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1084380

registered interest
date	08/03/2019
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	Turkey: 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 assessment the Government has made of the effect on security and democracy of the appointment of unelected governors who are members of the AKP in towns and cities in Turkey with predominant Kurdish populations.
tabling member constituency	Carshalton and Wallington
tabling member printed	Tom Brake
uin	230020
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/03/2019 answer text <p>​The decision to temporarily appoint state trustees in local municipalities is a decision for the Turkish Government. Nevertheless, we expect Turkey to undertake any legal processes against locally elected representatives fairly, transparently and with full respect for the rule of law. It is important for Turkish democracy, as it would be for any country, that the results of upcoming local elections accurately reflect the wishes of the Turkish people.</p> answering member constituency Rutland and Melton answering member printed Sir Alan Duncan question first answered 18/03/2019 17:46:14 answering member 343 label Biography information for Sir Alan Duncan
tabling member	151 label Biography information for Tom Brake

1084381

registered interest
date	08/03/2019
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	Turkey: Elections
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 help ensure a free and fair election in Turkey.
tabling member constituency	Carshalton and Wallington
tabling member printed	Tom Brake
uin	230021
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/03/2019 answer text <p>We have consistently encouraged Turkey to invite international election monitors to the forthcoming local elections. We are pleased that a delegation from the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe has been invited to do so. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office have engaged with the head of the delegation in advance of his visit. We will continue to urge Turkey to act upon the recommendations made by the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe and the Council of Europe following the Presidential elections in June 2018, and will consider any further recommendations the Council of Europe may produce following the local elections.</p> answering member constituency Rutland and Melton answering member printed Sir Alan Duncan question first answered 18/03/2019 17:47:09 answering member 343 label Biography information for Sir Alan Duncan
tabling member	151 label Biography information for Tom Brake

1084382

registered interest
date	08/03/2019
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	Malta: 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 assessment his Department has made of the validity of the findings of the Council of Europe Venice Commission Opinion on Constitutional Arrangements and Separation of Powers and the Independence of the Judiciary and Law Enforcement in Malta.
tabling member constituency	Carshalton and Wallington
tabling member printed	Tom Brake
uin	230022
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 13/03/2019 answer text <p>​I welcome the Government of Malta's engagement with rapporteurs from the Council of Europe's Venice Commission who visited Malta in November 2018, and Malta's acceptance of the Commission's findings. We encourage Prime Minister Muscat's Government to draw on the Venice Commission's offer of advice and expertise, as Europe's chief advisory body on constitutional law, to implement their recommendations. The UK stands ready to assist Malta to advance its law reform agenda in any way we can.</p> answering member constituency Rutland and Melton answering member printed Sir Alan Duncan question first answered 13/03/2019 16:32:29 answering member 343 label Biography information for Sir Alan Duncan
tabling member	151 label Biography information for Tom Brake

1084388

registered interest
date	08/03/2019
answering body	Department for Exiting the European Union
answering dept id	203
answering dept short name	Exiting the European Union
answering dept sort name	Exiting the European Union
hansard heading	Voting Rights: British Nationals Abroad
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, pursuant to the Answer of 22 February 2019 to Question 221547, on Voting Rights; EU Nationals,which EU member states have yet to confirm reciprocal voting rights for UK citizens residing in their respective state in the event that the UK leaves the EU without a deal.
tabling member constituency	Carshalton and Wallington
tabling member printed	Tom Brake
uin	230023
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 13/03/2019 answer text <p>The UK pushed for reciprocal rights to stand and vote in local elections in negotiations on citizens’ rights but they will not form part of the Withdrawal Agreement. Instead we are pursuing bilateral agreements with individual Member States where possible, to apply in a deal or no deal scenario. We are pleased to have secured the first such bilateral agreement on local voting rights with Spain in January and we are continuing our discussions with other Member States.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Worcester answering member printed Mr Robin Walker question first answered 13/03/2019 11:16:42 answering member 4091 label Biography information for Mr Robin Walker
tabling member	151 label Biography information for Tom Brake

1083545

registered interest
date	07/03/2019
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	Daphne Caruana Galizia
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make representations to the Government of Malta on establishing a public inquiry to determine what the Maltese authorities (a) knew and (b) ought to have known of the real and immediate risk to the life of journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia.
tabling member constituency	Carshalton and Wallington
tabling member printed	Tom Brake
uin	229596
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 12/03/2019 answer text <p>​I share the right honourable member's concern to see justice in the case of Daphne Caruana Galizia. The decision to establish a public inquiry is, nevertheless, a matter for the Maltese Government, who have said that a parliamentary inquiry could take place once the ongoing judicial process has been concluded. The UK is committed to the defence of the freedom of expression and the Foreign Secretary has launched a Media Freedom campaign on this very issue, and is keen to work with all international partners to support the safety and protection of journalists worldwide.</p> answering member constituency Rutland and Melton answering member printed Sir Alan Duncan question first answered 12/03/2019 17:01:23 answering member 343 label Biography information for Sir Alan Duncan
tabling member	151 label Biography information for Tom Brake

1083555

registered interest
date	07/03/2019
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Languages: GCSE
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps his Department is taking to reverse the decline in the number of secondary school students taking GCSE language courses.
tabling member constituency	Carshalton and Wallington
tabling member printed	Tom Brake
uin	229597
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 12/03/2019 answer text <p>The Department has a number of initiatives in place to promote the uptake of languages and to improve attainment. The English Baccalaureate (EBacc) performance measure, which includes languages, has seen the proportion of GCSE entries from pupils in state-funded schools in a modern foreign language (MFL) increase from 40% in 2010 to 46% in 2018.</p><p>The £4.8 million MFL Pedagogy Pilot commenced in December 2018. It is managed by the newly appointed MFL Centre for Excellence and is run through nine school-led hubs, to improve uptake and attainment in languages at Key Stages 3 and 4. The Department has launched a pilot project in MFL undergraduate mentoring for secondary school pupils to drive up participation in the subject, specifically targeting areas of high disadvantage to extend access to languages for all pupils.</p><p>Generous financial incentives are offered for languages teaching, including scholarships in modern foreign languages worth £28,000, and tax-free bursaries, typically worth up to £26,000.</p><p>The Department continues to promote the value of language qualifications to students who are choosing their GCSEs and to their parents. A guidance leaflet for parents, which explains why studying a language, as part of the EBacc, broadens opportunities in both education and employment, and is available to view here: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/english-baccalaureate-ebacc" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/english-baccalaureate-ebacc</a><em>.</em></p><p>In February, The Department drew attention to the benefits of studying a language among 13-14 year olds through a social media campaign.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Bognor Regis and Littlehampton answering member printed Nick Gibb question first answered 12/03/2019 17:20:55 answering member 111 label Biography information for Nick Gibb
tabling member	151 label Biography information for Tom Brake

1083556

registered interest
date	07/03/2019
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	Insects: Conservation
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to the study published in the journal Biological Conservation entitled Worldwide decline of the entomofauna: A review of its drivers, what steps his Department will take to reverse the decline of the insect population.
tabling member constituency	Carshalton and Wallington
tabling member printed	Tom Brake
uin	229598
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 15/03/2019 answer text <p>The study referred to by the Rt. Hon. Member highlights a global issue that requires both global and national action.</p><p> </p><p>UK scientists have been at the forefront of delivering assessments by the Intergovernmental Platform for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES). The IPBES global assessment for pollinators concluded that wild pollinators, including many insect groups, have declined in Europe and North America. Data deficiencies precluded assessment in other parts of the world. Regional assessments came to similar conclusions for wider biodiversity, including insects. In Europe, for example, ongoing strong declines were identified in most species groups.</p><p> </p><p>The UK Government acknowledges and is committed to addressing the declines. Internationally, we are determined to play a leading role in the development of an ambitious strategy under the UN Convention on Biological Diversity, when its current framework expires in 2020. At the most recent Conference of the Parties to the Convention, in November 2018, we supported action such as the adoption of a global plan for the conservation and sustainable use of pollinators.</p><p> </p><p>At the national level, the Government’s indicators of the abundance of UK butterflies show long term declines since 1976 but no significant change since 2012. Our indicator of pollinating insects in the UK tells a similar story - overall distribution has declined since 1980 but has stabilised in recent years. We are keeping these trends under review as encouraging but not yet definitive signs of progress.</p><p> </p><p>The Government gathers further data on the status of UK pollinators through a UK-wide pollinator monitoring and research partnership, established in collaboration with research institutes and volunteer organisations.</p><p> </p><p>The 25 Year Environment Plan commits to improving the status of insects and each of the four countries of the UK has its own strategy to protect pollinators. We will continue to work in partnership with scientists and practitioners for future generations to inherit a better environment.</p> answering member constituency Suffolk Coastal answering member printed Dr Thérèse Coffey question first answered 15/03/2019 11:04:35 answering member 4098 label Biography information for Dr Thérèse Coffey
tabling member	151 label Biography information for Tom Brake

