Asked by: Baroness Owen of Alderley Edge (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Jones of Whitchurch on 27 March (HL5777), whether they will now answer the question put; namely, how many (1) charities, (2) campaign organisations, and (3) survivors, the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology has met regarding adult non-consensual intimate image abuse since 5 July 2024; and how many such meetings they have held in total and on which dates they have taken place.
Answered by Baroness Jones of Whitchurch - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
Ministers and officials have regular meetings with a range of stakeholders about issues related to online harms, including adult non-consensual intimate image abuse.
Ministerial meetings and engagements are published through quarterly transparency reports on GOV.UK.
Asked by: Baroness Owen of Alderley Edge (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure that young girls continue to engage in sport from primary school to senior school.
Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Minister for Women and Equalities)
The government is committed to breaking down barriers to accessing sport and physical activity for children and young people, including girls. We set out our intention to support more children to be active by protecting time for physical education (PE) in schools and working across government to support the role grassroots clubs play in expanding access to sport and physical activity.
The School Games Mark, funded by the government and managed by the Youth Sport Trust, has introduced mandatory equality criteria for PE, school sport and physical activity participation for the 2024/25 academic year. Schools can review their provision and test whether they are overcoming barriers girls and boys may face and ensure they are listening to the voice of the pupils as part of their planning and delivery. Best practice from the School Games Mark will be shared with all schools to enhance girls' equal access to sport.
Schools are also supported to increase girls’ engagement in sport through programmes delivered by sector organisations, such as the Football Association’s ‘Barclays Girls’ Football School Partnerships programme and Sport England’s online ‘Studio You’ programme.
Asked by: Baroness Owen of Alderley Edge (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking (1) to encourage young children to participate in sports, and (2) to emphasise the benefits of physical activity.
Answered by Baroness Twycross - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
The Government puts children and young people at the heart of our priorities. This includes breaking down barriers to opportunity for every child to realise the benefits of and access high-quality sport and physical activity, especially those who are less likely to be active.
The independent, expert-led review of the school curriculum will ensure that all children can engage with a broad range of subjects, including PE and sport.
The Government recently announced £100 million additional funding for the UK-wide Multi-Sport Grassroots Facilities Programme which funds new and upgraded pitches, facilities, and equipment. Funding will ensure that sites can provide a more inclusive and sustainable offer throughout the year for local communities, including for children and young people.
Asked by: Baroness Owen of Alderley Edge (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask His Majesty's Government what range of sentences have been received by people who have been prosecuted for non-payment of the BBC licence fee within the past five years.
Answered by Lord Ponsonby of Shulbrede - Lord in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
The Ministry of Justice publishes data on TV licence evasions at criminal courts in England and Wales be in the Outcomes by Offences data tool, that can be downloaded from the Criminal Justice Statistics landing page here: Criminal Justice Statistics Quarterly: June 2024.
The number of prosecutions for TV licence evasion in the past five years and the percentage of which are women can be found in the following table:
Table 1: The number of prosecutions for TV license evasion, at criminal courts, between year ending June 2020 and year ending June 2024, in England and Wales (1,2,3,4,5,6)
| Year ending June 2020 | Year ending June 2021 | Year ending June 2022 | Year ending 2023 | Year ending 2024 |
Total prosecutions | 81,788 | 53,879 | 47,692 | 39,870 | 28,542 |
Female prosecution rate | 75% | 75% | 75% | 74% | 73% |
Source: Court Proceedings Database
The sentence outcomes for TV licence evasion in the past five years can be found in the following table:
Table 2: The sentence outcomes for TV license evasion, at criminal courts, between Year ending June 2020 and year ending June 2024, in England and Wales (1,2,3,4)
| Year ending June 2020 | Year ending June 2021 | Year ending June 2022 | Year ending 2023 | Year ending 2024 |
Absolute discharge | 132 | 117 | 60 | 72 | 65 |
Compensation | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Conditional discharge | 1,119 | 972 | 666 | 630 | 595 |
Fine | 75,087 | 49,385 | 43,395 | 35,813 | 25,006 |
Not known | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Other | 10 | 5 | 1 | 5 | 7 |
| 76,351 | 50,480 | 44,122 | 36,520 | 25,673 |
Source: Court Proceedings Database
Notes:
1. Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by the courts. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used.
