Daily Report Monday, 8 January 2018 CONTENTSqnadailyreport.blob.core.windows.net/qnadailyreportxml/Written... · Daily Report Monday, 8 January 2018 ... Training ENVIRONMENT, FOOD

Daily Report Monday, 8 January 2018

This report shows written answers and statements provided on 8 January 2018 and the

information is correct at the time of publication (06:54 P.M., 08 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

BUSINESS, ENERGY AND

INDUSTRIAL STRATEGY

Aviation: Exhaust Emissions

Bankruptcy

Business: Human Rights

Business: Regulation

Carbon Emissions

Credit Cards: Debts

Department for Business,

Energy and Industrial Strategy:

EU Law



Regulation

Electric Vehicles

Energy: Meters

Industry: Cheltenham

Minimum Wage: Social

Services

Offshore Industry: North Sea

Ryanair

Shipbuilding

Small Businesses: Conditions

of Employment

Tidal Lagoons Independent

Review

Tidal Power

Working Hours: EU Law

CABINET OFFICE

Average Earnings

Cabinet Office: Regulation

Cabinet Office: Staff

Cost of Living and Standard of

Living

Elections: Visual Impairment

Electoral Register: Students

Government Departments:

Flags

Malnutrition

Older Workers

Prescription Drugs: Death

Prostate Cancer: Mortality

Rates

Public Sector: Billing

Returning Officers: Pay

Young People: Gower

TREASURY

Children: Day Care

Cider: Excise Duties

Consumer Prices Index

Cost of Living

Crime: Alcoholic Drinks

http://www.parliament.uk/writtenanswers

Cryptocurrencies

Customs Officers

Land Use

Private Finance Initiative:

Corporation Tax

Public Private Partnerships

Public Sector Debt

Royal Bank of Scotland:

Closures

Stamp Duty Land Tax

Sterling: Exchange Rates

COMMUNITIES AND LOCAL

GOVERNMENT

Building Regulations: Disability

Department for Communities

and Local Government: EU

Law

Department for Communities

and Local Government:

Regulation

Leasehold

Persimmon Homes: Pay

Public Houses

DEFENCE

Armed Forces

Armed Forces Day: Northern

Ireland

Armed Forces: Redundancy

Armoured Fighting Vehicles:

Procurement

Army Apprentice College

Harrogate

Army: Recruitment

Army: Rifles

Army: Young People

Cluster Munitions: Military

Bases

HMS Queen Elizabeth

Members: Correspondence

Military Exercises

Ministry of Defence: Christmas

Ministry of Defence: Official

Hospitality

RAF Volunteer Reserve

Rosyth Dockyard: Materials

Handling Equipment

Royal Auxiliary Air Force: Pay

Syria: Military Intervention

Veterans: Scotland

Warrior Armoured Vehicle

DIGITAL, CULTURE, MEDIA AND

SPORT

Charities: Young People

Charity Commission: Public

Appointments

Sanitary Protection: VAT

Technology: Industry

Television: Licensing

Tickets: Sales

Young People: EU Grants and

Loans

EDUCATION

Carers: Finance

Children in Care: West

Midlands

Children: Day Care

Children: Protection

Department for Education:

Travel

Education Funding Agency:

Buildings

Free School Meals: Coventry

South

Music: Education

Pupils: Sanitary Protection

Schools: Cost Effectiveness

Schools: Coventry

Schools: Fire Extinguishers

Schools: Greater London

Schools: Suffolk

Secondary Education:

Standards

Special Educational Needs

Teachers: Training

ENVIRONMENT, FOOD AND

RURAL AFFAIRS

Balloons and Sky Lanterns:

Environment

Clean Air Zones

Department for Environment,

Food and Rural Affairs: Written

Questions

Environment Protection

Fish: West Sussex

Flood Control: Finance

Fly-tipping: Wealden

Food: Procurement

Food: Standards

Genetically Modified

Organisms: Licensing

Ground Water: Suffolk

Landfill

Water: Standards

Wood-burning Stoves

EXITING THE EUROPEAN

UNION

Architecture: Qualifications

Borders: Northern Ireland and

Republic of Ireland

Chevening Scholarships

Programme

Department for Exiting the

European Union: Data

Protection


European Union: Email and

Social Media


European Union: EU Law


European Union: Families


European Union: Stationery


European Union: Written

Questions

European Banking Authority

and European Medicines

Agency

Ferries: Companies

State retirement pensions:

British Nationals Abroad

UK Notified Bodies

FOREIGN AND

COMMONWEALTH OFFICE

Austria: Foreign Relations

Bahrain: Prisoners

China: North Korea

Japan: Foreign Relations

Marine Protected Areas

Portugal: Foreign Relations

Rohingya

Turkey: Islamic State

HEALTH

Ambulance Services:

Southwark

Blood: Contamination

Department of Health:

Departmental Expenditure

Limits

Eating Disorders

Employment and Support

Allowance: Suicide

EU Rapid Alert Systems for

Food and Feed

Eyesight: Testing

Gadolinium: Health Hazards

General Practitioners

Haim-Munk Syndrome:

Medical Treatments

Health Services: Prisons

Health: Males

Hospitals: Fire Extinguishers

In Vitro Fertilisation

King's College Hospital

King's College Hospital:

Accident and Emergency

Departments


Surgery


Waiting Lists

Lancashire Care NHS

Foundation Trust

Mental Health Services

Mental Health Services:

Children and Young People

Mental Health: Children

NHS: Departmental

Expenditure Limits

NHS: Reorganisation

Obesity: Children

Ophthalmic Services

Organs: Donors

Pick's Disease: Medical

Treatments

Postnatal Depression

Public Health England

Raine Syndrome: Medical

Treatments

Social Services

Spinal Injuries: West Midlands

Transplant Surgery: Northern

Ireland

University Hospitals Coventry

and Warwickshire NHS Trust:

Acute Beds

University Hospitals Coventry

and Warwickshire NHS Trust:

Vacancies

HOME OFFICE

Asylum

British Nationality: Applications

Direct Selling

EU Nationals: Skilled Workers

Home Office: Written

Questions

Immigration

Immigration: EU Nationals

Organised Crime: Drugs

Police: Unmanned Air Vehicles

Refugees

Refugees: British Nationality

INTERNATIONAL

DEVELOPMENT

Africa: Adam Smith Institute

and Legatum Institute

Department for International

Development: Aviation


Development: EU Law


Development: Regulation

Developing Countries: Waste

Management

Israel and Occupied

Territories: Overseas Aid

Palestinians: Overseas Aid

Palestinians: Schools

Syria: Internally Displaced

People

INTERNATIONAL TRADE


Trade: Statutory Instruments

JUSTICE

Adoption

Community Orders

Community Orders: Females

Community Rehabilitation

Companies

Courts

Courts: ICT

Courts: Video Conferencing

Crimes of Violence: Acids

HM Inspectorate of Prisons

Legal Aid Scheme

Long Lartin Prison

Magistrates' Courts

Mediation


National Tactical Response

Group

Parking Offences

Prison Officers

Prison Sentences

Prisoners: Females

Prisons: Crimes of Violence

Prisons: Expenditure

Prisons: Smoking

Prisons: Staff

Probate

Probation

Rape: Trials

Reoffenders

Trials: Legal Costs

NORTHERN IRELAND

Marriage: Northern Ireland

Northern Ireland Assembly:

Pay

Northern Ireland Government

Schools: North Down

Voting Rights: Females

SCOTLAND

Scotland Office: Caledonian

Media

TRANSPORT

A75: Scotland

Aviation

Aviation: Carbon Emissions


Aviation: Noise

Bicycles: Hire Services

Blue Badge Scheme

Bus Services: Information

Govia Thameslink Railway

Govia Thameslink Railway:

Industrial Disputes

Heathrow Airport

Heathrow Airport: Air Pollution

Heathrow Airport: Night Flying

Heathrow Airport: Noise

London-Coventry Railway

Line: Mobile Phones


Parking Offences: Pedestrian

Areas

Railways: Compensation

Railways: Fares

Railways: Fylde

Railways: Greater London

Rapid Transit Systems: Oxford

Road Traffic Control

Speed Limits

Uber

WALES

Economic Situation: Wales

EU Grants and Loans: Wales

WOMEN AND EQUALITIES

Government Equalities Office:

EU Law

Sanitary Protection: Scotland

WORK AND PENSIONS

Access to Work Programme:

Southwark

Bereavement Benefits:

Cohabitation

Jobcentres

Jobcentres: Closures

Jobcentres: Glasgow

Mortgages: Government

Assistance

Occupational Pensions: Public

Consultation

Older Workers

Pensions: Uprating

Personal Independence

Payment: Appeals


Payment: Medical

Examinations


Payment: Mental Illness

Poverty: Children

Schools: Staff

Social Security Benefits

Social Security Benefits:

Arrears


Glasgow


Terminal Illnesses

State Retirement Pensions

State Retirement Pensions:

Females

Universal Credit

Universal Credit: Council Tax

Reduction Schemes

Universal Credit:

Disqualification

Universal Credit: Telephone

Services

Work Capability Assessment

Work Capability Assessment:

Mental Illness

MINISTERIAL CORRECTIONS

BUSINESS, ENERGY AND

INDUSTRIAL STRATEGY



Written Questions

Gratuities

EDUCATION

Department for Education:

Written Questions

NORTHERN IRELAND

Northern Ireland Office:

Families

WRITTEN STATEMENTS

ENVIRONMENT, FOOD AND

RURAL AFFAIRS

Waste

HEALTH

Conclusions of the

Employment, Social Policy,

Health and Consumer Affairs

(Health) Council: 8 December

2017

HOME OFFICE

Surveillance Camera

Commissioner – Annual

Report

Notes:

Questions marked thus [R] indicate that a relevant interest has been declared.

Questions with identification numbers of 900000 or greater indicate that the question was originally tabled as an

oral question and has since been unstarred.

ANSWERS

BUSINESS, ENERGY AND INDUSTRIAL STRATEGY


Zac Goldsmith: [120954]

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

to page 85 of the Government's Clean Growth Strategy, what estimate he has made of

the actual and projected emissions for the aviation sector for (a) 2030, (b) 2040 and (c)

2050; and what estimate he has made of the required level of aviation emissions if

emissions from from transport need to be as low as 3 Mt by 2050.

Claire Perry:

Latest BEIS data shows that carbon dioxide emissions from UK departing flights in

2015 were 34.5 Mt. DfT’s October 2017 aviation forecasts give CO2 emissions from

UK departing flights of between 36.6 and 45.7Mt in 2030; between 36.3 and 45.1Mt in

2040; and between 35.0 and 44.3Mt in 2050, depending on demand scenario and

airport capacity options.

The Government will set out its strategic approach to the aviation sector in a series of

consultations leading to the publication of a new Aviation Strategy for the UK. The

Strategy will consider what the best approach and combination of policy measures

are to ensure we effectively address carbon emissions from aviation.

The 3 Mt figure quoted from page 85 of the Clean Growth Strategy concerns

emissions from transport not including domestic or international aviation and

shipping.

Bankruptcy

Jo Stevens: [120777]

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

bankruptcy cases there were in each year since 2010.

Margot James:

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 July to September 2017, which include a comparison

with previous periods, were published on Friday 27 October 2017 on gov.uk

Business: Human Rights

Tom Brake: [120819]

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

timetable is for his Department to respond to the Sixth Report from the Joint Committee

on Human Rights, Human Rights and Business 2017: Promoting responsibility and

ensuring accountability, HC443 of Session 2016–17.

http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2017-12-21/120954



Margot James:

The Department and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office jointly led preparation of

the Government’s response, which was passed to the Committee on 13 December. I

understand the Committee is to consider and then publish the Government’s

response.

Business: Regulation

Priti Patel: [120886]

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

regulations affecting business his Department has withdrawn or amended in each year

since 2010 to date; which regulations affecting business his Department plans to

withdraw or amend in (i) 2018 and (ii) years beyond 2018; and what estimate he has

made of the net cost to business to withdrawal or amendment of each withdrawn or

amended regulation.

Margot James:

The changes to regulations affecting business during the 2010-15 Parliament are

recorded in Statements of New Regulation that were published every six months.

These are available on https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/one-in-two-out-

statement-of-new-regulation. For the 2015-17 Parliament, the Government will shortly

publish its final report on the savings to business delivered during that Parliament.

This will be published on www.gov.uk.

As we leave the EU, the Government is committed to maximising certainty for

individuals and businesses, making the UK the best place in the world to do

business. This will mean fostering a high quality, stable and predictable regulatory

environment, whilst also actively taking opportunities to support innovative business

models. It is not possible to give a definitive figure on which regulations will be

withdrawn or amended in (i) 2018 and (ii) years beyond 2018. This is because the

volume of legislation will depend on policy decisions to be taken.

Carbon Emissions


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

plans to publish the sensitivity analysis which sets out the emissions reductions by each

sector of the economy.

Claire Perry:

The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy publishes annual

updated energy and emissions projections, which project future energy use and

greenhouse gas emissions in the UK. These include projections of emissions

reductions by sector, and sensitivity to fossil fuel prices and economic growth.



The 2017 energy and emissions projections are the most recent published

projections, and were published on Jan 2 nd 2018. They are available here:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/updated-energy-and-emissions-

projections-2017

Credit Cards: Debts

Stella Creasy: [120254]

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

assessment he has made of the contribution of credit card debt to personal insolvency

over the last five years.

Margot James:

The Insolvency Service regularly assesses how changes in debt levels impact on the

number of personal insolvencies. It considers a wide range of economic indicators to

determine which has the greater impact on levels of personal insolvency. Over the

last five years, the analysis has shown that total household debt is a better indicator

of personal insolvency movements than levels of credit card debt.

Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy: EU Law


To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, which EU (a)

Directives, (b) Regulations and (c) other legislation affecting his Department he is

planning to propose the (i) revocation and (ii) amendment of after the UK leaves the EU.

Margot James:

The European Union (Withdrawal) Bill will retain EU law as it applies in the UK on exit

day.

We expect between 800 and 1000 statutory instruments will be required across

Government to correct this retained EU law to ensure the statute book functions

appropriately outside the EU. All Departments are engaged in this process.

Once we leave the EU, we will make our own laws. As we leave the EU, the

Government’s EU exit legislative programme is designed to cater for the full range of

negotiated and non-negotiated outcomes.

Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy: Regulation



processes his Department has put in place to (a) monitor, (b) collate cost information on,

(c) review and (d) respond to requests to amend or revoke regulations introduced by his

Department.

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/updated-energy-and-emissions-projections-2017

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/updated-energy-and-emissions-projections-2017




Margot James:

For the current Parliament, the Government is committed to maintaining a

proportionate approach to regulation to enable business growth while maintaining

public protections.

The Department both monitors and reviews the impact of regulation through the

Business Impact Target (BIT) and statutory review clauses. In addition, policy teams

regularly speak with stakeholders and monitor data and intelligence to understand the

impact of regulation.

The Small Business, Enterprise and Employment Act (SBEE) 2015 requires the

Government to publish its progress against the BIT. This involves publishing an

annual BIT report on the estimated impact of regulatory changes in that year. In order

to produce this information, the Department is required to collect and collate

information on costs or benefits to business of regulatory changes over the year. The

BIT report for the 2015-17 Parliament will be published shortly.

Electric Vehicles

Mr Gregory Campbell: [120853]


assessment his Department has made of the effect on energy supplies of the estimated

numbers of electric and hybrid vehicles on UK roads by 2020.

Claire Perry:

We have regular discussions with all the key parties in the electricity systems –

including energy suppliers, network operators and National Grid – to ensure that they

are prepared for electric vehicle take up. We are also taking powers as part of the

Automated and Electric Vehicles Bill, announced in the Queen’s speech, which will

mean all chargepoints sold or installed in the UK will be ‘Smart’ enabled. Smart

charging has the potential to reduce the demands from electric vehicles by ensuring

their charging can flex to meet grid needs. Through their ‘Future Energy Scenarios’

work published on 13 July 2017, National Grid project that with smart charging the

additional peak demand caused by electric vehicles in GB could be reduced to 6GW

in 2050.

Northern Ireland Electricity Networks is responsible for the transmission and

distribution of electricity in Northern Ireland, and energy policy in Northern Ireland is

devolved.

Energy: Meters

Stephen Timms: [120439]


assessment he has made of the cyber security of smart meters; and if he will make a

statement.



Richard Harrington:

Security lies at the heart of smart metering systems and has been a key

consideration at every stage of system development. Robust security controls have

been developed and are independently reviewed regularly to ensure the systems

remain protected.

Requirements include the need to protect personal data, detect and prevent

unauthorised access and ensure a secure link is in place between the devices and

the wider communication network.

Industry: Cheltenham

Alex Chalk: [120521]

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

is taking to promote engagement with residents and businesses in Cheltenham

constituency on the industrial strategy in order to maximise the benefits of that strategy to

that local area.

Claire Perry:

The launch of the Green Paper, ‘Building our Industrial Strategy’, in January 2017,

commenced an extensive period of consultation, capturing feedback to inform the

development of the White Paper. Over 2,000 organisations from across the country

responded to the consultation, including a wide range of businesses, public sector

organisations and private individuals.

The White Paper set out the government’s approach to working with places to

maximise the benefits of the Industrial Strategy, based on the belief that the people

best placed to drive forward local economies are those who live, work and do

business in them. It included a variety of new opportunities for Local Enterprise

Partnerships to drive local economic growth. I am sure that GFirst, the LEP for

Gloucestershire, will be keen to build on the area’s cyber security strength with

Cheltenham home to GCHQ.

The White Paper also included proposals to work with local leaders to develop Local

Industrial Strategies, which will establish new ways of working between national

leaders in both the public and private sectors, harnessing their local insights to

develop clear, long-term strategies for future growth. Universities, colleges and other

local institutions will be key in this process.

Minimum Wage: Social Services

Catherine McKinnell: [120805]


assessment his Department has made of the effect of retrospective changes to the

guidance on the application of the national minimum wage to sleep-in shifts on care

workers in the learning disability sector; and if he will make a statement.



Margot James:

The legislation and policy regarding sleep-in shifts remains unchanged. However,

employment tribunal judgments have, over time, clarified the position on what

constitutes “work” in connection with sleeping time and therefore when the National

Minimum Wage is payable for sleep-in shifts. Government guidance issued in

February 2015 included clarification from those judgments. We are clear that

everyone who is entitled to the National Minimum or National Living Wage should

receive it.

The Government is exploring further options to minimise any impact on the sector as

a consequence of arrears arising from sleep-in shifts. Any intervention must be

proportionate and necessary, and it must satisfy EU state aid rules on government

support for private organisations. We are therefore engaging more widely with the

social care sector, including the learning disability sector, to strengthen the evidence

base.

Offshore Industry: North Sea

Rebecca Long Bailey: [120329]

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

he has made of the number of (a) shore-based maritime, (b) seafarer and (c) supply

chain jobs that will be created in the UK as a result of decommissioning activity in the

North Sea in each year until 2025.

Richard Harrington:

With increasing numbers of offshore oil and gas fields reaching the end of their

economic life, forecasts from industry estimate that the annual expenditure for

decommissioning over the next 5 years will be in the region of £1.7 to £2 billion. With

recent estimates from industry suggesting that decommissioning will represent

around 11 per cent of total expenditure on oil and gas for 2017, and the industry will

have provided over 300,000 jobs in total in the UK, decommissioning is already

supporting a significant number of UK jobs.


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

is taking to ensure that National Minimum Wage rates are (a) applied and (b) enforced for

seafarers employed to work on oil and gas decommissioning projects on the UK

continental shelf.

Margot James:

The National Minimum Wage (Offshore Employment) Order 1999 applies the 1998

National Minimum Wage Act to offshore employment in the territorial waters of the

UK and the UK sector of the continental shelf.

The Government is clear that everyone who is entitled to the National Minimum Wage

(NMW) or National Living Wage (NLW) should receive it. HM Revenue and Customs

(HMRC) investigates every complaint it receives and workers can call the Advisory,



Conciliation and Arbitration Service (Acas) Helpline (on 0300 123 1100) for

information and guidance about the NMW, or visit their website ( www.acas.org.uk ).

Furthermore, the Government has established the Legal Working Group on Seafarers

to improve the guidance on these matters, and to ensure seafarers are aware of their

rights.

Ryanair

Bill Esterson: [120988]

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

representations he has received on working conditions at Ryanair.

Margot James:

Ministers and officials across the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial

Strategy discuss and consider a wide range of business issues on a regular basis

and with many business and employee representative stakeholders.

This Government is clear that employers must take their employment law

responsibilities seriously and cannot simply opt out of them. Any worker who believes

that they are being treated unfairly should contact the Advisory Conciliation and

Arbitration Service (Acas) helpline on 0300 123 1100 for guidance.

Shipbuilding

Mr Paul Sweeney: [120247]

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

Government plans further to develop the National Shipbuilding Strategy to include

commercial as well as naval shipbuilding opportunities in the UK; and if he will make a

statement.

Claire Perry:

The shipbuilding industry is leading the Maritime Enterprise Working Group with

support of the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy and Ministry

of Defence to develop an in-depth understanding of the opportunity for the wider UK

supply chain in the domestic and international markets in both commercial and naval.

Small Businesses: Conditions of Employment


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

assessment he has made of the effects of employment regulations on micro-businesses;

and if he will make a statement.

Margot James:

Government assesses all significant new employment regulation on all types of

businesses, including micro businesses, through undertaking impact assessments.

The Government commissioned Matthew Taylor to conduct an independent review

into modern working practices. The review was published in July 2017 and

http://www.acas.org.uk/




highlighted the strengths of the UK’s flexible labour market relative to other countries.

However, the review also proposed new measures the Government should take to

improve outcomes for all those participating in the labour market. The Government

will respond shortly.

Tidal Lagoons Independent Review


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

he has made of the cost to the public purse of the Hendry review.

Richard Harrington:

The Department’s revised estimate of the costs incurred by the Hendry Review,

excluding the salaries of seconded civil servants, is approximately £156,000.


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

Government plans to publish its full response to the Hendry review.

Richard Harrington:

A Government response to the Hendry Review will be published in due course.

Tidal Power


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

answer of 13 December to Question 118103, whether Tidal Range is classified as a less

established technology that is eligible to participate in auctions for additional contracts for

difference under the Control for Low Carbon Levies announced in Autumn Budget 2017.

Richard Harrington:

Tidal range has not been eligible to participate in Contract for Difference auctions due

to its particular characteristics, including: lack of cost data available and the site

specific nature of these technologies. The list of technologies that were eligible to

participate in the most recent auction for less established technologies was set out in

the answer I gave to Question 118103; tidal range did not fall within that list.

Working Hours: EU Law



and what proportion of the full-time workforce choose to opt out of the Working Time

Directive.

Margot James:

The Department does not routinely collect comprehensive information about how

many workers opt-out of the 48 hour maximum working week.





However, the Department conducted a review of the impact of the Working Time

Regulations in 2014. The review reports roughly one third (32 per cent) of British

workplaces had at least one employee who had signed an opt-out agreement in

2011.

Labour Force Survey analysis shows that the proportion of employees usually

working over 48 hours a week has also declined over time. 13 per cent of all

employees worked over 48 hours a week in 2013, compared to 18 per cent in 1997.

More information can be found in the Department’s review of the impact of the

Working Time Regulations:

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/389676

/bis-14-1287-the-impact-of-the-working-time-regulations-on-the-uk-labour-market-a-

review-of-evidence.pdf

CABINET OFFICE

Average Earnings

Chris Ruane: [120261]

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what the median real earnings were in each

region of the UK in each of the last 30 years.

Chris Skidmore:

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

I have asked the Authority to reply.

Attachments:

1. UKSA Response [PQ 120261 UKSA .pdf]

Cabinet Office: Regulation


To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what the title was of each set of regulations

introduced by his Department in each month since May 2010; which of those regulations

have been (a) subject to the (i) one in one out and (ii) one in two out procedure and (b) (i)

revoked and (ii) amended; and what the net cost to (A) the public purse; and (B) business

of those regulations is.


To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what processes his Department has put in

place to (a) monitor, (b) collate cost information on, (c) review and (d) respond to

requests to amend or revoke regulations introduced by his Department.

Chris Skidmore:



https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/389676/bis-14-1287-the-impact-of-the-working-time-regulations-on-the-uk-labour-market-a-review-of-evidence.pdf







statement-of-new-regulation.

For the 2015-17 Parliament, the Government will shortly publish its final report on the

savings to business delivered during that Parliament.



public protections. This will be monitored through the target that the Government is

required to set under the Small Business, Enterprise and Employment Act 2015.

Cabinet Office: Staff

David Linden: [121001]

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 21 December 2017

to Question 115711, on Cabinet Office: staff, when he plans for the Europe unit to be fully

staffed.

Chris Skidmore:

Following a recruitment campaign at the end of 2017, current vacancies within the

Europe Unit are expected to be filled shortly, depending on normal HR and security

clearance processes.

Cost of Living and Standard of Living

Mrs Emma Lewell-Buck: [120546]

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what the timetable is for the harmonisation of

the surveys on Living Costs and on Living Conditions; what consultation will take place on

that harmonisation; and what the process will be for the formulation of questions for the

new harmonised survey.

Chris Skidmore:



Attachments:

1. UKSA Response [PQ120546 UKSA.pdf]

Elections: Visual Impairment

Cat Smith: [120968]


to Question 118799, what changes he recommended for the Certificate of Visual

Impairment in England; and what obligations will be placed on electoral administrators as

a result of those changes.

Chris Skidmore:

Following discussions, including with the RNIB, I recommended widening the use of

the Certificate of Visual Impairment in England to support severely sight impaired

(blind) and sight impaired (partially sighted) people to participate in elections. There is




no change to the support electoral administrators are required to provide to blind and

partially sighted people within current statutory requirements but it increases the

opportunity for people to be made aware of the services on offer and promotes

communication of those services.

Electoral Register: Students

Andrew Gwynne: [121017]

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what plans he has to provide funds from the

public purse for programmes to encourage students to register to vote before the next

General Election.

Chris Skidmore:

The government recently published the Democratic Engagement Plan that set out

strategies for democratic engagement with under registered groups including

students. The Plan is available here:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/every-voice-matters-building-a-

democracy-that-works-for-everyone

The Cabinet Office is continuing to work with the Electoral Commission, local

authorities, universities, colleges and other organisations to ensure citizens have

every chance to be registered. The Government is also working to enact the student

registration provisions of the Higher Education and Research Act (HERA) 2017,

which encourages Higher Education providers to share information with EROs’ in

order to encourage registration.

Attachments:

1. Democratic Engagement Strategy 2017 [Democratic Engagement Strategy 2017.PDF]

Government Departments: Flags

Patrick Grady: [118594]

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, which official UK Government buildings (a) in

the UK and (b) outside the UK fly the (i) UK flag and (ii) EU flag.

Chris Skidmore:

I refer the hon. Member to PQ118370.

This information is not centrally held and could be compiled only at disproportionate

cost.

Malnutrition

Jonathan Ashworth: [120850]

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many patients were recording as having

died as a result of malnutrition in NHS hospitals in each of the last 10 years.




Chris Skidmore:



Attachments:


Older Workers


To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what the change in numbers has been of

people aged 65 and over in (a) full-time and (b) part-time work over the last five years.

Chris Skidmore:



Attachments:

1. UKSA Response [PQ120255 UKSA .pdf]

Prescription Drugs: Death


To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, for how many deaths was consumption of an

excess of prescription drugs the primary cause between 2014 and 2017.

Chris Skidmore:



Attachments:


Prostate Cancer: Mortality Rates


To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what change there has been in survival rates

for men who are diagnosed with prostate cancer in the last ten years.

Chris Skidmore:



Attachments:

1. UKSA Response [PQ120571.pdf]

Public Sector: Billing



to Question 114740, what assessment he has made of the accuracy of public sector





buyers' published payment performance; and what estimate he has made of the

proportion of public sector buyers who are meeting the stated 30-day payment term.

Caroline Nokes:

Although their performance is not monitored routinely, public sector buyers are

required to publish their payment performance annually. Data published in 2015-16

shows that by the final quarter all major departments, apart from one (at 76%), were

meeting their 5 days target and that all departments were paying at least 96% of their

invoices within the 30 day target, with several departments achieving 100%.

