Asked by: Edward Leigh (Conservative - Gainsborough)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of using surplus accommodation on his Department's sites as temporary housing for Ukrainian refugees.
Answered by Leo Docherty - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for the Armed Forces)
Formal approaches can be made to the Ministry of Defence for the leasing of void housing stock and requests made by Local Authorities for the use of military housing for Ukrainian refugee relocation and resettlement purposes are being handled in a similar way to the Defence Afghan Relocation and Resettlement Programme (ARAP). When formal requests are received for Defence to assist with accommodation for Ukrainian refugees, they are considered in line with Military Aid to the Civil Authorities (MACA) principles.
Asked by: Edward Leigh (Conservative - Gainsborough)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what her Department's objectives are for the international conference to promote freedom of religion or belief due to take place in London in July 2022.
Answered by Vicky Ford
The UK-hosted International Ministerial Conference on Freedom of Religion or Belief (FoRB) in July 2022 will drive forward international efforts on this agenda and demonstrate the UK's leading role in supporting freedom and openness. This conference will allow us to use our global influence to promote and protect freedom of religion or belief for all internationally. Preparations for the conference are ongoing, including consultations with our international and domestic partners to consider possible themes and outcomes.
Asked by: Edward Leigh (Conservative - Gainsborough)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what her Department's budget is for the international conference to promote freedom of religion or belief due to take place in London in July 2022.
Answered by Vicky Ford
The UK-hosted International Ministerial Conference on Freedom of Religion or Belief (FoRB) in July 2022 will drive forward international efforts on this agenda and demonstrate the UK's leading role in supporting freedom and openness. This conference will allow us to use our global influence to promote and protect freedom of religion or belief for all internationally. Preparations for the conference are ongoing, including working with delivery partners to develop a comprehensive budget.
Asked by: Edward Leigh (Conservative - Gainsborough)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether his Department plans to ensure that flying space above and around RAF Scampton is preserved for the use of the RAF Aerobatic Team once his Department disposes of that site.
Answered by Jeremy Quin
The Ministry of Defence has no requirements to preserve the restricted flying space above and around RAF Scampton for the use of the RAF Aerobatic Team and the site will be sold without any encumbrances.
Asked by: Edward Leigh (Conservative - Gainsborough)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, which RAF bases in the UK his Department has disposed of since 2000; how much each site was sold for; and to whom or what entity each was sold.
Answered by Jeremy Quin
A copy of the information relating to those RAF locations where significant Ministry of Defence assets have been disposed of during the period in question is attached.
Asked by: Edward Leigh (Conservative - Gainsborough)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, for what reason his Department is maintaining the temporary at-home abortion policy in place while other covid-19 restrictions are lifted.
Answered by Maggie Throup
We are considering all evidence submitted to the Government’s public consultation on whether to make permanent the temporary measure allowing for home use of both pills for early medical abortion. We will publish our response as soon as possible. The approval was put in place on a temporary basis and is time limited for two years or until the end of the pandemic.
Asked by: Edward Leigh (Conservative - Gainsborough)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, when his Department's response to the consultation on home use of both pills for early medical abortion will be published.
Answered by Maggie Throup
We are considering all evidence submitted to the Government’s public consultation on whether to make permanent the temporary measure allowing for home use of both pills for early medical abortion. We will publish our response as soon as possible. The approval was put in place on a temporary basis and is time limited for two years or until the end of the pandemic.
Asked by: Edward Leigh (Conservative - Gainsborough)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether the temporary at-home abortion policy will end with the expiration of Coronavirus Act 2020 in March 2022.
Answered by Maggie Throup
We are considering all evidence submitted to the Government’s public consultation on whether to make permanent the temporary measure allowing for home use of both pills for early medical abortion. We will publish our response as soon as possible. The approval was put in place on a temporary basis and is time limited for two years or until the end of the pandemic.
Asked by: Edward Leigh (Conservative - Gainsborough)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if she will make it her policy to make her Department's humanitarian programmes in Pakistan conditional on the Government of Pakistan's steps to protect freedom of religion or belief minority groups from forced conversions and marriages in that country.
Answered by James Cleverly - Home Secretary
We frequently raise the issues of freedom of religion or belief and human rights with the Government of Pakistan, including with Prime Minister Imran Khan and Foreign Minister Qureshi. We press the Pakistan Government to honour its international commitments and obligations. UK aid in Pakistan targets the most marginalised and vulnerable communities, and we fund programmes that work to address discrimination against minorities and gender-based violence.
Asked by: Edward Leigh (Conservative - Gainsborough)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what consultations his Department has had with prison officers before raising their retirement age to 68.
Answered by Victoria Atkins - Secretary of State for Health and Social Care
Prior to 2007, the pension age within the Principal Civil Service Pension Scheme was 60. In July 2007 Cabinet Office introduced a career average scheme for new entrants, which increased the normal pension age from 60 to 65. In designing the 2007 scheme, Cabinet Office did give consideration to the fact that the prison officer role was a physically demanding one, but they concluded that, as there were a number of other Civil Servants whose jobs were similarly demanding, that a lower pension age could not be justified compared to other scheme members. From 2015 the pension age in the Civil Service Pension Scheme was increased to reflect the State Penson Age of the member, after the recommendations made in the 2011 Hutton Report on the sustainability of public sector pensions.
We highly value our hardworking prison staff and offer access to medical professionals and an employee assistance programme to ensure continued physical and mental wellbeing. The pension age for Prison Officers is set under the Civil Service Pension Scheme, which is the responsibility of the Cabinet Office and consultation was undertaken by them.
I have met the Prison Officer’s Association for our introductory meeting at which a range of issues were raised, including pension age. I am meeting them in the new year to discuss this issue again.