Asked by: Lord Oates (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what guidance is currently issued to health and care workers recruited from overseas with regard to the right of entry of dependent children.
Answered by Lord Sharpe of Epsom - Shadow Minister (Business and Trade)
The Home Office publishes guidance on the Health and Care visa to assist in making a visa application, including for dependents. This can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/health-care-worker-visa.
The guidance will be updated once the net migration changes announced in December come into force. Further details on the measures, and how carers and dependents will be affected, is available here: https://homeofficemedia.blog.gov.uk/2024/02/01/reducing-net-migration-factsheet-december-2023/.
Asked by: Lord Oates (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether support is provided to health and care workers recruited overseas in the visa application process for dependent children.
Answered by Lord Sharpe of Epsom - Shadow Minister (Business and Trade)
The Home Office publishes guidance on the Health and Care visa to assist in making a visa application, including for dependents. This can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/health-care-worker-visa.
The guidance will be updated once the net migration changes announced in December come into force. Further details on the measures, and how carers and dependents will be affected, is available here: https://homeofficemedia.blog.gov.uk/2024/02/01/reducing-net-migration-factsheet-december-2023/.
Asked by: Lord Oates (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with the government of Zimbabwe about the continued detention of Jacob Ngarivhume and Job Sikhala MP in Chikurubi maximum security prison and what assessment it has made of reports that Job Sikhala is now seriously ill.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
The UK continues to monitor the ongoing detention of former MP Job Sikhala, and notes the conviction of Jacob Ngarivhume on 27 April for inciting the public to commit violence. The Minister of State for Africa and Development raised the trend of lengthy pre-trial detention of government critics in Zimbabwe- and the case of Job Sikhala specifically - with Zimbabwe President Emmerson Mnangagwa when they met in the margins of His Majesty the King's Coronation in May. Mr Sikhala received medical attention for his recent illness on 9 October.
Asked by: Lord Oates (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what support they are giving to the World Food Programme and other humanitarian agencies operating in the eastern region of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
Recent violent conflict in DRC and a protracted humanitarian crisis have led to record levels of displacement, food insecurity and suffering. In addition, climate shocks are impacting agriculture, livelihoods, and fishing, increasing food prices (which on average have increased by 11.6 per cent), poverty levels and resulting in a deterioration of basic infrastructure. In response to the catastrophic humanitarian situation in eastern DRC, the UN's System Wide Scale Up has been extended for another 3 months. The UK welcomes the scale up and urges for more resources and action from the DRC Government and other international partners. A 3-year £98 million UK funded humanitarian and resilience programme for crisis affected communities in eastern DRC where the food security needs are the highest has recently been improved. This will be implemented by a range of partners including the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and SAFER (an INGO consortium), to address the immediate needs and build the resilience of conflict affected communities.
Asked by: Lord Oates (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the food security situation in the eastern region of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
Recent violent conflict in DRC and a protracted humanitarian crisis have led to record levels of displacement, food insecurity and suffering. In addition, climate shocks are impacting agriculture, livelihoods, and fishing, increasing food prices (which on average have increased by 11.6 per cent), poverty levels and resulting in a deterioration of basic infrastructure. In response to the catastrophic humanitarian situation in eastern DRC, the UN's System Wide Scale Up has been extended for another 3 months. The UK welcomes the scale up and urges for more resources and action from the DRC Government and other international partners. A 3-year £98 million UK funded humanitarian and resilience programme for crisis affected communities in eastern DRC where the food security needs are the highest has recently been improved. This will be implemented by a range of partners including the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and SAFER (an INGO consortium), to address the immediate needs and build the resilience of conflict affected communities.
Asked by: Lord Oates (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what discussions they have had at ministerial level with Southern African Development Community (SADC) counterparts regarding the recall of a number of opposition members of the Zimbabwe parliament and senators, following the August Harmonised Elections, which were judged by the SADC Election Observer Mission to have fallen "short of the requirements of the Constitution of Zimbabwe, the Electoral Act, and the SADC Principles and Guidelines Governing Democratic Elections (2021)".
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
We are in regular ministerial level discussions with our Southern African Development Community (SADC) counterparts on a range of issues, in Harare and across the region. We have not discussed the issue the Noble Lord raises with SADC counterparts.
Asked by: Lord Oates (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the sources of funding and support for the M23 armed group and its role in the displacement of approximately one million people in the eastern region of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
The UK continues to monitor the security situation in eastern DRC. The consequences of the conflict are immediate and severe and are resulting in large scale human displacement and humanitarian suffering. We welcome the comprehensive reports issued by the UN Group of Experts (GoE) on the DRC - we stand behind the GoE and the critical work they do. We note the human rights abuses and the violations of international humanitarian law by armed groups, including M23, as documented in the report and we call for an end to all external support to armed groups. We continue to urge all parties to the conflict to honour commitments made during regional peace process meetings, including the cessation of hostilities and agreed withdrawal by M23. We are fully supportive of the work carried out by the UN peacekeeping mission MONUSCO and note their vital work in providing protection for many of those displaced. The UK firmly believes the regional Nairobi and Luanda diplomatic peace processes provide the best means by which to achieve a lasting peace in eastern DRC and offer them our full support.
Asked by: Lord Oates (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they have plans to increase funding to agencies charged with countering international corruption in order to deliver on the commitment in the Integrated Review Refresh to "close down London as a centre for corrupt elites to launder money and enhance their reputations".
Answered by Lord Sharpe of Epsom - Shadow Minister (Business and Trade)
It has not proved possible to respond to this question in the time available before Prorogation. Ministers will correspond directly with the Member.
Asked by: Lord Oates (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask His Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with UK media outlets about the importance of verifying reports before broadcast, particularly in a volatile war environment.
Answered by Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay - Shadow Minister (Culture, Media and Sport)
Broadcasters have a duty to ensure that the news they provide are accurate and impartial. That is particularly important when it comes to coverage of highly sensitive events.
As the Prime Minister said at Prime Minister’s Questions on 18 October 2023, “it is incumbent on all of those in positions of responsibility in this House and outside in the media to recognise that the words we say will have an impact, and we should be careful with them”.
Ofcom’s Broadcasting Code ensures that all broadcast news are reported with due accuracy and impartiality. As the UK’s independent broadcasting regulator, it is for Ofcom to determine whether there has been a breach of the Broadcasting Code, and whether to take action.
Asked by: Lord Oates (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking, if any, to strengthen (1) support, and (2) protection, for (a) human rights defenders, and (b) civil society, in Zimbabwe.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
Zimbabwe is one of the UK's 32 Human Rights Priority Countries. As the Minister of State for Africa and Development said to President Mnangagwa in May, the UK would like to see the Government of Zimbabwe meet its international and domestic obligations by respecting the rule of law and safeguarding human rights.
The UK has engaged with the Government of Zimbabwe on draft legislation including the Private Voluntary Organisations (PVO) Amendment Bill and amendments to the criminal code that, if passed into law, could be used to undermine the operating capacity of civil society, and to silence and penalise critics of the state.
The UK continues to support the most vulnerable people in Zimbabwe. This financial year, we are providing £74 million in official development assistance, focused on education and livelihoods, promoting health, supporting governance and human rights as well as climate resilience.