Moreover, businesses can report poor payment practice and instances of late

payment, including late payment through the supply chain, in public sector contracts

to our Mystery Shopper service, which will then investigate

Returning Officers: Pay

Cat Smith: [121014]

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will review the merits and value to the

public purse of additional payments or fees for Returning Officers at local and national

elections.

Chris Skidmore:

The returning officer is a statutorily independent officer who is entitled, by statute, to

recover payments for services rendered in administering national polls. The fee

reflects the additional duties placed on the returning officer alongside duties carried

out in their normal post. The fee also reflects the considerable responsibility a

returning officer has in administering an election as they are ultimately responsible

and liable to the courts for their actions and decisions.

We are already looking to review the funding of elections, following on from changes

to the funding process instituted in 2010, to seek to find efficiencies and improve

value for money and intend to consider payments to Returning Officers as part of that

process.

The Cabinet Office is not responsible for additional payments or fees made to

Returning Officers at local elections which are a matter for individual local authorities.

Young People: Gower

Tonia Antoniazzi: [120682]

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many 18 to 25 year olds in Gower

constituency were recorded (a) in the latest census estimate and (b) on the electoral

register.

Chris Skidmore:



Attachments:

1. UKSA Response [PQ120682.pdf]



TREASURY

Children: Day Care

Mike Amesbury: [120414]

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

people likely to be detrimentally affected by the withdrawal of the childcare voucher

scheme and replacement of that scheme with the tax free childcare scheme.

Elizabeth Truss:

I refer the hon member to the answer I gave on 18 December 2017 to the Right Hon

Member for Sevenoaks (PQ118344).

Tracy Brabin: [120802]

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, for what reasons tax-free childcare is not

available for fostered children.

Tracy Brabin: [120803]

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many text messages his Department has

sent to parents to remind them to re-enrol for the 30 hours of funded childcare scheme.

Elizabeth Truss:

On the 13th December 2017 HM Revenue and Customs issued 18,000 text message

reminders to those parents who needed to confirm their details before January to

continue receiving 30 hours free childcare.

Foster carers already receive funding for the care of their foster child from local

authorities.

Cider: Excise Duties

Norman Lamb: [120593]

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

effect of the new duty band for high-strength white cider on the number of alcohol-related

deaths.


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

effect of the new duty band for high strength white cider on the number of alcohol-related

hospital admissions.

Stephen Barclay:

The government announced the creation of a new band for high strength ciders at

Autumn Budget 2017. However a decision has not yet been made on the duty rate to

be applied to products that fall within the band.

When making decisions on alcohol duty HM Treasury engages with interested

stakeholders, including public health organisations, to consider the impact of these

decisions.






Consumer Prices Index

Anna McMorrin: [120395]

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

the implications for its policies in the increase of consumer prices since June 2016.

Stephen Barclay:

Inflation is expected to fall over the coming year, but the government recognises that

families are feeling a squeeze now.

The government is helping with the cost of living today by letting people keep more of

what they earn, raising the National Living Wage, freezing duty on fuel and alcohol,

and tackling housing costs.


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

the UK leaving the EU on the Consumer Prices Index rate of inflation.

Stephen Barclay:

In their November 2017 Economic and Fiscal Outlook, the OBR forecast that CPI

inflation would average 2.7% in 2017. This is above the Bank of England’s 2%

inflation target, as the past depreciation of sterling has pushed up import prices. The

OBR expect this effect to fade over 2018, so inflation is expected to fall back towards

the 2% target by the end of the year.

The government is helping with the cost of living today by letting people keep more of

what they earn, raising the National Living Wage, freezing duty on fuel and alcohol,

and tackling housing costs.

Cost of Living


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

the potential effect on the cost of living of the UK leaving the EU.

Stephen Barclay:

As the Chancellor made clear in front of the Treasury Select Committee on

Wednesday 6 December, the department has undertaken a variety of analysis and

continues to do. The Treasury has modelled and analysed the impact of a wide range

of potential alternative structures between the EU and the UK. This analysis is

ongoing and continues to inform our negotiation position with the EU.

Crime: Alcoholic Drinks


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

effect of the new duty band for high strength white cider on levels of alcohol-related

crimes.





Stephen Barclay:

The government announced the creation of a new band for high strength ciders at

Autumn Budget 2017. However a decision has not yet been made on the duty rate to

be applied to products that fall within the band.

When making decisions on alcohol duty HM Treasury engages with interested

stakeholders, including law enforcement organisations, to consider the impact of

these decisions.

Cryptocurrencies

Alex Sobel: [120432]

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

risks to the UK economy and markets posed by Bitcoin and other digital currencies.

Stephen Barclay:

The independent Financial Policy Committee (FPC), established by the Government,

aims to ensure the UK financial system is resilient to, and prepared for, the wide

range of risks it could face — so that the system could support the real economy,

even in difficult conditions.

The Bank of England continues to monitor developments, and provided its latest

assessment of the risks to financial stability in the Financial Stability Report,

published in November 2017.

Customs Officers

Peter Dowd: [120262]

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many customs agents there were in the UK

in each year since 2010.

Mel Stride:

HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) does not hold information on the number of

customs agents in the UK. HMRC does not authorize customs agents and the role is

not defined in Customs legislation. Individuals and companies may appoint third

parties or intermediaries to act on their behalf to perform a range of services in the

international supply chain including freight forwarders and/or acting as a customs

representative and the term can be used to cover each of these services.

Land Use


To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what changes to taxation and other fiscal policies

the Government plans to make to incentivise the productive regeneration and reuse of

vacant and derelict land in the UK.

Mel Stride:

The government is focusing on measures to address unused sites such as

incentivising the development of derelict land through Land Remediation Relief. Also,




to ensure that our brownfield and scarce urban land is used as efficiently as possible,

the government will consult on introducing policy changes to make it easier to convert

underused retail and employment land into housing.

Private Finance Initiative: Corporation Tax


To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether he has conducted an impact

assessment on the changes to corporation tax rates between 2008 and 2020 on the tax

receipts predicted by the value for money assessments in private finance contracts.

Stephen Barclay:

Private finance contracts are assessed for Value for Money using the Green Book

before the contract is agreed. Any privately financed option will only be pursued if it is

value for money.

Private finance contracts are designed to pass on a number of risks to the private

sector, including the risk of a policy change in the corporation tax rates. The private

sector takes this risk for the duration of the contract and it is not reassessed once the

contract has been entered into.

Public Private Partnerships


To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 5 September 2017 to

Question 5727, on Department of Health: Private Finance Initiative, when the revised

value for money guidance on public private partnerships will be published.

Elizabeth Truss:

Public Private Partnerships should be assessed in line with The HM Treasury’s

Green Book, which is currently being revised and will be published in due course.

Public Sector Debt


To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether Public Sector Net Debt is scheduled to

change in the way set out by the Office for Budget Responsibility in November 2015.

Stephen Barclay:

The Office for Budget Responsibility’s November 2015 debt forecasts have been

superseded by more recent forecasts.

The most up-to-date forecast for Public Sector Net Debt was published by the OBR at

the recent 2017 Autumn Budget. This forecast shows debt starting to fall next year,

and falling below 80% of GDP by 2021-22.




Royal Bank of Scotland: Closures

Ian Blackford: [121039]


the proposed closure of Royal Bank of Scotland branches on the ability of local business

to deposit and collect funds.

Ian Blackford: [121048]


the proposed Royal Bank of Scotland branch closures on (a) elderly, (b) disabled and (c)

vulnerable people who are unable to use online banking services.

Stephen Barclay:

The industry’s Access to Banking Standard, launched in May 2017, commits banks to

ensure personal and business customers are better informed about branch closures

and the reasons for them closing, along with the options they have locally to continue

to access banking services, including specialist assistance for customers who need

more help. The Access to Banking Standard is monitored and enforced by the

independent Lending Standards Board.

99% of banks’ personal and 95% of banks’ business customers are now able to

withdraw cash, deposit cash and cheques, and make balance enquiries at a Post

Office counter via its network of 11,600 branches. At Autumn Budget 2017, I wrote to

the Post Office and UK Finance to ask them to raise public awareness of the banking

services available at the Post Office for individuals and SMEs.

The Government will have provided nearly £2 billion during the period 2011 to 2018

to maintain and modernise the Post Office network. In December 2018, the

Government announced an additional £370 million of funding for the period 2018-

2021.

Stamp Duty Land Tax

Catherine McKinnell: [120804]

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

level of abuse of the market-making exemption in relation to stamp duty.

Mel Stride:

All aspects of Stamp Duty Reserve Tax are monitored by HMRC and action is taken

where necessary to prevent or counter non-compliance.

Intermediary relief was introduced in 1997 to safeguard liquidity and market making in

the London equity market. Without the relief, market activity would fall and the chains

of transactions between an ultimate seller and buyer would be subject to

unsustainably high effective tax rates.




Sterling: Exchange Rates


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

the implication for its policies of the devaluation of sterling since June 2016.

Stephen Barclay:

The government does not express a view on the level of the exchange rate. The

value of sterling adjusts flexibly in response to economic conditions and market

forces. The Monetary Policy Committee independently sets monetary policy,

including interest rates, to achieve the objective of price stability, currently defined as

an inflation target of 2 per cent.

The government will continue to monitor economic developments closely, while at the

same time taking steps to promote economic growth and support individuals and

businesses.

COMMUNITIES AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT

Building Regulations: Disability

Jo Swinson: [120225]

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, when the

Government plans to publish its response to the recommendations made by the Women

and Equalities Committee in its report, Building for Equality: Disability and the Built

Environment, HC 631, published on 25 April 2017; and if he will make a statement.

Alok Sharma:

I refer the Hon Member to the answer given to the Hon Member for Oxford West and

Abingdon on 9 November 2017 (reference 110830).

Department for Communities and Local Government: EU Law


To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, which EU (a)

Directives, (b) Regulations and (c) other legislation affecting his Department he is

planning to propose the (i) revocation and (ii) amendment of after the UK leaves the EU.

Jake Berry:


day.










Department for Communities and Local Government: Regulation


To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what the title was

of each set of regulations introduced by his Department in each month since May 2010;

which of those regulations have been (a) subject to the (i) one in one out and (ii) one in

two out procedure and (b) (i) revoked and (ii) amended; and what the net cost to (A) the

public purse; and (B) business of those regulations is.


To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what processes

his Department has put in place to (a) monitor, (b) collate cost information on, (c) review

and (d) respond to requests to amend or revoke regulations introduced by his

Department.

Jake Berry:




statement-of-new-regulation.

For the 2015-17 Parliament, the Government will shortly publish its final report on the

savings to business delivered during that Parliament.



public protections. This will be monitored through the target that the Government is

required to set under the Small Business, Enterprise and Employment Act 2015.

Leasehold

Mike Amesbury: [121063]

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the

Ministerial statement HCWS384 on 21 December 2017 on commonhold and leasehold

reform, what plans he has to provide local authorities with the additional resources

necessary to enable trading standards to provide leaseholders with comprehensive

information on the various routes to redress.

Alok Sharma:

We are in discussions with Trading Standards and the Leasehold Advisory Service

on the process for providing leaseholders with comprehensive information on routes

to redress and will provide more details shortly.

Persimmon Homes: Pay

Mr Clive Betts: [120372]

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, if he will make an

assessment of the implications for (a) his policies on and (b) Government funding for help





to buy of the level of the bonus awarded by Persimmons to its Chief Executive in

December 2017; and if he will make a statement.

Alok Sharma:

Under this Government, new house building starts and first time buyers are at their

highest levels for nine years. The annual number of new homes started has doubled

from the level Labour left behind and there are 120,000 more First Time Buyers a

year. The Help to Buy Equity Loan scheme has played an important role by helping

134,000 households buy their own home since 2013 and approximately 80 per cent

of these were first time buyers. The scheme does not provide a subsidy to house

builders but offers a repayable loan to buyers of new homes.

In 2016 Help to Buy sales made up only 3 per cent of total house sales and an

independent evaluation found no evidence to suggest the scheme has driven up

house prices. We want to see builders investing in growing supply and have

committed to work with the sector to consider the future of the scheme beyond 2021.

Public Houses


To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, what information

his Department holds on the number of pubs in operation in England.

Jake Berry:

My Department supports the community ownership of pubs through the £3.62 million

More Than A Pub Programme which is jointly funded with Power to Change, the

independent trust supporting community businesses in England.

This programme provides bespoke advice and support plus grants and loans to

community groups who wish to take ownership of a pub. Power to Change is

currently considering an extension to the programme beyond March 2018. The

Government has also created a community pubs loan fund, which will continue to be

available to community pubs until 2025.

My Department does not collect or hold information on the number of pubs in

operation in England.

DEFENCE

Armed Forces

Diana Johnson: [120792]

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

colleagues on the recommendations of the Royal British Legion and Poppyscotland's

2017 Manifesto for the armed forces.

Mr Tobias Ellwood:

Last year's Armed Forces Covenant Annual Report to Parliament, published on 18

December 2017, sets out the progress made and future intent across Government



and in the Devolved Administrations towards a number of key goals in the Royal

British Legion's Manifesto. These include: confirmation from the Office of National

Statistics that they will recommend the inclusion of a veterans' marker in the 2021

census; an independent review of the Covenant in Business in 2018 to identify and

share best practice, and an intention to consult on statutory guidance for local

authorities regarding housing support for divorced and separated spouses of Service

personnel.

Defence Ministers were pleased to meet with the Director General of the Royal British

Legion, Charles Byrne, in November 2017, and will continue to drive the Covenant

agenda forward across Government via the Ministerial Covenant and Veterans Board

this Year.


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

adequacy of the fire on the move capabilities of the Armed Forces.

Harriett Baldwin:

The Army regularly reviews its capabilities in order to assess its future requirements.

Its Fire on the Move capability is provided by the world leading Challenger 2 Main

Battle Tank for which a range of further upgrades are currently being assessed. In

addition to Challenger 2, the introduction of the AJAX vehicle and the Government's

upgrade plans for the Warrior Armoured Fighting vehicle will also improve the Army's

Fire on the Move capabilities and ensure they remain amongst the best available to

any Army.

Armed Forces Day: Northern Ireland


To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what plans are in place for Regional Armed

Forces' Day events in Northern Ireland in 2018.

Mr Tobias Ellwood:

Armed Forces Day events provide opportunities for the nation to show their support

for the Armed Forces. These events are community-led and can come in many

different forms, from the national event through to local events organised by councils,

ex-service organisations, community groups and schools. These events can be

followed on Twitter using #SaluteOurForces.

The Ministry of Defence (MOD) does not directly support specific Armed Forces

events; other than the national event which will be held in Llandudno, in North Wales,

on Saturday 30 June 2018. We do invite local authorities and community

organisations to consider hosting an event and to apply for funding from the MOD.

To date, in Northern Ireland, Coleraine has registered on the dedicated Armed

Forces Day website that it will be holding an event including a Drum Head Service

and parade. Registration opened at the end of November and, based on the very

many successful events of previous years, we anticipate that over 200 events will be



registered. As events are registered by their organisers, they will be published on the

Armed Forces Day website: www.armedforcesday.org.uk.

Armed Forces: Redundancy

Johnny Mercer: [120799]

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many service personnel who were made

redundant between 2010 and 2016 were within (a) one year, (b) two years, (c) three

years and (d) four years of their immediate pension point; and how many of each

category were (i) officers and (ii) enlisted personnel.

Mr Tobias Ellwood:

The information is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate

cost.

Armoured Fighting Vehicles: Procurement

Nick Smith: [120788]

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 18 December 2017

to Question 118755, whether his Department is considering both competition and a sole

source option for the Prime Contract in the assessment phase for the procurement of the

Mechanised Infantry Vehicle.

Harriett Baldwin:

No decisions have been taken on the acquisition strategy for the Mechanised Infantry

Vehicle.

Army Apprentice College Harrogate

Liz Saville Roberts: [120928]

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many recruits training at AFC Harrogate

completed an apprenticeship in each of the past five years; and how many of those

apprenticeships were apprenticeships in Public Services.


To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many recruits have (a) completed a

BTEC course or (b) re-sat English or maths GCSES at AFC Harrogate in each of the past

two years.

Mark Lancaster:

AFC Harrogate (AFC(H)) does not offer a full BTEC course due to the lack of time

available within the syllabus; instead it offers modules of a Public Services Elements

(BTEC) certificate which is matched to an individual junior soldier’s need, depending

on their educational attainment to date.

Rather than offering GCSE re-sits, AFC(H) focuses on the delivery of functional skills

training and qualifications, including Functional Skills Levels 1 and 2 in English,

mathematics and ICT. These vocational qualifications are career focused and are

also recognised by civilian employers. They give junior soldiers the best opportunity

http://www.armedforcesday.org.uk/





to progress in their career, and are therefore more relevant to advancing their social

mobility. A high percentage of those who have entered through Junior Entry, and

choose to remain in service, will be promoted through the ranks, to become Non

Commissioned Officers and Warrant Officers in the British Army after gaining these

functional skills.

All junior soldiers at AFC (H) are enrolled onto the Army apprenticeship, which is then

transferred to a trade-related apprenticeship when they commence initial trade

training, following graduation from AFC(H). To provide a detailed breakdown of

achievement in apprenticeships specific to AFC(H) is not possible, as this information

is not held in the required format and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Whilst the Army tracks apprenticeship achievements for all of its personnel, it does

not monitor this against their points of entry, as this is not required in order to meet its

business needs.


To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the maximum training capacity is of AFC

Harrogate; and how many of those places were filled at the September 2017 intake.


To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many recruits began Phase 1 training at

AFC Harrogate in each intake for the past three years.

Mark Lancaster:

The number of Junior Entry Entrants arriving at Army Foundation College Harrogate

(AFC (H)) in Training Year’s 2014-2015, 2015-2016 and 2016-2017 is shown below.

AFC (H) INTAKE TRAINING YEAR

2014-2015 2015-2016 2016-2017

1,330 1,370 1,410

The maximum number of spaces available at AFC (H) is 1,632 Junior Soldiers per

training year. This is made up of one Junior Entry (Long) and two Junior Entry (Short)

courses.

The number of Junior Entry Entrants arriving at Army Foundation College Harrogate

in Training Year 2017-18 to date is 900.

Notes:

For presentation purpose, intake figures have been rounded to 10. Rounding is

necessary, as a means of disclosure control and the preservation of anonymity; it

also improves the clarity of output and conveys an appropriate level of precision to

users.

These figures are single service estimates only and are not official statistics produced

by Defence Statistics.



The intake figure for Training Year 2017-18 is comprised of Junior Entry Entrants

arriving in September and October 2017. Around 270 entrants started in September

and around 630 started in October. Intake is normally split between these two

months. The next intake for this Training Year is due to start March 2018.

AFC (H) has a total number of 1,344 bed spaces available at any one time; however,

running two Junior Entry (Short) courses per year allows AFC (H) to have the

maximum capacity of 1,632 stated above.

Army: Recruitment

Toby Perkins: [120396]

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many people were recruited for the British

Army from each (a) parliamentary constituency and (b) local authority area in each year

since 2000.


To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many people were recruited into the

Royal Air Force from each (a) parliamentary constituency and (b) local authority area in

each year from 2000 to 2017.

Mark Lancaster:

I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him to Question 120400 on 22

December 2017.

Attachments:

1. 120400 - Navy Recruitment [20171222_WQnA_extract_on_Navy_Recruitment.docx]

Army: Rifles

Mr Kevan Jones: [120728]

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, which British Army units have received

upgraded SA80 L85A3 rifles; and how many of those weapons have been produced for

his Department to date.

Harriett Baldwin:

As of 3 January 2018, 364 SA80 L85 A3 weapon systems have been delivered to the

Army. They are currently held by the Small Arms School Corps, and the Infantry

Trials and Development Unit.

Army: Young People


To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when the Army’s review of Junior Entry will be

completed; and if he will place a copy of that review when completed in the Library.

Mark Lancaster:

Work continues on the Army's Junior Entry Review. As is usual, publication will be

considered as part of the presentation the Review, and its findings, to Ministers.





Cluster Munitions: Military Bases


To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what information he holds on whether cluster

bombs are held on US bases in the UK.

Mark Lancaster:

Cluster munitions are not held on United States Visiting Forces bases in the UK.

HMS Queen Elizabeth

Catherine West: [120557]

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

Systems about the leak on HMS Queen Elizabeth.


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

representatives of BAE Systems since the discovery of the leak in the HMS Queen

Elizabeth.

Harriett Baldwin:

Ministry of Defence Ministers and officials hold regular meetings with defence

contractors and suppliers, including BAE Systems and the Aircraft Carrier Alliance, to

discuss a variety of subjects.



To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 28 November to

Question 114677 on Army resignations, when he expects to provide the answer to that

question.

Mark Lancaster:

The number of personnel who have left each Army Arm/Corps between 1 January

2017 to 30 September 2017 is shown below.

These figures are for trained and untrained strength and therefore include those

recruits who failed to complete Phase 1 training.

ARM/SERVICE REGULARS ARMY FUTURE RESERVES 20

Staff 60 10

Household Cavalry/ Royal

Armoured Corps

520 150

Royal Regiment of Artillery 590 140

Corps of Royal Engineers 690 200





ARM/SERVICE REGULARS ARMY FUTURE RESERVES 20

Royal Corps of Signals 530 140

Infantry 2,570 670

Army Air Corps 120 20

Royal Army Chaplains'

Department

- -

Royal Logistic Corps 930 470

Royal Army Medical Corps 220 210

Corps of Royal Electrical and

Mechanical Engineers

680 280

Adjutant General's Corps 340 100

Royal Army Veterinary Corps 30 10

Small Arms School Corps 10 -

Royal Army Dental Corps 10 -

Intelligence Corps 110 100

Royal Army Physical Training

Corps

30 -

Queen Alexandra's Royal

Army Nursing Corps

70 60

Corps of Army Music 30 -

Senior Soldier Continuity Posts 20 -

General Service Corps/

General List

40 10

Officer Training Corps - 10

Notes:

Those figures marked ‘Regulars’ includes personnel who left Regular, Gurkha’s, Full

Time Reserve Service Full Commitment ( FTRS (FC)) (excluding Lead First).

Those figures marked ‘Army Future Reserves 20’ include volunteer reserves who are

mobilised, High Readiness Reserves and those volunteer reserves serving on Full

Time Reserve Service and Additional Duties Commitment. Sponsored Reserves who

provide a more cost effective solution than volunteer reserve are also included.

Personnel who transferred between the Regular, Gurkha’s and FTRS (FC)

populations and FR20 populations are included in the outflow figures.

Personnel who transfer between Arm/Corps are not included.

Figures are for both untrained and trained strength.

All Officers of Paid Rank Colonel and above are included in Staff, regardless of late

Arm/Service.

Regular officers (excluding Professionally Qualified Officers) join the Army as Officer

Cadets in the General Service Corps. Regular soldiers are recruited into a specific

Arms/Corps upon entry to Phase 1 training; however they are not officially allocated

to an Arm/Service until after completion of Phase 1 training.

For presentation purpose, figures have been rounded to 10; numbers ending in "5"

have been rounded to the nearest multiple of 20 to prevent systematic bias.

“-” denotes zero or rounded to zero.

Military Exercises

Nia Griffith: [120273]

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, (a) when and (b) for what reasons the decision

was taken to cancel (i) Exercise Black Horse, (ii) Exercise Curry Trail, (iii) Exercise

Orange Marauder, (iv) Exercise Southwest Sword and (v) Commando Strike.

Mark Lancaster:

During 2017, as part of normal military prioritisation, the decision was taken not to

conduct these exercises.

Ministry of Defence: Christmas



to Question 119078, who paid for that Christmas drinks reception held at his Department.

Gavin Williamson:

This was a private event; there was no cost to the public purse.

Ministry of Defence: Official Hospitality



to Question 119078, what his Department's policy is on the holding of party political

events in (a) his Department's main building and (b) other departmental property.

Gavin Williamson:

The Department follows the guidance set out in the Ministerial Code of Conduct

where particular exception is allowed with regard to personal events with no expense

to the public purse.




RAF Volunteer Reserve

Mrs Madeleine Moon: [120752]


to Question 116991, how many members of the Royal Auxiliary Air Force qualified for

their bounty in the years (a) 2012-13, (b) 2013-14, (c) 2014-15 and (d) 2015-16; and if he

will make a statement.

Mark Lancaster:

The information is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate

cost.


To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the average size in terms of personnel is

of a Royal Auxiliary Air Force Squadron.

Mark Lancaster:

Royal Auxiliary Air Force Squadrons can vary considerably in size from as little as 40

on the specialist media squadron to 250 on the movements support squadron at

Brize Norton and therefore an average figure would be misrepresentative.


To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many Reserve Service Days were

undertaken by the Royal Auxiliary Air Force in (a) 2012-13, (b) 2013-14, (c) 2014-15, (d)

2015-2016 and (e) 2016-2017.

Mark Lancaster:

For the Financial Years up to and including 2014-15 the information is not held

centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

For Financial Year 2015-16 the total Royal Auxiliary Air Force Reserve Service Days

was 66,470.

For Financial Year 2016-17 the total Royal Auxiliary Air Force Reserve Service Days

was 67,030.

Rosyth Dockyard: Materials Handling Equipment


To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the current status of the MOD-owned

Goliath heavy lift crane at Rosyth is; what estimate he has made of its net disposal value;

and what assessment he has made of its potential use in future naval shipbuilding

programmes.

Harriett Baldwin:

Options for the disposal of the Goliath crane are under consideration but no decisions

have been taken.





Royal Auxiliary Air Force: Pay


To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the average amount of days required for

a Royal Auxiliary Air Force Reservist to serve each year is to qualify for their annual

bounty.

Mark Lancaster:

The majority of RAF Auxiliary (RAuxAF) personnel must serve a minimum of 27 days

per year in order to be eligible for an annual bounty payment. However, ex-Regulars

who join the RAuxAF within five years of retiring from Regular Service need only

complete 15 days. It is possible to qualify for a reduced bounty if the Service person

has joined mid-way through a training year (April to March) by undertaking a reduced

commitment.

Syria: Military Intervention


To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what estimate his Department has made of the

number of civilian casualties in Syria as a result of UK air strikes.

Mark Lancaster:

In carrying out airstrikes, expert analysts routinely examine data from every UK strike

to assess its effect, and we do everything we can to minimise the risk of civilian

casualties through rigorous targeting processes and the professionalism of the RAF

crews. We co-operate fully with NGOs such as Airwars, who provide evidence they

gather of civilian casualties. After detailed work on each case, we have been able to

discount RAF involvement in any civilian casualties as a result of any of the strikes

that have been brought to our attention.

Veterans: Scotland

Stephen Gethins: [120690]

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will give the Scottish Government

Minister with responsibility for veterans a seat on the Ministerial Armed Forces and

Veteran’s Board.

Mr Tobias Ellwood:

The new Ministerial Armed Forces Covenant and Veterans Board will drive forward

and coordinate better Government support to the Armed Forces, their families and

veterans across the whole of the UK. The devolved administrations play an important

role in providing this support, which is why representatives from the Scottish

Government and Welsh Government, and the Northern Ireland Civil Service, were

invited to the inaugural meeting of the Board in October 2017. Following discussions

at that meeting, the Government is considering the best arrangements for future

meetings.




Warrior Armoured Vehicle


To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what (a) the original planned and the (b)

revised date for the delivery of warrior capability sustainment programme is.

Harriett Baldwin:

The expected in-service date at approval was November 2018. The forecast in-

service date as reported in the Defence Equipment Plan 2016 was July 2020. The

Defence Equipment Plan 2017 is due to be published shortly.

DIGITAL, CULTURE, MEDIA AND SPORT

Charities: Young People

Dan Jarvis: [120969]

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

Answer of 11 December 2017 to Question 117774, whether the youth full-time social

action review's report and recommendations will be published in advance of the

Government's response to those recommendations.

Tracey Crouch:

The Chair of the review was recently granted an extension by one month, and will

make recommendations to government by the end of January 2018. Timing and

format of publication is to be agreed with the Chair.

Charity Commission: Public Appointments

Mr Steve Reed: [120754]

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

a new Charity Commission chair to be appointed before the current chair's role ends on

31 January 2018.


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

new Charity Commission chair has not yet been announced.


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

have been interviewed for the role of Charity Commission chair.

Tracey Crouch:

Interviews for the role of Charity Commission chair concluded in November and an

announcement is expected in due course. The recruitment process is following the

Cabinet Office Governance Code for Public Appointments, including its principles of

fairness, merit and openness. Six candidates were interviewed for the role






Sanitary Protection: VAT


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

Department's Tampon Tax Fund project summary dated 30 March 2017 states that the

£250,000 allocated to Live Charity will be used to provide counselling.

