Asked by: Lord Oates (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the shortage of health care workers in Zimbabwe, what discussions, if any, they have had with the (1) government of Zimbabwe, and (2) World Health Organisation, about Zimbabwe remaining on the World Health Organisation Health Workforce Support and Safeguard Green List.
Answered by Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park
We regularly engage with the Government of Zimbabwe on a breadth of health care issues. Our Embassy officials met with the Permanent Secretary for Health and Child Care at the beginning of March. The UK is one of the largest donors to Zimbabwean health care. Between 2017 and 2022, the UK will have provided £130 million of support through the pooled Health Development Fund (HDF). The HDF focuses on delivering sexual, reproductive, maternal, new-born, child and adolescent health and nutrition services including support to health workers in primary health care facilities. The UK also provides critical support to Zimbabwe's health sector via global health initiatives like the Global Fund, GAVI and the Global Finance Facility.
The UK supports the freedom of movement of skilled workers and follows the guidelines as set out in the WHO Health Workforce Support and Safeguard Green List. We will continue to engage the World Health Organisation to ensure a strategic approach to health worker recruitment, retention and migration.
Asked by: Lord Oates (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with the government of Zimbabwe about entering a partnership agreement concerning the recruitment of health care workers from that country.
Answered by Lord Kamall
We have made no specific assessment of the impact on the Zimbabwean healthcare system of recruitment by the National Health Service. We have had no discussions with the Government of Zimbabwe on entering a partnership agreement.
International recruitment is regulated through the Code of Practice for the International Recruitment of Health and Social Care Personnel. The Code includes a ‘red list’ of 47 countries identified by the World Health Organization as having the most pressing health and social care workforce challenge, from which active recruitment is prohibited. The Government monitors international recruitment activity and where there are significant workforce flows into the NHS, particularly from low and middle-income countries, we engage with partner Governments on how this recruitment could be managed.
Asked by: Lord Oates (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the effect recruitment of Zimbabwean health care staff in the UK has on the health services in that country.
Answered by Lord Kamall
We have made no specific assessment of the impact on the Zimbabwean healthcare system of recruitment by the National Health Service. We have had no discussions with the Government of Zimbabwe on entering a partnership agreement.
International recruitment is regulated through the Code of Practice for the International Recruitment of Health and Social Care Personnel. The Code includes a ‘red list’ of 47 countries identified by the World Health Organization as having the most pressing health and social care workforce challenge, from which active recruitment is prohibited. The Government monitors international recruitment activity and where there are significant workforce flows into the NHS, particularly from low and middle-income countries, we engage with partner Governments on how this recruitment could be managed.
Asked by: Lord Oates (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether any of those facing deportation to Zimbabwe on 2 March were British citizens whose citizenship has subsequently been revoked; and if so, what were the reasons in each case.
Answered by Baroness Williams of Trafford - Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms (HM Household) (Chief Whip, House of Lords)
We do not comment on individual cases, but I can confirm that we only ever return those who the Home Office and, where applicable, the courts are satisfied do not need our protection and who have no legal basis to remain in the UK. By definition, they do not need protection and not at risk on return.
Individuals being returned have had the opportunity to raise claims, including protection and modern slavery claims prior to their deportation or administrative removal. All claims raised will be fully considered and decided – we would not remove someone where there were outstanding claims or concerns. Each case is considered sensitively, appropriately and on its individual merits. All available evidence is carefully and sensitively considered against a background of relevant case law and in light of published country information, which covers country specific issues. Our country policy and information notes are published on the gov.uk website. They are kept under constant review and updated periodically.
Since January 2019 we have returned 10,017 foreign national offenders (FNOs) and since April 2020, we have utilised over 110 charter flights to deport FNOs and other immigration offenders to countries across Europe and around the rest of the world.
The Home Office publishes data on the number of returns from the UK, by nationality, including Zimbabwe, in the Immigration statistics quarterly release which can also be found on gov.uk.
Asked by: Lord Oates (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether all of the Zimbabwean nationals they intend to remove from the UK on 2 March have been convicted of a criminal offence; and whether any of them have been convicted only of an immigration offence.
Answered by Baroness Williams of Trafford - Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms (HM Household) (Chief Whip, House of Lords)
We do not comment on individual cases, but I can confirm that we only ever return those who the Home Office and, where applicable, the courts are satisfied do not need our protection and who have no legal basis to remain in the UK. By definition, they do not need protection and not at risk on return.
Individuals being returned have had the opportunity to raise claims, including protection and modern slavery claims prior to their deportation or administrative removal. All claims raised will be fully considered and decided – we would not remove someone where there were outstanding claims or concerns. Each case is considered sensitively, appropriately and on its individual merits. All available evidence is carefully and sensitively considered against a background of relevant case law and in light of published country information, which covers country specific issues. Our country policy and information notes are published on the gov.uk website. They are kept under constant review and updated periodically.
Since January 2019 we have returned 10,017 foreign national offenders (FNOs) and since April 2020, we have utilised over 110 charter flights to deport FNOs and other immigration offenders to countries across Europe and around the rest of the world.
The Home Office publishes data on the number of returns from the UK, by nationality, including Zimbabwe, in the Immigration statistics quarterly release which can also be found on gov.uk.
