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Written Question
Department for Business and Trade: Domestic Visits
Thursday 14th March 2024

Asked by: Pat McFadden (Labour - Wolverhampton South East)

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, to which domestic destinations Ministers in her Department and its predecessor Departments have attended overnight visits in each of the last three financial years.

Answered by Nusrat Ghani - Minister of State (Minister for Europe)

The regions visited with an overnight stay over the last 3 financial years are as follows:

Financial Year

Regions visited

2021 – 2022

Scotland – 12 Northern Powerhouse – 4 Wales – 1 South West – 2 Jersey – 1 Northern Ireland – 2

2022 – 2023

Scotland – 3 Northern Ireland – 4 South West – 2 Northern Powerhouse – 2 Wales – 1

2023 – 2024

Northern Powerhouse – 3 Northern Ireland – 7 Midlands – 1 Scotland – 1 Channel Islands – 2 South West – 1


Written Question
Import Controls: EU Countries
Wednesday 28th February 2024

Asked by: Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth (Conservative - Life peer)

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Vere of Norbiton on 13 February (HL2022), what discussions they have had with representatives of channel ports regarding the introduction of EU import controls, and (1) whether these were written or oral discussions; (2) what dates these discussions were held; (3) what points of concern were raised, if any; and (4) what their response was to those concerns.

Answered by Baroness Vere of Norbiton - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)

Government officials conducted in-depth engagement to develop the Border Target Operating Model. A wide selection of stakeholders involved at the border were invited to contribute, including representatives of channel ports. There were over 10,000 registrations for workshops and seminars over the engagement period in spring and summer 2023 and over 200 stakeholders provided written feedback. This included a range of border locations and other stakeholders involved in movements of goods across the channel. The Government responded to a range of questions on the requirements for safety and security controls for EU imports, due to be introduced from 31 October 2024. The Government is continuing to engage with stakeholders across affected sectors in all parts of the United Kingdom and the EU to ensure that they understand the changes outlined in the Border Target Operating Model. Baroness Neville-Rolfe also met with members of the ports industry in November 2023 to discuss the Border Target Operating Model.


Written Question
Probation: Bury South
Tuesday 27th February 2024

Asked by: Christian Wakeford (Labour - Bury South)

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what (a) support and (b) funding his Department provides to local probation services in Bury South constituency to help ensure effective rehabilitation of people leaving the criminal justice system.

Answered by Edward Argar - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)

His Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS) service delivery in Greater Manchester supports all Criminal Justice activity for the Bury Borough. This includes all aspects of Community and Custodial practice across public protection, sentencing, sentence management and delivery, resettlement and reintegration.

Greater Manchester Probation Service (GMPS) on behalf of HMPPS have a unique approach to commissioning rehabilitative services across the region. Services are co-commissioned with the Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA). There is a Memorandum of Understanding which sets out the principles of our approach, signed by both parties. There are also grant agreements in place which enable the co-commissioning to proceed in a way that provides both flexibility and assurance. These arrangements have enabled procurement of services at locality level, and there is specific activity across the Bury Borough.

From a wider partnership aspect, Reducing Reoffending is one of the six priorities of the Bury Community Safety Partnership (CSP), with the priority led by the local probation manager who chairs a multiagency steering group for this priority.

GMPS is an active participant in the Bury Community Safety Partnership, which encompasses work to tackle drug & alcohol related harm; involvement in the Prevent Partnership and Channel Panel (as part of CONTEST Counter-terror duty); involvement in the Domestic Abuse Partnership Board; involvement in the Bury Serious Violence Duty Steering Group and is the lead agency for actions in emerging Serious Violence Duty Delivery Plan to reduce serious violence related harm (offending and related hospital admissions).

GMPS lead engagement with the Creating & Maintaining Safe Spaces subgroup on Community Payback opportunities to link into local environmental improvement works.

Bury CSP (through GMCA core grant to CSP) have funded the Gateway project to break the cycle of substance misuse and offending,

Through the Co-commission approach outlined, approximately 60 services across the GM Region have been procured in this financial year, all of which support reducing harm and reoffending activities.

There has been investment and collaboration where appropriate with local authorities to procure services and ensure alignment with local Criminal Justice Priorities.

HMPPS delegate 4 reducing reoffending budgets into the GM region which are for the specific purpose of reducing reoffending in the region. These are Community Accommodation Service Tier 3, Community Rehabilitation Service, Integrated Offender Management and Regional Outcome and Innovation Fund. The Bury Borough are provided with services from each of these budgets, and this equates to roughly a 10% share.

