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 assessment they have made of the risks to UK national security and to resilience of the role and involvement of Mingyang Smart Energy Green Vault North Sea Wind Farm Project.
Answered by Lord Hunt of Kings Heath - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
I refer the noble Lord to the answer given on 12 February by my hon Friend the Minister for Climate (Kerry McCarthy) to the hon Member for Edinburgh West (Christine Jardine).
We cannot comment on individual investment cases, but investment into the energy sector is subject to the highest levels of national security scrutiny, and we will continue to work closely with industry to build secure supply chains and ensure the UK remains one of the most attractive investment destinations in the world.
Asked by: Lord Alton of Liverpool (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Prime Minister's speech on Holocaust Memorial Day, what criteria were used when listing acts of genocide; why the alleged genocides against Uyghurs and Armenians were not listed; and why the genocide in Darfur, which is not officially recognised by the UK, was included in the list.
Answered by Lord Collins of Highbury - Lord in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
The Government is fully committed to International Law. The UK's long-standing policy is that any determination as to whether genocide has occurred is a matter for a competent national or international court, rather than for governments or non-judicial bodies. The Prime Minister was highlighting the appalling acts reported and the mounting evidence of abhorrent atrocities against civilians in the conflict in Darfur. The widespread violence and significant death toll are horrific. Those responsible must be held to account.
Asked by: Lord Alton of Liverpool (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government what percentage of all people in England between the ages of 18 and 24 were prescribed anti-depressants in each year since 2015.
Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The NHS Business Services Authority publishes statistics for anti-depressants prescribed in England that are then dispensed in the community in England, Scotland, Wales, the Isle of Man, or the Channel Islands. The Office for National Statistics publishes estimates of population. Data for 18 to 24 year-olds specifically is not published, but data for 15 to 24 year-olds is available. The following table shows the total number of male and female patients aged 15 to 24 years-old prescribed antidepressants, British National Formulary section 0403, and that number as a percentage of the estimated mid-year population, in the first financial quarter of each year from 2015 to 2023:
Mid-year population year | Financial quarter | Identified patients | Mid-year population estimate | Percentage |
2015 | 2015/16 Q1 | 240,392 | 6,838,939 | 3.5% |
2016 | 2016/17 Q1 | 277,747 | 6,789,198 | 4.1% |
2017 | 2017/18 Q1 | 288,848 | 6,705,571 | 4.3% |
2018 | 2018/19 Q1 | 306,444 | 6,667,086 | 4.6% |
2019 | 2019/20 Q1 | 332,886 | 6,649,338 | 5.0% |
2020 | 2020/21 Q1 | 332,336 | 6,607,988 | 5.0% |
2021 | 2021/22 Q1 | 383,737 | 6,638,826 | 5.8% |
2022 | 2022/23 Q1 | 382,009 | 6,746,650 | 5.7% |
2023 | 2023/24 Q1 | 369,270 | 6,861,435 | 5.4% |
Asked by: Lord Alton of Liverpool (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government how many anti-depressant prescriptions have been prescribed to patients (1) under the age of 18, and (2) under the age of 25, in each year since 2015.
Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The NHS Business Services Authority publishes statistics for anti-depressants prescribed in England that are then dispensed in the community in England, Scotland, Wales, the Isle of Man, or the Channel Islands. The following table shows the total number of items for antidepressants, British National Formulary section 0403, dispensed to patients aged under 18 years old and patients aged under 25 years old, which includes the items for under 18 year-olds, for the financial years 2015/16 to 2023/24, and a year-to-date figure for 2024/25:
Financial year | Aged under 18 years old | Aged under 25 years old |
2015/16 | 312,113 | 2,477,798 |
2016/17 | 332,706 | 2,759,953 |
2017/18 | 346,126 | 2,910,607 |
2018/19 | 367,850 | 3,202,784 |
2019/20 | 393,762 | 3,525,602 |
2020/21 | 406,391 | 3,890,347 |
2021/22 | 437,365 | 4,170,154 |
2022/23 | 448,515 | 4,119,463 |
2023/24 | 435,992 | 4,033,211 |
April to September 2024 | 176,082 | 1,911,788 |
Total | 3,656,902 | 33,001,707 |
Asked by: Lord Alton of Liverpool (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government how much of the UK development budget is set aside in (1) the current, and (2) the forthcoming, financial year for the elimination of female genital mutilation; to which agencies the money is to be given; and the countries in which they are working.
Answered by Lord Collins of Highbury - Lord in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
Progress has been made towards the elimination of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM), and a girl is a third less likely to undergo FGM today compared to 30 years ago. Since 2013, UK programmes have helped over 10,000 communities, representing over 27 million people, pledge to abandon FGM.
However, population growth in high prevalence countries means that despite this progress, the number of girls at risk is growing. There are 230 million women and girls alive today who have undergone Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) and 4.2 million girls are at risk of undergoing FGM every year. We must work 27 times faster to eliminate FGM by 2030.
