Asked by: Lord Campbell of Pittenweem (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure that no female prisoner is released from prison to homelessness.
Answered by Lord Wolfson of Tredegar
We are committed to doing all we can to address the issues around female offending. It is vital that we do so to better protect the public and deliver more effective rehabilitation. This includes supporting women when they are leaving prison.
In June 2018, the Government published the Female Offender Strategy. This set out a programme of work to improve outcomes for female offenders and make society safer by tackling the underlying causes of offending and reoffending. Its publication was the start of a new and significant programme of work to deliver better outcomes for female offenders that will take some years to deliver. We recognise the important role that the women’s community services play in supporting female offenders. We have invested some £7m in the sector since 2018 and announced a further £2.5m funding on 11 June 2021.
As part of our commitment to tackling the issues female offenders face, we have a Reducing Re-offending lead specifically for the Women’s Estate which allows us to make sure that we are focused on the outcomes specifically from within the women’s prisons. As part of our commitment to eliminate rough sleeping, we are working across Government with the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG), Welsh Government and Other Government Departments, to address the barriers offenders face in securing suitable accommodation.
We are investing more than £20m in supporting prison leavers at risk of homelessness into temporary accommodation. Individuals released from prison will be provided up to 12 weeks of temporary accommodation and will be supported into long-term settled accommodation before the end of that 12-week period. Initially launching in five national probation regions, the service will support around 3,000 offenders in its first year and will be commencing in Summer. It will be in operation during the next financial year 2021-22, with a view to scaling up and rolling out nationally, though the Spending Review 2021 will set out the approach for future years.
The service will take account of the needs of women, including those with complex needs and accommodation provision will be dedicated to single gender usage as required. Community Offender Managers, working together with local partners, will be responsible for ensuring that vulnerable female prison leavers with complex needs receive appropriate support and are provided with housing beyond the 12 weeks emergency accommodation.
We are introducing and testing a new specialist housing advisor role in twenty prisons, including within the female estate. The new role will seek to strengthen links between prisons, through the gate teams and local authorities to improve accommodation outcomes for those at risk of homelessness. Subject to evaluation, the intention is to scale up and roll-out nationally across all resettlement prisons.
In 2020, Hestia Battersea was changed from a male to female Approved Premises to give better geographic spread of AP provision for women, becoming the first AP for women in London since 2008.
In addition, Eden House, the first new AP in over thirty years, will open in this month supporting female offenders.
Following a comprehensive review, the ‘Subsistence Payment’ (currently known as the Discharge Grant) will be uprated from £46 to £76 to reflect increases in the UK’s Consumer Prices Index (CPI). This is planned to come into effect during Summer 2021. Going forward, the Subsistence Payment will be increased year on year in line with the CPI until 2024/25.
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Asked by: Lord Campbell of Pittenweem (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of a trade agreement with Australia on agriculture in Less Favoured Areas.
Answered by Lord Grimstone of Boscobel
The UK produces high quality, premium produce that is globally sought after and this Free Trade Agreement (FTA) will create new export opportunities for British farmers and businesses.
The Scoping Assessment, carried out before negotiations began, found that Wales and Scotland and all English regions benefit in all modelled scenarios from a UK-Australia FTA. A full impact assessment will be published prior to implementation of the agreement.
Defra and the Department for International Trade are working in lockstep with partners like the National Farmers Union (NFU), the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB) and the Food and Drink Federation to deliver tailored support on the ground for these farmers and food producers through schemes such as our Open Doors programme, helping them to capitalise on the enormous global demand for British food and drink and benefit from new trade deals.
Asked by: Lord Campbell of Pittenweem (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the decision by the Pre-Trial Chamber I of the International Criminal Court Prosecution request pursuant to article 19(3) for a ruling on the Court’s territorial jurisdiction in Palestine ICC-01/18-143 on 5 February that the "Court’s territorial jurisdiction in the Situation in Palestine extends to the territories occupied by Israel since 1967, Gaza and the West Bank, including East Jerusalem", what plans they have to reaffirm their support for the International Criminal Court and its independence.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
We respect the independence of the ICC, and we expect it to exercise due prosecutorial and judicial discipline.
