The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Featherstone on 2016-01-26.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government how much money they have spent in this Parliamentary Session on support for fracking activities.
Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth
I refer the noble Baroness to the answer my Hon. Friend the Minister of State for Energy and Climate Change gave to the hon. Member for Huddersfield on 21 January 2016 to House of Commons Parliamentary Question 22696.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Alton of Liverpool on 2016-01-26.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what are the proposed protocols for (1) detection of aneuploidy in embryos following application of the proposed Augment technique, and (2) demonstrating that injected mitochondria either disperse so as to be equally inherited by each blastomere of any resulting embryos or are concentrated in the inner cell mass, in the recent application received by the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) for a pilot trial in the UK; what estimate the HFEA has been provided regarding (1) the likely financial costs to patients undergoing the proposed Augment procedure, and (2) the potential impact on clinical pregnancy rates of any assessments deemed to be scientifically necessary; and what assessment the HFEA has made of the ruling by the US Food and Drugs Administration in 2013 that Augment is a novel drug in need of extensive and expensive safety testing.
Lord Prior of Brampton
The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) advises that it does not hold data from clinics on the incidence of aneuploidy in oocytes over time, nor has it received evidence from OvaScience, Professor Simon Fishel or other sources that mitochondrial defects are primarily responsible for age-related increases in oocyte chromosomal aneuploidy.
The HFEA also advises that it has not been made aware of any published randomised trials regarding the Augment technique and has not made an assessment of the credibility of claims by OvaScience and those previously made by Clonaid, in the light of data available in peer-reviewed journals. It is currently considering whether techniques, which involve addition of autologous mitochondria to eggs, would be legal in the United Kingdom (under the framework of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 1990, as amended). Part of this consideration involves considering the claims made for Augment by Ovascience.
The HFEA has not received any formal applications for clinical use of the Augment technique, and has not made an assessment of the ruling by the US Food and Drugs Administration to which the Noble Lord refers.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Alton of Liverpool on 2016-01-26.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) has made of recent research suggesting that the eggs of older women can be rejuvenated through injections of mitochondria from other cells; what data collected from clinics the HFEA holds regarding the incidence of aneuploidy in oocytes over time, and what evidence it has received from (1) OvaScience, (2) Professor Simon Fishel, and (3) other sources, that mitochondrial defects are primarily responsible for age-related exponential increases in oocyte aneuploidy; what published randomised trials the HFEA has been made aware of regarding the Augment technique, and what assessment it has made of those trials; and what assessment the HFEA has made of the credibility of claims by OvaScience and those previously made by Clonaid, in the light of data available in peer-reviewed journals.
Lord Prior of Brampton
The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) advises that it does not hold data from clinics on the incidence of aneuploidy in oocytes over time, nor has it received evidence from OvaScience, Professor Simon Fishel or other sources that mitochondrial defects are primarily responsible for age-related increases in oocyte chromosomal aneuploidy.
The HFEA also advises that it has not been made aware of any published randomised trials regarding the Augment technique and has not made an assessment of the credibility of claims by OvaScience and those previously made by Clonaid, in the light of data available in peer-reviewed journals. It is currently considering whether techniques, which involve addition of autologous mitochondria to eggs, would be legal in the United Kingdom (under the framework of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 1990, as amended). Part of this consideration involves considering the claims made for Augment by Ovascience.
The HFEA has not received any formal applications for clinical use of the Augment technique, and has not made an assessment of the ruling by the US Food and Drugs Administration to which the Noble Lord refers.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by whether they are in discussion with him about the effect of incitements to violence.” on 2016-01-26.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the impact of the remarks by Sheikh Abu Taqi Al-Din Al-Dari delivered at the Al-Aqsa Mosque, and posted online on 16 January, that the basic principle is that the Islamic state should work to conquer the world through Jihad for the sake of Allah” and that “it must conquer Rome
Baroness Anelay of St Johns
Officials from our Consulate-General in Jerusalem have discussed this in detail with the Jordanian Waqf, including raising our concern over the language used. The remarks made are indeed deeply concerning. However, the person filmed (Sheikh Abu Taqi Al-Din Al-Dari) has no connection to the Palestinian Authority, or the Jordanian Waqf. Although the video footage does appear to show him speaking inside the al Aqsa mosque, he was not preaching from the minbar, nor is he authorised to do so by the Waqf. We regularly raise incitement with the Palestinian Authority, and have urged key figures to encourage calm and condemn violence. Our Consul-General raised the issue of incitement most recently with the Palestinian Minister of Health on 21 January, and Fatah Central Committee member Jibril Rjoub on 26 January. We welcome President Abbas’ recent restated commitment to reviving the Tripartite Committee on Incitement, as the best channel to address allegations of Israeli and Palestinian incitement.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Alton of Liverpool on 2016-01-26.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what action they are taking to prevent hostels requiring asylum seekers to wear red wristbands before providing food and to stop property companies singling out the accommodation used by asylum seekers by having their doors painted red.
Lord Bates
On 20 January my Rt. Hon. Friend the Immigration Minister (James Brokenshire), in response to the articles in the press regarding asylum seeker accommodation in Middlesbrough, announced an audit of asylum accommodation as a result of the allegations made (regarding the use of a single paint colour on asylum seeker properties).
The Home Office has asked for assurance from all accommodation providers that there are no further policies or practices that allow asylum seekers to be identified as such by the public.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Alton of Liverpool on 2016-01-26.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Anelay of St Johns on 22 January (HL4827), what assessment they have made of the capacity of the United Nations Special Advisers on the Prevention of Genocide and on the Responsibility to Protect, to investigate and bring to justice those responsible for genocide against Yazidis and Christians.
Baroness Anelay of St Johns
The role of the UN Office of the UN Special Adviser on the Prevention of Genocide is to raise awareness of the causes and dynamics of genocide, to alert relevant actors where there is a risk of genocide, and to advocate and mobilise for appropriate action. The role of the Special Adviser on the Responsibility to Protect is to lead the conceptual, political, institutional and operational development of the Responsibility to Protect. They are not mandated to carry out criminal/judicial investigations, and therefore the British Government has made no assessment of their capacity to do so.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Debbie Abrahams on 2016-01-26.
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people have participated in the universal credit in-work conditionality pilots; and (a) how many and (b) what proportion of these people have been sanctioned since those pilots began.
Priti Patel
National roll-out of the In-Work Progression Randomised Control Trial commenced in December 2015 and is likely to be completed in summer 2016. We are unable to provide the information requested at this early stage.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Cunningham on 2016-01-26.
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps he is taking to reduce delays in payment of tax credits and other benefits as a result of administrative errors; and if he will make a statement.
Priti Patel
Tax Credits are the responsibility of HMRC.
The Department for Work and Pensions is committed to ensuring payments are made in a timely manner and benefit payment times are improving year on year.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Timms on 2016-01-26.
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 21 January 2016 to Question 22791, what criteria are used by Work Coaches to assess a claimant’s financial capability.
Priti Patel
Work Coaches have the autonomy to tailor their discussions to meet the claimant’s needs and to determine the level of support and advice they require.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Justin Madders on 2016-01-26.
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the financial effect on local authorities of removal of the severe disability premium.
Priti Patel
The fact that the severe disability premium does not feature within the structure of Universal Credit (UC) has no financial effect on Local Authorities. Under UC, the most severely disabled claimants will receive more targeted support.