Show Search Form

Search Results

registered interest	true false
date	exactly: or between: and
answering body
answering dept id
answering dept short name
answering dept sort name
hansard heading
house id
legislature	pref label
question text
tabling member printed
uin
answer	is ministerial correction true false date of answer exactly: or between: and answer text answering member printed question first answered answering member label
tabling member	label

Search

79771

	registered interest
	date	30/07/2014
	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	Sovereignty
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their definition of a nation.
	tabling member printed	Lord Laird
	uin	HL1660
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/08/2014 answer text <p>The normal criteria for recognition of a nation or state are set out in the Written Answer by the then Parliamentary Under-Secretary for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs on 16 November 1989, House of Commons Hansard Official Report, Column 494, noted below for ease of reference:</p><p>“The normal criteria that we apply for recognition as a state are that it should have, and seem likely to continue to have, a clearly defined territory with a population, a Government who are able of themselves to exercise effective control of that territory, and independence in their external relations. Other factors, including some United Nations resolutions, may also be relevant.”</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member printed Baroness Anelay of St Johns question first answered 18/08/2014 09:58:24 answering member 3474 label Biography information for Baroness Anelay of St Johns
	tabling member	2479 label Biography information for Lord Laird

79773

	registered interest
	date	30/07/2014
	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	War Crimes
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their definition of a war crime.
	tabling member printed	Lord Laird
	uin	HL1662
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/08/2014 answer text <p>The definition of a war crime is set out in the International Criminal Court Act 2001, section 50 and Schedule 8 (which sets out the terms of Article 8.2 of the Statute of the International Criminal Court).</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member printed Baroness Anelay of St Johns question first answered 18/08/2014 09:58:51 answering member 3474 label Biography information for Baroness Anelay of St Johns
	tabling member	2479 label Biography information for Lord Laird

76579

	registered interest
	date	08/07/2014
	answering body	Department for Transport
	answering dept id	27
	answering dept short name	Transport
	answering dept sort name	Transport
	hansard heading	Motorcycles: Noise
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government what proposals they have to reduce the noise of motorcycles on public roads.
	tabling member printed	Lord Laird
	uin	HL923
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/07/2014 answer text <p>There are already a number of measures in place to control motorcycle noise with manufacturers required to meet strict noise limits which are then enforced by the police and through annual MoTs. There are currently no plans for further measures.</p> answering member printed Baroness Kramer question first answered 22/07/2014 14:33:54 answering member 1557 label Biography information for Baroness Kramer
	tabling member	2479 label Biography information for Lord Laird

79564

	registered interest
	date	23/07/2014
	answering body	Department for Transport
	answering dept id	27
	answering dept short name	Transport
	answering dept sort name	Transport
	hansard heading	Motorcycles: Noise
	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 Kramer on 22 July (WA 197), what assessment they have made of the current level of noise produced by motorcycles on public roads.
	tabling member printed	Lord Laird
	uin	HL1462
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 30/07/2014 answer text <p>The noise levels of motorcycles is assessed before they are placed on the market to ensure consistency with legislated noise limits. There has been no additional Government assessment of the separate contribution motorcycles make to overall noise levels on public roads.</p> answering member printed Baroness Kramer question first answered 30/07/2014 10:56:09 answering member 1557 label Biography information for Baroness Kramer
	tabling member	2479 label Biography information for Lord Laird

62456

	registered interest
	date	17/06/2014
	answering body	Northern Ireland Office
	answering dept id	21
	answering dept short name	Northern Ireland
	answering dept sort name	Northern Ireland
	hansard heading	Prerogative of Mercy: Northern Ireland
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what searches have been undertaken to find the missing files on pre-1998 Northern Ireland royal prerogative of mercy cases; how many are absent; where the paperwork would normally be filed; and whether such paperwork is passed to the National Archives on a routine basis after 30 years.
	tabling member printed	Lord Laird
	uin	HL394
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/07/2014 answer text <p> </p><p>Before 1998, the use of the Royal Prerogative of Mercy (RPM) in Northern Ireland was relatively common since this pre-dated a number of statutory schemes which enabled sentences to be shortened for various reasons, for example where evidence had been given by prisoners to enable others to be convicted. The overwhelming majority of RPM cases during this period were not terrorist-related.</p><p>The Northern Ireland Office continues to seek information on the use of the RPM between 1987 and 1997, including through contacts with other parts of Government which might hold relevant information.</p><p>The NIO takes its records management responsibilities seriously and is compliant with all public records legislation and National Archives guidance. This includes routine reviews of records, compliance with records disposal schedules and transfers of records at 30 years to the National Archives.</p><p> </p> answering member printed Baroness Randerson question first answered 10/07/2014 13:26:40 answering member 4230 label Biography information for Baroness Randerson
	tabling member	2479 label Biography information for Lord Laird

62457

	registered interest
	date	17/06/2014
	answering body	Northern Ireland Office
	answering dept id	21
	answering dept short name	Northern Ireland
	answering dept sort name	Northern Ireland
	hansard heading	Absent Voting: Northern Ireland
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have any plans to review electoral law in Northern Ireland in relation to postal voting; what are the major differences from the law in England; and whether they have any plans to enable those over 80 years of age, on application and verification, to have automatic permanent postal votes.
	tabling member printed	Lord Laird
	uin	HL395
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 26/06/2014 answer text <p> </p><p>The system of postal voting in Northern Ireland is kept under regular review, both by the Government and the Chief Electoral Officer and Electoral Commission. Legislative amendments will be brought forward shortly with the introduction of anonymous registration which will permit electors with an anonymous entry on the electoral register to vote by post. These provisions will come into force on 15 September 2014.</p><p>Postal votes are issued to electors in Northern Ireland who are unable to vote in person at their polling station on Election Day as a result of certain specified conditions. These conditions relate to disability, work or study circumstances. This is different to Great Britain where postal voting is offered on demand and electors are not required to provide a reason for why they are unable to vote in person.</p><p>There are no plans to enable those over 80 years of age to have automatic permanent postal votes. However, permanent postal votes are available to all electors who are unable to attend their polling station on a permanent or long-term basis on the grounds of disability; their (or their husband's, wife's or civil partner's) work; or their (or their husband's, wife's or civil partner's) studies.</p><p> </p> answering member printed Baroness Randerson question first answered 26/06/2014 12:42:08 answering member 4230 label Biography information for Baroness Randerson
	tabling member	2479 label Biography information for Lord Laird

