The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Hylton on 2015-11-09.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their estimate of how many people were on zero-hours contracts in each year since 2010.
Lord Bridges of Headley
The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Hylton on 2015-11-09.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they are consulting (1) Barnardos, (2) Save the Children, (3) Oxfam, (4) Citizens UK, (5) the Trussell Trust, (6) Magic Breakfast, (7) FareShare, (8) FoodCycle, (9) Baby Basics, (10) The Children’s Society, and (11) any other organisations, about food and fuel poverty and the relationship between benefit sanctions and food and fuel poverty; and if not, why not.
Lord Freud
The Department for Work and Pensions constantly engages with a wide range of stakeholders, interested parties and other organisations across a wide range of issues that affect those receiving benefits.
The All-Party Parliamentary Inquiry into Hunger, and the Church report ‘Time to rethink benefit sanctions’, amongst others, all recognise that the reasons that people use food banks are complex and overlapping. There is no robust evidence that links sanctions and food bank use.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Hylton on 2015-11-09.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the implications for social policy of (1) the February 2014 report Household Food Security in the UK: A Review of Food Aid; and (2) the 2015 book by Stewart Lansley and Joanna Mack, Breadline Britain.
Lord Gardiner of Kimble
The “Review of Food Aid in the UK” was a short, literature based study designed to improve understanding of food aid provision in the UK, who makes use of it, and why. It was not a complete assessment of food aid as it found a variety of types of food aid, with mostly community-led provision responding to local needs. The report concluded that there is a lack of systematic peer-reviewed research from the UK on the reasons or immediate circumstances leading people to turn to food aid. Research such as the Review of Food Aid in the UK report and other publications provide evidence that informs the formulation of social policy in the UK.
The Government is committed to tackling poverty and social disadvantage in all its forms in every part of the country. Work remains the most sustainable way out of poverty and means for parents to provide security for their families.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Birt on 2015-11-09.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many breaches of government websites occurred in 2014.
Lord Bridges of Headley
For security reasons we do not comment on specific details of cyber security attacks. The Government takes cyber security very seriously; from 2011 to 2016, we have invested £860 million in a National Cyber Security Programme. We plan to almost double investment in cyber security to £1.9bn over the next five years.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Avebury on 2015-11-09.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether, during the UK’s Presidency of the UN Security Council this month, they will refer reports by Radio Dabanga of crimes against humanity in Darfur to the International Criminal Court for investigation.
Baroness Anelay of St Johns
The situation in Darfur has already been referred to the International Criminal Court (ICC) by the UN Security Council under UN Security Council Resolution 1593 (2005). As the prosecutor’s investigation is still ongoing, it could encompass any new allegations. However, such a decision would be for the Office of the Prosecutor of the Court to take. The UK remains a strong supporter of the ICC.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Alton of Liverpool on 2015-11-09.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they are taking to ensure the welfare of the two Burmese students who were arrested shortly after visiting the UK on a programme designed to build representative student unions in that country.
Baroness Anelay of St Johns
We remain in contact with the four Burmese students who visited the UK in May and are monitoring the case of Zayar Lwin who was arrested on 7 July after participating in a protest rally at the end of June. Two others have been charged in absentia, but not arrested. More widely, we have called for all remaining student protestors to be released from prison and for repressive legislation still on the statute books to be amended. Our Embassy in Rangoon closely monitors the cases of political prisoners and student protestors who have been charged and remain in detention. Representatives from our Embassy in Rangoon attended the most recent trial hearing in Thuyawaddy on 13 October of the students arrested following the Letpadan protests in March.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Alton of Liverpool on 2015-11-09.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what representations they have made to the government of Burma about the enactment of four race and religion laws; what discussions they are having with Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and the National League for Democracy about those laws; and what they are doing to monitor and counter the role of religious extremism in Burma’s political life.
Baroness Anelay of St Johns
We have been concerned by the increase in religious intolerance in Burma. This has been evidenced starkly in the four discriminatory race and religion laws, but also by restrictions on the Rohingya community, their disenfranchisement from the 8 November elections, the rise of Buddhist nationalism, hate speech and anti-Muslim violence. We have raised our concerns about the four laws in detail with the Burmese authorities both bilaterally and in company with our partners in the EU, and will continue to do so with any incoming government. Our representations on the four laws in Burma have focussed on the government and parliament who proposed, introduced and approved these bills, rather than with Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and her National League for Democracy party which opposed the laws. We will continue to monitor this concerning trend and raise our ongoing concerns with any incoming administration following the election.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Alton of Liverpool on 2015-11-09.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government, in the light of Amnesty International’s report highlighting an increase in the number of political prisoners in Burma, what steps they are taking to raise the cases of those prisoners, and to promote the rule of law and the need for reform to meet proper standards of justice in Burma.
Baroness Anelay of St Johns
We have welcomed the release of hundreds of political prisoners under the current Burmese government. But we have also spoken out vociferously about the worrying tempo of arrests, detentions and sentencing of political activists in the lead up to the elections on 8 November.
We have regularly raised our concerns with the government of Burma at the highest levels. Most recently, the Minister of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for East Devon (Mr Swire), raised this issue directly with the Minister for the President’s Office, U Aung Min, during his visit to Burma in July. Officials from our Embassy in Rangoon meet regularly with civil society on this issue and we lobby on individual cases. We also raise our concerns publicly in our Annual Report on Human Rights and in multilateral fora such as the UN General Assembly and the Human Rights Council, where the UK has co-sponsored Resolutions calling for the unconditional release of all political prisoners. We will continue to work with the incoming Burmese government to make progress on this important issue.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Ahmed on 2015-11-09.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they plan to discuss possible solutions to the Pakistan–India tensions on the de facto border, and the resolution of the Kashmir conflict, with Prime Minister Modi during his visit to the UK.
Baroness Anelay of St Johns
Our longstanding position on Kashmir is that it is for India and Pakistan to find a lasting resolution to the situation in Kashmir, taking into account the wishes of the Kashmiri people. It is not for the UK to prescribe a solution or to act as a mediator. We encourage both sides to maintain positive dialogue, but the pace and scope of this is for them to determine.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Ahmed on 2015-11-09.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they plan to raise the issue of the abuse of human rights in Kashmir and Punjab with Prime Minister Modi during his visit to the UK.
Baroness Anelay of St Johns
We are aware of allegations of human rights abuses in Kashmir, and of recent communal violence in Punjab. We are clear that any allegations of human rights abuses should be investigated thoroughly, promptly and transparently. Human rights were discussed during Prime Minister Modi’s visit to the UK and we welcome his reaffirmation that he governs for all Indians.