\u200bThe decision to temporarily appoint state trustees in local municipalities is a decision for the Turkish Government. Nevertheless, we expect Turkey to undertake any legal processes against locally elected representatives fairly, transparently and with full respect for the rule of law. It is important for Turkish democracy, as it would be for any country, that the results of upcoming local elections accurately reflect the wishes of the Turkish people.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/343", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Sir Alan Duncan"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Rutland and Melton"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Sir Alan Duncan"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2019-03-18", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2019-03-18T17:46:14.413Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "16"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Foreign and Commonwealth Office"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Foreign and Commonwealth Office"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2019-03-08", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Turkey: Politics and Government"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment the Government has made of the effect on security and democracy of the appointment of unelected governors who are members of the AKP in towns and cities in Turkey with predominant Kurdish populations.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/151", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Tom Brake"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Carshalton and Wallington"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Tom Brake"} ], "uin" : "230020"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1084381", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Foreign and Commonwealth Office"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1084381/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
We have consistently encouraged Turkey to invite international election monitors to the forthcoming local elections. We are pleased that a delegation from the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe has been invited to do so. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office have engaged with the head of the delegation in advance of his visit. We will continue to urge Turkey to act upon the recommendations made by the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe and the Council of Europe following the Presidential elections in June 2018, and will consider any further recommendations the Council of Europe may produce following the local elections.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/343", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Sir Alan Duncan"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Rutland and Melton"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Sir Alan Duncan"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2019-03-18", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2019-03-18T17:47:09.84Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "16"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Foreign and Commonwealth Office"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Foreign and Commonwealth Office"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2019-03-08", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Turkey: Elections"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to help ensure a free and fair election in Turkey.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/151", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Tom Brake"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Carshalton and Wallington"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Tom Brake"} ], "uin" : "230021"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1084382", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Foreign and Commonwealth Office"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1084382/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
\u200bI welcome the Government of Malta's engagement with rapporteurs from the Council of Europe's Venice Commission who visited Malta in November 2018, and Malta's acceptance of the Commission's findings. We encourage Prime Minister Muscat's Government to draw on the Venice Commission's offer of advice and expertise, as Europe's chief advisory body on constitutional law, to implement their recommendations. The UK stands ready to assist Malta to advance its law reform agenda in any way we can.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/343", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Sir Alan Duncan"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Rutland and Melton"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Sir Alan Duncan"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2019-03-13", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2019-03-13T16:32:29.137Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "16"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Foreign and Commonwealth Office"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Foreign and Commonwealth Office"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2019-03-08", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Malta: Politics and Government"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment his Department has made of the validity of the findings of the Council of Europe Venice Commission Opinion on Constitutional Arrangements and Separation of Powers and the Independence of the Judiciary and Law Enforcement in Malta.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/151", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Tom Brake"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Carshalton and Wallington"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Tom Brake"} ], "uin" : "230022"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1084388", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Exiting the European Union "} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1084388/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
The UK pushed for reciprocal rights to stand and vote in local elections in negotiations on citizens\u2019 rights but they will not form part of the Withdrawal Agreement. Instead we are pursuing bilateral agreements with individual Member States where possible, to apply in a deal or no deal scenario. We are pleased to have secured the first such bilateral agreement on local voting rights with Spain in January and we are continuing our discussions with other Member States.<\/p>
<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4091", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Mr Robin Walker"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Worcester"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Mr Robin Walker"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2019-03-13", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2019-03-13T11:16:42.86Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "203"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Exiting the European Union "} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Exiting the European Union "} , "date" : {"_value" : "2019-03-08", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Voting Rights: British Nationals Abroad"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, pursuant to the Answer of 22 February 2019 to Question 221547, on Voting Rights; EU Nationals,which EU member states have yet to confirm reciprocal voting rights for UK citizens residing in their respective state in the event that the UK leaves the EU without a deal.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/151", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Tom Brake"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Carshalton and Wallington"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Tom Brake"} ], "uin" : "230023"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1083545", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Foreign and Commonwealth Office"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1083545/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
\u200bI share the right honourable member's concern to see justice in the case of Daphne Caruana Galizia. The decision to establish a public inquiry is, nevertheless, a matter for the Maltese Government, who have said that a parliamentary inquiry could take place once the ongoing judicial process has been concluded. The UK is committed to the defence of the freedom of expression and the Foreign Secretary has launched a Media Freedom campaign on this very issue, and is keen to work with all international partners to support the safety and protection of journalists worldwide.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/343", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Sir Alan Duncan"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Rutland and Melton"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Sir Alan Duncan"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2019-03-12", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2019-03-12T17:01:23.377Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "16"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Foreign and Commonwealth Office"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Foreign and Commonwealth Office"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2019-03-07", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Daphne Caruana Galizia"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make representations to the Government of Malta on establishing a public inquiry to determine what the Maltese authorities (a) knew and (b) ought to have known of the real and immediate risk to the life of journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/151", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Tom Brake"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Carshalton and Wallington"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Tom Brake"} ], "uin" : "229596"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1083555", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Education"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1083555/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
The Department has a number of initiatives in place to promote the uptake of languages and to improve attainment. The English Baccalaureate (EBacc) performance measure, which includes languages, has seen the proportion of GCSE entries from pupils in state-funded schools in a modern foreign language (MFL) increase from 40% in 2010 to 46% in 2018.<\/p>
The £4.8 million MFL Pedagogy Pilot commenced in December 2018. It is managed by the newly appointed MFL Centre for Excellence and is run through nine school-led hubs, to improve uptake and attainment in languages at Key Stages 3 and 4. The Department has launched a pilot project in MFL undergraduate mentoring for secondary school pupils to drive up participation in the subject, specifically targeting areas of high disadvantage to extend access to languages for all pupils.<\/p>
Generous financial incentives are offered for languages teaching, including scholarships in modern foreign languages worth £28,000, and tax-free bursaries, typically worth up to £26,000.<\/p>