Asked by: Claudia Webbe (Independent - Leicester East)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, whether his Department plans to use the Renters (Reform) Bill to help tackle discriminatory practices against (a) older people, (b) people in receipt of Housing Benefit and (c) people in receipt of other benefits in the private rented sector.
Answered by Rachel Maclean
It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.
Asked by: Claudia Webbe (Independent - Leicester East)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will hold discussions with his counterpart in Israel on the potential merits of rescinding the order for people in northern Gaza to evacuate to the south of the Gaza strip.
Answered by David Rutley - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK is steadfast in its position that all states should uphold International Humanitarian Law and we call on our friends and partners to do so. Israel has the right to defend itself proportionately and its military operations must be conducted in accordance with International Humanitarian Law. Civilians must be respected and protected. Both the Prime Minister and the Foreign Secretary have, in their discussions with their Israeli counterparts, emphasised the importance of taking all possible measures to protect innocent civilians. Israeli President Isaac Herzog has stated that Israel will operate in accordance with international law.
Asked by: Claudia Webbe (Independent - Leicester East)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to the Case Study Israel/OPT: Identifying the Israeli army’s use of white phosphorus in Gaza, published by Amnesty International on 13 October 2023, what assessment his Department has made of the accuracy of reports of the use of white phosphorous by Israel.
Answered by David Rutley - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.
Asked by: Claudia Webbe (Independent - Leicester East)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has held discussions with his counterpart in Israel on allegations of collective punishment in Gaza and compatibility with international law.
Answered by David Rutley - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.
Asked by: Claudia Webbe (Independent - Leicester East)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has held discussions with his counterpart in Israel on the alleged use of white phosphorous and its compatibility with international law.
Answered by David Rutley - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.
Asked by: Claudia Webbe (Independent - Leicester East)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if the Government will cease the licensing of the export of (a) arms and (b) security equipment to Israel.
Answered by James Cartlidge - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
All applications for export licences are assessed on a case-by-case basis against the Strategic Export Licensing Criteria.
The Government continues to monitor closely the situation in Israel, Gaza and the West Bank, and if extant licences are found to be no longer consistent with the Criteria, those licences will be revoked.
Asked by: Claudia Webbe (Independent - Leicester East)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps he is taking with his international counterparts to help tackle reported human rights abuses in Manipur.
Answered by Anne-Marie Trevelyan - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Our diplomatic network in India closely follows reports of violence in the state of Manipur. We remain committed to championing human rights around the world and we work with the UN, OSCE (The Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe), Council of Europe, G7 and other multilateral fora to promote Freedom of Religion and Belief (FoRB). The UK Government has a broad and deep partnership with the Government of India and we discuss all elements of our relationship, including issues where we have them. Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon, Minister for South Asia, raised the current situation in Manipur with the Indian Government during his visit to India in May.
Asked by: Claudia Webbe (Independent - Leicester East)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he is taking steps with international counterparts to help tackle reported human rights abuses in Manipur.
Answered by Anne-Marie Trevelyan - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Our diplomatic network in India closely follows reports of violence in the state of Manipur. We remain committed to championing human rights around the world and we work with the UN, OSCE (The Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe), Council of Europe, G7 and other multilateral fora to promote Freedom of Religion and Belief (FoRB). The UK Government has a broad and deep partnership with the Government of India and we discuss all elements of our relationship, including issues where we have them. Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon, Minister for South Asia, raised the current situation in Manipur with the Indian Ministry of Home Affairs during his visit to India in May.
Asked by: Claudia Webbe (Independent - Leicester East)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to help support unpaid carers with increases in the cost of living.
Answered by Helen Whately - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Government recognises that the rising cost of living has presented additional financial challenges for many people, including unpaid carers.
The Government continues to provide financial support to unpaid carers through Carer’s Allowance, the Carer Element in Universal Credit and through other benefits.
Unpaid carers in receipt of eligible benefits may receive additional support through the new Cost of Living Payments in 2023-24. These will help more than eight million United Kingdom households on eligible means tested benefits, eight million pensioner households and six million people across the UK on eligible disability benefits.
We want unpaid carers to live healthy and fulfilling lives alongside their caring role. This is why this Government is fully committed to the 10-year vision for Adult Social Care that we re-affirmed in the Next Steps to put People at the Heart of Care (2023).
Asked by: Claudia Webbe (Independent - Leicester East)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if her Department will make an estimate of the median level of student debt held by people in Leicester East constituency.
Answered by Robert Halfon
The median debt of full-time undergraduate borrowers funded by Student Finance England whose postcode is within the Leicester East constituency and who entered repayment within the last five years is £41,493.29. The median debt includes tuition fee and maintenance loans.
The borrowers’ postcode refers to the current contact or home address supplied by the borrower to the Student Loans Company.
As student loan repayments are income contingent, the amount of loan debt repaid varies with earnings. At a national level amongst borrowers starting study in the 2022/23 academic year, individuals in the lowest forecast earnings decile (who earn less than 90% of other loan borrowers over their lifetime) are estimated to repay 7% of loan outlay borrowed. Those in the top 30% of lifetime earners are expected to repay their loans in full in under 30 years. More information is available at: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/student-loan-forecasts-for-england/2022-23.