Tag: Mark Williams

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mark Williams on 2014-06-26.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps he is taking to help the tourism industry retain its role as a key provider of skills and training for the UK workforce.

Mrs Helen Grant

The Government has recently launched a new Tourism Council, whose remit is jobs, skills and enterprise. The Council is a partnership between Government and industry and will be jointly chaired by myself, Matthew Hancock MP, the Minister for Skills and Enterprise, and Simon Vincent, Chair of the Hospitality Guild and Hilton President, Europe, Middle East and East Africa. In March, the Prime Minister announced that there will be two new apprenticeship Trailblazers for Tourism and Hospitality.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mark Williams on 2014-06-26.

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment he has made of the implications for his policies of the findings of the Great Britain Tourism Survey that domestic trips in the UK fell by three million in 2013; and if he will make a statement.

Mrs Helen Grant

The number of trips taken in GB in 2013 was the 3^rd highest in the 8 years that the current survey has been running and well above pre-recession averages, with spending second only to 2012. We do expect to see a natural increase in people booking holidays abroad as the economy improves but people are continuing to choose Britain for their holiday. Through its Holidays at Home are GREAT campaign, VisitEngland continues to promote England as a place for all residents of Britain to enjoy, and Visit Scotland and Visit Wales are also actively promoting their offer. The GB Tourism Survey also noted the record number of inbound tourists in 2013 reaching nearly 33 million.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mark Williams on 2015-01-14.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what assessment she has made of the long-term health care needs of victims of Operation Protective Edge; what funding and other assistance her Department is giving to address those needs; and over what time period that funding and assistance will be given.

Mr Desmond Swayne

According to the UN, over 11,000 Palestinians were injured during Operation Protective Edge, including over 3,000 children. The UN further notes that 1,000 of these children will suffer a life-long disability; 6,000 more will have a parent with a long-term disability. The UK is the third largest donor to the UN Relief and Works Agency (£107 million between 2012-15) which provides healthcare to the 70% of the population in Gaza who are Palestinian refugees. In addition to this, the UK pledged a further £20 million at the Gaza Reconstruction Conference which includes support for reconstructive surgery and rehabilitation for those injured in the conflict. We have already disbursed a quarter of this pledge and the remainder will be released next year.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mark Williams on 2015-01-14.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with his Spanish counterpart on (a) the position of that country in relation to the administration of Western Sahara and (b) whether Spain has submitted information to the UN about conditions in that territory, as is required of an administering power.

Mr Tobias Ellwood

We have not made representations to the Spanish government relating to Western Sahara. Spain is not listed by the UN as the administering Power of Western Sahara and has not therefore transmitted information on the territory in accordance with Article 73 e of the charter of the UN.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mark Williams on 2015-02-11.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what assessment he has made of the declaration by the African Union that the Crans Montana Forum in Dakhla, occupied Western Sahara, should be cancelled.

Matthew Hancock

My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills has received and declined an invitation to this forum and my Department does not plan to send a representative. We are aware of reports that the African Union has called for the forum to be cancelled but we do not intend to make any assessment.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mark Williams on 2015-02-11.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the declaration by the African Union that the Crans Montana Forum in Dakhla, occupied Western Sahara, should be cancelled.

Dan Rogerson

Having received no invitation, no assessment has been made.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mark Williams on 2014-06-05.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will make an assessment of the potential effect of a Fund for European Aid to the Most Deprived on deprived communities in the UK.

Esther McVey

The Government is currently considering the best use of the money. It is therefore too early to assess what impact it might have.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Mark Williams on 2014-06-05.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, for what reasons the UK Government voted against the establishment of a Fund for European Aid to the Most Deprived.

Esther McVey

The UK did not refuse any money, it simply voted against adopting the regulation establishing the Fund for European Aid to the Most Deprived on the basis that we think MemberStates, and not the European Union, should decide how the money is spent. This was in line with the reasoned opinions adopted by both the House of Commons and the House of Lords.