Daily Report Thursday, 19 October 2017 CONTENTSqnadailyreport.blob.core.windows.net/qnadailyreportxml/...2017/10/19 · Daily Report Thursday, 19 October 2017 This report shows written

Daily Report Thursday, 19 October 2017

This report shows written answers and statements provided on 19 October 2017 and the

information is correct at the time of publication (06:30 P.M., 19 October 2017). For the latest

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

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

CONTENTS

ANSWERS 6

BUSINESS, ENERGY AND

INDUSTRIAL STRATEGY 6

Bombardier: USA 6

Construction: Equality 6

Department for Business,

Energy and Industrial Strategy:

Iron and Steel 6

Energy: Housing 7

Energy: Prices 8

Fracking: Ryedale 9

Hinkley Point C Power Station:

South Wales 9

Homebase: Closures 10

Job Creation: North East 11

Petroleum (Production)

Regulations 1966 11

Renewable Energy 11

CABINET OFFICE 12

Absent Voting 12

Action Fraud: Finance 12

Brexit 13

Cabinet Office: Disclosure of

Information 13

Cabinet Office: Procurement 14

Crown Commercial Service:

Procurement 14

Data Protection 14

Electoral Register 15

Electoral Register: British

Nationals Abroad 16

Electronic Government: Proof

of Identity 16

GDS Advisory Board 17

General Election 2017: Costs 17

Government Departments:

Buildings 17

Government Departments:

Sign Language 18

Local Government: Elections 18

New Businesses: Bolton 19

Public Sector: Equality 19

Public Sector: Pay 22

Referendums 23

Zero Hours Contracts:

Blackburn with Darwen 23

TREASURY 23

Alcoholic Drinks: Excise Duties 23

Bank Services 24

Child Tax Credit 24

Gaming Machines 25

Revenue and Customs:

Cornwall 25

http://www.parliament.uk/writtenanswers

Revenue and Customs: Staff 25

Social Services: Minimum

Wage 26

UK Trade with EU 26

COMMUNITIES AND LOCAL

GOVERNMENT 27

Affordable Housing and

Shared Ownership Schemes 27

Department for Communities

and Local Government: Iron

and Steel 27

EU Grants and Loans: Wales 28

High Rise Flats: Fire

Prevention 28

Housing Estates:

Regeneration 28

Housing: Carbon Emissions 29

Housing: Solar Power 29

Mayors: Sheffield City Region 30

Social Services: Finance 30

DEFENCE 31

Armed Forces 31

Armed Forces: Compensation 34

Armed Forces: Recruitment 34

Cyprus: Military Bases 35

Defence and Aerospace

Industry: North West 35

Gulf War Syndrome 36

HMS Duncan 36

Law of War 36

North Korea: Nuclear

Weapons 36

NSA/CSS Georgia: Staff 37

USA: Counter-terrorism 37

USA: Military Aid 38

Yemen: Counter-terrorism 38

DIGITAL, CULTURE, MEDIA AND

SPORT 38

Cultural Heritage: Finance 38

Cultural Heritage: Security 38

Food: Advertising 39

Public Libraries: Closures 39

S4C: Reviews 40

Tourism 40

EDUCATION 40

Apprentices 40

Apprentices: Finance 41

Apprentices: Older People 43

Children: Day Care 44

Graduates: Disadvantaged 46

National Careers Service 46

Pre-school Education: Pupil

Premium 47

Pre-school Education: Staff 47

Schools: Vocational Guidance 47

Teachers: Training 48

ENVIRONMENT, FOOD AND

RURAL AFFAIRS 48

Agriculture 48

Agriculture: Animal Welfare

and Antibiotics 48

Agriculture: Seasonal Workers 49

Animal Welfare: Convictions 49

Common Fisheries Policy 50

Dogs: Animal Breeding 51

European Chemicals Agency 51

Fisheries 52

Fisheries: North Sea 52

Flood Control: Greenwich 52

National Institute of

Agricultural Botany 53

Packaging 54

Pets: Shops 54

Plastics 54

Timber: EU Law 55

Tree Planting: Urban Areas 55

EXITING THE EUROPEAN

UNION 55

Department for Exiting the

European Union: Secondment 55

UK relations with EU 56

FOREIGN AND

COMMONWEALTH OFFICE 57

Andargachew Tsege 57

Iran: Baha'i Faith 57

Iran: Human Rights 58

Iran: Nuclear Weapons 58

Iran: Political Prisoners 59

Libya: Politics and

Government 59

Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe 59

South Sudan: Abduction 60

Syria: Politics and Government 61

USA: Counter-terrorism 61

USA: North Korea 61

HEALTH 62

AAT Deficiency: Health

Services 62

Abortion Act 1967 62

Atrial Fibrillation 63

Cancer 64

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome 64

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome:

Further Education 65

Diabetes and Hypertension:

Pharmacy 65

Diets: Drugs 66

Drugs: Blackpool 66

Drugs: Rehabilitation 67

Eating Disorders: Children 67

Eating Disorders: Scotland 68

Electronic Cigarettes:

Advertising 68

Emergency Calls: East Sussex 69

Familial

Hypercholesterolaemia 69

Health Services: Tyne and

Wear 70

Hepatitis 70

Hospital Beds 71

Influenza: Health Services 72

Medical Treatments:

Innovation 72

Meningitis: Vaccination 72

Mental Health Services:

Children 73

Mental Health Services:

Children and Young People 74

Mental Health Services: Staff 75

NHS: Reorganisation 76

Obesity: Children 77

Obesity: Surgery 78

Patients: Transport 78

Pharmacy: Medical Records 78

Sugar 79

Sugar: Consumption 80

HOME OFFICE 80

Crime: Finance 80

Immigrants: Detainees 81

Police: Finance 81

Radicalism 82

HOUSE OF COMMONS

COMMISSION 82

Elizabeth Tower: Repairs and

Maintenance 82

INTERNATIONAL

DEVELOPMENT 83

Malaria 83

INTERNATIONAL TRADE 83

Exports: EU Countries 83

JUSTICE 84

European Protection Orders 84

Family Proceedings 85

Juries: Hearing Impaired 85

Legal Aid Scheme: Domestic

Violence 85

Probation 86

Probation: Gloucestershire 86

Probation: Meetings 87

SCOTLAND 88

Food Banks: Scotland 88

TRANSPORT 88

Airports: Northern Cyprus 88

ATOL 88

Bus Services: Franchises 89

Crossrail 2 Line: Haringey 89

Harbour Authorities 90

Navigation 90

Ports: Navigation 90

Railway Stations: Access 91

Railway Stations: Disability 91

Railways: North East 92

Road Traffic Control 92

Shared Spaces: Disability 93

Taxis: Guide Dogs 93

WALES 94

EU Grants and Loans: Wales 94

WOMEN AND EQUALITIES 94

Members: Females 94

WORK AND PENSIONS 94

Department for Work and

Pensions: Correspondence 94

Department for Work and

Pensions: Telephone Services 95

Employment and Support

Allowance: County Durham 95

Local Housing Allowance 95

Social Security Benefits: Debts 96

Social Security Benefits: EU

Nationals 96

State Retirement Pensions:

Females 96

Universal Credit: Payments 97

Universal Credit: Self-

employed 97

Universal Credit: Telephone

Services 98

Wheels to Work Schemes:

Rural Areas 98

Work Capability Assessment:

Exemptions 98

MINISTERIAL CORRECTIONS 100

INTERNATIONAL TRADE 100

Exports: EU Countries 100

WRITTEN STATEMENTS 102

TREASURY 102

Banking Act 2009 reporting 102

DEFENCE 102

Service Complaints

Ombudsman's 2016 Annual

Report - Ministry of Defence

Response 102

HOME OFFICE 102

Public consultation on defining

antique firearms 102

NORTHERN IRELAND 103

Northern Ireland Update 103

TRANSPORT 104

High Speed Rail (Preparation)

Act 2013, Annual Expenditure

Report for 2016-17 104

Roads 105

WORK AND PENSIONS 106

Agenda of the Employment,

Social Policy, Health and

Consumer Affairs Council

(EPSCO), 19 October 2017,

Luxembourg 106

Notes:

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

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

oral question and has since been unstarred.

ANSWERS

BUSINESS, ENERGY AND INDUSTRIAL STRATEGY

Bombardier: USA

Mark Tami: [107943]

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

representations he and his Cabinet colleagues made to (a) their counterparts in the US

Administration and (b) US industry on subsidies provided by Washington State for

Boeing's Dreamliner.

Richard Harrington:

The European Union has competency for all trade matters that involve the WTO and

while we have been closely engaged with the Commission they led all the

negotiations and arguments concerning the case regarding Washington State’s

support for Boeings Dreamliner.

Construction: Equality

Chi Onwurah: [107987]

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

the Government is taking to promote (a) gender and (b) racial diversity in the construction

industry.

Margot James:

The Government is committed to supporting the construction sector to increase the

gender and ethnic diversity of its workforce, to ensure there are opportunities for all

who wish to pursue construction careers, regardless of their background. The

Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) has developed a ‘Be Fair’ framework,

which includes freely available fairness and inclusion training modules for

construction firms.

In addition, CITB’s careers hub, ‘Go Construct’, provides online guidance and case

studies for prospective employees - and employers - on a range of diversity topics,

including gender and race. We are engaged in discussions with the sector as to how

further improvements in its diversity can best be achieved.

Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy: Iron and Steel

Nic Dakin: [105703]

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

the Answer of 11 September 2017 to Question 9980, on iron and steel: procurement,

what progress his Department has made on delivering greater UK steel content in line

with the public procurement guidelines published by the Government in April 2016.

http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2017-10-16/107943



Claire Perry:

All public authorities are required to implement government guidelines that set out

how government buyers should source steel for major projects so that the true value

of UK steel is taken into account in major procurement decisions.

We are currently checking that central government departments are implementing the

guidelines in their procurement decisions. We have also published future steel

requirements to 2020, to enable UK steel manufacturers to better plan and bid for

government contracts.

Energy: Housing

Mr Alan Campbell: [106662]


assessment he has made of the potential financial effect on consumers of implementation

of the recommendations set out in the Each Home Counts review.


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

Department has conducted an economic impact assessment of the recommendations set

out in the Each Home Counts review; and if he will make a statement.


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

industry members of the Each Home Counts implementation board receive a payment

from his Department.


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

cost to the public purse is of the Each Home Counts review.


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

the dates when he and Ministers of his Department met the Each Home Counts

implementation board since December 2016.


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

taking to steps to ensure that gas-safe registered installers are not required to undertake

additional work as a result of the Each Home Counts review.


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

is taking to ensure that the Each Home Counts implementation board has no financial

interest in the outcome of its recommendations.










has taken to consult gas-safe registered installers on the Each Home Counts

implementation board's recommendations.


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

he has made of the total cost to industry of the quality mark proposals recommended by

the Each Home Counts implementation board.

Claire Perry:

The Each Home Counts review was an independent review, led by Dr. Peter

Bonfield, which published its report in December 2016. Implementation of Each

Home Counts is being led by industry, with the support of Government. All members

of the Implementation Board participate on a voluntary basis with no remuneration

and are required to declare any conflicts of interest. Where conflicts are identified

members are excluded from any decision making process in which they would have

an actual or perceived conflict. Ministers have not met with the Implementation Board

since December 2016, but Departmental officials are present at meetings as

observers.

The approach taken by the Board has been to encourage constructive stakeholder

participation and engage across the sector. A broad range of stakeholders have been

involved, including members representative of GasSafe installers.

One of the main recommendations from the Review was to establish a quality mark

for retrofit energy efficiency and renewable energy measures, and for companies

operating in this sector.

It is for industry to propose how the new quality mark framework will be structured

and financed. As indicated in the Review it is intended that action build on good

practice so reducing bureaucracy and potential duplication and reducing cost for

industry and consumers overall.

The Each Home Counts review recognised that there is already good practice in the

sector and many organisations operate to high standards. Where the quality mark

requirements are already being met, companies will be able to apply to operate under

the quality mark without further improvements. There is no intention from

Government to make participation in the proposed Each Home Counts quality mark

mandatory for any business or sector. As there is no regulatory requirement,

Government does not plan to conduct a dedicated economic impact assessment for

Each Home Counts.

Energy: Prices

Mr Jim Cunningham: [107746]


assessment his Department has made of the effectiveness of competition conditions for




domestic supply contracts within the retail energy market; and if he will make a

statement.

Margot James:

Since 2010, the number of domestic energy suppliers in the UK has increased from

13 to over 60 and independent suppliers now have over 20% share of the dual fuel

market. In addition, almost 3 million electricity and gas switches took place between

January and July this year.

However, the Competition and Markets Authority has found that millions of domestic

energy customers were paying around £1.4 billion annually more than they would if

the market were functioning effectively. On 12 October the Government published a

draft Bill for pre-legislative scrutiny that would require Ofgem to put in place a

temporary price cap on standard variable and default tariffs.

Fracking: Ryedale

Rebecca Long Bailey: [107816]

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

has made an assessment that (a) the relevant criteria for hydraulic fracturing consent

have been met for the KM8 wellsite in Ryedale, North Yorkshire and (b) it is appropriate

to grant hydraulic fracturing consent; and if he will make a statement.

Richard Harrington:

The Government is assessing and will respond appropriately in due course.

Hinkley Point C Power Station: South Wales

Nick Thomas-Symonds: [107973]

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

has had discussions with the Welsh Government on minimising any potential effect of

radioactive sediment from the Hinkley Point nuclear power plant on the South Wales

coastline.

Richard Harrington:

Licensing for marine disposal of sediments around the South Wales coastline is a

devolved matter for Natural Resources Wales and the Welsh Government. Nuclear

safety and environmental protection are of paramount importance to the UK

Government. The UK has a strong regulatory system and companies involved in the

civil nuclear industry are required to meet robust standards overseen by independent

regulators.



assessment he has made of the potential effect of radioactive sediment from the Hinkley

Point nuclear power plant on the South Wales coastline.




Richard Harrington:






regulators.


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

to ensure the safety of the South Wales coastline in relation to potential effect of

radioactive sediment from the Hinkley Point nuclear power plant.

Richard Harrington:






regulators.

Homebase: Closures

Jo Swinson: [107755]

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

the Government is offering to the employees affected by the closure of some Homebase

stores.

Margot James:

We have mobilised Jobcentre Plus’s Rapid response Service to help workers get

back into employment as soon as possible. This service is tailored to individuals’

needs and can include some or all of the following:

- Help with job searches, including CV writing and interview skills;

- Help to identify transferable skills and skills gaps, linked to the local labour market;

- Training to update skills, learn new ones and gain industry recognised certification

that will improve employability;

- Help to overcome barriers to attending training, securing a job or self-employment,

such as child care costs, tools, work clothes and travel costs.

It is worth noting that in June, Bunnings, the owner of Homebase, announced plans

to create over 1,000 new jobs in the UK.



Job Creation: North East

Mr Stephen Hepburn: [107348]


is taking to support job creation schemes in (a) Jarrow constituency, (b) South Tyneside

and (c) the North East.

Margot James:

Through the North East LEP Growth Deal we are supporting economic development

with £379.6m of Local Growth Fund, including that for the International Advanced

Manufacturing Park, partly in your constituency. The North East LEP estimates that

their Growth Deal will lead to the creation of 8,000 jobs.

In addition to this we have agreed two City Deals. One for Newcastle with a £90m

infrastructure programme, and one for Sunderland and South Tyneside worth

£87.5m, which Sunderland City council predict will create 5,200 jobs.

Across England, Growth Hubs provide businesses with access to tailored local advice

and support to help them grow. Within the North East this has provided nearly 1,200

businesses with coaching and support.

It is also worth noting that there are over 55,000 more people in employment in the

North East LEP area than the equivalent period in 2010.

Petroleum (Production) Regulations 1966

Rachael Maskell: [107959]

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

have been made to the Model Clauses incorporated in PL080 Licence from the

Petroleum (Production) Regulations 1966.

Richard Harrington:

The model clauses incorporated into the Licence are those deriving from Schedule 3

of The Petroleum (Production) Regulations 1966 as set out in Schedule 3 of the

Petroleum (Current Model Clauses) Order 1999.

Renewable Energy

Mr Laurence Robertson: [107323]


is taking to increase the amount of electricity generated from renewable sources.

Richard Harrington:

[Holding answer 17 October 2017]: In 2016, renewables share of total generation

was nearly 25% of UK electricity generation, and we are on track to meet our

ambition of delivering 30% of the UK’s electricity from renewables in 2020-21. Recent

steps to continue this progress include the latest Contracts for Difference round in

which we secured a further 3.3GW of renewable electricity, enough to power 3.6

million homes.




Just last week I was pleased to announce that up to £557 million will be made

available for less established renewable electricity projects as part of the

government’s Clean Growth Strategy, to drive economic growth and clean up the

energy system. The next Contracts for Difference auction is planned for spring 2019.

CABINET OFFICE

Absent Voting

Cat Smith: [105247]

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will assess the merits of introducing a

process to cancel a postal ballot paper issued to an elector who is subsequently deleted

from the electoral register during an election period.

Chris Skidmore:

Electoral law is clear that a person must be included in the register of electors for a

poll in order to be entitled to vote at that poll. The Government recognises that it is

possible for postal ballot papers to be issued to a postal voter who may subsequently

be removed from the register to be used at the poll. We will look to review the current

provisions on the cancellation of postal ballot papers to see whether improvements

can be made to the law in this area.

Action Fraud: Finance


To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the National Cyber Security

Strategy, how much funding has been allocated to the Action Fraud helpline.

Caroline Nokes:

In November 2016 the Government published a new five year National Cyber

Security Strategy 2016 - 2021, which defines our vision and ambition for the future: a

UK that is secure and resilient to cyber threats. The strategy is being implemented

through the National Cyber Security Programme (NCSP), which allocates

transformative investment to lead government departments to support delivery of the

objectives set out in the strategy.

In 2017/18, we have committed £30 million of NCSP money for law enforcement and

combating cyber crime. Of this, £4,801,300 has been allocated to the City of London

Police, which includes £3,200,000 funding specifically for Action Fraud.

In 2016/17, the City of London Police received £3,153,296 NCSP funding, of which

£2,775,000 was spent on funding for Action Fraud.

The Home Office also separately funds the Action Fraud/ National Fraud Intelligence

Bureau (NFIB) capability. In 2016/17 this totalled £7,443,000. £8 million has been

allocated to this capability in 2017/18.



Brexit

Dr Matthew Offord: [105381]

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, which Minister authorised the Cabinet

Secretary to discuss the comments made by Lord Maude on the UK leaving the EU with

the media.

Damian Green:

It is not unusual for the Cabinet Secretary and Head of the Civil Service to comment

publicly on matters relating to the management of the Civil Service. Information

relating to internal discussion and advice is not disclosed.

Cabinet Office: Disclosure of Information

Jon Trickett: [105075]

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what steps he has taken to facilitate

whistleblowing in his Department and its arm-length bodies.

Caroline Nokes:

Over the last year a great deal of work has been undertaken in Cabinet Office to

ensure all staff are confident in raising whistleblowing concerns and assured that

action will be taken as a result. This includes:

A new whistleblowing and raising concerns policy was introduced in July 2016,

bringing the department in line with cross government best practice. This policy

gives a clear outline of how to raise a whistleblowing concern in the department.

6 Nominated Officers have been trained over the last year and are currently in post

to support staff and managers with raising whistleblowing concerns as an

independent person. 3 additional Nominated Officers are to be trained in the next

two months to ensure coverage in larger units as well as those units that may need

to approach someone with higher security clearance.

A DG whistleblowing champion was put in place in October 2017.

Cabinet Office’s bespoke line manager training course includes a section that

covers whistleblowing and how to deal with a whistleblowing concern as a line

manager.

Cabinet Office took part in the cross government whistleblowing awareness week

in October 2016 and whistleblowing awareness day in September 2017.

A new ‘Speak Up’ campaign was launched in April 2017 aimed at encouraging staff

to raise all types of concerns. This campaign was refreshed in September 2017.

The Civil Service Commission attended a recent all staff diversity event to raise

awareness of their part in hearing whistleblowing concerns under the Civil Service

code.

Data is regularly collected and reviewed on numbers and types of concerns raised

to inform continuous action and communications.



Further communications are planned throughout the year to ensure on-going

awareness of the ways individuals can raise whistleblowing concerns.

Cabinet Office: Procurement


To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many civil servants in his Department are

part of the Government Commercial Function; and how many of those civil servants have

been seconded (a) outside of government and (b) in from outside of the government in

each year since 2012.

Caroline Nokes:

The Government Commercial Function is staffed by employees working across many

Civil Service Departments. Within the Cabinet Office as at 30 th September 2017,

there are 27.5 FTE in the Government Commercial Function who set the vision and

direction of the Government Commercial Function and support the running of the

Government Commercial Organisation.

