Tag: Christopher Chope

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Christopher Chope on 2014-06-17.

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if he will place in the Library a copy of the Government’s written submission to the European Court of Justice which was the subject of the hearing before the Court in April 2014 about the EU application to accede to the European Convention on Human Rights.

Damian Green

The European Court of Justice held a hearing on 5-6 May 2014 before a full court in proceedings under article 218 (11) of Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union regarding the European Commission’s request for an Opinion on the compatibility of the draft Accession Agreement with the EU Treaties.

I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to him on 10 December 2013, Official Report, Column 123W.

My subsequent letter to the European Scrutiny Committee of 20 December 2013, as referenced in the Committee’s Twenty-ninth Report of session 2013-2014 of 8 January 2014, clarifies the basis on which documents in the proceedings are confidential.

My most recent letter to the European Scrutiny Committee of 18 June 2014 outlines that the UK’s oral submissions supported the compatibility of the draft Accession Agreement with the EU Treaties, and sought to encourage the Court to robustly test the draft Accession Agreement and its implications while steering clear of making any findings that prejudge the content of the internal EU rules.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Christopher Chope on 2014-04-30.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what information his Department holds on how many UK citizens are not being paid those Zimbabwean government pensions to which they are entitled; and what steps the UK Government is taking to end that default.

Mark Simmonds

The Overseas Service Pensioners Association (OSPA) have estimated that there are approximately 1250-1500 pensioners who are entitled to a pension from the Government of Zimbabwe, of whom 300-400 are estimated to be resident in the UK. This is unverified by the Government of Zimbabwe.

The payment of Zimbabwe public service pensions is the responsibility of the Government of Zimbabwe. We appreciate the frustration and financial burden the non-payment of pensions puts on many pensioners and have continually pressed the Government of Zimbabwe to fulfil their obligations.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Christopher Chope on 2014-06-17.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether the deportation order served on Didier Pierre Paulet on 19 November 2007 pursuant to a recommendation by a Crown Court Judge for deportation has been implemented; and if she will make a statement.

Karen Bradley

The Home Office does not comment on individual cases.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Christopher Chope on 2014-04-30.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, when officials of his Department in Harare last met the Zimbabwean government director of pensions to discuss distribution of the funds reserved for payment to overseas pensioners; and if he will make a statement.

Mark Simmonds

We continue to pursue a resolution to the non-payment of Zimbabwe civil servant pensions and are in regular contact with the interested parties, including the Overseas Service Pensioners Association (OSPA) and the Federal Pensioners Association in Harare.

UK officials last spoke with the Director of Pensions at the end of January and are still pursuing a response from the Zimbabwean Civil Service Commission to our letter from December 2013. We have also raised the issue since with other interlocutors, including the Zimbabwean Ambassador in London.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Christopher Chope on 2014-06-17.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the effect of the EU Roadworthiness Directive on the owners of historic vehicles in the UK.

Stephen Hammond

The Department will shortly start seeking views and evidence from interested organisations, individuals and the devolved administrations on the best way to implement the new rules in Directive 2014/45/EU relating to historic vehicles. We will seek to minimise burdens while supporting road safety. Any changes need not come in to force in domestic legislation until May 2018.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Christopher Chope on 2014-04-30.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, on what date officials of his Department were informed that arrangements had failed for a commercial bank to facilitate payments to overseas pensioners out of funds reserved by the government of Zimbabwe; and when he expects an alternative service provider to be in place.

Mark Simmonds

We were in regular contact with the commercial bank following the request by the Government of Zimbabwe to facilitate the payment of pensions. They formally confirmed to the Government of Zimbabwe on 6 November that they were unable to act as the service provider, though had informed us of this decision in the preceding weeks.

The payment of Zimbabwe public service pensions is the responsibility of the Government of Zimbabwe. We will continue to encourage them, and any possible service provider, to resolve the issue as soon as possible.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Christopher Chope on 2014-05-07.

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, on what basis the Government calculates entitlement to holiday pay for civil servants.

Mr Francis Maude

This is a matter delegated to individual Civil Service Departments and agencies under the Civil Service Management Code (CSMC).

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Christopher Chope on 2014-05-07.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, if he will introduce legislative proposals that employers be required to calculate holiday pay solely by reference to standard contract hours.

Jenny Willott

There are no current plans to require employers to calculate holiday pay solely by reference to standard contract hours.

The arrangements for holiday pay are set out in the Working Time Regulations 1998.

These arrangements differ according to the working pattern of the individual worker. If a worker has fixed hours and fixed pay, then a week’s holiday pay is the same amount as a worker receives for each week’s work. If the worker has no fixed hours, then a week’s holiday pay represents the average pay that a worker received over the previous 12 weeks.

More information about holiday pay can be found on the Gov.UK website at

https://www.gov.uk/holiday-entitlement-rights/holiday-pay-the-basics

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Christopher Chope on 2014-05-07.

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what the cost to the public purse was of interpretation services provided to the (a) magistrates’ courts and (b) Crown Court in England and Wales in each of the last three years for which information is available.

Mr Shailesh Vara

The Department does not hold centrally all of the information that has been requested. In order to provide the information we would be required toobtain a number of large reports from individual locations. This could only be achieved at disproportionate cost.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Christopher Chope on 2014-05-07.

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many foreign nationals from (a) the EU and (b) countries outside the EU have been defendants in the (i) magistrates courts and (ii) Crown courts in England and Wales in the last year for which figures are available.

Mr Shailesh Vara

The Ministry of Justice Court Proceedings Database holds information on defendants proceeded against, found guilty and sentenced for criminal offences in England and Wales. This database holds information on offences provided by the statutes under which proceedings are brought but not the specific circumstances of each case. It is not possible to identify from this centrally held information the nationality of offenders sentenced for criminal offences.

Court proceedings data for 2013 are planned for publication in May 2014.