Asked by: Lord Balfe (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government, following the Prime Minister's announcement that 70,000 civil service jobs will be cut to finance extra defence spending, whether those civil servants are doing work that is unnecessary; and what are the functions that will no longer be carried out.
Answered by Baroness Neville-Rolfe - Minister of State (Cabinet Office)
The Prime Minister’s announcement of longer-term reductions in Civil Service numbers is a reiteration of the policy announced by the Chancellor in October 2023. The longer-term reductions will build on the shorter-term headcount cap put in place through to March 2025. The detail of how the return to pre-pandemic numbers will be delivered will form a key part of the next comprehensive spending review.
Asked by: Lord Balfe (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they are taking any steps, in collaboration with international partners, to encourage peace talks between Russia and Ukraine.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
We support a just and sustainable peace which restores Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity, underpinned by the UN Charter. President Zelenskyy has clearly indicated Ukraine's desire for peace in his Peace Formula, which reflects principles supported by 141 countries in the UN General Assembly. The UK has supported Ukraine to convene senior officials from G7 and several G20 countries, to discuss principles for a just peace. We welcome the planned conference in Switzerland to discuss these principles further. By contrast, Russia's continued actions on the battlefield demonstrate that President Putin has no meaningful interest in a just peace. It will be for Ukraine to determine its position in any negotiations, just as it is for Ukraine to decide its democratic future and long-term security arrangements. The quickest path to peace would be for President Putin to withdraw all Russian troops illegally present in Ukraine and end its aggression against its neighbour.
Asked by: Lord Balfe (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they have made an assessment of the international aviation security standards at the new Ercan International Airport in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, and if not, whether they plan to do so.
Answered by Lord Davies of Gower - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
Under the 1944 Chicago Convention, only the Republic of Cyprus can designate Ercan as an international airport and allow flights to operate. As the Republic of Cyprus has not designated Ercan, the UK has not made a security assessment of the airport and has no plans to do so.
Asked by: Lord Balfe (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the compatibility of the Convention on International Civil Aviation with direct flights from London to Taipei, and in this respect why the UK does not permit flights to the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus.
Answered by Lord Davies of Gower - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The UK recognises only one Cypriot state – the Republic of Cyprus – and only one government as the sole legitimate government. Under the Chicago Convention, only the Republic of Cyprus may designate Ercan (in the north of Cyprus) as an international customs airport and grant permission for flights to operate from within its territory. Which it has not done so. This means that no direct air services between the north of Cyprus and the UK can take place.
With regards to direct flights being permitted between London and Taipei, the situation is different in that the Chinese authorities have designated a number of airports in Taiwan as international customs airports which therefore permit airlines to operate between the UK and Taiwan.
Asked by: Lord Balfe (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of the closure of the Port Talbot steelworks on the UK’s ability to defend itself and to support the defence of its allies.
Answered by Earl of Minto - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
Tata Steel's plans to cease UK primary steel production at its Port Talbot steelworks are not anticipated to adversely impact defence. Specialist steels that are unavailable from UK sources are already sourced by our prime contractors from overseas suppliers. Other grades of steel are likely to remain available from UK sources or are widely available on world markets.
Ministers across Government, including the Minister for Defence Procurement, continue to work closely with our suppliers to ensure that we have the capability to procure the steel required for the UK's national security and defence programmes.
Asked by: Lord Balfe (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they have taken to earmark funds to support Ukraine in the period after the cessation of hostilities.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Supporting Ukraine to build a secure and prosperous future is an essential part of our effort to help Ukraine defeat Russian aggression. The Ukraine Recovery Conference (21-22 June 2023) raised over $60 billion in new support, including $3 billion in UK guarantees to World Bank lending and £240 million of UK bilateral assistance for 2023-24. The UK has earmarked up to $1 billion a year in fiscal support through World Bank guarantees between 2023 and 2027. Bilateral allocations for the 2024-25 financial year are still being finalised and funding beyond 2025 will be confirmed after the next Spending Review.
Asked by: Lord Balfe (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government, following reports that international aid from Sweden will soon depend on whether the recipient country accepts the repatriation of its citizens, such as asylum seekers and migrants deemed a security risk, what assessment they have made of the case for adopting a similar policy for the United Kingdom.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
UK Official Development Assistance (ODA) is provided with the primary purpose of contributing to reduction in poverty. Allocation decisions are informed by a range of modelling and information sources, including absolute poverty, humanitarian need, geopolitical prioritisation and the ability of a country to self-finance its own development. The recently published White Paper on International Development makes clear that the UK will prioritise its ODA where it is most needed and most effective.
Asked by: Lord Balfe (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government, with reference to the report Disagreements in the care of critically ill children published by the Department of Health and Social Care on 18 September, what changes they intend to make to the care of critically ill children and when they anticipate these will come into effect.
Answered by Lord Markham - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Department is considering the recommendations made in the report and what actions can be taken to help avoid disagreements arising between the parents of critically ill children and clinicians treating them and, where this is not possible, resolve disagreements more quickly and compassionately.
Asked by: Lord Balfe (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they intend to use the provisions of the Strikes (Minimum Service Levels) Act 2023 to override a pilot's discretion to make the final decision as to whether the aircraft takes off as provided under international aviation regulations.
Answered by Baroness Vere of Norbiton - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
Any decisions by the pilot in command of an aircraft made in accordance with relevant aviation safety requirements, with regard to the safety of a particular flight, would not constitute industrial action. Such decisions are therefore outside of the scope of Part V of the Trade Union and Labour Relations (Consolidation) Act 1992 and the amendments being made to that Part by the Strikes (Minimum Service Levels) Act.
Asked by: Lord Balfe (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask His Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with Greater Anglia Railways about planned ticket office closures at Cambridge railway station; and what opportunities there are for (1) the public, and (2) parliamentarians, to express their views on the proposals.
Answered by Baroness Vere of Norbiton - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
To propose any changes to the opening hours, or the closure of ticket offices, train operating companies must follow the process set out in the Ticketing and Settlement Agreement.
Train operators must consult on any proposed changes, advertising them at the relevant stations and inviting members of the public who wish to comment on the proposal to write to the relevant passenger body (either Transport Focus or London TravelWatch) within a 21-day period. Greater Anglia Railways has set out its proposals on its website.
Parliamentarians are encouraged to raise any concerns with the relevant Passenger Bodies through the established consultation process. Further detail of how to do this can be found on station posters or on the Train Operating Company websites.