The Government Commercial Organisation (GCO), founded in 2016, is the Central

employer of senior Commercial staff across the Civil Service. As at 30 th September

2017 it employs 220 people as part of the Cabinet Office. Members of the GCO all sit

within government departments, working on commercial contracts within those

departments. Two members of the GCO are out on secondment, to MHRA and

NEST. No members of the GCO have been seconded in to the Civil Service.

Crown Commercial Service: Procurement


To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 12 September 2017

to Question 7708, on Crown Commercial Service: procurement, what the two contracts

were where the tender ran for longer than one year.

Caroline Nokes:

The two procurements that took longer to award than twelve months in 2013-14 were

ConsultancyOne (RM 1502) and Locum Doctors including Locum GPs (RM 1570).

Data Protection

Stephen Timms: [105171]

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what assessment he has made of the effect on

UK data privacy legislation of not incorporating into UK law, Article 8 of the EU Charter of

Fundamental Rights.

Caroline Nokes:

The UK has a long history of protecting the rights of its citizens, and we intend to

continue to protect those rights through our domestic legislation. The Data Protection

Bill will set high standards for protecting personal data in accordance with the GDPR.




We will continue to provide a world-class standard of data protection after we leave

the European Union

The removal of the Charter from UK law should not affect the substantive rights that

individuals already benefit from in the UK when their data are processed. The Charter

is not the source of rights contained within it, it was intended only to catalogue rights

that already existed in EU law. The Government has committed to implementing the

GDPR, which affords individuals judicial redress in the event of a data breach.

Electoral Register

Cat Smith: [105248]

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will assess the merits of clarifying the

arrangements around deferring publication of the electoral register where an election

occurs during the defined canvass period.

Chris Skidmore:

The Government recognises that greater clarity could be provided on deferring

publication of the electoral register under these circumstances. We will keep the

matter under review and address it when the opportunity arises.

Cat Smith: [107936]

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how much funding was allocated by the

Government to support (a) the registration of UK electors overseas and (b) residents

without a fixed address in advance of the (i) 2017 General Election, (ii) EU referendum

and (iii) 2015 General Election.

Chris Skidmore:

Most funding for electoral registration is the responsibility of local authorities.

However, in recent years (including all the years in question) the Cabinet Office has

made available extra funding to cover the additional costs of Individual Electoral

Registration. Such funding will have assisted with the cost of any targeted canvassing

of groups such as those without a fixed address or overseas electors. However it is

not possible to estimate the specific costs of such activity.

Cat Smith: [107937]

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

consistency in Unique Property Reference Numbers for the database used by councils

and the gov.uk/register-to-vote website.

Chris Skidmore:

Citizens applying to register to vote using the Government website must enter their

address. After verification, citizen applications are passed to Electoral Registration

Officers. The record passed to each ERO includes the Unique Property Reference

Number (UPRN) drawn from an Ordnance Survey database. It is up to each ERO

how to make use of this UPRN.




Cat Smith: [107941]

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will make it his policy to establish an

online service to enable people to check if they are registered to vote.

Chris Skidmore:

Determining an individual’s registration status is the responsibility of Electoral

Registration Officers and only EROs hold up-to- date information allowing a citizen to

check if they are registered. This means that citizens can contact their local electoral

administration office to make enquiries about registration status.

Making information about registration status available on-line on a national basis

would be a significant undertaking and we have no current plans to introduce such a

system. It may be more appropriate for EROs to work with their software suppliers to

make registers available for checking on-line.

Electoral Register: British Nationals Abroad

Cat Smith: [107938]

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what safeguards are in place to ensure that

people registered to vote outside of the UK do not register in more than one

parliamentary constituency.

Chris Skidmore:

British citizens outside the UK can only register as an overseas elector in the

constituency in which they were registered to vote, provided that entry was in force

within 15 years of them making an overseas elector's declaration. Section 2(4)

of the Representation of the People Act 1985 prevents a person from specifying more

than one address on the declaration; and also prevents a person from having more

than one declaration in force at any one time.

Registration Officers have the power to request information required to prove this.

Providing false information to a registration officer is an offence and for England and

Wales can result in up to 51 weeks imprisonment or an unlimited fine, and for

Scotland up to 6 months imprisonment or a maximum fine of £5,000.

Electronic Government: Proof of Identity


To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the Answer of 15 December

2016 to Question 57073, what the cost to the public purse of the gov.uk Verify system

has been to date.

Caroline Nokes:

There are no more recent audited figures than those published in the answer of 15

December 2016 to Question 57073, GOV.UK Verify has cost £54.4m to develop and

has saved £111.44m.




GDS Advisory Board

Andrew Gwynne: [107256]


to Question 6989, for what reason the Government Digital Service Advisory Board has

not met since January 2017.



to Question 6989, whether there is a timetable for quarterly meetings of the Government

Digital Service Advisory Board.

Caroline Nokes:

A combination of factors has meant that the GDS Advisory Board has not met since

January 2017. In particular, GDS deemed it sensible to wait until the outcome of the

general election before convening a meeting of the GDS Advisory Board to

understand fully any impacts on future priorities

A meeting was scheduled for 9 October but due to a lack of board member

availability, this is being rescheduled to early November. There is a provisional date

for a further meeting on 22 January 2018 but at present there is not a timetable for

future quarterly meetings beyond this.

General Election 2017: Costs

Darren Jones: [106643]

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what was the cost to the public purse of

holding the general election 2017.

Chris Skidmore:

The Parliamentary Secretary at the Cabinet Office notified Parliament of the forecast

cost of the UK general election of £140,850,000 in a Written Ministerial Statement on

13 September 2017 (Hansard Volume 628, reference HCWS130).

Government Departments: Buildings


To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how the Government Property Unit calculated

that 75 per cent of staff will relocate to a hub less than 10 miles from their current office

and that 90 per cent will relocate within 25 miles, as set out in the National Audit Office

report Progress on the government estate strategy.

Caroline Nokes:

The Government Hubs Programme will consolidate office space in locations with a

significant Civil Service presence.

The location of a strategic hub is based on rigorous criteria including excellent

connections to a range of local and national public transport options to ensure that it

is accessible.





Moreover, they are chosen in consultation with the major departmental occupiers

planned for that Hub, to ensure that it meets their workforce and operational

requirements.

The percentages quoted in the NAO report were based on GPU’s assessment, at the

time, of the proposed capacity of a new hub and the number of staff based in offices

within a 10- and 25-mile radius of the city centres (where Hubs are planned to be).

Moreover, the locations are chosen in consultation with the major departmental

occupiers planned for that Hub, to ensure that it meets their workforce and

operational requirements.


To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether his Department has a target for the

number of homes to be built on disposed of Government estate assets.

Caroline Nokes:

The Cabinet Office has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question

within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as

soon as it is available.

Government Departments: Sign Language

Jim Fitzpatrick: [9795]

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, which Government (a) department and (b)

Minister is responsible for the promotion and recognition of British Sign Language.

Caroline Nokes:

Under the Equality Act 2010 and Public Sector Equality Duty, all Government

departments have a responsibility to create inclusive communications. This does not

mean promoting BSL as an activity in itself but it does mean identifying and meeting

the communication needs of the audiences we are targeting (for example, where

formats could include Braille, BSL, easy read etc).

Local Government: Elections

Chris Green: [108084]

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what steps the Government has taken to

implement the recommendations of Sir Eric Pickles' review of electoral fraud entitled

Securing the ballot, not including the voter ID pilots planned for the May 2018 local

elections.

Chris Skidmore:

The Government’s view is that electoral fraud is unacceptable on any level. Sir Eric

Pickles’ review made a number of recommendations for strengthening the integrity of

the electoral process. In addition to the voter ID pilots taking place in the May 2018

elections, Tower Hamlets will also pilot changes to postal voting. The Government is

also seeking to end the practice of postal vote harvesting through measures that will

prohibit party campaigners from handling postal votes, and apply a limit to the




number of postal ballots that any one individual can hand in at a polling station.

Additionally, the Electoral Commission has addressed 7 recommendations through

guidance in response to the Pickles Review.

The Government is considering the way forward on the other recommendations made

by Sir Eric Pickles, and will continue to consider how to improve the integrity of

electoral processes more generally.

New Businesses: Bolton

Sir David Crausby: [105762]

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what information the Government holds on the

number of new businesses that were established in Bolton in the most recent year for

which figures are available.

Chris Skidmore:

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

I have asked the Authority to reply.

Attachments:

1. UKSA response [PQ 105762 v.03 (1).pdf]

Public Sector: Equality

Afzal Khan: [107215]

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, which (a) groups and (b) organisations were

involved in stakeholder consultation exercises as part of the Race Disparity Audit, broken

down by (i) sector, (ii) race and (iii) ethnicity.

Damian Green:

[Holding answer 17 October 2017]: All UK Government Departments, the Office for

National Statistics, the UK Statistics Authority and all three Devolved Administrations

have been consulted about the development of the Audit. Outside organisations

consulted about the Race Disparity Audit are listed below. Data is not held on the

race or ethnicity of individuals who were consulted.

Academic sector

Academy Of Medical Sciences

Birkbeck College, University of London

Bristol University

British Academy

Huddersfield University

London School of Economics

NatCen Social Research

Royal Society



Sheffield University

Universities UK

University of Edinburgh

University of Essex

University of London

University of Manchester

University of Oxford

University of Sheffield

Non-Government Organisations

Belong

BEMIS Scotland

Big Lottery Fund

Bite the Ballot

Black Thrive

Black Training and Enterprise Group

BME Health Forum

BRAP

British Heart Foundation

Business in the Community

Cancer Research UK

CEMVO Scotland

Changing the Chemistry (CtC)

Chinese Health Living Centre

Citizens Advice

Data Orchard

Education and Employers Taskforce

Employers Network for Equality and Inclusion

Equality and Diversity Forum

Equality and Human Rights Commission

Friends, Families and Travellers

FullFact

Gypsy Traveller Empowerment

Inclusion Cornwall

Institute for Public Policy Research

Joseph Rowntree Foundation

Kings Fund

National Black Women’s Network

Northern Ireland Council for Racial Equality

Office for Fair Access

Olmec

One Voice For Travellers

Open Data Institute

Operation Black Vote

QED UK

Race Equality Foundation

Race on the Agenda

RJ Working

Roma Support Group

Royal Academy of Engineering

Royal College of Psychiatrists

Runnymede Trust

St Giles Trust

The Leeds GATE

Voice 4 Change

Work Foundation

Young Foundation

Private sector

Green Park Ltd

Public sector

Bradford City Council

Bradford College

Bradford Health and Well Being Board

Camden Council

City of London Academies Trust

Cornwall Council

Greater London Authority

Hackney Council

Haringey Council

Harris Federation

Higher Education Funding Council for England

Lambeth Council

Office for Students

NHS BME Network

NHS Kernow Clinical Commissioning Group

NHS Yorkshire and Humber Commissioning Support

Royal Cornwall Hospital Trust

Sheffield Council

South London and Maudsley NHS Trust

Public Sector: Pay

Jo Churchill: [7458]

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what assessment the Government has made

of publishing details of all public sector pay above the £100,000 threshold for which it

holds the relevant information.

Caroline Nokes:

The Civil Service aims to be as transparent as possible, and already discloses a

significant amount of senior pay data. The Office for National Statistics publishes a

range of detailed pay information in its annual release of Civil Service Statistics,

including the number of staff earning over £100,000 and other pay information. The

latest release is available at:

https://www.ons.gov.uk/employmentandlabourmarket/peopleinwork/publicsectorperso

nnel/datasets/civilservicestatistics

In addition, since 2010 the Government has published an annual list of individuals in

departments, agencies and Non-departmental Public Bodies earning £150,000 and

above. Departments also publish organograms every six months that include

individualised salary information for their most senior staff

Relevant departments are responsible for transparency policy in wider public sector

workforces.


Referendums

Cat Smith: [105239]

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will bring forward proposals to provide for

the appointment of sub-agents at any future national referendum.

Chris Skidmore:

Referendums held under the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000

(PPERA) have not previously allowed for sub-agents to be appointed by referendum

agents. We will consider this matter further with the Electoral Commission and the

Association of Electoral Administrators (AEA).

Zero Hours Contracts: Blackburn with Darwen

Kate Hollern: [105536]

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what proportion of employees in Blackburn

with Darwen were on zero hours contracts in each year for which data is available.

Chris Skidmore:

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

I have asked the Authority to reply.

Attachments:

1. UKSA response [PQ 105536 v.02 (1).pdf]

TREASURY

Alcoholic Drinks: Excise Duties

Tim Loughton: [107904]

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

the wine and spirit industry of the 3.9 per cent increase in duty paid.


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

support the wine and spirits industry after the UK leaves the EU.


To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will make it his policy to halt the planned

increases in wine and spirits duty.


To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will review the planned increases to the duty

applied to wines and spirits in the November budget.







Andrew Jones:

As for every Finance Bill measure, HMRC provided a Tax Impact Information Note

which included an impact assessment of alcohol duty changes. This can be found

online at:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/alcohol-duty-rate-changes/alcohol-duty-

rate-changes

The government keeps all taxes under review at fiscal events, and we will consider

this issue carefully as part of the Autumn Budget process. Any changes to alcohol

duties need to take account of a wide range of factors, including the Exchequer

impact, the impact on businesses and consumers, public health and the distributional

impact of reform.

Until exit negotiations are concluded, the UK remains a full member of the European

Union and all the rights and obligations of EU membership remain in force. We will

seek to achieve the right deal for Britain and for the EU.

Bank Services

Chi Onwurah: [107985]

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps the Government is taking to allow (a)

bank customers and (b) customers of open banking services greater control over their

banking data.

Stephen Barclay:

The Government laid the Payment Services Regulations on 19 July 2017, which

supports bank customers to take greater control over their data.

The Government is also working with the Open Banking Implementation Entity to

implement the CMA Retail Banking Market Investigation Order. The order facilitates

the introduction of a range of Open Banking services for bank customers from 2018.

Open Banking allows customers to exercise control over their data in a way that is

secure, safe and standardised.

Child Tax Credit

Melanie Onn: [107976]

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many kinship carers have been denied child

tax credit, for a baby to whom they or their partner have given birth, as a result of the

restriction of child tax credit to two children in a household since 6 April 2017.

Elizabeth Truss:

The government is committed to making the welfare system fair for those who pay for

it as well as those who benefit from it. In recognition that some tax credit claimants

are not able to make choices about the number of children in their family, the

government has provided exceptions for certain groups, including in cases of kinship

care.

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/alcohol-duty-rate-changes/alcohol-duty-rate-changes

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/alcohol-duty-rate-changes/alcohol-duty-rate-changes



Data on the exceptions is intended for publication at a future date following quality

assurance.

Gaming Machines


To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the potential fiscal effect is of reducing the

maximum stake on fixed odds betting terminals to (a) £2, (b) £10, (c) £20, (d) £30 and (e)

£100.

Andrew Jones:

Gambling regulation is a matter for the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

(DCMS) and the Gambling Commission. The DCMS are currently undertaking a

review of the Gambling Industry, and expect to publish a consultation document

shortly. As the DCMS develops policy in this area, HM Treasury will work closely with

them to establish the fiscal effect.

Revenue and Customs: Cornwall

Chris Stephens: [107911]

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to page 46 of HM Revenue and

Customs Annual Report and Accounts 2016-17, whether HM Revenue and Customs took

account of the minority status of the Cornish under the Framework Convention for the

Protection of National Minorities when it made location decisions under the Building our

Future Programme.

Mel Stride:

HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) conducted People and Equality Impact

Assessments using known workforce management data as part of the initial planning

for its Locations Programme.

All staff will have a one-to-one discussion with their manager around a year ahead of

any move. These discussions will establish if staff can move and the level of support

required, and the potential impact on people with protected characteristics, including

national origin.

HMRC’s approach considers all impacts across all of the groups protected under

equality legislation. It is continually assessing, managing and refreshing the

documenting of these impacts and associated actions.

Revenue and Customs: Staff


To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 11 September 2017 to

Question 6005, what plans HM Revenue and Customs has to conduct compliance work

nationally from a reduced number of tax offices.




Mel Stride:

HMRC has always taken a risk-based approach to its compliance interventions,

allowing it to focus its resources on the highest tax risks which it tackles through a

wide range of targeted compliance interventions.

This national risk-based model and compliance approach has enabled HMRC to

secure more than £160 billion in compliance yield since 2010. This amount increased

year-on-year as the model has been further refined, reaching a record £28.9 billion in

2016-17.

HMRC’s world-leading data and analytical function gives it an informed view of tax

risks across the whole of the UK; including geographically remote areas. All of the

available evidence shows that the highest compliance risks are in, or close to, urban

centres, and that 95 per cent of the highest risks are within 90 minutes’ drive of one

of the planned Regional Centres or Specialist Sites.

Although face-to-face compliance work will continue to have an important role, HMRC

will only use it where it is the most efficient way to progress an intervention or

regulatory requirement. As its use of data and customer insight continues to grow,

more of this work will be done remotely, supported by high-profile targeted taskforce

interventions that will enable it to address compliance risks in more remote locations.

Social Services: Minimum Wage

Paul Blomfield: [107910]

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what proportion of social care employers found

to be non-compliant with the national minimum wage have had arrears identified by self-

correction since January 2016.

Mel Stride:

The government is determined that everyone who is entitled to the National Minimum

and Living Wage (NMW) receives it. Anyone who feels they have been underpaid

NMW should contact the Acas helpline on 0300 123 1100. HMRC review all

complaints that are referred to them.

Between January 2016 and 31 March 2017, HMRC closed 102 social care employer

investigations where NMW arrears were identified. 42 employers out of this total

(41%) were instructed to self-correct a limited amount of the identified arrears. HMRC

does not provide in year data as this has not been verified, so data post 31 March

2017 cannot be provided at this time.

UK Trade with EU

Chuka Umunna: [107952]

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

additional bureaucratic requirements that will be imposed on British businesses in the

event that the UK leaves the Customs Union.



Mel Stride:

One of the government’s key objectives for the UK’s future customs regime is to

ensure that trade including that with the EU remains as frictionless as possible. At

this stage the level of future facilitation at the border between the UK and the EU is

unknown and subject to the outcome of negotiations. It is therefore not possible to

weigh up the costs and benefits to business.

The government is undertaking a comprehensive programme of analytical work to

assess, across a range of scenarios on a sector by sector basis, the economic

impacts of exiting the European Union, but this analysis is sensitive in the context of

negotiations with the EU. As Parliament has agreed, it would not be appropriate to

publish any such information that could damage our negotiating position.

COMMUNITIES AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT

Affordable Housing and Shared Ownership Schemes

Tulip Siddiq: [106205]

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

earmarked for the Shared Ownership and Affordable Homes Programme has been spent

since the scheme was announced in the Spending Review 2015.

Alok Sharma:

The Government launched the Affordable Homes Programme 2016-21 in April 2016.

Initial allocations made by the Homes and Communities Agencies under the

Programme can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/affordable-

homes-programme-2016-to-2021-successful-bidders

The Programme is delivered by the Greater London Authority (GLA) in London. The

GLA launched the Homes for Londoners: Affordable Homes Programme 2016-21 in

November 2016. Initial allocations made by the GLA can be found at:

https://www.london.gov.uk/press-releases/mayoral/record-17bn-deal-for-new-homes

Department for Communities and Local Government: Iron and Steel

Nic Dakin: [105704]

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

Answer of 11 September 2017 to Question 9980, on iron and steel: procurement, what

progress his Department has made on delivering greater UK steel content in line with the

public procurement guidelines published by the Government in April 2016.

Mr Marcus Jones:

Our procurement activities for all projects does and will follow government guidance

to ensure we take full account of the value provided by UK steel producers.


https://www.london.gov.uk/press-releases/mayoral/record-17bn-deal-for-new-homes


EU Grants and Loans: Wales

Jo Stevens: [107953]


Answer of 11 October 2017 to Question 105962, what the timetable is for the

establishment of the Shared Property Fund; and if he will make a statement.

Jake Berry:

The Government has committed to use European Structural Funds money that

comes back to the UK following departure from the EU to create a United Kingdom

Shared Prosperity Fund. We will set out a timetable for its development in due

course.

The guarantee announced by my Rt Hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer is

also giving all parts of the UK funding certainty.

High Rise Flats: Fire Prevention

Mr Clive Betts: [107115]

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

local authorities that have made a request for financial assistance for fire safety work in

tower blocks; how much such assistance has been requested in each case; whether that

has been for grant, loan or extra borrowing approval; and whether the Government has

agreed to any additional grant, loan or borrowing approval.

