daily report monday, 29 january 2018...

Daily Report Monday, 29 January 2018

This report shows written answers and statements provided on 29 January 2018 and the

information is correct at the time of publication (07:33 P.M., 29 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 8

ATTORNEY GENERAL 8

Attorney General: Directors 8

Crime: Victims 8

Sentencing: Appeals 10

BUSINESS, ENERGY AND

INDUSTRIAL STRATEGY 10

Carillion: Insolvency 10

Companies: Registration 12

Department for Business,

Energy and Industrial Strategy:

Directors 12

Department for Business,

Energy and Industrial Strategy:

Drinking Water 12

Energy: Meters 13

Fireworks 13

Insolvency 14

Nuclear Power Stations:

Community Development 14

Nuclear Power Stations: Costs 14

Office for Product Safety and

Standards: Finance 15

Retail Trade: Scotland 15

Space Technology: Mining 15

UK Climate Investments 16

Work Experience 16

CABINET OFFICE 16

Carillion 16

Civil Partnerships 17

Elections 17

Employment: Disability 18

Government Departments:

Procurement 18

Life Expectancy 18

TREASURY 18

Bank of England: Presidents

Club 18

Cash Dispensing: Fees and

Charges 19

Cash Dispensing: Scotland 21

Child Tax Credit: Disability 22

Children: Day Care 22

Cooperatives and Mutual

Societies: Capital Investment 28

Economic Growth 28

Employee Ownership 29

Export Control Act 2002:

Arrests 29

Financial Ombudsman Service 29

Pre-school Education: Finance 30

Public Private Partnerships 30

Public Sector: Procurement 30

http://www.parliament.uk/writtenanswers

http://www.parliament.uk/writtenanswers

Self-employed and Small

Businesses: Females 30

Treasury: Beverage

Containers 31

Treasury: Credit Unions 31

Treasury: Former Members 32

DEFENCE 32

Armed Forces: Deployment 32

Armed Forces: Joint Exercises 32

Army 32

Ministry of Defence: Chemring

Group 33

North Korea: Guided Weapons 33

South Sudan: Armed Forces 34

Warships: Shipbuilding 34

Yemen: Military Intervention 34

DIGITAL, CULTURE, MEDIA AND

SPORT 35

Bayeux Tapestry 35

Broadcasting: Equality 35

Broadcasting: Licensing 35

Department for Digital,

Culture, Media and Sport:

Beverage Containers 36



Directors 36



Former Members 36

Football: Racial Discrimination 37

Football: World Cup 37

Government Equalities Office:

Presidents Club 37

International Broadcasting 38

Musicians: Travel 39

Orchestras 39

Sports: Hearing Impairment 40

Telecommunications 40

Video Games: Children 41

Voluntary Organisations 41

Youth Social Action Review 41

EDUCATION 42

Academies: Cambridge 42

Apprentices 42

Autism: Barnsley 42

Carillion 43

Children: Day Care 43

Children's Centres 46

Children's Centres:

Inspections 46

Department for Education:


Department for Education:

Former Members 47

Domestic Visits: Knowsley 47

Education: Standards 47

Foster Care: Finance 48

Office for Students: Public

Appointments 48

Pre-school Education:

Alternative Education 48

Schools: South Yorkshire 49

Skilled Workers: Local

Government 49

Special Educational Needs 50

Universities: Admissions 50

ENVIRONMENT, FOOD AND

RURAL AFFAIRS 51

Countryside Stewardship

Scheme 51

Department for Environment,

Food and Rural Affairs:




Equality 52



Former Members 53

Electric Vehicles 53

Energy: Meters 54

Food Poverty 54

Food: Waste 54

Food: Waste Disposal 55

Ivory: Sales 55

Plastic Bags: Fees and

Charges 56

Tree Planting: North of

England 56

Trees: Diseases 56

Waste and Resources Action

Programme 56

Water Treatment: Plastics 57

Water: Meters 57

EXITING THE EUROPEAN

UNION 58

Brexit 58

UK Trade with EU 59

FOREIGN AND

COMMONWEALTH OFFICE 59

Afgan Mukhtarli 59

Armed Conflict: Sexual

Offences 60

Burma: Arms Trade 60

Burma: Rohingya 60

Colombia: Peace Negotiations 61

Egypt: Christianity 61

Foreign And Commonwealth

Office: Beverage Containers 61

Hamed bin Haydara 62

Liberia: Foreign Relations 63

Members: Correspondence 63

Sidgi Kaballo 63

Sri Lanka: Tamils 64

Sri Lanka: UN Resolutions 65

Syria: Armed Conflict 65

Syria: Kurds 66

Uganda: Capital Punishment 67

Yemen: Baha'i Faith 67

HEALTH AND SOCIAL CARE 68

Abortion 68

Accountable Care

Organisations 68

Baby Care Units 69

Barts Health NHS Trust:

Breast Cancer 69

Breast Cancer: Greater

London 69

Calderdale and Huddersfield

NHS Foundation Trust 70

Cancer: Screening 70

Coperforma 71

Dental Services 71

Department of Health and

Social Care: Beverage

Containers 72


Social Care: Carillion 72


Social Care: Drinking Water 73


Social Care: Former Members 73

Eyesight: Testing 73

Health Services and Social

Services 74

Health Services: Private

Sector 74

Health Services: South

Tyneside 74

Hearing Aids: Private Sector 75

Lyme Disease: Vaccination 75

Maternity Services 76

Medicine: Research 76

Mental Health Services:

Children and Young People 76

Mental Health Services:

Gender Recognition 77

Mental Health Services: Young

People 77

Mental Illness: Personal

Health Budgets 78

NHS: Drugs 78

Post-traumatic Stress Disorder 78

Pregnancy: Mental Health

Services 79

Prescription Drugs 79

Ross Fund 80

Social Services 80

Surgery: Waiting Lists 80

Sustainability and

Transformation Partnerships 81

Sustainability and

Transformation Partnerships:

South East 81

Transport: Health 81

Warrington Hospital: Accident

and Emergency Departments 82

HOME OFFICE 84

Advisory Council on the

Misuse of Drugs 84

Airguns 84

Asylum 84

Asylum and Slavery 85

Asylum: Appeals 86

Asylum: Housing 86

Burglary 87

Compass 87

Crime: Social Media 88

Crimes of Violence 89

Doctors: Migrant Workers 89

Domestic Violence 90

Drugs: Misuse 90

Grenfell Tower: Fires 90

Home Office: Beverage

Containers 91

Home Office: Brexit 91

Home Office: Compass 91

Immigrants: Employment 91

Immigration Bail 92

Knives: Crime 93

Marriage Certificates 93

Migrant Workers 94

Police: Dogs 94

Refugees 94

Slavery 95

Slavery: Children 95

Slavery: Northern Ireland 96

Welfare in Detention of

Vulnerable Persons Review 96

West Midlands Fire Service 97

HOUSE OF COMMONS

COMMISSION 97

House of Commons: Plastics 97

Press: Security 97

HOUSING, COMMUNITIES AND

LOCAL GOVERNMENT 98

Catering: Contracts 98

EU Grants and Loans 99

Housing: Construction 99

Leasehold: Fire Prevention 100

Local Government Finance:

Wirral 100

Local Government Services:

Greater London 101

Mental Health 101

Ministry of Housing,

Communities and Local

Government: Directors 102



Government: Drinking Water 102



Government: Former Members 102

Parking 102

Parking: Fees and Charges 103

Right to Buy Scheme 103

Social Services 104

South Tyneside Council:

Health Services 104

Supported Housing 104

INTERNATIONAL

DEVELOPMENT 105

Developing Countries:

Environment 105

Non-governmental

Organisations 106

Syria: Military Intervention 106

Syria: Refugees 106

UNRWA 107

INTERNATIONAL TRADE 108

Arms Trade: Licensing 108

Chemring Group 108

Commonwealth: Overseas

Trade 109

Department for International

Trade: Beverage Containers 109


Trade: Directors 109


Trade: Former Members 110


Trade: Presidents Club 110

Department of Trade and

Industry: Meetings 110

Sri Lanka: Arms Trade 110

Trade Agreements 111

Trade Promotion: Technology 111

Turkey: Military Aircraft 112

JUSTICE 112

Coroners: Greater London 112

Courts: Closures 112

Courts: ICT 113

Crime: Victims 114

Domestic Visits: Redbridge 115

Liverpool Prison 115

Ministry of Justice: Beverage

Containers 116

Ministry of Justice: Carillion 117

Ministry of Justice: Former

Members 117

Sentencing: Females 117

Sex Offender Treatment

Programme 120

Young Offender Institutions 120

NORTHERN IRELAND 121

European Capital of Culture:

Northern Ireland 121

LGBT People: Northern

Ireland 121

Northern Ireland Office:

Ministerial Policy Advisers 122

Northern Ireland Office: Staff 123

Peace Lines: Northern Ireland 123

SCOTLAND 124

Brexit: Scotland 124

Scotland Office: Keith

Cochrane 124

TRANSPORT 124

Aviation: HIV Infection 124

Belfast Harbour 125

Blue Badge Scheme:

Hartlepool 125

Bridges: English Channel 125

Bus Services 126

Carillion 126

Department for Transport:


Driverless Vehicles: 4G 128

Driving Tests: Pontypridd 129

Electric Vehicles 129

High Speed 2 Railway Line:

Expenditure 130

Pedestrian Areas: Accidents 130

Road Traffic Offences: Fines 130

Roads: Litter 131

Roads: North of England 132

Roads: Repairs and

Maintenance 132

Roads: Safety 133

Taxis: Disability 133

WALES 134

Brexit: Wales 134

Care Homes and Foster Care:

Wales 134

Wales Office: Chief Scientific

Advisers 135

Wales Office: Presidents Club 135

WOMEN AND EQUALITIES 135

Females: Voting Rights 135

WORK AND PENSIONS 136

Attendance Allowance and

Personal Independence

Payment 136

Children: Maintenance 136

Children: Poverty 137

Department for Work and

Pensions: Credit Unions 137

Employment and Support

Allowance 138


Allowance: Inflammatory

Bowel Disease 138


Allowance: Parkinson's

Disease 140

Employment Schemes:

Disability 141

Jobcentres: Local Government 141

Jobcentres: Sign Language 141


Payment 141


Payment: Mental Health 142


Payment: Mental Illness 143


Payment: Motability 143


Payment: North West Durham 144

Social Fund 144

Social Security Benefits 145

Social Security Benefits:

Appeals 145


Disability 147


Disqualification 147

State Retirement Pensions:

British Nationals Abroad 147

Universal Credit 148

Universal Credit:

Homelessness 148

Universal Credit: Northern

Ireland 149

Universal Credit: Payments 149

MINISTERIAL CORRECTIONS 150

EDUCATION 150

Pupil Referral Units 150

WRITTEN STATEMENTS 151

TRANSPORT 151

Vehicle technology: Updated

analysis of Report Stage

Government amendments for

the purposes of English Votes

for English Laws. 151

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: Directors

Chris Ruane: [124778]

To ask the Attorney General, who the the lead non-executive director and other non-

executive director board members are in the Law Officers' Departments.

Robert Buckland:

The non-executive Board members for:

the CPS are: Jeremy Newman, Monica Burch, Alison Porter, Mark Hammond

the SFO are: Simon Duckworth OBE DL, Tony Osbladiston and Ruth Evans

GLD are: Jeremy Newman, Oonagh Harpur and Jenny Rowe, who is an

Independent External member of GLD’s Audit & Risk Committee and does not sit

on the Board.

There is no lead member in any of these instances.

The AGO and HMCPSI have no non-executive directors.

Crime: Victims

Gloria De Piero: [124127]

To ask the Attorney General, how many cases reviews have led to a reversal of a

decision by the CPS in each year since the introduction of the Victims' Right to Review

Scheme.

Robert Buckland:

The Victim’s Right to Review Scheme (VRR) was launched by the Crown Prosecution

Service (CPS) in June 2013. The right to request a review of a CPS decision arises

where decisions are made not to bring proceedings (i.e. at the pre-charge stage); to

discontinue or withdraw the case ending all proceedings involving the victim; to offer

no evidence in all proceedings relating to the victim; or asks the court to leave all

charges in all proceedings to lie on file. These are defined as qualifying decisions. If

an appeal is upheld it may be possible to bring proceedings against a suspect if the

original decision is found, on review, to be wrong.

http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2018-01-24/124778


The table below shows the volume and proportion of VRR appeals and the number

upheld during each of the last four years.

-

QUALIFYING

DECISIONS

TOTAL VRR

APPEALS

% OF QUALIFYING

DECISIONS

APPEALED

UPHELD APPEALS

(DECISION

REVERSED)

2013-14 106,262 1,258 1.18% 197

2014-15 129,230 1,750 1.35% 221

2015-16 118,600 1,809 1.53% 189

2016-17 103,113 1,988 1.93% 137

Data Source: CPS VRR Tracker


To ask the Attorney General, in what proportion of qualifying cases a review was sought

under the Victims' Right to Review Scheme in each year since 2013.

Robert Buckland:

The Victim’s Right to Review Scheme (VRR) was launched by the Crown Prosecution

Service (CPS) in June 2013. The right to request a review of a CPS decision arises

where decisions are made not to bring proceedings (i.e. at the pre-charge stage); to

discontinue or withdraw the case ending all proceedings involving the victim; to offer

no evidence in all proceedings relating to the victim; or asks the court to leave all

charges in all proceedings to lie on file. These are defined as qualifying decisions. If

an appeal is upheld it may be possible to bring proceedings against a suspect if the

original decision is found, on review, to be wrong.

The table below shows the volume and proportion of VRR appeals and the number

upheld during each of the last four years.

-

QUALIFYING

DECISIONS

TOTAL VRR

APPEALS

% OF QUALIFYING

DECISIONS

APPEALED

UPHELD APPEALS

(DECISION

REVERSED)

2013-14 106,262 1,258 1.18% 197

2014-15 129,230 1,750 1.35% 221

2015-16 118,600 1,809 1.53% 189

2016-17 103,113 1,988 1.93% 137

Data Source: CPS VRR Tracker


Sentencing: Appeals

Justin Tomlinson: [122735]

To ask the Attorney General, how many sentences have been successfully appealed

under the Unduly Lenient Sentences Scheme in each year for which statistics are

available.

Robert Buckland:

The number of sentences that have been successfully appealed during the last six

years are:

YEAR 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017

AGO contacted 443 498 676 713 837 943

Referred to Court of Appeal (CA) 82 70 122 136 190 173*

Sentence increased by CA 62 61 106 102 141 116

* This includes 25 sentences passed in 2017 which have been referred to the Court

of Appeal, but which it has not yet considered.

BUSINESS, ENERGY AND INDUSTRIAL STRATEGY

Carillion: Insolvency

Dr David Drew: [124900]

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

assessment he has made of the effect on subcontractors in the construction industry of

the liquidation of Carillion; and whether he plans to set up a taskforce to support those

companies.

Andrew Griffiths:

The nature of Carillion’s business was to sub-contract significant proportions of its

work and a significant number of those sub-contractors have sub-contracted further

elements. The complexity of the contracting structure is such that it is not possible for

Government at this stage in the liquidation process to have a complete picture of

subcontractors affected. The Official Receiver is continuing to work through Carillion’s

systems to identify all contracts.

We have established a Taskforce to support businesses affected by the Carillion. The

taskforce includes representatives from leading business bodies, the construction

sector, unions, banks and government to advise how to mitigate impacts on the

supply chain and employees. My rt. hon. Friend the Secretary of State and I have

held three meetings with them so far and we have already made good progress in

exchange of information and collaborations and to identify key actions that need to be

taken.



Bill Esterson: [124921]

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

the Answer of 22 January 2018 to question 123102, which business organisations were

represented at the Carillion taskforce meeting referred to in that Answer.

Andrew Griffiths:

The taskforce, chaired by my rt. hon. Friend the Secretary of State, comprises the

TUC, the Federation of Small Businesses, Build UK, the Specialist Engineering

Contractors (SEC) Group, Construction Industry Training Board, British Business

Bank, Small Business Commissioner; UK Finance, the Local Government

Association, the Cabinet Office and the Department for Work and Pensions.



the Answer of 22 January 2018 to Question 123102, on Carillion: Insolvency, what

assurances were given by the major high street lenders referred to in that Answer.

Andrew Griffiths:

As stated in my answer of 22 January, lenders gave their assurances to contact

customers, where appropriate, and are putting in place emergency measures,

including overdraft extensions, payment holidays and fee waivers to ensure those

facing short term issues can be helped to stay on track. Further information can be

obtained at: https://www.ukfinance.org.uk/banks-offer-support-to-business-

customers-impacted-by-carillion/.



the Answer of 22 January 2018 to Question 123102, on Carillion: Insolvency, for how

long the major high street lenders indicated they are prepared to put in place (a) overdraft

extensions, (b) payment holidays and (c) fee waivers.

Andrew Griffiths:

The high street lenders have not set any time limit. UK Finance are clear that the

High Street Lenders are prepared to have these measures in place as long as

needed to deal with the cash flow difficulties that solvent members of the Carillion

supply chain are dealing with in the immediate aftermath of the collapse. Where

appropriate, lenders are contacting customers and are putting in place emergency

measures, including overdraft extensions, payment holidays and fee waivers to

ensure those facing short term issues can be helped to stay on track. As a result

£900 million has been made available.



the Answer of 22 January 2018 to Question 123102, on Carillion: Insolvency, what

additional resources he is providing to the Local Growth Hubs referred to in that Answer.





Andrew Griffiths:

We have announced within the Industrial Strategy our intention to ensure all

businesses in every region have access to a Growth Hub. We will therefore build on

this programme, providing a further £24m of core funding to Local Enterprise

Partnerships (LEPs) for Growth Hubs (£12m in 2018-19 and a further £12m in 2019-

2020), with allocations to LEPs remaining at current levels over this 2 year period.

Companies: Registration

Anneliese Dodds: [124475]


the Answer of 22 January 2018 to Question 122724, on companies: registration, what

proportion of those queries categorised as alleged fraudulent activity/breaches of

Companies Act were relayed to the appropriate team.

Andrew Griffiths:

All of the queries categorised as alleged fraudulent activity/breaches of Companies

Act were relayed to the appropriate team.

Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy: Directors


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

non-executive director and other non-executive director board members are in his

Department.

Richard Harrington:

Our Lead Non-Executive Board Member is Archie Norman.

Our Non-Executive Board Members are Professor Dame Ann Dowling DBE, Stephen

A. Carter, Dame Carolyn McCall, Kathryn Parsons, Stuart Quickenden and Charles

Randell CBE.

Information on our Non-Executive Board Members can be found on the gov.uk

website ( https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/department-for-business-

energy-and-industrial-strategy ) under ‘Our Management’.

Further information can also be found in the BEIS Annual Report and Accounts (

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/641623

/beis-annual-report-accounts-2016-17-update-2-web.pdf ) from p.44.

Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy: Drinking Water

Tim Farron: [124509]

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

money his Department has spent on bottled water in each year since 2010.

Richard Harrington:

We do not hold this information.



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



https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/641623/beis-annual-report-accounts-2016-17-update-2-web.pdf




Energy: Meters

Stephen Kerr: [124537]

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

are being taken to inform the general public about the limitations of first generation smart

meters; and what plans he has to ensure that the roll-out of second generation meters

removes those limitations.

Claire Perry:

Under licence conditions, energy suppliers must inform their customers prior to the

installation of a smart meter that they may lose meter functionality when switching. In

addition, before any switch is concluded, the new supplier must tell the consumer

about any change in how their meter will operate and the service they will receive.

These requirements aim to help consumers make informed decisions about

switching, in the period before first generation smart meters are enrolled into the

national data and communications platform and thus can be operated by any energy

supplier.

Second generation meters use the smart metering infrastructure run by the Data and

Communications Company and will enable all consumers to retain their smart

functionality when they switch supplier.

Fireworks

Gill Furniss: [124770]


information his Department holds on the (a) quantity and (b) value of fireworks sold in

each of the last five years.

Andrew Griffiths:

The Department does not hold information requested for each of the last five years.

An estimate made by the Department in 2015, based upon data from industry,

showed the market for consumer fireworks to be worth about £60-70 million annually

in the UK, around £24 million for professional fireworks and in the region of £5 million

for theatrical pyrotechnics.

(source - Impact Assessment no IA No: RPC 14-BIS-2216(2) - Implementation of two

pyrotechnic article Directives: (i) 2013/29/EU alignment to the New Legislative

Framework and (ii) 2014/58/EU relating to traceability. See

http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukia/2015/256/pdfs/ukia_20150256_en.pdf


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

Department has made a recent assessment of trends in public opinion on the use of

fireworks; and if he will make a statement.






Andrew Griffiths:

There has always been a strong interest in the issue of fireworks use and safety. The

Department has a number of ways to gauge public opinion including correspondence

from members of the public, participation in e-petitions and engagement with

stakeholders. We are keen to hear from members of the public on this issue and an

e-petition debate on fireworks is being held in Westminster Hall today.

Insolvency

Jo Stevens: [124297]


assessment his Department has made of trends in the level of business insolvencies in

the last two years.

Andrew Griffiths:

The Insolvency Service produces quarterly statistics on the number of new

insolvencies for companies and individuals in England and Wales. The most recent

statistics, covering the period October to December 2017, which include a

comparison with previous periods, were published on Friday 26 January 2018 on

Gov.uk.

Nuclear Power Stations: Community Development

Lisa Nandy: [123911]

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

to the Written Ministerial Statement of 17 July 2013, WMS106 on New Nuclear Power

Stations (Community Benefits) how much of the money distributed came from (a)

additional funding and (b) existing sources of local authority revenue.

Richard Harrington:

Community benefits are not paid to any new nuclear community until the new station

starts generating. As set out in the 2013 Written Ministerial Statement, under the

current policy community benefits would be paid in two phases: Firstly local

authorities would retain a share of the business rates from the power station, up until

the end of the decade in which it comes online. Thereafter, the remaining balance of

the community benefit package would be paid directly from central government.

The Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government are making changes

to business rates retention policy and the Department is engaged with them to

understand the potential implications for the delivery mechanism for community

benefits.

Nuclear Power Stations: Costs

Mr Jim Cunningham: [124317]

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

his Department has made of the cost to the public purse to date of the (a) Hinkley Point C

and (b) Moorside nuclear projects.




Richard Harrington:

The estimated cost to the Department to date for Hinkley Point C, for the internal

project team and external advisers, is approximately £26m. Since the Moorside

project is in predevelopment phase, we do not have a project specific estimate of

Departmental costs.

Office for Product Safety and Standards: Finance


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

has been allocated from the public purse for the Office for Product Safety and Standards.

Andrew Griffiths:

The Office for Product Safety and Standards will have a budget of around £12 million

per year to fund additional product safety activities, when it is fully operational.

Initially, this new capacity will be funded through central Government but, longer-

term, the Government will consider alternative funding options.

Retail Trade: Scotland

Paul Masterton: [124101]

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

the Government is taking to support the retail sector in Scotland.

Andrew Griffiths:

BEIS Ministers regularly engage with retailers based throughout the UK to

understand their priorities and work with colleagues across Government to optimise

the conditions for the sector. Specific initiatives which have benefited retailers

include: the reduction in the corporation tax rate to 19%, with further plans to cut it

further to 17% in 2020 and the introduction of the Employment Allowance, giving

employers up to £3000 off their National Insurance contributions (NICs) bill,

benefitting 1m employers. The Government has also introduced the Great British

High Street Competition, now in its third year, which celebrates the achievements of

local areas in creating vibrant and dynamic high streets and is open to applications

from any community large or small.

Space Technology: Mining

Andrew Percy: [123758]

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

Government is taking steps to attract the asteroid mining industry to the UK.

Mr Sam Gyimah:

The UK Space Agency is supporting the British Space Sector including exciting new

commercial ideas such as the robotic assembly and servicing of satellites in space

and aligning UK leadership in small satellite manufacture with our ambition to enable

commercial small satellite launch from UK spaceports.




UK Climate Investments

Mary Creagh: [124146]

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

have received funding from UK Climate Investments; and how much of that funding has

been spent to date.

Claire Perry:

UK Climate Investments has so far has completed one investment, in a partnership

platform alongside UK solar company Lightsource BP to fund the development,

acquisition and ownership of large scale solar power generation assets in India. The

construction of an initial 60MWp project in the Indian state of Maharastra is

underway.

UK Climate Investments has earmarked up to £30m in aggregate for this project and

for a broader partnership with Lightsource to develop and construct up to a total of

300MW of PV projects. Just over £5.2m has been spent to date by UK Climate

Investments on this project, including due diligence and other transaction costs.

Work Experience

Alec Shelbrooke: [124875]

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

estimate his Department has made of the total number of (a) paid and (b) unpaid

internships in the UK.

Andrew Griffiths:

The Government has not made an estimate of the number of interns in the UK since

2010. The estimate produced in 2010 was based on evidence from the Chartered

Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD), combined with a number of other

assumptions and should be treated as indicative only.

If an intern is classified as a “worker”, they are entitled to at least the National

Minimum Wage from day one of their employment.

CABINET OFFICE

Carillion


To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether Carillion was a Government strategic

supplier.

Oliver Dowden:

[Holding answer 29 January 2018]: Carillion was a Government Strategic Supplier.

The current list of Strategic Suppliers can be found at:

http://www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/content/crownrepresentatives






Civil Partnerships

Tim Loughton: [124911]

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many civil partnerships have been (a)

established and (b) dissolved in each year since 2004.


To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, (a) how many and (b) what proportion of civil

partnerships have become marriages since the Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Act 2013.


To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many (a) same-sex and (b) single-sex

couples have (i) married and (ii) divorced in each of the last four years.

Chloe Smith:

The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority.

I have asked the Authority to reply.

Attachments:

1. UKSA Response [PQ 124911, 124914, 124916.pdf]

Elections

Martin Whitfield: [122240]

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what steps the Government is taking to tackle

the effect of foreign political advertising on UK elections.

Chloe Smith:

UK political parties and campaigners can only receive donations (including donations

in kind) from permissible sources. These sources are set out in legislation and

include individuals on the electoral roll, companies registered in the UK and carrying

on business here, and a number of other UK-registered bodies. Separate provisions

apply in Northern Ireland. Accepting donations from any impermissible donor is an

offence.

Under the Communications Act 2003, other than party political broadcasts, political

advertising is prohibited on TV and radio. However, the Government recognises the

problems caused by misleading and false information online, and we take the security

and integrity of our democratic processes very seriously.

The Government’s manifesto includes a commitment to take steps to protect the

reliability and objectivity of information that is essential to our democracy and a free,

independent press. Therefore we are working with the broadcast and press sectors,

social media and the broader tech industry, academics and international partner

governments to ensure we have a news environment where accurate content can

prevail. We are also working to improve the critical analysis and digital literacy skills

of the wider population.





Employment: Disability


To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what estimate he has made of the number of

people with disabilities who (a) are currently in work and (b) were in work in 2010.

Chloe Smith:



Attachments:

1. UKSA Response [PQ124364.pdf]

Government Departments: Procurement


To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 22 January 2018 to

Question 122920, when he plans to announce the new list of Government strategic

suppliers.

Oliver Dowden:

The list of Governmen strategic suppliers can be found at:


This list is updated periodically.

Life Expectancy


To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 22 January 2018 to

Question 123454 on 22nd January 2018, which local authority areas have shown a

decline in life expectancy of (a) males at birth, (b) females at birth, (c) males at 65 and (d)

females at 65.

Chloe Smith:



Attachments:

1. UKSA Response [PQ124653.pdf]

TREASURY

Bank of England: Presidents Club

Helen Goodman: [124806]

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will request from the Bank Of England an

explanation of how tea with its Governor was permitted and advertised at the Presidents

Club as an auction item; and if he will make a statement.








To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will request from the Bank of England a list

of the charitable or other organisations to which meetings or meals with its Governor,

other of its officials or access to its premises have been gifted or auctioned since 2015.


To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will request and publish information from the

Bank of England on whether its staff attended the Presidents Club dinner of 18 January

2018.


To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will require from the Bank of England a list

of all the meetings, meals with its Governor or its officials or other access to its premises

which have been auctioned to charitable or other organisations since 2015.


To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will request and publish information from the

Bank of England on whether that bank has offered meetings or meals to auction at the

Presidents Club in years prior to 2018.


To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will request from the Bank of England and

publish its policy on charitable donations.

John Glen:

The Bank of England issued a statement on 24 January which confirmed that the

Bank was not aware of the Presidents Club Dinner and did not approve any prize for

auction at the event. The Bank has had no contact at any point with the Presidents

Club or any of the organisers of the event. No member of Bank staff attended the

dinner on 18 January.

The Bank did not approve or donate any prize for auction at the event on 18 January.

