Asked by: Naz Shah (Labour - Bradford West)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if she will take steps to prevent (a) parking debt collectors and (b) legal firms from adding £70 to existing parking charges of £100 per PCN; and whether she plans to ban debt recovery fees.
Answered by Alex Norris - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The Parking (Code of Practice) Act 2019 places a duty on the Government to prepare a code of practice containing guidance about the operation and management of private parking facilities. We will announce our plans for the new Code, including the position on debt recovery fees, in due course.
Asked by: Naz Shah (Labour - Bradford West)
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 International Court of Justice Advisory Opinion on the legal consequences arising from the policies and practices of Israel in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
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. We do not disagree with the central findings of the Court’s Advisory Opinion. We are of the clear view that Israel should bring an end to its presence in the Occupied Palestinian Territories as rapidly as possible – but we are clear that every effort must be made to create the conditions for negotiations towards the two-state solution. Our commitment to a two-state solution is unwavering. The UK abstained on the UN General Assembly resolution in September because it did not provide sufficient clarity to advance a negotiated two-state solution.
Asked by: Naz Shah (Labour - Bradford West)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what recent discussions she has had with Sport England on the derecognition of the British Ju Jitsu Association.
Answered by Stuart Andrew - Shadow Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport
Following the outcome of a review of its recognised NGB status last summer, the British Ju Jitsu Association Governing Body (BJJAGB) submitted evidence to Sport England relating to its compliance with the Home Country Sports Council's recognition criteria.
It is now for the Home Country Sports Council Boards to decide on the recognition of the organisation. This information will be communicated in the near future.
Asked by: Naz Shah (Labour - Bradford West)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what recent discussions she has had with Sports England on the British Ju Jitsu Association's (a) equality, (b) inclusion and (c) diversity policies.
Answered by Stuart Andrew - Shadow Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport
Following the outcome of a review of its recognised NGB status last summer, the British Ju Jitsu Association Governing Body (BJJAGB) submitted evidence to Sport England relating to its compliance with the Home Country Sports Council's recognition criteria.
It is now for the Home Country Sports Council Boards to decide on the recognition of the organisation. This information will be communicated in the near future.
Asked by: Naz Shah (Labour - Bradford West)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps he is taking to prevent the closure of local post offices.
Answered by Kevin Hollinrake - Shadow Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities
Government is committed to ensuring the long-term sustainability of the Post Office network and has provided over £2.5 billion in funding to support the Post Office network over the past decade and is providing a further £628 million for the Post Office between 2022 and 2025.
The Post Office network is not in decline. As CEO Nick Read confirmed recently, the network is as large as it has been for about five years with around 11,700 branches. Government continues to monitor Post Office's network numbers and performance, and Post Office publishes an annual network report.
Asked by: Naz Shah (Labour - Bradford West)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to the Answer of 10 May 2023 to Question 182611 on Teachers: Qualifications, if she will take steps to make the Education Accreditation Scheme available to online education providers for adult learners.
Answered by Robert Halfon
The Online Education Accreditation Scheme (OEAS) was launched by the department in April 2023. The objective of the scheme is to bring regulatory oversight to an unregulated part of the education sector. The scheme is not designed to cover all forms of online education but to focus where the need for quality assurance is most pronounced, which is to pupils of compulsory school age. The OEAS is only open to applications from those providers offering full-time education online to pupils of compulsory school age. The government has no plans to expand the scheme to online education providers for adults.
Asked by: Naz Shah (Labour - Bradford West)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps her Department is taking to investigate the installation of (a) biomass boilers and (b) solar panels by (i) A Shade Greener and (ii) other commercial rent-a-roof companies.
Answered by Andrew Bowie - Shadow Minister (Energy Security and Net Zero)
I refer the Hon. Member to the answer I gave to the Hon Member for Islwyn (Chris Evans) on 18 March to question UIN 18120.
Asked by: Naz Shah (Labour - Bradford West)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether she plans to improve processes for reporting businesses selling age-restricted products to underage customers.
Answered by Kevin Hollinrake - Shadow Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities
Enforcement of sales of age-restricted products is governed by distinct legislation and the respective lead department.
The Department supports enforcement efforts in England and Wales through funding for Citizens Advice Consumer Service, to relay crucial intelligence to local Trading Standards. To report suspected illegal sales to minors, the public is encouraged to contact Citizens Advice on 0808 223 1133, or Advice Direct Scotland on 0808 164 6000.
Additionally, individuals can report suspected traders to the police using the non-emergency number, 101.
Asked by: Naz Shah (Labour - Bradford West)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many times (a) he and (b) his predecessor made an official visit to a Mosque in the last three years.
Answered by Tom Tugendhat - Shadow Minister (Home Office) (Security)
In the last three years, the current Home Secretary has visited numerous mosques both in the UK and overseas in his roles as Foreign Secretary, Minister for the Middle East and North Africa, and Member of Parliament for Braintree.
Home Office has no record of an official visit by the former Home Secretary to a mosque in the last three years.
Asked by: Naz Shah (Labour - Bradford West)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, what steps he is taking to help ensure direct, tariff-free trade with Northern Cyprus.
Answered by Leo Docherty
In accordance with the rest of the international community, with the sole exception of Turkey, the UK does not recognise the self-declared "Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus" as an independent state. Several UN Security Council Resolutions and other multilateral agreements also limit links between UK and the north. However, within these constraints we support measures to reduce the isolation of the Turkish Cypriot community, including through regular engagement with the Turkish Cypriot Chamber of Commerce. Last month, HM Trade Commissioner visited Cyprus to discuss trade issues further. We continue to believe that a just and lasting settlement in Cyprus is the best means of resolving the difficulties caused by the division of the island.