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2007-08
Type
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Answering member
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My Lords, will the Minister ensure that the new careers services advise students that Latin has a wide application to future careers, not just in the classics and the modern languages based on Latin but also in the sciences, in particular biology? A biologist cannot manage without a good knowledge of Latin. Will she ensure that, even if an individual school cannot offer Latin to a student, Latin can at least be part of a local authority-wide curriculum offer and thus be made available to that young person?
My Lords, will the Minister ensure that the new careers services advise students that Latin has a wide application to future careers, not just in the classics and the modern languages based on Latin but also in the sciences, in particular biology? A biologist cannot manage without a good knowledge of Latin. Will she ensure that, even if an individual school cannot offer Latin to a student, Latin can at least be part of a local authority-wide curriculum offer and thus be made available to that young person?
Asked by
Baroness Walmsley
(Liberal Democrat)
Oral questions - Supplementary
Status
Answered
Answered on
25 November 2008
My Lords, I am not sure that I can ensure it in the way that the noble Baroness suggests but I will certainly think about her comments and take them back to the department. We recently introduced a new form of qualification for modern languages called the language ladder, which I am advised is used for a range of languages from Welsh and Gaelic through to other modern languages and which emphasises the value of teaching, listening, speaking and writing. So we are thinking carefully how languages are promoted in our schools.
Subjects
Curriculum; Schools; Classics
Date
25 November 2008
Reference
705 c1346
Chamber / Committee
House of Lords chamber
House
House of Lords
My Lords, the main focus has been on children with disabilities in schools, but have the Government taken any initiatives to attract adults with disabilities into teaching? Many people with disabilities are perfectly capable of holding down such a very challenging job as teaching and they would, of course, provide tremendous role models within schools for children with disabilities, teaching them that they can do anything.
My Lords, the main focus has been on children with disabilities in schools, but have the Government taken any initiatives to attract adults with disabilities into teaching? Many people with disabilities are perfectly capable of holding down such a very challenging job as teaching and they would, of course, provide tremendous role models within schools for children with disabilities, teaching them that they can do anything.
Asked by
Baroness Walmsley
(Liberal Democrat)
Oral questions - Supplementary
Status
Answered
Answered on
24 November 2008
My Lords, the noble Baroness is absolutely right that the DDA applies not just to schools and the delivery of education but also to employers. That is why an accessibility plan is very important for children and for adults. The new teacher-training units which we are developing are about creating awareness of schools’ responsibilities in the widest possible sense with regard to disability discrimination and the role of the Act in promoting an inclusive school community.
Subjects
Disability; Equality; Schools
Date
24 November 2008
Reference
705 c1280
Chamber / Committee
House of Lords chamber
House
House of Lords
My Lords, will the Minister encourage schools to be really clear with parents about what is expected in different subject areas and what is right in the way of touching? On a wider point, can she try to ensure that the new PSHE national curriculum helps children to understand what is and what is not appropriate touching and gives them the self-confidence to stand up and object to the wrong sort?
My Lords, will the Minister encourage schools to be really clear with parents about what is expected in different subject areas and what is right in the way of touching? On a wider point, can she try to ensure that the new PSHE national curriculum helps children to understand what is and what is not appropriate touching and gives them the self-confidence to stand up and object to the wrong sort?
Asked by
Baroness Walmsley
(Liberal Democrat)
Oral questions - Supplementary
Status
Answered
Answered on
12 November 2008
My Lords, the noble Baroness has made a very good link with the new commitment the Government have made to make PSHE statutory. PSHE will help children and young people understand what is appropriate and what is not appropriate touching from adults and, as she was hinting, it will give young people the confidence and assertiveness to be clear about what they see as acceptable.
Subjects
Conduct; Music; Schools; Teachers
Date
12 November 2008
Reference
705 c658-9
Chamber / Committee
House of Lords chamber
House
House of Lords
My Lords, the Liverpool academies are clearly serving their community. Will the Government consider allowing local authorities to select the sponsors for academies, based on their educational expertise and commitment to the particular community, rather than their bank balance?
My Lords, the Liverpool academies are clearly serving their community. Will the Government consider allowing local authorities to select the sponsors for academies, based on their educational expertise and commitment to the particular community, rather than their bank balance?
