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751993

	registered interest
	date	13/07/2017
	answering body	Department for International Development
	answering dept id	20
	answering dept short name	International Development
	answering dept sort name	International Development
	hansard heading	Nuclear Power
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	Her Majesty's Government how they intend to ensure their emergency funding for displaced people from Mosul and the Nineveh Plains reaches displaced minorities such as the Yazidis and Christians; and what assessment they have made of the extent to which their policy of neutrality and impartiality will lead to the inclusion or exclusion of those who have been subject to genocide.
	tabling member printed	Lord Alton of Liverpool
	uin	HL828
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 20/07/2017 answer text <ul><li>The UK Government recognises the specific risks faced by religious minorities in Iraq and Syria, including those who have suffered so horrifically at the hands of Daesh. We are aware of reports that fear of persecution or discrimination in camps may be deterring some people from using them, and are in close touch with our partners involved in the management of camps and the delivery of services within them, including UN agencies. They have clear guidelines, mechanisms and accountability frameworks in place to prevent discrimination by their own staff or those of their partners. DFID takes any allegations that these are not being applied effectively very seriously, and stands ready to follow up specific allegations with the partners concerned.</li></ul><p> </p><ul><li>The security of the camps and all those living in them is the responsibility of the appropriate civil authorities (e.g. in Iraq, it lies with the Government of Iraq) and is monitored by independent humanitarian actors such as UNHCR. UK officials stand ready to report any specific allegations of persecution or violence against religious minorities within the camps to those authorities. The Government is concerned about Daesh infiltration inside camps. In Iraq the Iraqi authorities carry out screening of those entering camps in order to seek to prevent such infiltration. UN agencies have set up grievance mechanisms that allow any minority member to anonymously report abuse, persecution or discrimination; these can also be used to report on suspected extremist activity.</li></ul><p> </p><ul><li>DFID’s funding for Iraq is targeted towards those who are most in need including vulnerable people from minority communities such as Yazidis and Christians. It is delivered in line with the 2017 Humanitarian Response Plan (HRP) for the whole of Iraq, which is based on comprehensive needs assessments carried out by a wide range of partners. The humanitarian principles of neutrality and impartiality aim to ensure that no one is excluded or discriminated against on the grounds of race, ethnicity, or religion, that the specific risks facing minorities are addressed and that assistance reaches those who need it most. In the difficult environments in Syria and Iraq, where access to vulnerable people is often very challenging especially as some actors such as Daesh and the Assad regime deliberately prevent humanitarian access, DFID regularly challenges our partners to demonstrate that they are doing all they can to meet the needs the most vulnerable people, including those from religious minorities. We welcome information from all sources to help us to hold them to account.</li></ul><p> </p><ul><li>DFID is not aware of scheduled meetings in 2015 with Christian representatives in Iraq that officials did not attend, but DFID officials regularly meet with representatives of Iraqi Christian and Yezidi communities. DFID Ministers have also met representatives of these communities.</li></ul><p> </p><ul><li>DFID has received Dr Russell Blacker’s correspondence and has responded suggesting a meeting is organised with Dr Blacker, Lord Bates and Mr Burt to discuss together.</li></ul> answering member printed Lord Bates grouped question UIN HL829 HL830 HL831 question first answered 20/07/2017 16:23:20 answering member 1091 label Biography information for Lord Bates
	tabling member	738 label Biography information for Lord Alton of Liverpool

1200287

	registered interest
	date	03/06/2020
	answering body	Department for International Development
	answering dept id	20
	answering dept short name	International Development
	answering dept sort name	International Development
	hansard heading	Development Aid: Coronavirus
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	Her Majesty's Government how they are supporting responses to the COVID-19 pandemic which seek to address (1) the immediate, and (2) the underlying, causes of conflict and violence; and what steps they are taking to make sure Official Development Assistance supports communities to manage any increase in social tensions as a result of the pandemic.
	tabling member printed	Baroness Goudie
	uin	HL5185
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 19/06/2020 answer text <p>The UK is pursuing a strong and co-ordinated global response to COVID-19, particularly for the most vulnerable countries. We recognise the risk that responses to the pandemic in some contexts may include politicisation, exploitation and securitisation, which may risk fuelling grievances, triggering violent instability, dividing societies and emboldening conflict actors.</p><p>The UK is taking steps to ensure that both our immediate responses to COVID-19 and long-term recovery efforts do not exacerbate conflict and instead help to build peace, improve governance and strengthen social cohesion. We are encouraging our implementing partners to demonstrate accountability, strengthen local owner- and leadership and adopt inclusive, conflict sensitive approaches. We are also working with partners, governments, media providers, civil society and local leaders to counter misinformation. DFID and the FCO are working together to encourage state and security responses that are transparent, proportionate, fair and promote human rights as a core part of the UK response.</p><p>We particularly recognise the importance of working with local women’s rights and women-led organisations to deliver more effective and safer responses. We also believe that greater engagement of local partners ensures continuity and builds resilience and social cohesion as efforts shift to the medium and longer term recovery.</p> answering member printed Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon question first answered 19/06/2020 11:39:54 answering member 4210 label Biography information for Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
	tabling member	3575 label Biography information for Baroness Goudie

731047

	registered interest
	date	21/06/2017
	answering body	Department for International Development
	answering dept id	20
	answering dept short name	International Development
	answering dept sort name	International Development
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	Her Majesty's Government what action the Department for International Development (DfID) is taking to promote Article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights which promulgates freedom of religion and belief; how that action relates to (1) Sustainable Development Goal 16, and (2) DfID’s UK aid strategy objectives, and to the allocation of resources; and what steps they are taking to ensure that DfID's partners and projects do not discriminate on religious grounds.
	tabling member printed	Lord Alton of Liverpool
	uin	HL55
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 28/06/2017 answer text <p>The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) leads the government’s work to promote and protect the right to freedom of religion or belief internationally. DFID works closely with FCO, helping to raise concerns about discriminatory legislation and practices with governments, and funding targeted project work. We are clear that promoting freedom of religion or belief is an important contributor to achieving the UK Aid Strategy’s goals and is directly relevant to Sustainable Development Goal 16 on building peaceful and inclusive societies with access to justice for all and effective, accountable and inclusive institutions. DFID’s Partnership Principles include consideration of freedom of religion or belief alongside other human rights.</p> answering member printed Lord Bates question first answered 28/06/2017 16:13:57 answering member 1091 label Biography information for Lord Bates
	tabling member	738 label Biography information for Lord Alton of Liverpool

752498

	registered interest
	date	17/07/2017
	answering body	Department for International Development
	answering dept id	20
	answering dept short name	International Development
	answering dept sort name	International Development
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	Her Majesty's Government what action they are taking concerning the reported confiscation and destruction of EU-funded humanitarian aid projects in the West Bank.
	tabling member printed	Baroness Tonge
	uin	HL944
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 24/07/2017 answer text <p>We have repeatedly made clear to the Israeli authorities our serious concern at the increase in demolitions and confiscations in Area C of the West Bank and East Jerusalem. The European Union (EU) has not to date asked for compensation for EU-funded infrastructure. No decision has been made yet as to whether to claim compensation in the future.</p><p> </p> answering member printed Lord Bates question first answered 24/07/2017 13:48:35 answering member 1091 label Biography information for Lord Bates
	tabling member	200 label Biography information for Baroness Tonge

752497

	registered interest
	date	17/07/2017
	answering body	Department for International Development
	answering dept id	20
	answering dept short name	International Development
	answering dept sort name	International Development
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	Her Majesty's Government what action they are taking concerning the reported delays in ambulance response times to treat injured and sick Palestinians.
	tabling member printed	Baroness Tonge
	uin	HL943
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 24/07/2017 answer text <p>Ambulance and permit delays can lead to missed appointments and interrupted treatments, endangering the health and lives of patients. The UK has consistently called on the Israeli Government to ease movement and access restrictions that reduce access to medical care for Palestinians. The UK supports essential health services in the Occupied Palestinian Territories through funding to the Palestinian Authority and UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees.</p> answering member printed Lord Bates question first answered 24/07/2017 13:51:16 answering member 1091 label Biography information for Lord Bates
	tabling member	200 label Biography information for Baroness Tonge

