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  • Lord Hodgson of Astley Abbotts – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Lord Hodgson of Astley Abbotts – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Hodgson of Astley Abbotts on 2016-07-11.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they plan to introduce a smoothed discount rate for the purpose of pension fund valuation.

    Baroness Altmann

    Government consulted in 2013 on whether legislation should be introduced to allow the ‘smoothing’ of asset values and liabilities in funding valuations.

    Responses to the call for evidence indicated that there was no strong case for legislating to permit smoothing, with the overwhelming majority of respondents against this option. Respondents instead favoured greater use of the flexibilities within the existing legislation governing scheme funding.

    In its response to the call for evidence the Government advised that, given the views received, it did not intend to pursue the option of legislating to permit asset and liability smoothing, and that remains the Government’s position.

  • Lord Hylton – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Lord Hylton – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Hylton on 2016-07-11.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many unaccompanied child refugees have so far been officially identified in Europe, aside from the UK, and how many of those have reached the UK.

    Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon

    The Government is firmly committed to bringing vulnerable unaccompanied refugee children from Europe to the UK, as underpinned by the Immigration Act 2016. Over 20 children who meet the criteria in the Immigration Act have been accepted for transfer from Europe since Royal Assent, the majority of whom have already arrived in the UK.

    We are in active discussions with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, UNICEF and Non-Governmental Organisations in addition to the Italian, Greek and French governments to strengthen and speed up mechanisms to identify, assess and transfer children who meet the criteria to the UK where this in their best interests.

    As is required by the Immigration Act 2016, we are consulting with local authorities to confirm available capacity and to ensure appropriate support systems are in place.

    We cannot put a fixed number on arrivals at this point. The legislation is clear that consultation with local authorities is needed before any figure is set. It is vital that their capacity and ability to help is taken into account. We must also ensure that we are able to continue to fulfil our obligations to children who are already in the UK.

  • Baroness Kinnock of Holyhead – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Baroness Kinnock of Holyhead – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Kinnock of Holyhead on 2016-07-11.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government, in the light of Amnesty International’s report Our Hearts Have Gone Dark, what steps they have taken to ensure that the victims of serious health issues, including mental health, as a result of the conflict in South Sudan receive urgent and adequate care.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    The UK is the second largest aid donor in South Sudan and leads the £200 million, five year, multi-donor Health Pooled Fund which provides primary health services, including mental health care, to over 8million people in eight states across South Sudan. The fund also supports the South Sudan Healthcare system to deliver lifesaving care, ranging from Primary Health Units in more remote areas to State Hospitals. Patients with serious illnesses, including mental health cases, are referred to the nearest centre able to provide care for them.

  • Baroness Kinnock of Holyhead – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Baroness Kinnock of Holyhead – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Kinnock of Holyhead on 2016-07-11.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether the South Sudan Troika plans to issue a comprehensive statement on its priorities in Sudan and South Sudan.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    The UK, along with our Troika partners (the United States and Norway), has been active in supporting efforts to resolve the crisis in South Sudan. This includes working with the Inter-Governmental Authority on Development and regional partners.

    We are deeply concerned about the recent fighting and will continue to work with our troika and regional partners to resolve the crisis.

  • Baroness Kinnock of Holyhead – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Baroness Kinnock of Holyhead – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Kinnock of Holyhead on 2016-07-11.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government, in the light of reports that one in seven women in South Sudan do not survive childbirth, what steps they are taking to ensure the improvement of conditions for pregnant women in that country.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    The UK leads the £200 million, five year, multi-donor Health Pooled Fund which provides comprehensive health care for pregnant women, including skilled care during labour and delivery, in eight of the ten states in South Sudan. Over the last three years this programme has enabled 493,316 pregnant women to receive anti-natal care services.

  • The Earl of Listowel – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The Earl of Listowel – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by The Earl of Listowel on 2016-07-11.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what proportion of Discretionary Housing Payments made in each local authority area in England in 2015–16 were paid to care leavers up to the age of 25.

    Lord Freud

    The information requested is not available.

  • The Earl of Listowel – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The Earl of Listowel – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by The Earl of Listowel on 2016-07-11.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what was the value of Discretionary Housing Payments made to care leavers up to the age of 25 in each local authority area in England in 2015–16.

    Lord Freud

    The information requested is not available.

  • The Earl of Listowel – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The Earl of Listowel – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by The Earl of Listowel on 2016-07-11.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many care leavers under the age of 25 in each local authority area in England received Discretionary Housing Payments in 2015–16.

    Lord Freud

    The information requested is not available.

  • Lord Maginnis of Drumglass – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    Lord Maginnis of Drumglass – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Maginnis of Drumglass on 2016-07-11.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the International Olympic Committee’s (IOC) decision to allow transgender athletes to compete at the Olympic Games; what consultation they have had with the British Olympic Association about that issue; what rules apply in the UK regarding transgender athletes competing in sport; and whether they consider the IOC’s ruling to be a disadvantage to non-transgender female athletes.

    Lord Ashton of Hyde

    We have had no such discussions with the British Olympic Association. Sports competition regulations are a matter for the governing body.

    Home Nation Sports Councils published the attached guidance in 2013 for national governing bodies of sport entitled "Transsexual people and competitive sport”.

  • Lord Maginnis of Drumglass – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Lord Maginnis of Drumglass – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Maginnis of Drumglass on 2016-07-11.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what action, if any, they plan to take in the light of the resolution of the House of Representatives of the Republic of Cyprus on 7 July calling for an end to the trade and economic sanctions imposed on Russia by the EU, and what their current policy is regarding those sanctions.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    The EU remains united in its strategy of resolving the Ukraine crisis through diplomacy underpinned by robust sanctions pressure. The UK fully supports this policy and will continue to play a central role in calling for a firm response to Russia’s aggression in Ukraine. On 1 July the EU unanimously agreed to renew economic sanctions on Russia for a further six months, in line with the March European Council’s commitment that the duration of sanctions should be clearly linked to the full implementation of the Minsk agreements.