Tag: Andrew Rosindell

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Rosindell on 2016-04-13.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps his Department is taking to encourage interest in aviation and the Royal Air Force among young people.

Mr Julian Brazier

The Royal Air Force (RAF) engages in a number of ways to encourage interest in aviation and the RAF among young people including through its investment in the Air Cadet Organisation. In addition, the RAF Youth Engagement Programme is designed to raise awareness of aviation and aerospace, and their relevance to RAF career choices which require STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths) qualifications. The programme runs a number of STEM days in schools and at cadet gatherings all over the country. In addition there are a number of residential placements for students and cadets that bring together hands-on engineering projects with face-to-face engagement with real-life aviators and engineers in the RAF.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Rosindell on 2016-04-13.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, whether the contract awarded by his Department to the University of Bath in September 2014 for research study on tobacco taxation and tobacco industry pricing was awarded on a competitive tender basis; and if he will make a statement.

George Freeman

The Department’s National Institute for Health Research funds the Public Health Research (PHR) programme to generate evidence to inform the delivery of non-National Health Service interventions intended to improve the health of the public and reduce inequalities in health. The programme has two workstreams: commissioned and researcher-led. The PHR commissioned workstream welcomes outline proposals in response to specific research questions prioritised for their public health importance. The application for the study ‘Understanding the impact of tobacco tax increases and tobacco industry pricing on smoking behaviours and inequalities’ was received through the researcher-led workstream and therefore did not go through a tender process via the commissioned workstream. Details of the PHR application process are available on the PHR website:

www.nets.nihr.ac.uk/programmes/phr/application-process

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Rosindell on 2016-04-25.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 29 February 2016 to Questions 28144 and 28086, if her Department will take into account, when making a decision on granting right to abode, the fact that fewer full British passports were allocated to members of the Hong Kong Military Service Corps than the 500 limit set at the time.

James Brokenshire

The assessment of the request by former members of the Hong Kong Military Service Corps that they be granted right of abode in the UK is under consideration. This will take into account all available information.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Rosindell on 2016-05-04.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what steps her Department is taking to engage the private sector in sustainable investments in Africa and South Asia.

Mr Nick Hurd

DFID is committed to supporting economic development in Africa and South Asia as it recognises the central importance of inclusive economic growth in eradicating poverty. One of DFID’s priorities is to partner with businesses investing in frontier markets in order to unlock economic opportunities that also have high development benefits.

DFID is working to create a business environment in Africa and South East Asia which is more conducive to attracting private sector capital; key to this is ensuring that investments are made in companies which have responsible business practices. Within DFID we ensure that investment vehicles like CDC and Private Infrastructure Development Group have investment codes with sustainability at their core. We also support internationally recognised Codes of Conduct like the UN Global Compact and organisations which aim to drive better reporting standards like the Global Reporting Initiative.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Rosindell on 2016-05-24.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what proportion of military equipment procurement was from UK suppliers in each of the last 10 years.

Mr Philip Dunne

Information on Ministry of Defence (MOD) expenditure with industry, including the amount spent with UK suppliers, is published on gov.uk at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/mod-industry-trade-and-contracts-2015.

The details in table eight show that, since 2010-11, the MOD has spent around £19.5 billion each year with UK industry. The table shows the expenditure broken down by broad industrial group, but information specifically on the proportion of military equipment procured from UK suppliers is not centrally held. Total MOD equipment expenditure (not just with UK industry) can, however, be found in table four at the following link, but this is not broken down by country:

https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/defence-departmental-resources-2015.

Details of MOD expenditure with industry for the years prior to 2010-11 are available in table 1.10 at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/uk-defence-statistics-compendium-2011.

It should be noted that these earlier statistics were prepared using a different methodology, which means that the figures are not directly comparable to those from 2010-11 onwards.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Rosindell on 2016-06-15.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what information his Department holds on how many free trade negotiations involving the EU have been both initiated and concluded in the last 10 years.

Anna Soubry

Over the last ten years, the EU has initiated, but not yet concluded, preferential trade negotiations with the following countries: United States of America; Mercosur (Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay); the Pacific Community (Cook Islands, Fiji, Kiribati, the Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Nauru, Niue, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, the Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu and Vanuatu); Japan; India; the Philippines; Malaysia, Thailand; Tunisia; Libya. The European Commission has also launched trade negotiations to modernise existing agreements with Armenia, Mexico and Morocco.

