Tag: Mark Pritchard

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mark Pritchard on 2015-11-10.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what additional support her Department plans to give to Ethiopia because of drought in that country in 2015-16.

Grant Shapps

We are extremely concerned about the impact of the current drought on the food security situation in Ethiopia. A joint Government of Ethiopia and UN assessment is underway and we are in touch with our UN and Non-Governmental Organisation partners on the ground to determine the extent of need.

In October, the Government of Ethiopia announced that about 8.2 million people are in need of emergency food aid, up from the 4.5 million estimated in August. The number of severely malnourished children under five years old admitted to therapeutic feeding programmes this year has increased notably.

Britain has acted quickly and decisively by providing emergency support for 2.6 million people. This includes food aid for 2.1 million people for a month. The Government of Ethiopia has also committed its largest ever response to a drought. The international community will need to work hard with the Government of Ethiopia to prevent the crisis from worsening in the coming months.

DFID is at the forefront of resilience work to reduce the impact of crises in developing countries. In Ethiopia, DFID’s Productive Safety Nets Programme (PSNP) has helped turn desert land into land that can be farmed again.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mark Pritchard on 2015-12-16.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 16 November 2015 to Question 15775, on how many occasions since 2010 an authorisation under section 60AA of the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994 has been granted in each police force area in England and Wales; and for what purpose each such authorisation was granted.

Mike Penning

The Home Office does not collect data on either the number of authorisations under section 60AA of the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994 or the reasons for granting such authorisations.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mark Pritchard on 2016-02-09.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will take steps to ensure that local fire authorities install deaf awareness alternative smoke alarms in homes which make use of warning lights rather than sound as a warning system when requested.

Mike Penning

We expect local fire and rescue authorities to determine how to allocate their resources to best protect their communities from the risks from fire. Although each authority delivers a range of community fire safety interventions designed to prevent and reduce the risk from accidental dwelling fires, all also carry out a programme of home fire safety visits. In some cases, these visits, which offered tailored fire safety advice in the home, are focussed specifically on those who may be particularly vulnerable, including older people and those with disabilities. Fire and rescue authorities will, in certain circumstances, offer to provide and install free smoke alarms to households without them. This will include alarms designed specifically for those who may be deaf or have other hearing difficulties. How fire and rescue authorities decide where best to target their home fire safety visits and what fire safety equipment, if any, would reduce most effectively the risk to the household is a local matter based on a local assessment of risk.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mark Pritchard on 2016-05-04.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if he will conduct research on the potential link between levels of productivity and the provision of high-speed data services and broadband connectivity.

Mr Edward Vaizey

The Department for Culture, Media and Sport commissioned research by SQW Consulting who produced the UK Broadband Impact Study in November 2013. The study demonstrates a clear link between improved productivity and high quality broadband connectivity. For example, the study estimated that the availability and take-up of faster broadband speeds will add about £17 billion to the UK’s annual Gross Value Added (GVA) by 2024.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mark Pritchard on 2015-11-10.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, if she will discuss with (a) EU partners and (b) the World Food Programme to ensure food supplies to people affected by the famine in Ethiopia.

Grant Shapps

We are extremely concerned about the impact of the current drought on the food security situation in Ethiopia. Ethiopia has shown great strides in development but remains fragile in the face of extreme climate events such as El Nino. The Government of Ethiopia is fully engaged and prioritising efforts to address the needs, having spent many years building up crisis response systems. The international community is working in support of the Government and the UK along with the EU, is one of the leading donors to the response. We are in daily contact with the World Food Programme (WFP) which is delivering supplies to people affected in support of the Government. A joint Government-UN assessment has just taken place and we are also assessing that food supplies reach those affected. We have also recently provided additional funding to WFP’s relief programme.

DFID’s Permanent Secretary Mark Lowcock visited Ethiopia from 9-12 November, and discussed the situation with senior members of the Ethiopian Government and partners. We are urging others to do more to support the Government response to the crisis.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mark Pritchard on 2016-01-04.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what additional support the Government is giving to Syriac Christian and Yazidi female battalions in the fight against ISIL.

Mr Tobias Ellwood

The UK has not provided any ammunition or equipment to any groups in Syria. The Global Coalition has provided air support to the Syrian Democratic Forces (which include Syrian Christian members) in their fight against Daesh. The US is leading international efforts to support the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and has provided ammunition and other equipment. The UK is playing a full role in the Coalition air campaign in Syria and will work closely with the US and other Coalition allies to consider additional support to partner forces in Syria fighting Daesh, including the SDF. We recognise the situation is desperate for many communities within Syria and Iraq. We condemn in the strongest terms the atrocities committed by Daesh against all civilians, including Christians, Mandeans, Yazidis, and other minorities, as well as the majority Muslim population in Iraq and Syria. Ultimately, the best way of safeguarding minority rights in the region is by defeating Daesh and establishing peace and stability. The UK has been at the forefront of these efforts, and has a comprehensive strategy to deal with Daesh.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mark Pritchard on 2016-02-09.

To ask the hon. Member for Carshalton and Wallington representing the House of Commons Commission, if the Commission will discuss with the BBC Parliament channel improving the provision of (a) subtitles and (b) an in-vision interpreter for hearing impaired people.

Tom Brake

The audience share for BBC Parliament is below the Ofcom threshold for Access Service provision. However, we have committed to subtitling 100% of live Commons on the channel by 2019. We will reach this figure by increasing the amount of subtitling by 5% each year and this year will subtitle 85% of live Commons sittings.

The year to date figure for the total provision of subtitling on BBC Parliament against the total broadcast hours of the channel is 12.05%.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mark Pritchard on 2016-05-04.

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the effect of the national living wage on the provision of adult care services by private companies to local authorities.

Mr Marcus Jones

The Spending Review took account of the costs of implementing the National Living Wage and set out a sustainable basis for local authorities to discharge their functions. An assessment was made which drew on projections and data on pay including information from the Office of Budget Responsibility and Skills for Care. This found that out of an estimated 1.52 million adult social care jobs in England, up to 900,000 people, are expected to benefit from the introduction of the National Living Wage. Through the Spending Review Government outlined a package of support of up to £3.5 billion to ensure councils are able to support some of their older and most vulnerable residents.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mark Pritchard on 2015-10-19.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will take steps to work with his Iranian government counterpart to share best practice in drug rehabilitation programmes.

Jane Ellison

The late Hamid Ghodse, Professor of Psychiatry and Addictive Behaviour at St George’s University of London, was an Iranian citizen, and helped promote links between British addiction experts and their counterparts in the Islamic Republic of Iran for the sharing of clinical expertise in the treatment of drug dependence. Such links between United Kingdom and Iranian experts continue and best practice is also shared in meetings organised by the World Health Organization and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime.