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100625

registered interest
date	23/10/2014
answering body	Department for International Development
answering dept id	20
answering dept short name	International Development
answering dept sort name	International Development
hansard heading	North Korea
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government why North Korea is not one of the countries that the Department for International Development has prioritised for the funding of journalistic training for escapees; whether, in considering the allocation of resources, it considered that country’s media environment; and whether the Department for International Development is considering extending its funding to groups run by North Korean refugees that broadcast information into that country.
tabling member printed	Lord Alton of Liverpool
uin	HL2356
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 06/11/2014 answer text <p>DFID does not have a bilateral programme with North Korea. In the Financial Year 2014/15 the Foreign and Commonwealth Office's Human Rights and Democracy Programme is funding a project delivered by the Thomson Foundation titled ‘Inside Out: Working in North Korea to connect its journalists to the Internet world’, which aims to give North Korean journalists a greater understanding of freedom of expression and using the internet to express it.</p><p> </p> answering member printed Baroness Northover question first answered 06/11/2014 17:01:02 answering member 2539 label Biography information for Baroness Northover
tabling member	738 label Biography information for Lord Alton of Liverpool

100626

registered interest
date	23/10/2014
answering body	Department for Culture Media and Sport
answering dept id	10
answering dept short name	Culture, Media and Sport
answering dept sort name	Culture, Media and Sport
hansard heading	BBC Media Action
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government, in each of the last ten years, what resources have been made available to BBC Media Action for the training in journalism and media skills of human rights activists and escapees from totalitarian regimes.
tabling member printed	Lord Alton of Liverpool
uin	HL2357
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/11/2014 answer text <p>Over the last ten years BBC Media Action has delivered many opportunities to build media skills including journalism training in Algeria, Iraq, Libya and Tunisia, pan-Arab debate shows and training, support to Syrian bloggers, and radio capacity-building in Jordan and Yemen. The Department for International Development is providing funding of £89.8m over five years (2011/12-2015/16) to BBC Media Action. Figures are not held specific to the training of human rights activists and escapees from totalitarian regimes.</p> answering member printed Lord Gardiner of Kimble question first answered 03/11/2014 14:17:52 answering member 4161 label Biography information for Lord Gardiner of Kimble
tabling member	738 label Biography information for Lord Alton of Liverpool

100627

registered interest
date	23/10/2014
answering body	Department for Culture Media and Sport
answering dept id	10
answering dept short name	Culture, Media and Sport
answering dept sort name	Culture, Media and Sport
hansard heading	BBC Media Action: North Korea
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government what consideration they have given to funding BBC Media Action to co-produce programmes with North Korean escapees (1) to enable them to broadcast via existing radio stations currently broadcasting into North Korea, (2) to help build the capacity of existing North Korean refugee broadcasters, or (3) to train North Korean refugees in journalism.
tabling member printed	Lord Alton of Liverpool
uin	HL2358
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/11/2014 answer text <p>The Government has made no such consideration.<strong> </strong></p> answering member printed Lord Gardiner of Kimble question first answered 03/11/2014 14:18:21 answering member 4161 label Biography information for Lord Gardiner of Kimble
tabling member	738 label Biography information for Lord Alton of Liverpool

100628

registered interest
date	23/10/2014
answering body	Department for Culture Media and Sport
answering dept id	10
answering dept short name	Culture, Media and Sport
answering dept sort name	Culture, Media and Sport
hansard heading	BBC Media Action: Asia
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 BBC Media Action’s work in Asia; whether they consider it has increased government accountability and enabled access to information there; how that work fits in with their Governance and Rights project; and why the Korean Peninsula is excluded from that approach.
tabling member printed	Lord Alton of Liverpool
uin	HL2359
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/11/2014 answer text <p>While there have not been assessments carried out specifically on work in Asia, the Department for Internal Development’s Global Grant to BBC Media Action has been assessed in 2012 and 2013. Both reviews assessed BBC Media Action to be exceeding expectations.</p> answering member printed Lord Gardiner of Kimble question first answered 03/11/2014 14:19:07 answering member 4161 label Biography information for Lord Gardiner of Kimble
tabling member	738 label Biography information for Lord Alton of Liverpool

