Asked by: Jim Shannon (Democratic Unionist Party - Strangford)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Deputy Foreign Secretary, whether he has made representations to his counterpart in Nicaragua on protecting (a) human rights and (b) religious freedoms (i) since the conviction of Bishop Rolando Álvarez and (ii) in the context of the treatment of Christians and Jews by President Daniel Ortega's regime.
Answered by David Rutley - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
We share widespread international concern about the suppression of human rights in Nicaragua. The UK has been increasingly vocal against the rising repression of the right to freedom of religion or belief for all, including Christian and Jews. Most recently, on 18 April, we released a statement marking the sixth anniversary of the brutally repressed protests in Nicaragua, highlighting continued UK concern at the ongoing situation. On 29 February, the UK also made a statement in response to the latest report by the UN Group of Human Rights Experts on Nicaragua, in which we urged President Ortega to respect fully the human rights of all its citizens. In my [Minister Rutley's] tweet on 16 January, I welcomed the release of Bishop Álvarez and 18 other clergy from their unjust detention but condemned their expulsion from Nicaragua and the continued detention of other political and religious figures.
Asked by: Jim Shannon (Democratic Unionist Party - Strangford)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Deputy Foreign Secretary, whether he has had discussions with his counterpart in India on the treatment of Christian churches and foreign missionaries in India.
Answered by Anne-Marie Trevelyan - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK Government is committed to defending Freedom of Religion or Belief (FoRB) for all and promoting tolerance between different religious and non-religious communities, including respect for all places of worship.
India is committed via its constitution to freedom of religion and belief. Where specific issues or concerns arise, we raise these with the Government of India.
Lord (Tariq) Ahmad of Wimbledon, Minister for South Asia, discussed FoRB with the Government of India, leaders of faith groups and others during his visit to India in May 2023. The British High Commission in New Delhi and our network of Deputy High Commissions across India regularly engage with civil society and religious representatives on these issues.
Asked by: Jim Shannon (Democratic Unionist Party - Strangford)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps his Department is taking to ensure the border between the UK and Republic of Ireland is secure against the passage malign foreign actors.
Answered by Tom Tugendhat - Minister of State (Home Office) (Security)
We continue a high level of cooperation on border security with Ireland; working closely together to identify and tackle those who seek to abuse arrangements from entering the Common Travel Area.
Schedule 3 to the Counter-Terrorism and Border Security Act 2019 allows a Counter-Terrorism Police Officer to stop, question and, when necessary, detain and search, individuals and goods travelling through UK ports and the “border area” for the purpose of determining whether the person (or the goods) appears to be someone who is, or has been, engaged in hostile activity.
In Northern Ireland, a place is within the “border area” if it is no more than one mile from the border between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland or it is the first place at which a train travelling from the Republic of Ireland stops to let passengers off.
Individuals who seek to abuse the Common Travel Area arrangements are liable to be detained, and if unlawfully entering the UK, removed.
Asked by: Jim Shannon (Democratic Unionist Party - Strangford)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Deputy Foreign Secretary, what recent discussions he has had with his international counterparts on securing the release of hostages from Gaza.
Answered by Andrew Mitchell - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) (Minister for Development)
The UK Government has been working with partners across the region to secure the release of hostages, including British nationals and their families.
We have been clear that the release of all the hostages is one of the vital elements for a lasting peace and the Foreign Secretary has reiterated that Hamas must send the hostages home and bring to an end the horrific ordeal of those currently being held.
The UK Government continues to call for an immediate humanitarian pause now to allow for the release of hostages.
Asked by: Jim Shannon (Democratic Unionist Party - Strangford)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what her timetable is for the rollout of Endo Barriers on the NHS.
Answered by Andrew Stephenson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The implantation of a duodenal–jejunal bypass liner, also known as an endo barrier, for managing type 2 diabetes, is not recommended by the NICE, and therefore not available on the National Health Service. Current evidence on the safety and efficacy of the device for managing type 2 diabetes is limited in quality and quantity. For this reason, the NICE recommends that the procedure should only be done as part of a research study. Further information on the NICE guidelines is available at the following link:
https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ipg518/chapter/1-Recommendations
The NICE may update the guidance, upon publication of further evidence. The NICE recommends that people with type 2 diabetes receive eight care processes at least annually, to support them to achieve three treatment targets to prevent diabetes related complications. The care processes include checks on blood glucose and body mass index, to support weight management. Delivery of all eight care processes is associated with reduced emergency admissions, amputations, and retinopathy. NHS England commissions two national lifestyle services to support adults with type 2 diabetes to manage their weight and improve their health and wellbeing. These are the NHS Digital Weight Management Programme and the NHS Type 2 Diabetes Path to Remission Programme. The NICE guidance for the care and management for adults with type 2 diabetes is available at the following link:
https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng28