Blog

  • The Lord Bishop of Coventry – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The Lord Bishop of Coventry – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by The Lord Bishop of Coventry on 2015-10-21.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what support, financial or otherwise, they have provided to the King Adbdullah Bin Abdulaziz International Centre for Interreligious and Intercultural Dialogue in Vienna.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    The British Government has not provided support, financial or otherwise, to the King Adbdullah Bin Abdulaziz International Centre for Interreligious and Intercultural Dialogue in Vienna.

  • The Lord Bishop of Coventry – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The Lord Bishop of Coventry – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by The Lord Bishop of Coventry on 2015-10-21.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the freedom of religious minorities in Saudi Arabia to practise their religion or belief in private.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    The British Government strongly supports the right to freedom of religion or belief, which is restricted in Saudi Arabia. Saudi Arabia is a Muslim country in which Islamic law is strictly enforced and the public practice of any form of religion other than Islam is illegal. However, the Saudi authorities do accept foreign workers privately practising religions other than Islam. These restrictions on freedom of religion or belief reflect widely-held conservative social values in Saudi society. The Saudi authorities are encouraging reforms but at a pace that is acceptable to its society.

  • The Lord Bishop of Coventry – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The Lord Bishop of Coventry – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by The Lord Bishop of Coventry on 2015-10-21.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the effect of Saudi Arabia’s 2014 Penal Law for Crimes of Terrorism and its Financing on religious freedom in that country.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    The British Government has been following Saudi Arabia’s counter-terrorism and terrorism financing legislation issue closely since it started being implemented on 31 January 2014. There has been no change to the limited level of religious freedom in Saudi Arabia and we are not aware of any persecution of religious groups through this legislation. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office continue to monitor this, including through the annual Human Rights and Democracy report.

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

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

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Hylton on 2015-10-21.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what discussions they have had with the government of Lebanon about practical ways in which the United Kingdom can help Lebanon to secure an uninterrupted supply of electricity.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    The UK is committed to promoting stability and prosperity in Lebanon. We call on all parties to resolve the ongoing political deadlock, which is damaging the Lebanese government’s ability to provide its people with functioning state institutions and essential public services, including the supply of electricity. The Prime Minister, my right hon. Friend the Member for Witney (Mr Cameron) delivered this message in person when he spoke to the Lebanon’s Prime Minister during his visit to the country last month.

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

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

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Hylton on 2015-10-21.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government when they expect their new Ambassador to Lebanon to be in post.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    Hugo Shorter has been acting as Charge d’Affaires to Lebanon since 5 September.

    We are currently seeking agrément for a substantive Ambassador from the Lebanese authorities. As soon as it is granted, a permanent appointment will be announced.

  • Lord Empey – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Lord Empey – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Empey on 2015-10-21.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government under what circumstances value added tax can be applied to school uniforms.

    Lord O’Neill of Gatley

    Children’s clothing, including a school uniform, is VAT zero-rated if it is designed for young children and is of a size that would fit the average child aged under 14 years. Larger sizes of clothing are standard rated irrespective of the age of the wearer.

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

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

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Empey on 2015-10-21.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government when and where the Mobile Infrastructure Project will be rolled out in Northern Ireland.

    Baroness Neville-Rolfe

    The Mobile Infrastructure Project is being rolled out in Northern Ireland up to the end of March 2016.

    There are currently 7 masts in build phase. These are located in:

    • Derry and Strabane District

    • Fermanagh and Omagh (2 sites)

    • Lisburn and Castlereagh

    • Mid Ulster (3 sites)

    Planning permission was received for 4 sites. These sites are located in:

    • Mid Ulster (3 sites)

    • Newry, Mourne and Down

    Planning applications were submitted but decisions awaiting for 5 other sites. These are located in:

    • Armagh, Banbridge and Craigavon

    • Derry and Strabane District

    • Fermanagh and Omagh (2 sites)

    • Mid Ulster

  • Lord Allen of Kensington – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    Lord Allen of Kensington – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Allen of Kensington on 2015-10-21.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the European Commission’s recommendation that spectrum should be harmonised and allocated across all 28 member states as part of the Digital Single Market.

    Baroness Neville-Rolfe

    The Government is currently assessing the risks and benefits of such harmonisation to inform its response to the public consultation and subsequent proposals.

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

    Lord Ouseley – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Ouseley on 2015-10-21.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many patients are detained in medium and high security psychiatric hospitals; and how many such patients there are broken down by (1) ethnicity, (2) gender, (3) age, and (4) the length of time detained under the different segregated regimes.

    Lord Prior of Brampton

    The information is not collected in the format requested.

  • Lord Ouseley – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Lord Ouseley – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Ouseley on 2015-10-21.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what monitoring takes place of the use of tasers on patients detained under the Mental Health 1983, and how that monitoring information is made accessible to the public.

    Lord Bates

    Data is not recorded centrally on the number of individuals tasered who are detained under the Mental Health Act 1983 or on the monitoring of patients. A Taser record is completed by police officers on every occasion where a Taser is used. However, this record does not show whether individuals are detained or monitored after the incidents nor information on the ratio of staff to patients.

    Police guidance specifies that all individuals who have been subjected to the discharge of a Taser should be examined by a forensic medical examiner.

    To improve transparency around how force such as Taser is used by the police, the Home Secretary has asked Chief Constable David Shaw to carry out an in depth review of Taser data and other use of force. This will present options for collecting, collating and publishing data on how force including Taser is being used, who it is being used on and what the outcomes are.