TuesdayVol. 770 10 May 2016No. 38 -...

Tuesday

10 May 2016

P A R L I A M E N T A R Y D E B A T E S

(HANSARD)

HOUSE OF LORDS

WRITTEN STATEMENTS AND

WRITTEN ANSWERS

Written Statements ................................................ 1

Written Answers ..................................................... 2

Vol. 770

No. 38

[I] indicates that the member concerned has a relevant registered interest. The full register of interests can be found at

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Members who want a printed copy of Written Answers and Written Statements should notify the Printed Paper Office.

This printed edition is a reproduction of the original text of Answers and Statements, which can be found on the internet

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Ministers and others who make Statements or answer Questions are referred to only by name, not their ministerial or

other title. The current list of ministerial and other responsibilities is as follows.

Minister Responsibilities

Baroness Stowell of Beeston Leader of the House of Lords and Lord Privy Seal

Earl Howe Minister of State, Ministry of Defence and Deputy Leader of the House of Lords

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Home Office and Department for Transport

Baroness Anelay of St Johns Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office

Baroness Altmann Minister of State, Department for Work and Pensions

Lord Ashton of Hyde Whip

Lord Bridges of Headley Parliamentary Secretary, Cabinet Office

Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Energy and Climate Change, Wales

Office and Whip

Baroness Chisholm of Owlpen Whip

Earl of Courtown Whip

Lord Dunlop Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Scotland Office

Baroness Evans of Bowes Park Whip

Lord Faulks Minister of State, Ministry of Justice

Lord Freud Minister of State, Department for Work and Pensions

Lord Gardiner of Kimble Deputy Chief Whip and Spokesman for Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Lord Keen of Elie Advocate-General for Scotland

Lord Nash Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Education

Baroness Neville-Rolfe Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills and

Department for Culture, Media and Sport

Lord O’Neill of Gatley Commercial Secretary to the Treasury

Lord Price Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, and Foreign and

Commonwealth Office

Lord Prior of Brampton Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Health

Baroness Shields Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Culture Media and Sport and Home

Office

Lord Taylor of Holbeach Chief Whip

Baroness Verma Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for International Development

Baroness Williams of Trafford Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Communities and Local

Government

Viscount Younger of Leckie Whip

© Parliamentary Copyright House of Lords 2016

This publication may be reproduced under the terms of the Open Parliament licence,

which is published at www.parliament.uk/site-information/copyright/

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http://www.parliament.uk/writtenanswers

Written Statements 10 May 2016 Page 1

Written Statements Tuesday, 10 May 2016

Oral Answer to Parliamentary Question:

Clarification

[HLWS693]

Lord Gardiner of Kimble: My Hon Friend the

Parliamentary under Secretary of State (Rory Stewart) has

today made the following statement.

I made a Written Ministerial Statement on 2 March

(HCWS569) to correct an answer I gave to my hon.

Friend the Member for North Cornwall (Scott Mann)

during Oral Questions to the Department for

Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on Thursday, 4

February (HC Deb, col 1061). That statement corrected

my previous reply so that it referred to an ‘enforcement

undertaking’, rather than an ‘enforcement order’.

I wish to clarify that the enforcement undertaking was

entered into voluntarily by E & JW Glendinning Ltd and

the Environment Agency and was not ordered by the

Court. The Environment Agency discontinued the

prosecution as a result of the enforcement undertaking.

The enforcement undertaking does not relate to the

“major pollution incident” to which my hon. Friend

referred.

http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-statement/Lords/2016-05-10/HLWS693/

10 May 2016 Written Answers

Written Answers Tuesday, 10 May 2016

Abdullah Öcalan

Asked by Lord Hylton

To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they will

discuss with the government of Turkey the early release

of Abdullah Öcalan, in the light of his long solitary

imprisonment, so as to assist the resumption of peace

negotiations. [HL8023]

Baroness Anelay of St Johns: We have no plans to

discuss this particular case with the Government of

Turkey. Abdullah Öcalan is the leader of the Kurdistan

Workers’ Party, a terrorist organisation proscribed in the

UK that has killed over 350 people in violent attacks since

July 2015. We have supported the peace process initiated

by the Turkish government and hope the process can be

restarted soon.

Academies: Expenditure

Asked by Lord Grocott

To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the

answer by Lord Nash on 3 May (HL Deb, col 1308),

what steps they plan to take to provide Parliament with

a clear view of academy trusts' spending. [HL8226]

Lord Nash: From 2016-17 onwards, the department

will produce a new report and accounts covering the

performance of the academy sector during the previous

academic year. This will provide Parliament with

information on academy trusts’ spending, income and

assets that is clearer, more transparent and more timely.

This approach has been considered and endorsed by the

Education Select Committee and the Liaison Committee

of the House of Commons.

Academies: Fraud

Asked by Lord Grocott


answer by Lord Nash on 3 May (HL Deb, col 1308),

how many allegations of fraud in respect of academies

and free schools were made to the Education Funding

Agency in each financial year from 2012–13 to date.

[HL8227]

Lord Nash: EFA does not classify allegations into

fraud or other forms of irregularity until they have been

investigated. The number of fraud allegations cannot

therefore be isolated from other allegations of irregularity.

After investigation EFA concluded that only 10 of the

allegations received in respect of academies and free

schools since 2012-13 were probable fraud. This shows

that there are low levels of fraud within the 5,685

academies in the sector. Where fraud or other irregularity

is identified EFA takes swift action which may include

conducting its own investigations.

Acts: Publishing

Asked by Lord Lexden

To ask the Chairman of Committees what are the

implications of the vote in the House of Commons on

20 April in favour of retaining vellum for the printing

of record copies of public Acts of Parliament. [HL7954]

Lord Laming: The House Committee considered this

matter at its meeting on 3 May. The Committee agreed

that, in response to the letter from the Clerk of the House

of Commons about the debate, I should write to the

Chairman of the House of Commons Administration

Committee in the following terms:

“I am writing further to the backbench debate on

printing record copies of public Acts of Parliament on

vellum. I have consulted the House of Lords House

Committee in preparing this reply.

As you know, this House agreed in 1999 to move to

printing Acts of Parliament on archival paper instead of

vellum. We are persuaded that printing on archival paper

is a more appropriate use of public funds, and that the

case for continuing to print on vellum is not made.

If, in the light of the debate, the House of Commons

wishes to arrange a contract for printing record copies of

public Acts on vellum then the House of Lords

Administration will gladly share experience of managing

the legacy contract to assist you in making any such

arrangements. I am sure you will appreciate that this

House does not wish to contribute financially to any

future printing on vellum. It is also important that we

ensure the longevity of any public Acts, as the Clerk of

the Parliaments must certify a record copy of them.

Perhaps at our next regular meeting it would be possible

for us to discuss some of the points made in the debate. I

am, as ever, grateful to you for all your help in this

matter.”

I wrote accordingly on 4 May.

Adoption

Asked by Baroness Howells of St Davids

To ask Her Majesty’s Government, in the light of the

Movement for an Adoption Apology campaign,

whether they have any plans to make a public apology

to the mothers whose children were taken away from

them between the 1950s and 1980s. [HL7887]

Lord Nash: The Government has a great deal of

sympathy for those women and children who were

affected by the pressures to give children up for adoption.

Their accumulated experiences clearly show them to be

victims of the prevailing moral and social behaviour of

their time. Governments have subsequently done much to

resolve these social ills in the past.

http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Lords/2016-04-27/HL8023






Written Answers 10 May 2016 Page 3

Anaerobic Digestion

Asked by Baroness Miller of Chilthorne Domer

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their

assessment of how the carbon emissions of waste-fed

anaerobic digestion plants compare to those of plants

fed by energy crops. [HL8100]

Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth: The carbon emissions

from anaerobic digestion (AD) plants have been assessed

by adding together; the greenhouse gas emissions from

the AD plant including an estimate of their methane

leakage rate, the reduction in UK greenhouse gas

emissions from the use of biomethane to substitute for

natural gas in the gas grid, and where this is relevant, the

emissions avoided by no longer needing to dispose of the

feedstock. The estimates below are for typical plants and

will depend on particular circumstances.

For food waste this net change in greenhouse gas

emissions was assessed as a saving of 850g of carbon

dioxide equivalent per kilowatt hour of energy in the

biomethane produced (g CO2eq /kWh). This arises

principally from the reduction in emissions from the

landfilling of food waste. Animal waste based AD plant

save emissions of 704g CO2eq /kWh as a result of the

reduction in storage emissions of slurries and manures.

The use of annual energy crops for AD was assessed as

saving 102g CO2eq /kWh.

The assumptions behind this assessment are detailed in

the Impact Assessment that accompanied the recent

consultation ‘The Renewable Heat Incentive: A reformed

and refocused scheme’ and did not taken account of any

additional carbon emissions impacts relating to indirect

land use change, which may arise from changes in

agricultural land caused by the expansion of croplands for

feedstock production.

This evidence was drawn from the modelling that

supported the Impact Assessment for the recent

Renewable Heat Incentive consultation that closed on

27th April.

Food waste is estimated to be considerably more cost-

effective than agricultural feedstocks because of the

‘upstream’ emissions abatement that is assumed to occur

as a result of diverting food waste from landfill to an

anaerobic digester. This is despite the controls that are in

place at landfill sites to collect and combust landfill gas.

Agricultural wastes are also assumed to produce

upstream emission abatement owing largely to avoided

emissions from the storage of slurries and manures,

although these are less significant than the upstream

abatement from food waste. In contrast energy crops do

not offer these GHG emission reduction advantages.

Armed Forces: Mental Illness

Asked by Lord Moonie

To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many

members of the armed forces left or were discharged in

the last year on mental health grounds. [HL7976]

Earl Howe: In the 12 months to 31 March 2015, 359

UK Regular Armed Forces personnel were medically

discharged with a principal cause of Mental and

Behavioural Disorders.

Comprehensive statistical information on medical

discharges among UK Regular Armed Forces personnel is

published on an annual basis. The latest report, covering

medical discharges during the five Financial Years 2010-

11 to 2014-15 can be found at the following address:

https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/medical-

discharges-among-uk-service-personnel-statistics-index

Information covering Financial Year 2015-16 is

scheduled for publication on 14 July 2016.

The Answer includes the following attached material:

UK Service Personnel Medical Discharges Stats [20150618-

Medical_Discharges_1April10_31March15-O.pdf]

The material can be viewed online at:

http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-

answers-statements/written-question/Lords/2016-04-26/HL7976

Armed Forces: Sexual Offences



allegations of sexual assault and rape were made (1) by,

and (2) against, members of the armed forces in the past

year. [HL7971]

Earl Howe: All allegations of sexual assault and rape

made by or against members of the Armed Forces are

taken very seriously by the Ministry of Defence (MOD).

This information is not held in the requested format.

Only allegations of sexual assault and rape made by a

member of the Armed Forces against another member of

the Armed Forces (or Person Subject to Service Law) are

investigated by the Service Police. Allegations of such

offences made by civilians in the UK are usually

investigated by the appropriate civilian police force, while

allegations made by civilians overseas will be

investigated in accordance with the appropriate agreement

in place between the UK and that country. The MOD does

not hold information on investigations conducted by

civilian police forces.

In 2015 the Service Police investigated 20 cases of rape

and 49 cases of sexual assault. Of the 20 allegations of

rape, 19 cases were against 22 members of the Armed

Forces; the status of the suspect in one case is

unidentified. Eight of the victims of these alleged

offences were members of the Armed Forces.

Of the 49 allegations of sexual assault, 46 cases were

against 49 members of the Armed Forces; in one case the

suspect was a civilian subject to Service Law and the

status of the suspects in two cases is unidentified. 49 of

the victims of these alleged offences were members of the

Armed Forces.








Asylum: Yazidis

Asked by Baroness Berridge

To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many Yazidis

have been given asylum in the UK under (1) the Syrian

Vulnerable Person Resettlement Scheme, (2) the

Gateway Protection Programme, and (3) the Mandate

Refugee Scheme, in the last six months. [HL7694]

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: We continue to work

closely with the United Nations High Commissioner for

Refugees to identify appropriate cases that they deem in

need of resettlement for the Syrian Vulnerable Persons

Resettlement Scheme, the Gateway Protection

Programme and the Mandate Refugee Scheme.

Statistics on arrivals under each of these schemes are

published in the regular quarterly Immigration Statistics

in line with the Code of Practice for Official Statistics.

The next set of statistics will be in the quarterly release

on 26 May 2016 and will cover the period January –

March 2016. We do not publish a breakdown of these

statistics by religion or ethnicity.

British Home Stores: Insolvency

Asked by Lord Myners


Statement by the Business Minister, Anna Soubry, on

25 April (HC Deb, col 1174), what assistance they plan

to offer BHS or Retail Acquisitions. [HL7982]

Baroness Neville-Rolfe: Workers and their families

will be worried by the news that BHS has been placed in

the hands of administrators. The Administrator must

secure the best possible result for the business, starting

with rescuing it if possible as a going concern. If this does

not prove possible, then we stand ready to help those

affected, including through Jobcentre Plus’ Rapid

Response Service, to help people move into new jobs as

quickly as possible.

Burma: Sexual Offences

Asked by Lord Alton of Liverpool

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps the UK

is taking in Burma to ensure that the three objectives of

the Preventing Sexual Violence Initiative are met.

[HL7869]

Baroness Anelay of St Johns: We are persistent in

applying pressure to the Burmese government to live up

to the commitments it made when it endorsed the

Declaration of Commitment to End Sexual Violence in

Conflict at the London Global Summit in June 2014.

During his visit to Burma in July 2015, the Minister of

State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my Rt

Hon. Friend the Member for East Devon (Mr Swire),

pressed the Burmese government at senior ministerial

level on the issue. He also launched the International

Protocol on the Documentation and Investigation of

Sexual Violence. We continue to raise the issue in

international fora, including through UN resolutions on

Burma at the General Assembly and the Human Rights

Council, which we co-sponsor. We also facilitated the

2015 visit of the co-founder of the Preventing Sexual

Violence Initiative, Angelina Jolie-Pitt. Along with Mr

Swire, I was pleased to update selected Parliamentarians

on our continuing efforts on this serious issue at the

Burma briefing on Wednesday 4 May.

Care Homes

Asked by Lord Ouseley

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what provision

they plan to make to meet the shortfall of residential

care home places for elderly people in the light of home

closures and increased demand for social care.

[HL7924]

Lord Prior of Brampton: Adult social care is largely

delivered by a market of independent providers. As in any

market, there is inevitable change which will give rise to

local fluctuations in capacity. We are not aware of any

systemic shortfall of residential care home places.

Under the Care Act (2014), local authorities have duties

to shape their local market to ensure there is adequate

provision of good quality, appropriate services to meet the

changing needs of their local population, including for

people who do not get state-funding.

Children: Protection

Asked by Lord Farmer

To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether

professionals who work with children, such as social

workers and teachers, are legally required to leave their

professions if they continue to live, or resume living,

with a convicted sex offender to whom they are

married, or with whom they have had children who are

no longer minors, after that offender has served a

custodial or community sentence. [HL7969]

Lord Nash: Arrangements within the Childcare Act

2006 and the Childcare (Disqualification) Regulations

2009 disqualify a person from providing, working in, or

managing childcare provision on the grounds that a

person in their household has committed a relevant

offence. A number of the qualifying offences are of a

sexual nature.

A person disqualified from working in any childcare

setting for these reasons is able to apply to Ofsted for a

waiver against disqualification. Where a waiver is granted

the disqualified person is permitted to work in childcare.

The Department publishes guidance (attached) to assist

schools, childcare providers and those working in

childcare and help them understand the arrangements.


Disqualification under the childcare act 2006 [HL7969

Disqualification under the Childcare Act 2006.pdf]









Statutory framework for the early years foundation [HL7969

Statutory framework for the early years foundation stage.pdf]

The material can be viewed online at: http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-


Children's Centres

Asked by Lord Farmer

To ask Her Majesty’s Government how much has

been spent on Children’s Centres since June 2010, (1)

in total, and (2) in each financial year. [HL7968]

Lord Nash: Between April 2010 and March 2015 the

total spent on children’s centres was £5.2 bn.

Local authorities must meet their statutory duties on

children’s centres from funding that currently forms part

of the Department for Communities and Local

Government (DCLG) Business Rates Retention Scheme.

Since April 2010, local authorities have reported

spending on children’s centres through an annual return to

the Department of Education (Section 251 returns;

available on GOV.UK).

There will be variation in the way local authorities

deliver their services, which may not be captured in

within this data. In addition, other government funding,

including that for public health, adult skills training and

troubled families may also be used locally to support

services delivered wholly, or in part, through children’s

centres again this will not be included in this data.

Courts Martial


To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many court

martials have taken place in the last year; and of those

how many resulted in (1) convictions, and (2)

acquittals. [HL8026]

Earl Howe: The Courts Martials tried a total of 477

individuals during 2015. Of these, 362 resulted in a

conviction and 115 resulted in acquittal.

Criminal Proceedings: Legal Representation

Asked by Lord Beecham

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment

they have made of the extent and impact of the number

of defendants in criminal cases appearing without

representation as revealed in the report by Transform

Justice Justice Denied? The experience of

unrepresented defendants in the criminal courts.

[HL7912]

Lord Faulks: Data on litigants in person in

Magistrates’ Courts is not centrally recorded. There has

been no change in the scope or eligibility for legal aid in

the magistrates’ courts since means testing was

introduced in 2006.

Legal aid is available, where necessary, for both

magistrates’ and Crown Court cases, subject to defendants

being means tested.

Deportation: Young People

Asked by Lord Roberts of Llandudno


unaccompanied children who were asylum seekers were

deported from the UK on reaching the age of 18 in each

year since 2007. [HL7605]

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: Our records indicate that

the total number of asylum seeking children who were

removed from the United Kingdom after reaching the age

of 18 from 2007 to 2015 is 6,797. A breakdown of these

returns is provided in the table below.

Removal of former unaccompanied asylum seeking

children will only take place after their asylum claim has

been finally determined, including any appeal hearing,

and it has been established that there is no risk of

persecution, or of a breach of the European Convention

on Human Rights, upon return to their Home Country.

After a former unaccompanied asylum seeking child is

over eighteen years of age, and found not to be at risk

upon return to their home country, their removal will be

managed in line with our usual arrangements for the safe

and secure return of failed asylum seekers who do not

leave the UK voluntarily.

Asylum Seeking Children Returned after Turning 18

Year of Return Total Number of Individuals Removed

2007 1,338

2008 1,132

2009 900

2010 760

2011 807

2012 559

2013 566

2014 402

2015 333

Total 6,797

Table Notes:

1. This is provisional management information that is subject to change.

It has not been assured to the standard of Official Statistics.

2.This data is based on the returns of individuals who have made asylum

applications as main applicants who were minors at the date of

application. The applicants were not necessarily unaccompanied.

3. The figures include voluntary and enforced removals from January

2007.

4. The table shows only the first removal of any individual since January

2007. The figures for 2010 and 2014 therefore differ from those in the

answer to HL2297 which showed the first removal in the two years 2010

and 2014 only.










Disability

Asked by Lord Hunt of Kings Heath


clinicians will serve on the proposed Clinical Reference

Group (CRG) for Rehabilitation and Disability; and

how that number compares with the current CRGs that

cover the same areas. [HL8019]

Lord Prior of Brampton: To ensure that Clinical

Reference Group (CRG) work dovetails with the revised

operating model for specialised commissioning, NHS

England proposes to simplify the operation of CRGs. It is

recommended that the new CRG for Rehabilitation and

Disability replaces the existing Specialist rehabilitation

for patients with highly complex needs (Complex

Rehabilitation) and Complex Disability Equipment

Clinical Commissioning Groups. It is proposed that the

new CRG should have the following membership:

- a minimum of one member with prosthetics expertise;

- a minimum of one member with expertise in

augmentative and alternative communication aids;

- a minimum of one member with expertise in

environmental controls; and

- and four members with Complex Rehabilitation

expertise (1 from each region).

The new CRG has eight clinical members plus a chair.

In the existing two CRG configuration, there are 12

clinical members plus two chairs (one for each CRG). In

addition there are also four affiliated organisation

members, who tend to be clinicians, in both the current

CRGs and the new configuration.

EU Countries: British Nationals Abroad

Asked by Viscount Waverley

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what discussions

they have had with other EU member states about

whether, in the event of the UK leaving the EU, British

citizens settled in EU member states would have an

automatic right to remain in the countries where they

have settled. [HL8053]

Baroness Anelay of St Johns: No such discussions

have been held. As I said in my previous response of 25

April (HL7678), the Government's view is that the UK

will be stronger, safer and better off in a reformed EU.

Should the UK choose to stay in the EU, British citizens

will be able to work, live and retire abroad as they do

now. UK citizens get a range of rights from our

membership of the EU. If the UK were to leave the EU,

all of these rights would have to be covered in a successor

arrangement. If we left the EU without agreeing what

would happen to these rights, it would at the least bring

them into serious question, creating difficulty for UK

citizens who relied on them.

EU Countries: Marriage

Asked by Lord Kilclooney


they have made of which of the 27 other EU member

states have not legalised same-sex marriage. [HL8230]

Baroness Anelay of St Johns: Seven EU Member

States have not legalised same sex marriage. These States

are: Bulgaria, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania

and Slovakia.

Gaza: Energy Supply

Asked by Baroness Tonge


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. [HL8148]

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.

General Practitioners: Brighton

Asked by Lord Bassam of Brighton

To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many (1)

GPs, and (2) GP practices, there were in Brighton and

Hove in each year since 2010. [HL7876]

Lord Prior of Brampton: The information is shown in

the following table.

Total general practitioners (GPs) and GP Practices in

Brighton and Hove City Primary Care Trust (PCT) and

NHS Brighton and Hove Clinical Commissioning Group

(CCG):

2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015

Brighton

and Hove

City PCT

Total GP

Practices

48 48 47

Total GPs

excluding

locums

177 184 182







2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015

Total GPs

excluding

retainers, registrars

and

locums

161 169 170

NHS

Brighton

and Hove CCG

Total GP Practices

46 45 44

Total

GPs excluding

locums

177 180 191

Total GPs

excluding

retainers, registrars

and

locums

172 176 185

Source: The Health and Social Care Information Centre

Notes:

- Data as at 30 September each year.

- NHS Workforce figures are not available by constituency. Brighton

and Hove constituency was contained within and serviced by Brighton

and Hove City PCT from 2009-2012 and NHS Brighton and Hove CCG from 2013 onwards. These trusts are not geographically co-terminus and

thus the figures are not comparable over a time series.

- Prior to 2015 figures are sourced from NHAIS GP Payments (Exeter) System. From 2015 figures are sourced from the workforce

Minimum Dataset (wMDS) and include estimates for missing data.

- GP Locums were collected for the first time in 2015. These have been omitted here for comparability purposes

- Brighton and Hove was serviced by Brighton and Hove PCT 2010-

2012 and NHS Brighton and Hove CCG 2013-2015

- The Health and Social Care Information Centre no longer provides

individual data for ‘GP Provider, GP Other, GP Registrar and GP

Retainer’ from April 2015 onwards as the 2015 GP figures are not published with these four job roles any more.

Gonorrhoea: Disease Control

Asked by Baroness Gould of Potternewton

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what action they

are taking to prevent the spread of gonorrhoea in

England. [HL8000]

Lord Prior of Brampton: Public Health England

(PHE) undertakes a number of actions to limit the spread

of gonorrhoea and other sexually transmitted infections in

populations most at risk of infection in England, which

are outlined in PHE’s Strategic Action Plan for Health

promotion for sexual and reproductive health and HIV.

These activities are focused on (i) developing and

providing high quality surveillance data to monitor rates

of gonorrhoea and related antimicrobial resistance, (ii)

producing national guidance and a service specification

template to optimise infection detection, (iii) maintaining

effective treatment by advising on national treatment

guidelines, promoting good prescribing practice and

updating national guidance on the management of

gonorrhoea in primary care, (iv) leading the public health

response to local and national outbreaks to control wider

dissemination in the population (v) supporting high

quality case and partner management by providing expert

advice, (vi) improving prevention by raising awareness in

professionals and affected communities through local and

national campaigns, and (vii) co-leading research to

improve the evidence base. A copy of the Strategic Action

Plan is attached.


Health promotion for sexual reproductive health [Health promotion

for sexual and reproductive health and HIV.pdf]


http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-


Horse Racing: Betting

Asked by Lord Smith of Hindhead

To ask Her Majesty’s Government who will select

members of the proposed Racing Authority, and what

the selection criteria will be for the appointees.

[HL7995]

Baroness Neville-Rolfe: Under the replacement for the

current Horserace Betting Levy a racing authority will be

responsible for making decisions on spend in line with the

overall purposes of the scheme. This body will be referred

to in legislation but it will not be a statutory body. It will

be for the racing industry to determine its governance

arrangements.

Asked by Lord Smith of Hindhead

To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether the

current annual arrangements for setting the Horseracing

Betting Levy will continue under the proposed new

funding arrangements, or will be extended beyond

twelve months. [HL7996]

Baroness Neville-Rolfe: Currently the levy rate is

agreed each year by the Horserace Betting Levy Board.

Under the new model the level of contribution from

betting to racing will be set by Government. We will take

into account various findings when considering the rate

and its duration, including the independent economic

analysis that we commissioned last year. We will hold

discussions with both industries before reaching decisions

on these issues.

In Vitro Fertilisation

Asked by Baroness Deech


they have made, in the light of the costs and risks borne

by the NHS with regard to multiple births resulting









from multiple embryo transfer in private fertility

treatment, of whether savings could be made by funding

single embryo transfers on the NHS. [HL8078]

Lord Prior of Brampton: The Government has not

made an assessment of the potential savings to the

National Health Service from the use of single embryo

transfer in fertility treatments such as in vitro fertilisation

(IVF).

Multiple births present significant health risks to

mothers and babies. Over recent years, the Human

Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) has

worked to drive down multiple birth rates whilst

maintaining consistent treatment success rates.

To minimise the risk of multiple pregnancies, there has

been a growing trend for IVF providers to only transfer

one embryo, even when more are available, in patients

who have a good chance of successful treatment. Elective

single embryo transfer is the most effective way of

reducing multiple pregnancies. The HFEA has advised

that most clinics have shown significant progress in

reducing multiple births without compromising pregnancy

rates. In 2008 nearly one in four IVF births resulted in a

multiple birth but now, with a concerted multiple births

reduction policy, this number is one in six.

Although progress has been made, this number is still

higher than the rate in conceptions that do not involve

assisted reproduction treatment. The overall goal is to

reduce multiple births to one in 10.

Insolvency



review the legislation protecting creditors in the event

of business failure. [HL7902]

Baroness Neville-Rolfe: We do keep insolvency

legislation under review. We seek to ensure that the

legislative framework strikes the right balance between

rescuing a business, which may also save jobs, and the

rights of creditors who may lose out financially.

Islamic State



they have made of recent military attacks by ISIS on the

Nineveh Plain Forces (NPF) at Telliskuf; what political

and military assistance they are giving to the NPF; and

what assessment they have made of the NPF’s

objectives. [HL8191]

Earl Howe: Following Daesh's attack north of Mosul

on 3 May, they were pushed back by Kurdish forces. The

Kurds regained the lost territory with substantial Coalition

air support, which included the use of RAF aircraft. UK

assistance in Iraq is channelled, as appropriate, through

the Government of Iraq or the Kurdish Regional

Government rather than to any individual militia forces,

and the UK has made no specific assessment of the

objectives of the Nineveh Plain Forces.

Israel: Gaza


To ask Her Majesty’s Government what

representations they have made to the government of

Israel regarding the ban on the import of cement into

Gaza for the private sector since 3 April. [HL8146]

Baroness Anelay of St Johns: We remain deeply

concerned by the situation in Gaza. Officials from our

Embassy in Tel Aviv and our Consulate General in

Jerusalem regularly raise the need to make progress

towards a durable solution for Gaza, and press for

practical steps to advance reconstruction and economic

development with both the Israeli government and the

Palestinian Authority.

We are concerned about recent reports of diversion of

cement entering Gaza through the Gaza Reconstruction

Mechanism. While we understand Israeli security

concerns, new restrictions on the import of cement have

resulted in a delay in reconstruction activity and will have

a significant impact on employment. The Department for

International Development’s support to the Material

Monitoring Unit helps to identify such cases of diversion

and ensure that appropriate action is taken.

Israel: Palestinians

Asked by Lord Ahmed



April (HL7738), what assessment they have made of

the impact of their representations on the government of

Israel with regard to house demolitions, in the light of

the number of deaths and injuries caused during such

incidents in the first three months of 2016. [HL8109]

Baroness Anelay of St Johns: The Government

remains extremely concerned at the large increase in

demolitions in the Occupied Palestinian Territories since

the start of 2016, compared to the monthly average in

2015. We are not aware of any deaths which have resulted

from demolitions. Our Embassy in Tel Aviv continues to

regularly raise our concerns on demolitions with the

Israeli authorities. As a result of these representations, the

UK’s humanitarian and legal concerns on demolitions

have been made clear.




Israel regarding the use of the roof of the Hebron

Emergency Health Centre as a military base and the

closure of its entrance to Palestinian patients. [HL8144]

Baroness Anelay of St Johns: Whilst we have not

raised this specific issue with the Israeli authorities, we

are clear that medical staff should have the protection that








allows them to do their jobs in safety. Since the start of

the current violence we have spoken regularly to both the

Israeli government and the Palestinian Authority on the

urgent need to de-escalate the tensions.




April (HL7718), what action they will now take to

protect land designated as a future Palestinian state.

[HL8147]

Baroness Anelay of St Johns: We continue to robustly

raise our concerns over Israel’s expropriation of land in

the Occupied Palestinian Territories. Such steps damage

the prospects for a two state solution. The UK has

consistently called for an end to settlement expansion,

which is illegal under international law. If the Israeli

government is committed to a two-state solution then it

will reverse its policy.




Israel regarding reports of gunfire by Israeli forces at

farmers trying to access their land near the border east

of Khan Younes. [HL8149]

Baroness Anelay of St Johns: While we have not

made any representations to the Israeli authorities on this

specific issue, we have an ongoing dialogue with the

Israeli authorities about the Israeli Defence Forces use of

live fire.

Israel: West Bank




Israel concerning the destruction by Israeli forces of the

Bedouin village of Khirbet Taha in the northern West

Bank district of Nablus. [HL8145]

Baroness Anelay of St Johns: While we have not

raised this specific issue with the Israeli authorities, we

continue to raise our concerns with the Israeli authorities

over demolitions and the treatment of the Bedouin

community. We have supported Bedouin communities in

Area C facing demolition or eviction through our support

to Rabbis for Human Rights and the Norwegian Refugee

Council legal aid programme.

Ivory Coast: Human Rights

Asked by Lord Kennedy of Southwark

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their latest

assessment of the human rights situation in the Ivory

Coast. [HL8087]

Baroness Anelay of St Johns: The British Government

welcomes the progress made by the Government of Côte

d’Ivoire on the issue of human rights, most notably on

combating sexual violence against women and providing

compensation for victims of past conflicts. We are

encouraged that the Ivorian authorities have prioritised

improving the poor condition of their prisons. The UK

also welcomes progress made by the judiciary in

combating impunity. We have urged the Government of

Côte d’Ivoire to ensure that all those responsible for

crimes against humanity are held accountable for their

actions, regardless of political, regional, religious or tribal

affiliations.

Junior Doctors: Conditions of Employment


To ask Her Majesty’s Government under which

legislative provision the Secretary of State has the

power to impose junior doctors’ contracts on (1) GP

practices that are not public bodies and deliver services

to patients under a General Medical Services contract;

(2) GP practices that are not public bodies and deliver

services to patients under an Alternative Personal

Medical Services contract; (3) local authorities that

employ junior doctors to deliver public health services;

and (4) NHS Trusts otherwise than by way of

directions. [HL7917]

Lord Prior of Brampton: In deciding that a new

contract – which would be safer for patients and fair and

reasonable for junior doctors – should be introduced

without further negotiation with the British Medical

Association, the Secretary of State was exercising his

powers under the NHS Act 2006 (in particular sections 1,

1A, 1B, 1F, 1G and 2). To introduce the contract he is

working with the National Health Service and other

employers who, as they are employers of junior doctors,

are using their employment powers. The Secretary of

State has not announced, and does not state, that he has a

power to direct all NHS bodies or non-NHS bodies

providing healthcare services.

Manufacturing Industries

Asked by Lord Taylor of Warwick


they have made of the recent data from Begbies

Traynor showing that the number of British

manufacturers that are struggling financially has risen

by 20 per cent. [HL7956]

Baroness Neville-Rolfe: We have not made an

assessment of this report. The UK has some of the best

manufacturing in the world, and we are focussed on a

competitive tax regime and supporting science and

innovation to make the UK an even better place to do

business. There are a number of global headwinds which

are currently placing significant pressures on UK

manufacturing, making it more important than ever that

we stick to our long term economic plan for sustainable

growth.









Mental Health Services: Children

Asked by The Marquess of Lothian


children and teenagers in the UK were referred to NHS

Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services in each of

the last five years; how many children and teenagers in

each of those years received treatment; and how many

did not. [HL7931]

Lord Prior of Brampton: Health is a devolved service

and this answer relates only to England.

The Health and Social Care Information Centre

(HSCIC) advises that it does not currently hold data to

answer the questions asked. However, it has been

capturing child and adolescent mental health services

(CAMHS) data since January 2016 within the new Mental

Health Services Data Set. On 20 April 2016 it published

the first month (January 2016) of data from this new data

source on a select number of measures it developed and

quality assured to a certain level with the help of

stakeholders, although these data remain experimental

and could be subject to change.

As at 31 January 2016, there were 104,480 people in

contact with CAMHS. HSCIC is currently unable to

identify those who are already receiving treatment and

those who are awaiting assessment.

NHS: Cost Effectiveness


To ask Her Majesty’s Government what evaluation

has been undertaken to ensure that the £200 million

National Transformation Fund for 2015–16 provided

value for money. [HL7919]

Lord Prior of Brampton: For the new care models

programme, vanguards were selected based on a

transparent and rigorous process, which considered the

full range of value that they could deliver for their

patients and for the wider National Health Service.

New care model vanguards were required to submit

‘value propositions’ making the case for investment from

the transformation fund. Money was only released once

these were assessed, and approved.

National support was designed based on what the

vanguards said they needed to support them to deliver,

and included work with them to develop a robust

monitoring and evaluation framework. The national

support helped ensure that vanguards are well positioned

for success, and checks that money has been spent as

planned, quarterly in arrears.

An independent, multi-year evaluation will examine the

longer-term impact of the new care models programme

and its cost effectiveness.

Other transformation programmes (for example, the

Diabetes Prevention Scheme or the Healthy New Towns

programme), not directly connected with the new care

models programme, each have their own evaluation work-

streams based on similar principles to those being used in

the new care models programme. The results from these

evaluations are not yet available as the implementation of

these programmes has just begun.

NHS: Sustainable Development


To ask Her Majesty’s Government how the

governance arrangements put in place to oversee the

development of Sustainability and Transformation

Plans will ensure appropriate accountability to

Parliament for decisions made. [HL8176]

Lord Prior of Brampton: The development of

Sustainability and Transformation Plans does not alter the

existing statutory responsibilities of clinical

commissioning groups, local authorities and NHS arms

length bodies. Sustainability and Transformation Plans

are designed to enable local health and care leaders to

work together more collaboratively to help each other

meet their statutory responsibilities more effectively and

efficiently. They do not alter existing arrangements for

accountability.


To ask Her Majesty’s Government what form of

delegation from Clinical Commissioning Groups is

being made to ensure appropriate governance in relation

to Sustainability and Transformation Plans. [HL8177]

Lord Prior of Brampton: Clinical commissioning

groups (CCGs) remain accountable for securing high-

quality healthcare services for their local populations. In

some areas, CCGs have established or are planning to

establish collaborative commissioning arrangements

across a number of CCGs and/or with local authorities,

where they consider that this will help them improve

quality and outcomes for their local population.


To ask Her Majesty’s Government what formal

public consultation will need to take place before

Sustainability and Transformation Plans are submitted

to NHS England by 30 June. [HL8178]


To ask Her Majesty’s Government what formal

public consultation will need to take place when

Sustainability and Transformation Plans are given

approval by NHS England. [HL8179]

Lord Prior of Brampton: Where Sustainability and

Transformation plans envisage changes to the way that

NHS services are commissioned or delivered, it will be

the responsibility of the relevant clinical commissioning

groups to involve patients and the public in considering

and making decisions on those proposals, in line with

their duties under the National Health Service Act 2006.









To ask Her Majesty’s Government what role local

authorities will play in the development of

Sustainability and Transformation Plans other than

through membership of Health and Wellbeing Boards.

[HL8180]

Lord Prior of Brampton: The NHS Planning

Guidance, published in December 2015, explained that

the success of Sustainability and Transformation Plans

will depend on having an open, engaging, and iterative

process that harnesses the energies of clinicians, patients,

carers, citizens, local authorities, health and wellbeing

boards, and local community partners. Local authorities

should be fully engaged in the development of all

Sustainability and Transformation Plans. In some cases,

local National Health Service organisations have agreed

with local authorities that a senior council leader will lead

the Sustainability and Transformation Plan for their area.

Nigeria: Human Rights

Asked by Baroness Cox



Nigeria regarding the investigation of human rights

violations in northern Nigeria. [HL8073]

Baroness Anelay of St Johns: We welcome President

Buhari’s commitment to overhauling Nigeria’s rules of

engagement to avoid human rights violations and to

investigating credible reports of violations and take

appropriate action. We have repeatedly made clear to the

Nigerian authorities at all levels that we condemn human

rights violations and we stress the importance of

protecting civilians in conflict. The support the UK

provides to Nigeria is designed not only to counter

terrorism, but also to improve human rights standards.

Nigeria: Religious Freedom

Asked by Baroness Cox



Nigeria on the promotion of freedom of religion and

belief in Nigeria. [HL8072]

Baroness Anelay of St Johns: This Government is

firmly committed to promoting and protecting the right to

freedom of religion or belief around the world, and to

being a strong voice internationally in defence of this

fundamental right.

Religious freedom is protected by the Nigerian

Constitution and we regularly discuss with the Nigerian

government at the highest levels our concern about threats

to this right, including the threat Boko Haram poses to

communities of different faiths and ethnicities. Boko

Haram seeks to undermine religious freedom by attacking

all Nigerians who do not subscribe to its extremist views.

It has committed atrocities against people of all faiths,

including Christians and Muslims.

We will continue to work with the Nigerian

government, non-governmental organisations and civil

society to improve the security situation and human rights

for all in Nigeria.

Ovarian Hyperstimulation Syndrome



Written Answer by Earl Howe on 17 March 2015

(HL5319) and by Lord Prior of Brampton on 25 April

(HL7391), how the incidence of ovarian

hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS) has been

substantially reduced as a result of changes introduced

by the HFEA since the publication of the McCracken

Report in accordance with recommendations 10 and 11

and in the light of paragraphs 4.40 and 4.44; and what

assessment they have made of the extent to which the

lack of reporting by the HFEA of any adverse incidents

to the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory

Agency has mitigated the risks of OHSS. [HL7949]

Lord Prior of Brampton: The Human Fertilisation and

Embryology Authority (HFEA) has advised that Ovarian

HyperStimulation Syndrome (OHSS) is primarily a

matter for clinical judgement and professional standards.

The responsibility for reporting adverse reactions in

accordance with the Human Medicines Regulations 2012

rests with clinics and the treating clinician. The number of

serious adverse incidents of OHSS reported to the HFEA

in each of the three years 2010-2012 was approximately

60. In 2013 it was 46, and in 2014 it was 42. Figures for

2015 will be published in September 2016.

Where the HFEA is made aware of information relevant

to the regulatory functions of the Medicines and

Healthcare products Regulatory Agency, the information

is shared between the two organisations.

Recommendations 10 and 11 of the McCracken Report

relate to a variety of issues not just OHSS. The HFEA has

advised that its strategy for 2014–2017 fulfils these

recommendations.

Overseas Trade: Poland

Asked by Lord Patten



April (HL7530), what is their assessment of the state of

trade relations between the UK and Poland. [HL8006]

Lord Price: The UK-Poland trade relationship is strong

and is set to get stronger. In 2014, the value of UK

exports to Poland amounted to £3.84billion and UK

imports from Poland £7.84 billion.

The Government’s focus on trade and investment with

Poland is on 6 strategic sectors which we believe offer

most opportunity for UK exporters. These are defence and








security, energy, infrastructure, financial services,

healthcare & life sciences and advanced manufacturing.

Our Embassy in Warsaw works in close collaboration

with a recently established Overseas Business Network

(OBN) partner to identify business opportunities for

British firms and then to help them make the most of

them. In 2015-2016, they were directly involved in

winning contracts worth almost £450 million.

Palestinians: Syria


To ask Her Majesty’s Government what action they

intend to take to enable UNRWA to deliver urgent aid

to Palestinian refugees trapped in Yarmouk camp in

Damascus. [HL7909]

Baroness Verma: The UK is extremely concerned

about the situation in Yarmouk camp in Syria, especially

given intense fighting between Daesh and Al-Nusra Front

in recent weeks. According to UNRWA, the intensified

fighting has acutely aggravated shortages of food and

clean water for the approximately 6000 civilians residing

inside Yarmouk. We condemn in the strongest terms the

grave crimes committed by Daesh and Al-Nusra Front

against civilians in the camp, and continue to call on all

parties to the conflict to protect civilians, ensure

humanitarian access to the area, and allow the safe

passage and evacuation of civilians.

We welcome UNRWA’s efforts in protecting and

assisting vulnerable Palestinian refugees. To date, the UK

has allocated over £59 million to UNRWA to provide

assistance for Palestinian refugees affected by the

violence in Syria and the region.

The UK has given support to the UN and international

NGOs since the start of the conflict to deliver aid to

besieged and hard to reach areas and continue to use our

position in the UN Security Council to push for

humanitarian access to be granted to these areas. We are

also part pf the International Syria Support Group that

agreed at its meeting on 11 February that humanitarian

access would be opened to a number of priority areas,

including Yarmouk, as a first step to accelerating full and

sustained access across Syria. Since then, UNRWA has

delivered 21 convoys with multi-sectoral assistance to

19,000 people in Yalda, Babella, Beit-Sahm, including

thousands of residents in and from Yarmouk.

Public Libraries

Asked by The Marquess of Lothian

To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many public

libraries have closed since 2010; how many are

currently under threat of closure; and what action they

are taking to ensure that public libraries are maintained

as a statutory service and to promote improvement of

the public library service. [HL7933]

Baroness Neville-Rolfe: The Department for Culture,

Media and Sport monitors closely proposed changes to

library service provision throughout England. The

Department does not maintain detail on the number of

public libraries under review by local authorities, but

based on desk research we estimate that from January

2010 to January 2016 approximately 110 static public

libraries in England closed completely.

Public libraries are funded and run by local authorities

and it is a matter for local authorities to determine how

best to provide a comprehensive and efficient public

library service to their local community, within available

resources.

My Department, together with the Local Government

Association, has set up a Leadership for Libraries

Taskforce to help public libraries in England build on

good practice and add value for the communities they

serve. The Taskforce is currently consulting on the

attached document at

https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/libraries-

deliver-ambition-for-public-libraries-in-england-2016-

2021 which sets out the ambition for public libraries in

the future. Furthermore, thanks to Government funding,

free Wi-Fi is available to 99% of public libraries in

England.


Libraries Deliver ambition document [Libraries Deliver_ Ambition

for Public Libraries in England 2016-2021 - GOV.pdf]

The material can be viewed online at: http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-


Retail Acquisitions



investigate the compliance of professional advisers to

Retail Acquisitions with know-your-customer and

money-laundering regulations. [HL8140]

Baroness Neville-Rolfe: A regulatory framework is in

place to deal with non-compliance with know-your-

customer and money-laundering regulations. However,

this is not the focus of the current investigation by the

Insolvency Service into BHS.

If, during the course of the current Insolvency Service

investigation into BHS, it appears that there is good

reason to widen the scope of its enquires, the Insolvency

Service has powers under the Companies Act 1985 to

initiate confidential enquiries.

Retail Trade

Asked by Baroness Burt of Solihull

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what percentage

of economic output was attributed to the retail sector in

each of the last 10 years, and what estimate they have

made of that sector’s contribution over the next 10

years. [HL7881]









Lord O'Neill of Gatley: The table below sets out the

percentage of nominal output attributed to retail trade

(except of motor vehicles and motorcycles) in each of the

last 10 years:

Year Retail trade as share of nominal output

2006 5.6%

2007 5.6%

2008 5.6%

2009 5.6%

2010 5.7%

2011 5.6%

2012 5.7%

2013 5.6%

2014 5.6%

2015 5.6%

The Office for Budget Responsibility was created in

2010 to provide independent and authoritative analysis of

the UK’s public finances, and economic forecasts.

The Office for Budget Responsibility do not forecast

growth on a sub- sectoral level.

Royal Commonwealth Society: Finance

Asked by Lord Triesman

To ask Her Majesty’s Government, in the light of the

support provided by the Royal Commonwealth Society

(RCS) to events celebrating the Commonwealth, and its

wider role in addressing challenging social issues,

including early and forced child marriage, how much

financial support has been provided to the RCS in each

of the last five financial years, and how much will be

provided in this and the next financial year. [HL8035]

Baroness Anelay of St Johns: The Foreign and

Commonwealth Office (FCO) has contributed a total of

£191,452 from 2011- 2015 to activities run by the Royal

Commonwealth Society (RCS) and the Council of

Commonwealth Societies (CCS) for whom the RCS

organises events. A breakdown of this sum is listed

below:

2011 £60,720.00

2012 £48,619.60

2013 £21,706.40

2014 £22,000.00

2015 £38,407.00

This year the FCO has again provided £20,000 towards

the cost of the CCS Commonwealth Service event in

Westminster Abbey.

Future funding requests for all Commonwealth

organisations will be assessed on a case by case basis.

Saudi Arabia: Saudi Binladin Group


To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they are

making representations to the government of Saudi

Arabia for full payment of arrears of wages to

employees of the Saudi Binladin Group. [HL8127]

Baroness Anelay of St Johns: The British Government

has not made representations to the Government of Saudi

Arabia for full payment of arrears of wages to employees

of the Saudi Bin Laden Group. We are not aware of any

British nationals that have been affected.

Schools: Operating Costs


To ask Her Majesty’s Government what estimate they

have made of the costs of running different education

systems in respect of local education authority

maintained schools, academies, and free schools.

[HL8118]

Lord Nash: The current dual system, where maintained

schools and academies (including free schools) have

different requirements on a number of key areas including

funding, financial compliance, performance oversight,

parental complaints and how they are required to adhere

to legislation, does not provide consistent expectations on

professionals or clarity and assurance for pupils and

parents.

This government believes a single system with all

schools as academies, which affords greater autonomy to

professionals and is governed by a single legal framework

along with clear and robust accountability, will provide a

level playing field for all and the conditions for future

success. It will give clarity on roles and responsibilities

and secure efficiency. Running a dual system diverts

resources, time and focus away from the classroom.

Sex and Relationship Education

Asked by Lord Northbourne


they have made of whether their proposal to change the

status of all secondary schools in England to academies

would mean that maintained schools no longer have an

obligation to deliver sex and relationship education.

[HL8057]

Asked by Lord Northbourne

To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they plan

to introduce legislation to require all schools, including

academies, to provide high quality sex and relationship

education as part of their syllabus. [HL8058]

Lord Nash: Maintained secondary schools must

continue to meet their existing statutory duties. All

maintained secondary schools are required to teach sex

and relationship education and we expect academies to

teach it as part of a broad and balanced curriculum.









As announced in February, we will continue to keep the

status of PSHE under review and work with a group of

leading headteachers and practitioners to identify further

action we can take to ensure that all pupils receive high

quality, age appropriate PSHE and sex and relationship

education.

When any school, including academies, teaches sex and

relationship education, they must have regard to the

Secretary of State’s statutory Sex and Relationship

Education Guidance (2000). The guidance makes clear

that all such lessons should be age-appropriate and that

schools should ensure young people develop positive

values and a moral framework that will guide their

decisions, judgments and behaviour.

Small Businesses: Intellectual Property

Asked by The Earl of Clancarty

To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they have

carried out research to ascertain the degree of

awareness of small businesses about intellectual

property rights. [HL8076]

Baroness Neville-Rolfe: The Intellectual Property

Office (IPO) IP Awareness Survey was first conducted in

2006 and was rerun in 2010 and early 2015. The survey

establishes a sense of understanding of IP and IP rights

across all sizes of UK firms and all sectors of UK

industry. The most recent survey contained 3 sections: an

IP knowledge section which tested the respondent's

familiarity with IP, a management section which sought

to discover how firms were administering IP within their

organisation and a final section which focussed on where

IP information and advice was sourced from.

Key findings include:

• 94% of respondents thought that it was important for

businesses to understand how to protect their IP.

• 52% of responding firms had protected some sort of

IP (either through a single right or a combination).

• 65% of respondents thought that confidentiality

agreements are important to protecting their IP. This

method of protection was the most popular.

• The majority of surveyed firms have not been

involved in a dispute around IP, (over 75%).

• 96% of firms have not valued their IP.

• 79% of firms did not know that telling people about

an invention before applying for a patent could lead to

an unsuccessful application.

• 28% of firms check they are not infringing other

people’s IP, the most popular IP management activity

amongst respondents.

• 20% of firms indicated that they license their IP,

allowing others to use it for a fee.

In addition to this formal piece of research the IPO

routinely surveys businesses in the course of designing

and delivering its business support and outreach activities.

This is intended to help to monitor and assess the

effectiveness of these activities to ensure they are fit for

purpose and if necessary improve, develop and even cease

them for alternative approaches.

The IPO is using findings from its own and other

business surveys to inform its approach to business

outreach and the creation of IP advisory and support tools.

Asked by The Earl of Clancarty

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they

are taking to better inform small businesses about all

aspects of intellectual property rights, including action

that such businesses can take to protect such rights.

[HL8077]

Baroness Neville-Rolfe: The Intellectual Property

Office (IPO) undertakes a wide range of activities to

promote understanding of Intellectual Property (IP)

amongst Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in order

that they can make an informed decision on whether and

how to protect, commercialise and enforce their IP.

IPO products and priority activities focus on:

a) Raising awareness of the importance of IP;

b) Improving the IP skills of business advisors and

intermediaries;

c) Emphasising that IP is an essential element of an

overall business strategy.

The offerings include online tools, face to face business

and adviser training, and partnership delivery.

The numerous online resources are designed to help

businesses to recognise their IP assets, to manage those

assets effectively and to help businesses communicate the

value of their IP portfolio to lenders or investors when

seeking finance.

The IPO has a small team that runs UK seminars and

workshops on IP for businesses and advisors and it also

provides an intensive, commercially run training course to

improve their understanding of IP.

It also works with partners within and outside

government to ensure that businesses in every part of the

UK can access good quality IP advice and understand the

importance of managing their IP. Key partnerships

include the UK PatLib Network and UK Business & IP

Centre Network as well as Business Growth Hubs

All these support activities provide guidance and

information on how businesses may resolve IP disputes or

take effective enforcement action. In addition, the UK

overseas IP attachés work with local UK Trade and

Investment and Foreign and Commonwealth Office leads

to provide support for UK businesses seeking advice on

local IP matters abroad.

I will place further information on these resources in the

Libraries of the House.





Sri Lanka: Human Rights



assessment of the human rights situation in Sri Lanka.

[HL8086]

Baroness Anelay of St Johns: Since the election of

President Sirisena in January 2015 the Sri Lankan

government has taken a number of positive steps to

improve the human rights situation in the country. We

welcomed the historic co-sponsorship by Sri Lanka of a

resolution at the UN Human Rights Council on 1 October

2015 committing it to reconciliation, accountability and

the protection of human rights. We have been encouraged

by the early progress Sri Lanka has made in delivering on

these commitments. This includes starting public

consultations on reconciliation mechanisms and

constitutional reform, the return of some military

occupied land and the release on bail of some long-term

Tamil detainees held under anti-terrorism legislation.

While there has been progress, we recognise that there

is still much to be done and Sri Lanka remains listed as a

Human Rights Priority Country in the Foreign and

Commonwealth Office’s latest Human Rights and

Democracy Report published in April. We remain

committed to supporting and encouraging the Sri Lankan

government to deliver fully against its commitments.

Teachers: Labour Turnover

Asked by Lord Ouseley


are taking in the light of NASUWT's finding that 74 per

cent of teachers are seriously considering leaving the

profession in the next two years; and what assessment

they have made of the implications of that finding for

the education system. [HL7925]

Lord Nash: As the Secretary of State for Education

outlined in her speech at the NASUWT conference on 26

March 2016, we want to see unions do everything they

can to build morale, promote the teaching profession and

tell people what a rewarding job teaching is.

Approximately 90% of all teachers continue in the

profession following their first year of teaching and this

has been the case since 1996; and over 70% of those who

qualified in 2009 were still in teaching five years later.

Given the proportion of teachers leaving has remained

stable over the last 20 years, we would not expect the

proportion of teachers leaving the profession to increase

to the levels reported by this survey.

We recognise that it is vital for schools to be able to

retain good teachers. That is why we have made policy

interventions in the areas teachers tell us matter most such

as reducing unnecessary workload. We have recently

published reports, addressing the three biggest issues

emerging from the Workload Challenge – ineffective

marking, use of planning and resources and data

management. The reports set out clear principles about

what should happen in schools, and make

recommendations to be taken at every level in the school

system.

We have accepted all the recommendations and will

encourage the dissemination of the principles and

messages clearly set out, to help enable the culture change

the reports refer to.

Trade Promotion

Asked by Lord Kilclooney

To ask Her Majesty’s Government who are the UK

Trade Envoys, and to which country or countries each

is assigned. [HL8229]

Lord Price: The table below outlines all current Trade

Envoys and the market/markets which they cover. Further

information can be found at:

https://www.gov.uk/government/groups/trade-envoys

MP Trade Envoys Market/Markets

Adam Afriyie MP Ghana

Rushanara Ali MP Bangladesh

Richard Benyon MP DRC, Mozambique, Ethiopia

Jeffrey Donaldson MP Egypt

Mark Garnier MP Burma, Brunei, Thailand

Richard Graham MP Indonesia, ASEAN Economic

Community (AEC), Philippines,

Malaysia

John Howell MP Nigeria

Andrew Murrison MP Morocco, Tunisia

Andrew Percy MP Canada

Mark Prisk MP Brazil, Nordic and Baltics

Lord Astor of Hever DL Kazakhstan, Oman

Baroness Bonham-Carter of Yarnbury

Mexico

Lord (Richard) Faulkner Taiwan

Lord Hollick of Notting Hill Tanzania, Kenya

Lord Janvrin Turkey

Lord King of Bridgwater Saudi Arabia

Lord Lamont Iran

Baroness Morris of Bolton Jordan, Kuwait, Palestinian

Territories

Baroness Nicholson of

Winterbourne

Iraq, Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan

Baroness Northover Angola

Lord Popat Uganda, Rwanda





https://www.gov.uk/government/groups/trade-envoys


MP Trade Envoys Market/Markets

Lord Puttnam of Queensgate Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia

Lord Risby of Haverhill Algeria

Transatlantic Trade and Investment

Partnership

Asked by Lord Stoddart of Swindon

To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether the

Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership

agreement will be subject to ratification by both Houses

of Parliament and the US Congress. [HL8062]

Lord Price: We expect the Transatlantic Trade and

Investment Partnership (TTIP) will be a “mixed”

agreement, covering areas of both EU and Member State

competence, to which the US, EU and all EU Member

States will be parties.

In that case, it will be subject to agreement by each EU

Member State, the EU Council and the European

Parliament. As part of this process in the UK, before the

Government can ratify the agreement, the complete draft

text of the agreement will initially be laid before

Parliament for scrutiny for at least 21 sitting days. During

this time MPs and Lords may debate the treaty in either or

both Houses and vote on the proposed ratification.

In the US, both Houses of Congress would have to

ratify legislation to implement the agreement, but not the

agreement itself.

Turkey: Refugees



propose that the three billion euros offered to Turkey

from the EU be transferred to the UNHCR World Food

Programme for work in Turkey, Lebanon and Jordan

for refugees and displaced people, in particular for

continuing child and adult education. [HL7891]

Baroness Verma: The purpose of the EU-Turkey

Refugee Facility is to provide support to refugees and

host communities in Turkey. We expect that the Facility

will provide immediate humanitarian support, as well as

help meet longer-term development needs, such as

education.

The first projects funded through the Facility are

starting to be implemented, for example through the

World Food Programme and UNICEF.


