Asked by: Baroness Curran (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask His Majesty's Government, following their decision to impose sanctions on Georgian news channels Imedi TV and Post TV, whether they have advised London-listed Georgian banking institutions of the consequences of non-compliance with those sanctions.
Answered by Lord Livermore - Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation (OFSI), part of HM Treasury, is the UK’s competent authority for the implementation of UK financial sanctions.
It is the responsibility of all UK persons, including companies, to comply fully with UK financial sanctions. OFSI does not routinely advise institutions on an individual basis of the consequences of non-compliance with UK financial sanctions.
OFSI does undertake regular industry engagement and publishes comprehensive guidance to ensure financial sanctions are understood and complied with effectively across a range of sectors, including the banking and financial sectors. OFSI will take proportionate enforcement action where it identifies breaches of UK financial sanctions.
Asked by: Baroness Curran (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they plan to meet with the Georgian business community in London to discuss their obligations to comply with the sanction of Georgian media outlets Imedi TV and Post TV.
Answered by Lord Livermore - Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)
There is no current engagement scheduled to take place between the Georgian business community in London and HM Treasury in relation to UK financial sanctions.
It is the responsibility of all UK persons, including companies, to comply fully with UK financial sanctions. OFSI undertakes regular industry engagement and publishes comprehensive guidance to ensure financial sanctions are understood and complied with effectively across a range of sectors. OFSI will take proportionate enforcement action where it identifies breaches of UK financial sanctions.
Asked by: Baroness Curran (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they will take further action against Georgian officials who continue to cooperate with recently sanctioned Georgian broadcasters Imedi TV and Post TV.
Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)
The UK takes a strong stand against those promoting the destabilisation of Ukraine, including entities in Georgia that use Russia-aligned misinformation. It is our long-standing policy not to comment on the potential targets of future sanctions, as to do so could undermine their impact.
Asked by: Baroness Curran (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to uphold environmental, social and governance standards and prevent human rights and environmental abuses within the critical minerals industry.
Answered by Baroness Lloyd of Effra - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
The UK Government places a high priority on mining and mineral processing being carried out to the highest environmental, social and governance (ESG) standards. We put ESG at the heart of our international approach to critical minerals and are using our multilateral and bilateral agreements to promote high standards globally. The UK is also reviewing its approach to responsible business conduct policy, focusing on the global supply chains of businesses operating in the UK, including businesses who extract, import or use critical minerals.
Asked by: Baroness Curran (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask His Majesty's Government what consideration they give to protections against human rights and environmental abuses in trade treaty negotiations.
Answered by Lord Stockwood - Minister of State (HM Treasury)
The UK is a leading advocate for human rights around the world, continuing to champion universal human rights and global action to tackle labour, environment and climate issues. While trade deals are just one lever in our policy toolkit, the UK's FTAs include environment and labour provisions which protect, promote and enforce environmental and labour protections and standards, and workers' rights.
The Government is committed to working with partners to make trade more sustainable, and fair trade can play a critical role in driving support of the global transition to net zero and international labour rights.
Asked by: Baroness Curran (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure that young people have access to apprenticeships.
Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
I refer my noble Friend to the answer of 9 April 2025 to Question HL2609.
Asked by: Baroness Curran (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask His Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with (1) the government of Scotland, and (2) the government of Wales, to facilitate economic growth across the United Kingdom.
Answered by Lord Livermore - Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)
Economic growth is the central mission of this Government, as it is vital to raising prosperity and living standards across all parts of the UK.
The Government established the biannual Council of the Nations and Regions on 11 October 2024. This forum brings together ministers from the UK government and the devolved administrations, reaffirming a shared commitment to work collaboratively to unlock investment, support regional economies, and drive economic growth across the UK.
In addition to this forum, ministers and officials regularly engage with their counterparts in the Scottish and Welsh Governments to discuss the delivery of the growth mission.
Asked by: Baroness Curran (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of recent settler violence in the West Bank.
Answered by Lord Collins of Highbury - Lord in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
Settler violence is unacceptable, and settlements are illegal under international law. The Foreign Secretary has been clear with Israeli ministers that they must clamp down on settler violence and end settler expansion and has previously met with Palestinian communities in the West Bank to hear how they are affected. On 15 October, the Foreign Secretary announced sanctions targeting three illegal settler outposts and four organisations that have supported and sponsored violence against communities in the West Bank. These measures will help bring accountability to those who have supported and perpetrated such heinous abuses of human rights. As the Foreign Secretary said in Parliament on 1 April, we continue to keep these issues under review but the culture of impunity for those engaged in violence is intolerable.
Asked by: Baroness Curran (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government, following the announcement to reduce Official Development Assistance and ahead of the Third Global Disability Summit, what steps they are taking to protect disability inclusion in giving development aid both now and in the future.
Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)
The UK remains committed to investing internationally to build a safer world. As the Prime Minister has made clear we must increase our security and defence spending now. We remain committed to spending 0.7 per cent of Gross National Income on Official Development Assistance (ODA) when the fiscal circumstances allow.
At 16 per cent of the global population, people with disabilities are among the world's most vulnerable, including in times of crisis, climate and humanitarian emergencies. The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office is committed to mainstreaming a disability inclusion and rights approach across our work and we will also drive stronger international coordination to advance global disability inclusion progress. We will set out our spending plans following the completion of the Spending Review and departmental resource allocation processes. Equality impact assessments, which consider impacts on disability inclusion, are an essential part of how we make decisions, including on ODA allocations.
Asked by: Baroness Curran (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have, if any, to mark the International Day of Remembrance of the Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade on 25 March.
Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)
The slave trade was abhorrent. We recognise its horrific impacts, and the ongoing strength of feeling. The UK marked the International Day of Remembrance of the Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade on 25 March with other United Nations member states in the General Assembly in the usual manner.