Tracey Crouch:

The project summaries from March 2017 were taken from original applications to the

Tampon Tax Fund. Between March 2017 and grant awards being finalised, projects

were refined and final project activities agreed.

Life Charity has been awarded £247,000 from the Tampon Tax Fund for a project

that supports vulnerable, homeless or at risk women who are pregnant and have

nowhere to turn. Life will not be able to use the Tampon Tax grant to fund its

counselling service that considers decisions regarding pregnancy related pressures,

in particular an unplanned pregnancy, or its 'Life Matters Education Service' and is

prohibited from spending the money on any publicity or promotion.

The grant is for a specific service in west London that aims to support vulnerable,

homeless or at risk pregnant women (who have already decided to keep their babies)

and mothers. Activities include training for staff and volunteers in skilled listening.

Those trained will be better able to support pregnant women and mothers in

preparing for and coping with motherhood. All payments will be made in arrears and

on receipt of a detailed monitoring report.

Technology: Industry

Danielle Rowley: [903087]

What recent assessment she has made of the potential effect on the digital and tech

industries of the UK leaving the EU.

Matt Hancock:

The UK digital sector currently is worth over £116 billion a year. Ensuring the sector

remains strong and at the forefront of innovation is a priority for us. We published the

UK Digital Strategyin March 2017, with further investment of over £500m into

emerging tech announced in the November 2017 Budget and Industrial Strategy.

These put in place the conditions for the UK’s digital sectors to remain world-leading,

while also ensuring that the benefits of digital are felt by every business and every

individual across the country.

The UK will remain open for business, and will strengthen trading ties with both

Europe and the rest of the world.



Television: Licensing


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

accrue to the public purse on account of the BBC bearing the cost of free licensing for

people aged over 75 for each of the next five years.

Matt Hancock:

I refer the Honorable Member to the response to PQ HL4001. The BBC will take on

the policy responsibility for the concession from 1 June 2020.

Tickets: Sales

Mrs Sharon Hodgson: [116211]

To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, if she will list the (a)

people and (b) organisations who contributed to informal consultation on implementation

of Section 106 of the Digital Economy Act 2017.

Matt Hancock:

The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills undertook an informal

consultation on the implementation of both S.105 and S.106 of the Digital Economy

Act 2017 in August and September 2017. The consultation was sent to over a

hundred individuals, organisations and businesses with an interest in the event

ticketing market, including cultural and sporting event organisers, consumer groups

and primary and secondary ticketing agencies. Most respondents restricted their

comments to S.105 issues but the following organisations and individuals responded

on the implementation of S.106:

FanFair Alliance,

Music Managers Forum,

Association of Independent Festivals,

Society of Ticket Agents & Retailers (STAR),

Royal Shakespeare Company,

Union des Associations Europeennes de Football (UEFA),

CreativeArtistsAgency UK Ltd,

Society of London Theatre (SOLT),

ebay,

Professor Waterson.

Young People: EU Grants and Loans


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

projects are in receipt of EU funding.




Tracey Crouch:

The Department does not hold this information. There are many EU funding streams

which organisations coordinating youth projects can bid into, including Erasmus Plus

Youth.

EDUCATION

Carers: Finance


To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what guidance her Department provides to

local authorities on levels of financial support for kinship carers; and whether that

guidance sets out how those amounts differ (a) depending on the amount of children a

person has in kinship care and (b) if a person has their own children at home.

Mr Robert Goodwill:

The government issued statutory guidance in 2011 for local authorities about

supporting family and friends providing care for children who cannot live with their

parents. The guidance makes it clear that children and young people should receive

the support that they and their carers need to safeguard and promote their welfare. It

explains that support, including financial support, can be provided under section 17 of

the Children Act 1989. There is no limit on the level of support, including financial

support, that local authorities can provide. The guidance does not specifically

address the issue of supporting more than one child or where the family have their

own children. However, these factors will be taken into account in the assessment of

need of the family. The local authority should have in place clear eligibility criteria in

relation to the provision of support services including financial support.

Children in Care: West Midlands

Mr Jim Cunningham: [120334]

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what estimate her Department has made of

the number of children taken into care in the West Midlands in each of the last five years.

Mr Robert Goodwill:

The number of children who started to be looked after, and who were taken into care

in the West Midlands is given in the attached table.

Attachments:

1. Children taken into care 2013-2017 [120334 - Children who started to be looked after

and those who were taken into care - 201217.docx]

Children: Day Care

Thangam Debbonaire: [120517]

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what recent estimate her Department has

made of the contribution of the childcare industry to the UK economy.




Mr Robert Goodwill:

By 2019-20, the department will be spending around £6 billion on childcare support –

a record amount. We have not recently undertaken an economic assessment of the

contribution of the industry to the UK economy.

Children: Protection


To ask the Secretary of State for Education, when she next plans to update the

publication entitled Keeping Children Safe in Education.

Mr Robert Goodwill:

We are currently consulting on proposals to update the statutory guidance Keeping

Children Safe in Education from September 2018. The consultation opened on 14

December 2017 and closes on 22 February 2018.

We plan to publish the revised guidance, for information, early in the summer term

2018. This will give schools and colleges adequate time to review their policies and

procedures and make any changes necessary to meet the requirements before the

guidance comes into force in September 2018.

The hon. Member may wish to be aware that we have also published separate advice

on sexual violence and sexual harassment between children in schools and colleges.

This defines what sexual violence and sexual harassment is, how to minimise the

risks of it happening and how to manage reports of incidents. The consultation on

Keeping Children Safe in Education seeks views both on this advice and on the

extent to which it should be reflected in the statutory guidance.

Department for Education: Travel


To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how much her Department has spent on (a)

taxis, (b) first class train tickets and (c) business class air travel in each of the last four

years.

Mr Robert Goodwill:

The table below sets out the total spend by the Department for Education in each of

the last four years in respect of (a) taxis, (b) first class train tickets and (c) business

class air travel.

SPEND IN £

Financial Year Taxis* First class train tickets Business class air

travel

2016-17 110,163 52,863 21,095

2015-16 124,916 48,277 11,692



SPEND IN £

2014-15 142,741 77,930 26,793

2013-14 81,112 68,187 32,977

*figure for taxis is drawn from the department’s expenses system. There may be

expenditure for taxis through other routes but the information is not readily available

and could only be compiled at a disproportionate cost.

Education Funding Agency: Buildings


To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to the Answers of 15

September 2016 to Question 45976 and of 29 March 2017 to Question 68740, on

Education Funding Agency: buildings, what steps her Department has taken to determine

the future use of the former East Ham police station.


To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to the Answer of 19 October

2016 to Question 48231, what was the purchase price for the former East Ham police

station on 4 February 2014; and how much money has since been spent on that building

and other buildings on the site.

Mr Robert Goodwill:

The department has acquired the former East Ham Police Station to become a free

school and we are working with the City of London Academies Trust to consider its

suitability for one of their schools. The purchase of East Ham Former Police Station

was completed on 4 February 2014 and the purchase price was £3,350,000. The

department approved £599,470 for works to the former East Ham Police Station, of

which £476,947 was for the demolition of the accommodation building at the rear of

the site, and the remainder was used for essential maintenance works to the Grade II

listed building to ensure it was safe.

Free School Meals: Coventry South


To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what estimate she has made of the number

of primary school children who are eligible for free school meals in Coventry South

constituency.

Mr Robert Goodwill:

The information is published in the underlying data: SFR28/2017 of the annual

‘Schools, pupils and their characteristics’ statistical release.

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

2017.




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

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

Music: Education

Kerry McCarthy: [120514]

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, when she plans to review the National Plan

for Music Education.

Nick Gibb:

The National Plan for Music Education sets out a vision for music education that

gives children from all backgrounds and every part of England the opportunity to

learn a musical instrument; to make music with others; to learn to sing; and to have

the opportunity to progress. The Department continues to have regular meetings with

music teachers to discuss aspects of the National Plan for Music Education. The

current plan runs until 2020 and any proposals for a review or extension of the Plan

will be announced in 2018.

Pupils: Sanitary Protection


To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answer of 25 July 2017 to

Question 5159, if she will conduct an assessment on the effect of period poverty on

young women and girls in schools.

Mr Robert Goodwill:

The Department for Education collects information on absences through the termly

school census. The department collects data on the number of possible sessions,

number of authorised absences, number of unauthorised absences and the reason

for absence for each pupil. The reasons for absence do not include a category which

would enable sessions missed due to a lack of access to menstrual products to be

identified. Full details of the absence data we collect in the school census can be

found in the census guidance here: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/school-census.

The department has sought to establish whether there has been any rigorous

national assessment of the prevalence of period poverty or its impact on attendance,

however none appears available. We reached out to school stakeholders in July 2017

through the Association of School and College Leaders forum asking for contributions

on the issue and have received a very limited response. The department is producing

additional analysis of the absence of data in order to look for evidence of period

poverty and will publish findings in due course.

Julie Elliott: [120706]

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what estimate she has made of the number

of children who are routinely missing school because they are unable to afford menstrual

products.

Julie Elliott: [120707]

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will bring forward proposals to provide

free menstrual products to children on free school meals.





Mr Robert Goodwill:

No girl should be held back from reaching her potential because of her background or

gender. Our current Sex and Relationships Education guidance encourages schools

to make adequate and sensitive arrangements to help girls cope with menstruation.

Schools are best placed to identify and address the needs of their pupils, have

discretion over how they use their funding and can make sanitary products available

to disadvantaged pupils if they identify this as a barrier to attainment or attendance.

We support schools in addressing the needs of disadvantaged pupils through the

provision of the Pupil Premium, equivalent to almost £2.5bn of additional funding this

year alone.

The department is committed to ensuring that any policy aimed at improving the

attendance or attainment of pupils eligible for free school meals is based on robust

evidence. We have sought to establish whether there has been any rigorous national

assessment of the prevalence of period poverty or its impact on attendance, however

none appears available. The department reached out to school stakeholders in July

2017 through the Association of School and College Leaders forum asking for

contributions on the issue and have received a very limited response.

The department collects information on absence through the termly school census.

We collect data on the number of possible sessions, number of authorised absences,

number of unauthorised absences and the reason for absence for each pupil. The

reasons for absence do not include a category, which would enable sessions missed

due to a lack of access to menstrual products to be identified. The method of data

collection does not enable us to identify pupils who are routinely missing school as

we collect information on the total sessions missed each term. Full details of the

absence data we collect in school census can be found in the census guidance here:

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/school-census . We are producing additional analysis of

our absence data to look for evidence of period poverty and will publish findings in

due course.

We have made it a priority to reduce school absence for all pupils and there has been

some notable success in this area, with overall yearly absence rates decreasing from

6.5% of possible sessions missed in 2006/7 to 4.6% in 2015/16.

Tulip Siddiq: [120772]

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answer of 3 July 2017 to

Question 82, what support the Government provides to schools to assist them to make

adequate and sensitive arrangements to help girls cope with menstruation.

Mr Robert Goodwill:

The government provides guidance on Sex and Relationship Education which

outlines how and when schools can prepare girls and boys for puberty and

menstruation. The year 5 programme of study also provides guidance to schools on

how puberty should be covered in the Science curriculum. Schools and teachers

should decide what to teach based on their pupils’ needs and, where appropriate,

seek the support of specialist organisations and expert professionals. The Personal,

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/school-census


Social and Health Education (PSHE) association supports schools by providing

materials for teaching girls and boys about puberty and menstruation for children

aged 8-11 and 11-12.

The government is in the process of making Relationships Education in primary

schools and Relationships and Sex Education (RSE) in secondary schools

mandatory and is considering expanding this to PSHE. We have launched a call for

evidence to gather the views of teachers, parents, and most importantly, young

people to help us shape relationships education and RSE and determine priorities for

future guidance. This was launched on 19 December 2017 and closes on 12

February 2018: https://consult.education.gov.uk/life-skills/pshe-rse-call-for-evidence.





provision of the Pupil Premium, equivalent to almost £2.5 billion of additional funding

this year alone.


To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to paragraph 2.8 of the Sex

and Relationship Education Guidelines, what is meant by the phrase make adequate and

sensitive arrangements to help girls cope with menstruation; and whether the intention of

that phrase extends to schools acting to provide girls with free sanitary products.

Mr Robert Goodwill:

The government is clear that all young people deserve the opportunity of a rounded

education that equips them with the knowledge, skills and confidence they need for

adult life in modern Britain. Sex and Relationship Education (SRE) guidance thus

encourages schools to prepare boys and girls for puberty, including menstruation.

SRE guidance focuses primarily on supporting girls by helping them understand

menstruation before they experience the onset of physical changes. However, it also

prompts schools to consider providing sanitary protection for girls who start their

periods at school and do not have the products necessary to continue their learning.





provision of the Pupil Premium, equivalent to almost £2.5 billion of additional funding

this year alone.


To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will make an estimate of the number of

school days missed by female pupils who live in households unable to afford sanitary

products; and if she will make a statement.

https://consult.education.gov.uk/life-skills/pshe-rse-call-for-evidence



Mr Robert Goodwill:

The Department for Education collects information on absence through the termly

school census. We collect data on the number of possible sessions, number of

authorised absences, number of unauthorised absences and the reason for absence

for each pupil. The reasons for absence do not include a category, which would

enable us to identify sessions missed due to a lack of access to menstrual products.

Full details of the absence data we collect in school census can be found in the

census guidance here: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/school-census.

We are committed to ensuring that any action to address absence is based on robust

evidence. We have sought to establish whether there has been any rigorous national

assessment of the prevalence of period poverty or its impact on attendance, however

none appears available. We reached out to school stakeholders in July 2017 through

the Association of School and College Leaders forum asking for contributions on the

issue and have received a very limited response. We are producing additional

analysis of our absence data to look for evidence of period poverty and will publish

findings in due course.

We have made it a priority to reduce school absence for all pupils and there has been

some notable success in this area, with overall yearly absence rates decreasing from

6.5% of possible sessions missed in 2006/7 to 4.6% in 2015/16.

Schools: Cost Effectiveness

Chris Philp: [120537]

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

which savings could be made in the school system to increase expenditure on teaching.

Nick Gibb:

In July, we announced that we will be investing an additional £1.3 billion in core

schools and high needs funding across 2018-19 and 2019-20, in addition to the

schools budget as set out in the 2015 Spending Review. This additional investment in

core schools funding will be funded in full from efficiencies and savings from within

the Department's budget, as we believe strongly that this funding is most valuable in

the hands of head teachers and principals. We have already announced savings of

£700 million from our capital budgets, primarily from delivering the free schools

programme more efficiently and scaling back the Healthy Pupils Capital programme

to reflect reductions in forecast revenue from the Soft Drinks Industry Levy. We are in

the process of identifying the remaining savings.

There is scope for schools to improve their levels of efficiency, and to find savings on

their non-staff expenditure which can be reinvested into frontline teaching. Our

analysis indicates that if the 25% of schools spending the highest amounts on each

category of non-staff expenditure were instead spending at the level of the rest, this

could save over £1 billion. The Department will continue work to deliver the initiatives

set out in the Schools’ Buying Strategy (published in January 2017), to help schools


deliver the best value for money from their non-staff expenditure and secure these

savings.

Schools: Coventry


To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many schools in Coventry have been

(a) built and (b) refurbished as a result of funding from the Education Funding Agency;

and how many of those schools have been fitted with sprinkler systems.

Nick Gibb:

The Government takes the safety of pupils and staff seriously. All schools have to

follow strict fire safety regulations, including having a Fire Risk Assessment, designed

to ensure they are as safe as possible and well prepared in the event of a fire.

Where sprinklers are deemed necessary to keep pupils and staff safe, following an

assessment of risk at the design stage, or to meet local planning requirements, they

must be fitted. All new school building projects must comply with Building

Regulations, including on fire safety, and this is independently checked by Building

Control or an Approved Inspector before buildings are occupied.

As not all new schools are commissioned by the Department, we do not hold data on

the number of all new schools that have been built with or without sprinklers installed.

The Department do hold information on the centrally funded Priority Schools Building

Programme (PSBP).

The Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA) has built or refurbished seven

schools in Coventry under phase one of PSBP and of those, five schools were fitted

with sprinklers.

The Depatment does not hold comprehensive data on the number of free schools

fitted with sprinklers as schools developed under the free schools programme were

originally managed by the individual free school proposer groups. The Department is

doing further work that will enable us to provide figures on sprinklers fitted in all

schools delivered centrally by the ESFA.

Alongside the rest of Government, the Department will take forward findings from the

independent review of Building Regulations and Fire Safety, and from the Public

Inquiry into the tragic Grenfell Tower fire.

Schools: Fire Extinguishers


To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many schools in (a) England and

Wales, (b) Greater London and (c) the London Borough of Newham have sprinkler

systems fitted.



Nick Gibb:







Regulations, including on fire safety, and this must be independently checked by

Building Control or an Approved Inspector before buildings are occupied.

As not all new schools in England are commissioned by the Department, we do not

hold data on the number of all new schools that have been built with or without

sprinklers installed. The Department does hold information on the centrally funded

Priority Schools Building Programme (PSBP). This programme covers schools in

England only. The devolved National Assembly for Wales is responsible for schools

in Wales.

In England, 74 schools in total have had, or are planned to have, sprinklers fitted

under the PSBP phase one. In London two schools have had sprinklers fitted under

the PSBP phase one. In Newham there are no schools that have had sprinklers fitted

under PSBP phase one.

The Department does not hold comprehensive data on the number of free schools

fitted with sprinklers in England, or London as schools developed under the free

schools programme were originally managed by the individual free school proposer

groups. The Department is doing further work that will enable us to provide figures on

sprinklers fitted in all schools delivered centrally by the Education and Skills Funding

Agency.


independent review of Building Regulations and Fire Safety, and from the Public

Inquiry into the tragic Grenfell Tower fire.


To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what advice she has received from the West

Midlands Fire Service on fitting sprinklers in schools.

Nick Gibb:




New school building projects must comply with Building Regulations, including on fire

safety, and this is independently checked by Building Control or an Approved

Inspector before buildings are occupied. Schools have a range of measures to

ensure they provide a suitable standard of safety. Where sprinklers are deemed

necessary to keep pupils and staff safe, they must be fitted.


The Department contracts the design and build of schools under its central

programmes. The Department does not liaise with Fire and Rescue Services directly,

but they may be consulted by Building Control officers or individual projects.


independent review of Building Regulations and Fire Safety, and from the public

inquiry into the tragic Grenfell Tower fire.

Schools: Greater London

Clive Efford: [119951]

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many schools in London have been

damaged by fires since the 2009-10 academic year; and how many of those schools

were fitted with sprinkler systems (a) prior to those fires occurring and (b) since those

fires occurred; and if he will make a statement.


To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many schools in London have been (a)

built and (b) refurbished through funding from the Education Funding Agency; how many

of those schools have been fitted with sprinkler systems; and if she will make a

statement.


To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what advice she has received from the

London Fire Brigade on fitting sprinklers in schools which are being refurbished or newly

built; and if she will make a statement.

Nick Gibb:

[Holding answer 21 December 2017]: The Government takes the safety of pupils and

staff seriously. All schools have to follow strict fire safety regulations, including having

a Fire Risk Assessment, designed to ensure that they are as safe as possible and

well prepared in the event of a fire.




Regulations, including on fire safety, and this must be independently checked by

Building Control or an Approved Inspector before buildings are occupied.

The Department does not collect data on the number of school fires. The Home

Office publishes fire statistics on GOV.UK -

https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/fire-statistics. These are taken from data

supplied by the Fire and Rescue Service (FRS) and includes information on

educational establishments.

As not all new schools are commissioned by the Department, we do not hold data on

the number of all new schools that have been built with or without sprinklers installed.

We do hold information on the centrally funded Priority Schools Building Programme

(PSBP). Of the 32 schools rebuilt in phase one of the PSBP in London, two include




https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/fire-statistics

sprinkler systems. We do not hold comprehensive data on the number of Free

Schools fitted with sprinklers as schools developed under the Free Schools

programme were originally managed by the individual free school proposer groups.

The Department does not liaise directly with the FRS, including the London Fire

Brigade, in the design of new school buildings. The Department commissions the

design and build of schools under its central programmes and the FRS may be

consulted by Building Control officers or contractors on individual projects whenever

necessary.


independent review of Building Regulations and Fire Safety, and from the public

inquiry into the Grenfell Tower fire.

Schools: Suffolk

Jo Churchill: [120670]

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

adequacy of funding of secondary and primary schools in (a) Bury St Edmunds

constituency and (b) Suffolk; and if she will make a statement.

Nick Gibb:

We are determined to create a country that works for everyone. That is why we are

delivering on our promise to reform the unfair, opaque and outdated school and high

needs funding systems and introduce the national funding formula. Commencing in

2018-19, the national funding formula will allocate funding on the basis of the specific

characteristics of every school and pupil.

For Suffolk County Council, the national funding formula means an increase in

schools funding of 4.7% per pupil in 2018-19. Suffolk will also receive a 3.6%

increase in its high needs budget in 2018-19, subject to technical adjustments made

later in the year to reflect the latest data.

Allocations for 2018-19 for each local authority were confirmed on 19 December 2017

and is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/dedicated-schools-

grant-dsg-2018-to-2019. The allocations take into account the latest pupil numbers

from the October 2017 census.

Schools in the constituency of Bury St Edmunds are attracting an additional 2.6% per

pupil through the national funding formula in 2018-19. Their final budgets for 2018-19

will however be determined through the local formula set by Suffolk County Council.

Secondary Education: Standards


To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what comparative assessment her

Department has made of the proportion of secondary schools rated (a) good and (b)

outstanding in the (i) West Midlands and (ii) London in each of the last three years.


https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/dedicated-schools-grant-dsg-2018-to-2019

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/dedicated-schools-grant-dsg-2018-to-2019


Nick Gibb:

In the West Midlands, the proportion of secondary schools judged Good in their last

inspection as at 31 August 2015, 2016 and 2017 was 49%, 53% and 56% while the

proportion judged Outstanding over the same period was 21%, 21% and 22%.

In London, the proportion of secondary schools judged Good in their last inspection

as at 31 August 2015, 2016 and 2017 was 50%, 53% and 51% while the proportion

judged Outstanding over the same period was 35%, 36% and 38%.

Nine out of ten schools are now rated Good or Outstanding across England with 1.9

million more pupils being taught in schools rated Good or Outstanding than in 2010.

As my Rt hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Education said on 14 December

when launching our action plan to drive social mobility through education, we want to

make sure opportunities are spread evenly across the country. The action plan

‘Unlocking Talent, Fulfilling Potential’ is available in the Libraries of both Houses.

We are targeting the areas that need the most support through the £72 million

‘Opportunity Areas’ programme, and by investing £280 million over the next two

years to target resources at the schools most in need to improve their performance

and deliver more good school places.

Special Educational Needs

Anneliese Dodds: [121074]

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what estimate she has made of the costs

incurred by schools of dyslexia assessments; and if she will make a statement.

Mr Robert Goodwill:

The Department for Education (DfE) does not collect data on costs incurred by

schools in the assessment of dyslexia. Schools are required to identify and address

the special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) of pupils, including arranging

for appropriate tests. They receive funding which enables them to meet additional

needs up to £6,000 per pupil with SEND. Building on 2013-16 funding, the DfE is

funding the British Dyslexia Association (BDA) and partners in 2017-18, with

£500,000 to facilitate better support for children with dyslexia. BDA resources include

affordable (£20-£50) on-line screening tools.

Teachers: Training


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

of changes in the level of the provision of in-work training for teachers inacademy chains

on the provision of training by specialist voluntary and third sector organisations.


To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what criteria her Department uses to assess

the quality of in-work training provided to teachers in academy chains.




Nick Gibb:

The Department does not hold the information requested. Academies, like all other

schools, are responsible for the development of their teaching staff and evaluating

the impact of training provided.

The Department’s consultation on strengthening qualified teacher status and

improving career progression for teachers is currently open and seeks views on a

range of areas including options to increase access to high-quality continuous

professional development. The consultation is available at:

https://consult.education.gov.uk/teaching-profession-unit/strengthening-qts-and-

improving-career-progression/.

ENVIRONMENT, FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS

Balloons and Sky Lanterns: Environment


To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment

his Department has made of the environmental effect of the intentional release of helium-

filled balloons and sky lanterns.


To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he

plans to take to ensure that intentional releases of helium-filled balloons and sky lanterns

do not negatively affect marine and terrestrial life.

George Eustice:

An independent study commissioned by Defra and the Welsh Government published

in 2013 to identify and assess the impacts and risks associated with sky lanterns and

helium balloons concluded that any risks arising from their use to animal health, or

their impact on the environment were insignificant, and reported that voluntary action

and initiatives have been shown to be effective.

Clean Air Zones

Steve McCabe: [120934]

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will expand

the national network of clean air zones.

Dr Thérèse Coffey:

The UK plan for tackling roadside nitrogen dioxide concentrations, published in July

2017, sets out the Government’s approach to improving air quality in the shortest

possible time. The plan states that due to the highly localised nature of the problem,

local knowledge will be crucial to solving pollution problems in these hotspots. We

have put in place a £3,5 billion air quality plan, including £475 million specifically to

help local authorities develop and implement their plans.

https://consult.education.gov.uk/teaching-profession-unit/strengthening-qts-and-improving-career-progression/

https://consult.education.gov.uk/teaching-profession-unit/strengthening-qts-and-improving-career-progression/




There are a range of measures local authorities can introduce, such as retrofitting

buses, changing road layouts or introducing Clean Air Zones should they consider

this an appropriate solution. Local authorities already have the powers required to

introduce Clean Air Zones under the Transport Act 2000. A framework published in

May 2017 provides guidance on the approach local authorities should take to the

introduction of Clean Air Zones.

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs: Written Questions


To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, (a) how many and

(b) what proportion of her Department's Answers to Written Parliamentary Questions

have advised that the requested information was not available on the grounds of

disproportionate cost associated with data collection and collation in the current session.

George Eustice:

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs have answered 14 written

parliamentary questions explaining that the requested information was not available

on the grounds of disproportionate cost since 20th June 2017. This is out of a total of

1,278 parliamentary questions that have been answered.


To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many and

what proportion of his Department's Answers to Written Parliamentary Questions in the

2017-18 Session to date have referred to the information requested not being (a)

collected or (b) collated centrally.

George Eustice:

Defra has answered 34 Written Parliamentary Questions explaining that the

requested information was not available on the grounds of it not being collected or

held centrally. This is out of a total of 1,278 Parliamentary Questions that have been

answered since the 20th June 2017.

Environment Protection

Dr David Drew: [120556]

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, which

organisations his Department consulted in preparation for the 25 Year Environment Plan.


In order to help develop the 25 Year Environment Plan, Defra has consulted a wide

range of stakeholders and organisations from relevant sectors including

environmental organisations, farming organisations, land management specialists,

academics, representatives from major retailers, food producing organisations, house

building companies, water companies, representatives from chemical industries, local

authorities, other Government departments and the Devolved Administrations. In

addition to these, it has worked closely with the Natural Capital Committee.




Fish: West Sussex

Sir Nicholas Soames: [120742]

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps the

Environment Agency is taking to secure the stocks of salmon and sea trout along the

coast of West Sussex; and into which rivers those stocks commonly run.


The Environment Agency (EA) enforces byelaws to ensure that fish stocks remain

healthy. These byelaws prevent the sale of rod and line caught salmonids, provide a

close season during spawning and encourage fish to grow to adulthood by imposing

minimum size limits for retained fish. There is no licenced net fishery along the West

Sussex coast.

The EA is also conserving and enhancing salmon and sea trout stocks by sharing

resources with regulatory partners and by supporting communities, landowners and

fisheries representatives. This includes conducting patrols with the Sussex Inshore

Fisheries and Conservation Authority (IFCA) to protect fish stocks from illegal

plunder. The Sussex IFCA is reviewing legislative measures for protecting migratory

fish, subject to consultation.

The EA’s work with partners also includes improving fish passage and habitat by

planting trees to provide protective shade for fish and by constructing fish passes,

such as on the River Ouse at East Mascalls. Through improving water quality the

Environment Agency aims to maximise fish spawning success and is working with the

Sussex Flow Initiative to address pollution from diffuse sources.

