• 134981 - Animal Welfare: Convictions (Answered)
    Bill WigginTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what proportion of people convicted under animal cruelty legislation received a life ban from keeping animals.George EusticeIn 2016 there were over 800 people convicted for offences under the Animal Welfare Act 2006 however records of disqualification orders are not held centrally and so it is not possible to provide an accurate reply.
  • 136537 - Local Government: Advertising (Answered)
    Bill WigginTo ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what statutory requirements rest on local authorities with regard to having to advertise in local print media.Rishi SunakThere are over 600 requirements to publish statutory notices in one or more local newspapers circulating in the area of where the order relates is situated. Each Government Department has its own requirements, examples of which include planning notices, traffic orders and alcohol licensing notices. Some, like Planning Notices or Temporary Traffic Regulation Orders, must be publicised on a frequent basis. There is no single place to find the legislation for Statutory Notices. Each Notice has its own piece of either primary or secondary legislation.
  • 136538 - Local Government: Advertising (Answered)
    Bill WigginTo ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what estimate he has made of the cost to local authorities of their duty to advertise in local print media rather than the just online.Rishi SunakThere are over 600 requirements to publish statutory notices in one or more local newspapers circulating in the area of where the order relates is situated. Each Government Department has its own requirements, examples of which include planning notices, traffic orders and alcohol licensing notices. Some, like Planning Notices or Temporary Traffic Regulation Orders, must be publicised on a frequent basis. There is no single place to find the legislation for Statutory Notices. Each Notice has its own piece of either primary or secondary legislation.
  • 136539 - Gannett UK and Newsquest Media Group: Taxation (Answered)
    Bill WigginTo ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether HMRC plans to investigate the tax status of Gannett Corporation and the losses at Newsquest.Mel StrideHM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) has a strong track record in tackling avoidance, fraud and evasion and non-compliance in the system. Since 2010, HMRC compliance activity has brought in more than £175 billion which would otherwise have gone unpaid. HMRC cannot comment on the tax affairs of identifiable businesses given their duty of maintaining taxpayer confidentiality.
  • 136540 - Newsquest Media Group: Taxation (Answered)
    Bill WigginTo ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, when HMRC last investigated Newsquest's tax status.Mel StrideHM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) has a strong track record in tackling avoidance, fraud and evasion and non-compliance in the system. Since 2010, HMRC compliance activity has brought in more than £175 billion which would otherwise have gone unpaid. HMRC cannot comment on the tax affairs of identifiable businesses given their duty of maintaining taxpayer confidentiality.
  • 135276 - Tidal Power: Swansea Bay (Answered)
    Bill WigginTo ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether he has undertaken an assessment of the potential effect of the Welsh Government's proposed investment in the Swansea Bay Tidal Lagoon project on the (a) level of the average strike price and (b) tenure of contract requested by the prospective developer.Claire PerryThe Department has had a number of constructive discussions with the Welsh Government in relation to the Swansea Bay Tidal Lagoon project.
  • 134906 - Press Recognition Panel (Answered)
    Bill WigginTo ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, when he next plans to meet the Press Recognition Panel.Margot JamesDCMS ministers and officials regularly meet with a range of stakeholders, including the Press Recognition Panel, to discuss a range of issues.
  • 134976 - Agriculture: Education (Answered)
    Bill WigginTo ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps he is taking to (a) provide for and (b) promote the study of (i) agriculture and (ii) related land-based subjects as academic subjects in non-rural areas.Nick GibbSubject to meeting legal requirements, it is for individual schools and colleges to decide which subjects to include in their curriculum. A number of GCSEs contain content relevant to agriculture. In GCSE geography, pupils are taught about resources and resource management, including the modification and change of ecosystems in order to obtain food, energy and water. In the food preparation and nutrition GCSE, the economic, environmental, and ethical influences on food availability and production processes are covered. There are a number of vocational qualifications that count in 16-18 performance tables, covering agriculture and other land-based subjects. Apprenticeship standards already exist in land-based service engineering, and there are a number of further standards in development, including crop technician, farrier, poultry technician and stockperson. The Department is also reforming technical education. This includes the introduction of T levels in an agriculture, environment and animal care route.
