Asked by: Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask His Majesty's Government when they will respond to the report from the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman Women’s State Pension age: our findings on injustice and associated issues laid before Parliament on 21 March.
Answered by Viscount Younger of Leckie - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
In laying the report before Parliament at the end of March, the Ombudsman has brought matters to the attention of this House, and a further update to the House will be provided once the report's findings have been fully considered.
Asked by: Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they intend to license the drug Lecanemab for the treatment of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease; and if so, when.
Answered by Lord Markham - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency will review any marketing authorisation application received, and will consider the drug with regard to quality, safety and efficacy. We do not comment on application status or applications in progress, until a full and timely decision is made with consideration of the recommendation of Commission on Human Medicines as needed. We continue to advise that patients consult with their respective healthcare professionals regarding treatment and management options for dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.
Asked by: Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what checks and balances they have in place to ensure that funding to the government of Iraq does not benefit organisations such as the Popular Mobilisation Forces, or any Iranian-backed organisations operating in Iraq.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Our funding and support is delivered through implementing partners and not directly through the Government of Iraq. Thorough due diligence assessment of all funding is carried out to ensure partners have procedures in place to manage the main risks of aid diversion from activities it funds, including specific controls to ensure that assistance goes direct to the intended beneficiaries.
Asked by: Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure that regular meetings take place between Ministers from the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office and UK faith communities on the impact of conflict on people of faith.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
We recognise that conflicts, including the current conflict in the Middle East, can impact on British faith communities and lead to a rise in community tensions. Baroness Scott, DLUHC Minister for Faith, maintains an active programme of engagement with faith community representatives to discuss a range of issues, including the impact of the current conflict in the Middle East on British faith communities.
Asked by: Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to facilitate engagement and meetings between faith communities and the Prime Minister's Special Envoy for Freedom of Religion and Belief.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Freedom of Religion or Belief (FoRB) is one of the UK's longstanding human rights priorities. I and the Prime Minister's Special Envoy for Freedom of Religion or Belief, Fiona Bruce MP, regularly meets with members of different faith communities to discuss freedom of religion or belief around the world. She also attends each meeting of the UK FoRB Forum, which brings together around 80 civil society groups working on the issue. Over the last year, she has hosted a series of round table meetings focussing on different countries of concern, at which various faith groups have been well represented.