Blog

  • Baroness Uddin – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Baroness Uddin – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Uddin on 2016-01-18.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what formal mechanisms they have in place to consult Muslim women.

    Baroness Williams of Trafford

    Government Ministers and officials regularly speak with a range of British Muslim women to seek their views on key issues. The Prime Minister hosted a Community Engagement Forum on 14 January with sixteen influential Muslim women, to discuss their role in Britain today and the importance of tackling issues of forced gender segregation, discrimination and isolation. In addition, four of the cross-Government Anti-Muslim Hatred Working Group’s ten independent members are themselves Muslim women. The Group discusses a range of issues, for example, hate incidents on public transport which disproportionately affect visibly Muslim women.

    My Department funds a number of projects that work with Muslim women including community based English language courses, women’s empowerment initiatives and the development of leadership and networking skills. As part of this, my officials regularly engage with the project leads, associated charities and participants on relevant issues affecting Muslim women.

    My rt hon Friend the Prime Minister has commissioned Louise Casey to carry out a review on how to boost opportunity and integration in our most isolated and deprived communities. She will report on her findings in due course.

  • Baroness Uddin – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Baroness Uddin – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Uddin on 2016-01-18.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the impact of language classes for Muslim women in respect of radicalisation.

    Baroness Williams of Trafford

    Our new English language offer, worth £20 million over this Parliament, will help women in our most isolated communities get the training they need. This new programme will be informed by six projects we have funded as part of our current community-based English language programme. By the end of March this year the projects will have provided training to 33,500 adults – the majority women, with over half from Pakistani, Bangladeshi, and Somalian ethnic groups.

    Community-based English language programmes can help build women’s confidence in using English in daily activities such as engaging with their children’s teachers, interacting with public services and playing a full part in the local community.

  • Lord Taylor of Warwick – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Lord Taylor of Warwick – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Taylor of Warwick on 2016-01-18.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the claim by Aegis Europe that granting market economy status to China could put more than one million European jobs at risk.

    Lord Maude of Horsham

    A report by the Economic Policy Institute, on which the claim by Aegis Europe draws makes some significant omissions, uses some questionable assumptions and does not take account of a number of potential positive or mitigating effects in reaching its estimates. We understand that the European Commission will be undertaking a detailed assessment of the economic impacts of granting MES as part of their consideration of this issue.

  • Lord Taylor of Warwick – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Lord Taylor of Warwick – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Taylor of Warwick on 2016-01-18.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is being done to support British pig farmers who are affected by Russia’s ban on European food imports and cheap imports into the UK.

    Lord Gardiner of Kimble

    I recognise that many UK pig producers are struggling with a very tough period of low prices. The Government is providing support through our reforms to tax averaging. We also supported the activation of private storage aid on 4 January to remove pigmeat temporarily from the EU market.

    We are working with the industry to open up new market opportunities at home and abroad. China offers huge potential for the future of the food and farming industry. Since 2010, British food and drink exports to China have more than doubled to £280 million, the fastest-growing of which are dairy products, pork, beer and tea. 2016 will be the Year of GREAT British Food, opening a long-term campaign of trade missions and events in the UK that showcase British products and help farm businesses to grow and thrive.

    Defra secured a deal in principle for trade in trotters during the Secretary of State’s recent visit to China and the underpinning detailed arrangements are being finalised.

  • Lord Taylor of Warwick – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    Lord Taylor of Warwick – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Taylor of Warwick on 2016-01-18.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is being done to overcome the low level of exports contributing to the UK’s trade deficit.

    Lord Maude of Horsham

    I refer the noble Lord to the written statement I made on trade on Tuesday 19th January

    The statement outlines a new, whole-of-government approach to expanding the number of exporters and the value they generate for the British economy. This will be delivered through a transformed UK Trade and Investment (UKTI), focused on priority markets and sectors. We will develop better digital platforms, work more closely with partners (including in the private sector) and make sure that our services match the needs of companies.

    UKTI will co-ordinate and review the UK’s export performance on behalf of the Cross-Government Exports Implementation Taskforce, led by the Secretary of State for Business Innovation and Skills.

  • Lord Taylor of Warwick – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    Lord Taylor of Warwick – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Taylor of Warwick on 2016-01-18.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government how they respond to the chief executive of Shell, who claims that oil and gas companies would be negatively affected in the event that the UK leaves the EU.

    Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth

    The Government is fighting hard to fix the aspects of our EU membership that cause so much frustration in the United Kingdom – so we can get a better deal for our country and secure our future.

  • Lord Taylor of Warwick – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    Lord Taylor of Warwick – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Taylor of Warwick on 2016-01-18.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the consequences that would follow if negotiations between the EU and the USA on the renewal of the Safe Harbour agreement on data transfers fail.

    Baroness Neville-Rolfe

    I remain hopeful that the EU and US will come to an agreement on a replacement for safe harbor. If not, data transfers to the US will need to be based on an alternative method of transfer.

    I visited Washington at the beginning of January where I discussed what this Government could do to aid discussions between the Commission and US. Since this visit, I hosted a roundtable together with the Information Commissioner’s Office where we provided business and other interested organisations with an update on the discussions.

    The Government continues to urge both sides in these negotiations to reach a swift conclusion. Commissioner Jourova recently said that she believed an agreement was possible and the Committee comprising the data protection authorities of all 28 member states will meet to review the position on 2 February.

    In the meantime the Commission issued a communication on 6 November 2015 regarding international transfers. This is based on guidance from the Article 29 Working Party which is the grouping of the European data protection authorities. The Information Commissioner’s Office has also issued guidance on the use of alternative methods of data transfer between the EU and US.

  • Baroness Whitaker – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Baroness Whitaker – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Whitaker on 2016-01-18.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they consider the work undertaken by Thames Valley Police in their newly published review of good practice in policing local Gypsy, Roma and Traveller communities to be innovative; and what plans they have to encourage other police forces to undertake a similar approach to policy and practice in their areas.

    Lord Bates

    Equality and diversity are important – people across all communities want the police to fight crime while having confidence that their needs will be understood and respected.

    The Government are pleased that Thames Valley Police have undertaken this piece of work which was co-authored by one of the Executive Directors of the national Gypsy, Roma and Traveller Police Association.

    The Government established the College of Police as the professional body for policing to set standards, establish an evidence base for policing and disseminate what works.

    It remains a matter for forces how they deal with issues to do with Gypsy Roma and Traveller communities. However, we would expect the College of Policing to make an assessment of effective policing practice and share effective and innovative practice where they find it.

  • Lord Tunnicliffe – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Lord Tunnicliffe – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Tunnicliffe on 2016-01-18.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what criteria they use to analyse the effectiveness of debt management advice.

    Lord O’Neill of Gatley

    These questions have been passed on to the Money Advice Service (MAS). MAS will reply to directly to the Noble Lord by letter. A copy of the letter will be placed in the Library of the House.

  • Lord Tunnicliffe – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    Lord Tunnicliffe – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Tunnicliffe on 2016-01-18.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government, for each year since 2010, what assessment they have made of the percentage of clients who, once they have received debt management advice and successfully proceeded to implementation, have required further debt management advice in the same financial year.

    Lord O’Neill of Gatley

    These questions have been passed on to the Money Advice Service (MAS). MAS will reply to directly to the Noble Lord by letter. A copy of the letter will be placed in the Library of the House.