Every parliamentary written question tabled by Apsana Begum this session, with the full answer and department. Back to the MP page.
Showing 141–160 of 204 · this parliament
Whether the UK has any agreements with countries under which asylum seekers could be sent to them as a safe third country.
The Government has been clear that it will be ending the Migration and Economic Partnership with Rwanda. The UK has no other such agreements.
Whether the deals announced on 16 December 2024 between the Israel Ministry of Defence and Elbit Systems for the supply of advanced communication systems to the Israel Defence Force will include products (a) developed or (b) made by Elbit Systems UK Ltd.
We cannot comment on individual companies’ commercial plans. Elbit Systems UK Ltd, like all UK companies, would be required to apply for an export licence to export military or dual-use items from the UK. All such applications are assessed against the Strategic Export Licensing Criteria and under the terms of our current suspension of certain licences to Israel, any licence application for components that could be used in military operations in Gaza would currently be refused.
How many judges have recused in England and Wales in 2023-24.
The Ministry of Justice does not hold this information. This is because a decision to recuse is a judicial responsibility. Whilst individual court and tribunal centres may hold records of recusals, the information requested could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.
Whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of making court transcripts available to (a) defendants and (b) plaintiffs both (i) during and (ii) after court hearings.
Proceedings in the civil, family and crown courts are audio recorded, and HM Courts and Tribunals Service have processes in place which allow individuals, including defendants and plaintiffs, to request access to transcripts.Where requested after the hearing has concluded, transcripts are produced by transcription companies using audio recordings. If a defendant or plaintiff requests an instantaneous transcript as a hearing is taking place, this can be provided through a qualified stenographer attending in-court. Both types of requests are subject to judicial approval and typically provided on payment of the relevant fee to cover the cost of the transcription.
What steps she is taking to help tackle poverty in older people in Poplar and Limehouse constituency in the context of changes to the eligibility criteria for the winter fuel payment.
The Government is honouring our commitment to the Triple Lock with a 4.1% increase to the basic State Pension and the new State Pension; and we are also increasing the standard minimum guarantee in Pension Credit by 4.1%. As such, according to the latest OBR projections, the full yearly rate of the new State Pension is forecast to increase by around £1,900 over the course of this parliament whilst the full yearly amount of the basic State Pension is forecast to increase by around £1,500. The Government also offers an array of support to ensure pensioners remain comfortable and safe in the winter months. This includes direct financial help to low-income pensioners through Pension Credit, Cold Weather Payments and the Warm Home Discount (in England & Wales). We know there are low-income pensioners who aren’t claiming Pension Credit. We want to ensure as many people as possible have access to this support and urge pensioners to check their eligibility. Pension Credit will passport them to receive Winter Fuel Payments in future, alongside other benefits – hundreds of pounds that could really help them. Our take-up campaign has been successful in boosting applications by 145% since July. The Warm Home Discount scheme provides eligible low-income households across Great Britain with a £150 rebate on their winter energy bill. This winter, we expect over 3 million households, including over 1 million pensioners, to benefit under the scheme. The Government and industry have worked together to deliver a £500 million Winter Support Commitment for customers, which will help customers most in need by providing credit on bills, enhanced debt write-off schemes, and increased funding for charity partners to target hard to reach customers. Low-income pensioners and others struggling with the cost of living should contact their local council to see what support may be available to them, as they may be able to receive support from the Household Support Fund, Council Tax Reduction, or through energy support programmes such as the Homes Upgrade Grant and Energy Company Obligation. We are also supporting consumers, including pensioners, through the Government’s ambitious Warm Homes Plan – which will transform homes across the country, making them cleaner and cheaper to run. We've committed £3.4 billion over the next 3 years towards heat decarbonisation and household energy efficiency. This includes £1.8 billion to support fuel poverty schemes, helping over 225,000 households reduce their energy bills by over £200. Keeping people warm and well at home and improving the quality of new and existing homes will play an essential part in enabling people to live longer, healthier lives and reducing pressures on the NHS. The difficult decisions we have made, such as targeting the Winter Fuel Payment, mean the Government is able to provide additional investment in the NHS, which benefits everyone including all pensioners who rely on these services. We have committed to returning NHS waiting times – including those for A&E and ambulances - to the standards set out in the NHS constitution that patients rightly expect.
What assessment she has made of the potential link between the fitness for work test and (a) suicides, (b) other deaths and (c) harm.
DWP does not collect or record the cause of a customer’s death and will not usually be made aware of how a customer died. Cause of death is determined by a doctor or a coroner. There is no requirement for a Coroner to inform the department of the outcome of an inquest unless named as an Interested Person at that inquest - or the coroner decides to issue a Prevention of Future Deaths report to the department. As a result, we are unable to collect information on or make any assessment on any potential links between the fitness for work test and suicides, other deaths and harm and only a coroner would be able to determine if one did exist on a case-by-case basis. Attempted suicides and suicides are very complex issues. Where there is an allegation that the Department’s actions, including any related to the fitness for work test, may have had an impact on a customer’s circumstances, we take it very seriously and where appropriate we would undertake an Internal Process Review to establish if we could have done anything differently, to inform future learning and improve services. These reviews do not investigate the cause of a customer’s death and are not undertaken as a result of every suicide or death and therefore would not provide the information to show if a link existed. Internal Process Reviews themes are considered quarterly at the department’s Serious Case Panel, which has an external Chair. Arrangements are being made to start publishing fuller minutes of the Panel’s meetings from the new year.
What assessment she has made of the impact of welfare reforms since 2010 on (a) poverty, (b) child poverty, (c) disabled people, (d) women, (e) people of Black, Asian and minority ethnic backgrounds and (f) older people.
In 2022/23 there were 1.3 million more people in relative low income after housing costs than in 2010/11. The 1.3 million increase comprises 700,000 children, 300,000 working age individuals and 300,000 pensioners. During this period, there was a gradual upward trend in relative poverty (before and after housing costs) for pensioners driven by working age incomes growing at a faster rate than pensioner incomes despite uprating of State Pension and Pensioner benefits limiting this gap. The table below provides employment rate/level data for disabled people, women, people from an ethnic minority and older people in 2010 and 2024. Employment level and rates rose for the groups between 2010 and 2024. Disabled PeopleWomenEthnic Older PeopleMinorities LevelRateLevelRateLevelRateLevelRateApril-June 2010n/an/a13.653m65.50%2.772m59.30%8.128m38.40%April-June 20245.534m53.00%16.312m71.90%5.459m67.80%10.891m41.90% We are committed to tackling poverty and raising living standards. We know that good work can significantly reduce the chances of people falling into poverty so this will be the foundation of our approach. Backed by £240 million investment, the Get Britain Working White Paper launched on 26 November will target and tackle economic inactivity and unemployment and join up employment, health and skills support to meet the needs of local communities. The Child Poverty Taskforce also continues its urgent work to publish the Child Poverty Strategy and will explore all available levers to drive forward short and long-term actions across government to deliver an enduring reduction in child poverty in this parliament, as part of a 10-year Strategy for lasting change. We are committed to reviewing Universal Credit to make sure it is doing the job we want it to do. We started this work with the announcement of the Fair Repayment Rate in the Budget and will continue to work with stakeholders as the review progresses. Further steps to tackle poverty include our commitments to triple investment in breakfast clubs to over £30 million and to increase the National Living Wage to £12.21 an hour from April 2025 to boost the pay of 3 million workers. It is Government provision through (and ongoing improvement of) the State Pension and benefits system – combined with key interventions for private pensions and the labour market – that forms the foundation of support for pensioners of today and tomorrow.
Whether she plans to conduct a public inquiry into (a) deaths and (b) serious harm linked to the social security system.
The department is fully supportive of the Work and Pensions Select Committee’s ‘safeguarding vulnerable claimants’ inquiry, which is examining how the department supports vulnerable benefit claimants and whether its approach to safeguarding needs to change. The Committee has had valuable and constructive discussions with a diverse range of groups and specialist organisations representing people with lived experience, DWP customers, policy makers and legal experts. DWP Officials and Ministers have also given vital evidence, fully supporting the areas the Committee wish to explore, and I look forward to reading the Committee’s report and recommendations when this inquiry concludes.
What assessment she has made of the potential impact of changes to the eligibility criteria for the Winter Fuel Payment on trends in the level of pensioners living in (a) relative and (b) absolute poverty in Poplar and Limehouse constituency.
It is not possible to provide poverty breakdowns at a constituency level. As such, no estimate has been made. On 19 November, Secretary of State wrote to the Work and Pensions Select Committee to share internal government modelling produced by the Department outlining estimates of the number of pensioners in the UK estimated to move into poverty as a result of the policy change. This letter is available here Winter Fuel Payments eligibility change - Letter from the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions.
Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions he has had with his Iraqi counterparts on the amendments proposed to the Personal Status Law No. 188 of 1959.
The UK is analysing the proposed amendments to Iraq's Personal Status Law and its implications for women and children's rights, which we note have not yet been passed through the House of Representatives. As we continue to privately engage with a range of Iraqi interlocutors to discuss this, including the Government of Iraq, we are emphasising the importance of any amendments' compatibility with Iraq's international obligations.
What assessment she has made of the potential impact of extending access to benefits for families with children who have no recourse to public funds on levels of child poverty in Poplar and Limehouse constituency.
In developing a Child Poverty Strategy, the Child Poverty Taskforce is considering all children across the United Kingdom. We recognise the distinct challenges of poverty faced by migrant children. The causes of child poverty are deep-rooted, with solutions that go beyond government, and the Taskforce is exploring all available levers in response. The Home Office sets the immigration rules and grants immigration leave to individuals which allows them to live and work in the UK. DWP cannot pay public funds benefits to individuals where the Home Office has applied a ‘No Recourse to Public Funds’ condition to their immigration status.
What assessment she has made of the impact of the two-child benefit cap on trends in the level of child poverty in (a) the UK and (b) Poplar and Limehouse constituency.
We published the framework ‘Tackling Child Poverty: Developing Our Strategy’ on 23 October and will explore all available levers to deliver an enduring reduction in child poverty in this parliament, as part of a 10-year strategy for lasting change. The Child Poverty Strategy will look at levers across four key themes of increasing incomes, which includes considering social security reforms, reducing essential costs, increasing financial resilience, and better local support especially in the early years. This will build on the reform plans underway across government and work underway in Devolved Governments. The Child Poverty Taskforce continues its urgent work to publish the Strategy in Spring 2025.
Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential implications for his policies of the amendments proposed to the Personal Status Law No. 188 of Iraq.
The UK is analysing the proposed amendments to Iraq's Personal Status Law and its implications for women and children's rights, which we note have not yet been passed through the House of Representatives. As we continue to privately engage with a range of Iraqi interlocutors to discuss this, including the Government of Iraq, we are emphasising the importance of any amendments' compatibility with Iraq's international obligations.
How many people have been arrested under counter terrorism powers for activity relating to protests against Elbit Systems UK's arms sales to Israel since (a) 8 October 2023, (b) 26 January 2024 and (c) 2 September 2024.
The Home Office publishes information and statistics relating to the number of arrests and outcomes (such as charges and convictions) for terrorist-related activity each quarter.However, this data is provided to the Home Office by Counter Terrorism Policing Headquarters (CTPHQ) and does not include the type of detail requested relating to each arrest.
How many people have been arrested using counter terrorism powers for activity relating to protests on arms sales to Israel since (a) 8 October 2023, (b) 26 January 2024 and (c) 2 September 2024.
The Home Office publishes information and statistics relating to the number of arrests and outcomes (such as charges and convictions) for terrorist-related activity each quarter.However, this data is provided to the Home Office by Counter Terrorism Policing Headquarters (CTPHQ) and does not include the type of detail requested relating to each arrest.
How many people have been arrested using counter terrorism powers for activity relating to protests against climate change in the last year.
The Home Office publishes information and statistics relating to the number of arrests and outcomes (such as charges and convictions) for terrorist-related activity each quarter.However, this data is provided to the Home Office by Counter Terrorism Policing Headquarters (CTPHQ) and does not include the type of detail requested relating to each arrest.
How many people have been arrested for activity relating to protests against Elbit Systems UK's arms sales to Israel since (a) 8 October 2023, (b) 26 January 2024 and (c) 2 September 2024.
According to data provided by the National Police Coordination Centre, the number of people arrested for activity relating to protests against Elbit Systems UK is as follows:From 8 October 2023 to 25 January 2024: 44 arrestsFrom 26 January 2024 to 1 September 2024: 36 arrestsFrom 2 September 2024 to present: 17 arrestsThis totals 97 arrests.
What information her Department holds on the number of people who have been arrested in relation to protests against arms sales to Israel since (a) 8 October 2023, (b) 26 January 2024 and (c) 2 September 2024.
According to data provided by the National Police Coordination Centre, the number of people arrested in relation to protests against arms sales to Israel is as follows:From 8 October 2023 to 25 January 2024: 126 arrestsFrom 26 January 2024 to 1 September 2024: 105 arrestsFrom 2 September 2024 to present: 31 arrestsThis totals 262 arrests across multiple police forces.
How many people have been arrested using powers in the (a) Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2023 and (b) Public Order Act 2023 for activity relating to protests against Elbit Systems UK's arms sales to Israel since (i) 8 October 2023, (ii) 26 January 2024 and (iii) 2 September 2024.
The information requested could not be obtained without disproportionate cost. While the Home Office does hold data around protest-related arrests, this information is not categorised in a way that would enable to identification of arrests specifically made under this legislation. To obtain this information would require a review of arrest records across multiple police forces, which would exceed the cost threshold.
How many people have been arrested using powers in the (a) Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2023 and (b) Public Order Act 2023 for activity relating to protests against arms sales to Israel since (i) 8 October 2023, (ii) 26 January 2024 and (iii) 2 September 2024.
The information requested could not be obtained without disproportionate cost. While the Home Office does hold data around protest-related arrests, this information is not categorised in a way that would enable to identification of arrests specifically made under this legislation. To obtain this information would require a review of arrest records across multiple police forces, which would exceed the cost threshold.