Asked by: Jamie Wallis (Conservative - Bridgend)
Question to the Scotland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what recent discussions he has had with Cabinet colleagues on the potential economic impact of the two proposed new freeports in Scotland.
Answered by Alister Jack - Secretary of State for Scotland
Colleagues across Cabinet are delighted that the UK and Scottish Governments have made a landmark agreement to establish two new Freeports in Scotland.
With up to £52 million of UK government funding, freeports will support regeneration of communities across Scotland by creating higher quality, better-paid jobs whilst helping achieve our Net Zero agenda.
This builds on the UK Government's plan to level up the whole of the UK.
Asked by: Jamie Wallis (Conservative - Bridgend)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent discussions she has had with international counterparts, such as her Danish counterpart, on cybersecurity.
Answered by Damian Hinds - Minister of State (Education)
I continue to speak regularly to my international counterparts on a wide range of security issues, including the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine.
The UK works closely with our international partners on Cyber Security through bilateral and multilateral fora including via the G7 meeting of Interior Ministers I hosted in London in September 2021.
We have recently launched the National Cyber Strategy supported by £2.6 billion of new investment and a Government Cyber Security Strategy. This investment will strengthen the response from law enforcement, who partner with the National Cyber Security Centre and the National Cyber Force in order to keep the UK safe.
Asked by: Jamie Wallis (Conservative - Bridgend)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if she will make an assessment of the potential use of human rights legislation by Russian oligarchs to circumvent sanctions.
Answered by James Cleverly - Home Secretary
In response to Putin's assault on Ukraine we have introduced the largest and most severe economic sanctions that Russia has ever faced, targeting Putin's war machine. Since the invasion we have sanctioned over 1400 individuals and businesses/entities. We are targeting oligarchs close to Putin without fear or favour, and we will continue to do so.
In making designations under the Sanctions and Anti-Money Laundering Act 2018 (SAMLA) the Government is required to act in accordance with rights conferred by the European Convention on Human Rights and the Human Rights Act 1998. SAMLA provides designated persons with a right to review their designation and designated persons are able to challenge that decision in UK courts.
Asked by: Jamie Wallis (Conservative - Bridgend)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, whether he has plans to (a) enable businesses and community organisations, such as charities, to directly sponsor refugees under the Homes for Ukraine scheme and (b) provide financial support to those organisations for doing so.
Answered by Eddie Hughes
The initial phase of the Homes for Ukraine scheme is designed for sponsors with a named Ukrainian beneficiary. We are exploring ways in which connections can be built between Sponsors and Ukrainians that do not yet know each other, including working with NGOs.
Asked by: Jamie Wallis (Conservative - Bridgend)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
What recent discussions he has had with Cabinet colleagues on strengthening the Union.
Answered by Michael Ellis
The Government is committed to protecting and promoting the combined strengths of our Union, the most successful political and economic union in history. It is vital that we continue to work together across the UK on our common challenges including recovering from Covid-19 and supporting the NHS.
My Right Honourable Friend, the Secretary of State for the Department for Levelling Up, Housing, and Communities, is now the Minister responsible for the Union portfolio.
Asked by: Jamie Wallis (Conservative - Bridgend)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment he has made of the suitability of the (a) Atlantic Hotel site in Porthcawl and (b) Sunnyside site in Bridgend as locations for a Women's Residential Centre in South Wales.
Answered by Alex Chalk - Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice
The Residential Women’s Centre in south Wales will offer women an intensive residential support package in their own community to address the underlying causes of their offending.
Following an extensive search earlier this year, the Atlantic Hotel and Sunnyside House were two of the properties put on a shortlist of possible suitable sites for the Residential Women’s Centre.
We have now completed further technical assessments of the Atlantic Hotel. Following consideration of the changes that would be needed to make it suitable for the vulnerable women with whom we will be working, we have decided the site is no longer an option for the residential women’s centre.
We are still reviewing the results of the technical assessments of Sunnyside House.
Asked by: Jamie Wallis (Conservative - Bridgend)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
What steps he is taking to progress the Red Meat Levy Redistribution Scheme.
Answered by Victoria Prentis - Attorney General
The Red Meat Levy Redistribution Scheme came into operation on 1 April 2021. It enables the transfer of levy, collected at slaughter, between the English, Scottish and Welsh levy bodies. This will recognise that in some cases, animals have spent some of their life and gained some of their value in another part of Great Britain. The levy will be apportioned on how long animals have spent in each country.
Asked by: Jamie Wallis (Conservative - Bridgend)
Question to the Department for Education:
What steps his Department plans to take to implement the Government's levelling up agenda.
Answered by Gillian Keegan - Secretary of State for Education
We are implementing an exciting and ambitious reform programme to level up the further education sector, ensuring it becomes a powerhouse that supplies the skills employers need, and equips young people and adults to have productive and fulfilling careers.
On 21 January 2021 we published the Skills for Jobs white paper focused on giving people the skills they need, in a way that suits them, so they can get great jobs in sectors the economy needs and boost this country’s productivity. Area based planning is a key focus; Local Skills Improvement Plans will be introduced to help providers to better serve the needs of their local area.
We are also ensuring people have opportunities to upskill and reskill at different points in their life by delivering my right hon. Friend, the Prime Minister’s Lifetime Skills Guarantee. This includes introducing a Lifelong Loan Entitlement from 2025, funding people for their first level 3 (A level equivalent) course, and short, flexible ways to train through employer-led bootcamps. These measures will be a key enabler in levelling-up for those who do not have university level education.
We have put in place a number of programmes and policies to address the long-term impact of the COVID-19 outbreak, such as the COVID-19 catch-up premium and the Skills Recovery Package, which is focused on supporting young people. This includes incentives for employers to take on new apprentices, tripling the number of traineeships, and a new high-value course offer for school leavers.
Asked by: Jamie Wallis (Conservative - Bridgend)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps he plans to take to seek an extension of the UN conventional arms embargo on Iran before it expires.
Answered by James Cleverly - Home Secretary
The UN conventional arms embargo on Iran is due to expire on 18 October. The UK, alongside our E3 partners (France and Germany), remain concerned about the impact of the expiry on the region. Despite E3 efforts to find a compromise in the UN Security Council, there was no consensus to extend the embargo. We remain committed to countering Iranian proliferation to non-state actors in the region. The EU arms embargo and UN ballistic missile restrictions will remain in place as will other prohibitions on the proliferation of weapons, including to Lebanese Hezbollah, Iraqi militia groups and the Houthis. Regional security needs to be addressed through any renewed negotiations with Iran, regional dialogue and by working with partners in the region.
Asked by: Jamie Wallis (Conservative - Bridgend)
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 implications for his policies of the upcoming expiry of the UN conventional arms embargo on Iran.
Answered by James Cleverly - Home Secretary
The UK has been clear that the scheduled expiry of the UN conventional arms embargo in October 2020 would have major implications for regional security and stability. The UK Government continue to engage regional partners, the US, and others, to find a solution to Iranian proliferation in the region, whilst upholding the authority and integrity of the UN Security Council. In the meantime, the EU arms embargo and UN ballistic missile restrictions on Iran will remain in place until at least 2023. We will also continue to enforce sanctions regimes including those under UNSCRs 1540, 1701, and 2216 which prohibit the proliferation of weapons to Lebanese Hizballah and the Houthis in Yemen. The UK encourages all states to implement national export control best practice in support of these regimes.