House of Lords

Session 2017-19 Wednesday No. 140 11 July 2018

PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES (HANSARD)

HOUSE OF LORDS

WRITTEN STATEMENTS AND WRITTEN ANSWERS

Written Statements ...... 1

Written Answers ...... 2

[I] indicates that the member concerned has a relevant registered interest. The full register of interests can be found at http://www.parliament.uk/mps-lords-and-offices/standards-and-interests/register-of-lords-interests/ Members who want a printed copy of Written Answers and Written Statements should notify the Printed Paper Office. This printed edition is a reproduction of the original text of Answers and Statements, which can be found on the internet at http://www.parliament.uk/writtenanswers/. Ministers and others who make Statements or answer Questions are referred to only by name, not their ministerial or other title. The current list of ministerial and other responsibilities is as follows.

Minister Responsibilities Baroness Evans of Bowes Park Leader of the House of Lords and Lord Privy Seal Earl Howe Minister of State, Ministry of Defence and Deputy Leader of the House of Lords Lord Agnew of Oulton Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Education Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office Lord Ashton of Hyde Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Lord Bates Minister of State, Department for International Development Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government and Wales Office Baroness Buscombe Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Work and Pensions Lord Callanan Minister of State, Department for Exiting the European Union Baroness Chisholm of Owlpen Whip Earl of Courtown Deputy Chief Whip Lord Duncan of Springbank Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Northern Ireland Office and Scotland Office Baroness Fairhead Minister of State, Department for International Trade Lord Gardiner of Kimble Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Baroness Goldie Whip Lord Henley Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Lord Keen of Elie Advocate-General for Scotland and Ministry of Justice Spokesperson Baroness Manzoor Whip Lord O'Shaughnessy Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Health and Social Care Baroness Stedman-Scott Whip Baroness Sugg Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Transport, Whip Lord Taylor of Holbeach Chief Whip Baroness Vere of Norbiton Whip Baroness Williams of Trafford Minister of State, Home Office Lord Young of Cookham Whip Viscount Younger of Leckie Whip

Written Statements 11 July 2018 Page 1

James Vaughan, temporary Chair of the FIND Strategy Written Statements Board, has presented the Annual Report of the National DNA Database to the Home Secretary. Publication of the Wednesday, 11 July 2018 Report is a statutory requirement under section 63AB(7) of the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 as inserted National DNA Database Strategy Board by 24 of the Protection of Freedoms Act 2012. [HLWS816] The Report shows the important contribution that the Baroness Williams of Trafford: I am pleased to NDNAD and the National Fingerprint Databases make to announce that the National DNA Database Strategy Board supporting policing and solving crimes. I am grateful to Annual Report for 2016/17 is being published today. This the Strategy Board for their commitment to fulfilling their report has been expanded to cover the National statutory functions. Fingerprints Database in addition to the National DNA The report is being laid before the House and copies Database (NDNAD) to reflect the extension of the remit will be available from the Vote Office. of the Strategy Board.

