First elected: 7th May 2015
Left House: 16th June 2016 (Death)
Speeches made during Parliamentary debates are recorded in Hansard. For ease of browsing we have grouped debates into individual, departmental and legislative categories.
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).
These initiatives were driven by Jo Cox, 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.
Jo Cox has not introduced any legislation before Parliament
Jo Cox has not co-sponsored any Bills in the current parliamentary sitting
The Government has an established cross-governmental process, overseen by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, that supports international efforts to protect civilians at risk from mass atrocities.
The Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my hon. Friend the Member for Rochford and Southend East (Mr Duddridge) is responsible for conflict issues and UK policy on the prevention of mass atrocities. The Minister of State, my noble friend the right hon. The Baroness Anelay of St Johns, is responsible for Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict in her role as my Special Representative. Baroness Anelay of St Johns is also responsible for UN peacekeeping and the International Criminal Court, and contributes to policy in both these areas.
The Foreign and Commonwealth Office also works to ensure that any British Nationals caught up in mass atrocity crimes are supported.
The Government’s crisis management committee, COBR, also provides a mechanism to manage the cross-government response to such events.
Details on entry routes onto Apprenticeships can be found in the Apprenticeships Evaluation: Learners survey report online. The survey comprised a representative sample of 5,000 apprentices. https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/387662/bis-14-1208-Apprenticeships-Evaluation-Learners-December-2014.pdf
In 2013/14, two thirds (64%) of apprentices worked for their employer before starting their apprenticeship. This has decreased since 2012/13 when it was 68%.
In 2013/14, nine out of ten (91%) apprentices aged 25+ worked for their employer before starting the apprenticeship, compared with 29% of apprentices aged 16-18 and 60% for those aged 19-24. Women are more likely to be internal recruits (72%) than men (54%).
Further breakdowns can be found on page 23 of the above report. This information is not included in our routine data collection and hence data is not available since 2010. Information is not available for entry routes by constituency.
We have seen a 52% increase in the number of apprenticeship starts in engineering and manufacturing technologies over the last Parliament. There were around 85,000 starts in construction, and over 320,000 starts in engineering from May 2010 to April 2015.
The new careers and enterprise company announced in December 2014, aims to become the leading umbrella body with an overview of activity on careers, inspiration, enterprise and employability. Independent from government, it will help schools build strong links with employers, working closely with the education and careers sectors to improve the quality and coverage of information and advice about apprenticeships.
The Your Life campaign, which was launched in May 2014, is leading our efforts to raise awareness of the exciting careers that maths and science subjects can lead to. The programme works alongside targeted schemes with industry groups, such as the Royal Academy of Engineering and the Institute of Physics, to increase the opportunities for all young people, and particularly women, to pursue careers that need skills in science, technology, engineering and maths.
We are committed to 3 million apprenticeship starts during this parliament. We are developing a comprehensive plan for growth. We will implement reforms that will give greater control of apprenticeships to employers to ensure that apprenticeships meet the needs of a wider range of businesses and more are attracted into the programme.
Over 1200 employers are already involved in designing new apprenticeship standards and to date we have approved over 50 new apprenticeships in construction manufacturing and engineering, with more in development.
The Apprenticeship Pay Survey is the most detailed source of information on Apprentice pay. The 2014 survey can be found at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/apprenticeship-pay-survey-2014. However, this survey is not conducted every year and information is not always fully comparable between years due to different methodological approaches.
Apprenticeships are a national strategic priority, essential to support our employers and to aid the growth and productivity of our economy. We delivered 2.3 million apprenticeships last parliament and are committed to 3 million apprenticeship starts over the next 5 years.
We are developing a comprehensive plan for growth, including more work with large employers; more support for small businesses at a local level; a greater emphasis on the public sector leading the way on apprenticeships; and a renewed plan on communications and marketing.
We are also committed to getting the apprenticeship product right, by delivering employer-led apprenticeship reform, through Trailblazers, to improve the quality of apprenticeships and to provide the skills that employers need.
As part of the work being done with the Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) to re-shape and re-structure Further Education provision within Greater Manchester, the Apprenticeship Grant for Employers has been devolved so that Manchester can make its own determination regarding priorities. The grant provides £1,500 per apprentice for small businesses (up to 50 employees) that employ a new young apprentice aged 16 – 24.
Exploitation of Hajj and Umrah pilgrims by rogue tour operators is addressed both by consumer protection law (notably the Package Travel, Package Holidays and Package Tours Regulations 1992) and the laws on fraud and deceptive practices. The relevant enforcement agencies are already taking steps to improve their ability to tackle such exploitation.
National Trading Standards has made enforcement in this area one of its national priorities and the National Fraud Intelligence Bureau, operated by the City of London Police, is running a Hajj Fraud National Awareness campaign designed to inform consumers and to encourage reporting of crime in this sector. Birmingham’s Trading Standards Department which has taken the lead role in tackling non-compliance, on behalf of National Trading Standards, has seen significant success in its area in both prosecuting rogues and encouraging and ensuring compliance in the legitimate trade. They are working hard to ensure that their enforcement colleagues in other parts of the country benefit from their experience and are better informed of the problems in the sector.
Key to that success has been engagement with the Muslim community so that those who are planning a trip are aware of their rights and the legal responsibilities of organisers, and those that suffer at the hands of the rogues are willing to report their experiences to the relevant authorities.
The BBC's funding has been a central issue in the Charter Review process, and this has included consideration of the fairness and affordability of the licence fee, and the ways in which it can be paid. David Perry QC’s independent report on TV Licence Fee Enforcement highlighted that current payment plans, set out in regulations, inhibit the ability of TV Licensing to help those on lower incomes by offering alternative, more manageable payment schemes. The conclusions of his report have been considered as part of the wider Charter Review process, and the government's position on these issues will be set out in the forthcoming White Paper.
The Public Libraries and Museums Act 1964 restricts local authorities in England and Wales from charging for library facilities made available by the authority unless permitted by the Library Charges (England and Wales) Regulations 1991. These regulations empower local authorities in England and Wales to make certain charges for the provision of library facilities but this does not include charging for ordinary library membership.
The Government has no plans to amend the Public Libraries and Museums Act 1964 to allow local authorities to specifically charge for ordinary membership of public libraries..
The Public Libraries and Museums Act 1964 restricts local authorities in England and Wales from charging for library facilities made available by the authority unless permitted by the Library Charges (England and Wales) Regulations 1991. These regulations empower local authorities in England and Wales to make certain charges for the provision of library facilities but this does not include charging for ordinary library membership.
The Government has no plans to amend the Public Libraries and Museums Act 1964 to allow local authorities to specifically charge for ordinary membership of public libraries..
The initiative announced by the Chancellor of the Exchequer includes £10 million to boost academy sponsorship in the North of England. As the Chancellor and the Secretary of State for Education confirmed in February 2015, Regional Schools Commissioners will use this investment to tackle educational disadvantage by: enabling the best local academies to share their excellence in sponsoring underperforming neighbouring schools; developing the capacity of existing sponsors to keep pace with new demands; and harnessing the expertise of some of the very best academy sponsors from across the country.
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/pupils-in-the-north-to-benefit-from-injection-of-expertise
In addition, the devolution deal with Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA), announced by the Chancellor on 3 November 2014, saw the Secretary of State make a commitment for the Department for Education and other government bodies to work with GMCA to re-commission further education in the city.
The following table shows the currently projected Grant in Aid over the next five years for measures to reduce flood risk along the River Calder and its tributaries in West Yorkshire.
As the costs of some of the repairs following the recent floods are still to be finalised, these figures will increase accordingly.
Grant in Aid in £k | ||||
2016/17 | 2017/18 | 2018/19 | 2019/20 | 2020/21 |
1,216 | 923 | 1,269 | 784 | 2,653 |
Schemes were allocated funding based on nationally consistent criteria. The position of a scheme in the programme depends on the availability and timing of contributions and how its appraisal or design are progressing.
The projected funding had been allocated in current spending plans. The Government’s National Flood Resilience Review will re-examine worst case extreme weather scenarios and the resulting potential flood impacts across the country.
The Environment Agency plans to undertake investigative work to identify and assess options to further reduce flood risk within the constituency. Depending on the outcome of this work, the Environment Agency has earmarked approximately £1 million of capital funding in the period 2021/22 for works to further reduce flood risk in Cleckheaton and Liversedge.
The Supporting Syria and the Region Conference raised an unprecedented $12 billion for Syria and the region, including $6 billion for this year. Since the Concern Worldwide (UK) Report was published, further funding has been received by the UN towards their 2016 appeals, bringing total 2016 disbursements to $1.7 billion.
