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100002

	registered interest
	date	20/10/2014
	answering body	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
	answering dept id	16
	answering dept short name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
	answering dept sort name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
	hansard heading	Pakistan: Ahmadiyya
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their response to the assassination of the Ahmadi Muslims in Pakistan, and in particular, the recent assasination of Latif Aalam Butt.
	tabling member printed	Baroness Berridge
	uin	HL2217
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 29/10/2014 answer text <p>We remain concerned about the violence faced by the Ahmadiyya and other communities in Pakistan and continue to urge the Government of Pakistan to protect and guarantee the fundamental rights of all its citizens as laid down in the Constitution and in accordance with international standards. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office closely monitors the situation in Pakistan as documented in the annual Human Rights report and quarterly updates. The Prime Minister, my right hon. Friend the Member for Witney (Mr Cameron) and the former Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Richmond (Yorks) (Mr Hague), raised human rights concerns with Prime Minister Sharif during his visit in May 2014.</p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member printed Baroness Anelay of St Johns question first answered 29/10/2014 15:37:50 answering member 3474 label Biography information for Baroness Anelay of St Johns
	tabling member	4218 label Biography information for Baroness Berridge

100004

	registered interest
	date	20/10/2014
	answering body	Department for Business, Innovation and Skills
	answering dept id	26
	answering dept short name	Business, Innovation and Skills
	answering dept sort name	Business, Innovation and Skills
	hansard heading	Unpaid Work
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their assessment of the recent proposal by the Child Poverty and Social Justice Commission that unpaid internships should be illegal.
	tabling member printed	Baroness Berridge
	uin	HL2219
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 29/10/2014 answer text <p>This Government is absolutely clear: exploitation of interns is unacceptable and we don’t hesitate to act where we find that employment law has been broken and someone who is entitled to the minimum wage hasn’t been paid it.</p><p> </p><p>Complaints from interns about non-payment of the minimum wage are prioritised by HMRC for investigation and HMRC will investigate every complaint made to the Pay and Work Rights Helpline.</p><p> </p><p>Research shows that internships and work experience programmes can be valuable opportunities for young people taking their first steps in the labour market. Our work on interns and the National Minimum Wage aims to achieve the right balance between ensuring that opportunities for young people are not cut off and minimising the risk of exploitation.</p><p> </p><p>Our concern, if we were to prohibit unpaid internships, is that this may lead to employers recruiting interns through informal and privileged networks with adverse effects on social mobility or have adverse consequences on the number of available opportunities.</p><p> </p><p>There is no definition of an internship in minimum wage legislation and interns are considered in the same way as everyone else with regards to whether the minimum wage is due. The key issue is whether or not they are workers as defined by minimum wage legislation. If they are, then they are eligible for the minimum wage unless a specific exemption applies. Volunteers are not workers and are not eligible for the minimum wage.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member printed Baroness Neville-Rolfe question first answered 29/10/2014 16:15:22 answering member 4284 label Biography information for Baroness Neville-Rolfe
	tabling member	4218 label Biography information for Baroness Berridge

91170

	registered interest
	date	09/09/2014
	answering body	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
	answering dept id	16
	answering dept short name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
	answering dept sort name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
	hansard heading	Palestinians
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with the Palestinian Authority about reconstruction in Gaza.
	tabling member constituency	Wrexham
	tabling member printed	Ian Lucas
	uin	208679
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 29/10/2014 answer text Our Consulate-General in Jerusalem met with the Palestinian Prime Minister on 8 September to discuss the issue of reconstruction in Gaza. answering member constituency Bournemouth East answering member printed Mr Tobias Ellwood question first answered 29/10/2014 14:36:06 answering member 1487 label Biography information for Mr Tobias Ellwood
	tabling member	1470 label Biography information for Ian C. Lucas

92160

	registered interest
	date	26/09/2014
	answering body	Ministry of Defence
	answering dept id	11
	answering dept short name	Defence
	answering dept sort name	Defence
	hansard heading	Qatar
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what UK armed forces assets and personnel are currently based at al-Udeid.
	tabling member constituency	Moray
	tabling member printed	Angus Robertson
	uin	209757
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 29/10/2014 answer text <p>I am withholding the information as its disclosure would or would be likely to prejudice relations between the United Kingdom and another State.</p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency Rayleigh and Wickford answering member printed Mr Mark Francois question first answered 29/10/2014 17:28:07 answering member 1444 label Biography information for Mr Mark Francois previous answer version 22764 answering member constituency Rayleigh and Wickford answering member printed Mr Mark Francois answering member 1444 label Biography information for Mr Mark Francois
	tabling member	1433 label Biography information for Angus Robertson

