Asked by: Lisa Cameron (Conservative - East Kilbride, Strathaven and Lesmahagow)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what plans her Department has to safeguard (a) vulnerable people and (b) autistic and other neurodivergent groups of vulnerable people from abuse and exploitation (i) during and (ii) following the covid-19 lockdown.
Answered by Victoria Atkins - Shadow Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
We recognise that there are greater risks to vulnerable groups during the lockdown period. That is why the Government has taken clear steps to address these risks and ensure that we continue to support some of the most vulnerable people in our society.
In particular the Home Office response to vulnerable children in the COVID-19 epidemic has focused on:
o Stepping up communications through schools, online guidance, the private sector and charities.
o Addressing the hidden nature of abuse by identifying and mobilising protective “eyes and ears” within the community.
o Reinforcing the importance of multi-agency working.
o Working across government to support the charity sector.
The Home Office is working closely with other government departments and the third sector to allocate some of the £750m funding for charities, announced by the Chancellor last month, to charities supporting vulnerable people, including:
o £2 million for community-based services for victims of domestic abuse
o £28 million to help survivors of domestic abuse and their children by providing more safe spaces, accommodation and access to support services during the coronavirus outbreak
o £7.8 million for organisations supporting vulnerable children at risk of abuse, exploitation and other serious harms; and
o £1.73 million to support adult victims of modern slavery through The Salvation Army and their thirteen sub-contractor charities.
In addition, last month the Department of Education announced that more than £12 million will be spent on projects to tackle the increased risk some children and young people are facing as they stay at home to reduce the spread of Coronavirus.
We are continuing to work closely with other government departments to ensure that the necessary support is in place to continue to support vulnerable people beyond lockdown. As an example, the Government are continuing the progression of the landmark Domestic Abuse Bill through Parliament to better protect victims and bring perpetrators to justice.
We recognise the challenges that autistic people and people with neurodiverse conditions and their families face as a result of the response to COVID-19.
We are working with stakeholders and charities to ensure that all people with neurodiverse conditions are supported appropriately during the pandemic and after. Our support includes, for example, the development of specific guidance and access to online support and social groups. Guidance for parents and carers on supporting children and young people’s mental health and wellbeing during the COVID-19 outbreak is available at the following link:
The Guidance includes information about supporting the physical and mental health, and wellbeing of people with learning difficulties and/or autism.
Asked by: Lisa Cameron (Conservative - East Kilbride, Strathaven and Lesmahagow)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what training her Department provides to police officers to improve awareness of autism.
Answered by Kit Malthouse
It is the responsibility of individual police forces, through Chief Constables, to ensure officers and police staff receive appropriate training and that they have regard to the appropriate Authorised Professional Practice when discharging their responsibilities.
The College of Policing remain responsible for providing those working in policing with the skills and knowledge necessary to undertake their role, and set the standards for training and professional development for police forces in England and Wales.
They continue to review training packages to enable police officers to help vulnerable people effectively, including those with mental health problems, such as training on the law – including duties under equalities and human rights legislation – and on the roles and responsibilities of the relevant agencies. Training is integrated throughout the initial police learning programme which all new recruits – police constables, special constables and PCSOs – must complete.
Asked by: Lisa Cameron (Conservative - East Kilbride, Strathaven and Lesmahagow)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether she has plans to implement a licensing system to protect people in the UK working in fast fashion garment factories from modern slavery; what discussions she has had with retailers on working practices in garment factories; and if she will make a statement.
Answered by Victoria Atkins - Shadow Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
The Government is committed to tackling labour exploitation and protecting workers’ rights and we have taken a number of steps to deal with the issues in the textiles sector.
We have widened the remit of the Gangmasters and Labour Abuse Authority through the Immigration Act 2016, giving it new powers under the Police and Criminal Evidence Act (PACE) 1984 to investigate serious labour market offences, including in the textiles sector.
In November 2018, we launched 'The Apparel and General Merchandise Public and Private Protocol', a partnership between labour enforcement bodies and industry partners, including, the GLAA, the British Retail Consortium, UK Fashion and the Textile Association. The protocol commits its signatories to work together to eradicate slavery and exploitation in textile supply chains.
We recently ran a public consultation on the establishment of a new Single Enforcement Body for employment rights, which included questions on extending licensing to other high-risk sectors. We will publish a response to this consultation in due course.
Asked by: Lisa Cameron (Conservative - East Kilbride, Strathaven and Lesmahagow)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 (EU Exit) Regulations 2019 (a) makes policy changes, (b) will lead to a diminution in levels of scrutiny of project licences, (c) will lead to a diminution in the provision of statistics and reporting with regard to information on the methods of killing specified in section 2C licences, (d) weaken advancement in the area of alternative methods by removing a requirement on the Secretary of State to identify and nominate suitable laboratories to carry out validation studies on alternative strategies and (e) result in any additional impacts on animals in laboratories compared with the legislation being amended or replaced.
Answered by Ben Wallace
The delivery of the animals in science regulatory framework will continue with the same standards of oversight, rigour and scrutiny following the UK’s withdrawal from the European Union.
The Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 (EU Exit) Regulations 2019 do not alter the requirement for the UK to publish annual statistics on the use of animals in science.
The Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 (EU Exit) Regulations 2019 regulations do not alter either the Guidance on the Operation of the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act, which sets out its administration and enforcement, nor the published Code of Practice on the housing and care requirements for animals used in science. The Code of Practice will retain the requirements of Directive 2010/63/EU and any other higher standards already adopted by the UK.
Asked by: Lisa Cameron (Conservative - East Kilbride, Strathaven and Lesmahagow)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether The Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 (EU Exit) Regulations 2019 (a) make policy changes, (b) decrease scrutiny of project licences, (c) decrease the provision of statistics and reporting of information on the methods of killing specified in section 2C licences, (d) weaken advancement in the area of alternative methods by removing a requirement on the Secretary of State to identify and nominate suitable laboratories to carry out validation studies on alternative strategies, (e) potentially have other effects on animals in laboratories, compared to the legislation being amended or replaced.
Answered by Ben Wallace
The delivery of the animals in science regulatory framework will continue with the same standards of oversight, rigour and scrutiny following the UK’s withdrawal from the European Union.
The Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 (EU Exit) Regulations 2019 do not alter the requirement for the UK to publish annual statistics on the use of animals in science.
The Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 (EU Exit) Regulations 2019 regulations do not alter either the Guidance on the Operation of the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act, which sets out its administration and enforcement, nor the published Code of Practice on the housing and care requirements for animals used in science. The Code of Practice will retain the requirements of Directive 2010/63/EU and any other higher standards already adopted by the UK.