Asked by: Baroness Hayter of Kentish Town (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they will consider adopting a similar approach to visa and passport arrangements with Italy and Germany as they have with France.
Answered by Lord Sharpe of Epsom - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)
At the Leaders’ Summit in Paris on 10 March 2023, as part of an overall agreement on migration reached with France, the UK committed to ease the travel of school groups to the UK by making changes to documentary requirements for schoolchildren on organised trips from France. This agreement is specific to France.
We would consider negotiating similar arrangements with other countries if they approached us in the same context.
Asked by: Baroness Hayter of Kentish Town (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the guidance issued by Cambridge University Hospitals which states that: "Staff will be used as chaperones according to the gender they identify ... [and] will not share their trans status with patients nor would it be appropriate for any colleague either to share the trans status or another colleague with a patient or visitor”; and what assessment they have made of the compatibility of this guidance with the Government's definition of sex as biological sex in the context of intimate care.
Answered by Lord Markham - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
Cambridge University Hospital does not recognise the wording provided in the question as belonging to their chaperone’s guidance. The Government has been clear about the importance of biological sex, and the importance of respecting the privacy, dignity, and safety of all patients.
Our proposed changes to the NHS Constitution reinforce the National Health Services’ commitment to providing single-sex wards, and will empower patients to request that intimate care is carried out by someone of the same biological sex, where this is reasonably possible.
Asked by: Baroness Hayter of Kentish Town (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what discussions the UK–German Cultural Commission has had regarding youth mobility and school trips since its reinstatement in 2023.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK successfully hosted the UK-Germany Cultural Commission on 7 May. The Minister for Europe co-chaired the event at Lancaster House with German Foreign Office Minister of State Katja Keul, where - together with a range of UK and German cultural organisations - they celebrated the strong links between the two countries. They also discussed a range of topics, including mobility between the UK and Germany, and opportunities for young people.
Asked by: Baroness Hayter of Kentish Town (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they plan to engage in dialogue through the UK–German Cultural Commission to facilitate youth mobility and school trips between the UK and Germany.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK successfully hosted the UK-Germany Cultural Commission on 7 May. The Minister for Europe co-chaired the event at Lancaster House with German Foreign Office Minister of State Katja Keul, where - together with a range of UK and German cultural organisations - they celebrated the strong links between the two countries. They also discussed a range of topics, including mobility between the UK and Germany, and opportunities for young people.
Asked by: Baroness Hayter of Kentish Town (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask His Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with the Charity Commission about the governance of the Royal Albert Hall.
Answered by Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
As the governmental sponsor of the Charity Commission, Ministers and officials from the Department for Culture, Media and Sport regularly meet the Charity Commission to discuss a range of matters, including the Royal Albert Hall.
Asked by: Baroness Hayter of Kentish Town (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask His Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with local authorities about the appropriateness of teaching materials indicating to children that someone can be (1) male, (2) female, (3) intersex, or (4) "another sex".
Answered by Baroness Barran - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
My right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education was concerned to hear reports of inappropriate materials being used in schools and that contested topics are being taught as fact. This is why the department brought forward the first review of the RSHE statutory guidance, including appointing an independent panel to provide expert advice on what is appropriate to be taught in RSHE and at what age. Details on this panel and their role can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/groups/relationships-health-and-sex-education-independent-review.
Transparency is also important, and parents should be able to see what their children are being taught. The Secretary of State has twice written to schools to remind them that copyright law does not prevent them sharing external resources with parents and to clarify that any contractual clause that prevents schools from sharing materials is void and unenforceable. The department will ensure that the updated guidance fully reflects this very clear position. The Secretary of State’s letters to schools about sharing curriculum resources with parents can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/secretary-of-state-letter-to-schools-about-sharing-curriculum-resources-with-parents.
A draft of the amended guidance will be published for consultation as soon as possible.
Asked by: Baroness Hayter of Kentish Town (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask His Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with Euro NCAP about the criteria by which certificates are issued.
Answered by Lord Davies of Gower - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
Euro NCAP does not issue certificates but provides motorists with objective information on the crash safety and driver assistance systems fitted to passenger cars. The 1-5 star rating system helps consumers compare the safety potential of different models, helping to include safety in their purchasing decision.
The testing protocols are reviewed periodically to reflect evolving technologies. As a member of Euro NCAP, the Department for Transport has a place on the Board of Directors, which meets three times per year and has a role in agreeing the strategic direction of the organisation and approving new protocols.
Asked by: Baroness Hayter of Kentish Town (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask His Majesty's Government what proportion of cars that have been sold in the past five years are fitted with headlights which, once dipped, cause dazzle to oncoming traffic; and what discussions they have had with Euro NCAP on that matter.
Answered by Lord Davies of Gower - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
Prior to sale and registration all vehicle manufacturers must demonstrate that the mandatory dipped beam headlamps satisfy detailed technical requirements controlling aim and light emitted to minimise the occurrence of glare to oncoming traffic. In addition, the Government recently committed to carrying out independent research to assess the prevalence of headlamp glare and to identify root causes and potential countermeasures. EURO NCAP does not assess vehicle lighting and no associated discussions have taken place.
Asked by: Baroness Hayter of Kentish Town (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether it is their policy for the NHS to refer to "people who have ovaries" rather than "women" and whether this phraseology has been market tested with women, including those for whom English is a second language, to ensure that it is fully understood.
Answered by Lord Markham - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
It is not Government policy for the National Health Service to refer to ‘people who have ovaries’ and this phraseology has not been market tested. We have been clear that biological sex matters and it is important to use language that recognises the separate health and biological needs of men and women.
For all sex-specific conditions, we expect the language used to put biological sex, for example “women”, front and centre, with biologically-relevant information relating to specific organs or hormones secondary.
Asked by: Baroness Hayter of Kentish Town (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they will support any proposal at UNECE’s Working Party 29 in June to re-establish the Informal Working Group on (vehicle headlight) glare.
Answered by Lord Davies of Gower - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The UK will consider any proposals at UNECE Working Party 29 on their merits based on a range of factors, including the availability and assessment of new independent evidence or justification. The UK government has committed to research headlamp glare to identify root causes and potential countermeasures, which may in due course support the establishment of a UNECE Informal Working Group to develop, amend and implement changes to the appropriate international regulations.