Asked by: Wendy Chamberlain (Liberal Democrat - North East Fife)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many UK pensioners living overseas had their pensions stopped in 2022 because of life certificate forms and postal issues, broken down by country.
Answered by Laura Trott - Chief Secretary to the Treasury
DWP allows 16 weeks for the completed Life Certificate to be returned under normal circumstances. In 2022, DWP was notified of the postal issues effecting deliveries in Canada. In light of this, we reinstated the State Pension of those effected and extended the normal 16-week time limit by another 48 weeks for the completed Life Certificates to be returned.
DWP does not maintain data regarding the temporary suspension of International State Pensions owing to postal issues, as this is not something the Department is able to determine. However, DWP does hold data for the temporary suspensions due to the non/late return of a Life Certificate in 2022.
The number of UK State Pension customers whose payments were temporarily suspended due to the non/late return of Life Certificates issued in 2022 was 37,517; this is broken down by country as follows: -
Albania | 7 |
Andorra | 51 |
Anguilla | 74 |
Antigua | 88 |
Antilles (Netherlands) | 8 |
Armenia | 1 |
Bahamas | 211 |
Bangladesh | 429 |
Barbados | 796 |
Benin | 2 |
Bermuda | 90 |
Brazil | 737 |
Bulgaria | 348 |
Burkina Faso | 1 |
Canada | 19,061 |
Cayman Islands | 42 |
Central African Republic | 1 |
Costa Rica | 55 |
Croatia | 105 |
Cyprus | 1,831 |
Czech Republic | 126 |
Denmark | 525 |
Djibouti | 1 |
Dominican Republic | 38 |
Egypt | 224 |
Estonia | 18 |
Falkland Islands | 11 |
Fiji | 60 |
France | 1,690 |
Gambia | 50 |
Georgia | 12 |
Greenland | 0 |
Grenada | 217 |
Guam | 0 |
Guyana | 86 |
Hong Kong | 527 |
Hungary | 146 |
India | 1,934 |
Indonesia | 246 |
Israel | 426 |
Jamaica | 2,847 |
Jordan | 67 |
Kenya | 234 |
Kuwait | 17 |
Kyrgyzstan | 5 |
Liberia | 2 |
Luxembourg | 85 |
Malawi | 33 |
Malaysia | 74 |
Maldive Islands | 0 |
Mexico | 454 |
Monaco | 92 |
Montserrat | 27 |
Morocco | 7 |
North Korea | 0 |
Panama | 28 |
Philippines | 1,564 |
Puerto Rico | 4 |
Republic of the Congo | 2 |
Russia | 5 |
Saudi Arabia | 3 |
Serbia & Montenegro | 77 |
Seychelles | 2 |
Singapore | 191 |
Slovakia | 8 |
Sri Lanka | 30 |
St Lucia | 457 |
St Vincent/Grenadines | 190 |
Sudan | 5 |
Swaziland | 2 |
Switzerland | 105 |
Syria | 6 |
Taiwan | 17 |
Tanzania | 34 |
Trinidad & Tobago | 264 |
Turks & Caicos Islands | 4 |
Uganda | 49 |
United Arab Emirates | 50 |
Uruguay | 22 |
Vietnam | 88 |
Virgin Islands (British) | 29 |
Virgin Islands (USA) | 15 |
Zimbabwe | 47 |
The Management Information used has been taken from the same operational source data systems as our published administrative data. However, as this Management Information is not a recognised National or Official Statistic, it has not been subjected to the same level of Quality Assurance. As a result, these figures should be treat with caution.
Asked by: Ruth Cadbury (Labour - Brentford and Isleworth)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, in which countries does her Department employ staff based in UK (a) embassies (b) consulates.
Answered by Nigel Huddleston - Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)
As of 31 January 2023, this department employed UK-based staff in UK embassies in the following countries:
Algeria, Azerbaijan, Chile, China, Denmark, Egypt, Estonia, Ethiopia, France, Germany, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Japan, Kazakhstan, Korea, Kuwait, Mexico, Morocco, Oman, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Qatar, Russian Federation, Saudi Arabia, Serbia, Switzerland, Thailand, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, Vietnam, Myanmar.
UK-based staff in UK consulates in the following countries:
Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, Italy, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, United States, Vietnam.
Asked by: Baroness Kennedy of Cradley (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government which countries the UK has visa free travel arrangements with for British citizens.
