Asked by: Earl of Sandwich (Crossbench - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the extent to which detention centres for migrants and refugees in Libya are (1) routinely visited by United Nations agencies, and (2) receive international aid, irrespective of who operates those centres.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
The UK Government consistently urges all states to uphold international law and international human rights standards and to avoid any action that may endanger human life. We continue to monitor the abuse of migrants and refugees in Libya and the inhumane conditions in detention centres. The UK supported the mandate for the Independent Fact-Finding Mission on Libya to asses human rights abuses, including violations in detention centres. We continue to urge the interim Government of National Unity to take steps to end the exploitation and abuse of migrants and to implement a better functioning system that respects human rights. We support the UN's call for detention centres across Libya to be closed, and call on all parties to engage with the UN and the humanitarian community so that all migrants and refugees can be evacuated safely in accordance with international human rights law.
Asked by: Earl of Sandwich (Crossbench - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the levels of success that they or United Nations agencies are having in reaching refugees fleeing genocide in Darfur, Sudan.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
Access into Sudan remains extremely limited, including almost no access to parts of Khartoum, Darfur and Kordofan states. We continue to work with the UN, neighbouring states, donors and humanitarian agencies to coordinate the effective delivery of aid in Sudan and urge the parties to the conflict to abide by their commitments under international humanitarian law. It is essential that lifesaving humanitarian aid is allowed to reach those in harder-to-reach areas, such as Darfur. The Minister for Development and Africa [Andrew Mitchell] announced that the UK will provide £21.7 million in humanitarian aid for Sudan. This follows an earlier announcement of £5 million to help meet the urgent needs of refugees and returnees in South Sudan and Chad. This aid will provide assistance such as safe drinking water, food, medical care and shelter to people in need, as well as supporting Gender Based Violence protection services. The UK also continues to fund and provide support to the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights in Sudan (OHCHR), a UN body that provides a crucial role in monitoring and reporting on human rights violations. OHCHR have deployed staff to neighbouring countries' borders to interview survivors of the violence, with a view to collecting witness testimonies and preserving these for possible future accountability mechanisms, should they be established.
Asked by: Earl of Sandwich (Crossbench - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to provide further opportunities for non-governmental organisations to comment on the UK’s plan to join the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership.
Answered by Lord Johnson of Lainston
As part of one of the largest consultation exercises run by the UK Government, the department consulted with individuals, businesses, business associations, non-governmental organisations and public sector bodies on the UK potentially seeking accession to the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) and received almost 150,000 responses.
We continue to engage with a range of stakeholders about CPTPP, including non-governmental organisations (NGOs). We have offered briefings on specific issues to various NGOs and responded in writing where they have expressed an interest in issues related to the agreement, and will continue to do so.
Asked by: Earl of Sandwich (Crossbench - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what progress has been made by international agencies which the UK supports with conflict resolution in Abyei, on the South Sudan border.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
The UK Government is engaged with the UN Interim Security Force for Abyei (UNISFA) and welcomed the UNISFA mandate being renewed for 12 months by the UN Security Council in November. The UK raised our stance on ongoing intercommunal violence in Abyei at the UN Security Council on 9 May, and called on the Government of South Sudan to remove its forces from Abyei without delay. It is essential that UNISFA is able to fulfil its mandate to protect civilians, and support law and order, local peacebuilding and community dialogues.
Asked by: Earl of Sandwich (Crossbench - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they have taken to re-assess the UK’s contribution to humanitarian programmes in South Sudan in the light of the civil war; and whether they intend to make up any shortfall.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
The UK is still a leading donor in South Sudan and remains committed to protecting the most vulnerable South Sudanese people through interventions such as emergency food aid and daily water and sanitation provision. For this financial year, the Minister for Development and Africa announced £143 million in humanitarian aid for East Africa, including £18.9 million for South Sudan. The UK Government also funds education, health and peacebuilding programmes that help build resilience in South Sudan, and funds the placement of technical experts in both the ceasefire and peace agreement implementation monitoring mechanisms which are crucial for securing a peaceful transition to democracy in South Sudan.
