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23 Jun 2010 : Column WA177



23 Jun 2010 : Column WA178

Number of previous abortions by Strategic Health Authority of residence, 2009
Number of previous abortions
Strategic Health Authority012345 or moreTotal

East of England

10,892

3,988

1,002

230

69

30

16,211

East Midlands

8,564

2,597

558

127

40

17

11,903

London

27,104

13,827

3,917

1,049

313

150

46,360

North East

5,261

1,533

331

67

..

..

7,220

North West

17,408

5,893

1,240

244

70

19

24,874

South Central

7,549

2,723

646

125

31

17

11,091

South East

8,418

3,448

878

167

60

25

12,996

South West

9,292

2,991

577

117

43

15

13,035

West Midlands

13,471

5,159

1,229

240

63

19

20,181

Yorkshire and Humber

11,384

3,910

833

191

44

26

16,388

Wales

6,367

1,971

391

80

..

..

8,841

England and Wales

125,710

48,040

11,602

2,637

779

332

189,100

Afghanistan

Question

Asked by Lord Luce

The Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Lord Howell of Guildford): We are aware of reports of the Deputy Secretary of the Afghan Lower House of Parliament's remarks regarding the execution of Christian converts from Islam. We understand that the remarks were made during a debate over a recent series of television reports, which showed video footage of Afghans converting to Christianity. As a result, two international non-government organisations have been accused of proselytising and are currently under investigation by Afghan authorities. Under Afghan law, proselytising is illegal and conversion from Islam is a capital offence. We are following the investigation closely, but cannot pre-empt the findings at this stage.

The Government are opposed to the death penalty under all circumstances and continue to strive for the global abolition of capital punishment. The Government also strongly support the right to freedom of religion or belief, including full implementation of those norms laid out in Article 2 of the Afghan constitution, which provides for freedom of religion. As an EU member, the UK adopted a set of EU council conclusions on freedom of religion or belief. These conclusions reaffirm the EU's commitment to promote and protect freedom of thought, conscience, religion or belief, including the right to adopt, change or abandon one's religion or belief of one's own free will. The Government are working to support all individuals who face discrimination and persecution on the basis of religion, including Christians, wherever they are in the world. Pending the outcome of the investigation, we will raise this case with the Afghan Government as necessary.

Agriculture: Genetically Modified Crops

Question

Asked by The Countess of Mar

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Lord Henley): The Government have not commissioned any such research; however, the Forestry Commission does not consider that there is any reason to associate the rise in the number or severity of tree diseases with the use of chemical weed control agents.

Benefits: Non-British Citizens

Question

Asked by Lord Roberts of Llandudno

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Work and Pensions (Lord Freud): The Department for Work and Pensions produces three leaflets for customers whose first language is not English. These leaflets provide basic information on the benefits and services available to customers from:

Jobcentre Plus;Pension Service; andDisability and Carer Service.

The leaflets tell customers how they can contact these organisations to find out more information and to claim the benefits they are entitled to. Each leaflet contains information in two European languages (English

23 Jun 2010 : Column WA179

and Polish) and six other languages, representing the eight most popular languages used in the UK. The total list of languages is:

English;Polish;Arabic;Urdu;Punjabi;Gujarati;Mandarin; andBengali.

Cayman Islands

Question

Asked by Lord Ashcroft

The Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Lord Howell of Guildford): The privatisation of the water company is the responsibility of the Cayman Islands Government.

During the budget address on 15 June, the Premier of the Cayman Islands announced the privatisation of the water authority. Privatisation can only occur once local legislation has been amended to allow for the sale, and following a number of steps to ensure adherence with proper procedures and due diligence.

Democratic Republic of Congo

Questions

Asked by Lord Chidgey

The Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Lord Howell of Guildford): We have not received any representations from Congolese politicians proposing an independent commission of inquiry into the death of Floribert Chebeya.

My honourable friend Henry Bellingham's Statement of 3 June 2010 called for a full, proper, and transparent investigation into the death of Mr Chebeya. President Kabila has ordered a full investigation into the death of Mr Chebeya which we fully support.

Asked by Lord Chidgey



23 Jun 2010 : Column WA180

Lord Howell of Guildford: We are deeply concerned at the increasing intimidation and violence faced by human rights defenders, journalists, and civil society in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). We follow cases of concern closely and press the Government of DRC bilaterally and with our EU partners to meet their responsibility for protecting human rights defenders, journalists and civil society. Most recently our ambassador to the DRC raised our concerns at the death of human rights defender Floribert Chebeya with government officials at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

We are also providing practical support to ensure that human rights defenders, journalists, and civil society are able to carry out their work. Our embassy in Kinshasa is implementing EU guidelines on human rights defenders. With our EU partners in the DRC we met eight non-government organisations (NGOs) representing human rights defenders who gave their feedback on the EU human rights strategy. We have appointed a liaison officer and made their contact details available to local NGOs and civil society. The UN Organization Mission in DRC (MONUC) Protection Unit also provides protection services to those in danger including relocation and advice on personal security.

We also support a media fund jointly administered with France and Sweden to support professionalisation, regulation, and the economic viability of the media in the DRC. Funding goes to local media organisations and NGOs including Journalists in Danger, which campaigns for freedom of the press.

Disabled People: Work Capability Assessments

Question

Asked by Baroness Thomas of Winchester

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Work and Pensions (Lord Freud): The Government have a statutory commitment to an independent review of the operation of the work capability assessment annually for the first five years. We are in the process of commissioning this review and aim for it to report before the end of the year.

Economic Crime Agency

Questions

Asked by Lord Corbett of Castle Vale


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