Lord Storey

The Government recognises the importance of swimming to everyone. That is why, as part of the National Curriculum, all primary schools must provide swimming and water safety lessons in either Key Stage 1 or 2. This includes being able to swim competently, confidently, and proficiently over a distance of at least 25 metres. Currently 75% of 11 year-olds leave primary school able to swim 25 metres.

Sport England’s Active Lives Survey sets out that 14.2% of Black children and young people had swum in the last week across the 2021/22 academic year, compared to 23.6% of children and young people overall. Sport England is working with the Black Swimming Association to gather more insight, data, and research on the barriers and motivations for participation in swimming by people of African, Caribbean and Asian descent. Sport England is also working with the Black Swimming Association to deliver water safety programmes.

As part of the legacy of the Birmingham Commonwealth Games, Sport England has provided £500,000 to Swim England’s Inspire 2022 project which will use innovative and accessible means to help people from all kinds of backgrounds in the West Midlands take part in swimming. This will include teaching children the key water safety messages which could save their life in an emergency.

Parliament benefits from a significant layered security and policing presence, and is within the Government Secure Zone which also has a substantial policing footprint strengthened by additional protective and deterrent measures. Personal security advice is available for all Members and staff, and the Director of Security for Parliament is content to meet with any Members who wish to discuss specific concerns. In respect of staff of the Administration, their safety and wellbeing is important and a late night transport policy provides taxis home for those who are required to work beyond 10.40pm. The House Administration keeps issues of staff safety under constant review, engaging with work place equality networks and others to ensure staff concerns are heard.

The Senior Deputy Speaker has asked me, as Chair of the Services Committee, to respond on his behalf. Currently access for non-passholders is limited to one guest per member or full staff passholder and those guests must have a business need. This is the same in both the House of Commons and House of Lords. Committees can bring in non-passholders as required. Catering venues in the Lords are applying usual access arrangements within the limits of these restrictions.

The Senior Deputy Speaker has asked me, as Chair of the Services Committee, to respond on his behalf. There are currently no plans to provide electric vehicle charging points on the Parliamentary Estate. The Services Committee will be considering a paper on the provision of electric vehicle charging points at a future meeting, before the end of the year.

Ensuring the timely delivery of justice and minimising delay is a key priority for the criminal justice system.

The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) is committed to ensuring that the rights of the suspect and defendant are balanced with the rights of victims of crime, the seriousness of the offending, and the need to safeguard the public when considering each case on its own merits, as set out in the Code for Crown Prosecutors.

The CPS continue to work closely with criminal justice partners to ensure early engagement, proactive case management, robust case progression and effective and timely decision making.

There are a number of different legal provisions that provide a maximum period for the charging of a suspect in England and Wales, but those periods do not usually run from arrest and they only apply in certain cases. In other cases, there is no set time limit from arrest to charge but the courts do have the power to stop a case as an abuse of process if there has been such delay as to make it unfair that the proceedings should continue.

The decision to charge is made by the police in some cases and by the CPS in other cases. The CPS make the decision to charge in serious cases but over the last five years the police have made the charging decision in 61% to 63% of the cases that are prosecuted by the CPS.

The most significant time limit for the charging of criminal offences is contained in section 127 of the Magistrates’ Courts Act 1980. That provides that summary-only offences must be charged within six months of the offence (not arrest) unless there is any special provision made for that offence. Those special provisions are limited; some provide for longer periods for certain offences and some provide for periods that only start once evidence of an offence comes to light.

There are also time limits contained within the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 (PACE) that limit the time a suspect can be kept in custody after arrest. That can provide a time limit for the charging of cases when the police seek to charge and keep a suspect in custody for a court appearance. As a consequence of the time limits contained in PACE, decisions as to charge in those cases have to be made swiftly (the usual time limit is 24 hours, but more time can be available in some cases). For that reason, the CPS has prosecutors working 7 days a week, 24 hours a day to make charging decisions in those cases.

In other cases, in which suspects are released with or without bail (also known as released under investigation) there is no general cross government guidance on a maximum period between arrest and charge.