Young salmon (or parr) were seen for the first time on the River Ems in West Sussex

during the EA’s 2016 fish survey. This is testament to the collective impact of this

work.

Flood Control: Finance


To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what estimate he

has made of public spending on flood prevention in (a) Bury St Edmunds constituency

and (b) the UK in each of the (i) last and (ii) next five years.


The table below summarises Government investment (Flood Defence Grant in Aid or

FDGiA) to flood and coastal risk management schemes in the Bury St Edmunds

constituency and England between April 2012 and March 2021. Budgets for 2021-22

and beyond have not been set.


http://www.sussexflowinitiative.org/


YEAR BURY ST EDMUNDS FDGIA (£K) ENGLAND FDGIA (£M)

2012/13 0 269

2013/14 0 315

2014/15 0 479

2015/16 0 403

2016/17 691 447

2017/18 21 413

2018/19 0 450

2019/20 0 490

2020/21 0 459

Fly-tipping: Wealden

Ms Nusrat Ghani: [120540]

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment Food and Rural Affairs, how many cases

of repeat fly-tipping have been recorded in Wealden District in the last 12 months.


Defra does not hold information on how many cases of repeat fly-tipping have been

recorded in Wealden District in the last 12 months and to obtain the information

would incur disproportionate cost. Information on fly-tipping incidents and the actions

taken by Wealden District and other local authorities in England is published annually

and can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/env24-

fly-tipping-incidents-and-actions-taken-in-england

Food: Procurement


To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether the

Government plans to include the Eatwell Guide into Government buying standards on the

public procurement of food and drink.

George Eustice:

The Eatwell Plate (the forerunner of the Eatwell Guide) is referenced under the

detailed Health and Wellbeing criteria (Section 2.1) of the Balanced Scorecard (BSC)

tool in the Plan for Public Procurement of Food and Catering Service 2014.



Food: Standards


To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what plans his

Department has to bring forward proposals on increasing environmental protections or

food product standards in 2018.

George Eustice:

The Government is committed to having strong environmental protections, and on 12

November the Secretary of State set out plans to consult on a new, independent

statutory body to regulate environmental policy and hold government to account on

environmental commitments once the UK has left the EU.

The Government is also committed to delivering and promoting robust food standards

nationally and internationally, to protect consumer interests, facilitate international

trade, and ensure that consumers can have confidence in the food they buy.

Genetically Modified Organisms: Licensing


To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what advice he

will be offering UK regulatory bodies on the licensing of GMOs after the UK’s exit from the

EU.

George Eustice:

Defra and the devolved administrations (DAs) are the regulatory bodies responsible

for decisions on the release of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) into the

environment. The Food Standards Agency (FSA) in England, Wales and Northern

Ireland and Food Standards Scotland lead on the marketing of GMOs as food or

animal feed products. Where licensing decisions are currently taken as part of a

centralised EU process, the intention is for the EU rules to be converted into UK law

so that a similar regulatory framework will apply after the UK’s withdrawal from the

EU. Discussions are ongoing between Defra, the FSA and DAs on how best to

convert the EU arrangements.

Ground Water: Suffolk


To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many

groundwater activity permits have been issued in (a) Bury St Edmunds constituency and

(b) Suffolk in each of the last five years.


The Environment Agency has issued the following number of groundwater activity

permits in each of the last five years in (a) Bury St Edmunds constituency and (b)

Suffolk:




YEAR

BURY ST EDMUNDS

CONSTITUENCY SUFFOLK

2013 1 1

2014 0 4

2015 1 8

2016 0 5

2017 (year to date) 1 6

Landfill

Mr Barry Sheerman: [120801]

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how much

tonnage in landfill waste is generated by each (a) region of England, (b) city and (c) local

authority.


Information about permitted waste activities in England, including landfill inputs, is

publicly available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/waste-

management-for-england-2016

Water: Standards

Daniel Zeichner: [120734]

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his

Department is taking to ensure (a) the retention of high water standards in the UK and (b)

international cooperation in water regulation in the event that the UK leaves the EU.


We have a strong track record on protecting our water environment. We have

improved more than 5,300 miles of rivers since 2010. The water environment is in the

healthiest state for 25 years with otters, salmon, sea trout and other wildlife returning

to many rivers for the first time since the industrial revolution.

The EU Withdrawal Bill will ensure that the whole body of existing EU environmental

law continues to have effect in UK law and that the same protections for the water

environment are in place. The Bill will preserve the laws that have transposed EU

directives, including the Water Framework Directive, the Urban Waste Water

Treatment Directive, and the Drinking Water Directive.

We have committed to enhancing environmental standards as we leave the EU. We

will consult on a new independent, statutory body to hold government to account and

enforce standards for environmental protection.



We remain committed to internationally recognised environmental principles and

cooperation on water quality. The UK is a party in its own right to a number of

multilateral agreements on water. These include the 1971 Ramsar Convention on the

Conservation and Protection of Wetlands, the 1997 Convention on the Law of the

Non-navigational Uses of International Watercourses, and UN Sustainable

Development Goal 6 on clean water and sanitation. We will continue to uphold our

international obligations under these agreements.

Wood-burning Stoves


To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what plans her

Department has to discourage the use of wood-burning stoves.


Around 40% of the UK’s primary emissions of harmful particulate matter come from

domestic burning of wood and coal.

To tackle this we are raising consumer awareness about the impact of burning wet

wood on health and working with industry to help reduce harmful emissions by

encouraging people to shift from using wet/unseasoned wood to dry wood, which can

halve emissions of soot and smoke.

We have recently distributed an advice leaflet on open fires and wood burning stoves

to all local authorities which includes advice on burning less and the benefits of

quality fuels, modern appliances and regular servicing as a means to reduce

environmental impact.

EXITING THE EUROPEAN UNION

Architecture: Qualifications


To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, whether his Department is

seeking to ensure that EU member states will recognise UK architect qualifications after

the UK leaves the EU.

Mr Robin Walker:

During negotiations on the UK’s withdrawal from the EU, we have agreed the

continued recognition of qualifications, where recognition decisions were received or

where recognition procedures were ongoing before the withdrawal date. Architecture

qualifications fall into scope of this agreement.

On 15 December the European Council formally confirmed that sufficient progress

had been made to move onto the second phase of negotiations. During these talks

on our future trading relationship with the EU, we will seek to agree a continued

system for the mutual recognition of professional qualifications as part of a bold and

ambitious future economic partnership.



Borders: Northern Ireland and Republic of Ireland


To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, whether he has identified

any factors which could give rise to a hard border between Northern Ireland and the

Republic of Ireland and which could be resolved though (i) general EU-UK negotiations or

(ii) specific solutions to address the unique circumstances of the island of Ireland; and if

he will make a statement.

Mr Steve Baker:

The Government is committed to avoiding a hard border between Northern Ireland

and Ireland.

The UK:EU Joint Report sets out our plan to address Northern Ireland’s unique

circumstances and the border in the context of the wider UK-EU deep and special

partnership. That is the right approach - we want a deal that works for all parts of the

UK, whilst recognising Northern Ireland’s unique circumstances.

These principles also address the question of a fall-back option to avoid a hard

border and disruption to businesses and supply chains both sides of the border in the

unlikely event that we do not reach the agreement we want.

In that scenario, the Government will ensure regulatory continuity in those sectors

that are crucial to cross-border cooperation, businesses and the farming community.

These are sectors where cross-border policies and approaches have already

received cross-community support.

The Government also recalls its commitment to preserving the integrity of the UK

internal market and Northern Ireland's place within it. In all circumstances, the United

Kingdom will continue to ensure the same unfettered access for Northern Ireland's

businesses to the whole of the United Kingdom internal market.

Chevening Scholarships Programme

Deidre Brock: [120862]

To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, who the multiple

stakeholders within the private sector were at each Chevening business event listed in

the Ministerial Meetings section of his Department's Transparency Data for July to

September 2017.

Mr Steve Baker:

Details of Ministerial and senior official meetings are published in the Department’s

Quarterly Transparency Returns, which are made publicly available on GOV.UK.



Department for Exiting the European Union: Data Protection

Jon Trickett: [119470]

To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, how many data incidents

his Department (a) recorded and (b) reported to the Information Commissioner's Office in

(i) 2015-16 and (ii) 2016-17.

Mr Steve Baker:

To date, the Department for Exiting the European Union has not had any data

security incidents which have involved the release of data or breached data

protection rules. Therefore, we have had no incidents that have required reporting to

the ICO.

Department for Exiting the European Union: Email and Social Media

Mr Ben Bradshaw: [120712]

To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, what guidance has been

issued to Ministers of his Department on the use of private email accounts and WhatsApp

messaging to engage with outside organisations on issues relating to their ministerial

responsibilities.

Mr Steve Baker:

Upon joining the Department, Ministers for the Department for Exiting the European

Union (DExEU) are provided with a departmental email account and mobile phone,

which they may use for correspondence and calls relating to their ministerial duties.

DExEU Ministers are briefed by both the Centre for the Protection of National

Infrastructure (CPNI) and National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) on a range of

topics, including the correct use of departmental IT assets.

Department for Exiting the European Union: EU Law


To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, which EU (a) Directives, (b)

Regulations and (c) other legislation affecting his Department he is considering to

propose (i) revocation and (ii) amendment of after the UK leaves the EU.

Mr Steve Baker:


day.










Department for Exiting the European Union: Families

Fiona Bruce: [119212]

To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, to which legislation his

Department has applied the Family Test, published in August 2014.

Mr Steve Baker:

The Government is committed to supporting families. To achieve this, in 2014 the

Department for Work and Pensions introduced the Family Test, which aims to ensure

that impacts on family relationships and functioning are recognised early on during

the process of policy development and help inform the policy decisions made by

ministers. The Family Test was not designed to be a ‘tick-box’ exercise, and as such

there is no requirement for departments to publish the results of assessments made

under the Family Test.

Department for Exiting the European Union: Stationery

Jenny Chapman: [120029]

To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, What estimate his

Department has made of the cost to the public purse for Departmental paper in (a) 2016-

17 and (b) 2017-18.

Mr Steve Baker:

We do not hold this information centrally. The Department occupies space in a

number of OGD buildings and the way paper is procured varies depending on the

building. Wherever possible, Directorates are encouraged to use the centrally

managed departmental contract for procuring all stationery, including paper when not

supplied as part of the accommodation agreement.

Department for Exiting the European Union: Written Questions


To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, (a) how many and (b) what

proportion of her Department's Answers to Written Parliamentary Questions have advised

that the requested information was not available on the grounds of disproportionate cost

associated with data collection and collation in the current session.

Mr Steve Baker:

In the current session, the Department for Exiting the European Union has answered

one written parliamentary question (UIN 3927) which stated that the information

requested was not available on the grounds of disproportionate cost. However, on

this occasion we did provide some of the information requested.

This is out of a total of 573 written parliamentary questions that have been answered.




European Banking Authority and European Medicines Agency

Tom Brake: [120820]

To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, how many jobs will be

relocated out of the UK as a result of the (a) European Banking Authority and (b)

European Medicines Agency moving their headquarters out of London.

Mr Robin Walker:

The decision to relocate the Agencies was one for the EU27, and the exact details of

the moves are a matter for the Commission.

Ferries: Companies

Jon Trickett: [118968]

To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, with reference to his

Department's publication Ministerial Meetings: January to March 2017, if he will publish

the names of the attendees at the UK Ferry Companies Roundtable attended by Lord

Bridges of Headley.

Mr Steve Baker:

Details of Ministerial and senior official meetings are published in the Department’s

Quarterly Transparency Returns, which are made publicly available on GOV.UK.

State retirement pensions: British Nationals Abroad

Alex Norris: [116532]

To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, whether UK pensioners

living in EU countries will continue to get their state pension uprated after the UK has left

the EU.

Mr Steve Baker:

We have now agreed with the EU that under reciprocal arrangements, the UK will

continue to export an uprated UK State Pension and provide associated healthcare

cover for UK nationals living in the EU who are covered by the Withdrawal

Agreement.

This will include people who are of state pension age and those who are not yet at

state pension age, once they start drawing their UK State Pension.

UK Notified Bodies

Peter Dowd: [119975]

To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, what steps his Department

is taking to ensure UK notified bodies can continue to provide EU certification services in

the UK and elsewhere after the UK leaves the EU.

Mr Steve Baker:

We want a deep and special partnership with the EU which allows the freest and

most frictionless possible trade in goods. As part of this partnership, we want to





ensure that UK companies have the maximum freedom to trade with and operate

within European markets, including with respect to the activity carried out by UK

notified bodies.

We are working closely with colleagues across government to make sure that we

have a regular dialogue with UK notified bodies, and the businesses for whom they

provide services, as we develop our negotiating position.

In relation to the content of those discussions, we will not reveal now anything which

might risk harming our negotiating position.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE

Austria: Foreign Relations


To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, when he last met

his Austrian counterpart; and what issues were discussed at that meeting.

Sir Alan Duncan:

On 19 December 2017 the Foreign Secretary called Dr Karin Kneissl, the new

Austrian Foreign Minister, to congratulate her on her appointment. They discussed

the bilateral relationship, migration, developments in the Middle East Peace Process,

Russia and the Western Balkans.

Bahrain: Prisoners


To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether his

Department has made representations to the Government of Bahrain on the treatment of

women in Bahrain's Isa Town Women's Prison.

Alistair Burt:

The Government monitors events in Bahrain closely. We regularly raise human rights

concerns with the Bahraini authorities in private and public and will continue to do so.

Where we have concerns on specific cases we raise these at an appropriately senior

level. We continue to encourage the Government of Bahrain to deliver on its

international and domestic human rights commitments.

We encourage those with concerns about treatment in detention to report these to the

relevant human rights oversight bodies.

China: North Korea

Sir Nicholas Soames: [120377]

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent

discussions he has had with the Government of China on North Korea.




Mark Field:

The Foreign Secretary spoke to the Chinese Foreign Minister on 4 August, 1 and 18

September during the UN General Assembly in September to urge China to use its

influence on the DPRK regime and implement sanctions fully. The Foreign Secretary

also spoke to Vice Premier Liu Yandong on 7 December during the People to People

Dialogue.

Japan: Foreign Relations



his counterpart in Japan; and what issues were discussed at that meeting.

Mark Field:

The Foreign Secretary last met Japanese Foreign Minister Kono on 14 December for

the annual UK-Japan 2+2 security and defence talks. The focus was on tackling

global security issues, such as the threat posed by the DPRK, and agreeing

frameworks for greater bilateral security and defence cooperation.

Marine Protected Areas


To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps his

Department is taking to monitor Marine Protected Areas for illegal fishing and other

proscribed maritime activities.

Sir Alan Duncan:

The Government's commitment to establish a Blue Belt of marine protection around

the Overseas Territories is on track to deliver 4 million square kilometres of marine

protection by 2020. In delivering the Blue Belt initiative, the Centre for Environment,

Fisheries and Aquaculture Science and the Marine Management Organisation are

helping to ensure that the large scale Marine Protected Areas which have been

designated, or are being developed, around the UK Overseas Territories are

effectively managed, monitored and enforced. Traditional surveillance techniques,

including sea and aerial patrols, are also being supplemented with trials of new

techniques including satellite surveillance (radar and optical imagery); autonomous

underwater vehicles; and unmanned aerial systems, to detect any illegal, unreported

and unregulated fishing.

Portugal: Foreign Relations



his Portuguese counterpart; and what issues were discussed at that meeting.

Sir Alan Duncan:

I spoke with my Portuguese counterpart, Portugal’s Secretary of State for European

Affairs Ana Paula Zacarias, on 14 August 2017. I welcomed Zacarias to her new role




and we discussed the UK’s exit from the EU, our bilateral relationship and foreign

policy issues of common interest.

Rohingya

Ian Murray: [120308]

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what long-term

plans his Department has to tackle the crisis for the Rohingya people in Myanmar and

Bangladesh.

Mark Field:

The Government continues to press to ensure full implementation of the UN Security

Council Presidential Statement proposed by the UK and secured on 6 November.

The UK will continue to lobby Burma and Bangladesh to ensure that Rohingya

refugee returns are safe, voluntary and in dignity; support Bangladesh in its generous

effort to host the refugees; work with international partners to bring the perpetrators of

human rights violations in Rakhine to justice and to press Burma to allow the UN Fact

Finding Mission free and unhindered access; encourage the Burmese Government to

implement in full the recommendations of the Rakhine Advisory Commission and

make Rakhine safe for Rohingya by ending discrimination with immediate effect.

Turkey: Islamic State


To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what reports he

has received on suspected IS terrorists using Turkey as a route to enter the EU; and if he

will discuss those reports with the Turkish Government.

Sir Alan Duncan:

Turkey is an important partner in our efforts to counter terrorism globally, including on

the subject of Daesh fighters returning from Syria and Iraq. The UK is committed to

its security and that of our European partners, and will continue to work closely with

them, and with the Turkish Government, to mitigate the threat these individuals may

pose.

HEALTH

Ambulance Services: Southwark

Ms Harriet Harman: [120781]

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many ambulances called in the London

Borough of Southwark have responded outside the (a) Category A and (b) Category C

response time target in each of the last seven years.

Mr Philip Dunne:

The information is not available in the format requested. Data about ambulance calls

broken down by ambulance service, including performance against the service




standards, is published monthly by NHS England and can be found online at the

following address:

https://www.england.nhs.uk/statistics/statistical-work-areas/ambulance-quality-

indicators/

Blood: Contamination


To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps are being taken to remove the need

for bank statements to be submitted in support of discretionary grant applications with the

England Infected Blood Support Scheme.

Jackie Doyle-Price:

The discretionary payments scheme, part of the England Infected Blood Support

Scheme administered by NHS Business Services Authority (NHS BSA), and the

criteria under which these payments are made is currently being reviewed.

As was required under the former infected blood payment schemes, the criteria for

some discretionary payments may be linked to an individual’s income. One way a

beneficiary could demonstrate their income is through the submission of bank

statements, although NHS BSA is considering with beneficiaries other possible

options as part of the review process.

NHS BSA will try to keep additional information requests to support claims to a

minimum.

Department of Health: Departmental Expenditure Limits

Dr Philippa Whitford: [120543]

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, with reference to Autumn Budget 2017, what

recent estimate his Department has made of the (a) Resources Department Expenditure

Limit (RDEL) and (b) Capital Department Expenditure Limit for his Department in (i) 2017-

18, (ii) 2018-19, 2019/20 and (iii) 2020-21.

Mr Philip Dunne:

The Department’s Resource Departmental Expenditure Limit (RDEL) and Capital

Departmental Expenditure Limit (CDEL) for the years 2017-18 – 2020-21 are outlined

below:

YEAR RDEL (£ BILLION) CDEL (£ BILLION)

2017-18 120.6 5.6

2018-19 123.4 6.4

2019-20 125.7 6.7

2020-21 128.7 6.8

https://www.england.nhs.uk/statistics/statistical-work-areas/ambulance-quality-indicators/

https://www.england.nhs.uk/statistics/statistical-work-areas/ambulance-quality-indicators/



Of that total funding, National Health Service funding is confirmed each year in the

Financial Directions to the NHS Mandate. Funding for the years up to 2020-21 can be

found here:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/nhs-mandate-2016-to-2017

The NHS Mandate and Financial Directions are refreshed on an annual basis and the

latest can be found here:


The next NHS Mandate refresh will reflect funding adjustments following the recent

Budget announcements.

Eating Disorders

Helen Whately: [120961]

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, with reference to the report of the Parliamentary

and Health Services Ombudsman, Ignoring the Alarms: How NHS Eating Disoider

Services are Failing Patients, what steps he is taking to ensure that NHS organisations

respond to complaints about breaches of patient safety in a coordinated, open and

transparent way.

Mr Philip Dunne:

It is important for all complaints to National Health Service organisations to be

robustly investigated, with responses sent that cover the issues raised in an open and

sensitive manner. In order fully to learn from mistakes, it is vital that, where

appropriate, there is effective co-operation and co-ordination across organisational

boundaries.

The Department continues to work with system partners, including NHS England and

NHS Improvement, to improve the handling of, and responses to, complaints and

more general feedback across the healthcare system.

Employment and Support Allowance: Suicide

Neil Coyle: [120704]

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, for what reasons his Department's report,

Preventing suicide in England: third progress report of the cross-government outcomes

strategy to save lives, published in January 2017 does not prioritise employment and

support allowance claimants for additional help and support.

Jackie Doyle-Price:

The Cross-Government Suicide Prevention Strategy for England (2012) identified

high risk groups and groups of people for whom tailored approaches to their mental

health are required to address the risk of suicide. This includes people who are

unemployed and those with long-term health conditions.





EU Rapid Alert Systems for Food and Feed

Luke Pollard: [121047]

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, whether the UK will continue to participate in the

EU Rapid Alert Systems for Food and Feed after the UK leaves the EU.

Steve Brine:

The Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed is important in enabling the management

of food and feed safety risks by providing early alerts of health or food contamination

issues across the European Union. At present, this enables the United Kingdom to

respond quickly to serious risks to public health relating to food and animal feed. The

Government is considering the best approach for the management of notification of

food and feed safety risks once we have left the EU. It will be our priority to maintain

the UK’s high standards of food and feed safety, and continue to be able to provide a

timely response to food safety incidents. This is essential for the protection of public

health, and for maintaining consumer confidence in food.

Eyesight: Testing

Lloyd Russell-Moyle: [120605]

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if the Government will make an assessment of

the potential merits of bringing forward a national eye health strategy.

Steve Brine:

Given the size of England, and the diversity of the health needs of different

communities, we believe commissioning needs to be owned and managed locally

and do not, therefore, believe there is merit in having a national eye health strategy.

However, the Department supports Vision UK, an umbrella organisation for the eye

health and sight loss sector, which aims to improve eye health and end sight loss,

improve support across eye health and social care services and improve awareness

of sight loss.

Gadolinium: Health Hazards


To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what recent assessment has been made of the

effect of Gadolinium on health outcomes.

Steve Brine:

The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency participated in a recent

European-level review of gadolinium retention in the brain and other tissues following

exposure to gadolinium-containing contrast agent used to enhance magnetic

resonance imaging scans. The review, which completed on 24 November 2017,

included a comprehensive assessment of available scientific evidence on the

implication of retention of low levels of gadolinium in the brain and other tissues. The

assessment found no evidence that gadolinium deposition in the brain has caused

adverse neurological effects in patients, but data on long-term effects of gadolinium

deposition are very limited.




The outcome of the review can be found at:

http://www.ema.europa.eu/ema/index.jsp?curl=pages/medicines/human/referrals/Gad

olinium-

containing_contrast_agents/human_referral_prac_000056.jsp&mid=WC0b01ac05805

c516f.


To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what reports he has received on the number of

people who have been adversely affected by Gadolinium.

Steve Brine:

Reports of ‘suspected’ Adverse Drug Reactions (ADRs) are collected by the

Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) and Commission for

Human Medicines through the spontaneous reporting scheme, the Yellow Card

Scheme. The Scheme collects suspected ADR reports from the whole of the United

Kingdom in relation to all medicines and vaccines. Reporting to the Yellow Card

Scheme is voluntary for healthcare professionals and members of the public, there is

however also a legal obligation for pharmaceutical companies to report all serious

ADRs for their products that they are aware of.

A summary of the reports received by the MHRA of people who have had a

suspected adverse reaction to a gadolinium containing agent is published as an

interactive Drug Analysis Profiles (iDAP) on the Yellow Card websiteiDAPs are listed

by substance and there are several Gadolinium-containing contrast agents (GdCAs).

The GdCAs to note are gadodiamide (Omniscan), gadoversetamide (Optimark),

gadopentetic acid (Magnevist), gadobenic acid (Multihance), gadoxetic acid

(Primovist), gadoteridol (Prohance), gadobutrol (Gadovist) and gadoteric acid

(Dotarem).

The first UK spontaneous ADR report received by the MHRA in association with a

GdCA was reported in 15 July 1991 and the table below provides the number of

reports and reactions reported for each contrast agent as of 31 October 2017. It

should be noted that one report can contain multiple reactions.

CONTRAST AGENT NUMBER OF REPORTS NUMBER OF REACTIONS

Gadodiamide 59 119

Gadoversetamide 0 0

Gadopentetic Acid 160 401

Gadobenic Acid 98 267

Gadoxetic Acid 34 73

Gadoteridol 272 628

Gadobutrol 352 1,013

http://www.ema.europa.eu/ema/index.jsp?curl=pages/medicines/human/referrals/Gadolinium-containing_contrast_agents/human_referral_prac_000056.jsp&mid=WC0b01ac05805c516f.





CONTRAST AGENT NUMBER OF REPORTS NUMBER OF REACTIONS

Gadoteric acid 344 881

Gadolinium (not otherwise

specified)

27 111

Yellow Card data cannot be used as a reliable indicator of the frequency of suspected

ADRs to medicines. The level of ADR reporting may fluctuate between given years

due to a variety of reasons such as a medicine being new (reporting rates are

generally higher when a product is first introduced), stimulated interest/publicity and

variations in exposure to the medicine. The data should be seen in the context of the

many millions of people who have received gadolinium containing contrast agents.

It is also important to note that Yellow Card reports are not proof of a side effect

occurring but only a suspicion by the reporter that the medicine may have caused the

symptoms. Yellow Card reports may therefore relate to true side effects of the

medicine, or they may be due to coincidental illnesses that would have occurred in

the absence of medicine.

General Practitioners


To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what recent estimate he has made of trends in

the number of GPs.

Steve Brine:

NHS Digital produce quarterly publications of general practitioner workforce data. The

latest figures, for September 2017, were published in November and are available at

the following link:

https://digital.nhs.uk/catalogue/PUB30149

Haim-Munk Syndrome: Medical Treatments


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

adequacy of treatment provisions for people diagnosed with Haim-Munk syndrome

Steve Brine:

Haim-Munk syndrome is a rare genetic disorder characterised by the development of

red, scaly thickened patches of skin.

NHS England commissions specialised services for patients with rare or complex skin

diseases which includes those which may be due to rare genetic disorders. NHS

England has published a national service specification for specialised skin services

which sets national standards and has published policies on drug therapies where

appropriate. This is available at:


https://digital.nhs.uk/catalogue/PUB30149


https://www.england.nhs.uk/commissioning/spec-services/npc-crg/group-a/a08/

Health Services: Prisons

Dr Paul Williams: [120562]

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what criteria his Department is using to monitor

the performance of healthcare providers in English prisons and effect of those services

on the overall health and well-being of prisoners.

Jackie Doyle-Price:

Since 2013, NHS England has been responsible for commissioning health services in

public sector prisons in England. When contracts are awarded a plan is established

between NHS England, as commissioner, and the provider to ensure a smooth

transition in the delivery of the contract specifications if there has been a change of

provider, or, if the provider remains the same, a planned approach to how the

provider will meet any new requirements that sit within the new contract specification.

Providers and commissioners meet on a quarterly basis, for the life of the contract for

contract and performance management reviews. Where there are performance

issues these meetings are more frequent, weekly or monthly, and the providers will

be required to provide a remedial action plan against which they will be monitored

and measured.

If the providers fail to meet the required quality for the delivery of the service at any

time during the life of the contract, and after any improvement planning has not been

productive, the local commissioners can give notice on the contract and re-procure

the services.


To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps are being taken to increase the

availability of stop smoking support services in prisons that have implemented a smoking

ban.

Jackie Doyle-Price:

Prisons are rolling out the smoke free policy, subject to a series of assessments

which will test the operational stability, readiness and health readiness of the prisons

to implement the policy in a safe, decent and secure way.

As the roll out of the smoke free estate continues, each new cohort of prisons

preparing to go smoke free must complete a state of readiness document which

details that across the establishment everything is in place to ensure a smooth

transition to a smoke free establishment. This includes the information sharing plan

for the prisoner population, the increase in stop smoking services, and the availability

of Nicotine Replacement Therapy, and e cigarettes.

https://www.england.nhs.uk/commissioning/spec-services/npc-crg/group-a/a08/



Health: Males


To ask the Secretary of State for Health, whether his Department has made an

assessment of behavioural changes among adult males in reporting their own medical

health issues over the last 10 years; and if he will make a statement.

Jackie Doyle-Price:

No such assessment has been made. However, there are a number of programmes

funded by the Government which are likely to have a differential impact on men’s

health, given evidence that men may be less likely to seek help with health problems.