Alok Sharma:

[Holding answer 16 October 2017]: I can confirm that 32 local authorities have been

in touch with DCLG regarding work to ensure fire safety in tower blocks. We have

been clear that building owners are responsible for funding fire safety measures, but

councils should contact us if they have any concerns about funding fire safety works.

Government will consider financial flexibilities for local authorities who need to

undertake essential fire safety work to make a building safe

It is a matter for local authorities to communicate with their residents what work is

being proposed and as such I cannot provide details about specific local authorities.

Housing Estates: Regeneration

Lyn Brown: [7811]

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

assessment of the adequacy of the number of social and affordable housing units created

by the redevelopment of local authority housing estates in each of the last five years.

Alok Sharma:

The Government's Estate Regeneration National Strategy, published in December

2016, emphasises the key leadership role of local authorities in assessing and

delivering the amount of social and affordable housing appropriate to meet the needs

of their area. The National Strategy also sets out Government's expectations for how

authorities should engage with residents throughout an estate regeneration scheme,




and how residents should be protected. The Government's expectation is that all

existing council and housing association tenants, whether on a lifetime or fixed

tenancy, should have the option to return to the estate.

More than twice as much council housing has been built since 2010 than in the

previous 13 years. 10,460 local authority dwellings were built between 2010-11 and

2016-17, up from 2,920 delivered over the previous 13 years (1997-98 to 2009-10).

The Government recently announced plans to deliver more affordable homes,

including at a social rent, by investing £2 billion in additional funding for housing

associations and local councils in England. This will increase the Government’s 2016-

21 Affordable Homes Programme in England to more than £9 billion.

Housing: Carbon Emissions

Steve McCabe: [106154]


Answer of 5 September 2017 to Question 6312, on carbon emissions, whether his review

of the minimum energy performance requirements in the building regulations for new

homes will be complete before the publication of the Clean Growth Strategy.

Alok Sharma:

[Holding answer 11 October 2017]: The Government has commissioned an

independent review of Building Regulations and fire safety, being led by Dame Judith

Hackitt. The review will report in Spring 2018. Any future changes to Building

Regulations will need to be considered following the outcome of the independent

review, and subject to its conclusions. This will of course consider the Clean Growth

Strategy, which was published on 12 October 2017.

Housing: Solar Power

Mr Laurence Robertson: [107322]

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

building regulations to ensure that all new buildings are constructed with solar panels.

Alok Sharma:

[Holding answer 17 October 2017]: There are no plans to change the Building

Regulations to ensure that all new buildings are constructed with solar panels.

Building Regulations are deliberately couched in performance terms and mandating a

particular technology, such as solar panels, may not be appropriate for all new

buildings in all areas.

The Government’s Clean Growth Strategy sets out that following the outcome of the

independent review of Building Regulations and fire safety, and subject to its

conclusions, it intends to consult on strengthening energy requirements in building

regulations where there are cost-effective and affordable opportunities, and it is safe

and practical to do so.



Mayors: Sheffield City Region

Dan Jarvis: [107979]

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

has made of the cost of the Sheffield City Region mayoral election.

Jake Berry:

Should Sheffield City Region Combined Authorities proceed to elect a Mayor with full

powers, that newly elected Mayor would benefit from a range of powers devolved

from central government, as well as new funding, including:

£30 million a year for 30 years to invest in local strategic priorities;

Responsibility over the region’s transport budget;

Strategic planning;

Skills funding

The associated cost of an election was made clear to Leaders throughout the

process. We have estimated that the cost of the May 2018 mayoral election to the

Sheffield City Region Combined Authority and its four constituent councils, including

costs of the election booklet containing candidate information (which is required to be

distributed to each elector), is likely to be in the range £1.5 million to £2 million.

An election of a mayor without powers is certainly not without benefits for Sheffield

City Region, they would be a significant public figure who would both be chair of the

combined authority and could take their place as the voice of the region alongside the

other city region mayors in the Northern Powerhouse and in other forums with

government or stakeholders.

Social Services: Finance


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

his Department has made of the effect of reductions in social care funding on the delayed

transfer of care.

Mr Marcus Jones:

Earlier this year, the Government gave councils access to £9.25 billion more

dedicated funding for adult social care over the next three years. This includes an

additional £2 billion of funding in England, as announced at the Spring Budget 2017.

One of the three purposes of this funding was to reduce pressures on the NHS,

including supporting more people to be discharged from hospital when they are ready

and we know local authorities are putting resources into this. However, performance

is not just about money, and considerable variation remains across the country. We

will be monitoring the position carefully on delayed transfers of care in the run up to

winter.



DEFENCE

Armed Forces

Douglas Chapman: [107294]

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many people currently serving in the

armed forces were born (a) in other EU countries and (b) outside the EU; and in which

countries those armed forces personnel were born.

Mr Tobias Ellwood:

The requested information is provided below:

COUNTRY OF BIRTH

NUMBERS OF REGULAR ARMED FORCES

PERSONNEL AS AT 1 APRIL 2017

Egypt 10

Ethiopia 10

Israel 10

Somalia 10

Turkey 10

Venezuela - Bolivarian Republic of 10

Yemen 10

Ecuador 10

Afghanistan 10

British Indian Ocean Territory 10

Montserrat 10

Bahamas 10

Papua New Guinea 10

Rwanda 10

Tonga 10

Iran - Islamic Republic of 10

Jersey 10

Barbados 10

Indonesia 10


COUNTRY OF BIRTH



Kuwait 10

Oman 10

Namibia 10

Russian Federation 10

Brazil 10

Swaziland 10

Colombia 10

Bermuda 20

Seychelles 20

Switzerland 20

Norway 20

Bahrain 20

Japan 20

Tanzania - United Republic of 20

Sri Lanka 20

China 20

Saint Helena - Ascension and Tristan da

Cunha

30

Botswana 30

Guyana 30

Dominica 30

Ukraine 30

Malaysia 40

Saudi Arabia 40

Sierra Leone 40

United Arab Emirates 40

COUNTRY OF BIRTH



Pakistan 40

Thailand 50

Bangladesh 50

Belize 50

Brunei Darussalam 50

Philippines 50

Mauritius 60

Zambia 80

Uganda 90

Trinidad and Tobago 90

Singapore 100

Gibraltar 120

New Zealand 130

Cameroon 130

Grenada 140

Canada 150

United States 170

Malawi 200

Australia 210

Gambia 220

Saint Lucia 230

India 240

Nigeria 250

Kenya 270

Cyprus 300

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 440

COUNTRY OF BIRTH



Zimbabwe 470

Jamaica 470

Hong Kong 610

Ghana 800

South Africa 1,160

Nepal 1,320

Fiji 1,550

Other 150

Total 11,120

Note: numbers are rounded to the nearest 10 and countries with less than five personnel have

been aggregated into an ‘other’ category in accordance with disclosure control and rounding

policy.

Armed Forces: Compensation

Wayne David: [107769]

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, on what date his Department plans to publish

its response to the Better Compensation consultation; and if he will make a statement.

Mark Lancaster:

The Government’s ‘Better Combat Consultation’ public consultation ran from 1

December 2016 to 23 February of this year. The Government is considering the

views expressed during the consultation carefully and will publish a response in due

course.

Armed Forces: Recruitment

Ian C. Lucas: [107912]

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, for what reasons his Department does not

record the postcode of new recruits to HM Armed Forces.

Mark Lancaster:

The Ministry of Defence does not analyse the locations where recruits to the UK

Armed Forces have been recruited from.

As part of the recruitment process an individual can declare more than one postcode

e.g. 'home', 'work' or 'other'.



Any declared 'home' location may not reflect where that person is from.

Cyprus: Military Bases

Dr David Drew: [107494]

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what plans he has to step the trapping and

killing of song birds on his Department's land in Cyprus.

Mark Lancaster:

Tackling illegal trapping of migratory birds is one of the Sovereign Base Areas (SBA)

Administration's top priorities, with the level of trapping, and plans to counter it,

constantly under review.

Bird trapping is a widespread issue across Cyprus and is not confined to the SBAs.

The SBA Administration is working hard to counter illegal trapping, last year

prosecuting 78 people for trapping and poaching offences, with the SBA Police

conducting 39 major clearance operations. This resulted in the seizure of over 1,000

mist-nets and 450 limesticks.

Since 2014, the SBA Administration has cleared approximately 61 acres of invasive

non-native acacia planted by bird trappers to attract birds and has begun a

programme to remove irrigation piping, which promotes growth of invasive acacia.

Defence and Aerospace Industry: North West

Mike Amesbury: [107966]

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

the effect on defence and aerospace manufacturing capability in the North West of the

UK leaving the EU.

Mr Tobias Ellwood:

The Ministry of Defence is working closely with the defence industry and other

Government Departments to understand the implications and opportunities presented

by the UK's departure from the European Union.

The European defence sector is already closely integrated; leading companies have

a presence right across Europe, and across the UK, including the North West. It is

worth noting that current major European collaborative capability projects, such as

the Typhoon programme, are managed bilaterally or with groups of partners, rather

than through the EU.

Through our future partnership with the European Union, we want to explore how

best to ensure that our industries can continue working together to deliver the

capabilities that we need to protect the UK and its allies and partners.



Gulf War Syndrome

David Linden: [107153]

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps he has taken to invest in research

on rehabilitation, health and social care models to improve the quality of life for Gulf War

veterans who are experiencing ill health.

Mr Tobias Ellwood:

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my hon. Friend the Minister of State

for the Armed Forces (Mr Lancaster) on 21 January 2016 to Question 22264 to the

hon. Member for Bridgend (Mrs Moon).

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

statements/written-question/Commons/2016-01-13/22264/

Attachments:

1. 22264 - WQnA extract on Gulf War Syndrome

[20160121_22264_WQnA_extract_on_Gulf_War_Syndrome.docx]

HMS Duncan

Gavin Robinson: [107811]

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

colleagues on the ambassadorial use of HMS Duncan by Belfast City Council or Invest

NI.

Mr Tobias Ellwood:

There have been no discussions in relation to the ambassadorial use of HMS

DUNCAN by Belfast City Council or Invest Northern Ireland.

Law of War

Tom Brake: [107179]

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, on how many occasions since August 2015

the Government has authorised the use of lethal force in a non-military context under the

legal basis of self-defence.

Mark Lancaster:

The Government has not authorised the use of lethal force by UK Armed Forces

under the legal basis of self-defence of the UK in the time period specified.

North Korea: Nuclear Weapons

Leo Docherty: [107207]

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what support his Department is providing to

the US in its response to the threat posed by North Korea.





Sir Michael Fallon:

In line with long standing commitments and ongoing defence engagement, the UK

provides a small number of staff officers to United Nations Command in Korea and

other headquarters across the Asia Pacific region.

The UK as a Sending State is committed to upholding peace and maintaining stability

on the Korean peninsula. We will continue to work with our international partners to

exert political and economic pressure on North Korea to change its direction and

open the way to peaceful resolution.

NSA/CSS Georgia: Staff

Jo Swinson: [107756]

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many UK personnel were embedded in

the National Security Agency Cryptologic Centre in Georgia USA, in each month between

1 October 2016 and 1 October 2017.

Mark Lancaster:

The Ministry of Defence places personnel in a wide variety of roles in the United

States in order to further cooperation with our most important ally on defence matters.

I am witholding information on specific roles or postings as its disclosure would, or

would be likely to, prejudice the capability, effectiveness or security of the Armed

Forces.

USA: Counter-terrorism


To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether his Department has received

information obtained by the US Administration by means of provisions within the USA

Patriot Act of 2001; and if he will make a statement.

Sir Michael Fallon:

I am not aware of the Ministry of Defence (MOD) having obtained information

specifically under the provisions of the USA Patriot Act. However, the UK

Government, including the MOD, receives a broad range of classified information

from the United States under existing bilateral and multilateral information-sharing

arrangements.

Tom Brake: [107136]

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what guidance is provided to UK personnel in

support of US counter-terror actions outside of war zones.

Mark Lancaster:

Any military support would only be provided to another State in accordance with our

legal obligations and UK policy. UK military personnel providing such support would

be appropriately briefed on those obligations and a military legal adviser would be

available to advise.




USA: Military Aid

Tom Brake: [107314]

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, on how many occasions since August 2015

the UK has provided (a) intelligence, (b) communications, (c) material and (d) other

assistance to the US in its use of lethal force under the legal basis of self-defence.

Sir Michael Fallon:

We do not routinely comment on other nations' operations or on any intelligence

matters.

Yemen: Counter-terrorism

Tom Brake: [107134]

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many suspected terrorists the

Government has targeted in Yemen (a) on its own and (b) with the US since January

2017.

Tom Brake: [107135]

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, on how many occasions the Government has

authorised the use of (a) UK personnel, (b) UK assets, including RAF bases located in

the UK and (c) UK intelligence in support of US counter-terror operations in Yemen.

Mark Lancaster:

The UK is not involved in counter-terror operations in Yemen. It is a long-standing

policy of the Ministry of Defence not to comment on intelligence matters.

DIGITAL, CULTURE, MEDIA AND SPORT

Cultural Heritage: Finance

Kevin Brennan: [108027]

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

discussions she has had with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on providing finance for

the establishment of a Cultural Development Fund.

John Glen:

The department is engaged in ongoing discussions with the Treasury regarding all

new spending proposals.

Cultural Heritage: Security

Tom Watson: [107945]

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

assistance the Government has given to cultural and artistic venues to assist with extra

security costs incurred as a result of recent terrorist attacks in London.







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

assistance is available to cultural institutions which have incurred extra security costs

resulting from recent acts of terrorism in London.

John Glen:

I refer the Hon Member to my answer to PQ 106697.

Food: Advertising

Kate Green: [107438]

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

has had with broadcasters on restricting the marketing of foods that are high in fat, salt

and sugar to children before the 9pm watershed.


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

Department plans to strengthen existing regulations on the marketing of foods that are

high in fat, salt and sugar to children before the 9pm watershed.


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

Department has made of the effect on children's health of restricting the marketing of high

in fat, salt or sugar foods before the 9pm watershed.

Matt Hancock:

Current advertising restrictions in the UK on high fat, salt or sugar (HFSS) products

are among the toughest in the world. Strict new rules came into effect on 1 July

banning the advertising of HFSS food or drink products in children’s media. These

restrictions apply across all non-broadcast media including in print, cinema, online

and in social media.

In August we announced £5 million investment to fund a national institute for obesity

research policy unit to provide a robust evidence base and deeper understanding of

the causes of childhood obesity, including marketing to children and families. The

unit’s findings will be fed into the department's future policy development and

engagement.

Public Libraries: Closures

Thangam Debbonaire: [107956]

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

Answer of 13 October 2017 to Question 106052, when the complete figures for the

numbers of library closures for the last 12 months will be available; and if she will publish

the data her Department holds on the numbers of libraries in each constituency in each of

the last 10 years.






John Glen:

The Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport does not collect or publish data

on the number of public library closures in each Parliamentary constituency. Data

relating to public libraries is collected from local authorities by the Chartered Institute

of Public Finance and Accountancy which makes available the data annually to

subscribers.

S4C: Reviews

Kevin Brennan: [107920]

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

independent review of S4C announced on 7 August 2017, whether information on (a) the

deadline for submitting evidence, (b) the questions on which the review is gathering

evidence and (c) the contact to whom evidence should be submitted has been made

publicly available online.

Matt Hancock:

The scope of the review and the evidence sought is outlined in the terms of reference

published on gov.uk. Key partners, stakeholders and parties interested in S4C have

been invited to submit evidence for the chair to consider. The chair and review

secretariat welcomes evidence from anyone with an interest in S4C.

Tourism


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

Industry Emergency Response Group met over the last year.

John Glen:

Tourism Industry Emergency Response (TIER) has been active through all the terror

attacks over the past few months, including convening four meetings since the first

attack in March.

EDUCATION

Apprentices

Gordon Marsden: [107824]

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many apprenticeship starts there were

in May to July 2017 for each industry sector.

Anne Milton:

The table below provides provisional apprenticeship starts figures by sector subject

area for May to July 2017. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10, whilst ‘-‘ indicates a

value of less than 5.




SECTOR SUBJECT AREA TIER 1 PROVISIONAL 2016/17 MAY-JULY

Agriculture, Horticulture and Animal Care 740

Arts, Media and Publishing 80

Business, Administration and Law 13,360

Construction, Planning and the Built

Environment

1,030

Education and Training 440

Engineering and Manufacturing Technologies 5,130

Health, Public Services and Care 8,670

Information and Communication Technology 3,040

Languages, Literature and Culture -

Leisure, Travel and Tourism 1,250

Preparation for Life and Work -

Retail and Commercial Enterprise 9,800

Science and Mathematics 10

Unknown -

Total 43,560

Annual breakdowns of apprenticeship starts by sector subject area between the

2011/12 and 2016/17 (provisional) academic years are published here:

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/650226

/201617_Oct_Apps_Level_SSA_And_Framework_Data_Tool_FINAL.xlsx.

Apprentices: Finance

Sir Vince Cable: [107917]

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what her Department's budget is for

apprenticeships for 16 to 18 year olds in (a) 2017-18 and (b) 2018-19; and what

proportion of that budget is generated by the Apprenticeship Levy.

Anne Milton:

Our intended funding for apprenticeships was published in the skills funding letter in

March 2017 –


/SFA_Letter_2017-18_final.pdf.

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/650226/201617_Oct_Apps_Level_SSA_And_Framework_Data_Tool_FINAL.xlsx

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/650226/201617_Oct_Apps_Level_SSA_And_Framework_Data_Tool_FINAL.xlsx


This includes a breakdown of intended funding for 16-18 year olds. Actual spend will

depend on the demand and cost of apprenticeships that employers choose.

Since 1 April 2017, apprenticeships are funded entirely from the Apprenticeship Levy.


To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will publish a list of the funding

allocated to each training provider for apprenticeship starts for the periods (a) August

2016 to April 2017 and (b) May to December 2017.

Anne Milton:

The Education and Skills Fuding Agency publish allocations annually and update

them throughout the year. Allocations for the 2016 to 2017 funding year can be found

at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/sfa-funding-allocations-to-training-

providers-2016-to-2017.

Non-levy apprenticeship allocations for May to December 2017 will be published in

November 2017.


To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what proportion of the revenue raised by the

Apprenticeship Levy will be allocated to fund apprenticeships with non-levy employers.


To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what proportion of the total money raised by

the Apprenticeship Levy will be allocated to levy-paying companies for their own

apprenticeship training schemes.

Anne Milton:

Spending by levy-paying employers and non-levy paying employers on

apprenticeship training and assessment depends on demand for, and cost of,

apprenticeships that employers themselves choose.

In England, employers who pay the levy can use funds in their apprenticeship service

accounts to pay for training and assessment. Funds enter employers’ accounts every

month based on the amount of Apprenticeship Levy declared, the proportion of their

pay to employees living in England and a 10% top-up applied from Government.

For non-levy paying employers, government funding is awarded to training providers

under contract. We launched a procurement at the end of July which closed in early

September. Through this procurement exercise, the Education and Skills Funding

Agency will make available at least £440m of funding over 15 months for new

apprenticeship starts from 1 January 2018.

By 2019-20 funding available for apprenticeships in England will be £2.45 billion;

double what was spent in 2010-11.


https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/sfa-funding-allocations-to-training-providers-2016-to-2017

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/sfa-funding-allocations-to-training-providers-2016-to-2017




To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what comparative assessment she has

made of registered training providers in receipt of (a) less, (b) the same, (c) more funding

in real terms per apprenticeship start in the period (i) May to December 2017 and (ii)

August 2016 to April 2017.

Anne Milton:

We have not undertaken an assessment of this type. We continue to monitor closely

the impact of the apprenticeship funding reforms introduced in May 2017 on

employers and providers.

Apprentices: Older People

David Hanson: [107455]

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many (a) men and (b) women over 60-

years of age have (i) started and (ii) completed an apprenticeship in each of the last

seven years.

Anne Milton:

The tables below show the number of apprenticeship starts and achievements of

those aged over 60-years of age in the last six academic years:

i) Apprenticeship Starts for those aged over 60 years by Gender

2011/12 2012/13 2013/14 2014/15 2015/16

PROVISIONAL

2016/17

Female over

60

1,130 980 740 1,090 1,160 1,320

Male over 60 1,510 1,280 960 1,330 1,330 1,330

ii) Apprenticeship Achievements for those aged over 60 years by Gender

2011/12 2012/13 2013/14 2014/15 2015/16

PROVISIONA

L 2016/17

Female over

60

520 460 360 330 420 460

Male over

60

590 720 460 510 590 560

Note: The Starts and Achievements statistics should not be used to measure

percentage progress within a year. They are independent performance metrics.

Typically, apprenticeships can take two years to complete.



