Asked by: Lord Bishop of Durham (Bishops - Bishops)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of relations between Rwanda and Burundi and the closure of the border between the two countries; and what steps they are taking to help prevent further escalation of tension in the region.
Answered by Lord Benyon - Lord Chamberlain (HM Household)
We strongly condemn violence perpetrated by all armed groups and are alarmed by the recent incursions into Burundi by the RED-Tabara armed group. We urge restraint on all sides and for all parties to work urgently towards de-escalation. The FCDO raised our concerns over the border closure with the Burundian Ambassador on 17 January. We encourage the Government of Burundi to take a measured response and underline the need for dialogue.
Asked by: Lord Bishop of Durham (Bishops - Bishops)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the border closure and the deteriorating relations between Rwanda and Burundi; and what steps they are taking to help prevent tension in the region from further escalating.
Answered by Lord Benyon - Lord Chamberlain (HM Household)
We strongly condemn violence perpetrated by all armed groups and are alarmed by the recent incursions into Burundi by the RED-Tabara armed group. We urge restraint on all sides and for all parties to work urgently towards de-escalation. The FCDO raised our concerns over the border closure with the Burundian Ambassador on 17 January. We encourage the Government of Burundi to take a measured response and underline the need for dialogue.
Asked by: Lord Bishop of Durham (Bishops - Bishops)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the UNICEF report Child Poverty in the Midst of Wealth, published on 6 December 2023, and its finding that the UK has seen the greatest increase in child poverty out of the 40 countries featured in the report; and what steps they are taking to prevent a further increase.
Answered by Viscount Younger of Leckie - Shadow Minister (Work and Pensions)
The most recent available data, covering 2021/22, shows that relative poverty rates for children remain unchanged since 2009/10. On an absolute basis, which better represents changes to actual living standards, the rate after housing costs has fallen by 5 percentage points across the same period. There were 400,000 fewer children in absolute poverty after housing costs in 2021/22 compared to 2009/10.
The Government is committed to reducing poverty, including child poverty, and supporting low-income families. From April, and subject to Parliamentary approval, working age benefits will rise by a further 6.7% in line with inflation and the increase in the Local Housing Allowance rates to the 30th percentile of local market rates will give further help to 1.6 million low-income households.
The Government has always believed that work is the best way to help families improve their financial circumstances. This approach is based on clear evidence about the important role that work - particularly full-time – can play in reducing the risks of poverty. In the financial year 2021 to 2022, children living in households where all adults work were around 5 times less likely to be in absolute poverty after housing costs than those living in workless households.
This is why, with over 900,000 vacancies across the UK, our focus remains firmly on providing parents with the support they need to move into and progress in work. Parents on Universal Credit who are moving into work or increasing their hours can now get additional support with upfront childcare costs, and we have also increased the childcare costs that they can claim back by nearly 50%, up to £951 a month for one child and £1,630 for two or more children.
To support those who are in work, on 1 April 2024, the Government will increase the National Living Wage (NLW) for people aged 21 and over by 9.8% to £11.44 an hour, an increase of over £1,800 to the gross annual earning of a full-time worker on the NLW.
The Government is providing support worth £104 billion over 2022-23 to 2024-25 to help households with the high cost of living, this clearly shows that we will always act to ensure that the most vulnerable get the support they need, and we will continue to keep all our existing programmes under review in the usual way.
Asked by: Lord Bishop of Durham (Bishops - Bishops)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps are they taking to prevent children falling into poverty during future economic crises, in response to the conclusions of the UNICEF report Child Poverty in the Midst of Wealth, published on 6 December 2023.
Answered by Viscount Younger of Leckie - Shadow Minister (Work and Pensions)
The most recent available data, covering 2021/22, shows that relative poverty rates for children remain unchanged since 2009/10. On an absolute basis, which better represents changes to actual living standards, the rate after housing costs has fallen by 5 percentage points across the same period. There were 400,000 fewer children in absolute poverty after housing costs in 2021/22 compared to 2009/10.
The Government is committed to reducing poverty, including child poverty, and supporting low-income families. From April, and subject to Parliamentary approval, working age benefits will rise by a further 6.7% in line with inflation and the increase in the Local Housing Allowance rates to the 30th percentile of local market rates will give further help to 1.6 million low-income households.
The Government has always believed that work is the best way to help families improve their financial circumstances. This approach is based on clear evidence about the important role that work - particularly full-time – can play in reducing the risks of poverty. In the financial year 2021 to 2022, children living in households where all adults work were around 5 times less likely to be in absolute poverty after housing costs than those living in workless households.
This is why, with over 900,000 vacancies across the UK, our focus remains firmly on providing parents with the support they need to move into and progress in work. Parents on Universal Credit who are moving into work or increasing their hours can now get additional support with upfront childcare costs, and we have also increased the childcare costs that they can claim back by nearly 50%, up to £951 a month for one child and £1,630 for two or more children.
To support those who are in work, on 1 April 2024, the Government will increase the National Living Wage (NLW) for people aged 21 and over by 9.8% to £11.44 an hour, an increase of over £1,800 to the gross annual earning of a full-time worker on the NLW.
