Asked by: Baroness Armstrong of Hill Top (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what estimate they have made of how long the policy of removing asylum seekers to Rwanda will take to reduce significantly the illegal activity of people traffickers; and whether they will publish the risk assessment for this policy.
Answered by Baroness Williams of Trafford - Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms (HM Household) (Chief Whip, House of Lords)
This Migration and Economic Development Partnership with Rwanda is part of a suite of measures aimed at breaking the business model of evil people smuggling gangs and as with all policies, its impact will be kept under review.
Asked by: Baroness Armstrong of Hill Top (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what language support is available to those women in Hassockfield Immigration Removal Centre who do not have English as a first language.
Answered by Baroness Williams of Trafford - Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms (HM Household) (Chief Whip, House of Lords)
The Detention Centre Rules 2001 regulate how immigration removal centres are operated, with the overall purpose of the rules being to ensure a secure and humane environment. The safety, security and welfare of staff and detained individuals are of vital importance in the operation of the immigration removal estate, and this includes the strict regulation of those entering and working in immigration removal centres, under Rule 53 of the Detention Centre Rules.
Members of Independent Monitoring Boards, who are appointed by the Home Secretary under section 152 of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999, are required to sign the Official Secrets Act as part of the Home Office clearance process. The published Detention Services Order (DSO) ‘Whistleblowing – The Public Interest Disclosure Act 1998 (c.23)’ sets out guidance for Home Office staff, our suppliers and visitors on whistleblowing procedures.
All those detained in immigration removal centres (IRCs), including Derwentside IRC, have access to independent interpreting services. As set out in DSO 06/2013 “Reception, Induction and Discharge’, professional interpreting facilities must be used whenever language barriers are identified on reception, induction, or discharge. New operational guidance, Detention Services Order ‘Interpretation Services and use of Translation Devices’ will be published shortly. This guidance will set out the provisions, including interpretation services and translation devices, available for individuals held in immigration detention and the circumstances in which these should be used.
All IRCs have dedicated health facilities run by doctors and nurses which are managed by the NHS, or appropriate providers, and deliver trauma informed mental health services, where appropriate. A range of trauma informed services are provided at Derwentside IRC, including trauma stabilisation, trauma informed cognitive behavioural therapy and services for sexual abuse crisis. The services available are supplemented by guidance and advice on trauma informed restorative practice being provided to onsite staff, from a specialist external organisation.
In addition to published guidance, staff at all centres are also given training and support to proactively identify and act upon indicators of vulnerability at the earliest opportunity and Detainee Custody Officers at Derwentside IRC receive trauma informed training as part of their induction and refresher training courses, to ensure effective and supportive engagement with residents. Welfare teams are onsite at every IRC to assist detained individuals in accessing support specific to their needs.
Asked by: Baroness Armstrong of Hill Top (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what access the residents of Hassockfield Immigration Removal Centre have to trauma-informed counselling.
Answered by Baroness Williams of Trafford - Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms (HM Household) (Chief Whip, House of Lords)
The Detention Centre Rules 2001 regulate how immigration removal centres are operated, with the overall purpose of the rules being to ensure a secure and humane environment. The safety, security and welfare of staff and detained individuals are of vital importance in the operation of the immigration removal estate, and this includes the strict regulation of those entering and working in immigration removal centres, under Rule 53 of the Detention Centre Rules.
Members of Independent Monitoring Boards, who are appointed by the Home Secretary under section 152 of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999, are required to sign the Official Secrets Act as part of the Home Office clearance process. The published Detention Services Order (DSO) ‘Whistleblowing – The Public Interest Disclosure Act 1998 (c.23)’ sets out guidance for Home Office staff, our suppliers and visitors on whistleblowing procedures.
All those detained in immigration removal centres (IRCs), including Derwentside IRC, have access to independent interpreting services. As set out in DSO 06/2013 “Reception, Induction and Discharge’, professional interpreting facilities must be used whenever language barriers are identified on reception, induction, or discharge. New operational guidance, Detention Services Order ‘Interpretation Services and use of Translation Devices’ will be published shortly. This guidance will set out the provisions, including interpretation services and translation devices, available for individuals held in immigration detention and the circumstances in which these should be used.
All IRCs have dedicated health facilities run by doctors and nurses which are managed by the NHS, or appropriate providers, and deliver trauma informed mental health services, where appropriate. A range of trauma informed services are provided at Derwentside IRC, including trauma stabilisation, trauma informed cognitive behavioural therapy and services for sexual abuse crisis. The services available are supplemented by guidance and advice on trauma informed restorative practice being provided to onsite staff, from a specialist external organisation.
In addition to published guidance, staff at all centres are also given training and support to proactively identify and act upon indicators of vulnerability at the earliest opportunity and Detainee Custody Officers at Derwentside IRC receive trauma informed training as part of their induction and refresher training courses, to ensure effective and supportive engagement with residents. Welfare teams are onsite at every IRC to assist detained individuals in accessing support specific to their needs.
Asked by: Baroness Armstrong of Hill Top (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government why those who have been approved as official visitors to Hassockfield Immigration Removal Centre in Country Durham are required to sign the Official Secrets Act, and how should any concerns be raised and people be held accountable if visitors are unable to report anything publicly.
Answered by Baroness Williams of Trafford - Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms (HM Household) (Chief Whip, House of Lords)
The Detention Centre Rules 2001 regulate how immigration removal centres are operated, with the overall purpose of the rules being to ensure a secure and humane environment. The safety, security and welfare of staff and detained individuals are of vital importance in the operation of the immigration removal estate, and this includes the strict regulation of those entering and working in immigration removal centres, under Rule 53 of the Detention Centre Rules.
Members of Independent Monitoring Boards, who are appointed by the Home Secretary under section 152 of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999, are required to sign the Official Secrets Act as part of the Home Office clearance process. The published Detention Services Order (DSO) ‘Whistleblowing – The Public Interest Disclosure Act 1998 (c.23)’ sets out guidance for Home Office staff, our suppliers and visitors on whistleblowing procedures.
All those detained in immigration removal centres (IRCs), including Derwentside IRC, have access to independent interpreting services. As set out in DSO 06/2013 “Reception, Induction and Discharge’, professional interpreting facilities must be used whenever language barriers are identified on reception, induction, or discharge. New operational guidance, Detention Services Order ‘Interpretation Services and use of Translation Devices’ will be published shortly. This guidance will set out the provisions, including interpretation services and translation devices, available for individuals held in immigration detention and the circumstances in which these should be used.
All IRCs have dedicated health facilities run by doctors and nurses which are managed by the NHS, or appropriate providers, and deliver trauma informed mental health services, where appropriate. A range of trauma informed services are provided at Derwentside IRC, including trauma stabilisation, trauma informed cognitive behavioural therapy and services for sexual abuse crisis. The services available are supplemented by guidance and advice on trauma informed restorative practice being provided to onsite staff, from a specialist external organisation.
In addition to published guidance, staff at all centres are also given training and support to proactively identify and act upon indicators of vulnerability at the earliest opportunity and Detainee Custody Officers at Derwentside IRC receive trauma informed training as part of their induction and refresher training courses, to ensure effective and supportive engagement with residents. Welfare teams are onsite at every IRC to assist detained individuals in accessing support specific to their needs.
Asked by: Baroness Armstrong of Hill Top (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government which Cabinet committees are responsible for (1) the recovery of public services following the COVID-19 pandemic, and (2) co-ordinating the delivery of public services across Government; and which Ministers chair these committees.
Answered by Lord True - Leader of the House of Lords and Lord Privy Seal
There are a number of Cabinet Committees that could take issues related to public service delivery and recovery. These include, for example; the Domestic and Economic (Operations), the Government Priorities Delivery Committee, Covid-19 Operations, the Health Promotion Taskforce and the Crime and Justice Taskforce. All of these are listed on GOV.UK along with their membership and Terms of Reference. This list of Cabinet Committees on GOV.UK is updated regularly.