A recent letter from the Prime Minister – signed by all Conference co-hosts – pressed leaders for prompt disbursement of their pledges. We are also in final negotiations with a provider to develop and implement a tracking mechanism for all the financial commitments made at the London Conference. On 24 May the Secretary of State chaired a constructive meeting in the margins of the World Humanitarian Summit to review implementation of both financial and policy agreements made at the London Conference, and progress will be reviewed again at the UN General Assembly in September. I am working closely with Syria Conference co-hosts to ensure these measures help to maintain pressure on donors to honour their pledges through more rapid disbursement.
The UK is gravely concerned about the ongoing political and human rights crisis in Burundi. DFID has provided technical support, in the form of secondment of experts, to support and strengthen the capacity of UN agencies working in Burundi, and has deployed a humanitarian adviser to the region in support of the response and to monitor funding provided so far.
DFID has provided £21.15 million since April 2015 to support shelter, food, healthcare and livelihoods assistance for Burundian refugees in Tanzania and Rwanda. DFID is also supporting refugees in the DRC and Uganda through existing programmes and the provision of technical advice. DFID offices across the region are working closely to monitor the situation, review preparedness activities and provide humanitarian support.
In the UK Aid Strategy published in the autumn the Government committed to spending at least 50% of the Department for International Development’s budget in fragile states and regions in each year of this parliament, as well as to increasing the Conflict, Stability and Security Fund to over £1.3 billion a year by 2019/20. We are investing in fragile states and regions to build stability and tackle the underlying drivers and enablers of all types of violent conflict - including identity-based mass violence and atrocities - rather than simply responding after violence breaks out.
Conflict and large-scale violence are best prevented by enabling societies to develop the strong and legitimate institutions needed to manage tensions peacefully. This requires a long-term, patient approach through increased support to tackle corruption, promote good governance, develop security and justice, and create jobs and economic opportunity. These are essential elements of the golden thread of democracy and development, supporting peaceful and inclusive societies at national and community levels.
The Strategic Defence and Security Review and the UK Aid Strategy set out a consolidated, whole-of-government approach to tackling conflict and building stability overseas. This approach uses diplomatic, development, defence and law enforcement capabilities in an integrated manner. As such, addressing and preventing conflict, instability and state failure is a key priority running through UK aid policies and programmes. This includes the prevention of identity-based mass violence, alongside other forms of violence and instability.
These priorities are reflected in National Security Council-led strategies for countries and regions at risk of instability, including of large-scale identity based violence. The underlying drivers and enablers of mass atrocities are addressed as part of joint, cross-government conflict analysis and early warning, and through conflict-sensitive development programming. Development programmes also contribute to the prevention of mass violence by supporting wider conflict prevention and peacebuilding activities - for example by supporting community mediation efforts, or reforming security and justice systems.
The UK is the third largest donor to UNRWA’s General Fund and we have provided additional funding to UNRWA’s emergency appeals. In 2012/13, our contributions totalled £43.8 million; in 2013/14, we provided £49.8 million, and in 2014/15 we contributed £53.4 million. Our average General Fund contribution was £33 million. In 2015/16, we are providing £30 million to the General Fund plus £8 million for the Syria emergency appeal and £2 million for UNRWA’s work in Gaza. We will continue to review our emergency funding and agree a new multi-year package of support for UNRWA in the months ahead. We will continue to support UNRWA pending a political solution for Palestinian refugees, but the Agency needs to take urgent steps to address its chronic deficit through reform.
The timetable for electrification of the TransPennine line east of Stalybridge will be outlined in Sir Peter Hendy's re-planning proposals this autumn. Transpennine electrification remains a major part of our economic plan for the region, but it is vital that Network Rail gets this right. As the Transport Secretary has already explained to MPs (Transport Select Committee evidence March 2015), this means the project will not be completed by 2019, as originally proposed. However, compromising on the scope of this project would not be in passengers’ best interests. That is why we continue to work with Network Rail on revised plans so that it delivers the best possible results.
In March of this year the department signed a formal partnership agreement with Rail North, representing 29 local transport authorities. This will govern the new Northern and TransPennine Express (TPE) franchises from April 2016. The agreement includes important mechanisms to enable the Rail North authorities to make decisions on changes to their local rail services and make investments in these franchises to make improvements.
It also enables further devolution to take place during the life of the franchises. Under the agreement, the Department for Transport will work together with Rail North, through a single joint strategic board and management team based in Leeds, to manage and develop these 2 new franchises once they are let. A core team of 5 headed by a managing director will be in place at the end of year.
Rail North has already been actively involved in the design of the future Northern and TPE franchises and the Partnership Agreement is a significant step towards full devolution of rail services. The franchise specification took into account the uncertainty in delivery of Transpennine electrification.
