Asked by: Richard Burden (Labour - Birmingham, Northfield)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what assessment he has made of the effect of the planned closure of the GKN Aerospace at Kings Norton, Birmingham on the local economy; and what discussions he has had with representatives of that company on that proposed closure.
Answered by Andrew Stephenson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Following GKN’s notification to employees on 4 April about their intention to undertake a phased closure of their Kings Norton site in Birmingham by 2021, the Secretary of State spoke to Hans Buthker (CEO of GKN Aerospace) on 7 April. He explained that this proposal was the result of an internal strategic review by GKN to help the company secure long-term sustainability that will better position it for future growth.
Mr Buthker stressed GKN’s continued commitment to the UK, evidenced by the significant new investment the company is making including, as part of this proposal, at Luton and Portsmouth and in a Global Technology R&D Centre at Filton. This comes on top of GKN’s further announcement last week for £300 million in new investment to ramp up its activities in the fast-growing electric vehicle market.
This is a commercial decision for GKN Aerospace and not in contravention of the deed of covenant agreed between BEIS and Melrose. GKN Aerospace have confirmed the site will remain operational in a phased capacity until 2021, and all affected employees will be supported in seeking new employment within and outside of GKN Aerospace. GKN Aerospace announced they will be increasing overall investment in its other UK sites, with Luton and Portsmouth becoming technology centres of excellence. GKN Aerospace invested record levels into R&D in 2018, including a new world-class Global Technology Centre opening in Bristol in 2020, hosting 300 highly skilled engineers.
We appreciate this will be an unsettling time for the 172 employees at Kings Norton and will work closely with the company, and local partners, to make sure that they are supported throughout.
Asked by: Richard Burden (Labour - Birmingham, Northfield)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to the 2018 deed of covenant undertakings provided by Melrose Industries, whether he has plans to issue a note of concern in relation to the announcement by GKN Aerospace that it intends to close its Kings Norton plant.
Answered by Stuart Andrew - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
As required by the undertakings provided last year, Melrose Industries have notified the Ministry of Defence (MOD) of their intention to relocate Defence work from GKN's Kings Norton site to other GKN sites. The MOD has discussed these proposals with Melrose and is confident that the important work that GKN does for Defence will continue. The MOD understands that there will be no overall reduction in GKN's defence capacity, as the defence work is being moved, not stopped. On that basis there are no plans to issue a note of concern.
Asked by: Richard Burden (Labour - Birmingham, Northfield)
Question to the Department for International Development:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what discussions she has had with the (a) UN, (b) Palestinian Authority and (c) Israeli Government on the (i) 2018 review of the Gaza Reconstruction Mechanism and (ii) implementation of the recommendations of that review.
Answered by Harriett Baldwin
The UK values the role of the United Nations (UN) in supporting Gaza’s reconstruction following widespread destruction in the 2014 conflict through the Gaza Reconstruction Mechanism (GRM), which helps ensure that essential reconstruction materials reach civilians. Following the joint review of the GRM in 2018 the UN, Israel and the Palestinian Authority (PA) began implementing the report’s recommendations in January this year. UK officials most recently discussed the review of the GRM and the implementation of its recommendations with the UN in January 2019.
The UK regularly raises movement and access restrictions in Gaza with both the Government of Israel and with the PA. DFID officials most recently raised the review of the GRM and the implementation of the review’s recommendations with the Israeli Government in February 2019. More broadly, restrictions in Gaza were most recently raised with the PA in January 2019. The UK will continue to call on the Israeli government to ease access restrictions further and for Israel and the Palestinian Authority to work together to ensure a durable solution for Gaza.
Asked by: Richard Burden (Labour - Birmingham, Northfield)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what progress he has made in ensuring Israel's investigations into deaths at the Gaza border in 2018 are (a) independent, (b) transparent, (c) balanced, (d) inclusive of international members and (e) published in a timely manner.
Answered by Mark Field
The UK fully supports the need for an independent and transparent investigation which establishes the facts about the violence last year in Gaza. We have repeatedly called for such an investigation at the highest levels, as well as in multiple forums including in Parliament in an urgent question on 22 March, and at the UN Security Council. The Prime Minister and former Foreign Secretary raised the issue directly with Prime Minister Netanyahu, stressing the need for an independent investigation, and encouraging urgent action to improve the situation in Gaza. Earlier this week British Embassy officials raised Gaza with the Israeli authorities, highlighting the importance of proportionality, and raising concerns about the volume of live fire against unarmed women, children and medics. We welcome that the Israeli Military Advocate General has recently ordered five criminal investigations which relate to 11 separate instances of Palestinian fatalities during the Gaza border protests. These investigations are ongoing. We will continue to make clear to the Israeli authorities that it is vital their investigations are independent and transparent and that their findings are made public, and importantly, if wrongdoing is found, those that are responsible are held to account.
Asked by: Richard Burden (Labour - Birmingham, Northfield)
Question to the Department for International Development:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, which international partners will take part in the review of books included in the Palestinian Authority's curriculum.
Answered by Harriett Baldwin
We cannot yet provide further public information on which international partners have joined the independent review. Our international partners are currently concluding their contracting with the service provider, and do not wish to publicise their involvement at this time. Work commissioned by the UK on the inception report has already begun; our timeline for the textbook review remains unchanged and we will publish findings by September 2019. We will inform interested parliamentarians of further details as soon as possible.
