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166099

registered interest
date	25/11/2014
answering body	Department of Health
answering dept id	17
answering dept short name	Health
answering dept sort name	Health
hansard heading	Multiple Births
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answers by Baroness Kinnock of Holyhead on 8 April 2010 (HL3233 and HL3235) and by Earl Howe on 17 November (HL2643), what assessment they have made of the outcomes following foetal reduction in cases of multiple pregnancy in China compared to England and Wales over the past decade; to what extent they consider any such differences to be due to China's one-child policy or other factors; and when they last made representations to the government of China about the one-child policy.
tabling member printed	Lord Alton of Liverpool
uin	HL3157
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 05/12/2014 answer text <p>The Department publishes <em>Abortion Statistics, England and Wales</em> annually. Information on selective terminations in cases of multiple pregnancy can be found at 2.29 on p16 of the Abortion Statistics for England and Wales: 2013; a copy has already been placed in the library.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>No assessment has been made of selective reduction abortions performed in other countries, including China, compared to those in England and Wales.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The Foreign and Commonwealth Office has a broad range of human rights concerns in China which is raised regularly with the Chinese authorities. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office has raised specific concerns around the one-child policy during the UK-China Human Rights Dialogue on 19-20 May 2014. It also highlighted the issue, alongside other women’s rights concerns, in the China section of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office’s Annual Report on Human Rights and Democracy :</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p><a href="http://www.gov.uk/government/publications/china-country-of-concern/china-country-of-concern" target="_blank">www.gov.uk/government/publications/china-country-of-concern/china-country-of-concern</a></p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>A copy has already been placed in the library.</p><p> </p> answering member printed Earl Howe question first answered 05/12/2014 14:17:21 answering member 2000 label Biography information for Earl Howe
tabling member	738 label Biography information for Lord Alton of Liverpool

166100

registered interest
date	25/11/2014
answering body	Department of Health
answering dept id	17
answering dept short name	Health
answering dept sort name	Health
hansard heading	IVF
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, George Freeman, on 11 September (HC Deb, col 749W), whether their definition of genetic modification in the context of pronuclear transfer and spindle-chromosome complex transfer has been primarily academic or strategic in intent; what were the internationally authoritative sources that provided the basis for their conclusion that "there is no existing universally agreed definition of genetic modification in humans"; and to what extent they consulted Lord Winston or similar experts in assessing the accuracy of their own redefinition.
tabling member printed	Lord Alton of Liverpool
uin	HL3158
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/12/2014 answer text <p>The development of a working definition for genetic modification in humans was undertaken in order to bring clarity to the discussion around mitochondrial donation. A full transcript of the Chief Medical Officer’s views on this matter can be found at:</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>http://data.parliament.uk/writtenevidence/committeeevidence.svc/evidencedocument/science-and-technology-committee/mitochondrial-donation/oral/14822.html</p><p> </p><p><strong> </strong></p><p> </p><p>As regards the discussions that took place in reaching this position, I refer the noble Lord to the answer given on 18 March 2014 (Column WA20).</p><p> </p> answering member printed Earl Howe question first answered 03/12/2014 15:45:17 answering member 2000 label Biography information for Earl Howe
tabling member	738 label Biography information for Lord Alton of Liverpool

164494

registered interest
date	24/11/2014
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	Nigeria: Abduction
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government what progress has been made in freeing the Nigerian girls abducted by Boko Haram; what information they have about their wellbeing and fate; and what has been done to seek the referral of Boko Haram to the International Criminal Court for committing crimes against humanity.
tabling member printed	Lord Alton of Liverpool
uin	HL3087
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/12/2014 answer text <p>The UK is supporting the Nigerian authorities in trying to establish the girls’ location through the provision of surveillance assets and intelligence expertise. We do not comment on the results of ongoing intelligence operations.</p><p>Nigeria is a State party to the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (ICC). The ICC Office of the Prosecutor has opened a preliminary examination into the situation in Nigeria. It has determined that there is a reasonable basis to believe that crimes against humanity have been committed, namely acts of murder and persecution attributed to Boko Haram.</p><p>The Prosecutor is assessing the gravity of these crimes and is liaising with the Nigerian authorities on their domestic efforts to hold individuals accountable.</p> answering member printed Baroness Anelay of St Johns question first answered 08/12/2014 12:12:54 answering member 3474 label Biography information for Baroness Anelay of St Johns
tabling member	738 label Biography information for Lord Alton of Liverpool

164495

registered interest
date	24/11/2014
answering body	Cabinet Office
answering dept id	53
answering dept short name	Cabinet Office
answering dept sort name	Cabinet Office
hansard heading	IVF
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answers by Earl Howe on 17 November (HL2643) and by Lord Wallace of Saltaire on 21 November (HL2908), how it was possible to describe the annual incidence of linked infant deaths in answer to the previous question if such statistics were unavailable due to information on multiplicity not having been recorded at death registration; and what was the overall incidence of stillbirths for the past decade following foetal reduction in either the first trimester or early in the second trimester that affected (1) the remaining twin from the same twin pregnancy, (2) one of the remaining triplets from the same pregnancy, and (3) both of the remaining triplets from the same pregnancy.
tabling member printed	Lord Alton of Liverpool
uin	HL3088
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 01/12/2014 answer text <p>The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply.</p><p> </p> answering member printed Lord Wallace of Saltaire question first answered 01/12/2014 12:07:47 answering member 1816 label Biography information for Lord Wallace of Saltaire attachment 1 file name HL3088 Lord Alton ONS Letter.pdf title UK Statistics Authority Reply
tabling member	738 label Biography information for Lord Alton of Liverpool

164496

registered interest
date	24/11/2014
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	Indonesia
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their assessment of Amnesty International's report <i>Prosecuting Beliefs: Indonesia's blasphemy laws</i>.
tabling member printed	Lord Alton of Liverpool
uin	HL3089
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/12/2014 answer text <p>We welcome Amnesty International’s report which identifies blasphemy prosecutions as a concern in Indonesia. It is positive that Indonesia’s Ministry of Religious Affairs has responded constructively to the report, stating it will look at the law again to see how it can be improved and made more relevant to modern day conditions. <br> <br> The newly inaugurated Indonesian government has taken some positive steps on religious freedoms. The Minister of Religious Affairs has announced plans to develop legislation to strengthen protection to adherents of all religious beliefs. The Minister for Home Affairs is investigating how district and regional governments can better protect rights of minorities, and met representatives of a number of different minority belief groups earlier this month.</p><p> </p> answering member printed Baroness Anelay of St Johns question first answered 03/12/2014 14:50:19 answering member 3474 label Biography information for Baroness Anelay of St Johns
tabling member	738 label Biography information for Lord Alton of Liverpool

164497

registered interest
date	24/11/2014
answering body	Department of Health
answering dept id	17
answering dept short name	Health
answering dept sort name	Health
hansard heading	Stem Cells
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government what proportion of the mitochondrial diseases listed in Annex D of the Mitochondrial Donation consultation document, February 2014, include degenerative neurological conditions; whether the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) has received any suggestions from either research licence holders or nominal licensees that stem cells derived by somatic cell nuclear transfer "are likely to carry very low levels of mtDNA mutation and are therefore likely to be suitable for therapeutic use" to "treat degenerative disease caused by mtDNA mutations" as described in Scientific Reports (DOI: 10.1038/srep03844); and what assessment they have made of the feasibility of treating neurological conditions associated with mitochondrial disease in this way in light of findings recently reported in the journal Cell Stem Cell (DOI: 10.1016/j.stem.2014.11.003) and the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America (Volume 111, no. 26, pages 9633–38).
tabling member printed	Lord Alton of Liverpool
uin	HL3090
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 04/12/2014 answer text <p>We are advised that all conditions listed in Annex D of the mitochondrial donation consultation document ultimately lead to progressive degenerative neurological conditions.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) has advised that one of the research projects it licenses is investigating the use of embryonic stem cells “to improve the outcome of infertility treatments, and to make progress towards the wider application of IVF-based techniques to help prevent and treat degenerative disease”. The latest interim inspection report relating to this project can be found on the HFEA’s website at:</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p><a href="http://guide.hfea.gov.uk/guide/InspectionReport.aspx?code=17&amp;s=l&amp;&amp;nav=3" target="_blank">http://guide.hfea.gov.uk/guide/InspectionReport.aspx?code=17&amp;s=l&amp;&amp;nav=3</a></p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The HFEA has also advised that it has not made the assessment stated by the noble Lord in respect of the two journal articles.</p><p> </p> answering member printed Earl Howe question first answered 04/12/2014 15:58:39 answering member 2000 label Biography information for Earl Howe
tabling member	738 label Biography information for Lord Alton of Liverpool

156553

registered interest
date	19/11/2014
answering body	Department of Health
answering dept id	17
answering dept short name	Health
answering dept sort name	Health
hansard heading	Ovarian Hyperstimulation Syndrome
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Earl Howe on 18 November (HL2640 and HL2690), whether the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) has taken the advice of clinicians and professionals on the matter; why the HFEA is not able to decide on the evidence required to predict the cohort of patients that may develop ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome; and what contributions the HFEA makes to protecting women's health and safety other than referring to guidelines by other bodies or giving its assent to them.
tabling member printed	Lord Alton of Liverpool
uin	HL2976
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/12/2014 answer text <p>The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) has advised that it has nothing further to add to the answer given to the noble Lord on 18 November 2014 (<em>Official Report</em>, col. WA107) in respect of clinical and professional advice or the evidence required to predict the cohort of patients. The HFEA ensures that licensed clinics advise women about the possible side effects and risks both to the woman being treated and to any resulting child, including the risk of Ovarian Hyperstimulation Syndrome (OHSS). Clinics should also advise patients what to do if symptoms arise and should have an emergency contact number which patients can use at any time. Clinics are also required to report to the HFEA cases of OHSS which require a hospital admission and has a severity grading of severe or critical.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The HFEA has also advised that it regards the prevention and management of OHSS as primarily the responsibility of clinical practice and subject to professional guidelines. The HFEA does not regulate the administration of drugs and therefore does not collect such data.</p><p> </p> answering member printed Earl Howe grouped question UIN HL2977 question first answered 03/12/2014 15:38:39 answering member 2000 label Biography information for Earl Howe
tabling member	738 label Biography information for Lord Alton of Liverpool

156554

registered interest
date	19/11/2014
answering body	Department of Health
answering dept id	17
answering dept short name	Health
answering dept sort name	Health
hansard heading	Ovarian Hyperstimulation Syndrome
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government what sanctions the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) imposes if women are exposed to risks of ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS); to what extent the HFEA advises clinics to use "OHSS prevention" protocols; what information the HFEA collects regarding the identities and dosages of drugs that women are exposed to during in vitro fertilisation treatment; and, if such data are not collected, what is the reason for not doing so.
tabling member printed	Lord Alton of Liverpool
uin	HL2977
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/12/2014 answer text <p>The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) has advised that it has nothing further to add to the answer given to the noble Lord on 18 November 2014 (<em>Official Report</em>, col. WA107) in respect of clinical and professional advice or the evidence required to predict the cohort of patients. The HFEA ensures that licensed clinics advise women about the possible side effects and risks both to the woman being treated and to any resulting child, including the risk of Ovarian Hyperstimulation Syndrome (OHSS). Clinics should also advise patients what to do if symptoms arise and should have an emergency contact number which patients can use at any time. Clinics are also required to report to the HFEA cases of OHSS which require a hospital admission and has a severity grading of severe or critical.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The HFEA has also advised that it regards the prevention and management of OHSS as primarily the responsibility of clinical practice and subject to professional guidelines. The HFEA does not regulate the administration of drugs and therefore does not collect such data.</p><p> </p> answering member printed Earl Howe grouped question UIN HL2976 question first answered 03/12/2014 15:38:39 answering member 2000 label Biography information for Earl Howe
tabling member	738 label Biography information for Lord Alton of Liverpool

156462

registered interest
date	18/11/2014
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	Sudan
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they will instruct the United Kingdom's representative at the United Nations Security Council to call on the Secretary General to publish the full report of the Cooper Review team on the United Nations Mission in Darfur, rather than the summary given to members of the Security Council.
tabling member printed	Lord Alton of Liverpool
uin	HL2904
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 01/12/2014 answer text <p>We are deeply concerned by the Cooper Review and believe it is essential that the UN communicate its findings openly and transparently. We will urge the UN to undertake a thorough assessment of the issues raised and publish the full report of the Cooper Review.</p><p> </p> answering member printed Baroness Anelay of St Johns question first answered 01/12/2014 15:18:16 answering member 3474 label Biography information for Baroness Anelay of St Johns
tabling member	738 label Biography information for Lord Alton of Liverpool

156463

registered interest
date	18/11/2014
answering body	Department of Health
answering dept id	17
answering dept short name	Health
answering dept sort name	Health
hansard heading	IVF
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Earl Howe on 17 November (HL2643), whether the records held by the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority on foetal reductions carried out in the first trimester and early in the second trimester following in vitro fertilisation or donor insemination indicate that it has any significant impact on "the single biggest risk to the health and welfare of children born following fertility treatment"; if so, what is the effect and how it is represented numerically; and to what extent the recommendation that prevention of multiple pregnancies through single embryo transfer should be preferred to multi-foetal pregnancy reduction reflects a lack of efficacy of foetal reductions in reducing risks or emotional trauma associated with such a procedure.
tabling member printed	Lord Alton of Liverpool
uin	HL2905
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 02/12/2014 answer text <p>The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority has advised that it has not undertaken such an analysis but that it plans to do so.</p><p> </p> answering member printed Earl Howe question first answered 02/12/2014 12:41:51 answering member 2000 label Biography information for Earl Howe
tabling member	738 label Biography information for Lord Alton of Liverpool