David Burrowes

Conservative - Former Member for Enfield, Southgate

First elected: 5th May 2005


Home Affairs Committee
8th Jul 2015 - 3rd May 2017
Public Accounts Committee
23rd Jun 2014 - 30th Mar 2015
Shadow Minister (Justice)
3rd Jul 2007 - 6th May 2010
Public Administration Committee
12th Jul 2005 - 6th May 2010
Draft Human Tissue and Embryos Bill (Joint Committee)
2nd May 2007 - 8th Aug 2007
Draft Legal Services Bill (Joint Committee)
17th May 2006 - 25th Jul 2006
Armed Forces Bill Committee
19th Dec 2005 - 9th May 2006


Division Voting information

David Burrowes has voted in 1980 divisions, and 20 times against the majority of their Party.

9 Mar 2016 - Enterprise Bill [Lords] - View Vote Context
David Burrowes voted Aye - against a party majority and in line with the House
One of 25 Conservative Aye votes vs 281 Conservative No votes
Tally: Ayes - 317 Noes - 286
16 Nov 2015 - Council of Europe - View Vote Context
David Burrowes voted Aye - against a party majority and against the House
One of 24 Conservative Aye votes vs 170 Conservative No votes
Tally: Ayes - 34 Noes - 171
24 Nov 2014 - Recall of MPs Bill - View Vote Context
David Burrowes voted Aye - against a party majority and in line with the House
One of 47 Conservative Aye votes vs 117 Conservative No votes
Tally: Ayes - 204 Noes - 125
24 Nov 2014 - Recall of MPs Bill - View Vote Context
David Burrowes voted Aye - against a party majority and against the House
One of 71 Conservative Aye votes vs 85 Conservative No votes
Tally: Ayes - 119 Noes - 193
27 Oct 2014 - Recall of MPs Bill - View Vote Context
David Burrowes voted Aye - against a party majority and against the House
One of 110 Conservative Aye votes vs 135 Conservative No votes
Tally: Ayes - 166 Noes - 340
5 Mar 2014 - Judgments - View Vote Context
David Burrowes voted No - against a party majority and against the House
One of 83 Conservative No votes vs 123 Conservative Aye votes
Tally: Ayes - 360 Noes - 104
5 Mar 2014 - Registration of Births, deaths and marriages etc - View Vote Context
David Burrowes voted No - against a party majority and against the House
One of 81 Conservative No votes vs 124 Conservative Aye votes
Tally: Ayes - 363 Noes - 100
5 Mar 2014 - Registration of births, deaths and marriages etc - View Vote Context
David Burrowes voted No - against a party majority and against the House
One of 83 Conservative No votes vs 123 Conservative Aye votes
Tally: Ayes - 366 Noes - 103
5 Mar 2014 - Marriage - View Vote Context
David Burrowes voted No - against a party majority and against the House
One of 81 Conservative No votes vs 126 Conservative Aye votes
Tally: Ayes - 367 Noes - 100
5 Mar 2014 - Marriage - View Vote Context
David Burrowes voted No - against a party majority and against the House
One of 84 Conservative No votes vs 123 Conservative Aye votes
Tally: Ayes - 365 Noes - 103
5 Mar 2014 - Marriage - View Vote Context
David Burrowes voted No - against a party majority and against the House
One of 79 Conservative No votes vs 126 Conservative Aye votes
Tally: Ayes - 368 Noes - 98
11 Jul 2012 - Sittings of the House - View Vote Context
David Burrowes voted No - against a party majority and in line with the House
One of 87 Conservative No votes vs 142 Conservative Aye votes
Tally: Ayes - 241 Noes - 256
11 Jul 2012 - Sittings of the House - View Vote Context
David Burrowes voted Aye - against a party majority and in line with the House
One of 93 Conservative Aye votes vs 139 Conservative No votes
Tally: Ayes - 267 Noes - 233
7 Sep 2011 - Health and Social Care (Re-committed) Bill - View Vote Context
David Burrowes voted Aye - against a party majority and against the House
One of 94 Conservative Aye votes vs 115 Conservative No votes
Tally: Ayes - 118 Noes - 368
20 May 2008 - Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill [Lords] - View Vote Context
David Burrowes voted Aye - against a party majority and against the House
One of 40 Conservative Aye votes vs 70 Conservative No votes
Tally: Ayes - 71 Noes - 393
20 May 2008 - Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill [Lords] - View Vote Context
David Burrowes voted Aye - against a party majority and against the House
One of 50 Conservative Aye votes vs 67 Conservative No votes
Tally: Ayes - 84 Noes - 387
6 May 2008 - Criminal Justice and Immigration Bill - View Vote Context
David Burrowes voted Aye - against a party majority and against the House
One of 36 Conservative Aye votes vs 48 Conservative No votes
Tally: Ayes - 0 Noes - 0
7 Mar 2007 - House of Lords Reform - View Vote Context
David Burrowes voted Aye - against a party majority and against the House
One of 42 Conservative Aye votes vs 134 Conservative No votes
Tally: Ayes - 178 Noes - 392
7 Mar 2007 - House of Lords Reform - View Vote Context
David Burrowes voted Aye - against a party majority and in line with the House
One of 75 Conservative Aye votes vs 96 Conservative No votes
Tally: Ayes - 305 Noes - 267
1 Nov 2006 - Legislative Process - View Vote Context
David Burrowes voted Aye - against a party majority and against the House
One of 34 Conservative Aye votes vs 105 Conservative No votes
Tally: Ayes - 122 Noes - 354
View All David Burrowes Division Votes

