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1359832

	registered interest
	date	15/10/2021
	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	Covid Local Support Grant
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits for vulnerable households of extending the Covid-19 Local Support Grant until December 2021.
	tabling member constituency	Coventry South
	tabling member printed	Zarah Sultana
	uin	57396
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 20/10/2021 answer text <p>The Covid Local Support Grant ended on September 30<sup>th</sup> 2021. However, we recognise that some people continue to require extra support, which is why we have introduced £500m of funding to boost households this winter. £421m of this will help vulnerable people in England with essential household costs through the Household Support Fund, whilst almost £80m will be given to the devolved nations (£41m for the Scottish Government, £25m for the Welsh Government and £14m for the NI Executive). This new grant began on 6<sup>th</sup> October 2021, and will run to 31<sup>st</sup> March 2022<strong>.</strong></p> answering member constituency Macclesfield answering member printed David Rutley question first answered 20/10/2021 15:50:31 answering member 4033 label Biography information for David Rutley
	tabling member	4786 label Biography information for Zarah Sultana

1547675

	registered interest
	date	02/12/2022
	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	Palestinians: Charities
	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 steps he is taking to respond to the United Nation’s call for the international community to take immediate and effective steps to protect and sustain the six Palestinian civil society groups that were designated as terrorist organisations by the Government of Israel in October 2021; and if he will (a) make representations to the Israeli authorities to rescind this designation, (b) condemn the steps taken by Israeli forces on these organisations, and (c) review the UK’s bilateral relations with Israel.
	tabling member constituency	Coventry South
	tabling member printed	Zarah Sultana
	uin	101804
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 07/12/2022 answer text <p>We have been clear that we do not support the Israeli government's decision last year to designate six Palestinian non-governmental organization (NGOs) as terrorist organisations. The subsequent raids on the offices of seven Palestinian NGOs, and on St Andrew's Anglican Church in Ramallah, and arrests of their staff, are equally troubling. We have not changed our approach, based on the information provided by the Government of Israel and we continue to engage with a number of these organisations. Civil society organisations play an important role in upholding human rights and democracy and they must be able to operate freely in the Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPTs). Officials at the British Embassy Tel Aviv, alongside our European partners, have directly raised our opposition with the Israeli Government on the designations, and made clear our support for Civil Society Organisations in Israel and the OPTs.</p> answering member constituency Macclesfield answering member printed David Rutley question first answered 07/12/2022 12:07:18 answering member 4033 label Biography information for David Rutley
	tabling member	4786 label Biography information for Zarah Sultana

1623415

	registered interest
	date	24/04/2023
	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	Iran: Baha'i Faith
	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 assessment he has made of the implications for his policies of the persecution of Baháʼís in Iran; and what diplomatic steps he has taken to urge the Iranian authorities to (a) release imprisoned Bahá’ís and (b) compensate those who have lost their houses and their land.
	tabling member constituency	Coventry South
	tabling member printed	Zarah Sultana
	uin	182431
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 03/05/2023 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 raise these issues with the regime at all appropriate opportunities.</p> answering member constituency Macclesfield answering member printed David Rutley question first answered 03/05/2023 16:58:52 answering member 4033 label Biography information for David Rutley
	tabling member	4786 label Biography information for Zarah Sultana

1640492

	registered interest
	date	25/05/2023
	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	Bahrain: Counter-terrorism
	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 (a) his policies and (b) human rights defenders of the letter sent to the Bahraini government by six UN Special Rapporteurs on 8 May 2023 on counter-terrorism laws in that country.
	tabling member constituency	Coventry South
	tabling member printed	Zarah Sultana
	uin	186934
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/06/2023 answer text <p>The FCDO continues to follow matters that relate to human rights within Bahrain and is aware of a letter sent to the Government of Bahrain by UN Special Rapporteurs on 8 May 2023. We welcome engagement between Bahrain and the UN and encourage both sides to do so in a constructive manner. We continue to draw upon a range of sources when assessing the human rights situation in Bahrain.</p> answering member constituency Macclesfield answering member printed David Rutley question first answered 09/06/2023 09:43:50 answering member 4033 label Biography information for David Rutley
	tabling member	4786 label Biography information for Zarah Sultana