Support for third party fundraisers is prohibited under the Bank’s policy for charitable

donations. The Bank have made its policy available at the following link:

https://www.bankofengland.co.uk/-/media/boe/files/about/human-

resources/charitable-giving-and-inclusion.pdf.

The unauthorised re-auctioning of the prize at the Presidents Club dinner was against

the spirit of the original donation. The Bank has therefore made clear that it has been

withdrawn.

Cash Dispensing: Fees and Charges

Martin Docherty-Hughes: [123789]

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

the effect of LINK’s proposed reduction of the interchange fee on (a) consumers (b) small

businesses.






https://www.bankofengland.co.uk/-/media/boe/files/about/human-resources/charitable-giving-and-inclusion.pdf





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

number of ATMs which will be withdrawn as a result of LINK's proposed reduction in the

interchange fee.


To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what recent representations his Department has

made to LINK on the (a) proposed reduction in the interchange fee and (b) Financial

Inclusion Programme.

Simon Hoare: [123877]

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the effect of

LINK’s proposed reduction of the interchange fee on (a) consumers and (b) small

businesses.



the number of ATMs that will be withdrawn as a result of a 20 per cent reduction in the

LINK interchange fee.



the effect of ATM closures resulting from LINK’s proposed reduction in the interchange

fee on (a) North Dorset constituency and (b) other rural communities.


To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what discussions his Department has had with

LINK on (a) the proposed reduction in the interchange fee and (b) the Financial Inclusion

Programme.

Robert Jenrick:

The Government recognises that widespread free access to cash remains extremely

important to the day-to-day lives of many consumers and businesses in the UK.

Government has been engaging and will continue to engage with industry, including

LINK, to ensure that this access is maintained.

The Government has not made any formal assessment of the potential effect of

LINK’s proposals to change the interchange fee rate on consumers, small

businesses, the North Dorset constituency or other rural communities. However, the

Payment Systems Regulator (PSR), which Government set up as an independent

regulator in 2015 with a statutory objective to ensure that the UK’s payment systems

work in the interests of their users, is monitoring developments within ATM provision,

and is conducting ongoing work on the impact that changes may have. The PSR has

recently published a summary of their work to date, which can be found at

https://www.psr.org.uk/psr-focus/the-UK-ATM-network.







The PSR has committed to using its powers to act should any of the firms it regulates

behave in a way that conflicts with its statutory objectives.

LINK has assured us and the PSR that industry is committed to maintaining an

extensive network of free-to-use cash machines, and to ensuring that the present

geographical spread of ATMs is maintained. LINK intends to bolster its Financial

Inclusion Programme, which ensures the provision of ATMs in areas of deprivation,

where demand would not otherwise make one viable, and has also committed to

protecting all free-to-use ATMs which are a kilometre or more from the next nearest

free-to-use ATM.

Cash Dispensing: Scotland

Stewart Hosie: [124603]

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if his Department will conduct an assessment of

the effect of RBS bank branch closures on free access to cash in Scotland; and what

discussions he has had with the Payment Systems Regulator on potential intervention

with respect to a reduction in the availability of free access to cash.

Alison Thewliss: [124644]

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if his Department will write to RBS to ask

whether it plans to provide ATMs and community banking services in respect of branch

closures in Scotland.

Alison Thewliss: [124645]

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what representations he has received from (a)

the Payment Systems Regulator and (b) LINK on free to use ATMs in the last 12 months.

John Glen:

The Government does not make assessments of bank branch closures. The decision

to open or close a branch is a commercial decision, in which the Government does

not intervene. However, the impact on communities must be understood, considered

and mitigated where possible. That is why the Government supports the industry’s

Access to Banking Standard, which ensures customers understand the options they

have locally to continue to access banking services, including specialist assistance

for customers who need more help.

The Government recognises that widespread free access to cash remains extremely

important to the day-to-day lives of many consumers and businesses in the UK. The

Government has been engaging regularly with LINK and the Payment Systems

Regulator (PSR) to ensure that widespread free access is maintained.

The PSR, which Government set up as an independent regulator in 2015 with a

statutory objective to ensure that the UK’s payment systems work in the interests of

their users, is monitoring developments within ATM provision, and is conducting

ongoing work on the impact that changes may have. The PSR has recently published

a summary of their work to date, which can be found at https://www.psr.org.uk/psr-

focus/the-UK-ATM-network.




The PSR has informed us that it is committed to using its powers to act should any of

the firms it regulates behave in a way that conflicts with its statutory objectives.

LINK has assured us and the PSR that industry is committed to maintaining an

extensive network of free-to-use cash machines, and to ensuring that the present

geographical spread of ATMs is maintained. LINK intends to bolster its Financial

Inclusion Programme, which ensures the provision of ATMs in areas of deprivation,

where demand would not otherwise make one viable, and has also committed to

protecting all free-to-use ATMs which are a kilometre or more from the next nearest

free-to-use ATM.

Child Tax Credit: Disability

Ms Marie Rimmer: [124887]

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether he plans to increase the age of eligibility

for the childcare cost element of child tax credit from 16 to 20 years old for families with

disabled children until adult social care provision becomes available; and if he will make a

statement.

Elizabeth Truss:

The Government is committed to supporting disabled people and is spending over

£50bn a year on benefits to support people with disabilities and health conditions, this

includes spending to support 16-20 year olds with disabilities. Spending on disability

benefits will be higher in every year to 2020 than it was in 2010, and as a share of

GDP our spending on disability and incapacity benefits is the second highest in the

G7.

Childcare support in working tax credits is currently available to disabled children in

receipt of DLA or PIP up to the September following their 16th birthday.

Children: Day Care

Rushanara Ali: [123497]

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how much compensation to date the

Government has paid out as a result of problems with the new childcare website.


To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many complaints (a) his Department and (b)

HMRC have received concerning the new childcare website.


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

the number of parents receiving childcare vouchers who will not be eligible for tax-free

childcare.

Elizabeth Truss:

I refer the Honourable Member to the answer I gave on 22 December 2017 to the

Honourable Member for Tottenham (PQ119871).





To date, HMRC have received 3,496 complaints from parents who have experienced

technical issues with the childcare service.

HMRC have paid £966,666 to parents in lieu of any Tax-Free Childcare payments

and £38,949 in redress to parents which recompense parents for inconvenience and

expenses such as telephone calls to the helpline.

Maria Eagle: [123816]

To ask Mr Chancellor the Exchequer, how many and what proportion of previous

claimants of childcare vouchers in Garston and Halewood constituency have had their

entitlement removed under the new-tax free childcare scheme.


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

were in Garston and Halewood constituency in each year since April 2010.


To ask Mr Chancellor the Exchequer, how many people were in receipt of tax-free

childcare in Garston and Halewood constituency in the most recent period for which data

is available..


To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the financial

effect on families that were in receipt of childcare vouchers but were not entitled to tax-

free childcare.


To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps he is taking to ensure that families

with one working parent that were previously in receipt of childcare vouchers do not face

financial hardship as a result of the removal of their entitlement under the new tax-free

childcare scheme.

Elizabeth Truss:

I refer the Honourable Member to the answer I gave on 22 December 2017 to the

Honourable Member for Tottenham (PQ119871) and to the answer I gave on 25

January 2017 to the Honourable Member for Hull North (123405).

Marsha De Cordova: [123895]

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps his Department are taking to fix

technical problems with HMRC's tax-free childcare system.

Elizabeth Truss:

More than 325,000 parents have a live childcare account and are using the childcare

service to access government support with childcare.HMRC have delivered a range

of improvements and continue to improve the service based on customer feedback.

Fewer customers see error screens and the vast majority of customers receive an

eligibility response within five working days, if not instantly. They have also recruited







more staff to work on the childcare service helpline, to improve the service for

customers who need to contact them by telephone.

Catherine McKinnell: [124114]

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to the oral contribution of the

Economic Secretary to the Treasury on 15 January 2018, Official Report, column WH244,

on Childcare Vouchers, whether parents who are not eligible for tax-free childcare but

were claiming childcare vouchers, will become eligible to claim for tax-free childcare if

they change their employer after 31 March 2018, and will no longer be entitled to claim

childcare vouchers.


To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether his Department conducted an impact

assessment on the effect on low-income households of the closure of the employer

supported childcare vouchers scheme.


To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many families in England have used the

childcare service helpline when registering for tax-free childcare.


To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 21 December to

Question 120073 on Children: Day Care, what information his Department holds on

households who will receive less financial support as a result of the replacement of

childcare vouchers with tax-free childcare.

Elizabeth Truss:

Whereas currently around 600,000 families are in receipt of childcare vouchers, we

estimate that 1.5 million families with childcare costs will be eligible for Tax-free

Childcare.

Parents in receipt of childcare vouchers will be able to continue to claim vouchers

when the scheme closes to new entrants in April 2018, whilst they work for the same

employer and that employer continues to offer them.

If they switch employer, they will be eligible for Tax-free childcare if they have a child

under the age of 12 and they and their partner, if they have one, each earn at least

the equivalent of the National Living Wage for 16 hours a week and no more than

£100,000 a year.

We do not hold information on how many parents in receipt of vouchers are expected

to switch employers.

As of 19 January 2018, the helpline had received 769,015 calls from parents.


To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to the report of the Childcare

Vouchers Providers Association, The future of childcare support for working parents,






published on 20 February 2017, if he will make an assessment of the implications for his

policies of the findings of that report.


To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, when HMRC plans to publish its finalised

guidance on the tax-free childcare scheme.


To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps are being taken to ensure the

protection of data belonging to families registering for the tax-free childcare scheme

online.


To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many parents of children with a disability

currently claim (a) under the Employer Supported Childcare vouchers scheme and (b)

under the tax-free-childcare scheme in England.


To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what advice he can provide to parents seeking to

claim under the tax-free-childcare scheme who do not meet the earning threshold of £120

per week.

Elizabeth Truss:

The Government is investing a record amount on childcare support – around £6

billion per annum. It is important that that investment is properly targeted. Tax-Free

Childcare is fairer and better targeted than childcare vouchers and will benefit over 1

million working households.

However, parents that are currently using childcare vouchers will be able to continue

doing so, while they work for the same employer and that employer continues to offer

the scheme.

HM Revenue & Customs has published eligibility guidance for Tax-Free Childcare

which is regularly updated. The guidance can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/help-

with-childcare-costs.

HM Revenue & Customs handle customer data in line with HM Government

standards and in compliance with the provisions of the Data Protection Act 1998.

Parents can access the childcare calculator on the Childcare Choices website to find

out what childcare support they may be entitled to. Tax-Free Childcare is open to all

families where parents are in work and expect to earn at least £120 a week, on

average, over a three month period (but not more than £100,000 each year). This

allows for flexibility if their income varies week to week. Parents on lower incomes

may be entitled to tax credits or Universal Credit where they can get help with their

eligible childcare costs, in addition to the 15 hours of free childcare available for all 3

and 4 year olds in England. For the number of Tax-Free Childcare accounts for

disabled children I refer the honorable member to the answer I gave on 17 January

2017 to the honorable member for Manchester Central (122408). HMRC does not





https://www.gov.uk/help-with-childcare-costs



hold information about childcare vouchers used to fund childcare for disabled

children.

Tracy Brabin: [124558]

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the average amount of compensation paid

to people who have experienced difficulties with the Childcare Choices website has been;

and if he will make a statement.

Elizabeth Truss:

The vast majority of parents have been able to apply for and use Tax-Free Childcare

without difficulty. Where parents have missed out on Tax-Free Childcare payments

HMRC will pay compensation to reimburse them. As at 11 January 2018, the average

payment made to a parent who had received a payment in lieu of missed Tax-Free

Childcare payments was £274. HMRC also makes redress payments to recompense

parents for inconvenience and expenses such as telephone calls to the helpline. At

11 January 2018 the average redress payment to a parent who received such a

payment was £64.


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

encourage employers as a result of the closure of the Employer Supported Childcare

vouchers scheme to engage with and support employees who are parents.


To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, for what reason there is a difference in the age of

children for which families are eligible to receive support via the (a) childcare vouchers

scheme and (b) tax-free childcare scheme.


To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to the Written Statement of 15

January 2018, Tax-Free Childcare rollout update, HCWS 401, what assessment he has

made of the level of take-up of tax-free childcare accounts.


To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the oral contribution of the Economic

Secretary to the Treasury of 15 January 2018, Official Report, column 242WH, on

Childcare Vouchers, what the evidential basis is for his statement that tax-free childcare

has a greater reach than childcare vouchers.


To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many and what proportion of self-employed

parents eligible to claim tax-free childcare (a) have registered for that scheme in England

to date and (b) does the Government estimate will register for that scheme in England in

each of the next three years.







Elizabeth Truss:

The Government is investing a record amount on childcare support – around £6

billion per annum. It is important that that investment is properly targeted. Tax-Free

Childcare targets support at those parents with the highest childcare costs, which is

usually those with younger children. We recognise the additional childcare costs for

parents of children with disabilities so they can continue to receive Tax-Free

Childcare until the child is 17.

Tax-Free Childcare is designed to be fairer and better targeted than childcare

vouchers. We estimate that 1.5 million families will be eligible for Tax-Free Childcare,

and have childcare costs, whilst there are 600,000 families currently receiving

childcare vouchers. This means we estimate that TFC potentially supports 900k more

families with the cost of childcare.

We have been gradually rolling out Tax-Free Childcare and over 170,000 parents

now have a Tax-Free Childcare account. From 14 February 2017 all eligible parents

will be able to apply. Having put in place service improvements we have started

marketing activity to encourage more parents to take up the support they are entitled

to.

For the number of self-employed parents using Tax-Free Childcare I refer the

honourable member to the answer I gave on 29 November 2017 to the honourable

member for Batley and Spen (116593). An estimate of the number of applications we

expect from self-employed parents is not available.

The introduction of Tax-Free Childcare is an opportunity for all employers to engage

with working parents, not just the minority who offer childcare vouchers. HMRC are

working with employers so that they understand, and can advise their employees

about, the benefits of Tax-Free Childcare.

Steve McCabe: [124596]

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will commission a distributional impact

assessment of his Department’s policy to close childcare vouchers.


To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what comparative estimate he has made of the

number of families who will receive support under (a) tax-free childcare and (b) childcare

vouchers.

Elizabeth Truss:

We believe it is right to support those on middle incomes, as well as those on lower

incomes, with the cost of childcare. Whilst those on lower incomes will be able to

access more generous support through tax credits or universal credit, both Employer-

supported Childcare and Tax-free Childcare benefit those on middle and higher

incomes, who are not in receipt of universal credit but may still find it difficult to

manage the cost of childcare.




To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether his Department has made an

assessment of whether people on low incomes will receive less financial support with tax-

free childcare than they would with childcare vouchers.

Elizabeth Truss:

We believe it is right to support those on middle incomes, as well as those on lower

incomes, with the cost of childcare. Whilst those on lower incomes will be able to

access more generous support through tax credits or universal credit, both Employer-

supported Childcare and Tax-free Childcare benefit those on middle and higher

incomes, who are not in receipt of universal credit but may still find it difficult to

manage the cost of childcare.

Cooperatives and Mutual Societies: Capital Investment

Gareth Thomas: [124746]

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps he is taking to help co-operatives and

mutuals obtain access to capital for expansion and referencing; and if he will make a

statement.

John Glen:

The Government recognises the importance of long-term investment capital for all

businesses, including co-operatives and other mutuals, in helping them to maximise

their potential.

The Government therefore supports measures that help co-operatives and other

mutuals attract more long-term investment, helping them boost their capital base. It

welcomes the role played by some private sector companies in providing this.

More broadly, the Government remains committed to supporting small businesses’

access to the finance they need to grow and expand. We have established the British

Business Bank to make finance markets work better for small businesses, and

introduced the Bank Referral Scheme and the SME credit data sharing scheme.

Economic Growth

Mr Ivan Lewis: [124383]

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the

implications for his policies of the IMF's revision of the UK's growth outlook from 1.6 to 1.5

per cent for 2019.

John Glen:

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) is an independent international organisation.

The official economy and fiscal forecasts produced by the Office for Budget

Responsibility are used to inform policy decisions.

The IMF recently concluded their Article IV assessment of the UK economy and

judge that “The fiscal framework adopted by the authorities prudently aims to reduce




the deficit (after accounting for the impact of the economic cycle) to below 2 percent

of GDP by 2020/21, and to balance the budget by the middle of the next decade.”

Employee Ownership


To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what further incentives he will offer to encourage

employee ownership of companies; and if he will make a statement.

Mel Stride:

The government offers four tax advantaged employee share schemes: Enterprise

Management Incentives, Company Share Option Plan, Save As You Earn and Share

Incentive Plan. These enable employers and their employees to mutually benefit from

generous Income Tax, National Insurance, and Capital Gains Tax reliefs when they

participate. The government announced at Budget 2017 that employees on the Save

As You Earn scheme who take maternity or parental leave will be able to pause their

contributions for up to 12 months, from 6 months previously. There are no other

changes currently planned, but the government keeps all areas of the tax system

under review.

Export Control Act 2002: Arrests

Lloyd Russell-Moyle: [124723]

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many arrests have been made under the

provisions of the Export Control Act 2002 in each year since that Act came into effect;

how many charging decisions have been received on such breaches from the CPS; on

what dates such decisions were received; and how many criminal convictions have

resulted from each such charging decision.

Mel Stride:

Information on HMRC enforcement outcomes is published in the Strategic Export

Controls Annual Reports which are available on the gov.uk. Website. The specific

information requested is not readily available. HMRC takes breaches of strategic

export controls very seriously but does not view a criminal prosecution as the only

successful law enforcement outcome in all cases. There are several other options

they can and regularly do exercise; these include building awareness, sending

warning letters, issuing compound penalties and seizure or disruption actions.

Financial Ombudsman Service


To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 23 January 2018 to

Question 123416, when he plans to respond to the Financial Conduct Authority's

consultation on widening the remit of the Financial Ombudsman Service.

John Glen:

It is important that small businesses have access to the appropriate forum to address

their concerns with the financial services that they have received. The Government




therefore welcomes the Financial Conduct Authority’s (FCA) consultation on the remit

of the Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS). The FCA are operationally independent

of the Government. The remit of the FOS is therefore a matter for the FCA.

Pre-school Education: Finance


To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the answer of 23 January 2018 to

Question 123576, on Pre-school Education: Finance, when that Spending Review will

take place.

Elizabeth Truss:

As the PM confirmed in Cabinet on 23rd January, the government will undertake the

next Spending Review in 2019, so that budgets can be set out in advance for 2020

onwards. The exact publication date will be confirmed in due course.

Public Private Partnerships

Faisal Rashid: [123834]

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to the National Audit Office report

on PFI and PF2 published on 18 January 2018, whether his Department plans to conduct

a review of the use of PFI and PF2 contracts and their long-term value for money.

Robert Jenrick:

We have no plans currently to conduct such a review. Prior to approval, all privately

financed contracts should be assessed in line with HM Treasury’s Green Book.

Public Sector: Procurement


To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to the National Audit Office report

on PFI and PF2 published on 18 January 2018, what assessment he has made of the

benefits of using publicly financed procurement with fixed-price contracts instead of

private finance initiatives.

Robert Jenrick:

Prior to approval, all Private Finance 2 proposals should be assessed in line with The

HM Treasury’s Green Book, including a comparison against an appropriate publicly

funded option.

Self-employed and Small Businesses: Females

Chi Onwurah: [124270]

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what plans the Government has to develop tax

incentives and economic support to expand entrepreneurial opportunities for women in

micro-businesses or who are self-employed.





Elizabeth Truss:

The government supports women entrepreneurs, including those running micro-

businesses, and has a number of tax incentives that they benefit from, including

Entrepreneurs’ Relief and the Seed Enterprise Investment Scheme. The government

has also supported women who are self-employed by raising the personal allowance

to £11,850 in 2018-19, with a commitment to reach £12,500 by 2020-21. In 2018-19,

compared to 2015-16, over 700,000 women will be taken out of income tax altogether

and 13m women will see their income tax bill reduced.

We are working to ensure we have the right support for everyone, including women,

to set up and grow a business.

As part of the Industrial Strategy, we are identifying ways to tackle barriers faced by

female-led businesses in accessing venture capital through new behavioural

research commissioned by the British Business Bank.

Start-Up Loans (SUL) provide funding and intensive support to new entrepreneurs.

As at the end of October 2017, there were over 20,130 loans issued to women

totalling over £132.5m. To date 39% of start-up loans have been issued to women.

Government has also supported and invested in the creation of a network of 38

Growth Hubs (one in each Local Enterprise Partnership area), providing businesses

across England with tailored advice and support. The Business Support Helpline also

provides information and guidance to people across England - 49% of users in the

last year (2016-17) were women.

Treasury: Beverage Containers


To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many disposable coffee cups were

purchased by his Department in each of the last five years.

Robert Jenrick:

HM Treasury does not have information about the use and recycling of disposable

coffee cups within the department. Facilities management services in 1 Horse Guards

Road are provided to HM Treasury under a 35 year PFI agreement with Exchequer

Partnerships Plc. Cups are provided by Exchequer Partnership’s subcontractor.

Treasury: Credit Unions


To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will offer payroll deduction services for

credit union membership to all employees of (a) HMRC and (b) hs Department; and if he

will make a statement.

Mel Stride:

There are no current plans to introduce credit unions in either HMRC or HM Treasury.

Both departments are currently reviewing their Wellbeing and Financial strategies,



which will include exploring the feasibility and appropriateness of offering credit

unions to their staff.

Treasury: Former Members

Luke Pollard: [123829]

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, 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.

Robert Jenrick:

No former Conservative Members of Parliament that lost their seats at the 2017

General Election currently work in the Department.

DEFENCE

Armed Forces: Deployment

Stephen Kinnock: [123797]

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many UK troops are currently deployed in

the UN Command in the Republic of Korea; and what commitments have been made to

increase that commitment in the event of increased tensions or military conflict.

Mark Lancaster:

There are currently two employed in United Nations Command Korea staff branches

and one in a United States Forces Korea staff branch.

Armed Forces: Joint Exercises

Stephen Kinnock: [123796]

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether he has plans for UK armed forces to

participate in joint exercises with the armed forces of The Republic of Korea, Japan and

the US in the next two years.

Mark Lancaster:

Yes.

Army

Sir Nicholas Soames: [124747]

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps he is taking to increase

multinational interoperability.

Mark Lancaster:

The UK's Armed Forces are leading contributors to several multinational

organisations, coalitions, and frameworks for which military interoperability is a

necessary consideration. Key examples of this include our work in NATO, where we

work closely with Allies on initiatives such as standardisation and through activities





such as the Very High Readiness Task Force and Enhanced Forward Presence. The

UK regularly trains and exercises with our multinational counterparts to build

interoperability and promote the principal of collective defence.


To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the Order of Battle is of 77 Brigade.

Mark Lancaster:

The order of battle (ORBAT) of units in 77 Brigade is set out below:

77 BRIGADE UNITS

Brigade Headquarters

Information Activities Group

Task Group

Outreach Group

Support Group

Staff Corps

Ministry of Defence: Chemring Group


To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will list the contracts that his Department

has entered into with Chemring and its subsidiaries in each of the past 10 years.

Guto Bebb:

Since 2008, the Ministry of Defence has entered into more than 70 contracts with the

Chemring group. These are for a range of services. I am withholding further details as

disclosure would prejudice the capability, effectiveness or security of the Armed

Forces.

North Korea: Guided Weapons

Alan Brown: [124284]

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 15 January 2018 to

Question 121389, what the latest date was on which he was briefed on the development

of North Korean Ballistic Missile capability and the conduct of significant tests.

Mark Lancaster:

I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to his Question 121389 on 15 January

2018.




The Secretary of State for Defence is briefed on a regular and frequent basis about

the development of North Korean Ballistic Missile capability, as he is on a range of

defence issues.

Attachments:

1. North Korea:Nuclear Weapons [Hansard Extact Monday 15 January 2018 HOC

121389.docx]

South Sudan: Armed Forces

Mrs Pauline Latham: [124094]

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many members of the UK armed forces

are stationed in South Sudan.

Mark Lancaster:

On 2 January 2018, there were 345 members of the UK Armed Forces deployed in

South Sudan.

Warships: Shipbuilding

Mr Kevan Jones: [124675]

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 23 January 2018 to

Question 123707, on Warships: Shipbuilding, if he will place a copy of his Department's

internal research on the socio-economic effects of government-supported shipbuilding

that was referred to in the Parker report and the National Shipbuilding Strategy in the

Library.

Guto Bebb:

Internal economic analysis was produced by the Ministry of Defence to support the

National Ship Building Strategy (NSBS).The conclusions of the research were

summarised in the published NSBS strategy document. The underpinning research

contains commercially sensitive information, which will need to be redacted before it

is published. As soon as this has been completed I will place a copy in the Library of

the House.

Yemen: Military Intervention


To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether the Saudi joint incidents assessment

team which reports to the Government on allegations of its own violations of international

humanitarian law employs the principles of the Law of Armed Conflict with respect to

Saudi Arabia's air campaign in Yemen.

Mark Lancaster:

Yes.




DIGITAL, CULTURE, MEDIA AND SPORT

Bayeux Tapestry


To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, if the Government will

make an assessment of the potential merits of temporarily displaying the Bayeux

Tapestry in the National Museum of Wales; and if he will make a statement.

Michael Ellis:

The level of interest generated by the announcement of the prospective loan of the

Bayeux Tapestry shows the great appetite of the UK public for our culture and

history. I note the expression of interest of the National Museum of Wales, and many

other fine institutions. A decision on where to host the tapestry when it comes to the

UK will be made in full consultation with the authorities of the Bayeux Museum. Our

primary consideration must be to ensure that the Tapestry is housed in an

appropriate venue and that it is accessible by as many people as possible.

Broadcasting: Equality

Richard Burden: [123792]

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

Department is taking to promote regional diversity in broadcasting.

Margot James:

This government is committed to spreading jobs and prosperity throughout the UK,

and it is important that our broadcasting sector provides for and reflects the whole

country. As part of this, we have made clear that Channel 4 must make a greater

regional impact. We are in discussions with Channel 4 about how they should do this,

and we will set out next steps soon.

Broadcasting: Licensing

Tom Watson: [124468]

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

has had with the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union on maintaining current

broadcast licensing arrangements during the transition period after March 2019.

Margot James:

We continue to engage constructively with the Department for Exiting the European

Union to ensure that we provide our broadcasters with stability and certainty in the

period leading up to the UK’s departure from the EU.

As the Prime Minister set out, the UK is seeking a strictly time-limited implementation

period, based on the existing structure of EU rules and regulations, during which the

UK and the EU would continue to have access to one another’s markets on current

terms.





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

his Department are working on broadcast licensing as part of any future trade deal that

the UK agrees with the EU.

Margot James:

Staff within DCMS’ Media Team and EU Team lead on providing advice to Ministers

on broadcasting and EU exit. Members of staff across the Department also provide

advice and analyses on EU exit issues as required. Given the interactions between

broadcasting policy, EU exit work and the Department's other priorities, it would not

be possible to give an accurate figure.

Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport: Beverage Containers


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

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

Tracey Crouch:

The information requested is not held centrally, and to obtain it would incur a

disproportionate cost.

Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport: Directors


To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, who the the lead non-

executive director and other non-executive director board members are in his

Department.

Tracey Crouch:

The information requested can found here:

https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/department-for-digital-culture-media-

sport.

Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport: Former Members


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

Tracey Crouch:

DCMS does not employ any former Conservative Members of Parliament defeated at

the General Election 2017.





Football: Racial Discrimination

Fiona Onasanya: [124243]

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

Department has taken to support grassroots football organisations in tackling racism.

Tracey Crouch:

Our aim is to get more children and young people playing football and volunteering in

the game and the 2018 World Cup in Russia promises to be a great spectacle for

inspiring young people to take up and remain in the sport. Through the year-on-year

investment, we will be funding grassroots programmes in schools and clubs and in

the provision of new facilities and all-weather pitches that encourage greater levels of

participation up to, during and after the World Cup.

The Government is committed to ensuring that all children and young people,

particularly those who are currently least active or from under-represented groups,

have the best opportunities to engage in sport and physical activity.

Football: World Cup


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

Department plans to run programmes to increase youth participation in football and other

sports alongside the FIFA World Cup 2018.

Tracey Crouch:

Our aim is to get more children and young people playing football and volunteering in

the game and the 2018 World Cup in Russia promises to be a great opportunity for

inspiring young people to take up and remain in the sport. Through the year-on-year

investment, we will be funding grassroots programmes in schools and clubs and in

the provision of new facilities and all-weather pitches that encourage greater levels of

participation up to, during and after the World Cup.

The Government is committed to ensuring that all children and young people,

particularly those who are currently least active or from under-represented groups,

have the best opportunities to engage in sport and physical activity.

