House of Lords Business

Lord Alton of Liverpool to ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of reports that the government of China has revoked the press credentials of journalists from the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and Washington Post; and whether such revocation constitutes a breach of the 1984 Sino–British Joint Declaration.  HL2790

Lord Alton of Liverpool to ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the government of China about the preservation of freedom of speech in Hong Kong following the withdrawal of press credentials from journalists from the Wall Street Journal, Washington Post and New York Times.  HL2791

Lord Alton of Liverpool to ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answers by Baroness Blackwood of North Oxford on 20 January (HL277) and Lord Bethell on 5 March (HL1701) and 18 March (HL2406), what outcomes the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority consider to be adverse following mitochondrial donation treatment; whether such outcomes include (1) implantatio… Item text truncated - open link to view full item text

Lord Alton of Liverpool to ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon on 18 March (HL2309), what action they will take against any company that has published an annual statement as required under section 54 of the Modern Slavery Act 2015 but has been accused of profiting from Uyghur slave labour.  HL2793

Lord Alton of Liverpool to ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of reports about the success of using hydroxychloroquine to treat COVID-19, following a study carried out by Professor Raoult, director of the Institut Hospitalo-Universitaire de Marseille.  HL2794

Lord Alton of Liverpool to ask Her Majesty's Government, following their decision to ban the parallel export of drugs used to treat malaria and HIV, whether UK stocks of such medicines are being trialled for use on patients with COVID-19; and if so, what (1) clinical evidence has been gathered, and (2) conclusions have been reached, about the efficacy of such treatment.  HL2795

Baroness Anelay of St Johns to ask Her Majesty's Government what procedures, if any, have been put in place to ensure that the Government Equalities Office has regular input into policy proposals to be put forward by (1) the Home Office, (2) the Ministry of Defence, (3) the Department for International Development, and (4) the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, to the Integrated Rev… Item text truncated - open link to view full item text

Lord Bassam of Brighton to ask Her Majesty's Government on what date the Prime Minister was first briefed by officials on the potential threats posed by COVID-19 to the UK economy.  HL2797

Lord Bassam of Brighton to ask Her Majesty's Government on what date the Cabinet was first briefed about the threats posed to public health and the economy by COVID-19.  HL2798

Lord Bassam of Brighton to ask Her Majesty's Government on what date the Prime Minister was first briefed by officials about COVID-19 and its potential impact on public health.  HL2799

Lord Birt to ask Her Majesty's Government how they plan to (1) catalogue, and (2) assess, the global scientific effort to (a) create a vaccine, and (b) improve therapeutics and testing, to reduce the impact of COVID-19; and how they intend to ensure that any transformational breakthroughs that emerge are rolled out rapidly.  HL2800

Lord Birt to ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with supermarkets about the provision of online slots for home delivery of foodstuffs and vital supplies to older vulnerable groups.  HL2801

Lord Bradshaw to ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to re-open any of the routes closed in the Beeching cuts, as pledged in the 2019 Conservative Party manifesto; and if they have any such plans, when they intend to do so.  HL2802

Lord Bradshaw to ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to accelerate the procedure for the re-opening of closed railway routes.  HL2803

Lord Foulkes of Cumnock to ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Barran on 19 March (HL2428) and the long-term forecast for the length of the self-isolation period due to the COVID-19 pandemic, what plans they have (1) to seek an agreement with the BBC to suspend the withdrawal of free TV licenses for people aged over 75, and (2) to bear the costs… Item text truncated - open link to view full item text

Lord Hoyle to ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure that Gibraltar has access to any opportunities that arise from the UK’s departure from the EU.  HL2805

Baroness Humphreys to ask Her Majesty's Government what action they are taking to support pensioners who work part-time whose earnings would not qualify them for statutory sick pay as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.  HL2806

Lord Lilley to ask Her Majesty's Government what urgent steps they are taking to (1) create capacity to manufacture vaccines in the UK, and (2) ensure that COVID-19 vaccines are made available immediately once they are developed.  HL2807

Baroness Lister of Burtersett to ask Her Majesty's Government whether the increases to financial support as a result of COVID-19 will include (1) Income Support, (2) Job Seeker's Allowance, (3) Employment and Support Allowances, (4) ‘New Style’ Employment and Support Allowance, (5) child tax credits or (6) child benefits.  HL2808

Baroness Lister of Burtersett to ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure that residents without recourse to public funds will have financial protection during the COVID-19 pandemic.  HL2809

Baroness McIntosh of Pickering to ask Her Majesty's Government when they expect personal protective equipment in storage areas to be distributed to front line medical practitioners in hospitals and GP surgeries  HL2810

Baroness McIntosh of Pickering to ask Her Majesty's Government what criteria are used to determine key workers; and what plans they have to add cleaners to the published list.  HL2811

Baroness McIntosh of Pickering to ask Her Majesty's Government why (1) betting shops, (2) bingo halls, and (3) casinos, were excluded from the business rate holiday; and what plans they have to extend such businesses the same relief as granted to other retail and leisure businesses.  HL2812

Lord Mawson to ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the relationship between the global wildlife food trade in China and the spread of COVID-19.  HL2813

Lord Mawson to ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the government of China about stopping the trade in global wildlife for human consumption.  HL2814

Lord Mawson to ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the likelihood of pandemics resulting from the trade of global wildlife in China.  HL2815

Lord Mawson to ask Her Majesty's Government what educational programmes they are supporting in Commonwealth countries to inform local people of any relationship between COVID-19 and other diseases and the trade in wildlife for food; and what steps they are taking to discourage such trade.  HL2816

Lord Mawson to ask Her Majesty's Government what percentage of pharmacies in England have received the basic equipment needed to handle safely the COVID-19 pandemic.  HL2817

Lord Mawson to ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure the general public are aware of the role of pharmacies during the COVID-19 pandemic.  HL2818

Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick to ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the findings of the report by the Imperial College COVID-19 response team Impact of non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPIs) to reduce COVID-19 mortality and healthcare demand, published on 16 March.  HL2819

Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick to ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to introduce a universal basic income to offset any financial challenges caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.  HL2820

Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick to ask Her Majesty's Government what training they plan to provide to health services personnel in the use of ventilators during the COVID-19 pandemic.  HL2821

Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick to ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with the (1) government of Ireland, and (2) political parties in Northern Ireland, about the Overseas Operations (Service Personnel and Veterans) Bill.  HL2822

Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick to ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with the (1) government of Ireland, and (2) political parties in Northern Ireland about the commitments for the Armed Forces and veterans contained in New Decade, New Approach, published on 9 January.  HL2823

Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick to ask Her Majesty's Government when they plan to introduce universal testing of all UK citizens for COVID-19.  HL2824

Lord Roberts of Llandudno to ask Her Majesty's Government how many staff employed in the National Health Service are not British citizens.  HL2825

Lord Roberts of Llandudno to ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to waive the payment of any immigration surcharge for medical personnel employed by the NHS who are not from the UK.  HL2826

Lord Roberts of Llandudno to ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to use Armed Forces personnel, and in particular any such personnel with specialist medical training, to help address the COVID-19 pandemic.  HL2827

Lord Roberts of Llandudno to ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to use hotels to treat patients with COVID-19.  HL2828

Lord Roberts of Llandudno to ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the drugs being used in other countries to treat patients with COVID-19 successfully; and what progress has been made towards developing a vaccine.  HL2829

Lord Roberts of Llandudno to ask Her Majesty's Government what is their policy towards migrants who are in the country beyond their visa expiration date but who are unable to travel due to global travel restrictions.  HL2830

The Lord Bishop of St Albans to ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to encourage domestic food production as a result of COVID-19.  HL2831

Lord Scriven to ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the announcement by the government of Bahrain on 12 March that it will release 1,486 detainees for “humanitarian reasons, in the backdrop of current circumstances", what representations they have made to that government about the case of Zakeya AlBarboori and her release.  HL2832

