Britain’s Place in the World

Rehman Chishti Excerpts

Tuesday 15th October 2019 Commons Chamber

[Alok Sharma]

I want to continue.

When we leave the EU, there will be opportunities across the world. As my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister said yesterday, this Conservative Government will ensure that the United Kingdom continues to play a leading role in global affairs, defending our interests, promoting our values, and seizing those opportunities.

[Rehman Chishti (Gillingham and Rainham) (Con)]

Countries around the world are judged according to the values for which they stand, and the United Kingdom always advocates for democracy around the world. Does my right hon. Friend agree that if we do not deliver on the mandate that the public gave us in 2016, it will be completely and utterly wrong and will undermine our democratic process? Does he agree that we should therefore leave on 31 October with a deal, or, if that is not possible, without a deal?

[Alok Sharma]

My hon. Friend is absolutely right. Unfortunately, what has happened over the last few months—after we did not leave at the end of March—has indeed been a sapping of trust in democratic processes across our country, and that is why we must leave on 31 October.

Oral Answers to Questions

Rehman Chishti Excerpts

Wednesday 3rd February 2016 Commons Chamber

[Justine Greening]

This issue of domestic resource mobilisation and taxes is something that we have very much ramped up in DFID’s work over the last few years. I set up a joint unit with Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs that sees HMRC officials working with countries to help drive their tax revenues up. We will continue that support, particularly in Africa, over the coming months.

[Rehman Chishti (Gillingham and Rainham) (Con)]

T6. DFID does a brilliant job in Pakistan on education and health. Will the Minister meet the excellent UK charity, the Noor Foundation, which helps 1,000 people in Pakistan every year with kidney dialysis?

[Justine Greening]

We would be delighted to have this group coming to visit us at DFID. As my hon. Friend sets out, we have a big programme with Pakistan, which is steadily enabling that country to make sure that its people are educated and healthy—two of the strongest foundations for aid independence in the longer term.

--- Later in debate ---

[The Prime Minister]

First, I do respect the former First Minister of Scotland, who said that six weeks was what was necessary. I also respect the electorates of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland on the basis that I think people are perfectly capable of making up their minds in a local election, a Scottish parliamentary election or a Welsh Assembly election and then, a period of some weeks afterwards, making up their minds all over again on the vital question of the European Union. So, no date has been fixed, and there must be a six-week gap. Frankly, I think that the right hon. Gentleman is looking for something to complain about. This House has voted for a referendum, and it would be pretty odd if, having voted for a referendum, we then spent ages debating about not having one.

[Rehman Chishti (Gillingham and Rainham) (Con)]

Q4. The Prime Minister will be alarmed to hear that a shop in Gillingham selling illicit tobacco was making £25,000—[Interruption.]

[Mr Speaker]

Order. There is excessive chuntering from a sedentary position from a number of Scottish National party Members, who wanted an orderly hearing for their leader. The hon. Member for Gillingham and Rainham (Rehman Chishti) is entitled to be heard, and I appeal to him to start his question again. Let’s hear it.

[Rehman Chishti]

Thank you, Mr Speaker. The Prime Minister will be alarmed to hear that a shop in Gillingham selling illicit tobacco was making £25,000 a week, destroying the local economy and damaging people’s health. Nationally, this trade is costing the economy £2 billion a year. Will the Government look at increasing the statutory maximum penalty for this offence to bring it in line with that of supplying class C drugs?

[The Prime Minister]

I will certainly look at the issue my hon. Friend raises. As far as I can see, Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs, working very closely with Border Force, has been highly effective at reducing this tax gap of people selling illegal tobacco and has closed off about £1.3 billion of the tax gap since 2000. They do have a wide range of sanctions to deal with illicit sales, including seizure, penalties and criminal prosecutions—they prosecuted almost 800 different people in the past two years. So I think the powers are there, but I will have a check to see whether more is needed.

Oral Answers to Questions

Rehman Chishti Excerpts

Wednesday 18th June 2014 Commons Chamber

[The Prime Minister]

I agree with the hon. Lady that everyone should co-operate with the police ombudsman. The police ombudsman system in Northern Ireland is now a model that other countries are looking to follow. This is something I discussed recently with the Taoiseach in relation to what happens in the Republic of Ireland. We have a system that works. We have the Historical Enquiries Team, which is also working. I very much hope that the work can continue between the parties in Northern Ireland to discuss the Haass principles and ideas for flags, parades and the past, and that everyone can come together to sort these issues out.

