Asked by: Marcus Fysh (Conservative - Yeovil)
Question to the Department for Exiting the European Union :
To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, on what date the texts (a) Annex 2, (b) Annex 4, (c) Annex 8, (d) Article 6(1), (e) Article 12(1) and (f) Article 15 of the Northern Ireland Protocol in the Withdrawal Agreement were finalised.
Answered by Robin Walker
Following intense negotiations on the Northern Ireland Protocol in the preceding weeks and months, the Draft Agreement on the withdrawal of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland from the European Union and the European Atomic Energy Community, including all of the annexes in question, was published on 14 November and the final version was agreed at a special European Council on 25 November 2018.
Asked by: Marcus Fysh (Conservative - Yeovil)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what work has been undertaken to understand the technology and processes required to remove the need for infrastructure related to checks and controls at the Irish border itself aside from that on the Facilitated Customs Arrangement referred to in the Government's White Paper on the future relationship between the EU and the UK.
Answered by Mel Stride - Secretary of State for Work and Pensions
The Government’s preferred approach to customs, the facilitated customs arrangement (FCA), would avoid any need for customs declarations on cross-border trade and would ensure there are no stops or checks at the land border. The FCA will therefore fully deliver on the Government’s commitments to avoid a hard land border.
The UK is also seeking to be at the cutting edge of global customs policy. As the Government outlined in the “future customs arrangements” paper in August 2017, it has been exploring possible ways in which to use future advancements in technology to streamline the trading process; including by simplifying existing procedures to reduce burdens on business, or speeding up some authorisation processes through increased automation. The UK will look to implement such innovations, bilaterally or unilaterally, to promote the greatest possible trade with the rest of the world.
Asked by: Marcus Fysh (Conservative - Yeovil)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether there has been any illegal whaling within British-administered waters; and what steps the Government is taking to prevent such whaling.
Answered by George Eustice
The UK is fully committed to upholding the global moratorium on Commercial Whaling adopted by the International Whaling Commission in 1986. The moratorium is enforced by the appropriate authorities. We are not aware of any illegal whaling activity that takes place in British-administered waters.
Asked by: Marcus Fysh (Conservative - Yeovil)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
What plans he has to broaden routes into nursing.
Answered by Philip Dunne
Health Education England published a draft workforce strategy last week, which emphasised clearly the priority we have to increase the nursing workforce and broaden routes into nursing.
That is why, in England, we have developed the new nursing associate role and Nursing Degree Apprenticeship to open routes into the registered nursing profession for thousands of people from all backgrounds, and allow employers to grow their own workforce from within their local communities.
Asked by: Marcus Fysh (Conservative - Yeovil)
Question to the Department for International Development:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what steps she is taking to promote access by SME's to her Department's procurement programme.
Answered by Priti Patel
DFID’s SME Action Plan sets out a range of measures to promote access. These include increased use of social media, a specific email address and forums for SMEs, and breaking up suitable contracts into smaller lots for delivery by SMEs.
Asked by: Marcus Fysh (Conservative - Yeovil)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what plans he has to replace the RAF Puma fleet; and when he expects to announce a final decision on replacement.
Answered by Harriett Baldwin
We plan to retain Puma in service until at least 2025. Work to investigate delivery of this capability beyond the mid-2020s is under way but it would be premature to provide a formal decision date.
Asked by: Marcus Fysh (Conservative - Yeovil)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps the Government is taking to ensure that people with mental health conditions are properly supported into work.
Answered by Penny Mordaunt - Lord President of the Council and Leader of the House of Commons
We are investing significant resources in this area including increasing the coverage of the Talking Therapy services by 600,000 people per year to 1.5million by 2020. We are also investing in trials and initiatives with a view to taking forward those that work best for individuals.
Mental Health is a key feature of our Green Paper Improving Lives published on 31 October 2016.
Asked by: Marcus Fysh (Conservative - Yeovil)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of provision within the school system for the needs of students who are young carers.
Answered by Edward Timpson
Schools play a very important part in identifying pupils who are young carers and in offering them appropriate support.
During school inspection, Ofsted inspectors consider how schools are meeting the needs of their pupils, including young carers. It is for schools to demonstrate to inspectors that they know all of their pupils, including those with caring responsibilities, and have strategies in place to support these pupils and ensure that they are making expected progress.
This Department has funded the Carers Trust and The Children’s Society, in partnership with Suffolk Family Carers, to work with local authorities to develop models of assessment and support that specifically address the needs of young carers. We have also trained school nurses to be champions for young carers, to speak up on behalf of young carers and help head teachers and governors decide how best to support them at school.
Asked by: Marcus Fysh (Conservative - Yeovil)
Question to the Attorney General:
To ask the Attorney General, what steps the Government is taking to increase the number of prosecutions for hate crime.
Answered by Robert Buckland
We are committed to tackling hate crime in any form. The cross Government Hate Crime Action Plan, published in July 2016, focuses on reducing hate crime, increasing reporting and ensuring that all criminal justice partners and key stakeholders deliver the appropriate outcomes for victims.
Asked by: Marcus Fysh (Conservative - Yeovil)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what measures his Department is putting in place to make government more cost-effective.
Answered by Ben Gummer
Improving the efficiency and productivity of the public sector is central to the work of the Cabinet Office and other government Departments. By 2014/15 the Government had saved £18.6 billion through efficiency and reform.
The government is continuing this work. For example, we are working to improve how the government operates across functional areas such as commercial, property, infrastructure and projects, and by tackling fraud, error and debt. We will continue to make government more effective throughout this parliament.