Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask His Majesty's Government how they are liaising with Westminster City Council to assist the homeless people found in the Westminster underground station and vicinity.

Answered by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

The government engages closely with councils across England to support them to help people experiencing and at risk of homelessness and rough sleeping in their areas including Westminster City Council. This year we have provided more than £1 billion for homelessness and rough sleeping services across England, including more than £26 million to Westminster City Council. My department’s team of homelessness and rough sleeping advisers meet with councils, including Westminster City Council, regularly to discuss challenges and share best practice.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask His Majesty's Government what plans, if any, they have to add to the number of marine parks around Wales; and to what timeline such plans are operating.

Answered by Baroness Hayman of Ullock - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

This is a devolved matter and the responsibility of the Welsh Government.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what support they are offering to assist in the rebuilding of medical facilities in Gaza.

Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)

The UK is providing £81 million for humanitarian and early recovery support for Palestine this financial year, we are helping to explore the mobilisation of private-sector finance to support Palestinian-led reconstruction of Gaza, and we have deployed UK civilian and military experts to support the Civil-Military Coordination Centre that aims to support those reconstruction efforts.

Our funding includes £4 million for the United Nations Mine Action Service in Gaza. This will help surge in experts to clear rubble and 7,500 tonnes of unexploded munitions, protect Palestinians and aid workers, and enable the safe delivery of the aid Gaza so desperately needs.

We will continue to prioritise the humanitarian and healthcare needs of the Palestinian people as part of our wider support for the US-led plan for Gaza's post-conflict stability.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask His Majesty's Government what progress they have made with the storage of nuclear waste in Anglesey.

Answered by Lord Vallance of Balham - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

Wylfa A a former Magnox nuclear power plant located on Anglesey, currently being decommissioned by Nuclear Restoration Services under the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA), continues to safely and securely store Intermediate Level Waste in line with site license conditions set by the Office for Nuclear Regulations.  Any Low-Level Waste that arises from operations is safely transferred off site for further management, including disposal at the NDAs Low Level Waste Repository.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Chapman of Darlington on 26 January (HL13493), and in the light of the statement by Caroline Quinn, UK deputy political coordinator, at the United Nations Security Council meeting on 8 January, what specific technical assistance they provided to the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons' Syria missions in 2025.

Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)

I have no further information to provide the Noble Lord at this time beyond that cited in his question.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Livermore on 12 February (HL14156), what assessment framework is used to assess the effectiveness of due diligence checks on politically exposed persons undertaken by financial institutions in the United Kingdom.

Answered by Lord Livermore - Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)

The FCA is responsible for overseeing compliance by financial institutions with due diligence checks on politically exposed persons. The overall effectiveness of the UK’s anti-money laundering regime is assessed on a regular basis by the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), the global body for standard setting on anti-money laundering and counter terrorist financing (AML/CFT). The methodology used by the FATF for assessments, including of the effectiveness of due diligence checks undertaken by financial institutions, is available online. [1] The next FATF assessment of the UK will take place by 2028.

[1] https://www.fatf-gafi.org/content/dam/fatf-gafi/methodology/FATF-Assessment-Methodology-2022.pdf

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the number of (1) schools, and (2) hospitals, in Iran that have been hit or destroyed since 28 February.

Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)

No such assessment or estimate is available at this time.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they have taken since 28 February to ensure that access to Gaza is maintained for humanitarian aid.

Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)

I refer the Noble Lord to the answer provided on 11 March in response to PQ 118368 which, for ease of reference, has been reproduced below:

Despite some progress on humanitarian supplies entering Gaza since the ceasefire, aid flows remain insufficient and the majority of the population - including tens of thousands of children - are still experiencing high levels of acute food insecurity, with severe implications for their vulnerability and long-term health.

The temporary closure of all crossings into Gaza following the start of hostilities in the wider region has exacerbated these concerns. We welcome the reopening of the Kerem Shalom crossing, but we continue to urge the Israeli authorities to lift all restrictions on humanitarian relief agencies, and enable the resumption of aid at scale and through all crossings, so that supplies of aid can reach all those who desperately need them.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what humanitarian assistance they have provided to Sudan since 1 January.

Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)

In her speech to the UN Security Council on 19 February, the Foreign Secretary set out the UK's humanitarian response in Sudan for this financial year (2025/26), as well as a new multi-year £20 million programme to address the horrific sexual abuse of women and girls in Sudan, which will begin next financial year (2026/27). I will place a copy of her speech in the House of Lords library.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask His Majesty's Government what requirements are in place for private companies to inform their customers that facial recognition software is being used on the premises.

Answered by Baroness Lloyd of Effra - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

The use of facial recognition technologies is already governed by existing legal frameworks including equalities and data protection laws, which provide significant and proportionate protections. Under UK GDPR, there is a high bar for using such technology, as the processing of biometric data for identification purposes falls into the existing definition of special category data processing.

Under the UK’s data protection framework, organisations must process personal data fairly, lawfully, and transparently, which means being clear with people about how and why their personal data is being processed. Any personal data should also be kept secure and not processed for longer than is necessary. Organisations must also carry out an impact assessment when processing activities involving new technologies are likely to result in a high risk to individuals’ rights and freedoms.

The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO), the independent data protection regulator, has issued guidance on the use of facial recognition systems and continues to monitor developments in this area.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to develop a legislative framework for the use of facial recognition software by private companies.

Answered by Baroness Lloyd of Effra - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

The use of facial recognition technologies is already governed by existing legal frameworks including equalities and data protection laws, which provide significant and proportionate protections. Under UK GDPR, there is a high bar for using such technology, as the processing of biometric data for identification purposes falls into the existing definition of special category data processing.

Under the UK’s data protection framework, organisations must process personal data fairly, lawfully, and transparently, which means being clear with people about how and why their personal data is being processed. Any personal data should also be kept secure and not processed for longer than is necessary. Organisations must also carry out an impact assessment when processing activities involving new technologies are likely to result in a high risk to individuals’ rights and freedoms.

The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO), the independent data protection regulator, has issued guidance on the use of facial recognition systems and continues to monitor developments in this area.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask His Majesty's Government what privacy protections are in place around the use of facial recognition software by private companies.

Answered by Baroness Lloyd of Effra - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

The use of facial recognition technologies is already governed by existing legal frameworks including equalities and data protection laws, which provide significant and proportionate protections. Under UK GDPR, there is a high bar for using such technology, as the processing of biometric data for identification purposes falls into the existing definition of special category data processing.

Under the UK’s data protection framework, organisations must process personal data fairly, lawfully, and transparently, which means being clear with people about how and why their personal data is being processed. Any personal data should also be kept secure and not processed for longer than is necessary. Organisations must also carry out an impact assessment when processing activities involving new technologies are likely to result in a high risk to individuals’ rights and freedoms.

The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO), the independent data protection regulator, has issued guidance on the use of facial recognition systems and continues to monitor developments in this area.