Asked by: Kim Leadbeater (Labour - Spen Valley)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, what steps his Department is taking to support reconstruction in Gaza; and what support his Department has provided to Palestinians affected by the conflict.
Answered by David Rutley
Civilians displaced from the north of Gaza should only return home only when it is safe to do so and in a dignified and voluntary manner.
The FCDO is actively engaging with international partners and those operating on the ground to do all we can to address the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. The Prime Minister and the Foreign Secretary engage regularly and closely with regional counterparts including Israel and Egypt on the humanitarian response. However, the flow of aid into and through Gaza continues to be insufficient and we are urgently exploring all diplomatic options to increase this, including urging Israel to open other existing land border crossings such as Kerem Shalom. Fuel remains a critical component - without sufficient aid, fuel cannot be distributed by humanitarian organisations and hospitals, bakeries as well as desalination plants cannot operate. We are also actively exploring other routes for aid to get into Gaza. The UK Government has already announced £60 million in humanitarian funding and has sent more than 74 tonnes of emergency relief for civilians in the Occupied Palestinian Territories.
Asked by: Kim Leadbeater (Labour - Spen Valley)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, whether it is his policy that civilians displaced from the north of Gaza should be able to return when it is safe for them to do so.
Answered by David Rutley
Civilians displaced from the north of Gaza should only return home only when it is safe to do so and in a dignified and voluntary manner.
The FCDO is actively engaging with international partners and those operating on the ground to do all we can to address the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. The Prime Minister and the Foreign Secretary engage regularly and closely with regional counterparts including Israel and Egypt on the humanitarian response. However, the flow of aid into and through Gaza continues to be insufficient and we are urgently exploring all diplomatic options to increase this, including urging Israel to open other existing land border crossings such as Kerem Shalom. Fuel remains a critical component - without sufficient aid, fuel cannot be distributed by humanitarian organisations and hospitals, bakeries as well as desalination plants cannot operate. We are also actively exploring other routes for aid to get into Gaza. The UK Government has already announced £60 million in humanitarian funding and has sent more than 74 tonnes of emergency relief for civilians in the Occupied Palestinian Territories.
Asked by: Kim Leadbeater (Labour - Spen Valley)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of the impact of artificial grass on (a) natural habitats and (b) the wider environment.
Answered by Rebecca Pow
The Government has not made a formal ecological assessment of the impact of the use of plastic grass in residential or commercial settings, however we continue to use available research to understand the impacts on biodiversity. We recognise that, in itself, artificial grass has no value for wildlife. Its installation can have negative impacts on soil health, biodiversity and drainage for flood prevention or alleviation if installed in place of natural earth or more positive measures such as planting flowers or trees or providing natural water features.
Our 25 Year Environment Plan sets out our ambition to eliminate all avoidable plastic waste by 2042. Given the scale of the plastics problem, we need to take a targeted and evidence-led approach to tackling the issues of plastic waste. We will continue to review the latest evidence on problematic products and materials to take a systematic approach to reducing the use of unnecessary plastic products.
Improving biodiversity is a key objective for the Government. We prefer to help people and companies make the right choice, rather than banning or taxing items outright. For example, the Environment Act 2021 introduced a number of policies that will support the restoration of habitat. Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG), Local Nature Recovery Strategies (LNRS) and a strengthened biodiversity duty on public authorities will work together to drive action, including to create or restore habitats that enable wildlife to recover and thrive, while conservation covenants will help secure habitat for the long term.
Asked by: Kim Leadbeater (Labour - Spen Valley)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the Answer of 26 October 2023 to Question 203979 on IVF: Finance, if he will publish a timetable for the implementation of the commitment to end the exclusion of couples from National Health Service-funded IVF where one partner has a child.
Answered by Maria Caulfield
This commitment is a year two priority for the Women’s Health Strategy, so we expect guidance for integrated care boards (ICBs) to be completed and disseminated to the National Health Service before July 2024. It will be for ICBs to implement.
