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1299858

registered interest
date	04/03/2021
answering body	Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
answering dept id	208
answering dept short name	Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
answering dept sort name	Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
hansard heading	Somalia: Politics and Government
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the postponement of presidential elections in Somalia, what assessment they have made of the (1) political, and (2) security, situation in that country.
tabling member printed	The Marquess of Lothian
uin	HL13915
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/03/2021 answer text <p>Somalia is at a important stage in agreeing an electoral process, which will have broader implications for its political and security development<strong>. </strong>It is vital that talks resume and leaders come to an agreement on the implementation of an inclusive electoral process, to proceed as soon as possible. The UK, with its international partners, raised concerns over the violence around demonstrations in Mogadishu on 19 February, and called on all parties to maintain calm and exercise restraint to allow political dialogue to advance. We urge Somalia's leaders to reach agreement on the elections, in the interests of the people of Somalia and in order to cement progress towards long-term security and stability.</p> answering member printed Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon question first answered 18/03/2021 15:26:12 answering member 4210 label Biography information for Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
tabling member	259 label Biography information for The Marquess of Lothian

1299859

registered interest
date	04/03/2021
answering body	Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
answering dept id	208
answering dept short name	Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
answering dept sort name	Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
hansard heading	Yemen: Humanitarian Aid
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government why they are reducing the amount of humanitarian aid provided to Yemen.
tabling member printed	The Marquess of Lothian
uin	HL13916
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/03/2021 answer text <p>The UK is facing the worst economic contraction in over 300 years, and a budget deficit of close to £400 billion. As announced last year, given the impact of this global pandemic on the economy and, as a result, the public finances, we will move to a target of spending 0.5% of Gross National Income as Official Development Assistance (ODA) in 2021.</p><p>On 1 March, the Minister of State for Middle East and North Africa announced that the UK will provide at least £87 million to Yemen over the course of our next financial year (2021/22), with the UK contributing over £1 billion since the conflict began. Our funding will feed an additional 240,000 of the most vulnerable Yemenis every month, support 400 healthcare clinics and provide clean water for 1.6 million people. We will also provide one-off cash support to 1.5 million of Yemen's poorest households to help them buy food and basic supplies.</p> answering member printed Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon question first answered 18/03/2021 17:51:28 answering member 4210 label Biography information for Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
tabling member	259 label Biography information for The Marquess of Lothian

1299860

registered interest
date	04/03/2021
answering body	Home Office
answering dept id	1
answering dept short name	Home Office
answering dept sort name	Home Office
hansard heading	National Security: Cross Border Cooperation
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to improve security co-operation with the EU.
tabling member printed	The Marquess of Lothian
uin	HL13917
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/03/2021 answer text <p>The safety and security of our citizens is the Government’s top priority.</p><p>The UK-EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement delivers a comprehensive package of capabilities which ensures we can work with counterparts across Europe to tackle serious crime and terrorism – protecting the public and bringing criminals to justice.</p><p>We also have excellent bilateral cooperation with Member States across the EU on a wide range of law enforcement and criminal justice issues and we will continue to consider ways to strengthen these bilateral relationships.</p><p>More widely, we continue to enhance our support to - and work closely with - international organisations such as Interpol to improve and develop law enforcement technology and tools that have a global reach.</p><p>The UK will continue to be a global leader on security and one of the safest countries in the world.</p> answering member printed Baroness Williams of Trafford question first answered 18/03/2021 17:14:05 answering member 4311 label Biography information for Baroness Williams of Trafford
tabling member	259 label Biography information for The Marquess of Lothian

1299861

registered interest
date	04/03/2021
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	GCE A-level and GCSE: Assessments
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what contingency planning they undertook between August 2020 and January 2021 to prepare for the possibility that A-Level and GCSE examinations might be cancelled in 2021.
tabling member printed	The Marquess of Lothian
uin	HL13918
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/03/2021 answer text <p>It was right that the department planned for exams to go ahead because they are the fairest method of assessing what students know and can do. Despite education remaining a national priority, the department remained conscious that the course of the virus and the subsequent extent of necessary public health restrictions would be unknown. We therefore worked closely with Ofqual and the exam boards to plan for a range of scenarios between August 2020 and January 2021. This allowed the department to launch the joint Department for Education and Ofqual consultation on alternative arrangements to exams on 15 January, soon after my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State’s statement to the house on 6 January that, given the further disruption to education, exams could not go ahead as planned.</p><p>The department has now confirmed further details on alternative arrangements to exams, which can be found here: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/awarding-qualifications-in-summer-2021/awarding-qualifications-in-summer-2021" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/awarding-qualifications-in-summer-2021/awarding-qualifications-in-summer-2021</a>.</p> answering member printed Baroness Berridge question first answered 18/03/2021 17:03:15 answering member 4218 label Biography information for Baroness Berridge
tabling member	259 label Biography information for The Marquess of Lothian

