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1141971

	registered interest
	date	25/07/2019
	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	Seas and Oceans: Pollution Control
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	What steps he is taking to tackle marine pollution.
	tabling member constituency	Aberdeen South
	tabling member printed	Ross Thomson
	uin	912200
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 25/07/2019 answer text <p>Our Resources and Waste Strategy sets out actions we are taking, including a ban on the sale and/or supply of plastic straws, stirrers and cotton buds by April 2020. We are leading global efforts through the Commonwealth Clean Ocean Alliance, which we support with a package worth up to £70m. We also work with the International Maritime Organisation to tackle litter from ships and are helping shape a new international action plan on shipping litter.</p> answering member constituency Suffolk Coastal answering member printed Dr Thérèse Coffey question first answered 25/07/2019 15:55:53 answering member 4098 label Biography information for Dr Thérèse Coffey
	tabling member	4599 label Biography information for Ross Thomson

1128042

	registered interest
	date	22/05/2019
	answering body	Northern Ireland Office
	answering dept id	21
	answering dept short name	Northern Ireland
	answering dept sort name	Northern Ireland
	hansard heading	Sovereignty: Northern Ireland
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	What recent assessment she has made of the benefits to Northern Ireland of being part of the UK.
	tabling member constituency	Aberdeen South
	tabling member printed	Ross Thomson
	uin	910960
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/05/2019 answer text <p>This Government has made clear on many occasions that we will never be neutral in expressing our support for the Union.</p><p>Northern Ireland benefits hugely from the Union and my steadfast belief is that Northern Ireland’s future is best served within a stronger United Kingdom.</p> answering member constituency Staffordshire Moorlands answering member printed Karen Bradley grouped question UIN 910961 question first answered 22/05/2019 14:13:03 answering member 4110 label Biography information for Dame Karen Bradley
	tabling member	4599 label Biography information for Ross Thomson

1133748

	registered interest
	date	20/06/2019
	answering body	Home Office
	answering dept id	1
	answering dept short name	Home Office
	answering dept sort name	Home Office
	hansard heading	Female Genital Mutilation
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps his Department is taking to increase education and awareness of female genital mutilation in the UK.
	tabling member constituency	Aberdeen South
	tabling member printed	Ross Thomson
	uin	267358
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 02/07/2019 answer text <p>Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) is a crime and it is child abuse. The Government is clear that we will not tolerate a practice that can cause extreme and lifelong suffering to women and girls.</p><p>The Home Office’s FGM unit delivers nationwide outreach on FGM. The Unit is providing outreach support to local areas and working to raise awareness of resources available to professionals, including training, best practice examples and information on legislation and policy. Resources include an e-learning package, various communication materials such as leaflets and posters highlighting the legislation and health impacts of FGM, and an online resource pack for local areas.</p><p>We ran a communications campaign between October 2018 and February 2019 to tackle FGM. The campaign sought to prevent FGM by changing attitudes among affected communities through raising awareness of the negative long-term health consequences of FGM. The campaign also raised awareness that FGM is a crime and encouraged communities to report via the NSPCC’s FGM helpline. The campaign supported the objectives of the cross-government Violence Against Women and Girls strategy.</p><p>Earlier this year, the Home Office trained around 1,300 professionals across the country on FGM and forced marriage protection orders. The events raised awareness of the scope and effectiveness of the orders, along with a practical guide to applying, with the aim of encouraging professionals to always consider them in any safeguarding plans.</p> answering member constituency Louth and Horncastle answering member printed Victoria Atkins question first answered 02/07/2019 16:04:46 answering member 4399 label Biography information for Victoria Atkins
	tabling member	4599 label Biography information for Ross Thomson

1133756

	registered interest
	date	20/06/2019
	answering body	Home Office
	answering dept id	1
	answering dept short name	Home Office
	answering dept sort name	Home Office
	hansard heading	Deportation
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many people have been deported to countries with which the UK holds a Memorandum of Understanding since 2013.
	tabling member constituency	Aberdeen South
	tabling member printed	Ross Thomson
	uin	267362
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 26/06/2019 answer text <p>The Home Office does not separately record returns by the arrangements that support them including Memoranda of Understanding (MOU), with foreign countries and as such the information requested could only be obtained at disproportionate cost</p><p><br>The UK has a range of returns arrangements with receiving countries including bilateral MOU, EU Readmission Agreements, formal readmission agreements and informal operational arrangements which provide the basis for administrative removal and deportation. There are also formal returns arrangements for third-country nationals to other European countries through the Dublin Regulations.</p><p>The latest published statistics for the number of returns to individual countries is available from the GOV.uk website at: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/803187/returns5-mar-2019-tables.ods" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/803187/returns5-mar-2019-tables.ods</a></p> answering member constituency Romsey and Southampton North answering member printed Caroline Nokes question first answered 26/06/2019 14:52:08 answering member 4048 label Biography information for Caroline Nokes
	tabling member	4599 label Biography information for Ross Thomson

1078570

	registered interest
	date	27/02/2019
	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	Employment and Support Allowance: Self-employed
	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 self-employed people who need to claim employment support allowance.
	tabling member constituency	Aberdeen South
	tabling member printed	Ross Thomson
	uin	226720
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 07/03/2019 answer text <p>We have successfully rolled out Universal Credit in all job centres nationally. Consequently, self-employed people, who have a health condition, can now claim either Universal Credit and/or New Style Employment and Support Allowance.</p><p> </p><p>Claimants who are eligible to claim New Style Employment and Support Allowance can do so by calling the Universal Credit helpline to request a claim form or by downloading and printing the form available on Gov.uk. Full details about how to apply (including information requesting forms in alternative formats such as braille) can be found at: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/how-to-claim-new-style-esa" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/how-to-claim-new-style-esa</a></p><p> </p><p>Claimants who are not eligible to claim New Style Employment and Support Allowance can claim Universal Credit online. For those unable to access or use digital services, assistance to make and maintain their claim is available via the Freephone Universal Credit helplines. The Universal Credit Service Centre will establish the best means of support available.</p><p> </p><p>A home visit can be arranged to support a claimant in making their initial claim and completing any other administrative tasks required to ensure their application is completed.</p><p> </p><p>Additionally, to help claimants who may struggle making a claim, Universal Support is available, which is advice, assistance or support to help Universal Credit and New Style Employment and Support Allowance claimants with managing their claim or award.</p><p> </p><p>From 1 April 2019 Citizens Advice (England and Wales) and Citizens Advice Scotland will deliver a new “Help to Claim” service to support vulnerable claimants through the process of making a claim.</p> answering member constituency Reading West answering member printed Alok Sharma question first answered 07/03/2019 13:53:53 answering member 4014 label Biography information for Sir Alok Sharma
	tabling member	4599 label Biography information for Ross Thomson

1133751

	registered interest
	date	20/06/2019
	answering body	Ministry of Justice
	answering dept id	54
	answering dept short name	Justice
	answering dept sort name	Justice
	hansard heading	Reoffenders: Domestic Abuse
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many prisoners given a custodial sentence for domestic violence have reoffended within a year of their release since 2015.
	tabling member constituency	Aberdeen South
	tabling member printed	Ross Thomson
	uin	267360
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 27/06/2019 answer text <p>There is no specific offence of domestic violence. Conduct amounting to domestic violence can be present in a wide range of offences and is not readily identifiable from court sentencing outcomes.</p><p> </p><p>Information on how many prisoners who received a custodial sentence for offences involving domestic violence reoffended within a year of their release since 2015 may be held on court records, but could only be obtained at disproportionate cost as a manual search of court records would be required.</p> answering member constituency South Swindon answering member printed Robert Buckland question first answered 27/06/2019 17:13:36 answering member 4106 label Biography information for Sir Robert Buckland
	tabling member	4599 label Biography information for Ross Thomson

1133746

	registered interest
	date	20/06/2019
	answering body	Department for International Development
	answering dept id	20
	answering dept short name	International Development
	answering dept sort name	International Development
	hansard heading	Developing Countries: Human Trafficking
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what steps his Department is taking to help tackle human trafficking in developing countries.
	tabling member constituency	Aberdeen South
	tabling member printed	Ross Thomson
	uin	267357
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 27/06/2019 answer text <p>DFID is at the forefront of the UK’s efforts to tackle modern slavery, one of the biggest human rights challenges of our time. The UK launched the Call to Action to end forced labour, modern slavery and human trafficking in 2017 and it has now been endorsed by close to 90 countries. The UK will continue to take a leading role driving change through the multilateral system to help achieve sustainable development goal (SDG) 8.7 and other relevant goals to end modern slavery in all its forms.</p><p> </p><p>Using UK Aid which now totals over £200m, our programmes work to reduce vulnerability to exploitation and address the permissive environments that allow modern slavery and human trafficking to thrive. We are supporting countries’ efforts to tackle the root causes of trafficking by: creating jobs and livelihoods; changing business and recruitment practices to eradicate exploitation in supply chains; helping build law enforcement capacity increase detection and prosecution of perpetrators; and improving services to protect victims.</p> answering member constituency South West Wiltshire answering member printed Dr Andrew Murrison question first answered 27/06/2019 16:19:20 answering member 1466 label Biography information for Dr Andrew Murrison
	tabling member	4599 label Biography information for Ross Thomson

