daily report thursday, 25 january 2018...

Daily Report Thursday, 25 January 2018

This report shows written answers and statements provided on 25 January 2018 and the

information is correct at the time of publication (06:26 P.M., 25 January 2018). For the latest

information on written questions and answers, ministerial corrections, and written statements,

please visit: http://www.parliament.uk/writtenanswers/

CONTENTS

ANSWERS

ATTORNEY GENERAL

Attorney General: Carers

BUSINESS, ENERGY AND

INDUSTRIAL STRATEGY

Biofuels

Bombardier: USA

Broadband

Carillion

Department for Business,

Energy and Industrial Strategy:

Beverage Containers



Departmental Responsibilities



Former Members

Food: Production

Fuel Poverty

Gratuities

Incinerators: Carbon

Emissions

Incinerators: Greenhouse Gas

Emissions

Land Registry: Electronic

Government

Renewable Energy

Tickets: Sales

Utilities: Cooperatives

Washing Machines: Standards

CABINET OFFICE

Cabinet Office: Departmental

Responsibilities

Carillion

Children: Social Services

TREASURY

Boats: VAT

Carillion

Carillion: Company

Liquidations

Child Care Vouchers:

Coventry South

Energy: VAT

Export Controls: Arrests

Public Private Partnerships:

Disclosure of Information

Treasury: Brexit

Treasury: Carillion

Treasury: Procurement

CHURCH COMMISSIONERS

Fracking

Religion: Education

http://www.parliament.uk/writtenanswers

http://www.parliament.uk/writtenanswers

DEFENCE

Aircraft Carriers

Armoured Fighting Vehicles

Army: Recruitment

Artillery

Carillion

Defence Equipment:

Procurement

Defence: Industry

Germany: Armoured Fighting

Vehicles

Joint Strike Fighter Aircraft

Military Decorations: Veterans

Ministry of Defence: Contracts

Ministry of Defence:

Procurement

Royal Fleet Auxiliary

Single Source Regulations

Office

Trident

Type 31 Frigates

DIGITAL, CULTURE, MEDIA AND

SPORT

Bank Services: Internet

BBC: Legal Costs

Broadband: Cornwall

Channel Four Television:

Location

Department for Digital,

Culture, Media and Sport:

Procurement

Digital Technology:

Departmental Coordination

Internet: Bullying

Mayflower: Anniversaries

Mobile Phones

Olympic Games

Theft

Tourism

EDUCATION

Academies: Bethnal Green

and Bow

Apprentices: Pay

Apprentices: Taxation

Carillion

Children: Day Care

Children's Centres:

Inspections

Department for Education:

Carillion

Faith Schools: Admissions

Free School Meals:

Eastbourne

Further Education: Finance

Knives: Crime

Mathematics: Schools

Music: Education

Office for Students

Pre-school Education:

Teachers

School Meals

Schools: Academic Year

Schools: Cost Effectiveness

Social Mobility Commission

Teachers: Recruitment

Universities: Sexual Offences

Wakefield City Academies

Trust

World War II: Genocide

ENVIRONMENT, FOOD AND

RURAL AFFAIRS

Ash Dieback Disease

Electronic Training Aids: Dogs

Livestock: Antibiotics

Poultry: Antibiotics

Poultry: Disease Control

Trees: Conservation

Waste Management

Waste management:

Recycling

EXITING THE EUROPEAN

UNION

Brexit

Department for Exiting the

European Union: Sick Leave

Energy: Conservation

FOREIGN AND

COMMONWEALTH OFFICE

Burma: Protest

Burma: Rohingya

Democratic Republic of

Congo: Children


Congo: Mining

Diplomatic Service

Egypt: Religious Freedom

Eritrea: Religious Freedom

Foreign and Commonwealth

Office: Procurement

Honduras: Violence

Palestinians: Children

Qatar: Foreign Relations

Sierra Leone: Female Genital

Mutilation

Sudan: Migration

Syria: Armed Conflict

Syria: Foreign Relations

HEALTH AND SOCIAL CARE

Accountable Care

Organisations

Carillion

Chronic Illnesses

Clinical Trials: EU Law

Dental Services

Dentistry: Migrant Workers

Department of Health and

Social Care: Carillion

Department of Health and

Social Care: Procurement

Diabetes

Diabetes: Medical Equipment

Diabetes: Nurses

East of England Ambulance

Service NHS Trust

Food: Labelling

General Practitioners

Gray Zone Lymphoma

Health Education: Young

People

Health Services and Social

Services: Finance

Hospitals: West Yorkshire

Medical Treatments

Medical Treatments:

Innovation

Medicine: Education

Mental Health Services:

Prisons

Minor Injuries Units: Cornwall

NHS: Crimes of Violence

NHS: Data Protection

NHS: Fees and Charges

Obesity: Children

Prescription Drugs: Packaging

Prisons: Drugs

Soft Drinks: Children

Thyroid Gland: Drugs

University Hospitals Coventry

and Warwickshire NHS Trust:

Accident and Emergency

Departments

HOME OFFICE

Agriculture: Seasonal Workers

Asylum

Asylum: Housing

Aviation: Security

Crimes of Violence: Young

People

Deportation

Firearms: Licensing

Hezbollah

Home Office: Contracts

Immigrants: Detainees

Immigration: EU Nationals

National Police Air Service:

Wales

Police: Greater Manchester

Police: Reorganisation

Slavery

Torture

Undocumented Migrants

Witnesses

HOUSE OF COMMONS

COMMISSION

House of Commons: Catering

House of Commons: Cleaning

Services

Parliamentary Estate: Waste

Management

HOUSING, COMMUNITIES AND

LOCAL GOVERNMENT

Affordable Housing:

Construction

Carillion

Health: Finance

High Rise Flats: Fire

Prevention

Housing: Construction

Local Government Finance

Ministry of Housing,

Communities and Local

Government: Beverage

Containers

Prosperity Fund

Retail Trade: Urban Areas

Social Rented Housing

Supported Housing: Finance

INTERNATIONAL

DEVELOPMENT


Congo: Mining

Sierra Leone: Female Genital

Mutilation

UNRWA

INTERNATIONAL TRADE

Arms Trade: Trade Fairs

Developing Countries: Motor

Vehicles

EU Trade

Trade Agreements

Trade Remedies Authority

Turkey: Foreign Relations

Turkey: Military Aircraft

JUSTICE

Birmingham Prison: Civil

Disorder

Carillion

Crime: Victims

Liverpool Prison

Ministry of Justice: Carillion

Ministry of Justice: Contracts

Ministry of Justice:

Procurement

Prisons: Repairs and

Maintenance

Reoffenders

Sentencing: Females

NORTHERN IRELAND

Northern Ireland Office:

Beverage Containers

PRIME MINISTER

Department for Exiting the

European Union: Junior

Ministers

SCOTLAND

Carillion: Scotland

Scotland Office: Beverage

Containers

Scotland Office: Carillion

Scotland Office: Keith

Cochrane

Scotland Office: Ministerial

Powers

TRANSPORT

Aviation: Training

Carillion

Cross Country Rail Franchise

Cycling and Walking: South

West

Department for Transport:

Procurement

Driving Tests: Pontypridd

Electric Vehicles

Engineering: Young People

Govia Thameslink Railway:

Tickets

High Speed 2 Railway Line

High Speed 2 Railway Line:

Scotland

Large Goods Vehicle Drivers:

Training

Midland Main Railway Line:

Electrification

Motorways: Repairs and

Maintenance

Roads: Litter

Transport: Apprentices

Tyne and Wear Metro:

Standards

WOMEN AND EQUALITIES

Gender Recognition

WORK AND PENSIONS

Carers: Personal

Independence Payment

Department for Work and

Pensions: Chief Scientific

Advisers


Pensions: Former Members


Pensions: Procurement

Employment and Support

Allowance: Appeals

Employment Schemes: Young

People

Jobcentres: Glasgow

Jobcentres: Training

Social Security Benefits:

Disability

Statutory Sick Pay: Public

Consultation

Universal Credit

Universal Credit: Income Tax

Universal Credit: Payments

Work Capability Assessment

WRITTEN STATEMENTS

BUSINESS, ENERGY AND

INDUSTRIAL STRATEGY

Energy Frameworks

Energy Policy

ENVIRONMENT, FOOD AND

RURAL AFFAIRS

January Agriculture and

Fisheries Council

HOME OFFICE

Report of the Independent

Reviewer of Terrorism

Legislation on the Operation in

2016 of the Terrorism Act

2000 and Part 1 of the

Terrorism Act 2006

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

ATTORNEY GENERAL

Attorney General: Carers

Frank Field: [122204]

To ask the Attorney General, whether his Department has a carer's policy for its

employees; and what other steps his Department has taken to support employees with

caring responsibilities.

Robert Buckland:

The Attorney General’s Office (AGO), the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), the

Government Legal Department (GLD), the Serious Fraud Office (SFO) and Her

Majesty’s Crown Prosecution Service Inspectorate (HMCPSI) have no specific carer’s

policy, but operate a number of policies that support employees with caring

responsibilities, including flexible working, and opportunities for special leave and

career breaks.

In addition, and as part of encouraging diversity and inclusion within the organisation,

GLD has set up a staff carers network that raises awareness of caring related issues

across the Department and provides an additional source of support to those staff in

the network. In the future, GLD, the AGO and HMCPSI will look to adopt the carers’

charter currently being developed by Civil Service Employee Policy, and introduce

the carer’s passport so that people moving around the organisation for developmental

or career reasons will be able to discuss and manage their situation with their new

management in a more open and consistent manner.

CPS offer advice and guidance from their ‘Employee Assistance’ providers and a

member of the SFO’s senior management team has been appointed as a Flexible

Working Champion to ensure that all staff are fully supported in any personal

commitments, such as caring responsibilities and is establishing a group to help

promote and embed the ideals of flexible working within the SFO.

BUSINESS, ENERGY AND INDUSTRIAL STRATEGY

Biofuels

Dr David Drew: [R] [123648]

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps his

Department plans to take to encourage the development of (a) SMEs and (b) other

businesses in the bio-energy Industry.

Claire Perry:

The Industrial Strategy white paper sets out a long-term plan to boost the productivity

and earning power of people throughout the UK. Through the Clean Growth Grand

Challenge we will maximise the advantages for UK industry from the global shift to

http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2018-01-11/122204


clean growth. The upcoming UK Bioeconomy Strategy will build on these themes to

set out a framework for growth for companies within the bioeconomy, including those

working in the bioenergy sector.

Bombardier: USA

Lady Hermon: [123619]

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, if he will

publish the papers his Department submitted to the US International Trade Commission

in support of Bombardier in Belfast in relation to that company's dispute with Boeing in

the US; and if he will make a statement.

Andrew Griffiths:

The Government has submitted over 7,000 pages of argument and evidence to the

US International Trade Administration and International Trade Commission. These

are publically available [subject to some redactions of confidential information] at:

https://access.trade.gov and https://edis.usitc.gov respectively. We continue to work

closely with Canada and Bombardier, and our submissions complement theirs.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to her by my right hon. Friend the

Minister of State for Energy and Clean Growth on 16 January 2017 to Question

122103.

Broadband

Grant Shapps: [124037]

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether the

proposed Consumer Green Paper is planned to contain any measures to improve

consumer representation in the mobile and broadband market.

Andrew Griffiths:

The Consumer Green Paper will tackle areas where markets are not working well for

consumers.

Carillion

Bill Esterson: [124241]

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what

discussions he has had with the Official Receiver and his Special Managers on support

for sub-contractors of Carillion since that company entered liquidation. .

Andrew Griffiths:

The Official Receiver is appointed by the courts and is independent of Government.

My rt. hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial

Strategy, and I are therefore keen to facilitate dialogue between the Official Receiver

and companies impacted by Carillion’s insolvency. Therefore we have invited

representatives from PwC in their capacity as special managers on behalf of the

Official Receiver to two meetings chaired by my rt. hon. Friend; the first, a meeting


http://www.parliament.uk/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/commons/2018-01-10/122103

http://www.parliament.uk/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/commons/2018-01-10/122103



with the major trade associations and construction trade associations on 17 January

and the second on 22 January to the second meeting of the Carillion Task Force

comprising trade associations, TUC and other interested parties. These meetings

have enabled PWC to expand the information on their dedicated website for Carillion

suppliers - www.pwc.co.uk/carillion.

Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy: Beverage Containers

Mary Creagh: [123853]

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, how many

disposable coffee cups were purchased by his Department in each of the last five years.

Andrew Griffiths:

The Department was created in July 2016.

The Department’s catering supplier, Baxter Storey, purchased the following

disposable cups for use in the staff restaurants and coffee shops:

YEAR NO. OF CUPS

2016 60,832

2017 48,912

The Department makes provision for recycling and has specially marked recycling

bins throughout the Department.

Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy: Departmental

Responsibilities

Clive Lewis: [124232]

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, if he will

publish the responsibilities of each Minister of his Department.

Richard Harrington:

The responsibilities of each Minister in the Department for Business, Energy and

Industrial Strategy are published on Gov.uk at:

https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/department-for-business-energy-and-

industrial-strategy

Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy: Former Members

Luke Pollard: [123806]

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, how many

former Conservative Members of Parliament who were defeated at the 2017 general

election and who now work in his Department were appointed after a publicly advertised

and open recruitment process.



https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/department-for-business-energy-and-industrial-strategy




Andrew Griffiths:

No former Conservative Members of Parliament have been appointed to the

Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, or its Partner

Organisations, since the 2017 General Election.

Food: Production

Philip Davies: [124092]


information his Department holds on the amount of coal used in the production of food in

the UK in each year since 1992 for which data is available; and if he will make a

statement.

Claire Perry:

BEIS does not hold coal consumption statistics at this level of disaggregation;

however, the table below presents the final consumption of coal by the UK food and

beverage industry as a whole from 2005 to 2016:

Final consumption of coal by the UK food and beverage industry, 2005 – 2016:

THOUSAND

TONNES

THOUSAND

TONNES

2005 26 2011 45

2006 25 2012 44

2007 34 2013 55

2008 39 2014 62

2009 48 2015 54

2010 43 2016 44

Source: Digest of UK Energy Statistics, table 2.4, available at

https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/solid-fuels-and-derived-gases-chapter-2-

digest-of-united-kingdom-energy-statistics-dukes

Fuel Poverty

Layla Moran: [123969]

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, with reference

to the report Cutting the cost of keeping warm: a fuel poverty strategy for England,

published in March 2015, cm 9019, what progress the Government has made on

reducing fuel poverty in (a) Oxfordshire and (b) England since the publication of that

report.


https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/solid-fuels-and-derived-gases-chapter-2-digest-of-united-kingdom-energy-statistics-dukes




Claire Perry:

We have not yet quantify progress in reducing fuel poverty in Oxfordshire since the

year 2015. The latest official statistics cover the year 2015 and show that 9.6% of

homes in Oxfordshire were fuel poor, which is below the national average of 11%.

Official statistics for the year 2016 will be published this summer.

Since 2015 Government has taken action to tackle fuel poverty. This includes

reforming the £640m Energy Company Obligation to increase the expenditure under

the scheme which is focused in low income households from £310m to £450m in

2017. We will be consulting soon on focussing the whole of ECO on low income and

vulnerable households from October 2018.

Gratuities

Paula Sherriff: [124231]

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, pursuant to

the oral contribution of the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Business, Energy

and Industrial Strategy of 12 December 2017, Official Report, column 166, what guidance

has been issued on tipping; and what the evidential basis is for the statement there has

been a significant improvement since his Department commissioned the review of tipping,

gratuities and hospitality.

Andrew Griffiths:

The Government has been clear that employers should not make unreasonable

deductions from the tips their staff receive. Furthermore, guidance on the National

Minimum Wage explains that income from tips can not be used to top up a worker’s

pay to the National Minimum Wage. The Government consultation on tipping

practices published in 2016 also explained the law on how income from tips should

be handled.

Since the publication of that consultation, the Association of Licensed Multiple

Retailers and Unite the Union have established a joint Code of Practice for good

practice in handling tips. The Government supports these efforts, and will respond to

that consultation in due course.

Incinerators: Carbon Emissions

Dr David Drew: [124082]


information his Department holds on biogenic CO2e emissions from waste incineration

with energy recovery; and where such information is published.


To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what the data

reported by his Department to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change were for

(a) biogenic and (b) non-biogenic CO2e emissions from UK waste incineration in each

year since 2010; and if he will make a statement.




Claire Perry:

Defra commissioned a report “Biodegradability of municipal solid waste” (project

reference WR1003) which provides measurements of the biogenic content of waste

by mass. Waste incinerators which are in receipt of government support are required

by OfGEM to either provide assessments of the biogenic content of the waste or to

use a disadvantageous default value. The Defra report is available on their science

and research project website:

http://randd.defra.gov.uk/Document.aspx?Document=12266_WR1003Biodegradabilit

yofMSWReportfinal.pdf.

Emissions from UK waste incineration are included in the UK Greenhouse gas

emissions inventory annually:

http://unfccc.int/national_reports/annex_i_ghg_inventories/national_inventories_subm

issions/items/10116.php.

These emissions estimates are split by biogenic and non-biogenic, however this is

not possible for municipal solid waste (MSW).

Emissions from UK waste incineration, including waste incineration with energy

recovery, for the years 2010-2015 were as follows:

MILLION TONNES OF CARBON DIOXIDE EQUIVALENT (MTCO 2 E)

2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015

Total UK

waste

incineration

(includes

waste

incineration

with energy

recovery) 1

2.2 2.1 2.3 2.2 2.8 3.6

Of which:

Non-

biogenic

(including all

MSW)

2.1 2.1 2.3 2.2 2.7 3.5

Biogenic 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.0 0.0

1 Totals may not sum due to rounding

This includes emissions from methane (CH 4 ) and Nitrous Oxide (N 2 O) as well as

carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) emissions.

http://randd.defra.gov.uk/Document.aspx?Document=12266_WR1003BiodegradabilityofMSWReportfinal.pdf



http://unfccc.int/national_reports/annex_i_ghg_inventories/national_inventories_submissions/items/10116.php



These emissions are included in our annual submission to the UNFCCC. Waste

incineration can be found in table 5 of the Convention tables on the UNFCCC

website:

http://unfccc.int/files/national_reports/annex_i_ghg_inventories/national_inventories_s

ubmissions/application/zip/gbr-2017-crf-13apr17.zip

The numbers above do not match the numbers presented in the table 5 of the

Convention tables submitted to the UNFCCC as waste incineration with energy

recovery is reported under the energy supply sector (table 1).

Source:

http://unfccc.int/national_reports/annex_i_ghg_inventories/national_inventories_subm

issions/items/10116.php

Incinerators: Greenhouse Gas Emissions



information his Department holds on the amount of CO2e that is emitted for every tonne

of waste that is incinerated.

Claire Perry:

According to the latest Conversion Factors for Company Reporting, published in

August 2017, the conversion factor of incineration of any waste material is 21.8 kg

CO2e per tonne. Therefore each tonne of waste that is incinerated will release 21.8

kg CO2e of emissions.

Source: Conversion Factors 2017, available at:

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/635632

/Conversion_factors_2017_-_Condensed_set__for_most_users__v02-00.xls

Land Registry: Electronic Government

Jon Trickett: [123673]

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, pursuant to

the Written Ministerial Statement of 18 January 2018, HCWS409, on Departmental

Contingent Liability Notification (HM Land Registry Digital Mortgage Service), what

estimate he has made of the number of people who will use Verify while signing

mortgage documents electronically by 2020.

Andrew Griffiths:

HM Land Registry forecasts that it will receive approximately 140,000 digital

mortgage applications per year by 2020.

Many mortgage applications will be signed by more than one person, and as such

HMLR estimates that by 2020 approximately 210,000 people per year will use

GOV.UK Verify to sign mortgage deeds electronically.

http://unfccc.int/files/national_reports/annex_i_ghg_inventories/national_inventories_submissions/application/zip/gbr-2017-crf-13apr17.zip







https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/635632/Conversion_factors_2017_-_Condensed_set__for_most_users__v02-00.xls




Renewable Energy

Paul Masterton: [124100]

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, how much the

Government has invested in renewable energy through the Contract for Difference

programme since 2010.

Claire Perry:

To date, contracts have been signed to bring forward nearly 10 gigawatts of

renewable generation capacity, with the first of these recently beginning to generate.

Government support for these projects is expected to rise to around £2.5 billion a

year by 2024/25 (in 2011/12 prices).

Our sustained support has helped deliver dramatic falls in the costs of renewable

technologies such as offshore wind.

The Government is committed to delivering clean, smart, and flexible power, which is

why in our ambitious Clean Growth Strategy we committed up to £557 million of

annual support for further Contracts for Difference, with the next one planned for

spring 2019 (in 2011/12 prices).

Tickets: Sales

Mrs Sharon Hodgson: [124034]


additional funding has been allocated to National Trading Standards to enforce relevant

consumer legislation on secondary ticketing in (a) 2017-18, (b) 2018-19 and (c) 2019-20.

Andrew Griffiths:

National Trading Standards have been tasked with investigating potential

enforcement cases against sellers and secondary ticketing websites that do not

comply with legislation from within their current and forthcoming annual budgets.

The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy provides National

Trading Standards with £13.25m per year for the coordination of regional and

national Trading Standards activity in England and Wales. The National Trading

Standards Board has allocated £300,000 towards investigation work on ticketing for

this current financial year but has not yet allocated budgets for 2018-19 and 2019-20.

Mrs Sharon Hodgson: [124039]

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, when his

Department plans to issue updated guidance on s90 of the Consumer Rights Act 2015 to

take account of the changes made by the Digital Economy Act 2017.

Andrew Griffiths:

The Department has been consulting key stakeholders and will publish updated

guidance on s.90 of the Consumer Rights Act 2015 on the Business Companion

website in due course.




Steve Double: [124138]

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what plans his

Department has better to regulate online ticket sales companies to ensure that (a)

consumers are protected when a company fails to supply the tickets and (b) a full refund

is easy to obtain.

Andrew Griffiths:

Consumer Protection legislation is in place to protect consumers where traders,

including online ticket resale companies, fail to deliver what they promise. Consumers

who have had problems should contact the Citizens Advice consumer service on

03454 04 05 06 (or through its website). The helpline service offers consumers free

advice on their rights and how to seek redress.

The Competition and Markets Authority is investigating online secondary ticket sites

and is considering in particular, difficulties for customers in getting their money back

under a website’s guarantee.

Utilities: Cooperatives

Dan Jarvis: [124221]


assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of the use of a cooperative

model of ownership for gas and water providers.

Claire Perry:

The Government has not assessed the use of a cooperative model of ownership for

gas or water.

Washing Machines: Standards



regulatory standards are in place for filters in washing machines; and whether he has

plans to review those standards.

Andrew Griffiths:

Washing machines placed on the market on or after the 8 December 2016 must

comply with the Electrical Equipment (Safety) Regulations 2016 and before that date

with the Electrical Equipment (Safety) Regulations 1994. As these regulations require

manufacturers to ensure that washing machines they place on the market are safe,

this means any filter used in the product must also be safe. There are no plans to

review these requirements.

Manufacturers can create a presumption of compliance with the legislation by

conforming to relevant Harmonised European safety standards.

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs is responsible for

environmental protection policy.




CABINET OFFICE

Cabinet Office: Departmental Responsibilities


To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to responsibilities of the Minister

for the Constitution, what the term knowledge management refers to.

Chloe Smith:

In the context of the responsibilities for the Minister for the Constitution, Knowledge

Management refers to the Cabinet Office’s responsibilities for government record

keeping and information management systems.

Carillion


To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what the terms in Carillion’s contracts with the

Government were in respect of that company's possible liquidation.

Oliver Dowden:

Since January 2011, details of central government contracts above the value of

£10,000 are published on Contracts Finder. Contracts published prior to 26 February

2015 can be viewed at:

https://data.gov.uk/data/contracts-finder-archive

Those published after 26 February 2015 can be viewed at:

https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Search

Children: Social Services

Mrs Emma Lewell-Buck: [120865]

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, which reports or reviews have been

commissioned or conducted by his Department in respect of the number of looked after

children or children subject to child protection or child in need plans.

Mr David Lidington:

The Cabinet Office supports the Prime Minister by tracking the delivery of the

Government's programme. This includes working with departments to track the

number of looked after children or children subject to child protection or child in need

plans.








TREASURY

Boats: VAT

Dr Matthew Offord: [123196]

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps the Department is taking to ensure

that the UK market for second-hand recreational boats is not affected by different levels

of VAT paid in the UK and the EU after the UK leaves the EU.

Mel Stride:

The future VAT rules for goods moving between the UK and the EU, including

arrangements relating to recreational boats, will depend on the outcome of

negotiations with the EU.

Carillion

John McDonnell: [123482]

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what criteria his Department has used to

approve and monitor contracts to Carillion since 2010; and what due diligence his

Department undertakes before awarding contracts to companies that have issued profit

warnings.


To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, If he will place a copy of each risk assessment

undertaken by his Department relating to Government contracts secured by Carillion

since January 2015 in the Library.

