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1135478

registered interest
date	28/06/2019
answering body	Women and Equalities
answering dept id	31
answering dept short name	Women and Equalities
answering dept sort name	Women and Equalities
hansard heading	Civil Partnership Act 2004 (Amendment) (Sibling Couples) Bill (HL)
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of the Government supporting the Civil Partnership Act 2004 (Amendment) (Sibling Couples) Bill [HL] 2017-19.
tabling member constituency	Ealing Central and Acton
tabling member printed	Dr Rupa Huq
uin	270808
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/07/2019 answer text <p>The Government is very clear that there is a significant difference between an intimate partner relationship (for which civil partnerships are intended) and a relationship between siblings or other family members.</p><p>We have no intention of extending civil partnerships to siblings, and are not supporting the Civil Partnership Act 2004 (Amendment) (Sibling Couples) [HL] 2017-19 Private Members Bill.</p> answering member constituency Louth and Horncastle answering member printed Victoria Atkins question first answered 23/07/2019 14:49:43 answering member 4399 label Biography information for Victoria Atkins
tabling member	4511 label Biography information for Dr Rupa Huq

1135484

registered interest
date	28/06/2019
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	Social Security Benefits
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 27 June 2019 to Question 268401, what information she holds on the reasons why those 156,000 claimants with deductions from universal credit for non-universal credit debts are not repaying their debts.
tabling member constituency	Birkenhead
tabling member printed	Frank Field
uin	270705
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 15/07/2019 answer text <p>The table below provides information on why the specified claimants were not repaying their debts.</p><p> </p><table><tbody><tr><td><p>Zero balance**</p></td><td><p>92,776</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Business as usual/head of work (Includes future instalment confirmation)</p></td><td><p>48,196</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Awaiting Financial Reconciliation</p></td><td><p>12,452</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>In progress – Awaiting further information (e.g. customer correspondence/contact)</p></td><td><p>4,214</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Managed by external contractor (Debt collection agency)</p></td><td><p>618</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Awaiting appeal outcome</p></td><td><p>534</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Waiting for customer to call back</p></td><td><p>306</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Other</p></td><td><p>477</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p> </p><p><em>*The data provided in this response has been sourced from internal management information and was not intended for public release. It should therefore not be compared to any other, similar data subsequently released by the Department.</em></p><p> </p><p><em>** The zero balance category is made up of debts that have been fully repaid, but are yet to be removed from the Debt Manager system. It is important to note that no further recovery action will be taken in these cases</em></p> answering member constituency Reading West answering member printed Alok Sharma question first answered 15/07/2019 15:06:25 answering member 4014 label Biography information for Sir Alok Sharma
tabling member	478 label Biography information for Lord Field of Birkenhead

1135490

registered interest
date	28/06/2019
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	Social Security Benefits
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 27 June 2019 to Question 268402, if she will place in the Library a copy of the dataset from which the median balance per debtor was calculated.
tabling member constituency	Birkenhead
tabling member printed	Frank Field
uin	270706
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/09/2019 answer text <p>A copy of the relevant dataset* will be placed in the Library.</p><p> </p><p>In order to comply with the General Data Protection Regulations 2018, the dataset contains values only.</p><p> </p><p>The data set shows all balances held on our systems for the relevant period. It includes ‘minus’ figures, which reflect changes made as a result of successful appeals.</p><p> </p><p>The data does not include any Universal Credit overpayments. It includes debts accrued in a number of ways including Working Tax Credit and Child Tax Credit overpayments built up under HMRC as well as fraud and error overpayments.</p><p> </p><p>Working Tax Credit and Child Tax Credit were introduced in 2003, with some people then accruing debts over many years.</p><p> </p><p>We do not want people to face undue financial hardship as a result of repaying overpayments. If people do struggle, adjustments can be made and will be based on an individual’s circumstance.</p><p> </p><p>The overall maximum amount that can be deducted from a claimant’s Universal Credit each month to recover a benefit overpayment is an amount equal to 40% of their Universal Credit standard allowance.</p><p> </p><p>The vast majority of benefit payments are made correctly; this stock of debts equates to around 0.6% of current annual welfare expenditure. The legacy welfare system is complex in its structure and administration and in the way that qualifying conditions interact with each other. UC provides a single system of means-tested support for working-age households who are in or out of work and we expect this to reduce overpayments.</p><p> </p><p><strong> </strong></p><p><em>*The data provided has been sourced from internal management information and was not intended for public release. It should therefore not be compared to any other, similar data subsequently released by the Department.</em></p> answering member constituency Colchester answering member printed Will Quince question first answered 03/09/2019 16:11:32 answering member 4423 label Biography information for Will Quince
tabling member	478 label Biography information for Lord Field of Birkenhead

