Asked by: Rupert Lowe (Independent - Great Yarmouth)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to her Department's contract entitled Refugee Employability Programme - Lot 4 (West Midlands), procurement reference CF-0333700D58000000L5A4EAK, what the total number of service users is, broken down by nationality; and how many service users gained employment through this programme.
Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
It is important that we support refugees to find work so that they can financially support themselves and their families. This programme was designed and implemented under the previous administration.
Onboarding ended in December 2024 and the programme is due to close in June 2025. An evaluation will be published alongside recommendations for how we work in the future.
Asked by: Rupert Lowe (Independent - Great Yarmouth)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to her Department's contract entitled Refugee Employability Programme - Lot 9 (South East), procurement reference CF-0334400D58000000L5A4EAK, what the total number of service users is, broken down by nationality; and how many service users gained employment through this programme.
Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
It is important that we support refugees to find work so that they can financially support themselves and their families. This programme was designed and implemented under the previous administration.
Onboarding ended in December 2024 and the programme is due to close in June 2025. An evaluation will be published alongside recommendations for how we work in the future.
Asked by: Rupert Lowe (Independent - Great Yarmouth)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to her Department's contract entitled Refugee Employability Programme - Lot 8 (South West), procurement reference CF-0334500D58000000L5A4EAK, what the total number of service users is, broken down by nationality; and how many service users gained employment through this programme.
Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
It is important that we support refugees to find work so that they can financially support themselves and their families. This programme was designed and implemented under the previous administration.
Onboarding ended in December 2024 and the programme is due to close in June 2025. An evaluation will be published alongside recommendations for how we work in the future.
Asked by: Rupert Lowe (Independent - Great Yarmouth)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to her Department's contract entitled Refugee Employability Programme - Lot 6 (East of England), procurement reference CF-0334100D58000000L5A4EAK, what the total number of service users is, broken down by nationality; and how many service users gained employment through this programme.
Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
It is important that we support refugees to find work so that they can financially support themselves and their families. This programme was designed and implemented under the previous administration.
Onboarding ended in December 2024 and the programme is due to close in June 2025. An evaluation will be published alongside recommendations for how we work in the future.
Asked by: Rupert Lowe (Independent - Great Yarmouth)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to her Department's contract entitled Refugee Employability Programme - Lot 5 (East Midlands), procurement reference CF-0334000D58000000L5A4EAK, what the total number of service users is, broken down by nationality; and how many service users gained employment through this programme.
Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
It is important that we support refugees to find work so that they can financially support themselves and their families. This programme was designed and implemented under the previous administration.
Onboarding ended in December 2024 and the programme is due to close in June 2025. An evaluation will be published alongside recommendations for how we work in the future.
Asked by: Rupert Lowe (Independent - Great Yarmouth)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to her Department's contract entitled Refugee Employability Programme - Lot 2 (North East), procurement reference CF-0333500D58000000L5A4EAK, what the total number of service users is, broken down by nationality; and how many service users gained employment through this programme.
Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
It is important that we support refugees to find work so that they can financially support themselves and their families. This programme was designed and implemented under the previous administration.
Onboarding ended in December 2024 and the programme is due to close in June 2025. An evaluation will be published alongside recommendations for how we work in the future.
Asked by: Rupert Lowe (Independent - Great Yarmouth)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to her Department's contract entitled Refugee Employability Programme, procurement reference CF-0276700D58000000L5A4EAK, what the total number of service users is, broken down by nationality; and how many service users gained employment through this programme.
Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
It is important that we support refugees to find work so that they can financially support themselves and their families. This programme was designed and implemented under the previous administration.
Onboarding ended in December 2024 and the programme is due to close in June 2025. An evaluation will be published alongside recommendations for how we work in the future.
Asked by: Rupert Lowe (Independent - Great Yarmouth)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to her Department's contract entitled Refugee Employability Programme - Lot 1 (North West), procurement reference CF-0319600D58000000L5A4EAK, what the total number of service users is, broken down by nationality; and how many service users gained employment through this programme.
Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
It is important that we support refugees to find work so that they can financially support themselves and their families. This programme was designed and implemented under the previous administration.
Onboarding ended in December 2024 and the programme is due to close in June 2025. An evaluation will be published alongside recommendations for how we work in the future.
Asked by: Gregory Campbell (Democratic Unionist Party - East Londonderry)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will hold discussions with funding bodies on the potential implications for their policies of reports of a recently released hostage having been held in UNRWA premises.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
This Government is relieved about the release of hostages, including that of Ms. Damari, and hope all others will also soon return safely to their families. Reports that hostages have been held in United Nations Relief and Work Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) premises are very concerning. We welcome the fact that UNRWA has said that they take all allegations extremely seriously, and there should be independent investigations into any misuse of its facilities by Palestinian armed militants, including Hamas. We also note UNRWA's statement that it was forced to vacate all its installations in the north of Gaza Strip, including Gaza City, on 13 October 2023. Following Catherine Colonna's Independent Review, UNRWA set out an action plan with detailed management reforms. As a result, we are assured that UNRWA is taking action to ensure it maintains the highest standards of neutrality. As the Minister for Development told the House on 28 January, she has discussed the issue of neutrality with UNRWA's leadership, including directly with Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini. She also spoke to UNRWA staff members on their work to implement the recommendations of the Colonna report during her visit to the region on 3-5 December. A Memorandum of Understanding governs UK financial support to UNRWA. We continue to monitor UNRWA's activity through due diligence and annual assessments.
Asked by: Ellie Chowns (Green Party - North Herefordshire)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps the Government is taking to help protect the (a) safety and (b) wellbeing of Palestinian children in the Occupied Palestinian Territories.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
We are alarmed by the impact of the Gaza conflict on children across the Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPTs). The UK has consistently pressed Israel to do more to protect civilians in Gaza, not least children, and for all parties to ensure adherence to international humanitarian law. We led calls on Israel to enable the rollout of the polio vaccine across Gaza and we have supported partners to deliver lifesaving aid to children, as well as educational and psychosocial services. This includes an additional £6 million for United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) to support vulnerable families in Gaza announced in August 2024, and £41 million funding for United Nations Relief and Work Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) this financial year to provide essential services including education across Gaza, the West Bank and Palestinian refugees in the region. £5.8 million of the UK's contribution to the Global Partnership for Education has been earmarked to support essential education service delivery in Gaza and the West Bank. We are also one of the largest donors to the Education Cannot Wait initiative, contributing £1.64 million of its £9.65 million funding to Gaza this financial year.