Asked by: Lord Bassam of Brighton (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask His Majesty's Government how many Regional Levelling Up Directors have been appointed so far.
Answered by Baroness Scott of Bybrook - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities)
The Government is committed to delivering Levelling Up. The posts were advertised at salaries of up to £144,000 per annum. No appointments have yet been made. More details will be available in due course.
Asked by: Lord Bassam of Brighton (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what consideration, if any, they have given to using funds derived from dormant assets in England to combat loneliness; and whether using funds for this purpose will be included as an option in the first public consultation under section 18A of the Dormant Bank and Building Society Accounts Act 2008.
Answered by Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
Until the Dormant Assets Act which has just received Royal Assent, dormant assets funding in England had to be spent on youth, financial inclusion, and social investment. Given this restriction, which was set in primary legislation, the Government was not able to consider other causes such as loneliness.
We have now expanded the Scheme, and new primary legislation enables greater flexibility to consider evolving social and environmental needs in England. In line with the Dormant Assets Act [2022], the first consultation launched for the expanded Scheme will include youth, financial inclusion, social investment wholesalers, and community wealth funds as options. As part of the consultation, which will be launched as soon as this Summer, respondents will be able suggest formally alternative causes for which the English portion could be used, including loneliness.
Asked by: Lord Bassam of Brighton (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to introduce measures to assist young musicians wishing to tour in the EU; and whether any such plans will be introduced before the end of July.
Answered by Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
The Government recognises that there are new requirements for creative workers to work and tour in the EU, including for young musicians. The Government has sought to clarify these new arrangements, which are in many cases more workable than has at times been reported. For example, the vast majority of EU Member States have confirmed that they offer visa and work permit-free routes for touring professionals, including most recently Bulgaria and Croatia. Portable musical instruments, carried or in a vehicle, can be transported cost-free and should not require ATA Carnets. We have also confirmed that splitter vans are not subject to the Trade and Cooperation Agreement requirements on haulage, which is particularly important for emerging artists.
The Government supports our young and emerging artists across the UK through a range of export support programmes, including the Music Export Growth Scheme and the International Showcase Fund, which help musicians to break into international markets. The Government has also established a new Export Support Service from which UK artists can get answers to practical questions about working in Europe.
Asked by: Lord Bassam of Brighton (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to support the Summer Reading Challenge in 2022 to ensure that children have access to reading materials over the summer holidays; and, in particular, how they will support children in areas where reading is uncommon.
Answered by Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
The Government recognises the vital part reading and public libraries play in the lives of so many people, and the pleasure they bring to people of all ages. The Reading Agency, with funding from the Government via Arts Council England, will deliver the Summer Reading Challenge, in 2022, in partnership with public libraries. The theme this year celebrates science and innovation, as well as the key role of the imagination in both reading and the sciences.
Almost all library authorities in the United Kingdom and the Crown Dependencies will take part in the Summer Reading Challenge in 2022. This includes 27 authorities who will adopt an extended cross-authority approach to delivering the Summer Reading Challenge this year (an increase from 11 in the first year). This involves local authorities working with strategic partners in education, children’s services, and public health to widen reach and engagement for children living in areas of disadvantage through schools, early years provision, and other community settings.
The Reading Agency anticipates the Challenge in 2022 has the potential to reach one million children. This will include those in urban locations, particularly in the Midlands and North of England, large counties with fairly large rural communities, as well as coastal communities and the first pilot authorities in Scotland.
Asked by: Lord Bassam of Brighton (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to commit further funding to address loneliness during winter this year.
Answered by Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
In 2018, HM Government launched the world’s first tackling loneliness strategy. Since 2018 we have invested almost £50 million in tackling loneliness. This includes over £34 million in reducing loneliness for response to COVID-19 as part of the £750 million voluntary and community sector funding package.
In September 2021 we launched the Loneliness Engagement Fund, which provided small grants between £15,000 and £50,000 to organisations which could engage with target groups at high risk of loneliness. Nine organisations received grants through the fund, including charities supporting disabled people and young people.
The Government also plays a role in tackling loneliness by setting national direction and supporting other organisations across society to play their part. The tackling loneliness strategy sets out three objectives for the Government's work to tackle loneliness:
reducing the stigma associated with feeling lonely, by building a national conversation through our communications campaigns;
driving a lasting shift so loneliness is considered in policy-making and delivery by organisations across sectors; and
building the evidence base, making a compelling case for action across society.
The Government is continuing to take action to tackle loneliness this winter, including through a new communications campaign launched in January which encourages young people to take small actions to “lift someone out of loneliness”. We continue to support organisations to take action on loneliness through our Tackling Loneliness Network. We are supporting Network members to connect and share resources through our digital platform.
Asked by: Lord Bassam of Brighton (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask Her Majesty's Government how many convictions for failure to pay for a TV licence have led to imprisonment in each of the last 10 years.
Answered by Lord Wolfson of Tredegar
The number of people admitted to prison for failing to pay fines in respect of the non-payment of a TV licence in England and Wales in each of the last 10 years can be viewed in the attached table.
A person cannot receive a custodial sentence for TV licence evasion but can be committed to prison for wilfully refusing to pay the fine. Imprisonment is only pursued as a matter of last resort.
Asked by: Lord Bassam of Brighton (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what was the monthly expenditure for hospitality, entertainment, and related purposes, at No 10 Downing Street for the period from March 2020 to December 2021.
Answered by Lord True - Leader of the House of Lords and Lord Privy Seal
10 Downing Street is a constituent part of the Cabinet Office. The Cabinet Office publishes transparency data by type of expenditure each month. I will place in the Library the published data for that period.
Asked by: Lord Bassam of Brighton (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government how many bottles of wine were purchased for hospitality, entertainment, and related purposes, for consumption at No 10 Downing Street for the period from March 2020 and December 2021.
Answered by Lord True - Leader of the House of Lords and Lord Privy Seal
10 Downing Street is a constituent part of the Cabinet Office. The Cabinet Office publishes transparency data by type of expenditure each month. I will place in the Library the published data for that period.
Asked by: Lord Bassam of Brighton (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Williams of Trafford on 20 December 2021 (HL4820), how many arrests were made of people identified using CCTV footage and other sources following the Euro 2020 final between England and Italy on 11 July 2021; and what assessment they have made of the report by Baroness Casey of Blackstone published in December 2021 in relation to these arrests.
Answered by Baroness Williams of Trafford - Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms (HM Household) (Chief Whip, House of Lords)
We do not hold data that categorises arrests made following the Euro 2020 final as CCTV related or resulting from other sources.
The Government is considering the recommendations that Baroness Casey of Blackstock’s report contains.
Asked by: Lord Bassam of Brighton (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Attorney General:
To ask Her Majesty's Government how many cases have been brought to court relating to charges made at England Euro 2020 matches played at Wembley.
Answered by Lord Stewart of Dirleton - Advocate General for Scotland
No central data is kept that would identify how many cases have been brought to court specifically relating to charges made at England Euro 2020 matches. To obtain this information would require a manual review of CPS case files which would come at a disproportionate cost.