1133745

	registered interest
	date	20/06/2019
	answering body	Department for International Development
	answering dept id	20
	answering dept short name	International Development
	answering dept sort name	International Development
	hansard heading	Sudan: Humanitarian Situation
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what assessment he has made of the humanitarian effect of the situation in Sudan; and what steps his Department is taking to support those at risk in that country.
	tabling member constituency	Aberdeen South
	tabling member printed	Ross Thomson
	uin	267356
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 27/06/2019 answer text <p>The Government continues to monitor the humanitarian situation in Sudan with concern. Close to two million people live as Internally Displaced People inside Sudan, with around 600,000 living precarious lives as refugees beyond its borders. Sudan also hosts close to a million refugees.</p><p>In early 2018 Sudan’s economy entered a phase of widespread crisis resulting in real incomes collapsing and prices of commodities increasing. The United Nations states that 5.7 million people, including all of those displaced, are in need of humanitarian support, although they estimate the number at risk is 8 million people due to the current economic crisis.</p><p>The United Nations has developed a response to meet the needs of 4.4 million people that would cost $1.2bn, and relies on the governing authorities in Sudan to facilitate safe passage of these supplies and aid workers to reach those in need of assistance. The UK’s Department for International Development (DFID) in Sudan is prioritising the humanitarian response and has already contributed £30 million this fiscal year. In addition, the UK has raised the humanitarian situation in multilateral fora, including at the European Union on 7 June calling for all to respect International Humanitarian Law and enhance the environment for protection of civilians.</p> answering member constituency West Worcestershire answering member printed Harriett Baldwin question first answered 27/06/2019 16:18:28 answering member 4107 label Biography information for Dame Harriett Baldwin
	tabling member	4599 label Biography information for Ross Thomson

1078604

	registered interest
	date	27/02/2019
	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	Pakistan: Christianity
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what support his Department is providing to Christians on death row on charges of blasphemy in Pakistan .
	tabling member constituency	Aberdeen South
	tabling member printed	Ross Thomson
	uin	226724
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/03/2019 answer text <p>It is the British Government's longstanding policy to oppose the death penalty in all circumstances and in all countries. We remain deeply concerned by the misuse of the blasphemy laws and the treatment of minority religious communities, including Christians, in Pakistan.</p><p>We regularly raise our human rights concerns with the Government of Pakistan at a senior level. Most recently my colleague Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon, the Prime Minister's Special Envoy for Freedom of Religion or Belief, discussed the treatment of minority communities with Pakistan's Federal Minister for Human Rights, Dr Shireen Mazari, during his visit to Pakistan on 18 and 19 February. At the UN Universal Periodic Review of Pakistan in November 2017, the UK pressed Pakistan to strengthen the protection of minorities and to explain the steps being taken to tackle the abuse of the blasphemy laws.</p><p>To ensure the United Kingdom is supporting Christians in the best possible way, the Foreign Secretary has commissioned an independent, global review of the support provided to Christians overseas. The Review will consider what additional practical steps the Foreign and Commonwealth Office can take to support persecuted Christians. It will be led by the Bishop of Truro, Rt Revd. Philip Mounstephen, and will make an initial report around Easter.</p> answering member constituency Cities of London and Westminster answering member printed Mark Field question first answered 08/03/2019 14:38:23 answering member 1405 label Biography information for Mark Field
	tabling member	4599 label Biography information for Ross Thomson

1078611

	registered interest
	date	27/02/2019
	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	Middle East: Christianity
	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 protect the rights of Christian workers in the Middle East.
	tabling member constituency	Aberdeen South
	tabling member printed	Ross Thomson
	uin	226727
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/03/2019 answer text <p>The Foreign Secretary and the Minister for the Commonwealth and the UN have had a number of recent engagements with religious leaders, interested organisations, partner governments and parliamentarians on the issue of Freedom of Religion or Belief and the protection of human rights of Christians and all religious minorities around the world, including in the Middle East. We are also engaged on issues which impact on the situation of Christians working in the Middle East, including the rights of migrant workers and refugees and the ability of members of religious minorities to access labour markets in relevant countries in the region.</p> answering member constituency North East Bedfordshire answering member printed Alistair Burt question first answered 08/03/2019 12:51:15 answering member 1201 label Biography information for Alistair Burt
	tabling member	4599 label Biography information for Ross Thomson