.
Written questions and answers by David Alton (Lord Alton of Liverpool)
Written questions allow Members of Parliament to ask government ministers for information on the work, policy and activities of government departments.
Historical written answers can be found in Hansard.
To see the full question and answer click here:
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Q
Asked by Lord Alton of Liverpool
Asked on: 16 March 2020
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
North Korea: Crimes against Humanity
HL2603
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the statement by the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights on 10 March that the government of North Korea may be responsible for crimes against humanity; and what plans they have to refer that government to the International Criminal Court.
A
Answered by: Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
Answered on: 27 March 2020
Q
Asked by Lord Alton of Liverpool
Asked on: 25 March 2020
Department of Health and Social Care
Compulsorily Detained Psychiatric Patients
HL2907
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether those who were detained under section 3 of the Mental Health Act 1983 but have since been released will continue to be legally entitled to the provision of after-care by social services under section 117 of that Act, following the enactment of the Coronavirus Act 2020.
Q
Asked by Lord Alton of Liverpool
Asked on: 25 March 2020
Department for International Development
Nigeria: Overseas Aid
HL2908
To ask Her Majesty’s Government how they have distributed funding from the £300 million North East Nigeria Transition to Development Programme since April 2017; how they intend to distribute funding from now until that programme’s end in 2022; who (1) have been, and (2) will be, the beneficiaries of that funding; how qualifying communities are chosen; and how they intend to evaluate (a) the use, and (b) the results, of that funding.
Q
Asked by Lord Alton of Liverpool
Asked on: 09 March 2020
Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
Asbestos
HL2312
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they intend to (1) maintain the total prohibition on the use of asbestos, and (2) rule out any instance of permitting products containing up to one per cent of asbestos as per regulations in the United States, after December 2020.
A
Answered by: Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park
Answered on: 24 March 2020
Q
Asked by Lord Alton of Liverpool
Asked on: 10 March 2020
Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
National Security: China
HL2408
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made in relation to their decision to award contracts to Huawei and other companies of the implications of the government of China’s National Intelligence Law requiring Chinese organisations and citizens to support, assist and cooperate with the state intelligence work.
A
Answered by: Baroness Barran
Answered on: 24 March 2020
Q
Asked by Lord Alton of Liverpool
Asked on: 24 March 2020
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
Haiti: British Nationals Abroad
HL2854
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what representations they have received about British humanitarian aid workers arranging evacuation from Haiti due to the COVID-19 pandemic; how many British nationals are currently unable to return from Haiti; what assessment they have made of the personal safety of such workers: and what discussions they have had with the government of Haiti about opening airspace and borders to charter flights for evacuation.
Q
Asked by Lord Alton of Liverpool
Asked on: 24 March 2020
Department of Health and Social Care
Dementia
HL2855
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what plans they have to publish guidance for local authorities on (1) treatment, (2) care, and (3) funding for people with dementia, during the COVID-19 pandemic; when any such guidance will be published; and what assessment they have made of the number of patients with dementia in care homes without staff who have had dementia training.
Q
Asked by Lord Alton of Liverpool
Asked on: 25 February 2020
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
Pakistan: Ahmadiyya
HL1836
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what representations they have made to the government of Pakistan about the reported occupation of an Ahmadiyya place of worship in District Kusur, Punjab, by anti-Ahmadi extremists, denying Ahmadi Muslims the right to worship.
A
Corrected answer by: Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
Corrected on: 23 March 2020
A
Answered by: Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
Answered on: 09 March 2020
Q
Asked by Lord Alton of Liverpool
Asked on: 09 March 2020
Home Office
China: Uighurs
HL2311
To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to reports that Uighur detainees in Xinjiang are being used as forced labour, what assessment they have made of Huawei’s compliance with the Modern Slavery Act 2015; what consideration they have given to such compliance in regard to their decision to award contracts to Huawei; how they (1) assess, and (2) investigate, such reports; and what sanctions they can utilise in such cases.
A
Answered by: Baroness Williams of Trafford
Answered on: 23 March 2020
Q
Asked by Lord Alton of Liverpool
Asked on: 10 March 2020
Department of Health and Social Care
In Vitro Fertilisation
HL2405
To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Bethell on 5 March (HL1700), what were the mitochondrial DNA mutations in each of the 17 applications considered by the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority that have now been approved; and on what dates each application was (1) made, and (2) approved.
A
Answered by: Lord Bethell
Answered on: 23 March 2020
Q
Asked by Lord Alton of Liverpool
Asked on: 12 March 2020
Department of Health and Social Care
In Vitro Fertilisation
HL2532
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what estimate they have made of the average number of embryos used to save a life using mitochondrial replacement techniques; and how many such embryos they estimate are subsequently transferred to a woman.
A
Answered by: Lord Bethell
Answered on: 23 March 2020
Q
Asked by Lord Alton of Liverpool
Asked on: 17 March 2020
Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
Sleeping Rough: Coronavirus
HL2673
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what special provision they will make for the care of rough sleepers as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
A
Answered by: Baroness Bloomfield of Hinton Waldrist
Answered on: 23 March 2020
Q
Asked by Lord Alton of Liverpool
Asked on: 23 March 2020
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
China: Press Freedom
HL2790
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of reports that the government of China has revoked the press credentials of journalists from the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and Washington Post; and whether such revocation constitutes a breach of the 1984 Sino–British Joint Declaration.
Q
Asked by Lord Alton of Liverpool
Asked on: 23 March 2020
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
Hong Kong: Freedom of Expression
HL2791
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what representations they have made to the government of China about the preservation of freedom of speech in Hong Kong following the withdrawal of press credentials from journalists from the Wall Street Journal, Washington Post and New York Times.
Q
Asked by Lord Alton of Liverpool
Asked on: 23 March 2020
Department of Health and Social Care
In Vitro Fertilisation
HL2792
To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answers by Baroness Blackwood of North Oxford on 20 January (HL277) and Lord Bethell on 5 March (HL1701) and 18 March (HL2406), what outcomes the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority consider to be adverse following mitochondrial donation treatment; whether such outcomes include (1) implantation failure, (2) spontaneous miscarriage, and (3) the termination of a pregnancy following the detection of unanticipated abnormalities; and what assessment they have made of the reason for the lack of live births pursuant to the application of such treatments.
Q
Asked by Lord Alton of Liverpool
Asked on: 23 March 2020
Home Office
China: Uighurs
HL2793
To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon on 18 March (HL2309), what action they will take against any company that has published an annual statement as required under section 54 of the Modern Slavery Act 2015 but has been accused of profiting from Uyghur slave labour.