For example, the Government has funded the Time to Change anti-stigma campaign,

which challenges attitudes towards mental health. Time to Change launched the ‘In

your corner’ campaign this year which is specifically aimed at encouraging men to

talk about mental health. Another example is heart disease: the British Heart

Foundation states that men are more likely to develop cardiovascular disease at an

earlier age than women.

In 2016 NHS RightCare launched the Cardiovascular Disease Prevention Optimal

Value Pathway, which aims to reduce unwarranted variation to improve people's

health and lessen inequalities in health access, experience and outcomes. In

addition, local authorities offer the NHS Health Check to all adults aged 40-74 who do

not have certain pre-existing health conditions; the Health Check therefore offers an

opportunity to engage with men who might otherwise not be seen by health services.

Public Health England’s One You campaign aims to improve health by encouraging

adults to change their lifestyles and adopt healthier behaviours. In addition, the Men’s

Health Forum are a member of the voluntary, community and social enterprise Health

and Wellbeing Alliance, a group of 21 organisations and consortia which aims to

bring the voice of the sector into policy making in the Department, NHS England and

Public Health England.

The life expectancy of both males and females continues to rise; whilst there remains

a gap between female and male life expectancy, this gap is closing.

Hospitals: Fire Extinguishers


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

merits of installing sprinkler systems in all hospitals.

Mr Philip Dunne:

Design teams are required to consider the benefits of using sprinklers as part of the

building design process for trusts. The outcomes of that process should be recorded

in each trust’s fire strategy document, including where sprinklers are to be fitted and

the reasons why they should not be used in specific areas.

Fire safety guidance in relation to sprinklers is available in the following Health

Technical Memorandum (HTM) 05 publication provided to National Health Service



organisations: “HTM 05-02: Firecode Guidance in support of functional provisions

(Fire safety in the design of healthcare premises)” 2015 edition. All Firecode

guidance is being reviewed following the recommendations of the Grenfell Tower

Public Inquiry.

In Vitro Fertilisation


To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the Answer of 14 November 2017 to

Question 112909 on in vitro fertilisation, whether his Department plans to extend the 10-

year holding period for a healthy woman to freeze her eggs.

Mr Philip Dunne:

I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 22 November 2017 to Question

113114.

King's College Hospital


To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the average cancer treatment waiting time

was at King's College Hospital Denmark Hill site in each of the last seven years.

Steve Brine:

Data is not available in the format requested.

NHS England publishes quarterly performance data on cancer waiting times

standards, along with monthly provisional statistics. This is published at trust level

rather than by individual hospital site and can be accessed at:

https://www.england.nhs.uk/statistics/statistical-work-areas/cancer-waiting-times/


To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many operations at King's College Hospital

were cancelled in each of the last seven years.

Mr Philip Dunne:

NHS England publishes quarterly performance data on the number of last minute

elective operations cancelled for non-clinical reasons. This is published at trust level

rather than by individual hospital site. This can be accessed via NHS England’s

statistical work areas webpages:

https://www.england.nhs.uk/statistics/statistical-work-areas/cancelled-elective-

operations/cancelled-ops-data/

King's College Hospital: Accident and Emergency Departments


To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the average waiting time was in A&E at the

King's College Hospital Denmark Hill site in each of the last seven years.



https://www.england.nhs.uk/statistics/statistical-work-areas/cancer-waiting-times/


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/


Mr Philip Dunne:

The information is not available in the format requested. NHS England publishes

monthly performance data for accident and emergency attendances and emergency

admissions. This is published at trust level rather than by individual hospital site and

can be found via the following link:

https://www.england.nhs.uk/statistics/statistical-work-areas/ae-waiting-times-and-

activity/ae-attendances-and-emergency-admissions-2017-18/

King's College Hospital: Surgery


To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many patients have died while on a waiting

list at King's College Hospital in Denmark Hill for (a) heart surgery and (b) neurosurgery

in each of the last seven years.

Mr Philip Dunne:

This information is not held centrally.

King's College Hospital: Waiting Lists


To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many patients have waited over 18 weeks

for (a) elective operations and (b) non-surgical procedures at King's College Hospital's

Denmark Hill site in each of the last seven years.

Mr Philip Dunne:

Data is not available in the format requested.

NHS England publishes monthly performance data on Consultant-led Referral to

Treatment Waiting Times for both admitted and non-admitted procedures. This is

published at trust level rather than by individual hospital site and can be accessed at

the following link:

https://www.england.nhs.uk/statistics/statistical-work-areas/rtt-waiting-times/

Lancashire Care NHS Foundation Trust

Rosie Cooper: [120527]

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if his Department will investigate the case of a

West Lancashire constituent who required an inpatient bed at Lancashire Care NHS

Foundation Trust and was informed that the nearest available bed was in Somerset.

Jackie Doyle-Price:

Day to day operational decisions about the management of individual patients are a

matter for NHS England and/or the trusts with responsibility for patient care.

The Government is committed to ensuring that patients with mental health conditions

can receive treatment as close as possible to where they live. Inappropriate out of

https://www.england.nhs.uk/statistics/statistical-work-areas/ae-waiting-times-and-activity/ae-attendances-and-emergency-admissions-2017-18/

https://www.england.nhs.uk/statistics/statistical-work-areas/ae-waiting-times-and-activity/ae-attendances-and-emergency-admissions-2017-18/



https://www.england.nhs.uk/statistics/statistical-work-areas/rtt-waiting-times/


area placements are unacceptable and the Government has set a target to eliminate

these in non-specialist, acute mental health care by 2020/21.

More than £400 million has been made available for investment in mental health

crisis resolution home treatment teams over the next four years, enabling them to

provide 24/7 crisis response and intensive home treatment as a genuine alternative

to admission where appropriate. Shared learning and best-practice advice on

reducing out of area placements through improved system capacity management will

be included in acute care commissioning guidance.

Mental Health Services


To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many therapists are working in primary care

at (a) March 2017 and (b) the most recent date for which data is available.

Steve Brine:

The latest data available are at 31 March 2017. The figures are set out in the table

below.

Census

Therapists2 Physiotherapists3

England England

Headcount Full-Time Equivalent4 Headcount Full-Time Equivalent4

March 2017 1 49 17 35 16

Source: NHS Digital

Notes:

1 All data as at 31 March, which is the most recent date for which data is available.

2 Primary Care staff working in any of the following job roles, as defined by the

Workforce Minimum Data Set (WMDS) - 'Therapist- Counsellor', 'Therapist-

Occupational Therapist' or 'Therapist- Other'.

3 Primary Care staff working in a job role of 'Physiotherapist', as defined by the

WMDS.

4 Full Time Equivalent (FTE) refers to the proportion of full time contracted hours that

the post holder is contracted to work. 1 would indicate they work a full set of hours,

0.5 that they worked half time, where 1 FTE = 37.5 hours per week.

Figures contain estimates for practices that did not provide fully valid Direct Patient

Care (DPC) data. DPC staff group contains the job roles 'Physiotherapist', 'Therapist-

Counsellor', 'Therapist- Occupational Therapist' or 'Therapist- Other'.


These figures refer to therapists and physiotherapists employed directly by a primary

care provider (and would not include staff working in a primary care setting but

employed by other organisations - e.g. National Health Service trusts)


To ask the Secretary of State for Health, whether his Department plans to roll-out

nationally Mental Health Support Teams in 2022-23 in the event that the pilot phase is

successful.

Jackie Doyle-Price:

Decisions about future rollout of the Mental Health Support Teams will be informed by

the trailblazer programme and the outcomes of the evaluation which will help to

understand what works, and will be subject to future spending reviews.

Mental Health Services: Children and Young People

Luciana Berger: [120468]

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, with reference to oral evidence given by the

Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Health to the Health Committee's inquiry Child

and Adolescent Mental Health Services on 21 November 2017, what the evidential basis

is for ring-fences ultimately to become ceilings.

Jackie Doyle-Price:

At a local level, ring fencing has been seen to distort spending, and in line with the

Health and Social Care Act 2012 this approach has been replaced by clinical

commissioning groups (CCGs) having the autonomy to make decisions about the

health services that best meet the health needs of their local population.

However, the mental health investment standard and NHS England Mental Health

Dashboard have been introduced to ensure transparency and accountability and set

a requirement for CCGs and specialised commissioning hubs to increase their spend

on mental health services by a greater amount than the growth in their programme

allocation.


To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps his Department is taking to promote

the use of de-escalation techniques in Tier 4 CAMHS.

Jackie Doyle-Price:

The Coalition Government published ‘Positive and Proactive Care; reducing the need

for restrictive interventions’ and ‘A Positive and Proactive Workforce’ in April 2014.

Both guidance documents are clear that corporate training strategies to manage

violence and aggression should include clear learning outcomes about effective use

of de-escalation techniques, the risks associated with restrictive interventions and

safe implementation of restrictive physical interventions. Additionally a multi-agency

programme of work is underway to target reductions in restrictive interventions across

all mental health services including Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services Tier




4. This includes ensuring provision of accredited training for staff to use de-escalation

techniques as appropriate.

Mental Health: Children


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

made of the risk that cyber bullying poses to the mental health of children.

Jackie Doyle-Price:

Evidence exists on the impact of bullying, including cyberbullying, on the mental

health and wellbeing of children. The Government published the joint Department of

Health and Department for Education ‘Transforming children and young people’s

mental health provision: a green paper’ in December 2017, is available at the

following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/transforming-children-and-young-

peoples-mental-health-provision-a-green-paper

This sets out work by the Department of Health and the Department for Digital,

Culture, Media and Sport to convene a working group comprising social media and

technology companies, which will consider what further action can be taken to

improve the mental health of young online users and will consider tackling

cyberbullying and harmful content.

As part of the Government’s work to develop a Digital Charter, announced in the

Queen’s speech, the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport published the

‘Internet Safety Strategy’ in October 2017, which focuses on keeping all users safe

online:

https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/internet-safety-strategy-green-paper

The Strategy covers the responsibilities of companies to their users, the use of

technical solutions to prevent online harms and Government’s role in supporting

users. The Strategy also includes initiatives for tackling cyberbullying.

Public Health England published analysis of cyberbullying in school age children in

June 2017, ‘Cyberbullying: An analysis of data from the Health Behaviour in School-

aged Children (HBSC) survey for England, 2014’, is available at the following link:


/Health_behaviour_in_school_age_children_cyberbullying.pdf

This analysis showed the prevalence of cyberbullying reported by schoolchildren in

England and highlighted evidence that exists which shows that schoolchildren that

are bullied and those who are engaged in bullying behaviour experience poorer

health and wellbeing outcomes.


https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/transforming-children-and-young-peoples-mental-health-provision-a-green-paper

https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/transforming-children-and-young-peoples-mental-health-provision-a-green-paper

https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/internet-safety-strategy-green-paper

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/621070/Health_behaviour_in_school_age_children_cyberbullying.pdf

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/621070/Health_behaviour_in_school_age_children_cyberbullying.pdf

NHS: Departmental Expenditure Limits

Dr Philippa Whitford: [120357]

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what recent estimate he has made of the

Resources Department Expenditure Limit (RDEL) and (b) Capital Department

Expenditure Limit for the NHS, in (i) 2017-18, (ii) 2018-19, 2019/20 and (iii) 2020-21.

Mr Philip Dunne:

The Department’s Resource Departmental Expenditure Limit (RDEL) and Capital

Departmental Expenditure Limit (CDEL) for the years 2017-18 – 2020-21 are outlined

below:

YEAR RDEL (£ BILLION) CDEL (£ BILLION)

2017-18 120.6 5.6

2018-19 123.4 6.4

2019-20 125.7 6.7

2020-21 128.7 6.8

Of that total funding, National Health Service funding is confirmed each year in the

Financial Directions to the NHS Mandate. Funding for the years up to 2020-21 can be

found here:


The NHS Mandate and Financial Directions are refreshed on an annual basis and the

latest can be found here:


The next NHS Mandate refresh will reflect funding adjustments following the recent

Budget announcements.

NHS: Reorganisation

Luciana Berger: [120469]

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

effectiveness of local authority engagement in the Cheshire and Merseyside STP.

Steve Brine:

The Department has not made an assessment of the effectiveness of local authority

engagement in the Cheshire and Merseyside Sustainability and Transformation Plan.

Across each borough, local authorities are integral partners in developing place-

based integrated health and social care systems to provide joined up, better care and

improved outcomes for their populations.





Obesity: Children


To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what plans he has to review and amend the

Government's childhood obesity strategy over time to account for developments in the

causes and extent of such obesity.

Steve Brine:

All reports and data published on progress in delivering our world-leading childhood

obesity plan will be open to scrutiny. We will use this, alongside developing evidence,

to determine whether sufficient progress has been made and whether alternative

levers need to be considered.

Ophthalmic Services


To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if his Department will take steps to ensure

collection of routine data on the number of admissions for people with (a) age-related

macular degeneration, (b) glaucoma and (c) diabetic retinopathy.

Mr Philip Dunne:

Activity data is collected for all hospital admissions, including age-related macular

degeneration, glaucoma and diabetic retinopathy by NHS Digital.

Organs: Donors


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

the potential benefit of measures to support organ donation other than an opt-out system.

Jackie Doyle-Price:

The last major review of organ donation in 2008 concluded that the case for a change

to the law on consent was finely balanced and that other aspects of the systems

supporting donation should be developed before any change to the law. Those

actions, included in the United Kingdom-wide strategy Taking Organ Transplantation

to 2020, have resulted in year on year growth in the number of transplants, seen the

number of people on the NHS Organ Donation Register increase by almost five

million people over the last five years and, in 2016/17, the highest ever deceased

donor rates in England. The Government wants to see rates of transplantation in

England amongst the best in the world and is keen to explore all options to increase

the availability of suitable organs for transplantation. As part of the consultation on an

opt-out system of consent, the Government has invited further evidence to be

submitted which could impact on the desired outcome to increase the number of

organs for transplant in England. This evidence will be carefully considered before

the Government responds.




Pick's Disease: Medical Treatments



adequacy of treatment provided to people diagnosed with Pick's disease.

Jackie Doyle-Price:

While there is no specific treatment available for Pick’s disease, or frontotemporal

dementia as it is sometimes referred to, it is important that people diagnosed with this

disease and other forms of dementia receive appropriate treatment and support that

can help with the symptoms.

Dementia is a priority for this Government. Whilst the Government’s Dementia 2020

Challenge does not distinguish between different types of dementia, we want every

person diagnosed with dementia to receive meaningful care following their diagnosis.

The Challenge Implementation Plan, published in March 2016, set out the actions

partners across health and care will take to ensure commitments in the 2020

Challenge are delivered. This includes ensuring every person diagnosed with

dementia has meaningful care following their diagnosis, which supports them and

those around them, irrespective of the type of dementia diagnosis they have.

The Government has doubled research spending on dementia, with a commitment to

maintain this level of spending at £60 million a year to 2020, with an ambition for

overall spending on research from all sectors to double by 2025. Much of this

investment is in research to better understand the nature of dementia, to inform

development of future treatments and ways to prevent the onset of the condition.

Postnatal Depression


To ask the Secretary of State for Health, Health what discussions he has had with NCT

on the identification of postnatal problems in that organisations Hidden Half campaign.

Jackie Doyle-Price:

Ministers have not met with representatives from the National Childbirth Trust, but are

aware of their Hidden Half campaign.

This Government is committed to improving perinatal mental health services for

women during pregnancy and in the first postnatal year, so that women are able to

access the right care at the right time and close to home.

A key element of NHS England’s £365 million perinatal mental health transformation

programme is to increase awareness and skills across the workforce.

The six week postnatal check is recommended by the National Institute for Health

and Care Excellence’s guidance on postnatal care and identified as a crucial element

of postnatal care by NHS England’s National Maternity Review. This check should

make an assessment of how a woman has made the transition to motherhood,

including her mental health.



Public Health England

Rosie Cooper: [120935]

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the timetable is for the implementation of

the recommendations of the McNeil Review into cancer patient data at Public Health

England (PHE), and what effect that implementation will have of PHE's adherence to

NHS rules on consent.

Steve Brine:

The McNeil Review into Public Health England’s (PHE) data collection and data

management functions considered whether, how and when these should be

transferred to NHS Digital. It identified four tranches of data, based on the complexity

of the processes involved in the collection and quality assurance of the data and

recommended that cancer registration be considered within tranche three and only

after the earlier tranches had been completed; this is expected to take at least three

years. PHE and NHS Digital are currently scoping the work programme to implement

the review’s recommendations. PHE will continue to process cancer data in line with

current legal gateways and the National Health Service rules on consent, taking into

account any changes that may arise with emerging legislative and policy frameworks.

Raine Syndrome: Medical Treatments



adequacy of treatment provision for people diagnosed with Raine syndrome.

Steve Brine:

Raine syndrome is a rare congenital condition that largely affects the craniofacial

area. Individuals with this condition will access a range of locally and nationally

commissioned services according to their specific clinical needs. For example, NHS

England commissions specialised assessment, surgery and follow up services for

craniofacial conditions in children, including those caused by congenital conditions.

The service specification can be found at the following link:

https://www.england.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/e02-craniofacial.pdf

NHS England monitors the quality of all specialised services it commissions via its

Quality Surveillance Team (QST). The QST produce annual profiles of services

based on self-assessment against core requirements of the service specification,

clinical outcomes and external monitoring such as Care Quality Commission

assessments, undertaking peer review processes as required. Specialised paediatric

craniofacial services are regularly monitored via this process.



https://www.england.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/e02-craniofacial.pdf

Social Services

Barbara Keeley: [120237]

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the Answer of 24 March 2016 to

Questions 32038, 32039 and 32040 on the Care Act 2014, what the timetable is for

implementation of Section 18(3) of the Care Act 2014 after 2020.

Jackie Doyle-Price:

The Government has announced that it is committed to publishing a Care and

Support Green Paper by summer 2018.

In developing the Green Paper, it is right that we take the time needed to debate the

many complex issues and listen to the perspectives of experts and care users,

building consensus around reforms which can succeed. This is why we have started

a process of initial engagement over the coming months through which the

Government will work with experts, stakeholders and users to shape the long-term

reforms that will be proposed in the Green Paper.

Spinal Injuries: West Midlands


To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many people have had spinal operations in

the West Midlands in each of the last seven years.

Mr Philip Dunne:

Information is not held in the format requested. The available data from Hospital

Episode Statistics (HES) dataset for the years 2010-11 through to 2016-17 is shown

in the table below and provides a count of finished admission episodes1 (FAEs) with a

main or secondary spinal procedure2, for the West Midlands Government Office

Region. Figures do not represent the number of individual patients, as a person may

have more than one episode of care in the same year.

YEAR FAES

2010-11 12,475

2011-12 11,893

2012-13 11,637

2013-14 11,641

2014-15 12,147

2015-16 12,422

2016-17 12,503

Source: HES, NHS Digital



Notes:

1 A FAE is the first period of admitted patient care under one consultant within one

healthcare provider. FAEs are counted against the year or month in which the

admission episode finishes. Admissions do not represent the number of patients, as a

person may have more than one admission within the period.

2 The first recorded procedure or intervention in each episode, usually the most

resource intensive procedure or intervention performed during the episode. It is

appropriate to use main procedure when looking at admission details, (e.g. time

waited), but a more complete count of episodes with a particular procedure is

obtained by looking at the main and the secondary procedures. The first recorded

procedure or intervention in each episode, usually the most resource intensive

procedure or intervention performed during the episode. It is appropriate to use main

procedure when looking at admission details, (e.g. time waited), but a more complete

count of episodes with a particular procedure is obtained by looking at the main and

the secondary procedures.

Transplant Surgery: Northern Ireland

Paul Girvan: [120998]

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

the merits for England of the organ retrieval system in Northern Ireland.

Jackie Doyle-Price:

The National Organ Retrieval Service (NORS) was established by NHS Blood and

Transplant in April 2010 and operates across all parts of the United Kingdom,

including Northern Ireland.

Since 2010 NORS has been successful in playing a vital role in contributing to the

increase in deceased donors and organ transplants. As a key component of the

organ donation and transplantation infrastructure, it provides a national 24 hour

service for retrieving organs from deceased donors.

NORS ensures the best possible transplant outcomes are achieved for all organs

offered. Thanks to donors and their families’ selfless generosity, thousands of lives

are saved every year.

University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire NHS Trust: Acute Beds


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

acute services at University Hospital Coventry.

Mr Philip Dunne:

In addition to its funding from local and specialised commissioners, University

Hospital Coventry and Warwickshire NHS Trust has received £2,195,994 to support

the delivery of urgent and emergency care over the winter period; of this £374,000

has been earmarked to support medical staffing in the Trust.



The Trust has also has been receiving support from NHS Improvement’s Emergency

Care Intensive Support Programme for the last 18 months, to help the Trust to

improve its urgent and emergency care performance. The Trust has also engaged

with a series of NHS Improvement Collaborative events on recruitment and retention.

University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire NHS Trust: Vacancies


To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many vacancies there are for (a) doctors,

(b) nurses and (c) ancillary healthcare staff at the University Hospitals Coventry and

Warwickshire NHS Trust.

Mr Philip Dunne:

The information is not available in the format requested.

Health Education England’s (HEE’s) latest estimates of staff shortages and the plan

for tackling these issues is set out in its Facing the Facts, Shaping the Future, A draft

health and care workforce strategy for England to 2027 published in December 2017.

NHS Digital publishes the number of vacancies that are advertised on NHS Jobs, the

dedicated online recruitment service for the National Health Service. However, as the

basis of the figures is the number of vacancies advertised for the first time in each

given month, it is not possible to determine from these figures the number of

vacancies live at any given point in time. The figures only cover those vacancies

advertised via NHS Jobs, and it is not always possible to determine how many posts

are associated with any given advertisement. The published figures are at the HEE

region and do not go to the level of individual trusts.

The latest figures are available at the following link:

www.digital.nhs.uk/media/31747/NHS-Vacancy-Statistics-England-February-2015-

March-2017-Provisional-Experimental-Statistics-Tables/default/nhs-vac-stats-feb15-

mar17-eng-tables

HOME OFFICE

Asylum

Heidi Allen: [121008]

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many parents have been

(a) granted and (b) refused a visa to join their child with either refugee leave or

humanitarian protection in the UK in (i) 2015, (ii) 2016 and (iii) 2017.

Amber Rudd:

The specific information you have requested is not currently published.

Published statistics on visa applications in the Family category can be found online at

the following address:


http://www.digital.nhs.uk/media/31747/NHS-Vacancy-Statistics-England-February-2015-March-2017-Provisional-Experimental-Statistics-Tables/default/nhs-vac-stats-feb15-mar17-eng-tables





/entry-visas1-jul-sep-2017-tables.ods

Heidi Allen: [121009]

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many people seeking family

reunion with extended family members in the UK have (a) applied for and (b) been

granted asylum in exceptional circumstances in each of the last three years.

Amber Rudd:

The Home Office does not record information in such a way to be able to report on

the number of people seeking family reunion with extended family members in the UK

and an individual cannot apply to be considered for family reunion under the

exceptional circumstance arrangements. Instead, they would apply for Family

Reunion under the Immigration Rules but, if they are refused under the Rules, the

Home Office would then go on to consider whether there are exceptional

circumstances.

As such, the figures for applications and visas issued under the Rules and under the

exceptional circumstances arrangements are as follows:

TOTAL NUMBER OF

FAMILY REUNION

APPLICATIONS –

AGE AT THE DATE

OF APPLICATION -

UNDER 18

TOTAL NUMBER OF

FAMILY REUNION

APPLICATIONS –

AGE AT DATE OF

APPLICATION -

OVER 18

TOTAL NUMBER OF

FAMILY REUNION

VISAS ISSUED

(‘FAMILY OTHER’

CATEGORY)

TOTAL NUMBER OF

FAMILY REUNION

VISAS ISSUED

UNDER

EXCEPTIONAL

CIRCUMSTANCES

ARRANGEMENTS

2015 4,980 3,220 4,887 21

2016 4,811 3,701 6,098 49

2017 (up to 30

September 2017)

2,625 2,821 3,801 49

All those issued a family reunion visa are granted leave to enter or remain in the

United Kingdom, not asylum. The family reunion application process does not require

an assessment of the applicant’s international protection needs. It is the family

member in the UK that is required to have been granted refugee status or

Humanitarian Protection.

British Nationality: Applications

Ian Lavery: [120211]

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what his Department's current

target is for the length of time for it to complete an application for citizenship; and what

the current average waiting time is for an application for citizenship.

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/662518/entry-visas1-jul-sep-2017-tables.ods

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/662518/entry-visas1-jul-sep-2017-tables.ods



Brandon Lewis:

The target is to decide straightforward cases within six months. Performance against

that target is recorded in published data here:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/in-country-migration-data-november-

2017 on the tab InC_02.

The latest data published shows that 100% of straightforward cases were decided

within target. There is no published data on actual processing times.

Direct Selling

Robert Courts: [903120]

What steps she is taking to tackle doorstep crime.

Mr Ben Wallace:

The Government set up the Joint Fraud Taskforce through which police, banks and

trading standards work together to help protect vulnerable people from the fraudulent

approaches made by doorstep criminals. The Banking Protocol, which helps bank

staff recognise signs of fraud, such as unusually high cash withdrawals, has stopped

over £9 million pounds from getting into criminal hands and led to over 100 arrests.

EU Nationals: Skilled Workers


To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 19

December 2017 to Question 118914, whether the September 2018 report of the

independent Migration Advisory Committee will be made available to Parliament upon

completion.

Amber Rudd:

The Migration Advisory Committee’s (MAC) 2018 report will be published. The MAC

publishes its reports at:

https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/migration-advisory-committee

Home Office: Written Questions

Mr Andrew Mitchell: [120818]

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when she plans to answer

Question 116509, tabled on 29 November 2017.

Brandon Lewis:

Question UIN 116509 was answered on 21st December 2017.

Immigration

John Spellar: [903121]

How many applications for leave to remain are under consideration by her Department.



https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/migration-advisory-committee



Amber Rudd:

At the end of September 2017, at the time of our last published data, 86,219

applications for limited leave to remain were under consideration by the Department.

Immigration: EU Nationals


What guidance and support her Department is providing to EU citizens on registering for

settled status before the UK leaves the EU.

Amber Rudd:

There will be a streamlined and digital process for EU citizens applying for settled

status, that minimises the administrative burden and helps to ensure swift and

successful applications. My Department is engaging frequently with representatives

of EU citizens in the UK, so we can design a system that best addresses their needs.

This includes guidance for the new scheme, which is being developed and will be

published in due course.

Organised Crime: Drugs

Joan Ryan: [903125]

What steps she is taking to tackle county lines exploitation.

Victoria Atkins:

We are taking a wide range of actions to tackle county lines and are working together

closely across Government, with the police, the National Crime Agency, local

authorities and voluntary sector partners. Most recently, in December we

implemented the new Drug Dealing Telecommunications Restriction Orders to enable

the police and NCA to close down phone numbers being used for county lines drugs

dealing.

Police: Unmanned Air Vehicles

Bridget Phillipson: [120637]

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department plans to

measure the effectiveness of police forces' use of drones in response to (a) motorbike,

(b) off-road bike and (c) moped related crimes.

Mr Nick Hurd:

Decisions to use drones and in which circumstances are operational matters for the

police.

In a study published on 30 November HMICFRS recommended that the National

Police Chief’s Council (NPCC) publish an Air support strategy to consider how

drones, rotary and fixed wing aircraft are most effectively used by police forces. The

NPCC has accepted this recommendation.




Refugees

Michael Tomlinson: [903119]

What steps she is taking to support refugees living in different regions of the UK.

Victoria Atkins:

We are committed to supporting refugees to integrate and rebuild their lives in the

UK. This is why they are given the same access to the labour market and benefits as

UK residents, as well as access to English language training. The most vulnerable

refugees who arrive under one of our resettlement programmes also receive a

comprehensive package of support.

Refugees: British Nationality

Gareth Thomas: [120523]

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

of the effect of nationalisation fees on the UK's obligations under Article 32 of the 1954

convention to facilitate the applications for British citizenship for stateless persons.

Amber Rudd:

An impact assessment was completed in early 2016 which considered the changes

being made as part of the Immigration and Nationality Fees Order (2016), the details

of which can be found via the following link:

http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukia/2016/33/pdfs/ukia_20160033_en.pdf

We believe the current policy which requires payment of a fee for all applications for

British Citizenship, meets our international obligations.

