Asked by: Lord Black of Brentwood (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the report by the National AIDS Trust HIV and the police, published on 11 March, what steps they are taking to ensure that police forces have the sufficient resources to tackle HIV stigma effectively.
Answered by Baroness Williams of Trafford - Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms (HM Household) (Chief Whip, House of Lords)
The Department of Health and Social Care will consider issues relating to HIV stigma as part of the development of their Sexual and Reproductive Health Strategy and the HIV Action Plan, which they plan to publish in 2021.
The Home Office have announced a police funding settlement of up to £15.8 billion for 2021/22. This is a total increase of up to £636 million on 2020/21 for the policing system.
Asked by: Lord Black of Brentwood (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have, if any, to extend the Permitted Paid Engagement route from 30 days to 90 days (1) to allow for longer opera seasons and tours and (2) to form the basis of a reciprocal arrangement with the EU.
Answered by Baroness Williams of Trafford - Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms (HM Household) (Chief Whip, House of Lords)
The Permitted Paid Engagement visitor route currently allows professionals in several sectors to enter the UK for up to one month to undertake permitted paid engagements, where they have been invited by a UK-based organisation and without the need to apply through the sponsored work routes. In line with our commitment to a global points based system eligibility for it does not vary based on nationality.
Non-visa nationals can apply for entry under this route at the border. Visa nationals must apply for entry clearance under this route before travel. The requirements of the Immigration Rules are otherwise the same for both cohorts.
Those wishing to undertake longer tours in the UK can make use of the T5 Creative concession, which allows non-visa nationals to enter the UK for up to three months without an entry clearance if they have a Certificate of Sponsorship. For visa nationals, or those wishing to remain in the UK for up to 12 months, the T5 Creative route is also available.
We will continue to keep our policy under close review, including through wide engagement and dialogue with stakeholders from a range of sectors.
Asked by: Lord Black of Brentwood (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Williams of Trafford on 8 August 2019 (HL17509), whether any funding has been made available to the Metropolitan Police to continue Operation Grange beyond March 2020; and if so, for (1) how long, and (2) what reasons.
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 has received details of the Metropolitan Police’s anticipated spending for Operation Grange in 2020/21. Requests for funding will be considered in due course, in line with our standard Special Grant process.
Asked by: Lord Black of Brentwood (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Williams of Trafford on 26 June (HL16299) concerning Operation Grange, whether they will publish the details of the Metropolitan Police Service's request for further funding until the end of March 2020 and place a copy in the Library of the House; and when a decision on that request is likely to be made.
Answered by Baroness Williams of Trafford - Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms (HM Household) (Chief Whip, House of Lords)
Special grant decisions are published after the end of the financial year. All special grant decisions can be found here - https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/police-funding-special-grant-applications
The Metropolitan Police Service’s application for Special Grant funding for Operation Grange in 2019/20 will therefore be published in 2020.
Asked by: Lord Black of Brentwood (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what criteria they will use to assess the request from the Metropolitan Police Service for further funding for Operation Grange until March 2020.
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 has awarded £11.75 million to cover the costs of Operation Grange up until March 2019. A request for further funding until the end of March 2020 has been received, the costs of which will be assessed against the Special Grant Award criteria. (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/police-funding-special-grant-guidance/special-grant-guidance). A decision will be made in October.
The Home Office has previously provided £1.1 million of Special Grant funding to South Yorkshire Police to meet the additional costs of the investigation into the disappearance of Ben Needham. We do not hold information on spending on other missing children investigations as these are funded locally by police forces.
Asked by: Lord Black of Brentwood (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what funding they have provided to the Metropolitan Police Service for the purpose of the Operation Grange investigation into the disappearance of Madeleine McCann since its launch in May 2011; what estimate they have made of the total cost of that operation to date; and how much has been spent on investigations into other missing children since May 2011.
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 has awarded £11.75 million to cover the costs of Operation Grange up until March 2019. A request for further funding until the end of March 2020 has been received, the costs of which will be assessed against the Special Grant Award criteria. (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/police-funding-special-grant-guidance/special-grant-guidance). A decision will be made in October.
The Home Office has previously provided £1.1 million of Special Grant funding to South Yorkshire Police to meet the additional costs of the investigation into the disappearance of Ben Needham. We do not hold information on spending on other missing children investigations as these are funded locally by police forces.
Asked by: Lord Black of Brentwood (Conservative - 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 May (HL7044), whether any request had been made by the Metropolitan Police Service to extend the funding for Operation Grange beyond the end of September 2018; and if so, by how much, over what further period, and for what purpose; and what has been the total spent on Operation Grange to date.
Answered by Baroness Williams of Trafford - Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms (HM Household) (Chief Whip, House of Lords)
To date no request has been received from the Metropolitan Police Service to extend funding for Operation Grange beyond the end of September 2018. The total cost of Operation Grange is, to date, £11.6m.
Asked by: Lord Black of Brentwood (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether any funding requests other than Operation Grange have been received from the Metropolitan Police Service in the last year relating to the search for missing children; and if so, how much funding has been made available.
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 has not received any other Special Grant requests from the Metropolitan Police Service relating to the search for missing children.
Asked by: Lord Black of Brentwood (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Williams of Trafford on 21 December 2017 (HL4308), whether any request was made by the Metropolitan Police Service to extend the funding for Operation Grange beyond the end of March 2018; and if so, by how much, and over what period.
Answered by Baroness Williams of Trafford - Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms (HM Household) (Chief Whip, House of Lords)
An application from the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) for further Special Grant funding for Operation Grange for 01 April – 30 September 2018 has been received. This is for an amount similar to the £154,000 granted for the period of 01 October 2017 – 31 March 2018. The MPS has been briefed that its latest application will be granted.
Asked by: Lord Black of Brentwood (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Williams of Trafford on 22 November (HL3177), whether any request has been made by the Metropolitan Police to extend the funding for Operation Grange beyond the end of March 2018.
Answered by Baroness Williams of Trafford - Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms (HM Household) (Chief Whip, House of Lords)
To date no request has been received from the Metropolitan Police Service to extend funding for Operation Grange beyond the end of March 2018.