Government Equalities Office: Presidents Club

Liz McInnes: [124905]

To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, whether he plans to

have discussions with the Charity Commission as result of the closure of the Presidents

Club charitable club; and if she will make a statement.


To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, if he will make an

assessment of the potential merits of establishing an inquiry into the events which led to

the closure of the Presidents Club Charitable Trust.





Tracey Crouch:

This is a matter for the Charity Commission as independent registrar and regulator of

charities in England and Wales. The Commission has said that, on seeing the

reported events, it immediately contacted the Presidents Club Charitable Trust and

called for an urgent meeting. The Commission is also engaging with the Financial

Times whose investigation uncovered the activities of the Presidents Club Charity

Dinner, and has requested any further evidence to ensure it can look into these

matters fully and robustly. The Commission has said that it will deal robustly with any

misconduct or mismanagement it finds, will consider what further regulatory action

may be required and will ensure that the charity is wound up in an orderly manner

and that any remaining funds are distributed correctly. The Commission has also

confirmed that it is in discussion with Equality and Human Rights Commission about

these matters.

International Broadcasting

Kevin Brennan: [124335]

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

taken to ensure that the UK retains its status as a European broadcasting hub after the

UK leaves the EU.

Margot James:

The UK is an important hub for international broadcasting businesses due to its

favourable regulatory and economic environment, access to world class skills and

talent, and well as cultural factors, such as language.

We are committed to working with the sector to understand their needs and concerns

relating to the UK exiting the EU. We will work hard to secure the best deal for the UK

on exit, and ensure that our relationship with the EU works for the industry.


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

international broadcasters currently hold an Ofcom licence that allows them to broadcast

throughout the EU.


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

Ofcom broadcast licence holders broadcast primarily outside the UK.

Margot James:

All Ofcom broadcast licence holders are allowed to provide broadcasting services

throughout the EU. The Country of Origin principle, which underpins the single

market for audiovisual media services, enables broadcasters to obtain a broadcasting

licence in one EU Member State for all their channels and services in different EU

countries.

The UK is currently one of the biggest European broadcasting hubs. According to a

2017 report by European Audiovisual Observatory, 758 channels based in the UK




mainly target the European market. This represents 55% of the TV channels which

hold Ofcom licenses.

Similarly, around half of the UK-based video-on-demand services (152 video-on-

demand services) primarily target EU audiences.


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

Department has made of the number of UK-based jobs which are linked to international

broadcasters which are licensed by Ofcom and mainly broadcast outside the UK.

Margot James:

DCMS economic estimates show that 194,000 people were employed in the wider

audiovisual sector in 2016. However, we do not possess granular data on

international broadcasting specifically.

Musicians: Travel

Stephen Timms: [124257]

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

has had with the EU Commission on the (a) introduction of carnets for transporting

musical instruments and (b) application of the visa-national PPE system to EEA citizens

after the UK leaves the EU.

Michael Ellis:

We recognise the need for movement into and out of the UK for the purpose of short-

term engagements including orchestral performances, touring and festivals once the

UK has left the European Union. The Customs Bill sets out the Government’s

aspirations for the UK’s future customs arrangements and the Government’s

approach to the new partnership with the EU.

The Government is committed to ensuring the cultural and creative sectors remain a

key component of the UK economy for decades to come, and the UK will continue to

have world-class arts and cultural organisations. DCMS is working closely with Home

Office and the independent Migration Advisory Committee to ensure the needs of the

arts and cultural sectors are understood.

Orchestras


To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, with reference to

paragraph 4.5 of Brexit – the impact on British Orchestras, published by the Association

of British Orchestras in December 2017, what discussions he has had with the EU

Commission on maintaining access to the A1 system after the UK leaves the European

Union; and if he will make a statement.

Michael Ellis:

The Government recognises that the A1 form is an important tool for ensuring that

artists and musicians do not have social security payments deducted when working in




other EU countries. As part of the exit negotiations the Government will discuss with

the EU and Member States ways to ensure that touring performers will not have

unnecessary tax burdens when touring Europe.


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

Department has made an assessment of the role of British orchestras in promoting UK

cultural exchange.

Michael Ellis:

Our orchestras are rightly regarded as among the best in the world, and are great

cultural ambassadors for the UK.

The Government recognises that orchestras play an important role in promoting

cultural exchange, taking conductors and musicians from the UK around the world

and performing to global audiences. Orchestras also attract international composers

and musicians to the UK to perform for British audiences.

Sports: Hearing Impairment

Dr Rosena Allin-Khan: [124577]

To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what measures are in

place to ensure that professional athletes who suffer from hearing impairments and

cannot register under the British Paralympic Association are not at a disadvantage when

having to compete alongside other athletes who do not have hearing impairments.

Tracey Crouch:

We recognise the importance of sport and physical activity for disabled people who

take part at both grassroots and the elite level. We would expect national governing

bodies of sport (NGBs) to identify hearing impaired athletes through their talent

pathway programmes and put a support plan in place. NGBs also work with the

relevant International Federation, where necessary, to help ensure that hearing

impaired athletes can compete alongside those who do not have hearing

impairments.

Telecommunications

Grant Shapps: [124255]

To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, if he will bring forward

legislative proposals for an independent consumer advocate for the telecoms industry.

Margot James:

The Communications Consumer Panel currently provides Ofcom with advice about

the interests of consumers in the communications sector, as required under the

Communications Act 2003. The Consumer Green paper will tackle areas where

markets are not working well for consumers, including in the communications sector.




Video Games: Children


To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, whether he plans to

regulate the sale of loot boxes to people aged under under 18.

Margot James:

Consumers are protected by the Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading

Regulations 2008. This includes a requirement on businesses not to subject anyone

to misleading or aggressive marketing practices, or, for example, direct exhortation to

buy products, such as games content, including in-game purchases such as loot

boxes. The government is committed to ensuring that consumers are properly

protected and that children’s vulnerability and inexperience is not exploited by

aggressive commercial practices.

On 11 October we published the Internet Safety Strategy, setting out plans to make

the UK the safest place in the world to be online. The Strategy outlines how the

government will work with online platforms, game publishers and game developers,

and with agencies such as the VSC Rating Board, to continue to improve online

safety in games. This includes promoting further awareness and understanding of

PEGI age ratings, parental controls and advice on safe gaming.

Voluntary Organisations


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

has made of the extent to which local authorities’ compacts with the voluntary sector are

being complied with in practice; and if he will make a statement.

Tracey Crouch:

Compacts between local authorities and civil society can be an effective means of

strengthening partnership working and delivering better outcomes to those in need. It

is the responsibility of local authorities to decide whether a local compact would be of

value in their area and to ensure that it is complied with where they are put in place.

The Government's forthcoming Civil Society Strategy will provide an opportunity to

consider practical ways of improving cross sectoral partnerships.

Youth Social Action Review

Mr Steve Reed: [124838]

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

full-time social action review has been delayed.

Tracey Crouch:

The Chair of the Review of Full Time Social Action requested an extension of one

month to complete his report.




EDUCATION

Academies: Cambridge

Daniel Zeichner: [123780]

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

on a change of curriculum at academies that used to be maintained schools in

Cambridge constituency since 2010.

Nadhim Zahawi:

The department has not received any formal complaints on a change of curriculum at

academies that used to be maintained schools in the Cambridge constituency.

Apprentices


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

made of the likelihood of achieving three million apprenticeship starts by 2020; and if he


Anne Milton:

We publish progress on the number of apprenticeships starts within the department’s

further education and skills statistical first release, which can be found at:

https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/further-education-and-skills-statistical-

first-release-sfr#2017-releases. The latest release was published on 25 January

2018.

There have been over 1.2 million apprenticeship starts since May 2015 and we plan

to achieve three million apprenticeship starts in England by 2020.

Autism: Barnsley

Stephanie Peacock: [124668]

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many children with autism as their

primary educational special need received a permanent or fixed period exclusion in

Barnsley in each of the last seven years.


To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many children with an education, health

and care plan or a statement of special educational needs received a permanent or fixed

period exclusion in Barnsley in each of the last seven years.

Nadhim Zahawi:

The first accompanying table provides the numbers of pupils with autism as their

primary need who received fixed period and permanent exclusions in Barnsley local

authority in the last seven years.

The second accompanying table shows the number of pupils with an education,

health and care plan or a statement of special educational needs who received a





permanent or fixed-period exclusion in Barnsley local authority in each of the last

seven years.

Attachments:

1. 124668 124670 Table [124668 124670 tables.xlsx]

Carillion


To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how often Carillion was stress-tested by his

Department; when the last such stress test was carried out; and what the results of that

stress test were.

Nick Gibb:

The Department reviews the financial standing of suppliers before awarding

contracts; as part of the qualification process for places on our supply frameworks;

and as part of ongoing contract management arrangements, in line with Cabinet

Office guidance. The Cabinet Office manages relationships with Strategic Suppliers,

monitoring their performance and financial health on a cross-Government basis,

through its Strategic Supplier Risk Management Policy.

The Department has been working closely with the Cabinet Office to monitor the

situation with Carillion since profit warnings were first issued last July. Our priority has

been to ensure schools can continue to operate as usual.

Local authorities and academy trusts are responsible for their own contracts. We

have worked with local authorities and academy trusts to make sure they have

contingency plans in place and that these are being actioned, where required. We are

continuing to monitor developments and provide support where it is needed to help

minimise any disruption.

Children: Day Care


To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps he is taking to make sufficient

funding available to (a) Liverpool City Council and (b) Knowsley Metropolitan Council to

ensure they are able to comply with the mandatory provision of 30 hours of free childcare

for three and four-year-olds within those local authority areas.


To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if he will ensure that the level of Government

funding provided to (a) Liverpool City Council and (b) Knowsley Metropolitan Borough

Council is sufficient to allow those local authorities to support the mandatory provision of

30 hours of free childcare for three and four-year-olds.

Nadhim Zahawi:

By 2019-20, the government will be spending around £6 billion a year on childcare

support, including £1 billion to deliver 30 hours of free childcare and pay the higher

funding rates that we introduced in April 2017.




Our funding rates are based on evidence from our “Review of Childcare Costs”,

which was described as “thorough and wide ranging” by the National Audit Office.

Local authorities’ individual funding rates are set by the new early years national

funding formula which takes account of relative children’s needs and costs of

delivery.

Through ‘Childcare Works’, we are supporting all local authorities to deliver 30 hours

of free childcare, and we are monitoring carefully its implementation.

Lucy Allan: [123800]

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

of 30 hours of free childcare in Telford and Wrekin.

Anne Milton:

The rollout of 30 hours free childcare has progressed well in Telford and Wrekin with

839 children reported to be taking up a 30 hours place, in November 2017. The local

authority is receiving specialist support from our national delivery contractor to ensure

progress continues as we move towards the summer term.


To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many eligibility codes for 30 hours of

free childcare have been (a) generated and (b) validated in Telford and Wrekin.

Nadhim Zahawi:

The number of eligibility codes for 30 hours free childcare that have generated and

validated in Telford and Wrekin, as of data published on 8 January, is in the table

below:

LA NAME

ELIGIBILITY CODES ISSUED BY

8TH JANUARY

ELIGIBILITY CODES VALIDATED

BY 8TH JANUARY

Telford and Wrekin 1168 825

Please note, codes issued relates to the local authority where the parent is resident.

Codes validated relates to the local authority where the code was checked. These

are not always the same as some parents may use the code in a bordering local

authority.


To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether his Department plans to reduce the

upper earnings limit for free childcare eligibility.

Nadhim Zahawi:

The entitlement to 30 hours free childcare is intended to support working parents with

the cost of childcare and enable them, where they wish, to return to work or to work

additional hours.




We are in the first full year of rolling out this transformative policy. Our immediate

focus is on successful delivery for the spring and summer terms, and on evaluating

30 hours free childcare during its first year. We will not be making any significant

changes to the policy until we can properly review whether 30 hours free childcare is

being delivered effectively and supporting working families as intended.

Jeff Smith: [124338]

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps his Department has taken to roll

out 30 hours of free childcare in (a) Manchester, Withington constituency and (b)

Manchester.


To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many eligibility codes for 30 hours free

childcare have been (a) generated and (b) validated in (i) Manchester Withington

constituency and (b) Manchester.

Nadhim Zahawi:

The department is committed to ensuring all parents who are eligible for the 30 hours

free childcare entitlement are able to take up a place that suits their childcare needs.

We have already provided significant support to local authorities and providers

through our delivery contractor, ‘Childcare Works’, providing tailored support to help

progress implementation plans.

In November 17, we also launched the ‘Delivery Support Fund’ to support local

authorities, and enable them to support their providers,

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

This showed that, in the first term of delivery, an estimated 1,094 children were in a

30 hours place in Manchester – this was 82% of those issued with a 30 hours

eligibility code.

Furthermore, as of 8 January, 2,235 30 hours eligibility codes had been issued in

Manchester for the spring term and 1,311 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.


To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many eligibility codes for 30 hours free

childcare have been (a) generated and (b) validated in (i) Coventry South constituency

and (b) Coventry.

Nadhim Zahawi:

On 19 December 2017, the department published ’30 hours free childcare: autumn

term 2017’ which showed that in the first term of delivery, an estimated 1,143 children



https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/673119/30-hours_childcare_management_information_stats-_Jan_2018.pdf



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




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

eligibility code.

As of 8 January 2018, 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

’, available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/30-hours-free-childcare-

eligibility-codes-issued-and-validated.

Information on codes generated and validated is broken down to a local authority

level, not a constituency level, therefore data on the wider Coventry South

constituency is not held centrally.

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

hours free childcare at a national and local level.


To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answer of 5 December 2017

to Question 116945, on children: day care, whether that contract has been signed; and

whether the composition of the working group remains the same.

Nadhim Zahawi:

The department will be signing the contract to undertake the year one evaluation of

30 hours’ free childcare policy by the end of January. The consortium of Frontier

Economics, researchers from the University of East London and NatCen Social

Research remains the same.

Children's Centres


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

to Question 123506, on Children's Centres: Closures, how many new children's centres

have opened since 2010.

Nadhim Zahawi:

Based on information supplied by local authorities, fourteen children’s centres have

opened since April 2010.[1]

[1] The figure for centres opened since 2010 does not include children’s centres that

local authorities have reported closed and subsequently reopened.

Children's Centres: Inspections

Tulip Siddiq: [124481]

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, when his Department plans to resume

Ofsted inspections of children’s centres.









Nadhim Zahawi:

I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 25 January 2017 to Question 124199

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

statements/written-questions-

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

uin=124199.

Department for Education: Beverage Containers


To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many disposable coffee cups were


Nadhim Zahawi:

The information requested is not held centrally. Disposable coffee cups are

purchased by an external catering supplier, which was unable to provide this

information.

Department for Education: Former Members


To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many former Conservative Members of



Nadhim Zahawi:

No former Conservative Members of Parliament who were defeated at the 2017

general election now work in the Department for Education.

Domestic Visits: Knowsley


To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what plans he has to visit the Metropolitan

Borough of Knowsley.

Nadhim Zahawi:

Since his appointment, the Secretary of State does not yet have a confirmed visits

schedule in place. He is looking forward to visiting a range of educational institutions

across the country.

Education: Standards

Siobhain McDonagh: [903600]

What discussions he has had with Cabinet colleagues on the effect on children's

education of living in temporary accommodation.

Nadhim Zahawi:

Since being appointed, I have not had a chance to discuss this issue with colleagues.

However, we know moving into temporary accommodation can mean changing





schools, which is strongly associated with poorer attainment. We provide schools with

extra resources to ensure all pupils, regardless of their home circumstances, can go

as far as their talent and hard work will take them. We have spent almost £2.5 billion

this year through the pupil premium to support disadvantaged pupils.

Foster Care: Finance

Luciana Berger: [124860]

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, in reference to the staying put initiative

launched in 2013, whether his Department plans to raise the payment for HS236 foster

carers who are looking after adults in their care.

Nadhim Zahawi:

Staying Put arrangements play a vital role in supporting some of the most vulnerable

young people in society, allowing them to enjoy continuity in their care arrangements,

and adopt a more gradual transition to adulthood and independence. It is therefore

right that foster carers receive the support that they need, including financial support,

to help them meet the needs of those that they care for. In Staying Put arrangements,

the amount paid to foster carers is determined locally, by the carer’s local authority or

fostering agency.

Office for Students: Public Appointments

Matt Western: [903595]

What assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the appointment process for the

board of the Office for Students.

Mr Sam Gyimah:

The appointments to the Board were made through a fair and open competition,

reflecting the Governance Code on Public appointments and the relevant legislation.

The Board members have the broad range of skills and experience needed to lead

the Office for Students to deliver better outcomes for students.

Pre-school Education: Alternative Education



to Question 123172, what the locations are of the 10 AP free schools, AP academies and

Pupil Referral Units that cater for early years.



to Question 123172, on pupil referral units, how many referrals have been made to the 10

AP free schools, AP academies and Pupil Referral Units for three and four years-olds in

each of the last three years.





Nadhim Zahawi:

As at 24 January 2018, the department’s ‘Get information about schools’ website,

available at: https://www.get-information-schools.service.gov.uk/ shows there are 42

pupil referral units (PRUs), alternative provision (AP) free schools and AP academies

that offer provision for early years pupils aged four and under. The data containing

the local authority names for these PRUs, AP free schools and academies can found

in the attached annex A.

The department does not collect data on the number of referrals to alternative

provision. However, as at January 2015, 2016 and 2017, six, seven and 10 children

respectively aged three and four were placed in PRUs, AP academies and AP free

schools.

Attachments:

1. Annex [PQ124556 attachment.xlsx]

Schools: South Yorkshire


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

of (a) primary and (b) secondary aged children in (i) Barnsley and (ii) South Yorkshire

who are attending a school rated (A) outstanding and (B) good by Ofsted.

Nick Gibb:

As of 31 August 2017, there were 30% of pupils in Barnsley in primary schools rated

outstanding and 61% in primary schools rated good.

As of 31 August 2017, there were 18% of pupils in South Yorkshire in primary

schools rated outstanding and 66% in primary schools rated good (South Yorkshire

has grouped local authorities’ data from Barnsley, Doncaster, Rotherham and

Sheffield).

As of 31 August 2017, there were no pupils in secondary schools rated outstanding

and 61% in secondary schools rated good in Barnsley.

As of 31 August 2017, there were 18% of pupils in secondary schools rated

outstanding in South Yorkshire and 52% in secondary schools rated good (South

Yorkshire has grouped local authorities’ data from Barnsley, Doncaster, Rotherham

and Sheffield).

Ofsted’s latest releases can be found at:

https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/maintained-schools-and-academies-

inspections-and-outcomes-as-at-31-august-2017.

Skilled Workers: Local Government


To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what his policy is on the devolution of

powers on skills to elected mayors and combined authorities; and if he will make a

statement.


https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/maintained-schools-and-academies-inspections-and-outcomes-as-at-31-august-2017




Anne Milton:

The department is still intending to devolve the adult education budget to Mayoral

Combined Authorities and the Greater London Authority for 2019/20, subject to

certain readiness conditions. We are working collaboratively with local areas to

ensure people can gain the skills that meet both local and national needs including

setting up Skills Advisory Panels.

The changes we made to apprenticeships put employers at the heart of driving up the

skills of their workforce.

Special Educational Needs

Edward Argar: [903593]

What steps his Department is taking to improve support for children with special

educational needs and disabilities.

James Duddridge: [903594]



Gordon Henderson: [903598]



Luke Hall: [903599]



Nadhim Zahawi:

We have been strengthening the Special Educational Needs and Disabilities system

through the biggest programme of reforms in a generation. We have legislated to

improve the system and have invested £341 million since 2014 to help ensure the

reforms make a real difference. We will continue to build on this, so that every child

has the chance to fulfil their potential.

Universities: Admissions


To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what proportion of young people leaving

educational institutions after completing A-Level studies in (a) Barnsley East

constituency, (b) East Hampshire constituency and (c) England enrolled in university

courses in each year since 2010.

Mr Sam Gyimah:

The attached table shows the proportion of students that were at the end of 16‑18

study (taking A level or other level 3 qualifications) in Barnsley East, East Hampshire

and all of England and progressed to study at a UK Higher Education Institution for at






least two terms in a given academic year. Information on destinations in academic

years 2010-11 to 2015-16 is given. This is the most recent data available.

Information on pupil destinations is published annually on GOV.UK at:

https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/statistics-destinations.

Attachments:

1. Students with sustained destinations at UK HEIs [124667 - Students with sustained

destinations at UK Higher Education Institutions.docx]

ENVIRONMENT, FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS

Countryside Stewardship Scheme

Julie Cooper: [124184]

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will make it

his policy to ensure that the Countryside Stewardship scheme will not make any farmer

on the previous Entry Level Stewardship scheme financially worse off.

George Eustice:

There are currently 5,838 entry level Environmental Stewardship agreements. In

2018 4,939 expire, and the rest in 2019. Farmers in these agreements will continue to

get their payments for the lifetime of the agreements.

We encourage farmers leaving entry level Environmental Stewardship in 2018 to

consider applying for Countryside Stewardship. We have introduced four new offers

for wildlife on arable, lowland grazing, upland and mixed farms. These new wildlife

offers are non-competitive, the form is shorter and we have reviewed and simplified

the supporting evidence requirements.

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs: Beverage Containers

Catherine West: [123150]

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what estimate has

been made of the number of single use disposable cups that are (a) used each year and

(b) sent for recycling by his Department.

Dr Thérèse Coffey:

(a) On 11 January 2018, at the Secretary of State’s request, all single use plastic

water cups were removed from Defra. Re-usable glasses are now provided instead.

In recent years Defra’s outsourced Catering and Facilities Management providers

purchased disposable cups for the Defra offices.

Since October 2014, the number of disposable cups purchased by Defra’s catering

provider has fallen by a third:

https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/statistics-destinations

https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/statistics-destinations



PERIOD NUMBER OF CUPS

1/10/2014 – 30/09/2015 536,100

1/10/2015 – 30/09/2016 391,700

1/10/2016 – 30/09/2017 369,500

1/10/2017 – 31/12/2017 49,500

The current catering contract expires this summer. The tender for the new contract

stipulates that the supplier must not use single use plastics and must provide

alternatives to single use disposable cups or implement a recycling scheme.

Since 2013, the number of disposable cups purchased by Defra’s facilities contractor

has fallen by more than half.

CALENDAR YEAR NUMBER OF CUPS PURCHASED

2013 380,000

2014 280,000

2015 240,000

2016 200,000

2017 168,000

Total 1,268,000

Different time periods have been used in the tables above as the catering provider

and facilities contractor have different financial years.

(b) The department cannot estimate the number of single use disposable cups sent

for recycling as Defra uses mixed recycling bins and it is not possible to quantify the

separate elements.

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs: Equality

Sir Mark Hendrick: [124245]

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to

his Department's report entitled Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs

Equality Objectives 2012-2016, published in April 2012, what steps his Department has

taken to raise awareness of diversity by developing a communications plan to celebrate

key equality and culture events such as LGBT History Month and Black History Month.

George Eustice:

Defra’s Equality, Diversity and Inclusion strategy sets out ambitious and

comprehensive priorities to promote equality, diversity and inclusion in the


Department, including ‘supporting and empowering our networks and creating

opportunities for people to share experience’. Our strategy is supported by an annual

communications plan setting out our priorities over the next 12 months and

highlighting opportunities to raise awareness of equality, diversity and inclusion.

We promote a range of nationally and internationally celebrated diversity calendar

dates and events. For example, Black History Month and LGBT History Month 2017

were both celebrated using intranet stories and personal blogs and stories from Defra

employees. Clare Moriarty, Defra Permanent Secretary, was part of a Cabinet Office

panel to celebrate LGBT History Month and also attended the Defra Ethnic Minority

Network Conference as a guest speaker where the Defra group ‘Project Race’ was

launched.

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs: Former Members


To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, 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.

George Eustice:

No former Conservative Members of Parliament defeated at the 2017 general

election have been appointed to the department.

Electric Vehicles


To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what plans his

Department has to install charging points for electrical cars at its offices.

George Eustice:

We are reviewing plans to install car chargers at existing Defra sites, however some

Defra staff will already have access to car chargers that are being installed at

Environment Agency (EA) co-located sites. A car charging point is being installed at

Defra’s new London site, 2 Marsham Street, which is standard practice at all newly

acquired sites.

EA have installed, and are soon to commission, 33 car chargers nationally, many of

which are at sites that are co-located by core Defra staff and other Defra bodies.

These installations are intended to complement the growing number of publically

accessible charge points.



Energy: Meters


To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the

Answer of 27 November 2017 to Question 115085, what types of meter the Waste

Electrical and Electronic Regulations (a) does and (b) does not apply to.



Answer of 27 November 2017 to Question 115085, whether for energy meters to which

the Waste Electrical and Electronic Regulations apply provision exists under the duty of

care for such meters to be disposed of in the event that the original manufacturer cannot

be verified.


Guidance for producers published by the Environment Agency states that digital utility

meters are within the scope of the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment

Regulations 2013. Analogue utility meters are out of scope.

Where energy suppliers, their installation contractors, or meter asset providers acting

on their behalf remove meters and intend to discard them as waste (through disposal,

recycling or preparation for re-use), because the original manufacturer cannot be

verified, they must comply with the waste duty of care legislation. If they do not intend

to discard the meters as waste then the waste duty of care legislation does not apply.

Food Poverty

Dan Jarvis: [124803]


Answer of the 18 January to Question 122811, what assessment his Department has

made of the potential merits of treating food banks usage as an indicator for food

insecurity.

George Eustice:

Government does not collect the data which would be necessary for such an

indicator. However, the Living Costs and Food Survey is longstanding and is the best

indicator of food affordability and trends in consumer behaviour.

Food: Waste


To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether he has

plans to reduce the level of food waste in the commercial sector; and if he will make a

statement.


The Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP), which receives funding from

Defra, launched the Courtauld Commitment 2025 in March 2016. This is an ambitious





ten-year voluntary agreement that brings together organisations across the food

system to identify priorities, develop solutions and implement changes at scale, both

within signatory organisations and by spreading new best practice across the UK.

The commitment goes further than ever before with ambitious industry targets to be

reached by 2025. One of these is a 20% per capita reduction in food and drink waste

arising in the UK.

We are also taking action to support the redistribution of unsold edible and nutritious

surplus stock food from businesses to individuals in need. WRAP announced, at the

end of last year, a new £0.5 million fund for charities who redistribute surplus food

from food businesses to those in need.

Food: Waste Disposal

Scott Mann: [124209]

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what estimate his

Department has made of the amount of food waste which went into landfill (a) nationally

and (b) in Cornwall in each of the last three years.


The latest available estimates from the Waste and Resources Action Programme are

available at the following link:

http://www.wrap.org.uk/sites/files/wrap/Estimates_%20in_the_UK_Jan17.pdf

These estimates are not broken down further by region.

Other information through permit data for waste sent to landfill would not provide a

robust estimate since much of the food waste would be recorded as part of mixed

municipal waste rather than just for food waste.

Ivory: Sales


To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether a

timetable has been set for the introduction of an ivory ban in the UK; and when he plans

to publish the outcome of his Department’s consultation on banning UK sales of ivory.


The Government’s consultation on proposals to ban UK sales of ivory closed on 29

December last year and we received over 70,000 responses. We are currently

analysing the information provided and will publish our response to the consultation

shortly.





Plastic Bags: Fees and Charges

Mrs Anne Main: [123970]

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what information

his Department holds on how much has been raised by retailers since the introduction of

the 5p charge for single use carrier bags; and what information his Department holds on

the schemes proceeds from that charge have gone to.


Since the charge was introduced in England, retailers have donated proceeds of

approximately £95 million towards a variety of good causes covering the arts,

education, environment, health, heritage and sports as well as local causes chosen

by customers or staff.

Tree Planting: North of England


To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether the

Government has plans to increase the funding allocated to the Northern Forest.


The Government has committed to providing £5.7 million to kick start the Northern

Forest project.

Trees: Diseases


To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether his

Department plans to offer funding for the observation of tree health after the UK has left

the EU.


Our extensive tree health surveillance programme involves government, industry,

conservation groups and the public. It includes aerial and ground based surveillance

activity by the Forestry Commission; risk based inspections at nurseries and retail

sites to detect any issues at an early stage; and the ‘Observatree’ network of

volunteer tree health surveyors trained by Forest Research and the Woodland Trust.

Funding for this approach will continue after the UK has left the EU.

Waste and Resources Action Programme


To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what estimate he

has made of the funding his Department allocated to the Waste Resources Action

Programme (WRAP) in each year from 2009-10 to 2017-18; and if he will make a

statement.






Defra places a high value on the work WRAP delivers for the Department. WRAP has

delivered an ambitious and highly regarded programme, and we are working closely

with WRAP to ensure this programme continues.

