Asked by: Baroness Lister of Burtersett (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the compatibility of the immigration, asylum and nationality function exemption from corporate parenting responsibilities at clauses 21 and 22 of the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill with the removal of the UK’s immigration reservation to the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.
Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Minister for Women and Equalities)
The government is committed to supporting all looked-after children and care leavers. The Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill introduces corporate parenting responsibilities for government departments and public bodies. This includes a new duty on corporate parents to be alert to matters which could adversely affect the wellbeing of these children and young people, when exercising their functions.
The impacts of the policy on child’s rights and equalities have been assessed. The exemption of functions relating to immigration, asylum, nationality and customs only applies to the specific functions, not to young people themselves, so all looked-after children and care leavers, regardless of immigration status, will be in scope of support provided by corporate parents. Secretaries of State, including my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for the Home Department, will be required to consider the wellbeing of all looked-after children and care leavers when exercising functions other than those relating to asylum, immigration, nationality or customs.
The UK gives effect to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child in immigration matters that affect children through Section 55 of the Borders, Citizenship and Immigration Act 2009. This requires my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education, to make arrangements for ensuring that immigration, asylum and nationality functions are discharged having regard to the need to safeguard and promote the welfare of children who are in the UK.
Asked by: Baroness Lister of Burtersett (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether the proposal to remove eligibility for the Limited Capability for Work and Work-Related Activity group from people who are under the age of 22 will affect those in specialist education colleges.
Answered by Baroness Sherlock - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The Universal Credit Bill makes no change to the eligibility of young people under 22 for the Universal Credit Health element. The proposal to restrict access to the element was the subject of a consultation which closed on 30 June. The responses to the consultation are now being reviewed, and the Government’s conclusion will be announced in due course.
Asked by: Baroness Lister of Burtersett (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask His Majesty's Government how many junior soldiers residing at the Army Foundation College in Harrogate who entered in September 2024 were care leavers.
Answered by Lord Coaker - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
There are 39 Junior Soldiers registered as care leavers from the September 2024 intake.
Asked by: Baroness Lister of Burtersett (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether any provisions of the Children’s Wellbeing Bill and Schools Bill will apply to the Ministry of Defence as an employer and educator.
Answered by Lord Coaker - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
The Ministry of Defence (MOD) supports this Bill as we are aware of the unique challenges our personnel and their families face. While much of this Bill will not apply to schools overseas run by the MOD, we will support aspects that impact our work, primarily around safeguarding. As part of our commitment to our Service families we take the safeguarding of children particularly seriously, and we have a strong social-work service and well-trained teams supporting each branch of the military wherever they are posted, including overseas. Our teams also work very closely with the Department for Education and Devolved Administrations to ensure Service children’s wellbeing and education is supported.
Asked by: Baroness Lister of Burtersett (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask His Majesty's Government what was the outcome of Project ATHENA 2, which was due to take place between 2022 and 2023, at the Army Foundation College in Harrogate; and whether they will place a copy of the results of the project in the Library of the House.
Answered by Lord Coaker - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
It will take time to collate and review the information needed to answer the noble Lady's question. I will write to her shortly and place a copy of my letter in the Library of the House.
Asked by: Baroness Lister of Burtersett (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to support local authorities to establish access panels for disabled people to contribute to transport policy making, following the model used in Scotland.
Answered by Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill - Minister of State (Department for Transport)
The Sustrans Transforming Mobility Report highlights how paid access panels could be one means by which local transport authorities engage with disabled people to shape, review, and monitor transport policies and projects, so that accessibility is embedded from the start of projects.
This recommendation is aimed at local leaders, who know their communities and are best placed to make decisions about how they can improve local transport for disabled people. Improving accessibility is a collaborative effort, with operators, industry, and local authorities having key parts to play – alongside the support of all passengers. Breaking down barriers to opportunity is a core mission statement for this government and that is why we are developing an Integrated National Transport Strategy to enable us to better work with partners across the transport sector to deliver a network that works for all passengers.
More widely, the government is committed to improving public transport services, so they are more inclusive and enable disabled people to travel safely, confidently and with dignity. The Bus Services (No.2) Bill, introduced by the government on 17 December is intended to ensure networks meet the needs of the communities who rely on them and includes measures which will make bus travel more accessible and inclusive. In addition, on 1 October 2024, the first phase of the Public Service Vehicles (Accessible Information) Regulations 2023 came into force, meaning that newer vehicles providing local services must provide audible and visible information on stops, destinations and diversions. The majority of services will need to comply by October 2026.
Ensuring the rail network is accessible is at the heart of our passenger-focused approach to improving rail services. We are committed to improving the experience for disabled passengers and have committed to publishing an accessibility roadmap to explain the actions we are taking to improve accessibility ahead of the establishment of Great British Rail.
Asked by: Baroness Lister of Burtersett (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of (1) Lambeth Council's kerbside strategy and (2) the merits of supporting other local authorities to produce kerbside strategies.
Answered by Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill - Minister of State (Department for Transport)
The Government has made no such assessment. The Department’s street design guidance Manual for Streets includes a hierarchy that puts consideration of the needs of people walking and cycling first. Kerbside strategies are one tool available to local authorities to help manage their roads in line with this hierarchy and with the wider principles of the Manual, to achieve their local objectives. Local authorities are encouraged to share good practice with each other.
Asked by: Baroness Lister of Burtersett (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government when they plan to publish the 2024 asylum support rates review; and why that review has not yet been made publicly available.
Answered by Lord Hanson of Flint - Minister of State (Home Office)
As per standard practice, a report on the 2024 review of weekly allowances paid to asylum seekers and failed asylum seekers will be published on gov.uk in due course. In reviewing the rates, the 2024 review utilised the same methodology as the 2023 review.
Asked by: Baroness Lister of Burtersett (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of the deconstruction of Grenfell Tower on the mental health of children and young people affected by the tragedy or living nearby.
Answered by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
The government is committed to ensuring there is appropriate health and wellbeing support in schools for children, young people and the entire school population closely affected by the Grenfell Tower tragedy, particularly as we prepare to carefully take down Grenfell Tower in the autumn.
We are working closely with the Department for Education, Department for Health and Social Care, the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea and the NHS Integrated Care Board to discuss appropriate emotional and wellbeing support to local schools.
I appreciate how pressing this matter is and the department continues to work closely with local headteachers, health partners and RBKC to ensure we support children and young people throughout this sensitive period.
Asked by: Baroness Lister of Burtersett (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the reply of the Minister for Social Security and Disability, on 3 February (HC Deb col 549), when they intend to set out (1) the terms of reference of that review into Universal Credit, and (2) details of how it will be taken forward.
Answered by Baroness Sherlock - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
This Government is committed to ensuring Universal Credit is fit for the future so that it drives up living standards, reduces poverty and makes work pay. Through this work, the Universal Credit review is considering the support across three themes:
We have not published terms of reference for the review, allowing us to take a flexible approach, shaped by the people with direct experience of Universal Credit. We are continuing to work with stakeholders so they are able to set out their concerns about Universal Credit as well as make suggestions about where it could be improved.