The Member for East Renfrewshire will be aware of my decision, alongside the Advocate General\u2019s for Scotland, to refer the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (Incorporation) (Scotland) Bill to the Supreme Court on legislative competence grounds. We have also referred the European Charter of Local Self-Government (Incorporation) (Scotland) Bill.<\/p>
<\/p>
It would not be appropriate for me to comment in detail on what are live proceedings.<\/p>
<\/p>
Ultimately, our concerns with regards to these Bills do not relate to their policy content, nor to the approach the Scottish Parliament has taken in incorporating these international agreements into Scots law. Rather they relate to specific provisions in the Bill and whether they fall outside the Scottish Parliament\u2019s legislative powers.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4116", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Sir Michael Ellis"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Northampton North"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Michael Ellis"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2021-05-20", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2021-05-20T15:25:12.24Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "88"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Attorney General"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Attorney General"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2021-05-20", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Children's Rights: Scotland"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "Whether his Department has received representations on the incorporation of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child into Scots law.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4413", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Kirsten Oswald"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "East Renfrewshire"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Kirsten Oswald"} ], "uin" : "900292"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1316662", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Treasury"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1316662/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
The Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) has functioned effectively since its establishment in 2016, supporting sustainable development in Asia by investing under globally accepted standards and following multilateral governance practices established by existing multilateral development banks (MDBs).<\/p>
<\/p>
The AIIB has a large global membership of 103 approved members , including five of the G7 with whom the UK collaborates closely as shareholders.<\/p>
<\/p>
As of May 2021, it has approved 123 investment projects worth USD 24.66 billion in 28 client countries, with USD 8.2 billion of this supporting Covid-19 recovery. The AIIB invested USD 1.2 billion as climate finance in 2020.<\/p>
<\/p>
The UK supports the AIIB\u2019s green ambitions, noting that its 2030 Corporate Strategy has set a 50% climate finance target for 2025, the highest among MDBs with a UK shareholding, and also commits the Bank to Paris alignment.<\/p>
<\/p>
Over half of the AIIB\u2019s investments to date have been co-financed with peer MDBs, predominately the World Bank and Asian Development Bank.<\/p>
<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4051", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for John Glen"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Salisbury"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "John Glen"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2021-05-27", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2021-05-27T14:14:12.523Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "14"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Treasury"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Treasury"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2021-05-20", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment his Department has made of the effectiveness of the work of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4397", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Peter Dowd"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Bootle"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Peter Dowd"} ], "uin" : "4620"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1316663", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Treasury"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1316663/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
HMG does not routinely monitor cumulative investment activity from specific companies. Foreign investment supports UK jobs and productivity. As set out in Build Back Better: our plan for growth <\/em>alongside the Budget in March, the Government is committed to ensuring that the UK continues to be one of the top destinations in the world for investment. The National Security and Investment Act will give the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy the power to call in acquisitions of control over qualifying entities or assets to assess whether they give rise to national security concerns.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4051", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for John Glen"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Salisbury"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "John Glen"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2021-05-27", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2021-05-27T14:09:57.627Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "14"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Treasury"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Treasury"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2021-05-20", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "State Development and Investment Corporation"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment his Department has made of how much UK property and infrastructure is owned by China State Development and Investment Corporation.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4397", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Peter Dowd"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Bootle"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Peter Dowd"}
], "uin" : "4621"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1316664", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1316664/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " The Government takes the issue of low-welfare and illegal supply of puppies very seriously. Significant steps have already been taken to improve and update the laws on dog breeding in England to crack down on unscrupulous breeders who breed dogs purely for financial greed at the expense of animal welfare.<\/p> Under The Animal Welfare (Licensing of Activities Involving Animals) (England) Regulations 2018 (the 2018 Regulations) anyone in the business of breeding and selling dogs or who breeds three or more litters in a 12-month period needs to have a valid licence from their local authority. Licencees must meet strict statutory minimum welfare standards which are enforced by local authorities who have powers to issue, refuse or revoke licences. Commercial third-party sales of puppies and kittens were banned in England from 6 April 2020. This prevents pet shops, pet dealers and other commercial outlets from selling these animals in England unless they themselves have bred them. It means anyone looking to get a puppy or kitten must buy direct from a breeder or consider adopting from a rescue centre instead.<\/p> On 12 May 2021 the Government published its Action Plan for Animal Welfare. This is a wide-reaching and ambitious plan to set out our current and future work on animal welfare. The Government has a manifesto commitment to crack down on puppy smuggling and one of our key reforms in the plan is to end the abhorrent, cruel practice of puppy smuggling and low-welfare pet imports. We are planning to bring in powers that will allow us to prohibit the importation and non-commercial movement of dogs into Great Britain that have been subject to low welfare practices.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4401", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Victoria Prentis"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Banbury"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Victoria Prentis"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2021-05-28", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2021-05-28T13:22:02Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "13"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Environment, Food and Rural Affairs"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Environment, Food and Rural Affairs"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2021-05-20", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Dogs: Animal Breeding"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether he plans to bring forward new legislative proposals to tackle illegal puppy farms in the UK.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4131", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Jim Shannon"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Strangford"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Jim Shannon"}