All Debates

Speeches made during Parliamentary debates are recorded in Hansard. For ease of browsing we have grouped debates into individual, departmental and legislative categories.

Sparring Partners
Lord Cameron of Chipping Norton (Conservative)
Foreign Secretary
(42 debate interactions)
Theresa May (Conservative)
(34 debate interactions)
Chris Grayling (Conservative)
(32 debate interactions)
View All Sparring Partners
Department Debates
Ministry of Justice
(154 debate contributions)
Home Office
(112 debate contributions)
HM Treasury
(101 debate contributions)
View All Department Debates
Legislation Debates
Homelessness Reduction Act 2017
(11,292 words contributed)
Neighbourhood Planning Act 2017
(2,934 words contributed)
Children and Social Work Act 2017
(2,742 words contributed)
View All Legislation Debates
View all David Burrowes's debates

Enfield, Southgate Petitions

e-Petitions are administered by Parliament and allow members of the public to express support for a particular issue.

If an e-petition reaches 10,000 signatures the Government will issue a written response.

If an e-petition reaches 100,000 signatures the petition becomes eligible for a Parliamentary debate (usually Monday 4.30pm in Westminster Hall).

David Burrowes has not participated in any petition debates

Latest EDMs signed by David Burrowes

8th November 2016
David Burrowes signed this EDM on Thursday 24th November 2016

TRIGGERING OF ARTICLE 50

Tabled by: John Penrose (Conservative - Weston-super-Mare)
That this House supports the triggering of Article 50 of the Treaty on the European Union according to the Government's timetable.
40 signatures
(Most recent: 6 Dec 2016)
Signatures by party:
Conservative: 35
Democratic Unionist Party: 4
Independent: 1
View All David Burrowes's signed Early Day Motions

Commons initiatives

These initiatives were driven by David Burrowes, and are more likely to reflect personal policy preferences.

MPs who are act as Ministers or Shadow Ministers are generally restricted from performing Commons initiatives other than Urgent Questions.


1 Urgent Question tabled by David Burrowes

Monday 10th October 2016

6 Adjournment Debates led by David Burrowes

Tuesday 15th September 2015
Wednesday 19th November 2014
Wednesday 8th May 2013
Thursday 7th July 2011
Monday 31st January 2011
Tuesday 9th November 2010

2 Bills introduced by David Burrowes


A Bill to enable a person to make his or her instructions concerning burial and related matters binding on their personal representative or beneficiary; to enable a person to make provision about the use of a burial space he or she acquired while living after the person’s burial; and for connected purposes.

Commons - 20%

Last Event - 1st Reading: House Of Commons
Tuesday 17th January 2017
(Read Debate)

A Bill to equalise the assessment and enforcement of child maintenance arrangements of children of self-employed parents with that of children of other employed parents; and for connected purposes.