YEAR

2017 -

18

2016 -

17

2015 -

16

2014 -

15

2013 -

14 2012 -13

2011 -

12 2010 -11

2009 –

10

Budget

(£m)

9.62 14.00 13.286 17.55 25.74 28.79 37.69 53.48 44.15

Water Treatment: Plastics


To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment

the Government has made of the contribution of waste water treatment plants to tackling

the problem of micro plastics.


The Environment Agency is currently working with the water industry and leading

academics in the field to investigate the quantities, sources and types of micro-

plastics entering the environment via sewage and sewage sludge. This work is being

carried out as part of the water industry investment planning process and will inform

future consideration of measures to reduce micro-plastics at source and the potential

for plastic capture technology at water company waste water treatment plants.

Water: Meters

Scott Mann: [123479]

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what estimate he

has made of the number of secondary residences which do not have a water meter.


No such estimate has been made in relation to secondary residences.

Water companies provide data to the Environment Agency on households that have a

meter fitted, as part of the annual review of their water resources management plans.

The following table sets out the proportions by water company, as at March 2017.

WATER COMPANY PERCENTAGE OF HOUSEHOLD METERING

Affinity Water 47

Anglian Water 77

Bristol Water 47



WATER COMPANY PERCENTAGE OF HOUSEHOLD METERING

Cambridge Water 70

Essex & Suffolk Water 58

Northumbrian Water 32

Portsmouth Water 28

Bournemouth Water 69

SES Water* 50

Severn Trent 41

South East Water 76

South Staffordshire Water 35

South West Water 79

Southern Water 84

Thames Water 39

United Utilities 38

Wessex Water 60

Yorkshire Water 49

England 50

* previously Sutton & East Surrey Water

EXITING THE EUROPEAN UNION

Brexit

Jo Platt: [124540]

To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, pursuant to the Answer of

23 January 2018 to Question 122410 on Brexit, whether any journalist has been given

access to non-public Market Access reports pertaining to the UK’s withdrawal from the

EU that did not undermine the UK's negotiating position.

Mr Robin Walker:

We have been as open as possible in sharing information subject to the

overwhelming national interest of preserving our negotiating position, including

publishing 14 detailed papers on the negotiations to date.


Any non-public reports are by definition not shared with individuals and organisations

outside government.

UK Trade with EU

Hilary Benn: [122661]

To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, whether it is his policy for

Turkey to be included in any trade agreement reached with the EU.

Mr Robin Walker:

Many of the UK’s relationships with non-EU partners and international organisations

rest in some way on the UK’s membership of the EU. DExEU is leading a process to

explore what action is needed across international agreements with third countries.

Our priority is to aim for continuity, recognising the need to promote stability for

businesses and individuals.

As the Secretary of State said at the Exiting the European Union Select Committee

on 24 January, our future economic relationship with the EU will be agreed between

the UK and the EU.

We want to put in place mechanisms to make our exit as frictionless as possible with

respect to UK-Turkey trade.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE

Afgan Mukhtarli

Ian Austin: [123786]

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what information the

Government holds on the (a) arrest (b) trial and (c) imprisonment in Azerbaijan of the

investigative journalist Afgan Mukhtarli.


To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether the

Government has taken any steps to seek the humane treatment of Afgan Mukhtarli in

prison in Azerbaijan; and if he will make a statement.


To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether he is

aware of the response from the Azerbaijani authorities to Afgan Mukhtarli's request to be

permitted to attend the funeral of his sister Nurana Mukhtarly and two of her children who

died on 31 December 2017.

Sir Alan Duncan:

We have serious concerns about Afghan Mukhtarli's alleged abduction in Georgia.

Our Embassy in Tbilisi has raised the circumstances of Mr Mukhtarli's abduction with

the Georgian authorities, and we have urged the Georgian Government to conduct an

open and transparent investigation into this incident as soon as possible.





We also consider Afghan Mukhtarli's trial and sentencing at the Balakan District Court

in Azerbaijan to be politically motivated and part of a pattern of convictions of

journalists, political and human rights activists in Azerbaijan. We continue to call on

the Government of Azerbaijan to review the case urgently. Our Embassy in Baku will

continue to raise Afghan Mukhtarli's case with the Azerbaijani authorities, including

any allegations of mistreatment in prison. We are aware of Mr Mukhtarli's request to

attend the funerals of family members who died recently in tragic circumstances.

Armed Conflict: Sexual Offences

Stephen Twigg: [124150]

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, of how many

experts the Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict Initiative multidisciplinary team is

comprised.

Mark Field:

The Team of Experts currently consists of 38 independent experts (26 women),

including criminal lawyers, policing advisers, gender based violence experts,

international investigating officers, training experts and psychosocial experts.

Burma: Arms Trade


To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether he has

had any discussions with his Canadian counterpart on securing the support of the

Government of Canada for (a) a UN mandated global arms embargo on Burma and (b) a

referral of the situation in Burma to the International Criminal Court.

Sir Alan Duncan:

The Foreign Secretary discussed the situation in Burma with Canadian Foreign

Minister, Chrystia Freeland, in September. The Government recognises the

importance of maintaining pressure on the Burmese military and security forces and

has played a key role supporting measures such as the EU arms embargo and

suspension of all military visits. We judge that there would not be consensus within

the UNSC for a global arms embargo or ICC referral at this time.

Burma: Rohingya


To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what meetings he

has had with members of the UK Rohingya community to discuss the Government's

response to the crisis in Burma and Bangladesh.

Mark Field:

Officials from the FCO and DFID met with Rohingya community leaders in Bradford

on 16 November. They explained the Government's response to the crisis in Burma

and Bangladesh and listened to the views and suggestions of the representatives of

the community. We intend to maintain this contact.




Colombia: Peace Negotiations


To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment

he has made of the effect of the murder of 34 demobilised FARC members and 13

relatives of former combatants on the peace process in Colombia; and if he will make a

statement.


To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether his

Department has made an assessment of the effect of the recent murders of former FARC

combatants, Vilmar Asprilla and Ansel de Jesus Montoya Ibarra, and the UN

condemnation of those murders on the peace process in Colombia; and if he will make a

statement.

Sir Alan Duncan:

The UK condemns attacks against former members of the FARC and their families.

This includes the killing of Vilmar Asprilla and Ansel de Jesús Montoya Ibarra who

were election campaigning in Antioquia on 16 January.

We are concerned about increasing number of attacks against human rights

defenders and local community leaders in Colombia. The UN Office for Human

Rights has reported that at least 78 human rights defenders were killed in 2017.

Tragic incidents such as these undermine the peace process. Through our advocacy

and project work we support efforts by the Government of Colombia to strengthen the

protection of vulnerable groups and individuals.

Egypt: Christianity

Paul Girvan: [123866]

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent

assessment he has made of the treatment of Christians in Egypt.

Alistair Burt:

We are concerned about terrorist attacks in Egypt that have targeted the Coptic

community and at reports of sectarian violence. Combating sectarian violence is a

shared strategic objective for the Egyptian and British Governments and we welcome

President Sisi's calls for peaceful coexistence between communities. The

Government of Egypt has stated its commitment to protecting the rights of minorities

and of the need for religious tolerance, and the Egyptian constitution contains

protection for Freedom of Religious Belief. It is important that these rights are

respected.

Foreign And Commonwealth Office: Beverage Containers


To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how many

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





Sir Alan Duncan:

The below table highlights the available information held on the number of disposable

cups purchased in the UK by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in each of the

last five years. The figures are based on cups purchased centrally by our catering

supplier. They do not include individual ad hoc purchases of cups by teams within the

office or purchases by our overseas missions.

HOT BEVERAGE CUPS

2013 Data not available



2016 654,156

2017 655,718

Since May 2017, the FCO have provided disposable cup recycling bins and offered

discounts on hot drinks purchased in reusable cups in its food and drink outlets to

minimise disposable cup waste and support the recycling of disposable cups.

Hamed bin Haydara

Diana Johnson: [124878]

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what reports his

Department has received on the decision of the Specialised Criminal Court in Sana'a to

sentence Mr Hamed bin Haydara to death by public execution because of his religious

beliefs; and if he will make a statement.

Alistair Burt:

As the Minister for Europe and the Americas said in his response to the urgent

question on this issue on 11 January, we strongly condemn Mr bin Haydara's death

sentence, and the continued persecution of Baha'is in Yemen for their religious

beliefs. We were informed of Mr bin Haydara's sentence on 2 January, via the Baha'i

community in London, and I met with the leader of the Baha'i community on 25

January. We continue to work closely with our partners, including the European

Union, to raise this issue directly with the de facto authorities in Sana'a, and have

sought to raise the profile of Mr bin Haydara's situation through public diplomacy.


To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment

he has made of the potential implications for the Baha'i community and freedom of

religion or belief in northern Yemen of the death sentence pronounced against the

Yemeni Baha'i Mr bin Haydara.



Alistair Burt:

We are very concerned about the persecution of Baha'is in Yemen, particularly in

areas controlled by the Houthis and forces aligned to the late former President Saleh.

The immediate release of all Baha'is in Yemen imprisoned for their religious beliefs

was a key demand in the September United Nations Human Rights Council

Resolution, which we supported. We will work closely with all partners to ensure its

full implementation. We are in close contact with the Baha'i community in London

regarding Mr Haydara's case and the wider situation of Bahai's in Yemen. I met with

with representatives of the Baha'i community on 18 January to discuss this and other

cases.

Liberia: Foreign Relations

Hugh Gaffney: [124213]

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether he plans to

meet President Weah of Liberia; and if he will make a statement.

Harriett Baldwin:

The Prime Minister wrote to President Weah to congratulate him on his election

victory, and I share those sentiments. Our Ambassador in Monrovia and a senior

official from London attended President Weah's inauguration on 23rd January, and

discussed early priorities with him.

The UK's relationship with Liberia is an historic one. Britain was the first country to

recognise Liberia's independence in 1848. The Foreign Secretary made the first ever

visit to Liberia by a serving UK Foreign Minister in February 2017. My predecessor as

Minister for Africa, Rory Stewart, met with a delegation of Liberian Ministers in

September. The UK financial commitment to Liberia is approximately £70m annually

and our Embassy in Monrovia will work closely with the new administration to help

deliver our shared priorities.

Members: Correspondence


To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, when he plans to

respond to the letter of 8 December 2017 from the hon. Member for Birmingham

Northfield on President Trump’s decision to recognise Jerusalem as the capital of Israel.

Alistair Burt:

A response has been sent.

Sidgi Kaballo

Nic Dakin: [124169]

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what

representations he has made to the Government of Sudan on the detention of British

citizen Dr Sidqi Kaballo.




Harriett Baldwin:

We remain concerned about Dr Kaballo's continued detention, as well as that of other

political detainees, and we will continue to press the Government of Sudan to release

those arbitrarily detained immediately. Our Ambassador, and the Special

Representative for Sudan and South Sudan, have raised Dr Kaballo's case with

senior members of the Government of Sudan, including the Minister of Foreign

Affairs, and have urged them to ensure that he receives the necessary medical

assistance, and that he is allowed family visits. We will continue to closely monitor Dr

Kaballo's situation and raise our concerns with the Government of Sudan.

Sri Lanka: Tamils


To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps the

Government is taking to uphold the human rights of the Tamil people and to support the

establishment of democratically accountable institutions in Sri Lanka.

Mark Field:

The UK is committed to the full implementation of UN Human Rights Council

Resolution 34/1, under which Sri Lanka committed to implement a range of measures

to provide for human rights, truth-seeking, reconciliation, and devolution of political

powers following the end of its civil war. I encouraged Foreign Minister Marapana to

continue to make progress on these commitments when I met him last October in

Colombo. Our High Commissioner in Sri Lanka regularly travel to the North and East

and I joined him in Jaffna during my most recent visit to meet with Tamil groups, and

where we have specific human rights concerns we raise these with the Sri Lankan

government.

The UK is also providing Sri Lanka with £6.6 million of Conflict, Stability and Security

Fund funding over three years, to include support for police reform and training,

reconciliation and peace building, and demining in the north of the country.



Government is taking to ensure that the Sri Lankan Government abides by the Oslo

Declaration of 2002.

Mark Field:

The Oslo Declaration followed the conclusion of the third session of peace talks

between the Sri Lankan government and the LTTE leadership in 2002. Regrettably

the ceasefire failed and several more years of civil war followed the declaration,

finally ending in 2009.

The UK supports the full implementation of UN Human Rights Council Resolution

34/1 as the best way to secure lasting peace and reconciliation, including devolution

of political authority and respect for the human rights of all Sri Lankans.



Sri Lanka: UN Resolutions



Government is taking to ensure that the Sri Lankan Government observes United Nations

Human Rights Council Resolution 30/1.

Mark Field:

During my visit to Colombo and Jaffna in October 2017, I raised with Foreign Minister

Marapana the importance of the Sri Lankan government implementing in full its

commitments under UN Human Rights Council Resolution 34/1, which rolled over the

commitments made under 30/1. I encouraged accelerated progress towards fulfilling

these commitments, including the return of all military-held private land, the

operationalisation of the Office of Missing Persons, and the development of new

counter-terrorism legislation in line with international human rights standards.

Syria: Armed Conflict



assessment he has made of the security situation in Afrin district, northern Syria.

Alistair Burt:

We are closely following developments in Afrin in north-western Syria. The Foreign

Secretary and I have been in contact with Turkish Foreign Minister Çavuşoğlu to

discuss 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.



discussions he has had with his Turkish counterpart on Turkish military operations

underway in Afrin district, northern Syria.


To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions

he has had with his Turkish counterpart on the Turkish operation in the Afrin district of

Syria.

Sir Alan Duncan:

We are closely following developments in Afrin in north-western Syria, and the

Foreign Secretary and other Foreign and Commonwealth Office Ministers are in

regular contact with their Turkish counterparts. 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.

Joan Ryan: [124846]


discussions he has had with his counterparts in (a) Turkey, (b) the US, (c) Russia, (d) the

EU, (e) the UN, (f) NATO and (g) the Arab League on (i) the Turkish assault on the city of

Afrin and (ii) how a humanitarian crisis can be averted.

Sir Alan Duncan:



regular contact with their Turkish counterparts. The Foreign Secretary has spoken

with Secretary of State Tillerson about the Turkish operation, and I discussed the

situation at the EU Foreign Affairs Council. The Foreign Secretary also attended a

Syria Small Group meeting on the 23 January which considered the situation. The UK

as a member of the UN Security Council, and the NATO North Atlantic Council, has

also discussed the operation in these fora. We have urged Turkey to avoid any

escalation in violence and to seek to protect civilians, while recognising its legitimate

interest in the security of its borders. We have also stressed the importance of

ensuring that humanitarian assistance can reach the area. 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.

Joan Ryan: [124847]

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions

he has had with his Turkish counterparts since President Erdogan’s statement of 20

January 2018 on an assault on the Syrian city of Manbij; and if he will make a statement.

Sir Alan Duncan:



regular contact with their Turkish counterparts. We have sought regular updates on

the progress of the operation. We have urged Turkey to avoid any escalation in

violence and to seek to protect civilians, while recognising its legitimate interest in the

security of its borders. 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: Kurds



assessment he has made of the human rights situation of Kurdish communities in the

Afrin district, northern Syria.




Alistair Burt:

Afrin is largely under the de facto control of the Kurdish PYD party. We have some

human rights concerns about the PYD's governance of areas it controls although

these are not as severe as the human rights situation in areas held by the Syrian

regime. We have particular concern about the PYD's intolerance of political

opposition and reports of harassment and arbitrary detention of political opponents.

NGOs and others have also raised concerns about human rights protection of those

in custody under PYD authority. We are following the situation in Afrin closely since

the announcement of the Turkish operation there. The UK is committed to working

closely with Turkey and other Allies to find solutions in Syria that provide stability,

refrain from escalating the situation and protect Turkey's security interests.

Uganda: Capital Punishment


To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether his

Department has made representations to the Government of Uganda on that

government’s possible reintroduction of the death penalty; and if he will make a

statement.

Harriett Baldwin:

The death penalty was never abolished in Uganda and it remains on the statute

books for 28 crimes. However, no civilian executions have been carried out since

1999 and none under court martial since 2002. The British Government continues to

urge the Government of Uganda not to implement death sentences and to move

towards a formal moratorium. We have taken note of President Museveni's

comments and will monitor developments in country.

Yemen: Baha'i Faith


To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what reports his

Department has received on Iranian influence on the actions of the Houthi community

against the Baha'i community in Sana'a, Yemen; and if he will make a statement.

Alistair Burt:

We are aware of reports from the Baha'i community about Iranian influence on Houthi

actions in Yemen. We call upon Iran to cease harassment of all religious minorities

and to fulfil its international and domestic obligations to allow freedom of religion.



HEALTH AND SOCIAL CARE

Abortion


To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what discussions his

Department has had with the Scottish Government on the home use of abortion

medication in England.

Jackie Doyle-Price:

Departmental officials hold regular meetings with officials from the Scottish

Government to discuss areas of mutual interest on sexual and reproductive health

policy.

Accountable Care Organisations

Dan Carden: [123830]

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what the four local areas are

where a procurement process to establish an accountable care organisation is underway

according to the NHS Providers document entitled STPs and accountable care -

background briefing, of 15 January 2018; what stage each of those processes has

reached; and if he will place a copy of any agreement or memorandum of understanding

between those areas and NHS England and NHS Improvement in the Library.

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.

These are the only two areas that NHS England currently understands may be in a

position to award an ACO contract during 2018. Emerging bidders for both proposals

are NHS bodies, have the support of local general practitioners and are not private

sector organisations. In two further areas, clinical commissioning groups (CCGs)

have launched procurement exercises for integrated service providers. Scarborough

CCG has confirmed that it does not intend to use a contract based on the draft ACO

contract. The last is Northumberland CCG.

The Department does not hold a copy of any agreement or memorandum of

understanding.

Baby Care Units


To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many mother and baby

beds commissioned by NHS England Specialised Services in 2016/17 are (a) available

and (b) in use.

Jackie Doyle-Price:

The information requested is not available.

Barts Health NHS Trust: Breast Cancer


To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is

taking to maintain the symptomatic breast service in Barts NHS Trust after the screening

service has been transferred to the new provider.

Steve Brine:

Any possible reconfiguration of services is a matter for the local National Health

Service. It is right that these decisions are led by local clinicians, who best

understand the healthcare needs of their local populations, and in consultation with

local people.

NHS England have confirmed that the transfer of the breast screening service to the

Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust will have no impact on the symptomatic

breast service at Barts NHS Trust. Women who are found to have a cancer as a

result of their screening will follow the same treatment pathways and be treated by

their local breast services.

Breast Cancer: Greater London


To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, for what reasons the contract

for Central and East London breast screening services has been awarded to Royal Free

London NHS Foundation Trust.




Steve Brine:

NHS England advises that the contract for the Central and East London Breast

Screening Service was re-tendered under the Public Contract Regulations 2015, in

line with The National Health Service (Procurement, Patient Choice and Competition)

(No. 2) Regulations 2013. The rationale was detailed within the published Invitation to

Tender (ITT) documentation for Central and East London Breast Screening Services,

which was predicated on a qualitative scoring criteria.


To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what estimate has been made

of the cost of transferring the contract for Central and East London breast screening

services from the current provider to the new provider; and if he will make a statement.

Steve Brine:

NHS England advises that no mobilisation/transfer costs were incorporated into the

Invitation to Tender. Bidders were advised that no separate funding was available for

mobilisation/transfer costs.

Calderdale and Huddersfield NHS Foundation Trust

Thelma Walker: [124462]

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what the timescale is for his

Department receiving a response from the Independent Review Panel on the referred

plans from Calderdale Huddersfield Foundation Trust.

Paula Sherriff: [124483]

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, when he expects the referral

from Calderdale and Kirklees Joint Health Scrutiny Committee relating to Huddersfield

Royal Infirmary to be considered.

Stephen Barclay:

My Rt. hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care has written to

the Independent Reconfiguration Panel requesting they undertake an initial

assessment and report their findings by 26 February. We will then make an

announcement about next steps in due course.

Cancer: Screening


To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if his Department will take steps

to introduce testing for all women over 30 years old for early signs of (a) ovarian and (b)

breast cancer.

Steve Brine:

The United Kingdom National Screening Committee (UK NSC) offers screening to an

asymptomatic population for conditions which have been evaluated against their

robust and extensive criteria. The UK NSC last reviewed the evidence to screen for

ovarian cancer in 2016 and recommended that population screening should not be





offered. Research has shown that screening women under the age of 50 is less

effective especially when they have not entered into the menopause phase.

There are currently no plans to offer screening to women over the age of 30 for either

ovarian or breast cancer.

A proposal to change an existing programme, such as age to the breast screening

programme would follow the UK NSC’s evidence review process. Information about

this process is available at:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/uk-nsc-evidence-review-process

Coperforma

Caroline Lucas: [123750]

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the Answer of

8 November 2016 to Question 51429, if he will assess the accuracy of the advice he

received from NHS England that NHS trusts that have incurred costs invoiced

Coperforma directly; and if he will make a statement.

Steve Brine:

The provision of patient transport services is a matter for local National Health

Service commissioners. We are advised by NHS England that the response to

Question 51429 was accurate. Until 5 December 2016, Coperforma advised NHS

trusts that such invoices should be sent directly to it for processing.

Dental Services


To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what guidance his Department

provides to dental practices on the promotion of private tooth-whitening procedures in

their surgeries.

Steve Brine:

Only treatments that are clinically necessary are provided on the National Health

Service so tooth whitening can only usually be provided privately. No specific

guidance is therefore issued by the Department or NHS England on tooth whitening.

As with any other dental cosmetic procedure practices are able to advertise and offer

this service to patients privately. Dentists are required to make clear to patients what

treatments are being provided on the NHS and privately and the costs, risks and

benefits associated with each.

Dentists’ clinical practice is regulated by the General Dental Council. This includes

cosmetic procedures such as tooth whitening as well as treatments that are clinically

necessary.





Department of Health and Social Care: Beverage Containers


To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many disposable coffee

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

Caroline Dinenage:

The Department does not purchase disposable coffee cups directly. The Department

used single use disposable cups on its estate in the numbers in the table and cannot

specify how many were specifically for hot drinks. The cups were served from the

cafes and restaurants on its estate and purchased by its catering supplier.

Information is not held prior to October 2014.

OCTOBER 2014 TO SEPTEMBER 2015 332,540

October 2015 to September 2016 340,540

October 2016 to September 2017 325,220

Department of Health and Social Care: Carillion


To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how often Carillion was stress-

tested by his Department; when the last such stress test was carried out; and what the

results of that stress test were.

Stephen Barclay:

Since profit warnings about Carillion were first issued in July 2017, the Government

has been closely monitoring the situation and in constructive discussion with Carillion

while it sought to refinance its business.

The Government has always worked to reduce risk and, of the small number of the

contracts awarded since the July 2017 profit warning, virtually all were joint ventures

with other companies, where the other companies are contractually bound take on

Carillion's share of the work.

Suppliers have to meet certain criteria to be able to bid for public contracts, including

a minimum level of financial and economic standing proven through turnover, audited

accounts or other financial measures. At the time of bidding and the award of the

Private Financial Initiative (PFI) contracts for the major hospital build projects for

Royal Liverpool and Broadgreen University Hospitals NHS Trust and Sandwell and

West Birmingham Hospitals NHS Trust in 2013 and 2015 respectively, Carillion

passed all mandated financial and economic standing tests. The trusts concerned,

working with the Department, had an obligation to treat Carillion fairly based on public

procurement regulations and award them contracts.



The Official Receiver is investigating the events leading to the company’s insolvency

and the Government need to let that happen and await its conclusions. The

immediate and urgent focus is on the continuation of public services.

Department of Health and Social Care: Drinking Water


To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how much money his

Department has spent on bottled water in each year since 2010.

Caroline Dinenage:

The Department has not spent any money on bottled water since 2010 as part of its

catering contract. Tap water is provided for hospitality in reusable glass bottles.

Department of Health and Social Care: Former Members


To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, 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.

Caroline Dinenage:

The Department does not hold central information on the former roles of any its

employees or their declared political interests. All recruitment within the Department

is conducted in line with the Civil Service Commissioner’s recruitment principles and

all civil servants adhere to the Civil Service code.

Eyesight: Testing


To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his

Department has made of the potential effect of introducing a compulsory eyesight test for

all children aged under 5 on the number of diagnoses of (a) Amblyopia and (b) other

serious eye conditions in childhood.

Steve Brine:

No assessment has been made by the Department on whether introducing a

compulsory eyesight test for children aged under five would have an effect on the

number of diagnoses of Amblyopia and other serious eye conditions in childhood.

All babies have eye screening at birth and again at about six weeks of age by a

general practitioner (GP) or health visitor.

In most parts of England, children are offered a screening test to look for reduced

vision in one or both eyes during their first year at school.

In addition all children aged under 16 are eligible for free National Health Service

sight tests and parents and carers are encouraged to raise any health concerns,

including eye health concerns, with their GP.




Health Services and Social Services


To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his

Department has made of lessons learned from areas which have already integrated

health and social care services.

Caroline Dinenage:

The Better Care Fund (BCF), implemented from 2015/16, is the first mandatory policy

to facilitate integration. All local areas need to have approved BCF plans in place to

receive the BCF. The BCF has helped to join up health and care services so people

can manage their own health and wellbeing, and live independently in their

communities for as long as possible. In 2015-16, 90% of areas said it had already

had a positive impact on integration locally. In the first two years of BCF, local areas

voluntarily pooled more than the minimum required taking the total to £5.3 billion and

£5.9 billion respectively.

BCF has provided a foundation, but we want to do more to deliver joined up care. A

Quality and Outcomes of Person-centred Care Policy Research Unit system-level

evaluation of the BCF is underway, and the final report will be ready in spring 2018.

The Department is working with the Social Care Institute for Excellence to better

understand good practice in integrated care and how we could develop a more

balanced set of measures of success in this area.

Health Services: Private Sector

Andrew Gwynne: [123879]


provides to NHS Trusts on the provision of private healthcare leaflets in NHS hospitals

advertising medical services.

Stephen Barclay:

We have provided no such guidance.

NHS England has issued general guidance to National Health Service organisations

on the sale of advertising space to generate additional income. The guidance is clear

that third party advertisements should not suggest that the NHS endorses or

recommends the advertiser’s goods or services. It can be found at the following web

address:

https://www.england.nhs.uk/nhsidentity/faq/can-an-nhs-organisation-sell-advertising-

space-to-generate-income/

Health Services: South Tyneside

Mrs Emma Lewell-Buck: [124534]

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he has received

representations from South Tyneside Council on devolving local health services to that

local authority; and if he will make a statement.



https://www.england.nhs.uk/nhsidentity/faq/can-an-nhs-organisation-sell-advertising-space-to-generate-income/




Caroline Dinenage:

The Secretary of State for Health and Social Care has not received any

representations from South Tyneside Council regarding the devolution of local health

services to that local authority.

Hearing Aids: Private Sector



provides to NHS trusts on the advertisement of private hearing aid services in NHS

hospitals.

Stephen Barclay:

We have provided no such guidance.

NHS England has issued general guidance to National Health Service organisations

on the sale of advertising space to generate additional income. The guidance is clear

that third party advertisements should not suggest that the NHS endorses or

recommends the advertiser’s goods or services. This guidance is available at the

following link:

https://www.england.nhs.uk/nhsidentity/faq/can-an-nhs-organisation-sell-advertising-

space-to-generate-income/

Patients who choose to pay for additional private care or services, such as private

hearing aid services, will not lose their entitlement to NHS services, which remain

free at the point of delivery.

Lyme Disease: Vaccination

Zac Goldsmith: [124447]

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer to

Question 105278 on Lyme Disease: Vaccination, when he will publish the four systematic

reviews commissioned by the Government into the evidence on Lyme Disease.

Steve Brine:

The Department has commissioned four independent systematic reviews of all

relevant literature on the diagnosis, treatment, transmission and prevention of Lyme

disease.

The four systematic reviews have been completed and peer reviewed. The reviews

were undertaken by the Evidence for Policy and Practice and Co-ordinating Centre

and were published on its website on 21 December 2017. Patient advocacy groups

involved in the review have been notified that these are in the public domain.






Maternity Services


To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many hospitals have had

to close or temporarily suspend their (a) maternity wards and (b) Special Care Baby Units

in the last 12 months.

Jackie Doyle-Price:

The data requested is not held centrally.

The safety of mother and baby is paramount. We want to ensure that women have as

many choices as possible, minimising any known risk to either themselves or their

baby.

