Asked by: Lord Harris of Haringey (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Williams of Trafford on 2 June (HL4611), whether they will now answer the question put, namely what assessment they have made of the average quantity of personal protective equipment required on a daily basis by the police service; and if they have not made such an assessment, why not.
Answered by Baroness Williams of Trafford - Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms (HM Household) (Chief Whip, House of Lords)
The Government recognises the importance of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for all of those on the frontline, including police.
The Home Secretary and Minister for Policing have regular conversations with police forces about a range of matters including supply of PPE, ensuring a sufficient daily supply is available. The National Police Co-ordination Centre is co-ordinating police PPE procurement and distribution across the whole country and confirm that police currently have a good supply of PPE.
The amount of PPE in stock and used by each force is not held centrally. That is an operational matter for forces.
Asked by: Lord Harris of Haringey (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the average quantity of personal protective equipment required on a daily basis by the police service; and if they have not made such an assessment, why not.
Answered by Baroness Williams of Trafford - Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms (HM Household) (Chief Whip, House of Lords)
The Government is working closely with its partners including the emergency services on a range of issues including the availability of suitable PPE. The National Police Chiefs’ Council have confirmed that police currently have a good supply of PPE and they are working to oversee its distribution to forces. We will continue to work with them to ensure this continues.
Asked by: Lord Harris of Haringey (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the Prevent Oversight Board, as referenced in the statutory guidance published in accordance with the Counter-Terrorism and Security Act 2015, still exists; and if so, (1) what is its current membership, and (2) when it last met.
Answered by Baroness Williams of Trafford - Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms (HM Household) (Chief Whip, House of Lords)
The Prevent Oversight Board is currently in existence. The Board membership includes Ministerial and Director-level representatives and their equivalents across the following Whitehall departments:
Home Office, Ministry of Justice, Ministry of Defence, Department for Education, Department of Health and Social Care, Counter Terrorism Police Headquarters (CTPHQ), Joint Terrorism Analysis Centre (JTAC), Welsh Government, Scottish Government, Ministry of Housing Communities and Local Government (MHCLG), Department for Digital, Culture Media and Sport, Foreign & Commonwealth Office, the Security Services, Cabinet Office, and Charity Commission.
Departments and agencies which are not listed as standing members can be invited as required.
The Board last convened in November 2018.
Asked by: Lord Harris of Haringey (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government why no public statement was made at the time of, or shortly after, the seizure of three tonnes of explosive materials allegedly linked to Hezbollah terrorists in north London at the end of September 2015; and when Ministers and elected officials were briefed on those seizures.
Answered by Baroness Williams of Trafford - Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms (HM Household) (Chief Whip, House of Lords)
It is the policy of successive governments not to comment on Police operational or intelligence matters.
Asked by: Lord Harris of Haringey (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the answer by Baroness Manzoor on 18 October (HL Deb, col 564), when they will publish the equality impact assessment for the introduction of charges by UK Visas and Immigration for those making inquiries from abroad.
Answered by Baroness Williams of Trafford - Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms (HM Household) (Chief Whip, House of Lords)
The Home Office undertook a Policy Equality Assessment in May 2017 as part of the Home Office procurement for UKVI Contact Centre services and will publish the findings in December 2018.
Asked by: Lord Harris of Haringey (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the finding in the report by the Chief Inspector of Borders and Immigration, A re-inspection of Border Force's identification and treatment of Potential Victims of Modern Slavery published on 28 March, that one Roving Officer does not provide effective safeguarding when there are high levels of passengers.
Answered by Baroness Williams of Trafford - Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms (HM Household) (Chief Whip, House of Lords)
The Government response to the report by the Independent Chief Inspector of Borders and Immigration, A re-inspection of Border Force’s identification and treatment of potential Victims of Modern Slavery, was published on 28th March 2018. Roving Officers are one of the tools used for safeguarding purposes at ports, alongside monitoring officers, behavioural detection training and the targeted use of intelligence.
Whilst, under current Border Force policy instructions, only one Roving Officer is required for terminals with six to 10 e-Passport gates, additional Roving Officers will be deployed based on considerations such as threat level, risk assessment of flights and the number of arrivals. Border Force has committed to review Roving Officer policy this summer. This review will consider the sufficiency of these safeguarding arrangements.
Asked by: Lord Harris of Haringey (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the adequacy of resources available to the Border Force to combat modern slavery.
Answered by Baroness Williams of Trafford - Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms (HM Household) (Chief Whip, House of Lords)
We have always been clear that Border Force has the resources it needs to secure the border
Border Security is achieved through a multi- layered system of capabilities, including: people, technology, intelligence, and joint working. All frontline officers undertake training in keeping children safe, Section 55 safeguarding responsibilities, trafficking indicators, the National Referral Mechanism (NRM), FGM and Modern Slavery.
Border Force also has a network of specially trained Safeguarding and Modern Slavery officers who receive specialist training. All Border Force training has recently been reviewed and updated to make it more victim focussed, taking into account the recommendations made by the ICIB Trafficking Inspection and Independent Anti Slavery Commissioner.
BF internal performance data shows a significant increase in identification of potential victims of Modern Slavery during this current year. This is attributable to training and raised awareness levels due to periods of intensification with other law enforcement partners to target exploitation.