The Government is providing support worth £104 billion over 2022-23 to 2024-25 to help households with the high cost of living, this clearly shows that we will always act to ensure that the most vulnerable get the support they need, and we will continue to keep all our existing programmes under review in the usual way.
Asked by: Lord Bishop of Durham (Bishops - Bishops)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the positive impacts of the Canada Child Benefit that was introduced in 2016, and what lessons they have learned from it in developing their own policies.
Answered by Baroness Vere of Norbiton - Shadow Minister (Treasury)
We keep Child Benefit under regular review and part of that includes considering international comparisons.
Asked by: Lord Bishop of Durham (Bishops - Bishops)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the UNICEF report Child Poverty in the Midst of Wealth, published on 6 December, and its conclusion that of the 39 OECD and EU countries featured in the report, the UK has seen the largest increase in child poverty since 2014.
Answered by Viscount Younger of Leckie - Shadow Minister (Work and Pensions)
The most recent available data, covering 2021/22 shows that relative poverty rates for children remain unchanged since 2009/10. On an absolute basis, which better represents changes to actual living standards, the rate after housing costs has fallen by 5 percentage points across the same period. There were 400,000 fewer children in absolute poverty after housing costs in 2021/22 compared to 2009/10.
The most recent available OECD data shows that the United Kingdom has a relative poverty rate for 0–17-year-olds comparable to large European countries such as France and Germany and below Australia, the United States and Italy.
The Government is committed to reducing poverty, including child poverty, and supporting low-income families. We will spend around £276bn through the welfare system in Great Britain in 2023/24 including around £124bn on people of working age and children.
Our approach to tackling poverty is based on clear evidence that parental employment, particularly where its full time, reduces the risk of poverty. In the financial year 2021 to 2022, children living in households where all adults work were around 5 times less likely to be in absolute poverty after housing costs than those living in workless households.
Asked by: Lord Bishop of Durham (Bishops - Bishops)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government how often reports submitted under (1) Rule 32 of the Short-term Holding Facility Rules 2018, and (2) Rule 35 of the Detention Centre Rules 2001, are audited by Home Office officials.
Answered by Lord Sharpe of Epsom - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)
All reports submitted under Rule 32 of the Short-term Holding Facility Rules 2018, and Rule 35 of the Detention Centre Rules 2001 are reviewed and responded to by a single Home Office Team, separate from the case working teams. On receipt, all reports are triaged by a Senior Executive Officer to ensure they are legible, the information is clear, and all relevant sections of the template have been completed. If this is not the case, the issues will be set out in writing and the Medical Professional asked to review and respond to the request for clarification of existing information or for additional information.
Asked by: Lord Bishop of Durham (Bishops - Bishops)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government how many residents of MDP Wethersfield are able to pass freely to and from the site; what is the schedule of the minibus service available; and what assessment they have made of the amount of time residents are able to be away from the site each day based on that schedule.
Answered by Lord Sharpe of Epsom - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)
Those living at the site will be able to come and go freely and can therefore spend as much time as they would like offsite in any given day. A formal register will be kept at the front gate so that we know who is on and off-site. There is no curfew, but asylum seekers are expected to be back on site by 11pm, with those who do not return being contacted to ascertain their whereabouts.
To minimise the impact on the local services, and to ensure the orderly flow of people onto and off the site, a regular transport service is in place to take users to larger local towns.
This has been developed following consultation with key stakeholders in the Multi Agency Forum (MAF).
If off-site services are needed, transport services will be available by the Home Office’s provider.
Asked by: Lord Bishop of Durham (Bishops - Bishops)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the report by the UNHCR, Evaluation of the Refugee and Migrant Advice Service’s Alternative to Detention Pilot, published 23 August; and what plans they have to use its findings to inform ministerial decision-making in regard to the development and implementation of alternatives to migrant detention in the UK.
Answered by Lord Sharpe of Epsom - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)
UNHCR’s independent evaluations of the Community Engagement Pilot series found no definitive evidence that community-based case management focused alternatives to immigration detention led to the quicker resolution of individual cases nor represented better value for money. Given that these key tests for the pilots were not met, we have no plans to progress any further community-based case management focused alternatives to immigration detention.
The published Home Office response to the evaluation of the Refugee and Migrant Advice Service pilot can be found within the evaluation report at Appendix C.
Asked by: Lord Bishop of Durham (Bishops - Bishops)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government, following the Community Engagement Pilot series, what consideration they have given to alternatives to immigration detention, especially for those with medical needs.
Answered by Lord Sharpe of Epsom - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)
UNHCR’s independent evaluations of the Community Engagement Pilot series found no definitive evidence that community-based case management focused alternatives to immigration detention led to the quicker resolution of individual cases nor represented better value for money. Given that these key tests for the pilots were not met, we have no plans to progress any further community-based case management focused alternatives to immigration detention.
The published Home Office response to the evaluation of the Refugee and Migrant Advice Service pilot can be found within the evaluation report at Appendix C.