Elizabeth Truss:

Departments continually monitor the operational performance of contracts to ensure

the best outcome for taxpayers.



2015 can be viewed at: https://data.gov.uk/data/contracts-finder-archive. Those

published after 26 February 2015 can be viewed at:

https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Search.


To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate his Department has made of the

cost to the public purse of replacing Carillion contracts.

Elizabeth Truss:

Our top priority is to keep public services running. We have carried out extensive

scenario planning, and expect all vital public services to run as normal. Government

will provide funding for public services to enable them to continue in the immediate

future and to enable some of them to be run by new suppliers.







Carillion: Company Liquidations


To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate his Department has made of the

potential cost to the public purse of the liquidation of Carillion.

Elizabeth Truss:

The Official Receiver is conducting an orderly liquidation, preserving public services

with the support of various government customers and otherwise preserving the

company’s assets having due regard for the costs he’s incurring.

Child Care Vouchers: Coventry South

Mr Jim Cunningham: [124045]

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many claimants of childcare vouchers there

were in Coventry South constituency in each year since April 2010.

Elizabeth Truss:

I refer the Honourable Member to the answer I gave on 25 January 2017 to the

Honourable Member for Hull North (123405).

Energy: VAT


To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, when he plans to respond to his Department's

consultation on VAT on energy-saving materials of December 2015.

Mel Stride:

HM Revenue and Customs’ consultation closed on 3 February 2016.

HM Treasury are discussing the practical application of the Court of Justice of the

European Union’s judgment regarding the UK’s application of VAT law in respect to

energy saving materials with the European Commission.

Export Controls: Arrests

Lloyd Russell-Moyle: [124122]

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 19 January 2018 to

Question 123165, what the dates were of each of the five arrests made; what the names

were of each of the people arrested; and what the details of the charges were by section

of the 2008 control order.

Mel Stride:

HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) does not release the details of investigations

where no conviction has taken place or the names of those individuals or companies

that HMRC have previously, or are currently, investigating.

Details of the prosecution for a trafficking and brokering offence arising under the

provisions of the Export Control Order 2008 are as follows:





One individual was arrested in March 2011 for promoting the supply or delivery of

handguns and hand-held surface to air missiles to Azerbaijan, in contravention of the

Export Control Order 2008. In July 2012, they were found guilty on both counts and

sentenced to three and a half years in respect of missiles and two and a half years in

respect of the handguns, to run concurrently.

The action HMRC takes in respect of breaches of export controls will depend on the

nature and seriousness of any offence, and that action is not limited to investigation

with a view to prosecution.

Public Private Partnerships: Disclosure of Information


To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, when he plans to update his Department's

transparency release entitled Private Finance Initiative and Private Finance 2 projects.

Robert Jenrick:

The 2017 edition of the annual data on Private Finance Initiative and Private Finance

2 contracts will be released very soon.

Treasury: Brexit

Jo Platt: [124025]

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 18 January 2018 to

Question 122519, for what reasons the titles of all assessments carried out by his

Department on the effect of the UK leaving the EU were not listed.

John Glen:

The government is in the process of carrying out a programme of rigorous and

extensive analytical work that will contribute to our exit negotiations with the EU and

inform our understanding of how EU exit will affect the UK’s domestic policies and

frameworks.

However, it is not standard practice to provide an ongoing commentary on internal

analysis.

Ministers have a specific responsibility, which Parliament has endorsed, not to

release information that would expose our negotiating position.

Treasury: Carillion


To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether he or officials representing the Treasury

met representatives from Carillion in the past 24 months.


To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what were (a) the dates of and (b) the topics

discussed at any meetings that he or officials representing the Treasury attended with

representatives from Carillion in the past 24 months.






To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, What discussions he has had with the Secretary

of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy on the effect of the liquidation of

Carillion plc on (a) jobs and (b) public finances.


To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will publish the minutes of any meetings

which were held between Carillion and (a) HM Revenue and Customs and (b) his

Department on monitoring the performance of Carillion in the last three years.


To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, If he will publish the dates of any meetings which

were held between Carillion and (a) HMRC and (b) his Department on monitoring the

performance of Carillion in the past five years.

Elizabeth Truss:

Treasury ministers and officials have meetings with a wide variety of organisations in

the public and private sectors as part of the process of policy development and

delivery.

Details of ministerial and permanent secretary meetings with external organisations

are published on a quarterly basis and are available at:

https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/hmt-ministers-meetings-hospitality-gifts-

and-overseas-travel


To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, How many contracts with Carillion have been

signed by his Department since 13 July 2016.


To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, How many (a) PFI and (b) PF2 contracts were

signed by his Department since 13 July 2016.

Elizabeth Truss:



2015 can be viewed at: https://data.gov.uk/data/contracts-finder-archive. Those

published after 26 February 2015 can be viewed at:

https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Search.

Treasury: Procurement


To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many contracts his Department holds with

Government strategic suppliers.




https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/hmt-ministers-meetings-hospitality-gifts-and-overseas-travel






Robert Jenrick:

The Government is committed to maintaining transparency about its procurement

activity and publishes information about its contracts with a value of over £10,000 on

the “Contracts Finder” website. The information requested is readily available there.

CHURCH COMMISSIONERS

Fracking

Rosie Cooper: [123905]

To ask the Rt. Hon. Member for Meriden representing the Church Commissioners what

the policy of the Church of England is on fracking on land owned by the Church of

England.

Dame Caroline Spelman:

All oil and gas deposits in the UK are owned by the Crown. There are no plans for the

Church Commissioners to use its land or mineral rights for the purpose of fracking.

As a policy, The Church Commissioners do not seek applications for seismic

drilling/exploration and fracking. Allowing seismic testing/exploratory drilling does not

imply approval of fracking, litigation risks arise for landowners should they wish to

oppose a request to carry out geophysical surveys on their land. The Church

Commissioners seek to minimise this risk.

The Church Commissioners are responsible landowners and landlords and we seek

to protect both our interests and those of our tenants. The Church does not have an

official position on fracking and recognises it’s a controversial and evolving issue and

people within the church hold a range of views. The Church of England issued a

Briefing Paper on Shale Gas and Fracking in December 2016 which can be found

here: https://www.churchofengland.org/sites/default/files/2017-11/shale-gas-and-

fracking.pdf

Religion: Education

Rehman Chishti: [903525]

To ask the right hon. Member for Meriden, representing the Church Commissioners, what

discussions the Church of England has had with the Department for Education on

ensuring that religious studies remains a priority in schools.

Dame Caroline Spelman:

The Education Office of the Church of England is in regular dialogue with the

Department for Education and is a member of the ‘Faith Providers’ group, which

meets frequently with the Department to discuss a range of issues connected with

schools of a religious character. One of the issues that the Office has raised in those

discussions is the concern that Religious Education is not included within the EBacc.

The Education Office has also submitted written and oral evidence to the

Commission on Religious Education and, following the publication of its interim


https://www.churchofengland.org/sites/default/files/2017-11/shale-gas-and-fracking.pdf




report, has discussed its findings with the Commissioners. The Education Office is

part of a programme run by the Theos Think Tank, bringing together leading players

in RE with officials from the Department for Education and also the Department of

Housing, Communities and Local Government to discuss a range of issues including

RE.

DEFENCE

Aircraft Carriers

Mr Kevan Jones: [123944]

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what account his Department takes of the

effect of potential currency fluctuations on its ability to deliver Carrier Enabled Power

Projection; and if he will make a statement.

Guto Bebb:

Cost approvals for the constituent programmes of Carrier Enabled Power Projection

(Queen Elizabeth Class Carriers, F-35B Lightning 2, Crowsnest) include provision to

address FOREX risks. This will continue to be monitored, and as necessary, can be

prioritised against the delegated and the overall departmental position.

Armoured Fighting Vehicles


To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the status of the Warrior Capability and

Sustainment Programme is.

Guto Bebb:

The Warrior Capability Sustainment Programme is in the Demonstration Phase. A

prototype vehicle has already undergone initial live firing and a rigorous trials

programme will start shortly.


To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the delivery time-frame is for the

Oshkosh Joint Light Tactical Vehicle as part of his Department’s Multi Role Vehicle

Protected Group 1 requirement.

Guto Bebb:

The Multi Role Vehicle - Protected (MVR-P) project is still going through the

approvals process, and is not yet on contract. Therefore there is no fixed time frame

for its delivery.


To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether his Department plans to procure a

single family fleet of light protected mobility platforms for the armed forces.





Guto Bebb:

The Army seeks to maintain an optimum combination of light protected mobility

platforms, taking into consideration operational requirements and value for money.

No single fleet would be able to meet all of the Ministry of Defence's requirements.

Army: Recruitment


To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the difference has been in his

Department's business case spending compared to its actual spending on the Army

Recruiting Partnership Project since the 2011-12 financial year.

Mark Lancaster:

The Recruiting Partnership Project is a ten-year output based contract between the

Army and the service provider (Capita), spend includes both the Service Provider and

Defence costs.

For the period from contract award (February 2012) to 31 March 2017 against a Main

Gate Approval of £698.4 million the actual spend has been £751.9 million.

The overall cost increase within the contract is primarily a result of the decision to

transfer responsibility for the delivery of the Information Communication Technology,

including the Defence Recruiting System from Defence to the Service Provider.

Artillery


To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether his Department plans to procure a

new artillery system to support his Department’s planned strike brigades.

Guto Bebb:

The Ministry of Defence is currently considering the artillery system requirement for

the armoured infantry and strike brigades.

Carillion


To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many individual contracts existed

between his Department and Carillion at the time of that company’s liquidation; and how

many of those contracts were joint ventures with other suppliers.

Mr Tobias Ellwood:

As of 15 January 2018 the Ministry of Defence had eleven contracts with Carillion

which were still delivering services. Eight of these contracts were joint ventures with

other suppliers.




Defence Equipment: Procurement


To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the budget is for each programme in his

Department's equipment plan.

Guto Bebb:

The Ministry of Defence is due to publish the Equipment Plan 2017 to 2027 by the

end of this Financial Year, setting out its plans for expenditure on equipment

procurement and support. The report will provide an analysis of the budget allocated

to each operating centre over the ten year period.

Defence: Industry


To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to Industry for Defence and a

Prosperous Britain: Refreshing Defence Industrial Policy, published on 20 December

2017, what is the budget is for the Supplier Portal and how many people are employed

for the Supplier Portal.

Guto Bebb:

The Supplier Portal is delivered by our service provider as part of a concession

contract. The content of the portal is maintained by the Ministry of Defence's Supply

Chain Development team, consisting of four people, as part of its wider remit to

provide supplier outreach activities.




2017, what internal guidance his Department has on engaging potential SME suppliers.

Guto Bebb:

The Ministry of Defence's Acquisition System Guidance contains significant guidance

and examples of good practice on how to engage effectively with SMEs. This

guidance is reinforced with specific SME content on internal training courses and

through periodic coverage in internal newsletters and other publications.




2017, which of his Department's bodies or agencies are responsible for scrutinising

supply chain plans for competitive contracts with a value of more than £100 million.

Guto Bebb:

Project delivery teams are responsible for assessing Industry Supply Chain Plans as

part of contract management activity.





Germany: Armoured Fighting Vehicles

Nia Griffith: [123307]

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what recent discussions he has had with his

German counterpart on the Mechanised Infantry Vehicle programme.

Guto Bebb:

The Secretary of State for Defence regularly holds discussions with his international

colleagues on a number of topics.

Joint Strike Fighter Aircraft

Jamie Stone: [123217]

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what proportion of the cost of F-35 Lightenings

being purchased for the British Armed Forces will be accrued by UK contractors involved

in their production.

Guto Bebb:

Approximately 15% by value of every one of the 3,000 aircraft in the worldwide F-35

programme will be produced in the UK, bringing significant economic benefits to the

nation.

Military Decorations: Veterans

Marion Fellows: [123205]

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether there are options available to ex-

servicemen and women who wish to officially return their service medals.

Mark Lancaster:

When medals are no longer required by a veteran they should be returned to the

Ministry of Defence Medal Office. Returned medals are normally retained for a period

of six months before being destroyed.

Ministry of Defence: Contracts


To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, which of his Department’s contracts which

were joint ventures that included (a) Carillion and (b) Babcock are being renegotiated.

Mr Tobias Ellwood:

None of the joint venture contracts that include Carillion and Babcock are being

renegotiated.

Ministry of Defence: Procurement


To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, on how many occasions suppliers engaged in

single-source contracts with his Department have successfully appealed contracts in

court resulting in changes to those contract prices.






Guto Bebb:

There have been no occasions when suppliers engaged in single-source contracts

with the Ministry of Defence have successfully appealed contracts in court resulting in

changes to those contract prices.


To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many contracts his Department holds with


Guto Bebb:

The Ministry of Defence currently holds 1,029 contracts with the Government's

strategic suppliers.

Royal Fleet Auxiliary


To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether his Department plans to treat fleet

solid support ships as warships for tendering purposes.

Guto Bebb:

The National Shipbuilding Strategy makes clear that all non-warships, which includes

the Fleet Solid Support vessels, will be subject to international competition.

Single Source Regulations Office

Nia Griffith: [123339]

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when he plans to appoint a new permanent

Chief Executive of the Single Source Regulation Office.

Guto Bebb:

Executive members of the Single Source Regulations Office (SSRO), including the

Chief Executive, are appointed by the SSRO Board and not by the Ministry of

Defence. We understand from the SSRO that the process of appointing for this post

will begin shortly.

Trident


To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what recent assessment he has made of the

compatibility of replacing trident with the Government’s policy on nuclear non-

proliferation.

Mark Lancaster:

We remain committed to creating the conditions for a world without nuclear weapons,

and fulfilling our obligations under the Non-Proliferation Treaty, which remains the

cornerstone of the global non-proliferation regime. But we must continue to maintain

a credible nuclear deterrent for as long as the global situation demands. Given the





current threat to international security, and the reality that this will continue for the

foreseeable future our independent nuclear deterrent remains as vital today as it ever

has.

Type 31 Frigates


To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to the National Shipbuilding

Strategy, what the evidential basis is for his Department's decision to set the objective of

exporting 40 Type 31e frigates.

Guto Bebb:

With reference to the National Shipbuilding Strategy no Departmental objective has

been set for the export of 40 Type 31e frigates. The Government has assessed that

there is a potential light frigate market of around 40 ships over the next 10 years.


To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to the answer given by his

Department’s Permanent Secretary to question 45 in evidence to the Public Accounts

Committee on Wednesday 10 January 2018, HC 723, what the evidential basis is for

efficiencies being produced by adopting the procurement model outlined in the National

Shipbuilding Strategy for the Type 31 frigate.

Guto Bebb:

Informed by Sir John Parker's independent report, the National Shipbuilding Strategy

concluded that that there was a competitive market for Type 31e. The use of

competition remains the cornerstone of Defence procurement as a means of driving

innovation and industrial performance and providing value for money for the taxpayer.

DIGITAL, CULTURE, MEDIA AND SPORT

Bank Services: Internet

Siobhain McDonagh: [123442]

To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, whether his

Department has made an assessment of (a) the level of use of online banking and (b) the

effect of online banking on the number of charitable donations made by the public.

Tracey Crouch:

The Office for National Statistics (ONS) compiles data on the activities carried out by

people that use the internet, including internet banking. This can be found at:

http://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/householdcharacteristics/hom

einternetandsocialmediausage

The ONS estimates that in Great Britain, in 2017, 90% of households had internet

access and 63% of adults over the age of 16 used the internet to bank in 2017.




More and more people want to donate digitally and the Charities Aid Foundation

reports that over a quarter of people have given money to charity online.

The Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport is providing training with the

Foundation for Social Improvement to help civil society organisations to maximise the

opportunity from online giving.

The Digital Skills Partnership is also improving digital skills for individuals, charities

and businesses to support the UK's ambition to be a world-leading digital economy.

Partner organisations have already delivered more than two million free digital skills

training opportunities, with a further two million pledged.

BBC: Legal Costs

Mr David Lammy: [123369]

To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what information he

holds on the amount and proportion of monies from the public purse received by the BBC

which it has spent on legal fees and out of court settlements and associated costs

relating to non-disclosure agreements in cases of alleged victims of discrimination,

bullying and harassment in each of the last seven years.

Margot James:

We do not hold this information. The BBC is operationally and editorially independent

of government.

Broadband: Cornwall

Scott Mann: [123572]

To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what steps he has

taken to facilitate access to superfast broadband for people who live in (a) Cornwall and

(b) North Cornwall constituency; and whether he has held discussions with superfast

broadband providers on delivering that service.

Margot James:

The Government has provided over £5.9m for the delivery of superfast broadband in

Cornwall. According to Thinkbroadband, currently over 90% of premises in Cornwall

have access to Superfast Broadband, up from 33% in 2011. The local Superfast

Cornwall project has a current delivery contract with BT which will extend coverage to

at least a further 3% of premises within Cornwall.

As confirmed in our announcement in December 2017 we are pushing ahead with our

plans for a Universal Service Obligation (USO) so that by 2020 everyone across the

UK will have a clear, enforceable right to request high speed broadband.



Channel Four Television: Location

Richard Burden: [123791]

To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what recent

discussions he has had with (a) Birmingham City Council and (b) the West Midlands

Combined Authority on the potential relocation of Channel 4 outside London.


To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what recent

discussions he has had with Coventry City Council on the potential relocation of Channel

4 outside London.

Margot James:

We received a number of submissions to the Channel 4 regional consultation from

individuals and local authorities across the UK. No decisions have been taken. The

government is working with Channel 4 on how it can best increase its regional

impact, and we will set out next steps in due course.

Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport: Procurement


To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, how many contracts

his Department holds with government strategic suppliers.

Tracey Crouch:

The Department of Digital, Culture, Media and Sport holds four such contracts.

Digital Technology: Departmental Coordination

Anna Turley: [123947]

To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what recent meetings

officials and ministers from his Department have had with their counterparts at the

Department for Education on education and the proposed Digital Charter.

Margot James:

Ministers and officials have regular meetings and discussions with their counterparts

in the Department for Education to discuss a range of issues, including the Digital

Charter.

Internet: Bullying


To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment his

Department has made of the potential merits of the Royal Foundation's National Action

Plan to Tackle Cyberbullying, published on 16 Novmber 2017, to tackle on-line (a)

Islamophobia, (b) homophobia and (c) antisemitism.






Margot James:

The Royal Foundation has played a key role bringing together technology companies

with those working hard to protect children, in order to help create industry-driven

initiatives and encourage the companies to take their social responsibility seriously.

The Royal Foundation’s National Action Plan tackles cyberbullying which can include

islamophobia, homophobia and antisemitism. In our Internet Safety Strategy, we

consulted on introducing a code of practice, which will build on the Royal

Foundation’s work. As set out in the Digital Economy Act 2017, the code will address

all forms of bullying, insulting, intimidating and humiliating behaviour by setting out

guidance for social media providers about what they should do in relation to conduct

on their platforms.

Mayflower: Anniversaries

Mr Gary Streeter: [123274]

To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what steps he is

taking to appoint a special representative for the Mayflower 400 celebrations in 2020; and

if he will make a statement.

Michael Ellis:

The Prime Minister established the post of Special Envoy for the Mayflower

commemorations in the Spring Budget of 2017 and invited Oliver Colvile to take up

the position. Following the 2017 General Election, the Prime Minister invited Mr

Colvile to continue in the role, which he accepted.

Mobile Phones


To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, whether his

Department plans to take steps to end the practice of people continuing to be charged for

the cost of their mobile handset after the end of the minimum contract period.

Margot James:

The Government’s Manifesto committed to making it clear when a mobile customer

has paid off the price of their handset. This is an area where Government recognises

that action is needed to improve protections for consumers. The Department is

currently considering this issue. We will listen to the views of stakeholders and are

working closely with Ofcom, as the UK’s independent communications regulator, and

mobile service providers to find a solution that protects consumers.

Olympic Games

Dr Rosena Allin-Khan: [124055]

To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what criteria a sports

governing body must fulfil in order to be recognised as an official Olympic partner by the

UK Government.





To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, for what reasons the

Deaflympics is not recognised as an official Olympic sporting event by the Government.

Tracey Crouch:

Recognition as an official Olympic partner is a matter for the International Olympic

Committee (IOC). The Government does not therefore set such criteria. Decisions on

which sports are on the programmes for the Olympic and Paralympic Games are

matters for the IOC and International Paralympic Committee (IPC) respectively. The

Deaflympics (previously called World Games for the Deaf and International Games

for the Deaf) are an International Olympic Committee (IOC) sanctioned event at

which deaf athletes compete at an elite level.

Theft


To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what steps his

Department is taking to help prevent the sale of stolen goods on classified advertising

and auctioning websites.

Margot James:

The Home Office is working with the National Police Chief’s Council lead for

acquisitive crime and other partners at the national level to look at whether there is

more to be done to tackle the markets for stolen goods to make products less

attractive to thieves. The work is covering a number of different elements including

strengthening identity and due diligence checks carried out by second hand traders

and agreeing a national code of conduct, which aims to protect both businesses and

the public from inadvertently buying stolen goods.

Tourism

Jeremy Lefroy: [123647]

To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, whether he has held

recent discussions with Cabinet colleagues on the effect on levels of tourism of litter on

(a) public highways and (b) the countryside; and if he will make a statement.

Michael Ellis:

Littering is a concern for everyone, residents and visitors alike. VisitBritain have

recently carried out research into the factors that encourage people to come to the

UK. Litter was one of the factors they asked people to consider, and the report will be

released on the VisitBritain website in due course.

Additionally, the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs have put forward

measures in their 25 Year Plan to address littering.




EDUCATION

Academies: Bethnal Green and Bow

Rushanara Ali: [123489]

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many schools in Bethnal Green and

Bow constituency have become an academy in each year since 2010.

Nadhim Zahawi:

Two schools in Bethnal Green and Bow constituency have become academies since

2010. The Green Spring Academy Shoreditch opened in 2012 and the Old Ford

Primary School opened in 2013.

Apprentices: Pay

Angela Rayner: [123942]

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, when apprentices transferred from Carillion

Training Services to the Construction Industry Training Board were last paid wages; and

when such apprentices are next planned to be paid wages.

Anne Milton:

The Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA) can confirm that all affected

apprentices will continue to be paid by the receiver until the end of January 2018.

Following the announcement on the 15 January 2018, regarding the liquidation of

Carillion, the ESFA has enacted robust contingency plans and identified the

Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) as the best-placed alternative provider.

The CITB is currently utilising their existing employer contacts in the sector and the

grant incentives they have available, to secure existing employers or find alternative

employers for the apprentices to complete their frameworks or standards.

Once alternative employment has been secured, it will be the responsibility of these

individual employers to determine the frequency of payments to their apprentices.

Apprentices: Taxation


To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment he has made of the effect

of the apprenticeship levy on schools in (a) Devon and Plymouth and (b) England; and if

he will make a statement.

Anne Milton:

As with other areas of the public sector, the department will be monitoring the uptake

of apprenticeships by the school workforce. Public sector bodies included in the

apprenticeship target are required to annually publish and report to the department

their progress towards the target. The first reports (covering the period 1 April 2017 –

31 March 2018) are due on 30 September 2018. As we have outlined to the Public

Accounts Committee, the department will also include the financial impact of the




apprenticeship levy as part of our publication regarding the cost pressures on

schools.

Priti Patel: [123344]

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many organisations have (a) paid the

Apprenticeship Levy and (b) utilised funds from the Apprenticeship Levy to date.

Anne Milton:

Information on the number of organisations that have paid the apprenticeship levy is

not available in the format requested. Data on the apprenticeship levy is reported to

Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs via the Pay As You Earn scheme rather than by

organisation.

The department plans to publish statistics on registrations and commitments for the

levy in due course.


To ask the Secretary of State for Education, when he plans to issue guidelines to

Apprenticeship Levy payers on forthcoming measures to enable them to transfer of up to

10 per cent of their funds to another employer of an apprenticeship training agency; and if



To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment he has made of the

potential merits of enabling funds raised from the Apprenticeship Levy to be used to

support the provision of skills and training courses that are not provided by

apprenticeships.

Anne Milton:

The department will be issuing guidance to levy-paying employers regarding

measures that will allow them to transfer up to 10% of the annual value of funds

entering their apprenticeship service account to another employer or an

apprenticeship training agency. This guidance will be issued prior to the introduction

of these measures in April 2018.

The levy allows employers to spend their funds on the apprenticeship training that

they judge best meets their needs. Funds in an employer’s levy account can only be

used towards the cost of approved apprenticeship training and assessment. The

purpose of the levy and the associated funds is to drive the uptake of quality

apprenticeship training.

The government will continue to work with employers and providers on how the

apprenticeship levy is best spent to meet employers’ needs and support productivity

across the country.




Carillion


To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answer of 22 January 2018

to Question 123188, how many local authority and academy trust schools are covered by

catering, facilities management or other service contracts with Carillion.

Nadhim Zahawi:

The department does not ordinarily collect information on procurement activity

because local authorities and academy trusts are responsible for their own contracts.

Information available to the department indicates that the number of local authority

and academy trust schools covered by service contracts with Carillion is relatively

low, and significantly lower than figures initially published on Carillion’s website.

