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349525

	registered interest
	date	10/06/2015
	answering body	Department for Work and Pensions
	answering dept id	29
	answering dept short name	Work and Pensions
	answering dept sort name	Work and Pensions
	hansard heading	Fuel Direct Scheme
	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 affordability of a standard Fuel Direct rate of £3.70 for direct payments for arrears on fuel bills; and whether in setting that rate they considered (1) allowing some customers to pay a lower rate of direct deduction, and (2) allowing customers to pay by Fuel Direct for ongoing bills when they are not in arrears.
	tabling member printed	The Lord Bishop of St Albans
	uin	HL394
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/06/2015 answer text <p /> <p>Third Party Deduction is a long standing scheme of last resort where all other means of budgeting have been exhausted. Where the Secretary of State decides that it is in the claimant’s best interests to order repayment of the arrears he can do so. The scheme was introduced in the 1970’s to protect the vulnerable and their family, whilst not adding to their financial burden.</p><p> </p><p>Fuel Direct is set in legislation at 5% of their Personal Allowance, which is a fixed deduction of £3.70 for each element of fuel debt. This is considered to be the most appropriate level of repayment in order to clear the fuel debt arrears and to prevent enforcement action.</p><p> </p><p>Each year the amount of Third Party Deduction is re-assessed as part of The Social Security Up-rating Order.</p><p> </p><p>Once the arrears have been paid a person will usually be taken off the Fuel Direct scheme. In exceptional circumstances a person may be allowed to remain on the Fuel Direct scheme to help ensure that they don’t get into debt again.</p><p> </p><p>However Fuel Direct is not intended as a budgeting aid and the Governments main objective is to help people into employment, whilst encouraging them to be responsible for their own financial affairs, whether they are on benefit or not.</p> answering member printed Baroness Altmann question first answered 18/06/2015 14:39:18 answering member 4533 label Biography information for Baroness Altmann
	tabling member	4308 label Biography information for The Lord Bishop of St Albans

350105

	registered interest
	date	11/06/2015
	answering body	Department for Work and Pensions
	answering dept id	29
	answering dept short name	Work and Pensions
	answering dept sort name	Work and Pensions
	hansard heading	Prescribed Industrial Diseases
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many claims they have received for Prescribed Disease C3b in the last 10 years; and of these, how many were allowed.
	tabling member printed	The Countess of Mar
	uin	HL419
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/06/2015 answer text <p /> <p>The information as requested is not available and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.</p> answering member printed Baroness Altmann question first answered 18/06/2015 13:40:56 answering member 4533 label Biography information for Baroness Altmann
	tabling member	1861 label Biography information for The Countess of Mar

348484

	registered interest
	date	04/06/2015
	answering body	Cabinet Office
	answering dept id	53
	answering dept short name	Cabinet Office
	answering dept sort name	Cabinet Office
	hansard heading	Written Questions
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Statement by Lord Bridges of Headley on 3 June (HLWS10), whether they will publish figures on the response rates to questions for written answer during the 2010–15 Parliament along similar lines.
	tabling member printed	Lord Jopling
	uin	HL256
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/06/2015 answer text <p>In line with the commitment made by my predecessor to begin to publish annually the performance of departments on their promptness in dealing with QWAs (HL Deb 8 May 2014, col 1575), I have today published data on departmental performance in answering Questions for Written Answer for the 2014/15 session (HLWS39). I am pleased to say that, overall, 91% of Questions for Written Answer were answered within the expected 10 working days in the last session.</p><p><br>I will continue to publish departmental performance data on an annual basis to enable performance to be compared over time. My office will also continue to work with all departments to ensure prompt and comprehensive responses to all Questions for Written Answer.</p> answering member printed Baroness Stowell of Beeston question first answered 18/06/2015 16:37:10 answering member 4205 label Biography information for Baroness Stowell of Beeston
	tabling member	883 label Biography information for Lord Jopling

348858

	registered interest
	date	08/06/2015
	answering body	Department for International Development
	answering dept id	20
	answering dept short name	International Development
	answering dept sort name	International Development
	hansard heading	EU Aid
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their assessment of the new transparency and accountability framework, <i>The European Union International Cooperation and Development Results Framework</i>.
	tabling member printed	Baroness Kinnock of Holyhead
	uin	HL337
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/06/2015 answer text <p>The UK strongly welcomes the publication of the EU Results Framework. This will provide much needed accountability and transparency for EU taxpayers, and has the potential to transform EU development spending – allowing programmes to deliver much better value for money and development results.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The attachment ‘Explanatory Memorandum, Launching the EU International Cooperation and Development Results Framework’ contains detail on the UK position on the Staff Working Document, which can also be found online at: http://europeanmemoranda.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/memorandum/commission-staff-working-document-launching-the-eu-international-cooperation-development-results-framework.</p> answering member printed Baroness Verma question first answered 18/06/2015 16:48:59 answering member 3790 label Biography information for Baroness Verma attachment 1 file name Explanatory Memorandum, Launching the EU International Cooperation and Development Results Framework.pdf title Explanatory Memorandum
	tabling member	3895 label Biography information for Baroness Kinnock of Holyhead

