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1237525

registered interest
date	24/09/2020
answering body	Cabinet Office
answering dept id	53
answering dept short name	Cabinet Office
answering dept sort name	Cabinet Office
hansard heading	Vote Leave: Russia
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether his Department is taking steps to ensure that there is an investigation of alleged links between financial backers of the Vote Leave campaign and Russian intelligence.
tabling member constituency	Leeds North West
tabling member printed	Alex Sobel
uin	95208
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 02/10/2020 answer text <p>We have seen no evidence of successful interference in the EU Referendum. The Intelligence and Security Agencies produce regular assessments of the threat posed by Hostile State Activity, including around potential interference in UK democratic processes.</p> answering member constituency Norwich North answering member printed Chloe Smith question first answered 02/10/2020 13:29:59 answering member 1609 label Biography information for Chloe Smith
tabling member	4658 label Biography information for Alex Sobel

1234428

registered interest
date	15/09/2020
answering body	Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
answering dept id	201
answering dept short name	Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
answering dept sort name	Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
hansard heading	Energy: Competition
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what discussions his Department has had with Ofgem on a programme of expanded rollout of collective switching for the most disengaged customers.
tabling member constituency	Leeds North West
tabling member printed	Alex Sobel
uin	90223
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/09/2020 answer text <p>BEIS has regular discussions with Ofgem, including on what measures might be needed to help remove the barriers to consumer engagement. This includes the potential for collective switching and consideration of the results from Ofgem’s previous trials. The Government will set out more details in due course.</p> answering member constituency Spelthorne answering member printed Kwasi Kwarteng question first answered 23/09/2020 15:26:17 answering member 4134 label Biography information for Kwasi Kwarteng
tabling member	4658 label Biography information for Alex Sobel

1234512

registered interest
date	15/09/2020
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	China: Uyghurs
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 representations he has made to the Chinese Government to end the use of re-education camps in Xinjiang in the context of protecting detainees from covid-19.
tabling member constituency	Leeds North West
tabling member printed	Alex Sobel
uin	90225
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 29/09/2020 answer text <p>We regularly raise our serious concerns about the extra-judicial detention of Uyghurs and other ethnic minorities in Xinjiang with the Chinese authorities, and have repeatedly called on China to urgently end the practice of extra-judicial detention. Most recently, on 9 September during an adjournment debate in Parliament, I [Minister Adams] called on China to live up to its international human rights obligations and end the disproportionate and damaging policies in Xinjiang. On 28 July, the Foreign Secretary raised human rights violations in Xinjiang with his Chinese counterpart, Foreign Minister and State Councillor Wang Yi.</p><p>The risk of the spread of COVID-19 in places of detention is a matter of concern around the world. The UK will continue to work closely with China on the COVID-19 pandemic.</p> answering member constituency Selby and Ainsty answering member printed Nigel Adams question first answered 29/09/2020 14:47:28 answering member 4057 label Biography information for Nigel Adams
tabling member	4658 label Biography information for Alex Sobel

1234514

registered interest
date	15/09/2020
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	Maternal Mortality: Ethnic Groups
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 the Government is taking to end the increased risk of maternal death for Black women.
tabling member constituency	Leeds North West
tabling member printed	Alex Sobel
uin	90226
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/09/2020 answer text <p>Work to reduce health inequalities around maternal mortality rates is being led by Professor Jacqueline Dunkley-Bent OBE, Chief Midwifery Officer. This includes understanding why mortality rates are higher, considering evidence about what will reduce mortality rates and taking action.</p><p>The NHS Long Term Plan outlines plans to reduce health inequalities and address unwarranted variation in maternity care. Targeted and enhanced continuity of carer can significantly improve outcomes for women. The Long Term Plan sets out that 75% of black women will receive continuity of carer from midwives by 2024.</p><p>NHS England and NHS Improvement wrote to Local Maternity Systems on 22 June 2020 to ask them to take four specific actions to minimise COVID-19 risk for minority ethnic women and their babies: increase support for at-risk pregnant women; reach out and reassure pregnant black, Asian and minority ethnic women with tailored communications; minimise the risk of Vitamin D insufficiency; and ensure correct ethnicity and postcode data are collected.</p> answering member constituency Mid Bedfordshire answering member printed Ms Nadine Dorries question first answered 23/09/2020 09:45:07 answering member 1481 label Biography information for Ms Nadine Dorries
tabling member	4658 label Biography information for Alex Sobel

