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Written Question
Sailing Boats
Tuesday 15th March 2016

Asked by: Angela Watkinson (Conservative - Hornchurch and Upminster)

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what arrangements are in place to (a) record and (b) inspect small yachts arriving from Europe at marinas on the UK coastline.

Answered by James Brokenshire

Inspection of vessels by is undertaken by Border Force on a case by case basis depending on the intelligence held and the level of assessed risk.

Border Force operates an intelligence led and risk assessed approach to managing the maritime border. This allows Border Force to provide effective border controls up and down the country. Border Force maintains close working relationships with law enforcement partners and related agencies who also use an intelligence-led approach in accordance with assessments of known and inferred risk.

Border Force shares information on possible subjects of interest with EU law enforcement partners and continues to work very closely with them to enable real time interventions where appropriate.


Written Question
Investment Trusts
Friday 12th February 2016

Asked by: Angela Watkinson (Conservative - Hornchurch and Upminster)

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what information he holds on the reasons why the Financial Conduct Authority has not sought a restitution order against (a) Capita, (b) Blue Gate and (c) the directors of Tinta plc in relation to the Connaught Income Fund.

Answered by Harriett Baldwin

The issues raised are a matter for the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) who are operationally independent from Government.

The questions have been passed on to the FCA. The FCA will reply directly to the Honorable Member by letter. A copy of the letter will be placed in the Library of the House.


Written Question
Financial Services and Markets Act 2000
Friday 12th February 2016

Asked by: Angela Watkinson (Conservative - Hornchurch and Upminster)

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what information he holds on the reasons why the Financial Conduct Authority has not made use of the powers granted to it under sections 382 and 384 of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 to require restitution from parties who by breaking regulatory requirements cause less to others.

Answered by Harriett Baldwin

The issues raised are a matter for the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) who are operationally independent from Government.

The questions have been passed on to the FCA. The FCA will reply directly to the Honorable Member by letter. A copy of the letter will be placed in the Library of the House.


Written Question
Broadband: Complaints
Wednesday 26th November 2014

Asked by: Angela Watkinson (Conservative - Hornchurch and Upminster)

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what access arrangements are in place for broadband subscribers to make complaints via Openreach about poor quality of service.

Answered by Lord Vaizey of Didcot

Complaints about poor service should be directed to the communications provider who supplies the broadband service and that customers have a contractual relationship with. Openreach is not a customer-facing organisation; it was created to offer all communications providers providing retail broadband and telephone services equality of access to BT's network.

Openreach is accountable to communications providers to meet its responsibilities to manage the local access network infrastructure that connects customers to their local telephone exchange. Communications providers have a duty of care to manage consumer complaints and ensure that Openreach provides a high quality service.

Customers who are dissatisfied with the handling of their complaint by communications providers have the option of an alternative dispute resolution (ADR) scheme. An ADR Scheme is an independent system of redress for customers who feel they have been poorly or unreasonably dealt with by a communications service provider. Ofcom, the independent telecommunications regulator, requires all communications providers to be a member of such a scheme.

Since 1 July Ofcom has applied new rules to bring about faster line repairs and installations for telephone and broadband customers. As a minimum Openreach must, over the course of a given year:

• Complete 80% of fault repairs within one to two working days of being notified, irrespective of factors such as severe weather conditions.

• Provide an appointment for 80% of new line installations within 12 working days of being notified, irrespective of factors such as severe weather conditions.

• Ensure it adheres to these new standards across the country.

• Provide data on repairs and installations that are not completed within this timeframe. This information will allow Ofcom to monitor Openreach’s performance closely and intervene further if required, as this includes the ability to impose fines if necessary.