Every parliamentary written question tabled by Alex Sobel this session, with the full answer and department. See how every department answers, or back to the MP page.
Showing 161–180 of 229 · this parliament
When he plans to appoint the Independent Sustainability Advisor on large scale biomass.
The Government is working closely with the Low Carbon Contracts Company and Ofgem to finalise the remit for the independent advisor on biomass sustainability and will set out a timescale for the appointment in due course.
Whether the period product scheme will continue within schools in the year 2025-26.
The period products scheme is confirmed for the 2024/25 academic year. The department will make further announcements on the scheme soon.
If her Department will renew the Adoption and special guardianship support fund for 2025.
The department will shortly be finalising business planning decisions on how we will allocate the department’s budget for the next financial year. All decisions regarding the adoption and special guardianship support fund are being made as part of these discussions. An announcement will be made as soon as possible.All future funding decisions will be considered as part of the next spending review.
Whether dual citizens with British or Irish nationality are required to apply for electronic travel authorisation to travel to the UK in instances where their British or Irish passport has expired.
We recommend that all dual nationals travel on a valid British or Irish citizen passport (or Irish passport card) or with a passport containing a Certificate of Entitlement to the Right of Abode to minimise any potential delay during their journey; or at the border. Carriers bringing passengers to the UK routinely carry out checks to ensure passengers hold genuine, valid documents, so, it is likely that passengers seeking to rely on an expired passport to establish a permission to travel may be delayed or even denied travel. British and Irish citizens do not need an ETA to enter the UK and should not apply for one.
What guidance her Department has issued on whether transport carriers can accept (a) an expired British passport and (b) other evidence of British citizenship as proof of exemption from the electronic travel authorisation requirement.
We recommend that all dual nationals travel on a valid British or Irish citizen passport (or Irish passport card) or with a passport containing a Certificate of Entitlement to the Right of Abode to minimise any potential delay during their journey; or at the border. Carriers bringing passengers to the UK routinely carry out checks to ensure passengers hold genuine, valid documents, so, it is likely that passengers seeking to rely on an expired passport to establish a permission to travel may be delayed or even denied travel. British and Irish citizens do not need an ETA to enter the UK and should not apply for one.
Commonwealth and Development Affairs, how much overseas aid funding his Department disbursed to (a) the Kenyan government and (b) Kenyan civil society organisations in financial year (i) 2022-2023 and (ii) 2023-2024.
In 2022 and 2023, Kenya featured within the top ten recipient countries for UK bilateral Official Development Assistance (ODA). In 2022/23 we spent £45 million of bilateral ODA in Kenya. In 2023/24, this figure increased to £48 million of bilateral ODA. Our assistance is not delivered directly to the Government of Kenya, but is disbursed to trusted partners and focused on refugees, women and girls, and climate-smart economic development.
What steps his Department is taking to help increase the number of dietetic apprenticeships.
We will refresh the NHS Long Term Workforce Plan next summer, to ensure the National Health Service has the right people, in the right places, with the right skills to deliver the care patients need, when they need it. This will include how we ensure that we train, through all training routes, and provide the staff the NHS needs, including allied health professionals such as dieticians, to care for patients across our communities.
If he will delay announcing subsidy decisions on Drax until after he has received Ofgem’s report on the compliance of Drax with sustainability rules during the last financial year.
The Government only supports sustainable biomass and generators only receive subsidies for biomass that complies with our criteria. The results of Ofgem’s investigation into Drax’s compliance with biomass sustainability criteria was published in August 2024 and can be found here, https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/publications/ofgem-decision-investigation-drax-power-limited) . Ofgem found that whilst Drax complied with sustainability standards, it had failed to report data accurately. Drax’s misreporting is a serious matter and Government expects full compliance with all regulatory obligations. Drax’s £25 million redress payment underscores the robustness of the regulatory system. No decision has been taken as to whether transitional support arrangements will be introduced for relevant biomass generators when their current subsidies end.
Media and Sport, whether she plans to publish the research that her Department has commissioned London Economics to undertake on the online prize draws and competitions market.
The Department is still considering the findings of the independent research, which looked at the size and nature of the prize draw market, as well as possible gambling harm associated with these products. This research is informing our policy considerations, as whilst not regulated as a gambling product under the Gambling Act, we want people who participate in large scale commercial prize draws to be confident that proportionate protections are in place. We will update Parliament further in due course.
Media and Sport, whether she plans to bring forward secondary legislation to regulate large-scale commercial prize draws.
Large scale commercial prize draws are a significant and growing market. Whilst not regulated as a gambling product under the Gambling Act, we want people who participate in large scale commercial prize draws to be confident that proportionate protections are in place. Independent research was commissioned in 2023, looking at possible gambling harm and assessing the impact of potential regulation, and will inform our policy considerations. The department is grateful for the voluntary action taken so far by the sector to act transparently and apply player protection measures. We want to ensure high standards in this area and the Minister for Gambling will be meeting the sector to discuss this work.
Media and Sport, whether she plans to limit the value of prizes offered by large-scale commercial Prize Draws.
Large scale commercial prize draws are a significant and growing market. Whilst not regulated as a gambling product under the Gambling Act, we want people who participate in large scale commercial prize draws to be confident that proportionate protections are in place. Independent research was commissioned in 2023, looking at possible gambling harm and assessing the impact of potential regulation, and will inform our policy considerations. The department is grateful for the voluntary action taken so far by the sector to act transparently and apply player protection measures. We want to ensure high standards in this area and the Minister for Gambling will be meeting the sector to discuss this work.
Media and Sport, with reference to her Department's policy paper entitled High stakes: gambling reform for the digital age, published on 27 April 2023, when she plans to introduce consumer protections for players of large-scale commercial prize draws.
Large scale commercial prize draws are a significant and growing market. Whilst not regulated as a gambling product under the Gambling Act, we want people who participate in large scale commercial prize draws to be confident that proportionate protections are in place. Independent research was commissioned in 2023, looking at possible gambling harm and assessing the impact of potential regulation, and will inform our policy considerations. The department is grateful for the voluntary action taken so far by the sector to act transparently and apply player protection measures. We want to ensure high standards in this area and the Minister for Gambling will be meeting the sector to discuss this work.
Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of allocating confiscated proceeds from (a) sanctions breaches and (b) penalties for (i) human rights and (ii) humanitarian law violations towards reparations for victims.
His Majesty's Government is committed to clamping down on sanctions offenders and takes action in all cases where it is appropriate to do so. Fines issued for breaching sanctions are absorbed into HMG's overall budget. The Government assesses that it is for competent courts to judge whether we should allocate confiscated proceeds from penalties for human rights and humanitarian law violations reparations for victims. The International Criminal Court is the primary international institution for investigating and prosecuting the most serious crimes of international concern, holding perpetrators to account and achieving justice for victims - including through reparations.The UK also remains committed to supporting Ukraine. This Government is clear that Russia must pay for the damage it has caused and will continue to consider all lawful ways to hold Russia to this obligation.
Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will take steps to increase resources for enforcement agencies to (a) investigate and (b) prosecute complex sanctions evasion schemes.
A range of Departments have responsibility for the enforcement of UK sanctions, including the Home Office, Department for Business and Trade, Department for Transport and HM Treasury. Resourcing is decided by those Departments and their agencies in conjunction with HM Treasury. I launched a cross-Government review of sanctions at the first Small Ministerial Group on enforcement in October. The review is examining whether we have the right powers, approach, capacity and resourcing on policy, implementation and enforcement, with an urgent focus on strengthening the latter. It is being led by the FCDO in collaboration with key sanctions Departments.
What steps her Department is taking to ensure sponsor licenses are processed within the service standards timeframes.
All fully completed, straightforward sponsor licence applications are currently being considered within the service standard timeframes.Only a small number of applications remain outside the service level agreement in cases where further information is required to support their application or where we are awaiting the outcome of a visit to the applicant’s premises.
If she will make an assessment of the potential merits of establishing a (a) hotline for reporting and (b) focus group on (i) politically motivated assaults and (ii) transnational repression.
Where individuals have concerns for their safety, they are advised to contact their local police in the first instance. In the event that a person believes they are subject to an imminent threat, they should call 999.The National Security Act 2023 strengthens our legal powers to counter foreign interference, and provides the security services and law enforcement agencies with the tools they need to deter, detect, and disrupt modern-day state threats. The police are raising awareness and capabilities of frontline officers and staff across the UK, including their understanding of the threats that foreign powers present and how to respond appropriately to reports from members of the public.
What steps her Department is taking to help ensure translators used by police forces are impartial.
Police are operationally independent so this is not a matter for the Home Office.The National Police Language Services (NPLS) team oversees the procurement and provision of language and interpretation services for police forces across the UK .National Police Language Services (NPLS) | Police.uk (www.police.uk)
Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has made representations on allegations of (a) corruption, (b) police killings, (c) disappearances, (d) torture and (e) attempts to suppress the right to protest in Kenya with his Kenyan counterpart; and if he will make such representations in future (i) bi-lateral and (ii) multi-lateral talks.
The Foreign Secretary engages the Kenya Government on the importance of tackling corruption. At the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in October 2024, the Foreign Secretary and Kenya's Prime Cabinet Secretary discussed the Open Government Partnership and the importance of transparency. The British High Commission Nairobi also raised allegations of abductions at the highest levels of the Kenyan Government and released a joint statement following the protests emphasising the need for Kenya to fulfil its democratic principles. The UK's development funding supports police reform, focusing on human rights compliant policing and accountability. We will continue to engage the Kenya Government on human rights compliance issues.
Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has had recent (a) meetings or (b) other discussions with human rights NGOs on reports of human rights abuses in Kenya following protests in that country.
The British High Commission Nairobi regularly engages with human rights organisations in Kenya. In November 2024, the High Commissioner attended the 2024 UN Human Rights Defenders Awards alongside the National Coalition of Human Rights Defenders Kenya and other groups. The previous month, the Deputy High Commissioner hosted human rights experts to discuss the prevailing context for political and other rights in Kenya. The UK will continue to engage with human rights defenders and the Kenyan government to help hold the authorities to account including through its upcoming membership of the Human Rights Council.
Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to (a) help ensure and (b) verify that funding provided to governments in (i) Uganda, (ii) Kenya and (iii) other countries in sub-Saharan Africa is used for its intended purpose.
The FCDO has a zero-tolerance approach towards corruption, fraud, and misuse of UK development funding. We continually assess the impact of our ODA programming to ensure that it is delivered in a transparent manner with funding used for its intended purposes. The UK's development partners, including governments across Africa, understand our zero-tolerance approach and their obligations in delivering support funded by the UK taxpayer.