Commons - 20%

Last Event - 1st Reading: House Of Commons
Friday 12th May 2017
(Read Debate)

Latest 50 Written Questions

(View all written questions)
Written Questions can be tabled by MPs and Lords to request specific information information on the work, policy and activities of a Government Department
8 Other Department Questions
21st Oct 2015
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, pursuant to the Answer of 21 October 2015 from the Prime Minister, Official Report, column 947, when the results of the Government's consultation on Sunday trading will be published.

We will publish the results of the consultation on Sunday trading shortly.

15th Oct 2015
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, pursuant to the Answer to Question 10161 of 22 September 2015, on Sunday trading, when he plans to publish the results of the Family Test.

Pursuant to the answer given to Question 10161 of 22 September 2015, we still anticipate that the results of the Family Test will be published alongside the Government’s response to the consultation.

14th Sep 2015
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, when his Department plans to publish the results of its consultation on Sunday trading.

The Government is determined to devolve powers previously held in Whitehall to local areas. We are pleased that many business, shoppers and interested groups have taken this opportunity to share their views on giving local leaders the power to determine whether extended Sunday trading is right for their area. We are currently considering all the responses and will publish the Government’s response in due course.

14th Sep 2015
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, when the Government plans to publish a family impact assessment relating to the proposal to devolve and deregulate Sunday trading laws.

We expect to publish the results of the Family Test alongside the Government’s response to the consultation shortly.

14th Sep 2015
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, how many responses have been received to the consultation on the devolution of Sunday trading laws from (a) small businesses, (b) large businesses, (c) trades unions, (d) faith groups, (e) individuals and (f) others.

The consultation closed on 16 September and the Department is currently in the process of analysing the responses. A full breakdown of the number of responses by category will be provided as part of the Government’s response to the consultation.

4th Jun 2015
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, with reference to Prime Minister's press release of 18 August 2014, what steps she is taking to assess the impact of her Department's policies on the family.

The Family Test was announced by the Prime Minister in August 2014 and introduced in October 2014 through the publication of guidance for officials:

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/368894/family-test-guidance.pdf

The objective of the Test is to introduce a family perspective to the policy making process, specifically to make the potential impacts on family functioning and relationships explicit.

DECC has not applied the Test to date. DECC is working with the DWP to embed the Test in the policymaking process.

DECC does publish analysis of the estimated impacts of energy and climate change polices on household energy bills across different types of households showing that for each different household composition, energy bills are estimated to be lower on average as a result of these policies. [1] We will continue to consider the impacts on families where relevant, for example when implementing the fuel poverty strategy.

[1] DECC (2014) ‘Estimated impacts of energy and climate change policies on energy prices and bills’, available online at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/estimated-impacts-of-energy-and-climate-change-policies-on-energy-prices-and-bills-2014 Analysis refers to 2020.

Andrea Leadsom
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
4th Jun 2015
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, with reference to the Prime Minister's press release of 18 August 2014, what steps he is taking to assess the impact of his Department's policies on the family.

Assessing the impact of the Department’s policies on families is an integral part of policy development in the Department.

4th Jun 2015
To ask the Attorney General, with reference to the press release released by the Prime Minister on 18 August 2014, what steps he is taking to assess the impact of the Law Officers' Departments' policies on the family.

The Family Test was announced by the Prime Minister in August 2014 and introduced in October 2014 through the publication of guidance for officials -Family Test Guidance

The objective of the Test is to introduce a family perspective to the policy making process, specifically to make the potential impacts on family functioning and relationships explicit.

The Law Officers’ Departments have not applied the Test to date, however where applicable they would work with the DWP to embed the Test in policymaking processes.

4th Jun 2015
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the Prime Minister's press release of 18 August 2014, what steps he is taking to assess the impact of his Department's policies on the family.

The Family Test was announced by the Prime Minister in August 2014 and introduced in October 2014, through the publication of guidance for officials - which can be found online at: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/368894/family-test-guidance.pdf

The objective of the Test is to introduce a family perspective to the policy making process, specifically to make the potential impacts on family functioning and relationships explicit.

The Cabinet Office is working with the Department for Work and Pensions, and other government departments, to embed the Test in the policymaking process.

