theodi/ndl-core-corpus huggingface dataset:
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-02-05)

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Lord Scriven:To ask His Majesty's Government what the retention rate was for NHS (1) social workers, and (2) dentists, in the financial years (a) 2022–23, (b) 2023–24, and (c) 2024–25 to date. \p Baroness Merron: The Department does not hold the information requested.

For professions such as dentists, who do NHS commissioned work but who are not directly employed by NHS bodies, the Department does not hold detailed staffing information.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-02-05)

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Lord Weir of Ballyholme:To ask His Majesty's Government whether permanent funding will remain in place for the treatment of infantile and juvenile Batten disease. \p Baroness Merron: The National Institute of Health and Care Excellence (NICE) published guidance in 2019 that recommended cerliponase alfa, brand name Brineura, for treating neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis type 2, within a managed access agreement. This was due to the uncertainty in the evidence base, particularly around the long-term clinical benefits and assumptions about disease stabilisation.

During this period of managed access, cerliponase alfa has been available to eligible patients while further data was collected to address the clinical uncertainties. The NICE is now carrying out a new evaluation of cerliponase alfa to determine whether it can be recommended for routine National Health Service funding, taking account of the real-world evidence collected during the managed access period. If this evaluation shows that the treatment is a clinically effective and cost-effective use of NHS resources, it will be recommended for routine use in the NHS. All parties are working together to ensure a conclusion to the ongoing evaluation as swiftly as possible.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-02-05)

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Baroness Redfern:To ask His Majesty's Government, following the announcement by Ofwat that water bills will increase over the next five years, what proportion of storm overflows resulting in harmful nutrients entering rivers they expect to be reduced over this period; and what financial consequences will be applied to water companies who do not meet overflow targets. \p Baroness Hayman of Ullock: For Price Review 24, which runs from 2025 – 2030, water companies are investing almost £12 billion to improve 2,800 storm overflows. This expenditure has a price control deliverable (PCD), which sets out Ofwat’s expectations for delivery.

Ofwat also sets specific performance targets for water companies. Ofwat is expanding these performance commitments for Price Review 24 to include an ambitious storm spill reduction target. If achieved, this would see average spills per storm overflow reducing by 45% by 2029 compared to 2021 levels across the industry.

Where required outcomes are not met, companies must reimburse customers, thereby holding water companies to account to deliver the investment.

Beyond storm overflows, £6 billion will be invested to reduce harmful nutrients, including phosphorous, by 28% over 2025-30, through upgrading treatment works and promoting sustainable farming.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-02-05)

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Lord Cameron of Dillington:To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the timeline for implementing their 'marine net gain' policy. \p Baroness Hayman of Ullock: This Government is committed to nature recovery. Work is underway to develop options for the role marine net gain may play including consideration of timescales for operation of the policy.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-02-05)

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Baroness McIntosh of Pickering:To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the report from the Office for Environmental Protection, Progress in improving the natural environment in England 2023/2024, published on 16 January, that they may not meet environmental standards for maritime areas. \p Baroness Hayman of Ullock: My department welcomes the Office for Environmental Protection’s report reviewing “Progress in improving the natural environment in England 2023/2024”. We will respond in full to this report in due course.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-02-05)

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The Lord Bishop of St Albans:To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the environmental risk of pesticides used in flea and tick treatments; and what plans they have to restrict their use. \p Baroness Hayman of Ullock: 1) Parasiticides play an important role in the protecting of animal health from fleas, ticks, and vector-borne diseases, and in protecting human health from zoonotic transfer of disease. Therefore, their regulation requires a careful balance between effective parasite control for animal health and welfare and human health whilst minimising potential risks to the environment.

To address environmental safety, every veterinary pharmaceutical undergoes an environmental exposure assessment, with products for companion animals usually ending in a Phase 1 assessment. If exposure is deemed high, a more detailed Phase II risk assessment is conducted, evaluating potential environmental impact based on expected exposure and toxicity. The findings from these assessments are considered as part of the final benefit/risk assessment during the approval process. There are also warnings that accompany products advising on use and to mitigate against dogs entering water courses directly after treatment. Environmental assessments are conducted in accordance with international guidelines and data standards.

The Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD) is conducting a number of research activities to provide further evidence on environmental impacts and causes. Furthermore, the VMD supports a review of the international environmental risk assessment guidelines for companion animal parasiticides, which has been proposed and is currently under consideration by the body for International Cooperation of Technical Requirements for Registration of Veterinary Medicinal Products (VICH).

2) At this stage, there are no plans to restrict the use of flea and tick treatments. Any future regulatory decisions will be based on robust scientific evidence to ensure both environmental protection and continued access to essential veterinary medicines.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-02-05)

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Baroness McIntosh of Pickering:To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Hayman of Ullock on 10 December 2024 (HL3098), whether their policy on energy from waste has changed; and if so how, following the publication of the Residual waste infrastructure capacity note on 30 December 2024. \p Baroness Hayman of Ullock: The Residual Waste Infrastructure Capacity Note assesses our residual waste treatment capacity need to 2035, as well as giving consideration to the long-term residual waste reduction target. The Capacity Note shows that, as of 2022-23, there were certain areas in England where significant volumes of non-recyclable household waste are sent to landfill. There is also a need to divert non-household wastes away from landfill.

The Capacity Note was published which set out that the Government will only back new energy from waste projects that meet strict conditions. Proposals for new facilities will have to demonstrate a clearly defined domestic residual waste treatment capacity need to facilitate the diversion of residual waste away from landfill, or enable the replacement of older, less-efficient facilities. Additionally, new facilities will have to maximise efficiency and support the delivery of economic growth, net zero and the move to a circular economy.

The Government encourages those developing energy from waste facilities (at all stages in the process) to consider forecast changes to future capacity, demand, and the Government’s circular economy opportunities, in light of the evidence published in the Capacity Note.

Residual Waste Infrastructure Capacity Note (pdf, 962.9KB)
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-02-05)

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Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick:To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment was made of the impact of the Producer Responsibility Obligations (Packaging and Packaging Waste) Regulations 2024 in the development of the illustrative base fees for the extended producer responsibility for packaging. \p Baroness Hayman of Ullock: The impact assessment for the Producer Responsibility Obligations (Packaging and Packaging Waste) Regulations 2024 is published here: The Producer Responsibility Obligations (Packaging and Packaging Waste) Regulations 2024

The development of the illustrative base fees for the extended producer responsibility for packaging are for the Scheme Administrator to set each year with engagement from industry.

PRO Regulations 2024 (pdf, 2132.7KB)
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-02-05)

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Baroness Pidgeon:To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the merits of expanding Gatwick airport, particularly regarding the creation of a second runway. \p Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill: An application for a Development Consent Order has been made by Gatwick Airport Limited to bring their existing Northern runway into routine use alongside their main runway.

The Planning Inspectorate submitted its recommendation report to the Department for Transport on 27 November 2024 and the Secretary of State for Transport has until the 27 February 2025 to make a decision.

As this is a live planning application, it would not be appropriate to comment.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-02-05)

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Baroness Pidgeon:To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the merits of expanding Heathrow Airport, particularly regarding the creation of a third runway. \p Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill: There is currently no live application for a third runway at Heathrow. It is for Heathrow Airport Limited to decide how it takes forward any Development Consent Order application for a third runway.

The Government would carefully consider any Development Consent Order application for a third runway at Heathrow Airport in line with the relevant planning process.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-02-05)

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Lord Randall of Uxbridge:To ask His Majesty's Government what recent discussions ministers or officials have had with the operators of Heathrow Airport on their proposal for a third runway. \p Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill: DfT Ministers and officials engage routinely with Heathrow Airport Limited on a range of issues, including their future growth proposals.
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Lord Petitgas:To ask His Majesty's Government how many flights have been permitted to fly above central London during the night quota period in the past 12 months, broken down into appropriate time periods; and what assessment they have made of the health consequences on residents from the disruption of sleep. \p Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill: Night flight restrictions at Heathrow Airport are set by the Department for Transport and include a limit on scheduled movements during the night quota period (23:30-06:00). The movement limit is 2,550 for the winter season and 3,250 for the summer season. At Heathrow Airport, during the winter 2023-2024 season, there were a total of 2,544 movements in the night quota period. In the summer 2024 season, there were a total of 3,142 movements. These figures include flights which arrived from or departed to the west of the airport and did not fly over central London.

