Daily Report Wednesday, 12 July 2017 CONTENTSqnadailyreport.blob.core.windows.net/qnadaily... · 7/12/2017 · NHS Technology 99 HOME OFFICE 100 Extremism 100 NORTHERN IRELAND 102

Daily Report Wednesday, 12 July 2017

This report shows written answers and statements provided on 12 July 2017 and the

information is correct at the time of publication (06:38 P.M., 12 July 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

ATTORNEY GENERAL 6

Homicide 6

BUSINESS, ENERGY AND

INDUSTRIAL STRATEGY 6

Business: Billing 6

Department for Business,

Energy and Industrial Strategy:

Disclosure of Information 7

Department for Business,

Energy and Industrial Strategy:

McKinsey and Company 8

Electricity Generation 8

Electricity Interconnectors 8

Electricity: Consumption 9

Electricity: Costs 9

Electricity: Exports 10

Electricity: Imports 10

Energy: Prices 11

Energy: Small Businesses 11

Equal Pay 12

Hinkley Point C Power Station:

Compensation 12

Iron and Steel: China 13

Motor Vehicles: Manufacturing

Industries 13

Renewable Energy: UK Trade

with EU 13

Tidal Power: Swansea Bay 14

Working Mothers: Flexible

Working 14

CABINET OFFICE 15

Cybercrime 15

General Election 2017 15

Government Departments:

Ministerial Policy Advisers 15

Government Departments:

Payroll Deduction Scheme 16

Iron and Steel: Procurement 16

Ministerial Policy Advisers 16

Ministerial Policy Advisers:

Pay 16

National Cyber Security

Centre 17


Centre: Staff 17

Offshore Industry:

Employment 18

TREASURY 18

Consumer Price Index 18

Consumers: Expenditure 19

Corporation Tax 19

Excise Duties: Diesel Vehicles 19

http://www.parliament.uk/writtenanswers

Excise Duties: Fuels 20

Income Tax 20

Inheritance Tax 21

LIBOR: Charities 21

Minimum Wage 21

Motor Vehicles: Excise Duties 22


Centre: Pay 22

Public Sector: Pay 22

Schools: Buildings 23

Social Security Benefits:

Expenditure 23

Taxation 23

Taxation: Business 23

Treasury: Contracts 24

COMMUNITIES AND LOCAL

GOVERNMENT 24

Department for Communities

and Local Government:


DEFENCE 25

Air Force 25

Chinook Helicopters 25

Defence Equipment:

Procurement 26

Firing Ranges: Security 26

Low Flying: Compensation 26

Maritime Patrol Aircraft 26

Military Bases: Security 27

Ministry of Defence:


Sea Cadet Corps 28

CULTURE, MEDIA AND SPORT 28

Department for Digital,

Culture, Media and Sport:


Leisure: Easington 29

Swimming Pools: Construction 29

Swimming: Public Participation 30

DIGITAL, CULTURE, MEDIA AND

SPORT 30

Dormant Assets Commission 30

Government Art Collection 30

Office for Civil Society: Staff 34

Performing Arts: Equality 34

Public Sector: Mutual

Societies and Social Impact

Bonds 35

S4C 35

Sports Competitors: Down's

Syndrome 35

Voluntary Work: Young People 36

Young People 36

EDUCATION 36

Children: Day Care 36

Department for Education:

Equality 38

Grammar Schools 38

Pre-school Education:

Standards 38

Pupils: Attendance 39

Pupils: Disadvantaged 39

Scholarships: USA 39

Schools: Admissions 40

Schools: Hate Crime 40

Sixth Form Education 40

Sixth Form Education:

Expenditure 40

Social Mobility 41

ENVIRONMENT, FOOD AND

RURAL AFFAIRS 42

Agriculture 42

Agriculture: EU Law 43

Beaches and Rivers: Litter and

Sewage 43

Bovine Tuberculosis: Disease

Control 43

Department for Environment,

Food and Rural Affairs: Pay 44

Environment 44

Rivers: EU Law 45

Water: EU Law 45

EXITING THE EUROPEAN

UNION 46

Department for Exiting the

European Union: Equality 46

Gibraltar: Brexit 46

Immigration 47

FOREIGN AND

COMMONWEALTH OFFICE 48

Argentina: Foreign Relations 48

Chechnya: LGBT People 48

China: Treaties 49

Foreign and Commonwealth

Office: Advertising 49


Office: Disclosure of

Information 49


Office: Equality 50


Office: Redundancy 50

Hong Kong: Foreign Relations 50

Mahmoud Abu Zeid 51

North Korea: Foreign

Relations 51

North Korea: Guided Weapons 51

Venezuela: Human Rights 52

HEALTH 52

Ambulance Services:

Emergency Calls 52

Antenatal Care 53

Dental Services 53

Department of Health: Cabinet

Committees 54

Department of Health:


Depressive Illnesses 54

Health Professions: Vacancies 55

Health Services: Reciprocal

Arrangements 55

Health Visitors:

Nottinghamshire 56

Hospitals: Fire Prevention 56

Innovative Medicines and

Medical Technology Review 57

Negligence 57

NHS: Property 58

NHS: Reorganisation 58

Orkambi 59

Parents: Advisory Services 59

Perinatal Mortality 60

Pregnancy Complications 61

Pregnancy: Paracetamol 61

Social Services 62

Suicide: Children and Young

People 62

Suicide: Internet 63

Urinary System: Diseases 63

HOME OFFICE 65

Asylum: Children 65

Compass Contracts 65

Counter-terrorism 65

Crimes of Violence: Acids 67

Government Communications 67

Greater Manchester Police 67

Immigration 68

Immigration: EEA Nationals 68

Immigration: EU Nationals 68

Metropolitan Police 69

Police: Finance 70

Proof of Identity: EU Nationals 70

Radicalism 71

Refugees: Bank Services 71

Refugees: Children 72

Social Media: Radicalism 72

Sopra Steria: Complaints 73

Terrorism: Finance 73

Undocumented Migrants:

Private Rented Housing 73

Violent and Sex Offender

Register 73

HOUSE OF COMMONS

COMMISSION 74

Parliamentary Contribution

Pension Fund 74

INTERNATIONAL

DEVELOPMENT 74

[Subject Heading to be

Assigned] 74

Burma: Internally Displaced

People 75

Burma: Peace Negotiations 76

Department for International

Development: Equality 76

Department for International

Development: Redundancy 76

Iraq: Humanitarian Aid 76

Overseas Aid: Standards 77

INTERNATIONAL TRADE 78

Burma: Overseas Companies 78

Trade 78

Trade Agreements 78

JUSTICE 79

Community Rehabilitation

Companies 79


Companies: Finance 80


Companies: Staff 80


Companies: Telephone

Services 80

Debt Collection 81

First-tier Tribunal: Immigration 81

Grenfell Tower: Fires 81

Immigration: Judges 82

Ministry of Justice: Disclosure

of Information 82

Offenders: Biometrics 83

Reoffenders 83

Victim Support Schemes:

Terrorism 87

TRANSPORT 88

Aviation: Egypt 88

Cycling: North East 88

Cycling: Per Capita Costs 89

Cycling: West Midlands 89

Department for Transport:

Advertising 90

Department for Transport:


High Speed 2 Railway Line 92

High Speed 2 Railway Line:

Eddisbury 92

National Air Traffic Services:

Government Shareholding 93

Railways: East Midlands 93

Railways: Fares 93

Roads: Accidents 94

Tyne and Wear Metro: Rolling

Stock 94

WALES 94

Rhondda Tunnel 94

WOMEN AND EQUALITIES 95

Equal Pay: Business 95

LGBT People: Northern

Ireland 95

Parliament: Disability 96

WORK AND PENSIONS 96

Department for Work and

Pensions: Advertising 96

Employment and Support

Allowance 96

Food Banks 97

State Retirement Pensions:

Females 97

Universal Credit: Zero Hours

Contracts 98

WRITTEN STATEMENTS 99

HEALTH 99

NHS Technology 99

HOME OFFICE 100

Extremism 100

NORTHERN IRELAND 102

Northern Ireland Finances 102

Notes:

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

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

oral question and has since been unstarred.

ANSWERS

ATTORNEY GENERAL

Homicide

Liz Saville Roberts: [1547]

To ask the Attorney General, whether he plans to encourage the Crown Prosecution

Service to introduce a regular review of evidence in homicide cases where (a) no person

has been charged with an offence and (b) there has been an acquittal.

Robert Buckland:

In murder cases involving an acquittal, the National Standards of Support, which

were published in January 2017 between the voluntary organisation Justice After

Acquittal, the CPS and the police, will be followed.

These require the CPS and police to each conduct a case review, considering the

evidence in the case, how the evidence was presented during the trial and whether

anything could have been done differently. Further, there will also be an on-going

police review of acquittal cases, held every two years with any new evidence /

developments being submitted to the CPS as appropriate.

Following a decision not to charge a suspect with murder or any other homicide

offence, victims’ families can request a review of the CPS decision by an independent

specialist lawyer in accordance with the CPS Victims’ Right to Review scheme.

BUSINESS, ENERGY AND INDUSTRIAL STRATEGY

Business: Billing

Bill Esterson: [3326]

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

discussions he has had with the Minister for the Cabinet Office on regulation relating to

late payment of invoices by businesses.

Margot James:

There have not been any discussions between this department and my right hon.

Friend the Minister for the Cabinet Office recently, on this specific subject. Large

businesses have, since April this year, been subject to a twice yearly statutory duty to

report to Government on their payment practices and performance. The first reports

will be due from October this year, depending on the relevant business’s financial

year.

http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-question/Commons/2017-06-28/1547


Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy: Disclosure of Information

Justin Madders: [2878]

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

protected disclosures were made by staff in his Department in each of the last three

years for which figures are available; how many of those disclosures were found to be

valid; how many staff alleged detriment as a result of having made a protected disclosure;

and how many of those staff subsequently left the employment of the Department.

Margot James:

The Department for Business Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) has a

whistleblowing policy and procedure in place which allows for civil servants to report

a perceived wrongdoing within the department, including something that they believe

goes against the core values in the Civil Service Code. The Public Interest Disclosure

Act 1998 (PIDA) will apply in some of these cases, and provides protection to those

that ‘blow the whistle’ in certain circumstances.

The figures provided in the table below show the total number of whistleblowing

cases that were protected disclosures under PIDA (A).

The table goes on to show the number of cases found to be valid under PIDA (B), the

number of employees that alleged detriment as a result of the disclosure under PIDA

(C), and finally the number of employees who made a disclosure under PIDA, alleged

detriment as a result of a disclosure and subsequently left the department (D).

As BEIS was formed on 14 th July 2016 we are only able to provide data from that

date.

A. NUMBER OF

WHISTLEBLOWING

CASES THAT WERE

COVERED UNDER

PIDA

B. NUMBER OF

CASES FOUND TO

BE VALID UNDER

PIDA

C. NUMBER OF

EMPLOYEES THAT

ALLEGED

DETRIMENT AS A

RESULT OF THE

DISCLOSURE

UNDER PIDA

D. NUMBER OF

EMPLOYEES WHO

SUBSEQUENTLY

LEFT THE

DEPARTMENT (I.E.

AFTER MAKING A

DISCLOSURE AND

THEN ALLEGED

DETRIMENT AS A

RESULT OF THE

DISCLOSURE)

2016/17 Less than 5 Less than 5 0 0


Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy: McKinsey and Company

Jon Trickett: [3637]

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

publish the value of the contracts awarded by his Department to McKinsey & Co in each

year since 2010.

Margot James:

The value of contracts awarded by the core departments of BIS and DECC prior to

June 2016, and thereafter BEIS, with McKinsey & Co is:

2015 - £449,000

2016 - £ Nil

2017 - £ Nil

BEIS does not hold central records prior to 2015.

Electricity Generation

Sir William Cash: [2901]

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

T-4 capacity market auction for delivery in October 2021 will take place in February 2018;

and and if he will make a statement.

Richard Harrington:

On 15th June National Grid released the capacity market timetable for 2017/18 and

within it they have indicated that the T-4 auction will start on 6th February. Please find

a link to the timetable document here:

https://www.emrdeliverybody.com/Lists/Latest%20News/Attachments/109/Capacity%

20Market%20Operational%20Plan%202017.pdf

Electricity Interconnectors



operational interconnectors there are in the UK; and what the MW capacity is of each of

those interconnectors.

Richard Harrington:

The UK currently has 4GW (4000MW) of operational interconnection capacity:

IFA (Interconnexion France-Angleterre); 2GW (2000MW) from Folkestone, Kent to

Calais, France, operating since 1986;

Moyle; 500MW between South Ayrshire, Scotland and County Antrim, Northern

Ireland, operating since 2002;

Britned; 1GW (1000MW) from the Isle of Grain, Kent, to Rotterdam in the

Netherlands, operating since 2011;




East-West (EWIC); 500MW connecting Barkby Beach, North Wales to Dublin,

Ireland, operating since 2012.



megawatts of new interconnector capacity are proposed by (a) 2020 and (b) 2025.

Richard Harrington:

The UK has a pipeline of interconnector projects that are expected to play a role in

providing reliable, affordable, and clean energy.

Based on current project timelines and assuming all projects are able to complete,

3GW (3000MW) of new interconnector capacity are expected to be operational by

2020. A further 1.4GW is also currently under construction for delivery after 2020.

There are a further 9.5GW of projects which have sought regulatory approval.

Electricity: Consumption



TWh of electricity were consumed in the UK in the last 12 months.

Richard Harrington:

In the 12 months ending March 2017, the total UK electricity demand, which includes

energy industry use, losses and final consumption by end users, was 354.5 TWh.

This is down 0.7 per cent on the same period a year earlier.

Source: Energy Trends table 5.2 -

https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/electricity-section-5-energy-trends



GWh of electricity consumed in the UK in the last 12 months were supplied by

interconnectors.

Richard Harrington:

The Government routinely publishes total import figures from interconnectors in the

annual Digest of UK Energy Statistics (DUKES), and the quarterly National Statistics

Energy Trends data.

The latest available 12 month period of data spans 1 April 2016 to 31 March 2017

and shows a gross import of 17,228 GWh through interconnectors.

Electricity: Costs


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

average cost is of transmission network costs for (a) interconnectors and (b) domestic

generators of electricity.



https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/electricity-section-5-energy-trends



Richard Harrington:

National Grid Electricity Transmission plc (NGET), in its role as system operator,

have informed us that the average transmission network use of system charge for a

GB generator is £5.77 / kW (2017/18 tariffs). The actual tariff is dependent on the

location of the generator, the historic load factor of the generator, the type of

generator and details of its specific connection.

As part of the overall transmission infrastructure facilitating the wider market,

interconnectors do not pay use of system charges for the transmission network. As

producers and consumers are liable for charges in their own countries, additional

charges for using the interconnector, to allow imports and exports, would amount to

double charging and may hinder the ability of GB producers to export electricity to

other countries.

Electricity: Exports



GWh of electricity were exported from the UK through interconnectors in the last 12

months.

Richard Harrington:

The Government routinely publishes total export figures in the annual Digest of UK

Energy Statistics (DUKES), and the quarterly National Statistics Energy Trends data.

The latest available 12 month period of data spans March 2016 to March 2017 and

shows a total export of 2,782 GWh through interconnectors.

Electricity: Imports



TWh of electricity have been imported into the UK by individual interconnectors since

2012.

Richard Harrington:

The Government routinely publishes total import figures from interconnectors in the

annual Digest of UK Energy Statistics (DUKES), and the quarterly National Statistics

Energy Trends data.

Electricity imported to the UK from January 2012 to end March 2017 amounts to the

following:

IFA (Interconnexion France-Angleterre) (France-England): 59.7 TWh;

BritNed (Netherlands-England): 37.7 TWh;

EWIC (East-West Interconnector) (Ireland-Wales): 2.3 TWh;

NSI (North-South Interconnector) (Ireland-Northern Ireland): 1.1 TWh.

In addition, 1.26 TWh were imported into GB from Northern Ireland.



Energy: Prices

Caroline Flint: [3338]

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

Ofgem has to implement a domestic energy market price cap without the need for further

primary legislation.

Margot James:

[Holding answer 11 July 2017]: Ofgem has wide powers under the Gas Act 1986 and

the Electricity Act 1989 to modify the conditions of gas and electricity supply licences,

which would allow for the introduction of a domestic energy price cap.



communication he has had with Ofgem, further to his letter dated 21 June 2017, on

implementation of an energy price cap for households on standard variable tariffs.

Richard Harrington:

The Chief Executive Officer of Ofgem wrote to my Rt Hon Friend the Secretary of

State on the 3 July 2017 and the Chairman of the Gas and Electricity Markets

Authority wrote to the Secretary of State on 6 July 2017.


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

his Department has made of the number of customers potentially covered by Ofgem's

proposals for a price cap in the domestic energy market.

Richard Harrington:

The Department has not undertaken to make any estimate for numbers of customers

who would be protected, as no formal proposal has yet been made.


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

discussions he has had with energy suppliers on the implementation of an energy price

cap for households on standard variable tariffs.

Richard Harrington:

BEIS Ministers regularly meet with energy suppliers to discuss a range of issues.

Energy: Small Businesses



assessment he has made of the effect of energy prices on the viability of small and

medium-sized businesses.

Margot James:

The Government is committed to ensuring competitive and affordable energy costs

for all businesses as well as households. The Committee on Climate Change recently






assessed energy costs for all businesses and concluded that energy costs are a

small proportion of businesses’ operating costs.

In their final report on the investigation into the energy markets published in June

2016, the Competition Markets Authority proposed a number of remedies to help

microbusinesses access better energy deals. The Government supports the

implementation of these measures which have now been implemented by Ofgem.

These will improve the transparency of tariffs available to businesses and by making

it easier for these businesses to switch suppliers.

Equal Pay

Jim Shannon: [3420]


discussions he has had with business organisations on the implications of maternity leave

and requests for flexible working for the gender pay gap.

Margot James:

The Department meets regularly with business organisations to discuss a range of

issues including those which can impact upon the gender pay gap. Consultations in

2015 and 2016 on the gender pay gap have emphasised that fully capitalising on the

talent and experience of women makes business sense; it is good for individuals,

employers and the economy.

Hinkley Point C Power Station: Compensation

Dr Alan Whitehead: [2729]


assessment he has made of the risk that the UK's withdrawal from the European Atomic

Energy Community would trigger compensation clauses in the investor agreement in

relation to Hinkley Point C power station.

Richard Harrington:

We remain firmly committed to bringing forward the UK’s first new nuclear power

plants in a generation.

The Hinkley Point C contracts make provision for compensation in certain defined

circumstances. The details of when these apply are set out in the agreements.

The consequences of the intended withdrawal from the Euratom Treaty will be closely

monitored and the department is in close consultation with the industry about its

impacts.

The Government will continue to support Euratom and to ensure that the UK

continues to meet its international safeguards, and nuclear non-proliferation

obligations and support its thriving nuclear industry.



Iron and Steel: China

Stephen Kinnock: [3001]

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

Chinese steel has been imported into the UK in the last six months.

Claire Perry:

Imports from China have reduced by over 200,000 tonnes between 2014 and 2016,

with 41 trade defence cases for steel currently in place.

Data on 32 steel products published by the International Steel Statistics Bureau up

until the last full month collected (April 2017) is set out in the table attached.

Attachments:

1. UK steel imports from China [3001 attachment.pdf]

Motor Vehicles: Manufacturing Industries

Bridget Phillipson: [3050]


contingency plans the Government has in place to offset the decline in investment in the

automotive sector since 2015.


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

is taking to encourage investment in the automotive industry.

Claire Perry:

The Department works closely with the UK automotive industry, including through the

Automotive Council, to understand the issues and opportunities the sector faces. The

Government will continue its longstanding programme of support for the sector’s

competitiveness. The UK has been very successful in attracting inward investment

from automotive companies. Companies such as Nissan and Toyota have continued

to re-invest, thanks to our highly-skilled workforce, strong partnership between

government and industry, and long-term investment in new technology and

innovation.

We are determined to ensure that the UK continues to be one of the most competitive

locations in the world for automotive and advanced manufacturing. This includes

seeking a tariff and barrier-free comprehensive free trade deal in goods and services

with the EU for a new, mutually beneficial customs agreement that allows cross-

border trade to be as frictionless as possible.

Renewable Energy: UK Trade with EU

Drew Hendry: [3497]

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

assess the effect on the renewable energy sector of the UK leaving the EU without

having agreed a trade deal with the EU.





