05/12/2016 Lords Questions

Lord Jordan. I beg leave to ask the question standing in my name on the

order paper. My Lords, the government is introducing

legislation increasing the penalties for using a hand-held mobile phone

while driving from three to six penalty points and from ?100 to ?200

when a driver is issued with a fixed penalty notice. We are also thinking

of introducing a think tank campaign and drivers also need to understand

it is unacceptable to put lives in danger. I would like to think them

minister for his reply and declare an interest of the Vice President.

We all welcome the Prime Minister's commitment to make this dangerous

and potentially devastating practice socially unacceptable. The increased

penalties, the proposals that drivers who kill while using a

mobile phone could face a life sentence, should be a real deterrent

to this growing and seemingly obsessive addiction. But previous

increases in penalties... I need to make this point. Previous increases

in penalties have not had a lasting impact. Will the Minister tell us

what plans the government house to ensure that adequate performance

enforcement is in place? The noble Lord makes an important point. Rules

are only as good enough when they are enforced. We have seen a rising

tide of use of mobile phones of drivers behind the course. We will

be working very closely with both the police and crime commissions as

one as the police forces to ensure more effective enforcement. If the

maximum sentence is increased to life imprisonment, but my noble

friend remind people that that would be discretionary rather than mandate

it? And given the fact that courts currently post sentences that fall

far short, it is unlikely that the overall sentences would increase to

any very great extent. My noble friend is of course referring to the

consultation launched today by the Ministry of Justice in this respect

and that will be open for the next 12 weeks. He also makes the

important point that when it comes to the actual sentencing itself,

that is determined on a case-by-case basis and the judge looking at the

circumstances prevailing each case. Increased sentences will no doubt

help but as the noble Lord has recognised, a change of culture is

really what is required and I wonder whether his department has

considered introducing, in addition to a penalty for mobile phone

offenders, mandatory attendance at mobile phone awareness courses, paid

for by the offenders, rather than offering such courses as an optional

alternative to points and penalty as a present. The issue the noble Lord

refers to about courses has been practised and has been left at the

discretion of the police to offer that. However, it is the

government's view that this issue has been scaled up and we are

promoting the fact that those courses and offered but to raise

awareness through campaigns and increase awareness of vice penalties

implicated as song on caught. If you use your mobile phone, it is not

hands-free in your using it and you are caught, it is a criminal

offence. My Lords, I think your lordship's house would appreciate

this is quite a difficult subject to regulate and I am grateful for the

noble minister outlining what plans he has but, given that the motoring

organisations seem to be dubious safety of using hands-free equipment

in a motorcar, I am wondering whether or not the government has

got any plans to car manufacturers' ability to produce this equipment,

which is distracting and can cause accident? He phrases an issue on the

manufacture of motor cars. The government is not talking

specifically on this issue. The issue of hands-free mobile phone use

is of course very difficult to regulate and enforce and I would say

to the right reverend that there are other distractions which are often

available in the car, the use of loud music, indeed being a father of

five children, all three in the back seat at the same time. But on a more

serious point, we are looking to ensure that we inform the public and

campaigns I believe will take forward the importance of not using

mobile phones in your hand when driving. I am very pleased to hear

that the Minister has adopted such a kepi reasoned approach in the

responses he has given so far and can I suggest to him that the reason

he must do that is first of all to increase sentences too, even though

they aren't discretionary, excessively leads to sentencing

inflation? With the position in our prisons which we have today, we

cannot afford to have further sentencing inflation. Secondly,

Tories will not conflict if they think that the sentences are

inappropriate. -- cherries. The real thing is you have got to change the

culture, as has happened with drink-driving. The noble and learned

had lowered its right to inform your lordship's house about our justice

system and the pressures on both the justice system and prison system but

I do believe going back to an earlier point I made, we have

learned over time, particularly if we look at issues of drink-driving,

that informing and educating the public are an important part in

ensuring we can eradicate people from the illegal use of such

foreign. Have ministers considered the circumstances in which it might

be appropriate to introduce an mandatory basis mobile phone signal

jamming equipment, which is currently available on the Internet?

