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1135687

registered interest
date	01/07/2019
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: Royal Visits
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government whether, during their forthcoming visit to Pakistan, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge will visit (1) the slums inhabited by the minority Christian community, and (2) members of Shahbaz Bhatti’s family.
tabling member printed	Lord Alton of Liverpool
uin	HL16780
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 15/07/2019 answer text <p>​The details of the programme for the visit by Their Royal Highnesses The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge to Pakistan have not yet been agreed. For security reasons, we would not in any case comment on details in advance of the visit.</p> answering member printed Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon question first answered 15/07/2019 14:37:10 answering member 4210 label Biography information for Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
tabling member	738 label Biography information for Lord Alton of Liverpool

1135688

registered interest
date	01/07/2019
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: Minority Groups
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government when they last raised the plight of minorities in Pakistan with the Secretary-General of the Commonwealth; what response they received; and whether they asked the Secretary-General to raise continued human rights violations with the government of Pakistan.
tabling member printed	Lord Alton of Liverpool
uin	HL16781
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 15/07/2019 answer text <p>We continue to be in close contact with the Commonwealth Secretariat on its support to member states to live up to the commitments to tolerance, to human rights, good governance and the rule of law set out in the Commonwealth Charter.</p><p>In addition, the British Government will continue to urge Pakistan to honour in practice its human rights obligations, including those related to religious minorities, and to uphold the rule of law.</p> answering member printed Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon question first answered 15/07/2019 14:38:46 answering member 4210 label Biography information for Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
tabling member	738 label Biography information for Lord Alton of Liverpool

1135689

registered interest
date	01/07/2019
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: Blasphemy
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 sentencing of Shagufta Kauser and her husband to death in Pakistan for alleged blasphemy; what assessment they have made of whether Shagufta Kauser is (1) from a Christian minority, and (2) illiterate; what representations they have made to the government of Pakistan on her behalf; what response they have received to these representations; and what estimate they have made of the number of people currently facing the death sentence in Pakistan for alleged blasphemy.
tabling member printed	Lord Alton of Liverpool
uin	HL16782
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 15/07/2019 answer text <p>We continue to monitor the case of Shagufta Kauser and her husband Shafqat Emmanuel who were sentenced to death in April 2014. We understand that Shagufta Kauser is of the Christian faith and we are aware of media reports stating that she and her husband are both illiterate.</p><p>We regularly raise our concerns about the misuse of the blasphemy laws with the government of Pakistan at a senior level. The harsh penalties for blasphemy, including the death penalty, add to these concerns. We remain firmly opposed to the death penalty in all circumstances. We have repeatedly called upon the Government of Pakistan to end capital punishment and, as a minimum, commit to publicly renewing the previously imposed moratorium on the death penalty. Concerns about Freedom of Religion or Belief and the protection of minority religious communities were raised with Pakistan's Federal Minister for Human Rights, Dr Shireen Mazari, during a ministerial visit to Islamabad in February.</p><p>We do not hold figures for individuals on specific charges overseas. According to the US State Department 2018 Report on Freedom of Religion or Belief, at the time of publication, 77 individuals were imprisoned in Pakistan on blasphemy charges, 28 of whom had received death sentences.</p> answering member printed Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon question first answered 15/07/2019 14:41:26 answering member 4210 label Biography information for Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
tabling member	738 label Biography information for Lord Alton of Liverpool

1135690

registered interest
date	01/07/2019
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	China: Prisoners
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what consideration, if any, they have given to updating their travel advice for China to include the findings of the Independent Tribunal into Forced Organ Harvesting from Prisoners of Conscience from China, published on 17 June.
tabling member printed	Lord Alton of Liverpool
uin	HL16783
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 15/07/2019 answer text <p>We do not intend to update our travel advice to include the findings of the recent report by the pressure group “The International Coalition to End Transplant Abuse in China”. We have reviewed the report and at present, our assessment remains that there is not a strong enough evidential base to substantiate the claim that systematic state-sponsored or sanctioned organ harvesting is taking place in China. We continue to keep this issue under review.</p> answering member printed Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon question first answered 15/07/2019 14:42:02 answering member 4210 label Biography information for Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
tabling member	738 label Biography information for Lord Alton of Liverpool

1135412

registered interest
date	27/06/2019
answering body	Department of Health and Social Care
answering dept id	17
answering dept short name	Health and Social Care
answering dept sort name	Health and Social Care
hansard heading	IVF: Breast Cancer
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answers by the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Health on 14 July 2014 (HC Deb, col 448W), Earl Howe on 3 December 2014 (HL273), Lord O'Shaughnessy on 3 December 2018 (HL11600), and comments by the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Health on 20 January 2016 (HC Deb, col 623WH), to what extent the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) database is linked to (1) NHS databases, and (2) cancer registries; whether data from the register of patients and treatments that is maintained by the HFEA is sufficient to assess the contention that IVF in older women linked to an increased risk of breast cancer; and how the HFEA will ensure that information provided to patients regarding any potential long-term safety implications associated with treatment will include appropriate reference to such risks.
tabling member printed	Lord Alton of Liverpool
uin	HL16733
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/07/2019 answer text <p>The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) Register is not linked to any National Health Service databases or cancer registries; and data from the Register alone would not allow an assessment of the risk to be identified. However, under the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act (Disclosure of Information for Research Purposes) Regulations 2010, the HFEA may authorise the processing of disclosable protected information contained in the Register for research, in the public interest or in the interests of improving patient care. A recent study by University College London investigated risks of ovarian, breast, and corpus uteri cancer in women treated with Assisted Reproductive Technologies and found no link between the use of ovarian stimulatory drugs and an increased risk of cancer.</p><p>The HFEA continually updates patient information whenever new clinical information is available. The HFEA is advised by the Scientific and Clinical Advances Advisory Committee on scientific and clinical developments (including research) in assisted conception, embryo research and related areas.</p> answering member printed Baroness Blackwood of North Oxford question first answered 10/07/2019 15:08:03 answering member 4019 label Biography information for Baroness Blackwood of North Oxford
tabling member	738 label Biography information for Lord Alton of Liverpool

1135413

registered interest
date	27/06/2019
answering body	Department of Health and Social Care
answering dept id	17
answering dept short name	Health and Social Care
answering dept sort name	Health and Social Care
hansard heading	IVF: Drugs
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answers by the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Health on 14 July 2014 (HC Deb, col 448W), Earl Howe on 3 December 2014 (HL273), and comments by the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Health on 20 January 2016 (HC Deb, col 623WH), how the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) ensures that clinics follow National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidelines on limiting the use of ovulation induction or ovarian stimulation agents to the lowest effective dose and duration of use without collecting information on the identity of drugs used in treatment, the dosage used and the associated regimen for ovarian stimulation at each licensed centre; and what would be needed for the HFEA to regulate the administration of drugs during in vitro fertilisation treatment.
tabling member printed	Lord Alton of Liverpool
uin	HL16734
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/07/2019 answer text <p>The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Acts 1990 and 2008 do not provide for the regulation of the use or monitoring of medicines used in fertility treatment.</p><p>Medicines used in fertility treatment are licensed by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency. These medicines may be used in Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority-licensed clinics or in other settings, for example by general practitioners.</p><p>Medicine prescribing is a matter of clinical judgement, taking account of the individual patient’s circumstances and professional guidance. It is the duty of every clinician to take into account the welfare and best interest of their patient when deciding on the appropriate treatment for them for any medical condition, in line with General Medical Council’s good medical practice guidance.</p> answering member printed Baroness Blackwood of North Oxford question first answered 10/07/2019 15:09:39 answering member 4019 label Biography information for Baroness Blackwood of North Oxford
tabling member	738 label Biography information for Lord Alton of Liverpool

1135060

registered interest
date	26/06/2019
answering body	Home Office
answering dept id	1
answering dept short name	Home Office
answering dept sort name	Home Office
hansard heading	Visas: Conferences
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Williams of Trafford on 25 June (HL16233), whether, when making decisions about whether to refuse visa applications to participants at conferences, including the Coalition for Religious Equality and Inclusive Development held in Westminster on 11 June, they take into account whether a conference has been sponsored or part funded by a government department; and what assessment, if any, they make of the impact on the public purse and the reputation of the UK of a visa refusal for such a conference.
tabling member printed	Lord Alton of Liverpool
uin	HL16687
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/07/2019 answer text <p>All UK Visa applications are considered on their individual merits and in line with the UK Immigration Rules https://www.gov.uk/guidance/immigration-rules/immigration-rules-appendix-v-visitor-rules which set out the requirements to visit the UK. These requirements apply to all visitors to the UK and the onus is on the applicant to demonstrate that they satisfy the immigration rules.</p><p>Among the points on which the applicant must satisfy the decision maker is that they are a genuine visitor who will leave the UK at the end of their visit and will not make the UK their main home through frequent or successive visits. When assessing a visit visa application decision makers follow publicly available guidance: <a href="https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/793361/Visit-guidance-v8.0ext.pdf" target="_blank">https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/793361/Visit-guidance-v8.0ext.pdf</a></p> answering member printed Baroness Williams of Trafford question first answered 10/07/2019 16:21:07 answering member 4311 label Biography information for Baroness Williams of Trafford attachment 1 file name Visit-guidance-v8.0ext.pdf title Visit guidance
tabling member	738 label Biography information for Lord Alton of Liverpool

1134669

registered interest
date	25/06/2019
answering body	Department of Health and Social Care
answering dept id	17
answering dept short name	Health and Social Care
answering dept sort name	Health and Social Care
hansard heading	Abortion
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government whether there are any circumstances in which a pregnancy that does not (1) pose a risk to the physical health of a mother, and (2) involve a foetus that has been diagnosed with a disability, can be involuntarily terminated.
tabling member printed	Lord Alton of Liverpool
uin	HL16636
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 05/07/2019 answer text <p>A decision to terminate a pregnancy must comply with the legal requirements of the Abortion Act 1967. In circumstances where a person lacks capacity, the courts have the authority to make serious healthcare and treatment decisions, in the best interests of the person and pursuant to the Mental Capacity Act 2005, and this could include whether a pregnancy should be terminated.</p> answering member printed Baroness Blackwood of North Oxford question first answered 05/07/2019 10:55:39 answering member 4019 label Biography information for Baroness Blackwood of North Oxford
tabling member	738 label Biography information for Lord Alton of Liverpool

1134670

registered interest
date	25/06/2019
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	Eritrea: Health Centres
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what consideration they have given to the letter of 20 June from Lord Alton of Liverpool to Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon and to the Minister of State for Africa about the enforced closure of Church-run health facilities in Eritrea; what assessment they have made of the effect of such closures on the health and well-being of the people of Eritrea; whether they have made representations to the government of Eritrea about those closures; and if so, what response they have received.
tabling member printed	Lord Alton of Liverpool
uin	HL16637
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 04/07/2019 answer text <p>We can confirm that the letter of 20 June has been received and will be answered within 20 days in accordance with Cabinet Office Guidance.</p><p>Whilst the Eritrean Government has a good track record on the provision of basic healthcare, we do not believe that using the military to force closure, or take charge of health centres managed by the Catholic Church is proportionate. We have raised our concerns with the Eritrean Government, about the approach they are taking, and will continue to seek opportunities to engage on this issue and monitor the situation. As Eritrea is a priority country under the Foreign and Commonwealth Office's Annual Human Rights Reporting, we raise concerns about human rights in Eritrea regularly, both direct with the Government, – as the Minister of State for Africa did with the Eritrean Foreign Minister when she last saw him in September 2018 – and in international fora.</p> answering member printed Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon question first answered 04/07/2019 14:51:32 answering member 4210 label Biography information for Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
tabling member	738 label Biography information for Lord Alton of Liverpool

1134671

registered interest
date	25/06/2019
answering body	Ministry of Justice
answering dept id	54
answering dept short name	Justice
answering dept sort name	Justice
hansard heading	Abortion: Mental Illness
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 Court of Appeal ruling overturning the decision of the Court of Protection to allow a mentally ill woman to be given an abortion against her wishes; what implications they consider that case to have for the rights of those with learning disabilities to become parents; and what steps, if any, they intend to take in the light of the Court of Appeal's ruling.
tabling member printed	Lord Alton of Liverpool
uin	HL16638
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/07/2019 answer text <p>This is an extremely difficult and sensitive case, and the Government will consider the Court of Appeal judgment carefully.</p><p> </p><p>The Court of Protection hears cases about some of the most vulnerable people in society, making decisions about personal welfare – including serious medical treatment - where the person lacks capacity to do so for themselves. In doing so it must follow the principles of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA). In particular the MCA stipulates that decisions must be in the person’s best interests, taking into account all the circumstances of the case, including the wishes, feelings, beliefs and values of the person, and must be the least restrictive of their rights and freedoms.</p><p> </p><p>It is right that such serious and difficult decisions – particularly where there is disagreement about what is in the person’s best interests - are made by the independent judiciary.</p><p> </p><p>The statutory MCA Code of Practice provides practical guidance on the operation of the MCA and is currently under review. We have sought input from a range of interested stakeholders through a call for evidence in January and propose to consult on a revised Code towards the end of this year.</p> answering member printed Lord Keen of Elie question first answered 10/07/2019 11:30:53 answering member 4538 label Biography information for Lord Keen of Elie
tabling member	738 label Biography information for Lord Alton of Liverpool