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  • Lord Alton of Liverpool – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Lord Alton of Liverpool – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Alton of Liverpool on 2015-11-17.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the impact on the North Korean population of implementing targeted human rights sanctions against named North Korean politicians and officials.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    Our policy of smarter sanctions requires that any new sanctions measures must consider broader policy objectives in parallel with the impact of any new sanctions on the general population. We would also consider carefully our ability to defend the legality of the sanctions decision under EU law. Existing UN and EU sanctions against the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) are based upon UN Security Council Resolutions prohibiting the further development of the DPRK’s nuclear and ballistic missile programmes. Any introduction of sanctions on human rights grounds would require the establishment of a new sanctions regime at UN or EU level. A key consideration would be the potential to improve the human rights situation in the DPRK weighed against the potential impact on the activity of non-governmental organisations undertaking important humanitarian activities inside the DPRK to assist some of the most vulnerable members of DPRK society.

  • Lord Alton of Liverpool – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Lord Alton of Liverpool – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Alton of Liverpool on 2015-11-17.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what discussions they have had with EU member states and other European countries about the implementation of targeted human rights sanctions against named North Korean officials who are suspected of committing crimes against humanity.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    We remain in close contact with other EU member states regarding our concerns over the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK). These include discussion on how we can address concerns over the DPRK’s nuclear programme and how we can improve the DPRK’s appalling human rights record. During our meetings we have discussed the full range of measures at our disposal including the option of targeted human rights sanctions against DPRK officials. We will always carefully consider the impact and benefits of sanctions measures before they are imposed. These considerations include our ability to defend the legality of the sanctions should they be challenged under EU law and the likelihood of achieving our objective of improved human rights for North Koreans.

  • Lord Alton of Liverpool – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Lord Alton of Liverpool – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Alton of Liverpool on 2015-11-17.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Anelay of St Johns on 4 November (HL2885), what assessment they have made, if any, of the reach and impact of radio and television in North Korea.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) does not produce viewing or listening figures for domestic media. However, in 2012 the consultancy organisation, InterMedia, produced a report on the media environment in the DPRK based on a survey of North Korean refugees. The report, with some caveats from the authors, found that 74 per cent of those sampled were able to access television while resident in the DPRK, 42 per cent radio and 38 per cent a cassette player with a radio. The survey also found that 38 per cent of those surveyed considered domestic television to be their most important source of information while living in the DPRK, 21 per cent South Korean radio and 4 per cent domestic radio.

  • Lord Alton of Liverpool – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Lord Alton of Liverpool – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Alton of Liverpool on 2015-11-17.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they consider North Korean citizens and refugees as South Korean citizens.

    Lord Bates

    The Constitution of Republic of Korea (South Korea) stipulates that all North Koreans are citizens of the Republic of Korea.

    As citizens of South Korea, North Korean asylum seekers are able to seek the protection of the South Korean authorities. A person who simply expresses an unwillingness to avail themselves of such protection would not bring them within the scope of the UN Refugee Convention.

  • Lord Alton of Liverpool – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Lord Alton of Liverpool – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Alton of Liverpool on 2015-11-17.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Bates on 6 November (HL2882), whether they consider as South Korean citizens North Korean asylum seekers who do not express the intention to receive protection or citizenship from the Republic of Korea under the North Korean Refugees Protection and Settlement Support Act.

    Lord Bates

    The Constitution of Republic of Korea (South Korea) stipulates that all North Koreans are citizens of the Republic of Korea.

    As citizens of South Korea, North Korean asylum seekers are able to seek the protection of the South Korean authorities. A person who simply expresses an unwillingness to avail themselves of such protection would not bring them within the scope of the UN Refugee Convention.

  • Baroness Afshar – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Baroness Afshar – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Afshar on 2015-11-17.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the impact of cutting the funding at higher education level of arts subjects on (1) the choice available to students, and (2) the creative industries.

    Baroness Evans of Bowes Park

    As with other degrees, since 2012, Higher Education Institutions with an Access Agreement approved by the Office for Fair Access have been able to charge up to £9,000 a year for an arts degree. This funding comes via student loans and universities compete on quality and their offer to students. The Government also supports specialist institutions such as art and music colleges through the Higher Education Funding Council for England’s Institution-specific Funding.

    We value the creative industries which is why we support them through these and other policies. We are working with industry to take forward the recommendations in *CreateUK, the strategy for the sector developed by industry members of the Creative Industries Council.

  • Frank Field – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Frank Field – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Frank Field on 2015-11-17.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many children in each parliamentary constituency and in receipt of disability living allowance are diagnosed with hyperkinetic syndrome.

    Justin Tomlinson

    The information requested will be placed in the library.

  • Frank Field – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Frank Field – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Frank Field on 2015-11-17.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many and what proportion of disability living allowance applications for children diagnosed with ADHD have been rejected in each of the last five financial years.

    Justin Tomlinson

    The requested data is not available.

  • Frank Field – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    Frank Field – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Work and Pensions

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Frank Field on 2015-11-17.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, when he expects the business case for universal credit to be signed off in full.

    Priti Patel

    The 2nd Permanent Secretary to the Treasury explained to the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) on the 10 December 2014 (see link below), the process for Business Case approvals within Government. The first stage of this process, the Strategic Outline Business Case, was agreed in September 2014. The next step, the Outline Business Case, has been agreed at official level and is now with Treasury Ministers for approval. The Full Business Case will follow for approval by the end of 2017. This is in line with the process within Government and a Programme of the scale and complexity of Universal Credit.

    http://data.parliament.uk/writtenevidence/committeeevidence.svc/evidencedocument/public-accounts-committee/universal-credit-progress-update/oral/16340.html

    “

  • Chi Onwurah – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Chi Onwurah – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chi Onwurah on 2015-11-17.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what progress has been made on the Quicksilver project to build out wifi and mobile infrastructure alongside rail lines; and if he will make a statement.

    Claire Perry

    Project Quicksilver was a rail industry procurement led by Network Rail to improve mobile coverage along railway routes for the benefit of passengers.

    Despite receiving a number of positive bids, the industry was not able to find a solution that satisfied the commercial requirements of all parties and delivered the desired connectivity improvements. As a result, Network Rail terminated the procurement.

    The Government recognises that dropped calls and intermittent access to the internet are frustrations felt by many rail passengers. We are working with the rail and telecommunications industries to reach a collective understanding of the technical and commercial challenges and the potential solution to this problem.