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  • Lord Chadlington – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    Lord Chadlington – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Chadlington on 2016-01-18.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what progress they have made in tackling problem gambling.

    Baroness Neville-Rolfe

    This Government wants to ensure that people are protected from being harmed or exploited by gambling. We welcome the ongoing work of the Responsible Gambling Strategy Board (RGSB), the Gambling Commission and the Responsible Gambling Trust (RGT) to identify the causes of problem gambling and to implement effective deterrents and treatments.

  • 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 2016-01-18.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the reply by the Earl of Courtown on 12 January (HL Deb, col 137), whether they will place a copy of the details of the £1 million competition to boost ideas to get more tourists on to the railways and out and about in the UK in the Library of the House, and explain the significance of that competition for rail safety.

    Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon

    The Prime Minister has announced a £1 million ‘Rail for Tourism innovation’ competition to call for ideas to transform the travel experience for visitors to the UK and make exploring the UK by rail more attractive to tourists. This is to be run by the Future Railway Programme, which is part of the Rail Safety and Standards Board. Details are being developed. Once published, a copy will be placed in the Library of the House.

  • Lord Beecham – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Lord Beecham – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Beecham on 2016-01-18.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government which, if any, of the recommendations of the report on the welfare of immigration detainees by Stephen Shaw have been rejected, and on what grounds.

    Lord Bates

    The Government’s position on the Stephen Shaw review was set out in the Written Ministerial Statement laid on 14 January 2016.

    The Government accepts the broad thrust of Mr Shaw’s recommendations. In particular the Government accepts Mr Shaw’s recommendations to adopt a wider definition of those at risk, including victims of sexual violence, individuals with mental health issues, pregnant women, those with learning difficulties, post-traumatic stress disorder and elderly people, and to recognise the dynamic nature of vulnerabilities. We will introduce a new “adult at risk” concept into decision-making on immigration detention with a clear presumption that people who are at risk should not be detained, building on the existing legal framework.

    A more detailed mental health needs assessment in immigration removal centres, using the expertise of the Centre for Mental Health, will be carried out and is expected to report in March 2016. NHS commissioners will use that assessment to consider and revisit current provision to ensure healthcare needs are being met appropriately. The Government will also publish a joint Department of Health, NHS and Home Office mental health action plan in April 2016.

    We will also be considering a number of operational recommendations made by Mr Shaw, on a case by case basis, taking account of available resources.

  • 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 2016-01-18.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of  the human rights situation in the Maldives, and what consideration they are giving to immediate targeted sanctions by the UK and at a EU level on senior officials and key supporters of the government of the Maldives, including freezing assets and travel bans.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    The UK is concerned about the decline in respect for democracy, human rights and the rule of law in the Maldives. The Minister of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for East Devon (Mr Swire), visited the Maldives on 17 and 18 January and expressed these concerns to President Yameen and other key members of the Maldivian government including Foreign Minister Dunya.

    We will continue to apply pressure through a range of bilateral and multilateral means to bring about the positive changes we all want to see in the Maldives.

  • 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 2016-01-18.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what action they are taking to press the government of the Maldives for the unconditional release of former President Mohamed Nasheed for medical treatment in the UK.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    The Minister of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for East Devon (Mr Swire), visited the Maldives on 17 and 18 January. He met key members of the Maldives government, including President Yameen and reiterated our call for the release of all political prisoners. The UK welcomed the Maldivian government’s decision on 18 January to allow former President Nasheed to travel overseas for medical treatment.

  • Lord Alton of Liverpool – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Lord Alton of Liverpool – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Alton of Liverpool on 2016-01-18.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they will commission an assessment of the implications for the mental and physical health of children conceived through the use of sperm from prolific, unregulated donors, and whether they intend to review the regulation of sperm donation.

    Lord Prior of Brampton

    According to media reports, this particular case concerns private arrangements made between individual women seeking sperm for home insemination and the man providing the sperm. There is no third party involved. Such private arrangements between a man and a woman are not regulated. We understand that there is also no evidence to support the claim of up to 800 children having been born.

    It is important that women seeking sperm donation treatment fully understand the benefits of using clinics licensed by the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority.

  • Lord Alton of Liverpool – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Lord Alton of Liverpool – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Alton of Liverpool on 2016-01-18.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what action the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority is taking, if any, following the reports that one 41-year old man has fathered up to 800 children by providing his gametes to women seeking to become pregnant.

    Lord Prior of Brampton

    According to media reports, this particular case concerns private arrangements made between individual women seeking sperm for home insemination and the man providing the sperm. There is no third party involved. Such private arrangements between a man and a woman are not regulated. We understand that there is also no evidence to support the claim of up to 800 children having been born.

    It is important that women seeking sperm donation treatment fully understand the benefits of using clinics licensed by the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority.

  • Lord Alton of Liverpool – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Lord Alton of Liverpool – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Alton of Liverpool on 2016-01-18.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the public policy implications arising from the recent reports that one 41-year old man has fathered up to 800 children by providing his gametes to women seeking to become pregnant.

    Lord Prior of Brampton

    According to media reports, this particular case concerns private arrangements made between individual women seeking sperm for home insemination and the man providing the sperm. There is no third party involved. Such private arrangements between a man and a woman are not regulated. We understand that there is also no evidence to support the claim of up to 800 children having been born.

    It is important that women seeking sperm donation treatment fully understand the benefits of using clinics licensed by the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority.

  • Lord Alton of Liverpool – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Lord Alton of Liverpool – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Alton of Liverpool on 2016-01-18.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether the Home Office has received any applications from researchers at the Francis Crick Institute to study the impact on implantation or miscarriage of genetic alterations introduced by genome editing in non-human primates, and if so, when.

    Lord Bates

    The use of non-human primates in scientific procedures is highly regulated and non-human primates can only be used where there is no other suitable animal and where a full harm-benefit analysis has been carried out. In 2014, the last year for which we have data, there was no use of genetically altered non-human primates.

    The release of information on specific licence applications is restricted in order to protect the identities of people and places and to avoid the release of valuable intellectual property.

  • Stephen Phillips – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Stephen Phillips – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Stephen Phillips on 2016-01-19.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will take steps to assist schools in Lincolnshire to resolve recent issues relating to the provision of financial services by SERCO on behalf of Lincolnshire County Council.

    Mr Sam Gyimah

    We’ve been in correspondence on this issue and theHon. Memberis aware that the management of financial services to schools is the devolved responsibility of the local authority.

    The local authority has confirmed they are aware of the problem. They have put in place an emergency project board, and are processing payments manually where necessary. Schools concerned about urgent payments should contact the local authority who will intervene and make an emergency payment.