Asked by: Imran Hussain (Labour - Bradford East)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps he is taking to encourage the use of (a) quieter (i) fireworks and (ii) drone shows and (b) other low-impact alternatives at public events.
Answered by Kate Dearden - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The Government have launched a public campaign on fireworks safety for this year’s fireworks season which encourages the use of low noise fireworks. The campaign also features new guidance for those running community fireworks events which recommends the use of low-noise fireworks to reduce the impact on communities, as well as social media materials that emphasise the risks from the misuse of fireworks. The campaign materials are being shared widely to increase their impact.
Asked by: Imran Hussain (Labour - Bradford East)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what recent assessment he has made of the adequacy of current legislation governing the (a) sale and (b) use of fireworks in England and Wales.
Answered by Kate Dearden - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
No recent assessment has been made of the adequacy of current legislation governing the sale and use of fireworks in England and Wales including the purchase from registered sellers during specific dates.
Enforcement powers exist for local authorities to take action when fireworks are unsafe, sold illegally or misused. Local authorities and the police also have powers to tackle anti-social behaviour caused by the misuse of fireworks. It is for local areas to decide how best to deploy these powers, based on their circumstances.
Asked by: Imran Hussain (Labour - Bradford East)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what plans he has to increase the powers of (a) local authorities and (b) the police to (i) enforce firework regulations and (ii) respond to public complaints.
Answered by Kate Dearden - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
No recent assessment has been made of the adequacy of current legislation governing the sale and use of fireworks in England and Wales including the purchase from registered sellers during specific dates.
Enforcement powers exist for local authorities to take action when fireworks are unsafe, sold illegally or misused. Local authorities and the police also have powers to tackle anti-social behaviour caused by the misuse of fireworks. It is for local areas to decide how best to deploy these powers, based on their circumstances.
Asked by: Imran Hussain (Labour - Bradford East)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of banning unlicensed traders from selling fireworks to the public during specific festive periods.
Answered by Kate Dearden - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
No recent assessment has been made of the adequacy of current legislation governing the sale and use of fireworks in England and Wales including the purchase from registered sellers during specific dates.
Enforcement powers exist for local authorities to take action when fireworks are unsafe, sold illegally or misused. Local authorities and the police also have powers to tackle anti-social behaviour caused by the misuse of fireworks. It is for local areas to decide how best to deploy these powers, based on their circumstances.
Asked by: Imran Hussain (Labour - Bradford East)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of the decision to continue issuing licenses for F-35 fighter jet components that are sold indirectly to Israel through an intermediary country on human rights in (a) Gaza and (b) the rest of the Occupied Palestinian Territories.
Answered by Douglas Alexander - Secretary of State for Scotland
The F35 programme has a significant dependence on the UK, which provides unique and critical components. At the present time, any suspension of F-35 components to Israel through the programme is not possible without undermining the programme overall, and the government’s judgement is that this would have a significant negative impact on international peace and security. Therefore, at the present time, exports to the F-35 programme are excluded from the current suspension of export licences. We are keeping this under close review.
The Secretary of State for Business and Trade has set out this decision in further detail to the House in his written ministerial statement on 2 September 2024: https://questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-statements/detail/2024-09-02/hcws64
Asked by: Imran Hussain (Labour - Bradford East)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of section V of the International Court of Justice, Advisory Opinion, Legal Consequences arising from the Policies and Practices of Israel in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, published by the United Nations Palestinian Rights Committee on 18 October 2024 on the issuing of export licenses for F-35 fighter jet components to be sold indirectly to Israel through an intermediary country.
Answered by Douglas Alexander - Secretary of State for Scotland
The UK is fully committed to international law and fully respects the independence of the International Court of Justice. We continue to consider the Court’s Advisory Opinion carefully, with the seriousness and rigour it deserves.
The F35 programme has a significant dependence on the UK, which provides unique and critical components. At the present time, any suspension of F-35 components to Israel through the programme is not possible without undermining the programme overall, and the government’s judgement is that this would have a significant negative impact on international peace and security. Therefore, at the present time, exports to the F-35 programme are excluded from the current suspension of export licences. We are keeping this under close review.
Asked by: Imran Hussain (Labour - Bradford East)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, if he will publish a list of items licensed for sale to Israel for (a) military and (b) dual-use which are being used in the West Bank by the Israeli (i) military, (ii) police and (iii) other government body.
Answered by Douglas Alexander - Secretary of State for Scotland
We publish annual and quarterly reports on export licences issued, refused, or revoked, by destination, including the overall value, type (e.g. Military, Other) and a summary of the products covered by these licences. They are available to view on GOV.UK at https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/strategic-export-controls-licensing-data.
Summary data on our current export licences to Israel was also published on 11 June 2024: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/export-control-licensing-management-information-for-israel.
Asked by: Imran Hussain (Labour - Bradford East)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of removing Israel from the list of approved recipients for the Open General license.
Answered by Douglas Alexander - Secretary of State for Scotland
Following the decision by the Secretary of State for Business and Trade on 2 September 2024 to suspend licences related to use by Israel in the current military operations in Gaza, a number of open general export licences were amended. Further detail on the affected licences can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/notice-to-exporters-202420-suspension-of-licences-for-israel.
The OGEL for exports in support of the F-35 programme has been amended to exclude exports direct to Israel. Any broader suspension with respect to this OGEL is not possible without undermining the programme overall, which would have a significant negative impact on international peace and security.
Asked by: Imran Hussain (Labour - Bradford East)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, with reference to the press release entitled UK suspends around 30 arms export licences to Israel for use in Gaza over International Humanitarian Law concerns, published on 2 September 2024, what the value is of each arms export licence that has been suspended.
Answered by Douglas Alexander - Secretary of State for Scotland
We have suspended export licences for Israel where these relate to items for use in military operations in Gaza. It includes licences for components for fighter aircraft, helicopters and drones, naval systems and targeting equipment.
The details of individual suspended licences contain sensitive information relevant to the individual exporter companies, and therefore the government is not providing further comment on them.
Asked by: Imran Hussain (Labour - Bradford East)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, with reference to the press release entitled UK suspends around 30 arms export licences to Israel for use in Gaza over International Humanitarian Law concerns, published on 2 September 2024, which companies have had arms export licences suspended.
Answered by Douglas Alexander - Secretary of State for Scotland
We have suspended export licences for Israel where these relate to items for use in military operations in Gaza. It includes licences for components for fighter aircraft, helicopters and drones, naval systems and targeting equipment.
The details of individual suspended licences contain sensitive information relevant to the individual exporter companies, and therefore the government is not providing further comment on them.