92222

	registered interest
	date	26/09/2014
	answering body	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
	answering dept id	16
	answering dept short name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
	answering dept sort name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
	hansard heading	Arctic Council
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how many officials there were in the UK delegation to the 2013 Arctic Council Ministerial meeting in Kiruna, Sweden; and what the (a) title of position and (b) grade was of each such official.
	tabling member constituency	Moray
	tabling member printed	Angus Robertson
	uin	209769
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 29/10/2014 answer text <p>The UK continues to support the Nigerian authorities in trying to establish the location of the abducted schoolgirls. We provide surveillance assets, in the form of RAF Tornados, to assist in the search and expertise to assist in intelligence analysis. The resolve of Nigeria, the UK and international community to continue the search remains strong.</p><p>On 3 September I led the UK delegation to the ministerial meeting in Abuja on security in Nigeria, attended by Nigeria’s neighbours and international partners. I emphasised the crucial importance of regional coordination to locating the girls taken from Chibok and to defeating Boko Haram.</p> answering member constituency Rochford and Southend East answering member printed James Duddridge question first answered 29/10/2014 14:51:14 answering member 1559 label Biography information for Sir James Duddridge
	tabling member	1433 label Biography information for Angus Robertson

92231

	registered interest
	date	26/09/2014
	answering body	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
	answering dept id	16
	answering dept short name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
	answering dept sort name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
	hansard heading	South Sudan
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what representations he has made to the authorities in South Sudan over the need for the NGO Bill in that country to ensure that citizens and civil society organisations can engage in humanitarian activity, enjoy freedom of association and use monitoring and accountability systems in accordance with the general assumptions of the New Deal.
	tabling member constituency	Glasgow North East
	tabling member printed	Mr William Bain
	uin	209554
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 29/10/2014 answer text <p>I raised concerns about the proposed NGO bill with South Sudan Foreign Minister Dr Barnaba Benjamin during a meeting in New York on 25 September. I have since written to Dr Benjamin to reinforce those concerns and provide more detail. The British Embassy in Juba has also made a number of representations to the South Sudanese authorities on this issue over the past year. In September, I met a wide selection of British NGOs operating in South Sudan, to discuss, amongst other topics, their concern about the possible impact of the NGO bill.</p> answering member constituency Bournemouth East answering member printed Mr Tobias Ellwood question first answered 29/10/2014 14:48:41 answering member 1487 label Biography information for Mr Tobias Ellwood
	tabling member	1610 label Biography information for Mr William Bain

92232

	registered interest
	date	26/09/2014
	answering body	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
	answering dept id	16
	answering dept short name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
	answering dept sort name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
	hansard heading	Armed Conflict: Children
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps he is taking with African Union governments to end the recruitment of children into the national armed forces of countries where this practice takes place; and if he will make a statement.
	tabling member constituency	Brighton, Kemptown
	tabling member printed	Simon Kirby
	uin	209687
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 29/10/2014 answer text <p>The UK Government is committed to helping countries end the recruitment and use of children in conflict. <br> <br>During the United Nations General Assembly in New York, I hosted a Ministerial roundtable, chaired by the UN Special Representative of the Secretary General for Children and Armed Conflict, Ms Leila Zerrougui. The event brought together Afghanistan, Burma, Chad, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Yemen and African Union (AU) Commissioner for Peace and Security, Mr Smail Chergui.</p><p>The meeting looked at ways to end the recruitment and use of children in conflict by government forces, particularly through the implementation of UN Action Plans. It allowed countries that have successfully ended this practice to share lessons with those who are working towards this goal.</p><p>The roundtable built on an event during the End Sexual Violence in Conflict Summit in London in June, led by my Honourable friend Mark Simmonds MP, where Ministers from Sierra Leone, Democratic Republic of Congo and Somalia underlined their commitment to ending the recruitment and use of children in armed conflict.</p><p>The UK is also the majority funder of a Child Protection Adviser at the AU. This post is designed to ensure child protection policies are mainstreamed in AU peace enforcement operations on the continent.</p> answering member constituency Bournemouth East answering member printed Mr Tobias Ellwood question first answered 29/10/2014 14:43:10 answering member 1487 label Biography information for Mr Tobias Ellwood
	tabling member	3929 label Biography information for Simon Kirby

92755

	registered interest
	date	13/10/2014
	answering body	Department for Business, Innovation and Skills
	answering dept id	26
	answering dept short name	Business, Innovation and Skills
	answering dept sort name	Business, Innovation and Skills
	hansard heading	Disabled Students' Allowances
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether, in the light of reforms of the disabled student allowance, there is a clear guide to the duties of higher education sectors towards disabled students.
	tabling member printed	Lord Addington
	uin	HL1991
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 29/10/2014 answer text <p>The Government has published draft guidance which sets out what Disabled Students Allowances will fund in the 2015/16 Academic Year. Institutions have a legal duty under the Equality Act 2010 to provide reasonable adjustments. It is not the role of Government to set out what an institution should do to meet that legal duty.</p><p><br></p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member printed Baroness Williams of Trafford question first answered 29/10/2014 17:42:16 answering member 4311 label Biography information for Baroness Williams of Trafford
	tabling member	3453 label Biography information for Lord Addington

93204

	registered interest
	date	14/10/2014
	answering body	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
	answering dept id	16
	answering dept short name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
	answering dept sort name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
	hansard heading	US National Security Agency
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether the US has (a) sought permission from and (b) been granted permission by the UK for the National Security Agency to target second party persons or communications systems in the UK.
	tabling member constituency	Newport West
	tabling member printed	Paul Flynn
	uin	210392
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 29/10/2014 answer text <p>It is the long-standing policy of successive governments not to comment in detail on matters of intelligence. This includes discussions with allies and liaison agencies.</p> answering member constituency Bournemouth East answering member printed Mr Tobias Ellwood question first answered 29/10/2014 14:26:54 answering member 1487 label Biography information for Mr Tobias Ellwood
	tabling member	545 label Biography information for Paul Flynn

93430

	registered interest
	date	14/10/2014
	answering body	HM Treasury
	answering dept id	14
	answering dept short name	Treasury
	answering dept sort name	Treasury
	hansard heading	Public Sector: Workplace Pensions
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government what estimate they have made of how many individuals in defined contribution funded public sector pension schemes will withdraw their entire accrued entitlements under the new Freedom and Choice for Pensioner arrangements in the first year from April 2015, and at what cost.
	tabling member printed	Lord Laird
	uin	HL2096
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 29/10/2014 answer text <p>The government believes that people should be free to make their own</p><p> </p><p>choice about how to use their savings - individuals who have worked hard and saved responsibly throughout their adult life should have a choice about their pension savings and the reforms announced at Budget 2014 will deliver this.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The new tax framework, which will allow, from April 2015, individuals with a defined contribution pension to access their entire pension flexibly will apply equally across trust and contract based money purchase pension schemes. In the public sector, members of defined contribution schemes will also have access to these flexibilities, including members with savings in Additional Voluntary Contribution (AVC) arrangements.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The Government’s assessment of the impact of the policy is set out in detail in the Budget costing note and the Tax Information and Impact Note, published alongside the Taxation of Pensions Bill.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The government wants to extend the principles of freedom and choice to as many pension savers as possible which is why, following an extensive public consultation, it was decided to permit transfers out of private sector and funded public sector defined benefit schemes to continue. Giving scheme members the choice to transfer their accrued benefits into a defined contribution scheme, in order to access their pension pot flexibly if they wish to.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>To ensure due consideration is given to the interests of scheme members, scheme funds and the taxpayer in the continuation of these transfers for the public service schemes, government set out in the response to the consultation, <em>Freedom and Choice in Pensions,</em> that it would look to implement, where appropriate, safeguards akin to those which already exist in the private sector. We are continuing to discuss these options and others, including with the Department for Local Government as the department responsible for the Local Government Pension Scheme, the largest of the funded public service pension schemes, and will set out further detail on this issue in due course.</p> answering member printed Lord Deighton grouped question UIN HL2097 HL2098 HL2099 question first answered 29/10/2014 15:20:53 answering member 4262 label Biography information for Lord Deighton
	tabling member	2479 label Biography information for Lord Laird