Asked by: Lord Morrow (Democratic Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether female prisoners can be searched by transgender prison staff (1) with, and (2) without, a Gender Recognition Certificate.
Answered by Lord Wolfson of Tredegar - Shadow Attorney General
In accordance with the Gender Recognition Act 2004, transgender people may apply for a Gender Recognition Certificate. Prisoners and staff members in receipt of a GRC have the legal right to be treated as their acquired gender in every respect.
The national policy on the searching of prisoners, staff and visitors (PSI 07/2016 – Searching of the Person) is currently under review and it is intended to publish a revised version later this year.
The updated policy will include direction on transgender staff conducting searches. This policy will encompass staff with or without a Gender Recognition Certificate.
In reviewing the policy, Her Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS) has consulted with the Government’s Legal Department and HMPPS Equalities Team. The new policy will be compliant with the Equality Act 2010, the Gender Recognition Act 2004 and the European Convention of Human Rights.
Asked by: Lord Morrow (Democratic Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to introduce a new section to their publication Procedures for searching people: PSI 07/2016, published on 26 July 2016, (1) on the conduct of searches by transgender prison officers, and (2) to confirm that the right of women prisoners to be searched only by officers of female sex assigned at birth will be maintained.
Answered by Lord Wolfson of Tredegar - Shadow Attorney General
The national policy on the searching of prisoners, staff and visitors (PSI 07/2016 – Searching of the Person) is currently under review and it is intended to publish a revised version later this year.
The updated policy will include direction on transgender staff conducting searches. This will encompass staff with or without a Gender Recognition Certificate.
In reviewing the policy, Her Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS) has consulted with the Government’s Legal Department and HMPPS Equalities Team. The new policy will be compliant with the Equality Act 2010, the Gender Recognition Act 2004 and the European Convention of Human Rights.
Asked by: Lord Morrow (Democratic Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of evidence that suggests people can be reinfected with COVID-19 more than once; and what estimate they have made of the number of people who have contracted COVID-19 for a second time.
Answered by Lord Bethell
The SARS-CoV-2 Immunity & REinfection EvaluatioN (SIREN) study follows up healthcare workers across the United Kingdom to estimate reinfection risk following a natural infection with SARS-CoV-2. Preliminary results suggest that reinfection is possible, though rare. This is supported by several case reports on reinfection internationally.
Forty four potential cases of reinfections were detected among 6,614 participants who had evidence of a past infection, contributing 1,339,078 days of follow-up. Those who had antibodies upon enrolment had a rate of becoming (re)infected that was 83% lower than that among those who had no antibodies upon enrolment. No estimate has been made of the number of people who have contracted COVID-19 for a second time in the general population.
Asked by: Lord Morrow (Democratic Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have received about allegations of fraud connected to the Dolphin Trust; what steps they plan to take to safeguard UK investors' investments in the Trust; and whether the Trust is operating in the UK.
Answered by Lord Agnew of Oulton
The Government are aware of the allegations of fraud made against the German Property Group (GPG), formerly known as the Dolphin Trust.
The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) are working closely with financial advisers who have advised customers to make these investments and operators of Self Invested Personal Pensions (SIPPs) whose customers currently hold investments with GPG.
The FCA have published a joint statement with the Financial Services Compensation Scheme and the Financial Ombudsman Service. The statement sets out what UK consumers should do if they invested in GPG via an FCA authorised firm, either a financial adviser firm or a SIPP operator, and they believe they were mis-sold. It can be accessed on the FCA’s website.
Companies under the German Property Group are incorporated in Germany and have never been authorised by the FCA. However, consumers should be assured that the FCA are working closely with all relevant external stakeholders on this matter and will share any further updates as and when they are able to.
Asked by: Lord Morrow (Democratic Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government when they intend to publish the report of the Dunlop Review into UK Government Union capability.
Answered by Lord True - Shadow Leader of the House of Lords
As the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office told the House of Commons Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee on 10 September, the Government intends to publish the Dunlop Review before the end of the year.
Asked by: Lord Morrow (Democratic Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Exiting the European Union :
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of whether companies registered in Northern Ireland can continue to tender for EU Commission contracts during the implementation period.
Answered by Lord Callanan - Shadow Minister (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Access to new procurement procedures during the implementation period will continue as normal. For any procedures ongoing at the end of the implementation period the existing regime will continue up to award. Therefore, companies registered in Northern Ireland will be able to continue to tender for EU Commission contracts during the implementation period as they do now.
Asked by: Lord Morrow (Democratic Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government on what grounds Wen Li (Jaiwen Li), who is reported to be held at Brook House immigration removal centre, is being deported to China; and what assessment they have made of any potential risks to him in China.
Answered by Baroness Williams of Trafford - Shadow Chief Whip (Lords)
We do not routinely comment on individual cases. The UK has a proud history of granting asylum to those who need our protection and each case is assessed on its merits and individuals have the right to appeal to an independent immigration court.
Where a decision has been made that a person does not require international protection, removal is only enforced when we and the courts conclude that it is safe to do so, with a safe route of return. We monitor the situation in countries of origin and update our positions regularly and make decisions on returns on a case by case.
Guidance used by UK Visas and Immigration to make decisions on asylum and human rights applications is published and can be found on gov.uk
Asked by: Lord Morrow (Democratic Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Department for International Development:
To ask Her Majesty's Government how much of the £225 million in funding per annum the Department for International Development committed to spend on family planning from 2017 until 2021 they estimate (1) has been, and (2) will be, spent on (a) the provision of contraceptives, (b) the provision of safe abortions, and (c) the training of health personnel to conduct safe abortions.
Answered by Lord Bates
In 2012 the UK committed to spend an average of £180m a year on family planning (FP) to 2020. This commitment then increased to £225m per year after the 2017 Family Planning Summit. Since 2012, using internationally agreed methodology to capture spending on family planning, we have spent an average of £184 million each year on family planning programmes between 2012/13 – 2016/17. We take an integrated approach to family planning and the training of health workers, covering a range of services, and therefore it is not possible to disaggregate spend on specific elements such as safe abortion provision.
Asked by: Lord Morrow (Democratic Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Department for International Development:
To ask Her Majesty's Government how many unsafe abortions were avoided as a result of the Prevention of Maternal Death from Unwanted Pregnancy project, which came to an end in June 2018.
Answered by Lord Bates
Modelling estimates indicate that the Prevention of Maternal Death from Unwanted Pregnancy project helped to avert approximately 7.1 million unsafe abortions through integrated sexual and reproductive health services over the lifetime of the programme.
Asked by: Lord Morrow (Democratic Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Department for International Development:
To ask Her Majesty's Government how many safe abortions they provided funding for through the Prevention of Maternal Death from Unwanted Pregnancy project.
Answered by Lord Bates
The Prevention of Maternal Death from Unwanted Pregnancy programme aimed to help women and girls avoid recourse to unsafe abortion and to increase access to voluntary family planning.
The programme supported integrated sexual and reproductive health services designed around women’s needs, for example providing a woman with holistic care for HIV, counselling, post-abortion care and information on family planning. Because these services are integrated, it is not possible to disaggregate figures solely relating to safe abortion procedures.
Modelling estimates are that the project helped to avert 7.1 million unsafe abortions through such approaches over the lifetime of the programme. This is the estimated impact of holistic approaches including contraception, information and provision of safe alternatives; all of which help women avoid having to go through the trauma and life-threatening health risks of unsafe abortions.