Asked by: Alex Salmond (Scottish National Party - Gordon)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps the Government is taking to provide superfast broadband in (a) rural communities and (b) Gordon constituency.
Answered by Matt Hancock
As a result of the government's Superfast Broadband Programme and roll-out by the private sector, superfast broadband with speeds of more than 24Mbps is now available to more than 92% of homes and businesses in the UK and the government expects this to reach 95% by the end of 2017. This coverage includes rural areas. The delivery programme in Scotland including the Gordon constituency is delivered by the Scottish Government.
Thinkbroadband estimate that current coverage of superfast broadband in the Gordon constituency is 79%, which DCMS estimate will rise to 83% by the end of 2017. This compares to a UK average of over 92%. The Scottish Government is responsible for delivering broadband in Scotland.
Take up in the Rest of Scotland Project area is 28% and as a result of the UK Government's contract management, further funding can be returned to the Scottish Government for reinvestment in more superfast coverage as take-up rises. It would be for the Scottish Government to decide where funding returned by suppliers under the contracts is allocated to increase coverage.
Asked by: Alex Salmond (Scottish National Party - Gordon)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what the implications for his Department's policy on Turkey's bid to become a member of the EU are of the result of the recent Turkish referendum.
Answered by Alan Duncan
Turkey continues to be a Candidate Country of the EU. The UK remains of the view that the EU accession process is important to delivering security, stability and prosperity in Turkey. We encourage Turkey to continue to engage constructively with the accession process. As and when candidate countries have met the requirements for accession in full, it will be for those countries and EU members at the time to decide on membership. That point remains some way off.
Asked by: Alex Salmond (Scottish National Party - Gordon)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions he has had with the Government of Paraguay on recent gang violence in that country; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Alan Duncan
British Embassy officials in Asuncion regularly discuss security issues with the Paraguayan authorities.
Asked by: Alex Salmond (Scottish National Party - Gordon)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if the Government will take steps to ensure that puppies are not sold without their mothers being present.
Answered by George Eustice
The Government set out its position on this and other recommendations in its response, which was published in February, to the review by the Parliamentary Select Committee on Environment, Food & Rural Affairs, entitled Animal Welfare in England: Domestic Pets.
Asked by: Alex Salmond (Scottish National Party - Gordon)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps the Government is taking to prevent female genital mutilation.
Answered by Sarah Newton
Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) is a crime and is child abuse that requires domestic and international action. Recent work to prevent it includes:
Asked by: Alex Salmond (Scottish National Party - Gordon)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps the Government is taking to support asylum seekers fleeing Middle Eastern countries due to being persecuted because of their religious belief.
Answered by Robert Goodwill
We are doing our utmost to provide assistance to all those in need in the region. The UK has now allocated £2.3 billion since 2012 to meet the immediate needs of vulnerable people in Syria and of refugees in the region making it one of the largest donors. Since summer 2014, we have committed £169.5 million in humanitarian assistance to help those affected by Daesh in Iraq.
In addition, the UK operates four resettlement schemes (Gateway, Mandate, the Syrian Vulnerable Persons Resettlement (VPR) Scheme and the Vulnerable Children’s Resettlement Scheme (VCRS), working closely with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) on each to identify those most in need of resettlement, prioritising the most vulnerable.
The UK works according to the humanitarian principles of impartiality and neutrality which means that we do not take into consideration the ethno-religious origins of people requiring assistance as we assist solely on the basis of needs, identified by UNHCR.
All asylum claims lodged in the UK, including claims based on religious persecution, are carefully considered on their individual merits in accordance with our obligations under the Refugee Convention. Those who demonstrate a well founded fear on return to their country are normally granted protection.
Asked by: Alex Salmond (Scottish National Party - Gordon)
Question to the Department for Exiting the European Union :
To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, whether the Government plans to publish a regulatory impact assessment for the European Union (Notification of Withdrawal) Bill.
Answered by Robin Walker
The Government has been conducting a programme of rigorous and extensive analytical work that will help define our partnership with the EU, and inform our understanding of how EU exit will affect the UK’s domestic policies and frameworks. Parliament has voted repeatedly not to publish detail which could undermine UK's position in our negotiations with the EU and the Government will repeat repeat that decision.
Asked by: Alex Salmond (Scottish National Party - Gordon)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether the Government plans to review the Certificates of Equivalent Competency system.
Answered by John Hayes
The Maritime and Coastguard Agency has a specialist team that checks that any seafarer, who applies for a Certificate of Equivalent Competency to allow them to work on a UK-flagged ship, meets the necessary standards.
The UK Government is satisfied that the process is working and has no plans to change the current arrangements.
Asked by: Alex Salmond (Scottish National Party - Gordon)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what the Government's policy is on South Korea's impeached President Park Geun-hye.
Answered by Alok Sharma - COP26 President (Cabinet Office)
We are aware of the decision of South Korea's Constitutional Court. We are monitoring the ongoing election campaign. We remain steadfast in our desire for a close partnership with the Republic of Korea and will work together to continue building on our already strong bilateral relationship.
Asked by: Alex Salmond (Scottish National Party - Gordon)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps the Government is taking to protect Sub-Saharan migrants trying to reach Europe against the risk of their being sold as slaves or hostages in Libya.
Answered by Tobias Ellwood
UK aid programmes in source and transit countries increasingly focus on jobs and livelihoods, aiming to reduce the need for migrants to leave. We are also targeting people smuggling gangs.
The conflict makes Libya a difficult country in which to operate. Nonetheless the UK has committed over £12.4million since October 2015. This funding includes a programme partnering with the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) to improve living conditions for men and women in detention centres and assist the voluntary repatriation for migrants.
The UK is also supporting the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in providing humanitarian relief and immediate lifesaving assistance to vulnerable populations in Libya.