Q
Asked by Lord Alton of Liverpool
Asked on: 23 March 2020
Department of Health and Social Care
Coronavirus: Hydroxychloroquine
HL2794
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of reports about the success of using hydroxychloroquine to treat COVID-19, following a study carried out by Professor Raoult, director of the Institut Hospitalo-Universitaire de Marseille.
Q
Asked by Lord Alton of Liverpool
Asked on: 23 March 2020
Department of Health and Social Care
Coronavirus: Drugs
HL2795
To ask Her Majesty’s Government, following their decision to ban the parallel export of drugs used to treat malaria and HIV, whether UK stocks of such medicines are being trialled for use on patients with COVID-19; and if so, what (1) clinical evidence has been gathered, and (2) conclusions have been reached, about the efficacy of such treatment.
Q
Asked by Lord Alton of Liverpool
Asked on: 10 March 2020
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
China: Coronavirus
HL2407
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the reported arrest and disappearance of (1) Fang Bin, (2) Chen Qiushi, and (3) Li Zehua, who had been live-streaming updates from Wuhan on the COVID-19 outbreak.
A
Answered by: Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
Answered on: 20 March 2020
Q
Asked by Lord Alton of Liverpool
Asked on: 04 March 2020
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
China: Prisoners
HL2198
To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the answer by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon on 2 March (HL Deb, col 390), what steps they are taking to ensure that companies registered in the UK are not contributing to forced organ harvesting in China.
A
Answered by: Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
Answered on: 18 March 2020
Q
Asked by Lord Alton of Liverpool
Asked on: 09 March 2020
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
Saleem Masih
HL2308
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what representations they have made to the government of Pakistan about reports that Saleem Masih was tortured and killed after being accused of polluting a tube well he had bathed in due to his Christianity on 22 February.
A
Answered by: Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
Answered on: 18 March 2020
Q
Asked by Lord Alton of Liverpool
Asked on: 09 March 2020
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
China: Uighurs
HL2309
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of reports that the government of China transferred Uighurs from detention centres to work in factories where products are produced for global brands; and what plans they have to take action against such companies under the provisions of the Modern Slavery Act 2015.
A
Answered by: Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
Answered on: 18 March 2020
Q
Asked by Lord Alton of Liverpool
Asked on: 09 March 2020
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
Hong Kong: Demonstrations
HL2310
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the briefing by Amnesty International Missing truth, missing justice, published on 5 March, which calls for an independent investigation into police violence during the Hong Kong protests and states that such an investigation “is essential to preventing unrest from reigniting in the city and rebuilding public trust”.
A
Answered by: Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
Answered on: 18 March 2020
Q
Asked by Lord Alton of Liverpool
Asked on: 10 March 2020
Department of Health and Social Care
In Vitro Fertilisation
HL2406
To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Bethell on 5 March (HL1701), why they stated that the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) has no role in the follow-up of patients pursuant to mitochondrial donation treatment if it provides contact details on its website for further discussion of this; what recommendations the Scientific review of the safety and efficacy of methods to avoid mitochondrial disease through assisted conception: 2016 update, published in November 2016, made in regard to rigorous long-term follow-up of children born as a result of such techniques; and what assessment they have made of the statement on the HFEA website that those engaging in follow-up to such treatment will be “helping many people affected by mitochondrial disease, now and in the future”.
A
Answered by: Lord Bethell
Answered on: 18 March 2020
Q
Asked by Lord Alton of Liverpool
Asked on: 03 March 2020
Department of Health and Social Care
Coronavirus
HL2134
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they are taking (1) to purchase or manufacture, and (2) to distribute sufficient, (a) clinical respiratory face masks, (b) goggles, and (c) protective clothing for health workers dealing with a potential COVID-19 epidemic in the UK; and what training NHS and emergency service workers will receive in using such equipment.
A
Answered by: Lord Bethell
Answered on: 17 March 2020
Q
Asked by Lord Alton of Liverpool
Asked on: 03 March 2020
Department of Health and Social Care
Coronavirus
HL2135
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they expect 20 per cent of those infected with COVID-19 in the UK to require hospital treatment, as was the case in Wuhan.
A
Answered by: Lord Bethell
Answered on: 17 March 2020
Q
Asked by Lord Alton of Liverpool
Asked on: 10 March 2020
Department of Health and Social Care
In Vitro Fertilisation
HL2409
To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answers by Lord O’Shaughnessy on 24 October 2017 (HL1882) and by Baroness Blackwood of North Oxford on both 9 January 2020 (HL275) and 11 February 2020 (HL1237), why the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) does not hold information on which methods of freezing are used; from which data the HFEA came to the conclusion that there has been no effective difference between vitrification and slow freezing methods over the last five years; and what assessment they have made of the importance of any (1) clinical, and (2) other, follow up for informing prospective patients.
A
Answered by: Lord Bethell
Answered on: 17 March 2020
Q
Asked by Lord Alton of Liverpool
Asked on: 17 March 2020
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
China: Biometrics
HL2672
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what representations they have made to the government of China about the reported (1) use of facial recognition technology in Xinjian to monitor Uighur Muslims resulting in human rights violations, and (2) mistreatment by the Hong Kong police force of pro-democracy protestors in Hong Kong; what assessment they have made of the impact of any development of facial recognition technology on those groups; and what plans they have to re-assess their collaboration with China in regard to the development of such technology.
Q
Asked by Lord Alton of Liverpool
Asked on: 17 March 2020
Department of Health and Social Care
Coronavirus: Intensive Care
HL2674
To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Bethell on 16 March (HL2026), whether they will now answer the question put, namely, whether the current provision of specialised ventilation care will be capable of meeting the needs of those affected by an epidemic.
Q
Asked by Lord Alton of Liverpool
Asked on: 17 March 2020
Department of Health and Social Care
Intensive Care: Medical Equipment
HL2675
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what response there has been to the Prime Minister’s request for manufacturers to develop ventilators for the NHS; and how many they expect to be produced.
Q
Asked by Lord Alton of Liverpool
Asked on: 17 March 2020
Department of Health and Social Care
Coronavirus: Disease Control
HL2676
To ask Her Majesty’s Government how confident they are that those who have recovered from COVID-19 do not continue to be carriers of the virus; and whether swab tests will be repeated for recovered patients to ensure that such tests remain negative.
Q
Asked by Lord Alton of Liverpool
Asked on: 17 March 2020
Department of Health and Social Care
Coronavirus: Italy
HL2677
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of reports that one of the people in the Lombardy cluster may have become infected with COVID-19 after contact with a person who tested negative for COVID-19.
Q
Asked by Lord Alton of Liverpool
Asked on: 02 March 2020
Department of Health and Social Care
Coronavirus: Health Services
HL2026
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they are taking to establish centres for specialised ventilation care for people in stage 3 of COVID-19; and what assessment they have made of whether current provision would be capable of meeting the needs of those affected by an epidemic.
A
Answered by: Lord Bethell
Answered on: 16 March 2020
Q
Asked by Lord Alton of Liverpool
Asked on: 02 March 2020
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
Cameroon: Armed Conflict
HL2027
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the (1) letter to the Prime Minister from the President of the African Bar Association, Hannibal Uwaifo, of 10 January regarding the Anglophone Cameroon crisis, and (2) implications for peace and stability in the Cameroon of the departure of Jack Andrew Pendelton, the UN OCHA representative.
A
Answered by: Baroness Sugg
Answered on: 16 March 2020
Q
Asked by Lord Alton of Liverpool
Asked on: 02 March 2020
Department of Health and Social Care
Coronavirus: China
HL2028
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the (1) report by the World Health Organization Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) Situation Report, published on 1 March, in particular the mortality rate from COVID-19 in Hubei province, and (2) the remarks by Brendan Wren, Professor of Vaccinology at the London School of Tropical Medicine that the difference in the mortality rate in Hubei province compared to other areas is a due to a higher viral load, or because the original source of COVID-19 in Wuhan may still be actively transmitting.
A
Answered by: Lord Bethell
Answered on: 16 March 2020
Q
Asked by Lord Alton of Liverpool
Asked on: 02 March 2020
Home Office
Right of Abode: British National (Overseas)
HL2031
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the letter from Lord Goldsmith to the Home Secretary on 14 February which stated that the 1984 Sino-British Joint Declaration does not prevent the extension of full right of abode in the UK to those in Hong Kong who own a British National (Overseas) passport; and what response they intend to make to the reported request in that letter that “false statements” about the nature of his advice in relation to the rights of British National (Overseas) passports should be “retracted and not repeated”.
A
Corrected answer by: Baroness Williams of Trafford
Corrected on: 16 March 2020
A
Answered by: Baroness Williams of Trafford
Answered on: 16 March 2020
Q
Asked by Lord Alton of Liverpool
Asked on: 16 March 2020
Department of Health and Social Care
Coronavirus
HL2599
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what plans they have to review internal advice on personal protective equipment given to NHS doctors; and what steps they are taking to ensure that medical staff swabbing patients for COVID-19 have filtering facepiece 3 respirators.
Q
Asked by Lord Alton of Liverpool
Asked on: 16 March 2020
Department of Health and Social Care
Intensive Care: Medical Equipment
HL2600
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the (1) current availability of ventilators in NHS intensive care units, and (2) production capacity, to supply further ventilators in line with the planned increase in their use.
Q
Asked by Lord Alton of Liverpool
Asked on: 16 March 2020
Department of Health and Social Care
Coronavirus: Pneumonia
HL2601
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the benefits of the use of Tocilizumab in the treatment of severe cases of interstitial pneumonia linked to COVID-19 in China and Italy; and what plans they have to make that drug available on the NHS.
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Q
Asked by Lord Alton of Liverpool
Asked on: 16 March 2020
Department of Health and Social Care
Coronavirus: Pneumonia
HL2602
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what discussions they have had with (1) the National Cancer Institute Pascale Foundation, and (2) the Colli Hospital, in Italy about the results those institutions saw from using Tocilizumab to treat patients with severe pneumonia linked to COVID-19.
Q
Asked by Lord Alton of Liverpool
Asked on: 16 March 2020
Department of Health and Social Care
Coronavirus: China
HL2604
To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Bethell on 10 March (HL1839), what assessment they have made of the report by the Begin-Sadat Centre for Strategic Studies China and Viruses: The Case of Dr. Xiangguo Qiu, published on 29 January.
Q
Asked by Lord Alton of Liverpool
Asked on: 04 March 2020
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
Sanctions
HL2197
To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the answer by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon on 2 March (HL Deb, col 389), whether the planned secondary legislation under the Sanctions and Anti-Money Laundering Act 2018 will be applied to individuals linked to crimes against humanity; and whether the definition of a perpetrator will vary based on country or nationality.
A
Answered by: Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
Answered on: 12 March 2020
Q
Asked by Lord Alton of Liverpool
Asked on: 03 March 2020
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
Hong Kong: Politics and Government
HL2133
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the arrest of (1) Hong Kong media entrepreneur Jimmy Lai, (2) the vice-chairman of the Hong Kong Labour Party, Lee Cheuk-yan, and (3) the former chairman of the Hong Kong Democratic Party, Yeung Sum, by the Hong Kong Police; what representations they have made to the governments of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region and the People’s Republic of China about those arrests; and what assessment they have made of the effect of those arrests on the “one country, two systems” principle, and the protection of freedoms guaranteed for the people of Hong Kong under the 1984 Sino-British Joint Declaration and the Basic Law.
A
Answered by: Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
Answered on: 11 March 2020
Q
Asked by Lord Alton of Liverpool
Asked on: 25 February 2020
Department for Transport
Ribble Valley Railway Line
HL1838
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what plans they have to restore passenger services on the Hellifield railway line from Clitheroe.
A
Answered by: Baroness Vere of Norbiton
Answered on: 10 March 2020
Q
Asked by Lord Alton of Liverpool
Asked on: 25 February 2020
Department of Health and Social Care
Coronavirus: China
HL1839
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the (1) number, and (2) location, of microbiology laboratories in China that handle advanced viruses such as the Wuhan coronavirus; and what assessment they have made of the role any such laboratories may have had in the initial spread of the Wuhan coronavirus.
A
Answered by: Lord Bethell
Answered on: 10 March 2020
Q
Asked by Lord Alton of Liverpool
Asked on: 02 March 2020
Department for International Development
Development Aid
HL2030
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the report by The World Bank Group Capture of Foreign Aid: Evidence from Offshore Bank Accounts, published in February, in particular its finding that disbursements of aid to 22 of the most aid-dependent countries coincided with significant increases in the value of bank deposits in tax havens.
A
Answered by: Baroness Sugg
Answered on: 10 March 2020
Q
Asked by Lord Alton of Liverpool
Asked on: 04 March 2020
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
China: Prisoners
HL2199
To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the answer by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon on 2 March (HL Deb, col 390), whether they will place in the Library of the House all reports and correspondence they have received from the World Health Organisation, especially those relating to the transparency of the government of China’s organ transplant system.
A
Answered by: Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
Answered on: 10 March 2020
Q
Asked by Lord Alton of Liverpool
Asked on: 25 February 2020
Department for International Development
UK-Africa Investment Summit
HL1835
To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Sugg on 18 February (HL1300), which consultancies were used to help deliver the UK–Africa Investment Summit 2020; and how much those consultancies were paid.
A
Answered by: Baroness Sugg
Answered on: 09 March 2020
Q
Asked by Lord Alton of Liverpool
Asked on: 25 February 2020
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
Hong Kong: Rule of Law
HL1837
To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the remarks by Justice Kemal Bokhary, that a “storm” has broken out “in full force” over the rule of law in Hong Kong, what assessment they have made of the (1) state of, and (2) threat to, the (a) rule of law, and (b) independence of the judiciary, in Hong Kong.
A
Answered by: Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
Answered on: 09 March 2020
Q
Asked by Lord Alton of Liverpool
Asked on: 25 February 2020
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
Hong Kong: Human Rights
HL1840
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the report by Stand with Hong Kong and the International Affairs Delegation Profiles of Hong Kong Repression: Perpetrators of human rights and democracy abuse, published on 20 December 2019; and what plans they have to use the information contained in that report to aid the (1) development, and (2) implementation, of a Magnitsky-style sanctions regime to tackle human rights abuses.
A
Answered by: Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
Answered on: 09 March 2020
Q
Asked by Lord Alton of Liverpool
Asked on: 02 March 2020
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
Gui Minhai
HL2029
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what representations they have made to the government of China about the case of Gui Minhai who has been sentenced to 10 years in prison in China for “illegally providing intelligence overseas”.
A
Answered by: Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
Answered on: 09 March 2020
Q
Asked by Lord Alton of Liverpool
Asked on: 24 February 2020
Department of Health and Social Care
In Vitro Fertilisation
HL1700
To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by the Parliamentary Under-Secretary at the Department of Health and Social Care on 15 April 2019 (241389), what explanation the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority provided for why no more than five patients at risk of producing a child with mitochondrial pathologies had undergone treatment by 20 January 2020, given 14 applications had been approved; and for the application that was not approved (1) what were the reasons for that refusal, and (2) what was the subsequent fate of that application.
A
Answered by: Lord Bethell
Answered on: 05 March 2020
Q
Asked by Lord Alton of Liverpool
Asked on: 24 February 2020
Department of Health and Social Care
In Vitro Fertilisation
HL1701
To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Blackwood of North Oxford on 20 January (HL277), how many spontaneous miscarriages have been recorded pursuant to clinical application in the UK of (1) pronuclear transfer, and (2) spindle-chromosomal complex transfer; and what role the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority has played in (a) the follow-up of patients, and (b) the review of such licensed activity.
A
Answered by: Lord Bethell
Answered on: 05 March 2020
Q
Asked by Lord Alton of Liverpool
Asked on: 24 February 2020
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
Sudan: International Criminal Court
HL1702
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of reports that Omar al-Bashir, and others in Sudan against whom warrants have been issued by the International Criminal Court, will be handed over to stand trial; who else they expect will be subject to prosecution; and when they anticipate that those cases will be brought to trial.
A
Answered by: Baroness Sugg
Answered on: 05 March 2020
Q
Asked by Lord Alton of Liverpool
Asked on: 24 February 2020
Department of Health and Social Care
Disability: Human Rights
HL1703
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the report to the United Nations Human Rights Council by the special rapporteur on the rights of persons with disabilities, published on 17 December 2019; and what steps they intend to take in response to that report.
A
Answered by: Lord Bethell
Answered on: 05 March 2020
Q
Asked by Lord Alton of Liverpool
Asked on: 24 February 2020
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
Islamic State: Prosecutions
HL1699
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of reports that the authorities in Kurdistan lack sufficient resources to detain, investigate and prosecute suspected Daesh fighters; what assistance they will offer to address those issues; and what steps they will take to establish an international or regional tribunal to prosecute Daesh fighters.
A
Answered by: Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
Answered on: 04 March 2020
Q
Asked by Lord Alton of Liverpool
Asked on: 24 February 2020
Home Office
British National (Overseas): Passports
HL1704
To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many applications have been received for British National (Overseas) passports in each of the last three years, broken down by month.
A
Answered by: Baroness Williams of Trafford
Answered on: 04 March 2020
Q
Asked by Lord Alton of Liverpool
Asked on: 11 February 2020
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
Democratic Republic of Congo: Mining
HL1511
To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon on 22 January (HL665), whether they will now answer the question put, namely, what assessment they have made of reports that the families of children working in cobalt mines in the Democratic Republic of the Congo are seeking compensation for forced labour, unjust enrichment, negligent supervision, intentional infliction of emotional distress, wages promised but not paid, and the loss of assets, educational and business opportunities.
A
Answered by: Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
Answered on: 25 February 2020
Q
Asked by Lord Alton of Liverpool
Asked on: 11 February 2020
Department for International Development
Darfur: Armed Conflict
HL1513
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of reports from the UN High Commissioner for Refugees that (1) fighting in Sudan’s West Darfur State has displaced an estimated 46,000 people inside that country and caused more than 14,000 to flee into Chad since December, (2) the majority of those displaced are women and young children, (3) villages and homes have been burnt, and (4) a further 30,000 are estimated to be displaced in the coming weeks; and what action they are taking to bring to justice those who are responsible.
A
Answered by: Baroness Sugg
Answered on: 25 February 2020
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Q
Asked by Lord Alton of Liverpool
Asked on: 11 February 2020
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
Iraq: Religious Freedom
HL1514
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what representations they have made to the government of Iraq about Article 26(2) of the National Identity Card Law which prescribes that children born to one Muslim parent must be registered as Muslim; and what assessment they have made of the impact of that policy on children born following rape perpetrated by Daesh fighters against those belonging to religious minorities.
A
Answered by: Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
Answered on: 25 February 2020
Q
Asked by Lord Alton of Liverpool
Asked on: 10 February 2020
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
Africa: Trade Agreements
HL1459
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they are taking to encourage countries in Africa to sign up to the African Continental Free Trade Area.
A
Answered by: Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
Answered on: 24 February 2020
Q
Asked by Lord Alton of Liverpool
Asked on: 10 February 2020
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
Arms Trade: Exports
HL1460
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the proposals in the report by John Deverell for Oxfam A Process for Arms Exports: Fulfilling Criterion 2C of the Consolidated EU and National Arms Export Licencing Criteria, published on 6 February.
A
Answered by: Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
Answered on: 24 February 2020
Q
Asked by Lord Alton of Liverpool
Asked on: 10 February 2020
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
Islamic State: Genocide
HL1461
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of reports that children born out of rape of the victims of Daesh genocide are being left in orphanages; what assistance they offer to such children; and what steps they are taking to combat any stigma or discrimination such children face.
