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1608508

registered interest
date	29/03/2023
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Gypsy Roma Traveller History Month
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether her Department is taking steps to mark Gypsy, Roma, Traveller history month in June 2023.
tabling member constituency	Strangford
tabling member printed	Jim Shannon
uin	176582
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/04/2023 answer text <p>I refer the hon. Member for Strangford to the answer of 19 January 2023 to Question <a href="https://questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-questions/detail/2023-01-12/122193" target="_blank">122193</a>.</p> answering member constituency Bognor Regis and Littlehampton answering member printed Nick Gibb question first answered 17/04/2023 16:58:40 answering member 111 label Biography information for Nick Gibb
tabling member	4131 label Biography information for Jim Shannon

1608509

registered interest
date	29/03/2023
answering body	Home Office
answering dept id	1
answering dept short name	Home Office
answering dept sort name	Home Office
hansard heading	Biometrics: Visas
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department plans to provide support to people who are required to visit a third country for biometric checks to apply for a UK visa.
tabling member constituency	Strangford
tabling member printed	Jim Shannon
uin	176583
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/04/2023 answer text <p>An individual must, in most circumstances, provide their biometrics, in the form of a facial image and fingerprints, when applying for a visa or a biometric immigration document before they come to the UK. This is to ensure we can confirm their identity and fix them to it, and to conduct background security checks to establish whether they pose a threat to public safety.</p><p> </p><p>The Home Office contracts two commercial partners, VFS and TLS Contact, to operate its global network of Visa Application Centres (VACs) who provide application centres in over 230 locations across 138 countries. It is not economically viable for UKVI to have VACs in every city or country across the world and it may not be sustainable to open new locations where volumes are lower.</p><p> </p><p>Individuals who are unable to travel to a VAC should not normally make an application until they are able to do so. We have a robust escalation process in place for very exceptional cases where a customer has a compelling reason why they are unable to travel to a VAC.</p> answering member constituency Newark answering member printed Robert Jenrick question first answered 21/04/2023 13:41:48 answering member 4320 label Biography information for Robert Jenrick
tabling member	4131 label Biography information for Jim Shannon

1608510

registered interest
date	29/03/2023
answering body	Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
answering dept id	208
answering dept short name	Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
answering dept sort name	Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
hansard heading	Algeria: Churches
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of the implications for his policies of the closure of churches in Algeria.
tabling member constituency	Strangford
tabling member printed	Jim Shannon
uin	176584
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/04/2023 answer text <p>The UK is committed to defending freedom of religion or belief (FoRB) for all in Algeria. We engage regularly with groups from different faiths to understand their circumstances and any challenges they may face. The Prime Minister's Special Envoy for FoRB, Fiona Bruce MP, raised the ability of religious minorities to freely practice their faith with the Algerian authorities during her visit to Algiers in September 2022. The Minister for North Africa, Lord (Tariq) Ahmad of Wimbledon, raised church closures when he met the Algerian Minister of Religious Affairs in June 2022 and also with the Algerian Ambassador to the UK in March 2023.</p> answering member constituency Macclesfield answering member printed David Rutley question first answered 17/04/2023 08:35:08 answering member 4033 label Biography information for David Rutley
tabling member	4131 label Biography information for Jim Shannon

1608511

registered interest
date	29/03/2023
answering body	Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
answering dept id	208
answering dept short name	Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
answering dept sort name	Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
hansard heading	Fariba Kamalabadi and Mahvash Sabet
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will make an assessment of the implications for his policies of the re-imprisonment of Fariba Kamalbadi and Mahvash Sabet in Iran.
tabling member constituency	Strangford
tabling member printed	Jim Shannon
uin	176585
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/04/2023 answer text <p>The UK unequivocally condemns the persecution of religious minorities in Iran. Reports of increased detentions, expropriation of land and destruction of homes indicate the regime intensified its repression of the Baha'i community in 2022. On 20 December 2022, the Prime Minister's Special Envoy for Freedom of Religion or Belief, Fiona Bruce, expressed the UK's condemnation of the sentencing of Baha'i leaders Mahvash Sabet and Fariba Kamalabadi to a further decade of imprisonment. We continue to work closely with our international partners to hold Iran to account for its dire human rights record, and to raise these issues with the regime at all appropriate opportunities.</p> answering member constituency Macclesfield answering member printed David Rutley question first answered 17/04/2023 10:07:01 answering member 4033 label Biography information for David Rutley
tabling member	4131 label Biography information for Jim Shannon

1608512

registered interest
date	29/03/2023
answering body	Cabinet Office
answering dept id	53
answering dept short name	Cabinet Office
answering dept sort name	Cabinet Office
hansard heading	Veterans: Housing
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what steps he is taking to encourage veterans to use housing support available through the Veterans’ Gateway.
tabling member constituency	Strangford
tabling member printed	Jim Shannon
uin	176586
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/04/2023 answer text <p>This Government is committed to ending veteran homelessness this year. That is why the Chancellor allocated an additional £20m for veterans’ housing in the Spring Budget, further to the £8.55m already announced in December to help us achieve our mission.</p><p><strong> </strong></p><p>The Veterans’ Gateway service is the Government funded first point of contact for veterans and their families, providing advice and guidance across a spectrum of welfare areas, such as housing, employment, and health, from a consortium of third sector organisations.</p><p><strong> </strong></p><p>Charities, service providers and Government routinely signpost veterans to the Gateway, and further information on the Op FORTITUDE homelessness referral pathway will be passed to the Gateway in due course, allowing veterans in need to be directed to this vital new service.</p><p><strong> </strong></p><p>We have also recently announced a major review into welfare provision for veterans, including the Veterans’ Gateway, which has been commissioned as a result of changes and advances in veteran care during the last decade. This will examine the effectiveness of welfare services, and its recommendations for improvements will be published following the review’s completion.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Plymouth, Moor View answering member printed Johnny Mercer question first answered 21/04/2023 08:53:16 answering member 4485 label Biography information for Johnny Mercer
tabling member	4131 label Biography information for Jim Shannon

