All DFID programmes in Pakistan, including capacity building programmes, support the poorest and most excluded people and communities regardless of race, religion, social background or nationality. The promotion of Freedom of Religious belief and religious tolerance is an important aspect of this approach. Since 2010, DFID\u2019s skills Development Programme has trained over 332,000 poor and vulnerable people to improve their employment prospects, including people from religious minorities. We regularly raise the importance of religious tolerance at senior levels with the Government of Pakistan.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4584", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Baroness Sugg"} } , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Baroness Sugg"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2019-06-19", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2019-06-19T11:28:36.977Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "20"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "International Development"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "International Development"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2019-06-10", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Pakistan: Religious Freedom"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "2"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25277", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Lords"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure that modules which promote freedom of religion or belief and religious tolerance are included in all future Department for International Development capacity building programmes in Pakistan.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/738", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Alton of Liverpool"} } , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Lord Alton of Liverpool"} ], "uin" : "HL16182"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1130816", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for International Development"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1130816/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
The Government is broadly supportive of the EU\u2019s efforts to engage with Eritrea, and to create opportunities for greater engagement between Ethiopia and Eritrea, including through increasing development assistance where possible. We share concerns about human rights, particularly regarding Eritrea\u2019s use of national service. However, it is clear that key elements of development cooperation in Eritrea, including recent cooperation on road building, will not be taken forward without the use of national service labour. We have therefore pressed the EU for enhanced efforts to ensure safeguards are in place. The EU has confirmed that the project implementer will monitor and assess whether workers are receiving an appropriate salary, and that basic health and safety standards are applied. Alongside those immediate measures, we, and the EU, will continue to encourage reform of the Eritrean national service system.<\/p>
<\/p>
Around 15% of all EU development funds, including those used for projects in Eritrea, are attributable to UK ODA. We are also providing a \u20ac3m direct contribution to the Horn of Africa programmes of the EU Trust Fund for Africa, whose programming includes the EU\u2019s \u20ac20m road building project in Eritrea.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4584", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Baroness Sugg"} } , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Baroness Sugg"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2019-06-19", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2019-06-19T11:29:36Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "20"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "International Development"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "International Development"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2019-06-10", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Eritrea: National Service"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "2"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25277", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Lords"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the call by the Foundation Human Rights for Eritreans for the EU to cease funding aid projects in Eritrea that involve the use of national service conscripts; and whether any UK aid is directed through those programmes.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/738", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Alton of Liverpool"} } , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Lord Alton of Liverpool"} ], "uin" : "HL16183"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1130818", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for International Development"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1130818/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
DFID education programmes support a range of interventions to improve equity and inclusion in education, targeting the most marginalised communities, including religious minorities. This includes providing secondary and higher education scholarships to help incentivise parents from marginalised communities to send their children to school. In Punjab, scholarships have been provided to over 50,000 girls from poor families that reside in the most remote and marginalized districts of Punjab, some with a significant population of minority groups. Since 2010, DFID\u2019s skills Development Programme has trained over 332,000 poor and vulnerable people to improve their employment prospects. This includes more than 3,800 people from religious minorities. The programme aims to provide training to a further 5,000 people from religious minorities by 2021.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4584", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Baroness Sugg"} } , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Baroness Sugg"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2019-06-19", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2019-06-19T11:30:27.787Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "20"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "International Development"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "International Development"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2019-06-10", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Pakistan: Schools"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "2"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25277", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Lords"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask Her Majesty's Government what support they will provide to the government of Pakistan to help incentivise parents from marginalised religious minorities to send their children to school, following reports that many such parents view school as a waste of time owing to the lack of opportunities in higher education.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/738", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Alton of Liverpool"} } , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Lord Alton of Liverpool"} ], "uin" : "HL16185"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1130827", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for International Development"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1130827/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
UK aid prioritises support for the poorest and most excluded people and communities in Pakistan regardless of race, religion, social background or nationality. Our programmes target the most marginalised, some of whom are likely to be from religious minority groups; and some UK projects in Pakistan specifically aim to tackle the drivers underpinning intolerance and discrimination, through promoting greater understanding between communities.<\/p>
DFID Pakistan uses a range of approaches to monitor and evaluate our programmes. Every programme within the portfolio is required to develop a comprehensive monitoring plan to enable assessment and verification of how our aid is used and see whether the programme is achieving planned results and impact.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4584", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Baroness Sugg"} } , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Baroness Sugg"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2019-06-19", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2019-06-19T11:31:11.583Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "20"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "International Development"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "International Development"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2019-06-10", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Pakistan: Overseas Aid"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "2"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25277", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Lords"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they intend to require verification of how UK aid to Pakistan is used, in particular to establish whether non-Muslims receive a fair share of aid; and if not, why not.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/2018", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Hylton"} } , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Lord Hylton"} ], "uin" : "HL16194"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1130828", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Transport"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1130828/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