To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they are

analysing the criticisms by the Council of Europe

Commissioner for Human Rights and the European

Christian Political Movement of the EU–Turkey

agreement on refugees, in particular regarding the risks

of asylum applicants being deported to Iran and

Afghanistan, of illegal detention, and of sex trafficking;

and whether they will publish their conclusions.

[HL8025]

Baroness Anelay of St Johns: We are aware of these

reports, but do not plan to publish any conclusions. We

are closely monitoring the implementation of the EU-

Turkey agreement on refugees, including its compliance

with human rights standards.

Type 26 Frigates

Asked by Lord Campbell of Pittenweem

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their

programme for the development of the Type 26 Frigate.

[HL7951]

Earl Howe: I refer the noble Lord to the answer given

by my hon. Friend, the Minister of State for Defence

Procurement (Philip Dunne), in the House of Commons

on 11 April 2016 to Question 32497.

http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written

-questions-answers-statements/written-

question/Commons/2016-03-24/32497/


QnA extract on Type 26 Frigates

[20160411_32497_Type_26_Frigates.docx]



Unmanned Air Vehicles

Asked by Lord Blencathra


will take to protect the identity of RAF unmanned aerial

vehicle operators. [HL8224]

Earl Howe: Reaper Force personnel are briefed in line

with their specific situation and, as with all RAF

personnel, they receive periodic training on personal

security. This includes, for example, briefing on social

media profiles. Mechanisms exist to ensure that specific

threats, and the necessary responses to them, are

communicated in a timely fashion.

UK Membership of EU: Referendums

Asked by Lord Maginnis of Drumglass

To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether there is

any precedent for an invitation to the leader of a foreign

country to visit the UK in order to campaign on an

internal national issue such as the forthcoming EU

referendum. [HL7894]


To ask Her Majesty’s Government what plans they

have to invite any leaders of foreign countries to come













to the UK ostensibly on a courtesy visit but with the

intention that they should canvass directly on any

internal national issue. [HL7895]


To ask Her Majesty’s Government what discussions

the Cabinet had prior to the visit of the President of the

United States to the UK about any remarks that he

might make regarding the EU referendum, and who was

responsible for advising him regarding normal courtesy

and protocol for such state visits. [HL7896]

Baroness Anelay of St Johns: The views expressed by

the US President during his recent visit to the UK were

his own.

I refer the noble Lord to the Prime Minister, my Rt

Hon. Friend the Member for Witney (Mr Cameron)'s oral

response to the Rt Hon. Member for Exeter (Mr

Bradshaw), on Wednesday 27 April, Official Report,

Column 1427, which is copied below for ease of

reference:

'Obviously I think we should listen to our friends and

our allies, and as I look around the world it's hard to find

the leader of a country that wishes us well that wants us to

do anything other than stay inside a reformed European

Union.'

USA: Visas

Asked by Lord Ahmed



the US regarding the implementation of HR158 under

the Visa Waiver Programme Improvement and Terrorist

Prevention Act 2015, which prevents British nationals

from travelling to the US if they may have visited Iran,

Sudan, Iraq or Syria in the last five years; and what

assessment they have made of whether that

implementation is discriminatory. [HL8037]

Baroness Anelay of St Johns: While US immigration

processes are a matter for the US authorities, we have

raised with the US administration the importance of

clearly communicating changes to their immigration

policy. The US Customs and Border Protection service

has stated publicly that “the religion, faith, or spiritual

beliefs of an international traveller are not determining

factors about his/her admissibility into the US”. We

remain in close contact with the US Embassy in order to

avoid inconvenience to British nationals travelling to the

US.

Asked by Lord Ahmed

To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they keep

statistics of how many British citizens have been

excluded from travelling to the US under HR158 of the

Visa Waiver Programme Improvement and Terrorist

Prevention Act 2015; and if so, how many have been so

excluded; and whether they are aware of any British

Parliamentarians being refused entry under that rule.

[HL8038]

Baroness Anelay of St Johns: US immigration

processes – including the collection of statistics - are a

matter for the US authorities. A number of Members of

Parliament have raised this issue on behalf of their

constituents and we are aware of at least one

Parliamentarian affected by the new legislation. We have

raised the importance of clearly communicating changes

to immigration policy with the US administration, and

remain in close contact with the US Embassy in order to

avoid inconvenience to British nationals travelling to the

US.

Warships: Shipbuilding

Asked by Lord Campbell of Pittenweem

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what plans they

have to maintain warship building capability in the UK

and what are their preferred locations for doing so.

[HL7952]

Earl Howe: The Government has appointed Sir John

Parker as the Independent Chair of the National

Shipbuilding Strategy, which is intended to place UK

shipbuilding on a sustainable long-term footing. Sir John

Parker will consider a range of locations around the UK

and report by the end of 2016.

World Humanitarian Summit


To ask Her Majesty’s Government who will represent

the UK at the World Humanitarian Summit meeting to

be held in Istanbul. [HL7888]

Baroness Verma: Preparations for the Summit are

proceeding and a final decision on who will be in the UK

delegation will be taken nearer the time.

Zimbabwe: Human Rights



assessment of the human rights situation in Zimbabwe.

[HL8085]

Baroness Anelay of St Johns: We consider the human

rights situation in Zimbabwe to be fragile. This

Government’s manifesto included a commitment to stand

up for the rule of law and human rights in Zimbabwe. The

Foreign and Commonwealth Office’s 2015 Annual

Human Rights Report lists Zimbabwe as a Priority

Country. We continue to call, both bilaterally and in

partnership with others, for an end to abuses and the

restoration of internationally accepted standards.











Index to Statements and Answers

Written Statements ................................................. 1

Oral Answer to Parliamentary Question:

Clarification .......................................................... 1

Written Answers ..................................................... 2

Abdullah Öcalan ................................................... 2

Academies: Expenditure ....................................... 2

Academies: Fraud ................................................. 2

Acts: Publishing ................................................... 2

Adoption ............................................................... 2

Anaerobic Digestion ............................................. 3

Armed Forces: Mental Illness .............................. 3

Armed Forces: Sexual Offences ........................... 3

Asylum: Yazidis ................................................... 4

British Home Stores: Insolvency .......................... 4

Burma: Sexual Offences ....................................... 4

Care Homes .......................................................... 4

Children: Protection.............................................. 4

Children's Centres ................................................. 5

Courts Martial ....................................................... 5

Criminal Proceedings: Legal Representation ....... 5

Deportation: Young People .................................. 5

Disability .............................................................. 6

EU Countries: British Nationals Abroad .............. 6

EU Countries: Marriage ....................................... 6

Gaza: Energy Supply ............................................ 6

General Practitioners: Brighton ............................ 6

Gonorrhoea: Disease Control ............................... 7

Horse Racing: Betting .......................................... 7

In Vitro Fertilisation ............................................. 7

Insolvency ............................................................ 8

Islamic State ......................................................... 8

Israel: Gaza ........................................................... 8

Israel: Palestinians ................................................ 8

Israel: West Bank ................................................. 9

Ivory Coast: Human Rights .................................. 9

Junior Doctors: Conditions of Employment ......... 9

Manufacturing Industries ..................................... 9

Mental Health Services: Children ...................... 10

NHS: Cost Effectiveness ................................... 10

NHS: Sustainable Development ........................ 10

Nigeria: Human Rights ...................................... 11

Nigeria: Religious Freedom ............................... 11

Ovarian Hyperstimulation Syndrome ................ 11

Overseas Trade: Poland ..................................... 11

Palestinians: Syria .............................................. 12

Public Libraries .................................................. 12

Retail Acquisitions ............................................ 12

Retail Trade ....................................................... 12

Royal Commonwealth Society: Finance ........... 13

Saudi Arabia: Saudi Binladin Group ................. 13

Schools: Operating Costs ................................... 13

Sex and Relationship Education ........................ 13

Small Businesses: Intellectual Property ............. 14

Sri Lanka: Human Rights .................................. 15

Teachers: Labour Turnover ............................... 15

Trade Promotion ................................................ 15

Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership 16

Turkey: Refugees ............................................... 16

Type 26 Frigates ................................................ 16

Unmanned Air Vehicles .................................... 16

UK Membership of EU: Referendums .............. 16

USA: Visas ........................................................ 17

Warships: Shipbuilding ..................................... 17

World Humanitarian Summit ............................ 17

Zimbabwe: Human Rights ................................. 17

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