  • 134980 - Palm Oil: Imports (Answered)
    Bill WigginTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking to ensure that (a) palm oil imports are sustainably sourced and (b) the effect of those products on deforestation is assessed effectively.Dr Thérèse CoffeyIn 2006, the Government published a study into the environmental impacts of a number of commodities; it noted that the principle environmental impact of palm oil was deforestation. In 2012 we published the UK Statement on the Sustainable Production of Palm Oil; which was signed by trade associations, NGOs and Government. The 2017 review notes that signatories have achieved a high level of success in delivering the Statement’s ambition of working towards 100% sourcing of credibly certified sustainable palm oil by the end of 2015. The government is committed to supporting the implementation of deforestation-free supply chains for key commodities, including palm oil. We are signatory to the Amsterdam Declarations and have endorsed the New York Declaration on Forests which support a fully sustainable palm oil supply chain from 2020. We are also a member of Tropical Forest Alliance 2020; a public-private co-operation working to help organisations achieve their deforestation-free commitments, eliminate illegality from supply chains and improve the quality and availability of deforestation and supply chain data.
  • 134982 - General Practitioners: Rural Areas (Answered)
    Bill WigginTo ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what progress his Department has made on recruiting additional GPs in rural locations.Steve BrineThe Targeted Enhanced Recruitment Scheme funds a £20,000 salary supplement to attract general practitioner (GP) trainees to work in areas of the country where GP training places have been unfilled for a number of years. The scheme was launched as a one-year pilot in 2016 and was extended for a further year in 2017 and again in 2018. The scheme is open to GP trainees committed to working for three years in areas identified by the GP National Recruitment Office as having the hardest to recruit to training places in England. At the end of January 2018, 238 GP trainee vacancies were filled, of which, 105 trainees entered the scheme in its first year in 2016, and a further 133 entered the scheme in 2017. The fill rate increased from 86% in 2016 to 92% in 2017. 250 places are being made available in 2018. In addition, NHS England are working with partners such as Health Education England, the British Medical Association, the Royal College of GPs, and the General Medical Council, on International GP Recruitment. The programme was extended in August 2017, and will now aim to recruit at least 2,000 GPs into England from overseas by 2020. Recruitment is now underway in a number of areas across England, including in rural communities. NHS England has also provided funding to increase the number of GP training places in England each year to 3,250 and invested additional resources to attract former GPs back to practice. Both of these initiatives will support rural communities by building the overall GP workforce. At the same time, NHS England is supporting rural practices by building the wider general practice workforce, including significant investment in other patient facing roles such as clinical pharmacists and practice nurses. NHS England’s expectation is that these programmes, in conjunction with the range of other initiatives being delivered as part of the General Practice Forward View, will help alleviate some of the pressures that general practices currently face.
  • 134916 - Countryside Stewardship Scheme (Answered)
    Bill WigginTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether he has plans reduce the size of the guide for the mid-tier manual and supplements.George EusticeOfficials are currently reviewing the Countryside Stewardship Mid-Tier manual and information on GOV.UK to look at ways to simplify and improve information provision for applicants. In addition, the Rural Payments Agency and Natural England have been tasked with simplifying Countryside Stewardship, to save farmers time and cut down on paperwork. We have introduced four new Countryside Stewardship Offers for Wildlife with a simplified manual this year and farmers who meet the eligibility requirements will be guaranteed funding. The new Offers are simpler and quicker to apply for, complement existing Higher Tier and Mid-Tier agreements and make the scheme available to even more farmers and land managers. The burden of EU law constricts our ability to fully reorganise the way such schemes are administered and the threat of EU penalties means that some farming stakeholders prefer more comprehensive guidance for their members. However, when we leave the EU, we will be free to pursue better policy models needing less administration.
