Asked by: Lord Scriven (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure that UK Ambassadors to Bahrain do not (1) accept awards, or (2) take jobs or paid consultancy, from the Bahrain government when they step down from that role.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Bahrain Ministry of Foreign Affairs sent a Note Verbale about the award for the previous British Ambassador on 5 June 2023. The Ministry was informed on 22 June that permission could not be granted, as per paragraph 18 of the UK Rules on Acceptance of Foreign Awards, which states permission, unrestricted or restricted, will not be granted, in particular, to Heads or other members of HM Diplomatic or Consular establishments abroad, for example when leaving their posts - whether on transfer or on final retirement.
The Government of Bahrain did not seek permission in advance of presenting awards to the two previous British Ambassadors to Bahrain. Where an award is conferred without permission, a Head of Mission, will not be given permission to formally accept, or wear, the award but is allowed to retain it. There is no requirement to return the award. Head of Missions are reminded of the UK Rules on the Acceptance of Foreign Awards on a regular basis.
Crown servants, including all civil servants, are subject to the Business Appointment Rules (https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/business-appointment-rules) when accepting new appointments after Crown service. These form part of the Civil Service Management Code and apply to all civil servants intending to take up an external appointment or employment after leaving the Civil Service. For Senior Civil Servants such as the British Ambassador to Bahrain, these Rules apply for two years following their departure. Whilst in Civil Service employment, all staff must report any approach from an outside employer with an offer of an appointment or employment for which approval would be required under the Rules if they plan to follow up the offer.
Asked by: Lord Scriven (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what is the allocated budget under the Gulf Strategy Fund for (1) Saudi Arabia, (2) Bahrain, and (3) the United Arab Emirates, for 2023–2024.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The present country allocation from the Gulf Strategy Fund for Saudi Arabia is £2,345,000, Bahrain £1,475,000 and the United Arab Emirates £1,173,000.
Asked by: Lord Scriven (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to stop companies installing high speed broadband having the right to fell urban street trees, which is regarded as permitted development under the Town and Country Planning Act 1990.
Answered by Viscount Camrose - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The legal framework underpinning rights to install and maintain digital communications infrastructure on land is contained in the Electronic Communications Code (“the Code”), which was substantially reformed in 2017.
In addition to complying with any requirements imposed by planning law, telecommunications operators installing electronic communications apparatus must also act in accordance with the Code.
One of the Code rights that can be included in any agreement between Code operators and landowners regulated by the Code is the right to lop or cut back trees or other vegetation where that interferes with electronic communications apparatus. The inclusion of such a code right will depend on all of the circumstances of any particular case and the agreement can include specific terms as to how such a right is to be exercised.
In addition, Part 13 of the Code sets out the circumstances in which a telecommunications operator may be permitted to lop trees and cut back vegetation that overhangs a street in England, Wales or Northern Ireland, or a road in Scotland, without this being included within the terms of a code agreement. This includes a process through which notice must be given to the occupier of the land on which the tree or vegetation is growing. Absent an objection from the occupier, the operator may cause the tree to be lopped or the vegetation to be cut back, albeit this must be done in such a way as to cause the minimum damage to the tree or vegetation.
These provisions enable operators to effectively roll out networks, as interference caused by trees and vegetation can cause delays and damage to apparatus, while ensuring that any damage to the tree or vegetation is limited.
Separately to Code rights, the Forestry Commission produces guidelines on the felling of trees: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/tree-felling-getting-permission.
As access to digital services is becoming increasingly important to businesses and consumers throughout the UK, we are working to make sure that everyone has world-class connectivity. The legal framework in place under the Code not only provides operators with statutory rights to install and maintain their networks; but also imposes specific duties and obligations on them which must be adhered to.
We believe that communities benefit enormously from the deployment of high quality digital infrastructure, with all the economic and social benefits it brings. We want to make sure that deployment happens efficiently, but at the same time, in ways that make sure the impact on communities and the environment is taken into account and broad support is maintained for the rollout of this critical infrastructure.
Asked by: Lord Scriven (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the report by the Bahrain Institute for Rights and Democracy and Human Rights Watch on 6 December that 13 people have been unfairly imprisoned in Bahrain, and what are the implications for the funding under the Gulf Strategy Fund given to Bahraini bodies which are accused of committing torture and whitewashing human rights abuses.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The FCDO follows matters that relate to human rights in Bahrain closely, is aware of reporting about the court proceedings referenced and continues to encourage allegations of torture or mistreatment to be reported to the appropriate national oversight body. We have previously been assured in other cases (where individuals linked to one charge are tried together) that an individual's right to separate legal representation of their choice is guaranteed by law. We remain committed to supporting reforms in Bahrain, including through the Gulf Strategy Fund, itself subject to robust oversight measures and rigorous risk assessments to ensure projects are effective, consistent with our values and in line with our human rights obligations.