Richard Harrington:

[Holding answer 11 July 2017]: Departments are currently conducting analysis with

the Department for Exiting the EU to understand the impacts that withdrawal from the

EU will have on businesses, consumers and other economic actors.

The renewable energy sector is a UK success story. Whatever happens in the future,

the Government is committed to ensuring the UK remains a leader in this field.

We’re building a system fit for the 21st century, giving investors certainty and driving

down the cost of renewable energy for our homes and businesses.

The second competitive Contracts for Difference allocation round is currently running,

with a budget of £290m of annual support for 15 years for technologies including

offshore wind.

Tidal Power: Swansea Bay

Kevin Brennan: [2696]

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

plans to make a decision on the Swansea Bay Tidal Lagoon before the summer recess;

and if he will make a statement.

Richard Harrington:

The Government is currently assessing the recommendations of the Hendry Review

and will publish a response in due course.

Rebecca Long Bailey: [3388]

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

members of the Cabinet will be responsible for making a decision on the pathfinder tidal

lagoon in Swansea Bay.

Richard Harrington:

Within the Cabinet, my Rt Hon Friend the Secretary of State for Business, Energy

and Industrial Strategy has responsibility for matters of energy policy.

Working Mothers: Flexible Working

Jim Shannon: [3419]


guidance the Government provides to employers on the provision of flexible hours for

mothers returning to work.

Margot James:

Government provides a range of guidance on the provision of flexible hours, including

for mothers returning to work. This includes guidance on the GOV.UK website

covering what employers have to do, types of flexible working, the statutory

application process and appeals. ACAS also provides advice and guidance.




As we said in response to the Women & Equalities Select Committee report on the

gender pay gap, the Government recognises the need to increase communications

activity around flexible working and will explore options for doing so.

CABINET OFFICE

Cybercrime

Grahame Morris: [3526]

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if the Government will appoint a Minister with

sole responsibility for cyber security.

Caroline Nokes:

The First Secretary of State and the Minister for the Cabinet Office, Damian Green is

responsible for managing the UK’s cyber security supported by myself. Specific

objectives within the National Cyber Security strategy are aligned with departmental

responsibilities and the corresponding Ministerial portfolio.

We embed cyber security in everything that the the government does. To meet the

challenges of cyber security we launched the new National Cyber Security Strategy

2016-2021 in November 2016. Our strategy is supported by £1.9billion of

transformational investment and sets out ambitious policies to protect the UK in cyber

space.

General Election 2017


To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will place in the Library a copy of the

Government's agreement with the Democratic Unionist Party once it has been concluded.

Damian Green:

A copy of the confidence and supply agreement and supporting financial annex has

been placed in the libraries of both Houses.

Government Departments: Ministerial Policy Advisers

Chris Bryant: [3014]

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many special advisers the Government

employs, by Department.

Chris Skidmore:

The Government publishes an annual report on the number and cost of special

advisers. Previous reports are available here

https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/special-adviser-data-releases-numbers-

and-costs. An updated version will be published in due course.




Government Departments: Payroll Deduction Scheme

Mr Steve Reed: [2959]

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether the Government intends to introduce

payroll giving as an option for all government staff.

Caroline Nokes:

All 18 central government departments already offer Payroll Giving to their staff.

Iron and Steel: Procurement

Stephen Kinnock: [2695]

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what the level of Government procurement of

UK steel was for each Department in the last financial year.

Caroline Nokes:

This information is not held centrally.

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.

Ministerial Policy Advisers


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

special advisers, including the cost of redundancies, across all Government departments

in each of the last five years.

Chris Skidmore:

A list of special advisers and costs is published annually on gov.uk and deposited in

the libraries of both Houses. The information can be accessed here


and-costs

Ministerial Policy Advisers: Pay

Diana Johnson: [3120]

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will publish the average percentage pay

rise awarded to Government special advisers in each fiscal year since 2009-10.

Chris Skidmore:

Salary costs for special advisers are published annually. All publications for the

period requested are available here


and-costs. An updated version will be published in due course.





National Cyber Security Centre

Nick Thomas-Symonds: [3643]

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what plans are in place for the National Cyber

Security Centre to assist companies in fighting against organised cyber-crime and

preventing cyber-attacks.

Caroline Nokes:

The cyber security of the UK is a top priority for Government. The Government are

investing £1.9 billion in the National Cyber Security Strategy and have opened the

National Cyber Security Centre who work with law enforcement and with public and

private sector organisations to make the UK the safest place for everyone to live and

do business online.

The NCSC provides guidance and advice on its website to a wide range of

organisations including companies of all sizes. Advice is tailored to the type and size

of company, with specific guidance being produced for small businesses. NCSC

works closely with the National Crime Agency (NCA), Regional Organised Crime

Units in awareness raising and, for example, NCA and NCSC recently published a

joint assessment on the Cyber Threat to UK Business. NCSC also partners with Law

Enforcement in responding to and investigating serious instances of cyber crime.


To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what plans are in place for the National Cyber

Security Centre to assist schools in fighting against organised cyber-crime and preventing

cyber-attacks.

Caroline Nokes:

The cyber security of the UK is a top priority for Government. The NCSC provides

guidance and advice on its website to a wide range of organisations including

schools. NCSC technical experts provide a range of advice and guidance on the

website on topics such as passwords, ransomware, malicious advertisements,

phishing, and device security. This guidance and advice will continue to be developed

in response to technological changes, assessment of risk and cyber security

incidents.

NCSC is also building for the future, working with DCMS and DfE to grow a skills

pipeline via its CyberFirst initiatives.

National Cyber Security Centre: Staff


To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many people are employed at the National

Cyber Security Centre; and what estimate he has made of changes to that number in

each of the next five years.




Caroline Nokes:

The National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) was established formally on 3 October

2016. At that time, the NCSC had a team of approximately 700 people. For reasons

of National Security, we will not be providing further releases on staff numbers.

Offshore Industry: Employment

Alex Cunningham: [3287]

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many (a) employees and (b) self-

employed workers were classified as working on oil and gas installations on the UK

Continental Shelf in each year between 2008-09 and 2016-17.


To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many (a) employees and (b) self-

employed workers were classified as working on offshore wind projects on the UK

Continental Shelf in each year between 2008-09 and 2016-17.


To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many seafarers were classified as working

on vessels engaged in offshore wind projects on the UK Continental Shelf in each year

between 2008-09 and 2016-17.


To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many seafarers were classified as working

on vessels engaged in decommissioning projects on the UK Continental Shelf in each

year between 2008-09 and 2016-17.

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 to PQ3287, 3288, 3289, 3290 [PQ3287_ 3288_ 3289_ 3290 holding

response.pdf]

TREASURY

Consumer Price Index

Kirsty Blackman: [3468]

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

the rise in the Consumer Price Index on consumer spending habits in each of the last 12

months.

Stephen Barclay:

In their March Economic and Fiscal Outlook, the Office for Budget Responsibility

expected consumption growth to slow as the past depreciation of sterling put






upwards pressure on inflation. The latest data on household consumption show that

in Q1 2017 it was 2.6% higher than a year earlier.

The Government is taking action to support people with the cost of living. This

includes increasing the National Living Wage, raising the personal allowance, and

freezing fuel duty.

Consumers: Expenditure


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

reductions in household spending power on the economic sustainability of businesses of

all sizes in (a) the retail sector and (b) the service sector.

Stephen Barclay:

HM Treasury has made no assessment of the relationship between household

spending and business sustainability.

The government is supporting business by cutting Corporation Tax to 17% - the

lowest rate in the G20; providing over £23bn in additional investment in economic

infrastructure, research and development, and housing; and through the Industrial

Strategy, which will increase productivity and drive growth across the whole country.

Corporation Tax

Catherine West: [2804]

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if the Government plans to bring corporation tax

down to 17 per cent by 2020.

Mel Stride:

The government legislated in the 2016 Finance Act to reduce the corporation tax rate

to 17% in April 2020.

We want to ensure the UK remains an attractive destination to set up and grow a

business. Cutting corporation tax increases the returns companies receive on their

investments, allowing them to increase investment, lower prices, hire staff or increase

wages.

Excise Duties: Diesel Vehicles

Mr William Wragg: [2879]

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what plans he has to undertake a consultation

exercise on vehicle excise duty for new diesel vehicles.

Andrew Jones:

The Chancellor keeps all taxes under review as part of the on-going Budget process.

Consistent with the government’s tax consultation framework, where possible, the

Government will engage interested parties on changes to tax policy and legislation at

each key stage of developing and implementing the policy.




Excise Duties: Fuels

Neil Parish: [2961]

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate he has made of how much will be

raised for the public purse in fuel duty in each year to 2029-30.

Andrew Jones:

According to the latest provisional statistics released by HM Revenue & Customs

(HMRC), fuel duties raised £27.9bn in the 2016-17 tax year. Forecasts for fuel duty

revenues in future years are provided by the independent Office for Budget

Responsibility (OBR) in their ‘Economic and Fiscal Outlook’. For the latest fuel duty

revenue forecast, please see Table 4.6 on page 104:

http://budgetresponsibility.org.uk/efo/economic-fiscal-outlook-march-2017/

The OBR do not publish forecasts of tax receipts past the five-year ‘scorecard’ period

(currently ending in 2021-22). However, in their 2014 ‘Fiscal Sustainability Report’

they did assess the sustainability of fuel duty revenues over a longer period. Please

see Chapter 4 (page 123) of the report for more information:

http://cdn.budgetresponsibility.org.uk/41298-OBR-accessible.pdf

Income Tax

Justin Tomlinson: [3169]

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many people have (a) been taken out of

paying income tax and (b) had a reduction in the income tax they pay in (i) North Swindon

constituency and (ii) the UK since 2010.

Mel Stride:

I refer the honourable member for North Swindon to the answers given on 22nd

March 2017 to his previous questions on this subject.


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

value of changes to income tax on payslips when any change is made.

Mel Stride:

Information on income tax is provided in annual tax summaries which have been

issued for the last three years. Tax summaries show individuals how their income tax

and National Insurance contributions have been calculated for all their employments

and other forms of taxable income, and how this contributes to public expenditure.

Individuals can compare one year’s tax summary with another to see how changes to

income tax, such as increases to the personal allowance, affect their tax bill. Since

2010, the personal allowance has increased by nearly 80 per cent - from £6,475 in

2010-11, to £11,500 in 2017-18.


http://budgetresponsibility.org.uk/efo/economic-fiscal-outlook-march-2017/

http://cdn.budgetresponsibility.org.uk/41298-OBR-accessible.pdf



Inheritance Tax

Matthew Pennycook: [2724]

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps he is taking to encourage more

financial institutions, including those based overseas, to provide support to executors and

administrators of estates, including with regard to making the deceased's liquid assets

available for the payment of inheritance tax prior to the grant of probate in line with the

2016 Bereavement Principles.

Mel Stride:

UK banks’ and building societies’ treatment of their customers is governed by the

Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) in its Principles of Business. This includes a

general requirement for firms to provide a prompt, efficient and fair service to all of

their customers, including those who have recently suffered a bereavement.

The Government is supportive of industry efforts to improve handling of these

sensitive cases, including the implementation of the British Bankers’ Association’s

Bereavement Principles. These Principles commit firms to support customers and, in

particular, allow necessary payments to be made from the deceased’s accounts.

Such payments include inheritance tax, which can be paid directly to HM Revenue

and Customs, before probate is granted, through the Direct Payment Scheme. Where

lower amounts are held, the Principles also commit firms to consider whether they

can waive probate requirements and release funds more quickly.

LIBOR: Charities


To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how much funding will be available in the next

round of Libor funding for charities.

Elizabeth Truss:

The amount of funding available in the next round of Libor funding for charities

(LIBOR 2017) will be confirmed once all applications for funding support have been

received. The application window closes on 25 August 2017; full details of the

scheme and the application form can be found at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/libor-funding-applications

Minimum Wage


To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many cases have been brought for non-

compliance with the national minimum wage in each of the last 12 months for which

figures are available in (a) Ellesmere Port and Neston, (b) the North West, (c) England

and (d) the UK.

Mel Stride:

HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) enforce the National Minimum Wage (NMW) in

line with the law and policy set out by the Department for Business, Energy and




Industrial Strategy. The government are determined that everyone who is entitled to

NMW receives it.

HMRC does not record statistics on complaints or the outcomes of its investigations

by reference to regions, constituencies or counties. In 2016-17, HMRC closed over

2,600 cases into NMW non-compliance and identified arrears of over £10.9m for

more than 98,000 workers.

Motor Vehicles: Excise Duties

Jonathan Edwards: [3541]

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether vehicle excise duty raised from cars

registered in Wales will be included in the National Road Fund.

Andrew Jones:

As set out in the Transport Investment Strategy, from 2020/21 the Government has

guaranteed that all revenue raised from Vehicle Excise Duty (VED) in England will be

allocated to a new National Roads Fund. Road infrastructure is devolved to the

Welsh Government, which will receive Barnett consequentials resulting from any

spending from the Fund.

National Cyber Security Centre: Pay


To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether employees of the National Cyber

Security Centre are included in the one per cent public sector pay cap.

Elizabeth Truss:

NCSC staff are subject to the same control on average public sector pay awards

which applies across the public sector.

The Government greatly values the important work that public servants do in

delivering essential public services.

Our policy on public sector pay balances the importance of recruiting and retaining

high-quality people in our public services with making sure that our public finances

remain sustainable, so that we can continue to see the improvements in our public

services that we have seen under this Government. This approach has not changed

and the Government will continually assess that balance.

Public Sector: Pay

Kirsty Blackman: [3645]

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how much has been saved in 2017 prices as a

result of the imposition of the public sector pay cap.

Elizabeth Truss:

Projected savings were outlined in the Summer Budget 2015. Over the parliament

2010-2015, the government’s firm restraint over public sector pay delivered

reductions to departmental spending, saving approximately £8 billion.




Schools: Buildings


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

requirement for schools and colleges to pay VAT on extensions funded by the Education

and Skills Funding Agency which are directly connected to existing buildings.

Mel Stride:

There is no provision under EU law that provides for the blanket exemption of schools

from being charged VAT and the UK is therefore not able to exempt schools from

paying VAT on extensions funded by the Education and Skills Funding Agency. While

the UK remains a member of the EU, we will continue to abide by our rights and

obligations.

Social Security Benefits: Expenditure

Neil Gray: [3655]

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how much he plans to spend on social security in

each of the next five financial years as a percentage of gross domestic product.

Elizabeth Truss:

According to the Office for Budget Responsibility’s Spring Budget 2017 forecast, the

Government is forecast to spend 10.9% of GDP in 2017/18 on welfare in the United

Kingdom. This figure falls to 10.7% in 2018/19, 10.5% in 2019/20 and 10.3% in

2020/21 and 2021/22.

Taxation

Liam Byrne: [2742]

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

cuts for companies and individuals earning more than £75,000 for each year since 2010

up to 2020.

Mel Stride:

The information requested is not readily available and could be provided only at

disproportionate cost. The exchequer impact of individual policy measures are

estimated in HM Treasury’s publications on policy costings accompanying each fiscal

event.

Taxation: Business

Liam Byrne: [2843]

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will set out total receipts for (a) corporation

tax, (b) VAT, (c) business rates and (d) national insurance contributions for each

business sector in the last year for which figures are available.





Mel Stride:

1. Corporation tax liabilities for each business sector are published online here:

https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/corporation-tax-payable-after-set-offs-

classified-by-industry-by-year-of-liability.

2. Value Added Tax (VAT) liabilities for each business sector are published in the

VAT Factsheet, which can be found on the following website under ‘Factsheet

Datasets’: https://www.uktradeinfo.com/Statistics/Pages/TaxAndDutybulletins.aspx.

Tab 2.5 shows the net VAT declared on traders' returns classified by Trade Sub-

Sector.

3. The information requested on business rates receipts is not available.

4. Robust estimates of national insurance contributions for each business sector are

not available.

Treasury: Contracts


To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many contracts have been awarded by or

on behalf of his Department to (a) Brewin Dolphin PLC, (b) Tullett Prebon PLC, (c)

PARC, (d) Oxera, (e) Goodacre UK, (f) RELX, (g) Royal Dutch Shell, (h) KPMG, (i)

Lloyds, (j) Bishop Fleming Accountants, (k) Ernst & Young, (l) Clerical Medical, (m)

Heathrow Airport, (n) Deloitte, (o) PwC, (p) Grant Thornton and (q) Slaughter & May

since July 2015; and what the value was of each of those contracts.


To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many contracts have been awarded by or

on behalf of his Department to (a) Brewin Dolphin PLC, (b) Tullett Prebon PLC, (c)

PARC, (d) Oxera, (e) Goodacre UK, (f) RELX, (g) Royal Dutch Shell, (h) KPMG, (i)

Lloyds, (j) Bishop Fleming Accountants, (k) Ernst & Young, (l) Clerical Medical, (m)

Heathrow Airport, (n) Deloitte, (o) PwC, (p) Grant Thornton and (q) Slaughter & May

between July 2010 and July 2015; and what the value was of each of those contracts.

Andrew Jones:

The Government is committed to maintaining transparency about its procurement

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

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

https://www.gov.uk/contracts-finder.

COMMUNITIES AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT

Department for Communities and Local Government: Disclosure of Information


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


years for which figures are available; how many such disclosures were found to be valid;

https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/corporation-tax-payable-after-set-offs-classified-by-industry-by-year-of-liability

https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/corporation-tax-payable-after-set-offs-classified-by-industry-by-year-of-liability

https://www.uktradeinfo.com/Statistics/Pages/TaxAndDutybulletins.aspx




how many staff alleged detriment as a result of making such a disclosure; and how many

staff who (a) made such a disclosure and (b) alleged detriment as a result of a disclosure

subsequently left the employment of the Department.

Mr Marcus Jones:

The department has not received any protected disclosures in the last three years.

In recent years the department has improved its strategic leadership and

accountability of whistleblowing and improved whistleblower support. We have a

senior whistleblowing champion with overall responsibility for whistleblowing practices

and have implemented a

clear and transparent policy and provided comprehensive guidance for staff. We also

have a central point of contact for staff to raise concerns which is staffed by

whistleblowing nominated officers who have received specialist training on how to

respond to any concerns

raised.

DEFENCE

Air Force

Mr Kevan Jones: [3172]

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the shortfall in manpower is for (a)

commissioned aircrew, (b) non-commissioned aircrew, (c) officers and (d) non-

commissioned other ranks in (i) 14 Squadron RAF, (ii) 56(R) Squadron RAF, (iii) 8

Squadron RAF, (iv) 5 Squadron RAF, (v) 51 Squadron RAF and (vi) 54 Squadron RAF.

Mark Lancaster:

I am withholding the information as its disclosure would, or would be likely to,

prejudice the capability, effectiveness or security of the Armed Forces.

Chinook Helicopters


To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many aircraft in the RAF Chinook

helicopter fleet are (a) operational and (b) in storage.

Harriett Baldwin:

As at 1 April 2017 the UK Armed Forces has 60 Chinooks, all of which are meeting

their operational taskings. I am withholding a further breakdown of aircraft status, as

its disclosure would or would be likely to prejudice the capability, effectiveness or

security of the Armed Forces.



Defence Equipment: Procurement


To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what command acquisition and support plans

for equipment and support requirements are in place between (a) Navy Command, (b)

Army Command, (c) Air Command, (d) Joint Forces Commands and Defence Equipment

and Support.

Hannah Bardell:

Defence Equipment and Support has Command Acquisition Support Plans in place

with each of the Commands. These set out equipment and support requirements over

a 10-year period and are reviewed annually.

Firing Ranges: Security


To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many unauthorised entries to MOD firing

ranges have been recorded in the last two years.

Mr Tobias Ellwood:

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

cost.

Low Flying: Compensation


To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how much his Department has paid in

compensation to complainants affected by low-flying aircraft in the last two years.

Mr Tobias Ellwood:

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to him on 27 January 2017 by the then

Minister for Defence Veterans, Reserves and Personnel (Mark Lancaster) to

Question 60906.

Maritime Patrol Aircraft


To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what estimate has been made of the cost of

each sonobuoy that will be used by the P-8A maritime patrol aircraft once that aircraft

comes into service.

Harriett Baldwin:

As announced in the Strategic Defence and Security Review 2015, the UK is

investing in a fleet of nine P-8A maritime patrol aircraft, which are being procured via

a Foreign Military Sale from the US Government. The Department cannot disclose

cost information at this time as its release would prejudice our commercial interests

although the sale does include initial sonobuoy provisioning.





