Asked by: Caroline Lucas (Green Party - Brighton, Pavilion)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether the legal responsibility of local authorities to provide food in a time of crisis extends to (a) children, (b) people on a low income, (c) elderly people, (d) disabled people and (e) housebound people.
Answered by Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park
Food is a critical national infrastructure sector and Defra has lead Government department oversight of responsibility for food supply in England. The policy is devolved to Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland in the constitutional settlement.
Defra is not responsible for the supply of food and drink to the population in an emergency, and the expertise, capability and levers to plan for and respond to food supply disruption lie within the industry. However, we have well established relationships with the food and drink sectors, and we work collaboratively with the food industry and across Government to support coherent and robust industry contingency planning and response in the event of an incident situation. The food industry is experienced in dealing with scenarios that can affect food supply.
Local authorities do not have a general duty to provide food but have duties to provide food to particular groups in particular circumstances, including schools and care settings. Public sector food provision for specific sectors is led by the relevant Government departments. Defra works with lead Departments (including DfE, DHSC and MoJ) to support their contingency planning for food supply to public services. Defra’s role involves providing advice and support to these departments who in turn work with their public services to ensure that supply is resilient.
We are committed to a strong safety net for those who need it, which is why this Government continues to spend over £90 billion a year on welfare benefits.
Asked by: David Drew (Labour (Co-op) - Stroud)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what reports his Department has received on trends in the level of Tazir laws in Iran in relation to the (a) arbitrary punishment, (b) imprisonment and (c) internal exile of members of the Baha’i community in that country; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Andrew Murrison - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)
We are aware of reports about the continued harassment and mistreatment that the Baha'i and other minority groups face. We support the assessment of the UN Special Rapporteur on the Situation of Human Rights that discrimination against the Baha'is in Iran is sanctioned by a lack of constitutional recognition and the absence of other legal protections for adherents of this faith. We regularly call upon Iran to cease harassment of all religious minorities and to fulfil its international and domestic obligations to protect freedom of religion or belief.
Asked by: Tom Brake (Liberal Democrat - Carshalton and Wallington)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what information his Department holds on (a) reports that the Public Places Supervision Office is seeking to close Baha’i-owned businesses in Iran and (b) the targeting of other minority communities in that country.
Answered by Andrew Murrison - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)
We are aware of reports indicating that Baha'i owned businesses are being targeted for closure, including reports of the attempted closure of a care centre in Karaj, Iran. We remain concerned about the continued harassment and mistreatment that the Baha'i and other minority groups face.
We support the UN Special Rapporteur on the Situation of Human Rights in Iran's assessment that discrimination against the Baha'is in Iran is legally sanctioned by a lack of constitutional recognition and the absence of other legal protections for adherents of this faith. We regularly call upon Iran to cease harassment of all religious minorities and to fulfil its international and domestic obligations to protect freedom of religion or belief.
Asked by: Tom Brake (Liberal Democrat - Carshalton and Wallington)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what information his Department holds on reports of the closure of a Baha’i-run elder care centre in Karaj, Iran.
Answered by Andrew Murrison - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)
We are aware of reports indicating that Baha'i owned businesses are being targeted for closure, including reports of the attempted closure of a care centre in Karaj, Iran. We remain concerned about the continued harassment and mistreatment that the Baha'i and other minority groups face.
We support the UN Special Rapporteur on the Situation of Human Rights in Iran's assessment that discrimination against the Baha'is in Iran is legally sanctioned by a lack of constitutional recognition and the absence of other legal protections for adherents of this faith. We regularly call upon Iran to cease harassment of all religious minorities and to fulfil its international and domestic obligations to protect freedom of religion or belief.
Asked by: David Drew (Labour (Co-op) - Stroud)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what information his Department holds on the use of Tazir laws to facilitate punishment against members of the Baha’i community in Iran; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Andrew Murrison - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)
We remain aware of the continued reports of harassment and mistreatment of members of the Baha'i faith in Iran, including the increase in arrests in 2018. The British Government supports the UN Special Rapporteur on the Situation of Human Rights in Iran's assessment that discrimination against the Baha'i community in Iran is legally sanctioned by a lack of constitutional recognition and the absence of other legal protections for adherents of this faith. We regularly call upon Iran to cease harassment of all religious minorities and to fulfil its international and domestic obligations to protect freedom of religion or belief.
Asked by: Bill Esterson (Labour - Sefton Central)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, pursuant to the First Delegated Legislation Committee of Wednesday 10 April 2019 and the oral contribution of the member for Sefton Central, when he plans to respond to the request of the Welsh Government for an explanation of the government's legal position that State Aid is a reserved matter; and if he will confirm whether the government has previously given the commitment not to amend domestic legislation in devolved areas without the agreement of the devolved administrations.
