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166649

registered interest
date	27/11/2014
answering body	Cabinet Office
answering dept id	53
answering dept short name	Cabinet Office
answering dept sort name	Cabinet Office
hansard heading	Migration
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government what are the most recent figures for migration for each of the 12 months up to June 2014; how many were emigrants from the United Kingdom; how many were immigrants from the European Union; how many were immigrants from non-European Union countries; and whether the latter figure has increased compared to 12 months ago.
tabling member printed	Lord Kilclooney
uin	HL3240
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/12/2014 answer text <p>The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply.</p> answering member printed Lord Wallace of Saltaire question first answered 03/12/2014 15:44:05 answering member 1816 label Biography information for Lord Wallace of Saltaire attachment 1 file name HL3240 Lord Kilclooney ONS Letter.pdf title UK Statistics Authority Reply
tabling member	657 label Biography information for Lord Kilclooney

166087

registered interest
date	25/11/2014
answering body	Department for Work and Pensions
answering dept id	29
answering dept short name	Work and Pensions
answering dept sort name	Work and Pensions
hansard heading	Workplace Pensions: Fees and Charges
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they are measuring the impact of auto-enrolment on fees charged by the investment management industry; and what plans they have to track any changes.
tabling member printed	Lord Mendelsohn
uin	HL3145
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/12/2014 answer text <p /> <p>The Government’s Command Paper, ‘Better Workplace Pensions: Further measures for savers’, published in March, set out a range of measures including a cap on charges in default fund arrangements, a ban on inappropriate charges and proposals to introduce minimum governance standards and improve transparency across workplace defined contribution schemes.</p><p> </p><p>Following this, Government launched its consultation on draft regulations on governance and charges in occupational pension schemes in October 2014. Subject to Parliamentary approval, the majority of this legislation will come into force from April 2015, alongside Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) rules in relation to workplace personal pension schemes where appropriate. From April 2015, the Government intends to introduce a charge cap on the default funds of qualifying schemes, set at 0.75 per cent of funds under management and the first phase of enhanced transparency with trustees and Independent Governance Committees (IGCs) being required to report on costs and charges for the first time.</p><p> </p><p>In 2015 Government will consult on regulations under duties in the Pensions Act 2014 requiring information about transaction costs to be disclosed to members and others, and the publication of costs and charges information. The FCA also intends to consult on amending their own rules to introduce equivalent enhanced transparency provisions for workplace personal pension schemes during 2015. The Government has also set out its plans to review the level of the default fund charge cap, to see if it should be lowered, and also whether it should include some or all of the transaction costs that are ultimately borne by members within a cap. This review will take place in 2017.</p><p> </p><p>Taken together the combined effect of these measures on charges, governance and transparency and the Government’s commitment to a review should ensure that savers are being enrolled into workplace schemes that are well run and in members’ interests.</p> answering member printed Lord Freud question first answered 08/12/2014 12:19:52 answering member 3893 label Biography information for Lord Freud
tabling member	4286 label Biography information for Lord Mendelsohn

