Asked by: Lord Alton of Liverpool (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask His Majesty's Government what activities they funded for identifying carbon capture utilisation and storage development opportunities in Xinjiang between 2016 and 2018; and whether they received any representations from Shell in that time about (1) that funding, or (2) the company’s deal with the China National Petroleum Corporation to collaborate on enhanced oil recovery.
Answered by Lord Whitehead - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
In 2017, the Government explored potential opportunities to integrate carbon capture and storage (CCS) in the coal-to-chemicals sector in Xinjiang into China’s emissions trading scheme.
Officials have been unable to locate any information sought by the noble Lord that UK funding was provided to Xinjiang during this period, nor any information indicating that representations were received from Shell regarding this potential funding or its Enhanced Oil Recovery partnership with CNPC in Xinjiang at that time.
Asked by: Lord Alton of Liverpool (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask His Majesty's Government, in the light of allegations that Sheffield Hallam University halted the research of Professor Laura Murphy in 2025 and that University College London removed Professor Michelle Shipworth from teaching a course in 2024, what action they have taken to protect academic freedom and free speech on university campuses.
Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
This government is absolutely committed to freedom of speech and academic freedom. The department commenced provisions from the Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Act 2023 on 1 August 2025 that strengthen provider duties on free speech, including a requirement to put in place free speech codes of practice, and a requirement for the Office for Students (OfS) to promote free speech. The OfS has issued extensive guidance to higher education providers on commencement of their duties, which makes it explicitly clear that universities should not tolerate attempts by foreign states to suppress academic freedom.
We are collaborating with universities, including vice chancellors, through a series of events to discuss risks and work together on plans to develop the sector’s resilience. We have also announced a £3 million investment package and a new Academic Interference Reporting Route to support the sector to access expert advice to help institutions identify vulnerabilities.
Asked by: Lord Alton of Liverpool (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask His Majesty's Government what action they have taken to ensure that procurement and transactions in the energy sector are not reliant on the use of Uyghur Muslim slave labour in Xinjiang.
Answered by Lord Whitehead - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Modern slavery is a serious human rights violation depriving individuals of their freedom and dignity while inflicting immeasurable harm on families, communities, and society as-a-whole. The Government is committed to tackling all forms of modern slavery, holding perpetrators to account, and ensuring that victims are supported to recover and rebuild their lives.
The Government continue to explore the use and monitor the effectiveness of new policy tools to ensure UK can effectively tackle forced labour in supply chains. The Government’s Trade Strategy launched the Responsible Business Conduct Review as a primary lever for delivering this as a cross-departmental endeavour to review and to address the UK’s policy regime and voluntary due diligence requirements for forced labour. Additionally, the Industrial Strategy Clean Energy Industries Sector Plan committed to embedding ethical supply chain standards into DESNZ public spend; and Great British Energy confirmed it will follow strict ethical standards to help ensure solar supply chains are free from exploitation.
Asked by: Lord Alton of Liverpool (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they will take to ensure that Great British Energy complies with Section 3(2)(e) of the Great British Energy Act 2025 to not use products made by slave labour.
Answered by Lord Whitehead - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Government expects Great British Energy (GBE) to become a sector leader in ethical supply chains.
GBE are embedding ethical standards across GBE and will develop a comprehensive Supply Chain Risk Framework overseen by Senior Accountable Director for Ethical Supply Chains, Baroness Frances O’Grady.
GBE will prepare a slavery and human trafficking statement, as required under section 54 of the Modern Slavery Act 2015, setting out the steps it is taking to ensure slavery and human trafficking are not present in its business or supply chain. GBE will also utilise the debarment list as set out under the Procurement Act 2023.
Asked by: Lord Alton of Liverpool (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what representations they plan to make to the government of Nigeria during the state visit by the President of Nigeria about reports of violence and persecution in the country and the important of protecting freedom and democratic standards ahead of the elections in 2027.
Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)
The State Visit provided an important opportunity to strengthen the UK-Nigeria Strategic Partnership across growth, security, migration, and foreign policy. As part of the programme, an interfaith serial, attended by President Tinubu and His Majesty the King, was hosted at Vicars Hall in Windsor, demonstrating the shared UK and Nigerian commitment to fostering constructive interfaith dialogue. The UK condemns violence against civilians of all religions in Nigeria. On democratic standards and the 2027 elections, I refer the Noble Lord to the answer provided in the House of Commons on 16th March 2026 in response to Question 118699, reproduced below:
The State Visit will provide an important opportunity to strengthen the UK-Nigeria Strategic Partnership across growth, security, migration, and foreign policy. As the largest democracy in Africa, Nigeria has an important role to play in upholding democratic norms, including ensuring a free, fair and credible Presidential election in 2027. The UK is supporting key legislative and institutional reform processes in the Nigerian National Assembly, with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the Judiciary and other key institutions to strengthen Nigeria's democracy.
Asked by: Lord Alton of Liverpool (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask His Majesty's Government what proportion of the UK's contribution to the Energy Sector Management Assistance Programme in 2024–25 went to funding for (1) China, and (2) carbon capture, utilisation and storage.
Answered by Lord Whitehead - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
1. In 2024–25, none of the UK’s contribution to the Energy Sector Management Assistance Programme (ESMAP) supported new programming in China.
2. The International Carbon Capture, Usage and Storage (CCUS) Programme, which was managed under ESMAP, formally closed on 31August 2024. No UK funding was spent in 2024–25 through the CCUS programme.
Asked by: Lord Alton of Liverpool (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether Xinjiang is benefiting from any current UK climate finance contributions and development aid, including through programmes administered by development banks; and what proportion of the UK's international climate finance contributions fund work in or relating to the Chinese energy sector.
Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)
The UK ceased all direct government-to-government aid to China in 2011. I am unable to comment on funding allocations made under a previous government. All decisions on the release of material under the Freedom of Information Act are taken by officials in line with the requirements and exemptions laid down in law.
Asked by: Lord Alton of Liverpool (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of how not publishing documents about energy sector aid to Xinjiang aligns with their commitment to aid transparency; and whether they were aware of plans to develop enhanced oil recovery in Xinjiang in 2016.
Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)
The UK ceased all direct government-to-government aid to China in 2011. I am unable to comment on funding allocations made under a previous government. All decisions on the release of material under the Freedom of Information Act are taken by officials in line with the requirements and exemptions laid down in law.
Asked by: Lord Alton of Liverpool (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government how many NHS prescriptions for (1) isotretinoin, and (2) finasteride, have been issued in each year since 2014.
Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Prescription Cost Analysis (PCA) provides the total number of prescription items of each medicine dispensed in the community in England. The following table shows the total number of items in each calendar year from 2014 to 2025 that have been dispensed in England:
Period | British National Formulary Chemical Substance | |
| Isotretinoin (1306010M0/1306020J0) | Finasteride (0604020C0/1309000W0) |
2014 | 78,837 | 2,717,411 |
2015 | 84,173 | 2,954,990 |
2016 | 87,505 | 3,176,498 |
2017 | 82,026 | 3,360,103 |
2018 | 69,040 | 3,564,023 |
2019 | 76,223 | 3,762,144 |
2020 | 59,541 | 3,864,669 |
2021 | 76,675 | 3,900,062 |
2022 | 70,196 | 4,052,091 |
2023 | 70,447 | 4,230,844 |
2024 | 64,502 | 4,463,271 |
2025 | 63,594 | 4,507,807 |
This is based on the information within the PCA for the British National Formulary chemical substance of Isotretinoin and Finasteride.
Asked by: Lord Alton of Liverpool (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the Government of Zimbabwe following reports that those opposed to proposals to extend the Presidential term in Zimbabwe to 2030 are being targeted with violence and intimidation.
Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)
Our Embassy in Harare continues to monitor closely reports of harassment of individuals and groups expressing opposition to proposed changes to the Constitution. Officials remain in contact with the Government of Zimbabwe, civil society organisations and other stakeholders as part of our ongoing engagement on these matters. Amendment of the Zimbabwean Constitution is a sovereign, legislative matter for Zimbabwe to determine. At the same time, freedom of expression, peaceful assembly and association are fundamental components of any functioning democracy. Political parties, civil society and journalists in Zimbabwe should be able to operate without harassment. We underline the importance of transparent, inclusive and lawful processes, and of ensuring that political space remains open and protected.