Flights over central London during the night quota period will also include flights on which the Government does not set restrictions, such as overflights in higher airspace, as well as helicopter flights by the police and other emergency services.

The most recent decision on night flight restrictions at the three noise-designated airports (Heathrow, Gatwick and Stansted), published on 17 December 2024, took into account health impacts and maintains existing restrictions through to October 2028.
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Lord Wigley:To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of the West Coast Main Line upgrade between Warrington and Carlisle on services between north Wales and London. \p Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill: This investment in renewing and upgrading rail infrastructure is critical to meeting current and future needs of communities along the West Coast Main Line. The Department expects operators to minimise the impact of planned engineering works on passengers as far as possible.

It is expected that route blockades to facilitate these essential works will span a number of years, and it is possible there could be some disruption on parts of the route away from the works, including in north Wales. However, the specifics in terms of effect on passenger services are yet to be agreed between Network Rail and Train Operating Companies. Therefore, the Department is not yet able to assess the full impact on passengers during the work.

Network Rail and relevant Train Operating Companies will keep passengers informed closer to the dates when they are agreed.
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Baroness Finn:To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Twycross on 20 January 2025 (HL3881), how is the position that (1) the government committee advises the Sovereign directly, and (2) the view of the Prime Minister’s principal private secretary carries equal weight to all other members on the government committee, compatible with the established constitutional position that the Prime Minister is the principal adviser to the Sovereign and the leader of His Majesty’s Government. \p Baroness Twycross: The Committee on the Grant of Honours, Decorations and Medals (HD Committee) was established by King George VI to provide objective advice to the Sovereign on the operation of the honours system.

The Sovereign is the fount of all honour and the honours system itself operates under the Royal Prerogative. The HD Committee is an advisory body only. The Committee’s advice does not carry the weight that is accorded to ministerial advice; nor does it have the power to take decisions as Ministers do. The Committee has historically recognised the need to reflect the position of the Government and the membership of the Prime Minister’s Principal Private Secretary ensures the Prime Minister's views can be properly represented.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-02-05)

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Baroness Finn:To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Chapman of Darlington on 12 November 2024 (HL1945), whether Cabinet Office or Downing Street special advisers participated in campaigning in the recent US elections using annual leave. \p Baroness Twycross: I refer the Noble Baroness to the written answer to Baroness Chapman of Darlington which highlighted that special advisers are required to follow the Code of Conduct for Special Advisers. We do not retain records on Special Adviser's use of Annual Leave.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-02-05)

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Baroness Finn:To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Georgia Gould on 26 November 2024 (HC14635), what Ministerial gifts the Prime Minister has accepted which have since been returned or reimbursed, other than gifts where the Prime Minister has purchased the gift or the gift has been retained by the department. \p Baroness Twycross: I refer the Noble Lady to my answer of 26 November 2024, PQ 14635.
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Lord Beamish:To ask His Majesty's Government what is the total value of contracts that they have awarded to Fujitsu over the past 12 months. \p Baroness Twycross: Details of central government contracts where the contract value is above £12,000 are published on Contracts Finder: https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Search In addition to extensions available under Fujitsu’s existing contracts, Contracts Finder provides details of six services provided by Fujitsu that have been extended through direct awards since January 2024. These relate to services that Fujitsu was already providing and are in line with the contracts that they replaced, to ensure continuity of public services, whilst competitive procurements are being set up, as appropriate.

The Cabinet Office has reviewed cases for supplier service extensions in line with the commercial spend controls process in order to ensure continuity of public services.

In January 2024, Fujitsu said it would withdraw from bidding for contracts for new work with new Government customers until the Post Office Horizon inquiry concludes – it would only bid for work with existing Government customers where it already has a contract with them, or where there is an agreed need for Fujitsu’s skills and capabilities.

Fujitsu's bid approach is detailed in this letter, deposited in Parliament. For more details, please see here.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-02-05)

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Baroness Coussins:To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer on 11 November 2024 by Lord Ponsonby of Shulbrede (HL2195), when they plan to conduct the consultation on the revised Victims' Code. \p Lord Ponsonby of Shulbrede: We aim to consult on the revised Victims’ Code early this year as part of our commitment to ensure that victims of crime have the information and support they need.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-02-05)

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Baroness Smith of Llanfaes:To ask His Majesty's Government what resilience plans are in place for communities that are next to disused coal tips. \p Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: The majority of tips are in local authority or private ownership and the responsibility for managing the associated monitoring and resilience work is a matter for the landowner and local authority.

The Government recognises the importance of ensuring coal tip safety and just how much this issue resonates with local communities, particularly in the South Wales valleys, that is why the Government announced funding of £25m in 25/26 to the Welsh Government in the Budget, for making coal tips safe.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-02-05)

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Baroness Smith of Llanfaes:To ask His Majesty's Government what live environmental data are available regarding disused coal tips. \p Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: There are over 6,000 disused coal tips in Britain with 2,573 located in Wales. The majority of tips are in local authority or private ownership which includes legal responsibilities. The Welsh Government has published coal tips data and details of their work programme to address the tips issue including inspections/maintenance https://www.gov.wales/coal-tip-safety

There is no central tips record in England or Scotland as the geological makeup of tip locations in those areas, and previous reprofiling/restoration, has left a lower risk profile.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-02-05)

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Lord Wigley:To ask His Majesty's Government what proportion of the hydroelectric output in Great Britain is generated in (1) England, (2) Wales, and (3) Scotland. \p Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: Hydroelectric power accounts for 2% of the UK’s electricity generation. A majority of hydroelectric output is generated in Scotland.

In 2023, annual figures show that:

3% of hydroelectricity was generated in England*

7% of hydroelectricity was generated in Wales*

90% of hydroelectricity was generated in Scotland*

Latest data available on hydroelectric generation is available via the DESNZ publication, Energy Trends December 2024, Table ET 6.1: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/6762b0d6cdb5e64b69e30735/ET_6.1_DEC_24.xlsx. This table shows annual generation (latest data 2023) of hydroelectricity in GWh, by country, on which the above information is based.

*Rounded to the nearest hundred.
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Baroness Coffey:To ask His Majesty's Government whether they intend the environmental principles duty to apply to the proposed Great British Energy company. \p Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: Under the environmental principles duty set out in the Environment Act 2021, ministers and policy makers must consider the environmental principles when making policy. Ministers and Officials working on the establishment of Great British Energy (GBE) have considered the potential environmental impacts of establishing the company. GBE’s projects will also be subject to relevant environmental regulation as with any similar projects.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-02-05)

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Baroness Coffey:To ask His Majesty's Government whether they intend the duty to conserve and enhance biodiversity in the Natural Environment and Rural Communities Act 2006 as amended by section 102 of the Environment Act 2021 to apply to the proposed Great British Energy company. \p Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: The biodiversity duty, set out in the Natural Environment and Rural Communities Act 2006 as amended by section 102 of the Environment Act 2021 applies to public authorities. As Great British Energy is being established as a non-departmental public body, the company will be required to comply with the biodiversity duty.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-01-03)

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Baroness Coussins:To ask His Majesty's Government whether they plan to amend the Accessible Information Standard so that it is aligned with the recommendation of Healthwatch England to cover the needs of those who speak little or no English. \p Baroness Merron: We have no current plans to make such a change to the Accessible Information Standard (AIS). The AIS aims to make sure that people who have a disability, impairment or sensory loss get information that they can access and understand. NHS England is responsible for the AIS and has completed a review as part of the revision of the standard.

Spoken and community languages are specifically excluded from the AIS and have not been included as part of its review due to the legislative basis of the AIS and its focus on meeting the needs of disabled people.

The General Medical Council’s guidance states that all possible efforts must be made to ensure effective communication with patients. This includes arrangements to meet patients’ communication needs in languages other than English. Where language is a problem in discussing health matters, NHS England and NHS Scotland’s guidance states that a professional interpreter should always be offered.

NHS England is aware of safety investigations and other issues relating to translation services and has completed a strategic review and options appraisal to identify if and how NHS England can support improvements in the commissioning and delivery of community language translation and interpretation services.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-01-03)

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Lord Cashman:To ask His Majesty's Government whether the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care plans to meet with parents of trans children, as requested in correspondence from Lord Cashman to his office since July. \p Baroness Merron: My Rt. Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care has held constructive roundtable discussions with a group of children and young people, and their parents, with lived experience of gender dysphoria and incongruence.

The Government remains committed to listening to the LGBT+ community. Department officials will write to you on how best to take forward your request.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-01-03)

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Lord Kamall:To ask His Majesty's Government whether they will place in the Library of the House a copy of any findings or outcomes of the exploratory work completed by NHS England that is described in the National Data Guardian’s Annual Report for 2023–2024 on the topic of adding a patient-facing function to GP Connect to enable people to see who has accessed their health records. \p Baroness Merron: Following the initial discussion with the National Data Guardian, NHS England decided not to pursue the topic of adding a patient-facing function to GP Connect. It would have had a limited application and been technically and legally complex to implement, as noted in section 6.7.4 of the National Data Guardian 2023-2024 report, and would not have provided sufficient benefit, additional to the existing function of Subject Access Requests. There was, therefore, no exploratory work completed on this subject.

There are multiple ways for a patient’s record to be accessed. Any patient-facing feature needs to take all these different routes into account and, as noted by the National Data Guardian, NHS England is considering whether this functionality might be possible in the Government’s plans for a single care record.
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Baroness Thomas of Winchester:To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Smith of Malvern on 17 December (HL3216), whether they will consult with interested parties and expedite the implementation of the remaining parts of section 36 and associated Schedules of the Equality Act 2010 to address the shortage of housing for disabled people. \p Baroness Smith of Malvern: The government is continuing to consider the remaining parts of section 36 and associated Schedules. We will set out next steps in due course.
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Lord Blunkett:To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they have taken to align the work of the Office for Clean Energy Jobs with the work of Skills England, and what processes and structural framework they expect to be put in place to facilitate joint working between the two. \p Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: The Office for Clean Energy Jobs was established to help ensure a skilled workforce is in place to deliver the Clean Energy Superpower Mission and that these jobs are ‘good’ jobs. The Office for Clean Energy Jobs and Skills England are already working together to develop a consistent understanding of the skills challenges through sharing data and insights, ensuring alignment on priority occupations, coordinating engagement with external stakeholders, and developing solutions, as highlighted in Skills England's report published in September 2024. This partnership will continue to strengthen next year to ensure effective workforce planning supports delivery of the energy transition.
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The Earl of Caithness:To ask His Majesty's Government whether they plan to publish the update to the grey squirrel action plan; and if so, when. \p Baroness Hayman of Ullock: We are considering how to go further to reduce the impacts of grey squirrels on our woodlands and will have an update in due course.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-01-03)

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The Earl of Caithness:To ask His Majesty's Government whether they plan to publish the deer management strategy; and if so, when. \p Baroness Hayman of Ullock: We are considering how to go further to reduce the impacts of deer on our woodlands and will have an update in due course.
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Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick:To ask His Majesty's Government when the communique for the Inter-Ministerial Group for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs held on 18 November will be published on GOV.UK, given their commitment to publish communiques within two weeks of the Inter-Ministerial Group taking place. \p Baroness Hayman of Ullock: The four Governments have committed to jointly agreeing a communique for the Inter-Ministerial Group for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs within two weeks of the meeting taking place. Each government will then take the necessary steps to arrange for publication on respective websites as soon as possible. Some governments published the communique on their relevant websites earlier this month and it has now been published on GOV.UK (attached).