1203575

	registered interest
	date	15/06/2020
	answering body	Department for International Development
	answering dept id	20
	answering dept short name	International Development
	answering dept sort name	International Development
	hansard heading	Gaza: New Businesses
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	Her Majesty's Government what action they are taking to encourage new technological enterprises in Gaza.
	tabling member printed	Baroness Tonge
	uin	HL5729
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 25/06/2020 answer text <p>The UK is more than tripling spend on Economic Development programming in the Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPTs) and we will provide £58 million between 2018 – 2023. This includes helping improve water and energy supply, particularly in Gaza, and addressing movement and access restrictions that currently inhibit trade. By focussing on these issues, we aim to improve daily life and opportunities for thousands of Palestinians.</p><p>The FCO and British Council also provide funding to the OPT’s to support our commitment to educating tomorrow’s academics, scientists, innovators and entrepreneurs, including in digital skills. The Chevening scholarship programme and Higher Education Scholarships for Palestinians (HESPAL) provide support to Palestinians to access the best of UK university education and expertise. The @Palestine project is working to develop the English skills of Palestinian youth to enable them to engage in the global digital economy.</p> answering member printed Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon question first answered 25/06/2020 16:50:46 answering member 4210 label Biography information for Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
	tabling member	200 label Biography information for Baroness Tonge

752493

	registered interest
	date	17/07/2017
	answering body	Department for International Development
	answering dept id	20
	answering dept short name	International Development
	answering dept sort name	International Development
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	Her Majesty's Government what action they are taking to support those living in Gaza who have been deprived of electricity and of phone and internet access.
	tabling member printed	Baroness Tonge
	uin	HL939
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 24/07/2017 answer text <p>The UK is working closely with the United Nations (UN) to monitor the situation in Gaza. We urge all the parties to find a sustainable solution to the current energy situation that is affecting services such as electricity and phone and internet access. In Gaza, the UK is funding basic service delivery through the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees, enabling reconstruction work, and investing in job creation.</p> answering member printed Lord Bates question first answered 24/07/2017 13:48:11 answering member 1091 label Biography information for Lord Bates
	tabling member	200 label Biography information for Baroness Tonge

1203576

	registered interest
	date	15/06/2020
	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: Health Services
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	Her Majesty's Government what action they are taking, if any, to ensure that health services in Palestine have sufficient medical facilities and expertise in (1) the West Bank, and (2) Gaza, to enable those services to care for those with serious medical problems without the need to enter Israeli territory for treatment.
	tabling member printed	Baroness Tonge
	uin	HL5730
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 29/06/2020 answer text <p>The UK has pledged £764 million to support the global humanitarian response to COVID-19. We have delivered additional vital support in the Occupied Palestinian Territories by providing funding to the World Health Organization and UNICEF to purchase and co-ordinate the delivery of medical equipment, treat critical care patients, train frontline public health personnel and scale up laboratory testing capacity. Minister Cleverly also recently announced £20 million in new funding, which will help the Palestinian Authority support its health workers who have been on the frontline battling coronavirus and who help deliver life-saving medical services.</p><p>We also provided around £16 million in humanitarian assistance in 2019/20 to alleviate humanitarian and health needs in the OPTs. This included establishing a centralised surgical multi-disciplinary limb reconstruction unit, strengthening trauma care, enhancing the ambulance system, and training paramedics and frontline providers in Gaza. Our funding to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) also helps provide health services for around 3.5 million people in the Occupied Palestinian Territories.</p><p> </p> answering member printed Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon question first answered 29/06/2020 16:22:42 answering member 4210 label Biography information for Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
	tabling member	200 label Biography information for Baroness Tonge

