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 representations they have made, if any, to the government of Israel regarding the detention of two Palestine Red Crescent Society staff by Israeli authorities in Gaza on 9 December while delivering supplies to Al Ahli hospital as part of a UN convoy.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
It is the longstanding policy of successive UK Governments that we do not comment on individual cases. However, we are particularly concerned over reports about Israeli detention practices. The Government is clear that administrative detention should be used only where it is justified in accordance with international law. Those under detention should either be charged or released. The UK is committed to working with Israel to secure improvements in its detention practices and repeatedly calls on Israel to abide by its obligations under international law. This has been repeatedly raised by both the PM and the Foreign Secretary with PM Netanyahu. The safety of humanitarian personnel and healthcare workers in Gaza is critical to enable aid to reach those who need it most. The FCDO is actively engaging with international partners and those operating on the ground to do all we can to address the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
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 representations they have made, if any, to the government of Israel regarding the detention of Awni Khattab, Head of the Palestine Red Crescent Society’s Ambulance Center in Khan Younis, by Israeli forces on 22 November.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
It is the longstanding policy of successive UK Governments that we do not comment on individual cases. However, we are particularly concerned over reports about Israeli detention practices. The Government is clear that administrative detention should be used only where it is justified in accordance with international law. Those under detention should either be charged or released. The UK is committed to working with Israel to secure improvements in its detention practices and repeatedly calls on Israel to abide by its obligations under international law. This has been repeatedly raised by both the PM and the Foreign Secretary with PM Netanyahu. The safety of humanitarian personnel and healthcare workers in Gaza is critical to enable aid to reach those who need it most. The FCDO is actively engaging with international partners and those operating on the ground to do all we can to address the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
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 assessment they have made of potential plans to repeal the law banning female genital mutilation (FGM) in the Gambia; whether representations have been made to the government of the Gambia to protect women and girls in the country from FGM and sexual violence; what plans they have to ensure the safety and security of human rights defenders and social activists in the Gambia; and what access to resources, if any, they have made available to civil society groups and grassroots organisations working to strengthen women’s and girl’s rights in the Gambia.
Answered by Lord Benyon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) is a form of violence and a human rights violation. We support a comprehensive approach to eliminating FGM that includes prevention and access to services, supported by the right laws and policies. Some National Assembly members in the Gambia have expressed a desire to repeal the ban on FGM. We have raised this with the Gambian Government, including the Foreign Minister, and with development partners. We provide funding to the UN Joint Programme for the Elimination of FGM, which operates in the Gambia. The programme works with governments to put in place viable national response systems, policies and plans for banning FGM, as well as empowering mothers, students and teachers to champion FGM elimination. We also work with NGOs who support and empower women and girls in the Gambia, including Wassu Gambia Kafo and Biniti Period.
Asked by: Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle (Green Party - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask His Majesty's Government what consideration they have given to extending the £7,000 available to homeowners to support air source heat pump installation through the Boiler Upgrade Scheme to support heat networks; and what other steps they are taking to encourage heat pump installations in areas of terraced housing where ground or air source heat pump installation may prove impractical.
Answered by Lord Callanan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Boiler Upgrade Scheme provides upfront grants to support the installation of air source heat pumps, ground source heat pumps and biomass boilers in individual properties. Ground source heat pumps attached to a shared ground loop are eligible, where the system capacity does not exceed 45kW.
We are working with industry and local authorities to develop new heat networks and improve existing ones, including through an additional £530m to extend the Heat Network Transformation Programme to 2028, and introducing heat network zoning in 2025 to identify areas where heat networks are expected to be the lowest cost solution for decarbonising heat.
Asked by: Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle (Green Party - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask His Majesty's Government what estimate they have made of the number of pedelecs sold in England in the past five years, and what steps they are taking to ensure that users can meet insurance and MOT requirements.
Answered by Lord Davies of Gower - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Department has made no such estimate. Pedelecs and other forms of e-cycle which do not comply with the Electrically Assisted Pedal Cycle regulations need to be registered, insured and taxed as a motor vehicle, and the rider will need an appropriate driving licence and will have to wear an approved motorcycle safety helmet. These are matters for the rider, and enforcement of the requirements is a matter for the police.
Asked by: Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle (Green Party - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask His Majesty's Government how many and what proportion of recruits at the Army Foundation College were discharged for a mental health reason in each of the last five years.