Data on apprenticeship starts and achievements by age band, and by gender are

available in the apprenticeship demographic tools:

Starts:


/apprenticeships-demographics-data-tool-starts-v1.xlsx.

Achievements:


/apprenticeships-demographics-data-tool-achievements-v1.xlsx.

Children: Day Care

Alex Cunningham: [107754]

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

of the 30 hours free childcare entitlement on childcare providers' ability to (a) employ and

(b) support (i) qualified early years teachers and (ii) other staff with suitable qualifications.

Mr Robert Goodwill:

In March 2017 we published the Early Years Workforce Strategy which sets out the

actions we will take to support the early years’ sector to attract, retain and develop

the early years’ workforce. There has been no assessment of the effect of 30 hours’

free childcare on providers’ ability to employ and support qualified teachers and other

staff.

Tracy Brabin: [107819]

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many registered (a) childminders, (b)

nurseries and (c) maintained nurseries rated as good or outstanding by Ofsted have

closed in each of the last six months.

Mr Robert Goodwill:

Ofsted is the non-ministerial government department responsible for the regulation of

early education and childcare providers. They publish a regular series of statistics

relating to early years’ providers, which can be viewed from this link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted/about/statistics.

I have informed Ofsted of this question and Her Majesty's Chief Inspector will be

writing to the hon. Member for Batley and Spen in response. A copy of that letter will

be placed in the libraries of the House.


To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether her Department plans to monitor the

level of additional charges placed on parents by childcare providers accessing

government-funded free childcare.

Mr Robert Goodwill:

Government funding is intended to deliver 30 hours a week of free, high quality,

flexible childcare. It is not intended to cover the costs of meals, other consumables,

additional hours or additional services. So providers can, and should feel free to,

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/624584/apprenticeships-demographics-data-tool-starts-v1.xlsx

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/624584/apprenticeships-demographics-data-tool-starts-v1.xlsx

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/624824/apprenticeships-demographics-data-tool-achievements-v1.xlsx

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/624824/apprenticeships-demographics-data-tool-achievements-v1.xlsx



https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted/about/statistics


charge parents for meals, consumables (such as nappies and sun cream) and for

additional activities (such as trips). Where a parent chooses to pay for these it is a

private matter between the provider and the parent. But parents must not be required

to pay any fee as a condition of taking up a free entitlement place, and must be

offered alternative options.

Our guidance is clear that local authorities are responsible for ensuring that all

eligible children can take up their place free of charge and that providers’ charging

policies enable this. It is therefore the duty of the local authority to ensure that

providers are not charging parents inappropriately.

The Department is currently procuring an independent evaluator to conduct an

evaluation of the first two terms of national rollout of 30 hours in 10-20 local

authorities across England which will include qualitative research to understand

charging practices.


To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the oral contribution of the

Minister of State for Children and Families of 12 October 2017, Official Report, column

210WH, how many times a validation code has been generated on the basis of a job

offer.

Mr Robert Goodwill:

The Department for Education does not hold information relating to the number of

people that are eligible for 30 hours free childcare based on a job offer.

On the 17 July 2017, the Department for Education published an evaluation of the

eight local authority areas that took part in the early innovators programme for 30

hours free childcare.

In the Early Implementer areas, almost a quarter (23%) of mothers and almost one in

ten (9%) fathers increased their work hours as a result of the extended childcare

offer. This effect was notably stronger for families with relatively lower incomes. The

full evaluation can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/30-

hours-free-childcare-early-implementation-evaluation.


To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the oral contribution of the

Minister of State for Children and Families of 12 October 2017, Official Report, column

212WH, in how many instances parents are using 30 hours of free childcare with (a) one

provider, (b) two providers and (c) more that two providers.

Mr Robert Goodwill:

I am sorry but we do not currently hold data on how many parents are accessing 30

hours of free childcare with multiple providers at a national level but this will be

captured in the 2018 census.

However, our recently published independent evaluation of the early delivery

programme shows parents are prepared to use multiple providers, with around 18%


https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/30-hours-free-childcare-early-implementation-evaluation



of children using multiple providers in three of the four early rollout areas. In early

implementation, the report found that around one in five children used two providers

for the free entitlement hours but the use of three or more providers was rare.

The full reports are available here:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/early-rollout-of-30-hours-free-

childcare-evaluation.

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/30-hours-free-childcare-early-

implementation-evaluation.

Lucy Powell: [107980]

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

of children in each local authority in Greater Manchester who will benefit from the

Government's policy of 30 hours of free childcare.

Mr Robert Goodwill:

The national rollout of 30 hours’ free childcare marks the delivery of a manifesto

commitment that will help hundreds of thousands of hard working families. The

childcare service online application has been working well for the vast majority of

parents and over 216,384 valid 30 hours’ codes have been generated by successful

applications, reaching our target for 1 September.

It is the responsibility of local authorities to assess supply and demand of free

entitlement places at a local level.

Graduates: Disadvantaged

Liz McInnes: [105559]

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many students from disadvantaged

backgrounds graduated from university in the last three years.

Joseph Johnson:

Information on the number of disadvantaged young people entering higher education,

and non-continuation of young disadvantaged first degree students is published by

the Higher Education Funding Council for England via the following link:

http://www.hefce.ac.uk/analysis/HEinEngland/students/social/.

National Careers Service


To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she plans to continue the National

Careers Service Prime Contractor Area Groups from 1 April 2018.

Anne Milton:

The Department has agreed to extend the National Careers Service contracts for six

months starting from 1 April 2018 and contractors have been notified of this.

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/early-rollout-of-30-hours-free-childcare-evaluation








http://www.hefce.ac.uk/analysis/HEinEngland/students/social/


Pre-school Education: Pupil Premium

Frank Field: [107967]

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what proportion of eligible three and four

year-olds in England are not claiming the early years pupil premium.

Mr Robert Goodwill:

I am sorry, but the proportion of eligible three and four year old children in England

who are not claiming the early years pupil premium is not held by the Department.

Pre-school Education: Staff

Alex Cunningham: [107814]

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she has taken to achieve the

objectives on broadening the early years workforce set out in the Early Years Workforce

Strategy.

Mr Robert Goodwill:

The Early Years Workforce Strategy published in March 2017, sets out the actions

we will take to support the early years’ sector to attract, retain and develop the early

years workforce. We have now broadened the English and mathematics requirement

for level 3 Early Years Educators, including for apprenticeships, to level 2

qualifications including Functional Skills (rather than a specific requirement for a

GCSE qualification), to support recruitment and retention of staff. This was

implemented in April 2017.

We will provide further updates on the Early Years Workforce Strategy in due course.

Schools: Vocational Guidance


To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many schools are currently meeting the

Gatsby benchmarks of good practice in careers education, information, advice and

guidance.

Anne Milton:

The Careers & Enterprise Company recently published its ‘State of the Nation 2017’

research paper. The paper, which was published in conjunction with the Gatsby

Charitable Foundation, showed that 51% of schools that undertook self-evaluation

through the Compass programme met two or more Gatsby benchmarks. Over 79% of

schools met one or more benchmark. In total, 578 secondary schools took part in the

self-assessment exercise.

The Compass self-assessment tool was established by The Careers & Enterprise

Company and the Gatsby Charitable Foundation, to enable schools to measure

themselves against the Gatsby benchmarks.




Teachers: Training

Angela Rayner: [108025]

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she intends to take to address

the shortage of applications for secondary teacher training places in subjects not

expected to reach the targets set by the teacher supply model for September 2017.

Nick Gibb:

The number of teachers is at an all-time high: there are now 457,300 full time

equivalent teachers, up 15,500 from 2010. The number of new teachers entering our

classrooms continues to outnumber those who retire or leave, and the number of

teachers returning to the profession is 8% higher than in 2011.

We are continuing to offer generous bursaries to recruit the best graduates into the

profession. From 2018 we are increasing funding across all high priority subjects. Our

prestigious scholarship scheme will also continue, offering a package of tailored

support and up to £28,000 tax-free for scholars in six subjects. We are also

introducing a new style bursary for maths teachers with early retention payments.

In addition, teachers will benefit from the newly announced rise in the student loan

repayment threshold and we will be piloting a new student loan reimbursement

programme for science and Modern Foreign Language (MFL) teachers in the early

years of their career, targeted in the areas of the country that need them most. We

have also recently announced a £30 million investment in tailored support for schools

that struggle most with recruitment and retention.

ENVIRONMENT, FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS

Agriculture

Tom Brake: [10358]

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the

Answer of 12 September 2017 to Question 8578, when he plans to complete the analysis

of various trade scenarios on UK agriculture as part of his planning for the UK leaving the

EU.

George Eustice:

We are conducting rigorous analysis of various trade scenarios on UK agriculture as

part of our planning. This analysis will be ongoing, helping to develop a detailed

understanding of how withdrawing from the EU will impact on the UK to best inform

government policy going forward.

Agriculture: Animal Welfare and Antibiotics

Richard Burden: [106487]

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his

Department is taking to reduce the (a) use of cage systems for farm animals and (b)

routine preventative use of antibiotics in farms.




George Eustice:

1. There are no plans to change the current legislation on colony cages for laying

hens. However, we are preparing a new statutory laying hen code which will

provide up to date guidance on how to comply with the legislation.

2. We have made it very clear that we do not support the routine preventative use of

antibiotics, or the use of antibiotics to compensate for poor animal husbandry. This

is reflected in the revised “Responsible use of animal medicines on the farm”

guidelines published in December 2014. We continue to work with the UK

veterinary profession and livestock industry to:

specific reduction targets for antibiotic use;

support the development of prescribing and responsible use guidelines to

encourage the adoption of best practice.

Agriculture: Seasonal Workers

Helen Whately: [106264]

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what estimate he

has made of the number of (a) non-UK EU and (b) other seasonal agricultural workers

who have come to the UK in each of the last five years.

George Eustice:

Until 2016, Defra published data on the estimated number of seasonal agricultural

workers in all UK countries in “Agriculture in the UK”, which is a Defra publication.

Since 2016, data is published for England only, collected by the June Horticulture and

Agriculture Survey. Data from the past 5 years is shown in the table below.

Defra does not collect data on the nationality of those workers.

SEASONAL,

CASUAL &

GANG LABOUR 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016

UK numbers 67 000 61 000 66 000 67 000 N/A

England-only

numbers

44 985 39 203 43 036 44 939 43 894

Animal Welfare: Convictions

Jim Shannon: [106795]

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many people

have been convicted of animal cruelty in each of the last five years.



George Eustice:

The number of offenders found guilty of offences under Sections 4 to 8 of the Animal

Welfare Act 2006, in England and Wales, from 2012 to 2016, can be viewed in the

table below:

OFFENDERS FOUND GUILTY AT ALL COURTS OF ANIMAL CRUELTY OFFENCES (1) , ENGLAND AND

WALES, 2012 TO 2016 (2)(3)

2012 2013 2014 2015 2016

1,132 1,022 814 622 585

1. Defined as Sections 4-8 Animal Welfare Act 2006

2. The figures given in the table relate to persons for whom these offences were the

principal offences for which they were dealt with. When a defendant has been

found guilty of two or more offences it is the offence for which the heaviest penalty

is imposed. Where the same disposal is imposed for two or more offences, the

offence selected is the offence for which the statutory maximum penalty is the most

severe.

3. Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and

complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from

large administrative data systems generated by the courts and police forces. As a

consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their

inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used.

Source: Justice Statistics Analytical Services - Ministry of Justice.

Common Fisheries Policy

Craig Mackinlay: [108021]

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether the

entirety of the Fisheries acquis will be transferred into domestic legislation in the EU

(Withdrawal) Bill.

George Eustice:

The purpose of the European Union (Withdrawal) Bill is to provide stability and

certainty so that wherever practical, the same laws and rules will apply immediately

before and immediately after our departure. On that basis, most of the fisheries

acquis will be transferred into domestic legislation. The Queen’s Speech, however,

set out the Government’s plans for a fisheries bill for the UK to control access to its

waters and set fishing opportunities when we leave the EU and the Common

Fisheries Policy. Provisions in the Fisheries Bill would supersede the European Union

(Withdrawal) Bill.


Dogs: Animal Breeding

Royston Smith: [106512]

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what information

his Department holds on the number of dog breeding premises operating without a

licence.

Chris Evans: [106736]

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment

his Department has made of the prevalence of unlicensed (a) dog breeding and (b) pet

shops in the UK.

George Eustice:

Defra does not hold official statistics on the number of dog breeders and pet shops

operating without a licence. Defra is currently in the process of developing a new

single animal activities licensing regime. The regulations will be laid in Parliament

before they come into force next year. The new regime will reduce the threshold by

which people will need a dog breeding licence from five litters or more per year to

three litters or more per year. This should result in more dog breeders requiring a

licence. The new regime will make it clear for local authorities which individual

activities need to be licensed.

European Chemicals Agency

Mary Creagh: [106114]


he has made of the number of staff required to replicate the relevant functions of the

European Chemicals Agency after the UK leaves the EU.

Mary Creagh: [106115]

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what plans his

Department has to replicate the relevant functions of the European Chemicals Agency

after the UK leaves the EU.

Dr Thérèse Coffey:

The resourcing of EU Exit work is one of the key priorities of the Department and will

be subject to on-going assessment. The resources we need in the future will be

dependent on the policy choices we make for the regulation of chemicals when we

leave the EU.

The department is working across Government and with industry to assess the

potential effect to businesses of the UK no longer having access to the services

provided by the European Chemicals Agency.

This work is on-going and will help inform our negotiating position. Our priority is to

maintain an effective regulatory system for the management and control of chemicals

to safeguard human health and the environment, respond to emerging risks and allow

trade with the EU that is as frictionless as possible.





Fisheries

Craig Mackinlay: [108048]

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether his

Department has made an assessment on the benefits for Great Britain and Northern

Ireland's coastal communities of the marine resources in the UK's Exclusive Economic

Zone being used solely for the benefit of the UK after the UK leaves the EU.

George Eustice:

On leaving the EU, the UK will become an independent coastal state with

responsibility for controlling and managing our Exclusive Economic Zone. This will

provide an opportunity to negotiate new agreements on access and quota

arrangements which will benefit our coastal communities. We are undertaking

ongoing analysis on fish stocks in our waters.

Fisheries: North Sea

Angela Smith: [106529]

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the

Answer of 25 July 2017 to Question 5217, how the Government plans for bycatch fish

species identified in the European Council of Ministers' General Approach to the North

Sea Multi Annual Plan to be restored to and maintained above biomass levels capable of

producing maximum sustainable yield in the event that fishing limits are not set in

accordance with the Common Fisheries Policy objective to achieve the maximum

sustainable yield exploitation rate by 2020 at the latest.

George Eustice:

Where Maximum Sustainable Yield targets cannot be determined, due to lack of data,

multiannual plans must provide for measures to be based on the precautionary

approach. The Government’s view is that the precautionary approach should be

strictly evidence-based, with such data-limited bycatch stocks managed on a case-

by-case basis and in line with the plans’ objectives. For stocks with a presumption of

stability we have supported maintaining TACs at current levels, unless scientific

advice suggests otherwise. Where possible we support moving to a full analytical

assessment that would enable TACs to be based on the MSY approach.

Flood Control: Greenwich

Clive Efford: [106497]

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether the

Education Skills Funding Agency contacted his Department to discuss the cost and

suitability of relocating flood defences on the Bowring Sports Ground before December

2015; and if he will make a statement.


To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions

his Department has had on relocating flood defences to make way for a free school on





the Bowring Sports Ground; to who the cost of that work will fall; and if he will make a

statement.



has been made of the risk of flooding to properties adjacent to the Quaggy River as a

consequence of relocating the flood defences on the Bowring Sports Ground site to make

way for a free school; and if he will make a statement.


To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether funding

has been approved for the relocation of flood barriers on the Bowring Sports Ground to

make way for a free school; and if he will make a statement.


The Environment Agency has no record of any contact from the Education Skills

Funding Agency prior to December 2015. The Environment Agency was contacted by

the Education Skills Funding Agency in December 2015 regarding the potential

purchase of land in Bowring Sports Ground to build a new school on the site.

The Environment Agency met the Education Skills Funding Agency in March 2016 to

discuss their proposals and to provide planning advice. No change to the flood

defences was proposed at that time. The proposal to relocate flood defences on the

Bowring Sports Ground site was first put forward in June 2017 by Robert West

Architects and discussions with them are ongoing.

The Environment Agency requires developers to demonstrate that their proposals do

not increase flood risk. The Environment Agency is a statutory consultee in the

planning process. The Environment Agency will not support any application which

does not include an adequate flood risk assessment. The Environment Agency will

assess detailed proposals and a flood risk assessment in relation to this application,

once provided by Robert West Architects.

The developer will be liable for the costs of any modification to the flood defences.

National Institute of Agricultural Botany

Daniel Zeichner: [106908]

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what

representations his Department has received on support for the National Institute of

Agricultural Botany after the UK leaves the EU.

George Eustice:

Leaving the EU presents a major opportunity for UK agriculture. We are working

towards achieving the best possible deal for the UK agricultural industry and we want

to ensure a deep and lasting agreement with the European Union. I met NIAB EMR,

part of the NIAB group, in July of this year and Defra has received a number of

representations concerning NIAB and the impact of leaving the EU, from breeders’

organisations and from Members of Parliament.




Packaging

Tonia Antoniazzi: [107602]


Department is taking to reduce the use of non-recyclable plastics and other packaging in

the UK.


Our policies and regulations - such as the Packaging Waste Regulations - are

designed to increase recycling and reduce the amount of packaging that ends up in

the natural environment.

In September 2016, the Waste and Resources Action Programme and an industry

advisory group published a framework for greater consistency, encouraging councils

to recycle a common set of materials, as well as setting out actions to rationalise

packaging, particularly plastics, into items that can be collected for recycling while

supporting innovation in packaging design.

Almost all packaging is technically recyclable, although some local authorities and

waste management companies choose not to collect some types of packaging for

recycling for various reasons, including cost of investing in new machinery which can

sort this packaging.

Pets: Shops

Royston Smith: [106511]

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what plans his

Department has to introduce a standardised form of inspection for pet shops and dog

breeders.

George Eustice:

Defra is currently in the process of developing a new single animal activities licensing

regime. The regulations will be laid in Parliament before they come into force next

year. Pet shops and dog breeders will need to meet statutory minimum welfare

standards which reflect the welfare requirements of the Animal Welfare Act 2006.

Local authorities will need to have regard to supporting statutory guidance to help

them apply the standards.

Plastics

Vernon Coaker: [107386]


Department is taking to help reduce the use of plastic in (a) retail packaging and (b) food

outlets.


I refer the hon. Member to the answer that I gave to the hon. Member for North

Swindon (Justin Tomlinson), on 13 September 2017, PQ UIN 8711.




Timber: EU Law

Hilary Benn: [107913]

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether it is his

policy to maintain the contents of the EU Timber Regulation after it is transposed into UK

law.


The European Union (Withdrawal) Bill will include provisions to ensure existing EU

environmental law continues to have effect in UK law, including the EU Timber

Regulation. This will ensure that, wherever possible, the same rules and laws will

apply the day after exit as they did before.

Tree Planting: Urban Areas


To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what his policy is

on the planting of extra trees in towns and cities; and what provision he plans to make for

additional local authority tree offices and other funding to manage those trees.


The Government is committed to planting one million trees in our towns and cities by

2022, reflecting our recognition of the important benefits they bring to the places

where people live, work, and visit.

In addition, we are giving millions of schoolchildren across England, mostly in urban

areas, the chance to plant trees in their schools and communities as part of a

Government-backed scheme, in partnership with the Woodland Trust and the

Community Forest Trust.

EXITING THE EUROPEAN UNION

Department for Exiting the European Union: Secondment


To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, pursuant to the Answer of

16 October 2017 to Question 105822, on Department for Exiting the European Union:

secondment, from which companies or organisations those 17 secondees have come.

Mr Steve Baker:

Pursuant to the answer of the 16 October we can confirm that secondees working in

the Department for Exiting the European Union between July 2016 and July 2017

came from the following organisations:

Oliver Wyman

House of Lords

House of Commons




UK Government Investments

Financial Conduct Authority

Bank of England

Royal Marines

British Standards Institution

Boston Consultancy Group

Barclays

Accenture

Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority

UK relations with EU

Tom Brake: [10377]

To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, what assessment he has

made of the (a) economic, (b) diplomatic and (c) tariff conditions that would apply to

relations between the UK and the EU as a result of the UK leaving the EU.

Mr Robin Walker:

We will pursue a deep and special partnership with the EU taking in both economic

and security cooperation. As a priority we will seek a bold and ambitious Free Trade

Agreement that is of greater scope and ambition than any such existing agreement.

