theodi/ndl-core-corpus huggingface dataset:
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-01-30)

UK Parliament Hansard data: lordswrans/lordswrans2025-01-30 conversation_14

Lord Weir of Ballyholme:To ask His Majesty's Government whether they intend to uphold the Carltona principles when producing any remedial orders relating to the Northern Ireland Troubles (Legacy and Reconciliation) Act 2023. \p Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent: The Carltona principle is an extremely important one which should continue to be upheld, and the Government remains committed to bringing forward legislation in relation to the legacy of the Troubles that is lawful and human rights compliant.

On 4 December 2024, the Secretary of State laid a proposal for a draft remedial order, which represents the first step towards fulfilling the Government’s commitment to repeal and replace the Northern Ireland Troubles (Legacy and Reconciliation) Act 2023. The remedial order, if adopted by Parliament, will remedy all of the human rights deficiencies in the Act identified by the Northern Ireland High Court in February 2024 in the case of Dillon and Others and one further deficiency - the prohibition on civil proceedings - identified by the Court of Appeal in September 2024.

The Government will also introduce primary legislation when parliamentary time allows, to implement other measures to ensure that the Government fulfils the commitments it has made, including to reform the independent Commission and further strengthen its independence and its powers.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-01-30)

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Lord Weir of Ballyholme:To ask His Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the government of Ireland to ensure full co-operation and disclosure of all available information to the Independent Commission on Reconciliation and Information Recovery in the case of the Kingsmills massacre. \p Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent: The Government continues to have detailed discussions with the Irish Government on our commitment to repeal and replace the Legacy Act. The Irish Government is an essential partner in this process and we are seeking to agree a way forward, underpinned by the principles set out in the Stormont House Agreement. The full participation of both the UK and Irish governments in all legacy mechanisms is important if we are to provide as much information as possible for as many families as possible across the UK and Ireland who lost loved ones in the Troubles.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-01-30)

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Lord Gascoigne:To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to accelerate the phase-out of animal experimentation, and to support scientists to transition to human-specific medical research approaches. \p Lord Vallance of Balham: The Government has committed to partnering with scientists, industry, and civil society as we work towards the requirements for phasing out of animal testing. We are engaging with the sector in taking this commitment forward.

The Government funds research through UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) and many programmes, such as using organoids, may lead to the development of human-specific technologies that can replace the need for the use of animals. The Government also funds the development and dissemination of techniques that replace, reduce and refine the use of animals in research through the National Centre for the 3Rs (NC3Rs).
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-01-30)

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Lord Gascoigne:To ask His Majesty's Government what consideration they have given to diverting public funding from animal-based research projects towards those that use human-specific research approaches. \p Lord Vallance of Balham: Research and innovation involving animals is funded where no alternatives exist, in line with UK legislation. Research using animals and animal models has had significant impacts for the UK, supporting government’s healthcare missions, Net Zero, and One Health priorities. UKRI invests directly to reduce reliance on the use of animals, including ca.£10m per annum from BBSRC and MRC for the National Centre for the Replacement, Refinement and Reduction of Animals in Research (NC3Rs).

UKRI also supports ‘human-specific’ research, for example ca.£22.5m commitment over two years to the MRC Experimental medicine programme, a £15m call on Novel human in vitro models of complex disease with NC3Rs and Wellcome, and an £18m call for Experimental medicine to define new mechanisms of neurodegeneration. The use of human specific approaches has increased.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-01-30)

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Lord Sarfraz:To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the (1) physical, and (2) cyber, threats to cable landing stations in the UK; and what measures they are taking to ensure the resilience of those stations against potential disruption. \p Baroness Jones of Whitchurch: Cable landing stations are a critical part of the UK’s digital infrastructure, and the Government takes their security seriously. The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) works closely with the National Protective Security Authority (NPSA) and the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) to identify and assess physical and cyber security risks to telecoms infrastructure, including cable landing stations. These assessments inform DSIT and wider Government policy, legislation and engagement with the sector.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-01-30)

