Asked by: Lord Black of Brentwood (Conservative - Life peer)
Question
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they are considering any proposals to protect individuals living with HIV from discrimination in various sectors, including healthcare, education, employment and housing; and, if so, what are their plans.
Answered by Baroness Swinburne
The Equality Act’s definition of disability automatically covers people with HIV when they are in or seeking employment or seeking to access services, whether in the public or private sectors.
As well as providing protection from discrimination, the Act requires employers and service providers to make reasonable adjustments for people living with HIV. For example, an employer would be expected to allow such an employee reasonable time off work to visit hospital in connection with their condition. Employers and service providers who fail to meet their legal obligations can face legal action, should the disabled person opt for this.
In addition, the public sector equality duty (section 149 of the Act - 'PSED') requires public authorities, in the exercise of their functions, to have due regard to the need to:
eliminate unlawful discrimination, harassment, victimisation and any other unlawful conduct prohibited by the Act;
advance equality of opportunity between people who share and people who do not share a relevant protected characteristic; and
foster good relations between people who share and people who do not share a relevant protected characteristic.
A raft of guidance and codes of practice are available to help employers and service providers comply with their legal obligations under the Act. People with HIV who think they have experienced discrimination may contact the Equality Advisory and Support Service (EASS), the government helpline established to provide free bespoke advice and in-depth support to individuals with discrimination concerns. The EASS can be contacted via their website - http://www.equalityadvisoryservice.com/, by telephone on 0808 8000082 or text phone on 0808 8000084. The EASS has the ability to intervene on an individual’s behalf with a service provider to help resolve an issue. The EASS can also advise people who wish to take their complaint further on their options.
Asked by: Lord Black of Brentwood (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to help secure the release of Evan Gershkovich from prison in Russia.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
The detention of Evan Gershkovich illustrates Russia's disregard for media freedom. Both the Prime Minister and the Foreign Secretary have called for his immediate release. As a US national, the US Government is providing Mr Gershkovich with consular support. The UK remains in close contact with the US and continues to assist their efforts to secure his release. The UK has raised his case at the OSCE, most recently on 2 November the International Day to End Impunity for Crimes against Journalists. The UK has also condemned the Russian authorities' crackdown on non-government-controlled media at the UN Human Rights Council.
Asked by: Lord Black of Brentwood (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they are planning to introduce any measures to include HIV education as a part of the school curriculum in order to promote understanding about HIV and tackle stigma among children; and, if so, what are their plans.
Answered by Baroness Barran
In September 2020 the government made Relationships Education compulsory for primary school pupils, Relationships and Sex Education compulsory for secondary school pupils and Health Education compulsory for all pupils in state-funded schools.
In secondary schools, the Relationships, Sex and Health Education (RSHE) statutory guidance states that pupils should be taught factual knowledge around sex, sexual health, and sexuality, set firmly within the context of relationships. Pupils should learn about contraception, sexually transmitted infections (STIs), developing intimate relationships and resisting pressure to have sex. Further information and a link to the guidance can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/relationships-education-relationships-and-sex-education-rse-and-health-education.
To support teachers to deliver these topics safely and with confidence, the department has produced RSHE Teacher Training Modules. The ‘intimate and sexual relationships, including sexual health’ topic specifies that by the end of secondary school, pupils should know how the different STIs, including HIV/AIDS, are transmitted, how risk can be reduced through safer sex and the importance of and facts about testing. Pupils are also taught about HIV/AIDS at Key Stages 3 and 4 of the science curriculum. Further information and a link to the training modules can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/teaching-about-relationships-sex-and-health.
From primary education onwards, age appropriate Relationships Education supports pupils to treat each other with kindness, consideration and respect, including understanding the importance of respectful relationships and the different types of loving and healthy relationships that exist.
The department will be launching a public consultation by the end of this year on a draft revised RSHE guidance, so that interested parties can contribute their comments and ideas, including on sexual health and STIs, including HIV/AIDS education. The department will carefully consider responses received and intends to publish the final guidance in 2024.
Asked by: Lord Black of Brentwood (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they have any plans to collaborate with media organisations, social media influencers, and public figures including celebrities, to portray accurate and empathetic representations of people living with HIV in order to counteract harmful stereotypes; and, if so, what are their plans.
