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93693

registered interest
date	15/10/2014
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	Nature Conservation
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 World Wide Fund for Nature <i>Living Planet Report 2014</i>; what proposals they have to halt the destruction of species; and what they consider to be implications of the findings of that report for the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora.
tabling member printed	Lord Blencathra
uin	HL2122
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 27/10/2014 answer text <p>The Government considers the Living Planet Report an interesting contribution to increasing our understanding of the scale of the challenge facing species internationally but has made no formal assessment of its findings.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Internationally, we frame our work on biodiversity under the UN Convention on Biological Diversity’s (CBD) Strategic Plan for Biodiversity 2011-2020 and its Aichi Biodiversity Targets. A comprehensive assessment, the Fourth Global Biodiversity Outlook, was published at the recent 12th Conference of the Parties to the CBD. This reported significant progress towards meeting some components of the majority of the Aichi Biodiversity Targets. However, in most cases, additional action will be required to meet the targets by 2020. The Parties agreed to take comprehensive and urgent measures to ensure the full implementation of the Strategic Plan, including through the development and implementation of their national biodiversity strategies and action plans.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The Government helps achieve these global targets internationally through elements of Overseas Development Aid (particularly forest protection through the International Climate Fund and contributions to the Global Environment Facility) and through direct and financial support for various international agreements including the CBD, the Convention on Migratory Species and the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES). The Darwin Initiative provides up to £6 million bi-lateral funding annually for developing countries to help meet their obligations under these international agreements, improve biodiversity and natural environment management and reduce poverty; and up to £2 million annually from the Darwin Plus fund for projects in the UK’s Overseas Territories.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The UK Government is also taking a leading role in global efforts to end the illegal wildlife trade. In December 2013, we announced a £10 million funding package to support efforts in developing countries to tackle the illegal trade in wildlife products. In February 2014 we hosted a high-level international conference for leaders from over 40 nations. This resulted in the London Conference Declaration, containing 25 commitments to action on enforcement and criminal justice, demand reduction and sustainable livelihoods.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Domestically, the Government set out its response to the CBD’s Strategic Plan in “Biodiversity 2020: A strategy for England’s wildlife and ecosystem services”, which aims to halt overall biodiversity loss by 2020. The strategy includes a commitment to achieve an overall improvement in the status of our wildlife and to prevent further human-induced extinctions of known threatened species.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>It will be for Parties to CITES to decide how that Convention should respond to the Living Planet Report and other information about the status of species, which may be reflected in future proposals to list endangered species under the Convention.</p><p><br></p> answering member printed Lord De Mauley question first answered 27/10/2014 16:10:22 answering member 2202 label Biography information for Lord De Mauley
tabling member	497 label Biography information for Lord Blencathra

91857

registered interest
date	26/09/2014
answering body	Department of Health
answering dept id	17
answering dept short name	Health
answering dept sort name	Health
hansard heading	NHS: Obesity
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they have figures to support the statement made by the Chief Executive of NHS England in July that the National Health Service needs to tackle obesity among its employees.
tabling member printed	Lord Blencathra
uin	HL1915
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 13/10/2014 answer text <p>The Department does not hold current data on the number of National Health Service staff who are obese. In 2009, the Department estimated in ‘Healthy Lives, Healthy People: One Year On’ that of 1.2 million staff in the NHS, 700,000 were likely to be obese or overweight.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>NHS England plan to publish their Five Year Forward View later this month. Proposals for the plan include incentives to ensure the NHS as an employer sets a national example in the support it offers its own 1.3 million staff to stay healthy, and serve as “health ambassadors” in their local communities.</p><p> </p> answering member printed Earl Howe grouped question UIN HL1918 question first answered 13/10/2014 13:11:25 answering member 2000 label Biography information for Earl Howe
tabling member	497 label Biography information for Lord Blencathra

91858

registered interest
date	26/09/2014
answering body	Department of Health
answering dept id	17
answering dept short name	Health
answering dept sort name	Health
hansard heading	NHS: Obesity
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to National Health Service publication <i>Healthy Weight, Healthy Lives: one year on,</i> whether there are any internal surveys on obesity among National Health Service employees.
tabling member printed	Lord Blencathra
uin	HL1916
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 13/10/2014 answer text <p>The Department is not aware of any internal surveys on obesity among National Health Service employees.</p><p> </p><p>In their audit, <em>Implementing NICE public health guidance for the workplace: a national organisational audit of NHS trusts in England</em>, published this year and repeated from 2011, the Royal College of Physicians reviewed the progress that employers’ across the NHS were making which included tackling obesity. This showed that the percentage of trusts with obesity plans in place rose from 13 in 2010 to 28.</p><p> </p><p>NHS trusts are responsible for the health and wellbeing of their staff. The Department’s supports the NHS to improve staff health and wellbeing by commissioning NHS Employers to help NHS trusts implement five high impact actions: developing local evidence based improvement plans; with strong visible leadership; supported by improved management capability; with access to better, local, high quality accredited occupational health services; and where staff are encouraged and enabled to take more responsibility for their health.</p> answering member printed Earl Howe question first answered 13/10/2014 13:12:42 answering member 2000 label Biography information for Earl Howe
tabling member	497 label Biography information for Lord Blencathra

