theodi/ndl-core-corpus huggingface dataset:
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Natalie Fleet:To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps he is taking to help ensure that sanctioned Russian (a) oil and (b) oil products are not being sold in the UK lubricant and engine oil market. \p Mr Douglas Alexander: The Trade Remedies Authority (TRA) initiated an investigation into the alleged dumping of engine oils and hydraulic fluids from the UAE and Lithuania on 17 June 2024.

Whilst this investigation remains an ongoing process I cannot comment further as doing so may prejudice the investigation. The TRA will publish its provisional affirmative determination on the public file according to the timeline published on the cases public file.

All importers of oil products into the UK must be able to provide evidence to demonstrate that goods are not of Russian origin. In line with WTO rules of origin, Russian oil which has been substantially processed in a third country is no longer considered to be of Russian origin. However, activities such as processing oil products solely to mask their Russian origin are prohibited under UK law.
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Matt Vickers:To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment he has made of the potential implications for his policies of the productivity forecast in the Office for Budget Responsibility’s report entitled Economic and Fiscal Outlook, published on 26 March 2025. \p Sarah Jones: The Office for Budget Responsibility is an independent macroeconomic forecasting body. As such it would not be appropriate for us to comment on the specifics of its forecasts.

The Government’s forthcoming Industrial Strategy White Paper has an explicit ambition to support productivity, as well as economic growth, jobs, and wages across the UK, by delivering a credible 10-year plan which provides the certainty and stability businesses need to invest in the high-growth sectors that will drive our growth in the future.
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Mr Gregory Campbell:To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, pursuant to the Answer of 3 April 2025 to Question 42419 on Foreign Investment in the UK: Northern Ireland, how many employees are specifically working with Invest NI to help promote investment (a) before and (b) during the Open Golf Championship at Royal Portrush in July 2025. \p Sarah Jones: Promoting investment into Northern Ireland is a key priority for investment staff across the Department for Business and Trade (DBT) and Office for Investment, including the dedicated team of 10 based in Belfast (DBT NI). At present no dedicated member of staff is working specifically on The Open Golf Championship at Royal Portrush in July 2025, but staff are working on wider promotion of investment into Northern Ireland on an ongoing basis that seeks to take advantage of the focus that events like The Open can provide. DBT NI continues to work collaboratively with Invest Northern Ireland on a range of events and initiatives throughout the year.
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Kit Malthouse:To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, pursuant to the Answer of 12 March 2025 to Question 35325 on Ammonia: Exports, which countries his Department has identified as the strongest markets for exports of ammonia cracking technologies; and what steps his Department is taking to help introduce UK companies to potential customers in these markets. \p Sarah Jones: Ammonia cracking is a nascent technology that the Government has supported through the Net Zero Innovation Portfolio, which aims to accelerate the commercialisation of innovative, low-carbon technologies. The government will soon publish the new Industrial Strategy, with Clean Energy Industries as a priority growth sector. As the sector develops, government will work with UK companies developing ammonia cracking technologies to understand the opportunities for growth through exports.
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Alison Griffiths:To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, on what dates (a) he and (b) Ministers in his Department have met with their United States counterparts since 5 November 2024. \p Mr Douglas Alexander: The Department for Business and Trade holds regular engagement with US counterparts at both Ministerial and official level.
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James MacCleary:To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what recent discussions he has had with EU-based businesses on UK-EU trade relations. \p Mr Douglas Alexander: The Government regularly engages with UK and EU businesses as we strengthen the UK-EU relationship. This includes engagement through formal channels such as the UK TCA Domestic Advisory Group and the Trade Strategy’s open call for input, as well as Ministerial roundtables.

As part of my visit to Brussels on 26 February, I held a roundtable with EU industry representatives on improving UK-EU trade relations. On 6 March, Minister Gustafsson led a business roundtable with Irish businesses regarding bilateral trade and investment opportunities. We will continue to engage businesses ahead of the UK-EU Summit.
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Gareth Davies:To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether her Department has made an assessment of the contribution of (a) churches and (b) church buildings to (i) society and (ii) the economy each year. \p Chris Bryant: A fully comprehensive assessment of the social and spiritual contribution churches, whether in their physical or congregational form, make to the nation would be beyond the scope or ability of any government. They provide sanctuary, enlightenment, succour, warmth and solidarity. They offer a space in which to celebrate, congregate and commiserate; a place in which to witness some of the greatest art and architecture, ancient and modern; and a venue to mark the great occasions of our lives as individuals, as a community and as a nation. For many people of faith they offer a sense of purpose, commitment and shared religious identity. In many cases they also offer rooms for voluntary groups, rehearsal spaces and act as our most important valuable visitor attractions.

