Written questions by Rosindell.

Communities and Local Government, how many Voter Authority Certificates have been issued in Romford constituency.

This data is not held centrally but is held by the Electoral Registration Officer and is therefore their data to disclose.

Communities and Local Government, what steps her Department is taking to protect the greenbelt in (a) Romford constituency and (b) the London Borough of Havering.

The Government set out details of proposed reforms relating to brownfield, grey belt, and the Green Belt in the consultation on our approach to revising the National Planning Policy Framework and other changes to the planning system that began on Tuesday 30 July and closes on Tuesday 24 September.

What support his Department is providing to the British Overseas Territories affected by Hurricane Beryl.

The FCDO lead HMG’s response during the Caribbean hurricane season. HMS TRENT, our current persistent maritime presence in the region, proactively sailed to the Cayman Islands to provide a rapid response to Hurricane Beryl. Thankfully the islands escaped the worst of the storm and the ship was not required to deliver humanitarian assistance and disaster relief on this occasion. However, she took the opportunity to engage with the civil authorities and assess critical infrastructure. There were no further requests on Defence and it was not necessary to activate our contingency plans for providing support with UK based forces.

Communities and Local Government, what steps she is taking to help ensure the protection of green spaces in the London Borough of Havering.

Havering is one of the greenest boroughs in London, this has been recognised through the MHCLG-owned Green Flag Awards Scheme, with 16 Havering sites being awarded Green Flag status. This Green Flag Award sets the national standard for parks and green spaces that are welcoming, safe, well-maintained and promote biodiversity and community participation.The Government’s National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) allows communities to designate land as Local Green Space, in order to protect green areas that are important to them. Designating land as Local Green Space should be consistent with the local planning of sustainable development and complement investment in sufficient homes, jobs and other essential services. We are consulting on ‘golden rules’ in relation to grey and green belt release to ensure development benefits communities and nature.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with his American counterpart on the British Indian Ocean Territory.

The Foreign Secretary is in regular contact with Secretary Blinken on a range of issues, including the British Indian Ocean Territory / Chagos Archipelago. Protecting the effective operation and vital role of the joint UK/US military facility on Diego Garcia remains our shared objective.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, how many Ministers will be attending the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.

The Prime Minister; Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport; Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Sport, Media, Civil Society and Youth; and I [Minister Doughty] attended the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, where I met with Team GB. There will be further ministerial visits for the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with his Mauritian counterpart on the British Indian Ocean Territory.

The Prime Minister and the Foreign Secretary met the Mauritian Prime Minister in London on 23 July and agreed to continue negotiations on the exercise of sovereignty over the British Indian Ocean Territory/Chagos Archipelago.

Media and Sport, whether her Department has (a) organised events and (b) taken other steps to celebrate the Olympic Games in the next two weeks.

The Government is committed to supporting elite sport and enabling our athletes to excel on the world stage. The Secretary of State and I were both fortunate enough to attend the Paris Olympics to cheer on our athletes. The Government welcomes the free, accessible, fan zones that Team GB set up around the UK for fans to watch live coverage with friends and family, and the many local events that communities across the country enjoyed. We were also delighted to join the celebrations for our Olympians at the National Lottery’s Team GB Homecoming in Manchester on 17 August.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to support the British Overseas Territories following Hurricane Beryl.

HMS Trent visited the Cayman Islands immediately after Hurricane Beryl. As Hurricane Beryl had a limited impact upon the Cayman Islands, HMS Trent was not required to support the local recovery. HMS Trent and Cayman used the opportunity to grow shared understanding and awareness ahead of potential future hurricane responses.The UK continues to stand ready to support the British Overseas Territories to respond to hurricanes, maintaining an array of response plans to be able to provide civil, military, and/or commercial support in response to requests for assistance.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has received representations from the British Chagossian community on the British Indian Ocean Territory.

The Foreign Secretary has not received representations from either the British or Mauritian Chagossian community on the subject of the British Indian Ocean Territory/Chagos Archipelago. We recognise the future of the islands is an important issue for many Chagossians. FCDO officials regularly engage with different Chagossian groups on a range of issues and will continue to do so.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has received representations from the Mauritian Chagossian community on the British Indian Ocean Territory.

The Foreign Secretary has not received representations from either the British or Mauritian Chagossian community on the subject of the British Indian Ocean Territory/Chagos Archipelago. We recognise the future of the islands is an important issue for many Chagossians. FCDO officials regularly engage with different Chagossian groups on a range of issues and will continue to do so.

What recent assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the UK’s air defence systems for defending critical infrastructure.

The Ministry of Defence (MOD) is reviewing its air defence capabilities and contribution to wider national defence as part of the Strategic Defence Review (SDR) and is in close collaboration with other Government Departments to help develop the future proposition. The UK currently has a wide range of capabilities to counter the Air and Missile threat facing us. This includes but is not limited to: Typhoon aircraft on Quick Reaction Alert readiness, Type 45 destroyers, short and medium range ground-based air defence, and numerous critical supporting elements. The MOD constantly reviews its policies and capabilities in line with developing threats. The air and missile threat is proliferating and Defence will ensure that this changing threat picture is factored into the SDR work.

If he will make it his policy to establish a new official local flag for Northern Ireland.

The Union Flag is the only official flag of Northern Ireland. The regulatory framework for official flag flying in Northern Ireland is determined by the Flags Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2000 and The Flags (Northern Ireland) Order 2000. These regulations make provision for the flying of flags on NI government buildings and courthouses only. There are no plans to further review or amend how this legislation operates in Northern Ireland.

What steps he is taking to support the car manufacturing industry.

The British automotive industry is the jewel in the crown of our manufacturing sector. By accelerating domestic battery making capacity, driving investment in gigafactories and removing planning barriers to get shovels in the ground, we will give our manufacturing sector the certainty it needs to flourish.The UK is also home to a world-class and comprehensive innovation ecosystem, including the Advanced Propulsion Centre, Faraday Battery Challenge, High Value Manufacturing Catapult and the Automotive Transformation Fund.

Communities and Local Government, what steps she has taken to reduce the likelihood of local authority bankruptcies in (a) Romford and (b) England.

This Government is committed to reducing the financial uncertainty that councils face, and to improve the local government finance landscape in this Parliament. We will do this by providing multi-year funding settlements, ending competitive bidding and reforming the local audit system.Immediate future local authority funding decisions will be a matter for the next Spending Review and Local Government Finance Settlement. The department will work with Local Government leaders to ensure they are better able to fulfil their statutory duties.This Government recognises the vital work that local councils do for their communities, and we stand ready to speak to any council that is experiencing financial difficulties.

What steps his Department is taking to support the shipbuilding industry.

The Government is committed to delivering a thriving shipbuilding sector across the UK, supporting the whole supply chain, from design to repair, systems and integration.My Department, working alongside other Government Departments, is supporting a 30-year pipeline of shipbuilding projects, promoting UK export and investment at a wide range of international tradeshows and missions throughout the year.Our long term industrial strategy will support sectors like shipbuilding by offering the certainty needed to attract investment.

What steps she has taken to tackle dangerous driving in (a) Romford constituency and (b) England.

Any form of dangerous driving behaviour is a serious road safety issue. The maximum sentence for dangerous driving is an unlimited fine, disqualification and up to 14 years in prison.How the police enforce road traffic legislation and investigate road traffic offences is an operational matter for the local chief officer, in conjunction with the Police and Crime Commissioner.

Where asylum seekers resident on the Bibby Stockholm barge will be relocated to.

The contract to use the Bibby Stockholm ends in January 2025 and it will remain operational until that time. Decisions on alternative accommodation for asylum seekers will be made on a case-by-case basis, working closely with local authorities and in compliance with published policy.

What steps she plans to take to improve transport links between Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

The UK Government intends to reset its relationships with all the devolved governments including the Northern Ireland Executive. The Secretary of State has already met with John O’Dowd MLA, Minister for Infrastructure, to discuss shared transport priorities. By working together, both governments can drive economic growth, deliver integrated transport networks, promote social mobility, and tackle regional inequalities by improving connectivity across the whole of the UK.

Communities and Local Government, if she will make it her Department’s policy to amend local authorities’ statutory service obligations.

Local authorities play a crucial role in the delivery of this Government’s missions, from driving growth, to delivering opportunities for all. We are fully focussed on resetting the relationship between national and local government, working together in a trusting and productive partnership so local people get the support and services they need and deserve.