Asked by: Lord Stoddart of Swindon (Independent Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Exiting the European Union :
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether there are any circumstances in which they would consider withdrawing from the EU Treaties before 29 March 2019.
Answered by Lord Callanan
The Government will not speculate on hypothetical scenarios. On 29 March 2017, the Prime Minister triggered Article 50, which provides up to two years to ensure an orderly exit. We are using this time to secure an ambitious, wide ranging deal that benefits both the UK and Europe, spanning a future economic partnership, and future security partnership. We are delivering on the result of the referendum and the UK will leave the EU in March 2019.
Asked by: Lord Stoddart of Swindon (Independent Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether, following the publication by the Office for National Statistics of the Statistical bulletin: Domestic abuse in England and Wales: year ending March 2017 on 23 November, which states that more than one third of the victims of domestic violence in that period were men, they will clarify the statement by Baroness Williams of Trafford on 27 November (HL Deb, col 486) that “the breakdown of victims of domestic violence is thought to be about 96% women and 4% men”.
Answered by Baroness Williams of Trafford
Data shows that women are much more likely than men to be the victims of high risk or severe domestic abuse and this is clearly demonstrated through a greater number of cases going to a Multi Agency Risk Assessment Conference and accessing an Independent Domestic Violence Advisor service, who deal with the most severe cases of domestic abuse. 95% of these victims are female.
Asked by: Lord Stoddart of Swindon (Independent Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask Her Majesty's Government, in the light of the Prime Minister’s comments at the PinkNews Awards on 18 October, what steps they are taking to ensure that “LGBT issues are taught well” in English schools; and at what age groups such lessons will be aimed.
Answered by Lord Agnew of Oulton
Schools are bound by the Equality Act 2010, including the Public Sector Equality Duty 2011, to ensure that teaching is accessible to all children and young people, including those who are lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender.
All schools should make provision for high quality, age appropriate personal, social, economic and health education, which includes Relationships and Sex Education (RSE). When teaching RSE, all secondary schools, including academies through their funding agreement, must have regard to the Sex and Relationship Education guidance attached.
The government is making the teaching of Relationships Education in primary schools and RSE in secondary schools mandatory through regulations. The department has begun a process of engagement and will be working with teachers, parents, safeguarding experts and others to develop age-appropriate subject content for all key stages. This process will support the development of the regulations and guidance, both of which are subject to public consultation next year.
Asked by: Lord Stoddart of Swindon (Independent Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Young of Cookham on 13 July (HL414) concerning an English Parliament and his statement that "there is little or no public appetite or need for an English Parliament", whether they have any plans to bring forward legislation for a referendum in England on the subject.
Answered by Lord Young of Cookham
There are no plans to bring forward legislation for a referendum on this subject in England. The Government thinks it right that English MPs should have a decisive role to play in the passage of legislation that affects only England. The implementation of English votes for English laws delivers a coherent constitutional settlement and a voice for all. The Government is focused on delivering the commitments that we made to the people of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland through the delivery of further devolution to the nations and regions.
Asked by: Lord Stoddart of Swindon (Independent Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government why it was necessary to employ 11,000 additional civil servants to deliver Brexit; and whether they will publish a detailed breakdown of their deployment.
Answered by Lord Young of Cookham
We do not recognise the figure of 11,000. The whole of Government is preparing for the UK to make an orderly and successful exit from the European Union, and we are equipping ourselves with the right people and the right skills across Government to make this happen. Whilst workforce planning is primarily the responsibility of each department to determine based on their individual operational and policy requirements, the Civil Service constantly reviews its capabilities in order to deliver the Government’s commitment to leave the EU and get the very best deal for the UK. Civil Service HR is working closely with the Department for Exiting the European Union to support departments, functions and professions in continuing to develop plans to address their emerging capacity and capability requirements.
Asked by: Lord Stoddart of Swindon (Independent Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Exiting the European Union :
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have any plans to publish a document setting out the political and economic benefits to the UK of leaving the EU.
