Asked by: Baroness Deech (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the performance of Network Rail in replacing the Oxford railway bridge which has involved closing the main road (A420) into the city centre for the past 16 months and postponing the reopening indefinitely.
Answered by Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill - Minister of State (Department for Transport)
Network Rail has not undertaken an assessment of the impacts and social costs resulting from the continuing closure of the A420 (Botley Road) to deliver the Oxford station improvements. Network Rail is working to produce a plan to complete the works and re-open the road. When this has been finalised I propose to meet with stakeholders to discuss it. I wrote to you on 2 September and explained that Network Rail and Great Western Railway are executing a plan to mitigate the impacts of the road closure on those accessing the station and city centre, including persons with restricted mobility. I expect Network Rail to continue to promote Oxford as being open for business throughout this critical and challenging phase.
Asked by: Baroness Deech (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the economic and social cost to Oxford of the closure of the A420 into the city; and what steps they plan to take, if any, to ensure that Network Rail is held accountable for the impact of the long-term closure of the road.
Answered by Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill - Minister of State (Department for Transport)
Network Rail has not undertaken an assessment of the impacts and social costs resulting from the continuing closure of the A420 (Botley Road) to deliver the Oxford station improvements. Network Rail is working to produce a plan to complete the works and re-open the road. When this has been finalised I propose to meet with stakeholders to discuss it. I wrote to you on 2 September and explained that Network Rail and Great Western Railway are executing a plan to mitigate the impacts of the road closure on those accessing the station and city centre, including persons with restricted mobility. I expect Network Rail to continue to promote Oxford as being open for business throughout this critical and challenging phase.
Asked by: Baroness Deech (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask His Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with Network Rail concerning the impact on (1) local businesses, (2) older people, (3) disabled people, and (4) pregnant people, of the extended closure of Botley Road as part of the redevelopment of Oxford's rail station; and whether they intend to make resources available to Network Rail to mitigate that impact.
Answered by Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill - Minister of State (Department for Transport)
I wrote to you on 2 September and explained that Network Rail and Great Western Railway are executing a plan to mitigate the impacts of the closure of Botley Road on station users, the wider public and businesses during the current closure of Botley Road. Work is under way to provide additional support for persons with reduced mobility as well as improvements to wayfinding, lighting and access to the station. Network Rail is working to produce a plan to complete the works and re-open the road. When this has been finalised I propose to meet with stakeholders to discuss it.
Asked by: Baroness Deech (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the level of support among Arab residents of Jerusalem for Israeli control of the city; and to what extent this is a consideration for their policy towards Israel and Palestine.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
We have not made a specific assessment of this.
We support a two-state solution that guarantees security and stability for both the Israeli and Palestinian people. A political horizon which provides a credible and irreversible pathway towards a two-state solution is one of the vital elements for a lasting peace, with Jerusalem as shared capital of both Israel and Palestine.
Asked by: Baroness Deech (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Scott of Bybrook on 20 March (HL3102), what has been the nature of the consultation with representatives of subsequent genocides which will be included in the UK Holocaust Memorial Learning Centre; and what was the outcome of those consultations.
Answered by Baroness Scott of Bybrook - Opposition Whip (Lords)
The Prime Minister’s Holocaust Commission issued a Call for Evidence which received almost 2,500 responses. The Commission’s conclusions, together with a list of organisations providing formal responses, was published in the Commission’s report Britain’s Promise to Remember (2015).
Comments were invited on the 10 shortlisted designs for the Holocaust Memorial and Learning Centre, details of which were published online and exhibited at sites in London, Edinburgh and Cardiff in 2017. Two public exhibitions of the chosen design were held in 2018.
Full consultation on the planning application opened in January 2019. Around 4,500 comments were submitted online, ahead of the planning inquiry at which 69 people made oral representations. The independent Planning Inspector provided a summary of written representations and a detailed appendix of oral representations in his report recommending that planning consent should be awarded.
