Asked by: Wayne David (Labour - Caerphilly)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to help support and protect the endangered Tsaatan tribe in Mongolia; and what assessment she has made of the effect of that support on the survival of those peoples.
Answered by Amanda Milling - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
We are aware of the issues impacting the livelihood of the Tsaatan people and their reindeer herds. The Mongolian government has been providing social protection measures in recent years to help mitigate these as well as promoting tourism in the Khuvsgul region to provide alternative sources of income for the Tsaatan people. The UK government does not have a bilateral assistance programme in Mongolia.
Asked by: Wayne David (Labour - Caerphilly)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to help support and protect the endangered Kalash people in Pakistan; and what assessment she has made of the effect of that support on the survival of those people.
Answered by James Cleverly - Home Secretary
We continue to urge the Government of Pakistan to guarantee the rights of all people in Pakistan, particularly the most vulnerable, including women, minorities and children, as laid down in the Constitution of Pakistan. The Kalash people live in the Chitral district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province (KP). In KP the UK has contributed to education, social protection, and social inclusion programmes, which have benefitted marginalised groups, including the Kalash. For example, teachers working in the Kalash area received training under the UK-supported Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Education Sector Programme. Through the Aawaz II programme, the UK has worked with partners to improve KP's childbirth registration system. Such reforms will ensure that more marginalised groups, including the Kalash, are registered and visible to the Government, and able to access essential services like healthcare and education.
Asked by: Wayne David (Labour - Caerphilly)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to help support and protect the endangered (a) Awa and (b) Surui tribes in the Amazon; and what assessment she has made of the effect of that support on the survival of those tribes.
Answered by Vicky Ford
The UK regularly engages with indigenous leaders and civil society organisations regarding the Amazon. Senior UK Government officials discussed the indigenous lands situation with Brazilian authorities most recently in December 2021. In April 2022 senior representatives from the British Embassy discussed human rights with indigenous leaders from across Brazil as part of the Brazilian National Articulation of Indigenous People.
Our Embassy in Brasilia has hosted conversations with indigenous leaders from Amazonas and Pará, and is in regular contact with the Brazilian National Foundation for Indigenous People (FUNAI), which is responsible for promoting indigenous people's rights and territorial protection in Brazil, including for uncontacted indigenous people to ensure that our own and others' engagement is coordinated. The UK is committed to defending and promoting the human rights of all, and we will continue to monitor developments around indigenous land rights in Brazil.
Asked by: Wayne David (Labour - Caerphilly)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to (a) increase awareness of the links between alcohol abuse and cancer and (b) introduce a health warning on alcohol labels.
Answered by Maggie Throup
The consultation to seek views on whether to introduce mandatory calorie labelling on prepacked alcohol and alcohol sold in on-trade businesses such as pubs and restaurants will be launched in due course. The consultation will also seek views on whether the provision of the United Kingdom Chief Medical Officers’ (CMOs) low risk drinking guidelines and a drink-driving warning should be mandatory or continue on a voluntary basis. Respondents to the consultation will be able to provide suggestions for additional labelling requirements, including additional warnings pertaining to health.
The UK CMOs’ low risk drinking guidelines highlight that the risk of developing a range of health problems, including cancer, increases with greater alcohol consumption on a regular basis. We continue to promote these guidelines through public health messaging, including the ‘Better Health’ campaign and the Drink Free Days app.
Asked by: Wayne David (Labour - Caerphilly)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, when he will publish (a) the consultation on calorie labelling of alcoholic products and (b) the labelling elements under consideration by that consultation.
Answered by Maggie Throup
The consultation to seek views on whether to introduce mandatory calorie labelling on prepacked alcohol and alcohol sold in on-trade businesses such as pubs and restaurants will be launched in due course. The consultation will also seek views on whether the provision of the United Kingdom Chief Medical Officers’ (CMOs) low risk drinking guidelines and a drink-driving warning should be mandatory or continue on a voluntary basis. Respondents to the consultation will be able to provide suggestions for additional labelling requirements, including additional warnings pertaining to health.
The UK CMOs’ low risk drinking guidelines highlight that the risk of developing a range of health problems, including cancer, increases with greater alcohol consumption on a regular basis. We continue to promote these guidelines through public health messaging, including the ‘Better Health’ campaign and the Drink Free Days app.
Asked by: Wayne David (Labour - Caerphilly)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment he has made of the future of the Ajax vehicle; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Jeremy Quin
I refer the hon. Gentleman to the Ajax Update I have issued today through a Written Ministerial Statement.
Asked by: Wayne David (Labour - Caerphilly)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment his Department has made of the capacity of the new aircraft carriers to use data from the F-35 Lightning effectively.
Answered by Jeremy Quin
It would be inappropriate to comment in detail on the capacity of the aircraft carriers to use data from the F-35B as to do so would or could be likely to prejudice the capability of our Armed Forces.
However, I can confirm that the aircraft carriers have a dedicated, integrated mission planning and de-brief facility which is used to analyse data the F-35Bs have gathered during their mission. These facilities proved invaluable on the most recent Carrier Strike Group deployment (CSG21) and provide a significant organic capability for the Ministry of Defence now and into the future.
Asked by: Wayne David (Labour - Caerphilly)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what written assurances her Department has given to international NGOs operating in Gaza that the proscription of Hamas as a terrorist organisation will not adversely affect their work.
Answered by Damian Hinds - Minister of State (Education)
Hamas’ proscription was extended to cover the organisation in its entirety in November 2021. The US, Canada and the EU also designate the group in its entirety as a terrorist organisation.
The Government is confident that the UK’s counter-terrorism framework, including the proscription power, does not prevent organisations from operating overseas. This includes international non-governmental organisations (INGOs) delivering legitimate humanitarian aid.
In October 2021, the Government published an updated Information Note, primarily for INGOs, on operating within counter-terrorism legislation, sanctions, and export controls. Ministers of the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office have also met with INGOs to discuss Hamas’ extended proscription.
Asked by: Wayne David (Labour - Caerphilly)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment his Department has made of the potential effect of the proposed alcohol duty system announced in the Budget on 2 November 2021 on the trend of increased liver deaths in the UK.
Answered by Helen Whately - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Government intends to move to a new system that taxes all products in reference to their alcohol content for the first time. This will help to target problem drinking by taxing higher-strength products a higher rate of duty.
The Government is continuing to engage with interested stakeholders, including public health professionals, on these reforms. A consultation ran from 27 October 2021 to 30 January 2022, and the Government is now in the process of analysing responses. A tax information and impact note will be published following the consultation when the policy is final, or near final, in the usual way.
Asked by: Wayne David (Labour - Caerphilly)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 9 November 2021 to Question 69076, what assessment he has made of the level of uptake of the RightCare Headache and Migraines Toolkit by local clinical commissioning groups; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Gillian Keegan - Secretary of State for Education
No specific assessment has been made. The RightCare Headache and Migraines Toolkit is a downloadable resource which provides optional guidance for clinical commissioning groups.