Article 32 does not prohibit charging fees to stateless individuals. The current cost of

limited and indefinite leave to remain for those who enter the UK on a five-year route

to settlement is approximately £4,750. We feel that waiving these fees for stateless

individuals up to the point of settlement, but requiring a fee upon becoming a British

citizen is fair.

Taking this approach does not mean that the entitlement to apply for citizenship is

lost, but rather deferred, until the fee is affordable. Our current approach allows us to

fulfil our convention obligations whilst reducing the burden on the UK taxpayer;

therefore striking the right balance for all.

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Africa: Adam Smith Institute and Legatum Institute


To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, in which countries in Africa

has her Department commissioned work from (a) the Adam Smith Institute and (b) the

Legatum Institute in the last three years; and what the nature of that work is.



http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukia/2016/33/pdfs/ukia_20160033_en.pdf


Rory Stewart:

DFID has not directly commissioned any work from the Adam Smith Institute or the

Legatum Institute in the last three years.

Department for International Development: Aviation


To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what her Department’s

policy is on the purchase of premium economy and business class flights by

departmental senior executives; and if she will set out how much of the £24,065.94 total

expenses incurred by senior executives set out in the publication DFID senior executives

business expenses were due to expenditure on premium economy or business class

flights.

Rory Stewart:

DFID policy is for employees always to use the most efficient and economic means of

travel for duty visits. All journeys of up to 5 hours must be in economy/standard class.

Journeys of over 5 hours must also be in economy/standard class unless there is

legitimate business approval provided in advance for a higher standard of travel.

Details of Senior Executives’ expenses, which include a breakdown of expenditure on

premium economy and business class flights, can be found at the following address


/travel-april-june-2017.csv/preview

Department for International Development: EU Law


To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, which EU (a) Directives, (b)

Regulations and (c) other legislation affecting her Department she is planning to propose

the (i) revocation and (ii) amendment of after the UK leaves the EU.

Rory Stewart:


day.







Department for International Development: Regulation


To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what the title was of each

set of regulations introduced by her Department in each month since May 2010; which of


https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/669802/travel-april-june-2017.csv/preview

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/669802/travel-april-june-2017.csv/preview



those regulations have been (a) subject to the (i) one in one out and (ii) one in two out

procedure and (b) (i) revoked and (ii) amended; and what the net cost to (A) the public

purse; and (B) business of those regulations is.

Rory Stewart:

No regulations have been introduced by the Department for International

Development since 2010.


To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what processes her

Department has put in place to (a) monitor, (b) collate cost information on, (c) review and

(d) respond to requests to amend or revoke regulations introduced by her Department.

Rory Stewart:

None. No regulations have been introduced by the Department for International

Development.

Developing Countries: Waste Management


To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what support her

Department provides to developing countries to assist them in (a) producing waste

management strategies, (b) tackling pollution and (c) reducing health risks associated

with (i) toxic waste and (ii) other pollutants.

Rory Stewart:

UK support to these issues is primarily through the Global Environment Facility, to

which the UK is contributing £210 million for the period 2014-2018. The GEF has

allocated $554 million of support to developing countries for waste management, to

tackle pollution and to reduce toxic waste in this period.

DFID is also providing some other limited assistance, including £7.6 million to the

World Bank Pollution Management and Environmental Health programme, which

assesses the health risks of pollution in developing countries and provides assistance

to manage that pollution, and £8 million to the Global Alliance on Clean Cooking to

reduce indoor air pollution.

DFID is currently working with other parts of government to consider how to extend

the impact of our work in this area.

Israel and Occupied Territories: Overseas Aid

Richard Burden: [120962]

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what criteria her Department

employ to select projects and organisations to receive funding for people-to-people work

in Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories.




Alistair Burt:

I refer the Hon. Member to the answer I provided on 25 October 2017 to Question

number 108895.

Palestinians: Overseas Aid

Ian Austin: [120609]

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, pursuant to the Answer of

13 December 2017 to Question 118369 on Palestinians: overseas aid, what the robust

verification system that validates that funds are used for the intended purposes is; and

whether that system includes the payment of those funds into an account used only to

pay the salaries of health and education public servants on the pre-approved EU list.

Alistair Burt:

The Palestinian Authority payroll is checked by independent auditors, and UK

payments made to all eligible beneficiaries are traced through the verification

process. The EU Palestinian-European Socio-Economic Management Assistance

Mechanism (PEGASE) uses a dedicated sub-account within the PA’s Single Treasury

Account for the purpose of contributing to public servant salaries. The UK has a

further sub-account to only pay the salaries of West Bank health and education public

servants; an independent auditor is able to confirm that funds from this sub-account

reach the intended beneficiaries.

Ian Austin: [120610]

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, pursuant to the Answer of

13 December 2017 to Question 118369 what assessment she has made of the whether

the UK will continue to use EU funding mechanisms for its development assistance to the

Palestinian Authority after the UK leaves the EU.

Alistair Burt:

The UK has assessed that, having decided to focus our support solely on Palestinian

Authority health and education public servants in the West Bank, the EU Palestinian-

European Socio-Economic Management and Assistance Mechanism (PEGASE)

offers the best value for money and the most effective way of directly providing

support to Palestinians in need, whilst providing strong safeguards for UK funds.

DFID constantly reviews expenditure to ensure value for money; this is no exception.

The UK’s ability to use the EU PEGASE mechanism will not be affected when we

leave the European Union (EU). Non-EU countries are able to channel funding

through this mechanism.

Palestinians: Schools

Andrew Percy: [120545]

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, whether any UK government

aid is used to provides salaries for staff at any of the 31 Palestinian Authority schools

which named after terrorists who have killed Israelis or at any of the three schools named

after Nazi collaborators.




Alistair Burt:

UK funding contributes to the salaries of individual vetted health and education

Palestinian Authority (PA) public servants on the EU Palestinian-European Socio-

Economic Management Assistance Mechanism (PEGASE) list, including PA teachers

in the West Bank regardless of which school they are employed in. UK funding

enables around 25,000 young Palestinians to receive an education annually.

Syria: Internally Displaced People


To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what assistance her

Department provides to internally displaced women in Syria.

Alistair Burt:

Women and children are particularly vulnerable in conflicts. For those internally

displaced in Syria to return home safely there must be an end to the conflict and a

credible political settlement. This is the only viable path towards the peace and

security that the Syrian people deserve. In the meantime, the UK is providing food,

healthcare, water and other life-saving relief to internally displaced people across the

country. Since 2012, we have delivered 20.9 million food rations that feed a person

for a month, 3.3 million vaccines against deadly diseases, and 8.1 million medical

consultations for those in need in Syria.

INTERNATIONAL TRADE

Department for International Trade: Statutory Instruments


To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, pursuant to the Answer of 19

December 2017 to Question 119374, if the Government will introduce a motion to be

considered in Government time to set up a parliamentary select committee to scrutinise

statutory instruments introduced by his Department.

Greg Hands:

The Government has no such plans. The organisation of parliamentary Committees

is a matter for Parliament.

JUSTICE

Adoption


To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, with reference to the Written Ministerial

Statement of 28 February 2017, HCWS506 on Update on the Children and Social Work

Bill what the timetable is for the eligibility rules to come into force.




Dominic Raab:

The Government is still considering the issue of legal aid eligibility for parents seeking

to challenge these types of placement order.


To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, with reference to the the Written Statement of

28 February 2017, HCWS506, on Update on the Children and Social Work Bill, whether it

is his policy that those same parents will be eligible for non-means and non-merits tested

legal aid for opposing an adoption order and for legal representation at the adoption

hearing.

Dominic Raab:

The Government is still considering the issue of legal aid eligibility for parents seeking

to challenge these types of placement order.

Community Orders

Richard Burgon: [120684]

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, pursuant to the Answer of 19 December 2017 to

Question 118989 on community orders, whether his Department has conducted research

on the reasons for the decline in the number of community sentences cited in the answer.

Mr Sam Gyimah:

The Ministry of Justice collates and monitors statistics produced by relevant

agencies, so that it is able to provide commentary in published statistical bulletins.

Published statistics have identified several key factors in reduced numbers of

community sentences, as stated in previous Answers.

Community Orders: Females

Kate Green: [120661]

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many women received a community

sentence by (a) nationality of offender and (b) offence category for each nationality in

each of the last five whole reporting years.

Dr Phillip Lee:

This information is not held centrally and can only be obtained at disproportionate

cost

Community Rehabilitation Companies


To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, pursuant to the Answer of 14 December to

Question 118432, how many times a Contract Management Team has notified a

Community Rehabilitation Company that its staffing level is insufficient.

Mr Sam Gyimah:

This Question has been interpreted as asking whether Contract Management Teams

(CMTs) have formally notified Community Rehabilitation Companies (CRCs) that





staffing levels are too low and that action should be taken to increase staffing. I can

confirm that over the last 12 months, CMTs have not formally notified any CRCs to

take action to increase staffing levels.

The contracts with CRCs require each CRC to ensure that it employs a sufficient

level of staff, and that its workforce is competent and adequately trained. Our CMTs

closely monitor and robustly manage providers on a local basis, taking into account

the regional context, to make sure they fulfil their contractual commitments to reduce

reoffending, protect the public and provide value for money to the taxpayer.


To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what the average caseload per caseworker has

been for each Community Rehabilitation Company in the last twelve months.

Mr Sam Gyimah:

Figures on the average caseload of probation officers are not collected centrally. A

probation worker’s workload is not based solely on the number of cases they are

managing, but the level of supervision required.

The Ministry of Justice publishes statistics showing the total caseload of the National

Probation Service (NPS) and the 21 Community Rehabilitation Companies. Figures

for total probation caseload are published quarterly in the Offender Management

Statistics Bulletin, England and Wales:

https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/offender-management-statistics-quarterly.

Courts


To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many people have appeared in court (a)

via video link and (b) in person by (i) age, (ii) ethnicity and (iii) gender in the last 12

months.

Dominic Raab:

The information requested is not held centrally and could only be provided at

disproportionate cost. To identify both volumes of court appearances by video and in

person, with details of age, ethnicity and gender individual court records would need

to be checked manually.

Courts: ICT


To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, pursuant to the joint statement by The Lord

Chancellor, the Lord Chief Justice, and the Senior President of Tribunals, Transforming

our justice system made in September 2016, how much funding the Government plans to

allocate to the digital court reform programme; and if he will Minister publish the business

case for that programme.


https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/offender-management-statistics-quarterly



Dominic Raab:

The Government is committed to maintaining a world-leading legal system and is

investing over £1bn to transform our courts and tribunals and deliver a modern,

world-renowned justice system that is swifter and more accessible.

Business cases are used for internal governance purposes within HMCTS and the

wider Ministry and are shared with the HM Treasury to assist with funding

discussions. The business case relating to court reform will not be released for

external publication.

Courts: Video Conferencing


To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how much his Department has spent from the

public purse on the commissioning research on the effectiveness of court hearings by

video link in each year since 2010.

Dominic Raab:

As part of HMCTS’ wider reform programme the various forms in which video links

are used in hearings are kept under regular internal review to ensure they are

working efficiently.

There has been no external evaluation commissioned which encompasses all of the

various forms of video links used in hearings. Specific projects, such as the ‘Process

evaluation of pre-recorded cross-examination pilot (Section 28)’ have been

undertaken by Ministry of Justice Analytical Services. This evaluation project cost a

total of £54,520 spent between 2015 and 2016, and was published in September

2016.


To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what proportion of people who have appeared

in court for their (a) first appearance, (b) remand hearing, (c) bail hearing, (d) case

management and (e) sentencing have done so by video link in the last 12 months.

Dominic Raab:

Information is not collected centrally on the proportion of court appearances by video

link irrespective of the reason for the court appearance.

Information collected centrally in respect of hearings is published quarterly on:

https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/criminal-court-statistics-quarterly-january-to-

march-2017

Crimes of Violence: Acids


To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what the timetable is for revised guidelines on

sentencing people convicted of offences involving corrosive substances to be published.




Dominic Raab:

The sentencing guidelines are issued by the independent Sentencing Council.

The Council is currently developing new guidelines on offences relating to possession

of offensive weapons and threats to use them, which include possession and threats

involving corrosive substances .

HM Inspectorate of Prisons


To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if his Department will conduct an assessment of

the range of reports issued by Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Prisons in England and

Wales compared with the reports issued by its counterpart bodies in Scotland and

Northern Ireland.

Mr Sam Gyimah:

The role of the widely respected inspectorates in England and Wales, Scotland and

Northern Ireland is critical in ensuring that there is an objective and challenging

assessment of individual prisons and criminal justice systems.

There are a range of reports that are issued by these independent scrutiny bodies,

including inspection reports, annual reports, thematic reports, monitoring reports and

action plan reviews. Some of these reports are joint publications, for example

Criminal Justice Inspection Northern Ireland and Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of

Prisons recently conducted an inspection of HMP Magilligan which was published on

12 th December 2017.

We are always looking at ways to maximise the impact of independent scrutiny on

our prisons to improve the outcomes for prisoners. The Inspectorates are

independent and it is for them to consider how best to share their learning and best

practice.

Legal Aid Scheme



Question 118802, whether his Department made an assessment of the effect of changes

to the availability of the early legal help component of legal aid on the expenditure of

other Government departments.

Dominic Raab:

As part of the pre-legislative consultation process which preceded the passage of the

Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012 (LASPO), the

Government produced an impact and equality assessment. On 30 October, the

Government announced the commencement of its Post-Implementation Review of

the legal aid changes made by LASPO.



Long Lartin Prison


To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if his Department will publish the HMPPS

investigation into the concerted indiscipline at HMP Long Lartin on 11 October 2017.


To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if his Department will publish all HMPPS

investigations conducted into incidents of concerted indiscipline since 2010.

Mr Sam Gyimah:

We do not publish the Investigation reports into incidents of concerted indiscipline.

The information could allow prisoners to adapt their behaviour in a way that could

undermine or circumvent any recommendations within the reports. This would impact

negatively on the Prison and Probation Services’ (HMPPS) ability to implement

changes to security processes and procedures which will in turn increase the threat

to good order and discipline and staff safety.

Magistrates' Courts


To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what proportion of the total work undertaken in

magistrates' courts was presided over by (a) lay magistrates and (b) district judges in

each year since 2010.

Dominic Raab:

For each year since 2010 the data are set out in the following table[1]:

YEAR JUDICIARY

PROPORTION OF ALL HEARINGS

(%)

2010 Magistrates 90.9%

District Judges (MC) 9.1%












YEAR JUDICIARY

PROPORTION OF ALL HEARINGS

(%)





Magistrates and District Judges (Magistrates’ Courts) bring different but equally

valuable skills to our justice system and the magistrates’ courts. We continue to work

with magistrates to ensure they have as full a role as possible.

[1] ‘Provides the percentage of cases that have a hearing listed in the specific

periods, and where a case is listed for hearing more than once in each period, it will

be counted each time it is listed. It is possible for a single defendant to have more

than one cases listed at the same time. The data is a report on all criminal cases

(including terrorism, extradition and Single Justice Notice proceedings), along with

civil and enforcement cases, but will exclude family cases heard by the magistrates’

courts judiciary in the Single Family Court. It is possible to have magistrates sitting

with District Judges at the same session; where this occurs, the case will be counted

under both categories.

Mediation

Grant Shapps: [120529]

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if he will establish a legal process by which a

preliminary judgment is reached on the evidence presented at pre-trial mediation and

reflected in the mediation settlement.

Dominic Raab:

Any agreement reached through mediation is privileged, and any information

exchanged between the mediating parties remains a private matter, unless a court

orders otherwise. The Government is committed to encouraging parties to reach a

resolution out of court as far as possible and it may undermine the mediation process

to introduce changes to its confidential nature. Where parties apply to court with a

consent order which follows on from a mediation agreement, the court already has

the necessary scrutiny powers at its disposal.


John Spellar: [120787]

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, when he plans to respond to the letter from the

Right hon. Member for Warley on Mr Maxwell.



Mr Sam Gyimah:

The response you have requested was sent out on 13 November 2017.

National Tactical Response Group



Question 119056, if he will publish quarterly figures for the number of call outs for the

National Tactical Response Group.

Mr Sam Gyimah:

The National Tactical Response Group (NTRG) provides additional support staff or

resources to prisons to help them deal with a variety of incidents. We currently do not

publish quarterly figures for call outs of the national tactical response group. There

are no plans to publish new security data.

Parking Offences

Stephen Doughty: [120526]

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

number of private parking prosecution cases outstanding (a) at Northampton County

Court Business Centre and (b) UK-wide.

Dominic Raab:

The information requested is not held centrally.

Prison Officers



Question 119247, what categories of information the Government collects on detached

duty.

Mr Sam Gyimah:

The deployment of staff between prisons on detached duty is a regular and normal

part of prison management and resourcing. These are operational decisions made on

the basis of a wide range of management information and based on assessments of

the current operational need and the availability of eligible staff.



Question 119247, if he will publish all data held by the Government on detached duty.

Mr Sam Gyimah:

There is no intention to publish this information.

The deployment of staff between prisons on detached duty is a regular and normal

part of operational prison management, made on the basis of the current operational

need.





Prison Sentences

Paul Girvan: [121002]

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many people were serving prison

sentences in each of the last five years; and what the average cost to the public purse

per prisoner was in each of the last five years.

Mr Sam Gyimah:

Her Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service routinely publishes average costs per

prisoner, costs per prison place and overall prison unit costs for each private and

public sector prison in England and Wales. Additionally, the prison population

numbers are included within the published data. This information is produced on an

annual basis and is published after the end of each financial year.

Information on prison population and expenditure for previous financial years can be

accessed in the Prison and Probation Performance Statistics pages for each financial

year on the www.gov.uk website. Prison unit costs can be found within the Excel

document Costs per prison place and cost per prisoner by individual prison

establishment in the ‘Cost by Establishment’ tab.

The most recent published figures for financial year 2016-17 can be accessed on the

www.gov.uk website from the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/prison-performance-statistics-2016-to-2017

Within the costs per prison place and cost per prisoner 2016 to 2017 summary file,

the figures for financial year 2015-16 have been restated to enable a more accurate

comparison between the two years.

Prisoners: Females


To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many women died in prison in 2017.


To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many women who were being held on

remand died in prison in 2017.

Dr Phillip Lee:

Data on deaths in prison custody is published quarterly in the Safety in Custody

statistics. They can be viewed at:


/safety-in-custody-summary-q2-2017.xlsx.

There was one death in custody whilst on remand between January and September

2017.


http://www.gov.uk/




Prisons: Crimes of Violence


To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how much was paid from the public purse in

compensation to prison staff as a result of injuries suffered in a violent attack on the

prison estate in 2017.

Mr Sam Gyimah:

This information is not available until after the end of the financial year and

subsequent audit process.

Prisons: Expenditure


To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, Pursuant to the Answer of 19 December to

Question 119536, what the total expenditure was in 2017 prices on (a) public and private

prisons across the whole estate, (b) public prisons and (c) private prisons in each year

since 2010.

Mr Sam Gyimah:

The information requested is not held centrally and could be obtained only at

disproportionate cost.

However, Her Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service, routinely publishes average

costs per prisoner, costs per prison place and overall prison unit costs for each

private and public sector prison in England and Wales. This information is produced

on an annual basis and is published after the end of each financial year.

Information on actual prison expenditure for previous financial years can be accessed

in the Prison and Probation Performance Statistics pages for each financial year on

the www.gov.uk website. Prison unit costs can be found within the Excel document

Costs per prison place and cost per prisoner by individual prison establishment in the

‘Cost by Establishment’ tab.

The most recent published figures for financial year 2016-17 can be accessed on the

www.gov.uk website from the following link:


Within the costs per prison place and cost per prisoner 2016 to 2017 summary file,

the figures for financial year 2015-16 have been restated to enable a more accurate

comparison between the two years.

Prisons: Smoking


To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what progress has been made on the

implementation of a smoking ban on the prison estate in England and Wales.



http://www.gov.uk/



Mr Sam Gyimah:

There are now 68 prisons smoke free. More prisons across England are currently

preparing for the safe implementation of a smoke free environment during the next

six months. All prisons in Wales are already smoke free.

In every prison, the decision on when to go smoke free is only taken after careful

planning and preparation to ensure it is operational safe to do so and all necessary

healthcare support is available to help prisoners give up smoking.


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

the implementation of the smoking ban in prisons on order and discipline in those prisons.

Mr Sam Gyimah:

The Government remains fully committed to making all prisons smoke free. The

decision to go smoke free in every prison is only taken after careful planning and

preparation (Readiness Assessments); and the final decision is only taken when each

prison has met stringent checks to ensure that it is safe to do so and all necessary

healthcare support is available to help prisoners give up smoking.

Maintaining order and control in our prisons is our priority and this large-scale project

has been actively managed under usual project management disciplines.

Prisons: Staff


To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what the average time was for completing

security checks on new members of staff in each prison in the last year.

Mr Sam Gyimah:

The average time for completing security checks within each prison has been collated

and is included within Annex A which accompanies this PQ.

The average times contained in Annex A are based on data from 21 December 2016

(when MoJ’s new recruitment system was introduced) to 10 December 2017.

Attachments:

1. Annex A [Copy of OFFICIAL SESNITIVE - PQ 119048- Data for response for Richard

Burgon.xls]


To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, on how many occasions wings of privately-

owned prisons have been closed due to insufficient staff levels in the 12 months.

Mr Sam Gyimah:

Over the last 12 months, from January 2017 – December 2017, there has been no

wing closures in privately managed prisons due to insufficient staffing levels.




Probate

Ian C. Lucas: [120587]

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many applications for grant of probate

have been made in each of the last five years for which records are available.


To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many grants of probate have been issued

in each of the last five years for which records are available.

Dominic Raab:

The information below provides details of the number of grants of probate issued by

the Probate service in each of the last five years.

TOTAL NUMBER APPLICATIONS

RECEIVED TOTAL ISSUED

2012 254599 244977

2013 272111 255502

2014 254602 247040

2015 285135 245870

2016 261251 262233

2017 ( to end Nov) 278428 248816

Since January 2015 the Information contained in the response in regards to number

of applications for a grant that have issued is in the public domain and is published in

the quarterly Family Court statistics.

Link to this information below:

https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ministry-of-

justice/about/statistics


To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, by what criteria his Department measures the

efficiency of the operation of the Probate Registry.

Dominic Raab:

The efficiency of the operation of the Probate Service is measured by monitoring cost

in relation to volume of work and by measuring performance against the two official

key performance indicators (KPIs) for the service.

Information showing performance against the Probate Service KPIs is available at

https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ministry-of-justice/about/statistics







To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, for what reason his Department does not

monitor the length of time taken to process applications by the Probate Registry as a

measure of that Registry's efficiency.

Dominic Raab:

Her Majesty’s Courts and Tribunals Service (HMCTS) does measure the length of

time taken to process applications by the Probate Registry, from receipt of the

application to issue of the application, as detailed in the answer to PQ 119252.

HMCTS does not however, measure the length of time from issue of the application

to the grant of probate.

Probation


To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, pursuant to the Answer of 29 November 2017 to

Question 115581, if he will publish the recent internal review into the probation system

with commercially sensitive sections redacted.

Mr Sam Gyimah:

Given the significant commercial nature of the review of the probation system, it

would be impractical to publish redacted versions of the documentation, which were

never intended for publication.

Rape: Trials



Question 117911, how many of the cases selected by the CPS to assess the frequency

and outcome of applications seeking to introduce into rape proceedings evidence of the

complainant's sexual history under section 41 of the Youth Justice and Criminal Evidence

Act 1999 involved guilty pleas.

Dominic Raab:

The audit case questionnaire completed by the individual CPS areas did not capture

information with regards to plea.


To ask the Attorney General, what the cost to the public purse of the review to assess the

frequency and outcome of applications to introduce a complainant’s sexual history under

section 41 of the Youth Justice and Criminal Evidence Act 1999, published on 14

December 2017 was.

Dominic Raab:

In addition to deploying policy resource, the Ministry of Justice paid the Crown

Prosecution Service £11,243.00 to resource this review.





Reoffenders


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

number of people losing custody of children following their recall to prison in each of the

last three years.

Mr Sam Gyimah:

The information requested is not held centrally and can only be obtained at


Trials: Legal Costs


To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if he will make it his policy to reform the legal

system to ensure that one side does not bear the financial risk associated with taking a

case to trial and the other side cannot escape exposure to such risk through Damages

Based Agreements and Conditional Fee Agreements.


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

made of the effect of damages based agreements and conditional fee agreements on the

number of fraudulent and unmeritorious claims pursued.

Dominic Raab:

Substantial reforms have been made over recent years to control the costs of civil

litigation, and to deter fraudulent and unmeritorious claims. In particular, the operation

of ‘no win no fee’ conditional fee agreements (CFAs) has been improved by Part 2 of

the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders (LASPO) Act 2012. The Part

2 reforms, which came into effect in April 2013, also allowed Damages-Based

Agreements (DBAs) to be used in civil litigation for the first time.

CFAs and DBAs facilitate access to justice by enabling claims to be brought by those

of modest means. The Government recognises that access to justice has to be

meaningful for defendants too: the Part 2 and other reforms help to ensure that

claims are resolved at more proportionate cost, with the risk of litigation now being

borne by claimants rather than defendants, who no longer having to pay inflated legal

costs.

The Government is committed to carrying out a post-implementation review of Part 2

of the LASPO Act, to be completed by summer recess 2018.




NORTHERN IRELAND

Marriage: Northern Ireland

Lady Hermon: [120791]

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, if he will publish the dates of meetings

with each of the leaders of the four main churches in Northern Ireland at which the

recognition of same-sex marriage in Northern Ireland was discussed; and if he will make

a statement.

Chloe Smith:

Northern Ireland Office Ministers have a regular programme of engagement which

includes community and faith groups. These meetings cover a wide range of topics.

The focus of recent engagement has been the restoration of a functioning Northern

Ireland Assembly, precisely so important decisions relating to issues such as same

sex marriage are considered by locally accountable politicians.

Northern Ireland Assembly: Pay


To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, pursuant to the Answer of 18

December 2017 to Question 119152, what discussions he had with the (a) Democratic

Unionist Party, (b) Sinn Fein and (c) other political parties prior to the publication of the

Reaney review of the salaries and staff allowances of members of the Northern Ireland

Assembly; on what dates those discussions took place; and if he will make a statement.

Chloe Smith:

Beyond acknowledging the fact that advice had been commissioned and that it was

our intention to publish its recommendations, Northern Ireland Office Ministers did not

hold any discussions with any political parties about Mr Reaney’s independent advice

on MLA salaries and allowance prior to its publication in full on 20 December.



December 2017 to Question 119152, on what date the decision was taken to publish the

findings of the Reaney review of the salaries and staff allowances of members of the

Northern Ireland Assembly.

Chloe Smith:

As has been made clear in the former Secretary of State for Northern Ireland’s letter

to Mr Reaney on 12 November commissioning his advice, it was always the Northern

Ireland Office’s intention to publish it.

The letter is available on the Northern Ireland Office website:

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/secretary-of-state-announces-advice-on-mla-

pay




https://www.gov.uk/government/news/secretary-of-state-announces-advice-on-mla-pay

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/secretary-of-state-announces-advice-on-mla-pay

Northern Ireland Government



December 2017 to Question 119155, whether he plans to publish the public consultation

on legacy issues in Northern Ireland before March 2018.

Chloe Smith:

We want to move forward to achieve progress on addressing legacy issues for

victims, survivors and wider society. We hope to be in a position to consult soon with

the aim of building support and confidence in the new legacy institutions from across

the community.

Schools: North Down


To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what plans he has to visit (a) schools

with an integrated ethos and (b) other schools in North Down constituency in 2018; and if

he will make a statement.

Chloe Smith:

The Northern Ireland Office Ministerial team engaged with groups and individuals

across a wide range of sectors, including integrated education, during 2017. I look

forward to this engagement continuing in 2018. My Ministerial colleagues and I have

also enjoyed a number of visits to the honourable Lady’s constituency of North Down.

Our immediate focus, however, continues to be on working with the Northern Ireland

political parties, and the Irish Government, to secure the restoration of inclusive,

stable, devolved government in Northern Ireland.

Voting Rights: Females



December 2017 to Question 119147, which events to mark the centenary of the suffrage

movement in Northern Ireland are being organised by (a) his Department and (b) the

Devolved Administration; and if he will publish the lead organiser for each such event.

