Tag: Jeremy Corbyn

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jeremy Corbyn on 2015-02-10.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether her Department has agreed arrangements with the Israeli government to ensure that all animal products exported from Israel to the UK originate wholly within Israel and not from Israeli settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territories.

George Eustice

This Department has had no discussions with Israel about accepting animal products from the Occupied Palestinian Territories.

The rules for the importation of animal products are laid down in European Union (EU) animal and public health legislation. Imports are only accepted from approved third countries. The decision to approve a third country is made at an EU level and is based on the animal and public health status of the country concerned.

Israel is approved for a number of different categories of animal product. This approval is limited to Israel and does not include the Occupied Palestinian Territories.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jeremy Corbyn on 2015-02-09.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent discussions his Department has had with the government of the Democratic Republic of Congo on (a) the adoption of a new global army plan and defence strategy, (b) other reforms in the security sector and (c) legislation creating specialised mixed chambers.

Mr Hugo Swire

Efforts to stabilise the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) require a reformed army, police and justice sector that can provide effective security across the whole country and an end to the culture of impunity. It is crucial that the security sector operates under democratic control and follows the rule of law, and it and the justice system are responsive to the needs of the Congolese people. We are committed to engaging closely with the new Government of National Unity appointed by President Kabila in December 2014 on national reforms. The DRC made a commitment to deepen security sector reform as part of the regional agreement, the Peace, Stability and Cooperation Framework, signed in Addis Ababa in 2013. Senior officials at the British Embassy in Kinshasa regularly meet with DRC Government Ministers and officials to encourage further steps to implement the reforms necessary for a more effective, accountable and responsive security sector with greater number of perpetrators of human rights violations and abuses brought to justice.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jeremy Corbyn on 2015-02-12.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what representations his Department has made to the government of Democratic Republic of Congo on the arrest and incommunicado detention of 12 activists after protests in January 2015 against revision of the electoral law.

Mr Hugo Swire

During the recent period of unrest in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) officials at our Embassy in Kinshasa were in regular contact with the DRC authorities, and urged all parties to exercise calm and restraint. Officials also highlighted the importance of allowing those who wished to protest peacefully against the proposed electoral reform bill to be allowed to do so. This was echoed in an Foreign and Commonwealth Office statement https://www.gov.uk/government/news/fco-expresses-concern-over-violence-in-drc issued on 19 January.

On 25 January a revised electoral law was passed, and on 26 January an FCO statement https://www.gov.uk/government/news/uk-welcomes-new-electoral-law-and-cessation-of-violence-in-drc welcomed the revised electoral law, which sought to address some of the protestors’ concerns. We are pleased that calls for an end to violence were heeded but are concerned that – according to UN reports – as many as 300 people remain in detention following the demonstrations, including some who have not had access to a lawyer. Of those currently being held, the UN estimates that at least 11 are believed to be in ‘incommunicado’ detention, including Christopher Ngoyi.

Officials continue to raise the ongoing detention of protestors at the highest level. On 11 February, EU Head of Mission in Kinshasa issued a joint statement expressing concern at arrests and arbitrary detention of political activists by the security services. Those imprisoned for peacefully exercising their right to free speech must be released without delay.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jeremy Corbyn on 2015-02-12.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will discuss with the government of Ethiopia the possible return of Mr Tsige to its jurisdiction since 2004.

Mr Tobias Ellwood

It is longstanding policy and practice to neither confirm nor deny whether an extradition request has been made or received, nor whether discussions have taken place. We continue to press the Ethiopian authorities for regular consular access.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jeremy Corbyn on 2014-05-08.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what level of representation the UK will have at the humanitarian effects of nuclear weapons war conference being hosted by the Austrian government in December 2014.

Hugh Robertson

We have not received an invitation from Austria to this conference, and have therefore not yet made a decision on whether the UK will attend. I will update the House when a decision has been made.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jeremy Corbyn on 2014-06-12.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, which US establishments were visited by personnel from the Atomic Weapons Establishment under the terms of the US-UK Mutual Defence Agreement in 2013; and how many staff visited each such establishment.

Mr Philip Dunne

The information is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jeremy Corbyn on 2014-05-08.

To ask the Ministers for Women and Equalities, when the Government plans to introduce regulations under the Equalities Act to prevent discrimination by caste and descent.

Mrs Helen Grant

There is a lack of certainty on some intrinsic issues around caste, such as what it is and how it is manifested, partly because there had never been any form of public consultation on caste. It was accepted therefore by both Front Benches during the Parliamentary debate on this issue last year that the whole process, up to and including the commencement of legislation, would take time and should include a consultation on the proposed legislation. The Government is currently considering two issues which have developed and which have potential implications for the consultation stage. We would expect the public consultation document, including our conclusions on these matters, to issue in the Autumn. We will then be in a position to consider plans to introduce regulations. You may also wish to note the answer given to Lord Avebury by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon, which can be found in the Official Report for 6 May 2014, Col 331-2.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jeremy Corbyn on 2014-06-12.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what facility rekit projects have taken place at the Atomic Weapons Establishment under the scope of the Nuclear Weapons Capability Sustainment Project; and what the cost of each such project was.

Mr Philip Dunne

The term rekit is used by the Atomic Weapons Establishment (AWE) to mean the replacement or modernisation of process plant and /or equipment within an existing facility, including upgrading of building services. The following is a list of major facility rekits that have or are taking place at AWE. There are also a number of more minor rekits underway which are not listed.

Depleted Uranium Upgrade
Beryllium Facility
Plutonium Capability Programme (A90)
Enriched Uranium Facility (A45)
Explosive storage and processing Facility
Salts Sustainment
Facility for assembly/disassembly of Warhead

The information relating to individual rekit costs for each facility for the years 2003 to date is not centrally held and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jeremy Corbyn on 2014-05-07.

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how many conversions of office premises to housing have been notified to him since the lifting of planning approval requirements for such conversions; and how many social housing units have been included in such conversions.

Nick Boles

New homes are being created now because of the permitted development right for office to residential change of use. These new homes are helping to address the country’s housing need regardless of tenure. Developers seeking to convert an office to a residential property are required to seek prior approval from the local planning authority. A survey by Estates Gazette has found that there were more than 2,250 applications for change of use from office to residential in the first six months since the change was introduced. Some of these developments are, in themselves, each set to deliver more than 100 homes. The Department will begin collecting data on the number of prior approval applications from local planning authorities later in the year, covering applications from April 2014.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jeremy Corbyn on 2014-05-07.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what research his Department has undertaken into (a) the safety effectiveness of voice warnings on freight vehicles reversing, (b) the extent of noise pollution arising from such warnings and (c) the potential benefits of introducing visually triggered automatic systems for giving warnings.

Stephen Hammond

The Department has undertaken no recent research on voice warnings on reversing freight vehicles or on the benefits of visually triggered automatic systems.