2. These figures are presented on a principal offence basis - i.e. reporting information relating to the most serious offence that a defendant was dealt with for. When a defendant has been found guilty of two or more offences it is the offence for which the heaviest penalty is imposed. Where the same disposal is imposed for two or more offences, the offence selected is the offence for which the statutory maximum penalty is the most severe.
3. These figures are presented on a principal disposal basis - i.e. reporting the most severe sentence issued for the offence.
4. Only rows with non-zero values within the specified time period will appear in the table.
5. Demographic information, such as a defendant's age, sex, ethnicity, etc. can be sparsely recorded for summary offences. This is because prosecutions for summary offences do not always require an individual to physically attend court (e.g., Single Justice Procedure cases) where this information would typically be recorded. Therefore, if the information held by police or other prosecutors is incomplete, demographic information may not be captured within the court data.
6. The total number of prosecutions includes cases where gender is not recorded
7. The female prosecution rate is based on the total number of prosecutions where gender is recorded
Asked by: Baroness Owen of Alderley Edge (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask His Majesty's Government how many people in the past five years have been prosecuted for non-payment of the BBC licence fee; and what percentage of these people were women.
Answered by Lord Ponsonby of Shulbrede - Lord in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
The Ministry of Justice publishes data on TV licence evasions at criminal courts in England and Wales be in the Outcomes by Offences data tool, that can be downloaded from the Criminal Justice Statistics landing page here: Criminal Justice Statistics Quarterly: June 2024.
The number of prosecutions for TV licence evasion in the past five years and the percentage of which are women can be found in the following table:
Table 1: The number of prosecutions for TV license evasion, at criminal courts, between year ending June 2020 and year ending June 2024, in England and Wales (1,2,3,4,5,6)
| Year ending June 2020 | Year ending June 2021 | Year ending June 2022 | Year ending 2023 | Year ending 2024 |
Total prosecutions | 81,788 | 53,879 | 47,692 | 39,870 | 28,542 |
Female prosecution rate | 75% | 75% | 75% | 74% | 73% |
Source: Court Proceedings Database
The sentence outcomes for TV licence evasion in the past five years can be found in the following table:
Table 2: The sentence outcomes for TV license evasion, at criminal courts, between Year ending June 2020 and year ending June 2024, in England and Wales (1,2,3,4)
| Year ending June 2020 | Year ending June 2021 | Year ending June 2022 | Year ending 2023 | Year ending 2024 |
Absolute discharge | 132 | 117 | 60 | 72 | 65 |
Compensation | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Conditional discharge | 1,119 | 972 | 666 | 630 | 595 |
Fine | 75,087 | 49,385 | 43,395 | 35,813 | 25,006 |
Not known | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Other | 10 | 5 | 1 | 5 | 7 |
| 76,351 | 50,480 | 44,122 | 36,520 | 25,673 |
Source: Court Proceedings Database
Notes:
1. Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by the courts. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used.
2. These figures are presented on a principal offence basis - i.e. reporting information relating to the most serious offence that a defendant was dealt with for. When a defendant has been found guilty of two or more offences it is the offence for which the heaviest penalty is imposed. Where the same disposal is imposed for two or more offences, the offence selected is the offence for which the statutory maximum penalty is the most severe.
3. These figures are presented on a principal disposal basis - i.e. reporting the most severe sentence issued for the offence.
4. Only rows with non-zero values within the specified time period will appear in the table.
5. Demographic information, such as a defendant's age, sex, ethnicity, etc. can be sparsely recorded for summary offences. This is because prosecutions for summary offences do not always require an individual to physically attend court (e.g., Single Justice Procedure cases) where this information would typically be recorded. Therefore, if the information held by police or other prosecutors is incomplete, demographic information may not be captured within the court data.
6. The total number of prosecutions includes cases where gender is not recorded
7. The female prosecution rate is based on the total number of prosecutions where gender is recorded
Asked by: Baroness Owen of Alderley Edge (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask His Majesty's Government how many (1) charities, (2) campaign organisations, and (3) survivors, the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology has met regarding adult non-consensual intimate image abuse since 5 July 2024; and on which date each meeting took place.