1135496

registered interest
date	28/06/2019
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, what recent assessment she has made of the reasons for unsuccessful applications for universal credit.
tabling member constituency	Delyn
tabling member printed	David Hanson
uin	270712
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/07/2019 answer text <p>Where claim closure is considered, a number of checks are conducted before claim closure is undertaken.</p><p> </p><p>The assessment we have made of the Universal Credit Full Service claims that were declared in January 2019 is as follows: Applications were unsuccessful and closed prior to the first payment for a variety of reasons. These include ineligibility, nil entitlement, insufficient evidence, claim withdrawal and non-compliance with the Universal Credit process.</p><p> </p><p>For claimants that need support with their Universal Credit application, the Citizen’s Advice Help to Claim service is available, offering tailored, practical support online, over the phone, and face-to-face.</p><p><strong> </strong></p> answering member constituency Reading West answering member printed Alok Sharma question first answered 08/07/2019 16:55:29 answering member 4014 label Biography information for Sir Alok Sharma
tabling member	533 label Biography information for David Hanson

1135503

registered interest
date	28/06/2019
answering body	Department for International Trade
answering dept id	202
answering dept short name	International Trade
answering dept sort name	International Trade
hansard heading	Arms Trade: Saudi Arabia
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what the cost to the public purse was (a) of his Department's legal team and (b) in legal fees to the appellant for his Department's defence of the 2017 High Court case on arms sales to Saudi Arabia.
tabling member constituency	North East Fife
tabling member printed	Stephen Gethins
uin	270751
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/07/2019 answer text <p>The cost to the public purse of (a) the Department for International Trade’s (DIT) legal team was £146,752.61, and (b) the cost to the public purse in legal fees to the appellant for this Department’s defence of the 2017 High Court case on arms sales to Saudi Arabia was £45,000. In addition, other money disbursed from the public purse for the purposes of this case was £138,292.14. This figure represents DIT legal costs to date associated with the Special Advocate representing the Appellant in closed proceedings in the Judicial Review.</p><p> </p><p>The figures provided comprise net legal costs, including disbursement costs and these represent the legal cost to DIT. The legal costs provided here do not include figures spent by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and the Ministry of Defence. There may also be further legal costs that have not yet been billed to the department.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Beverley and Holderness answering member printed Graham Stuart question first answered 22/07/2019 08:28:37 answering member 1482 label Biography information for Graham Stuart previous answer version 127342 answering member constituency Beverley and Holderness answering member printed Graham Stuart answering member 1482 label Biography information for Graham Stuart
tabling member	4434 label Biography information for Stephen Gethins

1135504

registered interest
date	28/06/2019
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	Overseas Visitors: Visas
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of facilitating visa applications by human rights defenders to allow them to travel more easily to the UK.
tabling member constituency	North East Fife
tabling member printed	Stephen Gethins
uin	270752
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/07/2019 answer text <p>Human rights defenders wishing to travel to the UK are able to do so, provided that they comply with existing immigration rules, which in some cases will mean applying for a visa. However, there is no provision in the Immigration Rules to allow someone to travel to the UK for temporary protection, or to claim asylum. Those human rights defenders who may need to travel outside their home country in emergency situations are advised to go to the first country of safety they can reach, which is often a neighbouring country.</p> answering member constituency South West Wiltshire answering member printed Dr Andrew Murrison question first answered 08/07/2019 14:54:04 answering member 1466 label Biography information for Dr Andrew Murrison
tabling member	4434 label Biography information for Stephen Gethins

1135505

registered interest
date	28/06/2019
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	Iran: Nuclear Power
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 US counterpart on the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action.
tabling member constituency	North East Fife
tabling member printed	Stephen Gethins
uin	270753
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/07/2019 answer text <p>We are concerned by the risk of unintended escalation between the United States and Iran. We are also concerned by the potential of further tension as a result of the International Atomic Energy Agency''s confirmation on 1 July that Iran has broken the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPoA) stockpile limit for Low Enriched Uranium. We are considering with our partners the options available to us under the terms of the JCPoA to keep the nuclear deal in place. We continue to call on the US to preserve the gains that the Iran nuclear deal has brought, avoiding actions that would prevent the remaining parties from meeting their commitments to uphold the deal. We believe maintaining the nuclear deal is in the best interests of Iran, the region and the UK.</p> answering member constituency South West Wiltshire answering member printed Dr Andrew Murrison question first answered 08/07/2019 15:45:19 answering member 1466 label Biography information for Dr Andrew Murrison
tabling member	4434 label Biography information for Stephen Gethins

1135512

registered interest
date	28/06/2019
answering body	Department for International Development
answering dept id	20
answering dept short name	International Development
answering dept sort name	International Development
hansard heading	East Africa: Droughts
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what recent assessment he has made of the humanitarian effect of the drought in (a) Somalia, (b) Ethiopia and (c) the rest of the East and Horn of Africa; and what steps he is taking to support people at risk of food insecurity.
tabling member constituency	North East Fife
tabling member printed	Stephen Gethins
uin	270760
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/07/2019 answer text <p>DFID is concerned by the deteriorating humanitarian situation in the east and Horn of Africa. This is a result of poor rainfall across much of the region and political instability and insecurity, including in Sudan and South Sudan.</p><p> </p><p>In Somalia, drought and subsequent widespread crop failure and decline in livestock productivity has resulted in a projected increase in people experiencing acute food insecurity, from 1.7 million to 2.2 million by August 2019. DFID has recently allocated £8 million to support both emergency, life-saving interventions, and longer-term resilience actions focusing on sustainable water supply and the protection of livelihoods. This brings our total humanitarian spend in Somalia in 2019 to £40 million.</p><p> </p><p>In Ethiopia, the humanitarian situation remains challenging. The 2019 Humanitarian Response Plan (HRP) seeks US$1.314 billion to reach 8.3 million people with emergency food and non-food assistance. DFID has currently allocated £30 million to meet emergency food and non-food needs. The Department supports the Government of Ethiopia’s Productive Safety Net Programme (PSNP) that reaches 8 million chronically food insecure people in drought affected regions with conditional cash transfers. DFID plans to contribute £16.7 million to the PSNP this year.</p><p> </p><p>DFID will continue to monitor the situation and press the international community to commit further support where it is needed. DFID will also continue to support communities and states in the east and Horn of Africa to build resilience to crises and shocks. Our work on humanitarian early warning systems raises awareness of crises where food security is deteriorating, and we prioritise longer-term responses to support food security, including through agricultural programmes.</p> answering member constituency West Worcestershire answering member printed Harriett Baldwin question first answered 08/07/2019 15:22:53 answering member 4107 label Biography information for Dame Harriett Baldwin
tabling member	4434 label Biography information for Stephen Gethins

1135513

registered interest
date	28/06/2019
answering body	Department for International Development
answering dept id	20
answering dept short name	International Development
answering dept sort name	International Development
hansard heading	Horn of Africa: Food
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what recent assessment he has made of the potential level of deterioration in food security throughout the greater Horn of Africa during September 2019; and what steps he is taking to ensure the urgent increase in activity to tackle the predicted large-scale emergency assistance needs.
tabling member constituency	North East Fife
tabling member printed	Stephen Gethins
uin	270761
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/07/2019 answer text <p>DFID is concerned by deteriorating levels of food security in the Horn of Africa. This is a result of poor rainfall across much of the region and political instability and insecurity, including in Sudan and South Sudan.</p><p> </p><p>The UK is a world leader in supporting those at risk of food insecurity, and has taken early action across the region to save lives. This includes £8 million of additional support in Somalia to support emergency interventions and resilience. In Ethiopia, DFID supports the Government of Ethiopia’s Productive Safety Net Programme (PSNP) that reaches 8 million chronically food insecure people in drought affected regions with conditional cash transfers. DFID plans to contribute £16.7 million to the PSNP this year. In Sudan, the UK has already contributed £30 million this fiscal year to humanitarian interventions. DFID will continue to monitor the situation closely and press the international community to commit further support where it is needed.</p><p> </p><p>DFID will continue to support communities and states in the Horn to build resilience to crises and shocks. Our work on humanitarian early warning systems raises awareness of crises where food security is deteriorating, and we prioritise longer-term responses to support food security, including through agricultural programmes.</p> answering member constituency West Worcestershire answering member printed Harriett Baldwin question first answered 08/07/2019 15:23:56 answering member 4107 label Biography information for Dame Harriett Baldwin
tabling member	4434 label Biography information for Stephen Gethins

1135519

registered interest
date	28/06/2019
answering body	Department of Health and Social Care
answering dept id	17
answering dept short name	Health and Social Care
answering dept sort name	Health and Social Care
hansard heading	Food: Japan
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent assessment has been made of the safety of potential food imports from Fukushima in Japan.
tabling member constituency	Washington and Sunderland West
tabling member printed	Mrs Sharon Hodgson
uin	270719
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/07/2019 answer text <p>The Food Standards Agency (FSA) is responsible for protecting United Kingdom consumers from the risk of radioactively contaminated food being imported from Fukushima in Japan. The FSA oversees risk-based controls to ensure food is safe, and regularly assesses safety data on radiation levels to ensure UK consumers are protected. The FSA is satisfied that the current risk is very low and the controls are effective.</p> answering member constituency South Ribble answering member printed Seema Kennedy question first answered 08/07/2019 16:18:07 answering member 4455 label Biography information for Seema Kennedy
tabling member	1521 label Biography information for Mrs Sharon Hodgson