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  • David Simpson – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Northern Ireland Office

    David Simpson – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Northern Ireland Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Simpson on 2015-02-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what the outcomes were of her visit to New York and Washington in February 2015 to brief US administration representatives on the progress of the Stormont House Agreement.

    Mrs Theresa Villiers

    I updated a number of key figures in the US Administration, in Congress and in the Irish-American community on the Stormont House Agreement. It is evident from these meetings that there is strong US support for the Agreement, and ongoing interest in its implementation, including the devolution of corporation tax powers.

  • Ian Lavery – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Ian Lavery – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ian Lavery on 2015-02-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, whether any former officials in her Department have taken employment with Rio Tinto plc in the last five years.

    Justine Greening

    Fewer than 5 former DFID officials have taken employment with Rio Tinto plc in the last five year. The exact number has been withheld to protect the identity of those individuals involved. No employees of Rio Tinto have been seconded to DFID in the last 5 years.

  • Ian Lavery – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Ian Lavery – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Ian Lavery on 2015-02-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, whether any employees of Rio Tinto plc have been seconded to her Department in the last five years.

    Justine Greening

    Fewer than 5 former DFID officials have taken employment with Rio Tinto plc in the last five year. The exact number has been withheld to protect the identity of those individuals involved. No employees of Rio Tinto have been seconded to DFID in the last 5 years.

  • Tom Watson – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Tom Watson – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Watson on 2015-02-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what research her Department has undertaken on access of civilian victims of drone strikes in Afghanistan to civilian compensation schemes administered by troop contributing nations.

    Justine Greening

    Access to civilian compensation schemes is a Ministry of Defence lead. There is a system in place for handling all claims for compensation brought against the Ministry of Defence by Afghan civilians.

  • James Clappison – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    James Clappison – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by James Clappison on 2015-02-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what assistance her Department provides to religious minorities affected by the activities of ISIL in Iraq and Syria.

    Justine Greening

    UK aid is reaching hundreds of thousands of vulnerable displaced people across Iraq and Syria, including those religious minorities affected by ISIL’s activities. All UK funded aid is distributed on the basis of need to ensure civilians are not discriminated against on the grounds of race, religion, or ethnicity. DFID continues to work with the UN and the international community to ensure all minorities’ rights are protected and our aid reaches those in greatest need. To date, the UK has pledged £800 million in response to the humanitarian crisis in Syria and the region, and a further £39.5 million to the humanitarian crisis in Iraq.

  • Tom Watson – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Tom Watson – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Watson on 2015-02-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, whether her Department will assess (a) the effect of drone strikes on civilian populations and (b) access to civilian compensation schemes as part of its humanitarian mission in Iraq and Syria.

    Justine Greening

    We are monitoring the impact of military operations on civilian populations in both Iraq and Syria and ensuring our humanitarian response is targeted to those most in need. To date, the UK has pledged £800 million in response to the humanitarian crisis in Syria and the region, and a further £39.5 million to the humanitarian crisis in Iraq. Access to civilian compensation schemes is an MoD lead and therefore does not form part of our humanitarian mission.

  • Tom Watson – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Tom Watson – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Tom Watson on 2015-02-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, whether any staff of her Department are engaged in considering the effects of drone strikes on civilian populations as part of her Department’s work in the Middle East and North Africa.

    Mr Desmond Swayne

    In countries where DFID has humanitarian programmes, we monitor the general humanitarian situation in close communication with partners on the ground.

  • David Simpson – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    David Simpson – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by David Simpson on 2015-02-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what additional support her Department is providing for Royal Navy personnel assisting with the aftermath of the Caribbean tsunami.

    Mr Desmond Swayne

    The Royal Navy is not responding to a tsunami in the Caribbean.

  • Jon Trickett – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    Jon Trickett – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jon Trickett on 2015-02-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, how much her Department disbursed to projects in (a) Pakistan and (b) Azad Kashmir in each of the last 10 years.

    Justine Greening

    Total UK ODA to Pakistan by financial year since 2005 is as follows. This includes both bilateral and multilateral spend.

    Financial Year

    Total Spend (£m)

    2004-05

    30.4

    2005-06

    65.6

    2006-07

    88.9

    2007-08

    83.3

    2008-09

    120.9

    2009-10

    138.7

    2010-11

    204.4

    2011-12

    216.4

    2012-13

    202.9

    2013-14

    253.1

    2014-15 provisional spend is currently being finalised and will be made available by May 2015.

    DFID has a bilateral programme with Pakistan, but does not have a specific programme in Azad Jammu Kashmir (AJK), which is an autonomous administrative territory of Pakistan. AJK benefits from DFID-supported national programmes in Pakistan that promote economic growth and improve health services, and has also benefited from DFID’s humanitarian programmes.

  • Andrew Rosindell – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Andrew Rosindell – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Rosindell on 2015-02-11.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the success of efforts to reduce the potential radicalisation of British Muslims in the UK.

    James Brokenshire

    Work to stop people being drawn into extremist and terrorist activity remains
    a priority and is focused on: limiting the circulation of terrorist and extremist
    material on the internet, supporting more resilient communities and ensuring
    individuals at risk of being drawn into terrorism are provided with the support they
    need.

    In March 2014 we launched a new tool for the public to report terrorist
    material to the Counter Terrorism Internet Referral Unit (CTIRU). Public
    referrals have tripled since it launched. Working in partnership with industry,
    the CTIRU refers unlawful terrorist content to them for removal.

    Since February 2010, CTIRU has secured the removal of over 75,000
    pieces of unlawful terrorist content with 75% of this total removed since
    December 2013.

    Radicalisation does not only happen online. We continue to disrupt
    propagandists who seek to radicalise vulnerable people directly and counter
    their narrative. The police and agencies routinely take action against those
    who promote terrorism under our existing terrorist legislation. In the year
    ending 30 June 2014, there were 239 persons arrested for terrorism related
    offences.

    We also exclude foreign nationals from the UK on the grounds of
    unacceptable behaviour. Training on awareness of radicalisation now includes
    specific advice in relation to travel to Syria and Iraq. We have trained
    130,000 frontline staff who may come into contact with potential travellers and
    run courses equipping parents to identify risks and have the confidence to seek
    support should they need it.

    The police, local authorities and all sectors included in the Prevent duty have
    a vital role to play in responding to concerns that individuals are being drawn
    into terrorism and extremism. Where specific concerns have been raised and
    individuals consent, the multi-agency Channel programme provides tailored
    support to people identified as at risk of radicalisation.