The scope and content of the Learning Centre exhibition will be developed by the UK Holocaust Memorial Foundation, drawing on a wide range of external advice and expertise. That process has not concluded and the noble Baroness is welcome to make any suggestions or views known to the foundation directly.
Asked by: Baroness Deech (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Scott of Bybrook on 20 March (HL3105), on what dates and in which locations or websites the consultations on a UK Holocaust Memorial and Learning Centre took place; and whether there is a record of the responses.
Answered by Baroness Scott of Bybrook - Opposition Whip (Lords)
The Prime Minister’s Holocaust Commission issued a Call for Evidence which received almost 2,500 responses. The Commission’s conclusions, together with a list of organisations providing formal responses, was published in the Commission’s report Britain’s Promise to Remember (2015).
Comments were invited on the 10 shortlisted designs for the Holocaust Memorial and Learning Centre, details of which were published online and exhibited at sites in London, Edinburgh and Cardiff in 2017. Two public exhibitions of the chosen design were held in 2018.
Full consultation on the planning application opened in January 2019. Around 4,500 comments were submitted online, ahead of the planning inquiry at which 69 people made oral representations. The independent Planning Inspector provided a summary of written representations and a detailed appendix of oral representations in his report recommending that planning consent should be awarded.
The scope and content of the Learning Centre exhibition will be developed by the UK Holocaust Memorial Foundation, drawing on a wide range of external advice and expertise. That process has not concluded and the noble Baroness is welcome to make any suggestions or views known to the foundation directly.
Asked by: Baroness Deech (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Scott of Bybrook on 21 March (HL3106), where the National Muslim War Memorial will be situated; and, if not in Westminster, for what reason.
Answered by Baroness Scott of Bybrook - Opposition Whip (Lords)
Further information regarding the process for establishing a new Muslim War Memorial will be announced in due course.
Asked by: Baroness Deech (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask His Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with (1) Network Rail and (2) Oxfordshire County Council to ensure appropriate access from West Oxford to Oxford Station for disabled and elderly passengers, including travel by bus.
Answered by Lord Davies of Gower - Shadow Secretary of State for Wales
I am advised that Network Rail continue to work closely with Oxford County Council and consult with local accessibility groups in planning the works at Oxford station. Disabled parking is available near the station, marshals are on hand to assist passengers and extra buses are providing accessible transport from Botley Road to the city centre during the period of the road closure.
Asked by: Baroness Deech (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask His Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with Network Rail concerning access by disabled people to Oxford station during the period of construction works there.
Answered by Lord Davies of Gower - Shadow Secretary of State for Wales
I understand that Network Rail has consulted with local accessibility groups in planning its current construction works at Oxford station. During construction, access within the station will be unaffected by the works and considerably improved with the delivery of the new western entrance.
Asked by: Baroness Deech (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they have any role in selecting and overseeing those local partner organisations of the Norwegian Refugee Council that receive money donated by the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office; and, if so, what procedures are used.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
The Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) is a leading international NGO and a trusted aid partner to the FCDO providing life-saving support to vulnerable populations around the world. The FCDO has a longstanding relationship with NRC, which is headquartered and registered in Oslo. NRC has a UK presence and was registered as a UK charity in December 2023.
FCDO funds go directly to NRC, which in turn may provide funds to its local partner organisations. The exact selection process and any HMG involvement will vary according to the programme and context. The FCDO carries out due diligence assessments of partners it funds directly, including the NRC. The FCDO's Programme Operating Framework and associated guidance enables staff to ensure that FCDO partners in receipt of aid funds are operating in compliance with sanctions and counter-terrorism legislation. The FCDO due diligence process should consider whether partners have procedures in place to manage the risk of aid diversion in their delivery chains, such as the risk of support to sanctioned entities or proscribed terrorist groups.
We are not aware of any funds provided by the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office to the Norwegian Refugee Council being transferred to local partner organisations that have been designated as terrorist organisations by the government of Israel.