Page 2 11 July 2018 Written Answers

March 2017, which was published in the ‘Children Written Answers Looked After in England data, SFR50’. This figure was then divided by 365 days to give a daily cost. It was then Wednesday, 11 July 2018 multiplied by seven to give the weekly cost. Armed Forces: Officers For the calculation of weekly residential care, the LAIT also referred to the section 251 for total spend on Asked by Lord West of Spithead residential care. This figure was then divided by the number of days that residential care was provided for To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the children nationally, which is collected as part of the Written Answers by Earl Howe on 3 July (HL8946 and Children Looked after return. This figure was then HL8947), whether officers given 5 star rank after the multiplied by seven for the weekly cost. decision to put that rank in abeyance in the mid-1990s are considered honorary. [HL9252] Section 251 documents, Education Funding Agency and Education and Skills Funding Agency. Accessed from: Earl Howe: Yes. https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/section-251- materials. Burma: Refugees ‘Children looked after in England including adoption: Asked by Baroness Cox 2016 to 2017’, Department for Education. Accessed from: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/children- To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are looked-after-in-england-including-adoption-2016-to- taking to provide humanitarian aid to any refugees 2017. forced to return to Chin State, Myanmar, from Malaysia and other countries. [HL9103] ‘Children Looked after return SSDA903’, Department for Education. Accessed from: Lord Bates: The UN refugee agency (UNHCR) https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/children- announced on 13 June 2018 that it will begin individual looked-after-return-2016-to-2017-guide. assessments of Chin refugees in Malaysia and other countries to determine whether they continue to have Competition and Markets Authority international protection needs. The UK government does not currently assess that Chin refugees in Malaysia and Asked by Baroness Quin other countries are at risk of forcible return to Burma and To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment will continue to monitor the situation. they have made of the case for providing extra resources to the Competition and Markets Authority as Children in Care: Per Capita Costs a result of the UK no longer being a member of the EU. Asked by The Earl of Listowel [HL9092] To ask Her Majesty's Government how much it costs Lord Henley: At the Autumn Budget 2017, my rt. hon. to maintain a child in local authority care for a year. Friend Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer committed £3 [HL9027] billion over the next two financial years to helping departments, including the CMA, and the devolved Lord Agnew of Oulton: The annual cost to maintain a administrations to prepare for our exit from the EU. As child in local authority care in the period 2016 to 2017 part of the Spring Statement 2018, my rt. hon. Friend the was £178,360[1] for residential care and £29,900 for Chief Secretary to the Treasury announced that the CMA fostering services. has been allocated an additional £23.6m in 2018-2019 to [1]The results are based on unit costs included in the prepare for EU exit. Local Authority Interactive Tool (LAIT) Department for Education, GOV.UK. Last updated on 6 June 2018. Council Tax Accessed from: Asked by Lord Kennedy of Southwark https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/local- authority-interactive-tool-lait. To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment The figures in the LAIT are recorded as weekly. For the they have made of (1) the rates of council taxes paid by annual cost, the methodology simply involved properties in bands A and B compared to properties in multiplying the figures by 52 weeks. the highest bands, and (2) the revaluation of council tax bands. [HL9112] Please note that the original LAIT figures were rounded to the nearest £5, so actual annual costs may vary slightly. Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth: Council tax levels are a For the weekly fostering services that were originally matter for individual local authorities, although the included in the LAIT, the calculation was based on the Government maintains a referendum threshold to allow section 251 Outturn data. This records the total spend voters in England the final say over any excessive (gross) on fostering services. This figure was then divided increases. The amount charged for properties in different by the number of children in fostering placements as of 31 bands is determined by the application of ratios to the Written Answers 11 July 2018 Page 3 authority’s band D council tax level. These ratios are set EU Aid out in Section 5 of the Local Government Finance Act 1992. The Government has no plans to undertake a Asked by Lord Taylor of Warwick council tax revaluation. To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the European Commission’s new Court of Justice of the European Union: disclaimer for aid contracts, which states that if the UK Judgements withdraws from the EU without concluding a withdrawal agreement that ensures that UK applicants Asked by Lord Balfe continue to be eligible, then UK charities will cease to receive EU funding. [HL9202] To ask Her Majesty's Government, following the translation of EU legislation into UK domestic law, Lord Bates: We are clear that this disclaimer must be what plans they have to ensure that subsequent removed by the European Commission. As it stands, they judgments of the Court of Justice of the European are hindering British aid organisations’ ability to deliver Union are taken into account in that translated law. the common goal of alleviating poverty, which would hit [HL9014] the world’s poorest people hardest. Lord Callanan: As provided for in the EU (Withdrawal) Act, UK courts and tribunals will no longer Family Drug and Alcohol Court be bound by judgments by the Court of Justice of the Asked by The Earl of Listowel European Union after we leave the EU. However, section 6(2) of the Act provides that our domestic courts and To ask Her Majesty's Government how many families tribunals can take into account anything done by the EU, have graduated successfully from a Family Drug and the Court of Justice of the European Union, or any other Alcohol Court. [HL9023] EU entity after we leave the EU, if it is relevant to any Asked by The Earl of Listowel matter before them. The Act’s position reflects the same approach UK courts and tribunals currently take to To ask Her Majesty's Government how many judgments made in other foreign jurisdictions. children have been retained by their parents following their parents' graduation from a Family Drug and Alcohol Court. [HL9024] Disadvantaged Asked by The Earl of Listowel Asked by Baroness Stroud To ask Her Majesty's Government why the Family To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they Drug and Alcohol Court National Unit is closing in have to release an updated progress report of the September. [HL9025] indicators included in the Social justice: transforming lives report published in March 2012. [HL9196] Asked by The Earl of Listowel Baroness Buscombe: The indicators from the Social To ask Her Majesty's Government how much it costs Justice Outcomes Framework were replaced by the to fund the Family Drug and Alcohol Court National Improving Lives: Helping Workless Families indicators. Unit for a year; and what is their estimate of the On 4th April 2017, the Government published Improving financial savings to local authorities from a Family Lives: Helping Workless Families which set out a Drug and Alcohol Court. [HL9026] framework for a continued focus on improving children’s Asked by The Earl of Listowel long-term outcomes. This included publishing nine national indicators and underlying measures to track To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are progress in tackling the disadvantages that affect families’ taking to prevent the closure of the Family Drug and and children’s outcomes. The Government has a statutory Alcohol Court National Unit. [HL9028] duty to report data annually to Parliament on two of the Lord Agnew of Oulton: Data relating to the number of nine indicators and made a commitment to publish the families who have graduated successfully from a Family latest data on the seven non-statutory indicators each year. Drug and Alcohol Court (FDAC) or the number of The Improving Lives: Helping Workless Families children retained by their parents following their parents’ indicators were last updated on 28th March 2018 and can graduation from an FDAC is collected and retained by be found in the attached document. local authorities who are responsible for setting up, The Answer includes the following attached material: managing and supporting local FDACs around the country. This is part of their child protection and care Improving Lives: Helping Workless Families [HL9196 proceedings work. The government does not collect such attachment.pdf] data.

