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  • Lord Kennedy of Southwark – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Lord Kennedy of Southwark – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Kennedy of Southwark on 2015-01-15.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their latest assessment of the situation of human rights in Sri Lanka.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    We continue to have a number of serious concerns about the human rights situation in Sri Lanka, such as the harassment of human rights defenders and activists, and attacks on religious minorities. President Sirisena has pledged to lead a more democratic and accountable government, including restoring the independence of the police and judiciary, ensuring electoral reforms, and protecting the rights and freedoms of all religions in Sri Lanka. We welcome these early commitments.

  • Lord Kennedy of Southwark – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Lord Kennedy of Southwark – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Kennedy of Southwark on 2015-01-15.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what recent assessment they have made of the situation of human rights in Turkey.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    We and our EU partners monitor closely the human rights situation in Turkey. The UK supports the EU Commission’s assessment of human rights in Turkey, given in its 2014 Annual Progress Report on Turkey’s EU accession. In 2014, Turkey made progress on its human rights reform agenda and adopted an Action Plan for the Prevention of Human Rights Violations. Turkey also continued to build the capacity of its human rights institutions. We welcome this progress and the continuing efforts of the Turkish government aimed at resolving the Kurdish issue.

    However, as the EU’s report has underlined, there is still much to do to implement action plans, strengthen further the human rights institutional framework, and bring Turkish human rights legislation in line with European and international standards, including on rights for minority religious and ethnic groups.

    The report also highlighted areas of concern over the independence and impartiality of the judiciary, the rule of law, and restrictions on the freedom of expression, including temporary bans on social media imposed by the Turkish government. We will continue to work with our EU partners and international institutions, such as the EU and Council of Europe, to support Turkey in its continuing reform agenda.

  • Lord Kennedy of Southwark – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Lord Kennedy of Southwark – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Kennedy of Southwark on 2015-01-15.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what action they are proposing in relation to banks that have missold business loans to customers.

    Lord Deighton

    Business lending is not, and never has been, within the scope of the Financial Conduct Authority’s (FCA) conduct rules. The position that has traditionally been taken in the UK is that the terms and conditions of contracts between businesses (e.g. loans) are not generally prescribed by government. The government is committed to regulating only where there is a clear case for doing so, in order to avoid putting additional costs on lenders that would ultimately lead to higher costs for businesses customer.

    However, the smaller end of the business community does receive regulatory protection. In the UK, loans to the smallest businesses (sole traders, partnerships consisting of 2 or 3 partners and unincorporated businesses) of less than £25,000 are treated as regulated consumer credit agreements (CCAs).

    This protects consumers, typically in their dealings with banks where there is the potential for consumer detriment. Around three quarters of the 4.8 million UK SMEs are sole traders, partnerships consisting of 2 or 3 partners and unincorporated businesses.

    For those loans which are not treated as CCA loans, there is also a clear route of recourse for businesses that feel they have been mis-sold a business loan to pursue. A business’ first recourse should be to its bank’s customer complaints department. This is a route that has been taken by a number of customers. The FCA’s rules require the banks to properly investigate all complaints and, through ongoing supervision, it continues to monitor the banks’ complaint handling process.

    Furthermore, micro businesses with a turnover of less than 2 million Euros and fewer than 10 employees have recourse to the Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS). The FOS is an independent, non-governmental body, established under statute to provide for the proportionate, prompt and informal resolution of complaints against financial services firms. It provides a free, independent dispute resolution service for bank customers and has a special team looking at this issue. Its decisions are binding on the firm concerned.

    Beyond this, businesses are expected to be responsible for ensuring that contracts they make with other businesses are in their interest. However, if a business believes a bank has acted unlawfully, they can seek to take action through the courts

  • Lord Kennedy of Southwark – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Lord Kennedy of Southwark – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Kennedy of Southwark on 2015-01-15.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the responsiveness of the Train Operating Companies to the needs of passengers.

    Baroness Kramer

    The National Rail Passenger Survey consults more than 50,000 passengers a year to produce the National Rail Passenger Survey (NRPS) – a network-wide picture of passengers’ satisfaction with rail travel. This survey measures Passengers’ overall satisfaction and satisfaction with 30 specific aspects of service can, therefore, be compared over time.