Asked by
Baroness Walmsley
(Liberal Democrat)
Oral questions - Supplementary
Status
Answered
Answered on
6 November 2008
My Lords, the noble Baroness gives me a chance to highlight the importance of the National Challenge, a programme working directly with local authorities to address the challenge of schools that are falling below the 30 per cent floor that I talked about. We are investing £400 million through the National Challenge to help those schools that have the furthest to go in terms of helping the pupils whom they serve. Academies are one option out of a very important range of support that will be negotiated and developed in partnership with local authorities. This work is going on in the department as we speak.
Subjects
Standards; Schools; Academies
Date
6 November 2008
Reference
705 c322
Chamber / Committee
House of Lords chamber
House
House of Lords
My Lords, whether or not the Minister agrees with the figure of 1.5 million, will he at least confirm that the largest percentage drop, something like 55 per cent, is in engineering and manufacturing technologies? Does he agree with me that we really need extra adult education in those areas if we are to upskill the workforce?
My Lords, whether or not the Minister agrees with the figure of 1.5 million, will he at least confirm that the largest percentage drop, something like 55 per cent, is in engineering and manufacturing technologies? Does he agree with me that we really need extra adult education in those areas if we are to upskill the workforce?
Asked by
Baroness Walmsley
(Liberal Democrat)
Oral questions - Supplementary
Status
Answered
Answered on
3 November 2008
My Lords, we have shown our commitment to extra adult education in the recent Education and Skills Bill, on which we have had extensive debate. The Government do not need to apologise for their record of commitment to improving the skills set of the nation.
Subjects
Adult education
Date
3 November 2008
Reference
705 c3
Chamber / Committee
House of Lords chamber
House
House of Lords
My Lords, perhaps I may press the Minister a little more about the situation of EMA recipients who are attending schools. Schools, unlike colleges, do not have hardship funds, so it is then for the local authority to support young people who are suffering hardship because they have not yet received the grant. Are the Government doing enough to ensure that local authorities are being sufficiently proactive in identifying such young people and giving them support?
My Lords, perhaps I may press the Minister a little more about the situation of EMA recipients who are attending schools. Schools, unlike colleges, do not have hardship funds, so it is then for the local authority to support young people who are suffering hardship because they have not yet received the grant. Are the Government doing enough to ensure that local authorities are being sufficiently proactive in identifying such young people and giving them support?
Asked by
Baroness Walmsley
(Liberal Democrat)
Oral questions - Supplementary
Status
Answered
Answered on
28 October 2008
My Lords, the Government are clear that no learner should lose out as a result of these delays. I would never be complacent enough to stand here and say that we were doing enough; we never feel that we are doing enough. I will take back the concerns of this House to the department, and we will continue to work as hard as we can to make sure that these young people are getting what they deserve.
Subjects
Education maintenance allowance; Payments
Date
28 October 2008
Reference
704 c1474
Chamber / Committee
House of Lords chamber
House
House of Lords
My Lords, I congratulate the Minister on making this decision, and I have two questions. First, how will schools be encouraged, helped and perhaps monitored in the extent to which they consult parents when they are developing a curriculum about these sensitive matters that is suitable for the needs of their own young people? Secondly, does the Minister agree that good quality PSHE has a major contribution to make to child safeguarding by giving young people more self-confidence and knowledge about, for example, what is appropriate and inappropriate touching?
My Lords, I congratulate the Minister on making this decision, and I have two questions. First, how will schools be encouraged, helped and perhaps monitored in the extent to which they consult parents when they are developing a curriculum about these sensitive matters that is suitable for the needs of their own young people? Secondly, does the Minister agree that good quality PSHE has a major contribution to make to child safeguarding by giving young people more self-confidence and knowledge about, for example, what is appropriate and inappropriate touching?