In addition, the Government is aware of external research carried out by the National Churches Trust, which shows that for every £1 invested in church buildings there is an estimated Social Return on Investment of £3.74, which can go up to £18.10 when alternative wellbeing valuation methods are used.
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Blake Stephenson:To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what recent discussions she has had with the Minister for the Cabinet Office on the GREAT campaign. \p Chris Bryant: The GREAT Britain and Northern Ireland campaign has played and continues to play an important role in promoting the UK as a top global destination and supporting growth in the visitor economy. While decisions around the overall GREAT programme budget sit with the Cabinet Office, DCMS continues to work closely with the Minister for the Cabinet Office and other relevant departments to ensure that tourism remains a core focus of the campaign. Discussions are ongoing on how to maximise impact within available resources. We remain committed to working with VisitBritain and the wider sector to support the UK’s international tourism recovery, grow the visitor economy, and deliver on our ambition to attract 50 million inbound visitors by 2030.
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Ayoub Khan:To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what progress her Department has made on supporting growth in the visitor economy of the West Midlands. \p Chris Bryant: The West Midlands has been a key participant in the Destination Development Partnership (DDP) pilot, led by VisitEngland. The DDP pilot is testing a new model of collaborative working between national and local tourism bodies to strengthen destination management, improve the visitor offer, and drive sustainable growth in the sector. The West Midlands pilot has brought together local and regional partners to align strategies, build capacity, and promote the region more effectively to domestic and international visitors.

DCMS continues to work closely with VisitEngland and local stakeholders to build on this progress and ensure the West Midlands visitor economy continues to thrive.
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Martin Wrigley:To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what recent discussions she has had with the EU on touring artists. \p Chris Bryant: The UK Government remains in constructive dialogue with the EU on tackling the challenges facing UK musicians and their support staff when touring in the EU, as well as other EU reset priorities. Cabinet Office Minister Nick Thomas-Symonds and European trade commissioner Maroš Šefčovič have been tasked with moving discussions forward and leaders will take stock at the UK-EU Summit in May.

On 7 April, the Minister for Creative Industries, Arts and Tourism, Chris Bryant, attended the Informal Meeting for EU Culture Ministers in Warsaw, as a guest of the Polish Presidency of the Council of the European Union. This is the first time a UK minister has been invited to such a meeting since the UK’s exit from the EU. Minister Bryant used the opportunity to forge closer, more cooperative ties with his EU counterparts, including on matters related to touring. The Minister and senior DCMS officials had previously engaged EU counterparts on this bilaterally, including from the EU Commission, Poland, France, Germany, Italy, Denmark and Sweden.

Our aim is to identify practical solutions to ensure that UK artists can continue to perform across Europe with minimal barriers while respecting the regulatory frameworks on both sides.
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Andy MacNae:To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps she has taken to consult the public on whether the scope of the listed events regime should be extended to include (a) digital and (b) on-demand content. \p Stephanie Peacock: As viewing increasingly shifts from traditional broadcasting to a variety of online and on-demand formats, the Government is keen to ensure that key sporting events remain available for people to watch for free in years to come.

The current ‘Listed Events’ regime only covers linear coverage rights. While we are fortunate that on-demand and linear rights continue to be sold together, and therefore jointly benefit from the protections afforded by the regime, the Government is conscious that this may not always remain the case.

The Government will set out its position on the inclusion of on-demand (or “digital”) rights in due course.
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Claire Hanna:To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether she has made an assessment of the potential impact of the cessation of BBC Sounds coverage outside of the UK on listeners living in border counties on the Island of Ireland. \p Stephanie Peacock: The BBC is operationally and editorially independent of the Government, and decisions on how it discharges its obligations, such as its changes to its BBC Sounds service, are a matter for the BBC. The Government has therefore not assessed the potential impact of the BBC’s changes to its BBC Sounds service. The BBC has announced its own decision to delay the blocking of BBC Sounds outside of the UK while working on plans to continue to make other BBC stations available to listeners outside the UK.

The Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) meets regularly with representatives of the BBC on a range of matters, including how it engages listeners both in the UK and internationally.
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Mr Louie French:To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what recent discussions she has had with the Secretary of State for Business and Trade on the potential impact of the subscriptions regime in the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024 on the level of investment in the video games sector. \p Chris Bryant: My Department regularly engages with the Department for Business and Trade on a range of issues relating to the implementation of the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumer Act 2024.

The Department for Business and Trade’s consultation on the implementation of these measures closed on 10 February 2025, and they are currently analysing responses.
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Sir John Hayes:To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps her Department is taking to support creative industries in (a) South Holland and the Deepings constituency and (b) Lincolnshire. \p Chris Bryant: The creative industries sector is one of eight growth-driving sectors identified in the government’s Industrial Strategy. We will publish a Creative Industries Sector Plan to drive growth across the whole of the UK in the late spring.

Businesses across Lincolnshire, including South Holland and The Deepings, are able to benefit from support from DCMS and its arms-length bodies.

At the Creative Industries Growth Summit in January, the Secretary of State for DCMS announced a series of measures aimed at driving growth in the country’s creative businesses.

This included the continuation of the Create Growth Programme, which will receive £16.3 million towards its continuation during the 2025/26 financial year to support high-growth creative businesses to scale up and become investment ready. The East Midlands Create Growth Programme region covers the Lincolnshire area and includes the University of Lincoln as a key partner.

Also included was a commitment from the British Business Bank to increase the scale of its support for the Creative Industries, strengthening investment in creative R&D from UKRI, and bringing forward changes so that shorter apprenticeships are available from August 2025, recognising the particular needs of the creative industries.
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Preet Kaur Gill:To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, which listed places of worship have received grants under the Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme in in Birmingham Edgbaston constituency since the inception of that scheme. \p Chris Bryant: Reliable data from before 2022 is not available, but since August 2022, 8 listed places of worship have received awards to a total value of £46,074.27 through the grant scheme in the Birmingham Edgbaston constituency. These were St Germain’s Church receiving £35,316.97; St Augustine’s of Hippo Church receiving £2,922.10; St Peter’s Church receiving £2,513.00; St George’s Church receiving £2,057.68; Oasis Church receiving £1,283.18; Saint Bartholomew receiving £1,133.00; Methodist Church South Street receiving £698.34; and St Faith & St Laurence Church receiving £150.00.
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Wendy Morton:To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if she will make an assessment of the potential impact of bin strikes in Birmingham on levels of international tourism to the area. \p Chris Bryant: No, because it is obvious that it would be better for all if the strikes were to end.
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Kevin Hollinrake:To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, pursuant to the Answer of 25 March 2025 to Question 39015 on Chinese Embassy: Planning Permission, if she will have discussions with Historic England on its approach to engaging with the public inquiry on the Chinese Embassy planning application. \p Chris Bryant: Neither I, nor the Secretary of State, have any plans to discuss this matter with Historic England.
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Mary Kelly Foy:To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment her Department has made of the potential merits of increasing support for (a) growth in the social enterprise sector and (b) businesses that add general social value in Durham. \p Stephanie Peacock: The Government recognises the social enterprise sector’s valuable contribution to local communities and society at large. This diverse sector is helping to meet some of the toughest challenges facing our society through delivering both social and economic value. We welcome collaboration between social enterprises and other forms of purpose-driven businesses who are working to achieve positive societal benefits.

The Government is committed to supporting social enterprises through finance, legislation, social value work and developing partnerships with the sector. That is why the Social Enterprise Boost Fund, originally scheduled to end in March 2025, was recently extended for a further 12 months until March 2026, with an additional £1 million in funding being made available. The Boost Fund is an up to £5.1 million package of funding designed to kick start and accelerate social enterprise activity in four disadvantaged areas of England, one of which is County Durham. A DCMS-commissioned independent evaluation of the programme’s achievement of its original objectives took place between March 2023 - March 2025 and the final report will be published on gov.uk in Spring 2025.
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Jayne Kirkham:To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of expanding the funding criteria for the Museum Renewal Fund to include museums that are independent charities. \p Chris Bryant: The Museum Renewal Fund, delivered by Arts Council England, will invest an additional £20m in our treasured civic museums across England, and is now open to applicants.

Museums run by independent charities are eligible to apply, where they have links to Local Authorities, which can be evidenced in a number of ways, as set out in the guidance: https://www.artscouncil.org.uk/our-open-funds/museum-renewal-fund-2025-26.

