Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask His Majesty's Government further to the report Hidden Hardship, published by Dr Stephanie Denning of Coventry University in November 2023, what assessment they have made of the need (1) to tailor support provided through the welfare state for people experiencing rural hardship, and (2) to address the lack of affordable housing, public transport, and amenities in rural areas.

Answered by Baroness Sherlock - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

We are committed to tackling poverty and raising living standards across the country. We know that good work can significantly reduce the chances of people falling into poverty so this will be the foundation of our approach. Backed by £240 million investment, the Get Britain Working White Paper sets out details of reforms to employment support, including creating an inclusive labour market in which everybody can participate and progress in work. Our vision is for a service where people can access support through the channels that best meet their needs – whether that is online, on the phone or in person. We will also be devolving more power to local areas so they can shape a joined-up work and skills offer that suits the needs of the people they service.

This Government is also committed to delivering the biggest increase in affordable housing in a generation. Our long-term Housing Strategy, which will be published in the Spring, will set out a plan to reform the housing market so that it works better for communities and for building 1.5 million high-quality homes. In addition, the existing Rural Housing Enablers Programme has established a network across England which works with housing providers, rural communities and local authorities to identify local housing needs, source sites, and facilitate the development of small-scale affordable rural housing schemes.

This Government knows how important bus services are to local communities and that buses can be a lifeline in particular for those in rural areas. We have set out a plan to deliver better buses throughout England by giving local leaders the tools they need and empowering them to ensure bus services reflect the needs of the communities they serve, including through the introduction of the Buses Bill later in this parliamentary session. The government also recognises the importance of providing funding to support and drive improvements to bus services over the longer-term. In the Budget we confirmed over £1 billion of funding to support and improve bus services, and keep fares affordable in England outside London.

The Government’s Platinum Jubilee Village Halls Fund supports the modernisation and improvement of village halls across England helping to keep these valuable assets and the services they provide accessible to rural communities. We also provide support to rural communities for actions to address local needs and capacity building through a programme of activities delivered through the Action with Communities in Rural England Network.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the support available to the families of those appealing their convictions through the Criminal Cases Review Commission; and what plans they have to support such families.

Answered by Lord Ponsonby of Shulbrede - Lord in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

The Criminal Cases Review Commission will provide updates on applications to family members where the applicant has given authority for that information to be shared.

Support for those who have suffered a miscarriage of justice is provided through the Miscarriage of Justice Support Service, part of Citizens Advice and funded by HM Prison and Probation Service. They offer support to people who have had their convictions quashed in an out of time appeal, such as help with accommodation, accessing benefits and obtaining ID documents, as well as pastoral and social support.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to publish the number of UK citizens in prison abroad as a matter of routine.

Answered by Lord Collins of Highbury - Lord in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) launched a new consular case management system in October 2023 and is renewing the information management system that tracks data relating to consular assistance provided to British nationals. Due to the transition between systems, the FCDO is unable to provide comparable data from before and after October 2023 and has currently paused publishing online transparency reports on the number of arrest and detention cases where the FCDO is providing consular assistance. The FCDO expects to resume publishing of these reports in early 2025.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to review the Criminal Cases Review Commission.

Answered by Lord Ponsonby of Shulbrede - Lord in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

The Law Commission are currently undertaking a review of the laws surrounding appeals for criminal cases. We will consider findings of this review alongside the findings of the independent review by Chris Henley KC to make sure the process through which people have their appeal considered, including the role of the Criminal Cases Review Commission (CCRC), is fit for purpose.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the number of prisoners affected by (1) elevated radon gas readings at HMP Dartmoor, and (2) the subsequent closure of that prison in July.

Answered by Lord Timpson - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)

All prisoners were decanted fully from HMP Dartmoor by July 2024 following the operational decision to close the prison temporarily. Following the temporary closure, we have been working with specialist radon experts to investigate and assess options to reduce levels of radon sufficiently to allow us to re-open the prison safely.

The health and safety of prisoners and staff continues to be a top priority, and while this process is ongoing, we are unable to provide an estimated timeline for the return of Dartmoor to its full operational capacity. We continue to work with Health and Safety experts to further our understanding of the impact that exposure levels could have on individual prisoners and staff.

The cost of the work involved would depend upon which is the most appropriate option. If it is concluded that it is feasible and cost effective to return the prison to use, we will complete a full assessment, considering all options for the site.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask His Majesty's Government when HMP Dartmoor will return to its full operational capacity following the detection of radon gas.

Answered by Lord Timpson - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)

All prisoners were decanted fully from HMP Dartmoor by July 2024 following the operational decision to close the prison temporarily. Following the temporary closure, we have been working with specialist radon experts to investigate and assess options to reduce levels of radon sufficiently to allow us to re-open the prison safely.

The health and safety of prisoners and staff continues to be a top priority, and while this process is ongoing, we are unable to provide an estimated timeline for the return of Dartmoor to its full operational capacity. We continue to work with Health and Safety experts to further our understanding of the impact that exposure levels could have on individual prisoners and staff.

The cost of the work involved would depend upon which is the most appropriate option. If it is concluded that it is feasible and cost effective to return the prison to use, we will complete a full assessment, considering all options for the site.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask His Majesty's Government what estimate they have made of the cost of tackling radon gas levels at HMP Dartmoor.

Answered by Lord Timpson - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)

All prisoners were decanted fully from HMP Dartmoor by July 2024 following the operational decision to close the prison temporarily. Following the temporary closure, we have been working with specialist radon experts to investigate and assess options to reduce levels of radon sufficiently to allow us to re-open the prison safely.

The health and safety of prisoners and staff continues to be a top priority, and while this process is ongoing, we are unable to provide an estimated timeline for the return of Dartmoor to its full operational capacity. We continue to work with Health and Safety experts to further our understanding of the impact that exposure levels could have on individual prisoners and staff.

The cost of the work involved would depend upon which is the most appropriate option. If it is concluded that it is feasible and cost effective to return the prison to use, we will complete a full assessment, considering all options for the site.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they will take to ensure that electronic monitoring tags are available in all sizes and that no one will be required to remain in prison solely because there is no electronic tag that will fit them.

Answered by Lord Timpson - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)

To maintain the integrity of the equipment including various anti-tamper measures and taking account of the necessarily robust nature of the equipment, there is a minimum strap size that the equipment manufacturer has provided. Field staff carry a range of strap sizes with them when conducting installation visits.

Offenders released on home detention curfew (HDC) are still serving the custodial element of their sentence and it is a statutory requirement that the curfew is electronically monitored for at least 9 hours a day. In cases where it is no longer possible to electronically monitor offenders in the community, through no fault of their own, they will be recalled until it is possible for them to monitored in the community.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure survivors of domestic abuse are exempt from fees associated with child maintenance.

Answered by Baroness Sherlock - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

The Child Maintenance Service (CMS) removed the £20 application fee in February 2024. This has removed any requirement to report domestic abuse. It has also removed one of the affordability barriers for parents who wish to apply to the scheme.

A consultation on proposed reforms to the CMS was published by the previous Government on 8 May 2024. This included:

• removing Direct Pay and managing all CMS cases in one service to allow the CMS to tackle non-compliance faster,
• exploring views on collection fees and the impact of proposals to reduce, but maintain, fees and
• exploring how victims and survivors of domestic abuse can be better supported. This follows the Child Support Collection (Domestic Abuse) Act receiving royal assent in July 2023.

The consultation was extended by this Government at the end of July and ran until 30 September 2024. We are currently analysing the responses we have received, and the Government will publish a response in due course.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask His Majesty's Government when they intend to publish the review of calculations of child maintenance.

Answered by Baroness Sherlock - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

The Department has been conducting a review of the child maintenance calculation to make sure it is fit for purpose and reflects today’s social trends. This process is ongoing and no date for announcing the outcome has yet been set. When it is, any changes will be subject to extensive consultation and legislation brought forward where necessary for approval.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask His Majesty's Government what (1) practical, and (2) mental health, support is offered to parents struggling to pay child maintenance.

Answered by Baroness Sherlock - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

The Child Maintenance Service (CMS) is committed to ensuring that it delivers a safe service that is sensitive to the needs of all the parents that use it. We recognise that some parents may face difficult circumstances, particularly at a time of separation.

The CMS is well prepared to respond quickly and effectively if it becomes aware that the safety of any of its customers are at risk, and caseworkers receive extensive training and follow a well-managed process with clear steps to support vulnerable clients.

Caseworkers have access to several tools and procedures to help support customers when they advise they cannot afford to pay child maintenance or are struggling with the cost of living in general and are in financial or emotional crisis.

This includes the National District Provision Toolkit and Affordability Hub which provides invaluable information to allow caseworkers to signpost to national and local support organisations for debt help and mental health assistance across the UK.

Additionally, Caseworkers can refer particularly vulnerable customers to the DWP Advanced Customer Support team for debt advice, access to benefits and mental health support or refer to the Money Advisory Service, Money Helper, an arm’s length body of DWP which provides confidential debt advice.  They also have access to the Benefit Calculator tool to check if the paying parent is entitled to any benefits.

In addition, Caseworkers can check income information is correct through Real Time Information (RTI) from His Majesty’s Revenue and Customs. Once this has been confirmed with the paying parent, they can discuss making an interim arrangement to clear the arrears.

The government has committed to reviewing the calculation to make sure it is fit for purpose and reflects today’s trends. Any changes will be subject to extensive consultation and legislation brought forward where necessary for approval.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether they will consider child maintenance as part of their forthcoming Child Poverty Strategy.

Answered by Baroness Sherlock - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

The Child Poverty Taskforce continues its urgent work to publish the Child Poverty Strategy and is exploring all available levers across government to deliver an enduring reduction in child poverty in this parliament, as part of a 10-year Strategy for lasting change.

The Strategy will look at levers across four key themes of increasing incomes, reducing essential costs, increasing financial resilience; and better local support especially in the early years. This will build on the reform plans underway across government and work underway in Devolved Governments.