You can Google it. Would it not be wise to consider that? The noble

Lord makes an important point but I am sure he would also acknowledge

that whilst that is being looked at, and in preparing for this question,

we all use flight mode, there will be others in the car who may well

use a mobile phone quite legitimately and of course when you

are travelling great distances, if the drivers are not using the mobile

phone and others are, that can sometimes be a great Lifeline of

certain issues that may arise during the trip. I declare an interest as

the co-chair of the all-party group on a fit and healthy chartered. We

want all pupils to be healthy and active and have the opportunity to

engage in sport and physical activity from young age. That is why

PE remains a compulsory subject or four Key stages in the national

curriculum. In 2017, we will double the primary PE and sport premium to

?231 million a year and there are issues to improve physical activity

levels in children. My Lords, Britain has the most unfit children

in the world and the latest report from my all-party group on a fit and

healthy childhood shows the urgent need to revise the teaching of PE,

which has not changed since the 1940s. If PE is to play a part in

children's well-being. There is no overall strategy for teachers to

deliver PE, a subject often sidelined in the curriculum. For the

government consider establishing a national PE task force to correlate

examples of good practice, reset training for PE teachers? And ball

he agreed to meet to discuss the recommendations in this constructive

PE report? I pay tribute to the noble Baroness for her work. And to

the other members of that group. And we will definitely take what they

say into account. However, we do not think that a new PE task force is

necessary. Officials already work closely with associations and my

colleague has for a number of years chaired a cross ministerial board to

inform the government's strategy for PE. We have no plans to review the

curriculum. It was last reviewed in 2014 and developed the range of

experts and we will review it again in 2018 or reviewing the activity

list following the first exams. There has been a dramatic cut in the

amount of money available for grassroots sport. Would it not be

better spent their than an excellence? We have substantially

improved responding this fool 's board and has had a dramatic effect.

And also the number of qualified specialist PE teachers. The number

of teachers has gone up by 50%. But we regard this is very important in

all aspects. My Lords,... Yes, of course, physical education is hugely

important, but should we not also be thinking of parity of esteem for

mental health? If that is to be achieved, how will the government

plan to ensure that schools treat mental well-being on an equal

footing the physical well-being? The noble lady raises a very important

issue and we know that mental health is an increasing issue in schools.

Last year, we funded associations possibly macro guidance on how the

teacher mentor health. There is also a range of training on specific

issues available for people who work with young people and we have been

testing and other places the concept of the single point of contact in

schools to improve collaborative working across schools in the

services. The Minister said that physical education is compulsory for

all children between the ages of four and 16 but rather at odds with

that is the fact that the Department for Education guidance merely

recommends a minimum of two macro hours curriculum PE for each pupil

each week. I may anticipate something the noble Lord for Sabre

independent schools would laugh at the suggestion there are only two

macro hours of PE per pupils each week and the government should not

accept anything less for state school pupils. Can you say what

proportion of schools meet that DFE recommendation and also say what

role the physical education and sport premium for primary schools is

happening in increasing the figure? The law does specifically prevent

the Secretary of State from dictating how much time schools

should spend on PE or any other subject, that is entirely a matter

for them, I don't believe we've got the figure on what the schools are

meeting but we anticipate most of them are. The point about

participation, it's quite clear that it has had a substantial impact on

primary schools and we find that 87% of them are reporting that it's had

a substantial increase in the number of activities they engaged in

including extracurricular activities and 50% increase in the number of

specialist PE teachers teaching in primary schools. I was told that

school playing fields are subject to strong statutory protections but

isn't it the case that sales of school playing fields have been

increasing in recent years and is that compatible with the strategy

for child health and well-being for which the question asked? My friend

raises an extremely good point and I am the Minister that signs off on

playing field disposals and something we feel strongly about it

shouldn't happen except where it is absolutely necessary, we have a very

rigorous process in place and most have either closed or are merged and

a lot of them are very small bits around playing field land and we're

very clear that we want a low playing fields to be disposed of

unless it's absolutely necessary. From the fact that only 18% of girls

and 21% of boys achieve the government's recommended level of

physical activity and in the light of the cuts to local government in

recent years with shrinking sports programmes, does the government has

any plans to expand the range of opportunities not just in schools,

but in local communities so that all children can have several

opportunities to participate in physical activity. I'm sure the

noble lady will be pleased to hear that of course we fund sporting

decide how to invest in the national lottery funding and part of their

strategy, they funded what's called inspired facilities scheme that's

invested over 100 million to allow clubs to make major improvements in

more than 2000 facilities and as part of their strategy towards an

active nation they have set aside a new ?40 million investment which

they will use to get more families and children active and they set up

a new dedicated fund of 120 million to tackle an activity in the next

four years. There are no plans to conduct a formal annual review, the

government is committed to providing high-quality early education for all

children, we are in investing in addition ?1 million extra a year.

