Oral Answers to Questions

Robert Largan Excerpts

Monday 17th May 2021 Commons Chamber

[Justin Tomlinson]

The Government are rightly proud of providing record amounts of support for people with disabilities and long-term health conditions. Through our forthcoming health and disability Green Paper, we will work with stakeholders and those with real lived experience to make sure that we improve the services and support we provide.

[Robert Largan (High Peak) (Con)]

Tomorrow, I will be hosting a workshop between local disability support groups and the DWP in my constituency to discuss the Green Paper. Ahead of that meeting, will the Minister update the House on what steps are being taken to increase access to benefits and support for the most vulnerable people during the pandemic?

[Justin Tomlinson]

I thank my hon. Friend for being so proactive, along with about 50 other MPs who have already agreed to host health and disability Green Paper events to look at the key themes of advocacy, getting supportive evidence, the assessment process and the appeals process. It is the Government’s absolute priority to support those with disabilities and long-term health conditions.

Oral Answers to Questions

Robert Largan Excerpts

Monday 25th January 2021 Commons Chamber

[Robert Largan (High Peak) (Con) [V]]

I have often talked about my ambition for High Peak to be the capital for tackling climate change. I welcome the Government’s commitment to protecting our environment, including the big increase in funding for the restoration of High Peak’s moorlands. We all have a part to play in tackling climate change, and with trillions in assets available to them, can I ask the Secretary of State what steps the Government are taking to ensure that pension funds make more environmentally sustainable investments in future?

[Dr Coffey]

My hon. Friend is right to highlight the key role that pension scheme assets can play in tackling climate change. The UK is already leading the way on this issue, thanks to actions taken by the Government, but particularly by my hon. Friend the Member for Hexham (Guy Opperman), the excellent Minister for Pensions. In 2018, we introduced key environmental, social and corporate governance legislation for occupational pension scheme investments, and we have gone further with the pension scheme legislation that is currently awaiting Royal Assent. It makes the UK the first major economy to put assessing climate risk and disclosure into statute for pension schemes, a point that we will continue to reinforce as we run up to hosting COP26, and we encourage other countries to do likewise.

Oral Answers to Questions

Robert Largan Excerpts

Monday 11th May 2020 Commons Chamber

[James Duddridge]

On Thursday I spoke to the Department for International Development head in Zimbabwe and our ambassador about the situation. They were very clear, as I am, that we need domestic reform in Zimbabwe as well as external international development.

[Robert Largan (High Peak) (Con)]

What recent assessment he has made of the role of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps in Iran’s regional activity.

[The Minister for the Middle East and North Africa (James Cleverly)]

We are concerned about Iran’s destabilising regional activity. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps provides military and financial support for groups that include the Houthis and Hezbollah. Support for those groups is in contravention of UN Security Council resolutions and undermines prospects for regional stability. We have called on Iran to play a constructive role in the region, and Ministers and senior officials routinely raise concerns with Iranian counterparts and regional partners.

[Robert Largan [V]]

The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps is the nexus of Iran’s destabilising activities, distributing funds and weapons in Iraq, Lebanon, Syria and Yemen. The revolutionary guard is already subject to UK sanctions, but does the Minister agree that full proscription should now be applied? Does he share my concerns that the expiration of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action arms embargo in October stands to enable the revolutionary guard to expand its murderous regional actions?

[James Cleverly]

We have long expressed our deeply held concerns about the de-stabilising activity of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. I take into consideration the points my hon. Friend makes about its activity, but the UK Government do not routinely comment on organisations that they may proscribe. The proscription list is regularly reviewed and we will always take situations on the ground into consideration when we update it.