Tag: Catherine West

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Catherine West on 2016-03-21.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make representations to his Indonesian counterpart on the imprisonment and shackling of people living with mental health conditions in that country.

Mr Hugo Swire

The UK is committed to working with other states to ensure the rights of disabled people are upheld in full. It is important to recognise the inherent dignity and worth, the equal and inalienable rights, of all people. We regularly raise our human rights concerns and will look for the next possible opportunity to raise this specific issue with the government of Indonesia.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Catherine West on 2016-04-25.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many schools became converter academies in each year between 2010 and 2015.

Edward Timpson

The numbers of currently open converter academies that opened in the years 2010 – 2015 can be found in the table below. This information is available on GOV.UK at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/open-academies-and-academy-projects-in-development. The figures are correct as at 1 April 2016.

Year of opening	2010	2011	2012	2013	2014	2015
Number of currently open converter academies	94	1045	818	602	492	465

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The below Parliamentary question was asked by Catherine West on 2016-04-27.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to reduce (a) microbeads entering and (b) rubbish in marine environments.

George Eustice

The UK Marine Strategy Part Three, published in December 2015, sets out the actions we are taking to improve the marine environment. It includes measures that contribute to reducing sources of marine litter, including plastics. Given the trans-boundary nature of marine litter, we are working with other countries in the Oslo and Paris Convention for the Protection of the Marine Environment of the North East Atlantic (OSPAR) to address marine litter.

On microbeads in particular, Defra is working with other OSPAR countries and industry to secure the voluntary phasing-out of microplastics in personal care products. Defra is also supporting other EU Member States in calling for the European Commission to come up with proposals to ban microbeads in cosmetics and detergents.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Catherine West on 2016-05-26.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps his Department is taking to tackle speeding by (a) cars, (b) HGVs and (c) buses.

Andrew Jones

The Department educates drivers about the importance of observing speed limits through The Highway Code, the driving test and THINK! campaigns. Enforcement of speeding offences is a matter for the police.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Catherine West on 2016-07-19.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how she plans to ensure that the early years workforce strategy encourages the recruitment and retention of early years teachers.

Nick Gibb

We recognise the importance of the Early Years workforce in improving quality and delivering better outcomes for children. That is why we are committed to publishing an Early Years workforce strategy. The strategy will set out how we will help to remove barriers to attracting, retaining and developing staff. As part of the strategy, we will look at the barriers to increasing the number of graduates in the workforce.

The Government currently delivers Early Years initial teacher training places, funds eligible graduates to undertake training and also provides student bursaries. Information about training routes is available from the Get into Teaching site: https://getintoteaching.education.gov.uk/

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The below Parliamentary question was asked by Catherine West on 2016-09-13.

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many successful prosecutions have been made for cases involving breast ironing in each of the last five years.

Dr Phillip Lee

The information is not available and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Catherine West on 2016-10-07.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether the Government plans to continue to participate in the European Training Foundation after the UK leaves the EU.

Joseph Johnson

The UK will continue to participate in the European Training Foundation until we leave the EU. Future participation after we leave the EU is a matter for the forthcoming negotiations.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Catherine West on 2016-10-07.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what representations he has made to his counterpart in the Cayman Islands on improving LGBT rights.

Sir Alan Duncan

The British Government works closely with the Overseas Territories (OTs) on LGBT rights to ensure that all OTs meet their international human rights obligations in this area. In September, the UK Solicitor General chaired a human rights session at the annual conference of OT Attorneys General, where LGBT equality was extensively discussed. The Solicitor General will co-chair a session in November with the Minister for the Overseas Territories, my noble Friend, the Rt Hon Baroness Anelay of St Johns, on human rights at the Joint Ministerial Council. And earlier this month, Baroness Anelay addressed LGB&T issues when she spoke to the Cayman Islands Legislative Assembly. We expect all OT Governments to comply with their evolving international obligations in the field of human rights. Legislating in this area is for OT Governments.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Catherine West on 2016-10-10.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions he has had with his US counterparts on war crimes allegedly carried out by Russia and Syria; and if he will make a statement.

Mr Tobias Ellwood

We discuss the situation in Syria regularly with international counterparts, and these discussions often cover allegations of atrocities being committed in Syria. These were raised most recently in the UN Security Council on Saturday 8 October, when Russia vetoed the proposed UNSC resolution calling for an end to the bombardment of Aleppo. As the Foreign Secretary my right hon. Friend the member for Uxbridge and South Ruislip (Boris Johnson) has said, including in the House of Commons on 11 October, deliberate targeting of civilians or humanitarian personnel would be a war crime. The attack on a UN aid convoy near Aleppo on 19 September was a clear violation of the most basic of humanitarian principles. Russia appears to be partnering with the Syrian regime in the attacks on Aleppo which are causing large numbers of civilian casualties. It is crucial that these incidents are properly investigated.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Catherine West on 2016-10-10.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will make it her policy to provide additional resources to local authorities or schools for sex and relationships education.

Edward Timpson

We want schools to provide all young people with a curriculum that equips them for success in adult life. High-quality sex and relationship education (SRE) and personal, social, health and economic (PSHE) education have a vital role to play in this.

SRE is compulsory in maintained secondary schools. Academies and free schools do not have to teach SRE, but many choose to do so as part of their statutory duty to provide a broad and balanced curriculum.

When teaching SRE, all schools, including academies through their funding agreement, must have regard to the Secretary of State’s Sex and Relationship Education guidance. The existing SRE guidance was last updated in 2000. We have received requests about updating the guidance which we will consider carefully.

Schools and teachers have the freedom to design lessons that meet their pupils’ needs, taking account of pupil and parent views. Teachers are encouraged to develop their practice with the support of specialist organisations and expert professionals. Many of these specialist organisations have produced resources that can be used and adapted by schools.

We hold regular meetings with Ofsted about a range of matters. As the Secretary of State said at the Education Select Committee hearing in September 2016, we need to look again at how schools deliver high-quality PSHE, including SRE. We are considering all the options, including the need for any statutory powers, and will come to a view soon.