Speeches made during Parliamentary debates are recorded in Hansard. For ease of browsing we have grouped debates into individual, departmental and legislative categories.
These initiatives were driven by Baroness Verma, and are more likely to reflect personal policy preferences.
To consolidate the Charities Act 1993 and other enactments which relate to charities.
This Bill received Royal Assent on 14th December 2011 and was enacted into law.
Baroness Verma has not co-sponsored any Bills in the current parliamentary sitting
This Government takes the issue of period poverty very seriously and we are taking steps to ensure that period products are available and affordable for those most in need through the organisations closest to them.
Since January 2020, a Department for Education scheme provides free period products in schools and 16-19 education institutions in England. 97% of secondary schools, 92% of post 16 organisations and 68% primary schools have made at least one order since the scheme began in January 2020.
In March 2019 NHS England announced that it would offer period products to every hospital patient who needs them (including long-term in-patients).
As part of our wider strategy to make period products affordable and available for all women, we have also made it clear that a zero rate of VAT applies to period products now that the UK has left the EU. These products are essential so it is right that there is now no VAT charge.
The Period Product Scheme is open to all state-funded primary schools, secondary schools and 16-19 organisations so that girls and women can have access to a wide range of period products in their place of study.
Take up of the scheme is monitored and reviewed regularly. Since its launch in January 2020, 99% of secondary schools and 94% of 16-19 organisations have used the scheme. Management information is published annually and can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/period-products-scheme-management-information. The national supplier, phs, makes contact with all eligible schools and colleges annually to advise them of the scheme and provide details on how to order.
All children must be safe wherever they are educated, and the department is committed to ensuring that children are safe from extremism and radicalisation.
The Counter Terrorism and Security Act 2015 introduced a statutory duty for education providers to have 'due regard to the need to prevent people from being drawn into terrorism'. The full act is available at: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2015/6/contents. Faith schools are subject to the same duty and responsibilities as non-faith schools. To comply with the 'Prevent duty', providers must demonstrate that they have effective policies and procedures in place to safeguard individuals susceptible to radicalisation.
In addition, every school, including faith schools, should actively promote the ‘fundamental British values’ (FBVs) of democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty, and mutual respect and tolerance for those of different faiths and beliefs. Promoting these values is a way of building pupils’ resilience to radicalisation and enabling them to identify and challenge extremist views.
The department has taken a number of steps to prevent extremism from gaining a foothold in our schools across the country, including:
The department keeps its work under regular review to ensure we continue to provide effective support to the sector. This includes implementing the recommendations of the Independent Review of Prevent, which was published on the 8 February 2023. As part of this response, the government published updated statutory guidance for the Prevent duty in September 2023, providing further clarity and good practice for the education sector. The guidance is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/prevent-duty-guidance.
All children must be safe wherever they are educated, and the department is committed to ensuring that children are safe from extremism and radicalisation.
The Counter Terrorism and Security Act 2015 introduced a statutory duty for education providers to have 'due regard to the need to prevent people from being drawn into terrorism'. The full act is available at: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2015/6/contents. Faith schools are subject to the same duty and responsibilities as non-faith schools. To comply with the 'Prevent duty', providers must demonstrate that they have effective policies and procedures in place to safeguard individuals susceptible to radicalisation.
In addition, every school, including faith schools, should actively promote the ‘fundamental British values’ (FBVs) of democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty, and mutual respect and tolerance for those of different faiths and beliefs. Promoting these values is a way of building pupils’ resilience to radicalisation and enabling them to identify and challenge extremist views.
The department has taken a number of steps to prevent extremism from gaining a foothold in our schools across the country, including:
The department keeps its work under regular review to ensure we continue to provide effective support to the sector. This includes implementing the recommendations of the Independent Review of Prevent, which was published on the 8 February 2023. As part of this response, the government published updated statutory guidance for the Prevent duty in September 2023, providing further clarity and good practice for the education sector. The guidance is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/prevent-duty-guidance.
The Government has always been clear that underspend from the initial grants schemes for businesses could not be used for other purposes.
Once all?grant monies have been paid out,?local authorities?will need to?carry out a reconciliation exercise?with Government to ensure that they receive the correct amount of funding to meet the cost of grant payments to eligible businesses.
Ministers will continue to consider the need for further responses to second or local lockdowns, recognising that significant support has already been provided to businesses through grants, loans and easements.