Specifically, rehabilitative services in Bury cover the following: services for women; services for accommodation; services for training, education and access to employment; peer mentoring; drug and alcohol interventions; wellbeing support for improving physical and mental health.

The question specifies 'people leaving the criminal justice service’. GMPS has formal responsibility for those within the system and this answer details the offer in this context. However, given close integration with GMCA and local authorities, the intention is to provide a link to continuity of help in local areas like Bury, beyond the period someone is subject to probation supervision.


Written Question
Tankers: English Channel
Wednesday 14th February 2024

Asked by: Lord Bishop of St Albans (Bishops - Bishops)

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the number of ships in the ‘dark fleet’ passing through the English Channel carrying Russian oil and oil products in (1) 2020, (2) 2021, (3) 2022, and (4) 2023.

Answered by Lord Davies of Gower - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

Definitions of the ‘shadow fleet’ or ‘dark fleet’ vary and so it is not possible to provide accurate figures in relation to the English Channel. This practice has emerged since the introduction of the Russian Oil Services ban and Oil Price Cap Exception by the Price Cap Coalition of the G7, the European Union and Australia in December 2022.

However, the Joint Maritime Security Centre provides Department for Transport officials with daily vessel tracking reports for Vessels of Interest within or thought to be heading towards the UK Marine Area. This can include ships where a Russian link is identified, or where the vessel has transited from a Russian port, or engaged in a Ship-to-Ship transfer with a vessel which has departed from a Russian port.


Written Question
Childcare
Monday 20th November 2023

Asked by: Hywel Williams (Plaid Cymru - Arfon)

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what progress she has made on (a) rolling out 15 hours of free childcare for working parents of two-year-olds from April 2024 and (b) extending 15 hours of free childcare to all children from the age of nine months from September 2024.

Answered by David Johnston - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

Since the Spring Budget 2023, the department has made good progress with preparations to roll out 15 hours of free childcare for working parents of two-year-olds from April 2024, and to extend the 15 hours of free childcare to all children from the age of nine months from September 2024. The department’s progress includes:

  • Provided £204 million of additional funding in the 2023/24 financial year and will provide £288 million in 2024/25, in addition to the £4.1 billion that the government expects to provide by 2027/28 to facilitate the expansion of the new entitlements.
  • Consulted on the new national funding formula that will be used to distribute funding for the entitlements for children aged 2 and under, and the local rules local authorities should follow when passing on this funding to providers. The department will shortly be publishing a response to the consultation and confirming final 2024/25 financial year hourly funding rates for local authorities.
  • Consulted on amending the Early Years Foundation Stage Framework to support reform of the childcare market and published government’s consultation response. The consultation response confirmed that the Department is introducing a number of changes that will provide more flexibility and remove burdens for early years providers, while maintaining quality and safety standards.
  • Brought into law the change of staff: child ratios from 1:4 to 1:5 for two-year-olds in England.
  • Developed a range of new workforce initiatives including a new, national, multi-channel broadcast recruitment campaign, planned for the beginning of 2024, to boost interest in the sector and signup to early years and childcare apprenticeships.
  • Announced that the childminder start-up grants scheme, which will provide financial support to new childminders entering the sector on or after 15 March 2023, will open for applications by Thursday 30 November 2023.
  • Tabled amendments to primary legislation (via the Levelling Up and Regeneration Bill) to allow childminders to work with more people and spend more time on non-domestic premises.
  • Updated the Childcare Choices website so that parents can see exactly what additional childcare support they will be entitled to, using the updated website’s eligibility checker, based on the age of their child and earnings. The website now also gives parents the opportunity to sign up for regular updates letting them know when they should take action to make sure they are getting the support they are entitled to.  More information is available at: https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk/.
  • Provided a further £12 million to local authorities this financial year to support them to effectively roll out the new offer and announced £100 million in capital funding for local authorities to support the delivery of the expansion of the 30-hours early years entitlement and of wraparound provision in maintained primary schools.
  • Substantial and ongoing engagement with local authorities and the sector to support their preparations for providing more places.

Further information on the rollout can be accessed at: https://educationhub.blog.gov.uk/2023/07/07/free-childcare-how-we-tackling-the-cost-of-childcare/.


Written Question
Channel Four Television: Training
Monday 23rd October 2023

Asked by: Julian Knight (Independent - Solihull)

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether her Department has had recent discussions with the Channel 4 Board on their level of spending on equality and diversity training in the 2022-23 financial year.

