Asked by: Lord Crisp (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask Her Majesty's Government further to the Written Answer by Lord Greenhalgh on 19 January (HL11725), why have they not required local authorities to include the Nationally Described Space Standard in local planning policies.
Answered by Lord Greenhalgh
We agree that ensuring a good standard and quality of internal space is important to achieving well-designed homes for all, as emphasised in our National Design Guide.
Space standards are an optional technical standard in our national planning policies and local authorities can choose to adopt them locally, if they can demonstrate need and that there will be no negative impact on viability.
As my noble Lord is aware, we announced last year that all new homes in England delivered through any Permitted Development Right must meet this space standard as a minimum. This will apply to proposals from 6 April 2021.
Looking to the future, in the forthcoming National Model Design Code we intend to emphasise the ingredients for well-designed homes, including the application of the Nationally Described Space Standard that can be included in local design codes, guides and policies.
Asked by: Lord Crisp (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to introduce the same space standards for all new housing as those agreed for housing constructed under Permitted Development Rights.
Answered by Lord Greenhalgh
We agree that the provision of adequate living space is vital to delivering healthy housing. The importance of this has been highlighted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
We recognise in our National Design Guide the need for well-designed, healthy homes to provide a good standard and quality of internal space. And within national planning policy and guidance we set out that local authorities have the option to include the Nationally Described Space Standard in local planning policies, subject to demonstrating viability and need.
Looking to the future, the forthcoming National Model Design Code will emphasise the ingredients for well-designed homes, including good space standards, that can be included in local design guides.
Asked by: Lord Crisp (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to 2020 being designated the International Year of the Nurse and the Midwife, what support they intend to make available to support the Florence Nightingale Museum to mitigate lost income during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Answered by Baroness Barran - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
Since the beginning of the COVID-19 crisis officials and ministers have been in even more regular contact to understand the impact of the pandemic and the measures the Government has taken to fight it. And to understand what support museums and heritage organisations need and how best to get it to them.
The Government has also announced unprecedented support for business and workers, to protect them against the current economic emergency. Officials have been in regular contact with the Florence Nightingale Museum and are pleased that it has been able to benefit from measures such as the the Coronavirus Jobs Retention Scheme
We recognise the importance of the Florence Nightingale Museum and were pleased to collaborate with them to support their wonderful proposal to project a message of thanks to NHS and care staff onto the walls of the Houses of Parliament, to mark the bicentenary of Nightingale’s birth on 12th May and International Nurses’ Day. Furthermore, the Florence Nightingale Museum Trust was awarded £50,000 through the Heritage Emergency Fund so that they can continue their important work.
Asked by: Lord Crisp (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what support they have made, or intend to make, available to small museums which have had to close during the COVID-19 pandemic and are unable to cover their non-staffing and other costs.
Answered by Baroness Barran - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
Since the beginning of the COVID-19 crisis officials and ministers have been in even more regular contact to understand the impact of the pandemic and the measures the Government has taken to fight it. And to understand what support museums and heritage organisations need and how best to get it to them.
In response to this information, DCMS arms’ length bodies have created sector specific support. The National Lottery Heritage Fund launched the £50 million Heritage Emergency Fund, and Historic England launched a £2 million Emergency Fund. This emergency short-term funding will help address pressures over the next 3-6 months for those organisations most in immediate need.
It is also worth noting that a fund has been set up for certain small businesses with ongoing fixed property-related costs, previously outside the scope of the business grant funds scheme, including small charity properties.
The Government continues to monitor the impact of these and other measures.
Asked by: Lord Crisp (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what action they are taking to mitigate the adverse effects of the COVID-19 lockdown for people who are shielding or over the age of 70.
Answered by Lord Bethell
The Government will continue to ensure support is available for those who need it for as long as people are advised to follow shielding guidance. We know this is challenging guidance to follow and we want to ensure that people who are shielding continue to receive the right advice for them at a time.
From 1 June those shielding may wish to spend time outdoors once a day. This can be beneficial for mental and physical wellbeing for people of all ages, particularly those shielding alone. The advice is for people who are shielding to spend time outdoors alone or with members of their own household or, for those shielding alone, with one person from another household.
To ensure vulnerable individuals, including those shielding and the over 70s, we have put a core support offer in place to help them stay at home where they wished to follow this advice, including delivering over 2 million free food boxes, providing priority supermarket delivery services, providing care, ensuring people can get medicines delivered to their homes and enlisting the help of National Health Service volunteer responders in delivering shopping and calling people for a ‘check in and chat’.
We have also announced £5 million of funding for mental health charities to support adults and children and a further £4.2 million is being awarded to mental health charities as part of the Government’s £750 million package of support for the voluntary sector during the pandemic.
Asked by: Lord Crisp (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what action they are taking as part of the social care strategy to promote to all people over the age of 60 the NICE Guideline NG16 that sets out that it is possible to "delay or prevent ... dementia, disability and frailty in later life".