Answered by Lord Callanan
The people voted to leave the EU in a referendum which Parliament voted to hold. A clear majority of the electorate voted to leave the EU and we will respect the will of the British people.
Since then the Government has been undertaking rigorous and extensive analysis work to support our exit negotiations, to define our future partnership with the EU, and to inform our understanding of how EU exit will affect the UK’s domestic policies and frameworks.
This includes a full suite of economic analysis, as you would expect from a responsible Government. This means looking at 58 sectors as well as cross-cutting regulatory, economic and social issues to help inform our negotiation positions.
We have been clear that we recognise Parliament’s rights relating to the publication of documents. However, ministers face conflicting responsibilities - such as a clear obligation not to disclose information when doing so would not be in the public interest. And Parliament has previously voted not to release information that would be prejudicial to our negotiating position.
Asked by: Lord Stoddart of Swindon (Independent Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether it is their intention that the UK will not remain subject to the Common Agriculture and Fisheries Policy after 29 March 2019.
Answered by Lord Gardiner of Kimble
Leaving the EU and building a new partnership with the EU means that we will leave the Common Agricultural and Common Fisheries Policies.
As the Prime Minister set out in her Florence speech, we are proposing an implementation period to provide a bridge to our future relationship with the EU, providing certainty for businesses and individuals. The terms of that implementation period are a matter for negotiation.
Asked by: Lord Stoddart of Swindon (Independent Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answers by Baroness Williams of Trafford on 7 November (HL2645 and HL2646), which terrorist threats have been addressed since 2011; what was the origin and nature of those threats; and whether there is one source that predominates.
Answered by Baroness Williams of Trafford
Since 2011, our counter-terrorism strategy CONTEST has addressed “all forms of terrorist threat to this country and our interests, whether it originates here or overseas”, regardless of the ideology that inspires it. Our Counter Terrorism Strategy does not target a specific faith or ethnic group - it deals with all forms of terrorism. Currently the greatest threat comes from terrorist recruiters inspired by Daesh.
Asked by: Lord Stoddart of Swindon (Independent Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask Her Majesty's Government why the Atomic Weapons Establishment (AWE) Aldermaston has been placed on special measures for the fourth year running; whether the AWE has produced a plan for dealing with high levels of radioactive waste; if not, why not; and whether they have made an assessment of the extent to which any failure to do so puts staff and residents in the area surrounding that establishment at risk.
Answered by Earl Howe
The Office for Nuclear Regulation (ONR) has stated that safety at the Atomic Weapons Establishment (AWE) sites is acceptable. The ONR's decision to place the AWE Aldermaston site under enhanced regulatory attention was due to issues relating principally to ageing facilities, which do not pose any immediate safety concerns.
AWE has a plan in place for the long-term safe management of radioactive waste and this has resulted in the successful closure of the ONR's Improvement Notice regarding this matter.
The Ministry of Defence works closely with AWE, monitoring all aspects of its performance, including regulatory compliance.
Asked by: Lord Stoddart of Swindon (Independent Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Exiting the European Union :
To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have made for the UK to leave the EU in March 2019 in the event that the European Council or the European Parliament does not ratify any agreement reached between the UK and the European Commission concerning the UK’s departure from the EU.
Answered by Baroness Anelay of St Johns
A future partnership between the UK and EU is in the interests of both sides, and we have entered into the negotiations anticipating success. However, since the result of the referendum, we have taken the responsible approach to work at pace to build a detailed understanding of how withdrawing from the EU will affect policies and services for a range of outcomes, including the unlikely scenario in which no mutually satisfactory agreement can be reached.
Given the long lead-in times to implement some of our contingency measures, we need to begin now for them to remain viable. But implementing the first stages of contingency plans now should not be interpreted as an expectation that talks with the EU will not be successful, and we are clear that securing a good deal for both sides is by far and away the highest probability, but we have a duty to plan for the alternative. These are the actions of a responsible government determined to ensure a smooth exit under any eventuality.