Asked by: Lord Pearson of Rannoch (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether their forthcoming guidance for schools on gender identity will take into account the expert evidence cited by Nigel and Sally Rowe in their legal case against the Department for Education which reported harmful effects from affirming children in gender transition.
Answered by Baroness Barran - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
The Department believes that all pupils should be supported whilst growing up. Our schools, colleges and teachers are committed to supporting all pupils and students to thrive and reach their potential in a safe and respectful environment.
All schools and colleges must have regard to the Department’s ‘Keeping Children Safe in Education (KCSIE)’ statutory guidance, when carrying out their duties to safeguard and promote the welfare of children. The KCSIE statutory guidance is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/keeping-children-safe-in-education--2.
The Department is working with the Minister for Women and Equalities to develop guidance for schools in relation to supporting gender questioning pupils. The Department will consider all the evidence, including any relevant cases, such as Mr and Mrs Rowes’. However, we cannot comment further on what the guidance will or will not contain, as we will shortly be holding a full public consultation on our proposed approach.
Asked by: Lord Pearson of Rannoch (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether their forthcoming guidance for schools on gender identity will make provision for teachers who in conscience wish to refer to pupils by their legal and/or biological gender.
Answered by Baroness Barran - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
The Department believes that all pupils should be supported whilst growing up. Our schools, colleges and teachers are committed to supporting all pupils and students to thrive and reach their potential in a safe and respectful environment.
All schools and colleges must have regard to the Department’s ‘Keeping Children Safe in Education (KCSIE)’ statutory guidance, when carrying out their duties to safeguard and promote the welfare of children. The KCSIE statutory guidance is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/keeping-children-safe-in-education--2.
The Department is working with the Minister for Women and Equalities to develop guidance for schools in relation to supporting gender questioning pupils. The Department will consider all the evidence, including any relevant cases, such as Mr and Mrs Rowes’. However, we cannot comment further on what the guidance will or will not contain, as we will shortly be holding a full public consultation on our proposed approach.
Asked by: Lord Pearson of Rannoch (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether their forthcoming guidance for schools on gender identity will protect teachers who raise safeguarding concerns about the gender transition of a pupil.
Answered by Baroness Barran - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
The Department believes that all pupils should be supported whilst growing up. Our schools, colleges and teachers are committed to supporting all pupils and students to thrive and reach their potential in a safe and respectful environment.
All schools and colleges must have regard to the Department’s ‘Keeping Children Safe in Education (KCSIE)’ statutory guidance, when carrying out their duties to safeguard and promote the welfare of children. The KCSIE statutory guidance is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/keeping-children-safe-in-education--2.
The Department is working with the Minister for Women and Equalities to develop guidance for schools in relation to supporting gender questioning pupils. The Department will consider all the evidence, including any relevant cases, such as Mr and Mrs Rowes’. However, we cannot comment further on what the guidance will or will not contain, as we will shortly be holding a full public consultation on our proposed approach.
Asked by: Lord Pearson of Rannoch (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether, in pursuit of their Net Zero strategy, they will enquire into the relationship between the price obtainable for newly cut timber in the UK, and that paid for wood pellets under their Renewable Heat Incentive Scheme.
Answered by Lord Callanan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Renewable Heat Incentive Scheme pays for heat generated by participants. It does not pay for the supply of wood.
Asked by: Lord Pearson of Rannoch (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask His Majesty's Government what are the current numbers of (1) remand, and (2) unsentenced prisoners, being held in (a) HMP Pentonville, (b) HMP Brixton, (c) HMP Wandsworth, and (d) HMP Belmarsh; and in each case what percentage they comprise of the prison's total population.
Answered by Lord Bellamy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Justice)
The attached table shows the untried, and convicted unsentenced, populations in the specified prisons, as at 31 March 2023.
The data needed to calculate average time spent on remand by prisoners in London prisons could not be collated without incurring disproportionate cost.
Asked by: Lord Pearson of Rannoch (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask His Majesty's Government what is the average period of time spent in London prisons by (1) remand, and (2) unsentenced prisoners, awaiting their trial dates.
