Tag: Andrew Rosindell

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Rosindell on 2016-05-09.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether the Government plans to place unaccompanied refugee children from European countries with foster families or in local authority care homes.

James Brokenshire

As announced on 4 May we will be consulting closely with local authorities to find suitable places within the UK for these children.

Local authorities will be required to provide the right support, care and accommodation to meet the child’s specific needs. Statutory agencies at a local level are best placed to understand and meet the needs of all children and will continue to make decisions about the right accommodation and support services for those who are looked after.

Unaccompanied children will be eligible for foster care if it is considered that that this placement type will provide appropriate support and best meet their individual needs.

The UK has well-established and effective safeguarding procedures to ensure the safety of children who come to the UK.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Rosindell on 2016-06-07.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many people not granted entry clearance or temporary admission were permitted to live in private accommodation before being deported in (a) 2014 and (b) 2015.

James Brokenshire

The Home Office does not record the number of persons who have been deported or who have absconded having been permitted to live in private accommodation.

The Right to Rent scheme denies illegal migrants access to the private rented sector. It has been in operation in parts of the West Midlands since 1st December 2014, and across England since 1st February 2016. The scheme requires landlords to carry out checks on prospective tenants before they rent property to them, and to refuse a tenancy to anyone who cannot show that they have the right to rent. The scheme is not retrospective, and does not apply to tenancies which were in place before the scheme came into effect in the relevant area.

Therefore, in order to keep the scheme light touch and in line with the Right to Work scheme, landlords (like employers) are not required to tell the Home Office when they have completed right to rent checks.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to hire and train trade negotiators.

Mr Hugo Swire

I refer my honourable friend to my answer of 30 June given in response to PQ 41301.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether he has received representations from the people of Norfolk Island on administrative and constitutional changes being implemented on that Island by the Australian government.

Alok Sharma

The Foreign and Commonwealth Office has received correspondence from individuals resident on Norfolk Island about the administrative and constitutional changes. The Government is clear that the governance and administration of Norfolk Island is a matter for Australia.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Rosindell on 2016-10-11.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment his Department has made of the effect of the national living wage on unemployment levels.

Damian Hinds

The National Living Wage has already given one million people a pay rise, helping build an economy that works for all. The Government will continue to consider expert advice on future increases in the National Living Wage from the Low Pay Commission.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what progress her Department has made on (a) implementing the recommendations of the Second Report of the House of Lords Select Committee on Extradition Law, Session 2014-15, HL Paper 126 and (b) agreeing a memorandum of understanding with the US concerning the treatment of people extradited from the UK as recommended in paragraph 53, with particular regard to transfer, pre-trial detention and bail.

James Brokenshire

A Government response to the House of Lords Select Committee on Extradition Law was published as Command Paper (9106) on 20 July 2015. The Government agreed with a number of the Select Committee’s recommendations, but in regard to a memorandum of understanding with the US found that:

“Experience has shown that the courts tend to consider issues on a case-by-case basis, and as such we do not consider that agreeing a ‘one size fits all’ Memorandum of Understanding with any country would be helpful as concerns assurances. It would not bind the courts and, in all likelihood, would only make it more difficult to obtain the individual assurances that would still be required for certain cases. As such, whilst the Government understands and sympathises with the intention behind this recommendation, it does not support it.”

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

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, pursuant to the Answer of 17 September 2015 to Question 10198, whether funding to settle refugees within the UK will be allocated solely from the overseas aid budget.

Justine Greening

In line with the internationally agreed rules on Official Development Assistance (ODA), expenditure to support refugees in the UK for the first twelve months of their stay will be allocated from the overseas aid budget.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the effectiveness of the National Wildlife Crime Unit in preventing wildlife crime in the UK and in rescuing animals illegally held in captivity.

Rory Stewart

The Government appreciates the important work which the National Wildlife Crime Unit carries out in tackling wildlife crime. It has not, however, conducted an assessment of the effectiveness of its contribution to preventing crime or rescuing animals.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Rosindell on 2015-12-01.

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what representations he has received about the current political situation in Sark and the island of Brecqhou.

Dominic Raab

The department is engaged in frequent discussions with Chief Pleas and a wide range of stakeholders with an interest in the jurisdiction of Sark (which includes the island of Brecqhou). The UK Government has urged all with an interest in Sark’s future to engage positively with its elected government, which is responsible for the island’s economic strategy, and we encourage the government of Sark to make the best possible use of the practical help and support which continues to be offered by the UK Government and other ‘Friends of Sark’ (which includes Alderney, Guernsey, the Isle of Man and Jersey).

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Rosindell on 2015-12-07.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps he is taking to ensure that the implementation of European Professional Cards for doctors does not inhibit his Department’s ability to perform background checks on doctors from European countries and to ensure that they meet the medical qualification standards required by the NHS.

Ben Gummer

The European Professional Card (EPC) will not be introduced for doctors until 2018 at the earliest. The European Commission will review the effectiveness of the EPC process for the first wave of professions, which includes nurses, pharmacists and physiotherapists, before any decision is taken to extend the EPC to other professions.

In the United Kingdom, independent health regulators are responsible for performing checks on health professionals from European countries to ensure that they meet agreed standards of fitness to practise. For doctors, this role is undertaken by the General Medical Council.

Although under the EPC system the responsibility for carrying out initial background checks will transfer to the home regulator of the professional, UK regulators will continue to be able to carry out registration checks, and can require additional information if there are any justifiable doubts about a registrant’s application or fitness to practise.

The UK Government has negotiated new safeguards to ensure that the high standards we expect from staff in this country are met by those from elsewhere in Europe who come to work here. These include:

– the introduction of an EU-wide alert mechanism which regulators will use to inform other countries of professionals who have been restricted from practising; and

– applying language controls for healthcare professionals from the EU so that regulators are able to ensure that professionals have the necessary knowledge of English before they are able to work in the UK.