The material can be viewed online at: Similarly, it is for local authorities to consider what http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions- savings may be made from setting up an FDAC in the answers-statements/written-question/Lords/2018-07-03/HL9196 context of their overall spending plans. Equally, it is for Page 4 11 July 2018 Written Answers local authorities to monitor this as they make future receiving treatment on the National Health Service is not decisions about spending. The savings that local collected centrally. authorities may make would vary depending on a number The United Kingdom Chief Medical Officers’ low risk of factors and local circumstances. Local FDAC services, drinking guidelines advise women who are pregnant or and other innovative models similar to FDAC, will think they could become pregnant that the safest approach continue to be funded by those local areas who choose to is not to drink alcohol at all, to reduce risks to the baby to establish or commission these services locally. a minimum. In the period 2015 to 2016, the government provided As part of the Maternity Transformation Programme, funding to the Tavistock and Portman NHS Foundation Public Health England (PHE) is leading work to provide Trust to establish the FDAC National Unit. Funding for prevention-focused leadership to support a reduction in the FDAC National Unit was originally provided on the the proportion of women drinking alcohol during basis that it would expand the FDAC model to new areas pregnancy. Midwives and health visitors also have a role and to help the National Unit to be self-sustaining. in providing clear, consistent advice and early Unfortunately, this has proved challenging, despite identification and support. Additionally PHE’s Start4Life considerable effort and investment by both the programme also provides online information on the government and the NHS trust. impact of drinking alcohol during pregnancy, including We have extended funding for the FDAC National Unit the risk of FASD. four times since the period 2015 to 2016. The level of The Department for Education through the Adoption funding has varied from year to year, depending on the Support Fund has made funding available to local specific elements of work being commissioned. Most authorities to support adopted children with a range of recently, we committed to providing funding to the trust specialist assessments and therapy to treat a variety of for the period to the end of September 2018 to support its conditions. This includes FASD. application to the government’s Life Chances Fund (LCF). The trust’s application to the LCF had two aims. Freehold The first aim was to develop a social impact bond model of funding for local FDACs. The second aim was to Asked by Lord Shipley develop a sustainable way to fund the FDAC National To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment Unit. Unfortunately, the trust recently decided to they have made of whether, and to what extent, withdraw their application to the LCF. We understand freeholders breach their statutory obligations to provide that this means that the trust is considering the future of leaseholders with accounts they are entitled to receive; the FDAC National Unit, including its potential closure. and whether they have any plans to take action against Officials are working with the trust to ensure that the freeholders who breach obligations to leaseholders. impact of the FDAC National Unit’s potential closure on [HL9098] local sites is minimised and that any resources developed by the FDAC National Unit remain accessible to the trust Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth: The provision of and others interested in the FDAC model in the future. service charge accounts is a matter between leaseholders and freeholders and so no such assessment has been The government is committed to finding effective made. We do, however, believe very strongly that service approaches to spreading innovative evidence-based charges should be transparent, communicated effectively models of practice to local areas. and that there should be a clear route to challenge or redress if things go wrong. Foetal Alcohol Syndrome Leaseholders are entitled under Section 21 of the Asked by Baroness Gardner of Parkes Landlord and Tenant Act 1985 to require their landlord to supply them with a written summary of costs which have To ask Her Majesty's Government how many patients been incurred in the last complete service year period and with foetal alcohol spectrum disorders are receiving the landlord must comply with the request within one treatment on the NHS. [HL9060] month. The Act also entitles leaseholders who have Asked by Baroness Gardner of Parkes received such a summary to require the landlord to allow them to inspect the documents supporting the summary. To ask Her Majesty's Government what information The landlord must comply with that request within two is provided to women to try to prevent foetal alcohol months. Failure to comply with these obligations without spectrum disorders. [HL9061] reasonable excuse is a summary offence punishable with a Asked by Baroness Gardner of Parkes fine. To ask Her Majesty's Government what support is On 1 April, we published the response to our recent call available to parents or adopters of children with foetal for evidence on ‘Protecting consumers in the letting and managing agent market’. Here proposals include alcohol spectrum disorders. [HL9062] establishing a working group to consider how fees such as Lord O'Shaughnessy: Information on numbers of service charges should be presented to consumers and to patients with foetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD) explore the best means to challenge fees which are Written Answers 11 July 2018 Page 5 unjustified. As part of this work, consideration will also accessing justice in disputes between tenants and be given to standards around service charges and how to landlords. [HL9117] include them in a statutory code of practice. Asked by Baroness Altmann Gambling: Children To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure that social housing providers are Asked by Lord Storey covered in any plans for a housing court. [HL9118] To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth: The Government plans taking to protect children from gambling adverts and to launch a call for evidence in the Autumn to gather marketing. [HL9101] views from the judiciary, landlords and tenants to better Lord Ashton of Hyde: There are strict controls on the understand and improve the experience of people using content of all gambling advertisements, including courts and tribunal services in property cases, including television adverts and online. Gambling operators who considering the case for a specialist Housing Court. advertise in the UK must comply with the advertising We will gather evidence of the costs and speed of codes, which ensure gambling advertising does not target accessing justice and the types of cases to be considered. or appeal to children or young people. The Gambling The Government will review responses to this call for Commission works closely with the Advertising evidence before making any policy decisions. Standards Authority and has recently consulted on All property agents in England are required to belong to expanding the sanctions available if codes are breached. a Government approved redress scheme, allowing their We considered advertising as part of our Review of landlords and tenants to access free and impartial dispute Gaming Machines and Social Responsibility. The resolution. The Government has committed to requiring response was published on 17 May. The Review looked at private landlords to belong to a redress scheme and is protections around gambling advertising and set out a considering how to implement this following the package of initiatives to strengthen protections further, consultation, Strengthening consumer redress in the including forthcoming guidance from the Committees of housing sector, which closed in April. Advertising Practice (CAP) on protecting children and young people. It also recognised that there were gaps in Housing: Planning Permission the evidence available, and proposed measures to fill these, including significant research commissioned by Asked by The Lord Bishop of St Albans GambleAware into the impact of gambling advertising on To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they children, young people and those vulnerable to harm. intend to develop local-connection criteria for the proposed Entry Level Exception Site policy in the draft Gulf Strategy Unit National Planning Policy Framework. [HL9093] Asked by Lord Scriven Asked by The Lord Bishop of St Albans To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the Written Answer by the Minister for the Cabinet Office location of the proposed Entry Level Exception Sites in on 12 October 2017 (HC8077), what funding was the draft National Planning Policy Framework will be allocated to each line of the budget for the Gulf determined by assessments of local need . [HL9094] Strategy Integrated Delivery Team for 2017–18. Asked by The Lord Bishop of St Albans [HL9045] Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The budget for the To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment Integrated Delivery Team in financial year 2017/2018 they have made of the impact of the proposed Entry was £850,000. As the team comprises six members of Level Exception Site policy in the draft National staff, we are unable to release specific details of the Planning Policy Framework on land values. [HL9095] breakdown of the budget allocation in order to abide by Asked by The Lord Bishop of St Albans data protection regulations. To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they intend to impose a maximum amount of open market Housing: Courts housing allowed in proposals for Entry Level Exception Asked by Baroness Altmann Sites in the draft National Planning Policy Framework. [HL9096] To ask Her Majesty's Government when they expect to publish proposals for a specialist housing court. Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth: The draft National [HL9116] Planning Policy Framework proposal for Entry Level Exception Sites did not include a local connection Asked by Baroness Altmann criterion or a maximum amount of open market housing. To ask Her Majesty's Government what The draft Framework set out that a high proportion of the assessment they have made of the cost and speed of homes on the site would need to be entry-level homes Page 6 11 July 2018 Written Answers offered for discounted sale or rent. The policy is designed individual circumstances of the person on whom the to provide additional housing for first time buyers and peerage is conferred. renters, where it is needed. No assessment of impact of the Gender Recognition This was consulted on as part of the draft National Act on appointments to the House of Lords has been Planning Policy Framework. We are currently considering made. responses to the consultation and will publish the final The Government does not have any plans to introduce National Planning Policy Framework in the summer. The gender neutral titles for peers or members of the House of department does not hold information on expected land Lords at the present time. values of sites brought forward as Entry Level Exception Sites. Military Decorations Impact Assessments Asked by Lord West of Spithead Asked by Lord Watson of Invergowrie To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answers by Earl Howe on 3 July (HL8946 and To ask Her Majesty's Government what criteria are HL8947), whether any current 5 star officers who were employed by departments when deciding whether or not not in regular service on 29 July 2014 were issued with to undertake an impact assessment on (1) primary long service and good conduct medals. [HL9251] egislation, (2) secondary legislation, and (3) other new policies. [HL9007] Earl Howe: Yes. Lord Young of Cookham: The Cabinet Office’s Guide to Making Legislation sets out that an impact assessment NHS: Drugs is generally required for any primary legislation that is of Asked by Lord Smith of Finsbury a regulatory nature that affects the private sector and/or civil society organisation or public services. To ask Her Majesty's Government what arrangements they are seeking to put in place following Brexit to Guidance for government departments on undertaking ensure the timely availability of medicines these regulatory impact assessments is published online: manufactured in EU countries to patients in the UK. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/better- [HL9099] regulation-framework. This covers policies that have a regulatory impact on businesses or civil society Lord O'Shaughnessy: The Government is fully aware organisations. The better regulation framework requires of the importance of medicines to patients in the United departments to produce a regulatory impact assessment if Kingdom and is considering the implications of exit from the annual net impacts of a measure are greater than £5 the European Union on the supply of pharmaceuticals as a million a year. high priority. The Department is working closely with Where a policy does not have a regulatory impact over others across Government to assess the impact of leaving £5 million a year, departments should still consider the EU on the supply chain for all medicines and medical undertaking an impact assessment in order to support radioisotopes used in the National Health Service and to Parliamentary scrutiny. The Chief Analyst in each minimise any risk of disruption. department is responsible for providing direction on the production of these impact assessments. Where an impact Nigeria: Genocide assessment is not produced, Departments must still develop appropriate analysis to inform policy Asked by Lord Alton of Liverpool development and decision-making. To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment, if any, they have made of the decision of the Nigerian Life Peers: Gender Recognition House of Representatives on 4 July to declare recent Asked by Baroness Jones of Moulsecoomb killings in Plateau State to be a genocide and to direct the federal government to establish orphanages in areas To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment affected by recent killings. [HL9261] they have made of the impact of the Gender Recognition Act 2004 on appointments to the House of Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: These clashes continue Lords; what title a non-binary person, who does not to have a devastating impact on the affected communities, identify as a man or woman, would have to take upon as the proposal for additional orphanages shows. It is UK appointment to the House of Lords; and whether they policy that any determination on whether genocide has occurred is a matter for competent judicial bodies, rather intend to legislate to create gender neutral peerages. than for governments. The UK is fully committed to the [HL8985] principle that there must be no impunity for the most Lord Young of Cookham: The style and titles of a serious international crimes. As party to the International peerage are determined by letters patent. Although based Criminal Court and the Geneva Conventions we continue on traditional forms, these are adapted to reflect the to voice our support for this principle and for the work of Written Answers 11 July 2018 Page 7 the International Criminal Court and the international Lord Keen of Elie: The consultation for the proposed tribunals to tackle impunity for these crimes. implementation of the centralised remand court began on 28th June 2017 and ended on 23rd August 2017. Personal Independence Payment: Blood A total of 62 responses were received from various Diseases bodies including defence solicitors, Magistrates, partner agencies and two Members of Parliament. Asked by Lord Boateng Prior to the consultation being published; the proposal To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment to centralise the remand court was discussed at Local they have made, in the light of the recent sickle cell Criminal Justice Boards (LCJBs) which are attended by and thalassaemia APPG Report How did you contract all local partner agencies. that?, of the suitability of the Personal Independence Payment Form 2 for the assessment of persons living Following the public consultation that ran between June with thalassaemia and sickle cell disease. [HL9017] and August 2017, the local Judicial Business Group (JBG) decided to centralise hearings for all those Baroness Buscombe: Personal Independence Payment defendants held in custody by the police for new offences (PIP) claims are not condition based but are assessed on or arrested on warrant for failing to appear at court. how a claimant’s long-term disability or health condition affects their day-to-day life and on the majority of days The centralisation of these custody case hearings was over the period of a year. The PIP2 questionnaire, “How principally to allow the more flexible listing of cases, to your disability affects you”, is the first step in gathering improve efficiency for victims and witnesses and to detailed information about the needs arising from an provide earlier trial dates. Trial performance information individual’s health condition or disability. The form has demonstrated that, prior to the new arrangements, victims been designed to allow claimants to tell us, in their own and witnesses in West Mercia faced significant delays in words, how their health condition or disability impacts coming to trial them on a day-to-day basis. The questionnaire has a As a result of the listing changes introduced, HMCTS mixture of tick boxes and free text boxes allowing can now provide earlier trial dates serving the needs of claimants to add as much or as little detail as they wish. victims and witnesses better. We also ask claimants to send in any additional information or evidence to support their claim. Although Schools: Accountability the PIP2 is a standard template, we can assure you that it has been carefully designed to capture information on Asked by Lord Watson of Invergowrie people’s needs regardless of their health condition or To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are disability. taking to review the accountability arrangements of state-funded schools. [HL9052] Pets: Theft Lord Agnew of Oulton: My right hon. Friend, the Asked by Lord Allen of Kensington Secretary of State announced, on 4 May, the attached new To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they set of principles for a clearer and simpler accountability have to make pet theft a specific criminal offence. system. These can be found at: [HL9255] https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/principles- for-a-clear-and-simple-school-accountability-system. Lord Gardiner of Kimble: The theft of a pet is already It made clear that we will only mandate academy a criminal offence under the Theft Act 1968, with a conversion, leadership change or re-brokerage of a school maximum penalty of 7 years imprisonment. The on grounds of educational underperformance if Ofsted has independent Sentencing Council updated its guidelines in judged it as inadequate. This change has already taken relation to sentencing for theft offences in February 2016. effect. These guidelines take into account the emotional distress and harm that theft can have on the victim, such as theft Regional Schools Commissioners will not contact of a much loved pet, and accordingly recommends higher academy trusts or local authorities at school level on penalties for such situations. educational performance grounds to discuss the support they need unless a school triggers this through their Prisoners on Remand: West Midlands Ofsted inspection. In the autumn, the department will be consulting on a Asked by Lord Lisvane transparent and objective way to identify schools that are To ask Her Majesty's Government what account they underperforming and would benefit from an offer of took of (1) time, (2) travel, and (3) cost implications for support. defendants, solicitors and administrative staff when The Answer includes the following attached material: deciding to relocate all remand cases from the West Principles_for_accountability_sytem [ ] Mercia Police area to Kidderminster. HL9030 [Principles_for_a_clear_and_simple_accountability_system.pdf] Page 8 11 July 2018 Written Answers

