Asked by: James Duddridge (Conservative - Rochford and Southend East)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions she has had with civil society organisations in the UK on eSwatini.
Answered by Harriett Baldwin
Officials in the UK last met representatives from Action for Southern Africa (ACTSA) and Swaziland Human Rights Network UK in May 2018 to discuss human rights and democracy in eSwatini.
Asked by: James Duddridge (Conservative - Rochford and Southend East)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what progress there has been on establishing a High Commission in eSwatini.
Answered by Harriett Baldwin
We are in the process of appointing a High Commissioner to Eswatini and in sourcing property in Mbabane. We expect to have representation in the country by mid-2019.
Asked by: James Duddridge (Conservative - Rochford and Southend East)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what progress has been made on the actions agreed at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting 2018.
Answered by Alistair Burt
Further to my answer to PQ 162458, the UK continues to work with the three pillars of the Commonwealth – the Commonwealth Secretariat, its member states, and its people to people networks – to deliver on commitments set out in the 2018 Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting (CHOGM) communique. For example;
Member states have increased cooperation in international organisations. In Geneva, the UK hosted a meeting of Commonwealth Permanent Representatives to discuss multilateral issues in advance of the Human Rights Council. New Zealand has hosted a similar Commonwealth meeting to discuss issues relating to the World Trade Organisation. In New York, it has been agreed that Commonwealth members of the UN Security Council will regularly brief other Commonwealth countries in Security Council business.
The Prime Minister included a passage on the Commonwealth in her speech to the UN General Assembly. She spoke explicitly as Commonwealth Chair-in-Office on behalf of the Heads of Government of 53 Commonwealth countries – over a quarter of the UN membership – to reaffirm their shared shared commitment to work together within a rules based international system to address shared global challenges.
The UK and Ghana convened the inaugural meeting of the Commonwealth-led Digital Finance Champions Group in Accra on 26 September. The initiative will drive the use of secure and inclusive digital finance, especially for vulnerable and underbanked people.
The Commonwealth Standards Network launched in Geneva on 26 September. The network aims to boost trade between Commonwealth member states by increasing the use of existing international standards. The network will allow member states to share knowledge and enable the creation of vital links between our economies.
Following the lead of Commonwealth Heads of Government, 152 countries have now endorsed the joint statement calling on states to leave no girl behind, and provide opportunity for at least 12 years of quality education for all girls and boys.
Following its launch in Bangladesh, Ghana, Kenya and Nigeria, over 1,300 women entrepreneurs have registered with 'SheTrades Commonwealth'. The Programme aims to increase economic growth and job creation by enabling the increased participation of women-owned businesses in international trade.
Guyana has become the first country to partner with the UK funded Commonwealth Marine Economies Programme to develop a Maritime Economy Plan. The Programme aims to support the sustainable growth and development of 17 Commonwealth Small Island Developing States in the Caribbean and Pacific.
Twenty countries, over a third of the Commonwealth, have now signed up to the Commonwealth Clean Oceans Alliance – the Blue Charter Action Group co-chaired by the UK and Vanuatu to tackle marine plastic pollution. During her visit to Africa in September, the Prime Minister announced that the UK would make up to an additional £5 million available to provide technical assistance to developing countries that join the initiative.
The Prime Minister also announced a Young Leaders Plastic Challenge Badge, working in partnership with UN Environment, Scouts and Girl Guides, to help an estimated 50,000 young people in Kenya and two further African countries to become leaders in raising awareness about the importance of reducing plastic consumption.
In support of the Commonwealth Cyber Declaration, the UK has partnered with the World Bank to deliver national cyber security capacity reviews in 11 member states. With support from Oxford University's Global Cyber Security Capacity Centre and Australia's Oceania Centre, we are now well placed to meet the commitment for every Commonwealth country to voluntarily undertake reviews by CHOGM 2020.
Asked by: James Duddridge (Conservative - Rochford and Southend East)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether he has plans to open new High Commissions and Embassies in Africa; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Harriett Baldwin
In a sign of our deep and long-term relationship with the continent, we are increasing the British diplomatic presence in sub-Saharan Africa so we can develop more effective partnerships and achieve our mutual goals. During her recent visit to Africa the Prime Minister announced that the UK would open new sovereign missions in Niger and Chad as a demonstration of our commitment to the Sahel region. This is in addition to the announcement made by the former Foreign Secretary in the margins of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in April that we would be opening two new High Commissions in Lesotho and Eswatini. In May this year we also upgraded UK presence in Mauritania to an Embassy.
Asked by: James Duddridge (Conservative - Rochford and Southend East)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, with reference to the outputs published from the Commonwealth Parliamentarians’ Forum hosted by the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association from 26 February to 1 March 2018, whether he plans to take steps in response to those outputs; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Alistair Burt
The Foreign Secretary was delighted to address delegates to the Commonwealth Parliamentarians' Forum during their recent visit to London. He has received copies of the forum outputs, including: the Declaration of the First Commonwealth Parliamentarians Forum; The Youth Delegate Declaration; and a letter from delegates calling for the creation of a Commonwealth Climate Change Council at April's Heads of Government Meeting.
Mitigating the effects of climate change, especially as it affects small island states, will be one of the main policy areas leaders will discuss at the summit. Issues affecting the Commonwealth's young population will also feature prominently during the summit, with one of the four official forums at the start of the week dedicated to Youth.
Asked by: James Duddridge (Conservative - Rochford and Southend East)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what steps his Department is taking to support the UK hospitality industry’s job growth target of employing an additional 19,000 jobs in the sector by 2020.
Answered by Michael Ellis
We are absolutely committed to supporting the continued growth of the Tourism and Hospitality industry. We continue to work closely with key stakeholders to ensure continued jobs creation - as well as meeting the ambitious employment growth targets.
Asked by: James Duddridge (Conservative - Rochford and Southend East)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, whether the Government plans to support the hospitality industry’s upcoming campaign entitled Hospitality Works; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Michael Ellis
Yes. Hospitality Works ran from the 7 February 2018 to 7 March 2018. This was a joint initiative between DWP and Trade Bodies (British Hospitality Association, Association of Licensed and Multiple Retailers and the British Beer & Pub Association) and partners (SpringboardUK).
Asked by: James Duddridge (Conservative - Rochford and Southend East)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what representations his Department has received on the potential effect on the hospitality sector of the proposed merger between the Association of Licensed Multiple Retailers and the British Hospitality Association.
Answered by Michael Ellis
The Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport met the newly appointed CEO of UKHospitality on 1st March 2018 and the Department will work closely with this new trade body. Both UKHospitality and DCMS have ambitious targets for driving continued Tourism and Hospitality growth - and we look forward to developing collaborative programmes that share the economic and job creation benefits of this vibrant sector right across the country.
Asked by: James Duddridge (Conservative - Rochford and Southend East)
Question to the Department for Education:
What steps his Department is taking to improve support for children with special educational needs and disabilities.
Answered by Nadhim Zahawi
We have been strengthening the Special Educational Needs and Disabilities system through the biggest programme of reforms in a generation. We have legislated to improve the system and have invested £341 million since 2014 to help ensure the reforms make a real difference. We will continue to build on this, so that every child has the chance to fulfil their potential.
Asked by: James Duddridge (Conservative - Rochford and Southend East)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of increasing the contribution limits for (a) Share Incentive Plans and (b) Save As You Earn in line with inflation.
Answered by Steve Barclay - Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
In 2014 the government doubled the contribution limits for the Share Incentive Plans and Save As You Earn schemes from £250 to £500 per month. There are no current plans to change these limits. The government keeps all areas of the tax system under review.