Military Bases: Security


To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many successful prosecutions of foreign

nationals there have been made for unauthorised entries under the provisions of the

Serious Organised Crime and Police Act 2005 to (a) AWE Aldermaston, (b) AWE

Burghfield, (c) HMNB Devonport, (d) HMNB Clyde, (e) RNAD Coulport, (f) Northwood

Headquarters, (g) RAF Fylingdales, (h) RAF Menwith Hill, (i) RAF Croughton, (j) RAF

Lakenheath, (k) RAF Feltwell, (l) RAF Mildenhall, (m) RAF Brize Norton, (n) SMC

Marchwood, (o) RAF Fairford and (p) RAF Welford in the last two years.

Mr Tobias Ellwood:

Since 1 July 2015, no foreign nationals have been prosecuted by the Ministry of

Defence Police for unauthorised entry under the provisions of the Serious Organised

Crime and Police Act 2005 at the sites listed.

Ministry of Defence: Disclosure of Information


To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many protected disclosures were made

by staff in his Department in each of the last three years for which figures are available;

how many such disclosures were found to be valid; how many staff alleged detriment as

a result of making such a disclosure; and how many staff who (a) made such a disclosure

and (b) alleged detriment as a result of a disclosure subsequently left the employment of

the Department.

Mr Tobias Ellwood:

The Ministry of Defence began collating information on concerns/whistleblowing in

September 2015 and has centrally collated records up to the end of the first quarter

of financial year (FY) 2017-18.



NUMBER OF

PROTECTED

DISCLOSURES

RAISED

OF WHICH

NUMBER

RESOLVED

NUMBER

WHERE THERE

WAS A CASE TO

ANSWER

NUMBER

WHERE A

GRIEVANCE

WAS RAISED BY

THE INDIVIDUAL

RELATING TO

THE

DISCLOSURE

NUMBER

WHERE A

GRIEVANCE

WAS RAISED BY

THE INDIVIDUAL

AND THEY

SUBSEQUENTLY

LEFT THE

DEPARTMENT

FY 2015-16 52 46 15 0 0

FY 2016-17 97 61 14 0 0

FY 2017-18

(first quarter)

16 2 0 0 0

Total 165 109 29 0 0

Sea Cadet Corps


To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what (a) financial and (b) other support his

Department provides to the Sea Cadets.

Mr Tobias Ellwood:

The Government and the Royal Navy support the Sea Cadets financially through a

Grant in Aid payment. This is currently £10.5 million for this financial year and is paid

to the Marine Society and Sea Cadets and through a Memorandum of Understanding

(MOU). This MOU sets out the further support with regards to the provision of

personnel, accommodation, training and the related facilities on the Ministry of

Defence estate.

CULTURE, MEDIA AND SPORT

Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport: Disclosure of Information


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

disclosures were made by staff in her Department in each of the last three years for

which figures are available; how many such disclosures were found to be valid; how

many staff alleged detriment as a result of making such a disclosure; and how many staff

who (a) made such a disclosure and (b) alleged detriment as a result of a disclosure




Matt Hancock:

None.

Leisure: Easington

Grahame Morris: [341]

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

funding available for the construction and maintenance of a swimming pool and other

leisure facilities in Easington constituency to promote health and wellbeing.

Tracey Crouch:

Local Government is by far the largest investor into community sport with £1bn

invested each year and most grassroots sport is played using facilities (including

parks and informal spaces) owned or controlled by the 353 local authorities in

England. The government, through Sport England, works in partnership with local

authorities to maximise the impact of this investment and safeguard it within the

tough economic climate in which we all operate.

Current Local Delivery Pilots are still in development and the government is exploring

new ways of working across local authorities, Sport England and other partners in

delivering local sporting facilities and infrastructure.

Sport England has no current plans to develop a major, Strategic Facility, investment

in Easington, but their funds for future investment can be applied for through their

website.

Swimming Pools: Construction


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

Department plans to provide funding for the construction of new swimming pools in (a)

Hornsey and Wood Green, (b) London and (c) the UK.

Tracey Crouch:

Sport England is the body responsible for making investment decisions on grassroots

sports facilities in England.

Across London, Sport England is currently investing £3.8 million from the Strategic

Facilities Fund to construct three new leisure facilities which include swimming pools.

It does not currently have any plans to fund the construction of a new swimming pool

in Hornsey and Wood Green, but is able to offer support and guidance on how

additional funding and advice could be accessed.

Local Government is by far the largest investor into community sport with £1bn

invested each year and most grassroots sport is played using facilities (including

parks and informal spaces) owned or controlled by the 353 local authorities in

England. The government, through Sport England, works in partnership with local

authorities to maximise the impact of this investment and safeguard it within the

tough economic climate in which we all operate.



Sports policy is devolved and therefore the investment in swimming pools in

Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland is a matter for the devolved governments and

Sport Wales, Sport Scotland and Sport Northern Ireland respectively.

Swimming: Public Participation


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

(b) the Minister for Sport plan to meet (i) Swim England and (ii) British Swimming to

discuss increasing participation in (A) swimming for fitness and (B) competitive

swimming.

Tracey Crouch:

Swimming is both an important sport and physical activity, and a key life skill. I am

very happy to meet with Swim England and British Swimming, in addition to meetings

I already have planned with Swim England’s Swim Group, to discuss increasing

participation in swimming for fitness and competitive swimming.

DIGITAL, CULTURE, MEDIA AND SPORT

Dormant Assets Commission


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

has been taken on allocation of the funds identified in the final report of the Commission

on Dormant Assets, published in March 2017.

Tracey Crouch:

The Commission on Dormant Assets made more than 50 recommendations in its

report to Government. The Government is still considering the Commission’s report

and will publish its response in due course.

Government Art Collection


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

Answer of 1 March 2017 to Question 65037, which items from the Government Art

Collection have been displayed at public museums or galleries in the UK in the last 12

months.

John Glen:

The following works have been lent from the Government Art Collection have been

displayed at public museums or galleries in the UK in the last 12 months:

Christopher Wood

Pallant House Gallery, Chichester 2 July 2016 - 2 October 2016

GAC 3814 Christopher Wood -Bridge over the Seine - oil painting




Edward Bawden - The Early Watercolours

Fry Gallery, Saffron Walden 30 July 2016 – 30 October 2016

GAC 5639 Edward Bawden - Now with religious awe the farewell light, Blends with

the solemn colouring of the night – watercolour

Kenneth Armitage Centenary Exhibition

Victoria Art Gallery 10/09/2016 - 27/11/2016

GAC 16447/C

Richmond Park: Five Trees, Grey Sky Drawing by

Kenneth Armitage

GAC 16446/C

Richmond Park: Two Trees with White Trunks Drawing

by Kenneth Armitage

GAC 9685 Two Chairs and a Stool Painting by Kenneth Armitage

Euan Uglow / Sargy Mann

The Collection, Lincoln 24/09/2016 – 08/01/2017

GAC 16470/C Euan Uglow - North Cyprus: Study for a History Painting - oil painting

Paul Nash

Tate Britain, London 26/10/2016 – 05/03/2017

Sainsbury Centre for Visual Art, Norwich 07/04/2017 – 20/08/2017

Laing Art Gallery, Newcastle 09/09/2017 – 31/01/2018

GAC 6828 Paul Nash - Nest of the Siren - oil painting

GAC 8536 Paul Nash - Event on the Downs - oil painting

The Subjective Factor: The Art of Victor Pasmore

Djanogly Art Gallery, Nottingham 26/11/2016 - 19/02/2017

Pallant House Gallery, Chichester 11/03/2017 - 11/06/2017

GAC 13121 Development in Green & Indigo No 2 Painting by Victor Pasmore

Joan Eardley

Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art, Edinburgh 01/12/2016 - 01/03/2017

GAC 1842 A Carter and his Horse Painting by Joan Eardley

Eduardo Paolozzi

Whitechapel Gallery, London 14/02/2017 – 15/05/2017

6678 Sir Eduardo Paolozzi - Untitled - brass sculpture

5641 Sir Eduardo Paolozzi - Fun Fair - mixed media | collage

Behind the Mask: Claude Cahun and Gillian Wearing

National Portrait Gallery, London 09/03/2017 – 29/05/2017

17286/1 Gillian Wearing - Dancing in Peckham – video

18616 Gillian Wearing - Me as an artist in 1984 - 1/6 –

photograph

In Focus: Eileen Agar

Jerwood Gallery, Hastings 15/03/2017 – 05/06/2017

15235 Eileen Agar - Bride of the Sea - acrylic painting

Camden Town in the Blackdown Hills

Museum of Somerset, Taunton 25/03/2017 – 08/07/2017

5219

Spencer Frederick Gore - Somerset Landscape - oil

painting

Queer British Art 1861-1967


16042 John Minton - Cornish Boy at a Window - oil painting

Paul Nash


Sainsbury Centre for Visual Art, Norwich 07/04/2017 – 20/08/2017

Laing Art Gallery, Newcastle 09/09/2017 – 31/01/2018

GAC 6828 Paul Nash - Nest of the Siren - oil painting

GAC 8536 Paul Nash - Event on the Downs - oil painting

British Art: Ancient Landscapes

Salisbury Museum, Salisbury 08/04/2017 – 03/09/2017

11144 Norman Stevens - Stonehenge - 28/83 - aquatint

I Capture the Castle

Southampton City Art Gallery 26/05/2017 – 02/09/2017

2062

Josiah Whymper, Richmond Castle, Yorkshire, Watercolour,

1857

0/264 C Tunstall Smith, Kidwelly Castle, Linocut, c.1920-30s

1368 John Hawksworth, The Keep, Dover Castle, pen and ink and

watercolour, 1950

9812 John Piper, Caernarvon Castle I, Screenprint, 1971

John Armstrong: Sense and Experience

The Atkinson Gallery, Southport 05/06/2017 – 03/09/2017

Penlee House Gallery & Museum, Penzance 16/09/2017 – 25/11/2017

16682 John Armstrong - The Red Cow, Tempera on wood,1940

Air

The Royal West of England Academy 16/06/2017 – 03/09/2017

0/5 Christopher Nevinson - Battlefields of Britain - oil painting

Howard Hodgkin and India

The Hepworth Wakefield 29/06/2017 – 08/10/2017

14912 Howard Hodgkin - In the Studio of Jamini Roy - oil | wood

John Minton: A Centenary

Pallant House Gallery, Chichester 01/07/2017 – 01/10/2017

1350 John Minton - Ajaccio Harbour, Corsica - ink drawing

Colour and Perception from Seurat to Riley

Compton Verney 08/07/2017 – 01/10/2017

10957 Bridget Riley - Blaze IV – reproduction

18253 Liliane Lijn - Clear Red Koan - kinetic light sculpture

Painting Pop

Abbot Hall Art Gallery, Kendal 14/07/2017 – 15/10.2017

12661

Derek Boshier - I Wonder What My Heroes Think of the Space

Race - oil painting. 50 - 60 kg

12207 Peter Phillips - Gravy for the Navy II - oil painting

Office for Civil Society: Staff


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

members of staff have been assigned to the Office for Civil Society since it was moved to

her Department.

Tracey Crouch:

On 6th July 2017 the Office for Civil Society had 87 members of staff in post. This

figure does not include vacant positions and is made up of permanent staff, fixed

term appointments and other forms of contingent labour. The number of staff in post

and the mix of different appointment types vary throughout the year.

Performing Arts: Equality


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

discussions she has had with representatives of the performing arts industry on diversity

in casting voice-only performances.

John Glen:

Government believes everyone should have access to opportunities in the cultural

sectors. Ministers and officials across the Department regularly meet with a range of

representatives of the performing arts industry to discuss issues affecting the sector,

including the issue of diversity. The Government is clear that it expects the cultural

sectors to represent our diverse society in their artistic talent, workforce and

audiences.



Public Sector: Mutual Societies and Social Impact Bonds


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

been made by the Inclusive Economy Unit in working with other Government

Departments to expand public service mutuals and the use of social impact bonds.

Tracey Crouch:

The Centre for Social Impact Bonds and the Mutuals Team work closely with other

government departments to support the development of SIBs and to increase the

number, sustainability and commissioning of public service mutuals. For SIBs, this

includes working with DWP to support disengaged young people through the Youth

Engagement Fund SIB and cooperation with their Work and Health Unit, the DCLG

Rough Sleeping Fund and DfE's work to support care leavers. For mutuals, this

includes working closely with the DfE on their Innovation Programme to include public

service mutuals as a new model of delivering children's services, and with the

libraries team in DCMS for potential mutuals in libraries and cultural services. The

number of public service mutuals has grown from 6 in 2009 to over 100 today.

S4C


To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what meetings (a) she

and (b) Ministers of her Department have had with representatives of S4C since 1

January 2017.

Matt Hancock:

Details of Ministerial meetings are published quarterly on the Gov.uk website at the

following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/dcms-ministerial-gifts-hospitality-travel-

and-meetings-1-january-to-31-march-2017

Sports Competitors: Down's Syndrome

Heidi Allen: [2938]

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

discussions her Department has had with disability sports organisations on classing

Down's syndrome athletes as a separate and discreet class and excluding such athletes

from participation opportunities in national disability sports events.

Tracey Crouch:

We have not been approached about this issue and no recent discussion has taken

place. Sport England is currently in discussions with National Disability Sports

Organisations, about the role they can play to support the delivery of Government's

strategy for sport and physical activity, Sporting Future, which is focused on tackling

inactivity in priority groups, such as disabled people. This includes discussions with




Special Olympics GB and Mencap about the work that they do with people with

disabilities.

Voluntary Work: Young People


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

taking to ensure value for money in the delivery of the National Citizen Service; and

whether she is taking steps to reduce the cost of that service to the public purse.

Tracey Crouch:

DCMS and the NCS Trust are working closely together to increase the value for

money of the programme. A key component of this work is the recommissioning of

the NCS delivery network when the current set of provider contracts expire in autumn

2018. This refresh will provide an opportunity to reduce the provider unit cost.

The NCS Trust is also exploring whether value for money can be further improved

through innovations in delivery of the programme.

Young People


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

announcement on 8 November 2016 by the then Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State,

Minister for Civil Society, when she plans to publish her Department's new youth policy

statement.

Tracey Crouch:

The Government is considering the contributions made in the youth policy regional

workshops held in March and April. An announcement will be made in due course.

EDUCATION

Children: Day Care

Lucy Powell: [3429]

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

of (a) families and (b) children who will benefit from the new 30 hours free childcare for

three and four-year-olds when it becomes available in September 2017; and what

estimate she has made of how many of those children will be (i) increasing their use of

formal childcare and (ii) starting to use formal childcare.

Mr Robert Goodwill:

We estimate that 390,000 families of three and four-year-olds will receive an

additional 15 hours free childcare, saving families who use the full 30 hours, around

£5,000 per year in total. Many children are already accessing more than 15 hours of

childcare, and 30 hours will reduce the cost of childcare for working parents.




In January 2017, we published a research report exploring parents' views and

demand for 30 hours free childcare. This is available at:

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/586231

/Parents__views_and_demand_for_30_hour_s_free_childcare_-_RR611.pdf

The findings indicated that of those currently using the 15 free hour entitlement, four

out of five (83%) said they would take up the additional 15 free hours if they were

available to them now. Of these, 61% said they would use the full 15 hours per week.

Lucy Powell: [3430]

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many additional childcare places have

been created in each quarter since May 2015 to support the roll-out of the 30-hour

childcare offer.

Mr Robert Goodwill:

We are making record investments in the government’s free childcare offer: over £1

billion more per year by 2020. This includes £300 million per year for a significant

increase to the hourly rates paid for two, three and four-year-old entitlement. From

April 2017, the national average funding rates also increased to £4.94 for three and

four-year-olds and £5.39 for two-year-olds. We are also investing £100m in capital

funding to create nearly 18,000 additional places for eligible children to help meet

demand from hardworking parents. This investment will support even more providers

to deliver 30 hours.

In addition our national delivery contractor, Childcare Works, are supporting all local

authorities to ensure they are ready to deliver the required number of free places in

September 2017. Local authorities report that they have benefitted from support with

estimating demand in their local areas.

Lucy Powell: [3431]

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many (a) parents and (b) childcare

providers have signed up to the Childcare Choices website in each month since it has

been in operation.

Lucy Powell: [3432]

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many providers who have signed up to

the Childcare Choices website to deliver 30 hours free childcare are (a) PVI providers, (b)

maintained nursery schools or nursery classes and (c) childminders.

Lucy Powell: [3433]

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what proportion of families estimated to be

eligible for 30 hours free childcare have signed up for that care via the Childcare Choices

website; and what proportion of those families have gone on to register with a childcare

provider.

Mr Robert Goodwill:

The Childcare Choices website provides information on whether parents could be

eligible for a range of government childcare offers, including 30 hours free childcare.

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/586231/Parents__views_and_demand_for_30_hour_s_free_childcare_-_RR611.pdf

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/586231/Parents__views_and_demand_for_30_hour_s_free_childcare_-_RR611.pdf





Parents can apply for Tax-Free Childcare and 30 hours free childcare through the

digital Childcare Service, which is accessible via Childcare Choices. Providers do not

sign up to offer 30 hours free childcare via the Childcare Service.

As of 30 June, successful parent applications have generated 98,579 valid 30 hours

eligibility codes through the service. Since the service opened on 21 April 2017 to

families that have children who will be under 4 on 31 August 2017, the number of

valid 30 hours eligibility codes generated are as follows: 6,472 in April, 31,853 in May

and 52,218 in June.

We do not hold data on whether they have subsequently signed up with a provider.

Department for Education: Equality

Kate Green: [3083]

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to the oral Answer of 2

November 2016, Official Report, column 879, what steps her Department has taken to

use 2011 census classifications, including on Gypsies and Travellers, to audit racial

disparities in public service outcomes.

Nick Gibb:

I refer the Honourable Member for Stretford and Urmston to the answer given by my

Right Honourable Friend, the member for Ashford in response to PQ 3709.

Grammar Schools


To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what plans she has to introduce legislative

proposals on grammar schools.

Nick Gibb:

I refer the hon. Member to the answer provided on 27 June to Question number 128.

Pre-school Education: Standards

Tracy Brabin: [2916]

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what number and proportion of children have

been assessed as (a) meeting, (b) exceeding and (c) not yet reaching expected levels of

development at the end of the Early Years Foundation Stage in each of the last three

years.

Mr Robert Goodwill:

The data requested is published in the ‘Early years foundation stage profile results:

2015 to 2016’ statistical first release: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/early-

years-foundation-stage-profile-results-2015-to-2016.




Pupils: Attendance

Mike Kane: [2972]

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to the Supreme Court ruling

on Isle of Wight Council v Platt in April 2017, what plans she has to work with her

colleagues in the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy to address the

issue of disproportionate holiday cost increases outside of school terms.

Nick Gibb:

We are pleased the Supreme Court unanimously agreed with our position that no

child should be taken out of school without good reason. As before, head teachers

have the discretion to decide when exceptional circumstances allow for a child to be

absent, but this ruling removes the uncertainty for schools and local authorities that

was created by the High Court judgment.

The evidence shows that every extra day of school missed can affect a pupil’s

chances of achieving good GCSEs, which has a lasting effect on their life chances.

We are examining the Supreme Court judgment carefully and considering what our

next steps will be.

Pupils: Disadvantaged

Angela Rayner: [2712]

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answers of 28 June 2017 to

Questions 544, 545 and 546, when the supplementary tables with additional analysis will

be published by her Department.

Nick Gibb:

The open consultation on Analysing family circumstances and education closes on

31 July 2017. The Department will be able to consider all responses received at this

point and will publish a consultation response as soon as is possible in the autumn of

2017.

The consultation response will include supplementary tables with additional analysis.

Scholarships: USA

Liam Byrne: [2464]

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what representations she has made to the

US Administration about (a) the strategic importance of the Fulbright programme to the

special relationship and (b) the need to preserve funding for the programme in the years

ahead.

Joseph Johnson:

The Fulbright programme provides important opportunities for education exchanges

between the UK and the US. We have received no communication from the US

government to inform us of any proposal to cut funding of the Fulbright Programme.




Schools: Admissions


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

on the educational outcomes of children of an entrance exam to some state schools at

the age of 10 or 11.

Nick Gibb:

We have not assessed the effects of the entrance exam itself on the educational

outcomes of children.

Schools: Hate Crime

Anna Turley: [3599]

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what systems are in place for schools

reporting hate incidents occurring in the classroom.

Nick Gibb:

Schools are required by law to have behaviour and safeguarding policies. Schools

should record and deal with incidents according to those policies and are held to

account for how they do so by Ofsted. The Department for Education’s statutory

safeguarding guidance, ‘Keeping children safe in education’ (September 2016), is

clear that if staff have any concerns about a child, or think that the child is in danger,

they should speak to the school’s designated safeguarding lead.

The Department’s ‘Preventing and Tackling Bullying’ guidance (July 2017) sets out

that some types of harassing or threatening behaviour or communications could

constitute a criminal offence. When school staff feel that an offence may have been

committed, they should seek assistance from the police.

Sixth Form Education

Ms Angela Eagle: [3640]

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many and which schools in England

have closed their sixth form since 2010.

Mr Robert Goodwill:

I am sorry, but the department does not record, or hold centrally, data on the number

of schools that have their sixth form provision removed.

Sixth Form Education: Expenditure

Nic Dakin: [3688]

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how much her Department spent on 16 to

19-year-old education in each financial year since 2014-15.

Nic Dakin: [3689]

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how much funding her Department allocated

to 16 to 19-year-old education in each financial year since 2014-15.






Anne Milton:

Department for Education expenditure on 16 to 19-year-old education is reported in

Education Funding Agency (EFA) accounts. The 2014-15 accounts are published

here:


/efa_annual_report_and_accounts_final_26_may_2016.pdf.

The relevant information is included in the following lines from table 5 (Programme

Costs) on page 155:

Local authority maintained schools with sixth forms;

Academies with sixth forms; and

Young people aged 16-19 years in further education.

The 2015-16 accounts are published here:


/EFA_annual_report_and_accounts_2015_to_2016__Web_Accessible_.pdf :

The relevant information is included in the following lines from table 3 (Grant

Expenditure) on page 115:

Local authority and other maintained schools with sixth forms;

Academies – Grants to academies with sixth forms; and

16-19 Further Education.

The accounts for 2016-17 have not yet been published.

Funding allocations to the sector, are made on an academic year basis rather than by

financial year. Allocations are published each year and the data for 2014/15, 2015/16

and 2016/17 is available here:

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/16-to-19-education-funding-allocations#published-

allocations.

Funding allocations for 2017/18 have not yet been published. Funding for 16 to 19-

year-old education includes Total Programme Funding and High Needs funding in the

allocations tables.

As EFA accounts are published by financial year, and funding allocations are made

by academic year, the two sets of figures are not directly comparable.

Social Mobility

Dan Jarvis: [3215]

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to the Social Mobility

Commission's report: Time for Change: an assessment of government policies on social

mobility 1997-2017, if she will launch a review into the possibility of creating a national

coalition with councils, communities and employers to improve social mobility.

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/526237/efa_annual_report_and_accounts_final_26_may_2016.pdf

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/526237/efa_annual_report_and_accounts_final_26_may_2016.pdf

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/579174/EFA_annual_report_and_accounts_2015_to_2016__Web_Accessible_.pdf

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/579174/EFA_annual_report_and_accounts_2015_to_2016__Web_Accessible_.pdf

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/16-to-19-education-funding-allocations#published-allocations

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/16-to-19-education-funding-allocations#published-allocations


Mr Robert Goodwill:

The Department for Education welcomes the Commission’s report, published on 28

June, which considers efforts to improve social mobility over the last twenty years.

The Commission rightly concludes that too often life chances can be determined not

by effort and talents but where you come from, who your parents are and what school

you attend. The Department will set out further details on policy to tackle this social

injustice in due course.

Improving social mobility requires support from all parts of society: government,

employers and civic organisations. Last year, we launched our £72 million

Opportunity Area programme. In these 12 social mobility ‘coldspots’ we are working

with a range of local partners to break the link between background and destination.

We know these areas face some of the most entrenched challenges, as described by

the Social Mobility Commission’s Index last year. Our approach here goes beyond

what the Department and central government can do – extending to local authorities,

schools, academy sponsors, local and national businesses, Local Enterprise

Partnerships, FE colleges, universities, the voluntary sector, and more.

The Secretary of State recently spoke at the launch of the Social Mobility Employers

Index. The Index highlights how employers, including government, are taking steps to

ensure talented people from all works of life can access good jobs. Through this

collaborative process, we will not just build opportunity now but lay the foundations

for further progress in the future. I strongly encourage employers to sign up to the

Index next year.

ENVIRONMENT, FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS

Agriculture

Dr David Drew: [2631]

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

he has had with each of the devolved administrations on his Department's plans for the

reform of agriculture after the UK leaves the EU.

George Eustice:

The Secretary of State has spoken to Ministers from Scotland and Wales and the

Defra Permanent Secretary has been in regular contact with the Permanent

Secretary in the Department for Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs –

Northern Ireland (DAERA-NI). The Secretary of State has also had a number of

meetings with stakeholder groups from the devolved nations since his appointment.

He met Ministers from the Scottish Government at the Royal Highland Show and

plans to meet his Welsh counterparts at the Royal Welsh Show as well as visiting

Northern Ireland later this month.

Ministers have had regular meetings with the devolved administrations over the past

year.


Agriculture: EU Law

John McNally: [3332]

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

he is receiving from the Chancellor of the Exchequer to ensure that his Department is

fully funded to undertake its review of EU legislation on food and agriculture.

George Eustice:

Over 80% of Defra’s agenda is affected by the vote to leave the European Union. As

a result, Defra has reviewed and reprioritised its work programme so that many roles

across the Defra group are now supporting EU exit-related work, either directly or

indirectly. Given its extensive impact, it is not possible to give an isolated figure of

FTE civil servants working on, or budget for, the EU Exit programme alone.

Beaches and Rivers: Litter and Sewage

Mr Roger Godsiff: [2876]

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

to ensure that the UK's rivers and beaches are not polluted by sewage or litter.

Dr Thérèse Coffey:

The Government published the first Litter Strategy for England on 10 April, setting out

our aim to clean up the country, including rivers and beaches.

Our strategy is to apply best practice in education, enforcement and infrastructure to

deliver a substantial reduction in litter and littering behaviour within a generation. The

common aim of all the actions in the Litter Strategy is to change the behaviour of

those who currently feel that it is acceptable to drop litter. By reducing the amount of

litter dropped, and improving cleaning, we will also reduce the litter reaching our

rivers and beaches.

Pollution caused by sewage is controlled by discharge permits issued by the

Environment Agency (EA) which must meet the requirements of various

environmental regulations including the Urban Waste Water Treatment Regulations

and Bathing Water Regulations. In England, between 2015 and 2020 water

companies are investing over £2 billion to improve their sewerage infrastructure,

guided by the requirements of the EA. This includes investment to improve sewage

treatment works and collecting systems with the aim of reducing the polluting impact

of sewage discharges on beaches and rivers. The results to date are that bathing

waters are at their highest ever quality, thousands of miles of rivers have been

improved and the number of pollution incidents greatly reduced.

Bovine Tuberculosis: Disease Control

Mr Jim Cunningham: [2579]

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

assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the 25 year strategy for tackling bovine

TB.




George Eustice:

The Government is taking strong action to deliver a long-term plan to eradicate

bovine TB. The comprehensive strategy includes strengthening cattle testing and

movement controls, improving biosecurity on farm and when trading, and badger

control in areas where TB is rife.

The strategy is delivering results. Later this year we will apply for Officially TB free

status in the Low Risk Area of the country where there is no significant TB in wildlife.

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs: Pay

Sue Hayman: [3600]

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many and

what proportion of staff of his Department are covered by the remit of a pay review body.

Sue Hayman: [3602]


what proportion of staff within each sponsored non-departmental public body of his

Department fall within the remit of a pay review body.

Sue Hayman: [3604]


what proportion of staff of his Department and each of his Department's agencies are

covered by the remit of a pay review body.

George Eustice:

Only Senior Civil Servants (SCS) in Defra and its Agencies are covered by a pay

review body. Delegated grades (Grade 6 and below) and all staff in NDPBs are not

covered by a pay review body; they have pay awards that are subject to Treasury pay

guidance.

99 people (4.4%) of Defra staff are covered by a pay review body.

6 people (0.3%) of APHA staff are covered by a pay review body.

3 people (0.5%) of CEFAS staff are covered by a pay review body.

7 people (0.4%) of RPA staff are covered by a pay review body.

3 people (1.9%) of VMD staff are covered by a pay review body.

In total there are 118 people (1.7%) of staff in Defra and its agencies who are

covered by a pay review body.

Environment

Dr Matthew Offord: [2842]

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

taking to ensure a common UK environmental framework when the UK leaves the EU.






Defra is working closely with the devolved administrations, sharing factual information

and establishing views and priorities to get the best possible deal for all parts of our

United Kingdom as we leave the EU.

The UK Government will work carefully to ensure that, as powers are repatriated from

the EU framework, the appropriate powers are retained in Westminster and the

appropriate powers are passed to the devolved administrations. In doing this, we will

maintain the necessary common standards and frameworks for our own domestic

market and empower the UK as an open, trading nation to strike the best trade deals

around the world.

Rivers: EU Law

Mrs Madeleine Moon: [3242]

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

he has made of the likelihood of rivers in England and Wales meeting the 2027 EU Water

Framework Directive deadline for good ecological status; and if he will make a statement.


Implementation of the EU Water Framework Directive within the UK is a devolved

matter.

Updated River Basin Management Plans published in 2016 provide the framework for

protecting and improving the water environment, and focus on the improvements for

the period 2016 to 2021. The plans for England confirm over £3billion of investment

by 2021, leading to improvements in at least 680 water bodies, including an overall

target to enhance at least 8000 km of waters by 2021. The plans will be reviewed and

updated in 2021 taking account of progress that has been made and the best

evidence then on what can be achieved by 2027.

Water: EU Law


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

Government plans for steps taken to meet the requirements of the EU Water Framework

Directive to continue after the UK leaves the EU; and if he will make a statement.


In the Queen’s speech 2017 it was announced that a Bill will be introduced to repeal

the 1972 European Communities Act. The Bill is to provide certainty for individuals

and businesses on leaving the EU by converting current EU law, including that

transposing the Water Framework Directive, into UK law. This will ensure a smooth

and orderly transition as well as retaining legislation that protects our environment.

We remain fully committed to delivering our manifesto commitment to be the first

generation to leave the natural environment of England in a better state than we

found it.



EXITING THE EUROPEAN UNION

Department for Exiting the European Union: Equality


To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, what steps he is taking to

encourage diversity in his Department.

Mr Steve Baker:

The Department for Exiting the European Union is committed to the creation of a

diverse and inclusive working environment to ensure staff do not face any barriers to

success, and all staff feel supported at work. As such, the Department is committed

to the steps established in the Civil Service 2016 Talent Action Plan to help the Civil

Service become the most inclusive employer in the UK. The Department is also

committed to working with a diverse range of external organisations, to ensure our

work reflects a broad range of opinions across the UK.

The Department has an active equalities network to provide support and has

appointed Catherine Webb as the dedicated senior equalities champion who sits on

the Department's Executive Board and provides support and board level

representation for the equalities networks. The department has dedicated mental

health first aiders and has signed the Time to Change pledge in February 2017.

Additionally DExEU has subscribed to the Disability Confident Employer Scheme and

the two tick guaranteed interview scheme. We also intend to participate in the

Stonewall equality index benchmarking exercise and the Social Mobility Index.

Kate Green: [3085]

To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, with reference to the oral

Answer of 2 November 2016, Official Report, column 879, what steps his Department has

taken to use 2011 census classifications, including on Gypsies and Travellers, to audit

racial disparities in public service outcomes.

Mr Steve Baker:

I refer the Honourable Member for Stretford and Urmston to the answer given by the

Right Honourable member for Ashford in response to PQ3709.

Gibraltar: Brexit

John Spellar: [2154]

To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, if he will make

representations to the EU on including Gibraltar in all negotiated agreements as the UK

leaves the EU.

Mr Robin Walker:

The Prime Minister has been clear that we remain steadfast in our support for

Gibraltar, its people and its economy. Also that Gibraltar is covered by our exit

negotiations and we have committed to fully involve them as we prepare for the

process of exiting the EU.




Immigration

Paul Blomfield: [3555]

To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, how continuous residence

in paragraph 6 of his Department's policy paper entitled Safeguarding the position of EU

citizens in the UK and UK nationals in the EU, published on 26 June 2017, is defined.

Mr Robin Walker:

Any EU citizen in the UK before the specified date with five years’ continuous

residence will be able to apply for UK settled status. Other EU citizens who arrive

before the specified date will be able to stay until they have the five years’ residence

to apply for UK settled status.

Five years’ continuous residence is the period in EU law required, in most cases, for

acquiring permanent residence status, and also under UK law for non-EEA nationals

acquiring indefinite leave to remain.

It is considered across the immigration system to be the period of time when an

individual is fully integrated, and has contributed enough to the UK economy and

society for restrictions on their immigration status to be lifted and for them to be able

to settle here permanently.


To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, with reference to paragraph

37 of his Department's policy paper entitled, Safeguarding the position of EU citizens in

the UK and UK nationals in the EU, published on 26 June 2017, whether the criteria for

obtaining settled status will differ from that for obtaining permanent residence currently;

and if he will make a statement.

Mr Robin Walker:

The two essential conditions an EU national must meet in order to obtain settled

status are firstly, that they have been resident in the UK for 5 years and secondly,

that they are not considered to be a threat to the UK, through an assessment of

conduct and criminality.

The application process will be as streamlined and user-friendly as possible. Further

details will be published in due course.


To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, whether the Government

plans to implement any of the proposals in his Department's policy paper entitled,

Safeguarding the position of EU citizens in the UK and UK nationals in the EU, published

on 26 June 2017 before the conclusion of the negotiations on the UK leaving the EU.

Mr Robin Walker:

We are planning to set up an application process before we leave the EU to enable

those who wish to do so to get their new settled status at their earliest convenience.

For those who have already obtained a certificate of their permanent residence, we




will seek to make sure that the application process for settled status is as streamlined

as possible.

The UK Government and the Commission have stated that providing certainty to

citizens is a priority. This is why we want to reach a reciprocal agreement for EU

citizens in UK and UK nationals in the EU as quickly as possible. It is already clear

that there is much common ground between the UK and EU positions and we are

confident that we can reach an agreement on this important issue early in

negotiations.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE

Argentina: Foreign Relations


To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, when he last met

his Argentinian counterpart; and what was discussed at that meeting.

Sir Alan Duncan:

I spoke to the new Argentine Foreign Minister, Jorge Faurie, on 3 July. During our

phonecall I welcomed positive progress in UK-Argentina relations since President

Macri's election and underlined the importance the UK attaches to honouring all of

the commitments made in the UK-Argentina Joint Communique agreed in

September.

I last met the former Argentine Deputy Foreign Minister, Pedro Villagra Delgado, in

London in December to discuss the humanitarian project to identify the remains of

fallen Argentine soldiers in Darwin Cemetary in the Falkand Islands.

Chechnya: LGBT People


To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make

representations to his counterpart in Russia on recent reports of torture and murder of

gay people in Chechnya.

Sir Alan Duncan:

The UK remains deeply concerned by the continued persecution of members of the

LGBT community in Chechnya. Through a statement issued on 7 April by the former

Foreign and Commonwealth Office Minister of State, Baroness Anelay of St Johns,

the UK was one of the first countries to express concern and call for a full and

thorough investigation to be undertaken by the Russian authorities, to ensure that

perpetrators of human rights abuses are brought to justice. I delivered a statement

condemning the reports in the House of Commons following the tabling of an Urgent

Question on 20 April. On 28 April, The Foreign Secretary co-signed a letter to

Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov urging his government to investigate the reports and

ensure the safety of activists and journalists investigating these abuses. UK officials



in Russia continue to raise our concerns directly with the Russian Ministry of Foreign

Affairs, and are working closely with the relevant NGOs who are supporting victims

fleeing the persecution in Chechnya.

China: Treaties


To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent

discussions (a) he and (b) the UK ambassador to the People's Republic of China have

had with their Chinese counterparts on the status of the Sino-British Joint Declaration.

Mark Field:

I held a meeting with the Chinese Ambassador on 5 July in which I made clear that

the British Government does not accept the position of the Chinese Ministry of

Foreign Affairs spokesperson that the Joint Declaration is an historical document of

no practical significance. I stressed that on this basis, as a guarantor of the Joint

Declaration, the British Government regards it as legitimate to continue to issue a six-

monthly report to the House on Hong Kong affairs.

The Deputy Head of Mission at the British Embassy in Beijing also raised HMG

concerns with the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs on 5 July, stressing that the

Joint Declaration is a legally binding treaty, registered with the UN. As a co-signatory,

the British Government is committed to monitoring its implementation closely.

Foreign and Commonwealth Office: Advertising

Deidre Brock: [3408]

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how much his

Department has spent on advertising on social media in each month since January 2016.

Mark Field:

The FCO does not have a single Marketing and Advertising department and so does

not collate social media spend in a way that would able us to fully answer your

request without exceeding the appropriate cost and time limit.

Foreign and Commonwealth Office: Disclosure of Information


To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how many


years for which figures are available; how many such disclosures were found to be valid;

how many staff alleged detriment as a result of making such a disclosure; and how many

staff who (a) made such a disclosure and (b) alleged detriment as a result of a disclosure





Sir Alan Duncan:

The figures on the numbers of protected disclosures (whistleblowing/raising a

concern) in each of the last three years at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office,

and their validity is as follows:

2016/2017 9 whistleblows, 0 proven



The identity of all persons raising a concern remains confidential to the Anti Fraud &

Corruption Unit and we are not informed as a consequence of any person leaving the

FCO employment.

Foreign and Commonwealth Office: Equality

Kate Green: [3086]

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, with reference to

the oral Answer of 2 November 2016, Official Report, column 879, what steps his

Department has taken to use 2011 census classifications, including on Gypsies and

Travellers, to audit racial disparities in public service outcomes.

Sir Alan Duncan:



Foreign and Commonwealth Office: Redundancy


To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how many staff

have left or agreed settlements to leave his Department under (a) voluntary exit, (b)

voluntary redundancy and (c) compulsory redundancy since 1 November 2016; and how

much compensation was paid in those cases.

Sir Alan Duncan:

No staff have left the Foreign & Commonwealth Office under voluntary exit, voluntary

redundancy or compulsory redundancy since 1 November 2016. Accordingly no

compensation has been paid.

Hong Kong: Foreign Relations


To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether he has

spoken to Carrie Lam, the Chief Executive of Hong Kong, since 1 July 2017.

Mark Field:

On 29 June, the Foreign Secretary issued a Written Ministerial Statement on Hong

Kong to the House (http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-

answers-statements/written-statements/). The British Government congratulates the




new Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government,

Carrie Lam, on her inauguration on 1 July, and wishes her a successful term in office.

The British Government looks forwards to working with the Chief Executive to deepen

UK-Hong Kong relations and support Hong Kong to prosper long into the future.

Our Consul General in Hong Kong met Carrie Lam on 19 April following her election

victory of 26 March. I have not yet spoken to the new Chief Executive.

Mahmoud Abu Zeid



discussions he has had with his Egyptian counterpart on the release of the

photojournalist Mahmoud Abu Zeid, known as Shawkan.

Alistair Burt:

The Foreign Secretary raised our human rights concerns with Egypt's President Sisi

during his visit to Cairo on 25 February 2017. This included emphasising the

importance of a free and open society. Our Ambassador to Egypt, and other officials

have previously raised Shawkan's case with the Egyptian authorities.

North Korea: Foreign Relations



discussions he has had with his North Korean counterpart.

Mark Field:

The Foreign Secretary has not had any discussions with his North Korean

counterpart. Following the Democratic People's Republic of Korea's (DPRK)

intercontinental ballistic missile test of 4 July, I summoned the DPRK Ambassador to

make clear the UK's condemnation of the test as a violation of multiple UN Security

Council Resolutions and a threat to regional stability and international security.

North Korea: Guided Weapons


To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether he has

spoken to his US counterpart on the recent missile test in North Korea.

