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177967

registered interest
date	04/02/2015
answering body	Department for Transport
answering dept id	27
answering dept short name	Transport
answering dept sort name	Transport
hansard heading	Railways: Suicide
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government (1) how many suicides there have been on railways in each of the last 10 years; (2) what is their assessment of the effect of suicide prevention on these trends; and (3) what further steps they are taking to prevent suicides on railways.
tabling member printed	Lord Bradshaw
uin	HL4678
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/02/2015 answer text <p>The statistics on railway suicides in each of the last 10 years are:</p><table><tbody><tr><td><p><strong>Year</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>Suicides</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2004/05</p></td><td><p>193</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2005/06</p></td><td><p>225</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2006/07</p></td><td><p>224</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2007/08</p></td><td><p>207</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2008/09</p></td><td><p>218</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2009/10</p></td><td><p>238</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2010/11</p></td><td><p>207</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2011/12</p></td><td><p>249</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2012/13</p></td><td><p>246</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2013/14</p></td><td><p>279</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p><p>A comprehensive national rail suicide prevention programme is in place which is managed by Network Rail on behalf of the industry and includes a contract with the Samaritans. The programme has been evaluated by RSSB (formerly the Rail Standards &amp; Safety Board) and, whilst the number of suicides had increased in the past few years, this is in line with an increase at a national level. The evaluation has indicated that the programme has been particularly successful in bringing together a wide range of different organisations in planning, promoting and delivering complex activities at both national and local levels. The training of over 5,600 front line staff has also seen a significant increase in the number of interventions, for example, the British Transport Police recorded a total of 631 interventions that have been made in situations judged as having the potential to result in suicide during 2013/14.</p><p> </p><p>The Department for Transport continues to support the programme and has provided funding to extend the Samaritans contract until 2019. Network Rail is expanding its work in this area and is currently exploring further innovations such as the use of blue lighting at stations following successful trials in Japan.</p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member printed Baroness Kramer question first answered 09/02/2015 12:17:17 answering member 1557 label Biography information for Baroness Kramer
tabling member	2483 label Biography information for Lord Bradshaw

177274

registered interest
date	03/02/2015
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 whether they have made representations to the government of Burma about reported human trafficking involving removing Rohingya to other countries in the region.
tabling member printed	Baroness Kinnock of Holyhead
uin	HL4641
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/02/2015 answer text <p>The UK makes regular representations to the Government of Burma about the living conditions faced by the Rohingya in Rakhine State, which is the key driver of their migration to third countries. We have also raised it with our international partners in the region. The Minister of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for East Devon (Mr Swire), discussed the trafficking of the Rohingya people with the Bangladeshi Foreign Minister at the Asia-Europe meeting in Milan in October last year. We have also raised with the Thai authorities the importance of treating Rohingya refugees in Thailand in line with international humanitarian norms and standards. We continue to make it clear to the Government of Burma that the humanitarian situation in Rakhine must be addressed as a matter of priority. The UK is one of the largest bilateral aid donors to Rakhine, providing £12m since 2012 for humanitarian assistance.</p><p> </p> answering member printed Baroness Anelay of St Johns question first answered 09/02/2015 14:38:19 answering member 3474 label Biography information for Baroness Anelay of St Johns
tabling member	3895 label Biography information for Baroness Kinnock of Holyhead

177285

registered interest
date	03/02/2015
answering body	Home Office
answering dept id	1
answering dept short name	Home Office
answering dept sort name	Home Office
hansard heading	Police: Complaints
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 handling of police complaints.
tabling member printed	Lord Taylor of Warwick
uin	HL4652
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/02/2015 answer text <p>The Government sees the effective handling of police complaints as critical to public trust in the police. On the 22 July, the Home Secretary launched an end to end review of the entire police complaints system, including the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) and the local role played by Police and Crime Commissioners (PCCs).<br><br>The review looked at the complaints system from start to finish and for all complaints from the most minor to the most serious. Immediately following the review a public consultation on proposals for a reformed police complaints system was launched, which concluded on 5 February.<br><br>The proposals include giving a greater role to PCCs in the handling of complaints, ensuring the recording of all complaints, introducing the concept of super-complaints which is used in the financial sector and simplifying the terminology for complaint resolutions. The Government is also committed to providing Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and the IPCC with the tools they need to provide necessary scrutiny of the police complaints system. The Home Secretary has announced that the IPCC would be expanded to enable it to take on all ‘serious and sensitive’ investigations involving the police.<br><br>The proposals would make the complaints system more independent of the police, easier for the public to follow, more focused on resolving complaints locally, and provide a simpler system of appeals.<br><br>The Government will formally respond shortly.</p><p> </p> answering member printed Lord Bates question first answered 09/02/2015 16:48:04 answering member 1091 label Biography information for Lord Bates
tabling member	1796 label Biography information for Lord Taylor of Warwick

