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1221371

registered interest
date	07/07/2020
answering body	Ministry of Justice
answering dept id	54
answering dept short name	Justice
answering dept sort name	Justice
hansard heading	Domestic Abuse
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether he has held discussions with his counterparts in the devolved Administrations on tackling domestic abuse throughout the UK.
tabling member constituency	Strangford
tabling member printed	Jim Shannon
uin	70399
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 14/07/2020 answer text <p>The Ministry of Justice, alongside our partners on this agenda at the Home Office, continue to have a regular dialogue with the devolved administrations about the progress of the Domestic Abuse Bill.</p><p>The measures in the Bill relate to devolved matters in Scotland and Northern Ireland, however, with the agreement of the Scottish Cabinet Secretary for Justice and the Northern Ireland Minister of Justice, the Bill as introduced on 3 March 2020 includes measures extending the extraterritorial jurisdiction of the criminal courts in Scotland and Northern Ireland to certain violent and sexual offences. I welcome the fact that the Scottish Parliament and Northern Ireland Assembly have approved a legislative consent motion in respect of these provisions in the Bill insofar as they apply to Scotland and Northern Ireland on 17 and 23 June respectively.</p><p>The matters to which the provisions of the Bill relate are not within the legislative competence of the National Assembly for Wales. Nonetheless, there has also been extensive engagement with the Welsh Government, particularly over the remit of the Domestic Abuse Commissioner in Wales.</p><p>In addition, the Ministry of Justice recently published the report of its panel of experts looking into how the family courts manage cases involving domestic abuse and other serious offences. This report covered both England and Wales and we continue engagement with the Welsh Government about a proposed implementation plan.</p> answering member constituency Cheltenham answering member printed Alex Chalk question first answered 14/07/2020 11:09:44 answering member 4481 label Biography information for Alex Chalk
tabling member	4131 label Biography information for Jim Shannon

1221374

registered interest
date	07/07/2020
answering body	Northern Ireland Office
answering dept id	21
answering dept short name	Northern Ireland
answering dept sort name	Northern Ireland
hansard heading	Elections: Fraud
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, whether he has held discussions with the Electoral Office of Northern Ireland on ensuring that safeguards are in place to tackle electoral fraud throughout the UK.
tabling member constituency	Strangford
tabling member printed	Jim Shannon
uin	70402
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 13/07/2020 answer text <p>Electoral policy for all elections in Northern Ireland is a matter for the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, and the Chief Electoral Officer for Northern Ireland is an independent appointment made by him.</p><p> </p><p>Northern Ireland Office Ministers and officials meet with the Chief Electoral Officer to discuss a range of electoral issues, including the safeguards that are in place to tackle electoral fraud.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Worcester answering member printed Mr Robin Walker question first answered 13/07/2020 13:06:47 answering member 4091 label Biography information for Mr Robin Walker
tabling member	4131 label Biography information for Jim Shannon

1221375

registered interest
date	07/07/2020
answering body	Ministry of Defence
answering dept id	11
answering dept short name	Defence
answering dept sort name	Defence
hansard heading	Veterans: Social Security Benefits
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what guidance the Government has provided to veterans on their disability supplement; and what the Government's policy is on the number of hours veterans can work without losing entitlement to that support.
tabling member constituency	Strangford
tabling member printed	Jim Shannon
uin	70403
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/07/2020 answer text <p>Veterans UK administer two schemes for those who have been injured, suffered ill health or bereaved as a result of Service. The most recent scheme is the Armed Forces Compensation Scheme (AFCS), which was introduced for personnel whose injury, ill health or death was caused by Service on or after on 6 April 2005 and allows claims to be considered from personnel who are still serving. The older, War Pension Scheme (WPS) is available to ex- Service personnel whose disablement arose as a result of Service before 6 April 2005.</p><p>Information regarding the schemes is available at the following link:</p><p>https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/free-help-with-compensation-claims-for-injury-in-the-armed-forces</p><p>There is no limit to the number of hours which a veteran can work. Some claimants under the WPS can claim Unemployability Supplement (Unsupp) and claimants are allowed to retain their Unsupp if they carry out therapeutic work which is not detrimental to their health, and provided that this is not for longer than 16 hours a week or does not exceed a set earnings limit. Each individual case is different and as such, is considered on its merits. Information on Therapeutic Work can be found at the following link:</p><p>https://www.gov.uk/guidance/war-pension-scheme-unemployability-supplement-unsupp</p> answering member constituency Plymouth, Moor View answering member printed Johnny Mercer question first answered 09/07/2020 13:46:37 answering member 4485 label Biography information for Johnny Mercer
tabling member	4131 label Biography information for Jim Shannon

