daily report thursday, 19 october 2017...
TRANSCRIPT
Daily Report Thursday, 19 October 2017
This report shows written answers and statements provided on 19 October 2017 and the
information is correct at the time of publication (06:30 P.M., 19 October 2017). For the latest
information on written questions and answers, ministerial corrections, and written statements,
please visit: http://www.parliament.uk/writtenanswers/
CONTENTS
ANSWERS 6
BUSINESS, ENERGY AND
INDUSTRIAL STRATEGY 6
Bombardier: USA 6
Construction: Equality 6
Department for Business,
Energy and Industrial Strategy:
Iron and Steel 6
Energy: Housing 7
Energy: Prices 8
Fracking: Ryedale 9
Hinkley Point C Power Station:
South Wales 9
Homebase: Closures 10
Job Creation: North East 11
Petroleum (Production)
Regulations 1966 11
Renewable Energy 11
CABINET OFFICE 12
Absent Voting 12
Action Fraud: Finance 12
Brexit 13
Cabinet Office: Disclosure of
Information 13
Cabinet Office: Procurement 14
Crown Commercial Service:
Procurement 14
Data Protection 14
Electoral Register 15
Electoral Register: British
Nationals Abroad 16
Electronic Government: Proof
of Identity 16
GDS Advisory Board 17
General Election 2017: Costs 17
Government Departments:
Buildings 17
Government Departments:
Sign Language 18
Local Government: Elections 18
New Businesses: Bolton 19
Public Sector: Equality 19
Public Sector: Pay 22
Referendums 23
Zero Hours Contracts:
Blackburn with Darwen 23
TREASURY 23
Alcoholic Drinks: Excise Duties 23
Bank Services 24
Child Tax Credit 24
Gaming Machines 25
Revenue and Customs:
Cornwall 25
Revenue and Customs: Staff 25
Social Services: Minimum
Wage 26
UK Trade with EU 26
COMMUNITIES AND LOCAL
GOVERNMENT 27
Affordable Housing and
Shared Ownership Schemes 27
Department for Communities
and Local Government: Iron
and Steel 27
EU Grants and Loans: Wales 28
High Rise Flats: Fire
Prevention 28
Housing Estates:
Regeneration 28
Housing: Carbon Emissions 29
Housing: Solar Power 29
Mayors: Sheffield City Region 30
Social Services: Finance 30
DEFENCE 31
Armed Forces 31
Armed Forces: Compensation 34
Armed Forces: Recruitment 34
Cyprus: Military Bases 35
Defence and Aerospace
Industry: North West 35
Gulf War Syndrome 36
HMS Duncan 36
Law of War 36
North Korea: Nuclear
Weapons 36
NSA/CSS Georgia: Staff 37
USA: Counter-terrorism 37
USA: Military Aid 38
Yemen: Counter-terrorism 38
DIGITAL, CULTURE, MEDIA AND
SPORT 38
Cultural Heritage: Finance 38
Cultural Heritage: Security 38
Food: Advertising 39
Public Libraries: Closures 39
S4C: Reviews 40
Tourism 40
EDUCATION 40
Apprentices 40
Apprentices: Finance 41
Apprentices: Older People 43
Children: Day Care 44
Graduates: Disadvantaged 46
National Careers Service 46
Pre-school Education: Pupil
Premium 47
Pre-school Education: Staff 47
Schools: Vocational Guidance 47
Teachers: Training 48
ENVIRONMENT, FOOD AND
RURAL AFFAIRS 48
Agriculture 48
Agriculture: Animal Welfare
and Antibiotics 48
Agriculture: Seasonal Workers 49
Animal Welfare: Convictions 49
Common Fisheries Policy 50
Dogs: Animal Breeding 51
European Chemicals Agency 51
Fisheries 52
Fisheries: North Sea 52
Flood Control: Greenwich 52
National Institute of
Agricultural Botany 53
Packaging 54
Pets: Shops 54
Plastics 54
Timber: EU Law 55
Tree Planting: Urban Areas 55
EXITING THE EUROPEAN
UNION 55
Department for Exiting the
European Union: Secondment 55
UK relations with EU 56
FOREIGN AND
COMMONWEALTH OFFICE 57
Andargachew Tsege 57
Iran: Baha'i Faith 57
Iran: Human Rights 58
Iran: Nuclear Weapons 58
Iran: Political Prisoners 59
Libya: Politics and
Government 59
Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe 59
South Sudan: Abduction 60
Syria: Politics and Government 61
USA: Counter-terrorism 61
USA: North Korea 61
HEALTH 62
AAT Deficiency: Health
Services 62
Abortion Act 1967 62
Atrial Fibrillation 63
Cancer 64
Chronic Fatigue Syndrome 64
Chronic Fatigue Syndrome:
Further Education 65
Diabetes and Hypertension:
Pharmacy 65
Diets: Drugs 66
Drugs: Blackpool 66
Drugs: Rehabilitation 67
Eating Disorders: Children 67
Eating Disorders: Scotland 68
Electronic Cigarettes:
Advertising 68
Emergency Calls: East Sussex 69
Familial
Hypercholesterolaemia 69
Health Services: Tyne and
Wear 70
Hepatitis 70
Hospital Beds 71
Influenza: Health Services 72
Medical Treatments:
Innovation 72
Meningitis: Vaccination 72
Mental Health Services:
Children 73
Mental Health Services:
Children and Young People 74
Mental Health Services: Staff 75
NHS: Reorganisation 76
Obesity: Children 77
Obesity: Surgery 78
Patients: Transport 78
Pharmacy: Medical Records 78
Sugar 79
Sugar: Consumption 80
HOME OFFICE 80
Crime: Finance 80
Immigrants: Detainees 81
Police: Finance 81
Radicalism 82
HOUSE OF COMMONS
COMMISSION 82
Elizabeth Tower: Repairs and
Maintenance 82
INTERNATIONAL
DEVELOPMENT 83
Malaria 83
INTERNATIONAL TRADE 83
Exports: EU Countries 83
JUSTICE 84
European Protection Orders 84
Family Proceedings 85
Juries: Hearing Impaired 85
Legal Aid Scheme: Domestic
Violence 85
Probation 86
Probation: Gloucestershire 86
Probation: Meetings 87
SCOTLAND 88
Food Banks: Scotland 88
TRANSPORT 88
Airports: Northern Cyprus 88
ATOL 88
Bus Services: Franchises 89
Crossrail 2 Line: Haringey 89
Harbour Authorities 90
Navigation 90
Ports: Navigation 90
Railway Stations: Access 91
Railway Stations: Disability 91
Railways: North East 92
Road Traffic Control 92
Shared Spaces: Disability 93
Taxis: Guide Dogs 93
WALES 94
EU Grants and Loans: Wales 94
WOMEN AND EQUALITIES 94
Members: Females 94
WORK AND PENSIONS 94
Department for Work and
Pensions: Correspondence 94
Department for Work and
Pensions: Telephone Services 95
Employment and Support
Allowance: County Durham 95
Local Housing Allowance 95
Social Security Benefits: Debts 96
Social Security Benefits: EU
Nationals 96
State Retirement Pensions:
Females 96
Universal Credit: Payments 97
Universal Credit: Self-
employed 97
Universal Credit: Telephone
Services 98
Wheels to Work Schemes:
Rural Areas 98
Work Capability Assessment:
Exemptions 98
MINISTERIAL CORRECTIONS 100
INTERNATIONAL TRADE 100
Exports: EU Countries 100
WRITTEN STATEMENTS 102
TREASURY 102
Banking Act 2009 reporting 102
DEFENCE 102
Service Complaints
Ombudsman's 2016 Annual
Report - Ministry of Defence
Response 102
HOME OFFICE 102
Public consultation on defining
antique firearms 102
NORTHERN IRELAND 103
Northern Ireland Update 103
TRANSPORT 104
High Speed Rail (Preparation)
Act 2013, Annual Expenditure
Report for 2016-17 104
Roads 105
WORK AND PENSIONS 106
Agenda of the Employment,
Social Policy, Health and
Consumer Affairs Council
(EPSCO), 19 October 2017,
Luxembourg 106
Notes:
Questions marked thus [R] indicate that a relevant interest has been declared.
Questions with identification numbers of 900000 or greater indicate that the question was originally tabled as an
oral question and has since been unstarred.
ANSWERS
BUSINESS, ENERGY AND INDUSTRIAL STRATEGY
Bombardier: USA
Mark Tami: [107943]
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what
representations he and his Cabinet colleagues made to (a) their counterparts in the US
Administration and (b) US industry on subsidies provided by Washington State for
Boeing's Dreamliner.
Richard Harrington:
The European Union has competency for all trade matters that involve the WTO and
while we have been closely engaged with the Commission they led all the
negotiations and arguments concerning the case regarding Washington State’s
support for Boeings Dreamliner.
Construction: Equality
Chi Onwurah: [107987]
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps
the Government is taking to promote (a) gender and (b) racial diversity in the construction
industry.
Margot James:
The Government is committed to supporting the construction sector to increase the
gender and ethnic diversity of its workforce, to ensure there are opportunities for all
who wish to pursue construction careers, regardless of their background. The
Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) has developed a ‘Be Fair’ framework,
which includes freely available fairness and inclusion training modules for
construction firms.
In addition, CITB’s careers hub, ‘Go Construct’, provides online guidance and case
studies for prospective employees - and employers - on a range of diversity topics,
including gender and race. We are engaged in discussions with the sector as to how
further improvements in its diversity can best be achieved.
Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy: Iron and Steel
Nic Dakin: [105703]
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, pursuant to
the Answer of 11 September 2017 to Question 9980, on iron and steel: procurement,
what progress his Department has made on delivering greater UK steel content in line
with the public procurement guidelines published by the Government in April 2016.
Claire Perry:
All public authorities are required to implement government guidelines that set out
how government buyers should source steel for major projects so that the true value
of UK steel is taken into account in major procurement decisions.
We are currently checking that central government departments are implementing the
guidelines in their procurement decisions. We have also published future steel
requirements to 2020, to enable UK steel manufacturers to better plan and bid for
government contracts.
Energy: Housing
Mr Alan Campbell: [106662]
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what
assessment he has made of the potential financial effect on consumers of implementation
of the recommendations set out in the Each Home Counts review.
Mr Alan Campbell: [106663]
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether his
Department has conducted an economic impact assessment of the recommendations set
out in the Each Home Counts review; and if he will make a statement.
Mr Alan Campbell: [106664]
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether
industry members of the Each Home Counts implementation board receive a payment
from his Department.
Mr Alan Campbell: [106665]
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what the total
cost to the public purse is of the Each Home Counts review.
Mr Alan Campbell: [106666]
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, if he will list
the dates when he and Ministers of his Department met the Each Home Counts
implementation board since December 2016.
Mr Alan Campbell: [106667]
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether he is
taking to steps to ensure that gas-safe registered installers are not required to undertake
additional work as a result of the Each Home Counts review.
Mr Alan Campbell: [106668]
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps he
is taking to ensure that the Each Home Counts implementation board has no financial
interest in the outcome of its recommendations.
Mr Alan Campbell: [106669]
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps he
has taken to consult gas-safe registered installers on the Each Home Counts
implementation board's recommendations.
Mr Alan Campbell: [106670]
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what estimate
he has made of the total cost to industry of the quality mark proposals recommended by
the Each Home Counts implementation board.
Claire Perry:
The Each Home Counts review was an independent review, led by Dr. Peter
Bonfield, which published its report in December 2016. Implementation of Each
Home Counts is being led by industry, with the support of Government. All members
of the Implementation Board participate on a voluntary basis with no remuneration
and are required to declare any conflicts of interest. Where conflicts are identified
members are excluded from any decision making process in which they would have
an actual or perceived conflict. Ministers have not met with the Implementation Board
since December 2016, but Departmental officials are present at meetings as
observers.
The approach taken by the Board has been to encourage constructive stakeholder
participation and engage across the sector. A broad range of stakeholders have been
involved, including members representative of GasSafe installers.
One of the main recommendations from the Review was to establish a quality mark
for retrofit energy efficiency and renewable energy measures, and for companies
operating in this sector.
It is for industry to propose how the new quality mark framework will be structured
and financed. As indicated in the Review it is intended that action build on good
practice so reducing bureaucracy and potential duplication and reducing cost for
industry and consumers overall.
The Each Home Counts review recognised that there is already good practice in the
sector and many organisations operate to high standards. Where the quality mark
requirements are already being met, companies will be able to apply to operate under
the quality mark without further improvements. There is no intention from
Government to make participation in the proposed Each Home Counts quality mark
mandatory for any business or sector. As there is no regulatory requirement,
Government does not plan to conduct a dedicated economic impact assessment for
Each Home Counts.
Energy: Prices
Mr Jim Cunningham: [107746]
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what
assessment his Department has made of the effectiveness of competition conditions for
domestic supply contracts within the retail energy market; and if he will make a
statement.
Margot James:
Since 2010, the number of domestic energy suppliers in the UK has increased from
13 to over 60 and independent suppliers now have over 20% share of the dual fuel
market. In addition, almost 3 million electricity and gas switches took place between
January and July this year.
However, the Competition and Markets Authority has found that millions of domestic
energy customers were paying around £1.4 billion annually more than they would if
the market were functioning effectively. On 12 October the Government published a
draft Bill for pre-legislative scrutiny that would require Ofgem to put in place a
temporary price cap on standard variable and default tariffs.
Fracking: Ryedale
Rebecca Long Bailey: [107816]
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether he
has made an assessment that (a) the relevant criteria for hydraulic fracturing consent
have been met for the KM8 wellsite in Ryedale, North Yorkshire and (b) it is appropriate
to grant hydraulic fracturing consent; and if he will make a statement.
Richard Harrington:
The Government is assessing and will respond appropriately in due course.
Hinkley Point C Power Station: South Wales
Nick Thomas-Symonds: [107973]
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether he
has had discussions with the Welsh Government on minimising any potential effect of
radioactive sediment from the Hinkley Point nuclear power plant on the South Wales
coastline.
Richard Harrington:
Licensing for marine disposal of sediments around the South Wales coastline is a
devolved matter for Natural Resources Wales and the Welsh Government. Nuclear
safety and environmental protection are of paramount importance to the UK
Government. The UK has a strong regulatory system and companies involved in the
civil nuclear industry are required to meet robust standards overseen by independent
regulators.
Nick Thomas-Symonds: [107974]
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what
assessment he has made of the potential effect of radioactive sediment from the Hinkley
Point nuclear power plant on the South Wales coastline.
Richard Harrington:
Licensing for marine disposal of sediments around the South Wales coastline is a
devolved matter for Natural Resources Wales and the Welsh Government. Nuclear
safety and environmental protection are of paramount importance to the UK
Government. The UK has a strong regulatory system and companies involved in the
civil nuclear industry are required to meet robust standards overseen by independent
regulators.
Nick Thomas-Symonds: [107975]
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, how he plans
to ensure the safety of the South Wales coastline in relation to potential effect of
radioactive sediment from the Hinkley Point nuclear power plant.
Richard Harrington:
Licensing for marine disposal of sediments around the South Wales coastline is a
devolved matter for Natural Resources Wales and the Welsh Government. Nuclear
safety and environmental protection are of paramount importance to the UK
Government. The UK has a strong regulatory system and companies involved in the
civil nuclear industry are required to meet robust standards overseen by independent
regulators.
Homebase: Closures
Jo Swinson: [107755]
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what support
the Government is offering to the employees affected by the closure of some Homebase
stores.
Margot James:
We have mobilised Jobcentre Plus’s Rapid response Service to help workers get
back into employment as soon as possible. This service is tailored to individuals’
needs and can include some or all of the following:
- Help with job searches, including CV writing and interview skills;
- Help to identify transferable skills and skills gaps, linked to the local labour market;
- Training to update skills, learn new ones and gain industry recognised certification
that will improve employability;
- Help to overcome barriers to attending training, securing a job or self-employment,
such as child care costs, tools, work clothes and travel costs.
It is worth noting that in June, Bunnings, the owner of Homebase, announced plans
to create over 1,000 new jobs in the UK.
Job Creation: North East
Mr Stephen Hepburn: [107348]
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps he
is taking to support job creation schemes in (a) Jarrow constituency, (b) South Tyneside
and (c) the North East.
Margot James:
Through the North East LEP Growth Deal we are supporting economic development
with £379.6m of Local Growth Fund, including that for the International Advanced
Manufacturing Park, partly in your constituency. The North East LEP estimates that
their Growth Deal will lead to the creation of 8,000 jobs.
In addition to this we have agreed two City Deals. One for Newcastle with a £90m
infrastructure programme, and one for Sunderland and South Tyneside worth
£87.5m, which Sunderland City council predict will create 5,200 jobs.
Across England, Growth Hubs provide businesses with access to tailored local advice
and support to help them grow. Within the North East this has provided nearly 1,200
businesses with coaching and support.
It is also worth noting that there are over 55,000 more people in employment in the
North East LEP area than the equivalent period in 2010.
Petroleum (Production) Regulations 1966
Rachael Maskell: [107959]
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what changes
have been made to the Model Clauses incorporated in PL080 Licence from the
Petroleum (Production) Regulations 1966.
Richard Harrington:
The model clauses incorporated into the Licence are those deriving from Schedule 3
of The Petroleum (Production) Regulations 1966 as set out in Schedule 3 of the
Petroleum (Current Model Clauses) Order 1999.
Renewable Energy
Mr Laurence Robertson: [107323]
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps he
is taking to increase the amount of electricity generated from renewable sources.
Richard Harrington:
[Holding answer 17 October 2017]: In 2016, renewables share of total generation
was nearly 25% of UK electricity generation, and we are on track to meet our
ambition of delivering 30% of the UK’s electricity from renewables in 2020-21. Recent
steps to continue this progress include the latest Contracts for Difference round in
which we secured a further 3.3GW of renewable electricity, enough to power 3.6
million homes.
Just last week I was pleased to announce that up to £557 million will be made
available for less established renewable electricity projects as part of the
government’s Clean Growth Strategy, to drive economic growth and clean up the
energy system. The next Contracts for Difference auction is planned for spring 2019.
CABINET OFFICE
Absent Voting
Cat Smith: [105247]
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will assess the merits of introducing a
process to cancel a postal ballot paper issued to an elector who is subsequently deleted
from the electoral register during an election period.
Chris Skidmore:
Electoral law is clear that a person must be included in the register of electors for a
poll in order to be entitled to vote at that poll. The Government recognises that it is
possible for postal ballot papers to be issued to a postal voter who may subsequently
be removed from the register to be used at the poll. We will look to review the current
provisions on the cancellation of postal ballot papers to see whether improvements
can be made to the law in this area.
Action Fraud: Finance
Nick Thomas-Symonds: [9843]
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the National Cyber Security
Strategy, how much funding has been allocated to the Action Fraud helpline.
Caroline Nokes:
In November 2016 the Government published a new five year National Cyber
Security Strategy 2016 - 2021, which defines our vision and ambition for the future: a
UK that is secure and resilient to cyber threats. The strategy is being implemented
through the National Cyber Security Programme (NCSP), which allocates
transformative investment to lead government departments to support delivery of the
objectives set out in the strategy.
In 2017/18, we have committed £30 million of NCSP money for law enforcement and
combating cyber crime. Of this, £4,801,300 has been allocated to the City of London
Police, which includes £3,200,000 funding specifically for Action Fraud.
In 2016/17, the City of London Police received £3,153,296 NCSP funding, of which
£2,775,000 was spent on funding for Action Fraud.
The Home Office also separately funds the Action Fraud/ National Fraud Intelligence
Bureau (NFIB) capability. In 2016/17 this totalled £7,443,000. £8 million has been
allocated to this capability in 2017/18.
Brexit
Dr Matthew Offord: [105381]
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, which Minister authorised the Cabinet
Secretary to discuss the comments made by Lord Maude on the UK leaving the EU with
the media.
Damian Green:
It is not unusual for the Cabinet Secretary and Head of the Civil Service to comment
publicly on matters relating to the management of the Civil Service. Information
relating to internal discussion and advice is not disclosed.
Cabinet Office: Disclosure of Information
Jon Trickett: [105075]
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what steps he has taken to facilitate
whistleblowing in his Department and its arm-length bodies.
Caroline Nokes:
Over the last year a great deal of work has been undertaken in Cabinet Office to
ensure all staff are confident in raising whistleblowing concerns and assured that
action will be taken as a result. This includes:
A new whistleblowing and raising concerns policy was introduced in July 2016,
bringing the department in line with cross government best practice. This policy
gives a clear outline of how to raise a whistleblowing concern in the department.
6 Nominated Officers have been trained over the last year and are currently in post
to support staff and managers with raising whistleblowing concerns as an
independent person. 3 additional Nominated Officers are to be trained in the next
two months to ensure coverage in larger units as well as those units that may need
to approach someone with higher security clearance.
A DG whistleblowing champion was put in place in October 2017.
Cabinet Office’s bespoke line manager training course includes a section that
covers whistleblowing and how to deal with a whistleblowing concern as a line
manager.
