Asked by: Lord Patten (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the recent reports of kidnappings of Christians, including a Baptist minister and Catholic priests, in Cameroon and Nigeria.
Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)
The UK strongly condemns the kidnappings affecting Christian communities in both Cameroon and Nigeria, including schools and churches. Everyone should be safe to exercise their fundamental human rights to education and freedom of worship. The UK is continuing to work with both countries to tackle kidnapping and address the root causes of violence.
Asked by: Lord Patten (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the case for creating a statutory requirement that all patients who consider assisted dying have timely access to palliative and hospice care through the NHS.
Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill is, first and foremost, a matter for Parliament. This is a Private Member’s Bill, and we cannot pre‑suppose the outcome of the legislative process.
Irrespective of whether the law changes on assisted dying, we must continue to work towards creating a society where every person who needs it receives high-quality, compassionate palliative care and end of life care.
The Government is developing a Palliative Care and End of Life Care Modern Service Framework for England. I refer the noble Lord to the Written Ministerial Statement HLWS1086, which I gave to the House on 24 November 2025.
Asked by: Lord Patten (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the risks to UK citizens travelling to Benue State in Nigeria.
Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)
I refer the Noble Lord to the answer provided in the House of Commons on 3 November to Question 85661, which - for ease of reference - is reproduced below:
Nigeria is witnessing rising conflict and insecurity, including violent extremism and intercommunal violence. Violence in Nigeria's North-East is driven by terrorist groups including Boko Haram, who target all those who do not subscribe to their extremist views. These attacks are distinct from the intercommunal violence across Nigeria's Middle Belt. The UK Government is committed to supporting Nigeria to address these challenges by working with Nigeria's security forces, and through peacebuilding efforts to tackle the root causes of violence. Through our UK-Nigeria Security and Defence Partnership, we are supporting Nigeria to tackle insecurity and promote human rights. This includes facilitating civil-military cooperation within North-East communities and utilising UK experience to strengthen the National Counter-Terrorism Centre (NCTC). Additionally, the UK's Strengthening Peace and Resilience programme ('SPRING') works to address the root causes of intercommunal violence across Nigeria's Middle Belt, through collaboration with local communities to support productive livelihoods for both farmers and pastoralists.
Asked by: Lord Patten (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the recent attacks by militant groups on Christians in Benue State in Nigeria.
Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)
I refer the Noble Lord to the answer provided in the House of Commons on 3 November to Question 85661, which - for ease of reference - is reproduced below:
Nigeria is witnessing rising conflict and insecurity, including violent extremism and intercommunal violence. Violence in Nigeria's North-East is driven by terrorist groups including Boko Haram, who target all those who do not subscribe to their extremist views. These attacks are distinct from the intercommunal violence across Nigeria's Middle Belt. The UK Government is committed to supporting Nigeria to address these challenges by working with Nigeria's security forces, and through peacebuilding efforts to tackle the root causes of violence. Through our UK-Nigeria Security and Defence Partnership, we are supporting Nigeria to tackle insecurity and promote human rights. This includes facilitating civil-military cooperation within North-East communities and utilising UK experience to strengthen the National Counter-Terrorism Centre (NCTC). Additionally, the UK's Strengthening Peace and Resilience programme ('SPRING') works to address the root causes of intercommunal violence across Nigeria's Middle Belt, through collaboration with local communities to support productive livelihoods for both farmers and pastoralists.
Asked by: Lord Patten (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether bikes with different forms of power assistance used by food delivery drivers on roads and pathways are required to carry front and rear lights.
Answered by Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill - Minister of State (Department for Transport)
The Road Vehicles Lighting Regulations 1989 specify that cycles, must be fitted with a red rear reflector and amber pedal reflectors. The Highway Code, which incorporates the requirements of these Regulations, clarifies in Rule 60 that cycles must have white front and red rear lights lit when being ridden at night. These requirements apply to all cycles, as well as e-cycles which comply with the Electrically Assisted Pedal Cycle Regulations 1983, and are thereby applicable to all cyclists, including delivery riders.
Asked by: Lord Patten (Conservative - 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 Taylor of Stevenage on 3 November (HL11277), whether the gardens of Leaden Hall fall within the description as part of a nationally significant setting to be protected as defined by the National Planning Policy Framework.
Answered by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
As set out in the definition of ‘the setting of a heritage asset’ in the National Planning Policy Framework, its extent is not fixed and may change as the asset and its surroundings evolve. It is therefore for the decision maker to decide what the setting of a particular heritage asset is when considering a relevant planning application.
Asked by: Lord Patten (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what is their assessment of the expenditure incurred by public inquiries in each of the last five years.
Answered by Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
Published costs for inquiries can be found on inquiry websites, as well as in the National Archives.
Public Inquiries shed light on injustices of the past, provide a means for victims and survivors to finally have their voices heard, and can help to rebuild trust in national institutions. The Government also recognises that there is growing criticism of the cost of inquiries, and is considering whether there are changes that could enable inquiries to deliver outcomes and enable lessons to be learnt more swiftly and at lower cost. This is a substantial piece of work, led by the Cabinet Office, that will aim to improve how we identify wrongs, and get to the truth more quickly. We will continue to keep Parliament updated on this important subject.
Asked by: Lord Patten (Conservative - 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 Taylor of Stevenage on 22 October (HL10990), whether "the settings of Heritage Assets" may include views from a distance, and whether the word "assets" by definition alone includes a setting.
Answered by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
The ‘setting of a heritage asset’ is defined in the glossary of the National Planning Policy Framework. National planning policy seeks to protect the significance of a heritage asset which is defined as deriving not only from a heritage asset’s physical presence, but also from its setting.
Asked by: Lord Patten (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the use of degree level apprenticeships within the civil service.
Answered by Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
This government remains committed to apprenticeships as one pathway to break down barriers to opportunity. It is for individual departments to identify the need and assess effectiveness of apprenticeships, including degree apprenticeships, within their workforce and development plans.
Asked by: Lord Patten (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask His Majesty's Government which English counties, if any, do not have native wild otters.
Answered by Baroness Hayman of Ullock - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Published evidence shows European otters are present in every county in England.