Answered by John Whittingdale

On 2 October, the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced a value for money audit of all EDI (Equality, Diversity and Inclusion) spending in the Civil Service. The audit will dovetail with the public sector productivity review, aiming at delivering a leaner, more efficient government. The audit forms part of our drive to improve productivity across the public sector by driving down waste and improving performance. The findings and actions of the audit will be announced by the Chancellor in the Autumn.


Written Question
Syria: Turkey
Wednesday 27th September 2023

Asked by: Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle (Green Party - Life peer)

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessments they have made of the implications of closing the North-West Syria "Bab al-Hawa" border crossing upon local humanitarian actors, for whom the channel between Syria and Turkey is crucial for aid delivery; and what steps they are taking to ensure it remains open for this purpose.

Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

Over two months after Russia's veto of life-saving aid access into North West Syria, aid can now begin to enter North West Syria again through the Bab al-Hawa border crossing. While Russia is content to play politics with humanitarian aid, the UK will not abandon the 4 million people in urgent need. This year, the UK has committed up to £150 million to the Syria crisis. We are using our position on the UN Security Council to call on the Syrian regime to allow immediate, unhindered and sustainable aid access to prevent further humanitarian deterioration.


Written Question
Asylum: Military Bases
Wednesday 19th April 2023

Asked by: John Healey (Labour - Wentworth and Dearne)

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to the Oral Statement to the House on 29 March 2023 by the Minister for Immigration, whether asylum seekers being housed at military bases in the UK will be placed in current or former service accommodation rated (a) grade 1, (b) grade 2, (c) grade 3, (d) grade 4 and (e) below grade 4.

Answered by Robert Jenrick

I provided an update to Parliament on 29 March about the ongoing work across Government to secure alternative, more appropriate, cost-effective accommodation options around the country.

The two discussed military sites in Lincolnshire and Essex will provide basic and functional accommodation for migrants who illegally enter the UK by crossing the Channel, instead of using expensive hotels.

The sites will house asylum seekers in former barracks and modular accommodation in an orderly manner with healthcare provision, catering facilities and 24/7 security all on site.


Written Question
International Monetary Fund
Wednesday 29th March 2023

Asked by: Liam Byrne (Labour - Birmingham, Hodge Hill)

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 6 March 2023 to Question 153706, when he plans to re-channel the outstanding balance of Special Drawing Rights (SDR) 500 million under the SDR 4 billion; and which multilateral institution he plans to commit those SDR to.

Answered by Andrew Griffith - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

The UK has committed to channelling 4bn Special Drawing Rights (SDRs) to countries most in need and has so far announced commitments of SDR 1bn to the IMF’s Poverty Reduction and Growth Trust and SDR 2.5bn to the IMF’s Resilience and Sustainability Trust. The Government will continue to carefully consider the best option for channelling our remaining SDR 500m.


Written Question
Television: Production
Tuesday 28th March 2023

Asked by: Jim Shannon (Democratic Unionist Party - Strangford)

Question

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether her Department are taking steps to encourage British television productions to film in Northern Ireland.

Answered by Julia Lopez - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

With world-class facilities and access to a highly-skilled talent pool, Northern Ireland enjoys global recognition as an important production centre for film and television.

Northern Ireland Screen is the national screen agency for Northern Ireland. Funded by the Department for the Economy and the Department for Communities, Northern Ireland Screen’s production credits include the Academy Award nominated film Belfast.

The British Film Institute NETWORK works to support, develop and champion new and emerging filmmakers across the UK. The BFI will continue to delegate funding to Northern Ireland Screen to lead BFI NETWORK in Northern Ireland, with an award of £480,000 across the three years.

To support independent screen content following the pandemic, including film, to grow internationally the government launched the UK Global Screen Fund in April 2021. DCMS has committed a further £21 million to develop, distribute and promote independent UK screen content in international markets. All three strands of the UK Global Screen Fund offer support for Northern Irish companies and projects and several significant awards to Northern Ireland-based companies have been made to date.

DCMS has funded the British Film Commission (BFC) with £4.8 million over three years to support the growth of seven geographic production hubs across the UK nations. Through this, the BFC has provided ongoing support for Northern Ireland’s expanding studio infrastructure initiative, including design support and general guidance to four key studios: Belfast Harbour, Titanic, Loop and Silverwood.

The BBC, ITV and Channel 4 have also all commissioned critically acclaimed television programmes set and produced in Northern Ireland. This includes Bloodlands, The Secret and Derry Girls.

At Spring Budget 2023, the government went further to support and boost the competitiveness of the TV industry across the UK, through the creative industry tax reliefs. The government announced that the film, high end TV, children’s TV and animation tax reliefs will be reformed to a single Audio-Visual Expenditure Credit, which will provide a greater benefit than the current reliefs.