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  • Lord Ramsbotham – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    Lord Ramsbotham – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Ramsbotham on 2015-12-07.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment has been made of the success of the current system of press regulation in preventing children being named before being charged, following the identification before charges were brought of the child convicted of stabbing Vincent Uzomah and the child accused of fatally stabbing Bailey Gwynne.

    Baroness Neville-Rolfe

    The Government is committed to a strong, independent and effective self-regulatory system for the press that commands the confidence of both the public and the industry.Following the Leveson Inquiry, and with cross-party agreement, Government has now delivered the framework for a new system of independent press self-regulation: the Royal Charter has been sealed and the Press Recognition Panel has been appointed, opening for business in September of this year. We must now give this new approach time to become established.

  • Lord Pearson of Rannoch – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Lord Pearson of Rannoch – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Pearson of Rannoch on 2015-12-07.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the reply by Earl Howe on 2 December (HL Deb, col 1193), what actions will be criminalised from next April under the specific offence of anti-Muslim hatred, and whether the actions criminalised under that offence will include (1) criticism of the Muslim religion, and (2) statements from people who have left that religion explaining why they have done so.

    Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon

    As the Prime Minister announced in October, we have asked the police to record all existing religious based hate crimes by the faith or belief (including absence of belief) of the victim from April next year.

    Under existing hate crimes it is not an offence to criticise Islam or for those who have left the faith to explain why they have done so. The new recording system does not constitute a new offence of anti-Muslim hatred, but will require this to be recorded specifically.

  • Lord Pearson of Rannoch – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Lord Pearson of Rannoch – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Pearson of Rannoch on 2015-12-07.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether, as part of their counter-terrorism strategy, they will encourage a national debate about the nature of Islam, including whether the Muslim tenets of Al Hijra, Taqiya, and Abrogation remain valid today.

    Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon

    On 19 October, the Prime Minister announced the launch of the Government’s new comprehensive Counter Extremism Strategy, a core element of which is a programme of work to support those communities who are opposed to extremism in all its forms.

    It is only by building a stronger Britain together, across all communities, that we will win the fight against terrorists and extremists.

  • Lord Oates – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Lord Oates – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Oates on 2015-12-07.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what representations they have made regarding the government of Zimbabwe’s attempt to access external funding from multilateral financial institutions including the IMF, World Bank and African Development Bank.

    Baroness Verma

    The Government of Zimbabwe has been in arrears to the International Financial Institutions for over a decade. This prevents Zimbabwe from accessing any new financing for development from the World Bank, IMF and African Development Bank.

    The Government of Zimbabwe presented its plans to clear multilateral arrears at a side meeting during the World Bank and IMF Annual Meetings, in October. Bilateral creditors at the meeting, including the UK, broadly welcomed the intention of the Government of Zimbabwe to work towards arrears clearance, but stressed that implementation of reforms would be necessary to achieve debt resolution.

  • Lord Oates – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Lord Oates – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Oates on 2015-12-07.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what representations they have made to the government of Zimbabwe about political violence and the political impartiality of the Zimbabwe Republic Police in dealing with this violence.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    I refer the noble Lord to the response given in the other place by the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr Hammond), to the right hon. Member for Leeds Central (Mr Benn) on 27 October 2015 [12945], summarising our assessment of the political situation. There have been reports of political violence, directed against the opposition Movement for Democratic Change as well as between factions of the governing Zimbabwe African National Union party in recent months. Our Ambassador in Harare raised our concerns with the Government of Zimbabwe on 1 December. The UK remains committed to supporting the aspirations of the Zimbabwean people for a more peaceful, democratic, stable and prosperous Zimbabwe, free from political violence and repression.

  • Lord Oates – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Lord Oates – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Oates on 2015-12-07.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what representations they have made to the government of Zimbabwe regarding the disappearance of Itai Dzamara.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    The British Government has been following this case closely since Itai Dzamara’s abduction in March 2015. Together with EU Member States, we have repeatedly called on the Government of Zimbabwe to undertake a full investigation. The EU issued a local statement on 11 September expressing deep concern about Itai Dzamara’s welfare. We continue to urge the Zimbabwean authorities to do everything they can to enable him to recover his freedom, and to respect their legal obligation to report on the progress of the investigation. The EU Delegation is in contact with Mr Dzamara’s family.

  • Lord Oates – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Lord Oates – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Oates on 2015-12-07.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Prior of Brampton on 1 December (HL3716), what legal redress is available to patients denied access to mental health care by public health authorities that fail to comply with the provisions of the Health and Social Care Act 2012 on equal priority for mental and physical health.

    Lord Prior of Brampton

    The Government is committed to achieving parity of esteem between physical and mental health and we expect people to have access to appropriate care and treatment based on their needs. We have implemented the first waiting times for mental health to improve access to mental health services. If individuals are dissatisfied with the services they are receiving, they may raise their concerns using local complaints procedures and if necessary with the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman.

  • Baroness McIntosh of Pickering – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Baroness McIntosh of Pickering – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness McIntosh of Pickering on 2015-12-07.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the reply by Lord Gardiner of Kimble on 3 December (HL Deb, col 1205), how much of the estimated £600 million additional partnership funding” has been received from private sources; and from which sources.”

    Lord Gardiner of Kimble

    Six months into a six-year programme, £250 million has been secured. A further £350 million of potential contributions has been identified. Of the £250 million secured to date, £61 million comes directly from private sources.

  • Baroness McIntosh of Pickering – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Baroness McIntosh of Pickering – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness McIntosh of Pickering on 2015-12-07.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what recent discussions they have had with the insurance sector about financing flood defences.

    Lord Gardiner of Kimble

    The Secretary of State and Floods Minister have met recently with the Association of British Insurers to discuss how people could be incentivised to take action to manage their flood risk and the role the insurance industry can play. In addition to this, Flood Re will develop its plans in relation to incentivising resilience and will provide information on how those whose policies are ceded to the Scheme can access information about their flood risk and how to manage it.

  • – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by on 2015-12-07.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Bates on 25 November (HL3916) concerning the 49 closed files with children’s home” and “London” in the catalogue description

    Lord Bates

    Of the 49 references to ‘children’s home’ and ‘London’ in the National Archives catalogue description, some relate to open files and one to a home in London Road, Gloucester.

    Once these have been discounted and allowing for homes which have more than one closed file, those children’s homes operated by London boroughs which have files identified as closed at The National Archives are as follows:

    100 Balgores Lane Children’s Home Gidea Park

    4 King Edwards Grove Children’s Home, Teddington

    44 Princess Road Children’s Home Teddington

    54 Muswell Avenue Children’s Home, Muswell Hill

    68 King Edwards Grove Children’s Home, Teddington

    69 Kingston Lane Children’s Home Teddington

    7 The Ride Children’s Home, Brentford

    74 Goshawk Gardens Children’s Home, Hayes

    8/26 Crescent Road, South Woodford, London E18

    82 Muswell Avenue Children’s Home, Muswell Hill

    9 Whitley Road Children’s Home, Tottenham, N17

    Abbey Wood Estate Children’s Home 242 Panfield Road, London SE2

    Abbeywood Estate Children’s Home 52 Chalcombe Road, London SE2

    Britwell Estate Small Children’s Home, 2 Dove House Crescent, Britwell, Bucks

    Britwell Estate Small Children’s Home, 270 Longfurlong Drive, Britwell, Bucks

    Chevington Children’s Home, 25 Warham Road, Croydon, Surrey

    Deaconbank Children’s Home, 80 Aldersbrook, Wanstead London E11

    Derwent House Children’s Home, 10 Armdel Gardens, Winchmore Hill

    Dr Barnardo’s Children’s Home and Mission, 8-26 Crescent Road, South Woodford, London E18

    Hoblands Children’s Home, Carlton Road, Sidcup, Kent

    Langley House Children’s Home 54 East India Dock Road, London E14

    St Paul’s Cray Estate Small Children’s Home. 41 Highfield Road Chislehurst, Kent

    Westleigh Children’s Home 6 Dartmouth Park Avenue, London NW5

    Wood Vale Children’s Home 32 Elder Road, West Norwood London SE 27

    Woodlands Children’s Home 12 Charterhouse Road, Godalming, Surrey