Answered by Lord Murray of Blidworth
FCDO, who have responsibility for this information, have said that the information this question is requesting can be found in public domain https://visaguide.world/visa-free-countries/uk-passport/
We have included the list for ease:
Albania
American Samoa
Andorra
Anguilla
Antigua and Barbuda
Argentina
Armenia
Aruba
Australia
Austria
Bahamas
Barbados
Belarus
Belgium
Belize
Bermuda
Bolivia
Caribbean Netherlands
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Botswana
Brazil
British Virgin Islands
Brunei
Bulgaria
Canada
Cabo Verde
Cayman Islands
Chile
Colombia
Cook Islands
Costa Rica
Croatia
Curaçao
Cyprus
Czechia
Denmark
Dominica
Dominican Republic
Ecuador
El Salvador
Estonia
Falkland Islands
Faroe Islands
Fiji
Finland
France
French Guiana
French Polynesia
French West Indies
Georgia
Germany
Gibraltar
Greece
Greenland
Grenada
Guam
Guatemala
Guyana
Haiti
Honduras
Hong Kong
Hungary
Iceland
Indonesia
Iraq
Ireland
Israel
Italy
Jamaica
Kazakhstan
Kiribati
Kosovo
Kyrgyzstan
Latvia
Lesotho
Liechtenstein
Lithuania
Luxembourg
Macau
Malaysia
Malta
Marshall Islands
Mauritius
Mayotte
Mexico
Micronesia
Moldova
Monaco
Mongolia
Montenegro
Montserrat
Morocco
Namibia
Netherlands
New Caledonia
New Zealand
Nicaragua
Niue
North Macedonia
Northern Mariana Islands
Norway
Oman
Pakistan
Palestine
Panama
Paraguay
Peru
Philippines
Poland
Portugal
Puerto Rico
Qatar
Réunion
Romania
San Marino
São Tomé and Príncipe
Senegal
Serbia
Singapore
Slovakia
Slovenia
South Africa
South Korea
Spain
Sri Lanka
Saint Kitts and Nevis
Saint Lucia
Saint Martin
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
Sweden
Switzerland
Taiwan
Thailand
Gambia
Trinidad and Tobago
Tunisia
Turks and Caicos Islands
Türkiye
United States Virgin Islands
Ukraine
United States
Uruguay
Uzbekistan
Vanuatu
Vatican City
Venezuela
Vietnam
Zambia
Eswatin
Asked by: Earl of Dundee (Conservative - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have, together with other countries, to arrange a (1) more timely delivery of military equipment to Ukraine, and (2) more focused assessment of changing needs of that country from month to month.
Answered by Baroness Goldie
By bringing together allies and partners, we are ensuring the surge of global military support is as strategic and coordinated as possible.
Most recently, on 19 January 2023, the Defence Secretary co-hosted a meeting of international defence ministers and partners in Estonia, where the UK reaffirmed our latest package of support and joined eight allies and partners committing to deliver to Ukraine an unprecedented set of capabilities including main battle tanks, heavy artillery, air defence, ammunition, and infantry fighting vehicles.
We work closely with Ukraine and the International Donation Coordination Centre to ensure the UK's military aid, and that of the wider international community is targeted and coordinated to deliver the capabilities most urgently required by the Ukrainian Armed Forces, taking account of the latest information from the battlefield.
Asked by: Sarah Olney (Liberal Democrat - Richmond Park)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what discussions he has had with his counterparts in the EU on supplying tanks to Ukraine.
Answered by Ben Wallace
The UK has led the way providing NATO Main Battle Tanks to Ukraine. Earlier this month I announced our donation of a squadron of Challengers, before co-hosting supportive allies in Estonia and attending the Ramstein conference where I met with my new German counterpart. Since then Germany, Poland, Spain, Canada, Norway, Portugal, Finland and the Netherlands have confirmed they will send Leopard tanks to Ukraine.
We are also ensuring the Ukrainians receive logistical support and training to use them effectively, with the first crews already training in the UK.
Asked by: Judith Cummins (Labour - Bradford South)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps his Department is taking to support NATO allies to respond to the invasion of Ukraine.
Answered by Ben Wallace
The UK has provided substantial support to our NATO Allies. We surged our enhanced Forward Presence in Estonia with an additional Battlegroup and enhanced the capabilities of the permanent Battlegroup for the long-term. We deployed an Aviation Task Force to Lithuania, are contributing to NATO air activity across Europe, supporting air-to-air refuelling and bolstered our presence in Poland.
Asked by: John Healey (Labour - Wentworth and Dearne)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what operations are being run out of Permanent Joint Headquarters.
