Asked by: Huw Merriman (Conservative - Bexhill and Battle)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
What recent assessment he has made of the adequacy of the provision of abortion services in Northern Ireland.
Answered by Robin Walker
Abortion services are now a matter for the Department of Health in Northern Ireland.
I am pleased that some service provision has commenced through existing sexual and reproductive health services in the Belfast, Northern and Western Trust areas. Information on these services is available through the Informing Choices NI helpline and the Central Booking Service.
I hope that longer-term services can be commissioned as soon as possible in the current circumstances, consistent with the Regulations we made.
The Abortion (Northern Ireland) Regulations 2020 which were laid in March have now been replaced with the Abortion (Northern Ireland) (No. 2) Regulations 2020 , which were laid in the House today. These regulations come into effect on 14th May and revoke the earlier regulations. Their legal effect in supporting the provision of services remains consistent, with a small correction having been made to address the concerns of the JCSI, so services can continue on the same basis.
Asked by: Huw Merriman (Conservative - Bexhill and Battle)
Question to the Home Office:
What steps she is taking to confiscate money from criminals; and how she plans to further strengthen the asset recovery regime.
Answered by Ben Wallace
We have recovered £1.4bn under the Proceeds of Crime Act since 2010. The Criminal Finances Act 2017 provides important new powers to improve the asset recovery system, such as unexplained wealth orders, the forfeiture of bank accounts and forfeiture of certain mobile assets. The Government is also implementing the recommendations made in the Public Accounts Committee Report of 2016. Our Asset Recovery Action Plan will be published by April this year.
Asked by: Huw Merriman (Conservative - Bexhill and Battle)
Question to the Department for International Development:
What steps her Department is taking to promote trade between the UK and least developed countries.
Answered by Penny Mordaunt - Lord President of the Council and Leader of the House of Commons
The UK is a proud advocate of helping developing countries trade their way out of poverty. The Government has introduced the Taxation (Cross-Border Trade) Bill which enables creation of a trade preference scheme. This will maintain existing tariff free access to the UK for Least Developed Countries as we leave the EU.
Asked by: Huw Merriman (Conservative - Bexhill and Battle)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what discussions he has had with Cabinet colleagues on possible legislative steps to bring an end to the Southern Rail industrial action.
Answered by Paul Maynard - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
We are deeply disappointed and frustrated that the union has insisted on this damaging and disruptive strike action, which will cause misery for thousands of people.
The Secretary of State regularly discusses this important issue with his Cabinet colleagues. This Government is doing everything it can to limit the impact of this strike on passengers, and continues to consider all available options.
We continue to closely monitor the situation to determine whether further action is necessary.
Asked by: Huw Merriman (Conservative - Bexhill and Battle)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what assessment he has made of the effect of the National Citizen Service on life chances.
Answered by Rob Wilson
NCS is open to all young people and can significantly improve life chances. 7 in 10 participants felt more confident about getting a job in the future after NCS. Young people eligible for free school meals participate in high numbers and demonstrate stronger positive impacts in building resilience. The NCS Bill will make NCS a permanent feature of British life for young people from every background.
Asked by: Huw Merriman (Conservative - Bexhill and Battle)
Question to the Attorney General:
To ask the Attorney General, how many times the Law Officers have referred a criminal sentence to the Court of Appeal for review because it was felt to be unduly lenient during the last twelve months.
Answered by Jeremy Wright
In the year to 31st December 2014, the Law Officers personally considered 469 cases and referred 128 offenders to the Court of Appeal under the unduly lenient sentence scheme. 86% of those offenders had their sentences increased, which included some of the most serious violent and sexual offences, including murder, rape and sexual assault. The full statistics for 2015 will be published early next year.
Asked by: Huw Merriman (Conservative - Bexhill and Battle)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps the Government is taking to improve support for children and young people with mental health problems.
Answered by Alistair Burt
We are working to develop seamless and integrated mental health services for children and young people through a major transformation programme backed by additional funding. NHS England are expanding the Children and Young People’s Improving Access to Psychological Therapies Programme to cover all England by 2018 and, with the Department for Education, developing single points of contact for mental health in schools.