Lord Dubs

The Government established a new non-statutory Digital Markets Unit (DMU), housed within the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA), in April 2021 to begin to put into effect the pro-competition regime. We will legislate to put the Digital Markets Unit on a statutory footing as soon as parliamentary time allows.

At the recent Spending Review, the Government agreed to provide the CMA with an additional £20 million by 2024-25 to support the dedicated Digital Markets Unit and other CMA functions.

The DMU will have a range of powers to monitor and enforce the regime. The focus of the regime will be on resolving concerns through constructive engagement with firms, without the need for formal investigations. The DMU will need, however, robust powers to deter and tackle non-compliance. We set out our proposals for these powers in our 2021 consultation, and will publish our response to that consultation in due course.

Newspapers play an invaluable role in the fabric of our society and the Government is committed to considering all possible options in the interest of supporting the sustainability of the press. We understand concerns about the effect of the power and position of some online platforms when dealing with news publishers, as was identified by the Cairncross Review.

The Government set out its proposals for a new pro-competition regime for digital markets in a public consultation in July 2021. The regime will drive a more vibrant and innovative economy across the UK. In line with codes proposed in the Cairncross Review, the regime’s conduct requirements will improve competition and transparency and make an important contribution to the sustainability of the press. We have also sought advice from the Competition and Markets Authority and Ofcom on how the regime would govern the relationship between platforms and content producers including news publishers. No final decisions have been made.

A consultation response will be published in due course and we will legislate to put the regime on a statutory footing as soon as parliamentary time allows.

The Government consulted on our proposed approach to a new pro-competition regime, overseen by the Digital Markets Unit, last year. The consultation closed in October, and we are carefully considering the responses. We will set out the final design of the regime in our response shortly, and will introduce legislation as soon as parliamentary time allows.

The Government is providing local councils with unprecedented support during the pandemic with a £4.3 billion package, including £3.7 billion which is not ringfenced and £600 million to support social care providers. This is part of a wider package of almost £28 billion which the Government has committed to support local areas, with funding going to councils, businesses and communities. The 2020 Spending Review will look at pressures facing the sector and provide them with the certainty they need to aid financial planning.

The Government has recently completed a consultation on the Public Lending Right (PLR) Scheme rate per loan for the 2019 -20 PLR scheme year. The consultation sought views on the proposal to increase the rate per loan. We intend laying a Statutory Instrument to vary the rate per loan later this year to ensure eligible authors can receive payments by the end of this financial year.

There are no plans to increase the overall amount of the PLR central fund. The British Library administers the PLR Scheme on behalf of the Government and the funding level of the PLR would form part of the consideration of British Library’s overall funding at a future spending review.

Health is Everyone’s Business (2019) consulted on a broad package of measures related to the work and health agenda. This included some proposals related to Statutory Sick Pay (SSP).

In the response to the consultation (2021), Government stated that the pandemic was not the time to introduce significant changes to SSP. As we learn to live with COVID-19, Government is continuing to take a broader look at the role of SSP and is keeping the system under review.

It has not proved possible to respond to this question in the time available before Prorogation. Ministers will correspond directly with the Member.

It has not proved possible to respond to this question in the time available before Prorogation. Ministers will correspond directly with the Member.

Data on the number of multiple sclerosis (MS) specialist nurses working in the National Health Service is not held centrally. Services for adults with MS are part of local neurology services commissioned by clinical commissioning groups. NHS England is leading a programme to develop optimal neurology pathways including, MS services. The MS pathway includes access to specialist nurses for all patients diagnosed with MS.

NHS England commissions a highly specialised service for children with MS across seven centres. All children with MS have access to a specialist paediatric nurse with an expertise in paediatric MS. The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence advises a multidisciplinary approach and recommends the involvement of professionals to best meet the needs of the patient, including MS nurses.

On 23 December 2020, NHS England outlined priorities for the remainder of 2020-2021, including maximising capacity to treat non-COVID-19 patients. This capacity includes services to people with neurological diseases, for example physiotherapy, occupational therapy and speech and language therapy. The provision of rehabilitation support in England is a local matter, and local commissioners are best placed to provide services according to local need.

NHS England and NHS Improvement have commenced work on updating their guidance for clinical commissioning groups on commissioning accessible, high quality rehabilitation services. This has included engagement with professional bodies’ clinicians, alongside other stakeholders, societies and third sector organisations who represent the patient voice.

The Department has made no recent assessment. However, Departmental officials regularly engage with stakeholders and organisations such as the MS Society, to discuss a range of issues, including concerns relating to access to treatments.

The Government is aware of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on a range of sectors, including charities.

To support charities in dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic, there was an announcement by the Chancellor of the Exchequer on 8 April 2020, of a funding package of £750 million for the wider voluntary and charity sector. Of this, £370 million will support charities working with vulnerable people. In England, £200 million of this support will be provided through the National Lottery’s Coronavirus Community Support Fund, to which charities can apply for funding. Applicants will be assessed on the extent to which they meet the objectives of the fund, which are to reduce temporary closures of essential charities and to reduce the burden on the public services, including the National Health Service.

In addition, charities can access the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme and the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme and are able to benefit from the three-month VAT deferral scheme. Charity shop premises will benefit from the new enhanced retail rate relief at 100%.

The Government is aware of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on a range of sectors, including charities.

To support charities in dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic, there was an announcement by the Chancellor of the Exchequer on 8 April 2020, of a funding package of £750 million for the wider voluntary and charity sector. Of this, £370 million will support charities working with vulnerable people. In England, £200 million of this support will be provided through the National Lottery’s Coronavirus Community Support Fund, to which charities can apply for funding. Applicants will be assessed on the extent to which they meet the objectives of the fund, which are to reduce temporary closures of essential charities and to reduce the burden on the public services, including the National Health Service.

In addition, charities can access the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme and the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme and are able to benefit from the three-month VAT deferral scheme. Charity shop premises will benefit from the new enhanced retail rate relief at 100%.

We continue to engage with the EU on the long-term arrangements for the EU Delegation to the UK, and it would not be right to pre-empt the outcome of those discussions. Pending the conclusion of an Establishment Agreement, the Head of the EU Delegation and their staff enjoy privileges and immunities under Protocol 7 to the EU Treaties.

We are aware that some British nationals are living in internally displaced persons camps in Syria. This Government's highest priority is to ensure the safety and security of the UK. It is essential that we do not make judgements about the national security risk someone poses based on their sex or age. Women who travelled to join Daesh can, and in many cases do, pose as significant a risk to our national security as returning male fighters. Her Majesty's Government's assessment remains that risks posed by those adults who travelled to Syria are best managed outside the UK, however each case is considered on its own merits. Where we become aware of British unaccompanied or orphaned children, or if British children are able to seek consular assistance, we will work with relevant UK and international partners to facilitate their return where feasible, subject to national security concerns. Each request will be considered on a case-by-case basis.

The UK Government is clear that those individuals who have fought for, or supported Daesh, whatever their nationality, should face justice and accountability through prosecution in the most appropriate jurisdiction: often in the region where the crimes took place. Her Majesty's Government is not aware of any current trials in north-east Syria involving British nationals.

Her Majesty's Government does not have any presence in Al Hol or Al Roj internally displaced persons camps in north-east Syria. The UK suspended all services of the British Embassy in Damascus and withdrew all diplomatic personnel from Syria in 2012.

The UK Government is monitoring the arrest of Mr Bala closely. The Minister for Africa raised Mr Bala's case with the Nigerian Minister of Foreign Affairs during a call on 21 May. Our High Commission in Abuja has also discussed the case with the Nigerian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Police. The recent update from the Nigerian authorities is that Mr Bala has been charged with 'insulting contempt of religious creed and insulting public disturbances' under the penal code and racist and xenophobic offences under the cybercrime act. The charges are made under Kano State Law.

The Prime Minister's Special Envoy for Freedom of Religion or Belief, Rehman Chishti MP, is also personally looking into Mr Bala's case on an urgent basis, and has raised this matter with international counterparts. On 6 May, Mr Chishti spoke with the Chief Executive of Humanists UK and stressed the UK's engagement on this case. The Minister of State responsible for Human Rights, Lord (Tariq) Ahmad of Wimbledon, also discussed Mr Bala's case with the Chief Executive on 20 May.

We will continue to stress the importance of a transparent investigation that respects Mr Bala's human rights, the rule of law, and the Nigerian constitutional right to freedom of religion or belief. Defending freedom of religion or belief for all remains a UK policy priority and we will continue to use our voice internationally to protect this human right, championed by Mr Chishti.

We anticipate receiving referrals from UNHCR for up to 2,000 refugees during the first year of this pathway and this number will be kept under review.

The pace of arrivals in any particular period will necessarily depend on some key factors, including the flow of referrals from UNHCR, and the availability of suitable accommodation and support in the UK.

At 4^th November 2022:

• 22,833 individuals from Afghanistan have been brought to safety in the UK (since the end of June 2021).
• We have granted Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) to 6,314 people under ACRS Pathway 1.

Whilst I am not able to provide a breakdown of this data for family members, work is underway to assure information relating to all the individuals relocated under the ARAP and ACRS on case working systems. Once this work concludes, further statistics on both schemes - including the number of people resettled under each - will be included in the published Immigration Statistics.

Over 220 children were transferred to the UK under section 67 of the Immigration Act 2016 when the Calais camp was cleared in late 2016. Since then we have been making continuous progress towards achieving our commitment of relocating 480 unaccompanied children. We will publish the current number of transfers under section 67 on 21 May 2020 along with the publication of the quarterly immigration statistics.

Between 2016 and 2019, 590 unaccompanied asylum-seeking children were transferred to the UK under articles 8.1 and 8.2 of the Dublin III Regulation – the two principle articles in Dublin that allow an unaccompanied child to join a family member lawfully present in the UK.

The mandatory retirement age for most judicial office holders, including magistrates and judges, is 70. The Lord Chief Justice (or in some instances the Senior President of Tribunals) may, with the agreement of the Lord Chancellor, extend the appointment of judges below the High Court following their compulsory retirement date for a period of one year and for further one-year periods, up to the point at which the judge turns 75, where it is in the public interest to do so. In addition, many salaried judges may be authorised to sit in retirement on a fee paid basis.

The government intends to legislate to raise the judicial mandatory retirement age (MRA) to 75 through the Public Service Pensions and Judicial Offices Bill, to be introduced shortly. The legislation will include a transitional provision to enable retired magistrates who are younger than the new MRA to apply to return to the bench, subject to business need. The process by which such applications are to be made and considered will be set out in due course.

These and other measures to increase judicial capacity to meet demand are crucial to ensure we can continue to support the recovery of our courts and tribunals and reduce delays in hearings.