], "uin" : "4600"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1316665", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Education"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1316665/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " Work on the refresh of the National Plan for Music Education and Model Music Curriculum was paused due to the COVID-19 outbreak. Work has since resumed, and the Government announced the publication of the Model Music Curriculum on 26 March 2021. The Plan will be published in due course.<\/p> The Model Music Curriculum is designed to support schools to refresh music lessons with rich and diverse content for Key Stages 1, 2 and 3. It will introduce pupils to great composers and artists from across the world and develop their knowledge and skills in reading and writing music. This non-statutory guidance for schools will support the Government\u2019s ambitious plan for all children to have access to an excellent music education. The guidance is available to view here: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/974366/Model_Music_Curriculum_Full.pdf<\/a>.<\/p> The Government also announced it would provide the 119 music education hubs with £79 million for the financial year 2021-22. Working with 90% of state funded schools across England, the hubs are also expected to support schools that plan to implement the Model Music Curriculum, overseen by our national delivery partner Arts Council England. Decisions regarding funding for 2022-23 onwards are subject to the next Spending Review.<\/p> The Department does not hold information on instrumental music teachers employed or contracted by the music education hubs. We recognise the challenges hubs have faced during the COVID-19 outbreak due to a reduction of income from schools and parents following the first lockdown between March and July 2020. Hubs have been eligible to apply for the Government\u2019s £1.57 billion Culture Recovery Fund, with a further £300 million announced in the 2021 Budget to support organisations across the cultural sector. This will help secure the viability of these hubs and allow them to continue the important role they play in sustaining music and music education in their local communities, as well as in schools.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/111", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Nick Gibb"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Bognor Regis and Littlehampton"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Nick Gibb"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2021-05-28", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "groupedQuestionUIN" : [{"_value" : "3910"}
, {"_value" : "3911"}
, {"_value" : "3912"}
], "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2021-05-28T13:46:52.847Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "60"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Education"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Education"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2021-05-20", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Music: Education"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Education, when his Department plans to confirm the funding allocation for Music Education Hubs in 2022-23; how much funding will be allocated to those hubs; and for how many years that funding will be allocated.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4397", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Peter Dowd"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Bootle"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Peter Dowd"}
], "uin" : "4622"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1316666", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department of Health and Social Care"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1316666/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) is an independent body and is responsible for its own methods and processes. NICE\u2019s standard methodology is to apply a discount rate of 3.5% but NICE\u2019s committees have flexibility to apply a non-reference discount rate of 1.5% in defined exceptional circumstances.<\/p> NICE is currently reviewing its methods and the processes it uses in the development of its technology appraisal recommendations. NICE expects to consult on the draft methods manual in summer, with implementation of the changes from early 2022.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4380", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Jo Churchill"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Bury St Edmunds"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Jo Churchill"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2021-05-27", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2021-05-27T13:58:28.62Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "17"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Health and Social Care"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Health and Social Care"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2021-05-20", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Medical Treatments"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether NICE plans to broaden its application of the non-reference discount rate to the single technology appraisal pathway.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4131", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Jim Shannon"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Strangford"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Jim Shannon"}
], "uin" : "4601"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1316667", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department of Health and Social Care"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1316667/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " There are currently no plans to introduce a home testing programme for prostate cancer. The United Kingdom National Screening Committee (UK NSC), which advises the Government and the National Health Service on screening, looked again at the evidence in November 2020 and maintained its recommendation against introducing a screening programme for prostate cancer. The UK NSC made its recommendation on the basis that the current prostate-specific antigen test used to detect prostate cancer was not accurate enough and would miss some cancers, meaning many men would receive unnecessary treatments causing more harm than it prevents.<\/p> The evidence for a prostate cancer screening programme, along with other potential programmes, is kept under review every three years. If new and significant evidence emerges, the review will be brought forward.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4380", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Jo Churchill"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Bury St Edmunds"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Jo Churchill"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2021-05-28", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2021-05-28T13:12:38.4Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "17"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Health and Social Care"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Health and Social Care"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2021-05-20", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Prostate Cancer: Screening"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he plans to make home testing kits that detect prostate cancer available through the NHS; and if he will publish his timetable for doing so.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4131", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Jim Shannon"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Strangford"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Jim Shannon"}
], "uin" : "4602"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1316668", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Work and Pensions"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1316668/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "