Asked by: Carla Denyer (Green Party - Bristol Central)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps she is taking to (a) monitor and (b) assess the risk posed by climate emissions to UK (i) financial stability and (ii) pension funds.
Answered by James Murray - Chief Secretary to the Treasury
The Bank of England’s Financial Policy Committee (FPC) is responsible for identifying and addressing risks to the UK financial system. The FPC’s latest remit was set out by the Chancellor in November 2024. It sets out that the Committee should regard the risks posed by climate change, including physical and transition risks, as relevant to its primary objective, and consider how these risks could impact financial stability over the near and long term, including where appropriate through its stress testing frameworks. The remits for the Financial Policy Committee and Prudential Regulation Committee also make clear that they should support the Government’s approach to accelerate the transition to a climate resilient, nature positive, and net zero economy.
Asked by: Carla Denyer (Green Party - Bristol Central)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what recent progress his Department has made to develop the Violence Against Women and Girls Taskforce.
Answered by Louise Sandher-Jones - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)
Defence is developing a Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) Taskforce to provide a clear, trauma-informed and survivor-centred approach to tackling sexual harassment and abuse, simplifying access to support and strengthening partnerships with NHS Sexual Assault Referral Centres, local authorities and specialist charities. We have identified two regional locations that will each have a small team of specialised posts dedicated to delivering initiatives focussed on prevention, education and support; these have an anticipated pilot launch date of December 2025.
Asked by: Carla Denyer (Green Party - Bristol Central)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many asylum seekers were dispersed in the asylum system while in the late stages of pregnancy in (a) 2022, (b) 2023 and (c) 2024; and how many of those dispersals were at the request of (i) the pregnant woman and (ii) her treating clinician.
Answered by Alex Norris - Minister of State (Home Office)
The Home Office did not record this data in a reportable format for the years requested but has since developed a tool that should enable the Department to do so in the future. This is still being tested given the complexities involved.
Asked by: Carla Denyer (Green Party - Bristol Central)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many requests for deferred biometric enrolment from student visa applicants in Gaza have been (a) received, (b) refused and (c) accepted since 7 October 2023.
Answered by Mike Tapp - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)
The Home Office does not currently publish data regarding the number of biometric deferral requests submitted or approved.
The Home Office has put in place systems to issue expedited visas, with biometric checks conducted prior to arrival in the UK for all Chevening scholars from Gaza. We are in the process of doing the same for a group of students in Gaza who have been awarded fully funded scholarships covering course fees and living costs at UK universities so they can start their studies in Autumn 2025. The Government is doing everything it can to support their safe exit and onward travel to the UK. The situation on the ground in Gaza makes this extremely challenging.
Asked by: Carla Denyer (Green Party - Bristol Central)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether plans to extend the qualifying period for indefinite leave to remain will be applied to (a) UK Ancestry Visa holders and (b) other visa holders with the right to vote in general elections.
Answered by Mike Tapp - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)
Settlement in the UK is a prerequisite for becoming a British citizen and brings lifelong benefits. Settlement is also an important step in integrating and contributing to local communities and the wider country.
We will therefore reform the current rules around settlement so that individuals must earn their right to a privileged immigration status in the UK through the long-term contribution they bring to our country. We will be consulting on the earned settlement scheme later this year and will provide details of how the scheme will work after that.