The below Parliamentary question was asked by Christopher Chope on 2016-10-18.
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, when he plans to respond to the letter of 20 September 2016 from the hon. Member for Christchurch on the involvement of his Department with the consultation document and questionnaire on possible Dorset local government reorganisation.
Mr Marcus Jones
A reply was sent to my hon Friend on 20 October.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Christopher Chope on 2015-10-28.
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will make it his policy to allow UK citizens who have been awarded the NATO Africa Medal for efforts against piracy to wear that medal in public; and if he will make a statement.
Mr Philip Dunne
The Government is immensely proud of the courage and professionalism displayed by the UK Armed Forces in support of NATO counter-piracy operations off the coast of Africa. Their effort has helped to deter and disrupt pirate attacks and set the conditions for a more viable and secure region.
Members of the UK Armed Forces may accept foreign military awards, although only those medals that Her Majesty The Queen has approved for wear may be worn. The NATO Africa Medal has not been approved for wear and may not, therefore, be worn by Service personnel.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Christopher Chope on 2015-11-24.
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, if his Department will make provision for large goods vehicles driving apprenticeships; and if he will make a statement.
Nick Boles
Through our reforms, more than 1300 employers are designing new apprenticeships standards that are more responsive to the needs of business. 194 standards have been published with over 150 new standards in development, including the new Large Goods Vehicle Driver standard.
Subject to final approval, this new apprenticeship standard will provide the sector with an excellent opportunity to develop a new generation of drivers in a way that meets their specific requirements.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Christopher Chope on 2016-01-13.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when the guidance on how to make a request for revocation of a deportation order will be republished; and if she will make a statement.
James Brokenshire
The process of reviewing and revising the guidance is nearing completion, and I anticipate that an updated version will be made available in the Spring of 2016.
In the interim, current guidance covering various aspects of deportation order revocation can be found online as below:
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/immigration-rules/immigration-rules-part-13-deportation – paragraphs 390-391 of the Immigration Rules set out the current rules for revocation of a deportation order, and how criminality impacts on this.
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/chapter-13-criminality-guidance-in-article-8-echr-cases – where family and/or private life considerations are relevant to an application for revocation, this guidance explains how these are considered under Paragraphs 398-399D of the Immigration Rules.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Christopher Chope on 2016-02-08.
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what her Department’s financial contribution was to the Christchurch beach recycling scheme; and what assessment has been made of the cost-effectiveness of the works carried out under that scheme.
Rory Stewart
The Christchurch Beach Recycling Scheme took place in 2015 and cost a total of £640,000. The EA contributed £585,000 under the repair and recovery programme allocation of funding as urgent works. The remainder of costs was met by Christchurch Borough Council. The project was assessed by the Environment Agency’s Large Project Review Group, which considered the Scheme’s viability, including cost benefit analysis.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Christopher Chope on 2016-02-11.
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the implications are for the Government’s policy on balanced budgets of the decision of the Scottish Government not to enhance the powers of the Scottish Fiscal Commission; and if he will make a statement.
Greg Hands
The Treasury is continuing to discuss all elements of the fiscal framework with the Scottish Government, including the Scottish Affairs Committee’s recommendation that economic forecasting for the Scottish government should be done by a body independent of government.
The UK government remains optimistic that a deal can be reached that is fair for taxpayers across the UK.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Christopher Chope on 2016-03-01.
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what automatic access (a) the UK would have to the markets of other WTO members and (b) other WTO members would have to the markets of the UK if the UK leaves the EU.
Anna Soubry
The paper published on 2nd March entitled “Alternatives to membership: possible models for the United Kingdom outside the European Union” makes clear that if the UK were to leave the EU, then unless we were able to negotiate a preferential trade deal under WTO rules neither the UK nor the EU could offer each other better market access than that offered to all other WTO members. Furthermore, our privileged access to 53 markets outside the EU through the EU’s Free Trade Agreements would be terminated. We could seek to negotiate new agreements, but this would take many years. It would be difficult to replicate the terms that we currently enjoy.
A WTO-only arrangement would create a particularly difficult dilemma for the UK over trade tariffs. We could extend the tariffs that the EU currently applies to all WTO members to UK imports from the EU, but this would make those imports more expensive. Conversely, lowering UK tariffs would make imports cheaper, but there is no guarantee that this would be reciprocated. In addition, our guaranteed access to global services markets, including within the EU, would revert to the basic level of access that WTO members offer through the General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS).
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Christopher Chope on 2016-03-22.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 21 March 2016 to Question 30132, on repatriation: EEA Nationals, how many of those people who were served with administrative removal papers in 2014 are still in the UK; and how many of those people who were forcibly removed have since returned to the UK.
James Brokenshire
The Home Office does not hold data on the number of people who are still in the UK having been served administrative removal papers in 2014. After an EEA national has been served with administrative removal papers, they have 30 days to leave the country. This period is set out in the Immigration (European Economic Area) Regulations 2006.
All those served with administrative removal papers are given a 12-month re-entry ban. Currently, this re-entry ban can only be lifted if the EEA national can provide evidence that their re-admission will not lead to a further abuse of free movement rights and/or that they will be immediately exercising Treaty Rights upon their return. Of the 1,019 individuals who were forcibly removed in 2014, 163 sought re-entry and only 19 were granted re-admission to the UK.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Christopher Chope on 2016-06-28.
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what public consultation the Forestry Commission has carried out on the future ownership and use of the Cannon Hill plantation in Ferndown, Dorset.
Rory Stewart
We are committed to keeping the public forest estate in England in trust for the nation and for it to continue to be sustainably managed. The Forestry Commission has not carried out any public consultation on the ownership of Cannon Hill plantation. The Forest Design Plan approved in 2009, which sets out how the area is to be managed, would have been the subject of a public consultation during the preparation and approval process.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Christopher Chope on 2016-09-05.
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, which local authorities in England have held referendums seeking increases in council tax beyond the maximum threshold in each of the last three years.
Mr Marcus Jones
Over the last three years, one local authority held a referendum to increase council tax beyond the threshold. A referendum was held on Bedfordshire Police and Crime Commissioner’s proposal to increase council tax.