Chloe Smith:

While my Department is not organising any specific events to mark the centenary of

the suffrage movement in Northern Ireland, the UK’s official arts programme marking

the centenary of the First World War, 14-18 NOW, is commissioning activity in

Northern Ireland to commemorate the suffrage centenary.

I understand the Department for Communities are taking the lead on behalf of the

Devolved Administration to co-ordinate a programme to mark the centenary of the

suffrage movement in Northern Ireland.




The honourable Lady may wish to contact both 14-18 NOW, and the Department for

Communities, to find out more about their plans.

SCOTLAND

Scotland Office: Caledonian Media

Deidre Brock: [120866]

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, for what reasons Lord Duncan held an

introductory meeting with Caledonian Media on 24 August 2017; who he met from that

organisation; and what was discussed at that meeting.

David Mundell:

Scotland Office Ministers meet with a range of stakeholders to discuss various issues

on a regular basis. The Government publishes a list of all ministerial meetings with

external bodies on departmental business on a quarterly basis and are available at

gov.uk.

TRANSPORT

A75: Scotland

Nigel Dodds: [120558]

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

Scottish Government on improvements to the A75 road network.

Jesse Norman:

Road investment in Scotland is a devolved matter and any plans to improve the A75

therefore fall to the Scottish Government. Where there are areas of cross-border

interest, UK Ministers remain keen to collaborate with their Scottish counterparts. The

Department is contributing to discussions about the proposed Borderlands Growth

Deal, which includes an aspiration to improve the A75.

Aviation


To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 19 December

2017 to Question 119564, on aviation, what the reasons are for the directions and advice

in place in the cases of (a) Libya, (b) Syria, (c) Yemen, (d) Iraq, (e) Somalia, (f) Ukraine

and (g) Egypt.

Mr John Hayes:

The Department provides advice to operators of UK registered aircraft on the risks of

using a country’s airspace or Flight Information Region (FIR) in areas where an

elevated level of risk is assessed due to activities on the ground. This advice is

issued by the Civil Aviation Authority in the form of a Notice to Airmen (NOTAM). The

level of advice is determined based on the threat posed to aircraft in that airspace




and a risk assessment is completed, based on the best available information, before

any advice is issued. In certain cases the advice is supplemented by a Direction not

to operate.

The reasons for the current NOTAMs in the areas mentioned are:

a) Potential risk to aviation overflying Libya from dedicated anti-aviation weaponry.

b) Potential risk to aviation overflying Syria from dedicated anti-aviation weaponry.

c) Potential risk to aviation overflying Yemen from dedicated anti-aviation weaponry.

d) Potential risk to aviation overflying Iraq from dedicated anti-aviation weaponry.

e) Potential risk to aviation overflying Somalia at less than 25,000ft above ground

level from dedicated anti-aircraft weaponry

f) Potential risk to aviation overflying eastern Ukraine from dedicated anti-aviation

weaponry and the potential for confusion over air traffic control service provision in

the Simferopol (UKFV) FIR

g) Potential risk to aviation overflying Egyptian airspace in Northern Sinai Governate

at less than 25,000 ft above ground level from dedicated anti-aircraft weaponry.

Additionally, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office advises against all but essential

travel by air to or from Sharm el Sheikh following the downing of a Metrojet flight in

October 2015.

Advice is kept under regular review.

Aviation: Carbon Emissions


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

measures required to keep aviation CO2 emissions to 37.5MegaTonnes in line with the

modelling in the 4th and 5th carbon budgets.

Mr John Hayes:

The Government remains open to considering all feasible measures to ensure that

the aviation sector contributes fairly to UK emissions reductions, and is committed to

meeting its emissions reduction targets under the Climate Change Act.

There are a range of measures available to reduce carbon emissions from aviation,

including biofuels, airspace reform and improvements in technology.

As mentioned in the Clean Growth Strategy, the Government will set out its strategic

approach to the aviation sector in a series of consultations leading to the publication

of a new Aviation Strategy for the UK.

The Strategy will consider what the best approach and combination of policy

measures are to ensure we effectively address carbon emissions from aviation.




To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, which measures in addition to those set out

in the Clean Growth Strategy will be required to keep aviation emissions to 37.5

MegaTonnes.

Mr John Hayes:

The Government remains open to considering all feasible measures to ensure that

the aviation sector contributes fairly to UK emissions reductions, and is committed to

meeting its emissions reduction targets under the Climate Change Act.

There are a range of measures available to reduce carbon emissions from aviation,

including biofuels, airspace reform and improvements in technology.

As mentioned in the Clean Growth Strategy, the Government will set out its strategic

approach to the aviation sector in a series of consultations leading to the publication

of a new Aviation Strategy for the UK.

The Strategy will consider what the best approach and combination of policy

measures are to ensure we effectively address carbon emissions from aviation.

Aviation: Noise


To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if his Department will assess the potential

merits of changing the boundaries at which communities affected by aircraft noise receive

compensation.

Mr John Hayes:

Following its recent Airspace Policy consultation, the Department implemented

changes to its policy on compensation for communities affected by noise as a result

of airspace change. The Government will undertake additional consideration of this

issue through the new aviation strategy it is currently developing.

Bicycles: Hire Services


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

authorities have the necessary powers to regulate and manage bike-share schemes in

their local authority areas.

Jesse Norman:

Local authorities currently have powers to act if bicycles, including shared bicycles,

are causing an obstruction or nuisance. However, the Department has received

representations to the effect that local authorities may find it useful to have specific

powers to regulate these schemes, and is continuing to discuss possible ways

forward with stakeholders.





To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps he is taking to promote bike-share

schemes in towns and cities.

Jesse Norman:

The Government agrees that bike-share schemes have the potential to deliver

various benefits, provided they are introduced and managed responsibly. This is

already a very vibrant sector, however, and it would not be appropriate for the

Government to promote individual schemes.


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

of growth of bike-share schemes.

Jesse Norman:

The Department for Transport continues to have regular dialogue with local

authorities and others, including bike-share providers, about the growth of bike-share

schemes and its potential impacts, and is keeping this matter under review.


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

effectiveness of bike-share schemes in supporting improvements in air quality.

Jesse Norman:

The Government agrees that bike-share schemes have the potential to deliver

various benefits, provided they are introduced and managed responsibly, but has not

carried out any detailed assessment of their potential impact on air quality.

Blue Badge Scheme

Gareth Thomas: [120519]

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many complaints his Department has

received on the eligibility criteria for Blue Badges; and whether he plans to bring forward

legislative proposals to amend those criteria; and if he will make a statement.

Jesse Norman:

This information is not recorded.

The Department is reviewing how the scheme works for people with hidden

disabilities, to ensure that the rules and guidance are clear and that those with the

greatest needs have access to badges. It is too early to say what the outcome of this

work will be.

Bus Services: Information


To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when his Department plans to consult on the

Accessible Information Regulations.






Jesse Norman:

The Bus Services Act 2017 includes powers to require the provision of audible and

visible information on local bus services throughout Great Britain.

The Government is committed to working with disabled people, bus companies, the

devolved administrations and other key stakeholders when developing associated

Regulations and Guidance. The Government will consult more widely on its proposals

in 2018.


To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent discussions (a) Ministers and (b)

officials of his Department have had with bus operators on the provisions of Section 17 of

the Bus Services Act 2017 on providing accessible information for bus passengers in the

last 12 months.

Jesse Norman:

The Government is committed to working with a range of stakeholders during the

development of the Regulations that will be made under Section 17 of the Bus

Services Act 2017 to require the provision of audible and visible information on

buses.

Both Ministers and officials meet with representatives of the bus operators regularly,

but we do not comment on the content of individual meetings.

Govia Thameslink Railway


To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how much has accrued to the public purse in

fare revenues from the GTR franchise agreement for each rail period since the beginning

of that franchise.

Paul Maynard:

The revenue paid to the Department for the Thameslink Southern and Great Northern

franchise is shown in the Go Ahead group accounts: https://www.go-

ahead.com/en/investors/results-reports-presentations.html. The Department does not

break down the revenue into individual brands.


To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what money has accrued to the public purse

from rail revenues from the Southern section of the GTR franchise for each rail period

since the beginning of that franchise.

Paul Maynard:

The revenue paid to the Department for the Thameslink Southern and Great Northern

franchise is shown in the Go Ahead group accounts: https://www.go-

ahead.com/en/investors/results-reports-presentations.html. The Department does not

break down the revenue into individual brands.





To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Parliamentary Under

Secretary of State’s letter to the Chair of the Transport Committee of 17 November 2016,

what estimate it has made or received from GTR of the cost to date of (a) continuing GTR

poor performance and (b) revisions its timetable on revenue receipts; and what proportion

of that cost has been met by (a) the Government and (b) GTR.

Paul Maynard:

The Department has not made or received any further estimates on these costs. Due

to the nature of the contract, any costs incurred, for example the provision of

replacement bus services, are a commercial matter for Govia Thameslink Trains

Limited and will have been met by them.


To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what estimate he has made of the financial

value of the force majeure claims by GTR which were agreed by the Government.

Paul Maynard:

The Department does not calculate the financial value of GTR’s Force Majeure

claims, as under the terms of GTR’s franchise agreement, the outcome of any train

operators’ Force Majeure claim are incorporated in their annual performance regime,

which measures performance over 12 months and calculates penalty or bonus

incentives. There are no separate calculations on the value of individual claims.

Govia Thameslink Railway: Industrial Disputes


To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference the Parliamentary Under-

Secretary of State’s letter to the Chair of the Transport Committee of 17 November 2016,

what the loss to date is of farebox revenues arising from official industrial action on GTR.

Paul Maynard:

Govia Thameslink Trains Limited has advised that the loss to date of farebox

revenues arising from official industrial action on GTR services is £22.2m.


To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Parliamentary Under-

Secretary of State’s letter to the Chair of the Transport Select Committee of 17 November

2016, what the loss to date in farebox revenue has been which has arisen from alleged

official industrial action on GTR.

Paul Maynard:

Govia Thameslink Trains Limited has advised that the loss to date of farebox

revenues arising from official industrial action on GTR services is £22.2m.





Heathrow Airport


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

made of the effect on air quality of the construction of a third runway at Heathrow Airport.

Mr John Hayes:

The Government believes that the Heathrow Northwest Runway scheme can be

delivered without impacting on the UK’s compliance with air quality limit values, given

the measures set out in the Government’s air quality plan, and with a suitable

package of mitigation measures taken forward by the promoter.

Should the revised draft Airports National Policy Statement be designated, then it

would be for the promoter to undertake a detailed assessment of the air quality

impacts of the scheme, including during construction, and put forward to the Planning

Inspectorate an appropriate package of mitigations that address air quality impacts

and demonstrate compliance with air quality obligations.

In order to grant development consent, the Secretary of State would need to be

satisfied that, with mitigation, the scheme would be compliant with legal obligations.


To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what proposals he plans to put in place to

mitigate the negative air quality effects of a third runway at Heathrow.

Mr John Hayes:



impacts of the scheme and put forward to the Planning Inspectorate an appropriate

package of mitigations that address air quality impacts and demonstrate compliance

with air quality obligations.

The precise package of mitigation measures would be subject to consultation with

local communities to ensure that the most effective measures are taken forward.

Furthermore, in order to grant development consent, the Secretary of State would

need to be satisfied that, with mitigation, the scheme would be compliant with legal

obligations.

Heathrow Airport: Air Pollution



potential effect on air quality of the construction of a third runway at Heathrow.

Mr John Hayes:

The Government believes that the Heathrow Northwest Runway scheme can be

delivered without impacting on the UK’s compliance with air quality limit values, given

the measures set out in the Government’s air quality plan, and with a suitable

package of mitigation measures taken forward by the promoter.






impacts of the scheme, including during construction, and put forward to the Planning

Inspectorate an appropriate package of mitigations that address air quality impacts

and demonstrate compliance with air quality obligations.

In order to grant development consent, the Secretary of State would need to be

satisfied that, with mitigation, the scheme would be compliant with legal obligations.

Heathrow Airport: Night Flying



feasibility of imposing an eight hour night flight ban at Heathrow Airport; and if he will

make a statement.

Mr John Hayes:

Following consultation, in October 2017, the Government implemented a new five-

year night flight regime at Heathrow, which will end in October 2022. This regime

limits the number of scheduled movements to an average of sixteen per night for a

six and a half hour night period.

The revised draft Airports National Policy Statement (NPS) sets out the

Government’s expectation for a six and a half hour ban on scheduled night flights at

an expanded Heathrow. Should the revised draft Airports NPS be designated,

consideration of any ban, including timings, would be subject to the International Civil

Aviation Organisation’s Balanced Approach to noise management, including

consultation with local communities and other interested parties.

Heathrow Airport: Noise


To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether he has made an assessment of the

potential merits of establishing a legally binding noise envelope at Heathrow Airport; and

if he will make a statement.

Mr John Hayes:

The revised draft Airports National Policy Statement (NPS) makes clear that any

noise envelope at an expanded Heathrow should be tailored to local priorities and

include clear noise performance targets. If the revised draft Airports NPS is

designated, the design of any noise envelope would be defined in consultation with

local communities and relevant stakeholders.


To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what discussions he has had with Heathrow

Airport on potential boundary changes to its Quieter Homes scheme.




Mr John Hayes:

There have been no discussions between the Department for Transport and

Heathrow Airport on potential changes to Heathrow’s Quieter Homes scheme.

Whilst the Government sets the guidelines on when it expect airport operators to

provide compensation to local communities, decision on how to apply the guidance

are for the airport itself.

London-Coventry Railway Line: Mobile Phones


To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether his Department has made an

assessment of the level of availability of mobile phone coverage on the Coventry to

London train line

Paul Maynard:

The Department has consulted on both the West Midlands Rail Franchise (WM) and

Intercity West Coast Rail Franchise (ICWC), which operate on the Coventry to

London line. ICWC services will form part of the new West Coast Partnership Rail

Franchise (WCP). Responses to the consultations from both stakeholders and the

public highlighted mobile connectivity as an important area for improvement. These

responses informed the specification for WM franchise, which commenced on 10

December 2017, and the WCP franchise, which is due to begin in early 2019. As part

of both new franchises there will be improvements to mobile connectivity and for

WCP the winning bidder will be required to provide a report to the Secretary of State

on the signal strength and capacity of the route.


Joan Ryan: [120266]

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when he plans to respond to the letter from

The Right hon. Member for Enfield North, dated 24 October 2017, on the development of

the Northern Gateway Access Package.

Jesse Norman:

I replied on 21 December 2017.

Parking Offences: Pedestrian Areas

Chris Davies: [120730]

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if his Department will carry out research into

how best to tackle pavement parking; and what the timetable is for the consultation of

Traffic Regulation Orders.

Jesse Norman:

The Department plans to conduct a survey on Traffic Regulation Orders in the Spring.

The Department is currently considering the options for dealing with pavement

parking, and expects to engage with interested parties in the near future.




Railways: Compensation


To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Parliamentary Under

Secretary of State’s letter of the Chair of the Transport Select Committee of 17 November

2016, how much has been paid to customers to date under the Delay Repay passenger

compensation scheme to date; and who is responsible for funding those payments.

Paul Maynard:

The compensation payments made by Train Operating Companies (TOC) to

passengers up to 2016/17 are published on the GOV.UK website, see following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/train-operating-companies-passengers-

charter-compensation.

The funding of compensation payments depends on the franchise agreement that the

TOC has with the DfT and whether or not the TOC is paying the Department for

Transport profit share or is eligible for revenue support.

Railways: Fares

Andy McDonald: [121080]


potential effect of the rail fare rises due in January 2018 on (a) demand and (b) fare

revenue for (i) regulated fares and (ii) unregulated fares.

Paul Maynard:

The Department makes long-term projections of rail demand and revenues, for

planning and budgeting purposes, and to assess the case for enhancement

schemes. These take into account a range of factors including changes in yield but

are not split in the way suggested.



potential effect of the increase in rail fares due in January 2018 on demand for (a) Virgin

Trains East Coast main line services, (b) Virgin Trains West Coast main line services and

(c) First Great Western services.

Paul Maynard:

The Department makes long-term projections of rail demand and revenues, which

take into account a range of factors including changes in yield. Estimates of the effect

on individual train operating companies is proprietary and would risk damaging

commercial positions if released.

Railways: Fylde

Mark Menzies: [120226]

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 14 December

2017 to Question 118759, what representations his Department has received on a





business case for increasing the frequency of train services on the South Fylde line to (a)

Lytham, (b) Ansdell and (c) St Annes; and if he will make a statement.

Paul Maynard:

The Department has not received representations on a business case for increasing

the frequency of train services on the South Fylde line.

Railways: Greater London


To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what estimate he has made of the proportion

of first class train seating capacity that is used for (a) peak and (b) off-peak travel for (i)

First Great Western main line services out of Paddington, (ii) Virgin Trains main line

services out of Euston and (iii) Virgin Trains East Coast main line services out of Kings

Cross.

Paul Maynard:

There is no published information regarding the proportion of First Class seating

capacity used on First Great Western services from Paddington, Virgin Trains

services from Euston or Virgin Trains East Coast services from Kings Cross.

Rapid Transit Systems: Oxford

Layla Moran: [121013]


potential merits of introducing a light rail system to Oxford.

Jesse Norman:

The Government supports light rail where it can be shown to be the best solution to

an area’s transport needs. No assessment has been made by the Department for

Transport on the potential merits of introducing a light rail system to Oxford. It is for

the respective local authorities to decide whether light rail is the right solution and to

develop plans accordingly.

Road Traffic Control

Sir Greg Knight: [120496]

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

of the potential merits of making greater use of tidal flow carriageways to help reduce

congestion at rush hours in towns and cities; if he will take steps to encourage local

highway authorities to make greater use of such carriageways; and if he will make a

statement.

Jesse Norman:

Section 16 of the Traffic Management Act 2004 introduced a network management

duty for local traffic authorities to manage their road networks with a view to

“achieving, so far as may be reasonably practicable, the expeditious movement of

traffic on the authority’s road network”. Local traffic authorities have a range of tools




available, including tidal flow carriageways, to manage congestion and are

responsible for deciding which measures are appropriate for use on their roads.

Speed Limits


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

of the effect of 20 mph zones on road safety for pedestrians.

Jesse Norman:

Atkins, Aecom and Professor Mike Maher were commissioned by the Department for

Transport in 2014, to address a gap in the evidence available on the effectiveness of

20mph speed limit (signed only) schemes. While there is evidence suggesting that

20mph zones are effective in reducing collisions and speeds (as well as leading to

other benefits), there is an evidence gap on the effectiveness of 20mph speed limits

(i.e. 20mph limits with no physical traffic calming measures). This research is in

progress, and the Department expects to publish the final report in Spring-Summer

2018.

Uber


To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether he will introduce regulations in

response to the ruling by the European Court of Justice on 20 December 2017 that Uber

is a transport company and not a digital service.

Mr John Hayes:

Uber has always been regulated as a private hire vehicle operator in England and

Wales, therefore no additional or revised regulation is required as a consequence of

the European Court of Justice ruling.

I announced in a Westminster Hall debate that I would be setting up a working group

to consider current issues concerning taxi and PHV licensing. That group has now

been formed and will report its findings to me early this year.

WALES

Economic Situation: Wales


To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, what discussions he has had with the Welsh

Government on its recently published economic action plan for Wales.

Alun Cairns:

I have regular discussions with the Welsh Government on economic policy for Wales.

The Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy and I met with

the Welsh Government Cabinet Secretary for Economy and Infrastructure to discuss




the UK Government’s Industrial Strategy and the Welsh Governments Economic

Action Plan. Our officials have since continued this conversation.

EU Grants and Loans: Wales


To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, pursuant to his Answer of 21 December 2017 to

Question 119948, on Wales Office, whether the regular meetings with Cabinet colleagues

included discussion of the Shared Prosperity Fund with the Secretary of State for

Communities and Local Government.

Alun Cairns:

Yes.

WOMEN AND EQUALITIES

Government Equalities Office: EU Law


To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, which EU (a) Directives, (b) Regulations

and (c) other legislation affecting her Department she is planning to propose (i)

revocation and (ii) amendment of after the UK leaves the EU.

Mr Robert Goodwill:

EU law will be retained by the European Union (Withdrawal) Bill, as it applies in the

UK on the day the we leave the EU. We expect between 800 and 1000 statutory

instruments will be required across government to correct this retained EU law to

ensure the statute book functions appropriately outside the EU. All departments are

engaged in this process. Once we leave the EU, we will make our own laws. As we

leave the EU, the government’s EU exit legislative programme is designed to cater

for the full range of negotiated and non-negotiated outcomes.

Sanitary Protection: Scotland


To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, whether she has met her counterpart in

the Scottish Government to discuss its initiative to provide sanitary products to women

and girls on low incomes.

Mr Robert Goodwill:

Officials at the Department for Education hold regular discussions with officials in the

devolved administrations about the issue of sanitary protection provision in schools;

the last meeting on this topic was held in November 2017 and the next discussion is

due take place in January 2018. My hon. Friend, the Minister for Women and

Equalities has not met her counterpart in the Scottish Government but has been

updated on the discussions held. Officials in the Scottish Government have

committed to update the Department for Education on all relevant initiatives, including




their Aberdeen pilot when information about its impact and affordability becomes

available.

WORK AND PENSIONS

Access to Work Programme: Southwark


To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many deaf people were in

receipt of Access to Work payments in (a) Camberwell and Peckham constituency and

(b) the London Borough of Southwark in each of the last three years.

Sarah Newton:

The information is not readily available and has not previously been published as

official statistics. The Department’s analysts are currently exploring the feasibility of

including payments data in the next publication of Access to Work Statistics.

Bereavement Benefits: Cohabitation

Martyn Day: [120991]

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will make it his policy to allow

surviving members of cohabiting couples to access bereavement benefits.

Caroline Dinenage:

Bereavement Benefits are contributory benefits and it is a founding principle of the

contributory benefits system that rights derived from another person’s contributions

should be based on the concept of legal marriage or civil partnership. Moreover,

proving that cohabitation existed could be a complex process likely to cause distress

at a time of bereavement.

Jobcentres

Ged Killen: [121062]

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate he has made of the

average distance a claimant travels to reach their nearest job centre for an appointment;

and what the average distance is in rural areas.

Damian Hinds:

DWP does not collect information on the travel times and distances for individual

claimants.

When DWP looked at proposed jobcentre closures, there was a reasonable

expectation that claimants can travel 3 miles or 20 minutes by public transport to a

new jobcentre location from their existing jobcentre.

There are large areas of the country where claimants have always travelled further

than this.




If claimants are experiencing any difficulties with accessing DWP services, they

should discuss their issues with their work coach who will be happy to help overcome

any issues affecting their claim or work search.

Jobcentres: Closures


To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many jobcentre premises were

closed in 2017, including centres that were merged with larger jobcentres or co-located in

other government buildings.

Damian Hinds:

Since the Written Ministerial Statement laid out in Parliament on 5 July 2017

confirming our plan to rationalise the DWP estate, the Department has closed 46

jobcentres up to and including 20 December 2017.

The staff and services from 26 jobcentres have merged into nearby, larger Jobcentre

offices, and there have been 20 co-locations with Local Authorities.

Jobcentres: Glasgow


To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will carry out an assessment

of the potential effect of the closure of Easterhouse Jobcentre on levels of poverty that

area.

Caroline Dinenage:

There are no plans to assess poverty levels in connection with closures of individual

sites such as Easterhouse and Parkhead Jobcentres.

I would stress again that the office mergers are not about reducing services, but

about taking the opportunity to stop spending money on empty space so we can

spend more on supporting those in need. The face-to-face support our work coaches

offer at jobcentres will continue to be a core part of the service we deliver.

National statistics on the number of individuals in relative low income are set out in

DWP’s annual "Households Below Average Income" publication. Latest 3-year

estimates for Scotland in 2013/14 - 2015/16 show the rate of individuals in low

income households at 15% Before Housing Costs. The number and proportion of

individuals in relative low income is not available at a local authority or constituency

level because the survey sample sizes are too small to support the production of

robust estimates at this geography. Estimates to 2016/17 have been pre-announced

to be published in March 2018.


To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will make an assessment of

the potential effect of the closure of Parkhead Jobcentre on levels of poverty in that area.




Caroline Dinenage:

There are no plans to assess poverty levels in connection with closures of individual

sites such as Easterhouse and Parkhead Jobcentres.

I would stress again that the office mergers are not about reducing services, but

about taking the opportunity to stop spending money on empty space so we can

spend more on supporting those in need. The face-to-face support our work coaches

offer at jobcentres will continue to be a core part of the service we deliver.

National statistics on the number of individuals in relative low income are set out in

DWP’s annual "Households Below Average Income" publication. Latest 3-year

estimates for Scotland in 2013/14 - 2015/16 show the rate of individuals in low

income households at 15% Before Housing Costs. The number and proportion of

individuals in relative low income is not available at a local authority or constituency

level because the survey sample sizes are too small to support the production of

robust estimates at this geography. Estimates to 2016/17 have been pre-announced

to be published in March 2018.

Mortgages: Government Assistance


To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many and what proportion of

people receiving Support for Mortgage Interest will not qualify for the loans which will

replace them from April 2018.

Caroline Dinenage:

All claimants currently receiving support for mortgage interest will be eligible to

receive a loan from April 2018.


To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people in (a) Hull, (b)

Yorkshire and Humber and (c) the UK receive Support for Mortgage Interest, and how

many of those people receive (i) Employment Support Allowance, (ii) Personal

Independence Payment and (iii) Jobseekers’ Allowance.

Caroline Dinenage:

The table below gives the Department’s estimates of the caseload of Support for

Mortgage Interest (SMI) split by benefit and selected geographies.

ALL SMI

SMI AND EMPLOYMENT AND SUPPORT

ALLOWANCE

SMI AND JOB SEEKER’S

ALLOWANCE

Great Britain 110,000 49,000 2,000

Yorkshire and

Humberside

9,000 4,000 -

Table 1: SMI caseload by benefit across selected geographies



Data is not available on:

the number of SMI claimants in receipt of Personal Independence Payment;

the number of claimants of SMI in Hull and geographies smaller than Government

Office Region.

The Department does not hold data on SMI in respect of Northern Ireland.

Figures are rounded to the nearest 1,000 cases.

‘-’ denotes under 500 cases.


To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the average Annual

Percentage Rate will be for the loans which will replace Support for Mortgage Interest

from April 2018, and whether that rate will vary as a result on the actuarial risk of

applicants.

Caroline Dinenage:

Interest will be charged on SMI loans based upon the cost of gilts as published by the

Office of Budget Responsibility (OBR). This rate reflects the cost of Government

borrowing. The Gilt Rate Forecast for 2018-19 is 1.5%, as specified in the latest

Economic and Fiscal Outlook published on the 22nd November 2017 by the OBR.

There will be no variation in the interest rate charged as a result of actuarial risk.



people whose only source of income is (i) Employment Support Allowance (ESA), (ii)

Personal Independence Payment (PIP) and (iii) ESA and PIP in receipt of Support for

Mortgage Interest (SMI), will not be eligible for the loans which replace SMI in April 2018.

Caroline Dinenage:

All claimants currently receiving support for mortgage interest will be eligible to

receive a loan from April 2018.

Occupational Pensions: Public Consultation


To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the outcome was of the

Government's consultation entitled Defined Benefits Schemes: Security and Sustainability

which ended on 14 May 2017; and if he will make a statement.

Guy Opperman:

The Government published a consultation entitled Security and Sustainability in

Defined Benefit Schemes on 20 February 2017. The 12-week consultation closed on

14 May 2017. Over 800 responses were received from pension scheme members

(active and deferred), pensioners, scheme trustees, employers and national pension

associations. We are in the process of analysing these results and we will publish a

white paper in due course.




Older Workers


To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people have been

helped to (a) remain in and (b) return to work by the Fuller Working Lives initiative in (i)

the UK, (ii) Wales and (iii) Gower constituency.

Damian Hinds:

The data requested is not held, however the number of older workers in the UK

currently stands at 10 million workers aged 50 years with over 8.8 million individuals

aged 50-64 in employment; an increase of 1.2 million people compared to five years

ago. There are 1.2 million individuals in employment aged 65 and over.

Employment rates for older workers have also been increasing steadily. In the past

ten years, the employment rate for people aged 50-64 has increased by 6.0

percentage points (from 65.2% in 2007 to 71.2% in 2017). The employment rate for

individuals aged 65 and over has almost doubled to 10.1%, from 5.1% twenty years

ago.

