Asked by: Martin Vickers (Conservative - Cleethorpes)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps British citizens of Cyprus origin can take to safeguard their properties in Famagusta.
Answered by Wendy Morton
The European Court of Human Rights has ruled that the Immovable Property Commission established in the north provides an effective remedy for local property issues related to the Cyprus Problem. It is for individuals to decide whether to approach the IPC. The relevant documentation can be found on the IPC website.
Asked by: Martin Vickers (Conservative - Cleethorpes)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps his Department plans to take to stop provocation by Turkey by (a) opening the fenced off town of Famagusta/Varosha and (b) ensuring that a solution for Cyprus is achieved as soon as possible.
Answered by Wendy Morton
The UK remains committed to supporting the UN process to reach a Cyprus Settlement, which is in the interests of Cyprus and regional stability. The UK is deeply concerned about the announcement made during the visit of President Erdogan to Cyprus on 19-20 July 2021 regarding the reopening and resettlement of an area constituting 3.4% of the fenced-off area of Varosha.
We strongly support the 23 July UN Security Council Presidential Statement which condemned the announcement. The UK strongly supports the relevant Security Council Resolutions covering the issue of Varosha. The announcement runs contrary to UN Security Council resolutions and to the Security Council Presidential Statement of 8 October 2020 which called for Turkey to halt and reverse its actions in Varosha.
Asked by: Martin Vickers (Conservative - Cleethorpes)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps he plans to take in response to the opening of the uninhabited town of Famagusta to tourists by the Turkish Cypriot Authorities under the guidance of Turkey, contrary to the UN resolutions 550 and 789.
Answered by Wendy Morton
The UK is deeply concerned about the announcement made during the visit of President Erdogan to Cyprus on 19-20 July 2021 regarding the reopening and resettlement of an area constituting 3.4% of the fenced-off area of Varosha. We strongly support the 23 July UN Security Council Presidential Statement which condemned the announcement. The UK strongly supports the relevant Security Council Resolutions covering the issue of Varosha. The announcement runs contrary to UN Security Council resolutions and to the Security Council Presidential Statement of 8 October 2020 which called for Turkey to halt and reverse its actions in Varosha.
The UK has also been clear in calling for all sides to avoid any actions or statements that could damage the prospects for a Settlement. The issue of Varosha underlines the importance of reaching a comprehensive Cyprus Settlement.
Asked by: Martin Vickers (Conservative - Cleethorpes)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
What plans he has to ensure that local communities are fully consulted on planning matters.
Answered by Christopher Pincher
Our reforms will ensure that there is more engagement and more local democracy. By replacing lengthy documents with easily accessible digital tools and map-based local plans, people will be able to visualise local plans and participate more fully in the planning system.
Communities will still be able to comment on planning applications. We also want neighbourhood plans to remain a key part of the planning system, with more in northern and urban areas.
Asked by: Martin Vickers (Conservative - Cleethorpes)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, when the Government plans announce its choice of British lateral flow test after the signing of contracts in March 2021 with Omega Diagnostics and Global Access Diagnostics in order to meet the target of having the majority of UK lateral flow tests produced in the UK.
Answered by Jo Churchill - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The Government continues to explore different operating models to make best use of the capacity created in the United Kingdom diagnostics manufacturing industry. There are a number of ongoing conversations between Global Access Diagnostics, Omega and third party test developers which we hope will provide opportunities to further increase UK manufacturing output of lateral flow tests.
Asked by: Martin Vickers (Conservative - Cleethorpes)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what discussions his Department has had with relevant stakeholders on the establishment of a home shipbuilding loan guarantee scheme.
Answered by Nadhim Zahawi
BEIS officials, working with colleagues in the Department of Trade and with the support of various industry bodies, have conducted extensive consultation on a prospective home shipbuilding credit guarantee scheme. They have consulted with a wide variety of stakeholders including industry, vessel operators and commercial lenders. These discussions are helping to shape the development of the business case and inform the requirements for the prospective instrument.
Asked by: Martin Vickers (Conservative - Cleethorpes)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what discussions officials in his Department have had with representatives of stakeholder groups on the approval of the Shared Outcome Fund bid for the creation of a National Skills Academy for Maritime (Shipbuilding).
Answered by Steve Barclay - Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
HMT Officials are in regular contact with stakeholders. But it is the responsibility of the Ministry of Defence, who are leading the National Skills Academy for Maritime bid, to engage with relevant stakeholders prior to submission of the bid.
This Government is committed to supporting people to develop the skills needed to get good jobs and improve national productivity. The Department for Education recently published the ‘Skills for Jobs’ White Paper which sets out how the government will put employers at the heart of the skills system to ensure skills provision meets local labour market needs.
The Shared Outcomes Fund encourage Departments to work together to overcome some of the most difficult social, environmental and economic challenges that sit across the areas of responsibility of multiple public sector organisations.
The second round of the Shared Outcomes Fund, announced at Spending Review 2020, will provide a further £200 million for projects to improve the join up across government.
The assessment process to award the funding is ongoing.
Asked by: Martin Vickers (Conservative - Cleethorpes)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development, whether any agreement on the future relationship between the UK and the EU will include Gibraltar.
Answered by Wendy Morton
The UK continues to negotiate for the whole UK family, which includes Gibraltar. We remain fully committed to finding a solution that supports Gibraltar, its people and its economy.
The UK and the Government of Gibraltar have held a number of constructive discussions with Spain on this issue. It is clearly in all parties' interests to find a solution, to ensure ongoing well-being and prosperity in the region.
Asked by: Martin Vickers (Conservative - Cleethorpes)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent information and representations he has received on the forthcoming trial of Iranian diplomat Assadolah Assadi in Belgium on charges of terrorism.
Answered by James Cleverly - Home Secretary
The UK Government is deeply concerned about the plot against a conference in Paris in 2018, and particularly that an Iranian diplomat may be involved with the incident. We are closely monitoring reporting of the trial taking place in Belgium. The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office has not received any recent representations on this issue. While the legal process is ongoing it would be inappropriate to comment further.
Asked by: Martin Vickers (Conservative - Cleethorpes)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many asylum applications were awaiting assessment in the latest period for which figures are available; what recent estimate she has made of the average time taken to process an asylum application; and what steps her Department is taking to reduce the time taken to process those applications.
Answered by Chris Philp - Minister of State (Home Office)
The Home Office does not publish data on the average time taken to process an asylum application. However, the Home Office does publish data on the number asylum applications awaiting an initial decision, broken down by duration. This data can be found at Asy_04 of the published Immigration Statistics:
The Home Office are committed to ensuring asylum claims are considered without unnecessary delay, individuals who need protection are granted asylum as soon as possible and can start to integrate and rebuild their lives, including those granted at appeal.
Whilst we take steps to increase capacity, with focus on process improvements, to deliver better quality decisions, more efficiently, we have moved away from the six-month service standard to concentrate on older claims, cases with acute vulnerability and those in receipt of the greatest level of support, including Unaccompanied Asylum-Seeking Children (UASC).