The UK government is deeply concerned about allegations of incitement in the Palestinian Authority’s (PA) new curriculum and it has been a priority for the Secretary of State for the Department for International Development to commission an independent, impartial and rigorous review of the PA’s textbooks. We are pleased that after calls by the UK government for international action, a group of international partners - including the UK - will lead a review into the books included in the PA’s pilot curriculum. The PA Minister for Education Sabri Saidam has confirmed that he will engage constructively with the findings of the review, and listen to recommendations.
Asked by: Richard Burden (Labour - Birmingham, Northfield)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions he has had and on what dates with (a) the United Nations Human Rights Council Commission of Inquiry, (b) the Israeli Government, (c) the Palestinian Authority, and (d) partner countries on the Human Rights Council on the Commission of Inquiry (i) investigation and (ii) report into protests in the Occupied Palestinian Territory.
Answered by Alistair Burt
We regularly raise our concerns about the situation in Gaza with the Israeli Government and the Palestinian Authority, pressing them on the need for a long-term strategy to improve humanitarian and economic conditions, and reduce movement and access restrictions. I raised Gaza with the Israeli Ambassador to the UK on 30 January, and with the Palestinian Foreign Minister on 4 February. On 18 March, the EU gave an intervention on the UN Human Rights Council Commission of Inquiry, in which we expressed our concern about the high number of Palestinians killed and injured and the use of excessive force including live fire, and condemned violence and provocations against Israel by Hamas and other militant groups.
Asked by: Richard Burden (Labour - Birmingham, Northfield)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, (a) what discussions he has had and (b) on what dates with the Israeli Government on Israeli investigations into deaths during protests on the Gaza border in 2018.
Answered by Alistair Burt
We regularly raise our concerns about the situation in Gaza with the Israeli Government and the Palestinian Authority, pressing them on the need for a long-term strategy to improve humanitarian and economic conditions, and reduce movement and access restrictions. I raised Gaza with the Israeli Ambassador to the UK on 30 January, and with the Palestinian Foreign Minister on 4 February. On 18 March, the EU gave an intervention on the UN Human Rights Council Commission of Inquiry, in which we expressed our concern about the high number of Palestinians killed and injured and the use of excessive force including live fire, and condemned violence and provocations against Israel by Hamas and other militant groups.
Asked by: Richard Burden (Labour - Birmingham, Northfield)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what the Government's policy is on the vote at the United Nations Human Rights Council on the report and recommendations of the Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the 2018 Protests in the Occupied Palestinian Territories.
Answered by Alistair Burt
We do not disclose our voting intentions in advance. In May the UK abstained on the UN Human Rights Council resolution calling for a Commission of Inquiry on the basis that the substance of a resolution must be impartial and balanced. Whilst the UK fully supports the need for an independent and transparent investigation into events, it is regrettable the Commission of Inquiry Report does not look comprehensively at the actions of non-state actors such as Hamas. Nevertheless the UK has serious concerns about the manner in which the Israel Defense Forces police non-violent protests and the border areas, including the use of live ammunition.
Asked by: Richard Burden (Labour - Birmingham, Northfield)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of trends in the level of the (a) availability of (i) Lossartin, (ii) Furosemide and (iii) Nicarindil and (b) prices beyond the NHS tariff that community pharmacies have been charged by the suppliers of those products since September 2018.
Answered by Steve Brine
The Department is not aware of issues affecting the availability of losartan, furosemide or nicorandil tablets and can confirm that supplies of these three medicines are currently available. We are aware that there was a short-term supply issue affecting furosemide 20mg and 40mg towards the end of 2018 due to manufacturing delays, but this issue has now been resolved and supplies remain available.
When community pharmacies cannot purchase a medicine at or below the reimbursement price listed in the Drug Tariff, the Pharmaceutical Services Negotiating Committee (the representative body of pharmacies), drawing on reports they receive from pharmacy contractors, can request the Department to consider setting a concessionary price.
When considering whether to grant a concessionary price, the Department uses market data from suppliers, i.e. manufacturers and wholesalers on prices and stock levels intended for retail pharmacy businesses in England. If granted, a concessionary price applies only to prescriptions dispensed for the month for which it was granted.
From September 2018 onwards, the trends for these generic medicines that have been granted concessionary prices can be seen in the attached tables.
It should be noted that as concessionary prices for February are still in process, no prices have been published yet. More information on the list of concessionary prices granted for each month can be found at the following link:
Asked by: Richard Burden (Labour - Birmingham, Northfield)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, pursuant to the Answer of 8 February 2019 to Question 216933, Trade Agreements: Israel, on which borders are the (a) pre-existing agreements and (b) Continuity Agreement agreed in principle between the UK and Israel based.
Answered by George Hollingbery
The EU-Israel Trade Agreements apply to the State of Israel. The same position is being incorporated into the UK-Israel Agreement. The UK does not recognise the Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPTs), including the settlements, as part of the State of Israel. The OPTs are not covered by the current EU-Israel Trade Agreements, nor by the UK-Israel Agreement.
The EU-Palestinian Authority Interim Agreement applies to the territory of the West Bank and the Gaza Strip. The same position is being incorporated into the UK-Palestinian Authority Interim Agreement, which is due to be signed in the coming weeks.