Cabinet Office took part in the cross government whistleblowing awareness week
in October 2016 and whistleblowing awareness day in September 2017.
A new ‘Speak Up’ campaign was launched in April 2017 aimed at encouraging staff
to raise all types of concerns. This campaign was refreshed in September 2017.
The Civil Service Commission attended a recent all staff diversity event to raise
awareness of their part in hearing whistleblowing concerns under the Civil Service
code.
Data is regularly collected and reviewed on numbers and types of concerns raised
to inform continuous action and communications.
Further communications are planned throughout the year to ensure on-going
awareness of the ways individuals can raise whistleblowing concerns.
Cabinet Office: Procurement
Jon Trickett: [10444]
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many civil servants in his Department are
part of the Government Commercial Function; and how many of those civil servants have
been seconded (a) outside of government and (b) in from outside of the government in
each year since 2012.
Caroline Nokes:
The Government Commercial Function is staffed by employees working across many
Civil Service Departments. Within the Cabinet Office as at 30 th September 2017,
there are 27.5 FTE in the Government Commercial Function who set the vision and
direction of the Government Commercial Function and support the running of the
Government Commercial Organisation.
The Government Commercial Organisation (GCO), founded in 2016, is the Central
employer of senior Commercial staff across the Civil Service. As at 30 th September
2017 it employs 220 people as part of the Cabinet Office. Members of the GCO all sit
within government departments, working on commercial contracts within those
departments. Two members of the GCO are out on secondment, to MHRA and
NEST. No members of the GCO have been seconded in to the Civil Service.
Crown Commercial Service: Procurement
Jon Trickett: [105246]
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 12 September 2017
to Question 7708, on Crown Commercial Service: procurement, what the two contracts
were where the tender ran for longer than one year.
Caroline Nokes:
The two procurements that took longer to award than twelve months in 2013-14 were
ConsultancyOne (RM 1502) and Locum Doctors including Locum GPs (RM 1570).
Data Protection
Stephen Timms: [105171]
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what assessment he has made of the effect on
UK data privacy legislation of not incorporating into UK law, Article 8 of the EU Charter of
Fundamental Rights.
Caroline Nokes:
The UK has a long history of protecting the rights of its citizens, and we intend to
continue to protect those rights through our domestic legislation. The Data Protection
Bill will set high standards for protecting personal data in accordance with the GDPR.
We will continue to provide a world-class standard of data protection after we leave
the European Union
The removal of the Charter from UK law should not affect the substantive rights that
individuals already benefit from in the UK when their data are processed. The Charter
is not the source of rights contained within it, it was intended only to catalogue rights
that already existed in EU law. The Government has committed to implementing the
GDPR, which affords individuals judicial redress in the event of a data breach.
Electoral Register
Cat Smith: [105248]
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will assess the merits of clarifying the
arrangements around deferring publication of the electoral register where an election
occurs during the defined canvass period.
Chris Skidmore:
The Government recognises that greater clarity could be provided on deferring
publication of the electoral register under these circumstances. We will keep the
matter under review and address it when the opportunity arises.
Cat Smith: [107936]
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how much funding was allocated by the
Government to support (a) the registration of UK electors overseas and (b) residents
without a fixed address in advance of the (i) 2017 General Election, (ii) EU referendum
and (iii) 2015 General Election.
Chris Skidmore:
Most funding for electoral registration is the responsibility of local authorities.
However, in recent years (including all the years in question) the Cabinet Office has
made available extra funding to cover the additional costs of Individual Electoral
Registration. Such funding will have assisted with the cost of any targeted canvassing
of groups such as those without a fixed address or overseas electors. However it is
not possible to estimate the specific costs of such activity.
Cat Smith: [107937]
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what steps the Government is taking to ensure
consistency in Unique Property Reference Numbers for the database used by councils
and the gov.uk/register-to-vote website.
Chris Skidmore:
Citizens applying to register to vote using the Government website must enter their
address. After verification, citizen applications are passed to Electoral Registration
Officers. The record passed to each ERO includes the Unique Property Reference
Number (UPRN) drawn from an Ordnance Survey database. It is up to each ERO
how to make use of this UPRN.
Cat Smith: [107941]
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will make it his policy to establish an
online service to enable people to check if they are registered to vote.
Chris Skidmore:
Determining an individual’s registration status is the responsibility of Electoral
Registration Officers and only EROs hold up-to- date information allowing a citizen to
check if they are registered. This means that citizens can contact their local electoral
administration office to make enquiries about registration status.
Making information about registration status available on-line on a national basis
would be a significant undertaking and we have no current plans to introduce such a
system. It may be more appropriate for EROs to work with their software suppliers to
make registers available for checking on-line.
Electoral Register: British Nationals Abroad
Cat Smith: [107938]
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what safeguards are in place to ensure that
people registered to vote outside of the UK do not register in more than one
parliamentary constituency.
Chris Skidmore:
British citizens outside the UK can only register as an overseas elector in the
constituency in which they were registered to vote, provided that entry was in force
within 15 years of them making an overseas elector's declaration. Section 2(4)
of the Representation of the People Act 1985 prevents a person from specifying more
than one address on the declaration; and also prevents a person from having more
than one declaration in force at any one time.
Registration Officers have the power to request information required to prove this.
Providing false information to a registration officer is an offence and for England and
Wales can result in up to 51 weeks imprisonment or an unlimited fine, and for
Scotland up to 6 months imprisonment or a maximum fine of £5,000.
Electronic Government: Proof of Identity
Jon Trickett: [10203]
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the Answer of 15 December
2016 to Question 57073, what the cost to the public purse of the gov.uk Verify system
has been to date.
Caroline Nokes:
There are no more recent audited figures than those published in the answer of 15
December 2016 to Question 57073, GOV.UK Verify has cost £54.4m to develop and
has saved £111.44m.
GDS Advisory Board
Andrew Gwynne: [107256]
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 7 September 2017
to Question 6989, for what reason the Government Digital Service Advisory Board has
not met since January 2017.
Andrew Gwynne: [107257]
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 7 September 2017
to Question 6989, whether there is a timetable for quarterly meetings of the Government
Digital Service Advisory Board.
Caroline Nokes:
A combination of factors has meant that the GDS Advisory Board has not met since
January 2017. In particular, GDS deemed it sensible to wait until the outcome of the
general election before convening a meeting of the GDS Advisory Board to
understand fully any impacts on future priorities
A meeting was scheduled for 9 October but due to a lack of board member
availability, this is being rescheduled to early November. There is a provisional date
for a further meeting on 22 January 2018 but at present there is not a timetable for
future quarterly meetings beyond this.
General Election 2017: Costs
Darren Jones: [106643]
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what was the cost to the public purse of
holding the general election 2017.
Chris Skidmore:
The Parliamentary Secretary at the Cabinet Office notified Parliament of the forecast
cost of the UK general election of £140,850,000 in a Written Ministerial Statement on
13 September 2017 (Hansard Volume 628, reference HCWS130).
Government Departments: Buildings
Jon Trickett: [8301]
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how the Government Property Unit calculated
that 75 per cent of staff will relocate to a hub less than 10 miles from their current office
and that 90 per cent will relocate within 25 miles, as set out in the National Audit Office
report Progress on the government estate strategy.
Caroline Nokes:
The Government Hubs Programme will consolidate office space in locations with a
significant Civil Service presence.
The location of a strategic hub is based on rigorous criteria including excellent
connections to a range of local and national public transport options to ensure that it
is accessible.
Moreover, they are chosen in consultation with the major departmental occupiers
planned for that Hub, to ensure that it meets their workforce and operational
requirements.
The percentages quoted in the NAO report were based on GPU’s assessment, at the
time, of the proposed capacity of a new hub and the number of staff based in offices
within a 10- and 25-mile radius of the city centres (where Hubs are planned to be).
Moreover, the locations are chosen in consultation with the major departmental
occupiers planned for that Hub, to ensure that it meets their workforce and
operational requirements.
Jon Trickett: [8303]
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether his Department has a target for the
number of homes to be built on disposed of Government estate assets.
Caroline Nokes:
The Cabinet Office has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question
within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as
soon as it is available.
Government Departments: Sign Language
Jim Fitzpatrick: [9795]
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, which Government (a) department and (b)
Minister is responsible for the promotion and recognition of British Sign Language.
Caroline Nokes:
Under the Equality Act 2010 and Public Sector Equality Duty, all Government
departments have a responsibility to create inclusive communications. This does not
mean promoting BSL as an activity in itself but it does mean identifying and meeting
the communication needs of the audiences we are targeting (for example, where
formats could include Braille, BSL, easy read etc).
Local Government: Elections
Chris Green: [108084]
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what steps the Government has taken to
implement the recommendations of Sir Eric Pickles' review of electoral fraud entitled
Securing the ballot, not including the voter ID pilots planned for the May 2018 local
elections.
Chris Skidmore:
The Government’s view is that electoral fraud is unacceptable on any level. Sir Eric
Pickles’ review made a number of recommendations for strengthening the integrity of
the electoral process. In addition to the voter ID pilots taking place in the May 2018
elections, Tower Hamlets will also pilot changes to postal voting. The Government is
also seeking to end the practice of postal vote harvesting through measures that will
prohibit party campaigners from handling postal votes, and apply a limit to the
number of postal ballots that any one individual can hand in at a polling station.
Additionally, the Electoral Commission has addressed 7 recommendations through
guidance in response to the Pickles Review.
The Government is considering the way forward on the other recommendations made
by Sir Eric Pickles, and will continue to consider how to improve the integrity of
electoral processes more generally.
New Businesses: Bolton
Sir David Crausby: [105762]
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what information the Government holds on the
number of new businesses that were established in Bolton in the most recent year for
which figures are available.
Chris Skidmore:
The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority.
I have asked the Authority to reply.
Attachments:
1. UKSA response [PQ 105762 v.03 (1).pdf]
Public Sector: Equality
Afzal Khan: [107215]
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, which (a) groups and (b) organisations were
involved in stakeholder consultation exercises as part of the Race Disparity Audit, broken
down by (i) sector, (ii) race and (iii) ethnicity.
Damian Green:
[Holding answer 17 October 2017]: All UK Government Departments, the Office for
National Statistics, the UK Statistics Authority and all three Devolved Administrations
have been consulted about the development of the Audit. Outside organisations
consulted about the Race Disparity Audit are listed below. Data is not held on the
race or ethnicity of individuals who were consulted.
Academic sector
Academy Of Medical Sciences
Birkbeck College, University of London
Bristol University
British Academy
Huddersfield University
London School of Economics
NatCen Social Research
Royal Society
Sheffield University
Universities UK
University of Edinburgh
University of Essex
University of London
University of Manchester
University of Oxford
University of Sheffield
Non-Government Organisations
Belong
BEMIS Scotland
Big Lottery Fund
Bite the Ballot
Black Thrive
Black Training and Enterprise Group
BME Health Forum
BRAP
British Heart Foundation
Business in the Community
Cancer Research UK
CEMVO Scotland
Changing the Chemistry (CtC)
Chinese Health Living Centre
Citizens Advice
Data Orchard
Education and Employers Taskforce
Employers Network for Equality and Inclusion
Equality and Diversity Forum
Equality and Human Rights Commission
Friends, Families and Travellers
FullFact
Gypsy Traveller Empowerment
Inclusion Cornwall
Institute for Public Policy Research
Joseph Rowntree Foundation
Kings Fund
National Black Women’s Network
Northern Ireland Council for Racial Equality
Office for Fair Access
Olmec
One Voice For Travellers
Open Data Institute
Operation Black Vote
QED UK
Race Equality Foundation
Race on the Agenda
RJ Working
Roma Support Group
Royal Academy of Engineering
Royal College of Psychiatrists
Runnymede Trust
St Giles Trust
The Leeds GATE
Voice 4 Change
Work Foundation
Young Foundation
Private sector
Green Park Ltd
Public sector
Bradford City Council
Bradford College
Bradford Health and Well Being Board
Camden Council
City of London Academies Trust
Cornwall Council
Greater London Authority
Hackney Council
Haringey Council
Harris Federation
Higher Education Funding Council for England
Lambeth Council
Office for Students
NHS BME Network
NHS Kernow Clinical Commissioning Group
NHS Yorkshire and Humber Commissioning Support
Royal Cornwall Hospital Trust
Sheffield Council
South London and Maudsley NHS Trust
Public Sector: Pay
Jo Churchill: [7458]
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what assessment the Government has made
of publishing details of all public sector pay above the £100,000 threshold for which it
holds the relevant information.
Caroline Nokes:
The Civil Service aims to be as transparent as possible, and already discloses a
significant amount of senior pay data. The Office for National Statistics publishes a
range of detailed pay information in its annual release of Civil Service Statistics,
including the number of staff earning over £100,000 and other pay information. The
latest release is available at:
https://www.ons.gov.uk/employmentandlabourmarket/peopleinwork/publicsectorperso
nnel/datasets/civilservicestatistics
In addition, since 2010 the Government has published an annual list of individuals in
departments, agencies and Non-departmental Public Bodies earning £150,000 and
above. Departments also publish organograms every six months that include
individualised salary information for their most senior staff
Relevant departments are responsible for transparency policy in wider public sector
workforces.
Referendums
Cat Smith: [105239]
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will bring forward proposals to provide for
the appointment of sub-agents at any future national referendum.
Chris Skidmore:
Referendums held under the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000
(PPERA) have not previously allowed for sub-agents to be appointed by referendum
agents. We will consider this matter further with the Electoral Commission and the
Association of Electoral Administrators (AEA).
Zero Hours Contracts: Blackburn with Darwen
Kate Hollern: [105536]
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what proportion of employees in Blackburn
with Darwen were on zero hours contracts in each year for which data is available.
Chris Skidmore:
The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority.
I have asked the Authority to reply.
Attachments:
1. UKSA response [PQ 105536 v.02 (1).pdf]
TREASURY
Alcoholic Drinks: Excise Duties
Tim Loughton: [107904]
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made on the effect on
the wine and spirit industry of the 3.9 per cent increase in duty paid.
Tim Loughton: [107905]
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what fiscal steps his Department is taking to
support the wine and spirits industry after the UK leaves the EU.
Tim Loughton: [107906]
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will make it his policy to halt the planned
increases in wine and spirits duty.
Tim Loughton: [107907]
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will review the planned increases to the duty
applied to wines and spirits in the November budget.
Andrew Jones:
As for every Finance Bill measure, HMRC provided a Tax Impact Information Note
which included an impact assessment of alcohol duty changes. This can be found
online at:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/alcohol-duty-rate-changes/alcohol-duty-
rate-changes
The government keeps all taxes under review at fiscal events, and we will consider
this issue carefully as part of the Autumn Budget process. Any changes to alcohol
duties need to take account of a wide range of factors, including the Exchequer
impact, the impact on businesses and consumers, public health and the distributional
impact of reform.
Until exit negotiations are concluded, the UK remains a full member of the European
Union and all the rights and obligations of EU membership remain in force. We will
seek to achieve the right deal for Britain and for the EU.
Bank Services
Chi Onwurah: [107985]
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps the Government is taking to allow (a)
bank customers and (b) customers of open banking services greater control over their
banking data.
Stephen Barclay:
The Government laid the Payment Services Regulations on 19 July 2017, which
supports bank customers to take greater control over their data.
The Government is also working with the Open Banking Implementation Entity to
implement the CMA Retail Banking Market Investigation Order. The order facilitates
the introduction of a range of Open Banking services for bank customers from 2018.
Open Banking allows customers to exercise control over their data in a way that is
secure, safe and standardised.
Child Tax Credit
Melanie Onn: [107976]
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many kinship carers have been denied child
tax credit, for a baby to whom they or their partner have given birth, as a result of the
restriction of child tax credit to two children in a household since 6 April 2017.
Elizabeth Truss:
The government is committed to making the welfare system fair for those who pay for
it as well as those who benefit from it. In recognition that some tax credit claimants
are not able to make choices about the number of children in their family, the
government has provided exceptions for certain groups, including in cases of kinship
care.
Data on the exceptions is intended for publication at a future date following quality
assurance.
Gaming Machines
Stephen Timms: [107989]
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the potential fiscal effect is of reducing the
maximum stake on fixed odds betting terminals to (a) £2, (b) £10, (c) £20, (d) £30 and (e)
£100.
Andrew Jones:
Gambling regulation is a matter for the Department for Culture, Media and Sport
(DCMS) and the Gambling Commission. The DCMS are currently undertaking a
review of the Gambling Industry, and expect to publish a consultation document
shortly. As the DCMS develops policy in this area, HM Treasury will work closely with
them to establish the fiscal effect.
Revenue and Customs: Cornwall
Chris Stephens: [107911]
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to page 46 of HM Revenue and
Customs Annual Report and Accounts 2016-17, whether HM Revenue and Customs took
account of the minority status of the Cornish under the Framework Convention for the
Protection of National Minorities when it made location decisions under the Building our
Future Programme.
Mel Stride:
HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) conducted People and Equality Impact
Assessments using known workforce management data as part of the initial planning
for its Locations Programme.
All staff will have a one-to-one discussion with their manager around a year ahead of
any move. These discussions will establish if staff can move and the level of support
required, and the potential impact on people with protected characteristics, including
national origin.
HMRC’s approach considers all impacts across all of the groups protected under
equality legislation. It is continually assessing, managing and refreshing the
documenting of these impacts and associated actions.
Revenue and Customs: Staff
Chris Stephens: [107832]
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 11 September 2017 to
Question 6005, what plans HM Revenue and Customs has to conduct compliance work
nationally from a reduced number of tax offices.
Mel Stride:
HMRC has always taken a risk-based approach to its compliance interventions,
allowing it to focus its resources on the highest tax risks which it tackles through a
wide range of targeted compliance interventions.
This national risk-based model and compliance approach has enabled HMRC to
secure more than £160 billion in compliance yield since 2010. This amount increased
year-on-year as the model has been further refined, reaching a record £28.9 billion in
2016-17.
HMRC’s world-leading data and analytical function gives it an informed view of tax
risks across the whole of the UK; including geographically remote areas. All of the
available evidence shows that the highest compliance risks are in, or close to, urban
centres, and that 95 per cent of the highest risks are within 90 minutes’ drive of one
of the planned Regional Centres or Specialist Sites.
Although face-to-face compliance work will continue to have an important role, HMRC
will only use it where it is the most efficient way to progress an intervention or
regulatory requirement. As its use of data and customer insight continues to grow,
more of this work will be done remotely, supported by high-profile targeted taskforce
interventions that will enable it to address compliance risks in more remote locations.
Social Services: Minimum Wage
Paul Blomfield: [107910]
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what proportion of social care employers found
to be non-compliant with the national minimum wage have had arrears identified by self-
correction since January 2016.
Mel Stride:
The government is determined that everyone who is entitled to the National Minimum
and Living Wage (NMW) receives it. Anyone who feels they have been underpaid
NMW should contact the Acas helpline on 0300 123 1100. HMRC review all
complaints that are referred to them.
Between January 2016 and 31 March 2017, HMRC closed 102 social care employer
investigations where NMW arrears were identified. 42 employers out of this total
(41%) were instructed to self-correct a limited amount of the identified arrears. HMRC
does not provide in year data as this has not been verified, so data post 31 March
2017 cannot be provided at this time.
UK Trade with EU
Chuka Umunna: [107952]
To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the potential
additional bureaucratic requirements that will be imposed on British businesses in the
event that the UK leaves the Customs Union.
Mel Stride:
One of the government’s key objectives for the UK’s future customs regime is to
ensure that trade including that with the EU remains as frictionless as possible. At
this stage the level of future facilitation at the border between the UK and the EU is
unknown and subject to the outcome of negotiations. It is therefore not possible to
weigh up the costs and benefits to business.
The government is undertaking a comprehensive programme of analytical work to
assess, across a range of scenarios on a sector by sector basis, the economic
impacts of exiting the European Union, but this analysis is sensitive in the context of
negotiations with the EU. As Parliament has agreed, it would not be appropriate to
publish any such information that could damage our negotiating position.
COMMUNITIES AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT
Affordable Housing and Shared Ownership Schemes
Tulip Siddiq: [106205]
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how much
earmarked for the Shared Ownership and Affordable Homes Programme has been spent
since the scheme was announced in the Spending Review 2015.
Alok Sharma:
The Government launched the Affordable Homes Programme 2016-21 in April 2016.
Initial allocations made by the Homes and Communities Agencies under the
Programme can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/affordable-
homes-programme-2016-to-2021-successful-bidders
The Programme is delivered by the Greater London Authority (GLA) in London. The
GLA launched the Homes for Londoners: Affordable Homes Programme 2016-21 in
November 2016. Initial allocations made by the GLA can be found at:
https://www.london.gov.uk/press-releases/mayoral/record-17bn-deal-for-new-homes
Department for Communities and Local Government: Iron and Steel
Nic Dakin: [105704]
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the
Answer of 11 September 2017 to Question 9980, on iron and steel: procurement, what
progress his Department has made on delivering greater UK steel content in line with the
public procurement guidelines published by the Government in April 2016.
