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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

349540

registered interest
date	10/06/2015
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	Israel: Palestinians
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they accept the RAND Corporation's calculation of the benefits that would follow a full solution to the conflict between Israel and Palestine; and whether they will discuss those findings with both sides.
tabling member printed	Lord Hylton
uin	HL409
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/06/2015 answer text <p>The Foreign and Commonwealth Office has not made an assessment of the findings of RAND Corporation’s calculations. However we do agree that there would be economic benefits for both sides in the event of a two-state solution being achieved, and have made this clear with the parties and will continue to do so.</p> answering member printed Baroness Anelay of St Johns question first answered 22/06/2015 10:45:43 answering member 3474 label Biography information for Baroness Anelay of St Johns
tabling member	2018 label Biography information for Lord Hylton

349541

registered interest
date	10/06/2015
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	Macedonia
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their assessment of the current situation in Macedonia and its possible impact on neighbouring states; and whether they consider that a process of national dialogue, involving civil society as well as political parties, would be helpful.
tabling member printed	Lord Hylton
uin	HL410
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/06/2015 answer text <p>We remain concerned about the ongoing political crisis in Macedonia and the potential impact on stability for the region. We welcome efforts by Commissioner Hahn on 2 June 2015 in brokering a tentative cross-party political agreement as a first step towards resolving the political crisis in Macedonia and urge the political leaders to implement their commitments and work towards credible reforms that strengthen the rule of law, media freedom, independence of the judiciary and depoliticisation of state institutions. Civil Society has an important role to play in advancing this agenda.</p> answering member printed Baroness Anelay of St Johns question first answered 22/06/2015 14:57:55 answering member 3474 label Biography information for Baroness Anelay of St Johns
tabling member	2018 label Biography information for Lord Hylton

349542

registered interest
date	10/06/2015
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	Macedonia
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assistance they and the European Union are currently providing in Macedonia.
tabling member printed	Lord Hylton
uin	HL411
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/06/2015 answer text <p>The British Government undertakes a range of programme activities in Macedonia in the areas of public administration, good governance, rule of law and human rights, freedom of expression and promotion of diversity. This is worth £1.16m. At the same time, through the Instruments of Pre-Accession (IPA) II Fund, the Commission provides financial and technical assistance to support Macedonia to undertake political and economic reforms. €664m has been earmarked for Macedonia for the period 2014-2017.</p> answering member printed Baroness Anelay of St Johns question first answered 22/06/2015 15:23:59 answering member 3474 label Biography information for Baroness Anelay of St Johns
tabling member	2018 label Biography information for Lord Hylton

349512

registered interest
date	10/06/2015
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	Democratic Republic of Congo: SOCO International
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government what action they intend to take in the light of reports into the activities of Soco International in Virunga national park, a UNESCO World Heritage site in the Democratic Republic of Congo, which allege breaches of bribery and corruption laws.
tabling member printed	Lord Alton of Liverpool
uin	HL381
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/06/2015 answer text <p>We are aware of allegations of serious wrongdoing made against Soco International, its employees and agents connected to its activities in the Virunga National Park in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). We expect all companies to act appropriately and encourage anyone with evidence of fraud, bribery or corruption to pass this to the Serious Fraud Office (SFO).</p><p>Allegations of bribery and corruption, and incidents of violence, intimidation and threats directed at environmental activists, fishermen and local residents campaigning against oil exploitation in the Virunga National Park have been inadequately investigated by the DRC authorities. We have called upon the DRC authorities to undertake a full investigation.</p> answering member printed Baroness Anelay of St Johns question first answered 22/06/2015 15:19:25 answering member 3474 label Biography information for Baroness Anelay of St Johns
tabling member	738 label Biography information for Lord Alton of Liverpool

