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My Lords, in view of the terrible disturbances that such developments have caused to neighbours, is it not time for the Government to look at some statutory compensation scheme for people who live beside them? I declare an interest as somebody who has been sitting in the middle of developments on
either side of me for the past eight months and been nearly driven mad. My daughter is about to have a basement dug up next to her. Very little effort is made to enable people who are affected by these developments to have any compensation or redress.
My Lords, in view of the terrible disturbances that such developments have caused to neighbours, is it not time for the Government to look at some statutory compensation scheme for people who live beside them? I declare an interest as somebody who has been sitting in the middle of developments on
either side of me for the past eight months and been nearly driven mad. My daughter is about to have a basement dug up next to her. Very little effort is made to enable people who are affected by these developments to have any compensation or redress.
Of course I note with great care what my noble friend has said and will take it back. It is somewhat amusing that these schemes are sometimes referred to as “subterranean development”, which sounds like the sun is shining, but for some neighbours, as I fully acknowledge, that is certainly not the case.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they are taking to ensure that local people are aware of, and are using, the new community rights created under the Localism Act 2012.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they are taking to ensure that local people are aware of, and are using, the new community rights created under the Localism Act 2012.
My Lords, I thank my noble friend for her Question. We have put over 2,000 uses of community rights into place. We have put in place a £50 million support programme, which includes a helpline, online tools and resources, and specialist support and grants. We also continue to promote take-up of the rights through local, national and consumer press, the broadcast media, ministerial visits and conferences and are working with people such as CAMRA and Supporters Direct.
My Lords, I thank the Minister for that reply. He will recall that there are a number of community rights within the Localism Act. May I refer particularly to community assets and the acquisition of those and ask my noble friend what progress is being made and whether he has any examples of good practice that could be passed on to others?
My Lords, I thank the Minister for that reply. He will recall that there are a number of community rights within the Localism Act. May I refer particularly to community assets and the acquisition of those and ask my noble friend what progress is being made and whether he has any examples of good practice that could be passed on to others?
First, I pay tribute to my noble friend for her sterling work in negotiating the Localism Bill through your Lordships’ House. With her experience, she is well placed to talk about community rights. I can inform my noble friend that there are now 900 neighbourhood planning areas in place. Twenty-eight referenda were held; all voted yes. Some 1,200 community assets have now been listed for community bids, including football grounds, pubs, allotments, piers and village halls. Eight assets have now been bought and the Government have allocated a further £25 million to the community shares issue.
What progress has been made on individual electoral registration? It is very important for young people to know about the democratic process, but as part of that they must also know that they have to register in order to vote.
What progress has been made on individual electoral registration? It is very important for young people to know about the democratic process, but as part of that they must also know that they have to register in order to vote.
My Lords, online electoral registration was introduced four weeks ago. I have the figures only for the first week and we were extremely encouraged by how many people had registered. We hope that we will have the figures for the first month by next week. That is part of why we think that we have moved on from the Northern Ireland experience, in which electoral registration officers took paper forms into schools. We think that young people are much more likely to register online. The experience of 2010 suggests that the registration rate rises rapidly in the few months before a general election. It rose by 700,000 in early 2010. We expect that to happen again.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the recommendations in the final report of the Electoral Commission Electoral fraud in the UK.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the recommendations in the final report of the Electoral Commission Electoral fraud in the UK.
My Lords, we are carefully considering the Electoral Commission’s recent report and its three main recommendations and will respond in the coming months. We welcome the commission’s finding that electoral fraud is not widespread and agree that we should continue to consider ways to safeguard electoral integrity. That is why the Government are introducing individual electoral registration from June this year, which will help make registration more secure.
My Lords, I thank the Minister for that reply. I am sure that many Members of this House will welcome the proposals in the package put forward by the Electoral Commission to be introduced by 2014. However, it proposes to leave the introduction of one area until 2020: individual identification at polling stations. In responding to the report, will the Government consider encouraging the commission to bring that forward, as it is a very important aspect of preventing fraud?
My Lords, I thank the Minister for that reply. I am sure that many Members of this House will welcome the proposals in the package put forward by the Electoral Commission to be introduced by 2014. However, it proposes to leave the introduction of one area until 2020: individual identification at polling stations. In responding to the report, will the Government consider encouraging the commission to bring that forward, as it is a very important aspect of preventing fraud?
My Lords, the Government are considering that although I have to say that Ministers are not yet convinced of its desirability. We all know from the American experience that demanding qualifications and identification at polling stations tends to discourage people from going to vote and we do not wish to discourage people from going to vote. There is less evidence of personation at polling stations than there is of multiple registration—ghost voters being put on the register—or of postal vote fraud, so we are not yet persuaded that the response is proportionate to the problem we face.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what action they are taking on the sale of legal highs, in the light of the recent deaths of young people who had purchased the substances legally.[HL4816]
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what action they are taking on the sale of legal highs, in the light of the recent deaths of young people who had purchased the substances legally.[HL4816]
Since January 2011 the Government has banned in excess of two hundred new psychoactive substances under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 using generic definitions that capture groups of drugs.
The Government continues to work with law enforcement agencies to disrupt the reckless trade in new psychoactive substances.
The Home Office recently published guidance for local authorities on a range of legislative tools available to tackle shops selling new psychoactive substances (‘head-shops’) across the UK. This includes information on the Intoxicating Substances (Supply) Act 1985 which makes it an offence for a person to supply a substance that is not already controlled under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971, to a person under the age of 18 if they know or have reasonable cause to believe that the substance is likely to be inhaled by that person, for the purpose of causing intoxication. Last year two ‘legal-high’ sellers were successfully prosecuted using this legislation.
So-called ‘legal highs’ often contain substances we have already banned in the UK. In November 2013 a concerted enforcement activity resulted in 73 warrants being issued, 44 arrests made and the seizure of a large number of banned new psychoactive substances. The police also issued over 550 warning letters to both ‘head-shops’ and people purchasing new psychoactive substances.
We are looking at ways to further strengthen the UK’s response to these new drugs. The Minister for Crime Prevention is leading a review which is looking at how we can ensure that law enforcement agencies have the best available powers and send out the clearest possible message that the trade in these substances is reckless and that these substances can be dangerous to health, even fatal.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether there are any measures currently in place which prevent shops and other establishments selling legal highs as being safe to take.[HL4817]
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether there are any measures currently in place which prevent shops and other establishments selling legal highs as being safe to take.[HL4817]
Since January 2011 the Government has banned in excess of two hundred new psychoactive substances under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 using generic definitions that capture groups of drugs.
The Government continues to work with law enforcement agencies to disrupt the reckless trade in new psychoactive substances.
The Home Office recently published guidance for local authorities on a range of legislative tools available to tackle shops selling new psychoactive substances (‘head-shops’) across the UK. This includes information on the Intoxicating Substances (Supply) Act 1985 which makes it an offence for a person to supply a substance that is not already controlled under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971, to a person under the age of 18 if they know or have reasonable cause to believe that the substance is likely to be inhaled by that person, for the purpose of causing intoxication. Last year two ‘legal-high’ sellers were successfully prosecuted using this legislation.
So-called ‘legal highs’ often contain substances we have already banned in the UK. In November 2013 a concerted enforcement activity resulted in 73 warrants being issued, 44 arrests made and the seizure of a large number of banned new psychoactive substances. The police also issued over 550 warning letters to both ‘head-shops’ and people purchasing new psychoactive substances.
We are looking at ways to further strengthen the UK’s response to these new drugs. The Minister for Crime Prevention is leading a review which is looking at how we can ensure that law enforcement agencies have the best available powers and send out the clearest possible message that the trade in these substances is reckless and that these substances can be dangerous to health, even fatal.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether any laws prohibit the sale of legal highs, over the counter or on the internet, to people under the age of 18. [HL4818]
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether any laws prohibit the sale of legal highs, over the counter or on the internet, to people under the age of 18. [HL4818]
Since January 2011 the Government has banned in excess of two hundred new psychoactive substances under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 using generic definitions that capture groups of drugs.
The Government continues to work with law enforcement agencies to disrupt the reckless trade in new psychoactive substances.
The Home Office recently published guidance for local authorities on a range of legislative tools available to tackle shops selling new psychoactive substances (‘head-shops’) across the UK. This includes information on the Intoxicating Substances (Supply) Act 1985 which makes it an offence for a person to supply a substance that is not already controlled under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971, to a person under the age of 18 if they know or have reasonable cause to believe that the substance is likely to be inhaled by that person, for the purpose of causing intoxication. Last year two ‘legal-high’ sellers were successfully prosecuted using this legislation.
So-called ‘legal highs’ often contain substances we have already banned in the UK. In November 2013 a concerted enforcement activity resulted in 73 warrants being issued, 44 arrests made and the seizure of a large number of banned new psychoactive substances. The police also issued over 550 warning letters to both ‘head-shops’ and people purchasing new psychoactive substances.
We are looking at ways to further strengthen the UK’s response to these new drugs. The Minister for Crime Prevention is leading a review which is looking at how we can ensure that law enforcement agencies have the best available powers and send out the clearest possible message that the trade in these substances is reckless and that these substances can be dangerous to health, even fatal.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many legal high substances have been banned under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 over the last three years. [HL4819]
To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many legal high substances have been banned under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 over the last three years. [HL4819]
Since January 2011 the Government has banned in excess of two hundred new psychoactive substances under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 using generic definitions that capture groups of drugs.
The Government continues to work with law enforcement agencies to disrupt the reckless trade in new psychoactive substances.
The Home Office recently published guidance for local authorities on a range of legislative tools available to tackle shops selling new psychoactive substances (‘head-shops’) across the UK. This includes information on the Intoxicating Substances (Supply) Act 1985 which makes it an offence for a person to supply a substance that is not already controlled under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971, to a person under the age of 18 if they know or have reasonable cause to believe that the substance is likely to be inhaled by that person, for the purpose of causing intoxication. Last year two ‘legal-high’ sellers were successfully prosecuted using this legislation.