166089

registered interest
date	25/11/2014
answering body	Department for Work and Pensions
answering dept id	29
answering dept short name	Work and Pensions
answering dept sort name	Work and Pensions
hansard heading	Workplace Pensions
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government what plans they have to review the basis on which projections of potential returns are used by the investment management industry in communications with pension holders.
tabling member printed	Lord Mendelsohn
uin	HL3147
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/12/2014 answer text <p /> <p>Since 6 April 2003, certain money purchase pension arrangements have been required to provide members with Statutory Money Purchase Illustrations (SMPIs). Legislation requires that statutory illustrations are produced in accordance with guidance prepared by a prescribed body approved by the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions and by the Department for Social Development in Northern Ireland.</p><p>The Financial Reporting Council (FRC) is the prescribed body and has been since 6 April 2007. The FRC fulfils its obligations through the publication of Actuarial Standard Technical Memorandum AS TM1: Statutory Money Purchase Illustrations (AS TM1). It reviews AS TM1 regularly and the last completed review was carried out in 2013 following the introduction of the Occupational and Personal Pension Schemes (Disclosure of Information) Regulations 2013 (SI 2013/2734) which came into force on 6 April 2014. The AS TM1 specifies that the investment return should take into account the current and anticipated future investment strategy of the member’s funds over the period to retirement and be consistent from year to year, with the rationale documented and made available to members on request.</p><p> </p><p>In addition, Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) rules require a projection at point of sale for contract based pensions. The investment return must reflect the investment potential of the (expected) underlying assets, subject to an overall cap of 5%pa. Flanking projections must be provided using returns which vary by +/- 3%. The FCA has a public commitment to review the basis every 4 years and the next review is due in 2015. The FCA do not require further projections during the lifetime of the contract as pension scheme members will receive statutory statements prepared under DWP legislation. However, where a provider chooses to provide additional projections, they must follow the same basis as point of sale projections.</p> answering member printed Lord Freud question first answered 08/12/2014 12:26:30 answering member 3893 label Biography information for Lord Freud
tabling member	4286 label Biography information for Lord Mendelsohn

166095

registered interest
date	25/11/2014
answering body	Department for Business, Innovation and Skills
answering dept id	26
answering dept short name	Business, Innovation and Skills
answering dept sort name	Business, Innovation and Skills
hansard heading	Sign Language: Interpreters
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 effectiveness of the market for British Sign Language interpreters to meet the needs of the deaf community.
tabling member printed	Lord Hunt of Kings Heath
uin	HL3153
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/12/2014 answer text <p>The Department for Business Innovation and Skills supports British Sign Language (BSL) provision in England through the Adult Skills Budget (ASB). Colleges and providers have the freedom and flexibility to use the ASB as best fits the needs of their local learners and businesses. This includes BSL qualifications, for those wishing to learn for their own use or to become an interpreter.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Skills provision in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland is a devolved matter and the assessment and adequacy of BSL provision is the responsibility of the devolved administrations.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member printed Baroness Neville-Rolfe grouped question UIN HL3154 question first answered 03/12/2014 16:16:06 answering member 4284 label Biography information for Baroness Neville-Rolfe
tabling member	2024 label Biography information for Lord Hunt of Kings Heath

166096

registered interest
date	25/11/2014
answering body	Department for Business, Innovation and Skills
answering dept id	26
answering dept short name	Business, Innovation and Skills
answering dept sort name	Business, Innovation and Skills
hansard heading	Sign Language: Interpreters
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they are taking to ensure that there are enough fully qualified British Sign Language interpreters to support the needs of the deaf community.
tabling member printed	Lord Hunt of Kings Heath
uin	HL3154
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/12/2014 answer text <p>The Department for Business Innovation and Skills supports British Sign Language (BSL) provision in England through the Adult Skills Budget (ASB). Colleges and providers have the freedom and flexibility to use the ASB as best fits the needs of their local learners and businesses. This includes BSL qualifications, for those wishing to learn for their own use or to become an interpreter.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Skills provision in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland is a devolved matter and the assessment and adequacy of BSL provision is the responsibility of the devolved administrations.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member printed Baroness Neville-Rolfe grouped question UIN HL3153 question first answered 03/12/2014 16:16:06 answering member 4284 label Biography information for Baroness Neville-Rolfe
tabling member	2024 label Biography information for Lord Hunt of Kings Heath

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

164512

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	Counter-terrorism
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government when they expect to give a response to the questions asked of them in the United Nations Special Rapporteur's Report on Human Rights and Terrorism, published and received by them in March.
tabling member printed	Baroness Tonge
uin	HL3105
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 01/12/2014 answer text <p>The UK has set out its position on Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems (RPAS) on multiple occasions, including at the UN General Assembly and the UN Human Rights Council, in response to the report by the UN Special Rapporteur. The UK uses RPAS legally and expects others to do so too.</p><p>The UK believes that existing international law sufficiently covers the use of RPAS, which are subject to the same legal considerations as other weapons systems such as manned combat aircraft. In an armed conflict, international humanitarian law governs military activity. Outside armed conflict, any action must be in accordance with applicable international human rights law.</p> answering member printed Baroness Anelay of St Johns question first answered 01/12/2014 16:23:05 answering member 3474 label Biography information for Baroness Anelay of St Johns
tabling member	200 label Biography information for Baroness Tonge

164524

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	Unmanned Air Vehicles
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their assessment of the Birmingham Policy Commission's report <i>The Security Impact of Drones</i>; and whether they will make a statement on a national policy on the use of lethal drones.
tabling member printed	Lord West of Spithead
uin	HL3117
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/12/2014 answer text <p>We have studied the Report, which is a useful contribution to discussion of issues around the use of armed drones. <br><br>The UK has repeatedly set out its policy position on the use of Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems (RPAS), including at the UN General Assembly and the UN Human Rights Council. The UK’s fleet of armed RPAS are operated by highly trained Royal Air Force personnel in accordance with International Humanitarian Law and UK Rules of Engagement. The same strict Rules of Engagement that govern the use of conventional manned military aircraft also apply to RPAS, this includes robust criteria on establishing positive identification and requires commanders to do everything feasible to verify that the target is a military objective. The UK believes that existing international law sufficiently covers the use of RPAS, which are subject to the same legal considerations as other weapons systems.</p> answering member printed Baroness Anelay of St Johns question first answered 03/12/2014 15:00:26 answering member 3474 label Biography information for Baroness Anelay of St Johns
tabling member	3834 label Biography information for Lord West of Spithead

164528

registered interest
date	24/11/2014
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	Flood Control: Somerset
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they intend to construct the River Parrett Barrier near Bridgewater to help protect the Somerset Levels from further flooding.
tabling member printed	Lord Patten
uin	HL3121
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 05/12/2014 answer text <p>The main purpose of constructing a tidal surge barrier on the River Parrett would be to protect Bridgwater from tidal flooding. This would provide some benefit to the Somerset Levels and Moors because pumping would be able to continue at the peaks of the very highest tides should they coincide with a fluvial flood event.</p><p>A tidal surge barrier was originally planned for delivery between 2030 and 2050 as described in Sedgemoor District Council’s Core Strategy.</p><p>The 20-year Somerset Levels and Moors Action Plan identified potential benefits of accelerating this delivery. Subject to the availability of finance and the required consents being granted, experience from similar projects suggests it would be feasible to complete construction of the barrier within eight years.</p><p> </p><p><br></p><p> </p> answering member printed Lord De Mauley question first answered 05/12/2014 15:00:57 answering member 2202 label Biography information for Lord De Mauley
tabling member	1137 label Biography information for Lord Patten

164529

registered interest
date	24/11/2014
answering body	Department for Transport
answering dept id	27
answering dept short name	Transport
answering dept sort name	Transport
hansard heading	Floods: Somerset
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their assessment of the number of roads crossing the Somerset Levels that may need raising against flooding.
tabling member printed	Lord Patten
uin	HL3122
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/12/2014 answer text <p>The local highway network within the Somerset Levels and Moors is the responsibility of Somerset County Council as local highway authority. No assessment of the number of roads which may require raising has been undertaken by the Department for Transport.</p><p> </p><p>The Somerset Levels and Moors Action Plan, published in March 2014, drawn up by local partners in the area, including local councils, Members of Parliament, businesses and local residents, recommended a number of initiatives to ensure better protection against floods within the Levels and Moors in the future.</p><p> </p><p>In recognition of the Action Plan, the Department for Transport allocated £10 million to Somerset County Council to help fund the installation of culverts at Beer Wall and raising a section of road between Muchelney and Drayton. In addition this funding will also allow the Council to carry out further feasibility and assessment work to identify other key priorities for future local road resilience schemes.</p><p> </p> answering member printed Baroness Kramer question first answered 08/12/2014 12:15:44 answering member 1557 label Biography information for Baroness Kramer
tabling member	1137 label Biography information for Lord Patten