Asked by: Hilary Benn (Labour - Leeds South)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 8 June 2023 to Question 187387 on Iraq: Political Prisoners, whether he plans to make further representations to the Kurdistan regional government in Iraq following the extension to the prison sentence of journalist Sherwan Sherwani.
Answered by Leo Docherty
The UK Government remains committed to pressing the case for improvements in the human rights situation in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq (KRI) and to advocating for human rights for all, including in relation to freedom of expression and the freedom for journalists to do their jobs free from harm.
The UK Government, through our Consulate General in Erbil, takes a close interest in the treatment of journalists and human rights activists in the KRI, and they are monitoring the case of Mr Sherwani.
We have always been clear that journalists and political activists should be free to operate without undue interference from security forces or fear of indefinite detention.
Asked by: Hilary Benn (Labour - Leeds South)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what information the Government holds on the number of electric vehicle charging points at each motorway service station in England.
Answered by Jesse Norman
Around 96% of motorway service areas in England have charging available. There are currently more than 450 open-access (can be used with any electric vehicle) rapid (50kW) and ultra-rapid (150kW+) chargepoints at motorway service areas across England.
Asked by: Hilary Benn (Labour - Leeds South)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether he is taking steps to help (a) repair and (b) reopen the Forum Leisure Centre swimming pool located within his Department's property in Quarry Hill, Leeds.
Answered by Mims Davies - Shadow Minister for Women and Equalities
The Department for Work and Pensions are in the process of arranging a comprehensive scheme of repairs to the plant room servicing the Quarry House Leisure Centre Pool.
A quote for the works has been received and validated. With lead time for materials & subsequent programme of works, it is anticipated the pool will re-open in December 2023.
Asked by: Hilary Benn (Labour - Leeds South)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what security checks financial institutions are required to make for credit card applications in order to prevent identity fraud.
Answered by Andrew Griffith - Shadow Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology
The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) is responsible for regulating the consumer credit market. FCA rules dictate that firms (including those offering credit cards) must have adequate policies and procedures in place to counter the risk that they might be used in financial crime, such as identity fraud. Furthermore, firms must ensure that the systems and controls monitoring these are subject to regular assessment.
Firms are also required by law to verify someone’s identity when they establish a business relationship with them. This includes when opening a credit account such as a credit card. Firms are required to take a proportionate approach commensurate with their assessment of the risk. Each firm will have their own policies on identification, customer due diligence and on the circumstances in which additional security checks should be undertaken. Firms are assisted in making such policies through industry produced guidance. The government has also published a Good Practice Guide for firms on how to prove and verify someone’s identity, which can be accessed here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/identity-proofing-and-verification-of-an-individual/how-to-prove-and-verify-someones-identity
Asked by: Hilary Benn (Labour - Leeds South)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what recent estimate she has made with Cabinet colleagues of the potential cost of upgrading all homes in England to at least energy performance certificate rating C.
Answered by Graham Stuart
The Government set out an aspiration in the Clean Growth Strategy for as many homes as possible to reach an Energy Performance Rating Band C by 2035 where cost-effective, affordable and practical. Achieving this will require mobilising up to £65 billion of capital investment.
The Government is investing £6.6 billion over this Parliament on clean heat and improving energy efficiency in buildings. In addition, £6 billion of new Government funding will be made available from 2025 to 2028.
Asked by: Hilary Benn (Labour - Leeds South)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what guidance her Department provides on whether making a credit card application using someone else's details is a criminal offence.
Answered by Tom Tugendhat - Shadow Minister (Home Office) (Security)
Existing legislation can already be used to prosecute those committing fraud using a stolen identity.
The Fraud Act 2006 covers the selling and using of stolen personal information to commit fraud. The Computer Misuse Act 1990, the Identity Documents Act 2010 and the Data Protection Act 2018 cover the protection of personal data.
Asked by: Hilary Benn (Labour - Leeds South)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, whether he is taking steps to help leaseholders who cannot sell their homes due to managing agents not providing deeds of certificate for cladding.
Answered by Lee Rowley
The lack of a landlord's certificate, should not, in most cases, be a barrier to the sale of a property over 11 metres. If a landlord does not provide a valid landlord's certificate within 4 weeks of a leaseholder requesting a certificate (if necessary, via the managing agent), they will be unable legally to pass costs for remediation onto qualifying leaseholders.
A leaseholder can evidence they qualify to receive the protections from remediation costs in the Building Safety Act by completing a leaseholder deed of certificate. This certificate should be sufficient evidence for a lender to consider a mortgage application for a building with building safety issues; major mortgage lenders (covering 70% of the UK mortgage market) have committed to this in a joint statement.
Asked by: Hilary Benn (Labour - Leeds South)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, whether he plans to offer financial assistance to businesses that may have lost trade because their building is covered in scaffolding in order to repair unsafe cladding.
Answered by Lee Rowley
Government building safety schemes provide funding for the remediation or mitigation of life safety fire risks associated with externally clad walls, ensuring the safety of all occupants, including co-located businesses. While there is no additional funding for businesses affected by necessary remediation works, we do expect companies in these buildings to be consulted about proposed repairs. We also require construction companies funded to carry out this work to comply with the Considerate Constructors Scheme, through which they work to manage the impact on the local community and the environment.
Asked by: Hilary Benn (Labour - Leeds South)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she has had recent discussions with the travel industry on trends in the cost of family holidays during school holidays.
Answered by Nick Gibb
The Secretary of State for Education has not had recent discussions with the travel industry on trends in the cost of family holidays during school holidays. However, information and research on the cost of holidays is widely available online.
Asked by: Hilary Benn (Labour - Leeds South)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will publish the age ranges of unaccompanied children detained at the Kent Intake Unit since 1 January 2023.
Answered by Robert Jenrick
The Home Office has no plans to publish data on the age range of unaccompanied children detained at the Kent Intake Unit at this time.