Our main investments to end FGM are as follows: The UK is investing up to £35.5 million in the Africa-Led Movement to End FGM programme which operates in Kenya, Senegal, Somalia, and Ethiopia. We contribute towards the UNICEF/UNFPA Joint Programme for the Elimination of FGM which operates in 18 countries. The UK is also investing up to £20 million towards the Sudan Free of FGM: Phase II programme.
Overall, in 2024-25, the UK spent at least £13.1 million on ending FGM. The UK's spend on FGM in 2025-26 is yet to be finalised.
Asked by: Lord Alton of Liverpool (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what estimate they have made of the number of girls globally who (1) are at risk of, and (2) have been subjected to, female genital mutilation.
Answered by Lord Collins of Highbury - Lord in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
Progress has been made towards the elimination of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM), and a girl is a third less likely to undergo FGM today compared to 30 years ago. Since 2013, UK programmes have helped over 10,000 communities, representing over 27 million people, pledge to abandon FGM.
However, population growth in high prevalence countries means that despite this progress, the number of girls at risk is growing. There are 230 million women and girls alive today who have undergone Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) and 4.2 million girls are at risk of undergoing FGM every year. We must work 27 times faster to eliminate FGM by 2030.
Our main investments to end FGM are as follows: The UK is investing up to £35.5 million in the Africa-Led Movement to End FGM programme which operates in Kenya, Senegal, Somalia, and Ethiopia. We contribute towards the UNICEF/UNFPA Joint Programme for the Elimination of FGM which operates in 18 countries. The UK is also investing up to £20 million towards the Sudan Free of FGM: Phase II programme.
Overall, in 2024-25, the UK spent at least £13.1 million on ending FGM. The UK's spend on FGM in 2025-26 is yet to be finalised.
Asked by: Lord Alton of Liverpool (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what progress is being made toward the 2030 target to eliminate female genital mutilation.
Answered by Lord Collins of Highbury - Lord in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
Progress has been made towards the elimination of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM), and a girl is a third less likely to undergo FGM today compared to 30 years ago. Since 2013, UK programmes have helped over 10,000 communities, representing over 27 million people, pledge to abandon FGM.
However, population growth in high prevalence countries means that despite this progress, the number of girls at risk is growing. There are 230 million women and girls alive today who have undergone Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) and 4.2 million girls are at risk of undergoing FGM every year. We must work 27 times faster to eliminate FGM by 2030.
Our main investments to end FGM are as follows: The UK is investing up to £35.5 million in the Africa-Led Movement to End FGM programme which operates in Kenya, Senegal, Somalia, and Ethiopia. We contribute towards the UNICEF/UNFPA Joint Programme for the Elimination of FGM which operates in 18 countries. The UK is also investing up to £20 million towards the Sudan Free of FGM: Phase II programme.
Overall, in 2024-25, the UK spent at least £13.1 million on ending FGM. The UK's spend on FGM in 2025-26 is yet to be finalised.
Asked by: Lord Alton of Liverpool (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government when they last held discussions with the Nigerian authorities on the need to address the impunity surrounding blasphemy-related violence, including by ensuring justice in the cases of Deborah Emmanuel, Usman Buda and other victims.
Answered by Lord Collins of Highbury - Lord in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
Dialogue on human rights, including Freedom of Religion or Belief (FoRB), is a vital part of the UK's partnership with Nigeria. The UK Government was an active participant in Nigeria's Universal Periodic Review at the UN Human Rights Council in January 2024 and recommended that the Nigerian Government ensures that the human rights of those accused of blasphemy are protected and that those responsible for blasphemy related mob-killings are held accountable. The UK Government proactively raises cases where blasphemy legislation has been used to restrict human rights with the Nigerian authorities. More broadly, the UK Government funds the provision of legal and judicial expertise to make legislative changes to protect FoRB, including addressing blasphemy laws. The right of individuals to express their beliefs or non-belief is essential to a free and open society.
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, as part of their Security and Defence Partnership with Nigeria, to assist in protecting farming communities in central Nigeria from ongoing violent attacks by armed non-state actors.
Answered by Lord Collins of Highbury - Lord in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
The UK Government is committed to supporting Nigeria to address security challenges, including intercommunal violence, through the UK-Nigeria Security and Defence Partnership (SDP). The UK-Nigeria SDP works with Nigeria's security forces to tackle violence against civilian communities. Additionally, our Strengthening Peace and Resilience programme ('SPRiNG') is working to reduce rural violence in northwest and north-central Nigeria, including by supporting collaboration and productive livelihoods for both farmers and pastoralists, and strengthening conflict early warning, management and response.
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 threat posed by emerging jihadist groups in Nigeria following the resurgence of the Lakurawa terrorist faction.
Answered by Lord Collins of Highbury - Lord in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
Nigeria is witnessing rising conflict and insecurity, including violent extremism. This Government continues to monitor events in northern Nigeria closely and believes there remains a severe threat posed by terrorist groups including Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa who target all those who do not subscribe to their extremist views.