[Rehman Chishti (Gillingham and Rainham) (Con)]

Q8. In Gillingham and Rainham, youth unemployment is down, overall unemployment is down and business creation is up. Does the Prime Minister agree that this clearly shows that our long-term economic plan is working? Linked to that, will he join me in welcoming the creation of a new university technical college in Medway, which will ensure that our future generations have the right skills to succeed in life?

[The Prime Minister]

I am delighted to tell my hon. Friend that it is welcome that youth unemployment, which has been too high for too long in our country, is down by 25% this year in his constituency, and that long-term youth unemployment is down 41%. He made the point about university technical colleges. I want to see one of those in every major town in our country, so that we can really give our young people the opportunity of a good technical education if that is what they choose, and I want those schools to be well funded, well resourced and partnered—as is the case in his constituency—with good organisations that can bring their expertise to bear.

Oral Answers to Questions

Rehman Chishti Excerpts

Wednesday 9th April 2014 Commons Chamber

[The Prime Minister]

I am happy to look into that case. As the hon. Gentleman will know, the legal regulators and the legal ombudsman, which were improved over previous years, are independent of the Government. It is therefore not possible to intervene directly, but I can arrange for a meeting between the hon. Gentleman and the Minister with responsibility for legal services to discuss what remedies are open to the hon. Gentleman’s constituent. If that meeting will be helpful, I will certainly put it in place.

[Rehman Chishti (Gillingham and Rainham) (Con)]

Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif of Pakistan is due to visit the United Kingdom later this month. Will the Prime Minister discuss with him specifically the reform of the blasphemy laws in Pakistan, which are often used to persecute and prosecute minority communities, including the Christian community? Will he urge Prime Minister Sharif to ensure that all those who are prosecuted under those laws get justice, including a British national?

[The Prime Minister]

I reassure my hon. Friend that I will raise that issue with Prime Minister Sharif when he comes to the UK. In the run-up to Easter, it is important to remember how many Christians are still persecuted around the world, including Christians persecuted under things such as the blasphemy laws. I will raise that important issue and look forward to meeting the Pakistan leadership.

Oral Answers to Questions

Rehman Chishti Excerpts

Wednesday 12th June 2013 Commons Chamber

[The Minister of State, Department for International Development (Mr Alan Duncan)]

We put as much pressure and argument as we can to improve the condition of Palestinians in Area C, and we very much hope that such issues will be addressed in the peace process, which we wish every success, as it continues over the next few weeks.

[Rehman Chishti (Gillingham and Rainham) (Con)]

T4. What discussions have been had with the Government of Pakistan to tackle the issues of population growth, lack of family planning and high maternity deaths?

[Justine Greening]

This Government have focused on family planning; indeed, we hosted a conference on it last year. As regards Pakistan, we have a successful programme in relation to health workers. Of course, the ultimate way to tackle the issues that my hon. Friend talks about is through education. If girls stay in school longer, they get married later and have fewer children and, indeed, healthier children.

International Development

Rehman Chishti Excerpts

Monday 22nd April 2013 Ministerial Corrections

Afghanistan

[Rehman Chishti]

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what progress has been made in meeting her Department's target for female children attending primary school in Afghanistan.

[Official Report, 13 March 2013, Vol. 560, c. 280W.]

Letter of correction from Alan Duncan:

An error has been identified in the written answer given to the hon. Member for Gillingham and Rainham (Rehman Chishti) on 13 March 2013.

The full answer given was as follows:

UK’s Development Work (Girls and Women)

Rehman Chishti Excerpts

Thursday 7th March 2013 Commons Chamber

[Justine Greening]

I have not met Plan UK explicitly, although I know it is coming into my Department in the next few weeks. Its work in Kenya has, I think, been transformational. Real progress is being made in Kenya generally. Where I would like to see my Department doing more is in helping the country’s economy to develop. Ultimately, alongside developing public services and improving basic services, Kenya needs economic growth and jobs. Interestingly, UK companies did £1 billion-worth of trade with Kenya last year. I have no doubt that companies will have a role to play in joining the development push where Kenya is concerned.