Schools affected already have robust contingency plans in operation and, for many,

this may include transferring services in house, or re-procuring with alternative

providers. We are working closely with the Official Receiver, Special Manager and

local authorities to confirm the position.


To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment his Department has made

of the effect on school finances of the fees being charged by PwC in its capacity as the

liquidator of Carillion; and if he will make a statement.

Nick Gibb:

The Government’s priority has been to ensure schools can continue to operate as

usual. To date, all schools have remained open and no significant issues have been

reported. Schools affected already have robust contingency plans, and for many this

may include transferring services in-house, or re-procuring with alternative providers.

For schools that continue to receive services through the Official Receiver/Special

Manager, any additional fees are yet to be finalised. The Department is working

closely with the Cabinet Office, the Official Receiver and the Special Manager to

ensure schools using the services provided through this arrangement are kept

informed.

Schools receive funding to pay for catering and facilities management services like

the ones provided by Carillion. The Department expect them to continue to use this

funding to pay for replacement services, but if any schools or trusts are concerned

about their ability to manage these costs, they should contact the Department.

Stephanie Peacock: [124212]


to Question 123193, which (a) local authorities and (b) academy trusts have contracts

with Carillion for school support services; and for each such school what the type of

service provided is.




Nick Gibb:

The Department does not ordinarily collect information about procurement activity

since local authorities and academy trusts are responsible for their own contracts.

Information available to the department indicates that the number of local authority

and academy trust schools covered by services contracts with Carillion is relatively

low, and significantly lower than figures initially published on Carillion’s website.

Schools affected already have robust contingency plans in operation and, for many,

this may include transferring services in house, or re-procuring with alternative

providers. We are working closely with the Official Receiver, Special Manager and

local authorities to confirm the position.

Children: Day Care


To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what the average weekly cost was of a

childcare place in Cornwall in each year since 2010.

Nadhim Zahawi:

The department collects data on the weekly regional cost of childcare through our

regular parent surveys. These can be found at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/statistics-childcare-and-early-years.


To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment the Government has made

of the regional disparities in funded childcare places in England.

Nadhim Zahawi:

On 19 December 2017, we published ’30 hours free childcare: autumn term 2017’

which showed for the first time the number of children in a 30 hours place.

This showed that, based on local authority returns to a voluntary survey, an estimated

202,800 children were in a 30 hours place. At a national level, this was 90% of the

total number of codes generated. At a regional level this ranged from 85% in the

South East to 97% in the North East.

This is the first term of delivering a new national programme and it is encouraging

that no region has under 85% of children with a 30 hours code in a 30 hours place.

We cannot account for a parents’ preference and behaviour which could, of course,

vary across the country depending on individual circumstances.

Our new Early Years National Funding Formula includes an ‘Area Cost Adjustment’

to reflect the fact that the costs of delivering childcare vary between different local

authority areas. We will monitor all 30 hours data over the first year of delivery to

understand how the new policy is being delivered and identify any operational

challenges.




To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many childcare providers in (a) Bethnal

Green and Bow, (b) London and (c) England have fallen off the register in each year

since 2010.

Nadhim Zahawi:

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.

This is a matter for Ofsted. I have asked, Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector, Amanda

Spielman, to write to the hon. Member. A copy of her reply will be placed in the

Libraries of both Houses.

Matt Western: [123511]

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many formal complaints have been

made to HMRC on problems with reconfirming eligibility codes for 30 hours of free funded

childcare for three and four-year-old children since April 2017; and whether his

Department has made an assessment of HMRC’s capacity to efficiently process

applications for 30 hours of free childcare.

Nadhim Zahawi:

The Department for Education does not hold information on complaints made in

relation to reconfirmation of eligibility for 30 hours free childcare. Her Majesty’s

Revenue and Customs (HMRC) will release further information on complaints they

have received in due course.

The vast majority of parents are using the digital childcare service without issue. As

shown in our management information release, 30 hours free childcare eligibility

codes issued and validated: January 2018, more than 325,000 eligibility codes have

been issued for the spring term. The department continues to work closely with

HMRC to support parents through the application process for 30 hours free childcare.


To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what progress has been made on the roll-out

of 30 hours of free childcare in Coventry.

Nadhim Zahawi:

On 19 December 2017, we published ’30 hours free childcare: autumn term 2017’.

This showed that, in the first term of delivery, an estimated 1,143 children were in a

30 hours place in Coventry – this was 97% of those issued with a 30 hours eligibility

code.

Furthermore, as of 8 January, 1,786 30 hours eligibility codes had been issued in

Coventry for the spring term and 1,445 of these codes had been validated via the

department's eligibility checking system.




This data was published in the management information release: ‘30 hours free

childcare eligibility codes issued and validated: January 2018’:

https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/30-hours-free-childcare-eligibility-codes-

issued-and-validated.

We will continue to publish regular management information on the rollout of 30 hours

free childcare at a national and local level.

Children's Centres: Inspections

Tracy Brabin: [124199]

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what the timetable is for Ofsted to resume

inspections of children's centres.


To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what information his Department holds on

the number of children's centres which would have received a five year inspection before

31 December 2017 but did not as a result of his Department suspending such inspections

in September 2015.


To ask the Secretary of State for Education, where the children's centres are which have

not received a five-year inspection as a result of the suspension of inspections imposed

in September 2015.

Nadhim Zahawi:

Children’s centre inspections are suspended. There was widespread agreement at

the time that they were not fit for purpose. As indicated in the letter of 25 September

2015 to HM Chief Inspector of Education, the Secretary of State for Education retains

the ability to require Ofsted to undertake inspections and Ofsted itself retains the

ability to inspect children’s centres if concerns are raised. The letter can also be

viewed at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/sure-start-childrens-centre-

inspections-sam-gyimah-letter.

This suspension should not affect the normal activity of children’s centres and we

expect them to continue their work to improve the outcomes for children and families

in local areas. Registered early years provision within children’s centres will continue

to be inspected by Ofsted as part of the Common Inspection Framework.

The department does not hold a list of children’s centres that have not received five-

year inspections as a result of the suspension. However, this information can be

derived from publicly available data. Records of Ofsted inspections of children’s

centres and children’s centre groups carried out between 2010 and 2015, including a

list of names and addresses and the date of the last inspection are at:

https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/childrens-centres-statistics. Real-time

data on the current list of children’s centres and children’s centre groups including

names and address is supplied by local authorities via the Get Information about

https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/30-hours-free-childcare-eligibility-codes-issued-and-validated







https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/childrens-centres-statistics

https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/childrens-centres-statistics

Schools (GIAS) database portal at: https://www.get-information-

schools.service.gov.uk/.

Department for Education: Carillion

Tim Farron: [124042]

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how much money his Department owed to

Carillion plc in outstanding payments before that company's liquidation.

Nadhim Zahawi:

Our initial assessment is that the department does not have any significant

outstanding payments.

We are working with the Official Receiver to reconcile the financial position. The

department does expect this to take some time, since the liquidation process is

complex, given the nature and size of Carillion’s interests.

Faith Schools: Admissions



to Question 123136, whether he plans to respond to the full consultation on the Green

Paper entitled Schools that work for everyone or only to the proposals on the

establishment of new faith free schools set out in the consultation document.

Anne Milton:

The department plans to respond to the proposals set out in the consultation

document, ‘Schools that work for everyone’, including those regarding the faith

admissions cap, in due course.

Free School Meals: Eastbourne

Stephen Lloyd: [123409]

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many families in Eastbourne would be

entitled to free school meals under the pre-universal credit free school meals system.

Nadhim Zahawi:

We don’t differentiate between pupils eligible for free school meals under the pre-

universal credit free school meals system and those only eligible due to the universal

credit free school meals system. The number of pupils eligible for and claiming free

school meals is published in the file “Underlying data: SFR28/2017” in the annual

‘Schools, pupils and their characteristics’ statistical release. For 2017 the information

can be found at:

www.gov.uk/government/statistics/schools-pupils-and-their-characteristics-january-

2017.

Information for earlier years can be found at:

https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/statistics-school-and-pupil-numbers.

https://www.get-information-schools.service.gov.uk/






http://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/schools-pupils-and-their-characteristics-january-2017



https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/statistics-school-and-pupil-numbers

https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/statistics-school-and-pupil-numbers

Further Education: Finance

Stephen Morgan: [124141]

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether the Government's proposed review

of tertiary education funding is planned to include funding for 16 to 19-year olds.

Mr Sam Gyimah:

I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 24 January 2018 to Question 123890

(123890 - http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-

statements/written-questions-

answers/?page=1&max=20&questiontype=AllQuestions&house=commons%2clords&

uin=123890).

Knives: Crime

Ms Marie Rimmer: [123465]

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps his Department is taking in

schools better to educate young people in the dangers of knife crime.

Nick Gibb:

The Department knows how important it is that young people understand the dangers

of knife crime. Schools can choose to include lessons on weapons awareness and

gangs as part of their Personal, Social, Health and Economic (PSHE) or Citizenship

curriculum, with high quality materials available to schools to support teaching in

these areas.

Through the Children and Social Work Act 2017, the government is also making the

subjects of Relationships Education compulsory in primary schools, and

Relationships and Sex Education (RSE) compulsory in secondary schools. These

subjects will help young people understand safe, respectful and positive relationships

and appropriate ways of resolving conflict, including conflicts that are voiced and

fuelled through the negative use of social media platforms.

The Government is currently running a Call for Evidence on what pupils should be

taught in Relationships Education, RSE and PSHE, and will be engaging with the

Police and Home Office through that process.

Mathematics: Schools

Sir Nicholas Soames: [123343]

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many specialist maths schools his

Department has established since 2011; and how many he plans to establish in each of

the next five years.

Nick Gibb:

Currently, there are two maths schools, Exeter Mathematics School and King’s

College London Mathematics School, both of which opened in 2014.




The Government has not set a specific target for the number of maths schools it will

establish in each of the next five years. We want to work with leading universities to

establish high quality schools, ensuring our most mathematically able students

succeed in mathematics related disciplines at top universities.

Music: Education

Stephen Timms: [124068]

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps his Department is taking to

support music education.

Stephen Timms: [124069]


of the benefits of music education in schools.

Nick Gibb:

The Department is providing £300 million of ring-fenced funding from 2016-20 to

Music Education Hubs (MEHs). The national network of 120 MEHs ensures that all

children, whatever their background, have access to a high quality music education,

including learning to play musical instruments and having the opportunity to play and

sing in ensembles.

The Department also supports music education through funding: National Youth

Music Organisations such as the National Youth Orchestra; In Harmony, which aims

to inspire and transform the lives of children in disadvantaged areas in England

through community-based orchestral music-making; and Music for Youth in providing

opportunities for young people and families to perform in and attend regional and

national festivals and concerts, who might not otherwise have had access.

Office for Students


To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps he is taking to ensure that

students' views are represented on the board of the Office for Students.

Mr Sam Gyimah:

The Office for Students’ (OfS) central mission is to operate in the interests of student

and its statutory duties reflect this. We will expect all members of the Board to

engage with students to ensure they understand the issues that they face and have

these as considerations when making decisions. However, to further strengthen the

voice of students on the Board, the Higher Education and Research Act made

provision for there to be at least one member of the Board with experience of

representing or promoting student interests.

There is currently an interim student representative on the Board, who is also a full

member of the Student Panel. The OfS’s Student Panel has been set up to advise

the board and senior team of the OfS. It has thirteen members and this membership

includes current undergraduate and postgraduate students, part-time and




international students, prospective students and recent graduates. They will bring a

diverse range of views and perspectives to bear on the work of the OfS.

Thelma Walker: [123365]

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what representation of disabled students

there will be on the Office for Students' Student Panel.

Mr Sam Gyimah:

The student panel has been appointed by the Office for Students (OfS) and will play

an important role in advising the OfS. Membership of the panel includes

representatives of students from a wide variety of backgrounds and experiences. The

announcement of the panel was made on 7 January and can be found at:

https://medium.com/@n.dandridge/new-student-panel-appointed-to-advise-office-for-

students-press-release-4b77ebb2769c.

Pre-school Education: Teachers


To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what the implications are for his

Department's policies on the early years workforce of findings from the Nursery World

and Save the Children survey on training and employing early years teachers, published

on 22 January 2018.

Nadhim Zahawi:

We have noted the publication of findings from the survey regarding early years

teachers, conducted by Save the Children in collaboration with Nursery World,

published on 22 January 2018.

We continue to fund the 'Early Years Initial Teacher Training' programme, including

bursaries and employer incentives.

School Meals

Keith Vaz: [123313]

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what information his Department holds on

the number of school catering programmes which received nutritional and dietary training

prior to setting menus in 2017.

Nadhim Zahawi:

The department does not hold this information.

Our department supports the provision of nutritious food in schools to enable pupils to

be well nourished, develop healthy eating habits and to concentrate and learn in

school. Our school food standards regulate the food and drink provided during the

school day, and foods high in fat, salt and sugar, as well as low quality reformed or

reconstituted foods, are restricted. Resources such as the school food plan website

can be used by schools and school caterers to ensure their menus comply with the

standards.


https://medium.com/@n.dandridge/new-student-panel-appointed-to-advise-office-for-students-press-release-4b77ebb2769c





Schools: Academic Year

Justin Tomlinson: [122903]

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many schools have varied the dates of

their school terms in the last three years.


To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if he will write to schools to remind them of

their power to vary the dates of school terms.

Nadhim Zahawi:

Head teachers, school governors and local authorities are best placed to set school

term and holiday dates, in the best interests of the pupils and parents in their local

area. As such, term dates are determined locally by schools and local authorities.

The Department for Education does not collect data on schools’ term-dates.

For maintained schools, community schools, community special schools, voluntary

controlled schools, pupil referral units and maintained nursery schools, the governing

body or local authority are responsible for setting term dates. This must be done in

line with the requirements of the length of the school year, as set out in the Education

(School Day and School Year) (England) Regulations 1999.

Academies, free schools, and other schools where the governing body is the

employer of staff, such as foundation or voluntary-aided (church) schools, are free to

set their own term and holiday dates. Some of these schools have already made

innovative changes in the interests of pupils and parents.

Schools and local authorities can find guidance on the responsibilities for setting

school term dates in the published School Attendance Guidance, which can be found

at the following link: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/school-attendance.

Schools: Cost Effectiveness

Mr Roger Godsiff: [123348]

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how much funding has been provided to the

Institute of School Business Leadership (ISBL) for the school efficiency adviser

programme for the 2017-18 financial year; by what process the ISBL was chosen as the

provider of that programme; and whether there was an open tendering process.

Nick Gibb:

We are currently conducting a pilot on the use of school efficiency advisers (SEAs).

We have contracted the Institute of School Business Leadership (ISBL) for

administrative and accreditation support as an interim measure during the pilot

phase, in order that we can deliver this scheme as quickly as possible for the benefit

of schools and trusts with the greatest need. ISBL offers a skilled, established, group

of professionals who are currently practising in the sector.

To date, we have spent approximately £33,000 on the contract with ISBL to support

the pilot. Once the pilot concludes, and assuming a decision is made to proceed to



https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/school-attendance

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/school-attendance


roll out the approach, we intend to conduct an open procurement process which

would be launched later this year.


To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what the required level of (a) qualifications

and (b) experience is for school efficiency advisers; how such advisers are recruited; and

what the average rate of pay has been of such advisers in the last 12 months.

Nick Gibb:

Institute of School Business Leaders Fellows are an established, experienced

resource with current knowledge of the sector and of school business leadership. In

order to achieve fellowship status, they must have demonstrated a high level of

professional expertise.

The Department has introduced a robust training and accreditation process, which is

designed to provide assurance that school efficiency advisers (SEA) are proficient

and can take a consistent approach to the analysis of key efficiency metrics.

The day rate of a SEA will be £500, including travel. These experts will start working

with schools in early 2018 as part of our initial pilot.


To ask the Secretary of State for Education, which schools and trusts will receive support

from schools efficiency advisers during the pilot phase; and how such schools and trusts

were selected.

Nick Gibb:

In this pilot phase, the Department is prioritising support to trusts and schools which

have the greatest need. As part of the pilot, we are taking a more proactive approach

with local authorities to support their work with maintained schools and, where

required, the Education and Skills Funding Agency will consider the use of School

Efficiency Advisers (SEAs). Over time, and subject to the outcome of the pilot, we will

expand the pool of SEAs and therefore be able to support a wider range of

trusts/schools.

The Department has used schools’ and trusts’ financial data to build a picture of the

sector as a whole. Using this data, and discussions with trusts, we have identified

those trusts who may benefit from working with a SEA.


To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how much funding will be available for the

schools efficiency adviser programme; and how much has been spent or allocated to

date.

Nick Gibb:

The pilot will test how school efficiency advisers (SEAs) deliver value for money for

the taxpayer and drive significant savings in schools at a cost efficient rate. We will

monitor effectiveness and cost as part of the pilot, which will be used to determine the

ultimate size of the programme.




To date, we have spent approximately £33,000 on the contract with Institue of School

Business Leaders to support the pilot.


To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what efficiency savings targets have been

set by his Department for the schools efficiency adviser programme.

Nick Gibb:

The School Efficiency Adviser (SEA) project is one part of a wider programme, which

is committed to helping schools improve their efficiency, including saving £1 billion on

non-staff spend on schools by 2019-2020. The Department already provides support,

guidance and tools in order to help schools achieve the best value from their

resources, improve pupil outcomes and promote social mobility.

The pilot will test how SEAs deliver value for money for the taxpayer and drive

significant savings in schools at a cost efficient rate. We will monitor effectiveness

and cost as part of the pilot.


To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what criteria his Department will use to

decide whether the school efficiency adviser pilots were successful enough to roll out the

project; and who will be responsible for making that decision.

Nick Gibb:

School efficiency advisers (SEAs) are one part of the Department’s school efficiency

and financial health policy. The Department has committed to provide efficiency

experts where appropriate to support schools to improve their efficiency and financial

health. We are piloting the provision of this expertise through SEAs, working with the

Institute for School Business Leadership.

The overall objective of the support provided by the SEA is that the school can

identify how it can improve its efficiency and make best use of its resources. In

assessing the programme we will consider the value for money to the taxpayer and

the effectiveness of the SEA approach in terms of delivering efficiency savings for the

sector.

Social Mobility Commission

Stephanie Peacock: [124217]

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether he has ministerial responsibility for

the Social Mobility Commission.

Nadhim Zahawi:

My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has ministerial responsibility for the Social

Mobility Commission.




Teachers: Recruitment



to Question 123170, on what date the recruitment target for such teachers was dropped.

Nadhim Zahawi:

As confirmed in our response to parliamentary question 123170, there are no targets

for recruiting early years teachers in the workforce. This has always been a demand-

led programme and we continue to make early years initial teacher training places

available based on this basis.

Universities: Sexual Offences

Alex Sobel: [123240]


of trends in the level of reports by university students of sexual assaults taking place on

campus; and how many such reports there have been in (a) 2015, (b) 2016 and (c) 2017

to date.

Mr Sam Gyimah:

The department does not hold information regarding the number of reports by

university students of sexual assaults taking place on campus.

Government takes any form of violence and sexual harassment, including in higher

education, extremely seriously. That is why we asked Universities UK (UUK) to set up

a sexual violence and harassment taskforce. The Taskforce published their report

‘Changing the Culture’ in October 2016: http://www.universitiesuk.ac.uk/policy-and-

analysis/reports/Documents/2016/changing-the-culture.pdf.

Government expects institutions to take a proactive response to sexual harassment

and ensuring that students feel confident and able to report any issues.

The Taskforce also undertook a review of the ‘Zellick Guidelines’ on how higher

education institutions should handle student misconduct which may constitute a

criminal offence and published new guidelines alongside the report:

http://www.universitiesuk.ac.uk/policy-and-

analysis/reports/Documents/2016/guidance-for-higher-education-institutions.pdf.

The Taskforce’s report raises that underreporting of harassment incidents can often

be an issue and clearly sets out the need for institutions to break down barriers to

reporting, and ensure that clear, accessible and robust reporting mechanisms are in

place. As the report makes clear, low numbers of disclosures do not necessarily

mean that incidents do not occur, and this is a factor to consider when making

judgments on any changes in levels of disclosure.

To support this work, the department has asked the Higher Education Funding

Council to prioritise working with UUK in 2017-2018 on these important issues,

including surveying the sector’s progress to make sure universities are doing all they



http://www.universitiesuk.ac.uk/policy-and-analysis/reports/Documents/2016/changing-the-culture.pdf



http://www.universitiesuk.ac.uk/policy-and-analysis/reports/Documents/2016/guidance-for-higher-education-institutions.pdf



can to protect the safety and security of their students. This will be reported on in due

course.

Meanwhile, they have provided over £4 million funding for projects to tackle

harassment and hate crime. This includes £2.45 million for projects addressing

concerns about sexual violence and harassment.

Wakefield City Academies Trust



to Question 121709, on Wakefield City Academies Trust, what the cost is of the transfer

of the schools; whether that cost falls to the public purse; and if he will make a statement.

Nick Gibb:

At this stage in the transfer process, it is not possible to specify the total cost of

transferring the academies.

We are working with Wakefield City Academies Trust to transfer all 21 academies in

a way that ensures best value for money to the public purse. Value for money is a

key consideration in developing a solution for the academies in the trust and we are

working closely with all parties to ensure that any costs are minimised.

World War II: Genocide

Joan Ryan: [123410]

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what recent steps his Department has taken

to support UCL's Holocaust Education Programme's Beacon Schools Project.

Nick Gibb:

The Government has provided £3.75 million of funding to University College London

Institute of Education’s Centre for Holocaust Education (CfHE) since 2008, and we

have recently confirmed that we will continue to fund the programme until 2020. The

aim of the programme, which is jointly funded by the Pears Foundation, is to help

ensure that teachers are equipped with the training and resources they need to

deliver effective Holocaust education. Some of this funding is used to support the

CfHE’s Beacon Schools project.

ENVIRONMENT, FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS

Ash Dieback Disease


To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment

his Department has made of the effect of Ash Dieback on tree numbers in the UK; and if





Dr Thérèse Coffey:

The 2011 National Forestry Inventory estimated that there are 125.9 million ash trees

in British woodlands (9% of the estimated 1.4 billion broadleaf trees in woodlands)

and further research suggests that there are approximately 25-60 million ash trees in

the wider environment (excluding 2 billion saplings). Evidence from continental

Europe suggests that up to 90% of ash trees may become infected. As older trees

can survive infection for a number of years and some trees may be tolerant to

disease, we expect local effects on landscapes and woodlands to be gradual and

mitigated by other tree species taking the place of ash. A proportion of ash trees will

show natural tolerance to the disease and these trees are likely to repopulate sites,

preserving the ash tree for future generations to enjoy.

Electronic Training Aids: Dogs

Kerry McCarthy: [124107]

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will bring

forward legislative proposals to ban the use of electronic training devices for dogs.

Kerry McCarthy: [124108]

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent

assessment his Department has made of the effect of electronic training collars on dog

welfare.

George Eustice:

We have updated the statutory Code of Practice for the Welfare of Dogs (made under

the Animal Welfare Act 2006), and strengthened the form of wording on the use of

negative training methods. The draft code, which is currently before Parliament,

makes it clear that any training method which includes physical punishment may

cause pain, suffering and distress and could lead to aggressive responses and

worsen the problems they aim to address.

Livestock: Antibiotics


To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether he has

plans to support a reduction in the use of antibiotics in the farming industry to reduce the

risk of anti-microbial resistance.

George Eustice:

In 2013 the Government published its Five-Year Antimicrobial Resistance Strategy,

which aimed to improve the stewardship of existing antibiotics, improve infection

prevention and control, and optimise prescribing practice.

In 2016, as part of the Government’s response to the Independent Review on

Antimicrobial Resistance, Defra committed to reduce sales of antibiotics for use in

livestock by 20% to 50mg/kg by 2018. This target was met two years early. The latest

data from 2016 shows that sales had fallen to 45mg/kg.




Defra continues to work with the livestock industry to implement the ambitious sector

specific targets published in October 2017 to promote further reduction in antibiotic

use, underpinned by improvements in biosecurity, husbandry practices and disease

prevention.

Poultry: Antibiotics


To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment

his Department has made of the potential health risks to humans of medicating poultry

with fluoroquinolone antibiotics.

George Eustice:

The Food Standards Agency (FSA) assesses the risk of acquiring Antimicrobial

Resistance-related infections through the consumption and handling of contaminated

poultry meat to be very low. Thorough cooking (and pasteurisation) will destroy

bacteria present on food, including those that are resistant to some antibiotics. The

FSA promotes the importance that good hygiene practices are in place to minimise

the risk of infection and spread of AMR bacteria when handling raw meat.

The use of antibiotics is one of the drivers for selection of resistance. Through its

antibiotic stewardship programme, the UK meat poultry industry has significantly

reduced the use of antibiotics including those of critical importance to public health.

The British Poultry Council, who represents 90% of the meat poultry sector, reported

a 72% reduction in the use of fluoroquinolones between 2012 and 2016.

