Asked by: Roger Gale (Conservative - North Thanet)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will make provision to ensure that UK citizens resident in the remaining EU 27 countries are able to have British Civil Service and other state pensions paid into overseas bank accounts.
Answered by Steve Barclay - Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
The Civil Service pension scheme offers the facility for members to have their pension paid into a foreign bank account. The amount received by overseas members is their pension entitlement in pounds sterling converted to the local currency using business exchange rates at the time the payment is made.
The UK state pension will continue to be paid worldwide following our departure from the EU, either into a bank in a pensioner’s country of residence or a bank or building society in the UK.
Asked by: Roger Gale (Conservative - North Thanet)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps he is taking to ensure that (a) passporting arrangements and (b) banking facilities used by UK citizens resident in the remaining EU 27 countries will be maintained after the 31 December 2020.
Answered by John Glen - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
The UK has consistently been clear that we want an agreement with the EU that reflects the maturity of our financial services relationship.
The EU’s financial services passport is not available for firms based in countries outside of the EU and the EEA as they are based on the single EU rulebook for financial services. The UK is leaving the Single Market, and therefore is not subject to the passport. The UK has taken a pragmatic approach to the future relationship on financial services, and has been clear that politicisation of equivalence is in no-one’s interests.
The UK authorities have taken all the action we can to mitigate risks of disruption to cross-border financial services at the end of the Transition Period (TP), including confirming that the Temporary Permissions Regime will apply from the end of the TP. It will allow EEA firms currently providing services in the UK via a financial services ‘passport’ to continue operating after the TP while they apply for full UK authorisation.
But whether UK firms can service EEA-based retail customers remains a matter of local law and regulation in each country. We expect banks to act lawfully and in accordance with local regulators’ expectations.
We also expect that banks work to ensure good outcomes for their customers and provide timely communications to enable them to make appropriate decisions and take necessary steps. If customers are concerned then they should speak to their provider.
Asked by: Roger Gale (Conservative - North Thanet)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what plans he has to restrict the activities of supertrawlers operating within UK fishing grounds.
Answered by Victoria Prentis - Attorney General
We will automatically take back control of our waters, and others’ right to fish in them, at the end of 2020. For the first time in 40 years, we will be free to decide who can access our waters to fish and on what terms.
The Fisheries Bill prohibits any commercial fishing vessel (including foreign-registered vessels) from fishing in UK waters without a licence. It also provides powers to attach conditions (such as the areas that can be fished, species that can be caught and the type of fishing gear that can be used) to fishing vessel licences. Foreign vessels operating in UK waters will have to follow UK rules, including the conditions that are attached to their commercial fishing licence.
Leaving the CFP gives us the opportunity to introduce a sustainable, responsible and resilient new fisheries policy. This means we will consider the sustainability of our stocks and our precious marine environment, and take the steps necessary to allow them and our domestic industry, to flourish.
Asked by: Roger Gale (Conservative - North Thanet)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether she has made an estimate of the number of job vacancies that will be created in the event that the WASPI generation of women are permitted to retire immediately and on full pension.
Answered by Guy Opperman - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
No such estimate has been made.
Asked by: Roger Gale (Conservative - North Thanet)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what further steps he plans to take to tackle the illegal importation of puppies into the UK.
Answered by Victoria Prentis - Attorney General
Defra takes the issue of puppy smuggling and other illegal importation of pets seriously. It is an abhorrent trade which causes suffering to puppies and puts the health of pets and people in the UK at risk. We have legislation in place to ensure those guilty of offences are duly punished.
We are listening to the concerns of stakeholders around future requirements and the Government is developing a range of options to strengthen our efforts to tackle puppy smuggling, taking into consideration the recommendations of stakeholders such as Dogs Trust. The end of the Transition Period may open up new opportunities for managing our own pet travel arrangements. As part of our wider work in this area, we have conducted a renewed rabies risk assessment and have commissioned assessments to understand the risks posed by tapeworms, as well as ticks and tick-borne disease. The results of these will be used to inform our future policy options.
Regarding specific sentencing options, the end of the Transition Period will again present new opportunities. We want to ensure that there are robust controls on disease and animal welfare whilst allowing pet owners to continue to be able to travel to and from the EU with the minimum of disruption.
Asked by: Roger Gale (Conservative - North Thanet)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to the pet travel scheme, if he will (a) re-introduce (i) the rabies blood test with a wait period in line with the incubation of the disease and (ii) the requirement for dogs and cats to be treated against ticks prior to entry into the UK, (b) shorten the tapeworm treatment window, (c) reduce the number of dogs allowed into the UK at one time under non-commercial rules and (d) bring forward legislative proposals to ensure the welfare of dogs and cats during transport between mainland Europe and the UK.
Answered by Victoria Prentis - Attorney General
Defra takes the issue of puppy smuggling and other illegal importation of pets seriously. It is an abhorrent trade which causes suffering to puppies and puts the health of pets and people in the UK at risk. We have legislation in place to ensure those guilty of offences are duly punished.
We are listening to the concerns of stakeholders around future requirements and the Government is developing a range of options to strengthen our efforts to tackle puppy smuggling, taking into consideration the recommendations of stakeholders such as Dogs Trust. The end of the Transition Period may open up new opportunities for managing our own pet travel arrangements. As part of our wider work in this area, we have conducted a renewed rabies risk assessment and have commissioned assessments to understand the risks posed by tapeworms, as well as ticks and tick-borne disease. The results of these will be used to inform our future policy options.
Regarding specific sentencing options, the end of the Transition Period will again present new opportunities. We want to ensure that there are robust controls on disease and animal welfare whilst allowing pet owners to continue to be able to travel to and from the EU with the minimum of disruption.
Asked by: Roger Gale (Conservative - North Thanet)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will increase the sentences for the illegal importation of dogs and cats to include provision for a significant custodial sentence upon conviction.
Answered by Victoria Prentis - Attorney General
Defra takes the issue of puppy smuggling and other illegal importation of pets seriously. It is an abhorrent trade which causes suffering to puppies and puts the health of pets and people in the UK at risk. We have legislation in place to ensure those guilty of offences are duly punished.
We are listening to the concerns of stakeholders around future requirements and the Government is developing a range of options to strengthen our efforts to tackle puppy smuggling, taking into consideration the recommendations of stakeholders such as Dogs Trust. The end of the Transition Period may open up new opportunities for managing our own pet travel arrangements. As part of our wider work in this area, we have conducted a renewed rabies risk assessment and have commissioned assessments to understand the risks posed by tapeworms, as well as ticks and tick-borne disease. The results of these will be used to inform our future policy options.
Regarding specific sentencing options, the end of the Transition Period will again present new opportunities. We want to ensure that there are robust controls on disease and animal welfare whilst allowing pet owners to continue to be able to travel to and from the EU with the minimum of disruption.
Asked by: Roger Gale (Conservative - North Thanet)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking to facilitate the re-opening of wildlife parks; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Victoria Prentis - Attorney General
As announced by the Prime Minister on 10 June, outdoor areas of zoos and safari parks will be allowed to reopen from 15 June, subject to appropriate social distancing measures being in place. This includes keeping indoor exhibitions, such as reptile houses and those in aquariums, closed, and ensuring other amenities like cafes offer take-away services only.
The move follows close work by the Government with the zoo industry to ensure visitor numbers can be managed and safeguards are put in place.
The decision to relax restrictions on these select outdoor attractions is part of the Government’s careful approach to easing the lockdown in phases, guided by the advice of scientific and medical experts and the fact the risk of transmission is much lower outdoors.
Officials continue to meet weekly with BIAZA (British and Irish Association of Zoos and Aquariums) and with the CEOs of the largest charitable zoos and aquariums in England providing a valuable forum to monitor concerns and seek insights from key sector representatives on current issues.
Asked by: Roger Gale (Conservative - North Thanet)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what was the annual value of the health service charges that her Department collects from immigrants working the the NHS and social care services in each of the last two years for which figures are available.
Answered by Kevin Foster
The Home Office does not collate or publish the information requested.
Income generated by Immigration Health Surcharge payments go directly to NHS services, helping to protect and sustain our world-class healthcare system for everyone who uses it.
Asked by: Roger Gale (Conservative - North Thanet)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many people employed or volunteering in NHS hospitals who have died as the result of a covid-19 infection were working on (a) intensive care wards, (b) Blue (covid-19) wards and (c) Red (non-covid 19) wards.
Answered by Helen Whately - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
As of 13 May 2020, the number of National Health Service workers who have died from COVID-19 in England is 147. At this stage, the data that we hold is not available in the format requested. We will continue to review what data we publish.