Mark Field:

The Foreign Secretary spoke with the US Secretary of State following the Democratic

People’s Republic of Korea’s test of an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) on 4

July. This latest missile test is a further violation of multiple UN Security Council

Resolutions. The Foreign Secretary made clear the UK’s condemnation of the ICBM

launch and our support for further action at the UN Security Council (UNSC). The UK

will work with partners, including the US, to ensure we achieve a strong and united

response which will include further significant measures.




Venezuela: Human Rights

Dr Lisa Cameron: [2711]

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what

representations the Government has made to the Government of the Bolivarian Republic

of Venezuela on reported human rights violations in that country.

Sir Alan Duncan:

The UK Government shares the deep concern of the international community

regarding the deteriorating political and economic situation. Since April, there have

been more than 80 deaths during protests.

This is a critical time for Venezuela, and UK concerns over the situation have led

Venezuela to be designated a FCO Human Rights Priority Country.

I met the Venezuelan Foreign Minister, Samuel Moncada, in his previous role as

Minister for Europe on 26 October. I raised UK concerns at the deteriorating situation

and encouraged the Venezuelan Government to accept offers of international aid to

address chronic shortages of basic food and medical supplies.

In March, I hosted a delegation of Deputies from the Venezuelan National Assembly

and stressed the importance of an independent and empowered legislature. I issued

a statement on 31 March echoing these views, following the Venezuelan Supreme

Court's attempt to wrest power from the National Assembly.

In May, then Minister for Human Rights, Baroness Anelay visited Caracas and

delivered clear messages to senior government and opposition figures, expressing

our concern at the political situation and the need to respect the freedom of speech

and the right to peaceful protests.

Following the 5 July attack on the National Assembly and its Deputies by pro-

Government supporters, I issued a statement condemning the attack and calling for

the Venezuelan Government to uphold the constitution and show respect for its

democratic institutions.

HEALTH

Ambulance Services: Emergency Calls


To ask the Secretary of State for Health, whether he plans to modernise the ambulance

call-handling system; and if he will make a statement.

Mr Philip Dunne:

The Ambulance Response Programme, which is due to report its recommendations

later this month, has been exploring whether changes to the way that the ambulance

service responds to calls could help improve patient outcomes and help services

better manage demand.



The Programme is looking to ensure that the ambulance service provides the most

clinically appropriate response to all patients. It includes a review of the time

permitted to triage 999 calls before a resource is dispatched for all but the most

serious calls in order to provide a more accurate clinical assessment, along with a

pre-triage system to identify the most life-threatening calls as early as possible.

Antenatal Care

Jim Shannon: [2710]

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps he is taking to reduce the occurrence

of post-natal illness.

Mr Philip Dunne:

The Department is committed to improving maternity outcomes and experience of

care for women and babies.

In November 2015, my Rt. hon. Friend the Secretary of State announced a national

ambition to halve the rates of stillbirths, neonatal and maternal deaths and brain

injuries that occur during or soon after birth by 2030. Action includes tackling issues

of culture, leadership and learning, to improve safety in maternity units as well as the

outcomes and experience of care for mothers and babies.

The Our Chance campaign promotes advice about healthy pregnancy, highlighting

the crucial risk factors during pregnancy and the postnatal period which may lead to

adverse outcomes for mother and baby. In addition, the Avoiding Term Admission in

Neonatal Units programme seeks to prevent the separation of mother and baby

(except in cases with a compelling medical reason) and avoid admissions of full-term

babies to neonatal units.

The Department has invested £365 million from 2015/16 to 2020/21 in perinatal

mental health services, and NHS England is leading a transformation programme to

ensure that by 2020/21 at least 30,000 more women each year are able to access

evidence-based specialist mental health care during the perinatal period.

Dental Services

Jonathan Ashworth: [3611]

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what the total cost of treating tooth decay in the

NHS has been in each of the last five years for which data is available.

Steve Brine:

The total cost of treating tooth decay in the National Health Service is not available. It

is not possible to break down NHS dental spending to identify the total cost to the

NHS of treating tooth decay as opposed to other dental diseases requiring treatment,

such as gum disease.



Department of Health: Cabinet Committees

Jonathan Ashworth: [3610]

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, which Cabinet committees and sub-committees

relating to the UK leaving the EU he is a member of.

Mr Philip Dunne:

Membership of Cabinet Committees (including sub committees) is decided by the

Prime Minister. The Department works closely with the Department for Exiting the

European Union on a day to day basis to ensure our interests are taken forward in

negotiations for exiting the EU and the Secretary of State for Health is invited to

attend Cabinet Committees when a matter directly affecting health comes up.

The Government is committed to ensuring leaving the EU is a success for the health

and social care sector as well as the United Kingdom as a whole.

Department of Health: Disclosure of Information


To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many protected disclosures were made by

staff in his Department in each of the last three years for which figures are available; how

many such disclosures were found to be valid; how many staff alleged detriment as a

result of making such a disclosure; and how many staff who (a) made such a disclosure


the Department.

Mr Philip Dunne:

The core Department had one protected disclosure where the investigation has

concluded and was found to be unsubstantiated.

It would not be appropriate to release additional information as it is necessary to

protect the identity of individuals who have made disclosures.

Depressive Illnesses

Barbara Keeley: [2874]

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

Institute for Health and Care Excellence on the forthcoming consultation on guidelines for

treating depression in adults.

Jackie Doyle-Price:

Ministers and officials have regular discussions with the National Institute of Health

and Care Excellence (NICE) on forthcoming pieces of guidance. NICE is an

independent body and develops its guidance on the basis of an assessment of the

available evidence through consultation with stakeholders, including the Department.




Health Professions: Vacancies

Gloria De Piero: [3705]

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, which specialist areas of medicine are

experiencing shortages of (a) consultants and (b) registrars; and how many vacancies

there are in those disciplines.

Mr Philip Dunne:

The information is not available in the format requested.

Health Education England (HEE) provide estimates of staff shortages as part of their

Workforce Plan for England publication. Staff shortages as defined by HEE may be

filled by staff working in Agency, Bank or overtime, however no estimate of the extent

to which this occurs is available.

The latest figures are available at the following link:

hee.nhs.uk/sites/default/files/documents/Workforce%20Plan%20for%20England%20

2016-17.pdf

HEE plan to publish the Workforce Plan for England 2017/18 in due course.

Health Services: Reciprocal Arrangements


To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how much his Department has recouped from

EU member states whose nationals have received emergency treatment from the NHS in

each of the last five years.

Mr Philip Dunne:

Under European Union regulations, other European Economic Area (EEA) countries

and Switzerland reimburse the United Kingdom for the cost of the National Health

Service providing treatment to people they are responsible for under EU law,

including UK nationals insured in another EEA country or Switzerland. In the same

way, the UK Government reimburses other EEA countries and Switzerland for the

cost of providing treatment to people we are responsible for under EU law,

irrespective of nationality.

Due to the complexities associated with collecting and aggregating information on

costs and treatment, claims for EEA medical costs are typically submitted by EEA

member states (including the UK) up to three, and sometimes more, years in arrears.

Therefore, claims for any 12 month period do not necessarily reflect treatment

provided in that period.

Requested figures are provided in the attached excel sheet rounded to the nearest

pound. They include the claims for all treatments (not just emergency treatments).

Figures for 2016–17 should be published over the summer.

Attachments:

1. PQ2509 attached table [PQ2509 - table.xlsx]


https://hee.nhs.uk/sites/default/files/documents/Workforce%20Plan%20for%20England%202016-17.pdf

https://hee.nhs.uk/sites/default/files/documents/Workforce%20Plan%20for%20England%202016-17.pdf


Health Visitors: Nottinghamshire


To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many health visitors have been employed

in (a) Ashfield constituency and (b) Nottinghamshire in each year since 2010.

Mr Philip Dunne:

NHS Digital publishes workforce statistics and the following table shows full time

equivalent Qualified Health Visitors working in the National Health Service in England

at 30 September 2010 to 2016. Data for March 2017 is also provided as this is the

latest available. Figures are for Nottinghamshire and include organisations in Ashfield

constituency.

NHS Hospital and Community Health Services: Qualified Health Visitors working in

NHS trusts and clinical commissioning groups in Nottinghamshire as at 30

September each specified year and latest data as at 31 March 2017

QUALIFIED

HEALTH

VISITORS (FULL-

TIME

EQUIVALENT) 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016

MARCH-

2017

Nottinghamshire 0 85 113 133 136 154 145 122

Source: NHS Digital

Health visitors may be employed by NHS provider organisations, but may also be

employed directly by local authorities, or other care providers. Health visitors

employed by local authorities and/or other care providers will continue to provide

health visiting services, but will not be included in figures relating to the NHS

workforce.

Hospitals: Fire Prevention

Helen Hayes: [1334]

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what resources have been made available to

local NHS trusts for fire safety inspections at hospitals in Lambeth and Southwark.

Helen Hayes: [1342]

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what fire safety inspections have been carried

out at hospitals in London.

Mr Philip Dunne:

As part of the response to the tragic events at the Grenfell Tower, actions have been

implemented across the National Health Service to assess the risks of similar issues

and ensure that the NHS estate is safe. All NHS trusts, including those with buildings

in Lambeth and Southwark, as well as all trusts across London, have in the past




weeks provided assurance that they have undertaken a fire risk assessment in the

past 12 months.

Fire safety checks of NHS facilities are regularly undertaken in line with legislation

and guidance. Hospitals are well prepared – each one has a tailored fire safety plan.

But nothing is more important than the safety of patients and staff, so on a

precautionary basis we have asked all hospitals to conduct additional checks.

Jim Mackey, Chief Executive of NHS Improvement instigated new inspections by

local fire and rescue services on 24 June 2017, which has continued across the NHS.

By their nature, these fire safety inspections do not require significant resources to be

deployed by the NHS trusts themselves.

Innovative Medicines and Medical Technology Review

Ronnie Cowan: [2743]

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, when he plans to publish the Government's

response to the Accelerated Access Review, published in October 2016.

Steve Brine:

We are considering the recommendations carefully and will provide a formal

response in due course. Taking forward the Accelerated Access Review remains an

important manifesto commitment, ensuring patients can access new cost-effective

drugs and treatments faster.

Negligence

Dr Rosena Allin-Khan: [2889]

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

of State for Justice on preventing escalating clinical negligence costs in the NHS.


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

for the increasing cost of clinical negligence cases.

Mr Philip Dunne:

The costs of clinical negligence are rising due to a range of factors such as rising

activity in the National Health Service, increasing life expectancy, costs of care and

factors within the legal environment. We need to tackle this rising expenditure whilst

ensuring that patients harmed by the NHS can access appropriate compensation and

that the NHS is able to learn from mistakes and improve patient care.

In February my Rt. hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Health met with the former

Secretary of State for Justice (Elizabeth Truss) at which the Secretary of State for

Health was informed that that there would be a change in the personal injury discount

rate. This change will have a significant impact on the cost of clinical negligence and

the effect on general practice indemnity costs is of particular concern. This is why

alongside the announcement of a change to the rate the government announced that




the Department will work closely with general practitioners (GPs) and Medical

Defence Organisations to ensure that appropriate funding is available to meet

additional costs to GPs, recognising the crucial role they play in the delivery of the

NHS. Since that time the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) have consulted on proposals to

change how the discount rate is set in future.

The Department is working closely with MoJ on proposals to introduce fixed

recoverable costs in clinical negligence cases which, if implemented, would reduce

the disproportionality between damages and costs in lower value claims. The

Department also recently completed a consultation on proposals to introduce a

‘Rapid Resolution and Redress’ scheme which, if implemented, would be an

alternative compensation scheme for families who haveexperienced severe avoidable

birth injury. This scheme is aimed at delivering a long-term reduction in these harmful

events through investigation and learning and providing an improved experience for

affected families. This would be a voluntary scheme which would not affect an

individual's right to litigate.

NHS: Property

Tracy Brabin: [3633]

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

cost of establishing the NHS Property Board.

Mr Philip Dunne:

Sir Robert Naylor’s review of the National Health Service estate recommended the

establishment of a ‘powerful new NHS Property Board’. The Government is giving

careful consideration to the Review’s recommendations, including the form and

function of an NHS Property Board and the best way to support estates

transformation by providing leadership, expertise and delivery support to the NHS

and strengthening existing estates capabilities and skills. No estimate has been made

for the cost of establishing an NHS Property Board.

We have been prioritising action to build capability by enhancing strategic estates

support to help the NHS achieve the clinical transformation set out in the Five Year

Forward View. A single, integrated team of Strategic Estates Advisors from NHS

Property Services and Community Health Partnerships is providing immediate

support to Sustainability and Transformation Partnerships with the development and

implementation of their local estates strategies.

NHS: Reorganisation


To ask the Secretary of State for Health, with reference to the Answer of 26 April 2017 to

Question 71179, if he will require all sustainability and transformation partnerships to

publish the total amount paid to private consultants for providing advice.



Steve Brine:

NHS England do not plan to require Sustainability and Transformation Partnership

(STP) areas to publish the total amount paid to companies who advise and/or support

the delivery of improved health and social care.

It is for each STP area to decide where they may need support or advice from

external organisations and normal value for money rules apply. However, all partners

within each STP area need to be disciplined about keeping costs as low as possible

as they work to alleviate pressures on the National Health Service, and improve

patient care.

Orkambi


To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps he is taking to secure an affordable

price for Orkambi, to make it available to people with cystic fibrosis.

Steve Brine:

Ministers and Government officials have had a number of discussions with Vertex

and NHS England in which the availability of Orkambi for the treatment of cystic

fibrosis was raised.

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) is the independent body

that develops guidance for the National Health Service on whether new drugs and

treatments represent a clinically and cost effective use of resources.

NICE published final guidance on the use of Orkambi (lumacaftor-ivacaftor) for

treating cystic fibrosis homozygous for the F508del mutation in July 2016 that does

not recommend this treatment.

Where NICE has not been able to recommend a treatment, funding decisions should

be made by the relevant NHS commissioner, based on an assessment of the

available evidence.

Parents: Advisory Services


To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps he has taken to provide alternative

sources of advice to support new parents in areas where there is a shortage of health

visitors.

Jackie Doyle-Price:

Local authorities (LAs) are responsible for commissioning appropriate services for

zero-to-five year olds in their areas, including health visiting, and decisions should be

based around local needs. Health Visitors (HV) and their teams work in close

partnership with other local early years’ services to ensure new parents have the

support and advice they require to enable their children have the best start in life. The

mandation of the universal health reviews for children up to two and a half years of

age, which are commissioned by LAs and provided by HV services, was renewed by



the Government this year. The mandation sets out in regulation requirements that

ensure that parents have the support they need at key stages of the child’s early

development.

Perinatal Mortality

Jim Shannon: [2681]

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps he is taking to further reduce the

incidence of still births.

Mr Philip Dunne:

My Rt. hon. Friend the Secretary of State is committed to reducing the rates of

stillbirth in England and improving maternity outcomes for women and babies. In

November 2015, he announced a national ambition to halve the rates of stillbirths,

neonatal and maternal deaths and brain injuries that occur during or soon after birth

by 2030. The Safer Maternity Care: next steps towards the national maternity

ambition, published in October 2016, then set out a suite of initiatives, including

actions to tackle issues of culture, leadership, and learning, in order to improve safety

in maternity units and the outcomes and experience of care for mothers and babies.

The action plan included the Saving Babies’ Lives Care Bundle which is designed to

support midwives and other clinicians to identify risks and implement care to prevent

stillbirths and neonatal deaths in a focused way. The four interventions included in

the Care Bundle are:

- Reducing Smoking In Pregnancy;

- Detecting Fetal Growth Restriction;

- Raising Awareness Of Reduced Fetal Movement; and

- Improving Effective Fetal Monitoring During Labour.

The Care Bundle is being tested and piloted by volunteer maternity care providers.

NHS England will then consider how to support implementation nationwide, as part of

the Maternity Transformation Programme.

The Department has also funded the National Perinatal Epidemiology Unit at the

University of Oxford to develop a national standardised Perinatal Mortality Review

Tool to support local perinatal death reviews. This is an important contribution to the

efforts to reduce stillbirths as the tool will ensure systematic, multidisciplinary, high

quality reviews are carried out on the circumstances and care leading up to and

surrounding each stillbirth and neonatal death. It will then enable maternity and

neonatal staff to identify emerging themes across a number of deaths to support

learning and changes in the delivery and commissioning of care, to improve future

care and prevent future deaths which are avoidable.


Pregnancy Complications

Jim Shannon: [2673]

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps he is taking to reduce pre-eclampsia

in pregnant women.

Mr Philip Dunne:

Hypertension or high blood pressure during pregnancy (known as pre-eclampsia) is

the most common medical problem that is encountered in pregnancy. The National

Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidance, 'Hypertension in

pregnancy: diagnosis and management', is aimed at healthcare professionals and

women who develop hypertension during pregnancy. The guidance aims to improve

care during pregnancy, labour and birth for women and their babies.

Most clinical activity relating to pre-eclampsia is focused on diagnosing the condition

as early as possible and managing the condition when it has been identified. NHS

England expects providers of maternity care to pay due regard to NICE guidelines on

diagnosing and managing pre-eclampsia. These are set out at:

https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/cg107

The Maternity Transformation Programme led by NHS England is working to improve

maternity services by 2020/21. It seeks to implement the recommendations of ‘Better

Births’ (the report of the National Maternity Review) and ensure that maternity

services across England become safer, more personalised, kinder, more professional

and more family friendly. The programme aims to reduce health inequalities and

ensure all women have access to high-quality maternity care wherever they live in

England. In particular, the programme is working to ensure women are in good health

before, during and after pregnancy so that families get off to the best possible start. It

will do so through a range of interventions including improving preconception care

and supporting positive health and wellbeing choices in pregnancy to reduce risk

factors.

Pregnancy: Paracetamol

Jim Shannon: [2682]

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

Colleges on the potential effect of pregnant women taking paracetamol and its effect on

unborn boys.

Steve Brine:

The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) continuously

monitors the safety of all medicines on the market in the United Kingdom and seeks

independent expert advice from the Commission on Human Medicines on important

new safety issues. The MHRA is aware of recently published research looking at the

effect on male offspring of giving paracetamol to pregnant mice. All new evidence on

the safety of paracetamol is kept under close review and this latest study will be

carefully considered and any new advice will be communicated.


https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/cg107


There have not been any discussions with the Royal Colleges on this issue yet.

Pregnant women should speak to their doctor or midwife before taking any medicine,

including paracetamol.

Social Services


To ask the Secretary of State for Health, when his Department plans to publish the (a)

consultation on improving social care and (b) green paper on social care funding.

Jackie Doyle-Price:

The Government will work to address the challenges of social care for our ageing

population, bringing forward proposals for consultation to build widespread support.

We are committed to listening to people’s views on how to reform the social care

system, to ensure it is sustainable for current and future generations and that the

quality of care improves.

We will provide further details on the next steps on social care in due course.

Suicide: Children and Young People

Lucy Powell: [2721]

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what estimate he has made of how many

suicides involving (a) 10 to 14-year olds and (b) 15 to 19-year olds were the result of

online bullying.

Lucy Powell: [2728]

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

(a) online and (b) offline bullying on the incidence of suicide among children and young

people.

Jackie Doyle-Price:

The Department does not hold information on the number of suicides by people aged

10-19 years of age as a result of online bullying.

However, the National Confidential Inquiry into Suicide and Homicide by People with

Mental Illness, which is commissioned by NHS England and supported by the

Department, published a thematic review in 2016, Suicide by Children and Young

People in England. A copy of the report is available at the following link:

http://www.hqip.org.uk/resources/report-suicide-by-children-and-young-people-in-

england/

The report identified ten common themes relating to suicides by people under 20

years of age between 2014 and 2015, including bullying (online and face-to-face) and

suicide-related internet use.




http://www.hqip.org.uk/resources/report-suicide-by-children-and-young-people-in-england/

http://www.hqip.org.uk/resources/report-suicide-by-children-and-young-people-in-england/

Suicide: Internet


To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what estimate he has made of the number of

websites promoting, encouraging or selling products to assist with suicide.


To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what plans the Government has to restrict

access to websites that promote or encourage suicide or self-harm.


To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what plans the Government has to restrict

access to websites that sell suicide kits online.

Jackie Doyle-Price:

The Department does not hold information on the number of websites promoting,

encouraging or selling products that assist suicide and self-harm.

People or organisations that provide information or sell products online must operate

within the law. It is illegal to assist a suicide. The law does not differentiate between

criminal offences committed online or anywhere else; it is the action that is illegal.

