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1301565

registered interest
date	10/03/2021
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 on the operation of elections in future to include (1) independent representatives, and (2) parties with at least one MP.
tabling member printed	Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle
uin	HL14078
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/03/2021 answer text <p>Where it is appropriate to consult with political parties on the conduct of elections, the Government is committed to ensuring that all relevant views are taken into account. In developing recent guidance to support campaigning ahead of the May elections, the Government consulted a number of groups, including the Parliamentary Parties Panel, the Green Party and others, as well as 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> answering member printed Lord True question first answered 22/03/2021 18:00:31 answering member 4200 label Biography information for Lord True
tabling member	4719 label Biography information for Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle

1315915

registered interest
date	18/05/2021
answering body	Home Office
answering dept id	1
answering dept short name	Home Office
answering dept sort name	Home Office
hansard heading	Passports: Dual Nationality
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government why dual country nationals are required to send their original foreign passport to the Home Office when applying to renew their UK passport; and what consideration they have given to allowing those individuals to instead supply a certified copy.
tabling member printed	Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle
uin	HL327
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 02/06/2021 answer text <p>Where a dual national holds a passport issued by another country, HM Passport Office requires this to be provided in support of a British passport application as part of its range of checks to confirm the applicant’s identity and eligibility. This includes ensuring the British passport is issued in the same identity the holder uses for all official purposes.</p><p>We ask customers to send their original document to allow physical checks ensure it is genuine, and we can return it during the application process if requested. In countries where legal restrictions prevent a customer submitting their passport as part of their application, a ‘local service’ is in place to submit the application so officials can check the original document and send a copy to HM Passport Office in the UK.</p> answering member printed Lord Greenhalgh question first answered 02/06/2021 15:11:18 answering member 4877 label Biography information for Lord Greenhalgh
tabling member	4719 label Biography information for Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle

1193355

registered interest
date	05/05/2020
answering body	Home Office
answering dept id	1
answering dept short name	Home Office
answering dept sort name	Home Office
hansard heading	Asylum: Wakefield
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 conditions, and treatment of asylum-seekers, in Urban House in Wakefield, following reports that individuals displaying COVID-19 symptoms have been forced to share rooms with others there.
tabling member printed	Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle
uin	HL3895
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/05/2020 answer text <p>We’ve conducted a thorough assessment of Urban House with local health partners and have put in place steps in accordance with all of their recommendations. These steps include staggering meal times, increasing staff numbers, providing information and guidance in a variety of languages, stopping all new arrivals into Urban House.</p><p>Although room sharing is in place, no one is forced to share rooms with anyone displaying COVID 19 symptoms. Those with underlying health conditions and people over 70 years of age should also be moved to the appropriate hotel accommodation following PHE guidance</p> answering member printed Baroness Williams of Trafford question first answered 22/05/2020 11:08:43 answering member 4311 label Biography information for Baroness Williams of Trafford
tabling member	4719 label Biography information for Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle

1228029

registered interest
date	27/07/2020
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	Climate Change Convention: Travel
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they are making, as hosts of COP26, to ensure that participants are able to travel to the conference in the lowest-carbon manner possible, including by (1) train from all parts of Europe, and (2) by sleeper trains.
tabling member printed	Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle
uin	HL7322
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 06/08/2020 answer text <p>We will encourage all delegates to consider low-carbon travel options, such as rail, particularly those arriving from Europe. Rail travel within the UK will certainly be encouraged and we are in the process of developing a multifaceted transport plan that supports the delegate experience and has sustainability at the core.</p> answering member printed Lord Callanan question first answered 06/08/2020 11:13:38 answering member 4336 label Biography information for Lord Callanan
tabling member	4719 label Biography information for Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle

1195932

registered interest
date	14/05/2020
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Schools: Coronavirus
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 potential health benefits of using outdoor spaces to teach; and what plans they have to (1) support, and (2) encourage, schools to make increased use of outdoor spaces as learning environments during the COVID-19 pandemic.
tabling member printed	Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle
uin	HL4478
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 29/05/2020 answer text <p>We recognise that outdoor education can be beneficial for the health and wellbeing of children and young people, and that outdoor space offers additional benefits to allow for distance between people during the coronavirus outbreak. Our guidance to help schools and other education settings prepare for wider opening to more pupils from 1 June, explicitly encourages the use of outdoor space and outdoor education where possible. In particular, we are asking schools to consider which lessons or activities could take place outdoors as part of a range of approaches they can take to help reduce transmission. We are also asking schools to use their outside space for exercise and breaks.</p><p> </p> answering member printed Baroness Berridge question first answered 29/05/2020 13:46:49 answering member 4218 label Biography information for Baroness Berridge
tabling member	4719 label Biography information for Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle

1226189

registered interest
date	20/07/2020
answering body	Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
answering dept id	13
answering dept short name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
answering dept sort name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
hansard heading	River Wharfe: Swimming
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government when they expect to be able to respond to the application by river users and residents to turn part of the River Wharfe in Ilkley into a bathing water area; and by what process they are considering that application.
tabling member printed	Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle
uin	HL7019
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/08/2020 answer text <p>We received an application from the Ilkley Clean River Group in October 2019 for a stretch of the River Wharfe to be designated as a bathing water area. After reviewing further evidence, we are now preparing to proceed to a public consultation. Given the ongoing situation with Covid-19, we will schedule a date to begin the consultation as soon as it is appropriate to do so. This was confirmed by Minister Pow in a letter to the Ilkley Clean River Group on 13 May, following a meeting with Robbie Moore MP to discuss the application.</p><p> </p><p>We have considered the application in line with our usual process for applications for bathing water designation, the details of which are available on the GOV.UK website.</p> answering member printed Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park question first answered 03/08/2020 11:41:55 answering member 4062 label Biography information for Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park
tabling member	4719 label Biography information for Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle

1230956

registered interest
date	02/09/2020
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	Hong Kong
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government when they intend to publish their six-monthly report on Hong Kong, covering January to June 2020.
tabling member printed	Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle
uin	HL7599
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/09/2020 answer text <p>We intend to publish the next Six-Monthly report on Hong Kong covering the period from January-June 2020 during the autumn, in line with usual practice.</p> answering member printed Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon question first answered 17/09/2020 12:35:40 answering member 4210 label Biography information for Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
tabling member	4719 label Biography information for Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle

1189779

registered interest
date	21/04/2020
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	Care Homes: Coronavirus
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government how much financial, or in-kind, assistance they have provided to care homes and home care providers since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic; and how much of that assistance was given to for-profit care homes and home care providers.
tabling member printed	Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle
uin	HL3296
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 15/05/2020 answer text <p>We have set out a comprehensive action plan to support the adult social care sector in England throughout the COVID-19 outbreak, including ramping up testing, overhauling the way personal protective equipment is being delivered to care homes and helping to minimise the spread of the virus to keep people safe.</p><p>On 19 March we announced £1.6 billion to help local authorities deal with the immediate impacts of COVID-19, which many councils will have directed towards adult social care services. On 18 April we announced an additional £1.6 billion of funding to support councils delivering essential frontline services. We do not collect centrally the breakdown of local authority support for different types of care providers.</p><p>This funding is part of the Government’s commitment to ensure the National Health Service and social care system, and other public services, have the resources required to tackle COVID-19. The Government will continue to monitor pressures in the NHS and local government and will keep future funding under review.</p> answering member printed Lord Bethell question first answered 15/05/2020 11:25:47 answering member 4708 label Biography information for Lord Bethell
tabling member	4719 label Biography information for Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle

1230958

registered interest
date	02/09/2020
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	Influenza: Vaccination
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have put in place to ensure that there will be sufficient influenza vaccine available from the start of the influenza season to vaccinate the entire population.
tabling member printed	Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle
uin	HL7601
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 14/09/2020 answer text <p>We have no plans to offer the influenza vaccination to the entire United Kingdom population. On 5 August 2020 we published the Annual Flu Letter Update 2020/21, which set out who will be eligible for flu vaccination this winter.</p><p>General practitioners and pharmacists are directly responsible for ordering flu vaccine from suppliers which are used to deliver the national flu programme to adults, and earlier this year they were asked to review their orders for flu vaccine to ensure they have sufficient vaccine for their eligible patients. We have also procured additional stock as part of our planning for this season.</p><p>Flu vaccination deliveries for those who are in at risk groups will start to be available in September and will continue in all areas in England throughout the winter months.</p><p> </p> answering member printed Lord Bethell question first answered 14/09/2020 16:37:23 answering member 4708 label Biography information for Lord Bethell
tabling member	4719 label Biography information for Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle

1222171

registered interest
date	08/07/2020
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	Medicines and Medical Devices Safety Independent Review
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government, following the findings of the report by the Independent Medicines and Medical Devices Safety Review First Do No Harm, published on 8 July, what plans they have to appoint an independent patient safety commissioner to monitor the relevant financial interests of medical professionals offering advice or oversight of medicines and medical devices.
tabling member printed	Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle
uin	HL6608
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 20/07/2020 answer text <p>We have just received the report by the Independent Medicines and Medical Devices Safety Review, led by Baroness Cumberlege.</p><p>As we have advised this week, it is now time for us to consider this report and its recommendations carefully.</p><p>We will consider how this recommendation fits with the structures we already have in place.</p> answering member printed Lord Bethell question first answered 20/07/2020 15:26:59 answering member 4708 label Biography information for Lord Bethell
tabling member	4719 label Biography information for Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle

1255621

registered interest
date	25/11/2020
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	Antibiotics: Research
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what support they intend to provide for research on the degradation rate of antibiotics used for human use; and what plans they have to use such research to inform antibiotic (1) prescribing, (2) management, and (3) discovery and research.
tabling member printed	Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle
uin	HL10692
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 06/01/2021 answer text <p>We have interpreted the noble Lady’s question as referring to the degradation of antibiotics in the environment. The United Kingdom is working with the pharmaceutical industry, water industry, research institutes and across Government to address the issue of antibiotics in the environment, as part of both the UK’s five year National Action Plan on antimicrobial resistance and response to the European Commission’s Strategic Approach to Pharmaceuticals in the Environment report. Work is still at the evidence-gathering stage but it is anticipated that research will include looking at occurrence and behaviour of antibiotics in the environment, which may include degradation. Findings will feed into evidence-based policy to inform potential solutions, which may include more prudent prescribing, better waste management and a drive towards greener manufacture and development of pharmaceuticals.</p> answering member printed Lord Bethell question first answered 06/01/2021 15:24:25 answering member 4708 label Biography information for Lord Bethell
tabling member	4719 label Biography information for Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle

1225874

registered interest
date	16/07/2020
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	UK Audit Standards Independent Review
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to implement the recommendations of Sir Donald Brydon’s Independent Review into the Quality and Effectiveness of Audit, published in December 2019.
tabling member printed	Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle
uin	HL6925
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 30/07/2020 answer text <p>We have had three independent reviews on aspects of audit: Sir Donald Brydon’s review, Sir John Kingman’s review of the Financial Reporting Council, and the CMA’s market study of statutory audit. The Government is committed to acting on their recommendations, including legislating to create a stronger regulator as soon as parliamentary time allows, and will publish proposals in the coming months.</p> answering member printed Lord Callanan question first answered 30/07/2020 14:21:16 answering member 4336 label Biography information for Lord Callanan
tabling member	4719 label Biography information for Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle

1168553

registered interest
date	19/12/2019
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	Health Professions: Training
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government, following the announcement that nursing bursaries are to be reintroduced, what plans they have to support nurses, midwifes and other healthcare professionals with any debt incurred before the reintroduction to support their study and training.
tabling member printed	Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle
uin	HL11
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 07/01/2020 answer text <p>We have committed to 50,000 more nurses in the National Health Service by 2025 and our new financial support package is crucial to delivering this.</p><p>Eligible pre-registration students on nursing, midwifery and many allied health students’ courses at English universities from September 2020 will benefit from additional support of at least £5,000 of non-repayable funding, with up to £3,000 additional funding for some students, who choose to study in regions or specialisms struggling to recruit, or to help with childcare costs, which they will not have to pay back.</p><p>The Government has no plans to introduce a scheme that will backdate the offer for students who completed courses in earlier years.</p> answering member printed Baroness Blackwood of North Oxford question first answered 07/01/2020 17:45:45 answering member 4019 label Biography information for Baroness Blackwood of North Oxford
tabling member	4719 label Biography information for Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle

1202067

registered interest
date	09/06/2020
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Universities: Admissions
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	Her Majesty's Government what estimate they have made of a possible reduction in the number of international students attending universities in England in the next academic year; and what plans they have to encourage more home students into universities in England in the light of any such reduction.
tabling member printed	Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle
uin	HL5456
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/06/2020 answer text <p>We have been working closely with the Higher Education (HE) sector to monitor the likely impacts of COVID-19 on international student numbers. We understand that the COVID-19 outbreak and a possible reduction in the number of international students poses significant challenges.</p><p>On Monday 4 May my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education, announced a package of measures to stabilise university admissions this autumn and ensure sustainability in HE at a time of unprecedented uncertainty.</p><p>We have introduced temporary student number controls for domestic and EU students for the academic year 2020/21 to ensure a fair, structured distribution of students across providers. These measures mean that providers will be able to recruit students up to a temporary set level, based on provider forecasts, which allows additional growth of up to 5% in the next academic year. The Secretary of State for Education, will also have the discretion to allocate an additional 10,000 places, of which 5,000 will be allocated to students studying nursing or allied health courses, to ensure growing numbers that will support our vital public services. This measure will only apply to full-time undergraduate UK/EU domiciled students, with certain specified exemptions. These controls will not apply to international (non-EU) students.</p><p>The government has been clear that the UK HE sector is ‘open for business’, remains world class and is looking forward to welcoming both domestic and international students in the future. To support international student recruitment, we are taking steps to further promote the new Graduate route (due to be launched in Summer 2021) which will provide an opportunity for international students who have been awarded their degree to stay and work in the UK at any skill level for 2 years. This represents a significant improvement in our offer to international students and will help ensure our HE sector remains competitive internationally.</p><p>The government has been in close communication with partners in the HE sector, who are considering educational provision for the academic year 2020/2021 and how to best reopen campuses. HE providers are autonomous institutions and will make their own judgements based on the latest public health guidance, taking account of the need to minimise risk to staff and students.</p><p>To help providers make informed decisions about their provision, the government has issued guidance, which is complemented by the Universities UK’s principles for reopening of campuses to students and staff. We anticipate HE providers will be open for the autumn term with a blend of online teaching and in-person tuition that they consider appropriate and which minimises risk. HE providers will be flexible in accommodating applicants’ circumstances where possible, including if they are unable to travel to the UK in time for the start of the academic year.</p> answering member printed Baroness Berridge question first answered 23/06/2020 16:24:06 answering member 4218 label Biography information for Baroness Berridge
tabling member	4719 label Biography information for Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle

1222169

registered interest
date	08/07/2020
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	School Meals
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to provide a healthy and nutritious school lunch programme for the forthcoming academic year.
tabling member printed	Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle
uin	HL6606
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/07/2020 answer text <p>We expect that kitchens will be fully open from the start of the autumn term and normal legal requirements will apply about provision of food to all pupils who want it, including for those eligible for benefits-related free school meals or universal infant free school meals.</p><p>The Schools Food Standards provide the legislative framework to ensure schools provide children with healthy food and drink options, and to ensure that children get the energy and nutrition they need across the school day.</p><p>The standards define the foods and drinks that must be provided, which foods are restricted, and those, which must not be provided. They apply to all food and drink provided to pupils on and off school premises and during an extended school day (up to 6pm), including school trips, breakfast clubs, tuck shops, mid-morning break, vending and after school clubs.</p><p>The department's advice on school food standards is available here:<br> <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/standards-for-school-food-in-england" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/standards-for-school-food-in-england</a>.</p><p>A summary of the standards and a practical guide are available from the school food plan website at:<br> <a href="http://www.schoolfoodplan.com/resources/" target="_blank">http://www.schoolfoodplan.com/resources/</a>.</p><p>We believe that the School Food Standards have been transformational in the way schools operate their meal services, but we know we must do more. We will be updating these standards to bring them into line with revised nutritional recommendations on sugar and fibre, and looking at how we can make the standards more consistent across the school day.</p> answering member printed Baroness Berridge question first answered 22/07/2020 13:30:59 answering member 4218 label Biography information for Baroness Berridge
tabling member	4719 label Biography information for Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle

1299430

registered interest
date	03/03/2021
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	Care Homes: Mortality Rates
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 difference in mortality rates for residents of care homes which are owned (1) by private equity, (2) privately, and (3) on a not for profit basis.
tabling member printed	Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle
uin	HL13861
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/03/2021 answer text <p>We do not hold information on the ownership status of care homes therefore no such assessment has been made.</p> answering member printed Lord Bethell question first answered 16/03/2021 17:09:24 answering member 4708 label Biography information for Lord Bethell
tabling member	4719 label Biography information for Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle

1193356

registered interest
date	05/05/2020
answering body	Home Office
answering dept id	1
answering dept short name	Home Office
answering dept sort name	Home Office
hansard heading	Asylum: Housing
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government how many asylum-seekers in housing provided by the Government or local authorities, including through private contractors, are still in shared rooms of two or more people.
tabling member printed	Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle
uin	HL3896
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/05/2020 answer text <p>We do not hold he information requested. However, although room sharing is in place, no one is forced to share rooms with anyone displaying COVID 19 symptoms.</p><p>PHE Guidance recommends that separate rooms should be provided for symptomatic people, or they should be moved to hotels. Those with underlying health conditions and people over 70 years of age should also be moved to the appropriate hotel accommodation following PHE guidance, unless individuals do not wish to be moved. We are reviewing each case on an individual basis and continue to work with our providers to ensure the guidance is followed.</p> answering member printed Baroness Williams of Trafford question first answered 22/05/2020 10:56:47 answering member 4311 label Biography information for Baroness Williams of Trafford
tabling member	4719 label Biography information for Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle

1197852

registered interest
date	21/05/2020
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	Coronavirus: Screening
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 Bethell on 20 May (HL3589), what criteria they used to determine the type of testing to offer at each Regional Test Site; on average, what percentage of people choose the self-test option at sites which operate a hybrid model; what is the average waiting time at (1) assisted, (2) self-administration, and (3) hybrid, testing sites; and whether there is a maximum waiting time embedded in contractual agreements with test providers.
tabling member printed	Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle
uin	HL4817
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/06/2020 answer text <p>We do not collect or publish data in the form requested. We are working to increase access to both assisted and self-administered testing, but it is important to note that the range of testing routes are designed to be complementary and reach the right people at the right time. We are providing a range of options to be as accessible as possible to people wherever they live and whatever their circumstances.</p> answering member printed Lord Bethell question first answered 03/06/2020 15:05:48 answering member 4708 label Biography information for Lord Bethell
tabling member	4719 label Biography information for Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle

1241948

registered interest
date	08/10/2020
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	Gender Dysphoria: Health Services
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what is the current waiting time for NHS patients to receive (1) an assessment, and (2) treatment, in relation to gender identity services; what was the maximum waiting time for such treatment before the COVID-19 pandemic; whether the current waiting time has decreased in the last three months; and what steps they are taking to clear the backlog of those waiting for treatment.
tabling member printed	Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle
uin	HL8906
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 05/11/2020 answer text <p>We currently do not routinely collect data on the number of patients waiting and maximum waiting times for gender identity clinics.</p><p>Data in October 2019, which informed the work programme aimed at improving access to gender services, showed there were more than 9,500 individuals waiting for a first appointment. Of this, approximately 3,400 individuals had been waiting between 52 and 103 weeks; and circa 2,100 individuals had been waiting for over two years. The median waiting time for a first appointment is more than two years for patients who were referred in October 2019.</p><p>To address this rise in demand, three new services have been established in Cheshire and Merseyside, Manchester and London. These services will be evaluated as pilots for a new delivery model, with planning underway for further services to be establish nationwide.</p> answering member printed Lord Bethell question first answered 05/11/2020 09:03:50 answering member 4708 label Biography information for Lord Bethell
tabling member	4719 label Biography information for Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle

1246884

registered interest
date	28/10/2020
answering body	Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
answering dept id	13
answering dept short name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
answering dept sort name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
hansard heading	Japanese Knotweed
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to advance the use of biological control of Japanese knotweed.
tabling member printed	Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle
uin	HL9707
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/11/2020 answer text <p>We continue to work closely with the Centre for Agriculture and Bioscience International (CABI) on researching and developing biological control methods for Japanese knotweed. Following extensive trials, we approved the release of the psyllid – <em>Aphalara itadori</em> in England to tackle Japanese Knotweed (<em>Fallopia japonica</em>).</p><p> </p><p>We are also funding research into the fungal leaf-spot <em>Mycosphaerella polygoni-cuspidatii,</em> which has potential as a mycoherbicide for Japanese Knotweed.</p> answering member printed Lord Gardiner of Kimble question first answered 11/11/2020 16:31:18 answering member 4161 label Biography information for Lord Gardiner of Kimble
tabling member	4719 label Biography information for Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle

1260428

registered interest
date	10/12/2020
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	UN Climate Conference 2021: Travel
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 6 August (HL7322), what progress they have made on the travel plan for COP26; and what plans they have (1) to block book trains or carriages, (2) arrange special trains or carriages, and (3) to appoint official agents to arrange travel, for those attending COP26.
tabling member printed	Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle
uin	HL11338
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/12/2020 answer text <p>We continue to encourage all delegates to consider low-carbon travel options, such as rail, particularly those arriving from Europe. We have had early engagement with the International Union of Railways to understand what may be done to enhance the take up of rail travel to Glasgow from Europe.</p><p> </p><p>Rail travel within the UK will certainly be encouraged and we are in the process of developing a multifaceted transport plan that is ISO2012 compliant, supports the delegate experience and has sustainability at its core.</p><p> </p> answering member printed Lord Callanan question first answered 23/12/2020 12:35:20 answering member 4336 label Biography information for Lord Callanan
tabling member	4719 label Biography information for Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle

1279527

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	Coronavirus: Disease Control
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government how many local authorities have spent the funds allocated to them to support people self-isolating during the COVID-19 pandemic; how many such authorities are refusing new applications; and of those local authorities that are funding such payments from their own budgets, (1) how much they have spent on such payments, and (2) whether they will be reimbursed for them.
tabling member printed	Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle
uin	HL12410
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 15/03/2021 answer text <p>We are working closely with all 314 lower tier and unitary local authorities to collate information on how the Test and Trace Support Payment scheme is progressing and will release information on the number of applications, successful applications and amounts paid out in due course.</p><p> </p><p>If a local authority has used all of its discretionary funding, it is for that authority to decide whether to accept further applications or whether to use other sources of funding. However, the funding made available to local authorities to make discretionary payments under the scheme has been increased to £20 million per month from March 2021.</p> answering member printed Lord Bethell question first answered 15/03/2021 14:51:22 answering member 4708 label Biography information for Lord Bethell
tabling member	4719 label Biography information for Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle

1240221

registered interest
date	05/10/2020
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	Green Homes Grant Scheme
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 capacity of the building sector, particularly small independent builders, to meet the Green Home Fund deadline for training and registering of companies and sole-traders, commissioning, completing and documenting works before the deadline of 31 March 2021; and whether they have considered extending (1) the time frame, and (2) the funding made available.
tabling member printed	Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle
uin	HL8705
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 19/10/2020 answer text <p>We are working closely with TrustMark and wider actors in the supply chain to market the scheme and encourage suppliers who could become TrustMark registered and PAS or MCS certified to do so. We have recently launched the Green Homes Grant skills training competition to fund programmes which can deliver training and support towards becoming certified, among other things. This is scheduled to deliver 5,000 training opportunities in support of the scheme.</p> answering member printed Lord Callanan question first answered 19/10/2020 12:24:12 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

1251612

registered interest
date	12/11/2020
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	Human Rights
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government how they plan to comply with the United Nations Framework on Reparations; and what plans they have to establish an inquiry into reparatory justice.
tabling member printed	Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle
uin	HL10267
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 24/11/2020 answer text <p>We are not aware of a &quot;United Nations Framework on Reparations&quot;, and can find no reference to such a framework in the UN's document database. There is a framework called: &quot;Basic Principles and Guidelines on the Right to a Remedy and Reparation for Victims of Gross Violations of International Human Rights Law and Serious Violations of International Humanitarian Law&quot;. As implied by its title, this addresses reparation for individuals for gross or serious violations of human rights law or international humanitarian law. These bodies of law are not retroactive. If a UK citizen's rights are violated, they have recourse to remedy and reparation through the Human Rights Act 1998 (HRA), which gives further effect to the European Convention on Human Rights. In particular, section 8 HRA states that &quot;In relation to any act (or proposed act) of a public authority which the court finds is unlawful, may grant such relief or remedy, or make such order within its powers as it considers just and appropriate&quot;. There are no plans to establish an inquiry into section 8 HRA.</p> answering member printed Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon question first answered 24/11/2020 16:18:04 answering member 4210 label Biography information for Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
tabling member	4719 label Biography information for Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle

1259963

registered interest
date	09/12/2020
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	Hong Kong: HSBC
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with HSBC Bank about the freezing of the bank accounts of pro-democracy campaigners from Hong Kong; what assessment they have made of the implications of such practices for the continued eligibility of HSBC to have a headquarters in London; and what specific plans they have to prevent financial institutions from subverting democracy.
tabling member printed	Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle
uin	HL11272
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/12/2020 answer text <p>We are in close contact with a wide range of businesses in Hong Kong, but it is for businesses themselves to make their own judgement calls. We are concerned that a number of recent decisions by the authorities in Hong Kong are further evidence of a determined campaign to stifle opposition and silence dissent. As a signatory to the Sino-British Joint Declaration, China must abide by the legally binding commitments it made to uphold fundamental rights and freedoms, and respect Hong Kong's high degree of autonomy for at least 50 years from 1997. The UK will continue to pursue an approach in Hong Kong that is rooted in our values, defends the rights of the people of Hong Kong and respects the provisions of the Joint Declaration.</p> answering member printed Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon question first answered 23/12/2020 14:57:13 answering member 4210 label Biography information for Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
tabling member	4719 label Biography information for Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle

1231317

registered interest
date	03/09/2020
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	Textiles: Minimum Wage
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to improve enforcement of minimum wage legislation in the garment sector in the UK.
tabling member printed	Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle
uin	HL7753
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/09/2020 answer text <p>We are deeply concerned by the reports of labour exploitation in the Leicester textiles industry. In light of these serious allegations, a multi-agency Taskforce, led by the Gangmasters and Labour Abuse Authority (GLAA) has been set up in Leicester to enable the relevant enforcement bodies to work together at pace to take appropriate action against unscrupulous employers who exploit workers. The taskforce includes HMRC’s National Minimum Wage (NMW) team.</p><p> </p><p>Since 2012/13, HMRC’s NMW team has investigated more than 150 garment trade employers, including multiple employers operating in Leicester. To date, HMRC has recovered over £215,000 in wage arrears for 411 textile workers and issued over £325,000 in corresponding penalties to employers. Since 2015, HMRC have facilitated 19 director disqualifications relating to the textile sector. HMRC are also exploring outreach activities with local groups in Leicester, such as holding community events, designed to promote HMRC NMW rights for workers, and support employers and agency partners.</p><p> </p><p>The Government is committed to improving enforcement of employment rights. We have announced the intention to introduce a Single Enforcement Body, which will provide a clearer route for workers to raise a complaint and get support, enabling more coordinated enforcement action and the use of pooled intelligence to better target proactive enforcement. We are also extending state enforcement to cover holiday pay for vulnerable workers and umbrella companies operating in the agency worker market.</p> answering member printed Lord Callanan question first answered 17/09/2020 16:33:40 answering member 4336 label Biography information for Lord Callanan
tabling member	4719 label Biography information for Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle

1202070

registered interest
date	09/06/2020
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	Sunday Trading
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	Her Majesty's Government what consideration they have given to removing restrictions on Sunday trading in England and Wales; what assessment they have made of the impact of the removal of such restrictions on the (1) (a) physical, and (b) mental, health of retail workers, and (2) quality of the (a) environment, and (b) air.
tabling member printed	Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle
uin	HL5458
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/06/2020 answer text <p>We are currently examining Sunday trading laws in the light of covid-19, as we did with the 2012 Olympics. This work includes understanding the impact upon workers and other stakeholders.</p><p> </p><p>We will keep measures like this under review as we find ways to support supermarkets and other large shops manage social distancing, and shoppers to buy food and goods more conveniently.</p> answering member printed Lord Callanan question first answered 23/06/2020 14:03:27 answering member 4336 label Biography information for Lord Callanan
tabling member	4719 label Biography information for Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle

1189777

registered interest
date	21/04/2020
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	Hong Kong: Demonstrations
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the statement by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office on the Hong Kong protests issued on 18 April, what plans they have to meet with China’s Ambassador to the UK; whether the UK Ambassador to China will meet with officials in Beijing; and what further steps they are taking in response to those protests as a signatory to the Sino-British Joint Declaration 1984.
tabling member printed	Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle
uin	HL3294
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 05/05/2020 answer text <p>We are concerned about the arrests of a number of political figures in Hong Kong, and are following these cases closely. We expect any arrests and judicial processes to be conducted in a fair and transparent manner.</p><p>The right to peaceful protest is fundamental to Hong Kong's way of life and as such is protected in both the Joint Declaration and the Basic Law. It is essential that any protests are conducted peacefully, and that the authorities avoid actions that inflame tensions. The authorities should focus on rebuilding trust through a process of meaningful political dialogue.</p><p>The UK remains committed to upholding the rights and freedoms underpinned by the Joint Declaration, the Basic Law and enshrined in Hong Kong's Bill of Rights, and we expect the Chinese authorities to respect and preserve Hong Kong's high degree of autonomy. We have made this position clear to the Hong Kong and Chinese authorities, including the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Beijing and the Chinese Embassy in London, and will continue to do so, publicly and privately.</p> answering member printed Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon question first answered 05/05/2020 11:05:24 answering member 4210 label Biography information for Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
tabling member	4719 label Biography information for Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle

1231318

registered interest
date	03/09/2020
answering body	Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
answering dept id	13
answering dept short name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
answering dept sort name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
hansard heading	Partridges and Pheasants: Animal Breeding
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to regulate the conditions in which pheasants and red-legged partridges are reared before being released as gamebirds.
tabling member printed	Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle
uin	HL7754
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/09/2020 answer text <p>We are committed to maintaining our position as world leaders in animal welfare and want to improve and build upon that record, working in partnership with farmers to support healthier, higher welfare animals. We are exploring options with all the industry sectors, including the gamebird industry, to see how welfare standards can be further enhanced and in a way that is sustainable.</p><p> </p><p>The welfare of gamebirds is currently protected by the Animal Welfare Act 2006 which makes it an offence to cause unnecessary suffering. This is backed up by the statutory Code of Practice for the Welfare of Gamebirds Reared for Sporting Purposes, which encourages the adoption of high standards of husbandry.</p> answering member printed Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park question first answered 17/09/2020 15:24:07 answering member 4062 label Biography information for Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park
tabling member	4719 label Biography information for Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle

1309901

registered interest
date	16/04/2021
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	Germany: British National (Overseas)
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of reports that officials in Germany have declined to recognise the status of British National (Overseas) passport holders; and what steps they intend to take to ensure the status of the passport is recognised by (1) the authorities in Germany, and (2) the authorities in other countries.
tabling member printed	Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle
uin	HL14989
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 29/04/2021 answer text <p>We are aware that the Hong Kong SAR Government recently wrote to several foreign Consulates urging them not to accept BN(O) passports for visa applications. The Hong Kong Government has no authority to dictate which passports foreign governments recognise as valid. We will continue to issue BN(O) passports, which remain valid travel documents. We are in contact with relevant Government authorities, including the German authorities, on this issue.</p> answering member printed Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon question first answered 29/04/2021 10:08:29 answering member 4210 label Biography information for Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
tabling member	4719 label Biography information for Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle

1254036

registered interest
date	19/11/2020
answering body	Ministry of Justice
answering dept id	54
answering dept short name	Justice
answering dept sort name	Justice
hansard heading	Legal Aid Scheme
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to provide extra support to legal aid practitioners to address additional (1) pressures from remote working, (2) demands from vulnerable clients, and (3) workload from domestic violence cases, during the COVID-19 pandemic.
tabling member printed	Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle
uin	HL10498
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 02/12/2020 answer text <p>We are aware that the COVID-19 pandemic has created a range of challenges for the legal profession. We have been working closely with legal aid providers across the justice system throughout the pandemic and will continue to do so, monitoring any impact and understanding their concerns.</p><p>In April the Legal Aid Agency published operational guidance, including guidance on working remotely and working with clients during the COVID-19 pandemic.</p><p>A range of measures have been introduced to support providers during the pandemic while maintaining access to justice for the most vulnerable in society. These include:</p><ul><li>Reducing the levels of contract administration to allow providers to focus on supporting their clients;</li><li>Expanding how domestic abuse requirements may be evidenced to make it easier for victims to access legal aid during this difficult period;</li><li>Expanding the scope and relaxing the evidence requirements for hardship payments in crown court cases – including reducing the threshold for work done to £450, rather than the previous £5,000;</li><li>Halting the pursuit of outstanding debts owed to the Legal Aid Agency;</li><li>Suspending sanctions in relation to missed deadlines for delegated function applications, substantive amendments and appeals against LAA decisions;</li><li>Publicising existing avenues of financial help for legal firms, such as the ability to apply for early payment for work already done on a case, and changing rules for payment on account for providers, benefitting cashflow in the short-term and ensuring that providers can claim the same amount of money for online hearings as they can for face-to-face hearings.</li></ul><p>HMT have introduced and recently extended a range of measures to support individuals and businesses impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, including the furlough scheme, Self-Employed Income Support Scheme, Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan and Bounce Back Loan, to provide some financial stability. We encourage the professions to continue to take advantage of this support where appropriate.</p><p>We will continue to closely monitor the situation, working with providers to keep these measures under review.</p> answering member printed Baroness Scott of Bybrook question first answered 02/12/2020 12:49:07 answering member 4553 label Biography information for Baroness Scott of Bybrook
tabling member	4719 label Biography information for Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle

1304479

registered interest
date	22/03/2021
answering body	Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
answering dept id	13
answering dept short name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
answering dept sort name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
hansard heading	Trapping
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to prevent the deaths of (1) birds, and (2) non-target species, in glue traps; and what consideration they have given to a potential ban on the sale of such traps.
tabling member printed	Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle
uin	HL14428
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 07/04/2021 answer text <p>We are aware of the concerns around the use of glue traps, including the harm they can cause to captured animals and the capture of non-target species including birds. We are engaging with key stakeholders and exploring options to address these concerns.</p><p>This Government remains committed to high standards of animal welfare. We are in the process of developing a range of important animal welfare and animal-related measures to strengthen our position as a world leader in this field. This includes delivering our manifesto commitments to introduce new laws on animal sentience, to ban live exports, restrict the imports of trophies from endangered species and ban keeping primates as pets.</p> answering member printed Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park question first answered 07/04/2021 15:49:49 answering member 4062 label Biography information for Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park
tabling member	4719 label Biography information for Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle

1246882

registered interest
date	28/10/2020
answering body	Treasury
answering dept id	14
answering dept short name	Treasury
answering dept sort name	Treasury
hansard heading	Digital Technology: VAT
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have collected data on the number of businesses prepared for the ending of access to the VAT MOSS system on 31 December; and what plans they have to seek an extension of access to VAT MOSS for UK businesses.
tabling member printed	Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle
uin	HL9705
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 12/11/2020 answer text <p>VAT MOSS is an EU simplification. The UK will lose access to this at the end of the transition period and will not be seeking an extension. There are approximately 2,000 UK businesses registered on the VAT MOSS system in the UK. Businesses can continue to use the VAT MOSS system if they register in an EU Member State after the transition period. HMRC have published guidance on this and will also be contacting all businesses registered on the VAT MOSS system in the UK to explain the options available to them.[1]</p><p> </p><p>[1] The guidance can be found at <a href="https://www.gov.uk/guidance/pay-vat-when-you-sell-digital-services-to-eu-consumers-from-1-january-2021" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/guidance/pay-vat-when-you-sell-digital-services-to-eu-consumers-from-1-january-2021</a></p> answering member printed Lord Agnew of Oulton question first answered 12/11/2020 11:57:58 answering member 4689 label Biography information for Lord Agnew of Oulton
tabling member	4719 label Biography information for Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle

1193354

registered interest
date	05/05/2020
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	Health Professions: Training
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what financial and practical provision they will make for the final-year cohort of nursing, midwifery and associated health professional students who have not opted to cut short their courses to work in the NHS during the COVID-19 pandemic, but who may see those courses extend past the planned date for qualifying.
tabling member printed	Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle
uin	HL3894
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 15/05/2020 answer text <p>Universities and practice learning partners are working together to try and ensure students' learning outcomes are met and competencies are signed off to complete the programme at the expected time. However, as in usual circumstances, some students may need to extend beyond three years if they cannot meet the required learning outcomes or minimum clinical hour requirements.</p><p>Work is ongoing across Government with key partners to agree the arrangements for final year students who may need to extend beyond three years, the outcomes of which will be communicated as soon as possible.</p> answering member printed Lord Bethell question first answered 15/05/2020 11:38:33 answering member 4708 label Biography information for Lord Bethell
tabling member	4719 label Biography information for Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle

1274565

registered interest
date	07/01/2021
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Turing Scheme: EU Nationals
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to ensure that those people from EU member states due to participate in the Eramus+ scheme in the UK have access to the Turing scheme.
tabling member printed	Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle
uin	HL11857
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/01/2021 answer text <p>Under the Withdrawal Agreement negotiated with the EU, the UK will continue to participate fully in the 2014–20 Erasmus+ and European Solidarity Corps programmes. This means that the projects successfully bid for during the current programmes will continue to receive funding for the full duration of the project, including those where it runs beyond 2020 and the end of the transition period.</p><p>The government has decided that it is not in the UK's interests to seek continuing participation in the next Erasmus+ programme. Instead, we are introducing a new international educational exchange scheme which has a genuinely global reach. Under the Turing scheme, UK universities, colleges, and schools will be able to bid for funding to enable their students to travel abroad for study and work placements – for any of their students, regardless of nationality.</p> answering member printed Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay question first answered 21/01/2021 15:02:55 answering member 4728 label Biography information for Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay
tabling member	4719 label Biography information for Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle

1197769

registered interest
date	20/05/2020
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	Employment: Mental Health
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to introduce regulations to amend the Health and Safety (First-Aid) Regulations 1981 to include provision for mental health first aid.
tabling member printed	Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle
uin	HL4747
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 04/06/2020 answer text <p>Under the Health and Safety (First Aid) at Work Regulations 1981 employers have a responsibility to consider the physical and mental health needs of their staff regardless of whether the cause is work-related or not as part of their first aid needs assessment, and decide what support is necessary. HSE provides guidance to employers on what type of factors to consider, see link for more information. (<a href="https://eur03.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.hse.gov.uk%2Ffirstaid%2Fneeds-assessment.htm&amp;data=01|01||8dfccf0d820b45b2f36a08d7f8b74b22|6b5953be6b1d4980b26b56ed8b0bf3dc|0&amp;sdata=iVP%2BfVP7RfDeOtf74wk1AwGdNtZJtPPtSZcB8uZbqcY%3D&amp;reserved=0" target="_blank">https://www.hse.gov.uk/firstaid/needs-assessment.htm</a>).</p> answering member printed Baroness Stedman-Scott question first answered 04/06/2020 16:27:10 answering member 4174 label Biography information for Baroness Stedman-Scott
tabling member	4719 label Biography information for Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle

1274564

registered interest
date	07/01/2021
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	Bank Services: Payments
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 risk to consumers of untransparent terms and conditions for online payments, and in particular, the risk of signing up to continuous payments in error; and what steps they plan to take to address any such risk.
tabling member printed	Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle
uin	HL11856
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/01/2021 answer text <p>Under the Consumer Rights Act 2015, all terms of written contracts must be fair and transparent. If terms in a consumer contract are assessed by a court as unfair, they will not be binding on the consumer, even if the consumer has “accepted” them.</p><p> </p><p>The Government is working closely with Citizens Advice and the Consumer Protection Partnership, which brings together key partners within the consumer protection framework, to examine ways to make it easier for consumers to cancel unwanted subscriptions and avoid them facing unreasonable charges.</p> answering member printed Lord Callanan question first answered 21/01/2021 16:07:25 answering member 4336 label Biography information for Lord Callanan
tabling member	4719 label Biography information for Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle

1244939

registered interest
date	20/10/2020
answering body	Treasury
answering dept id	14
answering dept short name	Treasury
answering dept sort name	Treasury
hansard heading	Renewable Energy: VAT
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 case for removing VAT from domestic microgeneration renewable products and installations to help consumers to adopt domestic renewable energy sources.
tabling member printed	Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle
uin	HL9352
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/11/2020 answer text <p>Under current VAT rules, the installation of water and wind turbines is subject to the standard rate of VAT. However, the installation of other energy saving materials that generate domestic energy, such as solar panels and micro combined heat and power units, are subject to the reduced rate of VAT when certain conditions are met.</p><p>Although there are no current plans to extend the scope of the relief already in place, the Government keeps all taxes under review.</p> answering member printed Lord Agnew of Oulton question first answered 03/11/2020 12:10:49 answering member 4689 label Biography information for Lord Agnew of Oulton
tabling member	4719 label Biography information for Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle

1151991

registered interest
date	23/10/2019
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	Perfume: Labelling
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what requirements are placed on producers of perfume and fragrance products to list their ingredients on product packaging.
tabling member printed	Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle
uin	HL335
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 30/10/2019 answer text <p>Under Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009 on cosmetic products (“the Cosmetics Regulation”) containers or packaging of cosmetic products (or on an enclosed or attached documentation) must set out a list of ingredients, including perfume and aromatic compositions and their raw materials. These perfume and aromatic compositions must be referred to as ‘parfum’ or ‘aroma’. Annex III of the Cosmetic Products Regulation requires that the use of certain substances is subject to restriction. The presence of a substance listed in Annex III must be indicated in a product’s list of ingredients, in addition to the words parfum or aroma. At the moment, 26 fragrance allergens are listed in in this Annex. The labelling must be on the carton, or if there is no outer packaging, then on the container. If the perfume or fragrance is small and difficult to label, the ingredient list may be on a leaflet provided with the product, or displayed close to where the product is offered for sale.</p> answering member printed Lord Duncan of Springbank question first answered 30/10/2019 17:23:17 answering member 4686 label Biography information for Lord Duncan of Springbank
tabling member	4719 label Biography information for Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle

1248035

registered interest
date	02/11/2020
answering body	Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
answering dept id	13
answering dept short name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
answering dept sort name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
hansard heading	Trees: Fruit
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to increase the number of traditional orchards in England that are in a favourable condition.
tabling member printed	Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle
uin	HL9819
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/11/2020 answer text <p>Traditional orchards are listed as a habitat of principal importance for the conservation of biodiversity under section 41 of the Natural Environment and Rural Communities Act 2006. Government agri-environment grant schemes, including Countryside Stewardship (which replaced the Environmental Stewardship Scheme) provide financial support to improve the condition of traditional orchards and to establish more of them.</p><p> </p><p>In England there are 1,952 hectares of traditional orchards being managed or established under agri-environment schemes.</p> answering member printed Lord Gardiner of Kimble question first answered 16/11/2020 17:23:33 answering member 4161 label Biography information for Lord Gardiner of Kimble
tabling member	4719 label Biography information for Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle

1193312

registered interest
date	05/05/2020
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	Coronavirus: Disease Control
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what is the (1) false negative, and (2) false positive rate, of tests for COVID-19 being used to determine the current infected/non-infected status of individuals in a (a) laboratory, and (b) real world, setting. [T]
tabling member printed	Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle
uin	HL3853
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 29/07/2020 answer text <p>To provide a more comprehensive response to a number of outstanding Written Questions, this has been answered by an information factsheet <em>Testing – note for House of Lords</em> which is attached, due to the size of the data. A copy has also been placed in the Library</p><p> </p> answering member printed Lord Bethell question first answered 29/07/2020 07:43:39 answering member 4708 label Biography information for Lord Bethell attachment 1 file name Testing - note for House of Lords.pdf title Testing information factsheet
tabling member	4719 label Biography information for Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle

1197851

registered interest
date	21/05/2020
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	Coronavirus: Screening
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to introduce saliva rather than swab testing for COVID-19 for (1) the general population, and (2) vulnerable groups that might find the swab test particularly difficult including (a) children, and (b) patients with dementia or other cognitive impairments.
tabling member printed	Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle
uin	HL4816
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 29/07/2020 answer text <p>To provide a more comprehensive response to a number of outstanding Written Questions, this has been answered by an information factsheet <em>Testing – note for House of Lords</em> which is attached, due to the size of the data. A copy has also been placed in the Library</p><p> </p> answering member printed Lord Bethell question first answered 29/07/2020 15:06:25 answering member 4708 label Biography information for Lord Bethell attachment 1 file name Testing - note for House of Lords.pdf title Testing information factsheet
tabling member	4719 label Biography information for Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle

1203072

registered interest
date	11/06/2020
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	Disease Control
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to introduce dedicated periods of time where those who are shielding from COVID-19 can safely use the extra freedoms being introduced from the reduction of the restrictions in place to address the pandemic. [T]
tabling member printed	Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle
uin	HL5578
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 31/07/2020 answer text <p>To provide a more comprehensive response to a number of outstanding Written Questions, this has been answered by an information factsheet <em>Science of Covid-19 note for House of Lords</em>, which is attached due to the size of the data. A copy has also been placed in the Library.</p> answering member printed Lord Bethell question first answered 31/07/2020 11:51:06 answering member 4708 label Biography information for Lord Bethell attachment 1 file name Science of Covid-19 note for House of Lords.pdf title Science of COVID-19 information factsheet
tabling member	4719 label Biography information for Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle

1219474

registered interest
date	30/06/2020
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	Drinks: Sugar
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 effectiveness of warning labels on sugary drinks including on (1) carbonated soft drinks, (2) fruit-flavoured drinks and, (3) energy drinks.
tabling member printed	Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle
uin	HL6282
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 20/07/2020 answer text <p>To ensure United Kingdom labelling remains effective for consumers, we will consider a range of measures to build on the success of our current ‘traffic light’ nutritional labelling scheme.</p><p>All sectors of the drinks industry have been challenged to reduce sugar levels in juice-based drinks by 5% by 2021. The reductions can be achieved through reducing the number of calories and/or portion size of products and shifting consumer purchasing towards lower or no added sugar products.</p><p>Public Health England oversees the voluntary sugar reduction and wider reformulation programme on behalf of the Government, as set out in all chapters of the childhood obesity plan and the 2019 Prevention Green Paper. We have seen some important successes including the average sugar content of drinks subject to the soft drinks industry levy decreasing by 28% between 2015 and 2018.</p><p>We will be setting out our responses to the consultations on restricting promotions of products high in fat, sugar and salt by location and by price, and calorie labelling in the out-of-home sector as soon as we can.</p> answering member printed Lord Bethell grouped question UIN HL6283 HL6284 question first answered 20/07/2020 15:25:52 answering member 4708 label Biography information for Lord Bethell
tabling member	4719 label Biography information for Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle

1219475

registered interest
date	30/06/2020
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	Drinks: Obesity
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to limit (1) the size of servings of obesogenic drinks such as carbonated soft drinks, fruit juice, fruit-flavoured drinks and energy drinks, and (2) promotions encouraging customers to "size-up" servings at low cost.
tabling member printed	Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle
uin	HL6283
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 20/07/2020 answer text <p>To ensure United Kingdom labelling remains effective for consumers, we will consider a range of measures to build on the success of our current ‘traffic light’ nutritional labelling scheme.</p><p>All sectors of the drinks industry have been challenged to reduce sugar levels in juice-based drinks by 5% by 2021. The reductions can be achieved through reducing the number of calories and/or portion size of products and shifting consumer purchasing towards lower or no added sugar products.</p><p>Public Health England oversees the voluntary sugar reduction and wider reformulation programme on behalf of the Government, as set out in all chapters of the childhood obesity plan and the 2019 Prevention Green Paper. We have seen some important successes including the average sugar content of drinks subject to the soft drinks industry levy decreasing by 28% between 2015 and 2018.</p><p>We will be setting out our responses to the consultations on restricting promotions of products high in fat, sugar and salt by location and by price, and calorie labelling in the out-of-home sector as soon as we can.</p> answering member printed Lord Bethell grouped question UIN HL6282 HL6284 question first answered 20/07/2020 15:25:52 answering member 4708 label Biography information for Lord Bethell
tabling member	4719 label Biography information for Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle

1219476

registered interest
date	30/06/2020
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	Nutrition: Catering
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to require restaurants and takeaways to include on their menus (1) calorific information about each dish or item, and (2) information about the number of servings of fruits and vegetables contained in each dish or item, including when this figure is zero.
tabling member printed	Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle
uin	HL6284
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 20/07/2020 answer text <p>To ensure United Kingdom labelling remains effective for consumers, we will consider a range of measures to build on the success of our current ‘traffic light’ nutritional labelling scheme.</p><p>All sectors of the drinks industry have been challenged to reduce sugar levels in juice-based drinks by 5% by 2021. The reductions can be achieved through reducing the number of calories and/or portion size of products and shifting consumer purchasing towards lower or no added sugar products.</p><p>Public Health England oversees the voluntary sugar reduction and wider reformulation programme on behalf of the Government, as set out in all chapters of the childhood obesity plan and the 2019 Prevention Green Paper. We have seen some important successes including the average sugar content of drinks subject to the soft drinks industry levy decreasing by 28% between 2015 and 2018.</p><p>We will be setting out our responses to the consultations on restricting promotions of products high in fat, sugar and salt by location and by price, and calorie labelling in the out-of-home sector as soon as we can.</p> answering member printed Lord Bethell grouped question UIN HL6282 HL6283 question first answered 20/07/2020 15:25:52 answering member 4708 label Biography information for Lord Bethell
tabling member	4719 label Biography information for Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle

1238162

registered interest
date	28/09/2020
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	Alcoholic Drinks and Food: Labelling
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they have taken to ensure that labels on alcohol products contain information on nutritional and calorie content in line with other food and drink products.
tabling member printed	Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle
uin	HL8502
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 12/10/2020 answer text <p>Through <em>Tackling obesity: empowering adults and children to live healthier lives,</em> published in July, we are committed to consult before the end of the year on our intention to make companies provide calorie labelling on all pre-packaged alcohol they sell. The consultation will also cover introducing calorie labelling on alcoholic drinks sold in the out of home sector, for example bought on draught or by the glass.</p><p>A copy of <em>Tackling obesity: empowering adults and children to live healthier lives</em> is attached.</p> answering member printed Lord Bethell question first answered 12/10/2020 11:46:37 answering member 4708 label Biography information for Lord Bethell attachment 1 file name Tackling obesity. Empowering adults and children to live healthier lives 27 7 20.pdf title Attachment
tabling member	4719 label Biography information for Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle

1230955

registered interest
date	02/09/2020
answering body	Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
answering dept id	13
answering dept short name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
answering dept sort name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
hansard heading	Agriculture: Sewage
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what recent assessment they have made of (1) the impact of spreading human sewage on farmland, and (2) the adequacy of current regulation and enforcement of the use of such sewage.
tabling member printed	Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle
uin	HL7598
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/09/2020 answer text <p>This is a devolved matter and the information provided therefore relates to England only.</p><p>Sewage sludge spread to land as fertiliser or soil improver can be a valuable source of nutrients. The recycling of sewage sludge to land remains a safe activity, provided it is carried out in accordance with the relevant regulatory controls and good practice guidance is followed.</p><p>Currently, water companies in the UK can spread sewage sludge under either the more commonly used Sludge (Use in Agriculture) Regulations (SUiAR) or the Environmental Permitting Regulations. Since the introduction of the SUiAR regulations in the 1980s, practices and treatment of sludge has changed considerably. To modernise this regime, in March 2020 the Environment Agency published a ‘Sludge Strategy’ which will review the safe use of sewage sludge. This strategy will enable better management of the environmental impacts of land spreading sludge, and modernise the regulatory framework surrounding the treatment, storage and use of sludge. Details on the strategy can be found via this link:</p><p><a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/environment-agency-strategy-for-safe-and-sustainable-sludge-use/environment-agency-strategy-for-safe-and-sustainable-sludge-use" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/environment-agency-strategy-for-safe-and-sustainable-sludge-use/environment-agency-strategy-for-safe-and-sustainable-sludge-use</a></p> answering member printed Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park question first answered 16/09/2020 13:29:09 answering member 4062 label Biography information for Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park
tabling member	4719 label Biography information for Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle

1259965

registered interest
date	09/12/2020
answering body	Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
answering dept id	7
answering dept short name	Housing, Communities and Local Government
answering dept sort name	Housing, Communities and Local Government
hansard heading	Vagrancy Act 1824
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 campaign by Crisis to repeal the Vagrancy Act 1824.
tabling member printed	Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle
uin	HL11274
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/12/2020 answer text <p>This is a complex issue and we know from our engagement with stakeholders that there are diverging views about the necessity and relevance of the Vagrancy Act. That is why the Government believes that a review is the right course of action and we are looking at all options including retention, repeal, replacement or amendment.</p><p>At the heart of the review will be the experiences and perceptions of a range of relevant stakeholders including the homelessness sector, the police, local authorities, business representatives, community groups and individuals with lived experience. This Government is aware of Crisis’ views on the Vagrancy Act and have engaged with them to inform the review of the Act . Work is ongoing and the Government will update on its findings in due course.</p> answering member printed Lord Greenhalgh question first answered 17/12/2020 15:56:45 answering member 4877 label Biography information for Lord Greenhalgh
tabling member	4719 label Biography information for Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle