Lord Browne of Belmont Portrait

Lord Browne of Belmont

Democratic Unionist Party - Life peer

Became Member: 12th June 2006


Lord Browne of Belmont is not a member of any APPGs
Lord Browne of Belmont has no previous appointments


Division Voting information

During the current Parliament, Lord Browne of Belmont has voted in 365 divisions, and 4 times against the majority of their Party.

8 Oct 2020 - Parliamentary Constituencies Bill - View Vote Context
Lord Browne of Belmont voted No - against a party majority and against the House
One of 1 Democratic Unionist Party No votes vs 2 Democratic Unionist Party Aye votes
Tally: Ayes - 251 Noes - 214
5 Oct 2020 - Immigration and Social Security Co-ordination (EU Withdrawal) Bill - View Vote Context
Lord Browne of Belmont voted No - against a party majority and against the House
One of 1 Democratic Unionist Party No votes vs 2 Democratic Unionist Party Aye votes
Tally: Ayes - 323 Noes - 227
21 Oct 2021 - Skills and Post-16 Education Bill [HL] - View Vote Context
Lord Browne of Belmont voted No - against a party majority and against the House
One of 2 Democratic Unionist Party No votes vs 3 Democratic Unionist Party Aye votes
Tally: Ayes - 166 Noes - 150
28 Jun 2022 - Pharmacy (Responsible Pharmacists, Superintendent Pharmacists etc.) Order 2022 - View Vote Context
Lord Browne of Belmont voted Aye - against a party majority and in line with the House
One of 2 Democratic Unionist Party Aye votes vs 2 Democratic Unionist Party No votes
Tally: Ayes - 193 Noes - 119
View All Lord Browne of Belmont Division Votes

Debates during the 2019 Parliament

Speeches made during Parliamentary debates are recorded in Hansard. For ease of browsing we have grouped debates into individual, departmental and legislative categories.

Sparring Partners
Lord Caine (Conservative)
Lord in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
(7 debate interactions)
Baroness Suttie (Liberal Democrat)
Liberal Democrat Lords Spokesperson (Northern Ireland)
(5 debate interactions)
Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay (Conservative)
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
(4 debate interactions)
View All Sparring Partners
Department Debates
Northern Ireland Office
(28 debate contributions)
Scotland Office
(7 debate contributions)
Ministry of Defence
(3 debate contributions)
View All Department Debates
View all Lord Browne of Belmont's debates

Lords initiatives

These initiatives were driven by Lord Browne of Belmont, and are more likely to reflect personal policy preferences.


Lord Browne of Belmont has not introduced any legislation before Parliament

Lord Browne of Belmont has not co-sponsored any Bills in the current parliamentary sitting


Latest 50 Written Questions

(View all written questions)
Written Questions can be tabled by MPs and Lords to request specific information information on the work, policy and activities of a Government Department
29th Jun 2021
To ask Her Majesty's Government how much debt is outstanding under confiscation orders obtained by the Crown Prosecution Service; and what assessment they have made of how much of the debt is recoverable.

The responsibility of paying a confiscation order remains with the defendant. Her Majesty’s Court and Tribunal Service (HMCTS) is responsible for the enforcement of all domestic confiscation orders, while the CPS will assist in some enforcement processes – for instance, by requesting mutual legal assistance from overseas jurisdictions in respect of assets located abroad.

As of the end of the last financial year (31 March 2021), the outstanding debt on CPS obtained confiscation orders was £1.3bn (excluding interest). Of these, the CPS is assisting HMCTS on enforcement action in relation to £600m, of which £170m has been assessed as being recoverable. There is no data held by the CPS in relation to the recoverable debt on confiscation orders that are being enforced solely by HMCTS.

The CPS set up a dedicated enforcement unit in their Proceeds of Crime Division in 2018 to specifically address the issue of enforcement. Where the CPS can take money from those who have profited from crime, they will not hesitate to do so. In 2019/20 over £100 million was recovered on CPS confiscation orders, stopping hundreds of criminals benefitting from their ill-gotten gains.

Lord Stewart of Dirleton
Advocate General for Scotland
27th Jun 2023
To ask His Majesty's Government what measures they are taking to ensure that the UK’s critical national infrastructure is protected from security threats.

Much of the UK’s Critical National Infrastructure (CNI) is owned or operated by the private sector. Lead Government Departments (LGD) for each CNI sector work closely with the National Protective Security Authority (NPSA), the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) and regulators to ensure that owners and operators have adequate resilience for the risks they face. Government support takes the form of direct engagement through site visits and briefings and through the provision of information on risks and best practice guidance.

In the Resilience Framework, the Government has additionally committed to introducing minimum standards for resilience, where these are not already in place; this includes specific and ambitious cyber resilience targets for CNI sectors to meet by 2025 as announced at CyberUK in Belfast in April this year.

Baroness Neville-Rolfe
Minister of State (Cabinet Office)
15th Mar 2022
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of whether research undertaken by the US Department of Veterans Affairs could help shape policy in relation to veterans’ affairs in the UK.

The Office for Veterans’ Affairs (OVA) has established links with the US Department of Veterans’ Affairs (VA) and engages through the Five Eyes research network. The Minister for Defence, People and Veterans visited the US in November 2021 where the VA showcased their work, providing an opportunity for the US and UK to learn from each other. The OVA works closely with academic partners from across the UK, and we are often exposed to research based on US data and analysis. We aim to publish a Data and Research strategy plan later this year, which will include appropriate reference to learning from research conducted in the UK and overseas.

Lord True
Leader of the House of Lords and Lord Privy Seal
15th Mar 2022
To ask Her Majesty's Government what proportion of departmental civil servants work (1) wholly, and (2) primarily, from home; and how these figures compare to those prior to March 2020.

Since the lifting of COVID-19 restrictions, Civil Servants have increased their numbers in the office as steps have been taken to ensure offices are able to operate at full capacity as quickly as possible. In the Cabinet Office, for example, all of our core office buildings around the country are now operating again at full capacity and office occupancy in our HQ building is already back to pre-pandemic levels.

The Minister for Brexit Opportunities and Government Efficiency is monitoring office occupancy levels across government and will support all Ministers in delivering their return to the workplace plans.

Lord True
Leader of the House of Lords and Lord Privy Seal
26th Oct 2021
To ask Her Majesty's Government what is their latest assessment of the negotiations with the Vice President of the European Commission on the Protocol on Ireland/Northern Ireland.

We are currently engaged in technical discussions with the Commission in order fully to understand their proposals. We welcome the EU’s recognition that there are serious problems with the Protocol which need to be solved. But it’s clear there is still a substantial gap between our two positions in areas such as governance, customs and SPS.

We hope to settle these issues consensually and reach a positive outcome through negotiations. However, we have been clear that if an agreement cannot be reached Article 16 is a legitimate safeguard provision, which we are prepared to invoke if necessary.

14th Sep 2021
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of the Protocol on Ireland/Northern Ireland on UK sovereignty.

The Government’s position on this matter is set out in Command Paper (CP 502), published on 21 July.

Article 1 of the Northern Ireland Protocol states that “This Protocol respects the essential State functions and territorial integrity of the United Kingdom.” Nonetheless, the Government is clear that the current governance arrangements under the Protocol must evolve to reflect the reality that the Protocol is an agreement between two sovereign and autonomous entities, not a relationship of subordination where one party’s rules have to be applied mechanically by the other. That is why the UK's Command Paper sets out the Government's intention to remove the remaining role of the EU institutions and of the CJEU in Northern Ireland.

21st Apr 2021
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the European Union's conduct in recent discussions relating to trade between Northern Ireland and Great Britain.

The EU’s attempt to activate Article 16 of the Protocol in late January created a new situation, with regard to the application of the Protocol. Nevertheless, there have been constructive discussions between us and the EU. These discussions have begun to clarify outstanding issues and have established some positive momentum. Nonetheless, a number of difficult issues remain. As set out following my meeting with Vice President Šefčovič on 15 April, contacts will be intensified at all levels through the structures provided by the Withdrawal Agreement.

1st Dec 2020
To ask Her Majesty's Government what (1) schemes, and (2) initiatives, they plan to introduce (a) to strengthen the Union, and (b) foster more links between England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

This Government is committed to strengthening the Union and the links between different parts of the UK, including between England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Departments are taking a variety of actions to strengthen the Union.

Earlier this year the Prime Minister announced a review would be undertaken into union connectivity, exploring ways to improve connectivity between our four nations and to bring forward funding to accelerate infrastructure projects.

The Government is working closely with the devolved administrations on a variety of different policy agendas including preparations for the end of the UK transition period and the response to the Covid-19 pandemic. We are also working with the devolved administrations to improve intergovernmental relations.

Lord True
Leader of the House of Lords and Lord Privy Seal
26th Nov 2020
To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure that the passage of goods from Great Britain to Northern Ireland which are not then transported to Ireland will not be subject to disruption from 1 January 2021.

Following the statement made by the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster on 9 December, updates will be made to the House shortly setting out further detail on all Northern Ireland Protocol issues.

Lord True
Leader of the House of Lords and Lord Privy Seal
29th Sep 2020
To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking, if any, to prevent increased costs being incurred by Northern Ireland businesses as a result of provisions within the Northern Ireland Protocol.

The Government outlined its approach to the Protocol in the Command Paper published in May 2020. We will continue to work with businesses to ensure that the Protocol is implemented in a way that minimises burdens and supports the continued flow of goods.

The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland has established a Business Engagement Forum, which discusses a range of issues concerning the implementation of the Protocol. We have also outlined guidance to business on the requirements of the Protocol which we will update as work proceeds.

In addition, the Government is also providing support to business as they prepare for the end of the transition period and beyond. This includes the new Trader Support Service, a £200m scheme that will provide an end-to-end service which will guide traders through new administrative processes at no additional cost.

We have also committed to exploring further support to those agrifood producers engaging with new sanitary and phytosanitary processes, with further detail to be set out in due course

Lord True
Leader of the House of Lords and Lord Privy Seal
17th Jan 2024
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of how many jobs in the Republic of Ireland are currently dependent on trade with the UK.

According to the OECD’s Trade in Employment database, exports to the UK supported around 172,500 jobs in the Republic of Ireland in 2020.

Lord Johnson of Lainston
Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
29th Nov 2023
To ask His Majesty's Government what recent assessment they have made of the UK’s post-Brexit trade deals with key international partners and the economic benefits that are expected to flow from these agreements.

We have secured trade deals with 73 countries plus the EU since Brexit, partners that accounted for £1.1 trillion of UK bilateral trade in 2022.

The government publishes analysis to assess the potential impacts of new Free Trade Agreements in advance of negotiations and publishes final impact assessments once the negotiations have concluded. These assessments set out the potential economic impact of the Free Trade Agreements and are available on Gov.UK.

The government publishes analysis that is proportionate to the scope of negotiations and the agreement’s likely impact.

Lord Johnson of Lainston
Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
27th Jun 2023
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure the safety of children online, including measures to combat cyberbullying, online grooming, and exposure to harmful content.

The strongest protections in the Online Safety Bill are for children. The Bill will require all services in scope to protect their users from illegal content. This includes all forms of child sexual exploitation and abuse, including grooming, which have been designated as priority offences under the Bill. This means all in scope companies must take proactive, preventative measures to limit people’s exposure to this content and criminal behaviour.

In addition, where content is harmful to children but falls below the criminal threshold, service providers which are likely to be accessed by children will have to take action to protect children from encountering it. This includes cyberbullying, pornography and content which promotes suicide, self-harm and eating disorders. These duties extend to ensuring that systems for targeting content to children, such as the use of algorithms, and other features and functionalities on the service such as live streaming and private messaging, protect children from harmful material.

Viscount Camrose
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
27th Jun 2023
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to increase the number of cybersecurity professionals in the UK.

As part of the Government's £2.6 billion National Cyber Strategy, the Government is delivering a range of ambitious programmes to boost the number of people with the skills needed to enter the cyber workforce.

Northern Ireland is a global cyber security hub, with ambition to grow its cyber security workforce to exceed 5,000 professionals by 2030. As part of an £18.9 million investment in Northern Ireland’s cyber security industry the Government is funding a Doctoral training programme and Masters bursaries at Queen's University Belfast to support the development of talent for Northern’s Ireland’s cyber sector.

To help people with the necessary aptitude to enter the cyber workforce across the whole of the UK we offer free cyber skills bootcamps through the Government’s ‘Skills for Life’ scheme, including the current “Upskill in Cyber” reskilling programme.

To inspire young people towards a career in cyber and tech, the Government’s Cyber Explorers programme supports teachers to energise 11-14 year olds across the UK. This has seen over 2,000 schools sign up for the programme in its first phase, alongside the National Cyber Security Centre-led ‘CyberFirst’ competitions and degree bursaries.

The Government has worked with industry and other partners to create the UK Cyber Security Council as the new professional body for cyber security. The Council will clearly define quality pathways into and through a cyber career, making a cyber career more attractive to both the current and future workforce.

Viscount Camrose
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
10th Mar 2022
To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to reduce the UK’s dependence on non-domestic energy resources.

The crisis in Ukraine and the UK’s exposure to high global gas prices show the importance of the Government’s plan for a strong home-grown low-carbon economy to strengthen energy security into the future.

The Government plans to reduce reliance on fossil fuels as the engine of the UK economy and make the transition to low carbon energy. This includes ambitious plans to support the deployment of low carbon and renewable technologies such as offshore wind, nuclear and hydrogen, which will contribute to decarbonising the UK’s power, heat and transport sectors.

My Rt. Hon. Friend the Prime Minister has made clear his intention to publish an Energy Security Strategy, setting out how the UK will make the transition to a home-grown clean energy future and end reliance on Russian oil.

Lord Callanan
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
23rd Mar 2021
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of their policy of "seamless trade across the UK's Internal Market" as stated in the Policy Paper by the Business Secretary UK internal market, published in July 2020 (CP 278), as it relates to Northern Ireland.

The Government has consistently stated its commitment to the preservation of seamless trade across the whole of the United Kingdom’s internal market, including between Great Britain and Northern Ireland, within CP226 published in May 2020 and the White Paper published in July 2020.

The UK Internal Market Act 2020 implements these commitments compatibly with the Northern Ireland Protocol and in doing so protects Northern Ireland's place in the UK Internal Market.

In light of challenges in the first part of this year, temporary operational steps have been taken to minimise disruption, support the effective flow of goods and provide a period for businesses to plan, particularly in the current circumstances of a global pandemic. We continue to work very closely with businesses to look at any issues that do need to be addressed, and to offer any support that is required.

Lord Callanan
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
1st Dec 2020
To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they intend to take to support people with diabetes who return to work in their normal workplace during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Our safer working guidance includes advice specifically on supporting employees with characteristics that put them at higher risk of infection and/or an adverse outcome if infected, including those with health conditions such as diabetes.

This guidance is regularly updated and measures reviewed in line with scientific evidence. The guidance can be found at: www.gov.uk/guidance/working-safely-during-coronavirus-covid-19.

Lord Callanan
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
26th Nov 2020
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the effect on high street businesses of COVID-19 restrictions in the pre-Christmas period.

The Government is fully committed to supporting the businesses that make our high streets and town centres successful as the nation responds to the impacts of COVID-19.

This is why we have delivered one of the most generous and comprehensive packages of support globally, with a total fiscal response of over £200bn. The measures introduced, including loan schemes, grant funding, tax deferrals and the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme, have been designed to be accessible to businesses in most sectors and across the UK.

Businesses forced to close due will receive up to £3,000 per month, depending on their rateable value. Businesses in the retail, hospitality, and leisure sectors experienced reduced demand due to restrictions introduced between 1 August and 5 November, will receive up to £2,100 per month to cover the period during which they were subject to these restrictions.

Lord Callanan
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
26th Nov 2020
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the effect on the hospitality sector of COVID-19 restrictions in the pre-Christmas period.

We know that hospitality venues are subject to significant restrictions under the new regional tiered system and that is why on 1 December, my Rt. Hon. Friend the Prime Minister announced an additional £1,000 Christmas grant for ‘wet-led pubs’ in tiers 2 and 3 who will miss out on much needed business during the busy Christmas period.

This additional support comes on top of other measures, which include:

  • The extension of the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme until March 2021, where small and large employers will be eligible to apply for a government grant of 80% of workers’ salaries up to £2,500 a month;

  • Businesses can continue to access our loan schemes, now extended, defer VAT payments previously due in March, and benefit from business rates holidays, a moratorium on eviction for commercial tenants and the Statutory Sick Pay Rebate Scheme;

  • The availability of grants of up to £3,000 for businesses required to close in Tier 2 or Tier 3. Grants are also available from the Local Restrictions Support Grant (Open) scheme, which is a discretionary fund to support businesses which are not legally closed but severely impacted Tier 2 and Tier 3 restrictions, with funding of up to £2,100 per 28 days.
Lord Callanan
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
17th Jan 2024
To ask His Majesty's Government what training is provided to retailers regarding the gambling risks associated with the National Lottery and other lottery products.

The 2018 Health Survey for England showed that lotteries were associated with the lowest rates of problem gambling of all gambling products considered, and the National Lottery operator is mandated under its licence to have player protection strategies.

The operator’s training programme, ‘Being a Responsible Retailer’, supports National Lottery retailers on risks related to National Lottery products and focuses on supporting healthy playing and preventing underage playing. This consists of online and face-to-face training, healthy playing knowledge checks, and further support where needed. The operator also provides retailers with advice through leaflets and telephone calls to improve awareness and to help the retention of responsible retailing principles. Retailers are also trained in engaging with customers about healthy playing – including direction to GamCare as appropriate – and about signs they should look out for to help identify players who may be at risk.

To ensure that retailers are benefiting from and acting on its training, the operator runs a healthy playing ‘mystery shopper’ programme, alongside the ‘Operation 18’ programme to ensure that retailers are correctly asking for proof of age. As a result of these initiatives, 94% of National Lottery retailers visited in 2022/23 successfully passed a healthy playing knowledge check. If a retailer does not pass these visits or checks, it is offered additional training.

Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
17th Jan 2024
To ask His Majesty's Government how many adult gaming centres have ceased trading during the past 12 months.

The Gambling Commission’s Industry Statistics do not capture whether specific premises have closed during the reporting period; rather, they give an overview of all active gambling premises in Great Britain. These figures show that the number of adult gaming centres has increased between 2021/22 and 2022/23.

Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
25th Oct 2022
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to support students who have online problem gambling issues.

A variety of initiatives are in place across the gambling regulatory framework, health services, and the educational curriculum to protect young people, and the wider public, from harmful gambling and to raise awareness of its risks.

The Gambling Commission requires all gambling operators to make information available to customers on how to gamble safely and how to access information on problem gambling and the support available. Most operators direct people to the charity GambleAware’s begambleaware.org site, which contains a wide range of information for everyone on risks, as well as links to advice and support, including the 24-hour National Gambling Helpline. The NHS webpage 'Help for problem gambling' also covers common indicators which suggest that people may be experiencing harmful gambling, as well as advice and links to treatment services.

In addition, support is provided specifically for children and young people. To prevent children and young people from suffering gambling-related harm later in life, since 2020 children have been taught about the risks relating to gambling, including the accumulation of debt, as part of the statutory Relationships, Sex and Health Education curriculum in England. The Young Gamers and Gamblers Education Trust charity provides free training for university staff and students’ unions and maintains a bespoke student website dedicated to help protect university students and young people from gambling harm.

In 2019, DCMS secured a commitment from industry to contribute £100 million over four years to problem gambling treatment. NHS England and the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) are also continuing work to improve and expand specialist treatment services, with up to 15 new NHS clinics set to open by 2023/24.

His Majesty’s Government is closely considering the protections in place for children and young adults as part of the scope of its wide-ranging Review of the Gambling Act to ensure they are fit for the digital age. A White Paper setting out our next steps and proposals for reform will be published in the coming weeks.

Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
10th Mar 2022
To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to safeguard people with autism from online harm.

We introduced the Online Safety Bill, which will protect people online, including those with autism, to Parliament on 17 March. Service providers in scope of the legislation will have to ensure that illegal content is removed swiftly and prevent children from harmful or inappropriate content. Major platforms will also need to set out clearly what legal content is acceptable for adult users on their services and enforce their terms and conditions consistently and transparently.

Companies must also ensure that their terms of service are clear and accessible. This will make it much easier for vulnerable adults, including people with autism, or where relevant, their carers, to understand which online services may be most appropriate for their needs.

Ofcom will be appointed as the new regulator overseeing the framework. Ofcom’s statutory duty will include a need to consider the vulnerability of individuals whose circumstances appear to put them in need of special protection. They will have enforcement powers available to use against companies which fail their duties, including fines or business disruption measures.

Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
10th Mar 2022
To ask Her Majesty's Government what recent steps they have taken to ensure that large technology organisations are complying with regulations on personal data.

All organisations in the UK which process personal information, whether large or small, have to comply with the requirements of the UK General Data Protection Regulation and the Data Protection Act 2018. The legislation also applies to organisations based outside the UK which are processing UK residents’ data for the purposes of providing goods and services or monitoring behaviour.

The legislation is administered and enforced independently of HM Government by the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO). The ICO has a range of enforcement tools to tackle non-compliance, including the power to impose civil monetary penalties of up £17.5 million or 4% of annual global turnover, whichever is greater. Details of enforcement action taken by the ICO can be found on its website.

Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
26th Oct 2021
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the measures in place to protect (1) young, and (2) vulnerable, people from problem online gambling.

All online gambling operators must be licensed by the Gambling Commission and comply with the strict licence conditions including measures to protect children and vulnerable people. Importantly, this includes tough age verification requirements to ensure children cannot gamble online, and an obligation on operators to monitor data and intervene when customers show signs of a risk of harm.

In addition to this, the Government and the Gambling Commission have significantly strengthened the age verification requirements, banned gambling on credit cards, made online slots safer with a new game design code, mandated integration with Gamstop (the one-stop online self exclusion scheme) and introduced new rules on VIP schemes.

Building on this record, we are reviewing the Gambling Act 2005 to ensure it is fit for the digital age. As part of its broad scope, the Gambling Act Review is looking at the effectiveness of existing measures to ensure the protection of young and vulnerable people from the risks associated with online gambling. We are considering the evidence carefully and will publish a white paper outlining any conclusions and proposals for reform in due course.

Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
14th Sep 2021
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of support provided by major online gambling companies to tackle problem gambling.

HM Government recognises the role the industry can play in supporting efforts to tackle problem gambling. Operators are required by the Gambling Commission to monitor play to detect customers who are at risk of harm, to intervene to prevent harm, to provide safer gambling tools and self-exclusion schemes including Gamstop, and to direct them to safer gambling information and support.

We welcome recent steps taken to raise standards across the sector, such as the Betting & Gaming Council’s codes of conduct on high value customer schemes and online product design. Gambling operators licensed by the Gambling Commission are also required to make a contribution to fund research, prevention or treatment of problem gambling. The Government secured a commitment from five major operators to increase their contributions tenfold over 4 years, from 0.1% to 1% of Gross Gambling Yield, raising £100 million for treatment by 2023/24.

The Government is also taking action to tackle problem gambling. Following recent measures such as the ban on credit card gambling and the commitment to increase the number of specialist NHS clinics, we are reviewing the Gambling Act 2005 to ensure it is fit for the digital age. We are considering the evidence carefully and aim to publish a white paper outlining any conclusions and proposals for reform by the end of the year.

Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
9th Feb 2021
To ask Her Majesty's Government what estimate they have made of the number of adult gaming centres that have ceased trading during the past twelve months.

The government recognises that the ongoing impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic continue to be extremely challenging for businesses, including the arcades sector.

We are continuing to work with organisations in the land-based gambling sector to understand the impacts and how the government may be able to support them. Currently, we estimate that up to 5% of adult gaming centres have ceased trading in the past twelve months. This estimate is based on recent discussions with Bacta, the trade association for the arcades sector.

Baroness Barran
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
27th Oct 2020
To ask Her Majesty's Government how many adult gaming centres are currently in operation in the UK.

Data held by the Gambling Commission shows that there were 1,431 adult gaming centres in operation as of 31 March 2020.

Baroness Barran
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
17th Jan 2024
To ask His Majesty's Government what measures they have in place to improve coordination between schools, colleges, universities and support services to better assist students struggling with gambling addiction.

The government is committed to tackling gambling-related harms. While education settings are not mental health or gambling-related harm specialists, they are well placed to identify where a child or young person is struggling and help them to access support, linking them to NHS support and specialist services as needed.

Where gambling problems are affecting the mental health of young people, our programme of Mental Health Support Teams and senior mental health lead training supports schools and colleges to identify individuals in need of further support and make effective referrals to external agencies, to help young people get appropriate, timely support.

The department works closely with the higher education (HE) sector to promote and fund effective mental health support for university students. £15 million of funding this year from the Office for Students (OfS) will go to mental health support and the OfS-funded Student Space continues to provide students with free online mental health resources and confidential support on a range of topics, including addiction support. The OfS has also brought together HE providers and NHS trusts across each region in England to deliver better join up between university wellbeing support and NHS services.

Additionally, schools, colleges and universities have access to the NHS webpage 'Help for problem gambling'. This covers common indicators which could help identify whether individuals may be experiencing gambling-related harm, as well as providing initial signposting to the sources of support available to those in need. A link to the webpage can be found here: https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/addiction-support/gambling-addiction/.

As part of the NHS Long Term Plan commitment to expand geographical coverage of treatment for those experiencing gambling-related harm, the National Problem Gambling Clinic in London offers specialist treatment and support for children and young people.

The government White Paper ‘High stakes: gambling reform for the digital age’, published in April 2023, announced the introduction of a statutory levy on gambling operators to fund the research, prevention and treatment of gambling-related harms. This presents an opportunity to consider how best to improve awareness and understanding of gambling-related harms amongst young people, and how to ensure availability of effective support across all educational settings.

Baroness Barran
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
9th Nov 2023
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure that the education system remains globally competitive.

The government is dedicated to improving the education system to improve outcomes for children and young people, and this will help maintain its global competitiveness.

A key part of this is our relentless focus on driving up education standards to deliver better outcomes. In 2023, primary aged children in England came 4th out of 43 countries which tested pupils of the same age, in the Progress in International Reading Literacy Study, making them the best in the western world at reading. In 2019, primary aged pupils in England achieved their highest ever score in mathematics in the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study, a significant improvement compared to 2015.

At secondary level, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development’s (OECD) Programme for International Student Assessment 2018 results showed that 15-year-olds in England performed above the OECD averages for reading, mathematics, and science. Since 2009, 15-year-olds in England have climbed 10 places in reading and mathematics.

This government is committed to creating a world-leading skills system which is employer-focused, high-quality, and fit for the future. Our reforms are strengthening higher and further education to help more people get good jobs and upskill and retrain throughout their lives; and to improve national productivity. This includes increasing opportunities for people to develop higher technical skills through T Levels, Apprenticeship Standards, Skills Bootcamps, or Higher Technical Qualifications. All of which have been developed hand in glove with thousands of employers and introduced under this government.

From 2025, the Lifelong Learning Entitlement will transform access to further and higher education, offering all adults the equivalent of four years’ worth of student loans to use flexibly on quality education training over their lifetime. The department will introduce the Advanced British Standard (ABS) for 16-19 year-olds, a new Baccalaureate-style qualification that takes the best of A levels and T Levels and brings them together into a single qualification.

The ABS will increase the number of taught hours by an extra 15% for most 16-19 students, increasing the average number of subjects students take and ensuring that all students continue to study mathematics and English. This will give students greater breadth of knowledge and bring us more in line with other countries. The department will make an initial downpayment now to support the ABS, which will focus on recruiting and retaining teachers in shortage subjects and providing better resources for teachers and pupils.

Since 2010, the department has driven up standards in education, and created more opportunities to gain new skills that businesses truly value. So whatever age or stage of life people are at they can access high-quality opportunities to get ahead in their chosen career.

Baroness Barran
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
24th Jul 2023
To ask His Majesty's Government when they intend to respond to the publication of the 44th Report by the Secondary Legislation Scrutiny Committee on 22 June, in order to clarify (1) whether, and (2) how, a parent in Northern Ireland can excuse their child from Relationships and Sexuality Education.

The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland has welcomed the report by the House of Lords Secondary Legislation Scrutiny Committee.

The Relationships and Sexuality Education (Northern Ireland) (Amendment) Regulations 2023 place a duty on the Northern Ireland Department of Education to introduce regulations to ensure that a pupil may be withdrawn from education on sexual and reproductive health and rights or elements of that education, at the request of a parent. This follows the approach taken in England and Scotland.

The Northern Ireland Department of Education has confirmed it will consult on both the guidance and the provisions for the circumstances in which a pupil may be excused from the education or specified elements of that education.

Baroness Barran
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
27th Jun 2023
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure that children from disadvantaged backgrounds have equal access to digital learning resources and technology.

Education is a devolved matter, and the response outlines the information for England only.

Schools are responsible for making decisions about what technology to buy to meet their pupils’ needs, and how best to use it support their teaching.

The government delivered over 1.95 million laptops and tablets to schools, trusts, local authorities and further education (FE) providers for disadvantaged children and young people as part of a £520 million government investment to support access to remote education and online social care services. These laptops and tablets are now owned by schools, trusts, local authorities or FE providers, who can lend them to children and young people who need them the most. These laptops and tablets were an injection of support on top of the estimated 2.9 million that were already owned by schools before the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Building on its success in the pandemic, Oak National Academy was established as an arm’s length body on 1 September 2022, working independently of the government and collaboratively with the education sector. Oak aims to support teachers to improve curriculum delivery, reduce workload and support improved pupil outcomes, and continues to provide a remote education contingency. Oak will work with teachers across the country, giving them and their pupils access to free, optional, and adaptable high-quality digital curriculum resources.

The government has provided over £2.6 billion of pupil premium funding in the 2022/23 financial year to support pupils from lower income families. Rates will increase by 5% for 2023/24, taking total pupil premium funding to £2.9 billion. As set out in the menu of approaches, schools can use both pupil premium and recovery premium on technology and other resources that support high quality teaching.

Social tariffs offer low-cost landline and broadband services for those on certain means tested benefits. The government is encouraging those providers who do not currently offer social tariff packages, to do so. A range of affordable tariffs, designed specifically to support low-income families, are now available to 99% of UK households. BT, Virgin Media O2, Sky, Vodafone, and other providers offer broadband and mobile social tariffs for as little as £10 per month, representing a significant saving for households in receipt of Universal Credit and other means tested benefits.

In addition, the government secured a range of commitments from the UK’s major broadband and mobile providers to support families through the global rise in the cost of living. These commitments include more manageable payment plans, switching to a cheaper package free of charge, or taking a more affordable social tariff if the customer is eligible. The government encourages people to contact their provider to see what support is available. Awareness and take up of social tariffs need to improve. The Department for Culture, Media and Sport is working with the sector to urge those providers who have yet to offer a social tariff to do so, and for the industry to ensure that offers are publicised.

Baroness Barran
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
12th Jul 2022
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the action required to safeguard universities as places of (1) free speech, and (2) challenging ideas.

Education is a devolved matter, and the response outlines the information for England only.

The government supports free speech which generates rigorous debate and advances understanding.

It is the freedom to think independently, express and challenge ideas, and put forward lawful, new and controversial ideas, that makes our universities world-renowned. These are essential skills in a modern, forward-facing society. It is this freedom that the government strives to protect.

The Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Bill has been introduced for this reason. The bill will strengthen existing freedom of speech duties and directly address gaps within the existing law. The bill also applies the duties directly to students’ unions and constituent colleges, including those at the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge.

The changes will introduce clear consequences for breaches of the new duties and ensure that these principles are upheld.

The bill is currently passing through the House of Lords.

Baroness Barran
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
29th Jun 2022
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the current career support available for students with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities.

Education is a devolved matter, and the response outlines the information for England only.

The government’s education policies are intended to ensure that all young people, whatever their background or circumstances, have the opportunity to reach their potential. Careers support for young people supports anyone, including young people with special education needs and disabilities (SEND) or in disadvantaged groups, to go as far as their talents will take them and have a rewarding career.

The statutory guidance for schools and colleges on careers guidance includes an expectation that schools and colleges will use the Gatsby Benchmarks of Good Career Guidance to develop and improve their careers programmes. The guidance is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/careers-guidance-provision-for-young-people-in-schools. The third benchmark focusses on addressing the individual needs of each student. The department expects schools and colleges to tailor careers activities and educational goals to the needs of each student, taking account of their prior knowledge and skills, the choices and transitions they face, and any additional support that may be needed to overcome barriers.

The department is working in collaboration with The Careers and Enterprise Company (CEC) and the National Careers Service to ensure careers advice for young people with SEND is of the highest quality. The department funds the CEC to increase young people’s exposure to the world of work and support schools and colleges to achieve the Gatsby Benchmarks. The CEC runs a community of practice focused on inclusion. Schools, colleges and training providers work together to support each other in their local community to work with students from disadvantaged groups, including young people with SEND, through the sharing of good practice and the development of resources. The National Careers Service provides free careers information, advice and guidance to both young people and adults through a website and telephone helpline.

To help more young people with SEND get into great careers, the department is also taking action to improve careers guidance, providing support, resources and SEND-specific training for Careers Leaders and special educational needs coordinators who design and deliver inspirational careers education programmes, tailored to the needs of young people with SEND.

Baroness Barran
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
10th Mar 2022
To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to measure progress towards the restoration of disabled children’s social care services to pre-pandemic levels.

I refer the noble Lord to the answer given by my hon. Friend, the Minister for Children and Families, on 28 February 2022 to Question 125599.

Baroness Barran
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
21st Jul 2021
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the number of children educated at home in each of the last two years.

The department does not collect data on children who are home educated, however we are aware of the rising numbers of home-educated children.

The department supports the right of parents to educate their children at home. Most parents do this with the intention of providing their child with the best education possible, and sometimes during challenging circumstances.

However, the rising numbers of home educated children cannot be overlooked. For some parents, the child’s education is not the primary reason behind the decision to home educate, which can mean that some children are not being provided with a suitable education.

The government remains committed to a form of registration system for children not in school. Further details on this will be in the government response to the Children Not in School Consultation, which we will publish in the coming months.

21st Jul 2021
To ask Her Majesty's Government how many children left school with no (1) GCSEs, or (2) equivalent qualifications, in each of the last three years.

In 2020, 2.2% of pupils at the end of key stage 4 (age 16) in state funded schools in England had no GCSEs and equivalent passes. This is a small improvement compared with both 2019 and 2018 when the figure was 2.4%.

At age 16, the percentage of pupils without level 2 (5 good GCSEs or equivalent) was 27.3% in 2019/20, 35.7% in 2018/19, and 35% in 2017/18.

After the age of 16, pupils should stay in full-time education, be in an apprenticeship or traineeship, or spend 20 hours or more a week working or volunteering, while in part-time education or training. During this period they should gain further qualifications. Of those leaving at age 18 in 2019/20, 20.6% of pupils left school without level 2 (5 good GCSEs or equivalent), an improvement of 14.5% compared with the same cohort at age 16.

21st Jul 2021
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of educational underachievement in Britain; and whether they feel a one-size-fits-all approach is the answer.

Education is a devolved matter, and the response will outline the education reforms for England.

The government remains committed to raising educational standards for all pupils, to ensure they have the knowledge, qualifications and skills they need to succeed in life. The proportion of schools now rated by Ofsted as Good or Outstanding has risen from 68% in 2010 to 86% in 2020. For all phases of education, there is funding in place that specifically targets disadvantaged children and young people, in order to tackle the attainment gap.

