House of Lords Business

Baroness Altmann to ask Her Majesty's Government what is the total annual cost to taxpayers of paying the annual £10 Christmas bonus to pensioners.  HL12118

Baroness Altmann to ask Her Majesty's Government how much of the total cost of paying the Christmas bonus to all pensioners is spent on administration.  HL12119

Baroness Altmann to ask Her Majesty's Government what is the total annual cost to taxpayers of paying the Age Addition to state pensions for pensioners over age 80.  HL12120

Baroness Altmann to ask Her Majesty's Government how much of the total cost of paying the Age Addition to pensioners is spent on administration.  HL12121

Baroness Altmann to ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to ensure that pension data is accurate and reliable before it is loaded onto a Pensions Dashboard.  HL12122

Baroness Altmann to ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have any plans to ask the Pensions Regulator to require regular reconciliation and reporting on accuracy of auto-enrolment pensions data.  HL12123

Lord Alton of Liverpool to ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the imprisonment of three Kachin activists in Burma for six months for peaceful protest and calling for humanitarian assistance for civilians trapped in the conflict in northern Burma.  HL12124

Lord Alton of Liverpool to ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of (1) the sufficiency of protections for freedom of religion or belief in Cuba, and (2) the proposal to remove the right to freedom of conscience from Cuba's constitution; and whether they intend to raise such issues with the government of Cuba.  HL12125

Lord Alton of Liverpool to ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of (1) whether the number of civil compensation awards in mesothelioma cases have increased, and (2) whether such awards provide funds for diverse treatments that are not available on the NHS; and whether they intend to review the Diffuse Mesothelioma Payment Scheme to ensure that it provides a… Item text truncated - open link to view full item text

Lord Alton of Liverpool to ask Her Majesty's Government whether Christian refugees are reluctant to enter refugee camps in the Middle East run by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR); if so, why; what steps they have taken to persuade the UNHCR and its partners to intensify their outreach to groups that might otherwise be reluctant to register in… Item text truncated - open link to view full item text

Lord Beecham to ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to investigate claims of exploitative employment practices by Malaysian manufacturers of medical gloves for use by the NHS.  HL12128

Lord Berkeley to ask Her Majesty's Government how many strategic rail freight interchanges have secured planning consent since the designation of the National Policy Statement for National Networks.  HL12129

Lord Berkeley to ask Her Majesty's Government which strategic rail freight interchanges are being brought forward through (1) the nationally significant infrastructure projects, and (2) Town and Country Planning Act 1990 routes.  HL12130

Lord Berkeley to ask Her Majesty's Government what role strategic rail freight interchanges will play in delivering (1) the Clean Air Strategy's objectives, and (2) national modal shift targets from road to rail.  HL12131

Lord Berkeley to ask Her Majesty's Government how the statement in the Rail Sector Deal will enable the sector’s capability to trade internationally; whether to this end they will remain in compliance with European Union Agency for Railways' standards and procedures; and if not, what alternative standards and procedures would be used.  HL12132

Lord Carlile of Berriew to ask Her Majesty's Government how much funding they have provided in each year since 2012–13 to enable citizens to send the police photo, video and audio evidence of crimes they have captured on their smartphones.  HL12133

Lord Carlile of Berriew to ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with the Metropolitan Police Service about the savings it could make by promoting the Self Evident app as a way to (1) obtain photo and video evidence of crimes from victims and witnesses, (2) enable citizens to record an initial witness statement, and (3) provide support for repeat and vulnerab… Item text truncated - open link to view full item text

Lord Carlile of Berriew to ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with the Metropolitan Police Service about how much it estimates the annual cost of using the Self Evident app would be.  HL12135

Baroness Cox to ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the remarks by Lord Bates on 5 December (HL Deb, cols 1014–16) that “there cannot be a meaningful discussion about how to begin the reconstruction, because that requires a government we can deal with, and we do not have one at the moment”, whether they are seeking regime change in Syria.  HL12136

Baroness Cox to ask Her Majesty's Government what funding, if any, they intend to provide to support water and sanitation projects by the International Committee of the Red Cross in Syria.  HL12137

Baroness Cox to ask Her Majesty's Government which (1) organisations, (2) opposition groups, and (3) local councils, active in the jihadi-controlled parts of Syria, currently provide (a) humanitarian, and (b) military assistance.  HL12138

Baroness Cox to ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will urge the government of the United States to use its Al Tanf airbase in Syria to provide assistance to the thousands of displaced persons living in the Rukban Camp; and whether they will call on the governments of Syria and Jordan to help.  HL12139

Baroness Deech to ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment, if any, they have made of the adequacy of the investigation carried out by the British Council when it decided to continue to sponsor the Recognition Reparation Reconciliation conference, held on 5 December at Stellenbosch University, after Israeli and Palestinian academic contributors were caused to withdraw… Item text truncated - open link to view full item text

Baroness Deech to ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment, if any, they have made of the adherence of the British Council to the Equality Act 2010 and to the principle of the universality of science in its sponsorship of the Recognition Reparation Reconciliation conference, held on 5 December at Stellenbosch University, from which Israeli and Palestinian academic con… Item text truncated - open link to view full item text

Baroness Deech to ask Her Majesty's Government whether the sites considered for the National Holocaust Memorial and Learning Centre meet the specifications in the paper by the UK National Holocaust Memorial Foundation National Memorial and Learning Centre: Search for a Central London Site, published in September 2015, in particular that the site should provide (1) a place… Item text truncated - open link to view full item text

Lord Harris of Haringey to ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Young of Cookham on 4 December (HL11641), which (1) department, and (2) minister, has the lead role in taking the mobile emergency alerting systems programme forward; and what assessment they have made of how other countries who have implemented such systems have resolved any issues.  HL… Item text truncated - open link to view full item text

Lord Harris of Haringey to ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to implement Article 110 of the European Electronic Communications Code; and which (1) department, and (2) minister is responsible for leading on its implementation.  HL12144

Baroness Hayter of Kentish Town to ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to increase awareness of the Chief Medical Officers' low-risk drinking guidelines following the findings in the report by the Alcohol Health Alliance, How we drink, what we think: Public views on alcohol and alcohol policies in the UK, published on 4 December, that only 19 per cent… Item text truncated - open link to view full item text

Baroness Hayter of Kentish Town to ask Her Majesty's Government whether their forthcoming Alcohol Strategy will include a commitment to require cancer warnings on alcohol labels, following the findings in the report by the Alcohol Health Alliance, How we drink, what we think: Public views on alcohol and alcohol policies in the UK, published on 4 December, that the majorit… Item text truncated - open link to view full item text

Baroness Hayter of Kentish Town to ask Her Majesty's Government how their forthcoming alcohol strategy will address the increased affordability of alcohol.  HL12147

Baroness Hodgson of Abinger to ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the government of Saudi Arabia about reports from Human Rights Watch that women's rights activists in Saudi Arabia have been tortured, sexually harassed and assaulted in prison.  HL12148

The Lord Bishop of Leeds to ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of any impact of the reintroduction of sanctions on Iran by the United States on refugee and migration flows from Iran.  HL12149

The Lord Bishop of Leeds to ask Her Majesty's Government how many Iranian citizens made asylum applications in (1) 2015, (2) 2016, (3) 2017, and (4) 2018; and how many applications have been granted.  HL12150

The Lord Bishop of Leeds to ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact that the reintroduction of  sanctions on Iran by the United States has had on countries neighbouring Iran.  HL12151

The Lord Bishop of Leeds to ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact that the reintroduction of sanctions on Iran by the United States has had on UK-registered companies trading with Iran.  HL12152

Baroness Lister of Burtersett to ask Her Majesty's Government how many times the domestic violence and abuse easement to Jobseeker's Allowance has been applied for each year since 2012, including 2018 to date, in (1) England, (2) Wales, and (3) Scotland.  HL12153

Baroness Lister of Burtersett to ask Her Majesty's Government how many times the domestic violence and abuse easement to Universal Credit work-related requirements has been applied to date in (1) England, (2) Wales, and (3) Scotland.  HL12154

Baroness Lister of Burtersett to ask Her Majesty's Government how many times the child distress easement to Universal Credit work-related requirements has been applied to date in (1) England, (2) Wales, and (3) Scotland.  HL12155

Baroness Lister of Burtersett to ask Her Majesty's Government what is the (1) average, and (2) maximum time that payment of carer's allowance is withheld during a financial review.  HL12156

The Marquess of Lothian to ask Her Majesty's Government what is their assessment of (1) the strategic objectives regarding, and (2) long-term threats posed by, North Korea’s nuclear programme.  HL12157

The Marquess of Lothian to ask Her Majesty's Government, following US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo’s announcement on 4 December that the United States will in 60 days suspend its obligations with the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty unless Russia returns to full and verifiable compliance with that Treaty, what action they are taking within NATO to persuade the government… Item text truncated - open link to view full item text

The Marquess of Lothian to ask Her Majesty's Government when they plan to update school food standards following new recommendations on sugar and carbohydrate consumption; and how they will encourage schools to comply with these standards.  HL12159

The Marquess of Lothian to ask Her Majesty's Government what current assistance they are providing to Tunisia to assist the transition to democracy and to promote stability, particularly in view of the number of highly educated and skilled workers who have left the country since 2011 and the fact that Tunisia remains a contributor of foreign fighters to IS.  HL12160

The Marquess of Lothian to ask Her Majesty's Government what progress has been made in agreeing the European Union’s proposed Special Purpose Vehicle to facilitate trade with Iran and to retain some of the sanctions relief provided by the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action.  HL12161

The Marquess of Lothian to ask Her Majesty's Government what are the latest figures for the number of rough sleepers in England; and what progress has been made on implementing their rough sleeping strategy announced on 13 August and its ambition to halve the number of those sleeping rough by 2022 and to end it altogether by 2027.  HL12162

Baroness Masham of Ilton to ask Her Majesty's Government when they intend to make funding available to implement the UK National Screening Committee's recommendation of 2017 to undertake a practical evaluation of new born screening for Severe Combined Immunodeficiency Disease in the NHS.  HL12163

Lord Oates to ask Her Majesty's Government how much funding they have allocated to tackle the impact of climate change on Africa in each of the last five years for which figures are available.  HL12164

Lord Oates to ask Her Majesty's Government how much funding they have provided to children and adolescent mental health services in each year since 2010.  HL12165

Lord Scriven to ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Nash on 6 March 2017 (HL5596) and following the subsequent ending of the nationality and country of birth data collection from school children in autumn 2018, how schools and families can now retract such data submitted to the Department for Education.  HL12166

Lord Taylor of Warwick to ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of a decline in shopper footfall on UK high street stores.  HL12167

Lord Taylor of Warwick to ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of transport equipment manufacturing output.  HL12168

Lord Taylor of Warwick to ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to work with sports authorities to help reduce discriminatory abuse in UK soccer following several recent reports of alleged racial abuse.  HL12169

Lord Taylor of Warwick to ask Her Majesty's Government whether they intend to make a bilateral free trade agreement with New Zealand after Brexit.  HL12170

Lord Turnbull to ask Her Majesty's Government what is the current area of the Victoria Tower Gardens; what area will be taken up by the Holocaust Memorial and associated works; and what area will remain for recreational use.  HL12171

Lord Wills to ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord O'Shaughnessy on 22 November (HL11744), what assessment they have made of whether local authorities are complying with guidelines to ensure that home care workers are paid the national living wage for travelling between appointments.  HL12172

Baroness Wolf of Dulwich to ask Her Majesty's Government how many applicants for settlement visas paid for the UK Visas and Immigration’s Settlement Priority Visa service from 31 March 2017 to 1 April 2018; and what was the total amount paid by applicants using that service during that period.  HL12173

Baroness Wolf of Dulwich to ask Her Majesty's Government how many applicants for settlement visas who paid for the UK Visas and Immigration’s Settlement Priority Visa service from 31 March 2017 to 1 April 2018 qualified for the (1) 8 weeks, and (2) 6 months standard processing times.  HL12174

Baroness Wolf of Dulwich to ask Her Majesty's Government how many applicants for settlement visas who paid for the UK Visas and Immigration’s Settlement Priority Visa service from 31 March 2017 to 1 April 2018 and qualified for the 8 weeks standard processing time received their visas within that time; and of those who did not, how many received an explanatory letter within (1) 40… Item text truncated - open link to view full item text

Baroness Wolf of Dulwich to ask Her Majesty's Government what was the average time taken for applicants for settlement visas who paid for the UK Visas and Immigration’s Settlement Priority Visa service from 31 March 2017 to 1 April 2018 to be (1) issued with a visa, and (2) informed their application had been rejected.  HL12176