Tag: Andrew Smith

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Smith on 2015-10-09.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of progress of the disarmament, demobilisation and reintegration process in the Central African Republic.

Grant Shapps

The signing of the agreement on disarmament, demobilization, reintegration and repatriation by the transitional government and armed groups at the Bangui Forum in May was an important step towards strengthening security in the Central African Republic. The recent violence in Bangui has demonstrated that it is critical for the agreement to be applied and for international forces to make progress with disarmament.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Smith on 2015-10-09.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps the Government is taking to support the reintegration into society of children enlisted in armed groups in the Central African Republic.

Grant Shapps

We welcome the agreement reached at the Bangui Forum in May to release all children from the ranks of armed groups. It is important that these children are offered assistance to reintegrate into society. We encourage International Financial Institutions and other donors to invest in productive sectors to increase income-generating opportunities for the youth of Central African Republic and which provide a real alternative to joining an armed group.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Smith on 2015-10-09.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what advice or guidance the Government provides on the potential risks associated with investing in or conducting business with Israeli settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territories.

Mr Tobias Ellwood

In December 2013, we placed advice online to raise awareness of the key security and political risks which UK businesses may face when operating abroad, including in Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories. This includes guidance on Israeli settlements (www.https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/overseas-business-risk-palestinian-territories)

We advise British businesses to bear in mind the British Government’s view on the illegality of settlements under international law when considering investments and activities in the region. This is voluntary guidance to British businesses. It is the decision of an individual or company whether to operate in settlements in the Occupied Territories, but the British Government would neither encourage nor support such activity.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Smith on 2015-10-09.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will initiate all-party discussions on how to ensure that the NHS is financially sustainable in the long-term.

Alistair Burt

Rising demands and continued fiscal constraint means that the National Health Service faces challenges in ensuring that it remains financially sustainable in the future. The Government believes that the answer to these challenges lies in changing the way services are delivered and keeping people well and independent for longer, not in altering the fundamental principles that underpin the NHS.

The Government has committed to increasing spending on the NHS in real terms every year in this Parliament, with spending to be at least £8 billion higher by 2020 over and above inflation. This will fund and support the NHS’s own action plan for the next five years – the NHS Five Year Forward View. Robust discussions on financing the NHS take place regularly in Parliament which will continue to inform the Government.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Smith on 2015-10-09.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what recent assessment he has made of the effect of public sector pay restraint on (a) staff recruitment, (b) staff retention and (c) expenditure on agency staff in the NHS.

Alistair Burt

Over the last five years, neither the NHS Pay Review Body (NHSPRB) nor the Doctors and Dentist Pay Review Body (DDRB) which make pay recommendations to government for employed non-medical and medical National Health Service staff, have identified any significant recruitment and retention issues because of pay restraint or expenditure on agency staff. In fact there are 8,500 more full time equivalent doctors and 6,800 more nurses since 2010.

In addition to consolidated and non-consolidated pay increases, over the last five years, just under half of all employed NHS staff also received incremental pay at an average of over 3% each year.

The Government has said that it will fund public sector workforces for a pay award of 1% for four years from 2016/17. The NHSPRB and DDRB will make recommendations to Government for 2016/17 and in making their recommendations will take into account the funding available to the NHS and expenditure on the workforce, including temporary staffing through agencies. They will also consider how their recommendations might affect the retention, recruitment and motivation of all their remit group.

It is recognised that the policy of pay restraint is challenging and difficult for NHS staff, however at a time of necessary decisions, the Government’s pay policy will help to ensure the NHS workforce is affordable and protect jobs.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Smith on 2015-10-09.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the current average time taken is to process asylum applications from the point of initial screening interview to substantive asylum interview.

James Brokenshire

The current average time to process an asylum claim is 80 days, from the date of the screening interview to the date the substantive asylum interview has been concluded. This is down from a peak of 142 days in 2008.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Smith on 2015-10-14.

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps Community Rehabilitation Companies are taking to engage with local charities to prevent prisoners from reoffending.

Andrew Selous

Charities and the voluntary sector have long played an important role in rehabilitating offenders and continue to do so under the Government’s reforms to rehabilitation services. Under the Transforming Rehabilitation reforms, we opened up the market in order to get the best out of the public, private and third sectors. 19 out of the 21 CRCs are being run with assistance from staff mutual or VCSE, and all contracted probation providers have included VCSE organisations in their supply chains.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Smith on 2015-10-09.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, whether any arms export licences have been (a) suspended, (b) revoked or (c) refused in relation to Saudi Arabia in 2015.

Anna Soubry

No export licences have been suspended, revoked or refused in relation to Saudi Arabia in 2015.

However, Saudi Arabia was “Rejected” on 3 multiple destination Open Individual Export licences (OIELs), with a recommendation in each case for the exporter to submit an application for a Standard Individual Export Licence (SIEL) for consideration on its own merits on a case by case basis.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Smith on 2015-10-09.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, pursuant to the Answer of 1 July 2015 to Question 3711, how many arms export licences the Government has granted to Saudi Arabia subsequent to the information provided in that Answer; and what items were so licensed.

Anna Soubry

Licensing data shows 67 licences were granted to Saudi Arabia.

Please note that data from licensing decisions made between 1 April and 30 June 2015 is scheduled to be published as Official Statistics at 9.30am on Tuesday 20 October 2015; and data from licensing decisions made between 1 July and 30 September 2015 is scheduled to be published as Official Statistics at 9.30am on 19 January 2016.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Smith on 2015-10-09.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what steps he is taking to ensure that arms exports from the UN to Yemen are not being used in breach of export control policy and provisions of the Arms Trade Treaty.

Anna Soubry

The Government takes its export responsibilities very seriously and aims to operate one of the most robust export control regimes in the world. We rigorously examine every application on a case-by-case basis against all of the Consolidated EU and National Arms Export Licensing Criteria, which includes; ensuing exports are consistent with the UK’s obligations under the United Nations arms trade treaty.

We undertake appropriate checks using both open and other sources when considering licence applications. To ensure a comprehensive and consistent approach, this will involve Desk and Post in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and relevant experts from other Departments.