Asked by
Baroness Walmsley
(Liberal Democrat)
Oral questions - Supplementary
Status
Answered
Answered on
28 October 2008
My Lords, once PSHE becomes statutory and we have heard from the review looking at this delicate but important subject, the status of the subject will be raised. We have a great facility with Ofsted and the work that it does in reviewing the delivery of the national curriculum and statutory education, and that will continue to be an important tool. We know from that work that there are some schools that deliver very high quality PSHE, and that involves discussing exactly the kind of things that the noble Baroness is talking about. PSHE is not all about sex, though; it is, as the noble Baroness often reminds us, about relationships as well. It is a broad topic, but we need to create a subject that is taught in the whole and in the round by expert, well trained and confident teachers.
Subjects
Personal, social, health and economic education
Date
28 October 2008
Reference
704 c1475
Chamber / Committee
House of Lords chamber
House
House of Lords
What is their response to the recent memorandum by the Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights which stated that ““laws allowing the definition of ‘justifiable assaults’ and ‘reasonable punishments’ on children are not compliant with international human rights standards””.
What is their response to the recent memorandum by the Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights which stated that ““laws allowing the definition of ‘justifiable assaults’ and ‘reasonable punishments’ on children are not compliant with international human rights standards””.
Asked by
Baroness Walmsley
(Liberal Democrat)
Answered by
Baroness Morgan of Drefelin
(Labour)
Oral questions - Lead
Status
Answered
Procedure
Topical questions (HL)
For answer on
16 October 2008
Answered on
16 October 2008
My Lords, the Government believe that the laws on physical punishment in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland are compliant with international human rights standards. Their formal response to the memorandum was published on 9 October 2008. UK government Ministers do not accept that legislation to remove the reasonable punishment defence or the justifiable assault defence in Scotland is necessary or appropriate. Across the UK, considerable importance is already attached to awareness raising and promoting positive parenting.
Subjects
Children; Corporal punishment; Human rights
Date
16 October 2008
Reference
704 c822
Chamber / Committee
House of Lords chamber
House
House of Lords
My Lords, I thank the Minister for her reply, but does she realise that all the Government’s warm words are not credible without legislation? Is she aware of the recent judgment in the Court of Appeal in the case of R v the Secretary of State for Justice, in which the noble and learned Baroness, Lady Hale of Richmond, is quoted as saying that the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child is the ““authoritative international view”” of what the UN convention requires? That committee has recently for the third time demanded that the UK Government remove reasonable chastisement. So, for how long will the Government go on believing that their view of their human rights obligations is more authoritative than that of four UN committees, the European Committee of Social Rights and their own JCHR?
My Lords, I thank the Minister for her reply, but does she realise that all the Government’s warm words are not credible without legislation? Is she aware of the recent judgment in the Court of Appeal in the case of R v the Secretary of State for Justice, in which the noble and learned Baroness, Lady Hale of Richmond, is quoted as saying that the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child is the ““authoritative international view”” of what the UN convention requires? That committee has recently for the third time demanded that the UK Government remove reasonable chastisement. So, for how long will the Government go on believing that their view of their human rights obligations is more authoritative than that of four UN committees, the European Committee of Social Rights and their own JCHR?
Asked by
Baroness Walmsley
(Liberal Democrat)
Oral questions - 1st Supplementary
Status
Answered
Answered on
16 October 2008
My Lords, with respect, the Government are absolutely clear about the fundamentals here. We believe that this boils down to an interpretation of what is seen as violence. We do not accept that, for example, mild smacking—smacking for which the defence of reasonable punishment is available—constitutes violence. We firmly believe that our law is compliant with both the UN CRC and the ECHR. In our view, the UN CRC does not require the criminalisation of mild smacking. Conduct that could meet the threshold of cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment under the ECHR is already illegal in this country.
Subjects
Children; Corporal punishment; Human rights; UN Convention on the Rights of the Child
Date
16 October 2008
Reference
704 c822
Chamber / Committee
House of Lords chamber
House
House of Lords
My Lords, I again welcome the Minister to her post—I have already welcomed her privately but now I do so on the record. Although she may not agree with me, does she at least share my frustration with those who are against equal protection for children under the law who seek to misrepresent our position as meaning that a caring parent who may use physical restraint to stop a child harming itself or another would be criminalised? She knows that that is not the case in the other 25 countries that have equal protection; and it would not be the case here.
