Asked by: Stewart Malcolm McDonald (Scottish National Party - Glasgow South)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what his timetable is for (a) interim and (b) final payment of compensation to individuals (i) infected and (ii) affected by infected blood.
Answered by Maria Caulfield - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade) (Minister for Women)
The Chair of the Inquiry, Sir Brian Langstaff, published a first interim report on the subject of interim compensation for victims of infected blood.
In August 2022, the Government accepted the Inquiry recommendation to make interim compensation payments to those infected and bereaved partners currently registered on United Kingdom infected blood support schemes. Payments of £100,000 were made to eligible beneficiaries by the 28 October 2022. The commitment to pay interim compensation meets, in full, the recommendations set out by Sir Brian in his first interim report.
Sir Brian Langstaff published a further interim report on compensation 5 April. Work is underway across Government to consider the second report’s recommendations alongside the timetable for further interim compensation payments. We understand that time is of the essence for the infected and affected community, we are taking this matter seriously and consider it a high priority.
Asked by: Stewart Malcolm McDonald (Scottish National Party - Glasgow South)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of adding Housing Benefit to the list of qualifying benefits for eligibility to access the Cost of Living payment.
Answered by Mims Davies - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
Housing Benefit is not an income replacement benefit; it is intended to cover only housing costs. Those with the lowest incomes may be able to claim a qualifying means-tested benefit alongside Housing Benefit to cover their other living costs, which would make them eligible for a Cost of Living Payment.
Housing Benefit is administered by Local Authorities, and is sometimes paid directly to a landlord. Payments to those receiving only Housing Benefit could not therefore be delivered in a quick, accurate and straightforward manner.
For those who require additional support the Government is providing an additional £1 billion of funding, including Barnett impact, to enable a further extension to the Household Support Fund in England. In England, this will run from 1 April 2023 to 31 March 2024, backed by £842m. Local Authorities use the Fund to help households with the cost of essentials, and they are expected to help households in the most need, particularly those who may not be eligible for the other support the government has recently made available.
Asked by: Stewart Malcolm McDonald (Scottish National Party - Glasgow South)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what recent discussions she has had with his counterparts in the US-EU Task Force on the Inflation Reduction Act on the potential impact of the Inflation Reduction Act on the UK economy.
Answered by Nigel Huddleston - Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)
We are having regular discussions with the US to represent the interests of UK firms and ensure the UK benefits from any flexibilities in the implementation of the Inflation Reduction Act. The Prime Minister raised UK concerns in his meeting earlier this month with President Biden and the DBT Secretary of State has recently had calls with Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo and US Trade Representative Katherine Tai. We will continue to work with the US bilaterally on this issue, as well as engaging closely with other key trade partners, including the EU.
Asked by: Stewart Malcolm McDonald (Scottish National Party - Glasgow South)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, if she will make it her policy to ensure that the UK joins the US-EU Task Force on the Inflation Reduction Act.
Answered by Nigel Huddleston - Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)
We are having regular discussions with the US to represent the interests of UK firms and ensure the UK benefits from any flexibilities in the implementation of the Inflation Reduction Act. The Prime Minister raised UK concerns in his meeting earlier this month with President Biden and the DBT Secretary of State has recently had calls with Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo and US Trade Representative Katherine Tai. We will continue to work with the US bilaterally on this issue, as well as engaging closely with other key trade partners, including the EU.
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 steps he is taking to protect LGBTQ rights internationally.
Answered by Andrew Mitchell - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) (Minister for Development)
LGBT+ rights are human rights. Through our network of over 280 missions, we engage diplomatically and deliver programmes to further our key priorities of tackling violence, reforming laws, championing inclusion and supporting LGBT+ people during crises and conflict. For example, in The Commonwealth, since 2018 we have provided over £13.5 million to build the capacity of grassroots LGBT+ organisation and human rights defenders.
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, if he will make representations to his Ugandan counterpart on the anti-LGBTQ+ bill that would make homosexual acts punishable by death in that country.
Answered by Andrew Mitchell - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) (Minister for Development)
I [Minister Mitchell] have expressed the UK's deep disappointment with the decision of the Parliament of Uganda on 21 March 2023 to pass the Anti-Homosexuality Bill. The UK is alarmed by the increasing criminalization of LGBT+ people in Uganda. This Bill threatens minority rights and risks persecution and discrimination of all people across Uganda. Amendments to the Bill, including introduction of the death penalty for 'aggravated homosexuality', are very worrying. The UK Government is firmly opposed to the death penalty in all circumstances and in every country.
Asked by: Stewart Malcolm McDonald (Scottish National Party - Glasgow South)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will make an estimate of the number of civilian casualties from British airstrikes against ISIS as part of the US-led Coalition in Iraq and Syria since 2014.
Answered by James Heappey
The UK has robust procedures to ensure that all military operations, including airstrikes, are conducted in full compliance with International Humanitarian Law. Every care is taken during UK military operations to minimise the potential for civilian casualties. To that end, we conduct a rigorous assessment before and after striking a target and will investigate any credible reports that UK actions may have caused civilian casualties.
Over the course of Operation SHADER, the UK's contribution to the international coalition to counter Daesh, we have previously identified one civilian casualty that occurred during an UK airstrike on Daesh fighters in eastern Syria on 26 March 2018. This incident was subject to a Written Ministerial Statement on 2 May 2018 (HCWS665). RAF aircraft did not conduct an attack near Al Bab in Syria on 20 December 2016. Despite our best efforts to identify whether there have been civilian casualties, no evidence we have suggests these occurred as a result of strikes carried out by the RAF in Mosul in 2016-17.
However, we accept the possibility that there could be instances of civilian casualties about which we are unaware, despite our best efforts to identify. We will always re-examine any new information or evidence relating to a potential civilian casualty incident submitted to us, where it is possible that UK forces may have been involved.
Parliament will always be informed of any instance where we assess a UK airstrike is responsible for a civilian casualty incident, whether incurred during a new strike, or as a result of re-examining historic strikes using new information. National security considerations might prevent full disclosure of detail where this risks jeopardising operational security considerations.
Asked by: Stewart Malcolm McDonald (Scottish National Party - Glasgow South)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will conduct an investigation into potential civilian harm in Mosul resulting from British strikes in support of the US-led coalition from 2016-2017
Answered by James Heappey
The UK has robust procedures to ensure that all military operations, including airstrikes, are conducted in full compliance with International Humanitarian Law. Every care is taken during UK military operations to minimise the potential for civilian casualties. To that end, we conduct a rigorous assessment before and after striking a target and will investigate any credible reports that UK actions may have caused civilian casualties.
Over the course of Operation SHADER, the UK's contribution to the international coalition to counter Daesh, we have previously identified one civilian casualty that occurred during an UK airstrike on Daesh fighters in eastern Syria on 26 March 2018. This incident was subject to a Written Ministerial Statement on 2 May 2018 (HCWS665). RAF aircraft did not conduct an attack near Al Bab in Syria on 20 December 2016. Despite our best efforts to identify whether there have been civilian casualties, no evidence we have suggests these occurred as a result of strikes carried out by the RAF in Mosul in 2016-17.
However, we accept the possibility that there could be instances of civilian casualties about which we are unaware, despite our best efforts to identify. We will always re-examine any new information or evidence relating to a potential civilian casualty incident submitted to us, where it is possible that UK forces may have been involved.
Parliament will always be informed of any instance where we assess a UK airstrike is responsible for a civilian casualty incident, whether incurred during a new strike, or as a result of re-examining historic strikes using new information. National security considerations might prevent full disclosure of detail where this risks jeopardising operational security considerations.
Asked by: Stewart Malcolm McDonald (Scottish National Party - Glasgow South)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will conduct an investigation into potential civilian harm in Northern Syria resulting from the 20 December 2016 RAF drone strike in Al-Bab
Answered by James Heappey
The UK has robust procedures to ensure that all military operations, including airstrikes, are conducted in full compliance with International Humanitarian Law. Every care is taken during UK military operations to minimise the potential for civilian casualties. To that end, we conduct a rigorous assessment before and after striking a target and will investigate any credible reports that UK actions may have caused civilian casualties.
Over the course of Operation SHADER, the UK's contribution to the international coalition to counter Daesh, we have previously identified one civilian casualty that occurred during an UK airstrike on Daesh fighters in eastern Syria on 26 March 2018. This incident was subject to a Written Ministerial Statement on 2 May 2018 (HCWS665). RAF aircraft did not conduct an attack near Al Bab in Syria on 20 December 2016. Despite our best efforts to identify whether there have been civilian casualties, no evidence we have suggests these occurred as a result of strikes carried out by the RAF in Mosul in 2016-17.
However, we accept the possibility that there could be instances of civilian casualties about which we are unaware, despite our best efforts to identify. We will always re-examine any new information or evidence relating to a potential civilian casualty incident submitted to us, where it is possible that UK forces may have been involved.
Parliament will always be informed of any instance where we assess a UK airstrike is responsible for a civilian casualty incident, whether incurred during a new strike, or as a result of re-examining historic strikes using new information. National security considerations might prevent full disclosure of detail where this risks jeopardising operational security considerations.
Asked by: Stewart Malcolm McDonald (Scottish National Party - Glasgow South)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent discussions she has had with the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs on reports of secret Chinese police stations operating in the UK.
Answered by Tom Tugendhat - Minister of State (Home Office) (Security)
As I said to the House in my statement on 1 November, reports of undeclared ‘police stations’ in the UK are of course very concerning and are taken extremely seriously.
The Government regularly assesses potential threats to the UK, and takes the protection of individuals’ rights, freedoms, and safety in the UK very seriously. As you would expect, Home Office officials work closely with the FCDO and DLUHC as well as other Government departments to ensure that the UK is a safe and welcoming place.
The Home Secretary regularly discusses issues regarding national security with her counterparts, including the Foreign Secretary.