Show Search Form

Search Results

registered interest	true false
date	exactly: or between: and
answering body
answering dept id
answering dept short name
answering dept sort name
hansard heading
house id
legislature	pref label
question text
tabling member constituency
tabling member printed
uin
answer	is ministerial correction true false date of answer exactly: or between: and answer text answering member constituency answering member printed question first answered answering member label
tabling member	label

Search

1550936

registered interest
date	13/12/2022
answering body	Home Office
answering dept id	1
answering dept short name	Home Office
answering dept sort name	Home Office
hansard heading	Somaliland: Passports
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of having a passport assessor in Hargeisa.
tabling member constituency	Strangford
tabling member printed	Jim Shannon
uin	109557
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 22/12/2022 answer text <p>All applications for British passports are conducted by His Majesty’s Passport Office in the UK. This has removed the fraud risk of transporting blank books to, and safekeeping them in, overseas posts, as well as aligning security checks and fraud assessment processes to those conducted on applications made in the UK.</p><p>Through economies of scale and use of new technology, HM Passport Office substantially reduced processing costs. This has been passed on to the customer, with an adult overseas passport costing £33 less than when the transition from the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office completed in March 2014.</p> answering member constituency Newark answering member printed Robert Jenrick question first answered 22/12/2022 14:56:02 answering member 4320 label Biography information for Robert Jenrick
tabling member	4131 label Biography information for Jim Shannon

1550937

registered interest
date	13/12/2022
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	Somaliland: British Council
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 potential merits of opening a British Council office in Hargeisa.
tabling member constituency	Strangford
tabling member printed	Jim Shannon
uin	109558
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/12/2022 answer text <p>For a decade the UK has been the only Western bilateral donor with a permanent diplomatic presence in Hargeisa. UK cooperation with Somaliland covers a broad range of areas, including supporting its development and security, enhancing stability and promoting economic, human and social development through a network of cross-Government resources. The British Council is operationally independent from the UK Government.</p> answering member constituency Sutton Coldfield answering member printed Mr Andrew Mitchell question first answered 21/12/2022 16:31:57 answering member 1211 label Biography information for Mr Andrew Mitchell
tabling member	4131 label Biography information for Jim Shannon

1550938

registered interest
date	13/12/2022
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	Somalia: Travel Information
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 she will update her Department's travel guidance for Somalia to reflect differences between Somaliland and Somalia.
tabling member constituency	Strangford
tabling member printed	Jim Shannon
uin	109559
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 05/01/2023 answer text <p>The FCDO Travel Advice provides information and advice to help British nationals make informed decisions about foreign travel. FCDO Travel Advice provides travellers with updates and information, including the latest advice on issues such as coronavirus, safety and security, entry requirements and travel warnings. Area-specific advice reflecting differences across Somalia, including in relation to travel to Somaliland, is contained within the FCDO travel advice.</p> answering member constituency Sutton Coldfield answering member printed Mr Andrew Mitchell question first answered 05/01/2023 17:41:14 answering member 1211 label Biography information for Mr Andrew Mitchell
tabling member	4131 label Biography information for Jim Shannon

1550939

registered interest
date	13/12/2022
answering body	Home Office
answering dept id	1
answering dept short name	Home Office
answering dept sort name	Home Office
hansard heading	Pharmacy: Crimes of Violence
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she is taking to help tackle violence against pharmacy staff.
tabling member constituency	Strangford
tabling member printed	Jim Shannon
uin	109560
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/12/2022 answer text <p>The Government is clear that violence and abuse towards any worker is not acceptable. We introduced a statutory aggravating factor for assault against any public facing worker via section 156 of the Police Crime Sentencing and Courts Act 2022. The aggravating factor applies in cases of assault where an offence is committed against those providing a public service, performing a public duty or providing a service to the public.</p><p>This legislative change ensures the courts treat the public-facing nature of a victim’s role as an aggravating factor when considering the sentence for an offence.</p><p>The Home Office works closely with the police-led National Business Crime Centre (NBCC) to understand the crimes affecting businesses and help ensure businesses and police are working effectively together. The NBCC has dedicated guidance on its website <a href="https://nbcc.police.uk/crime-prevention/nbcc-guidance?start=12" target="_blank">NBCC Guidance</a> for staff working in pharmacies to help prevent crimes including violence and abuse.</p> answering member constituency Croydon South answering member printed Chris Philp question first answered 21/12/2022 16:43:34 answering member 4503 label Biography information for Chris Philp
tabling member	4131 label Biography information for Jim Shannon

1550940

registered interest
date	13/12/2022
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	India: Religious 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 discussions he has had with her counterpart in India on religious violence.
tabling member constituency	Strangford
tabling member printed	Jim Shannon
uin	109561
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/12/2022 answer text <p>The UK is committed to defending freedom of religion or belief for all and promoting respect and tolerance between communities. We condemn any instances of discrimination because of religion or belief, regardless of the country or faith involved. Reports of violence against religious minorities are a matter for the Indian police and legal system. However, we raise issues directly with the Government of India where we have them, including at Ministerial level. Lord (Tariq) Ahmad, Minister for South Asia, also regularly speaks with the High Commissioner of India, and freedom of religion or belief forms part of that dialogue.</p> answering member constituency Berwick-upon-Tweed answering member printed Anne-Marie Trevelyan question first answered 21/12/2022 16:19:25 answering member 4531 label Biography information for Anne-Marie Trevelyan
tabling member	4131 label Biography information for Jim Shannon

1550941

registered interest
date	13/12/2022
answering body	Department of Health and Social Care
answering dept id	17
answering dept short name	Health and Social Care
answering dept sort name	Health and Social Care
hansard heading	Dementia
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to help tackle the increase in people with dementia.
tabling member constituency	Strangford
tabling member printed	Jim Shannon
uin	109562
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 20/12/2022 answer text <p>In 2021/22, £17 million was made available to clinical commissioning groups to address dementia waiting lists and increase the number of diagnoses. This included identifying areas of good practice in dementia diagnosis and provision of pre and post diagnostic support.</p> answering member constituency Faversham and Mid Kent answering member printed Helen Whately question first answered 20/12/2022 10:32:40 answering member 4527 label Biography information for Helen Whately
tabling member	4131 label Biography information for Jim Shannon

1550942

registered interest
date	13/12/2022
answering body	Treasury
answering dept id	14
answering dept short name	Treasury
answering dept sort name	Treasury
hansard heading	Sanctions: Russia
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether his Department is taking steps with Cabinet colleagues to investigate whether the transfer of (a) funds and (b) properties in the UK by families of Russian oligarchs is done to evade sanctions.
tabling member constituency	Strangford
tabling member printed	Jim Shannon
uin	109563
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 19/12/2022 answer text <p>The Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation (OFSI), part of HM Treasury, assesses all reported breaches of financial sanctions regulations. Regulations prohibit any person intentionally acting to circumvent prohibitions, or enabling and facilitating breaches of financial sanctions. Financial institutions and estate agents are considered relevant firms under the regulations and therefore have additional obligations, including to report frozen assets and any suspected breaches they are aware of.</p><p>OFSI is able to utilise a variety of enforcement powers should investigations prove a breach has occurred, including publicising breaches and imposing a civil monetary penalty where cases meet the threshold. The National Crime Agency investigates the most serious evasion of sanctions and associated money laundering.</p> answering member constituency Salisbury answering member printed John Glen question first answered 19/12/2022 14:13:45 answering member 4051 label Biography information for John Glen
tabling member	4131 label Biography information for Jim Shannon

1550943

registered interest
date	13/12/2022
answering body	Ministry of Justice
answering dept id	54
answering dept short name	Justice
answering dept sort name	Justice
hansard heading	Drugs: Crime
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether he has made a recent assessment of the potential merits of increasing jail terms for repeat drug offenders.
tabling member constituency	Strangford
tabling member printed	Jim Shannon
uin	109564
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 20/12/2022 answer text <p>The law provides a robust framework of drug offences to address a variety of behaviours. The most serious of these carry a maximum penalty of life imprisonment. Sentencing is entirely a matter for our independent courts, in line with any relevant sentencing guidelines – issued by the independent Sentencing Council. The Council issued revised guidelines for drug offences in 2021.</p><p> </p><p>In England and Wales, when deciding what sentence to impose the courts take into account the circumstances of the offence, the offender and any aggravating and mitigating factors which might lead to an increase or decrease in sentence. The law states that where there is a relevant previous conviction the court must consider this to be an aggravating factor when sentencing.</p><p> </p><p>In recognition of the seriousness of drug offences, the law provides for a minimum custodial sentence of 7 years’ imprisonment following a third conviction for a Class A drug trafficking offence in England and Wales. Measures in the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022 strengthened existing legislation to ensure that the courts always impose at least the minimum term unless there are exceptional circumstances which justify not doing so.</p> answering member constituency East Hampshire answering member printed Damian Hinds question first answered 20/12/2022 10:59:16 answering member 3969 label Biography information for Damian Hinds
tabling member	4131 label Biography information for Jim Shannon

1550944

registered interest
date	13/12/2022
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	Children: Maintenance
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will take steps to ensure that where children or adults are the subject of a Child Maintenance case and registered in full time education, Child Maintenance is only payable if the Child Maintenance Service is satisfied that they are attending and participating in that education.
tabling member constituency	Upper Bann
tabling member printed	Carla Lockhart
uin	109687
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/12/2022 answer text <p>To qualify for maintenance payments a child must meet the Child Maintenance Service's (CMS) criteria.</p><p>A person is considered a child for child maintenance purposes if they are under the age of 16 and habitually resident in the UK or if they are under the age of 20 and are considered a qualifying young person.</p><p>A qualifying young person is someone who is aged over 16 but under 20, and in full-time non-advanced education or approved training for at least 12 hours a week or if Child Benefit is payable.</p><p>The CMS may amend a calculation if we receive evidence that a child is no longer in full-time non-advanced education or approved training, but we do not measure attendance or participation.</p> answering member constituency Mid Sussex answering member printed Mims Davies question first answered 21/12/2022 10:51:35 answering member 4513 label Biography information for Mims Davies
tabling member	4857 label Biography information for Carla Lockhart

1550945

registered interest
date	13/12/2022
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	Vietnam: Religious 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, whether he is taking steps to help protect and promote freedom of religion in Vietnam.
tabling member constituency	Upper Bann
tabling member printed	Carla Lockhart
uin	109688
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/12/2022 answer text <p>Promoting the right to freedom of religion or belief (FoRB) for all is one of the UK's longstanding human rights priorities. On 22 August the UK joined six other diplomatic missions in Vietnam in a statement marking the International Day Commemorating the Victims of Acts of Violence Based on Religion or Belief. The UK-Vietnam Strategic Partnership Agreement commits to cooperation on human rights, and at the annual Ministerial Strategic Dialogue we discuss concerns related to FoRB. We look forward to working together with Vietnam to promote human rights around the world as they join the Human Rights Council in 2023.</p> answering member constituency Berwick-upon-Tweed answering member printed Anne-Marie Trevelyan question first answered 21/12/2022 16:23:46 answering member 4531 label Biography information for Anne-Marie Trevelyan
tabling member	4857 label Biography information for Carla Lockhart