100550

registered interest
date	22/10/2014
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 Lord Darzi of Denham on 22 July 2008 (HL4926 and HL4927) and by Earl Howe on 9 July 2012 (HL1211), of how many cycles the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority are aware in which fresh embryo transfers took place after 15 or more eggs were collected over each of the past ten years.
tabling member printed	Lord Alton of Liverpool
uin	HL2287
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 29/10/2014 answer text <p>The number of treatment cycles in which fresh embryo transfers took place after 15 or more eggs were collected, in each of the last 10 years, is shown in the following table:</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td><p>Years</p></td><td><p>Cycles in which fresh embryo transfers took place after 15 or more eggs were collected</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2004</p></td><td><p>5602</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2005</p></td><td><p>5737</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2006</p></td><td><p>5843</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2007</p></td><td><p>6345</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2008</p></td><td><p>6589</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2009</p></td><td><p>7344</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2010</p></td><td><p>7801</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2011</p></td><td><p>8195</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2012</p></td><td><p>8200</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>2013(1)</p></td><td><p>8128</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p><p>Source: The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>(1) 2013 is the most recent year for which information is available.</p><p> </p> answering member printed Earl Howe question first answered 29/10/2014 12:25:39 answering member 2000 label Biography information for Earl Howe
tabling member	738 label Biography information for Lord Alton of Liverpool

99962

registered interest
date	20/10/2014
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	North Korea
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 level of imports to North Korea of luxury goods in 2013; what assessment they have made of the impact of such imports on the availability of food in that country, in the light of the World Food Programmes's analysis of the situation; and what assessment they have made about the number of goods which were imported from European states which are prohibited from selling luxury goods to North Korea under existing United Nations sanctions.
tabling member printed	Lord Alton of Liverpool
uin	HL2177
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/11/2014 answer text <p>The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) does not produce economic statistics, meaning the UK cannot make an accurate assessment on the level of imports of luxury goods. A recent report produced by the UN Panel of Experts, established under UN Security Council Resolutions imposing sanctions on the DPRK, notes ongoing investigations regarding potential violations of sanctions through the import of luxury goods, including some items originating from European states.</p><p>We are also aware of recent South Korean media reports which suggest that the DPRK imported luxury goods worth (US) $644m during 2013. However, given the lack of reliable data, it is difficult to assess the impact of the import of luxury goods on the provision of food for the general population. Should it be proven that the DPRK authorities chose to spend resources on luxury goods rather than feeding the population, this would not only be a deliberate breach of sanctions but would seriously call into question the regime’s economic prioritisation.</p><p>Despite generally good aggregate cereal harvests for the fourth consecutive year in 2014/15, 16 million people remain chronically food insecure and highly vulnerable to production shocks. The UN Food and Agricultural Organisation/World Food Programme Crop and Food Security Assessment Mission to the DPRK 2013, reported an estimated uncovered food deficit of 40,000 tonnes for that marketing year. The report stated that the food security situation remained similar to previous years with most households having borderline and poor food consumption.</p><p> </p> answering member printed Baroness Anelay of St Johns question first answered 03/11/2014 14:56:24 answering member 3474 label Biography information for Baroness Anelay of St Johns
tabling member	738 label Biography information for Lord Alton of Liverpool

99963

registered interest
date	20/10/2014
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	North Korea
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 statement by Mr Marzuki Darusman, the United Nations Special Rapporteur on human rights in North Korea, that the United Kingdom should consider implementation of all recommendations made by the United Nations Commission of Inquiry in its report, including steps to increase the flow of free and impartial information into North Korea.
tabling member printed	Lord Alton of Liverpool
uin	HL2178
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 29/10/2014 answer text <p>The UK welcomes the spotlight shone by the Commission of Inquiry (COI) report on horrific and systemic violations of human rights in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK). We have urged the DPRK authorities to respond in detail to the contents of the report and to address the violations that it documents.</p><p>Although not all recommendations in the COI report apply directly to the UK, where possible we have taken steps to support implementation. For example, on the findings related to trafficking and forced repatriation, we have made clear to the Chinese government that we believe that people who have escaped from the DPRK are entitled to protection and should be allowed safe passage to resettlement in third countries.</p> answering member printed Baroness Anelay of St Johns question first answered 29/10/2014 15:37:08 answering member 3474 label Biography information for Baroness Anelay of St Johns
tabling member	738 label Biography information for Lord Alton of Liverpool

99964

registered interest
date	20/10/2014
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	North Korea
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they will take to ensure that the recommendations accepted by North Korea in the first cycle of the Universal Periodic Review have been implemented; and whether they will offer support to North Korea in its implementation of accepted recommendations from its second periodic review.
tabling member printed	Lord Alton of Liverpool
uin	HL2179
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 29/10/2014 answer text <p>Following the adoption of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK)’s Universal Periodic Review (UPR) report on 19 September 2014, the UK issued a statement via our Mission in Geneva welcoming the DPRK’s engagement. We urged the DPRK to fulfil the commitment made to respond to the 185 recommendations which it agreed to examine, and to take concrete steps to implement all the UPR recommendations. We also noted with regret that 83 UPR recommendations did not enjoy the support of the DPRK, particularly those related to the findings of the UN Commission of Inquiry, co-operation with the Special Rapporteur, the treatment of political prisoners and closure of political prison camps.</p><p>We have made clear to the DPRK that the UK would be happy to provide technical assistance or advice to the DPRK on any aspect of its human rights performance, including for example information on the UK approach to our own UPR.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member printed Baroness Anelay of St Johns question first answered 29/10/2014 15:36:13 answering member 3474 label Biography information for Baroness Anelay of St Johns
tabling member	738 label Biography information for Lord Alton of Liverpool

99965

registered interest
date	20/10/2014
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	Iraq
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>Absolute Impunity: Militia Rule in Iraq</i> and its account of retaliatory attacks against IS by Shi’a militias in Baghdad, Samarra and Kirkuk.
tabling member printed	Lord Alton of Liverpool
uin	HL2180
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 28/10/2014 answer text We have received reports from Amnesty International and others that Shia Militias have committed human rights abuses against Sunni Muslims in Iraq. The UK strongly condemns the persecution of communities on the basis of their religion, belief or ethnicity. We welcome the commitments made by Prime Minister al-Abadi to reorganising the Iraqi Security Forces, integrating volunteer civilian fighters and dissolving militia groups. He has stressed the importance of bringing arms under State supervision in order to prevent abuses by armed civilians. The UK fully supports the Iraqi government in this as well as its efforts to uphold the rule of law and bring those responsible for all violations and abuses of human rights to justice. answering member printed Baroness Anelay of St Johns question first answered 28/10/2014 16:41:06 answering member 3474 label Biography information for Baroness Anelay of St Johns
tabling member	738 label Biography information for Lord Alton of Liverpool

99966

registered interest
date	20/10/2014
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	Iraq
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 reports of the discovery of unidentified bodies apparently subjected to executions and its allegations of human rights violations perpetrated by Iraqi government forces; and what discussions they have had with the new government of Iraq about entrenching fundamental human rights principles in law and practice and putting in place mechanisms to hold those responsible to account.
tabling member printed	Lord Alton of Liverpool
uin	HL2181
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 04/11/2014 answer text The Government strongly condemns any and all abuses or violations of human rights. We have received reports from Amnesty International and others that Iraqi Security Forces have committed human rights violations in Iraq. Concerns also remain around unlawful detention, as well as deficiencies within the Iraqi justice system more generally. The newly formed Government of Iraq has committed to tackling these issues. We welcome the commitments made by Prime Minister al-Abadi to reorganising the Iraqi Security Forces (ISF), integrating volunteer civilian fighters and dissolving militia groups, and his order on 13 September to ISF units fighting the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) not to shell in civilian areas, with the aim of preventing civilian casualties. The UK fully supports the Iraqi government in this as well as its efforts to uphold the rule of law and bring those responsible for all violations and abuses of human rights to justice. At the Human Rights Council in September we co-sponsored a resolution which strongly condemns ISIL and also stresses the need for accountability. The resolution was passed by consensus and mandates the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) to despatch an urgent mission to investigate and report on ISIL abuses. answering member printed Baroness Anelay of St Johns question first answered 04/11/2014 17:17:20 answering member 3474 label Biography information for Baroness Anelay of St Johns
tabling member	738 label Biography information for Lord Alton of Liverpool