Asked by: Stewart Malcolm McDonald (Scottish National Party - Glasgow South)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has had recent discussions with his international counterparts on the implications for their policies of the Belt and Road initiative.
Answered by Anne-Marie Trevelyan - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
China is an important source of investment for many developing countries. Chinese investment, including under its Belt and Road Initiative, can help fill the global infrastructure gap. However, we recognise the potential risks that Chinese overseas investment can present, including on debt sustainability and linkages to increasing China's economic and political influence. We will work with others to encourage China to make contributions to economic development that are transparent and push back against Chinese attempts to coerce or create dependencies when needed. Through British Investment Partnerships, we help build transparent economic partnerships, enabling high quality investment into developing countries and helping to bridge investment and infrastructure gaps.
Asked by: Stewart Malcolm McDonald (Scottish National Party - Glasgow South)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what his Department's strategy is on engaging with countries involved in the Belt and Road initiative.
Answered by Anne-Marie Trevelyan - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
China is an important source of investment for many developing countries. Chinese investment, including under its Belt and Road Initiative, can help fill the global infrastructure gap. However, we recognise the potential risks that Chinese overseas investment can present, including on debt sustainability and linkages to increasing China's economic and political influence. We will work with others to encourage China to make contributions to economic development that are transparent and push back against Chinese attempts to coerce or create dependencies when needed. Through British Investment Partnerships, we help build transparent economic partnerships, enabling high quality investment into developing countries and helping to bridge investment and infrastructure gaps.
Asked by: Stewart Malcolm McDonald (Scottish National Party - Glasgow South)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to the Intelligence and Security Committee of Parliament report entitled China, published on 13 July 2023, what assessment his Department has made of the implications for its policies on appointments in international investment initiatives of the findings of that report.
Answered by Anne-Marie Trevelyan - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK Government recognises China as an epoch-defining and systemic challenge, and has taken robust action to build our domestic resilience and safeguard our national security. HMG is grateful for the Intelligence and Security Committee of Parliament's China Report and has put in place a range of measures to protect our infrastructure and supply chains, including the National Security and Investment Act. In addition, the National Security Act brings together vital new measures to protect our national security.
Asked by: Stewart Malcolm McDonald (Scottish National Party - Glasgow South)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether he has had recent discussions with the Chair of the Intelligence and Security Committee on implementing the Committee's recommendations in its report entitled China, published on 13 July 2023.
Answered by Alex Burghart - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
The government’s approach to China is guided by three pillars: strengthening our national security protections, aligning and cooperating with our partners, and engaging where it is consistent with our interest. Recent steps to strengthen our national security protections include: scrutiny of foreign investment in the UK under the National Security and Investment Act and passing the National Security Act, which overhauls the United Kingdom’s espionage laws.
The government greatly values the independent oversight provided by the Intelligence and Security Committee (ISC). The Cabinet Office regularly engages with the Committee to support their oversight, including on China, and to provide updates on our response to policy recommendations found in a wide range of ISC reports.
The steps the government has taken to implement recommendations in the China report can be found in the Government Response to the Intelligence and Security Committee of Parliament Report ‘China’: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/government-response-to-the-isc-china-report
Asked by: Stewart Malcolm McDonald (Scottish National Party - Glasgow South)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the Intelligence and Security Committee of Parliament report entitled China, published on 13 July 2023, what recent steps his Department has taken to protect (a) the economy and (b) national security from Chinese interference.
Answered by Alex Burghart - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
The government’s approach to China is guided by three pillars: strengthening our national security protections, aligning and cooperating with our partners, and engaging where it is consistent with our interest. Recent steps to strengthen our national security protections include: scrutiny of foreign investment in the UK under the National Security and Investment Act and passing the National Security Act, which overhauls the United Kingdom’s espionage laws.
The government greatly values the independent oversight provided by the Intelligence and Security Committee (ISC). The Cabinet Office regularly engages with the Committee to support their oversight, including on China, and to provide updates on our response to policy recommendations found in a wide range of ISC reports.
The steps the government has taken to implement recommendations in the China report can be found in the Government Response to the Intelligence and Security Committee of Parliament Report ‘China’: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/government-response-to-the-isc-china-report
Asked by: Stewart Malcolm McDonald (Scottish National Party - Glasgow South)
Question
To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, what estimate her Department has made of the number of (a) adults subject to conversion practices; (b) children and young people under 18 subject to conversion practices; and (c) children and young people under 18 taken out of the UK for the purposes of conversion practices since July 2018.
Answered by Stuart Andrew - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
No one in this country should be harmed or harassed for who they are and attempts at so-called ‘conversion therapy’ are abhorrent. That is why we are carefully considering this very complex issue. We will be setting out further details on this in due course
Asked by: Stewart Malcolm McDonald (Scottish National Party - Glasgow South)
Question
To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, when she plans to publish a response to the consultation entitled Banning conversion therapy, published on 29 October 2021.
Answered by Stuart Andrew - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
No one in this country should be harmed or harassed for who they are and attempts at so-called ‘conversion therapy’ are abhorrent. That is why we are carefully considering this very complex issue. We will be setting out further details on this in due course
Asked by: Stewart Malcolm McDonald (Scottish National Party - Glasgow South)
Question
To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, whether the Government plans to ban sexual orientation and gender identity conversion practices.
Answered by Stuart Andrew - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
No one in this country should be harmed or harassed for who they are and attempts at so-called ‘conversion therapy’ are abhorrent. That is why we are carefully considering this very complex issue. We will be setting out further details on this in due course
Asked by: Stewart Malcolm McDonald (Scottish National Party - Glasgow South)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, if her Department will publish a consultation on a social energy tariff ahead of the Autumn Statement.
Answered by Amanda Solloway - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
As set out in the 2022 autumn statement, we are exploring the best approach to consumer protection, as part of wider retail market reforms. The Government continues to monitor the situation and will keep options under review.
Asked by: Stewart Malcolm McDonald (Scottish National Party - Glasgow South)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when he plans to publish his Department's response to the LGBT Veterans Independent Review Final Report, published in May 2023.
Answered by Andrew Murrison - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)
I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 28 June 2023 to Question 190453 to the hon. Member for Portsmouth South (Mr Morgan).