Mr Marcus Jones:
Our procurement activities for all projects does and will follow government guidance
to ensure we take full account of the value provided by UK steel producers.
EU Grants and Loans: Wales
Jo Stevens: [107953]
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the
Answer of 11 October 2017 to Question 105962, what the timetable is for the
establishment of the Shared Property Fund; and if he will make a statement.
Jake Berry:
The Government has committed to use European Structural Funds money that
comes back to the UK following departure from the EU to create a United Kingdom
Shared Prosperity Fund. We will set out a timetable for its development in due
course.
The guarantee announced by my Rt Hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer is
also giving all parts of the UK funding certainty.
High Rise Flats: Fire Prevention
Mr Clive Betts: [107115]
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, if he will list the
local authorities that have made a request for financial assistance for fire safety work in
tower blocks; how much such assistance has been requested in each case; whether that
has been for grant, loan or extra borrowing approval; and whether the Government has
agreed to any additional grant, loan or borrowing approval.
Alok Sharma:
[Holding answer 16 October 2017]: I can confirm that 32 local authorities have been
in touch with DCLG regarding work to ensure fire safety in tower blocks. We have
been clear that building owners are responsible for funding fire safety measures, but
councils should contact us if they have any concerns about funding fire safety works.
Government will consider financial flexibilities for local authorities who need to
undertake essential fire safety work to make a building safe
It is a matter for local authorities to communicate with their residents what work is
being proposed and as such I cannot provide details about specific local authorities.
Housing Estates: Regeneration
Lyn Brown: [7811]
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, if he will make an
assessment of the adequacy of the number of social and affordable housing units created
by the redevelopment of local authority housing estates in each of the last five years.
Alok Sharma:
The Government's Estate Regeneration National Strategy, published in December
2016, emphasises the key leadership role of local authorities in assessing and
delivering the amount of social and affordable housing appropriate to meet the needs
of their area. The National Strategy also sets out Government's expectations for how
authorities should engage with residents throughout an estate regeneration scheme,
and how residents should be protected. The Government's expectation is that all
existing council and housing association tenants, whether on a lifetime or fixed
tenancy, should have the option to return to the estate.
More than twice as much council housing has been built since 2010 than in the
previous 13 years. 10,460 local authority dwellings were built between 2010-11 and
2016-17, up from 2,920 delivered over the previous 13 years (1997-98 to 2009-10).
The Government recently announced plans to deliver more affordable homes,
including at a social rent, by investing £2 billion in additional funding for housing
associations and local councils in England. This will increase the Government’s 2016-
21 Affordable Homes Programme in England to more than £9 billion.
Housing: Carbon Emissions
Steve McCabe: [106154]
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the
Answer of 5 September 2017 to Question 6312, on carbon emissions, whether his review
of the minimum energy performance requirements in the building regulations for new
homes will be complete before the publication of the Clean Growth Strategy.
Alok Sharma:
[Holding answer 11 October 2017]: The Government has commissioned an
independent review of Building Regulations and fire safety, being led by Dame Judith
Hackitt. The review will report in Spring 2018. Any future changes to Building
Regulations will need to be considered following the outcome of the independent
review, and subject to its conclusions. This will of course consider the Clean Growth
Strategy, which was published on 12 October 2017.
Housing: Solar Power
Mr Laurence Robertson: [107322]
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, if he will change
building regulations to ensure that all new buildings are constructed with solar panels.
Alok Sharma:
[Holding answer 17 October 2017]: There are no plans to change the Building
Regulations to ensure that all new buildings are constructed with solar panels.
Building Regulations are deliberately couched in performance terms and mandating a
particular technology, such as solar panels, may not be appropriate for all new
buildings in all areas.
The Government’s Clean Growth Strategy sets out that following the outcome of the
independent review of Building Regulations and fire safety, and subject to its
conclusions, it intends to consult on strengthening energy requirements in building
regulations where there are cost-effective and affordable opportunities, and it is safe
and practical to do so.
Mayors: Sheffield City Region
Dan Jarvis: [107979]
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what estimate he
has made of the cost of the Sheffield City Region mayoral election.
Jake Berry:
Should Sheffield City Region Combined Authorities proceed to elect a Mayor with full
powers, that newly elected Mayor would benefit from a range of powers devolved
from central government, as well as new funding, including:
£30 million a year for 30 years to invest in local strategic priorities;
Responsibility over the region’s transport budget;
Strategic planning;
Skills funding
The associated cost of an election was made clear to Leaders throughout the
process. We have estimated that the cost of the May 2018 mayoral election to the
Sheffield City Region Combined Authority and its four constituent councils, including
costs of the election booklet containing candidate information (which is required to be
distributed to each elector), is likely to be in the range £1.5 million to £2 million.
An election of a mayor without powers is certainly not without benefits for Sheffield
City Region, they would be a significant public figure who would both be chair of the
combined authority and could take their place as the voice of the region alongside the
other city region mayors in the Northern Powerhouse and in other forums with
government or stakeholders.
Social Services: Finance
Andrew Gwynne: [107962]
To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what assessment
his Department has made of the effect of reductions in social care funding on the delayed
transfer of care.
Mr Marcus Jones:
Earlier this year, the Government gave councils access to £9.25 billion more
dedicated funding for adult social care over the next three years. This includes an
additional £2 billion of funding in England, as announced at the Spring Budget 2017.
One of the three purposes of this funding was to reduce pressures on the NHS,
including supporting more people to be discharged from hospital when they are ready
and we know local authorities are putting resources into this. However, performance
is not just about money, and considerable variation remains across the country. We
will be monitoring the position carefully on delayed transfers of care in the run up to
winter.
DEFENCE
Armed Forces
Douglas Chapman: [107294]
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many people currently serving in the
armed forces were born (a) in other EU countries and (b) outside the EU; and in which
countries those armed forces personnel were born.
Mr Tobias Ellwood:
The requested information is provided below:
COUNTRY OF BIRTH
NUMBERS OF REGULAR ARMED FORCES
PERSONNEL AS AT 1 APRIL 2017
Egypt 10
Ethiopia 10
Israel 10
Somalia 10
Turkey 10
Venezuela - Bolivarian Republic of 10
Yemen 10
Ecuador 10
Afghanistan 10
British Indian Ocean Territory 10
Montserrat 10
Bahamas 10
Papua New Guinea 10
Rwanda 10
Tonga 10
Iran - Islamic Republic of 10
Jersey 10
Barbados 10
Indonesia 10
COUNTRY OF BIRTH
NUMBERS OF REGULAR ARMED FORCES
PERSONNEL AS AT 1 APRIL 2017
Kuwait 10
Oman 10
Namibia 10
Russian Federation 10
Brazil 10
Swaziland 10
Colombia 10
Bermuda 20
Seychelles 20
Switzerland 20
Norway 20
Bahrain 20
Japan 20
Tanzania - United Republic of 20
Sri Lanka 20
China 20
Saint Helena - Ascension and Tristan da
Cunha
30
Botswana 30
Guyana 30
Dominica 30
Ukraine 30
Malaysia 40
Saudi Arabia 40
Sierra Leone 40
United Arab Emirates 40
COUNTRY OF BIRTH
NUMBERS OF REGULAR ARMED FORCES
PERSONNEL AS AT 1 APRIL 2017
Pakistan 40
Thailand 50
Bangladesh 50
Belize 50
Brunei Darussalam 50
Philippines 50
Mauritius 60
Zambia 80
Uganda 90
Trinidad and Tobago 90
Singapore 100
Gibraltar 120
New Zealand 130
Cameroon 130
Grenada 140
Canada 150
United States 170
Malawi 200
Australia 210
Gambia 220
Saint Lucia 230
India 240
Nigeria 250
Kenya 270
Cyprus 300
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 440
COUNTRY OF BIRTH
NUMBERS OF REGULAR ARMED FORCES
PERSONNEL AS AT 1 APRIL 2017
Zimbabwe 470
Jamaica 470
Hong Kong 610
Ghana 800
South Africa 1,160
Nepal 1,320
Fiji 1,550
Other 150
Total 11,120
Note: numbers are rounded to the nearest 10 and countries with less than five personnel have
been aggregated into an ‘other’ category in accordance with disclosure control and rounding
policy.
Armed Forces: Compensation
Wayne David: [107769]
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, on what date his Department plans to publish
its response to the Better Compensation consultation; and if he will make a statement.
Mark Lancaster:
The Government’s ‘Better Combat Consultation’ public consultation ran from 1
December 2016 to 23 February of this year. The Government is considering the
views expressed during the consultation carefully and will publish a response in due
course.
Armed Forces: Recruitment
Ian C. Lucas: [107912]
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, for what reasons his Department does not
record the postcode of new recruits to HM Armed Forces.
Mark Lancaster:
The Ministry of Defence does not analyse the locations where recruits to the UK
Armed Forces have been recruited from.
As part of the recruitment process an individual can declare more than one postcode
e.g. 'home', 'work' or 'other'.
Any declared 'home' location may not reflect where that person is from.
Cyprus: Military Bases
Dr David Drew: [107494]
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what plans he has to step the trapping and
killing of song birds on his Department's land in Cyprus.
Mark Lancaster:
Tackling illegal trapping of migratory birds is one of the Sovereign Base Areas (SBA)
Administration's top priorities, with the level of trapping, and plans to counter it,
constantly under review.
Bird trapping is a widespread issue across Cyprus and is not confined to the SBAs.
The SBA Administration is working hard to counter illegal trapping, last year
prosecuting 78 people for trapping and poaching offences, with the SBA Police
conducting 39 major clearance operations. This resulted in the seizure of over 1,000
mist-nets and 450 limesticks.
Since 2014, the SBA Administration has cleared approximately 61 acres of invasive
non-native acacia planted by bird trappers to attract birds and has begun a
programme to remove irrigation piping, which promotes growth of invasive acacia.
Defence and Aerospace Industry: North West
Mike Amesbury: [107966]
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment his Department has made of
the effect on defence and aerospace manufacturing capability in the North West of the
UK leaving the EU.
Mr Tobias Ellwood:
The Ministry of Defence is working closely with the defence industry and other
Government Departments to understand the implications and opportunities presented
by the UK's departure from the European Union.
The European defence sector is already closely integrated; leading companies have
a presence right across Europe, and across the UK, including the North West. It is
worth noting that current major European collaborative capability projects, such as
the Typhoon programme, are managed bilaterally or with groups of partners, rather
than through the EU.
Through our future partnership with the European Union, we want to explore how
best to ensure that our industries can continue working together to deliver the
capabilities that we need to protect the UK and its allies and partners.
Gulf War Syndrome
David Linden: [107153]
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps he has taken to invest in research
on rehabilitation, health and social care models to improve the quality of life for Gulf War
veterans who are experiencing ill health.
Mr Tobias Ellwood:
I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my hon. Friend the Minister of State
for the Armed Forces (Mr Lancaster) on 21 January 2016 to Question 22264 to the
hon. Member for Bridgend (Mrs Moon).
http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-
statements/written-question/Commons/2016-01-13/22264/
Attachments:
1. 22264 - WQnA extract on Gulf War Syndrome
[20160121_22264_WQnA_extract_on_Gulf_War_Syndrome.docx]
HMS Duncan
Gavin Robinson: [107811]
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what discussions he has had with Cabinet
colleagues on the ambassadorial use of HMS Duncan by Belfast City Council or Invest
NI.
Mr Tobias Ellwood:
There have been no discussions in relation to the ambassadorial use of HMS
DUNCAN by Belfast City Council or Invest Northern Ireland.
Law of War
Tom Brake: [107179]
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, on how many occasions since August 2015
the Government has authorised the use of lethal force in a non-military context under the
legal basis of self-defence.
Mark Lancaster:
The Government has not authorised the use of lethal force by UK Armed Forces
under the legal basis of self-defence of the UK in the time period specified.
North Korea: Nuclear Weapons
Leo Docherty: [107207]
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what support his Department is providing to
the US in its response to the threat posed by North Korea.
Sir Michael Fallon:
In line with long standing commitments and ongoing defence engagement, the UK
provides a small number of staff officers to United Nations Command in Korea and
other headquarters across the Asia Pacific region.
The UK as a Sending State is committed to upholding peace and maintaining stability
on the Korean peninsula. We will continue to work with our international partners to
exert political and economic pressure on North Korea to change its direction and
open the way to peaceful resolution.
NSA/CSS Georgia: Staff
Jo Swinson: [107756]
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many UK personnel were embedded in
the National Security Agency Cryptologic Centre in Georgia USA, in each month between
1 October 2016 and 1 October 2017.
Mark Lancaster:
The Ministry of Defence places personnel in a wide variety of roles in the United
States in order to further cooperation with our most important ally on defence matters.
I am witholding information on specific roles or postings as its disclosure would, or
would be likely to, prejudice the capability, effectiveness or security of the Armed
Forces.
USA: Counter-terrorism
Andrew Gwynne: [107095]
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether his Department has received
information obtained by the US Administration by means of provisions within the USA
Patriot Act of 2001; and if he will make a statement.
Sir Michael Fallon:
I am not aware of the Ministry of Defence (MOD) having obtained information
specifically under the provisions of the USA Patriot Act. However, the UK
Government, including the MOD, receives a broad range of classified information
from the United States under existing bilateral and multilateral information-sharing
arrangements.
Tom Brake: [107136]
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what guidance is provided to UK personnel in
support of US counter-terror actions outside of war zones.
Mark Lancaster:
Any military support would only be provided to another State in accordance with our
legal obligations and UK policy. UK military personnel providing such support would
be appropriately briefed on those obligations and a military legal adviser would be
available to advise.
USA: Military Aid
Tom Brake: [107314]
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, on how many occasions since August 2015
the UK has provided (a) intelligence, (b) communications, (c) material and (d) other
assistance to the US in its use of lethal force under the legal basis of self-defence.
Sir Michael Fallon:
We do not routinely comment on other nations' operations or on any intelligence
matters.
Yemen: Counter-terrorism
Tom Brake: [107134]
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many suspected terrorists the
Government has targeted in Yemen (a) on its own and (b) with the US since January
2017.
Tom Brake: [107135]
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, on how many occasions the Government has
authorised the use of (a) UK personnel, (b) UK assets, including RAF bases located in
the UK and (c) UK intelligence in support of US counter-terror operations in Yemen.
Mark Lancaster:
The UK is not involved in counter-terror operations in Yemen. It is a long-standing
policy of the Ministry of Defence not to comment on intelligence matters.
DIGITAL, CULTURE, MEDIA AND SPORT
Cultural Heritage: Finance
Kevin Brennan: [108027]
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what recent
discussions she has had with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on providing finance for
the establishment of a Cultural Development Fund.
John Glen:
The department is engaged in ongoing discussions with the Treasury regarding all
new spending proposals.
Cultural Heritage: Security
Tom Watson: [107945]
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what financial
assistance the Government has given to cultural and artistic venues to assist with extra
security costs incurred as a result of recent terrorist attacks in London.
Tom Watson: [107960]
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what financial
assistance is available to cultural institutions which have incurred extra security costs
resulting from recent acts of terrorism in London.
John Glen:
I refer the Hon Member to my answer to PQ 106697.
Food: Advertising
Kate Green: [107438]
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what discussions she
has had with broadcasters on restricting the marketing of foods that are high in fat, salt
and sugar to children before the 9pm watershed.
Kate Green: [107444]
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, whether her
Department plans to strengthen existing regulations on the marketing of foods that are
high in fat, salt and sugar to children before the 9pm watershed.
Kate Green: [108086]
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment her
Department has made of the effect on children's health of restricting the marketing of high
in fat, salt or sugar foods before the 9pm watershed.
Matt Hancock:
Current advertising restrictions in the UK on high fat, salt or sugar (HFSS) products
are among the toughest in the world. Strict new rules came into effect on 1 July
banning the advertising of HFSS food or drink products in children’s media. These
restrictions apply across all non-broadcast media including in print, cinema, online
and in social media.
In August we announced £5 million investment to fund a national institute for obesity
research policy unit to provide a robust evidence base and deeper understanding of
the causes of childhood obesity, including marketing to children and families. The
unit’s findings will be fed into the department's future policy development and
engagement.
Public Libraries: Closures
Thangam Debbonaire: [107956]
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, pursuant to the
Answer of 13 October 2017 to Question 106052, when the complete figures for the
numbers of library closures for the last 12 months will be available; and if she will publish
the data her Department holds on the numbers of libraries in each constituency in each of
the last 10 years.
John Glen:
The Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport does not collect or publish data
on the number of public library closures in each Parliamentary constituency. Data
relating to public libraries is collected from local authorities by the Chartered Institute
of Public Finance and Accountancy which makes available the data annually to
subscribers.
S4C: Reviews
Kevin Brennan: [107920]
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, with reference to the
independent review of S4C announced on 7 August 2017, whether information on (a) the
deadline for submitting evidence, (b) the questions on which the review is gathering
evidence and (c) the contact to whom evidence should be submitted has been made
publicly available online.
Matt Hancock:
The scope of the review and the evidence sought is outlined in the terms of reference
published on gov.uk. Key partners, stakeholders and parties interested in S4C have
been invited to submit evidence for the chair to consider. The chair and review
secretariat welcomes evidence from anyone with an interest in S4C.
Tourism
Tom Watson: [107752]
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, when the Tourism
Industry Emergency Response Group met over the last year.
John Glen:
Tourism Industry Emergency Response (TIER) has been active through all the terror
attacks over the past few months, including convening four meetings since the first
attack in March.
EDUCATION
Apprentices
Gordon Marsden: [107824]
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many apprenticeship starts there were
in May to July 2017 for each industry sector.
Anne Milton:
The table below provides provisional apprenticeship starts figures by sector subject
area for May to July 2017. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10, whilst ‘-‘ indicates a
value of less than 5.
SECTOR SUBJECT AREA TIER 1 PROVISIONAL 2016/17 MAY-JULY
Agriculture, Horticulture and Animal Care 740
Arts, Media and Publishing 80
Business, Administration and Law 13,360
Construction, Planning and the Built
Environment
1,030
Education and Training 440
Engineering and Manufacturing Technologies 5,130
Health, Public Services and Care 8,670
Information and Communication Technology 3,040
Languages, Literature and Culture -
Leisure, Travel and Tourism 1,250
Preparation for Life and Work -
Retail and Commercial Enterprise 9,800
Science and Mathematics 10
Unknown -
Total 43,560
Annual breakdowns of apprenticeship starts by sector subject area between the
2011/12 and 2016/17 (provisional) academic years are published here:
https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/650226
/201617_Oct_Apps_Level_SSA_And_Framework_Data_Tool_FINAL.xlsx.
Apprentices: Finance
Sir Vince Cable: [107917]
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what her Department's budget is for
apprenticeships for 16 to 18 year olds in (a) 2017-18 and (b) 2018-19; and what
proportion of that budget is generated by the Apprenticeship Levy.
Anne Milton:
Our intended funding for apprenticeships was published in the skills funding letter in
March 2017 –
https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/599089
/SFA_Letter_2017-18_final.pdf.
This includes a breakdown of intended funding for 16-18 year olds. Actual spend will
depend on the demand and cost of apprenticeships that employers choose.
Since 1 April 2017, apprenticeships are funded entirely from the Apprenticeship Levy.
Sir Vince Cable: [107918]
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will publish a list of the funding
allocated to each training provider for apprenticeship starts for the periods (a) August
2016 to April 2017 and (b) May to December 2017.
Anne Milton:
The Education and Skills Fuding Agency publish allocations annually and update
them throughout the year. Allocations for the 2016 to 2017 funding year can be found
at the following link:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/sfa-funding-allocations-to-training-
providers-2016-to-2017.
Non-levy apprenticeship allocations for May to December 2017 will be published in
November 2017.
Sir Vince Cable: [107963]
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what proportion of the revenue raised by the
Apprenticeship Levy will be allocated to fund apprenticeships with non-levy employers.
Sir Vince Cable: [107964]
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what proportion of the total money raised by
the Apprenticeship Levy will be allocated to levy-paying companies for their own
apprenticeship training schemes.
Anne Milton:
Spending by levy-paying employers and non-levy paying employers on
apprenticeship training and assessment depends on demand for, and cost of,
apprenticeships that employers themselves choose.
In England, employers who pay the levy can use funds in their apprenticeship service
accounts to pay for training and assessment. Funds enter employers’ accounts every
month based on the amount of Apprenticeship Levy declared, the proportion of their
pay to employees living in England and a 10% top-up applied from Government.
For non-levy paying employers, government funding is awarded to training providers
under contract. We launched a procurement at the end of July which closed in early
September. Through this procurement exercise, the Education and Skills Funding
Agency will make available at least £440m of funding over 15 months for new
apprenticeship starts from 1 January 2018.
By 2019-20 funding available for apprenticeships in England will be £2.45 billion;
double what was spent in 2010-11.
Sir Vince Cable: [107965]
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what comparative assessment she has
made of registered training providers in receipt of (a) less, (b) the same, (c) more funding
in real terms per apprenticeship start in the period (i) May to December 2017 and (ii)
August 2016 to April 2017.
