Asked by: Colum Eastwood (Social Democratic & Labour Party - Foyle)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with his Israeli counterpart on the (a) conditions and (b) treatment of Palestinian (i) prisoners, (ii) abductees and (iii) detainees.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Since taking office, the Foreign Secretary has visited Israel and the OPTs three times and continues to speak regularly with his Israeli counterpart. During these interactions, the Foreign Secretary has raised the UK's deep concerns about reports of the mistreatment of detainees. We continue to reiterate calls for Israel to allow the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) unfettered and immediate access to detention facilities.
Asked by: Colum Eastwood (Social Democratic & Labour Party - Foyle)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions he has had with his Israeli counterpart on the escalation of violence in the West Bank.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The risk of rising instability in the West Bank is serious, and the need for de-escalation urgent. The UK has been clear that it is in no-one's interest for further conflict and instability to spread in the West Bank. We continue to call on Israeli authorities to exercise restraint, adhere to international law, and clamp down on the actions of those who seek to inflame tensions. Settler violence is unacceptable, and the UK continues to urge the Israeli government to act to stop settler violence. We continue to raise violence in the West Bank with Israeli counterparts. As the Foreign Secretary said in his statement on 15 January, much remains to be done - to implement all phases of the deal in full and establish a pathway to lasting peace and security for Israelis and Palestinians alike.
Asked by: Colum Eastwood (Social Democratic & Labour Party - Foyle)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with his Israeli counterpart on attacks on (a) international aid agencies and (b) their (i) facilities and (ii) staff in northern Gaza.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
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. The Foreign Secretary met Israeli Foreign Minister Sa'ar in Israel on 13 January. He urged Israel not to endanger United Nations Relief and Work Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East's (UNRWA) ability to operate, and to prevent the collapse of the humanitarian response. I have also raised my concerns about the situation in northern Gaza with both the Israeli Deputy Foreign Minister and the Israeli Ambassador, including the safety of civilians and medical workers. At the UN Security Council earlier this month, we shared our horror at the deterioration of healthcare in Gaza and urged Israel to abide by its international obligations, including those set out in UN Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) 2286.
Israel must do much more to ensure that civilians are protected, that much more aid can be delivered and that the UN and humanitarian partners can work safely and effectively. This includes ensuring effective deconfliction mechanisms and visa processes for international non-governmental organisations (INGOs).
Asked by: Colum Eastwood (Social Democratic & Labour Party - Foyle)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether he has made an assessment of the reasons for a decrease in the number of jobs filled in (a) electronic manufacturing and (b) the computer digital sector in 2022-2023.
Answered by Feryal Clark - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The digital sector is of vital importance to the UK economy, and overall employment in the sector has increased between 2022-2023. DSIT continues to analyse trends in employment in the sector. The government is committed to growing the pipeline of skilled talent, both to support UK companies and provide opportunities for all to access good jobs in the sector.
Asked by: Colum Eastwood (Social Democratic & Labour Party - Foyle)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential net impact of (a) Artificial Intelligence and (b) automation on employment numbers.
Answered by Feryal Clark - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
AI has the potential to increase productivity and create high value jobs in the UK economy. This government is committed to making sure AI opportunities are available across the UK and today we have launched the AI Opportunities Action Plan to reach this goal.
The government is committed to preparing workers with the skills needed for future jobs by working with industry to responsibly adopt AI across all sectors. Skills England, DSIT and the Industrial Strategy Council will unite businesses, training partners, unions, and government to assess and address the country's AI and digital skills needs.
Asked by: Colum Eastwood (Social Democratic & Labour Party - Foyle)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to her statement of 17 December 2024 on Women’s State Pension Age Communication: PHSO Report, Official Report columns 167 to 169, whether her Department has made an estimate of the annual cost of implementing a compensation scheme for affected women in Northern Ireland.
Answered by Emma Reynolds - Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)
The State Pension is a transferred matter in Northern Ireland. These matters are the responsibility of the Department for Communities in Northern Ireland.