Asked by: Lord Oates (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what consideration they will give to the (1) political, and (2) human rights, situation in Zimbabwe when determining whether to go ahead with the planned deportation of Zimbabwe nationals on 2 March.
Answered by Baroness Williams of Trafford - Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms (HM Household) (Chief Whip, House of Lords)
We do not comment on individual cases, but I can confirm that we only ever return those who the Home Office and, where applicable, the courts are satisfied do not need our protection and who have no legal basis to remain in the UK. By definition, they do not need protection and not at risk on return.
Individuals being returned have had the opportunity to raise claims, including protection and modern slavery claims prior to their deportation or administrative removal. All claims raised will be fully considered and decided – we would not remove someone where there were outstanding claims or concerns. Each case is considered sensitively, appropriately and on its individual merits. All available evidence is carefully and sensitively considered against a background of relevant case law and in light of published country information, which covers country specific issues. Our country policy and information notes are published on the gov.uk website. They are kept under constant review and updated periodically.
Since January 2019 we have returned 10,017 foreign national offenders (FNOs) and since April 2020, we have utilised over 110 charter flights to deport FNOs and other immigration offenders to countries across Europe and around the rest of the world.
The Home Office publishes data on the number of returns from the UK, by nationality, including Zimbabwe, in the Immigration statistics quarterly release which can also be found on gov.uk.
Asked by: Lord Oates (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will replace the revenue lost by charities as a result of HMRC's decision to ban the use of red diesel in tractors for charity events from 1 April.
Answered by Baroness Penn - Minister on Leave (Parliamentary Under Secretary of State)
The Chancellor confirmed at Spring Budget 2021 that the Government will remove the entitlement to use red diesel for most uses from April 2022, other than for defined agricultural purposes and a limited number of other uses. This will help to ensure fairness between the different users of diesel fuels and that the tax system incentivises the development and adoption of greener alternative technologies.
Under the existing rules, agricultural vehicles, such as tractors, are currently entitled to run on rebated fuel when using public roads only for purposes relating to agriculture, horticulture and forestry, as well as cutting verges and hedges that border a road, clearing snow and gritting. Agricultural tractors will remain entitled to run on rebated fuel on public roads after April 2022 for these specific purposes only, as well as for purposes relating to fish farming and for clearing or otherwise dealing with flooding. The activities accepted as purposes relating to agriculture, horticulture and forestry are defined in HMRC Excise Notice 75.
Asked by: Lord Oates (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have considered the impact on the (1) farming community, and (2) charitable sector, of the requirement from 1 April for farmers to drain tractor tanks and purge lines before taking part in (a) charity tractor events, and (b) community events.
Answered by Baroness Penn - Minister on Leave (Parliamentary Under Secretary of State)
The Chancellor confirmed at Spring Budget 2021 that the Government will remove the entitlement to use red diesel for most uses from April 2022, other than for defined agricultural purposes and a limited number of other uses. This will help to ensure fairness between the different users of diesel fuels and that the tax system incentivises the development and adoption of greener alternative technologies.
Under the existing rules, agricultural vehicles, such as tractors, are currently entitled to run on rebated fuel when using public roads only for purposes relating to agriculture, horticulture and forestry, as well as cutting verges and hedges that border a road, clearing snow and gritting. Agricultural tractors will remain entitled to run on rebated fuel on public roads after April 2022 for these specific purposes only, as well as for purposes relating to fish farming and for clearing or otherwise dealing with flooding. The activities accepted as purposes relating to agriculture, horticulture and forestry are defined in HMRC Excise Notice 75.
Asked by: Lord Oates (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact on charitable activity in the agricultural sector that will result from HMRC’s decision to ban the use of red diesel in tractors for charity events from 1 April.
Answered by Baroness Penn - Minister on Leave (Parliamentary Under Secretary of State)
The Chancellor confirmed at Spring Budget 2021 that the Government will remove the entitlement to use red diesel for most uses from April 2022, other than for defined agricultural purposes and a limited number of other uses. This will help to ensure fairness between the different users of diesel fuels and that the tax system incentivises the development and adoption of greener alternative technologies.
Under the existing rules, agricultural vehicles, such as tractors, are currently entitled to run on rebated fuel when using public roads only for purposes relating to agriculture, horticulture and forestry, as well as cutting verges and hedges that border a road, clearing snow and gritting. Agricultural tractors will remain entitled to run on rebated fuel on public roads after April 2022 for these specific purposes only, as well as for purposes relating to fish farming and for clearing or otherwise dealing with flooding. The activities accepted as purposes relating to agriculture, horticulture and forestry are defined in HMRC Excise Notice 75.
Asked by: Lord Oates (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have considered research published by the Environmental Technologies & Resource Efficiency Support Service (EnTRESS), at the University of Wolverhampton, concerning any cost and efficiency advantages infrared heating has over other alternatives to decarbonising home heating.
Answered by Lord Callanan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
BEIS is gathering evidence on the performance of infrared heating to account for recent developments in infrared heating technology, data management and intelligent control systems. The report published by the Environmental Technologies & Resource Efficiency Support Service (EnTRESS) will be considered as part of this evaluation.