Asked by: Lord Quirk (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Mobarik on 21 September (HL1561), how many hours of education per week is currently provided in Young Offender Institutions.
Answered by Lord Keen of Elie - Shadow Minister (Justice)
Since 16 August 2015, education providers in public sector under-18 Young Offender Institutions (YOIs) have been required to provide 27 hours of education a week, supplemented by three hours of physical education.
YOI Parc is operated by G4S and is currently contracted to provide 25 hours of education and 5 hours of interventions each week.
Asked by: Lord Quirk (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Faulks on 2 December 2014 (HL2982) about young offender institutions, what progress has been made in providing more than 12 hours a week of purposeful activity since new education contracts came into operation in spring 2015.
Answered by Baroness Mobarik
Since the new education contracts came into operation in public sector under-18 Young Offender Institutions (YOIs) in August 2015, young people have accessed an average of more than 12 hours education per week.
We are committed to continually improving the youth custodial system in England and Wales. We are considering the recommendations of Charlie Taylor’s Review of the Youth Justice System and will publish his review and our response later this year.
Asked by: Lord Quirk (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they are aware of the practice of "breast ironing" in Commonwealth countries of Africa, including Kenya and the Benin State of Nigeria, and if so, whether they have raised that issue with the governments concerned.
Answered by Baroness Anelay of St Johns
The British Government is aware of the harmful practice of breast ironing in some Commonwealth and other African countries. There is little reliable data on the number of girls suffering this form of abuse, but we strongly condemn violence against women and girls in all its forms.
The Government places gender equality at the heart of our bilateral development programming and works through diplomatic and development channels to tackle the causes and drivers of violence against women and girls as a matter of priority. The manifestations of violence may change but it is critical to address the structural causes of violence, including harmful beliefs and attitudes.
In Cameroon, Kenya and Nigeria we are continuing to engage with governments and local communities to support the rights of women and girls, including ending harmful practices which constitute violence against women and girls. In Cameroon our High Commission has been working closely with the Minister of Women’s Empowerment and the Family on campaigns in coordination with local religious leaders, to raise awareness and support community-led change to end the harmful practice of breast ironing.
Asked by: Lord Quirk (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their assessment of the current increase in girls suffering "breast ironing" in Western and Central Africa, and especially in southern Cameroon.
Answered by Baroness Anelay of St Johns
The British Government is aware of the harmful practice of breast ironing in some Commonwealth and other African countries. There is little reliable data on the number of girls suffering this form of abuse, but we strongly condemn violence against women and girls in all its forms.
The Government places gender equality at the heart of our bilateral development programming and works through diplomatic and development channels to tackle the causes and drivers of violence against women and girls as a matter of priority. The manifestations of violence may change but it is critical to address the structural causes of violence, including harmful beliefs and attitudes.
In Cameroon, Kenya and Nigeria we are continuing to engage with governments and local communities to support the rights of women and girls, including ending harmful practices which constitute violence against women and girls. In Cameroon our High Commission has been working closely with the Minister of Women’s Empowerment and the Family on campaigns in coordination with local religious leaders, to raise awareness and support community-led change to end the harmful practice of breast ironing.
Asked by: Lord Quirk (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government, in the light of the fact that more than 50 per cent of pubescent girls under 10 in Cameroon are subjected to "breast ironing", what steps they are taking to prevent the spread of that practice among the Cameroonian diaspora living in the UK.
Answered by Lord Bates
As set out in the Government’s new Violence against Women and Girls Strategy, we will continue to challenge the cultural attitudes that may underpin harmful practices, and ensure professionals have the confidence to confront these issues, safeguard victims and bring perpetrators to justice.
We are clear that political or cultural sensitivities must not get in the way of preventing and uncovering brutal practices, including breast ironing. Where breast ironing is practised on girls it is child abuse and should be treated as such by all frontline professionals. The clear legal frameworks that apply to child abuse apply to breast ironing.
Asked by: Lord Quirk (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their assessment of the report of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, <i>Building Skills for all: A Review of England, </i>published in January, in respect of the report's findings that (1) seven per cent of university graduates in England under the age of 35 have numeracy skills below level 2, and that 3.4 per cent have literacy skills below level 2; (2) competition between universities in England for the ablest students has intensified to the point that less successful universities have lowered their admission demands to attract applicants; and (3) with a record number of students now entering for degree courses, money should be diverted from universities and deployed to enhance basic school education.
Answered by Baroness Neville-Rolfe - Shadow Minister (Cabinet Office)
The Government agrees it is critical that all students acquire the essential literacy and numeracy skills they need to make the most of their courses and progress into a fulfilling career.
Alongside the reforms to raise standards in schools and increase the number and quality of apprenticeships, our Higher Education Green Paper sets out further measures to ensure all students benefit from high-quality teaching.
Decisions about which students to admit is ultimately a matter for individual institutions, but by lifting the cap on student numbers we are ensuring that more students can benefit from higher education than ever before.
Asked by: Lord Quirk (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their assessment of the report <i>Living with Difference</i> published on 7 December 2015 by the Woolf Institute, following the work of the Institute's Commission chaired by Baroness Butler-Sloss; and what action they plan to take on the recommendations made.
Answered by Baroness Williams of Trafford - Shadow Chief Whip (Lords)
The Government welcomes this report and its contribution to the debate on faith in Britain today. We continue to celebrate the role of faith in society, with a particular emphasis on cooperation between different faiths as a way of breaking down barriers and strengthening communities.
The report raises a number of questions for a range of organisations. I will ensure that all Government Departments consider the recommendations relevant to their individual policy areas.
Asked by: Lord Quirk (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Bates on 21 December 2015 (HL4282), how they reconcile that answer with the statement by the Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology in <i>Postnote on forensic linguistics</i> of September 2015 that even recordings of an offender's voice, verified to the satisfaction of police experts, are "not admissible as evidence" in the criminal justice system.
Answered by Lord Faulks
The research briefing to which the noble Lord refers distinguishes between speaker profiling, which courts have yet to find to be sufficiently reliable a technique to constitute admissible evidence in a criminal case, and speaker comparison, evidence of which may be admissible.
Expert evidence is admissible in criminal proceedings at common law. In summary, the evidence must be relevant to what is in issue; it must be capable of helping the court to assess the significance of matters beyond everyday experience (for example, the results of scientific tests); and it must be given by someone who is competent to do so. The Criminal Procedure Rules and the associated Criminal Practice Directions set out the procedure for introducing expert evidence, and list the factors to which the court will have regard in determining the reliability of expert opinion.
Asked by: Lord Quirk (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Bates on 17 November (HL3221) concerning the use of forensic linguistics by the Home Office in immigration cases, whether they have plans to enable the admittance in court, as in some other European jurisdictions, of evidence derived from forensic linguistics, and if not, what are their reasons.
Answered by Lord Bates
Evidence derived from language analysis undertaken for immigration purposes is admissible and, in practice, is routinely presented in immigration appeals.
Asked by: Lord Quirk (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answers by Lord O’Neill of Gatley on 9 July (HL896, HL897) and 30 July (HL1654), why according to recent press reports HMRC are still failing to answer telephoned inquiries and complaints from the public within an acceptable time frame.
Answered by Lord O'Neill of Gatley
HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) recognise that their customer service has not been good enough, and have taken major steps to improve, including recruiting 3,000 new staff into customer service roles, available outside normal office hours when many of their customers choose to call them. The process of recruiting and training the new staff is now complete. These improvements have started to make a difference. This month, HMRC have answered more than 80 per cent of calls, and average queue times are now around 10 minutes.
HMRC also recognise that some customers have been waiting too long for a response to their complaint. HMRC have recovery plans in place and their performance is improving week on week.