1640493

	registered interest
	date	25/05/2023
	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	Abdulhadi al-Khawaja
	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 information his Department holds on the treatment of Abdulhadi Al-Khawaja in Bahrain.
	tabling member constituency	Coventry South
	tabling member printed	Zarah Sultana
	uin	186935
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/06/2023 answer text <p>The FCDO follows matters that relate to human rights within Bahrain closely, including some individual cases. The Minister of State for the Middle East, Lord (Tariq) Ahmad of Wimbledon, discussed a range of human rights issues during his visit to Bahrain on 12 February, including the case of Abdulhadi Al-Khawaja.</p> answering member constituency Macclesfield answering member printed David Rutley question first answered 09/06/2023 09:47:34 answering member 4033 label Biography information for David Rutley
	tabling member	4786 label Biography information for Zarah Sultana

1640494

	registered interest
	date	25/05/2023
	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	Bahrain: Press Freedom
	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 level of press freedom in Bahrain.
	tabling member constituency	Coventry South
	tabling member printed	Zarah Sultana
	uin	186936
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/06/2023 answer text <p>The FCDO most recently published our assessment of the human rights situation in Bahrain in the annual FCDO Human Rights and Democracy Report, in December 2022 [https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/human-rights-and-democracy-report-2021]. Bahrain remains a FCDO Human Rights Priority Country and we continue to engage regularly, privately and effectively across a range of areas with the Government of Bahrain. During Bahrain's Universal Periodic Review in November 2022, the UK recommended Bahrain move quickly to pass a new Journalism and E-Media Law, to ensure stronger protections for journalists and enhance wider media freedoms.</p> answering member constituency Macclesfield answering member printed David Rutley question first answered 09/06/2023 09:41:11 answering member 4033 label Biography information for David Rutley
	tabling member	4786 label Biography information for Zarah Sultana

1367433

	registered interest
	date	09/11/2021
	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, what steps her Department is taking to support benefit claimants in meeting increased living costs.
	tabling member constituency	Bolton South East
	tabling member printed	Yasmin Qureshi
	uin	72389
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/11/2021 answer text <p>This Government is wholly committed to supporting those on low incomes, and continue to do so through many measures, including by spending over £111 billion on welfare support for people of working age in 2021/22.</p><p> </p><p>With the success of the vaccine rollout and record job vacancies, our focus now is on continuing to support people into and to progress in work. Our multi-billion-pound Plan for Jobs, which has recently been expanded by £500 million, will help people across the UK to find work and to boost their wages and prospects.</p><p> </p><p>Universal Credit recipients in work will soon benefit from a reduction in the Universal Credit taper rate from 63% to 55%, and increasing the work allowance by £504 per year means that 1.9m working households will be able to keep substantially more of what they earn. These measures effectively represent a tax cut, worth around £2.2bn a year in 2022-23, for the lowest paid in society, and are combined with a rise in the National Living Wage to £9.50 per hour.</p><p> </p><p>We recognise that some people may require extra support over the winter as we enter the final stages of recovery, which is why vulnerable households across the country will now be able to access a new £500 million support fund to help them with essentials. The Household Support Fund will provide £421 million to help vulnerable people in England with the cost of food, utilities and wider essentials. The Barnett Formula will apply in the usual way, with the devolved administrations receiving almost £80 million (£41m for the Scottish Government, £25m for the Welsh Government and £14m for the NI Executive), for a total of £500 million.</p> answering member constituency Macclesfield answering member printed David Rutley question first answered 17/11/2021 16:21:56 answering member 4033 label Biography information for David Rutley
	tabling member	3924 label Biography information for Yasmin Qureshi

