Asked by: Baroness Coussins (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government how they monitor compliance with the 'Guidance for Commissioners: Interpreting and Translation Services in Primary Care', published by NHS England in September 2018.
Answered by Lord Markham - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Department does not monitor compliance with this guidance. However, when commissioners, NHS Regions and integrated care boards commission interpreting and translation services for their areas, those contracts would be governed in line with National Health Service guidance and professional standards.
Asked by: Baroness Coussins (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether the right to translation services for people engaged with the criminal justice system, under Directive 2010/64/EU of the European Parliament, and incorporated into UK law by 18 different measures, will be affected by the Retained EU Law (Revocation and Reform) Bill; and if so, whether this right will be (1) sunsetted, (2) retained, (3) replaced, or (4) updated.
Answered by Lord Bellamy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Justice)
The measures implementing Directive 2010/64/EU concerning the right to translation services for people engaged with the criminal justice system are in scope of the Retained EU Law (Revocation and Reform) Bill. We are reviewing these and other pieces of retained EU law for which the Ministry of Justice is responsible to decide whether they should remain on the statute book, and if so whether they should in due course be amended using powers in the Bill, or whether they should be left to sunset.
The provision of translators and intermediaries is a priority for this government, and we do not intend to remove the right to translation services for people engaged with the criminal justice system.
Asked by: Baroness Coussins (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of (1) the draft UN Security Council Resolution on the protection of interpreters and translators working in high-risk settings, circulated by the Swiss Mission in December 2022, and (2) the Open Letter from the NGO Red T to Volker Turk of the UN HCHR asking that his office establish a translator/interpreter incident database; and what steps they are planning to take in response as a member of the UN Group of Friends for the Protection of Civilians.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The United Kingdom is committed to international action to protect civilians in conflict; we consistently use the influence provided by our permanent seat on the UN Security Council to urge all states to improve the protection of civilians in conflict situations. We recognise the vital role that interpreters and translators play in conflicts and the particular threats faced by this group. We believe the most effective way to protect them is through implementation of International Humanitarian Law and previous Security Council resolutions 1265 (1999), 1296 (2000), 1674 (2006), and 1894 (2009). We have taken note of the contents of the open letters from Red T but do not at present believe that an additional resolution focusing on translators and interpreters would make a significant difference to their protection.
Asked by: Baroness Coussins (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of protests in Peru following the dismissal of President Castillo; and whether they (1) have made, and (2) will make, representations to the government of Peru about the 46 deaths related to the protests.
Answered by Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park
The UK supports the Peruvian Government and constitutional order. We welcome initiatives to strengthen democracy, as well as dialogue to calm the ongoing protests. In light of reports of abuses and the deaths of protestors, it is important that the Peruvian Government does all it can to protect lives, and that there is greater transparency of how the Peruvian Government is ensuring the protection of rights. Our Embassy in Lima has raised this with senior Peruvian Government politicians. Minister Rutley also raised concerns in my meeting with the Peruvian ambassador recently on the 25th January 2023, as did our trade minister in his recent meeting with the Peruvian Minister of Finance.
Asked by: Baroness Coussins (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government how much of the £1.8 million for Political Declaration of Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict Initiative (PSVI) priority countries they announced will be given to Columbia to develop its Women, Peace and Security 1325 National Action Plan.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
A significant delegation from Colombia attended the recent PSVI Conference in London, and I [Lord Ahmad] and the Minister for Development and Africa [Minister Mitchell] met with the delegation leader, Vice Foreign Minister, Laura Gil. The Minister for the Americas and Caribbean [Minister Rutley] also discussed PSVI with Foreign Minister Leyva on his recent visit to Colombia and met victims of sexual violence. The UK Government is committed to supporting the development of Women, Peace and Security National Action Plans across the world, including Colombia as they develop their first National Action Plan, given their track record of championing the meaningful participation of women in their own peace process. The UK is in discussions with the Colombian Ministry of Foreign Affairs on next steps.
Asked by: Baroness Coussins (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to their commitments in the Political Declaration of Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict Initiative (PSVI) Conference 2022, what support they will give to Columbia to develop its Women, Peace and Security 1325 National Action Plan.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
A significant delegation from Colombia attended the recent PSVI Conference in London, and I [Lord Ahmad] and the Minister for Development and Africa [Minister Mitchell] met with the delegation leader, Vice Foreign Minister, Laura Gil. The Minister for the Americas and Caribbean [Minister Rutley] also discussed PSVI with Foreign Minister Leyva on his recent visit to Colombia and met victims of sexual violence. The UK Government is committed to supporting the development of Women, Peace and Security National Action Plans across the world, including Colombia as they develop their first National Action Plan, given their track record of championing the meaningful participation of women in their own peace process. The UK is in discussions with the Colombian Ministry of Foreign Affairs on next steps.
Asked by: Baroness Coussins (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they have provided any experts to assist the government of Columbia and civil society organisations that are part of the Columbian National Commission on Security Guarantees on issues related to the dismantling of illegal armed groups.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Through our role as pen-holder at the UN Security Council, as well as through our Embassy in Colombia, the UK supports the Government of Colombia and civil society organisations on security issues, including the activities of illegal armed groups. To date, we have spent over £74 million through the Conflict, Stability and Security Fund (CSSF) to support the implementation of the peace agreement in Colombia and improve stability and security. We will continue to work with Colombia, including through the UNSC, and encourage the Colombian Government to strengthen the institutions that can improve the security of citizens and investigate and prosecute the criminal actors responsible for violence.
Asked by: Baroness Coussins (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with the government of Columbia to ensure that indigenous people and other civil society organisations are able to participate in the formulation of its Women, Peace and Security 1325 National Action Plan.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK consistently calls on the Colombian Government to ensure that all groups, including indigenous groups and civil society, are able to participate in the proper implementation of the Peace Process and their National Action Plan. Successive UK-drafted UN Security Council press statements have called for the Colombian Government to work closely with civil society. In the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State's (Americas and the Caribbean) high level dialogue with Foreign Minister Leyva during his visit to Colombia in November, he reiterated the UK's commitment to continuing to support the peace process.
To date, we have spent over £74 million through the Conflict, Stability and Security Fund (CSSF) to support the implementation of the peace agreement in Colombia and improve stability and security. We will continue to work with Colombia, including through the UNSC and encourage the Colombian Government to strengthen the institutions that can improve the security of all its citizens and investigate and prosecute the criminal actors responsible for violence.
Asked by: Baroness Coussins (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask His Majesty's Government when the invitation to tender for the new contract for provision of court and tribunal spoken word interpreters will be issued.
Answered by Lord Bellamy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Justice)
The Ministry of Justice has been assessing options for tendering the new contract for provision of spoken word interpreters. Our plans remain commercial in confidence at this time. Information will be published to the market in due course.
Asked by: Baroness Coussins (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether the full independent review of qualifications and standards for court and tribunal spoken word interpreters, announced by Lord Wolfson of Tredegar on 12 January (HL Deb, col 1151), has been completed; and if so, when it will be published.
Answered by Lord Bellamy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Justice)
This review is ongoing alongside a wider and comprehensive review of language service requirements which is currently being undertaken within my Department. We will, of course, publish the outcome of that review once it is complete.