Tag: Diane Abbott

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Diane Abbott on 2016-06-13.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what the implications for her policies are of the report from the Committee on Development of the European Parliament on the New Alliance for Food Security and Nutrition (NAFSN), published on 3 May 2016, on the Government’s support for the NAFSN.

Justine Greening

The New Alliance for Food Security and Nutrition is a multi-stakeholder platform that aims to accelerate responsible investment in African agriculture. At the continental level, it is led by the African Union Commission. We support their aims through our policy engagement and programme work.

The report makes some useful recommendations which we are considering and will discuss with the wider AU-led initiative. Many of the report’s recommendations have already been the focus of DFID policy and programme work.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Diane Abbott on 2016-02-08.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to the Unicef press release of 2 February 2016, More children and women seek safety in Europe, what steps she is taking to support vulnerable women and children entering the UK.

Karen Bradley

We carefully consider all asylum claims and provide protection for those who need it, in accordance with our international obligations. We are committed to treating all those who seek asylum with dignity and respect, including women and girls whose fear is based on gender related persecution, such as sexual violence in conflict situations. We provide accommodation and other support that ensure asylum seekers are not destitute while their claim is considered. The Home Office liaises closely with corporate partners on gender related issues, including active involvement in the wider Home Office strategy to tackle violence against women and girls (VAWG). We have developed an asylum gender action plan and have made good progress in improving the asylum process for women. We work closely with local authorities, children’s services and other agencies to ensure that asylum seeking children receive appropriate support and care. Local authorities, who lead on child protection, have a statutory duty under the Children Act to ensure that they safeguard and promote the welfare of all children, regardless of their immigration status or nationality. Under these arrangements, looked after children are provided with access to all their needs in relation to education, accommodation, psychological or health.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Diane Abbott on 2016-02-24.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the implications of the findings of the report by Europol, Migrant Smuggling in the EU, published in February 2016, for her policies on tackling smuggling through the criminal justice system.

James Brokenshire

The Government’s system-wide approach to tackling Organised Immigration Crime is based on information and intelligence from a wide variety of sources. The Government takes Organised Immigration Crime very seriously – we are working to smash the criminal gangs that are fuelling this terrible trade in people. In June 2015 the Prime Minister announced the creation of the Organised Immigration Crime Taskforce bringing together officers from the NCA, Border Force, Immigration Enforcement and the Crown Prosecution Service. The Taskforce was subsequently expanded in November 2015 to more than 100 officers, and has had its funding extended until 2020. The Government values the intelligence-led approach to tackling Organised Immigration Crime Europol helps to facilitate, including through Joint Operational Team Mare, and welcomes the launch by Europol on 22 February 2016 of the new European Migrant Smuggling Centre which will proactively support EU Member States in dismantling criminal networks involved in organised migrant smuggling. The UK has been at the forefront of calls in the EU for a robust approach to tackling Organised Immigration Crime.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Diane Abbott on 2016-03-15.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what additional revenues were achieved for developing countries as a result of the pilot scheme for Tax Inspectors Without Borders; and how much such revenue derived from improved tax settlements with clients of the so-called big four accounting firms.

Justine Greening

The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development has recently reported that Tax Inspectors Without Borders (TWIB) deployments have assisted countries to increase their tax collected by over $185 million.

DFID does not have access to information about which professional services companies are used under the TIWB programme.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Diane Abbott on 2016-06-24.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the (a) treatment targets and (b) care processes are for people with (i) sickle cell disease and (ii) thalassaemia in each (A) clinical commissioning group area, (B) trust area and (C) national sickle cell and thalassaemia centre area in the most recent year for which figures are available.

George Freeman

NHS England has a published service specification for haemoglobinopathy which covers the requirements of commissioned services providing specialised services for patients with sickle cell disease or thalassaemia. The specification was developed by the Haemoglobinopathies Clinical Reference Group that covers Sickle Cell Disease, Thalassaemia and other very rare anaemias requiring lifelong transfusion and chelation. The specification reflects that although these are complex disorders they are often grouped together and managed by the same specialist team. It recognises that each condition will have distinct clinical manifestations and treatments.

Specialised services for haemoglobinopathy care B08/S/a:

https://www.england.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/b08-speci-serv-haemo.pdf

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The below Parliamentary question was asked by Diane Abbott on 2016-02-08.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what steps she has taken to assist people in poverty in southern Africa to mitigate the effects of the severe drought in that region.

Justine Greening

DFID is providing additional support to help mitigate the impact of El Niño-related drought in southern Africa. We are delivering humanitarian assistance to drought-affected communities, boosting disaster preparedness activities and improving the resilience of households to future climate shocks. Building resilience against climate shocks is a key component of all our climate-related work across Africa.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Diane Abbott on 2016-02-24.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential effect of the change in the OECD definition of foreign aid to include some military spending on the effectiveness of aid spend on reducing poverty.

Justine Greening

We welcome the outcome of the recent High Level Meeting of the OECD’s Development Assistance Committee (DAC), which agreed how the Official Development Assistance (ODA) rules should be updated to better tackle the pressing global development issues of the 21st century. The updates to the ODA rules both better recognise the detrimental impact that conflict, fragility and insecurity have on efforts to tackle poverty and reflect the importance of private sector investment for development.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Diane Abbott on 2016-04-12.

To ask the Prime Minister, pursuant to the Prime Minister’s contribution of 9 September 2013, Official Report, column 700, what the evidential basis is for the statement that none of the UK’s overseas territories or Crown dependencies are tax havens.

Mr David Cameron

I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the Leader of the Opposition, the right hon. Member for Islington North (Mr Corbyn), on 13 April 2016, Official Report, column 344-345, and to the answer I gave to the right hon. Member for Moray (Mr Robertson) on the same day, Official Report, column 347.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Diane Abbott on 2016-06-24.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what estimate he has made of the proportion of people from black, Asian and minority ethnic communities who have received a diagnosis of (a) sickle cell disease and (b) thalassaemia in each (i) clinical commissioning group area, (ii) trust area and (iii) national sickle cell and thalassaemia centre area; and what proportion of people from such communities were so diagnosed in the most recent year for which figures are available.

George Freeman

The National Haemoglobinopathy Registry maintains a database of patients with red cell disorders (mainly sickle cell disease and thalassaemia major) living in the United Kingdom. Detailed information on the number of patients diagnosed with sickle cell disease and thalassaemia, in England, is available from the National Haemoglobinopathy Registry Report 2013/14. This includes a breakdown of patients on the basis ethnicity, commissioning hub and specialist treatment centre.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Diane Abbott on 2016-02-08.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what steps she plans to take to support the provision of real and sustainable employment to young refugees in states with high youth unemployment.

Justine Greening

Over the next five years, DFID will build on its economic development work to ensure productive employment opportunities for young people are increased, including those in situations of protracted displacement.

Significant commitments to support Syrian refugees gain employment were made at the Supporting Syria and the Region Conference in London on 4 February, which was co-hosted by the UK alongside Norway, Germany, Kuwait and the UN.