Tag: James Cleverly

The below Parliamentary question was asked by James Cleverly on 2016-10-18.

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what recent steps his Department has taken to detect and prevent electoral fraud involving polling cards and voter registration.

Chris Skidmore

The Electoral Commission provides guidance on preventing and reporting electoral fraud sets out the role of Local Electoral Registration Officers, Returning Officers, the police and political parties in detecting and preventing fraud. This guidance can be found online.

Moreover, the security of registration has been improved by the introduction of Individual Electoral Registration. This service checks the details provided by the applicant, including their National Insurance number, against government data before passing the application to the relevant local electoral administration team.

For applications with no National Insurance number and other applications not verified through the digital service, the Electoral Registration Officer (ERO) will seek further information regarding identity. For all registration applications, online or otherwise, the ERO is also responsible for ensuring that other eligibility requirements, such as the nationality of the applicant, are satisfactorily met.

Finally, the Government considers the integrity of the electoral system of the utmost importance and has recently welcomed the report published by Sir Eric Pickles into electoral fraud.

The Government will closely consider the recommendations laid out in that report and issue its response shortly.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by James Cleverly on 2016-10-18.

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what recent steps his Department has taken to detect and prevent electoral fraud at polling stations.

Chris Skidmore

The Electoral Commission provides guidance on preventing and reporting electoral fraud sets out the role of Local Electoral Registration Officers, Returning Officers, the police and political parties in detecting and preventing fraud. This guidance can be found online.

Moreover, the security of registration has been improved by the introduction of Individual Electoral Registration. This service checks the details provided by the applicant, including their National Insurance number, against government data before passing the application to the relevant local electoral administration team.

For applications with no National Insurance number and other applications not verified through the digital service, the Electoral Registration Officer (ERO) will seek further information regarding identity. For all registration applications, online or otherwise, the ERO is also responsible for ensuring that other eligibility requirements, such as the nationality of the applicant, are satisfactorily met.

Finally, the Government considers the integrity of the electoral system of the utmost importance and has recently welcomed the report published by Sir Eric Pickles into electoral fraud.

The Government will closely consider the recommendations laid out in that report and issue its response shortly.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by James Cleverly on 2016-10-18.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions his Department had on the candidates for appointment for the post of Secretary-General of the Commonwealth before the most recent appointment to that post made at the Commonwealth Head of Government Meeting in November 2015.

Mr Tobias Ellwood

​​We demand a lot of the Commonwealth and had high expectations for the new Secretary-General. The UK wanted the strongest possible candidate to steer the Commonwealth through reform, to ensure that it has a voice on the most pressing global challenges and to unite countries behind the Commonwealth’s values such as the protection and promotion of human rights, democracy and the rule of law. We assessed candidates for the position based on this criteria. We welcomed Patricia Scotland’s appointment as Secretary General in November 2015.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by James Cleverly on 2016-10-18.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent discussions he has had on the renovation of the official residence and offices of the Commonwealth Secretariat in London.

Mr Tobias Ellwood

The Secretary-General’s official residence is fully maintained and allowance is made in the existing Secretariat budget to provide ongoing general maintenance. It is custom to refurbish the premises on the appointment of a new Secretary General thus giving a cycle of approximately eight years. The budget for the renovation of the official residence was agreed by the Board of Governors at its meeting in June 2015, before the appointment of Patricia Scotland. Nevertheless, we welcome the Secretary-General’s statement that "any work on Hill Street must represent value for money and no extravagance."

We also welcome steps by the Secretary-General to create a Commonwealth Hub through the shared use of existing premises at Quadrant House. Incorporating the Commonwealth Games Federation, the Royal Commonwealth Society and the Commonwealth Local Government Foundation will help bring these organisations together alongside the Secretariat. It will also help the Secretariat to reduce overheads while obtaining value from existing resources and developing new partnerships to better deliver outcomes.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by James Cleverly on 2016-10-18.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what meetings he has had with the Secretary-General of the Commonwealth in 2016; and if he will publish a summary of the content of such discussions.

Mr Tobias Ellwood

The Minister for the Commonwealth, The Rt Hon. Baroness Anelay of St Johns DBE, met with the Secretary-General in September for discussions on a wide range of Commonwealth-related issues. Topics discussed include the Secretary-General’s policy and operational priorities, and UK plans for the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in 2018. The UK’s Commonwealth Envoy has also met the Secretary-General on a number of occasions.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by James Cleverly on 2016-10-18.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what processes his Department has in place to hold to account the Secretary-General of the Commonwealth.

