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1675820

registered interest
date	06/12/2023
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	Nicaragua: International Red Cross
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, whether he has had recent discussions with his Nicaraguan counterpart on reinstating the legal status of the Nicaraguan Red Cross Association.
tabling member constituency	East Londonderry
tabling member printed	Mr Gregory Campbell
uin	5471
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/12/2023 answer text <p>The unjustified decision of 10 May 2023 by Nicaragua's National Assembly to rescind the legal status of the Nicaraguan Red Cross Association and confiscate its assets is deeply regrettable. This closure is part of a wider set of actions by the Nicaraguan authorities directed against non-profit organisations and charitable institutions, through which more than 3,000 institutions have been closed since 2018. In a statement released on 19 April 2023, the UK underlined its deep concern at these closures and at the wider political situation in Nicaragua, which is shared by the international community.</p> answering member constituency Macclesfield answering member printed David Rutley question first answered 11/12/2023 11:34:16 answering member 4033 label Biography information for David Rutley
tabling member	1409 label Biography information for Mr Gregory Campbell

1675851

registered interest
date	06/12/2023
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	Democratic Republic of Congo: Conservation
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, if he will list conservation projects in the Congo Basin that have received government grants in each of the last three years.
tabling member constituency	Epsom and Ewell
tabling member printed	Chris Grayling
uin	5523
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/12/2023 answer text <p>In the last three year's His Majesty's Government has supported projects which have contributed towards conservation in the Congo Basin region, as follows:</p><p><strong>D</strong><strong>arwin Initiative</strong>. Further information about supported projects can be found at https://www.darwininitiative.org.uk/project-search/</p><p><strong>Illegal Wildlife Trade Challenge Fund</strong>. Further information about supported projects can be found at https://iwt.challengefund.org.uk/project-search/</p><p><strong>Investments in Forests and Sustainable Land Use (IFSLU)</strong> programme has supported:</p><p>a. Africa Palm Oil Initiative (now renamed Africa Sustainable Commodities Initiative), managed through ProForest. Covering Cameroon, Central African Republic (CAR), Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Gabon and the Republic of Congo (RoC).</p><p>b. Non-Timber Forest Products (NTFPs) in Djoum-Mintom landscape, Cameroon. This project is implemented by two partners: APIFED, an NGO promoting women's and indigenous people's rights and Ecotrading, an enterprise specialising in sustainable NTFP sourcing and trade.</p><p><strong>F</strong><strong>orest Governance, Markets and Climate (FGMC)</strong> programme has supported projects on forest governance, legality, transparency and rights in the Congo Basin through a number of grants to leading non-governmental organisations</p><p>a. Client Earth (CE) - Using the law to address illegal use of forest resources and promote better forest and land governance. Covered Gabon and RoC. Ended December 2022.</p><p>b. Chatham House (CH) - Strengthening Forest Governance - preparing for the next 10 years. Covered DRC. Ended December 2022.</p><p>c. University of Wolverhampton (CIDT) - Strengthening Forest and Wildlife Monitoring &amp; Law Enforcement in the Congo Basin. Covered Cameroon, Central African Republic (CAR), DRC, Gabon and RoC. Ended December 2022.</p><p>d. Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA) - Strengthening forest governance through civil society monitoring and tracking illicit timber flows. Covered Gabon. Ended December 2022.</p><p>e. Fern - Consolidating good governance, tackling illegalities. Covered Cameroon and RoC. Ended December 2023.</p><p>f. The Proforest Initiative (PF) - Using deforestation-free commodity supply chains to support national initiatives to combat forest loss. Covered Cameroon. Ended December 2022.</p><p>g. The Rainforest Foundation UK (RFUK) - Embedding community real time monitoring to sustain livelihoods and forests in Central and West Africa. Covered Cameroon, DRC and RoC. Covered June 2022.</p><p>h. Rights and Resources Initiative (RRI) - Local to global: Leveraging lessons and opportunities from rightsholders to drive sustainable, equitable and inclusive climate action. Covered DRC and Gabon. Ended December 2022.</p><p>i. Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) - Improving international and national governance frameworks and business standards for intact forests, climate and biodiversity. Covered Gabon and RoC. Ended December 2022.</p><p>j. World Resource Institute (WRI) - Consolidating Forest Governance through Transparency and Accountability. Covered Cameroon and RoC. Ended December 2022.</p><p>k. WWF - Strengthened multilateral engagement and collaboration with China's timber and palm oil supply chains to reduce deforestation and forest degradation. Covered Gabon. Ended December 2022.</p><p>l. Zoological Society of London (ZSL) - Driving transparent, legal and sustainable forestry practices through financial, market and governance incentives. Covered Cameroon, Gabon and RoC. Ended December 2022.</p><p>m. Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) - Improving international and national governance frameworks and business standards for intact forests, climate and biodiversity. Covered Gabon and RoC. Ended December 2022.</p><p>Further information can be found in the FGMC's Annual Review at https://iati.fcdo.gov.uk/iati_documents/D0001101.odt</p><p>The UK has also made contributions to the <strong>Central African Forests Initiative (CAFI)</strong>, a UN multi-donor trust fund, annually since FY2021/22.</p> answering member constituency Sutton Coldfield answering member printed Mr Andrew Mitchell question first answered 11/12/2023 09:57:16 answering member 1211 label Biography information for Mr Andrew Mitchell
tabling member	1413 label Biography information for Chris Grayling

