Tag: Harriet Harman

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Harriet Harman on 2014-05-01.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions he has had with UN Women about the abduction of schoolgirls from Chibok in north-eastern Nigeria on 14 April 2014; and if he will make a statement.

Mark Simmonds

Since the abduction of the Nigerian school girls on 14 April, we have focused our efforts on working with the Nigerian Government to locate and secure the release of the girls. We have made no representations to UN Women about the case. The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Richmond (Yorks) (Mr Hague) made a statement condemning the schoolgirls abduction on 16 April.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Harriet Harman on 2014-05-01.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what representations he has made to (a) the UN and (b) any UN agency on the abduction of schoolgirls from Chibok in north-eastern Nigeria on 14 April 2014.

Mark Simmonds

Since the abduction of the Nigerian school girls on 14 April, we have focused our efforts on working with the Nigerian government to locate and secure the release of the girls. We have discussed the issue with officials from counterpart members of the UN Security Council in New York. On 7 May, I spoke with UN Special Representatives (SR), Zainab Bangura (UN SR for Sexual Violence) and Leila Zeroughi (UN SR for Children and Armed Conflict), to discuss what more the UN can do to help.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Harriet Harman on 2014-04-30.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how many schoolgirls were abducted in Chibok in north-eastern Nigeria on 14 April 2014; and what reports he has received on their current location.

Mark Simmonds

Approximately 230 schoolgirls were taken. A small number appear to have escaped or been released. There is no confirmation of the current location or condition of those still being held. Most reports suggest the girls were initially taken to the Sambisa forest, where insurgents are believed to have a number of camps. The girls may have now been split into several smaller groups.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Harriet Harman on 2014-04-30.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will discuss the abduction of schoolgirls in Chibok in north-eastern Nigeria on 14 April 2014 at the next European Union meeting of Foreign Ministers.

Mark Simmonds

We expect the next Foreign Affairs Council to focus on Ukraine. Nigeria is not currently on the agenda. Our High Commissioner in Abuja has discussed the abductions with his EU colleagues.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Harriet Harman on 2014-04-30.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, when he last discussed with his Nigerian counterpart the recent abduction of schoolgirls in that country; and when he next intends to raise this issue.

Mark Simmonds

The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Richmond (Yorks) (Mr Hague) spoke to Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs on 18 April about the case. The Foreign Secretary expressed the UK’s sympathies about this outrageous crime and offered UK assistance to Nigerian efforts to recover the girls.

Officials at our High Commission in Abuja have met their Nigerian security and military counterparts regularly since the abductions and have repeated the Foreign Secretary’s offer of assistance.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Harriet Harman on 2014-04-30.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what steps her Department is taking to support the Nigernian government in its efforts to protect schools in north-eastern Nigeria and to re-open schools that have closed for security reasons.

Lynne Featherstone

DFID is supporting the Nigerian government to reduce instability in the north-east of Nigeria, helping to provide a more stable and secure environment for schools to operate. This approach includes DFID Nigeria’s Stability and Reconciliation Programme which promotes conflict resolution and supports local organisations to tackle violence against women and girls. DFID also supports the Presidential Initiative for the North East which is promoting economic recovery and meeting basic needs, including education.

DFID’s education programme operates in eleven states in Nigeria, including the north-eastern state of Bauchi. Here DFID is working with UNICEF and the state government to improve girls’ access to better education.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Harriet Harman on 2014-05-06.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, who will represent the Government at the World Economic Forum on Africa in Abuja.

Mark Simmonds

No UK Minister was available to attend the World Economic Forum being held in Abuja on 7 – 9 May. We did propose to send senior officials, but the organisers of the World Economic Forum declined this request.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Harriet Harman on 2014-06-11.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what proportion of primary pupils of each ethnic background and in total have engaged with (a) theatre activities, (b) music activities, (c) dance and (d) other arts in each year since 2009-10.

Mr Edward Vaizey

Taking Part child survey results for activity by individual art forms are not regularly published broken down by BAME. This requires further analysis of the underlying survey data and we will publish this analysis in the libraries of both Houses.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Harriet Harman on 2014-06-12.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what recent estimate he has made of the amount of philanthropic giving to arts and heritage organisations in each region and constituent part of the UK; and if he will make a statement.

Mr Edward Vaizey

In 2011/12, according to Arts & Business, overall philanthropic giving to the cultural sector grew by 7.6% on the previous year to £660.5 million. The breakdown of this total shows £536 million of private investment in culture in London and £125 million in the non-London English regions. Although London is always likely to attract a greater proportion of philanthropic giving, there are many examples of arts organisations successfully encouraging philanthropy and private investment across the country. DCMS has been working closely with Arts Council England, Heritage Lottery Fund and the cultural sector, through the £100 million Catalyst scheme, to help improve fundraising capacity and ensure organisations have the skills required to cultivate philanthropy.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Harriet Harman on 2014-06-12.

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what recent estimate he has made of (a) the total amount paid out in film tax relief and (b) the resultant benefit to the UK economy as a result of such tax relief since 2007; and if he will make a statement.

Mr David Gauke

HMRC data indicates that between January 2007 and March 2013, over 1,200 film productions have claimed £1.3bn of tax relief.

According to the Office of National Statistics and the BFI, the film and video production industry generates around 46,000 jobs and film investment is over £1 billion a year.

To support this important sector the Government has modernised film tax relief and extended the relief to animation, high-end television and video games.

The BFI statistics for 2013 show that these reforms are working, with an increase in overall UK film investment, and that the new TV and animation tax reliefs have supported growth in production in the UK.