March/April's Political Intelligence
In the light of the Brexit transition period until 31 December 2020, which remains to see if extended due to Cv-19 outbreak, The House of Commons opened in the beginning of March with a discussion concerning the UK’s future generations— more specifically about young people’s equitable opportunity to education, Further Education (FE) colleges and future skills. Mark Fletcher (Bolsover) (Con), Stephen Metcalfe (South Basildon and East Thurrock) (Con), Alexander Stafford (Rother Valley) (Con) asked his Majesty’s Government: What steps he is taking to ensure further education colleges are able to deliver skills required for the future. The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Education (Gillian Keegan) emphasised the Government’s priority to level up the skills the UK economy needs in the future by providing high-quality provision and delivering technical education by introducing the T-levels policy. T-Levels are new courses coming in September 2020, which will follow GCSEs and will be equivalent to 3 A levels. Members of the House of Commons have raised concerns on how colleges can integrate the new technical education provision in rural areas, and other areas with predominantly SMEs. The worries have been answered that FE Institutions are working closely with colleges to ensure access and support to all students.
A sitting in the House of Lords took place in mid-March on Innovation Economy: Skills with The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Education and Department for International Trade (Baroness Berridge) (Con). Lords welcomed the skills fund of £3 billion in the education system of STEM, digital and technical education. Baroness Bull (CB) emphasised in this regard, the equally important arts and creative education for innovation. Baroness Berridge answered that the Government is committed with £85 million annual funding for arts programmes. Further debate was held on the lack of Further Education trained staff. This a relevant point for the discussions in the House of Commons on the introduction of T-levels courses.
It’s in the best interest of the textiles and fashion sector to explore the opportunity of the T-levels education by including the fashion manufacturing and repairing skills gaps in the T-levels subjects.
At the beginning of March in the House of Lords concerns were raised for copyright protection post Brexit. Baroness Neville-Rolfe (Con) on Artistic Content: Copyright Protection asked how intellectual property and artistic success are protected by the Government in trade deals? Lord Callanan informed that BEIS is responsible for intellectual property and copyright, as well as DCMS that is organising creative industries forum and various round tables with the sector. Lord Callanan informed that post Brexit, copyright protection will be subject to international agreements and that the UK has “one of the strongest copyright protection frameworks in the world”.
It’s in the interest of the creators of artistic content to understand how the negotiations of trade with the EU, US and with the other countries, is impacting their work and creative assets and how the new Immigration Bill is affecting travelling artists.
In regards to the above, a sitting by the Grand Committee on Immigration (Citizens’ Rights Appeals) (EU Exit) Regulations 2020 took place in the House of Lords. EU, EEA and Swiss citizens’ rights in the UK were scrutinised under the new Bill with The Minister of State, Home Office (Baroness Williams of Trafford) (Con), discussing the EU Settlement Scheme which has 3.2 million applicants resulting in 2.9 million people granted status.
Viscount Younger of Leckie (Con) has repeated in the House of Lords the Statement of the Secretary of State for International Trade in regards to UK-US Trade Deal Negotiating Objectives. The Lords debated the priority of the Government on a trade with the US in comparison with the trade with the EU and Asian markets. The total value of trade between the UK and the US will soar by £15.3 billion, adding £1.8 billion to wages across the country, over a 15-year period, hence contributing about 1% to the GDP. Lord Fox has asked the positioning of the service sector in negotiations- which is an important part of the UK economy- in the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with the US. Viscount Younger of Leckie (Con) had answered that the negotiations are with the US Fed and while they advance, there will be a more State focus. The Lords agreed that the DIT policy paper UK-US Free Trade Agreement is demonstrating solid research and assessment. The Government reinsures that there will be no compromise in the new trade deals for food standards, high environmental protection and animal welfare.
Agriculture Bill 2019-2021 led by Department for Environment & Rural Affairs, is the UK’s approach to farming after leaving the EU and has been brought in the House of Common for the 12th sitting. Amendments were put to vote and the Bill is now at report stage in the House of Commons.
It is in the interest of farmer associations to lobby the Government during the consultation period.
