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167200

registered interest
date	02/12/2014
answering body	Department of Health
answering dept id	17
answering dept short name	Health
answering dept sort name	Health
hansard heading	IVF
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Wallace of Saltaire on 1 December (HL3088), what was the overall incidence of stillbirths from in vitro fertilisation pregnancies for the past decade following foetal reduction in either the first trimester or early in the second trimester that affected (1) the remaining twin from the same twin pregnancy, (2) one of the remaining triplets from the same pregnancy, and (3) both of the remaining triplets from the same pregnancy, according to data held by the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority.
tabling member printed	Lord Alton of Liverpool
uin	HL3301
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 15/12/2014 answer text <p>The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) has advised that in the decade preceding 31 December 2012, the HFEA register records one incidence of a still birth following an embryo reduction at week 13 in a twin pregnancy, and one incidence of a still birth following a double embryo reduction at 12 weeks in a triplet pregnancy. Within this time period there are no other records of incidences of still births following foetal reductions in multiple pregnancies taking place within the first 16 weeks of pregnancy.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The first trimester has been taken as weeks 0-13 and ‘early in the second trimester’ as weeks 14-16.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The HFEA has also advised that any records held on its register after 31 December 2012 are not yet verified.</p><p> </p> answering member printed Earl Howe question first answered 15/12/2014 12:14:38 answering member 2000 label Biography information for Earl Howe
tabling member	738 label Biography information for Lord Alton of Liverpool

167201

registered interest
date	02/12/2014
answering body	Department of Health
answering dept id	17
answering dept short name	Health
answering dept sort name	Health
hansard heading	IVF
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answers by Earl Howe on 17 November (HL2642) and on 2 December (HL2905), whether they consider that mutations affecting DNA Polymerase Gamma might in turn ever be potentially responsible for disease-associated mitochondrial DNA mutations such as those listed in Annex D of the "Mitochondrial Donation" consultation document; and if not, why not.
tabling member printed	Lord Alton of Liverpool
uin	HL3302
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 15/12/2014 answer text <p>We have been advised that there is no evidence to suggest that mutations affecting DNA polymerase gamma result in high levels of the mitochondrial DNA mutations responsible for the mitochondrial diseases listed in Annex D of the mitochondrial donation consultation document. As stated in my previous answer of 17 November 2014 (<em>Official Report</em>, col WA59), mitochondrial donation techniques would only be used for patients that have an inherited mitochondrial DNA mutation and could not be used for those diseases in which faulty mitochondria arise from a nuclear gene mutation.</p><p> </p> answering member printed Earl Howe question first answered 15/12/2014 12:29:26 answering member 2000 label Biography information for Earl Howe
tabling member	738 label Biography information for Lord Alton of Liverpool

167202

registered interest
date	02/12/2014
answering body	Department of Health
answering dept id	17
answering dept short name	Health
answering dept sort name	Health
hansard heading	IVF
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Earl Howe on 2 December (HL2905), what was the empirical evidence upon which the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority based its recommendation regarding multi-foetal pregnancy reduction.
tabling member printed	Lord Alton of Liverpool
uin	HL3303
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 15/12/2014 answer text <p>The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) has advised that as stated in my Written Answer of 17 November 2014 (<em>Official Report</em>, Columns WA 60-61), when developing its policy on multiple births, the HFEA commissioned an Expert Group on Multiple Births after IVF (in vitro fertilisation), which concluded that the prevention of multiple pregnancies through single embryo transfer should be preferred to multifetal pregnancy reduction.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The evidence this recommendation was based on is outlined in the Expert Group’s report, available on the HFEA’s website at:</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p><a href="http://www.hfea.gov.uk/docs/MBSET_report.pdf" target="_blank">http://www.hfea.gov.uk/docs/MBSET_report.pdf</a></p><p> </p> answering member printed Earl Howe question first answered 15/12/2014 12:15:26 answering member 2000 label Biography information for Earl Howe
tabling member	738 label Biography information for Lord Alton of Liverpool

