We are aware of the abduction of the Prelate of the Methodist Church Nigeria alongside other clerics. They have now been released. The UK Government condemns kidnappings across Nigeria, and calls for the release of those still held captive.<\/p>
Through our Security and Defence Partnership with Nigeria, we are working together to help build capacity to respond to kidnaps. We are providing mentoring and capacity-building support to Nigerian Police Force units to improve their anti-kidnap capacity, to help reduce harm to victims, and to hold those responsible to account.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4062", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park"} } , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2022-06-22", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2022-06-22T15:43:45.333Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "208"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2022-06-08", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Nigeria: Methodist Church"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "2"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25277", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Lords"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the abduction of the Prelate of the Methodist Church Nigeria.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/738", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Alton of Liverpool"} } , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Lord Alton of Liverpool"} ], "uin" : "HL745"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1468697", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1468697/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
Increasing insecurity across Nigeria is having a \u202fdevastating impact on affected\u202fcommunities. We continue to urge and support the Nigerian Government to take action to implement long-term solutions that address the root causes of violence, and we committed to work together to respond to insecurity in Nigeria at our Security and Defence Dialogue in February. We are also monitoring the strain that the conflict in Nigeria is placing on neighbouring countries such as Niger. The UK is providing ongoing support to Niger to meet the acute humanitarian needs of over 1.6 million people including refugees, and we will continue to work with international partners to monitor the impacts of the conflict in Nigeria on neighbouring countries.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4062", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park"} } , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2022-06-22", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2022-06-22T15:44:23.59Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "208"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2022-06-08", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Niger: Refugees"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "2"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25277", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Lords"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the need for people from Yewa in Ogun state Nigeria to seek refuge in the Republic of Niger, following attacks on their villages in 2021.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/738", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Alton of Liverpool"} } , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Lord Alton of Liverpool"} ], "uin" : "HL746"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1468698", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1468698/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
The recent murders of Ahmad Usman in Abuja and of Deborah Samuel in Sokoto State were barbaric and heinous acts. The UK Government condemns their killings and will continue to urge the relevant authorities to ensure the perpetrators face justice in line with the law. The Minister for Africa expressed her profound sadness at their tragic deaths in the House on 6 June and our Deputy High Commissioner in Abuja raised Deborah's murder in a meeting with the Nigerian Government last month.<\/p>
The UK Government engages regularly with members of the Nigerian Government on insecurity in Nigeria, and the need to protect and promote human rights for all, including the right to Freedom of Religion or Belief (FoRB). The Minister for Africa raised FoRB in a call with the Nigerian Foreign Minister in May and, during her visit to Nigeria in February, she discussed, among other issues, the deteriorating security situation with the Vice President and Foreign Minister.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4062", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park"} } , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2022-06-22", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2022-06-22T15:42:51.793Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "208"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2022-06-08", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Ahmad Usman and Deborah Yakubu"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "2"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25277", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Lords"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the government of Nigeria following the immolation of Ahmad Usman in Abuja on 5 June and Deborah Emmanuel in Sokoto state on 12 May.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/738", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Alton of Liverpool"} } , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Lord Alton of Liverpool"} ], "uin" : "HL747"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1468699", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1468699/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
We have not shared any evidence of atrocities or of religious discrimination in Nigeria with the International Criminal Court.<\/p>
We are aware that places of worship have been targeted in incidents of intercommunal violence in Nigeria, and condemn all such attacks; the motives behind these attacks vary, and are not always clear. In a country with a highly religious population, we recognise that religious identity can be a factor in incidents of violence, but the root causes are often complex and frequently relate to over resources, historical grievances, and criminality. The UK will continue to play a constructive role in calming these tensions and supporting solutions which meet the needs of all affected communities.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4062", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park"} } , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2022-06-22", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2022-06-22T15:42:29.447Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "208"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2022-06-08", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Nigeria: Religious Freedom"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "2"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25277", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Lords"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask Her Majesty's Government, whether they have shared any evidence of atrocities in Nigeria with the International Criminal Court; what assessment they have made of whether religious discrimination is the cause of attacks on Nigerian churches and communities; and whether they have shared any evidence of religious discrimination in any evidence submitted to the International Criminal Court.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/738", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Alton of Liverpool"} } , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Lord Alton of Liverpool"} ], "uin" : "HL748"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1468700", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1468700/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