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Lord Taylor of Warwick:To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to increase levels of investment into scientific innovation as a proportion of GDP in comparison to other European countries. \p Lord Vallance of Balham: The latest ONS figures show that economy wide R&D investment is c.2.8% of GDP, which places the UK above the OECD average (2.7%). The government is backing innovators across the UK with a record £20.4 billion in R&D spending. The UK is also a leader when it comes to attracting international investment in R&D. We are also taking steps to back high-growth firms developing new innovations, including through reforming the British Business Bank and pursuing pensions reforms to unlock £80 billion of investment. The government also has generous R&D tax relief rates, which will support an estimated £56 billion of business R&D expenditure a year by 2029-30.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-01-30)

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Lord Blunkett:To ask His Majesty's Government what conversations Ministers of the Department of Business and Trade have had with major companies, including former publicly owned utilities, about withdrawing provision for customers to talk to staff directly via telephone, rather than via online communication such as “chat bots” or live online chat services; and what plans they have to ensure that accessible forms of communication are maintained so that companies comply with the Equality Act 2010. \p Baroness Jones of Whitchurch: Ministers maintain a regular schedule of business visits and meetings, with firms of all sizes, including on the topic of customer engagement. Outside of this routine engagement the use of chat bots has not recently been recorded as part of these discussions. However, the Government expects all businesses to treat their consumers fairly, and businesses are required under the Consumer Contracts (Information, Cancellation and Additional Charges) Regulations 2013 to provide contact information in a clear and comprehensible manner which is easily, directly and permanently accessible.

Furthermore, former publicly owned utilities are matters for the relevant regulator or sponsor department and most utilities will be subject to specific sector licencing conditions and are bound by the Equality Act.
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Lord Weir of Ballyholme:To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the additional costs to devolved governments on public sector pay bills as a result of the increase in employer National Insurance contributions. \p Lord Livermore: The UK Government will provide support for departments and other public sector employers for additional employer National Insurance contributions (NICs) costs. This funding will be allocated to UK Government departments, with the Barnett formula applying in the usual way for the devolved governments.

Funding resulting from the employer NICs policy change will be in addition to the devolved governments’ 2025-26 settlements announced at Autumn Budget 2024, which include £47.7 billion for the Scottish Government, £21.0 billion for the Welsh Government, and £18.2 billion for the Northern Ireland Executive. These settlements are the largest in real terms since devolution and ensure that each devolved government receives at least 20% more funding per person than equivalent UK Government spending in other parts of the UK.

Decisions on devolved priorities – including the size and pay levels of the public sector – are a matter for the devolved governments, and it is for them to determine how to allocate their budgets across devolved areas.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-01-30)

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Lord Fuller:To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the letter regarding local government reorganisation sent by the Minister of State for Local Government and English Devolution to the leaders of all two-tier councils and neighbouring unitary authorities, published on 15 January, what statutory process and timetable they expect to use to postpone the May 2025 local council elections in areas that request this; and what consultation will be undertaken with all principal authorities in those areas. \p Baroness Taylor of Stevenage: As set out in my colleague’s letter of 16 December, the Minister will only consider these requests where it is clear that postponement will help the area to deliver both reorganisation and devolution to the most ambitious timeframe. A decision will be made in due course, recognising the need to give confirmation as soon as practically possible. If the decision is to make secondary legislation to postpone elections from May 2025 to 2026, such legislation would be subject to the negative resolution procedure and would come into force no sooner than 21 days after it is laid in Parliament.

The powers in the Local Government Act 2000 under which that legislation will be made do not apply a statutory requirement to undertake consultation. However, the 16 December letter to all councils in two-tier areas and small neighbouring unitaries welcomed views on any matters raised in the letter. Future consultation will be undertaken on devolution and on the reorganisation proposals that are subsequently developed for all areas to which those proposals apply.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-01-30)

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Lord Kempsell:To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to defend UK interests in the Arctic and High North regions. \p Baroness Chapman of Darlington: The Government is actively promoting the UK's interests in the Arctic and High North. in my recent visit to Norway and Iceland, including to the Arctic Circle Assembly, I set out the Government's commitment to a secure, stable, and sustainable region that protects our longstanding and enduring interests, guided by the UK's Arctic Policy Framework. I also met with representatives of Arctic States and Indigenous People to discuss shared challenges and opportunities to deepen collaboration. I have established a cross-Government Ministerial Group on the Polar Regions to help co-ordinate and deliver UK policy. I regularly engage with counterparts from across the Arctic region to discuss our shared commitments on security, defence, science, climate change and nature.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-01-30)

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Lord Swire:To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the contribution of the Migrant Offshore Aid Station (MOAS) evacuation work in Ukraine, and what support they provide to MOAS. \p Baroness Chapman of Darlington: Humanitarian assistance in Ukraine is essential to protecting the lives of innocent civilians. The FCDO is providing at least £120 million in humanitarian aid through to the end of FY 24/25 bringing the total contribution to £477 million to Ukraine and the region since the start of the full-scale invasion, making us one of the largest bilateral humanitarian donors to Ukraine. Although some of our humanitarian partners support frontline medical evacuations like those undertaken by the Migrant Offshore Aid Station (MOAS), we do not directly fund such services.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-01-30)

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Lord Alton of Liverpool:To ask His Majesty's Government what progress has been made in securing the release of £2.5 billion from Roman Abramovich's sale of Chelsea Football Club for humanitarian purposes in Ukraine; and what are the reasons for continuing delay. \p Baroness Chapman of Darlington: This Government is working hard to ensure that proceeds from the sale of Chelsea FC reach humanitarian causes in Ukraine as quickly as possible. UK officials continue to hold discussions with Mr Abramovich's representatives, experts and international partners in pursuit of a resolution.
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Lord West of Spithead:To ask His Majesty's Government whether, beyond the previously announced restrictions on 10 ships, they have taken any further action against Russia’s "shadow fleet" following recent events in the Baltic. \p Baroness Chapman of Darlington: The Government has led the way in targeting Russia's shadow fleet of vessels transporting Russian oil and gas in breach of sanctions. On 17 December we sanctioned a further 20 oil tankers, bringing the total designated by this Government to 89, alongside 9 Liquified Natural Gas carriers. We have also sanctioned 7 vessels involved in the transport of military goods.

Sanctions against individual tankers are working. UK sanctioned ships have transported at least $695 million less in Russian crude and refined oil in the 3 months since we introduced sanctions compared to the previous quarter; and a significant number of tankers have ceased trading altogether.

Following the incident damaging the Estlink 2 undersea cable between Finland and Estonia on 25 December, the UK as a framework nation for the Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF) activated NORDIC WARDEN. This harnesses AI to track potential threats to undersea infrastructure and monitors the movements of the shadow fleet. On 10 January, the UK and US introduced further sanctions to clamp down on Putin's flow of energy revenues. The launch of BALTIC SENTRY on 14 January further improves Allies' ability to respond to destabilising acts.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-01-30)

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Baroness Northover:To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to accelerate progress in combatting female genital mutilation worldwide. \p Lord Collins of Highbury: The UK is utilising our policy, programmatic and diplomatic levers to accelerate global efforts to end Female Genital Mutilation (FGM). Since 2019, the UK has funded Phase II of the Africa Led Movement (ALM) to end FGM programme in Kenya, Ethiopia, Somalia and Senegal. ALM is working with activists, communities and grassroots organisations to harness evidence-based solutions to take end-FGM efforts to scale. The UK also funds the UN Joint Programme on the Elimination of FGM, to influence legislation, policy, and norm change efforts across 17 countries.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-01-30)

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Lord Dodds of Duncairn:To ask His Majesty's Government how much of the £10 million fund to boost investment in strategically important ports linking Northern Ireland and Great Britain has been allocated. \p Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill: On 31 January 2024, the previous government published a command paper on ‘safeguarding the union’. The Government is making progress on the commitments in taking forward the policies set out in the Safeguarding the Union Command Paper.
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Lord Black of Brentwood:To ask His Majesty's Government what discussions Ministers and special advisers in the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs have had with representatives of the tourism industry, including from lobbying firms, in relation to the implementation of the Animals (Low Welfare Activities Abroad) Act 2023. \p Baroness Hayman of Ullock: The Animals (Low Welfare Activities Abroad) Act 2023 provides a framework for the introduction of future bans on the advertising and offering for sale, in England and Northern Ireland, of low-welfare animal activities abroad.