64131

	registered interest
	date	25/06/2014
	answering body	Northern Ireland Office
	answering dept id	21
	answering dept short name	Northern Ireland
	answering dept sort name	Northern Ireland
	hansard heading	Terrorism: Northern Ireland
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government how many suspects of terrorist-related offences have been given assurances by letter that they will not be subject to investigation.
	tabling member printed	Lord Laird
	uin	HL635
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/07/2014 answer text <p> </p><p>The administrative scheme relating to so-called “On the Runs” did not promise people that they would not be subject to investigation. Rather, the letters issued were only a statement of fact at a particular point in time that the individuals concerned were not sought for arrest.</p><p>As the Noble Lord may be aware the Report by Lady Justice Hallett into the “On the Runs” administrative scheme will be published by the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland on 17 July 2014.</p><p> </p> answering member printed Baroness Randerson question first answered 10/07/2014 13:27:21 answering member 4230 label Biography information for Baroness Randerson
	tabling member	2479 label Biography information for Lord Laird

64132

	registered interest
	date	25/06/2014
	answering body	Northern Ireland Office
	answering dept id	21
	answering dept short name	Northern Ireland
	answering dept sort name	Northern Ireland
	hansard heading	Terrorism: Northern Ireland
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government how many paramilitary prisoners were released on licence after the Belfast Agreement of 1998.
	tabling member printed	Lord Laird
	uin	HL636
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 07/07/2014 answer text <p> </p><p>Northern Ireland Office officials are currently undertaking a consolidation exercise with officials in the Northern Ireland Prison Service to confirm the answer to this question. I will write to the Noble Lord once this exercise has been completed.</p><p> </p> answering member printed Baroness Randerson question first answered 07/07/2014 11:23:21 answering member 4230 label Biography information for Baroness Randerson
	tabling member	2479 label Biography information for Lord Laird

64634

	registered interest
	date	30/06/2014
	answering body	Northern Ireland Office
	answering dept id	21
	answering dept short name	Northern Ireland
	answering dept sort name	Northern Ireland
	hansard heading	Parades Commission
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what was the process used in the recent appointment of the Chairman and Members of the Northern Ireland Parades Commission.
	tabling member printed	Lord Laird
	uin	HL717
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/07/2014 answer text <p>The recent appointments to the Parades Commission for Northern Ireland were regulated by the Commissioner for Public Appointments. In accordance with the Code of Practice for Ministerial Appointments to Public Bodies, these appointments were made on merit following a fair and open appointments process. All stages of the process were undertaken by a selection panel, which was chaired by a Public Appointments Assessor allocated by the Commissioner for Public Appointments, and included an independent member.</p><p> </p> answering member printed Baroness Randerson question first answered 09/07/2014 14:16:05 answering member 4230 label Biography information for Baroness Randerson
	tabling member	2479 label Biography information for Lord Laird

64635

	registered interest
	date	30/06/2014
	answering body	Northern Ireland Office
	answering dept id	21
	answering dept short name	Northern Ireland
	answering dept sort name	Northern Ireland
	hansard heading	Parades Commission
	house id	2
	legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
	question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government who assessed the qualifications of the applicants to the recently appointed Northern Ireland Parades Commission; and what qualifications were sought for the appointments.
	tabling member printed	Lord Laird
	uin	HL718
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/07/2014 answer text <p> </p><p>The recent appointments to the Parades Commission for Northern Ireland were regulated by the Commissioner for Public Appointments. The appointments process was run in accordance with the Commissioner's Code of Practice. All stages of the process were undertaken by a selection panel that was chaired by a Public Appointments Assessor allocated by the Commissioner for Public Appointments. The panel also included a senior official from the Northern Ireland Office and independent membership. The panel assessed candidates against the agreed person specification and skills requirements for these positions, details of which are provided below:</p><p><strong>Person Specification </strong></p><p>Outstanding individuals are sought to become Chair and members of the Parades Commission; people who can command the confidence of all sides of the community in Northern Ireland, act in controversial situations and determine courses of action, and assess the probability of future events and make clear and well informed judgements.</p><p><strong>Essential Skills</strong></p><p>Candidates for these demanding roles will need to demonstrate:-</p><ul><li>The courage and conviction to take difficult but fair decisions in high profile and controversial circumstances;</li><li>The ability to build productive and respectful relationships with fellow Commissioners, colleagues and the communities which are impacted by the Commission's decisions; and</li><li>A reputation for personal integrity, professional conduct and credibility, with an exceptional sense of propriety.</li></ul><p>In addition, candidates for the Chair role need to be able to show a strong track record of leadership, and the ability to broker consensus between senior stakeholders and opposing views.</p><p> </p> answering member printed Baroness Randerson question first answered 09/07/2014 14:15:31 answering member 4230 label Biography information for Baroness Randerson
	tabling member	2479 label Biography information for Lord Laird