Anne Milton:
We have not undertaken an assessment of this type. We continue to monitor closely
the impact of the apprenticeship funding reforms introduced in May 2017 on
employers and providers.
Apprentices: Older People
David Hanson: [107455]
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many (a) men and (b) women over 60-
years of age have (i) started and (ii) completed an apprenticeship in each of the last
seven years.
Anne Milton:
The tables below show the number of apprenticeship starts and achievements of
those aged over 60-years of age in the last six academic years:
i) Apprenticeship Starts for those aged over 60 years by Gender
2011/12 2012/13 2013/14 2014/15 2015/16
PROVISIONAL
2016/17
Female over
60
1,130 980 740 1,090 1,160 1,320
Male over 60 1,510 1,280 960 1,330 1,330 1,330
ii) Apprenticeship Achievements for those aged over 60 years by Gender
2011/12 2012/13 2013/14 2014/15 2015/16
PROVISIONA
L 2016/17
Female over
60
520 460 360 330 420 460
Male over
60
590 720 460 510 590 560
Note: The Starts and Achievements statistics should not be used to measure
percentage progress within a year. They are independent performance metrics.
Typically, apprenticeships can take two years to complete.
Data on apprenticeship starts and achievements by age band, and by gender are
available in the apprenticeship demographic tools:
Starts:
https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/624584
/apprenticeships-demographics-data-tool-starts-v1.xlsx.
Achievements:
https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/624824
/apprenticeships-demographics-data-tool-achievements-v1.xlsx.
Children: Day Care
Alex Cunningham: [107754]
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the effect
of the 30 hours free childcare entitlement on childcare providers' ability to (a) employ and
(b) support (i) qualified early years teachers and (ii) other staff with suitable qualifications.
Mr Robert Goodwill:
In March 2017 we published the Early Years Workforce Strategy which sets out the
actions we will take to support the early years’ sector to attract, retain and develop
the early years’ workforce. There has been no assessment of the effect of 30 hours’
free childcare on providers’ ability to employ and support qualified teachers and other
staff.
Tracy Brabin: [107819]
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many registered (a) childminders, (b)
nurseries and (c) maintained nurseries rated as good or outstanding by Ofsted have
closed in each of the last six months.
Mr Robert Goodwill:
Ofsted is the non-ministerial government department responsible for the regulation of
early education and childcare providers. They publish a regular series of statistics
relating to early years’ providers, which can be viewed from this link:
https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted/about/statistics.
I have informed Ofsted of this question and Her Majesty's Chief Inspector will be
writing to the hon. Member for Batley and Spen in response. A copy of that letter will
be placed in the libraries of the House.
Tracy Brabin: [107915]
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether her Department plans to monitor the
level of additional charges placed on parents by childcare providers accessing
government-funded free childcare.
Mr Robert Goodwill:
Government funding is intended to deliver 30 hours a week of free, high quality,
flexible childcare. It is not intended to cover the costs of meals, other consumables,
additional hours or additional services. So providers can, and should feel free to,
charge parents for meals, consumables (such as nappies and sun cream) and for
additional activities (such as trips). Where a parent chooses to pay for these it is a
private matter between the provider and the parent. But parents must not be required
to pay any fee as a condition of taking up a free entitlement place, and must be
offered alternative options.
Our guidance is clear that local authorities are responsible for ensuring that all
eligible children can take up their place free of charge and that providers’ charging
policies enable this. It is therefore the duty of the local authority to ensure that
providers are not charging parents inappropriately.
The Department is currently procuring an independent evaluator to conduct an
evaluation of the first two terms of national rollout of 30 hours in 10-20 local
authorities across England which will include qualitative research to understand
charging practices.
Tracy Brabin: [107954]
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the oral contribution of the
Minister of State for Children and Families of 12 October 2017, Official Report, column
210WH, how many times a validation code has been generated on the basis of a job
offer.
Mr Robert Goodwill:
The Department for Education does not hold information relating to the number of
people that are eligible for 30 hours free childcare based on a job offer.
On the 17 July 2017, the Department for Education published an evaluation of the
eight local authority areas that took part in the early innovators programme for 30
hours free childcare.
In the Early Implementer areas, almost a quarter (23%) of mothers and almost one in
ten (9%) fathers increased their work hours as a result of the extended childcare
offer. This effect was notably stronger for families with relatively lower incomes. The
full evaluation can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/30-
hours-free-childcare-early-implementation-evaluation.
Tracy Brabin: [107955]
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the oral contribution of the
Minister of State for Children and Families of 12 October 2017, Official Report, column
212WH, in how many instances parents are using 30 hours of free childcare with (a) one
provider, (b) two providers and (c) more that two providers.
Mr Robert Goodwill:
I am sorry but we do not currently hold data on how many parents are accessing 30
hours of free childcare with multiple providers at a national level but this will be
captured in the 2018 census.
However, our recently published independent evaluation of the early delivery
programme shows parents are prepared to use multiple providers, with around 18%
of children using multiple providers in three of the four early rollout areas. In early
implementation, the report found that around one in five children used two providers
for the free entitlement hours but the use of three or more providers was rare.
The full reports are available here:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/early-rollout-of-30-hours-free-
childcare-evaluation.
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/30-hours-free-childcare-early-
implementation-evaluation.
Lucy Powell: [107980]
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what estimate she had made of the number
of children in each local authority in Greater Manchester who will benefit from the
Government's policy of 30 hours of free childcare.
Mr Robert Goodwill:
The national rollout of 30 hours’ free childcare marks the delivery of a manifesto
commitment that will help hundreds of thousands of hard working families. The
childcare service online application has been working well for the vast majority of
parents and over 216,384 valid 30 hours’ codes have been generated by successful
applications, reaching our target for 1 September.
It is the responsibility of local authorities to assess supply and demand of free
entitlement places at a local level.
Graduates: Disadvantaged
Liz McInnes: [105559]
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many students from disadvantaged
backgrounds graduated from university in the last three years.
Joseph Johnson:
Information on the number of disadvantaged young people entering higher education,
and non-continuation of young disadvantaged first degree students is published by
the Higher Education Funding Council for England via the following link:
http://www.hefce.ac.uk/analysis/HEinEngland/students/social/.
National Careers Service
Gordon Marsden: [107823]
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she plans to continue the National
Careers Service Prime Contractor Area Groups from 1 April 2018.
Anne Milton:
The Department has agreed to extend the National Careers Service contracts for six
months starting from 1 April 2018 and contractors have been notified of this.
Pre-school Education: Pupil Premium
Frank Field: [107967]
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what proportion of eligible three and four
year-olds in England are not claiming the early years pupil premium.
Mr Robert Goodwill:
I am sorry, but the proportion of eligible three and four year old children in England
who are not claiming the early years pupil premium is not held by the Department.
Pre-school Education: Staff
Alex Cunningham: [107814]
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she has taken to achieve the
objectives on broadening the early years workforce set out in the Early Years Workforce
Strategy.
Mr Robert Goodwill:
The Early Years Workforce Strategy published in March 2017, sets out the actions
we will take to support the early years’ sector to attract, retain and develop the early
years workforce. We have now broadened the English and mathematics requirement
for level 3 Early Years Educators, including for apprenticeships, to level 2
qualifications including Functional Skills (rather than a specific requirement for a
GCSE qualification), to support recruitment and retention of staff. This was
implemented in April 2017.
We will provide further updates on the Early Years Workforce Strategy in due course.
Schools: Vocational Guidance
Gordon Marsden: [107822]
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many schools are currently meeting the
Gatsby benchmarks of good practice in careers education, information, advice and
guidance.
Anne Milton:
The Careers & Enterprise Company recently published its ‘State of the Nation 2017’
research paper. The paper, which was published in conjunction with the Gatsby
Charitable Foundation, showed that 51% of schools that undertook self-evaluation
through the Compass programme met two or more Gatsby benchmarks. Over 79% of
schools met one or more benchmark. In total, 578 secondary schools took part in the
self-assessment exercise.
The Compass self-assessment tool was established by The Careers & Enterprise
Company and the Gatsby Charitable Foundation, to enable schools to measure
themselves against the Gatsby benchmarks.
Teachers: Training
Angela Rayner: [108025]
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she intends to take to address
the shortage of applications for secondary teacher training places in subjects not
expected to reach the targets set by the teacher supply model for September 2017.
Nick Gibb:
The number of teachers is at an all-time high: there are now 457,300 full time
equivalent teachers, up 15,500 from 2010. The number of new teachers entering our
classrooms continues to outnumber those who retire or leave, and the number of
teachers returning to the profession is 8% higher than in 2011.
We are continuing to offer generous bursaries to recruit the best graduates into the
profession. From 2018 we are increasing funding across all high priority subjects. Our
prestigious scholarship scheme will also continue, offering a package of tailored
support and up to £28,000 tax-free for scholars in six subjects. We are also
introducing a new style bursary for maths teachers with early retention payments.
In addition, teachers will benefit from the newly announced rise in the student loan
repayment threshold and we will be piloting a new student loan reimbursement
programme for science and Modern Foreign Language (MFL) teachers in the early
years of their career, targeted in the areas of the country that need them most. We
have also recently announced a £30 million investment in tailored support for schools
that struggle most with recruitment and retention.
ENVIRONMENT, FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS
Agriculture
Tom Brake: [10358]
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the
Answer of 12 September 2017 to Question 8578, when he plans to complete the analysis
of various trade scenarios on UK agriculture as part of his planning for the UK leaving the
EU.
George Eustice:
We are conducting rigorous analysis of various trade scenarios on UK agriculture as
part of our planning. This analysis will be ongoing, helping to develop a detailed
understanding of how withdrawing from the EU will impact on the UK to best inform
government policy going forward.
Agriculture: Animal Welfare and Antibiotics
Richard Burden: [106487]
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his
Department is taking to reduce the (a) use of cage systems for farm animals and (b)
routine preventative use of antibiotics in farms.
George Eustice:
1. There are no plans to change the current legislation on colony cages for laying
hens. However, we are preparing a new statutory laying hen code which will
provide up to date guidance on how to comply with the legislation.
2. We have made it very clear that we do not support the routine preventative use of
antibiotics, or the use of antibiotics to compensate for poor animal husbandry. This
is reflected in the revised “Responsible use of animal medicines on the farm”
guidelines published in December 2014. We continue to work with the UK
veterinary profession and livestock industry to:
specific reduction targets for antibiotic use;
support the development of prescribing and responsible use guidelines to
encourage the adoption of best practice.
Agriculture: Seasonal Workers
Helen Whately: [106264]
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what estimate he
has made of the number of (a) non-UK EU and (b) other seasonal agricultural workers
who have come to the UK in each of the last five years.
George Eustice:
Until 2016, Defra published data on the estimated number of seasonal agricultural
workers in all UK countries in “Agriculture in the UK”, which is a Defra publication.
Since 2016, data is published for England only, collected by the June Horticulture and
Agriculture Survey. Data from the past 5 years is shown in the table below.
Defra does not collect data on the nationality of those workers.
SEASONAL,
CASUAL &
GANG LABOUR 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016
UK numbers 67 000 61 000 66 000 67 000 N/A
England-only
numbers
44 985 39 203 43 036 44 939 43 894
Animal Welfare: Convictions
Jim Shannon: [106795]
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many people
have been convicted of animal cruelty in each of the last five years.
George Eustice:
The number of offenders found guilty of offences under Sections 4 to 8 of the Animal
Welfare Act 2006, in England and Wales, from 2012 to 2016, can be viewed in the
table below:
OFFENDERS FOUND GUILTY AT ALL COURTS OF ANIMAL CRUELTY OFFENCES (1) , ENGLAND AND
WALES, 2012 TO 2016 (2)(3)
2012 2013 2014 2015 2016
1,132 1,022 814 622 585
1. Defined as Sections 4-8 Animal Welfare Act 2006
2. The figures given in the table relate to persons for whom these offences were the
principal offences for which they were dealt with. When a defendant has been
found guilty of two or more offences it is the offence for which the heaviest penalty
is imposed. Where the same disposal is imposed for two or more offences, the
offence selected is the offence for which the statutory maximum penalty is the most
severe.
3. Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and
complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from
large administrative data systems generated by the courts and police forces. As a
consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their
inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used.
Source: Justice Statistics Analytical Services - Ministry of Justice.
Common Fisheries Policy
Craig Mackinlay: [108021]
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether the
entirety of the Fisheries acquis will be transferred into domestic legislation in the EU
(Withdrawal) Bill.
George Eustice:
The purpose of the European Union (Withdrawal) Bill is to provide stability and
certainty so that wherever practical, the same laws and rules will apply immediately
before and immediately after our departure. On that basis, most of the fisheries
acquis will be transferred into domestic legislation. The Queen’s Speech, however,
set out the Government’s plans for a fisheries bill for the UK to control access to its
waters and set fishing opportunities when we leave the EU and the Common
Fisheries Policy. Provisions in the Fisheries Bill would supersede the European Union
(Withdrawal) Bill.
Dogs: Animal Breeding
Royston Smith: [106512]
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what information
his Department holds on the number of dog breeding premises operating without a
licence.
Chris Evans: [106736]
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment
his Department has made of the prevalence of unlicensed (a) dog breeding and (b) pet
shops in the UK.
George Eustice:
Defra does not hold official statistics on the number of dog breeders and pet shops
operating without a licence. Defra is currently in the process of developing a new
single animal activities licensing regime. The regulations will be laid in Parliament
before they come into force next year. The new regime will reduce the threshold by
which people will need a dog breeding licence from five litters or more per year to
three litters or more per year. This should result in more dog breeders requiring a
licence. The new regime will make it clear for local authorities which individual
activities need to be licensed.
European Chemicals Agency
Mary Creagh: [106114]
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment
he has made of the number of staff required to replicate the relevant functions of the
European Chemicals Agency after the UK leaves the EU.
Mary Creagh: [106115]
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what plans his
Department has to replicate the relevant functions of the European Chemicals Agency
after the UK leaves the EU.
Dr Thérèse Coffey:
The resourcing of EU Exit work is one of the key priorities of the Department and will
be subject to on-going assessment. The resources we need in the future will be
dependent on the policy choices we make for the regulation of chemicals when we
leave the EU.
The department is working across Government and with industry to assess the
potential effect to businesses of the UK no longer having access to the services
provided by the European Chemicals Agency.
This work is on-going and will help inform our negotiating position. Our priority is to
maintain an effective regulatory system for the management and control of chemicals
to safeguard human health and the environment, respond to emerging risks and allow
trade with the EU that is as frictionless as possible.
Fisheries
Craig Mackinlay: [108048]
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether his
Department has made an assessment on the benefits for Great Britain and Northern
Ireland's coastal communities of the marine resources in the UK's Exclusive Economic
Zone being used solely for the benefit of the UK after the UK leaves the EU.
George Eustice:
On leaving the EU, the UK will become an independent coastal state with
responsibility for controlling and managing our Exclusive Economic Zone. This will
provide an opportunity to negotiate new agreements on access and quota
arrangements which will benefit our coastal communities. We are undertaking
ongoing analysis on fish stocks in our waters.
Fisheries: North Sea
Angela Smith: [106529]
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the
Answer of 25 July 2017 to Question 5217, how the Government plans for bycatch fish
species identified in the European Council of Ministers' General Approach to the North
Sea Multi Annual Plan to be restored to and maintained above biomass levels capable of
producing maximum sustainable yield in the event that fishing limits are not set in
accordance with the Common Fisheries Policy objective to achieve the maximum
sustainable yield exploitation rate by 2020 at the latest.
George Eustice:
Where Maximum Sustainable Yield targets cannot be determined, due to lack of data,
multiannual plans must provide for measures to be based on the precautionary
approach. The Government’s view is that the precautionary approach should be
strictly evidence-based, with such data-limited bycatch stocks managed on a case-
by-case basis and in line with the plans’ objectives. For stocks with a presumption of
stability we have supported maintaining TACs at current levels, unless scientific
advice suggests otherwise. Where possible we support moving to a full analytical
assessment that would enable TACs to be based on the MSY approach.
Flood Control: Greenwich
Clive Efford: [106497]
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether the
Education Skills Funding Agency contacted his Department to discuss the cost and
suitability of relocating flood defences on the Bowring Sports Ground before December
2015; and if he will make a statement.
Clive Efford: [106498]
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions
his Department has had on relocating flood defences to make way for a free school on
the Bowring Sports Ground; to who the cost of that work will fall; and if he will make a
statement.
Clive Efford: [106499]
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment
has been made of the risk of flooding to properties adjacent to the Quaggy River as a
consequence of relocating the flood defences on the Bowring Sports Ground site to make
way for a free school; and if he will make a statement.
Clive Efford: [107526]
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether funding
has been approved for the relocation of flood barriers on the Bowring Sports Ground to
make way for a free school; and if he will make a statement.
Dr Thérèse Coffey:
The Environment Agency has no record of any contact from the Education Skills
Funding Agency prior to December 2015. The Environment Agency was contacted by
the Education Skills Funding Agency in December 2015 regarding the potential
purchase of land in Bowring Sports Ground to build a new school on the site.
The Environment Agency met the Education Skills Funding Agency in March 2016 to
discuss their proposals and to provide planning advice. No change to the flood
defences was proposed at that time. The proposal to relocate flood defences on the
Bowring Sports Ground site was first put forward in June 2017 by Robert West
Architects and discussions with them are ongoing.
The Environment Agency requires developers to demonstrate that their proposals do
not increase flood risk. The Environment Agency is a statutory consultee in the
planning process. The Environment Agency will not support any application which
does not include an adequate flood risk assessment. The Environment Agency will
assess detailed proposals and a flood risk assessment in relation to this application,
once provided by Robert West Architects.
The developer will be liable for the costs of any modification to the flood defences.
National Institute of Agricultural Botany
Daniel Zeichner: [106908]
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what
representations his Department has received on support for the National Institute of
Agricultural Botany after the UK leaves the EU.
George Eustice:
Leaving the EU presents a major opportunity for UK agriculture. We are working
towards achieving the best possible deal for the UK agricultural industry and we want
to ensure a deep and lasting agreement with the European Union. I met NIAB EMR,
part of the NIAB group, in July of this year and Defra has received a number of
representations concerning NIAB and the impact of leaving the EU, from breeders’
organisations and from Members of Parliament.
Packaging
Tonia Antoniazzi: [107602]
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his
Department is taking to reduce the use of non-recyclable plastics and other packaging in
the UK.
Dr Thérèse Coffey:
Our policies and regulations - such as the Packaging Waste Regulations - are
designed to increase recycling and reduce the amount of packaging that ends up in
the natural environment.
In September 2016, the Waste and Resources Action Programme and an industry
advisory group published a framework for greater consistency, encouraging councils
to recycle a common set of materials, as well as setting out actions to rationalise
packaging, particularly plastics, into items that can be collected for recycling while
supporting innovation in packaging design.
Almost all packaging is technically recyclable, although some local authorities and
waste management companies choose not to collect some types of packaging for
recycling for various reasons, including cost of investing in new machinery which can
sort this packaging.
Pets: Shops
Royston Smith: [106511]
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what plans his
Department has to introduce a standardised form of inspection for pet shops and dog
breeders.
George Eustice:
Defra is currently in the process of developing a new single animal activities licensing
regime. The regulations will be laid in Parliament before they come into force next
year. Pet shops and dog breeders will need to meet statutory minimum welfare
standards which reflect the welfare requirements of the Animal Welfare Act 2006.
Local authorities will need to have regard to supporting statutory guidance to help
them apply the standards.
Plastics
Vernon Coaker: [107386]
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his
Department is taking to help reduce the use of plastic in (a) retail packaging and (b) food
outlets.
Dr Thérèse Coffey:
I refer the hon. Member to the answer that I gave to the hon. Member for North
Swindon (Justin Tomlinson), on 13 September 2017, PQ UIN 8711.
Timber: EU Law
Hilary Benn: [107913]
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether it is his
policy to maintain the contents of the EU Timber Regulation after it is transposed into UK
law.
Dr Thérèse Coffey:
The European Union (Withdrawal) Bill will include provisions to ensure existing EU
environmental law continues to have effect in UK law, including the EU Timber
Regulation. This will ensure that, wherever possible, the same rules and laws will
apply the day after exit as they did before.
Tree Planting: Urban Areas
Dr David Drew: [107490]
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what his policy is
on the planting of extra trees in towns and cities; and what provision he plans to make for
additional local authority tree offices and other funding to manage those trees.
Dr Thérèse Coffey:
The Government is committed to planting one million trees in our towns and cities by
2022, reflecting our recognition of the important benefits they bring to the places
where people live, work, and visit.
In addition, we are giving millions of schoolchildren across England, mostly in urban
areas, the chance to plant trees in their schools and communities as part of a
Government-backed scheme, in partnership with the Woodland Trust and the
Community Forest Trust.
