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I welcome my hon. Friend to her place. Will she reassure the House that the discussions and legislation on banning conversion practices will include protecting everybody from these harmful practices?
I welcome my hon. Friend to her place. Will she reassure the House that the discussions and legislation on banning conversion practices will include protecting everybody from these harmful practices?
I acknowledge all the work that my hon. Friend has done on this subject. I absolutely agree that the legislation to ban conversion practices is fundamentally about protecting LGBT people from harm. The experience of victims needs to continue to be at the heart of all considerations, as I know they were when my hon. Friend was the Minister.
What steps is my right hon. Friend’s Department taking to support women and girls, given the Trump Administration’s reintroduction of the Mexico City policy?
What steps is my right hon. Friend’s Department taking to support women and girls, given the Trump Administration’s reintroduction of the Mexico City policy?
My hon. Friend has raised this issue with me previously. On support for family planning around the world in light of America’s policies, I am delighted to confirm that we are hosting a conference in July this year, working alongside Bill Gates, the private sector and others, to continue to demonstrate UK leadership on this issue while challenging others to step up.
If she will make a statement on her departmental responsibilities.
If she will make a statement on her departmental responsibilities.
The proposed closure of the Jobcentre Plus at Finchley Central, which is a major transport hub, will mean moving the jobcentre to High Barnet, which is on the periphery of London. That will mean a 40-minute journey and a £3 bus ride for my constituents. Will the Minister agree to revisit these proposals?
The proposed closure of the Jobcentre Plus at Finchley Central, which is a major transport hub, will mean moving the jobcentre to High Barnet, which is on the periphery of London. That will mean a 40-minute journey and a £3 bus ride for my constituents. Will the Minister agree to revisit these proposals?
We have embarked on a programme of change which comes at the end of a 20-year private finance initiative contract. There is both an opportunity and a requirement to review what is needed on the
estate. Rents are particularly high in London, and are therefore particularly challenging in the commercial market. We have sought to minimise the effect on claimants, to ensure that there is a good coverage of services within reach, and to run a consultation when a new jobcentre is more than 3 miles away and a journey on public transport takes more than 20 minutes.
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what assessment she has made of the effect of the US restoring the Mexico City Policy on the effectiveness of her Department's projects.
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what assessment she has made of the effect of the US restoring the Mexico City Policy on the effectiveness of her Department's projects.
The full implications of the reinstated and expanded Mexico City policy are not yet clear, but we are closely following developments. DFID will consider the implications with our offices, with UK civil society and with donors.
What steps the Government is taking to reform criminal corporate liability.
What steps the Government is taking to reform criminal corporate liability.
What recent steps his Department has taken to further protect workers' rights.
What recent steps his Department has taken to further protect workers' rights.
I am glad that this country is leading the way on tackling violence against women and girls, but does the Minister agree that we need to keep up the pressure to eradicate child marriage, as it is a particularly pernicious form of violence?
I am glad that this country is leading the way on tackling violence against women and girls, but does the Minister agree that we need to keep up the pressure to eradicate child marriage, as it is a particularly pernicious form of violence?
I do indeed. The UK is a world leader in the fight to stamp out forced marriage, and I am clear that to end these crimes in the UK we must end them overseas, too. That is why we are pursuing an ambitious programme of work at an international level, including with the Department for International Development, through its £36 million programme to end child, early and forced marriage.
What steps the Government is taking to ensure that people subjected to forced marriage are encouraged to report that crime to the police.
What steps the Government is taking to ensure that people subjected to forced marriage are encouraged to report that crime to the police.
I am grateful to my hon. Friend for raising such an important matter. We made forced marriage a criminal offence in 2014 to
better protect victims and send a clear message that this abhorrent practice will not be tolerated in the UK. We want to see more victims having the confidence to come forward to report this often hidden crime, and that is why we are introducing lifelong anonymity for victims through the Policing and Crime Bill.
Does my right hon. Friend agree that we need to hear less from the Scottish Government about the powers they want and more about how they are going to use the powers we have given them?
Does my right hon. Friend agree that we need to hear less from the Scottish Government about the powers they want and more about how they are going to use the powers we have given them?
My hon. Friend makes a very relevant point. The hon. Member for Blaydon (Mr Anderson) referred to personal independence payments, to which, I know, the Scottish Government are opposed, but I have no idea what they intend to replace them with, or on what timetable.
What measures her Department plans to put in place to ensure that marginalised groups in middle-income countries are supported in the event of aid from her Department being withdrawn from those countries.
What measures her Department plans to put in place to ensure that marginalised groups in middle-income countries are supported in the event of aid from her Department being withdrawn from those countries.
Programme sustainability is crucial, and all DFID programmes are designed with long-term sustainability and impact in mind. No decisions have been made to exit countries in the context of my hon. Friend’s question. When and where that happens, we want to ensure that a positive legacy is left and that the “leave no one behind” agenda is adhered to, so that some of the poorest and most vulnerable people in the world receive the protection and support that they ought to be able to expect.
The American Government operate the Global Equality Fund to ensure that marginalised groups are not left behind. Will my hon. Friend consider whether the UK should initiate a similar fund?
The American Government operate the Global Equality Fund to ensure that marginalised groups are not left behind. Will my hon. Friend consider whether the UK should initiate a similar fund?
My hon. Friend is absolutely right. Marginalised groups, particularly in countries that are not the poorest, are sometimes the most vulnerable. We rightly focus our efforts and attention on the world’s poorest countries with the largest number of people in greatest need of support, but other groups elsewhere also need support. We must always be aware of that and ensure that our programmes have a sustainable impact. I will be delighted to have further discussions with my hon. Friend about his idea.
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, when he plans to publish the results of the consultation on making tax digital.
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, when he plans to publish the results of the consultation on making tax digital.
The Government has been clear that quarterly updates will not amount to four tax returns a year.
The Making Tax Digital consultations closed on 7 November. The Government is currently considering the responses received and, as announced at the Autumn Statement, will publish its response in January. As part of its response, the Government will also publish an updated impact assessment.
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate he has made of the cost to small businesses and sole traders of quarterly returns as part of the making tax digital reforms announced by the Government on 15 August 2016.
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate he has made of the cost to small businesses and sole traders of quarterly returns as part of the making tax digital reforms announced by the Government on 15 August 2016.
The Government has been clear that quarterly updates will not amount to four tax returns a year.
The Making Tax Digital consultations closed on 7 November. The Government is currently considering the responses received and, as announced at the Autumn Statement, will publish its response in January. As part of its response, the Government will also publish an updated impact assessment.
What assessment he has made of the adequacy of the UK's defences against cyber attack.
What assessment he has made of the adequacy of the UK's defences against cyber attack.
The persistence and ingenuity of those who would threaten us with cyber- attacks mean that we need to work even harder to keep pace with the threat. That is why we recently launched our five-year national cyber-security strategy—supported by £1.9 billion of investment—in which we set out ambitious steps to respond to that increasing cyber-threat.
Many local firms struggle to afford the very best in cyber-protection. Will the Minister explain what more the Government could do to share their expertise so that local small and medium-sized enterprises could benefit from their experience?
Many local firms struggle to afford the very best in cyber-protection. Will the Minister explain what more the Government could do to share their expertise so that local small and medium-sized enterprises could benefit from their experience?
My hon. Friend raises an important point. It is a regrettable fact that, increasingly, cyber-security is an essential part of normal business operations. That is why we are trying to make it easier for small businesses. We have a new Cyber Essentials scheme, which helps businesses to understand what they need to do to protect themselves. We have a cyber exchange, which provides information about organisations and businesses, and directories that can help small businesses. We also have Action Fraud, which is the mechanism by which businesses can report malicious activity.
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what recent steps his Department has taken to encourage community cohesion.
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what recent steps his Department has taken to encourage community cohesion.
As Communities Secretary, I’m proud this is a country where 89% of people view their local area as a place where people from different backgrounds get on well together.
Since 2010, we have invested £60 million on community integration programmes.
Building on this, during Inter Faith week this month, we announced a further £250,000 for ‘The Common Good’ fund. This will bring even more communities together to tackle intolerance.
It is welcome that more people are joining pension schemes, but the Pensions Regulator issued 3,700 penalty notices in the quarter to September, up from 861. Does that perhaps suggest that this process is becoming a bit too cumbersome for small businesses?
It is welcome that more people are joining pension schemes, but the Pensions Regulator issued 3,700 penalty notices in the quarter to September, up from 861. Does that perhaps suggest that this process is becoming a bit too cumbersome for small businesses?
The vast majority of small employers are meeting their automatic enrolment duties on time and without the need for any enforcement action. My hon. Friend is absolutely right to say that the regulator has issued more fixed penalty notices this quarter, but this is proportionate to the number of employers now implementing automatic enrolment.
What steps the Government is taking to ensure that people have the opportunity to save into a reliable work-place pension.
What steps the Government is taking to ensure that people have the opportunity to save into a reliable work-place pension.
Automatic enrolment will give about 11 million people the opportunity to save into a workplace pension scheme, all of which must meet
qualifying criteria and minimum requirements. I am pleased to say that just under 7 million people have already been enrolled by more than 293,000 employers.