Asked by: Alistair Carmichael (Liberal Democrat - Orkney and Shetland)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when his Department plans to bring forward legislative proposals to implement the recommendations of the review entitled The process of police officer dismissals, published by his Department in September 2023.
Answered by Chris Philp - Shadow Home Secretary
In August 2023, the Government announced a series of reforms to the police misconduct, vetting and performance systems, following conclusion of the review into police officer dismissals.
Legislative changes are being delivered in three tranches, with the aim to implement amendments to secondary legislation in the spring and summer, as well as a clause within the Criminal Justice Bill. These changes will be accompanied by strengthened statutory guidance
It remains essential that the dismissals system is fair and transparent for the public, forces and all police officers and staff. That is why the Government, with the policing sector, continue to improve data collection to better understand and tackle disparities across the disciplinary system.
Asked by: Alistair Carmichael (Liberal Democrat - Orkney and Shetland)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of providing more integration support for Ukrainian refugees.
Answered by Felicity Buchan
Local authorities will continue to receive the £5,900 per person tariff payment to support our Ukrainian guests. We are also working across Government to identify other ways to unblock barriers, helping Ukrainians access employment, commensurate with their skill set, liaising with the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), who encourage their employer and the Refugee Employment networks to advertise job vacancies. In addition, Job Centre Plus teams also help guests with much needed CV Writing and Interview skills courses.
Ukrainians with work related qualifications are directed to the UK National Information Centre (UK ENIC) for the recognition and evaluation of international qualifications and skills, as well as signposting to the relevant professional regulators, all of which is available as comprehensive guidance on GOV.UK.
For specific healthcare and education roles, the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) and the Department for Education (DfE) have provided pathways for Ukrainians, to help them understand what they need to do to work in these sectors, also available on GOV.UK.
We recognise through engagement with guests, other Government departments, local councils, VCS organisations and sponsors that English language skills is one of the main barriers to employment, and wider integration. The UK Government is funding STEP Ukraine which is a completely free, virtual 12-week English language and employment support programme for Ukrainians in the UK. Thousands of Ukrainians have already benefited from STEP Ukraine, achieving improved job prospects and English language skills whilst here in the UK.
Asked by: Alistair Carmichael (Liberal Democrat - Orkney and Shetland)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what discussions his Department had with Ukrainian refugees ahead of the decision to extend visas by 18 months.
Answered by Tom Pursglove
In response to calls for certainty about the future of the Ukraine visa schemes from the Ukrainian community, on 18 February we announced that existing Ukraine scheme visa holders will be able to apply for permission to remain in the UK for an additional 18 months under a new Ukraine Permission Extension scheme set to open in early 2025 (before the first UKR scheme visas start to expire in March 2025).
Since the announcement, alongside colleagues in the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, we have participated in extensive engagement with the Ukrainian community via an ongoing programme of stakeholder engagement.
Asked by: Alistair Carmichael (Liberal Democrat - Orkney and Shetland)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to the oral contribution of The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Work and Pensions during the debate on Defined-Benefit Pension Schemes of 17 January 2024 Official Report, column 329WH, whether the Minister has had discussions with the Pensions Regulator.
Answered by Paul Maynard
I know this is an important issue for many people and I am intending to meet with the Pensions Regulator when diaries allow. This will help me to look at the situation, try to understand what has happened and take a view on whether the arrangements currently in place are working as intended.
Asked by: Alistair Carmichael (Liberal Democrat - Orkney and Shetland)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, with reference to the Oral Statement of the Minister of State of 29 January 2024, on Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories, Official Report, columns 620-622, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the temporary pause in funding for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), announced on 27 January 2024, on Palestinian refugees in (a) Jordan, (b) Lebanon, (c) Syria, (d) East Jerusalem, (e) West Bank and (f) Gaza.
