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Tag: Lord Avebury

  • Lord Avebury – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Lord Avebury – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Avebury on 2015-09-17.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government when the Ministry of Justice last reviewed the provisions of the Registration of Burials Act 1864 under section 149 of the Equality Act 2010.

    Lord Faulks

    The Ministry of Justice does not exercise any functions under the provisions of the Registration of Burials Act 1864 and has not therefore undertaken such a review. Should the Government amend the Act in the future, however, it would have to take account of the requirements of the Equality Act 2010.

  • Lord Avebury – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Lord Avebury – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Avebury on 2015-09-17.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether, following the fifth UN joint statement on human rights in Bahrain, they have discussed with the government of Bahrain the cases of opposition leaders Sheikh Ali Salman, Ibrahim Sharif, Fadhel Abbas, and Majid Milad; and if so, with what results.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    We have previously raised these four cases with the Government of Bahrain, including at the highest levels. We continue to do so on a regular basis. Following the UN joint statement on 14 September on human rights in Bahrain, the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my hon. Friend the Member for Bournemouth East (Mr Ellwood), discussed human rights and political reform with the Bahraini Ambassador.

  • Lord Avebury – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Lord Avebury – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Avebury on 2014-06-27.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what plans they have to share the revenues from the sale of the domain name .io with the people of the Chagos Archipelago including the descendants of those who were evicted from the islands.

    Baroness Warsi

    In much the same way as the .uk domain, the administration of the .io domain has always been carried out by a private sector organisation – this is currently the Internet Computer Bureau. As with the .uk domain, the Government receives no revenues from the sales or administration of this domain, and there are therefore no plans to share these with Chagossians.

  • Lord Avebury – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Lord Avebury – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Avebury on 2014-03-25.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government by how much they expect overall alcohol consumption to rise or fall across the United Kingdom as a result of the changes in alcohol duty announced in the Budget.

    Lord Newby

    The Government expects that there will be a small increase in alcohol consumption as a result of the changes to alcohol duty announced at Budget 2014. The tables below provide estimates of changes in consumption in both percentage and volume terms for each type of alcohol consumed, relative to the previous alcohol duty rates policy.

    Estimated increase in consumption (%):

    2014-15

    2015-16

    2016-17

    2017-18

    2018-19

    Beer

    1.5%

    1.5%

    1.6%

    1.7%

    1.8%

    Spirits

    1.1%

    1.2%

    1.2%

    1.3%

    1.4%

    Alcopops

    0.1%

    0.1%

    0.1%

    0.1%

    0.2%

    Cider

    0.9%

    0.9%

    1.0%

    1.0%

    1.1%

    Wine

    0.0%

    0.0%

    0.0%

    0.0%

    0.0%

    Total

    0.8%

    0.9%

    0.9%

    0.9%

    0.9%

    Estimated increase in consumption (thousand hectolitres of alcohol):

    2014-15

    2015-16

    2016-17

    2017-18

    2018-19

    Beer

    25

    25

    26

    28

    29

    Spirits

    12

    12

    13

    14

    15

    Alcopops

    0

    0

    0

    0

    0

    Cider

    4

    4

    4

    5

    5

    Wine

    0

    0

    0

    0

    0

    Total

    40

    42

    44

    46

    48
  • Lord Avebury – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture Media and Sport

    Lord Avebury – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Avebury on 2014-03-31.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government, in the light of their announcement in July 2013 that the consultation on caste legislation was expected in February or March 2014, why it has not yet been issued.

    Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon

    The Government is currently considering two issues which have developed and which have potential implications for the consultation.

    In February, the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) published helpful research designed to inform the introduction of new legislation on caste, as outlined in the July 2013 announcement. However, that announcement said: ‘…work will also be undertaken to determine information about the extent of caste discrimination in Britain that can be used as a comparative baseline for any future consideration of the effectiveness of caste legislation.’

    We had intended to reflect consideration of this work in the public consultation process. However, further discussions between Government and the EHRC about the research needed for it have revealed concerns that not only might this be difficult to commission successfully, but it could be seen as intrusive and might have an adverse effect on good relations in the relevant communities. We are therefore considering how best to proceed with the consultation in the light of this.

    Another recent development is the judgment in the Employment Tribunal case of Tirkey v Chandok which concluded that there is already legal protection against caste discrimination through the race provisions of the Equality Act 2010. We need to review recent case law to consider whether and how it may affect the way in which we implement the legislation.

    We would expect the public consultation document, including our conclusions on these matters, to issue in the Autumn.

  • Lord Avebury – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Lord Avebury – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Avebury on 2014-04-08.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what changes they expect in alcohol consumption from on-trade and off-trade purchases respectively over the next five financial years, following the changes in alcohol duty announced in the Budget.