  • 134977 - Dogs: Animal Breeding (Answered)
    Bill WigginTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking to tackle the breeding of dogs with severe genetic health problems.George EusticeIn February 2018, the Government laid before Parliament The Animal Welfare (Licensing of Activities Involving Animals) (England) Regulations 2018. The new regulations will require all licensed dog breeders not to breed from a dog if, by doing so, it could be reasonably expected on the basis of its genotype, phenotype or state of health to have a detrimental effect on its health or welfare or welfare of its offspring. The regulations, which were debated in both Houses, will come into force on 1 October 2018 and will be enforced by local authorities.
  • 134978 - Livestock: Transport (Answered)
    Bill WigginTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps the Government is taking to ensure the effective enforcement of animal welfare measures on the transportation of farm animals for slaughter.George EusticeIn England, Local Authorities are responsible for enforcing the Welfare of Animals (Transport) (England) Order 2006 and it would be for individual Local Authorities to take action against transporters when welfare issues are identified at slaughterhouses. Local Authorities will take prosecution action when serious welfare issues relating to the transport of live animals have been identified. Officials in Defra have been working with the Food Standards Agency (FSA), the Animal and Plant Health Agency and representatives from the Local Authorities’ National Animal Health and Welfare Panel, to improve the process for referring welfare cases relating to transport, identified by FSA’s Official Veterinarians at slaughterhouses. This is so prompt action can be taken by the relevant Local Authority when breaches of animal welfare legislation are identified. APHA carry out supervised loadings on high risk commercial consignments of livestock for slaughter exported from England to ensure compliance with Council Regulation (EC) No 1/2005 on protection of animals in transport. These checks include, but are not limited to vehicle specifications to ensure the transport is designed, constructed in a way to avoid injury and suffering and to ensure that transporters and vehicles have the appropriate authorisations and certificates in place. APHA also carry out proportional portal checks on sheep and other livestock being imported or exported. When supervised loadings and portal checks are completed APHA will take regulatory action if non compliances are identified.
  • 134979 - Slaughterhouses (Answered)
    Bill WigginTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking to (a) address the imbalance in the geographical distribution of abattoirs and (b) support small local abattoirs.George EusticeThe number of small abattoirs in England and Wales has been falling as a result of consolidation in the retail sector and drive for greater efficiency and more costly requirements introduced to safeguard standards in abattoirs. An adequate network of slaughterhouses nationwide is important in supporting livestock production in Britain and the government values the important role of smaller, more local abattoirs. There are currently a total of 257 abattoirs in England and they are distributed across all but two counties in England. The precise location of abattoirs is predominantly a commercial decision for Food Business Operators but the government monitors developments.
  • 133360 - Poultry (Answered)
    Bill WigginTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential effect on the viability of poultry businesses of the increase in permit charges for intensive poultry farming in April 2018.Dr Thérèse CoffeyThe Environment Agency undertook an economic assessment and this has been published in the link below. It is their view that the increase in permit costs is small in comparison to other start-up costs. https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/environment-agency-charge-proposals-from-april-2018
  • 133361 - Poultry (Answered)
    Bill WigginTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether his Department has had discussions with the Environment Agency on delaying the planned increase in permit charges for intensive poultry farming until April 2019; and if he will make a statement.Dr Thérèse CoffeyThe Environment Agency confirmed on 21 March 2018 that the new charges would come into effect from 1 April 2018. This decision was taken following consideration of comments from charge payers. Their consultation response document is available online and sets out where proposals have been adjusted to take consultation feedback into account, including the decision not to delay implementation.