Asked by: Kim Leadbeater (Labour - Spen Valley)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of funding access to IVF treatment for individuals who have (a) Turners Syndrome and (b) other conditions when their partner has a child from a previous relationship.
Answered by Maria Caulfield
There are no current plans to designate Turner Syndrome for access to in vitro fertilisation (IVF). The Women’s Health Strategy includes a commitment to end the exclusion of couples from National Health Service-funded IVF where one partner has a child. NHS England is working on guidance to integrated care boards to help implement this.
Asked by: Kim Leadbeater (Labour - Spen Valley)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what discussions he has had with the banking sector on (a) pending payments and (b) reimbursement payments for incomplete purchases.
Answered by Andrew Griffith
Treasury Ministers have meetings with a wide variety of organisations in the public and private sectors as part of the process of policy development and delivery. Details of ministerial meetings with external organisations on departmental business are published on a quarterly basis and are available at the link below.
https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/hmt-ministers-meetings-hospitality-gifts-and-overseas-travel
Asked by: Kim Leadbeater (Labour - Spen Valley)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether he is taking steps to ensure that civil servants who retired before the cost of living payment was made can receive the payment.
Answered by Jeremy Quin
In June 2023, the Cabinet Office published an addendum to the 2023/24 Pay Remit Guidance, allowing organisations in scope flexibility to make a one-off payment worth up to £1,500 for all eligible staff up to and including Grade 6. The criteria for this payment is that individuals must have been in post on 31 March 2023 and still in post at the point a department makes the payment during the 2023/24 pay year. There are no plans to adjust the criteria.
Asked by: Kim Leadbeater (Labour - Spen Valley)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, whether his Department is taking steps to ensure that offers to buy property are binding.
Answered by Rachel Maclean
I refer the Hon Member to my answer to Question UIN 202503 on 24 October 2023.
Asked by: Kim Leadbeater (Labour - Spen Valley)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to the press release of 16 October 2023 entitled UK announces £10 million humanitarian aid for civilians in Occupied Palestinian Territories, whether he plans to publish the (a) process and (b) mechanisms by which that aid will be distributed in Gaza.
Answered by David Rutley
The FCDO aid budget is allocated in accordance with UK strategic priorities against a challenging financial climate. There is a robust framework in place for allocating Official Development Assistance (ODA). Data on ODA spend in the Occupied Palestinian Territories is available on DevTracker (https://devtracker.fcdo.gov.uk/countries/PS). More than 80% of our ODA spend this year of UK support will be used to meet humanitarian need, or to provide vital health, education, and protection services for Palestinian Refugees. The new funding announced on 16 October 2023 will allow trusted partners, including key UN agencies to provide essential relief items and services. These could include food, water and emergency shelter, depending on the needs on the ground. The UK is also exploring options for moving humanitarian supplies closer to the region and is liaising with aid agencies in the region to ensure relief supplies can be distributed as quickly and effectively as possible.
Asked by: Kim Leadbeater (Labour - Spen Valley)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what meetings he has had since 7 October 2023 with aid and charity organisations operating in Gaza on the provision and access of British aid.
Answered by David Rutley
The UK is calling for immediate unimpeded humanitarian access to Gaza so that essential aid, including food, water, fuel and medical supplies, can reach civilian populations. The UK is also calling on all parties to protect border crossings to support safe humanitarian access and mitigate harm to civilians. The FCDO is actively engaging with the international humanitarian system (including UN agencies, Intergovernmental Organizations (IGOs), Non-Governmental Organization (NGOs), and Civil Society Organisations) to address the current humanitarian crisis in Gaza. On 19 October, the Foreign Secretary visited the region where he will meet leaders in Egypt, Turkey and Qatar and push for agreement on humanitarian access to Gaza, the release of British hostages and foreign nationals, and securing safe passage for British Nationals to leave Gaza.