Asked by: David Jones (Conservative - Clwyd West)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, when formal political negotiations with the European Union on the Northern Ireland Protocol will be reopened.
Answered by Leo Docherty - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for the Armed Forces)
The Foreign Secretary met Vice-President of the European Commission Maroš Šefčovič on Monday 9 January. While they agreed a range of critical issues need to be resolved to find a way forward, an agreement was reached regarding the specific question of the EU's access to UK IT systems. EU and UK technical teams are working rapidly to scope the potential for solutions in different areas and the Foreign Secretary, Northern Ireland Secretary and Vice President Šefčovič will take stock of progress on 16 January.
Asked by: David Jones (Conservative - Clwyd West)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential environmental impact of discarded disposable e-cigarettes.
Answered by Rebecca Pow - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Department has not undertaken an assessment of the environmental impact of disposable vapes in the UK.
Our current priority is to work with regulators and the vaping sector to ensure producers, internet sellers and retailers of vaping products understand their obligations under environmental legislation and comply.
Asked by: David Jones (Conservative - Clwyd West)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will take steps to regulate oral nicotine pouches in line with other reduced-risk nicotine products such as e-cigarettes.
Answered by Neil O'Brien
The Committee on Toxicity of Food, Consumer Products and the Environment is reviewing the evidence on the use of oral nicotine pouches and assessing the risk to users. On completion of this review, the Department will assess whether the regulatory framework for oral nicotine pouches should be amended.
Asked by: David Jones (Conservative - Clwyd West)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent assessment she has made of the (a) performance and (b) efficacy of Action Fraud.
Answered by Tom Tugendhat - Minister of State (Home Office) (Security)
Action Fraud is the national reporting centre for fraud and cyber crime. Reports received by Action Fraud are considered by the National Fraud Intelligence Bureau (NFIB), both of which are operated by the City of London Police as the UK’s lead force for fraud.
In light of advances to technology and growing demand on the service and an independent review by Sir Craig Mackey exploring the performance and function of Action Fraud, we are providing over £30 million to City of London Police over the next three years to support the upgrade of the Action Fraud service.
Improvements are already being rolled out on an ongoing basis, with the new service expected to be fully operational by 2024. The upgrades will provide better support services and reporting tools for victims, produce greater intelligence and insight for policing so they can investigate more frauds, and allow for greater prevention and disruption at scale using this intelligence
Asked by: David Jones (Conservative - Clwyd West)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to Dr Javed Khan's review into Smokefree 2030 policies, what steps he is taking to implement that report's recommendation to facilitate access to oral nicotine pouches.
Answered by Neil O'Brien
Nicotine pouches are widely available in the United Kingdom. However, there is limited research and evidence into the harms of nicotine pouches and the ability to support attempts to stop smoking. The Department has requested the Committee on Toxicity of Food, Consumer Products and the Environment (COT) to review the evidence on the use of oral nicotine pouches and the assessment of risk to users. The COT has published a discussion paper and will publish a position statement once the review is complete.
Asked by: David Jones (Conservative - Clwyd West)
Question
To ask the hon. Member for Broxbourne, representing the House of Commons Commission, what the cost of operating the Office of Speaker’s Counsel was in the most recent year for which figures are available.
Answered by Charles Walker
The spend on the Office of Speaker’s Counsel for the financial year 2021/22 was £1.85m. The Office of Speaker’s Counsel provides legal advice to the Speaker, the Clerk and all departments of the House of Commons, as well as managing all litigation involving the Commission, the Corporate Officer or the Speaker. It also provides advice to Select Committees of the House.
Asked by: David Jones (Conservative - Clwyd West)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of the implications for his policy on location of the British embassy in Israel of the recent decision of the Australian Government to reverse its decision to recognise West Jerusalem as the capital of Israel.
Answered by David Rutley - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
There are no plans to move the UK embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv. Israel is a close friend and key strategic partner, built on decades of cooperation. We will continue to strengthen our relationship with Israel through our Embassy in Tel Aviv.
Asked by: David Jones (Conservative - Clwyd West)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the current capacity of the European nitrogen production industry to meet the needs of British agriculture.
Answered by Mark Spencer - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Due to the increase in cost of natural gas across the globe, the cost of production of nitrogen-based fertiliser types has increased significantly. It has also affected Europe and the global market with some fertiliser companies halting or reducing production due to high input costs.
Fertiliser supply in Britain is resilient. Britain sources both nitrogen-based and non-nitrogen fertiliser from a wide range of countries and produces ammonium nitrate fertiliser domestically, although prices are volatile caused by fluctuating gas prices. Domestic and imported nitrogen-based fertiliser prices dropped from May after their peak in March, coinciding with annual lower summer gas prices.
The fertiliser market has been flexible in continuing to source nitrogen-based fertiliser from the global market, and we understand from continued engagement with the sector that many farmers have switched their preferred nitrogen-based fertiliser from ammonium nitrate to urea and inhibited urea, reflecting the lower cost per tonne of nitrogen for crops. Although we have historically sourced most ammonium nitrate from Europe, other countries such as Algeria and Egypt are major sources of other nitrogen-based fertiliser such as urea.
Defra hosts Fertiliser Taskforce meetings with key industry figures including the National Farmers Union, the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board. We are continuing to monitor the security and stability of fertiliser and other supply chains, and work closely with colleagues across HM Government and devolved administrations as well as industry figures through the Taskforce.
To support farmers the Basic Payment Scheme payment will be made in 2 instalments to give farmers greater financial fluidity. Other actions taken include changes to guidance on farmers using manures, increased grants for farmers and growers, boosting research and development, and a delay to changes to the use of urea by at least a year. When the urea restrictions are introduced, they will be related to the use of ammonia inhibitors rather than a complete ban.
Defra is committed to promoting the use of less environmentally damaging fertilisers and better nutrient use efficiency. The efficient use of organic fertilisers can complement the use of mineral fertilisers, whilst reducing input costs. We know many farmers already use organic fertiliser to complement their nutrient management planning.
Asked by: David Jones (Conservative - Clwyd West)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has had discussions with the Iranian government on the disappearance of Iranian athlete Elnaz Rekabi.
Answered by Leo Docherty - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for the Armed Forces)
Iran must answer questions about the circumstances of Elnaz Rekabi's departure from South Korea. While it is positive that she has been able to publicly confirm her whereabouts, any pressure put on her is utterly unacceptable. The events of recent weeks in Iran, including the death of Mahsa Amini following her arrest by the so-called Morality Police, is a shocking reminder of the repression faced by women and girls in Iran. We continue to take action to hold Iran to account for its repression of women's and girls' rights, including sanctioning the Morality Police in its entirety and two of its leaders, and we are working alongside the international community to press Iran to improve its appalling record.
Asked by: David Jones (Conservative - Clwyd West)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether his Department has made representations to the Iranian authorities on the death of Mahsa Amini.
Answered by Gillian Keegan - Secretary of State for Education
The death of Mahsa Amini in Iran is a shocking reminder of the repression faced by women in Iran. On 3 October, the Foreign Secretary summoned Iran's most senior diplomat in the UK, to call for a transparent investigation into the circumstances surrounding her death and to condemn the subsequent violent crackdown on protestors. On 10 October, the UK sanctioned the so-called Morality Police, two of its leaders and five others for serious human rights violations. These sanctions send a clear message that the UK will hold the Iranian authorities to account for their repression of women and girls and for the shocking violence inflicted on their people.