Maternity services are unable to plan the exact time and place of birth and there are

occasions when a unit cannot safely accept more women into their care. In such

cases, the only safe alternative is to close the unit temporarily. It is important of

course, that where a unit closes, there are systems and guidelines in place to ensure

pregnant women have access to the next closest maternity unit and the type of care

they have chosen, including midwifery-led care.

Medicine: Research


To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 13

November 2017 to Question 111610, on medicine: research, for what reasons it is not

possible to assess the contribution made by public investment or private investment in

bringing medicines to market.

Steve Brine:

Many countries invest public funds in research and development (R&D), often at an

early stage. Some of this will contribute to basic science that will provide the

fundamental knowledge and tools from which many different applications, including

new medicines, may ultimately be developed. Some will be applied research related

to a specific clinical application. Private companies also invest in R&D, which may

build on the results of both basic and applied research supported through public or

private funding. Many potential medicines are taken part way through development

but are not ultimately found to be suitable for clinical use, but this process provides

an important part of the knowledge base that will go on to support future medicines

development. Given all of these different factors that contribute to medicine

development, it is not possible to assess the contribution made by public investment

or private investment in bringing products to market.

Mental Health Services: Children and Young People


To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made

of the implications for his policies of the findings of the Education Policy Institute report,




Access and waiting times in children and young people’s mental health services,

published in September 2017, on the proportion of children referred to specialist mental

health services who are being denied access to those services; and if he will make a

statement.

Jackie Doyle-Price:

We acknowledge the need for focus on early intervention in children and young

people’s mental health services, as set out in the Education Policy Institute report.

The additional £1.4 billion that the Government has made available to transform

children and young people’s mental health services will ensure that an additional

70,000 children and young people per year will receive treatment from National

Health Service specialist services by 2020. The recently published green paper on

children and young people’s mental health also includes a proposal to trial a four

week waiting time for access to specialist NHS children and young people’s mental

health services.

Mental Health Services: Gender Recognition

Alex Sobel: [124377]

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what plans his Department has

to improve mental health provision for transgender people.

Jackie Doyle-Price:

To improve quality of care, the Department and NHS England are transforming

mental health service provision to provide equitable access to high quality care for all

people, including transgender people. Local areas are required to consider their local

population’s needs, including access to services based on clinical need, when they

commission and provide services and support.

The Government is investing an additional £1 billion by 2020 to deliver a major

expansion of mental health services, including liaison psychiatry in every accident

and emergency department, putting crisis resolution and home treatment teams on

24/7 footing and expanding perinatal mental health services.

Mental Health Services: Young People


To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the £1.4 billion

allocated under the young people’s mental health strategy Future in Mind, how much of

that funding for what purposes has been spent in each year since that funding was

announced.

Jackie Doyle-Price:

NHS England has received allocations under the £1.4 billion made available to

implement Future in Mind of £173 million in 2015/16, £262 million in 2016/17 and

£262 million in 2017/18.



The purposes for the use of this expenditure are set out in chapter 2 of Implementing

the Five Year Forward View for Mental Health, NHS England 2016. This is available

at:

https://www.england.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/fyfv-mh.pdf

Mental Illness: Personal Health Budgets


To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many people diagnosed

with a severe and enduring mental health problem are in receipt of a personal health

budget from NHS England.

Caroline Dinenage:

NHS England does not collect data by health condition for recipients of all types of

Personal Health Budget (PHB). For example, NHS England does not collect data by

health condition for people in receipt of NHS Continuing Healthcare or budgets

integrated with social care.

Excluding these types of PHB, in 2016/17 1,037 people had personal health budgets

specifically to meet mental health needs.

NHS: Drugs


To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what his Department’s

approach is to working with other departments on issues of intellectual property barriers

to accessing affordable medicines.

Steve Brine:

The Government recognises the vital role of intellectual property rights as an

incentive and reward for research, development, and innovation. Organisations

across Government, including the Department, Intellectual Property Office, NHS

England, and the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Authority, work

together to support intellectual property rights holders while promoting best value

treatment for National Health Service patients by ensuring a highly competitive

environment for generic entrants where intellectual property rights have expired.

Post-traumatic Stress Disorder

Mr Gregory Campbell: [124336]

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment has been

made of the potential merits of using Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing

treatment to alleviate post-traumatic stress disorder.

Jackie Doyle-Price:

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) responds to a variety of effective treatments.

Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing treatment is recognised by the

National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) as an effective treatment for






individuals with PTSD where symptoms have been present for more than three

months after a trauma.

The NICE PTSD Evidence Update 2013 is available here:

https://arms.evidence.nhs.uk/resources/hub/1031525/attachment

Pregnancy: Mental Health Services


To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the specialist

perinatal mental health community services development fund launched in August 2016,

if he will provide a detailed breakdown of funds allocated to new or expanded specialist

perinatal mental health community teams; and when such funding was received by each

such team.

Jackie Doyle-Price:

NHS England allocated funding of £4.7 million in December 2016 for 2016/17, and

£18.6 million between June and December 2017 for 2017/18 through its Perinatal

Mental Health Specialist Community Services Development Fund.

NHS England will allocate funding in 2018/19 to those sites that received funding in

2017/18.

Prescription Drugs

Mark Menzies: [124842]

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to Drug

shortages derail CCGs’ budgets, published by The BMJ on 24 January 2018, what

assessment his Department has made of the reasons for the ten-fold year on year

increase in Clinical Commissioning Group's costs relating to drugs on no cheaper stock

obtainable lists.

Steve Brine:

The generics market is a competitive one where prices fluctuate. Concessionary

prices are set when pharmacies cannot purchase generic medicines at the Drug

Tariff reimbursement price. We have seen an increase in the number of

concessionary prices since the summer. This is because generic medicine selling

prices have risen. The reasons for these increased selling prices include reduced

stock due to regulatory action against several large manufacturers and a decrease in

the value of sterling. Reimbursement prices of the most commonly prescribed generic

medicines were also reduced from August 2017 to recoup medicine margin over

delivery, and adjust community pharmacy funding to the set level. This downward

adjustment to generic medicine reimbursement prices happened at a similar time to

when generic medicine selling prices started to increase.





Ross Fund

Stephen Doughty: [123774]

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how much of the Ross Fund his

Department has spent on tackling (a) tuberculosis, (b) malaria and (c) HIV/AIDS since

that fund was established.

Steve Brine:

The Department has no projects funded through the Ross Fund Portfolio which

exclusively address tuberculosis, malaria or HIV/AIDS. The Ross Fund Portfolio is

spent cross-government and research programmes that address these diseases are

currently managed by the Department for International Development.

Social Services


To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many local authorities

have established service user forums under the provisions of the Care Act 2014.

Caroline Dinenage:

Following the introduction of the Health and Social Care Act 2012, every local

authority has a statutory duty to commission a local Healthwatch service. There are

152 local Healthwatch services in England.

They are independent organisations based in local communities, working with other

services to understand people’s health and social care experiences. By listening to

local consumers and making sure that their opinions are shared with those who plan

and run health and social care services, it allows local communities to help shape the

care they receive.

Surgery: Waiting Lists


To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what records his Department

holds on (a) how many patients have had operations postponed since 1 January 2018

and (b) what the average waiting time was to reschedule those operations.

Stephen Barclay:

Information on the number of patients who have had operations postponed following

the recommendation from the National Emergency Pressures Panel that non-urgent

inpatient elective care is deferred until 31 January 2018 is not collected centrally.

NHS England publishes quarterly performance data on cancelled elective operations,

which includes national, regional and provider level activity, and this can be accessed

at:

https://www.england.nhs.uk/statistics/statistical-work-areas/cancelled-elective-

operations/cancelled-ops-data/




https://www.england.nhs.uk/statistics/statistical-work-areas/cancelled-elective-operations/cancelled-ops-data/



The data covering quarter 4, 2017/18 will be published on 8 June 2018. This will

provide figures for the number of last minute cancellations for non-clinical reasons

(where the operations was cancelled on the day the patient was due to arrive, after

the patient has arrived in hospital or on the day of the operation or surgery); and the

number of those last minute cancellations where the provider did not offer an

alternative admission date within 28 days.

Sustainability and Transformation Partnerships


To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what the timetable is for all the

Sustainability and Transformation Partnerships to conclude their work.

Stephen Barclay:

There are no national plans or timetables in place for all Sustainability and

Transformation Partnerships (STPs) to conclude their partnership work. STPs are an

ongoing process, intended to address the challenges facing local health systems as

well as focusing on better integration with social care and other local authority

services within the footprint.

Sustainability and Transformation Partnerships: South East


To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, when he plans to conclude the

Sustainability and Transformation Partnerships process in Surrey and Sussex.

Stephen Barclay:

There are no plans in place to conclude the work of the Sustainability and

Transformation Partnership (STP) process. The Sussex and East Surrey STP are

working towards enabling health and care organisations to work together to improve

and join-up services to meet the changing needs of all of the people who live in the

area. It is an ongoing partnership and a way of working to make sure that the plans of

all the partners across the area are joined up and working together. It aims to ensure

that no part of the health and care system operates in isolation.

Transport: Health

Gavin Robinson: [124661]

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what the status is of the Health

Protection (Ships and Aircraft) Regulations.

Steve Brine:

Port health in England is regulated by the Public Health (Aircraft) Regulations 1979

and Public Health (Ships) Regulations 1979. The Regulations cover measures such

as: notification of possible infection or contamination on board a ship/aircraft; risk




assessment of people, including medical examination and/or detention and general

powers to provide information.

There are no current plans to amend or replace the regulations.

Warrington Hospital: Accident and Emergency Departments

Helen Jones: [124488]

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what information his

Department holds on the average waiting time for A&E patients in Warrington Hospital in

each year since 2010.

Stephen Barclay:

The table below shows the mean and median duration to treatment and duration to

departure for accident and emergency in Warrington and Halton NHS Foundation

Trust, for the financial years between 2010-11 and 2016-17. NHS Digital collects data

at trust level, not at individual hospital site level:

DURATION TO TREATMENT

(MINUTES)

DURATION TO DEPARTURE

(MINUTES)

Financial year NHS Trust Mean Median Mean Median

2010-11 Warrington and

Halton

Hospitals NHS

Foundation

Trust

81.0 66 142.0 138


Halton

Hospitals NHS

Foundation

Trust

81.0 68 145.0 139


Halton

Hospitals NHS

Foundation

Trust

75.0 61 142.0 133


Halton

Hospitals NHS

Foundation

Trust

76.0 62 142.0 133

2014-15 Warrington and 99.0 77 169.0 152


DURATION TO TREATMENT

(MINUTES)

DURATION TO DEPARTURE

(MINUTES)

Halton

Hospitals NHS

Foundation

Trust


Halton

Hospitals NHS

Foundation

Trust

91.0 72 173.0 148


Halton

Hospitals NHS

Foundation

Trust

86.0 69 163.0 142

Source: Hospital Episode Statistics, NHS Digital

Helen Jones: [124490]

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many and what proportion

of ambulances arriving at Warrington Hospital's A&E department waited more than 30

minutes in each of the last 12 months.

Stephen Barclay:

NHS England publishes weekly winter situational reports showing the number of

ambulances arriving at accident and emergency (A&E) as well as the number of

ambulances that have experienced handover delays of 30 minutes or more on arrival.

This is published at a trust and national level, not by each individual hospital site and

is available at the following link:

https://www.england.nhs.uk/statistics/statistical-work-areas/winter-daily-

sitreps/winter-daily-sitrep-2017-18-data/


https://www.england.nhs.uk/statistics/statistical-work-areas/winter-daily-sitreps/winter-daily-sitrep-2017-18-data/



HOME OFFICE

Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs


To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when she plans to appoint new

members of the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs.

Victoria Atkins:

A recruitment campaign to appoint new members to the Advisory Council on the

Misuse of Drugs commenced in 2017. The recruitment process has been conducted

in accordance with Cabinet Office Governance Code for Public Appointment which

was published in December 2016 (see link below).

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/governance-code-for-public-

appointments The new members have been selected for appointment, once security

clearance has been completed the successful candidates will be announced.

Airguns

Layla Moran: [124881]

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what information her Department

holds on the number of incidents of shooting of (a) cats and (b) other animals with air

weapons reported to the police in England in each of the last three years for which figures

are available.

Mr Nick Hurd:

The Home Office holds statistics on notifiable offences recorded by the police. The

police record offences of criminal damage, in a number of categories and supply this

information to the Home Office. Shooting of cats and other animals are most likely to

be recorded within ‘other criminal damage’ and cannot be separately identified within

this category.

The Home Office Publishes open crime data at police force area level, which can be

used to show how many ‘other criminal damage’ offences have been recorded in

England in the last three years. These can be accessed here:

https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/police-recorded-crime-open-data-tables

Asylum

David Hanson: [124413]

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many people seeking

asylum are being considered under the National Referral Mechanism.

Caroline Nokes:

Data on the National Referral Mechanism (NRM) are published regularly by the

National Crime Agency and in the UK Annual Report on Modern Slavery. These

reports are available via the following links:






http://www.nationalcrimeagency.gov.uk/publications/national-referral-mechanism-

statisticshttps://www.gov.uk/government/publications/2017-uk-annual-report-on-

modern-slavery


To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment her

Department has made of trends in the average time taken to process asylum

applications.

Caroline Nokes:

The Home Office has a Service Standard to make an initial asylum decision within

182 days of the date of claim, which the Department has met for the last consecutive

39 months.

Despite this we are aware of the number of older cases in the system. These are

more complex cases which generally have barriers that prevents an initial asylum

decision being made. These barriers are often varied and require time to clear.

The Home Office is aware of the number of older cases and has plans in place to

reduce the number of cases older than six months. 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 and Slavery

Carolyn Harris: [124330]

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether an impact assessment

was completed before her Department's announcements on the alignment of basic living

costs for victims of modern slavery and asylum seekers.

Victoria Atkins:

The subsistence rates for victims of modern slavery are provided to cover the

essential living needs of potential victims of modern slavery. When considering the

level of these rates, the essential needs of potential victims were assessed to be

comparable to the needs of asylum seekers. This is why the tested and established

methodology that has been developed to measure the level of subsistence for asylum

seekers will be adopted to measure the level of subsistence for potential victims of

modern slavery. Within this policy, dependent children will receive a higher level of

subsistence than they currently receive, and pregnant victims will receive an

additional payment of £300. This will ensure that the most vulnerable individuals in

NRM support will receive a greater level of finance. The policy for subsistence rates

also includes the ability for individuals or their support providers to apply for further

funding if there is a clear need for victims to receive more financial support to meet

their essential living needs



Where it has been identified that victims of slavery have needs above those of

asylum seekers, these needs are met within the victim care contract, for example

travel costs for counselling and medical appointments. We are working closely with

the Salvation Army and the Independent Anti Slavery Commissioner to ensure that

the implementation of this change is as smooth as possible. Victims will continue to

receive dedicated and expert support, which is tailored to their unique needs as

victims of modern slavery. This includes access to legal aid, counselling, NHS

medical and dental services. This will ensure there is a fair and consistent approach

for all individuals receiving similar government support. Furthermore, more money is

being made available to treble the period of “move on” support, which will help people

leaving victim support with their transition to other arrangements. It is essential that

we target support to confirmed victims, at the point they need it most.

Asylum: Appeals


To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether there are plans to

provide financial assistance to asylum seekers who have to travel to Liverpool to appeal

asylum decisions.

Caroline Nokes:

Asylum appeal hearings are not held in Liverpool. Asylum seekers are not required to

travel to Liverpool to appeal against their asylum decisions or attend their asylum

appeal hearing.

The Home Office implemented a new policy on 30 March 2015 which requiring all

failed asylum seekers (FAS) who have exhausted their appeal rights, but who wish to

make an asylum further submission, to do so in person. Those who wish to submit

further submissions on asylum or human rights grounds are required to telephone the

further submissions unit and book an appointment to submit their further submissions

in person in Liverpool.

There are no plans to provide financial assistance to those individuals wishing to

submit their further submissions in person in Liverpool. However, in exceptional

circumstances, for example due to a disability or severe illness, further submissions

from failed asylum seekers may be accepted either through local arrangements or by

post, providing that supporting evidence is submitted, as specified within the

published further submissions policy which can be accessed at the following:


/Further_Submissions_API_v9_0_EXT.pdf

Asylum: Housing

Stuart C. McDonald: [123998]

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to the Written

Ministerial Statement of 8 December 2016, HCWS335, on Asylum Accommodation, how

many (a) welfare officers and (b) property management staff have been funded in part or


https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/502334/Further_Submissions_API_v9_0_EXT.pdf




fully from the £1million allocated for that purpose; how much of that £1million has been

spent to date; what the new higher price band referred to is; and how many asylum

seekers have been accommodated in the new asylum dispersal areas referred to.

Caroline Nokes:

The Home Office is committed to ensuring that destitute asylum seekers are

accommodated in safe, secure and suitable accommodation whilst their claims are

considered and have worked closely with accommodation providers to develop

improvements to the service over the lifetime of the contract. The Home Office does

not publish data on the number or cost of welfare officers or property management

staff employed by asylum accommodation providers, however proposals for

additionally funded service provision from each of the provider’s have been assessed

and approved. It is a matter for individual providers to utilise the available funding as

they deem appropriate. The Department will continue to monitor the providers closely

to ensure that they comply with the requirements of the contract and continue these

improvements as part of the contract extension.

Payments made to the service providers are published as part of the transparency

data where we publish monthly spend data with all providers where it is in excess of

£25k

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/asylum-transparency-data-november-

2017

Data on the numbers of asylum seekers in local authority areas is published and can

be found at (Asylum Vol 4. Table 16q).

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/immigration-statistics-july-to-september-

2017/how-many-people-do-we-grant-asylum-or-protection-to

Burglary

Leo Docherty: [124865]

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps his Department is

taking to ensure police forces investigate household burglaries; and if he will make a

statement.

Mr Nick Hurd:

The Government is very concerned about burglary and the impact it has on

individuals and communities. That is why we expect the police to take all reports of

burglary seriously, to investigate and, where appropriate, to bring the offenders to

court so that they can receive appropriate punishment.

Compass


To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how much his Department

received in service credits under each key performance indicator in respect of Compass

asylum accommodation in each year since 2015 for which information is available.

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/asylum-transparency-data-november-2017



https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/immigration-statistics-july-to-september-2017/how-many-people-do-we-grant-asylum-or-protection-to





Caroline Nokes:

The Home Office has a rigorous contract compliance regime in place to ensure that

the required performance standards expected of all providers, as defined in the

contracts, are met. Where there is any instance of non-conformance the performance

indicators are applied which may lead to a financial deduction from monthly invoices.

The Home Office does not publish data on the value of service credit that have been

accrued on the asylum accommodation contracts.


To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many joint inspections of

Compass contracts for asylum accommodation were undertaken by her Department and

local authorities, by Compass region, in each year since 2016-17.

Caroline Nokes:

This information could only be provided at disproportionate cost by examination of

individual property records.


To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what level of (a) disclosure and

barring service, (b) counter-terrorism and (c) criminal records checks are for asylum

accommodation staff in the Compass contract who are in contact with service users.

Caroline Nokes:

It is the responsibility of the COMPASS providers to undertake the appropriate pre-

employment checks and risk assessments in accordance with their legal and

contractual obligations (as set out in Section 1.2 of the Statement of Requirements

and Schedule 9 of the Terms and Conditions). It is not possible to list a specific set of

roles requiring criminal records checks as job roles will vary from one provider to

another, however all roles which include contact with service users will be subject to

an appropriate level of check depending on the specifics of the role

Criminal record checks are obtained through the Disclosure and Barring Service

(DBS). The DBS publishes details and guidance for employers on eligibility and levels

of clearance required for roles that may be deemed as sensitive as a result of

working with children and adults. This can be accessed at:

https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/dbs-eligibility-guidance

Crime: Social Media

Joan Ryan: [124503]

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent discussions she has

had with representatives from (a) Facebook, (b) Google/YouTube, (C) Twitter, (d)

Snapchat and (e) other social media platforms on tackling the prevalence of videos and

other forms of social media content that glorify gang and knife crime.

Victoria Atkins:

The Home Office is aware that gangs make use of a number of social media

platforms to incite violence and taunt rival gangs and we work closely with the police






to identify good practice in tackling this issue and to encourage the police to take

action. Operation Domain is an ongoing successful Metropolitan Police Service

project taking action against gang-related activity online, working with social media

companies to remove relevant content.

The Government has been clear that social media companies should be going further

and faster when taking down content. Ultimately, this material should not be made

available in the first place. I intend to meet these companies in due course.

Crimes of Violence

Sir Greg Knight: [124910]

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department is

taking to address robberies and assaults by gangs on scooters and mopeds.

Victoria Atkins:

We are working with other government departments, the police, industry and

representative groups to identify what more can be done to prevent these crimes and

to keep the public safe, and to develop an action plan focused on real and effective

action.

This work sits alongside the review that the Government is currently conducting to

look at the law, guidance and practice surrounding police pursuits and response

driving.

Doctors: Migrant Workers

Michael Fabricant: [124948]

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether she has received

representations on doctors from overseas being prevented from working in the NHS on

account of immigration rules relating to their salaries; and if she will make a statement.

Caroline Nokes:

We have received representations concerning the recruitment of overseas doctors

under Tier 2 (General), our main immigration work route for non-EEA workers. The

minimum salary thresholds were set following consultation with the independent

Migration Advisory Committee and are based on pay scales published by the NHS –

and have not been recently changed.

When we receive more applications than the number of places available in any given

month, priority is given – through the award of points– first to occupations in UK

shortage as identified by the independent Migration Advisory Committee, then to

PhD-level occupations, and followed by economically valuable jobs paying higher

salaries.



Domestic Violence


To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the timetable is for the

Government to consult on, publish and introduce into Parliament its Domestic Violence

and Abuse Bill.

Victoria Atkins:

The Government, in the Queen’s Speech, gave a clear commitment to publish a draft

Domestic Abuse Bill this session.

The Government is determined to make the most of this opportunity to seek the views

of experts and practitioners on proposals for the draft Domestic Abuse Bill and

supporting non-legislative measures. As such, we are in the process of working with

partners across Government to finalise a consultation which is as robust and

thorough as possible, before launching it shortly

Drugs: Misuse

Kevin Foster: [124009]

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made

of the appropriateness of the current classification of the drug commonly know as Spice

as a class B substance; and if she will reclassify Spice as a class A substance.

Victoria Atkins:

The group of third generation synthetic cannabinoids, commonly referred to using the

brand name ‘spice’, were controlled under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 in

December 2016. This followed recommendations from the Advisory Council on the

Misuse of Drugs that their harms are commensurate with other class B drugs.

The Government has no plans to reclassify these synthetic cannabinoids at the

present time, but we will continue to monitor their misuse.

Grenfell Tower: Fires

Mr David Lammy: [124565]

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what guidance has been

provided to bereaved family members of people who died in the Grenfell Tower fire on

the extension of their leave to remain in the UK to enable them to continue to participate

in the public inquiry into the Grenfell Tower fire; and if she will make a statement.

Caroline Nokes:

Bereaved family members of people who died in the Grenfell Tower fire, may be

eligible to extend their stay in the UK under a dedicated relatives’ policy, published on

11 October. Details of who is eligible under the policy can be found in the published

guidance here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/grenfell-tower-handling-

relatives-immigration-cases.




Otherwise relatives should include evidence of their participation in the public inquiry

when they apply to extend their leave to remain in the UK in their relevant

immigration category. The Home Office will ensure that all those who are required to

provide evidence in person, or who need to be in the UK to participate in the inquiry,

are able to do so.

Home Office: Beverage Containers


To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many disposable coffee

cups were purchased bought by her Department in each of the last five years.

Victoria Atkins:

The coffee cups provided in 2 Marsham Street are biodegradable, and staff and

visitors are encouraged to compost these in the facilities provided.

Home Office: Brexit

Stephen Doughty: [124919]

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether he has applied to the

Chancellor of the Exchequer for any contingency funding relating to the UK leaving the

EU for (a) 2018 and (b) 2019.

Caroline Nokes:

We have agreed with HMT additional funding of £60m to support planning and

implementation work relating to the UK leaving the EU for (a) 2017-18. Requirements

for (b) 2018-19 are still under discussion with HMT and announcements will be made

in due course.

Home Office: Compass


To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what information she holds on

completed service-user feedback forms that her Department's inspectors have gathered

in respect of her Department's contracts with Compass for 2016-17 and 2017-18 to date.

Caroline Nokes:

During Home Office housing inspections, Contract Compliance Teams measure

service delivery via a short questionnaire with the Service User around level of

contact, welcome briefing and support from the housing provider. Responses are

retained and analysed in order to identify trends, good practises and areas for

improvement.

Immigrants: Employment


To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 10

January 2018 to Question 120539 on Immigrants: Employment, what steps her





Department is taking to simplify the employer checking service for (a) perspective

employees and (b) employers.

Caroline Nokes:

The Home Office has rolled out biometric residence permits to persons subject to

immigration control to make it easier for them to evidence their status and simpler for

employers to check their right to work.

We remain committed to simplifying the system of right to work checks for migrants

and employers, including through the development of automated checking tools.

Immigration Bail


To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what estimate she has made of

the number of people who are released from immigration detention on immigration bail as

a result of the repeal of section 4(1) of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999.


To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what discussions she has had

with the First Tier Tribunal on the (a) repeal of section 4(1) of the Immigration and Asylum

Act 1999 and (b) provision of bail accommodation.


To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what discussions she has had

with the (a) the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government and

(b) Ministers in the devolved administrations on the effect of releasing immigration

detainees without bail accommodation on (a) local authorities, (b) street homelessness

and (c) statutory homelessness applications.

Caroline Nokes:

Section 4(1) of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999 was repealed on 15 January on

the coming into effect of new immigration bail provisions in Schedule 10 to the

Immigration Act 2016, including new powers to provide accommodation in certain

circumstances. The repeal of section 4(1) is not expected to have any discernible

effect on the number of people released from immigration detention on immigration

bail

There has been communication with the First-tier Tribunal about the implications of

Schedule 10 to the 2016 Act, including the repeal of section 4(1) of the 1999 Act and

provision of bail accommodation. Regular discussions have also taken place with

Ministry of Justice officials from both HM Courts and Tribunals Service and HM

Prisons and Probation Service. No discussions on this subject have taken place with

the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government or Ministers

in the devolved administrations. Section 4(1) of the 1999 Act was used to provide

accommodation to people released from immigration detention on bail and in limited

circumstances to other categories of migrants who required support in order to avoid

a breach of their rights under Article 3 of the European Convention on Human Rights




Paragraph 9 of Schedule 10 to the 2016 Act replaces this with powers to provide

accommodation to people released from detention on bail and to those who require it

in order to avoid a breach of their Article 3 rights

Additionally, individuals granted immigration bail who are asylum seekers or failed

asylum seekers still have access to support provided under sections 95 or 4(2) of the

1999 Act if they would otherwise be destitute and meet the normal eligibility criteria.

Any migrant who is not entitled to support and who could leave the UK in order to

avoid homelessness should do so.

Knives: Crime

Joan Ryan: [124497]

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department has

made an assessment of the effect of social media on trends in knife crime; and if she will

make a statement.

Victoria Atkins:

As part of our work to develop a new Serious Violence Strategy the Home Office has

considered a range of factors that may be driving increases in serious violence

including the role of social media.

The Home Office is aware that gangs make use of a number of social media

platforms to incite violence and taunt rival gangs and we work closely with the police

to identify good practice in tackling this issue and to encourage the police to take

action. Operation Domain is an ongoing successful Metropolitan Police Service

project taking action against gang-related activity online, working with social media

companies to remove relevant content.

The new Serious Violence Strategy will be published early this year.

Marriage Certificates

Layla Moran: [124619]

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department has

made an assessment of the suitability of (a) the Registration of Marriage Bill [Lords], (b)

the Civil Partnerships, Marriages and Deaths (Registration Etc.) Bill and (c) the

Registration of Marriage (No. 2) Bill to act as legislative vehicles to allow the Government

to change the law in order to allow a mother's details to be recorded on marriage

certificates; and if she will make a statement.

Caroline Nokes:

Any change to the content of the marriage entry to include mothers’ names would

ideally also bring forward reform to how marriages are registered to introduce

efficiencies and create a more secure system for the maintenance of marriage

records. This would require changes to primary legislation.

The Registration of Marriage Bill [ Lords ] and the Registration of Marriage (No 2) Bill

seek to make these changes to current legislation, in particular to the Marriage Act



1949. Details relating to the Civil Partnerships, Marriages and Deaths (Registration

etc) Bill have not yet been published.

Migrant Workers


To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, for what reasons the named

worker system for immigration applications was stopped; and what assessment her

Department has made of the effect of that change on the quality of communication with

applicants.

Caroline Nokes:

The department continually reviews its operation to improve performance and

accountability. Customer feedback, including complaints, are taken into account to

ensure we offer value for money; which includes improving the services we offer, the

quality of the decisions we make and the provision of an excellent customer service.