Answered by Baroness Jones of Whitchurch - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
The Secretary of State has made it a key priority to tackle intimate image abuse and in September 2024 made new intimate images offences priority offences under the OSA. Online platforms must proactively tackle such content from 17 March.
The Secretary of State cares deeply about this topic and spoke alongside campaigners at Ofcom’s violence against women and girls event in November.
Ministers have regular meetings with a range of stakeholders on a number of subjects, including non-consensual intimate image abuse. Details of Ministerial meetings, including the purpose of meetings, are published quarterly on the GOV.UK website
Asked by: Baroness Owen of Alderley Edge (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the advice about egg freezing that is available to women on the NHS website.
Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
Elective egg freezing is not a service provided by the National Health Service and information is therefore is not included on the NHS website. The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA), as the United Kingdom-wide regulator of fertility treatment, publishes advice about egg freezing on its website in an online-only format, including information about the process, risks, success and data on this. There is a link through to the HFEA website from the NHS webpages on infertility.
Asked by: Baroness Owen of Alderley Edge (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what safeguards are in place to prevent access to intimate images when public authorities gain access to iCloud under the Investigatory Powers Act 2016.
Answered by Lord Hanson of Flint - Minister of State (Home Office)
The Home Office does not comment on operational matters, including for example confirming or denying the existence of any notices. This has been the longstanding position of successive UK Governments for reasons of national security.
The Investigatory Powers Act 2016 contains numerous safeguards including independent oversight, to ensure data is only requested on an exceptional basis and when strictly necessary and proportionate.
Asked by: Baroness Owen of Alderley Edge (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask His Majesty's Government what progress has been made by the Independent Pornography Review, and when they expect the findings of that review to be published.
Answered by Baroness Jones of Whitchurch - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
The Independent Pornography Review assessed the effectiveness of current pornography legislation, regulation, and enforcement. This is an important area of interest for this government. The Review has now concluded. The government is assessing its findings, and the final report will be published in due course.
Asked by: Baroness Owen of Alderley Edge (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure that the country has the skills required for jobs in artificial intelligence industries.
Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Minister for Women and Equalities)
On 13 January, my right hon. Friend, the Prime Minister, agreed to take forward all 50 recommendations set out by Matt Clifford in his Artificial Intelligence (AI) Opportunities Action Plan. This included recommendations on AI Skills and Talent.
In addition to the AI Opportunities Action Plan, the new Industrial Strategy will channel support to eight growth-driving sectors in which the UK excels today and will propel it forward tomorrow. Digital and Technologies has been identified as one of the eight growth-driving sectors and the department is currently consulting on the barriers to growth, including skills, in this sector.
This government is committed to ensuring both learners and employers have access to crucial digital and AI skills that have the potential to increase productivity and create new high value jobs in the UK economy. To achieve this, the department will build a responsive skills system, coordinated through Skills England, to deliver on the national, regional and local skills needs of the next decade.
The digital skills pipeline starts with the school system. The department funds the National Centre for Computing Education (NCCE) to improve the teaching of computing and increase participation in computer science at GCSE and A level across England. To support the teaching of AI, the NCCE delivers a range of courses on machine learning, ethics and teaching about AI in primary and secondary computing and also facilitates industry-led events for pupils to raise awareness of opportunities and careers in sectors such as AI.
The department already provides a range of post-16 academic and technical qualifications relevant to AI skills. Developed in partnership with employers, there are currently 34 apprenticeship standards in digital occupations, including at degree level and in areas like AI.
Learners can study three Digital T Levels which include AI content and there are 77 digital Higher Technical Qualifications approved and quality marked as providing the skills demanded in the workplace by employers, including AI skills. Skills Bootcamps are available in digital, including AI and machine learning, with the latest published data showing that the majority of Skills Bootcamps were in the digital sector, with 61% of starts in digital for the 2022/23 financial year.
The higher education (HE) system continues to be a route for those seeking the skills required for a career in AI. There are a range of high quality AI courses available and, in 2022, 46,000 students graduated from an AI-relevant HE programme in the UK.