349134

	registered interest
	date	09/06/2015
	answering body	Department for International Development
	answering dept id	20
	answering dept short name	International Development
	answering dept sort name	International Development
	hansard heading	Nepal: Earthquakes
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they are taking to ensure that post-earthquake aid to Nepal is being distributed fairly.
	tabling member printed	Lord Harries of Pentregarth
	uin	HL350
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/06/2015 answer text <p>The UK is providing more than £33 million to the earthquake response in Nepal, making us the largest donor to the relief operation, and we are committed to ensuring that this assistance is available to those most in need. UK funding and technical expertise is supporting a central coordination mechanism, under the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), which is gathering real time information and feedback from affected communities. This mechanism helps to ensure that aid efforts are not being duplicated and that the needs of the poorest and most vulnerable are understood and acted upon.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The UK has placed particular emphasis on reaching vulnerable groups; immediately after the earthquake, DFID identified the heightened risk of violence to displaced women and children. Examples of our assistance include: two UK-funded support centres, in Sindhupalchowk District, which ensure a safe and protected environment for around 500 women and girls; and the distribution of over 15,000 dignity kits to provide women with basic essentials, like clothing and hygiene products.</p> answering member printed Baroness Verma question first answered 18/06/2015 16:47:23 answering member 3790 label Biography information for Baroness Verma
	tabling member	3813 label Biography information for Lord Harries of Pentregarth

349143

	registered interest
	date	09/06/2015
	answering body	Department for International Development
	answering dept id	20
	answering dept short name	International Development
	answering dept sort name	International Development
	hansard heading	Eritrea: Refugees
	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 United Nations estimate that in total 360,000 refugees have fled Eritrea.
	tabling member printed	Lord Alton of Liverpool
	uin	HL359
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/06/2015 answer text <p>We are concerned by the United Nations report that 360,000 refugees have fled Eritrea, particularly given that they report the numbers of people leaving increased sharply towards the end of 2014, and given the vulnerability of refugees leaving by land and by sea. Our Ambassador in Asmara closely monitors events in Eritrea and Foreign Office and DFID staff work closely with the United Nations High Commission for Refugees throughout the Horn of Africa.</p> answering member printed Baroness Verma question first answered 18/06/2015 16:47:56 answering member 3790 label Biography information for Baroness Verma
	tabling member	738 label Biography information for Lord Alton of Liverpool

349518

	registered interest
	date	10/06/2015
	answering body	Department for International Development
	answering dept id	20
	answering dept short name	International Development
	answering dept sort name	International Development
	hansard heading	Middle East: Internally Displaced People
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they support the proposed establishment of an international enclave, protected by the United Nations, in Syria and Iraq to house internally displaced people.
	tabling member printed	Lord Ahmed
	uin	HL387
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/06/2015 answer text <p>The UK welcomes any option compliant with international law that might save lives in Syria and Iraq. The situation in Syria and Iraq is incredibly complex, and international enclaves are not currently feasible. For such a safe area to work in any context, all parties to the conflict would need to agree on its establishment. In the absence of such an agreement, this would require foreign military intervention, authorised by a UN Security Council resolution.</p> answering member printed Baroness Verma question first answered 18/06/2015 16:44:06 answering member 3790 label Biography information for Baroness Verma
	tabling member	3470 label Biography information for Lord Ahmed

349543

	registered interest
	date	10/06/2015
	answering body	Department for International Development
	answering dept id	20
	answering dept short name	International Development
	answering dept sort name	International Development
	hansard heading	UNRWA
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government what discussions they have had with donor partners about the level of funding needed for UNRWA.
	tabling member printed	Baroness Tonge
	uin	HL412
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/06/2015 answer text <p>The UK engages in regular discussion with other donors about the UN Relief and Works Agency’s (UNRWA) financial situation through the UNRWA Advisory Commission and Sub-Committee. The UK uses its influence as a predictable, multi-year donor to UNRWA to encourage other donor contributions and incentivise reforms which would get the Agency on a more sustainable financial footing.</p> answering member printed Baroness Verma question first answered 18/06/2015 16:44:28 answering member 3790 label Biography information for Baroness Verma
	tabling member	200 label Biography information for Baroness Tonge

349544

	registered interest
	date	10/06/2015
	answering body	Department for International Development
	answering dept id	20
	answering dept short name	International Development
	answering dept sort name	International Development
	hansard heading	Palestinians: Refugees
	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 potential for violence and fighting in countries surrounding Syria if UNRWA have to stop cash payments to Palestinian refugees from Syria, because of a lack of funds.
	tabling member printed	Baroness Tonge
	uin	HL413
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/06/2015 answer text <p>The UK is concerned that cuts to UNRWA assistance may exacerbate existing tensions amongst Palestinian refugees who have fled to Syria’s neighbouring countries. That is why the UK has been in close contact with UNRWA, other donors, and host governments on how best to manage and mitigate the impact of funding shortfalls. The UK is the third largest donor to UNRWA’s General Fund, and the fourth largest donor to UNRWA’s operations overall. This includes over £28 million provided to date to support Palestinian refugees in Syria and the region affected by the Syria crisis.</p> answering member printed Baroness Verma question first answered 18/06/2015 16:45:07 answering member 3790 label Biography information for Baroness Verma
	tabling member	200 label Biography information for Baroness Tonge

349547

	registered interest
	date	10/06/2015
	answering body	Department for International Development
	answering dept id	20
	answering dept short name	International Development
	answering dept sort name	International Development
	hansard heading	UN Agencies
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government what discussions they have had with the governments of the Gulf States concerning the funding of UNRWA and UNHCR.
	tabling member printed	Baroness Tonge
	uin	HL416
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/06/2015 answer text <p>The UK continues to play a prominent role in encouraging the international community, including the Gulf states, to support UN agencies in meeting urgent humanitarian and human development needs. The UK regularly raises the issue of UNRWA funding in discussions with Gulf States at both ministerial and official level.</p> answering member printed Baroness Verma question first answered 18/06/2015 16:45:29 answering member 3790 label Biography information for Baroness Verma
	tabling member	200 label Biography information for Baroness Tonge