My Lords, I again welcome the Minister to her post—I have already welcomed her privately but now I do so on the record. Although she may not agree with me, does she at least share my frustration with those who are against equal protection for children under the law who seek to misrepresent our position as meaning that a caring parent who may use physical restraint to stop a child harming itself or another would be criminalised? She knows that that is not the case in the other 25 countries that have equal protection; and it would not be the case here.
Asked by
Baroness Walmsley
(Liberal Democrat)
Oral questions - Supplementary
Status
Answered
Answered on
16 October 2008
My Lords, if we consider the use of Section 58 of the Children Act 2004 alongside the advice from the CPS on charging standards, which take account of the vulnerability of children, we see that in those cases, children are protected in the same way as adults. That is a very important point. For the record, parents who cause injuries to children such as grazes, scratches, abrasions, bruising, swelling and superficial cuts now, because of the law as it is, risk being charged with ABH with no defence of reasonable punishment. That is because of the changes in the law that we supported in this House in 2004.
Subjects
Children; Corporal punishment; Human rights
Date
16 October 2008
Reference
704 c824
Chamber / Committee
House of Lords chamber
House
House of Lords
asked Her Majesty's Government:Why they gave Shropshire County Council an extension of one month to put in its capital resources bid for primary schools.
asked Her Majesty's Government:Why they gave Shropshire County Council an extension of one month to put in its capital resources bid for primary schools.
Asked by
Baroness Walmsley
(Liberal Democrat)
Answered by
Baroness Morgan of Drefelin
(Labour)
Type
Written questions
Status
Answered
Answered on
10 October 2008
No formal extension was granted. We invited every local authority to prepare a strategic plan for capital investment across its primary school estate in consultation with local stakeholders. We asked for all the plans to be submitted to the department by 16 June 2008. Shropshire County Council officers advised my officials that, because of the need for further local consultation, Shropshire would not be able to meet this deadline. The plan was received on 19 August. The department will notify local authorities of the outcome of assessment shortly.
Subjects
Capital investment; Primary education; Shropshire
Date
10 October 2008
Reference
5399; 704 c25-6WA
House
House of Lords
asked Her Majesty's Government:What assessment they have made of the quality of local consultation regarding Shropshire County Council's capital resources bid for primary schools; and whether the process of policy development which underpinned the capital bid was properly carried out.
asked Her Majesty's Government:What assessment they have made of the quality of local consultation regarding Shropshire County Council's capital resources bid for primary schools; and whether the process of policy development which underpinned the capital bid was properly carried out.
Asked by
Baroness Walmsley
(Liberal Democrat)
Answered by
Baroness Morgan of Drefelin
(Labour)
Type
Written questions
Status
Answered
Answered on
10 October 2008
As a condition of funding for the primary capital programme, we asked every local authority to develop and agree with my department a strategic plan setting out how the programme will support national policies and local priorities. Local authorities' strategies are currently being assessed against the detailed guidance issued on 6 December 2007. Among other things, this guidance emphasised the need for local consultation. The department will notify local authorities of the outcome of assessment shortly.
Subjects
Capital investment; Public consultation; Primary education; Shropshire
Date
10 October 2008
Reference
5400; 704 c26WA
House
House of Lords
asked Her Majesty's Government:How they plan to disseminate the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child’s concluding observations to (a) children, (b) parents, (c) the children's workforce, and (d) within government; and
asked Her Majesty's Government:How they plan to disseminate the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child’s concluding observations to (a) children, (b) parents, (c) the children's workforce, and (d) within government; and
Asked by
Baroness Walmsley
(Liberal Democrat)
Answered by
Lord Adonis
(Labour)
Type
Written questions
Status
Answered
Answered on
29 September 2008
The UK Government will seek appropriate dialogues with a range of partners and organisations when considering the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child's concluding observations, including children and young people. This process includes a seminar on 29 July 2008 that the Department for Children, Schools and Families is jointly hosting with UNICEF UK and Get Ready for Geneva. The seminar will look at the issues raised in Get Ready for Geneva’s children and young people’s report to the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child and consider how they can be addressed. The seminar will be attended by children and young people, representatives from non-governmental organisations working for children's rights, the Minister for Children, Young People and Families and officials from across the Government.
