Asked by: Lord Goodlad (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will bring in a public register of foreign owned properties; and if so, when.
Answered by Lord Callanan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
As set out in the Written Ministerial Statement I made on 2nd November 2021, the Government remains committed to establishing a new beneficial ownership register of overseas entities that own UK property. The register will not include the details of the properties owned by the overseas entities, which are recorded at HM Land Registry. This register will help combat money laundering and achieve greater transparency in the UK property market. We will legislate when parliamentary time allows.
Asked by: Lord Goodlad (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what progress they have been made with implementing Operation Warm Welcome.
Answered by Baroness Williams of Trafford - Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms (HM Household) (Chief Whip, House of Lords)
We have offered sanctuary, food, medical care, education and support to at least 13,000 people in bridging hotels during and since Operation Pitting.
Since the Minister for Afghan Resettlement announced Operation Warm Welcome, in September 2021:
We have launched the Afghan Citizen Resettlement Scheme which will welcome up to 20,000 Afghans at risk over the coming years, a brand new safe and legal migration route.
Asked by: Lord Goodlad (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask Her Majesty's Government (1) whether they intend to establish university scholarships for former interpreters, and the families of these interpreters, from Afghanistan who are resident in the UK, and if so, (2) how many they plan to establish, and (3) when they will be established.
Answered by Baroness Barran - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
The government welcomes our responsibility to those who have worked for the British forces in conflict zones. Many have served with distinction and at great personal risk, working in dangerous and challenging situations. We would not have been able to carry out our work there without them.
We are doing what is right to honour their service by providing generous support that properly reflects their work and the risks involved, especially to interpreters and translators who worked alongside us in frontline roles; through the Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy (ARAP), details of which can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/afghan-relocations-and-assistance-policy/afghan-relocations-and-assistance-policy-information-and-guidance .
In addition to the ARAP, the Afghan Citizens Resettlement Scheme will welcome up to an additional 20,000 vulnerable Afghans to the UK, including women, children, LGBT and religious minorities, details of which can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/afghan-citizens-resettlement-scheme.
A significant cross-government effort is under way, dubbed ‘Operation Warm Welcome’, to ensure Afghans arriving in the UK receive the vital support they need to rebuild their lives, find work, pursue education, and integrate into their local communities.
As part of Operation Warm Welcome, we announced there would be further funding for up to 300 undergraduate and postgraduate scholarships for Afghans at UK universities. The department will update with further details of this programme in due course.
Asked by: Lord Goodlad (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they intend to give (1) former interpreters, and (2) the families of these interpreters, from Afghanistan indefinite Leave to Remain in the UK; and if so, when.
Answered by Baroness Williams of Trafford - Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms (HM Household) (Chief Whip, House of Lords)
The Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy (ARAP) was launched on 1 April 2021, offering relocation to former Locally Employed Staff in Afghanistan who have been assessed to be at serious risk as a result of their work. Work is underway across the whole of Government to ensure the Afghans who stood side by side with us in conflict, their families and those at highest risk who have been evacuated, are supported as they now rebuild their lives in the UK.
All those brought to the UK under the ARAP scheme will have the right to work, access to education and healthcare, and will be able to apply for public funds.
The Home Office has established a dedicated caseworking team, which is working jointly with the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office and the Ministry of Defence. This team will contact all those who arrived to discuss their leave arrangements and ensure they get the right form of leave.
Details of the type of leave to be granted to those arriving from Afghanistan, and how they will be supported in obtaining this leave, can be found in the Afghanistan Resettlement and Immigration policy statement.
The policy statement can be viewed here:
Further information regarding Locally employed staff, can be found here:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/afghan-locally-engaged-staff
Asked by: Lord Goodlad (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have for the future of the British Embassy in Tokyo.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
As part of our worldwide programme to modernise our diplomatic estate, we are planning significant re-investment in our Tokyo compound. This will ensure our Embassy office is modern and sustainable, and fit for purpose for supporting the enduring and strong partnership between the UK and Japan.
Asked by: Lord Goodlad (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans, if any, they have to repeal the Vagrancy Act 1824.
Answered by Lord Greenhalgh
This Government is clear that no one should be criminalised simply for having nowhere to live and that is why it’s time to review the Vagrancy Act.
Work is underway to look at this complex issue and it is important we carefully look at all options.
The Government will update on our findings in due course.
Asked by: Lord Goodlad (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to repeal section 618 of the Housing Act 1985.
Answered by Lord Greenhalgh
The City of London Corporation have brought this matter to the Department’s attention. The Committee on Standards in Public Life (CSPL) review of Local Government Ethical Standards made a number of recommendations that relate to disclosable pecuniary interests. Ministers are considering the CSPL report and recommendations. The government will issue its response in due course.
Asked by: Lord Goodlad (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with the government of Russia about the future of the NATO–Russia Council.
Answered by Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park
The UK fully supports NATO's offer of a NATO-Russia Council first made in February 2020, regrets that Russia is currently choosing not to accept it and encourages Russia to do so. All Allies support a dual-track approach to Russia of strengthened deterrence and defence, alongside dialogue. This was most recently affirmed by Allied Leaders when they met in Brussels for the June 2021 NATO Summit. HMG continues to support NATO's openness to periodic, focused and meaningful dialogue with Russia, but there can be no return to business as usual until Russia ceases its aggressive actions and returns to compliance with its obligations under international law. At any NATO-Russia Council, discussion of Russia's illegal occupation of Crimea should be the first item on the agenda.
Asked by: Lord Goodlad (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have for the future of smart motorways.
Answered by Baroness Vere of Norbiton - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
We welcome the Transport Committee’s report Rollout and safety of smart motorways, published on 2 November 2021. We will start work immediately on considering its recommendations in detail, providing a formal response in due course. This is a serious piece of work which we will engage with closely in the months ahead.
We are pleased that the Transport Committee recognises that reinstating the hard shoulder on all all-lane running motorways could put more drivers and passengers at risk of death and serious injury and that we are right to focus on upgrading their safety, as the Secretary of State committed to doing when he became Transport Secretary.
The Transport Secretary is committed to making smart motorways as safe as possible and has committed £500 million on an 18-point Action Plan which includes the faster rollout of Stopped Vehicle Detection technology.
Asked by: Lord Goodlad (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to publish a strategy for the implementation of the National Security and Investment Act 2021.
Answered by Lord Callanan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The National Security and Investment Act received Royal Assent on 29 April and will commence fully on 4 January 2022. In advance of commencement, the Government is publishing extensive guidance on the Act and is working closely with investors and businesses to help them understand the legislation. In addition, the Government is laying in Parliament the secondary legislation that is required for commencement.