Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask His Majesty's Government what progress has been made in bringing together the administration of Pension Credit and Housing Benefit.

Answered by Baroness Sherlock - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

We remain committed to meeting the Chancellor’s commitment to bringing together the administration of Pension Credit and pensioner Housing Benefit. We are seeking to do this in a way that best meets the needs of current and future pensioners.

The Department is working closely with local authorities and undertaking detailed policy exploration to ensure that the best approach is identified.

Alongside this work, we are improving our use of established data streams to target new pensioner Housing Benefit customers to ensure that they are prompted to claim and receive any Pension Credit to which they are entitled. As part of this initiative, we have successfully sent out 1,000 letters to citizens, encouraging them to make a claim for Pension Credit.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to counter Iranian state activities in the UK, particularly with regard to the Al Quds Day marches on 23 March.

Answered by Lord Hanson of Flint - Minister of State (Home Office)

This Government will always take threats to the UK incredibly seriously. On 4 March, the Government announced a concerted package of measures to counter the threat from the Iranian Intelligence Services. This includes our decision to specify Iran on the Enhanced Tier of the Foreign Influence Registration Scheme (FIRS), which will require individuals and organisations directed by Iran to conduct activity in the UK to register with the Home Office. Failure to do so will be a criminal offence.

Peaceful protest is a vital part of our democratic society. However, the right to peacefully protest does not extend to behaviour that is violent or causes harassment, alarm or distress to others. Should a protest contravene the law, the police have the powers to respond.

The Metropolitan Police Service had a significant policing plan in place – including conditions under sections 12 and 14 of the Public Order Act – during the Al Quds Day march on 23 March. The use of these powers and the management of demonstrations are an operational matter for the police, and Government Ministers are unable to intervene in individual cases or in operational decisions.