It would be at disproportionate cost to disaggregate the full funding spent on activities related to UNCRC over the past five years. However, in England, funding for events, communications and publications solely on UNCRC in 2006-07 was a total of £107,397, and in 2007-08 it was £61,839. There are a wide range of other participatory activities funded by the Government which will have related to UNCRC, but we are not able to disaggregate these to set out the precise spend on the convention.
In addition, the Government have, through the children, young people and families grant programme, provided £181,000 in 2007-08 and £178,000 in 2008-09 to UNICEF UK for an expansion and independent evaluation of its Rights Respecting Schools Award scheme. A further £162,000 has been awarded to UNICEF UK through the grant for 2009-10. The department also provided the British Institute of Human Rights with £24,912 to expand the ““Right Hear, Right Now”” key stage 3 human rights teaching resource to include specific lesson plans for understanding and applying the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. The resource was formally launched in July 2008.
Funding to key partners in Scotland who undertake activities on UNCRC is as follows:
| Scottish Alliance for Children's Rights | Article 12 in Scotland | Children's Parliament | |
| 2004-05 | £0 | £12,500 | £0 |
| 2005-06 | £2,400 | £50,000 | £73,100 |
| 2006-07 | £18,000 | £51,250 | £74,928 |
| 2007-08 | £13,800 | £53,813 | £121,660 |
| 2008-09 | £24,000 | £55,475 | £93,660 |
Notes
Answer received between Tuesday 5 August and Monday 11 August 2008
Subjects
Children's rights; Finance; Education; Publicity; UN Convention on the Rights of the Child; UN Committee on the Rights of the Child
Date
29 September 2008
Reference
5094; 703 c325-6WA
House
House of Lords
How they will ensure information is disseminated on the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child's concluding observations to children in institutional settings, including custody; and what steps they will take to ensure information is disseminated in an accessible language and format for disabled children; and
How they will ensure information is disseminated on the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child's concluding observations to children in institutional settings, including custody; and what steps they will take to ensure information is disseminated in an accessible language and format for disabled children; and
Asked by
Baroness Walmsley
(Liberal Democrat)
Answered by
Lord Adonis
(Labour)
Type
Written questions
Status
Answered
Answered on
29 September 2008
The UK Government will seek appropriate dialogues with a range of partners and organisations when considering the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child's concluding observations, including children and young people. This process includes a seminar on 29 July 2008 that the Department for Children, Schools and Families is jointly hosting with UNICEF UK and Get Ready for Geneva. The seminar will look at the issues raised in Get Ready for Geneva’s children and young people’s report to the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child and consider how they can be addressed. The seminar will be attended by children and young people, representatives from non-governmental organisations working for children's rights, the Minister for Children, Young People and Families and officials from across the Government.
It would be at disproportionate cost to disaggregate the full funding spent on activities related to UNCRC over the past five years. However, in England, funding for events, communications and publications solely on UNCRC in 2006-07 was a total of £107,397, and in 2007-08 it was £61,839. There are a wide range of other participatory activities funded by the Government which will have related to UNCRC, but we are not able to disaggregate these to set out the precise spend on the convention.
In addition, the Government have, through the children, young people and families grant programme, provided £181,000 in 2007-08 and £178,000 in 2008-09 to UNICEF UK for an expansion and independent evaluation of its Rights Respecting Schools Award scheme. A further £162,000 has been awarded to UNICEF UK through the grant for 2009-10. The department also provided the British Institute of Human Rights with £24,912 to expand the ““Right Hear, Right Now”” key stage 3 human rights teaching resource to include specific lesson plans for understanding and applying the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. The resource was formally launched in July 2008.
