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  • Baroness Randerson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Baroness Randerson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Randerson on 2016-05-23.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government why NHS England has decided to restrict hepatitis C treatment, with providers subject to a financial penalty if they do not keep within specified numbers, despite those treatments being approved as cost-effective by NICE.

    Lord Prior of Brampton

    The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) specifically requires Operational Delivery Networks (ODNs) to prioritise hepatitis C patients on the basis of highest unmet clinical need, as part of a progressive rollout of treatments over the next five years.

    NHS England is funding providers to treat patients at the rate outlined in NICE’s guidance, Technology Appraisals 363, 364 and 365, apportioned to local ODNs based on local health needs. Copies of these Technology Appraisals are attached.

  • Lord Renwick of Clifton – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Lord Renwick of Clifton – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Renwick of Clifton on 2016-05-23.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they continue to support the admission of Turkey to the EU.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    The Government supports the process of Turkey’s EU accession, which remains the most effective means of encouraging reform, stability and democracy in Turkey. But as the Prime Minister, my Rt Hon. Friend the Member for Witney (Mr Cameron), has made it clear that the question of Turkey actually joining the EU is ‘not remotely on the cards’, indeed that he does not believe it will happen ‘for decades’. Every Member State has a veto, at every stage of the process. It is the Government’s policy not to agree to any further enlargement of the EU without a new system of controls on the movement of workers being put in place. Under the European Union Act 2011, any new Accession Treaty would require primary legislation before it could be ratified.

  • Baroness Tonge – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Baroness Tonge – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Tonge on 2016-05-23.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether, and if so when, they intend to instigate an independent inquiry into Islamophobia in politics at all levels.

    Baroness Williams of Trafford

    Everyone in Britain has the right to feel safe and at ease in the place where they live. There is no place for hatred against people because of their race, gender, ethnic origin, faith, sexual orientation, age or disability. This includes anti-Muslim attacks which are unacceptable in Britain.

    The Government is already taking a number of steps to counter Islamaphobia and does not intend to carry out an independent inquiry. We fund Tell MAMA (Measuring Anti-Muslim Attacks) to encourage reporting of these crimes and to support victims. We have also set up the first cross Government Anti-Muslim Hatred Working Group to raise awareness of Islamaphobic attacks. In addition, the police began to disaggregate hate crime by religion in April 2016. This will help the police to build community trust, target their resources and enable the public to hold them to account.

  • Baroness Tonge – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Baroness Tonge – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Tonge on 2016-05-23.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what representations they have made to the government of Israel regarding the destruction of crops and olive trees on Palestinian-owned agricultural lands near Nejehot settlement by Israeli forces.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    We are aware of the difficulties facing Palestinian olive growers and of the particular sensitivities around olive trees given their status as a national symbol and the sole source of income for many Palestinian farmers. We have expressed our serious concerns to the Israeli Government and security officials about the destruction of olive trees on a number of occasions, whether by the Israeli authorities or extremist settlers. We hold the Israeli authorities responsible for enforcing the rule of law and providing the appropriate protection to the Palestinian civilian population.

  • Baroness Tonge – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Baroness Tonge – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Tonge on 2016-05-23.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what representations they are making to the government of Israel concerning the banning of two Palestinians from accessing Al Aqsa Mosque on the grounds of their having been involved in protests against the entry of Israeli settlers to the site.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    Whilst we have not raised this specific issue with the Israeli authorities, it is vital that the longstanding status quo of the Temple Mount/Haram al Sharif compound be preserved and we urge the Israeli authorities to comply with their obligations under international law as an occupying power in East Jerusalem.

  • Baroness Tonge – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Baroness Tonge – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Tonge on 2016-05-23.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what representations they are making to the government of Israel regarding the closure of all commercial crossings in the West Bank on 11 and 12 May, preventing permit holders from accessing Israel or East Jerusalem because of Israel’s Commemoration and Independence Day.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    While we are not planning to make any representations to the Israeli authorities on these specific incidents, we remain deeply concerned about restrictions on freedom of movement between the West Bank and East Jerusalem. We continue to work closely with the Quartet and EU partners to call on Israel to ease access restrictions.

  • Baroness Tonge – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Baroness Tonge – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Tonge on 2016-05-23.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what representations they are making to the government of Israel regarding the demolition by Israeli forces on 16 May of seven donor-funded residential containers and the confiscation of materials for another three in the Palestinian Bedouin community of Jabal al Baba.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    We condemn the demolition of Bedouin homes at Jabal Al-Baba, which is a particularly vulnerable community in East Jerusalem. We have not specifically raised this issue, but we are extremely concerned at the large increase in demolitions in the Occupied Palestinian Territories since the start of 2016, compared to the monthly average in 2015. Our Embassy in Tel Aviv raises our concerns about demolitions regularly with the Israeli authorities, most recently on 15 May. We call on Israel to provide a legal route for Palestinians to obtain building permits.

  • Baroness Tonge – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Baroness Tonge – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Tonge on 2016-05-23.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what representations they are making to the government of Israel regarding the targeting of Palestinian fishermen in the Gaza strip, including the sinking and confiscation of fishing boats on 15 May north of the Gaza strip.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    Whilst we have not raised this specific issue with the Government of Israel, officials from our Embassy in Tel Aviv have expressed our concern previously over the Israel Defence Forces’ use of live fire against fishermen and also about the confiscation of their boats.

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

    Lord Freyberg – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Freyberg on 2016-05-23.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps are being taken to address the key findings of the 2013 report Analysing Air Pollution Exposure in London, and whether additional powers will be given to boroughs, particularly in deprived communities, to further reduce levels of NO2 emissions that are above the EU limit for 2020.

    Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon

    The Government’s National Air Quality Plan, published on 17 December 2015, sets out a comprehensive approach to improving UK air quality. A key measure of this is the introduction of new Clean Air Zones in five cities (Birmingham, Derby, Leeds, Nottingham and Southampton), along with the Ultra Low Emission Zone in London. The Plan will tackle the most polluting vehicles in air pollution hotspots and will enable us to reach compliance with legal limits as quickly as possible.

    The Mayor is responsible for air quality standards in London. The Mayor provides the framework and guidance which London boroughs use to review and improve air quality within their areas.

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

    Lord Freyberg – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Freyberg on 2016-05-23.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many primary school sites in London exceeded EU limit values of NO2 due to diesel train emissions in each of the last five years.

    Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon

    We do not hold information on the number of primary schools sites in London exceeding NO2 limit values due to diesel train emissions.