The Government has ambitious plans for rail which is why Network Rail has been allocated a record £38 billion for the period from 2014-2019. It is for Network Rail to determine precisely how much will be allocated to the rail investment programme in the North of England but the Secretary of State expects that the committed programme set out in the High Level Output Specification ([Rail Investment Strategy]) will be delivered. The government’s enhancements programme is an ambitious and stretching programme and it needs to be re-planned to ensure it remains deliverable and affordable, which is the task that has been asked of Sir Peter Hendy.
However, the franchising programme will continue to deliver for passengers and taxpayers as planned and live procurements, including Northern and Transpennine Express, which will transform rail services across the region with more service, capacity and the scrapping of Pacers, will not be affected. Other rail investments in the north also continue to be delivered; for example the electrification of the lines between Liverpool and Manchester and Liverpool and Wigan has already been completed and there will be the roll-out of state of the art Intercity Express trains on the East Coast route during this Parliament.
Transpennine electrification remains a major part of our economic plan for the region, but it is vital that Network Rail gets this right. The Secretary of State has already explained to MPs (Transport Select Committee evidence March 2015), this means the project will not be completed by 2019, as originally proposed. However, compromising on the scope of this project would not be in passengers’ best interests. That is why we continue to work with Network Rail on revised plans so that it delivers the best possible results.
The Government recognised in its 2013 Aviation Policy Framework (APF) the very important role airports across the UK play in providing domestic and international connections and the vital contribution they can make to the growth of regional economies.
However, in the UK airports, and the airlines that use them, operate in a competitive, commercial environment. It is for individual airlines to make market-based decisions regarding the air services that they operate, and form which airports. It is not open to the Government to compel airlines to operate air services between specific airports.
The Government’s Road Investment Strategy has committed £15bn to deliver 127 schemes on the strategic road network over the next five years. Some of these schemes will tackle longstanding congestion and safety problems as well as major capacity enhancements around Yorkshire. On local roads a programme of major local schemes with around £1 billion of Departmental funding has been announced.
As part of the ongoing development of the sanctions policy, we have already implemented many of the recommendations from the All Party Parliamentary Inquiry Report ‘Feeding Britain’ and Matthew Oakley’s independent review of sanctions, since they were published in 2014 and some are still being considered.
Where we identify an issue, we act to put it right. As with all our policies, we keep the operation of the sanction system under constant review to ensure that it continues to function effectively and fairly.
Later this year, the Government will consult on giving more responsibility to support older people with care needs to Local Authorities in England and to Wales, including people who, under the current system, would be supported through Attendance Allowance. Work on the consultation is progressing with the relevant departments, and officials will work with stakeholders throughout the consultation process.
Later this year, the Government will consult on giving more responsibility to support older people with care needs to Local Authorities in England and to Wales, including people who, under the current system, would be supported through Attendance Allowance. Work on the consultation is progressing with the relevant departments, and officials will work with stakeholders throughout the consultation process.
The Department publishes historic benefit expenditure and caseload data consistent with the annual Budget and Autumn Statements. These are available at:
https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/benefit-expenditure-and-caseload-tables-2015
The Government recognises the invaluable contribution made by unpaid carers including those who care for people with mental health conditions and the importance of supporting them in their caring roles.
That is why we continue to support implementation of the improved rights for carers enshrined in the Care Act 2014. The Department has provided £104 million of funding to local authorities for these rights in 2015/16, which include an extended right to assessment and, for the first time, a duty on local authorities to meet carers’ eligible needs for support.
We have also made an additional £400 million available to the National Health Service between 2011 and 2015 to provide carers with breaks from their caring responsibilities to sustain them in their caring role. The equivalent annual allocation of £130 million for carers breaks is now included in the Better Care Fund.
In May 2014, NHS England published its action plan NHS England - Commitment to carers, it includes a series of commitments around eight priorities, which include raising the profile of carers, including young carers.
The Department is leading on the development of a new cross-Government National Carers Strategy that will look at what more can be done to support existing and new carers including those who care for people with mental health conditions. To support the development of the strategy we are currently conducting a national call for evidence. We want to engage with a wide range of individuals and organisations with experience of caring, to ensure our evidence reflects the diversity of experience of carers, and those for whom they care. The call for evidence was launched in March and will run until mid-summer 2016.
Free National Health Service sight tests are available from primary care optometrists to a wide range of patients. These include people diagnosed with glaucoma or diabetes or who are at risk of glaucoma, children, people aged 60 and over, people registered as sight-impaired or blind or who need complex lenses, and adults on certain income-related benefits or who qualify for full assistance under the NHS Low Income scheme.
