Asked by: Ayoub Khan (Independent - Birmingham Perry Barr)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, for what reason her Department paused the processing of applications made by Syrian asylum seekers on 9 December 2024.
Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Home Office)
We keep all country guidance relating to asylum claims under constant review, so we can respond to emerging issues. Following the fall of the Assad regime in Syria, the Home Office has withdrawn the Country Policy Information Notes and Guidance relating to Syria.
Consequently, as the Home Office continues to assess the current situation in Syria, the Home Office has temporarily paused decisions on Syrian asylum claims.
Asked by: Ayoub Khan (Independent - Birmingham Perry Barr)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the average processing time for Syrians' asylum applications was before 9 December 2024.
Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Home Office)
The Home Office publishes data on asylum in the ‘Immigration System Statistics Quarterly Release’. Data on asylum claims awaiting an initial decision by nationality and duration is published in table Asy_D03 of the ‘Asylum applications, initial decisions and resettlement detailed datasets’. The latest data relates to the situation as of 30th September 2024.
Asked by: Ayoub Khan (Independent - Birmingham Perry Barr)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the Rosebank oil field development on the UK's net zero obligations.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
I refer the Hon Member to the regulatory decision documents on the environmental effects of the Rosebank project published in September 2023. Those regulatory decisions are currently subject to two Judicial Reviews. In August 2024, the Government announced that it would not be challenging the Judicial Reviews.
At COP28, the UK and others agreed to transition away from fossil fuels in an orderly and equitable manner, accelerating action in this critical decade. This is essential to keep the global temperature limit of 1.5°C within reach. The Government has acted swiftly to consult on new environmental guidance for oil and gas firms to ensure that the impact of burning oil and gas is considered in the Environmental Impact Assessment for new projects.
Asked by: Ayoub Khan (Independent - Birmingham Perry Barr)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of changes to housing and planning regulations on (a) the Regulator of Social Housing and (b) the regulation of the social housing sector.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The government is committed to delivering the biggest increase in social and affordable housebuilding in a generation. We are also taking action to ensure that all social homes are safe, warm, and decent, and that tenants are treated with the respect they deserve.
This year, we will bring forward Awaab’s Law, consult on a new Decent Homes Standard, and ensure social housing staff have the right skills and experience to deliver quality homes and services.
The Regulator of Social Housing has expanded in recent years to reflect changes in the regulatory landscape that affects the social housing sector, including the introduction of a proactive consumer regulation regime in April 2024 following the passage of the Social Housing (Regulation) Act.
The government remains committed to ensuring it has the resources to deliver on its fundamental objectives. We will continue to engage closely with the Regulator of Social Housing as government continues to deliver on its commitments.
Asked by: Ayoub Khan (Independent - Birmingham Perry Barr)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps he is taking to reduce energy bills for businesses.
Answered by Miatta Fahnbulleh - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Government believes that our mission to deliver clean power by 2030 is the best way to break our dependence on global fossil fuel markets and protect billpayers, including business consumers, permanently.
In the short term, the Government wants to provide businesses with better protection from being locked into expensive energy contracts and more redress when they have a complaint. We closed a consultation in November regarding the regulation of Third-Party Intermediaries (TPIs), such as energy brokers, aimed at enhancing consumer protections, particularly for non-domestic consumers. A government response will follow in due course once all feedback has been reviewed.
From 19 December 2024, Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) with fewer than 50 employees can now access free support to resolve issues with their energy supplier through the Energy Ombudsman. This means that 99% of UK businesses can now access this service, with outcomes ranging up to £20,000 in financial awards.
The Government recognises that some businesses may be struggling to pay their bills. These businesses should contact their supplier to discuss their options, including ‘blend and extend’ contracts, where the higher unit rate is blended with a new lower rate, spreading the cost over the course of a long contract.