1220531

registered interest
date	03/07/2020
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: Exports
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 discussions he has had with Cabinet colleagues on ensuring that the (a) planning and (b) regulatory frameworks support agri-food producers that want to increase the level of their exports.
tabling member constituency	Strangford
tabling member printed	Jim Shannon
uin	68702
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 13/07/2020 answer text <p>The food sector is the UK's largest manufacturing industry, and a major contributor to the UK economy. UK food and drink exports play an important part of the success of the sector, and in 2019, UK food and drink exports were worth £23.7 billion - up 4.9% from 2018.</p><p> </p><p>The Government highlights the importance of our agriculture and food production in the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF). The NPPF requires local planning authorities to take into account all the benefits of the best and most versatile agricultural land. Where significant development of agricultural land is shown to be necessary, planning authorities should seek to use poorer quality land in preference to that of a higher quality. They should also consider the needs of the food production industry, and any barriers to investment that can be resolved by planning.</p><p> </p><p>The NPPF states that, to promote a strong rural economy, local and neighbourhood plans should promote the development and diversification of agricultural and other land-based rural businesses. Moreover, local planning authorities are asked to encourage the reuse of brownfield land, provided that it is not of high environmental value. This is to recognise the character and beauty of the countryside, and to maintain the strong protections in place for Green Belt and other designated countryside.</p><p> </p><p>Further longstanding support for farmers is provided by the rights to carry out various types of agricultural development, as set out in the Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) Order 1995.</p><p> </p><p>Further demonstrating my department’s collaboration across Government, on 22 June 2020, we announced a ‘bounce back’ plan of trade measures for the agriculture, food and drink industry. These are designed to help support businesses that have been impacted by Coronavirus. These new strategic interventions were the product of joined up engagement between the Department for International Trade (DIT) and Defra.</p><p> </p><p>The package offers immediate support to help businesses in the industry grow their trade activity overseas. The measures support producers and manufacturers throughout the food supply chain, from farm to fork, and has been developed with input from trade associations, businesses and DIT’s regional and international networks. They include the announcement of the first Defra Agri-Food Counsellor serving the United Arab Emirates and wider Gulf Region, who will aid in addressing regulatory barriers to export for our agri-food producers.</p> answering member constituency Banbury answering member printed Victoria Prentis question first answered 13/07/2020 14:01:19 answering member 4401 label Biography information for Victoria Prentis
tabling member	4131 label Biography information for Jim Shannon

1220532

registered interest
date	03/07/2020
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	Tree Planting
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 recent steps he has taken to encourage tree planting throughout the UK to help carbon offsetting; and if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of introducing a subsidy for the provision of saplings to landowners to encourage tree planting.
tabling member constituency	Strangford
tabling member printed	Jim Shannon
uin	68703
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 13/07/2020 answer text <p>Trees have a crucial role in the pathway to net zero, so the Government has committed to increase tree planting across the UK to 30,000 hectares per year by 2025. As forestry is a devolved matter, we will work with the devolved administrations to achieve this.</p><p> </p><p>In England, we have launched a consultation on a new England Tree Strategy, setting out proposals to plant more trees for the climate and nature. The Strategy will support delivery of the £640 million Nature for Climate Fund, increasing tree planting in England throughout this parliament.</p><p> </p><p>This will build on our existing grants, such as Countryside Stewardship and the Woodland Carbon Fund, which already support landowners to buy, plant and maintain saplings, capturing carbon for years to come.</p> answering member constituency Taunton Deane answering member printed Rebecca Pow question first answered 13/07/2020 15:28:34 answering member 4522 label Biography information for Rebecca Pow
tabling member	4131 label Biography information for Jim Shannon

1220533

registered interest
date	03/07/2020
answering body	Cabinet Office
answering dept id	53
answering dept short name	Cabinet Office
answering dept sort name	Cabinet Office
hansard heading	Loneliness: Rural Areas
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, which Government Minister has responsibility for rural social isolation.
tabling member constituency	Strangford
tabling member printed	Jim Shannon
uin	68704
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 13/07/2020 answer text <p>The UK Government’s work on loneliness is coordinated by DCMS and led by Baroness Barron. Lord Gardiner, as Rural Affairs Minister, works closely with her to make sure the needs of those living in isolated rural communities are properly considered and taken into account.</p> answering member constituency Norwich North answering member printed Chloe Smith question first answered 13/07/2020 17:40:27 answering member 1609 label Biography information for Chloe Smith
tabling member	4131 label Biography information for Jim Shannon

