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1105249

registered interest
date	26/03/2019
answering body	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
answering dept id	16
answering dept short name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
answering dept sort name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
hansard heading	Sahel: Human Rights
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to prioritise respect for human rights and the rights of minorities when working in partnership with countries of the Sahel.
tabling member constituency	Hendon
tabling member printed	Dr Matthew Offord
uin	237063
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 01/04/2019 answer text <p>​We regularly raise these issues with the countries of the Sahel and in multilateral fora. This includes through the EU's &quot;Article 8&quot; political discussions with these countries, the Universal Periodic Review and the Human Rights Council – where most recently the UK called on the Government of Mali to denounce and tackle human rights abuses, including all forms of violence against women, girls and members of other vulnerable groups.</p><p>We also press partners on the importance of compliance with human rights and international humanitarian law in security operations and provide funding for the establishment of a compliance framework for the G5 Sahel Joint Force.</p><p>To help improve protection of civilians in the Sahel in the context of growing instability, the UK is also providing funding to the International Committee of the Red Cross to ensure humanitarian protection and assistance for victims of armed conflict, and to promote respect for international humanitarian law in the region</p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency West Worcestershire answering member printed Harriett Baldwin question first answered 01/04/2019 14:31:27 answering member 4107 label Biography information for Dame Harriett Baldwin
tabling member	4006 label Biography information for Dr Matthew Offord

1052284

registered interest
date	31/01/2019
answering body	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
answering dept id	16
answering dept short name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
answering dept sort name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
hansard heading	Iraq: Politics and Government
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps his Department has taken to support the development of democracy in Iraq.
tabling member constituency	Hendon
tabling member printed	Dr Matthew Offord
uin	215164
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/02/2019 answer text <p>​The UK supports the consolidation of democracy in Iraq through both diplomatic engagement and programme support. During my visit to Baghdad and Erbil in January, I welcomed the recent national elections and those in the Kurdistan region and encouraged swift completion of the formation of the Iraqi cabinet and Kurdistan Regional Government. We recently welcomed the Speaker of the Iraqi Parliament and a delegation of Iraqi MPs to the UK where they were able to witness British parliamentary processes and exchange experiences. As part of our programme assistance, the UK is helping the Government of Iraq in newly liberated areas and in Basra to make governance and the delivery of services more effective and responsive, so strengthening relations between local communities and the Iraqi authorities.</p> answering member constituency North East Bedfordshire answering member printed Alistair Burt question first answered 08/02/2019 13:46:38 answering member 1201 label Biography information for Alistair Burt
tabling member	4006 label Biography information for Dr Matthew Offord

1041740

registered interest
date	15/01/2019
answering body	Department for Work and Pensions
answering dept id	29
answering dept short name	Work and Pensions
answering dept sort name	Work and Pensions
hansard heading	Universal Credit
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how much the increase in the work allowance of universal credit is worth per household.
tabling member constituency	Hendon
tabling member printed	Dr Matthew Offord
uin	208848
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/01/2019 answer text <p>Work allowance rates will be increased by £1000 from April 2019 and uprated in line with inflation thereafter. This measure provides additional support in a package worth £1.7 billion in 2023/24 to some of the most vulnerable low paid working households.</p><p> </p><p>It will increase the amount that these households can earn before the Universal Credit taper rate is applied, providing 2.4 million working households with around an extra £630 a year.</p> answering member constituency Reading West answering member printed Alok Sharma question first answered 23/01/2019 17:07:37 answering member 4014 label Biography information for Sir Alok Sharma
tabling member	4006 label Biography information for Dr Matthew Offord