Answered by Earl of Minto - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
Between 1 April 2018 and 31 March 2023, fewer than five UK Regular untrained personnel at Army Foundation College (Harrogate) were medically discharged with a mental or behavioural disorder cited as the principal or contributory cause. Below is a table with the breakdown per year and proportion.
Table 1: Army Foundation College (Harrogate) Regular untrained personnel1 medically discharged with a principal or contributory cause of a mental or behavioral disorder, by financial year, numbers and percentages2
1 April 2018 to 31 March 2023
Year | Number of personnel | Percentage2 |
2018-19 | 0 | 0 |
2019-20 | ~ |
|
2020-21 | ~ |
|
2021-22 | 0 | 0 |
2022-23 | 0 | 0 |
~ In line with JSP 200, the suppression methodology has been applied to ensure individuals are not inadvertently identified dependent on the risk of disclosure. Numbers fewer than five have been suppressed and presented as ‘~’.
1 Regular untrained personnel, including MPGS and Gurkhas.
2 Number of medically discharged personnel as a percentage of all untrained Regular Army Foundation College (Harrogate) personnel on strength within that year.
This response excludes any untrained personnel who are discharged under administrative categories, albeit on medical grounds.
Information on medical discharges has been sourced from electronic medical records (DMICP) and manually entered paper documents (FMed 23s). The primary purpose of these medical documents is to ensure the appropriate administration of each individual patient’s discharge. Statistical analysis and reporting are secondary functions.
Asked by: Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle (Green Party - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment the Army has made of the risk of adolescent recruits enlisting with a history of depression or anxiety later being discharged for reasons of mental health.
Answered by Earl of Minto - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
The Armed Forces have entry Medical Employment Standards against which potential adolescent recruits are assessed. These permit entry of individuals with a history of depression or anxiety if they meet specific, medically approved criteria. These individuals are not medically downgraded; they are considered medically fit for enlistment.
The Army delivers training and education to instructors on how to prepare recruits for coping with stressful situations and to understand not only the technical and physical needs of recruits, but also their psychological and social needs. There are enhanced welfare support facilities in all Basic Training locations, with both Army and external agencies able to offer advice and support outside the Chain of Command. Risks are proactively sought out and actively managed in accordance with Army policies and civilian best practices.
Asked by: Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle (Green Party - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask His Majesty's Government what are the most common categories of mental health problem that recruits at the Army Foundation College have presented to the on-site counselling psychotherapist, and whether a periodic report of the data is produced.
Answered by Earl of Minto - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
The Army Foundation College (Harrogate) (AFC(H)) does not employ an on-site counselling psychotherapist. There is a Wellbeing Support Officer nested within the College welfare team, who is a trained counsellor. Additionally, the Women’s Royal Volunteer Service operate a walk-in service to allow Junior Soldiers to talk to someone outside the military, and a Child and Adolescents Mental Health Services nurse is embedded within the Medical Centre Primary Care Team.
There is no periodic report that consolidates the activity of the various support networks listed above, but any Junior Soldier who has presented as a cause for concern will be discussed at the Commanding Officer’s Monthly Case Review to ensure the right level of support is offered. Any urgent concerns are heard at case conferences to progress an appropriate Care Action Plan.
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 assessment they have made of the adoption of the Global Industry Standard on Tailings Management following the collapse of the Fundão Dam near Mariana in Brazil in 2015.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Department for Business & Trade's (DBT) Responsible Mining Team in Brazil have promoted best practice on tailings dams since 2016. They led a mission to the UK in November to build on work to implement the Global Industrial Standard on Tailings Management (GISTM) and have organised roundtables in partnership with United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) to promote the GISTM in Brazil. UK Ministers for the Americas and Europe have highlighted work to improve safety measures around tailings dam management, including in October in a meeting with the law firm representing victims of the Mariana Dam incident and at a Westminster Hall Debate in June.
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 steps they have taken to promote international safety standards for tailings dams following the collapse of the Fundão Dam near Mariana in Brazil in 2015.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Department for Business & Trade's (DBT) Responsible Mining Team in Brazil have promoted best practice on tailings dams since 2016. They led a mission to the UK in November to build on work to implement the Global Industrial Standard on Tailings Management (GISTM) and have organised roundtables in partnership with United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) to promote the GISTM in Brazil. UK Ministers for the Americas and Europe have highlighted work to improve safety measures around tailings dam management, including in October in a meeting with the law firm representing victims of the Mariana Dam incident and at a Westminster Hall Debate in June.