Tag: Imran Hussain

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Imran Hussain on 2016-10-07.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the effect of changes to the funding of English for speakers of other languages services on the ability of local authorities to provide access to English language classes to resettled Syrian refugees.

Mr Robert Goodwill

Learning English is a key factor in integration and is vital for gaining access to the employment market. Our experience is that most Syrians resettled under the programme are keen to learn English.

English language tuition is already provided as part of the Syrian Vulnerable Persons Resettlement scheme (VPRS) and will be available for adults entering the UK under the Vulnerable Children’s Resettlement scheme (VCRS). The recently announced additional £10 million of funding will increase the amount of training available for Syrian refugees resettled in the UK.

We will be working with local authorities to ensure that the funding is taken up in the most effective way, including providing funding for regional English Speakers of other languages (ESOL) co-ordinators to promote best practice, map provision, support authorities to commission services and coordinate volunteers. Many people across the country have also offered their time and support to help refugees improve English and integrate better into their community.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Imran Hussain on 2015-11-10.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what effect the outcome of the elections in Burma in November 2015 will have on her Department’s funding to projects in that country.

Mr Desmond Swayne

I congratulate the people of Burma on their historic elections which are an important step towards greater democracy. DFID is currently reviewing our approach for all country programmes for the next five years as part of the government’s overall spending review.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Imran Hussain on 2015-11-19.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what his policy is on the establishment of a UN Commission of Inquiry into human rights violations against Rohingya people in Burma.

Mr Hugo Swire

I refer the hon. Member to my answer of 12 November 2015 (PQ14884), which can be located at: http://www.parliament.uk/writtenanswers/.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Imran Hussain on 2016-03-14.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, whether her Department plans to reinstate the bilateral aid programme with Burundi.

Mr Nick Hurd

There are no plans for DFID to re-open the office in Burundi. DFID’s bilateral programme in Burundi closed in 2012 following the 2010 Bilateral Aid Review. We have provided support to Burundi through Trade Mark East Africa (TMEA), an independent agency promoting trade and regional economic integration, given that this is central to Burundi’s growth and prosperity. DFID has provided £10 million for TMEA work in Burundi since 2012.

DFID will continue to monitor the situation closely and work with counterparts across Whitehall, the international financial institutions (IFIs) and humanitarian partners in Burundi. DFID is working with the IFIs to identify options to support the provision of basic services, where there is none. DFID has prepared a response plan in the event of significant unmet humanitarian needs emerging.

DFID has also provided technical support, in the form of secondment of experts, to support UN agencies working in Burundi. This includes support to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA) to strengthen humanitarian coordination in Burundi.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Imran Hussain on 2016-04-12.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what estimate her Department has made of the amount of profits moved out of developing countries by UK-listed companies in each of the last five years.

Mr Desmond Swayne

The Department for International Development does not collect this data.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Imran Hussain on 2016-05-25.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what training and learning activities her Department undertakes to improve evidence collection for the design and implementation of violence against women and girls programmes.

Mr Nick Hurd

DFID’s Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) Helpdesk central programme has developed a series of guidance notes on how to mainstream the prevention of violence against women and girls into sectoral programmes, including health, education and economic development. Building on this DFID is developing and offering resources to strengthen the capability of specialists in these disciplines in addressing VAWG, including investing up to £25 million over five years (2013-2018) in a pioneering violence against women and girls research and innovation programme called ‘What Works to Prevent Violence’.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Imran Hussain on 2016-10-07.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps his Department is taking to improve the process for GPs referring patients to mental health services.

Nicola Blackwood

NHS England is aware that some general practitioners (GPs) experience difficulties with access to secondary mental health services. In line with the recommendations of the Mental Health Taskforce, NHS England mental health team is working to introduce a suite of evidence based treatment pathways spanning the main mental health conditions and covering the journey from referral to treatment and through to recovery. These will help to ensure that GPs have the information they need to refer people swiftly to the right services, offering the right treatment for their particular mental health needs. Pathways and associated standards have already been introduced for common mental health disorders Psychological Therapies services, first episode psychosis and community-based eating disorder services for children and young people.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Imran Hussain on 2016-10-07.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department is taking steps to promote cooperation on the resettlement of Syrian refugees between local authorities with experience of resettlement programmes and local authorities without such experience.

Mr Robert Goodwill

Local authorities are already working together to provide support, ensure best value in the services they provide and to deliver efficiencies.

The Government will continue to provide local authorities with support and guidance including sharing resettlement best practice and case studies, detailed information on the cohort from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and advice about the cultural, ethnic and religious groupings from Syria.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Imran Hussain on 2015-11-10.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what projects her Department (a) has and (b) is planning to facilitate transition in Burma from dictatorship to democracy.

Mr Desmond Swayne

DFID’s bilateral commitment to Burma between 2011/12 and 2015/16 is around £285 million. DFID has allocated £25 million over five years to strengthen democratic governance in Burma, including support to the elections, through our Programme for Democratic Change. DFID is currently reviewing our approach for all country programmes for the next five years as part of the government’s overall spending review and any decisions about future support will be made in due course.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Imran Hussain on 2015-12-08.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assistance his Department provides to local authorities and frontagers to (a) maintain un-adopted roads and (b) ensure safety and the public right of way on un-adopted roads.

Andrew Jones

The Department does not provide any assistance to local authorities and frontagers to maintain un-adopted roads, or to ensure safety and the public right of way on un-adopted roads.

Section 41 of the Highways Act 1980 places a duty to maintain roads that are maintainable at public expense, namely adopted roads. However, where repairs are needed to remove danger to traffic in a private street, section 230 of the same Act gives the power to the street works authority to require the owners of the premises fronting the street to carry out specified repairs within a given time-scale