Lord Scriven to ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the announcement by the government of Bahrain on 12 March that it will release 1,486 detainees for “humanitarian reasons, in the backdrop of current circumstances", what representations they have made to the government of Bahrain about the release of Sayed Nizar Alwadaei, who was deemed arbitrarily detained by the United Nat… Item text truncated - open link to view full item text

Lord Scriven to ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by the Minister of State in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and the Department for International Development on 9 March (HC25129), what measures are in place to ensure that security training provided by third-parties to the governments of Bahrain and other FCO human rights priority countries are period… Item text truncated - open link to view full item text

Lord Scriven to ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the announcement by the government of Bahrain on 12 March that it will release 1,486 detainees for “humanitarian reasons, in the backdrop of current circumstances” and the statement by Human Rights Watch on 23 March which notes that “Bahraini authorities have not released any prominent political leaders or human rights defen… Item text truncated - open link to view full item text

Baroness Sheehan to ask Her Majesty's Government how the £46 million aid package to fight the spread of COVID-19, announced on 6 March, will be deployed to assist health systems in vulnerable countries.  HL2836

Baroness Sheehan to ask Her Majesty's Government whether the Department for International Development will remain the UK Government Department responsible for administering overseas aid; and whether the goal of that Department will continue to be “to promote sustainable development and eliminate world poverty”.  HL2837

Baroness Sheehan to ask Her Majesty's Government when they intend to publish the corporate report to replace the Single departmental plan: 2015 to 2020, which was withdrawn on 13 March.  HL2838

Lord Taylor of Warwick to ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have, if any, to relax temporarily Sunday trading hours to prevent overcrowding and allow key workers to purchase shopping at supermarkets.  HL2839

Lord Taylor of Warwick to ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have, if any, to utilise artificial intelligence to test for COVID-19.  HL2840

Lord Taylor of Warwick to ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have, if any, to test key workers for COVID-19 regularly.  HL2841

Lord Taylor of Warwick to ask Her Majesty's Government what consideration they have given, if any, to the deployment of police officers to ensure that people are social distancing.  HL2842

Baroness Tonge to ask Her Majesty's Government how many children have been taken into care as a result of the introduction of female genital mutilation safeguarding in 2015.  HL2843

Baroness Tonge to ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have received about female genital mutilation education being taught in schools; and from whom.  HL2844

Baroness Tonge to ask Her Majesty's Government how female genital mutilation education is taught in schools.  HL2845

Baroness Tonge to ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the government of Israel about reports that that government destroyed agricultural land and crops in two Bedouin communities in the Negev desert on 16 March.  HL2846

Baroness Tonge to ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the government of Israel about reports that Palestinians trying to raise awareness of COVID-19 in East Jerusalem were arrested.  HL2847

Baroness Tonge to ask Her Majesty's Government whether, after a child has been taken into care to safeguard against female genital mutilation (FGM), written reports on that child’s wellbeing are completed; and if so, whether those reports are reviewed to ensure that FGM safeguarding is in the child’s best interest.  HL2848

Viscount Trenchard to ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to suspend the provisions of the Consumer Rights Act 2015 which require refunds for the cancellation of events to be paid within 14 days of request.  HL2849

Viscount Trenchard to ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to provide loans to music festival operators to cover a fixed percentage of staff salaries during the COVID-19 pandemic.  HL2850

Viscount Trenchard to ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to extend the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme to freelance workers, and in particular, to those who work in the music festivals sector.  HL2851

Viscount Trenchard to ask Her Majesty's Government whether all festival businesses whose financial viability have been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic will be eligible to receive loans equal to the amount of financial damage they have suffered as a direct result of the pandemic; and whether any such loans will require owners or directors of these businesses to pledge their perso… Item text truncated - open link to view full item text

Viscount Trenchard to ask Her Majesty's Government whether the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme is weighted for London; and what plans they have for those whose salaries exceed the threshold of the Scheme.  HL2853