Poultry: Disease Control

Sir Desmond Swayne: [124236]

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is

taking to increase biosecurity for poultry in Dorset and West Hampshire; and if he will

make a statement.

George Eustice:

An England-wide Avian Influenza Prevention Zone is currently in place which requires

all captive bird keepers, including those of poultry and regardless of the size of the

flock, to put enhanced biosecurity measures in place. Measures include feeding and

watering birds indoors to minimise mixing with wild birds; minimising movement in

and out of bird enclosures; cleaning and disinfecting footwear; and keeping areas

where birds live clean and tidy.

The Prevention Zone will be in place until further notice and will be kept under regular

review as part of our work to monitor the threat of avian influenza.



Trees: Conservation


To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what studies his

Department is conducting into the prospects for survival of the ash tree.


Defra’s programme of research on ash dieback has broadly focused on three areas:

1. Impacts : Research into predicting the economic, social and environmental impacts

of ash dieback in woodlands and the wider environment.

1. Mitigation : We are conducting the world’s largest screening trials to identify

disease tolerant trees, which raises the possibility of using selective breeding to

develop strains of tolerant trees. We have also commissioned research to develop

guidance for local authorities and landowners to mitigate the impacts of the disease

2. Better understanding of the disease : We have commissioned research to enhance

our understanding of the disease including work on spread and disease

progression.

Waste Management


To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when his

Department plans to release the next edition of UK Statistics on Waste; and if he will

make a statement.


The next edition of UK Statistics on Waste is currently listed with a provisional

release date of March 2018 and it is expected that a firm date will be confirmed this

month.

The publication date announcement can be found at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/announcements/uk-statistics-on-waste--2.

Waste management: Recycling

Mrs Anne Main: [123974]

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent

estimate he has made of the capacity of the UK’s waste recycling system.


The latest figures available for England in 2016 show that there were 2,782 recycling

treatment facilities permitted managing 72.4 million tonnes of waste. There were also

2,420 metal recovery facilities managing 13.8 million tonnes of waste.

The Government has signalled clear ambitions for resources efficiency in the Clean

Growth Strategy, Industrial Strategy and 25 Year Environment Plan, which set out an

ambition for zero avoidable waste by 2050. We are committed to supporting



https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/announcements/uk-statistics-on-waste--2

https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/announcements/uk-statistics-on-waste--2


comprehensive and frequent waste and recycling collections which protect local

amenity and ensure that products are recycled as much as possible. The

Government is developing a new strategy on resources and waste to be published

later this year.

EXITING THE EUROPEAN UNION

Brexit

Jo Platt: [124022]

To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, pursuant to the Answer of

19 January 2018 to Question 122352, for what reasons he did not list the assessments

conducted by the Market Access team in his Department on the effect of the UK's

withdrawal from the EU.

Jo Platt: [124024]


19 January 2018 to Question 122361, for what reasons he did not state what information

his Department plans to publish on the effect of the UK leaving the EU on different

sectors of the economy in addition to that information released by his Department on 27

November 2017 before any Parliamentary vote on (a) the UK's withdrawal agreement or

(b) a UK-EU trade deal.

Jo Platt: [124026]


18 January 2018 to Question 122345, whether the Market Access and Budget Directorate

is tasked with undertaking analytical studies into the economic effect of the UK leaving

the EU.

Jo Platt: [124027]


19 January 2018 to Question 122352, whether releasing the titles of all assessments

undertaken by his Department's Market Access team on the UK leaving the EU would

undermine the UK's negotiating position; and if he will make a statement.

Mr Robin Walker:

The Department for Exiting the European Union is undertaking a wide range of

analysis looking at the implications of UK withdrawal from the EU. As part of this, we

have looked at 58 sectors of the economy, as set out in our response to the Lords EU

External Affairs Sub-committee report “Brexit: Trade in Goods” which can be found

at: https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/ld201617/ldselect/ldeucom/129/129.pdf.

The Market Access and Budget Directorate works closely with partners across

Whitehall to facilitate and coordinate policy development on the UK's future economic

partnership after we leave the EU.





We have published 14 detailed papers on the negotiations to date and will continue to

be as open as possible subject to the overwhelming national interest of preserving

our negotiating position. It is not standard practice to provide a running commentary

on ongoing analysis.

Attachments:

1. Brexit: Trade in Goods [Brexit-trade in goods.pdf]

Department for Exiting the European Union: Sick Leave

Tom Brake: [123430]

To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, how many and what

proportion of officials in his Department took sick leave for reasons relating to stress in

the last 12 months; and what proportion of total sick leave in his Department that leave

was.

Tom Brake: [123431]

To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, how many days sick leave

officials in his Department took for reasons relating to stress in the 12 months.

Mr Steve Baker:

We are not in a position to release this data as individuals may be identifiable due to

fewer than 10 individuals being absent in the last 12 months due to stress or mental

health conditions.

Health and Wellbeing forms part of the Department for Exiting the European Union’s

commitment to making the Department a great place to work. The Department has a

dedicated mental health and wellbeing group who have been leading on a number of

wellbeing activities across the Department to improve the physical and mental

wellbeing of staff employed in the Department. DExEU, along with many other

Government departments, has a programme in place that provides support and

advice on wellbeing.

These activities have included the Department signing up, in March 2017, to the Time

for Change pledge to demonstrate the Department’s commitment to reducing the

stigma attached to mental health. Additionally, to date, Mental Health First Aid

England has trained 32 DExEU staff as mental health champions.

Energy: Conservation


To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, what recent discussions he

has had with the (a) Chancellor of the Exchequer and (b) EU institutions on the rate of

VAT on energy-saving materials.

Mr Robin Walker:

The Secretary of State regularly meets members of the Cabinet and the EU

institutions to discuss a wide range of policy issues.




FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE

Burma: Protest

Stella Creasy: [123990]

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether his

Department has made representations on the killing of nine ethnic Rakhine protesters in

Rakhine State’s Mrauk U Township to the Burmese Government; and if he will support an

investigation into that incident.

Mark Field:

The UK is deeply concerned by the killing of protestors in Mrauk U on 16 January.

The British Embassy in Rangoon released a statement on 17 January offering

condolences to the families of those killed and calling on the authorities to investigate

the incident.

Burma: Rohingya


To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps are

being taken to ensure that the repatriation of Rohingya people from Bangladesh is

overseen by an independent UN monitor to help ensure the safety and security of those

refugees.

Mark Field:

The UK proposed and secured a UN Security Council Presidential Statement on 6

November that urged the Governments of Burma and Bangladesh to ensure the

voluntary, safe and dignified return to Burma of Rohingya refugees, and the full

participation of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees in the repatriation process.

We have repeatedly used our bilateral representations to the Governments of Burma

and Bangladesh to call on them to ensure the repatriation process meets these

conditions. The British Ambassador to Burma most recently pressed for UNHCR

involvement in the repatriation process in his meeting with the Minister for the Office

of the State Counsellor on 11 January. The British High Commission in Dhaka

regularly raises our concerns about premature returns with the government of

Bangladesh.

We share UNHCR's concerns regarding the risk of premature or precipitous returns,

and its assessment that conditions in Rakhine are not presently in place to enable

safe and sustainable returns.


To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent

discussions has he had with his counterparts in other EU countries on ensuring a joined-

up response to the Rohingya crisis.




Mark Field:

The UK has been actively maintaining dialogue on Burma within the EU, including in

discussions in the Asia-Oceania Working Party, the Political and Security Committee,

and the Foreign Affairs Council. EU coordination can be seen through the retention of

the EU arms embargo and the suspension of all military visits to the UK. The UK was

instrumental in securing EU wide support for these measures.


To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what

representations the Government has made to the UN on the need for UN security for the

protection of the repatriated Rohingya people.

Mark Field:

The UNHCR holds the expertise on refugee returns which is why the government has

repeatedly called for their involvement in both Bangladesh and Burma. We have

discussed this directly with the UNHCR, most recently on 12 January in a meeting

between FCO-DFID Minister Alastair Burt and the High Commissioner for Refugees,

Filippo Grandi. We have also raised it in the UN Security Council, through the

Presidential Statement on 6 November and in our intervention during the 12

December Council session. The UK has always been clear that refugee returns must

be safe, voluntary and dignified. In our view guaranteed safety for the Rohingya once

they are in northern Rakhine requires independent international oversight of the

returns process.

Democratic Republic of Congo: Children



representations he has made to the Democratic Republic of Congo on upholding Article

32.1 of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.

Harriett Baldwin:

The UK actively encourages countries to uphold Article 32.1 of the UN Convention on

the Rights of the Child. The UK was among the main sponsors of the annual

resolution at the Human Rights Council on the Rights of the Child in March 2017 and

we are already working on the Rights of the Child Resolution ahead of the Human

Rights Council session in March 2018. The UK actively encourages International

Labour Organisation (ILO) member states, including the Democratic Republic of

Congo (DRC), to fulfil their ILO obligations and work towards ratifying and meeting

the provisions of the core ILO conventions. This includes ILO conventions relating to

child labour.



Democratic Republic of Congo: Mining



representations he has made to the Government of Democratic Republic of Congo on

working conditions for children involved in the mining of cobalt.

Harriett Baldwin:

The UK is concerned about working conditions for children involved in the mining of

cobalt in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

The DRC is a Foreign and Commonwealth Office Human Rights Priority Country. We

will continue to encourage the DRC Government to take concrete steps to improve

respect for human rights. Through our existing and future programming in DRC, we

hope to eradicate child labour in the mines in the long term.

DFID is working to tackle the root causes of child labour in the mining sector in the

DRC. DFID collaborates closely with other Government Departments and through a

European Partnership for Responsible Minerals. We provide funding to the Carter

Center in the DRC to improve transparency and governance of the sector. DFID DRC

is also working with other international partners to consider how we might tackle the

issues in the cobalt supply chain in future programme design.

Diplomatic Service

Tom Brake: [123713]

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant 120823,

what the 48 countries are where the UK has no consular representation; and in which of

those countries the UK has bi-lateral arrangements for consular representation with non-

EU countries.

Harriett Baldwin:

Information about the UK's diplomatic representation around the world can be found

at https://www.gov.uk/world/embassies. The FCO's consular contact centres ensure

that British people can access consular services 24/7 from anywhere in the world.

Our 24/7 Global Response Centre and extensive network of Honorary Consuls mean

that we can provide consular assistance to British people in countries where we do

not have an embassy, high commission or consulate. In addition, the UK has a

number of bilateral arrangements with non-EU countries relating to consular

assistance where the UK does not have consular representation.

Egypt: Religious Freedom

Siobhain McDonagh: [123428]

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make

representations to the Egyptian Government on the arrest of 25 Ahmadi Muslims in that

country on the grounds of their religion; and if he will make a statement.




Alistair Burt:

I refer the Honourable Member for Mitcham and Morden to my answer to her earlier

PQ on this matter (121319) on 15 January. We will continue to raise our concerns

around the discrimination of religious minorities in Egypt. This includes concerns over

the rights to freedom of expression, association and assembly in Egypt. These rights

are essential to improving the protection of Freedom of Religious Belief in Egypt.

Eritrea: Religious Freedom


To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make

representations to the Government of Eritrea on its treatment of religious minorities.

Harriett Baldwin:

Our Ambassador and EU counterparts have called for the release of all prisoners

detained for religious beliefs or, as a minimum, that they are brought before a court

for public hearing and fair trial, allowing them to defend themselves against any

charge. We will continue to raise our concerns on this and other human rights issues

with the Government of Eritrea.

Foreign and Commonwealth Office: Procurement


To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how many

contracts his Department holds with government strategic suppliers.

Sir Alan Duncan:

The Foreign and Commonwealth Office does not centrally hold the number of

contracts with government strategic suppliers worldwide. To provide this information

would incur disproportionate cost.

Honduras: Violence

Patrick Grady: [123937]

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will respond to

Early Day Motion 825 on post-election violence in Honduras.

Sir Alan Duncan:

The Government is concerned about the fragile, political and security situation in

Honduras. We continue to urge all sides to pursue a resolution through dialogue and

to avoid violence. The Government condemns attacks and threats against journalists,

peaceful protesters and human rights defenders.

Following confirmation on 5 January by the Supreme Electoral Tribunal of the re-

election of Juan Orlando Hernandez, the British Ambassador to Honduras issued a

statement calling on the authorities to protect human rights and work to restore

confidence in national institutions. We support the conclusions of the EU Election




Observer Mission, and encorage the Government of Honduras to implement

recommended reforms to the electoral system in advance of future elections.

Palestinians: Children

Mr Gavin Shuker: [123374]


representations he has made to his Israeli counterparts on the detention of Palestinian

children.

Alistair Burt:

The issue of children in Israeli military detention remains a human rights priority for

the UK. Our Embassy officials in Tel Aviv most recently raised the issue with the

Israeli authorities on 16 January, and senior British Government officials raised this

issue with the Israeli Ambassador to the UK on 8 January. I raised our concerns on

this issue with the Israeli Government during my visit to Israel in August 2017

Qatar: Foreign Relations


To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what the aims and

objectives are of Her Majesty's Government's policy on Qatar.

Alistair Burt:

The Government's objectives for Qatar are to promote mutual prosperity, provide

support for British nationals in Qatar, and promote regional stability through

partnership with Qatar.

Sierra Leone: Female Genital Mutilation


To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps he is

taking in response to reports that FGM has been used by political parties in Sierra Leone

as part of the electoral process.

Harriett Baldwin:

We are not aware of any formal reports of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) being

used as part of the electoral process; but with our partners we are closely monitoring

all risks around the election.

The Department for International Development (DfID) is committed to working with

the Government of Sierra Leone to promote the rights of women and girls and will

seek to work with the new Government to specifically tackle FGM in the country.




Sudan: Migration


To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to the

Answer of 15 January 2018 to Question 122065, on Sudan: Migration, if his Department

will publish the research on helping shape policy and programming in Sudan.

Harriett Baldwin:

The UK Government has no plans to publish the research commissioned on

migration in Sudan. We will continue to use this research to inform our discussions on

migration with the Government of Sudan and with key civil society groups.

Syria: Armed Conflict



representations he has made to the Government of Turkey on its recent intervention in

Syria.

Sir Alan Duncan:

The Foreign Secretary has spoken to Turkish Foreign Minister Çavuşoğlu about the

Turkish operation in Afrin. We recognise Turkey's legitimate interest in the security of

its borders. We have urged them to avoid any escalation in violence and to seek to

protect civilians. It remains in our shared interest to focus on achieving a political

settlement that ends the war and suffering, and provides stability for all Syrians and

the wider region.

Syria: Foreign Relations


To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what the aims and

objectives are of Her Majesty's Government's policy on Syria.

Alistair Burt:

The UK’s goals in Syria are defeating Daesh, and achieving a political settlement that

ends the war and suffering, provides stability for all Syrians and the wider region, and

enables refugees to safely return. To do this, there needs to be a transition to a new,

inclusive, non-sectarian government that can protect the rights of all Syrians and

unite the country. We support the UN-led Geneva process between the Syrian parties

as this is the forum for reaching a lasting solution to the conflict. We also aim to

alleviate suffering through our humanitarian response to the crisis, to which we have

committed £2.46 billion.




HEALTH AND SOCIAL CARE

Accountable Care Organisations

Justin Madders: [124049]

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, to what individual or body

Accountable Care Organisations will be accountable.

Stephen Barclay:

NHS England will be launching a consultation on the contracting arrangements for

Accountable Care Organisations (ACOs) in March. No ACO contract will be awarded

in the meantime.

There is widespread support for ending the fragmented way that care has been

provided to improve services for patients and the National Health Service has been

working towards this in a number of ways. ACOs are just one of these ways and are

intended to allow health and care organisations to formally contract to provide

services for a local population in a coordinated way.

An ACO is not a new type of legal entity and so would not affect the commissioning

structure of the NHS. An ACO would simply be the provider organisation which is

awarded a single contract by commissioners for all the services which are within

scope for the local accountable care model. Therefore any proposal to award an ACO

contract would engage local commissioners’ own duties under the NHS Act 2006.

Any area seeking to use an ACO contract would need to comply with longstanding

public procurement law.

The consultation will set out how the contract fits within the NHS as a whole, address

how the existing statutory duties of NHS commissioners and providers would be

performed under it (including how this will work with existing governance

arrangements), and will set out how public accountability and patient choice would be

preserved.

Subject to the outcome of the consultation, the two areas at the forefront of using a

contract of this sort are Dudley, and Manchester’s proposed local care organisation.

Emerging bidders for both proposals are NHS bodies, have the support of local

general practitioners and are not private sector organisations.

Carillion


To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what analysis he has made of

the exposure of NHS trusts to the liquidation of Carillion.

Stephen Barclay:

Carillion provides facilities management services to 13 National Health Service trusts

through subcontracts with Private Finance Initiative (PFI) project companies. Carillion

is also building two NHS hospitals under PFI contracts.



The Department and the hospital regulator NHS Improvement have been helping

trusts supplied by Carillion with planning and will continue to work intensively with

trusts over the coming days to minimise disruption. The Government is committed to

maintain public services and has an agreement with the Official Receiver to ensure

that Carillion workers in public sector contracts will continue to be paid.

The contracts between the trusts and PFI Companies are still in place, which means

that each PFI Company is still contractually obliged to manage the projects and find

another construction or facilities management services subcontractor who can

continue to deliver the services and building work. The PFI Companies are currently

in discussions with PWC (on behalf of the official receiver), their lenders and with

other service and construction companies to assess how best to continue delivering

these contracts.

Three NHS trusts also directly contract Carillion (ie outside of PFI contracts) to

provide facilities management services and car parking management. Each NHS

trust with a direct contract may, at any given point in time, have amounts owing to or

withheld from Carillion on the basis of the contract’s provisions. This data is not

collected centrally.

The Department has no direct contracts with Carillion.

In addition, Carillion provide maintenance services to a number of NHS LIFT

Companies. The NHS LIFT Companies have their own contingency plans in place to

source these maintenance services from other companies and prior to the current

issue have replaced Carillion on a variety of sites. These buildings are typically

primary care facilities ranging from general practitioner surgeries to small community

facilities.


To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment has he made

of the effect on the NHS of the liquidation of Carillion plc.

Stephen Barclay:

Carillion provides facilities management services to 13 National Health Service trusts

through subcontracts with Private Finance Initiative (PFI) project companies. Carillion

is also building two NHS hospitals under PFI contracts.

The Department and the hospital regulator NHS Improvement have been helping

trusts supplied by Carillion with planning and will continue to work intensively with

trusts over the coming days to minimise disruption. The Government is committed to

maintain public services and has an agreement with the Official Receiver to ensure

that Carillion workers in public sector contracts will continue to be paid.

The contracts between the trusts and PFI Companies are still in place, which means

that each PFI Company is still contractually obliged to manage the projects and find

another construction or facilities management services subcontractor who can

continue to deliver the services and building work. The PFI Companies are currently

in discussions with PWC (on behalf of the official receiver), their lenders and with


other service and construction companies to assess how best to continue delivering

these contracts.

Three NHS trusts also directly contract Carillion (ie outside of PFI contracts) to

provide facilities management services and car parking management. Each NHS

trust with a direct contract may, at any given point in time, have amounts owing to or

withheld from Carillion on the basis of contract’s provisions. This data is not collected

centrally.


In addition, Carillion provide maintenance services to a number of NHS LIFT

Companies. The NHS LIFT Companies have their own contingency plans in place to

source these maintenance services from other companies and prior to the current

issue have replaced Carillion on a variety of sites. These buildings are typically

primary care facilities ranging from general practitioner surgeries to small community

facilities.

Chronic Illnesses

Keith Vaz: [123321]

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will take steps to make it

easier for people with (a) diabetes and (b) other chronic conditions to access their patient

records.

Steve Brine:

General practitioner (GP) practices offer access to detailed coded records to their

patients upon request and steps have been taken to improve this process. NHS

England is encouraging practices to actively offer access to records to patients with

long term conditions such as diabetes; the Royal College of General Practitioners has

been commissioned to develop guidance for GPs on how to offer access to records

to their patients most effectively; and the Empower the Patient portfolio, part of the

Personalised Health and Care 2020 portfolio, aims to improve access to patient

records for patients or their representatives.

Clinical Trials: EU Law

Chris Law: [124008]

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what discussions he has had

with the scientific community on the regulatory changes needed to ensure that the UK will

have continued alignment with EU regulations on clinical trials after the UK leaves the

EU.

Jackie Doyle-Price:

The Government has made clear that a key priority through the negotiations will be to

ensure that the United Kingdom remains one of the best places in the world for

science and innovation, including on clinical trials. We are in regular contact with the

scientific community through the Ministerial and industry co-chaired UK-European



Union Life Sciences Steering Group. Outside of this group we have consistent

contact with industry and research charities on clinical trials.

Dental Services

James Frith: [123628]

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many Units of Dental

Activity were delivered in (a) Bury North constituency, (b) Greater Manchester and (c)

England in each of the last five years.

Steve Brine:

The following table shows the information available on number of units of dental

activity delivered for Bury Local Authority, Greater Manchester and England. Data is

available for Bury Local Authority, Greater Manchester for 2013/14 to 2016/17 and

England for 2012/13 to 2016/17. Data is not available broken down by constituency.

YEAR

BURY LOCAL

AUTHORITY

GREATER MANCHESTER

1 ENGLAND

2016-17 320,578 4,952,821 85,731,304

2015-16 337,942 4,985,119 86,350,897

2014-15 336,160 4,978,641 87,220,891

2013-14 334,639 4,985,364 88,691,434

2012-13 - - 88,097,804

Source: NHS Digital

Note:

1 Greater Manchester is defined as the following local authorities: Bolton, Bury,

Manchester, Oldham, Rochdale, Salford, Stockport, Tameside, Trafford and Wigan.

Dentistry: Migrant Workers

James Frith: [123630]

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many overseas qualified

dentists are waiting for a Performer Number by country of origin; and what the the

average waiting time has been to receive such a number in each of the last three years.

Steve Brine:

Information is not held centrally on the number of dentists who qualified overseas

who are waiting for a Performer Number or on the average turnaround time for

applications to join the National Dental Performers List.



Department of Health and Social Care: Carillion


To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how much money his

Department owed to Carillion plc in outstanding payments before that company's

liquidation.

Stephen Barclay:


Department of Health and Social Care: Procurement


To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many contracts his

Department holds with government strategic suppliers.

Stephen Barclay:

The Department holds seven contracts with Government strategic suppliers.

Diabetes

Keith Vaz: [123320]

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many hospitals and care

centres operate a newly diagnosed support and care programme for people with

diabetes.

Steve Brine:

Data on how many hospitals and care centres operate a newly diagnosed support

and care programme for people with diabetes is not centrally held.

Diabetes: Medical Equipment

Keith Vaz: [123316]

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether there are plans to

ensure that the FreeStyle Libre flash glucose monitoring system is available to all people

with diabetes.

Steve Brine:

Freestyle Libre has been approved for reimbursement on National Health Service

prescription from 1 November through listing in Part IX of the England and Wales

Drug Tariff. The Drug Tariff is a price list, and the listing of Freestyle Libre should not

be interpreted as a recommendation to prescribe it. Patients will need to discuss the

ongoing management of their condition with their healthcare professional and

consider whether flash glucose monitoring is suitable for them.

NHS England has established four Regional Medicines Optimisation Committees

(RMOC) that are responsible for providing guidance on the use of drugs and other

technologies that are not being assessed by the National Institute for Health and

Care Excellence.





The RMOC (North) has issued guidance on the use of Freestyle Libre suggesting a

careful start to its use and data collection to better understand the benefits. The

Committee’s recommendations are available in full at:

https://www.sps.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/Flash-Glucose-monitoring-

System-RMOC-Statement-final-2.pdf

Diabetes: Nurses

Keith Vaz: [123318]

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether there are plans to

introduce a Diabetes Specialist Nurses qualification to ensure standardisation of care for

people with diabetes.

Stephen Barclay:

There are currently no national plans to introduce a Diabetes Specialist Nurses

qualification.

Diabetes nurse training is currently available as part of a post graduate course

offered by a number of universities which would be funded locally as part of on-going

continuous professional development.

It is the responsibility of the Nursing and Midwifery Council to set the required

standards for nurse practice in order for qualifications to be recognised on the nursing

register.

East of England Ambulance Service NHS Trust


To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what discussions his

Department has had with East of England Ambulance Service Trust since 17 January

2018 on ambulance delays during December 2017 and January 2018.

Stephen Barclay:

The Department made enquiries about whether ambulance delays during mid-

December 2017 to early January 2018 caused additional harm to patients at the

Trust, through NHS Improvement.

The Department has received assurance that all cases that had significant delays

have already been identified and are being investigated by the Trust, in conjunction

with its commissioners. Where cases are classified as ‘serious incidents’ there is a

nationally set process which ensures that investigations are appropriately rigorous.

NHS England and NHS Improvement have called a risk summit to review the current

situation in East of England Ambulance Service. The Care Quality Commission has

also been notified of the concerns raised.

https://www.sps.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/Flash-Glucose-monitoring-System-RMOC-Statement-final-2.pdf





Food: Labelling

Keith Vaz: [123322]

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what discussions he has had

with the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on ensuring that food

labelling for products aimed at children is accurate, clear and accessible for children and

young people.

