Tag: Andrew Rosindell

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

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she plans to take to reduce net migration from Europe, other than seeking reform of provision of welfare for non-British EU citizens.

James Brokenshire

Free movement is an important principle of the EU but it is not an unqualified right and it must be grounded in the freedom to take up work in another Member State, to contribute to the economy and to integrate into society.

We have taken firm steps to restrict access to out of work benefits by EU jobseekers and we can remove them if they are not in a job within six months. We have removed access to Universal Credit and Housing Benefit for jobseekers and introduced a new test to check whether EU nationals who claim in-work benefits really have meaningful and effective employment here.

We have toughened the Habitual Residence Test, the gateway test which all migrants have to satisfy to access benefits, and we have introduced tougher checks for the payment of child benefit and child tax credit to EU nationals. To tackle abuse, we have introduced new powers so that EU nationals who don’t meet the requirements for residence are removed and banned from coming back for 12 months, unless they have a valid reason to be here (for example an immediate job start).

The Prime Minister set out in his speech on 10 November and in his letter to the President of the European Council the issues we are seeking to tackle through the EU reform negotiations to restore a sense of fairness to our immigration system and to reduce the current very high level of population flows from within the EU into the UK.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will press rail companies to use increases in revenue to invest and upgrade rail infrastructure.

Claire Perry

The railway is funded by both taxpayers and passengers. Network Rail own the infrastructure, not the train operators. The government is using the increased revenue, which is paid in franchise premiums to the Department for Transport, to help fund Network Rail’s investment programme. This will see them spend over £38 billion in the period 2014-19 on maintaining and improving rail infrastructure, in the biggest and most comprehensive programme of railway modernisation since the Victorians.

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

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will take steps to ensure that any extra workload due to plans to require the filing of quarterly tax returns by small businesses does not reduce profits and productivity for such small businesses.

Mr David Gauke

I refer the honourable Members to my response of 11 January 2016 (with references 20876 and 21032).

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

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what procedures are in place to ensure that illegal migrants to the UK are returned to their country of origin; and whether people deemed by her Department to be illegal migrants are only able to appeal that decision from their country of origin.

James Brokenshire

The Home Office continues to take action at every opportunity to prevent immigration abuse, pursue immigration offenders and increase compliance with immigration law including arresting and returning illegal migrants to their country of origin. The Immigration Act 2014 simplified the appeals system so that an appeal right only arises where a claim raising fundamental rights is refused, namely asylum, humanitarian protection and human rights claims. The Home Office has the power to require an appeal to be brought only once an individual has left the UK where the claim is clearly unfounded and where a person liable to deportation makes a human rights claim and it would not cause serious irreversible harm or otherwise breach human rights to require them to appeal from overseas.

The Immigration Bill seeks to extend the power to require an appeal to be brought from overseas to all human rights claims where an appeal from overseas would not cause serious irreversible harm or otherwise breach human rights. Similar provisions are set out in the Immigration (European Economic Area) Regulations 2006 which apply to EEA nationals and their family members.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Rosindell on 2016-01-25.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, pursuant to the Answer of 18 January 2016 to Question 22005, on developing countries: space technology, if she will publish the criteria referred to.

Mr Desmond Swayne

DFID published its new ‘UK Aid Strategy’ in November 2015. This document outlines the Government’s new approach to aid spending which will “meet our moral obligation to the World’s poorest and also support our national interest.”

It also sets out the four strategic objectives of: Strengthening global peace, security and governance; Strengthening resilience and response to crises; Promoting global prosperity; and Tackling extreme poverty and helping the World’s most vulnerable. Aid will be allocated according to these principles.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Rosindell on 2016-02-08.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether she has had discussions with her EU counterparts during the renegotiation of the terms of the UK’s membership of the EU on the Common Agricultural Policy; and if she will take steps to secure a better outcome for the British farmers within that policy.

George Eustice

The Government is fighting hard to fix the aspects of our EU membership which can cause so much frustration in the UK. The Prime Minister has set out the UK’s priorities that will deliver a better deal for the UK and secure our future. The Government is focused on driving forward a successful renegotiation; it believes it can and will succeed in reforming and renegotiating our relationship with the EU.

Separately, the UK continues to make the case in Europe for improvements to the Common Agriculture Policy (CAP) so that it is simpler and more effective. Reducing the administrative burden of the CAP on farmers is a necessary part of increasing the competitiveness of our food and farming industries.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what plans the Government has to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the Battle of Gallipoli.

David Evennett

The two national events that marked the centenary of the battle of Gallipoli on 24th and 25th Apri 2015, were key commemorative events in the centenary programme.

The first, a UK-led Commonwealth and Ireland Ceremony was held at the Commonwealth War Graves Commission’s Helles Memorial in Turkey on 24 April 2015, the eve of the centenary of the Gallipoli landings. This event was attended by The Prince of Wales, accompanied by Prince Harry, senior representatives of the nations involved in the Gallipoi Campaign and descendants. The Prince of Wales met with descendants on board the Royal Navy’s ship HMS Bulwark.

The second, on Anzac Day, was held at the Cenotaph in Whitehall. This National Service of Commemoration event was attended by Her Majesty The Queen, senior representatives of the participant nations, and around 2500 descendants, included wreath-laying and a march past the Cenotaph led by military personnel.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if he will estimate the cost to the economy of unreliable internet connectivity and speeds in 2014-15.

Mr Edward Vaizey

We are not aware of any existing research about the annual cost to the UK economy of unreliable broadband internet connectivity or speeds in 2014-15. However, the economic benefits of broadband access are clear, for example, SQW Consulting’s UK Broadband impact study in 2013 estimated that the availability and take-up of faster broadband speeds will add about £17 billion to the UK’s annual Gross Value Added (GVA) by 2024.

In November, the Prime Minister announced the Government’s intention to implement a new broadband Universal Service Obligation (USO) and our ambition is to set this at 10 Mbps. This new broadband USO will give people the legal right to request an affordable broadband connection from a designated provider, up to a reasonable cost threshold, no matter where they live. A consultation, which has now closed, was published on 23 March setting out the Government’s proposed approach to taking this work forward.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what discussions he has had with the Mayor of London on the effect on black taxi drivers of the operation of Uber in London.

Andrew Jones

We receive representations on a number of issues from the Mayor of London, and this has included the impact of the increasing number of private hire vehicles in London on congestion, air quality and parking issues on London’s road network.

The Government is continuing to discuss with the Mayor ways of addressing these issues.

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 discussions he has had with his EU counterparts on the human rights situation in Turkey during negotiations on the proposed EU-Turkey refugee deal.

Mr David Lidington

I refer my Rt Hon. Friend to the Written Ministerial Statement made by the Prime Minister, my Rt Hon. Friend the Member for Witney (Mr Cameron) on 8 March 2016 which detailed his discussions, including on human rights issues, with his EU counterparts during negotiations on the proposed EU-Turkey deal. In addition, in the conclusions adopted by the European Council at its meeting on 17-18 March, the EU reiterated that it expects Turkey to respect the highest standards when it comes to democracy, rule of law and respect of fundamental freedoms, including freedom of expression.