Asked by: Kim Leadbeater (Labour - Batley and Spen)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether he is taking steps to ensure that civil servants who retired before the cost of living payment was made can receive the payment.
Answered by Jeremy Quin
In June 2023, the Cabinet Office published an addendum to the 2023/24 Pay Remit Guidance, allowing organisations in scope flexibility to make a one-off payment worth up to £1,500 for all eligible staff up to and including Grade 6. The criteria for this payment is that individuals must have been in post on 31 March 2023 and still in post at the point a department makes the payment during the 2023/24 pay year. There are no plans to adjust the criteria.
Asked by: Kim Leadbeater (Labour - Batley and Spen)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Prime Minister, whether he had discussions with prime minister Modi during his visit to India on the issue of (a) Islamophobia and (b) discrimination and violence against Muslims in that country.
Answered by Boris Johnson
The UK is committed to defending freedom of religion or belief for all and promoting respect and tolerance across different religious and non-religious groups. We condemn any instances of discrimination because of religion or belief, regardless of the country or faith involved. We engage with India on a range of human rights matters and where we have concerns, we raise them directly with the Government of India, including at Ministerial level. Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon, Minister for South Asia, also regularly speaks to the High Commissioner of India, and human rights including freedom of religion or belief forms part of that dialogue.
The British High Commission in New Delhi and our network of Deputy High Commissions will continue to follow reports of violence closely, while recognising that these are matters for India. Our network of High Commissions across India regularly meet religious representatives and have run projects supporting minority rights. Over the last three years, they have worked with local NGOs to bring together young people of diverse faith backgrounds to work together on social action projects in their local communities and promote a culture of inter faith tolerance. For the second year, we are supporting a UK-India Interfaith Leadership Programme for a cohort of emerging Indian leaders of diverse faith backgrounds, including Muslims, creating an opportunity to exchange UK-India experiences on leading modern, inclusive communities.
Asked by: Kim Leadbeater (Labour - Batley and Spen)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office, what steps he is taking to communicate with covid-bereaved families the timescales for the covid-19 public inquiry.
Answered by Penny Mordaunt - Lord President of the Council and Leader of the House of Commons
On 12 May, the Prime Minister confirmed the public inquiry into COVID-19 will begin in Spring 2022. The Government understands that to ensure we learn lessons from the pandemic, it is imperative that we engage and consult with bereaved families and others, before the terms of reference are finalised. Throughout the pandemic senior ministers, including the Prime Minister, have met and will continue to meet with bereaved families.
I want to thank the Bereaved Families for Justice group for all their efforts in representing bereaved families throughout the pandemic. Every death from this virus is a tragedy and our deepest sympathies are with everyone who has lost loved ones. The Government remains steadfast in our commitment to ensuring that these families have the scrutiny of the Government’s response to managing the pandemic that they deserve.