Asked by: Anum Qaisar (Scottish National Party - Airdrie and Shotts)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what progress he has made on securing the release of UK joint nationals who are arbitrarily detained in Iran.
Answered by David Rutley - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The FCDO provides consular support to the families of dual British nationals detained in Iran when they request our support. It remains in Iran's gift to release any British National who has been unfairly detained and we urge the Government of Iran to stop its practice of unfairly detaining British and other foreign nationals. We will continue to work with like-minded partners to that end.
Asked by: Anum Qaisar (Scottish National Party - Airdrie and Shotts)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of introducing a temporary visa scheme to allow people affected by the earthquake in (a) Syria and (b) Türkiye to travel to the UK.
Answered by Robert Jenrick
The Government has no plans to implement specific schemes for those impacted by the earthquake in Turkey and Syria. Existing visa routes for those wishing to come to the UK are available.
The UK continues to provide lifesaving and emergency support, coordinating closely with the Turkish government and United Nations in Syria to ensure our support meets the needs on the ground and that we can stay responsive to emerging needs.
Asked by: Anum Qaisar (Scottish National Party - Airdrie and Shotts)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
What steps his Department is taking to ensure that the armed forces are adequately equipped to meet future (a) security and (b) military threats.
Answered by Alex Chalk - Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice
Our Armed Forces are configured to deliver a full spectrum of capabilities from conventional armed forces to the nuclear deterrent.
The Department is ensuring our Armed Forces have the equipment and capability they need to meet the threats of tomorrow, including through a £242 billion 10-year equipment plan.
Asked by: Anum Qaisar (Scottish National Party - Airdrie and Shotts)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, whether her Department plans to take steps to help mitigate the emissions increases projected in the UK-India Free Trade Agreement Scoping Assessment, published January 2022.
Answered by Greg Hands - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
A free trade agreement (FTA) with India could help address trade barriers, drive growth and support jobs across the UK. The Government is seeking provisions that support our ambitions on the environment and climate change, while preserving the UK’s right to regulate.
Alongside FTA negotiations, the UK and India work together to support clean growth. The UK-India roadmap includes an ambitious agenda for collaboration on climate change as well as work in multilateral fora such as the World Trade Organization.
At signature, the Government will publish the Impact Assessment including estimates of emissions impacts expected to result from the agreement.
Asked by: Anum Qaisar (Scottish National Party - Airdrie and Shotts)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps his Department is taking to address the impact of the cost of living on single households.
Answered by John Glen - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
The government understands that people across the UK are worried about the cost of living. That is why the government has announced £37 billion of support for the cost of living this financial year, which includes £1,200 of support through the £400 EBSS for the most vulnerable households, £150 Council Tax rebate and one-off £650 Cost of Living Payment for those on means-tested benefits, with additional support for pensioners and those claiming disability benefits.
In addition, the Government has also taken decisive action to support households and business with rising energy costs this winter through the Energy Price Guarantee and the Energy Bill Relief Scheme. The Energy Price Guarantee limits the energy bill of an average household to £2,500 a year, saving them at least £1,000 a year based on current energy prices. The Energy Bill Relief Scheme provides support for businesses through a discount which is calculated by comparing the estimated wholesale portion of the unit price to a baseline ‘government supported price’ that is lower than currently expected winter wholesale prices. For all non-domestic energy users in Great Britain this government supported price has been set at £211 per megawatt hour (MWh) for electricity and £75 per MWh for gas.
We are continuing to keep the situation under review and focus support on the most vulnerable whilst ensuring we act in a fiscally responsible way.
Asked by: Anum Qaisar (Scottish National Party - Airdrie and Shotts)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what representations her Department made to Indian negotiators on India’s human rights record during free trade agreement negotiations.
Answered by Greg Hands - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The UK is a leading advocate for human rights around the world. We remain committed to the promotion of universal human rights, and when we have concerns they are raised directly with partner governments, including at ministerial level. This is undertaken separately to negotiations of free trade agreements, although they are part of building open and trusting relationships with important partners.
Asked by: Anum Qaisar (Scottish National Party - Airdrie and Shotts)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, when her Department plans to conclude Free Trade Agreement negotiations with India.
Answered by Greg Hands - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
Negotiations are ongoing with India. To date, there have been five formal rounds of talks. We have provisionally closed the majority of chapters in our free trade agreement talks with India and look forward to a next formal round of negotiations soon.
The Government is clear that it won’t sacrifice quality for speed. We will continue to review progress, and only sign when we have a deal that is fair, reciprocal, and ultimately in the best interests of the British people and the economy.
Asked by: Anum Qaisar (Scottish National Party - Airdrie and Shotts)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, whether the intended contents of the UK-Israel Free Trade Agreement include provisions for human surveillance technology.
Answered by James Duddridge
On 20 July, negotiations between the UK and Israel for an upgraded, innovation-focused Free Trade Agreement (FTA) were launched. As part of this, our strategic approach to the negotiations was published on GOV.UK. This document sets out the UK’s key objectives in these negotiations.
Asked by: Anum Qaisar (Scottish National Party - Airdrie and Shotts)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, whether the intended contents of the UK-Israel Free Trade Agreement include provisions for transport technology.
Answered by James Duddridge
On 20 July, negotiations between the UK and Israel for an upgraded, innovation-focused Free Trade Agreement (FTA) were launched. As part of this, our strategic approach to the negotiations was published on GOV.UK. This document sets out the UK’s key objectives in these negotiations.
Asked by: Anum Qaisar (Scottish National Party - Airdrie and Shotts)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, whether there will be provisions in place within any free trade deal between the UK and Israel on strengthening the rights of Palestinians working in Israel and the Occupied Territories.
Answered by James Duddridge
The Government has high regard for worker protections and has made clear that we will not compromise on these in our trade agreements. All our negotiations seek to ensure commitment to international labour protections, including at the International Labour Organization (ILO).