Customers are able to contact the Border, Immigration and Citizenship System about

their cases through customer contact centres, and members are able to contact the

department through MP account management teams.

Police: Dogs

Holly Lynch: [124313]

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many police dogs and

handlers there were in each force (a) in 2010 and (b) on the most recent date for which

figures are available.

Mr Nick Hurd:

The Home Office collects and publishes data annually on the primary function of

police officers as part of the ‘Police workforce, England and Wales’ statistical bulletin,

the latest of which can be accessed here:

https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/police-workforce-england-and-wales-31-

march-2017

Refugees

Paul Blomfield: [124424]

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to the

Government’s response to the Home Affairs Committee’s Twelfth Report of Session

2016-17, Asylum accommodation, HC637, if she will publish the results of the pilot into

UK Visas and Immigration contacting refugees and offering them an appointment with the

Department for Work and Pension's Vulnerable Persons’ service.

Caroline Nokes:

The new scheme was put in place to ensure that refugees who wish to apply for

benefits are assisted with their application and receive a prompt first payment of any

benefit for which they qualify. The scheme was tested successfully in the North East




and Yorkshire and Humberside regions earlier this year and has now been rolled out

to all areas of the country where asylum seekers are accommodated by the Home

Office. The Government is carefully evaluating the implementation and impact of this

new service and will complete its evaluation in due course.

Mr Barry Sheerman: [124809]

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the eligibility criteria is for

people to qualify under the mandate resettlement scheme.

Mr Barry Sheerman: [124810]

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many refugees resettled

under mandate resettlement were (a) immediate family members of sponsors in the UK

and (b) extended family members in the past three years.

Caroline Nokes:

Mandate plays an important part in facilitating the resettlement of refugees in various

locations across the world. There is no specific quota or target for the number of

people resettled via Mandate. The referral of cases (and the corresponding numbers

of arrivals) under Mandate is dependent on the UN High Commissioner for Refugees

(UNHCR) identifying cases which meet its criteria. This criteria can be found in the

UNHCR Resettlement Handbook under the UK’s country chapter available at

http://www.unhcr.org/40ee6fc04.html We publish a breakdown of arrivals under our

resettlement schemes as part of the Immigration Statistics Quarterly Release, which

was most recently updated on 30 November, however we do not publish a

disaggregation of those resettled to immediate or extended family members.

Slavery


To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many outstanding decisions

UK Visas and Immigration has on victims of modern slavery who have been referred

under the National Referral Mechanism.

Victoria Atkins:

Data on the National Referral Mechanism (NRM) are published regularly by the

National Crime Agency and in the UK Annual Report on Modern Slavery. These

reports are available via the following links:

http://www.nationalcrimeagency.gov.uk/publications/national-referral-mechanism-

statisticshttps://www.gov.uk/government/publications/2017-uk-annual-report-on-

modern-slavery

Slavery: Children


To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what support is available to a

child that receives a Conclusive Grounds decision in the National Referral Mechanism.





Caroline Nokes:

We recognise the needs and vulnerabilities of trafficked children and the importance

of providing the appropriate support to address them. All local agencies (including

local authorities and the police) have statutory duties to safeguard children as part of

their local responsibilities, regardless of their backgrounds or experiences. The

revised ‘Care of unaccompanied migrant children and child victims of modern slavery’

statutory guidance for local authorities (2017) sets out the steps that local authorities

should take to plan for the provision of support where the child is an unaccompanied

asylum seeking child and/or may have been a victim of trafficking or modern slavery.

To further support trafficked children, the Government implemented Independent

Child Trafficking Advocates (ICTA) in three Early Adopter Sites (Greater Manchester,

Hampshire and the Isle of Wight and nationally in Wales) from 30 January 2017.

Children who are the responsibility of local authorities within the Early Adopter Sites

are provided with an ICTA when they are initially identified as potentially trafficked.

This provision is in addition to the range of existing support available to them through

the local authority. The Government has also funded training for foster carers,

support workers and Independent Advocates to increase their understanding of the

specific needs of trafficked children and how to support them.

Slavery: Northern Ireland


To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what support the Government is

providing to the Northern Ireland Assembly on the implementation of that administration's

modern slavery strategy.

Victoria Atkins:

Modern slavery is a devolved matter in Northern Ireland, with the executive in

Northern Ireland recently bringing in primary legislation regarding human trafficking

as well as publishing a Northern Ireland Human Trafficking and Modern Slavery

Strategy in 2016/17. Home Office officials meet regularly with their counterparts in the

NI Department of Justice to discuss emerging trends and share best practice.

Welfare in Detention of Vulnerable Persons Review

Joan Ryan: [124249]

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what plans she has to make an

assessment of the potential merits of the review conducted by Stephen Shaw on the

implementation of the recommendations on the welfare in detention of vulnerable

persons, in advance of issuing updated guidance on her Department's adults at risk

policy; and if she will make a statement.

Caroline Nokes:

The Government is currently considering the judgment made by the High Court on 10

October 2017 in respect of the statutory guidance relating to the policy on adults at

risk in immigration detention and will, in the near future, be engaging with a range of

bodies with an interest in immigration detention as part of the process of revising the



guidance. The Home Office will carefully consider any further recommendations or

findings made by Stephen Shaw.

West Midlands Fire Service


To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department is

taking to provide (a) financial and (b) other support to West Midlands Fire Service.

Mr Nick Hurd:

West Midlands Fire and Rescue Service (WMFRS) has the resources it needs to do

its important work. In 2018/19, West Midlands Fire and Rescue will receive a core

spending power of £95.1 million, an increase of 0.7% from 2017/18. WMFRS also

held £53m in non-ringfenced reserves at March 2017. This is an increase of £29.2m

(135%) since March 2011. The current level of reserves held by WMFRS is

equivalent to 56% of their core spending power.

HOUSE OF COMMONS COMMISSION

House of Commons: Plastics


To ask the right hon. Member for Carshalton and Wallington, representing the House of

Commons Commission, whether the Commission has discussed plans for the House to

stop using plastic.

Tom Brake:

The Commission has asked the Administration Committee to review the sustainability

and environmental management of single use disposable plastics in the House of

Commons. The Administration Committee will be considering this matter in March.

Press: Security


To ask the right hon. Member for Carshalton and Wallington, representing the House of

Commons Commission, what criteria the Commission applies to people applying for

press passes.

Tom Brake:

Press passes may be applied for via a business case addressed to the Serjeant at

Arms. The business case should include:

The name of their business organisation

Details of circulation (including circulation figures)

A copy of their editorial policy

Proof of their qualification as a journalist and accreditation to a professional body




How they envisage using potential access; i.e. how often they see access being

required and what percentage of their coverage they envisage being of a political

nature, directly attributable to their access

Any other information which would support their request

Applications are considered on a case by case basis and, if agreed, passes are then

issued by the Pass Office subject to the successful security vetting of the individual.

Depending on the business case presented passes may be issued for a trial period,

with reassessment after that time, before the maximum three years is considered.

For details of current pass holders, individuals who are granted a parliamentary pass

also complete a declaration which is recorded in the Register of Journalists’ Interests.

This can be found on the parliamentary website here: http://www.parliament.uk/mps-

lords-and-offices/standards-and-financial-interests/parliamentary-commissioner-for-

standards/registers-of-interests/register-of-journalists-interests/.

HOUSING, COMMUNITIES AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT

Catering: Contracts


To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what the

cost was of contracts for catering services that have been contracted out by each local

authority by service service provider for (a) schools (b) local government, (c) adult social

care and (d) residential care homes in each year since 2010.



cost was of contracted out management services for local authority libraries by service

provider, in each year since 2010.



cost was of contracted out general cleaning services for each local authority general

cleaning services, by service provider, in each year since 2010.



total value of contracts to provide school cleaning services was for each service provider

that secured at least one such contract in each year since 2010.

Rishi Sunak:

Local authorities are responsible for their contracts and the Government does not

record or hold data on contracts awarded by local authorities. However, the Local

Government Transparency Code 2015 requires local authorities to publish details of

http://www.parliament.uk/mps-lords-and-offices/standards-and-financial-interests/parliamentary-commissioner-for-standards/registers-of-interests/register-of-journalists-interests/








any contract, commissioned activity, purchase order, framework agreement and any

other legally enforceable agreement with a value that exceeds £5,000.

The Code also recommends that local authorities publish details of every invitation to

tender for contracts to provide goods and/or services with a value that exceeds £500

instead of £5,000.

EU Grants and Loans


To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, when

the Government's consultation on the Shared Prosperity Fund will open; and when the

Government plans to publish a response to that consultation.

Jake Berry:

The UK Shared Prosperity Fund will be a domestic programme of investment to boost

productivity and reduce economic inequality across the country, following our

departure from the European Union. We will consult widely on the design of the UK

Shared Prosperity Fund in 2018 and will work with the devolved administrations prior

to the public consultation.

Housing: Construction


To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether

his Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of the use of flat-pack

housing by local authorities to tackle housing shortages.

Mrs Heather Wheeler:

The Government is committed to increasing the supply of houses and that requires a

modern construction industry. Building more homes using modern methods of

construction, including offsite and smart techniques, is a key part of this.

New technology has improved productivity, quality and choice in a range of sectors

and we want to see the same happen in housing.

That is why the Housing White Paper talks about specific measures to stimulate the

growth of modern methods of construction, including how we will help to create a

pipeline of opportunities to give confidence to the sector and investors.

For instance, the Home Building Fund provides support to builders using modern

methods of construction, in addition to custom builders and new entrants to the

market. The Autumn Budget added a further £1.5 billion to the fund, specifically

targeted at supporting small and medium-sized builders who cannot access the

finance they need to build.

We are also delivering on our commitment to create a working group to look at the

assurance, insurance and mortgages for modern methods of construction. The group,

chaired by industry expert Mark Farmer, met for the first time in December.



Leasehold: Fire Prevention

John Healey: [124157]

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what

steps he is taking to ensure that leaseholders do not pay the full cost of any vital fire

safety work as a result of the Grenfell Tower fire.

Dominic Raab:

[Holding answer 25 January 2018]: The Secretary of State announced on 4

December that the department is providing additional funding to the Leasehold

Advisory Service (LEASE), an arm’s length-body which provides free initial legal

advice to leaseholders, to advise on fire safety issues.

Just as social landlords are not seeking to pass on costs for cladding remediation, in

the private sector we believe that the morally right thing to do is for landlords to not

pass these costs onto leaseholders.

The department is keeping the situation under review.

Local Government Finance: Wirral

Ms Angela Eagle: [124250]


core spending power of Wirral Council was in each financial year since 2010-11.

Rishi Sunak:

Prior to the 2016-17 settlement, the definition of spending power changed every year

to reflect the changing finance and function of local government. Information on

spending power for Wirral Council is published at the following links:

2011-12

http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20140505110052/http://www.local.commun

ities.gov.uk/finance/1112/spfull1s.xls

2012-13


ities.gov.uk/finance/1112/spfull2s3.xls

2013-14


ities.gov.uk/finance/1314/1314SPsuppinfos.xls

2014-15


/Spending_Power_2014-15_supporting_information_final_settlement.xls

2015-16


/Spending_Power_2015-16_Supporting_Information_FINAL.xlsx



http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20140505110052/http:/www.local.communities.gov.uk/finance/1112/spfull1s.xls



http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20140505110056/http:/www.local.communities.gov.uk/finance/1112/spfull2s3.xls



http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20140505104701/http:/www.local.communities.gov.uk/finance/1314/1314SPsuppinfos.xls



https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/277395/Spending_Power_2014-15_supporting_information_final_settlement.xls



https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/400630/Spending_Power_2015-16_Supporting_Information_FINAL.xlsx



2015-16 to 2019-20


/Core_Spending_Power_Supporting_Information.xlsx

Local Government Services: Greater London

Joan Ryan: [124247]


account his Department takes of the relatively high cost of delivering local services in

London in determining the local government finance settlement.

Rishi Sunak:

The most recent assessment of local authorities’ relative needs and resources took

place in 2013-14 alongside the introduction of the 50 per cent business rates

retention system. The demand for local services was assessed through funding

formulas which took into account the relative cost of delivering services across the

country, including London.

The costs of providing comparable services differ between areas partly because of

their differing characteristics (such as numbers of elderly people, or lengths of road)

and partly because of differences in the costs of inputs which local authorities need to

buy. An area cost adjustment is included in the current assessment to allow for the

latter of these differences, and reflects two sources of differences in costs between

areas: differences in labour costs; and differences in business rates paid on local

authority premises.

At present the Government is carrying out a fair funding review of local authorities’

relative needs and resources, and we are working closely with the Local Government

Association and representatives from across local government to ensure that we

consider all the issues that impact on authorities’ relative need to spend on services

and their capacity to fund these from local resources.

Amongst the issues we will consider are the impact of geographical factors such as

area-related costs and rurality, and how to account for these within a new

methodology.

Mental Health


To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with

reference to Being mindful of mental health - The role of local government in mental

health and wellbeing, published by the Local Government Association in June 2017, how

many local authorities have established peer networks.

Rishi Sunak:

The Department does not hold this information.

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/669557/Core_Spending_Power_Supporting_Information.xlsx





Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government: Directors


To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, who the

lead non-executive director and other non-executive director board members are in his

Department.

Jake Berry:

The department has four Non-Executive Director Board Members. The Lead Non-

Executive Director role is currently occupied by Nick Markham and the three

remaining Non-Executive Directors are Mary Ney, Daniel Morley and Pam Chesters.

Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government: Drinking Water


To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, how

much money his Department has spent on bottled water in each year since 2010.

Jake Berry:

The department does not purchase bottled water for meetings or water cooler bottles.

The water coolers use water which feeds directly from the mains supply.

Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government: Former Members



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.

Jake Berry:

No former Conservative Members of Parliament have been appointed to the

Department since the 2017 General Election.

Parking

Conor McGinn: [123927]

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if he will

introduce a single code of conduct for private parking operators; and if he will estimate

the number of car parking fine appeals that have been processed in each year since

2010.

Rishi Sunak:

[Holding answer 25 January 2018]: Sir Greg Knight has introduced a Private

Members’ Bill that seeks to create an independent code of practice for private parking

companies. In line with the Manifesto, the Government fully supports Sir Greg

Knight's Bill and seeks to get the fairest deal for motorists whilst helping to tackle

rogue private parking companies. Should the Bill progress, there will be an

opportunity to consider the obligations on private parking companies. The Bill is due





for second reading on 2 February 2018 and I will be speaking in the Commons to

voice the Government’s and my personal support. Further information is available

here http://services.parliament.uk/bills/2017-19/parkingcodeofpractice.html.

The number of appeals processed by either private parking companies or local

authorities is not data that is collected by the Ministry of Housing, Communities &

Local Government.

Parking: Fees and Charges

Alex Chalk: [121886]

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government whether

his Department plans to review the regulation of the level of charges made by private

parking operators for vehicles parking on private land in respect of the Unfair Terms of

Consumer Contracts Act 1999.

Rishi Sunak:

The Government promotes a system of self-regulation by the private parking industry.

Private parking companies must be a member of a trade association if they wish to

access the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) data and then issue parking

charges to the owner of a vehicle. The two parking trade associations, the British

Parking Association (BPA) and the International Parking Community (IPC), have their

own codes of practice and appeal procedures to which they expect their members to

adhere.

Sir Greg Knight has introduced a Private Members’ Bill that seeks to create an

independent code of practice for private parking companies. In line with the

Manifesto, the Government fully supports Sir Greg’s Bill and seeks to get the fairest

deal for motorists whilst helping to tackle rogue private parking companies. Should

the Bill progress, there will be an opportunity to consider the obligations on private

parking companies. The Bill is due for second reading on 2 February 2018. Further

information is available here http://services.parliament.uk/bills/2017-

19/parkingcodeofpractice.html

Right to Buy Scheme



much funding has been allocated by his Department to the voluntary right to buy pilot

process for each of the next five years; and how much of that funding has been spent.


I refer the Rt Hon member to the answer of 117167. The pilot is due to commence in

the Midlands in summer 2018.


http://services.parliament.uk/bills/2017-19/parkingcodeofpractice.html






estimate he has made of the number of houses that will be sold in each of the next five

years as a result of the voluntary right to buy pilots.


The voluntary Right to Buy regional pilot will give thousands more housing

association tenants the opportunity to enjoy the benefits of home ownership. The

Government is currently engaging with the National Housing Federation and the

specific housing associations in the Midlands and more details on the pilot will be

announced in due course.

Social Services



estimate he has made of the average waiting times for money management

arrangements for personal care budgets in social care to be put in place by each local

authorities; and if he will make a statement.

Rishi Sunak:

The Department does not hold this information. Policy responsibility for Personal

Care Budgets lies with the Department of Health and Social Care.

South Tyneside Council: Health Services


To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether

he has received representations from South Tyneside Council on devolving local health

services to that local authority.

Rishi Sunak:

The Department has not currently received any representations from South Tyneside

Council about devolving local health services.

Supported Housing



recent estimate he has made of the number of supported housing (a) units and (b)

residents living in short-term supported housing.


The most recent estimate is contained in the Supported Accommodation Review

published on 21 November 2016 and available from the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/supported-accommodation-review

The Department does not currently hold figures for the number in short term versus

other supported housing units, however plans are in place to collect additional





housing benefit data over the next year to support the development of the recently

announced supported housing funding model.

Melanie Onn: [124465]


timetable is for the Government to publish its response to the consultation on the Review

of Supported Housing Funding which closed on 23 January 2018.


The consultations on the short-term accommodation grant and sheltered housing

model closed on Tuesday 23 January 2018.

We will now consider all responses and the Government will provide a full response

in the early summer of 2018. In the meantime we will continue to work with providers

and local government on the details of the proposed funding models.

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Developing Countries: Environment


To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what proportion of her

Department's aid budget is being spent on environmental projects; and whether the

objectives of the 25 Year Environment Plan will be taken into account in future aid

spending.

Harriett Baldwin:

The Department for International Development (DFID) is working closely with other

Government Departments as part of a comprehensive Government effort to protect

the environment. The Government has committed £5.8bn (2016-2021) to tackle

climate change, the biggest environmental challenge of our time. DFID will deliver

£3.6bn of this commitment. In 2016/2017, this was £755m, 7% of DFID’s total spend.

DFID and the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs fund, alongside

other countries, the $4.43 billion Global Environment Facility sixth replenishment

(2014 – 2018) which works to address climate change as well as broader

environmental challenges such as biodiversity loss, land degradation, international

waters and chemicals and waste. All relevant Government commitments, including

the 25 Year Environment Plan, are taken into account when considering future aid

spending. In addition, all DFID programmes must avoid doing harm to the

environment, and environmental safeguards are one of the risk categories considered

as part of departmental programme management requirements.



Non-governmental Organisations

Hilary Benn: [124223]

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what steps she is taking to

ensure that the work of UK-based humanitarian NGOs is not adversely affected by the

UK leaving the EU.

Harriett Baldwin:

The EU guidelines (December 2017) acknowledge the proposal put forward by the

UK for a time-limited implementation period, based on the existing structure of EU

rules and regulations. Both parties have recognised the importance of such a period

in the interests of providing certainty and continuity to businesses and individuals.

The UK wants to agree the detail early in 2018 to provide certainty as quickly as

possible. In the meantime, the Government will continue to work closely with the EU

to ensure the UK’s rights as an EU Member State are respected.

Leaving the EU also offers opportunities for DFID and UK NGOs, and we will support

our NGOs to make the most of these opportunities in future.

Syria: Military Intervention


To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what discussions her

Department has had with the Turkish Government on relief operations in the Afrin area of

north west Syria in response to Operation Olive Branch.

Alistair Burt:

We are following developments in Afrin closely. While we recognise Turkey’s

legitimate interest in the security of its borders, we remain concerned about the

impact on the humanitarian situation. Through the Foreign Secretary’s contact with

Turkish Foreign Minister Çavuşoğlu, we have urged the Turkish Government to

ensure the protection of civilians and to avoid further deterioration of the humanitarian

situation.

Syria: Refugees

Jim Shannon: [124151]

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development , what steps the Government

is taking to assist (a) Jordan, (b) Lebanon and (c) Turkey with Syrian refugees.

Alistair Burt:

Since the start of the Syria crisis, DFID has committed £2.46 billion, our largest ever

response to a single humanitarian crisis. We have committed £429m to support

activities in Jordan, through humanitarian, education and economic development

programming. This funding has enabled over 126,000 Syrian refugees to access

state education; allowed refugees to work legally, with over 70,000 work permits

issued; and improved cross-community relations and much need infrastructure for

Syrians and Jordanians living side by side in host communities. DFID has also




allocated £543 million in humanitarian and development funding to Lebanon,

providing nearly half a million cash grants and vouchers to help vulnerable people

meet their basic needs, expanding the Lebanese education system to reach over

300,000 Syrian children, and improving infrastructure and services in 51 of the most

conflict-prone municipalities. In 2016, DFID committed €328 million to the €3 billion

EU Facility for Refugees in Turkey (FRIT). The UK is also contributing to the FRIT via

our EU budget payments. The FRIT is supporting refugees and host communities by

building schools, and providing health services and social welfare payments for the

most vulnerable.

UNRWA


To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what the value of the

Government's funding for the UN Relief and Works Agency has been in each of the last

five years.

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 2013 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 the

2017/18 financial year.

(£ MILLIONS) 2013 2014 2015 2016

Bilateral ODA through Multilateral 18.4 29.1 30.0 21.0

Core Multilateral ODA 22.9 36.6 34.0 33.4

Total UK ODA to UNRWA 41.4 65.7 64.0 54.4

Source: Statistics for International Development 2013-2016

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: Licensing


To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what vetting procedures the Export

Control Joint Unit carries out on entities that apply to the Government for licenses to

broker or deal arms.

Graham Stuart:

All export licence applications are considered on a case-by-case basis against the

Consolidated EU and National Arms Export Licensing Criteria, known as the

Consolidated Criteria, based on the most up-to-date information and analysis

available, including reports from NGOs and our overseas network.

The Export Control Joint Unit takes account of all relevant risks related to the

Consolidated EU and National Arms Export Licensing Criteria when assessing

licence applications. The criteria focus on the end use of the proposed transfers and

therefore routine vetting procedures relate to end users rather than applicants.

Chemring Group


To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, if he will list the number of

applications for export credit support and financing that UK Export Finance has received

from Chemring and its subsidiaries in each of the past 10 years; and if he will list the

value of the exports covered and the countries for which export support was provided.

Graham Stuart:

Where such information is not commercially sensitive, UK Export Finance (UKEF)

publishes details of the companies it has supported on an annual basis in its Annual

Report and Accounts which are presented to Parliament and can be found on UKEF’s

website. These details include the value of UKEF’s support and the destination

country of the export. The applications that UKEF has received from Chemring were

in connection to a single export contract for bomb disposal equipment with the

Indonesian National Police that UKEF supported.

https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/uk-export-finance-annual-reports-and-

accounts


To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, on how many occasions the

Defence and Security Organisation has provided direct assistance to Chemring or its

subsidiaries in the last 10 years.

Graham Stuart:

According to our records the Department for International Trade’s Defence and

Security Organisation (DIT DSO) has interacted with Chemring or its subsidiaries on

194 occasions since 2007.



https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/uk-export-finance-annual-reports-and-accounts




An interaction can range from meeting company representatives on a stand at an

exhibition, to providing introductions, to meetings with officials, or company visits.

Commonwealth: Overseas Trade

Adam Afriyie: [124815]

To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what recent discussions he has had

with his counterparts in Commonwealth countries on future trade and investment

between the UK and Commonwealth countries.

Graham Stuart:

My Rt Hon Friend the Secretary of State for International Trade regularly engages

with his counterparts from Commonwealth countries, including at recent bilateral

meetings at the 11th WTO MC11 Ministerial Conference meeting on 11 – 14

December 2017 and at the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting on 23 – 26

January.

Given the importance we place on increasing intra-Commonwealth Trade and

Investment and the forthcoming Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting

(CHOGM) in London, the Secretary of State and the Ministerial team will continue to

have these discussions.

Department for International Trade: Beverage Containers


To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, how many disposable coffee cups

have been purchased by his Department since it's establishment.

Greg Hands:

The information requested is not held centrally.

Disposable coffee cups used within the department are purchased by an external

catering supplier, who is unable to provide this information.

Staff and visitors are encouraged to dispose of waste appropriately and use recycling

facilities where it is appropriate to do so.

Department for International Trade: Directors


To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, who the lead non-executive director

and other non-executive director board members are in his Department.

Greg Hands:

The names of the Department for International Trade’s four Non-Executive Board

Members, including Lead Non-Executive Director, are publically available on the

gov.uk website. This information can be found here:

https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/department-for-international-trade






Department for International Trade: Former Members


To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, 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.

Greg Hands:

No former Conservative Members of Parliament who were defeated at the General

Election in 2017 are currently employed by the Department for International Trade.

Department for International Trade: Presidents Club

Jess Phillips: [124640]

To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, whether any Ministers in his

Department attended the Presidents Club Charity Dinner run by the Meller Educatonal

Trust in an official capacity.

Greg Hands:

No Department for International Trade Ministers have attended the Presidents Club

Charity Dinner.

Department of Trade and Industry: Meetings

Peter Kyle: [124643]

To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, who has to date confirmed their

attendance at the next meeting of the Board of Trade in the first quarter of 2018.

Greg Hands:

The new Board of Trade is led by the President of the Board of Trade. The

Secretaries of State for the Territorial Offices and other Department for International

Trade Ministers have a standing invitation to attend the meetings. The work of the

Board of Trade is supported by a group of advisers, who are also invited to the

meetings. A full list of the advisers to the Board of Trade can be found at:

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/international-trade-secretary-dr-liam-fox-

convenes-a-new-board-of-trade-to-ensure-the-benefits-of-free-trade-are-spread-

throughout-the-uk

Sri Lanka: Arms Trade


To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what steps the Government is

taking to ensure that arms sold to the Government of Sri Lanka are not used to violate the

human rights of the Sri Lankan people.

Graham Stuart:

All export licence applications are considered on a case-by-case basis against the

Consolidated EU and National Arms Export Licensing Criteria, known as the





Consolidated Criteria, based on the most up-to-date information and analysis

available, including reports from NGOs and our overseas network.

The Consolidated Criteria provide a thorough risk assessment framework and require

us to assess the impact of providing equipment and its capabilities.

Licensing decisions for Sri Lanka take into account international humanitarian and

human rights law as well as the type of goods. We do not issue any export licences

where we assess there is a clear risk that the goods may be used for internal

repression or external aggression.

Trade Agreements


To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, pursuant to the Answer of 19

January 2018 to Question 122985, what representations he has received on whether

provisions on trade in services in any existing EU free trade agreements that are

transitioned after the UK leaves the EU will be governed by EU regulations.

Greg Hands:

Since the Trade White Paper was published, the Government has engaged

extensively with stakeholders on a whole range of issues 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 to this end.

Trade Promotion: Technology

Chi Onwurah: [124286]

To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what estimate he has made of the

number of exhibitors at the Consumer Electronics Show 2017 that came from (a) the UK,

(b) France, (c) the Netherlands, and (d) Israel; and what support his Department provided

to exhibitors from the UK.

Graham Stuart:

The Consumer Electronics Show (CES) is an externally organised event. The

Department for International Trade has not made an estimate of companies that

attended from France, Israel, and the Netherlands and does not hold data for the

Number of UK exhibitors.

DIT has boosted its support for UK companies exhibiting at CES in 2018, including by

supporting more than 50 companies to attend.



Turkey: Military Aircraft


To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, whether exports of Turkey's TF-X

fighter will be subject to UK Government approval on a case-by-case basis; and if he will

make a statement.

Greg Hands:

It is planned that the TF-X aircraft will be built in Turkey, therefore approval of any

future exports from Turkey will be a matter for the Turkish government.

Any components being supplied from the UK for the TF-X aircraft will however be

subject to UK Government approval, as these components will require a UK Export

Licence.

JUSTICE

Coroners: Greater London

Wes Streeting: [124352]

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether he has received representations on the

performance of the Inner North London Coroner's Office with reference to (a) ensuring

appropriate burial arrangements for Jewish and Muslim people and (b) otherwise; and if

he will make a statement.

Dr Phillip Lee:

Coroners are independent judicial office holders. As such, it would be inappropriate

for Ministers to comment on the reported actions of the Inner North London Senior

Coroner.

Courts: Closures

Richard Burgon: [123668]

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many courts were closed in each year

since 2010.

Dr Phillip Lee:

This government is investing over £1billion to reform and modernise the justice

system – making it more convenient, easier to use, and providing better value for the

taxpayer.

As we increase the use of digital services, it makes sense to consider the wider role

and need for Court buildings and assess whether some are still necessary to provide

effective access to justice. Where physical courts are to close, every penny raised will

be put back into funding changes which will make justice easier to access for all at

the same time as offering protections for the most vulnerable.




Since 2010, the following number of courts have closed in each financial year as

detailed below:

2010/11: 1

2011/12: 129

2012/13: 7

2013/14: 5

2014/15: 7

2015/16: 20

2016/17: 64

2017/18: 25

Courts: ICT


To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many of his Department's staff have as

their principal role overseeing the digital courts reform contract with PwC.

Lucy Frazer:

The Department has allocated responsibility for oversight of the PWC contract to four

key individuals in addition a number of professionals from its Commercial,

Commissioning, Financial and Operational workstreams overseeing the PwC delivery

partner contract on behalf of the Senior Business Owner. This provides the

department with a broad range of expertise to focus on particular areas of the

contract.


To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many contracts his Department has signed

with companies in respect of the digital courts reform programme; what other signatories

there are for each of those contracts; what the value of each of those contracts is; and

what the performance measures are which form part of each of those contracts.

Dr Phillip Lee:

As of 22/01/2018 forty-one (41) contracts have been awarded under the category

‘Digital and Technology’ to support the delivery of the HMCTS Reform Programme.

The Total Contract Value of these contracts is £106.4m. The signatories for these

contracts will vary depending on value and budgetary / contractual financial

delegations. Prior to ‘contract award’ approval is required through the following

channels:

Programme / Project Business Case;

Cabinet Office Spend Controls (where applicable);

Technology Owner;

Digital / Technology Director;



Budget Holder; and

Commercial Manager / Senior Commercial Manager / Commercial Director.

The final contract is signed by the supplier and a member of the commercial team

(subject to value).

Performance measures vary by contract and by programme, depending on the

services being delivered. Some of these contracts are short fixed price pieces of

work, with payment only on acceptable performance and delivery of milestones.

Other longer term contracts include service and performance review boards where

the HMCTS Senior Business Owner and team will review the services delivered in

month. They will then assure whether or not the deliverables have been delivered in

line with the contract. Should the performance not meet the standards expected in

the contract in accordance with the Service Level Agreements (SLAs) then HMCTS

may have a right to service credits or other such remedy from the supplier. At a

project level, regular programme reviews and supplier reviews take place for each of

the digital service projects being delivered.

Crime: Victims


To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many breaches of the Code of Practice for

Victims of Crime have been recorded since its introduction in 2006.


To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many breaches of the Code of Practice for

Victims of Crime have been recorded since its revision in December 2013.

Dr Phillip Lee:

The Victims’ Code is a statutory code of practice, which sets out the services that

must by law be provided to victims of crime in England and Wales by criminal justice

agencies. The Ministry of Justice does not collate breaches of the Code by criminal

justice agencies..


To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, which organisations his Department consulted

on the introduction of a victims law; and if he will make a statement.

Dr Phillip Lee:

Supporting victims of crime is a priority for the Government and we have made a

commitment to publish a victims strategy in 2018. We are looking at legislative and

non-legislative options to give effect to the strategy.

We are engaging widely with victims, victims’ groups and other stakeholders,

including but not limited to the Victims’ Commissioner, Criminal Justice Agencies, and

the Association of Police and Crime Commissioners.




Domestic Visits: Redbridge


To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if he will outline the itinerary of his visit to the

London Borough of Redbridge that took place on 19 January 2018.


To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, when he last met senior Metropolitan police

officers from the London Borough of Redbridge.

Dr Phillip Lee:

The Secretary of State visited the London Borough of Redbridge on 19 January to

take part in political campaigning. The Ministry of Justice does not hold information

on this visit, due to its political nature.

Liverpool Prison


To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many prisoners were occupying the 172

cells referred to in Action Plan: HMP Liverpool, published on 19 January 2018, as being

in an unacceptable condition prior to those cells being closed.


To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, to where those prisoners occupying the 172

cells referred to in Action Plan: HMP Liverpool, published on 19 January 2018, as being

in an unacceptable condition were moved; and whether there has been an increase in

two or more prisoners sharing cells at that prison since the inspection which provided the

basis for that action plan.


To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what discussions his Department has had with

the Governor of HMP Liverpool on (a) the operational capacity of the prison and (b) cell

occupancy at the prison since the closure of the 172 cells referred to in Action Plan: HMP

Liverpool, published on 19 January 2018.

Rory Stewart:

The action plan for HMP Liverpool refers to 172 places [for prisoners] taken out of

use at the prison. As these places were taken offline over a period of time and in

consultation with the Governor at HMP Liverpool the capacity of the prison has been

reduced since the Inspection.

These changes were managed as part of business as usual activity in the prison over

a short period of time, this was possible due to the nature of HMP Liverpool’s role as

a local prison with their high level of turnover of prisoners. There has been no

increase in two or more prisoners sharing cells at the prison since the inspection,

either in terms of number of individuals or in terms of percentage of the prison’s total

population.







To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, when he plans to publish his investment

proposal for a medium-term refurbishment programme for HMP Liverpool.

Rory Stewart:

Her Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS) is currently scoping the

programme of urgent works at HMP Liverpool. There are no plans to publish any of

these investment proposals.


To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what plans there are for the involvement of the

Prison Officers Association and other staff representatives in developing HMP Liverpool’s

annual training plan for 2018.

Rory Stewart:

HMP Liverpool have commissioned a training needs analysis to look at the training

needs of our staff for 2018-19. The local branch of the Prison Officers Association

(POA) at HMP Liverpool will be invited to take part in these discussions by the

Governor.


To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether HMP Liverpool is operating with an

operational capacity that involves a level of crowding above its Certified Normal

Accommodation.


To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many cells at HMP Liverpool that were

designed for single occupancy have been certified by the relevant Prison Group Director

in accordance with PSI 17/2012 to accommodate two prisoners or more.

Rory Stewart:

Prison Service Instruction 17 of 2012 sets out that it is the responsibility of the Prison

Group Director to ensure that all cells are correctly certified, and recorded on a cell

certificate schedule which is signed by the PGD.

Published information on the levels of crowding at HMP Liverpool can be found in the

National Offender Management Service Annual digest 2016/17:

https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/annual-national-offender-management-

service-digest-2016-to-2017

Ministry of Justice: Beverage Containers


To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many disposable coffee cups were






https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/annual-national-offender-management-service-digest-2016-to-2017




Dr Phillip Lee:

I can confirm that the MoJ holds a partial amount of the information that you have

requested and I have provided it below.

My response is primarily restricted to purchases made via a Catering Disposable

contract which commenced in June 2017 and has since supplied Her Majesty’s

Prison and Probation Service. Comparative data for periods prior to June 2017 is not

held.

I can provide the data for 2017/18 to date as per below;

NUMBER OF DISPOSABLE HOT BEVERAGE CUPS

2017/18 (Part year Apr 17 to date) 929,960

Ministry of Justice: Carillion


To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how often Carillion was stress-tested by his


stress test were.

Rory Stewart:

The Department undertakes a financial assessment of prospective suppliers as part

of its procurement processes. The last contracts awarded to Carillion were the prison

facilities management contracts that were awarded in January 2015. For ‘live’

contracts the Department utilises market and supplier intelligence reports that are

undertaken by the Cabinet Office.

Ministry of Justice: Former Members


To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many former Conservative Members of



Dr Phillip Lee:

There are no former Conservative Members of Parliament, who lost their seats at the

2017 General Election, working within the Ministry of Justice.

Sentencing: Females


To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many female offenders received an

immediate custodial sentence in each of the last seven years; and what the percentage

change in that number was for each police force area in England and Wales in each of

those years.




Dr Phillip Lee:

The number of female offenders sentenced to immediate custody in England and

Wales, by police force area, from 2010 to 2016, can be viewed in the table below.

Court proceedings data, including sentencing outcomes, for 2017 is planned for

publication in May 2018.

In recognition of the distinct needs of female offenders, we are developing a female

offender strategy to improve outcomes for women in the community and in custody.

FEMALE OFFENDERS SENTENCED TO IMMEDIATE CUSTODY, ENGLAND AND WALES, BY POLICE

FORCE AREA, 2010 TO 2016 (1)(2)

Force 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016

London (3) 1,691 1,822 1,566 1,320 1,318 1,192 1,286

Cumbria 80 109 88 90 93 104 92

Lancashire 189 193 205 241 239 215 169

Merseyside 251 265 232 232 249 268 267

Greater

Manchester

468 486 412 405 451 405 309

Cheshire 139 131 121 118 169 182 168

Northumbria 156 199 165 136 178 184 170

Durham 87 64 79 80 85 77 80

North Yorkshire 91 90 104 82 83 79 83

West Yorkshire 273 284 270 271 300 294 336

South Yorkshire 206 244 210 273 249 232 194

Humberside 151 155 157 146 158 138 147

Cleveland 116 91 93 98 91 78 108

West Midlands 630 580 590 493 536 525 559

Staffordshire 151 143 145 101 125 126 119

West Mercia 146 116 111 104 117 102 112

Warwickshire 28 39 38 40 41 57 60

Derbyshire 139 156 123 128 174 183 179


FORCE AREA, 2010 TO 2016 (1)(2)

Nottinghamshire 187 153 145 117 143 170 147

Lincolnshire 52 59 62 67 42 52 67

Leicestershire 108 120 114 108 102 88 97

Northamptonshire 129 115 128 93 92 70 78

Cambridgeshire 143 111 123 132 92 89 113

Norfolk 96 99 93 73 86 99 124

Suffolk 56 81 43 64 79 73 49

Bedfordshire 99 75 84 42 69 80 54

Hertfordshire 95 109 107 100 93 89 110

Essex 231 223 197 194 201 162 176

Thames Valley 242 254 213 204 214 255 224

Hampshire 199 267 245 156 193 211 158

Surrey 94 99 113 82 90 64 63

Kent 206 226 193 201 203 192 217

Sussex 260 240 194 148 132 160 131

Devon and

Cornwall

144 158 120 109 116 126 121

Avon and

Somerset

181 207 172 182 200 170 164

Gloucestershire 68 51 49 61 66 71 58

Wiltshire 25 32 33 29 33 44 49

Dorset 78 42 48 46 57 67 52

North Wales 74 74 97 98 93 107 116

Gwent 59 70 94 86 91 82 88

South Wales 327 328 291 344 345 328 387

Dyfed-Powys 51 58 42 44 37 33 32

England and 8,196 8,418 7,709 7,138 7,525 7,323 7,313


FORCE AREA, 2010 TO 2016 (1)(2)

Wales

(1) The sentence shown is the most severe sentence given for the principal offence

(i.e. the principal sentence), secondary sentences given for the principal offence and

sentences for non-principal offences are not counted in the tables.

(2) Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and

complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from

large administrative data systems generated by the courts and police forces. As a

consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their

inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used.

(3) Includes the Metropolitan Police and City of London Police Force Areas.

Sex Offender Treatment Programme


To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, when the Parole Board stopped taking into

account completion of the sex offender treatment programme in assessing the suitability

of prisoners for release.

Rory Stewart:

The Parole Board has not stopped taking into account completion of the sex offender

treatment programme in assessing the suitability of prisoners for release. The Board

may only direct release of a prisoner if it is satisfied that it is no longer necessary for

the protection of the public that the prisoner should remain detained.

When making its decision, the Parole Board will consider all evidence presented to it.

Attendance on offending behaviour courses - including sex offender treatment

programmes - is just one of the factors Parole Board panels consider.

Some of the evidence considered by the panel includes, but is not limited to, details

of offences, previous convictions, sentencing remarks, assessment of an experienced

probation officer, the offenders’ own comments; as well as reports from psychiatrists,

psychologists, security experts, prison staff, substance misuse workers, and staff on

behaviour management programmes. The offender also has an opportunity to make

a statement, as do victims. Before release is directed, the Parole Board will also

satisfy itself that a comprehensive resettlement plan is in place.

Young Offender Institutions


To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, with reference to the Answer of 23 January

2018 to Question 903506, what steps the Government has taken to address unsafe



conditions in youth custody following the Youth Custody Improvement Board report

published in February 2017.

Dr Phillip Lee:

The safety of young people in custody is our highest priority, and we take the findings

of the Youth Custody Improvement Board very seriously. We are investing £64 million

as part of our work to reform youth custody. This includes expanding frontline staff

capacity in public-sector Young Offender Institutions by 20% and introducing a new

youth justice specialist role. We have already started to make progress and currently

around 140 frontline staff are enrolled on a new vocational youth justice foundation

degree.

To ensure a grip on safety and performance a new Youth Custody Service was

launched in September 2017, headed by an Executive Director who is accountable to

Ministers. This is the first time in the department’s history that such a role has existed

and this demonstrates our commitment to improving youth custody.

We are working with NHS England to strengthen the provision of mental health care.

We are also investing in the development of Enhanced Support Units to provide a

better environment for young people with the most complex needs. The first of these

is now operational at Feltham YOI.

We are currently implementing a behaviour management strategy to improve safety

across the youth estate and progressing with a conflict resolution model.

NORTHERN IRELAND

European Capital of Culture: Northern Ireland

Owen Smith: [124870]

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what support her Department provided

to the joint bid by Belfast City Council and Derry and Strabane District Council to be

named European Capital of Culture.

Mr Shailesh Vara:

Belfast City Council, working in partnership with Derry City and Strabane District

Council, submitted a bid to become the UK’s host for European Capital of Culture in

2023. While the Department has not been involved in that council-led process, the

UK Government is disappointed with the European Commission’s actions in

discontinuing the competition and will seek further dialogue on this issue. The

Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport is continuing to work closely with the

five cities that submitted bids.

LGBT People: Northern Ireland

Ged Killen: [124529]

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, if she will meet representatives of the

Love Equality Coalition to discuss moves to improve LGBT rights in Northern Ireland.



Mr Shailesh Vara:

The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland intends to meet Love Equality in the

coming weeks, subject to diary commitments.


To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what discussions she has had with

representatives of the DUP and Sinn Fein on cross-party attempts to improve LGBT

rights in Northern Ireland.

Mr Shailesh Vara:

The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland has discussed a wide range of issues with

the Northern Ireland parties, with the focus of initial engagement being the restoration

of a fully functioning Northern Ireland Assembly and Executive.

Northern Ireland Office: Ministerial Policy Advisers


To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many special advisers were

employed in her Department in each year from 1997 to 2018.

Mr Shailesh Vara:

Because of the devolution of policing and justice functions on 12 April 2010, and

subsequent reconfiguration of the Northern Ireland Office (NIO), the NIO does not

hold figures for the periods prior to 2010. Attempting to obtain this information would

incur disproportionate cost. The figures below are taken from the NIO annual report

and accounts for 2010/11 to 2016/17 and show the number of special advisers

employed by the NIO.

YEAR NO. SPECIAL ADVISERS

2010-11 1

2011-12 1

2012-13 1

2013-14 1

2014-15 1

2015-16 1

2016-17 1

2017-18* 2

* As of 25 January 2018



Northern Ireland Office: Staff


To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many staff were employed by her

Department in each year since 1996.

Mr Shailesh Vara:

Because of the devolution of policing and justice functions on 12 April 2010, and

subsequent reconfiguration of the Northern Ireland Office (NIO), the NIO does not

hold figures for the periods prior to 2010. Attempting to obtain this information would

incur disproportionate cost. The figures below are taken from the NIO annual report

and accounts for 2010/11 to 2016/17 and show the numbers of staff employed by the

NIO or loaned from other government departments, and seconded staff working in

the core NIO.

REPORTING YEARS

NUMBER OF DIRECTLY

EMPLOYED/LOANED

STAFF

NUMBER OF SECONDED

STAFF

OVERALL STAFF

NUMBERS

2010/11 79 85 164

2011/12 85 69 154

2012/13 93 72 165

2013/14 101 62 163

2015/16 105 21 126

2016/17 103 30 133

2017/18* 106 36 142

* As of 25 January 2018

Peace Lines: Northern Ireland


To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, how many peace walls there are in

Northern Ireland; and how many there were in each year since 1997.

Mr Shailesh Vara:

In line with the terms of the devolution settlement, responsibility for interface barriers

falls under the remit of the devolved administration. The hon Gentleman may wish to

direct his question to the Northern Ireland Department of Justice for detailed

statistics. It is regrettable that additional so-called peace walls (or interface barriers)

have been erected since the signing of the Belfast Agreement in 1998 and still divide

communities today. It underlines the need for the UK Government and a restored

Northern Ireland Executive to work together to build a stronger and shared society, as



set out in the 2013 economic pact, 'Building a Prosperous and United Community’,

and the Executive’s ‘Together: Building a United Community’ Strategy. The Secretary

of State for Northern Ireland is working tirelessly with the parties and the Irish

Government, in accordance with the well-established three-stranded approach, to

create the conditions under which devolved government can return to Northern

Ireland. We want to see a society in which these walls are not present and the whole

community can live in peace together, as we build a Northern Ireland fit for the future.

SCOTLAND

Brexit: Scotland

Patrick Grady: [124280]

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, pursuant to his oral contribution of 6

December 2017, Official Report, column 1021, on what date officials were first instructed

to prepare amendments to Clause 11 of the European Union (Withdrawal) Bill for its

Report stage.

David Mundell:

We have committed to amend Clause 11 of the Bill in agreement with the Scottish

and Welsh Governments. As I have made clear, we had not reached agreement in

time to table amendments for Report. Our commitment to amending the Bill is

absolute, we have intensified discussions and as these progress we will reflect these

by bringing forward changes to the Bill in the House of Lords.

Scotland Office: Keith Cochrane


To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, whether he plans to renew Keith Cochrane's

membership of the Joint Management Board of the Scotland Office at the end of his three

year term.

David Mundell:

The Scotland Office has not made any decisions on the future membership of the

Joint Management Board.

TRANSPORT

Aviation: HIV Infection

Patrick Grady: [123778]

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will respond to Early Day Motion 827 on

HIV and UK aviation.

Jesse Norman:

The Department welcomes the Civil Aviation Authority’s (CAA) call for a change in

the current regulations and their decision to issue initial Class 1 Medical certificates




with a restriction to multi-pilot operations to applicants wishing to become commercial

pilots, subject to the applicants passing their Class 1 Medical assessment. The CAA

has often led aviation regulatory changes that have enabled pilots with medical

conditions to keep flying, and I welcome their continued efforts to see a permanent

change to the current regulations at the European level.

Belfast Harbour


To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether his Department has conducted a

recent review of the capacity of Belfast Port.


To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent assessment his Department has

made of the capacity of Larne Port.

Ms Nusrat Ghani:

Under devolution arrangements, policy relating to ports and harbours in Northern

Ireland is a matter for the Northern Ireland Executive.

Officials at the Department for Transport have, however, been in contact with ports in

Northern Ireland as well as ports elsewhere in the UK to discuss issues relating to EU

exit.

Blue Badge Scheme: Hartlepool

Mike Hill: [124354]

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

number of people in Hartlepool who use a blue badge.

Jesse Norman:

As at 31 March 2016, 5,060 valid blue badges were held by organisations or

individuals in Hartlepool.

Bridges: English Channel

Andy McDonald: [124273]

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what estimate he has made of the cost of

constructing a bridge between England and France.


To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what discussions he has had with the

Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs on constructing a bridge

between England and France.

Jesse Norman:

The Government is currently developing and delivering an ambitious programme of

investment in England’s strategic roads and improving local, regional and

international connectivity is a key aim. The programme is being informed by a wide






range of evidence including the work of six strategic studies, which are focused on

making major improvements to the capacity and connectivity of the road network.

Consideration of a bridge between England and France is not one of the studies and

no estimate has been made of the cost of constructing such a bridge.

The Secretary of State has had no formal discussions with the Foreign Secretary on

this.

Bus Services


To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether his Department has made an

assessment of the potential merits of the use of a cooperative model of ownership for bus

services.

Ms Nusrat Ghani:

The bus market in England (outside London) is deregulated and operated by private

sector bus operators. The deregulated bus market works well across much of the

country and any operational decisions are a matter for individual operators, as is the

ownership model they wish to consider.

However, the Bus Services Act 2017 presents local authorities with new powers to

bring about change, and unlock the potential for the bus industry to achieve more for

passengers. In particular, new enhanced partnership and advanced quality

partnership powers provide the framework for authorities to work side by side with

operators to set a shared vision for bus services in their area.

Carillion

Laura Smith: [123765]

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what financial assessment he made of

Carillion before agreeing a contract for HS2 development with an SPV of which Carillion

was a composite part.

Ms Nusrat Ghani:

HS2 Ltd undertook due diligence on all bids prior to the Main Works Civils Contract

Award in July. Each of the joint venture parties individually and collectively were

covered. The CEK joint venture has provided HS2 Ltd with assurances that in the

event of any member of the group being unable to deliver on its responsibilities, the

remaining members, now Eiffage and Kier, would fill the gap.

Laura Smith: [123766]

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether he received reports of market short-

selling in relation to Carillion when he offered a contract for HS2 development to an SPV

of which Carillion was a composite part.

Ms Nusrat Ghani:

The Secretary of State did not award the contract himself, he delegated authority to

do so to HS2 Ltd. The Secretary of State did not receive reports on the shorting of




Carillion shares prior to the award, by HS2 Ltd, of the two Main Works Civils

Contracts to the unincorporated Joint Venture.


To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how often Carillion was stress-tested by his


stress test were.

Ms Nusrat Ghani:

The Department interacts with Carillion plc primarily through its Arm’s Length Bodies

rather than centrally. Assessments of a company’s ability to deliver its obligations is

performed during each procurement exercise.


To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what rail improvement contracts Carillion

holds in (a) the North West and (b) Manchester.

Joseph Johnson:

Carillion hold a number of contracts with the Department’s Arm’s Length Bodies

(ALBs), including Network Rail. This includes rail electrification programme contracts.

However, the electrification works between Manchester and Stalybridge, and

between Manchester and Preston, are being delivered by a range of contractors, not

just Carillion, and Amey are the principal contractor for those works.

Network Rail also confirmed on Friday 19 January that Carillion staff working on their

projects are guaranteed to get paid until at least mid-April 2018.

This ensures that work will continue as planned on Network Rail projects through to

mid-April 2018, by which point Network Rail expects to have alternative

arrangements in place as necessary.


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

of the liquidation of Carillion on apprenticeships in the rail supply chain; and if he will

make a statement.

Ms Nusrat Ghani:

The Department’s Arm’s Length Bodies are the primary source of engagement with

Carillion PLC. Specifically within the rail sector, on HS2, one of Carillion’s other Joint

Venture partners, Kier, has confirmed that they will take on Carillion’s apprentices.

Also, the National Skills Academy for Rail (NSAR) are working to redeploy

apprentices and trainers through the NSAR Connect Service.



of the liquidation of Carillion on the timetable for rail electrification works; and if he will

make a statement.





Joseph Johnson:

Carillion hold a number of contracts with the Department’s Arm’s Length Bodies

(ALBs), including Network Rail. This includes rail electrification programme contracts.

The electrification works between Manchester and Stalybridge, and between

Manchester and Preston, are being delivered by a range of contractors, not just

Carillion, and Amey are the principal contractor for those works.

Network Rail also confirmed on Friday 19 January that Carillion staff working on their

projects are guaranteed to get paid until at least mid-April 2018.

This ensures that work will continue as planned on Network Rail projects through to

mid-April 2018, by which point Network Rail expects to have alternative

arrangements in place if necessary. Network Rail is working hard to ensure that any

impact on transport projects is kept to a minimum and there have been no reported

impacts.



of the liquidation of Carillion on the (a) timetables, (b) budgets and (c) other parts of the

Road Investment Strategy; and if he will make a statement.

Jesse Norman:

The current assessment of the effect of the liquidation of Carillion is that there is no

material change to (a) timetables, (b) budgets or (c) other parts of the Road

Investment Strategy due to the use of robust contractual models, the use of Project

Bank Accounts and an effective contingency plan put in to operation by Highways

England and its supply chain.

Department for Transport: Beverage Containers


To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many disposable coffee cups were


Ms Nusrat Ghani:

The department (including Executive Agencies) has not purchased any disposable

coffee cups in the last five years, except the DVSA made one purchase of 3,000 cups

in 2016 for conferences. None have been purchased since. In the central Department

staff bring their own cups in for any teas or coffees they wish to make for themselves.

Driverless Vehicles: 4G


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

readiness of the UK's 4G infrastructure to enable autonomous vehicles to operate on UK

roads.




Jesse Norman:

Ofcom conducts annual analysis of mobile coverage across the UK, including road

networks. However, more detailed assessment is necessary to understand the digital

connectivity requirements of connected and automated vehicles, including the role

4G networks can play. At this early stage, there remains debate in industry about

what level of digital connectivity will be necessary to enable self-driving vehicles and

what the optimal telecommunications technologies will be. Digital connectivity is a key

issue, and earlier this month, the Department commissioned research to analyse how

‘digital demand’ will evolve over time and across different road environments. The

findings are due in the summer. The Department is also supporting the Government’s

digital implementation task force in their work to consider how best to deliver the

Conservative manifesto commitment (2017) to improve mobile coverage across

major roads, and continue to fund a range of world leading trials and test beds across

the UK.

Driving Tests: Pontypridd


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

of the effect on driving instructors of the relocation of Pontypridd driving test centre to

Llantrisant.


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

of the effect on learner drivers of the relocation of Pontypridd driving test centre to

Llantrisant.

Jesse Norman:

60 percent of candidates will be closer to, or at least no further away from their

nearest centre, compared to Pontypridd. The impact on driving instructors will be

minimal as the training area, and consequently the mileage will not increase for the

majority of driving lessons being delivered.

Electric Vehicles


To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether his Department has plans to

subsidise domestic and business-based charging points for high capacity battery electric

cars; and if he will make a statement.

Jesse Norman:

The Government already has in place a range of grant funding schemes to assist with

the cost of installing dedicated domestic chargepoints in the homes of electric vehicle

drivers as well as in workplaces, for the use of employees and fleets. Grant support

also exists for Local Authorities to support the installation of chargepoints in

residential areas without access to off-street parking. These grants are available to

support chargepoints for all types of battery electric vehicles.





To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many charging points there are for

electric vehicles for staff at the offices of the Department for Transport and the Office for

Low Emission Vehicles at Great Minster House.

Jesse Norman:

There is no staff or visitor parking at the Department for Transport and Office for Low

Emission Vehicles, although there is limited parking available for mobility impaired

drivers. Staff are encouraged to use public transport, walk and cycle to work rather

than drive in order to ease congestion.

However, one dedicated electric vehicle chargepoint has been installed for electric

vehicles in the Government fleet. There is also a double-headed public chargepoint

immediately outside Great Minster House, as well as several other chargepoints in

the surrounding area.

High Speed 2 Railway Line: Expenditure

Mr Laurence Robertson: [124721]

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how much has been spent from the public

purse on the High Speed 2 project to date.

Ms Nusrat Ghani:

Expenditure on delivery of HS2 from 2009/10 until 2016/17 was £2.3bn. This consists

of expenditure by both HS2 Ltd on delivering the programme and by the Department

for Transport on land and property.

Pedestrian Areas: Accidents

Mrs Kemi Badenoch: [123909]

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to the Highways Act 1980,

how many people have been injured as a result of pavements not being maintained at

public expense in each of the last five years.

Jesse Norman:

The Department for Transport (DfT) does not hold data centrally on the number of

people injured as a result of pavements (pedestrian walkways) not being maintained

at public expense.

Road Traffic Offences: Fines


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

adequacy of powers available to local authorities to levy fines for moving traffic offences.






To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether he has had recent discussions with

(a) police constabularies and (b) local authorities on devolving the power to levy fines for

moving traffic offences; and if he will make a statement.


To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what representations he has received from

local authorities on commencing Part 6 of the Traffic Management Act 2004.

Jesse Norman:

Although there has been no formal assessment of this in recent months, the

Department has recently received representations on this issue from the West

Midlands Combined Authority and the Local Government Association, both of which

called for the commencement of Part 6 on the basis that these powers may help local

authorities to manage traffic contraventions and reduce congestion. A number of local

and combined authorities made requests for moving traffic powers during devolution

negotiations, but these powers were not featured in any final agreements.

Ministers have recently discussed moving traffic powers at meetings with Transport

for the North, the West Midlands Mayor Andy Street, and the Local Government

Association. A wide range of local authorities have also raised these powers at

regular engagement meetings.

In addition, the Department receives occasional correspondence from councillors and

local MPs enquiring about Government policy and the law regarding moving traffic

offences.

There have been no formal Ministerial discussions with individual police

constabularies about these powers in recent months.

The Government believes that the police already have the necessary powers to take

action where it is needed and has no plans to commence provisions in Part 6 of the

Traffic Management Act 2004 to enable all local authorities to take on civil

enforcement powers for moving traffic offences.

Roads: Litter


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

amount of litter Highways England has collected 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.

The Department for Transport does not hold information on how much litter is

collected. Highways England’s service providers are not required, contractually, to

report on the amount of litter cleared from their network.




However, as part of the Government’s Litter Strategy, Highways England has been

monitoring 25 national litter hot spots. Over the last 12 months more than 10,000

bags of litter have been picked from these sites.

Highways England continues to review its specifications and contractual

arrangements with its suppliers to ensure best value is achieved.

Roads: North of England

Mr Clive Betts: [124572]

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether the surface of the improved road

connection between Sheffield and Manchester as proposed by Transport for the North

will be constructed using all weather materials.

Jesse Norman:

The Trans-Pennine Tunnel Study will, as part of its brief, consider the potential

standard of the road link (motorway, expressway, all-purpose road). The Study is at

an early stage, and matters of detailed design have not been fully developed.

However, any design will be expected to take account of the climatic conditions

prevailing in the Peak District.

Roads: Repairs and Maintenance

Bim Afolami: [124762]

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how much his Department has spend on

roads and highways in each year since 2010.

Jesse Norman:

Figures on public sector expenditure are published as a part of the Government’s

Country and Regional Analysis (CRA) statistics. The CRA measures the levels of

both ‘capital’ and ‘current’ (i.e. resource) expenditure.

Statistics for Department for Transport expenditure on national and local roads are

given in the table below. These figures include expenditure incurred by Highways

England and DfT executive agencies (including the Driver and Vehicle Licensing

Agency, the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency and the Vehicle Certification

Agency).

The figures do not include expenditure from DfT to other public sector organisations,

such as grant payments made to Local Authorities or Devolved Administrations.

Total DfT expenditure on national and local roads

YEAR £MILLION (NOMINAL)

2010-11 2,752

2011-12 2,433



YEAR £MILLION (NOMINAL)

2012-13 2,028

2013-14 2,339

2014-15 2,845

2015-16 2,984

2016-17 3,061

Roads: Safety

Mike Kane: [124248]

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

effectiveness of EU Directives 2014/45/EU and 2014/47/EU in improving road safety.

Jesse Norman:

Europe-wide assessments of proposals for the two EU Directives were made during

their development. Limited changes to legislation for Great Britain to implement them

will be in force by 20th May 2018. Impact assessments (including related to safety) of

changes related to vehicles of historic interest and the testing of certain types of

heavy goods vehicles have been published by the Department for Transport. Other

changes had limited effects. Reviews of the effects of the four statutory instruments,

which implement the changes in Great Britain, are required by May 2023.

Taxis: Disability

Sandy Martin: [123767]

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps he has taken to secure

participation by disabled people on the taxi and private hire vehicle working group.

Sandy Martin: [123769]

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps he has taken to ensure that the

needs of people with various disabilities are represented on the taxi and private hire

vehicle working group.

Ms Nusrat Ghani:

The Task and Finish group on Taxi and Private Hire Vehicles was established by the

then Minister of State for Transport, John Hayes, and has received submissions from

a number of disability representation organisations. I look forward to receiving the

group’s findings soon.




WALES

Brexit: Wales


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

First Minister of Wales on legislative consent for the European Withdrawal Bill.

Alun Cairns:

The Government is having intensive discussions with the Welsh Government on the

European Union (Withdrawal) Bill with a view to securing the legislative consent of

the National Assembly for Wales to the Bill.

My Rt honourable Friend the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and I are meeting

the First Minister later this week as part of those ongoing discussions.

Care Homes and Foster Care: Wales

Mrs Madeleine Moon: [124097]

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

Welsh Government on the growth of private fostering and private care homes in Wales.

Alun Cairns:

The provision and regulation of fostering and care homes is devolved to the Welsh

Assembly, and as such is a matter for the Welsh Government.



Wales Office: Chief Scientific Advisers

Norman Lamb: [124396]

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, how many meetings he had with the

Government Chief Scientific Adviser between October and December 2017.

Alun Cairns:

None.

Wales Office: Presidents Club

Jess Phillips: [124628]

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, whether any Ministers in his Department

attended the Presidents Club Charity Dinner run by the Meller Educational Trust in an

official capacity.

Alun Cairns:

None of the Ministers in my Department attended the dinner.

WOMEN AND EQUALITIES

Females: Voting Rights

Ms Harriet Harman: [124453]

To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, what plans her Department has to

celebrate the centenary of women getting the right to vote in 1918.

Victoria Atkins:

The government has set aside £5m to celebrate this milestone in British democracy.

In the Autumn budget, the Chancellor announced that £1.2million of the centenary

fund would go directly to seven Centenary Cities and towns in England with a strong

suffrage history, to strengthen the reach and legacy of regional activity to inspire a

new generation with this story.

A further £1.5million will be available to organisations and communities through a

grants scheme. Online applications opened in January, and further information can

be found at: www.womensvotecentenaryfund.co.uk

The Government Equalities Office has developed an exciting national programme to

celebrate and remember the suffrage movement, which also includes funding the

statue of Millicent Fawcett in Parliament Square, and a suite of education

programmes in partnership with the Department for Education and the Cabinet Office.




http://www.womensvotecentenaryfund.co.uk/

http://www.womensvotecentenaryfund.co.uk/

WORK AND PENSIONS

Attendance Allowance and Personal Independence Payment

Tonia Antoniazzi: [124530]

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether she plans to change the

application processes for personal independence payment and attendance allowance to

allow third parties to help claimants.

Sarah Newton:

There are no plans to change the application process for Personal Independence

Payment or Attendance Allowance as third parties can already assist the claimant

throughout the claim process and beyond.

A third party can assist the disabled person in making the telephone claim for PIP.

They can also help the person complete any paper claim form where necessary.

Further within the claim process, they can help the claimant complete any evidence

gathering forms and can also accompany them to any face to face consultation with a

Health Care Professional, at the claimant’s request.

Separately to this, a third party can make a claim under the Special Rules for the

Terminally Ill provisions where the claimant has a life expectancy of less than 6

months, without any involvement from the disabled person, although all notifications

are sent to the customer.

For claims to Attendance Allowance a third party can assist the disabled person by

completing a clerical claim form. In addition, claims to Attendance Allowance can be

made via Alternative Offices. These are offices authorised by the Secretary of State,

with nominated staff trained from specified partner organisations to receive and check

Social Security claims made by Attendance Allowance customers. They can also

collect and validate information and supporting evidence and record the first date of

claim.

Children: Maintenance


To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many additional child

maintenance payments were made after investigations by HMRC in each year since

2010.

Kit Malthouse:

The information is not routinely recorded and could only be provided at a




Children: Poverty

Jim McMahon: [124710]

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment she has made of

the effect of recent changes in welfare provision on the number of children living in

poverty in Oldham West and Royton constituency.

Kit Malthouse:

National statistics on the number of children in relative low income are set out in the

annual "Households Below Average Income" publication. The number and proportion

of children in relative low income is not available at local authority or constituency

level in this publication because the survey sample sizes are too small to support the

production of robust estimates at this geography.

Latest 3-year estimates for the North West of the proportion and number of children

in low income are available in Table 4.16ts and Table 4.17ts in the file

“4_children_timeseries_risk” from this link:


/hbai-2015-2016-supporting-ods-files.zip

Impact Assessments of policies in the Welfare Reform and Work Act of 2016 were

published in 2015. Evidence shows work is the best route out of poverty; nearly

three-quarters of children from workless families moved out of poverty when their

parents entered into full-time work. Children in workless households are five time

more likely to be in poverty than those in households where all adults were working.

Welfare reforms are designed to incentivise parents to make the choice to move into

and progress in work.

This Government is committed to action that tackles the root causes of poverty and

disadvantage with policies that incentivise employment as the best route out of

poverty. In Improving Lives: Helping Workless Families, we set out a framework for a

continued focus on improving children’s long-term outcomes. This includes nine

national indicators to track progress in tackling the disadvantages that affect families

and children. Four of these measures are set out in primary legislation which places a

duty on the Government report annually to Parliament on the parental worklessness

and educational attainment indicators. Data on the non-statutory indicators will also

be published each year.

Department for Work and Pensions: Credit Unions


To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether she plans to offer payroll

deduction services for credit union membership to all her Department's employees; and if

she will make a statement.

Guy Opperman:

The Department already offers payroll deduction services to its employes. In July

2016, DWP reached an agreement with 3 credit unions (Commsave, Hull and East


https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/599136/hbai-2015-2016-supporting-ods-files.zip




Yorkshire and Voyager) to provide services, including payroll deduction, to DWP

employees. Currently around 3,800 DWP employees have voluntarily joined that

scheme and received credit union loans of around £3 million.

Employment and Support Allowance


To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what plans she has to collate and

publish data relating to employment support allowance similar to that which is made

available on personal independence payments.

Sarah Newton:

The published Employment and Support Allowance, including Work Capability

Assessment outcomes, and Personal Independence Payment statistics are very

similar in coverage and include, for example: number of starts, number of claims in

payment, characteristics of the claimants, and Mandatory Reconsiderations.

Quarterly statistics on Employment and Support Allowance, including Work Capability

Assessment outcomes, and Personal Independence Payment are regularly published

here: https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/department-for-work-

pensions/about/statistics

The Department recently published its response to a consultation on future changes

to Employment and Support Allowance: Outcomes of Work Capability Assessments

as part of a wider consultaiton on Universal Credit that can be found here:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/universal-credit-statistics-background-

information

Employment and Support Allowance: Inflammatory Bowel Disease

Nick Thomas-Symonds: [123975]

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people have (a) applied

for and (b) received employment and support allowance for inflammatory bowel disease

in each year since 2010.

Sarah Newton:

Inflammatory bowel disease is a term commonly used to refer to either Crohn’s

disease or Ulcerative Colitis. The information available is shown in the following

tables:

Table 1: Number of individuals making an initial claim to Employment and Support

Allowance (ESA) whose main disabling condition was recorded as Crohn’s Disease

or Ulcerative Colitis, by year of claim start Jan 2010 to Mar 2017: Great Britain

YEAR OF ESA CLAIM START INITIAL ESA CLAIMS

2010 2200

2011 2600


https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/department-for-work-pensions/about/statistics



https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/universal-credit-statistics-background-information




YEAR OF ESA CLAIM START INITIAL ESA CLAIMS

2012 2800

2013 2700

2014 2800

2015 2600

2016 2400

2017 (Jan - Mar) 600

Table 2: Number of individuals assigned to the ESA Support Group or the ESA Work

Related Activity Group following their Work Capability Assessment (for initial, repeat

or IB reassessment claims), whose main disabling condition was recorded as Crohn’s

Disease or Ulcerative Colitis, by year of claim start or IB reassessment referral, Jan

2010 to Mar 2017: Great Britain

YEAR OF ESA CLAIM

START INITIAL ESA CLAIMS

REPEAT ESA

ASSESSMENTS IB REASSESSMENTS

2010 800 700 -

2011 1100 1300 1300

2012 1600 1900 2300

2013 1200 1200 1800

2014 1200 500 200

2015 1200 400 100

2016 1000 100 100

2017 (Jan - Mar) 200 - -

Source for Tables 1 and 2: Application data is derived from administrative data held

by the DWP and assessment data provided by the Healthcare Provider.

Notes for Tables 1 and 2:

1. The figures are rounded to the nearest 100. – denotes figures that are zero or less

than 50.

2. The information for 2017 is provided up to March 2017 only; this is the latest data

available at time of request.

3. National roll-out of IB reassessments began in March 2011. As a result, the 2011

figures for IB reassessment in Table 2 cover the period from March to December.

4. An individual may have made more than one ESA claim or assessment in any

given year. These individuals will only be counted once in each of the figures

provided.

5. The primary medical condition recorded on the claim form does not itself confer

entitlement to ESA. So, for example, a decision on entitlement for a customer

claiming ESA on the basis of Crohn’s disease or Ulcerative Colitis would be based

on their ability to carry out the range of activities assessed by the work capability

assessment.


To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people with

inflammatory bowel disease applied for mandatory reconsideration of their claim for

employment support allowance in each of the last four years.


To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what information his Department

holds on the number of people with inflammatory bowel disease who have submitted an

appeal for their claim for employment support allowance during the last four years.

Sarah Newton:

The information is not readily available and can only be obtained at disproportionate

cost.

Employment and Support Allowance: Parkinson's Disease


To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether her Department is taking

steps to ensure that those diagnosed with Parkinson's disease are not declared as having

a condition which is likely to improve by employment support allowance physical

assessors; and if she will make a statement.

Sarah Newton:

Since 29 September 2017, when considering the review period for an Employment

and Support Allowance or Universal Credit claimant as part of the Work Capability

Assessment, a healthcare professional has been required to consider whether the

condition or its functional affects meet the new severe conditions criteria. Where the

criteria are all met, the healthcare professional will advise that no further

assessments are needed.

Rather than being defined through a list of specific medical conditions, the criteria are

based on identifying claimants with severe, lifelong, often progressive and incurable

illnesses and disabilities, whose level of function would always mean that they would

have Limited Capability for Work and Work-Related Activity, and who are unlikely

ever to be able to move into work.




Employment Schemes: Disability


To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many businesses have signed

up to the Disability Confident scheme.

Sarah Newton:

As of the 17 December 2017, 5,359 employers had signed up to Disability Confident.

Jobcentres: Local Government


To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how much her Department

estimates it will save by co-locating Jobcentres in local authority premises.

Alok Sharma:

There are no plans to publish estimated savings which will be accrued from co-

location sites. Overall, we expect to make savings in the order of £135 million a year

for the next 10 years by merging offices, through reduced running costs and making

best use of office space available.

Jobcentres: Sign Language

Thelma Walker: [124190]

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many jobcentre staff hold a

level 2 British Sign Language qualification.

Sarah Newton:

Information on the total number of Jobcentre staff who, in a professional or personal

capacity, hold a level 2 British Sign Language qualification is not held and can only

be provided at a disproportionate cost.

Claimants who require an interpreter are able to access this support via the

contracted provision available.

Personal Independence Payment

Laura Pidcock: [124547]

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to her oral contribution of

23 January 2018, what the evidential basis is for her statement that the Government is

spending more on personal independence payments than it did on disability living

allowance.

Sarah Newton:

My Rt. Hon Friend, the Secretary of State, made clear in her statement that the

figures she referred to applied to the main disability benefits: Attendance Allowance,

Disability Living Allowance and Personal Independence Payment. These figures are

taken from the latest release of the benefit expenditure and caseload tables available

from here: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/benefit-expenditure-tables.






To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what proportion of people who had

a lifetime award for disability living allowance have had a reduction in the amount they

are entitled to as a result of transferring to personal independence payment.

Sarah Newton:

The information requested is not readily available and to provide it would incur


Personal Independence Payment: Mental Health

Debbie Abrahams: [124307]

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to Written Statement

of 19 January 2018, HCWS414, whether applicants will be entitled to a reassessment if

they were given the standard rate of the PIP mobility component after the February 2017

changes to PIP regulations, where the cause of the claim was psychological distress.

Sarah Newton:

As part of implementing the MH Upper Tribunal judgment, the Department for Work

and Pensions will carry out an administrative exercise in order to ensure that

claimants receive the correct award. We will be going through all cases in receipt of

PIP and all decisions made since the judgment in MH to identify anyone who may be

entitled to more as a result of the judgment. This review will include claimants who

are currently receiving the standard rate of the PIP mobility component and

experience psychological distress.

The Department will directly contact anyone who is affected and additional payments

will be backdated to the effective date in each claim. The effective date will be either

the date of the claim or the date of the MH judgment (November 2016), whichever is

the later date. Claimants do not need to write to DWP in order to receive the correct

award.

Debbie Abrahams: [124308]

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to the Written

Statement of 19 January 2018, HCWS414, what the timetable is for claimants to be

informed if they are entitled to a back payment.

Sarah Newton:

We are working with stakeholders to change the PIP assessment guide so that we

can implement the judgment. Once we have completed this exercise we will be

carrying out an administrative exercise to review cases that may be eligible and

ensure that claimants receive the correct award. This will be a complex exercise and

of considerable scale, as we will be reconsidering approximately 1.6 million claims.

Whilst we will be working at pace to complete this exercise it is important that we get

it right.




Personal Independence Payment: Mental Illness


To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate she has made of the

number of people claiming personal independence payment that have mental health

conditions.

Sarah Newton:

The latest available data on PIP claims in payment, including by parliamentary

constituency and main disabling condition are published on Stat-Xplore: https://stat-

xplore.dwp.gov.uk.

Guidance on how to use Stat-Xplore can be found here: https://sw.stat-

xplore.dwp.gov.uk/webapi/online-help/index.html.

Data is based on primary disabling condition as recorded on the PIP computer

system. Claimants may often have multiple disabling conditions upon which the

decision is based but only the primary condition is shown in these published

statistics.

By the end of Oct-17 the PIP Caseload stood at approximately 1,607,200 of which

553,900 (34%) were recorded with a mental health or behavioural related illness.

Personal Independence Payment: Motability


To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what proportion of people have had

their Motability car removed after being transferred from disability living allowance to

personal independence payment.

Sarah Newton:

The details of people returning Motability vehicles and the reasons behind this are

Motability’s Management Information, and the Department has no right to access as

Motability is an independent organisation.

The Department worked closely with Motability to introduce a £175 million

Transitional Support package for people leaving the scheme following PIP

reassessments. Customers who are eligible for a transitional support payment are

able to retain their car for up to 6 ½ months, including during the processes of

reconsideration or appeal. For those who take advantage of this option, the level of

transitional support payment will be reduced.

The transitional support package is paid for by Motability at no cost to the taxpayer

and gives significant help:

Claimants can keep their car for up to 3 months after an initial decision.

Claimants are given the option to buy their Scheme vehicle.

Choice of up to £2,000 lump sum payment or a 6 ½ month lease extension with a

smaller support payment.


https://sw.stat-xplore.dwp.gov.uk/webapi/online-help/index.html




Motability can help to pay to adapt new, non-scheme cars and gives additional help

and advice (on insurance and adaptations).

Personal Independence Payment: North West Durham


To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many claimants of personal

independence payment there are in North West Durham constituency.

Sarah Newton:

The latest available data on PIP claims in payment, including by parliamentary

constituency and main disabling condition are published on Stat-Xplore: https://stat-

xplore.dwp.gov.uk.

Guidance on how to use Stat-Xplore can be found here: https://sw.stat-

xplore.dwp.gov.uk/webapi/online-help/index.html.

Data is based on primary disabling condition as recorded on the PIP computer

system. Claimants may often have multiple disabling conditions upon which the

decision is based but only the primary condition is shown in these published

statistics.

Social Fund


To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 15

January 2018 to Question 121721, on social fund, if she will place a copy of the 2014

review in the Library; whether she has conducted any similar reviews since that review;

and whether her Department has any plans to hold further reviews.

Kit Malthouse:

A copy of the Local Welfare Provision review was deposited in the libraries of the

House of Commons and House of Lords on 10 November 2014 – DEP2014-1446.

The Department has no plans for a further review.


To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of

the effect on levels of financial and in-kind support provided to low-income families in

different local authority areas of the devolution of control over the Social Fund; and if he


Kit Malthouse:

The reforms to the Social Fund in 2013 have allowed local authorities in England and

the devolved administrations in Scotland and Wales to deliver their own local

provision for people who are in need of urgent help.

Our 2014 review published in November 2014 found that local authorities delivered

financial and in-kind support more effectively than the previous provision under the

Social Fund, and that therefore local authorities are best placed to ensure help is







targeted at those who need it most, alongside their other local services. The

Department has no further plans to carry out a further assessment.

Local authorities in England will receive more than £200 billion to deliver these and

other community services between 2016-17 and 2019-20, and will have the certainty

to plan ahead through our four-year funding settlement.

Social Security Benefits

Grahame Morris: [124156]

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what criteria are applied to decide

whether a claimant can have a home assessment for (a) employment and support

allowance, (b) personal independence payment and (c) universal credit.

Sarah Newton:

Assessment Provider Health Care Professionals will review each claimant’s

circumstances to decide whether a face to face consultation is necessary. If a face to

face consultation is recommended, the Health Care Professional will also, at this

point, determine if there is strong supporting medical evidence for the consultation to

be carried out at the claimant’s home. Situations where a claimant may need a home

consultation can include where a person’s diagnosis suggests a significant disability

that may make travel extremely difficult, or the claimant provides evidence from a

healthcare professional that their condition prevents them from travelling.

Social Security Benefits: Appeals


To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people waited (a) less

than one month, (b) less than two months, (c) less than three months, (d) less than four

months, (e) less than five months, (f) less than six months and (g) six months or more for

mandatory reconsideration in each year since 2010.

Sarah Newton:

The information requested is shown in the table below:

MANDATORY RECONSIDERATIONS CLEARED WITHIN EACH TIME PERIOD

- 1 month 2 months 3 months 4 months 5 months 6 months 6 months

+

Total

Apr 2014

- Mar

2015

158,700 67,800 31,200 3,900 1,300 600 500 264,000

Apr 2015

- Mar

2016

225,800 3,900 2,300 700 200 100 300 233,100



MANDATORY RECONSIDERATIONS CLEARED WITHIN EACH TIME PERIOD

Apr 2016

- Mar

2017

264,900 5,500 4,600 2,000 1,300 200 300 278,700

Apr 2017

- Dec

2017

209,300 7,700 1,000 500 900 500 700 220,700

Notes:

The data provided relates to all DWP benefits apart from Disability Living Allowance,

Attendance Allowance, Child Maintenance Group and Personal Independence

Payment who do not record clearance time data in this format.

The data provided is counting the number of Mandatory Reconsideration claims

cleared within each given time period, no claim will appear in more than one column.

- Less than one calendar month

- More than 1 month less than 2 months etc.

- More than 6 calendar months

The calculation for a cleared claim is the number of days from the Mandatory

Reconsideration being received by the Department to the date a decision was made.

The data has been provided in financial years, 01 st April to 31 st March with the

exception of this financial year which runs from 01 st April to 31 st December

Data is only available from 1 April 2014. This is because The Social Security, Child

Support (Decision and Appeals) Regulations 1999, were amended on 28th October

2013 and only from then could the Secretary of State require a person to apply for a

decision to be revised (i.e. apply for a mandatory reconsideration), before appeal. Pre

October 2013 data is not comparable to current volumes. Volumes from October

2013 – April 2014 (initial Appeals Reform roll-out) were small and so not reflective of

normal trend.

Annual figures cannot be directly compared to each other as different benefits have

been included over time for example Universal Credit (UC) did not commence until

November 2014

Source:

Decision Making and Appeals Case Recorder (DMACR)

The data provided is internal management information that does not form part of the

official statistics outputs that are released by the Department in accordance with the

UK Statistics Authority’s Code of Practice.

Social Security Benefits: Disability


To ask Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to the letter from the

Financial Secretary to the Treasury to the hon. Member for St Helen's South and Whiston

of 15 December 2017, whether a child in full-time education may claim disability benefit in

their own right from the age of 16.

Sarah Newton:

Young adults aged 16 and over can claim and receive Personal Independence

Payment (PIP) in their own right regardless of whether they are in any form of

education, training or work. An appointee can make a claim on the young adult’s

behalf where they are unable to handle their own affairs.

Social Security Benefits: Disqualification

Preet Kaur Gill: [124456]

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment her Department

has made of the potential link between the sanctions regime and the mental health and

wellbeing of individuals; and if she will make a statement.

Alok Sharma:

No assessment has been made of the potential link between the sanctions regime

and the mental health and wellbeing of individuals.

Sanctions are only ever used as a last resort, and when considering whether a

sanction is appropriate, a Decision Maker will take all the claimant’s individual

circumstances, including any health conditions or disabilities and any evidence of

good cause, into account before deciding whether a sanction is warranted.

We engage at a personal and individual level with all of our claimants and are

committed to tailoring the support that we give and any conditionality requirements to

the specific circumstances of the individual.

Preet Kaur Gill: [124458]

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps her Department is

taking to mitigate the effect of welfare sanctions on people's mental health and well-

being.

Alok Sharma:

I refer the Honourable Member to the answer I provided to Question 123884 on 26

January 2018.

State Retirement Pensions: British Nationals Abroad

Mr George Howarth: [124527]

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether UK state pensions will be

uprated after the UK leaves the EU for (a) UK citizens of pension age who currently live in

an EU country other than the UK, (b) UK citizens of less than pension age who reside in





an EU country other than the UK and who intend to retire there and (c) UK citizens who

reside in the UK and who intend to retire to an EU country other than the UK in the future.

Guy Opperman:

The UK State Pension will remain payable worldwide under domestic legislation

following our departure from the EU. We have now reached agreement with the EU to

maintain State pension up-rating for those covered by the Withdrawal Agreement.

This includes UK nationals living in the EU27 on the specified date or UK nationals

who have been subject to the legislation of an EU27 member state prior to the

specified date once they reach state pension age even if they are living in the UK on

the specified date.

For UK nationals living in the EU on the specified date this includes people who are

already receiving their UK State Pension as well as future UK State Pensioners who

have not yet reached State Pension age. We will want to discuss in future talks State

Pension up-rating for individuals who are not covered by the Withdrawal Agreement.

Universal Credit

Dr Philippa Whitford: [124104]

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what written guidance is available

to decision-makers to determine applications on universal credit payments being split

between members of the same household.

Alok Sharma:

The Department’s guidance for Universal Credit decision makers is contained in

“Advice for Decision Making” (“ADM”). Chapter B1 of the ADM, “Payment of UC, PIP,

ESA and JSA”, includes guidance on payments to joint claimants including splitting

payments between a couple. The relevant guidance is at paragraphs B1024 to

B1026. The ADM is also available on www.gov.uk and can be found at:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/advice-for-decision-making-staff-guide



January 2018 to Question 123035, what estimate her Department has made of the cost

of introducing an automated system for universal credit claimants to reset their login

details.

Alok Sharma:

In line with programmes of this size, it is not our policy to cost individual features.

Costs are managed at a programme level.

Universal Credit: Homelessness



November 2017 to Question 110143, on how many occasions homeless claimants have






had their work search and work availability requirements in the claimant commitment

switched off by a Work Coach in each of the last 12 months.

Alok Sharma:

The information requested is not recorded or held centrally and would only be

available at disproportionate cost.

Universal Credit: Northern Ireland

Lady Hermon: [123555]

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what recent assessment she has

made of the effectiveness of the implementation in parts of Northern Ireland of universal

credit; and if she will make a statement.

Alok Sharma:

The Department for Communities in Northern Ireland has responsibility for the

delivery of Universal Credit in Northern Ireland, which it does with the support of

DWP and the Universal Credit Programme.

Universal Credit has been introduced in Northern Ireland for new claims on a phased

geographical basis by post code groups aligned to front office locations. This process

started from September 2017.

Universal Credit: Payments

Mr Ivan Lewis: [124378]

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps her Department has

taken to reduce the time taken to make payments of universal credit.

Alok Sharma:

From February 2018, the seven-day waiting period will be removed for all new

Universal Credit claimants. This means that no claimant should wait longer than five

weeks to receive their first Universal Credit payment.

DWP has also improved the Universal Credit advances process. Claimants who

require support can now get an advance of up to 100 per cent of their expected

monthly entitlement while they wait for their first payment. This effectively removes

the wait until their first payment altogether.



MINISTERIAL CORRECTIONS

EDUCATION

Pupil Referral Units


To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many Pupil Referral Units there are for

early years pupils.

An error has been identified in the written answer given on 19 January 2018. The

correct answer should have been:

Nadhim Zahawi:

Alternative provision (AP) is education put in place for children of compulsory school

age who would not otherwise receive suitable education because of illness, exclusion

or any other reason. AP is arranged by local authorities (and in some circumstances

schools) and can be delivered by a range of providers, for example, pupil referral

units, AP free schools and AP academies.

As at 24 January 2018, the Department’s Get Information about schoolswebsite

shows there are 42 10 pupil referral units, AP free schools and AP academies that

cater to early years pupils aged four and under. Of these 42 institutions, 10 offer

provision for early years pupils aged three and under. Get Information about

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


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

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

WRITTEN STATEMENTS

TRANSPORT

Vehicle technology: Updated analysis of Report Stage Government amendments

for the purposes of English Votes for English Laws.

Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Transport (Jesse Norman):

[HCWS430]

I am today placing in the Library of the House the Department’s analysis on the

application of Standing Order 83L in respect of the Government amendments tabled for

Commons Report stage for the Automated and Electric Vehicles Bill.

Attachments:

1. Department’s analysis [180129 - EVEL Impact Analysis.pdf]

http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-statement/Commons/2018-01-29/HCWS430/

http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-statement/Commons/2018-01-29/HCWS430/

daily report monday, 29 january 2018...

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