Under the Royal Charter, the BBC has an obligation to provide impartial news and information to help people understand and engage with the world around them. The Charter requires the BBC public services to promote its Mission and Public Purposes, including the provision of news in the UK through \u201conline services\u201d; it therefore allows for the use of licence fee revenue for online news services. In doing so, the BBC is required to have particular regard to the effects of its activities on competition in the UK and to seek to avoid adverse impacts on competition which are not necessary for the effective fulfilment of the Mission and the promotion of the Public Purposes.<\/p>
Her Majesty\u2019s Government carefully considered the BBC's market impact as part of Charter Review in 2015/16, and designated Ofcom as the BBC regulator to ensure the BBC is robustly held to account on its competitive impact.<\/p>
The Government also committed the independent Cairncross Review into the future of journalism. This was published in 2019, and urged the BBC to think more carefully about how its news provision can act as a complement to, rather than a substitute for, commercial news.<\/p>
The Charter Mid-Term Review will look at the BBC\u2019s market impact, evaluating how the BBC and Ofcom assess the market impact and public value of the BBC in an evolving marketplace and how that relates to the wider UK media ecology, including with regard to commercial radio and local news sectors and other content makers and distributors.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4728", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay"} } , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2022-06-21", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2022-06-21T10:59:37.17Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "10"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Digital, Culture, Media and Sport"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Digital, Culture, Media and Sport"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2022-06-08", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "BBC: Internet"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "2"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25277", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Lords"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of whether the BBC\u2019s use of licence fee revenue to produce online news services, which compete with commercial publishers, is compatible with (1) the BBC Charter, and (2) legal constraints on the use of public funds.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4171", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Black of Brentwood"} } , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Lord Black of Brentwood"} ], "uin" : "HL749"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1468701", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1468701/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office is currently working though a business planning process. Decisions on funding for LGBT+ programmes will be made in due course. LGBT+ rights are fundamental human rights. The UK is committed to championing these rights internationally and supporting those who defend them.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4062", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park"} } , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2022-06-22", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2022-06-22T15:48:15.307Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "208"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2022-06-08", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "LGBT+ People: Equality"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "2"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25277", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Lords"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to create a new fund to support global LGBT+ rights and equality.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4171", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Black of Brentwood"} } , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Lord Black of Brentwood"} ], "uin" : "HL750"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1468702", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1468702/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
In response to concerns about a perceived increase in pet theft during Covid restrictions, the Government set up the Pet Theft Taskforce to investigate. The Taskforce gathered, researched and commissioned work to build a clear evidence base of the issue and worked with police, law enforcement, and experts to formulate recommendations. Since publication of the report, the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs, the Home Office and the Ministry of Justice continue to work together to implement the Taskforce\u2019s recommendations and take into account new evidence, including the Cat Theft Report 2022.<\/p>
<\/p>
The Taskforce's recommendations included the creation of a new 'pet abduction' offence to recognise that pets are not mere items of property and to recognise the potential impact on their welfare when they are taken by strangers. The offence as currently drafted in the Animal Welfare (Kept Animals) Bill focuses on dogs, with enabling powers. The inclusion of the enabling powers means that the Secretary of State will be able to extend the offence to other species of companion animal in the future by making regulations.<\/p>
<\/p>
The Government listened closely to views expressed on this issue during its Commons Committee stage, in particular whether cats should also be included with dogs at the outset, and the Government is currently considering this issue carefully.<\/p>
<\/p>
The Animal Welfare (Kept Animals) Bill completed its Commons Committee Stage in November and following the passing of a carryover motion by the House on 25 April 2022, will continue its passage in the next Session. The Bill will be reintroduced in the third session in the form in which it was suspended and go straight to Report stage in the House of Commons before continuing its passage in the House of Lords.<\/p>
<\/p>
<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4062", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park"} } , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2022-06-22", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2022-06-22T12:14:52.207Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "13"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Environment, Food and Rural Affairs"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Environment, Food and Rural Affairs"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2022-06-08", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Pets: Theft"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "2"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25277", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Lords"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask Her Majesty's Government what is their response to the report by Pet Theft Awareness The Cat Theft Report 2022, published on 20 March; and what steps they will take to tackle pet abduction.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4171", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Black of Brentwood"} } , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Lord Black of Brentwood"} ], "uin" : "HL751"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1468703", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Home Office"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1468703/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
Information on the number of recorded cat thefts is not held centrally.<\/p>
We recognise the distress pet theft causes and are committed to preventing these cruel crimes.<\/p>
However, information on the scale of pet theft was gathered as part of the Pet Theft Taskforce, which engaged a number of key organisations and experts in the field to shine a light on the existing evidence and is available here:<\/p>