1675861

registered interest
date	06/12/2023
answering body	Department for Transport
answering dept id	27
answering dept short name	Transport
answering dept sort name	Transport
hansard heading	Bus Services: Suffolk
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many journeys were made using the £2 bus fare cap in (a) Suffolk and (b) Suffolk coastal district in (i) 2022 and (ii) 2023.
tabling member constituency	Suffolk Coastal
tabling member printed	Dr Thérèse Coffey
uin	5530
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/12/2023 answer text <p>The Department for Transport has contracted with external delivery partners to complete a robust monitoring &amp; evaluation of the impact of the Bus Fare Cap Grant, and as a part of this, extensive data is collected from operators including the number of ticket sales. However, the data is commercially sensitive and cannot be disaggregated by region in a way that would provide journey numbers for Suffolk or Suffolk coastal district. The Department will publish the final report evaluating the impact of the £2 fare cap in the spring of 2024.</p><p> </p><p>For 21/22 and 22/23, bus passenger journeys made in Suffolk were 9.5 million and 12.2 million respectively (BUS01: <a href="https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/65662505312f400013e5d534/bus01.ods" target="_blank">Local bus passenger journeys</a>). This 28% increase in passenger journeys will likely have been impacted by the introduction of the £2 bus fare cap from 1 January 2023, which the Government has extended until the end of 2024. This takes total Government investment in the £2 bus fare cap to nearly £600 million.</p><p> </p><p>The Department for Transport's local bus fare statistics show that between September 22 and September 23, bus fares have dropped by 6.2% in England, outside London, and by 11% in non-metropolitan parts of England. In Scotland, Wales and London, where the buses are devolved, fares increased by 9.8%, 6.2% and 6.0%, respectively.</p><p> </p><p><strong> </strong></p> answering member constituency Hexham answering member printed Guy Opperman question first answered 11/12/2023 11:58:59 answering member 4142 label Biography information for Guy Opperman
tabling member	4098 label Biography information for Dr Thérèse Coffey

