Asked by: Lord Rooker (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the remarks made by Lord Grimstone of Boscobel on 21 October (HL Deb, col 252), what steps have they taken to (1) detect, or (2) require others to detect, the prevalence of Xinjiang Cotton in garments (a) manufactured in, or (b) imported into, the UK.
Answered by Lord Grimstone of Boscobel
HM Government have serious concerns about the human rights situation in Xinjiang. We advise all businesses with Xinjiang supply chain links to conduct appropriate due diligence to satisfy themselves that their activities do not support any violations or abuses.
We have committed to introduce financial penalties for non-compliance with section 54 of the Modern Slavery Act, which asks large businesses to report on how they are tackling forced labour in their operations and supply chains. More widely we are committed to ongoing discussions on cotton and trade related matters at the WTO and continue to update Overseas Business Risk guidance.
Asked by: Lord Rooker (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask Her Majesty's Government, following the Written Statement by Lord Kamall on 11 October (HLWS298), what progress is being made in introducing mandatory fortification of flour with folic acid.
Answered by Lord Kamall
Officials from the Department of Health and Social Care, the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, the Food Standards Agency and Food Standards Scotland are working to implement folic acid fortification, as part of the review on the Bread and Flour Regulations 1998 and the Bread and Flour (Northern Ireland) Regulations 1998.
The UK Government and the devolved administrations have engaged industry on the decision to fortify non-wholemeal wheat flour with folic acid and are now developing draft legislation and an impact assessment for future consultation.
Asked by: Lord Rooker (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they have taken to purchase UK-made biodegradable PPE products as opposed to single use plastic products.
Answered by Lord Kamall
The Department has investigated biodegradable personal protective equipment (PPE) from United Kingdom and overseas suppliers. However, waste stream channels from health and social care settings do not facilitate the separation of these products, unless they have been used for non-healthcare functions, such as catering. Most biodegradable products are single use and contribute to the environmental impacts from excessive manufacture, transportation and storage. Therefore, biodegradable products are not the most effective solution for single use health care infected PPE. The Department is exploring reusable products for Type IIR masks, eye protection and transparent masks.
Asked by: Lord Rooker (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to their response to the Forty-Second report of the Public Accounts Committee 2019–21 on 28 April, what steps they will take to incentivise the NHS Supply Chain to buy PPE which is made in the UK.
Answered by Lord Kamall
NHS Supply Chain is working with 30 United Kingdom manufacturers to build resilience within the manufacture of personal protective equipment. This also includes addressing innovation, sustainability and fit testing of masks for the National Health Service and social care.
Asked by: Lord Rooker (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to update Table A in their COVID-19 guidance 'Personal protective equipment (PPE) made in the UK as at 1 December 2020', published on 9 March, to set out the UK-made items of PPE compared to expected demand.
Answered by Lord Kamall
Personal protective equipment (PPE) made in the UK as at 1 December 2020 reported on the delivery of a specific commitment to ensure that UK Make supply would be sufficient to meet 70% of demand for the coming winter, for all items except gloves, by 1 December 2020. The table referred to reports on that commitment and confirms that it was met therefore there are no plans to update or modify it. In practice, we found that UK Make supply met 82% of the demand for that period.
Asked by: Lord Rooker (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what is the current UK financial contribution to INTERPOL, in relation to (1) membership subscriptions, and (2) other gifts, grants and subsidies.
Answered by Baroness Williams of Trafford - Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms (HM Household) (Chief Whip, House of Lords)
The Home Office does not hold information on the number UK citizens permanently employed by INTERPOL. Currently seven UK officials are seconded to INTERPOL, four of which are law enforcement officers.
In the UK, the National Crime Agency (NCA) acts as the National Central Bureau for INTERPOL.
INTERPOL receives statutory contributions from member countries. In 2021, the UK’s financial contribution to INTERPOL was € 2,875,173 Euros
(approximately £2,461,205.59 GBP). Additional contributions to specific projects are agreed between UK Government Departments and INTERPOL on an ad hoc basis. Information on INTERPOL’s funding is published by the INTERPOL General Secretariat (IPSG) and can be accessed on the Interpol.int website.
Asked by: Lord Rooker (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government which body they have appointed to be the National Central Bureau of the UK, as required by Article 32 of the INTERPOL constitution.
Answered by Baroness Williams of Trafford - Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms (HM Household) (Chief Whip, House of Lords)
The Home Office does not hold information on the number UK citizens permanently employed by INTERPOL. Currently seven UK officials are seconded to INTERPOL, four of which are law enforcement officers.
In the UK, the National Crime Agency (NCA) acts as the National Central Bureau for INTERPOL.
INTERPOL receives statutory contributions from member countries. In 2021, the UK’s financial contribution to INTERPOL was € 2,875,173 Euros
(approximately £2,461,205.59 GBP). Additional contributions to specific projects are agreed between UK Government Departments and INTERPOL on an ad hoc basis. Information on INTERPOL’s funding is published by the INTERPOL General Secretariat (IPSG) and can be accessed on the Interpol.int website.
Asked by: Lord Rooker (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government how many UK citizens are employed by the General Secretariat of INTERPOL; and how many of these are serving police officers.
Answered by Baroness Williams of Trafford - Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms (HM Household) (Chief Whip, House of Lords)
The Home Office does not hold information on the number UK citizens permanently employed by INTERPOL. Currently seven UK officials are seconded to INTERPOL, four of which are law enforcement officers.
In the UK, the National Crime Agency (NCA) acts as the National Central Bureau for INTERPOL.
INTERPOL receives statutory contributions from member countries. In 2021, the UK’s financial contribution to INTERPOL was € 2,875,173 Euros
(approximately £2,461,205.59 GBP). Additional contributions to specific projects are agreed between UK Government Departments and INTERPOL on an ad hoc basis. Information on INTERPOL’s funding is published by the INTERPOL General Secretariat (IPSG) and can be accessed on the Interpol.int website.
Asked by: Lord Rooker (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they make, if any, of a nation’s adherence to the rule of law in determining who to support in elections held by INTERPOL.
Answered by Baroness Williams of Trafford - Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms (HM Household) (Chief Whip, House of Lords)
The UK delegation to the General Assembly of INTERPOL, which will be held in Turkey from 23-25 November, will be led by Stephen Rodhouse, Director General of Operations in the National Crime Agency (NCA).
Proportionate due diligence is undertaken into individuals seeking election to the role of INTERPOL President. The decision on who to support will be based on a thorough assessment of the merits of each candidate.
Asked by: Lord Rooker (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government which candidate, if any, they intend to support at the election for the new President of the General Assembly of INTERPOL on 21 November.
Answered by Baroness Williams of Trafford - Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms (HM Household) (Chief Whip, House of Lords)
The UK delegation to the General Assembly of INTERPOL, which will be held in Turkey from 23-25 November, will be led by Stephen Rodhouse, Director General of Operations in the National Crime Agency (NCA).
Proportionate due diligence is undertaken into individuals seeking election to the role of INTERPOL President. The decision on who to support will be based on a thorough assessment of the merits of each candidate.