Asked by: Philip Davies (Conservative - Shipley)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what steps his Department took to mark International Men's Day on 19 November 2020.
Answered by Robin Walker
International Men’s Day offers an opportunity to highlight where we need to do more to improve outcomes for men and boys, and to talk about some of the work across Government to tackle those issues. To mark International Men’s Day on 19 November and raise awareness, the Northern Ireland Office highlighted a number of events taking place through the organisation Men’s Action Network (M.A.N), which supports and promotes men’s health and wellbeing.
The Northern Ireland Office has active staff-led Diversity & Inclusion and Wellbeing networks and our strong message is that we want to see all people being treated fairly, regardless of gender, with Intranet communications highlighting the support available to men in the workplace including shared parental leave and Mental Health First Aiders.
Asked by: Philip Davies (Conservative - Shipley)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many times the (a) Union Jack, (b) St George's flag, (c) Scottish Saltire and (d) flag of Wales has been flown from the headquarters of his Department in London in each year since 2015.
Answered by Brandon Lewis
In my Department’s office in London responsibility for flag flying lies with the landlord, Her Majesty's Treasury.
Asked by: Philip Davies (Conservative - Shipley)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many (a) Union Jack, (b) St George, (c) Scottish Saltire and (d) Flag of Wales flags his Department owns.
Answered by Brandon Lewis
My Department owns one flag which is the Union Flag.
Asked by: Philip Davies (Conservative - Shipley)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what plans his Department has to mark International Men's Day on 19 November 2019.
Answered by Julian Smith
No one should suffer unfair treatment because of their gender. Every year International Men’s Day offers an opportunity to highlight how outcomes for men and boys can be improved and to talk about some of the important work going on every day across Government to do this.
The work ranges from the introduction of shared parental leave, which allows men to take time away from the workplace and bond with their new children, benefitting that crucial long-term relationship for both parent and child, to our programme tackling LGBT bullying in schools which seeks to protect those who may be victimised by outdated and stereotypical ideas of what it means to be a ‘real man’.
Government is also working with local authorities to ensure their suicide prevention plans support more men, and in the Domestic Abuse Bill we propose to create a statutory definition of domestic abuse that makes clear men also can be victims of this abhorrent crime.
My Department has active staff-led Diversity & Inclusion and Wellbeing networks and we plan to mark International Men’s Day on 19 November by communicating key messages on our departmental Intranet - that we want to see all people being treated fairly, regardless of gender and highlighting the support available to men in the workplace from shared parental leave to access to our qualified Mental Health First Aiders.
We will also commission blogs to share male perspectives, which we find is an effective method of raising awareness and generating discussion of important issues.
Asked by: Philip Davies (Conservative - Shipley)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what the main policy priority is for her Department for 2018; and if she will make a statement.
Answered by Shailesh Vara
The Northern Ireland Office published an updated Single Departmental Plan on 23 May 2018. This set out the Department’s main policy objectives and how it will achieve them. Single Departmental Plans will be revised annually to reflect new priorities or changes in responsibilities.
Asked by: Philip Davies (Conservative - Shipley)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many contractors currently employed by her Department are paid £1,000 or more per day.
Answered by Shailesh Vara
In the Northern Ireland Office, there are currently no Contractors paid £1,000 or more per day.
Asked by: Philip Davies (Conservative - Shipley)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many contractors her Department employs who have worked for her Department for (a) up to one year, (b) over one and up to five years, (c) over five years and up to ten years and (d) over 10 years.
Answered by Shailesh Vara
My Department currently employs 2 contractors; both have worked with the department for over one but less than five years.
Asked by: Philip Davies (Conservative - Shipley)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what the job titles are of civil servants in her Department who have been provided with (a) an official car and (b) a driver; and how many civil servants are so provided for.
Answered by Shailesh Vara
No civil servants in the Northern Ireland Office are provided with a dedicated official car or a driver.
Asked by: Philip Davies (Conservative - Shipley)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, which regulations her Department (a) has introduced as a result of EU legislation from 23 June 2016 to date and (b) expects to implement as a result of EU legislation in (i) 2018 and (ii) 2019; and what estimate she has made of the cost of each such regulation to the (A) public purse and (B) private sector.
Answered by Karen Bradley
My Department has not introduced any regulations as a result of EU legislation since 23 June 2016.
We do not expect to introduce any regulations as a result of EU legislation in 2018 and 2019.