1675884

registered interest
date	06/12/2023
answering body	Department for Energy Security and Net Zero
answering dept id	215
answering dept short name	Energy Security and Net Zero
answering dept sort name	Energy Security and Net Zero
hansard heading	Department for Energy Security and Net Zero: Recruitment
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, how much her Department spent on external recruitment consultants in the (a) 2020-21, (b) 2021-22 and (c) 2022-23 financial year.
tabling member constituency	Leicester South
tabling member printed	Jonathan Ashworth
uin	5535
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/12/2023 answer text <p><em>The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero did not exist as a separate department for the years in question. It is not possible to split the value of external recruitment consultants from the rest of the Department for Business Energy and Industrial Strategy.</em></p><p><em> </em></p><p><em>External recruitment agencies and search firms are an important resource which support the Civil Service's ability to recruit - to find talented people, in the right places, with the right capabilities to deliver for the people of the United Kingdom. The Civil Service has developed a number of commercial frameworks which provide transparency, high quality services and value for money.</em></p> answering member constituency Derby North answering member printed Amanda Solloway question first answered 11/12/2023 12:25:20 answering member 4372 label Biography information for Amanda Solloway
tabling member	4244 label Biography information for Jonathan Ashworth

1675964

registered interest
date	06/12/2023
answering body	Department for Business and Trade
answering dept id	214
answering dept short name	Business and Trade
answering dept sort name	Business and Trade
hansard heading	Department for Business and Trade: Export Controls
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, how many officials in her Department work on processing export licence applications as of 6 December 2023.
tabling member constituency	Manchester, Gorton
tabling member printed	Afzal Khan
uin	5631
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/12/2023 answer text <p>As at 6 December 2023, the processing of export licence applications was completed by 54 officials within the Department for Business and Trade. This comprised 28 in the Licensing Unit, 19 in the Technical Assessment Unit and 7 in the Enforcement Team.</p> answering member constituency Wealden answering member printed Ms Nusrat Ghani question first answered 11/12/2023 10:02:29 answering member 4460 label Biography information for Ms Nusrat Ghani
tabling member	4671 label Biography information for Afzal Khan

1676069

registered interest
date	06/12/2023
answering body	Department for Transport
answering dept id	27
answering dept short name	Transport
answering dept sort name	Transport
hansard heading	Buses: Exhaust Emissions
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many buses funded through the Zero Emission Bus Regional Areas scheme (a) have been ordered and (b) are on the road.
tabling member constituency	Wakefield
tabling member printed	Simon Lightwood
uin	5705
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/12/2023 answer text <p>The Zero Emission Bus Regional Areas (ZEBRA) 1 scheme provided funding to 16 local transport authorities in England outside London. The scheme will fund up to 1,300 zero emission buses, though this is subject to change as projects are progressed by local transport authorities. Of the buses funded, an estimated 984 have been ordered and 137 are on the road.</p><p> </p><p><em>Overall, since February 2020, an estimated 4,200 zero emission buses have been funded across the UK, this includes buses funded by ZEBRA 1.</em></p> answering member constituency Hexham answering member printed Guy Opperman question first answered 11/12/2023 11:57:16 answering member 4142 label Biography information for Guy Opperman
tabling member	4943 label Biography information for Simon Lightwood

1676070

registered interest
date	06/12/2023
answering body	Department for Transport
answering dept id	27
answering dept short name	Transport
answering dept sort name	Transport
hansard heading	Rapid Transit Systems: Finance
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of allowing Bus Service Improvement Plan funding to be used for light rail systems in areas where funding has been awarded.
tabling member constituency	Wakefield
tabling member printed	Simon Lightwood
uin	5706
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/12/2023 answer text <p>BSIP and BSIP+ funding is intended to be used by LTAs to support the aims of the National Bus Strategy to make buses more frequent, more reliable, easier to understand and use, better co-ordinated and cheaper. It can also be used to support and protect existing bus services that would otherwise be at risk. It should not be used to support other modes, including light rail systems, where it is not clear that the primary benefits accrue to buses.</p> answering member constituency Hexham answering member printed Guy Opperman question first answered 11/12/2023 11:55:00 answering member 4142 label Biography information for Guy Opperman
tabling member	4943 label Biography information for Simon Lightwood