Since 2010 the Government has provided almost £150 million to bus operators and local authorities to support the purchase of the cleanest buses. In February 2019 the winners of the £48 million Ultra-Low Emission Bus Scheme were announced, providing funding to support the purchase of 263 zero emission buses and supporting infrastructure.<\/p>
<\/p>
The Government continues to run the £50m Plug-in Taxi Grant Scheme, which offers up to £7,500 on the price of eligible ultra-low emission taxis. We have also awarded just over £20m in funding across 27 local authorities to install over 900 chargepoints dedicated to ultra-low emission taxis and private hire vehicles.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4580", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Baroness Vere of Norbiton"} } , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Baroness Vere of Norbiton"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2019-06-19", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2019-06-19T14:54:31.307Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "27"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Transport"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Transport"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2019-06-10", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Electric Vehicles"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "2"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25277", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Lords"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask Her Majesty's Government what assistance they provide to encourage operators of public service vehicles, including taxis, to switch to electrically powered vehicles, in order to meet their de-carbonisation targets.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/248", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Jones of Cheltenham"} } , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Lord Jones of Cheltenham"} ], "uin" : "HL16195"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1130842", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1130842/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
Asset managers act as agents of investors in their funds. They are required to manage their funds in the best interests of all of their fund investors and to appropriately avoid, manage and disclose conflicts of interests that could, and do arise between different investor groups. This is a requirement of Markets in Financial Instruments Directive II (MiFID II).<\/p>
<\/p>
Asset managers should have policies, procedures and governance in place to effectively manage any conflicts arising from their stewardship obligations.<\/p>
<\/p>
The FCA has recently published a Policy Statement (PS 19/13) \u2018Proposals to promote shareholder engagement: Feedback to CP 19/7 and final rules.\u2019 This sets out final rules to implement requirements of the Revised Shareholder Rights Directive (SRD II). SRD II introduced new requirements to improve shareholder engagement and increase transparency around stewardship. The rules came into effect on 10 June 2019 requiring asset managers to disclose and make publicly available their policies on how they engage with the companies they invest in. They also require asset managers to provide certain information to institutional investors, including occupational pension schemes. The new rules are designed to foster stewardship, and better stewardship should lead to better decision making in relation to mergers and acquisitions.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/2616", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Henley"} } , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Lord Henley"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2019-06-19", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2019-06-19T16:42:37.67Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "201"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2019-06-10", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Takeovers: Conflict of Interests"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "2"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25277", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Lords"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Henley on 20 May (HL15640), whether they have reviewed the decision-making processes in investment institutions which hold equity investments in both the offeror and the offeree in a takeover situation but on behalf of different clients and where a particular outcome might favour one group of clients over another .", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/3869", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Myners"} } , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Lord Myners"} ], "uin" : "HL16209"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1130847", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1130847/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
Non-ringfenced revenue reserves are either earmarked, as a result of a policy decision to use them for specific purposes; or unallocated, these reserves are part of a local authority's risk management process, which would be called upon in the event of unexpected costs and emergencies.
All local authorities are required to hold sufficient unallocated reserves to meet unforecastable financial risks. Councils are free to determine the level of reserves they hold and are accountable to their electorate for the decisions they make. No powers exist to redistribute/reclaim this resource. Reserves are funds that are spent at the discretion of the local authority.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4282", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth"}
}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2019-06-19", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2019-06-19T15:47:23.63Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "7"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Housing, Communities and Local Government"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Housing, Communities and Local Government"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2019-06-10", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Local Government Finance"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "2"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25277", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Lords"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of (1) the cash reserves held by local authorities in England that are not ring-fenced; and (2) whether those reserves are necessary; and whether they intend to encourage councils to use some of those reserves to help local services.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1137", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Patten"}
}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Lord Patten"}
], "uin" : "HL16214"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1130879", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Women and Equalities"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1130879/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
The Equality Act 2010 contains clear, enforceable protections to prevent people from being discriminated against or harassed because of a disability in the provision of services. A person with HIV is automatically protected under the Act because this condition is specified as a disability in the Act.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4399", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Victoria Atkins"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Louth and Horncastle"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Victoria Atkins"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2019-06-19", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2019-06-19T14:37:36.77Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "31"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Women and Equalities"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Women and Equalities"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2019-06-10", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "HIV Infection: Discrimination"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, what steps she is taking to ensure that people with HIV are not discriminated against when seeking tattoo, piercings and other similar services.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4571", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Gill Furniss"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Sheffield, Brightside and Hillsborough"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Gill Furniss"} ], "uin" : "262416"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1130964", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Women and Equalities"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1130964/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
In April 2019, the Government Equalities Office became an integral part of the Cabinet Office. GEO staff are employees of the Cabinet Office, who are responsible for collecting workforce diversity and inclusion data. GEO does not have access to this data as the size of GEO means that individual members of staff could be identifiable. Prior to April 2019, GEO workforce diversity data will have been included in the data of the relevant parent department.<\/p>
<\/p>
The Office for National Statistics publishes annual data on Civil Service employment in the UK, including ethnicity data by department: https://www.ons.gov.uk/employmentandlabourmarket/peopleinwork/publicsectorpersonnel/datasets/civilservicestatistics<\/a><\/p> <\/p>