1608515

registered interest
date	29/03/2023
answering body	Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
answering dept id	208
answering dept short name	Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
answering dept sort name	Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
hansard heading	Nigeria: Elections
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will hold discussions with his counterparts in Nigeria on recent elections and potential steps to avoid outbreaks of violence.
tabling member constituency	Strangford
tabling member printed	Jim Shannon
uin	176587
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/04/2023 answer text <p>Nigeria's recent elections marked a significant moment in the country's democratic progress. I [Andrew Mitchell] met the leading presidential candidates ahead of the voting to urge for peaceful and free elections and hope to continue this engagement with the incoming administration at and after the inauguration. UK Government officials have worked with a range of counterparts throughout the process, including to encourage the Nigerian electoral commission to address issues identified and by pressing parties to reach a peaceful resolution to their disputes through the courts. We look forward to working with the new administration to support a more prosperous and secure Nigeria.</p> answering member constituency Sutton Coldfield answering member printed Mr Andrew Mitchell question first answered 17/04/2023 15:47:50 answering member 1211 label Biography information for Mr Andrew Mitchell
tabling member	4131 label Biography information for Jim Shannon

1608516

registered interest
date	29/03/2023
answering body	Department for Energy Security and Net Zero
answering dept id	215
answering dept short name	Energy Security and Net Zero
answering dept sort name	Energy Security and Net Zero
hansard heading	Tidal Power
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps his Department is taking to increase the UK's tidal energy capacity.
tabling member constituency	Strangford
tabling member printed	Jim Shannon
uin	176588
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/04/2023 answer text <p>Tidal stream companies are eligible to apply for the Contracts for Difference (CfD) scheme, the UK’s main mechanism for supporting low-carbon generation.</p><p> </p><p>Tidal stream projects are also eligible for a suite of research funding programmes including the UK Research and Innovation matched Horizon funding.</p><p> </p><p>Tidal stream and tidal range are included in the scope of the draft National Policy Statement (NPS) for Energy published in March 2023.</p> answering member constituency Beverley and Holderness answering member printed Graham Stuart question first answered 21/04/2023 10:04:44 answering member 1482 label Biography information for Graham Stuart
tabling member	4131 label Biography information for Jim Shannon

1608519

registered interest
date	29/03/2023
answering body	Ministry of Defence
answering dept id	11
answering dept short name	Defence
answering dept sort name	Defence
hansard heading	Veterans: Cost of Living
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps he is taking to help veterans with the cost of living crisis.
tabling member constituency	Strangford
tabling member printed	Jim Shannon
uin	176591
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/04/2023 answer text <p>The Ministry of Defence (MOD) paid the £150 Disability Cost of Living payment to eligible Veterans whose only government-paid income is from a War Disablement Pension.</p><p> </p><p>Through its Veterans Welfare Service, the MOD provides bespoke advice and assistance to Veterans and their families through a holistic assessment of need tailored to an individual's specific circumstances.</p><p> </p><p>Where financial assistance is required by Veterans the Veterans Welfare Service can assist with benefits checks, completion of application forms and signposting to entitlements and support available from the wider public and voluntary sectors.</p><p> </p><p>Veterans can call the Veterans Helpline free of charge on 0808 1914218 and ask for a call back from the welfare service.</p><p> </p><p>The Government are committed to supporting all households, including veterans, with the cost of living through initiatives such as the energy price guarantee and cost of living payments.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency South West Wiltshire answering member printed Dr Andrew Murrison question first answered 21/04/2023 13:05:33 answering member 1466 label Biography information for Dr Andrew Murrison
tabling member	4131 label Biography information for Jim Shannon

1608520

registered interest
date	29/03/2023
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	Pregnancy: Health Services
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what his planned timetable is for the opening of specialised NHS medical centres for women during pregnancy.
tabling member constituency	Strangford
tabling member printed	Jim Shannon
uin	176592
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/04/2023 answer text <p>As of December 2022, all 14 Maternal Medicine Networks reported that they were operational, meaning all women in England with high-risk medical conditions can access care from the 17 open Maternal Medicine Centres, when required. The majority of maternal medicine problems will continue to be managed locally.</p> answering member constituency Lewes answering member printed Maria Caulfield question first answered 17/04/2023 08:22:49 answering member 4492 label Biography information for Maria Caulfield
tabling member	4131 label Biography information for Jim Shannon

1608521

registered interest
date	29/03/2023
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	NHS: Pay
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 progress has been made on reaching a pay agreement for NHS staff.
tabling member constituency	Strangford
tabling member printed	Jim Shannon
uin	176593
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/04/2023 answer text <p>After constructive talks with health unions on 16 March, the Government put forward a best and final offer for more than one million National Health Service staff on the Agenda for Change contract. We are pleased that the Royal College of Nursing, UNISON, GMB, the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy and the British Dietetic Association unions have said they will recommend the offer to their members.</p><p>We are disappointed that the British Medical Association (BMA) have announced further strike action.  Further strikes will risk patient safety and cause further disruption. The BMA have made the Government making a commitment to delivering a 35% pay increase a pre-condition of them entering into talks on pay. This is unreasonable. Our door remains open to constructive conversations, as we have had with other health unions, to find a realistic way forward which balances rewarding doctors and dentists in training for their hard work while being fair to the taxpayer.</p> answering member constituency Colchester answering member printed Will Quince question first answered 17/04/2023 08:16:33 answering member 4423 label Biography information for Will Quince
tabling member	4131 label Biography information for Jim Shannon