Asked by: Fiona Bruce (Conservative - Congleton)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment his Department has made of the impacts of actions of (a) Rapid Support Forces and (b) the Sudanese Armed Forces on religious minorities in Sudan's (i) Blue Nile and (ii) South Kordofan states.
Answered by Andrew Mitchell - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) (Minister for Development)
The UK condemns the rising violence across Sudan. We note reports of heavy fighting in South Kordofan and Blue Nile states between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and People's Liberation Movement-North (SPLM-N), as well as between SAF and Rapid Support Forces (RSF). The spread of violence to these states has brought with it the killing of civilians and sexual assault of women, amongst other human rights abuses. We continue to demand that the warring parties respect calls for a ceasefire, humanitarian access be granted and those responsible be held to account. We will support international efforts to secure a permanent cessation of hostilities and protection of civilians through statements and resolutions at the UN Human Rights Council and Security Council and through cooperation with counterparts from African, Quad (Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, UK and US) and European countries. We are also engaging with the Intergovernmental Authority on Development and the African Union, where we are now working through a new Core Group to ensure inclusive regional and international action to secure a viable peace process. Following reports of attacks on churches and mosques since 15 April, we are monitoring growing infringements of religious freedom in Sudan and continue to promote freedom of religion or belief as a means of enhancing tolerance and inclusion.
Asked by: Fiona Bruce (Conservative - Congleton)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, if she will make an assessment of the potential impact of the inclusion of cocoa and milk products on the list of prohibited goods by UK postal carriers on small chocolate producers exporting to the EU.
Answered by Nigel Huddleston
The Government has no current plans to make an assessment of impacts of such decisions on small chocolate producers. We would, however, welcome any further information and evidence from small chocolate producers on this concern.
Asked by: Fiona Bruce (Conservative - Congleton)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, when he plans to respond to the report commissioned by his Department entitled The impact of a change in the maximum park home sale commission, published in June 2022.
Answered by Rachel Maclean
The report makes four recommendations which require more detailed consideration and further engagement with the sector to fully understand the impact of any change and ensure the long term viability of the sector.
We will publish our response in due course.
Asked by: Fiona Bruce (Conservative - Congleton)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many (a) implantation failures, (b) spontaneous miscarriages, (c) terminations of pregnancies and (d) live births have been recorded pursuant to clinical application in the UK of (i) pronuclear transfer and (ii) spindle-chromosomal complex transfer.
Answered by Maria Caulfield
The following table shows how many implantation failures, spontaneous miscarriages, terminations of pregnancies, and live births, have been recorded pursuant to clinical application in the United Kingdom of pronuclear transfer, and spindle-chromosomal complex transfer.
| Pronuclear transfer | Spindle-chromosomal complex transfer |
Implantation failures1 | 20-23 | 0 |
Spontaneous miscarriages | 0 | 0 |
Terminations of pregnancy | 0 | 0 |
Live births |
| 0 |
Source: The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA)
Notes:
Asked by: Fiona Bruce (Conservative - Congleton)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many patients have been licensed by the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority as eligible for mitochondrial donation treatment in the UK; how many embryos have been produced using (a) pronuclear transfer and (b) spindle-chromosomal complex transfer; and how many embryos have been transferred to uteri pursuant to (a) pronuclear transfer and (b) spindle-chromosomal complex transfer.
Answered by Maria Caulfield
The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) have advised that 32 patients have been licensed as eligible for mitochondrial donation treatment in the United Kingdom. The following table shows how many embryos have been produced during mitochondrial donation treatment and how many embryos have been transferred to uteri pursuant to clinical application in the UK of pronuclear transfer and spindle-chromosomal complex transfer.
| Pronuclear transfer | Spindle-chromosomal complex transfer |
Embryos produced during mitochondrial donation treatment | 317 | 0 |
Embryos transferred | 24 | 0 |
Source: HFEA, 2023
Notes:
Asked by: Fiona Bruce (Conservative - Congleton)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what information the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority holds on children born as a result of mitochondrial donation with (a) a mitochondrial disease, (b) a birth defect, (c) genetic abnormality and (d) another adverse outcome.
Answered by Maria Caulfield
The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority have advised that it cannot provide the detailed information as requested as it may compromise patient confidentiality.
Asked by: Fiona Bruce (Conservative - Congleton)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he plans to take steps to help ensure that the provision of IVF is (a) efficient and (b) compassionate for people requiring IVF services in Congleton constituency.
Answered by Maria Caulfield
Funding decisions for health services in England, including in vitro fertilisation (IVF), are made by integrated care boards (ICBs) and are based on the clinical needs of their local population. We would therefore expect Merseyside and East Cheshire ICB to commission fertility services in line with National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidelines, ensuring fair and equal access to fertility treatment for the people of Congleton.
Asked by: Fiona Bruce (Conservative - Congleton)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether his Department is taking steps to help ensure that investment in solar energy generation at factory sites in Congleton constituency are incentivised by the policies of the local electricity network operator.
Answered by Graham Stuart
The Government is working closely with network companies to release network capacity and improve the connection process to reduce connection timescales, including for onsite solar generation. Ofgem has also reduced connection costs for ‘final demand’ users, such as factory sites installing onsite generation capacity below their maximum demand, by deciding that they should no longer be charged for distribution network reinforcement costs.
Asked by: Fiona Bruce (Conservative - Congleton)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether his Department is taking steps to facilitate the process for consideration of the Full Business Case for the Middlewich Eastern Bypass in the Congleton constituency.
Answered by Richard Holden
Department for Transport officials are liaising with Cheshire East Council in relation to the Full Business Case for the Middlewich Bypass which they to expect to receive in September.
Asked by: Fiona Bruce (Conservative - Congleton)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether his Department has taken steps to press for the reopening of the Lachin Corridor; and what recent discussions he has had with relevant stakeholders on the reopening of the Lachin Corridor.
Answered by Leo Docherty
The UK Government has been vocal about the importance of re-opening the Lachin Corridor, including at the United Nations Security Council in New York on 20 December 2022 and the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe in Vienna on 17 January 2023. This message was also conveyed by the Minister for Europe during his visit to Azerbaijan in February 2023. The UK Government will continue to support constructive dialogue in further contacts with the Armenian and Azerbaijani governments in the coming months.