Tag: Baroness Goudie

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Goudie on 2016-03-03.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Earl Howe on 1 March (HL6250), what assessment they have made of the effectiveness of training provided by the UK to Burmese Army soldiers.

Earl Howe

I refer to my previous answer, which stated that we do not provide combat training to the Burmese Army. We do, however, provide educational training to the Burmese military and Burmese civil servants. In 2015 this included the Managing Defence in a Wider Security Context and Strategic Leadership programmes, both delivered by the Defence Academy of the United Kingdom in partnership with Cranfield University. In addition, the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst delivered a Psychology of Leadership programme in Burma, and we have also provided English language training. We have not undertaken any formal assessment process of this educational training.

I refer to my previous answer, which stated that we do not provide combat training to the Burmese Army. We do, however, provide educational training to the Burmese military and Burmese civil servants. In 2015 this included the Managing Defence in a Wider Security Context and Strategic Leadership programmes, both delivered by the Defence Academy of the United Kingdom in partnership with Cranfield University. In addition, the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst delivered a Psychology of Leadership programme in Burma, and we have also provided English language training. We have not undertaken any formal assessment process of this educational training.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Goudie on 2016-04-21.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government to which battalions Burmese Army soldiers who have received training from the UK belong.

Earl Howe

I refer the noble Baroness to the answer I gave on 10 March 2016 to Question number HL6693, which states that we retain the names and current units of Burmese Army soldiers who receive educational training from the UK. The Burmese Army soldiers who currently attend this training are drawn from the headquarters of the Burmese Army, and are not on battalion duties.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Goudie on 2016-05-23.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they plan to make a multi-year funding commitment to the Education Cannot Wait fund for education in emergencies that represents an increase in real terms funding for education in humanitarian situations.

Baroness Verma

The UK has played a leading role in the development of the Education Cannot Wait fund, which is designed to attract multi-year additional funding for education in emergencies and protracted crises. The UK has recently announced a new multi-year commitment of £30 million, over the first two years, to the Education Cannot Wait fund at the World Humanitarian Summit on 23rd May, as a founding donor to this important initiative.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Goudie on 2016-05-23.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they will take steps to support efforts to monitor the funding and transparency of the Education Cannot Wait fund for education in emergencies.

Baroness Verma

The UK has played a leading role in the development of Education Cannot Wait, a fund for education in emergencies, announcing a £30 million commitment as a founding donor at its launch at the World Humanitarian Summit on 23rd May.

The UK will continue to engage closely during Education Cannot Wait’s inception phase to ensure that the final design and results framework are underpinned by a transparent monitoring and evaluation system and robust financial reporting arrangements, to ensure that the UK and other donors have strong oversight of how funds are utilised and results achieved.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Goudie on 2016-06-13.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what action, if any, they plan to take to save and preserve the Kensington Odeon, maintain its classic art deco design, and reverse the impact of its closure upon the neighbourhood and community.

Baroness Neville-Rolfe

Kensington Odeon is subject to a Certificate of Immunity (COI) which precludes the building being listed until 2018. The Odeon has been considered for listing twice before. It was rejected because it does not possess the special architectural or historic interest features required.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Goudie on 2016-06-28.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they intend to maintain the normalisation of the Irish border in terms of the common travel area, and whether they plan to take steps to ensure that there will be no ethnic profiling of people crossing that border.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon

The Prime Minister has reiterated the importance of continuing to engage with Ireland on how we can maintain the Common Travel Area (CTA). The CTA arrangement pre-dates the EU and we remain committed to it. The Government continues to work closely with Ireland to improve the security of the CTA. UK law enforcement agencies carry out intelligence-led checks on CTA routes to combat abuse – all of which is done within the law.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Goudie on 2016-06-28.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether the £660 million to be available to Northern Ireland and the southern border counties under PEACE IV, and other EU Structural Fund subventions, will continue to be made available to those areas.

Lord O’Neill of Gatley

As the Prime Minister has made clear, while the UK remains a member of the EU, current EU funding arrangements continue unchanged. It will be for the government under the new Prime Minister to begin the negotiation to leave, and set out arrangements for those currently in receipt of EU funds.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Goudie on 2016-06-27.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they plan to amend the Modern Slavery Act 2015 to deal with the mistreatment of migrant domestic workers by employers who exploit their employees’ vulnerable situation, in the light of the remarks by Baroness Hale of Richmond in paragraph 34 of the judgment on 22 June in Taiwo v Olaigbe and another [2016] UKSC31.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon

The Government is considering the Judge’s remarks in the context of the wider support available to victims of modern slavery provided for in the Modern Slavery Act.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Goudie on 2016-09-06.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon (HL783), whether they have now considered the judge’s remarks made during Taiwo v Olaigbe and another [2016] UKSC 31; if so, what is their assessment of them; and if not, when they plan to do so.

Baroness Williams of Trafford

The Government has provided strong protections for overseas domestic workers, including giving them the right to change employers during the six-month period for which they are admitted. There are no current plans to amend the Modern Slavery Act, but we keep the measures in the Act under review.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Goudie on 2016-10-03.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they have ever considered using drones to monitor Northern Ireland’s post-Brexit border with the Republic of Ireland and the European Union; whether they have any plans to do so; and if not, whether they intend explicitly to rule it out.

Baroness Williams of Trafford

The Common Travel Area (CTA) arrangement pre-dates the EU and leaders in Ireland and the United Kingdom, including the Northern Ireland Executive have been unequivocal – all want to protect this arrangement.

To date the use of drones has not been considered as a method of monitoring the border between Northern Ireland and Ireland post-Brexit. Indeed regulation in the UK does not permit the use of drones beyond line of sight . Discussions between the Taoiseach and the Prime Minister have underlined their desire to work together to find a creative and innovative solution and to maintain the closest possible relationship following the UK’s exit from the EU.

We will continue the high level of collaboration with Ireland on the future of the CTA once the UK has left the EU, avoiding the imposition of fixed immigration controls and being clear that there will be no immediate changes to our practices surrounding the CTA.