivery services, which are already operating and delivering during the national lockdown. Any spending on this which is incurred during a regulated period must count towards a candidate’s spending limit.</p><p><strong><br></strong>From 8 March, individual activists will be able to campaign outdoors in a COVID-secure way. The rules will allow for individual campaigners to deliver leaflets and to engage with electors on their doorsteps - but they should always be socially distanced and not enter inside people’s homes.</p> answering member printed Lord True grouped question UIN HL13605 HL13607 HL13608 HL13609 question first answered 09/03/2021 17:31:33 answering member 4200 label Biography information for Lord True
tabling member	4719 label Biography information for Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle

1289113

registered interest
date	23/02/2021
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Schools: Counselling
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what percentage of counsellors in schools have specialist training in (1) assisting young victims of intimate partner violence, and (2) dealing with perpetrators of intimate partner violence.
tabling member printed	Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle
uin	HL13558
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/03/2021 answer text <p>The Department for Education does not collect data on the specialist training of counsellors working in schools. It is up to schools decide what support to offer to pupils, depending on their circumstances. To support the provision of counselling support in schools, the Department published a blueprint for school counselling services.  This provides schools with practical, evidence based advice, informed by schools and counselling experts, on how to deliver high quality school based counselling and is available here: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/counselling-in-schools" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/counselling-in-schools</a>.</p><p>The guidance reflects the importance of using qualified and experienced counsellors and strongly advises that counsellors should have a diploma and be on an Accredited Voluntary Register. The precise qualifications held will depend on the role being carried out by the counsellor and how what they do fits with wider school support.</p><p>Headteachers and governing bodies are responsible for making decisions about how best to educate staff on their school’s responsibilities for safeguarding and child protection. All staff should undergo safeguarding and child protection training. This training should be in line with advice from the local three safeguarding partners, considering the specific needs of individual schools. In addition, designated safeguarding leads have a duty to ensure each member of staff has access to and understands the school’s child protection and procedures.</p><p>Schools should consider reflecting domestic abuse in this training. The ‘Keeping Children Safe in Education’ statutory guidance also makes it clear that if a child has been harmed or is at risk of harm a referral should be made to children’s social care immediately and, if appropriate, the police. The guidance includes an annex providing additional information on specific types of harm and abuse and additional information for staff on identifying and responding to domestic abuse. The guidance sets out that all schools should have an effective child protection policy.</p><p>The founders of Operation Encompass, an information sharing, safeguarding initiative between police and schools, have set up a teachers’ helpline to assist staff in educational settings to support children who may be experiencing domestic abuse. Currently funded by the Home Office, with contribution from the Department for Education, the helpline is available weekdays from 8am to 1pm during term-time. It is manned by educational psychologists who can offer support and guidance to teachers, to help them to better understand the effect of domestic abuse on a child and to discuss strategies to help support the child during the school day. Further information about the helpline and resources for teachers are available here: <a href="https://www.operationencompass.org/school-participation/resources-for-teachers" target="_blank">https://www.operationencompass.org/school-participation/resources-for-teachers</a>.</p> answering member printed Baroness Berridge question first answered 09/03/2021 13:21:10 answering member 4218 label Biography information for Baroness Berridge
tabling member	4719 label Biography information for Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle

1289114

registered interest
date	23/02/2021
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	Mental Health Services: Children and Young People
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what percentage of clinical staff of children and adolescent mental health services have specialist training in (1) assisting young victims of intimate partner violence, and (2) dealing with perpetrators of intimate partner violence.
tabling member printed	Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle
uin	HL13559
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/03/2021 answer text <p>The information is not held in the format requested. All healthcare staff must undertake mandatory safeguarding training that enable staff to effectively safeguard, protect and promote the welfare of children and young people.</p> answering member printed Lord Bethell question first answered 09/03/2021 14:31:07 answering member 4708 label Biography information for Lord Bethell
tabling member	4719 label Biography information for Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle

1289115

registered interest
date	23/02/2021
answering body	Home Office
answering dept id	1
answering dept short name	Home Office
answering dept sort name	Home Office
hansard heading	Domestic Abuse
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 whether current statutory safeguarding provisions adequately (1) assist young victims of intimate partner violence, and (2) deal with perpetrators of intimate partner violence.
tabling member printed	Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle
uin	HL13560
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/03/2021 answer text <p>(i) Young Victims</p><p>We recently published an updated version of ‘Working Together to Safeguard Children 2018’. The guidance specifically references teenage relationship abuse as part of the statutory definition of domestic abuse. It also outlines the ‘assessment of risk outside the home’ which ensures that practitioners are alert to the risk of abuse for young people within their own intimate relationships.</p><p>Further to this, the draft guidance that will accompany the Domestic Abuse bill covers abuse in teenage relationships. The guidance has been seen in draft by a wide range of sector representatives, who have provided feedback. The guidance is being finalised ahead of a formal consultation period in the spring.</p><p>(ii) Perpetrators</p><p>The Criminal Justice Act 2003 (“CJA 2003”) provides for the establishment of Multi-Agency Public Protection Arrangements (“MAPPA”) in each of the 42 criminal justice areas in England and Wales. These are designed to protect the public, including previous victims of crime, from serious harm by sexual and violent offenders. They require the local criminal justice agencies and other bodies dealing with offenders to work together in partnership in dealing with these offenders.</p><p>MAPPA guidance states that under the Children Act 2004, the Responsible Authority and DTC agencies have a statutory duty to make arrangements for ensuring that ‘their functions are discharged having regard to the need to safeguard and promote the welfare of children’ and that ‘children should not be treated by MAPPA as ‘mini-adults’’.</p><p>The draft Domestic Abuse Statutory Guidance which is due to be published following royal assent of the Bill also includes young people who perpetrate abuse.</p><p>Young people perpetrating abuse in their relationships must be supported in an appropriate way that places emphasis on tackling the drivers of their behaviour. Court and responding agencies must take into account youth justice guidelines when responding to cases of teenage relationship abuse, avoid unnecessarily criminalising young people, and identify appropriate interventions to address behaviours that might constitute or lead to abuse. Relevant youth justice guidelines include:</p><ul><li>Case management guidance for Youth Offending Teams</li><li>Standards for children in the Youth Justice System</li><li>Crown Prosecution Service guidance on youth offenders</li><li>Sentencing Council guidelines on sentencing children and young people</li></ul> answering member printed Baroness Williams of Trafford question first answered 09/03/2021 16:42:18 answering member 4311 label Biography information for Baroness Williams of Trafford
tabling member	4719 label Biography information for Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle

1289116

registered interest
date	23/02/2021
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: Marketing
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to prevent tobacco companies using (1) social media influencers, and (2) other media, to promote non-combustible nicotine products.
tabling member printed	Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle
uin	HL13561
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 04/03/2021 answer text <p>The Tobacco Advertising and Promotion Act 2002 covers the prohibition of tobacco advertising. The advertising of e-cigarettes is covered under the Tobacco and Related Products Regulations 2016 (TRPR).</p><p>The Department expects social media platforms to comply with the above regulations in the United Kingdom. The Advertising Standards Authority are responsible for dealing with complaints around tobacco and e-cigarette advertising.</p><p>The Department is currently undertaking a post implementation review of TRPR to assess if the regulations have met their objectives. A public consultation is currently open for responses, and provides an opportunity for comments to be made on this legislation.</p> answering member printed Lord Bethell question first answered 04/03/2021 12:52:57 answering member 4708 label Biography information for Lord Bethell
tabling member	4719 label Biography information for Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle

1285380

registered interest
date	09/02/2021
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	Travel: Quarantine
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to provide funding for COVID-19 (1) hotel quarantine accommodation, and (2) quarantine testing, for (a) not-for-profit organisations and charities, whose staff and representatives are involved in essential travel, and (b) individuals with a humanitarian need to travel, who could not otherwise afford to pay for such measures.
tabling member printed	Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle
uin	HL13154
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/04/2021 answer text <p>The Government has no plans to do so. However, for those facing significant financial hardship as a result of this charge, there is an opportunity to apply for a deferred repayment plan when booking.</p> answering member printed Lord Bethell question first answered 16/04/2021 10:02:13 answering member 4708 label Biography information for Lord Bethell
tabling member	4719 label Biography information for Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle

1285381

registered interest
date	09/02/2021
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	Green Homes Grant Scheme
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking (1) to ensure that installers of measures under the Green Homes Fund are being paid promptly, and (2) to prevent those installers from (a) laying off staff, or (b) going out of business, due to delays in payment.
tabling member printed	Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle
uin	HL13155
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/02/2021 answer text <p>Installer payment is a four stage process: I refer the noble Baroness to the answer I gave the noble Lord Stunell on 15th February 2021 to Question HL12862. The Scheme Administrator, ICF, will release payment once the process is complete including all required checks. ICF are currently prioritising the payment of installers.</p><p> </p><p>BEIS officials are working with consumers and installers to ensure they are clear on the information and checks required as part of the payment process, so that installers can be paid as quickly as possible. We will continue to work closely with ICF to identify further process improvements, increase the number of vouchers issued, and payments released.</p> answering member printed Lord Callanan question first answered 23/02/2021 16:21:26 answering member 4336 label Biography information for Lord Callanan
tabling member	4719 label Biography information for Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle

1283709

registered interest
date	03/02/2021
answering body	Home Office
answering dept id	1
answering dept short name	Home Office
answering dept sort name	Home Office
hansard heading	Immigration: EEA Nationals and EU Nationals
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government how many (1) EU, and (2) EEA, citizens with settled status have been denied citizenship because they did not have Comprehensive Sickness Insurance during their qualifying period of residence.
tabling member printed	Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle
uin	HL12927
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 15/02/2021 answer text <p>We are not aware of any applications for British Citizenship being refused purely based on the requirement for Comprehensive Sickness Insurance under EEA Regulations.</p><p>Holding Comprehensive Sickness Insurance is not a mandatory requirement for the award of British citizenship or for being awarded Settled Status under the EU Settlement Scheme.</p> answering member printed Baroness Williams of Trafford question first answered 15/02/2021 14:59:04 answering member 4311 label Biography information for Baroness Williams of Trafford
tabling member	4719 label Biography information for Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle

1283710

registered interest
date	03/02/2021
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Erasmus+ Programme
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 skills contributed to the UK by academic staff and vocational trainers through the Erasmus+ programme; what plans they have to ensure that the contribution of any such skills is maintained; and what apprenticeship and traineeship opportunities they plan to introduce to replace those previously provided through the Erasmus+ Programme.
tabling member printed	Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle
uin	HL12928
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/02/2021 answer text <p>In considering what elements of the Erasmus+ programme the department would immediately replicate under the Turing Scheme, we prioritised ensuring that as many students, learners, and pupils as possible have access to life-changing mobilities to support them in developing the skills they need to thrive. I am pleased that the government has committed £110 million in funding to support the scheme, which will be used to provide opportunities for students in all parts of the UK. Traineeships for higher and further education students will be funded, supporting students to do work placements around the world.</p> answering member printed Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay question first answered 11/02/2021 17:46:14 answering member 4728 label Biography information for Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay
tabling member	4719 label Biography information for Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle

1279524

registered interest
date	21/01/2021
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	NHS: Staff
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to provide special leave and psychological support to NHS staff who have worked longer hours in a more stressful work environment as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
tabling member printed	Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle
uin	HL12407
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 04/02/2021 answer text <p><strong> </strong></p><p>In April 2020, we put in place a comprehensive package of wellbeing resources for National Health Service staff including counselling helplines, free access to wellbeing apps, virtual staff commons rooms, and specialist bereavement and psychological support. This was reinforced in the autumn with £30 million invested in enhanced occupational health support and the creation of mental health hubs which are focused on improving outreach, assessment and referrals to specialist services.</p><p> </p><p>Taking leave is important to allow staff the opportunity to rest and recuperate. The NHS employment offer already includes annual leave arrangements beyond the statutory minimum and management of annual leave is a local matter for employing organisations. Where staff have been unable to take annual leave due to the pandemic, agreements can be reached to ensure that annual leave can be carried over into the next two years.</p> answering member printed Lord Bethell question first answered 04/02/2021 12:04:20 answering member 4708 label Biography information for Lord Bethell
tabling member	4719 label Biography information for Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle