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1490193

registered interest
date	18/07/2022
answering body	Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
answering dept id	208
answering dept short name	Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
answering dept sort name	Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
hansard heading	Uzbekistan: Politics and Government
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment she has made of (a) recent events in and (b) access to (i) international journalists, (ii) human rights organisations and (iii) telephone and internet connections in the Republic of Karakalpakstan.
tabling member constituency	Lichfield
tabling member printed	Michael Fabricant
uin	38496
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 26/07/2022 answer text <p>The UK is saddened by the loss of life that occurred during recent events in Karakalpakstan, Uzbekistan. We understand that initially peaceful protests against plans to change Karakalpakstan's autonomous status within Uzbekistan developed into violent unrest with casualties among civilians and law enforcement personnel. The situation now seems calm. Although there are reports of internet and telephone communications being blocked, we understand that communications in Karakalpakstan have mostly been reinstated, and international and local journalists have been given limited access to the region. The Uzbek authorities have announced an official investigation involving Parliament and civil society.</p><p>On 7 July, Lord Ahmad raised the unrest in Karakalpakstan with the Uzbek Deputy Foreign Minister and the British Ambassador and his team in Tashkent are also in contact with the Uzbek authorities. We have been clear in our communications that the right to peaceful protest and respect for media freedom should be protected. In discussion of these events in multilateral fora, we urged the Uzbek authorities to adhere to their international commitments and due process, as they seek to understand what happened. We will continue to monitor developments closely.</p> answering member constituency Cannock Chase answering member printed Amanda Milling question first answered 26/07/2022 12:34:13 answering member 4454 label Biography information for Dame Amanda Milling
tabling member	280 label Biography information for Michael Fabricant

1486141

registered interest
date	04/07/2022
answering body	Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities
answering dept id	211
answering dept short name	Levelling Up, Housing and Communities
answering dept sort name	Levelling Up, Housing and Communities
hansard heading	Local Government: Devolution
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, whether shire counties, including Staffordshire, can receive devolved additional powers without an elected mayor; and if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of implementing other governance models to enable shire counties to exercise those powers.
tabling member constituency	Lichfield
tabling member printed	Michael Fabricant
uin	29866
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 12/07/2022 answer text <p>For all places across England, including shire counties, who are interested in pursuing a new devolution deal, a mayor will not be a pre-requisite. However, we do believe that high-profile, directly elected leaders (such as a mayor) will be most effective for levelling up: providing a single point of accountability to local citizens, acting as a champion for their areas and attracting investment and opportunity to their places. As such, the most comprehensive devolution package will only be available to areas with a directly elected mayor. The devolution framework - published in the Levelling Up White Paper - sets a clear and consistent set of devolution pathways for places, enabling them to widen and deepen their devolved powers subject to meeting certain pre-conditions.</p> answering member constituency Great Grimsby answering member printed Lia Nici question first answered 12/07/2022 16:30:08 answering member 4851 label Biography information for Lia Nici
tabling member	280 label Biography information for Michael Fabricant

1467623

registered interest
date	06/06/2022
answering body	Home Office
answering dept id	1
answering dept short name	Home Office
answering dept sort name	Home Office
hansard heading	Passports: Applications
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many people were waiting for the issue of a passport (a) in each of the last 12 months for which data are available and (b) in each month in 2019.
tabling member constituency	Lichfield
tabling member printed	Michael Fabricant
uin	13030
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/06/2022 answer text <p>Since April 2021, people have been advised to allow up to ten weeks when applying for their British passport as more than 5 million people delayed applying due to the pandemic. The vast majority of all passport applications continue to be dealt with well within 10 weeks.</p><p> </p><p>Her Majesty’s Passport Office carries work in progress across the year as part of normal operational planning, and approximately 250,000 passport applications are being processed each week.</p> answering member constituency Torbay answering member printed Kevin Foster question first answered 08/06/2022 17:18:35 answering member 4451 label Biography information for Kevin Foster
tabling member	280 label Biography information for Michael Fabricant

1467783

registered interest
date	06/06/2022
answering body	Department of Health and Social Care
answering dept id	17
answering dept short name	Health and Social Care
answering dept sort name	Health and Social Care
hansard heading	Disease Control
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to his letter of 6 June 2022, reference PO-1405720, if he will make it his policy not to be a signatory to any treaty with the World Health Organisation which would enable instructions to be given to the Government on when lockdowns may or may not be imposed in any future pandemic; and if he will make a statement.
tabling member constituency	Lichfield
tabling member printed	Michael Fabricant
uin	13031
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 09/06/2022 answer text <p>The Government supports a new international legally binding instrument to strengthen pandemic prevention, preparedness and response.</p><p>The process for developing this new pandemic instrument will be led by the member countries of the World Health Organization, including the United Kingdom. The instrument would become binding if and when the UK accepts it in accordance with our constitutional process. The UK would remain in control of any future domestic decisions about national restrictions or other measures and would be subject to Parliamentary approval.</p> answering member constituency Chichester answering member printed Gillian Keegan question first answered 09/06/2022 16:15:09 answering member 4680 label Biography information for Gillian Keegan
tabling member	280 label Biography information for Michael Fabricant

1465234

registered interest
date	24/05/2022
answering body	Home Office
answering dept id	1
answering dept short name	Home Office
answering dept sort name	Home Office
hansard heading	Asylum: Rwanda
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to her Rwanda policy for asylum seekers, whether the Government provides funding to Care4Calais; what assessment she has made of the potential implications for her policies of the recent comments made by Care4Calais on her Rwanda policy for asylum seekers; and if she will make a statement.
tabling member constituency	Lichfield
tabling member printed	Michael Fabricant
uin	7893
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 26/05/2022 answer text <p>There is no record of Care4Calais as a grant recipient for the Home Office.</p><p>There is a global migration crisis, and we must look to new world leading solutions to tackle this issue. We are fully committed to the Migration and Economic Development Partnership with Rwanda. It fully complies with international and national law and we will defend it robustly.</p> answering member constituency Corby answering member printed Tom Pursglove question first answered 26/05/2022 15:57:17 answering member 4369 label Biography information for Tom Pursglove
tabling member	280 label Biography information for Michael Fabricant

1464030

registered interest
date	18/05/2022
answering body	Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
answering dept id	13
answering dept short name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
answering dept sort name	Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
hansard heading	Agricultural Products: UK Trade with EU
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what (a) inspections and (b) other steps his Department is taking to ensure that (i) pests and (ii) diseases are not imported into the UK from (A) agricultural, (B) horticultural, (C) meat products and (D) other goods originating from the EU.
tabling member constituency	Lichfield
tabling member printed	Michael Fabricant
uin	4461
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 27/05/2022 answer text <p>Biosecurity is a top priority for the Government, not only to protect consumers, but also to ensure that trading partners and industry have strong assurance of the UK's standards of food safety, animal and plant health.</p><p>Since 1 January 2021, the UK has put in place strict biosecurity controls on the highest risk imports of animals, animal products, plants and plant products from the EU. These controls on the highest risk goods will remain in place. We constantly review whether further safeguards are needed and have a scientific process to assess and respond to changing biosecurity threats.</p><p>Existing pre-notification requirements and the four-hour derogation for pre-notification will continue for all products of animal origin. Traders must continue to pre-notify to maintain traceability of imports and to allow UK authorities to collect essential data to inform design decisions. Traceability is vital for identifying consignments posing potential risk and allows us to properly manage any biosecurity incidents.</p> answering member constituency Banbury answering member printed Victoria Prentis question first answered 27/05/2022 13:16:03 answering member 4401 label Biography information for Victoria Prentis
tabling member	280 label Biography information for Michael Fabricant

1463082

registered interest
date	16/05/2022
answering body	Department for Work and Pensions
answering dept id	29
answering dept short name	Work and Pensions
answering dept sort name	Work and Pensions
hansard heading	Social Security Benefits: Uprating
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if she will immediately uprate benefits in line with the current high rate of inflation; and if she will make a statement.
tabling member constituency	Lichfield
tabling member printed	Michael Fabricant
uin	2349
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 24/05/2022 answer text <p>The Secretary of State for Work is required by law to undertake an annual review of benefits and pensions, and Consumer Price Index in the year to September is the latest figure that she can use to allow sufficient time for the required legislative and operational changes before new rates can be introduced at the start of the new financial year.</p><p> </p><p>All benefit up-rating since April 1987 has been based on the increase in the relevant price inflation index in the 12 months to the previous September.</p><p> </p><p>The Secretary of State’s decisions regarding benefits and pensions uprating for this financial year were announced to Parliament on 25 November 2021. And the increase of 3.1% from April 2022 was debated and approved by both Houses of Parliament earlier this year.</p> answering member constituency Macclesfield answering member printed David Rutley question first answered 24/05/2022 16:43:15 answering member 4033 label Biography information for David Rutley
tabling member	280 label Biography information for Michael Fabricant

1463083

registered interest
date	16/05/2022
answering body	Treasury
answering dept id	14
answering dept short name	Treasury
answering dept sort name	Treasury
hansard heading	Social Security Benefits: Inflation
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what recent discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions on immediately uprating benefits in line with the rate of inflation; and if he will make a statement.
tabling member constituency	Lichfield
tabling member printed	Michael Fabricant
uin	2350
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 24/05/2022 answer text <p>September CPI has been the default inflation measure for the government’s statutory annual review of benefits since 2011 because it allows sufficient time for the legislative and complex delivery process to take place for new rates to come into force in April.</p><p>In addition to uprating social security benefits, the government is also providing support to families worth over £22 billion in 2022-23 to help families with cost of living pressures. This includes cutting the Universal Credit taper rate and increasing work allowances to make sure work pays, freezing alcohol duties to keep costs down, and providing millions of households with up to £350 to help with rising energy bills.</p><p>At the Spring Statement, the Chancellor went further, announcing an increase to the annual National Insurance Primary Threshold and Lower Profits Limit to £12,570, and an additional £500m to help the most vulnerable with the cost of essentials through the Household Support Fund. Families and businesses across the UK will also benefit from a 12-month cut in fuel duty of 5 pence per litre, the largest cash terms cut, that has ever been applied to all fuel duty rates at once. This cut represents savings for consumers worth almost £2.4 billion over the next year.</p><p>And, from 1st April 2022, the National Living Wage (NLW) increased by 6.6% to £9.50 an hour for workers aged 23, which will benefit more than 2 million workers. This means an increase of over £1,000 to the annual earnings of a full-time worker on the NLW.</p> answering member constituency Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland answering member printed Mr Simon Clarke question first answered 24/05/2022 16:54:24 answering member 4655 label Biography information for Sir Simon Clarke
tabling member	280 label Biography information for Michael Fabricant

1462602

registered interest
date	12/05/2022
answering body	House of Commons Commission
answering dept id	18
answering dept short name	House of Commons Commission
answering dept sort name	House of Commons Commission
hansard heading	Members: Safety
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the hon. Member for Broxbourne, representing the House of Commons Commission, what steps are being taken by the Commission to ensure that Members and their staff are not (a) harassed, (b) obstructed, (c) shouted at, or (d) intimidated by professional agitators in the proximity of the Palace of Westminster; and if he will make a statement.
tabling member constituency	Lichfield
tabling member printed	Michael Fabricant
uin	1084
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/05/2022 answer text <p>The Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) is working with the Parliamentary Security Department to identify Members and staff who have reported the behaviour. This includes identifying those who are able and willing to provide a signed statement which with a statutory declaration can be used for criminal justice purposes. Officers are assessing each occasion that we are aware of, taking into account behaviour; the current law; and the latest guidance on protest from case law. This has taken time. Some witnesses do not want to give statements or are unwilling to go to court; without such testimony it makes any legal action very unlikely. In addition, some behaviour does not constitute a criminal offence when viewed in isolation; without witness statements, building a persuasive case around persistent behaviour is very difficult.</p><p>The Parliamentary Liaison and Investigation (PLaIT) are considering all options once they have identified what statements can be obtained, and assessing the evidence provided against the relevant legislation. PLaIT will work in consultation with the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), who are the ultimate decision maker on whether to prosecute and what for. It is worth noting that hearsay evidence is inadmissible in court, therefore statements need to be gathered from the principal witness, which outline the impact and can be tested in court. Even if a police officer witnessed the event, there would still need to be a victim statement which evidences the offences and impact.</p><p>There is a long history of protest outside Parliament and a number of pieces of statute legislation have been put in place to moderate protest activity. Article 9, 10 and 11 of the Human Rights Act 1998 gives the freedom of thought, expression and assembly/association, and these rights mean that protest legislation remains one of the most contested in the courts; the resulting case law provides an ever changing interpretation of the laws. Therefore the use of legislation, especially new legislation, which interferes in the rights to protest needs to be carefully considered, be proportionate and likely to succeed.</p> answering member constituency Broxbourne answering member printed Sir Charles Walker question first answered 17/05/2022 16:38:14 answering member 1493 label Biography information for Sir Charles Walker
tabling member	280 label Biography information for Michael Fabricant

1462098

registered interest
date	11/05/2022
answering body	House of Commons Commission
answering dept id	18
answering dept short name	House of Commons Commission
answering dept sort name	House of Commons Commission
hansard heading	Richmond House
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the hon. Member for Broxbourne, representing the House of Commons Commission, what assessment the Commission has made of the potential merits of increasing external access to Richmond House.
tabling member constituency	Lichfield
tabling member printed	Michael Fabricant
uin	585
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/05/2022 answer text <p>The Commission has not made an assessment of the potential merits of increasing external access to Richmond House and there are no plans to open the entrance into Richmond House from Whitehall. The House of Commons Commission’s decision to house Members and their staff in Richmond House was for three years from summer 2021, and the scope of this light refresh did not include opening up this entrance.</p><p>In order to open up access there would be a need for intrusive infrastructure works. There would also be an increase in operational costs as the entrance would need to be manned by Met Police. Any opening up of the Whitehall entrance would need to be evaluated against the decision of the Commission (for the three-year period) and other necessary changes to provide adequate physical security arrangements for passholders entering and exiting the building at this location would also be required.</p> answering member constituency Broxbourne answering member printed Sir Charles Walker question first answered 18/05/2022 14:30:05 answering member 1493 label Biography information for Sir Charles Walker
tabling member	280 label Biography information for Michael Fabricant