We continue to engage on the critical need for Freedom of Religion or Belief (FoRB) in Pakistani schools. At Pakistan's Universal Periodic Review in January, the UK recommended action to ensure that school textbooks are inclusive of all religions, and urged Pakistan to ensure that religious minorities can access suitable alternatives to compulsory Qu'ranic studies. In July 2023, the British High Commission participated in a civil society-led panel discussion on Minorities and Education. We have previously supported initiatives to review the National Curriculum of Pakistan, providing technical assistance to create a more inclusive curriculum and textbooks.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4210", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon"} } , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2023-12-14", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2023-12-14T16:35:40.893Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "208"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2023-11-30", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Pakistan: Textbooks"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "2"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25277", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Lords"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask His Majesty's Government whether they have made representations to the government of Pakistan regarding reports that Pakistani school textbooks encourage religious discrimination.", "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" : "HL749"} , {"_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/1330342", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1330342/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
The UK stands by its assurances to Gibraltar that we will never enter into arrangements under which the people of Gibraltar would pass under the sovereignty of another state against their freely and democratically expressed wishes, nor enter into a process of sovereignty negotiations with which Gibraltar is not content.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4210", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon"} } , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2021-06-21", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2021-06-21T11:22:49.857Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "208"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2021-06-07", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Gibraltar: Sovereignty"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "2"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25277", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Lords"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask Her Majesty's Government whether it is their position that Gibraltar will remain British for as long as the residents of Gibraltar wish it to be.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1000", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Hoyle"} } , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Lord Hoyle"} ], "uin" : "HL749"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1175290", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Foreign and Commonwealth Office"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1175290/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
\u200bPromoting Freedom of Religion and Belief (FoRB) globally is a key priority of this Government. The office of the Prime Minister\u2019s Special Envoy on Freedom of Religion or Belief is supported by a Chief of Staff, and we are recruiting an Assistant Private Secretary. In addition, we also have a FoRB team whose work includes providing policy advice and support to the Special Envoy and other Ministers. For this financial year, we have agreed the Special Envoy\u2019s office will receive £73,453 to cover travel and administration costs. Future funding will be decided at a later stage.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4210", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon"} } , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2020-02-05", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2020-02-05T14:22:54.313Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "16"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Foreign and Commonwealth Office"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Foreign and Commonwealth Office"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2020-01-23", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Special Envoy on Freedom of Religion or Belief"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "2"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25277", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Lords"} } ], "questionText" : "Her Majesty's Government what (1) human, and (2) financial, resources have been made available to support the Office of the Prime Minister\u2019s Special Envoy on Freedom of Religion or Belief.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4349", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for The Lord Bishop of Leeds"} } , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "The Lord Bishop of Leeds"} ], "uin" : "HL749"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/751152", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for International Trade"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/751152/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
The Department for International Trade does not directly recruit in house lawyers. Currently there are approximately 20 Government Legal Department lawyers working for the benefit of the Department for International Trade.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4570", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Price"} } , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Lord Price"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2017-07-26", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2017-07-26T13:16:21.267Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "202"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "International Trade"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "International Trade"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2017-07-12", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Special Envoy on Freedom of Religion or Belief"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "2"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25277", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Lords"} } ], "questionText" : "Her Majesty's Government how many qualified lawyers have been recruited by the Department for International Trade.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/3743", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Adonis"} } , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Lord Adonis"} ], "uin" : "HL749"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/528183", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Business, Innovation and Skills"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/528183/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
The number of employees of the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills HQ who have (1) exited via a Compulsory Redundancy scheme, and (2) exited via a voluntary redundancy scheme, in each of the last five financial years (April to March) are shown in the table below.<\/p>
<\/p>
Year (Apr \u2013 Mar)<\/strong><\/p><\/td> Exited via a Compulsory Redundancy scheme<\/strong><\/p><\/td> Exited via a Voluntary Redundancy Scheme<\/strong><\/p><\/td><\/tr> 2011-12<\/p><\/td> 4<\/p><\/td> 93<\/p><\/td><\/tr> 2012-13<\/p><\/td> <\/p><\/td> 3<\/p><\/td><\/tr> 2013-14<\/p><\/td> 2<\/p><\/td> 7<\/p><\/td><\/tr> 2014-15<\/p><\/td> <\/p><\/td> 7<\/p><\/td><\/tr> 2015-16<\/p><\/td> <\/p><\/td> 1<\/p><\/td><\/tr> Grand Total<\/strong><\/p><\/td> 6<\/strong><\/p><\/td> 111<\/strong><\/p><\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4284", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Baroness Neville-Rolfe"}
}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Baroness Neville-Rolfe"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2016-06-24", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2016-06-24T13:11:25.587Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "26"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Business, Innovation and Skills"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Business, Innovation and Skills"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2016-06-20", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Department for International Trade: Legal Profession"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "2"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25277", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Lords"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask Her Majesty\u2019s Government how many staff of the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills have (1) been made redundant, and (2) taken voluntary redundancy, in each of the last five years.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1567", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Baroness Burt of Solihull"}
}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Baroness Burt of Solihull"}
], "uin" : "HL749"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/385198", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Home Office"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/385198/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " We work closely with local authorities to ensure that immigration decisions in cases receiving local authority support are made as quickly as possible. The No Recourse to Public Funds Connect database provides a route into the Home Office for local authorities on individual cases, so that these can be dealt with expeditiously. Where migrants granted leave to remain on family grounds show that they are destitute or that there are exceptional circumstances, they are given recourse to public funds.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1091", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Bates"}
}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Lord Bates"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2015-07-03", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2015-07-03T13:59:43.887Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Home Office"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Home Office"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2015-06-23", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Migrants: Children"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "2"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25277", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Lords"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask Her Majesty\u2019s Government whether they plan to take steps to reduce the time taken to resolve the immigration cases of families that have recourse to public funds and are supported by local authorities under section 17 of the Children Act 1989, in the light of the recent report by the Centre on Migration, Policy and Society.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4234", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Baroness Lister of Burtersett"}
}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Baroness Lister of Burtersett"}
], "uin" : "HL749"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/65213", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Home Office"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/65213/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " <\/p> <\/p> We recognise that men can be victims of domestic violence and abuse, so the Government recognises the need to support frontline organisations working with male victims to ensure there is an enhancement of service provision for male victims. The Government's approach to tackling domestic violence and abuse is laid out in the Violence Against Women and Girls Action Plan, refreshed in March 2014:<\/p> <\/p> |