The material can be viewed online at: small proportion was also delivered from Damascus to http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions- hard-to-reach and besieged areas held by the opposition. answers-statements/written-question/Lords/2018-06-27/HL9052 The remainder was delivered by agencies working cross-border from Turkey, Jordan, Lebanon, and Iraq into Social Services: Minimum Wage areas not controlled by the Assad regime, and on Asked by Baroness Hollins monitoring and evaluation activities. To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of any potential threat to the viability of Water Supply social care providers caused by the Employment Appeal Asked by Lord Trefgarne Tribunal ruling on backdating sleep-in pay. [HL9287] To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have Asked by Baroness Hollins any plans to construct a national water grid. [HL9148] To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment, Lord Gardiner of Kimble: The Government if any, they have made of the estimate, produced by recognises the need to increase the long term security of Mencap, that the Employment Appeal Tribunal decision water supplies. Water transfers can play a strong role in to backdate pay for sleep-in carers will lead to a securing resilience, alongside other new infrastructure and funding shortfall of £400 million for care organisations. the reduction of demand and leakage. The Government [HL9288] made this clear in its strategic policy statement to Ofwat and in the 25 Year Environment Plan. Lord O'Shaughnessy: The Government recognises the pressure that sleep-in back pay liabilities are placing on There is already a large quantity of water transferred providers of social care, and is exploring options to across the country, giving water companies greater minimise any impact on the sector. Any intervention to flexibility to meet demand. Water companies have support the sector would need to be proportionate and recently consulted on their draft water resource necessary. management plans in which further regional transfer schemes are being considered. The Government commissioned market analysis to assess the impact of sleep-ins back pay liabilities across Interim Parliamentary Under Secretary of State David the social care sector. This work forms part of the Rutley made clear the importance of joined up working evidence base that is being used to assess options and is between regulators and industry to achieve the best subject to further analysis and refinement. The solutions for future resilience in his recent letter to the Department has committed to sharing a summary of the chief executive of Ofwat, the economic regulator. The analysis at the appropriate time. letter provided the Government’s initial view on the National Infrastructure Commission’s report on water and has been published on GOV.UK. Syria: Humanitarian Aid Asked by Lord Truscott William, Duke of Cambridge: Visits Abroad To ask Her Majesty's Government what proportion of Asked by Baroness Tonge UK humanitarian aid to Syria has been delivered to To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment areas controlled by the Assad regime or its allies. they have made of the contribution of the visit by the [HL9114] Duke of Cambridge to the Middle East to achieving Lord Bates: DFID’s focus in Syria is on helping those peace between Palestine and Israel. [HL9146] most acutely in need, and we have extensive controls in Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: All official Royal Visits place to ensure that UK aid does not benefit the Assad are undertaken at the request of Her Majesty’s regime. In 2017/2018, our partners operating from Government and in support of UK objectives. The British Damascus delivered 31% of DFID’s spending in Syria. Government remains committed to a just and lasting The majority of that aid was delivered to those most in settlement which delivers peace for both Israelis and need living in areas controlled by the Assad regime. A Palestinians.

Index to Statements and Answers

Written Statements ...... 1 National DNA Database Strategy Board ...... 1 Written Answers ...... 2 Armed Forces: Officers ...... 2 Burma: Refugees ...... 2 Children in Care: Per Capita Costs ...... 2 Competition and Markets Authority ...... 2 Council Tax ...... 2 Court of Justice of the European Union: Judgements ...... 3 Disadvantaged ...... 3 EU Aid ...... 3 Family Drug and Alcohol Court ...... 3 Foetal Alcohol Syndrome ...... 4 Freehold ...... 4 Gambling: Children ...... 5 Gulf Strategy Unit ...... 5 Housing: Courts ...... 5 Housing: Planning Permission ...... 5 Impact Assessments...... 6 Life Peers: Gender Recognition ...... 6 Military Decorations ...... 6 NHS: Drugs ...... 6 Nigeria: Genocide ...... 6 Personal Independence Payment: Blood Diseases7 Pets: Theft ...... 7 Prisoners on Remand: West Midlands...... 7 Schools: Accountability...... 7 Social Services: Minimum Wage ...... 8 Syria: Humanitarian Aid ...... 8 Water Supply ...... 8 William, Duke of Cambridge: Visits Abroad ...... 8