Tag: Baroness Tonge

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Tonge on 2016-03-08.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the safety of aircraft flying over heavily populated areas of West London, in the light of the laser attacks on aircraft pilots and the possible expansion of Heathrow Airport.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon

The UK aviation industry has an excellent safety record and safety is monitored continuously by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) as safety regulator. The safety of the public is the first consideration in any decision-making process.

The CAA has conducted extensive assessments of the risks to aircraft of laser attacks. The CAA Mandatory Occurrence Reports (MORs) provide statistical data on the frequency and geographical location of attacks on UK aircraft. In addition, the data provides details of the rate of reported attacks in relation to the number of aircraft movements at all UK airports including London Heathrow.

The assessments are supplemented with further enhanced statistical analysis of the MORs by Imperial College London.

The Government is actively working to draw together a plan to tackle the issues around the sale and misuse of lasers, and to ensure the safety of consumers and aircraft.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Tonge on 2016-03-21.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what plans they have to support countries in combating breast ironing.

Baroness Anelay of St Johns

The Government is concerned about the harmful practice of breast ironing in some Commonwealth and other African countries. Whilst there is little data on the number of girls suffering from this abuse, we have, for example, worked with the government and religious leaders in Cameroon on campaigns to raise awareness and to support community-led efforts to end breast ironing.

The Government condemns violence against women and girls in all its forms and places gender equality at the heart of our bilateral development programming. In Nigeria we are investing over £40 million to change harmful social norms towards women and girls, and to protect women and girls against violence. I raised these issues with the Government of Nigeria during my visit to the country in February. Baroness Verma, the Parliamentary Under-Secretary at the Department for International Development (DfID), discussed gender-based violence in South Africa in October 2015, including DfID’s support to the re-establishment of South Africa’s Sexual Offences Courts and its work with the African Prosecutor’s Association on research into preventing violence against women.

The manifestations of violence against women and girls may change but it is critical to address the structural causes of violence, including harmful beliefs and attitudes. We shall continue to work through diplomatic and development channels to engage with governments and local communities in Africa and beyond, to support the rights of women and girls, including ending harmful practices which constitute violence.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Tonge on 2016-04-11.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many Israeli government organisations have been given charitable status in the UK.

Lord Bridges of Headley

In England and Wales the law requires charities to be independent in the way they operate and they must be set up with exclusively charitable purposes for the public benefit. This precludes from charitable status any organisations that are established to further the purposes of any non-charity, which would include a national government.

Charity law is devolved in Scotland and Northern Ireland, but the requirements there are similar.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Tonge on 2016-05-03.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Anelay of St Johns on 18 April (HL7720), what representations they now intend to make to the government of Israel to ensure an adequate power supply to Gaza.

Baroness Anelay of St Johns

We regularly raise Gaza’s energy needs, which are essential to permit recovery and allow the economy to grow, with the Israeli authorities. A long-term strategy for gas provision needs to be established. In the interim, we are focussing on provision of diesel to run the Gazan power plant, and expanded electricity provision from medium-voltage feeder lines into Gaza from Israel.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Tonge on 2016-05-23.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether, and if so when, they intend to instigate an independent inquiry into Islamophobia in politics at all levels.

Baroness Williams of Trafford

Everyone in Britain has the right to feel safe and at ease in the place where they live. There is no place for hatred against people because of their race, gender, ethnic origin, faith, sexual orientation, age or disability. This includes anti-Muslim attacks which are unacceptable in Britain.

The Government is already taking a number of steps to counter Islamaphobia and does not intend to carry out an independent inquiry. We fund Tell MAMA (Measuring Anti-Muslim Attacks) to encourage reporting of these crimes and to support victims. We have also set up the first cross Government Anti-Muslim Hatred Working Group to raise awareness of Islamaphobic attacks. In addition, the police began to disaggregate hate crime by religion in April 2016. This will help the police to build community trust, target their resources and enable the public to hold them to account.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Tonge on 2016-06-13.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what plans they have to support Gaza and Gazan refugees in the light of warnings from the UN that Gaza will be uninhabitable by 2020.

Baroness Verma

As part of its Bilateral Aid Review, DFID is in the process of agreeing future multi-year support for Palestinian development, which will include support for Gaza. This will include access for reconstruction materials, basic service delivery, support to the private sector and assistance for the most vulnerable.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Tonge on 2016-07-11.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what representations they have made to the government of Israel about reports of its intention to reduce the budget for Arab teacher training colleges in Northern Israel to half that of the budget allocated to Jewish teacher training colleges.

Baroness Anelay of St Johns

The British Embassy in Tel Aviv regularly raises the need for equal treatment of all of Israel’s citizens with the Israeli government. Although we have not raised this particular issue, we recognise the importance of equality regarding teacher training, access to education and the role of education in building understanding between communities.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Tonge on 2016-09-12.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what representations they plan to make to the government of Israel concerning reports that on 29 August Israeli forces at Salaymeh checkpoint in Hebron fired tear gas at school-children attempting to make their way home.

Baroness Anelay of St Johns

While we have not made specific representations on this issue, we have repeatedly raised our concerns with the Israeli authorities about the Israel Defence Forces’ use of force.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Tonge on 2016-10-11.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they are planning to revise the visa system for Palestinians living in East Jerusalem and Ramallah which prevents them from applying for a visa at a Visa Application Centre other than the one closest to where they live.

Baroness Williams of Trafford

There are no plans to change the visa system for Palestinians living in East Jerusalem or Ramallah.

As set out in the Immigration Rules, applications for a visit visa or EEA family permit can be made in any visa application centre, British diplomatic mission or consular post overseas where entry clearance applications are accepted. Applications for other types of entry clearance should be made in the applicant’s country of residence. Where there is no post in the country of residence, applications should be made to the designated application post.

There are three Visa Application Centres in the Occupied Palestinian Territories designated by the Secretary of State to accept visas applications. These are the Visa Application Centre at the American Colony Hotel in Jerusalem, the British Information and Services Office in Gaza City, and the British Council office in Ramallah. Applicants choose the location for their appointment to submit their application at the end of the online application process.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Tonge on 2015-11-17.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what representations they have made to the government of Israel about its decision to approve the construction of Israeli settlement units in Bethlehem and close to Ramallah.

Baroness Anelay of St Johns

Officials from our Embassy in Tel Aviv raised the issue of settlement announcements with the Israeli Ministry of Defence on 17 November and the Israeli Deputy National Security Adviser on 18 November. The Government has repeatedly condemned settlement announcements, and we will continue to call on the Israeli authorities to cease all settlement building and to remove illegal outposts, as required under international law.