Asked by: Tommy Sheppard (Scottish National Party - Edinburgh East)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether she plans to take further steps to prevent illegal hunting at events described as trail hunting; and if she will make a statement.
Answered by Trudy Harrison
We recognise it is possible that dogs used for trail hunting may on occasion pick up and follow the scent of live foxes during a trail hunt. If this occurs it is the responsibility of the huntsman and other members of hunt staff to control their hounds.
Failure to prevent dogs from chasing or killing a fox may be taken as intent to break the law. Anyone who believes that an offence has taken place should report the matter to the police, as the police deal with complaints of illegal hunting.
Asked by: Tommy Sheppard (Scottish National Party - Edinburgh East)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent assessment she has made of the prevalence of illegal hunting at events described as trail hunting.
Answered by Trudy Harrison
We recognise it is possible that dogs used for trail hunting may on occasion pick up and follow the scent of live foxes during a trail hunt. If this occurs it is the responsibility of the huntsman and other members of hunt staff to control their hounds.
Failure to prevent dogs from chasing or killing a fox may be taken as intent to break the law. Anyone who believes that an offence has taken place should report the matter to the police, as the police deal with complaints of illegal hunting.
Asked by: Tommy Sheppard (Scottish National Party - Edinburgh East)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether he plans to implement the recommendations of the review of the provision of non-religious pastoral support to the Armed Forces; and whether he plans to work with Humanists UK and the Non-Religious Pastoral Support Network to accredit humanist and non-religious chaplains to the Armed Forces.
Answered by Andrew Murrison - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)
Military Chaplains are professionally qualified to provide pastoral care to everyone, regardless of faith or belief background. However, should a Service person feel uncomfortable with talking to a Chaplain, they are able to seek appropriate professional support from a variety of alternative sources, which can be facilitated by the Chaplain. This includes their Chain of Command, through the Services' professional social workers, medical staff, and dedicated welfare staff. Mutual support is also available via the various staff networks, including the Humanist and Non-Religious in Defence (HAND) Network.
Having carefully considered whether this provision is adequate and suitably reflects the needs of all our people, we have recently conducted a review of this matter and consider the provision of pastoral care merits enhancement so that we can deliver even better support. Accordingly, we are intending to recruit a non-religious pastoral officer for each of the Armed Services, and are currently working with a range of stakeholders from the within the breadth of the AF community to determine how best to take this forward including how we engage with appropriate professional endorsing bodies.
Asked by: Tommy Sheppard (Scottish National Party - Edinburgh East)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether the independent review into the service and experience of LGBT veterans who served between 1967 to 2000 will assess the reasons for which people with HIV were discharged in that period; and whether this will be assessed in the Government's response to that review.
Answered by Johnny Mercer - Minister of State (Cabinet Office) (Minister for Veterans' Affairs)
This Government is committed to ensuring that the service of every veteran is understood, valued and recognised.
The Cabinet Office and MoD have therefore commissioned an independent review to look at the impact of the pre-2000 ban on LGBT personnel serving in the Armed Forces. Whilst HIV status was not explicitly part of the independent review's terms of reference, the content of the final report will be a matter for the Review. The final report is due by 25 May, and we will publish the report and the Government’s response in due course thereafter.
Asked by: Tommy Sheppard (Scottish National Party - Edinburgh East)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of capping the number of graduate visas on the UK’s economy.
Answered by Robert Jenrick
The Graduate route provides an opportunity for international students who have been awarded their degree to stay in the UK and work, or look for work, at any skill level for 2 years, or 3 years for doctoral students.
An Impact Assessment was prepared to accompany the launch of the Graduate route. This can be found at the following link: Impact Assessment template (publishing.service.gov.uk)
The public rightly expects us to control immigration and ensure we have a system that works in the UK’s best interests. We keep our immigration policies under constant review to ensure they reflect our priorities.
Asked by: Tommy Sheppard (Scottish National Party - Edinburgh East)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has had recent discussions with his Iranian counterpart on reports of indiscriminate violence by Iranian security forces against protesters in Sanandaj.
Answered by David Rutley - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Iranian regime's violent repression of the Iranian people, including in Sanandaj and the Kurdistan Province, is a stark reminder of the deplorable status of human rights in Iran. The Foreign Secretary summoned Iran's most senior diplomat in the UK on 3 October, we then reiterated with him on 26 October, our absolute condemnation of Iran's nationwide crackdown on peaceful protestors. The UK raises human rights at all appropriate opportunities, in London and via His Majesty's Ambassador in Tehran. The UK maintains close to 300 sanctions designations against Iran, in relation to nuclear proliferation, terrorism and including 87 human rights designations. We work with international partners to hold Iran to account, through the UN Human Rights Council, Security Council, G7 and the UN General Assembly Third Committee.
Asked by: Tommy Sheppard (Scottish National Party - Edinburgh East)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what estimate he has made of the number of incidents in which schools in the West Bank were raided during school hours by (a) Israeli forces and (b) Israeli settlers in 2022.
Answered by David Rutley - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
We regularly raise the issue of Palestinians killed and injured by Israeli Defence Forces in the West Bank and Gaza with the Israeli authorities. We encourage them to carry out swift, transparent and thorough investigations and, if wrongdoing is found, that those responsible be held to account. We will continue to stress the importance of the Israeli security forces providing appropriate protection to the Palestinian civilian population, particularly the need to protect children, and urge restraint in the use of live fire.
Asked by: Tommy Sheppard (Scottish National Party - Edinburgh East)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what estimate he has made of the number of children killed by Israeli forces using live ammunition in the West Bank in (a) October 2022 and (b) since 1 January 2022; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by David Rutley - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
We regularly raise the issue of Palestinians killed and injured by Israeli Defence Forces in the West Bank and Gaza with the Israeli authorities. We encourage them to carry out swift, transparent and thorough investigations and, if wrongdoing is found, that those responsible be held to account. We will continue to stress the importance of the Israeli security forces providing appropriate protection to the Palestinian civilian population, particularly the need to protect children, and urge restraint in the use of live fire.
Asked by: Tommy Sheppard (Scottish National Party - Edinburgh East)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment his Department has made of the legality of Israel’s closure of Palestinian towns and cities including (a) Nablus and (b) Shuafat refugee camps.
Answered by Andrew Mitchell - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) (Minister for Development)
The UK is aware of the fragile security situation in the West Bank and are monitoring developments closely. We look to all parties to take urgent steps to de-escalate tensions. The British Ambassador to Israel and British Consul-General in Jerusalem have been engaging with the Israeli and Palestinian leaderships to support them in restoring calm. We stress the importance of ensuring access for humanitarian and development organisations, including in Palestinian refugee camps, even during periods of instability. We also continue to stress the importance of the Israeli security forces providing appropriate protection to the Palestinian civilian population.
Asked by: Tommy Sheppard (Scottish National Party - Edinburgh East)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what representations he has made to his Israeli counterpart on (a) the obstruction of ambulances seeking to reach and transport wounded people in the north of the West Bank, (b) the detention of a Palestinian Red Crescent Society (PRCS) ambulance driver on 19 October 2022 and (c) other reported violations against health workers.
Answered by Andrew Mitchell - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) (Minister for Development)
Access in and out of Gaza, in accordance with International Humanitarian Law, remains essential for humanitarian purposes and for those, including Palestinians, travelling for medical purposes. The British Embassy in Tel Aviv regularly raises the importance of regularised access to healthcare with the Israeli authorities. We strongly condemn all forms of violence and incitement to violence directed towards healthcare workers. The wounded and critically ill in Gaza and the West Bank should be able to access the urgent medical care they need.