Answered by Kelly Tolhurst
Ken Skates, Minister for Economy and Transport at the Welsh Government, wrote to the Secretary of State on 25 January 2019. Whilst noting that the regime established by the State aid regulation was an important step in ensuring alignment between the UK and EU on state aid, the letter queried the position on reservation.
My rt. hon. Friend the Secretary of State explained that there is no difference of opinion between the administrations on the current policy adopted in relation to State aid and explained the UK Government’s intention to work closely with them (and the other devolved administrations) on the development of State aid policy.
I understand this correspondence enabled Jeremy Miles, Counsel General and Brexit Minister for the Welsh Government, to update the National Assembly for Wales’ Constitutional and Legislative Affairs Committee by letter dated 20 March 2019, noting that he was, “reassured that there is still scope to resolve the ongoing dispute between our administrations to reflect devolution in the medium to longer term, and will continue working with the UK Government towards that end.”
Under the EU Withdrawal Act 2018, the UK Government can amend deficiencies in retained EU law where this would fail to operate effectively otherwise. Where EU law falls within an area of devolved competence, the Memorandum on the EU Withdrawal Bill and the Establishment of Common Frameworks (April 2018) clarifies that the Government will not normally seek to use these powers without the agreement of the devolved administrations.
The UK Government remains fully committed to this position. However, given that we consider that the regulation of State aid is reserved, we did not consider that this commitment was engaged in respect of the draft State aid regulations. I am nevertheless still committed to working closely with the Welsh Government and the other devolved administrations on the development of State aid policy.
Asked by: Lloyd Russell-Moyle (Labour (Co-op) - Brighton, Kemptown)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether his Department has made representations to the UN's Special Rapporteur on the human rights of the Baha'i in the Islamic Republic of Iran.
Answered by Alistair Burt
We are particularly concerned by the continuing systematic discrimination, harassment and targeting of the Baha'i community in Iran. At the Human Rights Council in March 2019, the UK strongly supported the renewal of the mandate of the UN Special Rapporteur on the Situation of Human Rights in Iran and supports the UN Special Rapporteur's assessment that discrimination against the Baha'i community in Iran is legally sanctioned by a lack of constitutional recognition and the absence of other legal protections for adherents of this faith. We have called on Iran to allow him access to the country so that he can carry out his mandate, and we encourage Iran to use this opportunity to engage with the international community.
Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Conservative - Romford)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of the constitutional crisis in Catalonia; and what representations he has made and to whom on that subject.
Answered by Alan Duncan
The Government has been clear that the situation in Catalonia is a matter for Spain. The UK strongly supports the rule of law and remains clear that questions related to the issue of Catalan independence should be resolved within the proper constitutional and legal channels. The Prime Minister, the Foreign Secretary and I, in our interactions with Spanish counterparts, have made this position clear.
Asked by: David Drew (Labour (Co-op) - Stroud)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how many observers the Government sent to the recent election in the Democratic Republic of Congo; and when those observers are expected to report back on the fairness of that election.
Answered by Harriett Baldwin
The UK has supported political engagement and strengthening of electoral processes in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), funding civic and electoral education, electoral observation, and institutional support. We co-supported approximately 20,000 of the 40,000 observers deployed by the Committee of the National Episcopal Conference of the Congo (CENCO), who covered all voting centres across the country. On 10 January CENCO confirmed that the provisional results announced by the electoral commission are not in line with the data collected by their observation mission. A small number of UK embassy staff were also on the ground on election day to unofficially monitor the situation, but are not in a position to report on the fairness of the election as a whole
The leader of the opposition in DRC, Martin Fayulu, has contested the results and filed an appeal in the constitutional court. As the Foreign Secretary said in a tweet on 14 January, due process must be respected on this legal challenge. This is a critical moment for DRC and the wider region.
Asked by: Liz McInnes (Labour - Heywood and Middleton)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps the Government has taken to encourage the Sri Lankan Government to find a peaceful and lawful solution to the current constitutional crisis in that country.
Answered by Mark Field
Following the swearing in of Ranil Wickremesinghe as Prime Minister of Sri Lanka by President Sirisena on 16 December I made a statement welcoming progress made towards the peaceful resolution of the political impasse in Sri Lanka since October. This outcome is a welcome indication of the resilience of Sri Lanka's judicial and democratic institutions, and of effective checks and balances between state powers. The UK will continue to stand by Sri Lanka as a close partner and friend, supporting Sri Lanka as it works to deliver sustainable and accountable reform to reinvigorate the economy, improve governance, and safeguard human rights across the country.
Prior to this, I made statements on 26 and 29 October, and on 9 November, setting out our concerns at political developments in Sri Lanka and calling for due political and legal process to be upheld. Our High Commissioner to Sri Lanka met regularly with all political parties, and expressed our concern at the behaviour of some MPs in disrupting Parliamentary proceedings.