Timescales for charging decisions made by the police are a matter for policing. In cases in which the CPS make the charging decision, the CPS and the police have agreements in place that set a timetable that can change depending on the circumstances of each case. There will be cases in which the CPS cannot make a charging decision on the information provided and the case has to be referred back to the police for further investigation and a submission back to the CPS at a later date. The Code for Crown Prosecutors provides that decisions to prosecute should normally be made only when all outstanding reasonable lines of inquiry have been pursued or if the prosecutor is satisfied that any further evidence or material is unlikely to affect the decision to prosecute.

The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) does not maintain a central record of the dates of arrest for suspects in cases submitted to the Crown Prosecution Service for a charging decision. This information could only be obtained by an examination of CPS case files, which would incur disproportionate cost.

As set out in the Net Zero Strategy, the Government aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from public sector buildings by 75% by 2037. To support this, £2.5 billion is being invested through the Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme over the financial years 2020/21 to 2024/25 to provide grants for public sector bodies in England to fund heat decarbonisation and energy efficiency measures.

The Office for Government Property has published the Net Zero Estate Playbook providing guidance to support government property organisations to decarbonise their estate. This includes recommendations of how to reduce operational energy use, including through fabric improvements, which may include motion sensitive lights.

The Government Property Agency (GPA) has a Net Zero Programme which is looking to retrofit LED lighting across the government office portfolio with motion controls. To date over 20,000 lights have been upgraded to more efficient LEDs.

The information requested falls under the remit of the UK Statistics Authority.

A response to the Hon. Member's Parliamentary Question of 29 November is attached.

Professor Sir Ian Diamond | National Statistician

The Lord Storey CBE

House of Lords

London

SW1A 0PW

07 December 2022

Dear Lord Storey,

As National Statistician and Chief Executive of the UK Statistics Authority, I am responding to your Parliamentary Question asking how many people have died from drowning in each of the last 5 years (HL3861).

The Office for National Statistics (ONS) publishes statistics on deaths registered in England and Wales. Mortality statistics are compiled from information supplied when deaths are certified and registered as part of civil registration. Causes mentioned on the death certificate are converted to International Classification of Diseases (ICD-10) codes, with the underlying cause of death defined as the disease or injury that initiated the events that directly lead to the death. At the ONS, we use the term “due to” to refer to the underlying cause of a death.

The ICD-10 codes of accidental drowning related deaths are W65 to W74, which come under the accidental drowning and submersion sub chapter. This consists of:

• W65 – Drowning and submersion while in bath-tub

• W66 – Drowning and submersion following fall into bath-tub

• W67 – Drowning and submersion while in swimming-pool

• W68 – Drowning and submersion following fall into swimming-pool

• W69 – Drowning and submersion while in natural water

• W70 – Drowning and submersion following fall into natural water

• W73 – Other specified drowning and submersion

• W74 – Unspecified drowning and submersion

Table 1 shows the numbers of deaths involving accidental drowning and submersion by year in England and Wales for the period 2017 to 2021, taken from Deaths registered in England and Wales – 21st century mortality[1] . Accidental drowning and submersion is considered an external cause of morbidity and mortality, because of this it is usually referred to a coroner for the death to be certified, which may lead to registration delays[2] . Data for 2022 will be available from mid2023 in the yearly publication on Deaths registered in England and Wales[3] .

Yours sincerely,

Professor Sir Ian Diamond

Table 1: Numbers[4] of deaths[5] by accidental drowning[6] and submersion by year, 2017 to 2021, England and Wales[7]

Year Total per year

2017 193

2018 211

2019 175

2020 193

2021 215

Source: Office for National Statistics – Deaths registered in England and Wales – 21st Century Mortality

[1] https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/birthsdeathsandmarriages/deaths/datasets/the 21stcenturymortalityfilesdeathsdataset

[2] https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/birthsdeathsandmarriages/deaths/articles/impa ctofregistrationdelaysonmortalitystatisticsinenglandandwales/latest

[3] https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/birthsdeathsandmarriages/deaths/bulletins/deat hsregistrationsummarytables/latest

[4] Number of deaths by ICD-10 code are available through our explorable dataset NOMIS from 2013 onwards, this can be accessed here: https://www.nomisweb.co.uk/query/construct/summary.asp?reset=yes&mode=construct&dataset=161&v ersion=0&anal=1&initsel=

[5] Death figures are based on deaths registered rather than deaths occurring in a calendar year; for more information see our Impact of registrations delays release.

