Asked by: Baroness Hoey (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the report by Chris Mburu Past Human Rights Abuses in Somalia: Report of a Preliminary Study Conducted for the United Nations, published in 2002; and what assessment they have made of its recommendations following the Isaaq genocide.
Answered by Lord Collins of Highbury - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Government is aware of the findings of the report 'Past Human Rights Abuses in Somalia: Report of a Preliminary Study Conducted for the United Nations', by Chris Mburu, published in 2002. The UK is committed to improving respect for human rights in Somalia, including Somaliland, which is crucial to building a more secure, democratic and prosperous Somalia. It is the long-standing policy of the British Government that any judgement as to whether genocide has occurred is a matter for a competent national or international court, rather than for governments or non-judicial bodies.
Asked by: Baroness Hoey (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government how much they contributed to the BBC World Service in each of the past two years; and what percentage of that organisation's cost they contributed in each of the past two years.
Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)
In Financial Year 2023/2024, the government contribution to the World Service was £104.4 million. The Licence Fee contribution was £265 million, so we provided 28.3 per cent of the budget. In 2024-2025, the government provided £104.4 million of the budget, and in 2025-2026 we will provide £137 million - an uplift of over 31 per cent. The BBC will not publish the final Licence Fee contribution and total World Service budget for 2024/2025 until the summer, so we cannot provide the percentage calculation.
Asked by: Baroness Hoey (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the finding in the United Nations document Moving Forward, Whilst Looking Back: Reflections on the Effective Implementation of the Genocide Convention, published in 2024, that the signatories of the Genocide Convention failed to look beyond geopolitical factors with regard to the protection needs of the Isaaq people; and what steps they will take to work with international partners to prevent similar failings in future.
Answered by Lord Collins of Highbury - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK has made note of the findings of the United Nations document Moving Forward, Whilst Looking Back: Reflections on the Effective Implementation of the Genocide Convention. As a party to the Convention, the UK is fully committed to the prevention and punishment of genocide under the Convention. To fulfil its duty to prevent under the Genocide Convention, the Government adopts a consolidated, whole-of-government effort, using our diplomatic, development, defence and law enforcement capabilities, to help find pathways to global peace and stability. Where we see immediate risks of atrocities, we take diplomatic steps to highlight our concerns: bilaterally with the countries concerned and with regional neighbours, and multilaterally through international organisations.
Asked by: Baroness Hoey (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government how many civil cases have been lodged with the Northern Ireland Office in relation to the 2020 Supreme Court decision that the signing of interim custody orders by a Minister or official other than a Secretary of State was unlawful; when were the interim custody orders signed; how many of the claimants are deceased; how many cases have been determined; and at what cost they were determined.
Answered by Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
Approximately 100 civil damages claims relating to Interim Custody Orders signed by a Minister or official other than the Secretary of State have been lodged with the Northern Ireland Office since the decision of the Supreme Court in 2020. Around a tenth of these have been brought on behalf of an individual who is deceased. The relevant date period for an ICO claim relating to the signing of an order by a Minister or official other than a Secretary of State is between 24 March 1972 and 5 December 1975. None of the claims have yet been determined by a judge.
Asked by: Baroness Hoey (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government how much was paid for membership to (1) the United Nations, (2) the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe, and (3) the Council of Europe, in each of the past two years; and what percentage of those organisations' costs the UK contributed in each of the past two years.
Answered by Lord Collins of Highbury - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK is one of the top contributors to the UN regular budget, contributing USD 137 million (~3.991 per cent of the USD 3.72 billion total) in 2025. In 2024, the UK was responsible for 4.375 per cent of the Regular Budget (USD 137.8 million). Taken together with contributions to the UN Peacekeeping budget, the UK has the 5th highest assessed contribution among Member States. The UK is also one of the four principal financial contributors the Council of Europe. In 2025, the UK contributed EUR 48 million, up from EUR 45 million in 2024. This represents 11.7 per cent of the Council's (approximately) EUR 414.4 million budget for Member States' obligatory contributions. The UK's contribution to the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) has remained stable across 2024 and 2025 at a 10.3 per cent share, equivalent to EUR 14,276,010.40.
Asked by: Baroness Hoey (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the remarks by Baroness Smith of Malvern on 24 April (HL Deb col 773), what assessment they have made of the application in Northern Ireland of the Supreme Court judgment in For Women Scotland Ltd v The Scottish Ministers [2025] UKSC 16.
Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Minister for Women and Equalities)
Equal opportunities and anti-discrimination law remain devolved matters in Northern Ireland, and the extent of the Equality Act 2010 as set out in law remains unchanged following this judgment.
We expect those affected by the judgment to comply with this ruling and the Equality Act 2010, together with any other relevant legislation and guidance. As they always have, courts across the UK should continue to give full and proper regard to the jurisprudence from higher courts.
Asked by: Baroness Hoey (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the African Union's report Fact-Finding Mission to Somaliland (30 April to 4 May 2005).
Answered by Lord Collins of Highbury - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK is aware of the findings of the African Union's Fact-Finding Mission to Somaliland from 2005. The UK, alongside others in the international community, including the African Union, does not recognise Somaliland's unilateral declaration of independence. We believe that the settlement of Somaliland's status is an issue for authorities in Mogadishu and Hargeisa to decide through a consultative process and dialogue.
Asked by: Baroness Hoey (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the potential effect of recognising Somaliland’s statehood for promoting security in the Gulf of Aden so that international partners can enter bilateral security treaties with Somaliland.
Answered by Lord Collins of Highbury - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK, alongside others in the international community, does not recognise Somaliland's unilateral declaration of independence. We believe that the settlement of Somaliland's status is an issue for authorities in Mogadishu and Hargeisa to decide through a consultative process and dialogue.
Asked by: Baroness Hoey (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of the proposal to remove Sport England as a statutory consultee on planning decisions on the protection of playing fields.
Answered by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
I refer the noble Baroness to the answer given to Question UIN 40670 on 31 March 2025.
Asked by: Baroness Hoey (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask His Majesty's Government how many homes in Northern Ireland do not have access to fast fibre broadband.
Answered by Baroness Jones of Whitchurch - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
Fast fibre broadband covers several different speeds and platforms. According to Ofcom’s Spring Connected Nations update, as of January 2025, 99% of residential premises in Northern Ireland can access a superfast broadband connection (>=30 Mbps), and 95% can access a gigabit-capable connection (>1000 Mbps). More premises in Northern Ireland have access to a gigabit-capable broadband connection than in any of the other UK nations.
In addition, as part of the UK Government’s Project Gigabit, the Northern Ireland Department for the Economy is seeking to connect up to a further 10,900 premises that are not expected to be reached by suppliers’ commercial rollout.