Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Conservative - Romford)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps he has taken with His Majesty’s armed forces to improve the maritime defence of British Exclusive Economic Zones.
Answered by Luke Pollard - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)
The primary role of the Royal Navy is to defend and protect the UK, whilst enhancing its resilience. As part of this core task, it monitors, tracks and responds to any potential threats in the UK EEZ, through frequent patrolling by British warships, monitoring and shadowing warships in UK waters, and use of the Multi-Role Ocean Surveillance (MROS) programme, among other activity and capabilities. The Government has also been clear on its readiness and willingness to respond decisively to any maritime threat to the UK and its interests.
The Strategic Defence Review has highlighted the enduring requirement to secure the UK maritime zone, and the steps needed to ensure the Royal Navy are equipped to respond to the changing nature of threat in this domain. The Government has accepted the review’s recommendations in full.
Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Conservative - Romford)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps she has taken to work with relevant authorities to reduce drug or alcohol linked fatalities on roads in (a) England and (b) Romford constituency.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The enforcement of road traffic law and how available resources are deployed is the responsibility of individual Chief Officers and Police and Crime Commissioners, taking into account the specific local problems and demands with which they are faced.
THINK!, the Government’s flagship road safety campaign, works closely with local authority partners and the police to align on road safety campaign activity. In November 2024, THINK! launched a new drink driving campaign that highlighted the risks of losing your licence after drinking even a little before driving.
The Government is considering policy options in respect of motoring offences, including around drink and drug driving. Details will follow in due course.
Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Conservative - Romford)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps she is taking to help reduce youth unemployment.
Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
As part of our plan to Get Britain Working, we are launching a new Youth Guarantee for all young people aged 18-21 in England to ensure that they can access quality training opportunities, an apprenticeship or help to find work. The Department for Work and Pensions and the Department for Education are working closely with the eight Mayoral Strategic Authorities in England, which began mobilising the Youth Guarantee Trailblazers in April 2025. The eight areas delivering Trailblazers are: the West of England, Tees Valley, East Midlands, Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, Liverpool City Region, West Midlands and two areas within the Greater London Authority. The trailblazers will run for 12 months, and we will use the learning to inform the future design and development of the Youth Guarantee as it rolls-out across the rest of England.
This is part of a broader package of reforms, including introduction of a new jobs and careers service to help get more people into work, the development of work, health and skills plans for the economically inactive, and the launch of Skills England to open up new opportunities for young people. We will work in partnership with organisations and businesses at the national and local level to offer exciting and engaging opportunities to young people. This could include work experience, training courses or employability programmes.
In addition, DWP continues to provide young people aged 16-24 with labour market support through an extensive range of interventions at a national and local level. This includes flexible provision driven by local need, nationwide employment programmes and support delivered by work coaches based in our Jobcentres and in local communities working alongside partners.
Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Conservative - Romford)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if she will make a comparative assessment of the decrease in tobacco duty as set out in HMRC's annual tax receipts bulletin with the ONS smoking prevalence data in (a) 2023 to 2024 and (b) 2024-2025.
Answered by James Murray - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
In 2023/24 tobacco duty receipts totalled £8,804 million. In 2024/25, tobacco duty receipts fell 10% to £7,926 million.
ONS smoking prevalence data is published by calendar year. In 2023 approximately 12% of over 18s in the UK were current smokers. The ONS has yet to publish data on smoking prevalence for 2024.
Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Conservative - Romford)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps she has taken to work with relevant authorities to improve the safety of domestic air travel.
Answered by Mike Kane - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Department for Transport is committed to maintaining the highest standards for aviation safety. The DfT chaired State Safety Board (SSB) oversees UK Aviation Authorities and works to improve UK aviation safety. It identifies and mitigates safety risks to achieve our safety objectives that are: as a minimum, no accidents involving commercial air transport that result in serious injuries or fatalities, and no serious injuries or fatalities to third parties as a result of aviation activities.
We will shortly be publishing the UK State Safety Programme (SSP) which sets out these functions and an overview of how we oversee the UK aviation system. The UK Aviation Authorities includes the UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), Isle of Man CAA, Channel Islands CAA, Gibraltar CAA, and Air Safety Support International (ASSI) which has oversight of the Overseas Territories. The UK Air Accident Investigation Branch (AAIB) is also the designated independent body for accident and serious incident investigation across the UK Aviation Authorities. The AAIB drives safety improvements through reports and recommendations.
Furthermore, the Department engages across the aviation industry to develop informed policies that are both responsive to industry needs and capable of advancing safety.
The International Civil Aviation Organisation set the global standards for aviation safety, and the UK participates in the development of standards and recommended practices to continually improve global aviation safety.
Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Conservative - Romford)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 12 May 2025 to Question 49901 on Saint Helena: Aviation, whether the weather causing delayed flights includes wind shear; and whether this was identified as a potential issue prior to the construction of the airport.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Poor weather including cloud cover, high winds and wind shear has on occasion caused delays to scheduled flight services to St Helena Airport. Prior to the airport's construction, the initial expert advice provided to the former Department for International Development (DFID) assessed the risk of wind shear as low. Challenges with turbulence and wind shear were subsequently identified during a series of test flights into the airport in 2016, contributing to the airport's classification as a Category C airport. The FCDO pursued litigation in relation to some of the initial expert advice received, and reached a settlement in January 2019. I cannot comment on the detail of decisions made by the 2010-15 Conservative government.
Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Conservative - Romford)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps she has taken to work with the devolved Administrations to increase transport connectivity between the four Home Nations.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
While transport is largely a devolved responsibility for the Governments of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, the Department for Transport is working with its counterparts to improve transport connectivity across the UK.
As recommended by the Union Connectivity Review, the UK government funded three rail feasibility studies in Northern Ireland looking at electrification, re-opening closed railway lines and improving access to airports. The UK Government also funded three studies focused on improving the North Wales Transport Corridor to completion and is funding Transport Scotland’s A75 feasibility study to explore options to bypass Springholm and Crocketford.
Separately, the UK Government subsidises flights between City of Derry Airport and London Heathrow Airport through a Public Service Obligation.
This Government is establishing Great British Railways (GBR) which will be the ‘directing mind’ for the rail industry, bringing together the management of the network and the delivery of passenger services into a single public body. GBR will work closely with the Devolved Governments where responsibilities are devolved and will provide the integrated and long-term thinking the rail sector needs to grow and support the UK economy. GBR will be established in early 2027, subject to the Railways Bill achieving Royal Assent.
We will continue to work, where appropriate, with the Devolved Governments to improve transport outcomes for all people of the UK.
Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Conservative - Romford)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, how many completion certificate applications to the Building Safety Regulator were withdrawn at the applicants request in each month between October 2023 and April 2025 under regulation 40 of the Building (Higher-Risk Buildings Procedures) (England) Regulations 2023.
Answered by Alex Norris - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The Department and the Building Safety Regulator recognise the value to the sector in providing performance data. The BSR will shortly be publishing quarterly data demonstrating the volumes of applications received, recorded outcomes and decision times for determination.
Table 1 shows:
Table 2 shows:
Table 1: Completion Certificates
Year / month | Withdrawn | Total received |
2023 | 0 | 0 |
October | 0 | 0 |
November | 0 | 0 |
December | 0 | 0 |
2024 | 0 | 40 |
January | 0 | 0 |
February | 0 | 0 |
March | 0 | 0 |
April | 0 | 1 |
May | 0 | 0 |
June | 0 | 4 |
July | 0 | 4 |
August | 0 | 3 |
September | 0 | 5 |
October | 0 | 6 |
November | 0 | 5 |
December | 0 | 12 |
2025 | 0 | 44 |
January | 0 | 8 |
February | 0 | 12 |
March | 0 | 13 |
April | 0 | 11 |
Total | o | 84 |
Table 2: Emergency Repair Notices
Year / Month | Emergency Repair Notices |
2023 | 0 |
October | 0 |
November | 0 |
December | 0 |
2024 | 71 |
January | 0 |
February | 2 |
March | 0 |
April | 2 |
May | 2 |
June | 5 |
July | 5 |
August | 9 |
September | 7 |
October | 15 |
November | 12 |
December | 12 |
2025 | 79 |
January | 36 |
February | 16 |
March | 11 |
April | 16 |
Total | 150 |
Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Conservative - Romford)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, how many emergency repair notices the Building Safety Regulator received in each month between October 2023 and April 2025 under regulation 10 of the Building (Higher-Risk Buildings Procedures) (England) Regulations 2023.