The Government works with the online sector and other stakeholders to address

issues of safety online and the impact of potentially harmful content.

We expect websites including social media companies to respond quickly to reports

of harmful content and abusive behaviour on their networks. This includes having

easy to use reporting tools, robust processes in place to respond promptly when

issues are reported, and suspending or terminating the accounts of those who do not

comply with acceptable use policies.

Urinary System: Diseases


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

that people diagnosed with chronic urinary tract infections receive appropriate treatment.


To ask the Secretary of State for Health, whether he or officials from his Department have

met (a) Professor Christopher Butler from Oxford University to discuss the PRINCESS

Study on the diagnosis and treatment of urinary tract infections or (b) Chris Harding from

the University of Newcastle to discuss the ALTAR Study on the diagnosis and treatment

of urinary tract infections.


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

research into the (a) testing of and (b) treatment for urinary tract infections.








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

number of people diagnosed with urinary tract infections in England in the last 12 months.


To ask the Secretary of State for Health, whether any ministers in his Department have

discussed the future of the Urology clinic at the Whittington Hospital with (a) officials in

his Department, (b) Simon Pleydell, Chief Executive of the Whittington Hospital and (c)

the Board Members of the Whittington Health NHS Trust.


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

the testing regimes for urinary tract infections.


To ask the Secretary of State for Health, which minister in his Department has

responsibility for urological conditions.

Steve Brine:

I hold responsibility for urological conditions.

Officials from the Department are aware that Whittington Trust is instigating a new

multidisciplinary team at Whittington Health for the Lower Urinary Tract Service, as

recommended by the Royal College of Physicians report and advised by NHS

England and NHS Improvement. The first reconstituted multidisciplinary team will

meet in July. Local commissioners will be members of the multidisciplinary team to

support the review of people suffering with chronic urinary tract infections and

ensuring that they receive appropriate treatment. New patients will be accepted into

the clinic on a phased approach and with the agreement of local commissioners that

there is a functioning multidisciplinary team in place. Ministers will be briefed

accordingly.

The Trust has worked with clinicians to develop a pathway for the treatment of

children with lower urinary tract infections, who should now be referred to Great

Ormond Street Hospital (the local tertiary service for children). All patients that

suspect they have urinary tract infection should see their general practitioner (GP)

who will be able to provide medical advice, set out a treatment plan and if appropriate

refer to a secondary provider. Patients who are not able to be referred to the Lower

Urinary Tract Service clinic should continue to seek support from their GPs.

The National Institute for Health Research has previously and is currently funding a

number of research projects on the testing and treatment of urinary tract infections.

The Department, through the National Institute for Health Research, is funding the

PRINCESS and ALTAR studies and will receive any publications resulting from the

work. Both projects are ongoing and the Department looks forward to seeing the

results when they are completed.





Data on the number of people diagnosed with urinary tract infections is not collected

centrally.

HOME OFFICE

Asylum: Children

Heidi Allen: [3686]

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

of the Minister of State, Home Office of 29 June 2017, HL 783, column 551, whether local

authorities with capacity to care for a greater number of unaccompanied children than

that set out under the provisions of section 67 of the Immigration Act 2016 and the

Written Ministerial Statement made on 26 April 2017, HCWS 619, will be able to apply to

do so.

Brandon Lewis:

The Government welcomes all offers from local authorities with capacity to look after

unaccompanied asylum seeking children. We will continue to utilise these offers to

fulfil all of our existing commitments, including ensuring a more equal allocation of

unaccompanied children across the country through the National Transfer Scheme.

Compass Contracts

Chris Stephens: [3277]

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to the Compass

asylum accommodation contract, in 2015-16 and 2016-17, if she will publish a copy of the

health and safety plan provided by the contractor.

Brandon Lewis:

In accordance with the contract and as part of the regular governance arrangements,

the Health & Safety Plans submitted by each of the asylum accommodation providers

are reviewed regularly including the arrangements for annual safety audits. The

Home Office has no plans to publish these documents or the subsequent reviews.

Counter-terrorism

Liam Byrne: [2865]

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many of her Department's

approved intervention providers for the Channel programme as located in each region of

England.

Liam Byrne: [2885]

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many intervention providers

for the Channel Programme are pending approval.





Mr Ben Wallace:

There are 20 individuals currently undergoing assessment for approval to become

intervention providers (IPs) for the Channel programme. Recruitment of IPs is a

continuous process and 5 individuals have recently received Ministerial approval.

The table below provides the current regional location breakdown of approved IPs.

The majority of IPs work nationally and are frequently commissioned to work outside

of their geographical location. We keep the list of IPs under review to ensure that

regional distribution is appropriate to the number of Channel cases.

REGION NUMBER OF IPS

North East 2

North West 10

Yorkshire and the Humber 0

East Midlands 6

West Midlands 10

East of England 5

London 17

South East 1

South West 2

Wales 3

Andrew Rosindell: [3117]

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when she plans to publish terms

of reference for the Commission for Countering Extremism; and whether those terms will

include foreign state funding of UK-based extremist groups.

Sarah Newton:

The Government is considering options for establishing the Commission and will set

out its plans in due course.

We are determined to cut off the funding which fuels the evils of extremism in the UK.

That is why in 2015 we commissioned a review on the funding of Islamist extremist

activity, including any overseas sources. The review reported to the Home Secretary

and Prime Minister in 2016 and it has improved the Government’s understanding of

the nature, scale and sources of funding for Islamist extremism in the UK.


Crimes of Violence: Acids

Caroline Lucas: [2361]

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what plans her Department has

to collect and collate statistics on the age and gender of perpetrators of acid attacks.

Mr Nick Hurd:

The Home Office is working closely with the National Police Chiefs’ Council to get a

better understanding of the scale and nature of acid and other corrosive attacks.

Government Communications

Liam Byrne: [2841]

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how much funding was allocated

to the Research, Information and Communications Unit in her Department in each of the

last three years; and what estimate she has made of the amount of funding that will be

allocated to that unit in the next two years.

Sarah Newton:

The funding allocation for the Research, Information and Communications Unit

(RICU) for the past 3 years is as follows, this includes both the administration and

programme funding and covers funding for both CT and SOC delivery:

2014/2015 - £12,487,259

2015/2016 - £17,127,270

2016/2017 - £21,087,203

Greater Manchester Police

Andrew Gwynne: [2723]

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment the

Government has made of the capacity of Greater Manchester Police to handle multiple

large-scale terrorist attacks simultaneously.

Mr Ben Wallace:

The Home Office keeps the UK’s preparedness for terrorist attack under constant

review, and is delivering a £144 million programme to increase numbers of armed

police officers in the UK. The first phase of the armed uplift is complete, with an

additional 41 Armed Response Vehicles and around 650 armed officers. The next

phase - an increase in Counter-Terrorism Specialist Firearms Officers - is expected to

complete in 2018, with a proportion to be based in Manchester.

The Home Office also trains and equips specialist fire and ambulance teams to

manage casualties in higher risk environments. These capabilities are deployable to

a terrorist incident occurring anywhere in the UK, including in Greater Manchester.

The emergency services’ response to the recent terrorist attack in Manchester was

fast and effective, with at least six armed response vehicles arriving at the incident

within ten minutes.




Immigration


To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made

of her Department's capacity to implement the policy proposals outlined in her

Department's policy paper Safeguarding the position of EU citizens in the UK and UK

nationals in the EU, published on 26 June 2017.

Brandon Lewis:

The Government set out its fair and serious offer to EU nationals living in the UK on

28 June. Negotiations on the nature and shape of the immigration system that will

operate after UK exit from the EU have started with our EU partners. The Home

Office currently processes several million immigration decisions each year. The

necessary resources will be made available to implement and operate the new

system for both those EU nationals already here and those that wish to come in

future, alongside delivery of the Government’s existing plans to transform the

operation of the immigration system. The Government will provide further detail in

due course.

Immigration: EEA Nationals


To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether she plans to update her

Department's guidance on removals and revocations of European Economic Area

nationals as outlined in her Department's policy paper Safeguarding the position of EU

citizens in the UK and UK nationals in the EU, published on 26 June 2017.

Brandon Lewis:

Guidance will be developed and updated in order to support implementation of the

new scheme.

Immigration: EU Nationals

Kate Green: [3007]

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to the policy

paper, Safeguarding the position of EU citizens living in the UK and UK nationals living in

the EU, published on 26 June 2017, whether the streamlined digital application process

referred to in paragraph 35, page 12 will be available to EU citizens who do not have a

passport.

Brandon Lewis:

The Government’s policy paper (Cm 9464), which was laid before Parliament on 26

June, sets out our proposals that European Union (EU) citizens who arrive in the UK

before the specified date and have five years’ continuous residence in the UK will be

able to apply for UK settled status.




The details of the settled status scheme will be subject to negotiations. We will

publish further detail on the specifics of the new application process for settled status,

including detailed eligibility criteria and requirements, in due course.

Joanna Cherry: [3180]

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment her

Department has made of which judicial body will be best placed to have oversight of the

rights of EU citizens with settled status after the UK has left the EU.

Brandon Lewis:


June, sets out our proposals that European Union (EU) citizens who arrive in the UK

before the specified date and have five years’ continuous residence in the UK will be

able to apply for UK settled status.

As set out in the policy paper, arrangements will be enshrined in UK law and

enforceable through the UK judicial system, up to and including the Supreme Court.

We are also ready to make commitments in the Withdrawal Agreement which will

have the status of international law.


To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what process her Department

plans to use to identify all existing lawful EU residents and their families eligible for the

period of blanket residence permission, outlined in paragraph 24 of her Department's

policy paper, Safeguarding the position of EU citizens in the UK and UK nationals in the

EU, published on 26 June 2017; and what the procedure will be for applications for such

permission.

Brandon Lewis:

The Government’s policy paper (Cm 9464) is clear that the Home Office will provide a

period of blanket residence permission, to start immediately on the UK’s exit from the

EU.

This will be a generic “umbrella” of temporary leave applying to all existing lawful EU

residents (and their families), to give them a grace period between the moment that

free movement ends and the time they obtain their residence document – allowing

them to remain lawfully in the UK, and continue to undertake their lawful business

during that interim period. Such leave, known as ‘deemed leave’ in UK law, under the

Immigration Act 1971 does not require an application.

Metropolitan Police

Andrew Gwynne: [2727]

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment the

Government has made of the capacity of the Metropolitan Police to handle multiple large-

scale terrorist attacks such as that at Borough Market simultaneously.




Mr Ben Wallace:

The Home Office keeps the UK’s preparedness for terrorist attack under constant

review, and is delivering a £144 million programme to increase numbers of armed

police officers in the UK. The first phase of the armed uplift is complete, with an

additional 41 Armed Response Vehicles and around 650 armed officers trained. The

number of armed response vehicles has more than doubled in London and around a

quarter of the national CTSFO capability will also be based in the capital.

The Home Office also trains and equips specialist fire and ambulance teams to

manage casualties in higher risk environments. These capabilities are deployable to

a terrorist incident occurring anywhere in the UK, including London. Police’s response

to the Borough Markey attack was fast and effective, with at least six armed response

vehicles arriving on scene within the first ten minutes.

Police: Finance

Louise Haigh: [3658]

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the total amount remaining

in the Special Grant available to police forces is for 2017-18.

Mr Nick Hurd:

As set out in the Written Ministerial Statement at the time of the police settlement (15

December 2016), in 2017/18, the Government is providing £50m from the police

settlement for Police Special Grant. This is an increase which reflects both an

assessment of potential need across police forces, and the specific costs likely to be

incurred preparing for the policing operation at the Commonwealth Heads of

Government Meeting in 2018.

By its nature, Special Grant deals with unusual and significant expenditures.

Ministers receive a number of applications throughout the year, which are typically

referred to Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary to review before a final

decision. Given that a number of applications are being carefully considered, it is not

possible to specify how much of the £50m remains available.

Proof of Identity: EU Nationals


To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what estimate she has made of

the cost to the public purse of providing non-UK EU nationals with identification

documentation after the UK leaves the EU.

Brandon Lewis:

Work is underway to scope the requirements of the system for EU citizens living in

the UK to obtain settled status. It is too early to determine the precise requirement for

administering the new settlement scheme and administrative costs of this, as this is

dependent on the detail of what is agreed during negotiations with the European

Union. Further detail will be confirmed as these details become known.




June, sets out our proposals that EU citizens who arrive in the UK before the

specified date and have five years’ continuous residence in the UK will be able to

apply for UK settled status.

We will publish further detail on the specifics of the new application process for

settled status in due course.

Joanna Cherry: [3179]

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment her

Department has made of the cost of producing identification for EU nationals in order to

prove their settled status after the UK has left the EU.

Brandon Lewis:

Work is underway to scope the requirements of the system for EU citizens living in

the UK to obtain settled status. It is too early to determine the precise requirement for

administering the new settlement scheme and administrative costs of this, as this is

dependent on the detail of what is agreed during negotiations with the European

Union. Further detail will be confirmed as these details become known.


June, sets out our proposals that EU citizens who arrive in the UK before the

specified date and have five years’ continuous residence in the UK will be able to

apply for UK settled status.

We will publish further detail on the specifics of the new application process for

settled status in due course.

Radicalism

Caroline Lucas: [2650]

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 3 July

2017 to Question 1467, when the report of the review into the funding of Islamist

extremism was (a) finalised and (b) submitted to ministers; and from which external

sources advice is being provided to ministers on publication of the report.

Sarah Newton:

The Government’s review of funding for Islamist extremism in the UK was completed

and reported to the Home Secretary and the Prime Minister in 2016. Ministers

received advice on publication of the report from the Civil Service.

Ministers have updated Parliament on the review today.

Refugees: Bank Services

Vicky Foxcroft: [3377]

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what discussions her

Department has had with the British Bankers' Association on the process of opening a

bank account for refugees who have been granted asylum in the UK.




Brandon Lewis:

Home Office officials met with the British Bankers’ Association to discuss a range of

issues, including the process of opening a bank account for refugees.

To help refugees to prove their identity, when an individual is granted refugee status

by the Home Office they are issued with a Biometric Residence Permit (BRP) as

proof of the holder’s right to stay, work or study in the UK.

How firms verify their customers’ identities is not stipulated in law or by the regulator.

Banks may ask for driving licences and passports as forms of identification, as they

are the most commonly encountered documents, but banks are not required to

demand sight of them, and are encouraged to act reasonably and consider a wide

range of other forms of identification.

Refugees: Children

Gavin Newlands: [3543]

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what her Department's policy is

on allowing unaccompanied refugee children to sponsor their parents for the purpose of

family reunion.

Brandon Lewis:

Under the Family Reunion Rules, children cannot sponsor family members. Where an

application does not meet the Immigration Rules, we consider whether there are

exceptional or compassionate reasons for granting a visa outside the Rules.

Social Media: Radicalism

John Mann: [3681]

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what plans she has to introduce

fines for social media companies which fail to remove extremist content from their

platforms.

Sarah Newton:

This Government has been clear there should be no safe space online for terrorists

and their supporters to radicalise, recruit, incite, or inspire. In March 2017, the Home

Secretary held a very positive meeting with industry to discuss online terrorist

content. Subsequent to the roundtable, Google, Facebook, Twitter and Microsoft

made a public commitment to look at options for establishing an industry-led forum

focused on tackling terrorist and extremist content online.

This was formally announced by the companies on 26 June 2016. We continue to

work closely with industry to come up with new, innovative ways for tackling terrorist

use of the internet but, as the Prime Minister has made clear, we will also explore the

possibility of creating legal requirements for communications service providers if they

fail to take the necessary action to remove unacceptable content



Sopra Steria: Complaints

Christian Matheson: [3664]

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many complaints were

made about the loss of passport application packs or documents contained within those

packs by Sopra Steria in the last year for which figures are available.

Brandon Lewis:

Her Majesty’s Passport Office is unable to specify the number of complaints in

relation to losses of passport applications or supporting documents by Sopra Steria,

as this level of detail is not recorded.

Terrorism: Finance

Tom Brake: [2977]

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether she plans to publish a

report on the funding of extremist activities in the UK by foreign governments, entities or

individuals.

Sarah Newton:

The Government is determined to cut off the funding which fuels the evils of

extremism in the UK. In November 2015, the Government commissioned a review

into the funding of Islamist extremist activity in the UK, including any overseas

sources. The review reported to the Home Secretary and Prime Minister in 2016 and

it has improved the Government’s understanding of the nature, scale and sources of

funding for Islamist extremism in the UK.

The Government has updated Parliament on the review’s main findings on

Wednesday 12 July 2017.

Undocumented Migrants: Private Rented Housing

Keith Vaz: [R] [2778]

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many people have

contacted the Right to Rent check service in each month since that service has been in

operation.

Brandon Lewis:

The Landlords Checking Service started on 11th November 2014 as a pilot scheme

covering the West Midlands. The scheme rolled out to the rest of England on 1st

February 2016

Violent and Sex Offender Register

Diana Johnson: [3639]

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many and what proportion

of people classified as low risk on the Sex Offenders Register are recorded in the

Disclosure and Barring Service's automatic barring list (a) with and (b) without

representations.





Sarah Newton:

The Government does not hold data on the number or proportion of people classified

as Low Risk on the Sex Offenders Register. Statistical information from the ViSOR

dangerous persons database is owned by the police, and the Home Office does not

have access to this information.

HOUSE OF COMMONS COMMISSION

Parliamentary Contribution Pension Fund

Layla Moran: [3671]

To ask the right hon. Member for Carshalton and Wallington, representing the House of

Commons Commission, what recent discussions the Commission has had with trustees

of the Parliamentary Contributory Pension Fund on that fund's investments in carbon-

intensive industries and fossil fuels; and whether those discussions included

consideration of divestment of such investments.

Tom Brake:

The Parliamentary Contributory Pension Fund is a separate entity with its own

trustees. The Commission has no role in the administration or investment

management of the fund and has therefore had no discussions with the Fund’s

trustees.

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

[Subject Heading to be Assigned]

Ian C. Lucas: [900370]

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what her policy is on the

development of relations between schools in the UK and in Africa.

Rory Stewart:

Developing connections between schools in the UK and in poorer countries can bring

benefits to all the children involved. Through our Connecting Classrooms programme

we are giving British children the chance to act as Global Britain's ambassadors, to

build international partnerships and to shape the world they want to live in.


To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what recent assessment she

has made of the availability of safe drinking water in the Gaza Strip.

Alistair Burt:

According to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, most homes

in Gaza are only getting water for a few hours every 3-5 days. The availability of safe

drinking water has become worse because of fuel and electricity shortages. The UK

is urging all parties to find a sustainable solution to the current situation and in the




longer term, continues to urge the Israeli authorities to ensure fair distribution of water

across the OPTs.

Richard Graham: [900372]

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what assessment she has

made of the effectiveness of the Prosperity Fund in the delivery of her Department's

goals.

Alistair Burt:

The UK ended its traditional bilateral aid programmes with China in 2011 and ended

all financial aid to the Indian government in 2015. Instead the UK is now building

relationships with these countries focused on trade and investment and on working

together on global issues. We need to be clear that the Prosperity Fund is part of this

new more mature partnership and allows us to share cutting edge UK expertise to

support economic growth and development. This is good for these countries but is

also strongly in our own national interest.

Sir David Amess: [900373]

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what steps the Government

is taking to promote trade between the UK and the Least Developed Countries.

Priti Patel:

Trade brings economic growth to developing countries and benefits UK producers

and consumers. That is why on 25 June I announced that as we leave the EU, we will

secure duty-free access to UK markets for the Least Developed Countries. Once we

have left, we will build on our track-record as a champion of trade and development,

strengthening our existing support and seizing new opportunities to increase trade

links.

Burma: Internally Displaced People

Valerie Vaz: [3629]

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what steps she is taking to

address the shortfall in funding for internally displaced people in Shan State and Kachin

State in Burma.

Alistair Burt:

DFID has provided £25.8 million in humanitarian and health assistance to internally

displaced and conflict-affected people in Kachin and Northern Shan States since

2012. The UK is one of the largest providers of assistance to the crisis in Kachin and

northern Shan states. We will continue to respond to humanitarian need and will

encourage other donors to play their part.




Burma: Peace Negotiations

Valerie Vaz: [3631]

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what funding was provided

to support the peace process in Burma in 2016-17; and which organisations were

recipients of that funding.

Alistair Burt:

In the financial year 2016-17 DFID contributed £4.2 million to the Peace Support

Fund managed by the Nordic International Support Foundation. The Fund provides

support to civil society, youth and women’s organisations working on peace.

