STORY
Chris Chope, the Conservative MP for Christchurch, has said that he will be backing Robert Jenrick for the Conservative Party leadership as Kemi Badenoch, the other contender, is “pre-occupied with her children”. He mentioned that “Robert’s children are a bit older” and said that he was not against a woman being the leader of a political party if she has children. Neither of the leadership candidates have yet commented on Chope’s comments.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Christopher Chope on 2015-10-29.
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 21 October 2015 to Question 12791, on married people: tax allowances, what the best telephone number is for customers to use; and what rate that telephone line charges.
Mr David Gauke
People wanting to apply for Marriage Allowance by telephone should call HM Revenue and Customs’ helpline on 0300 200 3300. Call charges vary depending on the package provided by phone service providers, and further information can be found at GOV.UK.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Christopher Chope on 2015-12-15.
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the oral contribution of the Minister for Housing and Planning of 14 December 2015, Official Report, column 1278, if he will call in for his determination the application by Dorset County Council to grant itself planning permission for a new school on land in the green belt adjoining Marsh Lane, Christchurch, on grounds of its departing from the recently approved Local Development Plan.
Brandon Lewis
The County Council intends to consider the application at its planning committee on 28 January. Should it be minded to approve the proposal, the Council would then refer the application to the Secretary of State due to the scale and location of the development proposed in the Green Belt. If the application is referred, the Secretary of State would then consider whether to call in the application.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Christopher Chope on 2016-01-18.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, which EU countries her Department has recorded as not complying with the Dublin Convention in their treatment of asylum seekers and other claimants for international protection.
James Brokenshire
The Government accepts that the European Court of Human Rights’ ruling in the case of MSS v Belgium and Greece (21 January 2011) prevents the return of asylum seekers to Greece under the Dublin Regulation until the situation there has improved.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Christopher Chope on 2016-02-04.
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, pursuant to the Answer of 20 January 2016 to Question 22396, on park homes and the Warm Homes Discount, when that pilot scheme started; when that pilot scheme is expected to end; and what she plans the terms of eligibility for park home residents to apply to that pilot scheme will be.
Andrea Leadsom
Energy suppliers participating in the Warm Home Discount this year (2015/16) have been given the voluntary option to provide a rebate to mobile home residents who meet the qualifying benefit as part of the Industry Initiatives section of the scheme. This scheme called the Park Homes Warm Home Discount pilot scheme is funded by obligated energy suppliers in the scheme and is open to permanent park home residents in England, Scotland or Wales. Residents on a Park Home site who pay for their electricity through their park site owner and meet one of the qualifying eligibility criteria can apply. If successful, residents will receive a one-off rebate of £140 towards their electricity bill.
The pilot scheme opened in November and is only open for a limited period and once a certain number of applications have been received and are successful, the pilot scheme will close. The pilot is currently expected to deliver just over 1000 rebates. This translates to just over £140,000 of support being delivered before the 31st March 2016.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Christopher Chope on 2016-02-24.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when she plans to reply to the letters dated 11 December 2015, 14 January and 10 February 2016 from the Dorset Police and Crime Commissioner on port security and border controls; and if she will place a copy of her responses in the Library.
James Brokenshire
The Home Secretary sent a response to the letters dated 11th December 2015 and 14th January 2016 on 22nd February 2016. She has not received a third letter. Responses will not be added to the library, this is not usual practice for private correspondence.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Christopher Chope on 2016-03-07.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 7 March 2016 to Question 29272, how many of the 2635 EEA nationals upon whom administrative travel papers were served in 2014 have left the UK.
James Brokenshire
After an EEA national has been served with administrative removal papers, they have 30 days to leave the country. They do not have to inform us of their departure. This period is set out in the Immigration (European Economic Area) Regulations 2006.
Following this 30-day period, if the EEA national has not voluntarily left the UK Immigration Enforcement officers can and do forcibly remove these individuals. Out of the 2,635 EEA nationals who were served administrative removal papers in 2014 1,019 were forcibly removed.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Christopher Chope on 2016-03-23.
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department has taken in response to the Resolution of the House of 11 February on conservation of sea bass and the effect of related EU measures on the UK recreational fishing industry.
George Eustice
The Government has noted carefully the points of the Resolution of the House, which have informed the ongoing development of UK policy on bass as we continue to work to improve the sustainability of the stock at both national and EU level.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Christopher Chope on 2016-07-06.
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to his speech of 15 June 2016 on the effect on taxation and spending of the UK leaving the EU, for what reason his oral contribution of 4 July 2016, Official Report, column 626 stated that the structural deficit would need to be addressed through either reduced spending or higher taxes.
Mr David Gauke
The structural deficit is the proportion of the deficit that is not driven by the economic cycle, and as such can only be addressed through either reduced spending or higher taxation. It is important to bear down on the structural deficit in order to make progress in reducing the level of national debt.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Christopher Chope on 2016-09-08.
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, whether statutory safeguards are in place to ensure that new unitary authorities created as a result of councils seeking to abolish themselves in favour of new unitary structures must set the same band D council tax for all households from their inception; and if he will make a statement.
Mr Marcus Jones
Where an area has plans for its governance arrangements to be changed and proposes this to the Secretary of State, it must provide evidence as to how its proposals are likely to result in the provision of better local public services, significant cost savings, greater value for money, stronger and more accountable local leadership, and sustainability in the medium to long term. It is of course open to any body or person to make representations to the Secretary of State either in support of or in opposition to such proposals.
As we have made clear during discussions with areas, whilst size is an important consideration for areas considering governance changes, there are no maximum or minimum permitted sizes.
The level of council tax of any new authority is a matter for the local councils concerned. The government will however maintain council tax referendum thresholds at a modest level in order to help keep bills down for hardworking people. This is always the case including in cases of governance change.