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751993

registered interest
date	13/07/2017
answering body	Department for International Development
answering dept id	20
answering dept short name	International Development
answering dept sort name	International Development
hansard heading	Nuclear Power
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	Her Majesty's Government how they intend to ensure their emergency funding for displaced people from Mosul and the Nineveh Plains reaches displaced minorities such as the Yazidis and Christians; and what assessment they have made of the extent to which their policy of neutrality and impartiality will lead to the inclusion or exclusion of those who have been subject to genocide.
tabling member printed	Lord Alton of Liverpool
uin	HL828
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 20/07/2017 answer text <ul><li>The UK Government recognises the specific risks faced by religious minorities in Iraq and Syria, including those who have suffered so horrifically at the hands of Daesh. We are aware of reports that fear of persecution or discrimination in camps may be deterring some people from using them, and are in close touch with our partners involved in the management of camps and the delivery of services within them, including UN agencies. They have clear guidelines, mechanisms and accountability frameworks in place to prevent discrimination by their own staff or those of their partners. DFID takes any allegations that these are not being applied effectively very seriously, and stands ready to follow up specific allegations with the partners concerned.</li></ul><p> </p><ul><li>The security of the camps and all those living in them is the responsibility of the appropriate civil authorities (e.g. in Iraq, it lies with the Government of Iraq) and is monitored by independent humanitarian actors such as UNHCR. UK officials stand ready to report any specific allegations of persecution or violence against religious minorities within the camps to those authorities. The Government is concerned about Daesh infiltration inside camps. In Iraq the Iraqi authorities carry out screening of those entering camps in order to seek to prevent such infiltration. UN agencies have set up grievance mechanisms that allow any minority member to anonymously report abuse, persecution or discrimination; these can also be used to report on suspected extremist activity.</li></ul><p> </p><ul><li>DFID’s funding for Iraq is targeted towards those who are most in need including vulnerable people from minority communities such as Yazidis and Christians. It is delivered in line with the 2017 Humanitarian Response Plan (HRP) for the whole of Iraq, which is based on comprehensive needs assessments carried out by a wide range of partners. The humanitarian principles of neutrality and impartiality aim to ensure that no one is excluded or discriminated against on the grounds of race, ethnicity, or religion, that the specific risks facing minorities are addressed and that assistance reaches those who need it most. In the difficult environments in Syria and Iraq, where access to vulnerable people is often very challenging especially as some actors such as Daesh and the Assad regime deliberately prevent humanitarian access, DFID regularly challenges our partners to demonstrate that they are doing all they can to meet the needs the most vulnerable people, including those from religious minorities. We welcome information from all sources to help us to hold them to account.</li></ul><p> </p><ul><li>DFID is not aware of scheduled meetings in 2015 with Christian representatives in Iraq that officials did not attend, but DFID officials regularly meet with representatives of Iraqi Christian and Yezidi communities. DFID Ministers have also met representatives of these communities.</li></ul><p> </p><ul><li>DFID has received Dr Russell Blacker’s correspondence and has responded suggesting a meeting is organised with Dr Blacker, Lord Bates and Mr Burt to discuss together.</li></ul> answering member printed Lord Bates grouped question UIN HL829 HL830 HL831 question first answered 20/07/2017 16:23:20 answering member 1091 label Biography information for Lord Bates
tabling member	738 label Biography information for Lord Alton of Liverpool

751994

registered interest
date	13/07/2017
answering body	Department for International Development
answering dept id	20
answering dept short name	International Development
answering dept sort name	International Development
hansard heading	Energy
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	Her Majesty's Government whether they have received a request from Dr Russell Blacker and representatives of charities and relief organisations involved with northern Iraq, along with Members of both Houses, for an urgent meeting with the Secretary of State for International Development, to discuss support for minority communities subjected to genocide in northern Iraq; and, if so, how they intend to respond.
tabling member printed	Lord Alton of Liverpool
uin	HL829
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 20/07/2017 answer text <ul><li>The UK Government recognises the specific risks faced by religious minorities in Iraq and Syria, including those who have suffered so horrifically at the hands of Daesh. We are aware of reports that fear of persecution or discrimination in camps may be deterring some people from using them, and are in close touch with our partners involved in the management of camps and the delivery of services within them, including UN agencies. They have clear guidelines, mechanisms and accountability frameworks in place to prevent discrimination by their own staff or those of their partners. DFID takes any allegations that these are not being applied effectively very seriously, and stands ready to follow up specific allegations with the partners concerned.</li></ul><p> </p><ul><li>The security of the camps and all those living in them is the responsibility of the appropriate civil authorities (e.g. in Iraq, it lies with the Government of Iraq) and is monitored by independent humanitarian actors such as UNHCR. UK officials stand ready to report any specific allegations of persecution or violence against religious minorities within the camps to those authorities. The Government is concerned about Daesh infiltration inside camps. In Iraq the Iraqi authorities carry out screening of those entering camps in order to seek to prevent such infiltration. UN agencies have set up grievance mechanisms that allow any minority member to anonymously report abuse, persecution or discrimination; these can also be used to report on suspected extremist activity.</li></ul><p> </p><ul><li>DFID’s funding for Iraq is targeted towards those who are most in need including vulnerable people from minority communities such as Yazidis and Christians. It is delivered in line with the 2017 Humanitarian Response Plan (HRP) for the whole of Iraq, which is based on comprehensive needs assessments carried out by a wide range of partners. The humanitarian principles of neutrality and impartiality aim to ensure that no one is excluded or discriminated against on the grounds of race, ethnicity, or religion, that the specific risks facing minorities are addressed and that assistance reaches those who need it most. In the difficult environments in Syria and Iraq, where access to vulnerable people is often very challenging especially as some actors such as Daesh and the Assad regime deliberately prevent humanitarian access, DFID regularly challenges our partners to demonstrate that they are doing all they can to meet the needs the most vulnerable people, including those from religious minorities. We welcome information from all sources to help us to hold them to account.</li></ul><p> </p><ul><li>DFID is not aware of scheduled meetings in 2015 with Christian representatives in Iraq that officials did not attend, but DFID officials regularly meet with representatives of Iraqi Christian and Yezidi communities. DFID Ministers have also met representatives of these communities.</li></ul><p> </p><ul><li>DFID has received Dr Russell Blacker’s correspondence and has responded suggesting a meeting is organised with Dr Blacker, Lord Bates and Mr Burt to discuss together.</li></ul> answering member printed Lord Bates grouped question UIN HL828 HL830 HL831 question first answered 20/07/2017 16:23:20 answering member 1091 label Biography information for Lord Bates
tabling member	738 label Biography information for Lord Alton of Liverpool

751995

registered interest
date	13/07/2017
answering body	Department for International Development
answering dept id	20
answering dept short name	International Development
answering dept sort name	International Development
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of reports (1) that Christians and Yazidis who have been victims of genocide in Syria and Iraq do not use UN camps because of oppression and persecution that they have experienced within them, and (2) from Jordanian military officials that ISIS jihadis have infiltrated many such camps.
tabling member printed	Lord Alton of Liverpool
uin	HL830
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 20/07/2017 answer text <ul><li>The UK Government recognises the specific risks faced by religious minorities in Iraq and Syria, including those who have suffered so horrifically at the hands of Daesh. We are aware of reports that fear of persecution or discrimination in camps may be deterring some people from using them, and are in close touch with our partners involved in the management of camps and the delivery of services within them, including UN agencies. They have clear guidelines, mechanisms and accountability frameworks in place to prevent discrimination by their own staff or those of their partners. DFID takes any allegations that these are not being applied effectively very seriously, and stands ready to follow up specific allegations with the partners concerned.</li></ul><p> </p><ul><li>The security of the camps and all those living in them is the responsibility of the appropriate civil authorities (e.g. in Iraq, it lies with the Government of Iraq) and is monitored by independent humanitarian actors such as UNHCR. UK officials stand ready to report any specific allegations of persecution or violence against religious minorities within the camps to those authorities. The Government is concerned about Daesh infiltration inside camps. In Iraq the Iraqi authorities carry out screening of those entering camps in order to seek to prevent such infiltration. UN agencies have set up grievance mechanisms that allow any minority member to anonymously report abuse, persecution or discrimination; these can also be used to report on suspected extremist activity.</li></ul><p> </p><ul><li>DFID’s funding for Iraq is targeted towards those who are most in need including vulnerable people from minority communities such as Yazidis and Christians. It is delivered in line with the 2017 Humanitarian Response Plan (HRP) for the whole of Iraq, which is based on comprehensive needs assessments carried out by a wide range of partners. The humanitarian principles of neutrality and impartiality aim to ensure that no one is excluded or discriminated against on the grounds of race, ethnicity, or religion, that the specific risks facing minorities are addressed and that assistance reaches those who need it most. In the difficult environments in Syria and Iraq, where access to vulnerable people is often very challenging especially as some actors such as Daesh and the Assad regime deliberately prevent humanitarian access, DFID regularly challenges our partners to demonstrate that they are doing all they can to meet the needs the most vulnerable people, including those from religious minorities. We welcome information from all sources to help us to hold them to account.</li></ul><p> </p><ul><li>DFID is not aware of scheduled meetings in 2015 with Christian representatives in Iraq that officials did not attend, but DFID officials regularly meet with representatives of Iraqi Christian and Yezidi communities. DFID Ministers have also met representatives of these communities.</li></ul><p> </p><ul><li>DFID has received Dr Russell Blacker’s correspondence and has responded suggesting a meeting is organised with Dr Blacker, Lord Bates and Mr Burt to discuss together.</li></ul> answering member printed Lord Bates grouped question UIN HL828 HL829 HL831 question first answered 20/07/2017 16:23:20 answering member 1091 label Biography information for Lord Bates
tabling member	738 label Biography information for Lord Alton of Liverpool

