<\/p>
This Government has delivered over 445,000 new homes since 2010 and housing starts in the past year are up 31 per cent and the highest since 2007. I refer the noble Lord to my comprehensive Written Ministerial Statement of 10 June 2014, Official Report,<\/em> Col. WS40, which details the measures that this Government is taking to promote housebuilding and increase housing supply across the country.<\/p> <\/p> <\/p> <\/p> In addition to these measures, we are creating new dedicated Housing Zones to support housing development on brownfield sites in London and across the country. £200 million investment each from the government and the Mayor of London will create 50,000 new homes in twenty Housing Zones across London, and a further £200 million of government money will create ten Housing Zones outside London.<\/p> <\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4205", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Baroness Stowell of Beeston"}
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, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Baroness Stowell of Beeston"}
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, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Communities and Local Government"}
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, "date" : {"_value" : "2014-06-30", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
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, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25277", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Lords"}
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], "questionText" : "To ask Her Majesty's Government what they are doing to promote housebuilding.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4282", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth"}
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, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth"}
], "uin" : "HL687"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/64588", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Foreign and Commonwealth Office"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/64588/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " We maintain a good dialogue both with the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government and the Chinese authorities, with whom we discuss Hong Kong regularly at senior levels. We did so most recently during the UK-China Summit in June, when the Prime Minister, my right hon. Friend the Member for Witney (Mr Cameron), and Premier Li discussed prospects for universal suffrage in 2017, alongside a variety of other issues. During his visit to Beijing in May, the Minister of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for East Devon (Mr Swire), met with Wang Guangya, Director of Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office to discuss the transition to universal suffrage, as well as Hong Kong's continuing prosperity.<\/p> The Six Monthly Reports to Parliament demonstrate our commitment to closely monitor Hong Kong's development. The latest Six Monthly Report is due to be published in mid-July.<\/p> <\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/3839", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Baroness Warsi"}
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, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Baroness Warsi"}
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, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2014-07-07T14:55:46.7322437Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
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, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Foreign and Commonwealth Office"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Foreign and Commonwealth Office"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2014-06-27", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Hong Kong"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "2"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25277", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Lords"}
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], "questionText" : "To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the government of China regarding the Basic Law and democratic elections in Hong Kong.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4282", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth"}
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, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth"}
], "uin" : "HL675"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/64589", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department of Health"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/64589/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " Helping people consume fewer calories, including sugar, is key to reducing obesity levels in England. Through the Responsibility Deal, 40 companies, including those that produce and retail sugar sweetened beverages and confectionery, are removing sugar under the calorie reduction pledge.<\/p> <\/p> Rules are in place that prohibit the advertising of foods high in sugar in or around children's television.<\/p> <\/p> The school food standards severely restrict the provision of foods and drinks that are high in sugar in schools.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/2000", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Earl Howe"}
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, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Earl Howe"}
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, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2014-07-09T15:15:02.8719486Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
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, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Health"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Health"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2014-06-27", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Sugar"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "2"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25277", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Lords"}
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], "questionText" : "To ask Her Majesty's Government what action they are taking to reduce sugar intake in children.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4282", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth"}
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, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth"}
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, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/64590", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department of Health"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/64590/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " We have a well-developed and wide-ranging programme of actions to reduce levels of obesity. These include working with a wide range of partners including Public Health England, NHS England, Government departments including the Department for Education and Department for Transport, and industry through the Public Health Responsibility Deal. Key initiatives include Change4Life, the National Child Measurement Programme, NHS Health Checks, Change4Life Sports Clubs, School Sports Funding and the School Food Plan.<\/p> <\/p> Our national ambition for a downward trend in excess weight in adults and children by 2020 requires collective action by Government, businesses, health and care professionals, and individuals. We believe the actions we are taking are delivering results with obesity rates levelling off, but we still have much further to go.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/2000", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Earl Howe"}
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, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Health"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Health"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2014-06-27", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Obesity"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "2"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25277", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Lords"}
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], "questionText" : "To ask Her Majesty's Government what action they are taking to reduce the levels of obesity.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4282", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth"}
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, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth"}
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, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/64591", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for International Development"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/64591/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " <\/p> To date, the UK government has contributed £897,324 to the Ebola Virus Disease response in the three affected countries of Guinea, Sierra Leone and Liberia through multilateral partners and the DFID bilateral programme. In addition, DFID is finalizing arrangements to send out three Public Health England disease control specialists to Sierra Leone to support the Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) response.<\/p> <\/p> In Sierra Leone, DFID funds are being used to support improved coordination at the national level; training and equipping of health workers competently to manage Ebola cases; improving EVD case detection and supporting appropriate radio messaging and community mobilisation activities on EVD prevention in affected districts. In Liberia, DFID has provided chlorine and other materials for hygiene and sanitising; and training in their appropriate use. Along with colleagues in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, we are closely monitoring the outbreak from Sierra Leone and Liberia (where we have DFID country offices) and internationally through Whitehall. We are working with WHO and national government agencies to improve our understanding of the outbreak and help to guide the response in-country and regionally.<\/p> <\/p> <\/p> <\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/2539", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Baroness Northover"}