752014

	registered interest
	date	13/07/2017
	answering body	Department for International Development
	answering dept id	20
	answering dept short name	International Development
	answering dept sort name	International Development
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	Her Majesty's Government what action they have taken to ensure that UK funding which is intended to mitigate the migration crisis in the central Mediterranean is not used to finance the indefinite detention of migrant and refugee children.
	tabling member printed	Lord Judd
	uin	HL849
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 20/07/2017 answer text <p>The UK contribution to the Mediterranean migration crisis is delivered through trusted humanitarian agencies such as the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) and United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). Through these agencies, UK aid in detention centres is specifically designed to protect migrants’ and refugees’ human rights and meet basic needs, including by advocating for alternatives to detention for vulnerable groups like children. We also assist migrants to return home, if they wish to do so.</p> answering member printed Lord Bates question first answered 20/07/2017 16:25:24 answering member 1091 label Biography information for Lord Bates
	tabling member	1660 label Biography information for Lord Judd

751995

	registered interest
	date	13/07/2017
	answering body	Department for International Development
	answering dept id	20
	answering dept short name	International Development
	answering dept sort name	International Development
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of reports (1) that Christians and Yazidis who have been victims of genocide in Syria and Iraq do not use UN camps because of oppression and persecution that they have experienced within them, and (2) from Jordanian military officials that ISIS jihadis have infiltrated many such camps.
	tabling member printed	Lord Alton of Liverpool
	uin	HL830
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 20/07/2017 answer text <ul><li>The UK Government recognises the specific risks faced by religious minorities in Iraq and Syria, including those who have suffered so horrifically at the hands of Daesh. We are aware of reports that fear of persecution or discrimination in camps may be deterring some people from using them, and are in close touch with our partners involved in the management of camps and the delivery of services within them, including UN agencies. They have clear guidelines, mechanisms and accountability frameworks in place to prevent discrimination by their own staff or those of their partners. DFID takes any allegations that these are not being applied effectively very seriously, and stands ready to follow up specific allegations with the partners concerned.</li></ul><p> </p><ul><li>The security of the camps and all those living in them is the responsibility of the appropriate civil authorities (e.g. in Iraq, it lies with the Government of Iraq) and is monitored by independent humanitarian actors such as UNHCR. UK officials stand ready to report any specific allegations of persecution or violence against religious minorities within the camps to those authorities. The Government is concerned about Daesh infiltration inside camps. In Iraq the Iraqi authorities carry out screening of those entering camps in order to seek to prevent such infiltration. UN agencies have set up grievance mechanisms that allow any minority member to anonymously report abuse, persecution or discrimination; these can also be used to report on suspected extremist activity.</li></ul><p> </p><ul><li>DFID’s funding for Iraq is targeted towards those who are most in need including vulnerable people from minority communities such as Yazidis and Christians. It is delivered in line with the 2017 Humanitarian Response Plan (HRP) for the whole of Iraq, which is based on comprehensive needs assessments carried out by a wide range of partners. The humanitarian principles of neutrality and impartiality aim to ensure that no one is excluded or discriminated against on the grounds of race, ethnicity, or religion, that the specific risks facing minorities are addressed and that assistance reaches those who need it most. In the difficult environments in Syria and Iraq, where access to vulnerable people is often very challenging especially as some actors such as Daesh and the Assad regime deliberately prevent humanitarian access, DFID regularly challenges our partners to demonstrate that they are doing all they can to meet the needs the most vulnerable people, including those from religious minorities. We welcome information from all sources to help us to hold them to account.</li></ul><p> </p><ul><li>DFID is not aware of scheduled meetings in 2015 with Christian representatives in Iraq that officials did not attend, but DFID officials regularly meet with representatives of Iraqi Christian and Yezidi communities. DFID Ministers have also met representatives of these communities.</li></ul><p> </p><ul><li>DFID has received Dr Russell Blacker’s correspondence and has responded suggesting a meeting is organised with Dr Blacker, Lord Bates and Mr Burt to discuss together.</li></ul> answering member printed Lord Bates grouped question UIN HL828 HL829 HL831 question first answered 20/07/2017 16:23:20 answering member 1091 label Biography information for Lord Bates
	tabling member	738 label Biography information for Lord Alton of Liverpool