Funding to key partners in Scotland who undertake activities on UNCRC is as follows:
| Scottish Alliance for Children's Rights | Article 12 in Scotland | Children's Parliament | |
| 2004-05 | £0 | £12,500 | £0 |
| 2005-06 | £2,400 | £50,000 | £73,100 |
| 2006-07 | £18,000 | £51,250 | £74,928 |
| 2007-08 | £13,800 | £53,813 | £121,660 |
| 2008-09 | £24,000 | £55,475 | £93,660 |
Notes
Answer received between Tuesday 5 August and Monday 11 August 2008
Subjects
Children's rights; Finance; Education; Publicity; UN Convention on the Rights of the Child; UN Committee on the Rights of the Child
Date
29 September 2008
Reference
5095; 703 c325-6WA
House
House of Lords
How they plan to engage non-governmental organisations working for children's rights in formulating a response to the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child's concluding observations; and
How they plan to engage non-governmental organisations working for children's rights in formulating a response to the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child's concluding observations; and
Asked by
Baroness Walmsley
(Liberal Democrat)
Answered by
Lord Adonis
(Labour)
Type
Written questions
Status
Answered
Answered on
29 September 2008
The UK Government will seek appropriate dialogues with a range of partners and organisations when considering the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child's concluding observations, including children and young people. This process includes a seminar on 29 July 2008 that the Department for Children, Schools and Families is jointly hosting with UNICEF UK and Get Ready for Geneva. The seminar will look at the issues raised in Get Ready for Geneva’s children and young people’s report to the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child and consider how they can be addressed. The seminar will be attended by children and young people, representatives from non-governmental organisations working for children's rights, the Minister for Children, Young People and Families and officials from across the Government.
It would be at disproportionate cost to disaggregate the full funding spent on activities related to UNCRC over the past five years. However, in England, funding for events, communications and publications solely on UNCRC in 2006-07 was a total of £107,397, and in 2007-08 it was £61,839. There are a wide range of other participatory activities funded by the Government which will have related to UNCRC, but we are not able to disaggregate these to set out the precise spend on the convention.
In addition, the Government have, through the children, young people and families grant programme, provided £181,000 in 2007-08 and £178,000 in 2008-09 to UNICEF UK for an expansion and independent evaluation of its Rights Respecting Schools Award scheme. A further £162,000 has been awarded to UNICEF UK through the grant for 2009-10. The department also provided the British Institute of Human Rights with £24,912 to expand the ““Right Hear, Right Now”” key stage 3 human rights teaching resource to include specific lesson plans for understanding and applying the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. The resource was formally launched in July 2008.
Funding to key partners in Scotland who undertake activities on UNCRC is as follows:
| Scottish Alliance for Children's Rights | Article 12 in Scotland | Children's Parliament | |
| 2004-05 | £0 | £12,500 | £0 |
| 2005-06 | £2,400 | £50,000 | £73,100 |
| 2006-07 | £18,000 | £51,250 | £74,928 |
| 2007-08 | £13,800 | £53,813 | £121,660 |
| 2008-09 | £24,000 | £55,475 | £93,660 |
Notes
Answer received between Tuesday 5 August and Monday 11 August 2008
Subjects
Children's rights; Finance; Education; Publicity; UN Convention on the Rights of the Child; UN Committee on the Rights of the Child
Date
29 September 2008
Reference
5096; 703 c325-6WA
House
House of Lords
How much they have spent on disseminating information about the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child to (a) children, (b) parents, (c) the children's workforce, and (d) within government, in each of the last five years; and
How much they have spent on disseminating information about the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child to (a) children, (b) parents, (c) the children's workforce, and (d) within government, in each of the last five years; and
Asked by
Baroness Walmsley
(Liberal Democrat)
Answered by
Lord Adonis
(Labour)
Type
Written questions
Status
Answered
Answered on
29 September 2008
The UK Government will seek appropriate dialogues with a range of partners and organisations when considering the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child's concluding observations, including children and young people. This process includes a seminar on 29 July 2008 that the Department for Children, Schools and Families is jointly hosting with UNICEF UK and Get Ready for Geneva. The seminar will look at the issues raised in Get Ready for Geneva’s children and young people’s report to the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child and consider how they can be addressed. The seminar will be attended by children and young people, representatives from non-governmental organisations working for children's rights, the Minister for Children, Young People and Families and officials from across the Government.
It would be at disproportionate cost to disaggregate the full funding spent on activities related to UNCRC over the past five years. However, in England, funding for events, communications and publications solely on UNCRC in 2006-07 was a total of £107,397, and in 2007-08 it was £61,839. There are a wide range of other participatory activities funded by the Government which will have related to UNCRC, but we are not able to disaggregate these to set out the precise spend on the convention.