91859

registered interest
date	26/09/2014
answering body	Department of Health
answering dept id	17
answering dept short name	Health
answering dept sort name	Health
hansard heading	NHS: Staff
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 receptiveness of the public to health advice from medical staff whom they believe to be unhealthy; and on what evidence any such assessment is based.
tabling member printed	Lord Blencathra
uin	HL1917
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 13/10/2014 answer text <p>The Department has not carried out an assessment of the public’s receptiveness to advice from medical staff they believe to be unhealthy.</p> answering member printed Earl Howe question first answered 13/10/2014 13:11:51 answering member 2000 label Biography information for Earl Howe
tabling member	497 label Biography information for Lord Blencathra

91860

registered interest
date	26/09/2014
answering body	Department of Health
answering dept id	17
answering dept short name	Health
answering dept sort name	Health
hansard heading	NHS: Obesity
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the announcement by the Chief Executive of NHS England on 17 September proposing a plan to tackle obesity among National Health Service employees, whether they will publish the plan in full.
tabling member printed	Lord Blencathra
uin	HL1918
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 13/10/2014 answer text <p>The Department does not hold current data on the number of National Health Service staff who are obese. In 2009, the Department estimated in ‘Healthy Lives, Healthy People: One Year On’ that of 1.2 million staff in the NHS, 700,000 were likely to be obese or overweight.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>NHS England plan to publish their Five Year Forward View later this month. Proposals for the plan include incentives to ensure the NHS as an employer sets a national example in the support it offers its own 1.3 million staff to stay healthy, and serve as “health ambassadors” in their local communities.</p><p> </p> answering member printed Earl Howe grouped question UIN HL1915 question first answered 13/10/2014 13:11:25 answering member 2000 label Biography information for Earl Howe
tabling member	497 label Biography information for Lord Blencathra

91861

registered interest
date	26/09/2014
answering body	Department of Health
answering dept id	17
answering dept short name	Health
answering dept sort name	Health
hansard heading	NHS: Staff
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 report by Dr Steven Boorman<i> NHS Health and well-being</i>, which concluded that there was a relationship between employee health and well-being and performance on issues such as patient satisfaction, annual health check ratings and MRSA rates.
tabling member printed	Lord Blencathra
uin	HL1919
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 13/10/2014 answer text <p>The Government acknowledges Dr Boorman’s conclusions and, each year since 2010, has commissioned support for NHS trusts to improve their staff health and wellbeing.</p><p> </p><p>Progress is being made. This year, the Royal College of Physicians (RCP) concluded in its audit, <em>Implementing NICE public health guidance for the workplace: a national organisational audit of NHS trusts in England</em>, that “National Health Service trusts are beginning to prioritise staff health and wellbeing” saying “employers that implement the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) workplace guidance tend to have a healthier and more productive workforce and better patient outcomes”. The NICE workplace guidance focuses on board and staff engagement; physical activity; tackling obesity; promoting mental wellbeing; smoking cessation and the management of long term sickness absence.</p><p>This year’s audit by the RCP was a repeat from 2011 following Boorman and while it showed progress, there is no room for complacency although NHS staff sickness absence (4.06%)<sup>1</sup> is the lowest since Boorman and all NHS staff have access to occupational health services.</p><p>The Department’s support for the NHS, which it provides via NHS Employers, is based on five high impact actions: developing local evidence based improvement plans; with strong visible leadership; supported by improved management capability; with access to better, local, high quality accredited occupational health services; and where staff are encouraged and enabled to take more responsibility for their health.</p><p> </p><p>[1] This is the latest full year percentage figure for NHS staff sickness absence calculated as a rolling average annual percentage rate and based on figures published in July by the Health and Social Care Information Centre.</p><p> </p> answering member printed Earl Howe question first answered 13/10/2014 13:13:58 answering member 2000 label Biography information for Earl Howe
tabling member	497 label Biography information for Lord Blencathra

