Asked by: Lord Cruddas (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask His Majesty's Government what research they have carried out on how other countries have addressed the introduction of financial literacy into their schools, in particular in Denmark, Norway and Sweden; and whether they have any plans to follow those models.
Answered by Baroness Barran - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
The government has not carried out its own research into how other countries have addressed the introduction of financial literacy in their schools.
The curriculum in England already includes compulsory financial education within the national curriculum for mathematics at key stages 1 to 4, and citizenship at key stages 3 and 4. Primary schools can choose to teach citizenship at key stages 1 and 2, using non-statutory programmes of study.
Evidence from the 2018 Programme for International Student Assessment suggests there is a strong correlation between performance in financial literacy and performance in mathematics; and a positive correlation between financial literacy performance and learning finance-related terms at school. This evidence is available on the GOV.UK website here: https://www.oecd.org/education/pisa-2018-results-volume-iv-48ebd1ba-en.htm.
Since 2014, the government has transformed the way mathematics is taught in schools through the introduction of mastery pedagogy based on top performing East Asian countries. Mastery aims to ensure that pupils secure the deep knowledge and understanding of mathematics which provides the underlying knowledge and financial skills to make important financial decisions. The Maths Hubs’ Teaching for Mastery programme aims to reach 75% of primary schools and 65% of secondary schools by 2025.
Oak National Academy is also developing free, optional and adaptable resources for schools. Oak has published its initial mathematics resources, with the full curriculum available by this autumn. As part of this, Oak is exploring including additional lessons in real life mathematics. Secondary citizenship resources will become available from autumn 2024 and will be complete by autumn 2025.
The department continues to work closely with HM Treasury and the Money and Pensions Service, to support their efforts to coordinate the work of organisations involved in delivering the goals set out in the National Strategy for Financial Wellbeing 2020. This includes monitoring the evidence base for financial education to understand what works and what further support schools may need.
Asked by: Lord Alton of Liverpool (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of Sweden's decision to reinstate civic duty for 18-year-olds, including training in emergency services and the maintenance of vital infrastructure, and of the similar model in Norway; and what consideration they have given, if any, to introducing a comparable model in the UK.
Answered by Baroness Neville-Rolfe - Minister of State (Cabinet Office)
Resilience is a top priority for this government. Ministers and officials regularly engage with International partners to learn from and share good practice in relation to resilience. There are no current plans to replicate Sweden’s model of civic duty.
The UK already has many reservist programmes: these include programmes for the armed forces, the Royal National Lifeboat Institution, Mountain Rescue, Retained Firefighters, Coastguard volunteers, NHS volunteers and special constables.
The Government has set out its ambition for a whole of society approach to resilience in the Resilience Framework. The Deputy Prime Minister’s first annual statement to Parliament on resilience offered more detail on plans to build on the community spirit in our country and the willingness of individuals to volunteer in a crisis by developing an index of volunteering opportunities.
To support the broader training offer the Government has committed to the development of a UK Resilience Academy that will provide a full suite of learning and training opportunities for the whole of society.
Asked by: Jim Shannon (Democratic Unionist Party - Strangford)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps his Department is taking to provide military assistance to help support Ukraine's naval forces in winter 2023-24.
Answered by James Heappey
The UK, alongside Norway, is leading the Maritime Capability Coalition, to support the development of Ukraine's maritime capability. The UK has already trained 950 Ukrainian Marines and is working with coalition members to continue that training. We are working with the international community to develop Ukraine's counter-mine capabilities, and providing shore-to-ship missiles, air defence, and long-range systems. This will help Ukraine keep its shipping lanes clear of Russian mines and enable them to export grain and other commodities vital to their economy and long-term success.
Asked by: Lord Mott (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the decision by Norway to become the first country in the world to commence commercial deep seabed mining and the impact on the UK.
Answered by Lord Offord of Garvel - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The UK government notes the Norwegian government’s decision of 9 January 2024 to consider awarding licences for deep sea mining exploration and potentially in future extraction on its continental shelf. This area is within Norway’s jurisdiction and is not regulated by the International Seabed Authority.
Asked by: Lord Mott (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government, following the recent decision by Norway to allow deep seabed mining, what position they will take on the issue at the 29th Session of the International Seabed Authority.
Answered by Lord Benyon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK government notes the Norwegian government's decision of 10 January 2024 to consider awarding licences for deep sea mining exploration and potentially in future extraction on its continental shelf. This area is within Norway's jurisdiction and is not regulated by the International Seabed Authority.
At the 29th Session of the International Seabed Authority (ISA) the UK will be maintaining its support for a moratorium (announced on 30th October 2023) on the granting of exploitation licences for deep sea mining projects by the ISA. We recognise the growing pressure to extract deep-sea resources and are concerned about the potential impacts of mining activities on the fragile marine environment. The UK will not sponsor or support the issuing of any such exploitation licences for deep sea mining by the ISA unless and until there is sufficient scientific evidence about the potential impact on deep sea ecosystems.
Asked by: Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi (Labour - Slough)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, whether he has had recent discussions with his international counterparts on taking steps to increase humanitarian aid to Sudan.
Answered by Andrew Mitchell - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) (Minister for Development)
The UK is working with regional and international partners, to help bring an end to the hostilities, ensure the protection of civilians and secure safe humanitarian access to and for the most at-need communities. In November the UK, alongside Norway, jointly funded the Sudan Humanitarian Conference which took place in Cairo from 18-20 November. This brought together Sudanese grassroots organisations, NGOs and the international humanitarian system to develop coordination mechanisms to give a greater voice to Sudanese organisations in the humanitarian response. The UK continues to provide assistance to the many people in need in Sudan through our humanitarian aid package of £36 million for 2023-2024.
Asked by: Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi (Labour - Slough)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, what recent steps he had taken to support the humanitarian situation in Sudan.
Answered by Andrew Mitchell - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) (Minister for Development)
The UK is working with regional and international partners, to help bring an end to the hostilities, ensure the protection of civilians and secure safe humanitarian access to and for the most at-need communities. In November the UK, alongside Norway, jointly funded the Sudan Humanitarian Conference which took place in Cairo from 18-20 November. This brought together Sudanese grassroots organisations, NGOs and the international humanitarian system to develop coordination mechanisms to give a greater voice to Sudanese organisations in the humanitarian response. The UK continues to provide assistance to the many people in need in Sudan through our humanitarian aid package of £36 million for 2023-2024.
Asked by: Grahame Morris (Labour - Easington)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many foreign national offenders were removed from the country through a prison transfer agreement each year since 2010; and if he will list which countries were they removed to.
Answered by Edward Argar - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)
Any foreign national who is convicted of a crime and given a prison sentence is considered for deportation at the earliest opportunity. Where appropriate, the Government will also seek to permanently remove foreign criminals from the UK via the Early Removal Scheme once they have served the minimum required of their sentence. This is our best performing removal scheme with 5,262 Foreign National Offenders (FNOs) having been removed between January 2019 and June 2022.
The Home Office removed 16,676 foreign national offenders since January 2019 to September 2023. Published figures show that FNO returns have increased in the latest 12-month period (ending September 2023) by 19% when compared to previous 12-month period.
Our new Prisoner Transfer Agreement with Albania entered into force in May 2023 and we have signed a new Prisoner Transfer Agreement with the Philippines. We are looking to negotiate new Prisoner Transfer Agreements with key EU Member States and wider-world countries
Foreign national offender removals via Prisoner Transfer Agreements since 2010:
Year: | Removals: |
2010 | 46 |
2011 | 33 |
2012 | 41 |
2013 | 44 |
2014 | 34 |
2015 | 57 |
2016 | 99 |
2017 | 107 |
2018 | 111 |
2019 | 136 |
2020 | 81 |
2021 | 73 |
2022 | 50 |
2023 | 33 |
Countries or Territories we have removed foreign national offenders to via Prisoner Transfer Agreements since 2010:
Albania | Denmark | Latvia | Slovakia |
Austria | Ecuador | Lithuania | Slovenia |
Belgium | Estonia | Macedonia | Spain |
Bermuda | France | Malta | Sri Lanka |
Bolivia | Germany | Montenegro | St Helena |
Brazil | Ghana | Netherlands | Sweden |
Bulgaria | Gibraltar | Nigeria | Switzerland |
Canada | Greece | Norway | Turkey |
Cayman | Hungary | Pakistan | Ukraine |
Chile | India | Poland | Vietnam |
Croatia | Ireland | Portugal | Iraq |
Cyprus | Israel | Romania |
|
Czech Republic | Italy | Saudi |
|
Asked by: Caroline Lucas (Green Party - Brighton, Pavilion)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, with reference to the Answer of 23 November 2023 to Question HL568 in the House of Lords on Sudan: Humanitarian Aid, what progress he has made with international partners on (a) unfettered humanitarian access to Sudan and (b) the provision of continued support for the Sudanese people.
Answered by Andrew Mitchell - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) (Minister for Development)
The UK continues to press the warring parties to enable humanitarian access into and across Sudan, including by challenging bureaucratic and administrative impediments; and coordinates on this vital issue with our international partners and in international fora such as at the UN. The UK, alongside Norway, jointly funded the Sudan Humanitarian Conference which took place in Cairo from 18-20 November; an event that brought together Sudanese grassroots organisations, NGOs and the international humanitarian system to develop coordination mechanisms to give a greater voice to Sudanese organisations in the humanitarian response. The UK continues to fully support the UN-led humanitarian forum established during the latest round of Jeddah talks in October and launched on 13 November. Alongside international partners, we are supporting such mediation efforts, and urge both warring parties to engage constructively to secure short-term ceasefires and improvements in humanitarian access. The UK continues to provide assistance to the many people in need in Sudan through our humanitarian aid package of £36 million for 2023-2024.
Asked by: John Healey (Labour - Wentworth and Dearne)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to his Department’s press release of 11 December British minehunting ships to bolster Ukrainian Navy as UK and Norway launch maritime support initiative, which two Sandown-class minehunters are being transferred to Ukraine.
Answered by James Heappey
The two Sandown-class minehunters being transferred to Ukraine are named CHERNIHIV (ex HMS GRIMSBY) and CHERKASY (ex HMS SHOREHAM).