Answered by Lord Markham
HIV Prevention England (HPE) is the national HIV prevention programme for England and is funded at £3.5 million by the Department. The programme aims to support communities who are disproportionately affected by HIV, including gay, bisexual and men who have sex with men and Black African heterosexual men and women. The Department has appointed Terrence Higgins Trust, a national charity who provide services related to sexual heath and HIV, to deliver the programme from 2021 to 2024. HPE delivers a nationally co-ordinated programme of HIV prevention work, including public campaigns such as National HIV Testing Week, that is designed to complement locally commissioned prevention activities in areas of high HIV prevalence. HPE also aims to improve knowledge and understating of HIV transmission and reducing stigma within affected communities.
HPE works with a wide range of models and their network of influencers and develops its strategies based on comprehensive data, audience insight and knowledge from local partners within England which ensure a wide range of patient’s voices and experiences are represented.
Asked by: Lord Black of Brentwood (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they are planning to implement comprehensive public education campaigns to raise awareness about HIV transmission and treatment advancements, and to tackle stigma; and, if so, what are their plans.
Answered by Lord Markham
HIV Prevention England (HPE) is the national HIV prevention programme for England and is funded at £3.5 million by the Department. The programme aims to support communities who are disproportionately affected by HIV, including gay, bisexual and men who have sex with men and Black African heterosexual men and women. The Department has appointed Terrence Higgins Trust, a national charity who provide services related to sexual heath and HIV, to deliver the programme from 2021 to 2024. HPE delivers a nationally co-ordinated programme of HIV prevention work, including public campaigns such as National HIV Testing Week, that is designed to complement locally commissioned prevention activities in areas of high HIV prevalence. HPE also aims to improve knowledge and understating of HIV transmission and reducing stigma within affected communities.
HPE works with a wide range of models and their network of influencers and develops its strategies based on comprehensive data, audience insight and knowledge from local partners within England which ensure a wide range of patient’s voices and experiences are represented.
Asked by: Lord Black of Brentwood (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they have monitored the implementation of the "My Charity Commission Account" service by the Charity Commission; what representations they have received about it; and whether they are satisfied with the speed with which the Charity Commission is dealing with complaints about it.
Answered by Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay
The ‘My Charity Commission Account’ service is designed to facilitate a more direct relationship between the Charity Commission and trustees, helping to ensure that they are supported in their role and well equipped to oversee their charities. The Charity Commission has confirmed that most charities have set up accounts and the Commission is working hard to support any that are having difficulty. Any trustees wishing to send the Commission feedback on the service can do so by emailing myaccount@charitycommission.gov.uk or calling the contact centre on 0300 066 9197.
Asked by: Lord Black of Brentwood (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they have any plans to ban the sale of domestic fireworks in England; and if not, whether they will undertake a consultation on that subject.
Answered by Earl of Minto
The majority of individuals who use fireworks do so in a responsible and safe manner. There are enforcement mechanisms in place to tackle situations when fireworks are misused.
The Government has no plans to ban the sale of domestic fireworks or consult on this matter at this current time.
Asked by: Lord Black of Brentwood (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they have made any studies about the impact of domestic firework use on domestic animals, including cats and dogs; and, if not, whether they will commission one.
Answered by Lord Benyon
It is an offence under the Animal Welfare Act 2006 to cause unnecessary suffering to an animal, and this includes through the misuse of fireworks. Users of fireworks need to use them responsibly and be aware of animals close by, and those found guilty of causing animals unnecessary suffering can face up to five years’ imprisonment. We have no current plans to commission any studies on the impact of domestic firework use on domestic animals.
Asked by: Lord Black of Brentwood (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask His Majesty's Government when they intend to introduce legislation to ban the use of electric shock collars on cats and dogs in England.
Answered by Lord Benyon
The Animal Welfare (Electronic Collars) (England) Regulations will make it an offence to attach an electronic shock collar to a cat or dog, or to be in possession of a remote-control device capable of activating such a collar when attached to a cat or dog. The regulations have been considered in this House and will be considered in the Other Place in due course. Parliamentary business will be announced in the usual way.
Asked by: Lord Black of Brentwood (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they intend to regulate the breeding of cats to protect cats and their kittens.
Answered by Lord Benyon
Under the Animal Welfare (Licensing of Activities Involving Animals) (England) Regulations 2018 (the Regulations), anyone in the business of breeding and selling cats as pets needs to have a valid licence issued by their local authority. Licensees must meet strict statutory minimum welfare standards which are enforced by local authorities who have powers to issue, refuse, vary or revoke licences.
Defra has been working on a post-implementation review of the Regulations in line with the requirements of the Regulations’ review clause. This review considers whether the Regulations have met their objectives, and where there could be scope to further improve the protections they provide to breeding cats and their offspring. The review will be published soon.