The below Parliamentary question was asked by Christopher Chope on 2016-02-09.
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will direct Ofsted to undertake re-inspections of (a) Parley First School and (b) Ferndown Upper School within two years of their last inspections.
Nick Gibb
The scheduling of school inspections is a matter for Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector. Ofsted’s general policy is to inspect ‘requires improvement’ and ‘inadequate’ schools after approximately two years.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Christopher Chope on 2016-02-24.
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 23 February 2016 to Question 27033, which governments within the EU support further political integration.
Mr David Lidington
As I said in my response of 23 February 2016 (PQ 27033), there is clearly support in some governments within the European Union for further political integration, but there are other, more sceptical voices too. The recital in paragraph one of section C makes clear that “the United Kingdom, in the light of the specific situation it has under the Treaties, is not committed to further political integration into the European Union”.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Christopher Chope on 2016-03-04.
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what checks his Department carries out to ascertain the (a) immigration status and (b) nationality of benefits claimants.
Priti Patel
Access to means-tested benefits is conditional upon satisfying the Habitual Residence Test (HRT) where claimants must provide proof of their nationality and immigration status; their employment (where appropriate) and habitual residence in the UK.
Generally, access to disability benefits is conditional upon satisfying the Past Presence Test (PPT) where claimants must provide proof of their nationality and immigration status; their habitual residence in the UK; and presence in the UK for 2 years out of the last 3 years.
Access to contributions-based benefits is not dependent on a residency test, but the claimant must be present in the UK and they must have made the required number of national insurance contributions.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Christopher Chope on 2016-04-13.
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether the UK has received a guaranteed exemption from any EU Financial Transaction Tax.
Mr David Gauke
The UK is not participating in the Financial Transaction Tax (FTT) being developed by 10 EU Member States under the enhanced cooperation procedure. The tax will not therefore be implemented in the UK.
The Chancellor has been clear throughout negotiations that the UK will not hesitate to challenge the FTT at the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) if it has an extraterritorial impact on non-participating Member States.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Christopher Chope on 2016-07-13.
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what his policy is on whether article 50 of the Treaty on the functioning of the EU enables the EU to negotiate separately with the Scottish Government towards a different agreement to that which applies to the rest of the UK.
Sir Alan Duncan
The legal and constitutional responsibility for the UK’s relationship with the EU lies at Westminster. The Government will fully involve the Scottish, Welsh and Northern Ireland Governments to ensure we get the best deal for the UK as a whole.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Christopher Chope on 2016-09-14.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will make it the policy of the Government to enable councils in England to operate combined registration districts.
Mr Robert Goodwill
There are no current plans to change the law to enable councils in England to operate combined registration districts. Under existing legislation some local authorities undertake joint working initiatives to offer improved service options, which have proved successful.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Christopher Chope on 2015-11-06.
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 2 November 2015 to Question 13969, what information his Department has to help inform policy development on the payment of child and tax credits to foreign nationals.
Damian Hinds
In his speech on Europe on November 10th, the Prime Minister reaffirmed the Government’s proposal that people coming to Britain from the EU must live here and contribute for 4 years before they qualify for in work benefits or social housing. This proposal is included in the Prime Minister’s letter to Mr. Tusk.
DWP’s statistical release from November 10th explained that it is estimated that, at March 2013, between 37 and 45% of the EEA nationals (excluding students) who were resident in the UK having arrived in the preceding 4 years were in households claiming either an in-work or out-of-work benefit or tax credit.
This represents between 195,000 and 235,000 EEA nationals in recently arrived households claiming benefits or tax credits at March 2013 out of 525,000 recently arrived EEA nationals resident in the UK at March 2013.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Christopher Chope on 2016-01-06.
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether it is the policy of the Government that a written contract of employment is prerequisite to making a claim for working tax credit; and if he will make a statement.
Damian Hinds
A written contract of employment is not a prerequisite of a claim for working tax credit.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Christopher Chope on 2016-01-22.
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 21 January 2016 to Question 22948, whether her Department has recorded all EU countries other than Greece as complying with the Dublin Convention.
James Brokenshire
The Dublin Convention no longer governs the determination of responsibility for examining an asylum claim: it was replaced by the EU “Dublin II” Regulation in 2003 for all EU Member States apart from Denmark, which implemented the Dublin Regulation in 2006. An updated “Dublin III” Regulation has applied since 2014.
The European Commission is the body responsible for overseeing the correct implementation of EU Regulations. All EU Member States, Iceland, Norway, Switzerland and Liechtenstein use the Regulation to make requests to take responsibility for asylum applicants.
As noted in the Answer of 21 January to Question 22948 it is not possible to return asylum applicants to Greece. The Government is satisfied that it remains lawful to transfer to and from all other countries bound by the Regulation asylum applicants who qualify under its provisions.
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Christopher Chope on 2016-02-09.
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will place in the Library a copy of the application made by Twynham Learning Federation to establish a new primary academy in West Christchurch which is proposed to open from September 2016 and a copy of her response.
Edward Timpson
The Secretary of State is happy to make available the proposal by Twynham Learning Federation and also a copy of the decision letter signed by Sir David Carter, the former Regional Schools Commissioner for the South West. These documents will be published on the department’s website in May, along with other successful central free school applications.