Asked by: Lord Scriven (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the compliance of the proposed £38,700 income requirement for applications to bring dependents to the UK with the Human Rights Act 1998.
Answered by Lord Sharpe of Epsom - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)
The family Immigration Rules contain a provision for exceptional circumstances, including a breach of Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights, where there would be unjustifiably harsh consequences for the applicant, their partner, a relevant child, or another family member if their application were to be refused.
Asked by: Lord Scriven (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government how many people are being accommodated on the Bibby Stockholm barge at present, and what is the cost per person to accommodate them.
Answered by Lord Sharpe of Epsom - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)
The capacity of the Bibby Stockholm is around 500 people. The number of asylum seekers onboard the vessel at any one time is likely to vary due to a number of factors.
Numbers will increase in a phased approach as part of a carefully structured plan. We are conscious of the need to manage arrivals in a way that local services can support.
Accommodation costs are considered to be commercially confidential. Therefore, the Home Office does not publish this information. However, total expenditure on asylum is published in the Home Office Annual Report and Accounts, available at: Home Office Annual Report and Accounts 2022-2023 (publishing.service.gov.uk).
Asked by: Lord Scriven (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what the daily cost per person will be if 504 asylum seekers are accommodated on the Bibby Stockholm barge.
Answered by Lord Sharpe of Epsom - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)
The capacity of the Bibby Stockholm is around 500 people. The number of asylum seekers onboard the vessel at any one time is likely to vary due to a number of factors.
Numbers will increase in a phased approach as part of a carefully structured plan. We are conscious of the need to manage arrivals in a way that local services can support.
Accommodation costs are considered to be commercially confidential. Therefore, the Home Office does not publish this information. However, total expenditure on asylum is published in the Home Office Annual Report and Accounts, available at: Home Office Annual Report and Accounts 2022-2023 (publishing.service.gov.uk).
Asked by: Lord Scriven (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask His Majesty's Government when they expect a direct train service between Sheffield and Manchester Airport to be reinstated.
Answered by Lord Davies of Gower - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
I recognise the aspiration of the people of Sheffield to have a direct service with Manchester Airport. The Manchester Task Force — a cross-industry body including Network Rail, Transport for Greater Manchester, Transport for the North and train operators - is continuing its work to address the capacity constraints through Manchester with a view to enabling improved connectivity to the airport for rail passengers and businesses from Sheffield and other towns and cities across the North.
Asked by: Lord Scriven (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government how many people who arrived in the UK claiming to be unaccompanied children seeking asylum, and who underwent a Merton compliant age assessment and were determined as a child, were then found to be an adult, for each year since 2016; and what percentage of the number of Merton compliant age assessment tests this constituted, broken down by year since 2016.
Answered by Lord Sharpe of Epsom - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)
The Home Office publishes data on asylum and resettlement in the ‘Immigration System Statistics Quarterly Release’ on gov.uk. Data on Unaccompanied Asylum Seeking Children and age disputes are published in tables Asy_D01 and Asy_D05 of the ‘Asylum and Resettlement detailed datasets’. Information on how to use the dataset can be found in the ‘Notes’ page of each of the workbooks. The latest data relates to Q3 2023. Information on future Home Office statistical release dates can be found in the ‘Research and statistics calendar’ on gov.uk.
Data on age disputes includes age disputes that may have been resolved by means other than following a Merton compliant age assessment such as: receipt of credible and clear documentary evidence of age; a judicial finding on age; following a determination by two Home Office officers that the person’s physical appearance and demeanour very strongly suggests they are significantly over the age of 18; or, where the reasons for raising an age dispute no longer apply.
Asked by: Lord Scriven (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government why the former Ambassador to Bahrain, Roderick Drummond, has not been instructed to hand back the award given to him by the government of Bahrain, given the terms of the UK Rules on Acceptance of Foreign Awards; and what assessment they have made of the potential consequences for the performance of UK ambassadors which may arise from allowing the retention of such honours by former ambassadors.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK Rules on Acceptance of Foreign Awards state that permission will not be given to requests to confer a foreign order, decoration or medal on Heads of HMG diplomatic missions. Where an award is conferred without permission, a Head of Mission, will not be given permission to formally accept, or wear, the award but is allowed to retain it. There is no requirement to return the award. Diplomatic Missions in London are reminded annually of the requirement to seek agreement to confer a foreign honour on a British national.