Asked by: Calvin Bailey (Labour - Leyton and Wanstead)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of placing sanctions on (a) Itamar Ben Gvir and (b) Bezalel Smotrich.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
On the 10 June 2025, together with international partners Australia, Canada, New Zealand and Norway, we announced measures against Israeli government ministers Ben-Gvir and Smotrich. We sanctioned these individuals in their personal capacity as a result of their repeated incitement of violence against Palestinian civilians in the West Bank. Both will be subject to an asset freeze, travel ban, and director disqualification. We have long been clear that Israel must cease expansion of illegal settlements which undermine a future Palestinian state. It is right that we, along with international partners, demonstrate our commitment to ensuring they are held accountable for encouraging and inciting human rights abuses. Our joint statement made clear our commitment to continuing a strong friendship with the people of Israel based on shared ties and values. We remain committed to a two-state solution which ensures a safe and secure future for Israelis and Palestinians.
Asked by: Calvin Bailey (Labour - Leyton and Wanstead)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what estimate she has made of the costs of implementing the EHRC’s proposed Code of Practice for Services, Public Functions and Associations for railway stations.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
I am not aware of any such estimates being made of implementing the proposed EHRC Code of Practice for Services, Public Functions, and Associations for railway stations.
Asked by: Calvin Bailey (Labour - Leyton and Wanstead)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent representations he has made to his Israeli counterpart on facilitating the medical treatment of (a) injured and (b) seriously ill Palestinian children.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK remains in regular contact at all levels with the Government of Israel to press for an increase of humanitarian aid into Gaza. On 19 May, we issued a joint donor statement on the humanitarian situation calling for a full resumption of aid and for Israel to allow the UN and other aid organisations to operate independently. We urge Israel to let Gazans receive urgent healthcare, including allowing the sick and wounded to temporarily leave the Gaza Strip to receive treatment. The UK supported an initiative by Project Pure Hope to bring a small number of children from Gaza to the UK for privately funded specialist care.
Asked by: Calvin Bailey (Labour - Leyton and Wanstead)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many Palestinian children have entered the UK for medical treatment since October 2023; and what steps her Department plans to take to increase the number of Palestinian children able to receive medical treatment in the UK.
Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)
The information requested on visas is not currently available from published statistics, and the relevant data could only be collated and verified for the purpose of answering this question at disproportionate cost.
The UK has supported an initiative by Project Pure Hope to bring a small number of children from Gaza to the UK for privately funded specialist care. On 1 May, the Minister for the Middle East announced that two children have arrived in the UK to begin treatment. The Government also announced a £7.5m package of support to bolster vital medical care in Gaza and the region, which includes additional funding for UK-Med, WHO Egypt and the OCHA OPTs Humanitarian Fund.
Asked by: Calvin Bailey (Labour - Leyton and Wanstead)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions he has had with Rt. hon and hon. Members on the Climate and Nature Bill since 24 January 2025.
Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
This Government is absolutely committed to tackling the climate and nature crises. Accordingly, we have engaged extensively with Roz Savage MP on the proposed Climate and Nature Bill and agreed how we can take forward the spirit and substance of the Bill. The minister responsible for the Bill area, Minister Creagh, met with Roz Savage on 27 January to discuss the government’s approach to taking forward the spirit of the Bill.
Asked by: Calvin Bailey (Labour - Leyton and Wanstead)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent discussions she has had with public transport providers on the cost of implementing the proposed EHRC Code of Practice for Services, Public Functions, and Associations.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
I am not aware of any recent discussions on this issue with public transport providers. The EHRC are currently consulting on the draft statutory Code of Practice and are seeking views from affected stakeholders. This consultation closes on Monday 30th June after which we will consider the final draft.
Asked by: Calvin Bailey (Labour - Leyton and Wanstead)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has made recent representations to his counterparts in Indonesia on corporal punishment in relation to consensual intimacy between adult men.
Answered by Catherine West - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK opposes all forms of discrimination and is committed to protecting the rights and freedoms of LGBT people around the world. The UK also opposes the use of judicially imposed corporal punishment. In Indonesia, we actively engage with Civil Society Organisations, legislators, and the Government of Indonesia, through our Embassy in Jakarta, to oppose discrimination against minority groups, including the LGBT community. We encourage Indonesia to ensure that its laws, both at national and local level, are non-discriminatory and celebrate the diversity and tolerance of its people.
Asked by: Calvin Bailey (Labour - Leyton and Wanstead)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people that receive (a) enhanced daily living Personal Independence Payment awards and (b) standard daily living Personal Independence Payment awards did not score four or more in any individual activity in Leyton and Wanstead constituency in January 2025.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
Information on the impacts of the Pathways to Work Green Paper will be published in due course, with some information published alongside the Spring Statement. These publications can be found here ‘Pathways to Work: Reforming Benefits and Support to Get Britain Working Green Paper’.
A further programme of analysis to support development of the proposals in the Green Paper will be developed and undertaken in the coming months.
Asked by: Calvin Bailey (Labour - Leyton and Wanstead)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to the Ministry of Defence's Sex Offending Strategy, published in July 2022, whether he plans to review the current rules on the reporting of sexual offences within the Armed Forces; and whether he plans to change policy to allow certain categories of sexual offences to be reported to civilian police forces.
Answered by Al Carns - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans)
Since 2009, the Civilian and Service police have shared jurisdiction for dealing with allegations of criminal offending by Service personnel in the UK. A Service person therefore has the choice to report any crime, including sexual offences, to the Civilian or Service Police.
The establishment of the Defence Serious Crime Command in 2022 created a an independent tri-Service investigative capability, and placed victims at the centre of a more streamlined and effective service. Where a report of sexual offending, or any serious crime, is made to the Service Police, the Defence Serious Crime Unit carries out an independent investigation and the Victim and Witness Care Unit provides support and advice from the point a crime is reported.
Asked by: Calvin Bailey (Labour - Leyton and Wanstead)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what progress his Department has made on replacing enhanced combat body armour for frontline troops.
Answered by Maria Eagle - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
The safety of personnel remains the Ministry of Defence’s top priority and we are taking all necessary steps to ensure the safety of our forces and maintain operational readiness. Where it is appropriate, alternative body armour plates have been issued to those on high-threat deployments.
Work continues, at pace, to test and ensure the safety of sufficient Enhanced Combat Body Armour (ECBA) plates. To date 30% of the required number of ECBA plates have been scanned and are in the process of being distributed back to units. This is being prioritised based on operational requirements. It is anticipated that the most impacted users will receive tested ECBA plates by the end of this month.
The Tactical Ballistic Plate programme, which will replace both Osprey body armour and ECBA plates, is expected to deliver from 2027.