Asked by: Justin Madders (Labour - Ellesmere Port and Bromborough)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Deputy Foreign Secretary, whether any ministerial redundancy payments have been repaid to their Department since 2019.
Answered by David Rutley
It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.
Asked by: Justin Madders (Labour - Ellesmere Port and Bromborough)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what step his Department is taking to deliver aid to people impacted by recent flooding in (a) the Democratic Republic of the Congo and (b) Rwanda.
Answered by Andrew Mitchell
We are saddened by the loss of life in Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Rwanda which was caused by the devastating floods and landslides. The NGO consortium START, which the UK part funds, has committed £300,000 to the Rwanda flood response which will be implemented by Trócaire. START have also given £400,000 to the DRC flood response, to provide those who have lost their homes and livelihoods with cash to buy food and other basics for survival. In DRC the Red Cross, funded by the UK, are supporting with the recovery of bodies, and reuniting unaccompanied children with their families. I [Minister Mitchell] sent WhatsApp messages to DRC Foreign Minister Lutundula and Rwandan Foreign Minister offering UK support and condolences.
Asked by: Justin Madders (Labour - Ellesmere Port and Bromborough)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether his Department has contracted work to a business that has been prosecuted by the Health and Safety Executive within the last three years.
Answered by David Rutley
Details of Government contracts above £10,000, are published on Contracts Finder https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Search.
As detailed in the Procurement Policy Note: Standard Selection Questionnaire https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/558531/PPN_8_16_StandardSQ_Template_v3.pdf the FCDO can use discretionary grounds to exclude an organisation or any of its Directors or Executive Officers where the organisation has been in receipt of enforcement/remedial orders in relation to the Health and Safety Executive (or equivalent body) in the last 3 years.
A Public register of convictions by the Health and Safety Executive can be found at https://resources.hse.gov.uk/convictions/.
Asked by: Justin Madders (Labour - Ellesmere Port and Bromborough)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether his Department has contracted work to a business named in round 18 of the National Minimum Wage Naming Scheme in the last three years.
Answered by David Rutley
Details of Government contracts from 2016 above £10,000, and £25,000 in the wider public sector, are published on Contracts Finder https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk. Publications include early engagement, future opportunities, and opportunities.
Asked by: Justin Madders (Labour - Ellesmere Port and Bromborough)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions he has had with Cabinet colleagues on the parliamentary ratification of the World Health Organisation Pandemic Treaty.
Answered by Andrew Mitchell
The procedure for ratification of any new treaty is set out in the Constitutional Reform and Governance Act 2010 which provides a mechanism for Parliament's statutory role in the scrutiny of treaties. The UK is committed to strengthening pandemic prevention, preparedness and response and as such supports a new international instrument. World Health Organization Member States have yet to begin negotiating the instrument text. The FCDO will provide Parliament with updates as appropriate. If a new international instrument having the status of a treaty is agreed by WHO Member States, the Government will follow the usual statutory ratification procedure.
Asked by: Justin Madders (Labour - Ellesmere Port and Bromborough)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, how many and what proportion of the Union Jack flags purchased by her Department in each of the last two years were manufactured in the UK.
Answered by Amanda Milling
Since 2019 the FCDO has brought two six yard (India Tower) and two three yard flags. All flags purchased by the department are supplied by Mitie, through The Flag Consultancy. These are all manufactured in the UK.
Asked by: Justin Madders (Labour - Ellesmere Port and Bromborough)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, which companies have supplied Union Jack flags to her Department since 2019.
Answered by Amanda Milling
Union Jack flags for the department are supplied through our Facilities Management provider (Mitie).