731047

registered interest
date	21/06/2017
answering body	Department for International Development
answering dept id	20
answering dept short name	International Development
answering dept sort name	International Development
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	Her Majesty's Government what action the Department for International Development (DfID) is taking to promote Article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights which promulgates freedom of religion and belief; how that action relates to (1) Sustainable Development Goal 16, and (2) DfID’s UK aid strategy objectives, and to the allocation of resources; and what steps they are taking to ensure that DfID's partners and projects do not discriminate on religious grounds.
tabling member printed	Lord Alton of Liverpool
uin	HL55
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 28/06/2017 answer text <p>The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) leads the government’s work to promote and protect the right to freedom of religion or belief internationally. DFID works closely with FCO, helping to raise concerns about discriminatory legislation and practices with governments, and funding targeted project work. We are clear that promoting freedom of religion or belief is an important contributor to achieving the UK Aid Strategy’s goals and is directly relevant to Sustainable Development Goal 16 on building peaceful and inclusive societies with access to justice for all and effective, accountable and inclusive institutions. DFID’s Partnership Principles include consideration of freedom of religion or belief alongside other human rights.</p> answering member printed Lord Bates question first answered 28/06/2017 16:13:57 answering member 1091 label Biography information for Lord Bates
tabling member	738 label Biography information for Lord Alton of Liverpool

717769

registered interest
date	04/04/2017
answering body	Department for International Development
answering dept id	20
answering dept short name	International Development
answering dept sort name	International Development
hansard heading	Developing Countries: Tropical Diseases
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the response by Lord Bates on 3 April (HL Deb, cols 930–1) concerning neglected tropical diseases, what study the Department for International Development has made of the use of technologies to map neglected tropical diseases using remote sensing technologies and mobile smartphone technologies.
tabling member printed	Lord Alton of Liverpool
uin	HL6578
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 20/04/2017 answer text <p>DFID funded the Global Trachoma Mapping Project, the largest infectious disease survey ever undertaken using mobile smartphones. DFID is also supporting disease mapping using mobile phones through the Tropical Data initiative. The first phase of this initiative is focussing on impact and surgery surveys for trachoma with mapping of other diseases added at a later date.</p> answering member printed Lord Bates question first answered 20/04/2017 15:48:12 answering member 1091 label Biography information for Lord Bates
tabling member	738 label Biography information for Lord Alton of Liverpool

717770

registered interest
date	04/04/2017
answering body	Department for International Development
answering dept id	20
answering dept short name	International Development
answering dept sort name	International Development
hansard heading	Africa: Snakes
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the response by Lord Bates on 3 April (HL Deb, cols 930–1) concerning neglected tropical diseases, how they are responding to Africa’s need for anti-venoms to treat snake bites, following the cessation of production by the major manufacturer.
tabling member printed	Lord Alton of Liverpool
uin	HL6579
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 20/04/2017 answer text <p>The UK Government is currently supporting the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, funded by Medical Research Council and DFID, to develop a new 'universal antivenom' to treat victims of any of the most venomous snakes that threaten human health in sub-Saharan Africa.</p><p>DFID launched a call for expressions of interest for the development of new technologies on 30 March. This call highlights that DFID is particularly interested in a number of areas, including innovative technologies to improve health outcomes for the poorest living in low and middle income countries which are currently neglected by the global research and development community, such as new anti-venoms to treat snake bite.</p> answering member printed Lord Bates question first answered 20/04/2017 15:48:26 answering member 1091 label Biography information for Lord Bates
tabling member	738 label Biography information for Lord Alton of Liverpool

717771

registered interest
date	04/04/2017
answering body	Department for International Development
answering dept id	20
answering dept short name	International Development
answering dept sort name	International Development
hansard heading	Developing Countries: Sleeping Sickness
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the response by Lord Bates on 3 April (HL Deb, cols 930–1) concerning neglected tropical diseases, what further progress they expect to make in the elimination of sleeping sickness.
tabling member printed	Lord Alton of Liverpool
uin	HL6580
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 20/04/2017 answer text <p>The World Health Organization aims to eliminate sleeping sickness as a public health problem by 2020, building on the reduction from 300,000 new cases per year in 1995 to fewer than 3,000 in 2015. The UK supports this effort through research into better ways to diagnose and treat sleeping sickness, for example development of the first ever rapid diagnostic test through the Drugs for Neglected Diseases initiative (DNDi), and an improved, less toxic new treatment through the Foundation for Innovative New Diagnostics (FIND).</p> answering member printed Lord Bates question first answered 20/04/2017 15:48:43 answering member 1091 label Biography information for Lord Bates
tabling member	738 label Biography information for Lord Alton of Liverpool

