Tag: Andrew Rosindell

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Rosindell on 2016-02-23.

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will estimate the savings to the public purse of the proposed reduction of child benefits paid overseas.

Damian Hinds

The Government’s new settlement means that EU nationals whose children live abroad will ultimately receive Child Benefit at a rate that reflects the conditions – including the standard of living and child benefit paid – of the country where their child lives. This will restore fairness to the system.

Savings relating to the indexation of Child Benefit will be confirmed once the rates have been finalised.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Rosindell on 2016-02-23.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the effect is on the public purse of not annually uprating the UK state pensions of British pensioners living overseas.

Justin Tomlinson

The Government has a clear position, which has remained consistent for around 70 years: UK state pensions are payable worldwide and uprated abroad where we have a legal requirement to do so for example in the European Economic Area or countries where we have bilateral agreements. There are no plans to change this.

Not uprating where there is no legal requirement to do so frees up about £0.5 billion a year which can be used to fund Government priorities in this country.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Rosindell on 2016-03-14.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what mechanisms are included in the proposed EU-Turkey refugee agreement to monitor the use of funds sent to Turkey under the terms of that agreement.

Mr David Lidington

At the March European Council on 17-18 March the EU agreed to speed up disbursement of the €3bn Refugee Facility for Turkey and to mobilise an additional €3bn of EU support once the initial €3bn is used in full. The UK has secured strong Member State oversight as part of the governance arrangements for the Refugee Facility for Turkey and will be an active member of the EU Steering Committee for the Facility. This will deliver development assistance through existing EU instruments to meet the objectives articulated in the EU Turkey Joint Action Plan. The use of these funds will be monitored through existing governance and fiduciary controls.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Rosindell on 2016-03-22.

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the potential effect on the UK economy of the use of helicopter funds by the European Central Bank.

Mr David Gauke

HM Treasury monitor the impact of developments in the global economy, including those in the Euro Area, on an ongoing basis.

To date, the European Central Bank have not implemented “Helicopter Money”. The ECB President noted on March 10 that the ECB “hadn’t really studied the concept”.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to the Answers of 20 January 2016 to Questions 22933, 22934 and 22935, how many of the 15 Commonwealth realms recognise UK honours as a substantive rather than honorary award; when the policy or convention in the UK of not recognising all Commonwealth realm knighthoods substantively was established; and if he will make a statement.

James Duddridge

Whether a Commonwealth realm recognises UK honours as substantive is a matter for that realm. The protocol of not recognising the titles associated with Commonwealth realm knighthoods awarded to British nationals follows the convention established in 1813, whereby no permission is given for the use of any title associated with a foreign award given to a British national.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, pursuant to the Answer of 9 March 2016 to Questions 30551 and 30552, on UK membership of EU: Crown Dependencies, if his Department will take steps to ensure that the principles underlying those arrangements are not affected in the event that the UK leaves the EU.

Dominic Raab

The Channel Islands and the Isle of Man enjoy special arrangements for access to the EU, provided under Protocol 3 to the UK’s Treaty of Accession to the European Community. As set out in the Government’s White Paper: ‘The process for withdrawing from the European Union’, published on 29 February, the withdrawal process is unprecedented. There is uncertainty about how it would work. There would be no requirement under EU law for these arrangements to be maintained if the UK left the EU.

The Government respects and values the constitutional relationship between the UK and the Crown Dependencies, and will continue to engage constructively with them to address issues and areas of concern.

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 the British-Hong Kong servicemen paid UK taxes to HM Treasury during their service, rather than local Hong Kong taxes.

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 improve its ability to efficiently shift its involvement from providing short-term humanitarian assistance to long-term development projects in regions experiencing protracted crises.

Mr Desmond Swayne

We are increasing our capacity to deal with protracted and multiple crises. We have set up a new team to develop thinking on our overall approach to protracted crises, and are working across the department to share lessons and build on best practice.

We are also working with international partners to develop solutions for protracted crises – and more appropriate medium term financing. The UK co-hosted the “Supporting Syria and the Region” conference in London on 4 February 2016 which raised over $12bn in pledges, of which $6.1 billion has been committed for 2017-20 to enable partners to plan ahead. We are approaching the UN World Humanitarian Summit 2016 with an ambitious set of objectives to secure commitment to implementing a new approach to protracted displacement.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps his Department is taking to prevent the spread of the Zika virus to the UK following travel to South America for the 2016 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Jane Ellison

The risk to the United Kingdom population posed by Zika virus – and of the mosquito species which transmit the virus establishing itself in the UK – remains extremely low.

The Government is ensuring the UK and those travelling to countries with active Zika transmission by mosquitoes are protected. Up-to-date travel advice is in place, and clinical advice is available to UK medical professionals. Public Health England has been working with Royal Colleges to provide guidance to healthcare professionals on managing symptomatic patients (including pregnant women) returning from areas with active transmission of Zika. This has been cascaded by appropriate Royal Colleges. Furthermore, NHS Blood and Transplant will defer donors returning from areas with active Zika transmission from donating for 28 days.

On 13 May 2016 the Department of Health, along with the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, convened an Olympic and Paralympic health advisory group. The group brought together academic experts and cross-government representatives to support the British Olympic Association (BOA) and British Paralympic Association (BPA) in updating their guidance to athletes and staff travelling to Brazil for the Olympics and to ensure consistency with that provided to the travelling public. Zika virus was a key topic for discussion along with other potential health risks. The BOA and BPA are updating their guidance in light of discussions at the meeting and with further input from the academics and clinicians present. The Foreign Office will link this to their wider consular campaign ‘Stay ahead of the Games’.

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 proportion of trade negotiators employed by the EU are UK nationals.

Anna Soubry

Of the 596 officials, temporary staff and contract officials working in the Directorate General for Trade of the European Commission, the statistical bulletin of the European Commission from February of this year shows that 32 of these were UK nationals, i.e. approximately 5.4%.