Answered by Lord Bellamy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Justice)
The attached table shows the untried, and convicted unsentenced, populations in the specified prisons, as at 31 March 2023.
The data needed to calculate average time spent on remand by prisoners in London prisons could not be collated without incurring disproportionate cost.
Asked by: Lord Pearson of Rannoch (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the remarks of Charlie Taylor, His Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Prisons, in evidence to the House of Commons Justice Committee on 25 October 2022, that remand prisoners awaiting their trial dates are disadvantaged in areas such as (1) education and training, and (2) financial assistance, before and on release; and what plans, if any, they have to ameliorate this situation.
Answered by Lord Bellamy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Justice)
Remand prisoners are eligible to access education and training. The prison education curriculum is based on the needs of learners and is flexible according to any changes in population profile. Education providers are managed through key performance indicators and service levels which do not disincentivise remand prisoners.
In 2022, HMPPS has been testing a number of new initiatives designed to meet the specific needs of remand prisoners in HMP Wandsworth, including a life-skills course to help people on remand develop communication and decision-making skills, and dedicated staff to obtain ID for prisoners, build their employability skills and link them with employers. There is also a new team of remand peer mentors to support wellbeing and encourage engagement with the regime.
In terms of financial assistance, remand prisoners are eligible for support from DWP’s Prison Work Coaches with making a claim for Universal Credit on their release from prison.
Prison Service Instruction (PSI) 72/2011, Discharge sets out policy on the discharging of prisoners, which includes provision of financial assistance available upon release. All eligible prisoners receive a Subsistence Payment of £82.39 on release. Prisoners who are discharged, after spending time in custody on remand, are currently ineligible for the Subsistence Payment. However, all prisoners, regardless of their eligibility to receive the Subsistence Payment, are provided with a travel warrant or a payment of fares to their destination in the United Kingdom, the Channel Islands, the Isle of Man or the Republic of Ireland.
As part of the ongoing review of the wider Discharge PSI and in response to the recommendations made by the Justice Select Committee in its 2023 report on The Role of Adult Custodial Remand in the Criminal Justice System, we are considering eligibility of those on remand for the Subsistence Payment.
Asked by: Lord Pearson of Rannoch (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask His Majesty's Government to what extent remand prisoners are denied access to educational courses offered by the Prisoners' Educational Trust and similar bodies; and what assessment they have made of the causes of such services being denied.
Answered by Lord Bellamy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Justice)
Prisoners on remand are entitled to access education should they wish to, however external partners such as charitable organisations will have their own eligibility criteria for those wishing to take advantage of their provision.
It is the policy of the Prisoners’ Education Trust to only permit sentenced prisoners to apply for their courses, this is not something within the control of the Ministry.
Asked by: Lord Pearson of Rannoch (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask His Majesty's Government what provision they have made for those who are unable to make their P11D returns online; and, if they have made no such provision, whether they plan to do so.
Answered by Baroness Penn - Minister on Leave (Parliamentary Under Secretary of State)
The PAYE regulations have for some time required employers to make their regular payroll reports online and now also require employers to report P11D information online. Paper routes to submit these will continue to be available for the small number of digitally exempt customers for whom the existing PAYE regulations already make provision.
Asked by: Lord Pearson of Rannoch (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they have made any assessment of Hope Not Hate and any association that group may have with far-left extremist groups.
Answered by Lord Sharpe of Epsom - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)
The Government is committed to tackling those who spread views that promote violence and hatred against individuals and communities in our society, and that radicalise others into terrorism.
We do assess all evidence of those that radicalise others though their support for or justification of violence and will not tolerate those who spread divisive and harmful narratives. This relates to all ideologies, including those that fall under the LASI (Left-Wing, Anarchist & Single Issue) banner. We continue to work with law enforcement agencies and multi-agency partners to increase our understanding of new and emerging threats to society.
The Home Office avoids publicly commenting on whether or not specific groups or individuals are of extremist concern, as this could have a detrimental effect on our ability to take future action against them.