Environment Bill 2019-2021 led by Department for Environment & Rural Affairs, has been scrutinised in the House of Commons. The 7th sitting had to be resumed due to Covid-19, but the 6th sitting had made progress with a debate starting on the structure of the Bill organised on four pillars: air quality, water, biodiversity, and resource efficiency and waste reduction. The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Rebecca Pow) answered that the targets within the Bill go beyond the main framework’s pillars by addressing other aspects such as people’s enjoyment of the environment. Besides, The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Rebecca Pow) argued that the Bill encompasses the 25-year vision Environmental Improvement Plan and comprehensives measures. The new independent Office for Environmental Protection (OEP) will assess Government and governmental bodies progress on targets in annual reports that will be presented to the Parliament for scrutiny, debate and ultimately vote.
Independent expert advice, stakeholders and public consultation will be sought in the process of setting the targets of the four main priority areas.
The Environment Audit Committee (EAC) that have presented the sixteenth report “Fixing Fashion” to the Government in 2019 as a result of a governmental enquiry on fashion and sustainability, have examined the Bill and reverted with a pre-legislative scrutiny report. The Government have integrated several recommendations and recognised it as a constructive report.
In this time, in the House of Lords, were discussed Climate Change: COP 26 Arrangements involving cooperation with the Scottish Government and international level commitment on participation, especially from signatories such as the US. Due to Covid-19, the COP 26 is currently postponed, and it is a challenge for COP 26 President, Mr. Alok Sharma, Head of BEIS, to strategize on organising the event at a later date and deliver for its success.
The House of Lords demonstrated intention, knowledge and commitment for a Green Economy in a sitting with The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (Lord Callanan) (Con). This goes in a tandem with the Environment Bill scrutinised in the House of Commons.Baroness Jenkin of Kennington (Con) emphasised the importance of behavioural adaptation to evolving as a society towards a Green Economy, starting with consumers and producers’ responsibility. To sustain arguments with actions, the Baroness has given the example of adaptation in her lifestyle to meet lowering carbon footprint and emphasised on the concerns of the waste streams in fashion, food chains, as well as the waste of energy in households from heating usage. The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (Lord Callanan) (Con) responded with the ambitions and targets in the 25-year Environment Plan, the Environment Bill and by the Climate Change Cop 26- which now is postponed due to Covid-19.
In the House of Commons, a sitting took place on 10th of March to address Lesbian, Bisexual and Trans Women’s Health Inequalities introduced by Hannah Bardell (Livingston) (SNP). The Science and Technology Committee report states that “emerging evidence demonstrates that lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans (LGBT+) people experience significant health inequalities across their lifespan, often starting at a young age.” LGBT community experience health inequality and barriers to service and support and examples were given from the Stonewall Scotland report. A measure in place was introduced by Public Health England (PHE) with the comprehensive screening leaflet “Information or trans people” aiming to increase access to screening for trans and non-binary individuals so that they know of their right to the service. The members unanimously supported that healthcare needs must be met by all. The sitting ended with recognitions and thanks to the Backbench Business Committee and the APPG on global LGBT+ rights.
In the same period, in the House of Lords addressed The Gender Pay Gap. Baroness Jenkin of Kennington asked Her Majesty’s Government what progress they have made in addressing the gender pay gap. Baroness Scott of Bybrook (Con) informed that the gender pay gap is at record low 17.3%, but that for those in full-time employment it has increased to 8.9%. 10,000 companies have reported on the gender pay gap in the last 2 years following the “Gender Pay Gap Information” regulation 2017, which applies to companies with 250 employees or above. However, Baroness Goudie specified that the Equality Act 2010 and the regulation, do not contain enforcement mechanisms and that more has to done and to prepare for the revision of the regulation in 2022. Baroness Hussein-Ece (LD) brought awareness on the ethnicity pay gap, for which the Race at Work Charter using data from evidence collated in 2017 in their report Race in the Workplace, found that people from black, Asian and minority-ethnic backgrounds were underemployed, underpromoted and under-represented at senior levels. The Baroness underlined that recommendations in this regard should be included in the “Gender Pay Gap Information” regulations. Baroness Scott of Bybrook (Con) recognised the cultural changes needed within large organisations, especially in retail and finance, and the Government published advice to all employers— offer webinars, face-to-face events and trade shows, to mention some examples.