Asked by: Colum Eastwood (Social Democratic & Labour Party - Foyle)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether he has held discussions with trade unions on the potential impact of (a) artificial intelligence and (b) automation on workers.
Answered by Justin Madders - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
New technologies such as artificial intelligence and automation have the potential to transform businesses of all sizes, supporting productivity and growth.
The government's approach is to protect good jobs, enable good future jobs, ensure rights and protections keep pace with technological change and to safeguard against discrimination.
As the Plan to Make Work Pay makes clear, workers' interests will need to inform the digital transformation that is taking place in the workplace.
The Department for Business and Trade (DBT) ministers continue to engage positively with all relevant stakeholders in relation to the potential impacts of new technologies on the workplace, including trade unions and business.
Asked by: Colum Eastwood (Social Democratic & Labour Party - Foyle)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether she has made an assessment of the reasons for a decrease in the number of jobs filled in the (a) film, (b) television, (c) video, (d) radio and (e) music digital subsector in 2022-23.
Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
There are a multitude of factors affecting the number of filled jobs across the creative industries in any given year. Recently this has included the recession in the TV advertising market; streaming services reducing content budgets as they prioritise profitability; and the impact of the US writers strike. Major companies in the digital music industry have also cut staff or relocated employees outside the UK, partly due to the maturation of streaming services and a need to streamline their global operations.
Despite these challenges, the creative industries remain one of the fastest growing sectors in the UK economy. They have been identified as a priority sector in the Government’s Industrial Strategy based on their significant potential for supporting opportunity and growth in the country.
To address skills shortages and support long-term development, Skills England, a new arm’s-length body, will form a coherent national picture of where skills gaps exist and collaborate with key partners to meet the skills needs of the next decade.
Asked by: Colum Eastwood (Social Democratic & Labour Party - Foyle)
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 implications for his policies of the UN Secretary General’s response to the Colombian government’s rapid response plan aimed at overcoming delays in implementing the 2016 Peace Agreement.
Answered by Catherine West - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
We welcomed the Colombian government's announcement of a new rapid response plan for implementation of the 2016 Agreement at the UN Security Council (UNSC) Session in July. In particular, we welcomed its focus on territorial transformation and the appointment of a senior Cabinet Minister responsible for its implementation. We continue to engage with the Colombian government to support them on this. During her visit to Colombia in November, Baroness Chapman met with Interior Minister Cristo to discuss the rapid response plan and reiterated our commitment to implementing the 2016 Peace Agreement. The Foreign Secretary also met with Foreign Minister Murillo in September, to reiterate the UK's commitment towards the peace process in Colombia.
Asked by: Colum Eastwood (Social Democratic & Labour Party - Foyle)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether she has had discussions with the Minister for Finance in Northern Ireland on the potential impact of increases in employers' National Insurance contributions on community and voluntary sector organisations in Northern Ireland.
Answered by Darren Jones - Chief Secretary to the Treasury
In order to repair the public finances and help raise the revenue required to increase funding for public services, the UK Government has taken the difficult decision to increase employer National Insurance contributions (NICs).
The UK Government recognises the need to protect charities, which is why we have more than doubled the Employment Allowance to £10,500, meaning more than half of employers with NICs liabilities either gain or see no change next year.
In addition, charities will still be able to claim employer NICs reliefs including those for under 21s and under 25 apprentices, where eligible.
The devolved governments will receive funding through the Barnett Formula in 2025-26 for any changes to UK Government department budgets, including support for employer NICs. This is the normal operation of the funding arrangements as set out in the Statement of Funding Policy.
This funding will be in addition to the devolved governments’ record Spending Review settlements for 2025-26, which are the largest in real terms of any settlements since devolution.
I regularly engage with the Minister of Finance for Northern Ireland on a variety of issues, including the impact of Autumn Budget 2024 in Northern Ireland.