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Tag: Kerry McCarthy

  • Kerry McCarthy – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Kerry McCarthy – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kerry McCarthy on 2014-03-31.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, pursuant to the Answer of 26 March 2014, Official Report, column 293W, on prisons: mother and baby units, what the reasons were for the time taken to provide a substantive answer day to the named day question tabled for answer on 10 February 2014.

    Jeremy Wright

    Officials in the Ministry of Justice have looked into the issue you have raised and we can confirm that the reason the above Answer was delayed was due to an administrative error.

    I apologise for this delay.

  • Kerry McCarthy – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Kerry McCarthy – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kerry McCarthy on 2014-04-25.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of steps taken by the Burmese government to (a) prevent sexual violence and (b) end impunity for sexual offences allegedly committed by the Burmese military.

    Mr Hugo Swire

    During his visit to the UK last year, President Thein Sein welcomed the initiative of the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Richmond (Yorks) (Mr Hague), on preventing sexual violence in conflict (PSVI). We continue to encourage Burma to join 146 nations and endorse the declaration on PSVI. The launch in October 2013 of the Burmese government’s National Strategic Plan for the Advancement of Women (NSPAW) committed Burma “to develop and strengthen laws, systems, structures and practices to eliminate all forms of Violence Against Women and Girls and to respond to the needs of women and girls affected by violence”.

    We are clear, however, that all of these steps need to be accompanied by actions leading to real progress in Burma. We remain concerned by continued reports of sexual violence against women, including reports of crimes committed by members of the Burmese military. We regularly lobby the Burmese government on the rights of women, particularly on preventing sexual violence in conflict areas. We continue to make clear that where serious crimes have been committed, those who have perpetrated them should be held accountable for their actions. I raised the issue of sexual violence directly with senior Ministers, the Commander in Chief and the Northern Commander during my visit to Burma in January. More recently, the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs raised the issue in a call with the Burmese Foreign Minister on 28 April.

  • Kerry McCarthy – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Kerry McCarthy – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kerry McCarthy on 2014-06-09.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, which (a) Sri Lankan government representatives and (b) Sri Lankan non-governmental organisations and civil society organisations (i) were invited to and (ii) attended the Global summit to End Sexual Violence in Conflict.

    Mr Hugo Swire

    The Global Summit to End Sexual Violence in Conflict that the Foreign Secretary is co-hosting with the Special Envoy of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees from 10-13 June 2014 will turn the political commitments contained in the Declaration of Commitment to End Sexual Violence in Conflict into practical action. All governments that have endorsed the declaration have been invited. We have invited the Sri Lankan High Commissioner to London to attend as an observer, as Sri Lanka has not yet endorsed the Declaration. We have invited a range of Sri Lankan civil society representatives and hope that their expertise of the situation on the ground will contribute to the discussion of the issues at hand.

  • Kerry McCarthy – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Kerry McCarthy – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kerry McCarthy on 2014-03-31.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment he has made of the effect of prisoners’ access to books on (a) prisoners’ educational achievements, (b) prisoners’ behaviour and (c) reoffending rates; and what steps he is taking to improve prisoners’ access to books.

    Jeremy Wright

    Our assessment is that education and access to books is very important in the rehabilitation of prisoners. That is why the National Offender Management Service works closely with the Shannon Trust to support schemes such as ‘Toe by Toe’, which includes peer mentoring to improve reading levels. Every prison has a library, to which every prisoner has access.

    Prisoners may also buy books with their own money to which they have access. Up to 12 books may be held by prisoners in their cell at any one time and additional volumes may be stored locally at the prison.

  • Kerry McCarthy – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Kerry McCarthy – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kerry McCarthy on 2014-04-25.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what reasons the Government received from the Chinese government for the cancellation of the UK-China human rights dialogue in April 2014; and when the Government was informed of that cancellation.

    Mr Hugo Swire

    The Dialogue was originally scheduled for 15-16 April, but China informed us of its decision to postpone on 7 April. An open exchange of views on human rights is in the interests of both sides, and is an important part of our bilateral relationship. We are working with the Chinese government to reschedule the dialogue as soon as possible.

  • Kerry McCarthy – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Kerry McCarthy – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kerry McCarthy on 2014-06-12.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to the Answer of 10 April 2014, Official Report, column 394W, on forests, for what reasons the Government did not announce in the Queen’s Speech legislative proposals to protect the public forest estate.

    Dan Rogerson

    There were many proposals competing for the limited space within the Fourth Session programme and the proposed forestry measures could not be accommodated.

    The Government stands by its commitment to establish a new public body to hold the Public Forest Estate in trust for the nation, as set out in its Forestry and Woodlands Policy Statement of January 2013, as soon as Parliamentary time allows.

  • Kerry McCarthy – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Prime Minister

    Kerry McCarthy – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Prime Minister

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kerry McCarthy on 2014-03-31.

    To ask the Prime Minister, what recent discussions he has had with his Commonwealth counterparts on the resolution passed by the 25th Human Rights Council session on Promoting Reconciliation, Accountability and Human Rights in Sri Lanka.

    Mr David Cameron

    Ahead of the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) resolution vote on Sri Lanka on 27 March, I personally engaged with a wide range of UNHRC member states including those from the Commonwealth, as did the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Richmond (Yorks) (Mr Hague) and other Ministers.

    We will work closely with our international partners to support the implementation of the resolution establishing an international investigation. We believe that progress on accountability, human rights and reconciliation is important in establishing an enduring peace in Sri Lanka. Such progress will ensure Sri Lanka can reach its full potential as a strong and prosperous nation.

  • Kerry McCarthy – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Kerry McCarthy – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kerry McCarthy on 2014-04-25.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, when he expects the next UK-China human rights dialogue to take place.

    Mr Hugo Swire

    We consider the Human Rights Dialogue to be an important part of our bilateral relationship with China. We are working with the Chinese government to reschedule the dialogue as soon as possible.

  • Kerry McCarthy – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Prime Minister

    Kerry McCarthy – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Prime Minister

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kerry McCarthy on 2014-06-12.

    To ask the Prime Minister, if he will discuss climate change with his Chinese counterpart during his visit to the UK.

    Mr David Cameron

    I plan to hold wide-ranging discussions with Premier Li. We have a foreign policy that is based on our values, and we consistently raise them with the Chinese government, including during high level dialogues.

    I am very supportive of the business and human rights agenda, and action against climate change is a priority for the government.

  • Kerry McCarthy – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    Kerry McCarthy – 2014 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kerry McCarthy on 2014-04-07.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what meetings (a) he and (b) Ministers in his Department have had with (i) secularist and (b) humanist organisations since May 2010.

    Stephen Williams

    Ministers have regular meetings with a range of different partners and organisations. Details of Ministers’ meetings with external organisations are published on the Department’s website.