Tag: Andrew Rosindell

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Rosindell on 2016-06-28.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, when he plans to meet his US counterparts to discuss the effect of the recent EU referendum on UK-US relations.

Mr Hugo Swire

The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my Rt Hon. Friend the Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr Hammond), met Secretary of State John Kerry in London on 27 June. Both Governments agree that an unbreakable bond exists between the US and the UK; that Britain’s global role remains undiminished, and that the Special Relationship remains a strong and crucial relationship.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment his Department has made of the possible diplomatic benefits of recommissioning HM Yacht Britannia.

Alok Sharma

The Government is determined to make a success of our global role in the world, but re-commissioning the Royal Yacht Britannia is not on our agenda, nor is commissioning a new yacht. There was a debate in Westminster Hall about this very topic on 11 October which aired a range of issues including feasibility and cost. My Rt Hon Friend, the Member for Uxbridge and South Ruislip (Boris Johnson MP), the Foreign Secretary, also told the House of Commons Foreign Affairs Committee on 13 October that he hoped a consortium of philanthropists would come forward to finance the cost of a new yacht.

The former Royal Yacht was used on just 37 occasions for trade promotion and signing trade deals during the last seven years of its commission (1989-1997) and only 27 trips were made overseas – four times per year. There is no evidence that the yacht made a difference to the trade deals secured in these years and this level of use would not represent a good return on investment.

The Government does not have potential costs for the reintroduction of the Royal Yacht Britannia or building of a new royal yacht because neither a feasibility study nor a review has been carried out since the decommissioning of the Britannia in 1997.

We shall continue to make full use of the FCO global network of nearly 270 embassies, high commissions and consulates to promote UK interests overseas. We shall also continue to make full use of existing Royal Navy ships for promotional purposes when they are in foreign ports.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Rosindell on 2016-10-13.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will take steps to review the level of limited diplomatic representations of the UK in Central America.

Sir Alan Duncan

The UK Government’s links with the Central American region are strong and were enhanced in 2012 following the then Government’s decision to reopen our Embassy in El Salvador. We have Embassies located in five of the seven Central American countries – Belize, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala and Panama. We also have Honorary Counsuls in Nicaragua and Honduras.

Our Ambassadors to Guatemala and Costa Rica are non-resident Ambassadors to Honduras and Nicaragua respectively. They and their staff in Guatemala City and San José visit Honduras and Nicaragua regularly and engage across the full range of our interests in the region. While we keep our diplomatic network under review, there are currently no plans to change the UK’s diplomatic footprint in Central America.

I look forward to meeting my counterparts from across Central America at the EU-CELAC (Community of Latin American and Caribbean States) Foreign Ministers meeting in the Dominican Republic on 25-26 October.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Rosindell on 2015-11-02.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if her Department will take steps to ensure that it is aware of the criminal histories of all people admitted into the UK.

James Brokenshire

The UK has detailed arrangements in place to identify people of concern seeking to enter the country. All passengers are checked against police, security and immigration watchlists and where we are aware of individuals who pose a risk, Border Force officers can – and do – refuse them entry.

The onus for flagging a threat lies with the authorities in their home country and the UK is leading the way in Europe on improving the exchange of information in cases involving dangerous criminals. In April the UK connected to the second generation Schengen Information System (SISII), this provides us with real time information about all those individuals wanted under a European Arrest Warrant so that they can be stopped at the border.

Since 2010, checks on foreign nationals going through the UK criminal justice system have increased by more than 1,500 per cent, helping ensure more foreign criminals are taken off our streets and making our communities safer.

In September, we introduced a new requirement for Tier 1 investor and entrepreneur applicants to supply an overseas criminal record certificate covering the last 10 years as part of their application.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Rosindell on 2015-11-10.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to help prevent people migrating illegally from Haiti to the Turks & Caicos islands.

James Duddridge

Through the Conflict, Security and Stability Fund the Ministry of Defence has delivered maritime training to the Turks and Caicos Islands to build maritime police capacity as well as to facilitate their participation in Exercise TRADEWINDS 16, an annual regional exercise sponsored by the United States. This will enable Turks and Caicos Islands maritime police to work and train in partnership with the Royal Bahamian Defence Force and the United States Coastguard, to develop mutual capacity, relations and integration to help deter and detect irregular migration. Her Majesty’s Government has also funded an Immigration Adviser between September 2013 and March 2015 to help build Turks and Caicos Island’s capacity to deal with the full range of migration challenges.

Our Embassy in Haiti continues to press the Haitian government to finalise a Memorandum of Understanding to establish agreed arrangements for repatriations and better communication on migration issues. In parallel, our Embassy in Haiti will be taking forward work on a public diplomacy campaign in Northern Haiti to highlight the dangers and risks of attempting the dangerous sea crossing.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Rosindell on 2015-11-23.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of the implications of UN Security Council Resolution 2249 (2015) for the legality of airstrikes against Islamic State targets in Syria.

Mr Tobias Ellwood

There is a clear legal basis for further military action against ISIL in Syria. The legal basis of the Coalition’s activity against ISIL in Syria has been, and continues to be, the inherent right of self-defence recognised in Article 51 of the UN Charter. The legality of potential UK strikes against ISIL in Syria would also be based on the right of self-defence. The right of self defence may be exercised individually where it is necessary for the UK’s own defence, and collectively in the defence of our friends and allies.

UN Security Council Resolution 2249 provides clear and unanimous political endorsement by the international community for the military action being taken by the Coalition.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Rosindell on 2015-12-02.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what planning he has undertaken to ensure that any UN airstrikes in Syria are (a) co-ordinated with all participating countries and (b) do not harm UN relations with the Russian Federation.

Michael Fallon

UK airstrikes are undertaken as part of the Global Coalition’s counter-Daesh campaign and are coordinated by the Coalition’s Combined Air Operations Centre based at Al Udeid in Qatar. UK aircraft also abide by the provisions and procedures in the Memorandum of Understanding between the US and Russia which aims to prevent flight safety incidents over Syria and Iraq.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Rosindell on 2015-12-09.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what the legal position is on the use of prefixes or styles granted by virtue of honours in Commonwealth realms in the UK to (a) either to a citizen of a Commonwealth realm and (b) to a dual national who is also national of Great Britain and Northern Ireland; how such honours are recognised; and if he will make a statement.

James Duddridge

The recognition of foreign honours is a matter for the Royal Prerogative and is governed by convention, rather than by law.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Rosindell on 2016-01-05.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to dredge rivers to prevent further flooding; and if her Department will review any current restrictions on dredging in place to permit more dredging in the future.

Rory Stewart

Dredging is one of a number of tools that can be used by the Environment Agency and landowners to manage flood risk. Dredging and clearing channels are important parts of the Environment Agency’s maintenance regime and it assess the benefits carefully on a location by location basis. This is done in consultation with local communities and organisations such as Internal Drainage Boards as appropriate.

Subject to parliamentary approval,new regulations will make it easier for farmers to maintain watercourses. Defra have worked with the Environment Agency to ensure that the necessary safeguards are in place to protect the environment. An exemption to allow farmers to dredge and clear debris from up to 1.5 kms of certain watercourses is due to be part of the new Environmental Permitting Regulations (EPR) for flood risk activities planned for April.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Rosindell on 2016-01-06.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what discussions he has had with his counterparts in states which allow women to engage in close combat operations on effective implementation of that policy.

Penny Mordaunt

The Prime Minister and the Defence Secretary stated on 20 December 2015 that they would like to see all roles in the Armed Forces opened up to women in 2016 and further physiological research currently under way will inform a final decision in mid-2016.

The Ministry of Defence is working closely with other nations who have lifted the exclusion including Australia and the United States. This engagement includes collaboration between scientific and research bodies as well as on policy and training development. The UK research programme is investigating the long-term health effects of UK combat requirements which will benefit both male and female personnel.

I discussed this issue at length with counterparts in the US when I visited Washington in September 2015.