Asked by: Baroness Goudie (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to process the applications of Afghan refugees currently located in third countries; and what is their timetable for (1) completing the processing of their applications, and (2) bringing successful applicants to the UK.
Answered by Baroness Goldie
The Afghan Relocation and Assistance Policy (ARAP) scheme is not time limited, and we are working at pace to consider each application on a case-by-case basis. Timelines for processing applications vary from case to case, due to the complexity and personal circumstances of each applicant.
Efforts to support all eligible Afghans and to help them to come to the UK remain a Government priority. We have received more than 114,000 applications since the scheme opened and to date, we have relocated over 8,800 ARAP principals and their dependants to the UK.
We continue to work alongside international partners to relocate eligible Afghans from and through third countries.
Asked by: Baroness Goudie (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what support they are providing to Afghans to ensure their safety in light of the narrowing of the Afghans Relocation and Assistance Policy (ARAP) scheme; and why that scheme has been restricted at a time when the lives of Afghans are at risk.
Answered by Baroness Goldie
The Afghan Relocation and Assistance Policy (ARAP) is one of the most generous relocation programmes in the world. It is not time-limited and will endure, facilitating the relocation of eligible Afghans and their families. Updates to the ARAP scheme guidance provide much needed clarity on who is eligible for relocation under the scheme. It remains the Government's intention to assist as many eligible Afghans as possible.
In addition, the Afghan Citizens Resettlement Scheme, operated by the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, is now open and has committed to take around 5,000 refugees in the first year and 20,000 over the coming years.
Asked by: Baroness Goudie (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to reconsider their decision, announced on 24 March, to suspend gender pay gap reporting for the 2019–2020 reporting year until 2021.
Answered by Baroness Berridge
We recognise that employers are facing unprecedented uncertainty and pressure due to the Coronavirus pandemic. A number of employers contacted the Government, prior to the announcement on non-enforcement, to highlight their concerns about being unable to meet the gender pay gap reporting deadlines this year.
Due to the COVID 19 outbreak, the Government and the Equality and Human Rights Commission suspended enforcement of the gender pay gap reporting deadlines for the 2019/20 reporting year.
Around 5,500 employers have reported their gender pay gap data to date for the 2019-20 reporting year, which includes more than 2,000 employers who published their data since the suspension of enforcement on 24 March. More employers may choose to report in the coming months and we will continue to provide support to those employers that wish to do so.
The gender pay gap is caused by a range of factors. In order to tackle it, we must ensure that everybody has equal access to opportunities. We will continue to encourage employers to take action to provide equal opportunities for men and women in the workplace.
We are currently considering the impact of the pandemic on the gender pay gap data for the current reporting year. If there are any changes to reporting in future, we will proactively communicate these to all employers.
Asked by: Baroness Goudie (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government to which battalions Burmese Army soldiers who have received training from the UK belong.
Answered by Earl Howe - Deputy Leader of the House of Lords
I refer the noble Baroness to the answer I gave on 10 March 2016 to Question number HL6693, which states that we retain the names and current units of Burmese Army soldiers who receive educational training from the UK. The Burmese Army soldiers who currently attend this training are drawn from the headquarters of the Burmese Army, and are not on battalion duties.
Asked by: Baroness Goudie (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Earl Howe on 1 March (HL6250), whether they retain details of the names and battalions, or other units, of Burmese Army soldiers who receive training from the UK.
Answered by Earl Howe - Deputy Leader of the House of Lords
We retain details of the names and current units of Burmese Army soldiers who receive training from the UK. However, we do not hold any information on which units these individuals may have served in previously.
Asked by: Baroness Goudie (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Earl Howe on 1 March (HL6250), what assessment they have made of the effectiveness of training provided by the UK to Burmese Army soldiers.
Answered by Earl Howe - Deputy Leader of the House of Lords
I refer to my previous answer, which stated that we do not provide combat training to the Burmese Army. We do, however, provide educational training to the Burmese military and Burmese civil servants. In 2015 this included the Managing Defence in a Wider Security Context and Strategic Leadership programmes, both delivered by the Defence Academy of the United Kingdom in partnership with Cranfield University. In addition, the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst delivered a Psychology of Leadership programme in Burma, and we have also provided English language training. We have not undertaken any formal assessment process of this educational training.
I refer to my previous answer, which stated that we do not provide combat training to the Burmese Army. We do, however, provide educational training to the Burmese military and Burmese civil servants. In 2015 this included the Managing Defence in a Wider Security Context and Strategic Leadership programmes, both delivered by the Defence Academy of the United Kingdom in partnership with Cranfield University. In addition, the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst delivered a Psychology of Leadership programme in Burma, and we have also provided English language training. We have not undertaken any formal assessment process of this educational training.
Asked by: Baroness Goudie (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether any Burmese Army soldiers from Infantry Battalions 213 or 217 have received any form of training from the UK.
Answered by Earl Howe - Deputy Leader of the House of Lords
I refer the noble Baroness to the answer given by my hon. Friend, the Minister of State for the Armed Forces (Penny Mordaunt MP), on 14 January 2016 to Question 21564, which stated that we do not provide combat training to the Burmese Army. We do however provide educational training, as well as English Language Training. We have no information to indicate that participants on these educational courses were Burmese Army soldiers from Infantry Battalions 213 or 217.