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390582

registered interest
date	16/07/2015
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	North Korea: Biological Weapons
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 report by 38 North that North Korea has the capacity to make anthrax; and what assessment they have made of claims by Im Cheon-Yong that anthrax and other biological agents have been tested on North Korean citizens, including disabled people.
tabling member printed	Lord Alton of Liverpool
uin	HL1522
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 29/07/2015 answer text <p>The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) is a State Party to the Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention. Under the Convention it is prohibited from developing, producing and stockpiling biological and toxin weapons, which include anthrax. As a confidence building measure, States should submit annual returns to report implementation of the Convention, but the DPRK has only ever submitted one such return (in 1990). This makes it extremely difficult for the international community to have confidence that they are meeting their obligations under the Convention.</p><p> </p><p>We are aware of claims by Im Cheon-Yong, a former DPRK Special Forces officer who defected in the mid-1990s. The UN Commission of Inquiry into human rights violations in the DPRK considered this issue in their 2014 report but received no first-hand accounts. The Commission concluded it was not in a position to confirm these allegations, but noted them as subjects for further investigation.</p><p> </p> answering member printed Baroness Anelay of St Johns question first answered 29/07/2015 16:30:32 answering member 3474 label Biography information for Baroness Anelay of St Johns
tabling member	738 label Biography information for Lord Alton of Liverpool

390583

registered interest
date	16/07/2015
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 assessment they have made of the research, recently published in <i>Nature</i>, into using stem cells to rid organs of mutant mitochondria without recourse to three-parent IVF; and whether it is their policy that human embryos should be destroyed if alternatives are available.
tabling member printed	Lord Alton of Liverpool
uin	HL1523
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 24/07/2015 answer text <p>The research by the Centre for Embryonic Cell and Gene Therapy in Oregon, USA, published in Nature, is at a very early stage but may possibly offer hope of health improvement for those who already have a mitochondrial disease. The purpose of the mitochondrial donation treatment, which will be allowable through Regulations from 29 October 2015, is to prevent the transmission of serious mitochondrial disease from mother to child in the first instance.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 1990 provides that embryos can only be used in research where the research is necessary and desirable and the use of embryos is necessary. However, that provision does not apply to treatment<em>.</em> Decisions about whether to use eggs or in vitro fertilisation embryos in treatment, including mitochondrial donation, are made according to clinical judgment, if authorised by the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member printed Lord Prior of Brampton question first answered 24/07/2015 11:25:27 answering member 127 label Biography information for Lord Prior of Brampton
tabling member	738 label Biography information for Lord Alton of Liverpool

390584

registered interest
date	16/07/2015
answering body	Department of Health
answering dept id	17
answering dept short name	Health
answering dept sort name	Health
hansard heading	Embryos
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many human embryos were experimented on or destroyed in the last 12 months for which figures are available; and what are the cumulative figures since such procedures were made legal.
tabling member printed	Lord Alton of Liverpool
uin	HL1524
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 24/07/2015 answer text <p>The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 1990, as amended (1990 Act), provides that human embryos created by in vitro fertilisation that are not transferred to a patient cannot be allowed to develop beyond a maximum of 14 days. The 1990 Act also provides that the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) cannot licence research using human embryos unless the research is necessary or desirable for the purposes specified in the Act and the use of embryos is necessary.</p><p> </p><p>The HFEA has advised that the number of embryos allowed to perish in the last 12 months for which figures are available (1 July 2013 - 30 June 2014) is 174,316.</p><p> </p><p>In relation to the number of embryos allowed to perish since the 1990 Act came into force, the figures are as follows:</p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td><p>Year</p></td><td><p>Embryos allowed to perish</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>1990</p></td><td><p>6</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>1991</p></td><td><p>8,164</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>1992</p></td><td><p>23,035</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>1993</p></td><td><p>27,466</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>1994</p></td><td><p>32,176</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>1995</p></td><td><p>37,270</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>1996</p></td><td><p>47,808</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>1997</p></td><td><p>48,024</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>1998</p></td><td><p>57,427</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>1999</p></td><td><p>77,269</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2000</p></td><td><p>85,938</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2001</p></td><td><p>88,039</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2002</p></td><td><p>96,377</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2003</p></td><td><p>96,309</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2004</p></td><td><p>98,348</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2005</p></td><td><p>100,547</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2006</p></td><td><p>108,080</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2007</p></td><td><p>116,342</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2008</p></td><td><p>112,050</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2009</p></td><td><p>132,536</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2010</p></td><td><p>155,557</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2011</p></td><td><p>168,613</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2012</p></td><td><p>166,631</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2013</p></td><td><p>169,644</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Total</p></td><td><p>2,053,656</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>This includes embryos that have been thawed and allowed to perish, either because they have reached the end of their permitted storage period or at the request of the patient, and those discarded in the course of treatment.</p><p> </p><p>The HFEA does not hold data in its register of the number of embryos experimented upon.</p><p> </p> answering member printed Lord Prior of Brampton question first answered 24/07/2015 12:11:11 answering member 127 label Biography information for Lord Prior of Brampton
tabling member	738 label Biography information for Lord Alton of Liverpool

390585

registered interest
date	16/07/2015
answering body	HM Treasury
answering dept id	14
answering dept short name	Treasury
answering dept sort name	CaTreasury
hansard heading	Pensions: Advisory Services
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government when they plan to publish information on the uptake and effectiveness of Pension Wise.
tabling member printed	Lord Bradley
uin	HL1525
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 30/07/2015 answer text <p>Since its launch in April, Pension Wise has helped nearly 950,000 people understand their options and make informed choices about what to do with their retirement savings. Nearly 18,000 free guidance appointments over the phone and face to face are being delivered and more than 925,000 people have used the Pension Wise website, with many people returning to the site regularly.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The government is closely monitoring the operation and effectiveness of the Pension Wise service. This ongoing monitoring is part of a wider programme of evaluation that the government is undertaking to ensure that Pension Wise is working effectively, delivers value for money, and meets consumer needs.</p><p> </p> answering member printed Lord O'Neill of Gatley question first answered 30/07/2015 15:32:54 answering member 4536 label Biography information for Lord O'Neill of Gatley
tabling member	452 label Biography information for Lord Bradley

390586

registered interest
date	16/07/2015
answering body	HM Treasury
answering dept id	14
answering dept short name	Treasury
answering dept sort name	CaTreasury
hansard heading	Pensions: Advisory Services
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 availability of affordable advice for savers wishing to exercise their new pension freedoms.
tabling member printed	Lord Bradley
uin	HL1526
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 27/07/2015 answer text <p>Pension Wise provides free and impartial guidance on what consumers can do with their pension pots, helping them make a decision which best suits their personal circumstances. The guidance encourages customers to think about how they can best provide for themselves in the future, and prompts them to think about how long their money needs to last.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>As part of this, Pension Wise helps people understand when professional financial advice could be useful and how to access it by referring them to the Money Advice Service’s new Retirement Advisor Directory. The Directory helps people find a local advisor which serves their pot size, can provide a specialist type of retirement advice service, and displays information on whether they charge a minimum fee.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The government believes that it is vital that consumers should have access to professional financial advice if they need it, and supports the work of the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) to encourage the development of affordable models of advice to help service this need.</p><p> </p> answering member printed Lord O'Neill of Gatley question first answered 27/07/2015 13:41:55 answering member 4536 label Biography information for Lord O'Neill of Gatley
tabling member	452 label Biography information for Lord Bradley