Asked by: Ayoub Khan (Independent - Birmingham Perry Barr)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps he is taking to help ensure Great British Energy creates jobs in industrial communities.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Through its investment and development activities, Great British Energy (GBE) will support companies to provide opportunities for high quality, well-paid work, in the projects the company supports, in supply chains and in local communities through the Local Power Plan. As an operationally independent company, GBE will choose the projects it supports across the UK. I am confident that the benefits will be felt in local and national economies, including our industrial heartlands. The decision to headquarter GBE in Aberdeen has already given confidence to industry, as Sarens PSG has announced the opening of a Centre of Excellence in Aberdeen that will train wind farm workers.
Asked by: Ayoub Khan (Independent - Birmingham Perry Barr)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the UK offshore oil and gas industry’s investment in renewable energy.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Making Britain a clean energy superpower is one of the five missions of this Government, and oil and gas companies will have an important role to play in the energy transition.
We have begun the biggest ever investment in offshore wind and are moving ahead with new industries including carbon capture and storage, and hydrogen which will attract further private investment. A number of integrated energy companies already invest across a range of clean energy technologies in the UK and elsewhere. The department does not provide a commentary on these investments.
Asked by: Ayoub Khan (Independent - Birmingham Perry Barr)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to his oral statement of 16 January 2025 on the Middle East, Official report columns 511-513, what steps his Department is taking to help protect human rights organisations in Palestine, in the context of the killing of Ihab Fisal.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Human Rights are a crucial element underpinning the UK's foreign policy, and civil society organisations play an important role in upholding human rights. Through our aid programmes, we support human rights organisations in Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories on a range of issues. I regularly meet with civil society organisations, including human rights organisations, to discuss the current humanitarian situation in Gaza.
We welcome the agreement to end the fighting in Gaza. It is the first step in ensuring long-term peace and security for Israelis, Palestinians and the wider region, bringing much-needed stability, but we have always been clear that an immediate ceasefire is just the first step towards a lasting solution to this crisis. Gazan civilians must be protected.
Asked by: Ayoub Khan (Independent - Birmingham Perry Barr)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas, what steps his Department is taking to help (a) secure a permanent ceasefire agreement and (b) implement the measures needed for post-war reconstruction in Gaza.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
We have always been clear that an immediate ceasefire is just the first step towards a lasting solution to this crisis. As the Foreign Secretary said to the House on 16 January, in the first six-week phase we expect both parties to stop fighting, and Israel to start to redeploy to the edge of the Strip. The UK will continue to work with Israel, the Palestinian Authority, the US and regional partners to build consensus for a post-conflict Gaza governance and security framework that supports conditions for a permanent and sustainable peace. We have provided a £2 million uplift in 2024/25, through a contribution to the World Bank, to increase the sustainable supply of water and energy in the OPTs, including in Gaza.
Asked by: Ayoub Khan (Independent - Birmingham Perry Barr)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the Israel-Hamas ceasefire agreement on the (a) presence and (b) activities of the Israeli Defense Forces in (i) Gaza, (ii) the Golan Heights and (iii) the West Bank.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The announcement of a ceasefire agreement is a moment of hope after over a year of agony. We have always been clear that an immediate ceasefire is just the first step towards a lasting solution to this crisis. As the Foreign Secretary said to the House on 16 January, in the first six-week phase we expect both parties to stop fighting, and Israel to start to redeploy to the edge of the Gaza Strip. The UK will continue to work with Israel, the Palestinian Authority, the US and regional partners to build consensus for a post-conflict Gaza governance and security framework that supports conditions for a permanent and sustainable peace. This government is clear that International Humanitarian Law (IHL) must be upheld, and civilians protected. The Foreign Secretary continues to raise issues of International Humanitarian Law compliance with the Israeli government. We are also clear that we must not lose sight of the serious risk of further instability in the West Bank, which is in no-one's interest. Stability in the West Bank is crucial to ensure that the fragile ceasefire in Gaza can last. All sides should work to ensure a lowering of tension in the West Bank at this time. Israel has said its presence in the buffer zone in the Golan Heights will be limited and temporary, and we have been clear that we expect it to adhere to this commitment. It is longstanding UK policy that the Golan Heights are occupied territory and we do not recognise Israel's annexation of them. Israel's presence in the buffer zone must not become permanent.