Over the last ten years, the EU has concluded preferential trade negotiations with the following countries: Kosovo; Bosnia; Serbia; Ukraine; Montenegro; Albania; South Korea; Singapore; Vietnam; Ukraine; Georgia; Moldova; Canada; the Andean Community (Colombia, Ecuador and Peru); Central America (Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala); the East African Community (Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania, and Uganda); the West African Community (Benin, Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, Ivory Coast, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Togo); the Southern African Development Community (Botswana, Lesotho, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa and Swaziland); and CARIFORUM (Antigua and Barbuda, The Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Surinam, Trinidad, Tobago, and the Dominican Republic).

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Rosindell on 2016-07-11.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps his Department has taken to ensure that the actual cost of replacing Trident does not exceed the current estimated cost.

Harriett Baldwin

As set out in the 2015 Strategic Defence and Security Review, we are taking steps to manage the defence nuclear enterprise and ensure the Successor submarines are delivered to time and budget. As part of this, we have established a new Director-General Nuclear to act as single and accountable focal point within the Ministry of Defence for all aspects of the defence nuclear enterprise. We are also establishing a new submarine delivery body for the procurement and in-service support of all nuclear submarines, including the Successor submarines. We have deliberately moved away from a traditional single ‘Main Gate’ approach, to a staged investment approach with multiple control points. This will enable us to better regulate and control programme funding and delivery.

The rollout of the Successor submarines supports the programme to maintain a Continuous at Sea Deterrent.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Rosindell on 2016-10-10.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment her Department has made of the (a) legal and (b) financial obstacles to immediately changing the colour of UK passports to blue.

Brandon Lewis

There are no immediate plans for changes to the format or colour of the UK passport. Parliament will be informed of any changes in due course.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Rosindell on 2016-10-20.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to the Answers of 18 October 2016 to Questions 47623 and 47624, for what reasons officials of his Department met with the Administrator of Norfolk Island when the governance and administration of that island is a matter for Australia.

Alok Sharma

Pursuant to the Answer to Question 49602, officials from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office met the Administrator of Norfolk Island to discuss , in the context of both countries’ relations with small island communities, our relationship with the Overseas Territories. The United Kingdom and Australia are close partners and Ministers and officials from both countries regularly discuss a wide range of issues.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Rosindell on 2015-11-09.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what steps his Department is taking to promote British business in (a) Australia, (b) Canada and (c) New Zealand.

Anna Soubry

We are taking forward our manifesto commitment to strengthen relationships with Australia and New Zealand and bilateral trade plays an important part of this. Our trade campaigns are focussed on the strongest growing sectors that match UK business strengths. Australia continues to offer particularly good opportunities for UK firms in transport infrastructure witha Laing O’Rourke led consortium winning a £2.1bn highway upgrade project earlier in the year. Other sectors of opportunity include: defence, urban regeneration & construction, airports, rail, ICT & software, food & beverage. The changing dynamics in the world economy have reduced demand for UK oil & gas expertise but we are continuing to explore opportunities in renewable energy.

We are also using the GREAT Campaign to provide platforms for UK firms to network through business events around Rugby World Cup, Bond, the Clipper Yacht Race, Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo in Melbourne and a broader Culture is GREAT campaign in Victoria. Trade missions from London, Northern Ireland and a sports infrastructure themed mission organised by Major Events International have all visited Australia in 2015. We are also supporting the launching of EU-Australia Free Trade Agreement talks and we maintain a strong flow of ministerial and high-level official contacts in support of the bilateral relationship including on trade and investment.

In New Zealand particularly good opportunities continue for UK firms in transport infrastructure, defence,construction, airports, rail, and food & beverage. Our campaigns have exposed senior New Zealand infrastructure leaders to UK infrastructure best practice which has helped eight UK companies win contracts totalling over £28m this financial year.

We are using the GREAT Campaign here to provide platforms for UK firms to network through business events around Rugby World Cup, Bond and the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo in Wellington. Trade missions from London and companies from Northern Ireland visited in 2015. We also strongly support the launch of negotiations on an EU-New Zealand Free Trade Agreement and we will continue to use ministerial engagement in 2016 to further trade and business objectives.

In Canada, our efforts are focussed on those sectors with the highest potential for British business and where the UK has competitive advantage. These include: energy, infrastructure, transport, financial services, creative industries and defence and security. Activities in the past three months to deliver this include: a Northern Ireland Minister led trade mission to Montreal & Toronto; securing business for UK film producers at the Toronto International Film Festival; deliver a 12 day programme of GREAT activity in Toronto and supporting low carbon technology at the opening of Shell’s Carbon Capture and Storage facility in Alberta.

In 2016 we will promote the Canada EU comprehensive economic and trade agreement which will deliver substantial benefit for UK business. This will include publication of a report to highlight specific opportunities for UK business afforded by CETA and a roadshow of profile raising UK events targeted at businesses.