We are engaging stakeholders including the tourism industry and animal welfare groups on the most effective way to deliver the Act and will be setting out next steps in due course.

In addition, we are committed to introducing ambitious plans to improve animal welfare, including bans on trail hunting, puppy smuggling and farming, and snare traps.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-01-30)

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Baroness Jones of Moulsecoomb:To ask His Majesty's Government, following DEFRA’s press release ‘Government to crack down on waste incinerators with stricter standards for new builds’ published on 30 December 2024, what is the timescale for requiring carbon capture and storage technology to be installed on (1) new, and (2) existing, incinerators recovering energy from waste. \p Baroness Hayman of Ullock: The Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero has responsibility for decarbonisation readiness requirements and support for waste CCUS projects. Defra officials work closely with officials in his department on this. The decarbonisation readiness requirements will come into force for new and substantially refurbished energy from waste facilities from 28 February 2026.

The Government has developed a business model to support carbon capture, usage, and storage (CCUS) waste projects and stimulate private sector investment, including project finance. By providing an incentive mechanism for waste CCUS, we can support the sector to decarbonise and support carbon budget and net zero commitments.
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The Lord Bishop of St Albans:To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to prevent the illegal release of beavers into the wild. \p Baroness Hayman of Ullock: This is a devolved matter, and the information provided therefore relates to England only.

Recent speculation in the media was factually incorrect. Defra will continue to work with Natural England to develop our approach to beaver reintroductions and management in England. This work includes consideration of how to prevent further unauthorised release of beavers into the wild.

It is an offence to release a beaver in England without a licence from Natural England. Doing so without a licence carries a penalty of either an unlimited fine or up to six months in prison.
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Baroness Morris of Yardley:To ask His Majesty's Government what steps are being taken by NHS England to ensure that supplies of wigs contracted by the NHS offer a full range, including those appropriate for people of colour. \p Baroness Merron: During the process to renew what is now the current framework agreement, Wigs and Accessories, NHS Supply Chain conducted extensive engagement nationally to fully understand the provision and supply of wigs, and the requirements from both a National Health Service and supplier perspective. A significant challenge was that wig provision is predominantly conducted by the health and beauty industry, who were not familiar with public procurement law and healthcare framework tendering. NHS Supply Chain’s clinical and commercial teams worked closely with these industry groups to support their access to the wigs framework, to provide a wider range of products for NHS providers to access.

The current NHS Supply Chain framework will expire toward the end of 2025 and NHS Supply Chain’s teams are engaging with key stakeholders across the NHS to determine the future approach in this product area, with appropriateness for the wearer as one of the fundamental focus areas of consideration.
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Lord Mendelsohn:To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of infusion capacity within the NHS for blood cancer treatments. \p Baroness Merron: No assessment has been made of infusion capacity within the National Health Service for blood cancer treatments. However, it is a priority for the Government to support the NHS to diagnose and treat cancer, including blood cancer, as early and quickly as possible. The Department is committing to this by delivering an extra 40,000 operations, scans, and appointments each week, to support increased capacity.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-01-30)

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Lord Agnew of Oulton:To ask His Majesty's Government which NHS providers accounted for the largest proportion of the £7.5 billion impairment in its Public Dividend Capital investments in 2023–24 outlined on page 240 of the Department of Health and Social Care’s Annual Report and Accounts 2023–24, published on 17 December 2024; and what were the individual values of those impairments. \p Baroness Merron: Public Dividend Capital (PDC) is impaired, on an individual National Health Service provider basis, where the net assets of those NHS providers fall below the level of PDC issued to that trust or foundation trust, irrespective of whether subsequent PDC write-offs are likely to occur. The following table shows the NHS providers that accounted for the largest proportion of the £7.5 billion impairment in 2023/24, along with their respective values:

