Asked by: Lord Alton of Liverpool (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask His Majesty's Government, in relation to recent spending by Great British Energy on solar panels for use by schools and hospitals, what assessment they have made of the merits of (1) sourcing solar panels from manufacturers outside China, and (2) spending money from this scheme on creating solar panel manufacturing capacity in the United Kingdom.
Answered by Lord Wilson of Sedgefield - Lord in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
For solar projects, the Department for Education (DfE), the Department for Health & Social Care (DHSC) and their partners are procuring the solar panels in line with strict procurement controls. While these panels could come from anywhere in the world, we know that around 95% of global polysilicon, ingot and wafer production, required for the manufacture of solar panels, happens in China [1].
Whilst China has a long-established strong position in conventional solar, there are emerging opportunities in solar supply chains which the UK can capture by leaning into our strengths as a scientific and innovation superpower. Alongside Great British Energy delivering over £200m investment for local and community energy, we have several other pioneering companies developing the next generation of cutting-edge solar technologies, including perovskite and thin film. In the Solar Roadmap, we have committed to consider the case to further support companies looking to scale up the production of these parts – so that UK companies don’t just generate innovative ideas but build them as well.
[1]Based on previous estimates from the International Energy Agency (IEA): https://www.iea.org/reports/solar-pv-global-supply-chains/
Asked by: Lord Alton of Liverpool (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they have taken to ensure that Chinese-made solar panels purchased by Great British Energy for use in UK schools and hospitals have not been manufactured by slave labour; whether these purchases conform with section 3(2)(e) of Great British Energy Act 2025; and who is responsible for assessing this.
Answered by Lord Wilson of Sedgefield - Lord in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
There are strict procurement controls in place for schools and hospitals to ensure as far as possible any solar panels are free from forced labour.
This includes the Procurement Act which will enable contracting authorities to reject bids and terminate contracts with suppliers which have previously committed an offence under the Modern Slavery Act 2015, or where there is sufficient evidence to suggest that the supplier has engaged in this conduct.
We take this issue extremely seriously and will also be placing reporting commitments around the procurement process on panels as part of the funding agreements.
Through Great British Energy we will help build the supply chains needed to support a new era of clean homegrown power, bringing jobs and investment.
Asked by: Lord Alton of Liverpool (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to assess and prevent transnational repression of Hong Kong British National (Overseas) visa holders and their families in the United Kingdom, particularly through the misuse of financial, tax, immigration or identity data by foreign governments.
Answered by Lord Hanson of Flint - Minister of State (Home Office)
The National Security Act 2023 has provided a comprehensive suite of powers to counter the threat of Transnational repression (TNR). The Government, working alongside operational partners, have mature mechanisms in place to prevent, assess and respond to potential threats in the UK. We will continue to take action as necessary to tackle those threats.
The safety and security of Hong Kongers in the UK is of the upmost importance, and the UK will always stand up for the rights of the people of Hong Kong. Any foreign state-directed crime against an individual in the UK will not be tolerated. TNR can take on many forms, but acts of TNR tend to be targeted and specific against individuals who a foreign state perceives as a threat or otherwise seeks to control. This often includes vocal critics, dissidents, or activists or those connected to that foreign state.
Asked by: Lord Alton of Liverpool (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government, following the Arab Parliament’s defence of Algeria’s religious freedom record, what assessment they have made of restrictions on religious freedom faced by Christian communities in Algeria.
Answered by Lord Collins of Highbury - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK champions Freedom of Religion or Belief (FoRB) for all. It is our firm opinion that no one should live in fear because of what they do or do not believe. Our Embassy in Algiers raises FoRB with the Algerian authorities, doing so most recently when our Ambassador met the Minister of Religious Affairs on 10 February. Our Embassy remains in regular contact with minority religious groups on how best to support FoRB. We will continue to raise the issue and advocate for freedom of expression, including for Christian communities in Algeria.
Asked by: Lord Alton of Liverpool (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the situation of children in Syria, including those held in camps and detention and rehabilitation facilities in north-east Syria; and what assistance they are providing for child-focused humanitarian initiatives in that country.