714755

registered interest
date	28/03/2017
answering body	Department for International Development
answering dept id	20
answering dept short name	International Development
answering dept sort name	International Development
hansard heading	Religious Freedom
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government why no reference to (1) targeted and persecuted religious minorities, or (2) the fundamental human right of freedom of religion and belief, is made in the goals specified in the Department for International Development policy paper, <i>Agenda 2030: Delivering the Global Goals</i>.
tabling member printed	Lord Alton of Liverpool
uin	HL6375
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 04/04/2017 answer text <p>While there is no specific reference in the DFID Policy Paper, the UK’s commitment to Leave No One Behind encompasses a broad range of discriminated and marginalised groups - age, sex, disability, race, ethnicity, origin, religion or economic or other status, such as language, LGBT, migratory status or geographic location. Leave No One Behind means tackling the root causes of extreme poverty and exclusion for different groups – including on the basis of religion – by ensuring opportunities for all, both now and in the future. It commits the UK to set a of actions to ensure that; people who are furthest behind, who have least opportunity and who are the most excluded will be prioritised.</p> answering member printed Lord Bates question first answered 04/04/2017 15:43:18 answering member 1091 label Biography information for Lord Bates
tabling member	738 label Biography information for Lord Alton of Liverpool

706307

registered interest
date	28/02/2017
answering body	Department for International Development
answering dept id	20
answering dept short name	International Development
answering dept sort name	International Development
hansard heading	South Sudan: Famine
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the answer by Lord Bates on 23 February (HL Deb, col 411), when the new money allocated to help famine victims in South Sudan was signed off; who are the intended recipients of that funding; and whether any of that money has been allocated to (1) the government of South Sudan, (2) NGOs, or (3) UN agencies, and if so, how much.
tabling member printed	Lord Alton of Liverpool
uin	HL5686
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/03/2017 answer text <p>Millions of people in South Sudan have been suffering from food shortages for many years. For this reason, DFID has developed a large multi-year humanitarian programme and the UK, with other donors, have been able to prevent famine in each of the last three years. We provide our partners with indicative allocations to help them to plan – but these are not binding commitments. The Secretary of State’s announcement on 22 February that the UK would make £100million available to provide food for 500,000 people and other lifesaving support is the first public announcement, and a binding commitment, of our intended support to South Sudan over the next year.</p><p>The recipients of the UK’s humanitarian assistance are the people of South Sudan who need it most. The UK does not give any money to the Government of South Sudan. The details of how the £100million will be allocated are being finalised with our partners who are a range of UN agencies and Non-Governmental Organisations.</p> answering member printed Lord Bates grouped question UIN HL5625 HL5626 question first answered 08/03/2017 16:41:39 answering member 1091 label Biography information for Lord Bates
tabling member	738 label Biography information for Lord Alton of Liverpool

705794

registered interest
date	27/02/2017
answering body	Department for International Development
answering dept id	20
answering dept short name	International Development
answering dept sort name	International Development
hansard heading	South Sudan: Famine
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the answers by Lord Bates on 23 February (HL Deb, col 411), what humanitarian access is available to NGOs in Unity State; and what is their estimate of the percentage of South Sudan’s population that remains inaccessible to agencies seeking to provide food to those affected by famine.
tabling member printed	Lord Alton of Liverpool
uin	HL5624
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/03/2017 answer text <p>The UK, with international partners is applying strong pressure on South Sudan’s leaders to stop the fighting, find an inclusive political solution to the conflict, and allow unfettered humanitarian access.</p><p>There are currently 3.4million people displaced by the conflict, 1.5million of whom have become refugees in surrounding countries. Approximately 1million children are currently affected by malnutrition including 250,000 who are severely malnourished.</p><p>More than 1million people are on the brink of famine across the country but it is impossible to provide accurate figures for those who are beyond the reach of humanitarian organisations due to the unpredictable nature of the conflict and access restrictions.</p><p> </p> answering member printed Lord Bates grouped question UIN HL5627 HL5629 question first answered 08/03/2017 16:42:16 answering member 1091 label Biography information for Lord Bates
tabling member	738 label Biography information for Lord Alton of Liverpool