Asked by: Vicky Ford (Conservative - Chelmsford)
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 ensure humanitarian aid arriving at Port Sudan is reaching its intended recipients; and what discussions his Department has had with representatives of the UN on the steps being taken to help ensure de facto Sudanese authorities are facilitating humanitarian agencies work in Sudan.
Answered by Andrew Mitchell - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) (Minister for Development)
The UK's top humanitarian priority for Sudan is to secure improved access and security guarantees for humanitarian agencies, whose operations are highly constrained by insecurity and restrictions on the movements of humanitarian aid and relief workers. The UK is working closely with the UN, neighbouring countries, donors and humanitarian agencies to put pressure on the warring parties to abide by their commitments under international humanitarian law and to allow lifesaving aid to reach those in need. FCDO officials meet regularly with UN counterparts to discuss the present humanitarian challenges in Sudan.
Asked by: Vicky Ford (Conservative - Chelmsford)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to the UK's position as the penholder on Sudan at the UN Security Council, if he will call for the expansion of the UN arms embargo to the whole of Sudan.
Answered by Andrew Mitchell - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) (Minister for Development)
There is a UN Arms Embargo and Sanctions Regime on Darfur, which we renewed in March 2023. There is also a longstanding bilateral UK arms embargo in place for the whole of Sudan. These regimes have been used to constrain the flow of weapons into the country and support efforts to stop those who pose a threat to stability in Darfur. The UN Arms Embargo and Sanctions Regime on Darfur will be reviewed by September 2024.
Asked by: Vicky Ford (Conservative - Chelmsford)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of establishing an informal Sudan Advisory Group which includes specialists on Sudan and on conflict and justice-related issues.
Answered by Andrew Mitchell - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) (Minister for Development)
In response to the outbreak of conflict on 15 April, the FCDO created an enhanced Sudan Unit, bringing in a range of specialist, including on humanitarian, conflict, and justice-related issues. The FCDO also regularly engages with a range of partners on the current issues facing Sudan. This includes engagement with the Sudanese diaspora community, NGOs, academics, domestic stakeholders and both international and regional partners on topics including conflict, atrocity prevention, human rights, and humanitarian assistance. These engagements have created opportunities for knowledge-sharing and for the UK to support international efforts to secure the permanent cessation of hostilities and a return to peace and stability in Sudan.
Asked by: Vicky Ford (Conservative - Chelmsford)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what diplomatic steps his Department is taking to discourage regional and other external actors from aiding conflict in Sudan through provision of financial, logistical or military support to factions in that country.
Answered by Andrew Mitchell - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) (Minister for Development)
We are pursuing all diplomatic avenues, including at the UN Security Council and Human Rights Council, and through cooperation with counterparts from African, Quad (Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United States of America) and European countries, the Intergovernmental Authority on Development, the African Union and the United Nations, to end the violence in Sudan. We are also working through a new African Union-led Core Group to ensure inclusive regional and international action to secure a viable peace process. On 12 July, we announced a package of six sanctions under the Sudan (Sanctions) (EU Exit) Regulations 2020, freezing the assets of three commercial entities linked to each party involved in the conflict. These sanctions target entities which the Sudanese Armed Forces and Rapid Support Forces have used to support their war efforts and are designed to press the parties to allow humanitarian assistance, end the violence and engage in a meaningful and sustained progress to peace. We will continue to use all our diplomatic levers to urge regional and external actors to support international efforts to bring the warring parties back to the negotiating table and end the conflict.
Asked by: Vicky Ford (Conservative - Chelmsford)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 13 June 2023 to Question 188370, when she plans to bring forward proposals to introduce re-use obligations.
Answered by Rebecca Pow - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Re-use has a significant role to play in driving down unnecessary waste. In accordance with the waste hierarchy, the priority should be on reuse of materials, before recycling, and so we are working to identify measures that could be used to encourage greater use of reusable packaging. We will bring forward our proposals in 2025.
In the meantime, EPR will contribute to a reduction in the creation of new packaging from virgin materials as producers are incentivised to reconsider the need for packaging and, where it is needed, to use reusable and recyclable packaging. This will contribute to climate change mitigation in line with our commitment to comprehensive action on climate change.
Asked by: Vicky Ford (Conservative - Chelmsford)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, with reference to the oral contribution on Amendment 476 of 22 May 2023 by the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Faith and Communities and Lords Minister) in Lords Committee Stage of the Levelling-up and Regeneration Bill, Lords Official Report column 710, what progress his Department has made on including the recommended height for letter boxes into statutory guidance; and when he plans to (a) introduce and (b) implement that guidance.
Answered by Lee Rowley - Minister of State (Minister for Housing)
We will give an update on this important matter in due course.
Asked by: Vicky Ford (Conservative - Chelmsford)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment her Department has made of the potential merits of introducing measures to encourage fast food restaurants to use plates or re-usable containers.
Answered by Rebecca Pow - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
From October this year, we will ban the supply of single use plastic plates and cutlery, as well as expanded and extruded polystyrene food and drinks containers. Government guidance on the ban makes it clear businesses should prepare by considering reusable alternatives..
The introduction of the Extended Producer Responsibility for packaging regulations will encourage businesses to think carefully about how much packaging they use, and to design and use packaging that is easily recyclable. It will also encourage use of reusable and refillable packaging.
Re-use has a significant role to play in driving down unnecessary waste. We are working to identify measures that could be used to encourage greater use of reusable packaging, but we haven’t specifically assessed measures targeting non-plastic plates in fast food restaurants. We remain committed to introducing re-use obligations and will bring forward our proposals with the intention of introducing these in 2025.
Asked by: Vicky Ford (Conservative - Chelmsford)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what diplomatic steps his Department is taking to call for the release of Matiullah Wesa, head of Afghan education NGO Pen Path; and what steps his Department is taking to (a) clarify where he is being held, (b) clarify the reasons for his arrest and (c) help ensure he has access to legal representation and contact with his family.
Answered by Leo Docherty - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for the Armed Forces)
The UK Government has repeatedly condemned the Taliban's decisions to restrict women and girls' education. We are committed to upholding the rights of women and girls and regularly press the Taliban to provide full and equal access to education for all. We support the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan's call for the Taliban to clarify where Matiullah Wesa is being held, the reasons for his arrest, and to ensure he has access to legal representation and contact with his family.
Asked by: Vicky Ford (Conservative - Chelmsford)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department is taking to tackle street crime against women and girls.
Answered by Sarah Dines
We remain committed to delivering our Tackling Violence Against Women and Girls Strategy.
We have allocated £125 million across England and Wales through the Safer Streets Fund and the Safety of Women at Night Fund, including £550,000 investment into the constituency of My Right Honourable Friend, the Member for Chelmsford.
The Government is supporting my Right Honourable Friend the Member for Tunbridge Wells’s ‘Protection from Sex-Based Harassment in Public Bill’, which would make public sexual harassment a specific offence.
Asked by: Vicky Ford (Conservative - Chelmsford)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what steps her Department is taking to protect children online.
Answered by Paul Scully
The strongest protections in the Online Safety Bill are for children, and platforms will have to take proactive steps to prevent children being exposed to illegal content and behaviour, including child sexual exploitation and abuse and content assisting suicide.
Services likely to be accessed by children will also be required to protect children from other harmful material, including pornography and cyberbullying. If sites fail in their duties, they will be subject to tough enforcement action.