Keith Vaz: [123323]

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what discussion he has had

with the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on steps to improve

the clarity and accessibility of food labelling.

Steve Brine:

My Rt. hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, has not had

any recent discussions with the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural

Affairs on food labelling for children, young people or adults. There are ongoing

discussions between Officials in the Department of Health and Social Care and the

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on the labelling of food and

drink.

General Practitioners


To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what plans he has to simplify

funding streams for general practice.

Steve Brine:

NHS England is responsible for payments to general practices for the provision of

National Health Service primary medical services. The majority of general practitioner

practices operate under General Medical Service (GMS) contract arrangements.

Typically, at least half of the money that a GMS practice receives is in the form of the

‘global sum’, derived through the Carr-Hill Formula.

NHS England is working with the British Medical Association to review the Carr-Hill

funding formula for general practice and has begun a review of the Quality and

Outcomes Framework. Implementation of any changes will need careful planning so

that they do not threaten stability or cause financial uncertainty for practices.

Gray Zone Lymphoma

Royston Smith: [123508]

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what guidance NICE has

issued on gray zone lymphoma.





Steve Brine:

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence has not published any

guidance on the treatment of gray zone lymphoma nor is it in the topic selection

process for technology appraisals and highly specialised technologies guidance.

Royston Smith: [123509]

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what public funds are available

to treat patients suffering from gray zone lymphoma.

Steve Brine:

Clinical commissioning groups take decisions on how their National Health Service

budgets are spent on commissioning services to meet the needs of local populations,

including those for gray zone lymphoma.

Health Education: Young People


To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made

of the effect of the Facts4Life programme on health education for young people; and if he

plans to roll out the pilot across the UK.

Steve Brine:

The Facts4Life programme is a local training programme in the Gloucestershire area.

The Secretary of State has made no assessment of the effect the programme has on

health education for young people, and has no current plans to roll out the

programme across the United Kingdom.

Health Services and Social Services: Finance


To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what plans he has to reform the

funding of the NHS and adult social care; and what the timetable is for bringing forward

proposals on such reform.

Stephen Barclay:

The Government is clear that the long term sustainability of the National Health

Service and adult social care is a key priority. We support the NHS England report,

Next Steps on the NHS Five Year Forward View, published in March 2017. This set

out practical steps for ensuring that the NHS is able to adapt and transform to meet

our priorities for the future. We are actively working with NHS England and national

partners to use the period covered by the Five Year Forward View to put in place the

necessary steps for the future.

An ageing society means that we need to reach a longer-term sustainable settlement

for social care. This is why the Government is committing to publish a Green Paper

by summer 2018 setting out its proposals for reform.

To support these plans for long-term reform, we gave the NHS certainty at the 2015

Spending Review, when we set annual budgets up to and including 2020-21. In doing




so, the Government funded the NHS’s Five Year Forward View plan, with a £10

billion a year real terms increase in its budget by 2020/21.

The spring Budget announced an additional £2 billion will be given to councils over

the next three years for social care and in total, we have given councils access to

£9.25 billion more dedicated funding for social care between 2017/18 and 2019/20.

Hospitals: West Yorkshire


To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 15

January 2018 to Question 121387, on hospitals: West Yorkshire, if he will provide that

data from 1 December 2017.

Stephen Barclay:

NHS England’s statistics publication plan can be accessed online at:

https://www.england.nhs.uk/statistics/12-months-statistics-calendar/

It confirms that cancelled elective operations data for Quarter 3 2017-18 (which

includes December 2017 data) will be published on 8 February 2018.

All published quarterly performance data on cancelled elective operations, which

includes national, regional and provider level activity, is available at:

https://www.england.nhs.uk/statistics/statistical-work-areas/cancelled-elective-

operations/cancelled-ops-data/

Medical Treatments

Mr Ben Bradshaw: [123721]

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many patients in the last

three years have been referred by their GP for elective care but have been refused

treatment due to clinical commissioning group policies to restrict access to treatment

because a patient (a) has a BMI of more than 30 and (b) is a smoker.

Steve Brine:

Information on how many patients who have been referred by their general

practitioner for elective care but have been refused treatment due to clinical

commissioning group policies to restrict access to treatment because a patient has a

Body Mass Index of more than 30 and is a smoker is not held centrally.

Medical Treatments: Innovation

Crispin Blunt: [123207]


of the effect on the public purse of the UK entering the top quartile of comparator

countries for the speed of adoption and overall uptake of innovative treatments.




https://www.england.nhs.uk/statistics/statistical-work-areas/cancelled-elective-operations/cancelled-ops-data/





Steve Brine:

The proposal for the United Kingdom to move to the upper quartile of comparator

countries for the uptake of innovative medicines by 2023 was a strategic goal of the

Life Science Industrial Strategy report to the Government by Sir John Bell. The

Government supports the ambition to maximise the appropriate use of uptake of

innovative treatments in the National Health Service, and work is currently underway

to develop appropriate metrics to support this. Current metrics on the use of

medicines in the UK compared to other countries is published annually in the Office

for Life Sciences, Life Science Competitiveness Indicators using a methodology

devised by the Office for Health Economics and data of medicine use from IQVIA.

The indicator compares the average per capita level of uptake compared to other

Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development countries.

Medicine: Education

Johnny Mercer: [124031]

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to his

Department's news story of 9 August 2017, 1,500 extra medical undergraduate places

confirmed, how those training places will be allocated.

Johnny Mercer: [124032]

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he has made an

assessment of the way in which medical school places are allocated.

Stephen Barclay:

500 medical school places have already been allocated by the Higher Education

Funding Council for England (HEFCE) to established medical schools in England and

will be available to students starting medical school from September 2018.

HEFCE and Health Education England (HEE) are currently undertaking a competitive

bidding process for established and prospective new medical schools to bid for the

remaining 1,000 places that will be available from September 2019. Amongst other

criteria, bids will based on priorities such as widening participation in to the

profession, a focus on priority specialties and geographical areas across England.

Bids are being assessed by an expert assessment panel and HEFCE and HEE are

expected to confirm the allocation of the additional 1,000 places in March 2018.

The draft health and care workforce strategy that is currently out for consultation

proposes that HEE will consider a periodic review of the number and allocation of

medical school places.

Mental Health Services: Prisons

Luciana Berger: [124176]

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the written

evidence submitted to the Public Accounts Committee by NHS England on 23 October




2017, MHP0008, on mental health in prisons, what steps his Department is taking to

reduce the time taken for prisoners to be transferred to a mental health ward.



evidence submitted by NHS England to the Public Accounts Committee on 23 October

2017, NHS England MHP0008, what steps are being taken to prevent Regulation 28

failures from contributing to prisoners taking their own life.

Jackie Doyle-Price:

NHS England is working with partners across the criminal justice system to improve

services for offenders with mental health difficulties, which includes a service review

across all adult medium and low secure services.

The service review is considering a number of issues including the future demand

and capacity required against a number of criteria, levels of security, gender, service

type and geographical location. A detailed understanding of difficulties in the system

in relation to remissions from hospital to prison is being considered so that access,

egress and throughput are all improved. This is vital to ensuring that the appropriate

capacity is planned for the future.

The current Prison Transfer and Remission Guidance, published by the Department

in 2011, is being reviewed, and two separate documents being developed to replace

it, one for Immigration Removal Centres and another for Prisons. A particular focus of

this work is about ensuring that the timescales within the guidance take into account

clinical urgency and need. NHS England anticipates publication of the new guidance

documents in April 2018.

Regulation 28 letters are sent to local commissioning leads, in addition to NHS

England’s National Medical Director. Local commissioners produce reports in

response to the challenges raised in each Regulation 28 letter.

The dedicated NHS England national lead picks up any recurring themes and reflects

these in the responses made on behalf of NHS England. Action plans are initiated at

a local level to support changes in how organisations and professionals work locally,

where these are viewed as potentially being contributory to deaths.

The national lead works very closely with the local commissioner to ensure activities

described in the local response, and reiterated in the national report, are adhered to.



evidence submitted by NHS England to the Public Accounts Committee on 23 October

2017, NHS England MHP0008, what steps are being taken to monitor the (a) quality and

(b) outcome of mental health services delivered by private providers in prisons.



evidence on NHS England's spending on mental health and substance misuse services in




prisons in 2016-17 which was submitted to the Public Accounts Committee on 23 October

2017, NHS England MHP0008, how much of the funding referred to was provided to

which prisons; and what contracts were allocated to healthcare providers in respect of

that funding.

Jackie Doyle-Price:

The need to improve the collection and analysis of performance and activity data in

relation to mental health provision in prisons has been recognised.

NHS England is currently reviewing existing systems to identify and improve current

processes. The first of these changes, amendments to the Health and Justice

Indicators of Performance data set, will be in place by April 2018, ensuring that NHS

England is able to track and manage performance of all providers within all prisons.

This will also identify blockages within the system and highlight where NHS England

needs to take steps and remedial measures to ensure better outcomes for this patient

group.

NHS England plan to work with NHS Improvement to agree comparable performance

measures.

The funding breakdown submitted to the Public Accounts Committee in October 2017

outlined how much each NHS England region spent on mental health and substance

misuse services in prisons as a percentage of the total adult prison healthcare

budget.

This was 37% of the £400 million budget for healthcare in adult prisons in England in

2016-17. Information on individual contract values per prison is commercially

sensitive.

Minor Injuries Units: Cornwall

Steve Double: [123282]

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is

taking to utilise the role of NHS minor injury units in (a) St. Austell and (b) Newquay to

reduce pressures on A&E departments in Cornwall.

Stephen Barclay:

Community-based services, which include minor injuries units, urgent treatment

centres and minor injury services provided by general practitioners and pharmacists,

play an important role in making sure people can access the appropriate services

when and where they need them.

Minor injury units (MIUs) across Cornwall have treated over 86,000 people during the

past financial year and during the last three months, MIUs in the Cornwall area have

treated nearly 25,000 patients. Of those, just over 3,000 were treated at St Austell

and just over 1,500 at Newquay.

Cornwall Partnership NHS Foundation Trust has a protocol in place which enables

resources to be shared between St Austell and Newquay MIUs. In addition,

partnership arrangements are in place between the National Health Service and the


local council to use the Better Care Fund to provide a range of services including:

generic support workers; improved community bed capacity, and more flexible and

responsive domiciliary care to ensure that patient assessments and re-ablement are

carried out in the most appropriate, out-of-hospital setting.

Locally, the NHS has extensively promoted the use of all community based services,

including support from pharmacists, self-care and the importance of having the flu

jab.

NHS: Crimes of Violence

Dr Dan Poulter: [123235]

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many healthcare staff have

been physically attacked or assaulted at (a) Ipswich Hospital, (b) other healthcare

provider settings in Suffolk and (c) other healthcare provider settings in England in each

year since 2015.

Stephen Barclay:

In 2015/16, the number of staff physically attacked or assaulted at:

- Ipswich Hospital was 115 involving medical factors 1 and eight not involving medical

factors;

- In other healthcare settings in Suffolk 2 the number was 1,189 involving medical

factors and 503 not involving medical factors; and

- In other healthcare provider settings in England the number was 52,704 involving

medical factors and 17,851 not involving medical factors.

Employers from across the National Health Service will collect data on physical

assaults, and working alongside local police are responsible for protecting their staff.

The Department is working with NHS England and NHS Improvement on new

arrangements to support NHS and primary care employers to “…take vigorous and

immediate action against those who abuse or attack the people who work for and

make our NHS”.

Notes:

1 Assaults involving medical factors are the number of physical assaults where the

perpetrator did not know what they were doing, or did not know what they were doing

was wrong due to medical illness, mental ill health, severe learning disability or

treatment administered.

2 The data, extracted from NHS Protect’s “Reported Physical Assaults data for

2015/16 for healthcare settings in Suffolk includes Ipswich Hospital NHS Trust,

Norfolk and Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust, West Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust and

East of England Ambulance Trust. Some of the trusts geographical areas cover more

than just Suffolk.


NHS: Data Protection

Kate Green: [123271]

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what estimate his Department

has made of the cost of the requirement to respond to subject access requests free of

charge after 25 May 2018 under the General Data Protection Regulation for (a) Acute

Trusts (b), Mental Health Trusts, (c) GP practices and (d) the NHS as a whole.

Jackie Doyle-Price:

The Department has not made any assessment of the cost of responding to subject

access requests under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).

The United Kingdom is reviewing its data protection legislation in light of the GDPR.

The Data Protection Bill is currently going through Parliament. Once it is enacted it

will become the new Data Protection Act. It will implement the GDPR from May 2018.

Article 12(5) of the GDPR refers to the rights of the data subject when requesting

their information and that this is provided free of charge. Data controllers that process

personal data will be required to comply with subject access requests in this way.

There are provisions in the GDPR and the Data Protection Bill, as there are currently

under the Data Protection Act 1998, to charge or refuse a request should it be

considered manifestly unreasonable or repeated. However, these should be

considered on a case by case basis and considered in line with guidance provided by

the Information Commissioner’s Office.

NHS: Fees and Charges


To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to his letter to the hon.

Member for Tottenham of 9 January 2018, when he is planning to review the effect of

upfront charging in the NHS and extending charges to out-of-hospital care and care

provided by non NHS organisations.

Stephen Barclay:

Following the commencement of the National Health Service (Charges to Overseas

Visitors) (Amendment) Regulations 2017 (the “amendment regulations”), in line with

the continuing public sector equalities duty, and also recognising concerns that have

been raised by stakeholders regarding the introduction of the amendment

regulations, the Department has begun a review of the impact of the changes

introduced by the amendment regulations.

The Department is working with arm’s length bodies and stakeholders to review the

impact of the amendment regulations in respect of upfront charging, patient records,

community services and non-NHS providers, with a particular focus on the extent to

which there are any unintended consequences on delivery of care in the community

for the most vulnerable, and how any such unintended consequences could be

addressed.



The Department will provide an update to stakeholders once the review is completed

(likely in spring 2018), and will set out any further action that is considered necessary

following the review.

Obesity: Children

Keith Vaz: [123314]

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department plans

to offer dietary education programmes to children and parents to help curb childhood

obesity.

Steve Brine:

We recognise that consumer education is an important aspect of our childhood

obesity plan and we are continuing to support Public Health England’s flagship

Change4Life social marketing campaign which encourages children and families to

eat well, move more and live longer. Recent Change4Life nutrition campaigns have

provided practical information to parents on healthier snacking and on the sugar, salt

and saturated fat content of everyday food and drink. Campaigns include direct to

parent communications via the media and close partnership working, including with

primary schools across England, other Government departments, the National Health

Service, local authorities, businesses and charities.

Maintained schools already teach children about food, nutrition and healthy eating

and how to cook a repertoire of dishes as part of the national curriculum. The primary

and secondary science curriculum also includes content about what constitutes a

healthy diet. For example, this includes the importance of eating the right amounts of

different types of food, the impact of diet on the way our bodies work and the

consequences of an imbalanced diet.

Alongside this, schools are encouraged to use the School Fruit and Vegetables

Scheme, which contributes towards the recommended five portions a day, as an

opportunity to educate children about fruit and vegetables and to assist a healthy,

balanced diet.

Prescription Drugs: Packaging

Laura Smith: [123688]


of the potential merits of re-packaging unused medication that has been returned to

pharmacies to reduce waste in the health sector.

Steve Brine:

The Government does not promote the reuse of medicines that have left the

pharmacy and returned to a pharmacy by patients, as it is not possible to guarantee

the quality of a returned medicine on physical inspection alone.

When medicines are returned from patients’ homes, there is no way of knowing how

the medicines have been stored in people’s homes.



The July 2017 edition of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society’s ‘Medicines, Ethics and

Practice – The professional guide for pharmacists’ states that patients should be

advised that unused, unwanted medicines should be returned to a pharmacy for safe

disposal.

Prisons: Drugs



taking to treat and support prisoners who are addicted to psychoactive substances.

Jackie Doyle-Price:

NHS England is working closely with Her Majesty's Prison and Probation Service to

ensure establishment-level resilience to psychoactive substances, through a co-

ordinated approach to both supply reduction and demand reduction.

The UK Drug Misuse and Dependence Clinical Guidelines were recently updated by

an independent expert working group, following a public consultation. The guidelines

were published in July 2017. The Guidelines require that (as a part of a

comprehensive assessment) there is confirmation of use of psychoactive substances

and identification of the degree of problem use or dependence. This would usually be

followed by abstinence-oriented psychosocial interventions.

The Guidelines are available at:

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/673978

/clinical_guidelines_2017.pdf

NHS England is due to publish the revised prison Substance Misuse Service

Specification shortly. This specification modernises and updates expectations in

relation to the management of individuals with drug-related issues, including

specifically, responses to psychoactive substances. The responses range from

helping to build resilience to prevent use, management during acute intoxication

(including ambulance transfer to acute hospital setting), psychosocial interventions

and longer term strategies to prevent and avoid use.

Soft Drinks: Children

Keith Vaz: [123310]


taking to assess the potential merits of introducing a ban on energy drinks for people

under 16 years of age.

Steve Brine:

I refer the Rt hon. Member to the answer I gave the hon. Member for West

Lancashire on 15 January 2018 to Questions 121787 and 121788.


https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/673978/clinical_guidelines_2017.pdf




Thyroid Gland: Drugs



taking to ensure that medicines approved for patients with thyroid conditions are

competitively priced.

Steve Brine:

The costs of branded medicine are controlled by the Pharmaceutical Price Regulation

Scheme and the statutory scheme for branded medicines. For unbranded generic

medicines, the Department encourages competition between suppliers to keep prices

down. In primary care, community pharmacies are incentivised to source products at

the lowest possible cost and in secondary care, competitive tenders ensure value-for-

money to the National Health Service.

Where competition does not appear to be working, the Department alerts the

Competition and Markets Authority (CMA). Where the CMA finds that a company has

breached competition law by charging excessive prices, it can impose a fine as well

as order companies to reduce their prices. In those instances the Department can

and does seek damages and invests that money back into the NHS.

University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire NHS Trust: Accident and

Emergency Departments


To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what proportion of patients at

University Hospital Coventry were treated in A&E within one hour of their arrival at that

hospital in the most recent quarter for which data is available.

Stephen Barclay:

The count and proportion of unplanned accident and emergency (A&E) attendances

at University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire NHS Trust with a treatment

duration of up to and including one hour is shown in the table below. Also shown is

the count and proportion of unplanned A&E attendances at the trust with a duration to

the conclusion of treatment of up to and including one hour. This data is not available

at hospital site level, only at trust level. The data for both of these counts is for the

period 1 July 2017 and 30 September 2017 and is provisional.



ATTENDANCES PERCENTAGES

Duration to treatment (up to and including one hour) 20,857 44.6%

Duration to conclusion of treatment or attendance (up to and

including one hour)

10,111 21.6%

TOTAL A&E ATTENDANCES 46,738

Source: Hospital Episode Statistics, NHS Digital

HOME OFFICE

Agriculture: Seasonal Workers

Dr Lisa Cameron: [123933]

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she is taking to

ensure that UK Visas and Immigration has sufficient capacity to process visas to allow

non-UK workers to perform on-farm duties during harvest season.

Caroline Nokes:

The present immigration system makes no provision for workers outside of the

European Economic Area to come to the UK as harvest workers.

Currently EEA citizens do not require a visa to work in the UK. UK Visas and

Immigration has sufficient capacity to process all visas for those who require a visa to

come to the UK to work.

Asylum


To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 19

January 2018 to Question 123154, what the plans are which are in place to reduce the

number of asylum cases older than six months which are still awaiting a decision.

Caroline Nokes:

The Home Office has detailed plans designed to reduce the number of cases older

than six months which are still awaiting a decision . These include a staff retention

strategy to ensure it retains its highly skilled asylum decision makers, further

expansion of digital processes to increase caseworking flexibility and the creation of a

new team in Bootle which has been specifically established to tackle the older cases

in the asylum system. This team has been designed to establish and roll out best

practise in the management of older cases.



Asylum: Housing

Stuart C. McDonald: [124000]

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to the contract

notice and the current procurement process for her Asylum Accommodation and Support

Services Contract, what steps she is taking to ensure compliance with (a) the Public

Contract Regulations 2015 in terms of its article 57 on assessing whether any mandatory

and discretionary grounds apply, (b) ss1(3),(6) and (7) Public Services (Social Value) Act

2012 and (c) s149 Equality Act 2010.

Caroline Nokes:

The Procurement process for the new Asylum Accommodation and Support Services

Contract will be fully compliant with the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 (PCR

2015). The initial stage of the process, which has just been completed, conforms with

the Crown Commercial Service Procurement Policy Note (8/16) dated 9 September

2016, and has used the Standard Selection Questionnaire (SSQ) 2016 as the basis

to complete the selection stage.

In accordance with the Public Services (Social Value) Act 2012, we have undertaken

extensive and relevant market and stakeholder consultation during the pre-

procurement phase of the procurement. Information derived during this process has

informed the design of the service delivery model. This has enabled the Authority to

place the Service User, and “relevant areas” at the centre of the new contract.

The procurement process for the project is compliant with the Equality Act 2010, it

ensures that the services procured under this contract are accessible to, and meet

the diverse needs of all users.


To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether the Procurement Policy

Note: Standard Selection Questionnaire (SSQ) for 2016 applies to the current

procurement process for her Asylum Accommodation and Support Services Contract;

and for what reasons the SSQ completion requirement was not expressly specified in its

contract notice, published on 18 November 2017.

Caroline Nokes:

The Procurement process for the new Asylum Accommodation and Support Services

Contract has recently completed its initial SSQ stage. The process is fully compliant

with the Crown Commercial Service Procurement Policy Note (8/16) dated 9

September 2016, and used the Standard Selection Questionnaire (SSQ) 2016 to

complete the initial stage (Request For Information) which is referred to at Section

v1.3 of the contract notice, published on 18 November 2017.

Aviation: Security

Paul Girvan: [123867]

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent discussions she has

had with the US State Department on introducing US pre-clearance to airports in the UK.




Caroline Nokes:

Discussions with the US Administration on their proposals for the pre-clearance in the

UK of passengers travelling to the US are ongoing, and no decision has yet been

made.

Crimes of Violence: Young People


To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department is

taking to prevent young people committing violent crimes.

Victoria Atkins:

The Government is delivering a range of action to prevent violent crime including

action to tackle knife crime and gang related violence and exploitation.

Our work to tackle knife crime includes early intervention and prevention work with

key partners such as the charity Redthread who intervene with young people in

hospital at the ‘teachable moment’. We have awarded £765,000 from a new anti-knife

crime community fund launched in October 2017 to support local communities to

tackle knife crime. 47 different projects have been supported through the community

fund, and the projects awarded funding were particularly aimed at helping young

people.

We are also supporting the Operation Sceptre national week of action by police

forces to tackle knife crime which is taking place in February. Police forces will be

undertaking weapon sweeps, targeted stop and search operations, undertaking test

purchasing, encouraging the use of surrender bins, and carrying out educational

activities with young people.

Through the Ending Gang Violence and Exploitation (EGVE) programme the Home

Office is providing match funding for local area and strategic reviews in areas

experiencing gang related issues and challenges to test and build local resilience

towards tackling these types of criminal activity, especially county lines. 13 local

areas were reviewed in 2016/17 and a further 15 areas are benefiting from these

reviews in 2017/18. This supports our wider work to tackle county lines and especially

preventing young people becoming offenders or victims through county lines drugs

dealing with its associated violence and exploitation. The new Drugs Dealing

Telecommunications Restriction Orders (DDTROs) introduced in December will also

help tackle county lines drugs dealing.

We have provided funding for 12 Young People’s Advocates to work directly with

gang-affected women and girls. We have also provided funding in 2017/18 of over

£280,000 to 16 local EGVE projects, including projects delivering gang, knife and

county lines awareness training for young people, practitioners and foster carers,

community sports and arts projects and mentoring programmes.

An action plan to tackle the use of acid and other corrosives in violent attacks was

announced by the Home Secretary in July 2017. This included actions to improve the

policing response and also the introduction of a voluntary set of commitments for


retailers to not sell certain particularly harmful corrosive substances to under 18s.

The agreement with retailers was introduced earlier this month.

The Government will be publishing a Serious Violence Strategy shortly.

Deportation

Louise Haigh: [124168]

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the answer of 22

January 2018 to Question 122955, on Deportation, how many detainees have sustained

injuries during attempted escorted removals in each of the last five years.

Caroline Nokes:

Published Immigration Enforcement transparency data can be found at the following

link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/migration-transparency-data#immigration-

enforcement.

Firearms: Licensing

Mike Hill: [124355]


taking to ensure that firearms licensing medical procedures are being (a) complied with

and (b) promoted.

Mr Nick Hurd:

In accordance with arrangements introduced in 2016, the police write to the GPs of

those who apply for a firearms licence to seek relevant information regarding the

applicant’s medical and mental health before the licence is issued. We are working

with the police, relevant medical bodies and others to understand whether these

arrangements are working as intended or whether further measures are required to

ensure that we have consistent arrangements across the country.

The Policing and Crime Act 2017 provides the Secretary of State with the power to

issue statutory guidance to the police on their firearms licensing functions, including

guidance on these medical arrangements. We intend to consult on this guidance

before it is finalised.

Hezbollah

Paul Girvan: [123859]


taking to prevent the promotion of the military wing of Hezbollah in the UK.

Mr Ben Wallace:

Hizballah's External Security Organisation was proscribed in March 2001 and in 2008

the proscription was extended to Hizballah's military apparatus including the Jihad

Council.


https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/migration-transparency-data#immigration-enforcement





Proscription means that an organisation is outlawed and is unable to operate in the

UK. It is a criminal offence for a person to: • belong to or invite support for a

proscribed organisation; • arrange a meeting in support of a proscribed organisation;

• wear clothing or carry articles in public which arouse reasonable suspicion that an

individual is a member or supporter of the proscribed organisation. The penalties for

proscription offences can be a maximum of 10 years in prison and/or an unlimited

fine.

Home Office: Contracts


To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether she has taken any

steps as a result of Carillion entering liquidation to conduct an analysis and risk

assessment of the financial stability and viability of both her current outsourced public

service suppliers and in-current tendering of public services in respect of their viability

and profit warning records of any bidders.

Victoria Atkins:

The Home Office regularly monitors the financial performance of its current strategic

suppliers as part of its supplier management processes. As part of the wider

Government Commercial Function, the Home Office receives market intelligence

from the Markets and Suppliers team, and the department works closely with Crown

Representatives who operate at board level with our strategic suppliers and provide

insights into company strategy and issues. The Home Office has applied this process

in assessing the impact of the Carillion liquidation.

All Home Office contracts are tendered in compliance with the EU Procurement

Directives and as part of its tendering process an assessment of financial viability is

undertaken, which is in line with best practice and Cabinet Office guidance. The

assessment is proportionate to the risk of the procurement being undertaken and is

completed on each bidder by independent qualified accountants. The outcomes are

considered within the normal tendering governance processes. The

recommendations of the independent assessment will be considered alongside any

other financial intelligence and insights that are held as part of the wider Government

Commercial Function.

Immigrants: Detainees

Ruth George: [123978]

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many immigration

detentions took place in the (a) north of England, (b) North West, (c) East Midlands and

(d) West Midlands in (i) 2016 and (ii) 2017.

Caroline Nokes:

Our published detention data is available at the following link:

www.gov.uk/government/statistics/immigration-statistics-july-to-september-2017-

data-tables




To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the maximum detention

time in reporting centre holding rooms in the immigration estate was in (a) 2016 and (b)

2017.

Caroline Nokes:

Information on the length of detention for individuals held in reporting centre holding

rooms is not collected centrally by the Home Office.

Reporting centre holding rooms are not open overnight and the length of length of

time in detention for individuals held in these locations would not usually exceed

twelve hours, although there may be occasional short extensions.


To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when he plans to respond to the

North and Midlands Monitoring Board for Short-Term Holding Facilities, Annual Report

2016.

Caroline Nokes:

I will review the annual report of the North and Midlands Independent Monitoring

Board for Short-Term Holding Facilities and respond in due course.

Immigration: EU Nationals

Tom Brake: [123987]

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether the settled status

document will be free for EU citizens in the UK with a valid permanent residence

document; and if he will make a statement.

Caroline Nokes:

EU citizens and their family members who are resident in the UK before the date the

UK leaves the EU and hold valid permanent residence documents at the time that

they apply for settled status will not pay a fee. This will also apply to beneficiaries of

the Withdrawal Agreement who hold indefinite leave to enter or remain in the UK.

National Police Air Service: Wales

Jonathan Edwards: [124423]

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent assessment the

Government has made of the performance of the National Police Air Service in Wales.

Mr Nick Hurd:

The Home Office does not collect performance information on the National Police Air

Service (NPAS). NPAS is a collaboration of English and Welsh Police Forces. The

Service’s Strategic Board comprised of Chief Constables and Police and Crime

Commissioners, including the Dyfed Powys PCC, are responsible for overseeing

NPAS. HMICFRS published a study of Police Air Support in November 2017. NPAS





and the National Police Chief’s Council have both announced that they are

undertaking work to address recommendations concerning NPAS.

Police: Greater Manchester

Mr Ivan Lewis: [124382]

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent representations she

has received from the Mayor of Greater Manchester on changes (a) in the number of

police officers and (b) to police funding.

Mr Nick Hurd:

The Home Office is in regular correspondence with Police and Crime Commissioners

on a range of topics, including funding and resources.

I recently announced the proposed police funding settlement for 2018/19 which would

see an additional £450m invested in the policing system, around £270m direct to

PCCs. Should the Mayor choose to use increased precept flexibility, this could mean

an additional £10.4m for Greater Manchester Police. It is a matter for police leaders

to determine locally how to use these resources.

Police: Reorganisation

Mike Hill: [124457]

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the status is of the

proposal to create a national infrastructure police force; and if she will make a statement.

Mr Nick Hurd:

The Government continues to consider the feasibility, benefits and risks of creating a

national infrastructure police force. As this work continues, the Civil Nuclear

Constabulary, Ministry of Defence Police and the British Transport Police continue to

work together and in collaboration with territorial forces to optimise the protection of

the public and our critical infrastructure.

Slavery


To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what data her Department

collects on (a) housing provision for confirmed victims of modern slavery after they have

left the National Referral Mechanism and (b) the number of such victims who become

homeless after support from the Government has ended.



collects on the (a) immigration status of confirmed victims of modern slavery after they

have left the National Referral Mechanism and (b) number of such victims who have been

deported from the UK.







collects on (a) the employment status of confirmed victims of modern slavery after they

have left the National Referral Mechanism and (b) the number of such victims who have

the right to work in the UK.

Victoria Atkins:

The Home Office does not routinely collect data on victims after they have left the

National Referral Mechanism. In October 2017, the Government announced a

package of reforms to the National Referral Mechanism including the development of

a digitised casework system. It is anticipated that the digital system will improve our

ability to collate and report on the progress of victims through the National Referral

Mechanism.

The reform package additionally includes an extended period of move on support for

confirmed victims. This will enable a more robust transition for victims leaving

government funded support. In addition, the provision of a 6 month drop-in service

will present the opportunity for continued engagement between support providers and

confirmed adult victims.

Torture

Joan Ryan: [123423]

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she has taken to

review the definition of torture used in the Adults At Risk policy.

Joan Ryan: [123433]

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what plans his Department has

to hold discussions on the review of its Adults at Risk policy with (a) Freedom from

Torture, (b) Medical Justice and (c) Survivors Speak OUT.

Joan Ryan: [123436]

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent assessment she has

made of the potential merits of replacing the Adults at Risk policy with a framework which

prohibits the detention of all victims of torture and other vulnerable people from

immigration detention.

Joan Ryan: [123437]

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she is taking to

improve immigration detention safeguards for victims of torture and other vulnerable

people, including people who have suffered from severe physical, psychological or sexual

violence; and if she will make a statement.

Caroline Nokes:

The adults at risk in immigration detention policy came into force in September 2016

and was part of the Government’s response to Stephen Shaw’s review of the welfare

of vulnerable people in immigration detention. It is based on a case by case






assessment of the appropriateness of detention for each individual, depending on the

nature and evidence of vulnerability available in their particular case. It involves a

balancing of vulnerability considerations against immigration factors (how soon

removal is due to take place, public protection concerns, and compliance with

immigration law). If an individual is identified as being at risk in the terms of the

policy, they will be detained (or their detention continued) only when the immigration

factors outweigh the evidence of risk. As such, the policy strengthens the existing

presumption against detention. It does not, however, represent an automatic

exclusion from immigration detention for any group of vulnerable, or potentially

vulnerable, individuals and the Government has no plans to put in place a framework

which fully prohibits the detention of any group of individuals.

Victims of sexual or gender based violence already fall explicitly within the scope of

the policy. Individuals who have suffered severe physical or psychological violence

are not explicitly referenced, but it is highly likely that such individuals would in any

case fall within its scope in that they would meet one of the other indicators of risk set

out in the policy (for example, suffering from a mental health condition or impairment,

or suffering from a serious physical health condition, or suffering from post traumatic

stress disorder, or having been a victim of torture).

Following the High Court judgment on 10 October 2017 in the case of Medical Justice

and Others v the Secretary of State for the Home Department, the Government has

been considering how it can best address the Court’s findings in relation to the

statutory guidance in respect of the adults at risk in immigration detention policy. This

includes consideration of the definition of torture that should apply in the policy. On

16 January 2018, Home Office officials wrote to a range of non-governmental

organisations, including Medical Justice and Freedom from Torture, to propose a

series of meetings in order to elicit their views as part of the process for developing

statutory amendments.

Undocumented Migrants


To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to the

memorandum of understanding on the processing of information requests from the Home

Office to NHS Digital for tracing immigration offenders which came into effect on 1

January 2017, what number and proportion of trace requests under that memorandum

have been conducted for individuals whom the Home Office had not re-established

contact via other centrally held government sources of information; and how many of

those requests resulted in (a) apprehension and (b) the resolution of the immigration

issue to be addressed.

Caroline Nokes:

NHS Digital’s data recently published written evidence before the health select

committee.


The report can be found here -

http://data.parliament.uk/writtenevidence/committeeevidence.svc/evidencedocument/

health-committee/memorandum-of-understanding-on-datasharing-between-nhs-

digital-and-the-home-office/written/76672.html

Witnesses


To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what guidance her Department

provides to the police on requesting witnesses to provide facial composites of a suspect.

Mr Nick Hurd:

The decision to ask a witness to help produce an E-Fit or composite facial image of a

person they saw on a previous occasion is an operational matter for the police. The

Home Office therefore does not provide guidance to the police on such matters.

However, national operational guidance, published in 2009 by the National Policing

Improvement Agency (NPIA), can be accessed via the College of Policing Authorised

Professional Practice for Investigations. This is available at:

http://library.college.police.uk/docs/acpo/facial-identification-guidance-2009.pdf.


To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether the EvoFIT facial

composite process can be altered to allow witnesses to start by using a likeness, as

opposed to starting from first principles.

Mr Nick Hurd:

EvoFIT is a private company which develops and markets computer software for

producing composite images to assist the police in tracing and identifying unknown

suspects. Any change to the system is an operational matter for the National Voice

and Video Identification Strategy Group, which sits under the relevant National Police

Chiefs’ Council portfolio.

HOUSE OF COMMONS COMMISSION

House of Commons: Catering


To ask the right hon. Member for Carshalton and Wallington, representing the House of

Commons Commission, what plans the Commission has to increase the range of food

available for both vegetarians and vegans in catering facilities in the House.

Tom Brake:

Catering services provide a wide choice of dishes to cater for vegans and vegetarians

throughout the estate. Menus are changed on a regular basis to provide variety and

to reflect seasonality. There has also been an increase in the number of choices for

vegans and vegetarians across our venues in recent years.

http://data.parliament.uk/writtenevidence/committeeevidence.svc/evidencedocument/health-committee/memorandum-of-understanding-on-datasharing-between-nhs-digital-and-the-home-office/written/76672.html







We gather customer suggestions and feedback through regular surveys and through

our customer feedback email address. This assists us with our menu planning and to

improve our offers and dishes on our menus where possible.

There are no specific plans to increase the range of food available to vegans and

vegetarians. In 2017, all cafeterias supported National Vegetarian Week (15 to 19

May) and World Vegan Month (in November) where we promote and further offer a

selection of dishes to our customers. Catering services will continue to promote these

in 2018.

House of Commons: Cleaning Services

Diana Johnson: [124149]


Commons Commission, which company has been contracted to carry out cleaning work

on the ceiling of Westminster Hall; and what archaeological supervision has been

provided to supervise that cleaning work.

Tom Brake:

Work is currently underway in Westminster Hall to complete phase three of the

conservation programme. This includes: the refurbishment of the lantern; removing

the extensive dust deposits from the roof timbers; minor repairs to the interior of the

roof to stabilize decorative elements and tracery; fire protection improvements; and

new lighting.

The principal contractor for the programme is Mitie, who have in turn subcontracted

the refurbishment of the lantern, cleaning of dust deposits and the minor repairs to

the heritage and conservation specialists, DBR Limited. The programme of work is

supervised by heritage architects Donald Insall Associates.

There is a large body of academic material on the Hall already available, with

principal studies conducted between 1854 and 2016. Both information from this,

together with extensive condition surveys, have been used as the basis for the

specification for the current work and any further survey in this regard would be of no

evident value to Parliament. It should be noted that the roof is an example of

‘standing archaeology’ – that is, it will be accessible for the foreseeable future as it

has been in the past. The obligation to record the repairs and to deposit the records

in the archives will be undertaken by the consultant conservation architect (Donald

Insall Associates), specialist conservators, the in-house Architecture & Heritage team

and Historic England. This information will be made available to interested parties

and therefore no further archaeological supervision is necessary.

I have sent the hon. Lady a copy of the list of references to studies of the roof, and

placed a copy in the Library.

Attachments:

1. References to studies of Westminster Hall Roof [References-to-studies-of-Westminster-

Hall-Roof.pdf]


Parliamentary Estate: Waste Management



Commons Commission, what percentage of parliamentary waste was (a) recycled and (b)

incinerated in the most recent period for which data is available.

Tom Brake:

In the calendar year of 2017, Parliament recycled 48.8% (937,854 kg) of waste.

Parliament recovered 13.4% (253,056 kg) of waste, which is a process that applies to

food waste, treated to produce methane fuel for energy generation with the solid

residues used as soil improver.

In the same timeframe, Parliament incinerated 36.7% (691,464 kg) of waste at an

‘energy from waste facility’. No waste from the Parliamentary Estate goes to landfill.

HOUSING, COMMUNITIES AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT

Affordable Housing: Construction

John Healey: [123928]

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what

estimate his Department has made of the number of organisations that will miss the

deadline for the completion of grant-funded homes under the Affordable Homes

Programme 2015 to 2018; and what estimate he has made of the number of homes that

will not be completed under that same programme's deadline.

Dominic Raab:

The Affordable Homes Programme is delivered through the Greater London Authority

for London and by Homes England outside of London.

The contractual date for completion of affordable homes in the Affordable Homes

Programme 2015-18 is 31 March 2018. With the introduction of the 2016-21

programme part way through this programme the deadline was incorporated into the

2016-21 programme.

The programme will contain a proportion of homes due to be completed at later

dates, where there has been valid delay to the build programme. Where such

instances arise each request is individually assessed before a later forecast build

completion date is accepted, reducing the possibilities of an organisation missing the

deadline.

It is not possible to give a nationwide figure for the number of homes that will not be

completed under the programme's deadline as this would pre-empt the publication of

the national statistics.



Carillion


To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if he will

place in the Library copies any analysis that (a) his Department or (b) Homes England

have conducted on the exposure of the housing market to the liquidation of Carillion.

Jake Berry:

[Holding answer 23 January 2018]: The Department and Homes England continue to

monitor risks across the housing market, including their exposure to financial risk as a

result of Carillion’s liquidation. As these risk assessments contain commercially

sensitive information, we do not publish them.

Furthermore, the Regulator for Social Housing has been in touch with housing

associations in England to assess those that might have been affected by the

collapse of Carillion. So far, the Regulator has not been alerted to any immediate

difficulties and will continue to monitor this.

Health: Finance

Andrew Gwynne: [122455]


meetings (a) Ministers in his Department and (b) officials in his Department have had with

Public Health England on the public health grant in the last 12 months.

Rishi Sunak:

Officials from my Department attend a monthly meeting hosted by both Public Health

England (PHE) and the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) which

specifically focuses on matters relating to the Public Health Grant. In addition to such

meetings, officials from my Department have frequent ad-hoc dialogue on the Public

Health Grant with their counterparts from PHE and DHSC.

High Rise Flats: Fire Prevention

Mr Clive Betts: [124148]

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if he will

publish the report produced by Atkins for his Department’s industry response group on

advice to building owners on cladding and insulation systems in tower blocks.

Dominic Raab:

The government established an Industry Response Group in June 2017, following the

Grenfell Tower Fire, to advise on immediate steps to ensure building safety. Working

with Atkins and the Industry Response Group, the Department produced an

Information Note to assist building owners to assess what measures should be taken

to make their buildings safe. This Information Note was published by the Department

in December 2017 and can be found on gov.uk.

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/information-note-for-landlords-and-

building-owners-of-tall-residential-buildings-with-acm-cladding




https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/information-note-for-landlords-and-building-owners-of-tall-residential-buildings-with-acm-cladding




To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what the

timescale is for all privately-owned tower blocks with dangerous aluminium composite

material cladding to have been identified.

Dominic Raab:

Nothing is more important than keeping people safe. We wrote to all local authority

chief executives on 11 August 2017 asking them to identify private sector residential

buildings over 18 metres with Aluminium Composite Material (ACM) cladding in their

area. This work is ongoing and my Department will provide monthly updates on

progress through Gov.uk.

These updates are at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/building-safety-programme#data-on-the-building-safety-

progamme.



information his Department holds on the number of privately-owned tower blocks

identified with dangerous aluminium composite material cladding which have had such

cladding replaced.

Dominic Raab:

The Department’s most recent data release can be found at

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/building-safety-programme-monthly-

data-release-january-2018, which was published 22 January 2018.

Housing: Construction



estimate his Department has made of the housing capacity of public land disposed of to

date; and what proportion of homes built on that land will be affordable.

Dominic Raab:

[Holding answer 23 January 2018]: Between 2011 and 2015, the Government

exceeded its target of selling surplus public sector land with the capacity for 100,000

homes.

The Public Land for Housing programme 2015-20 annual report was published in

February 2017 and shows the land disposed of for housing.

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/public-land-for-housing-programme-

2015-to-2020-annual-report

The Public Land for Housing Programmes was designed to specifically address the

shortage of land for housing but we want to ensure that homes are built on that land.

We are now monitoring the progress of sites sold through both the 2011-15 and


https://www.gov.uk/guidance/building-safety-programme#data-on-the-building-safety-progamme





https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/public-land-for-housing-programme-2015-to-2020-annual-report



2015-20 Public Land for Housing Programmes, in order to estimate the number, type

and tenure of homes under construction.

Local Government Finance

Diana Johnson: [124110]

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what the

amount of financial reserves held by each local authority was in England in each year

since 2009-10.

Rishi Sunak:

Information on financial reserves by all local authorities in England are published

each year on the Department's website:

https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/local-authority-revenue-expenditure-and-

financing

Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government: Beverage Containers


To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, how

many disposable coffee cups were purchased by his Department in each of the last five

years.

Jake Berry:

The information requested is not held centrally. Disposable coffee cups are

purchased by an external catering supplier, which was unable to provide this

information.

The catering facilities in the Department’s headquarters office in 2 Marsham Street

are provided through the Home Office. The coffee cups used in the Department’s

headquarters office in 2 Marsham Street are biodegradable.

Staff and visitors are encouraged to dispose of waste appropriately and userecycling

bins where it is appropriate to do so.

Prosperity Fund


To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant

to the Answer of the 15 January 2018 to Question 121225, which projects listed in the

Prosperity Fund's Annual Report 2016-17 and spend data were subject to spend controls;

what those spend controls were; and if he will make a statement.

Jake Berry:

My Department continues to develop the UK Shared Prosperity Fund. The Fund has

not yet launched and as such there are no projects to which spending controls can

apply.




Retail Trade: Urban Areas

Chris Ruane: [123363]


assessment his Department has made of the effect on the vibrancy and resilience of the

high street of the presence of (a) rental purchase retailers, (b) bookmakers, (c) payday

lenders and (d) pawnbrokers.

Jake Berry:

Issues about the particular make-up of individual high streets are for the relevant

local authority to address. They are best placed to determine how to help their local

high streets, ensuring that their high streets meet the needs of the local community

and maximise local growth in their areas. Ultimately, if a high street is to flourish, then

local people, businesses and councils in an area need to work together to develop

their own unique offer for the high street that resonates with the local community.

The Government recognises that this is a difficult time for high streets and has taken

significant actions to help high streets adapt and thrive. These include making

pragmatic changes to planning rules in England, such as allowing more changes of

use on the high street, including the change of use for up to two years to support

retail and business start-ups, and supporting helpful reforms to parking. Also in

England, from 2015 a planning application is required for any new betting office or

pay-day loan shop. The Government is also committed to communities establishing

Business Improvement Districts and the positive impact they have on their local

areas, including town centres.

Social Rented Housing



recent assessment his Department has made of the effectiveness of the regulation of the

social housing sector.

Dominic Raab:

Social housing is a priority for this Government. We are committed to ensuring that

social homes are safe, decent, well managed and suitable for the needs of the people

who live in them. The Regulation Committee within the Homes England - known as

the Regulator of Social Housing - is responsible for overseeing the regulation of

social housing. The Regulator of Social Housing is responsible for setting and

ensuring compliance with economic and consumer regulation standards that apply to

providers who are registered with it. The Regulator also has a number of tools

available to take action where there is evidence that a registered provider is not

meeting its requirements.

The Tailored Review of the Homes and Communities Agency, now Homes England,

was carried out in 2016 This Review assessed the structure and delivery of the

regulatory function within the Agency. The Review was clear that it had heard much

evidence from registered providers, lenders and others in the sector that the



Regulation Committee and its functions were seen as independent, strong and

credible. The Review recommended the separation of the Regulator of Social

Housing into a new standalone Non Departmental Public Body to address any conflict

of interest that could potentially arise from the Agency’s current configuration. We

have consulted on proposals to put in place arrangements to do so.

Supported Housing: Finance

Peter Aldous: [123922]


protections he plans to put in place for people who need supported housing once the

Government’s local grant fund, as proposed in the consultation document, Funding

Support Housing, is exhausted in a specific local authority area.

Mrs Heather Wheeler:

We will be working closely with local government to ensure this does not happen.

We are clear that in the year of introduction in 2020-21 the level of grant will be

equivalent to the spend on short-term supported housing had it remained in the

welfare system. We will work closely with local authorities over 2018 and 2019 to

determine local grant allocations, and will continue to monitor progress over 2020.

Grant funding after 2020-21 will be set on the basis of current projections of future

need, and will continue to take into account the costs of provision. We will also

continue to work with local authorities.

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Democratic Republic of Congo: Mining


To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what steps she is taking to

support the reduction in the use of children involved in cobalt mining in the Democratic

Republic of Congo.

Harriett Baldwin:

DFID is working to tackle the root causes that enable child labour to flourish in the

mining sector in the Democratic Republic of Congo. To this end, DFID collaborates

closely with other Government Departments and through a European Partnership for

Responsible Minerals. We provide funding to the Carter Center in the DRC to

improve transparency and governance of the sector. DFID DRC is also working with

other international partners to consider how we might tackle the issues in the cobalt

supply chain in future programme design.



Sierra Leone: Female Genital Mutilation


To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what reports she has

received on the use of FGM by political parties in Sierra Leone as part of the electoral

process; and what the effect is of such use on her Department's efforts to tackle FGM.

Harriett Baldwin:

We are not aware of any formal reports of FGM being used as part of the electoral

process; but with our partners we are closely monitoring all risks around the election.

DFID is committed to working with the Government of Sierra Leone to promote the

rights of women and girls and will seek to work with the new Government to

specifically tackle FGM in the country. Supporting Sierra Leones’ elections bodies to

deliver free, fair and inclusive elections is a top priority for the UK. We are working

with the National Elections Commission (NEC) and Civil Society Organizations to

deliver civic and voter information better targeted to specific groups like women and

persons with a disability. Efforts are underway by the UN in country to establish a

women’s situation room to help monitor and tackle instances of violence against

women and other vulnerable groups. The NEC is also working to make voting centres

more physically accessible and/or able to provide special voting arrangements e.g.

tactile ballots for the visually impaired, and table-top voting screens for mothers with

small children.

UNRWA

Emily Thornberry: [123994]

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, how much was disbursed

from the public purse in voluntary contributions excluding assessed or non-discretionary

contributions to the UN Relief and Works Agency in each financial year since 2010.

Alistair Burt:

The amount of UK Official Development Assistance (ODA) funds to the United

Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) in each calendar year since 2010 is

given in the table below. This data is published each year in the Statistics for

International Development (SID) publication. Figures for 2017 will be released next

year.

The UK remains firmly committed to supporting UNRWA and Palestinian refugees

across the Middle East and we have so far provided around £50 million in 2017/18.

(£

MILLIONS) 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016

Bilateral

ODA

through

Multilateral

2.1 4.5 5.8 18.4 29.1 30.0 21.0



(£

MILLIONS) 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016

Core

Multilateral

ODA

27.0 30.5 47.5 22.9 36.6 34.0 33.4

Total UK

ODA to

UNRWA

29.1 35.0 53.3 41.4 65.7 64.0 54.4

Source: Statistics for International Development 2010 - 2017

ODA figures are produced only on a calendar year basis in line with the Organisation

for Economic Development and Cooperation, Development Assistance Committee

definitions.

Bilateral ODA through multilateral is funding to multilateral organisations for specific

programmes or for specific countries. Core multilateral ODA describes un-earmarked

funds from national governments which are pooled with other donors’ funding and

disbursed as part of the core budget of the multilateral organisation.

INTERNATIONAL TRADE

Arms Trade: Trade Fairs


To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, pursuant to Answer of 15 January

2018 to Question 122006 on Arms Trade: Trade Fairs, if he will publish the ranks of the

Military Escort Officers who attended (a) DSEI 2017 and (b) Farnborough 2016; and what

the ranks are of the Military Escort Officers who are planned to attend the Security and

Policing expo in Farnborough in March 2018.


To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, pursuant to the Answer of 15

January 2018 to Question 122006, how many ranks of the Military Escort Officers

chaperoned each national delegation to which they were assigned for (a) DSEI 2017 and

(b) Farnborough 2016; and how many ranks of the Military Escort Officers are planned to

chaperone each national delegation to which are to be assigned for the Security and

Policing expo in Farnborough in March 2018.

Graham Stuart:

The number of countries attending, number of Military Escort Officers and their ranks

are shown in the tables below for both Defence and Security Equipment International

2017 (DSEI) and Farnborough International Airshow 2016 (FIA).



The number and ranks of Military Escort Officers who will volunteer at Security and

Policing 2018 is not yet known.

Source: DIT DSO Inward Visits Unit

Military Escort Officers are drawn from both the Reserves and the Regular Armed

Forces. One Military Escort Officer is normally assigned to chaperone each foreign

delegation attending.

Grouped Questions: 124053

Developing Countries: Motor Vehicles

Stephen Kerr: [123272]

To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, whether his Department has had

discussions with the Global Vehicle Trust on export support for the Ox flat-packed truck

for the developing world.

Graham Stuart:

My Department has actively supported the Global Vehicle Trust (GVT) in promoting

the OX, and in seeking investors and manufacturing partners. This support included

helping arrange for the OX to be displayed at the Low Carbon Vehicle show at

Millbrook, Bedfordshire in 2016, and introducing GVT to potential international

partners at the show; and discussions in 2017 between our Post in India and potential

local partners. My Department continues to offer its support to this project.

EU Trade



January 2018 to Question 122986, what representations he has received on whether the

adoption of existing EU Free Trade Agreements with third party countries can only

happen with the agreement of the EU and those countries.

http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2018-01-22/124053/



Greg Hands:

Since the Trade White Paper was published, the Government has engaged

extensively with stakeholders and will continue this programme of engagement until

continuity in trade agreements is secured.

Respondents have welcomed the government’s commitment to providing stability and

certainty for businesses and consumers, by seeking to continue existing EU-Third

country trade agreements. The Government is working towards this end.

Trade Agreements



January 2018 to Question 120867, on Trade Agreements, for what reason he has not

listed the organisations that submitted responses to his Trade White Paper.

Greg Hands:

I refer the Hon Member for Sefton Central to the answer given by me on 17 January.

UIN: 122189

Trade Remedies Authority

Peter Kyle: [123965]

To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, how many of his Department's staff

are working on establishing the proposed new Trade Remedies Authority.

Graham Stuart:

There are currently 25 members of staff within the Department for International Trade

tasked with the policy and framework development, including creating legislation, for

the Trade Remedies Authority. Specialist staff may also be called upon, such as

lawyers.


To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what his plans are for the staff

requirement upon full establishment of the proposed Trade Remedies Authority.

Greg Hands:

We are currently undertaking an organisation design process to determine the

precise capacity and capability requirements for the Trade Remedies Authority.

We have reviewed the structures, caseloads and resources of a range of trade

remedies systems. We have also worked closely with counterparts in other UK

government departments and arm’s-length bodies.

We are committed to creating an organisation that has the appropriate number of

people, skills and infrastructure to investigate cases and assess injury quickly and

effectively, in order to ensure that we can continue to protect UK Business from unfair

and injurious trading practices.




Turkey: Foreign Relations


To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, who travelled with him in his

delegation to Turkey on Friday 12 January 2018.

Graham Stuart:

My Rt Hon Friend the Secretary of State for International Trade was accompanied on

his visit to Turkey by a private secretary, special adviser and press officer as is

common for ministers undertaking high-profile international visits.

Turkey: Military Aircraft


To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what discussions his Department

has had with (a) BAe and (b) Rolls Royce on the viability of the Turkish Government's

plan to field a prototype aircraft by 2023 as part of its TF-X indigenous fighter programme.

Graham Stuart:

The Department has had a number of discussions with both companies and TAI and

SSM regarding the future timetable for production of the TF-X aircraft.

JUSTICE

Birmingham Prison: Civil Disorder

Richard Burgon: [123578]

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if he will publish the report of Sarah Payne into

the riot at HMP Birmingham in December 2016.

Rory Stewart:

The investigation into the disturbance at HMP Birmingham was concluded in early

2017. We have considered its findings and have taken any necessary actions arising

from them. We do not intend to publish the report.

We have robust processes in place to closely monitor and manage privately

managed prison providers, ensuring that they are providing a safe and secure

environment and delivering value for money to the taxpayer. We will not hesitate to

take action if and when standards fall short.

Carillion


To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many times representatives from his

Department met with representatives of Carillion to discuss contracts for prison

maintenance in (a) 2016 and (b) 2017.





Rory Stewart:

Representatives of the Department at all levels involved in the monitoring of delivery

of contracts for prison maintenance meet with Carillion on a frequent basis. This

includes weekly meetings at an operational site level through to at least monthly

meetings at a leadership level. Leadership teams also met to discuss specific issues

and such meetings have been more frequent over the past 18 months. We do not

hold a record of the number of total number of meetings.


To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many times his Department issued letters

of concern to Carillion on its delivery of contracts for prison maintenance in (a) 2016 and

(b) 2017.

Rory Stewart:

Formal concerns about issues with the delivery of the contract were are issued

through the Early Warning Notice and Defect provisions as laid out in the NEC3

standard form of contract which is employed for prison maintenance. A formal letter

of concern was issued in 2016 to advise Carillion of performance failures. A

performance action plan was put in place to address these failings and some

improvements were made. This process was subsequently subsumed into a wider

service improvement initiative.


To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many meetings were held with Carillion

and his Department to discuss the plan agreed with Carillion to improve their delivery of

prison maintenance services between September 2016 and February 2017.

Rory Stewart:

Steering Groups were held initially weekly and then fortnightly between HMPPS and

Carillion Leadership to track and monitor their improvement plan, and were attended

by Senior Leaders across the department.

Jo Stevens: [123677]

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps his Department took in response to

reports issued between 2015 and 2017 by Independent Monitoring Boards on Carillion's

execution of prison maintenance contracts.

Rory Stewart:

Each IMB report which flags up concerns on the estate has been reviewed by the

HMPPS National Service Management Team who have provided information on the

action being taken to address some of the issues highlighted and this has been fed

back into the official responses from HMPPS. Where the issues highlighted are to do

with Carillion performance these concerns have fed in through either the performance

reviews held regularly at site or if necessary escalated through meetings with senior

leaders from both organisations. In some instances, the concerns when investigated

have related to the requirement for investment in assets which is not a responsibility

of the maintenance contractors, but is managed through the internal asset investment




process which decides how limited funds can be allocated to operational and

maintenance priorities.


To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether his Department put in place any

qualitative targets to monitor Carillion’s performance in delivering prison maintenance

services.

Rory Stewart:

The performance mechanism within the Carillion contracts contains 16 key

performance indicators. These employ a mix of both quantitative and qualitative

measures to monitor Carillion’s performance in delivering prison maintenance

services.


To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, with reference to the oral contribution of the

Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Justice of 15 September 2016, Official

Report, Column 475WH, whether a meeting with Carillion was held; and what methods

his Department subsequently used to monitor Carillion’s performance.

Rory Stewart:

Minister Gyimah met with Carillion on 11 October 2016 to express dissatisfaction and

made clear that significant performance improvement was required before the end of

December 2016. An improvement plan was established, overseen by a weekly Joint

Steering Group. Key milestones were identified, together with a high level dashboard

tracking success factors. The development of alternative commercial options was

also planned to inform a strategic decision about the future of Carillion as an FM

provider in January 2017.

Crime: Victims

Gloria De Piero: [124119]

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many people have joined the victim contact

scheme in each of the last four years; and what proportion of eligible people that number

represents in each of those years.

Dr Phillip Lee:

The information requested by the hon Member for Ashfield, Gloria De Piero, is not

available. The current national victim’s database was only introduced in April 2016

and data migration of active cases from previous databases was not fully completed

until February 2017.

Data currently held on the national victim’s database indicates that the proportion of

eligible victims who have opted into the Victim Contact Scheme is approximately

46%.




Liverpool Prison

Dan Carden: [123529]

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, when he plans to publish his Department's

action plan for HMP Liverpool.

Rory Stewart:

HM Inspectorate of Prisons (HMIP) undertook an inspection of HMP Liverpool on 4-

15 September 2017. The report of that inspection and the corresponding action plan

were published on Friday 19 January. The plan sets out our actions to respond to

issues which the inspectorate has raised.

The action plan along with the HMIP inspection report for HMP Liverpool can be

found on prison finder at http://www.justice.gov.uk/contacts/prison-finder/liverpool

Ministry of Justice: Carillion


To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether his Department signed any new or

renewed contracts with Carillion for any services in the last 12 months.

Rory Stewart:

The Department has not signed any new or renewed contracts with Carillion for any

services in the last 12 months.

Ministry of Justice: Contracts


To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what recent assessment his Department has

made of the financial viability of all those companies with which it has contracts.

Rory Stewart:

A review of the financial stability of contractors is an integral part of both the

tendering of new contracts and continued contract management undertaken by the

Ministry of Justice (MoJ). The financial viability of suppliers is checked during the

tendering process and once a contract is awarded, the MoJ will review the Supplier's

financial circumstances on a regular basis to ensure that these have not significantly

changed.

Ministry of Justice: Procurement


To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many contracts his Department holds with


Dr Phillip Lee:

The Ministry of Justice currently holds 85 contracts with Government Strategic

Suppliers.


http://www.justice.gov.uk/contacts/prison-finder/liverpool

http://www.justice.gov.uk/contacts/prison-finder/liverpool




Prisons: Repairs and Maintenance


To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many staff in his Department worked on

monitoring the delivery of contracts for prison maintenance by private sector companies

in (a) 2015, (b) 2016 and (c) 2017.

Rory Stewart:

The number of staff working (by Full Time Equivalent) on monitoring the delivery of

contracts for prison maintenance by private sector companies is as follows:

a) 2015: 95

b) 2016: 98

c) 2017: 97


To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what changes to contracts were agreed

between his Department and private sector companies contracted to provide prison

maintenance after his Department confirmed in July 2017 that the contracts would not

deliver the savings budgeted for.

Rory Stewart:

The Department has been undertaking a significant continuous improvement initiative

in collaboration with both Carillion and Amey since May 2017. The aim was to make

improvements to the systems, processes and practices that exist within the FM

environment of prisons to deliver service and productivity improvements. To date no

changes to contracts have been made as a consequence of this initiative


To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what research his Department has undertaken

into the effectiveness of prison maintenance services being carried out in House, and if

he will place that research in the Library.

Rory Stewart:

An independent review of the service was undertaken in early 2017 which was used

to support several improvement initiatives. There are no plans to place the

information in the library as the report contains commercially sensitive information.


To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment his Department has made of

the effectiveness of prison maintenance services being carried out in-house.

Rory Stewart:

An independent review of the service was undertaken in early 2017, which was used

to support several improvement initiatives. We are currently working with the Official

Receiver to ensure the continuation of prison maintenance services, whilst we finalise

the timing of implementation of our contingency plans.





Reoffenders

Michael Tomlinson: [122852]

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what estimate he has made of the cost to the

public purse of the number of reoffenders for each year since 2010.

Rory Stewart:

Her Majesty’s Prisons and Probation Service (HMPPS), does not calculate separately

the annual cost of prisoners who have reoffended. However, recent studies show that

reoffending costs £15 billion to society and we are committed to rehabilitating

offenders to reduce reoffending and create fewer victims.

We are clear that prisons must become places of discipline, hard work and self-

improvement. Our reforms will help deliver a system that is focused on getting

prisoners the education and training they need to live law-abiding lives when they are

released.

Sentencing: Females

Chris Ruane: [123960]

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many and what proportion of women who

have received a custodial prison sentence have had children under the age of 18 at the

time of their sentencing in each of the last five years.

Dr Phillip Lee:

This information is not held centrally and can only be obtained at disproportionate

cost.

We recognise the impact that imprisonment has on the offender and their families,

particularly children.

Work is ongoing to improve the quality of information that sentencers receive about

community sentencing options and to ensure that sentencers are made aware and

can take account of whether an offender is a primary carer or has been pregnant or

given birth within the last 6 months.

We will shortly be setting out our strategy for female offenders, to improve outcomes

for women in the community and in custody. This will include women with young

children, babies and other caring responsibilities.

NORTHERN IRELAND

Northern Ireland Office: Beverage Containers


To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many disposable coffee cups

were purchased by her Department in each of the last five years.




Mr Shailesh Vara:

The Northern Ireland Office has, in 2015 purchased 1,500 disposable cups, in 2016

purchased 1,000 and in 2017 purchased 5,000. Records relating to purchases of

cups in the previous two years are not held.

PRIME MINISTER

Department for Exiting the European Union: Junior Ministers


To ask the Prime Minister, pursuant to the Answer of 9 January to Question 121819, for

what reasons she did not provide an explanation of why she appointed an additional

Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at the Department for Exiting the European

Union on 9 January 2017 in that Answer.

Mrs Theresa May:

I have nothing further to add.

SCOTLAND

Carillion: Scotland

Ged Killen: [123050]

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what steps he is taking to ensure that major

public sector construction projects in Scotland held by Carillion will still proceed as

planned.

David Mundell:

The UK Government has instructed the Official Receiver to maintain public services

across the UK. Those public services which are provided in Scotland by Carillion

through contracts with devolved bodies are for the relevant devolved bodies to

oversee. The UK and Scottish Governments are in close contact at all levels, and are

working together constructively.

Scotland Office: Beverage Containers


To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, how many disposable coffee cups were

purchased by his Department in each of the last five years.

David Mundell:

The Scotland Office does not have any in-house canteen or coffee shop facilities, and

as such, no disposable coffee cups were purchased in each of the last five years.




Scotland Office: Carillion


To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, how many meetings (a) Ministers and (b)

officials of his Department have had with representatives of (i) Carillion and (ii) Carillion

subsidiaries since January 2017; who attended those meetings; and what was discussed

at each such meeting.

David Mundell:

The Scotland Office has no contracts with Carillion or its subsidiaries. Ministers and

officials of the Scotland Office have had no meetings with representatives of (i)

Carillion and (ii) Carillion subsidiaries in those capacities since January 2017.


To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, whether he had any discussions with Keith

Cochrane at meetings of the Joint Management Board of the Scotland Office on the

financial health of Carillion.

David Mundell:

No.


To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, whether Keith Cochrane in his role on the (a)

Joint Management Board of his Department or (b) Government Network of non-Executive

directors raised the prospect of a Government bail-out of Carillion.

David Mundell:

No.

Scotland Office: Keith Cochrane


To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, how many meetings he had with Keith

Cochrane during his term as a member of the Joint Management Board of his

Department.

David Mundell:

Keith Cochrane attended nine meetings of the Joint Management Board between

December 2015 and December 2017.

Scotland Office: Ministerial Powers


To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, how many ministerial directions were issued

to his Department in (a) 2015, (b) 2016 and (c) 2017.

David Mundell:

No ministerial directions were issued to my Department in those years.






TRANSPORT

Aviation: Training

Mr Barry Sheerman: [123401]

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps he is taking to ensure all those

working on the airside of UK airports are qualified and trained to work on or near aircraft.

Jesse Norman:

There are a large number of different roles undertaken airside at UK airports which

require a wide variety of different qualifications and training. It is for employers to

ensure that workers have the appropriate qualifications and training for their role. In

relation to aircraft operators, European regulations require operators to ensure that all

personnel assigned to, or directly involved in, ground and flight operations are

properly instructed, have demonstrated their abilities in their particular duties and are

aware of their responsibilities and the relationship of such duties to the operation as a

whole. The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) oversees operators’ compliance with this

requirement.


To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when were training and qualifications for all

staff working on the airside of the airports last evaluated.

Jesse Norman:

There are a large number of different roles undertaken airside at UK airports which

require a wide variety of different qualifications and training. It is for employers to

ensure that workers have the appropriate qualifications and training for their role and

to consider whether any changes are needed.


To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what specialized training is provided for

people who work in vulnerable areas of the operative parts of UK airports.

Jesse Norman:

There are a large number of different functions undertaken airside at UK airports

which require a wide variety of different qualifications and training. It is for employers

to ensure that workers have the appropriate qualifications and training relevant to the

function they undertake and to the location in which they operate. All persons must as

a minimum be trained in general security awareness before being issued with an

airside pass.


To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what skills and qualifications are required for

an operative who is tasked with refuelling aircraft at a UK airport.





Jesse Norman:

Internationally agreed procedures for handling aviation fuel at airports and upstream

aviation fuel facilities are contained in The Joint Inspection Group (JIG) Standards for

Aviation Fuel Quality Control and Operating Procedures.


To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what training is required for operators who

drive vehicles airside at airports.

Jesse Norman:

All operators who drive vehicles airside at airports must be competent to drive and to

operate the vehicle they are driving, while the vehicle must have a permit to confirm

its suitability. All operators who drive vehicles airside must have a valid Airside

Driving Permit (ADP), which is gained by undertaking driver awareness training, the

successful completion of an exam and practical/familiarisation training at their

location. Additionally, all drivers must have the appropriate licence to operate the

vehicle they are driving – either a EU driving licence or in the case of a specialist

vehicle, a license or permit issued on completion of an approved training course.

Carillion


To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how much money his Department owed to

Carillion plc in outstanding payments before that company's liquidation.

Ms Nusrat Ghani:

As far as can be determined, there is no outstanding money owed by the Department

to Carillion plc since its liquidation.

Andy McDonald: [124218]

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether his Department made an

assessment of the viability of Carillion to deliver on its contractual responsibilities and

remain solvent prior to awarding the company a High Speed Two contract in July 2017;

and if he will make a statement.

Ms Nusrat Ghani:

The Department did not award a High Speed Two contract to Carillion in July 2017. A

joint venture called CEK JV (comprising Carillion, Eiffage and Kier) was awarded the

contract in July 2017. HS2 Ltd undertook due diligence on the CEK Joint Venture

prior to the MWCC Award in July. The CEK Joint Venture met the required financial

standing criteria. HS2 has carried out additional due diligence and sought re-

assurance of both Joint Venture partners, Kier and Eiffage, that they remain

committed and capable to deliver the contract. Each company's Boards have both

given that assurance and confirmed that they underwrite the performance of each

other and have the capacity to deliver the HS2 contract.




Cross Country Rail Franchise


To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent assessment he has made of the

performance of the Cross Country Franchise; and what plans he has to improve services

on the lines affected by that franchise.

Joseph Johnson:

My officials meet on a regular basis with Cross Country to monitor delivery of the

requirements of its Franchise Agreement with the Department. We are currently in

the early stages of scoping for the new Cross Country franchise due to start in the

latter part of 2019. We will be consulting on this later this year.

Cycling and Walking: South West


To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how much his Department has allocated to

(a) Plymouth and (b) Devon for projects relating to his Department's cycling and walking

investment strategy in the financial year 2017-18.

Jesse Norman:

The Cycling and Walking Investment Strategy identified £1.2 billion that may be

invested in cycling and walking between 2016/17 to 2020/21. Many of the decisions

on the allocation of these funds will be made by the relevant local body in line with

the Government’s devolution and localism agenda.

The tables below provide a guide to the funding allocated in 2017/18 to Plymouth and

Devon identified in the Cycling and Walking Investment Strategy.

Plymouth City Council

FUNDING PROGRAMME £M

Access Fund 0.499

Integrated Transport Block* 0.291

Bikeability (national cycling training) 0.142

Total 0.932

Devon County Council


Access Fund 0.5

Integrated Transport Block* 0.540

Bikeability (national cycling training) 0.280




Total 1.32

The Department is also providing technical support to Plymouth City Council to assist

with the development of their Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plan. The level

of support has yet to be determined. The Heart of the South West Local Enterprise

Partnership has allocated £18.330m to cycling and walking projects between 2016/17

and 2020/21.**

*This is based on a survey of Local Transport Authorities published by the

Department in February 2016 revealed that 11% of this fund supports cycling

schemes and 4% supports streetscape and Rights of Way schemes.

** This is based on self-reported data received from the Local Enterprise Partnership.

Department for Transport: Procurement


To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many contracts his Department holds

with government strategic suppliers.

Ms Nusrat Ghani:

Contracts that my Department holds with Government strategic suppliers are as

follows:

COUNT OF CONTRACT

DfT(c) 24

DVLA 22

DVSA 17

MCA 23

VCA 10

DfT total 96

Driving Tests: Pontypridd

Owen Smith: [124051]

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, on which date a Minister of his Department

last visited Pontypridd DVSA test centre.

Jesse Norman:

There is no record held by the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency of a Minister

visiting Pontypridd driving test centre.



Electric Vehicles


To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the

adequacy of provision of charging points and other infrastructure associated with electric

vehicles.

Jesse Norman:

At present the vast majority of Electric Vehicle (EV) drivers choose to charge their

cars at home, overnight, but adequate availability of public charging is also very

important. Thanks to Government policy, a growing private sector and the work of

Local Authorities, the UK now has over 11,500 publicly accessible charge points.

These include over 900 rapid charge points, giving the UK one of the largest rapid

networks in Europe.

On 17 January, the Committee on Climate Change (CCC) published its report

"Plugging the gap: An assessment of future demand for Britain’s electric vehicle

public charging network", which sets out the findings of a new analysis of the optimal

Electric Vehicle (EV) public charging infrastructure needed to meet future growth of

EVs in Great Britain to 2030. The Government is considering this analysis and

expects to publish an updated strategy by end of March this year on the transition to

zero emission vehicles.

Engineering: Young People

Andrew Percy: [123736]

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if the Government will follow the 2018 Year of

Engineering campaign with further campaigns to engage young people with engineering.

Ms Nusrat Ghani:

Inspiring the next generation of engineers is crucially important to the UK economy.

The Department for Transport is working across government, the Professional

Engineering Institutions and industry partners to create not only engaging and

inspiring activity for the Year of Engineering 2018 itself, but also to identify and

manage its legacy beyond 2018. The aspiration is for the campaign brand

‘Engineering: Take a Closer Look’ and website, with its events calendar and wealth of

case studies and teaching resources, to live beyond 2018.

Govia Thameslink Railway: Tickets


To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 15 January 2018

to Question 121931, by what date the wider enhancements to the Key smartcard are

planned to be delivered; and what those enhancements are.

Joseph Johnson:

Govia Thameslink Railway (GTR) will shortly be significantly expanding the coverage

of KeyGo, its pay-as-you-go product which uses the Key smartcard, and will make




further improvements to this product throughout the year. As a result of the

government’s £80m investment in smart ticketing, GTR will also be adopting common

standards for smart ticketing so as to allow passengers to make journeys across the

network using smart cards.


To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 15 January 2018

to Question 121931, if he will include Hove passengers in the next trial for part-time

season tickets on the Key smartcard.

Joseph Johnson:

No decision has been taken on the details of the next trial. Govia Thameslink Railway

(GTR) will be considering options for the scope and coverage of the next trial and will

submit its proposal to the Department in due course.

High Speed 2 Railway Line

Laura Smith: [123290]

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what guidelines on the remit of the HS2

Phase 2a Bill he plans to provide the Select Committee about the Crewe Hub.

Ms Nusrat Ghani:

It is for the House to agree any instruction to the Select Committee which will

consider the High Speed Rail (West Midlands – Crewe) Bill and there is a motion on

the order paper which relates to that instruction. Furthermore, we have recently

consulted on proposals for a Crewe Hub and expect to publish our response shortly.

High Speed 2 Railway Line: Scotland

Luke Graham: [123599]

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps his Department is taking to

ensure that Scotland benefits fully from the High Speed Two project.

Ms Nusrat Ghani:

Scotland stands to benefit substantially from HS2. When Phase One opens in 2026,

services will run directly between London and Glasgow, bringing the journey time

below 4 hours. When the full HS2 network opens in 2033, journeys between London

and Glasgow and Edinburgh will be 3 hr 40 min. The Department for Transport

estimates HS2 will deliver around £5bn of benefits to the Scottish economy.

Large Goods Vehicle Drivers: Training

Mike Kane: [123943]

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what changes his Department has made to

UK HGV testing guidance as a result of EU Directives 2014/45/EU and 2014/47/EU.





Jesse Norman:

The May 2018 draft heavy goods vehicle inspection manual incorporates the changes

required by Directive 2014/45/EU as do the draft public service vehicle manual, and

the draft MOT inspection manual for classes 3, 4, 5 & 7.

Directive 2014/47/EU, which is relevant to roadside inspection and the categorisation

of defects, is currently being amended to incorporate the changes to this directive.