A
Answered by: Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
Answered on: 24 February 2020
Q
Asked by Lord Alton of Liverpool
Asked on: 10 February 2020
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
BBC Persian Service
HL1462
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of (1) the harassment of BBC Persian staff in London, and (2) reports that such staff’s families in Iran have been (a) called in for questioning, (b) had their passports confiscated, and (c) threatened with consequences if their relatives continue to work for the BBC; and what representations they have made to the government of Iran about the treatment of journalists.
A
Answered by: Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
Answered on: 24 February 2020
Q
Asked by Lord Alton of Liverpool
Asked on: 11 February 2020
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
Democratic Republic of Congo: Mining
HL1510
To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon on 22 January (HL664), whether they will now answer the question put, namely, what assessment they have made of reports of children working in cobalt mines in the Democratic Republic of the Congo; what measures they are taking to assess the dangers to children working in such mines; and what action they plan to take to help eliminate child labour and promote safe working conditions in those mines.
A
Answered by: Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
Answered on: 24 February 2020
Q
Asked by Lord Alton of Liverpool
Asked on: 11 February 2020
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
Democratic Republic of Congo: Mining
HL1512
To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon on 22 January (HL666), whether they will now answer the question put, namely, what plans they have to impose sanctions and use UK aid to help combat child labour in cobalt mines in the Democratic Republic of the Congo; and whether they plan to require UK companies sourcing cobalt to establish an independent verification system that would ensure that their supply chains are free from exploitation, unsafe working conditions, slavery and child labour.
A
Answered by: Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
Answered on: 24 February 2020
Q
Asked by Lord Alton of Liverpool
Asked on: 11 February 2020
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
North Korea: Oil
HL1515
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of reports that the government of China shipped more than 10,000 tons of oil to North Korea in the last four months of 2019; and whether they intend to highlight those reports at the next UN Security Council meeting.
A
Answered by: Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
Answered on: 24 February 2020
Q
Asked by Lord Alton of Liverpool
Asked on: 10 February 2020
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
Shaadi.com
HL1457
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of whether Shaadi.com, when facilitating relationships and marriages, promotes (1) the caste system, and (2) discrimination against Dalits.
A
Answered by: Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
Answered on: 21 February 2020
Q
Asked by Lord Alton of Liverpool
Asked on: 10 February 2020
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
Armed Conflict: Sexual Offences
HL1458
To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the answer by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon on 29 January (HL Deb, col 1446), when the postponed Time for Justice: Putting Survivors First conference will take place; and how they intend to prioritise their commitment to support the victims and survivors of sexual violence in conflict in their policies.
A
Answered by: Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
Answered on: 21 February 2020
Q
Asked by Lord Alton of Liverpool
Asked on: 04 February 2020
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
Africa: Foreign Relations
HL1302
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they publish, and make available, the document detailing a strategy for Africa approved by the National Security Council in 2018.
A
Answered by: Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
Answered on: 19 February 2020
Q
Asked by Lord Alton of Liverpool
Asked on: 04 February 2020
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
Africa: Embassies
HL1303
To ask Her Majesty’s Government (1) what are the total number of FCO and DfID staff employed in UK embassies and High Commissions in Africa; (2) which countries have no UK permanent ambassador or High Commissioner; and (3) whether there are plans to establish permanent missions in any such countries.
A
Answered by: Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
Answered on: 19 February 2020
Q
Asked by Lord Alton of Liverpool
Asked on: 03 February 2020
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
Sudan: Politics and Government
HL1236
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of (1) freedom of religion or belief in Sudan, and (2) security sector reform, since the appointment of Abdalla Hamdok as Prime Minister; and what representations they have made to the government of Sudan about reports that Sudanese nationals have been detained for political reasons when returning to that country.
A
Answered by: Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
Answered on: 18 February 2020
Q
Asked by Lord Alton of Liverpool
Asked on: 04 February 2020
Department for International Development
UK-Africa Investment Summit
HL1300
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether any consultancies were used to help deliver the UK–Africa Investment Summit 2020; and if so, why.
A
Answered by: Baroness Sugg
Answered on: 18 February 2020
Q
Asked by Lord Alton of Liverpool
Asked on: 05 February 2020
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
Africa: Overseas Aid
HL1343
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what consideration is given to national debt levels, and resourcing of such debt, when developing UK aid and foreign policy for African countries.
A
Answered by: Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
Answered on: 18 February 2020
Q
Asked by Lord Alton of Liverpool
Asked on: 04 February 2020
Department for International Development
Refugees: Religious Freedom
HL1299
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of (1) attacks on Christian Rohingya refugee families by other refugees in Bangladesh, in particular reports of such attacks in the Kutupalong Refugee Camp on 27 January; and (2) what steps they are taking to ensure the safety of refugees around the world who are from religious minority groups.
A
Answered by: Baroness Sugg
Answered on: 14 February 2020
Q
Asked by Lord Alton of Liverpool
Asked on: 04 February 2020
Department for International Development
European Development Fund
HL1301
To ask Her Majesty’s Government how much UK aid has been spent via the European Development Fund (EDF) in Africa in each of the past ten years; how much will be spent via the EDF in the next financial year; whether the spending priorities for the EDF will be reassessed; who will determine any such future priorities; and on what basis.
A
Answered by: Baroness Sugg
Answered on: 14 February 2020
Q
Asked by Lord Alton of Liverpool
Asked on: 05 February 2020
Department for International Development
Democratic Republic of Congo: Overseas Aid
HL1342
To ask Her Majesty’s Government how much UK aid has been provided to the Democratic Republic of the Congo in each of the past 10 years; how many Department for International Development employees work exclusively on the Democratic Republic of the Congo; what that aid has been used for; and what assessment they have made of the effect such aid has had on preventing corruption and building a rules-based society.
A
Answered by: Baroness Sugg
Answered on: 14 February 2020
Q
Asked by Lord Alton of Liverpool
Asked on: 03 February 2020
Department of Health and Social Care
Coronavirus
HL1238
To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many people who have flown to the UK from Wuhan, China, since the outbreak of the coronavirus was announced have been contacted; how many of those have been tested for coronavirus; what steps they are taking to (1) identify, and (2) locate, those yet to be tested; and what assessment they have made of the statement by the Chief Medical Officer for England on 24 January that there is a “fair chance” that the UK will see cases of that virus.