11th Feb 2016
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, pursuant to the Answer of 20 October 2015 to Question 12101, for what reasons the Family Test assessment on Sunday trading has not yet been published; when he expects that assessment to be published; and if he will ensure that that assessment is published before consideration of new clauses in the Enterprise Bill [Lords].

Since the answer of 20 October 2015, the Government has been carefully considering the issues raised in the consultation, and plans to publish the Impact Assessment, including results of the family test, shortly.

10th Feb 2016
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, how many responses his Department received from (a) convenience stores, (b) shop workers and (c) faith groups to the consultation on Sunday trading devolution.

The Department does not hold full data from this consultation broken down by specific question as a large portion of respondents chose to respond in their own words rather than addressing the consultation questions directly, and/or did not indicate the type of organisation they represented.

10th Feb 2016
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what assessment his Department has made of the potential effect of Sunday trading devolution on the premium pay of shopworkers.

In view of the will of the House of Commons, we are no longer proposing to give local authorities the ability to extend the Sunday trading hours of large shops.

10th Feb 2016
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what assessment the Regulatory Policy Committee has made of the devolution of Sunday trading rules.

The Government’s estimates of the economic impact will be independently scrutinised by the Regulatory Policy Committee and their assessment will be published in due course.

10th Feb 2016
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, how many (a) business representative bodies, (b) central government bodies, (c) charity and social enterprises, (d) individuals, (e) large businesses, (f) legal representatives, (g) local authorities, (h) medium-sized businesses, (i) micro businesses, (j) religious organisations, (k) small businesses, (l) trade union or staff associations and (m) other bodies responded to the consultation on Sunday trading devolution; how many of each category (i) supported and (ii) opposed devolution; and if he will make a statement.

The Department does not hold full data from this consultation broken down by specific question as a large portion of respondents chose to respond in their own words rather than addressing the consultation questions directly, and/or did not indicate the type of organisation they represented.

16th Jan 2017
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how many responses her Department has received to the Review of Gaming Machines and Social Responsibility Measures from (a) local authorities, (b) representatives of the gambling industry, (c) charities and (d) individuals.

The call for evidence for the Review of Gaming Machines and Social Responsibility closed on 4 December 2016. I and my officials have regular meetings with the Gambling Commission on this and other matters relating to gambling. The Call for Evidence on the Review of Gaming Machines and Social Responsibility received 275 responses with a) 29 from local authorities; b) 45 from the gambling industry; c) 29 from interest groups including charities; and d) 167 from the public. The remaining five responses came from MPs.

16th Jan 2017
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what discussions she has had with the Gambling Commission after the date of the closure of the call for evidence for the Review of Gaming and Social Responsibility Measures.

The call for evidence for the Review of Gaming Machines and Social Responsibility closed on 4 December 2016. I and my officials have regular meetings with the Gambling Commission on this and other matters relating to gambling. The Call for Evidence on the Review of Gaming Machines and Social Responsibility received 275 responses with a) 29 from local authorities; b) 45 from the gambling industry; c) 29 from interest groups including charities; and d) 167 from the public. The remaining five responses came from MPs.

16th Jun 2015
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, pursuant to the contribution of 10 June 2015 from the Prime Minister, Official Report, column 1210, what steps he is taking to implement EU Directive 2014/60/EU of 15 May 2014 on the return of cultural objects unlawfully removed from the territory of a member state.

The Secretary of State will introduce regulations to implement the changes brought about by the recast Directive 2014/60/EU of 15 May 2014 before 18 December 2015.

4th Jun 2015
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, with reference to the Prime Minister's press release of 18 August 2014, what steps he is taking to assess the impact of his Department's policies on the family.

The Family Test was announced by the Prime Minister in August 2014 and introduced in October 2014 through the publication of guidance for officials - Family Test Guidance

The objective of the Test is to introduce a family perspective to the policy making process, specifically to make the potential impacts on family functioning and relationships explicit.

The Department for Culture, Media and Sport has not applied the Test to date. The Department for Culture, Media and Sport is working with the DWP to embed the Test in the policymaking process.

20th Jul 2015
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to support plans for development of the site and premises of St Andrew the Apostle Greek Orthodox Free School.

We are taking every step we can, in partnership with the London Borough of Barnet, the Greater London Authority and the owners of the school’s current site in North London Business Park to allow it to remain there permanently.

14th Jul 2015
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answer of 10 June 2015 to Question 842, what steps her Department is taking to ensure (a) the availability at GCSE and A-level of (i) Turkish, (ii) Greek, (iii) Gujarati, (iv) Modern Hebrew, (v) Punjabi, (vi) Polish, (vii) Bengali and (viii) other community languages and (b) effective liaison between awarding organisations and Ofqual on the provision of GCSEs and A-levels in those languages.

The Department for Education is in discussion with awarding organisations and Ofqual to consider how best to enable as wide a range of languages as possible to be maintained at GCSE and A level, including those languages listed in the question. We are committed to securing the future of community language qualifications. I will make a further announcement in due course, explaining our proposed approach.

13th Jul 2015
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answer of 10 June 2015 to Question 842, with which organisations she has met in connection with ensuring that awarding organisations are liaising effectively with Ofqual; and what further steps her Department has taken to safeguard the future of modern languages at GCSE and A-level in subjects (a) Turkish, (b) Greek, (c) Gujarati, (d) Modern Hebrew, (e) Panjabi, (f) Polish, (g) Bengali and (h) other community languages.

The Department for Education is in discussion with awarding organisations and Ofqual to consider how best to enable as wide a range of languages as possible to be maintained at GCSE and A level, including those languages listed in the question. We are committed to securing the future of community language qualifications. I will make a further announcement in due course, explaining our proposed approach.

The Secretary of State and I have held meetings with diplomats and officials who have made representations to the department.

13th Jul 2015
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answer of 10 June 2015 to Question 842, what the timescale is, and what methodology is being used for, the consultation on the future of modern languages teaching.

The Department for Education is in discussion with awarding organisations and Ofqual to consider how best to enable as wide a range of languages as possible to be maintained at GCSE and A level, including those languages listed in the question. We are committed to securing the future of community language qualifications. I will make a further announcement in due course, explaining our proposed approach.

The Secretary of State and I have held meetings with diplomats and officials who have made representations to the department.

2nd Jul 2015
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment her Department has made of the effect of recent changes introduced to improve safeguarding of children who go missing from care on the number of children who go missing from (a) care, (b) placements outside the local authority boundaries and (c) distant placements; and if she will make a statement.

Statutory guidance on missing children was revised in January 2014 and can be found online here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/children-who-run-away-or-go-missing-from-home-or-care.

It is not possible to draw conclusions about the impact of the changes in guidance on the number of children missing from care as many factors contribute to this. However, we are working, with support from local authorities, to better understand their responses to missing children and the effect of recent changes. All local authorities must now inform the Department for Education about all incidences of children going missing from care as part of their annual statistical return to the department on looked after children. This, along with more accurate figures on the number of children missing from care available in September 2015, will inform future policy on missing children.

4th Jun 2015
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to the Prime Minister's press release of 18 August 2014, what steps she is taking to assess the impact of her Department's policies on the family.

The Department for Education has developed comprehensive internal guidance on the Family Test and its application. The Department is confident in the approach it has taken to provide guidance and support to staff in applying the Family Test to new policies.

2nd Jun 2015
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what her policy is on the future of A-levels and GCSEs for (a) Turkish, (b) Greek, (c) Gujarati, (d) Modern Hebrew, (e) Panjabi, (f) Polish, (g) Bengali and (h) other community languages; and if she will outline steps that will be taken in pursuit of that policy.

The Department for Education is currently considering what further support and encouragement can be provided to awarding organisations to enable as wide a range of languages as possible to be maintained at GCSE and A level.

The government has been clear that it wants to see all pupils provided with the opportunity to take a core set of academic subjects, including modern foreign languages. The number of pupils entering for a modern language GCSE has increased by 20% since 2010 due to the introduction of the English Baccalaureate. There are considerable benefits to learning a second language and the government is keen to see the range of languages at GCSE and A level preserved. To this end, the Secretary of State wrote to exam boards during the pre-election period in April to express her concern about their decision to stop awarding qualifications in some languages. She asked awarding organisations to work with Ofqual on the future of these qualifications and committed, if there is no further action, to launching a consultation on how best to secure the future of these qualifications.