[6] International Classification of Diseases 10th edition (ICD-10) codes are as follows: W65, Drowning and submersion while in bath-tub; W66, Drowning and submersion following fall into bath-tub; W67, Drowning and submersion while in swimming-pool; W68, Drowning and submersion following fall into swimming-pool; W69, Drowning and submersion while in natural water; W70, Drowning and submersion following fall into natural water; W73, Other specified drowning and submersion; W74, Unspecified drowning and submersion.

[7] Figures for England and Wales include deaths of non-residents.

Former Prime Ministers are entitled to claim the Public Duty Costs Allowance, which provides reimbursement of incurred expenses for necessary office and secretarial costs arising from the fulfilment of public duties. The annual amount received by each claimant is published each year in the Cabinet Office Annual Report and Accounts.

Information about the Public Duty Costs Allowance is available on GOV.UK, at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/public-duty-cost-allowance/public-duty-costs-allowance-guidance.

The Public Duty Cost Allowance (PDCA) is a payment for reimbursement of incurred expenses for necessary office and secretarial costs arising from fulfilling public duties, to a maximum of £115,000 per annum.

All former Prime Ministers’ are eligible to draw on the PDCA. They cannot claim the allowance if they are serving as Leader of the Opposition.

The annual amount received by each PDCA claimant is published each year in the Cabinet Office Annual Report and Accounts available online at: Cabinet Office annual reports and accounts - GOV.UK

Further information about the PDCA is available online at: Public Duty Costs Allowance guidance - GOV.UK

The Public Duty Cost Allowance (PDCA) is a payment for reimbursement of incurred expenses for necessary office and secretarial costs arising from fulfilling public duties, to a maximum of £115,000 per annum.

All former Prime Ministers’ are eligible to draw on the PDCA. They cannot claim the allowance if they are serving as Leader of the Opposition.

The annual amount received by each PDCA claimant is published each year in the Cabinet Office Annual Report and Accounts available online at: Cabinet Office annual reports and accounts - GOV.UK

Further information about the PDCA is available online at: Public Duty Costs Allowance guidance - GOV.UK

The Climate Change Committee is an independent advisory authority. In 2020, it advised that the UK’s 2030 Nationally Determined Contribution should commit to reduce emissions by at least 68% from 1990 to 2030, excluding emissions from international aviation and shipping (IAS), in line with UN convention.

IAS emissions are included in the UK’s domestic sixth carbon budget. The Government has set out ambitious strategies to reduce emissions from aviation and shipping through the Jet Zero Strategy and Clean Maritime Plan.

The safety of acoustic anti-loitering devices, commonly known as Mosquito devices, is regulated by the General Product Safety Regulations 2005 and other product specific laws, such as the Electrical Equipment (Safety) Regulations. These provide a baseline of safety for applicable products, requiring that only safe products, in their normal or reasonably foreseeable usage, can be placed on the market.

The laws place obligations on producers, manufacturers, importers and distributors to ensure consumers are provided with safety information including instructions for assembly, installation and maintenance.

Acoustic anti-loitering devices commonly known as Mosquito devices are widely available for purchase and use in commercial, domestic and public settings as a means of preventing potential anti-social behaviour.

There is a comprehensive regulatory framework already in place for fireworks that aims to reduce the risks and disturbances to people and animals.

Current legislation restricts retailers to only selling consumer fireworks during the traditional firework periods of November 5th, Diwali, New Year’s Eve and the Chinese New Year. Retailers may only supply fireworks outside these traditional periods if they obtain a license from their local licensing authority. Existing legislation also controls the sale, availability and use of fireworks, as well as setting a curfew and noise limit. Current legislation limits noise from fireworks available to consumers to a maximum of 120 decibels.

The Government remains committed to promoting the safe and considerate use of fireworks through an effective legislative framework and through non-legislative measures.