Mr Tobias Ellwood

​Meetings of the Commonwealth Secretariat’s Executive Committee (ExCo) and Board of Governors provide formal opportunities to engage with the Secretary-General and her team on the actions and activities of the Secretariat, including those outlined in the Annual Results Report, the mid-term review of the Strategic Plan and updates of mandates provided by Heads of Government at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Malta in November 2015. ExCo also considers the annual budget and the Secretariat’s actions against recommendations provided by External Auditors of the accounts. In addition to these formal meetings, the UK’s Commonwealth Envoy and other representatives of my department and the Department for International Development also meet regularly with the Secretary-General and her staff to review performance and identify progress against programme delivery.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by James Cleverly on 2016-10-18.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent engagement his Department has had with the Commonwealth Secretariat over the efficient and transparent expenditure of funds received from the public purse.

Mr Tobias Ellwood

Through regular attendance at meetings of the Commonwealth Secretariat’s Executive Committee (ExCo) and Board of Governors (of which we are a member), the UK is fully engaged to ensure that UK funds are allocated and spent in an efficient and transparent manner. ExCo meets three times a year to review papers, including the budget, which is presented to the Board of Governors at its annual meeting. The role of ExCo is to receive and review reports from the Secretariat on the operations of individual funds; oversee budgets and audit functions; make policy recommendations to the Board of Governors with respect to the individual funds; and make recommendations, as appropriate, on any matter referred to it by the Board of Governors.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by James Cleverly on 2016-10-18.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what contribution from the public purse has been made to the Commonwealth Secretariat in each of the last five years; and how much the UK is expected to so provide in each of the next five years.

Mr Tobias Ellwood

The UK remains the largest financial contributor to the Commonwealth Secretariat, providing around 32% of the total budget. To establish a reasonable baseline, financial contributions to the Secretariat’s general budget are based on scales agreed at the UN. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office’s (FCO) assessed contributions for the last five years were as follows:

2011/2012 £5,168,586

2012/2013 £5,262,654

2013/2014 £5,326,331

2014/2015 £5,455,484

2015/2016 £5,469,640

UN scales of assessment 2016 – 2018 were agreed in New York in December 2015. They will form the basis for future FCO contributions to the Secretariat’s general budget. Under existing Commonwealth guidelines, the budget is shared amongst the membership in accordance with three principles: Capacity to Pay, Equitable burden sharing and shared ownership and responsibility. This ensures that all members enjoy an equal voice within the organisation.

In addition to FCO assessed contributions, the Department for International Development also makes voluntary contributions to the Commonwealth Fund for Technical Cooperation and a number of Commonwealth programmes.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by James Cleverly on 2016-10-18.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of the use of funding from the public purse provided to the Commonwealth Secretariat.

Mr Tobias Ellwood

We support the work of the Commonwealth Secretariat, in particular around the promotion of democratic values and development. We expect the Secretariat to use any funding we provide efficiently and effectively in line with its agreed budget, financial procedures and priorities. In addition to being considered by external auditors, the Secretariat’s budget is assessed by the Commonwealth’s Executive Committee and Board of Governors at regular meetings. The UK is a member of both groups, represented by the UK’s Commonwealth Envoy.

We are committed to supporting the Secretary General’s efforts to reform and revitalise the Commonwealth Secretariat and to working with her and our Commonwealth partners to strengthen the organisation.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by James Cleverly on 2016-10-18.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what representations his Department has received since 2015 on the suitability of Baroness Scotland of Asthal for the role of Commonwealth Secretary-General.

Mr Tobias Ellwood

Commonwealth leaders elected Baroness Scotland to be the Commonwealth Secretary-General from a field of candidates at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Malta in November 2015. She has made a strong start as Secretary-General, bringing vision, dynamism and new energy for reform. We are pleased that on taking office she immediately instigated a review of the Secretariat. We strongly support her efforts to make the Secretariat lean, effective and aligned to deliver where the Commonwealth adds real value. My noble Friend, the Rt Hon. the Baroness Anelay of St Johns, Minister for the Commonwealth, has met a number of London-based Commonwealth High Commissioners, many of whom are supportive of the Secretary-General and her reform agenda. Leading institutional reform is challenging, but it is vital to ensure the Commonwealth delivers value for money, operates effectively and remains fit for purpose.