Asked by: Lord Bailey of Paddington (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to help local authorities in London with the increasing costs of temporary accommodation.
Answered by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
The Government has increased funding for homelessness services by £316 million this year to a total of more than £1 billion. That includes more than £420 million for London, an increase of £118 million on the previous year.
Asked by: Lord Bailey of Paddington (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Hanson of Flint on 27 October (HL10860), what consideration they have given to granting for-profit housing providers the ability to issue respect orders and housing and youth injunctions through the Crime and Policing Bill.
Answered by Lord Hanson of Flint - Minister of State (Home Office)
Through the Crime and Policing Bill, we are strengthening the powers available to relevant agencies under the Anti-social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014 to tackle ASB.
For-profit Social Housing Providers have grown in prominence since the 2014 Act first came into force. While it is important that all agencies have the powers they need to tackle ASB, it is also important that changes to the agencies that can use the powers in the 2014 ASB Crime and Policing Act are considered carefully, on a case-by-case basis. The addition of for-profit social housing providers as applicant agencies for Respect Orders, housing Injnuctions and Youth Inductions remains under consideration.
However, we are legislating in the Crime and Policing Bill to extend the power to issue Closure Notices to Registered Social Housing Providers, including For Profit Housing Providers. This will make it easier for Housing Providers to take swift action to prevent disruptive ASB.
Asked by: Lord Bailey of Paddington (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the use of airstrikes against civilians by the military regime in Myanmar, in the light of the report by Fortify Rights, Crashing down on us, published on 4 September.
Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)
The UK acknowledges the report and shares its concerns regarding human rights violations in Myanmar. We condemn the Myanmar military's airstrikes on civilian infrastructure. The UK is clear that no country should provide arms, funds, or fuel to the Myanmar military. We have implemented 19 sanctions packages since 2021, including 10 targeting aviation fuel imports.
We are clear that there must be accountability for the atrocities committed in Myanmar. The UK has provided £900,000 to the Independent Investigative Mechanism for Myanmar since 2021 and established the Myanmar Witness program to collect evidence of human rights violations. As penholder on Myanmar at the UN Security Council, we have convened four meetings this year to maintain international focus and press for accountability. We co-sponsored a Human Rights Council resolution in April and coordinated a joint statement in May calling for an end to violence.
Asked by: Lord Bailey of Paddington (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to encourage the United Nations Security Council (1) to refer the situation in Myanmar to the International Criminal Court, or (2) to establish an ad hoc international criminal tribunal to investigate genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes in that country.
Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)
The UK acknowledges the report and shares its concerns regarding human rights violations in Myanmar. We condemn the Myanmar military's airstrikes on civilian infrastructure. The UK is clear that no country should provide arms, funds, or fuel to the Myanmar military. We have implemented 19 sanctions packages since 2021, including 10 targeting aviation fuel imports.
We are clear that there must be accountability for the atrocities committed in Myanmar. The UK has provided £900,000 to the Independent Investigative Mechanism for Myanmar since 2021 and established the Myanmar Witness program to collect evidence of human rights violations. As penholder on Myanmar at the UN Security Council, we have convened four meetings this year to maintain international focus and press for accountability. We co-sponsored a Human Rights Council resolution in April and coordinated a joint statement in May calling for an end to violence.
Asked by: Lord Bailey of Paddington (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure those committing atrocity crimes in Myanmar are held to account, through either the International Criminal Court, the International Court of Justice or alternative accountability mechanisms.
Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)
The UK acknowledges the report and shares its concerns regarding human rights violations in Myanmar. We condemn the Myanmar military's airstrikes on civilian infrastructure. The UK is clear that no country should provide arms, funds, or fuel to the Myanmar military. We have implemented 19 sanctions packages since 2021, including 10 targeting aviation fuel imports.
We are clear that there must be accountability for the atrocities committed in Myanmar. The UK has provided £900,000 to the Independent Investigative Mechanism for Myanmar since 2021 and established the Myanmar Witness program to collect evidence of human rights violations. As penholder on Myanmar at the UN Security Council, we have convened four meetings this year to maintain international focus and press for accountability. We co-sponsored a Human Rights Council resolution in April and coordinated a joint statement in May calling for an end to violence.
Asked by: Lord Bailey of Paddington (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they will take to hold General Myo Htut Hlaing accountable for alleged violations of international law in Myanmar.
Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)
The UK acknowledges the report and shares its concerns regarding human rights violations in Myanmar. We condemn the Myanmar military's airstrikes on civilian infrastructure. The UK is clear that no country should provide arms, funds, or fuel to the Myanmar military. We have implemented 19 sanctions packages since 2021, including 10 targeting aviation fuel imports.
We are clear that there must be accountability for the atrocities committed in Myanmar. The UK has provided £900,000 to the Independent Investigative Mechanism for Myanmar since 2021 and established the Myanmar Witness program to collect evidence of human rights violations. As penholder on Myanmar at the UN Security Council, we have convened four meetings this year to maintain international focus and press for accountability. We co-sponsored a Human Rights Council resolution in April and coordinated a joint statement in May calling for an end to violence.
Asked by: Lord Bailey of Paddington (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to refer the situation in Myanmar to the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court.
Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)
The UK acknowledges the report and shares its concerns regarding human rights violations in Myanmar. We condemn the Myanmar military's airstrikes on civilian infrastructure. The UK is clear that no country should provide arms, funds, or fuel to the Myanmar military. We have implemented 19 sanctions packages since 2021, including 10 targeting aviation fuel imports.
We are clear that there must be accountability for the atrocities committed in Myanmar. The UK has provided £900,000 to the Independent Investigative Mechanism for Myanmar since 2021 and established the Myanmar Witness program to collect evidence of human rights violations. As penholder on Myanmar at the UN Security Council, we have convened four meetings this year to maintain international focus and press for accountability. We co-sponsored a Human Rights Council resolution in April and coordinated a joint statement in May calling for an end to violence.
Asked by: Lord Bailey of Paddington (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill on 16 October (HL10746), how and why they reached the conclusion that the Strikes (Minimum Service Levels) Act 2023 "does not support a positive and productive relationship between employers, employees, and their trade unions", and what discussions they have had with trade unions about that Act.
Answered by Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill - Minister of State (Department for Transport)
The implementation of Minimum Service Levels (MSLs) legislation by the last Government only worsened industrial relations. This was particularly evident in rail, where it exacerbated the national disputes, which had seen two years of widespread strikes and disruption to millions of passengers.
MSLs legislation is being repealed under the Employment Rights Bill (ERB). The Government has consulted numerous stakeholders about the ERB, including trade unions.
Asked by: Lord Bailey of Paddington (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask His Majesty's Government what measures they have put in place to support members of the armed forces with their mental health following retirement.
Answered by Lord Coaker - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
Throughout the United Kingdom, the Ministry of Defence Veterans’ Welfare Service (VWS) provides advice and support to veterans, anyone supporting a veteran, their families and dependants. The VWS works with the Royal Navy, British Army and Royal Air Force, local authorities, voluntary organisations and service charities and will routinely assign a case manager and assist with engagement with other services where needed. In England, Op COURAGE and Op RESTORE provide a broad range of specialist mental health, physical and wellbeing care services to veterans, with similar services available in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
Earlier this year, we announced VALOUR, a new commitment to establish the first-ever UK-wide approach to veteran support, which will ensure easier access to essential care and support for veterans across the country.
Asked by: Lord Bailey of Paddington (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the merits of granting for-profit social housing providers the same powers to tackle antisocial behaviour as not-for-profit social housing providers have under the Crime and Policing Act 2014.
Answered by Lord Hanson of Flint - Minister of State (Home Office)
Through the Crime and Policing Bill, we are strengthening the powers available to relevant agencies under the Anti-social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014 to tackle ASB.
For-profit Social Housing Providers have grown in prominence since the 2014 Act first came into force. While it is important that all agencies have the powers they need to tackle ASB, it is also important that changes to the agencies that can use the powers in the 2014 ASB Crime and Policing Act are considered carefully.
We are legislating in the Crime and Policing Bill to extend the power to issue Closure Notices to Registered Social Housing Providers, including For Profit Housing Providers. This will make it easier for Housing Providers to take swift action to prevent disruptive ASB.