Asked by: Baroness Jones of Moulsecoomb (Green Party - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact alcohol interlocks will have on improving road safety.
Answered by Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill - Minister of State (Department for Transport)
The Government is committed to reducing the numbers of those killed and injured on our roads.
We are considering a range of policies under the new Road Safety Strategy; the first for ten years. This includes the case for changing the motoring offences, such as drink driving. We intend to publish this by the end of the year.
In 2019 the Parliamentary Advisory Council for Transport Safety (PACTS) was awarded a grant from the Department for Transport to undertake research into the feasibility of the using alcohol interlocks (“alcolocks”) as part of drink-drive offender rehabilitation programmes. This research examined alcohol interlock usage in other countries.
Asked by: Baroness Jones of Moulsecoomb (Green Party - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of international evidence on the use of alcohol interlocks within offender rehabilitation programmes.
Answered by Lord Timpson - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)
In 2021, the Government commissioned PACTS (Parliamentary Advisory Council for Transport Safety) to publish a report on alcohol interlocks: https://www.pacts.org.uk/locking-out-the-drink-driver-using-alcohol-interlocks-to-reduce-drink-driving-in-the-uk/.
We, in the Ministry of Justice, believe that courts should have the flexibility they need to sentence offenders appropriately and, as part of a community or suspended sentence the courts have a range of robust powers to punish and rehabilitate offenders and protect the public. This includes the option for an Alcohol Abstinence and Monitoring Requirement which imposes an alcohol ban for up to 120 days, with compliance electronically monitored using an alcohol tag.
Published statistics show a compliance rate with the ban of 97.2% for days monitored, since introduction, Electronic Monitoring Statistics Publication, June 2023 - GOV.UK. The courts also have powers to include treatment requirements as part of a sentence served in the community, with the aim of addressing the root causes of offending.
The Government keeps motoring offences under review, including those for drink driving. The Ministry of Justice is committed to continuous improvement and innovation, and we will continue to assess the capabilities and reliability of technology.
Asked by: Baroness Jones of Moulsecoomb (Green Party - Life peer)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to increase the level of taxation on large polluting vehicles in line with countries such as France.
Answered by Lord Livermore - Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)
Vehicle Excise Duty (VED) is a tax on vehicles used or kept on public roads. For certain vehicle classifications, VED liability is partially calculated in accordance with the vehicle’s weight, reflecting the greater road damage caused by heavier vehicles. For example, Heavy Goods Vehicle VED rates are set based on a vehicle’s weight, suspension and trailer.
The Government annually reviews the rates and thresholds of taxes and reliefs to ensure that they are appropriate and reflect the current state of the economy. The Chancellor makes decisions on tax policy at fiscal events in the context of the public finances.
Asked by: Baroness Jones of Moulsecoomb (Green Party - Life peer)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to account for car weight in vehicle excise duty.
Answered by Lord Livermore - Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)
Vehicle Excise Duty (VED) is a tax on vehicles used or kept on public roads. For certain vehicle classifications, VED liability is partially calculated in accordance with the vehicle’s weight, reflecting the greater road damage caused by heavier vehicles. For example, Heavy Goods Vehicle VED rates are set based on a vehicle’s weight, suspension and trailer.
The Government annually reviews the rates and thresholds of taxes and reliefs to ensure that they are appropriate and reflect the current state of the economy. The Chancellor makes decisions on tax policy at fiscal events in the context of the public finances.
Asked by: Baroness Jones of Moulsecoomb (Green Party - Life peer)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of new taxes on electric vehicles (EVs), such as a pay-per-mile scheme, on manufacturers' ability to increase EV sales in line with the zero-emission vehicle mandate.
Answered by Lord Livermore - Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)
The government keeps the tax system under review, with changes announced at fiscal events and careful consideration given to the impacts of any changes.
The government remains committed to supporting the transition to electric vehicles, which is key to meeting our net zero goals and will drive growth and productivity across the UK.
Asked by: Baroness Jones of Moulsecoomb (Green Party - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask His Majesty's Government how many prisoners in England and Wales were eligible to vote in the general election on 4 July 2024.
Answered by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
Prisoners convicted of a crime and serving a sentence in custody are not allowed to vote in UK Parliamentary elections.
Those imprisoned for default in paying fines or contempt of court, individuals held on remand who are not convicted, and those released on temporary licence or home detention curfew are not legally barred from voting, but they must meet the other eligibility criteria and be registered to vote. The Government does not hold data on how many such individuals there were, nor how many voted in the general election on 4 July 2024.
Asked by: Baroness Jones of Moulsecoomb (Green Party - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask His Majesty's Government how many prisoners in England and Wales voted in the general election on 4 July 2024.
Answered by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
Prisoners convicted of a crime and serving a sentence in custody are not allowed to vote in UK Parliamentary elections.
Those imprisoned for default in paying fines or contempt of court, individuals held on remand who are not convicted, and those released on temporary licence or home detention curfew are not legally barred from voting, but they must meet the other eligibility criteria and be registered to vote. The Government does not hold data on how many such individuals there were, nor how many voted in the general election on 4 July 2024.
Asked by: Baroness Jones of Moulsecoomb (Green Party - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask His Majesty's Government, following the recent report published by Barnardo’s and the Co-op, Deeper Roots, Stronger Futures: Unlocking the Potential of Food Partnerships with Young People, what assessment have they made of the role of food partnerships in supporting young people; and whether this will be reflected in their upcoming youth strategy.
Answered by Baroness Twycross - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
We will review this report as part of our work to develop a new National Youth Strategy. The Strategy is being co-produced with young people and stakeholders working with and for young people, and the breadth of issues it covers will be shaped by our engagement.
The strategy will aim to better coordinate youth services, as well as move away from one-size-fits all approaches from central government, bringing power back to young people and their communities and rebuilding a thriving and sustainable sector. We will be publishing the strategy in the autumn.
Alongside this, The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs’ food strategy will articulate the outcomes we want from the food system enabling government, civil society, and the food industry to work to shared goals and priorities. Local and place-based approaches will have a key role to play in delivery of these outcomes. The government will continue to work with partners across the food system as we develop our approach.
Asked by: Baroness Jones of Moulsecoomb (Green Party - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether their forthcoming food strategy will include a commitment to establish a food partnership in every local authority area by 2030, with opportunities for young people to be involved from the outset.
Answered by Baroness Hayman of Ullock - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The food strategy will articulate the outcomes we want from the food system enabling the Government, civil society, and the food industry work to shared goals and priorities. Local and place-based approaches will have a key role to play in delivery of these outcomes. We will continue to work with partners across the food system as we develop our approach.
Asked by: Baroness Jones of Moulsecoomb (Green Party - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to replace custodial sentences of 12 months or fewer with community sentences.
Answered by Lord Timpson - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)
The Independent Sentencing Review has recommended that the Government limit the use of short custodial sentences, a position we support.
We know that community orders and suspended sentence orders can more effectively reduce reoffending when compared to short sentences of immediate custody. While short custodial sentences may be useful in some circumstances, they often fall short in the meaningful rehabilitation of offenders and have a limited deterrent effect. Instead, more of those individuals should be dealt with through tough community sentences that incentivise them to turn their lives around.
Following the Independent Sentencing Review, we will bring forward legislation, in the coming months.