Further information on estimates of employment, unemployment, economic inactivity

and other employment-related statistics for the UK can be found in the “UK labour

market: December 2017” statistical bulletin published at the Office for National

Statistics (ONS) website:

https://www.ons.gov.uk/employmentandlabourmarket/peopleinwork/employmentande

mployeetypes/bulletins/uklabourmarket/december2017

Further information on labour market statistics for separate UK countries, as well as

local areas, can be found at the NOMIS website:

https://www.nomisweb.co.uk/

The Government is committed to supporting people aged 50 years and over to

remain in and return to work; the ‘Fuller Working Lives: A Partnership Approach’

strategy was published on 2nd February. This, crucially, is led by employers, but it

also sets out the case for action by individuals, and the role of Government in

supporting them in planning their careers and their approach to retirement. The

Strategy and supporting evidence base are available at the attached web address:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/fuller-working-lives-a-partnership-

approach

Analysis on the headline measures that the government uses to monitor progress on

Fuller Working Lives can be found in this statistical release:

https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/economic-labour-market-status-of-

individuals-aged-50-and-over-trends-over-time-september-2017


https://www.ons.gov.uk/employmentandlabourmarket/peopleinwork/employmentandemployeetypes/bulletins/uklabourmarket/december2017

https://www.ons.gov.uk/employmentandlabourmarket/peopleinwork/employmentandemployeetypes/bulletins/uklabourmarket/december2017

https://www.nomisweb.co.uk/

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/fuller-working-lives-a-partnership-approach

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/fuller-working-lives-a-partnership-approach

https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/economic-labour-market-status-of-individuals-aged-50-and-over-trends-over-time-september-2017

https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/economic-labour-market-status-of-individuals-aged-50-and-over-trends-over-time-september-2017

Pensions: Uprating


To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will bring forward legislative

proposals to require all pension schemes to index according to inflation for pre-1997

components of defined benefit pensions.

Guy Opperman:

If a pensioner’s pre-1997 defined benefit pension rights include a Guaranteed

Minimum Pension (GMP) earned after April 1988, that element must be increased by

inflation, capped at 3 per cent.

Defined benefit pensions accrued after 1997 are subject to statutory limited price

indexation: inflation capped at 5 per cent for pensions accrued between April 1997

and April 2005 and inflation capped at 2.5 per cent for pensions accrued after April

2005.

We have no plans to change this.

Personal Independence Payment: Appeals

Ms Karen Buck: [120307]

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether there are circumstances in

which his Department offers payments to claimants who withdraw their appeals against

decisions on personal independence payments; how many such payments have been

made; and if he will make a statement.

Sarah Newton:

Whether it is an appeal to the First-tier Tribunal or the Upper Tribunal, the

Department does not offer payments to claimants to withdraw their Personal

Independence Payment appeals.

Personal Independence Payment: Medical Examinations

Ms Angela Eagle: [120639]

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will publish the total number of

people who were awarded a score of zero in the assessment of the (a) mobility and (b)

daily living components of the personal independence payment in each month of the

most recent 12 months for which data is available.

Sarah Newton:

The table below gives statistics on the number of cases given a total of zero points at

assessment for the a) mobility and b) daily living components of Personal

Independence Payment (PIP) in each month for 1st November 2016 to 31st October

2017, the most recent twelve months for which data is available.

Table 1 – number of cases scoring zero points at assessment for PIP




ZERO MOBILITY, NON-

ZERO DAILY LIVING

ZERO DAILY LIVING,

NON-ZERO MOBILITY

ZERO MOBILITY AND

ZERO DAILY LIVING

Nov 2016 6,430 460 11,480

Dec 2016 5,070 370 8,890

Jan 2017 5,760 460 9,740

Feb 2017 5,100 390 9,420

Mar 2017 5,930 440 10,860

Apr 2017 4,660 360 8,290

May 2017 5,980 490 11,720

June 2017 6,350 520 12,930

July 2017 6,700 630 13,740

Aug 2017 5,680 570 12,750

Sep 2017 5,540 490 12,250

Oct 2017 6,940 600 15,320

Total 70,150 5,780 137,380

Source: PIP Computer System

Laura Pidcock: [121087]

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what qualifications health

professionals completing a Personal Independence Payment medical assessment should

possess to be able to assess people with a mental health issue.

Sarah Newton:

Health Care Professionals (HCPs) undertaking PIP assessments must have at least

2 years post full registration experience (this refers to either UK registration or

equivalent overseas registration for non-UK HCPs) or less than 2 years post full

registration experience by individual, prior, written agreement with the Department.

Requests by providers to employ HCPs with less than 2 years post full registration

experience is rare and exceptional.

All HCPs receive training on how to identify the impact of mental health conditions on

claimants. This is followed by on-going professional training and support which

continues for the duration of their employment in the role.

In addition, Mental Health Champions support HCPs by providing additional expertise

about mental health, cognitive, developmental and learning disabilities and can be

referred to at any time during the assessment process.


HCPs make every attempt to obtain the best evidence available to assist them in

undertaking the assessment. This includes accessing evidence from Community

Mental Health Teams, psychologists, psychiatrists and other medical professionals.

Health Assessment Providers frequently engage with medical experts, charities and

relevant stakeholders to strengthen review and update training programmes for all

their assessment staff.

Personal Independence Payment: Mental Illness

Laura Pidcock: [121088]

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what criteria his Department

applies when assessing claimants with mental health issues for Personal Independence

Payments.

Sarah Newton:

All claims to Personal Independence Payment are assessed against all ten daily

living activities and two mobility activities as set out in Schedule 1 of the Social

Security (Personal Independence Payment) Regulations 2013 and other provisions

relating to entitlement or payment. A copy of the Regulations can be accessed here:

http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2013/377/contents.

Poverty: Children



children were living in poverty in Gower in each year for which data is available.

Caroline Dinenage:

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 Wales 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

Schools: Staff


To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many injuries were reported

involving inappropriate clothing or jewellery worn by staff in schools in the last 12 months.



https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/599136/hbai-2015-2016-supporting-ods-files.zip

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/599136/hbai-2015-2016-supporting-ods-files.zip


Sarah Newton:

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is responsible for the enforcement of the

Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 2013

(RIDDOR), which requires employers to report certain injuries to employees. The

type of clothing or jewellery worn does not determine whether an injury must be

reported, and HSE do not hold any data on this issue. HSE would only advise on

clothing or jewellery in the workplace where there is an identified risk to a work

activity. To be reportable, injuries must have occurred as a result of, or be connected

to, a work activity.

Social Security Benefits

Neil Coyle: [120636]

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many recommendations

advanced in independent reviews of the operation of (a) personal independence

payments and (b) employment support allowance his Department has (i) accepted and (ii)

implemented.

Sarah Newton:

The Government has welcomed the publication of both the first and second statutory

Independent Reviews of Personal Independence Payment (PIP) carried out by Paul

Gray. Paul Gray made a total of twenty-eight recommendations and the Government

has accepted or partially accepted all of them.

The Government published its response to the second Independent Review on 18

December 2017. Annexes A and B in our response sets out the progress we have

made since the first Independent Review on implementing the recommendations and

what we will do next to further improve PIP .

The DWP had a statutory commitment to independently review the Employment and

Support Allowance Work Capability Assessment (WCA) annually for the first five

years. Professor Malcolm Harrington carried out the first three Independent Reviews

and Dr Paul Litchfield carried out the remaining two. In all, the Department accepted

and implemented over 100 recommendations.

The Government responses to the Independent Reviews of PIP can be found at:

The first response to the first review -

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/personal-independence-payment-pip-

assessments-first-independent-review-government-response

The second response to the first review –


assessments-first-independent-review-second-government-response

The response to the second review -


assessment-second-independent-review-government-response

The Government responses to the reviews of the WCA can be found at:


https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/personal-independence-payment-pip-assessments-first-independent-review-government-response

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/personal-independence-payment-pip-assessments-first-independent-review-government-response

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/personal-independence-payment-pip-assessments-first-independent-review-second-government-response

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/personal-independence-payment-pip-assessments-first-independent-review-second-government-response

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/personal-independence-payment-pip-assessment-second-independent-review-government-response

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/personal-independence-payment-pip-assessment-second-independent-review-government-response

Year 1 - https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/government-response-to-the-

work-capability-assessment-independent-review-year-1









Social Security Benefits: Arrears


To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether a claimant is provided by

his Department with a written breakdown of monies paid in cases where welfare arrears

are paid to that claimant.

Caroline Dinenage:

What a claimant receives varies depending on the benefit being claimed. However,

the Department can provide a breakdown of arrears if a claimant or their

representative requests one.

Social Security Benefits: Glasgow


To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if his Department will monitor

trends in the level of sanction decisions at Shettleston Jobcentre for 12 months after the

divestment of Bridgeton, Parkhead and Easterhouse Jobcentres.

Damian Hinds:

The Department is continually monitoring sanction decisions across all Jobcentres.

The latest statistics regarding this can be found on Gov.uk up to June 2017 -

https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/benefit-sanctions-statistics-2017

Social Security Benefits: Terminal Illnesses


To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps his Department is

taking to improve access to social security payments for people who are terminally ill and

have a variable diagnosis of life expectancy.

Sarah Newton:

Special rules for people who are terminally ill provide a guaranteed entitlement to

benefit, with claims dealt with sensitively, without a face-to-face assessment and

under a fast track process. These rules apply across Attendance Allowance (AA),

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/government-response-to-the-work-capability-assessment-independent-review-year-1













Disability Living Allowance (DLA), Employment and Support Allowance, Personal

Independence Payment (PIP) and Universal Credit.

For legislative purposes, someone is considered terminally ill if they have a

progressive disease and death in consequence of that disease can reasonably be

expected within six months. We recognise that determining life expectancy is not an

exact science, therefore claimants are not asked to provide evidence of life

expectancy. All claims made under these rules are assessed on the basis of the

claimant’s diagnosis, current and proposed treatment and details of clinical findings.

This means that many existing terminally ill claimants will remain on benefit for longer

than six months, for example of the 65,500 terminally ill claimants in receipt of a

disability benefit (AA, DLA or PIP), over two thirds have been on benefit for six

months or more.

We are committed to meeting the needs of terminally ill claimants, therefore these

rules are kept under review on an ongoing basis.

State Retirement Pensions


To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people in (a) Gower, (b)

Wales and (c) the UK are not eligible for the new state pension due to having less than

10 years of national insurance contributions.

Guy Opperman:

The New State Pension was introduced for those persons reaching State Pension

age on, or after, 6th April 2016. Our latest data on the number of qualifying years

people have are for the 2015/16 financial year, so we do not yet have any data on the

numbers of people reaching State Pension age under the New State Pension with

less than 10 years of National Insurance contributions.

State Retirement Pensions: Females


To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 24

October 2017 to Question 108665, and with reference to the Answer of 3 November 2017

to Question 109823, and the Answers of 21 December 2017 to Questions 120382 and

120384, what criteria his Department used to determine that the advertising campaign

carried out to raise awareness of the new state pension age under the provisions of the

1995 Pensions Act was extensive.

Guy Opperman:

Between 2001 and 2004 the Department ran a ‘pensions education’ communications

campaign. The Department’s research report No 221, Public awareness of State

Pension age Equalisation, published in 2004, referred to the campaign in question. It

stated:

This campaign included the following:



advertising features in the press including information on the ‘equalisation of State

Pension age’ (SPa);

a ‘Women’s Pensions Pack’ containing leaflets for women on pensions and the

changes in women’s SPa is available from the Pensions Service;

direct mailings targeted specifically at women, highlighting that the SPa for women

is changing;

the Department’s State Pension forecast letters and the accompanying leaflet

showing the recipient’s SPa and explaining who is affected by the changes to the

SPa for women;

The Pension Service website contains an interactive State Pension date/age

calculator facility. This enables women and men to enter their date of birth and find

out their own individual State Pension date and age.

It was on bases like these that we described the campaign as “extensive”.



December 2017 to Question 120384, if he will place in the Library copies of any financial

records his Department holds in relation to the pensions education communications

campaign.

Guy Opperman:

The Pensions Education Campaign ran from 2001 to 2004. Due to the time elapsed,

the Department no longer holds any financial records for this campaign, therefore has

no records to place in the library relating to the campaign.

Universal Credit



December 2017 to Question 119929 on universal credit, when the automated system will

be be operational.

Damian Hinds:

In order to roll out Universal Credit safely and securely, improvements are built into

the Universal Credit IT system using a test and learn approach. We learn from our

data and research before features are considered, approved and progressed.

Implementing the automated system is important to us and will be prioritised in due

course.

Universal Credit: Council Tax Reduction Schemes


To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether jobcentre plus staff inform

clients claiming universal credit that they are eligible to claim council tax relief in those

local authority areas where this relief is still available for working-age people.




Damian Hinds:

When making an online claim for Universal Credit, claimants are signposted to

independent websites and benefit calculators which highlight other support that may

be available in their area, including Council Tax reduction.

DWP staff are aware of support available locally and this forms a key part of the

conversations during the initial stages of a Universal Credit claim.

They also promote national products of support, such as the online money manager

developed by the Money Advice Service.

There is a section on Gov.uk relating to budgeting support which can be found here:

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/new-budgeting-support-for-universal-credit-

claimants

Universal Credit: Disqualification

Neil Gray: [120607]

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many responsible carers with

children have been sanctioned under the universal credit provisions in the last four

quarters.

Damian Hinds:

The information requested is not readily available and to provide it would incur


Universal Credit: Telephone Services

Jim McMahon: [121092]


December to Question 118690, on Universal Credit: Telephone Services, what the

evidential basis is to support the position that people abandoned calls to use the online

service; what the cost to the public purse was of abandoned calls in each month since

September 2016; and what the average length of abandoned calls was in that time

period.

Damian Hinds:

Universal Credit Full Service is a digital service designed to enable customers to

manage their own data and account online at a time which is convenient for them. As

well as giving them access to online statements for payment information, and their

journal for interacting with their dedicated Case Manager and Work Coach,

customers are able to report changes online when they would previously have called

us.

We do not currently hold any management information that specifically correlates

abandoned calls to use of online services. However, as of November 2017, the

percentage of customers claiming online is over 95%, and those reporting changes

online is now over 80%. This type of channel shift is helping reduce the calls we

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/new-budgeting-support-for-universal-credit-claimants

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/new-budgeting-support-for-universal-credit-claimants



receive as a percentage of the caseload: Universal Credit Full Service calls per claim

ratio has decreased from 2.7 in April 2016 to 1.0 by the end of October 2017.

There was no cost to the public purse for abandoned calls as this forms part of the

contract we have with BT, and following the introduction of the free phone numbers to

Universal Credit helplines in November 2017 there will no longer be a cost to the

customer.

Between September 2016 and October 2017 the average length of time before a call

was voluntarily abandoned by the Universal Credit Full Service customer was 5

minutes 19 seconds.

Notes –

1) The data supplied is derived from unpublished management information, which

was collected for internal Departmental use only and has not been quality assured to

National Statistics or Official Statistics publication standard. The data should

therefore be treated with caution.

2) Data is not yet available for November 2017.

Work Capability Assessment



December 2017 to Question 118979, what the average length of time spent with clients is

by (a) doctors and (b) nurses during the process of a work capability assessment.

Sarah Newton:

This information is not available. The Centre for Health and Disability Assessments

(CHDA) only record the total time taken to undertake a Work Capability Assessment

(WCA). This includes activities undertaken while the claimant is not present, for

example Healthcare Professionals writing the assessment report to be submitted to

DWP.

Based on figures between September 2017 and November 2017, the average time to

complete a full WCA by a doctor within CHDA Assessment Centres was 80 minutes.

This includes undertaking complex-neurological WCA cases which take longer than

average assessments. Over the same period, the average time to complete a full

WCA by a nurse was 73 minutes. Nurses do not currently undertake complex-

neurological WCA cases.

Work Capability Assessment: Mental Illness



December 2017 to Question 118979, what estimate he has made of the proportion of

clients undergoing work capability assessments who are suffering from mental ill health.



Sarah Newton:

The information requested on Work Capability Assessments is not readily available

and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.

The latest available information to June 2017 on the number of completed Work

Capability Assessments by International Statistical Classification of Diseases and

Related Health Problems (ICD) groupings can be found in Table 7 of the Employment

and Support Allowance Outcomes of Work Capability Assessments quarterly

statistics published here: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/esa-outcomes-of-

work-capability-assessments-including-mandatory-reconsiderations-and-appeals-

december-2017



December 2017 to Question 118979, what assessment he has made of his Department's

ability accurately to assess clients against the mental functional descriptors of the work

capability assessment; and if he will review his Department's policy of not employing

psychologists and psychiatrists to adjudicate in such assessments.

Sarah Newton:

All Healthcare Professionals who undertake Work Capability Assessments are

registered healthcare professionals, doctors, nurses, physiotherapists or occupational

therapists, with a minimum of two years broad - based post registration experience,

although this can be waived in exceptional circumstances by the Department. They

are subject to a thorough recruitment process that includes formal interview and all

are required to pass a competency based assessment. Once recruited, they

undertake a comprehensive new entrant training programme.

All healthcare professionals then have 100% of their work audited until it is

demonstrated that their work meets the required standards. At this stage, the

Assessment Provider make a recommendation to the DWP that the healthcare

professional should be formally approved. All practitioners are then subject to a

programme of case reviews and audit.

They are not required by DWP to hold specialist qualifications or specific previous

experience in mental health conditions. As part of the induction Healthcare

Professionals receive training in mental health issues and are required to read

evidence based protocols on mental health conditions. In addition, they are required

to engage in a programme of continuing medical education which includes modules

on mental health conditions.

The Work Capability Assessment is a functional assessment which focuses not on a

claimant’s condition but on the functional effects of that condition. It looks at a range

of different activities related to physical, mental, cognitive and intellectual functions

and certain additional criteria that do not directly measure function to determine

capability for work.

https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/esa-outcomes-of-work-capability-assessments-including-mandatory-reconsiderations-and-appeals-december-2017




MINISTERIAL CORRECTIONS

BUSINESS, ENERGY AND INDUSTRIAL STRATEGY

Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy: Written Questions



and what proportion of his Department's Answers to Written Parliamentary Questions in

the 2017-18 Session to date have referred to the information requested not being (a)

collected or (b) collated centrally.

An error has been identified in the written answer given on 28 December 2017. The

correct answer should have been:

Margot James:

The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy has answered 1675

Written Parliamentary Questions so far this session as of 21st December. Of these, 3

questions (0.18% of questions asked) have referred to the information not being

collated and 4 questions (0.24% of questions asked) have referred to the information

not being collected centrally.

The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy has answered

1675 Written Parliamentary Questions so far this session as of 21st December.

Of these, 4 questions (0.24% of questions asked) have referred to the

information not being collected and 3 questions (0.18% of questions asked)

have referred to the information not being collated centrally.

Gratuities

Sir David Crausby: [120364]

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

Department plans to publish the response to the consultation on Tips, gratuities, cover

and service charges which closed on 27 June 2016.



Margot James:

Neither my Rt hon Friend the Secretary of State, nor I have had discussions with

charities about the impact of these rules on their work.

The State aid rules apply to funding given to charities, as they would for any other

body, where they are involved in economic activities. The rules are blind as to legal

form; rather they are concerned with whether an entity is undertaking economic

activities. And equally State aid may be granted legally to charities on the same terms

as anyone else if it complies with the rules.



The Government is considering the responses to this consultation, and will

respond in due course.

EDUCATION

Department for Education: Written Questions


To ask the Secretary of State for Education, (a) how many and (b) what proportion of her

Department's Answers to Written Parliamentary Questions have advised that the

requested information was not available on the grounds of disproportionate cost

associated with data collection and collation in the current session.



Mr Robert Goodwill:

In the current parliamentary session (as at 13 December 2017) 2,3652,258 written

PQs have been answered by the Department. 33 (1.4%)(1.46%) of which were

answered advising that the requested information was not available due to

disproportionate costs.

NORTHERN IRELAND

Northern Ireland Office: Families



November 2017 to Question HL3576, what steps his Department is taking to strengthen

families.



Chloe Smith:

It is our assessment that no legislation taken forward by the Northern Ireland Office

since August 2014 has required the application of the Family Test by the UK

Government.

The Government is committed to supporting families. To achieve this, in 2014 we

introduced the Family Test, which aims to ensure that impacts on family relationships

and functioning are recognised early on during the process of policy development

and help inform the policy decisions made by Ministers. The Family Test was not

designed to be a ‘tick-box’ exercise, and as such there is no requirement for

departments to publish the results of assessments made under the Family Test.

Many of the policy areas linked to strengthening families in Northern Ireland

are devolved matters. The UK Government is, though, helping families with the



everyday cost of living by keeping taxes low, including taking 31,000 people in

Northern Ireland out of paying income tax altogether (compared to 2015-16),

freezing fuel duty for the eight successive year and increasing the National

Living Wage again from April 2018, delivering a £600 annual pay-rise to full-

time workers in Northern Ireland.

WRITTEN STATEMENTS

ENVIRONMENT, FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS

Waste

Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Michael Gove):

[HCWS391]

On 1 January 2018 China imposed a ban on the import of certain types of waste including

mixed paper and post-consumer plastics (plastics thrown away by consumers). In

addition, some other types of waste, including all other paper and plastics exports, will

have to meet a reduced acceptable contamination level of 0.5% from March 2018

China’s decision has a global impact, including in the UK. 3.7 million tonnes of plastic

waste are created in the UK in a single year. Of that total, the UK exports 0.8 million

tonnes to countries around the world, of which 0.4 million tonnes is sent to China (incl.

Hong Kong). In comparison, other countries including Germany (0.6 million tonnes),

Japan and the US (both 1.5 million tonnes) export more plastic to China for reprocessing

than the UK. The UK also exports 3.7 million tonnes of paper waste to China (incl. Hong

Kong), out of 9.1 million tonnes of paper waste in total. In comparison, the US exports

12.8 million tonnes of paper waste to China

Since China announced its intentions on 18 July 2017, ministers have worked with

industry, the Environment Agency, WRAP, the devolved administrations and

representatives from local government to understand the potential impact of the ban and

the action that needs to be taken. We have engaged internationally to understand the

scale and scope of China’s waste restrictions. The UK Government raised the issue with

the EU in September. Alongside four other members, the EU subsequently questioned

the proposals at the WTO in October

Domestically, the government and the Environment Agency took steps last year to ensure

that operators were clear on their duties to handle waste in light of China’s proposals.

The Environment Agency issued fresh guidance to exporters, stating that any waste

which does not meet China’s new criteria will be stopped, in the same way as banned

waste going to any other country. There is evidence that some operators have already

been finding alternative export markets in response to the Chinese restrictions. Data for

the third quarter of last year showed increases in exports of plastics to Turkey, Taiwan,

Vietnam and Malaysia and increases in exports of paper to Turkey, Taiwan and Vietnam

Operators must continue to manage waste on their sites in accordance with the permit

conditions issued by the Environment Agency. Where export markets or domestic

reprocessing are not available, the process chosen to manage waste must be the one

that minimises the environmental impact of treatment as fully as possible and follows the

waste hierarchy. This requires operators to ensure that where waste cannot be prevented

or reused it is recycled where practicable, before considering energy recovery through

incineration or the last resort of disposal to landfill

http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-statement/Commons/2018-01-08/HCWS391/


I recognise that China’s decision will cause some issues in the short term for recycling in

the UK. We will continue to work closely with industry, the Environment Agency, local

authorities and all interested parties to manage those issues. The Government remains

committed to maximising the value we get from our resources, and is already assessing

how we handle our waste in the UK in the longer term

Tackling waste has been a top priority for the government. In July, I announced in my

speech at the World Wildlife Fund our intention to publish a new Resources and Waste

Strategy later this year. The Clean Growth Strategy, published on 12 October 2017, set

out our ambition for zero avoidable waste by 2050 and announced we are exploring

changes to the producer responsibility scheme. In December I chaired an industry

roundtable on plastics and outlined my four point plan for tackling plastic waste: cutting

the total amount of plastic in circulation; reducing the number of different plastics in use;

improving the rate of recycling; supporting comprehensive and frequent rubbish and

recycling collections, and making it easier for individuals to know what goes into the

recycling bin and what goes into general rubbish.

This builds on action the government has already taken to reduce waste. Our 5p charge

on plastic bags has taken 9 billion bags out of circulation, reducing usage by 83%. On

Tuesday 9 January, our world-leading ban on the manufacture of personal care products

containing plastic microbeads comes into force. In October 2017 we announced a call for

evidence on managing single use drinks containers and our working group will report to

Ministers early this year. We are working with HMT on a call for evidence in 2018 seeking

views on how the tax system or charges could reduce the amount of single use plastics

waste. And under the Waste Infrastructure Delivery Programme the government will have

committed £3bn by 2042, supporting investment in a range of facilities to keep waste out

of landfill and increase recycling levels

China’s decision underlines the need for progress in all these areas. In particular, we

must reduce the amount of waste we produce overall and in particular the amount we

export to be dealt with elsewhere. We will set out further steps in the coming weeks and

months to achieve these goals, including in our forthcoming 25 Year Environment Plan.

HEALTH

Conclusions of the Employment, Social Policy, Health and Consumer Affairs

(Health) Council: 8 December 2017

Minister of State for Health (Mr Philip Dunne): [HCWS393]

My hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Health (Lord

O'Shaughnessy) has made the following statement:

The Employment, Social Policy, Health and Consumer Affairs (Health) Council met on 8

December 2017 in Brussels. The UK was represented at the Health Council by Lord

O’Shaughnessy, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Health.


There were three main agenda items; the Draft Council Conclusions on Health in Digital

Society; the Draft Council Conclusions on the cross border aspects in alcohol policy; and

Pharmaceutical Policy in the EU. There were a number of ‘any other business’ items.

The council conclusions on both Digital Health and Tackling the Harmful use of Alcohol

were formally agreed and adopted at the Ministerial Health Council. On digital health the

Commission welcomed the rapid implementation of the EU’s e-health infrastructure and

clear public support for the sharing of health data. On cross border aspects of alcohol

policy, the Commission highlighted their commitment to supporting Member States’

efforts in tackling the harmful use of alcohol, acknowledging most powers are held at

national level but emphasising commitment to deal with issues in a proportionate manner

at EU level. The Presidency and Commission acknowledged the recent ruling on

Scotland’s minimum unit pricing policy and the UK government stated they would closely

watch implementation in Scotland and keep the policy in England under review. The UK

welcomed the Presidency’s work on alcohol policy, which needed to respect differences

between circumstances in Member States.

Under the ‘Pharmaceutical Policy in the EU’ agenda item, the Commission provided an

update on current work including an evaluation of pharmaceutical incentives and

proposals planned for 2018 on Health Technology Assessment (HTA). A number of

Member States outlined problems resulting in medicines shortages and the high prices of

pharmaceuticals. The Netherlands and Belgium both outlined the benefits of the current

BeNeLuxA initiative where Member States could opt to work together on pharmaceutical

pricing or on joint horizon scanning work.

As part of the AOBs, the UK thanked the Estonians for hosting the event in Brussels on

AMR attended by Dame Sally Davies, UK Chief Medical Officer. Belgium spoke about

medicinal products including Valproate and risks for pregnant women and whether

pictograms should be used. There were also brief discussions on the State of Health in

the EU, the Annual Growth Survey 2018, and the Steering Group on Health Promotion,

Disease Prevention and Management of Non-Communicable Diseases.

Finally, Bulgaria outlined their priorities for their upcoming Presidency in the area of

health including healthy eating particularly for children and tackling challenges in

pharmaceutical policy such as medicine shortages.

HOME OFFICE

Surveillance Camera Commissioner – Annual Report

The Minister of State for Policing and the Fire Service (Mr Nick Hurd):

[HCWS392]

My rt hon Friend the Home Secretary has today laid before the House a copy of the

2016/17 annual report of the Surveillance Camera Commissioner, as required by Section

35 of the Protection of Freedoms Act 2012. The report is available from the Vote Office

and will also be published on the Commissioner’s website.



The Surveillance Camera Commissioner is an independent role appointed under Section

34 of the Protection of Freedoms Act 2012 to encourage compliance with the surveillance

camera code of practice, review the operation of the code, and provide advice about the

code (including changes to it or breaches of it).

The current Commissioner is Tony Porter, whose term of appointment is set until 10

March 2020.

Documents

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