Answered by Lord Bethell
The Department has prioritised prevention and through the Care Act 2014 it has required local authorities to have measures in place to identify people in their area who would benefit from services to help reduce, delay or prevent needs for care and support.
The Challenge on Dementia 2020 commitments included action on risk reduction, and messaging has been incorporated in the NHS Health Check for all eligible adults in England aged 40-74 to increase dementia awareness and motivate people in midlife to make positive changes.
Asked by: Lord Crisp (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether public-sector pension boards, pension companies and insurance companies are involved in the social care strategy.
Answered by Lord Bethell
The Government will consult with a range of sectors, including the financial services industry, when considering social care reforms.
The Government’s priority for adult social care is for everyone who relies on care to get the care they need throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. We know that this does not reduce the need for a long-term action plan for social care. Putting social care on a sustainable footing, where everyone is treated with dignity and respect, is one of the biggest challenges that we face as a society.
There are complex questions to address, which is why we have invited cross-party talks. These will take place at the earliest opportunity in light of the current circumstances. The Government will then bring forward a plan for social care for the longer term.
Asked by: Lord Crisp (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask Her Majesty's Government why the West Midlands Ambulance Service are downgrading the role of Community First Responders in Staffordshire.
Answered by Lord Bethell
Ambulance services have operated with Community First Responders (CFRs) for many years in mainly rural areas and they play a vital role in responding to the highest priority 999 calls whilst paramedics are en-route.
West Midland Ambulance Service (WMAS) recognise that Community First Responders (CFRs) play a key role in protecting local communities and they want to enhance that by increasing the number of CFRs, using a consistent model of response, so that even more lives can be saved.
Since the introduction of the Ambulance Response Programme, ambulance services have a clearer indication of the severity of each 999 call and so can assign the most appropriate response to that call, which may include the dispatch of a CFR, to ensure that each patient receives the right response for their clinical need.
WMAS plan to use their CFRs to target the most seriously ill patients, in the way that CFR schemes were originally set up.
The Government are content with the approach WMAS are taking regarding CFRs and have no concerns regarding their future plans.
In 2015, the Association of Ambulance Chief Executives published a document on the use of CFRs. The document seeks to reduce national variation in the governance of CFR schemes and aims to addresses the deployment of CFRs across all categories of calls. A copy of Volunteer Responders Governance Framework is attached.
Asked by: Lord Crisp (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the reasons given by West Midlands Ambulance Service for downgrading the role of Community First Responders in Staffordshire.
Answered by Lord Bethell
Ambulance services have operated with Community First Responders (CFRs) for many years in mainly rural areas and they play a vital role in responding to the highest priority 999 calls whilst paramedics are en-route.
West Midland Ambulance Service (WMAS) recognise that Community First Responders (CFRs) play a key role in protecting local communities and they want to enhance that by increasing the number of CFRs, using a consistent model of response, so that even more lives can be saved.
Since the introduction of the Ambulance Response Programme, ambulance services have a clearer indication of the severity of each 999 call and so can assign the most appropriate response to that call, which may include the dispatch of a CFR, to ensure that each patient receives the right response for their clinical need.
WMAS plan to use their CFRs to target the most seriously ill patients, in the way that CFR schemes were originally set up.
The Government are content with the approach WMAS are taking regarding CFRs and have no concerns regarding their future plans.
In 2015, the Association of Ambulance Chief Executives published a document on the use of CFRs. The document seeks to reduce national variation in the governance of CFR schemes and aims to addresses the deployment of CFRs across all categories of calls. A copy of Volunteer Responders Governance Framework is attached.
Asked by: Lord Crisp (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what consideration was given by the West Midlands Ambulance Service to upgrading the role of Community First Responders in other parts of its area to bring the roles into line with the role in Staffordshire before the decision was taken to downgrade the role of Community First Responders in Staffordshire and bringing that role into line with other parts of the West Midlands Ambulance Service area.
Answered by Lord Bethell
Ambulance services have operated with Community First Responders (CFRs) for many years in mainly rural areas and they play a vital role in responding to the highest priority 999 calls whilst paramedics are en-route.
West Midland Ambulance Service (WMAS) recognise that Community First Responders (CFRs) play a key role in protecting local communities and they want to enhance that by increasing the number of CFRs, using a consistent model of response, so that even more lives can be saved.
Since the introduction of the Ambulance Response Programme, ambulance services have a clearer indication of the severity of each 999 call and so can assign the most appropriate response to that call, which may include the dispatch of a CFR, to ensure that each patient receives the right response for their clinical need.
WMAS plan to use their CFRs to target the most seriously ill patients, in the way that CFR schemes were originally set up.
The Government are content with the approach WMAS are taking regarding CFRs and have no concerns regarding their future plans.
In 2015, the Association of Ambulance Chief Executives published a document on the use of CFRs. The document seeks to reduce national variation in the governance of CFR schemes and aims to addresses the deployment of CFRs across all categories of calls. A copy of Volunteer Responders Governance Framework is attached.