As we have made clear in our future partnership paper, we believe the UK and EU

should continue to consult each other on foreign and security policy issues and agree

joint positions, so that we can speak out together and drive progress on areas in our

mutual interest. As an example, we should look to coordinate action, and share

information, on sanctions policy when needed in order to respond robustly to those

who challenge the rules-based international order, as we have recently done

effectively in the case of Russia and Iran. We are clear that we want the EU to

succeed: a successful EU, with the UK as its closest partner, is in all of our shared

interests.

We want to have the greatest possible tariff- and barrier-free trade with our European

neighbours, as well as to negotiate our own trade agreements around the world. We

want to ensure that UK companies have the maximum freedom to trade with and

operate within European markets – and to let European businesses do the same in

the UK.


FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE

Andargachew Tsege

Tom Brake: [107177]

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether the

Government has investigated how Andargachew Tsege's itinerary was shared with the

Ethiopian authorities in advance of his kidnap from an airport in a third country.

Rory Stewart:

Mr Tsege was detained in Yemen and taken to Ethiopia in June 2014. Following

Foreign and Commonwealth Office inquiries the Ethiopian and Yemeni authorities

have both stated that they have a bilateral treaty that permited Mr Tsege’s extradition

to Ethiopia. The UK Government continues to take Mr Tsege’s case extremely

seriously and is working to ensure his welfare and legal access. The Ethiopian

government are in no doubt about the importance we place on Mr Tsege’s case: the

Foreign and Commonwealth Office continues to raise this at the highest levels.

Tom Brake: [107401]

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what information

his Department holds on whether Andargachew Tsege's in absentia death sentence is

unlawful.

Rory Stewart:

The British Government consistently lobbies against the application of the death

penalty, and against the carrying out of such sentences when they are imposed. In

respect of UK nationals overseas, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office's role is

primarily to look after a prisoner's welfare while they are detained. We cannot give or

pay for legal advice, start legal proceedings on their behalf or interfere in local judicial

procedures. We do not hold any information on, and are therefore not in a position to

form a view as to, the legality of the process in this case but we remain resolute

opponents of the death penalty.

Iran: Baha'i Faith

Tom Brake: [107137]

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions

(a) Ministers and (b) officials have had with the Special Rapporteur on Iran, Ms Asma

Jahangir, or with the Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Religion, Dr Ahmed Shaheed on

the treatment of the Bahá'ís in Iran.

Alistair Burt:

At the Human Rights Council in March 2017, the UK strongly supported the renewal

of the mandate of the United Nations (UN) Special Rapporteur on Freedom of

Religion or Belief. We look forward to engaging with the UN Special Rapporteur on

Iran during the interactive dialogue in the UNGA Third Committee. The British

Government supports the UN Special Rapporteur on Iran's assessment that

discrimination against the Baha'i community is legally sanctioned by a lack of




constitutional recognition and the absence of other legal protections for adherents of

this faith.

Tom Brake: [107176]

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will ensure

that the UK Mission to the UN in New York makes representations on the situation of the

Baha'i community in Iran during its statement at the Third Committee meetings of the UN

General Assembly.

Alistair Burt:

I recently met representatives of the Baha'i faith to discuss the issue. The human

rights situation in Iran remains deeply worrying and this includes Iran's approach to

freedom of religion and belief. The treatment of the Baha'i community is of particular

concern. The latest report of the Special Rapporteur on human rights in Iran sets out

the repression and harassment that Baha'is suffer in Iran. This includes restrictions

on the types of businesses and jobs Baha'is can have, unequal treatment of Baha'i

employees, and seizures of Baha'i businesses and property. We hope to highlight the

situation of the Baha'i with the UN General Assembly Third Committee in New York.

Iran: Human Rights

Tom Brake: [107178]

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether the

Government plans to co-sponsor a resolution on the situation of human rights in Iran at

the current session of the UN General Assembly.

Alistair Burt:

The British Government has supported a resolution on the human rights situation in

Iran in the past and will do so again co-sponsoring a resolution this year.

Iran: Nuclear Weapons


To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment

he has made of the effectiveness of the Iran nuclear deal JCPOA; and if he will make a

statement.

Alistair Burt:

The UK is committed to full implementation of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of

Action (JCPoA) by all parties. We assess that the deal is working and is the only

diplomatic way to neutralise the nuclear threat from Iran. Under the deal Iran has

given up two-thirds of its centrifuges and 95% of its uranium stockpile. The deal also

provides for unprecedented access and monitoring by the International Atomic

Energy Agency (IAEA). The IAEA continues to report Iran's compliance with its

nuclear commitments under the deal.




Iran: Political Prisoners

Mr Roger Godsiff: [107089]

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will request a

UN investigation into the 1988 executions of political prisoners in Iran.

Alistair Burt:

The British Government opposes the death penalty in all circumstances and takes

any allegations of extrajudicial killings seriously. Whilst at present we have no plans

to request an inquiry by the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights into

the 1988 executions of political prisoners in Iran, we continue to take action with the

international community to press for improvements on all human rights issues in Iran,

including ending the death penalty and by supporting the work done by the Special

Rapporteur for Human Rights in Iran. We also raise our concerns directly with the

Iranian government and I was able to raise this directly with my Iranian counterpart

during my visit to Tehran in August.

Libya: Politics and Government


To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment

he has made of the effectiveness of the British diplomatic and military support for the

Government of Libya.

Alistair Burt:

The Foreign and Commonwealth Office published its response to the Foreign Affairs

Select Committee investigation on "Libya: Examination of Intervention and Collapse

and the UK's Future Policy Options" on 11 November 2016. Helping to bring stability

to Libya is a vital part of UK efforts to tackle the threat from terrorism and the

challenge of irregular migration. That is why the UK is at the forefront of efforts to

support the UN Special Representative, Ghassan Salamé in reaching out to all sides

in Libya to revitalise the political process and work to amend the Libyan Political

Agreement so that it delivers for all Libyans. A secure and stable Libya, better able to

deal with the threat from terrorism and the challenge of migration, is firmly in the UK

interest.

Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe


To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps have

been taken to secure consular access to Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe since recent new

charges have been brought against her.

Alistair Burt:

Our Ambassador in Tehran continues to raise all our dual-national cases, including

pressing for consular access, with the Iranian authorities at every available

opportunity, most recently in a meeting with the Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister on

16 October. The Iranians have not granted us access on the basis that they consider




them to be Iranian nationals. While there is no international legal obligation to

recognise dual-nationality, we consider them to be British and will continue to request

access.


To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what his

Department's policy is on the findings of the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention

Opinion No. 28/2016 on Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe; and if he will make a statement.

Alistair Burt:

I encourage the Iranian authorities to co-operate and engage fully with the United

Nations regarding the conclusions and recommendations of reports published by the

UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention.

Tommy Sheppard: [107988]

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what

representations he has made to the Iranian Government on the new charges being

brought against Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe; and what steps the Government has taken to

secure her release.

Alistair Burt:

We are urgently seeking clarification from the Iranian authorities on reports that Mrs

Zaghari-Ratcliffe is subject to further charges. I called the Iranian Ambassador to

express my concerns, as did the Foreign Secretary in a call to Foreign Minister Zarif

and a meeting with Vice-President Salehi on 11 October. But the scope of any

additional charges remains unclear. Our Ambassador is continuing to press the

Iranian authorities for further information. Iran’s position on dual-nationality makes

progress on our consular cases difficult; nonetheless we continue to raise these

cases with the Iranian authorities at the highest levels and at every available

opportunity. We assess that our current approach is the one most likely to be in the

best interests of our dual-national prisoners in Iran.

South Sudan: Abduction


To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what reports his

Department has received on the abduction of young people in the Darfur region of South

Sudan for (a) militia recruitment and (b) body parts for medical purposes.

Rory Stewart:

We have received no reports on the abduction of young people in Darfur for the

purposes of militia recruitment or for body parts for medical purposes.

The UK remains concerned by the situation in Darfur, and whilst we have seen a

welcome reduction in armed conflict between government forces and armed

movements in recent months, the security and humanitarian situation remains fragile.

We regularly discuss the situation in Darfur with the Government of Sudan, most

recently on 16 October during our bilateral Strategic Dialogue, and urge them to




continue to improve humanitarian access and to reach an agreement on a permanent

cessation of hostilities.

Syria: Politics and Government

Matthew Pennycook: [107100]

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what estimate he

has made of how many Syrians have been disappeared by the Assad regime; and what

proportion of those people are children.

Alistair Burt:

Due to the Asad regime's refusal to allow impartial monitoring of its detention centres,

it is not possible to give an exact figure for the number of people who have been

disappeared. Human rights groups estimate that tens, possibly hundreds, of

thousands of men, women, and children have been forcibly disappeared in Syria

since the war began – the vast majority of them at the hands of the regime. The UN

Independent Commission of Inquiry on Syria has documented the regime's use of

'massive and systematised' violence against political detainees, and stated that the

regime's use of disappearance, torture, rape and sexual violence amount to crimes

against humanity.

USA: Counter-terrorism


To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether his

Department has received information obtained by the US Administration through

provisions within the USA Patriot Act of 2001; and if he will make a statement.

Sir Alan Duncan:

It is the longstanding policy of successive British Governments not to comment on

intelligence matters.

USA: North Korea

Stephen Kinnock: [107119]

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions

he has had with his US counterpart on diplomatic tensions between the US and North

Korea.

Sir Alan Duncan:

The Foreign Secretary speaks regularly to US Secretary of State Tillerson about the

situation in North Korea. We are working with the US and our partners in the region to

bring this crisis to a diplomatic end.




HEALTH

AAT Deficiency: Health Services

Tonia Antoniazzi: [107601]

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps he has taken to implement the

recommendations made by the Prescribed Specialised Services Advisory Group on 10

March 2017 on Alpha 1 Anti-Trypsyn services.

Steve Brine:

The Prescribed Specialised Services Advisory Group recommended that this become

a directly commissioned service by NHS England. Ministers have accepted this

recommendation but agreed to NHS England’s request for more time to prepare for a

transfer. As such, NHS England has agreed to work towards becoming the

responsible commissioner from April 2018 to give NHS England time to identify

patients and build an appropriate service specification.

Abortion Act 1967

Fiona Bruce: [107121]

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, whether his Department plans to re-define the

term serious handicap used in the Abortion Act 1967 to improve clarity in the healthcare

profession.


To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if his Department will review the use of the term

handicapped in section 1(b) of the Abortion Act 1967.


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

that women and their partners do not face undue pressure from healthcare professionals

to have a termination on the grounds of disability.

Jackie Doyle-Price:

We expect clinicians to follow national guidelines and standards. The Royal College

of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists produced updated clinical guidance in the 2010

Termination of Pregnancy for Fetal Abnormality. The guidance covers a number of

issues including management of women in relation to termination of pregnancy and

those who chose to give birth.

The guidance highlights that women and their partners will need as much information

as possible on the implications of the diagnosis, that all staff involved in the care of a

woman or couple facing a possible termination of pregnancy must adopt a

nondirective, non-judgemental and supportive approach and women must not feel

pressurised to make a quick decision. The decision by a woman to continue her

pregnancy must be fully supported and it should not be assumed that, even in the

presence of an obviously fatal fetal condition, a woman will choose to have a

termination.





As with other matters of conscience, abortion is an issue on which the Government

adopts a neutral stance and allows Members to vote according to their moral, ethical

or religious beliefs. It is accepted Parliamentary practice that proposals for changes in

the law on abortion come from back-bench members.

Atrial Fibrillation

Mr George Howarth: [107281]


that people diagnosed with atrial fibrillation (AF) receive therapy to prevent AF-related

stroke.


To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what estimate he has made of the number of

GPs not providing anticoagulation therapy to all suitable people with atrial fibrillation; and

if he will make a statement.


To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the timetable is for the NICE consultation

on CG180 Atrial Fibrillation: management (2014).

Steve Brine:

In September 2017, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE)

published the surveillance review decision report for the current atrial fibrillation

guideline. The review confirmed that NICE would undertake a partial update of the

guideline on atrial fibrillation.

We understand that NICE intends to commission the update in early 2018, and that,

once commissioned, NICE will have a better idea of the timescale, including a start

date, for the update. There will be a consultation on the draft guidance but NICE

cannot yet confirm a timetable. The dates for the consultation will become available

on the website in due course.

Information about the number of general practitioners (GPs) not providing

anticoagulation therapy to all suitable people with atrial fibrillation is not held centrally.

NHS England is promoting the use of GRASP-AF (Guidance on Risk Assessment

and Stroke Prevention for Atrial Fibrillation) within GP practices in England. GRASP-

AF is an audit tool developed by and trialled in the National Health Service, which

greatly simplifies the process of identifying patients with atrial fibrillation who are not

receiving the right management to help reduce their risk of stroke. To support this

work, an analysis of the costs and benefits of using the anticoagulant drug warfarin to

help prevent stroke in people with atrial fibrillation was published in 2015.


To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the timetable is for the National Steering

Committee review of its 2014 recommendation on national screening for atrial fibrillation.







that the 500,000 people who currently have undiagnosed atrial fibrillation, will be

identified and appropriately managed over the next five years.

Steve Brine:

The United Kingdom National Screening Committee (UK NSC) has commenced work

to look at the evidence to screen the over 65 population for Atrial Fibrillation (AF) as

part of its regular three year review cycle. It is expected that a public consultation will

be open in 2018, which will welcome input from stakeholders and members of the

public.

In response to concerns raised in the UK NSC’s 2014 review about optimising clinical

management, Public Health England’s (PHE) National Cardiovascular Intelligence

Network has contributed to the development of AF intelligence packs to help

commissioners to identify where improvements can be made to reduce the risk of

stroke by improving the detection and treatment of AF. In addition PHE leads a

national AF-related stroke prevention programme which aims to increase detection in

line with expected prevalence and ensure people with AF are optimally treated and

managed.

Cancer

Justin Madders: [107391]

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what progress his Department has made on

implementing the National Cancer Strategy.

Steve Brine:

NHS England is committed to delivering the recommendations set out in the National

Cancer Strategy and transform cancer services across the country by 2020/21. The

National Cancer Programme published a progress report on the implementation of

the Independent Cancer Taskforce Report on 18 October. The report provides a

detailed update against our strategic priorities to transform cancer services across

the country by 2021.

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome


To ask the Secretary of State for Health, when NICE plans to update its guidance on

myalgic encephalomyelitis.

Steve Brine:

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has advised that it

expects to publish the final updated guidance on myalgic encephalomyelitis in

October 2020. The guideline update will be developed through NICE’s established

clinical guidelines process that includes full public consultation.




Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: Further Education


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

effectiveness of support provided by his Department for individuals suffering from myalgic

encephalomyelitis to access further education.

Steve Brine:

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guideline on Chronic

Fatigue Syndrome/Myalgic Encephaolomyelitis, published in 2007, makes a number

of recommendations in regard to accessing education. The clinician overseeing an

individual’s care should provide information on returning to work or education and

recommend flexible adaptions that would make this possible. This may include, with

consent, clinicians liaising with education providers and support services. The ability

of a person to continue in education should be addressed early and reviewed

regularly.

The NICE guidance set outs best practice for clinicians on the diagnosis, treatment

care and support of people with the condition and supports commissioners to to plan

services for local populations. The full guidance can be found at the following link:

www.nice.org.uk/guidance/cg53

On 20 September 2017, NICE announced its decision to undertake a full update of

the guidance. More information on this decision can be found at the following link:

www.nice.org.uk/guidance/cg53/resources/surveillance-report-2017-chronic-fatigue-

syndromemyalgic-encephalomyelitis-or-encephalopathy-diagnosis-and-management-

2007-nice-guideline-cg53-pdf-5964455783941

Diabetes and Hypertension: Pharmacy

Pauline Latham: [107290]

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what plans his Department has to evolve

Medicines Use Reviews to enable community pharmacists to better support people with

long-term conditions such as diabetes and high blood pressure.

Steve Brine:

The Department is committed to supporting people with long term conditions manage

their illness and take their medication correctly. In line with this ambition, eligibility for

Medicine Use Reviews was amended from April 2015, to better target these services

at patients who would derive the most benefit from it. This change required 70% of

Medicine Use Reviews to be held with people within key target groups which included

people with conditions such as diabetes or high blood pressure.

The Department continues to develop and monitor the evidence base and

effectiveness of all Advanced Services provided by community pharmacists to

improve patient outcomes and make the best use of National Health Service

resources. It will continue to do so and develop plans accordingly.


http://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/cg53

http://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/cg53/resources/surveillance-report-2017-chronic-fatigue-syndromemyalgic-encephalomyelitis-or-encephalopathy-diagnosis-and-management-2007-nice-guideline-cg53-pdf-5964455783941




Diets: Drugs


To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made on the adequacy

of the availability of vegan and vegetarian medicines.


To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what plans he has to ensure that medicines are

labelled to indicate whether they are suitable for vegetarians and vegans.

Steve Brine:

Medicines are developed to treat or prevent particular medical conditions or their

symptoms and are licensed on the basis of their quality, safety and efficacy. Although

there are many medicines that are free from animal derived materials, there are also

cases where no animal-free treatment option exists. This may be because the active

ingredient cannot be made synthetically, or animal derived materials are necessary

for the formulation or manufacture of the product.

The current requirements for medicines labelling are set out in European and national

legislation. Unlike food legislation, there is no mechanism for the inclusion within the

labelling of a medicine for any information on whether or not the product is suitable

for vegetarians or vegans. Patients who wish to identify such products will need to

rely on the information that is provided in the accompanying patient information leaflet

or directly by their pharmacist.

Drugs: Blackpool


To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how much funding from the public health grant

his Department allocated to Blackpool for drug treatment budgets in the years (a) 2010-

11, (b) 2013-14, (c) 2014-15, (d) 2015-16 and (e) 2016-17.

Steve Brine:

The public health grant is allocated to local authorities to meet all of their public

health responsibilities and no amount is specifically allocated for drug treatment. It is

up to each local authority to decide how much of the grant they wish to allocate to

drug treatment services.

The public health grant has a condition which requires local authorities to have regard

to the need to improve the take up of, and outcomes from, its drug and alcohol

misuse treatment services.

Since it began in 2013, the public health grant allocation to Blackpool has been as

follows;

2013-14 £17.46 million

2014-15 £17.95 million

2015-16 £18.29 million




2016-17 £19.39 million

Prior to 2013, drug treatment was mainly funded through a central government

contribution known as the pooled treatment budget. In 2010-11, the pooled treatment

budget allocation to Blackpool was £2.7 million.

Drugs: Rehabilitation


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

budgetary changes to the funding of drug treatment programmes on mortality rates

among heroin and crack cocaine users in England between 2013 and 2017.

Steve Brine:

No assessment has been made on this specific issue. The Government is investing

over £16 billion over the Spending Review period for local authorities (LAs) to spend

on public health. LAs are responsible for making decisions on how to spend their

local allocation but the public health grant conditions make it clear that they must

have regard for the need to improve the take up of, and outcomes from, their drug

and alcohol misuse treatment services.

Public Health England (PHE) led an inquiry last year into the rises in drug-related

deaths. The report of the expert working group convened by PHE concluded that the

reasons behind the increase in drug-related deaths are multiple and complex.

However, the recent rise has likely been caused – at least in part – by an increase in

the availability of heroin, following a fall in deaths during a period when heroin purity

and availability was significantly reduced.

The longer-term upward trend in drug-related deaths is largely caused by an ageing

cohort of heroin users, many of whom started to use heroin in the 1980s and 90s,

who are now experiencing cumulative physical and mental health conditions that

make them more susceptible to overdose.

The inquiry report was published in September 2016 and is available at:

http://www.nta.nhs.uk/uploads/phe-understanding-preventing-drds.pdf

Eating Disorders: Children

Jonathan Ashworth: [107981]

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many children started eating disorder

treatment in each (a) clinical commissioning group area and (b) trust in each of the last

36 months.

Jackie Doyle-Price:

NHS England publishes an experimental data collection for Children and Young

People with an Eating Disorder. The dataset contains information on the number of

children and young people who have accessed, or are waiting for the National

Institute for Health and Care Excellence recommended treatment following a routine

or urgent referral for a suspected eating disorder.


http://www.nta.nhs.uk/uploads/phe-understanding-preventing-drds.pdf


Findings by provider and clinical commissioning group are available for Q1 2017-18

at:

https://www.england.nhs.uk/statistics/statistical-work-areas/cyped-waiting-times/


To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many children had a delayed discharge

from in-patient eating disorder treatment and how many days of delayed discharge there

were in each (a) NHS region and (b) mental health trust provider in England for each of

the last three years.

Jackie Doyle-Price:

This information is not collected centrally.

Eating Disorders: Scotland

Norman Lamb: [107833]

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how much NHS England has spent on

specialised inpatient eating disorder services (a) in total and (b) using services provided

by private sector organisations in Scotland in each if the last six (i) financial and (ii)

calendar years.

Jackie Doyle-Price:

This information is not collected in the format requested.

Electronic Cigarettes: Advertising

Mrs Anne Main: [107087]

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

the advertising ban on the use of e-cigarettes.


To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will make it his policy to exclude e-

cigarettes from the Tobacco Products Directive ban on advertising when the UK leaves

the EU.


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

health campaigns are able to promote the use of e-cigarettes to aid smoking cessation.


To ask the Secretary of State for Health, whether e-cigarettes can be promoted in public

health campaigns under the Tobacco Products Directive.

Steve Brine:

As announced in the England Tobacco Control Plan published 18 July 2017, the

Department will monitor the impact of regulation and policy on e-cigarettes and novel

tobacco products in England, including evidence on safety, uptake, health impact and








effectiveness of these products as smoking cessation aids, to inform our actions on

regulating their use.

Public Health England will continue to provide the evidence annually on e-cigarettes

and other novel nicotine delivery systems until the end of Parliament in 2022 and will

include within quit smoking campaign messages about the relative safety of e-

cigarettes compared to smoking.

The Department has published guidance on Article 20(5) of the EU Tobacco Products

Directive covering restrictions on advertising electronic cigarettes. That guidance

states that “a public health campaign about relative risks of e-cigarettes versus

tobacco products by Public Health England or local stop smoking services are not

advertisements made in the course of a business and therefore not covered by these

restrictions”. The guidance is published here:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/proposals-for-uk-law-on-the-advertising-

of-e-cigarettes/publishing-20-may-not-yet-complete

The Government will review where the United Kingdom’s exit from the European

Union offers opportunities to re-appraise current regulation to ensure this continues to

protect the nation’s health.

The Government also has a statutory duty to conduct an implementation review of

the Tobacco and Related Products Regulations 2016 by the end of May 2021 to

assess its impact.

Emergency Calls: East Sussex

Peter Kyle: [107969]

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

number of emergency calls which have been put on hold in East Sussex in the last 12

months.

Mr Philip Dunne:

This information is not held centrally.

Familial Hypercholesterolaemia

Julia Lopez: [107541]

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

a nationwide, family-based, follow-up system to ensure comprehensive identification of

people affected by familial hypercholesterolemia.

Steve Brine:

Public Health England (PHE) is part of a cross-organisation national familial

hypercholesterolemia (FH) Steering Group, led by the National Clinical Director for

Heart Disease.

PHE is working with NHS England, the National Institute for Health and Care

Excellence (NICE), HEART UK and the British Heart Foundation on the development

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/proposals-for-uk-law-on-the-advertising-of-e-cigarettes/publishing-20-may-not-yet-complete

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/proposals-for-uk-law-on-the-advertising-of-e-cigarettes/publishing-20-may-not-yet-complete



of an implementation guide which will be published in early 2018. The guide is for

commissioners and local health economies, and aims to help facilitate the

development of local FH services, supporting better identification and management of

people and families affected by FH, across England.

A cholesterol test is included as part of an NHS Health Check. Guidance alerts

practitioners conducting the check to consider the possibility of FH in line with NICE.

Emerging evidence shows that compared to routine primary care practice, the NHS

Health Check programme is detecting more cases of FH.

Health Services: Tyne and Wear


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

the Path to Excellence proposals made by South Tyneside and Sunderland NHS

Partnership on (a) service users and (b) the local population for people in (i) Jarrow

constituency and (ii) South Tyneside.

Steve Brine:

The ‘Path to Excellence’ is a five-year transformation of healthcare provision across

South Tyneside and Sunderland being put forward under their Sustainability and

Transformation Partnerships (STPs).

The Government has not made a specific assessment on the effect of the ‘Path to

Excellence’ proposals made by the Tyneside and Sunderland NHS Partnership on

service users or the local population. However, in June 2017, NHS England

published an STP dashboard that makes an assessment of all STP performance

across England. The STP dashboard can be found here:

https://www.england.nhs.uk/stps/sustainability-and-transformation-partnerships-

progress-dashboard-baseline-view/

The Northumberland, Tyne and Wear STP is rated as category 2 - ‘advanced’ in the

published STP dashboard.

Hepatitis


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

Hepatitis C.


To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what estimate he has made of the number of

people who require treatment each year to meet the UK's commitment to eliminate

Hepatitis C as a public health concern by 2030.


https://www.england.nhs.uk/stps/sustainability-and-transformation-partnerships-progress-dashboard-baseline-view/

https://www.england.nhs.uk/stps/sustainability-and-transformation-partnerships-progress-dashboard-baseline-view/



Steve Brine:

The United Kingdom government is a signatory to the World Health Assembly

resolution and World Health Organization (WHO) goal of eliminating hepatitis C as a

major public health threat by 2030.

Progress towards achieving the WHO elimination goal is summarised in this year’s

Public Health England’s (PHE) report “Hepatitis C in the UK”:


/HCV_in_the_uk_report_2017.pdf

This showed that better access to improved treatment has led to the first fall in deaths

from severe hepatitis C related liver disease in a decade and that the UK is on target

for the WHO interim goal to reduce hepatitis C mortality by 10% by 2020.

For England a sustainable rollout of access to new direct acting antivirals for treating

chronic hepatitis C is underway with investment of in excess of £200 million per year.

The current financial year (2017/18) is the third year of hepatitis C treatment ramp-up

and the plan is to treat 12,500 individuals.

An estimated 160,000 persons are believed to have hepatitis C in England. Further

modelling work is being undertaken by PHE to update estimates of the impact of

treatment roll out on prevalence of hepatitis C and hepatitis C-associated advanced

liver disease. Previous PHE modelling of the scale up of treatment indicates that a

“rapid complete coverage” scenario of treating 20,000 or more individuals per year

and up to 50% of those infected each year would result in end-stage liver disease /

hepatocellular cancer being halved within 10 years.

Hospital Beds



implications for his policies of the findings of the report from the King's Fund entitled NHS

hospital bed numbers: past, present, future, published in September 2017.

Mr Philip Dunne:

There has been a long-term reduction in the number of general and acute beds open

overnight as hospitals are dealing with patients more efficiently. The National Health

Service now performs more day cases, length of stay is decreasing and more people

are treated in community settings.

NHS England statistics show that the bed occupancy rate has remained between

84% and 89% (all beds) since 2000. Bed availability does fluctuate, but the NHS has

practice and experience in managing capacity to cope with both routine and

emergency care.

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/632465/HCV_in_the_uk_report_2017.pdf

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/632465/HCV_in_the_uk_report_2017.pdf


Influenza: Health Services


To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how much contingency are funding is available

from the public purse for NHS hospitals in the event of a severe influenza outbreak in

2017.

Mr Philip Dunne:

Winter can often bring additional challenges but this year planning started earlier than

ever before. Winter resilience money was included in National Health Service

baseline funding for 2017/18 so that effective planning could start at an early stage.

The NHS is committed to ensuring all patients continue to receive high quality, safe

and efficient care as demand over winter increases. This Government has invested

an extra £6 billion into the NHS over the last two years, plus £100 million ahead of

winter to ease pressures on accident and emergency departments.

An additional £2 billion of funding has been allocated to local authorities over the next

three years, including £1 billion for 2017/18 to implement best practice in discharging

patients safely and quickly to reduce delayed transfers of care.

Medical Treatments: Innovation

Mrs Madeleine Moon: [107351]


compatibility of the system-wide cap of £20 million for NICE approved medicines

proposed by NHS England with the aims and objectives of the Accelerated Access

Review; and if he will make a statement.

Steve Brine:

The Government considers that the introduction of the budget impact test in April this

year for technologies with an annual budget impact greater than £20 million per year

is fully in line with the aims and objectives of the Accelerated Access Review.

Under the budget impact test, £20 million does not represent a cap on what the

National Health Service will spend on any individual drug in a given year. The test is

simply intended to provide an opportunity for NHS England to enter into commercial

negotiations with companies to bring down the price of very high cost medicines. The

opportunity for companies to negotiate with NHS England will enable new types of

commercial arrangement, which means that ‘win-win’ scenarios are possible for the

NHS and industry, a key aim of the Accelerated Access Review.

Meningitis: Vaccination

Kerry McCarthy: [107909]

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the timetable is for the start of the

Meningitis B teenage carriage study; and when he plans for the results of that study to be

published.




Jackie Doyle-Price:

A team has been selected to carry out this study and work could potentially begin by

the end of 2017. The work will be conducted as quickly as feasibly possible and at

present results are expected by May 2021.

Mental Health Services: Children


To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will publish the (a) number of children

having a delayed discharge from in-patient mental health treatment and (b) total number

of delayed days for each (i) NHS region and (ii) mental health trust provider in England in

each of the last three years.

Diana Johnson: [108016]

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many children started mental health

treatment in each (a) clinical commissioning group area and (b) trust in each month of the

last three years.

Luciana Berger: [108041]

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will publish the number of children entering

in-patient treatment for mental health conditions in each NHS region in England for each

of the last three years.


To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will publish the number of children entering

child and adult mental health services treatment within (a) six weeks and (b) 18 weeks

from the date of referral for each (i) clinical commissioning group area and (ii) Trust area

for each month of the past year.

Jackie Doyle-Price:

This data is not currently available in the requested format.


To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will publish clinical commissioning group

spending on children's mental health by area for the last two years.

Jackie Doyle-Price:

The information requested is available for 2016/17 in the Mental Health Five Year

Forward View for Mental Health Dashboard, which is available at:

https://www.england.nhs.uk/publication/mental-health-five-year-forward-view-

dashboard/

This gives information by region and by clinical commissioning group.

For 2015/16, the data is for available by region and clinical commissioning group.






https://www.england.nhs.uk/publication/mental-health-five-year-forward-view-dashboard/

https://www.england.nhs.uk/publication/mental-health-five-year-forward-view-dashboard/


To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will publish the local authority spending on

children's mental health by area for the last two years.

Jackie Doyle-Price:

The data requested is not collected centrally.


To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what estimate NHS England has made of the

baseline level of investment clinical commissioning groups need to commit to children's

mental health services in order to provide an acceptable level of service.

Jackie Doyle-Price:

NHS England has not made such an estimate. Clinical commissioning groups are

responsible for investing funds in line with the requirement to deliver national

standards and the needs of the population they serve.


To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will publish the number of children

completing (a) child and adult mental health services treatment and (b) eating disorders

treatment in each month of the past year for each (i) clinical commissioning group and (ii)

Trust in England.

Jackie Doyle-Price:

This information is not available in the requested format.

NHS England publishes an experimental national data set for Children and Young

People’s Mental Health. The dataset contains information on the number of children

and young people who have accessed, or are waiting for National Institute for Health

and Care Excellence recommended treatment following a routine or urgent referral

for a suspected eating disorder.

Findings by provider and clinical commissioning groups are available for Q1 2017-18

at:


Mental Health Services: Children and Young People


To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many children were (a) referred to a

CAMHS service and (b) accepted by a CAMHS services for each (i) clinical

commissioning group area and (ii) trust in each of the last 12 months.

Jackie Doyle-Price:

The information is not held in the format requested.






Mental Health Services: Staff

Barbara Keeley: [107826]

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many staff were employed by NHS England

in the Adult Improving Access to Psychological Therapies programme in each year since

2010.


To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what information he holds on how many staff

were employed in the Adult Improving Access to Psychological Therapies programme by

clinical commission group in each year since 2010.


To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what information he holds on how many

cognitive behavioural therapists have been employed by NHS England in the Adult

Improving Access to Psychological Therapies programme by clinical commission group in



To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many (a) couple therapists, (b)

interpersonal therapists, (c) brief psychodynamic therapists and (d) counsellors for

depression have been employed by NHS England in the Adult Improving Access to

Psychological Therapies programme in each year since 2010.


To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what information he holds on how many (a)

couple therapists, (b) interpersonal therapists, (c) brief psychodynamic therapists and (d)

counsellors for depression have been employed in the Adult Improving Access to

Psychological Therapies programme by clinical commissioning group in each year since

2010.

Jackie Doyle-Price:

Information about the Improving Access to Psychological Therapies (IAPT) workforce

is not available for every year since 2010.

The IAPT Workforce Census report provides information on the size and shape of the

IAPT workforce in England. Data is available from 2012 onwards, with publications in

2012, 2014 and 2015.

Clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) were created as a result of the Health and

Social Care Act in 2012, and replaced primary care trusts on 1 April 2013. IAPT

workforce figures by CCG were first available in the 2015 Adult IAPT Workforce

Census.

The 2015 IAPT Workforce census includes information about cognitive behavioural

therapists, couples therapy, Interpersonal Psychotherapy for depression, Brief

Dynamic Interpersonal Therapy and counselling. This can be found in Annex 3 of the

2015 report.






2015: NHS England/Health Education England (5 September 2016). 2015 Adult IAPT

Workforce Census Report. Accessed at:

https://www.england.nhs.uk/mentalhealth/wp-content/uploads/sites/29/2016/09/adult-

iapt-workforce-census-report-15.pdf

NHS: Reorganisation


To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what processes his Department has put in place

in the event of a (a) clinical commissioning group, (b) council or (c) NHS trust not

complying with the decision of a sustainability and transformation plan.

Steve Brine:

Sustainability and Transformation Partnerships (STPs) are partnerships made up of

local organisations, including commissioners, providers and local government. Each

partnership is convened by a senior leader who has agreed to chair and lead the

meetings on behalf of their peers. Each footprint has agreed to its own governance

and representation, and all bodies represented on the partnership have agreed to

abide by its decision making process.


To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what national consultations the Government has

undertaken on (a) sustainability and transformation partnerships and (b) accountable care

organisations.

Steve Brine:

The Government has not undertaken a national consultation on Sustainability and

Transformation Partnerships (STPs). STPs are about local areas making decisions

and ensuring National Health Service services are on a sustainable footing, and

provide the best possible care for local people.

The statutory organisations involved within STPs are accountable to local

communities through their normal processes. Each is working to its own, locally

appropriate timetable but many have already carried out extensive engagement with

the public. In September 2016 NHS England published “Engaging local people: A

guide for local areas developing Sustainability and Transformation Plans”. This

document outlines the expectations on stakeholder involvement and in particular

patient and public participation. A copy is attached.

When there are proposals to substantially change the local configuration of services,

NHS and local government organisations have a duty to consult their local

communities. There are longstanding rules in place to assure this.

Following an engagement exercise, NHS England produced a draft contract (a

prototype variant of the NHS Standard Contract) which could be used, with NHS

England’s agreement, by commissioners to contract for an accountable care

organisation (ACO). The contract will be formally consulted upon in due course in

compliance with NHS England’s statutory duties.

https://www.england.nhs.uk/mentalhealth/wp-content/uploads/sites/29/2016/09/adult-iapt-workforce-census-report-15.pdf

https://www.england.nhs.uk/mentalhealth/wp-content/uploads/sites/29/2016/09/adult-iapt-workforce-census-report-15.pdf



The Department is currently consulting on a number of changes to secondary

legislation which are designed to facilitate the development of ACOs. Further details

can be accessed here:


/ACO-contract-reg-changes-consultation-1.pdf.

Attachments:

1. PQ107452 attached doc. [engag_local_people_stps.pdf]

Obesity: Children


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

Cabinet colleagues on tackling childhood obesity.

Steve Brine:

My Rt. hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health, has not had any recent

discussions with Cabinet colleagues on tackling childhood obesity. There are ongoing

discussions between officials in the Department and other Government departments

on delivering our childhood obesity plan.

Keith Vaz: [107590]

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, when he plans to publish the voluntary

guidelines for food in early years settings set out in the Childhood Obesity Plan.

Steve Brine:

As part of our Childhood Obesity Plan, we will publish and promote example menus

for early years settings in England later this year.

Keith Vaz: [107591]


effectiveness of the Healthy Start scheme in achieving the objectives of the Childhood

Obesity Plan.

Steve Brine:

The Healthy Start scheme delivers the goals of the Childhood Obesity Plan by

supporting lower-income pregnant women and families to eat healthily. Healthy Start

helps to encourage a healthy diet among pregnant women and children under four

from low income households. It does this by providing vouchers to these families to

purchase fruit, vegetables and milk.

The Government has provided nutritional support to families for many years and our

world-leading Childhood Obesity Plan published in August last year re-affirmed its

commitment to Healthy Start and to helping children and families to recognise and

make healthier choices and be more active.

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/643714/ACO-contract-reg-changes-consultation-1.pdf.

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/643714/ACO-contract-reg-changes-consultation-1.pdf.




Obesity: Surgery

Rachael Maskell: [107834]

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

the effect of the proposed requirement for clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) to go

through an individual funding request before each patient is able to access bariatric

surgery on (a) patient health and (b) capacity of CCGs to respond to that requirement.

Steve Brine:

There is no national requirement for clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) to go

through an individual funding request process before each patient is able to access

bariatric surgery. The implementation and operation of CCG commissioning policies

is a matter for individual CCGs to determine.

NHS England has therefore made no formal assessment of this proposed

requirement on CCGs.

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence Clinical Guidelines 43 (updated

November 2014) is clear about which groups of individuals bariatric surgery can

benefit, with both clinical and cost effectiveness demonstrated, and attendance at

Tier 3 services required first. Tier 3 covers multidisciplinary weight management

services which are normally commissioned by CCGs.

Patients: Transport

Rachel Maclean: [107561]


that people aged over 65 have adequate transport to and from routine hospital

appointments.

Steve Brine:

Non-emergency patient transport services (PTS) are available for patients that meet

certain criteria, including but not limited to those who are aged over 65 and satisfy

one or more of the criteria outlined in the document Eligibility Criteria for Patient

Transport Services.

A patient’s eligibility for PTS should be determined either by a healthcare professional

or by non-clinically qualified staff who are both clinically supervised and/or working

within locally agreed protocols or guidelines, and employed by the National Health

Service or working under contract for the NHS.

Pharmacy: Medical Records

Pauline Latham: [107291]

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what plans his Department has for widening the

use of NHS Digital to enable pharmacists to update a patient's health record.




Jackie Doyle-Price:

Pharmacists working across a range of care settings are able to update patient

records. In particular the general practice clinical pharmacist programme is funding

2,000 pharmacists over four years to work alongside general practitioners (GPs) and

nurses in general practice with read/write access to patient health records.

Clinical pharmacists in hospital practice also have read/write access to hospital

patient records to support clinical practice.

In some areas, community pharmacists have been given read/write access to support

working with general practices particularly linked to any prescribing role they have.

In addition, 96% of community pharmacists in England have now been provided with

read access to the summary care record, which provides a summary of the data in

the patient’s general practice record. In addition, 80% have now been provided with a

secure NHSmail account which allows safe and secure communication between the

pharmacist and the GP practice regarding patient encounters.

Further work is underway to develop a solution that integrates updates recorded by a

pharmacist directly into the GP record. This will take time to develop and implement

due to the complexity involved.

Sugar

Keith Vaz: [R] [107586]

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what plans he has to work with retailers to limit

the availability of high sugar food and drink products at the point of sale.

Keith Vaz: [R] [107668]

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

the sale of high-sugar food and drink products at the point of sale.

Steve Brine:

As part of our plan to tackle childhood obesity we launched a broad, structured and

independently monitored sugar reduction programme, led by Public Health England

(PHE), to remove sugar from the products children eat most. This can be achieved

through reduction of sugar levels in products, reducing portion size or shifting

purchasing towards lower sugar alternatives.

Since March 2017, PHE has engaged with all of the food industry (retailers,

manufacturers and the out of home sector) to discuss what industry could do to meet

the 20% reduction in sugar by 2020. PHE will continue these discussions and will

publish regular updates on progress towards the 20% sugar reduction.

A list of PHE’s industry and other stakeholder engagement on this agenda was

published in March and can be viewed here:

www.gov.uk/government/publications/sugar-reduction-and-wider-reformulation-

stakeholder-engagement



http://www.gov.uk/government/publications/sugar-reduction-and-wider-reformulation-stakeholder-engagement

http://www.gov.uk/government/publications/sugar-reduction-and-wider-reformulation-stakeholder-engagement

Sugar: Consumption

Keith Vaz: [R] [107585]

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

the amount of sugar consumed by people over 65-years of age and the health

implications of that level of consumption.

Steve Brine:

The most recent data from the National Diet and Nutrition Survey (NDNS), published

in September 2016, show that men and women aged 65 years and older derived

11.4% and 10.2% respectively of their total dietary energy from sugars. This is more

than double the level recommended by the Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition

in its report ‘Carbohydrates and Health’ report published in July 2015 which

recommended that the intake of free sugars should not exceed 5% of total dietary

energy. The report is available at the following link:


/SACN_Carbohydrates_and_Health.pdf

The sugars included in the NDNS assessment are those added to food during

manufacture or cooking in the form of table sugar, honey or similar products, or

released from the cell structure of food during processing, such as the sugars in fruit

juice.

HOME OFFICE

Crime: Finance

Mr Andrew Mitchell: [108028]

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how much funding has been

made available to implement section 13 of the Criminal Finances Act 2017.


To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many National Crime

Agency personnel have been assigned to investigate people whose conduct constitutes,

or is connected with, the commission of a gross human rights abuse or violation and to

enforce the asset-freezing provisions in Part 5 of the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002.


To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether a taskforce has been

set up to implement Section 13 of the Criminal Finances Act 2017.


To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether she has communicated

guidance to the Director General of the National Crime Agency on the implementation of

section 13 of the Criminal Finances Act 2017.


https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/445503/SACN_Carbohydrates_and_Health.pdf

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/445503/SACN_Carbohydrates_and_Health.pdf






To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what plans she has to

communicate guidance to the National Crime Agency to recommend freezing the assets

of people implicated in the Magnitsky case.

Mr Ben Wallace:

Section 13 of the Criminal Finances Act allows for civil recovery to be undertaken in

cases in relation to property connected with gross human rights abuse or violations. It

expands the definition of 'unlawful conduct' within Part 5 of POCA to include conduct

by a public official that constitutes gross human rights abuse or violations (defined as

torture or inhuman, cruel or degrading treatment) of a person on the grounds that

they have been obtaining, exercising, defending or promoting human rights, or have

sought to expose gross human rights abuse conducted by a public official.

This new power also covers conduct occurring anywhere in the world, provided that it

would constitute a sufficiently serious offence if it had occurred in the UK (i.e. that it

would have been triable by indictment).

There are a number of dependencies which must be implemented before the Act,

including section 13, can be commenced. Work is underway to ensure the necessary

court rules, secondary legislation, training, guidance and human resources are in

place for commencement of the Act by Summer 2018.

Immigrants: Detainees

Afzal Khan: [107469]

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will introduce a time limit

on the period for which an individual can be detained for immigration purposes.

Brandon Lewis:

The Government has no plans to introduce a fixed time limit on immigration detention

as this would only encourage detainees to refuse to cooperate with immigration and

asylum processes until they reached the point at which they had to be released from

detention and thus avoid their enforced removal from the UK. Published Home Office

policy is clear, however, that detention is only used for the shortest period necessary.

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/chapters-46-to-62-detention-and-

removals

Police: Finance

Louise Haigh: [107961]

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, further to the Answer of 12

October 2017 to Question 9570, how many unsuccessful bids were made to the Police

Transformation Fund; and what the amount was of each unsuccessful bid made to that

fund.



https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/chapters-46-to-62-detention-and-removals

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/chapters-46-to-62-detention-and-removals


Mr Nick Hurd:

Details of the Police Transformation Fund awards have been published at the

following link: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/police-transformation-

fund-successful-bids-2017-to-2018

Radicalism

Caroline Lucas: [107462]

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 5

September to Question 6756, what guidance her Department (a) has provided or (b)

plans to provide to financial institutions on how to respond to the Government's report on

the funding of Islamist extremism in the UK.

Sarah Newton:

The Government has engaged with the financial services sector on the review of the

funding of Islamist extremism in the UK.

This includes giving verbal guidance to the Joint Money Laundering Intelligence

Taskforce on the review’s findings and discussing with the group its approach to

managing risks around non-violent extremism. The Government has also discussed

the review with the British Bankers’ Association (now part of UK Finance).

HOUSE OF COMMONS COMMISSION

Elizabeth Tower: Repairs and Maintenance

Stephen Kinnock: [107189]

To ask the right hon. Member for Carshalton and Wallington, representing the House of

Commons Commission, what material has been used in the scaffolding for the renovation

work on the Elizabeth Tower; and what the country of origin was of that material.

Tom Brake:

A modular scaffolding system is being used for the refurbishment of the Elizabeth

Tower. A UK sub-contractor is erecting the modular system, which is made from high

tensile galvanised steel supplied from Germany, through a UK-based company.

The modular scaffolding system is supported by a steelwork gantry. The steelwork for

the gantry has been procured through a UK manufacturer (Sir Robert McAlpine’s sub-

contractor). The origin of the majority of the steel is British, but due to the quantity

and size of the components required it has been necessary to source some steel

from overseas suppliers, including in Brazil and the United Arab Emirates.

All of the steelwork structures have been assembled in the UK.



INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Malaria

Jim Fitzpatrick: [107550]

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what steps her Department

is taking to replenish out-of-date bed nets in malaria-endemic countries.

Alistair Burt:

DFID is the second largest international funder to the global malaria response. We

fund the provision of bednets for new users and to replace older bednets, through

bilateral country programmes, and through the significant UK investment in the

Global Fund to fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria. With UK funding the Global

Fund will provide 79 million insecticide treated long lasting bednets from 2014 to

2019.

INTERNATIONAL TRADE

Exports: EU Countries

Chris Ruane: [107077]

To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what the (a) value and (b)

proportion of manufactured (i) goods and (ii) services exported to other EU countries was

by each nation and region of the UK in each of the last three years.

Mark Garnier:

The information asked for is available from the sources listed below. Data is made

available by value (£, current prices) of which proportions can be calculated.

i) Data on the value of UK goods exports to EU countries are available from the ‘Build

Your Own Tables’ tool in HMRC’s Overseas Trade Statistics database.

Manufacturing goods are defined as Standard Industrial Trade Classification (SITC)

codes 5-8.

https://www.uktradeinfo.com/Statistics/BuildYourOwnTables/Pages/Table.aspx

ii) Data on the value of UK services exports to selected EU countries and the EU as a

bloc, by type of service, are available from the ONS Pink Book 2014, 2015 and 2016

publications

https://www.ons.gov.uk/file?uri=/economy/nationalaccounts/balanceofpayments/adho

cs/006656balanceofpaymentsannualgeographicaldatatables/2015updateddetailedge

ographictradedata.xls (Table 9 - Data for 2015)

https://www.ons.gov.uk/file?uri=/economy/nationalaccounts/balanceofpayments/data

sets/9geographicalbreakdownofthecurrentaccountthepinkbook2016/thepinkbook/pink

book2016chapter9.xls (Table 9.10 - Data for 2014)




https://www.ons.gov.uk/file?uri=/economy/nationalaccounts/balanceofpayments/adhocs/006656balanceofpaymentsannualgeographicaldatatables/2015updateddetailedgeographictradedata.xls



https://www.ons.gov.uk/file?uri=/economy/nationalaccounts/balanceofpayments/datasets/9geographicalbreakdownofthecurrentaccountthepinkbook2016/thepinkbook/pinkbook2016chapter9.xls



http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20160106022154/http://www.ons.gov.uk/on

s/rel/bop/united-kingdom-balance-of-payments/2015/rft-chapter-09.xls (Table 9.10 -

Data for 2013)

iii) Data on the value of goods exports from Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and

the English regions to EU countries are available from the ‘Build Your Own Tables’

tool in HMRC’s Regional Trade Statistics database. Manufacturing goods are defined

as Standard Industrial Trade Classification (SITC) codes 5-8


iv) Data on the value of services exports from Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and

the English regions to EU countries, by type of service, are available from the ONS’s

International Trade in Services (ITIS) experimental statistics release. This covers all

services sectors, except banking, travel and transport:

https://www.ons.gov.uk/businessindustryandtrade/internationaltrade/articles/estimatin

gthevalueofserviceexportsabroadfromdifferentpartsoftheuk/2015 For previous years’

data please see the following:


gthevalueofserviceexportsabroadfromdifferentpartsoftheuk/2011to2015

Note: HMRC and ONS data are not directly comparable, as HMRC trade in goods

data are calculated on the basis of goods crossing the customs border, whereas ONS

trade in services data are based on a change in ownership.

JUSTICE

European Protection Orders

Bambos Charalambous: [107623]

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many UK citizens were protected by the

European Protection Order when residing in or visiting another EU member state in each

year since 2015.


To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many EU citizens from non-UK EU states

were protected by the European Protection Order when residing in or visiting the UK in



To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many European Protection Orders were

granted by British courts in each year since 2015.

Dominic Raab:

The table below shows the numbers of “European Protection Orders” made in

England and Wales pursuant to Directive 2011/999/EU of the European Parliament

and of the Council of 13 December 2011 on the European Protection Order. Criminal

justice is devolved so data for Scotland and Northern Ireland are not included. The

http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20160106022154/http:/www.ons.gov.uk/ons/rel/bop/united-kingdom-balance-of-payments/2015/rft-chapter-09.xls



https://www.ons.gov.uk/businessindustryandtrade/internationaltrade/articles/estimatingthevalueofserviceexportsabroadfromdifferentpartsoftheuk/2015


https://www.ons.gov.uk/businessindustryandtrade/internationaltrade/articles/estimatingthevalueofserviceexportsabroadfromdifferentpartsoftheuk/2011to2015





citizenship status of the protected person is not collected separately so is not shown,

but the table does show the number of orders made in the courts of England and

Wales and transmitted to other Member States and also the number received in

England and Wales from other Member States.

CALENDAR YEAR

ISSUED BY ENGLAND &

WALES AND ACCEPTED

BY ANOTHER MEMBER

STATE

RECEIVED AND

ACCEPTED BY ENGLAND

& WALES FROM

ANOTHER MEMBER

STATE TOTAL

2015 0 1 1

2016 2 0 2

2017 – to date 0 1 1

Family Proceedings

Mohammad Yasin: [107456]

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what the timetable is for the publication of the

Government's Green Paper on family justice.

Dominic Raab:

I am clear that we need to look across the entire family justice system to make sure it

is delivering the best outcomes for children and families, and protecting its most

vulnerable users. We are working to consider what further changes are needed and

will bring forward our proposals in due course.

Juries: Hearing Impaired

Ben Lake: [107359]

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

for Women and Equalities on how to facilitate jury service by people who are registered

as deaf.

Dominic Raab:

There have been no discussions between Ministers in the Ministry of Justice and the

Minister for Women and Equalities on the issue of deaf jurors.

Legal Aid Scheme: Domestic Violence

Gloria De Piero: [107908]

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many legal aid applications for civil cases

of domestic violence have been made in each of the last six years.




Dominic Raab:

This information is published on a quarterly basis as part of the Legal Aid Agency’s

National Statistics, the most recent of which (covering the most recent six complete

financial years) are reproduced below:

FINANCIAL YEAR

APPLICATIONS IN THE ‘DOMESTIC VIOLENCE’

CATEGORY

2011-12 17,652

2012-13 17,405

2013-14 16,925

2014-15 15,665

2015-16 14,754

2016-17 14,136

Probation


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

Inspectorate of Probation reports which indicate that workloads in both the National

Probation Service and community rehabilitation companies are dangerously high.

Mr Sam Gyimah:

The great majority of Quality & Impact Reports by Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of

Probation have commented favourably on the performance of the National Probation

Service (NPS). We recognise that staff shortages in certain parts of the country have

resulted in high caseloads in those areas. The NPS is addressing this via a major

recruitment campaign and is on target to recruit around 500 additional trainee

probation officers, and over 1000 probation service officers in 2017-18.

Contracts with Community Rehabilitation Companies (CRCs) require each that each

CRC ensures that it employs a sufficient level of staff, and that its workforce is

competent and adequately trained. We closely monitor and robustly manage

providers to make sure they fulfil their contractual commitments to reduce

reoffending, protect the public and provide value for money to the taxpayer.

Probation: Gloucestershire


To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps his Department plans to take to

address the problems identified in HM Inspectorate of Probation's report on

Gloucestershire with service delivery carried out by working links.



Mr Sam Gyimah:

There is a contractual mechanism for dealing with recommendations made in HM

Inspectorate of Probation reports and, as a result, Community Rehabilitation

Companies (CRCs) are required to prepare action plans to address the issues raised.

Contract Management Teams give high priority to ensuring that those plans are

followed through, and ensure that those actions are successful in addressing the

points raised.

Public protection is our top priority and we will take all necessary action to make sure

the probation system is reducing reoffending and preventing future victims.

We have fundamentally reformed probation so that for the first time ever all offenders

given a custodial sentence receive probation support on release. We continue to

work with the CRCs to ensure they deliver services that have the correct levels of

supervision and support for offenders.

Probation: Meetings

Richard Burgon: [107592]

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

of the use of booths in probation work contained in the HM Inspectorate of Probation

report, The effectiveness of probation work in Cumbria, published in October 2017.


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

of the settings used by community rehabilitation companies to meet service users; and if

he will make a statement.


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

effect on public safety of the use of booths by probation services; and if he will make a

statement.

Mr Sam Gyimah:

In her report, the Chief Inspector of Probation found that the work of probation

services in Cumbria was good, with exceptional practice at the CRC, and that the

work of the CRC was the best they had seen since the Transforming Rehabilitation

reforms.

We recognise that it is important that offenders and probation staff can meet in an

environment appropriate for their specific needs, and that public safety also forms

part of those considerations. I expect the CRC to take note of, and act on the Chief

Inspector’s recommendations. Our contract management teams will continue to

monitor and robustly manage providers closely to make sure they fulfil their

contractual commitments to maintain service delivery, reduce reoffending, protect the

public and provide value for money to the taxpayer.





To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many offenders currently meet their

probation officer in a public space such as a library, café or restaurant due to a lack of

appropriate space in probation offices.

Mr Sam Gyimah:

Information on meeting venues is not collected centrally and could not be obtained

without incurring disproportionate cost.

In any case where a venue outside the probation estate is being considered, the

offender manager is required to make an assessment, to determine whether the

venue is appropriate.

SCOTLAND

Food Banks: Scotland


To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, whether he plans to visit a food bank in

October 2017.

David Mundell:

I currently have no plans to visit a food bank in my capacity as Secretary of State for

Scotland in October 2017.

TRANSPORT

Airports: Northern Cyprus

Ms Harriet Harman: [107831]

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if his Department will review the decision to

increase security requirements on passengers flying between Ercan International Airport

and UK airports.

Mr John Hayes:

All flights from Ercan to the UK are subject to additional passenger screening at the

departure gate in Turkey. We believe these are necessary measures, especially

given aviation remains a systemic target for terrorists, and those with malicious intent.

We work with our international partners on aviation security, and keep measures

under constant review.

ATOL

Daniel Kawczynski: [107385]

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps the Government is taking to

increase public awareness of the extent of the protection extended to commercial flights

by ATOL.





Mr John Hayes:

The Government and the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) are taking a number of steps

to increase the public’s awareness of ATOL protection. Consumers can find

information about ATOL and the products and companies that are covered on the

CAA’s website. CAA have also launched the ‘Pack Peace of Mind’ campaign to

increase awareness of ATOL protection.

We are also taking steps to ensure consumers are informed about ATOL protection

when they book a holiday. Companies that sell ATOL protected holidays are already

required to provide an ATOL certificate to consumers when they purchase a

protected trip or flight. We will introduce additional pre and post-sale information

requirements when we implement a new EU Package Travel Directive in 2018.

The Government is continuing to keep this under review as we develop a new

aviation strategy for the UK. In July 2017 we published a call for evidence on the

aviation strategy, which invited views on whether further information provisions and

consumer protections are needed in the sector. We will cover these issues in more

detail in the next stage of the consultation.

Bus Services: Franchises

Mike Amesbury: [107957]

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when his Department plans to publish the

detailed legislative guidance on the franchising powers made available to combined

authorities with elected mayors under the provisions of the Bus Services Act 2017.

Jesse Norman:

The Department plans to publish the guidance this autumn.

Crossrail 2 Line: Haringey

Mr David Lammy: [107243]

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

transport, housing and economic benefits of Crossrail 2 for (a) Tottenham constituency

and (b) the London Borough of Haringey.

Paul Maynard:

The Crossrail 2 Strategic Outline Business Case, submitted to the Department by

Transport for London, is currently under consideration by the Government to ensure it

is a robust investment and delivers value for money. This includes the detailed

assessment of the potential benefits of the scheme. No final decisions have yet been

taken on the Crossrail 2 route.



Harbour Authorities


To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent meetings his Ministers of his

Department have had with representatives from Competent Harbour Authorities in the

last 12 months.

Mr John Hayes:

Given the importance and significance of the UK’s maritime industry, Ministers meet

regularly with representatives from competent harbour authorities and a broad range

of other maritime organisations.

Navigation


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

number of criminal investigations which have been undertaken into allegations relating to

failure to maintain compulsory pilotage in each of the last 10 years for which figures are

available.

Mr John Hayes:

The Department holds information on only one case of a criminal investigation,

initiated in 2015, into allegations relating to failure to maintain compulsory pilotage in

the last ten years.

Ports: Navigation


To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will bring forward legislative proposals to

introduce a duty on his Department to oversee or direct competent harbour authorities in

the execution of their duties to provide pilotage services in accordance with the Pilotage

Act 1987.

Mr John Hayes:

The size and volume of traffic, conditions and risks vary greatly between different

ports and harbours. Those who are responsible for their management are best

placed, given the detailed local knowledge and expertise required, to determine what

safety measures, including pilotage, are necessary within their limits and to enforce

those requirements.

The Pilotage Act 1987 requires competent harbor authorities to keep under review

whether any, and if so what, pilotage is needed in their areas to maintain safety

navigation.

The Department provides guidance for competent harbor authorities in the form of the

Port Marine Safety Code and best practice in the Guide to Good Practice.




Railway Stations: Access

Lilian Greenwood: [107813]

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many station upgrades are due to start

before April 2019 under the Network Rail Access for All scheme.

Paul Maynard:

Since 2014 Access for All has completed 30 projects and another 7 are currently on

site. A further 28 are due to start construction before 2019.


To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many planned station upgrades under

Network Rail's Access for All scheme have been (a) cancelled during rail control period 5

and (b) deferred to rail control period in each region.

Paul Maynard:

No schemes under Access for All have been cancelled during Control Period 5. The

construction of 26 stations has been deferred to Control Period 6 and these stations

are in the following regions:

North West 1

North East 2

East 3

East Midlands 2

West Midlands 1

Wales 4

West 1

London 9

South East 3

Railway Stations: Disability


To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how much has been spent on improving the

accessibility of train stations for disabled people under Network Rail's Access for All

scheme since 2014 in each region.

Paul Maynard:

The spend on Access for All projects is recorded by Network Rail route and the cost

of work done to date since 2014 is as follows:

Anglia £11.872m

East Midlands £1.184m

London North East £20.599m




London North West £15.476m

Scotland £13.112m

Sussex £2.196m

Wales £6.387m

Wessex £12.828m

Western £5.583m

Railways: North East


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

improve the provision of rail services in (a) Tyne and Wear and (b) the North East of

England.

Paul Maynard:

Rail journeys across the north east will undergo the biggest transformation in

decades, with an unprecedented package of improvements. By 2020 all the trains will

be brand new or completely refurbished, and all the Pacer trains will be gone.

Similarly, across the whole of the North there will be more than 500 brand-new train

carriages, with room for 40,000 more passengers and 2,000 extra services a week.

The 2 nd Round of New Station Fund is providing £3.3 million towards a new station

on the Durham Coast Line at Horden. The Government supports the Metro system

with £317million for its reinvigoration and renewal programme and £230 million

towards its running costs. The Transport Secretary last week unveiled the latest

stage in the government’s record investment in Britain’s railways setting out the next

round of rail funding, announcing that around £48 billion will be spent on the network

over a 5 year period, from 2019 to 2024, including more maintenance and a huge

uplift in renewals to increase reliability and punctuality for passengers.

Road Traffic Control

Alex Chalk: [901291]

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

reduce congestion on the strategic road network.

Jesse Norman:

Tackling congestion is at the forefront of Government’s plans to provide a modern

strategic road network that supports our growing economy.

Government is investing in the largest programme of improvements on our national

roads - £15 billion between 2015 and 2021.

In addition to providing extra capacity on our busiest motorways by making them

smart motorways, Government is improving specific parts of the network where

investment can tackle congestion, improve journeys and support economic growth.



Shared Spaces: Disability

Layla Moran: [107968]

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

of shared-space schemes on disabled people.

Jesse Norman:

The Department has published guidance for local authorities and practitioners on

designing shared space schemes in Local Transport Note 1/11: Shared Space.

To inform the advice given in the Local Transport Note, the Department

commissioned an extensive research project in 2010, more information on which can

be found at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/shared-space. This included

qualitative research with a number of different road user types: visually impaired

pedestrians; mobility impaired pedestrians; pedestrians with learning difficulties;

pedestrians who are deaf or hard of hearing; non-disabled pedestrians; and drivers.

