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93728

registered interest
date	16/10/2014
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	Hong Kong
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government what recent discussions they have had with the Hong Kong Government regarding the progress of the official consultation on plans to implement universal suffrage in 2017.
tabling member printed	The Lord Bishop of St Albans
uin	HL2152
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 24/10/2014 answer text <p>Hong Kong is an important part of the UK’s relationship with China. We continue to meet regularly at senior levels with both the Chinese authorities and the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region government.</p><p>Earlier this month, the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr Hammond), met the Chinese Ambassador to discuss developments in Hong Kong and to set out the UK position. The Minister of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my hon. Friend the Member for East Devon (Mr Swire), also met the Hong Kong government’s Secretary of Justice to discuss the importance of the introduction of universal suffrage. The Prime Minister, my right hon. Friend the Member for Witney (Mr Cameron), and the Foreign Secretary also discussed Hong Kong in recent meetings with Chinese Vice Premier Ma Kai.</p><p>Mr Swire outlined the UK’s position in his Written Ministerial Statement of 13 October, Official Report, Column 12WS.</p> answering member printed Baroness Anelay of St Johns question first answered 24/10/2014 12:32:53 answering member 3474 label Biography information for Baroness Anelay of St Johns
tabling member	4308 label Biography information for The Lord Bishop of St Albans

93729

registered interest
date	16/10/2014
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	Hong Kong
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government what discussions they have had with the Hong Kong Government regarding the alleged police brutality against protester Ken Tsang.
tabling member printed	The Lord Bishop of St Albans
uin	HL2153
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 24/10/2014 answer text <p>We monitor the situation in Hong Kong closely. The footage shows what looks like police officers using disproportionate force. The Hong Kong authorities have described this incident as inappropriate and are investigating. We welcome this investigation.</p><p>Hong Kong is an important part of the UK’s relationship with China. We continue to meet regularly at senior levels with both the Chinese authorities and the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region government. We have consistently called on all sides to ensure that the demonstrations are peaceful and in accordance with the law.</p> answering member printed Baroness Anelay of St Johns question first answered 24/10/2014 12:58:16 answering member 3474 label Biography information for Baroness Anelay of St Johns
tabling member	4308 label Biography information for The Lord Bishop of St Albans

93730

registered interest
date	16/10/2014
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	Iran
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government what discussions they have had through the chargé d’affaires of the recently reopened Iranian embassy regarding the imprisonment of Pastor Behnam Irani.
tabling member printed	The Lord Bishop of St Albans
uin	HL2154
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/10/2014 answer text We are aware of the imprisonment of Pastor Behnam Irani. We remain deeply concerned about the detention of and discrimination against members of minority religious groups in Iran. We have called on the Iranian government to protect the rights of all minority groups in Iran. The Iranian Embassy in the UK is yet to reopen, but the UK’s non-resident Chargé d’Affaires raised the issue of freedom of religion with the Iranian authorities during his visit to Iran earlier this year. answering member printed Baroness Anelay of St Johns question first answered 23/10/2014 15:07:18 answering member 3474 label Biography information for Baroness Anelay of St Johns
tabling member	4308 label Biography information for The Lord Bishop of St Albans

93731

registered interest
date	16/10/2014
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	Iran
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government what discussions the Prime Minister had with President Rouhani regarding freedom of religion and belief in Iran during their meeting at the United Nations General Assembly in New York in September.
tabling member printed	The Lord Bishop of St Albans
uin	HL2155
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/10/2014 answer text <p>Both the Prime Minister, my right hon. Friend the Member for Witney (Mr Cameron), and the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr Hammond), raised a high profile human rights case in their meetings with President Rouhani and the Foreign Minister respectively. The UK’s non-resident Chargé d’Affaires raised the issue of freedom of religion and belief with the Iranian authorities during his visit to Iran earlier this year. The British Government urges the Iranian government to respect the rights of all minority religious groups.</p> answering member printed Baroness Anelay of St Johns question first answered 23/10/2014 15:06:44 answering member 3474 label Biography information for Baroness Anelay of St Johns
tabling member	4308 label Biography information for The Lord Bishop of St Albans