1045634

registered interest
date	21/01/2019
answering body	Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
answering dept id	13
answering dept short name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
answering dept sort name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
hansard heading	Animal Welfare
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what plans he has to enhance animal welfare standards as a result of the UK leaving the EU.
tabling member constituency	Hendon
tabling member printed	Dr Matthew Offord
uin	210617
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 29/01/2019 answer text <p>Whilst the UK already has some of the highest animal welfare standards in the world, we are considering what more can be done in the context of our future agricultural policy. We will maintain our existing standards and look to raise standards sustainably over time as new research and evidence emerges.</p><p> </p><p>In England, we intend to develop publicly-funded schemes for farmers to deliver animal welfare enhancements beyond regulatory requirements that are not sufficiently rewarded by the market and want to provide greater transparency and certainty for consumers and for farmers. We are also looking to control exports of live animals for slaughter.</p><p> </p><p>In addition to this work related to our departure from the EU, we are planning to increase maximum sentences for animal cruelty to five years. We are also introducing a ban on the ivory trade which is the toughest in Europe.</p> answering member constituency Macclesfield answering member printed David Rutley question first answered 29/01/2019 17:32:51 answering member 4033 label Biography information for David Rutley
tabling member	4006 label Biography information for Dr Matthew Offord

1054774

registered interest
date	04/02/2019
answering body	Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
answering dept id	13
answering dept short name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
answering dept sort name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
hansard heading	Food
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will consider estalishing a national food policy.
tabling member constituency	Hendon
tabling member printed	Dr Matthew Offord
uin	216317
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 12/02/2019 answer text <p>While the immediate priority for the department is planning for No Deal, the Government is committed to publishing a National Food Strategy once we leave the EU.</p><p>This work is being led by Henry Dimbleby, Defra’s lead Non-Executive Director. He is still in the early scoping stage but we expect it to cover the entire food system, from farm to fork.</p><p>As the Secretary of State outlined in his letter to Neil Parish on 30 October (https://www.parliament.uk/documents/commons-committees/environment-food-rural-affairs/correspondence/181030-Secretary-of-State-toChair-Food-strategy.pdf), it will build on the work already underway in the Agriculture Bill, the Environment Bill and the Fisheries Bill, ensuring that our food system delivers healthy and affordable food for all people and is built upon a resilient and sustainable agriculture sector.</p><p>I expect the role of farming with respect to food security, providing healthy diets, the use of new technology and protecting the environment will be covered.</p> answering member constituency Macclesfield answering member printed David Rutley question first answered 12/02/2019 11:41:15 answering member 4033 label Biography information for David Rutley
tabling member	4006 label Biography information for Dr Matthew Offord

1054602

registered interest
date	04/02/2019
answering body	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
answering dept id	16
answering dept short name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
answering dept sort name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
hansard heading	Pakistan: Human Rights
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with his counterpart in Pakistan on the maintenance of human rights in Pakistan.
tabling member constituency	Hendon
tabling member printed	Dr Matthew Offord
uin	216258
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/02/2019 answer text <p>We remain concerned about the human rights situation across Pakistan. The British Government regularly raises its concerns about human rights at the highest levels with the Government of Pakistan. The Foreign Secretary discussed freedom of religion or belief and the role of civil society with the Foreign Minister of Pakistan when they spoke in December 2018.</p><p>We advocate greater tolerance, and action against human rights violations and abuses. We remain fully committed to working in partnership with the Government of Pakistan to help achieve this.</p> answering member constituency Cities of London and Westminster answering member printed Mark Field question first answered 11/02/2019 16:04:08 answering member 1405 label Biography information for Mark Field
tabling member	4006 label Biography information for Dr Matthew Offord

1000293

registered interest
date	02/11/2018
answering body	Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
answering dept id	13
answering dept short name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
answering dept sort name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
hansard heading	Litter
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking to reduce littering in communities across the UK.
tabling member constituency	Hendon
tabling member printed	Dr Matthew Offord
uin	187351
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/11/2018 answer text <p>We published the Litter Strategy for England in April 2017, setting out our aim to clean up the country and deliver a substantial reduction in litter and littering within a generation.</p><p>We have launched the Litter Innovation Fund to support councils and communities in the development and evaluation of innovative approaches to tackling litter. From April 2018, we have also increased the maximum fixed penalty for littering and given councils in England new powers to tackle littering from vehicles.</p><p>The first annual report on our progress delivering the actions set out in the Litter Strategy was published in July this year, and we will continue to report annually on our progress for the rest of this Parliament.</p> answering member constituency Suffolk Coastal answering member printed Dr Thérèse Coffey question first answered 08/11/2018 17:39:16 answering member 4098 label Biography information for Dr Thérèse Coffey
tabling member	4006 label Biography information for Dr Matthew Offord

