Written Answers
Thursday 16 January 2014
Armed Forces: Training
Questions
Asked by Lord Alton of Liverpool
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what training is planned for the Burmese army, with United Kingdom involvement, in 2014 and 2015.[HL4354]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Ministry of Defence (Lord Astor of Hever) (Con): The Managing Defence in a Wider Security Context course that is currently being delivered in Burma examines the legal framework within which defence and security operations may legitimately be conducted in accordance with human rights norms and international humanitarian law. The course is for 30 members and includes 23 members of the Burmese military.
In addition to this course that is being delivered in country, an invitation has been offered to a member of the Burmese military to attend a similar course for a mixed international audience, later this year, at the Defence Academy of the United Kingdom. To support this course, two Burmese students have been funded to take English language exams so that one may be selected to attend in the course.
It is an aspiration to repeat these two courses, one in Burma and one in the UK, in 2015.
Asked by Lord Alton of Liverpool
To ask Her Majesty’s Government why training of the Burmese army is not taking place in the United Kingdom.[HL4355]
Lord Astor of Hever: I refer the noble Lord to the answer I gave on 7 January 2014 (Official Report, column WA 238) to the noble Baroness, Lady, Goudie. Academics from the Defence Academy of the United Kingdom and Cranfield University are in Burma this month delivering a course called Managing Defence in the Wider Security Context. This course has been tailored for Burma and it will teach course members how defence works within a democratic framework.
Conducting the course in Burma is the most cost effective way of delivering it because only five personnel needed to travel from the UK to Burma, rather than the 30 Burmese personnel who would have needed to travel if the course was held in the UK.
An invitation has been offered however, for a member of the Burmese military to attend a second Managing Defence in the Wider Security Context course which will be held later this year at the Defence Academy. In this instance, participation in the course will be by students from multiple countries and therefore it will be the most cost effective way to provide this education.
Asked by Lord Alton of Liverpool
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether training provided to the Burmese army will recommend that Burmese soldiers refuse orders which involve actions that would constitute human rights abuses.[HL4356]
Lord Astor of Hever: This issue will be raised in a panel discussion of the Managing defence in the Wider Security Context course that is currently taking place in Burma. The discussion will sit within a lecture on Rules of Engagement. The legal position with regards to obeying illegal orders will be articulated and the consequences explained by an international law academic from Cranfield University who specialises in the law of armed conflict.
So far the legal aspects of the course have covered an understanding of how Armed Forces are regulated and controlled within a constitutional framework; the substance and structure of Human Rights and their relevance to military and security forces; and a wide ranging review of the principles and rules of International Humanitarian Law applicable in armed conflict, including rules on the protection of victims, the position of child soldiers under International Humanitarian Law and the conduct of hostilities.
Bangladesh
Question
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the long-term solution to the violence and political unrest in Bangladesh; and what representations they have made to the government of Bangladesh on the credibility of the recent elections.[HL4498]
The Senior Minister of State, Department for Communities and Local Government & Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Baroness Warsi) (Con): As I noted in my statement of 6 January, the election was called in accordance with Bangladesh’s constitution. But like others in the international community the UK is disappointed that voters in more than half the constituencies did not have the opportunity to express their will at the ballot box and that turnout in most other constituencies was low.
The UK believes that the true mark of a mature, functioning democracy is peaceful elections that express the genuine will of the voters. We are deeply concerned at the deaths of so many people, political harassment and the heightened political tensions which underlie them. We have therefore called on all political parties to work together to strengthen democratic accountability as an urgent priority and to build the willingness and capacity to hold future participatory elections without the fear of intimidation or reprisals.
We will continue to monitor the situation in Bangladesh closely.
Burma
Questions
Asked by Lord Alton of Liverpool
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they have taken to obtain the release of La Ring and other political prisoners in Burma.[HL4357]
The Senior Minister of State, Department for Communities and Local Government & Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Baroness Warsi) (Con): Throughout 2013, we closely monitored the implementation of President Thein Sein’s pledge to release all political prisoners by the end of the year. The Minister of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for East Devon (Mr Swire), frequently raised the issue in meetings with key interlocutors, such as with the Burmese Ambassador on 12 December and the Minister for the President’s Office, Tin Naing Thein, on 22 November. On both occasions he raised our concerns about those prisoners still detained in Burma and made clear that we did not want to see new arrests or political activists re-arrested.
On 30 December, it was announced President Thein Sein had ordered the release of all prisoners and persons facing trial for political offences. Mr Swire released a press statement on 31 December welcoming this announcement but noting the individuals still in jail whose status as political prisoners is disputed. He urged continued dialogue between the government and civil society to review these remaining cases as a matter of urgency, and will emphasise this again on his visit to Burma later this month.
Asked by Lord Alton of Liverpool
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what discussions they have held with the United Nations Special Rapporteur on Torture regarding the Kachin prisoners allegedly tortured during interrogation in northern Burma.[HL4358]
Baroness Warsi: We are aware of credible reports of the arbitrary arrest and torture of Kachin men accused of belonging to the Kachin Independence Army (KIA), as raised by UN Special Rapporteur for Human Rights in Burma, Tomas Ojea Quintana, in his report to the UN Human Rights Council in March 2013. We remain deeply concerned over recent military action and reported wider human rights abuses against civilians in Kachin State.
Though we have not had any recent discussions with the UN Special Rapporteur on Torture, officials regularly raise the situation in Kachin State bilaterally with the Burmese government, as well as through the EU and UN. Most recently, our Ambassador discussed human rights with community leaders and the government during his visit to Kachin State in December 2013.
Central African Republic
Questions
To ask Her Majesty’s Government, in the light of the violence in the Central African Republic in December 2013, what assessment they have made of the humanitarian needs of the population. [HL4519]
To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many Central African Republic citizens are now displaced; and what percentage of the Central African Republic population is currently able to access humanitarian aid.[HL4520]
Baroness Northover (LD): The humanitarian situation in Central African Republic (CAR) is deeply worrying. The UN has declared CAR along with Syria and the Philippines a Level 3 crisis, estimating that the whole population (4.6 million people) has been affected by the conflict and that over 2 million people are in need of humanitarian assistance. The situation is complex and rapidly evolving, with security concerns continuing to make access for humanitarian agencies difficult.
Robust and clear data from this crisis are only starting to emerge due to the challenging conditions on the ground, and the exact percentage of Central Africans able to access humanitarian aid is not yet known. UK support is helping over 250,000 people in health services and water distribution as well as protection services for the vulnerable, particularly women and children. According to the latest UN figures, more than 512,000 people have fled their homes in the capital and are living in 67 internally displaced people (IDP) sites in squalid conditions. The UN estimates that up to 935,000 people have been displaced in total since the coup last year, rendering one person in five an IDP in CAR.
Electoral Registration
Question
To ask Her Majesty’s Government how much funding was or is allocated for electoral registration, apart from the one-off costs of introducing individual electoral registration, in (1) 2009, (2) 2010, (3) 2011, (4) 2012, (5) 2013, (6) 2014, (7) 2015, and (8) 2016. [HL4318]
Lord Wallace of Saltaire (LD): This information is not held centrally. The cost of electoral registration is paid for directly by local authorities through funding which they receive from the revenue support grant.
Energy: Biofuels
Question
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their policy on the use of biofuel by the Royal Navy, the Army and the Royal Air Force.[HL4332]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Ministry of Defence (Lord Astor of Hever) (Con): The Ministry of Defence (MOD) uses biofuels in road transport (petrol and diesel) where EU legislation obliges fuel manufacturers to include a percentage of biofuels in the fuel they produce. The use of biofuels in marine and aviation fuel is governed by the requirements and approvals of MOD equipment manufacturers. The MOD is encouraging these manufacturers to work towards adopting biofuels in the future.
EU: Exports and Imports
Question
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what were the total exports and imports of the European Union to and from Egypt in the last three years, and any subsequent quarters for which figures are available. [HL4565]
Lord Wallace of Saltaire (LD): The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply.
Letter from Peter Fullerton, Director, Collection and Production Operations, Office for National Statistics, to Lord Hylton, dated January 2014.
On behalf of the Director General for the Office for National Statistics, I have been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question To ask Her Majesty’s Government what were the total exports and imports of the European Union to and from Egypt in the last three years, and any subsequent quarters for which figures are available. [HL4565]
Table 1 provides annual data for Trade in Goods for 2010 to 2012 and quarterly data for Quarters one to three of 2013. A geographical breakdown is not available for the same analysis to be conducted for Trade in Services.
| Table 1 | ||
| European (EU28) trade with Egypt | ||
| Imports | Exports | |
Data in Euros millions
Source:
Comext Database Eurostat, European Commission
Copyright 1958 - 2011 European Community, Eurostat. All Rights Reserved.
Further information on Egypt’s trading position is available at http://ec.europa.eu/trade/policy/countries-and-regions/countries/egypt/.
Foreign Nationals
Question
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their estimate of the number of persons from European Union nations resident within the United Kingdom. [HL4545]
Lord Wallace of Saltaire (LD): The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply. I have been asked to reply.
Letter from Glen Watson, Director General for ONS, to Lord Kilclooney, dated January 2014.
Parliamentary Question asking Her Majesty’s Government what is their estimate of the number of persons from European Union nations resident within the United Kingdom [HL4545].
The latest available estimates for the number of European Union nationals resident in households in the UK are derived from Annual Population Survey (APS) data for the 12 month period of January to December 2012. The estimated number of European Union nationals was 2,343,000, with a corresponding margin of error of +/-67,000.
The margin of error refers to the 95 per cent confidence interval and is a measure of the uncertainty associated with making inferences from a sample.
The APS is the Labour Force Survey (LFS) plus various sample boosts. It is a household survey and so does not include people living in most types of communal establishment
Government Departments: Management Information Reports
Questions
To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Taylor of Holbeach on 17 December 2013 relating to the Home Office (WA 181), what key performance indicators are used to review progress against the overall performance targets and objectives of the Department.[HL4372]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Home Office (Lord Taylor of Holbeach) (Con): The Key Performance Indicators used by the Home Office to review overall performance against targets and objectives are contained within the Departmental Business Plan 2013-15, which is available on the following website page:
https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/home-office-business-plan-2013.
They are also detailed in the Annual Report and Accounts 2012-13 under Input Indicators, page 25, available on the following website page:
http://transparency.number10.gov.uk/assets/client/pdf/ho-indicators.pdf
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what key performance indicators they are using to measure progress against the overall performance targets and objectives for the Department of Health and NHS England.[HL4423]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Health (Earl Howe) (Con): The Department's business plan sets out the key input and impact indicators against which progress is measured. Data for these is published each quarter on the Government website:
www.gov.uk/government/collections/input-and-impact-indicators.
The indicators are selected from the three Outcomes Frameworks covering adult social care, public health and the National Health Service.
The Mandate to NHS England sets out the Government's ambition for the NHS and provides outcomes-focused objectives that NHS England must legally seek to achieve. The Mandate is structured around the five domains of the NHS Outcomes Framework; as such the NHS Outcomes Framework is used to assess progress against the Mandate objectives. The Mandate from Government to NHS England: April 2014 to March 2015, and The NHS Outcomes Framework 2014/15 have already been placed in the Library.
Health Services: Inequality
Question
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what additional money has been, or will be, allocated to reduce inequalities in health for women and ethnic minority groups.[HL4426]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Health (Earl Howe) (Con): NHS England and the Secretary of State are under a specific legal duty in relation to tackling health inequalities. The Government holds NHS England to account for how well they tackle this via The Mandate.
In discharging this duty, ensuring the fair allocation of budgets for commissioning NHS services is a key responsibility of NHS England. The most recent allocations announced by NHS England on 17 December 2013 aim to get resources to those areas in England that require them the most. As part of these, the board agreed a new formula to set clinical commissioning group (CCG) allocation targets, which uses a new indicator to recognise how health inequality should be reflected.
The allocations made to CCGs, however, do not identify amounts for spending on particular areas. Decisions on how the funds are spent are taken by each local health and care area.
Health: Prescriptions
Question
Asked by Baroness Masham of Ilton
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether, following the publication of Care and compassion?, which highlighted problems with repeat and incorrect prescriptions, they intend to issue guidelines to hospitals and general practitioners on reviewing prescriptions and medication.[HL4379]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Health (Earl Howe) (Con):Care and compassion? contains ten investigations into National Health Service care of older people. It is believed the one the Noble Baroness is referring to is the case of Mrs G, where the doctors at her local general practitioner practice failed to review her non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) medication.
The British National Formulary, in section 10.1.1, Non-Steroid anti-inflammatory drugs, provides two prominent warnings for prescribers on the use of NSAIDs in relation to cardiovascular and gastro-intestinal events.
In addition, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence's Medicines and
Prescribing Centre published a summary of the evidence base for the safe use of NSAIDs in their key therapeutic topics (KTT13), published in January 2013. This is available at:
www.nice.org.uk/mpc/keytherapeutictopics/KTT13.jsp
HMS “Prince of Wales” and HMS “Repulse”
Question
Asked by Lord West of Spithead
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what action they have taken to stop looting of the war graves of HMS Prince of Wales and HMS Repulse in the South China Sea.[HL4325]
The Senior Minister of State, Department for Communities and Local Government & Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Baroness Warsi) (Con): It is obviously not possible to maintain permanent surveillance of the wrecks of HMS Prince of Wales and HMS Repulse, which are lying in international waters off the coast of Malaysia. However, the Ministry of Defence and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office continue to seek assistance from Malaysia in preventing unauthorised salvage and damage to these military maritime graves in so far as is possible.
House of Lords: Website
Question
To ask the Chairman of Committees what was the number of page views of the House of Lords homepage on the Parliament website for each month in 2013.[HL4344]
The Chairman of Committees (Lord Sewel): The number of page views for the main House of Lords page (http://www.parliament.uk/business/lords/) in each month in 2013 was as follows:
The number of page views for the House of Lords Corporate Portal as a whole (including the sub-pages of the main House of Lords page) in each month in 2013 was:
Immigration
Question
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is the United Kingdom quota for resettlement under United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees rules in the current year; and whether any places have been given to (1) Afghan interpreters, and (2) Syrian refugees.[HL4477]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Home Office (Lord Taylor of Holbeach) (Con): In partnership with the United Kingdom High Commissioner for Refugees the UK is committed to resettle 750 refugees in the current financial year under the Gateway programme.
The Home Office publishes annual statistics on the number of people resettled in ‘Immigration Statistics'. Figures on the total number of people resettled in 2013 will be available in the next release, ‘Immigration Statistics: October — December 2013', from the GOV.UK website on Thursday 27th February 2014:
https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/home-office/series/immigration-statistics-quarterly-release.
A subset of the total broken down by nationality will be available on request after this date.
The agreement to relocate Afghan interpreters to the UK is managed under separate arrangements and is not part of the Gateway programme.
Immigration: Detention
Question
To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many asylum-seekers are currently in detention in the United Kingdom, of what nationality, and in which removal centres.[HL4476]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Home Office (Lord Taylor of Holbeach) (Con): The table which I will place in the House Library, shows the number of people detained in immigration removal centres, short term holding facilities and pre departure accommodation; as at 30 September 2013 the latest date for which published information is available; who have claimed asylum at some point.
The Home Office publishes quarterly and annual statistics on the number of people detained in the United Kingdom for immigration purposes, within Immigration Statistics. The data on people in detention are readily available in the latest release, Immigration Statistics: July — September 2013, from the GOV.UK website:
https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/home-statistics-quarterly-release.
Published figures on people detained in the United Kingdom solely under Immigration Act powers include those held in short term holding facilities, pre departure accommodation and immigration removal centres. Figures exclude those held in police cells, Prison Service establishments, short term holding rooms at ports and airports (for less than 24 hours), and those recorded as detained under both criminal and immigration powers and their dependants.