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820510

	registered interest
	date	10/01/2018
	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	Southern Africa: Education
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government how many education projects have been supported by the British Council in (1) Swaziland, (2) Botswana and (3) Lesotho, in each of the last five years.
	tabling member printed	Lord German
	uin	HL4591
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 24/01/2018 answer text <p>The British Council have advised that in each of the last five years the number of education projects the British Council has supported in each country is:</p><table><tbody><tr><td><p><ins class="ministerial">Country</ins></p></td><td><p><ins class="ministerial">2013</ins></p></td><td><p><ins class="ministerial">2014</ins></p></td><td><p><ins class="ministerial">2015</ins></p></td><td><p><ins class="ministerial">2016</ins></p></td><td><p><ins class="ministerial">2017</ins></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><ins class="ministerial">Swaziland</ins></p></td><td><p><ins class="ministerial">2</ins></p></td><td><p><ins class="ministerial">2</ins></p></td><td><p><ins class="ministerial">3</ins></p></td><td><p><ins class="ministerial">1</ins></p></td><td><p><ins class="ministerial">1</ins></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><ins class="ministerial">Botswana</ins></p></td><td><p><ins class="ministerial">3</ins></p></td><td><p><ins class="ministerial">3</ins></p></td><td><p><ins class="ministerial">3</ins></p></td><td><p><ins class="ministerial">3</ins></p></td><td><p><ins class="ministerial">2</ins></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><ins class="ministerial">Lesotho</ins></p></td><td><p><ins class="ministerial">2</ins></p></td><td><p><ins class="ministerial">2</ins></p></td><td><p><ins class="ministerial">3</ins></p></td><td><p><ins class="ministerial">1</ins></p></td><td><p><ins class="ministerial">1</ins></p></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td><p><del class="ministerial">Country</del></p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">2013</del></p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">2014</del></p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">2015</del></p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">2016</del></p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">2017</del></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><del class="ministerial">Swaziland</del></p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">1</del></p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">1</del></p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">2</del></p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">2</del></p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">2</del></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><del class="ministerial">Botswana</del></p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">3</del></p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">3</del></p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">3</del></p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">3</del></p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">2</del></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><del class="ministerial">Lesotho</del></p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">1</del></p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">1</del></p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">2</del></p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">2</del></p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">2</del></p></td></tr></tbody></table> answering member printed Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon question first answered 24/01/2018 16:25:50 question first ministerially corrected 01/02/2018 11:55:41 answering member 4210 label Biography information for Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon previous answer version 36615 answering member printed Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon answering member 4210 label Biography information for Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
	tabling member	4163 label Biography information for Lord German

777506

	registered interest
	date	25/10/2017
	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	Nuclear Disarmament: Conferences
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government how they will vote on the proposals currently before the UN General Assembly concerning the dates and mandate for the 2018 UN international high-level conference for nuclear disarmament; who will represent them at the conference; what will be their objectives for the conference; and whether they accept the Tbilisi Declaration about the conference calling on all OSCE states "to participate in the 2018 UN international conference on nuclear disarmament at the highest level".
	tabling member printed	Lord Judd
	uin	HL2517
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 07/11/2017 answer text <p>We will vote against the draft resolution at the UN in December on the holding of a UN high level conference in May 2018 to review progress on nuclear disarmament. We do not believe that a Conference mandated by this resolution will lead to effective progress on nuclear disarmament. It will not address the serious threats to international peace and security posed by nuclear <del class="ministerial">non</del> proliferation nor will it take account of the international security environment. The Tbilisi Declaration was adopted by the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly and not by the Government. If the Conference is held, we will consider our approach closer to the time.</p> answering member printed Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon question first answered 07/11/2017 17:49:30 question first ministerially corrected 16/11/2017 12:37:53 answering member 4210 label Biography information for Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon previous answer version 20428 answering member printed Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon answering member 4210 label Biography information for Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
	tabling member	1660 label Biography information for Lord Judd

819332

	registered interest
	date	09/01/2018
	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	Government Communications Centre
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the management of HM Government Communications Centre, in particular of whether (1) clear management guidelines and objectives are issued, (2) employees are enabled to work towards those objectives without undue bureaucracy, (3) financial management is adequate and ensures minimal waste of public money, and (4) resources are fully utilised.
	tabling member printed	Lord Blencathra
	uin	HL4537
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/01/2018 answer text <p><del class="ministerial">We welcome the recent announcement by the Ethiopian Prime Minister on reforms to open up political dialogue, including the planned release of some imprisoned politicians. The British Government is in close contact with the Ethiopian authorities to seek more information on what this will mean in practice, including for British nationals currently imprisoned in Ethiopia. The UK has repeatedly raised human rights concerns with the Ethiopian government, including around the arrest and imprisonment of people for their political views.</del></p><p> </p><p><ins class="ministerial">Her Majesty's Government Communications Centre (HMGCC) follows government best practice in working to clear and strong management guidelines and performance objectives, and in the allocation of resources with an organisational strategic plan.</ins></p><p><ins class="ministerial"> </ins></p><p><ins class="ministerial">In line with its strategic plan, individual members of staff agree their objectives on an annual basis, and their performance is assessed regularly against a range of standard and professional competencies. Managers are given appropriate training and have full access to internal guidance and external best practice.</ins></p><p><ins class="ministerial"> </ins></p><p><ins class="ministerial">HMGCC ensures that it maintains rigorous financial management and that resources are used fully in a timely and appropriate manner. HMGCC adheres to HMT's fees and charges guidance, Managing Public Money, relevant accounting and audit standards and other appropriate HMT guidance. HMGCC has for the last five years followed a programme of LEAN & Continuous Improvement, using best commercial practice to examine internal processes, derive improvements and measure effectiveness.</ins></p><p><ins class="ministerial"> </ins></p><p><ins class="ministerial">HMGCC's use of resource has been approved by both internal and external audits.</ins></p> answering member printed Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon question first answered 17/01/2018 16:03:40 question first ministerially corrected 18/01/2018 17:00:00 answering member 4210 label Biography information for Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon previous answer version 34736 answering member printed Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon answering member 4210 label Biography information for Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
	tabling member	497 label Biography information for Lord Blencathra

767289

	registered interest
	date	09/10/2017
	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	Commonwealth: Human Rights
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they plan to raise the issue of human rights at the forthcoming Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting.
	tabling member printed	Lord Campbell of Pittenweem
	uin	HL1707
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 24/10/2017 answer text <p>We are engaging with the Commonwealth Secretariat, other member states and organisations from across the Commonwealth to agree an agenda for next year's Heads of Government meeting. In this respect papers have been circulated on <del class="ministerial">five</del> <ins class="ministerial">four</ins> key pillars on which the agenda may be progressed. These are prosperity (trade), sustainability, security and fairness. The final pillar of fairness<del class="ministerial"> is</del> <ins class="ministerial">(</ins>subject to agreement with member states and the secretariat<ins class="ministerial">)</ins> provides substan​tial scope for the important issue of human rights to be raised.</p><p>The Government believes that the Commonwealth is a force for good around the world, through its promotion of freedom, democracy, and human rights as enshrined in the Commonwealth Charter. The UK-hosted 2018 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting will encourage all Commonwealth members to uphold these values.</p> answering member printed Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon question first answered 24/10/2017 14:58:11 question first ministerially corrected 26/10/2017 16:19:30 answering member 4210 label Biography information for Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon previous answer version 17225 answering member printed Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon answering member 4210 label Biography information for Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
	tabling member	627 label Biography information for Lord Campbell of Pittenweem

693652

	registered interest
	date	23/02/2017
	answering body	Department for Transport
	answering dept id	27
	answering dept short name	Transport
	answering dept sort name	Transport
	hansard heading	High Speed 2 Line
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government how long they expect journey times to be for HS2 trains between London and (1) Crewe, (2) Edinburgh, and (3) Glasgow, when Phases 1 and 2A are completed, compared with the present Pendolino services, and whether they have estimated the time saving that would be gained if the HS2 trains incorporated a tilting mechanism and so could be used on the West Coast Main Line North of Crewe; and if so, what is that time saving.
	tabling member printed	Lord Berkeley
	uin	HL5562
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/03/2017 answer text <p>The proposed HS2 rolling stock tender specification does not preclude a bidder offering a tilting train solution. However, no tilting trains currently operate faster than 250km/h. HS2 Ltd assumes that tilting rolling stock could achieve a maximum operating speed on the high speed network of 300km/h rather than 360km/h for non-tilting rolling stock. This lower maximum operating speed would increase journey times on the dedicated HS2 network and could reduce network capacity. HS2 Ltd has assumed a number of minor line speed improvements on the northern West Coast Main Line for non-tilting rolling stock.</p><p> </p><p>HS2 will not serve Edinburgh until Phase 2B opens. Existing and projected estimated journey times from London Euston are as follows:</p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td><p><ins class="ministerial"> </ins></p></td><td><p><ins class="ministerial"><strong>Crewe </strong></ins></p></td><td><p><ins class="ministerial"> <strong>Glasgow</strong></ins></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><ins class="ministerial"> WCML Pendolino</ins></p></td><td><p><ins class="ministerial"> 1hr30</ins></p></td><td><p><ins class="ministerial">4hr17 </ins></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><ins class="ministerial">Phase 1 non-tilt</ins></p></td><td><p><ins class="ministerial">1h08 </ins></p></td><td><p><ins class="ministerial"> 4h00</ins></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><ins class="ministerial"> Phase 1 tilt</ins></p></td><td><p><ins class="ministerial">Approx 1hr11 </ins></p></td><td><p><ins class="ministerial"> Approx 4h00</ins></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><ins class="ministerial"> Phase 2A non-tilt</ins></p></td><td><p><ins class="ministerial"> 0h55</ins></p></td><td><p><ins class="ministerial"> 3h48</ins></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><ins class="ministerial"> Phase 2A tilt</ins></p></td><td><p><ins class="ministerial"> Approx1h01</ins></p></td><td><p><ins class="ministerial"> Approx 3h51</ins></p></td></tr></tbody></table><table><tbody><tr><td><p><del class="ministerial"><strong>Crewe</strong></del></p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial"><strong>Glasgow</strong></del></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><del class="ministerial">WCML Pendolino</del></p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">1h30</del></p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">4h17</del></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><del class="ministerial">Phase 1 non-tilt</del></p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">1h08</del></p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">4h00</del></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><del class="ministerial">Phase 1 tilt</del></p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">Approx 1h11</del></p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">Approx 4h00</del></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><del class="ministerial">Phase 2A non-tilt</del></p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">0h55</del></p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">3h48</del></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><del class="ministerial">Phase 2A tilt</del></p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">Approx 1h01</del></p></td><td><p><del class="ministerial">Approx 3h51</del></p></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p> answering member printed Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon question first answered 09/03/2017 13:24:32 question first ministerially corrected 09/03/2017 15:58:57 answering member 4210 label Biography information for Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon previous answer version 39464 answering member printed Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon answering member 4210 label Biography information for Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
	tabling member	3526 label Biography information for Lord Berkeley

528206

	registered interest
	date	20/06/2016
	answering body	Department for Transport
	answering dept id	27
	answering dept short name	Transport
	answering dept sort name	Transport
	hansard heading	High Speed 2 Line
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the recent publication <i>HS2 and the railway network: the case for a review</i> by Tony May and Jonathan Tyler, in particular the portions regarding costs and emissions arising from the development of Euston station.
	tabling member printed	Lord Truscott
	uin	HL772
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 04/07/2016 answer text <p><del class="ministerial">As is normal for large projects, the Cabinet Office’s Infrastructure and Projects Authority (IPA) is conducting assurance of the HS2 programme as it proceeds into its delivery phase. It is standard practice for this to include a small cross Government team, and not unusual for the Cabinet Secretary to take an interest on projects of this scale. ‎</del></p><p> </p><p><del class="ministerial">Headlines from the IPA's work on Phase 2 of High Speed 2 has now been reported in a NAO report on the HS2 project, published on 28 June. The work informs future cost estimates for HS2, as these are developed.</del></p><p><ins class="ministerial">HS2 has undertaken a general review of the report. This includes points on emissions where HS2 consider reducing the speed of the railway makes minimal impact to the construction carbon footprint, and on costs where comparison with other schemes is not being made on a like for like basis.</ins></p><p> </p><p><ins class="ministerial">For example the French track has no new stations, it does not go through a dense built-up urban area, it does not have the tunnels that we are building on HS2 to protect the environment,‎ and property prices are very low in comparison to the UK. The net result is that it is cheaper, but we will use joint ventures including continental firms with experience of building high speed rail and this will drive down our costs.</ins></p><p> </p><p><ins class="ministerial">The review did not specifically cover costs or emissions arising from the development of Euston Station. However, HS2 Ltd is committed to minimising the carbon footprint of HS2 as far as practicable and to delivering low carbon long distance journeys supported by low carbon energy. We will do this by, where practicable, avoiding carbon in the design, reducing carbon from construction and operations, using and/or generating low carbon energy and sequestering carbon.</ins></p> answering member printed Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon question first answered 04/07/2016 11:19:25 question first ministerially corrected 04/07/2016 13:17:51 answering member 4210 label Biography information for Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon previous answer version 5620 answering member printed Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon answering member 4210 label Biography information for Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
	tabling member	3682 label Biography information for Lord Truscott

389132

	registered interest
	date	13/07/2015
	answering body	Department for Transport
	answering dept id	27
	answering dept short name	Transport
	answering dept sort name	Transport
	hansard heading	Network Rail
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government which studies or investigations are currently examining past, present or future issues relating to Network Rail; who commissioned each study or investigation; and what are the names of the study or investigation leaders, terms of reference and planned reporting dates for each.
	tabling member printed	Lord Berkeley
	uin	HL1318
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/07/2015 answer text <p>The Government has recently commissioned three pieces of work looking into Network Rail:</p><p> </p><p>- Dame Colette Bowe is looking at what lessons can be learnt from the planning of the Control Period 5 programme in order to improve future rail infrastructure investment. This will report in September.</p><p> </p><p>- Sir Peter Hendy is looking at how we can put the current investment programme back on a sustainable footing. This will also report in the autumn.</p><p> </p><p>- Nicola Shaw will look to the future: advising the government on how it should approach the future shape and financing of Network Rail in the longer term. This will report in time for Budget 2016.</p><p> </p><p>The terms of reference for Bowe are available in the Libraries of the House.<ins class="ministerial"> Those for Shaw will also be placed in the Libraries of the House. Terms of reference for Hendy have not been published.</ins></p><p> </p><p><del class="ministerial">Terms of reference for the other two pieces of work have not been published.</del></p><p> </p><p>Network Rail and the Office of Rail and Road are also conducting their own reviews internally. Any terms of reference are held by the respective organisations.</p><p> </p> answering member printed Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon question first answered 23/07/2015 16:20:15 question first ministerially corrected 05/08/2015 09:19:44 answering member 4210 label Biography information for Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon previous answer version 17330 answering member printed Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon answering member 4210 label Biography information for Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
	tabling member	3526 label Biography information for Lord Berkeley

710389

	registered interest
	date	13/03/2017
	answering body	Department for Transport
	answering dept id	27
	answering dept short name	Transport
	answering dept sort name	Transport
	hansard heading	High Speed 2 Line
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon on 9 March (HL5562), how, assuming that signalling is designed appropriately for the relevant speed, operating at a speed of 320km/h rather than 360km/h would reduce capacity on the high speed line.
	tabling member printed	Lord Berkeley
	uin	HL5993
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/03/2017 answer text <p>Reducing the maximum speed of trains from 360km/h to 320km/h would result in trains taking longer to complete their overall journey. This means that, unless we buy more train sets, we will not able to run as many train services on HS2 and therefore capacity will be reduced.</p><p> </p><p>In my previous answer [HL5562], reduced capacity was also in the context of running tilting trains at 300km/h on the HS2 network. Mixing tilting trains running at 300km/h on HS2 with non-tilting trains running at 360km/h would also reduce capacity because it would reduce the number of train paths available per hour. Furthermore, the response to our market sounding of rolling stock manufacturers has indicated that <del class="ministerial">titling</del> <ins class="ministerial">tilting</ins> trains offer reduced seating capacity per train set compared with non-tilt.</p> answering member printed Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon question first answered 23/03/2017 11:48:15 question first ministerially corrected 28/03/2017 15:14:32 answering member 4210 label Biography information for Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon previous answer version 41850 answering member printed Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon answering member 4210 label Biography information for Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
	tabling member	3526 label Biography information for Lord Berkeley

753911

	registered interest
	date	19/07/2017
	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	Council of Ministers
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	Her Majesty's Government how many formal and informal meetings of the Council of Ministers of the EU, and its committees, ministers attended in 2016.
	tabling member printed	Lord Adonis
	uin	HL1057
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 01/08/2017 answer text <p>​Given the frequency of meetings and recent Ministerial changes, we would not be able to collate the attendance for 2016 in a way that would able us to answer your request without exceeding the appropriate cost and time limit.</p> answering member printed Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon question first answered 01/08/2017 15:24:45 answering member 4210 label Biography information for Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
	tabling member	3743 label Biography information for Lord Adonis

746646

	registered interest
	date	29/06/2017
	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
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	Her Majesty's Government how many refugees from North Africa have been rescued and taken to Italian ports by UK vessels so far this year; and what assessment they have made of reports that the Italian Government is considering blocking humanitarian ships flying foreign flags from returning to Italian ports.
	tabling member printed	The Earl of Sandwich
	uin	HL277
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/07/2017 answer text <p>Since May 2015, UK naval and Border Force assets have rescued over 15,000 people in the Central Mediterranean region. They are taken to ports in Italy where the Italian authorities are responsible for assessing who are eligible for refugee status. Along with other EU Member States, we await further details from the Italian government about any reported changes to this arrangement.</p> answering member printed Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon question first answered 17/07/2017 11:28:30 answering member 4210 label Biography information for Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
	tabling member	2109 label Biography information for The Earl of Sandwich