Tag: Andrew Rosindell

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Rosindell on 2015-10-13.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that Syrian refugees coming to Britain do not have criminal records or connections to extremist groups.

James Brokenshire

We take security extremely seriously in cases referred to us for resettlement, working closely with the UNHCR who have their own robust identification processes in place. When potential cases are submitted by the UNHCR for our consideration they are screened and considered by the Home Office for suitability for entry to the UK: we retain the right to reject individuals on security, war crimes or other grounds. For reasons of national security, we cannot provide further on the details of the screening process itself.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Rosindell on 2015-10-13.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many regular soldiers he plans to maintain in each of the next three years.

Mark Lancaster

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my hon. Friend the Minister for Reserves (Mr Brazier) on 20 July 2015 to Question number 7353 to the hon. Member for North Durham (Mr Kevan Jones).

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Rosindell on 2015-10-13.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of the effects of recent political instability in Turkey.

Mr David Lidington

The government continues to monitor closely developments in Turkey. We acknowledge Turkey’s right to defend itself against terrorist attacks, whoever the perpetrator. We welcome reports of a PKK (Kurdistan Workers’ Party) ceasefire and hope that peace talks will resume soon. It is vital that the parliamentary elections on 1 November pass without further incident.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Rosindell on 2015-10-13.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what plans her Department has to help Syrian refugees assimilate into British society.

Richard Harrington

The Home Office is working closely with colleagues in the Department for Communities and Local Government to plan for the integration of Syrian refugees.

We are carefully considering issues such as access to English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL), how access to employment can best be supported and how to draw on the support offered from the voluntary sector, including refugee and disapora organisations as well as faith organisations.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Rosindell on 2015-10-13.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what discussions he has had with his (a) Russian and (b) US counterparts on the extension of British airstrikes to Syria.

Michael Fallon

I have not held discussions with my Russian counterpart.

I have regular conversations with my US counterpart on a range of subjects, including the campaign against ISIL, and most recently met him on 9 October 2015. As my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister has said, there is a strong case to do more against ISIL in Syria, but the UK will not join Coalition air strikes against ISIL in Syria without the endorsement of Parliament.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Rosindell on 2015-10-13.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of the current level of representation of the British Overseas Territories at Westminster; and whether his Department plans to increase such representation and adopt a model similar to that used in (a) France and (b) the Netherlands.

Grant Shapps

The constitutional status of the Territories was reviewed prior to the publication of the 2012 White Paper: Security, Success and Sustainability. We believe that the fundamental structure of our constitutional relationship is the right one, with powers devolved to the elected governments of the Territories to the maximum extent possible consistent with the UK retaining those powers necessary to discharge its sovereign responsibilities.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Rosindell on 2015-10-13.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what plans she has to amend the US-UK extradition treaty to make the legal requirements for extradition the same for US and UK citizens.

James Brokenshire

Under the UK-US Treaty there is no practical difference in the treatment of UK and US nationals, or indeed the nationals of any other country. This was also the conclusion of the independent Review of the UK’s Extradition Arrangements which the Home Secretary asked Sir Scott Baker to conduct, which stated “We have concluded that the United States/United Kingdom Treaty does not operate in an unbalanced manner” and that “there is no practical difference between the information submitted to and from the United States”. Changes were made to the operation of the Treaty in the last Parliament, such as the introduction of the ‘forum bar’ under the Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014. The Government believes that the Treaty is operating fairly.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Rosindell on 2015-10-13.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what proportion of armed forces personnel originate from Commonwealth nations; and whether his Department plans to increase such numbers in future.

Mark Lancaster

As at 1 October 2014, 4% of our trained UK Regular Forces had a Commonwealth nationality. The Ministry of Defence is considering its approach to foreign and Commonwealth recruitment.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Rosindell on 2015-10-13.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of recent UK efforts to prevent people smuggling in the Mediterranean.

Mr David Lidington

We are working with our EU partners in tackling those criminal elements who are involved in migrant smuggling and human trafficking. The EU Naval Forces Operation in the Mediterranean (EUNAVFOR Med – shortly to be renamed Operation Sophia) was launched on 22 June and is now in its second phase which aims to locate, interdict and seize smuggling vessels, and detain suspected smugglers, on the high seas. The UK has been one of the largest EU contributors to this mission. HMS ENTERPRISE has been deployed since 4 July and she will shortly be joined by HMS RICHMOND with her organic Lynx helicopter, Royal Marines boarding party and Unmanned Aerial Vehicle for enhanced surveillance.

A recently passed United Nations Security resolution, (http://www.un.org/en/ga/search/view_doc.asp?symbol=S/RES/2240(2015), endorses our actions on the high seas under the EUNAVFOR Med operation. The UK was at the forefront of securing this resolution.

In addition, the UK’s multi-agency Organised Immigration Crime (OIC) Taskforce builds on existing extensive law enforcement capability in the UK and overseas focusing on the crime networks in source countries, transit points including the Mediterranean as well as at the UK border and France. The Taskforce is already working with international partners, actively sharing intelligence and progressing criminal investigations.

The OIC Taskforce builds on the existing progress made by Immigration Enforcement and others to tackle the gangs that target the most vulnerable. Last year UK law enforcement disrupted more than 170 organised crime gangs involved in immigration crime while so far this year, Immigration Enforcement alone has seen 48 convictions and the disruption of 27 organised crime gangs.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Andrew Rosindell on 2015-10-13.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what steps her Department is taking to reduce the number of new HIV infections in sub-Saharan Africa.

Grant Shapps

DFID is focussing its bilateral programme on reducing new HIV infection rates in southern Africa, the region hardest-hit by the epidemic. Our efforts are focused on the integration of HIV prevention and treatment services within sexual and reproductive health programmes. A particular emphasis is on the needs of women and girls and those populations most at risk.

DFID is increasingly working through multilateral organisations, which can work in many more countries than the UK can reach on its own and at a much larger scale. That is why the UK made a commitment of up to a £1 billion to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (GFATM) for the 2014–16 replenishment.