Asked by: Jeremy Corbyn (Independent - Islington North)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether he plans to increase the current capacity of incinerator waste being burned in the UK over the next 5 years.
Answered by Jo Churchill - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
In line with the commitment in our Resources and Waste Strategy (RWS), officials are currently assessing planned incinerator capacity against expected future residual waste arisings so we can understand what future capacity may be required following implementation of key commitments in the RWS. This assessment of residual waste treatment capacity needs will be published in coming months.
Asked by: Jeremy Corbyn (Independent - Islington North)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to the Written Statement of 25 February 2020, HCWS125 on Nuclear Deterrent, when final approval was given to build a new replacement warhead; and who approved that decision.
Answered by Jeremy Quin
To ensure we can continue to deter the most extreme threats to our national security and way of life, the Government, led by the Prime Minister, made the decision to replace the nuclear warhead. Details were announced in the Written Ministerial Statement laid in Parliament by the Secretary of State for Defence on 25 February 2020.
As the right hon. Member will recall, in July 2016 Parliament debated and voted in support of maintaining Continuous At Sea Deterrence and renewing the nuclear deterrent by a significant majority of 355 votes (472 Ayes, 117 Noes).
Asked by: Jeremy Corbyn (Independent - Islington North)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how much has been spent on plans for a new replacement warhead (a) prior to his written statement of 25 February 2020 and (b) to date.
Answered by Jeremy Quin
As the replacement warhead is in its early preliminary phases it is too early at this stage to provide a cost estimate. I am however able to provide information relating to completed financial years. The Ministry of Defence spent £116 million up to the end of the financial year (2018-19). A total of £98 million was spent on the Replacement Warhead readiness phase over the subsequent two financial years (2019-20 and 2020-21).
Asked by: Jeremy Corbyn (Independent - Islington North)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what estimate he has made of the cost of building a new replacement warhead.
Answered by Jeremy Quin
As the replacement warhead is in its early preliminary phases it is too early at this stage to provide a cost estimate. I am however able to provide information relating to completed financial years. The Ministry of Defence spent £116 million up to the end of the financial year (2018-19). A total of £98 million was spent on the Replacement Warhead readiness phase over the subsequent two financial years (2019-20 and 2020-21).
Asked by: Jeremy Corbyn (Independent - Islington North)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps the UK is taking with the UN to negotiate the restoration of human rights in Myanmar.
Answered by Nigel Adams
The UK has been at the forefront of the international response to the coup in Myanmar. Following the coup, we urgently convened the UN Security Council and secured a statement on 4 February which called for the protection of human rights. On 12 February we co-led a Special Session of the UN Human Rights Council where a resolution calling for an end to human rights violations taking place in Myanmar was passed by consensus. In response to escalating violence we convened the Council again on 5 March and secured a Presidential Statement on 10 March which called for the restoration of democracy, respect for human rights and condemned violence against peaceful protestors. I [Minister Adams] have also met the UN Special Rapporteur for the Situation of Human Rights in Myanmar and the UN Secretary General's Special Envoy for Myanmar to discuss human rights in Myanmar.
Asked by: Jeremy Corbyn (Independent - Islington North)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps the UK is taking to co-ordinate with other international powers for a global arms embargo on the Tatmadaw.
Answered by Nigel Adams
The UK is a longstanding supporter of an arms embargo on Myanmar. We are clear that no international power should sell arms to the Myanmar military. The UK autonomous Myanmar sanctions regulations prohibit the provision of military related services, including the provision of technical assistance, to or for the benefit of the Tatmadaw. We will work closely with partners to pressure those who sell arms to the military.
Asked by: Jeremy Corbyn (Independent - Islington North)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what plans his Department has to extend the existing UK sanctions on 25 individuals to others within the command structure of the Tatmadaw.
Answered by Nigel Adams
The UK, in conjunction with partners including the US and Canada, have announced targeted sanctions against nine high-ranking military officials for their role in serious human rights violations during the coup. We are actively consulting with partners on further measures, including additional sanctions. We are determined to impose a cost on the Myanmar military and we will consider all tools at our disposal. These sanctions follow the 16 individuals from the Myanmar military who were previously listed by the UK for human rights violations.
Asked by: Jeremy Corbyn (Independent - Islington North)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of the legitimacy of the Committee Representing Pyidaungsu Hluttaw in Myanmar.
Answered by Nigel Adams
The Committee Representing Pyidaungsu Hluttaw (CRPH), which is composed of many individuals who were elected in November 2020, are an important voice for many in Myanmar. We coordinated with them to read out excerpts from their statements at the Special Session of the Human Rights Council on 12 February, and at the UN General Assembly meeting on 26 February.
Asked by: Jeremy Corbyn (Independent - Islington North)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with countries that have not imposed sanctions on Myanmar on imposing sanctions on that country.
Answered by Nigel Adams
We believe sanctions are an important tool to increase pressure on the Myanmar military and we are working closely with partners to coordinate on further sanctions.
The UK, in conjunction with partners including the US and Canada, has announced targeted sanctions against nine high-ranking military officials and we continue to work in concert with our partners and allies on additional measures, including further sanctions.
Asked by: Jeremy Corbyn (Independent - Islington North)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps the UK government plans to take in relation to the needs of the 322 Myanmar university students who were arrested and imprisoned in Tamwe, Yangon.
Answered by Nigel Adams
The UK is clear that people's rights to freedom of expression and to protest must be respected. We have called on the military regime to release all those who have been detained arbitrarily and to respect the right to freedom of assembly. It is unacceptable that so many people have been detained, injured or killed in the struggle for democracy. The UK has already imposed sanctions on nine individuals for their role in serious human rights violations, including violating the right to liberty and security. We are determined to impose a cost on the Myanmar military and we are working with partners to ensure a strong and coordinated response, using all tools at our disposal.