There is a comprehensive regulatory framework already in place for fireworks that aims to reduce the risks and disturbances to people and animals.

Current legislation restricts retailers to only selling consumer fireworks during the traditional firework periods of November 5th, Diwali, New Year’s Eve and the Chinese New Year. Retailers may only supply fireworks outside these traditional periods if they obtain a license from their local licensing authority. Existing legislation also controls the sale, availability and use of fireworks, as well as setting a curfew and noise limit. Current legislation limits noise from fireworks available to consumers to a maximum of 120 decibels.

The Government remains committed to promoting the safe and considerate use of fireworks through an effective legislative framework and through non-legislative measures.

The Government recognises the importance of ensuring public access to swimming pools. It is the responsibility of local authorities to manage provision of swimming pools in their areas, taking into account the facilities which may be provided by private operators.

We understand that the rise in utility costs is having an impact on organisations of all sizes, including swimming pools. In September, the Government announced the Energy Bill Relief Scheme, under which businesses and other non-domestic energy users are offered support. The scheme is currently under review to ensure support can be provided to the most vulnerable sectors.

The Government provided £100 million to the National Leisure Recovery Fund, which supported the reopening of local authority leisure centres and facilities throughout the country after the COVID-19 pandemic.

We recognise the importance of ensuring public access to indoor and outdoor pools and that swimming is a great way for people of all ages to stay fit and healthy. The responsibility of providing this access lies at Local Authority level, and the government continues to encourage Local Authorities to support swimming facilities.

We recognise the impact rising energy prices will have on organisations of all sizes, including on providers of indoor leisure facilities. In September the government announced the Energy Bill Relief Scheme, under which businesses and other non-domestic energy users (including leisure centres and swimming pools) will be offered support.

After an initial 6 months of the scheme, the government will provide ongoing focused support for vulnerable industries. There will be a review in 3 months' time to consider where this should be targeted to make sure those most in need get support.

Sport England has invested £9,619,264 in swimming and diving projects since April 2019, which includes £6,260,502 to Swim England. This is in addition to the £100 million National Leisure Recovery Fund, which supported the reopening of local authority swimming pools throughout the country after the pandemic.

We recognise the importance of ensuring public access to indoor and outdoor pools and that swimming is a great way for people of all ages to stay fit and healthy. The responsibility of providing this access lies at Local Authority level, and the government continues to encourage Local Authorities to support swimming facilities.

We recognise the impact rising energy prices will have on organisations of all sizes, including on providers of indoor leisure facilities. In September the government announced the Energy Bill Relief Scheme, under which businesses and other non-domestic energy users (including leisure centres and swimming pools) will be offered support.

After an initial 6 months of the scheme, the government will provide ongoing focused support for vulnerable industries. There will be a review in 3 months' time to consider where this should be targeted to make sure those most in need get support.

Sport England has invested £9,619,264 in swimming and diving projects since April 2019, which includes £6,260,502 to Swim England. This is in addition to the £100 million National Leisure Recovery Fund, which supported the reopening of local authority swimming pools throughout the country after the pandemic.

Her Majesty’s Government consulted extensively on a change of ownership of Channel 4, and the views and evidence gathered from a wide range of interested parties – including from Channel 4 itself – has informed the Government’s assessment and wider policy-making.

Following this consultation, the Secretary of State has come to a decision that, although Channel 4 as a business is currently performing well, public ownership is holding it back in the face of a rapidly-changing and competitive media landscape. The Secretary of State is now consulting with Cabinet colleagues on that decision.

Her Majesty’s Government will set out its plan for Channel 4 in a White Paper shortly. The Government will also publish a rationale for its decision regarding Channel 4’s ownership model.

The licence fee settlement will provide the BBC with £3.7 billion in annual public funding, allowing it to deliver its mission and public purposes and to continue doing what it does best.

Every organisation around the world is facing the challenge of inflation, and these pressures were considered as part of the Government’s discussions with the BBC.

We believe this is a fair settlement that strikes the right balance between protecting household budgets and allowing the BBC and S4C to deliver their vital public responsibilities, while encouraging them to make further savings and efficiencies.