The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 1990, as amended, places a number of prohibitions on the use of human embryos in assisted reproduction and research.

There is no visa route available to apply to enter the UK on grounds of religious persecution, so no UK visas have been issued on these grounds. It is not possible to provide information regarding the number of people who have claimed asylum on the grounds of religious persecution, as information on the basis of a claim for asylum is not readily accessible.

The information requested in the noble Lord's question could only be obtained through a manual search of individual case files, which would only be achievable at a disproportionate cost.

We value our relationship with Tajikistan and welcome the strengthening of ties between our two countries created by recent high level exchanges, including the visit last July by Tajik Foreign Minister, Sirojiddin Aslov.

Our priorities for Tajikistan remain promoting good governance and regional stability, and we continue to raise our concerns on human rights and the rule of law at every appropriate opportunity.

Foreign and Commonwealth Office Travel Advice is comprehensive and is regularly updated. This advice includes:

“There is a high threat from terrorism, kidnap and sectarian violence throughout Pakistan. In the aftermath of an attack on a school in Peshawar in December 2014, there is a heightened threat of terrorist attacks, and kidnapping against western nationals in Pakistan. You should be particularly vigilant at this time and take appropriate security precautions. Security forces in Pakistan remain on high alert following recent attacks.....Be vigilant, keep a low profile and vary your routes and timings if you make any regular journeys. Public places and public gatherings are often targeted, including courts and government buildings, hotels, airports, markets, shopping malls, restaurants, educational institutions and religious shrines”.

The Council of Europe Convention on Human Rights and Biomedicine covers a very wide range of complex ethical and legal issues. These issues involve a large number of different policy areas which are covered by a mixture of United Kingdom legislation and common law and some of the relevant policy areas are within the competence of the devolved administrations.

In common with a number of other European Union states, the UK has not signed or ratified the Convention.

The Royal Navy challenged the incursion by Spanish navy vessel Infanta Elena on 25 February, as it does all such unlawful maritime incursions in British Gibraltar Territorial Waters. We backed this up by making a formal diplomatic protest to the Spanish government, as is our standard practice. Spanish incursions into British Gibraltar Territorial Waters do not weaken or undermine the legal basis in international law for British sovereignty over Gibraltar including British Gibraltar Territorial Waters. The British Government regularly makes clear this position to the Spanish government.

The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply.

The United Kingdom has not signed or ratified the Council of Europe’s Convention on Human Rights and Biomedicine.

As I said in the debate on the Human Fertilisation and Embryology (Mitochondrial Donation) Regulations 2015 on 24 February 2015 (columns 1570 and 1617-8) the Government is satisfied that the Regulations do not contravene any aspect of European Union law. It has carefully considered recent arguments relating to the Clinical Trials Directive (Directive 2001/20/EC) but is satisfied that the Directive is not relevant in this context as it relates to clinical trials of medicines.

All Prisons must have procedures in place to identify, manage and support prisoners who are at risk of suicide or self-harm harm and to reduce that risk.

National policy requires that any prisoner identified as at risk of suicide or self-harm must be managed and supported using the Assessment, Care in Custody and Teamwork (ACCT) process. ACCT is a multi-disciplinary process, and each prisoner subject to it is managed by a team composed of a range of staff drawn from the prison and other organisations, such as healthcare and education providers.

Reducing the number of self-inflicted deaths in prisons is a key priority for the Government. As is the case in society at large, there is no simple explanation with complex and individual reasons behind any suicide.

It is not possible to provide an accurate estimate of the amount per annum spent on reducing self-inflicted deaths in custody as there is a diverse range of activities being undertaken by a number of different organisations which contributes towards this.

Within NOMS, this involves a wide range of staff at all levels in establishments to manage prisoners identified as at risk, ensure that the environment is safe, decent and secure and to enhance the health and wellbeing of prisoners generally. Other staff work at NOMS headquarters and regions to learn lessons from deaths in custody and to share good practice across the estate. Outside NOMS, a wide range of stakeholders advise and support NOMS, such as the Prisons and Probation Ombudsman, Coroners, The National Suicide Prevention Strategy Advisory Group and the Ministerial Council on Deaths in Custody.

The Assessment, Care in Custody and Teamwork (ACCT) process, which is a prisoner-centred, flexible care planning system for prisoners identified as at risk of suicide or self-harm, is a multi-disciplinary process, and each prisoner subject to it is managed by a team composed of a range of staff drawn from the prison and other organisations, such as healthcare and education providers. The composition of the team will vary in each case. Providing an accurate estimate of the costs of ACCT is therefore not possible.

Woodland statistics are published annually by the Forestry Commission. The latest available figures on woodland area in England are to 31 March 2014. These showed a total woodland area of 1,302,000 hectares (3,217,000 acres), comprising 74% broadleaves and 24% conifers.

We will be working to further increase the area of woodland over the next five years. The Government's Forestry and Woodland Policy Statement, published in 2013, set out our aspirations to increase woodland cover in England from 10% to 12% by 2060, representing an average planting rate of 5,000 hectares (12,355 acres) per year. Achieving this challenging aspiration will be dependent on Government-supported woodland creation combined with the efforts of the private and third sectors.

A Spanish fishing vessel was present in British Gibraltar Territorial Waters (BGTW) on 26 December 2014. However, Spanish fishing vessels do not constitute State vessels. Accordingly, our assessment is that this incident did not give rise to any violation of British sovereignty. In accordance with the Constitutional division of responsibilities between the British Government and Her Majesty's Government of Gibraltar, the enforcement of laws relating to the activity of commercial and recreational vessels in BGTW is a matter for the authorities in Gibraltar.

The Government regularly considers the impact of migration from the European Union and has published research on this issue. In July 2014 the Migration Advisory Committee published its report on the growth of EU and non-EU labour in low-skilled jobs and its impact on the UK. In the same month the Government’s Balance of Competences report on the Free Movement of Persons assessed the effects of EU migration on the labour market and its impact on local communities.

Gibraltar continues to be included in the scope of existing Single European Sky II (SESII) legislation, as it should be under the Treaties of the European Union.　 At the Transport Council on 5 December, the Government took a very firm position making it clear to the European Commission and Italian Presidency that Spain’s attempts to exclude Gibraltar airport from the proposed Single European Sky Two+ proposals were unacceptable to the UK and the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Transport, Robert Goodwill walked out of Council to protest this approach.　 The Government will continue to oppose Spain’s attempts to exclude Gibraltar airport from future aviation legislation.

Due to consular confidentiality, any information about British nationals detained abroad cannot be released without the express written permission of the individuals concerned.

Her Majesty’s Government is actively engaged in encouraging more exports to Poland. UKTI Poland is part of a nine country regional network, focussed on helping British firms secure business wins and benefit from high value opportunities in key sectors (energy, infrastructure, defence & security, healthcare and life sciences, services and advanced engineering), together with FCO colleagues. The aim is to match Polish opportunities with UK capabilities, facilitate access to key Polish official stakeholders and, through, HMG’s accredited partner, the British Polish Chamber of Commerce Trade Team to provide tailored support to small and medium sized companies looking to export to Poland.

My Department does not collect data on evacuation numbers.

However, I would point my noble Friend to the flood recovery progress report placed in the Library further to my Written Ministerial Statement of 27 November 2014, Official Report, Column WS51. It explains the broader challenges faced by a small number of properties with repairing major structural damage, asbestos and sewage contamination, over and above flooding.