4th Jun 2015
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to the Prime Minister's press release of 18 August 2014, what steps she is taking to assess the impact of her Department's policies on the family.

The Family Test was announced by the Prime Minister in August 2014 and introduced in October 2014 through the publication of guidance for officials - Family Test Guidance

The objective of the test is to introduce a family perspective to the policy making process, specifically to make the potential impacts on family functioning and relationships explicit.

Defra is following guidance issued by the Department of Work and Pensions to embed and implement the test in the policymaking process. Where the test identifies impacts on the family, this will be evidenced as part of the formal Impact Assessment.

13th Jan 2017
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what steps she is taking to deal with the humanitarian situation in Rakhine, Kachin and Northern Shan States, Burma.

The UK remains deeply concerned about the humanitarian situation in Rakhine, Kachin and Northern Shan. We continue to raise our concerns with both military and civilian Ministers in the Government of Burma as a matter of urgency.

The UK has long been one of the biggest humanitarian donors in Burma and in Rakhine State, providing over £23 million in humanitarian assistance in Rakhine since 2012. No financial aid is provided to the Government of Burma. The UK currently provides humanitarian support to around 100,000 people in the state including to people in internally displaced people camps outside of northern Rakhine and some limited support in northern Rakhine. The UK has provided over £18.1 million in essential humanitarian and health assistance in Kachin and Northern Shan states from 2012 until the end of last financial year, and will provide a further £5 million approximately this year.

2nd Mar 2016
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what steps her Department is taking to tackle child trafficking in Nepal; what assessment she has made of (a) the role of Childreach's Taught Not Trafficked and (b) other preventative education programmes in such work; and if she will make a statement.

Our Work in Freedom programme tackles human trafficking and promotes safe migration in Nepal and across the region, providing community training, support to victims in destinations and helping to improve laws and policies. In 2015, the programme reached more than 54,000 people in Nepal, including about 40,000 women and children through door to door visits.

Following the devastating earthquake last year, DFID Nepal supported work with the Nepal Police, Women and Children Service Directorate and Ministry of Women and Social Welfare to create women and children safe spaces, and stop trafficking of women and children. We also support wider work that contributes to helping children avoid the risk of being trafficked, including improving livelihoods, providing skills training and helping families to better withstand natural disasters.

DFID is not currently engaged in work directly with Childreach.

14th Jan 2016
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, how aid disbursed by her Department's Palestinian Programme tackles anti-Israeli incitement.

The UK deplores incitement on both sides of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. We monitor any allegations of incitement closely and raise instances with both the Palestinian Authority and Government of Israel. Our financial assistance to the Palestinian Authority is governed by a Memorandum of Understanding which reaffirms the PA’s commitment to non-violence and a negotiated solution to the conflict. We accompany our support for UNRWA with stringent attention to their neutrality and values of peace. UNRWA continues to implement a human rights, conflict resolution and tolerance policy, which applies to all its schools in its five fields of operation, supplementing the host country curriculums. We take allegations of incitement very seriously and raise them with UNRWA whenever appropriate.


4th Jun 2015
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, with reference to the Prime Minister's press release of 18 August 2014, what steps she is taking to assess the impact of her Department's policies on the family.

The Family Test was announced by the Prime Minister in August 2014 and introduced in October 2014 for domestic policies through the publication of guidance for officials – Family Test Guidance.

The objective of the Test is to introduce a family perspective to the policy-making process, specifically to make the potential impacts on family functioning and relationships explicit.

The Department for International Development (DFID) leads the UK’s work to end extreme poverty internationally. In this respect the welfare of the world’s poorest – both individuals and families – are central to DFID’s work. DFID does not however have a leading responsibility for domestic policies and has not therefore made any assessments using the Family Test.

Grant Shapps
Secretary of State for Defence
10th Dec 2014
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what assessment she has made of the humanitarian implications of the recent armed conflict in the Kachin State of Burma.

Some 100,000 people have been living in camps for displaced people for over three years since the fighting restarted between the Kachin Independence Army and Government forces.