    The new approach to rail franchising – as launched by the Secretary of State in March 2013 – is designed to see the interests of passengers strengthened. Since the new programme was launched, passenger satisfaction requirements (based upon the NRPS) have been included in franchises. And when evaluating bids for franchises, credit is given for non-financial factors, which includes initiatives to improve the quality of service to passengers.

  • Lord Kennedy of Southwark – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Lord Kennedy of Southwark – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Kennedy of Southwark on 2015-01-15.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the effectiveness of the Office of Rail Regulation.

    Baroness Kramer

    The Office of Rail Regulation (ORR) is independent of Government and is accountable to Parliament. The Secretary of State appoints the Chair and other board members and Ministers and Department for Transport officials meet regularly with ORR to discuss a wide range of issues including regulatory matters and railway performance.

  • – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by on 2015-01-15.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answers by Viscount Younger of Leckie on 12 November 2013 (WA 113–4), by Earl Howe on 30 October 2013 (WA 259) and 22 January 2014 (WA 128–9), the Written Statement by the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Public Health, Jane Ellison, on 17 December 2014 (HC Deb, cols 96–7WS) and the Written Answer by the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Public Health, Jane Ellison, on 12 January 2015 (HC220181), whether section 3ZA(4)(b) of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 1990 (as amended) and paragraph 1(4) of Schedule 2 (activities for which licences may be granted: licences for treatment) would already permit spindle-chromosomal complex transfer or pronuclear transfer to be licensed for use in treatments on the basis of their various statements that neither the nuclear DNA nor the mitochondrial DNA of eggs or embryos would be altered by virtue of using these techniques; if so, what is the purpose of the proposed regulations 4(a)–(c) and 7(a)–(c) of the Draft Human Fertilisation and Embryology (Mitochondrial Donation) Regulations 2015 for otherwise proscribed procedures if no nuclear or mitochondrial DNA of any cell of the embryo has been altered”; or if not

    Earl Howe

    The Department is confident that the Draft Human Fertilisation and Embryology (Mitochondrial Donation) Regulations 2015 have a sound legislative base in the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 1990, as amended.

  • The Lord Bishop of St Albans – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The Lord Bishop of St Albans – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by The Lord Bishop of St Albans on 2015-01-15.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Bates on 17 December 2014 (HL3283), whether they will now state what consideration they have given to introducing or amending legislation to criminalise the purchase of sex in order to protect vulnerable women.

    Lord Bates

    With regard to prostitution, the Government focus is on harm minimisation and I refer to my answer of 17 December 2014 to question HL3283 on this matter.

  • Lord Morris of Aberavon – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    Lord Morris of Aberavon – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Cabinet Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Morris of Aberavon on 2015-01-15.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government when Maxwellisation” letters were sent to witnesses to the Chilcot inquiry.”

    Lord Wallace of Saltaire

    The timing of Maxwellisation is a matter for the independent Inquiry.

  • Lord Sharkey – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Lord Sharkey – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Sharkey on 2015-01-15.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what criteria they use for assessing the effectiveness of the Prevent and Channel counter-terrorism programmes; what targets have been set for any aspects of these programmes; and what key performance indicators are in place.

    Lord Bates

    The Home Office assess the effectiveness of the Prevent and Channel programmes through a range of performance mechanisms.

    We have publically reported on a number of performance indicators such as internet removals and projects delivered. For example, since December 2013 over 53,000 pieces of unlawful terrorist-related content which encourages or glorifies acts of terrorism have been removed from the internet. And since 2011, 180 local projects have been delivered in Prevent priority areas, including projects in education, internet safety, and families.

  • Baroness Sharp of Guildford – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Baroness Sharp of Guildford – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Sharp of Guildford on 2015-01-15.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they have considered whether it is appropriate that the requirement for an NVQ1 Care Qualification would prevent an experienced teacher with special needs training from working with elderly dementia patients if a back problem prevented that individual from demonstrating making a bed.

    Earl Howe

    The Department does not set the standards/criteria for attainment of NVQ qualifications. This is the responsibility of the appropriate awarding bodies working in partnership with employers, employer representative bodies and sector skills council in the relevant sector. Any proposed revision to NVQ qualifications would be a matter for consideration by the awarding bodies with relevant employers, employer representative bodies and sector skills council.

    There is no requirement in adult social care currently for a care worker to hold a specific qualification in order to work in this role. However, under the Care Quality Commission’s registration system, it is the responsibility of the social care employer to determine the range of duties undertaken by the care worker and to ensure they have the necessary training and skills for those duties.