So-called ‘legal highs’ often contain substances we have already banned in the UK. In November 2013 a concerted enforcement activity resulted in 73 warrants being issued, 44 arrests made and the seizure of a large number of banned new psychoactive substances. The police also issued over 550 warning letters to both ‘head-shops’ and people purchasing new psychoactive substances.
We are looking at ways to further strengthen the UK’s response to these new drugs. The Minister for Crime Prevention is leading a review which is looking at how we can ensure that law enforcement agencies have the best available powers and send out the clearest possible message that the trade in these substances is reckless and that these substances can be dangerous to health, even fatal.
My Lords, will the Minister be kind enough to explain exactly what is going to be achieved by training public servants such as bus drivers in dementia, what is the purpose behind it and what we hope those public servants will be able to do?
My Lords, will the Minister be kind enough to explain exactly what is going to be achieved by training public servants such as bus drivers in dementia, what is the purpose behind it and what we hope those public servants will be able to do?
My noble friend raises an important issue, because it is going to be increasingly necessary for not only health and care professionals but members of the public to be properly attuned to dementia and the needs of those who have the condition. We want to see all those who deal with the public trained in dementia, at least to a basic level, in a way that is appropriate to their level of engagement with those who suffer from dementia. Dementia training is now a key part of Health Education England’s mandate.
Does the Minister agree that while business rates may be one factor in the decline of the high streets, there are a number of others? Does she further agree that this Government
have already frozen the revaluation of rates, which was a help? Finally, does she agree that other factors in the high street include rents, the mix of shops, the support of local people and, perhaps most importantly, online shopping, which it is now estimated will account for 30% of all business transacted over the Christmas period?
Does the Minister agree that while business rates may be one factor in the decline of the high streets, there are a number of others? Does she further agree that this Government
have already frozen the revaluation of rates, which was a help? Finally, does she agree that other factors in the high street include rents, the mix of shops, the support of local people and, perhaps most importantly, online shopping, which it is now estimated will account for 30% of all business transacted over the Christmas period?
This Government have done a lot to support local communities in adapting their high streets to the changing behaviour of consumers. My noble friend is right to highlight the increase in online trade. The other point worth making about things we are doing differently is that we changed some of the previous Government’s planning guidance which pushed up parking charges and had quite a negative effect on town centres. We are looking to do more in this area and will consult on that soon.
My Lords, I, too, acknowledge the work that has been done by the noble Baronesses, Lady Gardner and Lady Hayter, on this matter. Does the Minister agree that it is essential that people in leasehold properties understand their rights and obligations and the redress which is available to them as a result of this and other policies? Does she also agree that it is essential that people moving into the private rented sector—which is increasing, and must increase to help with housing problems—have the same knowledge?
My Lords, I, too, acknowledge the work that has been done by the noble Baronesses, Lady Gardner and Lady Hayter, on this matter. Does the Minister agree that it is essential that people in leasehold properties understand their rights and obligations and the redress which is available to them as a result of this and other policies? Does she also agree that it is essential that people moving into the private rented sector—which is increasing, and must increase to help with housing problems—have the same knowledge?
My noble friend is absolutely right on those points. It is incumbent on government to make sure, through opportunities such as this, that both those living in leasehold properties and those in the private rented sector are aware of their new rights. It is incredibly important that we extend the private rented sector because one way of driving up standards is to increase choice for those living in the rented sector. I am pleased to announce today that we have agreed yet another new Build to Rent project, this time in Manchester, which will deliver 196 rented units by refurbishing three blocks of unused social housing.
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the Secretary of State for Transport, Lord Adonis, has been informed of any payments made by the National Express Group plc, its subsidiaries or representatives to Mr Stephen Byers; and, if so, at what date he was informed of any such payments.
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the Secretary of State for Transport, Lord Adonis, has been informed of any payments made by the National Express Group plc, its subsidiaries or representatives to Mr Stephen Byers; and, if so, at what date he was informed of any such payments.
To ask Her Majesty's Government on what occasions the Secretary of State for Transport, Lord Adonis, (a) met, or (b) spoke to, (1) Mr Stephen Byers, (2) representatives of the National Express Group plc or its subsidiaries, and (3) Mr Stephen Byers and representatives of National Express Group plc or...
To ask Her Majesty's Government on what occasions the Secretary of State for Transport, Lord Adonis, (a) met, or (b) spoke to, (1) Mr Stephen Byers, (2) representatives of the National Express Group plc or its subsidiaries, and (3) Mr Stephen Byers and representatives of National Express Group plc or...
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether Mr Stephen Byers has spoken to the Secretary of State for Transport, Lord Adonis, regarding National Express's East Coast franchise; and, if so, what was (a) the date on which the contact took place, and (b) the nature of the contact.
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether Mr Stephen Byers has spoken to the Secretary of State for Transport, Lord Adonis, regarding National Express's East Coast franchise; and, if so, what was (a) the date on which the contact took place, and (b) the nature of the contact.