This government is committed to supporting museums to continue doing what they do best: serving communities, caring for and sharing Collections, and telling our national story at a local level. The government operates several tax and grant schemes for museums, including the Museum Estate and Development Fund, Museums VAT Refund Scheme, and Museums and Galleries Exhibitions Tax relief, to support large numbers of museums all over the country.
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David Chadwick:To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if she will reconsider the maximum cap on the Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme which can be claimed by any one church in 2025-26. \p Chris Bryant: The Department has no plans to reconsider the £25,000 cap in 2025/26. Based on previous scheme data, we expect 94% of claims to be unaffected by the change.

Future Government spending is a matter for the 2026 Spending Review.
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Mr James Cleverly:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to her Oral Statement of 22 July 2024 on Border Security and Asylum, Official Report, columns 384-387, how many people who would have been eligible for (a) processing and (b) relocation to Rwanda have remained in the UK. \p Dame Angela Eagle: I refer the Rt Hon Gentleman to the Statement form the Home Secretary on 22 July 2024, to which this question refers, and which explains the fundamental flaw in the premise of his question, namely that – during his own time as Home Secretary, he was unable to establish a way to make the Rwanda scheme operational, and as such, the categories referred to in this question do not exist.

Nevertheless, the Rt Hon Gentleman will be pleased to note that – since coming to office – this Government has ensured the removal of more than 24,000 people with no right to be in the UK, the highest nine-month total for returns since January to September in 2017.
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Kim Johnson:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department's planned post-legislative scrutiny of the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022 will be carried out independently; and if she will make it her policy to publish the outcomes of that review. \p Dame Diana Johnson: Post-legislative scrutiny of the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022 and the Public Order Act 2023 will be carried out by the department responsible for each act and a memorandum will be submitted to the relevant departmental select committees in accordance with normal parliamentary practice.

Post legislative scrutiny of the Public Order Act 2023 will occur this year, beginning in May. The Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022 will be subject to post-legislative parliamentary scrutiny between 3 and 5 years after Royal Assent, i.e. between April 2025 and April 2027.
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Bell Ribeiro-Addy:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of incorrectly applied CIFAS fraud markers on (a) small business owners and (b) sole traders. \p Dan Jarvis: Services like CIFAS (Credit Information Fraud Avoidance Service) play a crucial role in safeguarding against financial fraud, supporting the government’s broader efforts to protect individuals and businesses from these crimes.

CIFAS is a not-for-profit organisation that facilitates fraud prevention by providing a platform for financial institutions to share information about potential fraud risks. When a financial institution suspects fraudulent activity, they can register a "marker" against a customer's credit report on the National Fraud Database, which is managed by CIFAS. As stated on their website, the markers themselves are not created by CIFAS, but rather by the financial institutions who suspect fraud. CIFAS only provides the infrastructure for these markers to be registered and accessed by other members.

Individuals affected by CIFAS markers have the right to challenge and seek removal of incorrect or unjustified markers. Individuals can do that by submitting a Data Subject Access Request (DSAR) to obtain details of the marker and can then contact the organisation that applied the marker to request evidence and removal if necessary. If the organisation denies the request, CIFAS provides an independent review within 14 days, with further options available through the Financial Ombudsman service.

The Home Office has not assessed the number of individuals incorrectly flagged by CIFAS as it does not hold this information.
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Kevin Hollinrake:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 28 March 2025 to Question 39632 on Travellers: Caravan Sites, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of this ruling on unauthorised traveller sites. \p Dame Diana Johnson: The government is carefully considering the judgment issued by the High Court in May 2024 which found that particular sections of the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994, as amended by the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022, were incompatible with Convention rights.

We acknowledge and respect the High Court’s decision, and the National Police Chiefs’ Council have written to forces in England and Wales advising them of the judgment. Forces will need to consider their own legal advice in to inform any related enforcement decisions, which are operationally independent of government.
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Lloyd Hatton:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many (a) prosecutions and (b) convictions of companies for money laundering there were under the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 in the last five years. \p Dan Jarvis: The number of companies and public bodies prosecuted for the principal offence of money laundering under POCA 2002 has fluctuated between 1 and 5 each year between the year ending June 2019 and the year ending June 2024.

The number of companies and public bodies convicted for the principal offence of money laundering under POCA 2002 has fluctuated between 0 and 5 each year between the year ending June 2019 and the year ending June 2024.