We have been working with the Chartered Institution of Highways and Transportation,

which has been carrying out a review of 12 shared space and other street design

schemes. This will report soon, and provide recommendations for further work in this

area.

The draft Accessibility Action Plan, currently out for consultation, includes an action

for us to consider CIHT’s recommendations, when received, and how to take them

forward, by the end of 2017.

Taxis: Guide Dogs

Laura Smith: [107694]

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps he is taking to prevent taxi drivers

from refusing to carry passengers with guide dogs.

Mr John Hayes:

It is unacceptable that drivers continue to refuse assistance dogs and I strongly

encourage licensing authorities to take robust action against those who are unwilling

to comply. Under the Equality Act 2010 it is illegal for the driver of a taxi or Private

Hire Vehicle (PHV) to refuse to carry an assistance dog unless they hold a medical

exemption certificate issued by the local licensing authority.

As part of the draft Accessibility Action Plan which is currently subject to a public

consultation, we have committed to strengthen the best practice guidance on the

provision of driver training, and what needs to be done to prevent refusals.


https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/shared-space


WALES

EU Grants and Loans: Wales


To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, how many meetings he has had with

organisations and campaigners from Wales since June 2016 on European Structural

Investment Funds after the UK leaves the EU.

Alun Cairns:

My ministerial colleagues and I regularly meet with stakeholders across Wales,

including discussing with representatives of business, the third sector and universities

how funding for growth across the UK can best be designed and delivered after we

leave the European Union. Since the referendum result in June 2016, the impact on

Wales of the UK leaving the EU has been a standing agenda item.

WOMEN AND EQUALITIES

Members: Females


To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, what recent assessment she has made of

trends in the level of female hon. Members; and if she will make a statement.

Anne Milton:

In the 2017 general election 208 women were elected Members of Parliament, an

increase of almost 9% from 191 women at the 2015 election. The government agrees

we would like to see more women elected so that Parliament can more accurately

represent the diverse British public that it serves.

The government is looking at ways to support political parties to increase the

numbers of women Parliamentary and local council candidates, including with

guidance and academic research.

WORK AND PENSIONS

Department for Work and Pensions: Correspondence

Grahame Morris: [107666]

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will take steps to reduce the

number of working days it takes his Department to respond to hon. Members' enquiries.

Caroline Dinenage:

The Department has a 15 working day target for a Director General to respond to an

MP. These timescales are in line with Cabinet Office directives.




Department for Work and Pensions: Telephone Services

Debbie Abrahams: [107626]

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the average time of a call was

to 0345 telephone numbers by his Department.

Caroline Dinenage:

Within the last 12 months, the average length of time for a telephone call to the

Department for Work and Pensions’ 0345 telephone lines was 11 minutes 29

seconds.

Employment and Support Allowance: County Durham

Grahame Morris: [107686]

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many decision-makers

considering employment and support allowance claims are employed in County Durham.

Caroline Dinenage:

The number of decision-makers considering Employment and Support Allowance

(ESA) claims employed in County Durham (at Stockton-on-Tees Benefit Centre) as at

August 2017 is 53.62 Full Time Equivalent (FTE) staff.

Local Housing Allowance

Mr Roger Godsiff: [107092]

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment has been made

of whether the local housing allowance rates are keeping pace with increasing rents in

the private sector.

Caroline Dinenage:

Local Housing Allowance rates are monitored against the 30th percentile of local rents

which are collected by the Rent Services in England, Scotland and Wales. The Rent

Services publish the 30th percentile data and the Local Housing Allowance rates each

year on their respective websites.

Laura Smith: [107693]

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of

the potential merits of unfreezing local housing allowance.

Caroline Dinenage:

There are no plans to lift the four year Local Housing Allowance (LHA) freeze before

April 2020.

The Government recognises however that the impact of this measure varies across

the country, especially in areas of high rental growth and therefore recycles 30 per

cent of the savings from the LHA Freeze to create Targeted Affordability funding. This

funding is used to increase LHA rates in areas where local rents have diverged the

most. For example in 2017/18 48 LHA rates have been increased by 3 per cent.





Further Targeted Affordability Funding will be made available in 2018/19 and

2019/20.

In addition since 2011, the Government has provided around £900 million in

Discretionary Housing Payments to local authorities (LAs) to protect vulnerable

claimants and support households affected by different welfare reforms including the

freeze to LHA rates.

Social Security Benefits: Debts


To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps his Department is

taking to assist households facing debt as a result of benefit sanctions.

Damian Hinds:

Sanctions are only used in a minority of cases when people fail to meet each of their

requirements that they agreed in their Claimant Commitment without good reason.

We have a well-established system of hardship payments, available as a safeguard if

a claimant demonstrates that they cannot meet their immediate and most essential

needs, including accommodation, heating, food and hygiene, as a result of their

sanction.

Social Security Benefits: EU Nationals


To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many non-UK EU citizens are

in receipt of each of his Department's benefit to which they are entitled.

Damian Hinds:

The nationality and immigration status of claimants is not currently recorded on

benefit payment systems. However the Department for Work and Pensions has

published statistics on working age benefit recipients by nationality at point of

National Insurance Number (NINo) registration. This is available here:

https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/nationality-at-point-of-nino-registration-of-

dwp-working-age-benefit-recipients-data-to-feb-2017

https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/analysis-of-migrants-access-to-income-

related-benefits

State Retirement Pensions: Females


To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what budget has been assigned to

the dedicated team to address complaints by women adversely affected by an increase in

the state pension age.



https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/nationality-at-point-of-nino-registration-of-dwp-working-age-benefit-recipients-data-to-feb-2017

https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/nationality-at-point-of-nino-registration-of-dwp-working-age-benefit-recipients-data-to-feb-2017

https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/analysis-of-migrants-access-to-income-related-benefits

https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/analysis-of-migrants-access-to-income-related-benefits


Caroline Dinenage:

The Independent Case Examiner’s Office has not been assigned a budget to deal

with the complaints from woman affected by the increase in state pension age.


To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many full-time equivalent staff

work in the dedicated team to address complaints by women adversely affected by an

increase in the state pension age.

Caroline Dinenage:

The Independent Case Examiner’s Office has a dedicated team of three full time

equivalent staff investigating complaints from women affected by the increase in state

pension age.

Universal Credit: Payments

Carolyn Harris: [107185]

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps his Department is

taking to ensure prompt and accurate payments of universal credit for people being

transferred to that benefit in the run-up to Christmas.

Damian Hinds:

To ensure people have money over the festive period the Department plans to pay in

advance of the due date the people that could be affected by bank holidays. This

includes the careful assessment of technical system and banking system availability

to ensure successful payments can be made. This year we have enhanced the

functionality and added a faster payment contingency function in Universal Credit.

Universal Credit: Self-employed

Alison McGovern: [106459]

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 11

September 2017 to Question 9283, on universal credit: self employed, what assessment

he has made of the (a) effect of the roll-out of universal credit on the creative sector, (b)

number of self-employed universal credit claimants and (c) financial saving achieved by

the application of the minimum income floor.

Damian Hinds:

[Holding answer 12 October 2017]: No sector is treated more or less favourably than

another and all claimants have the same rights and obligations. We have not yet

assessed the effects of roll-out but, as part of UC’s test and learn approach, work is

planned to make data available on the number of self-employed claimants and the

impact of the minimum income floor.




Universal Credit: Telephone Services


To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether his Department accrues

any income from the universal credit helpline.

Damian Hinds:

I refer the Honourable Member to the answer I gave on 16 October 2017 to question

107197

Bill Esterson: [107750]

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to the oral

contribution of the hon. Member for Sefton Central of 12 October 2017 to the Leader of

the House, Official Report, column 469, if he will remove the charge for telephone calls to

his Department on universal credit.


To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to the Answer of

February 2016 to Question 25760, what advice he gives to applicants needing to make a

telephone call to discuss their Universal Credit claim but not able to afford to use his

Department's helpline.

Damian Hinds:

As announced by the Secretary of State at the Work and Pensions Select Committee

on 18 October 2017, DWP plans to change the Universal Credit helpline to a

freephone number over the next month.

Wheels to Work Schemes: Rural Areas

Scott Mann: [107289]

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what financial support his

Department has provided to Wheels to Work schemes in rural areas, including Cornwall

in each of the last five years.

Caroline Dinenage:

DWP has provided £360 in support to Wheels to Work Schemes in the last 5 years,

the payments were made during 2012/13. These were made specifically in Helston,

Bodmin and Liskeard Job Centres.

Work Capability Assessment: Exemptions

Marsha De Cordova: [107389]

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, which disabilities and health

conditions are now exempt from work capability re-assessments for (a) employment and

support allowance and (b) universal credit.

Penny Mordaunt:

Rather than setting out a list of specific medical conditions, the criteria for stopping

routine assessments in Employment Support Allowance and Universal Credit is






based on a set of functional descriptors to determine how an illness or disability

affects an individual’s ability to work.

MINISTERIAL CORRECTIONS

INTERNATIONAL TRADE

Exports: EU Countries

Chris Ruane: [107077]

To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what the (a) value and (b)

proportion of manufactured (i) goods and (ii) services exported to other EU countries was

by each nation and region of the UK in each of the last three years.

An error has been identified in the written answer given on 18 October 2017. The

correct answer should have been:

Mark Garnier:

The information asked for is available from the sources listed below. Data is made

available by value (£, current prices, not constant prices) of which proportions can

be calculated.

i) Data on the value of UK goods exports to EU countries are available from the ‘Build

Your Own Tables’ tool in HMRC’s Overseas Trade Statistics database.

Manufacturing goods are defined as Standard Industrial Trade Classification (SITC)

codes 5-8.


ii) Data on the value of UK services exports to selected EU countries and the EU as a

bloc, by type of service, are available from the ONS Pink Book 2014, 2015 and 2016

publications

https://www.ons.gov.uk/file?uri=/economy/nationalaccounts/balanceofpayments/adho

cs/006656balanceofpaymentsannualgeographicaldatatables/2015updateddetailedge

ographictradedata.xls (Table 9 - Data for 2015)

https://www.ons.gov.uk/file?uri=/economy/nationalaccounts/balanceofpayments/data

sets/9geographicalbreakdownofthecurrentaccountthepinkbook2016/thepinkbook/pink

book2016chapter9.xls (Table 9.10 - Data for 2014)

http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20160106022154/http://www.ons.gov.uk/on

s/rel/bop/united-kingdom-balance-of-payments/2015/rft-chapter-09.xls (Table 9.10 -

Data for 2013)

iii) Data on the value of goods exports from Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and

the English regions to EU countries are available from the ‘Build Your Own Tables’

tool in HMRC’s Regional Trade Statistics database. Manufacturing goods are defined

as Standard Industrial Trade Classification (SITC) codes 5-8


iv) Data on the value of services exports from Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and

the English regions to EU countries, by type of service, are available from the ONS’s

International Trade in Services (ITIS) experimental statistics release. This covers all












services sectors, except banking, travel and transport:


gthevalueofserviceexportsabroadfromdifferentpartsoftheuk/2015 For previous years’

data please see the following:


gthevalueofserviceexportsabroadfromdifferentpartsoftheuk/2011to2015

Note: HMRC and ONS data are not directly comparable, as HMRC trade in goods

data are calculated on the basis of goods crossing the customs border, whereas ONS

trade in services data are based on a change in ownership.





WRITTEN STATEMENTS

TREASURY

Banking Act 2009 reporting

The Economic Secretary to the Treasury (Stephen Barclay): [HCWS184]

The Treasury has laid before the House of Commons a report required under section 231

of the Banking Act 2009 covering the period from 1 October 2016 to 31 March 2017.

Copies of the document are available in the Vote Office.

DEFENCE

Service Complaints Ombudsman's 2016 Annual Report - Ministry of Defence

Response

Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Defence (Mr Tobias Ellwood):

[HCWS183]

The Ministry of Defence’s (MOD) formal response to the Service Complaints

Ombudsman’s (SCO) annual report for 2016 on the fairness, effectiveness and efficiency

of the service complaints system has today been placed in the Library of the House.

The Ombudsman’s report commented on the operation of the new service complaints

system which was implemented on 1 January 2016 and the work of her office in 2016.

The response sets out how the MOD proposes to address each of the Ombudsman’s

new recommendations.

The MOD values the strong independent oversight that the Ombudsman brings to the

new service complaints process, and remains committed to having a system in which our

personnel can have confidence.

HOME OFFICE

Public consultation on defining antique firearms

The Minister of State for Fire and Policing (Mr Nick Hurd): [HCWS182]

I have today launched a Government consultation on proposals for implementing

legislation to define antique firearms.

Antique firearms are exempt from most of the controls placed on firearms if they are held

as a ‘curiosity or ornament’. There has previously been no statutory definition of an

‘antique firearm – only non-statutory guidance. This has created legal uncertainty which

has been exploited by criminals to obtain old but functioning firearms for use in crime.

Since 2008, there have been four fatalities linked to antique firearms. The number of

antique firearms recovered in criminal circumstances has increased from four in 2007 to

91 in 2016.

http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-statement/Commons/2017-10-19/HCWS184/




The Government included in the Policing and Crime Act 2017 provisions to define an

‘antique firearm’ in regulations. This consultation will inform the content of those

regulations and provide a statutory definition which will ensure that old firearms that still

pose a danger to the public are no longer exempt from control. It will also provide legal

clarity on the definition of an antique firearm to help law enforcement tackle criminal use.

The consultation seeks views on:

the obsolete cartridges and propulsion systems used by old firearms that can be

considered antique;

a cut-off date of manufacture, after which a firearm will not be considered antique;

and

arrangements for the ongoing review of the regulations.

The Government welcomes responses to this consultation from everyone involved with

antique firearms, including the police, dealers, museums and individual collectors. We will

take account of all views before deciding on the final shape of the regulations.

The consultation will run for eight weeks.

A copy of the consultation paper will be placed in the House Library and will be available

on the Government’s website at gov.uk.

NORTHERN IRELAND

Northern Ireland Update

Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (James Brokenshire): [HCWS185]

As Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, my overarching objective is a more secure,

stable and prosperous Northern Ireland. Having a fully functioning and effective

Executive, delivering for all the people of Northern Ireland is a critical to meeting this

objective.

Northern Ireland is currently in the midst of a period of political uncertainty. At this time

there is no devolved government in place and there has not been one for 10 months. This

is not what the people of Northern Ireland voted for last March. They want devolved

government in place and expect their elected representatives to make decisions to deliver

effective public services for all parts of the community. Moreover, they deserve to have a

functioning government and locally elected voices representing them on key issues,

including Brexit.

Over the past weeks and months the Prime Minister and I have sought, working with the

Irish Government in accordance with the three stranded approach, to bring the parties

together to work towards an agreement.

The DUP and Sinn Fein are seeking to find agreement on the issues between them.

Those remaining are small in number but highly difficult and sensitive - notably in relation

to language and culture.


The outlook for an imminent resolution is not positive. Time is running out. And without an

agreement, we are on a glide path to increasing intervention by the UK Government.

The NI Civil Service have dealt with the lack of an Executive with the utmost

professionalism to date - including in the face of Storm Ophelia. But by virtue of the legal

spending limits imposed in the absence of formal budget, public services cannot be

sustained without further legislation for much longer. Indeed the limits set out by the

Northern Ireland Act 1998 are such that it is essential for Budget legislation to be in place

by no later than the end of November. Working from that deadline, the Northern Ireland

Civil Service have assessed that it would still be possible, with political agreement among

the parties in the Assembly, for an Executive formed in the week commencing 6

November to take forward its own Budget.

Consequently, the last week I could introduce Executive formation legislation in

Parliament for an Executive to take forward its own Budget would be the week

commencing 30 October.

I have made clear that I will only legislate in this way on the basis of a written agreement

between the parties. If this is not forthcoming before 30 October, the only option

remaining would be to legislate for a budget at Westminster. This is not a step I wish to

take, nor one I would take lightly. My strong preference is for a restored Executive in

Northern Ireland to take forward its own Budget. Without an Executive, though, it would

be grossly remiss for the UK Government not to step in and take action to ensure the

continued funding of critical services in Northern Ireland.

I, the UK Government, and the Irish Government, want the parties to reach an agreement

and restore devolved government in Northern Ireland. But my ultimate responsibility is to

the people of Northern Ireland. The UK Government will do what is necessary to provide

the stability required to ensure communities in Northern Ireland are not disadvantaged by

the continued absence of devolved government.

Next year will be the twentieth anniversary of the Belfast Agreement. It behoves us all to

do what we can to ensure that that historic date is not marked by an increasingly hands

on UK Government, but instead by a functioning Northern Ireland Executive.

This remains my overriding priority.

TRANSPORT

High Speed Rail (Preparation) Act 2013, Annual Expenditure Report for 2016-17

Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Transport (Paul Maynard):

[HCWS179]

The High Speed Rail (Preparation) Act annual expenditure report is published today

under Section 2 of the High Speed Rail (Preparation) Act 2013. The report covers the

period from 1 April 2016 to 31 March 2017.

A copy of the report will be placed in the Libraries of both Houses.



Attachments:

1. HSR Expenditure Report [171019 - High_Speed_Rail_(Preparartion) Act Expenditure

Report_2016-17.pdf]

Roads

The Secretary of State for Transport (Chris Grayling): [HCWS180]

I am today setting out further details of significant investment for our roads, including

announcing the next two major local road schemes and 76 winners from the recent

competition for National Productivity Investment Funding on local roads. This funding

from the Department for Transport totals £345.3 million.

This funding includes two new large local major road schemes receiving Programme

Entry approval, at Carrington Bridge in Worcester and at Middlewich in East Cheshire.

The scheme in Worcester will alleviate congestion on the A4440 Southern Relief Road

and receive £54.5m of funding towards a total cost of £62m. The Middlewich Eastern

Bypass will alleviate congestion in the town centre and facilitate the expansion of the

Magnitude employment site. It will receive £46.8m of funding towards a total cost of

£56.9m.

I am today announcing the winning 76 local projects which will receive funding of £244m

from the National Productivity Investment Fund, during 2018/19 and 2019/20. The

schemes will help to ease congestion, provide upgrades on important local routes, as well

as facilitating the unlocking of economic and job creation opportunities. They will also

support, in some areas, the potential delivery of new housing developments. Further

information on today’s announcement is available on the Department for Transport’s

website. These projects are an essential part of ensuring we have a country which works

for everyone.

The Government announced the Road Investment Strategy (RIS) in December 2014, an

ambitious plan to increase much needed road capacity, boost economic development

and improve road safety. It seeks to address many years of under-investment in

England’s motorways and major trunk roads. Highways England have made good

progress on delivery to date, completing 18 road schemes and starting work on 15 more.

Highways England has also undertaken longer-term planning work to ensure that the high

level of road investment along key corridors of the network can be delivered in a way to

minimise disruption and keep road users moving. These plans also help to mitigate

delivery risks and achieve better value for money for the tax-payer. This planning work

was referred to in recent ORR and NAO reports on the Road Investment Strategy. I

confirm that Government has agreed with Highways England’s plans to optimise delivery

of the RIS. This re-profiling and optimisation of delivery is consistent with Highways

England’s remit and does not involve any cancellation of schemes, so the regions of

England can expect continued and similar levels of road investment.

Further details can be found on Highways England’s website and press releases.


WORK AND PENSIONS

Agenda of the Employment, Social Policy, Health and Consumer Affairs Council

(EPSCO), 19 October 2017, Luxembourg

Minister of State for Employment (Damian Hinds): [HCWS181]

The Employment, Social Policy, Health and Consumer Affairs Council will take place on

23 October 2017 in Luxembourg. Margot James, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State

at the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, will represent the UK.

The Council will be invited to agree a general approach on the Proposal for a Directive of

the European Parliament and of the Council amending Directive 96/71/EC concerning the

posting of workers in the framework of the provision of services. The Council will also be

invited to agree a partial general approach on the Proposal for a Regulation of the

European Parliament and of the Council amending Regulation 883 on the coordination of

social security systems and Regulation 987 laying down the procedure for implementing

Regulation 883.

The Council will be invited to adopt the text and provide authorisation to sign on behalf of

the Council the Proposal for an Interinstitutional Proclamation on the European Pillar of

Social Rights.

The Council will be invited to endorse: (i) the key messages from the Employment

Committee based on the Annual Employment Performance Report and the Employment

Performance Monitor; and (ii) the main messages from the Social Protection Committee

based on the Annual Review of the Social Protection Performance Monitor.

Under any other business, the Presidency and Commission will provide information on

the Tripartite Social Summit. The Presidency will provide information on the Tallinn Digital

Summit. The Commission will provide information on the New Skills Agenda for Europe.

There will be a presentation by the European Institute for Gender Equality on the new

edition of the Gender Equality Index.


Documents

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