The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Bakewell of Hardington Mandeville on 2015-10-22.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what research they have undertaken or commissioned on the take-up of the extension of the right to buy to housing association tenants in all parliamentary constituencies and housing authority areas in England.
Baroness Williams of Trafford
I refer the Noble Baroness to the answer I gave her on 28 October, PQ HL2737
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Bakewell of Hardington Mandeville on 2015-10-22.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many housing association tenants they estimate will be able to afford to buy their own home under right to buy in the first year of the scheme; and how many they expect will buy their home in each year to 2020.
Baroness Williams of Trafford
I refer the Noble Baroness to the answer I gave her on 28 October, PQ HL2737
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Alton of Liverpool on 2015-10-22.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they discussed with President Xi Jinping, during his visit to the United Kingdom, the selective relaxation of the one child policy in China, and the impact of that revised policy on families who have more than two children.
Baroness Anelay of St Johns
China’s ‘one child’ policy was not raised during the recent State Visit, though the Prime Minister, my right hon. Friend the Member for Witney (Mr Cameron), was very clear during his wide-ranging discussions with President Xi Jinping of the importance that the UK attaches to human rights as part of our wider relationship with China. Reforms announced by the Chinese Government on 29 October which should allow every Chinese family to have a second child, are a significant step.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Alton of Liverpool on 2015-10-22.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they raised concerns about the impact of the one child policy in China on (1) human rights, (2) selective abortion of (a) female, and (b) disabled, unborn children, and (3) rates of forced abortions, infanticide and involuntary sterilisations, with President Xi Jinping during his visit to the United Kingdom.
Baroness Anelay of St Johns
China’s ‘one child’ policy was not raised during his recent State Visit, though the Prime Minister, my right hon. Friend the Member for Witney (Mr Cameron), was very clear during his wide-ranging discussions with President Xi Jinping of the importance that the UK attaches to human rights as part of our wider relationship with China. Reforms announced by the Chinese government on 29 October which should allow every Chinese family to have a second child, are a significant step.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Alton of Liverpool on 2015-10-22.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government, following the publication of the latest report by the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in North Korea, what assessment they have made of how many television channels in North Korea may be accessed by the North Korean population.
Baroness Anelay of St Johns
We are aware of three television channels which operate within the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea: Korean Central Television (KCTV) which broadcasts news, sport, dramas and films; Mansudae which focuses on culture; and Ryongnamsan which covers education. KCTV broadcasts nationwide while Mansudae and Ryongnamsan broadcast in Pyongyang only. We also understand there are reports that some North Korean citizens, including those living in Pyongyang, are able to access foreign television services. However, we have been unable to verify if these reports are accurate.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Alton of Liverpool on 2015-10-22.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether the United Kingdom Embassy in Pyongyang and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office are utilising their resources to gather evidence that can be used in any possible future International Criminal Court trials of Kim Jong-un or other senior officials of North Korea; and, if so, how.
Baroness Anelay of St Johns
Our Embassy in Pyongyang produces diplomatic reporting and analysis to inform policy on the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK). This includes human rights. However, neither our Embassy nor the Foreign and Commonwealth Office are trained nor tasked to gather evidence. Information gathering on reported human rights violations within the DPRK is now being undertaken by the UN Human Rights Office in Seoul which opened in June.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Alton of Liverpool on 2015-10-22.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they have taken to raise the case of any of the public executions in North Korea between 2010 and 2014 detailed in the latest report of the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in that country.
Baroness Anelay of St Johns
We remain strongly opposed to the use of the death penalty in all circumstances.
The UK, working with the EU and Japan, has ensured that annual UN resolutions consistently call on the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) to end its use of the death penalty. We also use our diplomatic relations to raise concerns directly with North Korean officials.
British diplomats raised specific concerns with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Pyongyang following the execution of Jang Song Thaek in December 2013.
In October, the Minister of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for East Devon (Mr Swire), met the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Prince Zeid, to discuss a coordinated approach to addressing human rights concerns across the globe, including the DPRK.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Alton of Liverpool on 2015-10-22.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Bates on 8 June (HL179), whether they will continue to deport North Korean asylum seekers to South Korea, as detailed in the United Kingdom-South Korea Readmission Agreement; and whether North Korean asylum seekers can claim asylum in the United Kingdom if they co-operate with the South Korean Embassy in London to establish that they do not seek South Korean citizenship.
Lord Bates
All asylum claims made by those from North Korea are carefully considered on their individual merits. A factor in that consideration will be whether the person is unable to exercise their right to South Korea citizenship and avail themselves of the protection of South Korea. Those found to be in need of international protection are provided with it. Those who have been found by the Home Office and the appeals process not to be in need of international protection and have no legal basis of stay in the UK are expected to leave. If they do not do so voluntarily they may have their removal enforced including where relevant under the terms of the United Kingdom-South Korea Readmission Agreement.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chi Onwurah on 2015-10-23.
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what (a) funding his Department is undertaking and (b) projects his Department has planned as part of the Government’s Digital Inclusion Strategy.
Justin Tomlinson
There are a number of projects in the Department that include elements of Digital Inclusion. The funding for these projects is agreed at the appropriate time during the project’s lifecycle.
Every DWP digital transformation project is designed around user needs. In researching these needs throughout the projects’ development we determine the volumes and requirements of those people who are not digitally included, and ensure that there are solutions in place to cater for them.
IT access will be available to those without it in Jobcentres and through partner organisations such as libraries as well as through other local providers. Universal Credit provides support for those without digital skills to gain them.
DWP is also partnered with many third party organisations with an aim to raise digital capabilities within the Department and across the UK. One such partnership is with Barclays, with whom we have run a joint exercise, pairing their Digital Eagles with our Business Coaches, as well as evaluating the usefulness of their Digital Driving Licence in identifying digital capability gaps and requirements amongst DWP’s employees.
DWP is a contributory Department in the Digital Friends initiative. This initiative is intended to up-skill staff within the Department and in wider society through sharing existing digital skills with colleagues, friends, family and neighbours.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Justin Madders on 2015-10-23.
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the prevalence of the delays in state pension payments to British citizens living abroad.
Justin Tomlinson
Over 90% of International State Pension customer claims or change of circumstances are cleared within target. Those that are not cleared within these timescales reflect unavoidable delays that are a consequence of international postal services, additional work to ensure that evidence submitted is appropriate and robust and requirements to liaise with international authorities.