Money laundering prosecutions and convictions of companies and public bodies under POCA and Money Laundering Regulation’s 2007 (principal offence)

Year ending June 2019

Year ending June 2020

Year ending June 2021

Year ending June 2022

Year ending June 2023

Year ending June 2024

Proceeded against

1

5

5

3

5

1

Convicted

5

1

0

3

1

2

To note, a small proportion of defendant types are also recorded as ‘unknown’ each year (not included in figures in table).

Source: Criminal Justice System statistics quarterly: June 2024 - GOV.UK
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James MacCleary:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment her Department has made of the potential merits of appointing cross-government leadership on the issue of missing persons. \p Jess Phillips: The Government recognises the need for an effective multi-agency response to missing person investigations and we are clear in our ambition to reduce missing incidents and safeguard those vulnerable to going missing. Missing children and adults represent a concern which spans many cross-Governmental priorities and policy areas. The Home Office is committed to working with the Department for Education and Department for Health and Social Care and other relevant departments; sending a clear message that missing needs a whole-system response.

Repeat missing incidents are often a red flag for a number of the harms, such as child sexual or criminal exploitation. The Home Office is heavily invested in supporting and protecting vulnerable people, particularly children and young people from all forms of harm.

The Home Office and Department for Education have been supporting the National Police Chiefs' Council (NPCC) lead for Missing Persons in the development of a 'Missing Children from Care' framework, which has been piloted in West Yorkshire. This framework outlines good practice that can be adopted by local areas when setting up their own multi-agency protocols for the strategic and operational response to a missing incident, with an aim to ensure that the appropriate safeguarding partner responds in the best interest of the missing person.
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Mike Martin:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of introducing mandatory business licensing for the private security sector. \p Dan Jarvis: The Government is committed to reviewing the recommendations of the Manchester Arena Inquiry, including Monitored Recommendation 8, with a view to delivering better uniformity of standards in the private security industry, enhanced provision of security services, and effective counter-terrorism measures.
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Andrew Rosindell:o ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he is taking steps to reduce St Helena's dependence on imported oil. \p Stephen Doughty: The St Helena Government has responsibility for energy generation and has set out the ambition of generating 80 per cent of its local energy production from renewable energy sources by 2027/2028. The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, through its £30million Economic Development and Investment Programme, is supporting the St Helena Government to progress capital investment in a range of renewable sources.
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Andrew Rosindell:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to help increase employment opportunities in St Helena. \p Stephen Doughty: The St Helena Government is responsible for its employment portfolio. The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office works in partnership with the St Helena Government to increase employment opportunities, including through programmes which invest in infrastructure and help build technical expertise.
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Andrew Rosindell:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps he is taking to help support (a) subsistence and (b) commercial agriculture on St Helena. \p Stephen Doughty: The St Helena Government is responsible for its agricultural policy. The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office is providing £30 million between 2019-2028 in support to St Helena, including funding for agricultural initiatives. This contributed to an increase in agricultural production of £380,000 from Financial Year 2020/21 to Financial Year 2023/24.
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Andrew Rosindell:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps he is taking to help ensure the affordability of imported consumer goods on St Helena. \p Stephen Doughty: The St Helena Government is responsible for the island's freight services and has appointed a shipping supplier. The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office continues to help fund the construction of a new port and cargo handling facilities (£4.79 million to date), to improve island access and shipping transfers for the benefit of St Helena consumers.
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Andrew Rosindell:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, for what reason income tax on St Helena is levied at higher rates than on other British Overseas Territories. \p Stephen Doughty: The St Helena Government is responsible for its public finances and therefore sets its own income tax rates.
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Andrew Rosindell:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will take steps help prevent the depopulation of St Helena. \p Stephen Doughty: The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) is actively supporting St Helena towards financial self-sustainability. A thriving island population is central to that. The FCDO works in partnership with the St Helena Government to invest in key areas such as education and tourism, helping to maintain the population and attract new visitors and revenue to the island.
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Mr Richard Holden:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to the Answer of 26 February 2025 to Question HL5029 on Stonewall: Arms Length Bodies and Government Departments, whether he plans to allocate funding to Stonewall after 2025-26. \p Catherine West: The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office's (FCDO) LGBT+ rights programme, which started in 2013, aims to transform the lives of millions of LGBT+ people around the world. This is done by tackling systematic violence, persecution, and exclusion by addressing outdated discriminatory laws, promoting protective legislation, empowering civil society organisations, and supporting the most vulnerable LGBT+ people in conflict and crisis. As part of this programme, the FCDO partners with Stonewall, with two agreements in place until March 2028. Official Development Assistance (ODA) allocations and the impact on programmes are being worked through following the decision to reduce UK ODA from 0.5 per cent of gross national income to 0.3 per cent in 2027. We will set out our spending plans following the completion of the spending review.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-22)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-04-22 conversation_147

