Asked by: Carla Lockhart (Democratic Unionist Party - Upper Bann)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions he has had with his counterparts in China on (a) the persecution of Christians and (b) other religious persecution.
Answered by Anne-Marie Trevelyan - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The environment for Freedom of Religion or Belief (FoRB) across China is restrictive, including the persecution of Christians, Muslims, Buddhists, Falun Gong practitioners.
We work within international organisations and networks to promote and protect freedom of religion or belief for all where it is threatened, including the UN, the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe, the Council of Europe, and the International Religious Freedom or Belief Alliance. For example, in October 2022 we raised China's severe restrictions on religious practice in a joint statement at the UN Human Rights Council (HCR) alongside 49 other countries. At last month's UN HRC we made a statement urging China to reverse its ongoing, serious, and systematic human rights violations in Xinjiang and Tibet.
More generally, we regularly raise the human rights situation in China directly with the Chinese authorities at the highest levels. The Foreign Secretary did so in a meeting with the Chinese Vice President in May 2023.
Asked by: Carla Lockhart (Democratic Unionist Party - Upper Bann)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how much his Department has spent on hospitality in each of the last three years.
Answered by Steve Baker - Minister of State (Northern Ireland Office)
The amount spent on hospitality by the Northern Ireland Office is as follows:
2019-20 - £258,327
2020-21 - £33,458
2021-22 - £62,872
The 2022-23 spend is subject to end of year audit and therefore not yet available.
Asked by: Carla Lockhart (Democratic Unionist Party - Upper Bann)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, whether he has had discussions with the Chief Constable of the Police Service of Northern Ireland on policing budgets.
Answered by Steve Baker - Minister of State (Northern Ireland Office)
Policing is a devolved matter in Northern Ireland and the Police Service of Northern Ireland’s (PSNI) main budget is allocated by the Department of Justice from the Northern Ireland Executive block grant. The budget set out in the Secretary of State’s Written Ministerial Statement to Parliament on 27 April gives the Department of Justice a total allocation of £1.2 billion and is now being put on a statutory footing with the introduction of the Northern Ireland Budget (No.2) Bill on 29 June. We have provided the Department of Justice with the third largest budget allocation after Health and Education.
It is now for the Department of Justice to determine the allocation of funding to the PSNI from their budget allocation for 2023-24. It is an operational matter for the Chief Constable to determine how to deploy the funding allocated to the PSNI, in consultation with the Northern Ireland Policing Board, to deliver the best outcomes possible.
Recognising the unique security situation in Northern Ireland, the UK Government makes additional contributions to PSNI through Additional Security Funding. The contribution for the financial year 2023-24 will be £31.2 million.
The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland is in regular contact with the Chief Constable of Northern Ireland regarding a variety of matters. The UK Government fully supports the excellent work that the PSNI undertakes to keep people in Northern Ireland safe, often in exceptionally challenging circumstances.
Asked by: Carla Lockhart (Democratic Unionist Party - Upper Bann)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, whether he has made an assessment of the potential economic impact of the US President's visit to Northern Ireland in April 2023.
Answered by Steve Baker - Minister of State (Northern Ireland Office)
The visit from the President of the United States to Northern Ireland during the 25th Anniversary of the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement further underscored the commitment of the United States to peace and prosperity in Northern Ireland.
Northern Ireland has benefitted from substantial Foreign Direct Investment from the United States, having generated nearly 13,000 jobs and £1.5 billion worth of investment in the last decade. During his visit, the President outlined the potential for this to substantially increase.
The UK Government is working closely with Joe Kennedy III, U.S. Special Envoy to Northern Ireland for Economic Affairs, particularly as we build up to the Northern Ireland Investment Summit on 12 and 13 September. This Summit will further position Northern Ireland as an ideal location for investment, including from the United States.
Asked by: Carla Lockhart (Democratic Unionist Party - Upper Bann)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what steps he is taking to promote investment into Northern Ireland from India.
Answered by Steve Baker - Minister of State (Northern Ireland Office)
In March 2021, the Northern Ireland Office announced that £8 million of New Deal for Northern Ireland funding would be provided to Invest Northern Ireland, to expand their overseas presence in new locations, and expand their presence in existing locations. This funding has seen new Invest Northern Ireland staff members recruited in countries across the world, including India, and other key investment and export markets.
This in-market presence is a direct result of our New Deal funding and will help Northern Ireland businesses gain increased access to these markets and promote Northern Ireland as a location for inward investment.
The Northern Ireland Investment Summit on 12 and 13 September, led by the Department for Business and Trade in partnership with the Northern Ireland Office and Invest Northern Ireland, will further position Northern Ireland as an ideal location for investment and investors from across the world.
Asked by: Carla Lockhart (Democratic Unionist Party - Upper Bann)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many times he has met with representatives of the Parades Commission since September 2022.
Answered by Steve Baker - Minister of State (Northern Ireland Office)
In line with the Framework Agreement between the Parades Commission for Northern Ireland and the Northern Ireland Office, the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland has met the Parades Commission once since September 2022.
Asked by: Carla Lockhart (Democratic Unionist Party - Upper Bann)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether the clandestine entrant civil penalty scheme applies to (a) heavy goods vehicles, (b) accompanied trailers, (c) unaccompanied trailers and (d) coaches travelling from Northern Ireland (i) directly and (ii) indirectly to Great Britain.
Answered by Robert Jenrick
The Clandestine Entrant Civil Penalty Scheme does apply to (a) heavy goods vehicles, (b) accompanied trailers, (c) unaccompanied trailers and (d) coaches travelling from Northern Ireland indirectly to Great Britain.
It does not apply to vehicles travelling from Northern Ireland directly to Great Britain.
Asked by: Carla Lockhart (Democratic Unionist Party - Upper Bann)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether HM Passport Office has a target time for responding to queries from hon. Members on behalf of their constituents.
Answered by Robert Jenrick
The target time for His Majesty’s Passport Office to respond to written queries from hon. Members is 20 working days. For the most urgent cases, hon. Members can continue to contact HM Passport Office via the dedicated hotline.
Asked by: Carla Lockhart (Democratic Unionist Party - Upper Bann)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps he is taking to ensure that the needs of men experiencing incontinence are recognised in Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations.
Answered by Mims Davies - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) 1992 Regulations (‘the Workplace Regulations’) and Approved Code of Practice (ACOP) set broad standards for what employers should provide to ensure the workplace is safe, healthy and provides appropriate welfare facilities to meet the needs of each member of the workforce.
Regulation 20 of the Workplace Regulations state that toilets should be kept in a clean and orderly condition. A business should consider the means to ensure they can fulfil this duty for every member of the workforce. The guidance already places a requirement for any worker with a disability to have access to facilities which are adjusted for their use if necessary.
Asked by: Carla Lockhart (Democratic Unionist Party - Upper Bann)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, with reference to the Written Statement of 9 November 2022, HCWS172 on Building Regulations, if his Department will take steps to ensure that the review considers equal access to male sanitary bins in already established buildings as well as new buildings..
Answered by Lee Rowley - Minister of State (Minister for Housing)
I refer the Hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 83564 on 17 November 2022.