EXITING THE EUROPEAN UNION
Department for Exiting the European Union: Secondment
Jon Trickett: [107958]
To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, pursuant to the Answer of
16 October 2017 to Question 105822, on Department for Exiting the European Union:
secondment, from which companies or organisations those 17 secondees have come.
Mr Steve Baker:
Pursuant to the answer of the 16 October we can confirm that secondees working in
the Department for Exiting the European Union between July 2016 and July 2017
came from the following organisations:
Oliver Wyman
House of Lords
House of Commons
UK Government Investments
Financial Conduct Authority
Bank of England
Royal Marines
British Standards Institution
Boston Consultancy Group
Barclays
Accenture
Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority
UK relations with EU
Tom Brake: [10377]
To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, what assessment he has
made of the (a) economic, (b) diplomatic and (c) tariff conditions that would apply to
relations between the UK and the EU as a result of the UK leaving the EU.
Mr Robin Walker:
We will pursue a deep and special partnership with the EU taking in both economic
and security cooperation. As a priority we will seek a bold and ambitious Free Trade
Agreement that is of greater scope and ambition than any such existing agreement.
As we have made clear in our future partnership paper, we believe the UK and EU
should continue to consult each other on foreign and security policy issues and agree
joint positions, so that we can speak out together and drive progress on areas in our
mutual interest. As an example, we should look to coordinate action, and share
information, on sanctions policy when needed in order to respond robustly to those
who challenge the rules-based international order, as we have recently done
effectively in the case of Russia and Iran. We are clear that we want the EU to
succeed: a successful EU, with the UK as its closest partner, is in all of our shared
interests.
We want to have the greatest possible tariff- and barrier-free trade with our European
neighbours, as well as to negotiate our own trade agreements around the world. We
want to ensure that UK companies have the maximum freedom to trade with and
operate within European markets – and to let European businesses do the same in
the UK.
FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE
Andargachew Tsege
Tom Brake: [107177]
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether the
Government has investigated how Andargachew Tsege's itinerary was shared with the
Ethiopian authorities in advance of his kidnap from an airport in a third country.
Rory Stewart:
Mr Tsege was detained in Yemen and taken to Ethiopia in June 2014. Following
Foreign and Commonwealth Office inquiries the Ethiopian and Yemeni authorities
have both stated that they have a bilateral treaty that permited Mr Tsege’s extradition
to Ethiopia. The UK Government continues to take Mr Tsege’s case extremely
seriously and is working to ensure his welfare and legal access. The Ethiopian
government are in no doubt about the importance we place on Mr Tsege’s case: the
Foreign and Commonwealth Office continues to raise this at the highest levels.
Tom Brake: [107401]
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what information
his Department holds on whether Andargachew Tsege's in absentia death sentence is
unlawful.
Rory Stewart:
The British Government consistently lobbies against the application of the death
penalty, and against the carrying out of such sentences when they are imposed. In
respect of UK nationals overseas, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office's role is
primarily to look after a prisoner's welfare while they are detained. We cannot give or
pay for legal advice, start legal proceedings on their behalf or interfere in local judicial
procedures. We do not hold any information on, and are therefore not in a position to
form a view as to, the legality of the process in this case but we remain resolute
opponents of the death penalty.
Iran: Baha'i Faith
Tom Brake: [107137]
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions
(a) Ministers and (b) officials have had with the Special Rapporteur on Iran, Ms Asma
Jahangir, or with the Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Religion, Dr Ahmed Shaheed on
the treatment of the Bahá'ís in Iran.
Alistair Burt:
At the Human Rights Council in March 2017, the UK strongly supported the renewal
of the mandate of the United Nations (UN) Special Rapporteur on Freedom of
Religion or Belief. We look forward to engaging with the UN Special Rapporteur on
Iran during the interactive dialogue in the UNGA Third Committee. The British
Government supports the UN Special Rapporteur on Iran's assessment that
discrimination against the Baha'i community is legally sanctioned by a lack of
constitutional recognition and the absence of other legal protections for adherents of
this faith.
Tom Brake: [107176]
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will ensure
that the UK Mission to the UN in New York makes representations on the situation of the
Baha'i community in Iran during its statement at the Third Committee meetings of the UN
General Assembly.
Alistair Burt:
I recently met representatives of the Baha'i faith to discuss the issue. The human
rights situation in Iran remains deeply worrying and this includes Iran's approach to
freedom of religion and belief. The treatment of the Baha'i community is of particular
concern. The latest report of the Special Rapporteur on human rights in Iran sets out
the repression and harassment that Baha'is suffer in Iran. This includes restrictions
on the types of businesses and jobs Baha'is can have, unequal treatment of Baha'i
employees, and seizures of Baha'i businesses and property. We hope to highlight the
situation of the Baha'i with the UN General Assembly Third Committee in New York.
Iran: Human Rights
Tom Brake: [107178]
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether the
Government plans to co-sponsor a resolution on the situation of human rights in Iran at
the current session of the UN General Assembly.
Alistair Burt:
The British Government has supported a resolution on the human rights situation in
Iran in the past and will do so again co-sponsoring a resolution this year.
Iran: Nuclear Weapons
Leo Docherty: [107208]
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment
he has made of the effectiveness of the Iran nuclear deal JCPOA; and if he will make a
statement.
Alistair Burt:
The UK is committed to full implementation of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of
Action (JCPoA) by all parties. We assess that the deal is working and is the only
diplomatic way to neutralise the nuclear threat from Iran. Under the deal Iran has
given up two-thirds of its centrifuges and 95% of its uranium stockpile. The deal also
provides for unprecedented access and monitoring by the International Atomic
Energy Agency (IAEA). The IAEA continues to report Iran's compliance with its
nuclear commitments under the deal.
Iran: Political Prisoners
Mr Roger Godsiff: [107089]
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will request a
UN investigation into the 1988 executions of political prisoners in Iran.
Alistair Burt:
The British Government opposes the death penalty in all circumstances and takes
any allegations of extrajudicial killings seriously. Whilst at present we have no plans
to request an inquiry by the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights into
the 1988 executions of political prisoners in Iran, we continue to take action with the
international community to press for improvements on all human rights issues in Iran,
including ending the death penalty and by supporting the work done by the Special
Rapporteur for Human Rights in Iran. We also raise our concerns directly with the
Iranian government and I was able to raise this directly with my Iranian counterpart
during my visit to Tehran in August.
Libya: Politics and Government
Leo Docherty: [107209]
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment
he has made of the effectiveness of the British diplomatic and military support for the
Government of Libya.
Alistair Burt:
The Foreign and Commonwealth Office published its response to the Foreign Affairs
Select Committee investigation on "Libya: Examination of Intervention and Collapse
and the UK's Future Policy Options" on 11 November 2016. Helping to bring stability
to Libya is a vital part of UK efforts to tackle the threat from terrorism and the
challenge of irregular migration. That is why the UK is at the forefront of efforts to
support the UN Special Representative, Ghassan Salamé in reaching out to all sides
in Libya to revitalise the political process and work to amend the Libyan Political
Agreement so that it delivers for all Libyans. A secure and stable Libya, better able to
deal with the threat from terrorism and the challenge of migration, is firmly in the UK
interest.
Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe
Tulip Siddiq: [107751]
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps have
been taken to secure consular access to Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe since recent new
charges have been brought against her.
Alistair Burt:
Our Ambassador in Tehran continues to raise all our dual-national cases, including
pressing for consular access, with the Iranian authorities at every available
opportunity, most recently in a meeting with the Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister on
16 October. The Iranians have not granted us access on the basis that they consider
them to be Iranian nationals. While there is no international legal obligation to
recognise dual-nationality, we consider them to be British and will continue to request
access.
Tulip Siddiq: [107759]
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what his
Department's policy is on the findings of the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention
Opinion No. 28/2016 on Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe; and if he will make a statement.
Alistair Burt:
I encourage the Iranian authorities to co-operate and engage fully with the United
Nations regarding the conclusions and recommendations of reports published by the
UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention.
Tommy Sheppard: [107988]
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what
representations he has made to the Iranian Government on the new charges being
brought against Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe; and what steps the Government has taken to
secure her release.
Alistair Burt:
We are urgently seeking clarification from the Iranian authorities on reports that Mrs
Zaghari-Ratcliffe is subject to further charges. I called the Iranian Ambassador to
express my concerns, as did the Foreign Secretary in a call to Foreign Minister Zarif
and a meeting with Vice-President Salehi on 11 October. But the scope of any
additional charges remains unclear. Our Ambassador is continuing to press the
Iranian authorities for further information. Iran’s position on dual-nationality makes
progress on our consular cases difficult; nonetheless we continue to raise these
cases with the Iranian authorities at the highest levels and at every available
opportunity. We assess that our current approach is the one most likely to be in the
best interests of our dual-national prisoners in Iran.
South Sudan: Abduction
Dr David Drew: [107483]
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what reports his
Department has received on the abduction of young people in the Darfur region of South
Sudan for (a) militia recruitment and (b) body parts for medical purposes.
Rory Stewart:
We have received no reports on the abduction of young people in Darfur for the
purposes of militia recruitment or for body parts for medical purposes.
The UK remains concerned by the situation in Darfur, and whilst we have seen a
welcome reduction in armed conflict between government forces and armed
movements in recent months, the security and humanitarian situation remains fragile.
We regularly discuss the situation in Darfur with the Government of Sudan, most
recently on 16 October during our bilateral Strategic Dialogue, and urge them to
continue to improve humanitarian access and to reach an agreement on a permanent
cessation of hostilities.
Syria: Politics and Government
Matthew Pennycook: [107100]
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what estimate he
has made of how many Syrians have been disappeared by the Assad regime; and what
proportion of those people are children.
Alistair Burt:
Due to the Asad regime's refusal to allow impartial monitoring of its detention centres,
it is not possible to give an exact figure for the number of people who have been
disappeared. Human rights groups estimate that tens, possibly hundreds, of
thousands of men, women, and children have been forcibly disappeared in Syria
since the war began – the vast majority of them at the hands of the regime. The UN
Independent Commission of Inquiry on Syria has documented the regime's use of
'massive and systematised' violence against political detainees, and stated that the
regime's use of disappearance, torture, rape and sexual violence amount to crimes
against humanity.
USA: Counter-terrorism
Andrew Gwynne: [107098]
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether his
Department has received information obtained by the US Administration through
provisions within the USA Patriot Act of 2001; and if he will make a statement.
Sir Alan Duncan:
It is the longstanding policy of successive British Governments not to comment on
intelligence matters.
USA: North Korea
Stephen Kinnock: [107119]
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions
he has had with his US counterpart on diplomatic tensions between the US and North
Korea.
Sir Alan Duncan:
The Foreign Secretary speaks regularly to US Secretary of State Tillerson about the
situation in North Korea. We are working with the US and our partners in the region to
bring this crisis to a diplomatic end.
HEALTH
AAT Deficiency: Health Services
Tonia Antoniazzi: [107601]
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps he has taken to implement the
recommendations made by the Prescribed Specialised Services Advisory Group on 10
March 2017 on Alpha 1 Anti-Trypsyn services.
Steve Brine:
The Prescribed Specialised Services Advisory Group recommended that this become
a directly commissioned service by NHS England. Ministers have accepted this
recommendation but agreed to NHS England’s request for more time to prepare for a
transfer. As such, NHS England has agreed to work towards becoming the
responsible commissioner from April 2018 to give NHS England time to identify
patients and build an appropriate service specification.
Abortion Act 1967
Fiona Bruce: [107121]
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, whether his Department plans to re-define the
term serious handicap used in the Abortion Act 1967 to improve clarity in the healthcare
profession.
Fiona Bruce: [107122]
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if his Department will review the use of the term
handicapped in section 1(b) of the Abortion Act 1967.
Fiona Bruce: [107126]
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps his Department is taking to ensure
that women and their partners do not face undue pressure from healthcare professionals
to have a termination on the grounds of disability.
Jackie Doyle-Price:
We expect clinicians to follow national guidelines and standards. The Royal College
of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists produced updated clinical guidance in the 2010
Termination of Pregnancy for Fetal Abnormality. The guidance covers a number of
issues including management of women in relation to termination of pregnancy and
those who chose to give birth.
The guidance highlights that women and their partners will need as much information
as possible on the implications of the diagnosis, that all staff involved in the care of a
woman or couple facing a possible termination of pregnancy must adopt a
nondirective, non-judgemental and supportive approach and women must not feel
pressurised to make a quick decision. The decision by a woman to continue her
pregnancy must be fully supported and it should not be assumed that, even in the
presence of an obviously fatal fetal condition, a woman will choose to have a
termination.
As with other matters of conscience, abortion is an issue on which the Government
adopts a neutral stance and allows Members to vote according to their moral, ethical
or religious beliefs. It is accepted Parliamentary practice that proposals for changes in
the law on abortion come from back-bench members.
Atrial Fibrillation
Mr George Howarth: [107281]
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps his Department is taking to ensure
that people diagnosed with atrial fibrillation (AF) receive therapy to prevent AF-related
stroke.
Mr George Howarth: [107282]
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what estimate he has made of the number of
GPs not providing anticoagulation therapy to all suitable people with atrial fibrillation; and
if he will make a statement.
Mr George Howarth: [107283]
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the timetable is for the NICE consultation
on CG180 Atrial Fibrillation: management (2014).
Steve Brine:
In September 2017, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE)
published the surveillance review decision report for the current atrial fibrillation
guideline. The review confirmed that NICE would undertake a partial update of the
guideline on atrial fibrillation.
We understand that NICE intends to commission the update in early 2018, and that,
once commissioned, NICE will have a better idea of the timescale, including a start
date, for the update. There will be a consultation on the draft guidance but NICE
cannot yet confirm a timetable. The dates for the consultation will become available
on the website in due course.
Information about the number of general practitioners (GPs) not providing
anticoagulation therapy to all suitable people with atrial fibrillation is not held centrally.
NHS England is promoting the use of GRASP-AF (Guidance on Risk Assessment
and Stroke Prevention for Atrial Fibrillation) within GP practices in England. GRASP-
AF is an audit tool developed by and trialled in the National Health Service, which
greatly simplifies the process of identifying patients with atrial fibrillation who are not
receiving the right management to help reduce their risk of stroke. To support this
work, an analysis of the costs and benefits of using the anticoagulant drug warfarin to
help prevent stroke in people with atrial fibrillation was published in 2015.
Mr George Howarth: [107284]
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the timetable is for the National Steering
Committee review of its 2014 recommendation on national screening for atrial fibrillation.
Mr George Howarth: [107285]
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps his Department is taking to ensure
that the 500,000 people who currently have undiagnosed atrial fibrillation, will be
identified and appropriately managed over the next five years.
Steve Brine:
The United Kingdom National Screening Committee (UK NSC) has commenced work
to look at the evidence to screen the over 65 population for Atrial Fibrillation (AF) as
part of its regular three year review cycle. It is expected that a public consultation will
be open in 2018, which will welcome input from stakeholders and members of the
public.
In response to concerns raised in the UK NSC’s 2014 review about optimising clinical
management, Public Health England’s (PHE) National Cardiovascular Intelligence
Network has contributed to the development of AF intelligence packs to help
commissioners to identify where improvements can be made to reduce the risk of
stroke by improving the detection and treatment of AF. In addition PHE leads a
national AF-related stroke prevention programme which aims to increase detection in
line with expected prevalence and ensure people with AF are optimally treated and
managed.
Cancer
Justin Madders: [107391]
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what progress his Department has made on
implementing the National Cancer Strategy.
Steve Brine:
NHS England is committed to delivering the recommendations set out in the National
Cancer Strategy and transform cancer services across the country by 2020/21. The
National Cancer Programme published a progress report on the implementation of
the Independent Cancer Taskforce Report on 18 October. The report provides a
detailed update against our strategic priorities to transform cancer services across
the country by 2021.
Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
Justin Madders: [107238]
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, when NICE plans to update its guidance on
myalgic encephalomyelitis.
Steve Brine:
The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has advised that it
expects to publish the final updated guidance on myalgic encephalomyelitis in
October 2020. The guideline update will be developed through NICE’s established
clinical guidelines process that includes full public consultation.
Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: Further Education
Justin Madders: [107232]
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the
effectiveness of support provided by his Department for individuals suffering from myalgic
encephalomyelitis to access further education.
Steve Brine:
The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guideline on Chronic
Fatigue Syndrome/Myalgic Encephaolomyelitis, published in 2007, makes a number
of recommendations in regard to accessing education. The clinician overseeing an
individual’s care should provide information on returning to work or education and
recommend flexible adaptions that would make this possible. This may include, with
consent, clinicians liaising with education providers and support services. The ability
of a person to continue in education should be addressed early and reviewed
regularly.
The NICE guidance set outs best practice for clinicians on the diagnosis, treatment
care and support of people with the condition and supports commissioners to to plan
services for local populations. The full guidance can be found at the following link:
www.nice.org.uk/guidance/cg53
On 20 September 2017, NICE announced its decision to undertake a full update of
the guidance. More information on this decision can be found at the following link:
www.nice.org.uk/guidance/cg53/resources/surveillance-report-2017-chronic-fatigue-
syndromemyalgic-encephalomyelitis-or-encephalopathy-diagnosis-and-management-
2007-nice-guideline-cg53-pdf-5964455783941
Diabetes and Hypertension: Pharmacy
Pauline Latham: [107290]
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what plans his Department has to evolve
Medicines Use Reviews to enable community pharmacists to better support people with
long-term conditions such as diabetes and high blood pressure.
Steve Brine:
The Department is committed to supporting people with long term conditions manage
their illness and take their medication correctly. In line with this ambition, eligibility for
Medicine Use Reviews was amended from April 2015, to better target these services
at patients who would derive the most benefit from it. This change required 70% of
Medicine Use Reviews to be held with people within key target groups which included
people with conditions such as diabetes or high blood pressure.
The Department continues to develop and monitor the evidence base and
effectiveness of all Advanced Services provided by community pharmacists to
improve patient outcomes and make the best use of National Health Service
resources. It will continue to do so and develop plans accordingly.
Diets: Drugs
Justin Madders: [107223]
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made on the adequacy
of the availability of vegan and vegetarian medicines.
Justin Madders: [107287]
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what plans he has to ensure that medicines are
labelled to indicate whether they are suitable for vegetarians and vegans.
Steve Brine:
Medicines are developed to treat or prevent particular medical conditions or their
symptoms and are licensed on the basis of their quality, safety and efficacy. Although
there are many medicines that are free from animal derived materials, there are also
cases where no animal-free treatment option exists. This may be because the active
ingredient cannot be made synthetically, or animal derived materials are necessary
for the formulation or manufacture of the product.
The current requirements for medicines labelling are set out in European and national
legislation. Unlike food legislation, there is no mechanism for the inclusion within the
labelling of a medicine for any information on whether or not the product is suitable
for vegetarians or vegans. Patients who wish to identify such products will need to
rely on the information that is provided in the accompanying patient information leaflet
or directly by their pharmacist.
Drugs: Blackpool
Gordon Marsden: [107821]
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how much funding from the public health grant
his Department allocated to Blackpool for drug treatment budgets in the years (a) 2010-
11, (b) 2013-14, (c) 2014-15, (d) 2015-16 and (e) 2016-17.
Steve Brine:
The public health grant is allocated to local authorities to meet all of their public
health responsibilities and no amount is specifically allocated for drug treatment. It is
up to each local authority to decide how much of the grant they wish to allocate to
drug treatment services.
The public health grant has a condition which requires local authorities to have regard
to the need to improve the take up of, and outcomes from, its drug and alcohol
misuse treatment services.
Since it began in 2013, the public health grant allocation to Blackpool has been as
follows;
2013-14 £17.46 million
2014-15 £17.95 million
2015-16 £18.29 million
2016-17 £19.39 million
Prior to 2013, drug treatment was mainly funded through a central government
contribution known as the pooled treatment budget. In 2010-11, the pooled treatment
budget allocation to Blackpool was £2.7 million.
Drugs: Rehabilitation
Gordon Marsden: [107820]
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the effects of
budgetary changes to the funding of drug treatment programmes on mortality rates
among heroin and crack cocaine users in England between 2013 and 2017.
Steve Brine:
No assessment has been made on this specific issue. The Government is investing
over £16 billion over the Spending Review period for local authorities (LAs) to spend
on public health. LAs are responsible for making decisions on how to spend their
local allocation but the public health grant conditions make it clear that they must
have regard for the need to improve the take up of, and outcomes from, their drug
and alcohol misuse treatment services.
Public Health England (PHE) led an inquiry last year into the rises in drug-related
deaths. The report of the expert working group convened by PHE concluded that the
reasons behind the increase in drug-related deaths are multiple and complex.
However, the recent rise has likely been caused – at least in part – by an increase in
the availability of heroin, following a fall in deaths during a period when heroin purity
and availability was significantly reduced.
The longer-term upward trend in drug-related deaths is largely caused by an ageing
cohort of heroin users, many of whom started to use heroin in the 1980s and 90s,
who are now experiencing cumulative physical and mental health conditions that
make them more susceptible to overdose.