Midland Main Railway Line: Electrification

Paul Blomfield: [123714]

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 12 December to

Question 117877, what assessment he has made of the effect on air quality of using bi-

mode trains on the Midland Mainline on the basis that the line beyond Kettering will not

be electrified.

Joseph Johnson:

We are committed to improving journeys for passengers on the Midland Main Line,

which is why we are delivering biggest upgrade of the route since it was completed in

1870. The upgrade will enable increased passenger capacity and reduced journey

times, and will see modern trains introduced across the route, including a fleet of

brand new bi-mode intercity trains from 2022. The Government has made this

decision to deliver benefits for intercity passengers sooner than would otherwise be

possible.

In addition to greenhouse gas emissions, the appraisal of the effect of using bi-modes

considered the monetary valuation of changes in NO x emissions. The results of this

appraisal show that compared to the do-minimum scenario, which was continued

diesel operation with the existing fleet for 10 years and then the introduction of bi-

modes in 2030/31, introducing bi-modes earlier to replace diesels delivers £6m of NO

x emission savings over the 60-year appraisal period, whilst fully electric trains would

have delivered £20m of monetised NO x savings over the same period.

Motorways: Repairs and Maintenance

Justin Madders: [124071]

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many miles of (a) 40mph and (b) 50mph

zones have been in place on motorways in each of the last ten years.

Jesse Norman:

Highways England do not hold data in the requested format. On Smart Motorways,

speed limits below the national limit are set dynamically to smooth traffic flows or

manage incidents so the length of 40mph or 50mph zones changes all the time.

When Highways England are undertaking improvements or maintenance works, it is

sometimes necessary to set a temporary speed limit below the national limit. Details

on live traffic information can be tracked on Highways England’s Traffic England

Website http://www.trafficengland.com/ and upcoming roadworks are available on

https://roadworks.org/ .



Roads: Litter


To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what information his Department holds on the

proportion of litter collected by Highways England which was recycled in each year since

2010..

Jesse Norman:

Highways England is responsible for complying with the mandatory legal

requirements under the Environmental Protection Act 1990, which includes removing

litter on England’s motorways and some trunk roads.

Highways England recycles where possible. There is not, however, a requirement to

record the amount recycled.

Large debris collected from the network, such as timber, metal, rubber and tyres will

be sent for recycling, but the weight or volume is not currently recorded by or for

Highways England.

Transport: Apprentices


To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many new apprenticeships have been

created in the transport sector in each of the last five years.

Ms Nusrat Ghani:

The Department for Education have published apprenticeship starts by subject area

over the required time period.

The Department for Transport began reporting in 2016 through the Strategic

Transport Apprenticeship Taskforce (STAT). The STAT “One year on” report sets out

apprentice starts in: DfT; Roads and Rail client bodies; and the supply chain,

generated through procurement contracting. In 2016-17, 2,000 apprenticeships were

delivered in roads and rail. A report covering 2017 to 2018 is due to be published this

summer. The Transport Infrastructure Skills strategy published in 2016 committed to

creating 30,000 apprenticeships by 2020.

Tyne and Wear Metro: Standards

Mr Stephen Hepburn: [124081]

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 24 November

2017 to Question 113229, what information his Department holds on the recent

performance and punctuality of services on the Tyne and Wear Metro.

Jesse Norman:

Regular updates are provided to the North East Combined Authority, who are

responsible for the operation of the Tyne and Wear Metro. The Department is

provided with a range of metrics on a regular basis, which include punctuality and

fleet availability.




WOMEN AND EQUALITIES

Gender Recognition

Catherine West: [123724]

To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, whether her Department has made an

assessment of the findings in the Stonewall report LGBT in Britain: Trans Report.

Victoria Atkins:

The Government Equalities Office has seen the report and is considering its findings.

The report makes an important contribution to the evidence base on transgender

equality.

We will assess the report in conjunction with the findings from the National LGBT

survey, which received over 100,000 responses.

This Government is committed to advancing transgender equality. As part of this, we

will soon be bringing forward a consultation on amending the Gender Recognition Act

in order to make the legal recognition process less bureaucratic and intrusive for

trans people.

Catherine West: [123726]

To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, whether she or her officials have met

representatives from Stonewall to discuss Stonewall's LGBT in Britain: Trans Report.

Amber Rudd:

I have met with Stonewall since my appointment as Minister for Women and

Equalities and we discussed this report.

My officials also regularly engage with Stonewall on various matters associated with

LGBT Policy, including how the Government can improve outcomes for transgender

people.

WORK AND PENSIONS

Carers: Personal Independence Payment

Dr Paul Williams: [123200]

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment her Department

has made of the effect of personal independence payments assessments on carers of

people with disabilities.

Sarah Newton:

Carer’s Allowance (CA) provides a measure of financial support and recognition for

people who give up the opportunity of full-time employment in order to provide regular

and substantial care for a severely disabled person. In order for CA to be paid, the

disabled person must be in receipt of a “gateway benefit” which includes the daily

living component of Personal Independence Payment (PIP).




Once a claim to Personal Independence Payment for the disabled person has been

awarded, CA may be backdated to the date payment started. In order to have a claim

to CA backdated, it must be made within three months of the decision on the

disability benefit claim, and the qualifying conditions for CA must be satisfied

throughout the past period.

Since 2010 the rate of CA has increased from £53.90 to £62.70 a week, meaning an

additional £450 a year for carers. In April 2018, a further increase to £64.60 is

planned. This will mean that since 2010, the rate of CA will have increased by over

£550 a year. Carers also have access to the full range of social security benefits

according to their circumstances.

Department for Work and Pensions: Chief Scientific Advisers

Norman Lamb: [124397]

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many meetings (a) she and (b)

her predecessor held with her Department’s Chief Scientific Adviser between October

2017 and December 2017.

Kit Malthouse:

There have been no meetings with the Chief Scientific Adviser and the Secretary of

State for Work and Pensions between October 2017 and December 2017.

Department for Work and Pensions: Former Members


To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many former Conservative

Members of Parliament who were defeated at the 2017 general election and who now

work in her Department were appointed after a publicly advertised and open recruitment

process.

Kit Malthouse:

This data is not recorded or stored. Candidates taking up appointment into the Civil

Service are required to be impartial and independent of political and other external

influence.

Department for Work and Pensions: Procurement


To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many contracts her

Department holds with government strategic suppliers.

Kit Malthouse:

On the 19th of January 2018, the Department for Work and Pensions has 55 contracts

with government strategic suppliers.




Employment and Support Allowance: Appeals

Vicky Foxcroft: [123514]

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate she has made of the

number of people who were successful in appeals for Employment Support Allowance

were (a) evicted or (b) threatened with eviction in the period between the original

assessment and the appeal decision.

Sarah Newton:

This information is not available.

If a Local Authority considers that a claimant requires further financial assistance

towards their housing costs (including rent in advance, deposits and supporting

tenants through the transition to welfare reforms), they can award a Discretionary

Housing Payment, in addition to welfare benefits.

This may enable Housing Benefit or Universal Credit claimants to stay in their

properties, but non-payment of rent isn’t the only reason why evictions take place in.

Tenants are also be evicted because of anti-social behaviour or criminal activities.

Social landlords in particular design their policies to ensure that any evictions are

carried out only after other options have been exhausted, tenants have failed to

engage with their landlord or tenancy management remedies have proved ineffective.

Employment Schemes: Young People

Margaret Greenwood: [124173]

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether young people on the new

Youth Obligation programme who have not found employment at the end of six months

will be obliged to accept a mandatory work placement.

Alok Sharma:

Claimants on the Youth Obligation programme who are still unemployed after

receiving intensive support for six months will be offered work-related training or a

three month work experience opportunity to help them achieve their job goals. The

claimant will not be referred to a work experience opportunity unless they agree that it

is the right opportunity for them. Participation in the work experience opportunity is

voluntary.


To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, which companies and

organisations provide work placements for young people on the new Youth Obligation

programme.

Alok Sharma:

Youth Obligation claimants receive a programme of intensive support to help them

find employment or an apprenticeship quickly. During their journey, claimants can

access a menu of opportunities, skills training and work experience, according to

individual need.




There are currently 128 employers on the Department’s National Portfolio who have

committed to offering work experience opportunities, including Accenture, Asda,

Balfour Beatty, B&Q, Compass Group and Greggs.

Additionally, each Jobcentre district has their own Local Employer and Partnerships

Team dedicated to identifying skills needs, building and sharing labour market

intelligence and advising on local recruitment opportunities, including sourcing

employers to provide work placements.

Jobcentres: Glasgow

Stewart Malcolm McDonald: [123608]

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate he has made of the

increased footfall at (a) Newlands and (b) Laurieston jobcentres resulting from the closure

of Langside jobcentre.

Alok Sharma:

Langside Jobcentre, as of 13 December 2017, had 500 claimants.

Although no specific assessment has been made of the increased footfall at

Newlands and Laurieston jobcentres, we know that these sites have the capacity to

accommodate the movement of claimants from Langside.

This means we will be able to match the increase in footfall by moving our work

coaches, who were previously working in Langside, with their claimants to Newlands

and Laurieston jobcentres.

Jobcentres: Training

Dan Jarvis: [124215]

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many work coaches in each

job centre have received mental health training.

Sarah Newton:

The information requested is not held at Jobcentre level and could only be provided

at disproportionate cost.

As outlined in the response to PQ 121780, each Work Coach receives

comprehensive and tailored training based on their individual knowledge and

requirements. The mental health route way forms part of the UC Full Service Work

Coach training, and all work coaches working on Full Service will have undertaken

this.

In addition to Work Coach support, the Department has also recruited local

Community Partners to provide extra expertise on disability and health conditions.

Furthermore, our Disability Employment Advisors actively provide advice and

guidance to support claimants with disabilities, including those with mental health

issues.



Social Security Benefits: Disability


To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if she will review the accuracy of

reporting on DLA and PIP assessments; and if she will update best practice guidance for

producing these reports.

Sarah Newton:

As Personal Independence Payment has replaced Disability Living Allowance for

people aged 16 to 64, the vast majority of Disability Living Allowance claims are

decided on the basis of self-reporting of need. Where a medical assessment is

required, the Department has published comprehensive guidance for Health

Professionals on how to complete the assessment report. This guidance was last

updated in July 2017.

As the majority of assessments are now undertaken on Personal Independence

Payment, we work closely with the Assessment Providers to further improve the

quality of assessments which includes ensuring their assessment reports are to the

standard that the Department expects and are completed within an optimum

timeframe. We have a programme of continuous improvement which includes

Assessment Providers increasing clinical coaching, along with feedback and support

available to each assessor. We are undertaking more observations of assessments

and have introduced an independent audit of assessment reports to ensure that the

advice provided to the Department’s Case Managers is of suitable quality, fully

explained and justified. We will commit to progress the recommendations in Paul

Gray’s second independent review around quality and consistency of Personal

Independence Payment assessments.

The Personal Independent Payment Assessment Guide provides comprehensive

guidance for Health Professionals regarding all aspects of the assessment process

including completion of assessment reports. This guide is updated regularly and was

last updated December 2017.

Ms Marie Rimmer: [123740]

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what guidance his Department

provides on allowing disability benefit assessors to provide feedback on mistakes or

errors that occur during health assessments to improve the assessment process.

Sarah Newton:

Where a Work Capability Assessment and Personal Independence Payment health

professional’s report is examined by a Decision Maker that person will look to see if

there are obvious flaws. For Example, if there are any contradictions or

inconsistencies or omissions within that report. If that report is considered

unacceptable or requires clarification the Decision Maker or Quality Assurance

Manager will contact the assessment provider for clarification, advice or to return the

report for re-work as unacceptable.



Statutory Sick Pay: Public Consultation

Dame Cheryl Gillan: [123697]

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the timetable is for the

Government's proposed consultation on statutory sick pay.

Sarah Newton:

As announced in Improving Lives: the Future of Work, Health and Disability, we want

to see a reformed Statutory Sick Pay system which supports more flexible working,

for example to support phased returns to work. We are taking forward further policy

development and will bring forward a consultation on these changes, as well as any

other SSP changes we identify in our wider work, before bringing forward this reform.

We are also considering Matthew Taylor’s further recommendations about SSP and

how to make sure the appropriate balance of incentives and expectations is in place

for employers.

We plan to report back on preliminary work later this year.

Universal Credit


To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many claims for universal

credit were paid an advance of the value of (a) less than £50, (b) £50.01-£100, (c)

£100.01-£150, (d) £150.01-£200, (e) £200.01-£250, (f) £250.01-£300, (g) £300.01-£350,

(h) £350.01-£400, (i) £400.01-£450, (j) £450.01-£500, (k) £500.01-£550, (l) £550.01-£600

and (m) greater than £600 in each month from 5 June 2017 up to and including 31

December 2017.

Alok Sharma:

I refer the Honourable Member to the answer provided on 24 January 2018 to

question 123902.

Universal Credit: Income Tax


To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, for what reasons a claimant's

weekly income tax rebate is regarded as earnings under universal credit.

Alok Sharma:

Repayments of Income Tax and National Insurance contribution repayments add to

people’s financial resources, so they need to be taken into account in calculating their

Universal Credit. If the claimant was in any paid work during the tax year the

repayment relates to, these repayments will be treated as earnings. Where this does

not apply, the repayments will be treated as capital. If the repayment increases a

claimant’s capital to £6,000 or more, it may affect the amount of Universal Credit they

receive.




Universal Credit: Payments

Joan Ryan: [123710]

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people have had

payment of universal credit delayed by (a) one week, (b) two weeks, (c) three weeks or

(d) four weeks or more in (i) the Enfield North Constituency and (ii) the London Borough

of Enfield.


To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what proportion of new claims for

universal credit under full service (a) received full payment on time or (b) received some

payment on time each week from the week beginning 18 September 2017 up to and

including 31st December 2017.


To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what proportion of new claims for

Universal Credit under Full Service (a) received full payment on time or (b) received

some payment on time from the week beginning 18 September 2017 up to and including

31 December 2017.

Alok Sharma:

There is no Universal Credit payment timeliness data broken down by area or region.

The table below shows the proportion of new claims to Universal Credit Full Service

that received some or all of their payment on time during the period requested:

WEEK COMMENCING:

% OF NEW CLAIMS TO UC

RECEIVING SOME PAYMENT ON

TIME


RECEIVING FULL PAYMENT ON

TIME

18/09/2017 87% 76%

25/09/2017 86% 76%

02/10/2017 88% 78%

09/10/2017 88% 76%

16/10/2017 87% 77%

23/10/2017 88% 78%

30/10/2017 88% 78%

06/11/2017 88% 79%

13/11/2017 88% 80%

20/11/2017 88% 81%

27/11/2017 88% 81%




WEEK COMMENCING:


RECEIVING SOME PAYMENT ON

TIME


RECEIVING FULL PAYMENT ON

TIME

04/12/2017 90% 82%

11/12/2017 89% 82%

18/12/2017 91% 84%

25/12/2017 87% 80%

The data in the rows for 30/10/2017 to 25/12/2017 are estimates based on

information currently available.

The average proportion of new claims for Universal Credit Full Service that received

full payment on time over the entire period shown above is 80%.

The average proportion of new claims for Universal Credit Full Service that received

some payment on time over the entire period shown above is 87%.

Work Capability Assessment


To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, for what reasons work capability

assessment reports are not released to claimants until a decision has been made on their

claim; and if she will review this policy.

Sarah Newton:

As part of the first Independent Review of the Work Capability Assessment, Professor

Malcolm Harrington recommended a copy of the personalised summary of the

assessment report was sent to every claimant.

Following a trial in 2011 evidence suggested a better approach would be to send

claimants the Decision Makers justification. This approach was agreed with Professor

Harrington and implementation commenced in December 2011. The implementation

considered policy, operational and claimant’s requirements. As a result it was agreed

that the Decision Maker’s justification will be shared in all adverse decisions, and only

shared on request where entitlement has been awarded.


To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 15

January 2018 to Question 121884, when her Department plans to begin testing new

approaches to Work Capability Assessments.

Sarah Newton:

We are currently testing in our assessment centres some of the measures outlined in

the Improving Lives: The Future of health, Work and Disability command paper.




To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 15

January 2018 to Question 121884, who the stakeholders are whom her Department is

approaching to be involved in testing new approaches to Work Capability Assessments.

Sarah Newton:

We are committed to working with a comprehensive range of external stakeholders

including disability charities, academics, people with disabilities and their advocates.


To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if she will undertake an end-to-end

review of her Department's approach to the work capability assessment process.

Sarah Newton:

We are committed to assessing people with health conditions and disabilities fairly

and accurately, helping people to access the right support. We recognise the

importance of getting reform in this area right. We therefore intend to focus on testing

new approaches to build our evidence base for future reform. In the Improving Lives:

The Future of health, Work and Disability command paper we committed to work with

external stakeholders to inform future changes to the Work Capability Assessment.

Thelma Walker: [124177]

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment her Department

has made of the potential merits of changing the work capability assessment to take into

account degenerative illnesses.

Sarah Newton:

We are committed to assessing people with health conditions and disabilities fairly

and accurately, helping people to access the right support. We recognise the

importance of getting reform in this area right. We therefore intend to focus on testing

new approaches to build our evidence base for future reform. In the Improving Lives:

The Future of health, Work and Disability command paper we committed to work with

external stakeholders to inform future changes to the Work Capability Assessment.




WRITTEN STATEMENTS

BUSINESS, ENERGY AND INDUSTRIAL STRATEGY

Energy Frameworks

Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Business, Energy and

Industrial Strategy) (Richard Harrington): [HCWS427]

I am today launching a public consultation on the draft National Policy Statement and

supporting environmental appraisals for geological disposal infrastructure for higher

activity radioactive waste. I am also laying the draft National Policy Statement before this

House which will be subject to parliamentary scrutiny, including review by the Business,

Energy and Industrial Strategy Select Committee.

A second consultation ‘Working with Communities’ proposes how local people should be

engaged if they express an interest in hosting a disposal facility. A facility will only be

approved for construction with the consent and support of the local community affected.

In 2014 the Government set out a renewed approach to finding a site to host a geological

disposal facility in the ‘Implementing Geological Disposal’ White Paper which was

developed following consultation with stakeholders and the public. In it, the Government

committed to bringing geological disposal facilities and the deep investigatory boreholes

necessary to characterise sites within the definition of nationally significant infrastructure

projects and to producing a draft National Policy Statement for this type of infrastructure

in England. The relevant secondary legislation to designate geological disposal facilities

and deep investigatory boreholes as nationally significant infrastructure projects was

passed in March 2015.

The draft National Policy Statement sets out a clear route for future planning decisions in

respect of geological disposal infrastructure in England, as well as providing planning

guidance for developers of such projects and for the Planning Inspectorate and Secretary

of State in their consideration and determination of any such applications. The National

Policy Statement will give greater certainty to developers and lead to faster and more

transparent delivery of planning decisions. The Government has appointed Radioactive

Waste Management Ltd, a wholly owned subsidiary of the Nuclear Decommissioning

Authority, to develop this infrastructure. It does not prevent any other developer from

bringing forward an application for development consent for a geological disposal facility

or deep investigatory boreholes; however, we are not aware of any other developers

showing an interest in developing a geological disposal facility and do not expect this to

occur.

In this consultation we are actively looking for views and suggestions on the draft

National Policy Statement and the related environmental and sustainability appraisal

documents to enable us to meet our objective of delivering a clear planning process for a

geological disposal facility in the most effective and efficient way.

http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-statement/Commons/2018-01-25/HCWS427/

The consultation will run for 12 weeks, and will include a series of regional events and

technical workshop with interested parties. In parallel with this consultation, we are also

running another consultation seeking views on a draft framework for Radioactive Waste

Management Ltd’s engagement with willing communities as part of the separate process

of finding a suitable site for a geological disposal facility. The approach of working with a

willing community to host a geological disposal facility, as set out in the 2014 White

Paper, gives communities an opportunity to decide whether or not they wish to proceed

with the development of a geological disposal facility. The Working with Communities

policy sets out how Radioactive Waste Management Ltd will work with a community

throughout the siting process. Once a community has indicated its support for hosting a

geological disposal facility the National Policy Statement sets out how a geological

disposal facility application will be assessed through the planning system. It is important

to stress that all the usual opportunities for the public to have a say in the development of

a facility like this through planning, safety, security and environmental permitting

processes will also be in place.

Planning is a devolved issue and so this draft National Policy Statement provides the

framework for the decision making on development consent applications for geological

disposal infrastructure in England only. The planning process in Wales and Northern

Ireland is to be decided by their respective administrations. Scotland has a different policy

for the long-term management of higher activity radioactive waste.

Following our analysis of the responses to this consultation and the consultation on

working with communities and feedback from the Select Committee, we will finalise our

policy approach.

The ‘relevant period’ for parliamentary scrutiny of the National Policy Statement will be

from 25 January 2018 to 28 September 2018.

The consultation document and supporting papers will be laid in the Libraries of the

House.

Today I am also publishing the seventh and latest annual report on the geological

disposal programme covering the period April 2016 to March 2017. The report can be

found at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/implementing-geological-disposal-

annual-report-april-2016-to-march-2017 and I have made available copies in the Libraries

of the House.

Energy Policy

Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (Greg Clark):

[HCWS428]

Exploring and developing the UK’s shale gas resources could bring substantial benefits

and the government’s view is that there is a national need to develop these resources in

a safe, sustainable and timely way. As set out in the Clean Growth Strategy, the

government is fully committed to the development and deployment of low carbon

technologies for heat and electricity generation. As we move towards this low carbon

economy, natural gas will continue to play an important role in our energy system. The

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/implementing-geological-disposal-annual-report-april-2016-to-march-2017





government is confident that the right protections are in place to explore shale safely and

has always been clear that shale development must be safe and environmentally sound.

On 29 November 2017 I issued a Direction to the Oil and Gas Authority. This Direction

closed a loophole in instances where prospective shale gas wells had been drilled prior to

the Infrastructure Act 2015 coming into force. It ensures that all operators proposing to

hydraulically fracture a well are subjected to the same rigorous final step of scrutiny.

Third Energy UK Gas Limited’s proposals to hydraulically fracture its site in Kirby

Misperton, North Yorkshire have been referred to me as a result. I am committed to

ensuring that a meticulous approach, rooted in rigorous evidence, is taken when

reviewing the application.

Having given careful consideration to the evidence submitted, I have informed the Oil and

Gas Authority today that I am satisfied that the thirteen technical requirements set out in

section 4A of the Petroleum Act 1998 have been met.

I also consider that an equivalent assessment should be undertaken of the financial

resilience of companies proposing to carry out hydraulic fracturing operations so that

stakeholders can have confidence in the company’s ability to meet its commitments.

I note that as of 24 January Third Energy UK Gas Limited and other related companies

had yet to submit their accounts for the accounting period ending in December 2016,

despite a statutory deadline of 30 September 2017 for them to do so. I have therefore

asked the Oil and Gas Authority to seek further financial information from the company,

including the required set of up-to-date accounts, to inform my decision.

I have also asked the Infrastructure and Projects Authority to assess the financial

resilience of the applicant, including its ability to fund decommissioning costs. Once I

have received this assessment I will inform the Oil and Gas Authority whether I am

satisfied with the application as required by the 1998 Act.

The Government considers that the financial resilience of a company wishing to

hydraulically fracture is a relevant consideration. As a matter of policy, we will therefore

look at the financial resilience of all companies wishing to carry out hydraulic fracturing

operations alongside their application for Hydraulic Fracturing Consent.

ENVIRONMENT, FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS

January Agriculture and Fisheries Council

Minister of State for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (George Eustice):

[HCWS426]

Agriculture and Fisheries Council will take place on 29 January in Brussels.

As the provisional agenda stands, the primary focus will be information from the

European Commission on ‘The Future of Food and Farming’, looking towards the next

cycle of the Common Agricultural Policy.



The Bulgarian Presidency will present its work programme for the remainder of this term,

finishing at the end of June. The European Commission will update the Council on the

situation in EU agricultural markets, and on trade-related agricultural issues.

There are currently three items scheduled under ‘Any other business’:

situation in the sugar market after the abolition of the quota system

situation in the pig meat market

conclusions from the Ministerial Conference on Xylella fastidios a (Paris, 1

December 2017).

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. The outcome

of these negotiations will determine what arrangements apply in relation to EU legislation

in future once the UK has left the EU.

HOME OFFICE

Report of the Independent Reviewer of Terrorism Legislation on the Operation in

2016 of the Terrorism Act 2000 and Part 1 of the Terrorism Act 2006

The Secretary of State for the Home Department (Amber Rudd): [HCWS429]

In accordance with section 36(5) of the Terrorism Act 2006, Max Hill QC, the Independent

Reviewer of Terrorism Legislation, has prepared a report on the operation in 2016 of the

Terrorism Act 2000 and Part 1 of the Terrorism Act 2006.

I am today laying this report before the House, and copies will be available in the Vote

Office. It will also be published on GOV.UK.

I am grateful to Max Hill for his report. I will carefully consider its contents and the

recommendations he makes, and will respond formally in due course.