1676071

registered interest
date	06/12/2023
answering body	Department for Transport
answering dept id	27
answering dept short name	Transport
answering dept sort name	Transport
hansard heading	Taxis: Minimum Wage
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what progress his Department is making on introducing national minimum standards for taxi and private hire vehicles.
tabling member constituency	Wakefield
tabling member printed	Simon Lightwood
uin	5707
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/12/2023 answer text <p>The Government has taken action to support taxi and private hire vehicle licensing authorities in England to use their existing powers to set consistent licensing standards. The Government published the Statutory Taxi and Private Hire Vehicle Standards in 2020, statutory guidance, which focus on safeguarding standards to protect children and vulnerable adults, although the measures benefit all passengers. On 17 November 2023 the Government issued updated Best Practice Guidance, following consultation, which seeks to drive consistency on licensing issues outside of the scope of the statutory guidance and maintaining high standards of safety and accessibility.</p><p> </p><p>The Government remains committed to legislating for national minimum standards when Parliamentary time allows. The guidance already issued would be a natural starting point when setting future legislation.</p> answering member constituency Hexham answering member printed Guy Opperman question first answered 11/12/2023 11:51:34 answering member 4142 label Biography information for Guy Opperman
tabling member	4943 label Biography information for Simon Lightwood

1676095

registered interest
date	06/12/2023
answering body	Department for Transport
answering dept id	27
answering dept short name	Transport
answering dept sort name	Transport
hansard heading	Transport: Mid Bedfordshire
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent estimate his Department has made of the level of (a) car ownership, (b) bus usage (c) light rail usage, (d) train usage and (e) active travel in Mid Bedfordshire constituency.
tabling member constituency	Mid Bedfordshire
tabling member printed	Alistair Strathern
uin	5727
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/12/2023 answer text <p>A) Car ownership</p><p>According to the Department’s vehicle statistics, there were 77,060 registered cars as at end-June 2023 in Mid Bedfordshire constituency.</p><p>Data for b) bus usage, c) light rail usage, d) train usage and e) active travel is not available for Mid Bedfordshire constituency as it is not collected at this level.</p> answering member constituency Hexham answering member printed Guy Opperman question first answered 11/12/2023 11:49:40 answering member 4142 label Biography information for Guy Opperman
tabling member	5000 label Biography information for Alistair Strathern

1675391

registered interest
date	05/12/2023
answering body	Department for Energy Security and Net Zero
answering dept id	215
answering dept short name	Energy Security and Net Zero
answering dept sort name	Energy Security and Net Zero
hansard heading	Energy Supply: Radio Frequencies
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, with reference to recommendation 27 of the report entitled The Second National Infrastructure Assessment published by the National Infrastructure Commission in October 2023, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of utilising radio spectrum for energy networks.
tabling member constituency	Na h-Eileanan an Iar
tabling member printed	Angus Brendan MacNeil
uin	5206
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/12/2023 answer text <p>Ofcom published a consultation on possible spectrum for the energy and water utilities in June, identifying 5 bands for the potential use by the energy sector (<a href="https://eur02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ofcom.org.uk%2Fconsultations-and-statements%2Fcategory-1%2Fpotential-spectrum-bands-to-support-utilities&amp;data=05%7C02%7CParliamentary.PQ%40energysecurity.gov.uk%7C8bdbf832ce82412fcce108dbfa397d43%7Ccbac700502c143ebb497e6492d1b2dd8%7C0%7C0%7C638378897048481812%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=JJD9U%2FmxD%2BQoIPnXjkisMRH%2B6yNxBJSBD1mOB6midH0%3D&amp;reserved=0" target="_blank">https://www.ofcom.org.uk/consultations-and-statements/category-1/potential-spectrum-bands-to-support-utilities</a>).</p><p> </p><p>In response to this consultation, the Government has contracted Fraser Nash Consultancy to produce a report looking at the technical feasibility and indicative cost of each of the options Ofcom identified, together with other communication solutions that do not require new radio spectrum. This report will be published in due course.</p> answering member constituency Derby North answering member printed Amanda Solloway question first answered 11/12/2023 12:15:18 answering member 4372 label Biography information for Amanda Solloway
tabling member	1546 label Biography information for Angus Brendan MacNeil