A
Answered by: Baroness Blackwood of North Oxford
Answered on: 12 February 2020
Q
Asked by Lord Alton of Liverpool
Asked on: 03 February 2020
Department of Health and Social Care
Coronavirus
HL1239
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of Imperial College London’s estimate that 3,301 passengers have left Wuhan airport every day going to 20 international destinations over the last two months.
A
Answered by: Baroness Blackwood of North Oxford
Select all
Expand all answers
Print selected
Q
Asked by Lord Alton of Liverpool
Asked on: 28 January 2020
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
Leah Sharibu
HL833
To ask Her Majesty’s Government, following the abduction of Leah Sharibu, what assessment they have made of reports of her enslavement, forced conversion and pregnancy; what actions they have taken to secure her release; and what response they received from the government of Nigeria when they raised her situation with them.
A
Answered by: Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
Answered on: 11 February 2020
Q
Asked by Lord Alton of Liverpool
Asked on: 30 January 2020
Department of Health and Social Care
Embryos
HL1173
To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Prior of Brampton on 22 November 2016 (HL3075), how many human embryos were deliberately destroyed in each of the last 12 months for which figures are available; how many human embryos were transferred to uteri in order to establish pregnancies; and what are the cumulative figures for both circumstances since such procedures were made legal.
A
Answered by: Baroness Blackwood of North Oxford
Answered on: 11 February 2020
Q
Asked by Lord Alton of Liverpool
Asked on: 03 February 2020
Department of Health and Social Care
In Vitro Fertilisation
HL1237
To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord O’Shaughnessy on 24 October 2017 (HL1882), whether the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority now holds information on methods of freezing; if not, why not; and if so, how many human embryos were (1) transferred to uteri to establish pregnancies, (2) destroyed, and (3) allocated for destruction but have not yet been destroyed, following (a) vitrification, and (b) slow freezing methods, in each of the last five years for which figures are available.
A
Answered by: Baroness Blackwood of North Oxford
Answered on: 11 February 2020
Q
Asked by Lord Alton of Liverpool
Asked on: 04 February 2020
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
Bangladesh: Refugees
HL1304
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they will make representations to the government of Bangladesh and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees to ensure the safety of non-Muslim refugees in the refugee camps in Bangladesh, and in particular, the Kutupalong Camp.
A
Answered by: Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
Answered on: 11 February 2020
Q
Asked by Lord Alton of Liverpool
Asked on: 28 January 2020
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
Hong Kong: Embassies
HL830
To ask Her Majesty’s Government, following reports of the arrest of a 15 year old girl outside the British consulate in Hong Kong, what plans they have to publish the legal advice which informed the Foreign and Commonwealth Office’s conclusion that the arrest occurred on land which has no special status under the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations.
A
Answered by: Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
Answered on: 10 February 2020
Q
Asked by Lord Alton of Liverpool
Asked on: 27 January 2020
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
Hong Kong: Politics and Government
HL779
To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to their Six-monthly Report on Hong Kong: January to June 2017, published on 14 September 2017, whether their position remains that “the best way to secure the long-term future of ‘One Country, Two Systems’ is through a transition to universal suffrage which meets the aspirations of the people of Hong Kong, within the parameters of Basic Law.”
A
Answered by: Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
Answered on: 10 February 2020
Q
Asked by Lord Alton of Liverpool
Asked on: 27 January 2020
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
Hong Kong: Embassies
HL781
To ask Her Majesty’s Government, following reports of the arrest of a 15 year old girl outside the British consulate in Hong Kong, what steps they have taken to ensure that she was not subjected to ill-treatment at the hands of the Hong Kong Police Force.
A
Answered by: Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
Answered on: 10 February 2020
Q
Asked by Lord Alton of Liverpool
Asked on: 27 January 2020
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
Madagascar: Mining
HL778
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of recent reports of child labour in mica mines in Madagascar; and what steps they are taking to end such practices.
A
Answered by: Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
Answered on: 05 February 2020
Q
Asked by Lord Alton of Liverpool
Asked on: 29 January 2020
Department of Health and Social Care
Coronavirus
HL889
To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many people have entered the UK from Wuhan during the last month; how those people are being tracked; how universities have been involved in assisting students returning from affected areas; whether British citizens now being quarantined on return from affected areas are being treated differently to those who had returned to the UK during the preceding month; and whether they have asked the World Health Organisation to declare the spread of the coronavirus as a global health emergency.
A
Answered by: Baroness Blackwood of North Oxford
Answered on: 05 February 2020
Q
Asked by Lord Alton of Liverpool
Asked on: 22 January 2020
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
Democratic Republic of Congo: Mining
HL664
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of reports of children working in cobalt mines in the Democratic Republic of the Congo; what measures they are taking to assess the dangers to children working in such mines; and what action they plan to take to help eliminate child labour and promote safe working conditions in those mines.
A
Answered by: Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
Answered on: 05 February 2020
Q
Asked by Lord Alton of Liverpool
Asked on: 22 January 2020
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
Democratic Republic of Congo: Mining
HL665
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of reports that the families of children working in cobalt mines in the Democratic Republic of the Congo are seeking compensation for forced labour, unjust enrichment, negligent supervision, intentional infliction of emotional distress, wages promised but not paid, and the loss of assets, educational and business opportunities.
A
Answered by: Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
Answered on: 05 February 2020
Q
Asked by Lord Alton of Liverpool
Asked on: 22 January 2020
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
Democratic Republic of Congo: Mining
HL666
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what plans they have to impose sanctions and use UK aid to help combat child labour in cobalt mines in the Democratic Republic of the Congo; and whether they plan to require UK companies sourcing cobalt to establish an independent verification system that would ensure that their supply chains are free from exploitation, unsafe working conditions, slavery and child labour.
A
Answered by: Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
Answered on: 05 February 2020
Q
Asked by Lord Alton of Liverpool
Asked on: 27 January 2020
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
Rwanda: Children
HL777
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of reports by Human Rights Watch of homeless children subjected to violence and other abuse in a transit centre in Kigali; what discussions they have had with the government of Rwanda about its obligations under the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child; and what discussions they have had about these reports with the governments of other Commonwealth countries in advance of the forthcoming Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Rwanda.
A
Answered by: Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
Answered on: 05 February 2020
Q
Asked by Lord Alton of Liverpool
Asked on: 27 January 2020
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
Nigeria: Violence
HL780
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of reports of (1) executions of Christians in Plateau State in Nigeria; and (2) targeted killings and kidnappings by Boko Haram and Fulani extremists; whether they discussed these issues with President Muhammadu Buhari at the UK–Africa Investment Summit; and what response they received.
A
Answered by: Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
Answered on: 05 February 2020
Q
Asked by Lord Alton of Liverpool
Asked on: 28 January 2020
Department for International Development
Nigeria: Development Aid
HL831
To ask Her Majesty’s Government how much development aid has been given to Nigeria in each of the last ten years.