1219740

registered interest
date	01/07/2020
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	Development Aid
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 he is taking to ensure that the allocation and spending of Official Development Assistance is (a) allocated and spent transparently and (b) used for the primary purpose of tackling poverty and working towards (i) ending the AIDS epidemic by 2030 and (ii) other global goals.
tabling member constituency	Strangford
tabling member printed	Jim Shannon
uin	67644
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/07/2020 answer text <p>To tackle poverty and advance our Global Britain objectives, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) takes evidence-based spending decisions. The FCO is fully committed to transparency and publishes on GOV.UK all the information on Official Development Assistance (ODA) that can be released whilst safeguarding UK national security, diplomatic relations and individual's personal information. Further details on how the FCO allocates ODA funding, and the priorities it supports, can be found on .GOV.UK: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/official-development-assistance-oda--2" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/official-development-assistance-oda--2.</a></p> answering member constituency Braintree answering member printed James Cleverly question first answered 10/07/2020 16:22:07 answering member 4366 label Biography information for James Cleverly
tabling member	4131 label Biography information for Jim Shannon

1219741

registered interest
date	01/07/2020
answering body	Department for International Development
answering dept id	20
answering dept short name	International Development
answering dept sort name	International Development
hansard heading	Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office: International Organisations
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, whether the Government plans to maintain the same board representatives on (a) Gavi, (b) CEPI, (c) UNITAID, (d) the Global Fund To Fight AIDS, TB and Malaria and (e) other multilateral organisations after her Department's merger with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.
tabling member constituency	Strangford
tabling member printed	Jim Shannon
uin	67645
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/07/2020 answer text <p>As we create the new Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, the government is clear that the UK will remain a champion of the international system. COVID-19 has demonstrated that a strong, well-functioning multilateral system is in the UK’s interests, and this merger will bring together our overseas efforts on aid and diplomacy so we can maximise our influence across the world.</p><p>There are no current plans to change our level of representation in multilateral organisations. Our multilateral relationships and priorities will be considered as part of the Integrated Review, which will set an ambitious vision for the future of the UK as an active, internationalist, problem-solving and burden-sharing nation.</p> answering member constituency Aldridge-Brownhills answering member printed Wendy Morton question first answered 08/07/2020 15:50:31 answering member 4358 label Biography information for Wendy Morton
tabling member	4131 label Biography information for Jim Shannon

1219797

registered interest
date	01/07/2020
answering body	Department for International Development
answering dept id	20
answering dept short name	International Development
answering dept sort name	International Development
hansard heading	Development Aid
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what steps she is taking to help ensure that UK aid reaches (a) vulnerable religious minorities and (b) other vulnerable groups of people.
tabling member constituency	Strangford
tabling member printed	Jim Shannon
uin	67646
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/07/2020 answer text <p>The UK Government works to ensure that all aid reaches the most vulnerable, including those from religious communities and other vulnerable groups, such as disabled people and women and girls.</p><p>The UK is committed to delivering its humanitarian aid during the COVID-19 pandemic according to internationally recognised humanitarian principles. These principles ensure that humanitarian assistance is delivered to those who are most vulnerable and most in need of this assistance. This includes vulnerable religious communities and other vulnerable groups, who are assessed by our partners when determining those most in need of protection and assistance.</p><p>Vulnerable groups will experience COVID-19 outbreaks differently. COVID-19 is likely to reinforce their marginalised position in society, their experience of discrimination, violence and stigma, and further limit their access to essential support and services. For this reason, guidance was circulated across DFID highlighting that inclusion must be central to our response and the specific contexts and needs of vulnerable religious communities and other vulnerable groups should be taken into account when developing practical programmes to tackle COVID-19.</p><p>On 8 June, Lord (Tariq) Ahmad of Wimbledon, Minister of State responsible for Human Rights, hosted a roundtable with faith leaders and the chief executives of faith-based development organisations. The meeting covered how faith groups are contributing to the response to COVID-19; where those interventions have been most effective; the challenges for faith groups, and, how DFID could work more effectively with faith groups.</p> answering member constituency Selby and Ainsty answering member printed Nigel Adams question first answered 08/07/2020 15:57:19 answering member 4057 label Biography information for Nigel Adams
tabling member	4131 label Biography information for Jim Shannon

1219799

registered interest
date	01/07/2020
answering body	Department for International Development
answering dept id	20
answering dept short name	International Development
answering dept sort name	International Development
hansard heading	Development Aid: Religion
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 ensure that religious identity as an indicator of vulnerability in certain communities is taken into account when allocating UK aid.
tabling member constituency	Strangford
tabling member printed	Jim Shannon
uin	67647
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/07/2020 answer text <p>DFID is committed to working with all its partners, including faith-based organisations, to ensure that the most vulnerable people and groups are prioritised for humanitarian assistance, in line with international humanitarian principles. This includes religious and ethnic groups who are at risk of discrimination and persecution.</p><p>We work closely with our partners to ensure they are rigorously assessing vulnerability and needs (including those linked with religious identity) ahead of allocating assistance as well as conducting robust monitoring to ensure that aid is reaching those most in need.</p> answering member constituency Selby and Ainsty answering member printed Nigel Adams question first answered 08/07/2020 15:57:55 answering member 4057 label Biography information for Nigel Adams
tabling member	4131 label Biography information for Jim Shannon