Asked by: Lord Hannay of Chiswick (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Bethell on 19 January (HL11665), what steps they are taking to ensure that the vaccine record card which will be issued to patients by the NHS will be recognised as an International Certificate of Vaccination or Prophylaxis.
Answered by Lord Bethell
The Government will review whether COVID-19 status certification could play a role in reopening the economy, reducing restrictions on social contact and improving safety. This will include assessing to what extent certification would be effective in reducing risk and the potential uses to enable access to settings or a relaxation of COVID-19 secure mitigations. The Government will also consider the ethical, equalities, privacy, legal and operational aspects of this approach and what limits, if any, should be placed on organisations using certification. It will draw on external advice to develop recommendations that take into account any social and economic impacts, and implications for disproportionately impacted groups and individuals’ privacy and security. The review will also include consideration of potential solutions for people to access their COVID-19 vaccination status.
Asked by: Lord Hannay of Chiswick (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to provide recipients of COVID-19 vaccinations with a certificate that is recognised both nationally and internationally.
Answered by Lord Bethell
The careful and accurate recording of vaccination status is incredibly important to ensure that priority cohorts are offered both doses of a COVID-19 vaccine, and to ensure robust surveillance systems are in place to support patient safety.
The National Health Service’s National Immunisation Management System (NIMS) is the national register of COVID-19 vaccinations. At the point that someone receives their COVID-19 vaccine, the vaccinating team will record it and this information will go onto the NIMS system and onto a patient’s general practitioner record. As with other vaccination programmes, a vaccine record card will be issued to patients with the relevant details about the vaccine including the date of their vaccination and their vaccine type. This does not constitute an immunity passport and will not be used as a form of identification.
Asked by: Lord Hannay of Chiswick (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what progress has been made in considering the proposal to rename Broad Street Sanctuary as UN Green to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the first meeting of the UN General Assembly in Methodist Central Hall.
Answered by Baroness Barran - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
The United Nations charter was signed 75 years ago this year. The charter set out the aims of the UN “to bring nations and peoples together to preserve peace and security, and improve lives everywhere”. The United Kingdom played an important role in the establishment of this multilateral organisation, including hosting the first General Assembly at the Methodist Central Hall in London. Activities are ongoing globally to recognise the anniversary of the UN.
Proposals for the renaming of streets must be made through the local council, in this instance the City of Westminster.
Asked by: Lord Hannay of Chiswick (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what consideration they have given to streamlining English language tests for students from Africa in receipt of places offered by British higher education institutions or of scholarships under the Chevening and Commonwealth schemes.
Answered by Baroness Williams of Trafford - Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms (HM Household) (Chief Whip, House of Lords)
Higher Education Providers (HEP) with a track record of compliance are able to decide how they assess the English language ability of their students studying at degree level or above. They can make this assessment however they choose and the Government does not impose any requirement for prospective students to travel to another country.
Due to Covid-19, the ability for Higher Education Providers to self-assess the English ability of their prospective students has been exceptionally extended to some students studying below degree level.
Where sponsors are not HEPs, students are required to demonstrate English ability to B1 level. These students must demonstrate their English language ability by undertaking a Secure English Language Test (SELT), or meet one of the exceptions.
There is currently a procurement project underway for SELT. Following mobilisation of new concessions there will be four overseas SELT Providers, which will increase customers choice of location for taking a test.
Both the Chevening and Commonwealth scholarships programmes have poli-cies in place to ensure maximum flexibility and opportunity for scholarship awardees from countries where English language testing facilities are limited or unavailable.
The Chevening Scholarship provides assistance to Chevening scholars who are required to travel internationally to take English Language Testing (ELTs), or if necessary, bring invigilators to posts.
Asked by: Lord Hannay of Chiswick (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they intend to take to enable prospective higher education students in Liberia to take English language tests in Monrovia and not to have to travel to Accra.
Answered by Baroness Williams of Trafford - Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms (HM Household) (Chief Whip, House of Lords)
Higher Education Providers (HEP) with a track record of compliance are able to decide how they assess the English language ability of their students studying at degree level or above. They can make this assessment however they choose and the Government does not impose any requirement for prospective students to travel to another country.
Due to Covid-19, the ability for Higher Education Providers to self-assess the English ability of their prospective students has been exceptionally extended to some students studying below degree level.
Where sponsors are not HEPs, students are required to demonstrate English ability to B1 level. These students must demonstrate their English language ability by undertaking a Secure English Language Test (SELT), or meet one of the exceptions.
There is currently a procurement project underway for SELT. Following mobilisation of new concessions there will be four overseas SELT Providers, which will increase customers choice of location for taking a test.
Both the Chevening and Commonwealth scholarships programmes have poli-cies in place to ensure maximum flexibility and opportunity for scholarship awardees from countries where English language testing facilities are limited or unavailable.
The Chevening Scholarship provides assistance to Chevening scholars who are required to travel internationally to take English Language Testing (ELTs), or if necessary, bring invigilators to posts.
Asked by: Lord Hannay of Chiswick (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure that candidates in receipt of offers for Chevening and Commonwealth scholarships can take English language tests in their country of origin.
Answered by Baroness Williams of Trafford - Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms (HM Household) (Chief Whip, House of Lords)
Higher Education Providers (HEP) with a track record of compliance are able to decide how they assess the English language ability of their students studying at degree level or above. They can make this assessment however they choose and the Government does not impose any requirement for prospective students to travel to another country.
Due to Covid-19, the ability for Higher Education Providers to self-assess the English ability of their prospective students has been exceptionally extended to some students studying below degree level.
Where sponsors are not HEPs, students are required to demonstrate English ability to B1 level. These students must demonstrate their English language ability by undertaking a Secure English Language Test (SELT), or meet one of the exceptions.
There is currently a procurement project underway for SELT. Following mobilisation of new concessions there will be four overseas SELT Providers, which will increase customers choice of location for taking a test.
Both the Chevening and Commonwealth scholarships programmes have poli-cies in place to ensure maximum flexibility and opportunity for scholarship awardees from countries where English language testing facilities are limited or unavailable.
The Chevening Scholarship provides assistance to Chevening scholars who are required to travel internationally to take English Language Testing (ELTs), or if necessary, bring invigilators to posts.
Asked by: Lord Hannay of Chiswick (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government from which countries in Sub-Saharan Africa it is necessary for potential students to travel to another country to take an English language test in order to obtain a UK student visa.
Answered by Baroness Williams of Trafford - Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms (HM Household) (Chief Whip, House of Lords)
Higher Education Providers (HEP) with a track record of compliance are able to decide how they assess the English language ability of their students studying at degree level or above. They can make this assessment however they choose and the Government does not impose any requirement for prospective students to travel to another country.
Due to Covid-19, the ability for Higher Education Providers to self-assess the English ability of their prospective students has been exceptionally extended to some students studying below degree level.
Where sponsors are not HEPs, students are required to demonstrate English ability to B1 level. These students must demonstrate their English language ability by undertaking a Secure English Language Test (SELT), or meet one of the exceptions.
There is currently a procurement project underway for SELT. Following mobilisation of new concessions there will be four overseas SELT Providers, which will increase customers choice of location for taking a test.
Both the Chevening and Commonwealth scholarships programmes have poli-cies in place to ensure maximum flexibility and opportunity for scholarship awardees from countries where English language testing facilities are limited or unavailable.
The Chevening Scholarship provides assistance to Chevening scholars who are required to travel internationally to take English Language Testing (ELTs), or if necessary, bring invigilators to posts.
Asked by: Lord Hannay of Chiswick (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what cross-departmental assessment was made following the confirmation by the European Commission on 17 March that the UK was entitled to participate in the EU’s joint procurement arrangements for personal protective equipment and other COVID-19 related supplies; and what decision was reached as a result.
Answered by Lord Bethell
The United Kingdom Government is working round the clock with industry, the National Health Service, social care providers and the army to ensure the supply of personal protective equipment (PPE) and other medical equipment such as ventilators.
As part of this national effort, we are working with international partners to make sure that we can increase supplies of medical equipment within the NHS and to deliver a strategy that provides the best outcome for the UK.
The UK is eligible to take part in European Union Joint Procurements during the Transition Period and we are participating in the joint EU procurement scheme on therapeutics that is soon to launch. We will consider participating in other future schemes on the basis of public health requirements, including any on PPE.
Asked by: Lord Hannay of Chiswick (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Her Majesty's Government how many 50p coins were minted to mark the exit of the UK from the EU on (1) 29 March, and (2) 31 October; what was the cost of those operations; and what has been done with the coins so minted.
Answered by Earl of Courtown - Captain of the Queen's Bodyguard of the Yeomen of the Guard (HM Household) (Deputy Chief Whip, House of Lords)
Approximately 1 million coins were minted in October to mark the UK’s exit from the European Union, in addition to 1,000 trial coins that were struck before March 29.
Coins bearing these dates will now be recycled and the value from the materials will be recouped by the Exchequer.
The cost of minting these coins is commercially sensitive.
Asked by: Lord Hannay of Chiswick (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what criteria are used when reaching a decision on the closure of a primary school; and what role is played by (1) the Department for Education, and (2) the Secretary of State for Education specifically, in making such a decision.
Answered by Lord Agnew of Oulton
The decision to close a local authority maintained primary school is a local decision. Neither the Department for Education nor my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education, play a role in the process or decision making. Where the school is an academy, the final decision is made by the Secretary of State for Education.
When making a decision on a proposal to close a school, the decision maker (be it the local authority or the Secretary of State) will consider whether there is appropriate surplus capacity in the area to accommodate displaced pupils and any future projected increase in pupil numbers. They will also consider the impact of those likely to be affected by the closure, the balance of denominational provision, the impact on travel times for displaced pupils and any specialist provision (including sixth form provision or provision for pupils with special educational needs or disabilities).
Where the school is an academy, the Secretary of State will also consider the viability of the school under the current academy trust, including the effectiveness of any attempts to raise education and financial performance. They will also consider the availability of other academy trusts to take on the school and their capacity to drive the required improvements and the cost effectiveness of closure.
There is a presumption against the closure of rural primary schools. Where a school is designated as a rural school, the decision maker will also consider any alternatives to closure (e.g. amalgamation, federation, academy conversion or academy transfer). They will also consider the likely impact of the closure on the local community, the availability of, and likely cost of transport to alternative schools and any increase in the use of motor vehicles due to the closure and the likely impact of any increase.