Asked by: Baroness Burt of Solihull (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what consideration they have given to removing the advancement of religion as a charitable purpose.
Answered by Baroness Barran - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
To be registered as a charity, institutions, including religious organisations in England and Wales, must meet the legal test for charitable status set out in the Charities Act 2011. This requires the institution to have a wholly charitable purpose for the benefit of the public. The advancement of religion has long been recognised as a charitable purpose.
The requirement for public benefit has to be demonstrated with evidence. Any benefits that the charity provides must be weighed against any detriment and harm. An example of activity by an organisation which would be considered as detrimental or harmful includes encouraging or promoting violence or hatred towards others, or unlawfully restricting a person’s freedom. An organisation’s public benefit will be affected where there is evidence of significant detriment or harm from what the organisation proposes to do, or practises, which outweigh the benefits of the organisation carrying out its aims.
The Charity Commission, as the independent regulator of charities in England and Wales, is responsible for assessing if an institution meets the legal test for charitable status. The Charity Commission takes a robust approach to registration, demonstrated by the fact that it registered on average 60% of applications received in 2020-2021.
There are currently no plans to change the legal test for charitable status.
Asked by: Baroness Burt of Solihull (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask Her Majesty's Government how they intend to prevent religious organisations that promote misogyny from becoming registered charities.
Answered by Baroness Barran - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
To be registered as a charity, institutions, including religious organisations in England and Wales, must meet the legal test for charitable status set out in the Charities Act 2011. This requires the institution to have a wholly charitable purpose for the benefit of the public. The advancement of religion has long been recognised as a charitable purpose.
The requirement for public benefit has to be demonstrated with evidence. Any benefits that the charity provides must be weighed against any detriment and harm. An example of activity by an organisation which would be considered as detrimental or harmful includes encouraging or promoting violence or hatred towards others, or unlawfully restricting a person’s freedom. An organisation’s public benefit will be affected where there is evidence of significant detriment or harm from what the organisation proposes to do, or practises, which outweigh the benefits of the organisation carrying out its aims.
The Charity Commission, as the independent regulator of charities in England and Wales, is responsible for assessing if an institution meets the legal test for charitable status. The Charity Commission takes a robust approach to registration, demonstrated by the fact that it registered on average 60% of applications received in 2020-2021.
There are currently no plans to change the legal test for charitable status.
Asked by: Baroness Burt of Solihull (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they will take to prevent religious organisations that promote intolerance and harmful messages from becoming registered charities.
Answered by Baroness Barran - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
To be registered as a charity, institutions, including religious organisations in England and Wales, must meet the legal test for charitable status set out in the Charities Act 2011. This requires the institution to have a wholly charitable purpose for the benefit of the public. The advancement of religion has long been recognised as a charitable purpose.
The requirement for public benefit has to be demonstrated with evidence. Any benefits that the charity provides must be weighed against any detriment and harm. An example of activity by an organisation which would be considered as detrimental or harmful includes encouraging or promoting violence or hatred towards others, or unlawfully restricting a person’s freedom. An organisation’s public benefit will be affected where there is evidence of significant detriment or harm from what the organisation proposes to do, or practises, which outweigh the benefits of the organisation carrying out its aims.
The Charity Commission, as the independent regulator of charities in England and Wales, is responsible for assessing if an institution meets the legal test for charitable status. The Charity Commission takes a robust approach to registration, demonstrated by the fact that it registered on average 60% of applications received in 2020-2021.
There are currently no plans to change the legal test for charitable status.
Asked by: Baroness Burt of Solihull (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to put in place statutory paid leave for employees who are experiencing domestic abuse.
Answered by Lord Callanan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
On 14 January 2021, the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy published the report from its review into how victims of domestic abuse can be supported in the workplace. This report finds that, with the right support, employers can play a key role in helping to lift the lid on domestic abuse.
Throughout this review, we heard about the value of employers having a policy in place to support victims in their workforce. We encourage all employers to do this, and wherever possible, offer victims flexibility and leave should they need it to access support.
The report sets out the next steps for government, including a consultation on making flexible working the default, further consultation on the steps which can be taken for victims of domestic abuse, for example, how to exercise existing rights more effectively, and establishing a working group to develop practical solutions and encourage good practice across all employers.
Asked by: Baroness Burt of Solihull (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the NHS England Domestic Abuse Action Plan will advise clinicians that they can request that previous NHS waiting times are taken into consideration when making referrals for (1) physical, and (2) mental, healthcare for children fleeing domestic abuse.
Answered by Lord Bethell
Existing NHS policy is clear that access to NHS treatment is based on clinical need. Clinicians are expected to consider trauma, such as domestic abuse. The individual circumstances of children and young people seeking help will form part of local clinical judgement.
Alongside this the Government is focused on addressing the pressures caused by the pandemic as a priority and we are working with the National Health Service to tackle long waiting lists and bear down on waiting times. At the Spending Review (SR) we invested £1 billion to kickstart elective recovery throughout 2021-22, incentivising providers to address backlogs and tackle long waiting lists.
Asked by: Baroness Burt of Solihull (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask Her Majesty's Government when they plan to publish the outcome of the review of the School Admissions Code.
Answered by Baroness Berridge
In 2020 the Government consulted on changes to the School Admissions Code (the Code) to improve the in year admission process for all children, including those fleeing domestic abuse, and to improve Fair Access Protocols, which act as a safety net for the most vulnerable children. The new Code and associated regulations were laid before Parliament on 13 May and, subject to Parliamentary procedure, they will come into force 1 September. On the same day, the Government published the response to the consultation which is available at the following link: https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/changes-to-the-school-admissions-code--4.
The new Code ensures that unplaced children who are living in a refuge or other relevant accommodation will be eligible to be considered by a Fair Access Protocol, which exists to ensure that unplaced and vulnerable children are allocated a school place as quickly as possible. Relevant accommodation, for the purposes of the Code, means a safe place to stay for victims and their children fleeing domestic abuse. This can include, but is not limited to, refuges, specialist safe accommodation, sanctuary schemes and second stage accommodation.
Asked by: Baroness Burt of Solihull (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they plan to take to ensure that the Fair Access Protocol under the School Admissions Code includes all children escaping domestic abuse, not only those in refuges.
Answered by Baroness Berridge
In 2020 the Government consulted on changes to the School Admissions Code (the Code) to improve the in year admission process for all children, including those fleeing domestic abuse, and to improve Fair Access Protocols, which act as a safety net for the most vulnerable children. The new Code and associated regulations were laid before Parliament on 13 May and, subject to Parliamentary procedure, they will come into force 1 September. On the same day, the Government published the response to the consultation which is available at the following link: https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/changes-to-the-school-admissions-code--4.
The new Code ensures that unplaced children who are living in a refuge or other relevant accommodation will be eligible to be considered by a Fair Access Protocol, which exists to ensure that unplaced and vulnerable children are allocated a school place as quickly as possible. Relevant accommodation, for the purposes of the Code, means a safe place to stay for victims and their children fleeing domestic abuse. This can include, but is not limited to, refuges, specialist safe accommodation, sanctuary schemes and second stage accommodation.
Asked by: Baroness Burt of Solihull (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the potential benefits of the Birmingham Airport Connectivity Scheme for the levelling up agenda.
Answered by Baroness Vere of Norbiton - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
This Government is committed to ensuring that transport and infrastructure investment levels up economies across the country. In examining the case for the Birmingham Airport Connectivity, as with all rail projects, it will be necessary to assess its contribution to the Government’s strategic priorities as part of the consideration of the business case for this proposal.
Asked by: Baroness Burt of Solihull (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask Her Majesty's Government when they expect a decision will be made on the Birmingham Airport Connectivity scheme, as part of the Rail Network Enhancements Pipeline process.
Answered by Baroness Vere of Norbiton - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Integrated Rail Plan (IRP) for the North and Midlands is considering how best to deliver schemes such as HS2 Phase 2b, Northern Powerhouse Rail (NPR) and Midlands Engine Rail in the North and Midlands.
Birmingham Airport Connectivity project is part of the Midlands Engine Rail proposals and it will be appropriate to consider the case for this scheme when the Integrated Rail Plan concludes. We intend to publish the IRP this Spring.
Asked by: Baroness Burt of Solihull (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the safeguards which would be required for commercial independent celebrants to perform legally recognised marriages.
Answered by Baroness Scott of Bybrook - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities)
The Government announced in June 2019 that the Law Commission will conduct a fundamental review of the law on how and where people can legally marry in England and Wales. As part of that review, the Government invited the Law Commission to make recommendations including considering how independent celebrants could be incorporated into a revised or new scheme for all marriages that is simple, fair and consistent.