Tag: Catherine West

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Catherine West on 2016-03-23.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent assessment his Department has made of the human rights situation in Indonesia.

Mr Hugo Swire

Our Embassy in Jakarta engages with a wide range of Indonesian civil society organisations and regularly seeks their assessments of the human rights situation. Indonesia has a strong tradition of religious diversity and tolerance but there has been a rise in recent years of localised instances of inter- and intra-religious conflict and examples where the rights of religious and other minority groups have not been protected.

We will continue to raise our concerns on these important issues with the Indonesian authorities.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Catherine West on 2016-04-26.

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how much government funding has been allocated to Cornish language schemes in the last five years.

James Wharton

The United Kingdom has recognised seven languages under the Council of Europe’s European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages: Welsh, Gaelic, Irish, Scots, Ulster Scots, Cornish and Manx. Cornish is the only language in England to have this status and since April 2010 the Department for Communities and Local Government has provided £650,000 to Cornwall Council for the development of the Cornish Language.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Catherine West on 2016-05-10.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many ambulances are currently in service in London; and how many ambulances were in service in London in each of the last five years.

Jane Ellison

This information is not held centrally.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Catherine West on 2016-05-25.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps he is taking to improve the recruitment and retention of paramedics employed by the London Ambulance Service.

Ben Gummer

We are advised by London Ambulance Service NHS Trust (LAS) that during 2015/16 it recruited 717 frontline staff. In doing so, LAS achieved its recruitment target and filled all its available frontline posts.

We understand that LAS has put in place a number of measures to help it support and retain staff. These measures include updating the vehicle fleet and re-launching the trust’s learning and development function. LAS has also established a new clinical team leader role, with 50% of the role devoted to supporting staff.

Demand on the service has increased significantly over the past five years. During March 2016, demand was the highest on record for patients with serious and life threatening illnesses. LAS continues to work to improve services for patients by focusing on reducing demand, recruiting more staff and supporting staff to work more efficiently.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what mechanisms are in place to monitor the application of section 60 of the Immigration Act 2016, on limitation on detention of pregnant women.

Mr Robert Goodwill

The Home Office has issued guidance to Immigration Enforcement caseworkers, enforcement officers and Border Force officers on the application of section 60 of the Immigration Act 2016. This was published on GOV.UK on 12 July, and includes monitoring tools to track the detention of pregnant women.

It is already the case that the majority of individuals liable to be detained at any one time are not actually detained but are managed in the community through the grant of temporary admission or temporary release on bail. This includes pregnant women, whose detention is now subject to the further restrictions imposed by section 60 of the 2016 Act.

Pregnant women who are to be released from detention, but who remain liable to be detained, will be granted temporary admission or temporary release with appropriate reporting and/or residence restrictions. Pregnant women have access to the Home Office Voluntary Departures Service.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, how many negotiators his Department has recruited.

Mr David Jones

Britain has been at the forefront of the free trade-supporting countries in the EU for the last 40 years. The Department for Exiting the EU now has over 200 staff plus the expertise of over 120 officials in Brussels, and is growing fast. The overall size and scope of the new department, including staffing and budget, are regularly reviewed. We will ensure we are appropriately staffed to deal with all aspects of the forthcoming negotiation.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether the Government plans continued participation in Frontex after the UK leaves the EU.

Mr Robert Goodwill

The European Border and Coast Guard was launched on 6 October, building on and replacing Frontex. The new Agency builds on provisions of the Schengen agreement in which the UK does not participate. The UK is not therefore bound by the new regulation although we are supportive of steps to increase the security of the external Schengen border and currently participate in Frontex operations on a voluntary basis, agreed by the Management Board.

Our future cooperation with the European Border and Coast Guard Agency will be considered as part of wider negotiations for the UK’s exit from the EU. The Prime Minister has made clear that the Government will not be giving a running commentary on negotiations.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, whether the Government plans to negotiate to continue participation in the European Medicines Agency after the UK leaves the EU.

Mr David Jones

The Government is considering all the options available as we negotiate a new relationship with the European Union.

We are about to begin these negotiations and it would be wrong to set out further unilateral positions in advance. At every step of these negotiations we will work to ensure the best possible outcome for the British people.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make representations to the Pakistani government on overturning the death sentence of Imdad Ali.

Alok Sharma

I am concerned about Mr Ali’s case and continue to follow developments closely. The UK remains firmly opposed to the death penalty in all circumstances. Abolitionist work is high on the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) agenda and is part of the day-to-day work of all diplomatic missions to countries that retain the death penalty. The FCO human rights and democracy report 2015 makes clear our views on the death penalty and the resumption of executions in Pakistan.

The former Foreign Secretary, my Rt Hon. Friend the Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr Philip Hammond), raised the issue of the death penalty with Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif in 2015, and the Parliamentary Under-Secretary for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my Hon. Friend the Member for Bournemouth East (Mr Tobias Ellwood), wrote subsequently to the Pakistani High Commissioner to the UK expressing deep concern about ongoing executions. Together with our EU partners, we continue to raise our concerns about the death penalty with the Government of Pakistan and urge compliance with its international obligations.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Catherine West on 2016-10-17.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent representations he has made to his Nigerian counterpart on the return of some of the Chibok schoolgirls; and what steps his Department is taking to help secure the safe return of the remaining Chibok schoolgirls.

Mr Tobias Ellwood

​I welcome the recent release of 21 of the Chibok girls. It is vital that they and their families now receive appropriate help and support.

We regularly raise the issue of abducted women and girls with the Nigerian Government at the highest levels. Most recently, I discussed the Chibok girls with the Nigerian Vice President during my visit to Nigeria in September.

Since the abduction of the Chibok girls in 2014 the UK has significantly increased its support to Nigeria in the fight against Boko Haram. This includes training and advice for Nigerian armed forces deploying against Boko Haram, a substantial package of intelligence, military and development support and £5 million to support the Multinational Joint Task Force.

We are resolute in our support for Nigeria in the fight against Boko Haram, and continue to call for the release of all who have been abducted by this barbaric group.