It is a long-established precedent that information about the discussions that have taken place in Cabinet and its Committees, and how often they have met, is not normally shared publicly.
Asked by: Baroness Armstrong of Hill Top (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government how many of the people appointed to (1) arms-length bodies, and (2) other public bodies, since 1 January have a political affiliation; and which political parties they were affiliated to in each case.
Answered by Lord True - Leader of the House of Lords and Lord Privy Seal
The government publishes annual data reports on public appointments, including information on gender, ethnic background and political affiliation. The latest report published on 21 October provides data on those appointed during the 2020-21 financial year and appointees in post on 31 March 2021. Data on those appointed during the 2021-22 financial year and those in post on 31 March 2022 will be published next year.
Latest figures show that in 2020-21, 44% of appointees were women and 10% were from an ethnic minority background. 6% stated they had taken part in political activity in the past five years across a range of political parties.
Public appointments are announced on the HM Government Public Appointments website https://publicappointments.cabinetoffice.gov.uk.
Asked by: Baroness Armstrong of Hill Top (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government who they have appointed to (1) arms-length bodies, and (2) other public bodies, since 1 January; and how many of these appointments were (a) women, or (b) people from a minority background.
Answered by Lord True - Leader of the House of Lords and Lord Privy Seal
The government publishes annual data reports on public appointments, including information on gender, ethnic background and political affiliation. The latest report published on 21 October provides data on those appointed during the 2020-21 financial year and appointees in post on 31 March 2021. Data on those appointed during the 2021-22 financial year and those in post on 31 March 2022 will be published next year.
Latest figures show that in 2020-21, 44% of appointees were women and 10% were from an ethnic minority background. 6% stated they had taken part in political activity in the past five years across a range of political parties.
Public appointments are announced on the HM Government Public Appointments website https://publicappointments.cabinetoffice.gov.uk.
Asked by: Baroness Armstrong of Hill Top (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord True on 28 September (HL2731), what commitments they have to ensure diversity of public appointments.
Answered by Lord True - Leader of the House of Lords and Lord Privy Seal
On 21st October, the Government published the Public Appointments Data Report 2021. This set out the diversity data for public appointments held and made. The Government previously published a plan for increasing diversity in public appointments, the Public Appointments Diversity Action Plan, available on GOV.UK. We are keeping the plan under review to ensure that we continue to attract a broad range of talented people from across the UK to these roles.
Asked by: Baroness Armstrong of Hill Top (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will publish the impact assessment for removing the £20 uplift to Universal Credit.
Answered by Baroness Stedman-Scott
No impact assessment has been made.
The Chancellor announced a temporary six-month extension to the £20 per week uplift at the Budget on 3 March to support households affected by the economic shock of Covid-19. Universal Credit has provided a vital safety net for six million people during the pandemic, and the temporary uplift was part of a COVID support package worth a total of £407billion in 2020-21 and 2021-22.
There have been significant positive developments in the public health situation since the uplift was first introduced. With the success of the vaccine rollout and record job vacancies, it is right that our focus is on helping people back into work.
Through our Plan for Jobs, we are targeting tailored support schemes of people of all ages to help them prepare for, get into and progress in work. These include: Kickstart, delivering tens of thousands of six-month work placements for Universal Credit claimants aged 16-24 at risk of unemployment; we have also recruited an additional 13,500 work coaches to provide more intensive support to find a job; and introduced Restart which provides 12 months’ intensive employment support to Universal Credit claimants who are unemployed for a year. Our Plan for Jobs interventions will support more than two million people.
Asked by: Baroness Armstrong of Hill Top (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of proposals of the new government to Israel for the reconstruction of Gaza while isolating Hamas.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
We welcome Foreign Minister Lapid's speech on 12 September, proposing positive policy suggestions to support economic development in Gaza and greater security for Israel. A long-term solution for Gaza is needed to prevent further conflict and make progress towards a two-state solution. The UK will continue to urge the parties to prioritise progress towards reaching a durable solution for Gaza and to take the necessary practical steps to ensure Gaza's reconstruction and economic recovery.