Asked by: Baroness Coussins (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what discussions the British Embassy in Lima has had with civil society groups campaigning on, or individuals affected by, health hazards created by UK-listed mining companies operating in Peru.
Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)
The UK Government has consistently supported the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (UNGPs). The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office is carrying out a National Baseline Assessment (NBA) of the implementation of the UNGPs. The NBA will include a case study of the extractive sector in Peru and an exploration of UNGP implementation.
Our Embassy in Lima promotes environmental, social and governance standards through open dialogue with the Peruvian Government, mining companies, civil society and local communities. Our Embassy leads a UN Voluntary Principles group that brings together the international community and private sector to drive implementation on security and human rights, including commissioning a roadmap on promoting sustainable mining in Peru.
Asked by: Baroness Coussins (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the compliance of UK-listed mining companies operations in Peru with the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights.
Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)
The UK Government has consistently supported the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (UNGPs). The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office is carrying out a National Baseline Assessment (NBA) of the implementation of the UNGPs. The NBA will include a case study of the extractive sector in Peru and an exploration of UNGP implementation.
Our Embassy in Lima promotes environmental, social and governance standards through open dialogue with the Peruvian Government, mining companies, civil society and local communities. Our Embassy leads a UN Voluntary Principles group that brings together the international community and private sector to drive implementation on security and human rights, including commissioning a roadmap on promoting sustainable mining in Peru.
Asked by: Baroness Coussins (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask His Majesty's Government what plans, if any, they have to introduce legislation to mandate businesses to prevent human rights and environmental harms in their operations, subsidiaries and value chains.
Answered by Lord Stockwood - Minister of State (HM Treasury)
The Government launched a review in the Trade Strategy, into the UK's approach to responsible business conduct, focused on tackling human rights and labour abuses and environmental harms in global supply chains.
The review is still progressing, harnessing insights from a range of stakeholders, including businesses, investors, trade unions, academia, civil society, affected communities, and international trading partners; and will consider the effectiveness of the UK's current regime and the merits of alternative measures to support responsible business practices, including mandatory and non-mandatory options. We shall update the House when the review is complete.
Asked by: Baroness Coussins (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the remarks by Lord Bellamy on 16 April 2024 (HL Deb col 972), whether they intend to issue a public consultation on revisions to the Victims Code including to specify the need for interpreters and translators to be qualified professionals.
Answered by Baroness Levitt - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Justice)
We will consult on a new Victims’ Code in due course in order to ensure that we get the information and support for victims right.
Asked by: Baroness Coussins (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made, if any, of the impact on teaching and learning of modern foreign languages of the decision to withdraw funding from state schools for the International Baccalaureate.
Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
All institutions will still be able offer the International Baccalaureate (IB) and receive normal funding per student supported by this government’s very significant investment into 16 to 19 education.
The base rate of funding per student has increased to £5,105 in the 2025/26 academic year, up over 5% on last year. However, to make this funding work hard, we have announced that from 2026/27 we will focus large programme uplift (LPU) funding, which is on top of the base funding, on those large programmes which include mathematics, further mathematics and other high value A levels. Other programmes, such as the IB, will no longer attract this uplift.
The department is giving transitional protection funding in the 2026/27 academic year so, for institutions that will lose a significant amount of LPU, the reduction will be spread over two years.
Asked by: Baroness Coussins (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask His Majesty's Government what estimate they have made of the costs savings achieved by the withdrawal of funding from state schools for the International Baccalaureate, and over what period of time those savings will be made.
Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
All institutions will still be able offer the International Baccalaureate (IB) and receive normal funding per student supported by this government’s very significant investment into 16 to 19 education.
The base rate of funding per student has increased to £5,105 in the 2025/26 academic year, up over 5% on last year. However, to make this funding work hard, we have announced that from 2026/27 we will focus large programme uplift (LPU) funding, which is on top of the base funding, on those large programmes which include mathematics, further mathematics and other high value A levels. Other programmes, such as the IB, will no longer attract this uplift.
The department is giving transitional protection funding in the 2026/27 academic year so, for institutions that will lose a significant amount of LPU, the reduction will be spread over two years.
Asked by: Baroness Coussins (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made, if any, of the impact on educational inequality of the decision to withdraw funding from state schools for the International Baccalaureate.
Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
All institutions will still be able offer the International Baccalaureate (IB) and receive normal funding per student supported by this government’s very significant investment into 16 to 19 education.
The base rate of funding per student has increased to £5,105 in the 2025/26 academic year, up over 5% on last year. However, to make this funding work hard, we have announced that from 2026/27 we will focus large programme uplift (LPU) funding, which is on top of the base funding, on those large programmes which include mathematics, further mathematics and other high value A levels. Other programmes, such as the IB, will no longer attract this uplift.
The department is giving transitional protection funding in the 2026/27 academic year so, for institutions that will lose a significant amount of LPU, the reduction will be spread over two years.
Asked by: Baroness Coussins (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask His Majesty's Government what was the rationale for the decision to withdraw funding from state schools for the International Baccalaureate.
Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
All institutions will still be able offer the International Baccalaureate (IB) and receive normal funding per student supported by this government’s very significant investment into 16 to 19 education.
The base rate of funding per student has increased to £5,105 in the 2025/26 academic year, up over 5% on last year. However, to make this funding work hard, we have announced that from 2026/27 we will focus large programme uplift (LPU) funding, which is on top of the base funding, on those large programmes which include mathematics, further mathematics and other high value A levels. Other programmes, such as the IB, will no longer attract this uplift.
The department is giving transitional protection funding in the 2026/27 academic year so, for institutions that will lose a significant amount of LPU, the reduction will be spread over two years.
Asked by: Baroness Coussins (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether their assessment of the Investor-State Dispute Settlement in the Colombia-UK Bilateral Investment Agreement has changed in the light of the legal challenge from investors in the Whitehaven Mine in Cumbria, and if so, how.
Answered by Lord Leong - Lord in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
The UK-Colombia Bilateral Investment Treaty (BIT) includes binding investment protection provisions which protect both UK and Colombian investors against unfair and discriminatory treatment, and expropriation without adequate compensation.
The Government maintains that it has acted consistently with domestic and international law obligations in the case of the legal challenge. In view of the ongoing proceedings, it would be inappropriate for the Government to comment further at this stage.
Asked by: Baroness Coussins (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to support mining companies headquartered or incorporated in the UK in complying with the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights, in the light of reports of human rights abuses resulting from the mining of key minerals.
Answered by Lord Collins of Highbury - Lord in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
The UK supports voluntary human rights due diligence by UK businesses across their operations and supply relationships, in line with the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) Guidelines on Multinational Enterprises. In mineral supply chains, the Government supports the OECD's Due Diligence Guidance for Responsible Mineral Supply Chains which promotes responsible operation in conflict-affected and high-risk areas. The UK is Chair of the multi-stakeholder Voluntary Principles Initiative on Security and Human Rights that guides companies on security operations while respecting human rights. Several UK headquartered and incorporated mining companies are members of the initiative.
The UK's new Critical Minerals Strategy will help secure the supply of critical minerals vital for the UK's economic growth and clean energy transition whilst promoting responsible and transparent supply chains.