HL3620 attachment (pdf, 146.7KB)
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Baroness Boycott:To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to introduce mandatory reporting of food waste within the supply chains of large food retailers. \p Baroness Hayman of Ullock: This Government is committed to setting a clear roadmap to a circular economy – a future where our resources are used as efficiently and productively as possible for as long as possible, and waste is reduced. We are reviewing policies to address the challenges associated with tackling food waste in the supply chain and will consider any mandatory food waste reporting requirements in due course.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-01-03)

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Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle:To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have, if any, to introduce a compensation scheme for farmers for any damages to crops by (1) beavers and (2) wild boars, or to provide other financial support for farmers whose land beavers and wild boars are living on or travelling through. \p Baroness Hayman of Ullock: This is a devolved matter and so this reply applies to England only.

Sustainable Farming Incentive, Countryside Stewardship and Landscape Recovery offer support for farmers through payments for actions that deliver both environmental and agricultural benefits. Some actions can be used to mitigate the effects of species such as beavers and wild boar, for example by buffering of watercourses or restoration of habitats, allowing space for their activity. Beaver protection and management capital grants are available in Countryside Stewardship to protect permanent crops and trees from beaver damage, and to manage beavers and their dams where there is a risk of serious damage or flooding to crops, infrastructure, or human or animal health.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-01-03)

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Baroness Fookes:To ask His Majesty's Government whether they will take account of the role played by environmental horticulture in their definition of green jobs. \p Baroness Hayman of Ullock: The ONS defines green jobs as: "employment in an activity that contributes to protecting or restoring the environment, including those that mitigate or adapt to climate change" (2024, ONS - Experimental estimates of green jobs, UK - Office for National Statistics [see attached]). Given the wide-reaching nature of this definition, any occupations or tasks within environmental horticulture that fall under the definition, including for example tasks related to nature conservation, will therefore be included.

Experimental estimates of green jobs (pdf, 331.1KB)
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-01-03)

UK Parliament Hansard data: lordswrans/lordswrans2025-01-03 conversation_12

Lord Strathcarron:To ask His Majesty's Government how they intend online intermediaries to combat misinformation and disinformation on their websites, as set out in their Draft Statement of Strategic Priorities for online safety, published on 20 November, when this is not explicitly referenced in the Online Safety Act 2023. \p Baroness Jones of Whitchurch: The Online Safety Act requires companies to take action against mis/disinformation where it constitutes illegal content or content harmful to children. The Act will also ensure platforms are transparent and accountable to their users about what legal content they allow on their services and are consistent in its treatment.

The draft Statement of Strategic Priorities calls for Ofcom to enhance its media literacy initiatives, empowering users to critically assess potentially misleading online content. If Parliament approves the final statement, Ofcom must then set out how it will have regard to the priorities, including those relating to mis/disinformation, when exercising its functions.
lordswrans/lordswrans2025-01-03 conversation_13
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-01-03)

UK Parliament Hansard data: lordswrans/lordswrans2025-01-03 conversation_13

Baroness Finn:To ask His Majesty's Government whether they have further plans to re-introduce the Union Learning Fund, the Union Modernisation Fund, or similar schemes for state funding of trade unions. \p Baroness Jones of Whitchurch: The government does not currently have plans to re-introduce the Union Learning Fund or the Union Modernisation Fund. The government is currently updating trade union legislation, so it is fit for a modern economy. We will always consider suggestions on further steps we could take to improve industrial relations.
lordswrans/lordswrans2025-01-03 conversation_14
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-01-03)

UK Parliament Hansard data: lordswrans/lordswrans2025-01-03 conversation_14

Lord Wigley:To ask His Majesty's Government how much financial support has been provided to schools for the promotion of chess in each of the last three years. \p Baroness Smith of Malvern: Education is a devolved matter, and the response outlines the information for England only.

In the 2023/24 financial year, the department allocated £200,000 through the Strengthening Chess in Primary Schools grant, supporting primary schools to improve their pupils’ access to chess.

More broadly, at the Autumn Budget 2024, the government announced an additional £2.3 billion for mainstream schools and young people with high needs for the 2025/26 financial year, compared to 2024/25. This means that overall core school funding will total almost £63.9 billion next year.

Each year schools receive core funding from the department to cover their expenditures. These expenditures could include teacher salaries, school lunches, electronic resources, art and craft supplies, or any other number of items.

It is for headteachers to decide how best to manage their budgets, including spending on the promotion of extracurricular activities such as chess. This funding is not ringfenced.

Schools may also choose to utilise their pupil premium funding to support enrichment. The pupil premium grant is funding to improve educational outcomes for disadvantaged pupils in state-funded schools in England. Schools must use this funding in line with the menu of approaches which are based on the evidence of how best to improve attainment for disadvantaged pupils. This includes the flexibility to use pupil premium to tackle non-academic barriers to success, including providing enrichment opportunities to benefit those pupils who may not be able to have access otherwise.
lordswrans/lordswrans2025-01-03 conversation_15
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-01-03)

UK Parliament Hansard data: lordswrans/lordswrans2025-01-03 conversation_15

Lord Murray of Blidworth:To ask His Majesty's Government whether local authorities are required to continue to accommodate former unaccompanied asylum-seeking children for whom they had responsibility once those individuals are over the age of 18; and, if so, in what circumstances and on what basis do such requirements arise. \p Baroness Smith of Malvern: Local authorities are responsible for accommodating all children in care and care leavers aged 16 or 17. When care leavers reach age 18, local authorities do not have an automatic duty to accommodate them. However, they do have continuing duties to help all care leavers, including former unaccompanied asylum-seeking children (UASC) care leavers, to make a successful transition from care to independence, including providing them with a personal adviser, whose role includes helping them to secure suitable accommodation.

Where a young person is in foster care immediately before their eighteenth birthday, local authorities have a duty to support them to ‘stay put’ with their former foster carer to age 21. Around half of eligible young people choose to ‘stay put’ when they turn 18. This includes providing financial support to meet all reasonable costs of supporting the young person.

If a decision is made that a former UASC care leaver does not have leave to remain in the UK and is ‘appeal rights exhausted’, and does not have recourse to public funds, local authorities must undertake a human rights assessment to determine whether failing to provide support would leave them destitute and infringe their human rights. If the local authority determines that support is necessary, they can provide accommodation and a subsistence allowance to cover living costs.
lordswrans/lordswrans2025-01-03 conversation_16
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-01-03)

UK Parliament Hansard data: lordswrans/lordswrans2025-01-03 conversation_16

Lord Watson of Invergowrie:To ask His Majesty's Government how many sessions each local authority-maintained school and each Academy school provided education in the 2022–23 school year; and what was the proportion of Academies that provided fewer than 380 sessions in that year. \p Baroness Smith of Malvern: The information requested is not held centrally.

Under the Education (School Day and School Year) (England) Regulations 1999, local authority-maintained schools are required to meet for at least 380 sessions or 190 days in each school year.

Academies are not bound by these regulations. The length of the school year is the responsibility of the academy trust.
lordswrans/lordswrans2025-11-03 conversation_1
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-11-03)

UK Parliament Hansard data: lordswrans/lordswrans2025-11-03 conversation_1

Baroness Coffey:To ask His Majesty's Government which four councils will be required to have government-backed local inquiries into grooming gangs, in addition to Oldham. \p Lord Hanson of Flint: In June this year, Baroness Casey published her independent audit into group-based child sexual exploitation and abuse, and the Government accepted every recommendation it made, including establishing a new national inquiry. The national inquiry, equipped with statutory powers under the Inquiries Act 2005, will direct targeted local reviews in specific areas.

The former Home Secretary previously committed in January to provide guidance and establish a £5 million fund which would have supported non-statutory local inquiries. Our new approach of establishing a national statutory inquiry, will be strengthened through its statutory powers – therefore, we have discontinued work related to the previously announced guidance and £5 million fund.

