Baroness Berridge Portrait

Baroness Berridge

Conservative - Life peer

Became Member: 18th January 2011


Baroness Berridge is not a member of any APPGs
4 Former APPG memberships
Commonwealth, Cultural Heritage, North Korea, Religion or Belief
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
13th Feb 2020 - 17th Sep 2021
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for International Trade) (Minister for Women)
13th Feb 2020 - 17th Sep 2021
Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
29th Jul 2019 - 19th Mar 2020
Ecclesiastical Committee (Joint Committee)
9th Jul 2015 - 2nd Sep 2019
Sentencing (Pre-consolidation Amendments) Bill [HL] Special Public Bill Committee
20th Jun 2019 - 23rd Jul 2019
Social Mobility Committee
11th Jun 2015 - 16th Mar 2016
Human Rights (Joint Committee)
17th Oct 2011 - 30th Mar 2015
Statutory Instruments (Joint Committee)
24th Mar 2011 - 1st May 2012


Division Voting information

During the current Parliament, Baroness Berridge has voted in 422 divisions, and 1 time against the majority of their Party.

21 Jun 2022 - Abortion (Northern Ireland) Regulations 2022 - View Vote Context
Baroness Berridge voted Aye - against a party majority and against the House
One of 13 Conservative Aye votes vs 88 Conservative No votes
Tally: Ayes - 28 Noes - 181
View All Baroness Berridge Division Votes

Debates during the 2019 Parliament

Speeches made during Parliamentary debates are recorded in Hansard. For ease of browsing we have grouped debates into individual, departmental and legislative categories.

Sparring Partners
Lord Watson of Invergowrie (Labour)
(64 debate interactions)
Lord Storey (Liberal Democrat)
Liberal Democrat Lords Spokesperson (Education)
(39 debate interactions)
Lord Addington (Liberal Democrat)
(31 debate interactions)
View All Sparring Partners
Department Debates
Department for International Trade
(914 debate contributions)
Home Office
(22 debate contributions)
Department for Education
(18 debate contributions)
Ministry of Justice
(10 debate contributions)
View All Department Debates
View all Baroness Berridge's debates

Lords initiatives

These initiatives were driven by Baroness Berridge, and are more likely to reflect personal policy preferences.


Baroness Berridge has not introduced any legislation before Parliament

Baroness Berridge has not co-sponsored any Bills in the current parliamentary sitting


Latest 9 Written Questions

(View all written questions)
Written Questions can be tabled by MPs and Lords to request specific information information on the work, policy and activities of a Government Department
21st Dec 2022
To ask His Majesty's Government how many school days in England were lost in the last 12 months due to school closures caused by adverse weather conditions.

The requested information is not held by the department. Data on sessions missed due to exceptional circumstances is collected, but it is not possible to determine which were missed as a result of adverse weather conditions.

Baroness Barran
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
21st Dec 2022
To ask His Majesty's Government how many schools in England have a voucher system in operation that can be used to replace free school meals in the event of unexpected school closure.

Schools have a duty to provide Free School Meals (FSM) for registered pupils, either on school premises or at any other place where education is being provided. If the school is closed due to extreme weather and/or extenuating circumstances, and education is not being provided for pupils elsewhere, then the school would not be expected to provide free school meals.

Where meals are provided, our guidance advises schools to work with their school catering team or food provider to provide good quality lunch parcels. Where this is not practicable, schools may make local arrangements to supply vouchers.

The Department does not keep records of which schools make meal or voucher provision during periods of closure, nor the number of pupils supported under such arrangements.

Around 1.9 million pupils are claiming FSM. Together with a further 1.25 million infants supported through UIFSM policy, over one third of school children are now provided with a free meal, at a cost of over £1 billion a year. The department currently has generous protections in place, ensuring that eligible pupils keep their FSM entitlement even if their household circumstances improve.

Baroness Barran
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
21st Dec 2022
To ask His Majesty's Government how many children entitled to free school meals were not provided with a meal or its equivalent when their school was closed due to adverse weather conditions in the last 12 months.

Schools have a duty to provide Free School Meals (FSM) for registered pupils, either on school premises or at any other place where education is being provided. If the school is closed due to extreme weather and/or extenuating circumstances, and education is not being provided for pupils elsewhere, then the school would not be expected to provide free school meals.

Where meals are provided, our guidance advises schools to work with their school catering team or food provider to provide good quality lunch parcels. Where this is not practicable, schools may make local arrangements to supply vouchers.

The Department does not keep records of which schools make meal or voucher provision during periods of closure, nor the number of pupils supported under such arrangements.

Around 1.9 million pupils are claiming FSM. Together with a further 1.25 million infants supported through UIFSM policy, over one third of school children are now provided with a free meal, at a cost of over £1 billion a year. The department currently has generous protections in place, ensuring that eligible pupils keep their FSM entitlement even if their household circumstances improve.

Baroness Barran
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
21st Dec 2022
To ask His Majesty's Government how many of the schools in England that had days of closure due to weather conditions in the last 12 months provided vouchers to replace Free School Meals to their pupils.

Schools have a duty to provide Free School Meals (FSM) for registered pupils, either on school premises or at any other place where education is being provided. If the school is closed due to extreme weather and/or extenuating circumstances, and education is not being provided for pupils elsewhere, then the school would not be expected to provide free school meals.

Where meals are provided, our guidance advises schools to work with their school catering team or food provider to provide good quality lunch parcels. Where this is not practicable, schools may make local arrangements to supply vouchers.

The Department does not keep records of which schools make meal or voucher provision during periods of closure, nor the number of pupils supported under such arrangements.

Around 1.9 million pupils are claiming FSM. Together with a further 1.25 million infants supported through UIFSM policy, over one third of school children are now provided with a free meal, at a cost of over £1 billion a year. The department currently has generous protections in place, ensuring that eligible pupils keep their FSM entitlement even if their household circumstances improve.

Baroness Barran
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
17th Oct 2023
To ask His Majesty's Government when they intend to introduce a Mental Health Bill, as proposed by the then Prime Minister in May 2017.

It has not proved possible to respond to this question in the time available before Prorogation. Ministers will correspond directly with the Member.

Lord Markham
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
20th Apr 2023
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the answer by Lord Bellamy on 28 March (HL Deb col 121), what research they have commissioned on the psychological effects on jurors of their jury service.

Jury service is one of the most important civic duties that anyone can be asked to undertake and we greatly value the contribution of jurors to the criminal justice system. We are currently looking at what more can be done to support jurors who may find their service distressing. Part of this work is to better understand the issue, including potentially commissioning research, so that we can identify how that need could be most appropriately met. Officials are working with HM Courts and Tribunals Service (HMCTS) and will consult as necessary with other stakeholders such as the judiciary on this matter. The Government is not yet in a position to indicate a definite timetable for this work.

In addition to this work, we are drawing up guidance to assist any courts that are looking to offer additional support to a jury panel, to ensure that whatever support is offered is appropriate and as consistent as possible across England and Wales. This guidance should be available by the summer.

Lord Bellamy
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Justice)
20th Apr 2023
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the answer by Lord Bellamy on 28 March (HL Deb col 121), which stakeholders and other participants in criminal trials they are consulting on the options to offer better support to those taking part in such criminal trials.

Jury service is one of the most important civic duties that anyone can be asked to undertake and we greatly value the contribution of jurors to the criminal justice system. We are currently looking at what more can be done to support jurors who may find their service distressing. Part of this work is to better understand the issue, including potentially commissioning research, so that we can identify how that need could be most appropriately met. Officials are working with HM Courts and Tribunals Service (HMCTS) and will consult as necessary with other stakeholders such as the judiciary on this matter. The Government is not yet in a position to indicate a definite timetable for this work.

In addition to this work, we are drawing up guidance to assist any courts that are looking to offer additional support to a jury panel, to ensure that whatever support is offered is appropriate and as consistent as possible across England and Wales. This guidance should be available by the summer.

Lord Bellamy
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Justice)
20th Apr 2023
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the answer by Lord Bellamy on 28 March (HL Deb col 121), how long the consideration of options to properly support jurors adversely affected by sitting on a jury will take.

Jury service is one of the most important civic duties that anyone can be asked to undertake and we greatly value the contribution of jurors to the criminal justice system. We are currently looking at what more can be done to support jurors who may find their service distressing. Part of this work is to better understand the issue, including potentially commissioning research, so that we can identify how that need could be most appropriately met. Officials are working with HM Courts and Tribunals Service (HMCTS) and will consult as necessary with other stakeholders such as the judiciary on this matter. The Government is not yet in a position to indicate a definite timetable for this work.

In addition to this work, we are drawing up guidance to assist any courts that are looking to offer additional support to a jury panel, to ensure that whatever support is offered is appropriate and as consistent as possible across England and Wales. This guidance should be available by the summer.

Lord Bellamy
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Justice)
20th Apr 2023
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the answer by Lord Bellamy on 28 March (HL Deb col 121), what options are being considered to properly support jurors adversely affected by sitting on a jury.

Jury service is one of the most important civic duties that anyone can be asked to undertake and we greatly value the contribution of jurors to the criminal justice system. We are currently looking at what more can be done to support jurors who may find their service distressing. Part of this work is to better understand the issue, including potentially commissioning research, so that we can identify how that need could be most appropriately met. Officials are working with HM Courts and Tribunals Service (HMCTS) and will consult as necessary with other stakeholders such as the judiciary on this matter. The Government is not yet in a position to indicate a definite timetable for this work.

In addition to this work, we are drawing up guidance to assist any courts that are looking to offer additional support to a jury panel, to ensure that whatever support is offered is appropriate and as consistent as possible across England and Wales. This guidance should be available by the summer.

Lord Bellamy
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Justice)