Clashes and shelling in Kachin and Northern Shan have stepped up since early November. We are monitoring the situation carefully and have been in frequent contact with the UN and local organisations about the humanitarian implications of recent fighting. While there has been no significant new displacement or humanitarian needs in the last few months we will continue to monitor these issues closely.

Between 2012 and 2015 DFID has allocated over £17 million for humanitarian assistance for internally displaced persons (IDP) in Kachin and Northern Shan States in Burma affected by the violence. This aid is providing food security, sanitation and health in line with accepted humanitarian standards as well as to strengthening IDP communities’ capacity to manage health hazards and risks.

1st Jul 2014
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what assessment her Department has made of reports of a food crisis in Chin State, Burma; and what food support her Department is providing in that region.

DFID has contributed to a food security programme in Chin State through the Livelihoods and Food Security Trust Fund which is helping increase agricultural production through activities such as better quality seeds, and also helping farmers get their produce to markets.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, if she will make it her policy that UK public funds should not be used for the purposes of campaigning for more liberal abortion laws in another country.

In many countries abortion may be permitted only on limited or highly restricted grounds. In these circumstances, we can consider support to increase awareness among policy-makers, legislators, national health authorities and health personnel of the circumstances under which abortion is allowed. We can also work to highlight the consequences arising from the complications of unsafe abortion, such as the burden of maternal ill-health and high health service costs.

In addition we can also consider support to locally-led efforts to enable legal and policy reform in circumstances where the existing law and policy are contributing to high maternal mortality and morbidity; and to regional or international initiatives that are working to prevent unsafe abortion.

4th Jun 2015
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to the Prime Minister's press release of August 2014, what steps he is taking to assess the impact of his Department's policies on the family.

The Family Test was announced by the Prime Minister in August 2014 and introduced in October 2014 through the publication of guidance for officials - Family Test Guidance

The objective of the Test is to introduce a family perspective to the policy making process, specifically to make the potential impacts on family functioning and relationships explicit.

The Department for Transport’s internal procedures have been updated to reflect this guidance.

28th Mar 2017
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to his oral contribution of 27 March 2017, Official Report, column 9, what the financial budget allocated to support claimants who would otherwise have received work-related activity payment is.

The “Improving Lives: The Work, Health and Disability Green Paper” was published on 31 October 2016 and announces the Department’s new Personal Support Package.

In his 2015 Summer Budget, the Chancellor announced the removal of the Work Related Activity Component (WRAC) and the Limited Capability for Work (LCW) element from April 2017.

Announced alongside this was a support package of £330m over four years to support this group from April 17. In addition, an extra £15m will be made available through the Flexible Support Fund in both 2017/18 and 2018/19 to offer more targeted support at a local level.

‘Improving Lives, The Work, Health and Disability Green Paper’ provides further details of the overarching Personal Support Package for people with health conditions and disabilities, with a range of new interventions and initiatives designed to provide support that is tailored to the individual needs of claimants.

Penny Mordaunt
Lord President of the Council and Leader of the House of Commons
7th Dec 2016
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps the Government is taking to promote Marriage Week in February 2017.

This government believes we cannot afford to overlook the importance of the family as the basic building block upon which we build a successful economy and a stable society. While my department has no plans to promote Marriage Week we continue to support policies like the Marriage Tax Allowance which recognise the position and significance of marriage within society.

21st Nov 2016
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to the review, entitled What works to enhance inter-parental relationships and improve outcomes for children, published in March 2016, what steps his Department is taking to support the training of the future workforce to deliver the expert couple interventions.

The Early Intervention Foundation review showed that children exposed to frequent, intense and poorly resolved conflict between their parents are at risk of poorer long term outcomes. Our new approach to relationship support responds to this evidence.

Since April 2016 we have doubled the funding available for relationship support for the remainder of this Parliament. From 2017/18 we will be contracting for relationship support services which will include help targeted at the most disadvantaged families experiencing relationship distress. As part of this approach we will be working to build the capability of key professionals on the frontline to identify conflict within the family and to provide first line help as well as effective referral. We will also continue to build on our work with local authorities to embed proven interventions into local service design. This means more families will have access to programmes with stronger evidence of impact.