A
Answered by: Baroness Sugg
Answered on: 04 February 2020
Q
Asked by Lord Alton of Liverpool
Asked on: 28 January 2020
Department for International Development
Nigeria: Development Aid
HL832
To ask Her Majesty’s Government how much of the UK’s development aid to Nigeria is used to (1) promote community cohesion, (2) protect those at risk of attack by jihadists, and (3) bring to justice those responsible for any atrocities and crimes against humanity.
A
Answered by: Baroness Sugg
Answered on: 04 February 2020
Q
Asked by Lord Alton of Liverpool
Asked on: 20 January 2020
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
Sudan: Religious Freedom
HL534
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of reports of the burning down of three churches in Bout, in Sudan’s Blue Nile State; and what representations they have made to the government of Sudan about upholding and safeguarding the rights of minorities to follow their chosen beliefs, as enshrined in Article 18 of the 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
A
Answered by: Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
Answered on: 04 February 2020
Q
Asked by Lord Alton of Liverpool
Asked on: 22 January 2020
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
Human Rights
HL668
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the killing of 321 human rights defenders in 2018; and what plans they have to undertake a strategic review of how human rights defenders can be given more (1) support, and (2) protection.
A
Answered by: Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
Answered on: 04 February 2020
Q
Asked by Lord Alton of Liverpool
Asked on: 27 January 2020
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
Syria: Armed Conflict
HL776
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of (1) reports by Doctors Under Fire that more than 100 women and children have been killed in Russian and Syrian airstrikes in Idlib since 18 January; and (2) Doctors Under Fire’s call for the imposition of a no-fly zone to deter helicopters using barrel bombs.
A
Answered by: Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
Answered on: 04 February 2020
Q
Asked by Lord Alton of Liverpool
Asked on: 22 January 2020
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
HL667
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what representations they have made to the government of Nigeria about the (1) killing of Lawan Andimi by Boko Haram, and (2) bringing to justice those responsible for his death.
A
Answered by: Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
Answered on: 29 January 2020
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Q
Asked by Lord Alton of Liverpool
Asked on: 13 January 2020
Home Office
Refugees: Children
HL279
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the report by Amnesty International, The Refugee Council and Save the Children Without my Family, published on 10 January, which calls for changes to Government policy on family separation of child refugees in the UK.
A
Answered by: Baroness Williams of Trafford
Answered on: 27 January 2020
Q
Asked by Lord Alton of Liverpool
Asked on: 13 January 2020
Department of Health and Social Care
NHS: Negligence
HL280
To ask Her Majesty’s Government how much the NHS has paid out, in total, for clinical negligence claims in each of the last ten years for which figures are available; what were the five main reasons for such claims; and what strategy the NHS has for reducing the number of such claims.
A
Answered by: Lord Bethell
Answered on: 27 January 2020
Q
Asked by Lord Alton of Liverpool
Asked on: 13 January 2020
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
Syria: Humanitarian Aid
HL282
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the impact of the (1) expiry of UN authorisation for cross-border humanitarian access to areas of Syria outside government control, and (2) rejection of two draft resolutions to renew that authorisation under Resolution 2449, on displaced refugees in Syria.
A
Answered by: Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
Answered on: 27 January 2020
Q
Asked by Lord Alton of Liverpool
Asked on: 13 January 2020
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
Aho Bilicen
HL283
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what representations they have made to the government of Turkey about the reported arrest of Father Aho Bilicen a Syriac-Orthodox monk, at Mor Yakoub church in Turkey on 9 January.
A
Answered by: Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
Answered on: 27 January 2020
Q
Asked by Lord Alton of Liverpool
Asked on: 15 January 2020
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
Hevrin Khalaf
HL439
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what action they have take to establish the identity of, and to bring to justice, the killers of Hevrin Khalaf in North East Syria; and what assessment they have made of the allegations in the BBC documentary Hevrin Khalaf: Death of a peacemaker, broadcast on 13 January, that her execution was carried out by Turkish-backed jihadis.
A
Answered by: Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
Answered on: 27 January 2020
Q
Asked by Lord Alton of Liverpool
Asked on: 13 January 2020
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
Iraq: Islamic State
HL278
To ask Her Majesty’s Government when they intend to respond to statements by victims of Daesh genocide provided by Lord Alton of Liverpool; what assessment they have made of such statements; and what assessment they have made of the adequacy of the process in Iraq for witness statements from such victims for the purposes of criminal trials.
A
Answered by: Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
Answered on: 24 January 2020
Q
Asked by Lord Alton of Liverpool
Asked on: 09 January 2020
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
Iraq: Genocide
HL245
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the risk of genocide against minorities in Northern Iraq and Kurdistan; and whether NATO military personnel will continue to remain in areas administered by the Kurdish Regional Government.
A
Answered by: Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
Answered on: 23 January 2020
Q
Asked by Lord Alton of Liverpool
Asked on: 08 January 2020
Home Office
British Nationality: Children
HL195
To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Williams of Trafford on 7 January (HL2), when they expect to complete their considerations of the implications of the High Court ruling of 19 December; and how they will (1) consult on, and (2) publicise, next steps which they intend to take.
A
Answered by: Baroness Williams of Trafford
Answered on: 22 January 2020
Q
Asked by Lord Alton of Liverpool
Asked on: 09 January 2020
Department for Transport
TransPennine Express: Standards
HL246
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of reports that Transpennine Express have cancelled up to 40 per cent of trains on some routes; what are the reasons for those reported cancellations; how long they estimate any cancellations to last; what discussions they have had with Transpennine Express about the cancellations; and what was the outcome of any such discussions.
A
Answered by: Baroness Vere of Norbiton
Answered on: 22 January 2020
Q
Asked by Lord Alton of Liverpool
Asked on: 13 January 2020
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
Democratic Republic of Congo: Ethnic Groups
HL281
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the report by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights DRC: inter-ethnic violence in Ituri, published on 10 January; and what steps they are taking to avert any such violence.
A
Answered by: Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
Answered on: 22 January 2020
Q
Asked by Lord Alton of Liverpool
Asked on: 14 January 2020
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
Pakistan: Religious Freedom
HL373
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of (1) reports that Jagjit Kaye was kidnapped and forced to convert from Sikhism to Islam, and (2) the Pakistan Centre for Social Justice’s findings that there have been 160 cases of forced conversion since 2013 in Pakistan; and what representations they intend to make to the government of Pakistan about such conversions.