In addition, the Government have, through the children, young people and families grant programme, provided £181,000 in 2007-08 and £178,000 in 2008-09 to UNICEF UK for an expansion and independent evaluation of its Rights Respecting Schools Award scheme. A further £162,000 has been awarded to UNICEF UK through the grant for 2009-10. The department also provided the British Institute of Human Rights with £24,912 to expand the ““Right Hear, Right Now”” key stage 3 human rights teaching resource to include specific lesson plans for understanding and applying the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. The resource was formally launched in July 2008.
Funding to key partners in Scotland who undertake activities on UNCRC is as follows:
| Scottish Alliance for Children's Rights | Article 12 in Scotland | Children's Parliament | |
| 2004-05 | £0 | £12,500 | £0 |
| 2005-06 | £2,400 | £50,000 | £73,100 |
| 2006-07 | £18,000 | £51,250 | £74,928 |
| 2007-08 | £13,800 | £53,813 | £121,660 |
| 2008-09 | £24,000 | £55,475 | £93,660 |
Notes
Answer received between Tuesday 5 August and Monday 11 August 2008
Subjects
Children's rights; Finance; Education; Publicity; UN Convention on the Rights of the Child; UN Committee on the Rights of the Child
Date
29 September 2008
Reference
5097; 703 c325-6WA
House
House of Lords
How much funding they have provided to non-governmental organisations working for children's rights to promote the implementation of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, in each of the last five years.
How much funding they have provided to non-governmental organisations working for children's rights to promote the implementation of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, in each of the last five years.
Asked by
Baroness Walmsley
(Liberal Democrat)
Answered by
Lord Adonis
(Labour)
Type
Written questions
Status
Answered
Answered on
29 September 2008
The UK Government will seek appropriate dialogues with a range of partners and organisations when considering the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child's concluding observations, including children and young people. This process includes a seminar on 29 July 2008 that the Department for Children, Schools and Families is jointly hosting with UNICEF UK and Get Ready for Geneva. The seminar will look at the issues raised in Get Ready for Geneva’s children and young people’s report to the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child and consider how they can be addressed. The seminar will be attended by children and young people, representatives from non-governmental organisations working for children's rights, the Minister for Children, Young People and Families and officials from across the Government.
It would be at disproportionate cost to disaggregate the full funding spent on activities related to UNCRC over the past five years. However, in England, funding for events, communications and publications solely on UNCRC in 2006-07 was a total of £107,397, and in 2007-08 it was £61,839. There are a wide range of other participatory activities funded by the Government which will have related to UNCRC, but we are not able to disaggregate these to set out the precise spend on the convention.
In addition, the Government have, through the children, young people and families grant programme, provided £181,000 in 2007-08 and £178,000 in 2008-09 to UNICEF UK for an expansion and independent evaluation of its Rights Respecting Schools Award scheme. A further £162,000 has been awarded to UNICEF UK through the grant for 2009-10. The department also provided the British Institute of Human Rights with £24,912 to expand the ““Right Hear, Right Now”” key stage 3 human rights teaching resource to include specific lesson plans for understanding and applying the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. The resource was formally launched in July 2008.
Funding to key partners in Scotland who undertake activities on UNCRC is as follows:
| Scottish Alliance for Children's Rights | Article 12 in Scotland | Children's Parliament | |
| 2004-05 | £0 | £12,500 | £0 |
| 2005-06 | £2,400 | £50,000 | £73,100 |
| 2006-07 | £18,000 | £51,250 | £74,928 |
| 2007-08 | £13,800 | £53,813 | £121,660 |
| 2008-09 | £24,000 | £55,475 | £93,660 |
Notes
Answer received between Tuesday 5 August and Monday 11 August 2008
Subjects
Children's rights; Finance; Education; Publicity; UN Convention on the Rights of the Child; UN Committee on the Rights of the Child
Date
29 September 2008
Reference
5098; 703 c325-6WA
House
House of Lords
My Lords, I thank the Minister for her reply. Will she tell her right honourable friend the Secretary of State how much the committee appreciate it when a country sends in its delegation its most senior Minister to report to it on forward goals and priorities for implementation of the convention? Will she also tell him that, if he felt moved while he was there to implement the Convention on the Rights of the Child and to integrate it into UK law fully, wholeheartedly and overtly, he would make himself even more popular with the committee?