For children in their early years, the department is investing £17 million to deliver the Nuffield Early Language Intervention, improving the language skills of reception age children who need it most during the COVID-19 outbreak. We have also announced £10 million for a pre-reception early language continued professional development programme, supporting early years staff to work with those disadvantaged children who are at risk of falling behind.

Disadvantaged children at school continue to benefit from additional funding given to their schools through the pupil premium, worth over £2.5 billion in 2021/22.

For 16 to 19-year-olds, the national funding formula includes extra funding for disadvantaged students. In 2020/21 the government allocated over £530 million to enable colleges, schools, and other providers to recruit and support disadvantaged 16 to 19-year-olds and to support students with special educational needs and disabilities.

The Disadvantage Gap Index shows that, between 2011 and 2019, the attainment gap between disadvantaged and non-disadvantaged pupils narrowed by 13% at age 11 and 9% at age 16.

14th Jul 2020
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the effectiveness of schemes in schools and colleges to raise awareness of the dangers of online gambling.

We want to support all young people to be happy, healthy and safe and want to equip them for adult life and to make a positive contribution to society. Relationships Education for all primary school-aged pupils, Relationships and Sex Education (RSE) for all secondary school-aged pupils, and Health Education for all pupils in state-funded schools, will become compulsory from 1 September 2020.

In light of the circumstances caused by the COVID-19 outbreak and, following engagement with the sector, the department is reassuring schools that although the subjects will still be compulsory from 1 September 2020, schools have flexibility over how they discharge their duty within the first year of compulsory teaching. For further information, I refer the noble Lord to the answer I gave on 10 June to Question 55660.

The subjects will support all young people in terms of managing risk, making informed decisions, as well as in key aspects such as mental wellbeing and online behaviour. Under the topic of internet safety and harms, the statutory guidance sets out that young people should be taught about the risks related to online gambling, including the accumulation of debt, how advertising and information is targeted at them, and how to be a discerning consumer of information online. The statutory guidance can be accessed via the following link: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/relationships-education-relationships-and-sex-education-rse-and-health-education.

As with other aspects of the curriculum, schools will have flexibility over how they deliver these subjects, so they can develop an approach that is sensitive to the needs and background of their pupils. Schools should assess each resource they intend to use, to ensure that it is appropriate for the age and maturity of pupils, and sensitive to their needs. These resources must also be factually accurate. We also expect schools to consult with parents on these matters and to make reasonable decisions about the content of their curriculum.

Many schools draw on the work of subject associations when choosing resources, for example the PSHE Association. They have worked with organisations like Gamble Aware to develop a programme about the dangers of gambling.

To support schools, the department is investing in a central package to help all schools to teach these subjects. We are currently developing a new online service featuring training materials, an implementation guide and case studies. This will cover all of the teaching requirements in the statutory guidance, including modules on how teachers teach about the risks related to online gambling. The first training material, covering mental wellbeing, is now available on GOV.UK, and additional content will be added in the coming months.

14th Jul 2020
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of programmes in place to address mental health issues in primary and post-primary schools.

There are a wide range of evidence-based programmes and interventions available for schools to use to support the mental health and wellbeing of their pupils. Schools should choose how best to support their pupils depending on local needs and context and reference to the evidence base.

The department-funded ‘Supporting Mental Health in Schools and Colleges’ survey in the academic year 2016-17 found that schools already have a wide range of provision on offer. For example, 61% provided school counselling, 70% had support programmes for specific groups of pupils and 53% offered peer support or mentoring. The department’s School Snapshot survey from summer 2019 found that 96% of schools provided support for pupils with identified mental health needs. We have included schools with sources of evidence-based wellbeing activities as part of our guidance on providing education remotely and as pupils return to school so that they can continue to do this.

In order to improve the evidence base available to schools, the department is funding a large-scale programme of randomised controlled trials of school based mental health and wellbeing interventions. The aim of the ‘Education for Wellbeing’ programme is to provide evidence on what works to support children and young people’s mental health and wellbeing and how it can be delivered effectively in a school setting. The programme consists of 2 large trials, and there will be around 350 participating schools by the end of the project in 2021, making this one of the largest studies in the world of its kind.

The department has also published detailed plans for all children and young people to return to full-time education from September. The guidance highlights the particular need to focus on pastoral support and mental wellbeing as a central part of what schools provide, in order to re-engage them and rebuild social interaction with their friends and teachers. This will involve curriculum provision as well as extra-curricular and pastoral support, and our recently published relationships, sex and health education training module will support teachers with preparation to deliver content on mental health and wellbeing. The guidance for schools is available here:
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/schools-and-colleges-to-reopen-in-full-in-september.

The department in collaboration with Public Health England and NHS England, delivered 2 webinars in July to provide further mental health support. The first webinar was for schools and colleges to support teachers in promoting and supporting the mental wellbeing of children and young people during the COVID-19 outbreak. The second event was for stakeholders across the local system to support strengthening of local partnerships to further support children and young people’s mental health as they return to school. We had around 10,000 sign up to the first webinar and around 1,300 to the second, and they are now available online for wider use.

We also remain committed to implementing the core proposals set out in response to the consultation on ‘Transforming children and young people’s mental health provision: A Green Paper’. Part of that commitment includes establishing new Mental Health Support Teams (MHSTs) in 20-25% of the country by 2023, as part of the additional support for children and young people’s mental health in the NHS Long Term Plan, and we are ahead of trajectory to achieving this. Where already established, MHSTs are adapting their services to continue supporting children and young people remotely during the COVID-19 outbreak. The green paper is available here:
https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/transforming-children-and-young-peoples-mental-health-provision-a-green-paper.

The National Institute for Health Research and Health Services & Delivery Research Policy Research Programme programmes have jointly commissioned Birmingham, RAND and Cambridge Evaluation Centre and the Policy Innovation and Evaluation Research Unit to carry out a robust and independent evaluation of the implementation of core proposals within the ‘Transforming children and young people’s mental health provision: A Green Paper’. The protocol for this evaluation was published in October 2019 and is available here:
https://fundingawards.nihr.ac.uk/award/16/138/31.

Evaluation fieldwork was paused due to the COVID-19 outbreak. Future plans for the evaluation are currently being reviewed to account for impacts of the COVID-19 outbreak on fieldwork, and any revisions will be included in an updated evaluation protocol.

