Asked by: Marsha De Cordova (Labour - Battersea)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many child asylum seekers have been registered as missing in each of the last 5 years.
Answered by Robert Jenrick
The Home Office has no power to hold asylum seekers, including under 18s, in hotels or any temporary accommodation if they wish to leave.
To minimise the risk of a minor going missing, records of those leaving and returning to the hotel are kept and monitored. Support workers accompany children off site on activities and social excursions, or where specific vulnerabilities are identified.
We have robust safeguarding procedures in place to ensure all unaccompanied asylum-seeking children in temporary hotel accommodation are as safe and supported as possible whilst we seek urgent placements with a local authority. Young people are supported by team leaders and support workers who are on site 24 hours a day. Further care is provided in hotels by teams of social workers and nurses.
When a young person goes missing the ‘missing persons protocol’ is followed and led by our directly engaged social workers. A multi-agency, missing persons protocol is mobilised alongside the police and local authorities, to establish their whereabouts and ensure that they are safe.
The number of all missing asylum seekers are not available in a reportable format and to provide the information could only be done at disproportionate cost.
In 2022 there were 411 missing episodes from Home Office UASC Hotels. The young person was subsequently located for 218 of these 411 missing episodes.
Of the minors that are still missing; they breakdown as: 87% Albanians. The other 13% are Afghanistan (6%), Egypt (3%) and the remaining 6% are from India, Iran, Pakistan, Turkey and Vietnam. 14 were under 16 when they went missing and one was a female.
Asked by: Marsha De Cordova (Labour - Battersea)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether she is taking steps to ensure that children asylum seekers are not abducted from the hotels they are temporarily housed in.
Answered by Robert Jenrick
The Home Office has no power to hold asylum seekers, including under 18s, in hotels or any temporary accommodation if they wish to leave.
To minimise the risk of a minor going missing, records of those leaving and returning to the hotel are kept and monitored. Support workers accompany children off site on activities and social excursions, or where specific vulnerabilities are identified.
We have robust safeguarding procedures in place to ensure all unaccompanied asylum-seeking children in temporary hotel accommodation are as safe and supported as possible whilst we seek urgent placements with a local authority. Young people are supported by team leaders and support workers who are on site 24 hours a day. Further care is provided in hotels by teams of social workers and nurses.
When a young person goes missing the ‘missing persons protocol’ is followed and led by our directly engaged social workers. A multi-agency, missing persons protocol is mobilised alongside the police and local authorities, to establish their whereabouts and ensure that they are safe.
The number of all missing asylum seekers are not available in a reportable format and to provide the information could only be done at disproportionate cost.
In 2022 there were 411 missing episodes from Home Office UASC Hotels. The young person was subsequently located for 218 of these 411 missing episodes.
Of the minors that are still missing; they breakdown as: 87% Albanians. The other 13% are Afghanistan (6%), Egypt (3%) and the remaining 6% are from India, Iran, Pakistan, Turkey and Vietnam. 14 were under 16 when they went missing and one was a female.
Asked by: Catherine West (Labour - Hornsey and Wood Green)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of the role of the BBC World Service in supporting the free press in (a) India, (b) Pakistan and (c) China.
Answered by David Rutley - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The FCDO strongly values the BBC World Service's role in delivering high-quality and impartial broadcasting, particularly where free speech is limited. The Integrated Review states that the BBC's foreign language services are part of what makes the UK a soft power superpower.
Through the World2020 programme, the FCDO funds services in Gujarati, Marathi, Punjabi and Telugu, serving audiences in India and Pakistan. World2020 funding also supports the World Service's digital transformation (the BBC China service is a Licence Fee funded, digital-only service) and support's the BBC's work on countering disinformation. The BBC has also announced that a new China Global Unit is being established, to tell the global story of China's impact and influence in different parts of the world.
The UK Government remains committed to the World Service, and its important role in delivering trusted, accurate and independent broadcasting worldwide.
Asked by: Afzal Khan (Labour - Manchester, Gorton)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of the impact of conflict in Kashmir on people in that region.
Answered by Leo Docherty - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for the Armed Forces)
India and Pakistan are long-standing, important friends of UK and we encourage both to engage in dialogue and find lasting, diplomatic solutions to maintain regional stability. We recognise that there are human rights concerns in both India-administered Kashmir and Pakistan-administered Kashmir. The UK Government encourages all states to ensure their domestic laws are in line with international standards. It is for India and Pakistan to find a lasting political resolution on Kashmir, taking into account the wishes of Kashmiri people. We continue to encourage both to engage in dialogue and find lasting, diplomatic solutions to maintain regional stability.
Asked by: Sarah Champion (Labour - Rotherham)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, which countries his Department includes in its definition of the Indo-Pacific region.
Answered by Anne-Marie Trevelyan - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Indo-Pacific Directorate-General in the FCDO has lead responsibility for relations with the following countries and territories: India and Indian Ocean (Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, and Sri Lanka), North East Asia (China, Hong Kong, Japan, Mongolia, North Korea (DPRK), South Korea (RoK), Taiwan), South East Asia (Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Timor Leste, Vietnam) and Oceania (Australia, Fiji, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Nauru, New Zealand, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, and Vanuatu). There is close coordination with other departments leading work on neighbouring countries, especially Pakistan and Afghanistan.
Asked by: Barry Sheerman (Labour (Co-op) - Huddersfield)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of the human rights situation in Kashmir; and what steps he is taking to ensure all international agreements are upheld by India and Pakistan.
Answered by Leo Docherty - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for the Armed Forces)
We recognise that there are issues with human rights in both India-administered Kashmir and Pakistan-administered Kashmir. Any allegation of human rights violations or abuse must be investigated thoroughly and transparently. We have raised these matters with both the Governments of India and Pakistan.
Asked by: Lord Black of Brentwood (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask His Majesty's Government how many cats have been imported this year under the Balai Directive; and from which countries those cats originated.
Answered by Lord Benyon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Since we left the EU, the EU import data for 2021 and 2022 was collated from PIMS which is APHA’s Post Import Management System and accounts for all Imports into the United Kingdom that have been entered using IPAFFS (Import of products, animals, food and feed system).
This information is drawn from the external IPAFF’s system not directly controlled by the department.
From 14th April 2022 the United Kingdom temporarily suspended the commercial import of dogs, cats and ferrets if they originated from or have been dispatched from Belarus, Poland, Romania or Ukraine, until 29th October 2022.
January-September 2022 | |
Country Of Origin | Total |
Austria | 1 |
Belgium | 15 |
Bulgaria | 115 |
Croatia | 32 |
Cyprus | 392 |
Czech Republic | 22 |
Denmark | 5 |
England | 3 |
Estonia | 3 |
France | 17 |
Germany | 28 |
Greece | 42 |
Hungary | 94 |
Ireland (Rep. of) | 1 |
Italy | 18 |
Latvia | 155 |
Lithuania | 107 |
Netherlands | 11 |
Poland | 208 |
Portugal | 32 |
Romania | 705 |
Slovakia | 17 |
Spain | 339 |
Sweden | 2 |
Switzerland | 3 |
Antigua and Barbuda | 6 |
Argentina | 7 |
Australia | 140 |
Bahamas | 4 |
Barbados | 1 |
Bahrain | 124 |
Bermuda | 6 |
Brazil | 59 |
Brunei | 3 |
Canada | 81 |
Cayman Islands | 12 |
Chile | 3 |
China | 31 |
Colombia | 12 |
Costa Rica | 2 |
Egypt | 357 |
Georgia | 1 |
Ghana | 2 |
Hong Kong | 29 |
India | 46 |
Indonesia | 5 |
Israel | 2 |
Japan | 8 |
Jordan | 2 |
Kenya | 9 |
Korea (South) | 18 |
Kuwait | 22 |
Lebanon | 8 |
Malaysia | 33 |
Mauritius | 6 |
Mexico | 12 |
Myanmar | 2 |
Namibia | 2 |
New Zealand | 85 |
North Macedonia | 9 |
Oman | 5 |
Pakistan | 2 |
Peru | 1 |
Philippines | 2 |
Qatar | 106 |
Russia | 48 |
Saint Lucia | 1 |
Saudi Arabia | 67 |
Seychelles | 1 |
Singapore | 39 |
South Africa | 348 |
Taiwan | 2 |
Thailand | 43 |
Turkey | 15 |
UAE | 1043 |
Uganda | 1 |
USA | 256 |
Vietnam | 4 |
Zimbabwe | 18 |
Total | 5518 |
Asked by: Fabian Hamilton (Labour - Leeds North East)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions he has had with his (a) Indian and (b) Pakistani counterparts on the August 2022 Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty Review Conference.
Answered by Gillian Keegan - Secretary of State for Education
The Foreign Secretary has not discussed this with his Indian or Pakistani counterparts. India and Pakistan are non-signatories to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) and did not attend the August 2022 review conference. We regularly encourage India and Pakistan to accede to the NPT.
Asked by: Earl of Sandwich (Crossbench - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they will (1) carry out, and (2) publish, an assessment of the causes of the floods in (a) Pakistan, and (b) elsewhere on the India sub-continent, to assist them in their longer term response.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Undertaking an assessment of the causes of the flooding in Pakistan and elsewhere on the Indian sub-continent would be at the discretion of the respective national governments. However, the UK Government works closely with the Met Office to monitor hazards around the world, and shares key climate information with our partners. The UK has committed to double the amount of climate finance to support adaptation to the impacts of climate change. Between 2011 and 2021 UK International Climate Finance supported 88 million people to cope with the impacts of climate change, installed 2,400MW of clean energy, providing 41 million people with improved access, and helped mobilise £8 billion of public and private finance for climate change purposes in developing countries.
Asked by: Lord Lilley (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask Her Majesty's Government how many nurses joined the Nursing and Midwife Council Register from countries graded by the World Health Organisation as having fewer nurses than the global median in the most recent year for which figures are available
Answered by Lord Kamall
The Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) is the independent regulator of nurses, midwives, and nursing associates in the United Kingdom. The following table shows the number of nurses, midwives, and nursing associates joining the NMC’s register from each country with fewer nursing and midwifery personnel per 10,000 people than the global median in the year ending 31 March 2022.
Bahrain 4
Bangladesh 1
Barbados 18
Belize 17
Cameroon 17
China 6
Colombia 3
Egypt 13
Eswatini 9
Ethiopia 1
Gambia 12
India 9,769
Iran 19
Iraq 1
Jamaica 115
Jordan 12
Kenya 461
Lebanon 20
Lesotho 18
Malawi 7
Malaysia 20
Namibia 11
Nepal 210
Niger 1
Nigeria 3,010
Pakistan 112
Saint Lucia 13
Sri Lanka 14
Tanzania 1
Tunisia 1
Turkey 2
Uganda 30
Zambia 57
Zimbabwe 913
Notes:
1. The World Health Organization publishes a measure of the number of nurses per 10,000 population. The median for their measure, unweighted by countries population is 35.07 nursing and midwifery personnel per 10,000 population.
2. Countries below the median level of nursing and midwifery personnel per 10,000 population where there were no joiners to the NMC register are excluded.