  • 131370 - Dental Health: Care Homes (Answered)
    Bill WigginTo ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to improve oral health in care homes.Steve BrineSince 2013, local authorities have had a statutory duty for improving the health, including oral health, of their populations. In 2016, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), an arm’s length body of the Department, published guidance on oral health for adults in care homes. The aim of the guidance is to maintain and improve oral health and ensure timely access to dental treatment. The guidance can be found here: https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng48 In 2017, NICE published a quality standard on oral health in care homes, which was endorsed by the Department, and is aimed at commissioners and providers of care homes. The quality standard can be found here: https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/qs151 In summer 2018, Public Health England (PHE) will be publishing ‘Commissioning better oral health for vulnerable older people’ to support commissioning of health and social care services that will have positive impacts on the oral health of vulnerable older people. PHE has no plans to improve data collection and there have been no national surveys on the oral health or tooth brushing habits of people in care homes. However, in 2016, PHE reported on oral health in older people in England and Wales using data from existing surveys. The report found that older adults living in care homes were more likely to have no natural teeth and less likely to have a functional dentition; older adults living in care homes were more likely to have higher levels of tooth decay; care home managers experienced greater difficulty in accessing dental care for residents than household resident older adults did and residents resisting oral care routines was the second most common oral health issue raised by care home managers. Further information can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/489756/What_is_known_about_the_oral_health_of_older_people.pdf
  • 131372 - Dental Health: Care Homes (Answered)
    Bill WigginTo ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to improve data collection on tooth brushing habits in care homes.Steve BrineSince 2013, local authorities have had a statutory duty for improving the health, including oral health, of their populations. In 2016, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), an arm’s length body of the Department, published guidance on oral health for adults in care homes. The aim of the guidance is to maintain and improve oral health and ensure timely access to dental treatment. The guidance can be found here: https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng48 In 2017, NICE published a quality standard on oral health in care homes, which was endorsed by the Department, and is aimed at commissioners and providers of care homes. The quality standard can be found here: https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/qs151 In summer 2018, Public Health England (PHE) will be publishing ‘Commissioning better oral health for vulnerable older people’ to support commissioning of health and social care services that will have positive impacts on the oral health of vulnerable older people. PHE has no plans to improve data collection and there have been no national surveys on the oral health or tooth brushing habits of people in care homes. However, in 2016, PHE reported on oral health in older people in England and Wales using data from existing surveys. The report found that older adults living in care homes were more likely to have no natural teeth and less likely to have a functional dentition; older adults living in care homes were more likely to have higher levels of tooth decay; care home managers experienced greater difficulty in accessing dental care for residents than household resident older adults did and residents resisting oral care routines was the second most common oral health issue raised by care home managers. Further information can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/489756/What_is_known_about_the_oral_health_of_older_people.pdf
  • 131374 - Dental Health: Care Homes (Answered)
    Bill WigginTo ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to improve data collection on oral health in care homes.Steve BrineSince 2013, local authorities have had a statutory duty for improving the health, including oral health, of their populations. In 2016, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), an arm’s length body of the Department, published guidance on oral health for adults in care homes. The aim of the guidance is to maintain and improve oral health and ensure timely access to dental treatment. The guidance can be found here: https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng48 In 2017, NICE published a quality standard on oral health in care homes, which was endorsed by the Department, and is aimed at commissioners and providers of care homes. The quality standard can be found here: https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/qs151 In summer 2018, Public Health England (PHE) will be publishing ‘Commissioning better oral health for vulnerable older people’ to support commissioning of health and social care services that will have positive impacts on the oral health of vulnerable older people. PHE has no plans to improve data collection and there have been no national surveys on the oral health or tooth brushing habits of people in care homes. However, in 2016, PHE reported on oral health in older people in England and Wales using data from existing surveys. The report found that older adults living in care homes were more likely to have no natural teeth and less likely to have a functional dentition; older adults living in care homes were more likely to have higher levels of tooth decay; care home managers experienced greater difficulty in accessing dental care for residents than household resident older adults did and residents resisting oral care routines was the second most common oral health issue raised by care home managers. Further information can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/489756/What_is_known_about_the_oral_health_of_older_people.pdf
  • 131376 - Dental Health: Children (Answered)
    Bill WigginTo ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to reduce tooth decay in children.Steve BrineImproving the oral health of children is a priority for this Government. Alongside local authorities’ duties to improve health, including oral health, Public Health England is leading a wide ranging multi agency programme focussing on improving children’s oral health. They have established a Child Health Improvement Programme Board which supports evidenced based actions that will increase the use of fluoride (toothpaste, varnish, water fluoridation). This is in addition to the childhood obesity plan which sets out measures that will reduce the amount of sugar children consume. NHS England are leading the Starting Well programme which will work in 13 high needs areas to reach children most at risk of tooth decay who are not currently seeing a dentist. Alongside this NHS England is also developing a complementary Starting Well Core offer, a commissioning approach designed to facilitate increased access and early preventive care for young children. The offer will be made available during 2018, with commissioners making local decisions on use based on their assessment of need locally. Nationally, NHS England and the Department are testing new ways of providing National Health Service dental care focussed on preventing future dental disease. The aim is to deliver a new contract which improves oral health whilst increasing dental access. An evaluation report covering the first full year of testing the prototype approach is due to be published shortly.
  • 131379 - Dental Health: Care Homes and Children (Answered)
    Bill WigginTo ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the effect of the use of smart toothbrushes on dental health outcomes for (a) children, and (b) care home residents.Steve BrineThe Government has made no assessment of the effect of the use of smart toothbrushes on dental health outcomes for children and care home residents.
  • 126969 - Bovine Tuberculosis: Disease Control (Answered)
    Bill WigginTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many of the 100 holdings in High Risk Bovine TB control area in England that were interferon gamma tested in 2017 were so tested on account of (a) being located in an area that had completed two years of successful badger population control, (b) there being clear evidence that repeated skin testing has failed to resolve a TB breakdown and (c) the APHA veterinary investigation concluding that the most likely transmission route for the affected herd was contact with infected cattle and that measures were in place to prevent further spread of disease from that source.George EusticeThe number of holdings in the high risk area of England that underwent interferon gamma testing in 2017 on account of: a) being located in a cull area that has completed 2 seasons of effectiveculling : 26 b) clear evidence that repeated skin testing has failed to resolve the breakdown : 68 c) the veterinary investigation concludes that cattle to cattle transmission is most likely transmission route *: 0 d) other reasons ** : 6 * This criterion for interferon gamma testing was announced in 2017 but was not effectively implemented by the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) until January 2018, as agreed with Defra TB Programme. This allowed resources to be focussed on the delivery of interferon gamma testing in the culling areas, which was the policy priority. ** These include, for instance, discretionary ad hoc interferon gamma testing of holdings affected by ‘explosive’ TB breakdowns, in order to inform APHA decisions about possible slaughter of whole herds or specific management groups of cattle.
  • 121626 - Action Fraud (Answered)
    Bill WigginTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will investigate the time taken to investigate cases at Action Fraud; and if she will ensure Action Fraud has the resources necessary to investigate such cases.Mr Ben WallaceAction Fraud is the national reporting point for fraud and cyber crime.Crime reports received by Action Fraud are considered by the National Fraud Intelligence Bureau (NFIB), both of which are operated by the City of London Police, the UK’s lead force for fraud. Reports are evaluated to assess the information available that could assist an investigation. Where there is enough evidence available and a viable lead, actionable intelligence packages are created and sent to the appropriate local police force to consider whether enforcement activity should take place. Action Fraud does not investigate any cases.Demand into Action Fraud continues to rise. Action Fraud report that there are approximately 1,000 additional crime reports being reported per month, compared with 12 months ago. From the Crime Survey for England and Wales we are aware that the nature of this type of crime is changing; the Survey from October 2017 estimates that there were 10.8 million fraud and computer misuse offences in the year ending June 2017.The increase in demand and some recruitment delays have led to a backlog in assessing crimes reported, and therefore in disseminating them to local police forces. City of London Police are monitoring this. All crime reports are still being automatically assessed. The Home Office Chairs the Action Fraud/ NFIB Tactical Governance Group, which scrutinises performance, including Action Fraud reporting and NFIB referrals.The cyber threats we face continue to grow in scale and sophistication, which is why we continue to invest in fraud and cyber crime. The Action Fraud/ NFIB grant has increased from £6,943,000 in 2016/17 to £8,000,000 in 2017/18. City of London Police also receive National Cyber Security Programme funding. This has increased from £3,153,296 in 2016/17 to £4,801,300 in 2017/18.The Home Office have also invested in a new IT analytics engine for the Action Fraud / NFIB capability, which is expected to improve the reporting and reviewing process. It is due to go live in 2018. The victim reporting process will be greatly improved through the implementation of a streamlined, more intuitive online portal for crime reporting and individuals will be able to 'track my crime' for the first time. Also, the analytics engine within the NFIB will be significantly upgraded, and we will see more automation of scoring, more disseminations to forces, and better identification of vulnerable victims. The system will also be linked live with forces, so data, and intelligence is shared in real time.