390587

registered interest
date	16/07/2015
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	BBC: Royal Charters
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of whether the appointments of the eight advisers on the renewal of the BBC’s Charter conform with the seven principles of public life, in particular having regard to any conflicts of interest.
tabling member printed	Lord Clement-Jones
uin	HL1527
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 30/07/2015 answer text <p>The BBC Charter Review Advisory Group has no legal status and no decision-making functions. It operates on a voluntary basis and members offer their time for free. These are not public appointments and therefore the Group is not set up under the Cabinet Office guidelines for public appointments.</p><p>Further details of the group can be found in a letter dated 27 July from to to Baroness Grender following up from a debate on the 16 July on the BBC Charter Review. A copy of this letter has been deposited in the Library of the House.</p> answering member printed Baroness Neville-Rolfe question first answered 30/07/2015 15:46:05 answering member 4284 label Biography information for Baroness Neville-Rolfe
tabling member	3396 label Biography information for Lord Clement-Jones

390588

registered interest
date	16/07/2015
answering body	Department of Health
answering dept id	17
answering dept short name	Health
answering dept sort name	Health
hansard heading	Eastman Dental Hospital
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government, in the light of the proposed relocation of the Eastman Dental Hospital, what steps are being taken to ensure the continuation of the specialised dental postgraduate training and research facilities currently offered.
tabling member printed	Baroness Gardner of Parkes
uin	HL1528
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/07/2015 answer text <p>We understand there are no plans to reduce the specialised dental postgraduate training and research currently offered as a consequence of the proposed move from the current site.</p><p> </p> answering member printed Lord Prior of Brampton question first answered 23/07/2015 11:13:13 answering member 127 label Biography information for Lord Prior of Brampton
tabling member	3596 label Biography information for Baroness Gardner of Parkes

390589

registered interest
date	16/07/2015
answering body	Ministry of Defence
answering dept id	11
answering dept short name	Defence
answering dept sort name	Defence
hansard heading	Defence Equipment: Procurement
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government why the Ministry of Defence decided to adopt the SAE International specification for metal finishes; and what control they have retained over the specifications they use.
tabling member printed	Lord Hoyle
uin	HL1529
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/07/2015 answer text <p>UK Defence Standardization is responsible for maintaining a portfolio of defence-specific standards appropriately sized to meet defence needs and, where possible, will seek opportunities to rationalise that portfolio in the pursuit of more effective acquisition. The agreement with SAE International is consistent with this approach and in accordance with the Open Government Licence process.</p> answering member printed Earl Howe question first answered 23/07/2015 16:21:07 answering member 2000 label Biography information for Earl Howe
tabling member	1000 label Biography information for Lord Hoyle

390590

registered interest
date	16/07/2015
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	Castes: Discrimination
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the answer by Baroness Williams of Trafford on 15 July (HL Deb, col 572), whether they plan to publish the result of their consideration of the caste duty, and the meaning and effect of the judgment in <i>Chandhok and Anor v Tirkey (Race Discrimination) </i>[2014] UKEAT 0190_14_1912.
tabling member printed	Lord Lester of Herne Hill
uin	HL1530
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/07/2015 answer text <p>In my answers to Noble Lords’ questions on 15 July, I sought to make clear that we understand the Employment Appeal Tribunal judgment in Chandhok and Anor v Tirkey as providing an existing legal remedy for claims of caste-based discrimination. We will keep the House informed of further developments in our consideration of the effect of this judgment on the caste duty.</p> answering member printed Baroness Williams of Trafford question first answered 22/07/2015 11:41:50 answering member 4311 label Biography information for Baroness Williams of Trafford
tabling member	2037 label Biography information for Lord Lester of Herne Hill

390591

registered interest
date	16/07/2015
answering body	Home Office
answering dept id	1
answering dept short name	Home Office
answering dept sort name	Home Office
hansard heading	Immigration
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they plan to publish the full consolidated Immigration Rules in their current amended form.
tabling member printed	Lord Lester of Herne Hill
uin	HL1531
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 13/08/2015 answer text <p>The full consolidated Immigration Rules in their current amended form are already published on GOV.UK.</p> answering member printed Lord Bates question first answered 13/08/2015 11:09:48 answering member 1091 label Biography information for Lord Bates
tabling member	2037 label Biography information for Lord Lester of Herne Hill