The inquiry report was published in September 2016 and is available at:
http://www.nta.nhs.uk/uploads/phe-understanding-preventing-drds.pdf
Eating Disorders: Children
Jonathan Ashworth: [107981]
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many children started eating disorder
treatment in each (a) clinical commissioning group area and (b) trust in each of the last
36 months.
Jackie Doyle-Price:
NHS England publishes an experimental data collection for Children and Young
People with an Eating Disorder. The dataset contains information on the number of
children and young people who have accessed, or are waiting for the National
Institute for Health and Care Excellence recommended treatment following a routine
or urgent referral for a suspected eating disorder.
Findings by provider and clinical commissioning group are available for Q1 2017-18
at:
https://www.england.nhs.uk/statistics/statistical-work-areas/cyped-waiting-times/
Jonathan Ashworth: [107983]
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many children had a delayed discharge
from in-patient eating disorder treatment and how many days of delayed discharge there
were in each (a) NHS region and (b) mental health trust provider in England for each of
the last three years.
Jackie Doyle-Price:
This information is not collected centrally.
Eating Disorders: Scotland
Norman Lamb: [107833]
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how much NHS England has spent on
specialised inpatient eating disorder services (a) in total and (b) using services provided
by private sector organisations in Scotland in each if the last six (i) financial and (ii)
calendar years.
Jackie Doyle-Price:
This information is not collected in the format requested.
Electronic Cigarettes: Advertising
Mrs Anne Main: [107087]
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the effect of
the advertising ban on the use of e-cigarettes.
Mrs Anne Main: [107152]
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will make it his policy to exclude e-
cigarettes from the Tobacco Products Directive ban on advertising when the UK leaves
the EU.
Mrs Anne Main: [107154]
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps he is taking to ensure that public
health campaigns are able to promote the use of e-cigarettes to aid smoking cessation.
Mrs Anne Main: [107264]
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, whether e-cigarettes can be promoted in public
health campaigns under the Tobacco Products Directive.
Steve Brine:
As announced in the England Tobacco Control Plan published 18 July 2017, the
Department will monitor the impact of regulation and policy on e-cigarettes and novel
tobacco products in England, including evidence on safety, uptake, health impact and
effectiveness of these products as smoking cessation aids, to inform our actions on
regulating their use.
Public Health England will continue to provide the evidence annually on e-cigarettes
and other novel nicotine delivery systems until the end of Parliament in 2022 and will
include within quit smoking campaign messages about the relative safety of e-
cigarettes compared to smoking.
The Department has published guidance on Article 20(5) of the EU Tobacco Products
Directive covering restrictions on advertising electronic cigarettes. That guidance
states that “a public health campaign about relative risks of e-cigarettes versus
tobacco products by Public Health England or local stop smoking services are not
advertisements made in the course of a business and therefore not covered by these
restrictions”. The guidance is published here:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/proposals-for-uk-law-on-the-advertising-
of-e-cigarettes/publishing-20-may-not-yet-complete
The Government will review where the United Kingdom’s exit from the European
Union offers opportunities to re-appraise current regulation to ensure this continues to
protect the nation’s health.
The Government also has a statutory duty to conduct an implementation review of
the Tobacco and Related Products Regulations 2016 by the end of May 2021 to
assess its impact.
Emergency Calls: East Sussex
Peter Kyle: [107969]
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what information his Department holds on the
number of emergency calls which have been put on hold in East Sussex in the last 12
months.
Mr Philip Dunne:
This information is not held centrally.
Familial Hypercholesterolaemia
Julia Lopez: [107541]
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps his Department is taking to introduce
a nationwide, family-based, follow-up system to ensure comprehensive identification of
people affected by familial hypercholesterolemia.
Steve Brine:
Public Health England (PHE) is part of a cross-organisation national familial
hypercholesterolemia (FH) Steering Group, led by the National Clinical Director for
Heart Disease.
PHE is working with NHS England, the National Institute for Health and Care
Excellence (NICE), HEART UK and the British Heart Foundation on the development
of an implementation guide which will be published in early 2018. The guide is for
commissioners and local health economies, and aims to help facilitate the
development of local FH services, supporting better identification and management of
people and families affected by FH, across England.
A cholesterol test is included as part of an NHS Health Check. Guidance alerts
practitioners conducting the check to consider the possibility of FH in line with NICE.
Emerging evidence shows that compared to routine primary care practice, the NHS
Health Check programme is detecting more cases of FH.
Health Services: Tyne and Wear
Mr Stephen Hepburn: [107549]
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the effect of
the Path to Excellence proposals made by South Tyneside and Sunderland NHS
Partnership on (a) service users and (b) the local population for people in (i) Jarrow
constituency and (ii) South Tyneside.
Steve Brine:
The ‘Path to Excellence’ is a five-year transformation of healthcare provision across
South Tyneside and Sunderland being put forward under their Sustainability and
Transformation Partnerships (STPs).
The Government has not made a specific assessment on the effect of the ‘Path to
Excellence’ proposals made by the Tyneside and Sunderland NHS Partnership on
service users or the local population. However, in June 2017, NHS England
published an STP dashboard that makes an assessment of all STP performance
across England. The STP dashboard can be found here:
https://www.england.nhs.uk/stps/sustainability-and-transformation-partnerships-
progress-dashboard-baseline-view/
The Northumberland, Tyne and Wear STP is rated as category 2 - ‘advanced’ in the
published STP dashboard.
Hepatitis
Dr David Drew: [107488]
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps his Department is taking to eliminate
Hepatitis C.
Dr David Drew: [107489]
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what estimate he has made of the number of
people who require treatment each year to meet the UK's commitment to eliminate
Hepatitis C as a public health concern by 2030.
Steve Brine:
The United Kingdom government is a signatory to the World Health Assembly
resolution and World Health Organization (WHO) goal of eliminating hepatitis C as a
major public health threat by 2030.
Progress towards achieving the WHO elimination goal is summarised in this year’s
Public Health England’s (PHE) report “Hepatitis C in the UK”:
https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/632465
/HCV_in_the_uk_report_2017.pdf
This showed that better access to improved treatment has led to the first fall in deaths
from severe hepatitis C related liver disease in a decade and that the UK is on target
for the WHO interim goal to reduce hepatitis C mortality by 10% by 2020.
For England a sustainable rollout of access to new direct acting antivirals for treating
chronic hepatitis C is underway with investment of in excess of £200 million per year.
The current financial year (2017/18) is the third year of hepatitis C treatment ramp-up
and the plan is to treat 12,500 individuals.
An estimated 160,000 persons are believed to have hepatitis C in England. Further
modelling work is being undertaken by PHE to update estimates of the impact of
treatment roll out on prevalence of hepatitis C and hepatitis C-associated advanced
liver disease. Previous PHE modelling of the scale up of treatment indicates that a
“rapid complete coverage” scenario of treating 20,000 or more individuals per year
and up to 50% of those infected each year would result in end-stage liver disease /
hepatocellular cancer being halved within 10 years.
Hospital Beds
Justin Madders: [107099]
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the
implications for his policies of the findings of the report from the King's Fund entitled NHS
hospital bed numbers: past, present, future, published in September 2017.
Mr Philip Dunne:
There has been a long-term reduction in the number of general and acute beds open
overnight as hospitals are dealing with patients more efficiently. The National Health
Service now performs more day cases, length of stay is decreasing and more people
are treated in community settings.
NHS England statistics show that the bed occupancy rate has remained between
84% and 89% (all beds) since 2000. Bed availability does fluctuate, but the NHS has
practice and experience in managing capacity to cope with both routine and
emergency care.
Influenza: Health Services
Justin Madders: [107399]
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how much contingency are funding is available
from the public purse for NHS hospitals in the event of a severe influenza outbreak in
2017.
Mr Philip Dunne:
Winter can often bring additional challenges but this year planning started earlier than
ever before. Winter resilience money was included in National Health Service
baseline funding for 2017/18 so that effective planning could start at an early stage.
The NHS is committed to ensuring all patients continue to receive high quality, safe
and efficient care as demand over winter increases. This Government has invested
an extra £6 billion into the NHS over the last two years, plus £100 million ahead of
winter to ease pressures on accident and emergency departments.
An additional £2 billion of funding has been allocated to local authorities over the next
three years, including £1 billion for 2017/18 to implement best practice in discharging
patients safely and quickly to reduce delayed transfers of care.
Medical Treatments: Innovation
Mrs Madeleine Moon: [107351]
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the
compatibility of the system-wide cap of £20 million for NICE approved medicines
proposed by NHS England with the aims and objectives of the Accelerated Access
Review; and if he will make a statement.
Steve Brine:
The Government considers that the introduction of the budget impact test in April this
year for technologies with an annual budget impact greater than £20 million per year
is fully in line with the aims and objectives of the Accelerated Access Review.
Under the budget impact test, £20 million does not represent a cap on what the
National Health Service will spend on any individual drug in a given year. The test is
simply intended to provide an opportunity for NHS England to enter into commercial
negotiations with companies to bring down the price of very high cost medicines. The
opportunity for companies to negotiate with NHS England will enable new types of
commercial arrangement, which means that ‘win-win’ scenarios are possible for the
NHS and industry, a key aim of the Accelerated Access Review.
Meningitis: Vaccination
Kerry McCarthy: [107909]
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the timetable is for the start of the
Meningitis B teenage carriage study; and when he plans for the results of that study to be
published.
Jackie Doyle-Price:
A team has been selected to carry out this study and work could potentially begin by
the end of 2017. The work will be conducted as quickly as feasibly possible and at
present results are expected by May 2021.
Mental Health Services: Children
Jonathan Ashworth: [107825]
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will publish the (a) number of children
having a delayed discharge from in-patient mental health treatment and (b) total number
of delayed days for each (i) NHS region and (ii) mental health trust provider in England in
each of the last three years.
Diana Johnson: [108016]
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many children started mental health
treatment in each (a) clinical commissioning group area and (b) trust in each month of the
last three years.
Luciana Berger: [108041]
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will publish the number of children entering
in-patient treatment for mental health conditions in each NHS region in England for each
of the last three years.
Luciana Berger: [108044]
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will publish the number of children entering
child and adult mental health services treatment within (a) six weeks and (b) 18 weeks
from the date of referral for each (i) clinical commissioning group area and (ii) Trust area
for each month of the past year.
Jackie Doyle-Price:
This data is not currently available in the requested format.
Diana Johnson: [108018]
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will publish clinical commissioning group
spending on children's mental health by area for the last two years.
Jackie Doyle-Price:
The information requested is available for 2016/17 in the Mental Health Five Year
Forward View for Mental Health Dashboard, which is available at:
https://www.england.nhs.uk/publication/mental-health-five-year-forward-view-
dashboard/
This gives information by region and by clinical commissioning group.
For 2015/16, the data is for available by region and clinical commissioning group.
Diana Johnson: [108019]
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will publish the local authority spending on
children's mental health by area for the last two years.
Jackie Doyle-Price:
The data requested is not collected centrally.
Diana Johnson: [108020]
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what estimate NHS England has made of the
baseline level of investment clinical commissioning groups need to commit to children's
mental health services in order to provide an acceptable level of service.
Jackie Doyle-Price:
NHS England has not made such an estimate. Clinical commissioning groups are
responsible for investing funds in line with the requirement to deliver national
standards and the needs of the population they serve.
Luciana Berger: [108043]
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will publish the number of children
completing (a) child and adult mental health services treatment and (b) eating disorders
treatment in each month of the past year for each (i) clinical commissioning group and (ii)
Trust in England.
Jackie Doyle-Price:
This information is not available in the requested format.
NHS England publishes an experimental national data set for Children and Young
People’s Mental Health. The dataset contains information on the number of children
and young people who have accessed, or are waiting for National Institute for Health
and Care Excellence recommended treatment following a routine or urgent referral
for a suspected eating disorder.
Findings by provider and clinical commissioning groups are available for Q1 2017-18
at:
https://www.england.nhs.uk/statistics/statistical-work-areas/cyped-waiting-times/
Mental Health Services: Children and Young People
Jonathan Ashworth: [107982]
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many children were (a) referred to a
CAMHS service and (b) accepted by a CAMHS services for each (i) clinical
commissioning group area and (ii) trust in each of the last 12 months.
Jackie Doyle-Price:
The information is not held in the format requested.
Mental Health Services: Staff
Barbara Keeley: [107826]
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many staff were employed by NHS England
in the Adult Improving Access to Psychological Therapies programme in each year since
2010.
Barbara Keeley: [107827]
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what information he holds on how many staff
were employed in the Adult Improving Access to Psychological Therapies programme by
clinical commission group in each year since 2010.
Barbara Keeley: [107828]
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what information he holds on how many
cognitive behavioural therapists have been employed by NHS England in the Adult
Improving Access to Psychological Therapies programme by clinical commission group in
each year since 2010.
Barbara Keeley: [107829]
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many (a) couple therapists, (b)
interpersonal therapists, (c) brief psychodynamic therapists and (d) counsellors for
depression have been employed by NHS England in the Adult Improving Access to
Psychological Therapies programme in each year since 2010.
Barbara Keeley: [107830]
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what information he holds on how many (a)
couple therapists, (b) interpersonal therapists, (c) brief psychodynamic therapists and (d)
counsellors for depression have been employed in the Adult Improving Access to
Psychological Therapies programme by clinical commissioning group in each year since
2010.
Jackie Doyle-Price:
Information about the Improving Access to Psychological Therapies (IAPT) workforce
is not available for every year since 2010.
The IAPT Workforce Census report provides information on the size and shape of the
IAPT workforce in England. Data is available from 2012 onwards, with publications in
2012, 2014 and 2015.
Clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) were created as a result of the Health and
Social Care Act in 2012, and replaced primary care trusts on 1 April 2013. IAPT
workforce figures by CCG were first available in the 2015 Adult IAPT Workforce
Census.
The 2015 IAPT Workforce census includes information about cognitive behavioural
therapists, couples therapy, Interpersonal Psychotherapy for depression, Brief
Dynamic Interpersonal Therapy and counselling. This can be found in Annex 3 of the
2015 report.
2015: NHS England/Health Education England (5 September 2016). 2015 Adult IAPT
Workforce Census Report. Accessed at:
https://www.england.nhs.uk/mentalhealth/wp-content/uploads/sites/29/2016/09/adult-
iapt-workforce-census-report-15.pdf
NHS: Reorganisation
Justin Madders: [107376]
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what processes his Department has put in place
in the event of a (a) clinical commissioning group, (b) council or (c) NHS trust not
complying with the decision of a sustainability and transformation plan.
Steve Brine:
Sustainability and Transformation Partnerships (STPs) are partnerships made up of
local organisations, including commissioners, providers and local government. Each
partnership is convened by a senior leader who has agreed to chair and lead the
meetings on behalf of their peers. Each footprint has agreed to its own governance
and representation, and all bodies represented on the partnership have agreed to
abide by its decision making process.
Justin Madders: [107452]
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what national consultations the Government has
undertaken on (a) sustainability and transformation partnerships and (b) accountable care
organisations.
Steve Brine:
The Government has not undertaken a national consultation on Sustainability and
Transformation Partnerships (STPs). STPs are about local areas making decisions
and ensuring National Health Service services are on a sustainable footing, and
provide the best possible care for local people.
The statutory organisations involved within STPs are accountable to local
communities through their normal processes. Each is working to its own, locally
appropriate timetable but many have already carried out extensive engagement with
the public. In September 2016 NHS England published “Engaging local people: A
guide for local areas developing Sustainability and Transformation Plans”. This
document outlines the expectations on stakeholder involvement and in particular
patient and public participation. A copy is attached.
When there are proposals to substantially change the local configuration of services,
NHS and local government organisations have a duty to consult their local
communities. There are longstanding rules in place to assure this.
Following an engagement exercise, NHS England produced a draft contract (a
prototype variant of the NHS Standard Contract) which could be used, with NHS
England’s agreement, by commissioners to contract for an accountable care
organisation (ACO). The contract will be formally consulted upon in due course in
compliance with NHS England’s statutory duties.
The Department is currently consulting on a number of changes to secondary
legislation which are designed to facilitate the development of ACOs. Further details
can be accessed here:
https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/643714
/ACO-contract-reg-changes-consultation-1.pdf.
Attachments:
1. PQ107452 attached doc. [engag_local_people_stps.pdf]
Obesity: Children
Kate Green: [107445]
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what recent discussions he has had with
Cabinet colleagues on tackling childhood obesity.
Steve Brine:
My Rt. hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health, has not had any recent
discussions with Cabinet colleagues on tackling childhood obesity. There are ongoing
discussions between officials in the Department and other Government departments
on delivering our childhood obesity plan.
Keith Vaz: [107590]
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, when he plans to publish the voluntary
guidelines for food in early years settings set out in the Childhood Obesity Plan.
Steve Brine:
As part of our Childhood Obesity Plan, we will publish and promote example menus
for early years settings in England later this year.
Keith Vaz: [107591]
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the
effectiveness of the Healthy Start scheme in achieving the objectives of the Childhood
Obesity Plan.
Steve Brine:
The Healthy Start scheme delivers the goals of the Childhood Obesity Plan by
supporting lower-income pregnant women and families to eat healthily. Healthy Start
helps to encourage a healthy diet among pregnant women and children under four
from low income households. It does this by providing vouchers to these families to
purchase fruit, vegetables and milk.
The Government has provided nutritional support to families for many years and our
world-leading Childhood Obesity Plan published in August last year re-affirmed its
commitment to Healthy Start and to helping children and families to recognise and
make healthier choices and be more active.
Obesity: Surgery
Rachael Maskell: [107834]
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment his Department has made of
the effect of the proposed requirement for clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) to go
through an individual funding request before each patient is able to access bariatric
surgery on (a) patient health and (b) capacity of CCGs to respond to that requirement.
Steve Brine:
There is no national requirement for clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) to go
through an individual funding request process before each patient is able to access
bariatric surgery. The implementation and operation of CCG commissioning policies
is a matter for individual CCGs to determine.
NHS England has therefore made no formal assessment of this proposed
requirement on CCGs.
The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence Clinical Guidelines 43 (updated
November 2014) is clear about which groups of individuals bariatric surgery can
benefit, with both clinical and cost effectiveness demonstrated, and attendance at
Tier 3 services required first. Tier 3 covers multidisciplinary weight management
services which are normally commissioned by CCGs.
Patients: Transport
Rachel Maclean: [107561]
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps his Department is taking to ensure
that people aged over 65 have adequate transport to and from routine hospital
appointments.
Steve Brine:
Non-emergency patient transport services (PTS) are available for patients that meet
certain criteria, including but not limited to those who are aged over 65 and satisfy
one or more of the criteria outlined in the document Eligibility Criteria for Patient
Transport Services.
A patient’s eligibility for PTS should be determined either by a healthcare professional
or by non-clinically qualified staff who are both clinically supervised and/or working
within locally agreed protocols or guidelines, and employed by the National Health
Service or working under contract for the NHS.
Pharmacy: Medical Records
Pauline Latham: [107291]
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what plans his Department has for widening the
use of NHS Digital to enable pharmacists to update a patient's health record.
Jackie Doyle-Price:
Pharmacists working across a range of care settings are able to update patient
records. In particular the general practice clinical pharmacist programme is funding
2,000 pharmacists over four years to work alongside general practitioners (GPs) and
nurses in general practice with read/write access to patient health records.
Clinical pharmacists in hospital practice also have read/write access to hospital
patient records to support clinical practice.
In some areas, community pharmacists have been given read/write access to support
working with general practices particularly linked to any prescribing role they have.
In addition, 96% of community pharmacists in England have now been provided with
read access to the summary care record, which provides a summary of the data in
the patient’s general practice record. In addition, 80% have now been provided with a
secure NHSmail account which allows safe and secure communication between the
pharmacist and the GP practice regarding patient encounters.
Further work is underway to develop a solution that integrates updates recorded by a
pharmacist directly into the GP record. This will take time to develop and implement
due to the complexity involved.
Sugar
Keith Vaz: [R] [107586]
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what plans he has to work with retailers to limit
the availability of high sugar food and drink products at the point of sale.
Keith Vaz: [R] [107668]
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps his Department is taking to restrict
the sale of high-sugar food and drink products at the point of sale.
Steve Brine:
As part of our plan to tackle childhood obesity we launched a broad, structured and
independently monitored sugar reduction programme, led by Public Health England
(PHE), to remove sugar from the products children eat most. This can be achieved
through reduction of sugar levels in products, reducing portion size or shifting
purchasing towards lower sugar alternatives.
Since March 2017, PHE has engaged with all of the food industry (retailers,
manufacturers and the out of home sector) to discuss what industry could do to meet
the 20% reduction in sugar by 2020. PHE will continue these discussions and will
publish regular updates on progress towards the 20% sugar reduction.
A list of PHE’s industry and other stakeholder engagement on this agenda was
published in March and can be viewed here:
www.gov.uk/government/publications/sugar-reduction-and-wider-reformulation-
stakeholder-engagement
Sugar: Consumption
Keith Vaz: [R] [107585]
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment his Department has made of
the amount of sugar consumed by people over 65-years of age and the health
implications of that level of consumption.
