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1126607

	registered interest
	date	14/05/2019
	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	Dong Samuel Lauk and Aggrey Ezbon Idri
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what representations he has made to his South Sudanese counterpart on the (a) kidnapping and subsequent death of opposition member Aggrey Idri and human rights lawyer Doug Samuel Luak and (b) need to bring the perpetrators of those crimes to justice.
	tabling member constituency	Stroud
	tabling member printed	Dr David Drew
	uin	254108
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/05/2019 answer text <p>The British Government is deeply disturbed by the UN Panel of Expert's findings that Dong Samuel Luak and Aggrey Idri were abducted from Kenya and executed in South Sudan by the South Sudanese national security service in 2017. We call on the South Sudanese Government to respond to these findings, and ensure that its defence and security forces are subject to the rule of law, to prevent future disappearances. <br> <br>The disappearance of these individuals and concerns for their safety have been raised by the British Ambassador, and by the UK Special Envoy for South Sudan with senior members of the South Sudanese Government on a number of occasions. The case has also been raised in Nairobi with the Kenyan authorities. This is part of a troubling pattern of harassment and intimidation of civic actors by South Sudanese authorities. The British Government regularly calls for the release of all political prisoners in accordance with the 12 September peace agreement. We also led efforts to renew the mandate of the UN Commission on Human Rights in South Sudan in March, and support the renewal of the Panel of Experts mandate due at the end of May. The work of these UN bodies is critical to exposing the perpetrators of human rights violations in South Sudan. ​</p> answering member constituency West Worcestershire answering member printed Harriett Baldwin question first answered 22/05/2019 15:03:00 answering member 4107 label Biography information for Dame Harriett Baldwin
	tabling member	252 label Biography information for Dr David Drew

1127509

	registered interest
	date	20/05/2019
	answering body	Department for Transport
	answering dept id	27
	answering dept short name	Transport
	answering dept sort name	Transport
	hansard heading	Driver Information Systems
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will take steps to improve provision of information about (a) road safety, (b) suitability of roads for heavy good traffic and (c) speeding area hazards to companies that provide information for satellite navigation systems.
	tabling member constituency	Stroud
	tabling member printed	Dr David Drew
	uin	256210
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/05/2019 answer text <p>The Department is not responsible for the information provided by satellite navigation systems. These systems are commercial products which assist drivers with navigation and information about the routes. Guidance provided by these satellite navigation systems should only ever be considered as advisory. However, Highways England publishes its traffic flow information and the Department is also aware that manufacturers produce satellite navigation devices for lorries in order to provide them with routing information appropriate to their vehicle.</p> answering member constituency Hereford and South Herefordshire answering member printed Jesse Norman question first answered 23/05/2019 10:39:01 answering member 3991 label Biography information for Jesse Norman
	tabling member	252 label Biography information for Dr David Drew

1126606

	registered interest
	date	14/05/2019
	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	Farmers: Suicide
	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 suicides in the farming sector, what steps he is taking to monitor levels of distress in that sector.
	tabling member constituency	Stroud
	tabling member printed	Dr David Drew
	uin	254107
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/05/2019 answer text <p>Defra takes the issue of farmers and agricultural workers’ wellbeing very seriously. I am aware that rates of suicide are higher across the agricultural sector generally than they are for the general population. I know that they often have a solitary lifestyle, it is hard work and their businesses are subject to unpredictable factors such as the weather. As part of the Future Farming programme we are looking at the impact of policies on wellbeing, and we are also working with partners to foster personal and business resilience.</p><p> </p><p>As part of our on-going work using data on the farming sector, we monitor the published ONS statistics on suicides by employment group. As well as headline mortality numbers, we keep under review the issues that may affect broader experiences of positive and negative wellbeing.</p><p> </p><p>Officials meet regularly with farming and rural charities to hear first-hand about resilience in the farming sector. This provides an indication of how farmers and farm workers are responding to any pressures affecting the sector.</p><p> </p><p>Government launched its first ever Loneliness Strategy in October 2018. One of Defra’s commitments is to hold regular stakeholder roundtables to tackle the issues of loneliness and isolation in rural areas. The next roundtable, to be chaired by Lord Gardiner, is being held on 11 June 2019. Defra also provides financial support through an annual grant of £1.7 million to Action with Communities in Rural England (ACRE), whose network of 38 rural community councils work on housing and transport issues that we know can affect farming communities.</p><p> </p><p>Defra works closely with the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) on this issue. The National Suicide Prevention Strategy highlights the higher risk of suicide experienced by certain occupational groups, and this includes agricultural occupations. Through the Strategy, DHSC has ensured that every local authority has a suicide prevention plan in place to implement tailored approaches to reducing suicides based on the needs and demographics of local communities.</p><p> </p><p>In October 2018, the Prime Minister announced the first Minister for Suicide Prevention, and she recently met the Farming Community Network to understand better the issues facing farmers.</p><p> </p><p>It is important that farmers are aware of the people they can turn to if they are going through difficult times. In particular, the farming charities – the Farming Community Network, the Royal Agricultural Benevolent Institution and the Addington Fund – all do a brilliant job in supporting farmers and their families. The National Farmers Union also has a regional network of advisers who can provide support.</p> answering member constituency Scarborough and Whitby answering member printed Mr Robert Goodwill question first answered 21/05/2019 14:49:38 answering member 1562 label Biography information for Sir Robert Goodwill
	tabling member	252 label Biography information for Dr David Drew

1126616

	registered interest
	date	14/05/2019
	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	South Sudan: Armed Conflict
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what estimate he has made of the number of child soldiers actively deployed in the conflict in South Sudan.
	tabling member constituency	Stroud
	tabling member printed	Dr David Drew
	uin	254112
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/05/2019 answer text <p>The British Government is deeply concerned by the continued and widespread recruitment and use of children by all parties to the conflict in South Sudan. It is not possible to accurately determine the number of children who have been recruited and used as child soldiers, whether as fighters, or in other positions including, sadly, child “brides” or sex slaves. However, the British Government continues to exert pressure on all parties to the conflict in South Sudan to release children in their ranks, to stop recruiting, and to ensure an end to all violations against children. ​</p> answering member constituency West Worcestershire answering member printed Harriett Baldwin question first answered 22/05/2019 15:01:30 answering member 4107 label Biography information for Dame Harriett Baldwin
	tabling member	252 label Biography information for Dr David Drew

1126610

	registered interest
	date	14/05/2019
	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	South Sudan: Detainees
	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 level of detentions of political activists in South Sudan; and what representations he has made to his South Sudanese counterparts on those detentions.
	tabling member constituency	Stroud
	tabling member printed	Dr David Drew
	uin	254109
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/05/2019 answer text <p>The British Government believes that the number of political detainees in South Sudan remains high, despite a commitment to release all political detainees as part of the 12 September peace agreement. However, in the absence of information from the South Sudanese authorities, it is not possible to determine precise figures. <br> <br>We regularly press the Government of South Sudan for the release of all political prisoners in accordance with its commitments. An end to restrictions on freedom of expression is vital if South Sudan is to realise the opportunity of peace the September agreement offers. The Government of South Sudan's failure to comply with this provision of the agreement undermines confidence in their commitment to achieving a meaningful peace. In order to ensure transparency and respect for human rights, the South Sudanese authorities should also allow access to all detention facilities, including those of the national security service and military intelligence.​</p> answering member constituency West Worcestershire answering member printed Harriett Baldwin question first answered 22/05/2019 14:59:45 answering member 4107 label Biography information for Dame Harriett Baldwin
	tabling member	252 label Biography information for Dr David Drew

1126611

	registered interest
	date	14/05/2019
	answering body	Department for International Development
	answering dept id	20
	answering dept short name	International Development
	answering dept sort name	International Development
	hansard heading	South Sudan: Food Aid
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what the level of famine is in South Sudan; and what food aid the Government is making available to that country.
	tabling member constituency	Stroud
	tabling member printed	Dr David Drew
	uin	254110
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/05/2019 answer text <p>No famine has currently been declared in South Sudan, although the risk remains high. The latest Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) report for South Sudan was published in January 2019. This projected that 6.87 million people, 60% of the population, would experience severe levels of food insecurity (IPC phases 3 to 5) between May and July 2019 – including 50,000 people experiencing ‘Catastrophe’, or famine-like, levels of food insecurity (IPC Phase 5). The food security crisis in South Sudan is man-made, and driven by conflict. Without peace, the humanitarian crisis will continue to worsen.</p><p> </p><p>We are at the forefront of the international response to the crisis, and UK aid is saving lives. Between 2016 and 2020, the UK is providing £122.3 million of emergency food assistance and £56 million of food security and livelihoods assistance to South Sudan. Our food aid is provided to the most vulnerable populations and reached more than 330,000 people in 2018. Where the context is more stable, we build resilience and tackle the underlying causes of food insecurity by working with traders and small producers to kick-start and scale-up markets, and with households to diversify their income sources. The UK is also putting pressure on all conflict parties to commit to the implementation of the revitalised peace agreement.</p> answering member constituency West Worcestershire answering member printed Harriett Baldwin question first answered 21/05/2019 14:54:17 answering member 4107 label Biography information for Dame Harriett Baldwin
	tabling member	252 label Biography information for Dr David Drew

1126613

	registered interest
	date	14/05/2019
	answering body	Department for International Development
	answering dept id	20
	answering dept short name	International Development
	answering dept sort name	International Development
	hansard heading	South Sudan: Rape
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what steps the Government is taking to tackle the prevalence of rape in South Sudan; and what programmes he has established to educate (a) women and (b) men that rape is unacceptable.
	tabling member constituency	Stroud
	tabling member printed	Dr David Drew
	uin	254111
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/05/2019 answer text <p>Sexual violence is widespread in South Sudan. In most cases perpetrators of sexual violence are men who are known to the victims. Rape is also regularly used as a weapon of war by all parties. The UK strongly condemns all forms of sexual and gender based violence (SGBV). We continue to lobby the Government of South Sudan to address SGBV and end impunity for perpetrators, and support organisations working to tackle the prevalence of SGBV in the country.</p><p> </p><p>This includes a four-year, £14.8 million programme with the International Medical Corps, which has reached more than 850,000 women, men, girls and boys with SGBV interventions in South Sudan. Through this we are supporting survivors of SGBV, including in seeking justice, as well as trying to change damaging attitudes within communities. As attitudes and behaviours are shaped at an early age, our Girls Education in South Sudan programme also educates both boys and girls about healthy relationships.</p> answering member constituency West Worcestershire answering member printed Harriett Baldwin question first answered 21/05/2019 14:54:57 answering member 4107 label Biography information for Dame Harriett Baldwin
	tabling member	252 label Biography information for Dr David Drew