Written Answers
Wednesday 11 June 2014
Independent Living Fund: Autism
Question
To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many people with autism spectrum disorder currently receive support under the Independent Living Fund. [HL103]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Work and Pensions (Lord Freud) (Con): It is not possible to calculate this because the Independent Living Fund’s systems categorise its users by their main condition only; it is not known therefore how many users may have an autism spectrum disorder in addition to the main disability or health condition recorded.
India
Question
Asked by Lord Roberts of Llandudno
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the recent hangings in India; and what steps they will take to ensure that the values set out in the Commonwealth Charter are being upheld in that country.[HL48]
The Senior Minister of State, Department for Communities and Local Government & Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Baroness Warsi) (Con): The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Richmond (Yorks) (Mr Hague), expressed his concern about the recent gang rape and death of the two girls in Budaun on 28 May.
We are committed to working with the Government of India and international partners to address the problem of gender-based violence, human trafficking and child exploitation in India. Through the Department for International Development (DFID) programme, the UK supports measures in India’s 120 poorest districts to promote the empowerment and access to benefits and services of excluded groups. DFID India also provides support to national and state governments in India which includes helping girls to complete basic education and further tackling violence against women and girls. We will continue with work with the government of India on this important issue, and continue to encourage all Commonwealth countries to uphold the values set out in the Commonwealth Charter.
Medical Records: Data Protection
Questions
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the present arrangements for the protection of patients' private medical information by general practitioners.[HL13]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Health (Earl Howe) (Con): General practitioner (GP) practices are individually responsible for ensuring that they comply with legal and ethical requirements and central guidance in relation to data protection and patient confidentiality. A majority of GP practices in England provide assurance that they do so by completing annual assessments of their compliance against information governance requirements through the National Health Service Information Governance Toolkit, and the results of these assessments are publicly available.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what are the rules relating to the release of patients' private medical information to insurance companies by general practitioners.[HL14]
Earl Howe: General practitioners (GPs) must ensure that patients have provided explicit consent before disclosing information to insurance companies. Additionally, under the provisions of the Access to Medical Reports Act 1988, patients have the right to view medical reports prepared for insurance companies and, where a patient has exercised this right, a GP cannot disclose the report to the insurance company until the patient has had the opportunity to review it or if the patient withdraws their consent.
Middle East
Questions
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what action they plan to take to ensure that the rights in international law of both Israel and Palestine become the starting point for any renewal of negotiations. [HL70]
The Senior Minister of State, Department for Communities and Local Government & Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Baroness Warsi) (Con): The Government has strongly supported the tireless efforts of US Secretary of State Kerry to facilitate a lasting final status agreement between the Israelis and the Palestinians. It is disappointing that, despite these efforts, greater progress was not made. However, we remain convinced that common ground and political strength can be found, and we remain committed to doing all we can to support the US and the parties as they seek to find a way forward.
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what discussions they have held with the government of Israel concerning reports of two Palestinian youths killed by live fire, and one critically injured, during the Nakba Day demonstration.[HL73]
Baroness Warsi: Officials from our Embassy in Tel Aviv raised the use of lethal force in this case with both the Israel Defence Force and the Israeli Border Police on 16 May.
On 21 May, the local EU missions in Jerusalem and Ramallah issued a local statement expressing deep concern about the deaths of two Palestinian youths on 15 May in the West Bank and emphasising the importance of such incidents being investigated thoroughly. They reiterated the need for security forces, whether Israeli or Palestinian, to refrain from the use of lethal force, except in cases where there is a real and imminent threat to life.
Sri Lanka
Question
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what recent assessment they have made of the human rights situation in Sri Lanka; and what recent discussions they have had with the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights about the United Nations Human Rights Council resolution on Sri Lanka of 27 March.[HL16]
The Senior Minister of State, Department for Communities and Local Government & Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Baroness Warsi): We remain concerned about the human rights situation in Sri Lanka especially in the North. Our concerns include the continued intimidation and harassment of human rights defenders (HRDs) and activists, attacks on religious minorities, and the protection of the right to freedom of expression and opinion.
Through our Mission in Geneva, we maintain regular contact with the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights. Following the adoption of the resolution, we are engaging with international partners to ensure the implementation of the resolution's international investigation into violations of international law by both sides during Sri Lanka’s conflict. We believe that progress on accountability, human rights and reconciliation is important in establishing enduring peace and reconciliation in Sri Lanka. Such progress will ensure Sri Lanka can reach its full potential as a strong and prosperous nation.