Blog

  • Baroness Suttie – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Baroness Suttie – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Suttie on 2016-05-04.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what representations they have made to the government of Azerbaijan about the case of Ilga Mammadov.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    We have raised the case of Ilgar Mammadov on a number of occasions since his arrest in February 2013. The Foreign Secretary, my Rt Hon. Friend the Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr Hammond), and the Minister for Europe, my Rt Hon. Friend the Member for Aylesbury (Mr Lidington), raised it bilaterally with the Government of Azerbaijan during their visits to Baku in December 2013 and November 2014 respectively. The UK issued a press statement in March 2014, expressing concern about the length of the sentence and the conduct of the trial. In the Council of Europe the UK has repeatedly called for the Government of Azerbaijan to fully implement the European Court of Human Rights judgement and release Mr Mammadov.

  • Baroness Randerson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Baroness Randerson – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Randerson on 2016-05-04.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what are the terms of the review of HS2 being undertaken by Sir Jeremy Heywood; and when that review is expected to conclude.

    Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon

    As is normal for large projects, the Cabinet Office’s Infrastructure and Projects Authority (IPA) is conducting assurance of the HS2 programme as it proceeds into its delivery phase. It is standard practice for this to include a small cross Government team, and not unusual for the Cabinet Secretary to take an interest on projects of this scale. ‎

    The IPAs role on the Government’s Major Projects Portfolio is to provide expertise in infrastructure and the financing, delivery and assurance of major projects, to support more effective management and delivery across government. The assurance exercise is expected to feed into the next steps on delivery.

  • Baroness Lister of Burtersett – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Baroness Lister of Burtersett – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Lister of Burtersett on 2016-05-04.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon on 25 April (HL7517), what is the timescale for the forthcoming review of British nationality law; and whether that review, and subsequent changes to citizenship legislation, will include the position of those of British Overseas Territories descent born before 1 July 2006 whose unmarried fathers automatically gained full British citizenship under the British Overseas Territories Act 2002.

    Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon

    The review of citizenship will look at how citizenship should be obtained in the future, both within the UK and the overseas territories. The overseas territories will be consulted as part of that review, and will have the opportunity to provide their views on a number of citizenship matters. The date for this consultation has not been finalised and details will be published in due course.

  • Baroness Deech – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Baroness Deech – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Deech on 2016-05-04.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the impact on charities operating in Gaza of the freezing of financial transfers to them owing to the orders of the Palestinian Authority to Palestinian banks.

    Baroness Verma

    The UK remains supportive of the Palestinian Authority’s (PA) efforts to strengthen its revenue generation. A transparent and effective tax system is an important part of this. It is also important that the tax system is implemented in a way that does not negatively impact the vital role which NGO’s play in responding to the needs of Palestinians in the Occupied Palestinian Territories is an importtant part of this.

    DFID officials have raised concerns with the Ministry of Finance (MOF) about this, particularly the need for clarity on the implications of the tax system for NGOs, and how this could affect issues such as operations in Gaza and banking signatory authorities. The UK, along with other donors, UN OCHA and the NGO community, will continue to be in close contact with PA to clarify their approach.

  • Baroness Byford – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Baroness Byford – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Byford on 2016-05-04.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government why processing claims to the Flood Recovery Fund have been delayed, and when they estimate that the processing of such claims will be completed.

    Lord Gardiner of Kimble

    The Farming Recovery Fund closed on 1 April in all areas except Greater Manchester, where it closed on 15 April. Of the total 1,103 applications received by 15 April, 515 were received in the week 28 March to 1 April and a further 18 were received by 15 April.

    The Rural Payments Agency (RPA) is taking measures to assess all the remaining applications received, including more staff resources and a review of the administrative checks required before approval. The RPA expects to process most applications by the end of May 2016.

  • Baroness Byford – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Baroness Byford – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Byford on 2016-05-04.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government, of the 1,103 claims to the Flood Recovery Fund made by farmers in Cumbria, Northumberland, Lancashire, Yorkshire, County Durham and Greater Manchester, (1) who is responsible for approving those claims, (2) how many have been paid, and (3) what is the total value of those claims.

    Lord Gardiner of Kimble

    Whilst the Farming Recovery Fund is not competitive, farmers wishing to apply to the Fund have to submit a formal application with evidence to support their need for a grant to contribute to the restoration of farmland badly affected by Storms Desmond or Eva. Payments are made to farmers once the work has been carried out and a claim has been submitted.

    The Rural Payments Agency (RPA) is responsible for determining the eligibility of Farming Recovery Fund applications, issuing grant funding agreements to eligible applicants, and receiving, processing and paying claims for costs incurred under those grant funding agreements.

    The RPA received 1,103 applications for a total value of grant of £11,429,194 by the closing dates for the scheme. As of 5 May 2016, 209 applications have been approved with a total value of £1,947,738. A further 20 applications, with a value of £265,440, have been either rejected as ineligible or withdrawn by the applicant.

    Of the projects approved, 29 have been completed and have submitted claims with a value of £202,268. 13 of these claims have been paid with a total value of £78,504.

  • Lord Berkeley – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Lord Berkeley – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Berkeley on 2016-05-04.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon on 4 May (HL7877), why they have not specified as part of their sustainability policy for HS2 the use of sustainable aggregates in the design of structures.

    Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon

    The HS2 Sustainability Policy states that we will ‘source and make efficient use of sustainable materials.’ This includes the use of sustainable aggregates but is a purposely high-level statement intended to cover all types of sustainable materials. The detailed specifications for the sourcing and use of all materials, including aggregates, will be developed through the design process in line with the Sustainability Policy.

  • Lord Alton of Liverpool – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Lord Alton of Liverpool – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Alton of Liverpool on 2016-05-04.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the legal advice given by the Attorney General in Northern Ireland that genocide is being committed against Christian and other minorities in Iraq and Syria.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    This Government condemns Daesh atrocities against Christians, other minorities, and the majority Muslim populations of Iraq and Syria. As the Prime Minister, my Rt Hon. Friend the Member for Witney (Mr Cameron), has said, the Government’s position remains that although there is a very strong case to answer, ultimately it should be a matter for judicial authorities.

    We are supporting the gathering and preservation of evidence that could in future be used in a court to hold Daesh to account. And we continue to deliver our comprehensive strategy to defeat Daesh, and thereby stop them from preventing more atrocities.

  • Lord Alton of Liverpool – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Lord Alton of Liverpool – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Alton of Liverpool on 2016-05-04.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government, in the light of the visit in January of British and French diplomats and American representatives to meet the Syriac coalition, what conclusions they have drawn about the military needs of that coalition.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    The Syriac Military Council has been a component part of the Kurdish People’s Protection Units (YPG)-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) since the SDF’s formation in late 2015. The SDF receives support from the International Coalition in its efforts to combat Daesh in Northern Syria.

  • Lord Alton of Liverpool – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Lord Alton of Liverpool – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Alton of Liverpool on 2016-05-04.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the campaign by the Syriac Military Council and its militia in recapturing territory, including Assyrian villages, from ISIS.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    We welcome all successes against Daesh. Ultimately, the best way of safeguarding minorities such as the Assyrians and the majority population is by defeating Daesh and establishing a lasting peace in both Syria and Iraq.

    The Syriac Military Council has been a component part of the Kurdish People’s Protection Units (YPG)-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) since the SDF’s formation in late 2015. The SDF receives support from the Global Coalition in its efforts to combat Daesh in Northern Syria.