  • 115178 - Dental Health: Care Homes (Answered)
    Bill WigginTo ask the Secretary of State for Health, what estimate has he made of the number of people in care homes with oral health problems.Steve BrineIn 2016, Public Health England reported on oral health in older people, including some based in care homes, in England and Wales using data from existing surveys. The report found that: older adults living in care homes were more likely to have no natural teeth and less likely to have a functional dentition; older adults living in care homes were more likely to have higher levels of tooth decay; older adults in general were less likely to rate their oral health as good and appear to have poorer oral health related quality of life than the general adult population and care home managers experienced greater difficulty in accessing dental care for residents than household resident older adults did. The survey can be accessed here:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/oral-health-of-older-people-in-england-and-wales
  • 115180 - Dental Health: Care Homes (Answered)
    Bill WigginTo ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps he is taking to provide training on oral health to care home staff.Jackie Doyle-PriceIt is the responsibility of social care provider organisations by law, to ensure their employees are suitably qualified, competent, skilled and experienced. They are also responsible for ensuring their employees receive appropriate support, training and professional development, to enable them to carry out the duties they are employed to perform. These include oral health, for adults in care homes. Guidelines, quality standards, and assessment tools have been developed and published by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, working in collaboration with Skills for Care. These provide guidance for residential and nursing care home staff who provide daily personal care to residents.
  • 115181 - Dental Health (Answered)
    Bill WigginTo ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will work with the CQC to ensure that inspections of care homes and hospitals include an assessment of the standards of oral health.Jackie Doyle-PriceAs the independent regulator of health and adult social care providers in England, the Care Quality Commission (CQC) is responsible for deciding its own regulatory inspection and assessment framework. The CQC has advised the following: Oral health is an integral part of general health and the CQC recognises that for those residents in care homes, or patients in hospital, oral health is important in terms of dignity, self-esteem and comfort. The assessment of oral health needs in care homes is covered by several care Key Lines of Enquiry in the CQC’s inspection and assessment framework. The maintenance of oral health for patients in hospital is similarly important, and should be part of good nursing care where patients are unable to look after their oral health themselves.
  • 115183 - Heathrow Airport: Immigration Controls (Answered)
    Bill WigginTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, for what reasons the biometric passport control machines at Heathrow Airport are not open 24 hours a day.Brandon LewisBorder Force Heathrow open ePassport Gates between the airport operating hours of 0500 – 2300 hours. Whilst the number of ePassport gates open is demand-led, these hours are extended to maintain the passenger flow in accordance with agreed SLAs and to accommodate the number of arriving passengers.
  • 111831 - Battle of Beersheba: Anniversaries (Answered)
    Bill WigginTo ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what steps she is taking to commemorate the Battle of Beersheba in 1917.John GlenWhile the Government has not commemorated the centenary of the Battle of Beersheba with a specific event, Her Majesty’s Ambassador to Israel and the Chief of the Air Staff attended a commemoration to mark the 100th anniversary of the Battle of Beersheba on 31 October 2017, at the Commonwealth War Graves Beersheba War Cemetery in Be’er Sheva, Israel.
  • 1990 - Department for International Development and Foreign and Commonwealth Office: Departmental Responsibilities (Answered)
    Bill WigginTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what changes in departmental structure the Government has made to promote closer working between the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and the Department for International Development.Sir Alan DuncanFollowing the General Election the Prime Minister appointed two Ministers of State, Alistair Burt and Rory Stewart, to serve across the FCO and DFID. The Ministers will develop their working practice to serve the interests of both departments and shape their priorities based on events and issues as they arise.
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