No NHS charges apply to patients being treated in a secondary care setting for the investigation or management of an eye condition, which would include individuals with suspected or diagnosed ocular melanoma.
Information is not available in the format requested. Information is available at National Health Service trust level only and not by individual hospital site.
NHS England advises that information is collected in the winter daily situation reports from NHS trusts about whether there was an unplanned, unilateral closure of an accident and emergency department to admissions without consultation, which occurred without agreement from neighbouring NHS trusts or from the ambulance trust.
Published figures are available covering the periods 1 January 2015 to 27 March 2015 and 5 October 2015 to 31 December 2015. Figures for the remainder of 2015 are not held centrally. Published figures can be found using the following link.
https://www.england.nhs.uk/statistics/statistical-work-areas/winter-daily-sitreps/
Information is not available in the format requested. Information is available at National Health Service trust level only and not by individual hospital site.
NHS England advises that information is collected in the winter daily situation reports from NHS trusts about whether there was an unplanned, unilateral closure of an accident and emergency department to admissions without consultation, which occurred without agreement from neighbouring NHS trusts or from the ambulance trust.
Published figures are available covering the periods 1 January 2015 to 27 March 2015 and 5 October 2015 to 31 December 2015. Figures for the remainder of 2015 are not held centrally. Published figures can be found using the following link.
https://www.england.nhs.uk/statistics/statistical-work-areas/winter-daily-sitreps/
The information is not available in the format requested. Information is available by National Health Service trust and can be found using the following link.
https://www.england.nhs.uk/statistics/statistical-work-areas/winter-daily-sitreps/
The information is not available in the format requested. Information is available by National Health Service trust and can be found using the following link.
https://www.england.nhs.uk/statistics/statistical-work-areas/winter-daily-sitreps/
The independent Doctors and Dentists Review Body (DDRB) made recommendations for the reform of the junior doctor contract as a basis for national level negotiations. The new contract will be introduced from August 2016 and will be included in any evidence we provide to the DDRB for the 2017/18 pay round on the recruitment, retention and motivation of junior doctors.
Junior doctors are the backbone of National Health Service, but their current employment contract lets them down by failing to prevent some from working unsafe hours and not rewarding them fairly. This is why doctors deserve a new contract that will be fairer for doctors, safer for patients and juniors alike, better for training, and will better support a seven day NHS.
The contract will ensure that pay relates more fairly to actual work done; increase basic pay, recognising the professional nature of the role in a seven day NHS: and pay a higher rate for work at the most unsocial times. In addition, flexible pay premia will apply for: general practitioner trainees, to maintain current earning levels; other shortage specialties who would otherwise lose out under the new pay structure; those switching to shortage specialties; clinical academic trainees and public health trainees undertaking PhDs etc; and those undertaking approved academic/other work that benefits the wider NHS and improving patient care.
The Government’s current plans for ensuring the same quality of care in hospitals on all days of the week are focussed on those with urgent and emergency care needs at weekends and those who are already inpatients. It is for individual health economies to determine if they wish to provide elective care at weekends, for example if they can use more efficiently additional resources that are available to meet urgent and emergency care needs.
The Government’s current plans for ensuring the same quality of care in hospitals on all days of the week are focussed on those with urgent and emergency care needs at weekends and those who are already inpatients. It is for individual health economies to determine if they wish to provide elective care at weekends, for example if they can use more efficiently additional resources that are available to meet urgent and emergency care needs.
The Government’s current plans for ensuring the same quality of care in hospitals on all days of the week are focussed on those with urgent and emergency care needs at weekends and those who are already inpatients. It is for individual health economies to determine if they wish to provide elective care at weekends, for example if they can use more efficiently additional resources that are available to meet urgent and emergency care needs.
Through the Care Act 2014, the Department has required local authorities to have measures in place to identify people in their area who would benefit from universal services to help reduce, delay or prevent needs for care and support. This includes needs that may arise from social isolation.
The Secretary of State for Health set out in his speech to the Local Government Association on 1 July that we all have a responsibility at an individual, family, and community level to identify people with care needs such as loneliness and provide support and improve their wellbeing.
The Department has supported a ‘digital toolkit’ for local commissioners, which was developed by the Campaign to End Loneliness. Since its launch in July 2012, the toolkit has been supporting commissioners in understanding, mapping and commissioning for loneliness and social isolation in their communities.
Alongside work to build our understanding of the issue and expanding the evidence base, we have launched the Prevention Library where local authorities can exchange ideas and experience of the impact of information, advice and befriending services.
[This question was tabled before the sad death of the Honourable Lady but the subject remains important and the Government’s response ought to be placed on the public record.]
The UN Secretary General’s annual report on Children in Armed Conflict was published on 2 June. The report includes a section outlining the impact of the conflict in Yemen on children.
The conflict in Yemen has had a significant impact on children, in terms of the numbers of child casualties, the recruitment of children as soldiers, and attacks on hospitals and schools.
We note the announcement by the UN Secretary General on 6 June that removed the listing of the Saudi Arabian-led Coalition from the report’s annex, pending the conclusion of a joint review by the UN and Saudi Arabia on the cases and numbers cited in the text. We welcome co-operation between the UN and Saudi Arabia to look in to this matter.
[This question was tabled before the sad death of the Honourable Lady but the subject remains important and the Government’s response ought to be placed on the public record.]
The UN Secretary General’s annual report on Children in Armed Conflict was published on 2 June. The report includes a section outlining the impact of the conflict in Yemen on children.
The conflict in Yemen has had a significant impact on children, in terms of the numbers of child casualties, the recruitment of children as soldiers, and attacks on hospitals and schools.
We note the announcement by the UN Secretary General on 6 June that removed the listing of the Saudi Arabian-led Coalition from the report’s annex, pending the conclusion of a joint review by the UN and Saudi Arabia on the cases and numbers cited in the text. We welcome co-operation between the UN and Saudi Arabia to look in to this matter. A political solution remains the best way to bring this conflict and the suffering of the Yemeni people to an end. The UK Government continues to support the work of the United Nations on Children and Armed Conflict.
These are terrible allegations of sexual exploitation and abuse by peacekeepers in the Central African Republic. The UN and Member States must investigate these claims urgently and thoroughly and hold the perpetrators to account. The UK supports the efforts by the UN Secretary-General to eliminate all instances of sexual abuse and exploitation by UN peacekeepers.
The Prime Minister’s Special Representative on Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict, The Rt Hon Baroness Anelay of St Johns DBE, has made tackling sexual abuse and exploitation in peacekeeping missions one of her top priorities. The UK supported UN Security Council resolution 2272 which endorses the UN Secretary General’s decision to repatriate troops when there is credible evidence of sexual exploitation and abuse, and for troop contributing countries to keep the UN Secretary General informed of the progress of investigations.
The UK Government will provide £1 million to support the UN's work to improve the suitability of deployed peacekeepers, design a reporting system that communities will trust, and ensure a stronger UN response to proven allegations. The UK will be hosting an international conference on UN peacekeeping in the autumn which will push for further progress on UN peacekeeping reform.
The UK contributed £31.8 million to the UN Peacekeeping Budget for the UN Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic (MINUSCA) in 2015/16.
The operation is focussing on restoring stability, preventing human rights abuses, and promoting reconciliation. The UK will work closely with UN Security Council partners to ensure that the protection of civilians remains a priority in the renewal of the mandate, and that the Mission has sufficient resources to fulfil it.
The Cessation of Hostilities is an important step towards ending the terrible violence in Syria and bringing about a lasting political settlement.
The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr Hammond) met with the HNC Representative, Riyad Hijab in Paris on Friday 4th March to assess the current situation. Since the Cessation of Hostilities came into effect, we have seen a significant reduction in violence, which is of course a huge step forwards. But we need to see this sustained, and to see a reduction in the number of reported violations. To this end we are working with the UN and other members of the International Syria Support Group (ISSG), to urgently consolidate a robust verification mechanism to monitor alleged violations of the Cessation of Hostilities. The UK had a number of staff in Geneva last week working on this.
This mechanism is already starting to work through assessments of violations and we will continue to refine the operation as we continue.
Since the debate on 13 October 2014, neither the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr Hammond) nor I have had any discussions with Ministerial colleagues on this subject.
The British Government reserves the right to recognise a Palestinian state bilaterally at a moment of our choosing and when it can best help bring about peace. We are clear that we want to see the creation of a sovereign, independent, democratic, contiguous and viable Palestinian State, living in peace and security, side by side with Israel. Only a negotiated settlement can achieve this.
The Government’s first quarterly progress report on Syria to the House was provided by the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs on 16 December 2015. On 8 February 2016, the Secretary of State for International Development provided a second quarterly progress report to the House.
The next progress report will be provided by a relevant Minister in due course.