The DFID Minister of State met representatives of the government and Burma’s

ethnic groups during his visit to Burma in July 2017. The peace process was an

important topic of discussion raised by the minister during his visit.

Department for International Development: Equality

Kate Green: [3089]

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, with reference to the oral

Answer of 2 November 2016, Official Report, column 879, what steps her Department

has taken to use 2011 census classifications, including on Gypsies and Travellers, to

audit racial disparities in public service outcomes.

Rory Stewart:



Department for International Development: Redundancy


To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, how many staff have left or

agreed settlements to leave her Department under (a) voluntary exit, (b) voluntary

redundancy and (c) compulsory redundancy since 1 November 2016; and how much

compensation was paid in those cases.

Rory Stewart:

No DFID staff have left or agreed settlements under voluntary exit or redundancy nor

had any compulsory redundancy since 1 November 2016.

Iraq: Humanitarian Aid

Edward Argar: [3152]

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what steps her Department

is taking to provide humanitarian support to (a) all the inhabitants and (b) the children in

Mosul once the city has been liberated from Da'esh.





Alistair Burt:

The UK is providing lifesaving assistance to those who have fled fighting in Mosul

and we will continue to do so once Mosul is liberated. We are supporting UNICEF to

provide water supply facilities in 12 camps for 166,000 displaced people, about half of

whom are children. We are funding UNHCR to provide cash assistance for vulnerable

displaced Iraqis, allowing them to prioritise what they need most such as food or

household items. The UK is also funding the International Organisation for Migration

to provide healthcare for Mosul’s citizens, including upgrading four surgical and

medical emergency units and supporting ten health facilities in liberated areas of

Mosul. The UK is the largest donor to the Iraq Humanitarian Pooled Fund which

funds projects across Iraq including protection services for children in and around

Mosul.

Edward Argar: [3376]

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what assessment she has

made of the level for humanitarian support from the international community required for

the people of Mosul following that city's recapture from Da'esh.

Alistair Burt:

The UN has just completed an updated assessment of the humanitarian needs in and

around Mosul. The UN estimates that the cost of humanitarian assistance, which

includes funding to meet basic needs such as shelter, healthcare, education and

water facilities, could be up to $450 million. This has been factored into the UN’s

2017 Humanitarian Response Plan (HRP), which puts funding requirements for the

whole of Iraq for 2017 at $984.6 million. The UK continues to work with the UN and

lobby the international community to ensure that humanitarian partners have

sufficient funding to meet the needs of vulnerable Iraqis.

The Department for International Development is monitoring the situation on a daily

basis.

Overseas Aid: Standards

David Linden: [3387]

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what steps her Department

is taking to help other government departments that spend aid achieve Good or Very

Good ratings under the International Aid Transparency Initiative.

Rory Stewart:

DFID is providing regular advice to support departments to improve the transparency

of their overseas development assistance. This includes workshops, guidance and

the establishment of a network to share good practice. It is essential we pool skills

and expertise across government to ensure we achieve this commitment, so the

British public know their money is being spent well to eradicate poverty and keep

Britain safe.



INTERNATIONAL TRADE

Burma: Overseas Companies

Valerie Vaz: [3630]

To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what advice the Government

provides to British companies which supply or are considering to supply the Burmese

military or are considering entering into joint ventures or other business arrangements

with military-owned or military-linked companies from that country.

Mark Garnier:

British companies contacting the Department for International Trade’s Defence &

Security Organisation for advice or support relating to exports to Burma are made

aware that there is currently an arms embargo and other restrictions in force, and are

referred to the Gov.uk website for further information.

Trade


To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, whether he has plans to publish a

White Paper on International Trade.

Greg Hands:

The Government has set out in the Queen's Speech its intentions to introduce the

necessary trade legislation to develop an independent international trade policy upon

exiting the European Union. Before such legislation is introduced, a supporting paper

will be published.

Trade Agreements

Hywel Williams: [3612]

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

each of the devolved administrations on the functions of a new Board of Trade.


To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what representations on a new

Board of Trade he plans for each nation and region of the UK.


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

his counterparts in Welsh Government on the representation of Wales on the Board of

Trade.

Greg Hands:

The Board of Trade will serve the whole of the United Kingdom; and will include

representatives from England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. This will ensure

that the benefits of trade are spread across the whole of the UK.







To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what steps he plans to take to

consult the devolved administrations on trade deals for (a) fishing, (b) agriculture and (c)

transport.

Greg Hands:

The Department for International Trade will work with citizens, businesses, and

administrations from across the UK to ensure we develop a trade policy that works for

the whole of the UK, and reflects the interests of England, Scotland, Wales and

Northern Ireland. This engagement will cover all parts of the economy including

fishing, agriculture, and transport.

JUSTICE

Community Rehabilitation Companies


To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, when the review on the functioning of

community rehabilitation companies was completed; and what the main

recommendations of that review were.

Mr Sam Gyimah:

We have carried out a comprehensive review of the probation system to make sure

that it is reducing reoffending, protecting the public and preventing future victims. The

review concluded in April and we are taking forward work to improve probation

services as a result. We will provide an update shortly.


To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what the (a) anticipated and (b) actual caseload

was for probation workers in community rehabilitation companies in 2016-17.

Mr Sam Gyimah:

Figures on the average caseload of probation officers are not collected centrally. A

probation worker’s workload is not based solely on the number of cases they are

managing, but the level of supervision required.

As per the answer to your question in January (59744), the MoJ publishes statistics

showing the total caseload of the National Probation Service (NPS) and the 21

Community Rehabilitation Companies. Figures for total probation caseload are

published quarterly in the Offender Management Statistics Bulletin, England and

Wales:

https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/offender-management-statistics-quarterly


To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether the ownership of any community

rehabilitation company has changed since February 2015.




https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/offender-management-statistics-quarterly


Mr Sam Gyimah:

Whilst all Community Rehabilitation Companies (CRCs) remain under the same

ownership, on 28 June 2016 the then Secretary of State for Justice agreed for

consent to be given to the Working Links CRCs for the sale of 100% of ordinary

shares in Working Links (Employment) Group Ltd, including those owned by the

Department for Work and Pensions, to Aurelius Sigma.

Community Rehabilitation Companies: Finance


To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether any community rehabilitation company

in England and Wales received additional funding above the agreed contract in 2016-17.

Mr Sam Gyimah:

We have undertaken an overarching review of probation, looking at the standards we

set for providers and how we hold them to account. We have already made some

changes to how CRCs are paid so they can focus on activities that best rehabilitate

offenders and keep society safe. The details of these changes are commercially

sensitive, however relevant OJEU notices can be found at

http://ted.europa.eu/udl?uri=TED:NOTICE:45770-2015:TEXT:EN:HTML&tabId=4

Community Rehabilitation Companies: Staff


To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many probation staff were employed by

each community rehabilitation company in England and Wales on (a) 1 April 2015, (b) 1

April 2016 and (c) 1 April 2017.

Mr Sam Gyimah:

When Community Rehabilitation Companies (CRCs) were under public ownership

(from 1 June 2014 to 31 January 2015), we published workforce information on a

quarterly basis. The final iteration of these statistics was published on 31 December

2014 and can be found at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/community-rehabilitation-companies-

workforce-information-report-quarter-3-2014-to-2015.

Contracts with CRCs require each CRC to ensure that it employs a sufficient level of

staff, and that its workforce is competent and adequately trained. 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.

Community Rehabilitation Companies: Telephone Services


To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether any offenders supervised by

community rehabilitation companies in England or Wales report to call centres.




Mr Sam Gyimah:

Bristol, Gloucestershire, Somerset and Wiltshire; Dorset, Devon and Cornwall;

Wales; Bedfordshire, Northamptonshire, Cambridgeshire and Hertfordshire; Essex;

Norfolk and Suffolk; Cumbria and Lancashire; Northumbria; and South Yorkshire

Community Rehabilitation Companies (CRCs) currently use telephone reporting as

just one part of their operating models, in addition to regular reporting in person,

where it is an appropriate tool for the individual case.

Contract management teams continue to 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.

Debt Collection


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

Taking control: the need for fundamental bailiff reform, published by a consortium of debt

advice agencies in March 2017; and if he will make a statement.

Dominic Raab:

The Ministry of Justice is considering the report Taking Control: the need for

fundamental bailiff reform.

First-tier Tribunal: Immigration


To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many cases are awaiting determination by

the First Tier Immigration Tribunal.

Dominic Raab:

This information is published regularly as Official Statistics. The number of registered

appeals awaiting determination as of 31 March 2017 in the First-tier Tribunal

(Immigration and Asylum Chamber) was 52,365.

Grenfell Tower: Fires


To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what support the Government is able to provide

for Grenfell Tower residents to access Probate Registry papers.

Dr Phillip Lee:

It is important that everyone affected by this terrible tragedy gets all the support and

help they need.

Anyone who wishes to undertake a search of the probate registry papers, or to obtain

copies of a Will or grant of probate, may make an application to the relevant Probate

Registry. The fee of £10 also includes a copy of the grant of probate (if one has been

made) and the Will (if there is one).




The Lord Chancellor has a power to remit fees where there are exceptional

circumstances for doing so. Anyone who wishes to make an application for a fee

remission should contact the delivery manager at the Probate Registry.

Immigration: Judges


To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many new immigration judges were

appointed in 2017.

Dominic Raab:

Over the course of 2017, to date, one Resident Judge has been appointed to the

First-tier Tribunal, Immigration and Asylum Chamber.

Ministry of Justice: Disclosure of Information


To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many protected disclosures were made by

staff in his Department in each of the last three years for which figures are available; how

many such disclosures were found to be valid; how many staff alleged detriment as a

result of making such a disclosure; and how many staff who (a) made such a disclosure


the Department.

Dr Phillip Lee:

Data on protected disclosures made by staff in MoJ in the last three years, is as

follows:

WHISTLEBLOWING

REPORTING YEAR: NUMBER OF CASES

NUMBER OF

COMPLAINTS

UPHELD

NUMBER OF

EMPLOYEES THAT

CLAIMED TO HAVE

SUFFERED A

DETRIMENT

BECAUSE THEY

RAISED A WHISTLE

BLOWING

CONCERN.

NUMBER OF

EMPLOYEES THAT

SUBSEQUENTLY

LEFT THE

DEPARTMENT AS

RESULT OF

SUFFERING

DETRIMENT FOR

BLOWING THE

WHISTLE.

* April 14 – March

15

Figure not known Figure not known Figure not known Figure not known

April 15 – March

16

**5 Less than 5 0 0

April 16 – March

17

**7 Less than 5 Less than 5 0



* The MoJ central data base was set up in March 2015. Prior to this information

wasn’t recorded in the level of detail required to respond to these questions.

** Figure includes a HMPPS case that was raised directly with the Civil Service

Commission.

Offenders: Biometrics


To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether any community rehabilitation

companies in England or Wales use bio-metric machines as a method of reporting for

offenders.

Mr Sam Gyimah:

Derbyshire, Leicestershire, Nottinghamshire and Rutland; and Staffordshire and West

Midlands Community Rehabilitation Companies (CRC) have piloted Biometric

Reporting Kiosks. The pilot has involved stakeholder engagement with the National

Probation Service and HM Courts Service in the area, and will be evaluated before it

is implemented more widely.

At the appropriate time, we will work closely with CRCs on their proposed plans to roll

out Biometric Reporting Kiosks more widely. We continue to 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.

Reoffenders


To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many serious further offence reviews were

carried out in each community rehabilitation company area and for the National Probation

Service in (a) 2015-16 and (b) 2016-17.


To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many people have been murdered since

February 2015 by offenders who at the time of the offence, were being supervised by

community rehabilitation companies.


To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many serious further offence reviews were

carried out for all probation areas in England and Wales in (a) 2010-11, (b) 2011-12, (c)

2012-13 and (d) 2013-14.

Mr Sam Gyimah:

A mandatory serious further offence (SFO) review is triggered where an offender

under statutory probation supervision is charged with murder, manslaughter, rape or

certain other serious violent or sexual offences. Not in all cases will the charge result

in a conviction for an SFO.





The table below provides the number of SFO reviews carried out by the Community

Rehabilitation Companies (CRCs) and the National Probation Service (NPS) between

1 April 2016 and 31 March 2017.

PROBATION PROVIDER 2015-2016 2016-2017

Bedfordshire,

Northamptonshire,

Cambridgeshire and

Hertfordshire CRC

10 15

Bristol, Gloucestershire,

Somerset and Wiltshire CRC

9 14

Cheshire and Greater

Manchester CRC

23 25

Cumbria and Lancashire CRC 11 7

Derbyshire, Leicestershire,

Nottinghamshire and Rutland

CRC

14 16

Dorset, Devon and Cornwall

CRC

5 6

Durham Tees Valley CRC 1 6

Essex CRC 9 10

Hampshire and Isle of Wight

CRC

3 2

Humberside, Lincolnshire, and

North Yorkshire CRC

11 10

Kent, Surrey and Sussex CRC 12 15

London CRC 40 29

Merseyside CRC 3 8

Norfolk and Suffolk CRC 2 7

Northumbria CRC 9 12

South Yorkshire CRC 10 4

Staffordshire and West

Midlands CRC

8 14

PROBATION PROVIDER 2015-2016 2016-2017

Thames Valley CRC 10 3

Wales CRC 9 15

Warwickshire and West Mercia

CRC

6 5

West Yorkshire CRC 17 10

Total CRC 222 233

Total NPS 285 284

Total 507 517

We are not able to answer from central records the question in the precise form

asked. However, between 1 February 2015 and 31 Dec 2016, 46 offenders were

convicted of murder, who at the time of the offence were subject to supervision by a

Community Rehabilitation Company (CRC). This figure is subject to change as a

number of other cases are still going through the legal process.

The table below provides the number of SFOs carried out by the former Probation

Trusts in England and Wales between 1 April 2010 and 31 March 2014.

PROBATION TRUST 2010-11 2011-12 2012-2013 2013-14

Avon and

Somerset

10 17 8 10

Bedfordshire 1 8 4 3

Cambridgeshire 5 4 7 5

Cheshire 3 11 6 5

Cumbria 4 2 0 0

Derbyshire 8 11 10 8

Devon and

Cornwall

6 8 5 6

Dorset 1 1 3 1

Durham 12 18 9 10

Dyfed-Powys 3 3 0 2

PROBATION TRUST 2010-11 2011-12 2012-2013 2013-14

Essex 16 19 8 11

Gloucestershire 3 0 1 6

Greater

Manchester

29 20 37 33

Gwent 6 3 5 4

Hampshire 13 8 13 8

Hertfordshire 6 11 4 8

Humberside 11 9 3 7

Kent 22 18 13 13

Lancashire 18 8 13 8

Leicestershire and

Rutland

3 8 5 12

Lincolnshire 3 1 6 1

London 89 89 75 88

Merseyside 10 15 16 15

Norfolk 5 0 7 4

North Wales 6 7 7 8

North Yorkshire 4 1 3 7

Northamptonshire 7 7 2 1

Northumbria 22 17 10 14

Nottinghamshire 7 8 7 15

South Wales 11 5 12 7

South Yorkshire 13 10 14 17

Suffolk 3 0 2 2

Surrey 6 1 2 0

Sussex 3 5 5 7

Thames Valley 7 14 15 7

PROBATION TRUST 2010-11 2011-12 2012-2013 2013-14

Warwickshire 2 1 6 2

West Mercia 7 5 7 6

West Midlands 33 37 34 37

West Yorkshire 21 30 20 26

Wiltshire 2 1 5 5

Totals 441 441 409 429

Victim Support Schemes: Terrorism

Jim Shannon: [2669]

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what long-term assistance is available for

victims of terrorism in the UK.

Dr Phillip Lee:

The Government is committed to making sure that victims of terrorism and bereaved

families receive the best possible support both in the immediate aftermath, and in the

long term. The appalling attacks in Manchester and London, just as previous attacks

such as in Sousse, Tunisia, demonstrate how vital it is that support is available to

victims and their families.

In 2017, we established a cross-HMG Victims of Terrorism unit to co-ordinate support

to UK citizens directly affected by terrorist events at home or overseas. It is working

across Government, the voluntary sector and with local authorities to ensure that

support to victims of terrorism is comprehensive, coordinated and clearly

communicated.

We have developed gov.uk webpages

(see https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/terror-attacks-support-for-people-

affected ) to provide comprehensive advice to victims and to signpost them to support

services in the UK. We have also been working closely with local authorities to

highlight the support available, and will make sure that payments from the We Love

Manchester Emergency Fund and the UK Solidarity Fund do not affect benefits

payments.


https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/terror-attacks-support-for-people-affected

https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/terror-attacks-support-for-people-affected

TRANSPORT

Aviation: Egypt

Lilian Greenwood: [3693]

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

representatives of the airline industry and other key stakeholders on the resumption of

direct flights to Sharm El-Sheikh; and if he will make a statement.

Mr John Hayes:

My officials have regular discussions with UK airlines and others about flights from

Sharm el-Sheikh.

DfT aviation security experts continue to work closely with their Egyptian counterparts

on the ground, sharing their expertise in establishing effective security arrangements.

We look forward to achieving the return of flights to Sharm el-Sheikh, once we can be

assured of there being the necessary secure and sustainable security situation.

Cycling: North East


To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what funding his Department has made

available for cycling in (a) Sunderland and (b) the North East since 2010.

Jesse Norman:

Since 2010, local authorities in England have benefited from over £600m of funding

from the Department for Transport (DfT) for sustainable transport initiatives, including

cycling and walking, through the Local Sustainable Transport Fund and its

successors the Sustainable Travel Transition Year and Access Fund. Details of the

areas where DfT funding has been provided can be found at:

http://maps.dft.gov.uk/funding-for-sustainable-travel/index.html.

Sunderland Council has benefited from around £100,000 per annum of DfT funding

since 2011-12 for Bikeability training. All other DfT funding has been provided to the

North East Combined Authority (NECA), which includes Sunderland. The amount of

DfT funding provided to NECA, and its predecessor, for sustainable transport

(including cycling and walking) was £28.56m from 2011 – 17, this includes £16.32m

of Cycle Ambition City funding. DfT does not hold data on how this funding has been

allocated between each local authority.

Since 2010 there has also been additional funding, some of which will have benefited

cycling and walking in the North East region. This includes through the Local Growth

Fund, Highways Maintenance Block and the Integrated Transport Block. Precise

amounts spent vary and will depend on decisions made by the relevant local

authorities and other local bodies.



Cycling: Per Capita Costs

Layla Moran: [3687]

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what estimate he has made of the level of

public funding for cycling per head of population in each of the next five years.

Jesse Norman:

Spending on cycling in England has risen from around £2 per person in 2010 to an

estimate of around £6 per person in 2016/17. Precise amounts vary from one part of

the country to another and depend on decisions made by local authorities and other

local bodies.

The amount of spending per head in each of the next five future years will depend on

local decisions as well as on future decisions on Government funding. The total

amount of investment in walking and cycling in England over the five-year period

(2016/17 - 2020/21) is currently set at around £1.2 billion. The money comes from a

wide range of ring-fenced and non-ring-fenced funding streams, as set out in the

Government’s Cycling and Walking Investment Strategy which was published in April

2017 and is available at:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/cycling-and-walking-investment-strategy

Cycling: West Midlands


To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how much central Government investment

has been provided to (a) Coventry and (b) the West Midlands to upgrade the cycling

network in those areas in each of the last five years.

Jesse Norman:

Since 2010, local authorities in England have benefited from over £600m of funding

from the Department for Transport (DfT) for sustainable transport initiatives, including

cycling and walking, through the Local Sustainable Transport Fund and its

successors the Sustainable Travel Transition Year and Access Fund. Details of the

areas where DfT funding has been provided can be found at:

http://maps.dft.gov.uk/funding-for-sustainable-travel/index.html

Coventry City Council received £3.496m of DfT funding from the Local Sustainable

Transport Fund between 2011-15 for the “Cycle Coventry” project, which delivered

cycling infrastructure and initiatives to encourage cycling amongst commuters,

university students and local communities. Coventry also benefited from £270,000 of

DfT funding in 2015-16 to enable Virgin Trains to improve cycle facilities at Coventry

railway station.