93732

registered interest
date	16/10/2014
answering body	Department for Communities and Local Government
answering dept id	7
answering dept short name	Communities and Local Government
answering dept sort name	Communities and Local Government
hansard heading	Financial Services: Advisory Services
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government how the provision of money management, budgeting and debt advice by local authorities and social sector landlords is being monitored.
tabling member printed	The Lord Bishop of St Albans
uin	HL2156
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 31/10/2014 answer text <p>The Department for Work and Pensions are currently undertaking a review into how local welfare provision has been used in 2013/14 and its anticipated use in 2014/15 which will be published in due course. In addition, as part of its work on Universal Credit, the Department is commissioning budgeting support for claimants who need help and is establishing local delivery partnerships with local government to help provide this.</p><p><br>The Government-funded Money Advice Survey offers advice on managing personal debt, money management and budgeting. Face to face debt advice is provided by Citizens Advice, under contract with the Money Advice Service.</p><p><br>Department for Business Innovation and Skills also provide funding for the Citizens Advice Bureau, which provides people with advice on debt and other issues.</p><p><br>More generally, the Department for Communities and Local Government issued guidance to councils last year on good practice in the collection of council tax arrears. The actions of local authorities (in relation to service failures, maladministration or injustice) can be investigated by the Local Government Ombudsman, whilst the Housing Ombudsman Service looks at complaints about social landlords.</p><p> </p> answering member printed Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon question first answered 31/10/2014 13:19:26 answering member 4210 label Biography information for Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
tabling member	4308 label Biography information for The Lord Bishop of St Albans

93733

registered interest
date	16/10/2014
answering body	Department for Energy and Climate Change
answering dept id	63
answering dept short name	Energy and Climate Change
answering dept sort name	Energy and Climate Change
hansard heading	Energy: Prices
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government what were the outcomes of the round-table discussions convened by Ofgem over the summer with suppliers, consumer representatives, parliamentarians and the Government, particularly in relation to addressing the higher fuel costs imposed by pre-payment meters.
tabling member printed	The Lord Bishop of St Albans
uin	HL2157
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/10/2014 answer text <p>Ofgem will host a round-table event on the afternoon of 29 October on price differences between various payment methods for domestic consumers of electricity and gas. The event follows an open letter published by Ofgem on 20 May that set out the findings to a request for information to suppliers on the prices they charge consumers for different payment methods, including prepayment:</p><p><a href="https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/ofgem-publications/87924/openletterfinalrepublished.pdf" target="_blank">https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/ofgem-publications/87924/openletterfinalrepublished.pdf</a>.</p><p> </p> answering member printed Baroness Verma question first answered 23/10/2014 16:22:38 answering member 3790 label Biography information for Baroness Verma
tabling member	4308 label Biography information for The Lord Bishop of St Albans

89914

registered interest
date	01/09/2014
answering body	Department for Energy and Climate Change
answering dept id	63
answering dept short name	Energy and Climate Change
answering dept sort name	Energy and Climate Change
hansard heading	Energy: Meters
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government what consideration they have given to encouraging the six largest energy companies to develop and use their own vulnerability checklist as part of a comprehensive assessment process to help determine a household's circumstances before any new pre-payment meters are installed, in accordance with the voluntary code agreed with Consumer Focus in March 2011.
tabling member printed	The Lord Bishop of St Albans
uin	HL1756
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 15/09/2014 answer text <p>All the large suppliers have agreed to the 5 key principles set out by Consumer Focus in March 2011. This includes a check of whether a customer is vulnerable before installation of a prepayment meter and offering a different payment method if appropriate. In the 2012 report “Making Progress” Consumer Focus found that most large suppliers use a checklist to help staff identify the best approach. This report is available at this link: <a href="http://www.consumerfutures.org.uk/files/2013/07/Making-progress.pdf" target="_blank">http://www.consumerfutures.org.uk/files/2013/07/Making-progress.pdf</a></p><p>Government supports initiatives to ensure that vulnerable pre-payment customers are being treated fairly and receiving appropriate support and is considering areas where Government action could further improve the consumer experience of pre-payment customers.</p> answering member printed Baroness Verma question first answered 15/09/2014 11:48:30 answering member 3790 label Biography information for Baroness Verma
tabling member	4308 label Biography information for The Lord Bishop of St Albans

89915

registered interest
date	01/09/2014
answering body	Department for Energy and Climate Change
answering dept id	63
answering dept short name	Energy and Climate Change
answering dept sort name	Energy and Climate Change
hansard heading	Energy: Prices
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government what consideration they have given to encouraging energy companies to use income-differentiated tariffs as a means of addressing fuel poverty.
tabling member printed	The Lord Bishop of St Albans
uin	HL1757
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/09/2014 answer text <p>Energy suppliers provide direct bill support for low income households through the Government’s Warm Home Discount scheme. <del class="ministerial">As the original impact assessment for the scheme made clear, the scheme grew in part out of a concern about affordability of energy bills and accessibility of appropriate tariffs for those on low incomes. The scheme is now hugely successful.</del> <del class="ministerial">This year the</del> <ins class="ministerial">The </ins>Warm Home<ins class="ministerial">s</ins> Discount will<ins class="ministerial"> increase to</ins> give eligible low-income bill payers £140 money off their energy bills, helping over 2 million people including 1.4 million of Britain’s most vulnerable pensioners.</p><p>There has been consideration of the role of differentiated tariffs as part of the Hills Review of Fuel Poverty, and in the development of Fuel Poverty: Framework for future action and Cutting the cost of keeping warm, the consultation to prepare for a new fuel poverty strategy.</p><p>We continue to monitor the impacts of the Ofgem’s Retail Market Review and wider Government action to ensure consumers are treated fairly in the energy market and are better able to the choose a deal that suits them. We expect to keep the case for further action under review as part of this.</p> answering member printed Baroness Verma question first answered 08/09/2014 08:09:35 question first ministerially corrected 15/09/2014 12:14:23 answering member 3790 label Biography information for Baroness Verma previous answer version 18278 answering member printed Baroness Verma answering member 3790 label Biography information for Baroness Verma
tabling member	4308 label Biography information for The Lord Bishop of St Albans

89916

registered interest
date	01/09/2014
answering body	Department for Energy and Climate Change
answering dept id	63
answering dept short name	Energy and Climate Change
answering dept sort name	Energy and Climate Change
hansard heading	Energy: Meters
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government how they will work with energy companies to ensure that those using pre-payment meters pay the equivalent tariffs to those paying by direct debit, irrespective of whether smart meters are installed.
tabling member printed	The Lord Bishop of St Albans
uin	HL1758
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 15/09/2014 answer text <p>Energy supplier licence conditions, set by Ofgem, allow suppliers to apply different charges to different payment methods providing the differentials reflect the costs to the supplier of the form of payment. This allowance is made in recognition of the fact that some payment methods are more expensive to administer than others. In May 2014, Ofgem published the results of analysis on this issue which showed that across the market the price on different payment methods reflects the varying costs suppliers face in providing them. This is available at the following link:</p><p><a href="https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/publications-and-updates/price-differences-between-payment-methods-&amp;ndash;-open-letter" target="_blank">https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/publications-and-updates/price-differences-between-payment-methods-–-open-letter</a>.</p> answering member printed Baroness Verma question first answered 15/09/2014 11:47:31 answering member 3790 label Biography information for Baroness Verma attachment 1 file name QWA HL1758 - Open letter from Ofgem 20.05.14.pdf title Ofgem open letter 20.05.14 - Price differences
tabling member	4308 label Biography information for The Lord Bishop of St Albans

89917

registered interest
date	01/09/2014
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	Supermarkets: Competition
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they plan to lay before Parliament the statutory instrument recommended by the Groceries Code Adjudicator to the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills on the maximum level of fine that can be applied for a breach of the Code; and if so, when.
tabling member printed	The Lord Bishop of St Albans
uin	HL1759
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/09/2014 answer text <p> </p><p>The Government intends to bring legislation before Parliament this autumn to set the maximum level of fine that the Groceries Code Adjudicator may impose in respect of breaches of the Groceries Supply Code of Practice.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member printed Baroness Neville-Rolfe question first answered 08/09/2014 12:18:45 answering member 4284 label Biography information for Baroness Neville-Rolfe
tabling member	4308 label Biography information for The Lord Bishop of St Albans