Tag: Andrew Rosindell

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Rosindell on 2016-07-19.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what recent discussions he has had with his European counterparts on the implications of the outcome of the EU referendum for existing bilateral defence agreements.

Michael Fallon

Immediately after the referendum I contacted a number of my European counterparts to reassure them that Britain remains committed to existing bilateral Defence agreements and to NATO. The then Prime Minister and I reiterated this at the NATO Warsaw Summit. We will continue to engage closely with our Allies and partners.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate his Department has made of the financial cost of unfreezing UK-issued pensions in those British Overseas Territories where they are frozen.

Richard Harrington

The Government has a clear position, which has remained a consistent policy of successive Governments for around 70 years. UK State Pensions are payable worldwide and are uprated abroad where we have a legal requirement to do so; for example in the European Economic Area, or countries where we have a reciprocal agreement that allows for uprating, and so annual increases are paid to UK State Pension recipients in Gibraltar and in Bermuda. We have no plans to change this policy.

Were this to occur, liabilities for pensioners who live in other countries and territories would also have to be met. The estimated cost of increasing pensions in those countries where they are not currently uprated would be over £0.5 billion a year. This would be financially unaffordable.

The annual additional cost of up-rating the State Pensions of those recipients who are resident in the British Overseas Territories was estimated at approximately £1million in 2015/16.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how the construction of a new Royal Navy facility in Bahrain will further assist UK forces operating in the Middle East to resolve the conflicts there in which they are currently engaged.

Penny Mordaunt

The new National Support Facility at Mina Salman Port in Bahrain will provide a permanent expansion of the Ministry of Defence’s presence in the Gulf. The enhanced facilities will provide better support for ships on operations, training, equipment storage and multi-purpose accommodation for Service personnel. The agreement with Bahrain reflects the UK’s and Bahrain’s joint determination to maintain regional security and stability in the face of enduring and emerging regional challenges.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Rosindell on 2015-11-18.

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, whether the activities of organisations and bodies fully funded by local authorities are subject to the conditions of the Code of Recommended Practice on Local Authority Publicity.

Mr Marcus Jones

The code applies in relation to all decisions by local authorities relating to paid advertising and leaflet campaigns, publication of free newspapers and newssheets and maintenance of websites – including the hosting of material which is created by third parties.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what estimate he has made of the cost to the economy of disruption to travel as a result of snowfall in the last 12 months; and if he will make a statement.

Andrew Jones

The Department has not made any such estimate as a result of snowfall in the last 12 months, however, the Department commissioned a review of the resilience of the UK transport networks in the face of extreme snow conditions in 2010.

‘The Resilience of England’s Transport Systems in Winter’ estimated the welfare cost of domestic transport disruption from severe winter weather was around £280 million per day in England. The direct economic costs alone amount to £130 million per day.

The transport sectors have taken steps to implement the lessons from those severe winters and to implement the recommendations from the review. For example, on the rail network additional specialised snow and ice clearing trains have been procured, and on the third rail network south of the Thames heating elements have been installed at critical locations to prevent the third rail from icing up. In terms of aviation readiness, since 2009/2010 Heathrow has invested £36m, and Gatwick £15m, in winter operational readiness.

In a survey conducted by the Department in mid-November 2015, total salt stocks being held for use on the roads, including emergency salt reserve (salt of last resort) is approximately 2.2 million tonnes. The findings of this survey highlight that local highway authorities are holding robust salt stocks, have been replenishing their stocks and have entered this winter season in a resilient position.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what proportion of the history curriculum in state schools is comprised of British history.

Nick Gibb

All young people should, as part of a broad and balanced education, acquire a firm grasp of the history of the country in which they live, and learn how different events and periods relate to each other. That is why the history curriculum, taught in maintained schools for key stages 1 to 3 from September 2014, sets out, within a clear chronological framework, the core knowledge that will enable pupils to know and understand the history of Britain from its first settlers to the development of the institutions that help to define our national life today.

The new GCSE content criteria require a minimum of 40 per cent British history, an increase from the 25 per cent required under the previous GCSE. The A level content criteria require a minimum of 20 per cent British history. The new GCSE will be taught from 2016, with first examination in 2018. The new A level has been taught since September 2015, with first examination in 2017.

Alongside geography, history is one of the two subjects in the humanities pillar of the EBacc. The EBacc consists of the core group of subjects that provide a rigorous academic education and the government’s goal is that, in time, 90 per cent of pupils will enter GCSEs in the EBacc subjects. The numbers studying GCSE history had been stagnant for a decade before the introduction of the EBacc. With the introduction of the EBac performance measures the proportion of the cohort entered for history in state fundedschools has risen from 30 per cent of pupils in 2010 to a provisional figure of 40 per cent in 2015.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Rosindell on 2015-12-14.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions he has had with his Indian counterpart on the case of six British ex-servicemen detained in India; what steps his Department is taking to provide diplomatic and consular assistance to those people; and what information his Department has received from Indian officials about the reason for the detainment of those men.

Mr Hugo Swire

The six men remain in India due to an ongoing Indian legal process on their case. Ministers have raised this case at the highest levels nearly thirty times since the men were first detained in November 2013. Most recently, the Prime Minister, my right hon. Friend the Member for Witney (Mr Cameron), raised it for the third time with Prime Minister Modi, during his visit to the UK in November. The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr Hammond), raised the case with the Indian Minister of External Affairs at the UN General Assembly on 29 September and I raised it again on 24 November with the Indian High Commissioner to London.

Consular staff in Chennai continue to provide consular support to the men, but we cannot interfere in the ongoing Indian legal process. We are working with them to assess their needs and will continue to identify organisations who can help them and their families.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Rosindell on 2016-01-11.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many national insurance numbers have been issued to migrants from Eastern European countries in the last two years; how many of those numbers are being used; and if he will make a statement.

Priti Patel

The available information for the number of foreign nationals registered for national insurance numbers is published and can be found at:

https://stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk

Guidance on how to extract the information required can be found at:

https://sw.stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk/webapi/online-help/Getting-Started—SuperWEB2.html

Information relating to how many of these National Insurance numbers are being used can only be provided at disproportionate cost.

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The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Rosindell on 2016-01-11.

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what steps he is taking to combat the (a) decline in the use of local shopping centres and (b) fall in employment rates by local shopping centres; and if he will make a statement.

Mr Marcus Jones

The Government is committed to helping our high streets and town centres thrive and is supporting them through a billion pound package of investment. This includes:

– targeted tax breaks;

– the doubling of small business rate relief;

– sensible planning changes to allow business to respond flexibly to changing market conditions; and

-taking action to tackle over-zealous parking practices.

As a result, we have seen some very positive signs that our local centres are fighting back. Vacancy rates are in decline, retail sales are up for the 31^st consecutive month and there was encouraging news on footfall over the festive period.

My Department also ran the Great British High Street Competition, which this year received nearly 200,000 votes from the general public. This shows that local people cherish their high streets and that, if the broader retail sector can adapt to their changing needs, it can thrive.

The devolution agenda also provides significant opportunities as we’re ensuring local areas that encourage growth reap the rewards. Councils will keep 100% of local taxes – including all £26 billion from business rates – by the end of this Parliament, providing a much stronger incentive to engage proactively with businesses in their local area.

I am also aware that, in my hon. Friend’s constituency of Romford, local partners are pushing forward a range of exciting and innovative programmes such as the redesign of the local market. This work is regenerating the wider area and creating jobs. I would like to applaud Romford for this work and suggest that others look to follow their example.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Rosindell on 2016-01-18.

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many prisoners on day release have absconded in the last 12 months.

Andrew Selous

The information requested could not be obtained in the time available. I will write to you in due course.