Steve Brine:
The most recent data from the National Diet and Nutrition Survey (NDNS), published
in September 2016, show that men and women aged 65 years and older derived
11.4% and 10.2% respectively of their total dietary energy from sugars. This is more
than double the level recommended by the Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition
in its report ‘Carbohydrates and Health’ report published in July 2015 which
recommended that the intake of free sugars should not exceed 5% of total dietary
energy. The report is available at the following link:
https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/445503
/SACN_Carbohydrates_and_Health.pdf
The sugars included in the NDNS assessment are those added to food during
manufacture or cooking in the form of table sugar, honey or similar products, or
released from the cell structure of food during processing, such as the sugars in fruit
juice.
HOME OFFICE
Crime: Finance
Mr Andrew Mitchell: [108028]
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how much funding has been
made available to implement section 13 of the Criminal Finances Act 2017.
Mr Andrew Mitchell: [108029]
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many National Crime
Agency personnel have been assigned to investigate people whose conduct constitutes,
or is connected with, the commission of a gross human rights abuse or violation and to
enforce the asset-freezing provisions in Part 5 of the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002.
Mr Andrew Mitchell: [108030]
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether a taskforce has been
set up to implement Section 13 of the Criminal Finances Act 2017.
Mr Andrew Mitchell: [108031]
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether she has communicated
guidance to the Director General of the National Crime Agency on the implementation of
section 13 of the Criminal Finances Act 2017.
Mr Andrew Mitchell: [108032]
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what plans she has to
communicate guidance to the National Crime Agency to recommend freezing the assets
of people implicated in the Magnitsky case.
Mr Ben Wallace:
Section 13 of the Criminal Finances Act allows for civil recovery to be undertaken in
cases in relation to property connected with gross human rights abuse or violations. It
expands the definition of 'unlawful conduct' within Part 5 of POCA to include conduct
by a public official that constitutes gross human rights abuse or violations (defined as
torture or inhuman, cruel or degrading treatment) of a person on the grounds that
they have been obtaining, exercising, defending or promoting human rights, or have
sought to expose gross human rights abuse conducted by a public official.
This new power also covers conduct occurring anywhere in the world, provided that it
would constitute a sufficiently serious offence if it had occurred in the UK (i.e. that it
would have been triable by indictment).
There are a number of dependencies which must be implemented before the Act,
including section 13, can be commenced. Work is underway to ensure the necessary
court rules, secondary legislation, training, guidance and human resources are in
place for commencement of the Act by Summer 2018.
Immigrants: Detainees
Afzal Khan: [107469]
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will introduce a time limit
on the period for which an individual can be detained for immigration purposes.
Brandon Lewis:
The Government has no plans to introduce a fixed time limit on immigration detention
as this would only encourage detainees to refuse to cooperate with immigration and
asylum processes until they reached the point at which they had to be released from
detention and thus avoid their enforced removal from the UK. Published Home Office
policy is clear, however, that detention is only used for the shortest period necessary.
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/chapters-46-to-62-detention-and-
removals
Police: Finance
Louise Haigh: [107961]
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, further to the Answer of 12
October 2017 to Question 9570, how many unsuccessful bids were made to the Police
Transformation Fund; and what the amount was of each unsuccessful bid made to that
fund.
Mr Nick Hurd:
Details of the Police Transformation Fund awards have been published at the
following link: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/police-transformation-
fund-successful-bids-2017-to-2018
Radicalism
Caroline Lucas: [107462]
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 5
September to Question 6756, what guidance her Department (a) has provided or (b)
plans to provide to financial institutions on how to respond to the Government's report on
the funding of Islamist extremism in the UK.
Sarah Newton:
The Government has engaged with the financial services sector on the review of the
funding of Islamist extremism in the UK.
This includes giving verbal guidance to the Joint Money Laundering Intelligence
Taskforce on the review’s findings and discussing with the group its approach to
managing risks around non-violent extremism. The Government has also discussed
the review with the British Bankers’ Association (now part of UK Finance).
HOUSE OF COMMONS COMMISSION
Elizabeth Tower: Repairs and Maintenance
Stephen Kinnock: [107189]
To ask the right hon. Member for Carshalton and Wallington, representing the House of
Commons Commission, what material has been used in the scaffolding for the renovation
work on the Elizabeth Tower; and what the country of origin was of that material.
Tom Brake:
A modular scaffolding system is being used for the refurbishment of the Elizabeth
Tower. A UK sub-contractor is erecting the modular system, which is made from high
tensile galvanised steel supplied from Germany, through a UK-based company.
The modular scaffolding system is supported by a steelwork gantry. The steelwork for
the gantry has been procured through a UK manufacturer (Sir Robert McAlpine’s sub-
contractor). The origin of the majority of the steel is British, but due to the quantity
and size of the components required it has been necessary to source some steel
from overseas suppliers, including in Brazil and the United Arab Emirates.
All of the steelwork structures have been assembled in the UK.
INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Malaria
Jim Fitzpatrick: [107550]
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what steps her Department
is taking to replenish out-of-date bed nets in malaria-endemic countries.
Alistair Burt:
DFID is the second largest international funder to the global malaria response. We
fund the provision of bednets for new users and to replace older bednets, through
bilateral country programmes, and through the significant UK investment in the
Global Fund to fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria. With UK funding the Global
Fund will provide 79 million insecticide treated long lasting bednets from 2014 to
2019.
INTERNATIONAL TRADE
Exports: EU Countries
Chris Ruane: [107077]
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what the (a) value and (b)
proportion of manufactured (i) goods and (ii) services exported to other EU countries was
by each nation and region of the UK in each of the last three years.
Mark Garnier:
The information asked for is available from the sources listed below. Data is made
available by value (£, current prices) of which proportions can be calculated.
i) Data on the value of UK goods exports to EU countries are available from the ‘Build
Your Own Tables’ tool in HMRC’s Overseas Trade Statistics database.
Manufacturing goods are defined as Standard Industrial Trade Classification (SITC)
codes 5-8.
https://www.uktradeinfo.com/Statistics/BuildYourOwnTables/Pages/Table.aspx
ii) Data on the value of UK services exports to selected EU countries and the EU as a
bloc, by type of service, are available from the ONS Pink Book 2014, 2015 and 2016
publications
https://www.ons.gov.uk/file?uri=/economy/nationalaccounts/balanceofpayments/adho
cs/006656balanceofpaymentsannualgeographicaldatatables/2015updateddetailedge
ographictradedata.xls (Table 9 - Data for 2015)
https://www.ons.gov.uk/file?uri=/economy/nationalaccounts/balanceofpayments/data
sets/9geographicalbreakdownofthecurrentaccountthepinkbook2016/thepinkbook/pink
book2016chapter9.xls (Table 9.10 - Data for 2014)
http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20160106022154/http://www.ons.gov.uk/on
s/rel/bop/united-kingdom-balance-of-payments/2015/rft-chapter-09.xls (Table 9.10 -
Data for 2013)
iii) Data on the value of goods exports from Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and
the English regions to EU countries are available from the ‘Build Your Own Tables’
tool in HMRC’s Regional Trade Statistics database. Manufacturing goods are defined
as Standard Industrial Trade Classification (SITC) codes 5-8
https://www.uktradeinfo.com/Statistics/BuildYourOwnTables/Pages/Table.aspx
iv) Data on the value of services exports from Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and
the English regions to EU countries, by type of service, are available from the ONS’s
International Trade in Services (ITIS) experimental statistics release. This covers all
services sectors, except banking, travel and transport:
https://www.ons.gov.uk/businessindustryandtrade/internationaltrade/articles/estimatin
gthevalueofserviceexportsabroadfromdifferentpartsoftheuk/2015 For previous years’
data please see the following:
https://www.ons.gov.uk/businessindustryandtrade/internationaltrade/articles/estimatin
gthevalueofserviceexportsabroadfromdifferentpartsoftheuk/2011to2015
Note: HMRC and ONS data are not directly comparable, as HMRC trade in goods
data are calculated on the basis of goods crossing the customs border, whereas ONS
trade in services data are based on a change in ownership.
JUSTICE
European Protection Orders
Bambos Charalambous: [107623]
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many UK citizens were protected by the
European Protection Order when residing in or visiting another EU member state in each
year since 2015.
Bambos Charalambous: [107624]
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many EU citizens from non-UK EU states
were protected by the European Protection Order when residing in or visiting the UK in
each year since 2015.
Bambos Charalambous: [107625]
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many European Protection Orders were
granted by British courts in each year since 2015.
Dominic Raab:
The table below shows the numbers of “European Protection Orders” made in
England and Wales pursuant to Directive 2011/999/EU of the European Parliament
and of the Council of 13 December 2011 on the European Protection Order. Criminal
justice is devolved so data for Scotland and Northern Ireland are not included. The
citizenship status of the protected person is not collected separately so is not shown,
but the table does show the number of orders made in the courts of England and
Wales and transmitted to other Member States and also the number received in
England and Wales from other Member States.
CALENDAR YEAR
ISSUED BY ENGLAND &
WALES AND ACCEPTED
BY ANOTHER MEMBER
STATE
RECEIVED AND
ACCEPTED BY ENGLAND
& WALES FROM
ANOTHER MEMBER
STATE TOTAL
2015 0 1 1
2016 2 0 2
2017 – to date 0 1 1
Family Proceedings
Mohammad Yasin: [107456]
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what the timetable is for the publication of the
Government's Green Paper on family justice.
Dominic Raab:
I am clear that we need to look across the entire family justice system to make sure it
is delivering the best outcomes for children and families, and protecting its most
vulnerable users. We are working to consider what further changes are needed and
will bring forward our proposals in due course.
Juries: Hearing Impaired
Ben Lake: [107359]
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what discussions he has had with the Minister
for Women and Equalities on how to facilitate jury service by people who are registered
as deaf.
Dominic Raab:
There have been no discussions between Ministers in the Ministry of Justice and the
Minister for Women and Equalities on the issue of deaf jurors.
Legal Aid Scheme: Domestic Violence
Gloria De Piero: [107908]
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many legal aid applications for civil cases
of domestic violence have been made in each of the last six years.
Dominic Raab:
This information is published on a quarterly basis as part of the Legal Aid Agency’s
National Statistics, the most recent of which (covering the most recent six complete
financial years) are reproduced below:
FINANCIAL YEAR
APPLICATIONS IN THE ‘DOMESTIC VIOLENCE’
CATEGORY
2011-12 17,652
2012-13 17,405
2013-14 16,925
2014-15 15,665
2015-16 14,754
2016-17 14,136
Probation
Kate Green: [107622]
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment he has made of recent HM
Inspectorate of Probation reports which indicate that workloads in both the National
Probation Service and community rehabilitation companies are dangerously high.
Mr Sam Gyimah:
The great majority of Quality & Impact Reports by Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of
Probation have commented favourably on the performance of the National Probation
Service (NPS). We recognise that staff shortages in certain parts of the country have
resulted in high caseloads in those areas. The NPS is addressing this via a major
recruitment campaign and is on target to recruit around 500 additional trainee
probation officers, and over 1000 probation service officers in 2017-18.
Contracts with Community Rehabilitation Companies (CRCs) require each that each
CRC ensures that it employs a sufficient level of staff, and that its workforce is
competent and adequately trained. We closely monitor and robustly manage
providers to make sure they fulfil their contractual commitments to reduce
reoffending, protect the public and provide value for money to the taxpayer.
Probation: Gloucestershire
Kate Green: [107725]
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps his Department plans to take to
address the problems identified in HM Inspectorate of Probation's report on
Gloucestershire with service delivery carried out by working links.
Mr Sam Gyimah:
There is a contractual mechanism for dealing with recommendations made in HM
Inspectorate of Probation reports and, as a result, Community Rehabilitation
Companies (CRCs) are required to prepare action plans to address the issues raised.
Contract Management Teams give high priority to ensuring that those plans are
followed through, and ensure that those actions are successful in addressing the
points raised.
Public protection is our top priority and we will take all necessary action to make sure
the probation system is reducing reoffending and preventing future victims.
We have fundamentally reformed probation so that for the first time ever all offenders
given a custodial sentence receive probation support on release. We continue to
work with the CRCs to ensure they deliver services that have the correct levels of
supervision and support for offenders.
Probation: Meetings
Richard Burgon: [107592]
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment he has made of the criticism
of the use of booths in probation work contained in the HM Inspectorate of Probation
report, The effectiveness of probation work in Cumbria, published in October 2017.
Richard Burgon: [107603]
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment he has made of the adequacy
of the settings used by community rehabilitation companies to meet service users; and if
he will make a statement.
Richard Burgon: [107604]
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment he has made of the potential
effect on public safety of the use of booths by probation services; and if he will make a
statement.
Mr Sam Gyimah:
In her report, the Chief Inspector of Probation found that the work of probation
services in Cumbria was good, with exceptional practice at the CRC, and that the
work of the CRC was the best they had seen since the Transforming Rehabilitation
reforms.
We recognise that it is important that offenders and probation staff can meet in an
environment appropriate for their specific needs, and that public safety also forms
part of those considerations. I expect the CRC to take note of, and act on the Chief
Inspector’s recommendations. Our contract management teams will continue to
monitor and robustly manage providers closely to make sure they fulfil their
contractual commitments to maintain service delivery, reduce reoffending, protect the
public and provide value for money to the taxpayer.
Richard Burgon: [107607]
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many offenders currently meet their
probation officer in a public space such as a library, café or restaurant due to a lack of
appropriate space in probation offices.
Mr Sam Gyimah:
Information on meeting venues is not collected centrally and could not be obtained
without incurring disproportionate cost.
In any case where a venue outside the probation estate is being considered, the
offender manager is required to make an assessment, to determine whether the
venue is appropriate.
SCOTLAND
Food Banks: Scotland
David Linden: [107297]
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, whether he plans to visit a food bank in
October 2017.
David Mundell:
I currently have no plans to visit a food bank in my capacity as Secretary of State for
Scotland in October 2017.
TRANSPORT
Airports: Northern Cyprus
Ms Harriet Harman: [107831]
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if his Department will review the decision to
increase security requirements on passengers flying between Ercan International Airport
and UK airports.
Mr John Hayes:
All flights from Ercan to the UK are subject to additional passenger screening at the
departure gate in Turkey. We believe these are necessary measures, especially
given aviation remains a systemic target for terrorists, and those with malicious intent.
We work with our international partners on aviation security, and keep measures
under constant review.
ATOL
Daniel Kawczynski: [107385]
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps the Government is taking to
increase public awareness of the extent of the protection extended to commercial flights
by ATOL.
Mr John Hayes:
The Government and the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) are taking a number of steps
to increase the public’s awareness of ATOL protection. Consumers can find
information about ATOL and the products and companies that are covered on the
CAA’s website. CAA have also launched the ‘Pack Peace of Mind’ campaign to
increase awareness of ATOL protection.
We are also taking steps to ensure consumers are informed about ATOL protection
when they book a holiday. Companies that sell ATOL protected holidays are already
required to provide an ATOL certificate to consumers when they purchase a
protected trip or flight. We will introduce additional pre and post-sale information
requirements when we implement a new EU Package Travel Directive in 2018.
The Government is continuing to keep this under review as we develop a new
aviation strategy for the UK. In July 2017 we published a call for evidence on the
aviation strategy, which invited views on whether further information provisions and
consumer protections are needed in the sector. We will cover these issues in more
detail in the next stage of the consultation.
Bus Services: Franchises
Mike Amesbury: [107957]
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when his Department plans to publish the
detailed legislative guidance on the franchising powers made available to combined
authorities with elected mayors under the provisions of the Bus Services Act 2017.
Jesse Norman:
The Department plans to publish the guidance this autumn.
Crossrail 2 Line: Haringey
Mr David Lammy: [107243]
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the
transport, housing and economic benefits of Crossrail 2 for (a) Tottenham constituency
and (b) the London Borough of Haringey.
Paul Maynard:
The Crossrail 2 Strategic Outline Business Case, submitted to the Department by
Transport for London, is currently under consideration by the Government to ensure it
is a robust investment and delivers value for money. This includes the detailed
assessment of the potential benefits of the scheme. No final decisions have yet been
taken on the Crossrail 2 route.
Harbour Authorities
Justin Madders: [107221]
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent meetings his Ministers of his
Department have had with representatives from Competent Harbour Authorities in the
last 12 months.
Mr John Hayes:
Given the importance and significance of the UK’s maritime industry, Ministers meet
regularly with representatives from competent harbour authorities and a broad range
of other maritime organisations.
Navigation
Justin Madders: [107261]
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what information his Department holds on the
number of criminal investigations which have been undertaken into allegations relating to
failure to maintain compulsory pilotage in each of the last 10 years for which figures are
available.
Mr John Hayes:
The Department holds information on only one case of a criminal investigation,
initiated in 2015, into allegations relating to failure to maintain compulsory pilotage in
the last ten years.
Ports: Navigation
Justin Madders: [107250]
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will bring forward legislative proposals to
introduce a duty on his Department to oversee or direct competent harbour authorities in
the execution of their duties to provide pilotage services in accordance with the Pilotage
Act 1987.
Mr John Hayes:
The size and volume of traffic, conditions and risks vary greatly between different
ports and harbours. Those who are responsible for their management are best
placed, given the detailed local knowledge and expertise required, to determine what
safety measures, including pilotage, are necessary within their limits and to enforce
those requirements.
The Pilotage Act 1987 requires competent harbor authorities to keep under review
whether any, and if so what, pilotage is needed in their areas to maintain safety
navigation.
The Department provides guidance for competent harbor authorities in the form of the
Port Marine Safety Code and best practice in the Guide to Good Practice.
Railway Stations: Access
Lilian Greenwood: [107813]
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many station upgrades are due to start
before April 2019 under the Network Rail Access for All scheme.
Paul Maynard:
Since 2014 Access for All has completed 30 projects and another 7 are currently on
site. A further 28 are due to start construction before 2019.
Lilian Greenwood: [107817]
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many planned station upgrades under
Network Rail's Access for All scheme have been (a) cancelled during rail control period 5
and (b) deferred to rail control period in each region.
Paul Maynard:
No schemes under Access for All have been cancelled during Control Period 5. The
construction of 26 stations has been deferred to Control Period 6 and these stations
are in the following regions:
North West 1
North East 2
East 3
East Midlands 2
West Midlands 1
Wales 4
West 1
London 9
South East 3
Railway Stations: Disability
Lilian Greenwood: [107818]
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how much has been spent on improving the
accessibility of train stations for disabled people under Network Rail's Access for All
scheme since 2014 in each region.
Paul Maynard:
The spend on Access for All projects is recorded by Network Rail route and the cost
of work done to date since 2014 is as follows:
Anglia £11.872m
East Midlands £1.184m
London North East £20.599m
London North West £15.476m
Scotland £13.112m
Sussex £2.196m
Wales £6.387m
Wessex £12.828m
Western £5.583m
Railways: North East
Mr Stephen Hepburn: [107346]
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps his Department is taking to
improve the provision of rail services in (a) Tyne and Wear and (b) the North East of
England.
Paul Maynard:
Rail journeys across the north east will undergo the biggest transformation in
decades, with an unprecedented package of improvements. By 2020 all the trains will
be brand new or completely refurbished, and all the Pacer trains will be gone.
Similarly, across the whole of the North there will be more than 500 brand-new train
carriages, with room for 40,000 more passengers and 2,000 extra services a week.
The 2 nd Round of New Station Fund is providing £3.3 million towards a new station
on the Durham Coast Line at Horden. The Government supports the Metro system
with £317million for its reinvigoration and renewal programme and £230 million
towards its running costs. The Transport Secretary last week unveiled the latest
stage in the government’s record investment in Britain’s railways setting out the next
round of rail funding, announcing that around £48 billion will be spent on the network
over a 5 year period, from 2019 to 2024, including more maintenance and a huge
uplift in renewals to increase reliability and punctuality for passengers.
Road Traffic Control
Alex Chalk: [901291]
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps his Department is taking to
reduce congestion on the strategic road network.
Jesse Norman:
Tackling congestion is at the forefront of Government’s plans to provide a modern
strategic road network that supports our growing economy.
Government is investing in the largest programme of improvements on our national
roads - £15 billion between 2015 and 2021.
In addition to providing extra capacity on our busiest motorways by making them
smart motorways, Government is improving specific parts of the network where
investment can tackle congestion, improve journeys and support economic growth.
Shared Spaces: Disability
Layla Moran: [107968]
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made on the effect
of shared-space schemes on disabled people.
Jesse Norman:
The Department has published guidance for local authorities and practitioners on
designing shared space schemes in Local Transport Note 1/11: Shared Space.
To inform the advice given in the Local Transport Note, the Department
commissioned an extensive research project in 2010, more information on which can
be found at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/shared-space. This included
qualitative research with a number of different road user types: visually impaired
pedestrians; mobility impaired pedestrians; pedestrians with learning difficulties;
pedestrians who are deaf or hard of hearing; non-disabled pedestrians; and drivers.