NHS provider name

Impairment value

Barts Health NHS Trust

£621,000,000

Barking, Havering and Redbridge University Hospitals NHS Trust

£298,000,000

Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust

£289,000,000

University Hospitals of Derby and Burton NHS Foundation Trust

£282,000,000

University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire NHS Trust

£260,000,000

University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust

£248,000,000

Norfolk and Norwich University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

£238,000,000

University Hospitals of North Midlands NHS Trust

£234,000,000

King's College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust

£216,000,000

Mersey and West Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust

£212,000,000

University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust

£203,000,000

South Tees Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

£201,000,000

North West Anglia NHS Foundation Trust

£196,000,000

Mid Yorkshire Teaching NHS Trust

£187,000,000

St George's University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

£180,000,000

North Bristol NHS Trust

£176,000,000

East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust

£175,000,000

Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust

£172,000,000

Portsmouth Hospitals University NHS Trust

£158,000,000

East Kent Hospitals University NHS Foundation Trust

£145,000,000

Sherwood Forest Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

£131,000,000

Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust

£129,000,000

Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust

£126,000,000

Cumbria, Northumberland, Tyne and Wear NHS Foundation Trust

£105,000,000

A change in the accounting treatment for measuring Private Finance Initiative lease liabilities under International Financial Reporting Standards 16 Leases has partly contributed to the increase in the value of the impairments reported in the Department’s 2023/24 accounts.
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Lord Mendelsohn:To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure haemato-oncology services have the capacity to plan and adopt new innovations in the treatment of blood cancer. \p Baroness Merron: The National Disease Registration Service, through the National Cancer Registration and Analysis Services, collects information on how many people in England have blood cancer, labelled as haematological neoplasms. This data supports service provision and commissioning in the National Health Service, clinical audits, and public health and epidemiological research, all of which contributes to improved outcomes for cancer patients, including blood cancer patients.

The Department is committed to implementing the recommendations of Lord O'Shaughnessy’s review into commercial clinical trials, making sure that the United Kingdom leads the world in clinical trials, and ensuring that innovative, lifesaving treatments are accessible to NHS patients, including those with blood cancer.
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Lord Willis of Knaresborough:To ask His Majesty's Government how many NHS funded organisations in England and Wales recruited nursing associates in each of the years between 2019 and 2024. \p Baroness Merron: Suggested reply

As of September 2024, there are 6,161 full time equivalent nursing associates employed across National Health Service trust and integrated care boards in England, and a further 1,167 in general practice organisations and primary care networks.

The following table shows the number of NHS trust and other core organisations, like integrated care boards and their predecessors, who had one or more nursing associates join the organisation over a 12-month period ending in September, each year from 2018 to 2024:

12 months ending

Count of organisations with nursing associate joiners

September 2019

140

September 2020

132

September 2021

179

September 2022

188

September 2023

195

September 2024

189

Source: NHS England’s NHS Hospital and Community Health Service Workforce Statistics.

Notes:

Nursing associates joining a body could be staff moving from another staff group or level of employment in the same organisation, likely moving from being a trainee nursing associate to being fully qualified, they could be newly employed within an organisation, having already undertaken nursing associate roles or training elsewhere, or they could be returning from unpaid breaks in service such as maternity leave or career breaks. The data is not available to assess nursing associate joiners in other NHS funded organisations, such as in general practices and primary care networks.
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Lord Agnew of Oulton:To ask His Majesty's Government, with reference to pages 239 and 240 of the Department of Health and Social Care Annual Report and Accounts 2023–24, published on 17 December 2024, how many cases of retrospective approval for expenditure outside delegated limits have been identified in the Consolidated NHS Provider Accounts for 2023–24; and whether the Treasury has granted retrospective approval for all these cases to date. \p Baroness Merron: NHS England has requested retrospective approval of five cases from HM Treasury relating to National Health Service trusts and NHS foundation trusts’ special severance payments in the 2023/24 financial year, all five of which are still pending approval. The retrospective approval process is as set out in HM Treasury’s guidance on managing public money, Guidance on Public Sector Exit Payments: Use of Special Severance Payments.
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Baroness Hodgson of Abinger:To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Twycross on 14 January (HL3735), when they will announce the outcome of the Business Planning process, in particular for the Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme. \p Baroness Twycross: On the 22nd of January, I was pleased to announce that the Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme would continue from March 2025 to March 2026 with a budget of £23m. Further details can be found here in the Written Statement.
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Lord Hussain:To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact on family reunification of the minimum income requirement for family visas. \p Lord Hanson of Flint: The Minimum Income Requirement (MIR) aims to ensure family migrants and their family members are financially independent.

Where a person does not meet the MIR, they may still be granted permission to come to or stay in the UK under the Family Immigration Rules if refusal would result in unjustifiable harsh consequences for the applicant or their family member and thereby breach Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights.

The Family Immigration Rules must maintain the balance between respecting the right to family life and protecting the economic wellbeing of the UK. In September 2024 the Home Secretary commissioned the Migration Advisory Committee to review the financial requirements in the Family Immigration Rules. This will ensure a clear understanding of the impact of the MIR and an evidence base for any future changes.

This Government has published the Impact Assessment and Equalities Impact Assessment undertaken by the previous Government when raising the MIR on 11 April 2024: 2024 spring Immigration Rules: impact assessment (accessible) - GOV.UK and Minimum income requirement: equality impact assessment (accessible) - GOV.UK
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Lord Porter of Spalding:To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure that medical complications and associated risks arising from at-home tablet-induced abortions are accurately monitored, recorded, and reported. \p Baroness Merron: It is a legal requirement in England and Wales that all terminations must be notified to the Chief Medical Officer within 14 days of the procedure. The Department provides the HSA4 form for this purpose. Information is collected on the abortion and the woman that had the abortion, including the method of the abortion, whether any abortion pills were taken at home, the gestation, or number of weeks, and details of any known complications.

The Department publishes data from these notifications in annual abortion statistics reports, which include data on complications up until the time of discharge from the abortion service.

In November 2023, the Department published a one-time analysis comparing data from the Department’s Abortion Notification System and the Hospital Episode Statistics, which are produced and controlled by NHS England.

Abortion continues to be a very safe procedure for which major complications are rare at all gestations. The complication rates for the Abortion Notification System and the Hospital Episodes Statistics data remains similar to both before and after the introduction of the home use of early medical abortion pills.
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Lord Kempsell:To ask His Majesty's Government whether they will reverse their decision to end funding for the Latin excellence programme; and, if not, whether they will defer the cessation of funding until pupils currently in the programme have completed their qualifications. \p Baroness Smith of Malvern: ​​The fiscal situation this new government inherited means there are difficult decisions to take on how money is spent right across the public sector to ensure we deliver on our priorities. Given this, the decision to not extend the Latin Excellence Programme beyond the end of the agreed initial three-year contract remains.

The department will work closely with the Centre for Latin Excellence to ensure that teachers currently delivering the Latin curriculum to key stage 4 pupils will be prioritised and will receive extra support in the lead up to the end of the programme on 28 February, to ensure pupils’ continuity of learning. All schools on the programme will continue to have access to the curriculum resources once the programme ends.
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Lord Kempsell:To ask His Majesty's Government whether they will reverse their decision to end funding for the computing hubs programme run by the National Centre for Computing Education. \p Baroness Smith of Malvern: The fiscal situation this new government inherited means there are difficult decisions to take on how money is spent right across the public sector to ensure we deliver on our priorities. Given this, the decision to end funding for the computing hubs remains.

The government will continue to fund the National Centre for Computing Education to support the teaching of computing and increase participation in computer science qualifications. Teachers will still be able to access high-quality continuing professional development and teaching resources to support and enrich computing lessons. Funding beyond 2025/26 financial year to support computing education will be considered through the upcoming Spending Review.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-01-31)

UK Parliament Hansard data: lordswrans/lordswrans2025-01-31 conversation_5

Viscount Waverley:To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to develop educational provision for emerging renewables infrastructure so that the relevant engineering skills and training are sufficient to sustain the industry. \p Baroness Smith of Malvern: The government is committed to the UK becoming a Clean Energy Superpower, achieving clean power by 2030 and net zero carbon emissions by 2050. Skills have a crucial role to play in achieving this mission.