Asked by: Lord Campbell of Pittenweem (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the government of the United States about the effect of its sanctions against Iran on the return of the government of Iran to the obligations of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
We welcome the prospect of a US return to the JCPoA. President-elect Biden has said that if Iran returns to compliance with the deal, the US would re-enter the agreement and seek to both strengthen it and extend it. This is an important opportunity to restart engagement between Iran and the US, and realise the objectives of the JCPoA which we support. A return to diplomacy represents the best means of bringing greater security to the region, upholding the nuclear non-proliferation regime and preventing Iran from developing a nuclear weapon. We look forward to engaging with the new administration on this issue.
Asked by: Lord Campbell of Pittenweem (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the effect of the government of the United States' sanctions against Iran in their discussions about Iran returning to the obligations of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
We welcome the prospect of a US return to the JCPoA. President-elect Biden has said that if Iran returns to compliance with the deal, the US would re-enter the agreement and seek to both strengthen it and extend it. This is an important opportunity to restart engagement between Iran and the US, and realise the objectives of the JCPoA which we support. A return to diplomacy represents the best means of bringing greater security to the region, upholding the nuclear non-proliferation regime and preventing Iran from developing a nuclear weapon. We look forward to engaging with the new administration on this issue.
Asked by: Lord Campbell of Pittenweem (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what is the (1) nominal, and (2) actual, strength of the individual battalions of the Royal Regiment of Scotland.
Answered by Baroness Goldie
The Army Regular Trade Trained Strength at Regimental Duty against Workforce Requirement for The Royal Regiment of Scotland by Battalion as at 1st October 2020 can be found in the attached table.
Asked by: Lord Campbell of Pittenweem (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what is the (1) nominal, and (2)actual, strength of the Royal Scots Dragoon Guards.
Answered by Baroness Goldie
The Army Regular Trade Trained Strength at Regimental Duty against Workforce Requirement for Royal Scots Dragoon Guards as at 1st October 2020 can be found in the attached table:
Asked by: Lord Campbell of Pittenweem (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask Her Majesty's Government which military units are currently stationed at Leuchars Station.
Answered by Baroness Goldie
Leuchars Station is currently home to The Royal Scots Dragoon Guards and 2 Close Support Battalion Royal Electrical & Mechanical Engineers.
In addition, the Station is home to elements of 71 Engineer Regiment and also No. 612 Squadron RAF, both Reserve Units. The East of Scotland University Air Squadron also operates from there.
Asked by: Lord Campbell of Pittenweem (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask Her Majesty's Government when they plan to close Fort George; and where the military units currently stationed there will subsequently be stationed.
Answered by Baroness Goldie
Defence remains committed to the disposal of Fort George, currently scheduled to take place in 2032. This disposal date is under continuous review as part of our assessment of the site, in-line with wider Defence scheduling and priorities.
The Black Watch, 3rd Battalion The Royal Regiment of Scotland (3 SCOTS) will relocate to an alternative location in Scotland. Work is ongoing to establish the most suitable future location.
Asked by: Lord Campbell of Pittenweem (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what is the (1) nominal, and (2) actual, strength of the Royal Air Force.
Answered by Baroness Goldie
The workforce requirement of the Royal Air Force is 31,869 and the actual strength is 29,853.
Such plans however are not static and the Department quite rightly assesses and revises workforce plans to make sure Defence has the right people, with the right skills, at the right time, in the right place to deliver for the UK.
The Prime Minister’s announcement on 19 November 2020 to increase Defence funding by £24.1 billion over the next four years marked the first outcome of the Integrated Review. The review is due to be published in early 2021 and further details of the new platforms, capabilities, programmes and personnel opportunities that stem from it will follow in due course.