Tag: Craig Whittaker

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Craig Whittaker on 2015-11-24.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 24 June 2015 to Question 2798, what recent steps he has taken to support Christians who are being persecuted in Middle Eastern countries.

Mr Tobias Ellwood

The Government remains deeply concerned about the plight of Christians and other minorities across the Middle East and North Africa. We continue to urge all governments in the region to ensure the protection of all minorities and encourage them to develop inclusive political systems that represent all of their citizens. In Iraq, Syria and Lebanon we are working with religious leaders to support inter-communal cohesion and ensure vulnerable communities have a voice. We have recently launched a project promoting legal and social protection for Freedom of Religion or Belief in Iraq. On 19 November, The Minister of State, my noble Friend the right hon. Baroness Anelay of St Johns and I convened a workshop at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office with Non-Governmental Organisations and experts in the field to examine what more Her Majesty’s Government might do to practically support Christians and other minorities in the Middle East and protect Freedom of Religion or Belief. Officials are now examining how we might put emerging ideas into practice.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Craig Whittaker on 2015-12-08.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to encourage economic development in rural areas within English metropolitan counties.

Rory Stewart

In August, the Secretary of State launched the Government’s Rural Productivity Plan. This sets out a series of measures to help rural communities and businesses reach their full potential and contribute to increasing national productivity.

By investing in education and skills, increasing wages, improving infrastructure and connectivity, and simplifying planning laws for rural businesses and communities, this will help create thriving rural areas where generations of families can open and expand their businesses, buy a home and educate their children at first class schools.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Craig Whittaker on 2016-01-28.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether the target for new recruits to the Royal Navy Reserve has been met in each of the last 10 years.

Mr Julian Brazier

The Maritime Reserve (MR) is a vital component of the Naval Service’s capability and consists of the Royal Naval Reserve and Royal Marines Reserve.

Centrally held data for the MR recruitment targets does not go back 10 years. Since the Future Reserve 2020 Programme was established in July 2012 the MR have achieved their targets each year.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Craig Whittaker on 2016-02-23.

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what estimate he has made of the balances held by all English local authorities.

Mr Marcus Jones

The most recent local authority data held by the Department for Communities and Local Government is the estimated position for financial year 2015-16. Local authorities have estimated that their reserve balances as at 31 March 2016 will be as follows:

Ringfenced school reserves £2,213.16 million

Ringfenced public health reserves £138.83 million

Non ringfenced other earmarked reserves £13,396.76 million

Non ringfenced unallocated reserves £3,736.79 million

Full details can be found on the department’s webpage https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/local-authority-revenue-expenditure-and-financing-england-2015-to-2016-individual-local-authority-data

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The below Parliamentary question was asked by Craig Whittaker on 2016-03-11.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of the effect of the UN and African Union missions in South Sudan; and what discussions he has had with the UN since the publication of its report, Assessment Mission by the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights to improve human rights, accountability, reconciliation and capacity in South Sudan: detailed findings, published March 2016.

James Duddridge

The UK is deeply concerned by the findings of the African Union Commission of Inquiry (AU-COI) report and the recent UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) assessment. Both reports detail appalling levels of human rights violations and abuses, including widespread levels of sexual violence, and that these may constitute war crimes and/or crimes against humanity.

We are pressing for action on multiple levels. We are raising our serious concerns directly with the government in Juba, and when I visited South Sudan in January 2016 I pressed both the President and the Foreign Minister on human rights issues. At the same time, we are also encouraging the African Union to establish the Hybrid Court for South Sudan and pressing the UN Security Council to agree an arms embargo. At the UN Human Rights Council we are pressing for a UN Special Rapporteur to be agreed and the OHCHR report’s findings to be followed up on. We will continue to work to ensure those who are responsible for abuses are held to account.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Craig Whittaker on 2016-04-08.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what steps her Department is taking to encourage (a) development of oil and mineral production and (b) other economic development within South Sudan.

Mr Nick Hurd

Sustainable economic development in South Sudan will require peace and political will from the country’s leaders. This means appointing a transitional government of national unity as soon as possible and implementing the peace agreement signed in August 2015. The UK remains committed to the people of South Sudan. DFID supports livelihoods and basic services for the people of South Sudan alongside life-saving humanitarian support. We support economic development by helping to improve the capacity of key institutions, and through our support to improving the effectiveness and transparency of customs operations. DFID has no plans to support the development of oil and mineral production beyond seeking to ensure a greater degree of transparency in the sector.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Craig Whittaker on 2016-06-13.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent representations he has received from Calderdale Council on the construction of a new rail station at Elland.

Claire Perry

We are aware of aspirations for a new station at Elland but have not received any representations about it from Calderdale Council. The promotion of any new station is a matter for the relevant local transport authority, in this case West Yorkshire Combined Authority.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Craig Whittaker on 2016-07-21.

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what guidance he has issued to combined authorities on ensuring that they establish adequate audit and governance arrangements.

Andrew Percy

Both the primary legislation, and secondary legislation applicable to each combined authority which establish combined authorities, provide for their governance arrangements including requiring each combined authority to establish one or more overview and scrutiny committee and an audit committee. We also intend this autumn, subject to Parliamentary approval, to make an order making provision about how overview and scrutiny committees and audit committee must be operated; in addition we are able to issue statutory guidance on these matters and we will consider whether any such guidance is needed.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Craig Whittaker on 2016-09-02.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions he has had with his Spanish counterparts on recent incursions by Spanish vessels into British Territorial Waters around Gibraltar.

Sir Alan Duncan

The Foreign Secretary, my Rt Hon. Friend the Member for Uxbridge and South Ruislip (Mr Johnson) has made clear publicly that the UK will continue to protect and promote Gibraltar’s interests. This includes challenging and protesting against all incursions into British Gibraltar Territorial Waters. The Foreign Secretary has also reaffirmed our sovereignty assurances to Gibraltar never to enter into arrangements under which the people of Gibraltar would pass under the sovereignty of another State against their wishes, nor to enter into a process of sovereignty negotiations with which Gibraltar is not content.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Craig Whittaker on 2015-11-24.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the economic benefits to local communities on the reopening of the Todmorden Curve rail link.

Andrew Jones

The reinstatement of this rail link was promoted by Lancashire County Council with support from the Regional Growth Fund. It has enabled the reintroduction of direct rail services between Blackburn, Accrington and Burnley to Manchester Victoria after 40 years, reducing journey times by 20 per cent, and delivering much needed economic benefits to East Lancashire.