My Lords, I thank the Minister for her reply. Will she tell her right honourable friend the Secretary of State how much the committee appreciate it when a country sends in its delegation its most senior Minister to report to it on forward goals and priorities for implementation of the convention? Will she also tell him that, if he felt moved while he was there to implement the Convention on the Rights of the Child and to integrate it into UK law fully, wholeheartedly and overtly, he would make himself even more popular with the committee?
Asked by
Baroness Walmsley
(Liberal Democrat)
Oral questions - 1st Supplementary
Status
Answered
Answered on
15 July 2008
My Lords, the UK Government take the reporting process very seriously. We have identified suitable senior officials who will be able to undertake this task. It is long established that those officials will represent the Government, but they also bring together the devolved Administrations and other government departments. However, the Minister of State for Children, Young People and Families has written to the UN committee’s rapporteurs in the UK and has invited them to meet her while they are in the UK this summer. We take this extremely seriously and are keen to enter into a constructive, strategic and fruitful dialogue with the UN committee.
Subjects
Ministers; UN Convention on the Rights of the Child; UK delegations; Department for Children, Schools and Families; UN Committee on the Rights of the Child
Date
15 July 2008
Reference
703 c1096
Chamber / Committee
House of Lords chamber
House
House of Lords
Whether the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families will head the United Kingdom delegation reporting to the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child in Geneva on 23 September.
Whether the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families will head the United Kingdom delegation reporting to the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child in Geneva on 23 September.
Asked by
Baroness Walmsley
(Liberal Democrat)
Answered by
Baroness Thornton
(Labour)
Oral questions - Lead
Status
Answered
For answer on
15 July 2008
Answered on
15 July 2008
My Lords, the UK delegation will be led by a senior civil servant, Tom Jeffery, director-general at the Department for Children, Schools and Families, who will be able to undertake a high-quality dialogue with the committee. The UK Government do not routinely send Ministers to report at this type of hearing and, like the Governments of most other western countries, have not previously sent Ministers to the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child.
Subjects
Ministers; UK delegations; Department for Children, Schools and Families; UN Committee on the Rights of the Child
Date
15 July 2008
Reference
703 c1096
Chamber / Committee
House of Lords chamber
House
House of Lords
What are the functions of the Children's Commissioner Sponsorship and United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child Team; and whether any of these functions did not apply to the Children's Views and Interests Team; and
What are the functions of the Children's Commissioner Sponsorship and United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child Team; and whether any of these functions did not apply to the Children's Views and Interests Team; and
Asked by
Baroness Walmsley
(Liberal Democrat)
Answered by
Lord Adonis
(Labour)
Type
Written questions
Status
Answered
Answered on
25 June 2008
The Children's Views and Interests Team changed its name to become the Children's Commissioner Sponsorship and United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) Team in September 2007, to reflect the team's main functions.
The Children's Commissioner Sponsorship and UNCRC Team's functions are: central government sponsors for 11 Million (formerly the Office of the Children's Commissioner for England) non-departmental public body; policy responsibility for the role of the Children's Commissioner for England; co-ordination of the UK Government's report to the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child; and, co-ordination of the Department for Children, Schools and Families' Children and Youth Board. The team also manages a number of grants to external organisations made through the department's Participation Fund and the Children, Young People and Families Grant Programme. These functions also applied to the Children's Views and Interests Team.
The Children's Commissioner Sponsorship and UNCRC Team is made up of three civil servants: one grade 7, one senior executive officer and one executive officer.
The Children's Commissioner Sponsorship and UNCRC team regularly liaises with counterparts in the devolved Administrations. On the basis of information supplied by officials in the devolved Administrations the numbers and remit are comparable to the Children's Rights team in Scotland and the wider remits of the Rights and Entitlements Team in Wales and the Children and Young People's Unit in the Office of the First Minister and Deputy First Minister in Northern Ireland.
Subjects
Civil servants; Children's Commissioner for England; Staff; UN Convention on the Rights of the Child; Department for Children, Schools and Families
Date
25 June 2008
Reference
4289; 702 c249-50WA
House
House of Lords