Answered by James Heappey
Enduring operational deployments which are commanded by Permanent Joint Headquarters (PJHQ) are as follows:
Region | Operation | Overview |
Europe | Op CABRIT | The deployment of an enhanced Forward Presence Battlegroup to Estonia. |
Op ELGIN | The UK’s commitment to the stability and security of the Western Balkans, as well as to supporting the Euro-Atlantic aspirations of countries in the region. | |
Op ORBITAL | The UK’s training mission to Ukraine. | |
Op TOSCA | UN Peacekeeping mission in Cyprus. | |
PJHQ also command the deployment of Sky Sabre air defence into Poland. |
| |
Africa | Op NEWCOMBE | The UK contribution to MINUSMA (UN Peacekeeping mission) in Mali. |
Op TURUS | The UK’s provision of security, humanitarian, and development support to Nigeria. | |
Op TANGHAM | The UK support to African Union peace enforcement operations and UN missions in Somalia. | |
Indo-Asia Pacific | Op WOODWALL | The deployment of two British Warships (Offshore Patrol Vessels) in the Indo-Asia Pacific. |
Broader Middle East | Op SHADER | Counter Daesh mission. |
Op KIPION | UK maritime presence in the Gulf and Indian Ocean. | |
Op CROSSWAYS | Operational capacity building with KSA. |
Asked by: Harriet Harman (Labour - Camberwell and Peckham)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what recent discussions she has had with the Estonian Government to agree bespoke bilateral arrangements for UK musicians seeking to tour in Estonia without restrictions.
Answered by Julia Lopez - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
This Government is committed to supporting the UK’s creative industries, including musicians, to adapt to new arrangements with the EU.
EU Member States are principally responsible for deciding the rules governing what work UK visitors can undertake in each Member State. We have engaged bilaterally with all EU Member States, and nearly all (24 out of 27) have confirmed they offer visa and work permit free routes for UK performers for short-term touring.
This includes the UK’s biggest touring markets such as France, Germany, and the Netherlands. Following engagement by the UK Government and the sector, this also includes Spain, which introduced 90-day visa- and work permit- free touring in November 2021; and Greece, which announced a visa and work permit free route for UK creatives in June 2022, currently due to be in place until 31 December 2022. The UK Government is continuing to engage with Greece on extending this arrangement beyond the end of this year, however this is ultimately a decision for the Greek Government to take.
The Government is engaged with the remaining Member States - Cyprus, Malta and Portugal - on allowing creative professionals to tour more easily. However, ultimately it is up to these countries to align their requirements more closely with the UK’s generous rules.
The UK’s domestic rules allow musicians, entertainers and artists (and their technical staff) from EU Member States, to perform in the UK without requiring a visa, and the UK does not have work-permits.
Asked by: Harriet Harman (Labour - Camberwell and Peckham)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, whether any bilateral arrangements are in place for UK musicians seeking to tour in Estonia.
Answered by Julia Lopez - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
This Government is committed to supporting the UK’s creative industries, including musicians, to adapt to new arrangements with the EU.
EU Member States are principally responsible for deciding the rules governing what work UK visitors can undertake in each Member State. We have engaged bilaterally with all EU Member States, and nearly all (24 out of 27) have confirmed they offer visa and work permit free routes for UK performers for short-term touring.
This includes the UK’s biggest touring markets such as France, Germany, and the Netherlands. Following engagement by the UK Government and the sector, this also includes Spain, which introduced 90-day visa- and work permit- free touring in November 2021; and Greece, which announced a visa and work permit free route for UK creatives in June 2022, currently due to be in place until 31 December 2022. The UK Government is continuing to engage with Greece on extending this arrangement beyond the end of this year, however this is ultimately a decision for the Greek Government to take.
The Government is engaged with the remaining Member States - Cyprus, Malta and Portugal - on allowing creative professionals to tour more easily. However, ultimately it is up to these countries to align their requirements more closely with the UK’s generous rules.
The UK’s domestic rules allow musicians, entertainers and artists (and their technical staff) from EU Member States, to perform in the UK without requiring a visa, and the UK does not have work-permits.
Asked by: John Healey (Labour - Wentworth and Dearne)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether the decision to send periodic deployments of Chinooks and Apaches to Estonia from January 2023 came following a request from the Estonian government.
Answered by James Heappey
The decision to make periodic deployments of Chinook and Apache helicopters to Estonia from January 2023 did not come following a specific request from the Estonian Government, but rather from the wider commitments the UK made at NATO's Madrid Summit in June 2022. The UK has since worked closely with Estonia to implement our Madrid Summit commitments and ensure that our force posture is commensurate with Estonia's and NATO's security needs. This culminated in the Secretary of State for Defence and the Estonian Defence Minister signing a Roadmap on 8 November which sets out our joint plan to deliver our Madrid Summit commitments, including the periodic deployment of helicopters, for the forward defence of Estonia.