Asked by: Earl of Sandwich (Crossbench - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of whether the proposed Holocaust Memorial in Victoria Tower Gardens will affect the Buxton anti-slavery memorial location, in terms of (1) physical distance, (2) daylight, and (3) visitor numbers; and what research, if any, has been carried out by planners to obtain these answers.
Answered by Baroness Scott of Bybrook - Shadow Minister (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
Landscape improvements as part of the proposed Holocaust Memorial in Victoria Tower Gardens are intended to enhance the opportunity to appreciate the significance of the Buxton Memorial. Full details of the assessed impact on the Buxton Memorial are included in the planning application, especially the Environmental Statement, which remains available on Westminster City Council’s website.
Asked by: Earl of Sandwich (Crossbench - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to reconsider the proposed closure of the Clover Health Centre in Greenwich which serves Nepalese and other minorities suffering from severe health problems and language difficulties; and what assessment they have made of whether other local health centres have the capacity to take on these patients.
Answered by Lord Markham - Shadow Minister (Science, Innovation and Technology)
NHS England has no plans to reconsider the closure of the Clover Health Centre in Greenwich, NHS England is assured there is capacity in local general practitioner (GP) surgeries to support patients registered at Clover Health Centre. NHS England is carefully managing the dispersal of the patient list to other local GP surgeries to ensure that patients receive continuity of care. NHS England is supporting all patients to register with an alternative GP surgery and is providing additional support, including translation and interpretation services, for those who need it. NHS England is also working with community representatives to ensure patients from minority groups receive the support they need.
Asked by: Earl of Sandwich (Crossbench - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether (1) they, (2) the airlines, or (3) any authorities responsible for standards on passenger aircraft, have set a minimum amount of leg room to accommodate economy class passengers of 1.95m in height; and whether this standard has ever been (a) reviewed, or (b) amended.
Answered by Baroness Vere of Norbiton
We want air travel to be safe, comfortable, and practical for all passengers.
There is no numerical figure set as a requirement for leg room, meaning it may vary between aircraft and airlines. A given seat configuration can be certified from an airworthiness point of view if there is enough space between seats to allow passengers safe egress, such as during an emergency evacuation.
There are currently no plans to implement height-dependent requirements for leg room on aircraft.
We would recommend passengers contact their airlines for information about seating options on their flight.
Asked by: Earl of Sandwich (Crossbench - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government how they assess the international response to the needs of the displaced and returnees entering South Sudan; and which (1) UN agencies, and (2) NGOs, are now receiving UK support.
Answered by Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park
The UK continues to work closely with international partners to respond to the needs of the displaced and returnees entering South Sudan. On 4 May, the UK Government announced an initial £5 million allocation to help meet the urgent needs of refugees and returnees in South Sudan and Chad. This support will benefit the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), the World Food Programme (WFP) and non-governmental organisations. In South Sudan, £1.5 million will be allocated to the World Food Programme (WFP) for food in border areas and £500,000 to UNICEF for gender-based Violence protection services. We will continue to monitor the situation in Sudan closely, including the humanitarian impacts of the conflict on neighbouring countries.
Asked by: Earl of Sandwich (Crossbench - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what contribution they have made to the World Food Programme in Sudan so far in relation to other donors; and whether these figures take account of aid to returnees fleeing to South Sudan.
Answered by Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park
On 24 May, the Minister for Development and Africa announced £21.7 million in humanitarian aid to help address people's urgent needs in Sudan. Earlier this month, the Government also announced £5 million to help meet the needs of refugees and returnees in South Sudan and Chad; this includes £2 million in South Sudan, of which £1.5 million has been allocated to the World Food Programme for food security and nutrition in border areas. Details of other donors' contributions to the Sudan Humanitarian Response Plan can be found here: https://fts.unocha.org/appeals/1123/summary. The UK remains a committed donor to Sudan, having spent over £250 million in humanitarian aid in the last five years. The UK Government is monitoring the current situation in Sudan closely, including the humanitarian and security impacts of the conflict on Sudan's neighbouring countries.