DfT has provided the following funding to local authorities in the West Midlands which

has funded cycle networks and awareness raising initiatives:


https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/cycling-and-walking-investment-strategy


CYCLE AMBITION CITIES

GRANT - BIRMINGHAM

CITY COUNCIL £13M FOR 2013-15 £1M FOR 2015-16 £7.317M FOR 2016-17

Local Sustainable

Transport Fund - West

Midlands

£77.8m for 2011-15 £8m for 2015-16 N/A

Sustainable Travel

Transition Year – West

Midlands

N/A N/A £2.9m for 2016-17

Alongside this DfT provided a total of £1.224m in 2015-16 to improve cycle rail

facilities at railway stations in the West Midlands region. There has also been funding

for cycling and walking in the West Midlands over the last five years through

Bikeability, the Local Growth Fund, Highways Maintenance Block and the Integrated

Transport Block. Precise amounts spent on cycling and walking vary and will depend

on decisions made by the relevant local authorities and other local bodies.

Department for Transport: Advertising


To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how much his Department has spent on

advertising on social media in each month since January 2016.

Mr John Hayes:

The department have spent the following on advertising on social media. A large

proportion of the spend is on our iconic and highly successful Think! road safety

campaigns, which have helped to contribute to a massive fall in road deaths due to

drink driving over the last 50 years.

MONTH SPEND (EXCLUDING VAT)

January 2016 £413,132

February 2016 £27,837

March 2016 £760,104

April 2016 £11,709

May 2016 £16,771

June 2016 £17,796

July 2016 £104,187

August 2016 £18,602


MONTH SPEND (EXCLUDING VAT)

September 2016 £13,417

October 2016 £10,341

November 2016 £4,035

December 2016 £19,287

January 2017

February 2017

March 2017

April 2017 £23,645

May 2017

June 2017 £249

July 2017

Department for Transport: Disclosure of Information


To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many protected disclosures were made

by staff in his Department in each of the last three years for which figures are available;

how many such disclosures were found to be valid; how many staff alleged detriment as

a result of those disclosures; and how many staff subsequently left his Department's

employment.

Mr John Hayes:

The Department for Transport (DfT) introduced new Whistleblowing and ‘Raising a

Concern’ policies in May 2015. The policies apply to DfT employees, who are Civil

Servants, and set out the process that our employees should follow when reporting a

perceived wrongdoing within DfT.

According to our central records the information is set out below:

How many protected disclosures were made by staff in his Department in each of the

last three years for which figures are available:

In the financial year 2015/16 there were 19 protected disclosures raised.

In the financial year 2016/17 there were 21 protected disclosures raised.

How many such disclosures were found to be valid:

In the financial year 2015/16, there were 5 disclosures found to have a case to

answer for.


In the financial year 2016/17, there were 5 disclosures found to have a case to

answer for, with 8 cases still ongoing.

How many staff alleged detriment as a result of those disclosures:

No reports were made by those raising protected disclosures about alleged detriment

as a result of raising their concerns.

How many staff subsequently left his Department's employment:

In 2015/16 *Less than 5 members left the Department

In 2016/17 *Less than 5 members left the Department

*In line with Data Protection requirements, where there are fewer than 5 members of

staff, I am unable to disclose further information.

High Speed 2 Railway Line

Antoinette Sandbach: [2954]

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when the decision will be announced of the

route of phase 2B of High Speed 2 from Crewe to Manchester and Leeds.

Paul Maynard:

The Government confirmed the majority of the route in November 2016 and launched

a consultation on seven route refinements. Our intention is to announce a

Government response to the consultation as soon as possible.


To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to page five of High Speed

Two Limited's Initial Framework Agreement with the TUC, published on 8 April 2016, if he

will list the dates on which the joint committee has met.

Paul Maynard:

Work on establishing a full Joint Committee is in process. There have been five

meetings with the TUC in the last year to work on establishing the full committee.

Those meetings are proving constructive and as HS2 moves into the first construction

phase later this year, dates and arrangements for the full Joint Committee will be

formalised.

High Speed 2 Railway Line: Eddisbury


To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what work (a) has been done and (b) is

ongoing, to analyse historical satellite surveys to assess the rate and magnitude of recent

ground movements on the proposed route of HS2 Phase 2B in Eddisbury constituency.

Paul Maynard:

HS2 Ltd has not commissioned or used any satellite data analysis as current

evidence does not suggest they are able to detect movements in rural areas with the

accuracy required. HS2 Ltd are however investigating other analysis techniques and




is reviewing the practicality of installing corner reflectors on the ground, in order to

increase the accuracy of satellite data. Combined with other monitoring, this may

enable subsequent and more modern satellite survey data to be analysed in sufficient

detail.


To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if any space-borne synthetic aperture radar

surveys have been commissioned to assess ground movements on the proposed route of

High Speed 2 phase 2B in Eddisbury.

Paul Maynard:

HS2 Ltd has not commissioned any space-borne synthetic aperture radar surveys on

the proposed route of High Speed 2 phase 2B in Eddisbury.

National Air Traffic Services: Government Shareholding


To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to the Answer of 13 April 2016

to Question 33920, on National Air Traffic Services: Government shareholding, if it

remains his policy to sell the Government's shareholding in the National Air Traffic

Service.

Mr John Hayes:

At the 2015 Spending Review, the Chancellor announced we were considering a

potential sale of the Government’s 49% shareholding in NATS. Since then, HMG has

indicated that no final decisions have been taken and HMG will continue to keep its

investment under review.

Railways: East Midlands


To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to his oral contribution of 4

July 2017, Official Report, column 1137, which routes currently operated under the East

Midlands franchise are anticipated to benefit from a significantly shorter journey time as a

result of the new Thameslink timetable; and what those changes in journey times will be.

Paul Maynard:

Network Rail and the train operators are currently undertaking the detailed work to

develop the 2018 timetable for the Midland Main Line.

Railways: Fares


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

Question 1538, on railways: fares, what plans he has to increase the cost of regulated rail

fares by RPI plus zero per cent in 2018.





Paul Maynard:

The Government recognises that the cost of travelling for rail passengers can seem

high – this is why since 2014 we have taken action and capped the regulated rail

fares at RPI+0%. Train fare revenue is crucial to funding day-to-day railway

operations and delivering the investment and massive upgrade programme currently

underway, all of which passengers demand and expect.

We of course keep policies under review.

Roads: Accidents

Daniel Zeichner: [2978]

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to his Department's

publication of 2 February 2017, Road accidents and safety statistics, for what reasons

there has been a delay in the supply of data from data providers.

Jesse Norman:

The Department for Transport (DfT) published the provisional road casualty estimates

for the year-end September 2016 (Q3, 2016) as pre-announced on 2 February 2017.

These provisional statistics were based on a snapshot of the data available from

police records at the time of publishing, and it is not unusual for the provisional data

to be affected by a small volume of missing data for a variety of reasons relating to

resourcing, system changes and specific IT issues.

For the 2nd February publication, DfT has now received the data in question.

Tyne and Wear Metro: Rolling Stock


To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what funding model his Department has

proposed for the delivery of a new train fleet for the Tyne and Wear Metro.

Jesse Norman:

The Department for Transport (DfT) is in discussions with Nexus regarding their

proposals for new rolling stock on the Metro. DfT and HM Treasury officials continue

to work with Nexus to explore various funding options.

WALES

Rhondda Tunnel


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

Secretary of State for Transport on transferring ownership of the Rhondda Tunnel to the

Welsh Government.

Alun Cairns:

I hold regular discussions with the Secretary of State for Transport on issues which

relate to Wales. The Rhondda Tunnel is part of the Historical Railways Estate which




comprises redundant former railway property owned by the Secretary of State for

Transport.

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Transport wrote to the Welsh

Government’s Cabinet Secretary for Economy and Infrastructure on 24 April this year

to indicate that the Secretary of State for Transport was content to transfer the tunnel

to the Welsh Government. To date no response has been received from the Welsh

Government.

WOMEN AND EQUALITIES

Equal Pay: Business


To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, when she plans to bring forward legislative

proposals to require companies with more than 250 employees to publish data on the pay

gap between men and women.

Anne Milton:

New regulations introducing mandatory gender pay gap reporting for large employers

came into force earlier this year.

LGBT People: Northern Ireland


To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, what recent discussions she has had with

(a) the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland and (b) Members of Northern Ireland

Executive on the protection and promotion of LGBT rights in Northern Ireland.

Nick Gibb:

The Government is committed to progress LGBT equality globally and is working

hard with like minded countries to share best practice, notably through the Equal

Rights Coalition, of which the United Kingdom is a founding member. The United

Kingdom has made progress in promoting LGBT equality: we have one of the world’s

strongest legislative frameworks to prevent and tackle discrimination. We are,

however, not complacent and we are working hard to improve our legislation and

policies. As we work with others to govern in the national interest, we will continue to

promote and champion the equal rights we believe in.


To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, whether she had made representations to

the Prime Minister on LGBT rights in Northern Ireland prior to the Prime Minister meeting

with Democratic Unionist Party leader, Arlene Foster, on 13 June.

Nick Gibb:

The United Kingdom is recognised as a global leader on LGBT rights and I am

immensely proud of our record. We have one of the strongest legislative frameworks

to prevent and tackle all forms of discrimination, including on the grounds of sexual




orientation and gender reassignment. The Government is committed to LGBT

equality. As we work with others to govern in the national interest, we will continue to

promote and champion the equal rights we believe in.

Parliament: Disability

Mr Peter Bone: [2850]

To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, what discussions she has had with the

House of Commons Commission on taking steps to ensure that the Parliamentary estate

is fully accessible to people of differing physical ability.

Nick Gibb:

I have not had any such discussions. However, officials from the Government

Equalities Office would be happy to discuss the reasonable adjustment requirements

of the Equality Act 2010 with the Commission, if this would be helpful.

WORK AND PENSIONS

Department for Work and Pensions: Advertising

Deidre Brock: [3415]

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how much his Department has

spent on advertising on social media in each month since January 2016.

Damian Hinds:

DWP Corporate Services has a contract with CARAT LTD for Media Buying services

which covers Social Media advertising. The amount spent for the period stated

amounts to an average of £21k per month.

A more precise and detailed response could only be extracted at disproportionate

cost.

Employment and Support Allowance

Jess Phillips: [2881]

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the average time is for an

employment and support allowance claim to reach the assessment stage in (a) England,

(b) the West Midlands and (c) Birmingham, Yardley constituency.

Penny Mordaunt:

The information requested is not readily available and to provide it would incur

disproportionate cost.




Food Banks

Neil Gray: [3661]

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of

the findings of the Trussell Trust report on financial and food insecurity, published in June

2017, on the number of people with health conditions who use food banks.

Neil Gray: [3662]

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of

the findings of the Trussell Trust report on financial and food insecurity, published in June

2017, on the number of employment and support allowance claimants using food banks

in the UK.

Damian Hinds:

It is widely acknowledged that the reasons why people use food banks are complex

and overlapping, and therefore it would be misleading to link this to any particular

cause. We are helping people with health conditions into employment and working to

change attitudes. Since June 2016 over 750,000 people who were receiving

incapacity benefits are now either preparing for or looking for work. As a safeguard

for people needing more support, we have a well-established system of hardship

payments, benefit advances and budgeting loans.

The Department does not have data on the number of people with health conditions

or Employment and Support Allowance claimants who use food banks.

State Retirement Pensions: Females

Catherine McKinnell: [1141]

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether he plans to meet

representatives of the Women Against State Pension Inequality campaign to discuss the

effect of 1995 and 2011 changes to women's state pension age.

Guy Opperman:

There are no current plans to meet with representatives of the Women Against State

Pension Inequality campaign in the immediate future.

This matter has been comprehensively debated on many occasions in Parliament,

most recently in a Westminster Hall Debate on 5th July 2017 in which I stated I will be

meeting the all-party parliamentary group when it is reformed.

In addition to the substantive debate on this issue, previous Ministers have met with

WASPI representatives to discuss the effect of the 1995 and 2011 changes to

women’s State Pension age. Baroness Ros Altmann and Shailesh Vara MP met with

representatives of the WASPI group on 29th June 2016 to listen to their concerns.

This issue was also raised in a meeting on 23 November 2016 between the former

Secretary of State Damian Green, the then Minister for Pensions Richard Harrington

MP and representatives from the relevant All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG).




Following these meetings and debates, the government maintains the view that the

1995 and 2011 changes to State Pension age were necessary. We remain very clear

that we will make no further changes to the State Pension age or pay financial

redress in lieu of pension. Therefore the government believes that there is no value

for either party in future meetings with representatives from the Women Against State

Pension Inequality campaign.

A key priority for Government remains supporting individuals aged 50 years and over

to return to and remain in the labour market, and tackling the barriers to them doing

so. Since 2016 much work has been done to provide support back into employment,

with 1.2 million over 65’s now in employment. In addition there is training and

retraining, in many ways, as well as investment in lifelong learning and returnship

schemes. We have also extended our network of older claimant champions to all 34

Jobcentre Plus districts to provide best practice and support to work coaches.

Universal Credit: Zero Hours Contracts


To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 27 June

2017 to Question 1302, if he will estimate the number of people engaged on zero-hours

contracts who are in receipt of universal credit.

Damian Hinds:

It is too early to estimate as numbers on zero hours contracts in UC remain low.


WRITTEN STATEMENTS

HEALTH

NHS Technology

Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Health (Jackie Doyle-Price):

[HCWS40]

My hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Health (Lord

O'Shaughnessy) has made the following Written Statement in the House of Lords:

I am today publishing the Government response to the public consultation on the National

Data Guardian for Health and Care’s (NDG) and Care Quality Commission’s (CQC) data

security reviews. A copy of the response is attached and available at

https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/new-data-security-standards-for-health-

and-social-care

Boosting cyber resilience, improving the response to data and cyber incidents and

providing clarity on the handling of personal data remain an urgent priority for the health

and care sector.

Following consultation which closed on 7 July 2016, the Government accepts the

recommendations from the two independent data security reviews published in 2016.

Through the consultation, we heard broad support for Dame Fiona Caldicott’s

recommended data security standards and opt-out model, alongside a clear message

that we need to carefully think through and approach all elements of implementation.

Other key themes in the responses to the consultation related to the need to build public

trust through providing clarity and communicating clearly with the public and

professionals.

The global WannaCry ransomware attack in May 2017, which affected many other

countries’ services as well as our own health and care system, has reaffirmed the

potential for data and cyber incidents to impact directly on patient care, as well as the

need for our health and care system to act decisively to minimise the impact on essential

front-line services.

The Government response includes wide-ranging plans to strengthen organisations

across the NHS and social care against the threat of global cyber-attacks.

The immediate and longer-term actions are centred on ensuring local organisations are

implementing the 10 data security standards proposed in the NDG review, supported by

the national cyber support services provided by NHS Digital, backed up by clear

contractual obligations, and by assurance and regulatory action.

Investment in data and cyber security will be boosted above £50 million and will include a

new £21 million capital fund which will increase the cyber resilience of major trauma sites.

NHS Digital is already supporting local organisations by broadcasting alerts about cyber

threats, providing a hotline for dealing with incidents, sharing best practice across the

http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-statement/Commons/2017-07-12/HCWS40/


https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/new-data-security-standards-for-health-and-social-care

https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/new-data-security-standards-for-health-and-social-care

health and care system and carrying out on-site assessments to mitigate against cyber

security.

The NHS contract now requires NHS organisations to implement and adopt data security

standards as recommended by the independent NDG for Health and Care.

Chief executives will also be held to account for standards that are being implemented

and maintained and this will be assessed during inspections by the Care Quality

Commission from September this year.

The Government’s response also includes steps to give patients and the public more

access to, and control over, their personal data while building confidence in the

importance of secure data to provide better individual care and treatment, as well as

supporting research and planning across the health system.

As the Chief Medical Officer’s recent report on genomics showed, better use of data and

technology has the power to improve health outcomes, deliver better patient experience,

transform the quality of care patients receive and support improvements across the

health and social care system – now and in the future. Staff and patients will benefit from

reduced bureaucracy, freeing up more time for patient care, and leading to more accurate

diagnoses and more personalised treatment.

I want to thank Dame Fiona Caldicott, her team and the Care Quality Commission for

their important and considered reviews and recommendations, which can be found at:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/review-of-data-security-consent-and-opt-

outs

http://www.cqc.org.uk/content/safe-data-safe-care

Attachments:

1. NDG Government Response [FINAL-

3_Govt_Response_NDG_Review_WEB_compressed.pdf]

HOME OFFICE

Extremism

The Secretary of State for the Home Department (Amber Rudd): [HCWS39]

I am today announcing the main findings of the Home Office’s internal review into the

nature, scale and origin of the funding of Islamist extremist activity in the UK, including

any overseas sources. The review was commissioned by the former Prime Minister,

David Cameron, on 30 November 2015. It gives us the best picture we have ever had of

how extremists operating in the UK sustain their activities. The review did not include

either the funding of terrorism (which is a better understood area) or funding of extremism

overseas from UK sources.

Having taken advice, I have decided against publishing the classified report produced

during the review in full. This is because of the volume of personal information it contains

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/review-of-data-security-consent-and-opt-outs

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/review-of-data-security-consent-and-opt-outs

http://www.cqc.org.uk/content/safe-data-safe-care


and for national security reasons. We will be inviting privy councillors from the opposition

parties to the Home Office to have access to classified report on privy council terms.

The main finding of the review is as follows:

i. The most common source of support for Islamist extremist organisations in the UK is

from small, anonymous public donations, with the majority of these donations most likely

coming from UK-based individuals. In some cases these organisations receive hundreds

of thousands of pounds a year. This is the main source of their income. Those giving may

not know or support the organisations’ full agenda.

The review also made the following findings:

ii. Some Islamic organisations of extremist concern portray themselves as charities to

increase their credibility and to take advantage of Islam’s emphasis on charity. Some are

purposefully vague about their activities and their charitable status.

iii. Regulation can be effective in improving transparency. There is some evidence of

organisations of extremist concern seeking to avoid regulatory oversight.

iv. For a small number of organisations with which there are extremism concerns,

overseas funding is a significant source of income. However, for the vast majority of

extremist groups in the UK, overseas funding is not a significant source.

v. Overseas support has allowed individuals to study at institutions that teach deeply

conservative forms of Islam and provide highly socially conservative literature and

preachers to the UK’s Islamic institutions. Some of these individuals have since become

of extremist concern.

Fundamentally, no single measure will tackle all the issues of concern raised in the

review. A comprehensive approach focused particularly on domestic sources of support

for all forms of extremism is needed. The Government has looked carefully at the

review’s findings and will build on existing work by:

Continuing to deliver public awareness campaigns to encourage people to

understand the full aims of the organisations that they give to, reducing the amount

of funding organisations of extremist concern are able to raise from the public in

the UK.

Raising awareness across the financial services sector and grant making trusts

and foundations of extremism concerns. These organisations have an interest in

ensuring they are not inadvertently supporting extremist individuals or

organisations.

Reducing the ability of organisations of extremist concern to avoid official scrutiny

by increasing the proportion of organisations subject to regulatory oversight. We

are strengthening our work with the Charity Commission, which includes

addressing the abuse of charities for terrorist or extremist purposes as one of its

strategic priorities.

The Charity Commission will be introducing a requirement on charities to declare

overseas funding sources. The Commission has been discussing this issue with

charities over recent months.

Directly raising issues of concern, supported by evidence, with specific countries as

part of our wider international engagement on countering extremism and violent

extremism.

NORTHERN IRELAND

Northern Ireland Finances

Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (James Brokenshire): [HCWS38]

In my Statement to the House on 3 July, I made clear that the UK Government will always

uphold its ultimate responsibilities for political stability and good governance in Northern

Ireland. With that in mind, I have been keeping under review the financial situation in

Northern Ireland absent an Executive. Having reflected on the situation, and following

further advice from the Head of the Northern Ireland Civil Service, I have concluded that it

will be necessary for me to provide additional clarity ahead of the summer recess to

support Northern Ireland Permanent Secretaries in addressing financial pressures and

maintaining public services. Following the public holidays in Northern Ireland this week, I

therefore, intend to lay a further Written Statement before the House next week with

adjusted indicative Budget positions and departmental allocations. This will take account

of the Barnett consequentials arising from the Spring Budget, and funding as may be

available from budget transfers and updated forecasts.


Documents

Daily Report Wednesday, 12 July 2017 CONTENTSqnadailyreport.blob.core.windows.net/qnadaily... · 7/12/2017 · NHS Technology 99 HOME OFFICE 100 Extremism 100 NORTHERN IRELAND 102