5th Mar 2020
To ask Her Majesty's Government what estimate they have made of the percentage of job vacancies which remain unfilled because of skill shortages among potential applicants; and what steps they are taking to introduce training courses and apprenticeships to fill that gap.

The Employer Skills Survey 2017 identified 1,007,000 vacancies, of which 226,000 were skill-shortage vacancies (SSVs) – representing 22% of all vacancies. This percentage has remained broadly stable over several waves of the survey – 23% in 2015. Employers were most likely to report SSVs for Skilled Trades (42% of all Skilled Trades vacancies were SSVs), Machine Operatives (31% of all these vacancies were SSVs) and Professionals (30% of all these vacancies were SSVs). These proportions are also in line with 2015 percentages. We are awaiting results of the 2019 survey.

We have put in place a range of measures to tackle skills gaps. We are making apprenticeships longer, better, with more off-the-job training and proper assessment at the end, with new standards across all levels being designed and driven by the industry so they can equip people with the skills they need. We will be investing up to £500 million a year in T levels, a high quality technical alternative to A levels, which will be more rigorous than current vocational courses and involve employers in their development to ensure the qualifications have real labour market value.

We also investing up to £290 million of capital funding to establish 20 new Institutes of Technology, which will be the pinnacle of technical training offering higher technical education and training in key sectors such as digital, construction, advanced manufacturing and engineering.

We have also invested £100 million into establishing a National Retaining Scheme, which will help prepare adults for future changes to the economy, including those brought about by automation, and help them retrain into better jobs. On top of this we are investing an extra £3 billion, over the course of this Parliament, for a new National Skills Fund to help people learn new skills and prepare for the economy of the future. The fund will help ensure that businesses can find and hire the workers they need and help people fulfil their potential.

21st Jan 2020
To ask Her Majesty's Government which Parliamentary constituencies have no further or higher education establishments within their boundaries.

Further education and higher education are devolved matters. The department does not have ready access to the location of all further education colleges within the UK and so cannot provide an answer in the form requested in the time available. The answer below therefore focuses on England.

In England, of the 533 parliamentary constituencies, there are 52 with no further education colleges or higher education institutions registered within their boundaries.

The attached tables contain the full list of these constituencies.

20th Jan 2020
To ask Her Majesty's Government how many young people aged between 16 and 19 years old were not in education, employment or training in each quarter of 2018.

The number and proportion of 16 to 18 year olds not in education, employment or training (NEET) in England for each quarter of 2018[1] can be found in the table below:

January to March 2018

Number of 16 to 18 year old NEETs

117,000

Percentage of 16 to 18 year old NEETs

6.5%

April to June 2018

Number of 16 to 18 year old NEETs

117,000

Percentage of 16 to 18 year old NEETs

6.5%

July to September 2018

Number of 16 to 18 year old NEETs

148,000

Percentage of 16 to 18 year old NEETs

8.2%

October to December 2018

Number of 16 to 18 year old NEETs

124,000

Percentage of 16 to 18 year old NEETs

7%

Source: ‘NEET statistics annual brief: 2018’, from the ‘Labour Force Survey’, available at the following link: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/neet-statistics-annual-brief-2018. Numbers rounded to the nearest 1000.

It should be noted, that due to seasonal variation in NEET rates, comparisons should not be made between in-year quarters.

The proportion of young people not in education, employment or training (NEET) was the lowest on record in the first 3 quarters of 2018.

As shown in the table below, there has been a downward trend in 16 to 18 year old NEETs since 2010:

Percentage of 16 to 18 year old NEETs in 2010

Percentage of 16 to 18 year old NEETs in 2018

Change (in percentage points)

January to March

10.2%

6.5%

-3.7

April to June

10.3%

6.5%

-3.8

July to September

13.5%

8.2%

-5.3

October to December

8.3%

7.0%

-1.3

Local authorities have a statutory duty to identify and support young people who are NEET.

Under Raising the Participation Age, all young people in England are now required to continue in education or training until their 18th birthday. Most continue until the end of the academic year in which they turn 18.

Additionally, the government invested around £7 billion during the last academic year to ensure there was a place in education or training for every 16 to 19 year old.

Regarding further education, the Adult Education Budget funds the first full level 2 and 3 qualifications for 19 to 23 year olds, training up to level 2 for unemployed people and English and maths for all adults who have not achieved level 2.

[1] The figures are based on young people aged 16 to 18 as at 31 August 2018, the start of the academic year, and will therefore include young people who turn 19 throughout the course of the 2018/19 academic year.

25th Oct 2022
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of remote electronic monitoring of UK fishing vessels.

As part of our commitment to delivering a world class fisheries management system, Defra is developing a set of proposals for expanding the use of remote electronic monitoring (REM) in English waters.

Defra is using a strong evidence-base to assess which fisheries and monitoring priorities we should focus on. This will help us to maximise the potential of this technology and ensure that it complements other marine and fisheries reforms, such as fisheries management plans.

Lord Benyon
Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
30th Jun 2022
To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they have taken to ensure that the UK enforces fishing access rights in its waters.

All vessels fishing in UK waters must have a licence issued by the relevant UK licensing authority and must comply with the relevant legislation. The Marine Management Organisation monitors fishing activity in English waters and carries out dedicated enforcement and surveillance activity, including through the use of offshore patrol vessels for at-sea surveillance. Where vessels do not comply with these rules, enforcement action can be taken against them.

Lord Benyon
Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
29th Jun 2022
To ask Her Majesty's Government what incentives they are providing to the fishing industry in order to reduce discards.

The UK Government is committed to ending the wasteful practice of discarding. Fisheries is a devolved matter, but we seek to work collaboratively with the Devolved Administrations to achieve the best outcomes for the UK as a whole.

On 27 June 2022, we launched a consultation on managing quota in 2023 and beyond. This includes options for using quota to incentivise better behaviours. Reducing discards could form part of this.

Alongside this, we are speaking with industry and other stakeholders about discards reform. This includes consideration of incentives. We will run a formal consultation later in the year.

Lord Benyon
Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)