Asked by: Zarah Sultana (Labour - Coventry South)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department conducted an Environmental Impact Assessment on the use of (a) the Bibby Stockholm and (b) other barges to accommodate people seeking asylum.
Answered by Robert Jenrick
An Equality Impact Assessment (EQIA) has been completed and routinely monitored to ensure that the accommodation is safe, habitable, fit for purpose and meets all regulatory requirements, for single adult male asylum seekers.
We will assess individual’s suitability to reside at each location and will only accommodate individuals who are considered suitable to reside there. Each person’s suitability will be assessed at regular intervals.
The sites are be designed to be as self-sufficient as possible, helping to minimise the impact on local communities and services. This includes 24/7 security to reduce the need for police patrols, on-site catering and healthcare and transport provisions for asylum seekers.
We also conducted relevant assessments in line with the Home Office’s role as competent authority under the Conservation and Habitats Regulations 2017. An environmental impact assessment (EIA) screening was not required as planning permission was not required.
Asked by: Zarah Sultana (Labour - Coventry South)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department conducted an impact assessment on the use of (a) the Bibby Stockholm and (b) other barges to accommodate people seeking asylum.
Answered by Robert Jenrick
An Equality Impact Assessment (EQIA) has been completed and routinely monitored to ensure that the accommodation is safe, habitable, fit for purpose and meets all regulatory requirements, for single adult male asylum seekers.
We will assess individual’s suitability to reside at each location and will only accommodate individuals who are considered suitable to reside there. Each person’s suitability will be assessed at regular intervals.
The sites are be designed to be as self-sufficient as possible, helping to minimise the impact on local communities and services. This includes 24/7 security to reduce the need for police patrols, on-site catering and healthcare and transport provisions for asylum seekers.
We also conducted relevant assessments in line with the Home Office’s role as competent authority under the Conservation and Habitats Regulations 2017. An environmental impact assessment (EIA) screening was not required as planning permission was not required.
Asked by: Zarah Sultana (Labour - Coventry South)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department made an (a) equality impact assessment and (b) policy equality statement on the use of the (i) Bibby Stockholm to accommodate people seeking asylum and (ii) barges and other floating vessels to accommodate people seeking asylum.
Answered by Robert Jenrick
An Equality Impact Assessment (EQIA) has been completed and routinely monitored to ensure that the accommodation is safe, habitable, fit for purpose and meets all regulatory requirements, for single adult male asylum seekers.
We will assess individual’s suitability to reside at each location and will only accommodate individuals who are considered suitable to reside there. Each person’s suitability will be assessed at regular intervals.
The sites are be designed to be as self-sufficient as possible, helping to minimise the impact on local communities and services. This includes 24/7 security to reduce the need for police patrols, on-site catering and healthcare and transport provisions for asylum seekers.
We also conducted relevant assessments in line with the Home Office’s role as competent authority under the Conservation and Habitats Regulations 2017. An environmental impact assessment (EIA) screening was not required as planning permission was not required.
Asked by: Zarah Sultana (Labour - Coventry South)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many and what proportion of people who were evacuated from Sudan and granted six-months leave to enter the UK are residing in Coventry.
Answered by Robert Jenrick
The information requested could not be obtained without disproportionate cost.
Asked by: Zarah Sultana (Labour - Coventry South)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of closing train station ticket offices in Coventry South constituency on the (a) safety and (b) accessibility of passenger rail travel in the West Midlands.
Answered by Huw Merriman - Minister of State (Department for Transport)
When proposing major changes to ticket office opening hours, including closures, operators are required to take into account the adequacy of the proposed alternatives in relation to the needs of all passengers; and to include this in the notice of the proposal sent to other operators and passenger groups. We would also expect operators to consider other equality related needs and make this clear in the notice sent to other operators and passenger groups.
Together with industry, we want to improve and modernise the passenger experience by moving staff out from ticket offices to provide more help and advice in customer focused roles. No currently staffed station will be unstaffed as a result of industry changes, and train operators will ensure staff are well located to meet passenger needs in future.
Asked by: Zarah Sultana (Labour - Coventry South)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to support parents of twins and other multiples with the cost of (a) childcare and (b) other costs associated with raising children.
Answered by Claire Coutinho - Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero
In the Spring Budget 2023, my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced transformative reforms to childcare for parents, children, and the economy. By 2027/28, the government will expect to be spending in excess of £8 billion every year on free hours and early education, helping working families with their childcare costs. This represents the single biggest investment in childcare in England ever.
The department’s reforms include:
In the past five years the department has spent more than £20 billion supporting families with the cost of childcare. Hundreds of thousands of children aged 3 and 4 are registered for a 30 hours place, saving eligible working parents up to £6,000 per child per year. Expanding this entitlement will help even more working parents with childcare costs.
The government is also taking action to support parents on Universal Credit with childcare costs upfront when they need it, rather than in arrears. We are increasing support for these parents by increasing the childcare cost maximum amounts up to £951 for one child and £1,630 for two or more children, a rise of 47% from the previous limits.
Additionally, Tax-Free Childcare is available for working parents of children aged 0-11, or up to 17 for eligible disabled children. This can save parents up to £2,000 per year, or up to £4,000 for eligible children with disabilities, and has the same income criteria as 30 hours free childcare.
There is no maximum limit, so regardless of the number of children claimed for, the parent can benefit provided they meet the criteria.
Asked by: Zarah Sultana (Labour - Coventry South)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether his Department plans to provide (a) training and (b) project funding to prisons in Bahrain in the 2023-24 financial year.
Answered by David Rutley - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The FCDO continues to support Bahraini-led reform in a range of areas, including security and justice. The FCDO will continue to support the Ministry of Interior's reforms in Financial Year (FY) 2023/24, though project areas are yet to be formally confirmed. There is no direct funding provided to prisons and all technical assistance is delivered through implementing partners.
Asked by: Zarah Sultana (Labour - Coventry South)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what information his Department holds on the treatment of death row inmates in Jau Prison in Bahrain; and whether he plans to make representations to his Bahraini counterpart on this issue.
Answered by David Rutley - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The FCDO follows matters that relate to human rights within Bahrain closely, including some individual cases. The UK Government's long-standing policy is to oppose the death penalty in all circumstances, in all countries, as a matter of principle, and Bahrain is fully aware of that. During Bahrain's Universal Periodic Review in November 2022, the UK recommended an immediate moratorium on the use of the death penalty. We also encourage those with specific concerns to raise them directly with the appropriate Bahraini oversight body.
Asked by: Zarah Sultana (Labour - Coventry South)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what information his Department holds on the treatment of Abdulhadi Al-Khawaja in Bahrain.
Answered by David Rutley - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The FCDO follows matters that relate to human rights within Bahrain closely, including some individual cases. The Minister of State for the Middle East, Lord (Tariq) Ahmad of Wimbledon, discussed a range of human rights issues during his visit to Bahrain on 12 February, including the case of Abdulhadi Al-Khawaja.
Asked by: Zarah Sultana (Labour - Coventry South)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of the level of press freedom in Bahrain.
Answered by David Rutley - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The FCDO most recently published our assessment of the human rights situation in Bahrain in the annual FCDO Human Rights and Democracy Report, in December 2022 [https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/human-rights-and-democracy-report-2021]. Bahrain remains a FCDO Human Rights Priority Country and we continue to engage regularly, privately and effectively across a range of areas with the Government of Bahrain. During Bahrain's Universal Periodic Review in November 2022, the UK recommended Bahrain move quickly to pass a new Journalism and E-Media Law, to ensure stronger protections for journalists and enhance wider media freedoms.