1083557

registered interest
date	07/03/2019
answering body	Department for Transport
answering dept id	27
answering dept short name	Transport
answering dept sort name	Transport
hansard heading	Heathrow Airport: Railways
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answers of 13 February 2019 to Questions 218813 and 218814, what the timescale is for the delivery of a Southern Rail Link to Heathrow; and when he plans to set out further opportunities for market involvement in that project.
tabling member constituency	Carshalton and Wallington
tabling member printed	Tom Brake
uin	229599
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 12/03/2019 answer text <p>In line with the recommendations of the recently published Market Sounding Report on Southern Rail Link to Heathrow, Government is now working to further develop and clarify the outcomes we want to be delivered from this project and consider appropriate commercial models. The Secretary of State has committed to complete this work as soon as possible and we will set out further engagement opportunities in due course.</p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency Harrogate and Knaresborough answering member printed Andrew Jones question first answered 12/03/2019 13:46:21 answering member 3996 label Biography information for Andrew Jones
tabling member	151 label Biography information for Tom Brake

1083558

registered interest
date	07/03/2019
answering body	Department for Transport
answering dept id	27
answering dept short name	Transport
answering dept sort name	Transport
hansard heading	Heathrow Airport: Railways
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answers of 13 February 2019 to Questions 218813 and 218814, what estimate his Department has made of the journey times to Heathrow Airport from stations in the London Borough of Sutton after the opening of a Southern Rail Link.
tabling member constituency	Carshalton and Wallington
tabling member printed	Tom Brake
uin	229600
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 13/03/2019 answer text <p>A new Southern rail link to Heathrow forms part of our long term aspiration to make travelling to and from the airport quicker and easier for millions of air travellers and we recognise the benefit that new connectivity can provide. This project is in the early stages of development and stopping patterns and therefore journey times are not yet known at this stage.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Harrogate and Knaresborough answering member printed Andrew Jones question first answered 13/03/2019 14:36:59 answering member 3996 label Biography information for Andrew Jones
tabling member	151 label Biography information for Tom Brake

1083670

registered interest
date	07/03/2019
answering body	Department for International Development
answering dept id	20
answering dept short name	International Development
answering dept sort name	International Development
hansard heading	Syria: Internally Displaced People
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what funding her Department has allocated to support internally displaced persons in (a) Rubkan camp and (b) Northern Syria.
tabling member constituency	Carshalton and Wallington
tabling member printed	Tom Brake
uin	229602
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 14/03/2019 answer text <p>The UK remains at the forefront of the humanitarian response to the Syria crisis. To date, the UK has pledged £2.81 billion, including £1.03 billion for humanitarian support inside Syria. UK aid is providing life-saving support to millions of displaced civilians, including those in acute need across northern Syria and in Rukban camp.</p><p> </p><p>In financial year 2018/19, DFID has allocated over £40 million for Northeast Syria. We will also expect to provide approximately £87 million for activities in Northwest Syria. Our support in Idlib governorate alone has meant that approximately 572,000 people were provided with access to safe water and 500,000 people received medical consultations between January and June 2018.</p><p> </p><p>Between December 2016 and November 2018, DFID provided £4.14 million for essential humanitarian assistance, including water and health services, to those in acute need in Rukban camp. Despite the regime’s continued and deliberate obstruction of lifesaving aid, DFID funded partners provided safe water and hygiene kits to 50,000 people and vaccines to 5,000 children under the age of 5 in 2018.</p> answering member constituency North East Bedfordshire answering member printed Alistair Burt question first answered 14/03/2019 17:49:29 answering member 1201 label Biography information for Alistair Burt
tabling member	151 label Biography information for Tom Brake