91862

registered interest
date	26/09/2014
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	Obesity
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 report by Sarah E. Jackson et al. published by University College London <i>Perceived Weight Discrimination and Changes in Weight, Waist Circumference, and Weight Status</i>, which referred to negative attitudes towards obese individuals as a form of discrimination.
tabling member printed	Lord Blencathra
uin	HL1920
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 13/10/2014 answer text <p>The Government welcomes the report by Sarah Jackson and colleagues as a contribution to our knowledge and understanding of this important area. Obese people often face negative and discriminatory attitudes. While obesity is not a protected characteristic under the Equality Act 2010, if obesity results in long term physical or mental impairment (as set out in Section 6 of the 2010 Act) then the person with the impairment will be protected from unlawful discrimination under this Act. The Government Equalities Office runs a body image programme, which aims to raise awareness and understanding of body image, promote the positive representation of a healthy diversity of body types, and support young people’s resilience and media literacy. Obesity is a considerable problem for public health, and the Government is committed to tackling this through its national obesity strategy. Public Health England also works to promote good body image along with healthy lifestyles.</p><p> </p><p>Many of those who react negatively to obese individuals justify doing so by alluding to rising rates of obesity. There is a growing body of evidence demonstrating that good body image is an important motivator in achieving and sustaining a healthy weight – and, conversely, that low body confidence is associated with continued weight gain. The Government’s Change4Life campaign does not engage in fat shaming or denigration of obese people; it encourages all of us to take steps to improve our health and wellbeing and adopt a healthier diet, starting from wherever we are.</p><p> </p><p>In 2013 the Government Equalities Office hosted a multidisciplinary academic seminar that explored these issues, and the body image programme continues to contribute to the Department of Health’s important work on obesity.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member printed Lord Gardiner of Kimble question first answered 13/10/2014 13:16:51 answering member 4161 label Biography information for Lord Gardiner of Kimble
tabling member	497 label Biography information for Lord Blencathra

90932

registered interest
date	08/09/2014
answering body	HM Treasury
answering dept id	14
answering dept short name	Treasury
answering dept sort name	CaTreasury
hansard heading	Financial Services: Zimbabwe
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government what consideration they have given to co-operating with the United States Justice Department and the Securities and Exchange Commission, as part of their investigation of the funding of President Mugabe in 2009 by Och-Ziff, BlackRock, GLC Partners and Credit Suisse, in order to establish whether any United Kingdom funding was involved.
tabling member printed	Lord Blencathra
uin	HL1858
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/09/2014 answer text <p>UK regulators and law enforcement agencies cooperate closely with international partners, including those in the United States. Requests for assistance for investigations in the US and elsewhere are made to the UK Central Authority. Her Majesty’s Government does not confirm or deny the existence of such requests and we are unable to comment on any ongoing investigations.</p> answering member printed Lord Deighton question first answered 22/09/2014 11:15:44 answering member 4262 label Biography information for Lord Deighton
tabling member	497 label Biography information for Lord Blencathra

90933

registered interest
date	08/09/2014
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	Zimbabwe
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government what consideration they have given to presenting a case to the International Criminal Court to bring charges against President Mugabe for genocide and crimes against humanity.
tabling member printed	Lord Blencathra
uin	HL1859
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/09/2014 answer text <p>Zimbabwe is not a party to the Rome Statute so the International Criminal Court (ICC) has no jurisdiction over events which have taken place in that country.</p><p>For the ICC's Prosecutor to be able to initiate an investigation in these circumstances either the Government of Zimbabwe would have to voluntarily accept the ICC’s jurisdiction, or a referral from the UN Security Council would be required.</p><p>Under the Rome Statute the Security Council can only refer a situation to the ICC; it cannot refer the case of any specific individual.</p><p> </p> answering member printed Baroness Anelay of St Johns question first answered 22/09/2014 10:48:29 answering member 3474 label Biography information for Baroness Anelay of St Johns
tabling member	497 label Biography information for Lord Blencathra

90934

registered interest
date	08/09/2014
answering body	Home Office
answering dept id	1
answering dept short name	Home Office
answering dept sort name	Home Office
hansard heading	Anjem Choudary
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether Home Office officials have had any discussions with Mr Anjem Choudary.
tabling member printed	Lord Blencathra
uin	HL1860
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/09/2014 answer text <p> </p><p>Home Office officials have not had any discussions with Mr Anjem Choudary.</p> answering member printed Lord Bates question first answered 22/09/2014 10:24:25 answering member 1091 label Biography information for Lord Bates
tabling member	497 label Biography information for Lord Blencathra