Tracy Gilbert:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent representations he has made to his Israeli counterpart on the (a) right to access legal advice and (b) wellbeing of Dr Hussam Abu Safiya. \p Mr Hamish Falconer: I remain deeply disturbed by the ongoing detention of Dr Hussam Abu Safiya and other medical staff from Gaza, and I have raised his case with the Government of Israel. We continue to urge Israel to clarify the reasons for the detention of Dr Abu Safiya and other medical personnel, and to allow the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) unfettered and immediate access to detention facilities.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-22)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-04-22 conversation_148

Tom Morrison:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has made a recent assessment of the Israeli military’s compliance with international humanitarian law, in the context of reports of targeted killings of humanitarian personnel in Gaza. \p Mr Hamish Falconer: We are appalled by the recent increase in strikes on aid workers. Gaza remains the most dangerous place for humanitarians in the world. We have been clear that humanitarian and medical personnel must be protected and never targeted. We have urged Israel to conduct thorough investigations into all incidents involving aid workers and medical personnel, and ensure accountability for those responsible. International Humanitarian Law (IHL) assessments on Israel's compliance and commitment continue on a regular basis. Previous assessments have raised concerns about possible breaches of IHL in the areas of humanitarian access and in the treatment of detainees. Details of the assessment process are available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/summary-of-the-international-humanitarian-law-ihl-process-decision-and-the-factors-taken-into-account/summary-of-the-ihl-process-decision-and-the-factors-taken-into-account#:~:text=The%20assessment%20addresses%20Israel%E2%80%99s%20record%20of%20compliance%20in
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-22)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-04-22 conversation_149

Tom Morrison:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether the Government plans to support (a) international legal action and (b) referrals to the International Criminal Court against people responsible for (i) violations of international humanitarian law and (ii) the killing of aid workers in Gaza. \p Mr Hamish Falconer: The UK is appalled at the recent killings of aid workers and health workers in Gaza. In our diplomatic engagement with the Government of Israel and at the UN Security Council we have called on Israel to conduct thorough investigations into all incidents involving aid workers and medical personnel and ensure accountability for those responsible. We have also urged Israel to cooperate fully with the UN fact-finding mission into the hit on a UN compound on 19 March. We respect the independence of the International Criminal Court (ICC); It is for the ICC Prosecutor, having reviewed the evidence from his investigations, to determine independently who should be prosecuted in accordance with his mandate under the Rome Statute. And it is for courts to rule on violations of international humanitarian law.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-22)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-04-22 conversation_150

Tom Morrison:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what representations the Government has made to (a) the UN Security Council and (b) other international partners on the reported targeting of humanitarian workers in Gaza; and if he will have discussions with international counterparts on stronger measures to hold people responsible to account. \p Mr Hamish Falconer: We are appalled by the recent increase in strikes on aid workers. Gaza remains the most dangerous place for aid workers in the world. In partnership with France, we called a meeting of the Security Council on 28 March to advocate for greater protection for aid workers in Gaza. At the UN Security Council meeting on 3 April, we urged Israel to conduct thorough investigations into all incidents involving aid workers and medical personnel, and ensure accountability for those responsible. We continue to make representations to the Government of Israel to stress the importance of ensuring aid workers are protected, and to call for full investigations and accountability for the killing of humanitarian workers.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-22)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-04-22 conversation_151

Mr Will Forster:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, how many British aid workers are in Gaza. \p Mr Hamish Falconer: We do not have exact figures for the number of British aid workers in Gaza. Humanitarian partners in Gaza are not required to provide staffing numbers to the UK government.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-22)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-04-22 conversation_152