177286

registered interest
date	03/02/2015
answering body	Ministry of Defence
answering dept id	11
answering dept short name	Defence
answering dept sort name	Defence
hansard heading	Warships: Shipbuilding
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they expect to make an announcement about the future of naval shipbuilding in Portsmouth before the general election.
tabling member printed	Lord West of Spithead
uin	HL4653
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/02/2015 answer text <p>On 21 January 2015, the Defence Secretary announced a shortlist of three companies to make use of the shiphalls at HM Naval Base Portsmouth. Negotiations will be taken forward over the coming weeks to determine which company or companies will occupy the facilities.</p> answering member printed Lord Astor of Hever question first answered 09/02/2015 17:25:07 answering member 3428 label Biography information for Lord Astor of Hever
tabling member	3834 label Biography information for Lord West of Spithead

177292

registered interest
date	03/02/2015
answering body	Home Office
answering dept id	1
answering dept short name	Home Office
answering dept sort name	Home Office
hansard heading	UK Border Force
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is the present numerical strength of the United Kingdom Border Force employed at (1) Heathrow, and (2) Gatwick, airports; and whether they have plans to increase that strength.
tabling member printed	Lord Eames
uin	HL4659
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/02/2015 answer text <p>The requested information has not been released as it is Border Force policy not to release port-specific staff numbers on grounds of national security.</p><p> </p> answering member printed Lord Bates question first answered 09/02/2015 14:37:05 answering member 1091 label Biography information for Lord Bates
tabling member	2793 label Biography information for Lord Eames

177296

registered interest
date	03/02/2015
answering body	Northern Ireland Office
answering dept id	21
answering dept short name	Northern Ireland
answering dept sort name	Northern Ireland
hansard heading	Terrorism: Northern Ireland
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government why they used the Sinn Fein network to deliver post to "on the runs"; and whether they have any proposals to use that network again.
tabling member printed	Lord Laird
uin	HL4663
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/02/2015 answer text <p>As the report by Lady Justice Hallett makes clear, names were provided to the Northern Ireland Office (NIO) by Sinn Féin for consideration under the OTR administrative scheme. The administrative process did not confirm current addresses for these individuals. As the names were provided by Sinn Féin and the NIO were not aware of addresses for these individuals, Sinn Féin were expected to pass on the individual letter to the named recipient.</p><p>We have no plans to use this means of communication again. The administrative scheme, set up by the previous government, is now at an end.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member printed Baroness Randerson question first answered 09/02/2015 16:53:02 answering member 4230 label Biography information for Baroness Randerson
tabling member	2479 label Biography information for Lord Laird

176950

registered interest
date	02/02/2015
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	Russia
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is the total sum payable by Russia following judgments of the European Court of Human Rights; whether payments have been made in some cases; and whether they will make representations about any delays in payments.
tabling member printed	Lord Hylton
uin	HL4580
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 06/02/2015 answer text <p>The British Government does not hold this information as the Council of Europe’s Committee of Ministers is the body responsible for supervising Member States’ implementation of the European Court of Human Rights’ judgments, including on payment of just satisfaction. The UK plays an active role in the Committee of Ministers, and has regularly used this forum to press Russia to comply with Court rulings, in line with its international human rights obligations.</p> answering member printed Baroness Anelay of St Johns question first answered 06/02/2015 13:26:05 answering member 3474 label Biography information for Baroness Anelay of St Johns
tabling member	2018 label Biography information for Lord Hylton

176962

registered interest
date	02/02/2015
answering body	Home Office
answering dept id	1
answering dept short name	Home Office
answering dept sort name	Home Office
hansard heading	Asylum: Syria
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 reasons why Syrian refugees are crossing the Mediterranean Sea in order to seek asylum in European Union member states.
tabling member printed	Lord Alton of Liverpool
uin	HL4592
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/02/2015 answer text <p>The majority of refugees displaced from Syria, an estimated 3.8 million people, remain in countries neighbouring Syria. That is why the Government has committed £700 million to the emergency response in the region, the second largest bilateral contribution after the USA, helping hundreds of thousands of people in need. <br><br>We have not undertaken a formal assessment of the motivation for Syrian migrants to try to reach the European Union, or the routes they choose to get here. However, given the scale of the crisis in Syria and the hardship and human suffering it has caused, it is to be expected that some Syrians will seek to leave the region by whatever routes are available.</p><p>With millions of people in need in Syria and the region, the Government believes that humanitarian aid and actively seeking to end the conflict are the most effective ways for the UK to help the majority of those displaced, rather than larger scale resettlement. We have made our position on this clear in relevant discussions with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), for example at the UNHCR Global Resettlement Pledging Conference in Geneva on 9 December 2014. We also liaise regularly with the UNHCR at a working level about the relocation of particularly vulnerable displaced Syrians to the UK under the UK’s Vulnerable Persons Relocation (VPR) scheme.</p><p> </p> answering member printed Lord Bates grouped question UIN HL4591 question first answered 09/02/2015 15:03:30 answering member 1091 label Biography information for Lord Bates
tabling member	738 label Biography information for Lord Alton of Liverpool

176965

registered interest
date	02/02/2015
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Primary Education: Admissions
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government what plans they have to re-evaluate the school starting age in the light of the later starting age in other European countries.
tabling member printed	Lord Storey
uin	HL4595
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/02/2015 answer text <p>We do not currently have any plans to review the school starting age in England.</p><p> </p><p>The majority of children in countries from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development attend non-compulsory pre-school education before the age of five.</p><p> </p><p>We believe it is important to ensure that young children receive high-quality age-appropriate education. To this end, all types of setting for children aged from birth up until the end of the school year in which they turn five are required to deliver the early years foundation stage curriculum.</p><p> </p> answering member printed Lord Nash question first answered 09/02/2015 16:51:17 answering member 4270 label Biography information for Lord Nash
tabling member	4238 label Biography information for Lord Storey

176973

registered interest
date	02/02/2015
answering body	Northern Ireland Office
answering dept id	21
answering dept short name	Northern Ireland
answering dept sort name	Northern Ireland
hansard heading	Terrorism: Northern Ireland
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government how, and by whom, letters were dispatched to those individuals deemed to be "on the run" informing them that there were not currently being sought by police.
tabling member printed	Lord Empey
uin	HL4603
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 05/02/2015 answer text <p>Lady Justice Hallett found that 156 ‘on the runs’ were sent individual letters by Government departments informing them they were not wanted: two by Downing Street and 154 by the Northern Ireland Office (NIO). These letters were sent via Sinn Féin between 2000, when the scheme was established by the previous Government, and 2012. These letters were clearly marked for an individual by name and sent to Sinn Féin, accompanied by a covering letter. As the names were provided by Sinn Féin and the NIO were not aware of addresses for these individuals, Sinn Féin were expected to pass on the individual letter to the named recipient.</p><p>The total number of ‘on the runs’ considered by the administrative scheme and the outcome of their cases are set out in some detail in Chapter 7 of the Hallett Report. Examples of letters issued under the administrative scheme, including examples of the individual letters and the covering letter to Sinn Féin, can be found at Appendix 8 of the Hallett Report.</p><p> </p> answering member printed Baroness Randerson grouped question UIN HL4604 HL4605 HL4606 question first answered 05/02/2015 15:46:24 answering member 4230 label Biography information for Baroness Randerson
tabling member	4216 label Biography information for Lord Empey