Answered by Lord Collins of Highbury - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
There are over seven million children in need of humanitarian assistance in Syria and more than two million out of school. Through INGOs and UN organisations, the UK aims to help children across the country, including in North-East Syria, through multi-sectoral support including water, hygiene and sanitation (WASH), education, health, nutrition and child protection services.
Asked by: Lord Alton of Liverpool (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they are taking steps, alone or in partnership with other countries, to initiate proceedings against Ethiopia before the International Court of Justice for violations of the Genocide Convention.
Answered by Lord Collins of Highbury - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Our approach to genocide determination does not, and has not, prevented us from taking action to call out and seek to address atrocities, or work to build resilience in places where there are risks of instability and violence. Where we see immediate risks of atrocities, we raise our concerns bilaterally with the countries involved and multilaterally through international organisations.
On 15 November 2023, the UK jointly with Canada, Denmark, France, Germany and the Netherlands filed a declaration of intervention at the International Court of Justice in order to set out our interpretation of the relevant provisions of the Genocide Convention before the Court. This, and Written Observations submitted to the Court in March 2025, are intended to assist the court in its independent deliberations.
The UK has not initiated proceedings against the Government of Ethiopia. It is the long-standing policy of the UK Government that any formal determination as to whether genocide has occurred should be made following a judgment by a competent national or international court. This policy is consistent with our obligations under the Genocide Convention, providing a clear, impartial and independent measure for the determination of whether genocide has occurred.
Asked by: Lord Alton of Liverpool (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what representations they have made with the government of Lebanon regarding protections for Christian churches in Lebanon.
Answered by Lord Collins of Highbury - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Continued escalation across the Israel-Lebanon Blue Line, and its impact upon communities on both sides of the border is deeply concerning. The Government of Lebanon has cited its commitment to freedom of religion. We encourage Lebanon to meet its international obligations and uphold the values of equality and religious coexistence that are enshrined in its national laws. The UK Government remains steadfast in its commitment to promoting and protecting the right to freedom of religion or belief globally.
Asked by: Lord Alton of Liverpool (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to initiate a structural investigation into international crimes in Ethiopia.
Answered by Lord Collins of Highbury - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK co-sponsored the establishment of the Independent Commission on Human Rights in Ethiopia (ICHREE). The UK welcomed the 2023 ICHREE report and its recommendations. We repeatedly call, publicly and privately, for independent investigations into conflict related human rights violations and for perpetrators to be held to account. The UK is financing international monitors from Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (UNOHCR) and building the investigative capacity of the Ethiopian Human Rights Commission (EHRC) through our human rights and peacebuilding programme. We also support multiple dialogue initiatives across Ethiopia to find political solutions to conflict and help end conflict related human rights abuses. Where we see immediate risks of atrocities, we raise our concerns bilaterally with the countries involved and multilaterally through international organisations.
Asked by: Lord Alton of Liverpool (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the lessons learned from the Afghanistan data loss incident.
Answered by Lord Coaker - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
The Ministry of Defence (MOD) has commissioned several audits at various times since the data protection incident relating to the Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy to inform remediation plans. All recommendations from these audits have been accepted and are either complete or work-in-progress.
It is a key priority of this Government to reinforce data handling practices. Within the Defence Afghan Relocation and Resettlement (DARR) team we have introduced a new casework management system which prioritises data protection. We also recently completed a comprehensive review on legacy data held within this casework management system and historic email accounts to ensure information is held at the right security classification and within the right location, which also enhances the case-working capability. This includes the application of need-to-know principles, with shared sites locked down and proactively managed.
A new senior civil servant level Chief Information Officer was appointed within the DARR team in October 2024 with responsibility for a larger and more skilled data and information management team. They produced a data strategy in line with the Government Digital Services’ data maturity assessment and this is shaped by priorities as identified from the myriad internal and external audits.
We regularly emphasise the need to complete the relevant mandatory training across DARR and all current staff have completed it. Bespoke induction training includes security briefings and data protection training, and there are regular communications on protecting information and expected behaviours, including discussions at senior leadership level.
We are continuously investing in our cybersecurity infrastructure to ensure we remain resilient against evolving threats. Through targeted interventions, campaigns, and role-specific training, we are embedding a culture where every individual understands their role in safeguarding Defence. By reinforcing positive cyber habits and reducing human cyber risk, we are building a workforce that is confident, capable, and cyber secure.