1234515

registered interest
date	15/09/2020
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	Fisheries: Marine Protected Areas
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the effect of fishing by supertrawlers in Marine Protected Areas; and whether those supertrawlers are planned to be banned from Marine Protected Areas once the UK leaves the EU Common Fisheries Policy.
tabling member constituency	Leeds North West
tabling member printed	Alex Sobel
uin	90227
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/09/2020 answer text <p>Marine protection is a devolved matter and the information below relates to England only.</p><p> </p><p>When the transition period ends we will be able to restrict the fishing activities of all vessels, including supertrawlers, throughout our waters. The UK will be able to decide which vessels can access our waters and the new licensing framework within the Fisheries Bill will allow us to apply conditions to the activities of all vessels fishing in UK waters. Any vessels granted access to fish in our waters, regardless of nationality, will need to abide by UK rules including those on sustainability.</p><p> </p><p>The Marine Management Organisation monitors activity to ensure fishing boats are complying with current rules and will ensure compliance with new measures as they are introduced.</p><p> </p><p>Not all fishing activities within Marine Protected Areas will require management, only those likely to damage the designated features, such as trawling on the seabed. ‘Supertrawlers’ generally target fish within the water column and are unlikely to damage the seabed habitats for which most Marine Protected Areas are designated.</p> answering member constituency Banbury answering member printed Victoria Prentis question first answered 21/09/2020 15:08:16 answering member 4401 label Biography information for Victoria Prentis
tabling member	4658 label Biography information for Alex Sobel

1234516

registered interest
date	15/09/2020
answering body	Treasury
answering dept id	14
answering dept short name	Treasury
answering dept sort name	Treasury
hansard heading	Employment: Coronavirus
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what support he plans to provide to people shielding with blood cancer who are unable to work from home and whose workplaces cannot be made covid-safe as the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme closes.
tabling member constituency	Leeds North West
tabling member printed	Alex Sobel
uin	90228
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/09/2020 answer text <p>The Government understands that COVID-19 has posed significant challenges for those suffering with cancer. Those living with cancer have access to the unprecedented level of support for people’s incomes that the Government has introduced in response to COVID-19. This includes the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS), but also the Self-Employment Income Support Scheme (SEISS), and changes to Statutory Sick Pay (SSP).</p><p> </p><p>The Government has relaxed national advice to those who are clinically extremely vulnerable (CEV), bringing it in line with the advice to those who are clinically vulnerable. If employers cannot provide a safe working environment, the CEV will continue to have access to an unprecedented package of financial support including an increase in the generosity of welfare payments worth a further £9.3bn according to Office for Budget Responsibility estimates. These changes also include a £20 per week increase to the Universal Credit (UC) standard allowance and Working Tax Credit basic element, and a nearly £1 billion increase in support for renters through increases to the Local Housing Allowance rates for UC and Housing Benefit claimants.</p><p>Those who live or work in local lockdown areas who receive a notification that they need to shield will be eligible for Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) for as long as the advice for them to shield remains in place (subject to the normal eligibility conditions). Individuals will be able to use this notification as evidence for their employer that they cannot work, including for SSP purposes.</p> answering member constituency Hereford and South Herefordshire answering member printed Jesse Norman question first answered 23/09/2020 15:04:01 answering member 3991 label Biography information for Jesse Norman
tabling member	4658 label Biography information for Alex Sobel

1234517

registered interest
date	15/09/2020
answering body	Department for International Trade
answering dept id	202
answering dept short name	International Trade
answering dept sort name	International Trade
hansard heading	Trade Agreements: Dispute Resolution
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what assessment she has made of the effect of Investor-state dispute settlement cases during the covid-19 pandemic; and is she will take steps to restrict the use of such clauses in relation to matters concerning the Government’s response to the covid-19 pandemic.
tabling member constituency	Leeds North West
tabling member printed	Alex Sobel
uin	90229
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 21/09/2020 answer text <p>HM Government recognises the importance of strengthening international investment in response to COVID-19, and the important role played by both investment protection and investor-state dispute settlement (ISDS) provisions in safeguarding British investors overseas, including pensioners across the country through their pension funds and small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).</p><p>We are clear that HM Government and our treaty partners retain the right to regulate in the public interest, including for public health purposes, and this is already recognised under international law. There has never been a successful ISDS claim against the United Kingdom, nor has the threat of potential claims affected our legislation.</p> answering member constituency North East Hampshire answering member printed Mr Ranil Jayawardena question first answered 21/09/2020 10:58:22 answering member 4498 label Biography information for Mr Ranil Jayawardena
tabling member	4658 label Biography information for Alex Sobel

1234518

registered interest
date	15/09/2020
answering body	Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
answering dept id	10
answering dept short name	Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
answering dept sort name	Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
hansard heading	Performing Arts: Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what steps he is taking to protect the performing arts sector to ensure that people working in the industry have (a) financial and (b) job security once the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme ends.
tabling member constituency	Leeds North West
tabling member printed	Alex Sobel
uin	90230
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 29/09/2020 answer text <p>In March, the Government implemented an unprecedented package to support businesses, charitable organisations, workers and the self-employed through the Coronavirus crisis. The Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme, Self-Employed Income Support Scheme, Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme (CBILS) and business rates relief in particular are providing support to organisations across the arts sector. The Government has now announced additional government support to provide certainty to businesses and workers impacted by Covid 19 across the UK. Central to this plan are the new Job Support Scheme and the SEISS Grant Extension.</p><p>On 5 July, DCMS announced a major £1.57 billion support package for key cultural organisations to help them through the coronavirus pandemic.As a result of these grants and loans, organisations will be more able to resume cultural activity, albeit in a socially distanced way. Each organisation that receives money will know what best they can do to support their workforce and keep job losses to a minimum. We recognise the crucial role that individuals play in making our arts and creative industries world-leading, and DCMS are doing everything we can to aid in the protection of jobs, especially as the sector begins to reopen.</p><p><strong> </strong></p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member constituency Gosport answering member printed Caroline Dinenage question first answered 29/09/2020 14:10:06 answering member 4008 label Biography information for Dame Caroline Dinenage
tabling member	4658 label Biography information for Alex Sobel

1234519

registered interest
date	15/09/2020
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Teachers: Training
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many people have received teaching bursaries since March 2018.
tabling member constituency	Leeds North West
tabling member printed	Alex Sobel
uin	90231
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/09/2020 answer text <p>The published data shows that in the 2018/19 academic year, 10,685 trainees on postgraduate initial teacher training courses were eligible for a bursary.</p><p>Data for the 2019-20 academic year will be published in summer 2021.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Bognor Regis and Littlehampton answering member printed Nick Gibb question first answered 23/09/2020 16:13:38 answering member 111 label Biography information for Nick Gibb
tabling member	4658 label Biography information for Alex Sobel

1234520

registered interest
date	15/09/2020
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Teachers: Labour Turnover
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment he has made of changes in the level of retention of newly qualified teachers since March 2018.
tabling member constituency	Leeds North West
tabling member printed	Alex Sobel
uin	90232
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 23/09/2020 answer text <p>The Department publishes the retention rates of newly qualified teachers (NQTs) annually in the School workforce in England statistical release, available at: <a href="https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/school-workforce-in-england" target="_blank">https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/school-workforce-in-england</a>.</p><p>Of the teachers who qualified in 2018, 85.4% are still in service one year after qualification. This retention rate is slightly higher than the previous year when the one year retention rate was 85.1%.</p><p>Improving early career teacher retention is one of our priorities. This is why the Department launched the Early Career Framework (ECF) alongside our landmark Teacher Recruitment and Retention Strategy last year. The ECF will transform the support offered to NQTs by extending the induction period to two years, and will include funding 5% of time away from the classroom for teachers in the second year of teaching so that they can focus on their development. Funding for mentor training and time for them to support their inductees in the second year of induction, as well as training and development resources will also be provided. Early roll out in Bradford, Doncaster, Greater Manchester and the North East began this month and, in response to the disruption to teacher training due to COVID-19, has been expanded by making the high quality training materials available nationally a year early. Full national roll out will take place from September 2021.</p> answering member constituency Bognor Regis and Littlehampton answering member printed Nick Gibb question first answered 23/09/2020 16:09:31 answering member 111 label Biography information for Nick Gibb
tabling member	4658 label Biography information for Alex Sobel