Asked by: Lord Patten (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the effects of there being only one railway line between Salisbury and Yeovil on (1) the travelling public and (2) the carriage of goods.
Answered by Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill - Minister of State (Department for Transport)
We are aware of the issues between Salisbury and Yeovil and the lack of resilience due to the nature of this single line. Department officials continue to work with the South Western Railway and Network Rail in providing as much resilience as possible, including by increasing the Operator management resource tasked specifically to look at West of England line issues.
The Government recognises that the economic and environmental potential of rail freight is significant and is fully committed to supporting its growth. Under our plans to deliver the biggest overhaul of the railways in a generation, Great British Railways will have a duty and targets to grow the use of rail freight. Currently freight only operates between Salisbury and Worting Junction (Basingstoke).
There is no freight operation between Salisbury and Yeovil Junction. Network Rail is working with stakeholders and industry partners to understand the capacity and performance issues on the West of England Line and identify how these can be mitigated.
Asked by: Lord Empey (Ulster Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government how many units of accommodation, including hotel rooms, (1) are currently being used to house persons who have submitted claims for asylum in the United Kingdom; and (2) they have reserved or acquired to accommodate those who may yet arrive and seek asylum in the United Kingdom.
Answered by Lord Hanson of Flint - Minister of State (Home Office)
The Home Office has a statutory obligation to support and accommodate asylum seekers who would otherwise be destitute. It does not publish a breakdown of statistics which disaggregates asylum accommodation costs by type.
The total expenditure on asylum is published in the Home Office Annual Report and Accounts, available at HO annual reports and accounts.
Data on the number of supported asylum seekers in accommodation, including hotels, can be found within the Asy_D11 tab for our most recent stats release at Gov.UK.
The government is determined to restore order to the asylum system so that it operates swiftly, firmly, and fairly including reducing the use of hotels over time. Additionally, the Government will be reviewing current Home Office arrangements to ensure efficiency and deliver value for money.
Asked by: Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they plan to (1) introduce, and (2) enforce, tougher environmental standards, such as mandatory insurance cover and compliance with International Maritime Organisation heavy fuel standards, for oil tankers entering UK territorial waters and the Exclusive Economic Zone.
Answered by Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill - Minister of State (Department for Transport)
The government has implemented, and enforces, a variety of mandatory environmental measures related to the use and carriage of oil, including heavy fuel oil, by sea. International standards are primarily set out in the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (MARPOL), to which the UK is a signatory. Annex I of MARPOL makes provision for the prevention of pollution by oil from ships and includes mandatory requirements such as construction standards of oil tankers, limitations on size and arrangement of cargo tanks, damage stability requirements and a robust survey and certification regime. Compliance with these requirements is enforced by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) through surveys of UK registered ships and Port State Control inspections of non-UK ships when in UK ports. Non-compliance is managed through the detention of ships, prohibition notices and, where necessary, prosecution.
With regard to insurance, within certain tonnage limitations, UK ships and ships coming to or from the UK must have certificates to prove that they have the relevant compulsory civil liability insurance against oil pollution and liability insurance for the locating, marking and removing of wrecks in the event that the ship causes a pollution incident or is wrecked. Insurers must meet the UK’s criteria to provide appropriate cover and be approved by the MCA before a compulsory insurance certificate can be issued.
Asked by: Baroness Altmann (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Sherlock on 7 August (HL344), how many staff in the Ministry of Defence are permitted to undertake diversity-related network time during core working hours; what is the percentage of overall working time they are permitted to spend on such network activity; how many hours are allocated in total; which networks are being funded; and whether they have any plans alter such funding.
Answered by Lord Coaker - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
Information is not held concerning the number of staff, both civilian and military, who are permitted to undertake diversity related network time, nor the percentage of overall working time or total hours they are permitted to spend on such network activity.
We align with Government guidance in supporting Civil Service staff in engaging in Network duties. The Armed Forces who form the vast majority of the workforce do not receive any facilitated time and carry out Network duties in their own time, as do many of our Civil Servants.
All staff networks working in support of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (ED&I) outcomes are eligible to apply for funding in accordance with Government Guidance on ED&I expenditure dated 14 May 2024.
Until the Government Guidance on ED&I expenditure dated is superseded, this policy will be applied to all applications for network funding.
Asked by: Baroness Altmann (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Sherlock on 7 August (HL344), how many staff in (1) the Department for Transport and (2) the Driver and Vehicle Licencing Agency are permitted to undertake diversity-related network time during core working hours; what is the percentage of overall working time they are permitted to spend on such network activity; how many hours are allocated in total; which networks are being funded; and whether they have any plans alter such funding.
Answered by Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill - Minister of State (Department for Transport)
Time allocation
The Department for Transport Core (DfTc) and the Driver and Vehicle Licencing Agency (DVLA) do not allocate a specified amount of time for staff to spend on diversity-related network activities. Civil Service guidance for diversity-related networks requires that time being spent on EDI activities by volunteers, where it is not part of an individual’s core role, is appropriate, reasonable and proportionate.
Funding
At present none of the networks within Department for Transport Core (DfTc) and the Driver and Vehicle Licencing Agency (DVLA) are funded. We are currently reviewing our staff networks and any future funding will align with the guidance on EDI Expenditure published on 14th May 2024.
Asked by: Lord Empey (Ulster Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what financial provision has been made in the current financial year to provide (1) accommodation, and (2) food and provisions, to those currently awaiting a response to applications for asylum in the United Kingdom.
Answered by Lord Hanson of Flint - Minister of State (Home Office)
The Home Office has a statutory obligation to support and accommodate asylum seekers who would otherwise be destitute. It does not publish a breakdown of statistics which disaggregates asylum accommodation costs by type.
The total expenditure on asylum is published in the Home Office Annual Report and Accounts, available at HO annual reports and accounts.
Data on the number of supported asylum seekers in accommodation, including hotels, can be found within the Asy_D11 tab for our most recent stats release at Gov.UK.
The government is determined to restore order to the asylum system so that it operates swiftly, firmly, and fairly including reducing the use of hotels over time. Additionally, the Government will be reviewing current Home Office arrangements to ensure efficiency and deliver value for money.
Asked by: Baroness Goldie (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask His Majesty's Government what progress they have made in the renovation and refurbishment of service accommodation and service family accommodation; and what remains outstanding in relation to those works.
Answered by Lord Coaker - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
The Department, through its contractors, continuously renovates, refurbishes, improves, and maintains its estate, including accommodation.
With regards to Service Family Accommodation (SFA):
In Financial Year (FY) 2023-24, the Department invested £578 million on maintaining and improving SFA, including £220 million which was spent on remediating damp and mould in c4,000 homes, refurbishing c1,000 long term empty homes, replacing doors and windows in c3,000 homes, providing c1,100 homes with External Wall Insulation, c1,000 homes with replacement kitchens and bathrooms, and upgrading heaters and boilers in c1,500 homes.
In FY2024-25, £619 million is to be spent on maintaining and improving SFA, including £180 million to improve insulation in c600 homes, remediate c1,000 long-term damp and mould homes and refurbishing 200 long-term empty homes. Circa 1,700 minor damp and mould packages are planned, and 30 homes will receive upgraded heating.
With regards to Single Living Accommodation (SLA):
In FY 2023-24, £37.8 million was spent on improvements to SLA, with another £3.2 million spent on SLA Safe & Legal compliance works.
During FY2024-25 expenditure of £41 million is planned to improve the condition of SLA including refurbishment, heating upgrades and room conversions to additional bedspaces. £7.5 million has also been ringfenced for internal improvements to SLA condition and heating. In addition, £14.3 million of Safe & Legal compliance works are planned. Further to this, a further £66.6 million of SLA expenditure is planned for FY2025-26.
Asked by: Lord Bishop of St Albans (Bishops - Bishops)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they will take to support children growing up in households where an adult is experiencing problem gambling.
Answered by Baroness Twycross - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
We recognise the impact harmful gambling can have on individuals and their families. The National Gambling Clinic (NGC) supports people aged 13 - 18 years old in England who are experiencing harm from gambling, and offers a Family and Friends service which provides support to those impacted by someone else’s difficulty with gambling.
As stated in the Government’s manifesto, we are committed to strengthening protections for those at risk. We will consider the best available evidence in future decisions regarding the fulfilment of that important commitment.
Asked by: Earl of Clancarty (Crossbench - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to negotiate bilateral agreements for work permits with individual EU member states which do not currently offer cultural exemptions for work of up to 90 days.
Answered by Baroness Twycross - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
The Government is committed to working collaboratively across departments to address the issue of musicians, performing artists and their support staff being able to tour across the EU. We will engage with the new European Commission and EU Member States, and explore how best to improve arrangements for touring across the European continent without a return to free movement. Our priority remains ensuring that UK artists can continue to thrive on the global stage.
Asked by: Lord Taylor of Warwick (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask His Majesty's Government when they intend to re-introduce the Football Governance Bill.
Answered by Baroness Twycross - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
The Football Governance Bill was announced as part of the King’s Speech on 17 July 2024. We will introduce this legislation as soon as parliamentary time allows.