Tag: Patrick Grady

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Patrick Grady on 2015-10-28.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, if he will make it his policy to eliminate UK Export Finance investments in coal plants and coal mining overseas.

Anna Soubry

There are no plans to ban support for exports of goods and services to coal plants and coal mining overseas. However, applications to UK Export Finance (UKEF) which fall within the ambit of the OECD Common Approaches for Officially Supported Export Credits and Environmental and Social Due Diligence will require that coal projects meet international, environmental, social, and human rights standards to qualify for support.

UKEF is participating in discussions in the OECD with the aim of achieving a multilateral agreement on limiting the provision of export credits for coal-fired power projects and an agreement is expected to be reached later in November.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Patrick Grady on 2015-12-14.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of the human rights situation in The Gambia.

James Duddridge

The UK remains concerned about The Gambia’s human rights record. We are the only EU Member State with a resident Ambassador and have a leading role in pressing the Gambian government for improved respect for human rights. We welcome some recent positive steps taken by President Jammeh, such as banning Female Genital Mutilation and the unconditional release of over 300 prisoners – including 60 high profile political prisoners. However, more needs to be done. Through our bilateral dialogue, and alongside EU partners, we will continue to make clear to the Government of The Gambia the need for further progress on its human rights record.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Patrick Grady on 2016-01-21.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, for what reasons different criteria apply in the assessment of risk of self-harm or suicide to men and women in his Department’s guidance on work capability assessments.

Priti Patel

The guidance on work capability assessments no longer makes a distinction between men and women.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Patrick Grady on 2016-03-01.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what discussions she has had with (a) the Chancellor of the Exchequer and (b) stakeholders involved in poverty reduction in Malawi on the contents of a new tax treaty with Malawi.

Mr Desmond Swayne

The Secretary of State for International Development has not had any such discussions. Negotiation of tax treaties with the UK is carried out by officials from HM Revenue and Customs under the direction of HM Treasury ministers.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Patrick Grady on 2016-04-28.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what steps her Department is taking to encourage micro-enterprise companies with 10 or fewer employees or turnovers of less than two million euros to bid within its procurement system for consultancy contracts.

Mr Nick Hurd

DFID does not classify suppliers at the micro-enterprise level. These companies are included within the SME (small and medium-sized enterprise ) category as defined by the European Commission. In 2015/16 direct spend with SME’s was 32%, and DFID is on track to achieve the Cabinet Office target of 33% SME spend by 2020.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Patrick Grady on 2016-07-18.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when she plans to publish updated country guidance for asylum applications made by Eritrean nationals.

Mr Robert Goodwill

Updated country information and guidance on Eritrea will be published on the www.gov.uk website shortly.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Patrick Grady on 2016-10-07.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of the effect of recent events in Sudan on the success of the Doha Document for Peace in Darfur.

Mr Tobias Ellwood

The UK remains supportive of the Doha Document for Peace in Darfur (DDPD). Through our membership of the Implementation Follow-Up Commission (IFC), we consider regularly what progress has been made on implementation of the DDPD and what further steps need to be taken. The former UK Special Representative for Sudan and South Sudan attended the last meeting of the IFC in May.

In parallel with this, we continue to urge all parties to the conflict to engage with the African Union-led peace process and reach agreement on the cessation of hostilities and humanitarian access, building on the decisions of both the Government of Sudan and the Opposition to sign the Roadmap peace agreement.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Patrick Grady on 2015-11-16.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, whether the Government plans to table amendments to the Scotland Bill in the House of Lords.

David Mundell

The Government tabled substantive amendments to the Scotland Bill at Report Stage of the Bill in the House of Commons. The Bill subsequently passed third reading without division. The Government’s amendments strengthened the Bill and put beyond doubt that the Smith Commission Agreement has been delivered in full. The Bill is now before the House of Lords where it will be scrutinised further.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Patrick Grady on 2015-12-14.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what her Department’s policy priorities are for supporting projects in The Gambia.

Mr Nick Hurd

DFID does not have a bilateral aid programme in The Gambia. The decision to end our programme was agreed with the Government of Gambia in 2008, and our office closed in 2011. The decision was taken to wind down the programme gradually as part of a responsible exit, and to ensure partners built on successful DFID programmes.

The UK continues to maintain a good relationship with the Gambia. The UK supports The Gambia through its contributions to multilateral institutions, such the World Bank, the African Development Bank and the EU’s European Development Fund.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Patrick Grady on 2016-01-25.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that (a) refugee teachers and (b) other teachers are paid liveable wages and receive appropriate training and support in countries hosting Syrian refugees in the region.

Mr Desmond Swayne

At the Conference on Supporting Syria and the Region, we want the international community to agree a new goal that all Syrian refugee children and affected host country children are in education – formal school or non-formal – by the end of 2016/17. Equally, for inside Syria, it is our aim to increase access to good quality schooling or other learning opportunities such as self-learning and non-formal education. In neighbouring countries we will also increase access to vocational or skills training and higher education for children and youth.

At the Conference our ambition is that international donors, governments from countries in the region hosting refugees, non-governmental organisations and the private sector come together to agree a set of reciprocal financial and policy commitments. The UK and co-hosts are working with donors and other partners to secure increased funding for education under the UN-led appeals for 2016 and longer term, multi-year education funding commitments to ensure sustainability. We are also working with refugee hosting governments in particular to agree the policy commitments necessary to turn increased funding into delivery on the ground. This includes a regional policy dialogue on integrating refugee teachers into national education systems, where possible.