349519

registered interest
date	10/06/2015
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	Middle East: Armed Conflict
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they have taken to encourage the governments of Saudi Arabia and Iran to find political solutions to the conflicts in Syria, Iraq, Yemen and Bahrain.
tabling member printed	Lord Ahmed
uin	HL388
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/06/2015 answer text <p>The UK and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia have a long history of friendship, understanding and co-operation. Our shared interests are wide and diverse, and include cooperation on counter-terrorism, defence, trade and investment, education and healthcare. We also work closely with the Government of Saudi Arabia across a range of shared key foreign policy interests.</p><p>Iran is an important country in the region but it is contributing to regional instability through its actions. We discuss regional issues as part of our bilateral dialogue with Iran, and continue to encourage Iran to play a constructive role in the region.</p><p> </p> answering member printed Baroness Anelay of St Johns question first answered 22/06/2015 10:45:11 answering member 3474 label Biography information for Baroness Anelay of St Johns
tabling member	3470 label Biography information for Lord Ahmed

349522

registered interest
date	10/06/2015
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	Burma: Rohingya
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they plan to make representations to the government of Myanmar regarding the treatment of Rohingya Muslims.
tabling member printed	Lord Ahmed
uin	HL391
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/06/2015 answer text <p>We continue to raise the problems in Rakhine with the government of Burma at every opportunity, and will continue to do so. Most recently in relation to the humanitarian crisis in the Bay of Bengal, Andaman Sea and Straits of Malacca, the Minister of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for East Devon (Mr Swire), called the Burmese Ambassador to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office on 18 May to express concern, calling for an urgent humanitarian response and regional coordination. In parallel, our Ambassador in Rangoon delivered the same message with the EU and US in a demarche to Burmese Ministers, and again bilaterally on 4 June.</p> answering member printed Baroness Anelay of St Johns question first answered 22/06/2015 15:17:25 answering member 3474 label Biography information for Baroness Anelay of St Johns
tabling member	3470 label Biography information for Lord Ahmed

349523

registered interest
date	10/06/2015
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	Rohingya: Human Trafficking
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they are taking to encourage international action to prevent Rohingya Muslims from becoming victims of human trafficking.
tabling member printed	Lord Ahmed
uin	HL392
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/06/2015 answer text <p>Ministers have instructed our Embassies and High Commissions in South East Asia to lobby governments in the region to take a coordinated response to address people trafficking and irregular migration from the Bay of Bengal, including that of Rohingya Muslims. We are also lobbying the EU and international partners to the same end. In addition, we have engaged with non-governmental organisations and international organisations, including the International Organisation for Migration and the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, and supported a discussion of the crisis in the UN Security Council on 28 May. We welcome the international coordination meeting hosted by Thailand on 29 May, which we attended as an observer. We also welcome the Association of Southeast Asian Nation's commitment to raising the issue in its forum.</p> answering member printed Baroness Anelay of St Johns question first answered 22/06/2015 15:18:21 answering member 3474 label Biography information for Baroness Anelay of St Johns
tabling member	3470 label Biography information for Lord Ahmed

349534

registered interest
date	10/06/2015
answering body	Department for Culture Media and Sport
answering dept id	10
answering dept short name	Culture, Media and Sport
answering dept sort name	Culture, Media and Sport
hansard heading	FIFA
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 allegations of corruption at FIFA, and the resignation of the FIFA President.
tabling member printed	Lord Hoyle
uin	HL403
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 25/06/2015 answer text <p>The Government welcomes the investigations that are taking place into the allegations of corruption at FIFA, however, we are unable to comment further given that these investigations are ongoing.</p><p>The Government also welcomes Sepp Blatter's resignation, however, this is only the start of the process of reform we need to see from FIFA.</p> answering member printed Baroness Neville-Rolfe question first answered 25/06/2015 15:37:21 answering member 4284 label Biography information for Baroness Neville-Rolfe
tabling member	1000 label Biography information for Lord Hoyle

349515

registered interest
date	10/06/2015
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	Burma: Police
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government what equipment has been exported from the United Kingdom to Burma for use by the Burmese police force in the past two years.
tabling member printed	Baroness Nye
uin	HL384
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 24/06/2015 answer text <p>The Export Control Organisation only holds data on licences issued and refused that fall within strategic export controls.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>No such licences have been granted for the Burmese police force.</p><p> </p> answering member printed Baroness Neville-Rolfe question first answered 24/06/2015 11:16:01 answering member 4284 label Biography information for Baroness Neville-Rolfe
tabling member	4180 label Biography information for Baroness Nye