1367434

	registered interest
	date	09/11/2021
	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 potential impact of Universal Credit deductions on the risk of poverty among benefit claimants.
	tabling member constituency	Bolton South East
	tabling member printed	Yasmin Qureshi
	uin	72390
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/11/2021 answer text <p>No recent assessment has been made of the potential impact of Universal Credit deductions on the risk of poverty among benefit claimants.</p><p> </p><p>To enable households to retain more of their Universal Credit award towards day to day living costs we have reduced the normal maximum amount that can be deducted from Universal Credit, from 40% of the Universal Credit Standard Allowance, to 30% and from April 2021 to 25%. As a result, there were 792,000 people in May 2021 who potentially have had reduced deductions due to the most recent policy change. Customers can also contact DWP Debt Management if they are experiencing financial hardship to discuss a reduction in their rate of repayment of benefit overpayments, or a temporary suspension, depending on financial circumstances.</p> answering member constituency Macclesfield answering member printed David Rutley question first answered 17/11/2021 16:00:15 answering member 4033 label Biography information for David Rutley
	tabling member	3924 label Biography information for Yasmin Qureshi

1537700

	registered interest
	date	31/10/2022
	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	Bermuda and Cayman Islands: Marriage
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has had recent discussions with (a) LGBT activists and (b) other organisations from (i) the Cayman Islands and (ii) Bermuda on the right to marriage for same-sex couples in those countries.
	tabling member constituency	Bolton South East
	tabling member printed	Yasmin Qureshi
	uin	74611
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/11/2022 answer text <p>The inhabited British Overseas Territories are separate, largely self-governing jurisdictions with their own democratically elected representatives. The relationship with the Overseas Territories is based on partnership. Policy on marriage law is an area of devolved responsibility.</p><p>The majority of Overseas Territories have legal recognition and protection for same sex relationships, either through marriage or through civil partnerships as is the case in Bermuda. In 2020 the Governor of the Cayman Islands enacted civil partnership legislation to recognise same-sex partnerships in order to comply with the Cayman Islands Court of Appeal. The UK Government continues to engage with and encourage remaining Territories that have not put in place arrangements to recognise and protect same sex relationships, to do so.</p><p>The UK Government remains open to further engagement with LGBT+ activists and organisations across the Overseas Territories to support increased recognition and protections for same-sex relationships in the Overseas Territories.</p> answering member constituency Macclesfield answering member printed David Rutley question first answered 08/11/2022 16:55:29 answering member 4033 label Biography information for David Rutley
	tabling member	3924 label Biography information for Yasmin Qureshi

1552162

	registered interest
	date	15/12/2022
	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	Libya: IRA
	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 his planned timetable is for the publication of the independent report by William Shawcross on compensation for victims of Libyan-sponsored IRA terrorism.
	tabling member constituency	Bolton South East
	tabling member printed	Yasmin Qureshi
	uin	111568
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/12/2022 answer text <p>The UK Government reiterates its sympathy for UK victims of Qadhafi-sponsored IRA terrorism and indeed for all victims of the Troubles. The Government set out its position on Mr Shawcross's report on compensation for UK victims of Qadhafi-sponsored IRA terrorism in a Written Ministerial Statement made on 23 March 2021. Mr Shawcross's report was commissioned as an internal scoping report, to provide internal advice to Ministers. Its content is based on private, confidential conversations and information shared on this basis. The Government will not be publishing the report. The responsibility for providing compensation specifically for the actions of the Qadhafi regime lies with the Libyan State. The Government has repeatedly urged the Libyan authorities, including at the highest levels of the Libyan government, to engage with UK victims and their representatives and to address their claims for compensation.</p> answering member constituency Macclesfield answering member printed David Rutley question first answered 21/12/2022 12:55:52 answering member 4033 label Biography information for David Rutley
	tabling member	3924 label Biography information for Yasmin Qureshi