166638

registered interest
date	27/11/2014
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	Burma
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their assessment of reports of systematic sexual violence against women in Burma, as documented by the Women’s League of Burma in their recent report; and what action they plan to take under their Preventing Sexual Violence Initiative to help prevent further violence and to bring the perpetrators of sexual violence to justice.
tabling member printed	Lord Alton of Liverpool
uin	HL3229
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 04/12/2014 answer text We are aware of the reports, not least the most recent one from the Women’s League of Burma, alleging sexual violence on Commander during his visit to Burma in January. In October the Minister of State for the Department of International Development, my right hon. Friend the Member for New Forest West (Mr Swayne), took up the issue when he met with Burma’s Minister for Social Welfare, Relief and Resettlement. The UK has allocated over £300,000 to projects supporting the prevention of sexual violence in Burma. Prevention of sexual violence in conflict is also a key element of our defence the part of the Burmese army. These are extremely concerning and we continue to press the Burmese military and government to hold perpetrators to account. The Minister of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for East Devon (Mr Swire), raised this issue directly with the Commander in Chief of the Burmese military and the Northern engagement with Burma and is included, along with the importance of human rights and the rule of law, in any education courses we deliver to the military in Burma. answering member printed Baroness Anelay of St Johns question first answered 04/12/2014 16:08:57 answering member 3474 label Biography information for Baroness Anelay of St Johns
tabling member	738 label Biography information for Lord Alton of Liverpool

166099

registered interest
date	25/11/2014
answering body	Department of Health
answering dept id	17
answering dept short name	Health
answering dept sort name	Health
hansard heading	Multiple Births
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answers by Baroness Kinnock of Holyhead on 8 April 2010 (HL3233 and HL3235) and by Earl Howe on 17 November (HL2643), what assessment they have made of the outcomes following foetal reduction in cases of multiple pregnancy in China compared to England and Wales over the past decade; to what extent they consider any such differences to be due to China's one-child policy or other factors; and when they last made representations to the government of China about the one-child policy.
tabling member printed	Lord Alton of Liverpool
uin	HL3157
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 05/12/2014 answer text <p>The Department publishes <em>Abortion Statistics, England and Wales</em> annually. Information on selective terminations in cases of multiple pregnancy can be found at 2.29 on p16 of the Abortion Statistics for England and Wales: 2013; a copy has already been placed in the library.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>No assessment has been made of selective reduction abortions performed in other countries, including China, compared to those in England and Wales.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The Foreign and Commonwealth Office has a broad range of human rights concerns in China which is raised regularly with the Chinese authorities. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office has raised specific concerns around the one-child policy during the UK-China Human Rights Dialogue on 19-20 May 2014. It also highlighted the issue, alongside other women’s rights concerns, in the China section of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office’s Annual Report on Human Rights and Democracy :</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p><a href="http://www.gov.uk/government/publications/china-country-of-concern/china-country-of-concern" target="_blank">www.gov.uk/government/publications/china-country-of-concern/china-country-of-concern</a></p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>A copy has already been placed in the library.</p><p> </p> answering member printed Earl Howe question first answered 05/12/2014 14:17:21 answering member 2000 label Biography information for Earl Howe
tabling member	738 label Biography information for Lord Alton of Liverpool

166100

registered interest
date	25/11/2014
answering body	Department of Health
answering dept id	17
answering dept short name	Health
answering dept sort name	Health
hansard heading	IVF
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, George Freeman, on 11 September (HC Deb, col 749W), whether their definition of genetic modification in the context of pronuclear transfer and spindle-chromosome complex transfer has been primarily academic or strategic in intent; what were the internationally authoritative sources that provided the basis for their conclusion that "there is no existing universally agreed definition of genetic modification in humans"; and to what extent they consulted Lord Winston or similar experts in assessing the accuracy of their own redefinition.
tabling member printed	Lord Alton of Liverpool
uin	HL3158
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/12/2014 answer text <p>The development of a working definition for genetic modification in humans was undertaken in order to bring clarity to the discussion around mitochondrial donation. A full transcript of the Chief Medical Officer’s views on this matter can be found at:</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>http://data.parliament.uk/writtenevidence/committeeevidence.svc/evidencedocument/science-and-technology-committee/mitochondrial-donation/oral/14822.html</p><p> </p><p><strong> </strong></p><p> </p><p>As regards the discussions that took place in reaching this position, I refer the noble Lord to the answer given on 18 March 2014 (Column WA20).</p><p> </p> answering member printed Earl Howe question first answered 03/12/2014 15:45:17 answering member 2000 label Biography information for Earl Howe
tabling member	738 label Biography information for Lord Alton of Liverpool

164494

registered interest
date	24/11/2014
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	Nigeria: Abduction
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government what progress has been made in freeing the Nigerian girls abducted by Boko Haram; what information they have about their wellbeing and fate; and what has been done to seek the referral of Boko Haram to the International Criminal Court for committing crimes against humanity.
tabling member printed	Lord Alton of Liverpool
uin	HL3087
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/12/2014 answer text <p>The UK is supporting the Nigerian authorities in trying to establish the girls’ location through the provision of surveillance assets and intelligence expertise. We do not comment on the results of ongoing intelligence operations.</p><p>Nigeria is a State party to the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (ICC). The ICC Office of the Prosecutor has opened a preliminary examination into the situation in Nigeria. It has determined that there is a reasonable basis to believe that crimes against humanity have been committed, namely acts of murder and persecution attributed to Boko Haram.</p><p>The Prosecutor is assessing the gravity of these crimes and is liaising with the Nigerian authorities on their domestic efforts to hold individuals accountable.</p> answering member printed Baroness Anelay of St Johns question first answered 08/12/2014 12:12:54 answering member 3474 label Biography information for Baroness Anelay of St Johns
tabling member	738 label Biography information for Lord Alton of Liverpool