The department is working to ensure the English skills system supports learners, workers and employers to prepare for jobs in renewable energy. This includes the new growth and skills offer, which will prioritise investment that supports economic growth, increases opportunity, better meets employers’ skills needs and increases investment in skills shortage areas.

Other reforms include the Lifelong Learning Entitlement (LLE) and Skills England. The LLE will launch in the 2026/27 academic year and will broaden access to high-quality, flexible education and training by providing funding for full courses as well as modules of high-value courses.

Skills England is a new body which will provide authoritative assessments of skills needs, ensure a comprehensive suite of apprenticeships and technical qualifications and work with devolved areas and regional organisations to ensure skills needs are met. Skills England published its first report in September, highlighting the skills needed to support targets on net zero, the Clean Energy Mission and UK targets for environmental improvements. Skills England are working closely with the Office for Clean Energy Jobs, which focuses on developing a skilled workforce in core energy and net zero sectors, including renewables.

There is already considerable provision for the skills key to renewable infrastructure in delivery across England. For example:

Employers have a crucial role to play in ensuring skills products are up to date and providing the knowledge and training learners need for jobs in the renewable energy industry. Employers can contribute in a range of ways including participating in route reviews or trailblazers for occupational standards, providing industrial placement or work experience opportunities for young people and working with careers hubs to provide up to date industry information. It is also crucial that employers communicate their skills and workforce needs with their local FE training providers to enable those providers to know what provision to offer.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-01-31)

UK Parliament Hansard data: lordswrans/lordswrans2025-01-31 conversation_6

Lord Patten:To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of support for profoundly deaf students in higher education in England. \p Baroness Smith of Malvern: The department wants to break down the barriers to opportunity, ensuring that people of all ages and backgrounds can undertake activities which provide them with the skills and knowledge to support them throughout their education and into employment.

Higher education providers (HEPs) have responsibilities under the Equality Act 2010 to make reasonable adjustments for all their disabled students. Wherever possible, disabled students should expect to have their needs met through inclusive learning practices and individual reasonable adjustments made by their HEPs.

Disabled Students’ Allowance (DSA) is available to help students with the additional costs they may face in higher education (HE) because of their disability.

DSA can be used for the purchase of specialist equipment, for travel or to pay for non-medical help, which is the human support provided to students to enable them to access their studies. DSA is not means tested and does not have to be repaid.

DSA support for deaf students can include, for example, British Sign Language support, a specialist notetaker, computers, assistive software and specialist equipment, such as radio aids.

All HEPs registered with the Office for Students (OfS) that intend to charge higher level tuition fees must have an Access and Participation Plan (APP) approved by the Director for Fair Access and Participation at the OfS. APPs articulate how HEPS will improve equality of opportunity for underrepresented groups. HEPs should consider the Equality of Opportunity Risk Register published by the OfS which details 12 key risks to equality of opportunity within HE and the student groups most at risk, including disabled students.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-01-31)

UK Parliament Hansard data: lordswrans/lordswrans2025-01-31 conversation_7

Baroness Penn:To ask His Majesty's Government further to the Written Answer by Baroness Jones of Whitchurch on 12 December 2024 (HL3041), what plans they have to introduce guidance for parents of babies and children under five on screen time and phone use through midwifery, health visiting or GP services. \p Baroness Smith of Malvern: Across departments, this government is considering the recommendations of the previous Education Committee’s report ‘Screen Time: Impacts on education and wellbeing’, including the report’s recommendations on guidance for parents.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-01-31)

UK Parliament Hansard data: lordswrans/lordswrans2025-01-31 conversation_9

Lord Reid of Cardowan:To ask His Majesty's Government what data they have available regarding the long-term employment outcomes for individuals who have completed apprenticeships compared to those who have not. \p Baroness Smith of Malvern: The department publishes annual data on the employment outcomes of apprentices, including earnings up to five years after completion. The latest data can be found here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/further-education-outcomes#explore-data-and-files. 93% of those who completed an apprenticeship in the 2021/22 academic year were in employment in 2022/23.

Further, a report published by the department in 2021 compared the employment outcomes of those who achieved apprenticeships with similar individuals who did not, three to five years after completion. The report showed that, on average, achieving an apprenticeship led to a four percentage points increase in the likelihood of employment for learners aged 16 and over for apprenticeships at levels 2, 3 and 4/5. The report is attached and can also be accessed here: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/986649/Measuring_the_Net_Present_Value_of_Further_Education_in_England_2018_to_2019.pdf.

HL4063 attachment (pdf, 298.5KB)
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-01-31)

UK Parliament Hansard data: lordswrans/lordswrans2025-01-31 conversation_10

Lord Naseby:To ask His Majesty's Government what progress has been made in addressing alleged hidden commission payments in the vehicle trade. \p Lord Livermore: This is a complicated issue and the government is working closely with the Financial Conduct Authority and Prudential Regulation Authority. The government is pleased that the Supreme Court will hear an appeal from 1-3 April and hopes that its judgment will provide clarity for firms and consumers
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-01-31)

UK Parliament Hansard data: lordswrans/lordswrans2025-01-31 conversation_11

Baroness Lister of Burtersett:To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the merits of extending the Financial Conduct Authority's remit so that it can tackle poor or misleading debt advice delivered by insolvency practitioners and individual voluntary arrangement firms. \p Lord Livermore: The Government recognises the importance of individuals receiving accurate and reliable information when they are considering an Individual Voluntary Arrangement (IVA). When administered well, IVAs provide a debt solution to people who are not eligible for a Debt Relief Order, or who want an alternative to bankruptcy. However, if an IVA is unsuitable, it can leave people in debt for longer and result in further financial difficulty. Oversight of Insolvency Practitioners, who administer IVAs, is provided through standards applied by one of three Recognised Professional Bodies and overseen by the Insolvency Service.

The Insolvency Service is taking action to address concerns about the debt solutions market and expects to see swift action from volume IVA firms to eliminate poor practice. To support this, the Insolvency Service are also working with the sector to publish a new simplified IVA Protocol and key facts document to help consumers understand what they are signing up for. New guidance is also being published for Insolvency Practitioners on their control of cases. This is further to the 2023 publication of a new Standard for Insolvency Practitioners (SIP 3.1), making clear their responsibility to ensure consumers have received an explanation of all potential debt relief solutions so that they can make an informed judgement. The Insolvency Service continues to work to address poor practices through its ongoing review of the personal insolvency framework and continued collaboration with other regulators.

Debt advice providers, and debt packager firms which may refer individuals to IVA providers and other debt solutions, are regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). In 2023, the FCA banned referral fees for debt packager firms to remove incentives to recommend debt solutions which may not be in the consumer’s best interest.

The ongoing collaboration between the FCA, the Insolvency Service, and other stakeholders reflects a concerted effort to enhance consumer protection in the debt advice and insolvency sectors. The Government will continue to monitor the effectiveness of existing regulatory frameworks.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-01-31)

UK Parliament Hansard data: lordswrans/lordswrans2025-01-31 conversation_12

Lord Naseby:To ask His Majesty's Government why grandparents cannot manage the online investment of existing junior independent savings accounts, and whether they plan to review this. \p Lord Livermore: To ensure that the Junior Individual Savings Accounts (JISA) regime remains simple and sustainable, HMRC restrict who can open and manage an account to prevent more than one JISA of each type (cash or stocks and shares) being opened in error. It also ensures that there is a single point of contact for the giving of instructions. Given the nature of the role, the ISA rules require this to be someone with parental responsibility for the child. A grandparent who does not have parental responsibility is therefore unable to open or manage a Junior ISA on behalf of their grandchild but can add funds to the account, up to the value of £9,000 a year.

The Government continues to keep all aspects of savings policy under review.