Asked by: Heidi Alexander (Labour - Swindon South)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will take steps to include the rights of older people in his Department's work on human rights and consider how such rights may be protected globally.
Answered by David Lidington
The Foreign and Commonwealth Office is responsible for coordinating cross-Government positions at the UN on the rights of older people. Our long-held position, shared with EU partners, is that the focus should be on the implementation of the existing Human Rights framework, which applies to all individuals without distinction.
Asked by: Heidi Alexander (Labour - Swindon South)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what role the Government has on the UN Open-Ended Working Group on Ageing; and what representations the Government will be making at the meeting of that group on 14 to 16 July on proposals to strengthen the protection of the rights of older people.
Answered by David Lidington
The UK has participated in the UN Open-Ended Working Group on Ageing since the working group was established in 2010, and will take part in the July meeting. The UK will be represented by delegates based in the UK Mission to the United Nations in New York, and we will also field a UK expert for the panel discussion on “Ageing in Cities”. We are working closely with EU partners on preparation for the meeting. We have ensured that UK policy on more effective implementation of existing measures is reflected in the EU contribution on proposals to strengthen the protection of the rights of older people.
Asked by: Heidi Alexander (Labour - Swindon South)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what preparations his Department has made for the upcoming UN Open-Ended Working Group on Ageing.
Answered by David Lidington
The UK's participation in the July UN Open-Ended Working Group on Ageing is being coordinated across Whitehall by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. The UK will be represented by delegates based in the UK Mission to New York. We will also field a UK expert to take part in the panel discussion on “Ageing in Cities”. We are working closely with EU partners on preparation for the meeting, and have ensured that UK policy is reflected in the EU contribution on proposals to strengthen the protection of the rights of older people. The UK will also contribute to EU statements on each of the panel sessions.
Asked by: Heidi Alexander (Labour - Swindon South)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how much land his Department has released for the purpose of building new homes since May 2010.
Answered by David Lidington
The Foreign and Commonwealth Office’s (FCO) owned estate in the UK is small and does not contain any land considered suitable for housing development. The FCO has not therefore released any land for this purpose.