Answered by Leo Docherty
We remain committed to getting humanitarian aid to the those who desperately need it, and our decision to pause future funding to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) has no impact on the UK's contribution to the humanitarian response, whether in Gaza or the wider region. Our commitment to trebling aid to Gaza still stands, and we are getting on with aid delivery to the region through funding multiple implementing partners including other UN agencies and international and UK NGOs. This support is helping people get food, water, shelter and medicines. The UK is providing £60 million in humanitarian assistance to support partners including the British Red Cross, UNICEF, the UN World Food Programme (WFP) and Egyptian Red Crescent Society (ERCS) to respond to critical food, fuel, water, health, shelter and security needs in Gaza. We will continue to support and have supported the United Nations World Food Programme to deliver a new humanitarian land corridor from Jordan into Gaza. 750 tonnes of life-saving food aid arrived in the first delivery and 315 tonnes in the second delivery.
Asked by: Alistair Carmichael (Liberal Democrat - Orkney and Shetland)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, whether he has made an assessment of the consistency of (a) the decision to pause future funding to the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East and (b) paragraph 86(4) of the International Court of Justice's Order relating to the case of the Application of the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide in the Gaza Strip (South Africa v Israel), published on 26 January 2024.
Answered by Leo Docherty
We are appalled by allegations that the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) staff were involved in the 7 October attack against Israel, a heinous act of terrorism that the UK Government has repeatedly condemned. The UK is pausing any future funding of UNRWA whilst we review these concerning allegations.
However, we remain committed to getting humanitarian aid to the people in Gaza who desperately need it, and our decision to pause future funding to UNRWA has no impact on the UK's contribution to the humanitarian response. Our commitment to trebling aid to Gaza still stands, and we are getting on with aid delivery through funding multiple implementing partners including other UN agencies and international and UK NGOs. This support is helping people in Gaza get food, water, shelter and medicines.
We are also clear that an immediate pause is necessary to get aid in and hostages out, and then progress towards a sustainable, permanent ceasefire, without a return to destruction, fighting and loss of life.
Asked by: Alistair Carmichael (Liberal Democrat - Orkney and Shetland)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will make representations to (a) HSBC and (b) other UK-based pension providers to accept early withdrawal requests from Hong Kongers on the British National (Overseas) visa scheme who intend to obtain an indefinite leave to remain in the UK.
Answered by Bim Afolami
Ministers engage regularly with the UK financial sector on a range of issues. The root of the problem is the Chinese Government's decision not to recognise the BN(O) passport as a valid identity document in Hong Kong. The UK firmly opposes the discrimination of BN(O)s in this way. We continue to urge the Hong Kong authorities to facilitate early drawdown of funds as is the case for other Hong Kong residents who move overseas permanently.
Asked by: Alistair Carmichael (Liberal Democrat - Orkney and Shetland)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of strengthening the enforcement powers of the Groceries Code Adjudicator.
Answered by Kevin Hollinrake - Shadow Minister without Portfolio
The Government’s most recent review of the Groceries Code Adjudicator, which was published in July, found that the GCA continues to be a highly effective regulator. It did not identify the need for strengthening its enforcement powers.
As Minister for Enterprise, Markets and Small Business, I regularly meet the Adjudicator who agrees that his current powers provide the necessary tools to enforce the Code and change retailer behaviour.
Asked by: Alistair Carmichael (Liberal Democrat - Orkney and Shetland)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many people in prison have been held on remand for longer than (a) six months, (b) 12 months and (c) 2 years by offence group.
Answered by Edward Argar
Information relating to the time spent on custodial remand is not centrally held by the Ministry of Justice. To obtain the data to answer this question would involve a manual interrogation of court records which would result in a disproportionate cost to the department.
Asked by: Alistair Carmichael (Liberal Democrat - Orkney and Shetland)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether her Department plans to launch a nation-wide public awareness campaign on the withdrawal of copper wire telecommunications.
Answered by John Whittingdale
I refer the Hon. Member to the answer I gave on 18th December to Question 6770