Tag: Craig Whittaker

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 people to consume locally-sourced food produce.

George Eustice

The Government recognises the value that high-quality, locally produced food has to consumers, communities and the economy. The Great British Food Campaign was launched on 3 November to celebrate the achievements of British food and drink and to ensure that the conditions are right for its quality, creativity and reputation to flourish.

2016 will be the Year of British Food. It will celebrate the quality and provenance of Britain’s producers, manufacturers, retailers and restaurateurs allowing everyone to benefit from and share the UK’s culinary heritage.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions he has had with the Israeli government on tackling the spread of Daesh in the Middle East.

Mr Tobias Ellwood

Foreign and Commonwealth Office officials have regular discussions with the Israeli Government on shared security threats. These include sharing analysis on the spread of Daesh across the Middle East, and discussing our efforts to tackle this spread, including through the Global Counter-Daesh Coalition, international sanctions, and support to bolster countries in the region, such as Jordan.

I will be visiting Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories later this month where I will continue these discussions.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Craig Whittaker on 2016-03-07.

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps his Department is taking to reduce self-harm among female prison inmates.

Caroline Dinenage

The Government is committed to reducing the incidence of self-harm in prisons. All prisons, including women’s prisons, are required to have procedures in place to identify, manage and support people who are at risk of harm to themselves. These include the Assessment, Care in Custody and Teamwork (ACCT) process, which is a prisoner-centred, flexible care planning system for prisoners identified as at risk of suicide or self-harm. The ACCT process is designed to ensure that all prisoners are managed in a way that is responsive to individual needs and risks, including those related to gender.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what steps her Department is taking to protect and support the rights of women and girls in South Sudan.

Mr Nick Hurd

The UK continues to press the Government of South Sudan to progress its commitments to tackle violence against women, to push for both the Government and Opposition to meet the agreed quotas for women’s participation in the transitional government of national unity.

Our development programmes in country dovetail with HMG’s overall efforts to support the rights of women in South Sudan. Through our Access to Justice Programme we seek to improve access to justice for those subjected to sexual and gender based violence. Our education programmes seek to empower women including the Girls Education South Sudan programme which operates in all South Sudanese states to help 200,000 girls complete secondary school. Our humanitarian support funds projects in the conflict-affected Greater Upper Nile region to prevent and respond to Gender-Based Violence against women and girls. Women’s empowerment projects in Lakes and Central Equatoria states are funded through the cross-governmental Conflict, Stability and Security Fund and the FCO’s Human Rights and Democracy Programme.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what measures she is taking to assist humanitarian agencies in distributing food and supplies to people affected by the conflict in Yemen.

Mr Desmond Swayne

The UK is the 4^th largest donor to the crisis in Yemen and has more than doubled its humanitarian support over the last year to £85 million for 2015/16. We have so far helped more than 1.3 million Yemenis who have been affected by the conflict with food assistance, medical supplies, water, and emergency shelter, as well as supporting refugees and migrants in Yemen.

We work through International Non-Governmental Organisations and the United Nations agencies, including the World Food Programme who provide emergency food to over 570,000 people, either through direct delivery of food or providing cash or vouchers to enable people to buy food. These distributions are prioritised to the areas of greatest need. We are also funding the UN Verification and Inspection Mechanism to improve the supply of essential commercial goods, including food, into Yemen.

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 Hipperholme.

Claire Perry

We are aware of aspirations for a new station at Hipperholme 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 Education, what plans she has for future provision of post-16 education provision in Calderdale; and whether she has received any representations on that subject from Calderdale Council.

Robert Halfon

Post-16 education in Calderdale was considered within the West Yorkshire Area Review, the final steering group meeting was held on 17 June 2016. The review will deliver a further education system that meets the economic and educational needs of areas whilst also ensuring the long term sustainability of colleges to support productivity.

Calderdale Council were represented on the West Yorkshire area review steering group and played a full part in discussions and the agreement of recommendations of the review.

We will publish the report of the West Yorkshire area review, including the agreed recommendations, shortly.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Craig Whittaker on 2016-10-24.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what assessment he has made of the potential effect of the UK leaving the EU on research funding across all disciplines in universities in Yorkshire and the Humber.

Joseph Johnson

The Government is committed to maintain and enhance the strength of our research base. This is why we have protected the science resource budget in real terms from its 2015/16 level of £4.7 billion for the rest of the parliament, as well as committing to invest in new scientific infrastructure on a record scale – £6.9 billion over the period 2015-2021 – including £65 million in the North East in 2014/15.

The Treasury decision to underwrite the grants of competitively bid for EU research funding will give British participants and their EU partners the assurance and certainty needed to plan ahead for projects that can run over many years. We will ensure that the UK, including Yorkshire and the Humber, continues to be a world leader in international research and innovation.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Craig Whittaker on 2015-11-30.

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what guidance his Department issues to local authorities to help them reduce the levels of sickness absence among employees.

Mr Marcus Jones

The Department does not issue guidance to local authorities on managing sickness absence levels. Local authorities are independent employers and free to manage their workforces. However, the Government has recently announced that it intends to review sickness absence in public sector workforces. The gap in sickness absence levels between the public and private sectors is reported to have narrowed over the past 20 years but levels still remain higher in the public sector. The Government intends to consult on possible reforms and will consider legislation where necessary to reduce the impact of sickness absence on public service delivery.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what assessment he has made of the effect of the National Living Wage on wage growth in Calder Valley.

Nick Boles

We have made no assessment of the impacts of the National Living Wage in Calder Valley or at constituency level. The Government published its Impact Assessment of the National Living Wage on 7 December.

The new National Living Wage is an essential part of moving to a higher wage, lower tax, lower welfare society; it ensures that work pays, and reduces reliance on the state topping up wages through the benefits system. The Government’s target is for the National Living Wage to reach 60% of median earnings by 2020, and we have asked the Low Pay Commission to recommend its level going forward.