Asked by: Stella Creasy (Labour (Co-op) - Walthamstow)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether his Department plans to respond to the letter from the UN Special Rapporteur on environmental defenders under the Aarhus Convention of 12 March 2024.
Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The UK welcomed the creation of the Special Rapporteur on environmental defenders under the Aarhus Convention.
The Government is considering the issues raised in the Special Rapporteur's two recent letters, in the context of the UK's obligations under the Aarhus Convention.
We will respond in due course.
Asked by: Stella Creasy (Labour (Co-op) - Walthamstow)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if she will make an estimate of the value of income tax exemption under the workplace nursery scheme in each year from (a) 2018-19 to (b) 2023-24.
Answered by James Murray - Chief Secretary to the Treasury
HMRC publishes the estimated cost to the Exchequer and number of claimants of various tax reliefs.
The estimated value of Income Tax and Class 1A National Insurance Contributions relief for “Employer Supported Childcare including workplace nurseries” can be found in the “Multiple_tax_types” worksheet of Estimated cost of non-structural tax reliefs (December 2023).
The figures include three forms of employer-supported childcare (ESC): workplace nurseries, childcare vouchers and directly contracted childcare. Use of these reliefs is not reportable to HMRC and so administrative data on their use is not available, nor is a detailed breakdown between the three forms of ESC. The introduction of Tax-Free Childcare and closure of childcare vouchers and directly contracted childcare to new entrants leads to the continuing reduction in the cost of ESC.
Asked by: Stella Creasy (Labour (Co-op) - Walthamstow)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to help residents of the Union Island.
Answered by Catherine West
Hurricane Beryl passed through the Caribbean at the beginning of July, devastating several islands in the Grenadines, including Union. On 5th July, the Foreign Secretary responded by increasing available UK response funding up to £500,000. This money has allowed us to send emergency shelter kits (capable of supporting up to 4,000 people) and freshwater storage solutions (for over 1,600 families) to affected islands, which included Union Island. The UK also supported the deployment of Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency (CDEMA) emergency response teams to assess needs and assist with relief, logistics and telecoms. St Vincent and the Grenadines also received US$1.86 million from the Caribbean Catastrophe Risk Insurance Facility (CCRIF), to which the UK was a founder donor.
Asked by: Stella Creasy (Labour (Co-op) - Walthamstow)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if she will make an estimate of the value of national insurance contributions that were exempted under workplace nursery schemes in each financial year between 2018-19 and 2023-24.
Answered by James Murray - Chief Secretary to the Treasury
HMRC publishes the estimated cost to the Exchequer and number of claimants of various tax reliefs.
The estimated value of Income Tax and Class 1A National Insurance Contributions relief for “Employer Supported Childcare including workplace nurseries” can be found in the “Multiple_tax_types” worksheet of Estimated cost of non-structural tax reliefs (December 2023).
The figures include three forms of employer-supported childcare (ESC): workplace nurseries, childcare vouchers and directly contracted childcare. Use of these reliefs is not reportable to HMRC and so administrative data on their use is not available, nor is a detailed breakdown between the three forms of ESC. The introduction of Tax-Free Childcare and closure of childcare vouchers and directly contracted childcare to new entrants leads to the continuing reduction in the cost of ESC.
Asked by: Stella Creasy (Labour (Co-op) - Walthamstow)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what estimate he has made of the cost to the public purse of rebuilding Whipps Cross Hospital; and what his expected timetable is for when this funding will be made available to Barts Health NHS Trust.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Government recognises the immediate issues affecting the National Health Service and is determined to fix them. We also recognise the need for investment in our estate across the country, including at Whipps Cross University Hospital, North East London.
My Rt. Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, has asked for an urgent report on the degree to which the New Hospital Programme is funded and a realistic timetable for delivery. He will consider this carefully then report back to patients, clinicians and local communities to confirm revision, if any, to the schedule.
Asked by: Stella Creasy (Labour (Co-op) - Walthamstow)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what her planned timetable is for bringing section 31 of the Victims and Prisoners Act 2024 into force.
Answered by Alex Davies-Jones - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Justice)
Appropriate protections for victims of harassment or stalking are vital. We are carefully considering the measures within the Victims and Prisoners Act 2024 and will provide an update on plans for implementation in due course.
Asked by: Stella Creasy (Labour (Co-op) - Walthamstow)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many and what proportion of people who were (a) called forward and (b) authorised for evacuation during Operation Pitting but were not able to board flights have subsequently been resettled under pathway one of the Afghan citizens resettlement scheme.
Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK has made an important commitment to resettle Afghans fleeing persecution and those who served the UK.
Data on the number of Afghans who were called forward and not able to board flights who have been subsequently resettled under ACRS Pathway 1 is not captured in the immigration statistics.
The latest published Immigration system statistics data tables - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk) show that (up to the end of March 2024) around 30,100 people have been brought to safety from Afghanistan and the region.
These statistics also show that:
Asked by: Stella Creasy (Labour (Co-op) - Walthamstow)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what her planned timetable is for regulating buy now pay later high cost credit providers; and if she will ensure that such regulation ensures consumers are able to access the financial ombudsman for redress for that form of credit.
Answered by Tulip Siddiq
Regulating Buy Now Pay Later products is crucial to protect people and deliver certainty for the sector.
The government will be looking to work closely with all interested stakeholders and will set out its plans shortly.
Asked by: Stella Creasy (Labour (Co-op) - Walthamstow)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to the Answer of 19 February 2024 to Question 13568 on Sexual Harassment, when she plans that the Protection from Sex-based Harassment in Public Act 2023 will come into force.
Answered by Jess Phillips - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)
Everyone has the right to live in freedom from fear. Women and girls are still facing threats of violence and abuse and we will not stand by and let this continue.
This Government considers tackling violence against women and girls (VAWG) a national emergency, and we are committed to halving levels of VAWG within the next decade.
This includes tackling public sexual harassment, which can have a devastating impact on victims and mean that women do not feel safe on our streets. The Protection from Sex-Based Harassment in Public Act 2023 will make it a specific offence and see perpetrators face up to 2 years in jail. We will confirm next steps imminently.
Asked by: Stella Creasy (Labour (Co-op) - Walthamstow)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when she expects the implementation of safe access zones around abortion clinics to be enacted.
Answered by Jess Phillips - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)
It is unacceptable that anyone should be subjected to harassment or intimidation for exercising their legal right to have access to abortion services. We will quickly review where these arrangements have got to and commence safe access zones around abortion clinics imminently.