School Census: Pupils’ Nationality

Debate between Viscount Younger of Leckie and Lord Harris of Haringey

Wednesday 12th October 2016 Lords Chamber

[Viscount Younger of Leckie]

I can reassure the noble Lord that the information is not given to the Home Office. There has been some mischief in the press about this, but I reassure the House that the information is kept within the Department for Education and is not passed on to the Home Office.

[Lord Harris of Haringey (Lab)]

My Lords, can the Minister give an absolute assurance that it is not obligatory for a school to fill in this question, and that no sanction will be applied to a school which fails to do so, or to a parent who does not answer?

[Viscount Younger of Leckie]

That is absolutely correct. The guidance is very clear on that. If, for example, a school wishes to send information to the DfE and parents do not agree for that particular child, it does not get sent.

Social Housing

Debate between Viscount Younger of Leckie and Lord Harris of Haringey

Wednesday 27th April 2016 Lords Chamber

[Viscount Younger of Leckie]

The noble Baroness makes a good point. Again, that is part of our overall plan. We are spending £20 billion altogether to deliver 1 million more homes: that is the largest programme by any Government. In terms of focusing on affordable housing, £1.6 billion is being put towards 100,000 homes at affordable and intermediate rents, and London is very much part of that programme.

[Lord Harris of Haringey (Lab)]

My Lords, can the Minister then tell us what an affordable rent in London is, in his view?

[Viscount Younger of Leckie]

Well, we will be delivering 90,000 affordable home starts in London by 2021, and 20 housing zones have been designated. It is important that we deliver on those.

Housing and Planning Bill

Debate between Viscount Younger of Leckie and Lord Harris of Haringey

Wednesday 23rd March 2016 Lords Chamber

[Lord Harris of Haringey]

My Lords, given that the Government Chief Whip has not yet arrived in the Chamber to explain what the intention is—although we may be about to get a message from him—to expedite matters, in order to see exactly what the Government’s intentions are, I beg to move that the House do now resume.

[Viscount Younger of Leckie]

My Lords, I argue that the House should not resume. Discussions are ongoing with the Chief Whip as we speak. I suggest to the House that we continue. The Chief Whip will come into the Chamber as soon as he is able to update us on progress on the Bill.

[Lord Harris of Haringey]

On the basis of that assurance that the Government Chief Whip will be joining us in about 10 minutes, I will not press my Motion to a vote at this stage.

--- Later in debate ---

[Lord Harris of Haringey]

My Lords, the Government Chief Whip briefly appeared in the Chamber. I now see that the Leader and Deputy Leader of the House are here. I am minded to move that the House do now resume, unless we are about to get a Statement.

[Viscount Younger of Leckie]

My Lords, before the noble Lord, Lord Harris, continues, for the benefit of the House I should like to inform your Lordships that the Chief Whip will be making a brief Statement at 7 pm on the subject of the progress of the Bill.

[Lord Harris of Haringey]

I am sure that this will be helpful. It is clearly progress and we all want to get on with this. But it would be useful for the House to know what the intention of the Government is as far as the progress of this Bill is concerned. So, unless we are going to be given more information, I will again put a Motion that the House do now resume.

[Viscount Younger of Leckie]

It may be helpful for the noble Lord to know that is has been agreed with the usual channels to have the Statement at 7 pm.

[Lord Harris of Haringey]

My Lords, I am sure that that is the case, but I am not a member of the usual channels. There are Members sitting in this Committee who are interested in this Bill or in particular clauses or aspects of it. We have a right to know the intention in terms of the remaining groups on this Bill. That is why I therefore move that the House do now resume.