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  • Lord Alton of Liverpool – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Lord Alton of Liverpool – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Alton of Liverpool on 2016-09-05.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the Joint Statement of UK anti-caste organisations submitted on 18 August to the Prime Minister, the Foreign Secretary, the United National Human Rights Commissioner and the UN Secretary General, and whether they will press for those British organisations that submitted the Joint Statement to be given the opportunity to express their concerns to the United Nations office in Geneva and to report on the condition of Dalits and minorities in India.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    We have received the Joint Statement from the Anti Caste Discrimination Alliance (ACDA) and will respond. We are aware of the particular concerns raised around minority rights highlighted by the ACDA.

  • Lord Alton of Liverpool – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Lord Alton of Liverpool – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Alton of Liverpool on 2016-09-05.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of North Korea’s launch of three ballistic missiles on 5 September.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea’s (DPRK) ballistic missile launches of 5 September are a clear violation of multiple UN Security Council Resolutions (UNSCRs). The DPRK’s repeated provocations in 2016 are a threat to regional stability and international security. The UN Security Council statement of 6 September, which the UK fully supports, clearly demonstrates that the international community is united and will not tolerate this destabilising behaviour. We urge the DPRK to abide by UNSCRs and return to credible and authentic discussions on its nuclear and ballistic missile programme.

  • Lord Alton of Liverpool – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Lord Alton of Liverpool – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Alton of Liverpool on 2016-09-05.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether, following North Korea’s launch of three ballistic missiles on 5 September, the UN Security Council will be convened to consider the implications of that launch and an international response.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    The UN Security Council (UNSC) met on 6 September to discuss a response to the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea’s (DPRK) ballistic missiles launches on 5 September. The UNSC subsequently issued a statement condemning these launches as a flagrant violation of UN Security Council Resolutions. The UK strongly supports this statement, as we have with previous UNSC statements condemning DPRK provocations in 2016. We will continue to discuss at the UNSC, and with close partners, further measures in response to the DPRK’s destabilising and provocative actions.

  • Lord Empey – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Lord Empey – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Empey on 2016-09-05.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether applicants suffering from Fibromyalgia are refused benefits because the condition is not recognised as sufficiently serious to cause disability.

    Lord Freud

    The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) recognises Fibromyalgia as a real and potentially significantly disabling condition. Where a clinical diagnosis of Fibromyalgia has been made full account will be taken of its functional effects when determining benefit entitlement.

  • Lord Empey – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Northern Ireland Office

    Lord Empey – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Northern Ireland Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Empey on 2016-09-05.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what discussions have taken place with the government of the Irish Republic on the future funding of the six cross-border bodies established following the Belfast Agreement of 1998, in the light of the UK’s decision to leave the EU.

    Lord Dunlop

    The Government has regular discussions with the Irish Government on a range of issues, including matters arising from the UK’s exit from the European Union.

    The UK’s exit from the EU does not change the firm commitment of the UK Government and the people of Northern Ireland to the settlement set out in the Belfast Agreement and its successors and to the institutions they establish.

  • Lord Empey – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Northern Ireland Office

    Lord Empey – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Northern Ireland Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Empey on 2016-09-05.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they will guarantee to fund the remaining period of Peace IV in the event that the UK leaves the EU before the conclusion of that fund in 2020.

    Lord Dunlop

    The Government has set out that all European Structural and Investment Funds (ESIFs) projects with signed contracts or funding agreements in place with government, and projects signed before the Autumn Statement, including the PEACE programme will be fully funded, even when these projects continue beyond the UK’s departure from the EU.

    For qualifying projects under the PEACE programme signed after the Autumn Statement, we will work with the devolved administrations on funding arrangements to allow them to prioritise projects within their devolved responsibilities. As we make the transition to longer-term arrangements, we will ensure the devolved administrations are treated fairly and that their circumstances are taken into account.

  • Lord Empey – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    Lord Empey – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Empey on 2016-09-05.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government when the Royal Navy’s Type 45 fleet will be fully operational after modifications to their electrical propulsion systems.

    Earl Howe

    I refer the noble Lord to the answer I gave on 19 April 2016 to Question number HL7485 to the noble Lord, Lord West of Spithead.

  • Lord Greaves – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Lord Greaves – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Greaves on 2016-09-05.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether train operating companies are required to offer the cheapest relevant ticket to passengers at ticket offices, on websites and from ticket machines; and if so, what action they are taking to make sure that this happens in all cases.

    Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon

    Rail passengers are protected by the National Rail Conditions of Carriage and also the terms of the Ticketing and Settlement Agreement (TSA), an inter-operator agreement that governs, among other things, the retail of rail tickets. These provisions safeguard passengers’ interests by requiring train operators to provide clear information and to sell the most suitable ticket for their journey. This will, in many cases, be the cheapest ticket. Operators are required, under the terms of the TSA, to ask sufficient suitable questions in order to ascertain and sell the best ticket for each passenger’s needs.

    There are a wide range of tickets on offer, including some very low-priced fares which allow more people to travel by rail. However, we recognise that this choice can often be confusing for passengers. The Office of Rail and Road (ORR) have worked with industry to develop a Code of Practice on ticket retailing, this was published in March 2015. The aim of this Code is to give passengers clearer information and access to the most appropriate tickets, regardless of the sales channel. . Working alongside the ORR in its role as consumer regulator, we continue to challenge the industry to address the remaining issues as soon as possible. The Rail Minister has also raised this with the Rail Delivery Group that represents all train operating companies as there is clearly more to be done.

  • Lord Greaves – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Lord Greaves – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Greaves on 2016-09-05.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether train operating companies (TOCs) are required to make available split ticketing options when they are cheaper for a journey than the purchase of a single ticket; if so, what action they are taking to make sure that this happens in all cases; and if not, whether they will recommend it to the TOCs.

    Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon

    Rail passengers should always be able to get the best deal and the industry must work harder to make this a reality. We are aware that there are a number of routes in England for which it can be cheaper to purchase two or more tickets for individual parts of the route than a through ticket for the entire journey. Anyone is entitled to purchase two or more separate tickets for their journey so long as the train they are travelling on stops at the stations indicated at the end of each ticket.

    Train operators are obliged to sell the most appropriate through fare based on the information the passenger gives them. This will depend on what time the passenger wants to travel and how flexible they need to be. The National Rail Conditions of Carriage, which form the basis of the contract you enter into when you buy a rail ticket, allow passengers to use combinations of tickets. However, it is vital that industry improve information available to passengers and the Rail Minister will be raising this with the Rail Delivery Group as a priority.

  • Lord Greaves – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Lord Greaves – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Greaves on 2016-09-05.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what projects are currently included under the Northern Powerhouse label.

    Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth

    The Northern Powerhouse is a long-term project to help address the productivity gap in the North and ensure we build an economy that works for everyone. It covers a huge range of policy functions including investing in transport, supporting international trade, devolving powers from Whitehall to local areas and much more beyond. Please see attached for a list of examples.