    Lord Deighton

    Changes to beer, cider and wine duty at Budget 2014 help support British pubs. The Government also supports the Scotch whisky industry for the unique role it plays in the UK economy. Freezing the duty on spirits supports the domestic market for the Scotch whisky industry and jobs in Scotland.

    The Government expects that there will be a small increase in alcohol consumption as a result of these changes to alcohol duty at Budget 2014 in both the on-trade – where alcohol is sold to be consumed on the premises (e.g. pubs, bars, restaurants) – and for the off-trade – where alcohol is sold to be consumed off the premises (e.g. supermarkets, off-licences). The tables below provide estimates of changes in consumption in both percentage and volume terms relative to the previous alcohol duty rates policy.

    Estimated change in consumption (%):

    2014-15

    2015-16

    2016-17

    2017-18

    2018-19

    On-trade

    +0.7%

    +0.8%

    +0.8%

    +0.8%

    +0.9%

    Off-trade

    +0.9%

    +0.9%

    +0.9%

    +0.9%

    +1.0%

    Estimated change in consumption (thousand hectolitres of alcohol):

    2014-15

    2015-16

    2016-17

    2017-18

    2018-19

    On-trade

    +13

    +13

    +14

    +15

    +15

    Off-trade

    +28

    +29

    +30

    +32

    +33

  • Lord Avebury – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Lord Avebury – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Avebury on 2014-04-08.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether the industrially produced white cider marketed under the labels Frosty Jack’s, Diamond White, White Ace, White Star, White Strike, Three Hammers, Ice Dragon and White Magic respectively meet the minimum juice content required to qualify for lower rates of alcohol duty.

    Lord Deighton

    Cider made with at least 35 per cent fruit juice is treated as cider for duty purposes while cider made with less than 35 per cent fruit juice is treated as made wine for duty purposes. As not all cider makers publicly state the proportion of fruit juice in their cider, this question cannot be answered without breaching taxpayer confidentiality.

  • Lord Avebury – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Lord Avebury – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Avebury on 2014-05-06.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government by what date they will revisit the decision on whether to include Gypsies and Irish Travellers as an ethnic category in the NHS National Data Dictionary; and what account they have taken of the recommendation by the National Inclusion Health Board to the Health and Social Care Information Centre to use the 2011 Census ethnic category classifications in national data collection.

    Earl Howe

    NHS England, in collaboration with other bodies, will shortly produce guidance that advises on the codes for data collection, including those for ethnicity. National Health Service organisations continue to use the 2001 codes in order to support consistency with other data systems within the NHS. NHS organisations can choose to use either the 2001 or the 2011 categories.

    Additional codes can be included as appropriate at a local level to reflect the demographic make-up of the local population. This allows local monitoring to take place in a way that supports service planning, decision-making, and key processes such as the Joint Strategic Needs Assessment.

    We envisage this position will be revisited, with decisions to change this advice based upon the breadth of utilisation of the new coding system.

    The Department, Public Health England and NHS England are together considering the findings and recommendations in the report from the National Inclusion Health Board.

  • Lord Avebury – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    Lord Avebury – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Education

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Avebury on 2014-05-06.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government why data on the presence of asbestos were not covered in the Property Data Survey Programme in United Kingdom schools; and what are their plans for removing any remaining asbestos from United Kingdom schools.

    Lord Nash

    The Property Data Survey gathers high-level condition data across the state-funded educational estate in England only. The surveyors employed on the programme are general building surveyors and they perform a visual, non-intrusive survey. In comparison, considerably more detailed surveys are required to assess asbestos and that is why asbestos is not included as part of the Property Data Survey.

    The Department for Education does not have a programme for the phased removal of all asbestos from schools in England. Under the Control of Asbestos Regulations, the employer – either the school or local authority – has clear responsibilities to manage asbestos containing materials in schools safely. The advice from the Health and Safety Executive is that it is safer to leave undisturbed or undamaged asbestos in place and to carefully manage it rather than to risk disturbing or damaging asbestos unnecessarily. If asbestos is managed effectively, as required by the regulations, the safest and most effective way to plan for its removal is when existing buildings are refurbished or replaced.

  • Lord Avebury – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Lord Avebury – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Avebury on 2014-06-16.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they will seek discussions with the government of Bangladesh on that government’s proposed Foreign Donations (Voluntary Activities) Act 2014 and its impact on overseas donors and the non-governmental organisations in Bangladesh in receipt of such donations.

    Baroness Warsi

    The British Government recognises the important role of non-governmental organisations. Together with other donors we plan to discuss the draft Foreign Donations Act with the Government of Bangladesh, and will consult non-governmental organisations that will be affected by the legislation. We welcome the consultations that have taken place between the Government of Bangladesh and non-governmental organisations, and hope these will continue.