Asked by: Drew Hendry (Scottish National Party - Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Deputy Foreign Secretary, whether his Department is taking steps to (a) provide funding for and (b) otherwise support the Ukrainian government to (i) investigate, (ii) arrest and (iii) prosecute Russian military (A) commanders and (B) personnel involved in the deployment of (1) choking and (2) other illegal chemical agents.
Answered by Nusrat Ghani - Minister of State (Minister for Europe)
Russia's use of chemicals as a method of warfare in Ukraine is a breach of its obligations under the UN Chemical Weapons Convention. The UK has provided Ukraine with assistance against potential chemical attacks, including medical countermeasures and protection. We have supported the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons to assist Ukraine to detect the use of chemicals on the battlefield.
We have provided £6.2 million of capacity-building support to Ukraine's domestic work to document, investigate, and prosecute war crimes. Since 2022, we have provided £2.3 million in additional contributions to the International Criminal Court, in addition to our £13.2 million annual budget contribution for 2024.
Asked by: Drew Hendry (Scottish National Party - Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether her Department is taking steps to ensure that chemicals that can be used in the manufacture of choking agents are (a) tracked and (b) not sent to Russia.
Answered by Alan Mak - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade) (jointly with the Cabinet Office)
We have sanctioned the export of all chemicals and biochemicals of concern to Russia.
This is in addition to our existing export controls, which already restrict the export of certain chemicals, pathogens and toxins.
Sanctions and export controls are impacting Russia’s economy and depriving its military of key components, and we are going further by extending our capabilities..
My department has recently announced the creation of the Office of Trade Sanctions Implementation (OTSI) to strengthen enforcement and support industry compliance.
We are also working closely with Ukraine and international partners to coordinate efforts to thwart Russia’s efforts to circumvent sanctions to gain access to technology to support its invasion.
Asked by: Drew Hendry (Scottish National Party - Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of Personal Independence Payments on trends in the number of claimants (a) in and (b) seeking employment.
Answered by Mims Davies - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
On the number and proportion of PIP claimants in employment, I refer the honourable member to the answer given on the 2nd of May to PQ 24056.
The Department has made no assessment of the potential impact of Personal Independence Payments on trends in the number of claimants (a) in and (b) seeking employment.
Personal Independence Payment (PIP) is designed to help with the extra costs arising from long-term ill health and disability, and is paid regardless of income and irrespective of whether someone is in work. PIP can also be paid in addition to other benefits the individual may receive, for example Universal Credit or Employment and Support Allowance, and can provide a passport to additional support through premiums or additional amounts.
Asked by: Drew Hendry (Scottish National Party - Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people in employment receive Personal Independence Payments.
Answered by Mims Davies - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
I refer the honourable member to the answer given on the 2nd of May to PQ 24056.
Asked by: Drew Hendry (Scottish National Party - Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether she has had recent discussions with Ofgem on taking steps to ensure that energy companies use reputable contractors to meet their obligations under the ECO4 scheme.
Answered by Amanda Solloway - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
Installations under ECO4 must be carried out by TrustMark registered and Publicly Available Specification (PAS) 2030 or Microgeneration Certification Scheme (MCS) certified businesses, in accordance with PAS 2035. This ensures work is carried out by an installer who has demonstrated an appropriate level of skill and competence and minimises the risk of unintended consequences.
As the only Government endorsed quality scheme, TrustMark registered businesses are thoroughly vetted for technical competence, customer service, and good trading practices. TrustMark registered businesses must also provide an appropriate guarantee and be signed up to a dispute resolution process.
Asked by: Drew Hendry (Scottish National Party - Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of enabling transition between technologies when applying for Renewable Heat Incentive payments when a given technology is not feasible after technical review.
Answered by Amanda Solloway - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
The Non-Domestic and Domestic Renewable Heat Incentive schemes are closed to new applications. Therefore, the Government does not plan to make such an assessment, given that new applications can no longer be made to the schemes.
Asked by: Drew Hendry (Scottish National Party - Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of allowing irregular migrants to make applications for asylum whilst still residing in (a) France and (b) Belgium.