A
Answered by: Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
Answered on: 22 January 2020
Q
Asked by Lord Alton of Liverpool
Asked on: 14 January 2020
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
India: Nationality
HL374
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the impact of India’s Citizenship (Amendment) Act 2019 on the (1) persecution, and (2) displacement, of the six minority religious groups that were not given the eligibility to apply for citizenship in India under that Act.
A
Answered by: Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
Answered on: 22 January 2020
Q
Asked by Lord Alton of Liverpool
Asked on: 14 January 2020
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
India: Nationality
HL375
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what discussions they have had with the government of India about the (1) impact of the Citizenship (Amendment) Act 2019 on religious minorities in India, (2) amendment or repeal of that Act, and (3) obligations under Article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights to protect freedom of religion or belief.
A
Answered by: Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
Answered on: 22 January 2020
Q
Asked by Lord Alton of Liverpool
Asked on: 07 January 2020
Department for Transport
High Speed 2 Railway Line: Costs
HL96
To ask Her Majesty’s Government how they respond to the assessment of Lord Berkeley, former deputy chairman of the Oakervee Review into HS2, that (1) Parliament has been misled about the cost of HS2, (2) it could cost more than £100 billion, and (3) the costs are “out of control”.
A
Answered by: Baroness Vere of Norbiton
Answered on: 20 January 2020
Q
Asked by Lord Alton of Liverpool
Asked on: 08 January 2020
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
Iraq: Islamic State
HL199
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of (1) the prosecution of Daesh fighters by the Iraqi courts, and (2) the state of due process in Iraq.
A
Answered by: Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
Answered on: 20 January 2020
Q
Asked by Lord Alton of Liverpool
Asked on: 20 January 2020
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
HL535
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of reports that dozens of Syrian Islamist mercenaries loyal to Turkey have recently travelled to Libya and Algeria, and that some have then successfully entered Europe.
A
Answered by: Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
Answered on: 29 January 2020
Q
Asked by Lord Alton of Liverpool
Asked on: 09 January 2020
Department of Health and Social Care
Pregnancy Tests
HL244
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they will respond to the freedom of information request, made by Marie Lyon, Chair of the Association for Children Damaged by Hormone Pregnancy Tests on 13 November 2019, seeking access to data held by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency before 27 February 2020; and if not, why not.
A
Answered by: Baroness Blackwood of North Oxford
Answered on: 16 January 2020
Q
Asked by Lord Alton of Liverpool
Asked on: 07 January 2020
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
Eritrea: Refugees
HL97
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what recent assessment they have made of the risk to Eritrean refugees of being forcibly returned to Eritrea by the government of Sudan contrary to the principle of non-refoulement.
A
Answered by: Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
Answered on: 15 January 2020
Q
Asked by Lord Alton of Liverpool
Asked on: 08 January 2020
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
Hong Kong: Demonstrations
HL194
To ask Her Majesty’s Government, following the arrest of medics treating protestors injured in the recent demonstrations in Hong Kong, what assessment they have made of the implications for international (1) humanitarian norms, and (2) human rights law, of any such detentions.
A
Answered by: Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
Answered on: 15 January 2020
Q
Asked by Lord Alton of Liverpool
Asked on: 08 January 2020
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
Persecution of Christians across the Globe Independent Review
HL196
To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon on 7 January (HL6) about implementation of the Truro Review that “some of the recommendations will take longer to implement and many will require an ongoing effort to embed into the working practices of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and other departments”, which recommendations they have in mind; and how long they expect the implementation of those to take.
A
Answered by: Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
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Q
Asked by Lord Alton of Liverpool
Asked on: 08 January 2020
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
Wang Yi
HL197
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the nine-year prison sentence given in China to Pastor Wang Yi of the Early Rain Covenant Church, the removal of his political rights for three years, and the confiscation of his personal assets.
A
Answered by: Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
Answered on: 15 January 2020
Q
Asked by Lord Alton of Liverpool
Asked on: 08 January 2020
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
Wang Yi
HL198
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made as to whether the trial of Pastor Wang Yi met standards of impartiality for a fair trial; whether they intend to raise his case with the government of China; and what assessment they have made of the suppression of the open practice of religious beliefs.
A
Answered by: Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
Answered on: 15 January 2020
Q
Asked by Lord Alton of Liverpool
Asked on: 19 December 2019
Home Office
British Nationality: Children
HL1
To ask Her Majesty’s Government when they intend to remove the fee charged by the Home Office to register children as British citizens; and whether they intend to refund those who paid such fees before the High Court ruling on 19 December.
A
Answered by: Baroness Williams of Trafford
Answered on: 07 January 2020
Q
Asked by Lord Alton of Liverpool
Asked on: 19 December 2019
Home Office
British Nationality: Children
HL2
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the ruling of the High Court on 19 December in the case brought by the Project for the Registration of Children as British Citizens that there is a “mass of evidence” that the fee charged to children registering for British citizenship prevents many such children from registering British citizenship, leaving them feeling “alienated, excluded, ‘second-best’, insecure and not fully assimilated into the culture and social fabric of the UK.”
A
Answered by: Baroness Williams of Trafford
Answered on: 07 January 2020
Q
Asked by Lord Alton of Liverpool
Asked on: 19 December 2019
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
Hong Kong: Health Professions
HL3
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the description of the arrests of medical personnel during a confrontation at Hong Kong’s Polytechnic University on 17 November, by Dr Darren Mann, and his call for an international inquiry into breaches of international humanitarian norms and human rights law.
A
Answered by: Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
Answered on: 07 January 2020
Q
Asked by Lord Alton of Liverpool
Asked on: 19 December 2019
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
Hong Kong: Health Professions
HL4
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the treatment of medical professionals in Hong Kong; and what representations they intend to make to the government of China about such treatment.
A
Answered by: Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
Answered on: 07 January 2020
Q
Asked by Lord Alton of Liverpool
Asked on: 19 December 2019
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
Iraq: Islamic State
HL5
To ask Her Majesty’s Government when they intend to respond to statements by victims of ISIS genocide in Mosul and Sinjar provided by Lord Alton of Liverpool; whether any victims of such crimes have been approached for witness statements; and what progress is being made in collecting evidence and bringing those responsible for genocide and crimes against humanity to justice.
A
Answered by: Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
Answered on: 07 January 2020
Q
Asked by Lord Alton of Liverpool
Asked on: 19 December 2019
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
Persecution of Christians across the Globe Independent Review
HL6
To ask Her Majesty’s Government how, and when, they intend to fully implement all of the recommendations in the Bishop of Truro’s Independent Review for the Foreign Secretary of FCO Support for Persecuted Christians, published in July.
A
Answered by: Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
Answered on: 07 January 2020