[Rehman Chishti (Gillingham and Rainham) (Con)]

I welcome the Secretary of State’s statement. She will know that Pakistan will be one of the largest recipients of UK aid by 2015. One of the biggest problems facing Pakistan is population growth and lack of family planning, which has led to about 80% of maternal deaths. What discussions has my right hon. Friend had with the Government of Pakistan to address these issues?

[Justine Greening]

I was in Pakistan a few weeks ago, and I had the very same discussions that my hon. Friend mentions. Interestingly, much of the work we do for girls in Pakistan is focused on education. We have a huge programme, focused particularly on states such as Punjab, that provides young girls with the chance to go to primary school and then on to secondary school for the very first time. We know statistically that when girls spend more time in school, they are less likely to start a family quite so early. Alongside direct family planning and access to safe family planning, that is one of the best ways of tackling these issues in the long term.

Syria (Humanitarian Response)

Rehman Chishti Excerpts

Monday 4th February 2013 Commons Chamber

[Justine Greening]

The short answer is yes. We want to use only agencies that we can absolutely rely on. Many of the agencies that we are using have done fantastic work around the world and we know them very well. Helping those agencies to scale up is our biggest challenge. I assure my hon. Friend that we will get the most out of every single pound that is spent because it is vital that we do so.

[Rehman Chishti (Gillingham and Rainham) (Con)]

What assessment has the Secretary of State made of the number of Syrian refugees going into Iraq and how they are being treated compared with refugees in Jordan and Turkey? She will know that Iraq initially closed its border to refugees, but then opened it shortly afterwards.

[Justine Greening]

We know that several thousand refugees have fled across the border into Iraq. In fact, the British Government have directly provided about £2 million of support to refugees who have fled into Iraq. That is a good example of some of the challenges that we face. Iraq is itself in a reconstruction phase, yet it is now also having to cope with additional refugees fleeing from Syria. That is precisely why we should never forget just how important it is for the region to ensure that neighbouring countries that are having to take in refugees are provided with the support that they need to cope.

UK Aid (Uganda and Rwanda)

Rehman Chishti Excerpts

Monday 19th November 2012 Commons Chamber

[Justine Greening]

That is something that our Government have raised at the United Nations. The right hon. Gentleman will be aware that the group of experts’ report contains a number of aspects relating to M23, and those are being considered by the UN Sanctions Committee right now. Once the committee has completed that process, I am sure that it will give its assessment of whose involvement has led to these crises, and of the implications for the action that needs to be taken. We have raised this matter at the UN and we are determined that people should be brought to book, when appropriate, and have international law brought against them.

[Rehman Chishti (Gillingham and Rainham) (Con)]

There has been an international arrest warrant against the leader of the M23 since 2006. What steps have been taken over the past six years to bring that horrific person to justice?

[Justine Greening]

I have no doubt that there have been significant efforts, and I can write to my hon. Friend with further details. The areas in which those people are being tracked down are often hundreds of thousands of square miles across. The lack of success in tracking them down has clearly had profound consequences in relation to the M23 being able to cause this kind of havoc, chaos and violence.

Afghanistan

Rehman Chishti Excerpts

Thursday 13th September 2012 Commons Chamber

[Justine Greening]

I hope that I will be able to provide my hon. Friend with that assurance. I will pass on his concerns to my right hon. Friend the Defence Secretary, and perhaps he will then receive a fuller reply about the work that the Ministry of Defence is doing in that regard. My hon. Friend is absolutely right that we have to ensure that the safety of troops is paramount. That has been a focus for this Government, and that will continue going forward.

[Rehman Chishti (Gillingham and Rainham) (Con)]

Does the Secretary of State agree that the excellent work done to win over hearts and minds is undermined by the use of drone strikes in Afghanistan and Pakistan? Does she agree that that needs to change if we are to continue winning over the hearts and minds of the people of Afghanistan and the border region of Pakistan?

[Justine Greening]

My hon. Friend asks a complex question in many respects. Ultimately, the focus for this Government has principally been to provide support for security on the ground, in terms of both combat operations and helping the Afghan national security force build up capacity and capability. We are one of a number of international partners operating in Afghanistan, and we will continue those operations. NATO is looking at what the nature of those operations should be post combat, after 2014. I have no doubt that my hon. Friend’s question is an important one and that it will be reflected on by many people.