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, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Baroness Northover"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2014-07-07", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
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, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2014-07-07T16:36:37.3635724Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
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, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "International Development"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "International Development"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2014-06-27", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Ebola"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "2"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25277", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Lords"}
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], "questionText" : "To ask Her Majesty's Government what role they have in the programme to contain the spread of Ebola.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4282", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth"}
}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth"}
], "uin" : "HL678"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/64592", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Foreign and Commonwealth Office"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/64592/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " The British Government is appalled by the sentences given to Egyptian and international journalists in Cairo on 23 June, including to two British nationals being tried in absentia. The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my Right Hon. Friend the Member for Richmond (Yorks) (Mr Hague), made a statement on 23 June expressing his concerns and urging the Egyptian government to demonstrate its commitment to freedom of expression by reviewing this case as a matter of urgency. <\/p> We will be spending more than £3.2 billion over thecourse of this parliament on flood and erosion risk management (between 2010/11 to 2014/15). Going forward, we have also made an unprecedented long-term 6-year commitment to record levels of capital investment in improving defences right up to 2021. By the end of the decade, we will have provided a better level of protection to at least 465,000 households.<\/p> <\/p> <\/p> <\/p> In response to the exceptional events of the winter, Defra has made an extra £270 million available to repair, restore and maintain critical defences. This new funding will help the Environment Agency ensure that the most important defences are returned to, and maintained at, target condition as soon as possible.<\/p> <\/p> <\/p> <\/p> We are also working to enable action by landowners, communities and others to manage local flood risk, including through the River Maintenance Pilot scheme.<\/p> <\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/2202", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord De Mauley"}
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, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Environment, Food and Rural Affairs"}
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, "date" : {"_value" : "2014-06-24", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Flood Control"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "2"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25277", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Lords"}
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], "questionText" : "To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are planning to take in order to prevent flooding in the future, in the light of recent experience.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4282", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth"}
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, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth"}
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, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/63138", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Education"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/63138/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " We strongly support school libraries and are aware of the important role they play in improving literacy and encouraging young people to read for pleasure. In line with our approach to giving schools in England greater freedom, we believe that it should be for headteachers to decide how to provide a library service for their pupils. Many headteachers recognise the role libraries can play in improving young people's literacy and ensure that suitable library facilities are provided.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4270", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Nash"}
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], "questionText" : "To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure that every school has a library.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4282", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth"}
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, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth"}
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, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/63139", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Transport"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/63139/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " The Government's goal for high speed rail is for a truly national network that will bring the UK and its cities closer together. We are clear that the benefits of high speed rail should extend as widely as possible, and we will continue to explore options for future links to achieve this.<\/p> <\/p> <\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1557", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Baroness Kramer"}
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, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Baroness Kramer"}
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, "date" : {"_value" : "2014-06-23", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
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], "questionText" : "To ask Her Majesty's Government what other high speed rail links they are planning in addition to HS2.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
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, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/3790", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Baroness Verma"}
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, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Baroness Verma"}
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], "questionText" : "To ask Her Majesty's Government what they are doing to ensure resilience of energy supply for the United Kingdom and its citizens.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "true", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
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}
The Egyptian Ambassador, Ashraf el-Kholy, was summoned to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) on 23 June. FCO Political Director, Simon Gass, told the Egyptian Ambassador that the Government was deeply concerned by the verdicts, along with the procedural shortcomings seen during the trials. Our Ambassador to Egypt raised this issue in Cairo with the Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs on 24 June. We will continue to monitor the situation of these journalists very closely, and raise the issue with the Egyptian authorities. The UK believes that a free and robust media is a bedrock of democracy.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/3839", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Baroness Warsi"}
}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Baroness Warsi"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2014-07-07", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2014-07-07T15:04:09.1938655Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
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, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "16"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Foreign and Commonwealth Office"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Foreign and Commonwealth Office"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2014-06-27", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Egypt"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "2"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25277", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Lords"}
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], "questionText" : "To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the position of free media in Egypt.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4282", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth"}
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, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth"}
], "uin" : "HL679"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/63808", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/63808/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "