Asked by: Baroness Uddin (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the extent to which there is a skills shortage in the technology sector; in particular, in respect of emerging technologies.
Answered by Baroness Barran - Shadow Minister (Education)
The recently published Digital Strategy (June 2022) identifies the supply of digitally and tech-enabled workers, at all levels, as crucial for the UK’s long-term economic prosperity. It estimates that the digital skills gap costs the UK economy £63 billion per year in lost potential gross domestic product. This gap cuts across all areas of the economy and is expected to widen. The department's Employer Skills Survey (2019) identifies that two-fifths of skills gaps (38%) involved a deficiency in digital skills, which includes both basic computer literacy and IT skills, as well as more advanced or specialist IT skills.
Building on the vision of the Skills for Jobs White Paper (January 2021), the department is working closely with the industry to tailor training offers to meet their needs and strengthen progression routes into the tech sector. We are growing the prestigious apprenticeships programme, rolling out T Levels and Higher Technical Qualifications, and investing in Institutes of Technology. We have overhauled the outdated ICT curriculum and replaced it with computing and invested £84 million to improve the quality of computing teaching in England and to inspire the next generation of computer scientists. The newly formed Digital Skills Council will provide a crucial forum for developing these interventions, ensuring they are relevant and responsive to emerging technologies.
In addition, the department has established a new Unit for Future Skills to improve the quality of jobs and skills data and to make these available and more accessible to policymakers, stakeholders, and the public. Last month the Unit for Future Skills published new data products on the routes that learners take through education and into employment in different industry sectors (including the IT sector), which can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/groups/unit-for-future-skills.
Asked by: Baroness Uddin (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they plan to take to protect (1) British citizens, and (2) governing institutions, against espionage and foreign surveillance.
Answered by Baroness Williams of Trafford - Shadow Chief Whip (Lords)
The Integrated Review of Security, Defence, Development and Foreign Policy identifies countering state threats as a key priority for safeguarding our democracy, society and economy. Our approach, is to deter states from aggressive acts through the prospect of punishment by detecting, attributing and responding accordingly; and by denying them the opportunity to act, through reducing our vulnerabilities and improving our resilience.
During the Queen’s Speech in May, the Government announced plans for new legislation to provide the security services and law enforcement with additional tools to tackle the evolving threat of hostile activity by states. Following this, the Home Office launched a public consultation on legislative proposals that seek to:
Asked by: Baroness Uddin (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to reports of spyware targeting mobile phones sold by NSO Group, what assessment they have made of the security of the mobile phones of (1) Government Ministers, (2) Members of Parliament, and (3) journalists; and what steps they will take to (a) identify any security risks, and (b) hold those responsible to account.
Answered by Lord True - Shadow Leader of the House of Lords
We do not comment on security matters or individuals.
We believe the use of cyber espionage tools against civil society and political groups is unacceptable. Expert advice and support have been provided by the National Cyber Security Centre. It’s essential that nation states and other cyber actors use capabilities in a way that is legal, responsible and proportionate and to ensure cyberspace remains free, open, peaceful and secure. Where a law has been broken, HMG will work with law enforcement to bring those responsible to account. The UK and its allies are committed to ensuring key technologies are not abused and their trade is tightly controlled.
Asked by: Baroness Uddin (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what data they are collecting on the numbers of COVID-19 deaths broken down by (1) age, (2) occupation, (3) gender, (4) ethnicity, and (5) religion.
Answered by Lord Bethell
To provide a more comprehensive response to a number of outstanding Written Questions, this has been answered by an information factsheet Science of Covid-19 note for House of Lords, which is attached due to the size of the data. A copy has also been placed in the Library.
Asked by: Baroness Uddin (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they have taken to meet members of Bangladeshi communities in order (1) to address the community's concerns around the impact of COVID-19 on the British Bangladeshi population, and (2) to create greater awareness of Government safety measures in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Answered by Baroness Berridge
The Race Disparity Unit is working with COVID teams across departments to engage directly with ethnic minority communities, including Bangladeshi communities, across the country. The Government has been working closely with faith leaders, the voluntary sector, community representatives and BAME business leaders to ensure that advice and relief measures announced are available to those who need it. To increase accessibility, government advice, guidance, legislation, and the support measures announced were translated into over 25 different languages.
Asked by: Baroness Uddin (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they have taken to support the British curry industry.
Answered by Lord Callanan - Shadow Minister (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
There is a significant package of support currently available to businesses in restaurant and takeaway sectors. These include:
In order to support businesses wishing to remain open, the Government has also changed regulations to enable restaurants, cafes and pubs to offer delivery and food takeaways without going through the normal planning process.
Asked by: Baroness Uddin (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had, if any, with the Bangladesh Caterers Association on how best to mitigate the negative impact of COVID-19 on the Bangladesh catering sector in the UK (1) while restrictions are in place to address the COVID-19 pandemic, and (2) afterwards.
Answered by Lord Callanan - Shadow Minister (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Government has regular contact with the hospitality industry, and one of my Ministerial colleagues has spoken with the Bangladesh Caterers Association. The Department’s ministerial team will continue to engage with a variety of representatives from the sector to develop safe ways for the sector to reopen.
We recognise the challenges the hospitality industry faces during this time, which is why we have been providing extensive support for businesses, including specific grants for the sector, as well as our furlough scheme which has been extended until October, 100% business rates holidays, and tens of billions of pounds’ worth of business loans and guarantees.
Asked by: Baroness Uddin (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they have taken to support the restaurant and hospitality sector as the restrictions in place to address the COVID-19 pandemic are lifted.
Answered by Lord Callanan - Shadow Minister (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Government have engaged with hospitality businesses to discuss various issues around reopening, including financial issues. This Department’s ministerial team are in weekly contact with the industry.
We have now published new guidance for pubs, restaurants, and bars which can be found at https://www.gov.uk/guidance/working-safely-during-coronavirus-covid-19. This supports my Rt. Hon. Friend the Prime Minister’s announcement on 23 June for their reopening from 4 July. The guidance was developed following consultation with representatives from the industry.
The Government has also conducted a comprehensive review of the 2m social distancing rule and from 4 July, our advice is changing to state that people should either stay 2m apart or ‘1m plus’ – which is one metre plus mitigations.
Where businesses need to operate at 1m to be viable they should do so, provided they put in place the appropriate mitigations.
Asked by: Baroness Uddin (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they have taken to ensure that protective measures are in place for (1) staff, and (2) customers, in the retail and hospitality sectors; and how compliance with these measures will be monitored.
Answered by Lord Callanan - Shadow Minister (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Government announced (on 11 May) and updated (on 14 June) comprehensive guidance for shops and branches, which employers can deploy. We have also published (on 23 June) new guidance for close contact services and restaurants, pubs and bars. This supports my Rt. Hon. Friend the Prime Minister’s announcement (on 23 June) for their reopening from 4 July where they can do so in a safe and COVID-secure way.
Enforcement bodies, such as the Health and Safety Executive and Local Authorities, have put measures in place to support the implementation of the safer workplaces guidance. Government will consider if a stronger approach is needed and will take appropriate action as necessary.
Asked by: Baroness Uddin (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what (1) national, and (2) local, measures are in place to monitor the availability of funding for women’s organisation working with (a) victims, (b) survivors of, and (3) children affected by, domestic abuse.
Answered by Baroness Williams of Trafford - Shadow Chief Whip (Lords)
The Government works inter-departmentally and with the Domestic Abuse Commissioner and domestic abuse organisations to understand funding requirements for these organisations at the national level. Levels and types of funding provided from Government Departments to organisations is monitored by those respective Departments. Details of systems in place at local level, for example through local authorities, are not held centrally.
The Designate Domestic Abuse Commissioner has agreed to undertake an in-depth exploration of the current community-based support landscape over 2020/21 which will inform our understanding of the availability of funding for domestic abuse organisations. The precise scope and timing of the review is a matter for the independent Commissioner. The review is expected to take some 12 months
A ministerial-led National Steering Group will be established to monitor and evaluate delivery of the new duty on tier one local authorities in England to provide support to victims of domestic abuse, and their children, within safe accommodation (as provided for in Part 4 of the Domestic Abuse Bill). Tier one local authorities will be required to monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of their strategies for the provision of such support.
The National Steering Group will include representatives from local government, Police and Crime Commissioners, health bodies, specialist domestic abuse service providers and housing associations. The Domestic Abuse Commissioner will also be a member.