The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Lexden on 2016-01-11.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they are taking to prevent future Honours Lists being prematurely disclosed.
Lord Bridges of Headley
The Cabinet Office will continue to reiterate clear instructions for handling embargoed material.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Lester of Herne Hill on 2016-01-11.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government why the official records from 1987 relating to the ban on the publication of Spycatcher by Peter Wright have not been released to the National Archives under the 20-year rule.
Lord Bridges of Headley
Moving from a 30 year to 20 year rule has meant a doubling of the amount of information to be considered for release. The Cabinet Office is actively reviewing the remaining 1987 and 1988 records and will complete this work as quickly as possible.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Hylton on 2016-01-11.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the feasibility of dropping food by air to civilian communities now under siege in Syria and cut off from all external supplies.
Earl of Courtown
The UK has pledged over £1.1 billion in response to the crisis in Syria and the region, making us the second largest bilateral donor after the US. We have provided support to the UN and international NGOs (INGOs) since the start of the conflict to deliver aid in hard to reach and besieged areas of Syria. By the end of June 2015, UK support inside Syria and in the surrounding region had, for example, delivered almost 20 million food rations that feed one person for a month; over 2.5 million medical consultations; and relief items for 4.6 million people.
The UK will consider any option compliant with international law that might save lives in Syria. We rule nothing out. However, the use of air drops is high risk and should only be considered as a last resort when all other means have failed.
Attempting air drops without the consent of the parties to the conflict may risk undermining negotiations on humanitarian access to the 4.5 million people in hard to reach areas across Syria. Even in uncontested space air drops poise significant challenges. There is a requirement to identify clear drop zones, ensure safe access for the intended recipients and to co-ordinate with authorities on the ground. Instead, the UN, the Red Cross Movement and NGO partners are best placed to deliver aid to vulnerable people in besieged and hard to reach areas.
The desperate situation in besieged and hard to reach areas shows why we need the international community to come together at the London Conference for Syria and the Region on 4 February to support immediate needs and identify longer-term solutions to address the needs of those affected by the crisis.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Hylton on 2016-01-11.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what representations they have made to the government of Saudi Arabia about the repeated bombing of facilities of Médecins Sans Frontières.
Baroness Anelay of St Johns
We are in regular dialogue with the Government of Saudi Arabia regarding the conflict in Yemen. We are very concerned and saddened by an attack on a Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) centre in Yemen on 10 January and offer our condolences to the families of those affected. It is important to establish the cause of this incident. We welcome the public announcement by Saudi Arabia to establish a fact finding committee into the alleged airstrike on the MSF mobile clinic in Taiz on 2 December. It is important that Saudi Arabia conducts investigations into incidents which have raised concerns. We continue to call on all parties to the conflict to fulfil their obligations under international humanitarian law.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Hylton on 2016-01-11.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what proposals they have for achieving access in compliance with UN Resolutions to food and medicines for those Syrians now cut off from external supplies.
Earl of Courtown
The UK has pledged over £1.1 billion in response to the crisis in Syria and the region, making us the second largest bilateral donor after the US.
The UK plays a key role in ensuring humanitarian access to Syria. By 30 November 2015, at least 222 shipments of cross-border aid had been delivered as a direct result of the UK co-sponsored UN Security Council Resolutions 2165, 2191 and 2258 which enables the UN to deliver aid into Syria without the consent of the regime.
The UK worked with partners in the UN Security Council to put humanitarian access in Madaya, and across Syria, on the Security Council’s agenda on Monday 11 January.
We continue to call on all sides to the conflict to respect International Humanitarian Law (IHL) and ensure free, unimpeded access for humanitarian agencies.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Hylton on 2016-01-11.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether the ceasefire in Yemen has been extended beyond 28 December 2015.
Baroness Anelay of St Johns
The Saudi Arabian-led Coalition formally announced the end of their ceasefire on 2 January citing numerous breaches and provocations by Houthi/Saleh forces, particularly along the border with Yemen. The UK fully supports the efforts of the UN to reconvene Yemeni parties in the coming weeks for further dialogue and to work towards a meaningful and sustainable ceasefire that is respected by all sides.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Hylton on 2016-01-11.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what representations, if any, they have made to the government of Russia about civilian casualties resulting from its aerial bombing in Syria.
Baroness Anelay of St Johns
We have repeatedly made clear to the Russian government our serious concerns about its bombing campaign in Syria. We have consistently called on Russia to focus its targeting on Daesh and to cease the targeting of moderate opposition groups. We have also expressed concern over the numbers of civilian casualties being reported as a result of Russian strikes. These have been evidenced by human rights groups such as Amnesty International who have claimed that at least 200 civilians have been killed by Russian airstrikes in Syria since September 2015, accusing Russia of “serious failures to respect international humanitarian law”. The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr Hammond), has raised our concerns about Russia’s approach with Foreign Minister Lavrov, including at meetings of the International Syria Support Group. The Prime Minister, my right hon. Friend the Member for Witney (Mr Cameron), discussed Syria with President Putin at the G20 Summit in Antalya, and in a telephone conversation on 9 December following Parliament’s vote to support military action against Daesh in Syria.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Hylton on 2016-01-11.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what proposals, if any, they have made, and what further action they will take, to ensure that the voices of women are heard in all future negotiations about Syria.
Baroness Anelay of St Johns
We have consistently urged the UN Special Envoy for Syria, Staffan de Mistura, as well as representatives of the moderate Syrian opposition to ensure that women are fully represented in negotiations with the Syrian regime. This was the case at the Geneva peace talks two years ago where women were represented on the opposition negotiating team. Further UN-brokered talks between the Syrian regime and opposition are planned for late January; we and our partners will continue to encourage the opposition and organisers to involve women fully in the process.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Hunt of Kings Heath on 2016-01-11.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether the awarding of the Staffordshire Cancer and End of Life Services Contract will be delayed pending publication of the investigation commissioned by NHS England into the circumstances leading up to the termination of the contract between Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Clinical Commissioning Group and UnitingCare Partnership to deliver urgent care for the over-65s and adult community services.
Lord Prior of Brampton
NHS England advises that the award of any contract for the cancer and end of life service procurements in Staffordshire will take place only after NHS England has carried out an assurance exercise around the proposed arrangements. The design of this assurance exercise will be informed by the outcome of the review of the termination of the contract between Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Clinical Commissioning Group and UnitingCare Partnership.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Hunt of Kings Heath on 2016-01-11.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what arrangements will be made for the investigation commissioned by NHS England into the circumstances leading up to the termination of the contract between Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Clinical Commissioning Group and UnitingCare Partnership to deliver urgent care for the over-65s and adult community services to be conducted in public.
Lord Prior of Brampton
NHS England advises that it has commissioned David Stout OBE to carry out an independent review of the contract between Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Clinical Commissioning Group and UnitingCare Partnership. The terms of reference are to establish, from a commissioner perspective, the key facts and root causes behind the termination of the contract in December 2015 and to draw out recommendations and lessons to be learned. This will include a review of documentation and discussion with staff members.
Relevant individuals will be contacted during the course of the review to inform the findings. NHS England is also setting up a web page which will include an email address where comments and responses can be submitted. This will enable the public to contribute.
The review is expected to start in January and to be completed in February 2016. NHS England plans to publish the review when complete.