20th Oct 2016
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, for what reasons refugees with disabilities who have been deemed entitled to disability living allowance have different backdating entitlements depending on whether their claim happened to be stockpiled before or after the Upper Tribunal ruling of 17 March 2016 on the past presence test.

No claims were stockpiled before the Upper Tribunal ruling of 17 March 2016, 40 Disability Living Allowance claims were stockpiled after the ruling.

Section 27 of the Social Security Act 1998 provides that, where the Upper Tribunal decides on a social security appeal that the Secretary of State has made an error of law in his original decision and other claims subsequently fall to be decided by the Secretary of State, the judgment generally is not to be applied in relation to any period that predates the Upper Tribunal’s decision (s.27(3)). This statutory rule does not apply to the person who brought the original appeal, to people who have already lodged an appeal against a decision or who are still in time to do so, or to people whose case the Secretary of State has stockpiled (or whose appeal he has stayed) pending the judgment under section 25 of the Act.

Penny Mordaunt
Lord President of the Council and Leader of the House of Commons
20th Oct 2016
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many claims were stockpiled (a) before and (b) after the Upper Tribunal ruling of 17 March 2016 on the unlawful and discriminatory use of the past presence test.

No claims were stockpiled before the Upper Tribunal ruling of 17 March 2016, 40 Disability Living Allowance claims were stockpiled after the ruling.

Section 27 of the Social Security Act 1998 provides that, where the Upper Tribunal decides on a social security appeal that the Secretary of State has made an error of law in his original decision and other claims subsequently fall to be decided by the Secretary of State, the judgment generally is not to be applied in relation to any period that predates the Upper Tribunal’s decision (s.27(3)). This statutory rule does not apply to the person who brought the original appeal, to people who have already lodged an appeal against a decision or who are still in time to do so, or to people whose case the Secretary of State has stockpiled (or whose appeal he has stayed) pending the judgment under section 25 of the Act.

Penny Mordaunt
Lord President of the Council and Leader of the House of Commons
21st Mar 2016
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what plans the Government has for the allocation of the £70 million funding for relationship support announced by the Prime Minister on 11 January 2016; and what the timetable will be for the distribution of that funding over the Parliament.

The Department is developing the detail of how the funding will be allocated. For 2016/17 we are extending our programme of relationship support provision which will include supporting local authorities to improve the quality of couple or co-parenting relationships and extending the evidence base in this policy area.

We are also exploring which interventions can maximise the important links between parenting and relationship support.

21st Mar 2016
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how much the Government plans to spend on relationship support in 2016-17; and on what programmes that funding will be spent.

The Department is developing the detail of how the funding will be allocated. For 2016/17 we are extending our programme of relationship support provision which will include supporting local authorities to improve the quality of couple or co-parenting relationships and extending the evidence base in this policy area.

We are also exploring which interventions can maximise the important links between parenting and relationship support.

21st Mar 2016
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how much was spent by the Government on relationship support in 2015-16; and to what programmes that funding was allocated.

A total of £11.2m is forecast to be spent in the full year 2015/16 on relationship support as follows:

Legacy Relationship Support Contracts £7.0m

Evaluation of Legacy Relationship Support Contracts £0.3m

Innovation Fund £2.5m

Evaluation of Innovation Fund £0.5m

Local Family Offer £0.7m

Perinatal Pilot £0.2m

Total £11.2m

11th Mar 2016
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will ensure that the Government publishes a family impact test in respect of all future primary and secondary legislation.

While we encourage departments to publish Family Test assessments, there is no requirement to do so, as this may not always be appropriate. Assessments against the Family Test are completed by policy officials in the course of developing advice on new policy; this may include some ideas that do not progress beyond the design stage.

11th Mar 2016
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many and which family test assessments he has seen in the last six months.

We do not record the number of assessments conducted. Assessments against the Family Test are completed by policy officials in the course of developing advice on new policy and can be included in submissions to Ministers. Assessments can be completed for some policies in the early stages of development, including for some ideas that do not progress beyond the design stage.

16th Jul 2015
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to Schedule 6 of the Welfare Reform Act 2009, when he expects the Government to implement equal birth registration.

The Government is currently reviewing this policy.