Question to the Home Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the adequacy of education, safeguarding and therapeutic services for children and young people harmed by exposure to pornography or online sexual harm.

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

This Government is doing everything in its power to prevent the horrors of child sexual abuse, including online sexual harm. We are committed to delivering effective education, safeguarding and support to children and young people through a new and refreshed RSHE curriculum in schools which now focusses more on healthy relationships and preventing young people from experiencing harm, including online. We also continue to work with the Centre of Expertise on Child Sexual Abuse and other organisations to support frontline professionals with the skills they need to better identify and respond to all forms of child sexual abuse. For example, the Home Office has partnered with Crimestoppers to create and deliver a targeted resource for school professionals to help them manage harmful sexual behaviours among young children, including online behaviours. We have also provided funding to the Lucy Faithfull Foundation to support Shore, an online space for under 18s who are concerned about their own or someone else’s sexual thoughts and behaviours.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure that UK aid channelled through international partners for education in Pakistan is not used to fund the teaching of intolerant or discriminatory content.

Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)

Our education programmes in Pakistan focus on marginalised communities and set ambitious targets for reaching girls and religious minorities, including through: improvements in teaching quality, inclusion, and system reform, which contribute to curriculum development that is aligned with international best practice. All programmes are subject to due diligence and safeguarding and materials are reviewed for equity across gender, ability, ethnicity, and religion before being shared with government counterparts.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether UK aid supporting education in Pakistan ensures that the content delivered meets UNESCO standards of peace, tolerance, and equality, including towards minorities, and women and girls.

Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)

Our education programmes in Pakistan focus on marginalised communities and set ambitious targets for reaching girls and religious minorities, including through: improvements in teaching quality, inclusion, and system reform, which contribute to curriculum development that is aligned with international best practice. All programmes are subject to due diligence and safeguarding and materials are reviewed for equity across gender, ability, ethnicity, and religion before being shared with government counterparts.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have, if any, to ringfence a proportion of UK aid for Pakistan’s education sector to support curriculum reform in line with UNESCO standards.

Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)

Our education programmes in Pakistan focus on marginalised communities and set ambitious targets for reaching girls and religious minorities, including through: improvements in teaching quality, inclusion, and system reform, which contribute to curriculum development that is aligned with international best practice. All programmes are subject to due diligence and safeguarding and materials are reviewed for equity across gender, ability, ethnicity, and religion before being shared with government counterparts.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the findings of the report by the Institute for Monitoring Peace and Cultural Tolerance in School Education, Review of Pakistani Textbooks, published in August; and what discussions they have had with the government of Pakistan about reports of harmful and discriminatory content in the curriculum.

Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)

I refer the Noble Baroness to the answer given on 6 November to question HL11399.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what verification of education materials funded through UK aid in Pakistan has been undertaken; whether it has been verified that those materials meet UNESCO standards of peace, tolerance, and equality; and what plans they have to publish the outcome of any such verification.

Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)

I refer the Noble Baroness to the answer given on 6 November to question HL11399.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the government of China about the release of Ezra Jin Mingri and other pastors and members of the Zion Church who were arrested on 10 October.

Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)

I refer the Noble Baroness to the answer provided on 23 October in the House of Commons to Question 83339, which - for ease of reference - is reproduced below: The UK Government is aware of reports concerning the detention of Zion Church members in China. We continue to follow developments closely and regularly raise human rights concerns with the Chinese authorities. The UK remains committed to promoting human rights and the rule of law globally.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government how many prosecutions there have been under section 1 of the Terrorism Act 2006 in (1) England and Wales, (2) Scotland and (3) Northern Ireland.

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

There have been 52 prosecutions for offences under section 1 of the Terrorism Act 2006 in England and Wales since 2011, when data first became available. These statistics are routinely published by the Home Office as part of its quarterly reporting on the ‘Operation of Police Powers under the Terrorism Act2000 and subsequent legislation’. Data on prosecutions in Scotland is covered by the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS). Annual statistics regarding Northern Ireland Terrorism Legislation are separately published by the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency.

Found: Members present: Lord Carlile of Berriew (The Chair); Lord Dodds of Duncairn; Lord Empey; Baroness Foster of Aghadrumsee