Asked by: Ben Lake (Plaid Cymru - Ceredigion Preseli)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps is he taking to help ensure that (a) protections under international humanitarian law for medical professionals in Gaza are upheld and (b) people who violate such protections are held to account.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
It is unacceptable that over 1000 health workers have reportedly been killed since 7 October 2023. Israel must do more to protect civilians and those working to support those in such desperate need. The UK has raised protection of civilians and the destruction of health infrastructure repeatedly with the Israeli government, including on 5 November when I underlined our grave concern to Israel's Ambassador about repeated strikes on Kamal Adwan hospital. This government is clear that International Humanitarian Law must be upheld, and civilians protected. The UK is fully committed to international law and fully respects the independence of the International Court of Justice and of the International Criminal Court. We have suspended relevant export licences to Israel following a review that concluded there is a clear risk that UK export items might be used to commit or facilitate serious violations of International Humanitarian Law.
Asked by: Ben Lake (Plaid Cymru - Ceredigion Preseli)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 4 December 2024 to Question 15678 on Mohammed Hamouda, what information he has received on Dr Hamouda’s (a) status and (b) well-being.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
We are concerned by the reports that Dr. Mohammed Hamouda was detained by the Israeli authorities on 6 November. I raised his case with the Israeli Ambassador on 18 November and FCDO officials have been following up the case since then. Whilst we do not comment on specific non-UK national cases, the government does raise International Humanitarian Law compliance regularly with Israel. Medical staff must be allowed to carry out their work unimpeded, and to travel around Gaza as needed.
Asked by: Ben Lake (Plaid Cymru - Ceredigion Preseli)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps is he taking to tackle (a) detention and (b) mistreatment of healthcare workers in Gaza.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Medical workers and facilities, including ambulances and rescue personnel, must be protected in accordance with International Humanitarian Law and allowed to provide life-saving services. It is unacceptable that northern Gaza now has no functioning hospitals, after strikes on Kamal Adwan hospital. On 5 November, when I spoke to the Israeli Ambassador, I raised the UK's grave concerns that Kamal Adwan continues to come under fire. This government has been clear that Israel must do much more to protect civilians, civilian infrastructure and humanitarian workers, and Israel must allow medical staff to carry out their work unimpeded, and to travel around Gaza as needed.
Asked by: Ben Lake (Plaid Cymru - Ceredigion Preseli)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of bringing forward legislative proposals to enable unearned (a) income and (b) assets be considered in initial Child Maintenance Service calculations.
Answered by Andrew Western - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
The Department has been conducting a review of the child maintenance calculation to make sure it is fit for purpose and reflects today’s social trends. The review will also consider the treatment of unearned income and assets within the automatic calculation.
Unearned income and assets can still be captured through the current variation process up until changes are introduced.
Asked by: Ben Lake (Plaid Cymru - Ceredigion Preseli)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether she plans to invite representatives from the cruise industry to sit on the Tourism Industry Council when it is re-established.
Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
The department is in the process of setting up the new Visitor Economy Council and will share details of the membership as soon as possible when it is confirmed.
Asked by: Ben Lake (Plaid Cymru - Ceredigion Preseli)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps he is taking to help prevent the development of illegal settlements in North Gaza.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK's position on settlements is clear. They are illegal under international law, present an obstacle to peace and threaten the physical viability of a two-state solution. To date, we have sanctioned eight individuals responsible for inciting and perpetrating human rights abuses against Palestinian communities in the West Bank. We have also designated two groups known to have supported, incited and promoted violence against these communities. We do not comment on future sanctions.
Asked by: Ben Lake (Plaid Cymru - Ceredigion Preseli)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, how much funding her Department plans to provide through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund to projects in Wales in the (a) 2024-25 and (b) 2025-26 financial year by project.
Answered by Alex Norris - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) operates under a delegated delivery model, meaning lead local authorities are responsible for managing the funding for their area and the allocation of funds to projects.
Lead local authorities in Wales have been paid £260 million of the £307 million Core UKSPF allocation and £5 million of the £35 million Multiply allocation available to them this financial year for delivery up to March 2025. The outstanding amounts remain available to be paid to lead local authorities at the end of the financial year, based on actual spend. We intend to confirm allocations for 2025-26 as soon as possible.
Asked by: Ben Lake (Plaid Cymru - Ceredigion Preseli)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether she plans to review the (a) operation and (b) adequacy of the Barnett Formula.
Answered by Darren Jones - Chief Secretary to the Treasury
There are currently no plans to modify the operation of the Barnett formula. The Barnett formula has stood the test of time because it is simple, efficient and provides a clear and certain outcome.
The Welsh Government currently receives at least 20% more funding per person than equivalent UK Government spending in the rest of the UK. That translates into over £4 billion more in 2025-26.
Asked by: Ben Lake (Plaid Cymru - Ceredigion Preseli)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether she has made an estimate of the value of increased national insurance contributions from public sector organisations included within the StatsWales definition of public sector but omitted from the definition used by the Office of National Statistics.
Answered by Darren Jones - Chief Secretary to the Treasury
The Treasury routinely uses the Office for National Statistics (ONS) classification of the public sector boundary, for example in relation to public sector spending, public sector borrowing and public sector debt.
The latest forecasts for tax revenues were published alongside the Office for Budget Responsibility’s (OBR) October Economic and Fiscal Outlook. These forecasts are based on economic determinants, including wage growth and employment levels. Detailed tax receipts forecasts can be found here: Economic and fiscal outlook – October 2024 - Office for Budget Responsibility.
A Tax Information and Impact Note that covers the employer NICs changes was published by HMRC on 13 November.
Asked by: Ben Lake (Plaid Cymru - Ceredigion Preseli)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to paragraph 2.40 of the Autumn Budget 2024, published on 30 October, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of using the StatsWales definition of public sector workers for determining exemptions.
Answered by Darren Jones - Chief Secretary to the Treasury
The Treasury routinely uses the Office for National Statistics (ONS) classification of the public sector boundary, for example in relation to public sector spending, public sector borrowing and public sector debt.
The latest forecasts for tax revenues were published alongside the Office for Budget Responsibility’s (OBR) October Economic and Fiscal Outlook. These forecasts are based on economic determinants, including wage growth and employment levels. Detailed tax receipts forecasts can be found here: Economic and fiscal outlook – October 2024 - Office for Budget Responsibility.
A Tax Information and Impact Note that covers the employer NICs changes was published by HMRC on 13 November.