Answered by Alex Norris - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The Department and the Building Safety Regulator recognise the value to the sector in providing performance data. The BSR will shortly be publishing quarterly data demonstrating the volumes of applications received, recorded outcomes and decision times for determination.
Table 1 shows:
Table 2 shows:
Table 1: Completion Certificates
Year / month | Withdrawn | Total received |
2023 | 0 | 0 |
October | 0 | 0 |
November | 0 | 0 |
December | 0 | 0 |
2024 | 0 | 40 |
January | 0 | 0 |
February | 0 | 0 |
March | 0 | 0 |
April | 0 | 1 |
May | 0 | 0 |
June | 0 | 4 |
July | 0 | 4 |
August | 0 | 3 |
September | 0 | 5 |
October | 0 | 6 |
November | 0 | 5 |
December | 0 | 12 |
2025 | 0 | 44 |
January | 0 | 8 |
February | 0 | 12 |
March | 0 | 13 |
April | 0 | 11 |
Total | o | 84 |
Table 2: Emergency Repair Notices
Year / Month | Emergency Repair Notices |
2023 | 0 |
October | 0 |
November | 0 |
December | 0 |
2024 | 71 |
January | 0 |
February | 2 |
March | 0 |
April | 2 |
May | 2 |
June | 5 |
July | 5 |
August | 9 |
September | 7 |
October | 15 |
November | 12 |
December | 12 |
2025 | 79 |
January | 36 |
February | 16 |
March | 11 |
April | 16 |
Total | 150 |
Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Conservative - Romford)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, how many completion certificate applications the Building Safety Regulator received in each month between October 2023 and April 2025 under regulation 40 of the Building (Higher-Risk Buildings Procedures) (England) Regulations 2023.
Answered by Alex Norris - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The Department and the Building Safety Regulator recognise the value to the sector in providing performance data. The BSR will shortly be publishing quarterly data demonstrating the volumes of applications received, recorded outcomes and decision times for determination.
Table 1 shows:
Table 2 shows:
Table 1: Completion Certificates
Year / month | Withdrawn | Total received |
2023 | 0 | 0 |
October | 0 | 0 |
November | 0 | 0 |
December | 0 | 0 |
2024 | 0 | 40 |
January | 0 | 0 |
February | 0 | 0 |
March | 0 | 0 |
April | 0 | 1 |
May | 0 | 0 |
June | 0 | 4 |
July | 0 | 4 |
August | 0 | 3 |
September | 0 | 5 |
October | 0 | 6 |
November | 0 | 5 |
December | 0 | 12 |
2025 | 0 | 44 |
January | 0 | 8 |
February | 0 | 12 |
March | 0 | 13 |
April | 0 | 11 |
Total | o | 84 |
Table 2: Emergency Repair Notices
Year / Month | Emergency Repair Notices |
2023 | 0 |
October | 0 |
November | 0 |
December | 0 |
2024 | 71 |
January | 0 |
February | 2 |
March | 0 |
April | 2 |
May | 2 |
June | 5 |
July | 5 |
August | 9 |
September | 7 |
October | 15 |
November | 12 |
December | 12 |
2025 | 79 |
January | 36 |
February | 16 |
March | 11 |
April | 16 |
Total | 150 |