We have been working with the Chartered Institution of Highways and Transportation,
which has been carrying out a review of 12 shared space and other street design
schemes. This will report soon, and provide recommendations for further work in this
area.
The draft Accessibility Action Plan, currently out for consultation, includes an action
for us to consider CIHT’s recommendations, when received, and how to take them
forward, by the end of 2017.
Taxis: Guide Dogs
Laura Smith: [107694]
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps he is taking to prevent taxi drivers
from refusing to carry passengers with guide dogs.
Mr John Hayes:
It is unacceptable that drivers continue to refuse assistance dogs and I strongly
encourage licensing authorities to take robust action against those who are unwilling
to comply. Under the Equality Act 2010 it is illegal for the driver of a taxi or Private
Hire Vehicle (PHV) to refuse to carry an assistance dog unless they hold a medical
exemption certificate issued by the local licensing authority.
As part of the draft Accessibility Action Plan which is currently subject to a public
consultation, we have committed to strengthen the best practice guidance on the
provision of driver training, and what needs to be done to prevent refusals.
WALES
EU Grants and Loans: Wales
Jo Stevens: [108026]
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, how many meetings he has had with
organisations and campaigners from Wales since June 2016 on European Structural
Investment Funds after the UK leaves the EU.
Alun Cairns:
My ministerial colleagues and I regularly meet with stakeholders across Wales,
including discussing with representatives of business, the third sector and universities
how funding for growth across the UK can best be designed and delivered after we
leave the European Union. Since the referendum result in June 2016, the impact on
Wales of the UK leaving the EU has been a standing agenda item.
WOMEN AND EQUALITIES
Members: Females
Jo Stevens: [107977]
To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, what recent assessment she has made of
trends in the level of female hon. Members; and if she will make a statement.
Anne Milton:
In the 2017 general election 208 women were elected Members of Parliament, an
increase of almost 9% from 191 women at the 2015 election. The government agrees
we would like to see more women elected so that Parliament can more accurately
represent the diverse British public that it serves.
The government is looking at ways to support political parties to increase the
numbers of women Parliamentary and local council candidates, including with
guidance and academic research.
WORK AND PENSIONS
Department for Work and Pensions: Correspondence
Grahame Morris: [107666]
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will take steps to reduce the
number of working days it takes his Department to respond to hon. Members' enquiries.
Caroline Dinenage:
The Department has a 15 working day target for a Director General to respond to an
MP. These timescales are in line with Cabinet Office directives.
Department for Work and Pensions: Telephone Services
Debbie Abrahams: [107626]
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the average time of a call was
to 0345 telephone numbers by his Department.
Caroline Dinenage:
Within the last 12 months, the average length of time for a telephone call to the
Department for Work and Pensions’ 0345 telephone lines was 11 minutes 29
seconds.
Employment and Support Allowance: County Durham
Grahame Morris: [107686]
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many decision-makers
considering employment and support allowance claims are employed in County Durham.
Caroline Dinenage:
The number of decision-makers considering Employment and Support Allowance
(ESA) claims employed in County Durham (at Stockton-on-Tees Benefit Centre) as at
August 2017 is 53.62 Full Time Equivalent (FTE) staff.
Local Housing Allowance
Mr Roger Godsiff: [107092]
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment has been made
of whether the local housing allowance rates are keeping pace with increasing rents in
the private sector.
Caroline Dinenage:
Local Housing Allowance rates are monitored against the 30th percentile of local rents
which are collected by the Rent Services in England, Scotland and Wales. The Rent
Services publish the 30th percentile data and the Local Housing Allowance rates each
year on their respective websites.
Laura Smith: [107693]
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of
the potential merits of unfreezing local housing allowance.
Caroline Dinenage:
There are no plans to lift the four year Local Housing Allowance (LHA) freeze before
April 2020.
The Government recognises however that the impact of this measure varies across
the country, especially in areas of high rental growth and therefore recycles 30 per
cent of the savings from the LHA Freeze to create Targeted Affordability funding. This
funding is used to increase LHA rates in areas where local rents have diverged the
most. For example in 2017/18 48 LHA rates have been increased by 3 per cent.
Further Targeted Affordability Funding will be made available in 2018/19 and
2019/20.
In addition since 2011, the Government has provided around £900 million in
Discretionary Housing Payments to local authorities (LAs) to protect vulnerable
claimants and support households affected by different welfare reforms including the
freeze to LHA rates.
Social Security Benefits: Debts
Chris Stephens: [107618]
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps his Department is
taking to assist households facing debt as a result of benefit sanctions.
Damian Hinds:
Sanctions are only used in a minority of cases when people fail to meet each of their
requirements that they agreed in their Claimant Commitment without good reason.
We have a well-established system of hardship payments, available as a safeguard if
a claimant demonstrates that they cannot meet their immediate and most essential
needs, including accommodation, heating, food and hygiene, as a result of their
sanction.
Social Security Benefits: EU Nationals
Kate Green: [107582]
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many non-UK EU citizens are
in receipt of each of his Department's benefit to which they are entitled.
Damian Hinds:
The nationality and immigration status of claimants is not currently recorded on
benefit payment systems. However the Department for Work and Pensions has
published statistics on working age benefit recipients by nationality at point of
National Insurance Number (NINo) registration. This is available here:
https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/nationality-at-point-of-nino-registration-of-
dwp-working-age-benefit-recipients-data-to-feb-2017
https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/analysis-of-migrants-access-to-income-
related-benefits
State Retirement Pensions: Females
David Linden: [108023]
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what budget has been assigned to
the dedicated team to address complaints by women adversely affected by an increase in
the state pension age.
Caroline Dinenage:
The Independent Case Examiner’s Office has not been assigned a budget to deal
with the complaints from woman affected by the increase in state pension age.
David Linden: [108024]
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many full-time equivalent staff
work in the dedicated team to address complaints by women adversely affected by an
increase in the state pension age.
Caroline Dinenage:
The Independent Case Examiner’s Office has a dedicated team of three full time
equivalent staff investigating complaints from women affected by the increase in state
pension age.
Universal Credit: Payments
Carolyn Harris: [107185]
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps his Department is
taking to ensure prompt and accurate payments of universal credit for people being
transferred to that benefit in the run-up to Christmas.
Damian Hinds:
To ensure people have money over the festive period the Department plans to pay in
advance of the due date the people that could be affected by bank holidays. This
includes the careful assessment of technical system and banking system availability
to ensure successful payments can be made. This year we have enhanced the
functionality and added a faster payment contingency function in Universal Credit.
Universal Credit: Self-employed
Alison McGovern: [106459]
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 11
September 2017 to Question 9283, on universal credit: self employed, what assessment
he has made of the (a) effect of the roll-out of universal credit on the creative sector, (b)
number of self-employed universal credit claimants and (c) financial saving achieved by
the application of the minimum income floor.
Damian Hinds:
[Holding answer 12 October 2017]: No sector is treated more or less favourably than
another and all claimants have the same rights and obligations. We have not yet
assessed the effects of roll-out but, as part of UC’s test and learn approach, work is
planned to make data available on the number of self-employed claimants and the
impact of the minimum income floor.
Universal Credit: Telephone Services
Justin Madders: [107375]
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether his Department accrues
any income from the universal credit helpline.
Damian Hinds:
I refer the Honourable Member to the answer I gave on 16 October 2017 to question
107197
Bill Esterson: [107750]
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to the oral
contribution of the hon. Member for Sefton Central of 12 October 2017 to the Leader of
the House, Official Report, column 469, if he will remove the charge for telephone calls to
his Department on universal credit.
Stephen Timms: [107919]
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to the Answer of
February 2016 to Question 25760, what advice he gives to applicants needing to make a
telephone call to discuss their Universal Credit claim but not able to afford to use his
Department's helpline.
Damian Hinds:
As announced by the Secretary of State at the Work and Pensions Select Committee
on 18 October 2017, DWP plans to change the Universal Credit helpline to a
freephone number over the next month.
Wheels to Work Schemes: Rural Areas
Scott Mann: [107289]
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what financial support his
Department has provided to Wheels to Work schemes in rural areas, including Cornwall
in each of the last five years.
Caroline Dinenage:
DWP has provided £360 in support to Wheels to Work Schemes in the last 5 years,
the payments were made during 2012/13. These were made specifically in Helston,
Bodmin and Liskeard Job Centres.
Work Capability Assessment: Exemptions
Marsha De Cordova: [107389]
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, which disabilities and health
conditions are now exempt from work capability re-assessments for (a) employment and
support allowance and (b) universal credit.
Penny Mordaunt:
Rather than setting out a list of specific medical conditions, the criteria for stopping
routine assessments in Employment Support Allowance and Universal Credit is
based on a set of functional descriptors to determine how an illness or disability
affects an individual’s ability to work.
MINISTERIAL CORRECTIONS
INTERNATIONAL TRADE
Exports: EU Countries
Chris Ruane: [107077]
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what the (a) value and (b)
proportion of manufactured (i) goods and (ii) services exported to other EU countries was
by each nation and region of the UK in each of the last three years.
An error has been identified in the written answer given on 18 October 2017. The
correct answer should have been:
Mark Garnier:
The information asked for is available from the sources listed below. Data is made
available by value (£, current prices, not constant prices) of which proportions can
be calculated.
i) Data on the value of UK goods exports to EU countries are available from the ‘Build
Your Own Tables’ tool in HMRC’s Overseas Trade Statistics database.
Manufacturing goods are defined as Standard Industrial Trade Classification (SITC)
codes 5-8.
https://www.uktradeinfo.com/Statistics/BuildYourOwnTables/Pages/Table.aspx
ii) Data on the value of UK services exports to selected EU countries and the EU as a
bloc, by type of service, are available from the ONS Pink Book 2014, 2015 and 2016
publications
https://www.ons.gov.uk/file?uri=/economy/nationalaccounts/balanceofpayments/adho
cs/006656balanceofpaymentsannualgeographicaldatatables/2015updateddetailedge
ographictradedata.xls (Table 9 - Data for 2015)
https://www.ons.gov.uk/file?uri=/economy/nationalaccounts/balanceofpayments/data
sets/9geographicalbreakdownofthecurrentaccountthepinkbook2016/thepinkbook/pink
book2016chapter9.xls (Table 9.10 - Data for 2014)
http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20160106022154/http://www.ons.gov.uk/on
s/rel/bop/united-kingdom-balance-of-payments/2015/rft-chapter-09.xls (Table 9.10 -
Data for 2013)
iii) Data on the value of goods exports from Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and
the English regions to EU countries are available from the ‘Build Your Own Tables’
tool in HMRC’s Regional Trade Statistics database. Manufacturing goods are defined
as Standard Industrial Trade Classification (SITC) codes 5-8
https://www.uktradeinfo.com/Statistics/BuildYourOwnTables/Pages/Table.aspx
iv) Data on the value of services exports from Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and
the English regions to EU countries, by type of service, are available from the ONS’s
International Trade in Services (ITIS) experimental statistics release. This covers all
services sectors, except banking, travel and transport:
https://www.ons.gov.uk/businessindustryandtrade/internationaltrade/articles/estimatin
gthevalueofserviceexportsabroadfromdifferentpartsoftheuk/2015 For previous years’
data please see the following:
https://www.ons.gov.uk/businessindustryandtrade/internationaltrade/articles/estimatin
gthevalueofserviceexportsabroadfromdifferentpartsoftheuk/2011to2015
Note: HMRC and ONS data are not directly comparable, as HMRC trade in goods
data are calculated on the basis of goods crossing the customs border, whereas ONS
trade in services data are based on a change in ownership.
WRITTEN STATEMENTS
TREASURY
Banking Act 2009 reporting
The Economic Secretary to the Treasury (Stephen Barclay): [HCWS184]
The Treasury has laid before the House of Commons a report required under section 231
of the Banking Act 2009 covering the period from 1 October 2016 to 31 March 2017.
Copies of the document are available in the Vote Office.
DEFENCE
Service Complaints Ombudsman's 2016 Annual Report - Ministry of Defence
Response
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Defence (Mr Tobias Ellwood):
[HCWS183]
The Ministry of Defence’s (MOD) formal response to the Service Complaints
Ombudsman’s (SCO) annual report for 2016 on the fairness, effectiveness and efficiency
of the service complaints system has today been placed in the Library of the House.
The Ombudsman’s report commented on the operation of the new service complaints
system which was implemented on 1 January 2016 and the work of her office in 2016.
The response sets out how the MOD proposes to address each of the Ombudsman’s
new recommendations.
The MOD values the strong independent oversight that the Ombudsman brings to the
new service complaints process, and remains committed to having a system in which our
personnel can have confidence.
HOME OFFICE
Public consultation on defining antique firearms
The Minister of State for Fire and Policing (Mr Nick Hurd): [HCWS182]
I have today launched a Government consultation on proposals for implementing
legislation to define antique firearms.
Antique firearms are exempt from most of the controls placed on firearms if they are held
as a ‘curiosity or ornament’. There has previously been no statutory definition of an
‘antique firearm – only non-statutory guidance. This has created legal uncertainty which
has been exploited by criminals to obtain old but functioning firearms for use in crime.
Since 2008, there have been four fatalities linked to antique firearms. The number of
antique firearms recovered in criminal circumstances has increased from four in 2007 to
91 in 2016.
The Government included in the Policing and Crime Act 2017 provisions to define an
‘antique firearm’ in regulations. This consultation will inform the content of those
regulations and provide a statutory definition which will ensure that old firearms that still
pose a danger to the public are no longer exempt from control. It will also provide legal
clarity on the definition of an antique firearm to help law enforcement tackle criminal use.
The consultation seeks views on:
the obsolete cartridges and propulsion systems used by old firearms that can be
considered antique;
a cut-off date of manufacture, after which a firearm will not be considered antique;
and
arrangements for the ongoing review of the regulations.
The Government welcomes responses to this consultation from everyone involved with
antique firearms, including the police, dealers, museums and individual collectors. We will
take account of all views before deciding on the final shape of the regulations.
The consultation will run for eight weeks.
A copy of the consultation paper will be placed in the House Library and will be available
on the Government’s website at gov.uk.
NORTHERN IRELAND
Northern Ireland Update
Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (James Brokenshire): [HCWS185]
As Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, my overarching objective is a more secure,
stable and prosperous Northern Ireland. Having a fully functioning and effective
Executive, delivering for all the people of Northern Ireland is a critical to meeting this
objective.
Northern Ireland is currently in the midst of a period of political uncertainty. At this time
there is no devolved government in place and there has not been one for 10 months. This
is not what the people of Northern Ireland voted for last March. They want devolved
government in place and expect their elected representatives to make decisions to deliver
effective public services for all parts of the community. Moreover, they deserve to have a
functioning government and locally elected voices representing them on key issues,
including Brexit.
Over the past weeks and months the Prime Minister and I have sought, working with the
Irish Government in accordance with the three stranded approach, to bring the parties
together to work towards an agreement.
The DUP and Sinn Fein are seeking to find agreement on the issues between them.
Those remaining are small in number but highly difficult and sensitive - notably in relation
to language and culture.
The outlook for an imminent resolution is not positive. Time is running out. And without an
agreement, we are on a glide path to increasing intervention by the UK Government.
The NI Civil Service have dealt with the lack of an Executive with the utmost
professionalism to date - including in the face of Storm Ophelia. But by virtue of the legal
spending limits imposed in the absence of formal budget, public services cannot be
sustained without further legislation for much longer. Indeed the limits set out by the
Northern Ireland Act 1998 are such that it is essential for Budget legislation to be in place
by no later than the end of November. Working from that deadline, the Northern Ireland
Civil Service have assessed that it would still be possible, with political agreement among
the parties in the Assembly, for an Executive formed in the week commencing 6
November to take forward its own Budget.
Consequently, the last week I could introduce Executive formation legislation in
Parliament for an Executive to take forward its own Budget would be the week
commencing 30 October.
I have made clear that I will only legislate in this way on the basis of a written agreement
between the parties. If this is not forthcoming before 30 October, the only option
remaining would be to legislate for a budget at Westminster. This is not a step I wish to
take, nor one I would take lightly. My strong preference is for a restored Executive in
Northern Ireland to take forward its own Budget. Without an Executive, though, it would
be grossly remiss for the UK Government not to step in and take action to ensure the
continued funding of critical services in Northern Ireland.
I, the UK Government, and the Irish Government, want the parties to reach an agreement
and restore devolved government in Northern Ireland. But my ultimate responsibility is to
the people of Northern Ireland. The UK Government will do what is necessary to provide
the stability required to ensure communities in Northern Ireland are not disadvantaged by
the continued absence of devolved government.
Next year will be the twentieth anniversary of the Belfast Agreement. It behoves us all to
do what we can to ensure that that historic date is not marked by an increasingly hands
on UK Government, but instead by a functioning Northern Ireland Executive.
This remains my overriding priority.
TRANSPORT
High Speed Rail (Preparation) Act 2013, Annual Expenditure Report for 2016-17
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Transport (Paul Maynard):
[HCWS179]
The High Speed Rail (Preparation) Act annual expenditure report is published today
under Section 2 of the High Speed Rail (Preparation) Act 2013. The report covers the
period from 1 April 2016 to 31 March 2017.
A copy of the report will be placed in the Libraries of both Houses.
Attachments:
1. HSR Expenditure Report [171019 - High_Speed_Rail_(Preparartion) Act Expenditure
Report_2016-17.pdf]
Roads
The Secretary of State for Transport (Chris Grayling): [HCWS180]
I am today setting out further details of significant investment for our roads, including
announcing the next two major local road schemes and 76 winners from the recent
competition for National Productivity Investment Funding on local roads. This funding
from the Department for Transport totals £345.3 million.
This funding includes two new large local major road schemes receiving Programme
Entry approval, at Carrington Bridge in Worcester and at Middlewich in East Cheshire.
The scheme in Worcester will alleviate congestion on the A4440 Southern Relief Road
and receive £54.5m of funding towards a total cost of £62m. The Middlewich Eastern
Bypass will alleviate congestion in the town centre and facilitate the expansion of the
Magnitude employment site. It will receive £46.8m of funding towards a total cost of
£56.9m.
I am today announcing the winning 76 local projects which will receive funding of £244m
from the National Productivity Investment Fund, during 2018/19 and 2019/20. The
schemes will help to ease congestion, provide upgrades on important local routes, as well
as facilitating the unlocking of economic and job creation opportunities. They will also
support, in some areas, the potential delivery of new housing developments. Further
information on today’s announcement is available on the Department for Transport’s
website. These projects are an essential part of ensuring we have a country which works
for everyone.
The Government announced the Road Investment Strategy (RIS) in December 2014, an
ambitious plan to increase much needed road capacity, boost economic development
and improve road safety. It seeks to address many years of under-investment in
England’s motorways and major trunk roads. Highways England have made good
progress on delivery to date, completing 18 road schemes and starting work on 15 more.
Highways England has also undertaken longer-term planning work to ensure that the high
level of road investment along key corridors of the network can be delivered in a way to
minimise disruption and keep road users moving. These plans also help to mitigate
delivery risks and achieve better value for money for the tax-payer. This planning work
was referred to in recent ORR and NAO reports on the Road Investment Strategy. I
confirm that Government has agreed with Highways England’s plans to optimise delivery
of the RIS. This re-profiling and optimisation of delivery is consistent with Highways
England’s remit and does not involve any cancellation of schemes, so the regions of
England can expect continued and similar levels of road investment.
Further details can be found on Highways England’s website and press releases.
WORK AND PENSIONS
Agenda of the Employment, Social Policy, Health and Consumer Affairs Council
(EPSCO), 19 October 2017, Luxembourg
Minister of State for Employment (Damian Hinds): [HCWS181]
The Employment, Social Policy, Health and Consumer Affairs Council will take place on
23 October 2017 in Luxembourg. Margot James, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State
at the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, will represent the UK.
The Council will be invited to agree a general approach on the Proposal for a Directive of
the European Parliament and of the Council amending Directive 96/71/EC concerning the
posting of workers in the framework of the provision of services. The Council will also be
invited to agree a partial general approach on the Proposal for a Regulation of the
European Parliament and of the Council amending Regulation 883 on the coordination of
social security systems and Regulation 987 laying down the procedure for implementing
Regulation 883.
The Council will be invited to adopt the text and provide authorisation to sign on behalf of
the Council the Proposal for an Interinstitutional Proclamation on the European Pillar of
Social Rights.
The Council will be invited to endorse: (i) the key messages from the Employment
Committee based on the Annual Employment Performance Report and the Employment
Performance Monitor; and (ii) the main messages from the Social Protection Committee
based on the Annual Review of the Social Protection Performance Monitor.
Under any other business, the Presidency and Commission will provide information on
the Tripartite Social Summit. The Presidency will provide information on the Tallinn Digital
Summit. The Commission will provide information on the New Skills Agenda for Europe.
There will be a presentation by the European Institute for Gender Equality on the new
edition of the Gender Equality Index.