Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government how they will elicit views on the NHS Constitution consultation from people whose first language is not English, especially those who are high users of NHS services.

Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

A review of the NHS Constitution was announced in October 2023. The standard consultation closed in June 2024, with the easy-read consultation on the NHS Constitution closing in July 2024. The Department acknowledges the limits of both publishing a consultation in online-only formats and solely in English.

The Department published an easy-read version, with the simplified language making the information more accessible for a broader audience, supporting those whose first language is not English to access and respond to the consultation.

The Department is committed to engagement with the public in the future and continuously improving our approach for future consultations and strategies. If any further review of the NHS Constitution takes place, ensuring communication through an accessible format for people, including those for whom English may not be their first language, will be considered.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether they plan to amend the eligibility criteria for the Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy scheme to allow visas for the UK to be issued to those who were employed indirectly as well as directly to work for UK government departments or armed forces.

Answered by Lord Coaker - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)

The Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy (ARAP) scheme already provides resettlement routes within the existing criteria for those formerly employed, directly or indirectly, by the UK Government. There are no current plans to widen the eligibility criteria.

The scheme’s full eligibility criteria can be found via the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/afghan-relocations-and-assistance-policy/afghan-relocations-and-assistance-policy-information-and-guidance

The new team of Ministers have made ARAP an early priority for the Department, to tackle problems which have been faced with processing ARAP applications and ensure the scheme delivers on our commitments to those brave Afghans who worked in support of UK objectives in Afghanistan.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether their sector-specific approach to developing regulation on artificial intelligence will include consideration of the challenges of machine translation, which cuts across all sectors.

Answered by Lord Vallance of Balham - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

Whilst it is true that machine translation has applications across many sectors, the risks posed by machine translation will be driven by the context of where, how and why it is used.

Under our context specific approach, we recognise that our existing expert regulators are best placed to apply rules to the use of AI – including machine translation - in the contexts they know better than anyone else.

We are also committed to ensuring that regulators have the right expertise and resources to make proportionate and informed regulatory decisions about AI in their sectors.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask His Majesty's Government how they will be participating in the 16th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity in Colombia.

Answered by Baroness Hayman of Ullock - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

The Secretary of State for Defra, The Rt Hon Steve Reed OBE MP, and Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Minister for Nature), Mary Creagh CBE MP, will be taking part in the official High-Level Segment of the 16th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD COP16) in Colombia. Minister Creagh is also scheduled to remain in Colombia after the conclusion of this segment to support the final negotiations. The UK will also be represented at CBD COP16 by a team of negotiators from Defra and the Joint Nature Conservation Committee (JNCC).

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether they have held any discussions with the government of Colombia about the increased conflict in Sierra Nevada de Santa Maria; and, if so, what was the outcome.

Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

We are working with the Colombian Government and others on implementation of the 2016 Peace Agreement, including the Ethnic Chapter. Through funding to civil society organisations and the OHCHR (UN Human Rights Office), the UK is supporting the protection of the Wiwa indigenous peoples in the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta with strategic litigation and self-protection mechanisms. Embassy officials visited the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta in October and raised their concern about the security situation with local authorities.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made, as penholder on the United Nations Security Council for Colombia, of the social-legal dialogue between the government of Colombia and the AGC/Clan del Golfo.

Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

As penholder on Colombia at the UN Security Council, the UK is continuing its long-term support to Colombian efforts to achieve a sustainable and long-lasting peace, via the implementation of the 2016 peace agreement and the mandate of the UN Verification Mission in Colombia. The Government of Colombia has appointed its representatives to the talks with the Gulf Clan (AGC/Clan del Golfo). The UK is monitoring the progress of the talks and its impacts on communities, including in collaboration with the UN.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether they have had any discussions with the government of Colombia about increasing protection for the Wiwa indigenous peoples currently being displaced by high-impact, armed organised crime groups; and, if so, what was the outcome.

Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

Supporting Colombia in its commitment to secure a lasting peace is an important priority of this Government. We continue to urge Colombia to take further steps to protect all vulnerable groups including indigenous and Afro-Colombian communities most affected by conflict. We remain concerned at the violence facing the Wiwa community. Through funding to civil society organisations and the UN Human Rights Office, the UK supports the protection of the Wiwa indigenous peoples with strategic litigation and self-protection mechanisms. In October, Embassy officials visited Wiwa communities in the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta and discussed the security situation with local authorities.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the state of the peace talks between the government of Colombia and the Segunda Marquetalia.

Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

The UK supports Colombian efforts to achieve a sustainable and long-lasting peace, including the implementation of the 2016 peace agreement and the mandate of the UN Verification Mission. The government of Colombia has concluded the first round of dialogues with the Segunda Marquetalia, agreed on the model for the talks and the progressive implementation on the agreements reached. The UK continues to monitor and assess the progress of the talks in terms of the ceasefire, the security situation, and the impact on communities. The Foreign Secretary met with Foreign Minister Murillo in September, to reiterate the UK's commitment towards the peace processes in Colombia.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the decision to suspend peace talks between the government of Colombia and the National Liberation Army.

Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

The UK supported the expansion of the UN Verification Mission to include the National Liberation Army (ELN). We are monitoring the impacts of the suspension of the ceasefire, with a particular focus on the impacts on communities. We call upon the ELN to work towards peace, re-commit to dialogue and re-establish a ceasefire. As penholder for Colombia at the UN Security Council, the UK had a key role coordinating international support in expanding the mandate of the UN Verification Mission to verify the ceasefire with the ELN.

Found: 10.30 am Watch the meeting Members present: Lord De Mauley (The Chair); Lord Bruce of Bennachie; Baroness

The House of Lords International Relations and Defence Committee will be launching an inquiry into the future of UK-US relations.