Answered by Tom Pursglove - Minister of State (Minister for Legal Migration and Delivery)
The UK has a proud record of providing protection for those who need it. However, there is no provision within our Immigration Rules for someone to be allowed to travel to the UK to seek asylum or temporary refuge. Whilst we sympathise with people in many difficult situations around the world, the capacity of the UK is not unlimited, and we could not possibly consider protection claims from the very large numbers of people overseas who might like to come here. Those in need of immediate protection should take the fastest route to safety and claim asylum in the first safe country they reach.
There are several powerful reasons why allowing migrants to make applications for asylum from France and Belgium is not a viable option and could actually lead to adverse consequences.
The responsibility for asylum seekers and refugees lies with the authorities of the country in which they are present in accordance with their international obligations – in this case France and Belgium. EU countries operate the Common European Asylum System; a framework of rules and procedures based on the full and inclusive application of the Refugee Convention. The aim of this system is not just to ensure fair and humane treatment of applicants for international protection, but also to discourage secondary movements of people once they have reached safety, acknowledging the many problems that such movements create. There is therefore no reason why an individual who is residing in France or Belgium and who needs protection should not make their claim in France or Belgium and certainly no reasons why they should make the perilous onward journey to the UK. France and Belgium are both safe countries, so the protection they seek is already available to them.
The UK processing asylum claims in France and Belgium would also have the potential to create more harm, and actually support the smugglers. Dangerous journeys and the work of the despicable smugglers are not just confined to routes across the Channel. Vulnerable people, if they have an incentive to aim for France or Belgium as a means of entering the UK, would be encouraged to make dangerous journeys across the Mediterranean and over land to France and Belgium. It would create a new pull factor, motivating people to again entrust themselves to smugglers. Even where they may avoid the danger of a small boat, we know from heart breaking experience that journeys over land, for example in the back of lorries, can be equally as perilous. We cannot, and must not, do anything which supports the smugglers’ business model.
Our focus is on helping people directly from regions of conflict and instability, and we believe that our resettlement programmes are the best way to provide much needed support. Between 2015 and September 2023, over half a million people were offered safe and legal routes into the UK.
Asked by: Drew Hendry (Scottish National Party - Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps she is taking to ensure that gambling firms support problem gamblers (a) to stop gambling and (b) into recovery.
Answered by Stuart Andrew - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
The Gambling White Paper set out a balanced and proportionate set of proposals to protect those at risk of experiencing gambling harm.
There are already a range of obligations on gambling operators to identify and prevent gambling-related harm, which can include signposting to sources of specialist support from organisations who deal with advice and treatment for harmful gambling. Following the white paper, we are introducing a range of new, proportionate controls to further protect vulnerable people from the practices and products which can drive harm. These include new light-touch, frictionless financial risk checks, a stake limit for online slots games, improvements to customer-led tools, and tougher restrictions on bonuses and direct marketing. These measures will be complemented by strengthened messaging about the risks associated with gambling. We are also introducing a new statutory levy paid by operators to fund research, prevention, and treatment of gambling-related harms so that people can access the right help when and where they need it.
We are working with the Gambling Commission and other stakeholders to bring these measures into force as quickly as possible, and have already held consultations on a number of important proposals so we can finalise details ahead of implementation.
Asked by: Drew Hendry (Scottish National Party - Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, pursuant to the Answer of 15 March 2024 to Question 18893 on Energy: Meters, whether her Department has had recent discussions with energy providers on the availability of technological solutions for households to replace radio teleswitching meters.
Answered by Amanda Solloway - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
Smart meters are the natural technological solution to replace the Radio Teleswitching Service (RTS) and associated meters.
Asked by: Drew Hendry (Scottish National Party - Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what discussions she has had with Royal Colleges on improving training to support (a) standards and (b) help with the impacts of caring for children in the context of Sudden Unexplained Death in Childhood.
Answered by Andrea Leadsom - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
On 26 July 2023, the Department and NHS England participated in a round table with a range of stakeholders with an interest in Sudden Unexplained Death in Childhood (SUDC), including the Royal College of General Practitioners, Royal College of Nursing, and Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health, focusing on increasing awareness and impactful training to healthcare professionals and improving support to those affected by SUDC.
Healthcare regulators, such as the General Medical Council and the Nursing and Midwifery Council, are responsible for setting standards for undergraduate education, and medical Royal Colleges set the curriculum for postgraduate medical training.
NHS England provides a range of e-learning resources to help health professionals to support bereaved parents and families.