Baroness Buscombe: To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to ensure that information published about the total value of benefits paid to claimants, including available discount schemes and grants, can be readily compared with employee salaries, which are usually quoted before tax.
Baroness Buscombe: To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the financial implications of the proposal to impose VAT on independent school fees on the parents of children supported by the Continuity of Education Allowance.
Baroness Buscombe: To ask His Majesty's Government what percentage of residents of Ceredigion in Wales are currently in receipt of disability benefits.
Baroness Buscombe: To ask His Majesty's Government whether, when referencing benefits, they will gross up the value of each benefit to demonstrate a direct and fair comparison with salaries paid to people who are not claiming benefits.
Baroness Buscombe: To ask His Majesty's Government whether the benefits system continues to recognise polygamy in social security regulations and, if so, why.
Baroness Buscombe: To ask His Majesty's Government what proportion of financial subsidies given to the creative industries over the past five years have employment conditions attached to them so that those working and seeking work in the creative industries do not need to rely on the benefits system.
Baroness Buscombe: My Lords, I have great sympathy with what the noble Baroness, Lady Sherlock, has said in terms of communication. Every department can always do better in that and use every form of technology and so on to make sure that people know where they stand. However, would my noble friend not agree, and in support of what my noble friend is saying, that the Government have to be vigilant? We will get...
Baroness Buscombe: No, I am sorry, I am talking about those who should not receive. I did not say “carers”; I am saying those who should not be in receipt of benefits.
Baroness Buscombe: My Lords, only yesterday in Grand Committee, my noble friend the Minister stated that the DWP is forecast to pay out nearly £300 billion in benefits by 2024-25, a sum which is completely unsustainable if we are to have sufficient funding for any other departments: defence, health, education and so on. Will he please just remind us of the future cost of the personal independence payment?
Baroness Buscombe: My Lords, only yesterday in Grand Committee, my noble friend the Minister stated that the DWP is forecast to pay out nearly £300 billion in benefits by 2024-25, a sum which is completely unsustainable if we are to have sufficient funding for any other departments: defence, health, education and so on. Will he please just remind us of the future cost of the personal independence payment?
Baroness Buscombe: My Lords, I pay tribute to my noble friend and his department for all they are doing in terms of a long-term strategy. Given that we are about to pay out something like £290 billion in that one department this year, which is entirely unsustainable if the Government are to support defence, our health service and everything else as well, surely the best way in which to take people out of...
Baroness Buscombe: My Lords, I join my noble friend Lord Arbuthnot in paying tribute to my noble friend the Minister and other Ministers in another place, along with all those in government who have got us to where we are so far. It has been a hard and difficult road, and it has been too long. The Minister is quite right that whatever happens, we must see that justice is done, and we must do all that we can in...
Baroness Buscombe: My Lords, 20 years ago, on 18 December 2003, I spoke for Her Majesty’s Opposition at the Second Reading of the Gender Recognition Bill. It was a government Bill that, strangely, had not been referenced in the gracious Speech, though it had been scrutinised as a draft by the Joint Committee on Human Rights. I spoke in support of the Bill in principle, with the blessing of the then leader...
Baroness Buscombe: To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the role of the environmental horticulture sector in helping the UK to reach its net zero targets.
Baroness Buscombe: My Lords, given that the DWP’s proposed total expenditure for 2023-24 is a staggering £279.3 billion, can my noble friend tell the House whether this use of AI will contribute and is contributing to cost efficiencies within the department?
Baroness Buscombe: As the chairman of the inquiry, I reassure noble Lords that my noble friend the Minister is very aware of our frustration. However, I am pleased to hear—I am sure others are too—that, along with others in the department, he is looking to see what we can achieve without primary legislation. Could he and his officials focus on the further development and implementation of, for example,...
Baroness Buscombe: To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the fairness of staying time limits for UK visitors to the EU compared to those for EU visitors to the UK; and what plans they have to change UK staying time limits for EU visitors to match those for UK visitors to the EU, either by agreement with the EU or unilaterally.
Baroness Buscombe: To ask His Majesty's Government whether there is any policy in place, expressed or implied, that prevents or deters ex-armed forces personnel from being accepted into any part of the police force.
Baroness Buscombe: To ask His Majesty's Government what proportion of the current police force is made up of ex-armed forces personnel.
Baroness Buscombe: To ask His Majesty's Government when they plan to introduce requirements to prevent non-resident EU citizens from remaining in the UK for longer than 90 days out of 180 days, without obtaining a visa valid for 6 months at their own expense.