164495

registered interest
date	24/11/2014
answering body	Cabinet Office
answering dept id	53
answering dept short name	Cabinet Office
answering dept sort name	Cabinet Office
hansard heading	IVF
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answers by Earl Howe on 17 November (HL2643) and by Lord Wallace of Saltaire on 21 November (HL2908), how it was possible to describe the annual incidence of linked infant deaths in answer to the previous question if such statistics were unavailable due to information on multiplicity not having been recorded at death registration; and what was the overall incidence of stillbirths for the past decade following foetal reduction in either the first trimester or early in the second trimester that affected (1) the remaining twin from the same twin pregnancy, (2) one of the remaining triplets from the same pregnancy, and (3) both of the remaining triplets from the same pregnancy.
tabling member printed	Lord Alton of Liverpool
uin	HL3088
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 01/12/2014 answer text <p>The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply.</p><p> </p> answering member printed Lord Wallace of Saltaire question first answered 01/12/2014 12:07:47 answering member 1816 label Biography information for Lord Wallace of Saltaire attachment 1 file name HL3088 Lord Alton ONS Letter.pdf title UK Statistics Authority Reply
tabling member	738 label Biography information for Lord Alton of Liverpool

164496

registered interest
date	24/11/2014
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	Indonesia
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their assessment of Amnesty International's report <i>Prosecuting Beliefs: Indonesia's blasphemy laws</i>.
tabling member printed	Lord Alton of Liverpool
uin	HL3089
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/12/2014 answer text <p>We welcome Amnesty International’s report which identifies blasphemy prosecutions as a concern in Indonesia. It is positive that Indonesia’s Ministry of Religious Affairs has responded constructively to the report, stating it will look at the law again to see how it can be improved and made more relevant to modern day conditions. <br> <br> The newly inaugurated Indonesian government has taken some positive steps on religious freedoms. The Minister of Religious Affairs has announced plans to develop legislation to strengthen protection to adherents of all religious beliefs. The Minister for Home Affairs is investigating how district and regional governments can better protect rights of minorities, and met representatives of a number of different minority belief groups earlier this month.</p><p> </p> answering member printed Baroness Anelay of St Johns question first answered 03/12/2014 14:50:19 answering member 3474 label Biography information for Baroness Anelay of St Johns
tabling member	738 label Biography information for Lord Alton of Liverpool

164497

registered interest
date	24/11/2014
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 proportion of the mitochondrial diseases listed in Annex D of the Mitochondrial Donation consultation document, February 2014, include degenerative neurological conditions; whether the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) has received any suggestions from either research licence holders or nominal licensees that stem cells derived by somatic cell nuclear transfer "are likely to carry very low levels of mtDNA mutation and are therefore likely to be suitable for therapeutic use" to "treat degenerative disease caused by mtDNA mutations" as described in Scientific Reports (DOI: 10.1038/srep03844); and what assessment they have made of the feasibility of treating neurological conditions associated with mitochondrial disease in this way in light of findings recently reported in the journal Cell Stem Cell (DOI: 10.1016/j.stem.2014.11.003) and the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America (Volume 111, no. 26, pages 9633–38).
tabling member printed	Lord Alton of Liverpool
uin	HL3090
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 04/12/2014 answer text <p>We are advised that all conditions listed in Annex D of the mitochondrial donation consultation document ultimately lead to progressive degenerative neurological conditions.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) has advised that one of the research projects it licenses is investigating the use of embryonic stem cells “to improve the outcome of infertility treatments, and to make progress towards the wider application of IVF-based techniques to help prevent and treat degenerative disease”. The latest interim inspection report relating to this project can be found on the HFEA’s website at:</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p><a href="http://guide.hfea.gov.uk/guide/InspectionReport.aspx?code=17&amp;s=l&amp;&amp;nav=3" target="_blank">http://guide.hfea.gov.uk/guide/InspectionReport.aspx?code=17&amp;s=l&amp;&amp;nav=3</a></p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The HFEA has also advised that it has not made the assessment stated by the noble Lord in respect of the two journal articles.</p><p> </p> answering member printed Earl Howe question first answered 04/12/2014 15:58:39 answering member 2000 label Biography information for Earl Howe
tabling member	738 label Biography information for Lord Alton of Liverpool