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  • Lord Beecham – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Lord Beecham – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Beecham on 2015-10-26.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Freud on 20 October (HL2620), how much they expect to save in particular in housing benefit payments from the reductions in social rent levied by housing associations.

    Lord Freud

    Estimates of the total benefit savings due to the reductions in social rent announced in the 2015 Summer Budget were presented in the associated policy costing publication.

    The table below shows the amount of the total benefit savings which relates to housing association tenancies. This includes both Housing Benefit and Universal Credit.

    Estimated reduction in benefit payments to housing association tenants, £millions, cash terms

    2016/17 2017/18 2018/19 2019/20 2020/21
    Benefit savings relating to Housing Associations 145 425 790 1190 1305
  • Lord Berkeley – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Lord Berkeley – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Berkeley on 2015-10-26.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government when the Bowe report into Network Rail will be completed, and whether it will be published.

    Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon

    The Secretary of State for Transport expects to receive the Bowe Review once it is completed later in the autumn.

    The Secretary of State has committed to publish the Review in the autumn.

    Upon publication copies will be placed in both Libraries of the House.

  • Lord Berkeley – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Lord Berkeley – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Berkeley on 2015-10-26.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what changes they have proposed to requirements for disposing of Network Rail land not currently used for rail-related purposes.

    Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon

    Condition 7 of Network Rail’s network licence regulates the disposal of the company’s land assets. Network Rail’s network licence is held with the Office of Rail and Road. The Government has not proposed any changes to Condition 7.

  • Baroness Berridge – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Baroness Berridge – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Berridge on 2015-10-26.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their latest assessment of the security situation in the Central African Republic.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    The security situation in the Central African Republic (CAR) is grave. Outside the capital Bangui, violence, looting, road-blocks, hostage-taking and human rights abuses continue to occur with relative impunity.

    The security situation in Bangui is more stable than the rest of the country, having improved following the surge in violence in late September, but tensions still run high and we continue to advise against all travel to CAR.

  • Baroness Berridge – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Baroness Berridge – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Berridge on 2015-10-26.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government how much the United Kingdom contributes to the cost of the UN peacekeeping force in the Central African Republic.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    The UK contributes £23.2 million for the financial year 2014/15, and a projected £33.02 million for the financial year 2015/16, to the UN Peacekeeping Budget for the UN Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic (MINUSCA). These are assessed (i.e. mandatory) contributions which are based on funding a fixed percentage of MINUSCA’s budget.

  • Baroness Berridge – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Baroness Berridge – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Berridge on 2015-10-26.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their assessment of the need for funds to enable the disarmament, demobilisation and re-integration of those perpetrating violence in the Central African Republic.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    Disarmament, demobilisation and reintegration (DDR) is essential to create the conditions for stability and security in the Central African Republic (CAR). The UN peacekeeping force in CAR, the UN Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic (MINUSCA), is the lead on DDR work in CAR. The UK works closely with MINUSCA to ensure it provides adequate support to CAR authorities to launch DDR in CAR.

    MINUSCA has budgeted $28 million for a DDR programme aimed at what they expect will amount to 3,500 ex-Seleka fighters in total and 1,500-3,500 dependants. Through the UK’s contribution to MINUSCA, we support this vital work on pushing DDR forward in CAR.

    MINUSCA is currently in the pre-DDR phase, preparing for the launch of DDR. This entails a sensitisation process/education process for former combatants who will take part in DDR.

  • Baroness Berridge – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Baroness Berridge – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Berridge on 2015-10-26.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of whether the Central African Republic should be included in the Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict initiative.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    Work in the Central African Republic (CAR) has been an important part of the Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict Initiative in recognition of the large role that sexual violence has played in the conflict in CAR which has included the sexual abuse of women and children, sexual slavery and rape. This work has, to date, been primarily carried out through our work with the African Union (AU). Since the launch of the initiative, the UK has provided £1.3 million to support the AU’s Gender Peace and Security Programme. This includes the deployment of sexual violence experts that were deployed to the CAR in 2014. These experts provided support to victims in the districts of Paoua, Kaga-Bandoro and Bambar. This Programme also supported the AU’s Special Envoy on Women, Peace and Security, Madame Bineta Diop. We are working with the AU to build on this deployment and increase AU capacity to carry out similar deployments in the future.

  • Baroness Helic – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Baroness Helic – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Helic on 2015-10-26.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what practical support they have offered to the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Serbia, Bosnia-Herzegovina and Montenegro as transit and recipient states of refugees from the Middle East and North Africa.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    On September 23, the Prime Minister, my right Hon. Friend the Member for Witney (Mr Cameron), pledged £3.1 million of aid to Western Balkans countries affected by the migration crisis, to cover both humanitarian and border management assistance. The funds form part of a wider UK pledge of nearly £115 million, most of which is being put towards lifesaving aid in Syria and its neighbouring countries. The funds will go through the UN High Commissioner for Refugees to support projects in transit countries most affected, chiefly Serbia and Macedonia, and to support the UN agency’s regional office in Sarajevo. The £3.1 million will also support activities of the International Organisation of Migration in both Western Balkans transit countries, to further strengthen the response of host governments to the migration crisis. In addition, on 13 October, the UK despatched blankets, sleeping bags, and roll mats to Serbia for up to 11,000 vulnerable people as winter approaches.

  • Baroness Helic – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Baroness Helic – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Helic on 2015-10-26.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their assessment of the success of the Dayton Peace accords, and of the current political and security situation in Bosnia-Herzegovina.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    The Dayton Peace Agreement ended a brutal war and remains the basis for the state of Bosnia-Herzegovina (BiH), its constitution and our engagement. We are disappointed that twenty years on BiH has not made greater progress on its Euro-Atlantic path and we remain concerned about the political and security situation on the ground. Last year, the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right Hon. Friend the Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr Hammond), and his German counterpart launched an initiative (now endorsed by the EU) to inject momentum into BiH’s EU accession path and to prioritise reforms that will build prosperity and security for all. We continue to press the BiH governments to implement those reforms and to refrain from divisive, nationalist politicking that undermines progress.

  • Baroness Helic – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Baroness Helic – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Helic on 2015-10-26.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the impact of the Middle East Quartet Representative on the prospects for peace between Israel and Palestine; what the identified successes and failures are; and what was the cost to the public purse of supporting the office of the Representative in each of the last eight financial years.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    The British Government supports the aims and objectives of the Quartet, which has an important role in the Middle East Peace Process through its mandate to mobilise international assistance to the Palestinians and develop plans to promote Palestinian economic development.

    Since its inception in 2007, the Office of the Quartet Representative (OQR) has been funded by donations from Quartet members, including the European Commission, EU Member States and the US. Donations are pooled in a trust fund which is managed and administered by the UN Development Programme (UNDP).

    In November 2007 the then Secretary for State for International Development approved a one-off payment of £400,000 from the UK to UNDP to help with the costs of setting up the OQR. Other countries also contributed to the set up costs: Norway gave $1 million; the European Commission $2 million; and the US provided IT equipment.

    The UK does not currently provide financial support to cover the costs of the OQR. The Department for International Development has seconded staff to the OQR since 2007. Their costs are as follows 2007: £62,850; 2008: £165,313; 2009: £204,830; 2010: £214,440; 2011: £247,213; 2012: £183,462; 2013: £266,088; 2014: £115,738; and 2015: £26,875. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office also seconded two full-time members of staff to the OQR from 2007 until 2013. We do not hold a record of the costs of these secondments.