Asked by: Lord Pendry (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to communicate factual information to the public on how to save money on their energy bills.
Answered by Lord Callanan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Government Help for Household campaign aims to increase the public’s awareness of support available to help with energy bills.
The campaign website explains the government support available, including the Energy Price Guarantee and Energy Bills Support Scheme. It also provides homeowners with energy efficiency recommendations that could help save them hundreds of pounds a year.
The Government continues to look at how Help for Households can signpost the public to information on how to cut their energy bills further. The Government is working with energy suppliers to ensure that they explain the support available on energy bills to their customers.
Asked by: Lord Pendry (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they still plan to publish the White Paper for an independent football regulator.
Answered by Lord Kamall
The Government published its response to the recommendations made by the Independent Fan Led Review of Football Governance in April 2022.
The Government recognises the need for football to be reformed to ensure the game’s sustainability in the long term. Therefore, the government is taking the time to consider the policy and consult the numerous stakeholders, but remains committed to publishing a White Paper setting out our detailed response to the Fan Led Review of Football Governance.
Asked by: Lord Pendry (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask Her Majesty's Government, following the delay to the progress of the Online Safety Bill until the autumn, what steps they are taking in the interim to protect children from online harm and abuse.
Answered by Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
The Government has a comprehensive work programme to ensure that children are protected from online harm and abuse ahead of the implementation of the Online Safety Bill.
The Information Commissioner’s Age Appropriate Design Code provides world-leading protections for children’s personal data and the UK’s regulatory regime for video-sharing platforms requires companies in scope to take appropriate measures to protect under-18s from harmful material.
Furthermore, the Government published its Online Media Literacy Strategy in July 2021, and we have also published practical guidance and codes for companies on what they can do to design safer services, increase children’s safety online and tackle online child sexual exploitation and abuse ahead of the new regulatory framework.
The Government is also supporting the development of innovative online safety technology in advance of regulation coming into force. This includes initiatives such as the Safety Tech Challenge Fund which supported the development of ‘proof of concept’ tools to identify child sexual abuse material in end-to-end encrypted environments whilst upholding user privacy.
Asked by: Lord Pendry (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they plan to take to ensure that consumers are afforded the same protections when they are shopping on an online marketplace as they are when shopping on the high street.
Answered by Lord Callanan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
There is already robust legislation in place that protects consumers purchasing goods and services online. The Consumer Rights Act 2015 and Consumer Contracts (Information, Cancellation and Additional Charges) Regulations 2013 set out these rights.
As announced in the Queen’s Speech on 10 May, the Government will publish draft legislation to promote competition, strengthen consumer rights and protect households and businesses as part of a Digital Markets, Competition and Consumer Bill.
Asked by: Lord Pendry (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask Her Majesty's Government when they plan to publish the consultation on their new UK Product Safety Framework, which ran from 11 March 2021 to 17 June 2021; and what plans they have to introduce new legislation that ensures that only safe products can be sold on online marketplaces.
Answered by Lord Callanan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Existing laws already require that all consumer products must be safe before they can be placed on the UK market, either online or the high street.
The Government is reviewing the product safety framework and a consultation, including proposals to take further steps to address unsafe products sold online, is being finalised and will be published later this year. We anticipate legislation would be required to implement many of the consultation proposals and will look to introduce any necessary legislation as the Parliamentary timetable allows.
Asked by: Lord Pendry (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask Her Majesty's Government which provisions contained in the Carers and Disabled Children’s Act 2000 have been incorporated in the Health and Care Act 2022; and which provisions have been omitted.
Answered by Lord Kamall
No provisions from the Carers and Disabled Children Act 2000 have been incorporated into the Health and Care Act 2022 since the 2000 Act was repealed in 2016. However, Section 25 of the Health and Care Act 2022 makes new provisions in the National Health Service Act 2006 to include a duty for integrated care boards (ICBs) to involve carers when making relevant decisions about commissioning arrangements and promote the involvement of carers in decisions which relate to the care and treatment of the person for whom they care. Section 91 of the Health and Care Act 2022 also replaces section 74 of the Care Act 2014 with a new duty on National Health Service trusts and foundation trusts to consider how to involve an adult patient and their carer, including young carers, in discharge planning, in circumstances where the patient is likely to require care and support following discharge from hospital.
The Health and Care Act 2022 also transfers the duties relating to children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) from clinical commissioning groups to ICBs and confers a duty on ICBs to have regard to the SEND Code of Practice.
Asked by: Lord Pendry (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the White Paper on the future of football governance, which is due to be published this summer, will include a detailed strategy on how to improve equality and diversity in football.
Answered by Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
Her Majesty’s Government’s response to the recommendations made by the Independent Fan-Led Review of Football Governance accepted the need for action on equality, diversity and inclusion in football. The response set out that Her Majesty’s Government supports clubs’ commitment to improving these, focusing on improving outcomes while remaining flexible on plans for action.
We will publish a White Paper in the summer which will set out the details on the implementation of our football governance reforms. This includes proposals on the approach to take forward plans for football clubs. We are working to deliver these measures which will bring sustainable reform to ensure that all fans continue to enjoy our national game.
Asked by: Lord Pendry (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure that appropriate safety measures will not be compromised due to the minimum rail service legislation; and what steps they have taken to study the safety measures that have been implemented in (1) Belgium, and (2) France.
Answered by Baroness Vere of Norbiton - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Government and rail industry, including Network Rail, have worked together and continue to work together to ensure plans are in place to minimise disruption allowing for freight and passenger services to remain operational where possible. The Civil Contingencies Secretariat is also convening ministers daily during the strike period to assess operational response and impact.
We are looking at everything we can do to help maintain services amid disruption and Minimum Service legislation is just one part of that. We are experienced in safely running very reduced train services - the industry is currently doing so right now. Minimum service levels are a government manifesto commitment to introduce legislation which would require train operators to run a base number of services in the event of strike action. We of course encourage employers and unions to reach agreement wherever possible.
We will review any relevant comparable available evidence, including safety measures, in these countries and others, when developing any policy around the introduction of Minimum Service Levels.
Asked by: Lord Pendry (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the findings of the interim report by CFE research on behalf of the Sports Grounds Safety Authority, when they expect to publish the Safe Standing Trial.
Answered by Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
Following the conclusion of the Early Adopter Programme for Licensed Standing in Seated Areas, Her Majesty’s Government has been provided with the Final Evaluation Report by CFE Research. We will continue to work closely with the Sports Grounds Safety Authority to review the findings of this report and expect to publish it in due course.
Asked by: Lord Pendry (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government, in light of the treatment of Liverpool supporters attending the Champions League Final, what steps they have taken, in partnership with the relevant footballing bodies, to ensure that British football supporters can safely attend the Qatar World Cup; and what steps they have taken to ensure justice for those fans who were mistreated at the Champions League Final.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
We welcome the fact that UEFA have commissioned an independent investigation into the Champions League final, and issued an apology to fans who attended; and that the French Government has commissioned a review of the delivery of the event and will also be supporting the UEFA investigation. The UK and French Sports Ministers met earlier this month and we will continue to work closely with the relevant authorities and Liverpool FC.
Regarding the upcoming World Cup, we are working with Qatar to support their delivery of a safe and secure tournament for all British Nationals who will be attending. We continue to engage closely with Qatari authorities on their security preparations, and UK police will be offering support and advice on engaging with fans attending from the UK. We are also encouraging fans to read the FCDO's Qatar World Cup Travel Advice, and sign up for email alerts to stay up to date on the latest information.