1299862

registered interest
date	04/03/2021
answering body	Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
answering dept id	13
answering dept short name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
answering dept sort name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
hansard heading	Fly-tipping
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to improve the application process for licences from the Environment Agency to collect and transport waste in order to prevent illegal fly-tipping.
tabling member printed	The Marquess of Lothian
uin	HL13919
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/03/2021 answer text <p>Fly-tipping is a crime which blights local communities and the environment, and the Government is committed to tackling this unacceptable behaviour.</p><p> </p><p>The Government is committed to improving the carrier, broker and dealer (CBD) regime in England and we plan to consult later this year. We want to enhance the background checks needed to operate as a waste carrier, broker or dealer and introduce an element of technical competence as a requirement. We also plan to make it easier for regulators to enforce against non-compliant operators and to make it harder for un-registered operators to find work in the sector. We are working with industry and the regulator as we develop our consultation.</p><p> </p><p>We also intend to consult on the introduction of mandatory electronic waste tracking. This will reduce the ability of waste criminals to hide evidence of the systematic mishandling of waste and make it easier for enforcement authorities to identify material dropping out of the system, and therefore make it easier to protect against fly-tipping. Together these measures will ensure all businesses will be made more accountable for the waste they handle, help to ensure that waste is dealt with appropriately and therefore help to reduce the incidence of waste crime and fly-tipping.</p> answering member printed Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park question first answered 18/03/2021 17:26:05 answering member 4062 label Biography information for Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park
tabling member	259 label Biography information for The Marquess of Lothian

1299863

registered interest
date	04/03/2021
answering body	Ministry of Defence
answering dept id	11
answering dept short name	Defence
answering dept sort name	Defence
hansard heading	Iraq: Asylum
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the request of sanctuary in the UK from the eight Iraqi interpreters employed by TBW Global to interpret for UK forces at Camp Taji; and what steps they are taking to support those interpreters.
tabling member printed	The Marquess of Lothian
uin	HL13920
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 16/03/2021 answer text <p>The Ministry of Defence (MOD) takes all claims of intimidation or threats to locally recruited workers (LRWs) very seriously and as such has responded to these allegations, directly engaging with the interpreters in question. MOD has set contracting standards which require that people must be as safe and secure as reasonably possible when working in our support. We continue to hold our contractors to these high standards.</p><p> </p><p>As part of the MOD's own investigation a specialist investigator interviewed all eight of the LRWs. Individual risk assessments were completed, and bespoke security advice was given pertaining to their situation. Further work will now be undertaken to decide if subsequent interventions are required, however it is unlikely that the situation would warrant relocation to the UK. The contractor has also offered advice and support.</p> answering member printed Baroness Goldie question first answered 16/03/2021 11:47:47 answering member 4306 label Biography information for Baroness Goldie
tabling member	259 label Biography information for The Marquess of Lothian

1286650

registered interest
date	11/02/2021
answering body	Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
answering dept id	208
answering dept short name	Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
answering dept sort name	Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
hansard heading	South Sudan: Peace Negotiations
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to support (1) the South Sudan peace deal, and (2) a power-sharing political system in that country.
tabling member printed	The Marquess of Lothian
uin	HL13315
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 25/02/2021 answer text <p>Ensuring full implementation of the 2018 Peace Agreement is a priority for UK engagement in South Sudan and is the best chance for a more stable and prosperous future. The Agreement sets out how the parties to the conflict must work together to bring an end to violence. This includes the formation of the Revitalized Transitional Government of National Unity and, in time, elections so the people of South Sudan can choose their own government.</p><p>As a permanent member of the UN Security Council and member of the Troika (with Norway and the US), the UK is at the forefront of international efforts to pressure South Sudan's leaders to deliver peace together. As the Minister for Africa made clear during a visit to South Sudan in October 2020, all parties must work together to ensure a lasting end to violence and address the worsening humanitarian crisis; key to this is building trust at all levels. More recently, the Foreign Secretary and the Minister for Africa discussed regional stability, including South Sudan, with President Kenyatta on 20 January during a visit to Kenya. The UK Special Representative for Sudan and South Sudan also discusses issues of peace and unity regularly with international and regional partners including with President Kenyatta in January and with President Museveni of Uganda in December 2020. In addition the UK provides technical support to the peace process including to civil society groups and mechanisms that implement the agreement, support mediation efforts, and monitor the ceasefire and security arrangements.</p> answering member printed Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon question first answered 25/02/2021 17:26:16 answering member 4210 label Biography information for Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
tabling member	259 label Biography information for The Marquess of Lothian

1286651

registered interest
date	11/02/2021
answering body	Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
answering dept id	208
answering dept short name	Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
answering dept sort name	Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
hansard heading	Yemen: Armed Conflict
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government when the Foreign Secretary last spoke to the Foreign Minister of Iran about (1) the conflict in Yemen, and (2) any plans for a political solution to that conflict that reflects the wishes of the Yemeni people.
tabling member printed	The Marquess of Lothian
uin	HL13316
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 25/02/2021 answer text <p>The Foreign Secretary speaks regularly with Iranian Foreign Minister Zarif. He and his officials take every opportunity to discuss with Iran a wide range of issues, including regional stability and security.</p><p>While Iran has stated that it supports UN-led efforts to bring peace to Yemen, we urge Iran to ensure its actions are consistent with this commitment. Iran's provision of weapons to the Houthis is contrary to the relevant Security Council resolutions. It is important that Yemen is not used as a theatre in which to escalate conflict in the region.</p> answering member printed Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon question first answered 25/02/2021 17:23:24 answering member 4210 label Biography information for Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
tabling member	259 label Biography information for The Marquess of Lothian

1286652

registered interest
date	11/02/2021
answering body	Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
answering dept id	208
answering dept short name	Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
answering dept sort name	Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
hansard heading	Kosovo: Serbia
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking with other European countries (1) to secure lasting stability for Kosovo and Serbia, and (2) the revival of the Kosovo–Serbia dialogue process.
tabling member printed	The Marquess of Lothian
uin	HL13317
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 25/02/2021 answer text <p>The UK strongly supports EU-facilitated Dialogue between Serbia and Kosovo as the best way of securing lasting stability in the region. We will continue to work with international partners to promote a comprehensive and sustainable normalisation agreement that benefits the peoples of both countries. The Minister for European Neighbourhood and the Americas has affirmed the UK's support for the Dialogue to EUSR Lajcak and in the last year has visited both countries where she reiterated this to Dialogue leads and senior political figures. We will continue to encourage renewed engagement from both sides following the recent Kosovan elections.</p> answering member printed Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon question first answered 25/02/2021 17:09:47 answering member 4210 label Biography information for Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
tabling member	259 label Biography information for The Marquess of Lothian

1286653

registered interest
date	11/02/2021
answering body	Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
answering dept id	208
answering dept short name	Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
answering dept sort name	Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
hansard heading	Tigray: Humanitarian Aid
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking with international partners (1) to prevent a humanitarian crisis in Tigray, and (2) to deliver aid to those affected by starvation; and what discussions they have had with the UN about declaring a famine in that region.
tabling member printed	The Marquess of Lothian
uin	HL13318
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 25/02/2021 answer text <p>The UK has been consistent in calling for the protection of civilians in Ethiopia, unfettered humanitarian access, and respect for human rights. The UK continues to liaise closely with a wide range of regional and international partners in support of these objectives. As a complement to the efforts of the region to find sustainable solutions to the humanitarian crisis, we will continue to press these messages with all relevant international partners, including at the UN Security Council (UNSC) where the UK chaired a closed UNSC discussion on the humanitarian situation in the Tigray region on 3 February.</p><p>We are concerned about the impact of the conflict on food security and nutrition in Tigray and we note recent assessments that there are still significant restrictions to access in Tigray. UK-funded aid agencies in Tigray are working hard to deliver support in challenging circumstances, including food, shelter, water and healthcare. In this context we welcome the recent visits to Ethiopia by senior UN officials and hope that they will deliver a sustained step-change in humanitarian access.</p><p> </p> answering member printed Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon question first answered 25/02/2021 17:09:25 answering member 4210 label Biography information for Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
tabling member	259 label Biography information for The Marquess of Lothian