Asked by: Baroness Goudie (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what progress they have made in securing an international convention prohibiting the use of rape or sexual violence as a weapon of war, including enforceable and effective sanctions in response to any breaches.
Answered by Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park
It is unacceptable that sexual violence and rape continue to take place in conflicts around the world and are, in some cases, used as a method of warfare. Among other things, rape can be a war crime, a crime against humanity and a form of torture. Rape is prohibited under international humanitarian law, international criminal law, international human rights law and UN Security Council resolutions.
The UK is stepping up its ambition to end the culture of impunity that has pervaded acts of Conflict Related Sexual Violence (CRSV). In the first instance, we are focused on addressing the gaps in implementation of existing laws at the national level. We are also seeking further concerted action on the Crimes Against Humanity (CAH) Convention, which is vital to strengthen the international legal architecture and prosecute atrocity crimes including some forms of CRSV. Both of these steps could pave the way for a CRSV Convention in due course.
The UK will host the international Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict Initiative (PSVI) conference in November 2022. This will be a key opportunity to show UK leadership and rally international support to agree further action on sexual violence in conflict to eliminate this crime, including stronger international action to promote accountability.
Asked by: Baroness Goudie (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they will take to ensure that vulnerable school children receive a healthy, nutritious, and free hot meal every day, without affecting the sustainability of school budgets.
Answered by Baroness Barran
The department recognises the cost pressures that some schools and suppliers may be facing, and are holding regular meetings with other government departments and food industry representatives, covering a variety of issues including public sector food supplies.
Under the benefits-related criteria, the department provides a free, healthy meal to around 1.9 million children. This ensures they are well-nourished and can concentrate, learn and achieve in the classroom. Schools fund benefit-related free school meals (FSM) from their core funding, which they receive through the schools block of the dedicated schools grant (DSG). This is derived from the national funding formula (NFF). For the 2022/23 financial year, the funding schools attract through the FSM factor in the NFF is increasing to £470 per eligible pupil.
Cost pressures should be seen in the wider context of funding for schools. In recognition of cost pressures, after the NFF rates were set, the department received additional funding from HM Treasury for core schools funding in the 2022/23 financial year, which we distributed through a schools supplementary grant. As a result of this additional funding, core schools funding for mainstream schools is increasing by £2.5 billion in the 2022/23 financial year, compared to last year.
The department also spends around £600 million on Universal Infant Free School Meals each year. The per meal rate has been increased to £2.41, and backdated to 1 April 2022, in recognition of increased costs.
Schools have the autonomy to agree individual contracts with school food suppliers and caterers. Schools and trusts can also utilise the department’s Get Help Buying for Schools Service, which provides specialist support, advice and guidance for schools around their procurement activity, including support for complex procurements such as catering and signposting to DfE recommended frameworks for schools and trusts.
The standards for school food are set out in the requirements for school food regulations 2014 and are to ensure that schools provide children with healthy food and drink options, and to make sure that children get the energy and nutrition they need across the school day.
Schools also have flexibility under the School Food Standards to substitute food and regularly update and change menus. They may make changes if ingredients or meals are not readily available.
Asked by: Baroness Goudie (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they will take to mitigate the impact of increased costs on the quality of the menus provided by education providers.
Answered by Baroness Barran
The department recognises the cost pressures that some schools and suppliers may be facing, and are holding regular meetings with other government departments and food industry representatives, covering a variety of issues including public sector food supplies.
Under the benefits-related criteria, the department provides a free, healthy meal to around 1.9 million children. This ensures they are well-nourished and can concentrate, learn and achieve in the classroom. Schools fund benefit-related free school meals (FSM) from their core funding, which they receive through the schools block of the dedicated schools grant (DSG). This is derived from the national funding formula (NFF). For the 2022/23 financial year, the funding schools attract through the FSM factor in the NFF is increasing to £470 per eligible pupil.
Cost pressures should be seen in the wider context of funding for schools. In recognition of cost pressures, after the NFF rates were set, the department received additional funding from HM Treasury for core schools funding in the 2022/23 financial year, which we distributed through a schools supplementary grant. As a result of this additional funding, core schools funding for mainstream schools is increasing by £2.5 billion in the 2022/23 financial year, compared to last year.
The department also spends around £600 million on Universal Infant Free School Meals each year. The per meal rate has been increased to £2.41, and backdated to 1 April 2022, in recognition of increased costs.
Schools have the autonomy to agree individual contracts with school food suppliers and caterers. Schools and trusts can also utilise the department’s Get Help Buying for Schools Service, which provides specialist support, advice and guidance for schools around their procurement activity, including support for complex procurements such as catering and signposting to DfE recommended frameworks for schools and trusts.
The standards for school food are set out in the requirements for school food regulations 2014 and are to ensure that schools provide children with healthy food and drink options, and to make sure that children get the energy and nutrition they need across the school day.
Schools also have flexibility under the School Food Standards to substitute food and regularly update and change menus. They may make changes if ingredients or meals are not readily available.
Asked by: Baroness Goudie (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the Minister of State for the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon, discussed the issue of Pakistan selling arms to the Myanmar military during his phone call with Pakistan's Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Hina Rabbani Khar, on 1 June.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
The UK is a longstanding supporter of an arms embargo on Myanmar. We are clear that countries should not sell arms to the Myanmar military. On 27 March, the UK coordinated a joint statement with 48 signatories that committed us to working to prevent the flow of arms and equipment to the Myanmar military. We have also worked with partners to secure strong language on stopping the flow of arms at the G7, UN General Assembly and the UN Human Rights Council. Earlier this year, British High Commission Islamabad officials raised Pakistan's sale of arms to the Myanmar military with the Pakistani authorities.
Asked by: Baroness Goudie (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will campaign for the adoption of a resolution at the UN Human Rights Council’s 50th session that (1) extends the mandate of the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Eritrea, (2) describes and condemns human rights violations in Eritrea, and (3) sets benchmarks for improvement.
Answered by Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park
Eritrea remains a Human Rights Priority Country for the UK. As in previous years, we will work with likeminded partners - particularly the EU as penholders of the resolution - to ensure the mandate of the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Eritrea is extended at the upcoming 50th session of the Human Rights Council via a robust and credible resolution. We fully support the work of the Special Rapporteur and welcome both his report and his establishment of a set of human rights benchmarks for Eritrea to meet in order to show improvement.
At the Interactive Dialogue with the Special Rapporteur the UK urged Eritrea to prioritise National Service reform; release all those in arbitrary detention; guarantee freedom of religion or belief for all faiths; and protect freedom of expression. We also continue to call on the Government of Eritrea to 1) allow the Special Rapporteur to visit Eritrea and cooperate fully with his mandate, 2) engage and cooperate fully with the mandate of the International Commission of Human Rights Experts in Ethiopia, established by the Human Rights Council at the 33rd Special Session on 17 December 2021 to investigate human rights violations and abuses committed by all parties to the conflict in Ethiopia, and 3) engage constructively with the recommendations of the 3 November 2021 UN-Ethiopian Human Rights Commission joint investigation report.
Asked by: Baroness Goudie (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have, in advance of the conference on the Horn of Africa drought on 26 April, to commit new funding to mitigate the effects of that drought.
Answered by Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park
It has not proved possible to respond to this question in the time available before Prorogation. Ministers will correspond directly with the Member.Asked by: Baroness Goudie (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government why Ukrainian refugees are able to have their visa biometrics taken upon entry to the UK but Afghan refugees are not; and what steps they are taking to relax this rule for refugees from Afghanistan.
Answered by Lord Harrington of Watford
Biometrics, in the form of a facial image and fingerprints, underpin the UK’s immigration system to support identity assurance and suitability checks on foreign nationals who are subject to immigration control. They enable us to conduct comprehensive checks to prevent leave being granted to those who pose a threat to national security or are likely to breach our laws. Our approach in terms of both Afghanistan and Ukraine is based on advice relating to national security we have received.
Eligible Ukrainians with valid international Ukrainian passports who apply to the Ukraine Family Scheme, or the Homes for Ukraine Scheme, do not currently need to go to a Visa Application Centre (VAC) to give their biometrics before they come to the UK.
Vital security checks will continue on all cases. This decision was made exceptionally as a temporary arrangement to ensure VACs across Europe could focus their efforts on helping Ukrainians without valid passports. It will be kept under review if the security situation changes and it becomes necessary to make further changes to protect the people of the UK.
We remain committed to supporting Afghan nationals through the Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy scheme and the Afghan Citizens Resettlement Scheme to come to the UK, as set out in the Afghanistan resettlement and immigration policy statement published on 13 September 2021. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/afghanistan-resettlement-and-immigration-policy-statement
Asked by: Baroness Goudie (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure (1) girls' education in Afghanistan, and (2) the human rights of women in that country.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
The Government has made clear its condemnation of the Taliban's 23 March decision not to re-open girls secondary schools, including through statements from the G7+, female foreign ministers and the UN Security Council. We continue to monitor the Taliban's actions and to raise the rights of women and girls in our political engagement with the Taliban, including pressing them to ensure full and equal access to education for all. Ministers and officials regularly meet Afghan women; on 24 March I [Lord Ahmad] met a diverse group of Afghan women leaders.
On 31 March the UK co-hosted a humanitarian pledging conference with the UN, Qatar and Germany which raised over $2.4 billion for the UN's humanitarian appeal. The Foreign Secretary announced £286 million of aid for Afghanistan for this financial year. We are committed that at least 50% of those we reach with our aid should be women and girls. Our humanitarian programmes will provide assistance to the most vulnerable. We are funding child protection support and supporting access to gender-based violence services.
Asked by: Baroness Goudie (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what (1) notice, and (2) information, is being given to Afghan refugees and their relatives when a family is moved to another address.
Answered by Lord Harrington of Watford
The UK Government undertook the biggest and fastest emergency evacuation in recent history, helping over 15,000 people to safety from Afghanistan. Due to the scale and pace of the evacuation we have had to use hotels as a temporary measure.
We do not want to keep people in temporary accommodation for any longer than is absolutely necessary. We have moved – or are in the process of moving - over 6,000 people into homes since June 2021. There is a huge effort underway to support the families into permanent homes as soon as we can so they can settle and rebuild their lives, and to ensure those still temporarily accommodated in hotels are given the best start to their life in the UK.
The length of time that a family will remain in bridging hotels is dependent on a number of factors including the availability of appropriate housing. We are working at pace across government and with over three hundred Local Authority partners to allocate the right families into the right accommodation to ensure that their integration into their new communities in the UK is as smooth as possible.
Families are given seven days’ notice of their move to settled accommodation. During this time, they can prepare for their move and discuss any concerns with their Home Office Liaison Officer. They are provided with the contact details of their new local authority, so that they can talk to the people who will be supporting them with their move and providing them with long term assistance with integration.
Asked by: Baroness Goudie (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government when Afghan refugees who have been placed in unsuitable accommodation in hotels will be rehoused and properly settled in the UK.
Answered by Lord Harrington of Watford
The UK Government undertook the biggest and fastest emergency evacuation in recent history, helping over 15,000 people to safety from Afghanistan. Due to the scale and pace of the evacuation we have had to use hotels as a temporary measure.
We do not want to keep people in temporary accommodation for any longer than is absolutely necessary. We have moved – or are in the process of moving - over 6,000 people into homes since June 2021. There is a huge effort underway to support the families into permanent homes as soon as we can so they can settle and rebuild their lives, and to ensure those still temporarily accommodated in hotels are given the best start to their life in the UK.
The length of time that a family will remain in bridging hotels is dependent on a number of factors including the availability of appropriate housing. We are working at pace across government and with over three hundred Local Authority partners to allocate the right families into the right accommodation to ensure that their integration into their new communities in the UK is as smooth as possible.
Families are given seven days’ notice of their move to settled accommodation. During this time, they can prepare for their move and discuss any concerns with their Home Office Liaison Officer. They are provided with the contact details of their new local authority, so that they can talk to the people who will be supporting them with their move and providing them with long term assistance with integration.