1054572

registered interest
date	04/02/2019
answering body	Department for International Development
answering dept id	20
answering dept short name	International Development
answering dept sort name	International Development
hansard heading	Occupied Territories: Economic Situation
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what steps her Department is taking to develop long-term economic sustainability in the Occupied Palestinian Territories.
tabling member constituency	Hendon
tabling member printed	Dr Matthew Offord
uin	216233
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/02/2019 answer text <p>We have scaled up our work on economic development across the West Bank and Gaza. We are providing up to £38 million over five years (2018-2023) to help tackle the problems of low growth and high unemployment in the Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPTs).</p><p> </p><p>Our support will focus on efforts to increase trade and job creation by working with the Palestinian and Israeli authorities to enable greater movement and access for people and goods, and improve water and energy supply, particularly in Gaza. We will also continue to support the implementation of Paris Protocol measures in relation to the transfer of taxes and fees Israel collects on behalf of the Palestinian Authority (PA), and any measures agreed by the parties to transfer the responsibility of revenue collection. Our support in these areas will help thousands of Palestinians in their daily lives, support the financial sustainability of the PA and contribute to preserving the viability of the two-state solution.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency North East Bedfordshire answering member printed Alistair Burt question first answered 11/02/2019 17:43:19 answering member 1201 label Biography information for Alistair Burt
tabling member	4006 label Biography information for Dr Matthew Offord

1024010

registered interest
date	12/12/2018
answering body	Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
answering dept id	13
answering dept short name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
answering dept sort name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
hansard heading	Veterinary Medicine
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what estimate his Department has made of the number of qualified veterinary surgeons that would be required to sign off export health certificates for the export of animals and animal products in the event that the UK leaves the EU without a deal.
tabling member constituency	Hendon
tabling member printed	Dr Matthew Offord
uin	201659
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 20/12/2018 answer text <p>We have analysed expected demand for export health certificates (EHCs) if we leave the EU without a deal.</p><p> </p><p>We have looked at the capacity within the current veterinary market, and taken into consideration a number of factors that will impact on the amount of time required by official vets to sign EHCs for EU-bound products.</p><p> </p><p>We are also making it possible for the providers of certification services to employ new support officers to carry out certain administrative aspects of the EHC process, freeing up the time and capacity of official vets to provide the final assurances for the EHC.</p><p> </p><p>We expect demand for EHCs will be at the lower end of estimates and expect efficiencies to be made by the larger exporters.</p><p> </p><p>Therefore, we estimate the market will need increased capacity equivalent to about 50 full-time official vets and providers of certification services are confident they can meet the demand.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Macclesfield answering member printed David Rutley question first answered 20/12/2018 16:57:08 answering member 4033 label Biography information for David Rutley
tabling member	4006 label Biography information for Dr Matthew Offord

1020573

registered interest
date	06/12/2018
answering body	Home Office
answering dept id	1
answering dept short name	Home Office
answering dept sort name	Home Office
hansard heading	Refugees: Children
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps the Department has taken to honour its commitment to implement the Dubs amendment; what assessment he has made of whether his Department has met that commitment.
tabling member constituency	Hendon
tabling member printed	Dr Matthew Offord
uin	199927
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/12/2018 answer text <p>We continue to work very closely with participating States France, Greece and Italy, local authorities and delivery partners to relocate the specified number of 480 children under Section 67 of the Immigration Act 2016 as soon as possible. Over 220 children are already in the UK and transfers are ongoing.</p><p><br>We recently took the positive decision to remove the date criterion for the referral of unaccompanied children in Europe to be relocated to the UK un-der section 67. Participating States will now be able to refer the most vul-nerable children whose best interests are served by relocation to the UK, regardless of when they arrived into Europe. We expect this to increase the rate of referrals from participating States. Relocation of eligible children to the UK is also dependent on the availability of appropriate local authority care placements.</p> answering member constituency Romsey and Southampton North answering member printed Caroline Nokes question first answered 17/12/2018 17:43:02 answering member 4048 label Biography information for Caroline Nokes
tabling member	4006 label Biography information for Dr Matthew Offord