Asked by: Baroness Pinnock (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Greenhalgh on 5 May (HL3280), whether councils will be failing in their democratic duties if they do not hold a formal meeting within a six-month period; and what plans they have to advise local councils that the six-month rule should not apply during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Answered by Lord Greenhalgh
The Government has no plans to advise local councils that the six-month attendance rule should not apply during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Local Authorities and Police and Crime Panels (Coronavirus) (Flexibility of Local Authority and Police and Crime Panel Meetings) (England and Wales) Regulations 2020 enable all local authority meetings before 7 May 2021 to be held remotely. Councils can thus continue to hold meetings whilst following Public Health guidelines, upholding democratic principles and maintaining a thriving local democracy.
Asked by: Baroness Pinnock (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what (1) pressures were identified, and (2) criteria used, to inform the distribution of the most recent round of funding to local authorities to help them meet the additional demands on services due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Answered by Lord Greenhalgh
On 18 April the Government announced an additional £1.6 billion of funding to support councils delivering essential front-line services during COVID-19, with allocations to individual local authorities announced on 28 April.
Since the first wave of COVID-19 funding, the Government has kept funding needs across the country under review, using data collection and our conversations with councils to refine our assessment of pressures.
The allocations are based on the population in each area. This distribution draws on our latest understanding of the distribution of additional COVID-19 pressures, which are likely to be distributed in a way that is different from pre-existing needs. The Government made a commitment to support all councils with the additional cost pressures from the extra work we have asked councils to carry out as a result of the epidemic. We are also aware of the impacts from falling revenues, which affect councils across the country.
The allocations should be seen in the context of the first wave of funding, which was distributed as an immediate response to developing pressures on adult social care. Across both waves, almost 70% of district councils will receive £1 million or more in support, whilst over 90% of the total will go to authorities with responsibility for social care services.
Asked by: Baroness Pinnock (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to enable parents of children born since the implementation of the Coronavirus Act 2020 to have their child’s birth registered.
Answered by Baroness Williams of Trafford - Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms (HM Household) (Chief Whip, House of Lords)
The General Register Office for England and Wales (GRO) has advised that birth registration appointments should, where possible, be deferred while the current measures to slow the spread of Covid-19 are in place. Where there is an urgent need for a birth to be registered, GRO and Local Authority registrars are considering how this can be achieved on a case-by-case basis within public health guidance and local authority policy.
Longer term planning to register all births will be aligned to public health guidance.
Asked by: Baroness Pinnock (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have, if any, to allow local authorities to re-open household waste recycling centres.
Answered by Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park
Government has not required local authorities to close household waste recycling centres (HWRCs). Local authorities are working?hard?to keep essential collections in place and there have been changes in services in some areas due reprioritisation of staff and social distancing concerns. We published non-statutory guidance on 5 May for local authorities on managing HWRCs in England during the coronavirus pandemic. It was developed in conjunction with Public Health England and the Home Office and sets out measures to support the operation of HWRCs in line with public health measures.
Asked by: Baroness Pinnock (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have, if any, to issue guidance on the rights of access to public rights of way during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Answered by Lord Gardiner of Kimble
The Government has published general guidance on access to green space on GOV.UK at https://www.gov.uk/government/news/coronavirus-guidance-on-access-to-green-spaces and FAQs on what you can and can’t do https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-outbreak-faqs-what-you-can-and-cant-do/coronavirus-outbreak-faqs-what-you-can-and-cant-do#public-spaces--outdoor-activities--exercise. Defra has also issued guidance to local authorities and organisations such as the National Farmers Union and the CLA to pass on to their members specifically on rights of way. This advises landowners and occupiers who have a path crossing through a garden or working farmyard to display a polite request, if necessary, for the public to use another path and includes suggested wording. Further information for landowners can be found at:
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/operational-update-covid-19
Asked by: Baroness Pinnock (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what advice they have provided to landlords about fulfilling the statutory obligation to conduct gas safety checks on properties during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Answered by Lord Greenhalgh
Government advice to landlords and tenants may be found (attached) at: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/876500/Consolidated_Landlord_and_Tenant_Guidance_COVID_and_the_PRS_v4.2.pdf
Landlords should make every effort to abide by statutory gas safety obligations. However, we recognise that the current restrictions may be making it harder to carry out these checks. There are provisions in the regulations for landlords to account for situations in which they cannot carry out inspections, however they must demonstrate they have taken all reasonable steps to comply with the law. Recognising the concern among landlords, residents and inspectors, on 7 April 2020, HSE published further guidance setting out detailed advice for a range of scenarios. This can be found (attached) here: https://www.gassaferegister.co.uk/help-and-advice/covid-19-advice-and-guidance/landlords/
Our guidance is clear that no work should be carried out in any household which is isolating or where an individual is being shielded, unless the work is to remedy a direct risk to the safety of the household. Where entry is required for emergency repairs landlords should take every possible step to minimise contact with residents and follow government guidance on tradespeople working in people homes, which may be found (attached) at: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/social-distancing-in-the-workplace-during-coronavirus-covid-19-sector-guidance
Asked by: Baroness Pinnock (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to use the NHS Nightingale Hospitals for the admission of patients with mild to moderate COVID-19 symptoms to prevent the deaths of people in their own homes or in community settings.
Answered by Lord Bethell
The Nightingale Hospitals have been established to build extra capacity during the COVID-19 pandemic and help local hospitals ensure that all those who need care can get it.
Over the coming months the Nightingale Hospitals will continue to have a role to play in supporting the National Health Service. This will be based on decisions by local clinical leaders on what will best complement other care available in the region to meet the needs of their communities.
Asked by: Baroness Pinnock (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the risks to other residents and staff of returning people who have tested positive for COVID-19 from hospitals to care homes; and what steps they are taking to ensure such individuals are able to receive the required nursing care.
Answered by Lord Bethell
The safety of residents and staff is a priority. We announced in our Adult Social Care Action Plan, on 15 April 2020, that testing will be provided to all care home residents before they are discharged from hospital into a care home.
A small number of people may be discharged from the National Health Service within the 14-day period from the onset of COVID-19 symptoms needing ongoing social care. Some care providers will be able to accommodate these individuals through effective isolation strategies or cohorting policies. If appropriate isolation/cohorted care is not available with a local care provider, the individual’s local authority will be asked to secure alternative appropriate accommodation and care for the remainder of the required isolation period.
This is an unprecedented global pandemic and we will continue to review our guidance in line with scientific advice.
Asked by: Baroness Pinnock (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have, if any, to amend the requirement in the Local Government Act 1972 for a member of a local authority to attend at least one meeting of that authority every six months, in light of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Answered by Lord Greenhalgh
The Government has no plans to amend the attendance requirements.
The Local Authorities and Police and Crime Panels (Coronavirus) (Flexibility of Local Authority and Police and Crime Panel Meetings) (England and Wales) Regulations 2020 enable all local authority meetings to be held remotely. Remote attendance by members of a local authority counts for the purposes of the six- month rule on attendance.
As the country responds to the Covid-19 emergency, it is vital that local authorities can continue to function effectively, dealing with essential business in line with democratic principles whilst protecting the health and safety of their members, officers and the public.
Asked by: Baroness Pinnock (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what decisions they have made regarding the replacement of EU grant schemes under the EU Social Fund if the UK leaves the EU in 2019.
Answered by Lord Duncan of Springbank
The Government has guaranteed funding for all Structural Fund projects, including European Social Fund (ESF) projects, that would have been funded by the EU under the 2014-2020 programme period. This means that the Department of Work and Pensions, the devolved administrations and HM Government of Gibraltar will continue to fund existing and new ESF projects after Brexit until programme closure.
The Government recognises the importance of providing areas with certainty over future funding when the current round of Structural Funds comes to an end and has committed to bring forward plans on the UK Shared Prosperity Fund and to consult on the fund.