Last week we published the National funding form which ensures that this

funding is allocated fairly transparently. We will monitor the

implementation and are clear that getting the funding right is

critical to its successful delivery. I thank the Minister for his reply

and for the extension of 30 hours for free childcare to working

parents. Given the huge benefits to education and cognitive skills so

important to business and industry to physical and mental health in

adult hood to remediating poverty, disadvantaged children including

looked after children to productivity and high-quality child

early years education, will the Minister listen carefully to the

concerns of the sector that after this year funding may not be

sufficient, his answer was reassuring to some extent. Given we

consider that investing in the highest quality early years care and

education is essential to an infrastructure for successful

economic development. I couldn't agree more that is why we are

spending over ?6 billion per year by 2019-20 more than any other

government in this country ever. We know we need to get the funding

right, our announcement last week for local authorities paid for with

additional investment shows we're listening to the sector and the cost

of childcare review whilst very thorough and indeed the National

Audit Office says it was for a wide-ranging. I declare a sort of

interest is a relatively new grandfather. My daughter-in-law has

just gone back to work and I know the costs of childcare and how it

affects young couples today. We're making good progress. In this

area. Last week we confront our funding. Regulations being laid

early last month. We've also awarded a new delivery contract of ?3

million to childcare works to support local authorities and eight

early implementers which are implementing one year early have

already delivered over 3500 new childcare places. The family trust

argues that the new funding welcome as it is doesn't focus sufficiently

on improving quality provision in the settings most likely were

disadvantaged children who are particularly need quality care. What

is the government doing to improve the quality of care in such settings

to ensure that disadvantaged children get that quality provision?

I agree with the noble lady on the importance of ensuring this

high-quality and for we have an additional needs factor factored

into the early years funding formula to better target funding with local

authorities whether higher proportion of children with

additional needs and the final funding policy confirmed last week

it was a new disability access fund worth ?615 per child per year to

support disabled three and four-year-olds and a requirement for

all local authorities to have inclusion funds to channel

additional support to children. Given that supplying appropriate

childcare to children with additional needs is expensive, more

expensive for the setting itself, but it's also more expensive to

train people to be able to recognise children's special needs and be able

to deliver appropriate care. What are the government doing to make

sure that sufficient early years practitioners are being trained to

work with these particularly needy children whose needs have been

ignored for many years. We are focused on that. As the noble lady

will now we have a massive investment in this area and

improving the quality of people coming into the profession and in

terms of specific details I will add to her. Investment in early years

childcare is one of the most effective means of increasing social

mobility. In July 2015 the childcare Minister announced a consultation on

the sure start centres that would begin that autumn and we still

waiting for the consultation and two weeks ago his successor could only

say in a waffling Parliamentary answer that an announcement would be

made in due course. The Minister has been there throughout the Minister,

is he not embarrassed having to defend our government reneging on a

commitment that was so important for the future of children centres? I

know that the party opposite always raises this point, an independent

study made it quite clear that the number of people accessing the

centres had remained remarkably consistent over the last two years

even though a number have merged and a number have closed. The important

point is the quality and the location and then refer back to the

point that no government history has ever invested so much in early years

and childcare in this way. I beg leave to ask the question standing

on my name in the order paper and draw attention to Mike Commonwealth

related interests in the register. In planning the Commonwealth heads

of government meeting in 2018 the Department will engage with a full

range of Commonwealth stakeholders through our High Commissioner

network we have regular discussions with parliamentarians across the

Commonwealth. I welcome the CPA conference and its focus on the

collaborative Commonwealth. Unfortunately overseas travel

commitments prevent my attendance but I do look forward to meeting CPA

UK and CPA in January as part of my engagement with Commonwealth

organisations. I thank my noble friend for her and Sir, many

Commonwealth parliamentarians seem to come here to the UK specifically

to be trained in a key part of the role which is how they hold their

governments to account. Coming noble friend please outline what mechanism

the UK will be modelling to ensure that parliamentarians can indeed do

that so they can address the assembled foreign ministers and

heads of government whilst they are in the United Kingdom building on

CPA UK's work. I welcome the idea my noble friend proposes. About how the

parliamentarians from overseas may use them itself. It's important

indeed that our colleagues around the Commonwealth, the other 51

countries are exposed to the views of their own parliamentarians and

take note of them but exposed to the views of civil society and in my

negotiations with my contacts and colleagues around the Commonwealth

as we will talk with them and consult with them about the agenda I

will certainly take forward my noble friend 's idea. Since the

Commonwealth consists almost entirely of Parliamentary democracy

is, shouldn't there be much more involvement of Parliament. There is

very little at the moment and has been very little, surely the

opportunity of meeting in the United Kingdom provides as with that

opportunity to set a very good example? I had just expressed the

view that it's important that Parliamentary democracies do have a

way of communicating with the event. The noble Lord will know from his

previous experience the agenda itself is agreed by consensus with

all members of the Commonwealth and what I have just said is that

listening to my noble friend and indeed to the noble Lord in my

discussions with my colleagues around Chobham around the membership

of the Commonwealth will certainly take forward the idea how best we

can ensure there is Parliamentary engagement. A number of developing

countries in the Commonwealth and worried that Brexit may damage their

ability to trade into the EU especially with the removal of the

mighty kingdom and the protective shield that has given them. Given

that, does not this meeting seem an excellent time to be assuring them

that their interests are being addressed. The lady raises a vital

idea but my Lords, throughout the summer, my engagement as High

Commissioner with foreign ministers, I have made it clear that I'm

listening to their concerns. Although there is no formal

consultation process it's absolutely crucial that just one of the members

of the Commonwealth we do take their views into account and we should

continue to do so. I declare an interest as member of the Royal

Commonwealth Society and I want to congratulate my noble friend for

raising this issue but can I ask the Minister for the Commonwealth

whether she read an interesting speech by the foreign and

Commonwealth Secretary last Friday, a strategic speech talking about but

in being at the centre of the global network. Doesn't she agree it's

rather a pity that no point in that speech it the Foreign Secretary

mentioned the Commonwealth, spoke about many Commonwealth countries

but no mention of the Commonwealth, when she goes back to the office

could she pointed to the Foreign Secretary this unfortunate omission.

I find the Foreign Secretary great to work with, great team leader,

prepared to listen and give as good as you get. Ministerial team

meetings are highly productive and I will certainly reflect upon my noble

friend. I should point out for the degree of accuracy, my Minister for

the Commonwealth as an institution, my other Minister for the

Commonwealth countries and the Caribbean directly but of course

other of my colleagues in the Foreign Office have geographical

responsibility for individual countries, that's why we're able to

engage so consistently and completely with all Commonwealth

countries. The spoke compellingly about the engagement of civil

society in changing attitudes. Will the noble lady the Minister

undertake to repeat a similar roundtable exercise that was

undertaken about LGBT rights, particularly a summary countries in

the Commonwealth criminalise LGBT people. As I mentioned a moment ago,

the agenda is agreed by consensus, but the noble Lord raises a vital

point. I can certainly make it clear that having committed ourselves very

closely indeed to combating discrimination and violence against

LGBT throughout the Commonwealth and having used every opportunity last

time to highlight I believe the Commonwealth must stand up for human

rights including LGBT rights and I will say that we are working out our

plans to ensure that these important messages are indeed delivered when

we host them in 2018. Many Commonwealth countries

expressed a desire for children to be held in the UK by outside London

as there is concern that the Commonwealth is becoming a London

centric organisation. In light of this and expertise in countering

violent extremism, the main point in the upcoming agenda, what

consideration has the government given to children in 2018 to be held

in Belfast? The noble lord i-mate has a very strong case for the idea

that children should be held outside of London on this occasion and I

note the representations have been made very strongly from other parts

of the United Kingdom, including for example Manchester and Birmingham,

and I know that Downing Street is very carefully considering all those

propositions that are being made. During the discussions, will the

government put on the agenda the issue of frozen overseas pensions

which are really affecting the Commonwealth countries, especially

the poorer countries, and the overseas territories? With regard to

children, there is an agenda, but it would be something that other

members would wish to raise. They have certainly come forward with

these issues before. And regarding the overseas territories, we have

heard very strongly in the joint ministerial Council in November and

I was very pleased that a minister was present to be able to listen to

those views and respond.