UKPOL.CO.UK

Category: Speeches

  • Ian Liddell-Grainger – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Ian Liddell-Grainger – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ian Liddell-Grainger on 2016-01-21.

    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what research her Department has conducted or commissioned on the link between poor sanitation and associated hygiene practices and maternal and newborn health and survival.

    Mr Nick Hurd

    DFID is providing £16 million over 8 years for SHARE (Sanitation and Hygiene Applied Research for Equity), a research consortium led by the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. SHARE has funded five key studies which have significantly advanced our understanding of this critical issue and put water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) firmly on the global maternal & newborn health (MNH) agenda. Research includes a systematic review establishing the impact of WASH on maternal mortality and a cohort study in Odisha, India that has provided the first rigorous evidence that poor sanitation during pregnancy is associated with an increased risk of preterm birth, low birthweight, spontaneous abortion and still birth

    DFID is also providing £7.2 million of funding to support the Sanitation, Hygiene Infant Nutrition Efficacy (SHINE) trial currently underway in Zimbabwe. The trial aims to prove and describe the causal relationship between sanitation and child stunting.

  • Richard Burden – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Richard Burden – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Richard Burden on 2016-02-19.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what representations he has (a) received and (b) made on the cancellation of the UK delegation to Israel and the Occupied Territories to follow up the report published by a delegation of British lawyers, entitled Children in Military Custody, in June 2012; and if he will make a statement.

    Mr Tobias Ellwood

    We have not received representations on this issue. I expressed my strong disappointment at Israel’s unwillingness to host this follow-up visit with Deputy Foreign Minister Tzipi Hotovely during my visit to Israel on 18 February. Officials from the British Embassy in Tel Aviv, including the Ambassador, also lobbied the Israeli Ministry for Foreign Affairs to cooperate with the visit, and will continue to follow up. We remain committed to working with Israel to secure improvements to the practices surrounding children in detention in Israel.

  • Kelvin Hopkins – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Kelvin Hopkins – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kelvin Hopkins on 2016-03-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to Table 1 in her Department’s publication, Annual Statistics of Scientific Procedures on Living Animals Great Britain 2014, HC 511, what aspects of the preservation of the species were the 22 experiments on cats were designed to assist.

    Karen Bradley

    The 22 cats used for the preservation of the species in the Annual Statistics of Scientific Procedures on Living Animals Great Britain 2014 were involved in a project on the genetic status and health of Scottish wildcats. The Scottish wildcat (Felis silvestris grampia) was once found across the British mainland but is now confined to the Scottish Highlands. The key aims were to:

    • Undertake a targeted survey of Scottish wildcats and domestic feral cats in key areas in Scotland

    • Assess the genetic purity of Scottish wildcats and degree of interbreeding with domestic feral cats

    • Assess the health of both the Scottish wildcat and domestic feral cat population

    To do this, wildcats and feral domestic cats were humanely trapped and given a full health check under general anaesthesia which included the taking of a blood sample to assess the genetic purity of the wildcat as well as to look for evidence of infectious disease in both. All animals were then immediately released back into the wild.

    The findings of this study are being used to establish much needed baseline information which will inform key conservation management decisions for the Scottish wildcat in order to protect the population. The influence of feral domestic cats, both through interbreeding with wildcats and transmission of infectious diseases that may contribute to wildcat population decline, is being used to inform feral cat management and control programmes in wildcat areas, and may lead to specific disease control measures such as targeted vaccination.

  • Peter Kyle – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Peter Kyle – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Peter Kyle on 2016-04-12.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, if he will appoint a Shadow Board of the Institute of Apprenticeships.

    Nick Boles

    The Institute for Apprenticeships Board will be appointed through a public appointments process. The outcome will be announced as soon as the process allows in 2016.

  • Lord Scriven – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Lord Scriven – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Scriven on 2016-05-19.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what the reasons are for the delay in the start of operation of the South Yorkshire Tram Train service.

    Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon

    The Department for Transport and South Yorkshire Passenger Transport Executive, the joint funders of the tram train pilot project, have been advised that Network Rail has initiated a review of the current programme of works needed to adapt their infrastructure to operate the tram train vehicles between Meadowhall South and Rotherham Parkgate.

    The Department understands that Network Rail has encountered significant issues with the approval of new bespoke electrification equipment needed to operate the tram train vehicles. The joint funders are clearly disappointed by this further delay.

  • The Lord Bishop of Coventry – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The Lord Bishop of Coventry – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by The Lord Bishop of Coventry on 2016-07-14.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their assessment of the human rights situation in Bangladesh, especially in relation to the right to freedom of religion or belief.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    Our assessment is that the rise in extremist attacks has increased pressure on religious minorities, including Hindus, in Bangladesh.

    The former Prime Minister, my right hon. Friend the Member for Witney (Mr Cameron), most recently talked to the Prime Minister of Bangladesh about the importance of countering extremism in the margins of the G7 meeting in Japan on 27 May. The former Minister of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for East Devon (Mr Swire), raised this with Foreign Minister Ali on 5 July. The British High Commissioner regularly discusses these issues with Bangladesh government ministers.

  • Martyn Day – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Martyn Day – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Martyn Day on 2016-09-15.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with his European counterparts on tackling human trafficking.

    Alok Sharma

    ​Modern slavery is a crime which crosses borders and requires a co-ordinated international response. The Foreign Secretary, my Rt Hon. Friend the Member for Uxbridge and South Ruislip (Mr Johnson), has regular discussions with his European counterparts on human trafficking. The UK plays a leading role in the EU Threat group on Trafficking in Human Beings (EMPACT), which brings together law enforcement experts from most EU Member States and is supported by Europol, Eurojust, the European Commission, Interpol, Frontex and CEPOL (EU Police College).The UK has also led work to secure a UN Sustainable Development Goal to end slavery and irregular migration – including trafficking – was a priority theme at the 71st session of the UN General Assembly this year. The UK led a resolution on Contemporary Forms of Slavery at the recent Human Rights Council, working with EU partners to provide a focus for practical measures and concerted international action. In these and other ways, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office continues to support the Prime Minister, my Rt Hon. Friend the Member for Maidenhead (Mrs May), in her efforts to co-ordinate global action on these issues.

  • John Spellar – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    John Spellar – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by John Spellar on 2016-01-06.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps he is taking to encourage the take up of organ donor cards among South Asian and other minority ethnic communities.

    Jane Ellison

    UK Government provides NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT) with around £60 million a year to support organ donation. In 2013, NHSBT launched a UK – wide organ donation and transplantation strategy Taking Organ Transplantation to 2020, setting the agenda for increasing organ donation and transplantation rates. The Department has also established the National Black Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) Transplant Alliance with the aim of raising awareness about the need for stem cell and organ donation, and increasing the number of people from BAME communities who can benefit from either a stem cell or organ transplant.

    South Asian people are more likely to need a kidney transplant than a Caucasian person but families are less likely to consent to organ donation. The result is that patients from South Asian background wait much longer for organ transplants, particularly for a kidney transplant. Therefore, to support the wider 2020 strategy, the Department funded Kidney Research UK to undertake a Peer Educator Programme within the Pakistani Muslim community in Birmingham with the aim of raising awareness of the lack of donors and increasing the numbers on the bone marrow and organ donation registers. Lessons learnt will support the roll-out of the programme in other similar areas of work.

    NHSBT also has a wide range of leaflets promoting organ donation that are translated into a number of different South Asian languages including Bengali, Gujarati, Hindi, Punjabi and Urdu.

  • Daniel Zeichner – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Daniel Zeichner – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Daniel Zeichner on 2015-11-17.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what recent assessment he has made of the legality of private car park companies charging for overstaying.

    Mr Marcus Jones

    The Government recently published a discussion paper about parking on private land entitled “Parking reform: tackling unfair practices”. The issue of companies charging for overstaying was raised in a significant number of responses. My Department is considering all of the circumstances surrounding overstay charges. We will publish a response to the discussion paper in due course setting out the Government’s proposed course of action.

  • Lord Rogan – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Northern Ireland Office

    Lord Rogan – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Northern Ireland Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Rogan on 2015-12-10.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government which peers and MPs were invited to attend a briefing with the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland on the Northern Ireland (Welfare Reform) Bill on 23 November.

    Lord Dunlop

    An invitation to the briefing on the Northern Ireland (Welfare Reform) Bill held on Monday 23 November was circulated electronically to all Peers via the Usual Channels.