Asked by: Baroness Stowell of Beeston (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask Her Majesty's Government when they intend to publish an update on the work of the Litter Innovation Fund.
Answered by Lord Gardiner of Kimble
The £450,000 Litter Innovation Fund was launched in August 2017 by Defra and DCLG, to provide grants of up to £10,000 to support councils and communities in the development and evaluation of innovative approaches to tackling litter. £45,000 of the funding is ear-marked for projects specifically aimed at tackling litter in the marine environment.
Applications for the first tranche of funding closed in December. The assessment panel had queries on some projects which are currently being followed up with applicants and successful projects will be informed next month. We will publish a list of successful applicants and grant amounts on the WRAP website once they have been awarded.
A second round of applications is expected to open shortly thereafter.
Asked by: Baroness Stowell of Beeston (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the steps taken by public transport operators to meet their legal duty to tackle crime and anti-social behaviour on vehicles and at stations and stops, and, in particular, of the display of notices against anti-social behaviour such as litter, putting feet on seats, and the consumption of food and drink.
Answered by Baroness Sugg
The Government is committed to reducing crime, anti-social behaviour and the fear of crime wherever it occurs in the transport system. A wide variety of people and organisations are involved in helping to reduce anti-social behaviour and to deal with it when it occurs. These may be transport operators, local authorities, local police, British Transport Police, Passenger Transport Executives, Transport for London, town centre managers, Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnerships and schools.
The transport industry, local authorities, the police and others are already investing in and undertaking wide-ranging initiatives to improve the personal security of public transport passengers and staff and to keep our public transport systems as low crime environments.
Asked by: Baroness Stowell of Beeston (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Callanan on 14 September 2017 (HL1408) about the steps they intend to take to regulate rickshaws and pedicabs in London, whether they have completed considering the options for regulation.
Answered by Baroness Sugg
We have concluded that there is a need to regulate pedicabs and are investigating a suitable legislative slot to do this.
Asked by: Baroness Stowell of Beeston (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have made any assessment of the use and effectiveness of Community Protection Notices in reducing litter around restaurants and shops.
Answered by Baroness Williams of Trafford - Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms (HM Household) (Chief Whip, House of Lords)
The Community Protection Notice is one of the powers available to the police and local authorities through the Anti-social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014 to help them to prevent and respond to different forms of anti-social behaviour. We do not require these agencies to report to the Government on their use of the powers and we have made no assessment of their effectiveness in reducing litter around restaurants and shops.
Asked by: Baroness Stowell of Beeston (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government how many public transport operators have (1) applied, and (2) been granted, powers by the police to tackle anti-social behaviour since 2012.
Answered by Baroness Williams of Trafford - Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms (HM Household) (Chief Whip, House of Lords)
Under section 5 of the Anti-social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014, Transport for London are able to apply to the court to grant an injunction to prevent individuals from engaging in anti-social behaviour and the Mayor of Greater Manchester wrote to the Home Office recently to request similar powers for Transport for Greater Manchester.
In addition, the West Midlands Combined Authority (Functions and Amendment) Order 2017 allows the West Midlands Combined Authority to apply for an injunction against individuals in respect of anti-social behaviour on the bus and tram network in the Combined Authority Area.
Asked by: Baroness Stowell of Beeston (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what powers currently exist to prevent the operators of rickshaws and pedicabs playing loud music on London's highways.
Answered by Baroness Williams of Trafford - Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms (HM Household) (Chief Whip, House of Lords)
The Anti-social Behaviour Crime and Policing Act 2014 introduced a range of flexible powers to make it quicker and easier for police forces, local authorities and other partners to protect victims and communities from anti-social and nuisance behaviour. This includes Community Protection Notices, Public Spaces Protection Order and Dispersal Powers.
It is also an offence under section 97 of the Road Vehicles (Construction and Use) Regulations 1986 for a person to use a motor vehicle on the road in such a manner as to cause any excessive noise. The police have the power to restrict noise from moving vehicles.
The police also have the power under section 59 of the Police Reform Act 2002 to seize vehicles. This can be as a result of driving a vehicle in a careless and inconsiderate manner or driving a vehicle other than on a road, contrary to the Road Traffic Act 1988, or using a vehicle in a manner causing, or likely to cause, alarm, distress or annoyance to members of the public.
The Home Office has not issued any guidance on the use of these powers. How these powers are used is an operational matter for the police.
Asked by: Baroness Stowell of Beeston (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the main recommendations put forward by the Joint Committee on the Palace of Westminster in its report of September 2016; and when they intend to bring forward a motion for both Houses to debate and decide how the restoration and renewal works should progress.
Answered by Lord Young of Cookham
The Government is grateful for the valuable work conducted by the Joint Committee on the Palace of Westminster and has considered the recommendations in its report carefully. It intends to bring forward a motion in both Houses to debate this important matter in the Autumn.
Asked by: Baroness Stowell of Beeston (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they intend to take to regulate rickshaws and pedicabs in London.
Answered by Lord Callanan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Government understands the concerns that have been raised about pedicabs and the lack of regulatory regime to control their operations. We are considering the options for regulation and working to identify a suitable legislative slot if required.
Asked by: Baroness Stowell of Beeston (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
Her Majesty's Government what provision is made in the National Curriculum for England for pupils to be taught basic financial literacy, with the purpose of learning how to manage personal finances and household budgets.
Answered by Lord Nash
In 2014, financial literacy was made statutory within the National Curriculum and it is now taught as part of the citizenship curriculum for 11 to 16 year olds. Pupils are taught the functions and uses of money, the importance of personal budgeting, money management and the need to understand financial risk. The National Curriculum for mathematics has also been strengthened to give pupils from 5 to 16 the necessary maths they need to make important financial decisions.
Many schools include the teaching of financial education in their Personal, Social, Health and Economic (PSHE) curriculum, drawing on available resources such as the PSHE Association’s non-statutory programme of study. The programme of study sets out that pupils should have the opportunity to learn about how personal financial choices can affect oneself and others and about rights and responsibilities as consumers.