Shailesh Vara calls for pension consolidation administration costs to be limited as extortionate costs impact on an individual's pension pot.
Mr Shailesh Vara (North West Cambridgeshire) (Con)
I welcome the Bill, particularly the part that my right hon. Friend is referring to at present. Sometimes, when people have multiple pensions with various pension schemes, they wish to put them into one pot, or two or three pots, rather than having to deal with so many. When that happens, some pension schemes seek to charge administrative costs when passing the funds on. Is there any mechanism to ensure that those administrative costs can be kept to a reasonable level, rather than being extortionate, which would ultimately impact on the pension pot for the individual?
Dr Coffey
My hon. Friend is right to say that dashboards could encourage more people to consider consolidating their pension pots. There is guidance out there, and the Pensions Minister assures me that we are continuing to review the costs and charges that can happen in that regard. There is an element of administration cost that comes with such transfers, but I can assure my hon. Friend that we are on the side of the consumers who are saving to ensure that their money goes as far as possible for their future.
Shailesh Vara backs that the Bill as a necessary safety net and rejects scaremongering that it in some way compromises the Belfast/Good Friday agreement.
Mr Shailesh Vara (North West Cambridgeshire) (Con)
Does the Minister agree that those who object to the clauses he has just mentioned should bear in mind the language that has been used by the EU in recent weeks in terms of what it interprets the Northern Ireland protocol to mean? It has denied the existence, as it is written on the face of the Northern Ireland protocol, of matters such as the internal market, unfettered trade and so on. So these provisions are necessary as a safety net—nothing more than a safety net. I say to the critics, “Just look at the language of the EU” and if they look at the language of the EU, they will see that these measures are perfectly reasonable.
Paul Scully
I am grateful for that, and my hon. Friend is absolutely right. These are reasonable steps to act as a safety net.
In the statement I referred to, the Government also make it clear that
“in parallel with the use of these provisions it would always activate appropriate formal dispute settlement mechanisms with the aim of finding a solution through this route.”
...
Mr Vara
The fact is that there is nothing in this Bill that in any way compromises the Belfast/Good Friday agreement. Does my right hon. Friend agree that it is deeply regrettable that some people, for political purposes, seek to unnecessarily scaremonger, and that they should desist from doing so?
Alok Sharma
My hon. Friend makes an important point, and I will come on to it. As I was saying, we need to replace the law to continue the smooth functioning of our centuries-old internal market, while also ensuring that devolved Administrations benefit from that power surge from Brussels. The Bill will do precisely that.
Shailesh Vara backs the Internal Market Bill which safeguards the integrity of the United Kingdom and peace in Northern Ireland, providing a safety net in the event of a breach of good faith by the EU.
Mr Shailesh Vara (North West Cambridgeshire) (Con)
It is a pleasure to follow the right hon. Member for Orkney and Shetland (Mr Carmichael). I shall speak to clauses 40 to 45. Let us be clear from the start: the Bill protects and strengthens the United Kingdom, and it safeguards peace in Northern Ireland. There is nothing in it that undermines the Belfast/Good Friday agreement, nor is there any possibility of a hard border between Northern Ireland and Ireland under any circumstances. From the very outset, the United Kingdom has acted in good faith, and it did so when it signed the withdrawal agreement and the Northern Ireland protocol. Crucially, from the outset, the UK’s understanding of the provisions in the agreement and the protocol were abundantly clear to the EU and all those at the negotiating table. It is clear to the extent that some matters need clarification that we put faith—honest faith—in the Joint Committee reaching reasonable interpretations, being fully aware of our understanding of the issues that needed to be ironed out.
It was not just our understanding of the agreement and protocol on which we relied. The Northern Ireland protocol is clear about some key aspects. Article 1, as well as affirming that nothing in the protocol should interfere with the provisions of the Belfast/Good Friday agreement, says:
“This Protocol respects the essential state functions and territorial integrity of the United Kingdom.”
Article 4 provides:
“Northern Ireland is part of the customs territory of the United Kingdom.”
Article 6 goes on to say:
“Nothing in this Protocol shall prevent the United Kingdom from ensuring unfettered market access for goods moving from Northern Ireland to other parts of the United Kingdom's internal market.”
We now find, however, that the EU is suggesting interpretations of the protocol that were never envisaged, notwithstanding the fact that the provisions are clearly set out in the protocol itself, as I have read out. There have been clear suggestions from the EU that its interpretation of the protocol would lead to the creation of a barrier within the United Kingdom, thus seriously compromising our political and economic integrity. Such action by the European Union threatens the territorial integrity of the UK. It threatens to take Northern Ireland out of the UK customs territory, and it threatens our internal market.
That is unacceptable, and no Government can sit back and allow an international organisation to do that to the very fabric of our country. The Bill is therefore a safeguard that ensures that the UK is not divided and there is no external interference in the running of our country today or in the decades to come. The Bill ensures that we leave the EU as a sovereign independent country, as the people of the UK voted to do.
It is to be hoped that an agreement can be reached with the EU. Indeed, Donald Tusk originally offered a Canada-style agreement, but to the extent that there is a material breach of good faith by the EU, we have the safety of the Bill, which not only provides for the preservation of our Union but ensures that measures are not followed through without first having obtained the consent of the House.
Finally, let us remember that all Members on these Government Benches stood as candidates at the last general election not only as Conservatives, but as Conservative and Unionist candidates. Every single Member on these Government Benches sits here as a Conservative and Unionist Member of Parliament. To now not agree the passing of this Bill would make a complete mockery of the very platform upon which we stood to get elected to Parliament.
Shailesh Vara MP has received a reply from Defence Minister Jeremy Quin MP to a letter Mr Vara wrote following Wittering residents receiving Notices to Quit from their homes.
Mr Quin says that he will reply to Mr Vara substantively but attaches an email sent to tenants by the Defence Infrastructure Organisation (DIO) which says that in cases of hardship the DIO, working through their agents Orchard and Shipman, is prepared to extend the tenancies for a further six months in cases of hardship.
The email also says that the DIO will liaise with Annington Homes, who own the freehold, to see if they will take the properties back with the tenants in occupation when the properties are returned to the company.
Mr Vara said:
“This is a very stressful situation for all those affected and whilst the offer of an additional six months in cases of hardship is welcome, it is only a temporary solution and only for some of those concerned.
The critical issue is that the houses will be reverting to Annington Homes who have an agreement with the Ministry of Defence for return of the properties on a vacant basis.
I will be writing to Annington Homes asking that, notwithstanding their agreement with the Ministry of Defence for vacant possession of the properties, they consider taking them back with the existing tenancies.”
The letter from Mr Jeremy Quin to Mr Vara is attached together with the email from the DIO sent to those who have received Notices to Quit.
Shailesh Vara MP along with Cllr Simon Bywater visited Spirotech Group Ltd in Sawtry, Huntingdonshire to personally thank them for stepping in to help businesses in the area during the coronavirus pandemic.
Spirotech, a leading local engineering company, offered to make Perspex safety screens for local shops and businesses to help them ensure safety for their staff and customers so they could continue to serve the community in these difficult times.
Director Russell Gadsby showed Mr Vara and Cllr Bywater around the premises where they saw some of the major projects that the company are working on for companies around the world. Mr Vara and Cllr Bywater also saw the changes made in the premises from where the business operates, which comply with safety measures in line with government guidance.
Following the visit Mr Vara said: “I was very pleased to visit Spirotech again and to personally thank them for all the work they have done with the supply of screens to local businesses. It is great to see the community coming together and supporting each other at such a challenging time.
“I was also very pleased to see that the company continues to do well, both in the domestic and overseas market. It is particularly good to see that major global companies are turning to Spirotech when placing orders for some of the products that they need.”
Cllr Simon Bywater added: “It was a pleasure to be able to visit Spirotech in Sawtry with our MP Shailesh Vara to meet Russell Gadsby. It was great to hear about their local ambitions and see the amazing manufacturing taking place in their factory. Spirotech have also been really supportive in our local community by fitting Perspex screens in Sawtry shops to keep everyone safe during this Covid crisis. We are all very grateful.”
Russell Gadsby, Director for Spirotech commented: “It was a pleasure for Spirotech Group to welcome Shailesh Vara MP and Cllr Simon Bywater to our factory. This gave our team an opportunity to showcase some of the many projects we manufacture, both here in the UK and also to our overseas customers.
I was delighted to be able to share with them some of the details of our latest special project - Hinckley Point C Power station and the additional employment opportunities this project will bring to Cambridgeshire. I also discussed with them Spirotech’s aspiration to further increase our apprenticeship programme, offering further opportunity for young people into the manufacturing industry.”
Photos: In front of the premises shows, from left to right: Cllr Simon Bywater, Russel Gadsby and Shailesh Vara MP; inside the premises shows, from left to right: Russel Gadsby, Shailesh Vara MP and Cllr Simon Bywater.
Shailesh Vara visits Spirotech Group Ltd
Shailesh Vara visits Spirotech Group Ltd
Shailesh Vara visits The Ale House & Kitchen in Ramsey as pubs open again
Shailesh Vara MP visited The Ale House & Kitchen in Ramsey last Saturday when pubs and restaurants opened up again following the lockdown.
Mr Vara was joined by Mayor of Ramsey, Cllr Steve Corney and Cllr John Palmer and his wife Anne.
The Ale House & Kitchen is run by Matt Parkins and Oliver Gee who in recent weeks have been working hard to make their premises a safe place for people to visit.
Following the visit Mr Vara said:
“I was very pleased to visit the Ale House & Kitchen on the first day of the reopening of pubs. It’s been a long wait to have a pint in a pub again. Matt and Ollie have put in a huge amount of work to ensure that a visit to their pub is both enjoyable and safe and it was good to see many people coming in during the time I was there. I hope it won’t be long before I visit again.”
Mayor Cllr Corney added:
“I was delighted to be supporting the local High Street in Ramsey and in particular the Ale House. It was great to visit the pub again and I hope others will also support businesses generally in our area as we ease up on lockdown.”
Cllr John Palmer commented:
“It’s really good to see the reopening of pubs and restaurants. Whilst ensuring that there is proper social distancing, hopefully we will see a return to more social interaction between friends and family in our local pubs and restaurants.
Matt Parkins added:
“It was great to have Shailesh joining us as we opened up to the public last Saturday. We’ve put in place proper social distancing measures and it was good to see that on our first day of opening many regulars come back. We have missed them as much as they have missed us! We’re serving drinks for now but we hope it won’t be long before our restaurant is open again for our regular diners too.”
Photo: Matt Parkins, Anne Palmer, Shailesh Vara MP, Oliver Gee, Cllr John Palmer and Mayor Cllr Steve Corney.
The announcement today by the Ministry of Defence to relocate the Red Arrows to RAF Waddington has come as a huge disappointment to those campaigning for RAF Wittering to be the new base for the Red Arrows.
RAF Wittering, along with RAF Leeming and RAF Waddington, had been shortlisted as a potential new home for the world famous Red Arrows. Local MP Shailesh Vara, in whose constituency of North West Cambridgeshire RAF Wittering is located, had campaigned hard to try to bring the Red Arrows to Wittering.
Mr Vara had worked with Peterborough City Council and Wittering Parish Council in putting forward the case for RAF Wittering to be the new home for the Red Arrows. This included raising the matter on the floor of the House of Commons as well as arranging a Ministerial meeting.
In his letter to Mr Vara, the Defence Minister Jeremy Quinn MP said “I know that you have made a number of personal and persuasive representations to bring the team to RAF Wittering, and I understand that this will come as disappointing news to you and your constituents.”
Following the announcement, Mr Vara said:
“The news that the Red Arrows will not be coming to RAF Wittering comes as a huge disappointment, especially after so much work has been put in trying to persuade the Ministry of Defence of the merits of RAF Wittering.
“It would have been a great honour to have the world famous Red Arrows based locally and of course there would have been a boost to the local economy too.
“I want to thank Peterborough City Council and Wittering Parish Council for working with me to try to bring the Red Arrows to our area.”
Click here to download letter from Defence Minister Jeremy Quin MP to Shailesh Vara MP, 18 May 2020