Blake Stephenson:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps he plans to take to help ensure that humanitarian support for Gaza cannot be used to further Hamas’ objectives. \p Mr Hamish Falconer: I will refer the honourable member to our response to PQ 40467. We are aware of allegations that Hamas uses humanitarian aid for its own gain. We have encouraged Israel to share evidence with the UN/ International Non-Governmental Organizations. We have not seen clear evidence of systematic aid diversion to Hamas, and given the ongoing hostilities in Gaza we are unable to verify allegations through direct monitoring. Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) humanitarian programmes in the Occupied Palestinian Territories operate with additional safeguards to manage the risk of aid diversion. Our emergency humanitarian response is delivered through trusted, credible partners to minimise risk. These partners operate in line with humanitarian principles, including neutrality, and have demonstrated their ability to deliver aid to the most vulnerable in the most challenging contexts. We remain in regular contact with partners regarding operational delivery, risk management and monitoring of delivery.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-22)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-04-22 conversation_153

Tom Morrison:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps he is taking to ensure the protection of humanitarian personnel working in (a) Gaza and (b) other conflict zones; and if he will review the Government's (a) arms exports and (b) military cooperation with states found to be violating international humanitarian law. \p Mr Hamish Falconer: Gaza remains the most dangerous place for humanitarians in the world, with over 400 killed since 7 October 2023. Humanitarian personnel must be protected and never targeted. At the UN Security Council meeting on 3 April, we urged Israel to respect deconfliction notifications from aid workers, to allow them to operate without coming under attack. Globally, the UK uses its bilateral relationships, and partnerships with humanitarian actors on the front line to encourage parties to consent to humanitarian relief operations, facilitate unimpeded access, and protect civilians including humanitarian aid workers. We provide direct investment to support the protective measures our partners require to work safely, the freedom to use different approaches to increase access to aid and reduce risks, and flexible funding to enable our partners to strengthen their risk mitigation strategies when required. The government is committed to maintaining a robust export control system. An export licence would not be granted if it was incompatible with any of the criteria, including respect for international humanitarian law.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-22)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-04-22 conversation_154

Dr Scott Arthur:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of changes to the Official Development Assistance budget on (a) education and (b) health outcomes in Malawi. \p Stephen Doughty: The UK Government remains committed to working in partnership with Malawi, to support its development. Our current development assistance focuses on strengthening health systems, improving education outcomes, supporting economic development and climate resilience. As the UK transitions to an Official Development Assistance budget of 0.3 per cent of gross national income globally, we will continue to prioritise aid effectiveness and targeting assistance where it can have the greatest impact.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-22)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-04-22 conversation_155

Sammy Wilson:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will make an assessment of the potential implications for his policies of the adequacy of the observance of the Pakistani government to article 22 of the constitution of that country on freedom of religion or belief, in the context of forced religious education in schools. \p Mr Hamish Falconer: Promoting freedom of religion or belief is a key part of the UK's diplomatic engagement overseas. I underlined the importance of religious tolerance and harmony when I met Pakistan's Human Rights Minister, Azam Tarar, on 19 November 2024, and raised this issue in Parliament on 28 November. I also discussed the rights of religious minorities in a meeting with Pakistan's Minister for the Interior, Talal Chaudhry, on 31 March, although we did not discuss religious education in schools specifically. The UK Government will continue to urge the Government of Pakistan to guarantee the rights of all people, including those from religious minority communities, in accordance with international standards.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-22)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-04-22 conversation_156

Jim Shannon:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps he is taking to help increase global immunisation rates. \p Stephen Doughty: The UK is one of the largest donors to Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance. We have committed £1.65 billion to the current strategic period covering 2021-2025, supporting Gavi to immunise 300 million children and save up to 8 million lives from vaccine preventable diseases. Since 2000, Gavi has vaccinated more than 1 billion children, saving over 18 million lives. Furthermore the UK supports polio eradication and the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI). Since 1995, we have contributed £1.4 billion, reducing polio cases by over 99 per cent and limiting endemic countries to Pakistan and Afghanistan. GPEI's efforts have enabled over 20 million people to walk who might have been paralysed by polio.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-22)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-04-22 conversation_157

Sarah Champion:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has had discussions with his US counterpart on the Guttmacher Institute's publication entitled Family planning impact of the Trump foreign assistance freeze, published on 29 January 2025. \p Stephen Doughty: The Foreign Secretary has not had direct discussions with his US counterpart specifically regarding the Guttmacher Institute's publication on the impact of cuts to US foreign assistance funding on Family Planning initiatives. However, the UK is actively assessing the broader implications of the US funding cuts across various development sectors.