Housing: Private Rented Sector

Debate between Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick and Baroness Scott of Bybrook

Thursday 12th January 2023 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Scott of Bybrook (Con)]

The noble Baroness brings up an important point. We know that this has become more important over the last year. We have committed as a Government to consult on the introduction of a use class for short-term lets; I think that is important. Subject to the outcome of that consultation, this will help local authorities to better control the increase of such uses where landlords seek to use existing homes for short lets, rather than using them for longer lets.

[Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick (Lab)]

My Lords, given the ongoing cost of living crisis and the reliance of many people for survival purposes on food banks, what impact do the Government believe the lack of available homes to rent is having on the ability of councils and other providers to provide for the homeless?

[Baroness Scott of Bybrook (Con)]

My Lords, any shortfall in the number of permanent long-term homes available in the market will have a pressure on people looking for those homes and could put pressure on their household budgets, because if people are desperate for housing they will pay more than maybe they should have to. The Government are looking at all that. However, we have helped tenants and all people across this country. We have put in £37 billion of support for people who need it in 2022-23 to help us through this difficult time, and we will continue to look at making sure that we have as many houses of all types of tenure in our stock available for people.

National Disability Strategy

Debate between Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick and Baroness Scott of Bybrook

Thursday 10th February 2022 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Scott of Bybrook (Con)]

I thank the noble Baroness for that question. I know that on a very personal level because I have an adult daughter who is disabled and needs exactly that kind of care. I think it is important that we look to how we can do that better, if that is what disabled people in consultations say is necessary. I will take that back to the department.

[Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick (Lab)]

My Lords, will the Government commit to increase the funding for research into conditions such as ME, which has already been referred to, so that children and adults across the UK can receive the right care and support that they so urgently and desperately need?

Outsourcing: DWP Telephone Services

Debate between Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick and Baroness Scott of Bybrook

Tuesday 30th November 2021 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Scott of Bybrook (Con)]

My noble friend brings up the very important issue of training. All staff working for outsourced companies get the same training as DWP, and they will continue to get that. If they are looking after particularly vulnerable clients at any time then they will get specialist training. As for mystery shopping, yes we do: the DWP continues all the time to check out those call lines and make sure that they are being regularly performance managed.

[Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick (Lab)]

My Lords, in challenging the delivery of systems in order to get the proper performance indicators, how many times have penalty clauses been invoked and for what reasons? We all remember the debacle around Concentrix and HMRC several years ago.

[Baroness Scott of Bybrook (Con)]

My Lords, I am not aware of any penalties as such, but if a supplier consistently fails to achieve performance levels then service credits will apply to our most important Civil Service levels. These are designed to be an incentive to deliver services rather than a financial penalty. That is the way that we perform those services.

Covid-19: Community Resilience Development Framework

Debate between Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick and Baroness Scott of Bybrook

Wednesday 9th December 2020 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Scott of Bybrook (Con)]

There are no plans to improve resources for the framework at the moment. The noble Baroness will understand that a lot of government money has gone into all of our communities through the pandemic, but we keep everything under review.

[Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick (Non-Afl) [V]]

My Lords, the Minister referred to gaining information from the best practice that has been deployed during the pandemic. Will she take on board the best practice in volunteering from the devolved Administrations as part of any review into the Community Resilience Development Framework?

[Baroness Scott of Bybrook (Con)]

I should say to the noble Baroness that we certainly will do that. In fact, I have here information that Monkstown Boxing Club in Northern Ireland has delivered a wide range of programmes to those young people who are the hardest to reach, aiming to help them through the difficult times due to the coronavirus.

EU: Future Trade Agreement

Debate between Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick and Baroness Scott of Bybrook

Wednesday 29th July 2020 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Scott of Bybrook]

My Lords, this shows that I am the government Whip taking this on from the Minister today. I am sorry that I cannot answer that. I have not had a brief on that question, but I will certainly get the noble Lord a written answer on it as soon as possible.

[Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick (Non-Afl) [V]]

My Lords, with just five months to go to the end of the Brexit transition period, Northern Ireland remains in the dark about how its new trading arrangements will work. Will the Minister provide your Lordships’ House with a firm date for publication of the details on the border operating model, originally scheduled for release on Monday? Will she also confirm a firm date for work to begin on Northern Ireland’s ports infrastructure?

[Baroness Scott of Bybrook]

I thank the noble Baroness and had expected her to speak, as always, on Northern Ireland issues. I cannot give her any further information, but it will come out. What I can say is that as part of the campaign of communications, we will provide specific audiences with tailored guidance. This will include further guidance for businesses and citizens, particularly in relation to Northern Ireland, in the coming weeks. We are already engaging intensively with businesses in Northern Ireland to ensure that they benefit from unfettered access to the whole of the UK market and are prepared for changes as a result of the transition period.

Covid-19: Department for Work and Pensions Update

Debate between Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick and Baroness Scott of Bybrook

Tuesday 5th May 2020 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Scott of Bybrook]

I thank the noble Baroness, Lady Kennedy. I know that the Secretary of State is looking into this in detail, and I will certainly bring up the question of subsequent changes having such an effect. I will have a look at this, and we will come back with a substantive answer to those questions.

[Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick (Non-Afl)]

My Lords, what further steps—by which I mean the introduction of new legislation—will the Minister and her colleagues take to transform welfare policies to ensure that they are applied with fairness, equality and compassion to bring about a reduction in poverty?

[Baroness Scott of Bybrook]

I thank the noble Baroness, Lady Ritchie. At the moment, I do not see any new legislation coming through. Currently, we are making sure that the welfare system works for the people who most need it during these difficult times. However, we will learn from what has happened and from the changes we have made. The Secretary of State said yesterday that we will take on board the effects of some of the changes. It is possible that we will continue with those changes, but, as we move forward, we will always make sure that the welfare state is fit for purpose and that it looks after the most vulnerable in our society.