We are in the process of identifying an appropriate Inquiry Chair with the credibility and experience to command the confidence of victims, survivors and the public. They will be announced in due course.

Once the Chair is appointed, they will play a central role in shaping the inquiry’s terms of reference, alongside identifying the first local areas for review.
lordswrans/lordswrans2025-11-03 conversation_2
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-11-03)

UK Parliament Hansard data: lordswrans/lordswrans2025-11-03 conversation_2

Lord Bradshaw:To ask His Majesty's Government what discussions there have been between police forces in England and Wales and retailers about levels of shop theft in town centres; and whether there are any plans to base police officers in town centre stores with facilities provided by retailers. \p Lord Hanson of Flint: Shop theft continues to increase at an unacceptable level. We will not stand for this.

Chief Constables have operational independence to tackle the crimes that matter most to their communities including where their officers are based.

However, we are committed to harnessing the collective power of Government, law enforcement and businesses to bear down on retail crime. That is why we are backing the Tackling Retail Crime Together strategy, jointly developed by the police and the private sector. This collaborative approach brings together industry knowledge and experience with policing powers, fostering the local and national partnerships that will make a real difference in local areas.

But we want to go further and faster, which is why the Home Secretary recently announced a “Winter of Action”, building on the success of our Safer Streets Summer campaign to tackle town centre crime including shop theft and anti-social behaviour. We are in the final stages of preparing the Winter of Action. Our aim is to ensure that it reflects the shared priorities of all our partners to enable a truly collaborative approach to delivery.
lordswrans/lordswrans2025-11-03 conversation_3
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-11-03)

UK Parliament Hansard data: lordswrans/lordswrans2025-11-03 conversation_3

Lord Moraes:To ask His Majesty's Government how many citizenship applications were made on behalf of children under the age of 18, and how many of those applications were successful, in the latest 12 months for which data are available. \p Lord Hanson of Flint: The information requested is not currently available from published statistics, and the relevant data could only be collated and verified for the purpose of answering this question at disproportionate cost.
lordswrans/lordswrans2025-11-03 conversation_4
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-11-03)

UK Parliament Hansard data: lordswrans/lordswrans2025-11-03 conversation_4

Lord Taylor of Warwick:To ask His Majesty's Government, following the proposal to increase the minimum required period to apply for indefinite leave to remain from three to five years, what steps they are taking to ensure that the UK remains globally competitive in attracting tech talent. \p Lord Hanson of Flint: The Immigration White Paper, published on 12 May 2025, set out that the standard qualifying period for settlement would increase to ten years, although individuals would have the opportunity to reduce this qualifying period based on contributions to the UK economy and society. We will launch a consultation on these changes later this year.

Individuals working within tech can access a number of routes, including the UK’s main work visa Skilled Worker for the majority of individuals, and via the Global Talent route for leaders and future leaders in key fields; those at an early career stage who have the potential to benefit the UK economy can apply through the High Potential Individual route; and those setting up the next generation of tech companies can access both the Innovator Founder and Scale-up routes.

The Immigration White Paper noted that we will go further in ensuring that the very highly skilled have opportunities to come to the UK by, amongst other measures, reviewing our Innovator Founder visa to ensure that it supports entrepreneurial talent currently studying at UK universities to move into the visa so that they can build their business and career in the UK, and streamlining the process for employers and skilled workers to get visas, reducing bureaucracy and supporting growth.
lordswrans/lordswrans2025-11-03 conversation_5
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-11-03)

UK Parliament Hansard data: lordswrans/lordswrans2025-11-03 conversation_5

Lord Cameron of Lochiel:To ask His Majesty's Government how many (1) landlords, and (2) private landlords, have offered properties for use under asylum seeker accommodation schemes in each of the past five years, broken down by UK nation. \p Lord Hanson of Flint: The following is an amalgamation of the various landlord proposals the Home Office has recorded over the past five years.

2022

2023

2024

2025

Total

England

38

21

27

50

136

Jersey

1

1

Scotland

1

1

2

Unknown

21

24

12

26

83

Wales

1

4

5

10

Grand Total

60

45

44

83

232