Asked by: Kevin Foster (Conservative - Torbay)
Question to the Home Office:
What steps he is taking to tackle domestic abuse.
Answered by Victoria Atkins - Secretary of State for Health and Social Care
This Government is committed to transforming the response to domestic abuse.
On 21 January 2019, we published a landmark draft Domestic Abuse Bill alongside a wide-ranging package of measures to protect and support victims.
We have also recently refreshed our Violence Against Women and Girls Strategy and published a position paper on Male Victims, demonstrating our commitment to tackle all forms of abuse.
Asked by: Kevin Foster (Conservative - Torbay)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
What progress his Department has made on proposals for the scrutiny of future free trade agreements.
Answered by George Hollingbery
Asked by: Kevin Foster (Conservative - Torbay)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
What recent steps he has taken through the Industrial Strategy to increase the number of high-quality, well paid jobs.
Answered by Sam Gyimah
High quality, well paid jobs are a crucial part of our economy and are underpinned by productivity. Our Industrial Strategy sets out a long-term plan to boost productivity by investing in skills, industries and infrastructure.
We have overseen the biggest increase in R&D funding in the last 40 years, committing £7 billion by 2023/2024; have the fastest growing infrastructure investment across the G7; and are providing £37bn of additional capital spending, all of which contribute to the creation of high-quality jobs across the UK.
Asked by: Kevin Foster (Conservative - Torbay)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
What recent assessment she has made of the security situation in Northern Ireland.
Answered by Karen Bradley
The threat from Northern Ireland-related terrorism continues to be SEVERE in Northern Ireland, meaning an attack is highly likely.
Our response to terrorism and paramilitary activity is coordinated, effective and fully resourced.
This Government remains fully committed to keeping people safe and secure and ensuring that terrorism never succeeds.
Asked by: Kevin Foster (Conservative - Torbay)
Question to the Home Office:
What steps he is taking to ensure that the UK's security services have the resources required to counter terrorism.
Answered by Sajid Javid
In 2015, the Government committed to spending more than £2 billion per year on counter-terrorism and investing 30% more over the Spending Review period, including £1.4 billion investment in new capabilities for the security and intelligence agencies.
In light of the changing threat picture set out in our strengthened and updated CONTEST strategy, we have also allocated an additional £50m funding to Counter-Terrorism Policing this year.
Asked by: Kevin Foster (Conservative - Torbay)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Prime Minister, pursuant to her oral response of 6 June 2018, Official Report, column 307, to the hon. Member for Rayleigh and Wickford, whether terrorist murders in Northern Ireland are being investigated.
Answered by Theresa May
A number of terrorist murders from the Troubles are actively under investigation by the Police Service of Northern Ireland and other police forces. But I am clear that under current mechanisms for investigating the past there is a disproportionate focus on former members of the armed forces and the Police. The Government is committed to ensuring that all outstanding deaths in Northern Ireland should be investigated in ways that are fair, balanced and proportionate.
Asked by: Kevin Foster (Conservative - Torbay)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
What recent assessment he has made of the military situation on the Korean peninsula.
Answered by Gavin Williamson
Tensions on the Korean peninsula are lower than for some time.
We look forward to the summit between President Trump and Kim Jong-Un and hope that it results in an agreement that brings about complete, verifiable and irreversible denuclearisation of the Korean Peninsula.
I urge Kim Jong-Un to heed the clear message that it is only through a change of course that he can realise the security and prosperity that North Korea claims to seek.
Asked by: Kevin Foster (Conservative - Torbay)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
What recent assessment he has made of the military situation on the Korean peninsula.
Answered by Gavin Williamson
Tensions on the Korean peninsula are lower than for some time.
We look forward to the summit between President Trump and Kim Jong-Un and hope that it results in an agreement that brings about complete, verifiable and irreversible denuclearisation of the Korean Peninsula.
I urge Kim Jong-Un to heed the clear message that it is only through a change of course that he can realise the security and prosperity that North Korea claims to seek.
Asked by: Kevin Foster (Conservative - Torbay)
Question to the Home Office:
Whether she has made an assessment of the effectiveness of measures to tackle the illegal trade in the drug commonly known as Spice.
Answered by Nick Hurd
The Government's approach to drugs is working. We are tracking the use of new psychoactive substances (which captures synthetic cannabinoids such as those in 'spice') though the annual Drug Misuse publication, which found that NPS use in England and Wales has fallen from 0.7 per cent in 2015/16 to 0.4 per cent in 2016/17. We recognise that some areas still have problems with synthetic cannabinoids and strongly support the multi-agency approach taken to tackle this.
Asked by: Kevin Foster (Conservative - Torbay)
Question to the Home Office:
Whether she has made an assessment of the effectiveness of measures to tackle the illegal trade in the drug commonly known as Spice.
Answered by Nick Hurd
The Government's approach to drugs is working. We are tracking the use of new psychoactive substances (which captures synthetic cannabinoids such as those in 'spice') though the annual Drug Misuse publication, which found that NPS use in England and Wales has fallen from 0.7 per cent in 2015/16 to 0.4 per cent in 2016/17. We recognise that some areas still have problems with synthetic cannabinoids and strongly support the multi-agency approach taken to tackle this.