Asked by: Blair McDougall (Labour - East Renfrewshire)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what long term support the Government plans to provide the International Commission on Missing Persons to support their work in identifying those still missing from (a) the war in Bosnia-Herzegovina and (b) the Genocide at Srebrenica.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK supports post-conflict reconciliation in the Western Balkans, through diplomatic and programmatic efforts. This has included funding for the International Commission on Missing Persons for work in the Western Balkans, including for Regional Co-operation through the Missing Persons Group. The UK allocated £150,000 to the International Commission on Missing Persons for the period 1 July 2024 to 1 July 2025. The UK does not currently have plans for funding beyond this period.
Asked by: Blair McDougall (Labour - East Renfrewshire)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what funding the Government plans to provide to Regional Co-operation in Accounting for Missing Persons in the Western Balkans (The Missing Person Group) of the International Commission on Missing Persons in the (a) 2025-26 and (b) 2026-27 financial years.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK supports post-conflict reconciliation in the Western Balkans, through diplomatic and programmatic efforts. This has included funding for the International Commission on Missing Persons for work in the Western Balkans, including for Regional Co-operation through the Missing Persons Group. The UK allocated £150,000 to the International Commission on Missing Persons for the period 1 July 2024 to 1 July 2025. The UK does not currently have plans for funding beyond this period.
Asked by: Blair McDougall (Labour - East Renfrewshire)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department plans to review the regulations on the sale of energy drinks to children under the age of 16.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
As set out in the King’s Speech, we plan to bring forward the necessary secondary legislation to deliver on our commitment to ban the sale of high-caffeine energy drinks to children under the age of 16 years old.
We are developing plans which consider the potential impact of high-caffeine energy drinks on children, and will set these out in a consultation in due course.
Asked by: Blair McDougall (Labour - East Renfrewshire)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps her Department is taking to reduce the DVLA licensing backlog.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The quickest and easiest way to transact with the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) is by using its extensive suite of online services. There are no delays or backlogs for vehicle applications or straightforward driving licence applications and customers should receive their documents within a few days following a successful application.
Driving licence applications where a medical condition must be investigated before a licence can be issued can take longer depending on the condition(s) involved and whether further information is required from third parties, for example doctors or other healthcare professionals, before a decision on whether to issue a licence can be made.
Asked by: Blair McDougall (Labour - East Renfrewshire)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what progress her Department has made on reducing the DVLA backlog.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The quickest and easiest way to transact with the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) is by using its extensive suite of online services. There are no delays or backlogs for vehicle applications or straightforward driving licence applications and customers should receive their documents within a few days following a successful application.
Driving licence applications where a medical condition must be investigated before a licence can be issued can take longer depending on the condition(s) involved and whether further information is required from third parties, for example doctors or other healthcare professionals, before a decision on whether to issue a licence can be made.
Asked by: Blair McDougall (Labour - East Renfrewshire)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department has made a recent assessment of the potential impact of energy drinks on children under 16.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
As set out in the King’s Speech, we plan to bring forward the necessary secondary legislation to deliver on our commitment to ban the sale of high-caffeine energy drinks to children under the age of 16 years old.
We are developing plans which consider the potential impact of high-caffeine energy drinks on children, and will set these out in a consultation in due course.
Asked by: Blair McDougall (Labour - East Renfrewshire)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential implications for her policies of parking enforcement companies; and whether she plans to bring forward legislative proposals to protect consumers from their practices.
Answered by Alex Norris - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The Government recognises the need for high standards in the private parking industry and is committed to delivering a Code of Practice, in accordance with The Parking (Code of Practice) Act 2019.
We are progressing with plans to protect and support motorists and to help us further understand the potential impacts of the Code, we will be launching a consultation in due course.
Asked by: Blair McDougall (Labour - East Renfrewshire)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if her Department will consider introducing protections for consumers in the new Parking Code of Practice.
Answered by Alex Norris - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The Government recognises the need for high standards in the private parking industry and is committed to delivering a Code of Practice, in accordance with The Parking (Code of Practice) Act 2019.
We are progressing with plans to protect and support motorists and to help us further understand the potential impacts of the Code, we will be launching a consultation in due course.
Asked by: Blair McDougall (Labour - East Renfrewshire)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, when her Department plans to re-introduce the Parking Code of Practice.
Answered by Alex Norris - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The Government recognises the need for high standards in the private parking industry and is committed to delivering a Code of Practice, in accordance with The Parking (Code of Practice) Act 2019.
We are progressing with plans to protect and support motorists and to help us further understand the potential impacts of the Code, we will be launching a consultation in due course.
Asked by: Blair McDougall (Labour - East Renfrewshire)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the implications for her policies of the High Court ruling that Part 4 of the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022 is incompatible with the European Convention on Human Rights.
Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Home Office)
As with all cases of this nature, we are now carefully considering the judgment in order to determine the best way forward.