Asked by: Baroness Hayter of Kentish Town (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the letter from Baroness Williams of Trafford to all peers on 2 March regarding the Nationality and Borders Bill and offshoring, whether any such arrangement with a third country would require a treaty.
Answered by Baroness Williams of Trafford - Shadow Chief Whip (Lords)
Legislation in the Nationality and Borders Bill does not in itself enable overseas asylum processing; we need a deal with a likeminded partner for that. I will not tie the hands of our negotiators by commenting on the content nor form of a deal, this is a matter for the negotiating table.
Asked by: Baroness Hayter of Kentish Town (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government when the new Alcohol Strategy will be published.
Answered by Baroness Williams of Trafford - Shadow Chief Whip (Lords)
We are considering the next steps on alcohol policy.
We continue to take action to improve local intelligence, establish effective local partnerships and equip police and local authorities with the right powers to take effective action against alcohol-related crime and harms in the night time economy. Current action to tackle alcohol-related harms includes working to address alcohol related domestic abuse through a training package for frontline professionals with the charity Against Violence and Abuse.
Asked by: Baroness Hayter of Kentish Town (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have, if any, to extend the Licensing Act 2003 to apply airside at airports.
Answered by Baroness Williams of Trafford - Shadow Chief Whip (Lords)
The Government has publicly committed to issue a Call for Evidence on airside alcohol licensing.
The Call for Evidence will allow the Government to assess the true scale of the problem of drunk and disruptive airline passengers, the extent to which existing statutory powers and other measures are used to address the problem as well as impact the extension of the Licensing Act 2003 to airside premises at international airports in England and Wales could have on reducing alcohol-related disruptive passenger behaviour. The Call for Evidence will be issued shortly.
Asked by: Baroness Hayter of Kentish Town (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have begun to work with airports and the air freight industry to develop a long-term plan for the Border Force to deal with the growth in demand for passenger and freight flights post-Brexit; and if so, when they plan to publish such a plan.
Answered by Baroness Williams of Trafford - Shadow Chief Whip (Lords)
The Government is committed to developing a border which utilises technology and automation, and better balances security and prosperity. The Government will continue to work closely with airports and other relevant parties within the industry to understand their concerns and address them as well as to create opportunities. Border Force has established a dedicated Industry Partnerships team for such engagement.
As part of our preparations Border Force is recruiting 300 frontline officers to allow existing staff to be trained in new requirements ahead of EU Exit. This is separate from the recruitment of up to 1,000 Border Force officers, which is to meet a range of business needs, including allowing Border Force to respond flexibly to emerging requirements.
While we cannot comment on detailed EU Exit planning, Government departments are working together across a range of complex issues to develop our future approach at the border. These options will be kept under review in light of negotiations with the EU.
Asked by: Baroness Hayter of Kentish Town (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the 300 additional Border Force staff they announced were to be recruited to relieve existing staff for training for post Brexit demands are in addition to the other announced increase of 1,000 new Border Force staff.
Answered by Baroness Williams of Trafford - Shadow Chief Whip (Lords)
As part of our preparations Border Force is recruiting 300 frontline officers to allow existing staff to be trained in new requirements ahead of EU Exit.
This is separate from the recruitment of up to 1,000 Border Force officers, which is to meet a range of business needs, including meeting the normal staff turnover associated with a large operational business such as Border Force. It will also support Border Force to respond flexibly to emerging requirements, including any future requirements as a result of EU Exit.
Operational units across the Home Office actively monitor workflows to ensure sufficient resources are in place to meet demand and will continue to do so throughout negotiations and as the UK leaves the EU.
Asked by: Baroness Hayter of Kentish Town (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the recommendation by the House of Lords Licensing Act 2003 Committee that the “designation of airports as international airports for the purposes of section 173 of the Licensing act 2003 should be revoked".
Answered by Baroness Williams of Trafford - Shadow Chief Whip (Lords)
The Government has noted the Select Committee’s recommendation that the designation of airports as international airports for the purposes of section 173 of the Licensing Act 2003 should be revoked. The Government will publish its response in due course.
Asked by: Baroness Hayter of Kentish Town (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government which criminal offences have been introduced by secondary legislation in the last 30 years.
Answered by Baroness Williams of Trafford - Shadow Chief Whip (Lords)
The Home Office does not keep central records of criminal offences introduced by secondary legislation in the last thirty years and to research this statistic would incur a disproportionate cost to the public purse.